A man could choose many ways to die, but only loyalty was eternal.
Stedric kept murmuring those words. From his face, you could probably tell the man was not particularly educated.
There was no hidden truth in that regard—Stedric really was an uncultured brute, and had been since before he was conscripted into this army. And in the army, naturally, there was no such thing as time for studying.
So these words had not been written by him.
They were the last words an Angel of Death of the Emperor had spoken three days ago, gripping his hand before he died. Stedric did not know his name, but he did know he had belonged to the Genesis Chapter. He and several other soldiers had dragged the angel back from beside the monster's corpse. By then, he had already been close to death.
Stedric had asked his name. He had not responded, only kept repeating those words.
And now, Stedric was repeating those words too, while asking himself another question.
How much longer could we hold out?
He began cleaning his gun with a filthy rag. The thing had been tucked into the small of his back throughout the fighting during the day. Stedric had thought it would fall out somewhere, anywhere, but it had not. Just as he had thought he would die, but he had not.
He had not died again—was that a good thing? Stedric had no answer. He was already very tired, but since he was still alive, then he would keep living.
"Stand up, soldier."
A voice sounded above his head, carrying exhaustion that could not be concealed. Stedric looked up, and the moment he glimpsed the commissar's broad-brimmed cap, he was already on his feet, giving his name and rank.
"Stedric, corporal, Cadian 667th Light