Seekin'a Purpose

Felix looked down and smiled at the silly dwarf, petting her head gently as she looked up with a soft red hue to her face. The smile and those soft blue eyes of hers were quite a sight for him, her twin pigtails draped over his legs like two fiery blankets, and her goggles appeared to be slipping from her hair. He plucked them off and was about to put them away when Nyitzcha reached out to hold them, slowly rubbing her thumb over the cracked lens.

Felix leaned back, giving her room to watch her goggles under the blue moonlight. After a short time, she slipped them into his hand and let go, breathing an audible sigh. Of relief, or sadness, it was one he couldn't read on her. This time, the dwarf concealed herself well leaving him both curious and concerned for her. She would be too proud to ask for help and too reserved to share emotional attachment to him, at least that's what he understood so far.

Then again, the cute hiccups that slipped from her lips and would make her chest jolt served as a fun reminder of her alcoholic state. That and her breath, which admittedly left him looking up for fresh air. Suddenly she found herself chuckling in amusement, laughing softly when he looked back worried for her.

"Put that face away, I dun' need it." She grumbled, patting his chest. "So soft an' strong, like him."

"If I ask, should I expect an answer?"

"Mmmm, worth a shot. Mum always says it ain't worth a thought if ye lack de spine to try it." Nyitzcha grinned.

Felix swallowed, nodding in agreement. "Okay, sound advice. What's yer st- pfft. What's your story?"

She snorted, glancing above to admire the view. "Well, is de story of a... of a real ripper! None a' dat fancy speeches an' politics type bull! Nuu! Just a... just a young lass who fancied somethin' t'pass de time. Is a bit hazy, 'fraid me memory ain't de sharpest so... ay. I was twenty, a war had been brewin' between two sides a' de same lands, East an' West. I was West, with nuthin' to me name but a harsh scoldin' fer blowin' up de town school back home."

"You blew up your school?" Felix asked.

Nyitzcha smirked and waved her hand. "No one got hurt 'cept the coins off de mayor, he was an arse anyhow. Now pint down! Is my storytime, kid."

---

The forest is a beautiful mark of mother nature, a lush land of green filled with life above trees and under soil. Whether it was the singing of the morning birds catching early treats for their young or the calming stream of the riverside flourish with fish, where all eyes can see at any angle there was life. It was beautiful, it was sunny, it was the centerpiece for the once known capital city of Valhalla, a nation once proud and mighty now fallen under fear, turmoil, and death. As the saying goes, all good things must come to an end. This forest, the inhabitants of both cities surrounding it, has fallen under the crossfire of war. A quiet night's rest had become a memory of old, cannon fire and whistling pellets and arrows would accompany you in your sleep, underground bunkers were a luxury as the common place for rest would be leaning back to back with an ally. Friend's were a troubling concept, though camaraderie united these soldiers attachment was feared as every day was lived to be their last.

So it was one day under the rising sun, when the sky held a gentle purple hue that one soldier shorter than the rest had reached her destination at last, crawling along the mud to avoid splinters or debris from cannons piercing any of the surviving trees which kept them covered for a finite period. This battleground had taken its toll on a once beautiful scenery. With an audible grunt, this soldier dove into the deep trenches they had dug to best keep out of fire, both sides copied this strategy while mindlessly wasting cannons hoping to strike a soldier or two. Should any side fail to shoot back within thirty seconds, it would provide motivation for the opposing side to take up arms and charge. Yes, it was suicidal. Yes it was idiotic. That was war.

"Sir! This one here claims to have been called for. She wears our colors, sir!" One officer exclaimed, pounding a closed fist to his chest in salute with his heels pressed together and his back straight.

The remaining soldiers stared back, most of them with pointed ears, the signature trait of any elf. A particular elf in a fancy uniform narrowed his gaze on the short figure standing behind the saluting soldier.

"Who the hell are you?"

The short figure walked forward, shrugging the rather large bag off her back as it sunk into the mud with a wet splat! Stretching her neck and swinging her small arms, this one muttered to herself before copying the previous soldier's stance and saluting them in return.

"Corporal Nyitzcha, sir. Fifth division, you had requested fer a bombin' expert, ey?" She asked, raising her eyebrow.

His ears twitched as every wrinkle on his brow burrowed deep, his face turning a shade of red as he glanced up to meet the taller soldiers gaze. "Private, I had requested for a field expert. Not some extra fodder. Send this one back to whatever hole it crawled from."

"Yes, sir!" The soldier proudly responded, reaching for Nyitzcha's arm when she slapped it away.

"Hands off, 'less ye feelin' to test me bitin' strength!" She cried, looking at the rounded table where the other remaining elves stood. "Listen ey, ah ain't crawlin several hundred meters under mud an' guts back out just t'get me head rattled 'cause some shithead was too proud to accept da help he begged fer. If yer wastin' me time, den I require a signed letter to take back."

The officer quickly spun around, marching up to close the gap between elf and dwarf. "You've quite the nerve, speaking to a Colonel with a sailor's mouth. We are in the middle of a war young lady, under seige and under fire-"

"Ah noticed." She replied, tipping her bag over. Bags of powder, wire, and measuring tools fell out from the flap on top, sprawling onto the mud for all to see. "Bomb Specialist Corporal Nyitzcha Sprengja 'ere, reportin'."

The Colonel glanced down, analyzing the numerous equipment before looking back. "In my fifty years of service, I never once imagined requesting assistance from a dwarf. Corporal Zik!"

"Sir?" One of the elves called out.

"Meet your new partner, Nyitzcha of Fifth Division. Nyitzcha, this is Bur Zik, Magic Specialist. Bring her up to date, the floor is yours. Have a plan ready for me by sundown."

"Yes sir." The elf replied, patiently waiting for the Colonel to walk away. "Corporal Bur Zik, it is a pleasure to meet your acquaintance. I wasn't aware they allowed half pints into service."

"Eh, when the short staff bring 'n better results den yer pointed-eared folk while on de losin' side, anythin' goes."

Bur Zik smiled, chuckling to her crude sense of humor. "Alright, that accent tells me you're from up north."

"Ay."

"Is it true they have the finest lamb chops there?"

Nyitzcha frowned. "I ain't 'ere fer small talk, what's the jig?"

Bur Zik scoffed and laughed, glancing at the tag leaning above her light cleavage.

"Straight and to the point, that's clear. Sorry, you admire the little things when you can." He replied, leaning against a support beam. Nyitzcha scoffed when the bunker began to shake, sprinkling small pebbles of dirt and debree atop their heads. He squinted and pointed to her chest. "Does that spell Nye-Yitz-cha?"

Nyitzcha slapped his hand and scowled. "Name is Nyitzcha, 'n ye say it like Neez-cha! No funny names er 'nunciations, ay?"

"Ay." Bur Zik chuckled, mocking her rough accent and turning to the round table. "Come along then short stuff, take a seat with the big boys. Just be sure to pick up your package first."

Several of the elf soldiers nearby snickered at his remark, leaving the dwarf smirking back in confidence.

"Sure be a bigger package then the one yer packing, ey?" She snorted, walking past him and scooping her equipment into her pack. The soldiers failed to contain their laughter, leaning against support beams or dirt with some of them giving audible Oooo's in return. Bur Zik shook his head, catching her eye and smiling as he joined her at the table.

---

"Wait, what's a Corporal? You were some kind of soldier, I thought you just liked making things explode?" Felix asked.

Nyitzcha shook her head. "Nu nu nu, I mean I do but it wasn't dat way. I blew up shit I don't like until it became a hobby, an' when de service started recruiting I went to serve."

"Huh, okay." Felix leaned back, leaving Nyitzcha crossed.

"What!"

"Nothing, just... didn't see you as the hero type."

Nyitzcha sighed, adjusting herself on his lap and holding her hands together. "I hated when dey call us dat. We were never heros, never savin' lives like de stories say. We just did what we knew an' we did it well. No rescues, no foilin' evil plans, nuthin'. Cuz de truth is both sides are de same, we both look to de other an' say dey must be de one in de wrong! Is all just dumb fodder, a big waste a time an' lives. We both didn't join to be great."

"Then why did you join?" Felix asked.

Nyitzcha shifted and fumbling with her hands, feeling uncomfortable under his question. "Bur Zik an' I... we were just... seekin'a purpose really. Is why I felt he understood me an' I to him. I thought I did anyway."

"So then what happened?"

Nyitzcha closed her eyes, reminiscing of the memory she shared with Bur Zik and the numerous skirmishes they partook in.

"We bonded an' den we fell apart."