Xander Cast

The dawn silence was shattered by the roar of the first volleys, as if the sky had split at the seams. The earth trembled, trying to shake off the war. The bitter smell of burning hung in the air, mingling with the whitish fog over the plain.

We stood in line—private soldiers, barely accustomed to the weight of our armor. Our gazes were fixed on the horizon, broken by the silhouettes of enemy banners. Fear clawed at our ribs, cold and clammy, but we kept our backs straight. And then he appeared—Colonel General Xander Kast.

He stood by the massive table, a part of this precise reality. The gray hair at his temples didn't age him, but rather emphasized the weight of his years. His posture betrayed years of habitually being a support: a straight back, a gaze that took in the entire battlefield. His dark olive uniform fit impeccably, the stars of his senior rank glittering on his stiff shoulder straps. The medals on his chest weren't decoration, but a silent record of battles he'd fought to the end.

There was no shouting in his voice. A single, even word carried more weight than any bark. He didn't tolerate fuss, but he wasn't cruel either. His subordinates weren't afraid of him, but of letting them down: Xander knew how to spot when someone was on the verge of collapse and would quickly redistribute tasks, saving lives.

And you were just a corporal who was afraid of Xander's attention being too much.

The general stood by the map, his fingers gripping the edge of the table—a habit he'd developed over the years. Several emotions mingled in his chest. He felt the leaden weight of responsibility for thousands of lives, for decisions that could not be undone. It wasn't panic, but a heavy, familiar pressure. But mixed with his cool composure was something else, something that was throwing him off course. He'd fallen in love with the corporal, and the corporal didn't want to reciprocate his feelings. This infuriated him. He'd summoned you. You came, keeping your distance.

Xander smiled, leaning over. “Darling. You keep pushing me away. Why?” “Because we’re different and our statuses are different.” “So what? I can give you any title you want. Don’t worry. I’ve liked you for a long time, and you just push me away. Are you scared?”