I was lying on the ground, looking at the men gathered around me. Though I tried to keep my eyes open, my vision was blurry. Even through their hazy figures, I could tell they were anxious. From the shoulder plates of his armor and the silhouette of his long hair, I recognized my commander Keon leaning over me. I could see his mouth moving, but all I heard was an endless ringing sound.

  "You're a disgrace."

  I felt ashamed. I tried to stand up, lifting my head as high as I could, but I couldn't feel my body. I must have been lying there for a long time. I was cold, my body shaking. While my arms and shoulders trembled, everything below my chest felt oddly warm and wet. I thought they were playing another prank on me—I must have fallen asleep during watch again. They must have called Commander Keon this time to teach me a harsher lesson.

  "You can't do anything right."

  "Leave him alone. He's doing his best."

  I couldn't identify who these voices belonged to. Though I could lift my head slightly, that was all I could manage. I tried to say "Commander!" but no sound came from my mouth. Commander Keon grabbed my shoulders and brought his face close.

  "-ere?"

  The commander was saying something, but I couldn't understand—I couldn't come to my senses. Why? Commander Keon shook me by the shoulders, and my vision cleared slightly.

  "Where are they?"

  Where are they? Who is he asking about? Was I with someone? Did I let someone escape? What if things went terribly wrong because of me? What would I do then? Think... Think...

  "The only thing you've been doing for a long time."

  "Where are they, tell me!"

  I've disgraced my commander and my unit. Now I'll get up and explain what happened, take my punishment, and never make the same mistake again. I'll be better.

  "Another promise that won't be kept."

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  "Commander, I'm not sure he can hear you. We need to go. Maybe if we split up and search for tracks, we can find where they went."

  It must have been Lorry speaking. His face was blurry because he was far away, but I recognized his voice. Still, I didn't understand what they were talking about.

  "Sir, I can't keep him alive much longer, you need to hurry!"

  A woman's voice—I didn't know where it came from or who it belonged to. I scanned the area and noticed the starless, dark sky behind my commander. Stars seemed to be falling frequently—too frequently to be normal.

  "She reminds me of her..."

  "Don't start that now."

  I looked down at my body. Why couldn't I feel anything? Then I saw it—the lower part of my chest was missing. So that's why I couldn't feel anything. I was dying. The woman whose voice I had heard was using some strange machine on me, unlike anything I'd seen before.

  My commander asked once more where they were. I wanted to answer but couldn't speak. He let go of my shoulders, and my head fell to the ground.

  "Remove that device. Let's try it on the others."

  "Just take it off."

  No, don't remove the device! If you remove it, I'll die, won't I? I can't die yet—I promised my family I'd return. I glanced at the woman from the corner of my eye. Though I couldn't tell if she was looking at me, I saw her hand was close to mine. Maybe if I touched it, she'd understand I wanted to live.

  "Or you just wanted to touch a woman's hand in the pathetic final moments of your life."

  "Not pathetic, it was a modest life. Don't worry, If we were born again, I would spend my entire life with you again."

  Using my remaining strength, I tried to reach for her with my right hand. I think I moved it. Commander, look... Please... I have a daughter...

  "Had."

  Despite my sincerity, my words hadn't reached my commander. Suddenly everything went dark. I felt nothing. It was like being conscious in a dream. And what were these voices in my head?

  "He's really starting to lose it! Now he thinks he's hearing voices in his head!" laughed one of the voices mockingly.

  I didn't know who these voices belonged to. I couldn't even feel the limbs I knew remained—it was as if my body had ceased to exist. I wasn't lying down or floating; I simply was. But one voice seemed familiar, as if I'd spoken with him countless times before. That man's voice seemed to be healing me somehow.

  "I don't know how much longer I can hold the others. You need to hurry up and wake!"

  That man's voice again... Whoever you are, if you can hear me, help me! I'm afraid of dying. I don't know what awaits me. I haven't seen my family for weeks. I don't want to spend even an hour without them.

  "They don't want to spend even a second with you!" spoke a angry man's voice.

  "After some time, sensation returned. I felt the cold, ice-cold air on my skin. And when I opened my eyes, I was here. That's everything I remember. Can you tell me what's happening? How did I get here? How am I alive?"