Memories of Old

Chapter 35: The Final Bullet

Chapter 35: The Final Bullet

The memory that came next arrived in a swirl of colors. Feliciano stood on a familiar hill that overlooked Holy Rome's Meadow. The empty bloodstained pole of the Roman Empire's flag stood wearily beside the shattered remains of the flag of the Holy Roman Empire. Feliciano paled.

There was a third flag. One, which held the bright colors of Germany's flag; black red and gold. The same colors he'd stopped flying in 1933. The flag was stained with blood, and the edges looked like they were moth-eaten. The pole looked dusty and it was also splattered with blood. As they watched, the flag started to slowly dissolve. A silhouette that the nations recognized as Acel appeared by his broken flag.

"I want you to look after Luddy." Acel's voice echoed as it did the day he left. "Ludwig's my baby brother, and I'd only trust you and Gil to look after him."

"I'm trying, Acel! But what do I do?! His flag is fading just like Grandpa Rome's did! A-and yours!"

"You have time, Feliciano. Please... Save my brother. From himself." With that, the dream faded away and Feliciano bolted upright in bed.

"You..." Germany looked at me.

"I had a Fading Dream about you. It's part of why I told fratello to pull out of the war. At that point, I didn't care who won or lost, as long as I didn't lose you." I leveled him with a serious look.

"Danke." Germany finally said.

"I'm the one who should be saying that!" Prussia grinned. "You protected my baby bruder when I couldn't."

"Well, someone's got to look after him!" I joked, and Prussia let loose a booming laugh.

"Ain't that the truth!"

"I am right here." Germany shot his brother a glare.

"I promised you then, Acel. And I swear it now. I'll protect Ludwig. No matter what." Feli's eyes gained a very hard sheen to them, as he silently put on his military uniform and crawled out the window. The dogs looked ready to start barking, but Feli pulled out some treats he'd filched from Ludwig a few days ago in preparation for any escapes he may have needed to do. The dogs stayed quiet after that, wagging their tails like puppies.

While he was glad for it in this situation, Germany facepalmed. "Perhaps I should have gotten a better alert dog..." He sighed. "No wonder you always managed to sneak around."

The scene blurred, showing Feliciano spying on something or someone—it flashed too quickly to see—and making preparations. It looked like it took weeks, at least. Feliciano coughed badly at some points, blood dribbling through his fingers. "I know. I hear you. I know the marching is hard... if you can just hold on... I'll end this."

Another scene transition, and we found ourselves in a dark hallway. I smirked, a bit of an, albeit slightly insane and maniacal laugh bubbled up from my chest. In the dimly lit hallway, they saw Feliciano, face set like stone. He stalked through the shadows like a man possessed, and upon reaching the door he was looking for, he wasted no time in picking the lock and inviting himself inside.

And within, he found Adolf Hitler, hiding with his wife. "Who are you?!" He demanded.

"I am Feliciano Vargas, Personification of Northern Italy. And I am your murderer." He said, raising the gun and shooting the wife. Hitler gulped, eyes hard as Feliciano stalked towards him. "You are worse than the devil. Worse than sin itself. You have murdered and tortured thousands, no millions of people! You've hurt Ludwig and Gilbert. And today. Today you will finally die."