Doomsday Pillars

15 kilometers up and 15 kilometers down, every day at 4 am Milo together with his platoon of 50 would do the morning spartan ritual. All the other platoon would do the same. Last month, Milo just passed the special forces 8 months training. Every year, there were 10,000 of Indonesian brightest soldier applied to train in this academy. They called it training but it was actually an 8 months rigorous test. At the end of the 8 months, only 4,000 men made it. Half of them would get entry into the special forces but only the best among them could be accepted to the Death Squad.

Milo was just recently accepted to the Death Squad last month, but to his surprise, the mountain spartan ritual did not stop. All the Death Squad would do this ritual every morning. 3 hours of running, 2 hours body exercise, then start with the tactical training, firing, combat exercise and they end it with another 2 hours of hand to hand combat training. This is what they do on a normal day. On some other week, the whole unit would go into the mountain for survival training and full body training. Milo never complains, the harsh training only motivates him to become the best of the best. When he got accepted into the Death Squad he felt like a frog at the bottom of the well who never sees outside.. There are so many other soldiers better than him.

The Death Squad is a full regiment by itself. Totaled of 3,000 men, led by 3 colonels, 12 captains, 60 lieutenant, and 300 sergeants. Milo currently joined the Foxtrot company, led by captain Donnie. Captain Donnie is a born leader, he understands the men and likes to give advice and encouragement, but don\'t think of him as soft, he has no trouble on stringing up a soldier for 3 days for being undisciplined. Captain Donnie is probably the best trainer in this regiment.

Captain Donnie leads 5 platoons of 50 men, each platoon has a lieutenant and is being helped by 5 sergeants. Milo\'s squad leader, sergeant Mayhem is also an easy going person, the one Milo feels uneasy with is his platoon leader named Lieutenant Aria. For the last one month he joined this platoon, he never heard more than 10 words from her.

In the Indonesian army, the number of female soldiers is only 1:1000 compared to the male soldiers, but Milo thought there not one of them is as beautiful as lieutenant Aria. She has a figure of a supermodel, smart and she once won the international marksmanship competition. But none of the men dares to woo her. Other than her cold personality, the fact was she\'s also the granddaughter of the regent. Hence the troops give her the title "Ice Queen".

This noon, the Foxtrot company of 250 men was being called to the court to assemble. Milo saw 5 other company that was already there, a total of 1,500 Death squad had gathered in the field.

Milo asked the person next to him,

"What are we gathering for?"

The person replied,

"Hmmm, this is quite a rare event, probably an important general has come to visit, or probably even the president himself."

A group of men walks up to the stage, one of them is an old man.

"That\'s the Regent! There must be some important announcement."

On the stage, Alex and the Regent was currently reviewing the army, Alex was holding and reading a document. It has the list of names and some information about the Death Squads. Currently, there are 30 platoons that Alex can choose from. The Regent agrees to lend Alex 3 platoons, totaling 150 men for Alex. Therefore, Alex had already selected 3 out of 30 lieutenant from this list. Alex knew some of the names on the list.

Lieutenant Anton, this is Anton the Destroyer. In Alex\'s previous life Anton became one of the Regent\'s 5 little generals, he was very strong and famous with his huge hammer. There is another name he recognizes, this one is named sergeant Rafid. This guy also was quite famous as one of the West Regent\'s warrior, he was a famous Sky Realm fighter with a double sword.

But, Alex was hoping for a Spirit Enhancer. Unfortunately, there was only one name from the list that he recognized, Lieutenant Aria, titled "Ice Queen". Alex was hoping if there were any other Spirit Enhancers, but probably they were on the other company that was currently outside the base. Alex knew it won\'t be easy to ask for Lieutenant Aria\'s platoon, as he knew her background and her relationship with the Regent.

Aria really is the Regent\'s granddaughter, but because of his career, he barely has a relationship with his family. When Aria\'s parents died, 20 years ago, the Regent became her only family, the Regent took her and tried to repent for his mistakes by giving extra attention to Aria. The Regent has no other talent other than teaching soldiers, so he gave her military training. Aria had learned shooting since she was 7 years old, she also learned all basic military training. She liked it and she was good at it. Naturally, she had joined the military academy and managed to get into the special forces without her grandfather\'s connection.

An incident happened during a mission 3 years ago, she was a sergeant leading 10 men and fell into an ambush. Although it was a highly classified mission, the threat assessment was supposed to be low. But the intel was wrong, in result, 5 men were killed in combat, while the others were captured included Aria. When the news came out, the Regent was enraged, but because she was his only family, he took the ransom demand and Aria was released.

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Only Aria.. The other 4 of her men was left behind and died.

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She failed her mission, she left behind her unit, but the country even promoted her to a lieutenant. Since then Aria was disappointed with her grandfather, and the Regent also never let Aria out of the Academy compound anymore... Currently, she has been assigned as the sniper unit\'s instructor.

Alex is currently thinking of a way to get Aria\'s platoon. So he told the Regent the 3 platoon names. First is Lieutenant Dario\'s platoon from Alpha company, second is Lieutenant Rio\'s platoon from Charlie company, the company where sergeant Rafid was placed. Alex thought for a while about this decision, choosing them will change their future, they might also lose their fortunate encounter. But currently, Alex thought that at least he knew for sure that they will survive the plague, and they should be talented fighters, it was good enough for Alex.

After choosing the two-platoons. Alex then mentions the third one, Lieutenant Aria\'s platoon.

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"No.," the Regent said.

"You cannot choose that platoon, choose a different one."

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As expected, Alex thought.

He then thinks for a while. A Spirit Enhancer was very rare. If they will be properly trained, they will become the best fighting chance for humanity\'s survival. With Alex\'s knowledge, he knew for sure it would be better for Aria to follow him.

Alex continued,

"If you lend me Aria\'s platoon, I won\'t ask for the other 2, only her platoon."

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The Regent told his assistant to call Aria to the front.

He then continued,

"I don\'t know why you have chosen her platoon, but I must tell you that she\'s my granddaughter. Currently, our relationship is unique if you can convince her to follow you, I will consider it."

Aria walks up closer to the group.

"Greetings Regent, is anything I can help you with?"

The Regent frowns, from her salute, he understands that even after 3 years, his granddaughter is still mad at him. He told her about the mission to go to Bali. And her platoon to be guards for the person next to him, Alex.

Aria coldly said,

"Is this an order or a request?"

The Regent replies,

"Your choice."

Aria firmly said,

"I don\'t wish to be a babysitter."

Aria hates to work for this type of person, a civilian who thought they can ask special forces to be their guard dog. No matter how rich or famous they are, she will not accept.

Alex slowly replied,

"I wish you to be my personal guard, but I assure you I am not weaker than you."

Aria chuckled.

"I don\'t believe you."

"Then let\'s have a bet! You can choose any challenge. If I win, you and your troops will follow me, if I lose I won\'t bother you anymore. I won\'t even bother all the other platoons."

Aria is the best shooter in this regiment, she is baffled by the stupidity of this man.

"I accept."