"What's the status report this time around?" I ask an operator and listen to him. The last two days have been hectic, to say the least. Nobody expected the Freedom Movement to suddenly occupy some of the Stonecrusher bases we destroyed. Terrence called this a foolish move, and I tend to agree.
We were very thorough in our destruction, so the bases were, for the most part, wiped off the map. The bigger ones are exceptions to this rule since we didn't have the time to destroy everything but most of the buildings should be unstable, and they could crumble in an instant. For that reason alone, I find it puzzling that the Freedom Movement decided to station men in those bases. The risk of the building crumbling with the slightest touch should have deterred them, but maybe they think that the building is fine?
They should be more familiar than me with magical bases, so maybe I'm wrong?
It isn't like it matters anyway; I'm not the one deploying there. Furthermore, the fact that they deployed at all is questionable. The Freedom Movement supposedly took the Wolfheart over, but the territory they control is far smaller than what was once the property of the defunct Family.
The rest of the territory has been taken over by the Empire, so it tells me a few things about Steve's faction. They almost certainly don't have the organization and supply lines to maintain sufficient defenses to hold the territory, and they also possibly lack the manpower to guard all this land.
Either way, occupying all those bases is idiotic, they are over-extending their reach. It's going to bite them in the ass later; I'm almost certain.
But let's stop focusing on the Freedom Movement, I have more pressing matters to think about.
I turn towards the Commander, who is cupping his chin while looking over a holographic projection of a large patch of land. "Hey Terrence, how are things going?"
"Things are surprisingly calm, all things considered. The Stonecrushers are getting more and more active. I think it's related to other Councils that are slowly gathering troops." Terrence answers.
I stifle a sigh, kicking out the Stonecrusher isn't enough, we'll also have to deal with other Families too. And I don't know if we'll have enough ammo for all of them.
"Okay, then what should we do?" I ask.
"We should sit down and observe. The Stonecrushers must be aware that their bases were destroyed, and the Freedom Movement is currently occupying the now-vacant buildings. Their bad decision is a boon for us; the Empire will think that the Freedom Movement is responsible for the destruction and will allocate more resources to crush them. It will weaken their defenses against the other Councils, and expose their weak spots. We'll strike them here and destroy key infrastructure to cripple them even further, and their war with the other factions will keep them too busy to retaliate." Terrence says with a grin.
I can't help but shudder, sometimes the cold and analytical mind of the Commander terrifies me.
"Then we'll reveal ourselves and kick out the Empire and the Councils once the war is in full swing." Terrence continues.
I can't help but nod at his plan. Letting the big players weaken each other and destroying the weakened victor is a great idea considering or limited resources. The Order isn't as small when we first met, but we still have a long way to go if we want to directly hold territory and defend it appropriately.
Wiping out the Empire and the invading Councils is also going to be hard for us. The Empire is a mighty beast; they have good equipment, lots of well-trained soldiers and access to an arsenal that would make our Hammer look like a slingshot. The Families, if they unite in a temporary alliance, are also a powerful foe. The battle against Beelzebub is old news now, but it's still a good reminder of what the Families could hide in their vaults. Just imagining an army of giant rampaging demon is making my heart skip a beat. I have access to better weapons, and my defenses are marginally better compared to when I faced the demonic abomination, but I know that I will struggle quite a lot if I have to face a demon again.
The Oracle is also a big unknown in all of this. I am convinced that she will manipulate the outcome of the war to suit her needs. She has the power to wipe out entire factions with a flick of the wrist, and she's definitely not above mass-murdering for her own amusement.
I know I'm not one to talk considering the number of bodies I left behind, but what I've done is nothing compared to the Oracle.
I thank Terrence and walk out of the command room for once, just to enjoy the sight.
The Shard was a large shanty town when we first arrived, but now it looks like it always being a prosperous dimension. The roads are covered in asphalt, the buildings are tall and sturdy, and the people are well-clothed and well-fed. I spot a familiar face in the distance, and the petite Ilff stiffens when I approach.
"Sir!" she says while saluting. I eye Roshia, who is sporting a robe with an embroidered emblem of the letter 'I' surrounded by flames over her heart.
The leader of the Blazing Inquisition looks a lot more stern compared to the last time I saw her. Her eyes are what changed the most; her gaze is hard and unwavering. It's a far cry from when I first met her when she was afraid of everything and almost dying of starvation.
"How's the Inquisition doing?" I ask the Ilff.
"Very good, thank you for asking! We achieved tremendous results already, there's no crime, and almost 30% of the population has joined the Order!" Roshia says enthusiastically.
My jaw drops at the revelation. The Shard isn't that big, but 30% of the population is still a tremendous amount of people.
I guess the Inquisition never stopped displaying propaganda, so it's no wonder that all these people joined. But still, that's thousands of people...
The Order became massive, and I didn't notice anything. What a great leader I am, it's incredible.
I nod, "Keep up the good work then!" I say before leaving the Ilff. The Inquisition is more effective than I thought, and I'm not going to complain. The war puts a massive strain on the Order, so the more help we have, the better.
My thoughts wander on the uncertain future; there's so much that could go wrong.
Let's hope that nothing major happens.
I just jinxed, didn't I?
...Steve's PoV...
"This building is clear!" I warn the others as I explore the confines of our new base that we reclaimed from the Empire. We found nothing major so far, but we are carefully combing the entire area to make sure that there aren't any traps left behind by the Stonecrushers.
I might be paranoid, especially considering the massive amount of damage that the base sustained, but better be safe than sorry.
It wouldn't be funny is something critical exploded at random.
I survey the surroundings, a sizable part of our forces are gathered here; they are tirelessly working to make the wasteland livable again. Griko is the one who proposed this plan, and I still have troubles understanding why we would need to occupy such a base despite his thorough explanation.
To me, it seems like a waste of resources. It's true that the base is well defended, and its location is easily defensible. However, we are right at the edge of Stonecrusher-controlled territory. The enemy could retaliate faster than if we stayed confined in our land, but I was told that I'm worrying about nothing.
They may be right; I was never the best when it comes to large-scale planning.
Instead, I focus on what's next for us. A meeting will be held to determine how we will organize our newly acquired assets, and Griko already has a plan in place to put everything in our hands. His efforts are commendable. The Freedom Union is still trying to spread its disgusting influence in our ranks despite the significant blow that we dealt to them.
But I'm not one to give up easily, and I'll win this battle of attrition no matter what. I sacrificed everything for the Movement, and I'm not letting it fall into the filthy hands of those traitors. Our cause is too important; we can truly change the fate of the planet if we are successful.
I muse over what the history books will say about us. It is an era of significant change, a period where challenges to Enforcer authority have a real shot at toppling the current system.
There are four major players that I know of. First, there's the Stonecrusher Empire. They rose to prominence thanks to the debacle caused by the Beelzebub Incident and a lot of delicate political maneuvers. Then they immediately consolidated their power with new military reforms and their seemingly limitless supply of proper equipment.
The second power bloc is the Freedom Movement; we want to stop those incessant wars that tear us apart for little to no gain. Our goal is to bring peace and stability to our planet, to put a stop to the never-ending feuds between Families by removing the concept of Families entirely.
Thirdly, there are the Enforcers. A relic of a bygone age, they cling to their power and will do everything in their tremendous power to stop anyone challenging the status quo. I think they will be our only real opponent once we deal with the Empire.
Then there's the last one, but I'm not so sure about their relevancy. John and his mysterious supporters are claiming to want to change the system, but they have barely done anything. They look like they have decent firepower, but it isn't enough to fight the Empire and the Enforcers in general.
Of course, the biggest unknown in all of this is John. He seems to have a way of causing significant changes. It wouldn't be a stretch to say that he is more or less responsible for the current situation. I know he can be surprisingly competent, but only time will tell if he will be a mere footnote of history or a real thorn in our side.
Finally, there are a few rebellious groups here and there, but they are barely worth mentioning. They are all too small, too disorganized to matter in the grand scheme of things.
A sigh escapes my mouth, the more we progress, the more I realize how much we still have to accomplish if we want to bring our vision into reality.