In a command tent, thirty of the best officers in the Western Armies met for a joint attack, they were gathering their forces to move on one of the Sunset Empire's strongholds.
"Within it, more than a thousand well prepared and strong opponents were said to in command of three divine beasts. We cannot push forward without consolidating our troops to one location but that would be asking for the Gods to use a wide area attack to slay us all. Our only option is to take smaller teams and work together, a large force will only be useful in a full scale battle. Don't think that because we crushed one of Iasyou's facilities that he'll just forget about it, in all likelihood, we should consider ourselves lucky that he finds us to be like ants and thus unworthy of his touch."
"Not all of us are insects." General Puyai walked through the opening in the tent and led a group that stood by the side. "Iasyou came down to personally take someone recently."
It had been a rumor they had yet to confirm, with Puyai saying as much, it was as good as a confirmation of their suspicions. "I thought weren't worth the time." A voice came from one of the commanders present, he wore a saber and kept his helmet on.
Noyuki walked to the front of them all, "If you were not worth the time, he wouldn't be butchering your people for parts."
"General, who is this?" A man in a fancy green robe turned to ask, he didn't seem amused at someone new speaking.
"These are some new allies, and while you're right to dismiss most newcomers, they are no weaker than I." Puyai offered them all seats in the back, "One of their group fought three level two Ancestors alone, when he was about to make the killing strike, Iasyou swung down and snatched him."
"What does that have to do with us?" The green robed commander didn't feel like hearing the story and waved his hand for Puyai to get on with the reason for the discussion.
"For one, it means Iasyou has a new toy. He will be distracted more than he has been lately, however, it also means that his strength will grow again in a few years when their friend has fully deteriorated." Puyai pointed to the map, "We know that he would be keeping him in one of the four facilities. Since Iasyou has taken him personally, there is little doubt that he's on the next tier of the Ultinian heavens. In principle, his friends have agreed to help us take back the second tier."
"And what do they ask in return?" A Man sitting on a much taller chair came down.
"Your majesty, they ask that we continue our assault onto the third level to help rescue their friend." Puyai bowed to the Sixth Prince, then turned to talk to the group. "Vector, you're in charge of your group, are you not?"
"In name only. I didn't want the position." Nodding, he continued, "large scale destruction is easy, the hard part is obtaining the goal. If the goal is simply to wipe an area off the map, none of you even need to be involved." holding his hand up to stop their incoming questions, Vector paused to collect his thoughts more clearly. "I know that is not the case, this alliance, you want to liberate those being held and loot assets?"
"Liberate? Hardly. We do want to loot his holdings but we cannot simply wipe out everything, children and families are still present." The Sixth prince spoke candidly, "I am unwilling to commit genocide, it would set too high a precedent and additional conflicts would be the only result."
"Well, that's somewhat true." Kuzunoha spoke up, her voice was a stark contrast to the many deep voices that frequently swallowed the room's attention whole. "However, as people keep putting it. If you don't act because civilians are put in place, then the enemy knows you will never attack them. They will put innocent people in front of you just to make you flinch, and when that happens.. you've lost." She made a garroting gesture and tilted her head for drama.
"My sister is right, in all of my time in hell, one thing was certain. Those without the will to drive forward will always be the road to tread upon, are you a stepping stone for others? Are any of you?" Vira used her wits and some sharp words to provoke the group. "Confidence doesn't come from the annihilation of your enemy, it comes from the knowledge that you've got a good thing coming. Bravery is the absence of confidence, yet still taking the risks."
"Bold words, but that's what they are, words." Another seated commander stood up, he was somewhat offended but still surprised. "You're saying we should just kill anyone in our way?"
"Precisely. There was a saying that some of the best military on my home world use to use, 'Kill them all, Let God sort it out.'" Vector lowered the temperature in the room with his increase in aura, he pulled it back when the others began to breathe a fog. "Entrenched warfare is the hardest, because its usually people defending themselves. It doesn't make them right, or you wrong, it just makes the fight harder. A small group is the only way to get things done, perhaps a distraction."
The Sixth Prince sounded very interested, he leaned forward with an eager look on his face. "What sort of distraction?"
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Honking the horn in a taco truck while it was speeding toward the Fortified City of Anzone was enough to get everyone's attention. It was moving pretty fast and bumping everything along the way, bits of utensils, napkins and even meat had spilled out of it nearly every time it hit the slightest rock. It turned at the City gate and followed the wall as it sped, soldiers came out and chased after it.
"I wish I had more practice with this thing!" Vira floored the accelerator and ran through small trees. 'Sorry!' The radio was blaring 'Chris Rodrigues & the Spoon Lady,' then, she lost control, the taco spun out and into a tree when some of the mages put up a wall in her path.
It was time.
Exhaling as she prepared herself, Vira leapt into the air and hid herself across the treetops. She dove over the branches until she was a few hundred feet away, then, bright white light flashed from below.
It lit up the night sky like a grenade, the bright light was nearly blinding. 'Damn!' Vira was clear of the blast but it had been a serious detonation. Eight feet away from the blast zone was filled with scuff marks and shrapnel. A fireball poured up to the sky, it lit the City of Anzone up like a streetlamp and had the bonus effect of killing so many soldiers outside of the engagement zone.
"Now." Vector finished communicating with Noyuki and Mursayade.
Mursayade led a group to clear buildings, she was a decent judge of character, anyone that didn't seem like a threat was allowed to leave but anyone holding a weapon was not worth the second guessing. She slaughtered indiscriminately between the townsfolk and soldiers, anyone with a weapon wasn't spared.
Noyuki was bombarding the barracks and Castle defenses. Their towers were not manned by soldiers, but by mages. After the initial strike, they knew her position. She had fired on it and expected considerable damage, however, she was disappointed. Her first strike hadn't even broken a hole in the stonework, a reflection shimmered. 'Shield?' There was little time to think, she started to fire at the ground surrounding the tower, after a few strikes, it's weight was shifting and it started to topple.
When something works, you continue. Pleased with the progress of things, the Western Alliance forces charged toward the castle.
There were six towers but only three of them could reach the main gate, Vector had made short work of it and led the charge into the main courtyard, one tower still threatened them.
Kuzunoha had an advantage that the others did not, her body was fireproof. Standing beside the doorway, she pumped her flames into the building. The fortified building wouldn't be damaged by flames, certainly not the buildings constructed by the Fire Empire but they certainly didn't stop the temperature from rising.
Shortly after she came to the entrance, her flames had used the tower like a furnace. The mages that were threatening their advancement were roasted alive with Kuzunoha's Pentafire.
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The Ambush of Anzone City was wildly beyond their expectations, as the forces ransacked the outer court, an orange light came down. The Eclipsing Empire was striking back, an Ancestor had come.
With the slaughter of so many, those that were left alive, were left alive to pray to their ancestors for help. The overwhelming prayers of their followers had the ability to sway, even interrupt the actions of those that heard them. It was no surprise that the Eclipsing Empire would retaliate, from the energy levels that Puyai could detect, they were only minor deities but that didn't mean they would politely roll over to die. "They've arrived!"
Mursayade had been busy, while the remainder of the ground forces were scrambling to trounce anyone that looked suspicious or in cooperation with the soldiers, she was busy laying a formation in secret.
A large shield came down, it cut off all light from the outside. Except for the occasional glow of a fire and certain effects produced by magic, there was no light at all.
The Ground forces of the Western Armies were primarily Sutrali, their aim in the dark was peerless and trained from childhood. The Absence of light gave a new dimension to the battle, within the black domain, the only thing that shown in the darkness were the fire users. It lit them up like beacons, no matter where they went arrows followed. Thousands of them filled the sky above the castle, it was a dangerous tactic to fire into the dark but the butchering had to end.
"May the Gods give us strength in battle!" One of the commanders called out.
Kuzunoha flashed next to Noyuki, "I don't think Gods desire fighting."
"PACIFIST GODS DIE QUICKLY HERE.. WHEN YOU FIRST SEE IT..." Puyai came to the center space and watched their team work. The first operation with the group had been working out almost perfectly but setbacks happen.
"Really, I should be at ease then? There is a pattern of problems in that logic but.. for now, lets survive this battle." Kuzunoha drew her bow.
White light accumulated around the tip of her arrowhead, she arched her fingers slightly and three black dots entered its spellwork. As they ran in reverse, a charge could be felt from a distance.
The groups position had been discovered. Kuzunoha released the Arrow, it was too late.
The arrow sailed across the battlefield, like phoenix, it burned with multi-colored fire and changed shape. The bright light looked almost white entirely, it flew through the air like the singular light in all the heavens.
'Ka-boom'
Fire erupted in another mushroom cloud, the castle became separated from its foundations and blew into the air. A wave swept out, stonework and soldiers, debris and bodies were tumbling across the landscape.
The group was ready, they had already cleared most of the civilians. Anyone left on the surface levels of the Castle would not have survived, however, the newly arrived minor deities were still blocking the way, about a third of the damage and a portion of the castle still remained. When one of them looked behind them to survey the damage, he was quiet.
Clasping hands together, they formed a link between the three of them and pointed out in unison. A red beam cut across the landscape directed at Kuzunoha. It sailed across the battlefield in an instant, destroying anything in its path.