North Altia
Liha, Nelsera region, Empire of Light
Green season, 3000 A.E. of the Imperial Calendar
It had been quiet. Far too quiet for far too long. Word of the invasion spread like wildfire throughout the west coast. Wyvern riders flew from Lashil flew in all directions. The first to hear were the people of Tesi and as soon as they did, the city garrison started fortifying the walls and preparing for a siege. They assumed that they had enough time as Lashil was a great distance away on foot.
Around the same time, general Nasir Quinvalor of the second army heard the news. This was a very troubling matter, one that would most likely escalate if not taken care of. His ears were among the first to hear of emperor Canus' orders to invade a foreign land on the other side of the rift. He also heard the news of Yilindar's conquest and subsequent demise. To say Nasir was saddened by this news would be a lie. In truth, he didn't much care for that pompous bastard. One of the reasons he chose to station himself so far away was so that he wouldn't have to hear the constant babbling from both his and his ilk's mouths. Though not even the Tubal mountains could muffle the utter chaos the empire was going through.
While Ylindar's fate didn't trouble Nasir much, the events that transpired afterward greatly did. The humans, as they called themselves, came through to the other side and began their attack, destroying the seventh army and killing general Drannor Crax. Nasir was fond of the man. Stoic, steadfast, reliable. His soldiers, the Executioners, were a formidable force.
In the following days, the humans took the territories of their Rosian vassals and turned them against their masters. Not only that, but they also captured the forts of Godo and Mundus and killed general Delsaran Bryora of the fifth army. As Nasir heard these reports his expression changed from angry to worrisome. How? That was the question Nasir kept asking himself.
The inquisition spoke of great weapons and war machines that eclipsed the power of dwarven ingenuity and elven magic. The second general knew better than to trust those silver-tongued snakes. However, that would certainly explain their rapid progress. And the loss of Lashil proved that their navy was just as deadly if not more so. Nasir knew that it was only a matter of time before came. He wanted to march out there with his forces. To gather every able-bodied soldier and drown the invaders in iron and fire. But he knew that would be suicide.
As he was contemplating his next move, one of the inquisition's spies provided him with a book written by First General Laeroth Leobell's scribes. It detailed the humans' weapons and their way of war. How Laeroth could know was anyone's guess but Nasir couldn't care less. The most intriguing part was the defense strategy. It went against almost everything they were taught over the cycles. But if it would help them so be it. He handed the book to his captains and instructed them to spread the knowledge down the chain of command. He also told them to make copies and send them north to Nelsera. If general Tasar Daris of the nineteenth and Alpharan Sylvaris of the twentieth armies could get ahold of this, the west coast might just make it.
Still, it wasn't those regions that worried him the most. Down south, bordering with the wastelands, was Forth Orkos. For almost two thousand cycles brave soldiers of the third army stood there to protect the empire from the vile greenskins. But now a greater threat was approaching. If Godo and Mundus fell, then Orkos was destined to follow.
"Castien.", Nasir said out loud as he stared out through a window, "Hold them off, old friend. Give us time."
---
Fort Orkos
General Castien Olar, commander of the army, the Blackspears, stared out into carnage with defiance. His scarred face never twitched and his eyes never wavered. In his long life, he faced hordes upon hordes of beasts that dared to even come close to his righteous empire. His father, general Gautlin Olar, defended the very walls Castien stood upon against the greatest threat the empire has ever known. The Great Horde.
Hundreds of thousands of orcs and ravenous beasts tried to break the fort and devour the west coast. But Gautlin was never afraid. He faced his foes with steel and magic and destroyed them. Many brave souls were lost in that battle but many more enemies were slain including the horde's warlord. Gautlin himself died from grievous injuries but not before he plunged his spear into the warlord's throat and shouted his final words.
"Not even certain death will keep us from our duty!"
These words are memorized by every soldier in the third army. Castien was proud to take up the mantle of the general and commander of Fort Orkos. Unlike Godo and Mundus, which were built like large fortified cities meant to hold a position and survive a war, Orkos was built with the explicit purpose of keeping anything from entering the empire's territory. Across the border were large walls linked together by natural rock formations. Each wall had its castle that acted as a garrison for troops. Orkos was similar in that regard with the major difference being its size.
The walls themselves were fortified by dwarves and while the elves didn't like the fact that they had to rely on them, they couldn't deny that they were good at their job. Certain sections of the walls were hollowed out to fit cannons and ballistae and on top were the new war machines the dwarves called mortars. All in all, a frontal assault on the walls was guaranteed to fail. Except this time the assault didn't come from beyond the wall but rather behind it.
Humans. Pale demons. Castien had heard these names and more from the messenger from Lashil as well as the inquisition. He knew about their weapons and what they were capable of. Yet he still decided to face them in battle. But as he stood on the edge of the wall with his hand crossed behind his back all he could do is look out in disappointment.
Instead of battling with honor, the humans fired their cannons from afar. Each eruption caused great damage to the fort and killed dozens of his soldiers. Housings, weapons forges, ammunition dumps, all were being destroyed before him. To his humor and anger, none of the outer walls were touched as if to symbolize how powerful the humans' weapons were and how pointless the elves' defense was. This went on since yesterday and showed no sign of stopping.
"Cowards.", Castien said almost dismissively.
"General!", called out a voice from behind him. A somewhat young officer was panting the door and looking to all sides in horror.
"Captain Vudon.", Castien said, unfazed by the eruptions below, "Come here, please."
Vudon reluctantly stepped forward. Being the captain of the first legion meant that he was supposed to be second only to his general in every regard but when faced with chaos such as the one that was occurring it was hard to be anything but terrified.
"We must get you to safety, sir!", Vudon said and flinched as another building burst into flames.
"What do you think of them?", Castien asked in an alarmingly calm tone.
"Sir?"
"The humans, Vudon. What do you think of them?"
The first captain tried to think of an answer as more eruptions appeared around them. "They are very powerful, sir. I doubt we will hold Orkos for long."
"Powerful indeed.", Castien said as he squinted his eyes.
"Which is why we have to go! We lost Olto and Selda but the others are waiting in the tunnels. The dwarves say we can use them to escape."
"I am not leaving.", Castien replied as he wiped the dust and ash from his helmet, "No one is. The humans will bleed for Orkos. I swear it on my father's name."
"Sir, you will die!", Vudon yelled at the top of his lungs, hoping the eruptions don't muffle his plead.
"I could have died yesterday. They want me alive. Perhaps they think I would be of use to them. But they will not take me."
Putting on his helmet, Castien picked up his sheathed sword and strapped it to his left side. As soon as he did the eruptions stopped. Vudon looked out, mouth agape and face sweating. Was it over? Why did they stop? These questions and more filled the minds of every surviving defender as they slowly got out of the tunnels and cover. Most of Fort Orkos had been destroyed. Ash and rubble littered the streets and some of the buildings were slowly crumbling. Mangled and burned bodies were everywhere both elven and dwarven alike. Some were crying out from under the stone and wood, begging for help. Many of them had missing limbs and grave injuries. Their comrades put them out of their misery and went out to look for more survivors. But as they began searching, a rhythmic whoop-whoop sound filled the air. They looked into the sky and stared at what was approaching.
Dozens of flying war machines were surging forward. They ranged from smaller ones shaped like dragonflies with non-flapping wings to large ones with two sets of rotating blades. They should have run. They should have jumped for cover and saved their lives. But it was too late. The dragonfly-like machines opened fire with their cannons and tore the survivors apart. Some were cut in half while others had their limbs and heads blown off. Most of them ran, trying to get back to the tunnels. The dwarves tried shooting the machines with their boomsticks but couldn't even damage them. The largest monstrosities, shaped like long wagons, carried what looked like iron ogres. They landed on the ground with loud thuds and immediately began their massacre. Their cannons spewed metal and fire, burning and tearing apart anything that stood in their way. Behind them were regular soldiers, who fired their boomsticks and picked off the stragglers on the flanks.
Some tried to fight back, creating shield formations and advancing, but they were cut down by the enemies' weapons. The dwarves faired somewhat better, managing to wound the attacking soldiers. This, however, only seemed to slow their advance as the dwarven boomsticks were outperformed and couldn't even dent the ogres. The few surviving mages cast their spells of fire and lightning. This seemed to have worked as several humans died screaming but the mages were overwhelmed by the flying machines. With each passing minute, the invaders etched ever closer to the final bastion of defense where general Castien and his troops waited.
He looked at his soldiers. All were frightened and wanted to surrender. Perhaps the humans would be merciful. The carnage outside seemed to suggest otherwise in the captain's head. Castien grabbed a soldier by his shoulder and looked him in the eyes. He was young, no more than a hundred and seventy cycles. His eyes were on the verge of breaking into tears.
"You are afraid.", Castien said and turned to the others, "You are all afraid. As am I. The enemy is powerful and dangerous. Their weapons and machines are beyond anything we faced before. But does that mean we will keel over and beg for mercy? Will we hand them over our homes and families on a platter? That is what they expect of us. They come to our lands with their power and expect us to cover before them! No! No, we will not!"
Many of the soldiers, including the captain, nodded and muttered in agreement.
"They will try to take this bastion. And they might. But not without cost. They will pay for it with blood!". A loud cheer boomed from the soldiers' mouths. "This is our bastion! Our fort! They can have it when we are dead!". Another roar echoed but this one was cut short by the repeating sounds of boomsticks and eruption. The defenders steeled themselves and readied their shields, spears, and crossbows. They could hear the enemies grunting as they tried to force open the sealed twin-sided door. Soon after a loud boom was heard and the door shattered to pieces.
The defenders roared as they fired their crossbows and boomsticks and marched forward with their shields raised. They were treated with several smooth green stones which erupted at their feet and blew away both their legs and shields. One of the ogres came in and unleashed a massive hail of iron that tore bodies apart. Some of the elves got close enough and stabbed a few humans in the sides and throat. Dwarves opened trap doors and fired small cannons that caught the sand-colored demons by surprise as several of the met a gruesome death. The ogre staggered and parts of its armor dented and bent but he quickly turned his massive weapon around and obliterated the defenses.
Castien was proud of the defense his men and women were putting up but his mind got distracted by noise from the upper floor. As he climbed up he saw elves and dwarves fighting humans. He wondered how they managed to climb up but then noticed several dangling ropes at the windows.
"Clever bastards.", he muttered to himself as he picked up a spear and threw it at the invaders, piercing his breastplate. He ran to the side, hoping to get into the humans' blind spot. One spotted him and he ducked just before the wall behind him was riddled with holes. Castien rolled forward and stabbed the soldier's leg, causing him to fall. Then he punched him in the side of his head, surprised at how durable his helmet it, and pulled the man's weapon away. As he crawled back he pointed it in his enemy's direction and fired. It was a boomstick, he knew that much but the sensation he felt while firing it was something else, something he felt before while using the dwarves' weapons but also different. He held the trigger tight and the force of the weapon raised his hands despite his efforts to hold it causing him to hit his wounded foe and the man behind him.
The weapon quickly stopped firing and the other enemies turned their attention to him. His armor and body were torn open in over a dozen places and his blood started pouring out of his mouth. As the sand-colored soldiers moved closer, some shook their heads and sighed. Castien smiled. Their goal had been thwarted and that to him was a victory. One of the soldiers knelt next to him and stared into his eyes.
"Not even certain death will keep us from our duty.", Castien uttered with his dying breath leaving the soldier to ponder on this failure.
In the distance, far away from the wall on a small sandy hill, seven large figures observed what was happening. Four of them were male and there were females including their leader, who wore a blood-red cloak. They couldn't see much because of the wall but they heard loud eruptions, saw tall thick clouds of black smoke rising, and even glimpsed a few of the invaders' machines.
The beasts they rode, large hound-like animals with dark brown fur and black lines, shook their heads as their noses and ears twitched. The noises and smells bothered them. Much like the dwarves with their black powder, these invaders had weapons of great power and foul taste.
"What are they?", one of the males asked in a low voice.
"I don't know.", said the leading female, "But soon we will see."
---
Enen, Myla region, Empire of Light
It was finally time. Time to take the fight to the elves. Ever since that eventful day over a moon cycle ago, when the human army took Fort Godo, the Rosians were itching for a fight. But they knew they couldn't simply charge at the enemy and expect them to fall. The elves might have suffered heavy losses in the south but their empire was massive and they had the resources to fight a prolonged war. Not to mention the effect of the humans weapons. While no one doubted their capabilities, no one was also fooled into believing they would scare the enemy indefinitely. Over time the imperials will adapt and once supernatural monsters of iron and fire would become just another enemy.
Still, to say the Rosian knights were astonished by the Americans and their allies would not be overselling it. In the past forty-nine days, many things have changed. One of Earth's great alliances known as NATO was now in full play. Words of incoming reinforcements spread throughout the kingdoms and duchies and many were curious to see the other humans in action. The sight of many different flags gave the former vassals and slaves joy while it frightened the elven population that resided near their fortress.
But the humans with all their might still asked the Rosians and tribals for assistance in combating the empire. They were given special training to use their equipment and even weapons. It took time to get used to them but each race managed to adapt. While the preparations were underway, NATO command started organizing a new type of combat doctrine, which was meant to counter the elves' unconventional style of warfare. They didn't wage war the same way everyone on North Altia did, that much was evident. But the existence of magic and black powder coupled with a lack of knowledge of the continent caused NATO to reevaluate its strategies. Rosian officers and tribal chieftains gave as much advice as they could but there were still elements that troubled the humans. They didn't like fighting an enemy unless they knew everything about it.
After what seemed like an unnecessary amount of time, a system that would, theoretically, yield the greatest results in the field was forged. Rosian and tribal forces would mix with NATO troops and play to their strengths. However, certain individuals were still skeptical about whether or not this arrangement would work. So to prove its worth, the system was put to the test. Three companies led by three captains were tasked with raiding the river city of Enen.
Enen was strategically important to the elves as it was the largest dock for their ships in the southern half of the Polius Run river. Taking it would be a substantial blow to imperial forces in the region. However, it would also be incredibly challenging for a relatively small force.
"They will never be able to hold it.", said one of the Rosian officers.
"They don't need to.", replied an American colonel, "They have a very specific job."
That was true. The main purpose of the raid was to disrupt and weaken the defenders while also proving the newly-fabricated unit structure was reliable. From what the natives understood, only one of the companies was American. The second was British and the third was German. The former spoke the same imperial tongue or English as the Americans but with a distinctly different accent while the latter spoke a completely different language. Nevertheless, this didn't hinder them at all as each had its own goal.
The first company's mission was to identify the city's garrison command and nobility, capture the latter and kill the former. Second and third had more destructive duties. There were two gates on two ends of the city, each responsible for ship and cargo inspection and guidance for docking. Each half of the city also had an armory, forgery, and ammunition dump in which cannon balls and black powder were stored. All of these things needed to be destroyed.
Some argued that it would be a waste to send troops in when it would be easier to attack from the air. This idea was scrapped because of Enen's substantial population as well as the importance of the elven nobility for future use. Additionally, an air attack might not be effective as most of the armories and ammunition storages were underground.
With the plans drawn out, it was time to begin.
The attack began in the early morning with dozens of flying machines, helicopters, and ospreys as the humans called them, attacking the wall-mounted defenses. The smaller helicopters fired their cannons and destroyed the dwarven emplacements and towers. The larger machines and ospreys split into five groups and soldiers began descending on a black rope.
This part always nagged at Barnus. He wasn't used to dropping in the middle of an enemy fortress from the air. Even with the training he received from NATO, discomfort still plagued both him and his Rosian comrades. But there was no time to worry about such things.
As soon as he and his brethren got down, they raised their shields and formed a wall for their American allies. The city garrison, a few dozen elves, and dwarves fired their weapons but to their shock, none of them dented the metal. It wasn't long before the Americans opened fire and killed the defenders.
"Looks like they do work.", one of the rangers said.
Indeed they did. They weren't pretty things. Black and rectangular with a small window made of thick glass, they looked more like slabs of painted-over steel. But the knights didn't care. They heard stories of human and dwarven firearms punching through elven shields with ease and were glad they won't face the same fate.
"This is Yankee one to all Yankees, sitrep, over.", the captain spoke with one of his fingers on the side of his helmet. Short reports came to all of their ears. This was another thing they needed to get used to. NATO troops were able to speak with one another regardless of distance. To the knights' knowledge, no one else in North Altia had this kind of power.
The group Barnus was in was located at the front entrance of the city mayor's manor. It wasn't as large as they thought it would be but it was also far from small. The first company split into four groups known as platoons. The other three were positioned at three different entrances including the large balcony garden on the second floor. If one was to find the officers or the mayor they were to report and carry out the mission.
"Claw one, come in, over.", the captain spoke.
"This is Kai.", said the welfen, "I mean Claw one, sir, sorry."
The tribals had a particular role within the army. Much like the imperial legions, NATO tasked them with scouting ahead of the advancing forces. They were the vanguard units of the company, using their speed, agility, and heightened senses to guide and warn the human and Rosian troops. Many thought that their somewhat unprofessional and casual tone was going to be a hindrance but no one minded.
"Keep close to the windows and report anything of interest.", the captain said.
"Will do.", Kai replied, "You should know there are a lot of those blue bastards behind the door. They got guns. Dwarves weren't cheap for once."
"Acknowledged, over and out.", the captain said and raised his head to one of his men, "Breach charge. Knights, shields ready."
The soldier prepared his gadget and Barnus along with his comrades raised his shield. Once everyone was ready, the door exploded and a hail of bolts and bullets filled the air. Rosian shields deflected all incoming projectiles as the platoon moved in. The Rangers wasted no time in picking off the shooters positioned on the higher levels. An elven mage was preparing his incantation but was killed before he could finish. In front of the Rosians was a large cluster of shields and spears. The knights knew the rangers were busy so they formed their own attack.
"Grenades!", yelled their commander and instinctively, they pulled a smooth rock out of their waste pouch. They spent weeks training with NATO forces and were yelled at and punished by their drill sergeants every time they failed to follow procedure. This was no time for such failures. They pulled the rings off of their grenades and threw them at the defenders. Some landed at their feet, others on their shields, and some behind them but they all had the desired effect. Explosions rippled across the spacious hall and elves fell in droves. The few survivors, along with more soldiers that rushed down the staircases, decided to rush forward and overwhelm the knights.
"Pistols!", their commander ordered once again. This was another weapon the Rosians refused to forget. Barnus pulled his weapon out and remembered the words of his instructor. A firm grasp. Don't jerk the trigger. Think of it as an extension of your arm. He fired. Again and again. Each time he did he could see an attacker twitch and fall. The feeling was one he had never experienced in his life. They fell so easily. With just a flick of his finger. His slight trance disappeared almost as soon as it appeared when he heard his commander bark another order.
"Advance! Finish them with swords, don't waste ammunition!"
"You know you don't have to yell, right?", a ranger spoke over the communication device.
"Force of habit, sergeant.", she replied.
As the knights finished off the elves, two of the rangers through several small metal objects into the air. Barnus learned that these were called drones, machines that act as their eyes and ears from afar. There were four possible paths to go down, not including the staircases so two drones went down each path.
"Yankees two, three, four, what's your status? Over.", the captain spoke again.
"This is Yankee Two, we are engaged with hostile forces on the second floor, two rangers and three Rosians are down, they have mages. Over.", spoke a voice from the helmet.
"This is Yankee Three, zero activity on the third floor, moving to assist Yankee Two. Over.", spoke a second voice.
"This is Yankee Four, we're in the cellar and it's a goddamn maze down here.", a third voice said sounding irritated, "Lots of ferals, doesn't seem to be much else. Over."
"All Yankees maximize drone usage. This place is too large to comb on foot. The mayor and officers take priority. Stay focused, over and out.", he finished and looked back at his men. A few moments later, two loud explosions boomed, and thick dark clouds started to rise. They were followed by another, much larger explosion and two smaller ones. Soon after, the helmets spoke again.
"This is Kaiser, armory one and forgery one have been destroyed, over.", spoke a voice in a distinct, sharp accent.
"This is Redcoat, the first ammunition dumb is down. The bastards didn't go down without a fight, over.", said another voice.
"This is Hornet, both gates have been destroyed. No one is leaving, over.", said a third voice.
Already? How fast could the humans fight? Barnus shuttered to think what would have happened if NATO decided to attack the city purely from the air. Now that the gates were gone, the ships already docked in the harbor had no way of escaping and no reinforcements could reach the now-trapped defenders.
"They never cease to amaze me.", the commander said as she pointed her sword at one of the helicopters, "When will I get one?"
"When pigs fly.", said one of the rangers, who Barnus knew as Lamar, making everyone chuckle.
"Let's move.", the captain said, "The drone picked up a sizeable concentration of elves in the northeast wing."
Everyone nodded and advanced in formation, shields first then rifles. As they moved down the hall, one of the rangers halted them and made a few hand gestures in the air. Enemies ahead, firearms. The knights made sure to memorize these and found them nifty, as the humans would say.
The ranger along with two more of his comrades stepped forward and prepared their grenades. Though these were different from the ones the knights used. They were silver and shaped like tubes with many small pieces of what looked like glass all over them.
"Switch to thermals.", the captain whispered, and the rangers flicked their helmets.
The three men threw their tubes and they exploded in loud and bright bursts. As soon as they did, the others moved in and gunned down the dazed defenders that clutched their ears as they screamed. Once they were done, the platoon moved forward slowly but quickly.
"Energy spike.", said the captain, "Fall back."
Soon enough, three mages dressed in dark crimson clothing unleashed their magic. The platoon moved back but not quickly enough as the massive streak of fire burned both humans and Rosians alike. Two rangers and four Rosians were killed while five more in total were injured.
The captain cursed to himself. Their helmets could detect what they called energy spikes, which the mages caused every time they cast spells. The problem was that even though they could see it the mages are still quick enough to finish the incantation before they can escape. And the more mages combine their spells, the more powerful the attack becomes.
Medics started treating the wounded. Most of them only had burns and could still fight but one had a badly scorched leg and couldn't walk.
"Claws, this is Rifle, we have mages in the northeast wing. They have us pinned.", the captain spoke as a fireball flew past them and onto a nearby wall, "Request immediate assistance, over."
"We're on our way, hold on.", Kai spoke back.
Barnus looked around the corner and said, "More are coming!", before he threw his second grenade and fired his pistol. The other rangers helped but there was only so much they could do with the limited space and the mages.
Once the elves moved past the halfway mark of the hall, several tribals burst through the windows and attacked the mages. The welfen and leanoids tore them apart with their claws and knives. As the advancing elves turned around to face them, they were greeted with a dozen short barrels that blew their faces off and left gaping holes in their chests.
NATO wasn't sure whether or not they should have given the tribals firearms but in the end, decided to hand them a few outdated weapons. One of which was called a double-barrel shotgun. It had two shots and was only good up close but the tribals were more than happy.
As chaos ensued the rangers and knights came from behind the corner and finished off the elves. Everyone reloaded their weapons and the tribals growled in satisfaction.
"I love this thing.", Kai said as he holstered his weapon, "Loud but effective."
"I'm glad.", the captain said in a dismissive tone, "The mayor is in the last room down the right hall. Get to the windows and make sure you're not spotted. On my signal, you'll break in and grab him and his family."
The wolf nodded and went on his way but the captain grabbed him by the shoulder and spoke again, "Remember, we need them alive.". Kai growled and leaped out the window.
"Do you trust him not to kill them?", the commander asked.
"I do.", the captain replied, "It's you I'm worried about."
The platoon moved down the hall, checking every room one by one. All were empty unlocked and empty. When they reached the final chamber, one of the rangers took out a small tube and stuck it into a wall. Moments later, it glowed and for a time the people in the chamber were visible through the door. What else won't they come up with?
Inside were over two dozen people. Five were mages based on their stance and the others either had a shield or a weapon pointed at the door. Behind all of them were four rather frightened individuals, two adults, and two children. The mayor and his family.
"Rifles are in position.", the captain whispered.
"Shields are in position.", the knight commander spoke.
"Say the word, chief.", Kai said.
Taking a deep breath, the captain yelled a single word, "Breach!"
The knights rammed the door open and the defenders fired their weapons to no avail. The mages began their casting but before they could finish, the tribals broke through the windows and grabbed the mayor along with his family. Everyone in the room tensed up as the children and their mother cried. For a time everyone stared at each other, not moving not attacking.
"Order them to stand down!", the captain shouted at the mayor who was struggling to free himself from Kai's grip. The other tribals squeezed his wife and children tighter, causing them to weep and beg.
"Do as they say!", the mayor yelled.
After moments of hesitation, the imperials lowered their weapons and then knelt. The rangers and knights pushed them to the ground on their bellies and pointed their weapons at their heads. The family was still scared and the children whimpered as the captain and the commander walked over to them.
"This is Yankee one, we have the nobles, over.", the captain said over his communication device.
"This is Yankee three, the garrison command staff is dead, over."
"Acknowledged. All Yankees rendezvous at LZ. Over and out."
"Sir, the non-essentials?", one of his rangers asked.
"Expendable.", he replied, and in a heartbeat, the rangers and knights shot the surrendering defenders. The nobles gasped at the sight and the mother forced the children to look away.
"Move.", the captain told the mayor, who stood still with an angered expression.
"So it is true.", the mayor said, "What the preachers say. You are blood-thirsty savages."
"Move.", the captain repeated with seemingly no hint of annoyance.
"No. Why should I? What is to say you will not kill us later? Like you killed so many others."
The captain moved closer, causing the mayor to flinch and back away slightly. He grabbed him by his robes and pulled him to the broken window. Tugging at his hair, he pushed his head forward.
"Open your eyes.", he ordered but the mayor refused, "Open your fucking eyes!".
The mayor finally complied and as he did, he was stunned by the carnage. Machines flew all around and rained destruction on the city garrison. The forges and armories erupted in clouds of smoke and fire. It was chaos but it was nowhere near what he imagined would happen. Most of the city remained intact, no one was killed apart from the garrison forces, and he could see no smoke coming from the harbor.
"We could have done that to your entire city yesterday.", the captain said, "You have a chance to save thousands of innocent lives. I suggest you don't waste it. Now move!".
He did as he was told and gestured to his family to follow but moments later they stopped as the Rosian commander held her sword at the mayor's wife's throat. Everyone in the room tensed and the woman begged to be let go but the commander didn't lower her sword.
"We don't need all of them, do we?", she asked almost playfully.
"Commander, stand down.", the captain ordered but she didn't even seem to hear him as her hands slowly moved the sword forward and back, narrowly avoiding the woman's throat.
"Eldana!", he barked and the commander came back from her trance. Looking back at the platoon, he gestured for them to keep moving and take the nobles out of the chamber. Eldana moved as well but stopped as the captain held her by the arm.
"Get to the LZ.", he ordered the platoon. As soon as they left, he took off his helmet and mask and looked at the Rosian woman in front of him.
"What was that?", he asked in a serious tone.
"What was what?", she retorted without looking at him.
"You wanted to kill that woman."
"So what?", she snapped and turned her head toward him, "Do they not deserve it?"
"The mission is to bring them back alive?"
"Why? So they can beg for mercy? For the lives of their people?"
"Yes.", he answered her instantly, "Exactly that."
"You promised me vengeance, Logan.", she said as she etched closer to him, "Where is it?"
"Look around you.", Logan widened his arms to exemplify the carnage around them, "We killed hundreds today."
"And yet thousands still live and their city stands."
Logan paused for a moment and shook his head slightly, "We will not be the monsters they say we are."
"And that will be your downfall.", Eldana said, "Nothing you do will change their minds."
"Like it or not, we are in charge of this operation and as long as we are there will be no mass genocide. You will follow our orders, and abide by our laws, or I will have you removed from this company. Is that clear?"
Eldana didn't speak for a short while but answered with an intense stare, "Yes, sir."
Then she left and Logan followed after letting out a long sigh and putting his helmet back on. He received confirmation from the Germans and the British that the garrison forces have surrendered and that the last remaining targets were destroyed. All that was left now was to return to the nearest base in Opherin and then back to Galdush. Both Logan and Eldana knew that this wouldn't be the last disagreement they'll have but neither was foolish enough to cause massive infighting because of them. No. If the human-Rosian-tribal alliance was to exist such matters needed to end before they can escalate. But no one could shake the feeling that tension will rise in the future.
---
(That night)
South District, Elyana, Empire of Light
Being a criminal is not a good look for anyone. The families go through a lot of trouble to make sure they're in good standing with the people and the imperial officials. Many army officers, garrison troops, and even senators and their lackeys exchange favors with the various barons as they call themselves. Once every thirty days, on the last night of every moon cycle, the Dargos family organizes a great celebration in the name of the moon and the spirits. But Elpus decided to prepare one early mostly to calm his mind. The constant chanting, music, and laughter made him feel better but he still couldn't shake the unease he felt.
It's been over forty days since he spoke with that man. Agent Garcia, he called himself. As far as Elpus could tell from their conversation, this CIA was the human equivalent of the Imperial Inquisition, and if that was the case then a war in the shadows could erupt at any moment and his organization could be in danger.
Garcia explained his purpose for being here. To gain information on the Imperial army and government, uncover high-value individuals, and disrupt the empire's operations. However, there were several major problems when it came to achieving all of this. Firstly, Elyana was enormous and housed millions of people not to mention tens of thousands of various troops. Due to the vast distance between Elyana and Galdush, the agents aren't able to regularly supply themselves. Secondly, they couldn't use many important machines they have back in their world so their capabilities are rather limited. Lastly, and most importantly, they lacked enough essential knowledge of the city to conduct their operation effectively. All of this combined put the CIA in, what Garcia called, a tight spot. And that was where Eldus came in.
The CIA had already made contact with the Phoco barons in the east as well as Glyco in the northwest. They had tried making deals with the other barons such as Bardusa, Lasca, and Kepiri, but none of them were cooperative. Some even attacked them which resulted in dozens of their soldiers dying. Just before the conversation ended, Garcia had his men prepare a device with which they spoke with the other two barons, Flavia Phoco, and Septo Glyco. At first, they marveled at the machines, thinking it to be magic but the shock died down and business was discussed.
A simple but somewhat ludicrous deal had been made. The three barons will share their resources and assist the CIA in various tasks. In exchange, the agents promised them ownership of the lands and riches of their rivals that didn't accept the proposal. This seemed too good to be true and the barons were all but ready to refuse but Elpus then asked "Are the stories from Galdush true?". This question made everyone present silent as the agents took their time and answered with a single "Yes.". Soon after, Elpus was the first to accept and was followed by Flavia and then Septo.
As the days went by, the barons upheld their end of the bargain. Maps were given, knowledge shared, and even manpower. Every time their flying machines dropped crates from the sky at various spots beyond the capital's walls, they were ready to retrieve them. But the families grew worrisome. They haven't heard anything from the other barons and silence was never a good sign. Elpus prayed there wouldn't be a raid on his territory but with his luck, that's exactly what might happen.
His fears only solidified when a young elf ran over to his table and whispered into his ear, "The wolves of Kurkus are coming."
Elpus growled slightly and looked at his siblings, who seemed to be having fun with the guests. He rose from his seat and made his way into a large house just behind him, entered his chamber, and closed the door. He then pulled out a small box from one of his cabinets and opened it. Inside was a black, rectangular object with glass on top and a distinct circle at the bottom. Garcia explained to him that it was a device he can use to converse with the agents or his fellow barons. Nervously, Elpus pressed the circle and the glass began to glow. He remembered that it was sensitive to touch and whatever he pressed his finger on, it would react. Luckily there weren't many things to press and Elpus chose the green icon with a white, twin-sided club, and looked for the agent's name. Once he found it and pressed it, he put the device next to his ear and waited.
A familiar voice spoke to him, "Baron Elpus, been a while. How's the party?"
"The celebration is going well, agent Garcia.", Elpus replied, "I wish you were here, I will get some uninvited quests soon."
"The Kurkus boys. I have some tribals in the field, and they told me Floro is pissed."
Elpus widened his eyes, "Floro is with them?"
"Yeah. There are two detachments of welfen coming from two sides and three more of various grunts behind him. All in all, you're looking at around a hundred angry gangsters."
"So why are you not doing anything?", Elpus asked with a not-so-subtle hint of anger.
"We are. I have three squads on rooftops ready to support you and I sent two more to scout out Floro's base on your border. Plus, I'm sure you're more than capable of mounting a defense."
Elpus took a deep breath and paused before speaking again, "How do I contact your men?"
"You won't, I will.", Garcia replied, "Don't worry, none of your guys will be shot."
"I am not worried about that. If Floro is here, he needs to die. Tonight."
"And he will. Now go and get ready for a fight. And keep the phone close to you, once this is over, we'll have another chat."
Elpus put the phone into his pocket and walked out of the chamber. On his way out of the house, he gave orders to prepare for an attack.
As the welfen warriors made their way down the empty streets, they could hear the music and smell the alcohol. This confused them as the celebration wasn't meant to occur until the end of the moon cycle but it didn't cancel their job. Along the way, several of them kept glancing at the rooftops and windows.
"We are being watched.", one of them said.
"This part of the district is owned by the Dargos barons.", said the lead warrior, "Of course they'd have scouts."
After a few more moments, they stopped walking. Carts were blocking their path and on top of them were figures dressed in dark clothing with pointy red lines trailing down their fronts. Some carried boomsticks while others had crossbows and a few large ones wielded axes or spears.
"What's your business here, welfen!?", yelled the largest man in the center.
"Leanoid.", spoke the pack leader, "We have come to speak with your baron. Floro Kurkus sent us."
"Since when does your baron send dogs to talk?", the leanoid taunted and those around him laughed. The welfen growled and barked at the insult.
"A deal is said to have been offered to us. Our baron refused as did many others. They all paid for it with blood.", the leader said as he pointed his clawed finger at the group in front of him, "But not you. You took it."
"Maybe.", the leanoid retorted, "Why do you care?"
"I don't. But Floro, Catelia, and Albanus sure as shit do. So I'm here to set these straight."
The welfen started walking again but soon after, the leanoid raised his axe, "Careful. If you take another step, your corpse will be floatin' down the river next morning."
Ignoring the warning, they continued and the leader suddenly fell sideways. The rest of the welfen looked at him in shock and noticed that there was blood coming out of a hole in his head.
"I did warn him.", the leanoid said with a smile as the rest of the pack was cut down by a seemingly invisible force. A few tried to attack or escape but were killed by the leanoids and elves.
A few of Elpus' men looked up at the rooftops to see their new allies. Dressed in pitch black they were hard to see but one of them extended his fist and pointed his thumb up. The elves and leanoids did the same and the warriors in black moved on.
"Did you hear that?", an orc asked as he marched with his comrades.
"The wolves must be busy.", Floro said, "Keep moving."
They could see the lights from the celebration. Once they were they, they will find Elpus and get answers. At least that's what they hoped to achieve. Not too long after Floro's words came out of his mouth did leanoids and orcs block the street with shields.
Floro's men began moving forward to attack but were stopped as stones fell on them and erupted in flame. Similar sounds were heard in the adjacent streets followed by screams of pain.
The survivors tried to organize themselves but were killed out of nowhere. Floro glanced up and saw dark silhouettes on rooftops pointing what looked like boomsticks at him and his men. As the orcs and leanoids began advancing, Floro ran. This wasn't what was supposed to happen.
Looking back he saw he was being followed but he knew it would be fine as long as he got back to his hideout. He glanced to both his sides and saw some of his remaining troops running as well but they were soon killed either by Elpus' men or whatever those other things were.
His hopes were shattered as he saw his building go up in flames. He slowly approached it, mouth agape, shocked at the display before.
"How?", he mumbled to himself. Turning out he pulled out his sword, the fire reflecting on its golden pommel and handle, and pointed it toward the dozens of enemies that approached him. All of them stopped and allowed a single elf, backed by two dark figures, to step forward.
"Elpus?", Floro asked in utter disbelief, "What is this? What are they?". Elpus didn't answer his question and instead gestured to the figures behind him to slightly back away. This made Floro twitch in anger.
"You rotten bastard!", he said as he raised his sword and swung at Elpus, who sidestepped to the left, grabbed his wrist with his right hand, and then stabbed Floro with a dagger in his left. Floro winced at the pain and tried to get himself free but Elpus pulled out his blade and stabbed him again, making the baron drop his sword.
"You made the wrong choice.", Elpus whispered into Floro's ear before stabbing again. Then again and again and again until he finally dropped. He then took out a piece of parchment from his pocket and handed it to one of his men.
"Cut off his head and send it back to his siblings along with that message.". The elf nodded and an orc then picked up the baron's lifeless body. Soon after, Elpus cleaned his hands, took out his phone, and called Garcia once again.
"Brutal.", the agent spoke, "I like it."
"If Catelia and Albanus ask for a second chance, will you grant it to them?"
Garcia paused before answering, "Maybe. Why do you care?"
"I do not mind staining myself with blood. But I do not want to drown in it."
"Point taken. We'll see what we can do. But one slip-up and they're done. Got it?"
"Yes."
"Good. Now get back to your party, I'm paying it a visit. Haven't had the chance to experience local cuisine much."
Elpus turned the phone off and let out a heavy sigh as he craned his head up toward the sky. Unbeknownst to all, several hooded figures with black markings observed from afar. The information they bring back will begin to stir the darkness in ways nothing has before.
End of Chapter 17
Yes yes, I'm back, and here's a new chapter. I won't bother you with excuses you already know so I'll share with you some news.
*ahem*
I now have a Patreon page. That's right. I kind of wish I have done it sooner but I wasn't confident in my skills and I thought no one would actually want to PAY MONEY to read my bullshit so... yeah. But after experimenting with it on Reddit I actually got a bit of traction. And hey if other people can live off of writing stories, why can't I?
So if you want to support me, read chapters early (I'll be writing more often btw), join me in my Discord, influence the current story/stories, and even get a chance to commission work from me then just head on over to patreon.com/SimpleWrites.
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P.P.S Thank you for all your support and I hope to see you very soon. Peace.