### Reconvening in the Conference Room
After a few minutes of rest, everyone reconvened in the conference room.
"So, is the Queen of Muscovy satisfied with the territory granted to her?" Alex turned to them, and Zarina nodded.
"Weiss, remember we have a large pool of POWs, and we need to deal with them. It will be hard to feed such a large group, so I suggest sending some back to the new government to decrease our maintenance costs while using the remaining ones for reconstruction," Alex said.
Weiss pondered for a moment and nodded in agreement. "I'm okay with that, but I'm sending only 20%; the rest are mine," Weiss stated.
Everyone agreed and named the nation Titania. Its leader would be the firstborn of the gods of Olympus, Arthur Chronos, who would govern the territory. Titania would be supervised by the three nations and would have an armed force of 10,000 soldiers acting as its self-defense force and law keepers. Each nation would place a military base to monitor the political situation.
### Sean's POV
Currently, Sean was in a tent, his quarters, sitting on a chair and wiping the blood off his sword with a clean cloth. He wasn't wearing his full armor, just some leather bracers. His peaceful moment with the sword was interrupted by a soldier who entered.
"What is it, soldier?" Sean asked.
"Urgent report for you, sir," the soldier said, handing Sean a letter. After reading it, Sean burned it with a nearby candle and left the tent, speaking to the knight guarding his quarters.
"Gather the grandmasters; tell them it's an important war meeting. Time is of the essence."
Sean headed toward the command tent. The Grand Magic Knight Order, a force the size of half a legion with multiple branches, had their own unique specializations.
As he entered the tent, he sat on a chair and waited until it was full of people wearing different types of armor.
"Since everyone is here, let's begin," he said, placing flags on the map in front of him, signifying captured cities or towns of the Draconian Empire. Lastly, he placed a flag in the middle of the Great Forest, which made the grandmasters look confused.
"Information has it that the 1st Battalion is surrounded by enemies of unknown strength. They are part of the 1st Special Operations Division under Major Graves' command. We've assisted them with airstrikes, but ground intel says only a few thousand enemies were killed, and they were quickly reinforced. We are tasked with a rescue operation," Sean explained.
"So, I've called up the 1st Forbidden Cavalry Division from the 3rd Corps. We are facing elven mercenaries and will ride light with horses," he said, noting it was the only available resource.
"Grandmaster, my order can muster 1,000 men from the reserves, as the majority are assisting soldiers in keeping order in captured territories," said the master of the Eclipse Order, known for using long and swift weapons and manipulating gravity.
"My order can provide 1,500 men," spoke a man in crimson armor. These were the Red Moon, known for their immortality and longevity, originating from the continent of Vampiria. Distinct for their pale skin and rarity of white hair, they were once a mercenary group. After their leader, Lucian Velmont, experienced a coup, he sought asylum in the Draconian Empire. Sean allowed them to join his order, creating the Crimson Moon, now boasting over 10,000 men.
"Anyone else?" Sean asked.
Silence followed, as no one had more warriors to spare. Sean understood and decided to mobilize his own guard.
"Have your men assemble in three hours. Dismissed," Sean ordered, and everyone left the tent. Sean spoke to his guard commander and then equipped his Valkyrie armor, made by Alex, which he found somewhat embarrassing due to its design.
"Time to go, buddy," Sean said, picking up his sword, which seemed to glow with excitement for battle.
After leaving, a group of soldiers began following Sean. They wore light armor, protecting vital parts, and were trained to fight in different terrains and with various weapons. They were below the level of the Imperial Guards but still formidable.
"Let's go save our brothers in arms," Sean spoke, mounting up and joining the task force. They rode fast, crossing the trench line and using the darkness as camouflage, moving through the forest.
### Graves' POV
Graves was sitting on a makeshift chair of rocks, meeting with other company commanders in his HQ.
"So, ammunition supply?" he asked.
"Only 100,000 rounds left, sir, and the enemy keeps attacking every two hours," said the commander of Bravo Company, fortified in the west.
"How about morale?" Graves asked, noting the tired soldiers.
"It's manageable, sir. We received information that help is on the way," said the commander of C Company.
"Good," Graves muttered, looking at the map. "We are totally blocked. Every line we try to break, a new one appears behind them," he said, opting to defend his position to the bitter end.
**BOOM BOOM BRRRRTTT**
"The enemy is attacking!" shouted a soldier running to the HQ. Graves nodded at the company commanders, who returned the gesture and left for their respective lines of defense. Two platoons of Graves' unit were ready to reinforce any line about to be overrun.
### C Company Trench Line
"Damn it, they won't stop coming!" shouted a soldier, firing his rifle at the enemy horde, which kept charging despite the bullets.
"Mortars!" shouted the platoon commander.
"Copy," one of the mortar crew responded, grabbing a shell.
"Half load complete."
"Fire."
They repeated the process until the box of mortar rounds was empty.
"Rounds complete!" he shouted to the frontline.
"Go get more mortar rounds; beg from the other companies," the mortar commander ordered a soldier.
"Yes, sir," the soldier grabbed his assault rifle and left the foxhole.
"What's the status? Why have the mortars stopped firing?" the company commander appeared next to the mortar crew.
"Sir, we've run out of mortars. We've sent a runner to get more," said the mortar commander.
"Then have some of your men fight in the front. We need more guns. When the ammunition arrives, rejoin your posts," said the company commander, moving to the front as arrows and spears flew overhead.
A machine gun nest was having a field day, firing the entire belt at the oncoming horde.
"See that, Fred? That's how it's done," said the machine gun operator, while his colleague fired his rifle and used ice magic to cool the barrel from overheating.
### D Company Trench Line
"Hey, look on the bright side; we have a river that separates us from them," said an operative, firing precise shots at the enemy horde crossing the river, slowed by the sharp traps on the river floor.
"Shall we light it up, sir?" asked the NCO to the company commander.
"Not yet. They haven't fully committed their forces. We need them huddled up in the river," said the company commander, watching soldiers throw grenades into the river, killing dozens of enemies.
### E Company
"Of all the places they can attack, they choose us," a soldier muttered in anger, seeing the enemy charging through an open field with trees still an obstacle.
"They've already passed the 200m line. Flamethrowers, move up!" shouted an officer, and two flamethrowers released long streams of fire, catching the enemy in the blaze.
The fight had already lasted five hours with no sign of stopping. As soldiers grew tired, help was on the way.
### Alex's POV
Alex was at the air wing of the fortress, overseeing a line of transport and attack helicopters. Imperial Guards loaded ammunition, supplies, and medical equipment aboard. A single soldier carried hundreds of body bags, expecting to bring back the dead.
"Your Majesty, the men are ready to depart in a few minutes," said the commander of the Emperor's Wings.
"I see. I will get ready," Alex responded, equipping his dual 30-caliber armor-piercing ammunition throwing knives, his storage rings filled with supplies for over a million people, and his long black great sword.
After this war, we need to move some legions to the underworld to begin pushing for an invasion into unknown lands, Alex remembered the last report a month ago by his chancellor in that new dimension.
"Your Majesty, the men are ready," said the commander as soldiers boarded the helicopters, checking their weapons and supplies.
"We need to land three times to refuel, right?" Alex asked.
"Yes, Your Majesty. It will take a day to nine hours to reach that location," the commander stated.
"Let's get going," Alex boarded one of the helicopters, escorted by a detachment of the Shield of the Emperor and the Sword of the Emperor.
### To be continued...