The sky was a grim gray as the Basilisk skimmed low over the rugged landscape. A Special Forces Mobile Command Base, it wasn't meant for overwhelming firepower, but for precision. The Basilisk's role was to deploy elite units like the 299th KPA Assault Squad, designed for fast, decisive strikes. Today, though, the squad wasn't heading into battle. They were on standby, waiting for the official start of a war that felt inevitable.
Caius stood on the command deck, his eyes scanning the horizon through the narrow windows. Tension hung thick in the air—the kind that came when armies were deployed but not yet ordered to fight. Both sides, the Commonwealth and the Central Powers, had drawn their lines across the continent. No shots had been fired yet, but everyone knew the countdown had begun.
Next to him, Lieutenant Harrow, the Basilisk's commander, was overseeing the daily operations. Harrow, a grizzled veteran of numerous skirmishes, was efficient and sharp, and Caius had quickly come to respect him.
"Lieutenant Rest," Harrow said, his voice low but clear. "The 299th will remain on standby until further orders. We've just received word that we'll need to run maintenance checks on the KPAs, and the Basilisk needs to re-absorb mana from the atmosphere."
Caius nodded, though his thoughts were already on his squad. Being on standby meant preparation, not action, but it also meant that at any moment, they could be called in. The Basilisk had to replenish its mana stores naturally, drawing MP from the air—a process that could be sped up using Magic Particle Crystals (MPC), but that carried its own risks, mainly array disruption. They were a last-resort method, and he hoped they wouldn't need to rely on them today, or ever.
"Understood," Caius replied. "The squad's ready whenever we get the call."
Harrow gave him a brief, approving nod. "Good. Just make sure your units are prepped, and if you need anything, let me know."
Down in the hangar, Caius was in full gear, overseeing his squad as they ran checks on their Knight Power Armors. The air was tense but controlled. Around him, the 299th KPA Assault Squad moved efficiently, inspecting their machines and reviewing comms protocols. The Basilisk was a finely tuned machine, and so was its squad.
Victor's Sun Chaser stood out among the KPAs, its golden armor gleaming even in the dim light of the hangar. Caius had to suppress a smirk when he saw it. Victor had used his connections to get assigned to Caius's squad, serving as his second-in-command. Victor had leveraged his family's influence to secure his post alongside him. Still, there was no denying Victor's competence, even if his flamboyant style made him stand out in the otherwise grim world of military operations.
Victor sauntered over, a smirk already on his face. "Enjoying the downtime?" he asked, his tone casual.
"Downtime's overrated," Caius replied, glancing at the Sun Chaser. "Besides, you're the one with the flashy armor. Hard to take you seriously in that thing."
Victor laughed, clapping a hand on Caius's shoulder. "Come on, you know you love it. And besides, what's the point of fighting if you can't look good while doing it?"
Caius shook his head but smiled slightly. Victor's confidence had always been infectious, and despite his flashy appearance, the man could back it up when it came down to it.
As they spoke, Sergeant Linik approached, his demeanor as professional as ever. "Lieutenant Rest, KPAs are secured and ready. The Basilisk is running its maintenance checks and re-absorbing MP from the atmosphere. We should be ready to move as soon as the word comes."
"Good," Caius said, adjusting his gear. "We'll need to stay sharp. Make sure the Death Knight's radio systems are fully synced with the squad's comms. We don't know when we'll get the call, but when we do, I want everyone linked."
Linik nodded and moved off to ensure the task was completed. Caius watched him go, then turned back toward the Death Knight, towering in its docking bay. Its black armor seemed to absorb the light around it, a dark presence even in the hangar. He'd built it himself—piece by piece, rune by rune—and now it stood ready, a symbol of his capability and determination.
As the Basilisk hovered in place, the landscape of the Northern Front spread out before them. Trench lines crisscrossed the barren earth below, stretching into the distance like scars. The Central Powers were on the other side, their forces visible across the no man's land. Both armies were waiting, anticipating the moment when the war would officially begin.
The Basilisk wasn't meant for the full-scale battles that were coming—it was a mobile base, designed to drop in special forces units like the 299th when needed. Caius knew this would be his life for the foreseeable future—always on the move, always ready for orders, but never sure when or where the next mission would take him.
His thoughts flicked briefly to the future, to the possibilities that lay ahead. One day, when the war escalated, he might be assigned to a larger command—perhaps even aboard the Nautilus, a Dragon-class air-carrier/destroyer. But for now, the Basilisk was home, and the 299th was his responsibility.
As he stood there, the radio crackled to life. "Lieutenant Rest," Harrow's voice came over the comms. "No active engagements yet, but be prepared. We've just received word that the Central Powers are making moves along their lines. Stay sharp."
Caius felt the weight of the moment settle over him. They were still waiting, but the tension in the air was palpable. The war hadn't officially begun, but it was only a matter of time.
"299th, remain on standby," Caius said over the squad's comms. "Keep everything ready. When the call comes, we move."
Victor's voice crackled back in reply. "Always ready, Lieutenant."
The hours ticked by, the tension never quite leaving the air. As the Basilisk continued its maintenance and the KPAs stood idle, Caius kept his eyes on the horizon. Soon, the countdown would end, and when it did, they would be thrust into the heart of the war.
But for now, they waited.