《Manifest Fantasy》 1 Turning the Tides Authors note: This is the revised version of Chapter 1; I have improved since I first wrote the story, and I feel that the first chapter may have been turning some people away. As such, I''ve done my best to maintain the story, yet reflect as much as possible the style of writing that I''ll be using throughout the rest of this story (particularly chapter 16 onwards). North Grenden Plains 40 miles from Fort Sool Sonaran Federation Continent of Eanif, Planet Gaerra 2 P.M. Local Time Month 5, Day 17, Year 237 The peaceful silence of the plains was interrupted by the sound of marching, before coming to a halt. An army flying a black flag, with a silver crescent in the middle, stared eastward, toward the sight of multiple plumes of smoke originating from campfires. As the troops of this army began to establish a camp for the night, a man grabbed the attention of this army. A gaunt man nearly 50 years old in appearance stood before his comrades, preparing to give a speech. "Tomorrow, we begin the first incursion into the Sonaran heartland! After almost a year of grueling battle with their tributaries, we shall finally bask in the glory we have long sought! Before dawn, we shall march unto their positions and annihilate the enemy, and open the floodgates for our torrential wrath! For Nobia!" the general said. "For Nobia!" his soldiers echoed. ¡ª By an interesting looking flag that depicted a multitude of stars upon a blue background, two men conversed with each other. "The forces of the Nobian Empire will be converging on these grounds by daybreak tomorrow, Master Kelmithus. Are you certain your strategy will work?" a man asked, his clothing defining him as someone of importance. "Indeed, General. How are the beacons?" the old wizard replied. "Ready to activate on your command. The mages are on standby to assist you." "Excellent. This plan should be able to delay long enough for reinforcements to reach the fort." "I pray your sacrifice will not be in vain. May Sola''s light guide you." "And you as well." The two men concluded their conversation and directed their troops to rest, as tomorrow will be a fateful day. Many of the superpowers, and even the hyperpower, were interested in the powerful sorcery that Kelmithus planned for tomorrow. Consequently, observers watched from a camp nearly a mile away from the battlefield. ¡ª "Master Kelmithus, are you sure this will work? The enemy has a force of twenty thousand, including 200 wyvern riders!" To reassure the general, Kelmithus explained the logic behind this magic. "Truly, it matters not how many people I face. It only matters the volume of which is transported. As long as the enemy formation is not spread out by a ridiculous margin, my spell can transport all of them." "Well, your plan better work at least somewhat successfully. As you can see, our forces here only number in the few thousands, with at most 50 wyvern riders on our side. Reinforcements are three days worth of travel away, and I fear we may not hold on for long, should we face more than 5,000 enemy units." "Worry not, dear friend; I shall see to it that we Sonarans shine light upon these wretches." The dire situation reflected by this match up resulted in desperation, and thus Kelmithus would cast a spell that the world has not seen for millennia. He would, with the help of channeled energy from the other mages, create a space- time anomaly that can transfer the opposing army to another plane of existence, thereby removing the threat against Fort Sool. However, the spell Kelmithus was about to cast has not been attempted in over 5,000 years, ever since the great wizards of old banished the dreaded evil empire. As the Nobians marched toward the outnumbered defenders, Kelmithus began his incantations. The magical beacons he placed began to pulse with light, as his mages channeled their mana through to the master wizard. With an abundant supply of mana at his disposal, he was able to cast his spell, surrounding himself and all of the enemy forces in a transparent purple bubble. The Nobian mages, sensing the powerful magics in the atmosphere, began to tremble. They realized what Kelmithus was attempting, causing goosebumps to form as they yelled at the enemy wizard. "You wouldn''t dare use such forbidden magics on us!" "You threaten to undo everything in this world, and for what? Just for a battle?!" "Quickly, brothers of Nobia, we must stop this fool before he causes irreversible damage!" The Nobian soldiers closed the distance between them and Kelmithus as fast as they could, with the dragon knights taking the lead. Despite their fearsome capabilities and average top speed of 200 mph , the distance proved to be too vast, and Kelmithus was able to complete his incantation. "San noranimis cronissus travurium!" And with his command, the bubble and everything enclosed within vanished. In the place of a bubble, a space-time anomaly that resembled a portal remained. "May Sola''s light guide you, Master Kelmithus. It was an honor to serve alongside you," the Sonaran general whispered. ¡ª Sir Mirand Du Barenia stood from his seat, watching from the observer tent. He scanned the battlefield, from the Sonaran side to the Nobian side, or rather, what used to be the Nobian side. His eyes grew wide and his jaw dropped, incapable of fathoming the incredulous scene that had just occurred before him. Observers from other nations reacted similarly, although he was too focused to notice them at all. The spell was successful, and exceeded expectations so tremendously that the battlefield fell silent for nearly a minute, men standing and looking around as if they had just woken up. Suddenly, the silence was broken by shouting and horns coming from Nobian command tents. The Nobian commanders, seeing their forces vanish, ordered a retreat for the remaining command staff. As they fled the scene, observers sent from various nations began to converse amongst each other. "Those mages¡­ they mentioned something about the forbidden magics and irreversible damage. What were they talking about?" Sir Du Barenia asked. A haughty man named Senior Mage Joseck Alyn, hailing from the Divinian Empire, replied, his eyes displaying a wisdom far surpassing that of most people. "Ah, you Mekkanese, your people are so ignorant in the history of magic." The man then paused, seeming to display fear before returning to his previous demeanor. "The mages were wary of the possible consequences of space-time interference. The ancient evil empire may return because of what has just occurred." "Thank you for your insight, but why would anyone from a hyperpower nation be concerned? I''m certain your mana weapons could do the trick." "As you may know, we are running out of mana gems. Not just in my Divinian Empire, but throughout the surrounding lands. We have discovered large underwater caches of this vital supply but we are unable to extract them as of this moment. Our top wizards theorize that it may take decades before we develop any spell or magical tool that can help us drill beneath the deepest portions of the ocean. Without these gems, we would be unable to fight the ancient empire. Although your machines aren''t limited in the same way, they do not have the capabilities required to face the Axons." As he ended the sentence, he emphasized the name ''Axon'' heavily, nearly hissing whilst pronouncing it. "We theorize that these beings still maintain a biological advantage over us; their innate magical capabilities can indubitably compensate for any disadvantage they have. In all honesty, given the rate we progressed as a society, if they had progressed similarly, then they would still be a hundred years ahead of us in terms of magical and scientific research." Senior Mage Alyn shook his head slightly, his pride damaged by this admittance of inferiority. The Divinians shared the same philosophy as Americans from Earth, having pride in their country and maintaining their status as the strongest nation in the world. Their magical and technological capabilities are beyond the other powers on this side of the planet, although their science is slightly behind that of the magically inept Mekkanese, who have opted for scientific technology. "How long would it be before the ancient empire returns? We can start preparing now!" "I cannot tell you, old friend. I can only give but a slight estimate. If we are lucky, we have a century. If not, then we will not even have the luxury of beginning preparations." 2 Efficiency Somewhere in the Nevada Desert 10 A.M. Local Time May 18, 2019 Two F-35A jets thundered through the skies, escorting a peculiar circular craft. "Test flight is proceeding normally. All antigrav systems are operational." "Eh, doesn''t it seem a bit slow?" "We''ve just decoded this vessel''s drive, but we can''t seem to restart the fuel cells. We''re powering this through some specially developed reactors. If only the original pilots were alive when we found the ship¡­" "Man, that''s still amazing. Can''t wait to pilot a starfighter haha." As the pilots of the fighter jets and secret US test craft exchanged light banter, a bright light appeared somewhere over the desert, followed by a minor electromagnetic pulse. "Sir, we''ve just been hit with an EMP! Our ship is stable but we have lost communications with Guard One and Two!" "Easy there Lieutenant. The F-35''s were built to handle some slight turbulence. Comms will be back online in a bit" "-static¡ªstatic¡ªcrackle¡ª Centauri One -crackle- Guard One -static- read me?" "Guard One we read you, but there''s some interference. We believe it''s coming from this source. Please escort us to these coordinates." Complying with this order, the two jets and alien craft flew toward the specified coordinates. Below, they saw what seemed like a fantasy medieval army situated right outside of Area 51. The base was mobilizing to handle the possible threat that had just materialized. Orders from command were to return to base, with Guard One and Two preparing for combat while Centauri One was to return to its designated hangar. Fourth Invasion Detachment Nobian Army 10 A.M. Local Time Expert Norlan was blinded by a light as he and his comrades were transported by Kelmithus. As an expert ranked wizard, he was the highest ranking mage in this Nobian force, and without his superiors nearby, he assumed the position of commanding officer. As he grounded himself back to reality, he went to check the body of Kelmithus. "It appears he still has a heartbeat. He will most likely wake up within a few hours." "What shall we do with him, sir?" "Leave him. We will be gone before he wakes, and he shall be stranded here. I laugh at the irony of his predicament¡­ This barren land where there is nothing but the scorch of Sola will be his deathbed. Sola''s light will indeed guide him to his demise." With Kelmithus unconscious, the Nobians began to reorganize and strategize. They were in what seemed to be the middle of nowhere, but the dragons had picked up a scent of humans and metal nearby, so the mages whipped up a clarity spell. The mages has discovered a strange town 2 miles north, with metal beasts and strangely clothed men. Because of these metal beasts, they assumed the territory to be one of the Sunaran''s, with their famed sun forges. Additionally, the stars on the flags throughout the base convinced the Nobians that they were indeed facing their enemy, as the Sunaran flag also The Nobian mages determined that the town had about a thousand souls, so they pressed forth with the planned attack, having confidence in their numerical advantage. If only they had waited, they would have been able to return home. 10 minutes after they departed, a portal began to materialize. "Be wary of the metal contraptions. The Mekkanese may have allowed the Sunarans to use some of their mechanical weapons." Norlan''s orders were received by his forces through a magical channel created by the mages. Heeding his caution, they sent a couple dragon knights to scout the base and test the capabilities of their opponents. As the dragon knights approached, they heard a loud roar the split the skies, as two metal dragons flanked their sides. Not sending any hostility from these metal dragons, the scouts continued toward the base, where they were met by an inhumanly loud voice. "This area is restricted by order of the United States military! Turn back now or you will be shot!" "That doesn''t sound like the Sonaran language¡­" "What could it mean?" "It''s probably another Sonaran war chant?" The dragon knights ventured further, trying to catch a glimpse of large dragon stables that housed the metal dragons. Unfortunately, they ventured too far into restricted airspace. A Patriot missile system locked on to its targets and fired. "Lonos, what''s that light over there? It looks like an arrow¡­ Evade! Eva-" BOOM! Lonos watched in horror as his partner was obliterated by an impossible force. "How¡­?" One question was all Lonos was able to contemplate before his ability to think was terminated by the unforgiving MIM-104 missile. Norlan, seeing the explosions in the sky, attempted to re-establish contact with his scouts. "Sir, we cannot contact them! It''s likely they were killed in those explosions!" Norlan could not fathom that a force as powerful as the dragon knight could be decimated so quickly, and seemingly with such ease. His subordinates couldn''t believe it either, but their sight told no lies. "We must avenge them! Leave no survivors!" "CHAAARRGE!!!" As the Nobians approached the strange wall, they were again met with a thundering voice. "Drop your weapons and surrender now! This is your final warning!" Burning with vengeance, the Nobians ignored this warning and charged forth. "All mages, initiate standard defensive shielding!" A translucent bluish dome covered the attackers. The Nobians began to close the distance, pushing forth with a wedge formation, until at about 200 meters from the gate, flashes of light began to spark throughout the lines of the defenders, emanating from their dark staffs. RATATATATATATATATA! Thunder filled the atmosphere as the Nobians faced a hail of lead. The shield was able to hold against about a hundred rounds before the kinetic energy of continuous impacts overpowered the defenses of the Nobians. The mages were almost depleted of mana, and the bluish dome faltered, becoming more transparent. The mysterious defenders, sensing victory, intensified their barrage as they started shooting large metal arrows and strange shapes that all exploded. Indeed, the Nobians faced 40mm High Explosive rounds, hand grenades, and rocket propelled grenades. Norlan was terrified. The tightly packed formation of his army was disastrous, as each explosion was able to kill dozens. He witnessed a slaughtering of his men. Many were screaming for salvation, for their mothers, but their prayers would go unanswered as their bodies were ripped apart by metal and fire. This was not glorious combat. This was void of honor. The hellish destruction he faced was horrible; it was an efficient extermination rather than a battle. Having lost much of his infantry and almost all of his dragon knights to metal dragons and light arrows, he gave the order to surrender. Across the battlefield, Nobian soldiers dropped their weapons and raised their hands. Thankfully, the act of surrendering was a method of communication that easily transferred between worlds. The defenders with the dark staffs ceased fire, and began to round up survivors, immediately administering medical care to the wounded. To his surprise, Norlan could not find a single injured defender. His troops could not even reach the gate. "Where did the Sonarans get access to this kind of power? Are they in league with demons?" His thoughts were interrupted by a soldier wearing a sand-colored uniform, who identified Norlan as an important individual based on his Expert Wizard attire. After securing all the prisoners with handcuffs, the desert men directed his troops into a peculiar building, made of hardened rock. He was then led to a plain room with a mirror, table, and two chairs. 3 The Sands of Space-time Area 51 Interrogation Room 11 A.M. Local Time Norlan waited in the room for a few minutes before a man came in, carrying two bottles of water. He placed the bottle in front of Norlan and gestured for him to drink, which Norlan did. "What is your name?" Norlan, confused by this unfamiliar language, mentally cast a communication spell. He was uncertain if it would work, but if it could work with animals then it could certainly work with other humans. "Sorry, could you repeat that? I cast a communication spell on myself." "What is your name?" "Kaede Norlan, Expert Wizard of the Nobian Army. Are you Sonaran?" "No, I''m American. Nobian? That''s interesting. Tell me more." (He doesn''t know about the Nobian Empire? Perhaps that blasted wizard brought us to another world¡­) "My country is situated in the continent of Eanif. We are warring with the Sonaran Federation." "How did you come here?" "A Sonaran wizard cast a transportation spell that transferred us here." "That''s all I need to know from you. Thank you. My colleagues will ask you additional questions later. But for now, would you mind casting this communication spell on your soldiers?" Norlan directed the surviving mages of his force and cast communication spells. Some men dressed in white clothes, who appeared to be scholars, began questioning the survivors about their culture and language. The survivors, who had never seen an enemy force who treated their prisoners well, relented and surrendered all the information they had. Meanwhile¡­ 2 miles south of Area 51 Zone Alpha, Codename "SG-1" 12 P.M. Local Time Having pinpointed the source of the electromagnetic anomaly, the base commanders requested orders from the President, who directed them to send a research team, designated Alpha Team, to investigate. This research team consists of the following members: Scientific: Physicist Dr. Alan Oppenheimer Physicist Dr. Nikita Tesla Biologist/Medic Dr. Lacey Darwin Security: Master Sergeant Ron Owens Captain Henry Donnager As the research team arrived at ground zero, they found the unconscious body of Kelmithus, next to a small portal, about the size of a man. "He''s alive!" Lacey declared. "It appears he''s starting to wake up. Tesla, pass me some water." "Uugghh where am I?" "It''s okay, you''re safe now. You''re in the United States of America. I''m Lacey. What''s your name?" "Kelmithus. Thank you for saving me. The United States? (I have never heard of a country with that name before. I suppose this means my plan was successful!) What happened to the Nobian army?" "They surrendered to us after sustaining significant losses." (Surrender?! The prideful Nobians rarely surrender!) "I see. Did you come all the way here to rescue me?" "Ah, not quite. The objective of this mission was to analyze the anomaly here¡­ Is there anything you can tell me about this?" Kelmithus began his lengthy explanation of what had occurred, starting from the advancement of the Nobian army along the Plains. The team was shocked upon learning of the existence of magic. "I don''t believe it! Show us some magic!" (What kind of savage world is this, where magic doesn''t exist?) Kelmithus pondered the implications of this, but dropped the thought as he conjured a fireball and launched it at a nearby rock. The fireball dissipated on impact, leaving behind a black surface upon the unfortunate rock. "That is.. truly incredible!" Remarked Oppenheimer, as he pondered the potential applications of magic. "Where does this portal lead to?" Having been unconscious, Kelmithus was too disoriented to realize that there was a portal before him. Now, as he gazed upon its glory, his heart pounded with joy. He could return home! "It leads to my home planet, Gaerra." "Well, I hope you''re not having any thoughts about returning immediately. We''ve got orders to take you in for questioning," Owens reminded. (These people seem to be nice enough, and they defeated the Nobians for me. I also did open a portal into their universe without their consent¡­ I suppose I could answer some questions they may have.) "I can go with you. There is much I would love to learn about this world," Kelmithus offered. The team returned, viewing drones passing by as they entered a structure. Area 51 2 P.M. Local Time "It''s magnificent, it''s like this portal is an Einstein-Rosen Bridge! It''s a wormhole!" Tesla proclaimed. "It''s like any sci-fi and fantasy fan''s dream. Oh I hope I can go on an adventure and study the properties of this new existence!" Oppenheimer voiced. "Perfect! You''re in luck gentlemen. I''m sending your research team through the portal after our drones finish collecting data. This meeting will serve as your debriefing for this mission. Additionally, this fine gentleman - Dr. Illinois Jones - over there is an anthropologist that the President requested I attach to the group. I have already secured the assistance of the wizard to provide you with amenities and guides. Team Alpha and a diplomatic convoy will be transported. After diplomatic relations are secured, we hope to establish a base by the portal. The wizard will direct you to his apprentices, who may assist in your research. Afterward, the wizard will be accompanying the convoy to the Sonaran Capital," General Harding explained. "Anything we should know, sir?" Donnager inquired. "We''ve gathered some details on this world from the prisoners. All relevant information is included in this information packet, including a map of the continent and information on the factions of this world," Harding answered. The information packet, which was about ten pages in length, was full of data sourced from the prisoners. The known continents of the planet Gaerra included Eanif, Feene, Arthi, North Obeg and South Obeg. On the continent of Eanif, which is roughly the size of Africa, there are three major countries: the Sonaran Federation, the Nobian Empire, and the Eanif Imperium, which was the superpower of Eanif. The Sonaran Federation prefers diplomacy when interacting with neighboring countries, whereas the Nobian Empire is expansionist, conquering their neighbors. Tensions between both countries were already bad enough, due to the cultural differences between them, but the situation escalated as the Nobians conquered an important trade partner of the Sonarans. Little was known about the Eanif Imperium. This section of the information packet would be useful for the diplomatic delegation that the President was planning to send to the Sonaran Federation. The goal of research team Alpha is to verify the validity of this information, scout for resources, and document various properties about the planet. Their mission will take about a week. "Good luck on your mission. Dismissed." 4 Isekai! SG-1, North Grenden Plains Sonaran Federation Eanif, Gaerra Month 5, Day 20, Year 237 10 A.M. Local Time Team Alpha and the diplomatic convoy emerged on the other side of the portal, with Kelmithus taking the lead, so as to not startle any local inhabitants. The Americans brought several vehicles, including Humvees, Bradley IFVs, and Jeeps. Thanks to Kelmithus, it was revealed that the portal, despite only man sized, could accommodate larger objects, such as the Americans'' metal carriages, as long as the object touched the portal. Once all members of the expeditionary groups were on the other side of the portal, Kelmithus climbed into the lead Jeep. The region had already been mapped by several drones, and the route was pre-planned, but Kelmithus was requested to help with navigation, to ensure that nothing went wrong. (This metal carriage¡­ car, is quite comfortable. It''s similar to the Mekkanese cars but these American vehicles are faster and have smoother rides) thought Kelmithus. (If it''s true that the Americans did not even receive a single injury in their battle with the Nobians, then they may be as powerful as the Mekkanese at the very least, perhaps even the Divinians. I should report this to His Majesty). Confused with something mentioned earlier, Kelmithus posed a question. (200 miles in three hours?) "You say the trip will only take three hours? Normally it would take a couple days to complete this trip, even with the fastest horses and the lightest of cargos." In response, Tesla explained. "The average cars back in America have top speeds close to 100 miles per hour. Our convoy will be traveling at 70 miles per hour for this journey." Kelmithus and the scientists in the vehicle continued their discussion regarding Earth technologies and magic. To the scientists, it was like an incredible dream; they couldn''t believe that everything occurring was real. As for Kelmithus, he was less concerned with the existence of other worlds, as he himself had been doing research on the topic for a while now. Rather, Kelmithus was concerned about the impossible feats that Americans and their machines are able to accomplish. The speeds their vehicles could reach, the productivity of their factories, the amount of food they produce, all baffled Kelmithus. Even the Divinians couldn''t compare. Such thoughts lingered as the trip progressed. Sonaris, Sonaran Federation Capital 12:50 P.M. Local Time The convoy reached its destination safely, as curious onlookers came out from their shops and homes to study the strange metal carriages that appeared before them. Now, many of these citizens knew of the mechanical vehicles of the Mekkanese, so it was assumed that the convoy was Mekkan in origin. Some who were more knowledgeable, who had actually visited Mekkan in recent times, realized that the vehicles were in fact alien to the world, deducing this from the odd designs and unique flag that adorned vehicles'' structures. The Americans were notified that the city streets would become much more crowded the further they ventured. Accordingly, the convoy parked near Kelmithus'' Wizard Academy, which was conveniently next to an extravagant hotel. As the Americans climbed out of their vehicles, they were met with a beautiful scene. The architecture of the Sonarans resembled Italian architecture during the Renaissance Period, with a variety of intriguing angles and sources attached to the designs. The Sonarans were fond of curvilinear triangles, incorporating these peculiar shapes into the designs of their domes, which were glistening in the light, thanks to a special reflective material they are made of. This reflective material coated many other important buildings, including landmarks such as museums and wizard academies, with shining spires, as if it were a fantasy movie. Truly, the cityscape seemed like a city of gold, with the Sola''s glory being displayed in each tower and dome. To the Americans, some of the shining towers reminded them of home, as the scene was similar to sunsets in Manhattan, with the skyscrapers glowing a beautiful golden hue due to the setting orange sun. Kelmithus smiled proudly, seeing the impressed expressions upon the faces of his guests. "Wow, this reminds me of New York!" "Yeah maybe even Dubai!" "Eh the buildings aren''t as tall though.." Kelmithus, intrigued by this latter comment, questioned the Americans. "How tall are the buildings where you come from?" The soldier who made this remark replied. "Our skyscrapers are several hundred feet tall, with the tallest buildings in the US of A being over a thousand feet in height." In comparison to the buildings of Earth, the structures in Gaerra could only reach a maximum of about 600 feet, with the tallest buildings in the territories of the Divinian Empire and Mekkan. The Sonarans were able to boast buildings as tall as 100 feet or so, and spires almost 200 feet tall. (Buildings so tall that they are called skyscrapers. Their technological capacity must be astounding! How can their buildings not collapse under their own weight? Their buildings are even taller than the Divinians!) "Oh, wow." Kelmithus was too awestruck to formulate a coherent reply besides a mere expression of his surprise. As one scholar to another, Tesla interjected, explaining the science behind the construction of such tall buildings. He described materials sciences as simply as he could, highlighting the importance of tensile strength and design in constructing tall buildings. Such factors helped to accommodate and mitigate, respectively, the stress placed on various components of the structure. "We use a variety of designs that are similar to the columns that your people have here in Sonaris," Oppenheimer added. Remembering the mission, Owens inquired about their stay. Kelmithus elaborated their schedule and various details. Team Alpha and the diplomatic convoy will be staying at the nearby hotel. For the rest of today, the Americans would be able to explore the city. Tour guides would be provided by the hotel, along with currency exchanged for the pure gold that the Americans had brought. At the hotel lobby, Kelmithus modified the communication spell that was casted upon the Americans earlier, allowing them to read and write Gaerran Standard. With time off for the rest of the day, the Americans enjoyed the beautiful sights and the peculiar food available to them, as the Sonarans had access to a unique type of spice grown only in their lands. Additionally, Gaerra was home to new types of flora and fauna, with the delicious meat of cavs being quite the delicacy amongst locals. Of course, the day would not be complete without beautiful pictures. The Americans became popular as rumors of their instant painters, or cameras, spread. The Americans also took drone pictures of the area, which amazed some lucky tour guides who got to witness "powerful clairvoyance magic". As the day turned to night, the Americans returned home, having been restricted from visiting bars or getting drunk, due to the sensitivity of their mission. As the citizens of Sonara went to bed, a shadowy cloaked figure, who was watching the hotel, disappeared into an alleyway. The moon overhead became obscured with clouds. 5 The Science of Magic Kelmithus'' Wizard Academy 10 A.M. Local Time Month 5, Day 21, Year 237 Alpha Team "Now, I must journey with your colleagues to the royal castle, so I shall leave your needs in the hands of my apprentices, Aranmithus and Scarnmithus." "Call me Aran." "Call me Scarn." With introductions out of the way, Alpha team began to discuss the history of Gaerra. Alpha team was provided with books on magic and history, which excited the academics of the group. Jones in particular was interested in the various legendary items of this world, including mana diamonds and ancient weapons. It was revealed that many of these rare artifacts were once owned by the Axons, who left behind various ruins as their mainland was transported to another plane of existence. Advanced magical technologies were lost as the Axons were banished. This situation is akin to the loss of Earth technologies in the past such as Damascus Steel, which required thousands of years of technological development to produce a viable counterpart. As for the physicists of the group, they questioned Aran and Scarn about topics regarding magic. Evidently, the magic of this universe abided by a particular set of laws, much like the science of the Earth universe. The major difference between the laws of science and magic was the amount of laws; magic was less restricted than science, although some outputs of magic were restricted by scientific properties. For example, a mage can conjure fire out of thin air, violating thermodynamics, but once he has released the fireball, the fire must adhere to scientific laws including those of thermodynamics and basic physics. Such abilities are powered by mana, which can be siphoned from mana gems. These gems essentially acted as batteries for magic users, allowing them to draw energy from the rocks and cast spells using this stored energy. Some mana gems are more powerful than others, with the rarest and most powerful having been excavated from Axon ruins. However, these are carefully stored and are only used for study, as it is a top priority for many wizards across the globe to reverse engineer the techniques used in the refinement of these Axon gems. Mana gems undergo a process of refinement that is similar to uranium enrichment. Like their scientific counterparts, mana gems have varying levels of stability and power output. Unlike the trend of atomic elements, where stability decreases as the atomic mass increases, mana gems become more stable as the density of magical particles increase. Mana refinement produces high quality gems, up to grade 20 in the Divinian Empire, which can convert up to 20% of the mass of the gem into pure energy. When Oppenheimer and Tesla learned of this, they were dreadfully shocked. Thankfully, Aranmithus explained the energy equation of his universe, which is similar to Einstein''s famous equation, but weaker by a factor of 1000. So, compared to atomic mass, the Divinians were only able to convert up to 0.02% of an atom''s mass into energy. Still, this was troubling as it essentially meant that the Divinians were capable of producing weapons that were a tenth as powerful as fission weapons on Earth. Indeed, such capabilities were enough to rival the most powerful modern conventional weapons. Thankfully, the efficiency of the process was awful and the bomb mechanism that the Divinians have developed was not automated. Essentially, Divinian mages had to cast a long range spell to manually detonate the bomb. This feat required an insane degree of coordination between Divinian bombers and mages, in order to detonate the weapon at the optimized altitude. As such, this weapon was rarely ever used, and only used against monsters such as Epic Dragons and the Skitters, which were a peculiar bug race. When asked about the capabilities of the Axons, Aran informed the scientists that the Axons were much more advanced than the Divinians. The only comparison he gave was that of the technology disparity between both sides during the ancient wars, over 5,000 years ago. The Axon continent was located in a stretch of ocean to the far east of Eanif, isolated from the continents of the human and orc civilizations. The Axons were a race of bluish humanoids with peculiar mandibles, similar to that of a beetle. Having conquered and unified their mainland, they proceeded to invade the orc and human continents. Eanif was the first to fall, followed by the orc continents of the Obegs. The Axons ruthlessly cut through their enemies with mithril weapons, imbued with powerful enchantments. On top of this advantage, the Axons had a natural magical attunement rate of about 80%, which granted the Axon warriors considerable mastery over magic. The defending force was meek in comparison, armed only with iron weapons and struggling with a magical attunement rate of less than 40%. Of course, some outliers did exist, and these outliers were known as the legendary heroes of the time. These outliers boasted perfect magical attunement, and this single advantage allowed the heroes to pioneer a dangerous new spell, one that went down in the history books as the spell that banished the Axon Empire. Without reinforcements from their mainland, the Axons on the remaining continents were slowly eradicated. Given this information, Oppenheimer and Tesla deduced that the Axons were most likely on par with modern levels of technology, using the technological levels of the Divinian Empire as a comparison. According to the information provided by the apprentices, the Divinian Empire has military capabilities akin to the late nineteenth century to the early twentieth century. Without automated systems and advanced scientific knowledge, their vehicles performed as well as vehicles from World War 2, but their weapons capabilities were lacking, as firepower was reliant on magic. On the other hand, the Mekkans seemed to have respectable computing capabilities, similar to the 1950''s. This led the scientists to estimate that the Axons had a technological capacity equivalent to that of early 2000''s American technology. The Axons were most likely nuclear capable, and could potentially create grade 100 mana gems with ease, with 5,000 years of development. American undercover operatives in Mekkan and the Divinian Empire would later corroborate these claims. Meanwhile¡­ 6 The Sonaran Revelation Sonaran Royal Castle 10 A.M. Local Time Month 5, Day 21, Year 237 "According to Kelmithus'' reports, Your Majesty, these Americans have been able to defeat the transported Nobian army with ease. They have not suffered a single casualty." One of the generals at the meeting objected. "That''s preposterous! Not even the Divinians could easily defeat a force that powerful!" A colleague of Kelmithus, another Master Wizard, interjected. "It makes sense when you consider the alleged capabilities of these people. Vehicles with greater performance and functionality than the Mekkanese, skyships that are multitudes faster than those of the Divinians or Mekkanese, structures that are significantly taller than even the tallest buildings in the Divinian Empire. Surely, their military capabilities can be discerned from just their civilian technologies alone, which vastly outperform those of any civilization in the Central Continents." After further discussion, King Selios shamed his generals for their ignorance, and decreed that his diplomats should attempt to secure, at the very least, a non-aggression treaty with the Americans. Furthermore, any trade agreements would be useful in solidifying their relationship between the United States. Sonaran Royal Castle, Guest Lobby 1 P.M. Local Time Diplomat John Perry was the assigned representative for the mission. A skillful negotiator back on Earth, he was selected for his strategic excellence and his ability to see through unfavorable terms. With Alpha team catching up on the magic and history of this world, Perry would be debriefed on the politics of Gaerra while he waited for the meeting to start. After complimenting the food, Perry and his team were taught about the various relationships between countries on Gaerra. Although Sonara was a Federation, the king held most of the power, but could easily be dethroned by a consensus amongst the Sonaran Parliament. Understandably, this threat resulted in wise kings, who perform as excellent leaders. King Selios reflected this ideology, as he has been able to successfully withstand Nobian assaults. "Tell me about the war." Kelmithus enlightened the Americans, skillfully exaggerating some details in order to appeal to their sympathy. There were some details he didn''t even have to exaggerate, such as the wholesale slaughter of entire Sonaran villages at the hand of the Nobians. The merciless Nobians sought to wipe out the sun worshipping heretics off of Eanif, and to the Americans, it seemed like an ethnic cleansing. The horrified Americans would carry their sympathetic feelings into the meeting later on. After learning about the war between the Sonarans and Nobians, the diplomatic team also learned of the relationship between the five great powers of the Central Continents: the Divinian Empire, Mekkan, the Eanif Imperium, the Quod Republic, and the Orc Horde. The Divinian Empire and Mekkan had a sour relationship, with the Divinians looking down on the magically inept Mekkanese, even going so far as seizing territory from Mekkanese-allied states, who had magically inept inhabitants. Kelmithus surmised that this would provoke a war between these two powers sometime in the future. The Eanif Imperium was a secretive superpower, concentrated in the northern half of the continent. They boasted military strength that was slightly subpar compared to the Mekkanese, being able to field biplanes and this world''s version of Maxim guns. The Quod Republic was situated in North Obeg, with unknown capabilities. It is known, however, that they have been at war with the Orc Horde for centuries at this point. As guardians of the human lands, they have received assistance from the Divinians and Mekkanese in the form of equipment, technology, and mana gems. As for the Orc Horde, they were considered a nuisance by the surrounding human continents. To the Americans, the Orcs shared similar traits to the Mongol Horde of Earth history, albeit more brutal. Unlike the Orcs of many fictional tales, these Orcs were described to be fairly intelligent and magically formidable. Apparently, they were capable of creating war machines and had a magical attunement of about 30%. Although not as developed as the human nations, they had an advantage over human counterparts: brute strength. The Orcs constantly raids nearby human settlements every few decades in order to replenish their numbers, since Orcs reproduce through human females. Those who are captured are kept as slaves in the Obegs and kept alive until infertile, at which point they are executed. "How barbaric¡­" Sonaran Royal Castle, Diplomatic Offices 2 P.M. Local Time The meeting between Perry and his counterpart, Foreign Affairs Advisor Sindis, commenced. Sindis was as skilled as Perry, and at times used her alluring appearance to gain a tactical advantage. Perry, however, was trained well enough. He was a professional and conducted his actions as such. The two first discussed trade. "The food your royal chefs served me earlier was quite delicious. My people would love to have these food items exported to my country." Perry handed Sindis a list of food items, selected based on the Americans'' research the day prior. "5 million tons total?!? How can we even fit this much cargo through that tiny portal?" "Our scientists, with the help of Kelmithus'' research and some students at his academy, were able to find a way to enlarge the portal. In exchange for these food items, we can provide infrastructure and food items of our own, which we believe do not exist in this world." Perry provided schematics for roads, highways, and railways, alongside advertisement-quality pictures of tomatoes, cinnamon, steak, and honey. (Wow, so delicious¡­) Remembering her orders from King Selios, Sindis replied. "We accept! You can begin construction at any time, and we will allot you 100 square miles of land around the portal so you may build your facilities. This will be a 10 miles by 10 miles plot of land around the portal itself, which you may use as you wish. In addition, we will provide a square mile of land in Sonaris for the construction of an embassy. Consider this a reward for defeating the Nobian advance force. However, please note that this land may be under threat of attack by the Nobians, as your land is in between them and Sool Fort." The United States, having anticipated a situation like this, had already dispatched a diplomatic team to the Nobian Empire. Their meeting will begin tomorrow. With land secured and a trade agreement finalized, Perry asked for some standard materials, alongside some unusual items. "We have mithril ores that we can sell to you¡­ but glowing green rocks and burning black liquids and rocks? I don''t see why anyone would want those. The Mekkanese contacted us last year about burning black rocks, so we gave them access to a mine near one of our mountain ranges. As for the glowing green rocks, I must ask about that first¡­" Sindis proceeded to question a subordinate, asking her to contact some surveyors. After a few minutes, Sindis received her answer. "We have some glowing green rocks in a cave system by the South Grenden Plains, but all of the miners who have been sent to that area returned sick. They might be cursed." "Oh, that''s alright. We know how to ward off curses and evil spirits. Well, I suppose this agreement can be tentative. Can we survey for resources in your lands before we finalize this section on materials and resources?" "Yes, of course. You may survey whatever open territories you wish." "Excellent. On top of all this, we will provide a discount to all Sonarans for the various stores and restaurants we plan to open near the portal. You will be able to travel there and use our services after we establish a dollar-sodar exchange rate." As the meeting concluded, Sindis had a final request for Perry. King Selios, noticing the cannon mounted atop the M2 Bradley, asked for a demonstration. Perry, not wishing to displease the king, asked command for permission, which was granted. Outskirts of Sonaris 4 P.M. Local Time The M2 Bradley IFVs that escorted the diplomatic convoy were brought to some plains outside of the Capital. The Sonaran King was accompanied by his cabinet and his highest ranking military officials. Placed about 500 meters away from the IFVs were solid rock constructs, summoned by the mages as targets. The king and his acquaintances eagerly awaited the show, discussing potential outcomes. "That Cannon is very lengthy, it must be very accurate and powerful!" "I''ve seen larger cannons in the Divinian Empire" "The Mekkanese also have larger cannons; like the Americans they don''t use magic in their weapons! I wonder how the Americans compare." "I remember seeing a vehicle like this amongst the Mekkanese arsenal. They called it a tank." Discussion continued further until it was time for the demonstration. The first portion of the demonstration involved firing the main cannon of the IFV. The head of the Bradley, housing the 25 mm auto cannon, swiveled toward its targets on the field. BOOM BOOM BOOM! In quick succession, all three rock targets were obliterated, drawing various gasps from the crowd. The king himself raised an eyebrow. The second test was a demonstration of firing on moving targets. The mages were instructed to move a rock golem around the field. To truly impress the onlookers, the Americans decided to move the vehicle as it was firing. BOOM! The fire control system of the M2 Bradley compensated for the movement of the vehicle, adjusting the barrel of the 25mm gun to remain on target, and to the surprise of the audience, the rock golem was destroyed. To the Sonarans, who had only been recently informed of the Divinian and Mekkanese tanks, this feat seemed like it required intense magical focus. Not even the best armor mages of the Divinians or the most trained tank crews of the Mekkanese could hit a moving target so far away, while their own weapon was on unstable ground. The sheer amount of calculations that had to be done in order to predict the position of the target and angle the weapon properly was nothing the world had before seen. It was theorized that only the Axons would be capable of such a feat by this time, after 5,000 years of development. For the final demonstration, the mages were instructed to summon a cluster of 5 rock golems. Vwoosh! Suddenly, smoke appeared from a component of the M2 Bradley. To the onlookers, it may have seemed like the vehicle suffered an equipment malfunction and was smoking. This thought was immediately erased as the crowd saw a trail of light emerge from a compartment, headed toward the rock golems. A BGM-71 TOW missile streaked toward the golems, reaching its target in just seconds due to its terrifying speed of about 300 meters per second. BOOM! An explosion erupted near the target, and when the smoke dissipated, nothing was left except for small rock fragments that littered the ground. "We need the Americans as our allies against the Nobians," King Selios reflected. "We have almost nothing in our arsenal that can defeat this metal monster¡­ We must never fight against the Americans." And thus, the demonstration concluded. The diplomatic envoy began their journey home, toward the portal. As the moon rose and the skies darkened, a shadowy individual could be seen in the background, casting a communication spell. 7 Ambush 100 miles from Sonaris 7 P.M. Local Time Month 5, Day 21, Year 237 It was dusk, and the sun began to set. Unfortunately for the diplomatic team, they were not able to stick around Sonaris long enough to view the beautiful scene, of the golden sun striking the shimmering city. The team had orders to return to the portal after they had concluded the diplomatic mission. As they rode back, Perry thought of the warning that the Sonaran officials gave him: be wary of the night. The unscrupulous Nobians tended to stalk their targets from the shadows, and were known for their expert assassins and stealth techniques. According to the intel procured from the prisoners back at Area 51, the Nobians fielded an elite assassin organization: the Dark Shadow. The secretive members of this elite group were supposedly at least expert wizards, and were additionally proficient in swordsmanship. Grassy Fields 7:30 P.M. "The vehicles are approaching. Remember our objective, and remain silent." American Diplomatic Convoy 7:30 P.M. Considering the firepower of the M2 Bradleys, Perry dismissed the slight sense of unease. Suddenly, the vehicle in front of him veered to the left, crashing into a tree. The body of a strange bug like critter, which would be later known to the Americans as a Skitter, blocked the road. The frightening appearance caused the driver of the lead vehicle to swerve away. After ensuring that the strange monster was dead, the security personnel began removing the corpse from the road. Before they were able to get back in their vehicles, cloaked individuals began to rise from the grass surrounding the road. Wearing a Nobian ghillie suit and amplifying their camouflage with light refraction magic, the assassins slowly creeped toward their targets. "Ghaaa..!" A soldier had his respiratory tract blocked by cold steel; he was stabbed by a knife and was unable to warn his allies. One by one, the security personnel fell, as they had not anticipated such an attack and therefore were not equipped with any night vision or thermal gear. "Why aren''t they back yet? Simmons, Brown, Dawson, and Whitman aren''t on comms¡­ Something must be going on Sarge." "Roger that. I''ll check it out. Perry, we believe something may be going on outside. Stay inside." The driver of Perry''s Humvee exited in order to assist his fellow soldiers in their investigation, as they scoured the surrounding area with flashlights. The assassins remained silent, although in their minds they were laughing at the ignorance of these inferior humans, who were magically inept. This vain attempt at a search led to inevitable failure, and the convoy decided to regroup instead. With the corpse now off the road, the lead Bradley was instructed to move back in formation. Unbeknownst to the soldiers, this occurred too late. With the four soldiers handling the bait corpse now eliminated, the Dark Shadow assassins began to surround the convoy and prepare an attack on the remaining guards. With bright lights coming from the vehicles, the assassins deemed it impossible to silently kill any near the center of the convoy. As such, they planned to execute a chain magic attack using a powerful lightning spell. Deactivating their cloaks, the assassins began to charge their spell, their hands crackling with lightning. "Visual on enemy targets! They''re casting some sort of spell!" "I''ve got the one toward the tree!" "I got the one toward the corpse!" TATATATA! The soldiers at the convoy realized that they were under attack, and began to fire their weapons at the sources of light. All of a sudden, the sources of light intensified in luminosity, releasing the charge stored within the mages. Despite managing to incapacitate two of the targets, the soldiers ultimately reacted too late; the remaining assassins had completed their spell and unleashed lightning upon the remaining guards, immediately frying their internal organs. Although the Bradley crews were still safe inside their vehicles, danger close prevented them from firing upon the enemies, as their fire control systems clearly displayed them next to friendly vehicles. They decided to report to command and request for backup. While the Bradley crews hurriedly contacted their superiors, the Nobian assassins were able to break into the Humvee that contained Perry. As masters of stealth, the assassins were able to unlock the door without rattling it at all, thereby leaving Perry unalerted as they quickly opened it. Perry, with his sidearm ready, attempted to search for targets, but found none, as they were skillfully cloaked. A split second later, Perry fell asleep, having been afflicted by a sleep spell. His sidearm fell on the seat as he was carried away by the assassins, who disappeared into the night. Unknown location Some time later Perry awoke in a cell, finding his hands shackled. His shuffling as he got up from the bed alerted the guard outside, who hurried off to report the situation. A few minutes later, a barbaric man entered the room, adorned with extravagant pieces of jewelry. He identified himself as a bandit leader, who informed Perry of his predicament. "Don''t give me trouble and you''ll make it out here alive. Well, hah, if I get my money actually." "Who do you think will pay your ransom for me?" "I''m sure the Mekkanese government can scrounge up some cash for your release." "Mekkanese? I''m American!" "Mekkanese, American, it doesn''t matter. I''ve left a note for your friends," the bandit chided. "I''ll get my money either way," he declared as he plucked Perry''s wedding ring from his finger. (How dare he¡­) Seething with anger, Perry managed to contain his emotions, preferring to avoid irking his captor in order to prolong his lifespan. The bandit also stole Perry''s Rolex, but thankfully he neglected to take the American Flag pin from his suit, as this pin housed a small tracking device. Perry breathed a sigh of relief as the bandit exited the room. Despite this elaborate facade, Perry was able to sense an inconsistency with this situation. After defeating a professionally trained army of 20,000 Nobians troops, there was no way some bandits could boast greater proficiency in magic and stealth operations. He suspected the involvement of the Dark Shadow, and his suspicions were indeed correct. With the disappearance of the entire Fourth Invasion Detachment, the Nobian Emperor called a meeting to discuss strategies. An advisor from the Dark Shadow suggested clandestine operations in order to raise funds, as the Nobian Empire could face an economic crisis if the war against the Sonarans dragged out longer, without any significant gains. One such operation was kidnapping. Nobian spies discovered that a mysterious convoy arrived at Sonaris. Believing this to be a Mekkanese diplomatic convoy, due to the presence of mechanical vehicles, the emperor authorized a kidnapping operation of the supposed Mekkanese diplomat. The funds secured from this ransom by "bandits" would be used to help replenish the ranks lost from the disappearance of the Fourth Invasion Detachment. This operation would prove to be the beginning of the end for the Nobian Empire, as the bandits'' prisoner was not only American, but also suspicious of the involvement of the Nobians. 8 Hostage Rescue Part 1 President''s Office, White House Washington D.C., United States 10 P.M. Local Time May 21, 2019 President Keener was reviewing the results of the diplomatic talks with the Sonaran Federation. "100 square miles for us, how generous! That will provide us with an excellent foothold in this new world¡­ This will mark the next chapter in our manifest destiny!" Keener was pleased with the deals that Perry made on behalf of the United States. The export of various technological trinkets and cheap items, which could be sourced from the same providers that dollar stores rely on, could commence immediately. The team sent to the Eanif Imperium was still a few days away from their destination, so Keener reviewed the report on the Nobian Empire. The Nobian Empire was contacted through one of the prisoners secured at the Battle of Area 51. The prisoner relayed the U.S. request for diplomatic talks, which would include details on the transfer of POWs over to the Nobian Empire. In the transcript the prisoner read, the U.S. made sure to exemplify that the whole situation was just a misunderstanding. The Nobians soon granted the request, and a diplomatic team was sent to the Nobian Empire. The team arrived at the Nobian capital, Nor, without any issue. The diplomatic talks were unsuccessful, however, as the Nobians did not desire anything that the Americans could offer. Additionally, American staff reported receiving cold stares from the Nobians. The unsettling demeanor of the Nobians was most likely a result of the coincidental similarities between the American flag and the Sonaran flag, which was blue, with white stars dotting the surface, each representing the territories controlled by the Sonarans. Essentially, it looked like the top left portion of the American flag, without the stripes that represented the original thirteen colonies and with fewer stars. Another factor in the poor reception of the American team, unknown to Keener, were rumors that circulated of the Fourth Invasion Detachment''s ruthless defeat. Someone from the Nobian emperor''s inner circle, who was listening to the American communication, had exaggerated the defeat of the small Nobian army. This person was in fact a spy from the Sonaran Federation, implanted within the Nobian High Command in order to collect intelligence and sow chaos within the administrative network of the Nobians. With a deep understanding of the Nobian culture and it''s extremely proud attitude, this Sonaran agent decided to fan the flames, directing the anger of the Nobian peoples toward the Americans. This was an ingenious strategy on part of the Sonarans, who had determined, based on reports from Kelmithus, that the Americans must become an ally. By inciting resentment amongst the Nobians, the Sonarans could effectively force the United States to fight on their side. As Keener finished his review of the report on the Nobian diplomatic talks, he began filing the documents away, placing them to the side of his desk. Suddenly, the phone next to him rang. The origin of the call was Area 51. Keener reasoned that General Harding had an emergency situation, and thus he answered the phone. "Mr. President, we have an emergency! Ambassador Perry has been abducted!" What unfortunate timing; Keener was looking forward to a stress-free night of fun with his wife. His expression soured as he was told the details of the situation. According to Harding, Perry''s convoy was ambushed by unknown assailants who were well versed with stealth operations. The assailants left a note with an address. "At 12 P.M. noon tomorrow, meet me at the Sorn''s Best Bar, across from the Sorn Museum. Come alone." There was a bit of good news, thankfully. Perry''s tracking device was able to be located, somewhere in the Sonaran city of Sorn. He was being held in an underground complex about a mile away from the bar, so General Harding, with the approval of President Keener, launched a rescue operation. This rescue operation by the Americans would require utmost care. General Harding determined that given the technological level of the natives, they would most likely have no knowledge of tracking technology, and the rescue team can therefore expect minimal resistance. The team however may expect booby traps, similar to those found in ancient tombs in action movies. With this in mind, preparations began. The operation would be split between three teams. Two would be participating in the rescue operation, while the third would be providing support for the agent at the bar. Of the two rescue teams, one would provide overwatch, equipped with M107 .50 BMG anti-material rifles and reconnaissance drones. The breaching team, composed of experienced members from Navy SEAL teams, would be performing the actual rescue tomorrow morning. They would be equipped with suppressed close quarters weapons, including the MK18 CQBR and the HK MP5N. Satisfied with the plan, Keener went to bed, while Harding directed his intelligence teams to scan the target building in order to construct a map for the rescue team. In less than 12 hours, the United States will make history with the first extraterrestrial hostage rescue. 9 Hostage Rescue Part 2 Somewhere in Sorn, a mile from Sorn''s Best Bar 11:30 A.M. Local Time Month 5, Day 22, Year 237 "30 minutes till the op. Thermal picked up 2 hostiles guarding the entrance and 8 more scattered throughout the building. They won''t be expecting us, but keep an eye out for traps and tripwires." Having seen the grotesque consequences of homemade booby traps in the Middle East, the members of the rescue team would be more than cautious when infiltrating the target structure. As with operations back on Earth, the identities of the team were kept secret; the operatives were given code names instead, designated Terras One through Six. The team leader, Terra One, reviewed the plan with his squadmates. Sorn''s Best Bar 12:00 P.M. Luna One sat at a lone table in Sorn''s Best Bar. As the clock hit noon, a man from a nearby table got up and sat at his. The bandit leader got straight into business, demanding 10 million sodars for the release of the hostage. "You have 24 hours to make your decision." To the Americans, that was a relief, since their mission would be over well within 24 hours. The objective for Luna squad was to capture the bandit leader. "Give me a moment to communicate with my superiors," requested Luna One. This was a strategy to stall for time. Luna Squad needed confirmation from Terra Squad; the Americans believed that the bandit leader may simply order the hostage''s execution if he is under threat. On the side of the bandit leader, he was surprised to see the device that the strangely clothed man had produced from a pocket. This flat looking box caught the eye of the bandit leader, distracting him from the American''s elaborate ruse. Luna One stalled for a few minutes, rehearsing the script he had practiced, before he finally got confirmation from Terra Squad. Meanwhile, back at the hostage building¡­ 11:59 A.M. pop! pop! Two suppressed shots from M107 anti-material rifles hit their marks, leaving the two guards posted by the entrance headless, and the wall behind them painted red. Above, two surveillance drones monitored the situation, feeding information regarding the position of hostiles into the networked helmets of the Terra Squad operatives. On their HUDs (heads-up display), they could see indicators displaying enemy positions, assisted by augmented reality systems within the helmets. Such technology was generally relegated to the realm of fiction, popular in video games like Call of Duty or Battlefield. In reality, these systems had been under development for a while, and the Pentagon saw this hostage situation as a perfect opportunity to test their new equipment, without having to worry about the prying eyes of Chinese or Russian spies. Two bandits, still unaware of the presence of the American team, lazily guarded the entrance to the basement. "Wish I could have more fun. That night on the road was such a thrill." "Oh yeah, sure was. Reminds me of the good old days of our missions against Sonaran generals." "Director Tempos should''ve had some apprentices do this shit. Why¡ª" tata! Two calculated headshots from Terra Squad prematurely ended the conversation between the two guards. "All rooms in this corridor are clear. Two additional tangoes were eliminated. Proceeding to the basement." Six bandits were left, with two in the hostage''s holding cell. As the American forces descended the stairs, their HUDs alerted them to the presence of four hostiles, waiting for them on the other side of the door at the end of the hallway. The special forces unit was caught in a dangerous choke point. The bandits on the other side were armed with crossbows, according to the positioning of their bodies. One, who had additional readings as seen on the drones'' infrared sensors, appeared to be a fire mage, ready to cast a dangerous spell. The members of Terra Squad crept up to the two rooms adjacent to the room at the end of the hallway. Silently, Terra One readied a flashbang. Terra Two, in the room opposite, opened the door slightly, allowing Terra One to throw his flashbang. BANG! "AAH! I can''t see!!" "What is this sorcery?!" Terra Two slammed open the door before retreating back to his room. The bandits, having been blinded, fired haphazardly toward the direction of the door. Having wasted their readied ammunition, Terra Squad quickly entered and eliminated the three bandits. tatata! The mage, abandoning his offensive spell casting, summoned a defensive shield, similar to the one used by the Nobians during the Battle of Area 51. A blue light flickered around the disoriented mage, encapsulating him in a bubble. "Switch to full auto!" Terra One did not know the full capabilities of Gaerran shield magic, as the American scientists from Alpha team and Area 51 have yet to fully understand it. The order to fire their weapons on the fully automatic setting may have seemed like overkill, but to Terra One, underestimating his enemies could lead to the unnecessary deaths of his squadmates. tatatatatata! The torrential rain of bullets quickly destroyed the shield, which dissipated after less than a second of firing. The mage within the shield perished, his body riddled with holes. "Four hostiles neutralized. Proceeding to holding cells." Thanks to the work of Alpha Team, back at Kelmithus'' Wizard Academy, Terra Squad was assigned a modified EA-6B, which was now able to jam magical signals. Evidently, Alpha Team discovered that magical waves had similar properties to electromagnetic waves; in particular, magical communication was similar to radio. The final two Dark Shadow members, having lost communication with their comrades, were desperate. After each set of peculiar popping sounds, a group of Nobians fell. With no way to contact their leader, all they could do was wait for the signal to execute the hostage. Desperately, one of the bandits held a knife to Perry''s neck, waiting for the intruders to enter. The drones buzzing around the building detected this, and alerted the rescue team. This reaction by the bandits was expected, and Terra Squad approached the door, with Terra One readying another flashhbang. This time, Terra One vocalized his action, letting Perry know what he was about to do. "Tossing a flashbang in three, two, one!" Perry understood how a flashbang worked, and as the cylindrical instrument rolled into the room, he closed his eyes and opened his mouth in order to minimize the effects of the flashbang. The bandits did not do the same, and instead stared at the peculiar device that had rolled into the room. The bandits were allowed to have curious thoughts for a split second before they were blinded and deafened by the M84 stun grenade. BANG! "What in the name of No¡ª" Terra Squad immediately breached the room, their movements fluid. The disoriented bandits proved to be easy targets, and were easily neutralized. The bandit holding the knife to Perry''s neck was unable to commit to his threatening intentions, as he lost control of his hand when his brain ceased to send electrical signals, thanks to an intrusion of lead. tata! "Hostage is secure, we are ready for extraction." Terra Squad, having secured Ambassador Perry, exited the building and rendezvoused with their overwatch team toward the designated extraction point. Sorn''s Best Bar 12:08 P.M. "We don''t negotiate with terrorists," replied Luna One. "Is that so? I suppose then that you don''t value the life of your colleague, then." The bandit leader attempted to contact his subordinates back at his hideout, but received no response. In the background, unscrupulous looking men could be seen, being dragged out of the store. Luna One drew his firearm, knowing full well that the mission''s success was now guaranteed. "You''re under arrest. Please don''t resist." At this point, the bandit leader attempted to cast some sort of spell, but the American special forces team, having anticipated this, quickly incapacitated the man via taser. Area 51 4 P.M. "Thank you for rescuing me." "That''s our job. And speaking of yours, as compensation for your unfortunate circumstances, the President has allowed you to take paid leave for up to a month." "Ah, that is very generous, but I think I''ll have to decline that offer. I''m living out my dreams, being able to explore this new fantasy world." "Haha yeah, that''s understandable. Well, since you''re back on the team, be sure to contact the higher-ups for debriefing." "Of course. Oh, and by the way, about those bandits, I feel like there''s something suspicious about them. I believe they may have ties to the Nobians. The attack on my convoy is consistent with descriptions of Dark Shadow operations." "I''ll keep that in mind. Thank you Mr. Perry." Area 51 Interrogation Room 6 P.M. As the bandit leader, now identified as Norge, sat in the interrogation room, two men discussed their options behind the room''s one-way mirror. "Ay Quinn, looks like the good cop deal ain''t workin. Let me try the bad cop business." "Ah just give me a bit more time man. He''s being cooperative now!" "Cooperative? He still refuses to talk about the Nobian weapons we found on him. You know, I just remembered something. I just got intel from the general. He said that international law doesn''t apply around these parts." "Oh? What are you implying?" "No Geneva Convention, no human rights laws. We are authorized to use suggestibility drugs and torture to source information. In fact, we''ve just received a care package from the Big Wigs. A new truth serum the nerds have been working on for those terrorists we''ve got in Guantanamo." "Well shit, I guess I can''t really compete with that. You can take over for me if you''d like. I could use a break anyway." "Thanks Quinn. I''ll make sure this fucker gets what he deserves for what he''s done to our brothers in that convoy." Later that day, screams could be heard coming from an undisclosed room within the base. 10 The Nobian Emperor鈥檚 Folly Nobian Throne Room Month 6, Day 5, Year 237 Emperor Novus was in a meeting with his High Command, discussing the recent failures of the Dark Shadow. The Dark Shadow director was protesting his budget cut. "SILENCE!" Fearing for their lives, everyone in the throne room heeded the emperor''s command. It became so quiet that even ambient buzzing of the magical lights could be heard. Finally, the emperor spoke. "The Dark Shadow shall not engage in any further activities for the procurement of funds. Your failure at the hands of these Americans has cost us valuable time and effort that could have been delegated to the assasination of a Sonaran target!" The Dark Shadow director hung his head, staring meekly at the floor. "Additionally, we are running low on resources. Our offensive on Sool Fort was intended to capture the resources beneath the North Grenden Plains. We desperately need resources in order to continue our war against the Sonarans. My generals, have you any thoughts?" One of the generals spoke up. He was tall and had graying hair. Although his demeanor reflected the semblances of loyalty, his eyes revealed his true intentions. This was the same man who had spread rumors about the Americans; he was the Sonaran agent. "We can send a larger force. The Sonaran Federation expended most of their high-grade mana crystals on their space-time manipulation spell. Our spies have reported that their defenses at Sool have grown only by ten thousand, leaving the fort with fifty thousand defenders. If we send five detachments and supporting units from our dragon corps, we can easily crush the defenders." "And what of the newcomers who have created an establishment around the portal?" The general, consumed by loyalty to his mission, was about to convince Emperor Novus to give an order that would result in the collapse of the Nobian Empire. "Then we shall double our forces and crush their magically incapable troops." The Pentagon, Washington D.C. 10:28 A.M. June 7, 2019 A collection of generals were present in the room, conducting a meeting. The President and Secretary of Defense Richard Lee were also here, as the situation unfolding was deemed to be an urgent matter. The meeting began with Lee''s announcement of the completion of Fort Washington on the other side of the portal. The completion of the fort came in a timely matter, as numerous RQ-4B surveillance aircraft had just detected a large force massing by the North Grenden Plains, Nobian in origin. A rough estimate placed the troop count at about 200,000 strong, and they''re approximately 5 days away from our position. "We don''t have an alliance with the Sonaran Federation but I think we should still notify them of the situation," President Keener suggested. "Perhaps we can contact the Nobian forces using the magical communication devices in Sool Fort, to ensure that they don''t mistake us for enemy troops," General Eisenhower added. "Have the embassy get King Selios on the line," Keener ordered a staffer. Within a few minutes, the U.S. embassy in Sonaris was able to get a hold of King Selios. Upon hearing the news of the Nobians massing, Selios was grateful, and immediately put Sool Fort on high alert. "King Selios, is it alright if you have your troops in Sool Fort magically contact the Nobian forces? We want to make sure that they won''t mistake us for an enemy and attack us." "Of course, President Keener. Give me a moment¡­" After about a minute, Selios returned to his telephone. "President, the Nobians are ignoring our hails. I anticipate that they will leave you alone, but you must prepare for the worst. May Sola''s light guide you." After the call ended, the meeting room erupted into a cacophony of suggestions. "We need to ready our defenses and deploy everything we have. We will ensure peace through power!" "What is the current armament of the fort?" "The airfield has about 6 A-10s, 15 F-15s, 20 F-15Es, 40 F/A-18s, 4 F-22s, and 4 modified F-35s, which are currently testing experimental point defense systems. We also have 10 M1A2 tanks, 3 M1A3 prototypes, 20 LAV-25s, 20 Bradleys, 20 M777 units, and 10 M270 units. Although, it''s probably worth noting that the M1A3 railgun systems aren''t really functional at this point, but we can still use the onboard machine gun platform for anti-infantry. Additionally, we have about 5,000 combat personnel at Fort Washington." General Harding analyzed the situation. "This armament is sufficient to annihilate the Nobian forces, but how long would it take? Our aircraft can drop bombs that can each kill hundreds of enemy soldiers, and their dragons can easily be wiped out by our anti-air systems. The real concern is this: what will prevent them from streaming into the base? If they close the distance with most of their forces still intact, then our defenses won''t be able to maximize their damage output due risk of friendly fire." General Eisenhower proposed a potential solution. "Perhaps we can merely send a helicopter to warn the Nobians. We will establish a firm boundary, and articulate the consequences for intruding in our territory. This will allow time for our combined arms forces to whittle down the enemy force as they approach Fort Washington." Harding added on to this. "If need be, we can supply reinforcements from Area 51." The President, wary of the generals'' discussion, reminded them of the potential political nightmare that may result from such massive troop movements. "I''d rather not have to send too many troops and risk alerting Russian or Chinese spies to our discovery. The more people we involve, the harder it will be to keep a secret. We need to learn more about this world and find allies before we can reveal our secrets to the American people and the rest of the world. Our Manifest Destiny is at hand." 11 The Battle of Fort Washington Part 1 North Grenden Plains 50 miles west of Fort Washington 8 A.M. Month 6, Day 8, Year 237 The Nobian encampment began bustling with activity, as soldiers awoke and began their morning activities. Two soldiers in particular were chatting about the upcoming battle. "Can''t wait to experience my first battle, Gentro. I am beyond excited, for I relish the possibility of glory!" "Ah calm down there Jomas, we don''t even know what our new foes are capable of." "The Americans? I''ve never heard of them in my life, so they must be an upstart country!" "Yeah, I heard rumors about their country only being just over 200 years old. Must be extremely weak in that case." "Yeah, and the Commander tells us there''s not even five thousand Americans at their base. They don''t even have walls! He says they''ve got puny fences!" "Well, in any case I am hoping they aren''t secretly a Mekkanese expeditionary force. I hear they got similar vehicles to them¡­ Hey do you hear that?" The conversation between the two soldiers was interrupted by a peculiar sound, as if the air itself was being beat. To the Nobians, who had never heard a helicopter, it sounded like an extremely large dragonfly, flapping its wings at incredible speeds, and with greater bass to the sounds this flapping produced. The soldiers scoured the skies for the source of this noise, finally discovering a flying machine, similar to the ones from Mekkan, but with the rotors on top rather than in front. In addition, this weirdly shaped flying device had a tail with a smaller rotor. The curious thoughts of the soldiers were cut short by a booming voice, originating from the machine. It spoke to them in their native language, rather than Gaerran Standard, thanks to the assistance of communication magic. "This is the United States Military! This is a warning to halt your advancement! You are prohibited from moving your troops within thirty miles of Fort Washington; if you wish to proceed to Sool Fort you must go around our base! We WILL open fire if you trespass on our property! Again, this is the United States¡ª" The machine''s announcement was cut short after a dragon rider from the Nobian Army Air Corps shot a fireball in the direction of the machine, which easily dodged the projectile and flew off in the direction from which it came. "That was odd. I''ve never seen any machine like that before." The lieutenant of the two soldiers'' squad then made an announcement, relayed from the generals in their command tent. "Ignore whatever the machine said! We are advancing to the portal, and we will eliminate the Americans before advancing onto Sool Fort. For Nobia!" "FOR NOBIA!" 10 miles from Fort Washington 8 A.M. Month 6, Day 10 Like yesterday, another flying machine visited the Nobian encampment. It gave the same message, this time asking the approaching Nobians to turn back immediately or risk annihilation. Two particular soldiers pondered this message. "Jomas, I have a strange feeling in my gut. As if something may turn out wrong¡­" "Ah Gentro, that is what we call excitement! We have an unstoppable army!" Jomas exclaimed, gesturing toward the fleet of dragon riders in the air. Dragon riders are the most powerful weapons available to either the Nobians or Sonarans. It is said that they are even capable of holding their own against the mechanical aircraft of the Mekkanese and the hybrid aircraft of the Divinian Empire. They have average top speeds of up to 350 miles per hour, with the most genetically gifted dragons being capable of up to 450 miles per hour. This speed, coupled with their armor, put them on even footing with Mekkanese aircraft. The scales of the dragons are even resistant to the powerful muskets of the Eanif Imperium, suggesting that these dragons are resistant to small arms fire from calibers smaller than 7.62x39. Gentro felt reassured by Jomas'' extravagant declaration. This feeling however, was cut disappointingly short by a seemingly random explosion that vaporized a dragon rider and fatally injured 3 more around it. "AAH, my dragon is falling out of the sky!" "What in the moons was that?!" "They got Johl!" "NOO, I don''t want to die!" "I thought this was supposed to be glorious!" "The arrows are follo¡ª" A volley of 40 AIM-120 missiles had been launched from 10 F-15 fighters, who were over 20 miles away. Having expended their ammunition, they returned to base for resupply. Within a minute, three dozen more explosions had occurred, decimating almost half of the dragon fleet. 80 dragons and their respective riders were killed in this initial volley. The Nobian Army Air Corps, having been attacked by an unseen force, began to panic. The surviving forces relayed their engagement back to the Nobian generals. Nobian Imperial War Room 8:15 A.M. "Your Majesty, my commanders from the front lines have suggested a temporary retreat. We haven''t ventured too far into the machine''s designated territories. If we pull back slightly, we will be able to analyze the attack and create a new plan in safety." "You have my permission. Report back to me once you have worked out a new plan." 8:30 A.M. The Nobian generals argue amongst themselves in the war room. "Their attacks seemingly come from nowhere! And they are very powerful when it comes to explosive weaponry. We need to make sure our troops are scattered on the next offensive!" "We should send mages and our mana gem carriages so they can produce shields and push forth!" This idea came from Lano, the Sonaran agent. Having seen American firepower during one of his "vacations", he knew the shields would not fare well against the extraordinary capabilities of American weapons. He hoped to deplete the Nobian Army''s mage count, and also test the true power of the newcomers'' otherworldly weapons. Although many members of the Nobian High Command were more than willing to support such an aggressive strategy, a few more logical generals saw through the plan''s flaws. One of these few quickly interjected. "What if the enemy performs multiple attack runs? How many attack runs can our mages'' shields hold against? Channeling all that energy into shields and for what? Just to make it to their front gate, where our forces will have no mana and thus no mage support?" Lano, struggling to formulate an idea to support his aggressive ploy, abandoned the idea and remained silent. An infamous general from the upper ranks of High Command spoke. It was no other than Nosh himself, the man who perfected the Nosh Ambush. "These enemies are not to be underestimated. We must employ stealth tactics in order to surprise and confuse the enemy. Our forces are too large to sneak up on the enemies with invisibility spells, but we can spare enough mana gems to make a group of mages invisible. These mages will sneak toward the base, surround it, and summon earth golems and illusions in order to distract the enemy force. Meanwhile, the Seventh, Eighth, and Ninth Detachments can push forth, while the Fifth and Sixth can flank opposing sides." Nosh''s elaborate plan was visually supplemented by pieces on a table, which he moved around to represent the configuration of his formations. Having caught the intrigue of all commanders within the room, Nosh continued. "As a precaution, mages still attached to our primary forces can summon illusions ahead of them in order to divert enemy attacks. The enemy will wish to attack large clusters of troops, and may target artillery pieces, so our mages should summon illusions of these valuable targets, while our main forces maintain distance. The enemy will waste ammunition on ''valuable'' targets that don''t even exist. This tactic may only work for the duration of one attack run, so we must act expediently." Lano, wanting to decipher the mind of this brilliant tactician, asked a question. "When should we begin the offensive?" Nosh replied, his answer unsurprising due to his heritage. "We begin at nightfall." 12 The Battle of Fort Washington Part 2 Fort Washington Command Room 8:00 P.M. "Sir, Hawk Three is picking up some movement by the Nobian encampment. Owl Two is confirming this; they''re picking up large block formations of troops and artillery marching on our position." "Have our fighters begin their sorties on the enemy forces. Target their artillery pieces and the larger troop clusters. Save the A-10s and Apaches until they get closer, and have our ground forces ready to engage. They are within range of our MLRS and Howitzer units, so we should commence bombardment of the enemy positions once our fighters complete their first attack run." "Yes sir!" 8 miles from Fort Washington 8:20 P.M. The Nobian troops marched in their specified formations, trailing behind the decoys created by their mages'' illusionary magic. Quickly moving through the plains, the Nobians halted as they heard a thunderous noise shatter the skies. The objects were difficult to see in the dark, but based on the blinking lights on the flying objects, the Nobians could discern an outline that resembled an arrowhead. The otherworldly contraptions reminded the Nobians of Mekkanese planes, but these were far louder and faster in comparison. The American jets flew overhead, before abruptly ascending at incredible speeds, unmatched by even the most powerful of dragons. The Nobians could only stare in incredulity. "So fast! What kind of magic are they capable of!?" "Ridiculous!" "Impossible!" "What are those things that are falling?" "Those look like¡­ bombs! They''re targeting the decoys!" BOOM! BOOM! Flashes of light erupted in front of the marching soldiers, engulfing the illusions in flames and debris. The resulting explosions from the various bombs dropped from the thunderous arrowheads were massive, stunning the advancing Nobians. Each bomb was capable of obliterating a whole company''s worth of soldiers, leaving craters where the illusions once were. "If it weren''t for General Nosh''s brilliance, we would have all been dead," a commander remarked. "Keep pushing! We can''t waste the time the illusions have bought us! Mages, conjure additional forces!" Blue light shined from the mana gem carriages as the cargo was activated by the mages. In an instant, several more decoy companies fizzled into existence in front of the Nobian forces. Hoping the flying monsters weren''t fooled, the Nobians pushed forth. Meanwhile¡­ At Fort Washington The expertly cloaked ambush team snuck into the base, using short-range teleportation spells. Luckily for the Nobians, the section of the American perimeter that they had snuck into had no thermal imaging equipment; the active cloaking of the mages could not be detected by night vision systems. Now behind enemy lines, the mages began summoning earth golems in front of the defensive perimeter. ¡ª "Sir, enemies detected at the western gate!" "Wipe them out!" "We can''t detect them on our thermal equipment!" "Launch flares!" Miniature suns began to illuminate the sky, providing clear targets for the defenders. tatatatata! Overwhelming noises from machine guns began to fill the atmosphere as the stationed defenders unleashed their firepower upon the enemy. Due to the natural properties of the earth golems, they were able to withstand tens of bullet impacts; shooting the earth golems was no different than shooting a sandbag. The defenders quickly discovered that destroying the limbs to incapacitate the golems was the most efficient method of eliminating the threats. ¡ª "They are killing the earth golems too fast! What should we do?" The leader of the ambush squad pondered for a few seconds before giving his answer. Considering the squad''s limited available mana and natural mana regeneration rates, the squad would run out of energy before reinforcements arrived. Therefore, mana consumption must be staggered. "We will send waves of golems every two minutes. Additionally, we will summon more mirages in place of actual golems to conserve mana." And with this command, the fighting continued. 4 miles from Fort Washington 8:40 P.M. The Nobian forces closed the distance as fast as possible, receiving assistance from their mages'' rejuvenation magic in order to boost their speed and stamina. The three detachments involved in the frontal assault could see the lights of Fort Washington in the distance, propelling them to greater speeds as they yearned for the glory of combat. This motivational factor, in reality, was just a mask for the true motivating factor of the army''s charge; the longer they were out of range of the base, the greater the risk of annihilation. Having rearmed and resupplied, the enemy flying monsters returned to the battle. This time, they were accompanied by slower monsters that flew at a low altitude, and rotary winged aircraft, similar to the strange beast with the booming voices that they had encountered the past few days. The faster planes performed an attack run similar to the previous one, dropping bombs on high value targets. This time however, the bombs completely avoided the mirages of companies and artillery placed in front of the main force. Instead, the explosives flew toward the scattered lines of the Nobian troops. "Good thing we scattered our forces.. Wait, why aren''t the bombs exploding?" The bombs released from the American jets seemingly went silent, with the Nobians desperately searching the skies. One of the soldiers, who had good eyesight in the dark, spotted hundreds of smaller objects falling from the sky. This realization would be his last thought, as his consciousness and those of his comrades were instantly erased by the explosive power of the weapons. The unfortunate souls who died in this bombing run were annihilated by CBU-type cluster bombs. The commanders, further back in the formation, witnessed the destruction of half of a detachment. The scene that unfolded was monstrous. To the primitive Nobians, it was as if a volcano had erupted beneath their troops, with miniature explosions swarming the immense swath of land that these troops once occupied. Where 5,000 men and carriages once stood, only a blackened surface littered with smoldering debris and charred body parts remained. "What just happened?!" "Are they in league with the Heralds of Sola?!" "How did they know to avoid the decoys?!" "Keep moving forward!" Unbeknownst to the Nobians, the lack of thermal signatures on the illusions alerted their enemy to their cunning decoy strategy. Radar anomalies associated with the first attack run were analyzed, and new targets were designated. The Nobians barely had time to recover from their shock. Immediately after the bombings ceased, they encountered a twisted artist, who used the ground as his canvas and the blood of Nobians as paint. BRRRRRRRRRRT! 13 The Battle of Fort Washington Part Final 4 miles from Fort Washington 8:41 P.M. BRRRRRRT! SHOOO! SHOOO! Six A-10 Warthogs converged on the Nobian forces, reducing groups of soldiers to red paste. The GAU-8 Avenger cannons of the Warthogs produced a terrifying sound as they fired, leading the Nobians to believe that they were being attacked by a group of powerful monsters. In addition to its main armament, the A-10 Warthog carried multiple AGM-65 Maverick missiles, designed for close air support. These explosives were used on the larger formations, hidden further behind enemy lines. BRRRRRRT! BRRRRRRT! "They are more powerful than ancient dragons!" Due to the sheer power of the GAU-8 Avenger and its corresponding recoil, the A-10''s had to angle their attack runs, performing dive maneuvers as they obliterated enemy forces with their staggered bursts of gunfire. This action, combined with the infamous sound of its main armament firing, was enough to completely demoralize the Nobians. To the Nobians, these sounds seemed as if they had come straight from hell. Each time they heard the dreaded noise, tens of their brothers would fall. Every time the metal beasts descended, it was as if an epic dragon was swooping down upon them to claim more victims. "How can they see us so well in the dark?!" "True nocturnal predators¡­" "What the hell?!" Adding to the demoralization of the Nobian troops was the circumstances of the attack''s timing. The ancient human fear of the dark was present on Gaerra as well, and the nightmarish concept of being attacked by an unseen force became a reality for the three detachments that were marching on the American base. The thermal imaging capabilities of American weapons systems were indiscriminate in revealing the enemy positions, and the pilots of the American aircraft spared their foes no mercy. "Please! I want to live!!" Unfortunately for these poor soldiers, the sounds of their pleas and cries were drowned out by continuous gunfire and explosions. Despite deploying only six planes for this skirmish, the American defenders were able to decimate almost half of a detachment, leaving the Nobians with less than 45,000 soldiers. Most of the Nobian cavalry and artillery were wiped out. After three more grueling minutes, the rain of hellfire ceased. Having expended their munitions, the planes returned to their base, racking up thousands of kills in their terrifying assault. Among these casualties were the commanders of the Seventh, Eighth, and Ninth Detachments. Consequently, leadership fell upon Colonel Noor Novask, who was currently attempting to communicate with the Fifth and Sixth Detachments. "Sir, we''ve established a line with the Fifth Detachment but we can''t get a hold of the Sixth." "Excellent, let me speak with them¡­" "Thank the moons! General Kanin?" "No, this is Colonel Novask. All the generals are dead, so I''m the acting commanding officer of the main advancement force. How is the situation on your front?" "We''ve lost almost seven thousand men! We are currently engaging the enemy force but our projectile weapons cannot pierce their metal hides, or reach their metal dragons! Our infantry is near useless, our mages are low on mana, and our artillery units are almost gone!" "We still have forty-five thousand with us, hold on a little bit longer for reinforcements." "Yes sir!" "And, have you heard anything from the Sixth?" "They''ve surrendered. They encountered the enemy first, and met the brunt of the enemy attacks. They lost all their ranged fighters and surrendered to avoid a meaningless charge into death." "Ah hell¡­ Well, just hold on for about 20 more minutes, we will be there shortly." "We will do our best, sir." The somber tone of the Fifth Detachment CO reflected their dire predicament, as the probability of the Fifth Detachment even lasting an additional 5 minutes was akin to the probability of an electron spontaneously becoming a positron. It was ridiculously low, especially given the firepower the Fifth Detachment faced. ¡ª Dark Shadow Fort Washington 8:50 P.M. "Our distractions are doing nothing to protect our allies! We need to begin taking down the defenders!" "No, we cannot disobey our orders." "Remember the last time we fought against the Americans? They couldn''t see us at all! As long as we use the carnage of the battle as a mask for our movements, we can take down the defenders with our blades, one by one." The Dark Shadow squad leader considered this, and looked out into the fields of the North Grenden Plains, where massive explosions erupted one after the other. "Damnit, alright. Just be sure to stay clear of those moving fortresses." ¡ª 501st Infantry Division "Richards, we''re running low on ammo! Get to the second armory!" "Yes si- aggh!" "Richards? Richards is down! We have hostiles in the base!" The warning was broadcast to all defenders within the base, who began to deploy countermeasures in the form of IR sensors and claymores. "McNeil, watch our flanks! Intel says they are invisible to night vision, but they can be seen bright as day on thermals!" As the order was given to McNeil, he heard a distinct rustling nearby. Aiming in toward the direction of the revealing noise, he discovered a cloaked hostile. "AAGGHH!" A quick burst from McNeil''s rifle quickly eliminated the threat. ¡ª Fifth Invasion Detachment Amidst the gunfire, the ominous sound of tank treads could be heard. "The moving fortresses are preparing for another attack!" "Damn! EVERYONE GET DOWN!" BOOM! "Such range!" The final artillery pieces of the Fifth Detachment were obliterated by HEAT rounds from the enemy''s M1A2 Smoothbore Cannons. Not a single projectile was fired from the Fifth Detachment''s artillery pieces; they were wiped out too quickly. At this point, the Nobians had no way to fight back. Despite this, and despite being still a mile away from enemy forces, the Nobians decided that they have come too far to give up, and thus charged toward the enemies. "They killed our brethren!! Vanquish them!" "They will face the might of the Nobian Empire!!" "For Nobia!" The war cries were drowned out by the slicing of air above them. Blinking lights could be seen in the air, attached to oddly shaped machines. These were the same type of beast with the booming voices, but this time, their 30mm autocannons, Hellfire missiles, and Hydra rockets would be booming instead. Arrows of light filled the night sky, representing the tracer rounds and missiles of the AH-64 Apache attack helicopters'' armaments. The unrelenting bombardments of the helicopters, combined with canister rounds from the M1 tanks and various projectiles from Strykers and M2 Bradleys, easily mopped up the Fifth Detachment. The unwavering loyalty and apparent fanaticism of these particular Nobians led them to a gruesome demise, as massive explosions produced enough light to reveal the decimation that had been brought upon the attackers. ¡ª "Sir, no targets left on the thermals!" "Launch a flare." A bright light illuminated the battlefield, revealing the horrors of war. Normally, soldiers would be sent to retrieve any injured enemies, but given that the main Nobian force was still advancing on their position, a rescue operation could not take place. The Americans felt truly sorry for the Nobians they were killing, as the Nobians had not done anything to them aside from charging at them. The scene before the defenders was horrific; dismembered bodies dotted the landscape, and the plains were now disfigured by hundreds of craters. This shocking depiction was interrupted by a single helicopter, flying overhead. ¡ª 2 miles from Fort Washington 9:00 P.M. "We have lost contact with the Fifth Detachment sir. It seems they were¡­. wiped out." "Surely that''s impossible! Twenty thousand men gone in an instant? No such thing is capable of doing that, unless it be a powerful natural disaster, divine intervention, or demons! Not even the Divinians have this capability!" thupthupthupthup! The metal beast with the booming voice returned, once again imploring the Nobians to cease their assault, or face annihilation. Some of the grunts amongst the infantry became anxious, and asked, "What should we do?" Colonel Novask gave an answer that was reflective of his loyalty, yet aware of his soldiers'' concerns. "Many of you have families. Loved ones. Our war against the Sonarans is not as important as the prosperity of our peoples. Therefore, I grant any who wishes to do so permission to retreat back to our encampment, while I lead our forces toward the enemy. If you wish to return, do it now." A few hundred soldiers began walking back toward the Nobian base, ten miles from Fort Washington. Most of them were worried about providing for their families, who had no members capable of work besides them. The rest were older soldiers near the end of their contracts; they did not want to die right before retirement. Despite his reasonable concerns regarding the firepower of the Americans, he couldn''t surrender. He knew he would be leading over forty thousand men to their graves, but surrender wasn''t an option, as his men would view him as a traitor and charge toward the enemy regardless. In order to save as many of his men as he could, he placed the most loyal troops in front, to face the brunt of the enemy assault. The rest of his men, with lower morale, were placed at the back to maximize their survival. Only with the loyal fanatics gone could he surrender and save the lives of his men. He relayed his troop formation orders to his men, wording it in such a way so as to not arouse the suspicions of his troops. The most loyal soldiers were more than glad to accept these orders, as they believed that this would allow them to experience most of the glory. "Sacrifice is a part of war¡­ The lives of the few for the lives of the many¡­" Novask muttered. As the Nobian soldiers got into their assigned formations, the metal beast above flew away, back toward the enemy base. ¡ª "Be advised, hostiles are reassembling into a wedge formation. The tip of the formation appears to be the most clustered." "Alright, then that''ll be our target for the artillery units. Such a shame that they haven''t surrendered¡­" ¡ª Tens of M270 MLRS and M777 Howitzer units began their target acquisition processes, angling their weapons so that the trajectory of their projectiles would hit the center mass of the enemy''s formation. SHOOM! SHOOM! SHOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! The scene was terrifyingly beautiful. The howitzers pounded in unison as they fired in sync. Following this opening tune, volleys of missiles began erupting from the MLRS systems, equipped with cluster munitions and high explosive munitions for maximum effect on the lightly armored enemy infantry. (Search "TOS-1A 220mm MLRS" or "M270 MLRS" on youtube to get a picture of how powerful these weapons are. I recommend the first one because the Russian videos always seem to have a more clear representation of firepower.) ¡ª A massive thundering could be heard in the distance as the Nobian forces charged at the enemy. "I beg the moons to forgive me¡­" The trails of light above grew closer, following a parabolic arc until suddenly, they winked out of existence, spawning thousands of smaller explosives. The most loyal of soldiers, placed in the tightly packed tip of the formation, suddenly became enveloped in light and smoke. Ten thousand were in this component of the formation, and as the ground blazed with the intensity of the American bombardment, the souls of these ten thousand departed Gaerra. Novask watched in horror as such a powerful force was instantly annihilated by demonic weapons. "By Luno!" The charge immediately stopped, as the remaining troops were shell-shocked by this unholy massacre. Novask, recovering from his own disorientation, gave an order to his magical communications officers. "Tell our remaining forces to surrender." ¡ª "Sir, it looks like they''re surrendering! They''ve stopped their charge and are now waving a flag." "All units! Cease fire! Launch some flares to verify." ¡ª Upon witnessing the destructive power of the Americans'' artillery, no one questioned Novask''s orders. Within minutes, American soldiers arrived at the battlefield to process the surrendering Nobian troops and tend to the injured. Seeing that the force they were supposed to support had all but disintegrated, the remaining Dark Shadow operatives (who had ceased their attacks on the American defenders following their failed attempts) retreated. The Dark Shadow operatives would be the only Nobians to return to their homeland from this one-sided massacre. Due to the actions of Novask, he would later be remembered as a hero who saved the lives of thirty five thousand men. In months to come, his novel, Choices in War, would become a best-seller amongst Nobians and Sonarans alike. 14 The Scepter of Axnial Part 1 Nobian Throne Room 8:00 A.M. Month 6, Day 11 "The enemy has proven to be formidable. We have lost all five detachments milord¡­" "WWHAAATTT!?!?" "W-we have lost all-" "I don''t want you to REPEAT WHAT YOU JUST SAID, IMBECILE!" "S-sorry milord¡­" "Only eleven survivors¡­ how many of them did we kill?" "Uh¡­ four, Your Majesty." The Dark Shadow squad leader, Tempos, who had escaped from Fort Washington feared he had escaped only to face death once more. He looked meekly at the floor, trying to maintain his composition. "FFOOUURRR?!??" Tempos felt sweat run down his back. If he couldn''t find a way to calm the emperor down, he would end up headless. "Ah, well on the bright side our attack diverted a large portion of the Sonaran Army¡­ We can sneak into their capital with greater ease and land a decisive blow to their leadership!" "Hmm¡­ The Sonarans are getting bold because of the American victory. I need you to make them fear the Nobian Empire again. Ah, I just remembered¡­ Our spies in the city of Sofius have reported the emergence of a magical artifact, from the ancient Axon Empire. They say it is a scepter that allows the wielder to command a near infinite mana pool and grant magical powers upon even the magically inept. I want you to retrieve it for me. If you can''t do this discreetly, you may take as much assistance as is necessary from our armies." "Yes, Your Majesty." (Holy shit, I thought he would have my head¡­ I should probably just call upon the armies so I am guaranteed to retrieve the item!) ¡ª 20 miles from Fort Washington 12:00 P.M. Month 6, Day 12 Three Humvees are traveling in a convoy as part of Alpha Team. The objective of this mission was to investigate the mysterious signals coming from the town of Sofius, about 160 miles south of Fort Washington. The signal began its emission about a week ago, but the mission was put on hold due to the concerns regarding the Nobian troops. With these concerns gone for the time being, this adventure was authorized. Kelmithus surmised that the signal may originate from a magical artifact, and thus he was added into the group. Captain Henry Donnager sat in the lead Humvee, driving with the two physicists and Kelmithus. Kelmithus on the other hand, was busy pondering the mathematics of constructing such a vehicle. Over the past couple of weeks, Kelmithus and the two physicists have come to grow close as friends, which makes sense because of their academic backgrounds and similar senses of humor. Currently, the academics were sharing anecdotes about their students. "And there was this one kid, Abraham Johnson - I will never forget his name, haha; well anyway his project was a powerful electromagnet, but the thing is, he forgot that he had metal keys in his pocket!" Kelmithus and Nikita listened on, smiling in anticipation. "So when he turned on his machine, he went flying! And in order to get unstuck, he had to slide his pants off! I was trying so hard not to laugh that I turned red! aahahahaha! Oh my gosh I''m tearing up!" The rest of the group found this hilarious as well, and Kelmithus began with his story. "You remember Aranmithus?" "Yeah." "Yes." "Yesteryear, he was in the midst of an experiment while working with me. He was working on a new potion that can disguise people into different types of animals and sentient races, and he was quite confident in his abilities. When he began testing, he tried it on himself and lo and behold, he had turned bright pink for a week! No amount of bathing could wash it off and he turned out to be pink AND wrinkly from all his time in the bath!" The scholars continued their storytelling, periodically earning laughs out of their driver. Meanwhile, in the second vehicle, Master Sergeant Ron Owens drove with Dr. Lacey Darwin and Dr. Illinois Jones. Jones was in the middle of describing his adventures in the forests of Brazil, searching for El Dorado, the lost city of gold. "And then, boom! I accidentally activated a trap, which sent a large boulder hurtling after me! Luckily, I remembered the pathways of the labyrinth and I saw the locked door from earlier. Apparently the trap also opened the doorway, so I went in, a second before the boulder crushed the ground where I was! So here I am, in this mysterious room, and what do I see? Gold! Everywhere! And that''s how I became a multi-millionaire!" "Wow, just like the Indiana Jones movies!" Lacey remarked. "Haha, well, those movies are actually loosely based on true stories," Jones bragged, pointing a thumb at himself while smirking. Lacey blushed at this action. (Wow, what a hero!) Jones continued to tell tales of his past adventures as they forged along. The third vehicle was occupied by four new members of the group, Sergeants Ryan Williams, Richard Yu, Alex Gutierrez, and Sarah Hayes. Ryan was the team''s original leader before being transferred to Alpha Team; Richard was the medic; Alex was the sniper; and Sarah was the mysterious newcomer and communications expert. The boys of this group were attempting to guess Sarah''s origins, but she remained elusive. "Hmm, maybe she''s special forces!" Ryan proposed. Sarah simply smiled, giving a classic reply. "I cannot confirm nor deny that." "Ohh secret agent?" Richard guessed. "Haha." Sarah smirked and gave a wink to that guess. "Maybe one day I''ll tell you boys." The teams in the vehicles continued their bantering and storytelling for two more hours until they arrived at their destination. 160 miles from Fort Washington City of Sofius, City Gates 3:00 P.M. "Man, that was a long drive," Alan complained. "Indeed; my ass is currently sore!" Nikita agreed. Henry laughed, as he was used to riding hours in uncomfortable vehicles as part of his time in the Army. "Hey, what is all that smoke coming from the city?" "Where are the guards?" "I don''t know; I''ve visited Sofius many times, but I have never sensed a feeling like this before¡­ I hope Sari is safe." "You three stay put. There are some recon drones in the third vehicle. We''re gonna check it out." The soldiers of Alpha Team got out, greeting their commanding officer. "Sir!" "At ease. Gutierrez, grab a recon drone from the back and check out the situation!" Complying with the order, Alex flew a drone over the city walls. "Holy shit!" The scene he witnessed was terrible; the city had been attacked, with the Western and Southern walls almost completely destroyed, and multiple buildings burning. "What the hell happened?" "Sir, it looks like the city was attacked! Judging from the fires it seems like it happened not too long ago, perhaps yesterday!" "Alright, let''s move in to investigate." As the convoy carefully navigated the city streets, they encountered a group of people piling some bodies. The convoy stopped, allowing Kelmithus and Henry to step out of their vehicle and inspect the situation. "What happened here?" Kelmithus inquired. A ragged man from the group, his eyes devoid of light. He introduced himself as the governor''s assistant. "The Nobians attacked us; we had no warning and our defenses were overwhelmed by their massive army. Almost all of our defenders were killed, and the Nobians went to the Academy of Sofius." Kelmithus'' eyes widened. He then turned to Henry. "Quickly, Captain! We must get to the Academy! I have heard that this artifact is the Scepter of Axnial!" As the convoy quickly sped off toward the academy, about a mile into the city, Kelmithus explained the properties of this scepter. The further they traveled, the more carnage they saw. Additional bodies littered the grounds, mostly guards. It seems that the Nobians had a deadline, and thus spared the civilians of this city from their wrath in order to capture the artifact. "The Academy is just around this corner, to the right!" As the convoy turned the corner, they saw dozens of guards outside, catching their attention. "Aw shit. All units, we''ve got hostiles inbound, 60 meters out. Get someone on the .50 Cals!" Not anticipating any combat, the Alpha Team was organized into weird groups. As such, Tesla and Jones had to operate their respective vehicles so that the professionals could man the gunner turrets. "Back up the vehicles to that open field over there! We''re going to set up a concave there, using the city streets as a choke point!" As the vehicles backed up, Henry sprayed at the incoming enemy soldiers, targeting the knights first. At last, the group backed up to Sofius Park. As Nobian troops emerged from the street from which the Humvees came, they were ripped apart by .50 and 5.56 rounds. "Concentrate fire on the street! Gutierrez, get a bird in the air and watch our flanks!" "Hayes, contact command and update them about our situation. Request reinforcements if possible; we need to get the artifact before the Nobians do!" TATATATATATA! "Aaagggghhh!" "What the hell?" "So our defeat wasn''t just a rumor!" "So powerful!" Curious residents, shocked by the strange noise erupting from the .50 Cal mounted guns, went to their windows to investigate. Witnessing the Nobians getting gunned down, they cheered. "Moons damnit! We need to fall back to the Academy! We cannot stay in this choke point any longer; we will use the close quarters environment of the Academy to our advantage!" The security personnel of Alpha Team managed to eliminate 43 Nobian hostiles before they retreated back to the Academy. Despite their overwhelming firepower, they were still vulnerable to ambushes and surprise attacks. Due to this, Henry ordered the unit to wait for reinforcements. Kelmithus voiced his concerns. "The presence of guards most likely means they are still attempting to crack whatever vault the Scepter is kept in. Most likely, it is a matter of time before they do so. They will bring more wizards in order to overpower the magical safeguards of the vault, so we need to get your reinforcements as soon as possible. Tell your commanders that the Scepter is a powerful artifact that can destroy entire cities if used by an enemy who is able to pair with it." "Pair?" "Yes, the Scepter and other magical artifacts have minds of their own, and usually pair with those they deem worthy or powerful enough. The Scepter in particular is known to prefer adventurous individuals, pure in their intentions." "Okay. Hayes, inform Command. Tell them we may have additional hostile reinforcements inbound, numbering in the thousands, alongside a hundred possibly holed up within the Academy." ¡ª "Request granted. We will be dispatching 6 Apaches from the 49th Airborne Division, alongside 3 platoons for defense against hostile reinforcements. We will send Luna and Terra Squads to support your team with the extraction. ETA, 90 minutes." 15 The Scepter of Axnial Part 2 Ambassador Perry''s Office American Embassy, Sonaris 3:05 P.M. Ambassador Perry has just received word of the situation unfolding in Sofius, and contacted his Sonaran counterpart to relay the news. "Ah, Ambassador Perry, nice to hear from you again," Sindis greeted, still amazed by the technology given to her by the Americans. "Hello Miss Sindis, I wanted to talk to you about two things. First of all, you must know that our team that we sent to Sofius encountered Nobian soldiers within the city." "What?!" Sindis exclaimed, flabbergasted." "We believe the city was attacked by Nobian forces within the past twenty-four hours. According to reports from my team, the defenders were nearly wiped out, but the civilian population was spared. The remaining Nobians are occupying the Academy of Sofius," Perry explained. "Civilians?" "Ah, the villagers and residents of the city." "Okay, that is a relief to hear, yet peculiar. The Nobians tend to enjoy executing and torturing the residents of our towns. And you say they are at the Academy of Sofius¡­" Sindis pondered the implication of this. She recalled that the Academy was known for housing numerous artifacts and was famous for its archaeological research. "Kelmithus says the Nobians are searching for a powerful magical artifact, which brings me to my second topic. I would be glad to extend our offer of friendship with your people and begin an alliance against the Nobians." Academy of Sofius 4:53 P.M. The sound of helicopter blades filled the air as curious locals came out of their homes to investigate. To their surprise, these tube-shaped flying machines contained people, who exited as similar machines flew overhead. The strangely clothed men who emerged from these floating wagons identified themselves as Americans, and informed the citizens of Sofius that they were here to fight the Nobians. These American soldiers wore strange uniforms that displayed an ugly pattern of greens and browns. "What kind of soldier uniform is that? It looks so ugly." Tyran whispered. "I have never seen a uniform like that in my life! I have heard that the soldiers of Mekkan use green uniforms to blend in with their surroundings. Maybe these Americans are doing the same?" Morta suggested. "These Otherworlders seem strange indeed. Look at their flying machines and the teeth on them! How terrifying," Tyran commented. This Sonaran civilian was in fact referring to the paint job on some of the Apache helicopters, which depicted the teeth of apex predators back on Earth. The locals of Sofius continued to discuss this amongst themselves and gaze at the Otherworlders in awe as the Americans prepared for their mission. ¡ª The security personnel of Alpha Team, alongside Jones and Kelmithus walked up to a landed Chinook that contained Terra and Luna Squads. The teams began introducing each other and their members. The leader of Terra Squad and Luna Squad identified themselves respectively as Master Chief Petty Officers Adam Wilkes and Bryan Hamada. Wilkes and Hamada gave salutes as they introduced themselves to Alpha Team. "Nice to see you again Wilkes." "Likewise. Sitrep?" Wilkes inquired. "We''ve got an unknown number of hostiles inside the academy, with a possibility of trapped civilians inside," Henry informed. Unlike the extraction in Sorn, the current mission at hand gave little time to prepare. The reinforcements arrived with scanning equipment and sensors, but creating a map of the Academy would take too long. As such, Kelmithus would be a necessary member of the extraction team, consisting of Terra Squad and Alpha Team. Luna Squad on the other hand would evacuate any civilians trapped in the Academy and deal with any potential hostage situations. "Alright, let''s get our birds in the air. Hernandez, scan the building for heat signatures!" "Sir, looks like we''ve got about 60 total inside the building. There''s a section of the building with 20 grouped inside, looks like they''re civvies. The rest are hostiles. The sensors can''t penetrate the walls further into the compound. We should expect reinforcements to come from the depths of the facilities." "Okay. Here''s the plan. Luna Squad will conduct a rescue operation for the 20 civvies. The rest of us will secure the package. We are going to be bringing two civilians on this mission, I''m sure you''re already familiar with them. Master Wizard Kelmithus will act as our guide. Dr. Jones is here because of his expertise in navigating unfamiliar territory. Be advised, the hostiles may have teleportation capabilities so we absolutely can NOT allow them to get to the package before us. Any questions? Alright good. Let''s gear up and move out!" ¡ª "Clear the west wing." "Luna One, left hallway clear!" "Right hallway clear!" The tactical network between Luna Squad and the forward operations base came to life, with Sergeant Hernandez updating the team. "Four guards on the next right. Secure that area and proceed down the hallway; the hostages are past the door at the end." "Roger. Alright, Kowalski, throw a flashbang around the corner." "Three, two, one¡­" BANG! The sounds of suppressed MP5 shots filled the room as each Nobian guard received four bullets to the chest and head. "Heh, hope they''re paying the custodians here well," Jacobs joked. "Focus on the mission Luna Three. Let''s get these civvies outta here before more guards show up!" Luna Squad rushed toward the door and unlocked it. They were greeted by terrified and confused faces, which quickly turned into relieved ones as Luna Squad revealed their intentions. With the hostages secured, all they had to do was get to the extraction point outside the front gates. "Alright, hostages secured. Moving to extraction point," Hamada informed. "Be advised, hostile mages pouring into the left wing. I can count 6 mages and 10 infantrymen waiting for you outside that door." "Damn. We can take them easily but we can''t risk losing any of our hostages. Hmm¡­ we should make our own exit. I''ll let the higher ups deal with any damage expenses. O''Neil, get your C-4 charges on that wall over there!" "Yes sir!" Once the C-4 charges were set, Luna Squad made sure the blast zone was clear before activating the explosives. BOOM! "That hole is only big enough for two people at a time¡­ Jacobs, take these civvies and lead them to the extraction point! Hernandez will guide you. The rest of us, we need to protect them as they exit. Hold this hallway!" The remaining Luna Squad members switched their weapons to full auto, seeing that mages were included in the hostile force. They fired their weapons in excellent coordination, focusing down the mages first. "Sir, shouldn''t their shields go down faster?" Despite having emptied two (30 round) magazines worth of rounds into the mages'' shields, the opacity of the shields only decreased by about 50%. Normally, a mage could withstand about 10 bullets before losing shields. These mages had double the shield strength of previous mages since the Nobians, having analyzed past battles, figured out that focusing their shielding into a specific area would amplify the durability of the shield. These mages left their backs unprotected in order to strengthen their frontal shielding. "Keep shooting! Kowalski, another flash!" As Luna Two prepares another flash, he suddenly heard a teammate scream. "Agh! I can''t see!" yelled O''Neil. The Nobian mages casted a flare spell down the hallway, blinding Luna Four as he attempted to take down the shields. Evidently, the Nobians picked up some tactics from their encounters with the Americans, learning to use flare spells as primitive magical flashbangs, albeit without the bang. "Banks, Taylor, cover fire! Kowalski, throw the stun once the shields are down!" With the shields at less than 30% power, it didn''t take long before the Americans were able to destroy the shields and kill three Nobian infantrymen. With the shields down, the remaining Nobian forces attempted to escape into the surrounding rooms, but were quickly incapacitated by a well-timed stun grenade. The blinded and deafened mages began to attack randomly, hoping to score a lucky hit, but they were required to restrain themselves to avoid friendly fire. Seeing they were out of options, they surrendered. "Huh. Didn''t expect them to surrender. Alright let''s disarm them and take them to the extraction point. Still got those handcuffs?" "Yeah, but only enough for the mages." "Eh good enough. Let''s move out!" ¡ª "Intel says they''ve got about 20 guards at the entrance to Mithus Hall. Past that, sensors don''t work, so we''re going in blind," Wilkes informed. Of the 20 guards, the team identified 5 to be mages. In order to take out the hostile forces, both teams planned a surprise attack, with the mages designated as priority targets. At the moment, the mages were vulnerable, and the American teams deemed it necessary to eliminate the magical threat before they could conjure any spells or shields. Five well placed shots were followed by the sounds of bodies dropping and guards screaming. The remaining Nobians however were unable to communicate with their brethren as they were quickly mowed down by automatic fire, shortly after the mages were killed. With the guards outside dead, the American teams moved in. These operatives were experienced, reflected by their calculated movements. Without saying any words, the men were able to cover all angles and clear the rooms. Eventually, they stumbled onto a Nobian team looting some magical devices. Unfortunately for the Nobians, not a single member of their guard was paying attention; all Nobians present were scrambling to plunder the facility. Consequently, they were gunned down with relative ease. tatatatatata! "No more hostiles around here. Man I''m starting to feel sorry for these guys¡­" Alex said. Richard looked over to Alex, agreeing with him. "Yeah, why don''t they just surrender?" Sarah scoffed, evidently seeing the answer. "Because men have such big egos¡­ haha!" The members of Terra Squad on the other hand remained silent. "Alright, cut the chatter," Henry ordered. "The vault is right past these research quarters," explained Kelmithus. Slowly, the American teams crept up toward the vault and waited as Kelmithus prepared his unlock spell. "This will take about 5 minutes." ¡ª "MMMPH!" "Quiet! Ah, damnit what do I do? They''re going to bust in here any moment!" The Nobian mage within the vault thought aloud. Panicking, he struggled to make decisions. He had two choices: to abandon his mission and leave the Scepter, or to quickly attempt to unlock the sealed container holding the Scepter. So far, his hostage was not complying with any of his commands, refusing to open the container. Unfortunately for the Nobian mage, he did not have any experience in interrogation techniques, nor did he have any suggestibility helmets to help make his prisoner follow his orders. He had no incentive for his prisoner to unlock the container, and most importantly, he had no time. If he abandoned the mission and went back to his Nobian commanders, he would surely be executed for his failures. Suddenly, he had a realization. He decided to threaten the hostage in order to force the people outside the door to open the container. The Sonarans wouldn''t dare risk the life of one of their most talented mages, and any Americans here would also adhere to the same principles as the Sonarans. With no time left, he grabbed the hostage and summoned a shadowy object near her neck. At this point, the vault door began to glow, signifying the completion of the unlock process, and swung open. ¡ª American forces streamed through the doorway, accompanied by Kelmithus and Jones. They kept their guns trained on the Nobian mage and the hostage, unsure what to do. "Stand back! Any step closer and I will kill her!" the Nobian commanded. His eyes darted around the room, attempting to keep track of the Otherworlders threat. "Sari!" Kelmithus exclaimed. "You there," the Nobian said, acknowledging Kelmithus with his eyes. "Release the Scepter to me, and the girl will live." Kelmithus, frustrated with himself due to his inner conflict, was given two options: serve his nation with loyalty, or save the life of his treasured daughter. "Now!" the Nobian yelled. Kelmithus began to move toward the container and initiate the unlock process. "Hey, what are you doing? Get back here!" Wilkes ordered. "I''m sorry, but I can''t lose Sari," Kelmithus replied. "Damnit. Command, we have a hostage situation. Sonaran asset is giving in to the Nobian demands. Orders?" asked Henry. After a short silence, the orders were spread throughout the teams'' tactical network. After a minute, Kelmithus opened the container, and the Nobian moved toward it in order to grab the Scepter. If he could simply touch it, he would gain access to its powers, although not to the fullest extent as this requires a pairing. Still, he would have enough mana to summon a shield invulnerable to the Otherworlders'' weapons. As he approached the container, he made a fatal mistake by letting his guard down and allowing his grip on the hostage to slip. BANG! A flashbang went off, blinding the Nobian. Instinctively, he put his hands over his eyes, effectively releasing the hostage, who was secured by an American operative. The Nobian on the other hand, was instantly reduced to a lifeless bloody heap. "Well. Good job folks," Wilkes sighed, relieved that yet another hostage rescue mission was over. Kelmithus proceeded to untie Sari before embracing her, glad that she was relatively unharmed. Their father-daughter reunion however was abruptly cut short as Jones approached the Scepter, basking in its glory. He stepped a little bit too close, and suddenly the Scepter glowed before zooming toward his hand. "What the hell?" Pulses of bluish light began to emanate from the Scepter as the frequency of these pulses intensified, becoming constant. The American units stepped back as they witnessed Dr. Jones being engulfed in this light, his eyes glowing. Some had incredibly baffled expressions while others were ready to engage a possible new threat. Suddenly, the light dimmed and Jones dropped to his knees, only muttering one phrase. "Holy shit¡­" 16 Siege of Sofius Part 1 Authors Note: I''m going to updating more regularly soon. One of my finals was canceled so that''ll give me more time to work on my story. Thank you all for your continued support. Join my discord using the following code: ymbTbNw Academy of Sofius 5:09 PM \u003c My essence to your mind. My thoughts to your thoughts. You will see my experiences from the perspective of previous partners and understand your mission. \u003e All of a sudden, the world around Jones faded away, as he entered a trance. What he saw was like a surreal virtual reality movie. It all started at the beginning, with the creation of the Scepter. It was forged in the lost Axon continent, to be used by one of the Axons'' most esteemed generals in their war against the races of the world. The Scepter contained an ancient crystal, even by the Axons'' standards, left behind by a technologically and magically advanced precursor race. This source of power complemented the natural abilities of the Axons well, but required a host that was pure of mind. The first wielder of the Scepter, Grand General Avis, was indeed pure of mind, but toward the evil side of the spectrum. He only had one goal, the extermination of all other sentient species in the world. The Scepter itself abhorred this goal, and as such granted Avis only a fraction of its power. Still, this power was enough for Avis to summon unstoppable armies and cataclysmic magics. It was only after a daring raid by Alliance heroes that the survivors of the Central Continents were able to begin fighting back. Now under the possession of a great human hero, the Scepter unleashed its power as the Alliance casted a spell that rid the world of the entire Axon continent. Deeming the powers of the Scepter too great for any one man to hold, the Scepter was stored in vaults and transferred to various nations as a gift, or for research purposes. With visions of the past now complete, the Scepter gave a mission to Jones. \u003c Space-time is now unstable. I will give you my memories and my powers to help defend against them, but we cannot risk attempting another mass teleportation. You must inform your scientist friends and your government: the Axon Empire will return. You have 5 years to prepare. \u003e ¡ª Jones felt his legs collapse, his body tired from the event that had just occurred. He fell to his knees before looking up at his worried comrades. "Holy shit." ¡ª After confirming his well-being, the team moved to continue extraction. While exiting the Academy, Jones informed his team members about his visions, and the dire warning provided by the Scepter, which could apparently communicate telepathically with him and grant him powers. "Really? Do a magic trick for us!" Alex requested. He was smiling like a kid, true to his personality. The other team members watched on, smirking and raising their eyebrows in curiosity. \u003c I''m not a tool for magic tricks¡­ You can''t see me doing this but I''ll have you know that I am shaking my head right now. \u003e (Ah, come on. I''d like to see what I''m capable of now as well!) \u003c Very well. You have access to my database. \u003e (So I can download memories just like the Matrix?) \u003c Ah, let me see. I am currently scanning your memories for any such terms. Yes, my original creators, Homo Magus Sapiens, had technologies similar to what I see in your mind. \u003e Jones gave a surprised expression, confusing the other members of the team. "What''s wrong?" Wilkes asked. "Ah right, I''m just talking to the crystal inside the Scepter¡­ Oh my apologies. He wants to be called ''Omnis''. Well anyway, Omnis here says he originated from a precursor race of humans. Magically and technologically advanced humans. According to him, these humans were involved in a galactic disaster that forced them to abandon this galaxy millions of years ago." Jones explained. "Interesting," Kelmithus remarked. "Our own legends say that humans came to this world by a portal that opened up in what is now the Divinian homeland. It all makes sense now, seeing how Divinian science and magic function together. They are possibly the descendants of these ancient humans!" The team continued to discuss amongst themselves the implications of such findings. What happens to the theory of evolution? Jones decided to talk to Lacey about this later. "Hey, what about the magic trick?" Alex reminded. "Ah, right," Jones sighed. Sorting through Omnis'' database, he found a simple summoning spell, and after channeling the magic of the Scepter, summoned fire in his free hand. \u003c You have access to my mana pool, and although it is unlimited, it is only as good as your stamina and creativity. You still need to train your capabilities in order to avoid fatigue. The spell you chose has the same energy equivalent of walking a few steps, but the mages in this world can help you increase the efficiency of your casting. \u003e (Right, I''ll remember to do that. Good thing I have excellent stamina from my SEAL training.) The members of the team were astounded, with some even clapping. "I bet command would love to find out more about this! Anyone from DARPA would probably get an orgasm haha!" Richard commented. ¡ª Academy Outskirts, Extraction Point 5:24 PM As the rescuers from Terra Squad and Alpha Team rushed toward the sounds of the Chinooks, they received communication from a drone operator back at Fort Washington. The Nobians, having received no messages from their garrison within the Academy, were beginning to amass outside the crumbling western walls. They were preparing to send scouting parties to determine the status of their own extraction team, and command has relayed the order to evacuate the hostages on the Chinooks. Meanwhile, all combat-capable personnel would help defend the city, as per Sindis'' and Perry''s requests. The forces outside Sofius amounted to 3,000 warriors, but the forces of the Sonaran defenders stationed in the city were whittled down to less than 100. As such, the American forces currently in Sofius would need to hold the line against the Nobian attackers. Currently, there were 4 platoons and 6 AH-64 Apache attack helicopters available to defend the city. "The platoons are already engaging the enemy at the western gate. It''s a mile out, but there shouldn''t be any significant obstacles on the roads so we''re going to take our vehicles to support them. Luna Squad already secured the hostages and departed. Let''s move out!" ¡ª "I only saw 4 of those flying wagons, and each one had around 20 people. If my time at the Academy was worthwhile, then that means there are 80 Otherworlders here to defend, not counting the six scary-looking machines," Tyran analyzed. "The Nobians started off with about 5,000 but we did manage to put up a fight. 80 against 3,000 doesn''t look like a fair matchup." "Well, I did hear rumors about their achievements near the Grenden Plains. Apparently only a couple thousand defenders took on a whole Nobian army with 100,000 soldiers! Plus they were able to ground the entire Nobian Air Corps!" "Hmm that''s a ratio of¡­ ah I cannot remember how to do these calculations. That''s unfortunate; I need to study again since I''ve got an examination in a few months. Hopefully they''ll push it back because of this ordeal." "Haha, of course. Well, I can''t wait to see what these Otherworlders have in store for the Nobians." 17 Siege of Sofius Part 2 Sofius Western Gate 5:10 PM "Commander Vola, I am Lieutenant Colonel Ava Keyes with the United States Army. I am the commanding officer of the American forces here." Commander Vola raised an eyebrow, intrigued that this attractive blonde woman was not only in the army, but also served as an officer. He had many questions he wanted to ask her, and much judgement he wished to pass onto the Americans. However, considering that the Americans had far superior firepower, he decided to keep his mouth shut and just go along with it. Perhaps these foreigners saw something in their women that the natives of Gaerra couldn''t. "What is your strategy, ma''am?" Keyes pondered for a bit, with her hand on her chin, before answering. "I was thinking, we can use some of the debris as cover against arrows. Your footmen can help defend our ranged attackers using their shields, while your mages cast wind spells to blow enemy arrows away. And make sure your troops don''t stand directly in front of mine; our weapons require precise aiming." "That will just delay the inevitable; we are outnumbered 150 to 1! Perhaps we must retreat?" Vola suggested. "And let the Nobians slaughter the fine residents of this city?" Keyes asked. Vola looked down, ashamed in himself that a woman could show more courage than him. He began to speak again but was promptly interrupted by Keyes. "Look, we just need to hold for 10 minutes, until reinforcements arrive. Let my soldiers do their job, and make sure your soldiers do theirs. If everything goes according to plan, we won''t lose a single man." "Very well. I will direct my forces according to your strategy." ¡ª "We have a man down! We need a medic!" "Don''t pull out the arrow yet, we don''t want to cause too much bleeding!" The Sonaran soldier nodded, and allowed himself to be pulled back to safety. "Davis, take his shield just in case!" The American soldiers fought ferociously, their weapons tearing through the armor of the Nobian infantry. The Nobians, learning from this, began to use the environment to their advantage; lying behind rocks for cover and using flare spells to create an opening to push through. The Nobians forgoed the implementation of large shield spells and instead used speed spells in order to move to other pieces of cover more quickly, alongside making themselves harder targets to hit. Because of this, and the generous amount of cover that the ruined walls provided, the Nobians were able to close the distance without too many losses. The defending forces countered this by pinning down the rushing Nobians behind cover, then using projectiles with a parabolic trajectory in order to hit the Nobians. The Sonarans used their arrows to do this whereas the American soldiers cleared out groups of Nobians with their grenades, launchers, and XM-25 airburst systems. ¡ª "Run! They threw another exploding rock!" BOOM! 5 Nobians were skewered by an M67 Fragmentation Grenade that landed by their piece of cover. A few meters away, the same scenario almost happened with another Nobian group but a mage there was able to cast a shield, which the grenade bounced off. The resulting explosion in the air was able to slightly deplete the shields, but not by much. In an attempt to conserve energy, the mage only casted his shield spells whenever he saw an exploding rock thrown at him. However, he never anticipated an exploding bullet. The angle from which the XM-25 projectile arrived was low enough that it could not be detected by the mage''s line of sight. By the time he saw the projectile, everyone below it was showered with the instruments of death. High explosive grenades detonated all over hiding Nobians, killing many. Despite their efforts in learning from the enemy, the technological difference was simply too vast for the enemies to truly understand the capabilities of the American weapons, thus leading to misunderstandings. They simply could not counter the sheer firepower and mind-shattering mechanics of the Otherworlders'' weapons. ¡ª Despite their unrelenting fire, the Nobians pushed ever closer, forcing the American troops to pull back slightly as they performed a tactical retreat. "We need air support!" "Requesting close air support from Hunter 3, request confirmed." A volley of Hydra 70 unguided rockets flew towards a large formation of Nobian infantry hiding behind some rubble. The onslaught resulted in the complete annihilation of this particular clump of troops, boosting the morale of the American and Sonaran defenders considerably. The Sonarans stood in awe at the marvelous sight, believing that gods have descended to aid them in their battle. Vola himself was speechless. "This is Hunter 3, armaments depleted. We''re RTB for resupply." The last of the AH-64 Apache attack helicopters left the scene, all having expended their ammunition. The attack helicopters alone were able to decimate nearly a thousand enemy soldiers, but as they retreated to rearm, the Nobians pushed further. "Shit, are we all out of air support?" "Command''s bringing us some fighter support, but they''re still about 20 minutes out!" Amidst the shouts of combat, the sound of a vehicle pulling up could be heard. "Hope we''re not late to the party!" joked Alex. The combatants from Alpha Team, Terra Squad, and Luna Squad disembarked from their vehicles, ready to join the fight. The Humvees in which they arrived were strategically spread out, in order to provide maximum coverage for the .50 Caliber turrets mounted on the vehicles. The other civilian scientists from Alpha Team were directed to the Chinooks earlier on, aside from Kelmithus and Jones since they were deemed to be important assets in the battlefield. Seeing a Master wizard in their ranks now, the Sonaran defenders cheered. The American soldiers also cheered, seeing the arrival of highly experienced Special Forces members. The reinforcements joined the battle, pinning down some incoming Nobians using grenades and machine gun fire. "Two tangoes behind the wooden cart, one o''clock!" "Got ''em. Six hostiles neutralized to the left." "Hey, what is that flickering coming from over there, behind those rocks?" Kelmithus saw this, and immediately cast a shield, blocking an incoming lightning strike from a pair of Nobian mages, who were promptly turned into headless bodies. Jones took cover behind a Humvee, trying to navigate through Omnis'' data in order to learn spells. Considering the large amount of debris in the area, Jones summoned golems from pieces of the ruined walls that the Nobians hiding behind. Five stone golems began to terrorize the Nobian lines, distracting the opposing mages from the offensive and forcing them to scramble to destroy the golems. The battle raged on, but eventually the American soldiers began to run out of ammo. This was reflected in the decreasing frequency of weapons fire coming from the defenders, and the Nobians, having noticed this, seized the opportunity. They rushed into semi-automatic fire, hoping to overrun the defenders. The Sonaran footmen prepared for close quarters combat, and some of the Americans, now out of ammo on their primary weapons, pulled out their sidearms. In an attempt to buy time, Jones used his scepter to fire blasts of energy at the Nobians, scoring a kill for each hit he landed. The approaching forces were unfazed by this, as it was only a matter of time before he became exhausted. Jones, being a famed adventurer, could easily outrun and outmaneuver the Nobians, who had to run with at least 40 pounds of equipment. However, not all of the American and Sonaran defenders had his talents. Additionally, there were a few injured who were currently being transferred to the Humvees. The defenders slowly moved back east, toward a designated area. Almost halfway to the Academy, this area was the second to last line of defense. The gate to the inner city received minor damage in the initial assault on Sofius, and could be used as a key bottleneck. Before the defenders retreated to their fortifications behind the gate, they wanted to whittle down the enemy forces as much as possible. Charging Nobians tanked small arms fire, shrugging off the pain due to the adrenaline from this battle. The Sonaran defenders protected the American infantry behind them the best they could, engaging the enemy in melee combat. Clashes of steel continued until the Americans finally depleted their 5.56 and .50 Cal ammunition stores. Jones and Kelmithus were also starting to get tired from casting so many spells. It was clear at this point that the defenders would be overrun, so they began a tactical retreat, leading the Nobians into a more defensible position with makeshift barricades. As the last of the defenders jumped behind the barricades, a peculiar sound deafened the soldiers on the battlefield. VVUUUOOOO! The Americans looked up to the sky with smiles on their faces, while the Sonarans and Nobians looked up with confusion, as they had never seen a fighter jet before. The F-15E jets zoomed past, shattering the glass on nearby windows, before abruptly ascending and disappearing out of sight. The only trace of their presence was a scattering of objects that fell toward the Nobian lines. ¡ª "My friend was a communications mage in the Seventh Detachment. I heard that they were obliterated by flying swords in the sky." VVUUUOOOO! "Like those?!" "Yes, and they dropped something on us that produced great explosions and tremors!" The Nobians in this particular soldier''s group looked up to the sky as the jets roared past, seeing dark objects getting larger as they came closer to the ground. "Run! Those are the things my friend told me about! RUN!" Six Nobian soldiers fled the battlefield, running away from the choke point their brethren had piled up around. They sprinted with all their might, getting about 40 meters from the blast zone before they finally landed and exploded, wiping out the large clump of Nobians gathered behind them. These were the last of the Nobians, numbering about 300. The intense fighting culminated in this final moment as precision guided bombs rained down on the crowded Nobian formation, all of them trying to bust through the gate to the inner city. Consumed with bloodlust, these unfortunate souls didn''t even realize that they would soon be annihilated by a force they had never seen before. Bodies flew through the air as the Nobian infantry was blown away by the bombs. The six Nobians who ran were showered with pieces of debris and charred body parts. To them, it seemed like a demonic occurrence. "What the hell?!" One of them yelled, panting from the quick sprint. "Are we the only ones left?" His comrades could not respond, shell-shocked by the power of American jets.Fires raged around the six Nobians as black smoke filled the air. They looked toward the street that their brethren had been trying to pass through and saw only smoke. The staccato from the enemy weapons had ceased, signifying the deaths of their Nobian comrades. They looked at each other with worried faces, uncertain about their fate. If they ran, they would be unable to escape as the fields past the city walls were open ground. They could only surrender and accept their fate. The smoke cleared as American and Sonaran troops emerged from the inner gate. A gust of wind put out all the fires around the area, pushing the Nobians to the ground. Soon enough they were surrounded, and thus the six survivors dropped their weapons, putting their hands up. ¡ª "Secure the prisoners. The Sonarans are giving us jurisdiction because of our efforts here. Intel says there''s no enemy movement around here for a hundred mile radius, so we''re going to head back to Fort Washington. That was a helluva mission, boys. Let''s go home." 18 Defection Authors Note: If you enjoy my story, please remember to vote and/or submit a rating! This is my longest chapter yet, at 3.5k words. Let me know if you all prefer longer chapters such as this. Please join my discord if you wish to discuss more about my story. https://discord.gg/ymbTbNw ¡ª Somewhere in Sofius In a room dark as night, a man peeked through curtains on a window, watching the celebrations on the street below. The citizens of Sofius were celebrating their recent victory against the Nobians, parading around the city and giving gifts to newly arrived American soldiers, who humbly refused most of them. Director Tempos sighed in frustration; he had failed Emperor Novus not once, with the North Grenden Plains massacre, but twice, with his failure at Sofius. Surely, if he reported back to his emperor he would promptly be executed for incompetence. For him, it felt as if the world was falling apart. He wanted to serve the Nobian Empire, but he had always felt that Emperor Novus was a subpar leader. Novus was way too obsessed with continuing his forefathers'' work: to eliminate the Sonaran peoples. On the other hand, Tempos merely wished to see the prosperity of his fellow countrymen. The Sonarans, whether they existed or not, were of no concern to this goal. Novus'' ego led to great victories against the Sonarans in the opening months of the war, but his pride would be the downfall of his nation. Emboldened by these victories, Novus and his war hawk lackeys underestimated the American forces. Even with the massive defeat on the North Grenden Plains, they still would not reevaluate their strategies. Only when the Nobian people are dead would the emperor finally see the error of his ways. Because of this, Tempos decided to put an end to this madness; the lives of his people were worth more than an insane emperor''s pride. Tempos unveiled the curtains on the window before beginning to pack. The sunlight streamed through and lit up the room, freshening the atmosphere. This would mark a new chapter in the Nobian Empire''s history. ¡ª Tempos walked down a street, following a sand-colored metal carriage that was currently being surrounded by grateful Sonarans. As he walked, he inspected the metal carriage. It was similar to the ones reported by the subordinates who botched the ransom mission in Sorn. Thinking back, he remembered his time in Mekkan, and remembered seeing the metal carriages there. The Mekkans back then had just recently unveiled their machine, calling it an ''automobile'' or ''car''. The American cars seemed to be larger and more effective in terms of transportation, although he did realize that the only American vehicles he had seen were ones designed for war. Still, the discrepancies between the American and Mekkanese vehicles were wholly evident, and implied a greater understanding of science amongst the American engineers. He also remembered seeing the flying machines as they thundered past his hideout, and hearing the explosions off to the distance. The explosions created by these machines were so massive that they could rival even the most powerful weapons present in the Divinian arsenal, and maybe even surpass them. If the Nobians had no chance against even the Mekkanese, then surely they would face similar circumstances against the Americans. As he continued to think about this, the crowd thinned out. "Excuse me sir, but we''re going to need you to step aside. You''re blocking the road for our other vehicles." Tempos snapped out of his trance, and faced the dark-skinned soldier in front of him. How exotic, he thought. "Ah, sorry about that. Are you with the Americans?" "Yes." "Oh, good! Can you please take me to your commanding officer? I have important information about a Nobian attack. I''m a political refugee from Nobia," Tempos informed. The soldier then brought a dark box close to his face and began talking to it, confusing Tempos. To his astonishment, the box replied. Such communication was common in many places around Gaerra, but this was accomplished through magical means. What kind of magic are the Americans capable of, he wondered. After a short discussion with the box, the soldier turned toward Tempos. "Okay. You can get in the car. We will take you to our base," the soldier said, gesturing toward the back door of the vehicle. Tempos stood there, staring at the vehicle. He did not know how to open the vehicle''s door. The soldier, realizing that he was basically communicating with an alien, opened the door for the Gaerran man. Tempos climbed inside, inspecting the various devices within. He looked outside the window to his left, watching soldiers setting up tents and strange devices. This must be a base of sorts or perhaps a checkpoint, he guessed. After they were finished with their tasks, some of them returned to the vehicle convoy in which he sat. With their mission complete, the convoy departed. ¡ª The ride lasted about three hours, during which Tempos asked various questions about the Humvee and life on Earth. He carefully worded his questions so as to not seem suspicious; he did not want to be mistaken for a spy trying to glean intelligence on American technologies. While conversing with the Americans, his earlier prejudices about their peoples faded. The Americans seemed proud to be a nation founded on the principles of liberty and freedom, which confused him since he wondered how such an idealistic nation could exist. Their answer made absolute sense. A soldier he was talking to quoted a great man from his nation''s history. "Speak softly and carry a big stick." The soldier explained to him that the Americans generally sought peaceful solutions, but were always capable of defending themselves and others against the evils of the world. To him, the U.S. seemed like a benevolent god that protected the rights of the innocent. The soldier further elaborated on his nation''s actions in the past, noting that while they weren''t perfect, they hoped to be a good example for the rest of humanity; a shining city upon a hill. Indeed, Tempos was interested in the beacon of hope that the United States portrayed itself to be. In fact, Tempos'' political ideologies were influenced by Reformists, who had progressive views on the rights of people. Reformation philosophers were similar to 18th century Enlightenment thinkers in a way, although the movement didn''t seem to be as popular in Gaerra as it was on Earth. He also learned that magic doesn''t exist on Earth. Initially, he was quite surprised, but then he thought of the Mekkanese. Their people had arrived through a portal on their continent before the portal disappeared and stranded them on Gaerra. Their civilization, like those of the Americans, had no magic and thus they advanced their scientific technology. For the case of the Mekkanese, it was a case of survival. Surrounded by magic, the Mekkanese had to develop new technologies at a feverish pace, and eventually they surpassed the capabilities of many magic-capable nations, even catching up to the Divinian Empire. As Tempos learned more about the Americans, his fears for the fate of the Nobian Empire grew. The United States had a population of over 300 million people, which was as much as the Divinian Empire. If they had the same army population ratios as the Nobian Empire, then they would be outnumbered 20 to 1. To add to this, the immense firepower of the Americans would allow them to crush the Nobians, evident in the catastrophic results of the battles in the North Grenden Plains and Sofius. Tempos solidified his resolve, determined now more than ever to help put an end to this bloodshed. ¡ª Fort Washington "Please make yourself comfortable in the lounge. General Harding and Ambassador Perry will arrive shortly to discuss with you." The first thing he noticed while entering the American structure was the temperature. It was still relatively hot outside, and the night was just beginning to cool the environment. In the lounge however, Tempos was greeted by a pleasant breeze that circulated the room, maintaining a constant, cool temperature. ''What kind of power allows these people to make a room comfortably cool like this?'' he wondered. While waiting, Tempos admired the design of the room itself, particularly mesmerized by the fluorescent lights above. He walked over to a switch that he had seen a soldier interact with earlier, figuring that this was connected to the lights somehow. The switch was currently angled upward, and Tempos pushed it down, turning off the lights. ''How fascinating,'' Tempos thought to himself, mouth slightly agape. He continued to play with the lights until he heard someone cough. "Ahem," General Harding coughed, attracting the attention of Tempos. Like a child caught red-handed, Tempos immediately stopped touching the switch and hid his hands behind his back. "Ah, hello there." "I see that you''ve discovered how our lights work. I''m General Harding and this man here," he said, gesturing towards Perry, "is Ambassador Perry." Perry simply asked to make this quick, tired from his trip back to the base. Perry was in the process of being reassigned to handle negotiations with the Nobians, following the previous battles against them. Since he was on a break, he was requested by General Harding to have a discussion with an apparent Nobian political refugee. "I am Tempos, Director¡ª" he said before stopping and correcting himself. "Well, I am the former Director of the Dark Shadow Agency. I have escaped from the Nobian Empire because Emperor Novus is a madman who has ruined my agency. It won''t be long before he ruins the country at this point. I seek your aid in restoring dignity to the Nobian throne, should your negotiations fail." "How do you propose restoring this dignity?" General Harding asked, curious about his wording. Tempos explained that he wanted to plan a coup against the emperor. "I have a few assets in the Dark Shadow who are loyal to me. They know the location of the emperor''s imprisoned son, Lonad Novus, who I believe can be installed as the new emperor. The problem is that I cannot trust the rest of the Dark Shadow and therefore I cannot stage a rescue operation for Lonad. I am aware of your achievements in the town of Sorn and in the Academy of Sofius in rescuing those hostages, so I have come to you Otherworlders for help." "How popular are Lonad Novus and the emperor himself?" Perry questioned. He thought back to the events of the Iranian Revolution. If the selected heir was not popular, then the public may choose to overthrow him, especially if they loved the emperor. Even if the emperor was disposed of, he still may have loyal followers such as generals or other nobles who may rally the public against the new ruler. During the Iranian Revolution, Ruhollah (Ayatollah) Khomeini led the Iranian people against the Shah, and successfully overthrew him, becoming Supreme Leader. In the process, he abolished the monarchy and the last Shah was exiled from the country. If Lonad harbored strong political views that don''t align with those of the general public, then a more moderate leader would have to be selected, which presents a problem because Lonad is next in line for succession, as per royal traditions. "Lonad Novus was imprisoned because he threatened the throne with his popular support. Normally, this wouldn''t be an issue and instead would be preferred by the emperor. The thing is, Lonad had a lot of Reformist ideals. He called for greater individuality and power to the people, rather than the concentration of power for the emperor. He also wanted to establish a senate so that the voices of the public could be heard. The most offensive of all, though, was his call to end the war against the Sonarans. A lot of our people were starting to wake up as Lonad spread his messages, dismantling the propaganda that the emperor had instilled into our populace. The people used to hate the Sonarans because of this propaganda, but thanks to Lonad, the people began to realize that our war against the Sonarans was unjustified. The Sonarans were branded as heretics for worshipping the sun, but why? The sun and moons coexist to bring life to Gaerra. With only the sun, the whole planet would be scorched. With only the moons, the whole planet would be frozen over." Perry nodded at this, admiring Tempos'' logic and open-mindedness. As he listened to Tempos, though, he realized something about the Sonarans. "Ending the war and reconciling with the Sonarans would be preferable, yes. But, how can they, after all the destruction and death they''ve suffered through?" Perry asked. Tempos remained silent for a few seconds, not sure how to answer the question. Then, he conceded. "We started the war for unjust reasons. We created this evil when there was once none. Because of this, we need to atone for our sins, but without further bloodshed." Tempos sighed. "To be truthful, I do not know what we can do." Perry nodded in understanding. "That''s okay. That''ll be the job of Lonad anyway, and I''m sure he''s got something in mind since he wanted to end the war in the first place." General Harding then interrupted, remembering Tempos'' reason for being here: an impending attack. Addressing Tempos, he asked, "You said you wanted to inform us of an attack. Can you tell me anything you know about that?" "Ah, right. The Nobian Empire is currently short on resources. The North Grenden Plains must be secured in order to access the resources underneath the ground, so as you know, an invasion force was dispatched. Since you were able to defeat the invasion force so easily, the emperor is now wary about fighting you Otherworlders and he wishes to avoid you." Tempos saw the two Americans relax a little bit once he said this. "This brings me to my next point. I came to you as a refugee because I thought you were neutral in the conflict between us and the Sonarans, but I have just learned that you have entered an alliance with the Sonarans. The emperor does not know of this yet. I do not know the specific terms of your alliance, but I assume you will help the Sonarans defend against attacks in some way. Since no one in the Nobian Empire is currently aware of this, they decided to launch an offensive in the South Grenden Plains, about 100 miles southwest of Sofius. They want to access the Ovine Mountains in order to secure mineral resources for weapons manufacturing." "I see. Thank you for letting me know. I''ll contact the Sonarans and develop a strategy with them," General Harding said. "My people are not monsters, they are just guided. Please do not massacre them," Tempos pleaded. "I will do what I can," Harding reassured. "But if they do not want to surrender, then that''s on them." Tempos nodded, understanding that there would be nothing else that could be done in such a situation. With nothing else left to say, the American general thanked Tempos for his information and left. Perry stayed behind for a few moments, informing Tempos of his situation. "Since you''re a refugee, and we''re not allowed to bring any natives back to our world yet, you may stay here until we finish construction on the town by the base, or until it''s safe to go back to the Nobian Empire. Someone will come in shortly to bring you to your new quarters. You may visit the cafeteria and explore the base, but just be sure to not bother any soldiers if they''re busy." "Thank you for your hospitality, Ambassador Perry." Upon hearing this, Perry left, wishing the Nobian refugee a good night. Tempos, now all alone, stared at the light switch. He fought the urge to go over to it, instead thinking about the recent discussion. He needed to make contact with his few loyal assets in order to inform them of the situation, and protect them from Novus should they be targeted. While preparing plans to contact one of his assets in Sonaris, his thoughts were interrupted by a woman who came into the room. "Director Tempos, I shall guide you to your quarters." Tempos left the room with the woman, who brought him to a small room before wishing him a good night and leaving. Not very spacious, as he was accustomed to as nobility, but comfortable. The bedding was indubitably of the highest quality, and was arguably better than anything available to even the upper classes of the Nobian Empire. The room was plain, having a desk near the bed and a smaller room with a handle. Curious, Tempos went to inspect the miniature house, and upon opening its door, was startled by the freezing air being emitted from it. Immediately, he closed it, but then reopened it to inspect its contents. He was amazed, finding ice cold drinks. It was the season of Sola, yet these Americans were able to control the weather with their science. He still couldn''t believe that these people had no magic at all! After analyzing the contents of the mini fridge, Tempos selected a red can with swirling designs on it. They seemed to form characters from the language that these Otherworlders speak. For a while, he struggled to open the can, but realized that he had to use the lever on the can in order to break open a seal. Having done so, he took a sip of the drink. His eyes widened as carbonated goodness flowed down his throat. "This is incredible!" he whispered to himself. Tempos made a mental note to ask someone about this drink tomorrow. Enjoying the can of Coca-Cola, Tempos looked over to the light switch. This night would be fun. ¡ª Eana, Eanif Imperium Capital Imperial Archive Emperor Vox Evalion sat next to a desk, stroking his beard. He was about to retire for the night, but had received important news from a spy in the Sonaran city of Sofius. The war between the Sonarans and Nobians was going well, with both sides weakening each other. The spy reported a loss of a few thousand soldiers on both sides in Sofius, but there was something interesting about the Nobian losses. According to the spy, strange men with ugly green clothing, assumed to be Otherworlders, came to the aid of the Sonarans and annihilated the Nobian forces. What''s more interesting is the circumstances of the battle. Apparently, less than a hundred of these Otherworlders, backed by a few Metal Dragons of varying shapes and a man wielding the Scepter of Axnial, were able to decimate almost 3,000 Nobian soldiers. The spy could not confirm any losses on the side of the Otherworlders, although some were injured. This was troubling, Emperor Vox thought to himself. His plans of continental unification now lay in uncertain waters, since he had not expected the emergence of a powerful foe. It is true that his own armies could accomplish similar feats, wiping out Nobian or Sonaran forces with little losses, but the fact that the Americans suffered zero losses was worrying. To add to this, the presence of metal dragons suggested Mekkanese influences. Perhaps the Mekkanese were testing new weapons? They did outsource production to Sonaran forges, after all. Worst of all, this report corroborated the data sent by an observer from the battle in the North Grenden Plains. Emperor Vox walked over to a pedestal and retrieved an item placed on it. It was a recording device smuggled out of the Divinian Empire, called a ''magic screen''. He fiddled around with the controls until the screen displayed a scene from the Nobians'' point of view during the Battle of Fort Washington. It began with a recording of flashing lights erupting the distance, while a cacophony of popping sounds filled the air. Although the quality of the video and audio were bad, Vox was grateful for what he had. He made a mental note to try to acquire better variants of this device from the Divinian merchant guilds. Eventually, the flashing lights in the distance ceased and a Nobian by the name of Colonel Novask rallied the main force for a charge. The Eanish observer stayed back, not wanting to ruin the video by running. His decision to get a clear shot of the scene saved his life, as brilliant explosions popped up in front of the formation, vaporizing thousands of warriors in one volley. Careful analysis of the video with the top scholars of the Imperium have all led to the same conclusion: because the attackers could not be seen, the explosions must have come from artillery miles away. The implications of this were disastrous. Sure, the Eanish armies could accomplish the same tasks, but being able to accurately hit enemies in the dark was something else entirely, perhaps even something demonic. The video ended as the observer was surrounded by Otherworlder soldiers who aimed their rifles at him as others restrained him. Vox sighed. Why would the gods throw in such a curveball this far into his plans? Did they not wish to see a united Eanif? Did they not wish to see the inferior beast peoples wiped off the continent? He did not know what the gods could be thinking of now, but he realized that they had sent a clear message. His operations must be sped up. 19 Careful Planning Authors Note: If you enjoy my story, please remember to vote and/or submit a rating! Please join my discord if you wish to discuss more about my story. https://discord.gg/ymbTbNw ¡ª The White House June 13 9:00 A.M. President Ryan Keener took a sip of his coffee, looking over some documents regarding the new world. A meeting was underway, with the President and his Cabinet discussing the potential implications of the portal to Gaerra, and their plans for the new world moving forward. The members of this meeting included the following: Secretary of Agriculture Alex Perdue Attorney General Gabriel Carr Director of the Central Intelligence Agency Samantha Gray Secretary of Commerce Bernard Rose Secretary of Defense Richard Lee Secretary of Education Tyler Hernandez Secretary of Energy Jane Ross Administrator of the EPA Jarvis Nielsen Secretary of Health and Human Services Grant Granger Secretary of Homeland Security Nathaniel Fury Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Daniel Carson Secretary of Labor Victor Reece Secretary of State Alexander Madison Secretary of Treasury James Hamilton Press Secretary Lina Greene Vice President Mike Adams All members present were very active in the discussion of the new world. Alex Perdue was interested in the new crops and livestock that the other world had to offer; Lee, Hernandez, and Ross were interested in the mana gems; and all were excited to open up new trade channels in the new world. The abundance of resources would solve many issues present today, such as the depletion of fossil fuel supplies and the monopoly that China has over certain rare metals. Despite these treasures, the United Stars still had a glaring issue. How would foreign affairs work out in such a situation? Every country in the world would want access to the riches beyond the portal, and the United States would not be able to keep it a secret forever. "Eventually, we will have information leaks." Madison flipped to the next slide in the presentation. Gesturing, he emphasized, "We need to release information before September at the latest. What you see here are plans to ''raid'' Area 51 this September. With the event known to millions, at least some will come and we absolutely cannot risk any conflict with civilians. Even beside this, we still have the issue of spy satellites catching a glimpse of the dome around the portal, and there is even a possibility of our own soldiers saying a bit too much!" As the Secretary of State, it was Alexander Madison''s job to manage relations between the United States and other countries, essentially acting as the chief foreign affairs advisor. If the U.S. kept the portal a secret and other nations found out on their own, then relations between those countries would deteriorate. Even U.S. allies would begin to lose trust. "Yes, I agree with Alexander''s worries," voiced Vice President Adams. "We need to carefully coordinate our press releases. There is also the issue of Congress. Though not official, our war against the Nobians would require oversight from Congress. If we were to continue our efforts and perhaps even secure land or economic rights in Gaerra, Congress would need to know about the details." "Well, good thing there ain''t any laws about portals and aliens from the UN!" Attorney General Carr added. The President pondered the situation for a bit. "Alexander and Mike both have very good points, and I am supposing that nations like Russia and China would be the most outspoken against our endeavors. Especially China, seeing that we''ve got access to resources and cheap labor on the other side. Let me think¡­ We can release some basic information about the portal for now. We can have Lina and her team handle all the details." "Right. So we want to release things like the data about the planet, the presence of a habitable atmosphere, and some properties about the portal?" Lina asked. The President agreed, alongside other members of the cabinet. "Should we mention anything about sentient life? Or magic?" This was certainly a tough question. Everyone present in the meeting looked at each other while President Keener placed his hand on his chin, in deep thought. The world would find out eventually, but would it be wise to give out such information now? UN member nations might see this as a reason to let them in, wanting to demonstrate a united front when greeting these aliens. However, putting the focus on aliens rather than on the gold mine of resources that the United States has access to would grant more time for the U.S. to solidify its position on the other side of the portal. In order to mitigate the first worry of UN member nations, the U.S. can try to appease some of them, particularly those allied with the United States, in order to bring them closer to its sphere of influence. "How about this, we can come clean to our allies about this, and tell them about the resources we have access to and the presence of sentient life on the planet. Our official announcement will just have basic details, but talks with our allies will occur behind the scenes. We will give them some deals; we can grant access to scientific teams and in the future, companies and trade rights, in exchange for some economic concessions." President Keener looked to his left, seeing Secretary of Commerce Bernard Rose nodding his head. Bernard agreed, expanding on President Keener''s idea. "We can ask our allies to bring tariffs down to our level. This has been an issue for a while now, with some of our European allies having unequal vehicle tariffs, which defeats the premise of free trade." "Bringing our allies and some neutral countries closer will be excellent, especially considering some are already falling for Chinese influences. Of course, we would also have to present offers to our adversaries, Russia and China. It may even be possible to bring Russia into Western influences, if we present the right deal. I''m sure they''d prefer access to a whole new world full of wealth rather than invading Eastern European countries," Madison added. "Okay, sounds good folks. I can already see my approval rate skyrocketing, haha." Everyone laughed or smirked. "If no one has anything else to add, then this meeting is hereby dismissed." As everyone got up from their chairs, President Keener suddenly put his hand up. "Hold on. Alex, Grant, see what you guys can do about getting new livestock and crops into our farms. Make sure they''re clear of any unknown diseases and parasites." Upon receiving these orders, the two men nodded and exited the room. "Bernard and Daniel, stay here please. Samantha, Richard, and Alexander, we will talk later about our newly acquired intel on the Nobian political situation." The room was vacated except for the President himself, the Vice President, the Secretary of Commerce, and the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. The President wanted to discuss with them about the new economic options available to them. President Keener then clicked a button on a remote, activating a screen which displayed the figure of Ambassador Perry. With regards to Perry''s connection, it was just fine as he was transferred to Area 51 for this conference call. The scientists were still working on wireless communication through the portal. "Alright. Can everyone see and hear me?" Perry asked. "Loud and clear," Mike confirmed. "Alright. Now let''s get down to business. We want to establish a town near the base for the purpose of cultural exchanges. I hear the PX is already set up?" Keener asked. "It is, Mr. President. Some local merchants have already begun submitting orders for various merchandise. In particular, they seem to like our snack items, stationery, cleaning supplies, and cookware." Rose answered. He then stopped to look at a document on his desk, before continuing. "We have also had reports of some locals wanting to set up shop, but we had to turn them away for now. We informed them that we are currently busy with construction, and they are free to lease when construction is finished." "Excellent. Daniel, you still okay with the current residential plans?" "Indeed I am, Mr. President. I''m thinking about partitioning a section of our territory in order to allow locals to build their own community; there may be a case of extreme culture shock if they were to fully integrate with modern infrastructure and communities. I''m willing to bet almost all of them have never seen a shower before!" "Hmm, that is right. I''ll let you sort out the details of this partition, but we also should leave some room in our own residential areas to accommodate any natives who wish to live with modern amenities. We may also want some learning centers to help natives learn about our customs, and perhaps also vice versa." "Will do, Mr. President. Also, I''ve already contacted some major corporations regarding the new world. We can accommodate a lot of their stores, but I''ll have to confirm with Bernard once the mall and department stores are finished." "Okay. Finalize those reports and get back to me. Perry, about the Nobian prince, when will you be available?" "I have to relay a message to King Selios and handle Nobian negotiations, but I should be free around this time tomorrow." "Excellent. I''ll set up the meeting with the others. Oh, and try to schedule a tour for the Sonarans. I hear that they want to visit the United States before formalizing our deals. We haven''t yet released information about sentient aliens to the public yet, so hold off on the tour until at least July. Maybe an Independence Day tour would be fun?" "Right away, Mr. President." The group continued to discuss economic and residential matters regarding Gaerra, hoping to develop plans to secure exclusive economic rights on the other side of the portal before opening it up to America''s allies. US Embassy, Sonaris Month 6, Day 13 Foreign Affairs Advisor Leah Sindis was reading a book from her office in the American Embassy. The book was one that caught her eye as she inspected the shelves; it was a history of World War 1. At first, she was skeptical since global wars were on such a massive scale that they couldn''t possibly be carried out, with the exception of the war against the Axon Empire. As she continued to read, she realized that it wasn''t truly a global war that spanned all nations; it was just a war between the most powerful of nations. Still, this did not take away from the shock as she saw the death toll, at almost 20 million. Half were military personnel and the other half were civilians. Civilians? She remembered that word from her conversation with Perry earlier; he described the word to her as non-combatant villagers. 10 million innocent people perished in this war. Sindis wondered what that would be like for her own people. Her country''s entire population would be wiped out in such a conflict. Well, it was a good thing she secured a military alliance with Perry. Suddenly, the phone in her office rang, startling her. Remembering her training from Perry, she picked up the phone and answered the call. "Hello, Foreign Affairs Advisor Sindis speaking." "Miss Sindis, I have an urgent message that you must relay to King Selios." Perry then described details regarding a possible coup against the Nobian emperor and Nobian plans in the South Grenden Plains. Sindis sighed. She was glad that there was a possibility of ending the war, but upset at the news of a potential attack in the South Grenden Plains. This area was home to the Ovine Mountains, where the Sonaran Federation mined most of their mithril ores. Without these resources, the Sonaran forges would collapse and their economy would crumble. Additionally, their Sonaran troops would need to rely on older weapons and gear with questionable durability, creating a major disadvantage for their war efforts. Hopefully, the Americans would come to their aid once more, although it wouldn''t be likely. Sindis reasoned that the Americans assisted in the defense of Sofius because they had personnel there, and thus needed to secure an extraction for them. Fort Sogath, on the other hand, has no Americans that require saving, and therefore has no reason to receive American aid. "Thank you for letting me know, Ambassador. I will relay this information to His Highness." "Okay. That''s all I called for. Have¡ª" Sindis interrupted Perry before he could end the call, suddenly having an idea. "Wait, sorry. Is it possible for you to assist us in our defense of the South Grenden Plains? We need the Ovine mountains for mithril ore, and most of the ore from our trade deal will come from this area," Sindis explained, hoping an economic incentive would be sufficient to necessitate military aid. "Ah, don''t worry about that. As per our mutual defense treaty, we are obligated to help defend your country, should your people be attacked." Sindis sighed, relieved that the Americans would be so generous as to undertake such a responsibility. In her world, such alliances were rare, as kingdoms generally practiced isolationist policies, preferring not to get involved with the disputes of others. For the alliances that did exist though, allies would usually remain as neutral as possible, sending only equipment and supplies, unless the enemy was a mutual one. The Americans, from what she has gathered, don''t see the Nobians as an enemy, but rather a misunderstood force, considering that they were attacked because of similarities between the national flags of the United States and the Sonaran Federation. "Thank you, Ambassador. We are in your debt," Sindis expressed with great gratitude. "Haha don''t sweat it." "Don''t sweat it?" "Ah it''s one of the many phrases in our culture. Essentially it means don''t worry about it. Well, I''ve gotta go now. Have a good day Miss Sindis." Sindis said goodbye and the call ended. ''What an interesting man,'' she thought, smiling. Remembering Perry''s message, she quickly used her magical communication device to inform King Selios. ¡ª Fort Washington General Harding had just finished giving his report to the President, and was now relaxing in his office, enjoying his coffee. He sorted through some reports given by the scientists and engineers of the base. Apparently, they had just finished setting up three satellites. There was a lot of math in the report so he just skimmed past a lot of those sections, and went straight to the summaries and conclusions. "Hmm, what''s this? ''Preliminary analysis of planetary properties, conducted before satellite launches, revealed the diameter of Type M planet Gaerra to be approximately 11,200 miles, about 1.4 times the diameter of Earth. Despite this larger size, no differences in gravity were detected; gravitational acceleration on this world is more or less equal to that of Earth, at 9.81 meters per second squared. The surface area of this planet is over double that of Earth.'' What the fuck? None of this makes sense¡­ I took enough physics back in high school and West Point to know this shit doesn''t make any sense at all¡­" Harding thought aloud. He read further into the report, reaching some conclusions about these findings. Because of the difference in size, this planet would have a different curvature and thus the programming of missiles would have to be adjusted, if they were to encounter any civilizations with radar capabilities. The satellites would also need additional partners, in order to cover the vast surface area this world had to offer. The satellite data noted in this report included pictures of the land masses and a hastily developed, but extremely accurate compared to medieval cartography techniques, map of the world. The Central Continents were displayed clearly, and covered about the same area as the continents of Earth. The poles were massive, with icy regions that were at least twice the size of Antarctica. On the other side of the world, several more continents were discovered, separated by a vast ocean whose size dwarfed the Pacific Ocean back on Earth. Interesting. The diplomatic teams may want to use this data for cultural exchanges. He then set aside the scientific reports and viewed the reconnaissance pictures taken by the satellites. Nobian troops were beginning to conglomerate around the Avian River, which separates the North and South Grenden Plains. Their base of operations was a fortress known as Fort Nox, causing General Harding to smile, amused at the coincidence. Fort Nox is about 200 miles away from Fort Soonil, which guarded the passageways into the Ovine Mountains. Factoring the primitive modes of transportation that the Nobians have available to them, he surmised that it would take three weeks for them to reach their objective. It might take two if the Nobians did not bring any artillery pieces, but seeing that their objective was a fortress, it would be suicidal to attack without artillery. With lumbering artillery that the Nobians have to haul, they could probably travel about 8 to 10 miles a day. In short, he and the Sonarans have ample time to prepare. Harding didn''t want to massacre the enemy soldiers; they were humans too and many were probably in the army just to feed their families. He did not want a repeat of the Battle of Fort Washington, but if it came to it, he would prefer the obliteration of the Nobians rather than the loss of even a single American soldier. As such, he wanted to wait until the Nobians were far along into their march before acting. He planned to send airborne units to take key forts and industrial centers, in order to take advantage of the enemy''s concentration of forces. By taking these locations, Perry would have a significant bargaining chip during his negotiations with the Nobian Emperor. If his negotiations failed, then Harding would need to coordinate a rescue operation for the prince and help Tempos stage a coup. With these thoughts in mind, he began drafting plans and making calls to the Pentagon. 20 Manifest Destiny Authors Note: If you enjoy my story, please remember to vote and/or submit a rating! Please join my discord if you wish to discuss more about my story. https://discord.gg/ymbTbNw ¡ª June 17 9:56 A.M. "... and we''re gonna see a low of about 53, 57 in Lower Manhattan. Back to you, Emma." "Thank you John. Now for the highlight of the day, the President will be making an important announcement in just a few minutes, at 10 A.M. Eastern." Behind Emma, a beautiful brunette newscaster wearing a red dress, was a view of the Washington Monument. Scores of people were crowded up between the monument and the Capitol, as if today was an Inauguration Day. "Wow, that''s an incredible crowd," said Emma as she turned to face the masses. "Some may wonder, what''s the occasion? Well, earlier last night someone from the White House leaked information about an announcement relating to aliens! In just two more minutes, we are going to find out just what our President has in store for us." The screen switched to a different view, an aerial view of the National Mall, for the next minute until the President finally came up to the podium placed in front of the Capitol. The view then switched to the President himself. Around the world, over a billion people were viewing this event, having heard the rumors spread all over the Internet. With the focused eyes of his countrymen and those around the world trained on him, the President began to speak. "Good morning, my fellow Americans, and greetings to all else around the world. Many of you are wondering why we''re here today, and I assure you all, it won''t be disappointing," Keener smiled, quickly glancing at his teleprompter. Taking a breath, he continued. "Exactly one month ago, on May seventeen, the year of two-thousand nineteen, the United States accomplished a significant first in human history. A portal had spontaneously opened in the deserts of Nevada, and we sent brave pioneers and explorers into the wormhole." Keener took another breath, watching as the crowd became more tense, excited for his next words. "That day in history will be remembered as the first time that humanity stepped foot on an alien planet! As American astronaut Neil Armstrong once said, ''That''s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind!''" Applause erupted from the crowd as screens displayed pictures taken from the new world, named Gaerra. Of course, Keener''s press teams selected pictures that displayed only the environment, wanting to keep the existence of aliens a secret for a little while longer. The crowd was stunned by the beautiful pictures of pristine mountains and plains, untouched by mankind. President Keener placed a hand up after a minute of applause, signaling to the crowd to quiet down before continuing. "At the moment, we are still studying the properties of this planet. We know that the planet is similar to Earth in terms of mass and gravitational acceleration, but is larger, boasting double the surface area of our planet." The pictures on the screens were replaced with satellite images of the continents. "We are taking every precaution with our exploration teams, who are currently ensuring that this alien world is safe for humans to live in. Our scientists have put up satellites in orbit in order to assist them in their studies. Soon, we will open up this new world to the public, and to the rest of the world! This marks a new era of mankind, as we venture into the final frontier and claim our manifest destiny!" Perfectly choreographed jets flew overhead, trailing red, white, and blue smoke. The crowd went wild, truly ecstatic from the President''s epic speech. ¡ª Fort Washington Month 6, Day 17 11 A.M. Captain Donnager and the rest of Alpha Team were currently being briefed by General Harding. They have been assigned an important mission, or rather quest, based on the details. Their job is to locate and secure ancient artifacts that can stabilize magical energies. "Captain, I want you to take your team to a site known to the locals as the Ahmalan Ruins, located in the Ovine Mountains. Apparently the entrance to the ruins have been sealed off, so I''ll requisition an excavation team to go along with you. Check your packets for additional info. Get ready; you''ll be heading out at 1300." ¡ª Research teams on both sides of the portal had discovered that the portal was slowly dipping in opacity, becoming more and more transparent. While the reported 2% dip in opacity was not a big concern at the moment, it could spell disaster in the future if the portal was to disappear with Earth citizens trapped on the other side, or natives trapped on this side. The scientists studying the portal discovered that it was essentially an Einstein-Rosen bridge. Einstein-Rosen bridges are wormholes that have been theorized to exist, popping into existence before disappearing almost immediately after appearing. Modern scientists think that a type of exotic matter is required to keep the wormholes open; this exotic matter has negative mass and hence, negative energy and negative pressure. Science lesson aside, this type of matter has been theoretical until now, as seen evidenced by the existence of a true wormhole, right in Area 51. Since magic was used to create the portal, scientists on Earth theorized that magic was used to summon this exotic matter, or somehow imitate its effects. When questioned, Kelmithus revealed the truth about portal magic. Although it requires much energy to produce, portals are generally easily created, and many portals to many worlds once existed in the past. The species of this planet all arrived via these portals, with the exception of humans, who were already situated on the planet. None of these portals lasted long, though. At most, they lasted up to five years. That was, until a group of mages five hundred years ago were able to find some ancient ruins that contained a circular gateway, with a large road leading to it. "Heh, sounds like a Stargate to me," joked Sergeant Alex Gutierrez. "Stargate?" Asked Kelmithus, raising an eyebrow. "Oh don''t worry about that," Captain Henry Donnager informed, shooting Alex a glare. "Please, continue with the story." "Well, as I was saying¡­" The mages who had first discovered it documented the layout of the chamber where the gateway was held. Kelmithus showed a scripture that he borrowed from a local academy. It depicted a sketch of the chamber, with clearly visible control terminals off to the side. Noticing these, Alpha Team became excited, discussing amongst themselves the possible implications of such a picture. "Those look like computers! Very advanced ones at that!" Nikita Tesla pointed out. "Looks like a Star Trek ship bridge," Alan Oppenheimer muttered. "I think we can use this to appeal to the General so that we may tag along with the others," he suggested towards Tesla and Darwin. "I''ll think about it, but that''s not really my area of expertise," Lacey Darwin answered. After ending their conversation, the scientists asked Kelmithus to continue with the story. The mages analyzed the gateway, all failing to determine how to use it until they discovered a port on the side, depicted in the scriptures. Some members of Alpha Team noted that it looked like a port that would be connected to an energy source, an assumption which Kelmithus confirmed. The mages then discovered a metallic object with a handle, and a circular chamber inside of it. Kelmithus then showed a depiction of this device to the Americans, who said it looked like a tokamak. "Tokamak?" Kelmithus inquired. "It is a type of energy reactor," Oppenheimer answered, reluctant to go into detail about fusion reactors. "Yes, that makes sense. Anyway¡­" The mages poked and prodded the device, until one had the bright idea of zapping it with lightning. Kelmithus surmised that the lightning symbol on the device had something to do with this idea. When the mages channeled lightning into the machine, it glowed, before becoming dormant shortly after. Eventually, these mages, while touching random things, somehow activated the device by pressing something that had a rune on it. The rune appeared to be a power symbol, based on its shape, which was comparable to those found on modern devices. The mages found a similar symbol on the gateway itself, and with both devices activated, machines that had lay dormant for eons began to come to life, glowing as they powered on. Not knowing how to operate the control terminals that had come to life, the mages simply summoned a portal inside the gateway. Unfortunately, the portal opened to a less than hospitable world. The mages who ventured into the portal discovered a wasteland filled with empty darkness, void of all life except for one species. These monstrosities were truly alien, and immediately charged after the mages, who were quickly torn apart. One, who was able to escape, buried the chamber along with himself, in order to seal the horrors within and prevent them from ravaging the outside world. Some creatures escaped and came to be known as Skitters. (Imagine Zerg or Tyranids but with no hive mind and closer to Voidborn from league of legends in terms of nature.) Ever since this incident, all other ruins that contained gateways were sealed or blocked off in some way, and portal magic was forbidden. The Ahmalan Ruins was one such site, hence the requirement of an excavation team. Kelmithus reassured the Americans that this particular site would contain no aliens, pointing out that the original Skitter site was located in the Erahan Desert, secluded in the northeastern portion of Eanif. Having been debriefed, Alpha Team began to prepare for their mission. ¡ª Ovine Mountains, 260 miles from Fort Washington 7:32 P.M. "Bro, my ass is soo sore!" Alex complained. "Man, why''d we have to crowd up in one car?" "Command''s low on vehicles. They''re sending out a lot of recon teams to help establish contact with some villages outside of Sonaran territory. Lucky them. I heard all they''ve gotta do is mingle with the villagers," Donnager explained. "Pfft. Sounds boring, sir. At least we get to go on a real fantasy quest!" Ryan excitedly proclaimed. Donnager smirked. "Well, it''s not like the recon teams found any cat girls or anything heheh." Ryan and Alex gasped, their eyes wide. "Sir, please don''t play with my emotions like that!" Ryan said incredulously. "Maybe we''ll get to go check out some villages once we''re done here. Let''s set up camp for the night. We begin our mission at 0900 tomorrow morning." "Yes, sir!" With the order given, Alpha Team began setting up camp for themselves and the excavation team, while the excavation team prepared their equipment. "Hey Kelmithus," said Donnager. "Yes?" "What kind of threats do we need to worry about out here? Bandits? Monsters?" Donnager asked, thinking about various fantasy role playing games. "Bandits are always a threat; you need people to keep watch lest your throats get slit in your sleep. As for monsters, some feral goblins or other lesser monsters may show themselves, but given your weaponry, I do not think they will be an issue." "Do monsters and bandits drop gold when we kill them?" Alex asked enthusiastically. "Sergeant, be realistic," Donnager said. "Well, some monsters'' materials may be worth their weight in gold. Wyvern scales make for excellent armor, and Hoggen tusks can be ground up for various purposes. Such items would sell for a lot, with many merchants more than willing to trade their goods for just one Hoggen tusk. Spyder silk is also a very sought-after item. As for bandits, some may be carrying valuable weapons or looted goods. You might even come across different kinds of potions!" Kelmithus explained. "I certainly love acquiring myself some treasure!" Jones smirked, happy that his treasure hunting days were supplemented by the vast opportunities available in this new world. "Hm, that''ll be good to know. We might want to bring back some of these items, so the nerds can analyze them," Donnager suggested. "Especially those potions. The biochem guys will be really interested in the medical applications of health potions and healing magic," Richard agreed. "Indeed," Kelmithus said before biting into his meal. "My, this food is quite delicious! What is this?" Kelmithus questioned, surprised that such an excellent meal could come from a mere can. "Spaghetti with meat sauce. The pasta is made from wheat, and the sauce is tomato based and includes small chunks of meat." Owens answered. "Incredible," Kelmithus muttered. "Sure is. Spaghetti is my favorite dish!" Alex proclaimed. After finishing their meals, the members of Alpha Team worked on setting up a defensive perimeter for the next couple hours until the excavation team finished setting up their equipment. Wary of bandits and monsters, the Americans set up trip wires around their encampment as an early warning system. Claymores were also set up, along with signs around the outer edges of the perimeter so that passing travelers would not accidentally activate the perimeter defenses. "Alright; excavation team is finished setting up. They''re calling it a night. We should do the same. I''ll take first watch," Donnager informed his team. ¡ª Month 6, Day 18 1:43 A.M. "Pst, hey wake up!" Donnager whispered, shaking his teammates awake. All of the soldiers instantly became alert, shaking off their drowsiness. The same happened with Jones, interestingly enough, but Donnager attributed it to Jones'' past exploits as a Special Forces operative and an adventurer. "Wha¡­ Whas goin on?" Kelmithus murmured. "Someone activated the trip wires on the northeastern section of the camp, somewhere toward the base of the mountain; get ready to fight," Donnager ordered as he helped Owens distribute equipment. "Sir, I see movement in the area you just described; eleven unknowns registering on the thermals," Owens informed. "They''re not moving like travelers; it looks like they''re being as cautious as possible. Could be bandits," Alex added. "We haven''t confirmed hostile intent yet. They could be civilians trying not to wake any monsters in the forest," Donnager cautioned. "I''ll use the speaker system to warn them." After determining which wire led to the northeastern speaker, Donnager began talking into the corresponding device. "Turn back now! You are trespassing on our camp!" Watching through thermal and night vision sights, the combatants of Alpha Team saw the unknown group freeze once they heard the voice, frantically looking around for its source. After Donnager stopped talking, the unknown individuals began to move quickly toward the center of the camp. "Sir, they''re moving on us!" Alex whispered. "Orders?" Owens asked. "Well¡ª" Donnager began, before he was interrupted by an explosion in the distance followed by screams, "it looks like two of ''em got their legs blown off by a claymore. And they''re still coming towards us! Alright squad, you''re clear to engage! Weapons free!" "Light ''em up!" Owens shouted. "Don''t hit the equipment!" someone from the excavation team yelled. TATATATATATA! The engagement was quick and brutal. Lasting only a minute, the unknown hostile elements were mopped up by precise shooting from the American soldiers. As they walked to the bodies to identify them, the Americans found an insignia on each of the men they killed. "Kelmithus, what is this?" Donnager asked. Kelmithus walked over to Donnager, who was shining a flashlight on one of the bodies, holding up the clothing. Upon seeing it, he stepped back, his eyes wide. "What''s wrong?" Sarah asked, worry visible on her face. "These men¡­ they belonged to the Bractin Gang." Seeing the looks of confusion on his comrades'' faces, he began explaining. "The Bractin Gang is a bandit group led by their leader, Amadil Bractin. He controls large swathes of territory past our southern borders, and his forces are large enough that he was able to seize our southern principalities from us. We eventually agreed to peace; three years ago, we agreed to allow him and his forces safe passage through our lands, and in return, they would not raid our towns and villages. I know not why they have ventured this far past their territory, but I am afraid we have gained the ire of their leader." Donnager sighed, "Damn. Let''s report this to command. Sarah, tell them we were attacked by bandits and their leader might go to war because of all that treaty stuff. If possible, request for a surveillance drone and reinforcements. Some Apaches would do quite nicely if we were ever to be under attack." "On it, sir. Command, this is Alpha Team¡­" "Okay everyone. Get some rest. Tomorrow''s ¡ª ah, today''s a big day." ¡ª 10:13 A.M. The excavation team just finished their work, having cleared the rubble from the silvery blast door that guarded the base of the mountain. "Holy shit, it''s like Halo¡­" Alex gasped. "Now, I''m no anthropologist but even I can see that this is wayyy too advanced for the civilizations we''ve encountered thus far," Oppenheimer remarked. "Areas like this have been here since the dawn of our world, even before the era of the Axon Empire, before the Divinians had built their first city." "How interesting." Jones marveled at the architecture and design of the door. It resembled a blast door from a nuclear bunker inside a mountain, except it looked much more elegant. By the door, there was some sort of interface, upon which Jones placed his hand. Suddenly, the door began to open, two sides of the door retracting into their respective compartments, left and right, as if they were sliding. The soldiers readied their rifles, unsure about the contents of this bunker. "What did you just do?" Donnager asked, analyzing for possible threats. A stern look on his face, Jones replied. "I opened Pandora''s box." 21 Site Beta One June 18 10:14 A.M. The groans of sliding metal ceased as the doorway was fully opened, a hallway inside illuminated only by the light of Sola. Cold air rushed out of the chamber as the warmer atmosphere outside rushed in. The first visitors in perhaps millennia stood outside the doorway, almost all of them with their mouths agape, or displaying confusion in some manner. One, in particular, trembled more than the others. This man, an old wizard by the name of Kelmithus, expressed fear. "You okay, Kelmithus?" Donnager asked, noticing the sweat rolling down the old wizard''s forehead. "Ah, of course, my good friend. It is merely that we sealed these ruins off for a reason¡­" Kelmithus began to speak again, but Donnager cut him off. "Don''t worry about it. After all, you are the first man to dabble in the forbidden magics in centuries, when you created that portal to our world." Kelmithus, not knowing how to respond, merely nodded. "Indeed." SNAP! Everyone present turned to look at the source of this sound. It was Jones, who was taking pictures of the spectacle before them. In contrast to his other teammates, he was the only person smiling; in fact, he was grinning like a madman. "Bro, what are you smilin'' about? We coulda just been cursed by opening this gate!" Alex pointed out. "Ahh, I wouldn''t worry too much about that, son. C''mon now, be excited!" Jones enthusiastically said, addressing his team members. "This is the most astounding find that I have ever come across! Imagine the secrets this structure has to offer!" "Probably some Flood type shit¡­" Ryan muttered. "Alright cut the chatter. Our objective is to locate and retrieve artifacts that may be of use to us. This place has been abandoned by its original owners a long ass time ago, so we shouldn''t be worrying about any curses. Sergeant Williams brings up a good point though. Keep your eyes peeled for any creepy crawlies that may have taken up residence here. The excavation team will be on standby, guarding the entrance. Alright people, let''s move!" Alpha Team moved into the mysterious chamber, their footsteps echoing off the walls of the structure, the acoustic resonance of its architecture amplifying these sounds. Their flashlights turned on, members of the team inspected the silvery walls as they moved forward, marveling at the futuristic design of the building''s infrastructure. Eventually, the team happened upon a smaller door with an interface similar to the one in front of the entrance. Jones placed his hand on it just like he did minutes ago. The door opened, revealing a chamber so large that the light from the Americans'' devices could not even reach the end. "Wow, this cavern is indeed massive!" Kelmithus remarked. "It sure is¡­ if only we could somehow find a way to turn on the lights in this place¡­" Tesla muttered. "Hold on, the doorways must have been powered in order to receive a response from Jones. Unless they receive electricity from an internal battery unit, then that means the power is on! We just need to find the light switch, whatever that may look like," Oppenheimer deduced. "Uhh¡­ like this?" Jones poked something on the wall, making it flash to life. Suddenly, lights around them began activating, revealing a mostly empty room, aside from the building-sized circular gateway in the center and miscellaneous items lying about. The circular gateway was ancient, yet remained in pristine condition aside from the dust collecting on its surfaces. Suddenly, a radio crackled to life. "C¡ª¡ª door ¡ª¡ª¡ª read?" The communication came from the excavation team outside. "This is Alpha lead Actual, mountain is interfering with the comms; we can''t read you," Donnager informed, before he was interrupted by a loud slamming sound. "Sir, that wasn''t the door was it?" Sarah asked. "Aw shit bro we''re trapped in here!" Alex despaired. "I spent many hours trapped in tombs and labyrinths during my adventures; it shouldn''t be too hard to find a way out. Probably just some standard lockdown protocol." Jones was the only member of the team without worry on his face. "What if we run out of air before then?" Kelmithus asked. "Hey, since they''re so advanced, maybe this place has those oxygen things that are on space stations. No need for a ventilation system if they''ve got those," suggested Ryan. "True, but based on their technological achievements, one can surmise that the builders of this facility were a race of science, and hence, efficient. A simple ventilation system that utilizes this planet''s breathable atmosphere would be more efficient than installing a oxygen conversion unit." Tesla countered. As the members of Alpha Team discussed plans, red lights began to glow, signifying an alarm. "Intrusion detected in Section 4, initiating lockdown procedures." "Damnit Jones, what the hell did you do?" Owens hissed. "Oh, he speaks! Well, I didn''t do anything. Think about it. A good few minutes passed after I turned on the lights, before the alarm came on. It wouldn''t make sense for the security of this facility to detect something so late, especially considering their advanced technology." "Wait, I remember seeing something outside, before we came in here. This isn''t Section 4," Richard mentioned, confusion visible on his face. "This is Section 1. If the sections are labeled based on their location, then Section 4 is deeper inside the facility." "Sir, I don''t like the vibe of this, man," Alex stated. "Right. Any moment now some Flood could come bursting out of the walls¡­" Ryan said, looking at the various doorways that led to this chamber. "Wait," Kelmithus interrupted, "the voice spoke in your native language; I did not sense your communication buffs activate." The members of Alpha Team looked at Kelmithus in confusion before realization slowly dawned on them; the alert was given in English. "Aliens speak English?" Oppenheimer wondered. "Homo Magus Sapiens," Jones muttered, as if he was lost in thought. "What?" "Ancient humans built this place. Omnis told me that he was created by a precursor race of humans known as Homo Magus Sapiens. Why they speak English, he does not know." "How interesting¡­" Donnager thought for a moment, distracted by the possible reasons why these precursor humans spoke English, before giving his orders. "Ryan, have your team stay here with the scientists and keep ''em safe." "Got it, sir!" "Owens, Kelmithus, Jones, you''re with me. We''re going to investigate Section 4." ¡ª \u003c Jones \u003e ( What? ) \u003c Bring me to Section 2. Section 2 in such facilities are control centers; I can bring up a map of the facility. \u003e (Okay.) "Captain, my scepter wishes to visit Section 2. We can get a layout of this place." "Okay Jones. Lead the way." Receiving directions from Omnis, Jones navigated toward a different corridor where the entrance to Section 2 was located. There, he was given an override code by Omnis in order to open the door. Why did such an advanced civilization have manual controls, he wondered. He realized that it must have been for emergencies such as this, and pushed aside the thought. When prompted for the code, a holographic keyboard appeared, allowing Jones to input the code. When the door opened, the team reacted in surprise, amazed by the devices that were scattered throughout the room. Wheeled chairs that looked extremely comfortable were gathered around a circular table that had a dome in the center. Most likely a hologram projector, the three America s theorized. To the left was a set of tables and chairs, arranged for dining purposes. Behind these tables and chairs were some silvery machines placed on a counter, plates and other dishware in cabinets below. "Huh. They look an awful lot like Star Trek replicators don''t they?" Donnager muttered, rubbing his short beard while his other hand held his rifle. Owens, who preferred not to speak much, simply nodded in agreement, his eyes scanning for any lurking threats. \u003c That device to your right, yes that one. Bring me to it. \u003e Heeding Omnis'' command, Jones walked over to a box-shaped device. With Omnis now in close proximity to it, he began to glow in a particular pattern. Considering the pattern that the device was also displaying, Jones and his teammates all deduced that Omnis establishes some sort of wireless connection to the device, similar to how Bluetooth pairing works. Surely Tesla and Oppenheimer would be ecstatic about this, seeing an artificial intelligence interface with another network. After a minute, Omnis stopped his communication with the device. \u003c I have completed downloads of this facility''s data. You can now use your projection ability to show the map; it will appear in front of you as a hologram. \u003e Testing his ability out, Jones projected a three dimensional holographic map of the facility, denoted as Site Beta One. With a mental command, Section 4 became highlighted in yellow, contrasting it from the blue light that formed the rest of the hologram. Their current floor was magnified, hiding the additional floors above and below. A red line marked directions for Jones'' party. With the path clear, the party of four continued their mission. While walking, Jones studied the map, ignoring the blaring sirens going off around him. Section 3 was apparently an armory, so he let Donnager know. Interested in seeing some advanced weaponry, Donnager allowed a quick detour to the armory. Once they arrived at the armory, Jones opened the door using an access code provided by Omnis. Section 3 more closely resembled a hangar, with empty vehicle bays. Kelmithus, experiencing an even more potent culture shock, remained silent, closely following the other members of the team. Jones, on the other hand, was excited to be exploring such mysterious ruins, or rather, sites, considering that the facilities were merely abandoned. "Where would the firearms be kept?" Donnager asked Jones. Pointing, Jones replied, "Probably in one of these smaller rooms." There were a dozen other doors in this section of the building, and the team split up in groups of two to search the rooms. Kelmithus went with Owens to search the left side of the chamber, while Jones went with Donnager to search the right side. Some of the rooms appeared to be offices, used for meetings. Only 4 of the other rooms were armories, and two of these were empty aside from random pieces of unidentifiable equipment. Of the two that weren''t empty, one had a stash of what appeared to be explosives, while the other had a small stash of sleek-looking guns. The sleek looking guns were comfortable to hold, weighed little, but had no visible magazine compartment. Donnager picked up a large rifle, most likely for anti-material or sniping purposes, and analyzed it. Engravings on the weapon identified it as an N109. It was not a bolt action rifle, and had two circles on the side of the weapon with etchings on each and sticks in the centers. The first circle had etchings for semi automatic and fully automatic, while the second circle had number values, counting from 0 to 100 with increments of 10. ''Interesting,'' Donnager thought. He placed the weapon down and picked up what looked like a sidearm. It looked quite small, especially around the grip, but when he picked it up, the grip molded into his palm, adjusting itself for maximum comfort. As this happened, Donnager initially became surprised, before smiling, impressed at the technological feat displayed. Viewing the engravings on the weapon, he identified it as an N25. The sidearm had only one circle, depicting the power output of the weapon, from 0 to 100 percent. Currently, the stick was moved down, below 0. He assumed that this acted as the gun''s safety mechanism. "Hey Jones, take this." Donnager gave Jones his standard issue sidearm - the M9 Beretta. Jones accepted, placing it in his empty holster, as Donnager took the futuristic sidearm from the armory and stowed it in his own holster. Owens did the same with another N25. SCREEEEE! An inhuman screech rang out, almost deafening Donnager and his team. It came from the direction of Section 4, and appeared to be coming this way. "Hey Jones, Section 3 is the armory. What''s Section 4?" Donnager asked. "Section 4¡­ let''s see here, umm, it is the¡­" Jones'' heart sunk, aghast at what he discovered. "Spit it out, Jones. We don''t have all day," Owens ordered. "Section 4 is the biological research section¡­" "Shit." ¡ª "I told you there was gonna be some Flood type shit! Quick, establish a perimeter; use the entrance as a chokepoint," Ryan ordered. "Sir, what if they get through the other doors?" Alex asked. "Well, I''m hoping that those other doors are still locked, and that whatever''s out there doesn''t know how to unlock it," Ryan replied. "Sarah, what do the scientists see in the security office?" "Sir, they saw the Captain''s group booking it back here, and the hologram''s showing four hostiles trying to catch up to them." "Do we know what the four hostiles look like? Just what are we facing here?" "It''s too dark in that section of the facility. The lights were on there earlier, I think, but whatever happened knocked them out. We have to wait until the hostiles reach Section 3 to identify them." "Alright. Alex, meet up with the Captain''s team and bring ''em back here." "Yes sir!" ¡ª SCREEEEE! "Shit, it''s getting louder!" Donnager managed in between huffs. Despite Kelmithus'' speed magic, it appeared that whatever was behind them was gaining on them, almost halfway to Section 3 now, while they were still running to Section 2. All members of Donnager''s team were sprinting as fast as they could, hoping to get to the rest of Alpha Team in time to fortify their position and engage the threat. They reached Section 2 in an additional minute, where they saw Sergeant Alex Gutierrez. "Quickly, we need to hurry back to Section 1!" He yelled. The five men were nearly back to Section 1 when they heard another petrifying screech. Hearts pounding and hair raised, they looked back to see four giant spiders rounding the corner, back where Section 2 was. These Spyders were the size of horses, and were currently scuttling at ridiculous speeds toward the running humans. "HOLY HELL! RUN!" As they ran, they attempted to slow down the incoming beasts using weapons and magic. None wanted to sacrifice mobility for accuracy, so all personnel who had firearms sprayed behind them while running, hoping to get lucky. Jones and Kelmithus casted fireballs at the Spyders and used wind magic to slow them down as much as possible. SCREEEE! One of the Spyders screeched in pain as bullets and fireballs made impact with its carapace. Recognizing the threat posed by the fleeing humans, the Spyders began to weave and dodge, doing their best to avoid the projectiles launched at them. Two of the Spyders began running along the walls, and one began running along the tall ceiling. "Damnit, I''m out of bullets with this mag! I can''t grab my spare mags!" Owens yelled. "JUST RUN!" Donnager ordered. Kelmithus began to lag behind the group, his old wizard bones not used to such strain. Seeing this, Donnager grabbed a flashbang from his utility belt and primed it. "Kelmithus! I''m gonna blind them!" Kelmithus had no time to reply as he saw the flashbang leave the Captain''s hands, landing somewhere behind him. BANG! The Spyders slowed down, disoriented from the blinding concussive blast from the grenade, and taking advantage of this, Kelmithus created a flame wall in order to secure their escape. "Almost there!" Jones yelled as they were 100 meters from the door to Section 1. In front of the doorway, he saw Sergeant Ryan Williams'' group, their rifles ready. The five men running for their lives were sprinting at such a speed that they might''ve been able to compete in the Olympics, even with all the gear they were carrying. Just ten seconds later, they covered a distance of 50 meters. Unfortunately, the flame wall dissipated, the Spyders quickly rushing to close the 50 meter gap. However, the Spyders encountered stiff resistance the moment the flame wall vanished, with 7.62 mm rounds from Ryan''s team penetrating their carapaces. They were able to cut down the rushing monsters, allowing Donnager''s team to retreat safely. Just as Donnager''s team reached them, though, additional Spyders rounded the corner. This time, there were twelve of them. Now having regrouped, Alpha Team began laying down coordinated fire upon the approaching Spyders, each only capable of sustaining about ten rifle rounds to the main body before perishing with an ear-splitting cry. "Aim for the face! Try to conserve ammo; we don''t know how many more are out there! Tesla, get back to the security room and let us know how many are out here!" Donnager gave his orders, reloading after gunning down two of the Spyders. Kelmithus and Jones attacked the monsters with lightning, instantly frying Spyders with each blast. The Spyders were eliminated just as Tesla returned, green fluids splattered all over the walls of the hallway. "Oh my¡­" Tesla muttered, witnessing the carnage of battle. Remembering his duty, he informed Donnager of the situation. "Captain, there are twenty more coming this way. Aside from these, there were no more hostiles according to this facility''s computer. They''ll be arriving shortly; they''ve just passed Section 3." "Ammo count?" Donnager asked. "2 mags sir." "Three mags." "Just my sidearm." "I''m getting quite tired from all this spellcasting." "If only I was a tad bit younger¡­" "Alright. We kill as many as we can before retreating into Section 1. Then we figure it out from there." After everyone finished reloading their weapons and readjusting their gear, Kelmithus popped up, saying that he had a way to kill all of the Spyders. "Jones, I have a plan," Kelmithus said. "I''ve been working on a new spell, a beam of light that can incinerate those upon which it gazes. With your permission, Captain, I would like to try this." If Kelmithus and Jones succeeded, then Alpha Team would not have to worry about being trapped in Section 1. Unless they got lucky somehow, the only way out of this facility would be to eliminate the monsters. It was possible that the security system on site determined the Spyders a threat, and thus initiated a lockdown. With the Spyders dead, the lockdown would be lifted. "Damnit. Okay, be quick," Donnager conceded. "We need you to cover us while we charge our photonic magic." With this, Kelmithus and Jones began preparing their spell. 22 New Opportunities Month 6, Day 18 1:11 P.M. There was silence; only the sounds of hearts beating and hard breathing could be heard by Alpha Team. Tired from their Olympic tier sprint, Donnager''s party and Alex were given some water in order to recuperate. In less than two minutes, more Spyders would round the corner from Section 2. "Distance from here to the end of this hallway is about 150 meters. Assuming the Spyders can travel twice as fast as us, then we will have about 30 seconds before the Spyders reach our position. Maybe longer if we can harass them with stun grenades¡­" Donnager trailed, thinking about the situation. The 40mm underbarrel grenade launchers of their primary weapons generally have effective ranges of about 300 meters, if launched at a 45 degree angle. That would be impossible in this scenario because of the height of the ceiling, which was about 10 meters. His men would therefore be required to launch at lower angles, thus reducing the effective distance of the launcher. The maximum throwing distance of handheld grenades would be even shorter, maybe at about 20 to 40 meters. Considering this, Donnager began formulating a plan. "Owens, I remember you used to play baseball as a pitcher; how far can you throw?" "Sir, maybe around 30 meters on a good day." "Okay. Everyone give your handheld grenades to Owens. Frags and stuns. Owens, you''ll be using your rifle until the Spyders get close enough for the grenades. Remember to conserve your bullets. Once the Spyders round the corner, you''re cleared to engage. Once they reach the third set of columns, they''ll be about 90 meters from our position. At that point, I want everyone to switch to their grenade launchers; make sure your angle is low so you don''t hit the ceiling." Donnager paused, seeing confirmation from his team. "Jones, Kel, progress on your spell?" "About 60 seconds," Kelmithus answered. "Gotta be faster. We don''t have much¡ª" SCREEEE! Four red-eyed giant Spyders rounded the corner and instantly fell as a hail of lead ripped them to shreds. TATATATATATA! "Stagger your shots! We need continuous fire on these bastards!" The professionally trained Rangers coordinated their assault in such a way that at least one person was shooting at all times, providing cover fire for the rest to reload. The Spyders, hindered by the corpses of their brethren, spent precious milliseconds navigating around and over the bodies, providing ample time for Alpha Team to cut them down. The front lines of the Spyders were decimated, but the Americans were starting to deplete the ammunition for their main weapons just as the Spyders crossed the third set of columns. "Grenade launchers!" "THIRTY SECONDS!" Loud pops echoed throughout the chamber as Alpha Team rained down consistent fire upon the hideous crawlers, who died to every two blasts they were hit with. Unfortunately, the Rangers only had one shot with their launchers, and thus were only able to kill three more of the Spyders before having to switch to their sidearms. At this point eight Spyders remained. "Focus fire on the closest target!" Donnager yelled as he pulled out his new N25 pistol, switching the power setting to 100%. Taking aim, he pulled the trigger, surprised that nothing happened after half a second. Luckily, he realized that it was charging up before he took aim again and allowed the charged bolt to annihilate the closest target. Blue plasma exploded as it came into contact with the beast, turning its exoskeleton into an oven as the Spyder heated up to unsustainable temperatures and burst open from the expanding fluids and gases within. The rest of his team looked at the burning husk of a Spyder before they quickly returned to their work. "TEN SECONDS!" The Spyders were 30 meters away, nine of them left. Alpha Team would be cutting it extremely close. "Owens, grenades!" Concussive forces from his grenades slowed down the oncoming Spyders, allowing the team to take down two more before they began to reorganize and resume their assault. Just as the Spyders were 10 meters away, though, a yell rang throughout the hallway. "GET DOWN!" BZZZZZZZZZZZ! A bright blue light erupted from a hovering pattern of concentric circles and overlapping stars, amongst other geometric shapes. The remaining seven Spyders disappeared in the light, seemingly turned to ash by the force of the beam. Alpha Team stood back as they watched the two mages in their team, one from Earth and another from Gaerra, channel their energies into the blast, their clothes billowing due to the sheer force and heat generated by their spell. After two seconds of utter annihilation, the light vanished and the glowing pattern faded away. The aftermath of this arcane assault was glorious; there was almost nothing left of the Spyders. The walls of the hallway were seared black in places that had Spyder guts on them, and the ground was littered with smoldering pieces of exoskeleton and ash. "Shame; Spyder parts are generally quite valuable. Regardless, I am grateful to be alive," Kelmithus muttered before collapsing to his knees. "Shit, that was close," Donnager admitted. "Couldn''t agree more, sir," Sarah agreed. Just as she finished her comment, a voice crackled to life throughout the facility. "Threats neutralized. Lockdown procedures lifted. Resuming normal operations." "Everyone okay?" Richard asked. "Aside from trauma, I''d say I''m perfectly fine," Oppenheimer replied, coming out of Section 1. "Just tired," Jones said. A sound then resonated from the entrance, a sound that brought smiles to Alpha Team; the blast doors had opened. "We repeat, Raider Lead to Alpha Team, do you read us?" "This is Alpha Lead. We read you loud and clear." "Sir, glad to know you''re alright. What''s going on in there? We heard gunshots, explosives, and other¡­ inhuman noises." "Just some cave monsters. We took care of it. We''ll be in the light in just a moment." Alpha Team began walking toward the exit, relieved that they survived their first encounter with the monsters of this world. "Sir, you think we leveled up from that?" Alex joked. "Haha, no, Sergeant Gutierrez. But, I do believe we did gain some nice experience toward our next ranks," Captain Donnager smirked. "Might even get a promotion for all this monster hunting in the future." "That pistol you looted from the armory sure is something, ain''t it," Ryan commented. "Probably packs more of a punch than an AMR." "Sure does. I bet the nerds over here," Donnager said, gesturing to Oppenheimer and Tesla, "would love to crack one of these open." Staring at the weapon with an envious look on his face, Ryan muttered, "Wish I could have one¡­" "Haha, maybe in a few years when the engineers figure out how to produce it." Alpha Team''s banter continued until they finally saw the light outside. "Fresh air¡­" ¡ª Fort Washington 2:25 P.M. "Yes, Mister President. Alpha Team has successfully completed their mission; we''re securing the site as we speak. Soon, we''ll be able to send in some research teams to study the artifacts within," General Harding explained. "This is technically Sonaran territory though¡­" The general paused, thinking of a way to reassure the president. "Mister President, I understand your concerns, but given the facility''s proximity to Fort Sogath, we can say that we''re sending in additional reinforcements and fortifying the southern perimeter." "Hmm, very well then. I''m still looking at an overview of the mission¡­ seems like Alpha Team ran into some - for lack of a better word - monsters?" The general shuddered at the thought of the creatures. He remembered viewing a picture of them sent to him by the excavation team. "Yes, they''re called Spyders with a ''y'' instead of an ''i''. They appear to be a hostile monster common to cave systems and valleys. According to Alpha Team, they had a pretty tough time dealing with them, even with their loadouts. They''ll be arriving at the base around 1700 hours local time, and will be submitting a report of their mission." There was a short moment of silence, prompting General Harding to wonder what the President was thinking. "Thank you, General. Now, I''ve also learned that Alpha Team May have accidentally started a war with a¡­ bandit nation?" "Yes, Mister President. Think of this region like the region controlled by the criminal Hutts in Star Wars. These bandits apparently became so powerful that the Sonarans were forced to sign some sort of treaty with them. But, with recent events, these bandits might consider the disappearance of one of their groups as an act of aggression from the Sonarans, since the fight occurred on Sonaran territory. Ambassador Perry is currently in talks with his Sonaran counterpart, trying to get information on this group of criminals. So far, we know that they have an army numbering at most 200,000, and that they might start a war against the Sonarans. Should such an event occur, we won''t be able to properly secure the facility." Another pause from President Keener intensified the tense feeling General Harding was overcome with. ''Why the hell did those bandits have to attack us out of nowhere?!'' Harding thought. "I see. Well General, I am giving you the authority to do whatever you need to do in order to secure that facility. You may request additional reinforcements from our bases in the Southwest Defense Complex, should you need them. Securing access to all of the advanced technology in that facility is a top priority, and the same goes for any other facilities you might find. Good luck General, I expect to see some results." The President ended the call, leaving General Harding alone in his office. He sighed, frustrated that he now had to deal with two fronts and multiple operations. He decided that the plan to take key locations as a bargaining chip for Nobian negotiations would still commence, but he would need to clear out the bandits first. His original plan against the Nobians, codenamed Operation Upper Hand, was scheduled to be carried out on June 23rd, which gave him six more days (excluding today) to eliminate the bandit threat. Fortunately, Lady Sindis from the Sonaran Foreign Affairs Department reported that the bandits tend to use their entire army during engagements, as a show of force. "Well. Looks like it''s time for some shock and awe." ¡ª Somewhere in Mekkan "Dommieur President, here is the report you asked for." "Thank you. Dismissed." The assistant bowed before leaving the room. Now alone, President Du Korelius scanned the report, slightly displeased due to its extreme length of 69 pages. He read the title of the report, known as the "Analysis of Otherworlder Presences", before flipping to the contents. The first section of the report detailed the portal in the North Grenden Plains, in the continent of Eanif. This section was split into multiple subsections, preceded by a short summary that described the circumstance that led to the appearance of the portal, all of the information obtained from the observer sent about a month ago. The first subsection focused on the general details about the Otherworlders who came from this portal. They called themselves Americans, hailing from the United States of America. Evidently, they claimed to be the most powerful country on their world. Du Korelius stroked his elegant mustache, deep in thought. He then skimmed over the rest of the subsection, glossing over the details about American demographics and items from their world. He would read these later, perhaps when he got up tomorrow morning. For now though, another subsection garnered his attention: the second one, which examined the technology of the Americans. Indeed, their capabilities piqued his interest; they were reported to have cars and planes, except with greater functionality than those of Mekkanese design. "That must mean that they''re a scientific civilization, just like us!" Du Korelius muttered to himself, a smile forming on his face from the excitement of encountering another magically inept society. He then read up on the examples provided by some observers and Sonaran witnesses. His good friend Selios was given a telephone, much like the ones in Mekkan. Others have witnessed seeing the American soldiers talking into handheld black boxes, seemingly holding conversations alongside giving and receiving orders. He thought about what this could''ve meant, and what such a capability would imply about military coordination and commerce. These black boxes must be some sort of radio technology, he deduced, and apparently they were much more advanced than bulky Mekkanese radios, which were large boxes about the size of a small luggage. The black boxes were distributed amongst all the soldiers, so their military at the very least was potentially extremely coordinated and effective. Other contraptions that caught his attention were those of American warplanes and tanks. Mekkanese warplanes were a mixture of biplanes and monoplanes, with biplanes currently being phased out as more monoplanes were contracted. The best Mekkanese monoplane could probably field a speed of about 380 miles per hour, with a lot of theorized room for growth. The American planes were purportedly faster than sound, and had no propellers. They relied on a different method of propulsion that Mekkanese engineers were just beginning to experiment with: jet engines. He also noted the swept wing design of the planes, muttering to himself, "Interesting." Aside from the jets, which could be used for quick strikes, these Eanish Otherworlders had rotary-winged aircraft, also in the early stages of experiment here in Mekkan. They effectively filled the role of a flying tank, ripping apart enemy armor and troop formations. Speaking of tanks, the main battle tank of the Americans would be classified as a heavy tank by their standards. They were used in the so-called Battle of Fort Washington, but details of the tanks'' role in battle are hazy; the night obscured many details about it, and the only information that could be determined from observation was its accuracy at night. Then, he heard a knock on the door. "Come in," President Du Korelius said, still studying the report. "You requested my presence, Dommieur President?" "Ah, Diplomat Bonaparius, yes. I commissioned this report here," he said, gesturing toward the large packet on his desk, "because of the stories I heard about the exploits of these Americans. Did you know that the standard firearm for one of their soldiers is an automatic rifle? Our people are barely beginning to switch to automatic weapons, and even then some of these weapons are prone to failure and ineffective at longer ranges. This report here states that they can ''hit targets at a distance of up to 400 meters, even in nighttime'' with their standard rifle." "That is indeed worrisome, Dommieur President," Diplomat Bonaparius replied, unsure what type of answer the President was expecting. "Not if they''re our friends," Du Korelius noted, getting up from his desk. Seeing the look of realization on the diplomat''s face, he continued, getting straight to the point. "I need you to lead a diplomatic team to this¡­ Fort Washington. You''ll have a convoy ready for you once you land at our eastern colonies." "What about the other visitors? What did they call themselves?" "They called themselves Erdans, hailing from the planet of Erda. The Aurelian portal is a bit far from our jurisdiction, and seems to be closer to the Quod; I don''t want to cause an international scuffle due to this. The ships they''ve sent through the portal in the Aurelian Ocean appear to be emitting radio waves, so we can just establish communication that way." "Very wise, Dommieur President." "Thank you; you''ll be leaving by first light tomorrow morning. Dismissed." The diplomat bowed before exiting the room. Du Korelius returned to his desk, and analyzed the second section of the packet, which detailed the Erdans and their capabilities. The Quod Republic had apparently opened up a portal, after seeing that it was possible thanks to Kelmithus'' efforts in the North Grenden Plains. The reason why, he could only assume. The Quod Republic in recent years has been antagonistic toward its former allies, demanding more for its role as the guard against the Orc Horde. Their leaders probably felt like they weren''t being rewarded enough, and thus sought to conquer new lands for the riches they were denied of. It seems that they grew too complacent after their victories against the Orcs, and opened a portal with the intention of conquest. Their pride and greed led to their downfall, dealt in the form of ''thundering booms from floating steel fortresses''. Two nations came through two different portals last month. One of them was the United States of America, hailing from Earth. The other, Du Korelius thought, also had an interesting name. "The Eternal Reich." ¡ª Authors Note: If you enjoy my story, please remember to vote and/or submit a rating! Please join my discord if you wish to discuss more about my story. https://discord.gg/ymbTbNw 23 Divide and Conquer Month 6, Day 20 10:50 A.M. "General, it''ll be an intensive psychological warfare operation, on a much larger scale than what we''ve done back in ''Nam against the Vietcong or in the Philippines with those Aswang superstitions. If we want to ensure that these¡­ criminals ¡ª for lack of a better word ¡ª do not attack the Sonarans or us, then we need to make them believe that resistance is futile." General Harding replied after a moment of silence, allowing the gears to click and the plans to formulate before providing insight. "Demonstrate a show of force; let them know what will happen to them should they resist. Back them into a corner, but not too far in the sense that they''ll become desperate and lash out. Instead, offer them salvation before it comes to that. Yes, that''ll be good. What do you propose, Colonel?" Colonel Sanders thought for a moment, a smile growing on his face as he responded. "Preemptive strike, sir. Currently we know that about half of their total forces are gathering at a camp north of a city known as Chunam. We can let their army build up until they have reached their desired numbers, then strike. Unfortunately, this means we will have to abandon your goal to eliminate the threat within a week. We will have to requisition some more forces for this operation, sir." "No need for that, Colonel. The President has given me full authority to neutralize the threat by any means necessary. I''ve already requisitioned two GBU-43 B units for this mission, alongside some white phosphorus munitions. I''ve been informed by the Sonarans on what these criminals have done to their people, and can do to ours should they remain a threat." The General had a dark look on his eyes before continuing. "The security of Site Beta One is top priority for this assignment; you''ll have access to 2 B-2 bombers, one B-52, and a squadron of fighters for escort. We will have a small battalion from the 75th Ranger Regiment on site as an additional precaution. Most of our forces will be busy participating in Operation Upper Hand, so you''ll need to make do with what you have, Sanders." "What about the negotiations?" "The negotiations have been canceled. Unfortunately for the Nobian Emperor "Understood, sir! I''ll make sure they''re deep fried before they even get near our guys on the ground." "Thank you, Colonel. Dismissed." Colonel Sanders stood up from his seat and exited the room. After he left, General Harding heard a knock at the door. "Come in," he said. Looking up, he saw the man who walked in: Captain Henry Donnager. "General Harding," the Captain said. "Captain, what can I do for you today?" "Sir, I request permission to use the new weapon we found at Site Beta One, the N25, as my personal sidearm." "And why should I give away such a valuable technological discovery?" The captain, anticipating this question, maintained his expressionless face. "For one, sir, the native wildlife of this planet are a force to be reckoned with, and given my most recent objectives, I find it to be imperative that I acquire the best equipment possible in order to protect our valuable scientific assets and to continue securing high value assets for our country. Also, there were a lot of N25 units back at the site; I''m sure the nerds in the labs have enough to experiment with. I will make sure to submit my field test findings to them," he said. Generals Harding, satisfied with Captain Donnager''s reasoning, smiled amusingly. "Very well, Captain. But be warned, we still don''t know how to reload that thing, nor do we know how to check it''s ammo or energy capacity." "Noted, sir. Thank you." "No, thank you, Captain, for helping discover this cache of equipment. Oh, and be sure to report to me tomorrow at 0800 hours for your team''s debriefing. I''ve got a special assignment for your team." ¡ª 2:43 P.M. "Here are the most recent satellite pictures we''ve taken, sir. It seems that the Nobians are transferring some of their troops to a secure facility southwest of the city here," an intelligence officer said, pointing toward a city on a picture on the desk. Making a trail with his finger, he traced the troop movements caught from the satellite until his finger stopped near a dense forest. "I see. What do you think, Sergeant?" The man replied, unsure if his General was testing him. "I think that the Nobians have a hidden base somewhere in the forest, sir." "And what do you think they have in this here hidden base? What is the purpose of this?" "Well, sir, I think it may be a FOB or staging area for a surprise attack, given its proximity to the Sonaran city of Solsus." "Acute observation. Let me know if you fellas find anything else, and be sure to coordinate with the Sonarans. So far, they''re instructed to perform simultaneous attacks on the Nobian forts of Nilmeer and Norimaten once we commence Operation Upper Hand. Make sure their pride doesn''t get in the way; their melee prowess will do us no good if they''re right next to our targets." "Of course, sir," the officer said before leaving the room. ¡ª 3:23 P.M. Donnager watched the target in the distance, aiming through the streamlined sights of a foreign weapon. Taking a breath, he shifted his stance and aligned the target with his sights. Pipipi! Donnager fired three shots on the lowest setting, meant for stunning targets. The blue bolts all landed on the center of the designated target, slightly charring its surface. Off to the side, men in white lab coats recorded the results. "Hmm, no recoil on the lower settings. Let''s try moving it up a notch," he said to himself, turning the dial to 50%, which the scientists determined was meant for lethal use. Pewpew! Two blue lights raced toward the target, each separated by a distinct delay, placing the fire rate for the 50% power option at 450 rounds per minute. Again, the bolts hit dead center. Donnager inspected his weapon, impressed at the advanced recoil control mechanisms built into the gun which, combined with his trained hand, had nearly perfect accuracy, even at longer ranges. The gun apparently was developed with a built-in rangefinder and an adjustable sight that zoomed appropriately in accordance with the distance of the target. Lastly, he tested out the maximum power option. The scientists who experimented with the weapon yesterday recorded an energy equivalent of a quarter of a ton of TNT when the bolt collided with the test object. The larger unknown rifles had maximum power levels in the tens of tons of TNT. With these considerations in mind, he pushed the target further back and ensured that he was using a steel target rather than a wooden one. He held his breath, then exhaled as he pulled the trigger. Once again, there was a slight delay as the weapon charged up; this time, Donnager was aware of this and thus maintained his aim. The crackle of thunder resonated throughout the firing range, piquing the curiosities of nearby people. Donnager looked ahead, a smile growing on his face. The weapon was capable of punching through 3 inches of solid steel and deforming a good portion of the steel target, melting the front of it. Some of Donnager''s teammates were nearby, testing their own weapons before the captain had even arrived, although they had since stopped to watch a demonstration of the advanced energy weapon. Seeing what happened to the steel target Ryan walked up to Donnager. "Sure is a helluva gun there, sir. You should know sir that most of us here on the base are jealous that you get to run around with one of those alien blasters." "Well I''d say I''m a helluva captain. Maybe in a few months you''ll get one of your own blasters once RnD figures the stuff out. Hell, we haven''t even explored the lower levels of the facility yet. There''s a chance they''ll find some more good stuff down there." "Yeah, maybe," Ryan replied. "Hey, why don''t we go visit Jones? Hear he''s practicing his magic with Kelmithus."Having said that, Donnager turned his sidearm down to zero and stowed it away, before gesturing toward the door. "After you." Jones and Kelmithus were in the next room over, practicing in a converted firing range. The rest of Alpha Team was there, with Tesla, Oppenheimer, and Darwin all eagerly watching the unfolding events. Darwin in particular had long ago relinquished her status as a field operative, and instead remained at the base in order to conduct laboratory experiments and tests. Over the past month, she spent most of her time at the base working on studying magic; she discovered that humans from Earth had a vestigial structure located in the brain that is apparently active amongst the people of Gaerra. "It looks like Dr. Jones here found a way to activate this vestigial cerebral node, with the help of that staff," Darwin surmised. "Hey, the ''staff'' has a name y''know; his name is Omnis!" Jones interrupted. "Right; well anyway, these tests here alongside boosting his combat capabilities will help us analyze how magic works in the realms of physics and biology. Understanding this region of the brain can prove insightful into our knowledge of evolution, especially considering the things found in that advanced facility. English in a high tech place like that, thousands of light years from Earth¡­ I can''t even begin to comprehend the implications of something like this." "Well Darwin, looks like humanity''s been around far longer than we''ve ever thought," Tesla replied. "Right¡­" Donnager said. "My heads all tangled up just thinking ''bout that. Jones, you discover any new spells?" "Oh, I sure have! Thanks to our grasp of physics, I can basically combine spells and cast magic on a deeper level, like turning fireballs into plasma bolts, and generating EMPs and stuff." As Jones said this, he pointed a scepter at a nearby target, which promptly became engulfed in burning plasma. Before the room became uncomfortably warm, Kelmithus put out the fire with some ice magic. Amused by the interaction, Donnager raised an eyebrow before asking, "Think you''ll be able to go on missions with us? I feel like the DARPA guys are gonna want you on site so they can¡­ experiment." "Oh don''t worry about that; I''m probably the best individual asset that anyone on Earth has access to. Top brass wants me to participate in more missions, since I''m the most powerful weapon in our arsenal." "Not counting nukes though, right?" Oppenheimer interjected, "Well, for now, we are not including nuclear weapons in this comparison. However, we''ve tested the power output of Omnis and theoretically¡ª" "Let''s just say Jones has¡­ potential. So far, the most powerful spell he has casted can create a blast equivalent to a hundred tons of TNT. This doesn''t even include what he''s capable of when he casts other types of spells. I theorize that his defensive shields could probably withstand an energy threshold similar to his offensive limit. As for summoning spells, environmental magic, and telepathic capabilities, we don''t know yet what his limits are." "It is hard to translate the abilities of a man in one type of magic to his ability in another; each practice of magic requires different standards and environments of learning. Although I am considered a master wizard, there are still some magical subjects with which I falter, such as that of healing magic. It appears your friend is learning very quickly in the field of environmental magic, or as you may call it, physical magic due to its relation to physics. Of this type, the spells you''ve already encountered include explosive, reality distortion, and elemental," Kelmithus popped up. "Additionally, I believe the teachers of the Divinian Empire may be of greater assistance; their magical proficiency far surpasses mine, despite my title. A Sonaran master wizard has perhaps half the capabilities of a Divinian holy mage, their highest rank aside from their leader." "Interesting. Well, I see you''re teaching him well Master Kelmithus. I take it you''re also experimenting with new spells?" Donnager asked. "Indeed I am, Captain Donnager. I''ll be reporting my findings to the Sonaran Society of Magic soon. If I may, will it be possible to bring my students from my academy here to learn?" "Ah, deciding that is not part of my jurisdiction, but I''ll forward your request to Ambassador Perry; you guys can probably have some sort of exchange program with some universities back in the US." "Thank you very much, Captain. Now, if you''ll excuse me, we must return to our lesson." ¡ª Month 6, Day 21 8:00 A.M. "Ah, Captain Donnager, please take a seat." Nodding towards General Harding, Donnager sat at the empty seat by the door. "Now that everyone is here, let us get on with this meeting. I know what you all are probably wondering. Who is this man?" Harding asked, gesturing toward a man dressed in civilian clothing. "He is Director Tempos, and he''s the Nobian insider who provided us with the intel on Prince Lonad Novus, the imprisoned son of Emperor Novus. Tempos, if you can elaborate." "Of course, General. Prince Lonad is the next in line for the Emperor''s throne, but he''s been imprisoned due to ideological differences between himself and the emperor. Your ''See Eye Ay'' is very interested in breaking him out in order to install him as the new leader. Thus, your leader wishes you to seek the chained prince and free him from his prison. I have been working closely with loyalists and your intelligence officers to develop a plan. General," he said, signaling that he was complete with his portion of the debriefing. Nodding his head, General Harding began, "Alpha Team is to extract Prince Lonad from a dungeon located in the Nobian capital city of Nokk. Sergeant Miller, the intelligence reports." Sergeant Miller from the intelligence department brought over pictures of the building that Alpha Team needed to infiltrate. "Obviously, the civilians will have to sit this one out, but I''d like Dr. Jones and Master Kelmithus on the team, if possible." Jones and Kelmithus agreed and allowed General Harding to continue. "We''re going to be encountering enemy magic users based on intel provided by Director Tempos, and because of our limited knowledge on such matters, it is imperative that we fight back with our own magic. Stealth is a priority in this mission; the dungeon in which the prince is kept is incredibly near the royal barracks, so the enemy will be able to call for many reinforcements if they get the chance. Luna and Terra Squads will be conducting other missions around the capital. Luna Squad will rescue other political prisoners while Terra Squad will orchestrate several jailbreaks in order to overwhelm the guards within Nokk and sow chaos. In the meantime, a contingent of our forces will engage the defenses along the walls, luring the majority of the stationed army outside to defend. Sergeant Miller will inform you regarding the details, including enemy personnel count, layouts of the prison and city, and extraction point. Any questions?" "Yeah," Donnager popped up. "Will we be getting any air support in the event that we get overrun by Nobians?" Harding answered. "We''ll have one Apache from the Army and one Viper from the USMC ready for your tasking. While you''re not in need of them, they''ll be providing support for the main force; only call upon them if it is absolutely necessary. Lieutenant Colonel Keyes?" "Call sign for the Apache is going to be Seeker 3-1; and for the Viper it''ll be Firefly 1-1. My forces will secure the extraction site by the Nosh Courtyard near the city''s outer walls. Our objective is to hold the courtyard until the extraction is complete, but we will begin the assault at 0100 hours, thirty minutes after your team is dropped off at the designated LZ." "I''ve made sure that the Lieutenant Colonel has enough firepower to ensure a complete victory over any Nobian forces they may encounter at the city, but it is your duty to ensure that the package is secured." Upon seeing several heads nod, the General continued. "In two days we are going to have our first major offensive operation on an alien planet. I don''t have to remind you all what''s at stake here. The future of our country and perhaps the entirety of Earth will depend on what we do in this world, and we need to make damn sure that we make this planet safe for colonists. Am I clear?" "Sir yes sir!" ¡ª Authors Note: If you enjoy my story, please remember to vote and/or submit a rating! Please join my discord if you wish to discuss more about my story. https://discord.gg/ymbTbNw 24 Operation Upper Hand Part 1 Nobian Capital City, Nokk Month 6, Day 23 12:30 A.M. A slight fluttering was the only sound that could be heard in the dead of night, aside from occasional chatter and idle noise from within the city. Half a mile from the outer walls, a UH-60 Black Hawk landed in a clearing, positioned conveniently behind dense foliage. The machine slowly descended as a carefully crafted wind barrier redirected the sound of the helicopter blades away from the city. As the Black Hawk touched down, the wall of wind dissipated and the occupants exited. "Wow, that''s a pretty neat trick," Donnager remarked as he checked his equipment. Kelmithus nodded at this, his action barely visible under the faint moonlight. "I concur. How did you accomplish such a magical feat?" Alpha Team, geared up with dark, tactical equipment began their journey toward the wall, moving quickly and quietly. As they walked, Jones replied. "Well, it''s quite simple really. Oppenheimer and Tesla have been helping me combine magic and science. Omnis also helped out a lot, with his Matrix brain powers. I basically just used the principles of sound waves. Sound needs a medium to travel through. So, I just make a vacuum in front of the chopper to make it quiet. But, I do have to make sure not to interfere with the rotors, since they''re needed to create lift in order for the craft to fly." "Shit, we could combine that with cloaking magic and incorporate it into our stealth tech. Maybe we can get the Comanche program back again," Ryan said, his thoughts leading away from the task at hand. "Cut the chatter, we''re almost there," Donnager ordered. ¡ª "If General Nosh truly believes an event is going to transpire tonight, then why is our section guarded so lightly?" Guardsman Narano looked over to his fellow guard, slightly annoyed by this question. "What do you mean? Must you ask so many questions?" He scoffed, "I grow weary of this pestilence." "I mean nothing of it; I simply wish to know. Besides, conversation would be fruitful in staving away the desires of sleep." "Speak no further of this! You are annoying. And anyway, you should feel no drowsiness during the night. We are Nobians! This is our domain!" "Narano, you are too tense. It is not as if we will be experiencing an enemy attack at such an hour. After all, only we maintain such strategies. As you have said, the night is our domain. So relax; enjoy an easy job and a conversation with one of your brothers in arms." Narano loosened up a little, relaxing his muscles as he thought of a reply. Just as he was about to respond though, a gloved hand was suddenly placed over his mouth. Eyes wide, he looked over to his fellow guardsman, who was also under a similar attack. The attackers were dressed in all black, as if they were assassins from the Dark Shadow. Could they be rogue members from the organization? He did recall hearing a rumor of Director Tempos'' disappearance and whispers of a coup attempt. Unfortunately for Narano, his thoughts drifted as he became unconscious, his lungs unable to access the sustenance required due to an arm blocking his airways. ¡ª Alpha Team silently crept up along the wall, finding the auxiliary gateway through which they were supposed to enter. Only two guards were stationed by this area, and they were easily taken out by Donnager and Owens, who had snuck up on the unsuspecting guards. "Wouldn''t it have been easier to just slice their throats?" Kelmithus whispered. "Well yes, but they''re just gate guards. Most likely they''re fathers or husbands who have taken up a job to support their families. Besides, they won''t be able to get out of that room we just shoved them into. Come on, let''s keep moving." Donnager answered. Emerging on the other side of the wall, Alpha Team began moving toward their designated target. The holding facility which housed Prince Lonad appeared to be heavily guarded, posing a significant challenge for Alpha Team''s objective. "Director Tempos never mentioned this many guards¡­" Ryan said. "Someone must have tipped off the Nobians," Owens deduced. "How are we gonna get in?" Alex asked. "Kelmithus and Jones have been experimenting with cloaking magic. We thought something like this could happen so we prepared in advance. Remember, this is the first field test so we need to maintain our cover and remain hidden, as if we were conducting this operation normally." Donnager explained. Then, Jones and Kelmithus finished their incantations, rendering Alpha Team invisible, only detectable by their IFF tags which displayed each invisible member on the heads-up display present within their helmets. "Wow." It was difficult to determine who spoke, since none of the team could see each other, but everyone recognized the voice as Sarah Hayes''. The next voice that spoke was distinctly Donnager''s. "We don''t know how long this spell will last so let''s get moving. Try not to bump into anything." ¡ª Holding Facility Dungeon 12:55 A.M. "Owens, time?" Donnager asked. "Sir, 0055 hours. 5 minutes until Keyes is scheduled to begin the assault." "Alright, let''s hurry up. Hayes, where are we?" Sarah glanced at her tablet before replying. "Sir, Prince Lonad is in an isolated cell just up ahead." "Got it. Owens, get the prince outta there. We''ll watch the corridor for any guards coming in." "On it, sir," Owens replies as he snuck toward the cell. ¡ª Owens walked down the hallway, carefully checking each corner with his MP5. Alpha Team had already cleared this section, killing four guards, but there was no telling if more were in the vicinity, hiding behind corners. Torches illuminated the path ahead as he continued toward the prince''s cell. As he edged closer, he stopped, having heard the shuffling of armor. Slowly, he peeked the corner and spotted two guards in front of the prince''s cell and immediately executed the guards with his weapon. The prince yelled in response, having never before seen such weaponry. "Shh! I''m here to bust you out!" Owens whispered. The prince nodded and pointed toward the dead guard on his right. "Keys." Owens grabbed the keys to the cell from the dead guard and freed the prince. "Lead the way," he said, stepping out of his cell. ¡ª Owens returned to the corridor that Alpha Team was holding, finding two additional bodies by the doorway toward the exit. "Took you long enough," Donnager said. Ignoring this remark, Owens replied, focused on the mission. "I''ve got the prince. Let''s get out of here." "Right." Having studied the schematics of this facility, Alpha Team experienced little issue with regards to escape. They ran until they finally reached the back exit, only to find themselves surrounded by a hundred guards. "Well ain''t this a cliche," Jones commented. "Can we even beat this many?" Richard asked. Donnager, unsure about the situation, looked at his watch. He smiled, a stupid, but potentially brilliant idea forming in his mind. To his teammates, he whispered, "When you see the signal, we charge left and cut through their lines." The rest of Alpha Team, confused, asked about the signal. Apparently, according to Donnager, they would know when they see it. Having said this, Donnager needed to buy time. He stepped forth, announcing himself to the crowd of Nobian guards. "I am the mighty wizard Hoodini! You all will drop your weapons or face my wrath!" The time on his watch was displayed as 12:59:30. Thirty seconds left. "I have not heard your name; you must be merely an apprentice! You are surrounded. You are in no position to make demands," the guard captain sneered. "Ah, but you see, I control the powers of light!" Donnager pulled out a flashlight and began turning it on and off. The guard captain stared at him, unamused by his parlor tricks. "Do you think us to be fools? Any mage can do that!" Five seconds left. "Fine, then for my next and final act, I shall demonstrate the explosive power of the gods! Behold!" Donnager raised his arms, as if casting a magnificent spell. Simultaneously, massive explosions occurred throughout the city, creating bright flashes of light that caused the guards to look up into the sky. Understanding this was the signal, Alpha Team tossed stun grenades toward the crowd of guards. BANG! Alpha Team dashed left, running toward the designated extraction zone at the Nosh Courtyard. The guards, realizing that they''ve been duped, immediately began pursuit after they recovered from their disorientation. Unfortunately for them, Alpha Team has a considerable head start thanks to Donnager''s act, placing the guards at a massive disadvantage. As he ran, Donnager radioed command, informing them of their status. "We''ve got the package but he''s slowing us down! We could use some support!" He looked back, seeing Prince Lonad struggling to keep up. Indeed, years in a cell without any opportunity for cardio would result in such low stamina. However, Lonad tried his best, seeing that his life was on the line. "Alpha Lead, this is Taxi Lead, request is acknowledged. We are still trying to hold off assaults on our position. You''re on your own until we clear out this area." "Roger. Thanks for the heads up." As he took his hand off the radio, he fired at a charging Nobian guard who was able to get dangerously close to Prince Lonad. Alpha Team continued to run until they received a transmission from the team holding down the extraction zone. "We''re close to being overrun! There''s way too many of them! What''s your position?" "We''re half a klick out; should be there in about 4 minutes." "I don''t think we''re gonna last 4 minutes, Donnager." "Alright. I''m sending a Viper to your location." Donnager then patched into the network for requesting air support. "Firefly 1-1 this is Alpha Lead Actual, requesting close air support on the extraction zone." "This is Firefly 1-1, we copy." Up ahead, Donnager could barely make out a mass of Nobians, their silhouette against the raging flames allowing him to estimate their numbers. From the looks of it, Taxi was being pinned down by hundreds of archers and footmen, plus a handful of mages. For a 12 man team, they were holding fairly well, but not well enough to secure the extraction point. Incoming arrows and fireballs deterred the Chinook from landing, as it was too risky to stay on the ground. ¡ª "Fall back to secondary defensive line! Use the fountain for cover!" "Agh!" "Whitman is hit! Medic!" The injured soldier was dragged to safety by a brother in arms, allowing Taxi Squad''s medic to rush over and treat the wound. It was another lucky hit; the area to which the American defenders retreated was lit poorly, and thus the Nobians couldn''t see them. The only indication of their presence was the firing of their weapons. Enemy archers, seeing the muzzle flash of their firearms, would fire an arrow in that general direction. Once in a while, the Nobians would land an arrow near or on an American soldier. Thanks to the night vision goggles of the Americans, they were able to strike down targets with little challenge. Eventually, the Nobians figured out that they were visible to the Americans and sought cover behind various walls that lined the courtyard. "We need to disrupt their cover as much as possible; use grenades!" Taxi Lead yelled. Following the instructions of their commanding officer, the combat-capable soldiers of the unit began lobbing grenades and firing their launchers. Unlike the Americans, whose main weapons were dependent on line of sight, the Nobians could fire over walls, while still remaining in cover. The parabolic motion of arrows enabled the Nobians to randomly fire at the Americans, which didn''t change much since they were firing randomly in the first place. Unfortunately for the Americans, they did not have the luxury of being able to waste ammunition on blind fire. Eventually, they will run out of grenades to fight back with. On the other hand, the Nobians could continuously fire arrows at their position, winning this battle of attrition. Their firepower, even with explosives and light machine guns, was not overwhelming enough. Amidst the staccato of weapon fire and explosives going off, a faint thumping sound was heard in the distance, getting louder as seconds passed. Upon seeing the machine, the American soldiers cheered and intensified their barrage against the Nobians. The Nobian lines began to falter as their cover was rendered useless by the hovering machine of death. Hydra rockets were unleashed upon groups of archers hiding behind the stone walls that lined the perimeter of the courtyard, obliterating the cover they had and rendering the survivors vulnerable to the defenders on the ground. The onslaught continued for another minute until all the attackers were routed. The helicopter remained in the air, guarding the vicinity as the Chinook descended to pick up the ground teams. ¡ª "Damn," Donnager said as he arrived at the extraction point. "That''s a lot of damage." "Not even flex tape can fix this," Alex remarked. Alpha Team and Prince Lonad boarded the Chinook, followed by the members of Taxi Squad. Six Taxi Squad members were secured inside before another battalion of Nobians marched into the courtyard. "Firefly, you still got anything to throw at ''em?" Donnager asked. "All out of explosive ordnance, but I still have the chain gun." "That''s good. Light them up." The Viper lined its 30mm gun turret toward the marching force while the Nobians readied a volley of arrows. It was too late for the Nobians. The chain gun spun up, spewing pure death at the enemy. BRRRRRRRT! With one sweeping motion, the finely organized Nobian lines were shredded. Nothing remained but a bloody mess with dismembered body parts strewn across the area of the courtyard where the Nobian battalion once stood. Inside the helicopter, Prince Lonad had a look of horror on his face, having witnessed the destructive power of the metal dragon floating above him. "By the Moons¡­ It is a flying metal monster!" "I''m sorry you had to see that, Your Highness. I know they were your people, but I hope you understand that this is the price that must be paid in order to save your country from the likes of your father," Kelmithus said in an attempt to console the young man. "Your words carry great wisdom, Sonaran," Lonad replied with a shaky voice. Regaining his composure and sitting up straight, he continued, "I understand what must be done." All personnel within the helicopter stared outside as it took off, the tension within them starting to be relieved. Donnager looked over to Lonad, who was still trembling at the massacre he just witnessed. He then looked over at his teammates and fellow soldiers. They were glad, especially since no American lives were lost in this operation. The helicopter''s blades began to turn as it prepared to take off. A sudden jolt as it ascended slightly unnerved the prince. "Ah, this is most unnatural! I wish to travel by horse instead!" "We both know it''s not safe enough to do that, Your Highness," Donnager said. "Just stay in your seat." "My, how does this thing fly? I admit, I have little faith in the integrity of this machine. How often do you ride in this?" "Personally I''ve had over 20 rides in Chinooks like this. I guarantee you, it''s safe. Just relax, and enjoy the view outside." ¡ª Soon, the helicopter was in the air, almost over the city walls, at which point Lonad looked out of the window to see the view. Fires raged in numerous places within the city while thundering booms occasionally penetrated the hull of the Chinook and assaulted Lonad''s ears. The eastern wall of Nokk was completely obliterated in some sections. He surmised that this destructive feat was accomplished by the metal behemoths on the ground, with their long cylindrical noses. The skies were filled with metal dragons similar to the ones he saw at the Nosh Courtyard. A group of four of them were breathing fire upon a section of the ground. He shuddered at the implications of this; the dragons were most likely massacring thousands of defenseless soldiers below. He wondered, how could the Americans have achieved such air superiority? What happened to all of the Capital''s wyvern forces? He got his answer as he watched a pair of arrows in the distance, their outlines barely visible thanks to the lights on the tips of their wings. In the city, four wyverns emerged to greet some of the metal dragons that plagued the skies of his beloved city. Compared to the arrows, the wyverns were extremely slow. Suddenly, he saw the arrows unleash smaller arrows that had trails of light. A few seconds later, the wyverns that had been deployed were obliterated, causing Lonad to gasp in shock. The larger arrows were followed by several more, who ventured into the city. Moments later, flashes of light erupted throughout the city; explosions somehow caused by the large arrows were decimating buildings within his city. Lonad''s heart sank, and he wished to yell for them to stop, but he knew they could not hear him. The city grew smaller as his craft flew away, and his wish was mysteriously granted. The flying machines of the Otherworlders began to retreat, following them home. The explosions on the ground ceased. Seeing this, he silently thanked the moons for hearing his prayers. Unbeknownst to Lonad, the Americans ceased their assault not because of his wish, but because they had succeeded in their objective. His extraction represented the beginning of the end for Emperor Novus, and the sparks of life for a new empire, built in the image of a shining city upon a hill. ¡ª Authors Note: If you enjoy my story, please remember to vote and/or submit a rating! I would also appreciate it if you all could share my story; you guys are the people who motivate me to write! Join my discord if you wish to discuss more about my story. https://discord.gg/ymbTbNw 25 Operation Upper Hand Part 2 Nobian Throne Room Month 6, Day 23 2:23 A.M. General Norasa remained expressionless as he watched two other Nobian generals attempt to calm down their emperor. "To be attacked by barbarians, there is no greater damage to our pride! Such an egregious insult should not have happened in the first place!" "I understand, my lord, but it is okay since this is actually a part of our cunning strategy," General Nirimi said. His voice faltered as he ended his sentence. Norasa smirked internally; obviously Nirimi was on his last straw and was desperate to save his neck from a beheading. "Do enlighten me, what type of ''cunning strategy'' requires the destruction of my empire''s defenses?!" Nirimi, having had but a few seconds to develop his argument, responded with an accordingly poor justification. "My lord, it was to give the enemy a false sense of security. They will believe that our forces are weak, and thus underestimate us!" Wrong answer, Norasa thought. "You wanted them to believe that our forces are WEAK?! The strength of Nobia should never be mocked! What you speak of is treachery. Guards, take him away!" Two imperial guards marched forward and grabbed Nirimi''s arms, dragging him away as he screamed. "Noo! Please my lord! Have mercy! I have always had the best interests of our great¡ª" Nirimi was dragged out of the throne room before he could finish his sentence, which was followed by the slamming of heavy ornate doors. It was too easy to frame Nirimi as a spy; his incompetence as a general was too glaring to neglect. Norasa almost felt bad for the man. With Nirimi framed as the Sonaran spy, Norasa would be able to experience greater liberties throughout the Nobian High Command. No one would expect an additional spy in such a high position. Now, all he needed to do was figure out how Nosh acquired his information. Despite the errors with this information, the fact that Nosh was able to secure any at all suggested that a leak existed within the Sonaran Federation. Although unlikely, there was a possibility that Nobians could have infiltrated Sonaran ranks. If he could infiltrate the Nobian High Command, then he supposed someone could''ve embedded a spy within his own nation. Now calmed down, Emperor Novus continued their discussion. "General Nosh, my most trusted warrior, I should have given you full control over the entire army." "My lord, your judgement is always correct," Nosh said, bowing. "Still, a large part of my judgement is derived from your counsel. So, what say you regarding the simultaneous attacks?" "According to reports from our intelligence officers, the Americans have attacked several scout outposts, and destroyed bridges leading to key industrial sectors that they are capturing right now. We have lost control of most of our forges and mines in the recently conquered kingdoms. As for our industrial assets within the empire''s heartland, most have been bombed." "It is a good thing they attacked at night; most of our citizens would have died if they were working inside the forges during the attack. What about the Sonaran attacks and the siege of Nokk?" Norasa raised an eyebrow, remaining silent as Nosh answered. "From what we''ve gathered from our intelligence assets in the Sonaran Federation, the Americans hid details of the operation from the Sonarans¡­" As Nosh continued his explanation and briefing, Norasa thought about the spy. Given the inaccuracy of the intelligence, Norasa surmised that a junior officer must''ve been the culprit. He knew that the Sonarans were only told about the main assault on Nokk and the secondary Sonaran efforts at Nilmeer Fort and Norimaten Fort. Seeing that defending against Sonarans is easier than defending against Americans, Nosh had reinforced the two forts from adjacent bases, unwittingly allowing the others to be sacrificed to the Americans. The intelligence of General Nosh was indeed exemplified by this action, since he didn''t know about the impending American attacks on other key strategic locations. Pleased with the information given to him by Nosh, Emperor Novus questioned the general further. "Despite what I have said to Nirimi, I understand that the Americans would have taken some of these forts regardless of our defenses. Your decision to transfer troops was wise. How effective was your strategy in defending Nilmeer and Norimaten from the Sonarans?" "Very much so, your highness. Our spy in the Sonaran Third Army was indeed helpful in providing us with the relevant information. Our forces in both forts could not be reinforced in order to overwhelm the attackers, but we had enough time to supply enough troops and equipment in order to deter capture. The enemy forces are currently engaging our defenses there. Hopefully, the Sonarans will be sufficiently slowed down long enough for us to reevaluate our strategies and adjust them in order to fight the Otherworlders." The doors to the chamber slammed open. Emperor Novus was just about to convey his satisfaction regarding Nosh''s advice. "My lord, pardon my intrusion, but they have ceased their assault!" "I see. Return to your duties." The soldier bowed before leaving. Novus, finding it odd that the enemy would suddenly stop attacking, asked Nosh what the action may have implied. "Your Majesty, I believe that the force that attacked our capital came here to destroy our defenses, perhaps even demonstrate their power. I believe this assault was an attempt by the enemy to flex their muscles and intimidate us. To accomplish this, they sought out our defenses and demolished them, as if they wanted to let us know how much power they have." "In that case, why have they attacked our treasuries and prisons? I remember hearing of a report about small teams of men with dark clothing." "They are the American counterpart of our Dark Shadow organization. I had reason to believe they wished to rescue the prince, so I increased security in his holding site." "Did they succeed?" "Unfortunately, yes, but it should not be a problem given that your rule is followed with unquestioning loyalty. Our citizens will not be swayed by a false prince." Emperor Novus smiled, relishing the relieving words of his top general. "Excellent. Now, as for you, Norasa, tell me if the progress made with our research into eclipse magic." ¡ª Fort Washington 3:54 A.M. "Lieutenant Colonel, report!" Lieutenant Colonel Keyes saluted her commanding officer. "Sir, Operation Upper Hand is a success! We have secured the package." "Any complications with the mission?" "We have a couple injured from arrows. No losses on our side, although the extraction itself was a bit dicey. It''s like they knew what we were trying to do¡­ some of our tanks got stuck in small traps and Taxi Squad got swarmed with hundreds of Nobians. The extraction would''ve failed if not for our air support." "I see. I think I''ll have to talk with the Sonarans about this. Go take care of your men, colonel. Dismissed." Once she exited the room, he sighed. Keyes'' assault on the capital and the extraction made up the final segment of the whole operation; the other planned attacks were executed without much difficulty and with much haste. Donnager''s team completed their mission almost an hour after the others, which led General Harding to worry about the well-being of his people. Unsurprisingly, he was extremely glad when he found out that no American lives were lost. He made sure that his people did not underestimate the enemy, and used all advantages provided by their advanced technology and tactics. Unfortunately for the Sonarans, they had no such advantage. Last he heard, the Sonarans were struggling to capture the forts, having met fierce resistance. According to Sindis, King Selios suspected a spy within his ranks. No wonder the enemy had double the expected troops. Still, Sindis reassured, it was nothing their forces couldn''t handle. Of course, they would be able to request air support should they need it. Hopefully they wouldn''t need much, since he had just reassigned a large force to assist Colonel Sanders in his mission of defending Site Beta One against the bandit army. According to Sanders, he had a new plan to eradicate the hostile army. Harding admitted, it wasn''t pretty, but considering the sins of the ''soldiers'' who made up this army, he reasoned that their demise would be for the greater good. Sanders scheduled his operation to begin on June 27th, since he believed that the final enemy reinforcements were arriving that day. Putting away the various reports and files strewn throughout the desk, Harding stood up and walked toward the exit. Well, it was a long day. Harding turned off the lights in his office and hit the hay, now that all of his men were back home safe. ¡ª Month 6, Day 23 10:00 A.M. "My, this cuisine is fascinating!" Prince Lonad exclaimed as he devoured a bowl of Twinkies cereal for breakfast. "I''m sure it beats anything they''ve given you in the dungeons, Your Highness," Director Tempos joked lightly. "I haven''t experienced the outside world for perhaps two years now?" "One year and ten months, Your Highness." "I see. How has the Reformist movement been?" "Your imprisonment gave you the status of a martyr. More of our Nobian brothers and sisters have flocked to our cause ever since your father wrongfully sentenced you to the dungeons. Even the common peasant grew suspicious from this action." "What of my allies within the Nobian army?" "They too have grown in number and strength. Some of the lower ranking members of Nobian High Command will support you in the event of any coup. I suspect that even General Nosh would refrain from defending the emperor, since his true intentions are and have always been with the Nobian people." "That is good. And how have you been, Tempos? Last time we spoke, you were promoted to Director of the Dark Shadow!" "Ah, well unfortunately that promotion is no longer. The Dark Shadow was disbanded ever since I switched my loyalties to the Americans. I believe that Emperor Novus the First now sees the Dark Shadow as compromised, and full of potential traitors." "So it would seem. At the very least, my father''s intelligence gathering and assassination operations have come to what appears to be a halt. Without the Dark Shadow to do his bidding, he''s going to need time to reorganize, with loyal men this time around." "And that is why the Americans have decided that the time to act is now." Sliding over a packet toward the prince, he described its contents. "In this packet is the plan for the coup. One of the targets during last night''s operation was a city known to be loyal to you. This is where you''ll be transferred, so that you may reintegrate yourself within Nobian society and expand your influence." Flipping to a page, Prince Lonad paused, reading something that caused him to raise an eyebrow. "Hmm, it says here that I will be provided with guards from the Otherworlders, for my own protection? Under normal circumstances I would have declined this, but at this point, I suppose it would be more wise to trust the Americans than my own people. After all, none of the Otherworlders have been tainted by my father''s corruption." "Indeed. However, before you are transferred to the city of Nuskk, the Americans have requested that you prepare a propaganda letter for the people of Nobia. They wish for you to write a short essay in order to convince Nobia''s citizens to rally behind your cause, and they plan to mass-produce these letters and drop them from the sky onto our cities." "Hmm, yes I have heard of such methods being employed before. I believe it was the Mekkanese who did something similar. They called it a ''leaf drop'' I believe." "Leaflet drop, Your Highness. During the second Mekkanese-Lithurian war, the Mekkanese used a similar strategy in order to damage the morale of enemy troops and convince them that defeat was inevitable. The Lithurians had never before witnessed such masses of paper." "Right, I remember this from my studies with General Nosh a few years back. Considering that the Lithurians during that time were unaware of the printing press, they believed that the mass deployment of these propaganda papers represented the massive resource disparity between the two nations." Tempos smiled and nodded. "Indeed. It is good to know that your mind is still sharp, even after all that time you''ve spent away from society." Upon hearing that final phrase, Lonad''s eyes shimmered with an unimaginable fury and thirst for vengeance, but just for a split second. He then laid back in his chair, contemplating his plans for winning his people. "Well, this ''Twinkie cereal'' was indeed a delectable dish. We should have some of these back home." "I concur, Your Highness. I too have tried this dish and it is most pleasing to my taste buds." Satisfied with his treat, Prince Lonad stood up. Immediately, Tempos grabbed Lonad''s dishware and placed it into the proper receptacle for dirty dishes. Once finished with this task, he returned to Lonad''s side in order to escort him to his temporary quarters. As they walked, Lonad asked questions about the Americans and their culture. "So I take it that you have been living on this base for quite some time now." "Indeed, I have been here for almost two weeks now. I have been settling in nicely." "Ah, you know, experiencing that delicious dish earlier leads me to wonder if there is anything else that the Americans have that we don''t." "Well, if you talk to Ambassador Perry, he can most likely arrange for a trade agreement between our people and his own, after the coup is successful. At the moment, I can think of a few things that I do enjoy on this base. The lights are very convenient." "Yes I''ve noticed that. Just flip a switch to activate the lights. I wonder what type of magic they use." "Ah, the Americans know nothing of magic. Everything they build is considered scientific technology, much like the Mekkanese." "But the Mekkanese have some magical devices as well. Do these Americans not have any?" "No, their technology is purely scientific, although I hear they are thoroughly researching magical technology." "I see, please continue." "Another convenience that these people have are elevators," Tempos said as they walked up to a set of silver doors. He pressed a button, causing the elevator doors to open. Lonad was slightly surprised, until Tempos reassured him that it was safe and motioned for him to step inside. The music playing in the elevator was pleasant, and quite calming. Lonad watched Tempos press another button once they were both in the elevator, and suddenly he felt a slight force on his legs. A few seconds later, he noticed a different force; the elevator stopped. Ding! The elevator doors opened, revealing a smiling Tempos and a pleasantly surprised Lonad, who remarked on the function of the elevator. "This would be very useful on some of our taller buildings, like the Nobian Imperial Library. I don''t see why the Americans would build such a device in a small building though, when they could simply use the stairs." "I have seen a blue sign with a white symbol on it. It looks like a person on a chair. Perhaps it has something to do with this?" "Or they''re just lazy and having an elevator in such a small building is a representation of the power at their disposal." "Perhaps, Your Highness." "Anything else?" "Have you noticed that the temperature of this entire facility is constant?" "Yes, now that you mention it." "This is accomplished by the air conditioning, or ''ay see'' as they call it. There are lots of vents in the ceiling that house these ''ay see'' units which breathe cold air into the building." "I wonder how such an accomplishment could be achieved without any usage of elemental magic. Surely there must be a wizard casting a spell throughout a vent system?" "I shall reiterate, there is no magic among these people. This cold air technology is also present in the boxes from which the milk for your cereal was acquired." "Fascinating." Tempos answered as they approached the door to Lonad''s temporary room. "Indeed. There is also a drink called Coca Cola which is chilled by these machines. Would you like to try some?" "Yes." "I shall fetch for it right away, Your Highness." ¡ª Month 6, Day 25 10:00 A.M. Sola''s morning light shone through the windows of the conference room. In it, five people were gathered for a meeting on the propaganda flyers for the leaflet operation. General Harding, Ambassador Perry, Prince Lonad, and Director Tempos were all there. The fifth member was CIA Director Samantha Gray. Of course, due to the nature of her organization and its past experiences dealing with government upheavals, her presence was essentially required in order to ensure a solid plan and smooth operation. Prince Lonad had spent the last couple of days drafting up a short essay for the purpose of convincing any readers to support him instead of his father. With the help of Ambassador Perry and some staff from the CIA, he was able to finalize his work. Now, they were all reading the final product. "Hm, I like this," Director Gray mused. "I reckon you should, considering it''s your organization''s work." Samantha smirked at Perry''s smartass reply before providing her thoughts on the short essay. "Overall, I''d say it''s good. Of course it could be better, but we simply don''t have the time for further drafting. Prince Lonad, how do you feel about this?" "I must say, I feel a bit guilty for exaggerating my father''s sins, despite my vengeful nature toward him. Aside from this, I think I''m proud of this work. It''ll get people questioning their loyalty to the current emperor, and make them reevaluate their beliefs on the Sonarans. It is a good thing you mentioned the army lost right outside these walls, and outside the walls of Sofius. My citizens will certainly begin questioning the disappearance of over a hundred thousand men; my father simply cannot continue to hide his defeats from the population." Samantha nodded, satisfied with Lonad''s answer. She then looked toward General Harding and addressed him. "General, it looks like we''re good to go from here. If everyone''s okay with this version of the flyer, I''ll go ahead and make arrangements to begin printing." Everyone agreed in various ways, reaching the consensus required for Gray to begin the printing of the flyers. Before the meeting was disbanded, General Harding remembered something. "Wait!" Everyone stopped and turned to look at General Harding, who directed his attention toward Ambassador Perry. "Before we start making the flyers, I need to know something. Mister Ambassador, did you get any response yet from the Nobian emperor?" "I did, actually. But he basically just told me to screw off. His exact words, if I recall correctly, were ''You dare attempt communication with us even after your insolence?! You will pay for your transgressions against us'' and so on and so forth. Miss Sindis got tired of the babbling so we disconnected from the magical communicator." "I see. Well in that case, Director Gray, you''re cleared to begin printing." ¡ª Authors Note: If you enjoy my story, please remember to vote and/or submit a rating! I would also appreciate it if you all could share my story; you guys are the people who motivate me to write! Join my discord if you wish to discuss more about my story. https://discord.gg/ymbTbNw 26 Dragon Slayers Fort Washington Month 6, Day 24 1:23 P.M. Captain Henry Donnager stared at the charred target in front of him. He was practicing with his new N25 pistol, testing its limits before it had to be recharged. This time around, it took about 150 shots at 50% charge before the energy in the weapon was depleted. For some odd reason, the weapon used up unexpectedly more energy the higher the charge was. "Very interesting," Dr. Tesla commented. "Last time around you were able to fire 350 shots at 25% charge. Next experiment, we will repeat the 25% charge test, and see if the decrease is a result of crystal deformation or something of the like." Donnager looked at him confused. "Ah, it might be simply wear and tear on the device. The next experiment tomorrow will determine this." Donnager nodded before returning the weapon to the armory, where he placed the depleted gun on a designated charging station. Such stations were recently designed in order to boost the natural regeneration rate of the weapon. As he walked back to his quarters, he ran into Ambassador Perry, who seemed to be in a rush to be somewhere. "Hey Perry, something going on?" Donnager asked. "Ah, Henry. Just the man I was looking for. Quickly, follow me to General Harding''s office. There''s been a situation." Perry replied, a grim look on his face. Donnager heeded the man''s suggestion, and as they jogged toward the general''s office, he asked Perry about the so-called situation. "Charles, what''s going on?" "I was in the communications room talking with Sindis when an communications officer informed me that we received a distress signal from a group of people identifying themselves as a Mekkanese diplomatic convoy. We received their communication via several radio and magical frequencies, so it seems that they are actually Mekkanese. Their SOS message described them as under attack by monsters, and given your team''s expertise regarding such matters, I thought it would be best if you accompanied me while I brief General Harding." "Well. That''s a lot to take in. Sounds like a good ol'' quest," he replied, smiling. All of his games on MMORPG games like World of Warcraft would culminate in his moments on this planet. After a minute, they reached General Harding''s quarters. Harding, seeing the looks on the two men''s faces, grew concerned. "What''s wrong?" Ambassador Perry replied, "General, we picked up an SOS on radio and magical comms from a group claiming to be a Mekkanese diplomatic convoy. They''re about 80 miles east of our position, past Fort Sool." "Can we establish any communication with them?" "The communications officers tried but they couldn''t get a secure connection." "Alright. If this convoy really is from Mekkan, then we''re going to have to rescue them." Picking up a phone from his desk, he relayed new orders to some flight personnel. "This is General Harding. We have just received news of a Mekkanese convoy in need of our assistance. As such, I am authorizing an emergency rescue operation; Lieutenant Colonel Keyes, I need you to get a Chinook ready for Terra Squad and Alpha Team within 15 minutes. Take an escort of four helicopters; we don''t know what kind of monsters we''re dealing with here. If they''re enough to pose a threat to the Mekkanese, then we know damn sure that guns might not be enough." He then placed the phone down and turned his attention back toward the two men in front of his desk. "As you have heard, Captain, I would like you to lead the rescue operation. I''m sending Terra Squad as backup, since they''re second when it comes to terrain familiarity around these parts. You leave at 1350 hours. And Ambassador Perry, I need you to get things ready on the base; once we rescue those diplomats, I want them to be able to relax and experience a warm welcome." ¡ª By the time Donnager arrived at the armory, the remaining combat members of Alpha Team, alongside Terra Squad, were already there, gearing up. Terra Squad selected larger caliber rifles, notably the SCAR-H, in order to have increased stopping power against the monsters. Ever since the Site Beta One incident, new types of ammunition have become available to the servicemen stationed at Fort Washington. Armor piercing rounds were dispersed amongst the warriors. Considering General Harding''s warning, the members of Terra Squad and Alpha Team also packed explosives, anti-material rifles, and rocket launchers. Donnager selected one of the looted N109 energy rifles and a N25 as his sidearm. Based on previous experiments, it seemed as if the low power settings on the N109 were on par with the highest settings available on the N25 energy pistol. So far, almost everything in this world has proven to be susceptible to small arms fire. Even the Spyders back in Site Beta One couldn''t handle sustained barrages from their weapons. Donnager could only imagine how effective a fully charged N109 would be. He reckoned that it was powerful enough to fully vaporize a tank, maybe even a small bunker. Satisfied with his loadout, he secured his equipment and walked toward the rest of his team, who were waiting for him by the door. "Nice choice of guns ya got there, Captain," Alex said. "Thanks, Sergeant. Maybe one day you''ll get one of these yourself." "Boys and their big guns," Sarah said, shaking her head. "And our big, long sticks," Jones said, acknowledging the large scepters that he and Kelmithus wielded. Everyone laughed as they headed over to the tarmac, where their helicopter awaited. ¡ª "All systems check!" "Okay Big Bertha, you''re cleared for takeoff. Good luck!" "Thanks, control. See you in a bit." The Chinook''s blades began to pick up speed, rotating with enough angular velocity in order to produce the necessary lift for ascension. Once in the air, the vehicle tilted and rushed toward the Woolsol Forest. A few minutes into the flight, the pilots picked up a radio transmission coming from Woolsol Forest. "Help! I am a Mekkanese Diplomat and my team requires assistance! We are under attack by a flame dragon!" "Hey, lemme get that radio," Donnager said as he walked up to the cockpit. The pilot nodded and handed him the radio. "This is Captain Henry Donnager of the United States Army. We have received your request for assistance and are on our way to support. What''s the situation?" "This is Legateur Prion Bonaparius, I am the legateur of the Mekkanese Diplomatic Team. We were attacked by a legendary beast: a flame dragon! The dragon has retreated for the time being, but our shield is at less than 20 percent capacity. We have no way of fending it off! Our guns cannot pierce its armor!" Donnager then looked at the pilot. Covering the radio with his hand, he communicated his concerns to the pilot. "We need to warn Command; I don''t think our helos would be very useful against this dragon." The pilot nodded, and began contacting Fort Washington in order to request for reinforcements, particularly for air superiority fighters. Meanwhile, Donnager returned to his conversation with the legateur. "Okay Legateur, we have just called for reinforcements in order to deal with the beast. Just sit tight, and we''ll be there in about 20 minutes." The transmission ended after the Mekkanese man conveyed his understanding. Kelmithus then popped up, "A flame dragon?! Are you all mad? The Divinian Empire could barely even slay one! It took them hundreds of lives and dozens of aircraft!" Donnager smirked. "Too bad they''ve never heard of good old American firepower. What can you tell me about the dragon?" "It is enormous. It has a wingspan similar to one of your large transport planes, and it has incredibly thick armor. The material is so great that the famed Sword of Infergath, which is made of it, can cut through any other sword!" Donnager thought about this. Such material could be very useful in producing new technologies. Body armor and weapon components could benefit from a new durable substance. If the scientists back home could synthesize the material, they would be able to mass produce it. He would need to relay this information back to base once they deal with the threat. "I see. Reynolds, make sure our reinforcements know what they''re dealing with. We should land about a mile out, behind some foliage so as to not attract the attention of the dragon." The pilot nodded. "Roger that, sir." As they approached their landing zone, the rescue teams heard a roar in the distance. Everyone looked out of the closest respective windows and saw a sight that none of them ever expected to see in real life. A fire breathing dragon was laying waste to a section of forest, presumably where the Mekkanese diplomatic team was hiding. Their helicopter touched down, with four Apaches hovering above them. As the rescue teams exited their vehicle, a radio communication came in. "Please! Hurry! Our shields can not withstand another assault! The beast has left us for now." "We''re about a mile away. Hold on," Donnager replied. "Okay," he addressed his and Wilkes'' teams. "I want a perimeter set up around that convoy; everyone should have launchers or anti-material rifles. Remember, we might be fighting what is essentially a flying tank, but it is biological so it still has weak spots. Aim for the face and anything else that seems unprotected." "I''ve been through a lot of missions," Wilkes said, tossing his cigarette. "But none of them ever had me slay a dragon. This''ll fit nicely into my record." The other elite operatives under Wilkes'' command laughed, amused by the concept of not only being slayers of powerful terrorists, but also of dragons. "I get your enthusiasm, Wilkes. However, our objective is to rescue these folks. We don''t want to engage the dragon unless it comes for us; the dragon is currently away, so that gives us about 15 minutes to get the Mekkanese to our choppers." "Sir, how long till our fighters get here?" Ryan asked. "Reynolds?" The pilot radioed Fort Washington to get an estimate. "About 35 minutes, sir." "Let''s hope we won''t need them. Alright people, get moving!" ¡ª "Hey, over here!" Donnager looked toward the source of this voice, finding two vehicles with a vintage appearance and a peculiar device mounted atop the more extravagant one. "What''s that thing?" he asked, pointing to the device. The man who identified himself as a ''legateur'' responded, "Ah, it is our shield generator; it is one of our Mark 2 models. It has sustained us for about five attacks from the flame dragon. Moving after each attack buys us a little bit of time, but the dragon doesn''t seem to have difficulty tracking us." The legateur turned around and gestures toward his people. "As you can see, the dragon''s attacks have left us battered and in need of assistance. This convoy initially had four vehicles, but two were taken out in an attempt to preserve my life. They valiantly distracted the beast and allowed us to escape. Unfortunately, we only carried with us rifles and pistols, as we never expected such an attack." The man hung his head as he finished his tale. "I see," Donnager replied. "Well, we''ve got a helicopter on standby, about a mile out. Are your vehicles functional?" "Yes, they are. And¡­ helicopter?" "It''s a type of rotary-winged aircraft. It is our way out of here, but we need to hurry if we want to escape while the dragon is away doing¡­ whatever a dragon does." The man nodded before issuing orders to his people. Everyone was about to depart before a radio communication interrupted their progress. Sarah conversed with her radio before reporting to her commanding officer. "Sir, we''ve just received word from our E-3, they''re saying that they picked up an unidentified radar signature 5 miles north of our position. Apparently the thing just popped up. They think it was resting in a patch of forest before it shot into the sky. It''s now heading here at about 150 miles per hour." "So we''ve got about two minutes till it gets here." "Yes. And our fighters are still 15 minutes out." "Damn. All teams, maintain perimeter defenses! We need to hold the fort for three minutes, or at the very least force the dragon to retreat!" The next couple of minutes as they waited for the dragon to arrive was tense. The Chinook and its escorts had left when they received the warning from the E-3 AWACS aircraft. Given the unknown nature of the dragon threat, it was deemed too risky to have any rotary winged aircraft near the dragon. Sure enough, the pilots were right. As the dragon came closer to the Mekkanese convoy, it gained speed, ultimately surpassing 300 mph as it used its claws to grab the shield device from the roof of the fancy car. "Open fire! Everything you got!" "Holy shit, that thing is huge," Alex muttered as the shadow of the beast blocked the sun from all of them. Fire erupted as it flew away and tossed the device somewhere into the forest. Several missiles were locked onto its glaring heat signature. As the missiles approached, the dragon breathed fire upon two of them, but was unable to circle around in time to eliminate the third missile coming from behind. The third missile hit the beast''s left wing, tearing off a small chunk. Seeing an opportunity, Donnager began charging his N109 at maximum power. "Cover me! I''m gonna blast it to hell!" "Sir, it keeps avoiding our missiles!" "That''s ok, if the missiles can''t be used as weapons, use them as distractions. Maybe we''ll get another lucky hit." The dragon roared in pain before smashing its tail into one of the Mekkanese vehicles, sending it hurtling toward an unfortunate Mekkanese guard. It was at this moment that the charge on Donnager''s rifle hit 100%. At the same time, the dragon blew a heavy gust of wind toward Donnager by flapping its wings, slightly disorienting him and causing his aim to falter. As a result, the N109 shot only struck the tip of the dragon''s wing. The remainder of the charged energy projectile flew past and vaporized a dozen trees a few hundred feet away. A small blue mushroom cloud rose from the impacted area. Some of the combatants spared a few milliseconds in order to gaze upon the awesome power of the ancient weapon that Donnager wielded before returning to their duties. Donnager himself began charging another blast. Aside from lucky hits from missiles, the only weapons that seemed to be effective were the anti material rifles that the Americans brought with them and the magic casted by Kelmithus and Dr. Jones. Without access to their own rifles, the two magic users harnessed metal ores buried beneath the ground, and implementing the science of electromagnetism into their magic, accelerated these metals to ridiculous speeds. The makeshift railguns created by the magic users easily shattered the dragon''s armor, creating numerous weak spots that could be further exploited by the forces wielding the AMRs. Distracted by a hail of bullets and magically accelerated rocks, the dragon was unable to counter a missile coming from a clump of bushes. BOOM! "Direct hit!" The missile exploded on the dragon''s right wing structure, effectively neutralizing its maneuverability in the air. Understanding that staying on the defensive wasn''t working, the beast went on the offensive and incinerated the last car with its fire breath, causing the vehicle''s engine and gas tank to explode. "Agh!" Donnager yelled, having been hit on his legs. "Sir!" Richard reacted as he rushed to his commanding officer in order to provide medical attention. "Don''t worry about me, get back in the fight!" The dragon lashed out in a circle, using its tail to strike multiple people, sending them flying. Donnager, ignoring the pain in his legs, rolled to the side before the tail could hit him. Having gained a short respite from the dragon''s attempts to kill him, he slunk back behind a tree and began charging his weapon. Meanwhile, the dragon continued to take hits from various explosives and projectiles, creating many cracks in its armor. 20%. Enraged, the beast charged at the nearest team shooting at it: three Mekkanese soldiers. In one swift motion, all three men were ripped apart by the jaws of the dragon. Donnager''s eyes widened from the sight; not even the horrors he had seen in his tours and special missions could compare to what he had just witnessed now. He looked over to his other team members, seeing Alex cursing and Kelmithus dropping his staff. It was as if time slowed down as he watched his friends and fellow combatants react to the tragedy before them. The dragon turned its attention to Kelmithus, identifying him as an easy high value target. "Run!" Donnager yelled. 50%. The beast bit down on Kelmithus. "NO!" the members of Alpha Team cried in unison. Fueled by vengeance, the American forces pummeled the dragon with their weapons, tearing through the weak spots created by Kelmithus earlier. Donnager looked at his weapon. 90%. He took aim at the dragon''s chest, at center mass. Unbeknownst to him, the dragon sensed something wrong as the weapon hit 100%. An intense blue bolt flew from the barrel of Donnager''s weapon as the dragon jumped into the air. For the dragon, it was a stroke of luck as the blast only managed to take out its tail and lower limbs. "Gotcha now¡­" Sensing defeat, the dragon ascended and began its retreat. The missile attacks during the battle managed to cripple it and hinder its maneuverability, but they didn''t render the beast incapable of flight. As it retreated, the men on the ground began to tend to their wounded. The Mekkanese convoy suffered the most casualties, having received less training and combat experience than the American rescue teams. On the other hand¡­ Donnager looked around. His team''s medic, Richard Yu, was helping those who were injured by the dragon''s tail attack. Many of them suffered broken ribs due to the sheer impact force of the hit. Thankfully, the tail weighed considerably less than the dragon itself and thus the kinetic energy transferred was manageable. Sarah Hayes, his communications officer, was currently informing command of their situation. Upon closer inspection, he realized that she was crying. Kelmithus became a close friend to the members of Alpha Team over the past month, especially to the scientists back on the base. He realized that he would need to tell them what happened, since he is the commanding officer of this force. He realized that he would need to tell Kelmithus'' daughter what happened. No, this can''t be possible, he thought. Was there any way to save him? He couldn''t bear to imagine what it would be like for Sari, after learning that she lost her father. He remembered seeing the two so happy together when they reunited after the intense moment back at Site Beta One. Who knew that it was for the last time? Before getting too lost in his train of thought, he was snapped back to reality by Richard. "Sir, I found Jones and Kelmithus! They''re unconscious!" "Huh?" "Just come!" Donnager followed the sergeant. His jaw slightly dropped once he viewed the miracle before him. "What¡­ how? We all saw him¡­" "I don''t know, sir. But I think we will get answers from them once they wake up. For now, we should get the other injured into the Chinook." He pointed toward the Chinook that was just landing. "Okay. Alright everyone! Let''s get the hell outta here!" Quickly, everyone hurried into the vehicle. Once everyone was inside, it took off. Inside, everyone was shocked to see Kelmithus there; many of them saw him eaten by the dragon. Suddenly, loud roars outside caused everyone to look out. A group of 6 of F-15 Eagles raced past the Chinook and its escorts, chasing after the injured dragon. The Mekkanese survivors were stunned, particularly the legateur, who had never seen such powerful aircraft. "How fast can they go?" Bonaparius asked. "A bit over twice the speed of sound, around 1800 miles per hour," Donnager answered. "How is that possible?" "Well¡­" ¡ª "Hitting afterburners. Let''s show the damn thing that we own the skies!" Major Adam Gryffin navigated to the panel on his right, where the engine controls were located. Coordinating his movements with the other pilots, he activated the afterburners, bracing himself as he became subject to extreme G-forces due to the massive acceleration. "Bandit is 10 klicks out. Arming sidewinders," he said over the tactical network. "Roger. Target locked," another pilot replied. "Standby¡­" Adam wanted his squadron to get closer before they fired, at least 5 kilometers. The dragon may be injured, but he wanted to assure a kill on the damn thing. If they were successful, their squadron might even be nicknamed "The Dragon Slayers", which they all joked about during the mission briefing. "Engage on my mark. Five, four, three, two, one¡­ Fox Two!" "Fox Two!" Two AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles streaked from the belly of each fighter. Twelve missiles in total raced toward their target at a speed of nearly a kilometer per second. Five seconds after deployment, they made contact with the unsuspecting foe, who was too busy tending to its own wounds to realize the threat from behind. "Target hit. It''s signature is gone," a pilot said. "Roger. Move in to confirm the kill." Adam directed his squadron toward the last known location of the dragon before their missiles made contact. Noticing smoke coming from a small clearing within the forest, they slowed down in order to investigate. Sure enough, it was the dragon, or rather, pieces of it. "Looks like we did a damn fine job boys. Let''s head home, Dragon Slayers." ¡ª¡ª Authors Note: If you are reading my story but have not yet added it to your collections, please do so :) Join my discord if you wish to discuss more about my story. https://discord.gg/ymbTbNw 27 Show of Force Part 1 A/N: bonus points if anyone can figure out what two cultures the Mekkanese are based upon. Hint: names and titles 2: I''m going to put the main story on hold for maybe a week or so while I revise the early chapters 1-6. If anyone has any suggestions or criticisms, please direct it to my discord server (linked at the bottom). Month 6 Day 25 9:43 A.M. Prion Bonaparius'' eyes flew open as he woke up in a sweat. He sat up, and looked at his surroundings. To his left was a nightstand with a water bottle, a digital clock and a lamp. To his right was a window; outside he saw vehicles buzzing about as they prepared for an operation. "This can''t be real¡­" He had a nightmare about being eaten alive by a flame dragon. Were the past events of a rescue fabricated? Could he be in the afterlife? He got up and walked over toward a restroom attached to his guest quarters. There, he used the toiletries present to go about his standard activities as accurately as possible. "Hm, hot running water, toothpaste¡­ Must be quite a civilized society much like ours¡­" As he exited the restroom, he navigated to a neatly arranged set of his standard legateur attire. No dirt, he noticed. He exited his room, seeing American airmen and soldiers bustling about. He remembered how he got to his room, and walked over toward the elevator, selecting the first floor. "Hey, mornin. How ya doin?" a female voice to his left asked. He turned to the woman and saw something familiar about her. "Hello. You were there when the flame dragon attacked..?" "Yes I was. We got you and half of your team back here to safety." Not knowing how to respond, Prion nodded slightly and muttered, "Thank you." The elevator doors slid open and they exited. The woman questioned him again. "Is there anything you need?" "Where can I see the leader of this place?" he responded. He remembered his original mission ¡ª establishing diplomatic ties. "I can show you to General Harding''s office." "Lead the way, madame." Their short stroll was uneventful and relatively silent, since Prion was more interested in studying the architecture of the facility and the various technological pieces scattered throughout. He glanced at a small black dome on the ceiling, noting that he passed by several of these already. What they were for, he couldn''t guess. Most likely, he determined they were some sort of light system that was currently inactive. "Here we are! The General is right through here," the woman said, gesturing toward the door. "Thank you." As the woman began to leave, Prion said, "Wait, sorry. I didn''t learn of your name." "Sergeant Sarah Hayes." "Thank you, Sergeant." Sarah smiled and left the Mekkanese man as he knocked on the door. "Come in," a voice from within called. Prion opened the door to find a man dressed in a dark uniform with sparkly badges on the left side of his chest. The man was busy with something on an American screen device, fiddling with the machine''s built-in typewriter. "General Harding?" The man looked up. "Ah, you must be Legateur Prion Bonaparius. I''m glad to see that we got you outta that jam in one piece." Prion wondered what the man meant by that, but brushed it aside, assuming it was one of their figures of speech. "Yes, I cannot emphasize how grateful I am for your help." "Of course," General Harding smiled, "it''s what we do." "I would like to be direct; before our encounter with the flame dragon, we were on route to this location as part of a diplomatic convoy. I am the Mekkanese diplomat and I intend to complete my assigned task. When can we begin talks with your government?" "Straight to the point, huh? Alright, I''ve already scheduled a meeting with us and Ambassador Perry in his office. He''s the guy who represents my government. He''s busy right now, but he will be at the meeting at eleven o''clock, in about an hour. In the meantime, why don''t ya head on over to the cafeteria, grab a bite to eat. I''m sure you''ll love some of our Earth dishes. We''ll call ya when we''re ready." "Okay," Prion said, bowing before he exited the room. ¡ª 11:00 A.M. After enjoying a delicious meal of culinary items called "pancakes" and "bacon", Prion wandered around the base, studying these Otherworlders until a communication from within the building summoned him to Ambassador Perry''s office. "Legateur Bonaparius, please, have a seat," Ambassador Perry motioned toward a couch. Once seated, they exchanged introductions. "As such, Ambassador Perry, my government, led by President Augustus Du Korelius, has sent me here in order to investigate. You may have already gathered some information about our people through your experiences here, so I assume you already know about how the Mekkanese arrived on Gaerra?" "Yes, I''ve heard of it. Legend says your people arrived through a portal, much like us, but the portal closed after some time and those here were stranded, unable to return." "Right, and we believe the same scenario might be occurring. Back then, we had no understanding of magic and very little of science. Now, I believe we are in a position to help each other out. I''d like to propose a cultural and intellectual exchange between our people for now; I see that you''re still setting up your economic infrastructure." "Haha yeah, at the moment we want to make sure the North Grenden Plains are safe. If we''re going to build a port city near this gateway, we must ensure the safety of those who visit and live here." "Speaking of which, how do you intend to operate a massive trading operation between two worlds using a small portal that''s probably big enough for only two locomotives side by side?" "Honestly, we haven''t put much thought into that. We''re considering maintaining a constant operation in order to compensate for the limit on the volume of traffic. For now, we plan on using trucks. Our scientists think that using a railroad might be risky, since wormhole physics isn''t something they''ve gotten down quite yet." "I understand. Anyway, let us get back to the topic of cultural and intellectual exchanges." ¡ª Meanwhile pop! pop! Two bodies hit the floor, their heads decapitated from the sheer force of the .50 cal bullets that struck them. "Sentries are down. Move up," said Luna One. Luna Three spared a quick glance at the bodies. "Poor fellas couldn''t even see it coming¡­ and now they can''t see at all." "Luna Three¡­" "Yeah, yeah. Focus on the op." The six man team moved toward an unsuspecting group of guards, who were tormenting a group of people trapped in a cage. Making sure not to accidentally hurt those within the cage, the professional operatives angled themselves accordingly. Once they repositioned properly, they all fired their weapons; two shots per guard, one in the chest and one in the head. Shocked and confused from what they have just witnessed, the prisoners were speechless and allowed the operatives to approach. "Don''t worry, we''re here to rescue you." After releasing the prisoners, Luna Squad began to escort them into the forest, toward their designated extraction point. Suddenly, they began to hear bells in the distance, along with shouts from soldiers. "Damnit, we''ve been made," Luna One cursed. "Pick up the pace, everyone." "Sir, some of the rescued are in bad condition. They won''t be able to run," Luna Six informed. "Okay. Lunas Two, Three, and Four: cover our asses. We need to rescue as many of these hostages as possible." "Sir, are they even hostages?" Luna Three asked. "Focus!" Luna Three nodded and fell to the back of their lines, covering their escape by eliminating their pursuers with extreme prejudice. "Come on, we''re almost there!" Luna One said to the rescued prisoners in order to motivate them. Unfortunately, his timing coincided with the arrival of several scout and cavalry units from Bractin''s army. They poured out from the forest, surrounding the Americans and the prisoners they were attempting to rescue. "Ah hell¡­" Based on an extremely quick head count, Luna One determined that his team''s firearms would be able to eliminate the 20 hostiles that currently surrounded them. Using any flashbangs was out of the picture. The rescued prisoners would not know what to do if he yelled "flash out", and he couldn''t tell the rescued to close their eyes, since that would alert the enemy as well. As such, any action he takes to neutralize the hostiles could result in friendly casualties. Thankfully, the opposing force didn''t have any archers or any other ranged attacker, allowing him to come to a solid decision. "All units, take ''em out." Automatic gunfire from suppressed MP5s and SCAR-Hs thundered throughout the forest, the attached suppressors doing little to mitigate the volume of sustained fire. After only a few seconds of combat, all 20 hostiles from the Bractin Gang lay dead on the ground, blood soaking the green grass beneath. The rescued hostages simply stared in utter shock as they witnessed firsthand the overwhelming power of their saviors. To them, it was as if Sola herself sent angels to rescue them. "Good work. Let''s proceed to Point Alpha." Luna Squad encountered no trouble as they proceeded to the extraction point. Luckily, the soldiers from the Bractin Gang had no units in the area aside from the initial guards and the scouts. Only a handful of their cavalry units were in the area, so it took time for reinforcements to arrive. "Okay everyone, get in. Hurry!" Luna One commanded. As the last of the hostages boarded the Chinook, Luna Squad began boarding. At the same time, an arrow struck the hull of the vehicle, bouncing harmlessly off the reinforced metal. Acknowledging the threat, the operatives picked up their pace and jumped into the helicopter. "Go! Start going!" Luna One yelled as he fired his weapon into a crowd of incoming swordsmen. His squadmates provided supporting fire from the ascending helicopter. Luna One turned around and jumped, grabbing onto the rear door as it began to close. Quickly, his squadmates pulled him in before any arrows could fly into the main cabin. The door closed and everyone within heard loud impacts against metal. If they had delayed any longer, people could have been injured by the arrows. The Chinook cleared the tree line and headed back to base. Suddenly, an arrow struck one of the windows on the vehicle, lodging into the glass and creating a small crack. Inside, the members of Luna Squad chatted while unbeknownst to them, a new threat began to surface. "Another mission in the bag," Luna Three commented. "Good thing we got that intel in time. Would''ve been pretty bad PR if the Sonarans found out that we accidentally bombed some of their prisoners," Luna One said. "Yeah, wonder why they were there¡­ It''s not like they have any purpose moving along with the army, unless they''re a sacrifice or something. Or slaves." Luna Two, the most politically oriented out of them all, slid into the conversation. "Our boys with the suits and sunglasses figured out they were former nobles, from the lands conquered by the Bractin Gang. Bad guys probably brought ''em here in order to send a message or make a trade." "Either way, we got them outta there and the Sonarans are gonna find themselves with an amazing set of gifts in a bit," Luna One said. "I kinda wish we could''ve stayed a bit longer, or come back later. Really would''ve liked to see all the fun," Luna Five said. "Don''t worry bro," said Luna Four. "The general''s set up a movie theater for this. He''s got some 4K cameras attached to a buncha drones. Something about putting on a show for the Mekkanese diplomats." "Real shit?" Luna Three asked. "No cap," Luna Four affirmed. "Shit''s about to get real." *crack* "What the hell was that?" *CRACK* Everyone turned to the source of the sound just as the glass shattered. Air flew out of the window as the cabin was being depressurized. A bag that wasn''t secured on the ground flew toward the window and was sucked out. Thinking quickly, Luna One realized that the pilot should begin descending in order to reduce the effects of depressurization. If they flew near ground level, then the atmosphere inside the vehicle would essentially be the same as the atmosphere outside the vehicle. "Anderson, bring us lower!" The pilot followed the command; the Chinook began its descent. As the vehicle''s altitude lowered, the magnitude of the depressurization decreased, allowing the cabin''s environment to revert to normal. "Damn," Luna Two said. "We''re gonna have one hell of a mission report," Luna Three joked. ¡ª Fort Washington, Ambassador Perry''s Office "I find your proposition to be agreeable. We initially wanted to withhold certain key technologies from the inhabitants of this world until we could accurately determine their technological status. Of course, this would''ve been difficult due to the factor of magic." Perry leaned forward and clasped his hands together. "We''re reasonable. As long as there is something of value, we are always open for negotiation. We recognize that you have knowledge and products of value, in particular your expertise in the fields of magical science. So, I think yeah, our current arrangement is fine. Trading textbooks is a good start." "Indeed, Ambassador. I am glad we have come to an agreement. I''m sure you will be quite pleased with what we have to offer. I do however have an additional request with regards to information exchange: the exchange of our scholars for the purpose of studying." "Ah, that is a good idea, Legateur. Your people are free to visit and study with our best and brightest in our top universities. We can arrange for a transfer once we have sorted out our schedule." "Splendid! Your scientists are also welcome to visit our learning institutions. We can work out a schedule once you''ve selected people to transfer," Legateur Bonaparius said. Certainly, having American scientists studying the magic of this world with native experts was desired. Considering that Mekkan was also a nation based upon science, with citizens who lacked the ability to control magic, it might be easier to learn from them. Once the scientists submit their report, he could work with the White House in order to develop a more streamlined trade agreement. For now though, he saw it imperative that he visited their country. "Legateur, on the topic of transfers and visits, when can we visit your country?" "I will have my assistant see you later for booking purposes. Is it possible that we see your nation within a couple weeks? The journey from Mekkan was quite arduous, and I prefer not to go back and come here again." "Thank you, and don''t worry about that. I''ve got to inform my superiors about this visit first, so they can requisition appropriate accommodations for your people. Most likely, we will be ready to accept your delegation by the end of this week." Legateur Bonaparius smiled and nodded, satisfied. At the same time, a communications officer entered the room and whispered into General Harding''s ear. "Please excuse me fellas, I''ll be back in a couple minutes." General Harding and the officer walked out of the room, closing the door behind them. Outside, the two men discussed the urgent matter. "What happened? Was the mission successful?" "Sir, our forces reported zero casualties amongst themselves, but the prisoners are in poor condition. Once they get here, we will need to transfer them to the hospital immediately." "Okay." General Harding activated his radio. "This is General Harding. Have a medical team on standby to receive injured once our helo arrives." He ended the transmission and faced the officer. "Anything else?" "Sir, the Chinook suffered slight complications incurred after their escape." "Slight complications?" "An arrow pierced one of the windows in the cabin and cracked it. The window shattered during transit, while they were 15,000 feet in the air, causing rapid depressurization of the cabin. They managed to bring the Chinook to a lower altitude and they''re currently en route to this base." "Okay. Good. Let me know once the Chinook arrives," General Harding said as he returned to the meeting. "Ah, welcome back General," Ambassador Perry greeted. "We were just talking about you." "Oh?" "Yes, I wanted to witness a demonstration of your military capabilities, if you''ll allow it," Legateur Bonaparius requested. General Harding had planned for this, and had set up a viewing room for his guests and some of the members of his command. "Of course! In a few hours my forces are going to be conducting a bombing run on a hostile enemy target. We have a theater set up in one of the recreational centers. There, we can view real-time footage of the events that are to take place." The Mekkanese Diplomat''s interest grew further. This nation has real-time video capabilities. His own nation had just begun to commercialize video broadcasting technology via television. Unfortunately, the video quality for real-time broadcasts was subpar compared to the quality of pre-recorded footage. He wondered how much recording technology that the Otherworlders have figured out. "Wonderful! I just finished my talks with Ambassador Perry here. Would you mind directing me to this theater?" "Of course. Prepare to be amazed," General Harding said. ¡ª¡ª Authors Note: If you enjoy my story, please remember add the story to your collections or vote with power stones! I would also appreciate it if you all could share my story; you guys are the people who motivate me to write! Join my discord if you wish to discuss more about my story. https://discord.gg/ymbTbNw 28 Show of Force Part 2 Authors note: I''m going to be changing some titles and military commands for the story. (General Harding is an Air Force general, master sergeant Owens is a lieutenant instead, etc.) Also make sure to add this story to your collections ;) Fort Washington Month 6, Day 25 1:11 P.M. "And I thought your pancakes and bacon were good. This steak simply crushes them! What is this steak made of again?" "Legateur, I am glad you asked," Ambassador Perry replied. Perry was indeed glad, since the legateur''s interest in American food products presented yet another opportunity for trade. "The meat that you have just eaten is called filet mignon, and it is essentially a cut of beef from a cow''s tenderloin. The seasoning is simple, since this is a military facility and not a renowned restaurant. The seasoning is a combination of various spices, including salt, pepper, rosemary, and garlic." "How fascinating¡­" the Mekkanese diplomat sat there, spaced out. He was remembering the savory deliciousness of the meal. "And these cows, are they plentiful on your world?" "Oh, yes they very much are. Our country produces enough food for a billion people every year, even though our population is just slightly over 300 million." Bonaparius'' eyes widened. 300 million people in one nation alone? That essentially rivaled the population of the Divinian Empire, and also the lives lost during the Ancient War, of course not including the losses of any Axons. He wondered how many people there were on Earth in total. "Wow, 300 million? How many people live on your planet in total?" "Around seven and a half billion, and I believe we might hit eight billion sometime in the near future." Bonaparius remembered the documents he read on America and Earth. Earth was smaller than his own planet, implying that Earth was indeed crowded. What would happen if those billions decided to invade his world and colonize it? He wanted to shudder at the thought, but restrained himself. Instead, he merely showed his surprise toward the extensive number. "Is that so¡­?" "Yeah, it sure is. I''m certain you can deduce the kinds of problems that have surfaced among my people because of such overpopulation." "I suppose that whatever territorial disputes and conflicts over resources here do not compare to what has happened to your people." "Yeah, you could say that. Say, does agricultural magic exist on this world? My nation produces more than enough food for our citizens, but I''d like to help out other countries in our world that have food shortages." Considering these thoughts, Bonaparius revised his next question. Suddenly, a man walked up to them. "Legateur." The man gave a slight nod. "Jean." Bonaparius glanced at him before looking back to Perry. "Perry, this is Third Commander Jean Deaunius, one of my assistants." "Partner," Jean corrected. He then turned to Perry. "Ambassador Perry, please forgive Prion if he has not displayed proper etiquette during his stay here." "Oh don''t worry. It is good to meet you, Commander Deaunius." Perry pronounced the name carefully, wondering why it sounded familiar. In fact, the culture of the Mekkanese were all very familiar. He had spent some time in France and Italy during his pre-portal days. Bonaparte? Jean? Dommieur? Legateur? It seems like the Mekkanese language was based on French culture at the very least. Their titles and names did seem Italian, but not quite. If anything, he guessed that it might be Latin. Realizing his train of thought was distracting him from his guests, he pushed the theories aside. Such speculation was more suited for Dr. Jones anyway. "Likewise." Jean replied. "So, what can you tell me of your military?" "I''m not the most informed when it comes to our weapons and strategies, but I suppose I can give you a rundown of what you might expect to see today¡­" Across the room, nine people walked in. Four were from Alpha Team: Major Donnager, Captain Owens, Dr. Jones, and Kelmithus. The rest were from the newly created Bravo Team: Captain Williams, Sergeant Yu, Sergeant Gutierrez, Lieutenant Hayes, and a new member from the Sonaran Federation, Aranmithus. They walked in, chatting and congratulating Donnager, Owens, and Williams on their respective promotions. "So you''ve finally got your own command, Williams," Donnager pointed out. "Yeah, sir. I don''t think I''ll be getting the missions you''ll be getting though!" Ryan answered. Major Donnager smiled. "Well, I wouldn''t worry too much about that. It''s a big planet. Besides, I hear that Bravo Team is getting an assignment with the local adventurer''s guild in one of the northern Sonaran cities. Rumor has it you''ll be doing some quests in order to collect some rewards that our nerds can study." Ryan''s eyes widened as he lit up at the prospect of going on a real life quest. "Oh my God!" He turned to his team, grinning like an idiot. "Oh calm down, you geek!" Sarah said, hesitating before adding "sir" to the end of her remark. "Lieutenant Hayes, you''ve gotta learn some culture!" Alex defended his commanding officer. "See, Alex gets it!" Ryan said. "I did a few quests recently, actually. Last year, right after I graduated from Master Kel''s academy." Aranmithus added. "They were low level quests, but they were still good fun. You remember how we blasted those feral wyverns, Master Kel?" Kelmithus nodded, smiling as he reminisced. "Well anyway, my point is, as you people say, don''t hit it until you''ve tried it!" Aran continued. "Don''t knock it till you''ve tried it, Aran," Yu corrected. "Right. Oh look, the lights are dimming!" The lights in the theater began to dim as a voice crackled to life on the PA system. It requested that everyone take their seats and quiet, as the feature film would begin within the next minute. Commander Jean Deaunius took his seat between Perry and Prion, his face emotionless. He heard stories of the might these Otherworlders possessed, but until he saw it with his own eyes, he would remain doubtful and suspicious. The screen flashed to life, showing footage of a pristine mountain range and clear skies. A voiceover and caption identified the area as the Ovine Mountains, near the Ahmalan Ruins. The scene remained unchanged, displaying the beauty of this continent''s nature is crisp 4K ultra HD and 120 frames per second. Jean raised an eyebrow, straining his eyes as if he could not believe what he was seeing. He looked to his left, seeing Bonaparius doing something similar. He wanted to speak to him, but out of courtesy for the other viewers, he kept his mouth shut and made a mental note to discuss this with him later. He returned his attention to the screen. "Our target is this army down here, located at the base of the mountain," the voiceover said as the scene switched to an aerial view of the opposing army. Jean was astonished. The quality of this reconnaissance far surpassed any picture that the Mekkanese have ever taken. Their recon planes did a similar job, but nothing to the extent of the Americans. Shortly after displaying the army, the scene switched to a different aerial view of the army, which then zoomed out, showing the entire southern half of Eanif. How high would the camera have to be? Feeling like he was getting distracted, he redirected his attention toward the screen. "...and because of this geological data, our pilots will be targeting specific points along the mountain." The scene switched to a crisp picture of the mountain. Red circles identified the points the voiceover mentioned. "Our white phosphorus deployments will disorient them and prevent them from escaping the ensuing rockslide." A couple people in the room mumbled a bit upon hearing this. Why, he could not guess. As he watched, he saw the scene change to a formation of planes, with a larger version of his own nation''s MB-29 ''super fortress'' bomber leading the formation. This one however, did not have any propellers for propulsion. It appeared to be using a set of four jet engines, where the propellers are supposed to be. "Leading the formation is a B-52 Stratofortress bomber, carrying our white phosphorus payload. Flanking it are two B-2 Spirit bombers; they each carry GBU-43 payloads, also known as the Massive Ordnance Air Blast." Ambassador Perry leaned over and whispered to him. "Mother of all bombs." This unnerved Jean, since it made him think of his own country''s "King of Bombs", the atomic bomb. It also made him think of the Divinian Empire''s devastating mana bomb, which prompted the Heavenly Light Project in the first place. So far, American naming conventions when it came to their equipment was pretty straightforward. He calmed himself down, thinking that because the weapon did not have ''nuclear'' or ''atomic'' in its name, it must be a conventional weapon. Well, he would find out in a bit. "The bombing will commence in about 180 seconds," the voiceover explained as the scene panned out to display the distance between the American warplanes and Bractin''s army. "In the meantime, I''ll be discussing the specs of our escorts, the F-15s." Jean lit up inside; this was something he was very interested in. He had heard rumors about the flying swords of the Otherworlders, with many in his own country speculating them to be jet aircraft. Indeed, they had their own jets, but they were still early in development, with speeds up to Mach 1. One feat he heard that the Otherworlders were able to accomplish was going faster than the speed of sound. To what extent, he hoped to find out. "Our 12 escorts will make sure that hostile aircraft, particularly wyverns, don''t get too close to our planes. Now, of course, we could just fly higher than the maximum altitude of the creatures, but our plan relies on precision. Our pilots will have a very low margin of error on this mission. So, they''ll want to fly as low and slow as possible. After the bombers have delivered their payloads, our escorts will deploy theirs: CBU-87 cluster bombs. Each jet here is carrying 12 of these bombs, and each bomb has 202 bomblets. The fighters will not have the same restrictions as the bombers and thus will be performing their maneuver at a speed of just over Mach 2.5¡­ Please hold¡­ I''ve just received word that the Bractin Army has begun to deploy their aerial assets. Ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy the show!" ¡ª Ovine Mountains, near Site Beta One 1:29 P.M. "Heads up, Dragon Slayers! We''re gonna be shooting down some more dragons today!" Major Gryffin yelled. "Sir, those are wyverns," a voice came over the network. It was none other than Gryffin''s best buddy, Captain Hawkins. "Whatever, Hawkins. Let''s just keep these lizards off the escorts and bombers." Gryffin looked below and saw dozens of wyverns jumping into the air. To his surprise, there were less than a hundred wyverns total, but then again, he considered the very nature of this particular army. Wyverns were pretty rare and hard to come by, so much so that they weren''t very accessible to some upstart outlaw nation. The situation could actually be compared to a modern third world nation owning fourth generation fighter aircraft. It would be hard, but doable. Unfortunately for Bractin''s men, their hard work would have been for naught. As the commanding officer of 4 squadrons, Gryffin directed his men to begin attacking the wyverns. The advanced FCS of the networked jets coordinated their missiles, each of the 48 missiles launched locking onto a separate target. To the comparatively primitive forces of the Bractin Gang, this attack seemed like magic. Most of them could barely even see the small specks that represented the missiles, of course until it was too late. BOOM! The first wave of missiles decimated half of the Bractin Air Corps. Despite this, wyverns continued to launch into the air. The inexperienced officers of Bractin''s inner circle had in fact little professional combat experience, having spent most of their campaigns subjugating enemies through fear and intimidation. Bractin himself stood outside his command tent, too awed by the spectacle to even give orders. He stared, speechless. It was only until his entire wyvern fleet was destroyed that he spoke, and even then it was only a mumble. "What the fuck just happened¡­?" His army acted similarly, all watching their comrades erupting into fireballs. Dark clouds of smoke were all that remained in the sky, as burning husks and dismembered wyvern pieces rained down from above. Some of Bractin''s men had to raise their shields in order to protect themselves from large chunks of flesh. For an army built upon gory atrocities, they sure couldn''t stomach experiencing a taste of their own medicine, evidenced by a number of units along the perimeter that deserted. Back in the command tent, Bractin gathered some of his officers and initiated a discussion. "Someone here tell me what. Just. Happened." Bractin commanded, his face contorted in rage and disbelief. "Boss, I-I think we musta angered one of them ancient dragons!" Ketan hypothesized, slurring through his buck teeth. Ketan is one of Bractin''s newer lieutenants, somehow earning his position through sheer luck in his various suicide missions. "And what kinda dragon would have this attack, ya dumb tobo?" Beeven retorted. Unlike Ketan, Beeven earned his position through strategic skill and cunning. Ketan picked his nose, trying to think of a reasonable reply. "Hey, have you ever seen an ancient dragon?" Beeven furrowed his brow and glared at Ketan. "You absolute buffoon! Of all the tales of dragons, none have this kind of power!" Bractin scratched his short beard, amused at the bickering between his lieutenants. Unfortunately for them, his amusement was not an immediate concern. After enjoying the dispute for a few seconds, he decided that they had gone far enough. "Shut up!" With everyone silent, they could all finally hear a mysterious sound, soft, but getting louder. "Do ya hear that?" Ketan asked. "We all do, ya damn idiot!" Beeven replied. A glare from Bractin prevented any further altercation between the two. The sound grew louder and Bractin brought his officers outside of the command tent. "Look!" Ketan pointed at a quickly dissipating formation of dark smoke. It broke apart, revealing a flying sword, much like the ones rumored to exist near a portal in the North Grenden Plains. Across the sky, more flying swords began to appear until finally, a flying wagon and two flying triangles appeared. ¡ª "That was some fine shooting fellas. Now let''s give these poor S.O.B.s an airshow." Major Gryffin announced. Upon his command, all pilots in his squadrons hit the afterburners on their aircraft, racing just above the ground. Gryffin and his men executed a low pass, creating sonic booms above the Bractin encampment, before pulling up out of sight and reorganizing for a bombing run. ¡ª (Search up "sonic boom examples" or "space x rocket sonic boom" on YouTube) "Agh! My ears!" Beeven screamed. "See! We just made some ancient dragons real mad! Look at their wind magic!" Ketan yelled. He referred to the cones produced by the jets as they broke the sound barrier. They continued their remarks until they were eventually silenced by Bractin, who directed their attention to the enormous flying monsters overhead. "Why aren''t they breathing fire on us?" Ketan asked just as the white phosphorus was deployed. Beeven attempted to conjure a witty reply, but couldn''t as he began to choke, his eyes burning. The area around them began to fill with smoke, thanks to a burning fire that engulfed the command tent. Beeven looked to Bractin as he fell to his knees, his vision deteriorating. Bractin was surrounded by a translucent blue shield; he wore a protective amulet that helped defend him against environmental hazards, such as toxic fumes and high heat. Bractin stood, watching his subordinates suffocate. He looked around. A few tents over, people seemed to be faring better. Upon closer inspection, he noticed that this area was relatively far from the fires, and so he deduced it was safer there. He walked, watching people around him die. Some were intelligent enough to realize his objective, and went to one of the safer areas. Suddenly, he heard two massive explosions. He frantically worked to identify the sources, finding two rising plumes of black smoke coming from the mountainside. Then, he heard a heart-sinking rumbling noise. "No¡­" He ran toward the wyvern stables, glad to see that it was mostly untouched by the dragon''s fires. His steed uttered a noise as he approached. Undoubtedly, it was suffering from the effects of the toxic atmosphere around them. "C''mon boy, let''s get outta here," Bractin ordered, untying the wyvern. He hopped on its back and fled as the mountain came crashing down on his men. Remembering the scene involving the other wyverns, he instructed his steed to fly low and slow, directing it toward a tree line. He didn''t know how the metal dragons were able to detect their targets, but he assumed that it would be safer if he stayed away from the open skies. As his wyvern made its way to the tree line, he looked back, having heard the flying swords once more. Fortunately for him, they didn''t seem to care about him, if they knew he was there at all. Instead, their focus was directed toward his army. The swords flew over the encampment, releasing things from their underbellies. Moments later, Bractin witnessed as his half-buried encampment erupted into bright explosions numbering in the thousands. He watched in despair as the power of the gods completely blanketed his army in a million bursts of light. Was this the power of the Sonarans'' patron deity? Could they have established a pact with demons? His thoughts drifted for a few seconds before he realized that he most likely would never discover the origin of the metal dragons. As such, he turned his steed back into the forest, vowing never again to anger the gods with his unscrupulous deeds. ¡ª Authors Note: If you enjoy my story, please remember to vote and/or submit a rating! I would also appreciate it if you all could share my story; you guys are the people who motivate me to write! Join my discord if you wish to discuss more about my story. https://discord.gg/ymbTbNw 29 Changing World Fort Washington Month 6, Day 25 3:00 P.M. Third Commander Jean Deaunius swished the iced tea around his mouth before swallowing it. He sat together with Prion Bonaparius in one of the lounges around the base, discussing the earlier screening of the Americans'' bombing run. "Prion, you must do anything you can to secure the support of these people," Jean said with unbreakable determination. He remembered how just a couple dozen aircraft were able to wipe out an entire army. He recalled the weapon they called white phosphorus totally incapacitating their enemy while massive bombs called MOABs brought an entire mountain down upon the suffocating targets. Like them, these Otherworlders fought with maximum efficiency and lethality, except with far superior weapons and equipment. "I agree, Jean. I saw it too, but why would they show us such a display of force? It is clear to me that this is a form of warship diplomacy, meant to intimidate us so that we are more compliant to whatever they demand." Prion shook his head slightly, fearful of making a diplomatic mistake that could have negative repercussions on his nation. "Ah, I spoke with General Harding about this. He told me that his people are best reflected by sayings from their history. ''Speak softly and carry a big stick.''" Jean smiled, finding great wisdom in the quote. "Essentially, they have achieved peace on their world through overwhelming power. They strive for friendship, but are never afraid to defend themselves and their allies." Still suspicious, Prion voiced his doubts, "The tales of the defeated are suppressed by the voices of the victorious." "Admiral Picardius?" "Indeed. I would caution against trusting them outright. So far, the exchanges we''ve agreed upon have been quite reasonable. In fact, they''re probably offering us more than we are to them! However, we still do not know of their true intentions. Their recent victories against the Nobian Empire could be seen as steps toward conquest." "To be true, they were attacked first." "Then for all we can be certain, they are fortunate to have such a reason to invade." "That is a valid point, but consider what they''ve done to this¡­ Bractin Army. So far, they have been generous to the Sonarans, especially in regard to their defense alliance. We could benefit much from something like that. And, it would be in our best interest to keep the Americans from being swayed by the Divinians, should they ever consider involving themselves in the matters regarding the portal." Jean saw where Prion was going with this, and smiled internally, glad with his small victory. Helping Prion complete his thoughts, he added on, "We need to be as prepared as possible for the next war. Their display of might through their combat livestream was, I believe, merely the tip of the kaes root. I could see it in the eyes of General Harding, he is experienced in warfare. There are yet many secrets to be uncovered, and he is the keeper of them." ¡ª Portal Hangar "Welcome to Gaerra, Captain Lamarr!" Major Henry Donnager greeted a striking blonde lady, a new transfer from Cheyenne Mountain. "Why, thank you, Major. It''s nice to finally meet the famous hero who fought off hordes of monsters and even a dragon!" Captain Emma Lamarr smiled, further captivating Donnager. Henry stared into her beautiful blue eyes for a bit too long before he realized what he was doing. ''No, I cannot do this! There is no fraternizing in the military!'' he thought to himself. Thankfully, Emma only giggled. Trying to regain his composure after this slight embarrassment, he began again, "Sorry, Captain. Please, follow me to General Harding''s Office so you can be debriefed." Emma nodded, asking some questions as they walked to their destination. "So, I hear magic really does exist. I''ve been told by some scientists at Area 51 that it''s a new force in this universe, separate from the four fundamental ones we already know about." Henry instantly became nervous. Obviously, this woman was much smarter than he was, and currently he struggled to remember any bit of information from the Academy that he could. "Yeah, magic is real. I''ve even got a magic user on my team, Kelmithus! We sometimes call him Kel for short, but that''s usually reserved for Dr. Tesla and Dr. Oppenheimer." Henry found the perfect escape from his situation. "If you want, you can probably ask Kel about magic; he''s a Master Wizard in the Sonaran Federation. Or you can talk to the Docs." Emma''s eyes lit up at the prospect; no longer would she have to study magic in some secret lab on Earth. Now, at the very least, she could interact with real magic users! "Thanks, yeah I''ll do that," she said. "So, what do you think of the base so far?" Henry asked. "Pretty impressive considering it has been a month since it first started construction," she answered, looking out the window. Outside, additional hangars and research facilities were being constructed, while a section of the main structure was being upgraded for more living quarters. "Yeah, we also have a few civilian buildings in the works, infrastructure for trade and research. They''re gonna build a bunch of warehouses for the goods that are eventually gonna be shipped through the portal." "All this stuff was built pretty quickly, huh," Emma commented. "Yeah, the worker bots Lockheed made with the remains of that crashed alien ship back in ''95 were a big part of that." "Oh speaking of aliens, I was looking through some of the stuff brought back from Site Beta One. I was able to conduct some scans of the N25 pistol, and I think we might be able to manufacture them." Now, it was Henry''s turn to get excited. Doing his best to suppress his delight, he gave a grin before reducing it to a mere smile. "When do you think we''ll be able to crank them out?" "Well, I said ''might'', she said, emphasizing the word. "But, assuming we learn more about magic and more about whatever ancient technology is stored at Beta One, I''d say maybe less than a month or so." This seemed like a reasonable deadline. The US military would want to be able to manufacture these as quickly as possible, so they could build a stockpile and then distribute it once enough units are made. For now, though, Henry was content with the N25 units that his Team and fellow airmen around the base would be getting. As he thought of a reply, he suddenly realized they had reached their destination. "Well, it was nice hearing that news." He knocked on the door, hearing a "Come in!" that prompted him to open it. "After you, Captain." Once inside the office, General Harding greeted them and dived straight into business. "Captain Lamarr, I''ve requested you here because of your exceptional abilities regarding reverse-engineering new technologies and implementing them. On one occasion, you even saved your entire facility by figuring out how to disable that alien self destruct in what, 3 hours?" General Harding raised an eyebrow, impressed at the feats accomplished by this lady. "Well, I''m sure anyone else in the research labs could have done it as well; we all spent a lot of time on Project Pioneer," Captain Lamarr modestly deflected. "Regardless, it was because of your actions here that you were promoted from Lieutenant to Captain. I have high hopes for you, Captain Lamarr, and that is why I am placing you under the command of Major Donnager." Henry''s facial expression changed ever so slightly before he regained control and silenced his shock. "Sir, she''s joining Alpha Team?" "Correct. I understand that you and your team have already run into numerous advanced artifacts in Site Beta One. I reckon this won''t be the last time this happens, especially not after the database we found down there." The two junior officers remained silent. General Harding, seeking to avoid awkward silence, continued. "The database contained the locations of 5 additional outposts on this continent alone, with nearly 30 worldwide. Some of these outposts may contain caches of weapons, vehicles, and other technologies. The closest one to us is located in Nobian territory, near a waterfall called Nobaya Falls. According to the description in the database, this outpost was mainly for weapons. It served as an early warning platform for incoming threats, and housed various defensive systems such as ''PDB-3 batteries'', ''drone swarms'', and ''. Of course, Site Beta One has them as well but it seems that it''s previous occupants left with most of their weapons and gear, obvious by the lack of vehicles in the hangars. Well anyway, I want Alpha Team to check out this outpost. I''m scheduling this mission for tomorrow at 0810 hours. You''ll be inserted via Pave Hawk, right after the leaflet drops happen. This way, most of Nobia will be occupied with the mass amounts of paper fluttering around rather than your mission. Oh, and try to avoid encounters with any Nobian forces along the way, but in the event you run into some, just radio for assistance. I''ll have an Osprey with some Marines on standby should you need an evac." "Yes, sir!" The two officers said, saluting. Once they exited the room, Henry asked, "Ever worked in the field before?" "Yeah, actually," Emma replied, trying to remember the details of her most recent mission. "It was a forest in Oregon, we were investigating anomalous energy signatures, and we ran into some robots. They were guarding some sort of crashed vessel, and they''ve apparently been there for a while now. We traced some disappearances in the area to these robots, dating as far back as the early 1900s. Turns out, the robots were on a strict defensive program." Her eyes suddenly became watery, her breathing slowly becoming irregular. "When we ran into them, they were in like a sleep mode, I guess to save energy. We accidentally activated them when we got too close. I-I lost my commanding officer that day, Captain Nick McKay, and one of my close friends, Lieutenant Joseph Evans. They were in front when the robots activated¡­ I¡­" Emma faltered. "I should''ve said something¡­" Henry looked at her, sympathetic to her plight. "It''s not your fault, Emma," he said. "There was no way you could''ve known." Emma turned to her side and brought her arm up to her face, wiping a set of tears that streamed down her cheeks. "I wish I could''ve done something, but¡­" Henry waited for her to continue. "But the robots killed them with a self destruct sequence. There was nothing left of them. I try to let my work distract me. I try to tell myself that I''m fortunate and honored, working with alien tech and all that, haha." Emma looked up to Henry with a sad smile, which Henry reciprocated. "Well," Henry said, "you can now look forward to working with magic. There are some real miracles that can happen around here, like when Kel first healed some of our wounded after the time the Nobians attacked our base here." "If only these people could heal mental wounds¡­" "We are all capable of doing that ourselves. I used to hate myself over a particular botched mission from my past. Sometimes I still get bad dreams about it, but they''ve been getting better. You know, now that I think about it, I probably wouldn''t be here if I had never experienced that mission." "Oh?" Emma tilted her head slightly, the gears in her head working to figure out the mystery behind Major Donnager''s statement. Noticing Emma''s confusion, Henry continued. "Normally, I wouldn''t have been qualified for this, but I picked up a few things along the way, as I fought my way out of enemy territory. Had to do things not too many people would be fond of, just to survive." Henry saw a flash of his memories as he said that: a moment where he ripped the fingernails off a captured enemy soldier in order to secure intel. Emma nodded in understanding, seeing that her new commanding officer did not want to speak further of the topic. Suddenly, a man ran past them, yelling for the General. "Hm, wonder what''s got him in a hurry," Emma remarked. ¡ª "Sir," the intelligence officer panted out, tired from his sprint. "What happened, Lieutenant? Report!" "Emperor Novus is missing!" "What?!" General Harding couldn''t believe what he was hearing. His forces, working in tandem with the CIA, had placed numerous recording devices throughout the capital and royal castle during their assault on the city. They even had agents embedded within the Royal staff, serving as cooks and cleaners. If the Emperor had gone somewhere, they would know. However, the contrary was evident. "Sir, one of the CIA agents reported that the Emperor just went to his private chambers and then simply¡­ vanished. The agent was scheduled to serve him breakfast the next day, but when he entered, Novus was nowhere to be found. He couldn''t have exited, since we have the corridor outside the room under 24 hour surveillance." General Harding sat there in deep thought, trying to make sense of the situation. "That is concerning," he finally said. "Despite this, I would still like to carry out our schedule for tomorrow. Keep monitoring the situation, and take some extra drones. I want the Emperor found." "Understood, sir." ¡ª Ovine Forest Ketan stopped by a tree, catching his breath after escaping from that burning, toxic hellscape. Now, having had a sip of water, he allowed himself to relax and contemplate the occurrences of the past few hours. None of that was supposed to happen! He was lucky he had a plan for escape, and a protective charm to help him survive. However, that plan was meant for escaping a Sonaran raid or a futile battle against a Sonaran force. At least he would be able to tell epic tales of his escape from what was essentially a volcanic eruption. He smiled, thinking of how he could hyperbolize his heroics, and relieved that he no longer had to play that silly act with the dumb attitude. Well, that was enough of that. He had to report the situation to his superiors first. They might not be happy about the events that have transpired, he thought, but they would definitely be glad to hear about this new intelligence. His original mission was to monitor the status of the Bractin Gang, in order to account for them and plan appropriately for the conquest of their continent, Eanif. After the skirmish in the Ovine Mountains, he was able to convince Bractin to go on the offensive; they could strike while the Sonarans were busy scufflin'' with the Nobians. As a result, his objective changed: gauge the losses inflicted upon the Sonarans by the Bractin Gang. All that got thrown out the window with today''s bombing. He pulled out a peculiar device from his travel sack, about twice the size of a modern walkie talkie. The configuration of the device was similar to a modern radio, except without any way to adjust the frequency. Instead, runes adorned the surface of the device, numbered from left to right. Ketan recalled his training, focusing his mana on the device. He called to the first four runes, and used them to tune the device to the frequency given by his commanding officer: 105.3. With the device now connected, he activated the fifth rune, enabling one-way communication. He began from the beginning, detailing the disappearance of a raiding party. After they hadn''t reported in for a day, another party was sent to investigate. Finding bodies riddled with bullet holes and metal fragments, the party immediately reported to Bractin. At the time, Bractin and his inner circle haven''t yet heard a single thing regarding the portal in the North Grenden Plains. Ketan also knew nothing of the people who came through the portal, since communication with the Imperium was restricted to reports and orders. Knowing nothing of the Americans and the weapons they used, they assumed Sonarans killed the raiding party, seeing that the transgression occurred on Sonaran territory. He was able to convince Bractin to attack the Sonaran Federation, ultimately leading to the massacre of his army. "It was as if the demon Vesif himself rose once again to smite mortal armies," he detailed. "But, this was different. This was caused by men, by the Otherworlders rumored to have established a base in the Grenden region. These men flew in planes, like the ones in Mekkan and Divinia, but certainly more advanced than those of either nation. I know not if they have shields like the Divinian models, but they certainly carried greater firepower than the Divinian and Mekkanese warplanes I''ve read of. These American warplanes truly do deserve the titles given to them by the locals: metal dragons. One large one was able to spew fire upon the encampment, covering the entire area in poisonous gas and flames. Two others blew up the mountain, whose base we had established our camp, causing a disastrous rockslide. The smaller planes, their escorts, took out our wyvern forces as if they were mere target practice! We could not even see the enemy planes until the wyverns were annihilated. And then, the escorts exploded the air around them, going faster than I can imagine." Ketan began to falter, some of the details too egregiously dark to coherently describe. "Bodies, and burning men. Everyone around me choked to death! And as I ran, the escorts returned, dropping thousands of bombs that blanketed the entire camp. The entire camp. It¡­ All the people turned into red¡­ A man''s arm hit me in the head as I ran from the camp; I still have blood on me!" Ketan screamed, beginning to go mad from the carnage he witnessed. "No! I can''t do this anymore!" Ketan pulled out a flintlock pistol and brought it under his chin. "I came face to face with a d-demon¡­" Ketan channeled mana into the weapon, priming it. "And it exterminated a hundred thousand men without mercy." Ketan cast a flame spell in the ignition chamber. The powder stored in the chamber exploded, sending a metal ball through the barrel and into Ketan''s head. The man dropped to the floor, a large hole where his chin used to be. He knew fighting demons would be futile, and he feared his fate should he fall in battle against them. His superiors on the other hand, did not share the same fear, as they were confident in their abilities even against a possible altercation with the Mekkanese or Divinians. Their counter to this fear: ignorance. ¡ª Authors Note: If you enjoy my story, please remember to vote and/or submit a rating! I would also appreciate it if you all could share my story; you guys are the people who motivate me to write! Join my discord if you wish to discuss more about my story. https://discord.gg/ymbTbNw 30 Changing World Part 2 ¡ª¡ª¡ª Nobian Capital City, Nokk Month 6, Day 26 7:58 AM Opening her eyes, Lonoa saw the sunlight streaming in through the bedroom window. Morning time. She stretched, allowing herself to wake up after a comfortable night of rest. When she finally got out of bed, she walked toward the window and opened it. Outside was the same beautiful scene that she had awakened to for the past couple years, excluding the numerous scaffolds that dotted the cityscape. Reconstruction started but a few days ago, and it will be lengthy, but the city will be restored to its former glory. Lonoa smiled, knowing that her city survived such a grave assault on their homeland, but it faltered when she began thinking about the future security of her home. Her thoughts were interrupted by a droning noise, unnatural in every sense. She had never heard of such a noise in her life. Well, she heard it once, several days ago when the metal dragons came. Looking up, she discovered the source of the noise: a massive metal dragon. As it lumbered overhead, she feared the worst. The last time metal aircraft had intruded on their fair city, no one had a means to fight back; their wyverns were immediately shot out of the sky by exploding arrows and their ground forces simply could not shoot that high up. This time, they had no defenses, although it could be said that nothing has changed, since the Nobian defenses were useless during the first assault. Additionally, the metal dragons in the first attack targeted only military targets, including walls, forts, and forges. There was no other target for the second attack aside from civilian ones. As it flew toward her, she closed her eyes, making her final prayers to Lunara. After a while, nothing happened, and so she opened her eyes. Once again watching the metal dragon, she saw that it just continued in its previous direction. What was it doing? Finally, it acted, dropping a small dark object, which she could barely make out with her bare eyes. What could it be? Following it, she realized that this small speck was a weapon of some kind, meant to drop from the sky and onto the ground below. But this one didn''t explode. Rather it exploded into... paper? The paper that was released came fluttering down, landing in the city by the thousands. To her, this was shocking, since paper was decently expensive, even when purchased from the Mekkanese. When compared to Mekkanese paper, the paper delivered by the metal dragon amounted to nearly 200 novichs worth. This money, it''s enough to last 2 peasant families for a year each! "To my Nobian brothers and sisters, I, Prince Lonad Novus of the Royal Family, hereby declare my return to my subjects. For years, I have been silenced by my father the Emperor for my Reformist views. In order to maintain his dominion over my subjects, he imprisoned me, and for years I remained in a dungeon. Blessed be my fortune, my prayers to Lunara were answered, and she has granted me my escape through a third party: the Americans. The Americans are a people who come from the portal; you may have called them the Otherworlders. These were the same people who attacked our defenses, but do not worry, for this attack was designed as a message to my father. All of the death that has plagued us these past couple of months leads back to the current Emperor who, in his irrationality, awakened the sleeping dragon. No, even this comparison cannot speak for the wrath he has incurred. In fact, he has awakened the sleeping dragon slayers, for he attacked a force far more powerful than any army or Epic beast we have yet seen! And yet, these Americans are willing to show mercy, and even kindness. If we cease our quarrels with them, they will open up some of their technologies to us! Even now, the Sonaran Federation reaps the benefits provided to them by the Americans. They have mechanical carriages, faster and more comfortable than those produced by Mekkan! They have the power to cool rooms during hot summers, and to freeze food for storage! For ores that are useless to us, they pay generously! Against any threat, they will grant us protection! No longer shall we live in the squalor that my father has degraded our society to! No longer shall we fear attacks from beasts and monsters! No longer shall our people suffer! We Nobians are on the precipice of a great change. With the grievances I''ve listed in consideration, what say you all to the rule of my father? Will you write yourself into the pages of history, signifying yourself as the people who brought Nobia into the future? Or will you remain, and rot along with those who cling to crumbling ideas? In one week, American diplomats will arrive at each of our major cities. We will not force people to join us, but it will be beneficial to do so. To betterment! To Reformation!" She paused for a moment. What if all this was an elaborate hoax developed by the invaders? Any doubts Lonoa may have had were immediately silenced by the seal next to the Prince''s signature. It was genuine, and only the prince himself could have had access to it. She grinned, and so did many others throughout the city. The famous Prince is returning, and the war hungry Emperor will be dethroned. The path to Reformation has been laid out. Those who seek it will prosper, while those who do not will fade into dust. ¡ª SB-1 Outpost Alpha With the help of Kelmithus and Dr. Jones, the black hawk touched down quietly, with the only sounds coming from the rustling of leaves as they were blown away by the powerful gales emanating from the helicopter''s blades. Alpha Team, now consisting of Major Donnager, Captain Lamarr, Captain Owens, Kelmithus, and Dr. Jones, disembarked from the helicopter, which then took off. There weren''t any Nobian patrols on the sensors or imaging equipment as of yesterday, but they couldn''t be too careful. As such, Alpha Team scrambled to some nearby foliage in order to conceal themselves as they worked their way toward the Homagus outpost. Of course, the name was tentative, but since there weren''t any good ideas in the science department, nor any records in the Site Beta One database, the higher ups went with Homagus, after Homo Magus Sapiens. The outpost, approximately 1 mile from the designated drop off point, was hidden in the forest, many miles away from the nearest settlement or base. As they walked, Dr. Jones described his adventures in the Amazon Rainforest. "These forests here are nothing like the ones in South America, I tell you. Down there, I had to worry about creatures that haven''t even been documented yet!" Jones looked around. "Well, I guess it''s the same case here, but the circumstances were different back then. Anyway! The humidity and heat were enough to kill ya! Just imagine how much harder it was for me, traveling alone, cutting through the densest brush while making certain not to accidentally step on a venomous snake or awaken a supposedly extinct beast. I''m glad it''s much simpler here. Reminds me of my exploits through European forests, searching for hidden Nazi caches of treasure." "Did you ever run into Nazis?" Emma asked. "Why, yes I did!" Jones exclaimed. Immediately after his outburst, an arrow flew past his face, lodging itself into a tree to his left. "Get down!" Henry yelled as more arrows came flying toward them. Working as quickly as they could, Kelmithus and Jones created a shield to intercept the second volley before it hit. The arrows bounced harmlessly off the shield, narrowly missing their targets. With wide eyes, Emma muttered, "Thanks¡­" "You''re not gonna die in your first mission, Lamarr!" Henry affirmed, leading Alpha Team back the way they came, in a tactical retreat. Thankfully, deflecting arrows was much simpler and easier than deflecting bullets. Consequently, the two magic users in Alpha Team didn''t break any sweat as they retreated. "Why aren''t you shooting?" Kelmithus questioned his team members who were holding guns. "Oh, I assumed we couldn''t shoot through the shield," Henry admitted. Come to think of it, who would''ve guessed? Most shields in science fiction were two way. Nothing penetrates in, and nothing shoots out. Testing to see if Kelmithus'' claims were indeed correct, Henry fired a blast from his N25 pistol at the lowest setting. Sure enough, the bolt went through the shield. Seeing the confirmation with his own eyes, he gave the order to Emma and Ron to begin firing back at the enemy. "It''s hard to see them!" Emma yelled as she eliminated three archers with her P90. "The shield really messes with our target acquisition," Ron affirmed, despite having netted six kills already. Noticing the attack patterns of the Nobian archers, Henry realized that they were beginning to adjust their tactics. The men he''s killed so far were not wearing armor; instead, they wore some sort of camouflage that allowed them to blend in with their surroundings. They would fire a volley, then pull back into the trees in order to ready their next volley. This strategy made it hard for Alpha Team to determine how many hostiles were out there. So, Henry turned to Dr. Jones and Kelmithus. "Is there anything you can do in order to locate the Nobians?" Kelmithus shook his head. He knew of no such magic, and if it even existed, it would most likely be the Divinians who could perform it. Jones, on the other hand, simply stared. To Henry, it looked as if he was thinking, but Jones was in fact communicating with Omnis. "Hold on, I think I might have a way," Jones said. "Omnis has a database of spells he has encountered in the past. One of them is a pulse spell, which will send energy toward hostile attackers and wrap them in an orange light." "Okay. Do it." "Okay. Kel, do you mind holding the shield for a bit?" Jones asked Kelmithus. "You are fortunate we are only defending against arrows and the occasional lightning attack," he said before complying. "Go!" With his concentration now free for other tasks, Jones began his spell casting. Using the Scepter of Axnial, he created a circle of energy above himself, like a ring. Then, he placed his staff in the center, and allowed Omnis to complete the remaining tasks. A beam of light shot out from Omnis, stopping just above the ring and dispersing energy to the ring, which slowly grew in size. Once the ring had grown to an optimal configuration, Jones chanted something in an unknown, ancient language. The spell finished, and the ring of energy pulsed outward, harmlessly passing through Alpha Team and the shield. After a few seconds, they began to see outlines of human bodies in the forest, highlighted by a mysterious glow. Henry remarked upon this, having seen something similar in the past. "Huh, looks like a vision pulse from Call of Duty!" Henry said, astonished. He then looked over to the rest of his team, who all shared the same stupefied look on his face, but for different reasons. Ron Owens was most likely surprised because of the military applications; Emma Lamarr because of the scientific impossibility of it; Jones because it actually worked; and Kelmithus because he had never seen such a spell before. "Alright," Henry said after merely a second, "Let''s get to work. We can do some more testing once we get back to the base." Now, the hunters have become the hunted, as the Nobian forces who sought Alpha Team have become the prey. It could be said that prey aren''t truly defenseless, for many animals possess various defense mechanisms, such as camouflage or hardened exteriors. Although predators have evolved certain features, such as keen, forward facing eyes and a heightened sense of smell, they are sometimes fooled by the prey. Today, in this scenario, none of this was the case. With the Nobian soldiers marked for Alpha Team to see, it was as if they were playing a video game with all of the hacks turned on. TATATA! Shots rang out from the trees, hitting their targets through visual obstacles such as bushes. It was already bad enough that the Nobians had to fight an uphill battle, against guns while they only had bows and arrows. They weren''t climbing a hill anymore; this time they were climbing Mount Everest with their bare hands and no provisions. It was impossible, and thus they retreated. "My, they run fast!" Kelmithus said, tiring out. "I''m getting too old for this!" He managed between breaths. As they continued to run, they saw the Nobian force regroup about 100 meters ahead, their individual energy signatures all clumping up in what appeared to be a chamber. Of course, there was no way to be certain since Alpha Team could essentially see them through walls. They could be behind a patch of dense vegetation, or behind their fortress. Suddenly, all of the energy signatures disappeared, causing Henry to put his hand up, signaling everyone to stop. Panting, he asked, "Did it run out?" Like with video games, he assumed this ability had a time limit. "No," Jones answered. "It wasn''t supposed to run out for another 10 minutes." "Maybe it doesn''t work like it''s supposed to since this is the first time you''re using the spell," Kelmithus suggested. "No¡­ something else happened," Jones said as he looked around. Eventually, he looked down and found the energy signatures, below the ground. "Hey guys¡­" Henry turned and saw Jones looking at something on the ground. Following his gaze, he as well saw the energy signatures. "What the hell?" "There''s no way the Nobians have elevators, right?" Emma asked. "Let''s go investigate." Upon arriving at the location where the Nobians used to be, they found a metal platform, circular in design. It looked like an odd mix between the floor of a Star Trek transporter room and a Stargate ring transporter. Noticing this, Henry suggested, "Let''s stand on it." Seeing no better alternatives, everyone else shrugged and agreed. Kelmithus and Jones readied themselves; they might need to create a shield the moment they get to the facility below. "Hmm¡­" "Nothing is happening," Ron pointed out. "Yes, I can see that." Henry looked around again. Maybe there was some device that activated the machine, like a console or switch. "There!" The other members of Alpha Team turned around and looked to him in confusion, then followed his finger. He was pointing at a console covered by greenery, the lower portion of the silvery device entangled in roots. This device was clearly of Homagus design, and thus everyone turned to Jones for answers. "What?" Jones asked. "You know the most about Homagus tech. You can ask Omnis for answers," Ron said, his reply more straightforward than usual. "Okay." Jones gripped his staff, reaching out to Omnis. \u003c Walk to the console. It will activate when you approach. \u003e Sure enough, the device activated upon his approach, projecting holographic controls which were partially obscured by some leaves. Jones pushes the leaves aside. \u003c Place me in the sphere. I will interface with the device. \u003e Jones followed Omnis'' instructions and slowly maneuvered his scepter into the hologram, placing the scepter''s crystal in the blue sphere that hovered above the console. He waited for a few seconds, then the hologram disappeared. Jones began to say something, then stopped when another voice spoke. \u003c I can now activate transporters remotely. I will tell you later how to use the transporters, for I believe your team wishes to proceed with their mission. \u003e "What''s going on Dr. Jones?" Emma asked. "Ah, just talking to Omnis. Let''s get on the platform. He can activate it remotely." Alpha Team went to the platform once more. As soon as everyone was standing above it, Omnis glowed blue, radiating light from his crystalline form in the Scepter of Axnial. Alpha Team shone as if their bodies became flashlights. This event occurred for a split second and was accompanied by the sound of space distorting around them, similar to the sounds produced by beaming technology in science fiction. Then, they vanished. ¡ª¡ª Authors Note: If you enjoy my story, please remember to vote and/or submit a rating! I would also appreciate it if you all could share my story; you guys are the people who motivate me to write! Join my discord if you wish to discuss more about my story. https://discord.gg/ymbTbNw 31 Changing World Part 3 Henry immediately had his weapon ready when he beamed down. Unfortunately, he had some disorientation due to the beaming process. Of course, nothing was wrong with the technology. Rather, the blinding light and sudden environmental shift were the culprits. He made a mental note to close his eyes before beaming and then reopening them once he heard the audio cue of the beaming''s completion. He then looked around. The design and architecture of the whole place was consistent with those of Site Beta One. Scanning the room, he found no hostile elements. Perhaps they had gone toward their base of operations in order to report to their superiors. Once he was certain the area was clear, he went back to his team, all of whom but one were resting on crates. "Everyone okay?" Henry asked. "Just a little dizzy," Emma replied. "Haha, WOO! That was a rush!" Dr. Jones said ecstatically. He was the only one not resting on a crate. Ron and Kelmithus replied with standard "yeahs", very contrasting compared to Jones'' excitement. "Alright. Let''s keep moving. Our objective is to figure out just what the hell is going on here. Jones, make sure to renew the spell once it runs out. For now, let''s follow those other guys. Looks like they''re up ahead in a room of some sort. Maintain stealth. Only engage when I give the signal," Henry ordered. "We should be wary. They might know we are here. If they were able to figure out how to use the transporter and how to turn on the lights, they may have also figured out how to use the systems in this place. They may be tracking us using the internal sensors," Ron cautioned. Henry nodded and signalled everyone to move forward slowly. The highlighted Nobians from before were about 100 meters up ahead and to the right, Henry deduced, based on the sizes of their figures. Currently, they did not have to worry about any Nobians waiting in ambush, since they were walking down a brightly lit hallway, with the only entrances in front and behind. Taking advantage of this, Henry and his team moved as quickly as possible until they could reach the intersecting corridor ahead. It was a crossroads, with a door directly in front and two diverging paths, left and right. At this point, the highlighted Nobians were right in front of them. However, the lights revealing their location were quickly disappearing. When once they could see their entire outlines, now they could only see a small glow, each representing one Nobian. "29 tangoes right in front of us. How are we gonna approach this, sir?" Ron asked. Henry looked over to Jones and Kelmithus. "Do you two know of any way to neutralize all the men in there?" Kelmithus stroked his magnificent, gray beard for a moment. Jones simply stood still and stared into nothing, perhaps communicating with Omnis. After pondering for a few seconds, both came up with a resounding "Ah!", signifying that they''ve come up with ideas. "You first, Kelmithus," Dr. Jones offered. Kelmithus nodded and began his explanation. "I''ve been studying your ways for quite some time now, particularly your flashbangs and explosives. After our battle with the epic dragon, I experimented with flash spells. I can summon a flare in the chamber in order to temporarily blind them, as well as an explosion to deal damage and disorient them. Once my flashboom spell is complete, I will summon a cold gale into the room and we can push in with a shield around us." Henry contemplated this plan. This flashboom of his could potentially work, but what if there were wizards in there who have learned how to counter flashbangs? The U.S. used enough flashbangs on Nobian warriors that at this point, their wizards must''ve figured out how to create a defense against them. Though, the cold wind could help throw off wizards who are expecting a flashbang. He then turned to Jones, wanting to hear his idea. "I was thinking of summoning some golems and letting them do the work for us." "Don''t you need some material to make a golem?" Emma asked. "I''ve read reports on the Battle of Fort Washington, and the enemy mages summoned dirt golems from the environment around them." "Well, I thought about that and I came up with a workaround, with the help of Omnis. There are many things in our environment that we can use. For example, we can make golems out of the walls, but I''d rather not exert myself trying to dismantle Homagus engineering. Instead, we can use the air." "Omnis¡­ that''s the guy in the crystal?" Emma tried to remember what she''d read. She still couldn''t wrap her head around that. "Yeah." "Dr. Jones, I don''t mean to be critical, but how are air golems gonna help us fight the bad guys?" Henry asked. "Ah, I was just getting to that. Now, consider the force shield. I can create a force shield golem by summoning a shield around a pocket of air, like this." Jones created a force shield golem, humanoid in shape, but twice as large as a human. "I could further shrink this golem, compressing the air inside, and on my command, the shield will disappear and send everyone inside flying." Once more, Henry pondered another possible avenue for their breaching and clearing operation. The two plans could potentially be combined for a more effective one. "Okay, I think I''ve got it. First, I want Kelmithus to use his flashboom spell once we open that door. Kel, you''re gonna have a very small window to cast your spell; once we open that door, everyone on the other side will be ready to strike. Second: the flashboom has gone off, I want Dr. Jones to send in the suicide golem. On his signal, we push in with a force shield around us and pick off the stragglers. Lamarr, Owens, you''re with me." As soon as he finished relaying his orders, the lights that were detailing the enemy positions disappeared. Henry looked over to Jones. "Can you renew the spell?" "They''re gonna know we''re here," Jones replied. Henry thought about it for a moment. On one hand, they will reveal their position to the entire complex, and there was no telling how many hostiles might rush to their position once they''re hit with the scanning pulse. On the other hand, it could tell them exactly how many more Nobians were stationed here, and of the situation in the other room. Eventually, they''re going to need the pulse, so Henry decided Jones might as well conduct his spell now. "Okay, do it." Once more, a pulse of energy emitted from the Scepter of Axnial, passing through the walls of the facility and encapsulating the Nobian troops in light. "On three." Henry moved his hand over the pad as the rest of his team positioned themselves on opposite sides of the door. "One." Kelmithus began his incantations. "Two." Jones summoned the force shield golem and began compressing it. "Three." Henry slid his hand downward, opening the door. The door slid open, and the atmosphere became tense. Nothing came out from the other side; no spells, no crossbow bolts. The Nobians waited for someone to peak out from behind the door. With his spell now ready, Kelmithus quickly peaked the door and aimed his staff into the chamber. Unfortunately for the Nobians, their reflexes couldn''t catch up with those of an old man, thanks to a speed spell. Immediately, after Kelmithus withdrew to the safety of the hallway a bright light engulfed the room. It was so bright that it outshined the lights in the hallway. Following the burst of light was a burst of sound, caused by a combination of vacuum knowledge and magic. Unlike the Nobian warriors, Alpha Team prepared for this. BOOM! A voice shouted from the Nobian side of the room. It seems that the Nobians did in fact find a way to defend themselves against flashbangs. Henry filed this information away into his mental notes. Working with expert precision, Jones then sent in the suicide golem, which ran into the center of the room and burst open. POP! The gust of wind sent the Nobian warriors inside flying, many of them making contact with the walls, creating numerous thud sounds. On the other side of the door, Alpha Team felt the wind as the room depressurized. Even though it was short, at just above shoulder length, Emma''s hair went flying and smacked into Henry, who was behind her. Brushing it off, Henry gave the order to move in. "Go!" Kelmithus and Jones took point, holding up Alpha Team''s shield. Henry, Ron, and Emma quickly followed behind, scanning the room for any target still standing. As they looked around the room, they saw blood splattered over the walls, with the broken bodies of Nobian warriors below each respective blood stain. "My God, that Air Burst Golem worked a bit too well¡­" Emma muttered, surveying the gruesome damage. Indeed, the effects of having thousands of cubic feet worth of air compressed into a small vessel were devastating. If shield compression was this destructive, Emma wondered what it could do to a person inside of a shield, or even a planet. She shuddered merely thinking about it. After checking the bodies, they discovered that no one survived the attack. Having cleared the chamber, they looked around. It was quite similar in design to Section 2 of Site Beta One; it was a control room. They continued into the chamber, toward the next batch of highlighted foes. There were ten of them, rushing to the chamber in order to reinforce their allies. Unfortunately for them, Alpha Team knew exactly where they were coming from. Taking up a position behind a control table, Alpha Team waited for the Nobians to arrive. Despite being equipped with the best armor produced by Nobian forges, the warriors were quickly turned into Swiss cheese by the Otherworldly weapons. TATATATATATA! Alpha Team''s combined fire of P90s, N25 bolts, and ice projectile spells made quick work of all but one. ¡ª "How¡­" the survivor muttered as he fell to the floor, bullet holes throughout his breastplate. The survivor couldn''t imagine how pathetic his last battle was. As a guard to the emperor himself, he was supposed to lay down his life for Emperor Novus. However, he never imagined it to be like this. It was as if an epic dragon was after the emperor, and he was sent to his certain death in order to slow the beast down. The survivor then realized that someone was standing above him. The bearded man had an object aimed at him. No, it wasn''t one of those black objects that spewed small metal arrows. This one looked different, and seemed as if it had lightning coursing through its mechanisms. ¡ª Henry aimed his N25 energy pistol at the lone Nobian survivor. "Why are you here?!" Seeing no response from the man, he pressed his boot onto the Nobian soldier''s breastplate, specifically targeting his bullet wounds. "AAGH!" The soldier screamed in pain. "Talk!" Henry commanded. "I¡­ serve¡­ to protect¡­ the Emperor¡­" he muttered before passing out. Henry turned back to his team. "That must mean Emperor Novus is here! Somehow he escaped from our spies in his castle¡­ We need to find him and capture him. I know our orders aren''t to find him, but I know for damn sure they would be if the general knew our situation." "No signal from our equipment. I guess it would be hard to penetrate all the layers of earth and rock above us," Emma added. "Yeah. Okay, so we''ve got to continue deeper into this outpost. These guards came from this corridor, so I assume that the life signs up ahead are the emperor and the remainder of his guard." Henry led Alpha Team toward the next group of highlighted foes; their numbers at 15. "Alright. Let''s do what we did earlier, but if the Emperor is really in there, we need to try and take him alive. Jones, ease up on the air burst." Dr. Jones nodded and everyone got into position. "On three." "One¡­ two¡­ three!" Henry slid his hand over the door''s pad, but nothing happened. Instead of sliding open, the door gave a buzzing sound, as if their access was denied. Upon closer inspection, there was a sign above the door''s pad, written in an unknown language. "Jones?" "Hmm, it''s in Homagus. Omnis says the room is a research lab belonging to a Maniss Lore. Authorized personnel only." "If it''s in Homagus, shouldn''t our communication buff translate it?" Henry asked Kelmithus. "My communication spell can only work in the presence of a physical being or a knowledge base, such as a dictionary. It can not translate a language based on one sign. Even magic has its limits." "I see. Jones, can you and Omnis find a way to access this door?" "Can''t do that. We need a keycard." Jones paused for a second. "Hold on, Omnis says there is a locker room through the second corridor. We have to go back to the chamber and get to that locker room." "Alright. Let''s all go. If these guys try to leave we''ll see them anyway," Henry said, referring to Jones'' vision pulse. Alpha Team backtracked to Section 2 and navigated toward the locker room. The door to this room was not locked, and the team began searching for the keycard. "I found Maniss Lore''s locker," Ron announced. Alpha Team crowded around him as he sifted through the ancient scientist''s personal effects. After discovering a picture of the scientist''s family, he remarked upon the picture''s pristine physical condition, despite being thousands of years old. "Well, if they can make wormholes, I''m certain they can also preserve their stuff pretty well," Emma voiced her thoughts. After a few more seconds of searching, they discovered the keycard, located in the pocket of a lab coat. "Alright, let''s get moving. We can come back to this stuff later." After returning to the lab, Henry ordered his team to prepare to breach. "Okay," he said, holding the keycard in his hand. "On three." "One¡­ two¡­ three!" Henry slid his hand down, making sure the keycard was in close proximity to the pad. The door slid open and Kelmithus cast his flashboom spell, incapacitating those inside. Jones sent in a less powerful version of his Air Burst Golem, which only forced the Nobians inside to the ground. Having learned his lesson, Henry made sure to stand a bit further back, so this time he wasn''t smacked in the face by Emma''s hair. "Go! Go!" Like before, Alpha Team breached the room with their two wizards maintaining a force shield. They scanned the room and found many dazed Nobians on the ground, groaning. With the guards in an incapacited state, Alpha Team easily subdued them and rounded them up for questioning. None of them were the Emperor. One of the guards who was quick to recover would wish he hadn''t, for Henry walked up to him as soon as he detected a viable candidate for interrogation. Holding his N25, he aimed it at the guard and spoke. "Where''s the Emperor?" The guard smirked, as if Henry had already lost. "Heheh¡­ he''s not here." He was telling the truth. There were no more highlighted figures throughout the complex. "I know he''s not here. Where is he?!" "You waste your time with meaningless talk. I know not where he is, only that he is not here." Henry looked visibly annoyed. He shot the man with his N25, using the lowest power setting and the Nobian fell to the floor, unconscious. Turning to his team, he ordered them to stay and watch the subdued Nobians. "Jones, let''s go back to the surface and contact command. Lamarr, look around this place. See if there''s anything useful here." Emma smiled and nodded. "Will do, sir." Henry and Dr. Jones walked back to Section 1, where the transporter was. Along the way, they discussed the implications of the Nobians in this outpost. "Jones, what specifically was this outpost for?" Dr. Jones remained silent for a few seconds, communicating with Omnis. Then, he spoke. "Omnis says this outpost was one of three that were researching the gravitational anomalies of this planet. I haven''t put much thought into it, but it is a bit weird how this planet is about twice the size of Earth, but the gravity is the same." "Oh okay," Henry said, relieved. "So that means there''s nothing here the Nobians could''ve used as weapons." "Hmm, not exactly. As we now know, science can heavily modify magic, and vice versa. This outpost had a lot of data on gravity. If the Nobians were able to figure some of it out, they may have been able to create new gravity spells." "That could be bad news for some of our aircraft¡­" "Yeah, but at least they''re not going to bring an asteroid down on us or anything." "From what I''ve heard, it sounds like the Divinians might be able to do something like that, if they knew how," Henry said. "Hey, why don''t we tell the general that we want to stay for a bit. I''m sure Emma and I could use some extra time studying this outpost." "Okay, I''ll forward the request," Henry said as they were transported back to the surface. "Command, this is Alpha Team¡­" ¡ª¡ª Authors Note: If you enjoy my story, please remember to vote and/or submit a rating! I would also appreciate it if you all could share my story; you guys are the people who motivate me to write! Join my discord if you wish to discuss more about my story. https://discord.gg/ymbTbNw 32 America Month 7, Day 1 Ambassador Perry and General Harding chatted in one of the lounges, each taking occasional sips from their drinks. "I finished talks with the governor of Noack, the fortress city. They''re the last to surrender." Perry sighed in relief, glad that the war is finally over. "Yeah, seems like that propaganda really helped out the prince, although he probably could''ve done all this on his own, seeing how much those people love him." "Haha, you should''ve come to the crowning ceremony at the Nobian Capital earlier today. Prince-" Perry said before correcting himself. "Emperor Lonad Novus gave an amazing speech about gradual democratization of their country. Looks like we can push them in the direction of Imperial Japan following World War 2. I just hope Emperor Lonad doesn''t grow too fond of his newfound power." "I doubt it, but in any case, he''s still unaware of most of our strategies and tactics. I think he will remain grateful for what we''ve done." Perry nodded, taking another sip from his Arizona Green Tea. He was silent for a moment before he suddenly remembered something. "Speaking of gratitude, you''ll never guess what he gifted us! The president''s gonna go crazy over this!" "What, is it all their magic research or something?" "Well, we already have an agreement for that. No, this is something even bigger!" Perry said enthusiastically. "What? Just spit it out already!" "On top of the trade agreements and military bases we get to build, they''re giving us a literal ton of gold from the Imperial treasury!" General Harding''s eyes widened. This would mean more funding for his missions and an incredible PR boost for his entire command. He wonders, would the president promote him to Major General for this? Probably not, but maybe he could get a nice pay boost and get his wife and kids a bigger house, maybe even get himself a new boat and grill. "How much is it worth?" "Seventy million, give or take. Oh, and that''s not even the best part." "What could possibly be better than that?" General Harding asked. Perry smirked. "John." General Harding did not want to remain in suspense. "Well, he gave us a large section of the Nobian northern territories. It''s about the size of California, and was formerly known as the Ecith Kingdom. He told me that there were a lot of untapped resources up there, partly because of some monster lurking in the woods, but he gave up the land since he thought we''d be able to kill it. They call it a Hydra." "That thing with multiple heads, where you cut one off and two grow back?" "It appears so." John Perry then pulled up a map from a tablet and outlined the territory with his finger. "Here is the Ecith Kingdom." The kingdom was situated below and to the right of a massive bay, the territories of the kingdom stretching to cover over a third of the bay''s arc. "The Emperor is willing to give up access to the whole bay?" Perry looked to his side. "Well¡­ he also mentioned a sea monster that likes to ravage the villages along the coast every now and again. He''s only heard of it from stories and tales, but apparently it''s called a Kraken. Oh, and the one that likes to attack the Ecith coastline is one of many that exist." General Harding shook his head. "Are there any more catches? Any more surprises?" "Hmm, the only other thing I can think of is that it borders the Eanif Imperium, which recently annexed a¡­ Beastia Alliance. The Ecith territory has thus received a large influx of refugees. It won''t be long before some of them find their way here." "Beastia Alliance?" "Yes, a few of my teams were sent to this alliance to establish communications. They''re safe now, don''t worry. They''re up in the Imperium trying to make contact with Imperium officials, but so far they''ve been experiencing irregularly long wait times. Anyway, the Beastia Alliance is an alliance of beastmen kingdoms, like the cat-human kingdom, the bunny-human kingdom, et cetera." "Huh, interesting¡­" An airman walked up to them, announcing that the guests had arrived. General Harding filed this information for another time. He wondered if these beast people had special abilities related to their animal parts, like increased agility. "Please see them in, airman." The man nodded and led a group of people inside. "Ah, King Selios and Lady Sindis! Welcome to Fort Washington," General Harding greeted. "It is good to finally meet you in person, General Harding. I never truly expressed my gratitude for your pacification of the Nobian threat, for slaying the Epic Dragon, and for ridding us of the criminals along our southern borders. As the King of the Sonaran Federation and the spokesman for all its citizens, please accept my gift of gratitude." The king bowed slightly and one of his attendants came up, offering a scroll. The attendant spoke. "I present the deed to the reclaimed Arasol Province!" He then pulled out a printed map ¡ª one of the benefits the Sonarans enjoyed in their relationship with the Americans ¡ª and explained the location of the Arasol Province. It was a vast territory along the south of the continent of Eanif, stretching from Site Beta One down to the coast. It was easily thousands of square miles worth of territory, and contained another Homagus outpost. The final two in Eanif were presumably in the Imperium''s territory. General Harding looked to Ambassador Perry, shocked. Perry, sensing that his old buddy was speechless, stepped in. This was his area of expertise anyway: dealing with foreign relations. "Thank you for this most gracious gift, Your Majesty. We humbly accept." President Keener will be very pleased to hear about these gains. Sure, there might be some tension with Russia and China when they hear about this, but the most they''re going to do is criticize ''American imperialism''. "Excellent! Now, shall we begin?" King Selios asked, referring to their scheduled tour. "Of course. Right this way," he said, gesturing toward the lounge. "We will be waiting for the Mekkanese group. They will be here within the next few minutes." With everyone now seated, Ambassador Perry left the Sonarans with General Harding, so he could go talk with Sera Sindis. "Sera," he greeted with a smile. "John." "Are you excited?" "Yes! I''ve been thinking about all those stories you''ve told me of magnificent glass towers as far as the eye can see and that food you called¡­ peace-a?" "Pizza, yeah. I know a good place in New York. You''ll love it!" Sera tried to remember the circular alien delicacy from John''s home. Yes, it was the same thing that had baffled her a few weeks ago, when she first started talking with Ambassador Perry. She remembered seeing photos for the first time on John''s phone; they were of excellent quality, far surpassing that of any realist painters within the whole continent of Eanif. Even after he explained everything, it still seemed like magic to Sera. And speaking of magic¡­ "John, last time we talked you told me about Disneyland. I forgot to ask, but I thought magic didn''t exist on your world?" "Ah, yeah¡­ magic doesn''t exist on my world, but that''s never stopped our imaginations. My people have always sought after the impossible. Without wyverns, we had no way of flying. So, we began experimenting with balloons. A hundred years after that, we learned to conquer the skies when the Wright brothers built their first plane. We put a man on the moon just half a century later. It won''t be long before we learn how to conquer space." "What is space?" She tilted her head. "Hmm¡­" John thought of a way to explain space in a way that can be understood by someone who has not even heard of a printing press. "Consider the following: what is above the sky?" "Well, that would be the heavens. The domain of the gods." "What else is up there?" Sindis was confused, not seeing where John was going with this, but she answered anyway. "The stars, the planets, the moon¡­" "Right, and how far away do you think they are? ¡ª If she had encountered the Americans four years ago, she would''ve said that the stars are a part of the night sky, much like a painting. However, one of her friends from Academy pointed out a specific event that completely opened her eyes. "Do you see how big the moon is tonight?" Sason asked. "Yes." "Can you explain why?" Sindis thought about it, but couldn''t think of anything. She shook her head in response. "It is because the moon is closer to our world. Many within our nation would most likely believe that it means Lunara is blessing the Nobians, but this is merely something that happens every so often." "How far away is it?" Sindis asked her friend. ¡ª "I''ve heard that the moon is thousands of times the distance from Sonaris to Nokk. And that all of the other celestial bodies are even further away." Sindis gave John her reply, to which he reacted with a raised eyebrow. John was pleasantly surprised at Sindis'' knowledge. "Space is the vast distance between this planet and the other bodies. It is so vast and empty that we merely call it¡­ space." "But, you''ve already put a man on the moon. Doesn''t that mean you have already conquered space?" "Compared to the other bodies, the moon is extremely close. Imagine that the length of the couch we are sitting on is the distance between this planet and your moon. The distance between this planet and the next planet in your solar system would be the length of this entire room! I''m not an astronomer or astrophysicist though so don''t quote me on that." Sindis thought about it for a moment, humbled by the vastness of space and the insignificance of her home. Her thoughts were interrupted by a group of people who entered the room. Seeing it was the Mekkanese group, she went to greet them. King Selios got up to greet them too, and apparently he was well acquainted with the Mekkanese diplomat. "Ah! Prion! How are you? How is President Du Korelius?" King Selios joyfully asked. "I am doing well, thank you. And I believe the President is just as excited as you are about this upcoming visit. Unfortunately, he''s been very busy dealing with his constituents and the Divinians. They''ve been questioning our involvement with the portal and he''s doing his best to prevent another war." "In that case, do let him know that I hope for the best. I remember how destructive the last war was, when automatic projectile weapons were first introduced. One only need look at the Americans and their battles to see how devastating such firepower can be." "Indeed." Legateur Bonaparius'' appearance darkened for a second before he spoke once more. "Well, we should probably get going. Ambassador Perry is about to make an announcement." John stood in front of the two groups. "May I please have your attention. Today, we will be embarking on a journey to an entirely new world: Earth. Please follow me, and I will explain some details along the way. Now, I assume many of you have never stepped through such a portal before. Well, it really doesn''t feel any more different than stepping through a regular doorway. You walk in, then almost instantly, you''re on the other side. It might take a while for your eyes to adjust to the environment on Earth, since the portal happened to open in the middle of a scorching desert. You also may experience a bit of disorientation, but your body will adjust after a few minutes. We will be traveling by car, so don''t worry about having to walk under the burning sun. Once we get to the base, we will provide a meal for you. Then, you''ll be sent to learn about our customs and culture. After learning the basics, you will be flown to New York City. By the time we arrive at New York City, it will be nightfall. We will guide you to a hotel near Rockefeller Plaza and for dinner, we rented out a nearby restaurant that specializes in steaks." They arrived at a large garage with a set of black SUVs. The excited tourists from another world climbed into the vehicles. Comforted by the air conditioning, the passengers glued their faces to the windows as the environment began fading away behind them. The portal was just up ahead, the road cutting off a minuscule distance from the tear in the fabric of space-time. The world became dark for a split second as they passed through its event horizon, and then, there was light. ¡ª¡ª Somewhere in the Ecith Kingdom A man wearing a sleek suit of armor stood before a peculiar device. Made of alloys unknown to the Gaerran native, the suit blended well with the dark environment of this hidden cave fortress. As he approached the device, it lit up. "Connection established." A voice within the suit''s helmet connected itself directly to the neural pathways of the man''s brain, allowing a technologically created telepathic connection. A careful manipulation of fields using automated magical systems within the suit essentially eliminated the requirement for a telepathic wizard. Upon hearing the confirmation, the man grinned, his sinister nature pouring out of his emotional expression. "Excellent. Now, we move on from testing¡­ to application." The device before him hummed and fired a concentrated burst of light into the night sky, easily phasing through the hundreds of meters of rock above. Outside, anything not attached to the soil hovered as gravity became distorted, then fell back down. ¡ª "Huh," Henry remarked as he and the rest of Alpha Team watched the beam of light shoot into space. Like lightning, it disappeared almost instantly, but one thing was certain: it was moving upward. Emma took note of this and when asked about it, could offer no scientific explanation. The only answer was provided by Kelmithus, who assumed it was magic, but this merely spawned more questions. "There are things relating to magic even I don''t know," he said. "Perhaps it was someone experimenting with a new type of magical attack, maybe a Divinian?" "Well, whatever it is, we can check it out in the morning while we scout the area. The General wants to make sure this area is safe before we start building infrastructure here," Henry said. "Here, help me set up this tent." "You''re not gonna sleep in the car?" Emma asked. "How often do we get to enjoy nature like this? The land here is pristine, virtually untouched by mankind." "Suit yourself." ¡ª¡ª Authors Note: If you enjoy my story, please remember to vote and/or submit a rating! I would also appreciate it if you all could share my story; you guys are the people who motivate me to write! Join my discord if you wish to discuss more about my story. https://discord.gg/ymbTbNw 33 New York City July 1, 2019 Sera Sindis looked around as the world turned dark, a weird display of distorted space drifting past as they continued through the wormhole. The two other Sonaran passengers, two of the King''s aides, were similarly confused and curious about the transportation. As soon as the convoy emerged on the other side of the portal, Sera was bathed with blinding sunlight. She squinted a bit, her eyes adjusting from the partly cloudy environment of the North Grenden Plains to the blinding heat of this alien desert. Feeling the heat from the sunlight, she was immediately grateful for the device the Americans called an "Ay See", which had no discernible translation, as their standard communication spells couldn''t decipher acronyms. In the other vehicles, Sonarans and Mekkanese alike displayed profound surprise, amongst a swirling cacophony of other emotions. The scorching desert was an environment not many were used to. A barrage of questions and considerations ran through their minds. Is this really a different world? Did all Americans live on a desert world? No, that couldn''t be; various pictures clearly displayed lush fields of grains, towers of steel overlooking an ocean, and beautiful greenery within cities. Their questions were quickly answered when Perry spoke through the radio. "Welcome to Earth. We will be arriving shortly at our Groom Lake Facility in Nevada, otherwise known as Area 51." Once the convoy arrived at the base, some personnel came to help the guests out of their vehicles and guide them to the briefing room, where they would be taught American cultural norms and important information regarding pedestrian safety, society, and above all, how to deal with any media coverage. Inside the briefing room, the instructors utilized various presentations sourced from the tour industry and schools. The first topic, pedestrian safety, taught the Gaerrans about street lights and their significance. The Mekkanese immediately recognized this system, as they had implemented something similar in their own society once vehicles became widespread. The second topic involved numerous lectures about social interactions in America. Each Gaerran was given a phone and some money in case they somehow got lost, and they were given instructions on how to call their guides in such an event. Finally, the Gaerrans were informed that they might encounter hordes of reporters and journalists who will descend upon them like hawks in order to reveal their presence to the entire world, to billions of people. Consequently, the Gaerrans were reminded to keep a low profile. Most of the world would be expecting something truly alien, and not anything remotely similar to humans. Thankfully, their profile was further reduced since the Gaerrans were not wearing overly extravagant clothing. King Selios had even left his crown back in Sonaris. Still, there was a chance of being found out, and regardless of how intrusive or annoying the reporters can get, they were told not to react. The Gaerrans agreed. With the basics now settled, they were dismissed from instruction and guided toward a hangar where Ambassador Perry, his diplomatic team, and a jet waited. ¡ª¡ª Two Hours Ago¡­ Washington D.C. "That is excellent news! Please relay my thanks to General Harding once the renovations are complete. Speaking of which, any updates on the new gate?" "Sir, we are still testing the capabilities of the new mithril compound we''ve developed. Initial test results were promising, with about an inch of what we''re now calling mithrium being as strong as three feet of reinforced concrete. Further refinement will take time, but we expect that we can enhance the capabilities of this new compound tenfold within the next year." President Keener factored this new information into his plans for what they are now calling Fort Grenden, renamed from Fort Washington. With the recent revelation of the existence of magic and monsters, there was no telling what kind of threats lurked beyond the portal. So far, hostile encounters in Gaerra have been limited to primitive natives, giant spiders, and a large dragon, easily the size of a destroyer. Testing has shown that objects larger than the portal itself couldn''t rematerialize properly, but with the existence of magic, who knows if this could hold true? Therefore, President Keener concluded that all precautions must be taken in order to minimize otherworldly threats yet maximize potential profits. "I see. Begin installation of the compound as it is currently. Given all that has happened in the span of just a couple months, I would hate to imagine what dangers may surface in a year. We could always just upgrade the gate later on." "Yes, Mr. President," the aide said. As he was about to leave, Keener stopped him. "Wait. One more thing¡­ make sure the self destruct mechanism is operational. If there is something out there powerful enough to overrun the most fortified position in two worlds, then we need to make sure it does not gain a foothold on Earth." "Of course, sir." The aide nodded slightly before taking his leave. President Keener sighed. Hopefully, such drastic measures wouldn''t need to be implemented. With his term ending next year, he was essentially gambling. So far, his bets have paid off, with Ambassador Perry''s report on the treaties and deals with the natives. With carefully orchestrated information leaks, he aimed to both reinforce the technological edge of the United States and its allies against the East and in doing so, satisfy his voters. As for their allies? A few trade and technology deals would certainly keep them from calling out what might appear to them as yet another wave of American imperialism and colonialism. Eventually, his counterparts in the UN Security Council''s P5, particularly China, will push for full access. Britain and France will be easy to deal with because of their close relations with the United States. That leaves Russia and China. If they band together and force a stalemate, the United States might be forced to concede access. However, Russia is more receptive. Thanks to Ambassador Perry''s earlier missions, the Russian Federation has been more cooperative with NATO, to the point where Cold War fears of a nuclear war have been finally put to rest. President Keener filed away these thoughts as he grabbed the telephone on his desk and dialed Stacy, the lady who managed guests and foreign diplomats. Climbing to the top and making a name for himself was easy in comparison to his tasks now: maintaining his position and bringing his friends in the Ascension Party up with him. ¡ª¡ª In the skies above Pennsylvania "My, it got dark quite fast!" Sera remarked as she looked out a window. The sun, which was hours from setting earlier, was now minutes from dipping below the horizon, its beautiful orange glow receding as the purple skies above darkened. The Mekkanese diplomat ¡ª the legateur ¡ª on the other hand, was not as surprised as he stared out of the opposite window. John Perry surmised that it was because the Mekkanese had already commercialized air travel to enough of an extent that their population saw it as normal. Despite the normalization of air travel in Mekkan, Prion Bonaparius never stopped appreciating the beauty of the skies. Seeing the lights from the cities below also reminded him of home. Sitting across from Serawas Perry himself, who was now explaining the circumstances of the unnaturally expedient nightfall. Sera tried her best to keep up, but following Perry''s lessons on Earth''s revolution along with their plane''s motion made her head spin. Such scientific knowledge was not common to the everyday people in the Sonaran Federation. John, noticing Sera''s confusion, stopped his explanation and smiled. "Let''s just enjoy the sunset and the wine." ¡ª¡ª Three hours later John put his glass of wine down after he finished taking a sip. He was sitting at a large table with the envoys from the Gaerran nations: Lady Sera Sindis, King Sarnan Selios, Legateur Prion Bonaparius, and Third Commander Jean Deaunius. Sitting beside him were General Harding and Lieutenant Colonel Ava Keyes, both of whom were recalled back to Earth for debriefing. While they waited for the food, the Gaerran natives discussed their impressions about America. "The spires of this city almost reach to the heavens! How can they possibly stand against the weight of the sky?" King Selios asked. The Mekkanese delegation looked toward Ambassador Perry, who was providing most of the answers to their questions, sometimes consulting a mysterious device the people around here seemed to always carry. Prion, aware of the technological discrepancies between his own nation and the nations of this world, paid close attention to all of Perry''s answers. "I''m not much familiar with structural or material engineering, but we use materials that can withstand greater amounts of pressure, or weight. A lot of our buildings use steel compounds because they are durable and convenient, easy to mass produce." Sometimes Perry''s answers were less than informative, but at least they could help lead his people in the right direction. If anything, securing partnerships between Mekkanese and American companies should be a top priority. That way, scientists, engineers, and culture workers from both societies can mingle and learn from each other. Prion made a mental note to ask Ambassador Perry about this later, as the food was now here. As the dishes were set down, the Gaerrans all could smell the alien spices used to create these masterpieces. Rosemary? Oregano? These plants did not grow on Gaerra, nor did anything similar surface. Despite the genetic similarities between humans and some other animal and microbial species common to both worlds, it seems that genetic divergence led to a shocking lack of spices on Gaerra. The visitors sliced into the steaks, from which a dark mahogany sauce oozed, and took their first bites, the succulent meat causing their taste buds to go wild and their eyes to go wide. The expert culinary techniques that went into this filet mignon, as the Americans called it, rivaled those of the finest chefs in Mekkan, perhaps even surpassing them in some regards. "This must be quite expensive," Prion remarked. "Oh, don''t worry about the cost," John reassured him. How could this be? He remembered what Ambassador Perry had told him days before: his nation produces enough food for a billion people. With such abundance, there''s no wonder that food like this has great availability. "Ah, so everyone can purchase a meal like this daily?" "Well, not quite. The food is pretty expensive; I think we''ve racked up a bill of over a thousand dollars already, but hey, the government is paying for all this so it''s basically free." They continued to eat, trying the various alien foods included in the dish. "This ''mashed potato'' reminds me of the nashota nashota crop back home!" Sera was pleasantly surprised by this discovery. Within a few seconds, she received a tap on the shoulder to find John holding a phone, with a picture of a crop. "Does nashota look something like this?" he asked. "Why, yes! In fact, it looks the exact same!" she answered. John was intrigued by this. Perhaps some things in Gaerra had equivalent Terran counterparts, except with different names. His thoughts were interrupted by King Selios, who asked a question. "How many people live in this New York City?" "I''m not sure of the number to be exact, but I believe it is around 8 million." "Wha- that is the same as entire nations!" King Selios gasped. "Indeed," John affirmed. King Selios laid back in his seat, his plate empty, and both his mind and stomach full. 8 million in just one city was a tremendous number. How could that many people fit into one city? He looked out of the window and realized the answer. Outside, steel towers proudly stood, contrasted by the plain night sky and illuminated by the city''s lights, which seemed to be coming from everywhere at once. The lights from the skyscrapers stretched as far as the eye can see, all across the landscape, and some even dared to pierce the heavens, their lights so high that they might even be mistaken for stars. The lights shone so brightly that he could not even see the stars in the sky, but then again, what were they compared to the stars rising up from the ground? Even compared to his recent visit to Divinia, this metal jungle was far more splendorous. Certainly, if the concept of abundance was a city, this would be it. ¡ª¡ª Month 7, Day 2 Eana, Eanif Imperium A man dressed in mithril armor, itself emitting a golden glow, stood upon his castle''s balcony as he overlooked his fine city. Emperor Vox Evalion enjoyed nights such as these, when he could see the lights of his shining city, its glory perhaps rivaling that of even Divinia. Built upon the backs of enslaved beasts, he hoped to see his empire expand to the point where he could challenge the other nations. Perhaps he could even conquer land from the brutish orcs, something that neither the Mekkanese, the Divinians, nor the Quod Republic have been able to accomplish. First, he needed to secure his own continent, although ousting the Divinians and Mekkanese from their colonies wouldn''t seem likely for the time being. Another concern was that of the Americans, who had swiftly crushed the Nobian Empire and the Bractin Gang in a month''s time. If the reports he received were in fact truthful, then it wasn''t really a month long war, for battles waged during the spans of merely a few days were sufficient in bringing about the complete surrender of both parties. While the elimination of two of the biggest obstacles to his conquest was pleasing, he was worried that an obstacle larger than the two combined may have surfaced. Even if his factories were able to equip his entire army with the latest Second Form gear, it would still take several months to repeat the same feat accomplished by the Americans. Although the Second Form rifles and artillery pieces were much more powerful than their Mekkanese counterparts, they had a painfully slow fire rate. Despite being somewhat balanced in terms of firepower, Evalion''s forces lacked a critical component of modern warfare: mobility. Compared to Mekkanese fighters, Eanif Reborn Wyverns are actually faster, but they couldn''t be mass produced, nor could larger versions be manufactured in order to carry troops. Compared to Mekkanese personnel vehicles, tarrasque-drawn troop carriers were slower, but had greater maneuverability in harsh terrain. If the Americans had superior vehicles compared to the Mekkanese, then their quick victory may be explained. However, he still could not make sense of the dead spy''s report. Before his untimely demise, the spy Ketan reported seeing hellfire being rained down upon the entirety of the Bractin Gang, annihilating the camp in one fell swoop as metal swords shrieked through the skies and wiped out their wyverns using explosive homing arrows that traveled faster than any natural object. Furthermore, the power of the flying machines were so great that a couple of the larger ones were able to decimate a mountainside, causing a catastrophic rockslide to bury much of the Bractin encampment. At first glance, this report seemed too outlandish to be true, unless the Divinians had done it. Still, Divinian involvement couldn''t have been possible since his other clandestine operatives in the area reported no residual magical energies. Perhaps Ketan exaggerated? No, since the same operatives reported seeing the aftermath of the battle, or rather, extermination. There could be no other explanation: the Americans have a weapon similar to the mana bomb, but without a magical detonation catalyst such as mana crystals. How? In the midst of his contemplations, a man hurriedly knocked on the door of his chambers. Emperor Evalion returned to his room in order to open the door. "My lord!" the man sputtered, tired from his sprint. "Please, forgive my intrusion." "What is it?" "My lord, some of our forces participating in the Beastia Alliance Subjugation Campaign have reported witnessing a bright light shooting into the sky, near the hunting grounds of the Hydra." Emperor Evalion exhaled. "Unfortunate. Have the Unborn Project paused for now. We need the Tamers to prioritize the Hydra. Send them on our fastest wyverns. I do not recognize the significance of the light, but there is a possibility that it may interfere with our future operations." "It will be done, my lord." The imperial messenger bowed and took his leave. Back to his thoughts. What was he thinking of again? Yes, it was about American military capabilities¡­ ¡ª¡ª Ecith Kingdom Deep within the aptly named Hydra Forest, there lived an enormous beast who hunted for food every hundred years. It would hunt for a year before returning to its hidden cave dwelling to hibernate, allowing its food sources to repopulate. The titanic monster would, from time to time, engage in mating rituals, attracting other hydras lurking in the ocean below, who have remained in the water mostly due to their subsistence on oceanic life, unlike their counterpart who dominates the Hydra Forest. Mating calls are produced in a very high frequency range, audible only to a few types of Gaerran fauna. One day ago, the terrestrial hydra slumbered, and would have done so for the next 70 years. ¡ª¡ª "What kind of world has insects this big?!" Emma shrieked as she swatted a large fly with the butt of her rifle. "You wanna tell her about the time with those spiders?" Dr. Jones asked. Just hearing about this made her experience a most unsettling feeling, yet her curiosity was more powerful and she asked away. "How big were the spiders?" "Massive. Probably the size of a horse. And there were a ton of ''em. If it weren''t for Jones and Kel, we wouldn''t all be standing here right now," Henry recounted. Just thinking of a spider that large sent shivers up her spine. This was truly an alien world, complete with fantasy monsters. As she thought this, a high pitched, screeching roar erupted from a swath of forest several klicks inland. Somehow, despite being an ultra high frequency, the birds within the region took to the skies, as if they didn''t need to hear the roar in order to sense the danger. "What the hell was that?" Henry asked. "Probably what we were sent here to find," Ron replied. "Damn. Lamarr, radio back to command and inform them of the situation. C''mon, let''s keep moving toward the mountain range. We still need to investigate that beam of light." ¡ª¡ª Authors Note: If you enjoy my story, please remember to vote and/or submit a rating! I would also appreciate it if you all could share my story; you guys are the people who motivate me to write! Join my discord if you wish to discuss more about my story. https://discord.gg/ymbTbNw 34 Independence Day Part 1 Ecith Kingdom "We really should''ve had at least a day of leave. Like, the war against the Nobians is over; there''s nothing to worry about for now," Emma voiced a complaint as she and Alpha Team trekked through some dense forest. "The aliens out here ain''t gonna give us a break just cause we''ve got a holiday, ma''am," Ron stated practically. "Of course," Emma sighed. "Don''t worry Lamarr, I''m sure you''ll still get to see some fireworks later tonight, one way or another," Henry said. "Perhaps we may even be able to create some of these ''fireworks'' ourselves through magic!" Kelmithus added. To demonstrate his ability accomplish such a task, he summoned a few light orbs before allowing them to quickly dissipate. "Perhaps, if we can find the Hydra. If we didn''t try looking for that light we probably could''ve been done already," Henry said as he scanned their surroundings from atop a hill. The dense forest hid anything below the tree line. "How tall is this thing supposed to be anyway? Like five stories? Shouldn''t be too hard to spot," Dr. Jones said. "Speak of the devil¡­" Ron muttered. "About twelve klicks southeast, toward the mountain range we just came from. You see that?" Henry raised his binoculars and spotted a lumbering creature that resembled an ancient plesiosaur, but with a more compact, mammalian body and a shorter stature. It was about three stories high, it''s head sticking above the pines, or rather what seemed to be pines. One could never tell in an alien world. "Looks like it''s running huh?" Ron pointed out. "Yeah, sure does." Henry looked around the creature, scanning left and then right. "Woah!" "What is it, sir?" Emma asked, pulling out her own binoculars. "Owens, a bit to the right, that''s the hydra isn''t it?" Ron brought the gaze of his equipment toward the giant, three-headed lizard. "Yeah, and it''s closing in damn fast." The three officers watched as the hydra closed in on the other beast. The left head spat acid at the prey in order to immobilize it while the right spat fire, blocking off any possible escape routes for the prey. The herbivorous beast began to thrash and panic as the acid chewed away at its neck and fires raged around it, smoke beginning to obscure parts of the scene. The left and right heads bit respective sides of the prey, but before anyone could see what the middle head did, smoke from the fire blotted out the sky, preventing Alpha Team from gathering vital information. All that could be discerned was a loud roar, followed by violent tremors that shook the lush valley where the battle took place, causing birds even miles from the battle itself to fly off. Even Alpha Team felt the rumbling of the earth, albeit slightly; the magnitude of the quake deteriorated as it passed through miles of earth. "Damn, that was like something that should be on National Geographic," Henry commented. "I''ve never seen anything like that!" Emma said. "Ah, yes¡­ I have never seen anything like that as well¡­" Kelmithus said, his arms crossed. He and his staff were leaning on a tree a bit further back. "Oh, sorry about that. Next time we''ll get you a pair of binoculars," Henry apologized. "Hey if it helps you feel any better, I caught most of it on tape!" Jones popped up. To the three officers'' surprise, he was holding an expensive looking video camera. Henry shook his head as he motioned for his team to begin moving. "You know all that footage is gonna be classified, right?" Jones fiddled with the camera, analyzing the footage before stowing it. "Ya never know, Major. Besides, we need all the intel we can get, right?" "True. Alright, Lamarr, contact command and let them know we''ve found the hydra. Keep a drone on its tail." She nodded and retrieved her radio. "Sir." "After that, we''ll be heading back. If we hoof it, we can make it to Varamon and hitch a ride back to base in time for the fireworks show." "Perhaps," Kelmithus muttered, looking back toward the site of the titanic battle. ¡ª¡ª Heaven''s Peak, Ecith Kingdom "The fools thought they could track me down. Pathetic! They walked right past me, even with a giant beacon signaling my location!" Emperor Novus laughed to himself. "That was funny! Laugh!" Novus looked around. There was no one in his vicinity. The royal guards were stationed outside, watching for intruders. "Right¡­" He then picked up an immaculate photo from a pocket in his armor, much too immaculate given Nobian technology. In fact, it was Divinian in origin, printed from one of their cameras. Novus looked at the contents of the picture. It was a woman standing in front of a Divinian museum, holding a child no more than five years of age. "Oh, Mother¡­ if only you could see what I''ve become. Soon, I will have the Mekkanese bastards who started the war in the first place, and then I shall rebuild my empire." He placed his right hand onto the device he had activated days ago in order to resume configuring it. The device emitted a faint glow as former emperor Novus tapped into it, programming it using his magical energy. He checked the status of the device. 76 percent and rising by one every half hour. "My destiny is but moments away!" Novus declared, his eyes twitching. ¡ª¡ª 50 years ago¡­ High Vina, Divinian Empire "Mama!" Lor Novus screamed for his mother as he was dragged away by his father. "It is okay, my dear luuncai, you will be safe with your father. Now go and be safe. Sovad, I need to go back to the house and get the necklace. Take care of our son; I love you." He watched as his mother gave his father a kiss before retreating down the street, toward the booming metal behemoths on the beach. "Goodbye Hallia, I love you too¡­" Sovad Novus, still carrying his son, ran away from the Mekkanese soldiers storming the beachhead. A mile west lies their salvation: a small fishing river that stretched from the North Ocean all the way through the Divinian continent of Arthi, toward the Aurelian Ocean. Because of its small size, it saw little traffic; other larger rivers were used as trade routes. Hopefully, by the time they reached the river, their escape barge and crew would still be there. Lor''s father ran with all his strength, the explosions going off in the distance reminding him of what was at stake and further motivating him. As he lay in his father''s arms, he stared into the battlefield above. The scene was a spectacle indeed. The first Divinian-Mekkanese War, dubbed the Lightning War, saw the introduction of mechanized units on the battlefield. Surprisingly, the name didn''t originate from the speed at which the war ended. In fact, the war lasted nearly a decade. No, the name originated from the efficiency and speed at which troops could be deployed and annihilated. The Divinian Empire, noticing Mekkan''s military and economic expansion, saw it as a threat to its dominion over the Central Continents, and launched a preemptive strike in order to prevent Mekkan from growing too powerful. The Divine Emperor sent a vast fleet, equipped with the latest in Divinian magical technology, including shields and mana conduits, to subjugate the Mekkanese. After traveling weeks on the open sea, the fleet finally reached Mekkanese waters some 5,000 miles away. Orders to begin bombardment of the Mekkanese coastal fortifications were received, but as soon as they began, unbeknownst to the Divinians, Mekkan immediately responded. Arcane war machines powered by Divinian mages rumbled forth along the road, toward the coastline, attracting the attention of a Mekkanese Warbird. The massive, shielded blimp edged closer toward the road, propelling itself using an unknown combination of magical and scientific technologies, before coming into range of the road. Lor''s father continued to run, putting distance between them and the Divinian Tarrasque war vehicles. Behind, Lor watched as the heavily armored boxes opened up their hatches. In all four Tarrasque vehicles, a mage popped out and began channeling mana energies into a cylindrical shape, resembling a barrel. Then, the shot lightning through it, aiming at the Mekkanese Warbird above. The lightning struck the Warbird''s shielding, producing a bright blue flash as the electrical currents were dispelled by the protective field surrounding the airship. As the mages prepared for another volley, the airship retaliated, unleashing thundering booms as chunks of metal were accelerated from onboard cannons, releasing clouds of smoke from the numerous artillery platforms that covered the width of the airship. All four Tarrasque vehicles were obliterated, leaving burning metal husks. Lor''s father stumbled and almost dropped him as the ground trembled from the impact of the airship''s barrage. He regained his balance and continued to run toward the river, looking back and catching a glimpse of the destruction behind him. He then looked back toward his son, with tears in his eyes. Lor said nothing, understanding why he was crying. There was no way his mother could return from all that. He took one last look at the sky. The scene was beautiful, yet terrifying. New Divinian aircraft had arrived and shot down a few of the Mekkanese airships, while aging wyverns were deployed against ground targets. Despite the atmosphere being filled with the staccato of gunfire and thunderous explosions, Lor, exhausted from the initial escape, drifted off in his father''s arms. ¡ª¡ª New York, United States After a day of extensive touring, the Mekkanese and Sonaran diplomatic teams slept heavily, enjoying the alien comforts of American society. Wrapped up in warm sheets and a thick blanket while simultaneously being cooled by the air conditioning was blissful for the relatively primitive Gaerrans. Indeed, one of his first thoughts when Prion awoke was that of these air conditioning units. They were everywhere, from cars to homes to markets. It seems that every building in the city had such technology, which led Prion to consider the massive power requirements for such a task. The Mekkanese power grid was still in relative infancy, as electricity had only been discovered decades prior, with the first widespread distribution of power amongst the Mekkanese population contributing to the first Divinian-Mekkanese War. After several decades, however, their electrical infrastructure grew such that each home could support numerous appliances, such as radios and television sets. Currently, the majority of Mekkanese electricity came from coal plants, since coal was the most abundant fuel source in their region. Some mana reactors were also commissioned, but they are still in construction. He wondered if the Americans were familiar with any other types of power sources. The digital alarm clock buzzed. Yet another device these Americans have improved upon. Prion turned on the television in order to watch the news. On the screen, a man in a blue suit walked up to a podium, the scrolling headlines on the bottom of the screen identifying him as President Keener. Once he approached and tapped the mic, the crowd went silent, allowing him to speak. "Ladies and gentlemen, today I stand before you on our day of independence, when we birthed a nation, built upon the foundations of liberty. We, as Americans, agreed upon these truths: that all humans are created equal and that humans have certain unalienable rights - life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Today we shall revisit these truths and ask ourselves, are they limited only to humanity? Now, I can see some of your faces in the crowd and it looks like you folks are beginning to see where I''m going with this. Just over two weeks ago, I made an announcement regarding the discovery of a wormhole on American soil, and discussed our first impressions of the planet. The vegetation we have seen was indicative of animal life, and it didn''t take us long to find it. As you can see on these screens, this is a livestock animal known as a cav. It closely resembles a cow, and actually tastes better than one! Now hopefully I won''t have an alien bursting out of my stomach¡­" The crowd bursted into a flurry of discussion and laughter. Many were hoping to have a taste of new foods discovered on this alien world. When the crowd quieted down, President Ryan Keener continued. "Some of you may be wondering, how did we figure out that this animal was livestock? We didn''t. They did," he said, gesturing toward a clip that was now playing on the screens. Two beast people resembling cats, a female and a male, answered several questions during an interview. They spoke a language similar to Latin, so audio of an English translation had to be placed over the conversation. The crowd remained silent as they allowed the short interview to conclude. Once it finished, the clip remained paused at the final frame, which depicted the cat woman smiling at something or someone to the left of the camera. All those present were speechless, then erupted into a cacophony of discussion. Prion was intrigued by this, but then again, these people had never seen beast people before. Surely, they would have similar reactions to the other numerous surprises Gaerra had in store for the Earth humans. He watched as President Keener held up his hands in order to signal to the crowd to quiet down. After a few seconds, they did so with impressive speed. "Today, I want to announce that the United States of America is officially the First Nation in human history to have met aliens! We are not alone in the universe!" His declaration was followed by massive cheering. The American President allowed them to express his subjects'' elation. Even some of the residents in the nearby rooms were cheering. A loud "holy shit!" came from his left, followed by running and the slamming of a door. He turned his attention back to the screen, but it appears the president''s speech has been put on a hold. "Hm¡­ what time is it..?" Prion muttered to himself. He was already dressed, ready to enjoy the one free day he had here in New York. As such, Prion got up from the bed and walked toward Third Commander Deaunius'' room. Three knocks on the door. "Come in," a voice within answered. "Morning, Jean. Have you been watching the American news?" "Yes I have, Prion. I must say, it is a bit strange being able to see the news so clearly, in such vivid detail." "From what I''ve heard, the Americans think we are perhaps a decade away from color television." "Did you ask them how close we might be to jet fighters like theirs?" Jean asked. "They merely smiled and said nothing. Evidently they do not want to share too much of their technology, but I''m certain I can strike a bargain using our magical technology, with your advice, of course." "And so you will. Now, let us join the Sonarans downstairs. They always like to begin their days early." In the lobby, the Sonarans chatted with the American diplomatic team. Today, their plan was to continue their tour of New York, visiting the Statue of Liberty and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. In particular, some of the Sonarans were excited to determine if there were any similarities between artwork from their planet and those from Earth. A ding alerted everyone, causing them to glance over towards the elevator. The elevator doors opened, revealing the Mekkanese group. Once they grouped up with the Sonarans, Ambassador Perry reviewed their plans for today. With only two destinations in their itinerary, they would most likely finish their activities within a few hours. The Gaerrans were told that it was a holiday today, and as such, some businesses were closed. Both the Sonaran and Mekkanese parties did not mind; they welcomed a chance to relax and wait for the fireworks. "Alright, everyone ready to go?" Ambassador Perry asked. A chorus of "yeahs" answered him. "Perfect!" He tapped on a device attached to his ear. "Agent Simmons, we''re ready for departure. Our first stop will be the Statue of Liberty, followed by the Met." Within a minute, black SUV''s pulled up to the street in front of the hotel. The Gaerrans entered excitedly, ready to sightsee and take pictures with their newly purchased cameras. ¡ª¡ª Eana, Eanif Imperium Emperor Evalion once again found himself in the imperial archives, sifting through information collected on the Divinian recording artifacts. He revisited a recording submitted by a spy who participated in the massacre on the North Grenden Plains. Artillery, automatic weapons, and flying machines. He released a sigh, shaking his head as he pondered the implications of such advanced weaponry and attempted to formulate viable strategies against the Americans. Some of their weapons seemed formidable enough to challenge his beast forces, including powerful monsters such as the heavily armored tarasque and the recently tamed basilisk. Breeding programs for these creatures were expensive, and thus his military could deploy only a few dozen of each type of larger monster. Still, even one was enough to rout entire armies, in Eanif at least. Simulated wars against Mekkanese and Divinian forces proved tougher, but winnable as long as they were fighting defensively. Eanish kraken and sea serpent forces were sufficient in deterring and sometimes wiping out enemy naval forces. The only counters were depth charges, but even then only a small percentage of these charges actually hit. Sure, underwater boats may challenge his military''s sea monsters, but neither the Divinians nor the Mekkanese have developed them enough, partly because of their depth charge tactics. They most likely did not see the underwater boats performing well given their current arsenals. Based on the footage stored in the archives, the Americans appear to have similar weapons and tactics to the Mekkanese. This meant that he couldn''t exploit fear tactics like he can with primitive Nobian and Sonaran forces. One tarasque? It could defeat a thousand Nobians or Sonarans, provided they have no skilled mages or experienced heroes. What about a thousand of the American warriors? The tarasque plating will protect it from their repeating rifles, but not from their larger artillery weapons, especially the fortress vehicle with the cannon. How many hits a tarasque could sustain from such a weapon, one could only guess. However, these cannon vehicles seemed to lack mobility. Thus, the best way to make use of these beasts is to employ them in close quarters situations, or as an ambushing party in a dense forest or elevated area. Perhaps he could even supplement them with land dragons, assuming they are capable of fighting alongside each other, and not with each other. As for basilisks, their ability to petrify with their toxic breath was useful in breaking armored forces. The unknown magical-chemical process by which their breath solidified into a rocky substance could potentially devastate the American fortress vehicles. If only he had a decade to prepare, his wizards might have even found a way for magical users to employ this very spell in battle. Still, he was glad that the basilisks were tameable in the first place, albeit at a heavy sacrifice. Their sacrifices will not be in vain, for he plans to use his forces wisely. The Emperor tapped his fingers on a desk as he thought about potential targets for his basilisk forces. Surely, the Americans stored their flying machines somewhere; he would need to coordinate with his intelligence department in order to figure that out. Hopefully, the spies won''t be too overwhelmed, like the one who committed suicide. Another force he could make great use out of might be the hellworm contingent. Of all the monsters in his arsenal, the hellworm is quite possibly the deadliest. Capable of burrowing and tunneling through nearly any material, the hellworm could be used to harass convoys and strike at weaker outposts. Yes, with all these forces at his disposal, and only a limited number of forces stationed at the Grenden fortress, he could secure a victory. But first, he must spend some time discreetly positioning his forces. Emperor Evalion knew that a victory could only be secured through a rapid strike, lest the enemy finds the time to send reinforcements. Satisfied with his plans, he put back the artifacts he had retrieved for review and exited the archives. Tomorrow, he will call a meeting with the generals. ¡ª¡ª Authors Note: If you enjoy my story, please remember to vote and/or submit a rating! I would also appreciate it if you all could share my story; you guys are the people who motivate me to write! Join my discord if you wish to discuss more about my story. https://discord.gg/ymbTbNw 35 Independence Day Part 2 Discord: https://discord.gg/ymbTbNw ¡ª¡ª The White House President Keener returned to his office after giving his speech and enjoying a fine lunch. He had nothing left for his schedule today aside from preparing for the upcoming meeting with the Sonarans and Mekkanese representatives from the alien planet. Essentially, the rest of the day was for relaxation, since his staff would handle all the details regarding the meeting. Just as he was about to retire for the day, a frantic man rushed into the room. Keener sighed internally. "Can it wait?" President Keener asked. "Ah Mr. President, there''s been a development on Gaerra¡­" President Keener sighed. "What now?" The aide scratched his neck before replying. "The team that went out scouting a few days ago sent an urgent report. They''re being tailed by a large uh¡­ Hydra, sir." "What?!" President Keener exclaimed. His initial shock faded away, replaced by exasperation, evident in his sighing. "Details?" "The team initially encountered the hydra a few hours prior, part of their original mission to scout the forest for any dangerous fauna that might disrupt our plans for expansion and colonization. Fort Grenden sent out a UAV in order to keep tabs on the monster, and that''s when the operator found out that the monster was following in the general direction of the team." As the aide continued to speak, President Keener''s frown grew deeper. Why must things always go wrong in this alien world, he asked himself. "Mr. President?" Keener snapped back to reality, and muttered a response. "Yes?" "Do you want to warn the citizens of Felomia? Alpha Team is still at the town, waiting for orders." "How long can reinforcements get there?" "It''ll take about 40 minutes for the two fighters serving a rapid response role. Over an hour for something that might actually be able to kill the monster, since most of the base personnel have the day off today." "I thought we had cruise missiles there already?" "Let me guess, Stanley''s at it again, huh?" "Always trying to think he knows best¡­ Well, to be fair, he didn''t know something like this would happen. In fact, he would''ve been right if it weren''t for this monster randomly deciding to follow one of our teams. Anyway, have the base send reinforcements immediately and warn the Felomian townspeople. Oh, and make sure they send out the drone with the good camera! Those damn Hollywood folks put too much human drama in their monster movies." "Yes, Mr. President!" The aide quickly left the room in order to relay his orders to General Harding. ¡ª¡ª Fort Grenden Major Adam Gryffin nearly choked on his hot dog when he was asked to suit up. Luckily for the general, he hadn''t been able to get wasted yet. "What''s the matter?" Griffin asked, chewing madly in order to finish his hot dog before leaving. "Monster attack at the town Alpha Team is in, sir!" Adam sighed. "Alright. C''mon Dragonslayers, let''s go make some fireworks!" He waved his hand in an exaggerated motion, gesturing for his squad to follow him. There goes the plans for beer and barbecue, he thought. ¡ª¡ª Border town of Felomia Ecith, U.S. Territory 266 miles from Fort Grenden "Can you send that again, command?" Emma asked in disbelief. The rest of Alpha Team was crowded around her as they too needed to confirm the message. "¡ªHydra en route to the town of Felomia, 30 miles out. ETA: two hours. "What?" Henry asked. "How could the Hydra have followed us?" "I don''t know sir, but we''re really lucky the UAV operator noticed the monster''s heading. Any later and we wouldn''t be able to get there in time." "ETA for reinforcements?" "About 40 minutes sir, but they''re only the fighters we had in case of emergencies. They don''t have specialized CAS load outs either. It''ll be an hour and a half until the Dragonslayers get to you." Henry smiled upon hearing that. The Dragonslayers has gotten quite popular around the base ever since their battle against the Epic Dragon. It wasn''t quite heroic as depictions in fantastical medieval tales, but then again, there was nothing glorious about annihilating a target miles away using guided missiles. Hopefully the Dragonslayers will prove to be just as effective at ground targets as they are at aerial ones. If their ordnance isn''t enough to take out the monster, then they''ll have to harass it with their guns to keep it busy until the next set of reinforcements arrive. Earlier, they didn''t observe any attacks that could really threaten the high flying jets, although the third head''s signature attack was obscured. They''d be screwed if it was anything similar to the attacks shown in this decade''s Godzilla movies. Major Donnager began to direct his team to help evacuate the locals, as per the President''s orders, but given the town''s population of over 9,000, a timely evacuation within a couple hours would be near impossible. ¡ª¡ª Local Lord''s Estate, Felomia Master Tamer Kor Sholion wrinkled his nose in annoyance at the local lord who had stubbornly opposed his advances. Back in the Imperium, he wouldn''t have had to deal with such blatant disrespect and in this particular case, severe idiocy. "Hmmm I must say once more, I do not have the authority to allow that! You must take your concerns to the Ecithean capital." "That''s hundreds of miles down along the coast! Surely, no one would notice! You can earn extra gold just by securing the necessary lodging for my party!" Kor nearly growled, exhausted at the local lord''s stubbornness. "The Americans will notice. They say they have eyes everywhere, and I am quite frankly not too keen on the idea of the Americans finding out that I have authorized the eviction of the inns'' customers for some¡­ foreign soldiers." What would it take for this man to concede!? And why does he have such a neutral face? Thinking about his predicament infuriated Kor, but he kept his temper. If his tough visage wasn''t enough to persuade the lord, if his men''s intimidating appearances weren''t enough to force the lord to capitulate to his demands, then he must play along by his rules and use cunning to secure a deal. Oh, he definitely would''ve simply taken what he needed by force, but the Emperor''s strict orders were to be discreet. A quick taming of the hydras needed to be as covert as possible, so as to not arouse the suspicion of Mekkan or the Divinian Empire. Kor paused for a split second to come up with a counter. "Ah, we''re not foreign soldiers. We''re merely adventurers!" "Oh? Is that so?" "Yes, yes." Kor smiled as best he could, although his expression looked more like a sneer due to the scars on his face. "We are Tier 1 adventurers looking for the dreaded Forest Hydra!" The lord broke his neutral expression for the first time in their conversation, leading Kor to cheer mentally for this small victory. "Ah! My apologies. I would be honored to serve such high ranking adventurers!" The lord bowed deeply, then continued once he returned to an upright position. "But first, may I please see your Tier 1 badges?" Kor''s eyes widened slightly. The look on the lord''s face, it was none other than that of a victorious man! His evil grin! Did he really need to see the badges? "Uhh¡­" Kor looked back to his ''party'' members, as if he could somehow find and answer. "I left it at home?" The lord frowned and merely stated, "Then I cannot allow you to take lodging from the inns'' paid customers." "Ah to the hells with this¡­" Kor was on the verge of breaking the Emperor''s strict rules, but his decision making process was interrupted by a set of knocks. ¡ª¡ª Suddenly, a set of knocks hit the door. The lord called for a servant to open it, and to his pleasant surprise, a group of familiar faces strolled in. "Ah! Major Donnager and friends! I was under the impression that you all would have gone back home by now?" The lord greeted Alpha Team. Henry spared a glance at the rough looking individuals off to his right, marking them as a potential threat. "We have bad news, Lord Talvin," Henry replied in a low voice. Lord Talvin looked over to the supposed ''adventurers'' before asking, "Is this something that needs to be discussed privately?" "No, sir." "Very well. Please tell us this bad news¡­" Henry summarized the details given by the radio operator who had informed him of the Hydra''s advances. After recommending an evacuation of the city, Henry voiced his concerns about the speed at which such a task could be accomplished. ¡ª¡ª Kor eyed the newcomers suspiciously. One was clearly Sonaran while the others seemed Mekkanese, except their black outfits and weapons only minimally resembled those of the Mekkanese. He deduced that these must be the Americans. The patches on their clothing matched the article that fluttered gloriously on a flagpole in the front courtyard. As a master tamer, Kor was privy to most of the pieces of information released to Emperor Evalion''s inner circle. The same could not be said for his fellow tamers, who were struggling to identify this strangely dressed group. Three of them moved professionally, likely soldiers. The other two, the Sonaran Wizard and the mage with the masterfully crafted scepter, moved behind the three. What surprised Kor was that a woman was among the three. While females working as adventurers was not unheard of, this one displayed a level of professionalism only present in a trained soldier. Kor smiled at her, once again his smile being distorted by his scars. The woman frowned, likely because his distorted smile appeared to be quite creepy. Disregarding her obvious disapproval, Kor continued to watch the group and eventually the leader approached the local lord and whispered something inaudible. The tone however, was unmistakably that of urgency. The expression on the lord''s face was negative; whatever news he had just received must''ve been terrible. He then nodded and walked towards Kor, explaining the situation. "Perfect timing," Kor replied. "Let me and my party handle the beast!" "Very well," Lord Talvin agreed. After all, if they were truly Tier 1 adventurers, then handling a legendary monster wouldn''t be much of a problem. Lord Talvin quickly excused himself and left to relay the order to evacuate the town, leaving Alpha Team and the Eanish Tamers in the chamber. Kor snuck a peek over his shoulder and saw the strangely dressed people talking amongst themselves in hushed voices. With them preoccupied and the lord gone, he ushered his fellow tamers toward a corner in order to discuss the situation privately. "Sire, I don''t believe we can tame the beast in two hours," one of the tamers voiced. Kor scoffed. "Of course not! We will trap the beast using standard procedure, except this time, we have an entire town as delicious bait!" The trio laughed evilly as they hurried to inform their fellow tamers of the approaching hydra and their arcane strategies to trap it. ¡ª¡ª "What was that about?" Jones asked, looking at the trio running out of the mansion. "Dunno, but those guys gave me the creeps, especially the one with the scars over his face," Emma said. "Something doesn''t seem right about them," Ron added, causing the rest to nod. "Who are they anyway? They don''t look like bandits and they don''t look like soldiers, despite their gear," Jones wondered. "They are most likely adventurers," Kelmithus answered. "Although I''ve never met a group as suspicious as this one." "I''ll keep an eye on them. They said they could handle the hydra. If that''s true, then we might learn a thing or two from these professional adventurers," Henry surmised. He then clapped his hands. "Alright! The rest of you, try and catch up with Lord Talvin; see if you can help him out with the evacuation. Actually, Dr. Jones and Kelmithus: try to find a way to slow or defeat the hydra. I''m going to follow these other guys and see what they''re up to." Alpha Team subsequently split up, leaving Henry alone in the chamber. Reaching into his pack, he fished out a small drone with a camera on it and sent it in the direction where the trio was running off to. The Spider Wasp PRS, a more predatory looking version of its predecessor, the Black Hornet PRS, boasted a stealthy radar cross section, speeds of up to 120 mph, and a stable internal mount for a camera or weapon. Because of the relatively isolated position of the mansion, which had its own medieval-era defenses, it was easy to spot the trio running off into the northeastern woodlands. Henry pursued them with the drone, keeping it away from their range of detection. Seeing their trajectory, Henry moved the drone further into the woods, hoping to catch a glimpse of their camp. Surprisingly, it was much larger than expected. The mass of people looked more like a small army rather than a group of adventurers, unless adventurers in this world tended to group in the dozens. Due to the bustling activity and commotion coming from the camp, Henry was able to move the drone closer, allowing it to rest above a tree. Then, he activated the machine''s listening device and spies on the conversations from the people below. ¡ª¡ª Outskirts of Felomia Imperial Tamer Camp "You there! Hurry and pick up the pace, or you shall become bait for the beast!" A rough overseer type yelled out, lashing his whip toward a group of people in rags. Henry frowned as he watched the video feed. He was surprised that the Sonarans and Nobians didn''t have slaves, since they were relatively primitive societies. Well, maybe it''s because each nation cultivated borrowed traditions from their respective patrons. Both the Mekkanese and Divinians did not practice slavery, and so the idea of free labor was passed down after the era of colonization. He rotated the drone a bit more to the left, finding more of the slaves before he had to do a double take. Wait a second, Henry thought. They didn''t look like people! Zooming in to get a clear picture, his suspicions were confirmed: the slaves were indeed of a different species than humanity - beast people. Remembering some details from prior briefings, he realized that these weren''t adventurers; these were troops from the Eanif Imperium! So that''s why they were so relentless in their campaign against the beast people, he thought. They needed physically strong slaves. As he continued to watch the actions of the Imperials and their slaves, he slowly realized that they were building a large trap meant to be placed under foliage. The trap was similar to a Terran bear trap, except this one had additional notches for mana gems. Connected to sets of runes, the device and its engravings looked much more complicated than anything seen amongst the Sonarans and Nobians. The scene thus begged the question: why would the Eanif Imperium want a Hydra? Utilizing knowledge of role playing games, Dungeons and Dragons, and other fantasy related media back on Earth, Henry deduced that the Hydra must drop some good loot when killed. The Spyders he killed back when first exploring Site Beta One left behind mana gems and husks made of an intriguing, durable material which was also highly flexible. He was too busy fighting for his life to even think about checking the bodies, not realizing that such a strange RPG mechanic would apply in real life. At least they didn''t unrealistically drop gold or anything, he thought. Focusing his attention back on the presence of Imperials, he debated whether or not to allow them to carry on with their work. Of course, he wouldn''t stop them if they were indeed attempting to prevent the Hydra from destroying the town. "Alpha Lead to all Alpha Team members," Henry called into his radio. "Be advised, Unknown Trio is in fact a group of Eanif Imperials. Base camp is in the woods, bearing North East from the mansion. Lamarr, please inform command of this new information." "On it, sir," came the reply. Henry flew the drone back to the mansion and stored it away before setting off to find Lord Talvin. Perhaps he would know something about the Imperium. ¡ª¡ª The continuous hour of hard labor that the beast slaves had to endure, under threat of being used as bait, was finally interrupted by an unfamiliar roar that pierced the skies. Staring into the skies, the Imperials and their slaves were unable to spot the two silvery objects in the horizon, which was obscured by the tree line. Only when the low flying jets were directly above them did they notice, as many of the weaker slaves were pushed to the ground by the immense winds from the jets that skimmed above the trees. None of them had seen such monsters before, aside from a few tamers who had knowledge of Mekkanese airplanes. As such, most of the slaves and overseers burst into commotion, delaying work for a few minutes. One of the Eanish men led a crowd of both slaves and Imperial soldiers to Master Kor''s command tent. "Master Tamer! I beseech thee: abandon these lands! Let us work on the Hydra''s taming on our own accord, without this deadline we are given!" the soldier called out to Kor, who stood unconvinced. Murmurs of agreement ripples throughout the crowd. "Yes, this land is overrun by monsters!" "If we leave now, we can escape with some of the townspeople!" When the crowd became silent, Kor spoke. "We will not have another chance like this in the future. The main reason why we have not attempted a taming of the Hydra sooner is because of the beast''s elusivity! We would have to spend additional months tracking the beast! We were lucky that it came to us within the first revolutions of our arrival." "But my lord," the soldier dissented. "If we wait and plan, more of us may survive! We will die trying!" "You can die trying, or you can die where you stand," Kor said coldly. "But, my lord!" The man attempted to protest again. Kor frowned and in a lightning fast movement, drew his new Second Form revolver and shot the borderline rebellious soldier in the head. "Back to work! Or I will retire you immediately," Kor commanded. The crowd quickly dispersed and returned to work, fearing the Master Tamer''s iron fist and big iron on his hip. ¡ª¡ª Felomia Western Forests Two F-15E Strike Eagles flew at a low altitude, speeding past the town and venturing into the wilderness of the forest. After exiting the airspace of the town, the F-15''s initiated their slow deceleration so that they would reach their target flying at cruising speed. In one of the Strike Eagles, the pilot spotted an irregular shape trodding through the trees. "Hey Chuck," he called out to his copilot. "Yeah?" "You see that thing, walking into that clearing down to our left?" The Strike Eagles were approaching rapidly, granting the copilot but a few seconds to identify the object before it became a blur. "Shit, isn''t that the Hydra?" Chuck replied. Indeed, the three heads of the towering beast were unmistakable. It angled itself toward the planes, which were still barely above the tree line at this point. Suddenly, a large glow began to form in one of its heads. "Oh crap!" the pilot replied as he jerked his joystick, pulling the Strike Eagle into a steep climb. The fireball missed. Even if the pilot hadn''t executed such a maneuver, the fireball still would''ve missed, since they were still moving at Mach 1.2. The other plane, seeing the quick movement of its partner, radioed in. "Monster One, what''s going on?" "Damn Hydra just shot a fireball at us!" Monster One''s pilot answered. "What the hell? Intel says it''s supposed to be 10 klicks out still. Damn, we need to circle back around. Overshot by a damn mile." "Roger that, we''ll hit it from the front while you hit it in the back. "Solid copy. Make sure you let the Dragonslayers know the situation, and please ask Ghost One to hurry their asses up." "Will do," the pilot of Monster One said as he moved his jet back toward the town and did a 180 in order to attack the Hydra. With a loadout of 2 short range Sidewinder missiles, 2 medium range AMRAAMs, and four AGM-65 Maverick missiles, this essentially meant that between the two fighters, they had eight opportunities to deal damage to the beast. Once they ran out of their ground attack missiles, they would need to switch to their guns and harass the Hydra for as long as possible. With Monster Two having completed its turn, both jets fired a missile each. The missiles were specifically designed to penetrate armor, but how well could they do against a monster''s hide? The 300 pound explosive ordnance in each missile detonated as the missiles made contact with the Hydra''s skin. After the smoke settled, the jets made visual confirmation of the damage done, which was comparable to the chipping of paint on a warship. Because of the speeds at which they moved, the pilots couldn''t see that the missiles had actually torn off small chunks of flesh. They could only see a slight charring on the surface of the beast''s skin. As they circled back for another attack run, the Hydra angled its head, trying to predict the trajectories of the planes. The next set of missiles impacted, creating a cloud of dust and debris. From this smoke, the Hydra shot a fireball into the air, narrowly missing Monster One. Each attack run was met with a close call, closer than the preceding calls. After the jets exhausted their ground attack missiles, they switched to their guns, requiring them to enter the Hydra''s effective combat range. "Got the target in my sights!" A pilot said over the combat network. "Guns! Guns!" A stream of bullets erupted from the plane''s mounted M61 Vulcan, hitting the Hydra in the face and creating a small scar where the skin was deformed by the kinetic energy of the impacts. ¡ª The enraged hydra seemed to almost grin at the sight of the approaching planes. Feigning defense by throwing one of its arms up, it secretly charged a fireball and was able to successfully hit one of the pesky metal gnats. ¡ª The fireball scorched Monster Two''s left wing, corroding the metal and almost entirely disabling the left aileron. "How bad is it?" the pilot asked. "We can still fly, sir, but it''ll be harder to perform complex maneuvers to dodge the Hydra''s attacks." The pilot contemplated. "Hmm, okay that''s not too bad. Let''s shorten our strafes just to be safe. A few more attack runs could make all the difference, especially now that the damn thing is this close to the town." ¡ª The Hydra watched the gnats angrily as they had come around for another pass, the injured one it hit earlier flying higher. The Hydra saw this as a mixed blessing and curse, since it meant that their piercing attacks wouldn''t hit it as often. Sure, the piercing attacks were capable of dealing damage, but nothing so far could pierce its thick hide. Having a decorated history of battles against other large beasts, this particular Hydra was truly an apex predator, even more so than the rest of its kin, which are known to regularly challenge massive sharks and krakens. Still, the beast felt a sense of unease as the pesky fliers retreated and it marched toward the delicious smell of food. After moments of silence, the unease drifted away and eventually it saw lights in the distance ¡ª a glaring contrast to the darkening skies. Its stomach rumbled as it pushed forward, relishing the thought of a full belly and biomass with which to heal itself. ¡ª¡ª "But the evacuations aren''t even halfway done!" Lord Talvin cried out. "You must ask the people to leave their belongings. We can get them supplies and help rebuild the town once the Hydra has been dealt with." Henry''s tone was solemn; he''s seen livelihoods destroyed once before. "Yes, I shall do that. I only pray the beast does not destroy everything we have built here. Perhaps the Eanish can stop them before they get here. I know not why they had to lie about their intentions and status, but as long as my people are safe, I will leave them to their arcane beast traps." The two men stood in silence until Lord Talvin spoke again. "May I use your radio messengers?" Lord Talvin''s wording lightened Henry''s mood and he granted the Ecith man''s request with a smile. "I will likely never cease to be fascinated by your nation''s magic. And after hearing of your victory against our Nobian overlords, I will never cease to be grateful." "We fight for freedom," Henry replied, smiling internally because he finally got a chance to say that line. His chest was swelling with pride. Lord Talvin then communicated his orders to Ron and Emma, who were paired with some of the lord''s aides in order to expedite the flow of information. They quickly got to work, and soon enough, the flow of evacuees on the road increased. With that settled, Henry decided to check up on Kelmithus and Dr. Jones. "Any breakthroughs?" The tired voice of Kelmithus replied. "Yes, we have just finished collecting metal from the town barracks; anything that the guards could not carry with them." "You alright Kel? You sound a bit tired." "Oh, yes, yes. I am just mama exhausted. I will be fine once I regenerate my mana using the few gems that the Guard Captain has graciously donated." "What do you have planned?" This time, Dr. Jones replied. "We all know that we can''t outright kill the creature with our available materials and given time, so we came up with a solution to buy as much time as possible!" Kelmithus continued in his place, smoothly explaining the details of his plan. "A stun spell is simple, such that most beginner wizards are able to learn it easily. It is a variant of the lightning spell, which uses electricity to stun a target. I have learned many things about currents and conductivity that I have never known before, and today I would like to apply my experiments on the field, as you Americans may say. I will need some time to prepare the remaining gems and I need a straight line of sight." Henry recalled the plans of the Imperials. With Captains Lamarr and Owens keeping tabs on the Eanish, he was able to deduce their overall strategy. "Kel, you might want to set up around the town circle. There, you''ll have a clear line of sight to the western gate, which is where the monster should be coming from. Be careful with the Eanish. They''re setting up traps using these pylons or cones scattered in some shape, alongside an enormous pitfall trap." "Very well. Dr. Jones, let us commence our work." ¡ª¡ª Western Gate Kor watched his people toil endlessly as they hurried to ready the trap. Looking back at the two wizards setting up their little spell conduit, he scoffed. These people should leave the difficult work of handling large monsters to the professionals. They couldn''t even get the beast''s estimated time of arrival correct! As a master tamer, Kor had long ago sensed the approaching Hydra, and now, gazing upon his workers finalizing their conduit placements, he felt ready. He heard two roars. One was distinctly from the Hydra, another came from behind him. The Americans brought a vehicle in order to escape! How cowardly! He turned his attention back into the forest, where a large, three headed beast suddenly appeared. "Let me show you how a master tames a monster!" ¡ª¡ª Authors Note: If you enjoy my story, please remember to vote and/or submit a rating! I would also appreciate it if you all could share my story; you guys are the people who motivate me to write! Join my discord if you wish to discuss more about my story. https://discord.gg/ymbTbNw 36 Independence Day Part 3 Discord: https://discord.gg/ymbTbNw ¡ª¡ª July 4, 2019 En Route to Felomia, 36 miles out "What''s the Valkyrie''s payload?" A Dragonslayer pilot, Captain Grant, asked. A reply came over the combat network. "Huh? Oh, the General said it''s got one 250 pounder." It was Captain Grant''s wingman, Captain Miller. "What?" Captain Grant was confused. "That''s it?" "Well, most of it is jammed with sensors and stuff for uh, tactical analysis," Miller replied. "Hm, you''d think it''s carrying something special¡­" "Eh, it kinda is? The General said it''s for the new drone network. Thing''s gotta learn from something. Why not the best?" "Alright you two Dragonslayers, cut the chatter. We''re about to reach the target," Major Adam Gryffin announced. For this mission, Dragonslayer Squadron flew 6 F-35''s, leaving behind the F-22 Raptors they had used last month against the Epic Dragon. One of the primary reasons for this selection was to test the viability of current generation US aircraft against various targets in Gaerra. Another was to collect data for the YQ-58 Valkyrie so that the drone may finally be put into official service as swarming wingmen for human-piloted aircraft. For this operation, Adam was tasked with coordinating a bombing with the Valkyrie to determine how well the drone received communications from its controller. To minimize collateral damage, all aircraft were equipped with small, laser guided bombs. Trailing in between the Dragonslayers were two larger aircraft, designated as Ghost One and Ghost Two. In these lumbering aircraft, crew were hurriedly making checks to their weapons. "105 is good to go!" "40 is all ready!" "25s are good!" With a few minutes left to reach their destination, some were excited. Some were even nervous, unsure if they could make it in time. However, all were confident in their faith of superior firepower: that their selection of the finest American ordnance would be able to reduce the beast to bloody chunks. ¡ª¡ª "Let me show you how a master tames a monster!" The declaration from the Eanish man was loud, loud enough to be heard by Kelmithus and Jones, who continued their work in the town circle. "Kelmithus, what else do we need?" Dr. Jones asked as he placed the final box of mana gems in the appropriate position. "The setup is complete. Now, all I require is Omnis, as a conduit for the massive amounts of magical energy we must channel from these crates." Jones frowned. \u003c I never signed up for this¡­ But! I shall reluctantly agree to be a conduit. \u003e "Don''t I use you as a conduit every time I cast a spell?" Jones asked. Kelmithus had an expression of confusion on his face for a split second before he realized that Jones was communicating with Omnis. "Ah, I don''t think you''ve ever told us about that." \u003c I am an artificial intelligence. I have records of my communications with you. June 27, 3:17 AM, I relayed this information to you. \u003e "Omnis¡­ I''m pretty sure I was asleep." \u003c Hmph! Perhaps you should consider getting an upgrade to your organic brain! \u003e "Whatever. Kel, Omnis says he is willing to do it." \u003c There is a difference between willingness and reluctant agreeance. \u003e Dr. Jones ignored Omnis and passed his scepter to Kelmithus, who placed it in the center of the runic depictions and crates scattered throughout the town circle. Kelmithus began chanting and soon enough, a beam of light shot into the sky, not unlike the beam seen a few days ago. "Interesting," Dr. Jones thought. Kelmithus then stood in silence, allowing the magical energies to build up. \u003c Ow! \u003e "Just a couple more minutes¡­" ¡ª¡ª The Hydra eyed the puny mammal that so confidently strolled up to challenge it. Unfortunately for the beast, it was so blinded by hunger and hubris that it could not see the arcane symbols hidden among the bushes, nor could it see the flaws in the hastily crafted leaf coverings in front of it. The mammal raised its hands, letting out a war cry, and then beat its chest. In response, the Hydra roared, sending chills down the spines of the other mammals, standing behind their walls and towers. Curiously, the one in front of him did not falter. Offended, the Hydra lunged forward in an attempt to eat the creature. Unexpectedly, the Hydra fell short and instead fell through the leaves, nearly tripping. Despite the dig trap being but a story in height, the Hydra was firmly entrenched by the numerous poisoned mithril spikes that pierced its feet. The Hydra stifled a roar of pain, instead screaming in anger as the human laughed and rushed around it. It would take time to lodge itself free, but in the meantime, it could still kill the nimble little creature with its attacks. ¡ª Master Kor laughed and rushed toward the first activation rune. 9 such others were scattered along the circumference of the trap. To Kor, this was routine. The plan was to activate the runes in sequence so that the Imperium''s Magical Suppresion Tendrils could restrain the Hydra and slowly send it into a mana exhausted state. The Imperial Tamers were first founded decades ago, years after Eanish sages rediscovered the lost art of mana siphoning. With such magic, intricate runes were developed for the purpose of restraining powerful mages. This allowed the Eanif Kingdom to expand relentlessly, since rivaling nations couldn''t challenge Eanif without their magic users. Eventually, a group of Tier 1 adventurers decided to apply this knowledge to the capture of a Tarasque and the rest became history. Master Tamer Kor has learned directly from these legendary adventurers, who still prowl the lands in search of everlasting glory thanks to an abundance of incredible loot which has improved upon their durability and lifespans. Athough he certainly did not meet up to their standards, Master Kor was still confident in his ability to wrangle this Hydra, even if it was the hardest challenge he had ever faced. Dodging a ball of acid, Kor made his way over to the second rune and activated it. A head lunged in his direction, nearly biting his upper torso off. Kor rolled backward only to have to jump forward once more to avoid another attack. Some splashes of flames and acid landed on his gear, which was enchanted to protect against magic. Still, the heat from the Hydra''s fireballs threatened time overwhelm his magical defenses if he kept only narrowly avoiding the attacks. Muttering a few incantations, he renewed the various buffs he had cast on himself. As he activated the third rune, he began to feel the effects of exhaustion. After navigating through a storm of fire and acid, he finally reached the fourth and cursed. The runes seemed so far apart, yet if the circular trap was any smaller, he likely would have succumbed to a fireball or acid ball by now. If the runes were father apart, he would have more time to dodge the Hydra''s ranged attacks and even avoid the heads'' physical attacks, but at the cost of having to run more. Already, Kor had run the equivalent of several blocks on top of the magical strain of maintaining his defenses and the physical strain of quickly dodging incoming attacks. While running to the fifth rune, Kor noticed a bright beam of light shooting up into the sky. Curious, he thought. The distraction was enough to send him flying from a fireball that had landed behind him. He quickly rolled, dodging yet another lunge from the Hydra''s hungering jaws and recovered. By the sixth rune, Kor was exhausted. The Hydra, sensing the wavering of its prey, ceased its attacks and grinned at the man who stood defiantly against it. It was nearly free from the crude spike trap and after consuming this Kor, it would have no problem ravaging the town. Kor whispered a prayer to Avis and Avon, the goddess of death and god of war, respectively. As of a response from the gods themselves, a massive bolt of lightning erupted from the town circle, striking the Hydra who was climbing out of the pitfall. The beast jerked wildly and it fell back down into the spikes, having lost control over its motor functions. Master Kor smiled at the gift he was granted and quickly activated the nearly all of the remaining runes without any challenge from the Hydra, who could only glare at the running little creature. Upon reaching the tenth and final rune, the Hydra stirred as it began to recover from its temporary paralysis. The central head opened its mouth, beginning to unleash an attack. Kor was a bit unnerved by the Hydra''s actions, since he recalled the middle head doing nothing but attempting to bite him. He shuddered thinking of its attack, then calmed down after activating the final rune. The buildup of energy within the middle head''s mouth reached a critical state and just as it was about to obliterate the pesky critter before it, tendrils lashed, seemingly out of nowhere, and grabbed it. The surprising nature and unexpected force of the tendrils forced the heads to face the sky, and thus Kor was spared. ¡ª "Holy hell, did that come from the Hydra?" Lieutenant Hopkins asked. "Affirmative, Slayer 6. Looks like the damn thing''s got some sort of laser or energy beam weapon." Adam replied. "Why didn''t Monster One or Two get hit with it?" Miller wondered. "Must be some helluva fight going on down there for it to use that specific attack maybe," Grant speculated. The American aircraft approached the site of the battle, where ten purplish tendrils grasped a thrashing Hydra. "The fuck? I thought we were just dealing with the Hydra?" The pilot of Ghost One said. "Intel messed up the Hydra''s ETA. Wouldn''t be surprised if they messed up something else," Ghost Two replied. Suddenly, a transmission from the ground came in, identifying as Captain Emma Lamarr. She explained the situation on the ground based on Kelmithus'' and Dr. Jones'' accounts. "Well folks, looks like we should thank these Eanish later for trapping the thing for us. I''ll be sending the Valkyrie first. After that, Dragonslayer Squad will commence bombing runs. By the time we finish, Ghosts One and Two will have arrived on site to finish off the thing," Adam announced. "Roger that!" Came the simultaneous reply from the local network. The Valkyrie shot forward, accelerating to speeds that would certainly crush a human. The onboard computer received targeting information from Adam''s F-35 and calculated the necessary information to conduct a successful bombing. The test went off without a hitch, as the precision bomb landed smack in the Hydra''s chest. The ghostly purplish tendrils within the blast radius disintegrated for a split second before reforming and securing the Hydra. Subsequent bombs from Dragonslayer Squadron devastated the once pristine skin of the Hydra, turning the emerald skin into a dark charcoal. With its magical powers dwindling, the fireballs it shot missed their targets by a pathetic margin. Missing chunks of flesh throughout the body, the Hydra attempted to regenerate. Despite being hindered by the tendrils, regeneration commenced relatively smoothly as some of the burnt skin returned to its original color. The Hydra''s devastated right arm slowly regained its mass as tendons and flesh grew from the remaining chunks. With all ordnance depleted, the F-35s turned away, remaining in the general vicinity in order to escort the two gunships back to base once they finished their mission. ¡ª To the Hydra, the circling jets looked like vultures waiting for a dying animal. Yet, these vultures were nearly enough to kill a Hydra on their own. What could they be waiting for? ¡ª Two AC-130 gunships rumbled toward the Hydra, drawing cheers from Alpha Team on the ground and open mouths from the Gaerran natives. Neither the Felomian people nor the Eanish had ever seen such an object, except of course for Master Kor, who had seen massive bombers in Mekkan. Master Kor, resting safely behind the town walls, frowned as he saw the approaching planes. He had seen Mekkanese bombing runs before, and just a single plane could decimate a village. What could these two American planes do? To Kor''s surprise the American planes were less like bombers and more like flying ships, equipped with massive guns and cannons. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! The two gunships fired their first salvo. Four 105 mm rounds shrieked through the air and impacted the Hydra with tremendous force, almost causing the tendrils to lose their grasp. With the immense stopping power of the planes'' guns, the Hydra was already effectively restrained and forced to the ground. Just the opening volley was enough to negate any regeneration done by the Hydra. The beast was now missing half of its left leg and the right arm was once again devastated, only attached to the main body by a few strands which had somehow managed to hold on. Then came the next volley. Eight corresponding explosions signified the impact of the AC-130''s 40mm rounds onto the designated target, completely severing the limbs damaged from the first salvo. The Hydra, now released from the shackles of tendrils which took but a few seconds too long to reform, watched the beast''s above angrily. They flew low and slow: easier targets than the smaller, more nimble pests from before. The middle head began to charge its attack, opening its mouth only to receive a meal of dozens of 25mm rounds. The rounds impacted the soft flesh of the middle head''s throat, causing the energy build up process to be interrupted. Consequently, without the biological components in the throat to stabilize the magical energy, a massive blue explosion engulfed the Hydra, vaporizing the middle head and severely burning the other two. With the most powerful head gone and half the body missing, the Hydra attempted a retreat into the forest, crawling with whatever limbs it had left. These efforts were futile. The gunships'' 105mm Howitzers were ready to fire, and thus they did. The damaged skin and depleted magical energy of the Hydra stood no chance against the final salvo of 105mm rounds. The ground upon which the Hydra stood was bathed red with gore and the nearby environment was showered with bloody flying chunks. ¡ª On the ground, the Felomian townspeople looked back toward the thunderous sounds and bright flashes in the distance, wondering what happened. Soon, a radio communication alerted Lord Talvin. "Hmm? How do you answer this thing again¡­ Ah there it is!" "Lord Talvin, we have excellent news!" The voice of Major Donnager announced. "The Hydra has been slain!" "Thank you, Major Donnager. We the people of Felomia owe you yet another debt, on top of liberating us from the Nobians." "Haha, don''t worry about that. Ecith is an American territory now, so you fall under our protection." "Once more, I thank you. I will now announce the news to my people." Turning his attention to the Felomian evacuees gathered by the eastern gate, he declared, "The Hydra is no more! You may all return to your homes!" He was met with cheers and the crowd quickly dispersed, everyone walking back to their homes and discussing the whole ordeal. Lord Talvin grinned. This marked a new era for his people. ¡ª "I just gave Lord Talvin the good news. The townspeople should be working their way back here." "That''s nice!" Emma said. "Yeah, and we had quite the fireworks show too!" Kelmithus joked. Alpha Team laughed heartily, prompting several glances from the awestruck Eanish. Master Kor in particular was at an extreme loss for words. He would certainly be reprimanded for his failure to tame the Hydra. Now, he wouldn''t be killed, since Emperor Evalion isn''t stupid enough to waste the talents of his people, but he may lose many of the benefits he had seen in recent months, such as additional gold. Perhaps he could focus his tale more on his encounter with the Americans? Yes, Emperor Evalion is known for seeking information. Depending on what Kor said, Emperor Evalion could potentially spend days, even weeks, pondering over this report. Satisfied with his decision, Kor began to organize his camp for a return back to the Imperium. They would not return on the back of a tamed Hydra, but returning with one of its heads should be enough to make him a hero. As the last of his workers exited the East gate, he spared one last glance at the Stars and Stripes upon the gate''s flagpole. A nation that could decimate a Hydra in a few short minutes. Kor smiled softly, his face actually depicting a smile this time. In the background, several fireworks went off above numerous Ecith towns in the distance. This world was about to get interesting. ¡ª¡ª Authors Note: If you enjoy my story, please remember to vote and/or submit a rating! I would also appreciate it if you all could share my story; you guys are the people who motivate me to write! Join my discord if you wish to discuss more about my story. https://discord.gg/ymbTbNw 37 The White House ¡ª¡ª July 5, 2019 Colorado Springs Jack woke up next to his wife, Samantha, ready to start the day. After a pleasant night fishing with his buddies from work, he felt fulfilled and energetic. He sighed happily as he went downstairs to prepare breakfast. While gathering the ingredients for a delicious French toast, he decided to turn on the TV and watch the news. After a short advertisement for a new season of Wormhole X-treme, a musical note played alongside an animation, signifying the continuation of today''s news. On the screen, a handsome caster introduced himself and today''s primary topic. "Good Morning America, I''m Harlan Davidson with BFA News. Today, we''re going to discuss the talk of the town, or more appropriately, the world! Yesterday, the President announced the existence of intelligent alien life on this new world, Gaerra. This officially marks the first time humanity has encountered such aliens, unless the government knows something we don''t!" He laughed, joking at the possibility of alien conspiracists being correct. The image of the newscaster faded away as the clips from yesterday''s announcement came to view. "In case you missed it, here are some of the highlights from President Keener''s speech." Jack, who was too busy setting up for his Fourth of July party, was incredulous that he had missed such a historical announcement. He nearly burnt his food, causing his wife to wake up and come down. Both of them watched the clips intently, unable to believe that they were literally watching a talking humanoid cat give an interview. When the clip concluded, the caster listed some examples of food items discovered in Gaerra, with mouth-watering pictures sliding into the screen. "This is one of the more popular dishes according to the noble folk we''ve talked to: Cav Steak. Usually served with a portion of local greens, bread, and a special sauce derived from unique, alien spices, the cav steak is a staple amongst the medieval nobles of this world. According to some reports from scientific expeditions in Gaerra, the meat itself tastes a bit like beef, but with an indiscernible taste to it. They also say that trade talks are commencing and we might see the introduction of this meat into high-end supermarkets initially, with projected prices past those of A6 Wagyu Beef. We tried to get an exclusive interview with one of these scientists, but unfortunately we were turned away by the military. A transcript of the expedition''s press release will be available on our website at BFS.com later tonight. Another particularly succulent looking item from the Gaerran menu is this, the Kaltrian Freshwater Eel, similar to unagi¡­" "So Mr. Ramsay, are you excited for your upcoming trip to this new world?" "Oh, certainly. I''ve been asked to work with some of the scientists and experiment with the new food items that they''ve considered safe to eat. Over the course of two weeks, the personnel stationed there will be my test subjects, tasting the masterpieces I will perfect. These meals will be free of charge. Once my stay is over, President Keener has graciously allowed me to bring some of these new dishes over to my restaurants in Las Vegas." "Sounds appetizing, Mr. Ramsay. I bet a lot of people watching this interview right now are wishing they could be one of those scientists!" Gordon Ramsay nodded. "I can''t say much, but I can say that we''re getting a pretty good supply." "That''s wonderful news. Can you say what the prices in your restaurants might be?" "That I can''t say right now. My initial shipment of meat and spices will be free, but afterwards I''ll need to pay the normal market price." "Yeah, that makes sense. Well, if you''re ever curious, be sure to check out Mr. Ramsay''s restaurants in Las Vegas! These new menu items will debut by August, so plan your trips accordingly! Mr. Ramsay, thank you for doing this quick interview." "Oh, it''s my pleasure to be here. Have a good day, Mr. Davidson." Harlan clasped his hands after saying farewell to the famous chef. "In other news, the United States government has received numerous requests for access to Gaerra by nations around the world. China is currently leading a loose coalition of countries under the U.N., hoping to pressure the United States into opening its borders for scientific expeditions and corporations. The response from the White House remains to be announced, but we at BFA were able to talk to an anonymous source. According to them, a few key American companies have already been selected to expand their enterprises into the new world. The official response will be released by White House Press Secretary Alice Waltz later this evening. After this short break, we will return to discuss SpaceX''s rumored contracts and Russia''s growing amiability and open mindedness with NATO." Another musical note played as the camera panned away and the screen faded to black. ¡ª¡ª New York City Ambassador Perry looked down at his wedding ring as he waited for the Sonarans and Mekkanese at the hotel lobby. He rubbed the ring, thinking about his wife, claimed years ago by cancer. He wondered if magic could''ve saved her; could she still be alive if the portal to Gaerra opened back in 2014? The elevator ding brushed away these thoughts, although seeing Sera Sindis caused some memories regarding his wife to resurface. The resemblance is uncanny, he thought. Even the names: Sera and Sarah. John sighed and took a deep breath before greeting the Sonarans and Mekkanese delegations. "I hope you all enjoyed the fireworks last night," he smiled. "It made me think of a constant siege," one of King Selios'' knights commented. "My, this amount of explosives could certainly scare away any army in Eanif!" King Selios added. The Mekkanese on the other hand voiced simple opinions, with "indeed" and "it was quite nice" being common remarks. "Well I''m glad everyone had a good time yesterday. Today will be a bit more serious. We will be flying to our nation''s capital, Washington D.C., so you all may commence your scheduled meetings with the President. Now, before we leave, who here wants a jacket?" Nearly everyone raised their hands, causing Ambassador Perry to chuckle. The last time they flew, only the Mekkanese desired jackets. The Sonarans rejected the offer of jackets, thinking such an offer I be ridiculous while the surrounding environment was baking under the scorching Nevada sun. Now, they''ve learned their lesson, as airplane flights can get very cold, with blankets provided during said flights usually being insufficient. Despite the Mekkanese group''s relative familiarity of flying, they were still amused by the various amenities provided by their private jet. ¡ª As the group settled in, Perry took a seat alone by a table so he could work on new documents regarding the integration of the Ecith Kingdom and Arasol Province as American territories. While analyzing details on the Arasol Province''s population, he was interrupted by a woman who took the seat in front of him on the opposite side of the table. "Hello Lady Sindis." "Hi there Ambassador," she smiled. "Is there anything I can do for you?" "Can we talk about last night, when we were watching the fireworks together?" "Uh, sure," John said with much uncertainty in his voice. "Why didn''t you tell me you were married!" She hissed, pointing at the ring on his finger. "Wasting my time, hmph!" "I am sorry you feel that way, Miss Sindis. I actually used to be married, but my wife succumbed to cancer." "Oh," Sera replied, now feeling embarrassed because of her small outburst. "I am sorry¡­" "It is fine. In fact, I almost lost it, but thanks to you and your people, my government was able to rescue me back in Sorn." Sera''s mood lightened upon hearing this, glad that they could be of some use to these highly advanced and sophisticated foreigners. Changing the topic, Ambassador Perry began describing the details regarding Sera''s upcoming meeting. Once they arrived, the Mekkanese and Sonarans would be directed to the White House. Lodging more spacious than that of the hotel will be provided, causing Sera to sigh gratefully. With regards to the meeting itself, Perry listed several major topics that Sera and King Selios can expect, such as the recent land transfer, international politics in Gaerra, and magic. Prion and Jean joined in after overhearing some of the topics; Jean was particularly interested in technology exchange. He thus asked John about it, to which he replied, "I''m not at liberty to discuss our plans with regards to technology exchange." Upon seeing Jean frown slightly, he continued, "Don''t worry, you''ll find out about it in just a few hours. You all might want to head back to your seats. We''re about to land." On cue, the pilot announced their position and asked the passengers to put on their seatbelts. As the plane descended slowly, the pilot pointed out famous landmarks, such as the Washington monument and the Capitol building. Sera, confused about the architecture, asked John, "Why do the buildings here look much older than the buildings in New York?" Well-versed in historical knowledge of Washington D.C., John explained the architecture of the city. Some sections, as he pointed out, were modernized just like New York, albeit without the towering skyscrapers. Sera simply nodded in response. The passengers then sat in silence, taking pictures of the scenery outside their windows with their newly acquired phones. Despite not knowing what the rest of the phone was capable of, they understood the basic functions of calling, texting, and taking pictures. The Mekkanese in particular learned quickly. "Prion, if such high quality photos can be sourced from this puny device¡­ What might a dedicated camera of theirs be capable of? I wager that their spy planes are able to produce excellent pictures," Jean said, remembering the drone video they watched weeks ago. "Yes, yes. I will be sure to ask their leader about such technologies. We must make our shield technology as valuable as possible in their eyes: something they can''t figure out on their own," Prion whispered. Thinking back to the massacre they witnessed when the Americans brought fire and an entire mountainside down upon the Bractin Gang, Prion realized that the Americans have already witnessed their reactions. Indeed, the whole reason they were there was to flex their aerial capabilities and to see how they would react to an overwhelming display of firepower. Prion continued, "Is there anything you would be willing to trade from the Artificers?" The plane buckled, experiencing turbulence as it descended into a cloud. The Sonarans erupted into a small commotion before being calmed down by the attendants on the plane, who reassured them that the turbulence is the same thing they experienced during the flight to New York. Meanwhile, the Mekkanese continued their conversations and activities as if nothing had happened; they were used to rougher flights than the ones provided by the Americans. "Ah, I just remembered that I have some recordings in my baggage." "And you just remembered now? How did you become a third commander in the first place? How are we supposed to review our materials when we''re about to land?" Prion hissed. "Ah, do not worry Prion. I believe I can recall some of the Artificers'' most incredible achievements. For example: they figured out how to miniaturize shield emitters into a small box!" Prion smiled and nodded in satisfaction. "Yes, yes. As long as the Americans don''t know about the Ancient Vaults, they''ll never be able to learn how to make such barriers. Anything else?" "They would certainly be interested in our WD Engines." "Have they even seen our airships yet?" Prion wondered. "Hm, I don''t believe so. However, I think there might be some general information on our airships in the material I''ve brought." "What if they think it is propaganda?" "Eh," Jean shrugged. "It''s up to them to believe it or not. The initial ancestors likely wouldn''t believe it either, if they had our knowledge on scientific principles." "True, I suppose. I wonder: shall we sell engines or the technology itself?" "Either would probably be fine. Their aircraft seem to be quite heavy, and it stands to reason their engines consume a lot of fuel to provide enough lift for this heavy beast to fly," he said as he looked outside the window toward the plane''s left wing and associated turbines. "We could probably inflate the prices of our blueprints and documents; I doubt they have the magical capacity to even make our WD engines in the first place. Nor can they study the Ruins." Prion laughed and nodded his head. "Indeed! We can potentially come out of these negotiations with far more than expected!" The two men laughed as their hopes swelled for an extremely productive relationship with the United States. Despite being on friendly terms, the Mekkanese were above all focused on their own prosperity, and thus were willing to take advantage of even their closest of allies, as evidenced in their disproportionally favorable trade deals with neighboring countries. "A toast," Prion suggested, "to our newfound friends, and our ever-increasing prosperity!" The two Mekkanese men hit their wine glasses together, a tradition remarkably similar to that of Earth society. An announcement interrupted their small celebration, prompting them to prepare for landing. As the two men looked out their respective windows in order to watch the plane setting down, a hidden camera in an obscure corner of the plane traced their movements. ¡ª¡ª The White House "Hmph, can''t blame them for being businessmen I guess," President Keener remarked, his hand over a mouse as he rewound the recording. CIA Director Samantha Gray, who sat next to him, nodded in agreement. President Keener continued, "Would be real nice if we could get these into President Lin''s office. Or President Ivanov for that matter." He then sighed as he shut off the laptop. "I wish for the same thing, sir. Maybe some new toys from the Groom Lake Facility or even Site Beta One?" Samantha smirked, hoping to get a positive response from the President. "Ha, in your dreams. Mike''s got all of our scientists working full time on either reverse engineering the alien tech we''ve got, studying the stuff we found in Gaerra, studying that portal, or collaborating with the Sonarans on magic." President Keener analyzed Samantha''s reaction. She nodded reluctantly. "Even then, I don''t think we''d be able to appease the Chinese short of granting full access. And Mikhael, shit, he''s a damn enigma. I mean, I''m glad his administration is opening up to NATO a bit, but I sure do wish the man himself was a bit more open, y''know?" "On that I wholeheartedly agree, sir." President Keener, satisfied with her response, continued, "I just got off the phone with Richard, General Harding, and also Tyler''s guy, what''s his name¡­ well anyway he''s the main candidate for the new Secretary of Science position. They''ve all suggested gestures of goodwill toward our closest allies, and even Russia, if China ever wants to bring this matter to the Security Council. For some reason, Richard is the most supportive of giving away some of our magical artifacts and alien biological samples. Secretary of Defense advocating for the release of precious defense secrets! Can you believe that?" "No, sir." "Neither did I, but he later explained his plan. Apparently, we''ve got a lot of minor magical artifacts, which give off very minimal readings on the new magic detectors. This stuff, alongside some samplings of Gaerran flora and fauna, would certainly be enough to satisfy our British brethren and the French. The Russians on the other hand¡­ eh I''m not too certain. We could lift the rest of our sanctions on them, but this might arouse the suspicion of the Chinese. ESPECIALLY if all we''re doing in response to their demands is giving away some insignificant materials for research and allowing more foreign scientific and exploration teams through to Gaerra. Eventually, the world''s gonna call for an oversight committee¡­ urgh." President Keener buried his face in his hands. "I''m sure you''ll figure everything out, sir," Samantha replied, trying her best to be supportive. As a former CIA operative, she was excellent with personal relations, particularly in seducing top officials around the world, but that time has long past. Additionally, none of her past experiences had anything to with emotional support. Her niece Sarah would probably know, but she''s off on mission, probably socializing with the cat people right now. The President''s stressful state made her nervous. Thankfully, he recuperated quickly in order to answer a knock on the door. He answered and an aide appeared. "Mr. President, the guests are a minute away." "Alright, I''ll be heading down to greet them. Give me a sec," he said as he turned around to relay the news to Samantha. "I''ve got to meet the Mekkanese and Sonarans now. Let me know if anything resurfaces in regard to our new acquaintances, and do look into the ancient vaults and ruins the Mekkanese spoke of. I''m guessing they''re Homagus sites, so I''m giving you full access to the data we''ve got from Gaerra. Hopefully whatever you need will be in the 0.1% we''ve managed to analyze so far." President Keener then exited the Oval Office and ventured toward the front of the White House, where he saw two columns of Marine guards and a lavish red carpet waiting to greet the first living aliens from another world. He straightened his tie, amused by the difference between reality and expectations. The first aliens to step foot into the White House looking, talking, and acting like humans? Incredible, he thought as a convoy of black vehicles pulled up. It''s time to make history once more. ¡ª¡ª Authors Note: If you enjoy my story, please remember to vote and/or submit a rating! I would also appreciate it if you all could share my story; you guys are the people who motivate me to write! Join my discord if you wish to discuss more about my story. https://discord.gg/ymbTbNw 38 Discussions Summary: Last time on Manifest Fantasy, Alpha Team went to investigate the forests near Felomia in the newly annexed Ecith Kingdom, formerly a Nobian territory. While searching for hostile fauna, they encountered a magical anomaly originating from a mountain range, causing gravity to fluctuate. Diverting their efforts to investigate the anomaly yielded no results, and thus they continued their search for hostile fauna until they discovered a Hydra. After a few minutes of documentation, they began their trek back to Felomia. Upon arrival, they discovered that the Hydra had set course toward the defenseless medieval town. Since this town was now a U.S. territory, they were obligated to defend it. Interestingly enough, a mysterious group of ''adventurers'' led by Master Tamer Kor appeared, offering their aid in defeating the Hydra. While Kelmithus and Dr. Jones prepared their spells, Kor prepared a trap for the Hydra. When the Hydra arrived, Kor sprung into action, activating over half of his trap before becoming bogged down by the Hydra''s combat abilities. Thankfully, it was at this moment Kelmithus and Dr. Jones completed the casting of their spell, striking the Hydra with incapacitating lightning. Kor was able to activate the entire trap easily, holding the Hydra down for the U.S. Air Force''s planes. 2 gunships easily tore the beast to shreds, creating a spectacular display fitting for a Fourth of July night. Meanwhile, the Sonaran and Mekkanese delegations on Earth prepared for their visit to the White House. The Mekkanese were revealed to have interesting technologies, and appeared to be playing some sort of mind game that even the CIA Director, Samantha Gray, couldn''t determine. President Keener will need to rely on his intuition for the coming discussions. July 5, 2019 The White House A set of handsome men waited along the front lawn of the Americans'' humble abode and they graciously helped the passengers out of their vehicles after the convoy came to a stop. As King Selios stepped out of his party''s limousine, he gazed his eyes upon the White House. He maintained a neutral expression as he analyzed the architecture of the building. The Mekkanese delegates held similar perspectives. Both Prion and Jean expected something much more glorious, even mistaking the Capitol building for being the White House earlier. Most of the Mekkanese anticipated a building similar to their own version of the White House, known as the Silver Tower. Modeled after the elegant structures of the faraway elves, it became the designated administrative center for the Mekkanese President after a traveling elf visited their country and provided a peculiarly large collection of tomes from his impossibly lightweight baggage. The information on the tomes were mostly useless, since the Mekkanese had a low altitude for magic, much less the magical capabilities of elves. However, many insights and advanced scientific principles were derived from said books, including knowledge on how to combine magic and technology. These repositories also proved invaluable in competing with the Divinians, who mostly relied on their pure magical prowess. In contrast, the Americans relied on their pure technological prowess. Despite the humble appearance of the White House, the Mekkanese quickly noticed the defenses along the building''s perimeter and the surrounding environment. Armed guards clad in black and buzzing fairy-like objects patrolled the rooftops of various buildings, and situated on the roof of the White House itself were a number of tubular devices, gun turrets, strange looking cannons that had a very small barrel. The tubular devices resembled something the Mekkanese are currently developing, the same thing that the delegates learned of while enjoying a presentation provided on the U.S. military and its armament. These were missile launchers. The gun turrets seemed to move on their own, without an operator, further solidifying the Mekkanese suspicion of America employing computer guidance not only in their explosive weapons like missiles, but other weapons as well. Finally, the strange cannons were something truly alien to the Gaerrans. They pulsed with light, seemingly like Divinian gun batteries. Unfortunately for the Mekkanese, they had but a few seconds to ponder the mysterious device before they had to move toward the front door of the White House. They walked along the red carpet as smartly dressed men played played drum and trumpet based fanfare. The short musical demonstration stopped when they reached the front door. There, the President greeted both alien parties. "King Selios, Legateur Bonaparius, Third Commander Deaunius, and friends: it is an honor to finally meet you all. I welcome you all to the United States, to Washington D.C., and to the White House. Please, come in. I''m certain you are all famished after your travels." "It is an honor to meet you as well, President Keener," King Selios replied. "We on behalf of President Du Korelius are honored to meet you, President Keener. Unfortunately, our president is currently busy with important civil matters," Prion said. "Haha, I understand. Politics can be very demanding," President Keener replied, gesturing for his guests to come in. The Sonaran and Mekkanese parties followed after the American leader toward a dining room, where they are scheduled to have their lunch meeting. Along the way, they noticed various portraits and other works of art adorning the walls. They stopped to admire them, asking questions about the identities of these historical leaders. After a few short history lessons, they continued onward to the dining room. A plethora of covered dishes populated the tabletop, and as the Mekkanese and Sonarans took their seats, waiters arrived to remove the silvery covers, revealing the delicacies within. The initial dishes included a steak made of the highest quality of wagyu beef, lobster seasoned with a mixture of Earthly and Gaerran spices and drenched in a similarly diverse sauce, and a selection of classic American foods. Made by carefully chosen top chefs, this selection included hot dogs, hamburgers, and pizza. As the delegates indulged in Earthly delicacies and fine wine, they shared their impressions of American society. King Selios began with an expression of gratitude for essentially defeating the Nobians for them. "We were incredibly lucky you decided to help us, bless be to Sola for connecting our worlds in my nation''s most dire moment of need." King Selios remained careful not to reveal the Sonarans'' involvement in creating the portal in the first place. Unbeknownst to him, the Americans already knew thanks to the Nobians captured during the Battle of Area 51. Oh, they knew all right, they just simply didn''t care. In fact, the Americans were secretly thankful since they now have access to the greatest resource every discovered by humanity in Earth: magic. As such, President Keener responded humbly. "We fight for peace. It only helped that you were so hospitable to us while the Nobians stubbornly refused to accept and participate in our diplomatic efforts." "Indeed," King Selios replied after he finished savoring a piece of lobster. "It seems that in the end, all of this was good for the Nobians. They now have a strong, uncorrupted leader and the Sonaran Federation has never before had such good relations with our western neighbors. I wonder what happened to their former emperor?" "We suspect he ran away, most likely scared of execution," President Keener replied. He did wonder though, what really happened to the emperor? Last he heard, Alpha Team found Emperor Novus'' personal guards lounging about in a Homagus outpost of all places. This worried him slightly. ¡ª¡ª Somewhere in the Ecith Kingdom "The blood within you is strong, nearing even the potency of His Divinity''s heavenly guards! Certainly, I am impressed. It looks like we made the right choice." Former Emperor Novus powered his suit down after another successful test, causing numerous floating objects to become once again subject to the laws of gravity, thus crashing to the floor. With another such recalibration, his plan for reclaiming his lost glory could be set in motion. ¡ª¡ª The White House "I find it quite interesting we share a similar form of government, President Keener," Prion pointed out. "Yes, I must agree. From what I''ve read, Mekkan was a constitutional monarchy for most of its history. What changed?" "We had a somewhat incompetent king at one point, hated by most subjects. Generations of inbreeding within the Royal family created a leader who never heeded the advice of our top generals nor his personal advisors. He got us into a war we were ill prepared for. Without a stocked treasury to fund the efforts, he resorted to ludicrously high taxes imposed on all subjects, nobles and commoners alike. Needless to say, the Mekkanese people were enraged. Even his royal guards participated in his beheading!" "Ha, you might want to look into the French Revolution. Lots of beheadings over there." "Yes, yes. I do intend to indulge myself in the many books we are bringing back. It looks like our scholars are going to have to learn English, since we can''t cast clarification spells on everyone." This reminded President Keener of yet another obstacle he would need to overcome while planning the development and integration of the newly acquired Ecith Kingdom and Arasol Province as U.S. territories. He pushed this new consideration aside as he received more compliments regarding the technology of Earth. The group continued to flatter each other, with Keener asking the occasional question on magic, until they finished with the meals. Now, it was time for the real meetings. The Sonarans are scheduled for a meeting with Ambassador Perry, the President, and his cabinet for today, while the Mekkanese will have their meeting tomorrow. The Mekkanese were directed back towards the front, where the President bid them farewell and gave them a few sightseeing tips. He then brought the curious Sonarans to the meeting room, where they stuck out amongst the men and women dressed in sharp suits. King Selios'' personal guards looked incredibly out of place, standing alongside Secret Service agents by the door. Everyone took their seats and the meeting commenced. It didn''t take long for the group to come to an agreement on expanded trade deals and research agreements with the Sonarans. The infrastructural developments in their capital was well received by the public, especially by those who were lucky enough to get the first installments of public utilities such as plumbing and electricity. King Selios himself even remarked, "I can''t believe I missed out on such luxuries! If only the Mekkanese were generous enough to give us such an offer!" With most survey teams done with their assignments, the Americans were able to secure mining rights for newly discovered deposits of radioactive materials and rare earth metals. In exchange, the Sonarans will receive tax exemption and a hefty 10% discount on any products derived from said raw materials, including phones and smoke detectors. Additionally, with the American public now aware of humanoid life in this new world, all American companies were cleared to expand into Gaerra. Luckily for them, the Sonarans were very grateful for American involvement against Nobia and thus quickly agreed to exclusivity and prioritization for American businesses. Of course, the world''s nations wouldn''t be too happy once they found out about this, but they can certainly be satisfied in other ways. As for research agreements, both governments agreed to work together on combining magic and technology. Copies of reports and discoveries from the alphabetical teams, currently up to Gamma, will be sent to the Sonaran Arcane Institute, where American researchers and Sonaran professors will be able to collaborate on the findings. Unlike the research agreement expected with the Mekkanese, this one will make use of the Sonarans'' greater aptitude for magic. The Mekkanese currently employ a few mages, but they don''t have access to any magical academies, since they have been so far unwilling to provide favorable deals to their trading partners. As for Kelmithus, he has been granted a temporary position as a specialist in the United States Air Force, due to his membership in Alpha Team. The Sonaran government has agreed to officially recognize Kelmithus'' position. Kelmithus will be glad to know that he now has the freedom he once had as an adventurer and that he has a position available for him in King Selios'' court if he ever decides to return. Over the next several hours, the meeting focused on the development of the Arasol province. King Selios proved to be extremely knowledgeable in civil matters, having incorporated many concepts from Mekkan. After ironing out the details, he and Lady Sindis were also able to help accommodate the new plan for implementation in the Ecith Kingdom. Both territories would be subject to massive education reforms and would require heavy investment and subsidization. Fortunately, the United States didn''t have to deal with slavery in either of the territories, as the Sonaran Federation mostly employed laborers under a Mekkanese-derived capitalist system while the Ecith Kingdom operated under a combination of serfdom and early mercantilism. The development plan, amounting to tens of billions of dollars, will be paid for by the monetary rewards received from the Nobians and Sonarans, alongside the sale of technologies and goods. The Nobian Empire has yet to purchase any goods or services from the United States, but this is bound to change due to Lonad''s knowledge of American technology, acquired from his visit to Fort Grenden. Ambassador Perry will accompany the Sonaran and Mekkanese delegations back to their world, then immediately travel to the Nobian capital, where an embassy is currently under construction. "Well, it seems like we''ve come to a healthy agreement on all of our discussion points!" President Keener announced after a small period of silence. "So it would seem," King Selios affirmed. "In the Sonaran Federation, when we conclude a meeting between the member states, it is tradition to present a gift before we part ways. Although your nation is not a member state, I hope to have similarly close relations in the future. So, I leave you with an orb of mana, straight from the Divinian Boutiques." "I have nothing to present to you at this moment, good King. However, upon your arrival at Fort Grenden, you will find a nice surprise waiting for you." President Keener then internally sighed, thinking to himself that he should give that event planner a raise for anticipating this. The Sonaran delegation then exited, returning to their rooms in the guest house, leaving the President and his Cabinet alone in the room. All of them were trying to get a good look at the crystal casing that contained the blue pulsing orb. "Sir, can we take a look at it?" the Cabinet members requested. "Okay, okay. Pass it around," Keener conceded to the demands of his Cabinet to view the strange artifact. The item completed a loop around the various secretaries before coming back to President Keener. ''Oohs'' and ''aahs'' emanated from the curious Americans as they felt the powerful magic contained within the case, giving all those who handled it goosebumps. The Secret Service agents watched suspiciously and tensed up whenever the orb changed the rhythm of its pulsing. "Okay, that''s enough show and tell folks. Mike, have your people on this ASAP. Work with Richard to figure out how this thing works and what we can use it for. John, you''ll be staying with the Sonarans for a bit longer before your reassignment to the Imperium. You''re our only diplomatic expert in extraterrestrial relations, so I want you on the most important issues out there," the President ordered. "Hmm, I don''t think there''s anything else, is there?" "Ahem." "Oh, right. Everyone, please clear the room. Rest up and prepare for tomorrow''s meeting with the Mekkanese. Samantha, let us head on back to my office so we can continue our discussion." ¡ª The Oval Office "The Mekkanese have been chatting quite a bit, sir." Samantha pulled up surveillance footage from the Mekkanese rooms in the guest house. "The Third Commander, Jean Deaunius, can be seen here preparing video equipment." "Wow, that stuff sure looks antique. Although I must say, that machine there looks surprisingly ahead of their time. It looks quite like a vhs player!" "Yes, and we''ve confirmed that their recording technology is capable of color video and near perfect audio." "If they have such technologies, surely they would be worried about surveillance?" President Keener wondered. "From what my people have been able to gather, they most likely have small recording devices. I can''t tell if they''re being truthful with what they''re saying in these recordings, or if they know we''re watching and are playing some sort of game." "Then, about the WD Engine stuff, it''s all just a facade?" "I''m not too sure about that either, sir. It is likely they had access to a Homagus site and somehow reverse engineered some technology there. Also, we know for a fact they have shield technology because of the encounter with that dragon back when they were first attempting to contact us." "Yes, I do remember that. Perhaps they''re just unaware of our surveillance, or maybe they simply have nothing to hide because they''re that confident?" Samantha pondered for a moment, scrolling through the recordings as she thought. "They seem to believe that we aren''t capable of learning any magic at all¡­ I suggest you talk some more with the Sonarans. They might have some useful information." "Alright, I''ll take that into consideration. Anything else Samantha?" "No, sir." "In that case, have a good night. I''ll be sure to question the Sonarans tomorrow." "Goodnight, sir." Samantha then exited the room, leaving the president alone with his thoughts. The Mekkanese seemed amiable, yet he couldn''t shake the feeling that they had other agendas. ¡ª July 6, 2019 The White House "Thank you once more for your hospitality, President Keener. We were quite satisfied with the amenities available to us during our stay here." "And thank you as well for being such honorable guests. Please, take your seats and we shall commence the meeting," President Keener responded to the Mekkanese greetings with a similarly tactful compliment. The first topic to be discussed was of course the most important one for both nations: technology exchange. The Mekkanese desired the Americans'' technologically advanced equipment and scientific knowledge while the Americans wanted the Mekkanese magical technologies, namely shields and engines. "Will you permit us to prepare our video equipment, Mr. President?" Prion asked. "Of course." To President Keener, the video equipment looked even more astonishing up close. It even had multiple advanced functions such as the ability to rewind. The technology in the video player contrasted greatly with the technology present in the Mekkanese vehicles that made up the initial convoy. The Mekkanese Model T counterparts were as primitive as the earliest Earth automobiles, while their video technology reached well into the Cold War. Keener kept this in mind, noting how their technological paths diverged and reminding himself to discuss this with Mike after the meeting. Prion finished his preparations with surprising speed, working his devices with the same ease an Earthly contemporary would work a PowerPoint presentation. He inserted a cartridge and pressed play, denoted by a sideways chevron, similar to an arrow without the tail. The video began with an announcer''s summary, spoken in a foreign language. It sounded a lot like a combination between French and Latin, with the narrator having inflections and tone similar to that of a transatlantic radio host. Prion paused to translate for the Americans who have not received any translation spells. "In this short documentary, we will be discussing the importance of continued senatorial funding of the Magical and Scientific Research Initiative, or MSRI. Among the MSRI''s greatest achievements are the Integrated Light-Shield Deployment System, the Weight Dampening Engine, and the entire MSRI line of airships." Well-lit stills accompanied the narrator''s descriptions before a title screen appeared, denoting the transition from the introduction to the shielding section. "Listed here are the capabilities of the current Large Shield Modules, used in our largest flagships and some of our military and important civilian installations." A quick animation demonstrated some aspects of the shield''s durability. "A fully charged module can theoretically withstand 2 full salvos from a Divinian Executor Class Battleship. This puts our own battleships on a greater defensive footing with theirs, since shield modules can be produced quicker than Divinians can train their mages." A mock battle between a Divinian ship and a Mekkanese ship ensued, with the Mekkanese ship being destroyed. "Without MSRI''s research, an unshielded vessel faces complete annihilation with a loss of all hands." The animation then replayed, this time with the Mekkanese ship having shields. "As can be seen in this demonstration, the Mekkanese vessel is able to defeat its Divinian counterpart despite having less powerful weapons." After a short recap of the benefits of MSRI shielding technology, the narrator continued on to explain their developments in gravity manipulation. "This model represents a standard WD Engine. While we won''t go into detail on the precise mechanisms of this device, we will explain how it works. Using a set of carefully designed runes, the WD Engine is able to replicate a special form of magic we discovered in the Ancient Ruins. Admittedly, Divinian mages would''ve been able to make the most of the discovery. It is fortunate that we at MSRI were able to get on the case; the Divinians would have conquered our nation a century ago if it weren''t for our efforts." "By reducing the density of the metals within our airships, we are able to increase the speed and maneuverability of even our capital ships! All materials within the WD Engine''s radius will have their densities reduced considerably, effectively making them lighter than air. The operation is similar to Divinian airships, although they likely use mages and artifacts to keep their vessels afloat." The diagram faded and was replaced by a picture of a Divinian airship. "Production costs have been decreasing due to advances made by our well-funded researchers. Despite this, securing the vital components for airship production remains an expensive ordeal¡­" Prion paused the presentation at that point, explaining that the discussion after was mainly for the Mekkanese Senate. "We are willing to trade even our most prized technologies, for the right price of course." "And what price might that be?" President Keener asked. He hoped he wouldn''t have to reveal details on American antigravity research or their access to Site Beta One in order to negotiate a cheaper price. "After doing some research on the prices of your aircraft and naval vessels, I believe we can sell you WD Engines for one hundred fifty of your golden bullions, or one hundred million dollars per engine. Included in any sale are technicians to help manage the equipment. The technology itself and any magical knowledge associated with it will be on sale for one billion dollars." Keener did his best to maintain his neutral expression. He was certainly not expecting a monetary offer; he anticipated they would ask for a trade of technologies. "Perhaps you''d be willing to do a direct trade instead? You have expressed interest in some of our equipment." "While I would prefer that, I have received orders to conduct business only using money. I have been directed to accept gold or U.S. dollars for any sales, while we will be able to provide gold or Mekkanese trones for any purchases." Interesting, Keener thought. So this is what the Sonarans warned him about. In doing this, the Mekkanese could control the negotiations. He remembered seeing the Mekkanese guests'' Google searches. At the time, he thought they were simply doing research in order to achieve fair deals. It was quite surprising how quickly they adapted to modern technology, but then again, the Mekkanese were likely the best at adapting thanks to their history. That begs the question, is this an adaptation? Did the Mekkanese President really issue this command, or is Prion simply taking advantage of his unique situation? As it stands, neither Keener nor any of the Americans in the room have any idea of the true values of the Mekkanese products from the presentation. Prion on the other hand knows exactly how much American products are worth. A billion for WD Engine technology? The United States has already sunk untold billions into the various alien technologies in the Air Force''s Groom Lake Facility. Their antigravity research alone amounted to nearly 3 billion dollars and is nearly complete. Mekkanese research could certainly help expedite the work being done on Earth, but this technology isn''t a pressing matter. Suddenly, President Keener''s expression brightened. "Well, I don''t think that will be necessary, Legateur Bonaparius. In fact, we have our own antigravity technology already! Of course, we wouldn''t show someone we''ve just met our greatest military secrets. We were simply interested in the importance of magic in your designs. Our curiosity is not that severe, to warrant a price tag of a billion dollars. We will, however, be open to collaboration between our scientists. We could share our designs," he suggested. "A noble offer. Very well, the Mekkanese people will deliberate on this when I return, and we will be able to work out a more detailed plan with our scientists." "Glad to hear that," President Keener smiled. "Now, as for our shield technology, we are willing to sell this for 2000 golden bullions, or 5 bullions per small ILSD System." This is outrageous, Keener thought. "Seems a bit expensive, don''t you think?" "Hmm, yes. If you don''t want to spend any money on this technology, I believe a satisfactory trade can suffice." Prion''s eyes glinted, sensing the best trade deal in the history of trade deals approaching. "Satisfactory in what sense¡­?" Prion''s lip turned slightly upward. "Missile technology and everything associated with it: computer guidance, propulsion, and production." President Keener sighed. "Can you give me and my people a moment to discuss?" "Of course, President Keener." Prion and his entourage then exited the room. After the door shut, Keener spoke. "Thoughts?" The Secretary of Defense, Richard Lee, tossed his proposal. "We can share our old missile technology. The underlying technologies for our Sidewinders are probably not too far ahead of their future anyway." "Noted. Anyone else?" Samantha spoke up. "The Sonarans have revealed that the Mekkanese had a short development period when it came to shield technology. I would suggest purchasing some of their equipment and working with the Sonarans to reverse engineer magical components." The Secretary of Commerce, Bernard Rose, added, "Sonaran trade deals have been more beneficial to us than even those we have with our closest allies in NATO." President Keener reclined in his chair, rubbing his chin. "Yes, alright then. We shall purchase 20 units of the small shield generators and distribute them amongst our research facilities." The Mekkanese were called back in and agreed to the trade, albeit a bit disappointingly since they hoped to make much more money. Once confirmed, the trade talks moved on to more general topics, such as shipping and the sale of certain goods to both nations. Mekkan will receive full access to food and clothing items; the U.S. will receive access to any goods available on the Mekkanese market with a flat shipping fee worth double the operating expenses of Mekkanese cargo haulers. The meeting was coming to a close, when suddenly an aide rushed into the room. "Mister President! Sir, priority message from Fort Grenden." President Keener scanned the slip of paper he received. "Gravitational anomaly has struck the base. 5 light injuries reported, no deaths. Power is down. Light vehicles have broken suspension systems. Teams in nearby settlements have reported similar events." "Oh," President Keener said, a frown appearing on his face. "That''s not good." ¡ª¡ª Authors Note: If you enjoy my story, please remember to vote and/or submit a rating! I would also appreciate it if you all could share my story; you guys are the people who motivate me to write! Join my discord if you wish to discuss more about my story. https://discord.gg/ymbTbNw