The smell of sweat was ameliorated by everyone making their own baths. Hunila made purple fire elementals that patrolled, as the lot of them built a lot of towers, to guard the perimeter of their little village. It was absurdly safe despite the Bacteria’s ability to duplicate every 20 minutes. The treacherous landscape was noted from the other side.


    “Sir, we have spotted some strange fortifications yonder!”


    “You have?” The superior said cautiously, “wait fortifications?”


    He stole the binoculars and looked at the towers that flashed purple light, purple flames that eviscerated the Bacteria, he rubbed his eyes and looked again. He smelled himself and looked again.


    “You did, I shall report this to the garrison.”


    The walls were something found in the great world, the weapons were not. The flags were a metallic silver colour, fluttering in the wind as soldiers armed with guns ran about, shooting at the Bacteria that would approach, stakes would catch the occasional Bacteria and prevent other’s from being able to mass too deeply. Nets and large brushes every now and then would extend from the walls and collect the green crystals from the Bacteria. Water, food, metal, wood, a lot came from these crystals, it was the only currency of Technonim, the people finding other forms of money superfluous, both life and death were determined by the Bacteria, and wealth. Various parts of the wall spotted the Warlocks in the distance. This got reported to the head of intelligence in his office.


    “Intelligence chief sir. There’s been a strange report on the walls.”


    His office had polished wood finish with glass cabinets that stored all his fine whisky, leather couches and satin curtains, the head of intelligence could not help glance at his own largess, rather pleased with himself while he heard the report.


    “Yes?” He asked.


    He clicked his pen, and got the sheet of paper.


    “By all accounts, it is magic users who have come from another world,” the soldier said.


    Stiff back, he looked straight ahead barely looking at the intelligence chief.


    “I’m not a general soldier, there’s no real reason to be so uptight,” the intelligence chief said.


    “Of course not sir,” the soldier replied, conscious of his rank.


    The intelligence chief had grey hair and blue eyes, the young soldier was notably darker complexion, with dark hair, and darker brown eyes. The racial differences between Arala and Technonim were visible, of course there was mixing now, but the Arala ethnicity was darker and more adept at dealing with the heat, the Technonim migrated to this desert from somewhere cold, many of them blonde and fairer skinned. There was a trend of the Technonim newcomers being higher up in the social strata than their Arala counterparts. The young soldier was still nervous, the yellow sand coloured uniform matched the terrain of the outside quite well, the intelligence chief wore a silver uniform like the flag.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    “We are all Technonim soldier, some were Arala and others were Technonim, we share everything, it is a country for both.”


    “That’s to your honour, we Arala owe you an eternal debt.”


    The Intelligence Chief smiled, humming quietly as he looked over the city outside his window. The metal and glass buildings surrounded the more rustic older parts of the city made of sandstone brick. Arala had been a Human kingdom that had lived in the Shadow of the Bacteria, they had no magic instead using a system of moats and salt walls, salt being a semi competent repellent of these creatures. In the end the Technonim came with advanced technology and ended their seclusion, choosing instead to blast as many Bacteria as possible and collect the resources. For 50 years that had been the case; people practicing strange magic now had established themselves beyond the protection of the city which was odd and concerning to the Technonim, the Technonim had heard from the Arala about magic, even if the Arala had not wielded it, they had fled to this world partly due to their lack of it. In another part of Aralum, looking through a spyglass soldiers looked at the Warlocks with growing suspicion.


    “They must have entered through one of the portals, why they would though? Only god knows.”


    “This place is both heaven and hell,” one man whispered, “I suppose that makes it equal. One cancels the other.”


    The strong could profit from the Bacteria, but the weak very readily perished. The walls were crenelated stone, but everyone heard the constant gunfire, the flamethrowers, bombs, and more efficient machine gun fire. Verandas of brick houses, with wooden laminated porches and railings, tiles and more modernistic buildings of steel and glass were curious to look at. Those who fought and killed more Bacteria certainly did live better and there was hardly a person who didn’t take part; you didn’t need to be a big brawn to do so, that was the beauty of the Technonim technology, that was what they had brought the Arala. Guns and bombs could do far more damage than swords and arrows, with magic it was debatable; but everyone could have a gun, not everyone could have magic. Meanwhile hordes of Bacteria surrounded the Warlocks in the distance, no longer preoccupied with the city of Aralum. Green crystals were spent throughout markets, but even then, the society spent it on bullets and food, a militarised society where even the children held weapons. There were no inefficiencies, paving stones were barely if ever used, armoured vehicles and tanks rolled down one of the bigger avenues.


    “We’re going on a sally outside the walls. Open the gates!” A soldier cried.


    “Open the gates!” Guards shouted echoing the orders.


    The soldiers hands flapped up and down to mimic opening as the gates cranked and groaned, the treads pressed downwards on the road. Kids gawked, and volunteers swarmed on the flanks.


    “Volunteers will be limited to 50 per vehicle. Not a man more on the flanks!” A captain said.


    Shiny gleamy silver metallic coloured armour. They sallied out and began shooting almost immediately, rifles shooting with intense firepower, being careful to not hit each other, machine guns emanating from the vehicles also firing with great enthusiasm.