¡°My Leader. Urgent report from the High Command Office. The 25th Magipanzer Corps of the Western Army have stalled a few miles from the jungle. The 33rd Magipanzers Corp of the Eastern Army has been put to a stop in the jungle.¡±
¡°What are the casualty reports?¡±
¡°In the 33rd Magipanzer Corps, the 1st Battalion of the 37th Magipanzer Regiment and the 1st Battalion of the 26th Magipanzer Regiment can be considered completely destroyed. In addition, the 7th Infantry Regiment has suffered some losses. In the 25th Magipanzer Corps, the 2nd Battalion of the 10th Magipanzer Regiment can also be considered completely destroyed. The current casualty estimate is a total of 5,000 elves with at least 300 magipanzers destroyed.¡±
¡°Get a car ready. I¡¯m going to the High Command Office.¡±
¡°Where is Field Marshal Gael?¡±
¡°Right here, My Leader.¡±
¡°Can you explain the report that I just got?¡±
¡°My Leader¡ It¡¯s completely true. We are currently re-evaluating the situation.¡±
¡°It¡¯s a problem for the Army. What did Field Marshal Trasalor say about this?¡±
¡°Field Marshal Trasalor said that this wasn¡¯t a problem and we should just keep going.¡±
¡°Get me Field Marshal Trasalor.¡±
¡°What is it, My Leader?¡±
¡°What is happening out there?¡±
¡°Uh, what do you mean?¡±
¡°I just got a report saying that we have just incurred another 5,000 casualties and that the Western and Eastern Front has stalled.¡±
¡°My Leader. You have to understand. Defeats happen. This was to be expected.¡±
¡°DEFEATS HAPPEN!? A single Blitzpanzer Division pushed back these humans for hundreds of miles on AN ENTIRE FRONT, BY ITSELF yet you say these same humans were able to defeat an entire Magipanzer Corps!? A SINGLE Blitzpanzer Division! It¡¯s one of the most lightly FUCKING armed division in the ENTIRE FUCKING ARMY! It was designed based on speed! Not the fucking hard-hitting Magipanzer Corps. They were designed to break through the enemy lines! It was only a few days ago that mere Blitzpanzer Divisions were pushing these humans back and NOW you are telling me that the humans somehow, in this short amount of time, were able to regroup, mobilize, and counter our Magipanzer Corps! You better start seeing this as a problem and start thinking of solutions!¡±
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¡°What wave are we on?¡±
¡°The third wave is currently landing.¡±
¡°What are the current numbers of our invasion force?¡±
¡°We should have¡ more than a million ground troops, six thousand magipanzers, and a thousand aircraft in the human Empire by the time the 3rd wave finishes landing.¡±
¡°Have the first wave stop and link up with the rest of its force. Wait for the Air Force and the second wave of ground forces to catch up. Oh also, speed up the landings. Something doesn¡¯t feel right.¡±
¡°Get me the Head of the Intelligence Department and the Head of the Advancement Department.¡±
¡°My Leader!¡±
¡°Sit.¡±
¡°You two have heard of what was recently going on in the war, correct?¡±
¡°As up to date as yesterday, My Leader.¡±
¡°New information has come in today. We have suffered 5,000 casualties and the Western and Eastern Front has come to a halt.¡±
¡°That¡¯s terrible, My Leader!¡±
¡°I have called you two in today because I have received information from the General Staff that the humans are possessing helicopters.¡±
¡°Hm? Humans possessing helicopters? I¡¯m confident in our department¡¯s prediction. The humans should not have helicopters based on their predicted technological advancement. Could it be another aircraft or a special dragon?¡±
¡°No. The description clearly matches a helicopter.¡±
¡°I think I know why the humans possess advanced aircraft.¡±
¡°Elaborate.¡±
¡°And why did you not tell me this earlier?¡±
¡°Sorry, My Leader, but it was only one newspaper article. We could not confirm it with any other source. Giving false information would be much worse than giving none. However, recent events clearly show that this article may hold some truth.¡±
¡°I thought you had agents attached to the Army units? Why were you only able to secure such a small amount of intelligence?¡±
¡°Well, the Army keeps on burning everything down! We can get no intelligence because everything turned into charcoal!¡±
¡°Why are we stopping?!¡±
¡°Orders directly from the Leader. We are to stop and prepare defenses.¡±
¡°What happened?¡±
¡°Seems like the Western and Eastern Army have been beaten back.¡±
¡°What?! How?!¡±
¡°I¡¯m not sure of the exact details but orders are clear. Stop advancing. We will reorganize and set up defenses. We will wait until the second wave catches up.¡±>>>
¡°We have been given orders to retreat, regroup and set up a defense line. We will wait for the second wave of units to arrive before we begin our offensive.¡±>>>
Chapter 40 Part 1 - Armored Advance
1245 April 5th, 2020 CE
0622 Sun 5th, 196 AE
Outside of the forest
Dirt flew up as bullets hit the ground around and on the magipanzers. 30 mm bullets punctured holes into the Stallions that were in the line of fire.
BRRRRRT
The battalion was surprised by the sudden rain of death. Magipanzers stopped in their tracks.
Various bombs and missiles score direct hits on the tops of some of the magipanzers.
<<<¡±Colonel Aewraek. This is Lieutenant Colonel Rohorn. We have just been attacked by human planes.¡±>>>
A different voice on the magiradio disrupted Colonel Aewraek¡¯s reply.
<<<¡°It¡¯s coming back!¡±>>>
As the A-10 Warthog started coming around again, the magipanzer formations scattered in an attempt to avoid its deadly line of fire. More magipanzers were destroyed by the hail of guided munitions.
<<<¡°Colonel Trakkas. This is Colonel Aewraek. My 2nd Battalion is being attacked by human planes outside of the jungle.¡±
¡°How intense?¡±
¡°They are reporting multiple tanks destroyed and the attack isn¡¯t letting up. They seem to be using ground-attack aircraft.¡±
¡°Should we halt our retreat?¡±
¡°I suggest we try to find a way to get out of the jungle. Being stuck here doesn¡¯t seem like a good idea.¡±
¡°The only way for our magipanzers to get out of this jungle is by these roads. Other than leaving our perfectly intact magipanzers here, I don¡¯t see an alternative to avoiding human air attacks if we try to get out of the jungle.¡±
¡°I will get my 2nd Battalion to retreat back into the deeper parts of the jungle. We will figure something out after that.¡±>>>
1255 April 5th, 2020 CE
0627 Sun 5th, 196 AE
Magusian Secondary Defense Line
Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
Major General Bernart marveled at one of the American ¡°M1A2 Abrams.¡± Right now, more vehicles from the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Divison were pouring in
¡°Such a big gun! Such smooth armor! Lieutenant Colonel Parker, how is your country able to produce so much of these marvels?¡±
Bernart was so focused on the tank that he didn¡¯t notice Lieutenant Colonel Parker¡¯s sigh.
¡°I¡¯m not an engineer so I¡¯m not exactly sure. Our technology surpasses yours by more than 100 years so that¡¯s something I guess.¡±
¡°100 years! Can you please tell me more about these marvelous magitanks!¡±
¡°As I said I¡¯m not an engineer. And they are not called magitanks. They are 100% mechanical tanks like the ones that the Machians have.¡±
Lieutenant Colonel Rogers laughed as he approached them. He had been watching the conversation unfold. Even though he didn¡¯t exactly understand what was being said, he got the gist of it.
¡°Don¡¯t know much about tanks do you?¡±
¡°Nah, just don¡¯t like answering all of his questions. He asks too much.¡±
¡°I will gladly tell him if you translate.¡±
¡°Are we setting off soon?¡±
¡°Not yet. The infantry isn''t here.¡±
Parker turned to Bernart
¡°It¡¯s your lucky day, Major General Bernart. My friend here, Lieutenant Colonel Rogers who is a commander of a tank battalion is quite knowledgeable about the M1A2 Abrams. I will translate what he says.¡±
Rogers coughed.
¡°Okay, so this is an M1A2C Abrams tank. The most modern variation of the Abrams tank. The first Abrams tank, the M1 Abrams was introduced about 40 years ago in my world by our country. It¡¯s known as one of the best proven tanks. I won¡¯t go too much into detail but here are some basics. It has a special type of armor that in some areas is equivalent to 1,000 mm of steel against kinetic energy. Its gun is a 120 mm cannon that can penetrate more than 500 mm of steel. Its top speed on the road is about 42 mph if I remember correctly.¡±
¡°1000 mm of steel! Is your government willing to sell us information on how to make it ourselves?¡±
This was something that Parker could answer.
¡°No, it¡¯s even top-secret in my old world. I¡¯m also pretty sure you lack the capability to produce it.¡±
Bernart didn¡¯t give up.
¡°How about selling us one of these?¡±
¡°Uhhh, your government will have to ask our government about that.¡±
Bernart looked a bit sad whilst still sliding his hand on the Abram¡¯s armor
A young Magusian soldier came running up to them. He saluted and presented a folded piece of paper to Bernart.
¡°Major General Bernart. Message from HQ.¡±
He opened it up and read the contents.
¡°Seems like we are to advance with you.¡±
Parker nodded and turned towards Rogers.
¡°Any word on when the offensive will begin?¡±
¡°An estimated 20 to 30 minutes from now I guess. The infantry isn¡¯t that far. We will be advancing while the Air Force conducts its strikes.¡±
0100 April 5th, 2020 CE
0630 Sun 5th, 196 AE
M1A2 Abrams started moving onto the road and into the jungle. Most of the trees there had been burnt to the ground. LTC Rogers spoke into his radio to his armor company commanders
<<<¡°Stay sharp. You have permission to fire upon any suspected elf forces. The Air Force just told us that the elves are still in the jungle. None of their forces have come out on the other side. The elves also have snipers with them so don¡¯t get out unless it¡¯s necessary for survival.¡±
¡°Lieutenant Colonel, what do we do with the elf tanks blocking the road?¡±>>>
A bunch of destroyed Elven magipanzers was clumped up on the road leading out of the jungle.
<<<¡°Just push through them. Don¡¯t destroy them though. Some recovery vehicles are coming to pick them up for research.¡±>>>
Chapter 40 Part 2 - Armored Advance
0100 April 5th, 2020 CE
0630 Sun 5th, 196 AE
In the jungles
Colonel Trakkas was unhappily talking to Colonel Arewakas on the radio. Because of the precarious situation that they were in, they decided not to meet outside.
<<<¡°More losses! We will be decimated by the time we even arrive at the designated position. Is your 2nd Battalion still intact?¡±
¡°They are. Some losses. Nothing too significant since they retreated.¡±
¡°We are stuck here with enemies on either side. Their air support is terrifying. Any ideas of what we could do.¡±
¡°Well, you mentioned earlier that we could abandon our magipanzers and try to escape without their planes noticing.¡±
¡°You know we will be demoted and called cowards for that. We will be losing more than 500 magipanzers.¡±
¡°Any bright ideas then?¡±
¡°Should we try to attack the other side again?¡±
¡°Their air support over there will wipe us out for sure.¡±>>>
Another radio message interrupted their conversation.
<<<¡°Enemy magipanzers!¡±
¡°Huh? Where? Who is this?
¡°This is Lieutenant Colonel Pahice of the 3rd Battalion. Our Medium Magipanzer Company is engaging human magipanzers on our road. They have come up behind them.¡±>>>
A few minutes earlier
The B Company of the 2nd Battalion, 37th Armor Regiment moved down the road of the jungle in a single file line. The lush green jungle surrounded them on all sides. Sunlight barely came through the canopy. The 14 Abrams of the company came to a stop.
<<<¡°This is Captain Bush of B Company. We have, um, come across a fork in the road. One¡¯s leading left while the other¡¯s leading right.¡±
¡°B company will take the right. C company will take the left.¡±>>>
A few minutes after taking the right road, B Company rounded a curved road and came to an abrupt stop again.
<<<¡±What the¡uhhh...¡±
¡°Why did we stop?¡±
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¡°Elf tank in front! Elf tank in front! Engaging!¡±>>>
Right around the curve was an entire elf tank company in a single file line. The front Abrams had just driven right up the back of one of the elf tanks. A round from the front Abrams blasted the back of it.
A large explosion caught the attention of the rest of the Medium Magipanzer Company of the 3rd Battalion. Soon they realized that a Knight in the back of their formation had just been destroyed.
<<<¡±Human tanks are attacking!¡±
¡°Engage! Magipanzers at the front of the formation turn around. Magipanzers that have a line of fire, get your turrets around and fire at will!¡±>>>
The Knights and Guards started traversing their turrets and their tanks to face the Abrams. The Knights at the back of the formation slowly turned their turrets.
The two Abrams behind the front one went off onto the left and right side of the road to engage the elves. With a rate of fire of more than 15 rounds a minute and the fact that it took a Knight about 30 seconds to traverse its turret 180 degrees, the three Abrams were able to take out all of the elf tanks in the back. Soon, they pushed aside the destroyed elf tanks and moved forward against the surviving ones that were in the middle of turning their tanks around.
Finally turned around, a shot from a Knight tank ricocheted off of the right cheek of one of the Abrams. An Abrams returned fire and knocked it out in one shot to its front armor. The other elf tanks joined in on the firing but all their rounds glanced off.
<<<¡°Ridiculous! What¡¯s with their armor!¡±
¡°The armored piercing mana is just glancing off!¡±
¡°Adjust the mana to high explosive!¡±>>>
A high explosive round struck and exploded on the cheek of another Abram. The Knight crew that fired the shell cheered after it struck. The large explosion seemed to convince them that they had destroyed it. Then through the clearing smoke, it continued firing as if nothing had happened.
The high explosive rounds exploded all around the other Abrams but still, it had no effect.
<<<¡±The company commander is dead! Our magipanzers are completely ineffective against theirs! We can¡¯t penetrate their armo¡¡±>>>
The voice on the other side of LTC Pahice¡¯s magiradio cut off.
<<<¡±This is B company. We have just engaged and destroyed around 20 elf tanks. No casualties suffered. Our tanks seem to be impervious to their rounds.¡±>>>
Destroyed Knights and Guards were strewn across the road in the jungle. It was basically like shooting fish in a barrel with a shotgun.
0112 April 5th, 2020 CE
0936 Sun 5th, 196 AE
One of the Elven Advance Landing Grounds
Two pilots were on break in one of the hastily constructed Temporary Buildings.
¡°I heard the Army got orders to stop their advance.¡±
¡°Eh, no concern to us. We are the Air Force. As long as the Army isn¡¯t pushed back, we will be fine.¡±
¡°Well, I heard it was because of some special human aircraft. That definitely will concern us. What if they come to attack our airbases?¡±
¡°Nothing to worry about. We will detect them with our MUDs"
¡°The Mana Usage Detectors? I thought the humans didn¡¯t use mana to power their aircraft.¡±
¡°Oh uhhh. I meant the MWEs¡ the uh yeah¡ the Mana Wave Emitters. You know what those are right?¡±
¡°Never heard of them.¡±
¡°Well, they are kind of a new invention. They send out mana waves in many directions and at large distances. When a mana wave hits an object in the sky, it bounces back towards us which allows us to detect it.¡±
¡°How do you know so much?¡±
¡°I asked one of the people who used them. He was kinda weird but gave me a very long explanation.¡±
A Magusian Airbase given to the US
Six F-35As took to the skies.
Chapter 41 - Destruction (BRRRRTTTT)
0904 April 6th, 2020 CE
0732 Sun 6th, 196 AE
Advanced Landing Ground 4
The advance of the army had overtaken the range of the Air Force again. It was very problematic for them to keep up. Advanced Landing Ground 4, was the closest airfield to the current frontline. It was the base of Fighter Group 4 which consisted of more than 100 Ea-192s. Advanced Landing Grounds were quickly constructed and temporary airfields that were used to support advancing ground forces that got out of range. After clearing out a suitable area, a special material was placed down to serve as a runway. It took two to three days to construct one that could only support fighter aircraft. It took longer for them to be able to make them suitable for bombers.
The place was quiet. There hadn¡¯t been much activity in recent days. The human air force in the area had already been obliterated during the start of the invasion. The Air Force had easily cleared the skies and the Army had captured all the airfields in the area.
A fighter section which consisted of 4 Ea-192s prepared to conduct a routine patrol. Propellers started and they drove onto the runway. One by one, they went down the runway and got off the ground.
Ground crews ran around. Some were at their aircraft doing maintenance and checks. It was all normal until a fiery, orange explosion rocked the middle of the runway. A strange noise could be heard as something flew over.
Advanced Landing Ground 4¡¯s headquarters was a hastily constructed building at the end of the airfield. There were many rooms in it each with a different purpose. Bursting into one of these rooms, an adjutant shouted an urgent report.
¡°Lieutenant Colonel! The runway¡¯s been cratered! There are human aircraft in the sky!¡±
As if on cue, the sound of the airfield¡¯s anti-aircraft thauguns firing started.
Lieutenant Colonel Thuridan Binan, commander of Fighter Group 4, quickly got out of his office. He walked through the hallway and flung open the door to the detection room. He shouted to the men inside.
¡°What the hell! How did they get past the detection equipment?!¡±
The operators in the detection room who have been intensely staring at the screens as if searching for something replied without looking up.
¡°Our MWEs are not detecting anything significant. Only minor blips.¡±
¡°Switch to the MUDs then!¡±
¡°Nothing at all.¡±
¡°There are clearly human aircraft over us. We are getting bombed!¡±
A small moment of silence passed.
¡°There might be some... problems with the equipment?¡±
¡°Damn your faulty equipment!¡±
Binan quickly walked out with his adjutant following.
¡°Get the combat air patrols back to engage the enemy aircraft. Find out if the runway is still usable. If it is, get all Ea-192s off the ground.¡±
Many smaller explosions rocked the base as the enemy targeted the aircraft that were sitting on the ground. Black puffs filled the sky as the 88 anti-aircraft thauguns tried to hit whatever aircraft was trying to assault them. They had expected an attack to include many dive bombers or bombers. So far, the skies seemed unexpectedly empty.
Cluster bombs dropped by multiple F-35s fell on the lined up Ea-192s on the ground. Lines of explosions caused by the bomblets rocked the base. The ground seemingly shook from the power of it. Aircrew and ground crew were thrown to the ground as their aircraft were seemingly squashed by explosions. Chaos descended on the base as the elves sought shelter from the bombs. Their original order of trying to get the planes off the ground was completely forgotten when they saw that approaching their aircraft most likely meant death.
Another F-35 flew towards the airfield. Opening its bomb bay, it released a single bomb far away from its target. The GBU-31 JDAM flew towards the headquarters of the airfield. The 2,000 lb warhead hit and a massive explosion obliterated a large part of the building.
The combat air patrol that lifted off earlier flew back towards the airbase at maximum speed. They had just been alerted to what happened and weren''t far away.
The six F-35s turned around after destroying a large portion of the enemy airbase. They got into formation once again.
<<<¡°Four hostiles on radar.¡±>>>
From one of the F-35¡¯s open bomb bay, two AIM-120 AMRAAM detached from the bottom and blasted forward. From another F-35, two more came out.
<<<¡°Fox Three. Fox Three.¡±>>>
<<<¡°Fox Three. Fox Three.¡±>>>
One of the four Ea-192s in the combat air patrol seemingly crumpled as it exploded like a firework in the air. The three remaining broke formation in surprise.
<<<¡°Enemy aircraft!¡±
¡°No visual!¡±>>>
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Another Ea-192 seemingly imploded.
The two remaining that tried to flee were blown out of the sky a few seconds later.
A few minutes later
Another combat air patrol that was further away finally got back to the airbase. Surprise filled their eyes as they surveyed the destruction. It seemed like a massive air attack. The runway had been cratered in multiple places. Burning planes could be seen everywhere on the ground. Black smoke rose from the airbase and choked the skies. The magibattery storage building and headquarters were largely destroyed.
High Command Office
Field Marshal Gael¡¯s face slowly darkened as his adjutant read the report.
¡°We have lost contact with Advance Landing Grounds 4, Advanced Landing Grounds 7, and Captured Airbase 3.¡±
¡°It¡¯s a human attack. Alert all other airbases. Increase combat air patrols. Make sure that not a fly can pass through.¡±
Jungles
Fortresses from the Heavy Tank Company of the 3rd Battalion tried to cover the retreat of the rest of their battalion. They even hoped that maybe their heavier armor and bigger gun could actually do something.
<<<¡°Their armor is deflecting our 88s! We are doing literally nothing to them!¡±
¡°Impossible!¡±>>>
No matter how many mana shells they throw at them, the human tanks show no damage other than a couple of scratch marks or burns. On the other hand, the Fortresses were being penetrated in single shots. Their magipanzers were being destroyed left to right.
0946 April 6th, 2020 CE
0753 Sun 6th, 196 AE
Jungles
Colonel Trakkas looked conflicted as his magipanzer went down the road. They had no choice but to take the risk of running out in the open. They had a much better chance of surviving air attacks than being engaged by enemy magipanzers.
Plains outside of the jungles
The 2nd Battalion of the 26th Magipanzer Regiment burst out of the jungle again. This time all seemed quiet. No planes were harassing them. Then one of the magipanzers exploded.
<<<¡±It¡¯s their weird aircraft again! What do we do sir?!¡±
¡°Keep driving and don¡¯t stop!¡±
¡°This is stupid!¡±
¡°This is the best chance we have!¡±>>>
Hovering a few miles away and perpendicular to the elves were two Apache squadrons.
<<<¡±Ohhh boy, this is what I¡¯m talking about!¡±>>>
An Apache pilot said merrily to everyone else in his squadron. His Apache raked one of the elf tanks which blew up right after. Then in his view, dirt was thrown up violently.
BRRRRRRTTTT
BRRRRRRTTTT
<<<¡°Seems like the Air Force is getting in on the fun.¡±>>>
The ground shook as two A-10s pounded the fleeing 2nd Battalion.
Jungles
About 15 minutes later
In his magipanzer, Colonel Aewraek contacted Colonel Trakkas.
<<< ¡°My 3rd Battalion has been nearly decimated by the humans magipanzers. We have to get out as fast as possible. How is your 2nd Battalion?¡±
¡°They have suffered heavy casualties but it seems like the human air support ran out of ammo or something.¡±
¡°That is probably our best chance of getting out of here.¡±>>>
Simon Holayra quietly sat on the branch of a tree. He felt much safer in the jungle than on the open ground. He watched as a human magipanzer destroyed a Fortress with ease.
¡°Seems like they aren¡¯t as inferior as we thought.¡±
He mockingly used that word that his fellow soldiers had always liked to use when referring to the humans. He looked down on his rifle which was sitting on his lap. It won¡¯t do much against a magipanzer. He was waiting for the chance when a human commander popped out of their hatch. That hasn¡¯t happened so far which was surprising. Usually, a magipanzer commander will need to survey their entire surroundings once in a while.
Outside the jungle
¡°Which IDIOT thought this was a good idea?! AAHHHHH!¡±
Corporal Daejor screeched as his Guard barreled down the plains and shook from the constant explosions around him. Charred holes and destroyed magipanzers littered the once lush, green plain. His magipanzer had to do weird maneuvers to go through available openings.
In the skies
<<< ¡°There are so much damned destroyed tanks that I can¡¯t see shit.¡±
¡°To all Wolfpack callsigns, we are repositioning further north.¡±>>>
The Apache squadron turned and moved forward. The explosions around Daejor¡¯s magipanzer stopped.
Jungles
¡°Hm¡ these look like Tiger tanks from World War 2.¡±
¡°Could their leader be a reincarnation of Hitler?¡±
Lieutenant Colonel Rogers chuckled at Lieutenant Colonel Parker¡¯s comment.
¡°Well, you never know. We got transported to this world with magic so anything is possible at this point. I will be able to tell my gramps that we killed Hitler again.¡±
Bradleys from the mechanized rifle company of the 2nd Battalion, 37th Armor Regiment moved up the road behind them. On the road at the sides of the Bradley was the Magusian infantry from their 41st Division.
¡±We will be able to push them out of the jungle in no time. These elves also seem to be avoiding the jungle. I always thought that they were tree huggers or something. Guess they are different from our fictions.¡±
¡°They did industrialize so they might have caused them to change. How is the rest of the front?¡±
¡°Last I heard from HQ, it''s going smoothly.¡±
Apaches flew overhead as they headed back to their airbase.
In the air further outside the jungles
An hour later
An MQ-1C Gray Eagle flew overhead. It¡¯s networked electronic warfare, remotely-operated (NERO) system activated. As it flew over the elf forces, it started jamming all nearby radio communications.
COL Trakkas tiredly surveyed the passing grass plains around him. He and COL Aewraek had somehow survived because of a lull in the human¡¯s air attacks.
<<< ¡°We have barely made it out. Thank goddess that the human aircraft have run out of ammo again. How much of our force do we even have left.¡±
¡°I¡¯m not sure at this point. But we have certainly suffered massive casualties. We have to make haste and get to our defense line.¡±
¡°I will inform the Lieutenant General.¡±>>>
The MQ-1C Gray Eagle over them continued to jam all radio communications in the area
<<<"Lieutenant General? This is Colonel Trakkas of the 26th Magipanzer Regiment¡±
¡°How is the retreat, Colonel?¡±
¡°We suffered heavy casualties because of the human Air Force. At least 50 - 60% of our force has been destroyed. Their attacks have died down but we fear they will come back. We are making haste towards the defense position.¡±
¡°About that Colonel, we have some bad news.¡±
A sigh came over the magiradio before Lieutenant General Faekas continued.
¡°All nearby airbases have been destroyed.¡±
¡°Impossible!¡±
¡°We are pulling the defense line further back in order to have them under air cover. The new position is 25 miles further. It¡¯s close to Advanced Landing Grounds 7.¡±>>>
A noise disturbed the magiradio conversation.
BRRRRRRTTTT
Chapter 42 - Defense and Situations
1046 April 6th, 2020 CE
0823 Sun 6th, 196 AE
Plains not far from the jungles
A magiradio message interrupted Colonel Trakkas¡¯s conversation.
<<<"The damn inferiors are back! It¡¯s one of their weird looking planes again!¡±>>>
<<<¡°What was that noise?¡±
¡°The human ground attack aircraft are back. We are currently in a very precarious situation. Are there any forces nearby that can provide support?¡±
¡°Sorry Colonel, most of the 33rd have already reached the original line of defense. We are now on the move to the second defense line. The two infantry corps are already there setting up defenses. The Air Force can¡¯t reach you either. You are on your own.¡±
A muffled sigh came out of Trakkas
¡°Understood sir.¡±>>>
Colonel Trakkas changed his mana frequency to Colonel Arewakas.
<<<¡°Scatter your forces. We are easier targets if we travel in formation.¡±
¡°The sun is setting. We just have to survive for at least another hour. The cover of the night could protect us from the human¡¯s air attacks.¡±>>>
1052 April 6th, 2020 CE
0826 Sun 6th, 196 AE
In the jungles
He wasn¡¯t sure if the magipanzer regiments that he got attached to were even alive. But he knew that his unit definitely wasn¡¯t. They had probably been burned to a crisp at the tree line or captured. Holayra looked around. He was on a tree that was very close to where the jungle met the roads. He had wanted to take a shot whenever the chance was presented to him. It never happened even though multiple human magipanzers had traveled through.
He started climbing down. It was likely that human infantry were already in the jungle. He really wasn¡¯t that good when it came to close-quarter combat. He did have a knife and pistol but his skills were quite questionable with them. He sighed to himself.
¡°This is why I hate the jungles sometimes.¡±
He needed to get away from the road and deeper into the jungle. This was probably the only way he could prevent being captured.
Deciding to sneak out of the jungle during the night, he started moving so it took him deeper into the jungle and closer to the plains.
1112 April 6th, 2020 CE
0836 Sun 6th, 196 AE
Infantry from the 82nd Airborne moved through large swaths of the jungle. They had to make sure that no elves were hiding. If there was even a company-sized elf unit, it would spell some trouble for the future. They have already captured a few dozen elf infantry. However, they had been very disorganized. They seem to be the survivors from the incendiary attack.
Inside one of the M2A3 Bradleys on the road in the jungle, Private First Class Issac Miles looked down at his rifle. He was a rifleman in the 1st Squad of 2nd Platoon in A Company of the 2nd Battalion, 37th Armor Regiment. In the somewhat cramped passenger compartment where he and his squad were, there was only red light. Issac looked towards his squad.
¡°When the fucking hell are we getting out of this damn jungle.¡±
¡°Shouldn¡¯t be that long, Private. Well, we don¡¯t even know if we are gonna dismount once we get out so don¡¯t get your hopes up.¡±
¡°It¡¯s too fucking hot in here.¡±
¡°Well the fucking AC is broken again.¡±
"We have so much fucking money in the budget yet they can''t get a simple fucking AC fixed."
1448 April 6th, 2020 CE
1024 Sun 6th, 196 AE
Plains not far from the jungle
The human air attacks have been constantly on and off. Thankfully, the sun had just set and the only thing illuminating the area was the moon. Based on strict orders, none of the magipanzers or magitrucks opened their headlights. Only the engines of the vehicles could be heard in the dead silence of the night. Suddenly a distinct chopping noise could be heard.
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<<<¡°Stop!¡±>>>
The sound of engines died down and a chopping noise filled the air.
The elven magipanzer crew hoped that the human aircraft couldn¡¯t see them.
Then streaks of light came from the sky. A magipanzer exploded.
<<<¡°FUCK MOVE MOVE MOVE!¡±>>>
The humans could somehow see them even during the night.
In the sky
Through the Apache''s green night-vision screens, the elf tanks were clearly outlined in a darker shade.
Right outside the jungle
Simon Holayra slowly walked out of the jungle with his rifle in his hand. It seemed completely quiet. The dark of the night blanketed him. He started running.
2307 April 6th, 2020 CE
0244 Sun 7th, 196 AE
Elven Defense Line
In one of the intact villages left by the Eastern Army, elves ran around. Some carried antipersonnel thauguns (APTGs) with one hand and others held either antipersonnel subthauguns (APSTGs) or magirifles. Antipersonnel subthauguns were the smallest type of thauguns. Thauguns represented anything that shot at a high rate of fire. In a window overlooking the road to the entrance of the village, an APSTG was set up. The humans who lived in this village had already been all either killed and buried in a pit a few days ago or were being transported to the elven continent.
¡°Move it! Get that APTG on that window!!¡±
In a house, a first lieutenant shouted at his men.
Anti-tank magicannons were also being set up on various roads and sandbags were placed down everywhere.
Outside of the village on the plains, 88mm anti-aircraft thauguns were being uncoupled from their trucks.
A massive defense line was being formed. Elves quickly dug trenches and foxholes on the plains. Any bumps or small hills on the plains were being used as a strategic position. The first wave of the Eastern Army was doing its best to prepare its defenses and hold out until the second wave arrived.
Major General Ara Balra yawned. She opened her eyes and looked at the ceiling of the human house she was in. She got off the bed and smoothed her crumpled uniform. It had been so boring for the past few days. It was all just setting up defenses and positioning the magipanzers. She understood that some was definitely off. If this was preceding normally, they would have already been past the jungles. Now it was just reports of defeats and retreats. Based on her theory, even if the humans were technologically on par with them, their surprise attack won¡¯t have stalled this early. She walked out of the house, the sun was just rising.
Afvalin, Elven Nation
Light rain pattered the window to his office. It was very cloudy and gloomy outside.
¡°The 27th and 36th Magipanzer Regiments of the 33rd Magipanzer Corps have suffered massive casualties. At least 60% of their forces have been destroyed. According to their reports, the human magipanzers seem invincible and are capable of taking out ours in one hit. They have suffered continued harassment by the human Air Force even during the night.¡±
¡°Is that all for that front?¡±
¡°We have established a solid line of defense at the area where our destroyed airfields were. The second wave is fast approaching that line. From your orders, the offensive will start again once the second wave reaches the units from the first wave.¡±
¡°How about the front against the kingdoms?¡±
¡°We have been stretched a bit thin there but because of how technological inferior they are, it hasn¡¯t become an issue yet.¡±
¡°Good. Dismissed.¡±
Tarron turned his head to his aide who was beside him.
¡°I need the Head of Intelligence. Call him to my office.¡±
Less than 30 minutes later, Anfalen Inaneiros entered the office. He took off his coat and hung it on the rack at the side. He saluted.
¡°My Leader, you called?¡±
¡°Yes, sit down. We need to have an important conversation.¡±
After Anfalen took a seat, Tarron continued talking
¡°Have you been able to collect any new information on the United States of America?¡±
¡°We have learned some new things from the newspaper articles and the humans we interrogated. Do you have a map?¡±
Tarron Venharice rustled out a map that was in a drawer in his table. He flattened it on the desk.
¡°Thank you. From the information we gathered, the United States of America is located on the Formidon continent.¡±
He pointed at it on the map.
¡°You are saying that those backwater humans were able to develop such advanced technology?¡±
Tarron was referring to the original natives of the Formidon continent.
¡°No. According to the human news article, the United States of America suddenly appeared. We aren¡¯t sure how but some of the captured humans say that they come from another world. We can¡¯t confirm if it is actually true but that is the general consensus.¡±
¡°Are we sure these United States of America people are actually human?¡±
¡°From the interrogations, they are.¡±
¡°I guess we need to deal with these other-worldly humans.¡±
¡°We can assume that they definitely have superior technology.¡±
¡°But to what level?¡±
¡°We can¡¯t confirm that.¡±
¡°Ok, thank you, dismissed. Please report to me if you discover any more news.¡±
After Anfalen left, Tarron sighed and spoke to himself.
¡°The problem now is how to deal with them. Our forces are currently getting battered by their ground and air units¡ hmmm¡ Should we launch a surprise attack using our navy? Maybe we can go past the Insula continent and make a beach landing on the other side.¡±
Tarron stared at the map splayed out on his table. It was a very old map. It showed the bottom of the Formidon continent as rounded.
In the seas
An US carrier group consisting of 3 carriers, 18 destroyers, 3 cruisers, 3 submarines approached the tip of the Soane continent. The aircraft carriers were the USS Abraham Lincoln, USS Gerald R. Ford, and USS Harry S. Truman. Rear Admiral Jay Burns of the Abraham Lincoln scanned the ocean with his binoculars. The skies were gray and the ocean was a bit rocky.
¡°We are closing in on the area where the main elf navy is stationed at. We will clear these ships out and then begin an assault on their landings.¡±
5 carriers were under maintenance. This meant that 50% of active US aircraft carriers were being deployed for this. The other three active carriers were spread out. One was supporting combat operations on the western side of the Magus Imperium which was quite close to them. The second one was situated between the Bem Kingdom and Mach Imperium for security reasons. The last one was on the west coast of the United States.
Chapter 43 - Naval Onslaught
Landing Zones in the Magus Imperium
There was a lot of commotion on the beach. Elves ran around carrying things that ranged from weapons to building materials.
A landing craft opened up its doors to let its contents directly out onto the sands of the beach. A large clanking and rumbling noise could be heard as the beast inside slowly came out. Sands shifted from the weight of the beast. Two elf engineers who were on break stared at it.
¡°Wow, what is that?¡±
¡°I think that¡¯s the newest heavy magipanzer. The Fortress II or Grand Fortress or something.¡±
Other elves stopped what they were doing and looked at the Fortress II with admiration.
¡°The inferiors are definitely toast.¡±
0201 April 7th, 2020 CE
0433 Sun 7th, 196 AE
In the middle of the ocean between the Soane and Imperitoria Continent
The National Navy hadn¡¯t seen much action lately. Originally the National Navy Command had plans to enact a blockade around the entirety of the Imperitoria Continent and destroy all human ships that came close. However, that plan was struck down by the Leader as preposterous. The only glory they got was when the war started and they cleared out all human ships in the vicinity. Then the Leader relegated them to more of a protection and patrol role. Even their glorious battleships have become mere patrol boats. One such battleship, the NN Wyntris, a Venharice-Class battleship, was with its patrol group.
A sailor on the ship looked out at the sea.
¡°Ugh, why do we even have to be here. It¡¯s just sailing and sailing. I haven¡¯t seen our guns fire in ages.¡±
The sailor who was mopping the deck stopped and replied.
¡°Meh, I like the peace. Doesn¡¯t sailing feel so comfortable? I just love this scenery. The birds, the fish, the water. Just like from a painting. That¡¯s why I became a sailor.¡±
¡°I became one because I wanted glory.¡±
¡°Glory? Join the National Army then. You aren¡¯t going to get any in the Navy.¡±
A gruff voice came from behind them.
¡°Okay enough chit-chatting, get back to work!¡±
A not so impressed petty officer was looking at them.
¡°Yes, sir¡¡±
A large boom was heard.
¡°What the¡?¡±
Within a few seconds, alarms started ringing. The ship¡¯s speaker sounded.
¡°Prepare for combat. Prepare for combat. All elves to positions.¡±
The alarm sounded again before the message was given again.
¡°Prepare for combat. Prepare for combat. All elves to positions.¡±
They dropped their mops and ran across the deck.
A bright orange ball consumed the side of the cruiser.
¡°By the Goddess!¡±
Anti-aircraft guns started firing towards where the mysterious aircraft were coming from.
Rear Admiral Ievis Liaric of the patrol group stared at what was happening.
¡°Are those suicide aircraft?!¡±
¡°I think they are too small to fit a human in!¡±
¡°Don¡¯t let up with the firing and contact HQ!¡±
Afvalin, Elven Nation
High Command Office, National Navy Section
¡°Sir, Battleship Group 3 is facing an unknown enemy, they are suffering losses¡ should we keep this a secret like we did with that destroyer squadron?¡±
The General of the Navy who is also the head of the Naval Department sighed.
¡°We can¡¯t. This isn¡¯t a small destroyer squadron but a battleship group. And besides, the Army has experienced multiple setbacks already, the Leader won¡¯t be that disapproving of us. Hopefully.¡±
Leader¡¯s Mansion
Tarron looked at the report. Anfalen, the head of the Intelligence Department, was with him.
¡°They seem to be Hexenbesens. Does the United States of America use Hexenbesens?¡±
¡°What are Hexenbesens?¡±
¡°This is top secret but I suppose it¡¯s fine to tell you. Just make sure you don¡¯t tell anyone else. You will be tried for treason if you did¡ you know, you should really work with the Advancement Department more often. Hexenbesens are basically a bomb that is rocket-powered and can be directed at a location miles and miles away. Of course, they aren¡¯t that accurate so I¡¯m questioning whether or not they are Hexenbesens. Hexenbesens can¡¯t hit moving objects. Of course, magirockets from aircraft can but they will still need to be at a close range.¡±
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Less than an hour earlier
In the sea near the tip of the eastern end of the Soane continent
F/A-18 Super Hornets broke off after firing their AGM-84 Harpoon missiles.
Less than 15 minutes later
A person stared at a screen.
¡°It seems like most of that group has been destroyed. However, there still are operational ships.¡±
¡°They are getting into our range. We can fire the new modified anti-armor Harpoons to finish them off.¡±
Back to the present
At sea where Battleship Group 3 was located
Elves ran around the deck of the NN Wyntris.
¡°Are you alright admiral?!¡±
Ievis coughed heavily before replying.
¡°I¡¯m fine. How is the ship?¡±
¡°We have received damage to multiple compartments. There are some fires raging. We are still trying to get in contact with everyone.¡±
¡°This doesn¡¯t seem good.¡±
¡°We are currently turning back to port. We also have reinforcements coming to support us.¡±
At sea, closer to the Elven continent
After reviewing the order, Rear Admiral Hagen Vengella started planning with his aide.
¡°We have new orders. Seems like Battleship Group 3 was attacked. We are going on a search and destroy.¡±
¡°Any exact information about the enemy?¡±
¡°They seem to be using some type of long-range weapon. According to the orders, we have to be extremely cautious about that.¡±
¡°Understood sir.¡±
¡°Should we start dispatching aircraft?¡±
Hagen laughed.
¡°We aren¡¯t even close to where the attack happened. Don¡¯t be so eager. Somethings going down. We are being placed under the command of the Silent Admiral.¡±
0803 April 7th, 2020 CE
0736 Sun 7th, 196 AE
Afvalin, Elven Nation
The capital city has had dreary weather for the past few days. A black magicar went down the gray brick street. The sky was a similar gray as the ground. Magilamps brightened the gloominess. Many elves walked the streets with umbrellas. Those who were able to manipulate water mana held their hands out. As if they had a protective barrier, the raindrops slid off of a seemingly invisible umbrella.
The magicar entered what seemed to be a mansion. An elf in a black trench coat, black pants, and black hat came out of the magicar after it stopped.
He opened up his black umbrella and walked into the building. Ignoring those that were staring at him, he walked into a room and put his hat on the coat rack.
¡°My Leader, nice day isn¡¯t it.¡±
¡°Zeno, did I not tell you to alert my aides as to when you were coming?¡±
Zeno sat on the couch in the middle of the office.
¡°I have the new aircraft ready.¡±
Tarron sighed. He stood up and went to grab his coat.
After a car drive to a far-out and secret location, Tarron stood beside Zeno.
¡°Are you sure this is a good day to be testing it?¡±
¡°Of course it is! Rain has never failed my work! It even feels nice to stand outside in it.¡±
An aircraft with a weird tube under each wing rolled onto the runway. A loud whirring sound seemed to come from the tubes.
Tarron stood outside with Zeno Naerora, the top engineer in the Advancement Department. Tarron really didn¡¯t like standing in the rain but at Zeno¡¯s suggestion, he did.
The aircraft started going down the runway.
Near Industropolis, Mach Imperium
Many hundreds of miles to the north, a different engineer was looking around a different vehicle
¡°Hmmmm. The armor thickness is actually very similar to World War 2 German panzers. Off by a few centimeters but nothing major.¡±
A deep voice responded to that.
¡°So our weapons will work on them? They don¡¯t have any secret super armor or something?¡±
¡°Of course, they are just World War 2 tanks. However, the composition of the armor seem strange though. Some of the metal isn¡¯t really metal. It¡¯s... weird. What¡¯s even more interesting is the engine and its ammunition. They seem to be the same material as some of the metal.¡±
¡°What about them?¡±
¡°You know how the Magusians use this thing called magic.¡±
¡°Yeah.¡±
¡°I have been looking at the Magusian engines. Quite inefficient. We never took deep interest in them because of how terrible they were. Their engines use both fossil fuels and magic. However, they are basically just normal engines with magic as an add-on in case of emergencies. It¡¯s just like carrying a bit of extra fuel. The Magusian magic is extremely weak when compared to what our machines can do But I¡¯m getting off of my point. These elf engines seem to be much more developed. The engines are wholly dependent on magic. In addition, their ammunition seems to be all magic. There seems to be some sort of magic battery that powers both the engine and provides ammunition. And there¡¯s this magic material combined with the rest of the metal in their armor.¡±
¡°Uh-huh, so you''re telling me we can easily blow them up.¡±
The engineer had a look of resignation on his face. He had already explained it in a less educated way yet the General still didn¡¯t understand.
¡°Uhhh, General¡ ummm, ya know what, yes.¡±
¡°Ok, that¡¯s all I needed to know.¡±
1926 April 8th, 2020 CE
0943 Sun 8th, 196 AE
Cat Kingdom, United Beastmen Kingdom, Soane Continent
¡°Are you even old enough to drink?¡±
Subcommander Jeb Miller had a little red on his face as he asked that. Unlike three days ago, Jeb was now able to speak a good amount of Latin. He had been trying to learn it for the past few weeks. Now, with a little help from the locals, he had finally gotten a hang of it.
¡°Of course, I am! I¡¯m 16 and what do you even mean by old enough.¡±
¡°There are drinking age limits in my country.¡±
¡°That¡¯s strange. We don¡¯t have any here.¡±
¡°You guys are lucky.¡±
Ron laughed. His face was flushed red. A moment of silence passed between them. Jeb had taken up quite a liking of him during their training. Ron was truly unlucky. He had witnessed incidents of ceiling tiles falling onto him, the floor giving out underneath him, random animals chasing after him, and a bunch of other things. But he seemed quite innocent and kind.
¡°Hey, Ron, I have been wondering for quite a while.¡±
¡°Yeah?¡±
¡°Why are you in the Army? I mean, not to be mean or anything, everyone in your county¡¯s Army seems to be the big cat types.¡±
Ron looked down at his wooden jug of beer
¡°Well¡¡±
Seeing, the uncertainty on Ron¡¯s face, Jeb realized that there might have been circumstances.
¡°You don¡¯t have to answer.¡±
¡°Nah, it¡¯s fine. I guess the main reason would be that Madam Flametail is my mother.¡±
Jeb looked at Ron in confusion.
¡°Hm? You don¡¯t look like her at all.¡±
¡°Well¡ Madam Flametail adopted and raised me. When I was a mere kitten...¡±
Ron stopped and stared at his beer before continuing.
¡°I was found on the streets by her. She was already in the Army at that time but still decided to raise me. I don¡¯t know who my parents were or what happened to them. I think they abandoned me because I was too unlucky or something. Well, I¡¯m in the Army now because mother is in it too. She raised me even when I had no relation to her and was weaker than her¡ I want to help her in any way possible. If it means that I have to take up a sword and go into combat, then be it.¡±
Ron looked at his beer with a light smile. He started chugging it. Then, the chair he was sitting on gave out beneath him.
Chapter 44 - Elven Naval Gamble
0220 April 8th, 2020 CE
0410 Sun 8th, 196 AE
Somewhere between Soane Continent and Imperitoria Continent
It was a new day. The sea was getting rocky and the skies were grey with clouds. A cold breeze blew throughout the ocean. It was obvious that a storm was coming. Multiple groups of ships were converging on each other and formed a massive fleet. Admiral Edyrm Vaynore sat down on the chair in the specialized command room of his flagship, the aircraft carrier NN Conqueror. Edrym was known as an elf of few words, thus he gained the title of the Silent Admiral; he only spoke when he had to.
He was quite a big elf and the chair he was sitting on barely fit him. He looked around at his officers. They silently stared back. He nodded.
¡°Begin.¡±
¡°Admiral, we have been assigned a new mission. Naval Command has lost contact with Battleship Group 3. Their last message was that they had been attacked and were turning around. Because of this, it is believed that a large human fleet is nearby. Special instruction has also come directly from the Leader.¡±
The officer abruptly stopped to let that set in. Edyrm nodded to signal for the officer to continue.
¡°Proceed with extreme caution. This is most likely a new enemy. A nation called the United States of America. They are categorized as being more powerful than the Empire. The recent defeats experienced by the Army were caused by them. We believe that they may have weapons that are capable of hitting from extreme ranges. Take this into account. That is the full message from our Leader. In addition, we have also been warned by High Command that if we lose this battle, the supply lines linking our country with our Army fighting in the Empire would be severed. So it is of utmost importance that we prevent this from happening. We have been given a large fleet of 4 Battleship Groups, 4 Fleet Carrier Groups, 3 Light Carrier Groups, 6 Destroyer Squadrons, and 5 Submarine Squadrons.¡±
Edrym looked at the map with the blocks placed on it. He sat there staring for a few seconds in silence. He frowned at the supposedly ¡°large¡± fleet. A toppled wooden red block with a 3BG labeled on it was set a few feet from a group of wooden red blocks that were not toppled and had various numbers and letters on them. They were also multiple red blocks spread out nearby with SS labeled on each of them.
¡°Give me more blocks.¡±
The officers brought out more blocks. Edrym started writing on them with a pencil. They were labeled 1.1D, 1.2D, 2.1D, 2.2D and so on and were placed next to the blocks that had the same first number but had BGs on them. Using a stick, he spread the D blocks out and moved them forward. Then blocks labeled DS followed behind. Two of the D blocks, 6.1D and 6.2D were pushed to the south. SS blocks were also pushed forward in seemingly random directions. He bunched together all the BG, FCG, and LCG blocks and very slowly pushed them forward behind the DS and D blocks.
¡°Detach the destroyers for scouting.¡±
Then he fell silent and let his subordinates carry out the commands.
A command was transmitted to all the flagships of each group.
¡°All destroyers from each Battleship Group will form their own independent units. Each new independent destroyer unit will keep the numbers of their Battleship Group but will either have a .1 or .2 added. Specific orders will then be given to each unit.¡±
Less than 30 minutes later
A large and organized formation was formed when the aircraft carriers, cruisers, and destroyers of the aircraft carrier groups converged on the battleships and cruisers of the battleship groups. Destroyers from the battleship groups and destroyer squadrons steamed out in various directions.
0446 April 8th, 2020 CE
0523 Sun 8th, 196 AE
Afvalin, Elven Nation
<<< ¡°My Leader, why is it that you show no approval of sending out the entire might of the Navy? Are we lacking in capability?¡±
¡°You are not.¡±
¡°Then for such a dangerous enemy, why are you only sending less than half of the fleet?¡±
¡°Because I have plans for the other half.¡±
¡°What plans?¡±
¡°I had wanted to discuss this with you in the future but I suppose now is a good time.¡±
¡°Yes, My Leader?¡±
¡°General, I have big plans. Prepare the remaining fleet for a long journey.¡±
¡°What are you exactly planning, My Leader?¡±
¡°We will hit our new enemy where it hurts most.¡± >>>
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With his phone on his right ear, Tarron stared at the map of the Formidon Continent.
Somewhere between Soane Continent and Imperitoria Continent
Vice Admiral Angela Walters was called to attention by one of the radar operators.
¡°Admiral, We have multiple contacts on our radar from various locations.¡±
¡°Let me take a look.¡±
The radar operator explained the situation.
¡°3 groups of surface contacts. Spread far out. Seems to be at least a total of 9 surface ships.¡±
¡°Probably a patrol. Well, get the Super Hornets loaded up and in the air. We are going duck hunting. Come on, no time to waste!¡±
Destroyer Group 4.1, consisting of 3 destroyers, moved at a brisk pace. Using binoculars, an officer scanned the horizon of the rocky seas.
¡°All seems clear. The weather is quite stormy though.¡±
A few minutes later
The front of the lead destroyer was seemingly consumed in a ball of fire. It immediately started sinking after the bright flash of light.
¡°Enemy attack! Evasive maneuvers!¡±
Elven Main Fleet
¡°We have lost contact with Destroyer Group 4.1.¡±
Edrym¡¯s officers have been keeping track of the positions of their units on the map. They made sure that the blocks were as accurate as possible in location. The block labeled 4.1D was toppled with a stick. A small cross marked the estimated location of where it was destroyed.
¡°That¡¯s the furthest away destroyer group.¡±
Edrym listened to his officer before speaking.
¡°Tell the destroyer groups and destroyer squadrons to reverse and spread further out. Make sure that 6.1D and 6.2D don¡¯t stop moving south.¡±
Then another report came in.
¡°We just lost contact with Destroyer Group 2.1.¡±
US Fleet
¡°Seems like the surface ships are fleeing. There¡¯s one remaining group.¡±
¡°Take them all out. They are probably looking for the ships we had sunk.¡±
A few minutes later
¡°We have come up to another group of surface ships.¡±
¡°Destroy them!¡±
Elven Main Fleet
¡°Destroyer Group 1.1 has been destroyed.¡±
Admiral Edrym Vaynore looked at the standing blocks on the map.
¡°Destroyer Group 6 status?¡±
¡°Nothing has happened to them yet.¡±
He started sliding 6.1D and 6.2D back up.
¡°Tell them to turn around. Go north.¡±
Edrym¡¯s officers looked around at each other. They were completely perplexed about what he was doing but didn¡¯t question it.
30 minutes later
US Fleet
¡°Two groups of surface ships. This time they are coming from the south.¡±
¡°You know the drill.¡±
Elven Main Fleet
Destroyer Group 6.1 and 6.2 were destroyed. Their blocks were toppled and it was marked. Edrym stared at the map before getting out his pencil. He leaned over on the table and drew a circle connecting the point from destroyed Destroyer Group 6.1 and 6.2 to the point where Destroyer Group 1.1 was destroyed. He drew two lines that crossed at the center of the circle.
¡°Blue blocks.¡±
His officers handed him the blue blocks. He placed them down onto the center of the circle.
¡°Their detection equipment seems to be quite long-ranged. How close do we need to approach before we can launch our aircraft?¡±
0534 April 8th, 2020 CE
0547 Sun 8th, 196 AE
A few miles off the coast of the Magus Imperium
A Tomahawk missile flew upwards from an Arleigh Burke destroyer before curving left. Light rain pattered the canopy of an F/A-18 Super Hornet sitting on the catapult of the USS Ronald Reagan. A ground crew personnel wearing bright yellow clothing crouched and pointed his two fingers forward. The F/A-18 seemingly rocketed down the catapult and flew upwards towards the grey sky. A few seconds later, another F/A-18 rocketed down the other catapult. They had been out here for a couple of days doing strike missions on targets in the western portion of the Magus Imperium. They have so far decimated multiple elf ground units.
Elven defense line
¡°Is this all the survivors?¡±
¡°Yes sir, we were harassed day and night by human aircraft. We barely held together.¡±
Colonel Trakkas and Colonel Aewraek held their heads down in clear defeat.
Lieutenant General Faekas sighed.
¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s not only your units. All units beyond this line have faced numerous air attacks. We are taking heavy casualties. The Western Army is faring even worse. There have been reports of numerous attacks by an undetectable force. Even their defense line is barely holding. We are categorizing it as some sort of advanced human magic that we haven¡¯t developed yet. Information about the condition of the Western Army is also beginning to be restricted.¡±
Plains
M1A2 Abrams rolled down the plains. Following them were M2A3 Bradleys. In one of the Bradleys, Private Issac Miles yawned and stretched.
Because of the amount of destruction the Air Force and Apaches had brought down on the elf units, the plains were clogged with destroyed vehicles. It made travel difficult and slow. The good news was that they were able to get out and rest because of it. Issac was glad that they could even get out of this tin can. Originally it was planned that they would travel nonstop with only short breaks. He didn¡¯t know how he was gonna survive that.
There had also been reports of snipers but it didn¡¯t reality concern him since it was behind the lines. Counter snipers and drones had been deployed but were taking their sweet time to find whoever was taking potshots at the supply units. Couple of casualties had already occurred but nothing too major to stop the offensive.
US Air Force Base many miles behind the Jungles
In an office, a few high-ranking Air Force officials were discussing their plans.
¡°The elves have taken up a defensive position on this line. We have pictures of anti-aircraft guns, artillery embankments, and trenches all along it. They have also set up defenses in all cities near this line. We have been given permission to destroy all elf defenses except for the ones in the cities.¡±
¡°Why not the cities?¡±
¡°We don¡¯t want to bomb any civilians.¡±
¡°Are you sure if there are any? From our reports, the elves are extremely anti-human. Wouldn¡¯t it be very likely that they all have been executed?¡±
¡°We can¡¯t discount the possibility of civilians. Our ground forces will clear the cities out. Also, keep in mind that there are multiple elf armies approaching.¡±
Chapter 45 - Midway to the Elven Nation
0629 April 8th, 2020 CE
0614 Sun 8th, 196 AE
Elven fleet, NN Conqueror
¡°The weather is not favorable, but the rain is light and the wind is gentle. The enemy will not expect us for we are the winds of our great nation. The inferiors shall face hell from above. There will be no retreat! By our almighty Goddess and our Leader, we shall secure victory!¡±
A massive cheer rose in the room. They saluted multiple times in unison at the picture of the Leader and the Elven flag below it. After doing so, small glasses of beer were passed out to everyone. They raised their small glasses and gulped it down.
From a door, the pilots ran onto the deck of the aircraft carrier. Torpedoes and bombs were quickly loaded on. The propellers of their planes spun to life as the ground crew prepared them. A flag was waved and the blocks on the wheels of the aircraft were removed. The flag was then waved down and the first plane went down the runway.
Masses of planes in v-formation filled the sky.
30 minutes earlier
US Fleet, USS Gerald R. Ford
Vice Admiral Angela Walters stared at the screen that was shown to her.
¡°Holy Jesus! What the fuck is this?!¡±
The radar screen was filled with green dots bunched on one side.
¡°An uncountable amount of ships.¡±
An officer nodded his head as if in understanding.
¡°Seems like the elves already know where we are. They may have sent their entire fleet after us¡±
Angela looked surprised.
¡°I thought we were jamming their comms?¡±
¡°It isn¡¯t working then.¡±
Multiple F/A-18s were being launched from the three aircraft carriers: USS Gerald R. Ford, USS Harry S. Truman, and USS Theodore Roosevelt. The launching didn¡¯t stop for a rather long time.
Elven Fleet
¡°Sir, multiple destroyer squadrons have been destroyed.¡±
Calmly observing the situation unfold, he looked towards the official that made that comment.
¡°No change.¡±
¡°But sir!¡±
¡°Keep going forward.¡±
Admiral Edyrm Vaynore knew that the only way for him to succeed was by sacrificing a lot of his fleet. The Leader has told him that heavy losses were acceptable as long as he sunk the human fleet.
About two hours earlier
Admiral Vaynore had been called to the magram room by one of the operators. He was told that the front page had ¡°TOP SECRET¡± stamped onto it which meant it was only for his eyes.
¡°Admiral. This is extremely sensitive information that so far only a few government officials and chief generals know. You are the first lower-ranked personnel to learn about this. Disclosure of this information to anybody else is considered treason against the nation. After reading this document, you are required to burn it.
Although I have given you information about the United States of America in my instructions, I have not given you the entirety of what we know. I understand that this information will prove vital to your victory. From the Intelligence Department¡¯s compiled reports, I will list out some of what we know.
- Weapons with guidance systems that are capable of hitting moving targets.
- Extremely long-range detection capabilities
- Aircraft that can be flown at extremely fast speeds and at long ranges
- Armor capable of withstanding a Fortress¡¯s 88.
Use this information well.¡±
Edyrm put his lighter next to the paper. It slowly crumpled into black.
Present
US Fleet
¡°Uh, Admiral, we have another situation. The Hawkeye is detecting¡ multiple signatures.¡±
¡°What¡¯s with this many dots again!?¡±
¡°Hundreds of aircraft I believe.¡±
¡°Have the F-18s reloaded, refueled, and in the air as fast as possible. Also, prepare to launch the missiles once they get close. I don¡¯t think our F-18s will be able to stop them all.¡±
A few minutes later
¡°Um, we have another problem. Our acoustics are detecting multiple underwater contacts.¡±
¡°Dammit, it¡¯s a coordinated attack.¡±
¡°Should we send out the Seahawks?¡±
¡°Too risky with those enemy aircraft approaching. Use the ASROCs when the submarines get close enough. Focus on the enemy aircraft for now.¡±
Elven Fleet
The aircraft carriers of the elven fleet were abuzz with elves. Aircraft were being endlessly launched in five to ten minute intervals. Even planes from under the deck meant for reserves were being launched.
¡°Admiral, are you sure that we should commit everything to one attack?¡±
¡°This is the only chance we have.¡±
More than 500 aircraft were in the sky. 144 Ea-192N (naval-modified) fighters, 192 Ra-189N (naval-modified) dive bombers, and 186 Ra-1 torpedo bombers. On both sides of the fuselages on each one was a roundel. It was a red circle with a smaller yellow circle in the middle and a black cross on it.
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
E-2 Hawkeye above the Carrier Strike Group
¡°This is worrying.¡±
¡°The problem is how are we even going to coordinate this? There is a literal shit ton of targets.¡±
A few minutes later
In the sky a few miles away from the US Fleet
¡°Fox Three! Fox Three! Fox Three!¡±
132 Super Hornets released their load of AIM-120 AMRAAMS towards the horde of elf aircraft. This was one of the biggest deployments that the aircraft carriers have ever done. It was going to be a major headache landing them.
Streaks filled the skies as the missiles traveled to their targets.
Less than a two hundred miles away
A seemingly endless amount of explosions started occurring. Aircraft crumpled or were blown to bits. Metal fell from the skies.
¡°No retreat! Fighters shield the bombers!¡±
US Fleet
¡°At least more than half of the elve¡¯s aircraft are still in the air!¡±
¡°Launch the SM-6s!¡±
The VLS on the Arleigh Burkes and Ticonderogas opened up. A giant puff of white smoke came out as missiles took to the sky.
¡°We have launched nearly 70% of our SM-6s.¡±
¡°Hmmm. Tch. We will have to stop launching them. Leave a few for emergency situations. Ready the SM-2s and ESSMs. Fire when they get in range.¡±
A few minutes later
¡°Enemy submarines are getting within range now. Admiral, should we switch to the ASROCs?¡±
¡°Switch half of the fleet to deal with the approaching subs. The rest will continue focusing on the aerial threat.¡±
ASROCs launched upward into the air. They flew straight forward over the ocean before each one seemingly split apart. Torpedoes dropped into the ocean.
Underwater about 15 miles away
¡°We are approaching the target.¡±
¡°Sir, we have detected multiple torpedoes heading our direction!¡±
¡°Evade them.¡±
The submarine squadron split up in order to avoid the torpedo heading straight at them.
¡°Ummmm¡ sir it¡¯s following.¡±
¡°Following?! What¡¯s following?¡±
¡°The torpedo.¡±
¡°Evade again!¡±
¡°It¡¯s still following!¡±
¡°What do you m...¡±
An explosion rocked the side of the submarine and split it in two.
Ten minutes later
¡°Admiral, we are running low on our SM-2s and ESSMs.¡±
¡°Dammit. How much do we have left?¡±
¡°Around 30 for each.¡±
¡°Stop firing. We will reserve them. How¡¯s our ASROC inventory?¡±
¡°The elf submarines seem spread out. They shouldn¡¯t pose that much of a threat.¡±
Twenty minutes later
<<<¡°We have spotted the human fleet! Attack! Attack! Attack!¡±>>>
With only 25 aircraft left after being hit with hundreds of explosions seemingly conjured out of nowhere, they have finally found what seemed to be a part of the human fleet.
<<<¡°What is with this ridiculously small amount of ships?¡±
¡°Their main fleet must be close. We probably won¡¯t be able to attack the main fleet but let¡¯s do some destruction here. Attack!¡±>>>
11 Ra-1 torpedo bombers swooped in for an attack in various directions. They started getting closer to the water.
BRRRRRRRRR
A wall of 20mm slammed into the torpedo bombers. They were ripped to shreds and some of them caught on fire after being hit.
The Phalanx CIWS on the Arleigh Burkes, Ticonderogas, Nimitzs, and Gerald R. Ford had already all swung around to target the torpedo bombers.
A single torpedo bomber caught on fire as it was hit with the 20mm. It¡¯s torpedo dangled below it before being dropped into the ocean. Miraculously before blowing up, it was able to release a torpedo towards an Arleigh Burke. It silently sped through the waters. However, the pilot had grossly underestimated the speed of the Arleigh Burke. It passed behind without hitting anything.
The Phalanx CIWS instantly readjusted to target the 10 Ra-189N dive bombers that had just started their dive. They were ripped out of the air in the same fashion as the torpedo bombers.
The pilots in the four remaining fighters who were flying overhead looked on in horror as their brethren were swatted out of the sky in mere seconds.
¡°R...Retreat!¡±
Elven fleet
¡°Admiral, the mission failed. We have lost 518 total aircraft. Only 4 Ea-192Ns are currently returning. They have reported absolutely no damage to the human fleet.¡±
¡°Retreat¡¡±
Apprehension was obvious in Edyrm¡¯s eyes.
¡°...will we even survive¡¡±
US Fleet
Angela conversed with her officers.
¡°Admiral, do we continue? It seems like they are retreating. We can blow them out of the water.¡±
¡°How many anti-air missiles do we have left?¡±
¡°We should still have at least 10 SM-6s, 20 SM-2s, and around 40 ESSMs. The F-18s are extremely low on AMRAAMs. We do still have the shorter range Sidewinders though. And a butt ton of Phalanx CIWS 20 mms¡±
¡°We should retreat. This could be a trap and we do not have the capability to deal with another massed air attack. We will experience an unacceptable number of casualties if we continue.¡±
¡°I agree, Admiral, if the elves launch another 500 planes, we won¡¯t be able to deal with them. The elf who is commanding that fleet knows what they''re doing. They used their numerical advantage. That''s probably the only advantage they even have and their commander used it perfectly. We have to be cautious
The others nodded at that.
¡°Then set a route to home base immediately.¡±
Washington D.C.
President Hayes was given the latest report on the Navy¡¯s effort to cut off the elves.
¡°They blunted our naval attack.¡±
¡°Any ships lost?¡±
¡°None. The carrier strike group ran extremely low on anti-air missiles. The Vice Admiral Walters made a snap decision to retreat since she didn¡¯t want to risk losing 3 aircraft carriers.¡±
¡°Basically mission failed. We didn¡¯t cut off the elves.¡±
¡°We did do substantial damage to their naval air wing. We can¡¯t consider this a major failure. The carrier strike group was more armed against surface threats than aerial ones. We didn¡¯t expect that they could bring their carriers so close. We will return with a larger fleet and cut them off.¡±
Afvalin, Elven Nation
A few days later
Edyrm showed up in Tarron¡¯s office. Tarron looked up to see who came and smiled.
¡°Ah, Admiral. Congratulations! Although you did not destroy the human fleet, I commend you for stopping their advance. You have saved the Army from perish.¡±
¡°Thank you.¡±
¡°Now what are you here for? Do you want a reward? I will gladly give you anything if it¡¯s within reason.¡±
Edyrm handed Tarron an envelope. Tarron took it and took a glance at what was scribbled on the front.
¡°... notice of resignation¡?! Admiral! What is the meaning of this?!¡±
Edyrm shook his head.
¡°Admiral, you didn¡¯t fail. You did an excellent job! Your mission was to stop the humans from cutting us off. Sure we lost a few destroyers and more than 500 aircraft but they are minor compared to losing millions of soldiers and thousands of magipanzers.¡±
Edyrm shook his head again and started to leave.
¡°Admiral, wait.¡±
Tarron was ignored. He sighed and sat down after Edrym walked out. Looking at the envelope, he opened it and read the contents.
¡°I live with the guilt of more than a thousand lives. I may have partially accomplished my mission but at what costs? The enemy has not even been scratched. My Leader, I understand that these are treasonous words. But I will express them nonetheless. I beg for mercy for the words that I write in this letter.
I do not see victory for us. Defeat is clear. The path forward is bleak. We have lost the moment we started.
I implore you, even if you scorn me for suggesting this, to negotiate with the humans. Especially the United States of America.
Former Admiral Edyrm Vaynore¡±
Tarron slammed his desk. He threw the paper at the wall. He then threw a random paperweight that was sitting on his desk
¡°How dare he! GUAR¡¡±
Tarron stopped and took small deep breaths. Edrym was one of the most revered admirals in the Navy. If he killed him off, the Navy might mutiny.
¡°I still need him too.¡±
Chapter 46 - Operation Vengeance Hammer
0028 April 8th, 2020 CE
0314 Sun 8th, 196 AE
US Airbase miles behind the Jungle
First Lieutenant Scott Miller got out of the dressing room with the rest of his squadron.
One of the men in his squadron, First Lieutenant Hayden Chambers, made an off-hand remark as they walked through the hallway.
¡°Kinda lucky we got the airbase next to a town. Wanna go out to eat tomorrow or something. I heard they had taverns there. Always wanted to try food from the past.¡±
Scott chuckled and commented on that
¡°I prefer not to get food poisoning.¡±
¡°People in the past ate that. I think people nowadays can still eat it.¡±
First Lieutenant George Cooper, another one of the men in the squadron, shook his head and agreed with Scott.
¡°Nah man, ain¡¯t no one eating that shit. I heard they don¡¯t even have something like the FDA. You gonna get sick as fuck.¡±
Scott nodded his head.
¡°Besides, how are you going to tell them what you want to order? You can¡¯t even speak Latin.¡±
¡°Yes, I can.¡±
Hayden coughed before speaking his so-called Latin.
¡°?Qu¨¦ hay en tu men¨²? See.¡±
A few seconds of silence was immediately followed with bellowing laughter.
¡°That¡¯s Spanish dumbass.¡±
Hayden looked around unhappily.
¡°Well, Latin Americans speak Spanish.¡±
The laughing was even louder than last time.
¡°Ah, Hayden, you never fail to make us laugh.¡±
¡°What?¡±
They stepped out onto the runway of the airfield. Scott scanned around. It looked much better than when he first came here. Originally the runway was just bumpy, uneven dirt. Now it was smoothed out and sandy colored. The old Magusian buildings have been renovated and makeshift ones have been added.
Scott and his squadron walked towards their aircraft that were lined up on the dirt.
¡°Ready to blow some of them pointy ears to smithereens?¡±
¡°Pointy ears? Seriously?¡±
¡°Yeah, what else we gonna call them? Tree huggers?¡±
Scott watched as an F-15E Strike Eagle taxied down the runway. It felt extremely out of place with the early 20th-century village in the background.
A Few minutes later
Scott¡¯s F-15E started moving down the runway. He took off along with the rest of his squadron.
20 minutes later
It wasn¡¯t that long before they got to their designated target. They were performing the first strike of Operation Vengeance Hammer.
¡°Targets are within range. Firing.¡±
AGM-65 Mavericks were dropped from the hardpoints on his F-15.
On the ground a few miles away
¡°Lieutenant Colonel! We got reports of enemy aircraft being detected by our madars.¡±
¡°Keep an eye in the sky and open fire immediately if any enemy aircraft draws near.¡±
He started to scan the skies for any Human aircraft. Suddenly an explosion that rocked the ground cut off his scan.
¡°Get to cover! Artillery fire!¡±
The lined-up AA emplacements were blown up in succession.
¡°They¡¯re targeting the AA arcannons!¡±
¡°Call headquarters and tell them that we suspect enemy artillery nearby.¡±
Something overhead zoomed by loudly. Suddenly more explosions occurred.
In the sky
¡°Bombs away! Yeehaw!¡±
GBUs dropped onto the AA guns below.
Back on the ground
A single elf was sitting down next to what seemed like a grey block. He held a ¡°phone¡± that was connected to the grey block. The ground rumbled from the nearby explosions.
You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.
<<<¡°There is Human aircraft! This is the heavy machine gun company of the 23rd Infantry Division. I repeat, we are under attack by Human aircraft! Requesting immediate air cover!¡±>>>
The heavy machine gun company, their company, despite its name, had no machine guns but were equipped with anti-aircraft guns.
In the air
¡°Oooohhhh! Good hits! Good hits, boys! Seems like we got a majority of their AA guns in this sector. RTB now.¡±
20 minutes later
¡°Good job!¡±
Scott stepped down the ladders of his F-15 and jumped onto the dusty runway.
The ground crew ran to refuel and rearm their aircraft.
¡°Seems like we are going for another sortie soon.¡±
¡°We will be getting air cover from the F-16s this time. The elves got their planes up.¡±
A few hours later
They have suffered no losses and have bombed a large portion of the enemy defenses. Using AMRAAMs, the F-16Cs were also able to quickly take out any elven aircraft in the vicinity.
0440 April 8th, 2020 CE
0520 Sun 8th, 196 AE
The plains
Jets could be heard zooming by overhead. Issac Miles looked tired on his seat in the Bradley.
¡°Are we there yet?¡±
Issac¡¯s team leader, Sergeant Andrew Bennett, sighed.
¡°For the last time, Private, no. We literally just took a break. We will know when we get the signal.¡±
¡°For all their seeming ferociousness, these elves seem to know how to run better than how to fight.¡±
An hour earlier, they had come up to a deserted human village. Blood was splattered everywhere and buildings were razed to the ground. The elves seemed to have showed no mercy.
While thinking about that, the distinct sound of the M1A2 Abrams firing its main gun could be heard. The squad leader, Staff Sergeant David Walker commented on the noise.
¡°Seems like we have come up to the first group of elven defenses.¡±
¡°Human magipanzers are cresting the hill!¡±
The elves adjusted their anti-tank arcannon, an AP 75 (Anti-Panzer 75mm), towards the closest human magipanzer that was racing down the hill towards them.
¡°Fire!¡±
Their first shot missed and whizzed past the speeding magipanzers. The speed of the human magipanzers made aiming extremely difficult.
A shot from the moving human magipanzer destroyed the AP 75 and the sandbags acting as cover.
Captain Josh Rose¡¯s Abrams flattened the remaining barbed wire and sandbags covering the road. With their anti-tank gun destroyed, the elves blocking the road had dispersed and ran from a hail of machine gunfire.
Nearby town
Lieutenant General Ara Belra¡¯s subordinate knocked on the door of the house that she was occupying.
¡°Come in.¡±
¡°The road blockade has been breached. The humans are coming.¡±
¡°Get the men up. We will engage them in the plains.¡±
Ara got into her Knight with her crew. She then got onto her magiradio.
¡°All magipanzers to your positions. We will fight for every inch of territory.¡±
She had already received reports that the defenses outside of the city have been under heavy air attack and were mostly destroyed so she understood the value of defending this town. The towns occupied by the elves were their last bastions of defense. A good number of her magipanzers in her division have already been destroyed outside of the town. It had been noted, although a bit late, that the humans seemed to avoid bombing the towns. She had gathered almost all of her magipanzers in the town so it had become a bit crowded.
A few minutes later
¡°I¡¯m seeing a lot of elf tanks ahead.¡±
¡°Fire!¡±
The shot instantly took out one of the larger elf tanks. It punctured a hole in its front armor. The other Abrams followed up with shots.
The elf tanks sat there while the Abrams continued to fire whilst moving. The elf tanks had to stop to shoot in order for their shots to be accurate. Their magipanzers had no stabilizers so if it wanted to hit something, firing on the move was not recommended.
Shots from the Knights and Stallions hit a few of the Abrams but had little effect. The Abrams returned fire in accurate and rapid shots.
An explosion rocked the bottom of Josh¡¯s Abrams
¡°Seems that we are on a minefield.¡±
A few minutes later
The Abrams quickly overran another position that consisted of anti-tank guns and elves hiding behind sandbags.
The Elven defenses that were hastily prepared outside of the town crumbled in front of the Abram¡¯s advance. Their anti-tank gun emplacements, trenches, mines, and tanks were swept aside.
Less than 20 minutes later
A single Knight sat on one of the roads into town. It fired towards the approaching Abrams. The shot hit directly on the heavily armored cheeks and ricocheted off. The Knight blew up after being shot and the approaching Abrams pushed it aside. The Bradleys and the rest of Abrams entered the town.
¡°Go! Go! Go!¡±
The back door of the Bradley opened. Issac jumped out with the rest of his squad. The Abrams had cleared a way for them into the town. Now it was up to them to clear the town itself. The Abrams will follow them as support.
Just as they were checking the area outside of their Bradley, machine gunfire came from the windows of one of the houses on the side of the road. Private Fred Butler, the Grenadier of his squad, quickly fired a grenade from the grenade launcher attached under his gun into the window. It made a distinct ¡°pomp¡± sound. The room exploded and black smoke came out of the window.
Issac and his squad went into the house where the machine-gun fire originated from.
When they opened the door, they were greeted with a large open space room that was the entire first floor.
¡°Clear! Move upstairs!¡±
They slowly walked up in a line.
On the top floor of the house was a hallway with multiple doors. This house seemed to be a tavern.
They quickly cleared the rooms one by one until they came to the last one at the right. The first soldier who entered immediately fired his gun. A single elf was crouching in there. The elf quickly went down before he even got to shoot his gun.
0644 April 8th, 2020 CE
0622 Sun 8th, 196 AE
The plains far behind
Simon Holayra approached a group of humans with his hands raised. He was on his last legs. He ran out of food and couldn¡¯t scavenge anything from the nearby towns since they were all burned down during his army¡¯s advance. The entire area seemed to be crawling with humans. They were definitely hunting him. He had made his way further and further south but there were no signs of the elven army. He wasn¡¯t sure what to do. The only options were either die of hunger or surrender to the humans.
As he approached, the humans seemed to raise what seemed to be their guns at him.
¡°I surrender!¡±
¡°Drop your gun!¡±
One of the humans shouted at him and pointed their gun towards his rifle that was slung on him. Simon immediately unclipped his sling and the rifle dropped onto the ground. The humans approached him and tied his hands.
¡°Seems like this is the sniper we were looking for.¡±
0907 April 8th, 2020 CE
0745 Sun 8th, 196 AE
In the ocean
Seaman James Murray out across the ocean.
¡°Well, this was a waste of a trip.¡±
He blew the smoke from his cigarette out into the sky. His friend, Seaman Zach Stevens, replies to that.
¡°Shot down a lot of planes though. We will be coming back soon enough.¡±
¡°When will that be?¡±
¡°Another week or so. This time hopefully the brass loads up with more AMRAAMs.¡±
James threw the cigarette onto the ground and stepped on it.
Chapter 47 - The Many Types of Battles
0638 April 8th, 2020 CE
0704 Sun 8th, 196 AE
Industropolis, US headquarters in the Magus Imperium
A human stared hostilely at him with narrowed eyes.
¡°What clothes do you usually wear?¡±
The question and the way he was asking it felt extremely unfitting.
Another human entered.
¡°Tom, I don¡¯t think this is gonna work.¡±
¡°But I was about¡¡±
¡°Just let me do it. Grab yourself some lunch. It''s already an hour past noon.¡±
The human got up and left the room. The new human took his place.
¡°Sorry about that, he¡¯s trained in a different way. Now is there anything we can get you? Drink? Food?¡±
He had just gotten some food from the humans earlier so there was no need. He found the human food strange. Some kind of meat placed between two extremely soft bread. It tasted good¡ even better than what he ate at home.
¡°Just some water please.¡±
The human turned towards the human guard that was standing by the door.
¡°Can you get him a bottled water?¡±
The human guard quickly left. The human smiled.
¡°I guess it''s time for introductions. Nice to meet you, I¡¯m Warrant Officer Tucker Stevens of the US Army¡±
¡°...Private Ailmar Zylberos of the National Army¡±
Tucker started flipping through a bunch of paper.
¡°I have a few questions for you. I¡¯m not sure if you know or not but my country comes from a different world.¡±
Ailmar looked confused.
¡°We are interested in your culture. As a nation from a different world, we are seeking to understand the cultures of other nations in the world. I hope you are willing to cooperate and answer our questions.¡±
Ailmar was confused by these humans. They were strangely hospitable. When he was captured, he had expected them to torture him. Not only did they not torture him, but they also treated the burn wounds that he had gotten in the battle in the jungle. Now he was in a strange square room with a weird dark shaded glass on one side. He thought that this was where they would torture him but it was just questions. Now, they weren¡¯t even asking for any military-related information.
¡°Ummm¡ sure.¡±
¡°How good of an artist are you?¡±
¡°Average.¡±
Tucker handed him a piece of paper and a pencil.
¡°Can you draw what you usually wear as a civilian?¡±
The human guard then entered and placed a strange clear container in front of Ailamr. He looked at it with apprehension.
¡°Oh, that''s just a bottle of water. You unscrew the top and you can drink from it. Anyways, once you finish drawing, I will have some more questions for you.¡±
The questioning went on for much more than an hour. It ranged from customs to food and even to daily life.
¡°Well that''s all Mr.Zylberos. I would like to thank you for your cooperation. Have a nice day.¡±
A few minutes later, Ailmar was led out by the human guard.
Behind the window
¡°This one seems the most cooperative.¡±
¡°I guess not all elves are anti-human extremists.¡±
¡°They are a couple that are not that brainwashed. However, they are still fiercely loyal to their country. Should we try to ask him for any military information?¡±
¡°The information he¡¯s given to us is already extremely useful. As the saying goes, a bird in hand is worth two in the bush. If we push him further, he might not be willing to give us any more information.¡±
He looked over the drawing of the elf¡¯s civilian clothes. It definitely seemed like something from the early 20th century.
¡°This is quite a good drawing. His drawing skills are definitely beyond average. We better send this to SOCOM.¡±
¡°We also gotta send some of these elves to the CIA. They are getting a bit noisy about it¡±
¡°Just send some of the uncooperative ones.¡±
Industropolis, Emperor¡¯s Palace
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
Emperor Arstant had just had a meeting with the American ambassador. Now he was conversing with Military Advisor Caius about the current situation. Military Advisor Caius had been looking very dejected recently.
¡°The advance of the Americans have far eclipsed our forces. Their mechanized units are much faster than ours. The elves have been so far easily defeated by the Americans. From our reports, elven tanks can¡¯t do damage to the American ones. In addition, their airpower has the ability to lay waste to huge elven armored formations¡from our department¡¯s conclusion¡ I guess they are this world¡¯s superpower now.¡±
Emperor Arstant sighed.
¡°At least they are human and are willing to work with us. The Americans seem to also be willing to give us some of their older technology. However, they want us to supply them with some random fruit, vegetable, and plant products¡±
¡°I suppose. I hope they don¡¯t make any unreasonable demands.¡±
¡°So far they haven¡¯t.¡±
Cat Kingdom, United Beastmen Kingdom
¡°Ok, so aim down the sights. Stable. Deep breath. Stay firm. Then pull the trigger.¡±
The AK in Ron¡¯s hand jerked back from the recoil.
¡°I still can¡¯t get used to this backward movement.¡±
¡°You will get it soon enough.¡±
With their size, the bigger cats had no problem with the recoil of the AKs. On the contrary, Ron¡¯s small frame was an issue. He couldn¡¯t handle the big swords that Division Commander Flametail used. His usual choice of weapons was a pair of knives. Strangely, he also sometimes used scissors. He seemed to love scissors. In addition, he had a weird interest in using the sharpened pencils that the Diamond Wolves had brought over.
The other beastmen had been training dutifully with their supplied AKs. They will be shipping out about 4 days from now. Although it has only been 3 days since the Diamond Wolves arrived, they have been training every day. It was a good thing that the beastmen were already extremely well-disciplined and strong. They just needed to learn the basics of using the AKs and how to use them effectively.
The elven advance into the Kingdom of Albea had started again so break time was over. However, the elves seemed to have diverted their forces. Their advances were much slower and they haven¡¯t gained much ground.
Out of all the divisions being sent, they, the Fifth Division, were the only ones trained to shoot guns. Through the course of their training, there had been some minor disagreements between the Diamond Wolves and the Fifth Division. Despite recommendations, the beastmen weren¡¯t willing to give up their armor.
0720 April 8th, 2020 CE
Washington D.C.
¡°They are selling what?!¡±
¡°Ak-47s.¡±
¡°Who authorized that?¡±
¡°You did sir.¡±
President Hayes went silent for a few seconds.
¡°... oh yeah I did¡ I didn¡¯t authorize anything else did I?¡¯
¡°No.¡±
¡°Good. Just warn them that they can¡¯t sell or give any heavier weapons to the UBK. No anti-tank, no anti-air, stuff like that. They themselves can use it in their battles but they have to bring their heavy weaponry back. I would have much preferred if they had given them M-1 Garands but I guess the AKs will give them a better chance.¡±
0723 April 8th, 2020 CE
0841 Sun 8th, 196 AE
Elven Defense Line
¡°Tank!¡±
¡°Take cover!¡±
The fighting in the town had been fierce. The elves weren¡¯t willing to give away a single street without fighting.
¡°Fuck! Ken¡¯s down!¡±
An Abrams rolled down the street. It quickly dispatched the elven tank. It¡¯s machine guns then lit up the elven position further down the street.
Private Issac kept his back on a wall.
¡°I fucking hate urban combat! Couldn¡¯t we have bombed this place to kingdom come.¡±
Issac peeked around the corner with his gun and started shooting. For all the technological advantages they had, urban combat was still hell. Sergeant Bennett yelled out.
¡°Move! Move! Move! Come on boys, we are positioning further up. The houses in the vicinity have been cleared.¡±
On the road beside Issac, the Abrams rumbled down.
<<<¡°This is Centurion 1-1. We are moving up the road. Centurion 1-2, 1-3, and 1-4, where the hell are you guys? Report your position. We don¡¯t see you behind us. Over.¡±
¡°We got infantry pinned down by tanks on the street behind. They are trying to flank us.¡±
¡°We don¡¯t need all three Abrams down there. Centurion 1-2 move up. Out.¡±
¡°Wilco.¡±>>>
<<<¡°Praetorian. This is Centurion 1-1. Over.¡±
¡°This Praetorian. Go ahead Centurion 1-1.¡±
¡°What is Centurion 2 doing!? The enemy is flanking us! Half of my forces are being held up.¡±
¡°Centurion 2 is currently engaging multiple enemy armor.¡±
¡°Tell them to hurry their fucking asses up. Out.¡±>>>
Captain John Rose sighed at Centurion 1-1¡¯s request.
Issac crouched behind a sandbag next to Fred.
¡°We got another elven position up there. Where the fuck is our tank? Reckon you can take them out with your grenade launcher?¡±
¡°I got no grenades left. Used them all up to clear out the machine guns in the houses. Where¡¯s the rest of the squad?¡±
¡°They are coming up¡ well fuck it.¡±
Issac popped up from his crouched position and started shooting his M4A1 Carbine. Bullets whizzed by from the elven rifles. Fred followed along. Crouching back down, Issac saw someone run up to them. It was Specialist Noah Wallace, their squad¡¯s automatic rifleman. He was carrying a M249 Light Machine Gun.
The rest of the squad seemed to be peeking out towards them from behind a building.
¡°About time you got here.¡±
¡°Rest of the squad is pinned behind that building. Damn elves know how to use their bolt action rifles well.¡±
¡°Less talking. More shooting.¡±
Noah set up his M249 and started firing downrange. Fred and Issac popped up to provide further fire. Slowly, the elven position down the road crumbled.
Their squad¡¯s Bradley rolled up. Staff Sergeant Jacob James, squad leader of Issac¡¯s squad, ran up to it. He yelled at it
¡°Where the fuck is our tank support?¡±
The Bradley commander popped open his hatch and yelled back.
¡°Sorry, boys this is all you got. Centurion 1 is dealing with elven tanks that are trying to flank us. However BFV-1 should be coming up with the 2nd Squad.¡±
Deeper in the town
¡°Lieutenant General, the situation doesn¡¯t look too good. We are losing too many of our magipanzers.¡±
¡°How long until the second wave gets here?¡±
¡°Less than an hour.¡±
¡°Prepare for a retreat.¡±
Less than an hour later
<<<¡°This is the 30th Magipanzer Division. We will be coming up to your position soon.¡±
¡°This is the commander of the 11th Blitzpanzer Division. We will have to retreat. We are unable to keep a hold of this town.¡±>>>
Ara switched the radio to her own forces.
<<<¡°Pull out of the city. I repeat. All forces. Pull out.¡±>>>
Chapter 48 - Issues and More Issues
0613 April 8th, 2020 CE
0606 Sun 8th, 196 AE
Frontline
<<<¡°Fuck! This is Centurion 2-3, our main gun just got shot to pieces.¡±
¡°Centurion 2-3. This is Centurion 2-1. Pull back. Centurion 2-4, move in front of Centurion 2-3. Out.¡±
¡°Copy that.¡±
¡°Wilco.¡±>>>
Destroyed tanks littered the four-way intersection that was ahead. A medium tank and a couple of light tanks were still shooting at the four Abrams. They had taken out waves upon waves of tanks but it seemed endless. After dispatching the remaining elf tanks, only the sound of the burning elf tanks remained. They waited a few seconds.
<<<¡°Is that the final wave?¡±
¡°That seems to be the final one.¡±
¡°Ok, Centurion 2, push forward!¡±>>>
As they went forward, they stopped when they came upon another four Abrams. They were shooting down the road.
<<<¡°This is Centurion 2-1. Please identify. We are currently behind you. Over¡±
¡°This is Centurion 1-1. What took you forever. We had to divert our attention because of you slow pokes.¡±
¡°Too many fucking tanks. Centurion 2-3 got their gun taken out by these fucking bastards.¡±
¡°I think we are mopping up the last of them. I don¡¯t see any more tanks up ahead.¡±>>>
After a few minutes, Centurion 1¡¯s shooting died down.
<<<¡°Why haven¡¯t you sent Centurion 2-3 back?¡±
¡°They are safer with us. Who knows when these pesky elves will show up behind us.¡±
¡°Well, we will be going back to support our infantry squads now. Centurion 1 out.¡±
¡°Good luck out there.¡±>>>
Centurion 1 pulled out of their street.
A few streets away
¡°Enemy tank!¡±
An elven medium tank appeared on the road. A TOW missile flew out of the box that was attached on the left side of the Bradley¡¯s turret. It impacted the elven tank.
Another elven medium tank appeared. It came to a stop and it¡¯s turret started traversing toward the Bradley. The Bradley¡¯s 25mm M242 Chain Gun opened up. Loaded with the M919 APFSDS-T, it easily knocked the elven tank out with a few hits.
A few minutes later
¡°Seems like they¡¯re running.¡±
Issac peeked around the corner of a building. A few elves were covering the rest of the elves¡¯ retreat. Their Bradley laid down lead on the elves. Suddenly, a massive explosion hit the poor elves'' positions.
¡°Well, now they fucking show up.¡±
After the sounds of battle died down, Staff Sergeant James ran up to the forwardmost Abrams.
¡°Where the fuck were you guys when we needed you.¡±
The person who had his upper body out of the hatch on top of the Abrams yelled down.
¡°We had to deal with a horde of elf tanks, mind you. If we didn¡¯t, you guys would have been cut off and overrun in no time.¡±
Captain John Rose listened to the reports from his subordinates.
¡°The elves are retreating on all fronts in the town.¡±
¡°Good work. Secure the rest of the town.¡±
Less than 30 minutes later
¡°Elven counterattack!¡±
¡°Shit! They¡¯re back already?! Didn¡¯t they just run away?¡±
¡°They got fresh troops, it seems.¡±
¡°Fucking hell. Who we fighting? The goddamn Soviet Union?¡±
¡°Seems like it son. Seems like it.¡±
¡°Where¡¯s our goddamn air support?¡±
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¡°The Navy should have gotten to their positions about an hour ago.¡±
¡°They skedaddled.¡±
¡°Whaddya mean Sarge?¡±
¡°Elves had too large of a fleet to deal with.¡±
0630 April 8th, 2020 CE
0615 Sun 8th, 196 AE
Ocean many miles south of the Magus Imperium
5 Virginia-class and 2 Los Angeles-class submarines of Submarine Squadron 1 were quietly moving deep in the sea.
¡°Seems like the entire elf fleet ran with their tail behind their back all the way to their home.¡±
The speed of the Virginia-class and Los Angeles-class submarines were much slower than surface ships when submerged so they had trailed behind the main fleet. Now that the main fleet turned back, they continued.
¡°Our goal is to sink as many of their ships as we can. The focus is on their aircraft carriers though. It shouldn¡¯t be long before they come back. In the meantime, we can blow up a couple of their transport ships to get them out.¡±
¡°Let¡¯s get them then!¡±
¡°We still have to be cautious. We are expecting their submarine fleet to number in the hundreds. Even with our stealth, if we accidentally run into their patrol net, there¡¯s going to be a fight.
¡°Couldn¡¯t we have deployed the entire submarine fleet to deal with them?¡±
¡°Even if we did, the ocean is huge. We have only around 50 attack submarines. We are gonna expect some casualties if we tried to deal with the elves head-on. I tell ya, one Los Angeles-class submarine is worth a few hundred of the elf¡¯s submarines.¡±
¡°We have the technological edge. There is absolutely no way that the elves can sink one.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t be too overconfident. When something goes wrong, we are going to lose one. Trust me, something always goes wrong. It would look shit in the press when it does. Think about it. World War Two submarine sinks America¡¯s modern submarine. Someones gonna get sacked if that happens.¡±
0657 April 8th, 2020 CE
0629 Sun 8th, 196 AE
Frontline
The Centurion 1-3¡¯s main gun went off. It took out the Elven Tiger tank that was approaching. A flood of elven infantry and tanks were coming towards the town.
<<<¡°It¡¯s a massive counterattack on the entire front.¡±
¡°Seems like their reinforcements got here.¡±
¡°We have most of the front covered. The Magusians are plugging the holes but I don¡¯t think they can hold.¡±>>>
Ocean many miles south of the Magus Imperium
Submarine Squadron 1 continued to silently swim through the water of the ocean. There were four groups of elf submarines nearby.
¡°We are passing right under one of the submarine squadrons.¡±
¡°Can¡¯t we just shoot them out the ocean?¡±
¡°When we are on the route back. I already don¡¯t have a good feeling about this. Once we sink a few of their large ships, their gonna have their entire submarine fleet looking for us.¡±
¡°Eh, we can swim under them.¡±
¡°Hopefully they don¡¯t have any weird magic shit that lets them detect us.¡±
¡°Well, seeing that we are currently under one, I¡¯m betting they don¡¯t.¡±
30 minutes later
Frontline
The lines held against the elven counterattack. The Magusians fought bravely and with support from a couple of Abrams, their areas held.
¡°We are stopping our advance and holding this area. There are millions of elves and thousands of their tanks swarming a few miles from us. It will be a death trap if we charge in. Reinforcements will be arriving soon.¡±
1322 April 8th, 2020 CE
Washington D.C.
¡°Ok, so the deal with the Magusians went through. We will be giving them the blueprints for M4 Shermans and P-51 Mustangs. They will be supplying us with most of the products that we are not able to produce domestically or get from the Northern Frontier.¡±
Secretary of State Katerina Clifford still remembers the meeting she had with Emperor Arstant. The footage for the Shermans and Mustangs were perfect since they were shown defeating weapons that were similar to the ones that the elves had.
¡°That sounds perfect.¡±
¡°Now Mr. President, onto the issue of democratization that you wanted to talk about.¡±
¡°Yes. I¡¯m not seeing any progress with the Bem Kingdom and Mach Imperium. Can you explain that?¡±
¡°We¡¯re in a completely new world and from what we know, no country in this world has tried any form of democratic government. We don¡¯t know if the people will even accept a democracy. We don¡¯t want something like the Middle East happening again here. From my plan, we are going ahead with a different approach to democratization. We gave the Iraqis freedom too quickly. It didn¡¯t take long for it to go to shit. This time I¡¯m suggesting we take it slowly and don¡¯t force it on them.¡±
¡°Yeah, but the problem in the Middle East was because there were religious differences there.¡±
¡°Look, Mr. President, we aren¡¯t going to come into this world and flip everything upside down. We aren¡¯t exactly ¡®crusaders for democracy¡¯. We know even less about the people of this world than we do about the Iraqis. And look how well we did with our efforts to promote democracy in Iraq. 16 years and trillions of dollars yet we still face seemingly never-ending insurgencies.¡±
¡°I understand that but some from the press have started to question the lack of democratization.¡±
¡°Mr. President, we made deals with authoritarian governments on a daily basis when we were on Earth. We even have a history of propping up and supporting authoritarian governments that were beneficial to us.The media didn¡¯t care when we made deals with the Saudis. You should know well that people complain more about our wars against terror in the Middle East than they do about our deals with dictators.¡±
¡°Then what should we tell the press then?¡±
¡°We will tell the press we are taking steps. This is completely true. We are improving the infrastructure and technology in the countries we have occupied. In addition, we will emphasize that we are being extra careful not to repeat the mistakes that we made in the Middle East.¡±
4 days later
Naval Station Norfolk
James leaned on the fence. Directly behind him was the ocean.
¡°We just returned to restock our missiles.¡±
¡°I heard what happened. How did the elves beat you guys back.¡±
¡°They got crafty.¡±
He was talking to Seaman Jay Duncan. They had been best friends since high school. Both of them had joined the Navy at about the same time.
¡°Seems like my ship will be going with you guys for this.¡±
¡°Aren¡¯t we already stretched extremely thin?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t think there''s anything for us to worry about, the only enemies we have now are these elves.¡±
Whilst talking, James stared back into the ocean at a white-colored ship. It was a Legend-class cutter (also known as the National Security Cutter), one of the largest active patrol cutters in the US Coast Guard. Even though it was a Coast Guard ship, it seemed like something that the Navy would have.¡±
¡°Say, why is the Coast Guard here?¡±
¡°I think there was an incident of some sorts with a fishing ship. They probably caught too big of a fish or something.¡±
James chuckled.
¡°Don¡¯t laugh at that. I¡¯m not kidding. There are some unique fish here. It¡¯s a world of magic, I won¡¯t be surprised if a kraken actually exists.¡±
¡°That big of a ship for a small fishing incident?¡±
¡°No, I think it was a factory ship. Ya know, those huge ass ships used for fishing. We are using more of them because of the fact we can¡¯t import such large amounts of fish like we did on Earth.¡±
¡°Must be a serious incident if they called out that big of a Coast Guard ship.¡±
¡°I think I heard that it went down. They are going on search and rescue.¡±
¡°Hm.¡±
Chapter 49 - Democratization and McDonalds
1032 April 9th, 2020 CE
Washington D.C.
The Committee on the Occupied Countries (COC). In order to not repeat the mistakes of the Middle East, a temporary committee had been set up by the President to plan what to do with the Bem Kingdom and Mach Imperium. Democratization was a very important and heavily discussed topic in most of the committee¡¯s past meetings.
A few months ago, they had planned for a thorough study of the occupied countries. Secretary of State Katerina Clifford was starting the meeting.
¡°I have talked with the President and received the reports from the researchers that we have sent. So far, our modernization campaign has gone without any major issues.¡±
During their first meeting, which was many months back, they had discussed how to fix the infrastructure that had been destroyed during the war. It had been decided that in addition to repairing the infrastructure, it had been decided to modernize and upgrade them. That job had been delegated to multiple American companies which were to be paid using money from the treasuries of the Bem and Mach. Countless meetings happened afterward to discuss the politics, the entrance of other US companies, trade, and democratization. Democratization was an issue that had spanned multiple meetings.
The people in the room nodded. The committee of advisors, political scientists, military leaders, and a few other government officials were all sitting and looking at her. Katerina continued.
¡°From our interactions with and surveys of the people of the Bem Kingdom, they are generally supportive of becoming a republic. And from our investigations, there are no worries of any ethnic, cultural, or national differences. The nobles are of course hostile to this idea however they are few of them and from our understanding, lack any significant popular support.¡±
Katerina paused to see if her colleagues of the committee had any opinions. Colonel Jackson Ollie started first.
¡°Should we make plans to arrest the nobles?¡±
¡°We will strip them of their titles. Arresting them seems to be going a bit overboard. They haven¡¯t done anything wrong so we can¡¯t charge them for any crimes.¡±
Jackson leaned back. A political scientist on the committee went next.
¡°We had been discussing plans for a referendum. Will we be going ahead with that?¡±
Katerina nodded.
¡°I have decided that we can skip the referendum.¡±
The political scientist started arguing back.
¡°I still believe we should go ahead with the referendum. Give the people a feeling of what it is like to vote. We don¡¯t want it to be a mess when they start the vote for their leader.¡±
¡°We are concerned that the nobles will get in the way of the referendum. They may try to use their wealth and influence to change the vote. Then it will be no better than the country still being controlled by the nobles.¡±
¡°Then get rid of them before the referendum.¡±
¡°The purpose of the referendum is to see the will of the people in order to get permission to change the system. Changing the system before the referendum even starts doesn¡¯t make sense.¡±
¡°We are the governing power now, we can do whatever we want.¡±
Katerina looked a bit bewildered at the shocking statement. One of the advisors interrupted their see-saw conversation.
¡°He has a point there. We don¡¯t have to turn the country into a democracy to get rid of their nobles. The current king that we placed on the throne can do that. Just make him get rid of all the nobles. See, no change to the system.¡±
The others in the room who had watched them as they went back and forth all nodded at that. Katerina rubbed her chin.
¡°Hm. Ok, we will prepare a referendum. I will pass on to the President the suggestion of stripping the nobles of their titles and the lands related to said titles before we begin the referendum. We will also have to confiscate a majority of their wealth. Agreed?¡±
No one in the room showed any complaints or disagreements.
¡°Onto the next thing. The Mach Imperium on the other hand is¡ problematic. Because of their size, we are unable to conduct a thorough survey. However, from what we have gained so far, there seems to be 50% support for a republic. However, we will have to redraw borders.¡±
Katerina clicked on the remote she grabbed off the table. A map shows up on the TV. The colored map of the Mach Imperium seemed like the end result of a toddler getting their hands on many different color paint cans.
¡°There are cultural differences. We will have to split this country up. The Emperors held their country together through the use of nationalism and the end of a gun. In addition to this, we have hundreds of nobles that are extremely hostile to the idea of a republic. Moreover, from our calculations, they are capable of raising an army of rebels totaling about 500,000 to 1,000,000. Possibly even more.¡±
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¡°Can¡¯t we apply what we did to the nobles in the Bem Kingdom to the Mach Imperium?¡±
Katerina shook her head.
¡°There are too many. Unlike the Bem, some of them even have popular support and a large backing.¡±
¡°I still say that we should force democratization. It is our duty. We always establish democracies in our occupied countries. They are an empire, right? Can¡¯t we do what we did with the Japanese?¡±
¡°That won¡¯t work. Japan had things that we could take advantage of. Namely the fact that they saw their Emperor as a god. If we had gone ahead with your past suggestion of making the Mach Imperium a democracy the moment we were able to, the Mach Imperium would have made the Middle East seem like the room of a person with OCD.¡±
¡°So what do we do now? You can¡¯t just let them stay a monarchy.¡±
Jackson interrupted.
¡°Technically we could force democratization, we have the technological edge and our military analysts predict that we may be able to win within a few months¡ not accounting for them using modern guerilla tactics or any other factions that may rise up.¡±
A few of the people in the room snickered at his suggestion. Katerina sighed.
¡°We have a history of propping up more authoritarian governments than democracies. Sure we have changed our stance, but that doesn¡¯t mean we have to make every single country a democracy. We can leave some be.¡±
The room devolved into multiple arguments afterward. Some supported the idea of finding a way to democratize the Magus Imperium. Others were fine with the way it is as long as it meant that the US won¡¯t be dragged into an endless anti-insurgency war. Katerina sighed. In a few minutes, she packed up her things and left after things got nowhere.
0622 April 9th, 2020 CE
0611 Sun 9th, 196 AE
Aginport, Bem Kingdom
Wybert Holden stood outside of the building. It looked extremely alien when compared to its surroundings. The Americans had changed Bem a lot. The most obvious was the street lights and the paved roads. Originally, there were also American soldiers everywhere with their weird vehicles but they were mostly gone now. Occasionally, there would be massive US military planes in the sky coming from the nearby airport the Americans had constructed. This building was also something that came from the Americans. He could see inside because of the glass that surrounded the bottom of the building. There were a lot of people inside. A few feet away by his side was a giant tower with a yellow ¡°M¡± on top. He hesitated at the door. His friends had suggested it but it felt so foreign. He rarely went out to eat. A good place was always extremely expensive. The cheaper ones served mediocre food. It was better and cheaper to eat at home. He still wanted to try it though. His friends had come back with a strange wonderment to their eyes. He opened the door and walked in. It looked nothing like the taverns. The floor seemed to be made of some sort of marble. Instead of the color of brown wood that he was so used to, everything was a clean white. Even the tables and chairs weren¡¯t wood. It seemed like a place that only the rich could afford to eat at. He waited in line and before long, walked up to the counter. He stared around in confusion. The worker who was standing behind a weird box spoke up.
¡°Welcome to McDonald''s. First time?¡±
¡°Yes. So¡ uh¡ how does this work?¡±
The worker pointed upwards towards a wall of lists behind him. Some of the screens were changing. He would have probably called it witchcraft if the Magus didn¡¯t have something similar. There were a few screens that stayed static and had words and pictures.
¡°You can select your order from the options listed above. Pay the price indicated, we will give you the receipt, you can go find a table, and when we call the number on the receipt, you can come up to pick it up and bring it back to your seat.¡±
The options looked surprisingly cheap when compared to the aesthetics of the building. It was half the price of a full meal at a cheap tavern. 10 burls for a¡
¡°Ummm¡ ok¡ what¡¯s a Big Mac?¡±
¡°It¡¯s a burger. Sauce, vegetables, and a slice of meat in between two soft pieces of bread. A Big Mac is a larger one. It¡¯s basically two burgers on top of one another.¡±
It seemed interesting and hopefully it was worth the price.
¡°I will get that.¡±
¡°Anything else?¡±
He continued looking.
¡°What''s this Coca-Cola?¡±
¡°A very sweet drink, also bubbly.¡±
¡°Sure I will take that too¡ ummm¡ medium?¡±
It was only about 2 burls.
¡°Ok. Actually, are you interested in a Big Mac Meal instead?¡±
¡°What¡¯s that?¡±
¡°For only 12 burls, you get a Big Mac, a medium Coca-Cola, and a medium box of French fries. French fries are sliced, fried, and salted potatoes. They are a common side to a burger.¡±
¡°Um, sure.¡±
He paid the price, found a seat, sat down, and waited. He still felt hesitant. It just felt too cheap. It wasn¡¯t long before his number was called. It now felt too fast. Wybert hoped they didn¡¯t undercook it. He didn¡¯t want to deal with a stomachache. He walked up to grab the tray. A different worker was there and handed him multiple small packets.
¡°These packets are called ketchup, you can open them and squeeze them on the French fries.¡±
He carefully carried his tray back to his table. A delicious aroma rose up from the Big Mac box.
Wybert walked out of the store with a heavenly satisfied look on his face. The Big Mac felt unexplainably good. Wybert corrected himself. The entire meal was heavenly. And at that cheap of a price too. The materials that packed the food also seemed to be high in value. He took the bag of empty containers along with him.
McDonald¡¯s was one of the first few companies allowed to begin operations in the Bem Kingdom. As a test, they were only allowed one restaurant in the Bem Kingdom. Naturally, it was placed in the capital. McDonald¡¯s themselves decided to change some things to the way this McDonald¡¯s operated. They took out the self-serve soda fountains and also linked the building to an electric generator since the infrastructure of the Bem Kingdom was spotty. The business was now booming. Luckily, it didn¡¯t stifle all the restaurants around it. That was a condition from the US government in order to protect small businesses in the Bem Kingdom. If that single McDonald''s caused all restaurants around it to close, then that would have caused major damage to the Bem economy.
Chapter 50 - Artillery is King
0222 April 9th, 2020 CE
0411 Sun 9th, 196 AE
Mach Imperium
A Humvee, the term that the Americans used for their military car, slowly drove down the road. An American soldier was up on the gun and scanning around. Mettius watched it go by. American patrols were a common sight nowadays to ensure public safety. He had heard that the Americans had restricted any American companies from establishing here out of concern. He didn¡¯t really understand what the concern was for. He knew that there were people who were unhappy with the fact that their country was defeated, but he also knew they weren¡¯t insane enough to attack the victors. For as long as he could remember, the country had always been quite peaceful.
0001 April 9th, 2020 CE
0300 Sun 9th, 196 AE
American frontline
The sun was slowly coming up. After the elve¡¯s failed counterattack yesterday afternoon, no further action was seen. They seemed to really hate night fighting.
A whistling sound filled the air. Issac and a few other soldiers glanced around in confusion. One of the experienced soldiers had a face that seemed like he knew what was going to happen next.
¡°Ah¡ fuck.¡±
¡°Artillery!¡±
They dived to the ground as the ground shook like a 5.0 magnitude earthquake. A few seconds later, the ground shook again.
A few miles behind the Elven frontline
The booms of the elven 15cm cannons did not stop. They lined the plains of nearly the entire front. Their goal was to hammer the frontlines to soften it so advancing forces could easily take it. They had prepared enough ammunition for an hour-long session of firing. Once the shelling stopped, elven infantry and tanks would start advancing.
More than 10 miles back of the American frontline
Coordinates were yelled out. The wheels on the sides of the gun were spun quickly in order to adjust to said coordinates.
¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±
¡°Load!¡±
An artilleryman placed a shell onto the ammunition table.
¡°Go! Go!¡¯
The shell was loaded into the cradle with the touch of a button. Another soldier smashed a long metal stick to push the shell into the cannon. A propellant was placed under and the hatch was closed.
¡°Clear!¡±
¡°Fire!¡±
The string was pulled. The loud boom of the M777 howitzer echoed.
The hatch was opened and the interior was quickly cleaned.
¡°Load!¡±
The earlier process started to repeat itself. An M777 next to them fired.
¡°Clear!¡±
Another M777 close by fired.
¡°Fire!¡±
A few miles behind the Elven frontline
An explosion occurred a few yards behind the elve¡¯s artillery position. Another one landed right on top of one of the cannons in the line. A secondary explosion occurred as the ammunition besides the destroyed artillery cooked off.
It wasn¡¯t long before the elven artillery fell silent. A few deaths were sustained from the concentrated amount of Elven artillery fire but there had been no significant damage. It only took multiple well-placed shots for the elven artillery position to be completely wiped out.
Elven command post
¡°Where are their observers?!¡±
¡°Our artillery units are many miles from the front. We have not spotted any form of human recon.¡±
¡°Then how do you explain the fact that they wiped out every firing artillery gun in the vicinity within a few minutes of us firing!?¡±
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Colonel General Eroan Faexalim, commander of the Second Wave Central Army, bit his fingers in frustration.
¡°Have our recon teams found any of the human ones?¡±
¡°A couple were able to sneak through the less technologically advanced lines and discovered human artillery positions.¡±
A few minutes later
A different US artillery position
<<<¡°The Magusians are getting their arty blown to smithereens, we are giving you the location of their artillery positions from our sound detection equipment.¡±>>>
The cords were quickly given over the radio.
¡°Got new cords!¡±
He read off the cords to the ones adjusting the M777s. The wheels on the sides of the cannons started to spin. Before long the M777s started firing again.
Elven command post
¡°Sir, our artillery was wiped out by counter-battery fire again!¡±
He threw his pencil on the ground.
¡°Begin the assault!¡±
American frontline
<<<¡°Large formations of elven units are approaching the front.¡±>>>
The M3A3 Bradley CFV (Cavalry Fighting Vehicle) started to retreat from its position after spotting a swarm of elven tanks and infantry coming across the field. Smoke popped out from their M257 grenade launchers installed on the turret. The white smoke covered their retreat. The M3 Bradley¡¯s were specifically designed for reconnaissance but had combat capabilities, however, it was not looking for a fight.
The elves seemed to be doing concentrated attacks on the entire frontline. Instead of being spread out for their offensive, they seem to hope to achieve breakthroughs and exploit said breakthroughs in order to encircle the humans.
25 miles behind the American frontline
After receiving the message, boxes on the back of what seemed to be trucks turned right and started to lift towards the sky. Suddenly fire started blasting out of all the boxes. A battery of M270 MLRSs (Multiple Launch Rocket Systems) lined the field. The sound of their rockets drowned out everything.
Battlefield
The magipanzers that were charging through the plains suddenly found themselves in a literal hail of metal.
There were 9 M270 MLRS in a battery. Each individual M270 had 12 GMLRS-AW (Guided MLRS-Alternative Warhead) warheads. The GMLRS-AW was a 200-pound fragmenting warhead that consisted of approximately 160,000 preformed tungsten fragments. That meant a total of 17,280,000 tungsten fragments were hitting the advancing elven units. Elven infantry was ripped to shreds. The top armor of the Fortress magipanzers were only 25mm thick and were easily penetrated by the storm of fragments. The other more lightly armored magipanzers had large chunks blown off them. Entire sectors were laid to waste.
Artillery and rocket artillery was making up for the lack of air support. With the MLRSs, the US and Magus could once again prepare to mount an offensive after softening the enemy defenses.
The lack of modern airfields was a massive headache for command. In the old world, they would just need to repossess enemy airfields and quickly fix them up so they were usable. Better yet, there were US and allied air bases spread around the world that they just needed to land in. Now, they had to modernize the Magusian airbases in order to make sure the US aircraft won¡¯t be damaged. They had to make sure that the landing gears of their jets won¡¯t break off when they land on the Magusian airfields. The feet of wyverns were much more sturdy than the landing gear on an F-15 or F-16. That meant that there were multiple holes and large bumps on the runways of the Magusian airfields which required engineers to smooth and pave out. It was questionable why the Magus even needed airfields. The wyverns could land basically anywhere.
Being transported to a world where all the countries had inferior technology was both a wet dream and a nightmare. It was a wet dream in the fact that the term ¡°peer adversary¡± became nonexistent. On the other hand, it was a logistical nightmare. In the old world, there were US military bases and weapon stockpiles on almost every single continent. This allowed the US to be prepared for conflicts across the world. Now all those military bases and stockpiles had all been thrown into the New Frontier. With seemingly back to back wars, the US was having a hard time transporting and supplying units across the ocean. However, a good side to this was a massive decrease in the cost of operation and maintenance. In the past, nearly half of the US military budget was spent on operation and maintenance. Now that had significantly decreased because of the closing and relocation of multiple military bases in the New Frontier. The budget was finally focusing on research, development, and procurement.
18 US Army brigade combat teams, equivalent to about 6 US Army divisions, were covering the entire front that stretched the southern length of the Magus Imperium. There were a total of 10 divisions in the US Army. They were made up of 31 brigade combat teams. Of the 31 brigade combat teams, only 23 were at a high level of readiness. Because of how long the front was, a lot of it had to be plugged in with Magusian units. Compared to the US Army, the Magus had more than 100 army divisions. To make up for their technological inferiority, 5 Magusian divisions were placed on stretches of land that were similar in length to what a single US Brigade Combat Team was currently protecting.
There were also a total of 8 US Army National Guard divisions which consisted of 27 brigade combat teams. Of those 27, only 4 to 5 were at a high level of readiness. 1 of them was doing peacekeeping operations in the Bem Kingdom and 2 of them were in the Mach Imperium. Another 2 Army brigade combat teams were in the Mach Imperium.
0216 April 9th, 2020 CE
0432 Sun 9th, 196 AE
American frontline
Captain John Rose listened to the orders on his radio. No damage for his company was reported from the artillery bombardment that they had just faced. Now the entire 2nd Battalion, 37th Armored Regiment was preparing for a counteroffensive along with the rest of the US and Magus Army. The elve¡¯s offensive had completely failed. Through the use of sheer numbers, even the weak points that were protected by only Magusians had repelled the elves
The two six-rocket pods of the M270 were quickly detached from it. Two fresh pods replaced it. The other M270s in the battery were also reloaded.
A soldier in one of the M270s stared at a paper map. On it, targets were drawn with a red pen. Large concentrations of enemy infantry and tanks. Various types of positions. A few were marked specifically for his crew¡¯s M270.
The rockets started once more and the ground shook. More than 20 miles in front of them, M777s started firing too.
Private Issac was preparing to get onto his squad¡¯s main Bradley. His team leader, Sergeant Andrew Bennett, made a satisfied sigh as the ground shook.
¡°We may not have our air support but we damn well have our artillery. I hope those elves enjoy the king of the battlefield.¡±
Far behind the Elven frontline
¡°What is happening out there?¡±
Ara said to herself as she heard seemingly endless explosions at the front. Her battered division was now resting in the plains. They had been pulled far back and were replaced with a magipanzer division from the Second Wave units. For probably the first time in her life, she wasn¡¯t looking for a fight.
Chapter 51 - Blunderwaffe
0219 April 9th, 2020 CE
0409 Sun 9th, 196 AE
Somewhere in the Magus Imperium
¡°Ok, move along! Keep walking!¡±
Simon was in a line with a few other elves. The humans haven¡¯t been treating him too badly. After being captured, he had been put into some sort of truck along with another group of elven soldiers. The elven soldiers were infantry who got left behind during the retreat to the position that they were supposed to regroup. He could probably be counted among them since he was in a similar situation even though he was a lone sniper.
They were in a city and there were quite a few human spectators watching them like zoo animals. He didn¡¯t look too much different than them other than the ears.
The humans seemed to have transported them somewhere deeper in human territory. The place that he was entering seemed to be a large prison for all the elf POWs.
Magusian airfield modernized by the US
Two US Army military intelligence agents watched as soldiers dragged the elves into the plane. One of the agents looked at the other who was his superior.
¡°Why are we sending these elves to the US?¡±
¡°CIA.¡±
¡°What about the CIA?¡±
¡°Being the annoying bastards they are. They didn¡¯t want to do interrogations here because of the lack of infrastructure.¡±
¡°Lack of infrastructure?¡±
¡°They can¡¯t do their quote on quote fancy stuff here.¡±
¡°Well, I hope they like the trip.¡±
His superior started laughing.
The elves were blindfolded and gagged. Their hands were tied tightly with a piece of cloth to prevent them from using any funny magic. Whenever the elves were captured, some of them always tried to use magic to resist. Of course, the end result was them getting shot to pieces. That usually ended almost all forms of resistance but there were rare cases of idiots trying to commit suicide by armed US soldiers since they were too stubborn to surrender.
The elves that were being sent away were the most uncooperative so military intelligence didn¡¯t mind handing them over to the CIA.
0232 April 9th, 2020 CE
0416 Sun 9th, 196 AE
Elven Frontline
The surviving elven infantry and magipanzers started to flee in fear as they saw what happened to their brethren closer to the front. Even more fearsome than the direct explosions of the human artillery were the unexplainable shrapnel explosions. An explosion would occur in the air and the infantry and magipanzers below would all be mercilessly cut down by a rain of metal.
A few minutes later
American Frontline
With his company was in a line formation, Captain John Rose¡¯s Abrams burst out of town, spearheading the entire battalion¡¯s counteroffensive. Behind them, Issac was back in his squad¡¯s Bradley.
¡°Oh boy, here we go again.¡±
Issac was clearly unhappy about the fact that he had to sit in a cramped and dim compartment for another hour or so without AC.
The enemy resistance seemed to have instantly melted from the concentrated artillery fire. On their way towards the elven concentrated positions or what used to be their concentrated positions, elven tanks filled with holes and flesh littered the field.
When they had arrived, the only things that remained of the elven positions were burning wrecks and dead bodies. Even further forward were the obliterated remains of the elven artillery.
Issac walked out of his squad¡¯s Bradley. They had been ordered to check for any survivors.
¡°Well, the artillery cleared the way. Doubt anybody can even survive this. Guess we don¡¯t have to do anything.¡±
0245 April 9th, 2020 CE
0422 Sun 9th, 196 AE
Elven Command Post
Colonel General Eroan Faexalim contemplated what to do next. The humans had completely destroyed his offensive and battered his defenses. The human artillery was deadly. Not only had they demolished a large portion of his artillery, but the human rocket artillery also saturated his offensive units. According to the reports, it was horrifying. Something that could only be described as a rain of steel that cut down everything and anything. Those that were in its area of effect didn¡¯t even know what had hit them.
He stared at the map and looked at a small wooden block that was off to the side. He still had an ace up his sleeve.
¡°Get the special magipanzer battalion. We will attack them before they can move up their artillery.¡±
Behind the Elven frontline
Ara looked at the magipanzers that rumbled by. They were much bigger than her Knight.
¡°So these are the new magipanzers.¡±
One of her crew members was leaning against the Knight.
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¡°Yep, how effective do you think they will be, commander?¡±
Ara stayed silent.
<<<¡°Wedge formation. We will blow a hole through their lines.¡±>>>
After his command, Major Hagluin Norhices¡¯s 45 Fortress IIs spread out across the field in two wedges. Behind them, medium and light magipanzers followed. Further behind were the infantry.
American/Magus Frontline
Unlike the Americans who had armored vehicles, the Magus lacked the speed or protection. They were extremely exposed in the plains. There was no cover to be seen anywhere. They had just arrived at their designated positions and had barely any time to set up defenses before they were attacked.
¡°Where are our magitanks?!¡±
Explosions occurred around the soldier. He ducked onto the ground with his hands on his helmet.
Machine guns from the approaching elven magitanks gunned down a couple of the still-standing Magusians.
<<<¡°The 27th Magusian Infantry division is being attacked by elven armored forces, we will need you to redirect your tank company to help them. Get there as fast as possible. It¡¯s questionable if the Magus can hold them off and we have no artillery support to help them.¡±>>>
John looked at his map. There were markings that indicate where each of the Magusian division was. Quickly finding the 27th, he replied.
<<<¡°Understood.¡±>>>
He got his armored company together.
<<<¡°B Company, new orders, the Magusian division that just arrived to the right of us is under attack. We are being sent to help them.¡±>>>
After a short journey in column formation, they found their target.
¡°Elf tanks up ahead, let them rip!¡±
The elves were assaulting and clearly pushing back the Magusians. John¡¯s Abrams destroyed the Knight closest to their position. Shots from his company followed. They quickly spread out and changed into a line formation in order to maximize firepower.
The elves¡¯ wedge formation had been flanked. In his Fortress II, Major Norhices noticed this and started to redirect his battalion. He understood that the enemy magipanzers were much more dangerous than the squashable infantry in front of him.
The Fortress IIs started turning to face the Americans. A shot from a turning Fortress II bounced off of John¡¯s Abrams. The shot was returned in kind. The sabot round went straight into the Fortress II from the front and it stopped moving.
¡°Underofficer Faran¡¯s magipanzer was taken out. His magipanzer stopped moving after being hit.¡±
¡°In the name of the goddess¡¡±
Major Norhice couldn¡¯t believe it. Their new magiapanzers were worthless against the American ones. His superiors had told him that the front armor of this new magipanzer was supposedly impenetrable by almost any gun in the elven arsenal. Yet the Americans destroyed it as if the armor didn¡¯t even exist.
¡°Pummel them!¡±
The Fortress IIs were not fast tanks because of their armor, they were meant to soak in damage while returning deadly fire. They were not suited for any flanking maneuvers on the battlefield when directly facing the enemy. The Fortress IIs were now failing at their jobs. They couldn¡¯t soak in any damage from the Abrams and their fire were turned into ricochets and explosions that seemed to do no damage.
Other than receiving scratch marks and minor damages to a couple of exposed parts on their tanks, John¡¯s company was completely fine. 14 M1A2 Abrams destroyed 45 Fortress IIs. The newest elven magipanzer which was proclaimed to be impenetrable from the front.
Elven Command Post
¡°What!? WHAT! WHAT DO YOU MEAN THEY WERE ALL DESTROYED!¡±
¡°Um sir¡ from the um survivors, the Americans showed up with their magipanzers and completely destroyed the 1st Special Heavy Magipanzer Battalion.¡±
¡°Are you telling me that these Americans were able to destroy a magipanzer that had more than 60 mm of front armor than the Fortress!?¡±
The messenger cowered at his commander¡¯s shouting and anger.
¡°Um¡ yes sir¡¡±
¡°Then how about the casualties on the American side? The Fortress IIs were armed with a much better gun than the Fortress. At least tell me that they took out a few of theirs.¡±
¡°Ummmm¡from the observers of the battle... none sir¡ we did do damage against the Imperials though.¡±
¡°None¡ none!?¡±
He started laughing. He then reached for the pistol in his holster. A few seconds later, a shot rang out of the tent.
¡°Um¡ sir¡¡±
The messenger stood bewildered at his commander¡¯s dead body. Silence filled the tent.
Suddenly two guards rushed in.
¡°What happened? We heard a gunshot.¡±
¡°The commander¡¯s dead!¡±
¡°Uhhh... he shot himself.¡±
That was as clear as day since the messenger had no weapons on him.
0425 April 9th, 2020 CE
0512 Sun 9th, 196 AE
Afavalin, Elven Nation
¡°The 1st Special Heavy Magipanzer Battalion was destroyed. Colonel General Faexalim also committed suicide.¡±
Tarron slammed his fist on the table in anger. He put his palm to his head and looked down.
¡°I¡¯m ordering a full retreat to the Verona. Tell them to destroy anything of value during their retreat. All units will set up defensive positions once they arrive on the other side of the Verona. Destroy all bridges and prevent the enemy from getting through.¡±
After further instructing his generals, he got his coat and left.
Tarron entered Zeno Naerora¡¯s office in the Advancement Department. He really disliked visiting this place. The curtains were almost always closed unless it was raining. It was as if Zeno was allergic to the sun. He always acted extremely gloomy when he had to go out in the sun.
¡°How are those Hexenbesens coming along?¡±
¡°Very good My Leader! We have started production and they will be capable of being fired upon the Empire very soon.¡±
¡°How about the jets? Can we deploy them now?¡±
¡°Ah, we are still doing some tests.¡±
¡°Are those tests required?¡±
¡°Well they are just making sure that¡¡±
¡°Good, we will be shipping them out to the field. We need them right now.¡±
¡°Hm. Well, I suppose I could rush the tests.¡±
0907 April 9th, 2020 CE
0744 Sun 9th, 196 AE
American Frontline
¡°Seems like the elves are giving ground.¡±
They had been on the road for a few hours and there had not been a single enemy soldier in sight. Whatever towns they came across were burning. Elf positions seemed to have been abandoned and destroyed in a hurry.
1433 April 9th, 2020 CE
Adelphi Laboratory Center, Aberdeen Proving Ground, United States of America
Scientists studied the destroyed remains of the elven weaponry that had just recently arrived.
¡°These magic batteries could be very useful. I¡¯m going to need one that is less damaged to actually see how they work.¡±
¡°From the information we received, the elves need to transition energy from themselves into the battery. And from our earlier tests, Americans can¡¯t use said magic because we are not native to this world. We are probably missing something that the humans of this world developed. Well, actually, an interesting thing that I overheard was that it is possible that humans evolved from elves or that elves evolved from humans. According to what was said, the elves'' physical appearance to humans are almost exactly the same other than their pointy ears.¡±
¡°Hm. We will need to conduct further studies of their DNA about that. However, back to this, it''s highly possible that we can improve these batteries so that they can directly siphon mana from the air. This could be a new source of renewable energy!¡±
Chapter 52 - Full Retreat
2222 April 9th, 2020 CE
0211 Sun 10th, 196 AE
Frontline
The entire elven army was on the run. US Brigade Combat Teams made rapid advances throughout the night and reclaimed the Magusian lands that the elves ran from. The Magusian Army couldn¡¯t keep up with the speed of the American advance.
It was clear that the elves were starting to use scorched earth tactics. Every single house, town, and city that the American forces came across had been mostly razed to the ground. The scorched earth tactics had no effect on the US forces. Of course, it caused a lot of anguish to the Magus. It was certain that the Magus wasn¡¯t going to like this one bit.
50 miles behind them, the airfields were nearly finished with their modifications. The runways had been smoothed out and cleared and all needed facilities to operate American aircraft had been set up. Air support had finally come back online. With the US army getting ever closer to the elven airbases, they had begun to be within the range of elven aircraft. Because of the dominance of American airpower in the old world, the US did not have a large arsenal of capable air defense systems. What they did have were shoulder-fired FIM-92 Stingers which were meant for short-range anti-air. There were also versions that were mounted on Humvees and LAV-25s. AN/TWQ-1 Avenger Air Defense Systems were basically Humvees with 8 Stingers attached and LAV-ADs were the same as the Avengers but were LAV-25s that also had a 25mm gun with anti-air capabilities. The other system was MIM-104 Patriots which had medium and long-range anti-air and anti-missile capabilities. A Patriot battalion which consisted of six batteries had been spread out and deployed miles behind the frontlines but were not expected to be used unless things got really problematic. A single Patriot missile was just too expensive to be wasted on a propeller aircraft.
The sirens of multiple diving elven dive bombers could be heard. Although quite effective as a psychological weapon against the Magus, it didn¡¯t faze the US soldiers at all and was more of a detriment to the elves since it gave their position away.
The Avengers quickly found their diving, screeching targets and fired. Sixteen missiles from two Avengers flew at Mach speeds toward their targets. When elven dive bombers start to dive down, they would quickly be within the range of the FIM-92 Stingers which could easily shoot them down before they could even drop their payload. Within only a few minutes after they were heard, the entire squadron of elven dive bombers had been shot out of the sky. Missiles reducing their aircraft to mere fireballs.
Somewhere in the Elven Nation
An elven officer in a sleek grey uniform sat comfortably in a chair behind a desk and stared at the human standing in front of him. The human was tall and had some muscle to him. The officer looked back down at the clipboard in his hand. In a crisp loud voice, he shouted.
¡°Laborer. Next!¡±
The elven officer flipped to the next page. A boy who was 14 years old according to the information provided on the sheet of paper on the clipboard stared at him with a face full of anxiousness. The elven officer cocked his eyes.
¡°Servant. Next!¡±
A young girl came up.
¡°Servant. Next!¡±
A young woman approached the table. The officer looked up at her face and then down at her ¡°assets¡±. His eyes looked down on her file and wandered back up towards her ¡°assets¡±. He stared at them for a few seconds.
¡°...special work. Next!¡±
Unlike some of his colleagues, he was less inclined to say what ¡°special work¡± was directly.
This was one of the few camps that were organizing the captured humans. Laborers were mostly sent to factories. Servants and a few laborers were sold on the market to citizens by the government. The ¡°special works¡± went to the brothels.
Rather than killing all the humans, the elves believed that they had the ¡°compassion¡± and ¡°mercy¡± of letting some of them live to serve elves. They were basically slaves.
0220 April 10th, 2020 CE
0410 Sun 10th, 196 AE
A sector of the Verona River
The sun was starting to set.
¡°Move! Move! Get everything across the bridge as soon as possible!¡±
An engineer came running towards him from the bridge.
¡°Sir! Sir!¡±
The Lieutenant General turned to face him.
¡°Are the charges set?¡±
¡°Yes, sir.¡±
The Lieutenant General nodded and glanced at his adjutant.
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¡°How much more are coming across?¡±
¡°This is the last division.¡±
¡°Tell them to get a move on. We don¡¯t have time.¡± The Lieutenant General then went to find his executive officer. The executive officer was in the midst of ordering his division. He called out to his executive officer. ¡°How are the defensive positions?¡±
¡°Machine gun nests are being set up across the river line. Mortars are ready to assault anything that tries to come across. All units should be positioned. We have every type of gun trained on this river, they are not passing through.¡±
A few minutes later, explosions rocked the sides of the bridges. It all came crashing down into the river. One of the many bridges that led across the Verona was blown up. More were to follow.
American HQ
¡°The elves have blown up every single bridge on the Verona River. They are setting up defenses on the bank. From the reconnaissance drones, I can see a whole array of machine-gun nests, anti-air emplacements, artillery positions, and a heck ton of ground units. They are adamant on not letting us through.¡±
¡°Shouldn¡¯t be that hard of a nut to crack.¡±
Miles behind the American frontline
¡°Fire!¡±
M777s and M270s thundered in the plains. The crews of the M777s fired for hours on end. The M270s went back for constant reloads of their rocket launchers. Overhead, formations of F-15Es rocketed through the skies. Once they arrived at the river banks, they swooped in low to drop bombs onto the elven defenses on the shore. Whatever the elves had put into that river line was pounded for hours to oblivion. Nothing but blackened dirt and mangled metal remained.
Detecting these aircraft, elves scrambled to get their fighters in the air but the end results of their air battles would never change. Every single time, their formations would be blown out of the skies by hundreds of missiles from F-16s.
0307 April 10th, 2020 CE
0445 Sun 10th, 196 AE
A sector of the Verona River
Numerous HEMTTs (Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Trucks) came up right beside the river. The trucks that were carrying small tug-like boats backed up into the water. Bridge erection boats were deployed from the back of them. After the boats were deployed, a few other trucks backed up into the river. They were carrying a different cargo. Improved Ribbon Bridges slid off of them and into the river. The once big cylindrical tubes that were on the back of the trucks slowly came apart into a flat floating bridge on the river.
Like tugs, the bridge erection boats started guiding the Improved Ribbon Bridges. They were soon all snapped together to form a large bridge that could cross the Verona.
The first Abrams rolled onto the bridge.
In the darkness, two elven scouts stared in amazement. The moonlight and the light from the American equipment gave a perfect view of what was happening.
¡°They are sliding bridges into the river!¡±
¡°What?!¡±
They stared at the scene through their binoculars. They were hiding in one of the few remaining bushes left after the relentless bombardment. They watched as a human magipanzer started moving towards the quickly made bridge.
¡°Isn¡¯t that thing too heavy?¡±
A few seconds later, the human magipanzer moved onto the bridge and it held up. Even more human magipanzers followed and piled onto the bridge.
¡°...no way¡¡±
One of the elves slapped his partner''s shoulder.
¡°We have to go. Their magipanzers are crossing. We have to get this information back. They are doing it much faster than we are expecting.¡±
1205 April 10th, 2020 CE
0603 Sun 10th, 196 AE
Cat Kingdom, United Beastmen Kingdom, Soane Continent
Miller knocked on the door and entered
¡°Wasn¡¯t our supply of extra rations and equipment supposed to get here today? We haven¡¯t received it yet.¡±
Wolfred looked up from his book.
¡°...ah, forgot to tell you. The ship carrying that stuff over got sunk. We got a second one coming. We should have it by tomorrow. Cutting it close but there¡¯s nothing we can do.¡±
¡°Huh? Sunk? By who? The Elven navy?¡±
¡°No. According to the Coast Guard, it was attacked by some water creature. Large holes on the bottom of the ship or something.¡±
¡°Hm. Scary.¡±
Wolfred shrugged.
¡°Not an isolated incident either. There had been reports here and there. Pretty sure people are calling whatever is attacking, ¡°The Kraken¡±. Funny thing is, they aren¡¯t even sure if it¡¯s a massive squid.¡±
¡°Heh. Is the government doing anything about it?¡±
¡°From what I have heard, not much, too focused on fighting the elves as of right now. Guess there''s not enough damage to justify a dedicated response or something but the Coast Guard is investigating. Shouldn¡¯t be too surprising. Probably something similar to those giant birds in the New Frontier. Well. New world, new creatures. Look around us.¡±
Wolfred looked back down at his book.
Somewhere in the Kingdom of Albea
Swords clanged on the battlefield. Armor glinted from the sun. Dead bodies littered the ground. With his binoculars, an elf observed the battle from a cliff. He had a frown on his face.
¡°Damn beastmen.¡±
¡°Should we prepare an armored assault now sir?¡±
He shook his head.
¡°Too many casualties.¡±
He knew how fearless the beastmen were. There had been multiple reports of them charging tanks and placing bombs on them. A lot of armored units had been disabled by that. Turns out quite a lot of the beastmen could take multiple hits from machine-gun fire and not go down. They were also masters at assassination and infiltration. An entire armored column had been mysteriously blown up one night.
Originally the elven invasion force was split between 70% going to attack the Empire and 30% to the kingdoms. However, with the constant failures occurring at the Empire, resources and units were diverted. It was now split between 85% Empire and 15% kingdoms. With such few units, mounting a full offensive was just not possible anymore. Furthermore, with mounting losses from the beastmen¡¯s infiltrations, the elves could only form a defensive position. However, they knew that with their allied human kingdom mobilized, it will only be a matter of time before it shifts in their favor.
A human knight was battered aside by a bear beastmen who towered over all the humans. A cheetah beastmen raced across the battlefield and cut down the humans who couldn¡¯t react to his speed.
0822 April 10th, 2020 CE
0744 Sun 10th, 196 AE
The ocean between the Magus Imperium and Elven Nation
Another one sunk.
The submarines had been constantly attacking elven ships that had been trying to cross the ocean towards the Magus Imperium. After destroying the last of the ships in that convoy. They quickly started moving away. Staying in one place was a death wish even with a modern submarine. It won¡¯t be long before elven destroyers and submarines started swarming the entire surrounding area dropping depth charges and randomly firing torpedoes.
Chapter 53 - Unraveled Chain of Command
0812 April 11th, 2020 CE
0706 Sun 11th, 196 AE
Afvalin, Elven Nation
Leader¡¯s Mansion
¡°We can¡¯t hold on much longer. Our ships are being disrupted by American submarines and American ground forces are crossing the Verona with ease using their deployable bridges.¡±
Tarron rapped his fingers on the desk. His face was unreadable but clearly heavy. Tarron knew that he had to act now.
Former Admiral Edyrm Vaynore was standing in Tarron¡¯s office with surprise clear on his face. He was literally dragged out of his retirement and given a ridiculous task. He was much more talkative now that he was no longer an admiral.
¡°But My Leader! This is a suicide mission! Besides, I already quit!¡±
¡°If this country is gone, then you are dead either way! We can still do some damage and maybe bring them to the negotiating table. I didn¡¯t even give you permission to quit.¡±
¡°But I gave you my letter of resignation.¡±
Tarron shook his head.
¡°I denied it.¡±
¡°You can do that? Then why was I allowed to leave in the first place?¡±
¡°I gave you a vacation.¡±
¡°I wasn¡¯t informed about this!¡±
¡°Doesn¡¯t matter, you are still an admiral of the National Navy, the last time I checked. I can still order you around. You are going to take this fleet and do as much damage as possible. You have a day to prepare. American submarine activities have been increasing. The time frame is narrowing.¡±
¡°...why do you think I won¡¯t just defect once my fleet sails?¡±
¡°If you do, you will either die by the hands of the naval officers loyal to me or die by the hands of those Americans. I can promise you that those Americans won¡¯t show mercy. We¡¯ve been slaughtering and enslaving their kind.¡±
0845 April 11th, 2020 CE
0722 Sun 11th, 196 AE
Elven Invasion Army of the Empire HQ
Field Marshal Zaos Qintumal didn¡¯t know what to do at this point. The Americans now controlled the skies. Most of the elve¡¯s aircraft have been destroyed before they could even take off. Those that could were all shot out of the skies like mere flies. American ground forces were also streaming in from everywhere. The Imperials were there too but they were of no concern to him. It has been only retreat upon retreat ever since the defense at the Verona failed. He cursed at the Americans. He understood that everything was going perfectly before they showed up and ruined it all. He paced around his tent. Then everything went black for him.
A glint shone off of the camera on a Predator drone in the sky. It started turning left.
Behind a computer screen, an American drone operator watched the explosion from his Predator¡¯s hellfire missile. Elves below ran around in a panic.
¡°Target eliminated. That should be a part of their chain of command crippled.¡±
The Predator drone had been loitering around the elven camp for a while in order to identify the command center. From satellite observations, it had been noted to be a very large camp that had the high probability of being the enemy headquarters for the invasion force. Of course, they couldn¡¯t identify the specific area that was the command center so they needed a drone to check it out.
In many other elven camps on Magusian territory, similar strikes by Predator drones were made.
Afvalin, Elven Nation
Leader¡¯s Mansion
¡°My Leader, the commander of the invasion force of the Empire has been killed. A small American hexenbesen struck and killed him.¡±
Tarron stood up and started pacing around. He was expressionless. He walked towards the door where the messenger was standing and grabbed his coat from the coat hanger. He walked out.
The High Command Office was bustling with activity. Staff and officers ran around. To them, everything that could go wrong was going wrong. Orders were not being sent out and reports were not being received. The chain of command for the elven army in the Empire was a complete mess.
¡°What¡¯s the current situation?¡±
Field Marshal Aegord Gael hesitated at Tarron¡¯s question for a moment before answering truthfully.
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¡°...disastrous, My Leader. All forces are currently retreating. Our chain of command in the Empire is gone. We don¡¯t have a clear picture of the American¡¯s advance but they have crossed the Verona at terrifying speeds.¡±
¡°Take me to the other generals, I¡¯m calling a meeting.¡±
Tarron looked around.
¡°What are your suggestions?¡±
Field Marshal Gael spoke up. It seemed like he already knew before the meeting what he wanted to say.
¡°We must retreat. I suggest that all forces in the Empire be brought back to our land as soon as possible¡±
All the other generals around him nodded.
¡°Almost the entire territory south of the Verona is still in our hands and you are telling me to allow a retreat all the way back home?¡±
¡°My Leader. We haven¡¯t won a single battle ever since the Americans came. If we put an ocean between our forces and theirs, it is possible that we can hold them off. If all our forces die in the Empire, then a large portion of our army will be gone. I do not believe the prospects are good for the survival of our nation if our army fights to the last man in enemy territory.¡±
Tarron¡¯s face darkened. That usually meant that he really wanted to throw something or shoot someone in anger. A heavy silence fell on the room for a minute.
¡°Tell all units to begin a retreat. We are evacuating from the Empire.¡±
The generals nodded again with relief on their faces.
Tarron knew that the Empire did not exist anymore and the currency country that they were invading was called the Magus Imperium but most elves still preferred to call it the Empire. All their military plans for attacking the humans in the Imperitoria Continent had been written using the word ¡°Empire¡± so changing it to the ¡°Magus Imperium¡± and creating a separate plan for the Mach Imperium was unnecessary hassle. He then remembered something.
¡°What about the ones in the kingdoms?¡±
The situation in the Empire had been worsening so much recently that reports from the kingdom were being glanced over or just put aside. Tarron barely knew the exact status of the elven army invading the kingdoms.
¡°Because of our diversion of forces to support our army in the Empire, the advance in the kingdoms has considerably slowed. We have gained assistance from the human kingdom that we allied with and we are hoping that we can use their numbers to allow us to continue our advance.¡±
¡°If the situation worsens over there, immediately inform me.¡±
¡°Yes, My Leader!¡±
1026 April 11th, 2020 CE
0813 Sun 11th, 196 AE
Frontline
Every single operation so far had been a failure. Offensives, counter-offensives, and defenses have all failed no matter what they tried. Now even her superior had gone silent. Every request for orders and questions have been met with nothing. For all Ara knew, they could have abandoned her and her division. She had been retreating with her beleaguered division and the rest of the second wave. They were burning almost every single thing they found in order to slow the Americans down and deny them resources. Every railroad was broken apart. Every house burned. Every road dug up. But it had no effect on the advancing American army. It was as if their supply lines stretched endlessly and the terrible road and rail conditions didn¡¯t matter.
About twenty miles back
¡°Got another blown up road, Captain¡±
¡°Wowie. Those elves really brought a lot of TNT. Well, just drive over them again.¡±
The M1A2 Abrams rattled over the cratered road.
1205 April 12th, 2020 CE
0603 Sun 12th, 196 AE
In the sea between the UBK and Soane continent mainland
The breeze of the sea made Ron¡¯s fur flutter. He was looking over the side of the ship. Jeb Miller was beside him. Miller looked down at Ron who was gazing at the horizon line.
¡°First time on the sea?
¡°Not really. My first time was during the Second Rebellion. I was serving with mother during that time.¡±
¡°The Second Rebellion?¡±
¡°It was 5 years ago when the Second Rebellion happened. The UBK originally was a bunch of separate kingdoms and quite a lot of beastmen wanted it to be like that again. I was 11 at the time. I had to board the ship with the rest of the division to fight in many of the other kingdoms in the UBK.¡±
¡°You were fighting at age 11?¡±
¡°Dear gods no, I was an attendant.¡±
¡°An attendant?¡±
¡°Rank even lower than a squire. Basically menial tasks with no training or fighting whatsoever. I just had to prepare mother for battle.¡±
Miller nodded.
¡°Then when was your first one?"
Ron looked up at Miller in confusion.
¡°What do you mean?
¡°Your first rebellion?¡±
¡°That was 15 years ago. I was dropped off during the First Rebellion.¡±
¡°Dropped off?¡±
¡°Abandoned.¡±
¡°Oh, sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to.¡±
¡°Meh, I don¡¯t mind.¡±
Miller remembered something that Ron had said a few days ago.
¡°But didn¡¯t you say you were abandoned by your parents because of unknown circumstances? Wasn¡¯t it highly probable that you were abandoned because of the war?¡±
Ron vehemently shook his head.
¡°Of course not, the First Rebellion didn¡¯t affect the Cat Kingdom that much. There were minor incidents during that time in the Cat Kingdom but nothing big enough to have parents abandoning their kittens.¡±
¡°Oh.¡±
They went back to looking at the scenery.
Commander Wolfred was inside the ship flipping a gold coin. One of the hundreds of coins that he received as payment from the UBK.
Gold was much more valuable in the United States than in the UBK. With the amount of gold they had received, the Diamond Wolves had profited a lot. Even with all the AKs and ammo that they had to buy and provide to the feline beastmen, they had enough left over that they could probably buy an entire US military outpost if one was being sold.
0445 April 12th, 2020 CE
0522 Sun 12th, 196 AE
Afvalin, Elven Nation
Admiral Edyrm Vaynore was in a terrible mood when he stepped onto his flagship, the aircraft carrier NN Conqueror.
Frontline
Captain John Rose had half of his body out of the commander¡¯s hatch of his speeding tank. He looked at the scenery. They have been advancing for hours upon hours after crossing the Verona and it has been mostly uneventful. They had captured a few groups of elves, witnessed the elve¡¯s scorched earth tactics, and experienced minor confrontations that usually ended with the elves running away.
Chapter 54 Part 1 - Guantanamo Bay, New Frontier
0612 April 12th, 2020 CE
0624 Sun 12th, 196 AE
Somewhere in the Elven Nation
Soldiers tossed bushes, twigs, and various types of vegetation onto the artillery pieces.
It was noted that the Americans had the capability to locate elven units with ease. How they were doing it was still in question but precautions were being taken. In order to combat this problem, Tarron had ordered the application of various types of camouflage onto magipanzers, artillery, bunkers, and nearly everything else that can hide. Magipanzers were being painted green on top and grasses were placed onto the turrets.
1800 April 12th, 2020 CE
0000 Sun 13th, 196 AE
The northern beaches of the Elven Nation
In near-complete darkness, a zodiac boat was quietly zipping through the waters. It quickly slid onto a beach. Six men jumped out and the boat was deflated. They quickly unpacked. One of the men put on his night-vision goggles. He silently walked up the sand mound and scanned around. He signaled to the others that the coast was clear. After completely unpacking within a few minutes, they quickly moved inland.
0359 April 13th, 2020 CE
0459 Sun 13th, 196 AE
Eastern side of the Elven Nation
One of the largest combined deployment of naval units in elven history was happening right in front of his eyes. Admiral Eyrom held no joy at it. A few weeks ago, he would have been extremely proud of leading such a force but now his face seemed stone cold. To him, this was just a suicide mission. He looked down at his watch. It was 5:00.
¡°Set off¡±
5 fleet carriers, 5 light carriers, 5 battleships, 20 cruisers, 85 destroyers, and 95 submarines set off for the American west coast. It was more than half of the entire Elven fleet.
0436 April 13th, 2020 CE
Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, Cuba New Frontier
Although located in a somewhat similar topography as the original Guantanamo Bay in Cuba, it was now connected to the mainland. The Pentagon was a bit annoyed by this fact since it meant the possibility of prisoners escaping and hiding in the surrounding forests. Nevertheless, it was still being used.
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When it was transported from Earth to the New World, it came under attack by the phoenixes. Luckily a US Army unit that had been stationed in Iraq had also been transported nearby. They had taken casualties but air support was able to be called in and the phoenixes were dealt with.
Now a C-130 Hercules transport aircraft came in for a landing on the airfield. The door on it opened once it came to a stop.
¡°Come on, get off!¡±
An elf was shoved out of the plane and landed face-first on the runway.
¡°Woah, be careful with them.¡±
¡°I have had enough of keeping an eye on these fucking bastards.¡±
¡°I will lead the rest off.¡±
The extremely frustrated soldier walked off and started dragging the elf that he had shoved off.
The elves were all blindfolded, gagged, and tied at all the limbs. Originally only their hands were tied together. After a plane trip across the ocean, even their legs were bound.
A few hours later
Inside the detention camp, one of the elves finally had his blindfold taken off. His eyes darted around in the slightly lit room. The only other person in the room was the human who took off his blindfold. The human was clearly armed and seemed ready to shoot at any sign of anything going wrong. Suddenly a voice was heard. It didn¡¯t come from the human in the room.
¡°Now then.¡±
The voice sighed before continuing.
¡°Depending on how well you cooperate, you will either have a relaxing day or a not so relaxing one. Now, I have multiple questions that I hope you will answer. Get his gag off.¡±
The human in the room followed the order.
¡°Fuck you, you human! We will kill you all! Our armies will¡¡±
The voice cut him off. It was louder this time.
¡°Mhm. Ok. Now, the first question. Who¡¯s your leader?¡±
¡°Our glorious Leader will trample you all! Just wait and see you pitiful¡¡±
¡°Let me ask again. Who is your leader? His name?¡±
¡°Our glorious Leader Tarron Venharice. You shall tremble when you hear of his name you insignifi¡¡±
¡°Do you know what he looks like? Can you give us a description?¡±
¡°Why should I tell you that, you vermin?"
There was a short silence.¡±
¡°Ok, next question. Do you know how large your navy is?¡±
¡°Our navy? Our glorious navy is tremendous. Their guns will blast your cities to smithereens.¡±
¡°How large is it?¡±
¡°You will be groveling at our feet soon you inferior!¡±
The voice sighed and grumbled a bit.
¡°I guess we are doing it the hard way. Take him to his cell. Make sure he doesn¡¯t get a wink of sleep. Also no food. Let''s see how he likes Gitmo hospitality.¡±
None of the captured were very high ranking so the information asked of them involved questions that were less secretive but still important to know. The sizes of their military, their training, their goal, and other things. Of course, none of them willingly answered much so they were subjected to some ¡°conditioning¡±.
Chapter 54 Part 2 – Guantanamo Bay, New Frontier
Washington D.C.
President Hayes was having a meeting to discuss the next steps of the war against the elves.
¡°How should we proceed with the invasion of the Elven homeland?¡±
Secretary of Defense Cralson was there to brief him on the overall situation and plan.
¡°We will begin with a 48-hour air and missile campaign to eliminate as much of the enemy as we can. We will target military bases, government buildings, and known positions. Then there will be multiple beach landings with air support. Once the beachheads are established, they will meet with each other and we will push inland. As of right now, Green Berets have already moved in. They should be gathering information and transferring it back to us quite soon.¡±
¡°Ugh. We don¡¯t know how hard they are willing to fight. What secret weapons they have up their sleeves. And most of all, whether or not they have developed the bomb.¡±
It was clear that the elves had a secret weapon program but it was to an unknown extent. The US government feared that the elves might have already created an atom bomb. Although it was no threat to the US homeland, it was a major cause for concern for the invasion force. If the elves had buried it in the ground and set it to explode once US forces were on top of it, there was no telling the amount of damage it could inflict.
Guant¨¢namo Bay, New Frontier
Two CIA agents were having a quick discussion in their office.
¡°So how are our elven guests doing?¡±
¡°Pretty terrible.¡±
¡°That¡¯s good to hear. Any of them willing to spill anything yet?¡±
¡°There are about as nationalistic as the Japanese were during World War 2. Military intelligence was not kidding when they complained about their lack of cooperation.¡±
¡°I¡¯m taking that as a no then.¡±
¡°We are tempting them with food and better conditions but man their nationalism must have been put into them from the moment they were born. They have already been starved, beat, left in the extreme cold and heat, forced to stay awake, and put into extremely uncomfortable positions. They aren¡¯t budging. We may need to switch to harsher methods soon.¡±
¡°Give it one or two more days. I rather not have to view the harsher methods.¡±
¡°Me neither but we have to do what we have to do... wait, since this is considered US territory, are we still allowed to do our ya know... ''methods''"
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"Well, if you read the 50-page document detailing the annexation of the New Frontier, there''s a small clause somewhere in the middle that makes this area of the New Frontier, not a US territory in the name of preserving the natural wildlife of this world or some excuse."
"Well doesn''t that mean having this structure is disturbing the wildlife."
"The clause says that it doesn''t allow for any new buildings to be built."
"Then how are we going to upgrade our facilities?"
The agent chuckled.
"Emphasis on the new."
Elven landing zones in the Magus Imperium
The temporary ports constructed at the start of the elven invasion of the Empire were extremely busy. Magipanzers were being driven back onto the landing craft and transport ships. Platoons of elves hurried across the coast. Crates were quickly being loaded on. Everyone was in a hurry. They knew that they couldn¡¯t evacuate everyone but they were going to try. The Americans were extremely close.
They had been constantly harassed by American aircraft and even at sea, the harassment didn¡¯t stop.
From her hatch, Ara looked out at the sea towards her homeland. Her blitzpanzer division, trained and focused on the specific use of speed, had easily outpaced the rest of the Second Wave army. Her division was assigned to a ship that would depart within two hours. It was easy because she didn¡¯t have that many magipanzers. From the casualties she had suffered during the battles and retreats, it wasn¡¯t much of a division anymore and was more comparable to a battalion. A total of 63 magipanzers remained out of the original 321. She was still surprised that she herself survived the entire ordeal. She had started to consider retiring soon.
Frontline
¡°Keep firing! We must let them through the perimeter!¡±
The Second Wave Army, bolstered by parts of the Third Wave Army, fought a retreating battle. They had to hold on for as long as possible for the evacuations to finish. The last of their dragon artillery battalions fired their large bursts before being blown up by bombs that came from unknown places. The Americans have been bombarding the retreating elven forces that were even further behind the defending elven units. However, it was clear that the Americans were focused on trying to break through the defensive position.
Coast of Elven Nation
¡°My Leader! Good to see you here.¡±
Although his words were positive, the way that they were spoken were definitely not. It was clear why. Zeno was out in the sun. Firing the Hexenbesens when it was raining didn¡¯t seem like a good idea. Flying experimental aircraft in the rain wasn¡¯t a good idea either but Zeno had been extremely insistent on it and gave the excuse that it was a good test of its all-weather capabilities so it was allowed. However, his wish of firing the Hexenbesens when it was raining was denied. It wasn¡¯t a test so failure because the weather would have been unacceptable and the firing had to happen soon so they couldn¡¯t wait for rain.
¡°Are you sure they will hit?¡±
¡°We are firing multiple Hexenbesens. All targeted at the Americans on the coasts that they have reached. Although not a hundred percent accurate, some are bound to hit and do damage.¡±
Flames appeared below the first Hexenbesen as it started to rocket towards the sky.
Coast of the Magus Imperium
¡°We are detecting multiple incoming missiles. All targeted at our ground forces in the area.¡±
Chapter 55 - Infiltration
0844 April 13th, 2020 CE
0722 Sun 13th, 196 AE
Magus Imperium near the ocean
Even though it was still morning, the sun had been up hours ago. In an open field, six unhooked Patriot Systems sat with their launchers pointed in the air. Behind the systems were an AN/MPQ-65 and the engagement control station. A three-man crew was inside the station.
¡°We got multiple tracks on the radar.¡±
¡°What are they?¡±
¡°...three¡ five¡ eight missiles heading towards our direction. ¡±
In the engagement control station, the TCO (Tactical Control Officer) watched as multiple dots appeared on the radar screen. He looked at the radio operator.
¡°Contact headquarters.¡±
The TDA (Tactical Director Assistant) looked up from his radio and at his superior.
¡°Tactical Director, one of our batteries is detecting missiles.¡±
¡°Give me the radio.¡±
<<<¡°This is the Tactical Director.¡±
¡°Sir, these are definitely elven. I recommend that we shoot them down immediately.¡±
¡°Ok. Give me a second. Let me check the track and contact the ADAFCO.¡±
¡°Understood sir.¡±>>>
A few minutes later
<<<¡°ADAFCO has ensured that it isn¡¯t friendly or neutral of any sorts and the RADC has given the go-ahead to engage. You are free to fire at will at all current targets.¡±
¡°Understood. We will proceed immediately.¡±>>>
The TCO put down the radio and turned to the TCA (Tactical Control Assistant).
¡°Engage the tracks.¡±
One missile flew out of one of the 16-celled Patriot Systems. A few seconds later, a second missile launched from the same system. A few feet away, another one also fired.
As per protocol, two PAC-3 missiles were fired for each enemy missile.
The first PAC-3 quickly cruised through the sky. The altitude control motors started to adjust the PAC-3¡¯s trajectory. It got closer and closer to one of the elven Hexenbesens. It slammed into the Hexenbesen. In the air, a bright flash of a ball of orange occurred. Within minutes, multiple other bright flashes could be seen in the sky as the PAC-3 missiles struck the stream of Hexenbesens.
The TCA looked at the radar screen.
¡°All missiles have been eliminated.¡±
Detections station near the coast, Elven Nation
A few minutes ago
¡°How are the Hexenbesens?¡±
¡°They seem to be doing fine. All on course.¡±
The elven MUD (Mana Usage Detector) operator watched as the dots that represented the fired Hexenbesens blinked forwards. The MUDs had a much longer range of detection than the MWEs (Mana Wave Emittor) since elves have been using and developing magitech for more than a few thousand years. Their foray into mechtech, their word for any complicated mechanical technology, only started about five hundred years ago. Thus the MWEs, capable of detecting any large physical objects, were much less developed than the MUDs, capable of detecting any sort of magic usage. One of the dots of the Hexenbesens stopped blinking.
The operator looked back at his commander.
¡°Hm. One of them might have landed too early.¡±
Then a few more stopped blinking. Concern was obvious on the operator.
¡°They are all landing too early. Did we give them enough fuel?¡±
¡°I¡¯m pretty sure the ground crews gave them more than enough.¡±
The last of the dots stopped blinking. The commander sighed.
¡°Get headquarters. There is a high chance that a malfunction occurred on them.¡±
Afvalin, Elven Nation
Tarron was pacing around the control room as Zeno tried to explain what had happened.
¡°There might be a malfunction in the Hexenbesens. We will need to look if there were any engineering issues with them. From my knowledge, there shouldn¡¯t have been any. Ugh. We will have to take one apart and look through it piece by piece.¡±
None of the Hexenbesens had reached their intended targets. All of them dropped into the ocean at nearly the exact same location. Based on that, many thought that there might be a common problem within all of the Hexenbesens. If they could locate the problem, they believed they could fix it.
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Tarron continued to pace around in frustration.
1110 April 13th, 2020 CE
0835 Sun 13th, 196 AE
Somewhere in the Elven Nation
In a cave, a few men looked through their backpacks. When they had arrived, they had quickly traveled further inland just in case there were elf patrols on the beaches.
¡°Everyone has their ears on and secured right?¡±
¡°Yep.¡±
¡°Of course.¡±
A few others nodded.
¡°Pull on them to make sure.¡±
They tugged at their pointy ears. The ears almost felt life-like when touching.
¡°Ok, good. Make one last check on your clothing and weapons and put all the backpacks into the back.¡±
The men meticulously checked their clothing and the guns they had on them.
They set their backpacks down in a corner in the cave. A blanket that was the same color as the walls of the cave covered the backpacks.
¡°Ok, Robert, you know the drill. Make sure no one discovers what¡¯s in this cave. Keep your radio open.¡±
Robert, the Warrant Officer, nodded. Leaving half of the team behind, the six men set off.
Less than 30 minutes later
¡°Hello there, we are travelers from a long way who are a bit lost. Can you direct us to the nearest town?¡±
An old elven in a horse-drawn cart looked at the six elves standing on the side of the road. He pushed up his straw hat and regarded them carefully. The elves remained calm. The old elven pointed down the road behind him.
¡°Shouldn¡¯t be that far. Less than an hour of walk and you will get to the town of Caenalin.¡±
¡°Alright, thanks!¡±
The old elven nodded and pulled the reins to get his horses moving again.
¡°Good to know that these disguises work.¡±
¡°We just have to put on some pointy ears and wear clothing suitable to their era. Nothing too big.¡±
They were walking down a dirt road with no one around. It seems that this area was rural.
1220 April 13th, 2020 CE
0910 Sun 13th, 196 AE
Elven temporary ports in the Magus Imperium
With her magipanzer loaded up in the ship, Ara looked out at the sea. She was happy that she was finally getting out of this hellhole. She has heard from many about the transport ships being attacked by undetectable submarines but felt that she had a better chance of survival on the ocean than on dry land. It was clearly only a matter of time before American land and air forces would arrive and start bombarding their position. Even with hundreds of thousands of elves still fighting, it was clear that it was a losing battle. She could even hear some of the sounds of the battle that was occurring miles away.
Frontline
<<<¡°We need fire support on our sector! The Americans are breaking through!¡±
¡°Negative. We are unable to direct any to your sector as of right now.¡±
¡°We can¡¯t hold! We are retreating!¡±
¡°Negative! Orders are still in place. Fight to the last elf. Deserters will be shot.¡±>>>
Explosions, whizzing bullets, and screaming could be heard everywhere. The elven soldier threw the headphones for the magiradio down onto the ground and cursed loudly.
An American aircraft screamed past overhead. Elves hid behind the husks of their destroyed magipanzers. Occasionally popping out and shooting at the advancing Americans.
New Elven HQ
<<<¡°We need fire support!¡±>>>
<<<¡°We are getting overrun! Where¡¯s the rein¡ªzzzzz¡°>>>
<<<¡±bzzzzzbzzzz¡±>>>
The magiradios in the tents were spilling out with the panicked sounds of the soldiers at the front. The magiradio operators struggled to keep up.
With most of the high-ranked officers in command of the invasion forces dead, the elves were forced to form an ad hoc chain of command with a group of Lieutenant Generals and Major Generals on top. The elven headquarters have been placed in an unremarkable area filled with trees after the original headquarter that had been placed in open plains was devastated by American bombing. The generals bickered about the next plan of action.
Frontline
Stiff resistance from the elves ground the American advance to nearly a halt. Arriving at what was another one of the elven''s lines of defense, they were bombarded by artillery and rocket artillery. Even more, elven armored vehicles appeared in swarms. At certain points of the front, the elves even outnumbered the Americans by 50 to 1.
Two lines of Magusian soldiers hid behind an Abrams. They slowly advanced as it drove forward.
¡°Keep your head down and don¡¯t peek out!¡±
The Magusian that were crouching behind the American magitank was thankful that it had been so far impenetrable. None of the elves¡¯ weapons seemed to have any effect. In comparison, the Magusian¡¯s magitank had been completely worthless in protecting them. It would have been destroyed in a single shot.
An Abrams beside them started to drive backward.
<<<¡°This is Bulldog 1-3. Our main gun is toast. We are getting out.¡±>>>
Its machine gun continued to fire at the anti-tank guns lining the small hill. Elves were pushing out the destroyed anti-tank guns and replacing them with new ones. Occasionally an elven armored vehicle will appear only to be taken out a few seconds later.
<<
>>
The American magipanzers started to pull back. They continued firing but it was clear that they were running. Their infantry was turning back too. The elves on the hill, seeing this, started to cheer. Then thousands of small pieces of metal blanketed the area.
A few minutes later
The commanding officer shook his head.
¡°We need engineers to clear a path. Tell them to get their explosives and bulldozers. Actually, maybe we should just call a bombing run on this. Explosives and bulldozers aren¡¯t gonna be enough.¡±
A literal wall of corpses and metal blocked the advance.
1235 April 13th, 2020 CE
0917 Sun 13th, 196 AE
Caenalin, Elven Nation
The town was bustling with elves. Elven children ran around seemingly without a care in the world.
Five elves walked on the streets looking around. The buildings beside them were all lined up neatly. A few elves were walking around. The team¡¯s commanding officer, Pablo Carter walked up to one of the elves.
¡°Excuse me, sir. Do you happen to know where we can find a map? We are travelers who have gotten lost.¡±
¡°A block down, there is an inn. You can go in there and ask around. They should have maps for sale.¡±
¡°Thanks, sir.¡±
They handed the two maps to the innkeeper.
¡°5 Bronze.¡±
Bronze was not actual bronze but was a type of bill. The elven currency system was a bit complicated. They solely relied on paper money that was printed out as one of three types. Bronze, Silver, and Gold. The value of each was obvious.
They handed the innkeeper 5 Bronze. These were not real. They were counterfeit bills made to look as much like the real thing as possible. It was a good thing that a couple of the captured elven soldiers had been carrying cash on them.
The innkeeper didn¡¯t even look at the bills and quickly placed them in the register.
Near the ocean, Elven Nation
Bulldozers dug into the ground. They made small rectangular pits. A Guard magipanzer drove into it. Its body was inside the pit while the turret was outside with its gun pointing forward. Multiple pits for magipanzers were created. Anti-tank thauguns were dug in. Grass and leaves were thrown on top of them.
Chapter 56 - Abandoned
1152 April 13th, 2020 CE
0856 Sun 13th, 196 AE
Airfield miles behind the frontline
First Lieutenant Scott Miller rested on his bed in the barracks. Simple bunk beds lined the interior of the barracks. He was more used to the apartment dorm style that they had at their base. Back home on his base, he even had his own room. But right now he didn¡¯t really care. His squadron had been doing endless sorties a day. There never seemed to be an end to the number of elves that they had to blow to craters. It was a cycle of landing his aircraft, taking a few minutes of break, getting loaded up with missiles and bombs, and lifting off to take care of more of them. His squadron was even called to bomb the already destroyed sectors because the Army just couldn¡¯t get through the sheer amount of destruction.
1304 April 13th, 2020 CE
0932 Sun 13th, 196 AE
Frontline
There was a distinct rumbling coming from the red sky.
¡°American aircraft! American aircraft!¡±
The elves that had crowded the road scrambled to disperse.
An elf had an injured elf¡¯s arm slung over him. The injured elf was missing a leg so he couldn¡¯t walk fast. Heavily injured and maimed elves were everywhere.
¡°Come on, quickly!¡±
Magitrucks and magipanzers drove off the road.
¡°We are getting out of the magipanzer!
¡°But sir!¡±
¡°I¡¯m not dying in this metal box¡±
Corporal Daejor quickly climbed out of his commander hatch and jumped down to run. He and his crew had been lost for multiple days. He was pretty sure that they had been behind enemy lines multiple times without knowing it. Being a lone Guard magipanzer retreating from the frontline, they weren¡¯t targeted by American aircraft until they had rejoined their forces. It was complete hell afterward and his magipanzer had been nearly obliterated. At this point, he has had enough.
1335 April 13th, 2020 CE
0947 Sun 13th, 196 AE
Caenalin, Elven Nation
Pablo looked out of his inn room¡¯s window. The sun had finally gone down and lamps lit the streets of the town. There were a few cars in the streets and some elves walking around. He held his radio to his mouth.
<<<¡°There is no security at all. Not a soldier in sight. We were able to secure maps but I don¡¯t believe that we will get much else from the residents of this town. Meet up at the north entrance at 1500 and bring everything. We will observe the town further until then. Out¡±
¡°Copy. Over.¡±>>>
They had gotten the room for a few hours under the excuse of taking a rest. The rooms weren¡¯t expensive and they had brought along a lot of counterfeit bills so it was fine. Pablo turned to Operation Sergeant Dennis Richard.
¡°Round up everyone we will be visiting the local bar.¡±
Noise was everywhere. Elves were laughing. Beer jugs were hitting each other. The door swung open and six elves walked in. The bustle of the bar continued. It wasn¡¯t irregular for groups of elves to come into the bar so no one cared.
They sat down at an empty round table. A waitress came up. She smiled at them.
¡°Hello there boys, what can I get for you.¡±
¡°We are travelers. What drink would you recommend?¡±
¡°Our most popular item would be our classic beer.¡±
¡°Then all of us will be getting one. We are just here for a drink.¡±
She nodded.
¡°Well, coming right up.¡±
A few minutes later, an elf waiter came to their table. They looked in surprise at the elf. It wasn¡¯t an elf. His ears weren¡¯t pointy. It was a human who had a collar around his neck.
¡°Here are your beers esteemed sirs.¡±
After placing the beers on the table, he bowed his head. The team looked at the human walking away. They looked at each other.
Drinking for a bit, they listened to the conversations around them. One quickly caught their attention. A group of elves were sitting at a table not that far away.
¡°Have you guys heard? There are rumors that the war isn¡¯t going quite in our favor.¡±
¡°Really?¡±
¡°Why do you think we are building all these defenses all around the coasts and the fields for? The papers keep saying that we are winning but it¡¯s not as detailed as before. Something is most definitely wrong.¡±
¡°Are you sure? Wasn¡¯t it predicted that the humans shouldn¡¯t have technology capable of defeating us? And look, we are even able to buy human slaves now.¡±
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¡°But what if we aren¡¯t fighting humans anymore?¡±
¡°What do you mean?
¡°We have been underwater for hundreds of years. What if another species became superior to the humans?¡±
The elf snorted before replying.
¡°What species could that be!¡±
¡°Maybe the dwarves?¡±
¡°They were technologically inferior to the humans.¡±
¡°It¡¯s been hundreds of years, that could have changed. I have heard stories about the craftsmanship of the dwarves from the Insula Continent.¡±
¡°But still, to have advanced to the points of beating us¡ I don¡¯t believe it.¡±
¡°Hm, you believe what you believe, but I¡¯m getting ready for an invasion.¡±
Paying for their drinks the team stood up and walked out of the bar. They had gathered what they needed.
Pablo had heard about the dwarves on the Insula Continent. The dwarves could be considered an endangered species. The five three-way Colonization Wars fought between the Mach, Magus, and Insulan natives basically left the Insula Continent barren.
1500 April 13th, 2020 CE
1030 Sun 13th, 196 AE
North entrance of Caenalin
Their backpacks were handed to them by the other six.
¡°We got some extra information when we went to the bar. Seems like the elves are preparing defenses around the area. We will be looking for them. Our satellites did indicate some troop movements here and there but it wasn¡¯t significant.¡±
Pablo got out the map that they had bought.
¡°I want your team to go north to scout that area out. We will move east.¡±
Pablo pointed to another spot on the map
¡°The rendezvous point is here near this city. Our main mission is still to gather intelligence on their capital but we can¡¯t ignore the possible buildup of defenses that our satellite couldn¡¯t spot.¡±
The men around him nodded.
One of their two Weapons Sergeants, Fredrick Schultz, peered out of his night vision binoculars. The Green Berets had a system of redundancy. In the 12 men team, there were two weapon sergeants, two communications sergeants, two medical sergeants, and two engineering sergeants. This made it easier for them to split into two teams.
¡°Yep, those are definitely heavy artillery pieces. 15 cm. Well camouflaged too for that size. I highly doubt our satellites would be able to spot them.¡±
There were multiple camouflaged artillery pieces lying across the field. Well visible on the ground level, viewing it from the air was another question. Frederick scanned to the right.
¡°Panzerwerfers too. I also see a couple of anti-tank guns. Not exactly sure which caliber though. I think it''s a Pak 43.¡±
Pablo nodded.
¡°Let¡¯s go. We will relay this information back once we get into a less vulnerable position.¡±
1504 April 13th, 2020 CE
1032 Sun 13th, 196 AE
Frontline
They drove up near a town. To be exact, what remained of a town. It had been completely burned to ashes during the elven invasion. Captain John Rose looked around at the destruction and shook his head. Almost every settlement that the elves had conquered had been destroyed. It was a total war.
John looked at his map. They were only a couple of miles away from the coast. The remnants of the elves had nowhere to escape too. It was confirmed that all elven ships have left without them.
Coast of the Magus Imperium
The retreating elf army came up to the sea. Their temporary ports were barren. There wasn¡¯t a single ship in sight. Group of elves from the same unit started forming clumps on the beaches. They were discussing among themselves.
¡°Where are our ships?¡±
¡°I think they left without us.¡±
¡°What do we do now.¡±
An elf, a magiradio operator, listened to his magiradio. The other elves looked at him.
¡°Someone giving orders?¡±
The magiradioelf was silent for a bit as he listened intently.
¡°We are getting orders. Seems like a colonel is taking charge.¡±
¡°What are we going to do?¡±
¡°It seems like we are fighting¡±
¡°Fighting? Is he crazy? We all are going to die!¡±
¡°We are still a couple hundred thousand strong.¡±
¡°There were nearly four million of us on this continent at the start! What do you think a couple hundred thousand are going to do against them?¡±
The magiradio operator shook his head.
¡°Colonel¡¯s orders.¡±
1524 April 13th, 2020 CE
Washington D.C.
¡°Mr. President, we have the remnants of the elven invasion force completely surrounded and backed up to the beaches. They have nowhere to escape.¡±
President Hayes nodded.
¡°How well are we dealing with the ones that had escaped?¡±
¡°Our attack submarines are hunting them. However, a large number of their ships will survive.¡± There are just too many of them.¡±
¡°Our satellites have gathered details of suspicious activities from a large number of enemy ships. We tried to keep an eye on them but cloudy conditions over the eastern portion of their island are preventing us from doing so. We are expecting that they are preparing for defense. The Navy is gathering a large force to deal with it.¡±
1113 Sun 13th, 196 AE
Primopolis, Magus Imperium
An attendant barged in.
¡°Emperor Arstant! Great news!¡±
¡°What is it? And knock, please. I am just about to retire for the night. ¡±
¡°Sorry, sir. The Americans have the remaining elven forces surrounded on the beaches. The elves have been almost all pushed out of the country!¡±
¡°I guess it¡¯s nearly over¡ so many have perished. How are our men doing?¡±
¡°They are doing their best at supporting the Americans at the front, sir.¡±
¡°Good.¡±
Emperor Arstant was conflicted. He was happy that the elves were finally out of his country. But he knew it was the end of an era. And the beginning of a new one. And this new one won¡¯t be dominated by one of the Imperiums.
1524 April 13th, 2020 CE
1042 Sun 13th, 196 AE
Frontline
¡°We have them completely surrounded but they don¡¯t seem to be surrendering. Damn those elves are stubborn.¡±
Lieutenant Colonel Manfred Rogers, the commander of the 3rd Battalion, 37th Armor Regiment, part of the 1st Armored Division, wondered about the current situation. He had expected them to surrender seeing that this had no meaning left at all. The elves had nothing to gain if they kept on fighting. It seemed like logic and common sense weren¡¯t in their dictionary.
A human aircraft flew high overhead. Anti-aircraft crewmen scrambled to their guns. A message was blared out.
<<<"You have one hour to surrender. Please send a negotiator with a white flag so we can discuss terms. I repeat. You have one hour to surrender. Please send a negotiator with a white flag so we can discuss terms. If we do not receive anyone within an hour, may God have mercy on you all.¡±>>>
There were surprised murmurs among the elves.
"The damned humans learned our language."
0925 April 14th, 2020 CE
Guant¨¢namo Bay, New Frontier
¡°So are you ready to talk?¡±
The CIA agent who originally talked to the elves through a speaker in another room was finally in the interrogation room himself. It was clear that the elves, being tied up, couldn¡¯t use their magic. The elf didn¡¯t respond. The elf was emaciated. Literal bones could be seen through his skin. Food in the form of meat was right in front of him but he looked away. The agent sighed.
¡°Guess we are doing the hard way.¡±
Chapter 57 - Turned Table?
0934 April 14th, 2020 CE
Guantanamo Bay, New Frontier
They dragged the elf into a dimly lit room. One of the humans faced him.
¡°What were your country¡¯s plans?¡±
¡°What kind of building does your Leader live in? What do they look like?¡±
¡°How large is your navy?¡±
A slap was given on the abdomen each time the elf stayed quiet. Each slap grew stronger and stronger.
¡°Answer the damn questions!¡±
A slap was given on the face. The elf had tears in his eyes but still spat on the ground. He snorted
¡°You think slapping me for a bit will make me talk. Don¡¯t make me laugh. You fucking inferior¡¡±
He was grabbed and had his face slammed into the wall.
¡°You think that¡¯s enough to¡¡±
He was slammed into the wall again. Blood was gushing out of his nose. There were bruises on his face. This process of slapping and walling continued for hours.
1624 April 13th, 2020 CE
1112 Sun 13th, 196 AE
Frontline
Lieutenant Colonel Manfred Rogers stretched in his Abrams and sighed.
Using night vision, they had kept an eye to see if any elves were coming over to surrender. An hour had just passed and there were no signs of any.
He got on his radio to contact the other Lieutenant Colonels in the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Teams of the 1st Armored Divison.
<<<¡°They aren¡¯t surrendering.¡±
¡°Well, the Colonel told us that the F-15s are already en route.>>>
The Lieutenant Colonel of the 4th Battalion, 1st Field Artillery Regiment that was in their Armored Brigade Combat Team joined in on the conversation.
<<<¡°Our artillery will begin once the bombing runs are finished.¡±>>>
Zooming past overhead, F-15s unleashed a torrent of bombs onto the disorganized elven forces below. There was a response of blind and inconsistent anti-aircraft fire that had little effect. The elves couldn¡¯t even see their targets. Their comrades who had escaped had left behind searchlights. However, the human aircraft was so fast that the searchlights were completely useless.
Scott looked out of his F-15¡¯s window. Bright orange explosions lit up the pitch-black beaches. He gave a thumbs-up to his Weapon System Officer, Gerald Wallace, who was sitting in the seat behind him.
Scott banked his F-15 to the left to get ready for another bombing run.
Corporal Daejor hugged his legs.
¡°I don¡¯t want to die. I don¡¯t want to die. I don¡¯t want to die. Oh gods, please save me.¡±
He rocked back and forth in the hole he had dug only a few hours ago.
His Guard magipanzer had been destroyed from an air attack and his crew has already scattered. He didn¡¯t even have any weapons on him other than his pistol. He also had no commanders to answer to. Other than the colonel that was currently taking charge, elves were following whoever was the highest-ranked of the survivors of their units. Corporal Daejor had no idea where his unit was.
It was pitch black in the hole but there were constant flashes from the explosions that shook the ground like an earthquake.
Miles behind the Frontline
¡°All aircraft have dropped their payloads. It¡¯s our turn now.¡±
The guns on M109A7 Paladins of the 4th Battalion, 1st Field Artillery Regiment all traversed upwards in unison. The blasts of the gun rocked the air. The self-propelled artillery moved back a bit from the force of the blast.
A few minutes later
Frontline
The explosions stopped. To the elves, it was a sign that the American assault would begin. The elven infantry in their foxholes and poorly organized trenches gripped their weapons and peeked out. The magipanzer crews stayed quiet in their magipanzers. Anticipation was heavy in the air. Lights had all been turned off in order to surprise the Americans.
Then, the ground shook suddenly. The Americans haven''t begun their assault. They were just getting ready for another round of firing.
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Throughout the night, the firing let up only for short intervals. It switched constantly from American aircraft bombing runs and artillery strikes.
A few hours later
A convoy of trucks appeared on the road. The truck in front of the convoy stopped a few yards from the line of firing M109A7s. The Lieutenant Colonel of the 4th Battalion, 1st Field Artillery Regiment walked to meet the men exiting the truck. He shouted to someone on his left.
¡°Bannock. The Magusians are here.¡±
Bannock walked up towards them.
¡°Are you with the 26th Brigade Field Artillery?¡±
¡°Yes. We have orders to support you. You are the 4th Battalion, 1st Field Artillery Regiment correct?¡±
A blast from a Paladin interrupted their conversation.
¡°Yes. We are unsure of the range of your guns so you might need to get closer. Wait a second.¡±
Bannock turned towards his Lieutenant Colonel.
¡°We are going to need to give them a map that marks where the elves are. I don¡¯t think their guns have the range of ours.¡±
¡°I will get someone to grab it.¡±
Bannock turned back towards the Magusian commanders.
¡°Give us a second. We will show you where you need to fire.¡±
2230 April 13th, 2020 CE
0215 Sun 14th, 195 AE
<<<¡°Cease fire! Cease fire!¡±>>>
All around the front, the artillery immediately died down. This command was also given out to the Magusian artillery units through their communication lines. Only the tip of the sun was out of the horizon. For nearly 6 hours, hundreds of thousands of pounds of bombs and shells were dropped on the elves.
Captain John Rose directed his tanks forward. The orders had been given many hours ago. Once the cease fire order was given to the artillery, all other ground units would begin an advance.
Issac and his infantry platoon slowly walked forward. They had disembarked from their Bradleys earlier. The ground was full of craters. It seemed highly doubtful that anybody had survived. Then they heard voices.
¡°We surrender! We surrender! Please don¡¯t shoot.¡±
They couldn¡¯t understand them but it was clear from their hands that were up and the lack of weapons they were carrying that they were surrendering.
An American infantryman looked down into a foxhole. He laughed.
¡°Hey, this guy in this hole is still alive. Get over here. You gotta look at this. He¡¯s asleep.¡±
A few other infantrymen walked towards the hole.
¡°Hey, wake up!¡±
¡°Huh. Wh¡¡±
Daejor blinked his eyes and looked around before slowly putting his hands up. There were humans surrounding his hole and had their guns pointed at him. He realized that he had fallen asleep during the bombardment since it was day now.
0424 April 14th, 2020 CE
0512 Sun 14th, 195 AE
Afvalin, Elven Nation
Zeno was pacing around in Tarron¡¯s office. He had some dark circles under his eyes.
¡°There is absolutely nothing wrong with the Hexenbesens. I¡¯m sure of it. We looked through everything! Every little detail. They should have worked.¡±
Tarron sighed.
¡°But they didn¡¯t. Are you sure you aren¡¯t overlooking anything?¡±
¡°Unless they were shot down, then I haven¡¯t overlooked anything. The fuel consumption is correct. There were no problems with the rocket en¡¡±
Zeno got interrupted.
¡°Wait, stop.¡±
¡°What?¡±
¡°Say the first few words of what you just said again.¡±
He blinked.
¡°Unless they were shot down, then¡¡±
¡°Stop.¡±
¡°What? You can¡¯t be serious. The Hexenbesens have a speed of more than 700 miles per hour. Nearly the speed of sound. Nothing can shoot it down.¡±
Tarron sighed yet again.
¡°Nothing in our arsenal but what about the Americans? Their aircraft obviously can go faster than the speed of sound. It won¡¯t be far-fetched if they have technology capable of shooting down aircraft that can fly at the speed of sound. We have technology capable of shooting down our own aircraft. The Americans should have technology capable of shooting down their own too.¡±
Tarron shook his head before continuing.
¡°The Hexenbesens aren¡¯t going to work. I¡¯m putting a stop to all Hexenbesen production.¡±
¡°What?! You can¡¯t just do this! They will work! If we fire a large enough amount of them, then we can surely overwhelm whatever defenses they have set up.¡±
Tarron set down his pen.
¡°I know you were very invested in this project but we need the material for the jets. The Hexenbesens aren¡¯t working and we don¡¯t have time to produce more. Even if it¡¯s just an issue as you originally said and it wasn¡¯t the Americans shooting them down, we don¡¯t have time to fix it.¡±
0506 April 13th, 2020 CE
0533 Sun 14th, 195 AE
Somewhere in the ¡°Pacific¡±
Admiral Edyrm Vaynore sat quietly in his office. His aircraft carrier rocked up and down in the violent waves. A large storm system was over them. Outside, the sky was dark and the waves were ceaseless. A massive formation of ships moved forwards. Each ship going up and down the violent tides.
Joint Region Marianas, Guam
A radar operator started to look a bit panicked as he watched his screen.
¡°Holy shit. Ummmm¡ guys¡ you guys gotta take look at this.¡±
¡°Is there an issue with the radar?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t think it is¡um... it might be the entire elven navy.¡±
Washington D.C.
President Hayes was clearly agitated.
¡°How did the satellites not see that large of a fleet? It¡¯s a 100 ship fleet for crying out loud.¡±
Secretary of Defense Cralson had a glum look on his face.
¡°Clouds, sir. By their luck, a massive storm is moving through that entire area.¡±
¡°What units do we currently have based in Guam?¡±
¡°Not much. We have stopped the continuous rotation of our bomber forces there since we no longer have any adversaries in the Pacific. It is also much faster to go across the Atlantic to reach the Imperiums so units have been redeploying from Guam. However, from the direction that they are going. They are going to completely miss Guam. They are heading straight for Hawaii.¡±
Cralson paused shortly before continuing again.
¡°We have time. If they were going for Guam. We would have been in trouble. We can rush a response using ships, submarines, and aircraft from Naval Base San Diego and Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. There are also additional units in other naval bases and Air Force bases across the West Coast. We can father what we have and assemble an organized response. If push comes to shove, we can try to reactivate the USS Missouri in Honolulu.¡±
¡°The USS Missouri? The battleship? Isn¡¯t that just a museum piece now? How are we even going to use it as a naval ship? I doubt it can even move.¡±
¡°Well, we are not going to use it as a ship. We can use it as a stationary missile platform. There are four Mk 141 Harpoon Launchers and eight Mk 143 Armored Box Launchers that were installed in the late 1980s. Those weapon platforms can probably be reactivated in time. Phalanx CIWs that can maybe still be used. We need everything we have got.¡±
Chapter 58 - Preparing for Future Battles
0215 April 14th, 2020 CE
West Coast of the United States
USS John C. Stennis
Rear Admiral Charlie Kirkland looked sternly over the horizon. The sun had yet to rise for the new day. He shook his head.
¡°This will be one hell of a fight.¡±
In addition to the ships in the carrier strike group of the USS John C. Stennis, 13 Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, 7 Los Angeles-class submarines, 5 Ticonderoga-class cruisers, 4 Virginia-class submarines, and even both Zumwalt-class destroyers were at or sailing towards Hawaii.
Tucson Air National Guard Base, Arizona
Lights lit up the base. Pilots ran onto the runway and towards their planes. The alarms of the base seemed like they were going haywire. They quickly climbed into their F-16A/Bs and F-16C/Ds. Although designed for air superiority, the F-16 Fighting Falcon was considered a multi-role aircraft. They were capable of carrying and were currently equipped with anti-ship missiles. One by one, they taxied onto the runway.
The 162nd Fighter Wing, which was based at the Tucson Air National Guard Base. was flying to the Hickman Air Force Base. The Hawaii Air National Guard that was based at the Hickam Air Force Base had the 154th Wing which was only equipped with F-22s. Those would be useful against the naval aircraft that the elves have brought but useless against any of the elven ships.
On the west coast, squadrons of jets were taking off from Air Force and Air National Guard Bases.
0724 April 14th, 2020 CE
Washington D.C.
¡°We have also detected a large number of submarines. However, the exact number is unknown.¡±
The President was visibly irritated at the news.
¡°How bad is the situation? Will they be able to reach Hawaii?¡±
¡°Our current analysis of the situation still deems it highly unlikely that they will be able to reach Hawaii. Even with Guam closer to the United States than our original world, we still have time.¡±
The President started drumming his fingers on the desk.
¡°What to do¡ what to do¡¡±
¡°It¡¯s clear that we have to crush them.¡±
¡°Yes, Cralson, I understand that. I¡¯m worried about the civilians. If we fail, Hawaii would be in danger. A million people live there. Should we call for an evacuation¡ I need to assure the people that we can handle the situation. Should we keep it a secret to prevent mass panic...¡±
It has been more than 80 years since an enemy nation has ever attacked American soil. And it would be at the same location. During his presidency. He took a deep breath and his drumming turned louder.
0811 April 14th, 2020 CE
0705 Sun 14th, 195 AE
Beaches of the Magus Imperium
Issac and one of his squadmates wandered down the beach. Although under the pretense of looking for more elves, they were just having a leisurely walk. Issac watched as his squadmate kicked at one of the charred remains of an elf.
¡°How many prisoners is this?¡±
Issac looked up at the question.
¡°From what I have heard, nearly fifty thousand.¡±
His squadmate whistled at the number.
¡°Have we ever gotten this large amount of POWs?¡±
¡°Probably back in World War Two or something. Still, it''s surprising that that many are still alive.¡±
Issac glanced around at the elven bodies lying on the beaches.
¡°I¡¯m pretty sure this is going to be a headache to handle for whoever is handling this. Poor guy.¡±
Issac chuckled.
¡°Good thing we are just grunts.¡±
Captain Rose looked out at the ocean from the cratered beach. He knew that they would be sailing across very soon.
Elven weapons were strewn all over the blackened sand. The burnt-out husk of an elven tank was just a few yards away.
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Around him, the infantry was guiding the surviving elves off the beach.
Afvalin, Elven Nation
The headquarters was bustling with elves. The situation has been turning worse and worse by the day. High-ranking officers talked amongst themselves.
¡°We have lost contact with multiple of the other convoys.¡±
¡°We have also received absolutely no reports of the sinking of any of their submarines.¡±
¡°How bad is it?¡±
¡°We are expecting a 60% survival rate.¡±
All the officers went quiet. That was a couple hundred thousand casualties. The Leader would not be happy with that.
The ocean between The Elven Nation and Magus Imperium
The journey has so far been extraordinarily smooth. It was surprising in comparison to the hell she had experienced from the Americans during her retreat. Ara placed a hand on her Knight. Its metal armor glinted in the sun. She thought back to her mother. She quietly sprouted out her thoughts as if she wanted to confirm them.
¡°Maybe I really should try settling down. Finding someone nice to marry doesn¡¯t seem too bad right now.¡±
If it was a month ago, she would have scoffed at the idea. Distinguishing herself was all she could think about in the past.
Somewhere in the Elven Nation
The two Green Beret split-teams have rejoined each other after scouting their areas out. They had been on the move all night and morning. Finding a comfortable and secure place, the two weapon sergeants started conversing.
¡°They have done immense amounts of preparation in these areas. They are throwing whatever they have together. They seem to be using some of their outdated arsenals. I spotted some clearly older, WW1-era-style artillery pieces and tanks. They look extremely strange but by technological comparison, they are definitely WW1.¡±
¡°Well, from what we have learned about the elves from the information we gathered from the natives, those strange-looking WW1 era tanks and artillery are probably about 150 years old. I¡¯m surprised they are even in working condition.¡±
¡°We didn¡¯t find any outdated 150-year-old weird equipment from our investigation. In this area over here, they are much less prepared but they are all definitely German-style WW2 era equipment. They are currently still in the process of fortifying. I¡¯m not sure how our satellites haven¡¯t been able to spot any of the movement for this.¡±
The Assistant Operations and Intelligence Sergeant commented on that.
¡°This continent is extremely rich in temperate forests. They could have just decided to move them through the forests instead of the roads.¡±
¡°Why would they do that though? They should have no understanding of our reconnaissance technology.¡±
¡°Maybe they do suspect that we have the capability to view them using satellites.¡±
¡°Do they even know what satellites are?¡±
¡°Doubtful. They have been underwater all this time. However, it¡¯s likely that they felt it extremely fishy that we were able to strike their forces at any time and anywhere.¡±
Pablo nodded at the conversation and turned towards one of the communications sergeants.
¡°Start sending this information back. Inform HQ that we will go back to our main objective.¡±
They had brought along radios for communication with headquarters. It was ascertained that the Elves could not intercept their radios. The elves relied on mana waves for communications so it was doubtful if the elves had any technology capable of listening in on radio waves.
0933 April 14th, 2020 CE
Washington D.C.
President Hayes was in another deep discussion of the current situation.
¡°Although the elves in the Pacific are clearly an issue, we still can¡¯t neglect the invasion of the elve¡¯s homeland.¡±
Cralson nodded his head.
¡°The fanaticism of the elves is a worrisome factor.¡±
¡°They do seem more similar to Imperial Japan than Nazi Germany. Is there a way we can exploit this fact?¡±
¡°We can do some things similarly but not everything. Keeping the current leader of the elves is not possible. He¡¯s the source of this fanaticism. According to the elves we have captured, he also isn¡¯t viewed as a god. A large portion of elves themselves have a hatred of humans.¡±
¡°What are our choices then?¡±
¡°Our most feasible option right now and the one we are currently preparing for is to launch an invasion. There are a few problems with this. We will most certainly meet stiff resistance from their military and the civilian population. In addition, we will have to worry about resistance fighters. This won¡¯t be like Iraq in the Gulf War. We faced a total of 900,000 then, the elves here have more than a couple million. It will be a hard fight. Our second option that may solve those issues and may seem like an easier option is to launch a nuclear missile or two and hope that their leader surrenders. If their leader surrenders, then the elves themselves might lose some of their fanaticism. Similar to what happened with Imperial Japan. What¡¯s different is that we can just dispose of the elven leader afterward. I highly doubt we can use him as we did with Emperor Hirohito.¡±
The President pondered about Cralson¡¯s suggestions.
¡°What would happen if we launch our missiles and destroy a few of their cities but they don¡¯t surrender?¡±
¡°Well, we would either have to actually invade them or completely annihilate them using our nuclear weapons.¡±
¡°Well, the first one leads back to our first feasible option and the second will certainly cause an outcry from the people.¡±
¡°That¡¯s why I believe an invasion, however hard it is, is our most feasible option here.¡±
1148 April 14th, 2020 CE
0854 Sun 14th, 2020 CE
Elven Nation
The Green Berets were continuing towards their objective at a quick pace. They had already passed a few towns and cities and were able to gather the current circumstances of the civilians. From what more they had observed, the entire elven civilian population was barely informed of their current predicament but they did seem to have an inkling that something was going wrong. However, they had immense trust in their leader and brushed it off. The elven newspapers were clearly filled with propaganda and falsehoods. Articles ranged from saying that they were winning and that the human Empire has already fallen to advertisements for human slaves. There were many pictures in the newspapers of their past victorious battles against the Magus.
1148 April 14th, 2020 CE
0554 Sun 14th, 2020 CE
Kingdom of Albea, Soane Continent
Miller got out of the Humvee to stretch. He looked back at Wolfred who was sitting in the driver¡¯s seat.
¡°That was a long trip.¡±
¡°We are a few miles from the frontline. Seems like these Nazi elves haven¡¯t made much progress.¡±
¡°Well, we are here to push them back. Anyways, I¡¯m exhausted. Let¡¯s get some rest.¡±
Behind them, other Diamond Wolves got off of their vehicles. In addition, the Cat Kingdom¡¯s Fifth Division was further behind. The Diamond Wolves had purchased trucks in order to accompany them.
Diamond Wolves Interlude Part 1
1148 April 14th, 2020 CE
0554 Sun 14th, 2020 CE
Kingdom of Albea, Soane Continent
Miller stretched.
¡°That was quite some journey.¡±
¡°We still got work ahead.¡±
¡°Would prefer to have a short break.¡±
¡°I was the one who drove. You slept nearly the entire trip.¡±
¡°Still doesn¡¯t feel comfortable being crammed into a vehicle for hours on end.¡±
¡°Weren¡¯t you in the Marines?¡±
¡°You know my military background as clear as day, commander.¡±
Wolfred shook his head.
¡°Let¡¯s go there¡¯s no time to dally. We still have to get everything organized before we can actually go to bed.¡±
The area was bustling with soldiers of all shapes and sizes. Wolves, bears, tigers, and many other strong beastmen. There were also human knights.
Following Wolfred, Miller walked up to Flametail. Wolfred got her attention.
¡°We are here as support attached to your division but I would still like to join in on whatever meetings you high-level officers are having.¡±
¡°Of course. I was just told that we should be having one soon. You and your subcommander can join. Just follow me.¡±
They were welcomed by a large bear.
¡°Commander Flametail. Good to see you again.¡±
¡°It is too, Commander Grizzlyjack.¡±
Grizzlyjack looked down at Ron and smiled.
¡°Ron! How are you doing! Still falling off bridges?¡±
Commander Grizzlyjack chuckled at his own comment. Ron bowed.
¡°I¡¯m doing well, Commander Grizzlyjack.¡±
¡°No need to be so formal. I still remember the time you were just this small and I had to dive into a river to save you after the bridge came out right under you."
He looked towards Miller and Wolfred.
¡°Ah, you two must be part of the human mercenaries that were hired.¡±
Miller felt as if the ground shook from the bear¡¯s booming voice.
They got their introductions out of the way and were welcomed into the tent for the meeting. There were tigers, jaguars, wolves, bears, and a few other types of beastmen sitting around. There were also a few humans.
Sitting at the opposite end of the entrance was a very imposing rhino beastmen.
¡°Welcome Commander Flametail and Commander Grizzlyjack.¡±
They both saluted and replied at the same time.
¡°Reporting for duty, Lord Commander¡±
The rhino who was called the Lord Commander turned his attention to Miller and Wolfred.
¡°You two must be the mercenaries from the United States. Welcome, Commander Wolfred and Subcommander Miller I presume. I¡¯m Lord Commander Darkhorn. I¡¯m in command of all frontline forces.¡±
Wolfred and Miller acknowledged him and the meeting began. He began to speak.
¡°We have been fighting the elves for some time right now and we have only been on the defense and retreating. However, it is now time for us to begin our counterattack. We will push them out of the Kingdom of Albea!¡±
Murmurs rose up in the room among the commanders. Miller and Wolfred stayed quiet and looked around. One of the humans in the room raised his voice above the murmurs.
¡°Lord Commander.¡±
¡°Yes, Gladwine?¡±
¡°With all due respect, sir, how do you expect us to accomplish that? The elves have much more superior technology and there had been no way to get around that.¡±
¡°True until now. But with the help of the mercenaries we have hired¡¡±
¡°The mercenaries?! Sir! This is a slight to the honor of knights! Depending on mere mercenaries!¡±
¡°Commander Flametail has written to me that she holds these mercenaries'' abilities in high regard. I have also heard that their country has nearly pushed the elves out of the Imperitoria Continent, single-handedly.¡±
He looked towards Miller and Wolfred.
¡°I have high expectations. I hope that you do not disappoint.¡±
¡°But Lord Commander!¡±
Commander Gladwine sat down clearly upset.
¡°I will tolerate no more protests. We still have more matters to discuss.¡±
The meeting proceeded for around another hour. There was further discussion about the positioning of the units and the plan for the offensive.
Flametail walked out of the tent with Ron following closely behind.
¡°Still carrying that little kitten with you, Commander Flametail?¡±
Commander Grayears, a wolf beastmen, greeted them with that. Flametail turned around and nodded with a neutral expression.
¡°Ron is a very good squire, thank you.¡±
¡°I¡¯m not that surprised that humans are with you too.¡±
If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
He laughed before continuing.
¡°Typical. The weak always flock to you cats.¡±
Ron started hissing.
¡°Ron stop.¡±
His hissing immediately stopped but his hostile stare didn¡¯t.
¡°Understood Madam Flametail.¡±
¡°Madam Flametail this. Madam Flametail that. It seems so funny. Well, now if you will excuse me, I have some important matters to attend to. You cats can go laze around in the sun.¡±
In a tent, Ron voiced his complaints in a child-like manner.
¡°But mom, he was being a prick again.¡±
¡°I know, Ron. But we can¡¯t be having fights amongst ourselves right before a major offensive. If it was any other day, I would have given him a good beating.¡±
Ron was still clearly upset. Flametail shook her head.
¡°He¡¯s just being jealous of our division''s accomplishments. Now go get some rest. We will be marching into battle tomorrow.¡±
Ron nodded and walked off to his tent. His back felt very sore. He had been accidentally bumped off of the trucks multiple times.
Miller asked Wolfred as they were walking towards their supply trucks.
¡°I¡¯m not sure if I had heard that rhino correctly but they want us to be the vanguard?¡±
¡°Seems like that Lord Commander guy is testing us. From the way this is planned, the only actual support we are getting in this battle for the first 30 minutes is from the Fifth Division.¡±
¡°Won¡¯t it also be bad for him if we lost?¡±
¡°He¡¯s being cautious. All the other forces are far enough that they will be able to quickly retreat if we fail. We are just some mercenary unit. Of course, he doesn¡¯t trust us completely but he clearly has high hopes in us. We just gotta prove ourselves.¡±
¡°What are we going to do about those elven tanks? I thought we were planning to use hit and run tactics.¡±
Wolfred pulled something out of the back of the truck.
¡°Why do you think I brought these then?¡±
Less than an hour later
Miller started setting up his tent when a commotion got his attention. Wolfred was arguing with a human knight. As he got closer, he saw the human knight was Commander Gladwine.
¡°I challenge you to a duel!¡±
¡°I don¡¯t use a sword.¡±
He laughed.
¡°You don¡¯t have a sword?¡±
¡°The elves don¡¯t have them either. And neither does the Imperials. And why do you think they don¡¯t have them? Swords are archaic weapons.¡±
¡°I will give you a sword and we will¡¡±
A booming voice disrupted Gladwine.
¡°What is happening here?¡±
Gladwine turned and immediately saluted.
¡°Lord Commander!¡±
¡°Commander Gladwine. What are you doing?¡±
¡°Sir, um, I just wanted to test the capabilities of these mercenaries. As they are a vital component of an operation that my men will participate in, I need to understand if they are qualified.¡±
¡°There is no need for that.¡±
¡°But sir!¡±
Darkhorn glared at Gladwine.
¡°Are you doubting the words of a superior officer?¡±
¡°No sir! I will take my leave, sir.¡±
Gladwine scampered away as Darkhorn looked over at Wolfred
¡°Sorry about that, he¡¯s a proud knight.¡±
¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±
Wolfred knew that even Darkhorn had some doubts about the Diamond Wolves'' capabilities. It was hypocritical of Darkhorn but Wolfred was still happy that he was giving them a chance to prove themselves. Afterward, Darkhorn departed as quickly as he had arrived.
1535 April 14th, 2020 CE
0747 Sun 14th, 2020 CE
Elven Headquarters, Subican Kingdom
Field Marshal Nieven Ianna, commander of all elven forces on the Soane Continent, studied the laid-out map.
¡°The current line is finally stable. We can now restart the offensive.¡±
Their ¡°allied¡± human kingdom, the Subican Kingdom, had finally mobilized their entire army. Even though it only consisted of human knights who were much weaker when compared to the beastmen, with this vast boost in manpower, the elves were able to regroup their spread-out forces without losing any territory. He laid out his plans to his subordinates.
¡°We will push through their center. When we cause that to collapse, the sides will give way.¡±
Having such a meager force, it was decided that it was best that they concentrated it into a heavy punch that could destabilize the technologically inferior enemy.
0825 April 15th, 2020 CE
0412 Sun 15th, 2020 CE
Frontline
The magipanzer engines roared to life. A division of them headed straight for the Soane League Army¡¯s center.
¡°Report! Surprise attack! Multiple groups of tanks are coming!¡±
Scouts from the Soane League had quickly come back when they sighted a large magipanzer force headed straight towards them. The usual elven artillery fire and close air support that preceded attacks didn¡¯t appear so the Soane League was caught completely off guard.
News of it spread quickly across the frontline. The Diamond Wolves had moved out earlier in the morning to take up the position from where they will be starting the offensive. A somewhat worried member of the Diamond Wolves was talking with Wolfred.
¡°What do we do about this commander? We can¡¯t be expected to take on 100 tanks. We have never done this before. We are literally in the way of an armored spearhead.¡±
Wolfred shook his head.
¡°Well, it seems like the elves got a jump on us. Funny how we decided to go on an offensive at nearly the same time.¡±
Miller looked up from cleaning his gun.
¡°Well, we should be prepared for this.¡±
¡°Depends on how large that tank force is.¡±
¡°The scouts just said multiple groups of them. Any orders to pull out?¡±
Wolfred shook his head again.
¡°The Soanes is trying to stop it. Seems like that rhino is pulling units from the flanks to reinforce us. If they punch through, the Soanes is gonna have a major problem. I won¡¯t be surprised if they had invested everything into this defensive position. Well, I guess we are using a different weapon. The Carl Gustafs won¡¯t cut it.¡±
Wolfred stood up before talking again.
¡°We are moving out.¡±
The person who was talking to Wolfred earlier looked up.
¡°Where are we going?¡±
¡°Can¡¯t stay on open ground when tanks are coming. We are going to a better position.¡±
¡°The Soanes instructed us not to move though.¡±
Miller laughed. He remembered that this guy was new.
¡°We are mercenaries, we don¡¯t have to follow orders. We are getting paid to kill and defeat the enemy and that¡¯s our objective. If the orders given don¡¯t help us accomplish what we are being paid for, then we don¡¯t need to heed them.¡±
More than an hour later
The first elven tank appeared from the horizon. It slowly got close and closer. Even more elven tanks appeared from out of the horizon.
¡°Like test these babies out. Fire!¡±
A TOW missile slid out of a TOW launcher.
An hour earlier
¡°100,000 dollars a pop. Didn¡¯t put much of a dent to the gold we got from the Soanes. Though these things are still expensive. We only got two of them launchers so we have to use them well. Should have the range to take out them tanks.¡±
¡°You literally seem to be pulling these weapons out of thin air. Why don¡¯t I know that we bought these.¡±
¡°What can I say, I love surprises.¡±
Miller sighed, he was getting a bit tired of his commander¡¯s recent shenanigans.
¡°Where did you even get this? Was this approved? I can understand the Carl Gustaf getting through but TOW missile launchers? Don¡¯t tell me you got these off some sort of black market.¡±
¡°Had some connections. When you are in the mercenary business, it''s important to have them.¡±
Back to the present.
The forwardmost Guard tank exploded.
<<<¡°Enemy attack!¡±
¡°They shouldn¡¯t have ranged anti-tank weapons! Where is it coming from?¡±
¡°They are firing from somewhere hidden.¡±
¡°Spread out and move forward.¡±>>>
Another Guard tank went up in flames.
Wolfred laughed while looking down his binoculars.
¡°Ha! Look at them cook. They still haven¡¯t seen us.¡±
¡°Pretty sure they are expecting some sort of massive anti-tank gun.¡±
¡°Keep up the fire. I only see 10 of them.¡±
¡°Now they¡¯re spreading out.¡±
¡°Well, that won¡¯t help much against guided missiles.¡±
A TOW missile slammed into another one of the elf tanks. It went up in flames as the tank lurched forward before stopping.
Diamond Wolves Interlude Part 2
0937 April 15th, 2020 CE
0448 Sun 15th, 2020 CE
Kingdom of Albea, Soane Continent
<<<¡°Retreat!¡±>>>
At once, the Guards stopped their advance and started backing up at full speed. Another one blew up as a TOW slammed into its turret.
One of the TOW operators laughed.
¡°Look at them go! They haven¡¯t even fired yet and they are running.¡±
Then, the guns on all of the Guards flashed. A shell impacted close to their position and exploded. Another one was way off target. A couple flew right over them. The force from the overhead shells was easily felt by the mercenaries below.
Everyone turned their heads to look at the operator who said that.
¡°... I will¡ I will shut up.¡±
Miller watched as the elf tanks backed further and further away.
¡°They are out of range now.¡±
¡°We got six of them, that¡¯s what I would call a job well down. Okay, boys. Time to pack up. We are moving.¡±
Wolfred dusted off his cargo pants as he got up. He watched as his men picked up the TOW launcher.
¡°Careful with them. If any of you break it, it¡¯s coming out of your paycheck. I mean it seriously this time. And it ain¡¯t cheap.¡±
They walked back to the Humvees and trucks that had been parked further back. Miller caught up to Wolfred.
¡°Where should we go?¡±
¡°Somewhere close by but not too close would be sensible. We are gonna keep ambushing them until they give up and go back home.¡±
A person came running up to them.
¡°Commander, there¡¯s a knight on a horse coming in our way.¡±
Wolfred nodded.
¡°Stay on guard.¡±
Wolfred shouted towards the incoming horseman.
¡°Stop! Identify yourself!¡±
The horseman stopped and reigned his horse in.
¡°A messenger under the orders of Lord Commander Darkhorn! I have an important report to make to Commander Wolfred!¡±
¡°You are speaking to him right now.¡±
The horseman got off his horse, walked to him, and saluted.
¡°Sir, multiple elven tanks have overrun positions of the Ninth Division and Fifteenth Division. Lord Commander has ordered your unit¡¯s retreat. You are in a dangerous position and under threat of encirclement. In addition, he has commanded your unit to reposition to help the Fifth Division; they are currently engaging enemy infantry. Scouts have also reported that elven tanks are approaching their position.¡±
¡°Got it. But what about the elven tanks that came through here?¡±
The messenger was alarmed.
¡°Elven tanks came through?¡±
¡°Well, no, we beat them back. 10 of them came and we destroyed 6 of them.¡±
The messenger blinked at Wolfred in surprise.
¡°You destroyed 6 of them?¡±
¡°Yeah.¡±
¡°...uhh¡ I¡ I will report this¡ um¡ where did you exactly destroy them? Can I take a look to confirm?¡±
¡°Not too far from here.¡±
Wolfred pointed towards the back.
¡°Go over that hill and there should be a clearing with their destroyed tanks.¡±
¡°Thank you.¡±
The knight saluted and rode off
Wolfred turned towards his men.
¡°Okay, boys, change of plans we are skedaddling. Seems like our friends in the Fifth Division need our help.¡±
Elven Headquarters, Subican Kingdom
Field Marshal Ianna looked at the battle report in surprise.
¡°Our flanking force was defeated?
¡°Only four out of the ten Guards survived. Some sort of anti-tank weapon is blocking the way.¡±
¡°So the hands of those slimy Americans have even reached here.¡±
The field marshal spat out those words in disgust. The adjunct continued his report.
¡°Other than that setback, all other positions are not facing any difficulties.¡±
¡°Categorize this as a small American unit that has come to support the Kingdoms here. We will have to find a way to deal with it.¡±
Kingdom of Albea, Soane Continent
The knight slowly trotted his horse up to the wreckages of the elf tanks. He stopped his horse and came down. He touched the twisted metal of one of the tanks.
¡°... they actually killed 6.¡±
Thirty minutes later
The sounds of gunfire echoed in the sky.
<<<¡°Halt! Keep security. Bravo 1, please move up to scout the area. We should be coming up to a battlefield. I don¡¯t want any nasty surprises.¡±
¡°Got it. Bravo 1 is moving ahead.¡±>>>
One of the humvees got out of the line of vehicles and moved up from the sides of the road.
Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.
<<<¡°Well, seems like the Fifth Division is fighting elven infantry. I don¡¯t see any tanks yet.¡±
¡°Is the road clear?¡±
¡°The Fifth Division is defending it. The elves are firing from a sparsely wooded forest. We can drive up to them safely.¡±
¡°You heard that boys. Go! Go! Go!¡±>>>
The line of humvees and trucks quickly whirred to life.
Flametail had her back to a mound.
¡°I now see why they wanted us to use these guns.¡±
The Fifth Division was holding extremely well against the attacking elven infantry. The AK-47s easily tore through the elve¡¯s lines. However, the elves were still returning fire. If they had been using swords against the elves, they wouldn¡¯t have stood a chance. Just then, she heard noises and looked up to see the Diamond Wolve¡¯s vehicles heading towards her division¡¯s position.
¡°They are using assault rifles!¡±
The elven infantry had been completely caught off guard when the beastmen started using guns. Their formation had been designed to counter the fast sword charges of the beastmen. This meant that they were bunched up together in multiple groups. They had been quickly gunned down when the beastmen opened fire.
As the Diamond Wolves arrived at the battle, they were greeted with a bizarre scene. Beastmen from a fantasy world donning medieval era armor and firing modern weaponry. Fighting Nazi Elves who had WW2 weaponry. It seemed like a real-life mash of Civilization VI and Total War: Warhammer II.
The doors of the humvees were slammed open as men jumped off of the back of the trucks that followed. They immediately set up positions in order to fire upon the elves. Wolfred popped up from the mound and fired his Ak-47. Besides him, beastmen and his members were also firing. An occasional shot from the pinned down elves would come but it usually missed. As the forest was not really that dense, it didn¡¯t provide much cover for the elves.
The gunbattle raged for a while before the elves gave up and retreated.
Flametail came up to greet Wolfred.
¡°Surprised to see you here.¡±
¡°Got orders from your commander to assist you. There are tanks coming your way¡ speak of the devil¡±
A rumbling noise came from the forest. Wolfred turned towards his men.
¡°Get the Carl Gustafs! Elven tanks are coming. They will be close to us this time.¡±
The first tank appeared a few minutes later. Wolfred shouted to the beastmen.
¡°Keep clear of the back of the anti-tank weapon!¡±
The Carl Gustaf operator then also shouted.
¡°Backblast!¡±
A massive puff of fire came out from the back and a round flew out and hit the first elf tank. The tank stopped and exploded.
<<<¡°Halt! The beastmen have anti-tank weapons!¡±>>>
The group of remaining nine magipanzers instantly stopped their advance forwards. The magipanzer in the lead had been destroyed. The commander of the magipanzers made a quick decision.
<<<¡±Second Platoon, you will flank from the right. We will flank from the left.¡±>>>
The five Carl Gustaf operators looked around.
¡°I don¡¯t see any more movement¡±
¡°Was it only one tank?¡±
Wolfred got his binoculars out.
¡°There is trees blocking the way but I don¡¯t see anything. Stay on alert. I don¡¯t think there was only one tank. The one that just fired, reload, they could try to rush us so be prepared.¡±
A shout rang out.
¡°Tanks coming in from the left and right! They are trying to flank us!¡±
Tanks simultaneously came out of the forest from the left and right. Dirt was scattered into the sky as the elf tanks opened fire and hit the ground. The sound of machine-gun fire began.
¡°Fire!¡±
¡°Backblast!¡±
It wasn¡¯t long before the firing died down. Suffering some light casualties, the Diamond Wolves had successfully beaten back the Elven armored assault.
Elven Headquarters, Subican Kingdom
¡°Sir, we have broken through at the left flank but we failed to break through the right. The plan won¡¯t work under these circumstances. What do we do?¡±
Field Marshal Ianna hit the table with his fist.
¡°Dammit.¡±
This had ruined his entire plan. He wanted to encircle them and crush their center but that won¡¯t work now that only the right fell. He thought it over for a while.
¡°We will keep a defensive posture on our right and center. Tell the units on the left flank to continue their advance as planned. Divert the 3rd Guard Magipanzer Company, the 19th Infantry Company, and the 36th Infantry Company all to the left flank. They will continue the push deeper into enemy territory.¡±
Right flank of the Soane lines
They had had some success while battling the elven infantry but it was short-lived as elven tanks soon showed up. The beastmen were unable to place their sticky bombs on the elven tanks as they were being heavily protected by their infantry. Commander Gladwine looked around at his dying men. He didn¡¯t want to give the order but understood that the battle was lost.
¡°Retreat!¡±
Soane Headquarters, Kingdom of Albea
¡°Report! The right flank has fallen!¡±
Lord Commander Darkhorn showed no emotion at those words. Internally, he cursed at the fact that the elves decided to start an offensive when he did.
Left flank of the Soane lines
Before long, the Fifth Division and the Diamond Wolves also received word of it. After a messenger gave them the current situation, new orders were issued.
¡°Lord Commander has ordered your unit to begin an assault. Your job is to make the elves have to pull units away from our right flank.¡±
Wolfred turned to Miller.
¡°Hm. I have a better idea. We are splitting into two units. Your unit takes the TOW launchers. We will be taking the Carl Gustafs. You are to set up a defensive position and halt the elven advance. I¡¯m gonna attack as ordered to.¡±
Miller thought it over and nodded
¡°Will do.¡±
The messenger looked quizzaciously as Miller moved towards the vehicles and gathered his men.
¡°Um, sir? What are you doing?¡±
Wolfred explained to the messenger. The messenger immediately protested.
¡°This is against orders!¡±
¡°Hm? It¡¯s not against orders since you never specifically stated that my whole group has to attack. There was also no specific order preventing me from sending units to help the right flank. All I have to do is to attack the elves from this flank which is what I¡¯m doing albeit with a smaller force.¡±
The messenger hesitated.
¡°But¡¡±
He started to speak and trailed off since he didn¡¯t know how to respond. Wolfred nodded.
¡°Time is off the essence, we will be setting off.¡±
¡°We will advance with you.¡±
Wolfred nodded at Flametail¡¯s offer. He understood that with the Diamond Wolves split in half, it would have been difficult to advance by themselves.
Thirty minutes later
Wolfred drove his humvee through the sparsely wooded forest. With him were a bunch of other humvees and trucks. Up ahead were the Fifth Division and the Diamond Wolves that had the Carl Gustafs. They had been advancing for a good while. Wolfred got on his radio.
<<<¡°Rodriguez, anything up ahead?¡±>>>
Dalton Rodriguez was the one commanding the Carl Gustaf unit.
<<<¡°Nothing sir.¡±
¡°Keep an eye out. There are probably still tanks in this forest.¡±>>>
A few minutes later
There were sounds of explosions up ahead.
<<<¡°Rodriguez, what¡¯s happening!?¡±
¡°Three tanks. They are taken care of. Probably the remnants of the ones that attacked us.¡±>>>
Nearly an hour later
Rodriguez came through the radio again.
<<<¡°Stop! We are seeing some elves.¡±
¡°How much is there?¡±
¡°Ummm¡ I think we found their main position.¡±
¡°Okay. Dismount! We are attacking!¡±
An elf sat there enjoying a talk with his friends. He was very glad that his company wasn¡¯t the one who had been ordered to attack. The elves from the infantry company that came back from their failed assault were in terrible shape.
¡°Enemy attack! Enemy attack!¡±
He looked up to the shouts and blacked out as a 7.62x39 mm bullet went through his head.
Right flank of the Soane lines
¡°Hurry! Hurry!¡±
Commander Gladwine goaded his knights. The elves were hot on their trail. A tank appeared behind them. It stopped and started to turn its turret towards them.
¡°Dispers...¡±
The tank exploded.
Miller smiled as the TOW slammed into the tank behind the knights.
¡°Seems like we got here in the nick of time. We will stop them here. Don¡¯t let a single tank through.¡±
A few minutes later
Gladwine trotted his horse up to ones who saved the survivors of his unit. He recognized the man as one of the commanders of the mercenaries.
Elven Headquarters, Subican Kingdom
¡°Our attack on the left flank has stalled and the right flank is being pushed back.¡±
Field Marshal Ianna sat down.
¡°Retreat and regroup.¡±
As the adjutant left, he could hear loud shouting behind him.
¡°This was all going so well! Until those idiots attacking the human empire messed it up! Now I¡¯m stuck here¡¡±
Chapter 59 - Looming Battle
1425 April 14th, 2020 CE (Washington DC Time)
1012 Sun 14th, 2020 CE (Elven Nation Time)
0825 April 14th, 2020 CE (Hawaii Time)
A submarine of the Elven Attack Fleet, S-56
¡°Captain! There¡¯s something approaching from our front at high speeds!¡±
The captain looked over the UMWEs (Underwater Mana Wave Emittor) operator¡¯s shoulder and watched as a blip moved closer and closer to the center. He had been warned about the fact that American weapons were a bit superior to the elves.
¡°Must be an American weapon of sorts. Probably an advanced torpedo. Dive! Dive! Dive! Evade it!¡±
The ballast tanks inside the submarine filled with water as the submarine started going deeper. The submarines behind them started turning left and right.
¡°It should pass right over now.¡±
The crew waited quietly. The blip on got closer and closer. Then the submarine shook.
¡°It hit us!¡±
Sounds of panic started.
¡°We are taking on water!¡±
¡°The bottom compartments are all filling with water!¡±
Submarines behind the S-56
¡°S-56 has been hit.¡±
¡°The torpedo has come out the other side of S-56! It¡¯s changing directions and coming towards us sir!¡±
¡°Get us to the surface! Being underwater isn¡¯t safe!¡±
Elven Attack Fleet Flagship, NN Conqueror
¡°Admiral! Our submarines are under attack. Some sort of torpedo is going right through them.¡±
Admiral Edyrm Vaynore sat down with a beleaguered face. He had experienced the power of American weaponry and still had no strategy to completely deal with them. He said his next words without the commanding aura of his past self but that of a normal man in a regular conversation.
¡°Since we haven¡¯t been attacked yet, this weapon may only be capable of attacking submarines. Tell all submarines to surface.¡±
¡°They are doing just that sir.¡±
¡°Good.¡±
S-88
¡°S-71 had been taken out. It¡¯s changing directions towards S-102. It¡¯s fast! S-102 has been taken out. It¡¯s changing directions again. It¡¯s targeting S-34¡±
¡°Why can¡¯t we rise faster!¡±
The captain of S-88 felt panic welling up in him as the single American torpedo destroyed one submarine after another.
¡°Come on. Come on¡¡±
¡°We are approaching the surface, Captain.¡±
NN Conqueror
Admiral Vaynore questioned his staff.
¡°What''s the situation?¡±
¡°8 submarines were taken out by what we classified as some sort of torpedo.¡±
¡°What is this ¡®torpedo¡¯?¡±
¡°It¡¯s not explosive but it¡¯s guided and goes straight through our submarines. Causes them to fill up with water from where the torpedo entered and exited.¡±
¡°It''s too dangerous to submerge. Tell all submarines to travel on the surface.¡±
¡°What will they do during battle, sir?¡±
Admiral Vaynore hesitated at that question. Submarines were made to be stealthy and attack from underwater. Now that they couldn¡¯t go underwater, they had lost their main advantage.
¡°... I will find a way.¡±
Ocean near Hawaii
Two sailors on the USS Zumwalt were talking while doing their jobs.
¡°What the hell are the higher-ups even thinking? The main guns don¡¯t even work on this thing.¡±
¡°Well, we still have our missiles.¡±
¡°I heard that the elves have a hundred submarines. How in God¡¯s name are we gonna deal with that?¡±
¡°I dunno how exactly but I do know we are still gonna beat the shit out of them. Besides, you¡¯re panicking far too early. The battle shouldn¡¯t actually happen until like 12 hours from now.¡±
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1634 April 14th, 2020 CE (Washington DC Time)
1034 April 14th, 2020 CE (Hawaii Time)
The Suburbs of Honolulu, Hawaii
¡°Garry! Seems like the neighbors are panicking. They are packing up and leaving.¡±
¡°Honey, we will be fine. It¡¯s a bunch of World War 2 ships.¡±
¡°But still. I¡¯m a tad bit worried. Don¡¯t you think we should try to find a safer place? Maybe go closer inland at least?¡±
The words from the TV in the background caught their attention.
<<<¡±This just coming in. The President will shortly be addressing the nation on the current situation.¡±>>>
¡°Honey, they are just overreacting. This isn¡¯t some Independence Day movie. Aliens aren¡¯t coming to obliterate us with a massive laser. Look I¡¯m pretty sure the President is coming on to tell everybody to calm down.¡±
<<<¡±My fellow Americans. 79 years ago on December 7th, Pearl Harbor was attacked by the Navy and Air Force of the Empire of Japan. We were caught off guard and suffered severe losses. Now, we face a similar threat. However, history will not repeat again. We know that a large Elven fleet is closing in on Hawaii. We know their exact location. We know what we are facing. The United States Navy, Air Force, and Air National Guard will confront and stop them soon. My fellow Americans, you have nothing to fear. Your safety is guaranteed. Hawaii is not under threat. People of Hawaii! Do not panic. Place your trust in the Armed Forces of the United States. The enemy will not lay hands on American soil! I promise you that not a single enemy explosive will land on Hawaii! Thank you and may God bless America.¡±>>>
1823 April 14th, 2020 CE (Washington DC Time)
White House
¡°First engagement should occur within the next 12 hours, Mr. President.¡±
President Hayes nodded.
¡°How¡¯s the fleet that''s going to clear the way for D-Day II?¡±
It was decided to call the operation to invade the Elven homeland, D-Day II because it truly fit the situation. It also shed a good light on it. The purpose was to emphasize that this was a war to defeat a country with a similar ideology to the Nazis.
¡°Should be approaching soon. The operation has been set to commence about two weeks from now.¡±
¡°Good. Good. What about the current ground situation in the Magus Imperium? How¡¯s our land forces?¡±
¡°Everything should be completely secured now. We do have a problem with the prisoners though.¡±
¡°Hm?¡±
¡°There¡¯s too much for us to handle. Fifty thousand.¡±
President Hayes'' demeanor changed at that number and whistled.
¡°Any solution?¡±
¡°I was just about to ask you about this. We are thinking of handing most of them over to the Magusians. They seem well experienced at handling large numbers of prisoners taking into account their massive wars with the Mach. They also seem quite willing to take them.¡±
Hayes knew that handing the elves over to the Magus would end pretty badly for the elves but not doing so would have caused problems in the future. And besides, he didn¡¯t really care for the elves. They weren¡¯t even human so there weren''t any pesky rules of war that applied to them. Of course, he still wanted most of the rules of war to be followed in order to maintain a good public opinion.
¡°I suppose that''s fine. Any news from the Green Berets we inserted?¡±
¡°Nothing new since the last time I briefed you on them. They should either have arrived or gotten close to arriving in the Elven capital.¡±
Ocean between the Soane Continent and Magus Imperium
A large American fleet was sailing straight towards the Elven homeland. Seaman James Murray was talking to his friend, Seaman Zach Stevens again.
¡°Why aren¡¯t we turning around then?¡±
¡°Won¡¯t get there in time. And besides, I don¡¯t think a bunch of outdated ships are gonna do much.¡±
0350 April 15th, 2020 CE (Washington DC Time)
0455 Sun 15th, 2020 CE (Elven Nation Time)
Afavalin, Elven Nation
Two elves walked into the hotel.
¡°Welcome! What are you boys here for?¡±
¡°How much is the cost for a month¡¯s stay for both of us?¡±
¡°A month you say¡ hm¡ let me calculate that. Give me a few seconds.¡±
The receptionist got out a piece of paper and did some calculations.
¡°That would be about one Gold and ten Silvers for a one-month stay.¡±
¡°Okay, thank you.¡±
One of the elves fished out 1 Gold and 10 Silver notes and placed them on the counter.
¡°We have breakfast every morning. If you have any problems, come down to this desk and we will gladly fix it.¡±
The elves got into the room and shut the door behind them. They quickly took their ears off.
¡°Phew, finally, these fake elf ears get very uncomfortable very fast.¡±
The other ¡°elf¡± got out their radio. He spoke into it in a low voice.
<<<¡°This is Fairy One Actual. Is everyone in position? Over.¡±
¡°Fairy Three has already settled down, over.¡±
¡°This is Fairy Four, we just got there, over.¡±
¡°Yep for Fairy Two, over.¡±
¡°Fairy Five is nearly there, over.¡±
¡°Fairy Six is um somewhat lost. Um, we shouldn¡¯t be far from where we are supposed to be. Over.¡±
¡°Good to hear, just follow the plan. Out.¡±
They had decided to further split up the group into a total of 6 teams with 2 people in each. The original 2 team with 6 each wasn¡¯t optimal. Having such a large group of elven males coming into the capital city at once and staying at the same place was bound to raise suspicions.
An hour later
Pablo and Dennis strolled through the streets of Afavalin. It was extremely lively, people crowded the streets and cars clogged the roads. Other than the noticeable lack of skyscrapers and the fact that everyone had pointy ears, it kind of felt like New York City.
As they walked down the street, they spotted a building of interest. It was given a large space and had guards protecting it.
Pablo nodded to Dennis. They separated. Dennis wandered around the street but purposefully and slowly got closer to the protected building. He walked right into one of the guards.
¡°What are you doing?!¡±
¡°Oops, sorry. I¡¯m so sorry.¡±
¡°Get out of here!¡±
¡°Um, I¡¯m completely lost. Where exactly am I?¡±
¡°Are you blind? This is the home of our great Leader! If you don¡¯t leave, I will shoot!¡±
¡°Sorry. I¡¯m leaving.¡±
Dennis turned his back and walked away quickly with a smirk on his face.
0350 April 15th, 2020 CE (Washington DC Time)
2150 April 14th, 2020 CE (Hawaii Time)
Honolulu, Hawaii
Deck of the USS Missouri
¡°Whoever ordered this to be reactivated is a complete idiot.¡±
An engineer looked at one of the manuals for the USS Missouri.
¡°What the fuck is this part?¡±
Another engineer walked over and looked at it.¡±
¡°Not sure. I guess it¡¯s saying that that¡¯s connected to that.¡±
¡°Oh, reactivate one of the missile systems, they said. It should be easy, they said. Motherfuckers. This ship hasn¡¯t actually been maintained for 29 fucking years. Can''t whoever is on top understand that.¡±
¡°The generators are kaput. We won¡¯t fix them in time. We are gonna need to bring in our own if we want to get the missile systems running.¡±
¡°How are they even gonna fire the fucking missiles? We have to replace the electric panels.¡±
0712 April 15th, 2020 CE (Washington DC Time)
0112 April 15th, 2020 CE (Hawaii Time)
Miles away from Hawaii.
On the USS John C. Stennis, two F/A-18 Super Hornets got ready on the catapult.
Chapter 60 - Defense of Hawaii Part 1
0714 April 15th, 2020 CE (Washington DC Time)
0114 April 15th, 2020 CE (Hawaii Time)
Near Hawaii
Two F/A-18 Super Hornets launched from the USS John C. Stennis into the night sky. In a mere 30 seconds, another two were launched.
Washington D.C.
¡°Seems to be some sort of... show of force?¡±
It was clear from the satellite imagery that seemingly all the elven submarines of the fleet that was currently heading towards Hawaii have surfaced. President Hayes scratched his head at Cralson¡¯s words.
¡°Show of force? Show of force to who? They shouldn¡¯t know that we can see their ships.¡±
¡°Maybe it''s to boost their own morale.¡±
¡°I fail to see how having all your submarines surface would boost morale. It seems like a stupid thing to do.¡±
¡°Then I don¡¯t know what they are doing.¡±
Vice President Wogs got their attention.
¡°People, people, this isn¡¯t important. The Super Hornets will be in missile range soon.¡±
0735 April 15th, 2020 CE
0135 April 15th, 2020 CE
Somewhere in the ¡°Pacific¡±
Four Super Hornet squadrons flew in formation.
<<<¡°Targets in range. Let¡¯s waste these fuckers!¡±>>>
They each had a full load of Harpoon missiles. From the 44 aircraft, 176 Harpoons were fired. They broke formation and began their return to the USS John C. Stennis.
Washington D.C.
¡°All missiles have been launched.¡±
President Hayes leaned back on his chair as he watched the screen that broadcasted the positions of the Elven fleet, the US fleet, and the Super Hornet squadrons.
¡°We are going to need to procure a lot of new missiles or we are going to have a massive shortage soon.¡±
A few minutes later
Elven Fleet
The sound of explosions echoed. Admiral Vaynore grimly opened his eyes and looked at the metal ceiling of his room.
¡°So it has begun.¡±
A massive explosion occurred on the bottom left side of a small aircraft carrier as a Harpoon missile struck it. Smoke billowed out before a massive explosion seemingly ruptured the aircraft carrier. The Harpoon had struck its magazine compartments that had been filled with bombs and torpedoes.
Another Harpoon hit right on the bow of a massive battleship. It caused much less damage but there was a gaping hole where the Harpoon hit.
The Elven fleet did not stop advancing as one missile after another hit.
Smoke billowed out of the superstructure of a cruiser where the missile hit.
A destroyer, ripped in two by the explosion of a Harpoon hitting it, started slowly descending into its watery grave. Its surviving elves jumping overboard.
More and more ships were hit with each passing second. The night was lit with explosions and the fires coming from the ships.
S-101
¡°Dive! Dive! Dive!¡±
The sound of explosions reverberated in the submarine. They were more willing to risk the threat of the torpedo attacking them than be obliterated by air attacks.
¡°The NN Victory has been sunk!¡±
¡°The NN Zumlar is taking on water! The crew says that they can keep it afloat.¡±
¡°There was a minor magazine explosion on the NN Ilyana! Crews are working to take out the fire.¡±
¡°The S-29 is gone!¡±
Reports of the damage came flooding in. In the end, 25 destroyers, 2 submarines, 1 light aircraft carrier, and 3 cruisers were sunk. Much more ships were damaged to varying degrees.
Admiral Vaynore viewed the damage from the bridge of his ship. Black smoke billowed into the sky as ships engulfed in fire sunk. Elves waved their arms and floated around the sinking wreckage.
¡°Rescue them as quickly as possible. We don¡¯t have time to idle.¡±
¡°Understood.¡±
Before the officer could leave. Admiral Vaynore stopped and turned around.
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¡°Wait. Don¡¯t get me wrong. We are saving all of them. NO ONE will be left behind. We just need to do it fast.¡±
Even amidst all this destruction by and without them knowing, they were still a bit lucky. Not all Harpoon missiles reached their targets. Some of them just missed by chance while others accidentally targeted the submarines. Most of the submarines dived away just as the Harpoons were about to hit.
Washington D.C.
President Hayes stared at the screen as reports came in that the missiles had hit. The Elven Fleet showed no change in direction.
¡°They are just recklessly charging us at this point.¡±
Although reports say that they have suffered high damage from the Harpoon attacks, the Elven fleet seemed to show no signs of retreating or even a change of tactics. Albeit with fewer ships, the elves continued steaming forward. Cralson nodded.
¡°They are probably on a suicide mission. It''s almost as if their commander gave up already. We are preparing for the second strike. Their ships should be moving into the missile range of our ships.¡±
¡°They are getting awfully close to Hawaii.¡±
¡°We have multiple Air National Guard fighter squadrons on standby there. They are ready to take to the air at a moment¡¯s notice.¡±
¡°Why weren¡¯t they launched already to attack the Elven fleet?¡±
¡°Most of the aircraft there are better suited to be or are just air superiority fighters. Some of them could be used for anti-ship purposes but we will only do that under dire circumstances."
0753 April 15th, 2020 CE
0153 April 15th, 2020 CE
Elven Fleet
Inside the officer¡¯s meeting room. The officers of the NN Conqueror gathered.
¡°Our scout planes have been out searching for the enemy fleet but we haven¡¯t found them yet.¡±
¡°Admiral, shouldn¡¯t we try to redirect our course? We will be destroyed before we even reach our target!¡±
Admiral Vaynore shook his head
¡°Even if we did, we would still suffer the same amount of casualties. The Americans can reach us even if we split up into groups."
¡°Can¡¯t we employ the strategy we had used in our last battle?¡±
¡°We were the ones defending while the Americans were the ones attacking. Now it''s the opposite.¡±
¡°Is there anything we can do, Admiral?¡±
Vaynore pondered for a bit. Although he had already given up, his subordinates hadn''t. At this moment, he decided to accompany them all the way.
¡°We will send the submarines ahead.¡±
¡°But what about the torpedo that attacked yesterday?"
¡°Our submarines have submerged and have yet to be attacked. I have no clear idea on how American weaponry really works but I believe that the Americans will attack when they can. The submarines should be safe for now.¡±
A few minutes later
Everyone left the room after the strategy meeting concluded. Vaynore sighed. Surrender was unthinkable to quite a lot of the officers. Especially the younger ones. Vaynore expected a full mutiny if he dared to entertain the idea of surrender.
US Fleet
The Super Hornets started taking off once again. This time, Harpoon missiles were being launched by the ships besides the USS John C. Stennis. White smoke trailed behind each missile as they headed for the sky. The trails of white smoke filled the sky as they curved towards their target.
Missiles were being fired from Arleigh Burke destroyers, Ticonderoga cruisers, and Zumwalt destroyers.
Washington D.C.
A report on a different situation came from Cralson.
¡°Seems like the Green Berets have found quite a few important locations.¡± Cralson placed down a satellite map of Afvalin on the table. Marked in red ¡°x¡±s were important civil and military buildings. ¡°They will all be targets in our first strike.¡±
President Hayes rubbed his eyes and stifled a yawn. He had woken up early so he could be there when the naval battle started. Now it has started to affect him.
¡°I guess it¡¯s a good time to call a meeting soon on finalizing the plans for D-Day II.¡±
0834 April 15th, 2020 CE
0234 April 15th, 2020 CE
Elven Fleet
More explosions started occurring. The NN Zumlar had already taken 5 hits to various places. Although with a limp, it was still moving. Even his own ship, the NN Conqueror was hit. It was by sheer luck that the explosion didn¡¯t reach any of the bombs or torpedoes that were stored. 1 battleship, 1 fleet carrier, 1 light carrier, 3 cruisers, and 20 destroyers were destroyed in this second attack.
A magiradio operator came up to Admiral Vaynore
¡°One of the scout planes has a report! We haven¡¯t found their fleet but we have found land! This could be their home base or maybe even their homeland.¡±
Admiral Vaynore nodded.
¡°Launch all aircraft to attack! We can¡¯t let this opportunity slip away.¡±
One of the officers protested the decision.
¡°But Admiral, we will leave our ships without air cover.¡±
¡°The enemy can attack us without even getting near us, our air cover is useless. We will just worthlessly waste our aircraft as the carriers get sunk one by one.¡±
Admiral Vaynore was being extremely stern in his reply. The officer who had objected hung his head down.
¡°Understood, Admiral.¡±
All aircraft carriers of the fleet prepared to launch their aircraft. Pilots got into their planes. Bombs and torpedoes were quickly loaded on. On one of the light carriers, the NN Undefeatable, the propellers of their planes spun to life as the ground crew prepared them. Lights from the aircraft carrier lit the runway. A flag was waved and the blocks on the wheels of the aircraft were removed. The flag was then waved down and the first plane went down the runway.
As the aircraft continued to launch. Three explosions rocked the NN Zumlar.
¡°Report! The battleship NN Zumlar has been struck by an enemy attack again and is heavily damaged!¡±
The sounds of explosions reverberated in Vaynore¡¯s room.
¡°Launch all aircraft as quickly as possible! Speed it up!¡±
Although it took some time, it wasn¡¯t long before 147 Ea-192N (naval-modified) fighters, 162 Ra-189N (naval-modified) dive bombers, and 135 Ra-1 torpedo bombers took to the sky in groups of large v formations.
Deep in the sea, the submarines started passing the surface ships. Although they were told to advance ahead, the submarines weren¡¯t that fast so they were still right next to the Elven main fleet.
Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Honolulu, Hawaii
The alarms on the base rang loud and clear. Men quickly scattered onto the runway.
14 F-22 Raptors of the 199th Fighter Squadron, part of the Hawaii Air National Guard, taxied down the runway. 70 F-16A/Bs and F-16C/Ds of the 152nd Fighter Wing from the Arizona Air National Guard followed right behind. F-15C/Ds of the 114th Fighter Squadron from the Oregon Air National Guard were idling on the parking spaces. Aircraft from many other fighter squadrons were also there. Although they were intended only for emergency use only against the Elven ships, when the Navy couldn¡¯t keep the elves at bay, they were now being launched in response to the approaching elven aircraft.
Elven Air Fleet
The designated commander of the assemblage of planes got onto his magiradio.
<<<¡°Target should not be far away. The scout aircraft spotted multiple buildings and ships. Our mission is to destroy all of them. Dive bombers will approach in three waves. Torpedoes bombers will sink any and all ships that they come across. Fighters will provide cover in all circumstances.¡±>>>
0845 April 15th, 2020 CE
0245 April 15th, 2020 CE
199th Fighter Squadron
<<<¡°Bandit acquired. We got a horde of them. Weapons free!¡±>>>
The bay doors in the center belly of the F-22 Raptors opened up. The other 13 F-22 Raptors followed suit.
Chapter 61 - Defense of Hawaii Part 2
0845 April 15th, 2020 CE (Washington DC Time)
0245 April 15th, 2020 CE (Hawaii Time)
Air over the ¡°Pacific¡±
From the open bay doors in the center belly of each F-22 Raptor, an AIM-120 AMRAAM dropped down.
<<<¡°Fox Three!¡±>>>
All the AMRAAMs propelled forwards at once with a blaze coming from each of their tails.
Only a few seconds later, another AMRAAM dropped from each of the F-22s. It wasn¡¯t long before each Raptor expanded all 6 of their AMRAAMs in their central bay. 84 AMRAAMs streaked through the sky.
A few minutes later, the 70 F-16s followed suit. Their AMRAAMS launched forwards from where they were situated under the wings of the F-16s. One after another, the missiles shot forward with a blaze. Each F-16 fired off their 4 AMRAAMs. A total of 280 AMRAAMs were fired from the F-16s.
<<<¡°We got enemy Arrows approaching! Break formation! Break formation. Evade! Evade!¡±>>>
Because of the similarities between the description of the human weapon used to shoot down planes and the arrows fired from a bow and arrow, it was decided to dub them Arrows. The once organized fleet of propeller aircraft started crisscrossing. They went in every direction in order to try to confuse the missiles. Ra-189N dive bombers and Ra-1 torpedo bombers started diving. The Ea-192N fighters started turning left or right.
The pilot of an Ra-189N, Siveril Ralocan, put the nose of his plane down and followed the other Ra-189Ns. His back seat gunner, Camus Heirora, panickedly shouted as he watched one of Arrows curve towards them.
¡°Siveril! It¡¯s coming right for us! Change directions!¡±
The plane started banking left. Nonetheless, the Arrow quickly gained on them.
¡°It¡¯s right in my fa¡¡±
The Arrow smashed right through the tail and exploded.
It didn¡¯t take long before more of the Arrows started hitting.
¡°It¡¯s turning towards me!¡±
¡°I can¡¯t shake it off! It keeps follo¡¡±
¡°Protect the dive bombers!¡±
In the sky, Elven aircraft burst into fireballs. Pieces of metal floated down from the orange, fiery explosions. Confused by the mass of crisscrossing planes, one or two of the Arrows went off course. All others hit.
The remaining Elven aircraft got back into a few v formations. The commander of the air fleet had barely survived.
<<<¡±We have lost a majority of our aircraft. No clear loss count yet. We still have more than 50 aircraft at least.¡±
¡°Continue the assault. Do not back down.¡±
¡°Understood.¡±>>>
Lieutenant Colonel Alex Jackson, commander of the 199th Fighter Squadron, looked at his radar.
<<<¡±Multiple bandits hit. We still have many survivors. 90 or so aircraft. Closing in on targets.¡±>>>
A few minutes later
<<<¡°Enemy aircraft ahead!¡±>>>
What seemed to be silver arrowheads were approaching them at incredible speeds.
With their remaining targets getting closer and closer, each F-22 opened up both of their side-bay doors.
<<<¡°Fox 2! Fox 2!¡±>>>
AIM-9 Sidewinders flew out from the open side bays.
<<<¡±Enemy aircraft have fired Arrows! Break!¡±>>>
The Raptors flew towards the elven aircraft that were breaking formation. Sidewinders started hitting. An Ea-192N that was banking left exploded as a Sidewinder hit it. Its main body disappeared in the explosion and the wings fell out of the sky. All 28 Sidewinders found their targets. Only 12 Ea-192Ns, 23 Ra-189Ns, and 19 Ra-1s remained.
<<<¡±They seem to have spent their Arrows. We are about even in terms of numbers of fighters. Form up and engage!¡±>>>
It wasn¡¯t clear who was giving orders since their commanders had already died but the Elven pilots followed what was said. The Ea-192Ns started turning around. The 20mm M61A2 Vulcan rotary cannon on one of the F-22s opened up. It shredded one of the elven fighters. The F-22 banked left and avoided the debris from the destroyed fighter.
The Ea-192Ns tried to get behind the F-22s but they were just too fast. An F-22 quickly turned and got behind one of the Ea-192Ns.
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¡°There¡¯s a hum¡¡±
The elf pilot stopped as he watched his fellow aircraft get hit and go down. His face was flushed with anger,
¡°Death to these humans!¡±
He banked his aircraft left and turned towards the F-22. Then he shook violently. His plane dipped towards the ground. He frantically looked back at his tail which was completely gone. He was so blinded by anger that he failed to notice an F-22 strafing his tail while flying by.
The Ra-189Ns and Ra-1s tried to get out of the dogfight but the F-22s quickly started pursuing and shooting them down. The remaining Ea-192Ns tried to get the F-22s off of them.
A lone Ra-189N flew in the sky. It had miraculously gotten out of the dogfight. The pilot, Ninleyn Padan, got on his magiradio.
<<<¡°My aircraft is possibly the only one remaining. 14 human aircraft shaped like arrowheads and capable of extreme speeds engaged us. We were the only ones to escape.¡°
¡°Orders have not changed. Continue assault and do not back down.¡±>>>
A heavy silence fell for a few seconds.
<<<¡°Understood¡±>>>
Ninleyn turned to his back seat gunner, Ivasaar Lorayra.
¡°Anything behind us?¡±
¡°Seems like they didn¡¯t follow us.¡±
Ninleyn turned back to the front.
¡°Good we might have slippe¡¡±
Ivasaar, facing the back of the aircraft, was scanning the sky. He noticed that Ninleyn stopped his sentence midway.
¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±
Ninleyn didn¡¯t reply. The Ivassar looked behind him and towards Ninleyn.
¡°Hey, Ni¡¡±
<<<¡±We have a single elf aircraft in front of us. Seems like a dive bomber.¡±>>>
The 70 F-16s flew closer and closer to the single Ra-189N.
<<<¡±Fox 2.¡±>>>
The lead F-16 opened fire with a single Sidewinder.
Ninelyn gritted his teeth and started turning his plane towards the sea. It was too late. The Sidewinder struck the canopy of his aircraft. It exploded and evaporated him and Ivasaar.
<<<¡°One of the bandits slipped through¡±
¡°The F-16s got them.¡±
¡°We are Winchester and RTBing.¡±>>>
The F-22 Raptors turned and started to head back.
0911 April 15th, 2020 CE (Washington DC Time)
0311 April 15th, 2020 CE (Hawaii Time)
Elven Fleet
¡°We lost all aircraft.¡±
A silence fell over the meeting room. A few of the elven naval officers were surprised. Admiral Vaynore stood there quietly and expressionless. He had long expected the end result. After a moment of silence, he started giving out commands.¡±
¡°Tell all remaining aircraft carriers to toss all torpedoes, bombs, and aviation fuel overboard. We don¡¯t have any use for them anymore. They are now just unneeded explosives that could set off if another Arrow hit us.¡±
Washington D.C.
¡°All enemy aircraft have been shot out of the sky. No loss from combat.¡±
A few of the people in the Situation Room started clapping. President Hayes interrupted it.
¡°Save your clapping for later. It ain''t over till the fat lady sings. Give me a quick sitrep on the naval engagement.¡±
¡°The Navy is still firing their missiles and they are preparing another wave of F-18s. The missiles are having some trouble destroying what we believe to be the battleships. They have taken multiple hits and haven¡¯t sunk. However, we should be able to damage them enough to become inoperable.¡±
US Fleet
¡°We are detecting multiple submarines approaching.¡±
The 11 MH-60R Seahawk on the USS John C. Stennis has been rotating in order to keep a constant eye for submarines. After a few hours of rotations, they have finally found the Elven submarine fleet.
RUM-139 VL-ASROC missiles launched from the Ticonderoga-class cruisers and Arleigh Burke-class destroyers.
Elven Fleet
The elven naval officer had grim faces as the damage report was given.
¡°The NN Zumlar has been hit 9 times. The crew has done emergency repairs but it is still limping. The NN Valqen has been hit 5 times. It has sustained some damage but nothing too detrimental. The NN Ulahice and NN Cairan have been hit 4 times. Not much damage reported for either of them. Our ship has been hit 2 times and miraculously is still afloat. It probably won¡¯t last another hit. A few cruisers and carriers have also already been hit but suffered nothing major. We have lost, so far, a total of a battleship, 2 fleet carriers, 3 light carriers, 56 destroyers, 7 cruisers, and 10 submarines.¡±
The elven naval officers, already shocked by the news of the loss of their entire air fleet, were further disheartened by the report. It was nearly half of their fleet. Admiral Vaynore didn¡¯t seem fazed by the report.
¡°We will continue heading for the area where the enemy fleet could be.¡±
¡°Admiral, we will be destroyed before we even get there. Our air wing has been destroyed. We have lost almost half of our destroyers, cruisers, and aircraft carriers. We need a new strategy. Should we try to split apart so they can¡¯t all target us at one location?¡±
Admiral Vaynore shook his head.
¡°Even if we run now, the humans can still destroy us. The chances of us surviving were dismal from the start. The only path we have now is forward.¡±
Skies over the ¡°Pacific¡±
An RUM-139 streaked through the sky. Then, a Mk 54 torpedo dropped into the ocean from it. Multiple other RUM-139s were right behind it.
S-89
The Captain of the S-89 had been constantly checking in on his UMWE operator. He was scared of a repetition of the last attack.
¡°Anything on the UMWE?¡±
¡°All is clear.¡±
And then something shook the submarine.
¡°What''s that?¡±
A few minutes later, the magiradio officer shouted.
¡°Report! S-23 has been hit!¡±
Another explosion shook the submarine.
¡°We are under attack!¡±
Even more explosions started.
Elven Fleet
On the deck of the NN Conquereor, torpedoes and bombs were pushed over and splashed into the sea.
¡°Report! Our submarines are under attack by torpedoes.¡±
¡°Are they the same ones we experienced before?¡±
¡°No sir, they explode on contact like normal torpedoes.¡±
S-89
The S-89 shook violently as something hit and exploded on it.
¡°We are taking on water! We are taking on water!¡±
¡°Surface! Surface! Surface!¡±
¡°We can¡¯t, sir! We are taking on too much water!¡±
Slowly, the S-89 sunk into the bottom of the sea
0845 April 15th, 2020 CE
0722 Sun 15th, 2020 CE
Near the Magus Imperium
ASROC missiles were also being fired from the Arleigh Burkes and Ticonderogas that were guarding the 5 aircraft carriers.
¡°The elves seem to be increasing their submarine patrols.¡±
¡°They probably know where we are at now.¡±
¡°I¡¯m surprised that there¡¯s not a bigger response.¡±
¡°I think they sent most of their forces to attack the West Coast.¡±
The American fleet near the Magus Imperium was preparing to start the air campaign against the elven homeland.
Chapter 62 - Defense of Hawaii Part 3
1032 April 15th, 2020 CE (Washington DC Time)
0432 April 15th, 2020 CE (Hawaii Time)
Somewhere in the ¡°Pacific¡±
Sitting on his bed, Admiral Vaynore looked at the grey metal ceiling of his room. He had returned to his quarters for a short break. He could still hear the shouts of his ship¡¯s crew. He whispered to himself as if in a daze.
¡°... I already quit, my Leader.¡±
A few more minutes passed before he stopped looking at the wall and got up.
He opened the door and walked into the brig. His officers immediately came up to him.
¡°Admiral, the NN Zumlar has been sunk after 17 hits!¡±
¡°We have to find a way to attack them.¡±
¡°Admiral, what do we do?¡±
With the ever-diminishing number of ships, the battleships have placed themselves on the sides of the flagship, the NN Conqueror, in order to prevent it from being hit more.
Suddenly, Admiral Vaynore had the air knocked out of him as his chest and face slammed into the floor. He got up on all fours, winced, and started coughing. Soon, sounds of panic started around him.
¡°We have been hit! We have been hit!¡±
¡°There¡¯s damage to the bottom right compartments of the ship!¡±
¡°What happened to the battleships? Weren¡¯t they supposed to protect us?¡±
¡°The NN Valqen has been sunk!¡±
¡°Admiral, are you alright?¡±
With the help of one of his officers, Admiral Vaynore staggered up on his feet while still coughing.
¡°I¡¯m¡ fine¡±
After composing himself, Admiral Vaynore walked to the windows of the brig as his officers scrambled to assess the damage. Slowly turning his head from the left to the right, he took in the carnage. The light from the moon and the ship fires provided a clear view. Smoke billowed out from the battleships as multiple fires raged. A cruiser was slowly sinking into the sea. Its front end was halfway in the ocean and its back jutted out in the air. Some elves jumped into the ocean from the sinking cruiser while others on it boarded lifeboats. Tiredness washed over him. Admiral Vaynore took off his naval cap and placed it on the ledge of the window. He sighed.
¡°I¡¯m stepping down from my position as Admiral. There is nothing I can do at this point. Just let an old elf die quietly.¡±
Vaynore turned and left.
The officers watched with wide eyes as the Admiral walked out of the door. Pandemonium ensued.
¡°What do we do?¡±
¡°Who¡¯s in command now?¡±
¡°Vice Admiral, what do we do?¡±
The Vice-Admiral looked around at all the panicked officers.
¡°Calm down! We still have a fleet to command.¡±
Then a report from one of the crew further shocked them.
¡°Report! The repair crews are unable to fix the damage caused by the last hit. We are taking on water!¡±
There was a heavy and panicked knocking on Vaynore¡¯s door. Vaynore felt exasperated. He had already told them that he quit. He wondered if they were just like Tarron.
¡°Admiral! The ship is sinking! The damage from the last hit was too large to be contained.
¡°I told you already. I¡¯m not the admiral anymore.¡±
¡°But Ad¡ sir, the ship is sinking. We have to evacuate.¡±
¡°... I may not be the Admiral anymore but I was only a few minutes ago. I will go down with my ship.¡±
Washington D.C.
President Hayes looked somewhat nervously at the screen.
¡°They have set their course directly for Hawaii. We must stop them here and now.¡±
Secretary of Defense Cralson rubbed his chin.
¡°We are trying. We have destroyed a majority of their fleet but their battleships are still there. Under current calculations, it should be impossible for them to reach Hawaii before being completely wiped out.¡±
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¡°Still, their battleships are quite a nuisance.¡±
¡°With enough Harpoon missiles, they will sink¡ eventually.¡±
President Hayes closed his eyes and nodded as if coming to a decision.
¡°We will need to make some changes soon.¡±
Somewhere in the ¡°Pacific¡±
Seaman Joe Bennington watched as missile after missile was launched. In his entire time of service so far, he had never seen so many launches happening without stopping. Streaks of smoke that blanketed the night sky were illuminated every time a missile was launched. The blazing fire of a missile coming out of its tube in the middle of the night always seemed beautiful to him.
1032 April 15th, 2020 CE (Washington DC Time)
0516 April 15th, 2020 CE (Hawaii Time)
Oceans near the Magus Imperium
Rear Admiral (Lower Half) Halbert Johnson, in command of the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group, viewed the deck of his aircraft carrier.
¡°Admiral, the entire surrounding area should be clear. Nothing is coming up on the radar.¡±
¡°Good. Make sure it stays that way.¡±
They had already engaged multiple submarine and destroyer patrols. The fleet sent to clear the seas near the Magus Imperium had suffered little to no damage whilst inflicting heavy casualties on the elves.
¡°Seems like the amphibious assault ships are arriving.¡±
Magus Imperium
Issac sat down on a rock near the beach. His squadmates were loitering around. In front of them, bulldozers and diggers were piling up dirt. Engineers were setting up the buildings and infrastructure.
In their haste to retreat from the Magus Imperium, the elves were unable to destroy everything. The most important structure of all to the Americans were the ports that the elves had been building in order to transport in new supplies and units. The Army Corps of Engineers was now busy modernizing the ports that the elves had left behind. In preparation for D-Day II, it was vital that these ports were able to accommodate a large bulk of the US Army and Navy. Most of the US Army was already located in the Magus Imperium so it made much more sense to use these ports to invade the elf¡¯s homeland.
1052 April 15th, 2020 CE (Washington DC Time)
0452 April 15th, 2020 CE (Hawaii Time)
Somewhere in the ¡°Pacific¡±
The NN Conqueror started listing to the side. Objects in Vaynore¡¯s room started sliding forward. Shouts of his last remaining sailors could still be heard as they ran to board the lifeboats. A knock sounded on his door. Vaynore felt annoyed.
¡°What?¡±
¡°Sir, are you sure you don¡¯t want to evacuate?¡±
¡°I have already said so. I will go down with my ship.¡±
There was a short silence before the elf behind the door spoke.
¡°Understood, sir.¡±
The room had been tilted to an extreme degree but Vaynore could still sit on his bed. Water started seeping in through the bottom of the door. He sighed.
I should have stayed home.
The survivors on the lifeboats watched as the NN Conqueror was slowly enveloped by water.
On the NN Ulahice, the survivors climbed out of their lifeboats and were helped onto the ship. The officers of the NN Conqueror also gathered there since it seemed the safest. The NN Ulahice was the least damaged out of all the remaining battleships. It had only been hit 6 times. In the brig, the officers bickered about their next step.
¡°I propose that we retreat!¡±
¡°Retreating will bring shame on the Navy!¡±
¡°Then what do you want us to do? Just continue straight to our deaths? We are doing nothing more than walking off a cliff at this point!¡±
¡°I already brought up the idea. We should split our forces so the humans can¡¯t target us all. Being in one blob is making us easy prey. I have no idea why the Admiral didn¡¯t allow us to do this.¡±
A few minutes later
The remaining ships in the Elven fleet all started moving apart. Ships in the center continued forward while the ones on the right and left flanks turned towards their direction.
The missiles being fired were almost all ASROC missiles. A seemingly endless stream of elven submarines was showing up on radar. Los Angeles-class submarines had also gotten within range and were firing their torpedoes.
S-57
¡°The 7th Submarine Flotilla has faced heavy casualties. S-22 has been sunk! S-156 has been sunk! S-74 has been sunk! S-80 has bee¡¡±
An endless report of losses came streaming in. The Captain bit his finger. He screamed in frustration.
¡°Have we found their ships yet?!¡±
¡°No, Captain.¡±
¡°We are being shot out like literal fishes in a barrel. We have no idea where they are firing from but they seem to know perfectly where we are.¡±
Somewhere in the ¡°Pacific¡±
The officers of the NN Conqueror looked at each other hostilely.
¡°They are still sinking us! Splitting up didn¡¯t do anything to help. In fact, it might have worsened it.¡±
The three groups have been moving farther and farther apart from each other but the attacks still continued on all of them.
Then, another explosion rocked the NN Ulahice. Objects started sliding to the right. Although it started off minor, there now was an obvious listing to the right.
¡°Abandon ship! We are sinking!¡±
One of the officers slammed his fist on the table.
A few minutes later
¡°...we don¡¯t have any ships left.¡±
On the lifeboat, the elves watched as the NN Ulahice quickly toppled to the right. Its tower splashed into the ocean and the keel could be seen out of the water. Before long, it was completely upside down and quickly submerging. Now only debris and the wide expanse of the ocean surrounded them. Not a single warship was in sight.
Washington D.C.
¡°All enemy surface vessels have been destroyed. There are still a few remaining groups of submarines but I can almost confidently declare that we have prevented the elves from reaching Hawaii or doing any major damage.¡±
President Hayes started clapping. In a flash, everyone was cheering and applauding in the Situation Room.
¡°A bit premature but it has been a stressful few hours for everyone.¡±
S-57
A magiradio operator who had been trying to contact the surface fleet for the last 20 minutes looked back at his Captain.
¡°We have lost all contact with the main fleet.¡±
¡°They are lost aren¡¯t they¡¡±
The Captain knew that the surface fleet had been taking a beating. He didn¡¯t expect them to be destroyed so fast.
¡°Give me the magiradio. I need to directly talk with the Commanders of the other submarines.¡±
The magiradio operator handed it over to him.
<<<¡°This is Captain Gorwin Olaroris speaking. I would like the attention of all flotilla commanding officers.¡±>>>
The S-57 was the flagship submarine of the entire submarine fleet that was present. The surviving Commanders or Lieutenant Commanders of the various submarine flotillas that made up the fleet acknowledged Captain Olaroris.
<<<¡°I have just lost contact with the main fleet. With deep consideration of the mounting losses and having no clear picture of where the enemy is, I have decided to announce a complete retreat. If you have any opposition to this, please speak up now.¡±>>>
None of the commanders opposed. Having already lost a total of around 50 submarines, each surviving flotilla had already been heavily battered.
Chapter 63 - Mop Up
1138 April 15th, 2020 CE (Washington DC Time)
0538 April 15th, 2020 CE (Hawaii Time)
Hawaii
¡°Their submarine fleet is turning around!¡±
Cheers rose in the brig of the USS John C. Stennis. Rear Admiral Kirkland smiled.
¡°Mission accomplished everyone.¡±
Although the elves were retreating. ASROC missiles were still being fired. The streaks of smoke from the missiles could clearly be seen as the day started to brighten. The tip of the sun was barely peaking out of the horizon.
Somewhere in the ¡°Pacific¡±
Multiple RHIBs sped across the ocean. Large wakes formed behind them. An MH-60S flew over them and headed towards the same direction. A few more MH-60Ss followed behind.
The lead helicopter came upon a bunch of wooden lifeboats. Whilst keeping a distance, they hovered.
<<<¡°This is the US Navy. You are being rescued. Do not resist! We are here to help. Under the Gene¡¡±>>>
The announcer stopped for a second. Realizing his mistake, he coughed before continuing.
<<<¡°Ahem¡ Under the oath of the government of the United States, you will be treated humanely as prisoners of war.¡±>>>
One of the MH-60S started lowering itself at one of the lifeboats.
An elf on the lifeboat stuck his hand out towards the sea. A small blob of water rose out of the sea and the elf swung his hand at the MH-60S. The blob of water flew towards the helicopter and stuck it. It shook a bit from the impact.
¡°Aw fuck! They are shooting at us!¡±
¡°Abort! Abort!¡±
More and more elves stuck their hands out at the water. The MH-60S quickly started pulling back up as more blobs of water started hitting it. The water was hitting so hard that it sounded like the ricochets of bullets.
After returning back to its original position, the firing stopped
<<<¡°We aren¡¯t able to get close. They are shooting at us with their magic.¡±
¡°Understood. Give them a warning.¡±>>>
The elves in the lifeboat cheered as the MH-60S backed away. The elves started hollering at the helicopters.
¡°Get out of here you inferiors!¡±
<<<¡°We are only here to rescue you! I repeat we are here to rescue you. We have no intent on harming anyone. You will be treated humanely.¡±>>>
A few of the elves tried to hit the helicopters with their water bullets but they lacked the range to do so. They soon stopped firing and started rowing their lifeboats
Washington D.C.
Cralson gave a suggestion after learning that the elves were firing at the rescue helicopters.
¡°If they continue resisting we will probably need to shoot them.¡±
President Hayes raised an eyebrow.
¡°Won¡¯t that be considered a war crime?¡±
¡°War crimes aren¡¯t important in this world anymore. I¡¯m pretty sure the word ¡®war crimes¡¯ doesn¡¯t even exist in this world. We will probably face no international backlash for what we do.¡±
¡°Okay¡but what I meant was public perception. We should be asking whether or not the American people will be outraged by our actions. And I don¡¯t believe the public would approve. It will definitely seem like we are shooting defenseless people in the waters. The media will have a hay day with that. It¡¯s domestic backlash that¡¯s important now.¡±
¡°But Mr.President, we can¡¯t just leave them there! We can¡¯t let them land in Hawaii. They are clearly rowing towards Hawaii. They will endanger people if they land.¡±
The President couldn¡¯t respond. He sat there in deep thought.
¡°Tell the commanding officer to threaten them but don¡¯t actually shoot them. Let¡¯s see what happens.¡±
Somewhere in the ¡°Pacific¡±
Only the sound of the blades could be heard as the MH-60Ss hovered in the sky.
<<<¡°Continued resistance will be met with deadly force! I repeat. Continued resistance will be met with deadly force!¡±>>>
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The lead MH-60S lowered itself once again and once again, the elves shot at it.
Washington D.C.
¡°The Rear Admiral is asking whether or not he has permission to shoot. He doesn''t sound too happy about us telling him what to do.¡±
¡°Well I¡¯m the commander in chief and it¡¯s my reputation on the line here. Are the RHIBs armed?¡±
¡°The personnel on them are. The RHIBs themselves aren¡¯t.¡±
¡°Then instruct the MH-60 to fire warning shots at the elves. If the RHIBs are shot at when they arrive, then they can return fire with intent to kill.¡±
¡°Somewhere in the ¡°Pacific¡±
The .50 cal on the open side door of the MH-60S opened up in a few quick bursts. Small amounts of water sprouted up close to the elven boats as the bullets hit the water.
<<<¡°These are warning shots! Boats are here to pick you up. If they are shot at, we will use deadly force!¡±>>>
The RHIBs quickly came into view.
<<<¡±Dolphin 1, this is Angel 1. The elves are not cooperating. We have fired warning shots. Try getting closer. Weapons Hold. Stay frosty. Over.¡±
¡±This is Dolphin 1. Heard you loud and clear. Out.¡±>>>
¡°They are opening fire!¡±
The sailors on the RHIBs ducked as water bullets whizzed over them.
The single .50 cals on the side door of the MH-60Ss opened up at the boats. The sailors on the RHIBs started firing their rifles at the elves. Water sprouted up as .50 caliber bullets hit the ocean. Holes were punctured through the elves¡¯ wooden boats. The elves tried to shoot back with water bullets but were being quickly cut down. The sheer volume of fire terrified the elves. Some of the lifeboats started taking on water and sinking. A couple of elves jumped into the water in a desperate attempt to survive.
Many dead elves floated on the ocean but there were still many boats afloat. The elves who survived started raising their hands in surrender.
A few minutes later
¡°Get them on the boat. Don¡¯t let your guards down. Their literal hands are weapons. Don¡¯t hesitate to shoot if you see them lift their arms.¡± An RHIB got up next to one of the elf lifeboats. One by one, the sailors dragged the elves onto the RHIB. Every time an elf was helped on, at least four M4 rifles were aimed at them. The sailors had their fingers on the trigger and were ready to shoot at a moment''s notice. The other RHIBs and MH-60Ss all had their guns trained on the other lifeboats. Each of the elves¡¯ hands was zip-tied as hard as possible to prevent movement.
Petty Officer (3rd Class) Dan Hailey did a quick sweep of the elves being rescued.
¡°We captured quite a few of them alive. I thought they were all suicidal.¡±
1120 April 15th, 2020 CE
0540 Sun 15th 196 AE
Afvalin, Elven Nation
¡°Our assault fleet has failed and the Americans have pushed us out of the seas near the Magus Imperium.¡±
Tarron slammed his fist on his table.
¡°It seems like the Navy can no longer protect us. How is the defense construction going?¡±
Tarron¡¯s advisor stayed silent for a second.
¡°My Leader, wouldn¡¯t you like to know about the condition of the assault fleet?¡±
Tarron raised his eyebrows.
¡°There are still survivors?¡±
¡°Yes, about 30 or so submarines. They are being pursued and attacked. The Navy is trying to save them.¡±
Tarron waved him off.
¡°That¡¯s the Navy¡¯s concern now, not mine. I want to know how our defense situation is.¡±
¡°Well, we have hidden hundreds of tanks, dug thousands of miles of trench line, placed down thousands of mines, and antiaircraft guns blanket the land. We also have large weapon stocks ready to be handed out.¡±
¡°What about the PAMs?¡±
¡°I¡¯m sorry, what?¡±
Tarron looked a bit irritated
¡°The portable anti-magipanzers?¡±
The advisor flipped through the papers on his clipboard.
¡°Those are uhhhh¡ under mass production and will be available soon.¡±
1153 April 15th, 2020 CE (Washington DC Time)
0553 April 15th, 2020 CE (Hawaii Time)
Somewhere in the ¡°Pacific¡±
An MH-60R flew swiftly through the sky. It was on a search and destroy mission. Near the left side door of the helicopter, there are multiple evenly spaced holes. A sonobuoy popped out from one of these holes and splashed into the ocean.
<<<¡°This Hawk One. We have found multiple submarines miles in front of our position. Will be engaging. How copy? Over.¡±
¡°Solid copy. You are free to engage. Out.¡±>>>
On each side of the very small stub wings of the helicopter, there was an Mk54 lightweight torpedo. It launched both.
The other MH-60Rs were speeding to the location.
1210 April 15th, 2020 CE
0605 Sun 15th 196 AE
Somewhere in the Magus Imperium
An American engineer got out of the M4 Sherman.
¡°Congratulations on your first M4 Sherman. Seeing that you followed the manual to a tee, there should be no issues with it.¡±
Empress Arstant nodded with an impressed look on his face. Compared to the clanky-looking and riveted Magusian magitanks, the M4 Shermans had much smoother armor.
¡°Good! Very good! I like it.¡±
¡°I do recommend you test fire it though. I¡¯m an engineer so I don¡¯t actually know if you made the ammunition correctly. The gun is made correctly though.¡±
Hasta Air Base, Magus Imperium
¡°Get the papers loaded!¡±
Originally a small airbase with a bumpy runway that accommodated the wyverns of the Magus, the airbase had gotten larger and larger ever since the arrival of the Americans. There was now even a brown stone sign right outside of the base with the white words ¡°U.S. Air Force¡± and ¡°Hasta Air Base¡± right under it. It was located next to the small town of Hasta and right behind the massive Zaitha Jungle that cuts through the Magus Imperium.
Large containers of papers were stacked into the C-130. The sound of more and more planes landing could be easily heard. Various units have already been stationed at the Hasta Air Base.
1302 April 15th, 2020 CE (Washington DC Time)
Washington D.C.
President Haye had a busy day ahead of him. He had spent most of the morning keeping a close eye on the situation near Hawaii. Now with that over, he still had to deal with the affairs of the rest of the day. He sat down in his chair in the Oval Office and rifled through his Presidential Daily Brief. A knock came on the door.
¡°Come in Cralson. What did you want to talk about?¡±
On his way to return to his office, Cralson had urgently told him that he had a very important message.
¡°Well, it seems like the Magus wants to cooperate with us in the invasion.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t see why not. They have been quite useful in the past and we just gave them Shermans and P-51 Mustangs.¡±
¡°I really don¡¯t think we need to do a joint offensive. It would just be too big of a headache and I don¡¯t really trust the capabilities of the Magus.¡±
¡°Well, we have the technological capabilities while the Magus has the numerical one. There have been circumstances where the Magus have been quite helpful with their numbers.¡±
Chapter 64 - Around the World
0923 April 17th, 2020 CE
Washington D.C.
It was morning but President Haye still felt a bit worn out because of the constant reports and briefings.
¡°The Green Berets have reported that there are multiple human concentration camps scattered across the Elven Nation. We are currently poring through satellite photography in order to try and locate them.¡±
¡°What are the chances that we will have a massacre on our hands if we start D-Day II?¡±
¡°The military analysts have described it as too much for comfort.¡±
¡°Then devise a plan to get them out of there. The invasion will still proceed on the same day.¡±
0904 April 17th, 2020 CE
0732 Sun 17th 196 AE
Primopolis, Magus Imperium
¡°Here are the main stipulations. You will provide your own vessels to transport your invasion force. We do not have enough to accommodate you. However, our navy will protect your transports. You will have independent control of your units but you will have to cooperate with our officers. Our officers will also have the final say on decisions. We expect humane treatment of the elves who surrender. We do not condone the killing of non-combatants. And we expect your soldiers to act civilized. More detailed information would be in the document that I have given to you.¡±
Emperor Arstant nodded as he skimmed through the document.
¡°I see. Then how will we divide up the land?¡±
The American ambassador to the Magus Imperium, Jimmy Manning, looked at the Emperor with questioning eyes.
¡°It¡¯s a small continent. We suspect that they have a lack of resources because our scientists have noticed that the compositions of their armor are not entirely made of metal. The elves seem to be trying to make up for this lack of resources by using magic.¡±
¡°So what is your country planning to do then once you have defeated the elves?¡±
¡°We will just occupy and install a democratic government before leaving.¡±
¡°Are you willing to leave some land for us then?¡±
¡°Our policy is a period of occupation while reforming their government. If you are invading with intentions of doing a land grab, then we will pull out all support.¡±
Emperor Arstant seemed to be fuming.
¡°You are just going to let them go after all they have done! My nation has suffered the most out of this invasion! I would like them to give us some land. Isn¡¯t this how it usually goes? When a nation loses a war it has to cede some of its lands to the victor. Your words are utterly ridiculous! Have you not seen what happened? The towns and cities in the northern regions of my country have been reduced to nothing! My entire navy is nearly gone. Hundreds and thousands of my soldiers and civilians have lost their lives!¡±
¡°We understand this. However, taking their land will do you no benefit. There seems to be nothing there that you can exploit. You are allowed to calculate the damage and ask the elves for war reparations. We will see to it that they pay you. However, the US will never condone the annexation of their sovereign territory. We will also not condone any acts of revenge. Do not raze their cities and towns or start massacres.¡±
Emperor Arstant had an extremely displeased look on his face. Jimmy stood there for a bit as the Emperor thought in silence. Minutes passed by.
¡°I will give you time to consider.¡±
Jimmy started to walk out. Halfway to the door, he stops and looks back.
¡°Remember that without our help, your nation would be at their mercy of the elves right now. Do not consider this a slight. These words are just the mere truth and you know it.¡±
Jimmy opened the door and got out.
1055 April 17th, 2020 CE
Washington D.C.
Cralson sat down in a meeting with Haye.
¡°I will get it to you straight. I still don¡¯t like the idea that you are permitting the Magusians to come along. We already have our hands full trying to calm one shrieking baby. We don¡¯t need another baby that is liable to fall face-first onto the ground.¡±
President Haye chuckled a bit.
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¡°Are you seriously describing countries as babies?¡±
¡°It¡¯s a metaphor. I am seriously exasperated by your decision, you know.¡±
President Haye pointed at Cralson.
¡°Look Cralson. You have to see it from my point of view. You are a military leader. I¡¯m a civilian one. I know not having the Magus come with us would make the invasion much easier to plan out and execute. But we are a country that is literally alone in this world. We need to form diplomatic relationships. Sure, we have the Bem and Mach but they are just countries under our occupation. Other than that, the countries of the Soane League are quite bound to the Magus Imperium. Their opinion of us and centuries of relations with the Magus won¡¯t change with just a few mercenaries.¡±
1100 April 17th, 2020 CE
0830 Sun 17th 196 AE
Magus Imperium
¡°Their roads are complete shit. At least the Machians had actual paved roads and metal bridges.¡±
An Abrams driver got out of his tank. The tracks of his Abrams were filled with dirt and mud was smudged on all sides of the tank.
¡°Well, Command sent us through the boonies. The main paths have paved roads and metal bridges.¡±
¡°That can¡¯t even be considered the boonies. We passed through a lot of towns. Even in the Machian forests, they actually have paved roads instead of just muddy dirt roads and metal bridges instead of rickety century-old wooden ones. What the fuck is wrong with this country¡¯s infrastructure.¡±
¡°Seeing that this is a magic country, I guess they didn¡¯t really embrace the Industrial Revolution. Well, their magic is still shit either way. Heard some talk about the ¡®magic¡¯ hybrid engines of the Magus to be inferior to the mechanical ones that the Mach have.¡±
With the number of American vehicles moving towards the southern tip of the Magus Imperium and the undeveloped infrastructure of the Magus Imperium, a lot of issues have started to pop up.
Afvalin, Elven Nation
Pablo looked at his team who were gathered in his hotel room.
¡°Although we were originally going to stay here and keep surveillance until right before the airstrikes started, we have a change of plans. We got orders from the top. We need to search for human concentration camps. Especially those in heavily wooded areas.¡±
¡°Hm, well, all the recent newspapers mention human concentration camps but not exactly where they are.¡±
¡°Can¡¯t we go to where the slave auctions are being held and follow one of their trucks until it leads us to one?¡±
¡°Well, that will only help us locate one. It has been confirmed that the elves have multiple concentration camps. Satellites already found and confirmed two. They are the more visible ones. There are also multiple possible ones. Satellite footage picked up trucks carrying humans into a few different forests. However, the satellites were not able to locate the exact locations of the concentration camps. That¡¯s our job.¡±
¡°Then what is the plan?¡±
¡°We will split into teams of two. Six teams. Each team will be assigned to sectors of the forests to comb through. Remember don¡¯t take any actions. We are only here right now to scout them out. Understood.¡±
¡°Yes, sir!¡±
0224 April 18th, 2020 CE
0412 Sun 18th 196 AE
Magus Imperium
A kid ran out of his house and waved at the American tanks passing by. The commanders, who had their hatches open and their heads out of the tank, waved back.
¡°Mom! Mom! Look! Tanks!¡±
¡°Arthur get back in here!¡±
The mother ran out of the house and guided her child back towards the house. She flashed a fake smile towards the Americans and quickly closed the door.
Inside the house, the boy looked down at his shoes as he was scolded.
¡°They are foreigners! They aren¡¯t us. Arthur. We can¡¯t trust people who aren¡¯t like us. You don¡¯t know what they could do to you. Ignore them and hide. I don¡¯t want to see you running to them ever again. Do you understand?¡±
While his eyes were still looking at the ground, he quietly replied.
¡°Understood.¡±
A lot of the Magusian civilians were quite welcoming of them. They sometimes came out en masse to cheer as American troops and vehicles rolled by. Sometimes, it felt like a parade. They were very thankful for the American help against the elves. But that doesn¡¯t mean they were all like that. Some people have given them the stink eye. There were also a couple of places where the overall air felt unwelcome. This was one of the places. The inhabitants of the village had shut their doors and closed their curtains as the Americans came through.
1124 April 18th, 2020 CE
Nashville, Tennessee
Jack set down his groceries. He peeled open an orange and started snacking on it. He really wanted to eat an apple right now but they weren¡¯t in season. A lot of fruits and vegetables weren¡¯t in season during this time of the year for the US. In the old world, fruits and vegetables were in season year-round because of imports. Steps have been taken by companies to make something similar in this world but it had been disrupted by politic and the recent war. What¡¯s even more annoying to John was the lack of a lot of products. Quite a lot of those products had ¡°Made in China¡± stuck onto them in the old world. Companies tried to make up for this vacancy by ramping up production. However, this caused a labor shortage. Not everyone wanted to work in a factory. Some companies have already opened up factories in the Mach and Bem. Quite a lot are still waiting for permission to do so.
1144 April 18th, 2020 CE
0822 Sun 18th 196 AE
Port City of Jahlean, Elven Nation
In the port, civilians murmured in worry amongst themselves. Many had seen the returning military transport vessels and wanted to cheer for the returning soldiers. A crowd had formed right outside of the port. What greeted them wasn¡¯t an army filled with victory but a seemingly exhausted and demoralized one. They speculated about what had happened.
¡°Were they defeated?¡±
¡°No way.¡±
¡°Maybe they are just the injured coming back.¡±
¡°That seems to make sense.¡±
10 days later
Lorsan Kelfir sat down and drank his morning tea. His eyes skimmed through the newspaper he was holding with his free hand. It detailed another glorious victory that they have had. The last of his doubts washed away as he read it. When he saw so many returning exhausted soldiers in the port, he feared that they had been defeated. Now he believes that the fear was unfounded.
15 days later
Narman Temporary Air Base, Magus Imperium
F-15s and F-16s were scattered across the temporary airbase. Inside a hastily erected building, men of the 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment checked over their equipment. 4 MC-130 aircraft were parked right outside.
Hasta Air Base, Magus Imperium
B-52s taxied down the runway. B1-Bs prepared to do so as well.
Chapter 65 - Operation Firestorm Part 1
2306 April 18th, 2020 CE
0233 Sun 19th, 196 AE
Port City of Jahlean, Elven Nation
Ara looked at the ceiling in her bedroom. Being a Major General had its perks. It meant that she had her own personal room in the barracks. She thought over what had happened when she got back. The moment they had gotten off of their ships, they all were escorted away. Here, being a Major General also had its downsides. It meant that she was grilled for information for hours on end and had to recount her entire experience from beginning to end. Then she was warned that revealing anything about the defeats was treason. Of course, this also applied to everyone else as well.
She sighed and got off of the bed. She muttered to herself.
¡°I wonder if they have any leaf juice left in the cafeteria.¡±
0844 May 13th, 2020 CE
0722 Sun 43rd, 196 AE
Yeallean Forest, Elven Nation
In the bushes, Pablo stared at the camp through his binoculars. Fences surrounded the entire place. Elves armed with bolt action rifles walked around the perimeter. There were sniper towers placed at the corners. Although he didn¡¯t spot any, he wouldn¡¯t be surprised if there were machine-gun nests. Dennis whispered to him.
¡°This is the what? Third one we found?¡±
¡°Yep. So far we got a total of 12 of them. Some smaller than the others.¡±
¡°Hm. Invasion should be starting soon. Weren¡¯t we supposed to monitor the situation in the capital?¡±
¡°Saving people is much more important. We will be rendezvousing with the others soon. We got orders to take one of the smaller concentration camps once the birds have flown.¡±
Dennis nodded and grunted in acknowledgment. Pablo did one last scan of the fenced area.
¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±
Crouching low, they quietly walked back into the dense forest.
Beaches of the Magus Imperium
Nick¡¯s M1A1 Abrams got onto the USS Bonhomme Richard. The tank lurched forward before coming to a stop.
¡°Dammit Connolly! You nearly rammed us into the ship! Slow down.¡±
¡°Sorry ¡®bout that.¡±
Dillian and Brian laughed. Nick sighed.
Issac sat around doing particularly nothing. The construction of the temporary ports has been mostly finished. The marines were going to be the ones to clear the beach so he wasn¡¯t part of the first wave. He wondered how his wife and kids were doing back home.
2324 May 13th, 2020 CE
0242 Sun 44th, 196 AE
Narman Temporary Air Base, Magus Imperium
At early dawn with the sun barely up, a company-sized element of the 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, around 200 men, loaded onto the 4 MC-130J Commando IIs. In other air bases, other Ranger Regiments and special force teams got onto their MC-130Js.
Washington D.C.
¡°The air campaign will begin in the next hour. The Special Forces units have already taken off.¡±
President Haye stared at his water. Chief of Staff John Wills interrupted his staring contest.
¡°Mr.President?¡±
¡°Ah, sorry. It¡¯s nearly midnight.¡±
The President rubbed his eyes and gave a sigh.
0030 May 14th, 2020 CE
0315 Sun 44th, 196 AE
Esnthas Temporary Air Base
One by one, an entire squadron of F-35s took off. All of them carried AGM-88G AARGM-ERs, anti-radiation missiles capable of locking onto radar signals.
Southern Sector Elven Detection Station
Senior Lieutenant Theodas Trismyar yawned as he walked into the detection room while sipping on his tea. Multiple elves had headphones on and were staring at screens. He looked around and found Lieutenant Folas Joyarus.
¡°Anything on the MUDs of MWEs?¡±
¡°Nothing out of the usual.¡±
¡°Well just tell everyone to keep a lookout. I got orders that there might be unusual activity and to report absolutely anything.¡±
¡°Well, will do, Theodas.¡±
Theodas walked out of the room, still holding on to his drink. Even though he just woke up, he decided to go take a nap. Being in charge of the detection station meant a dead end to his military career. However, he didn¡¯t really care. Most of the time, he got to do whatever he wanted. He was just getting paid to do almost nothing.
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Skies over the ocean between Magus Imperium and Elven Nation
<<<¡°No lock. No lock. We aren¡¯t getting anything. RTBing.¡±>>>
The squadron of F-35s all started banking to their left to turn back.
Washington DC
¡°There seems to be a slight issue.¡±
President Haye furrowed his eyebrows at those words.
¡°What happened?¡±
¡°The anti-radiation missiles aren¡¯t locking on. The elves either don¡¯t have radar or their detection technologies are different from ours. Seeing that the elves are capable of long-distance command and that we have images of what we believe to be radar, I¡¯m betting that their detection technology is different. Probably based on magic. That would explain why our jammers seemingly didn¡¯t work on affecting the elves¡¯ combat capabilities.¡±
¡°Then why weren¡¯t they able to detect our stealth aircraft if they aren¡¯t using radar to detect things?¡±
¡°They probably operate under the same principle as normal radars. Some sort of energy bouncing off an object. The F-35 and F-22 are shaped and painted to lessen the amount of energy that is bounced off. On the other hand, jammers and anti-radiation missiles depend on the emissions of the radar¡±
¡°Ok, then what should we do now? Their radar will be an issue.¡±
¡°The old-fashioned way I guess. Drop a cluster bomb on it. We will most likely have to delay the start of the operation for about 30 minutes.¡±
0102 May 14th, 2020 CE
0331 Sun 44th, 196 AE
Esnthas Temporary Air Base, Magus Imperium
This time, the squadron of F-35s carried Mk.20 Rockeye II cluster bombs. They were also accompanied by F-22s as an escort.
Narman Temporary Air Base, Magus Imperium
Only a few minutes after the takeoff of the F-35s and F-22s, squadrons of F-15s and F-16s took off from their runways.
First Lieutenant Scott Miller got into his F-15E Strike Eagle. He looked back at his Weapon System Officer, Gerald Wallace.
¡°Ready?¡±
Gerald gave him a thumbs up.
Hasta Air Base, Magus Imperium
B-52s and B-1Bs took to the skies. Multiple C-130s followed right after.
Affanore Human Concentration Camp, Elven Nation
A guard blankly stared at the forest. His mind was wandering around. Inside a building in the camp, shouts from other elves could be heard amidst the noise of machinery
¡°What are you stopping for!¡±
An elf officer looked angrily at a human man who had a dazed look on his face and was sitting with his back on the wall.
¡°Please sir, I¡¯m too tired. Can I¡¡±
The elf officer pulled out his pistol from his side holster and shot him in the head. The human collapsed face first in the ground. The officer looked around at the other humans in the factory. They had all stopped their work and were staring at the commotion.
¡°Anybody who stops like this human will be shot!¡±
The officer walked away. Although the humans didn''t understand him, they understood what he meant. The elf guards inside the factory whispered to each other.
¡°What¡¯s this? The sixth one he shot?
¡°Eh, bunch of inferiors. Can¡¯t even work like the cattle they are.¡±
In the forest, Pablo surveyed the area with his binoculars. The rest of his team sat quietly behind him.
¡°We have a few guards at the gate. I can see two sniper towers from here. We¡¯ll need to neutralize all of them. Good thing that factory there is making a lot of noise.¡±
150 miles off of the coast of the Elven Nation
A massive carrier strike group that consisted of the USS Gerald R. Ford, USS Harry S. Truman, USS Theodore Roosevelt, USS Ronald Reagan, and USS Abraham Lincoln moved slowly through the ocean. Rear Admiral (Upper Half) Jacob Brown approached the commander of the entire five-carrier carrier strike group
¡°Admiral, the Air Force birds have flown. It¡¯s about time that ours did as well.¡±
Vice Admiral Angela Walters nodded at his deputy¡¯s reminder.
¡°Get the Super Hornets in the air.¡±
Rear Admiral (Lower Half) Halbert Johnson watched the deck as F/A-18 Super Hornets, loaded with Harpoon missiles, launched off of the USS Abraham Lincoln.
0137 May 14th, 2020 CE
0348 Sun 44th, 196 AE
Southern Sector Elven Detection Station
Theodas blearily opened his eyes. Rubbing his head for a bit, he got out of bed and decided to check on his men.
Scratching his head, he went up to Folas.
¡°Anything so far?¡±
Folas grunted a single word.
¡°Usual.¡±
In the air
F-35s swooped down towards their target
<<<¡°Targets are in range, Rockeyes away!¡±>>>
A massive system of radar towers and stations was in front of them.
Southern Sector Elven Detection Station
Suddenly, one of the operators popped up.
¡°Sir, we got something!¡±
That got Theodas¡¯s attention as his eyes shot up.
¡°Hm? Where is it?¡±
¡°Right on top of us.¡±
¡°What?¡±
At that moment, multiple explosions ripped apart the station.
In the air
¡°Target neutralized. RTBing.¡±
While the F-35s quickly swung around, the F-22s kept moving forward.
10 minutes later
Nase Ancalen Air Base
An elf mechanic, Vulmon Chaehorn, whistled as he tended to an Ea-192. In the air, a squadron of Ea-192s flew in formation. Suddenly an explosion made him stop what he was doing. Vulmon looked around fearing that someone had accidentally dropped a bomb while carrying it. Sweeping his eyes from right to left, he saw a few elves point up at the sky. He looked up just in time for another explosion to occur. This time he saw one of the flying Ea-192s burst into flames. The sirens of the airbase blared.
<<<¡°ALL AIRCRAFT PREPARE TO LAUNCH¡±>>>
Vulmon quickly hastened his work and started skimming through all the unchecked parts.
A squadron of Ea-192s lined up on the runway and got ready.
Quickly finishing, Vulmon shouted for someone to help him. He looked outside. The propellers of the Ea-192s on the runway started spinning.
¡°Hey! This one is fixed! I need some people to help me get this outside!¡±
Two elves came running towards him. Just as the first aircraft were about to take off, a few massive explosions rocked the runway. The force of the explosion knocked the two elves off the ground. The runway was completely cratered and the aircraft that had attempted to take off were turned into metal charcoal.
More explosions started blanketing the airbase. Vulmon quickly dived under a table.
In the sky
Scott looked out of his F-15E Strike Eagles and down at the elf airbase. Dark plumes of smoke rose to the sky. His plane turned around after the strike.
At many other Elven Air Bases, similar situations occur.
150 miles off of the coast of the Elven Nation
From the Tomahawk cruise missiles launched from every ship capable of doing so. White streaks trailed behind each Tomahawk. Angela was watching the spectacle when Jacob came up to her.
¡°The Super Hornets are about to reach their targets.¡±
Chapter 66 - Operation Firestorm Part 2
0155 May 14th, 2020 CE
0357 Sun 44th, 196 AE
Port City of Ilysesari, Elven Nation
At this point, the size of the National Navy could be considered pitiful. It had been reduced to barely 30% of its size since the start of the war. With their consistent failures, they have fallen out of grace with Tarron.
Three battleships, an aircraft carrier, two cruisers, and eleven destroyers were still in the waters next to the port. Eight submarines were also docked. Elven sailors milled about and tended to their daily duties.
Dozens of Harpoon missiles streaked through the sky towards the fleet
The first missile smashed into a docked destroyer. The destroyer exploded as its ammunition cooked off. The pier next to it was completely destroyed and the blast wave from the explosions knocked many elves further in the port off of their feet. The naval base alarm blared. Another Harpoon missile struck a battleship but did minimal damage. Elves rushed towards the circular sandbag positions that contained AA thauguns. Orders started being thrown around by multiple officers.
¡°Man the AA guns!¡±
¡°Load them!¡±
¡°Move!¡±
Spinning the adjusting wheels, the 88 mm AA thauguns and the 20 mm AA quadthauguns were quickly turned towards the sea where the arrows were seemingly coming from. Black puffs of magi-flak filled all areas of the sky. They had no idea what they were shooting at since they couldn¡¯t find what was attacking them but they knew they were being attacked.
The Harpoons streaked through the skies, unaffected by the magi-flak. Explosions occurred on ships after ships.
Inside the large building, not that far from the port, Admiral Ylyndar Kelrie listened to his adjutant who had just rushed in.
¡°Admiral. We are under attack. The human arrows are destroying our ships.¡±
¡°How bad is it?¡±
¡°We are taking heavy casualties and the anti-aircraft thauguns are ineffective.¡±
A large explosion shook the building. Tiny bits of the ceiling fell to the floor. Ylyndar wrinkled his nose.
¡°What was that?¡±
His adjutant looked around.
¡°Um, not sure, sir.¡±
The last thing Ylyndar saw was his adjutant being flung towards him as the building behind the adjutant seemingly disintegrated in a bright flash.
Tomahawk cruise missiles flew down onto various parts of the Ilysesari Naval Base. Explosions after explosions rocked the area.
Elven gunner officers started pointing above.
¡°They are coming from above! Adjust the guns! Fire! Fire! Fire!¡±
Some of the AA thauguns spun upwards. Suddenly everything in the AA emplacement was flung forward as a Tomahawk struck nearby.
Some elves stepped out of buildings and onto the road while others peered out from their windows. Afar, they saw smoke rising from where the naval base was. Multiple explosions could also be heard. Concerned murmuring started amongst them.
¡°Oh my Goddess.¡±
¡°What¡¯s happening?¡±
Port City of Jahlean, Elven Nation
Ara ran out of the barrack building. Multiple explosions had jolted her awake. She came onto the street that had a good view of the naval base.
¡°What the¡¡±
Plumes of black smoke rose to the sky from there.
0202 May 14th, 2020 CE
0401 Sun 44th, 196 AE
Afvalin, Elven Nation
Anfalen, the head of the Intelligence Department, was in Tarron¡¯s office talking with him.
¡°Spying on the humans will be impossible. Any elves we send can¡¯t just wear hoods the entire time. It would look too suspicious.¡±
¡°Can¡¯t you find a way to make our ears seem less pointy?¡±
Anfalen vigorously shook his head.
¡°Even if we cut off a portion of the ear, it won¡¯t look correct.¡±
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An urgent knock came on the door and someone entered without permission. Annoyed at being interrupted, Tarron looked around Anfalen.
¡°My Leader, this is of utmost importance, you need to evacuate now! The inferiors have launched an attack!¡±
Tarron¡¯s eyes grew wide. He got his coat and walked into the hallway of his office. Other elves we¡¯re running around in a panic. Some were carrying important documents or objects while others just rushed for the exit. Anfalen and the messenger followed Tarron out into the hallway. Tarron turned to the messenger.
¡°Give me a report right now. What is happening?¡±
Tarron started walking towards the exit.
¡°We have reports coming in of explosions occurring at the port of Ilysesari. We have lost contact with multiple of our southern air bases but some of them have sent distress messages.¡±
¡°Did the detection stations not detect anything?¡±
¡°They were the first things we lost contact with. We tried contacting them around 30 minutes ago and they didn¡¯t respond. We thought some communication systems there might have broken.¡±
Tarron frowned.
¡°You fool! Didn¡¯t I give explicit orders to inform me of any unusual activities?¡±
Although a bit fazed at Tarron¡¯s anger, the messenger stood his ground.
¡°My Leader, that was only if the detection station reported any unusual activities.¡±
¡°Losing contact is unusual enough.¡±
They exited the building and walked towards the road. Multiple cars were lined up on that road. Tarron walked close to one of the cars with the messenger and Anfalen quickly following. Then a loud boom came from behind them. A blast wave pushed Tarron and the others onto the ground.
¡°Ugh¡±
Tarron groaned at the pain from hitting the ground very hard. Still on the ground, he lifted his head and looked behind him. The messenger and Anfalen, who were behind him, were also lying on the ground. With groans coming from them, they were clearly alive. The building he had just exited was now just rubble. Black smoke rose. If he had been warned a few minutes later, he would have died in there. Elves rushed up to him and lifted him up by the shoulders.
¡°My Leader, we have to go¡±
Hearing a loud noise coming from the sky, Tarron and all the other elves looked up. An extremely fast object flew by overhead.
Nase Ancalen Air Base
The rubble shifted. Vulmon coughed as he hauled himself out of the wreckage of the hangar he was in. Covered in dust, Vulmon looked around. The runway had been cratered at multiple places. Strewn bits of aircraft laid everywhere. Most buildings were rubble just like the hangar he was in.
A couple of minutes later
Jasathas Mountains
Colonel Hamon Yelric sipped his tea as he studied the blueprints of the Ea-196. An aide opened the door without knocking and ran into the office.
¡°Colonel! We have reports from Command that the capital is under attack. We have received orders to repel the enemy.¡±
Hamon looked up in a jolt.
They were in one of the few buildings that were concealed by the forest of the mountain. A runway ran from inside the mountain to the outside. From a few buildings, elves ran into the mountain.
¡°Move them out! Move them out!¡±
Ea-196s ¡®Hexeri¡¯ were pushed out of the mountain opening. The Ea-196 was an aircraft with a weird tube under each wing and no propellers. They were quickly pushed onto the runways by the ground crews and their pilots climbed aboard them. A loud whirring sound seemed to come from the tubes as the first one started going down the runway at incredible acceleration. One by one, 87 Ea-196s took off.
Washington D.C.
Inside the Situation Room, Cralson was giving a briefing to President Haye.
¡°We are not exactly sure how their communication systems work so we don¡¯t have any airstrike targets pertaining to that.¡±
¡°So we have absolutely no capabilities when it comes to destroying their communications?¡±
¡°Sadly, yes. Magic is being a major obstacle here. Well, however, compared to the magic in fantasy stories, it doesn¡¯t seem that capable.¡±
Afvalin, Elven Nation
A convoy of cars sped through the streets of the Elven capital. In one of the cars, Tarron looked out the window. In the distance, arrow-like objects flew at seemingly immeasurable speeds. A large explosion rocked where it had just passed. Tarron stared at that area.
¡°That¡¯s the High Command Office¡ how do these humans know?¡±
Anfalen, who was also in the car with him, answered.
¡°The humans could have inserted spies among us.¡±
¡°How would they have gotten here then? We are on an island far, far away from any human settlement. It would have been obvious too since their ears are not pointy.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know, my Leader.¡±
Tarron put his hand to his mouth and sighed through his nose.
¡°This is bad.¡±
He looked at the front of the car where the messenger and the driver were sitting.
¡°Inform those who are still alive that we are beginning Operation Continued Arrow.¡±
The messenger nodded.
¡°Also tell the Great Magus to flood the city as a last resort.¡±
In a field in the Elven Nation
¡°We got reports of something occurring in the capital. Information is a bit fuzzy though. We are having trouble reaching the High Command Office.¡±
From his entrenched Knight, Colonel Ranaeril Krisbanise looked down at his communication officer. Around him were other magipanzers, anti-magipanzer thauguns, and trenches with infantry in them.
¡°That¡¯s concerning. If you receive any orders, tell me immediately.¡±
Hearing a weird sound from the sky, Ranaeril looked up. Then an explosion blasted his magipanzer to the side. More and more explosions occurred. Within a few minutes, their entire defensive position was blasted to charred remains.
0213 May 14th, 2020 CE
0406 Sun 44th, 196 AE
In the skies over the Elven Nation
Captain Damon Smith shouted at his men in the MC-130.
¡°We are green light! Jump! Go! Go! Go!¡±
One by one his men jumped out of the door of the plane. With the last of his men off, Damon jumped out too. The air rushed up towards him as he fell. Below, he could see the parachutes of all the men who had already jumped and the men of the three other MC-130s. Even further below was a large pasture of green. He quickly opened up his parachute and started floating down. Before long he rolled onto the ground. Getting himself out from under the parachute and packing it up, he quickly got to the others.
¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±
In the air over the Elven Nation
Larrel Araqen sat in the cockpit of his Ea-196. He had a stern and determined face. He thought back to the last time he had talked with his friend, Elator. He remembered how excited he was to tell Elator that he was going to pilot this new aircraft. Turns out, that was the last time he was ever going to talk with him. Larrel only recently learned that the invasion of the Empire has been going disastrously. Most civilians weren¡¯t informed and it was treasonous for military personnel to spread this information so Larrel was sure that Elator¡¯s family didn¡¯t know that Elator perished. Now he was going to face the humans that killed his friends. Larrel placed his trust in his new mysterious non-propeller aircraft.
A squadron of F-16s went deeper and deeper into Elven airspace. Although most of the Elven air bases in the northern part of the country have been confirmed to be destroyed, they had to be vigilant for any surprises.
<<<¡°We got multiple bogies ahead. Seem to be moving faster than normal Elven aircraft.¡±
¡°Those are confirmed bandits. You are free to engage.¡±
¡°Roger. Fox three.¡±>>>
AIM-120 AMRAAMS flew forward from the F-16s¡¯ wings.
Chapter 67 - Operation Firestorm Part 3
0221 May 14th, 2020 CE
0410 Sun 44th, 196 AE
In the air over the Elven Nation
The first wave of eighteen AMRAAMS streaked through the sky. It was quickly followed by other waves as the eighteen F-16s fired them off one by one.
<<<¡°Our orders are to protect the skies of Afvalin. We have reports confirming that the enemy are already there so be ready.¡±>>>
The other Ea-196 pilots of the 1st Special Fighter Wing acknowledged Colonel Yelric over the radio. One of the Elven jet pilots noticed something streaking towards them.
<<<¡°Human Arrows in front of us!¡±
¡°Break!¡±>>>
Each Ea-196 started shifting to move in a different direction. Some dived to gain more speed while others banked to the sides. The Arrows curved and followed. To the shock of the elves, the Arrows got closer and closer.
<<<¡°It¡¯s faster than our planes!¡±>>>
The first Arrow hit one of the diving Ea-196 which burst into flames.
<<<¡°Where are the enemies?! I see no targets.¡±>>>
The second wave of Arrows appeared as soon as the first wave found all of their targets. The elves completely broke order and focused on avoiding the Arrows.
Larrel constantly looked back. He cursed as the Arrow behind him got closer and closer.
¡°Come on! Come on! Faster!¡±
He looked behind once more just as the Arrow touched the tip of his plane and a bright flash was the last thing he ever saw.
0246 May 14th, 2020 CE
0423 Sun 44th, 196 AE
Affanore Human Concentration Camp, Elven Nation
Pablo nodded to his men as he got off the radio.
¡°The birds have flown. Take the shots.¡±
Although they were in the middle of the forest with foliage surrounding them, a few hundred feet in front was a massive clearing. There were multiple buildings behind a chain-link fence and gate.
Whilst everyone else in the team was crouched, their two weapons sergeants were lying on the ground. Frederick aimed down the scope of his M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle at one of the sniper towers. The other weapons sergeant, Douglas Brown, also had his M2010 aimed at the other one. All others in the team had their M4 rifles trained on the front gate.
Each sniper tower had one elf in them. Two elves stood at the gate. The two elves at the gate were wearing black boots, grey trousers, a grey tunic, and leaf colored steel helmet. They were carrying bolt action rifles.
The weapons sergeants slowly adjusted their sniper rifles.
Two loud pops echoed through the air.
An elven guard looked around. He tapped the shoulder of the other guard beside him.
¡°Hm?¡±
¡°Did you hear something? I heard a very loud pop.¡±
The other guard shrugged.
¡°Probably the machinery.¡±
¡°I swear it came from the forest. We should go investigate. One of the humans could have escaped.¡±
¡°We will be in trouble if we move out of our positions.¡±
¡°I guess I will go alert the commander to what I hea¡¡±
Just as he was about to finish his sentence, multiple bullets went through him. A full fusillade of pops could be heard. The other guard did not even have time to process what had just happened in front of him as he was gunned down at nearly the same time.
¡°Ceasefire.¡±
Pablo scanned the entire length of the fence and at the buildings behind the fences.
¡°Clear. Let¡¯s go.¡±
They stood up and sprinted out of the bushes. Running across the flat meadows, it didn¡¯t take long for them to get to the gate. They found out that the gate was just a fence that had to be opened by pulling them apart. Pablo and Dennis pulled it open, and they walked into the camp. There was a lone brick building situated just to their right. It was placed right behind the fence and beside the entrance. There was a sign on the left of its door that said in elven, ¡®Guard House¡¯. Just to the left of the guard house was a machine gun emplacement surrounded by sandbags that faced into the camp. A few yards further in front of them were a straight row of brick colored rectangular buildings. There was a road that led from the gate to the rectangular buildings. There also seemed to be a second row somewhat hidden by the first row. Behind the rows of rectangular buildings was a large factory-like structure.
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¡°We are breaching and clearing each building. Don¡¯t shoot any humans. Make sure they have pointy ears.¡±
They lined up next to the door of the guard house.
Inside the guard house, three guards were talking amongst themselves. The guard house was just a windowless one room building with two bunk beds on the left and right wall and a desk in the center of the beds on the wall opposite of the door. Two of the guards were sitting on the beds while one was standing in the middle. The elf standing seemed worried.
¡°We are closer to the forest. Maybe something happened outside.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t see why a few pops would be concerning. No one seems to be coming so it should be fine.¡±
¡°It was a fusillade of them. I¡¯m just going out to check.¡±
He turned around and walked to the door. Just as he was about to open it, the door was opened from the other side and something was thrown in. The metal tube clinked on the ground. The guards stared at it for a bit before realizing what it was.
¡°Hm¡ grenade!¡±
Then a loud flash blinded and deafened them.
Pablo burst in and shot the elf that was at the door. Dennis got the one on the right bottom bed while Fredrick got the one on the left bottom bed. They looked around the guard house.
¡°Clear.¡±
After clearing the guard house, Green Berets stealthily moved to the intersection where the entrance road connected with the road that ran between the two rows of one-floor rectangular buildings. They avoided the road and opted to instead walk on the grass. The rectangular buildings hid them from any elves further in the camp. Looking into the windows of the left and right buildings on the entrance road, they saw it was just rows and rows of bunk beds. There was no one inside. The Green Beret team split into two groups and went to the walls of each building.
Dennis looked over the corner to scan the left side of the road that ran between the two rows of rectangular buildings while Pablo looked over the corner to scan the right side. The sound of factory equipment was getting louder as they got closer.
Dennis raised up his hand to show that his side had 5 elves while Pablo also showed that his side also had 5. The elves present were spread out and all seemed to be on patrol. They walked and glanced around randomly.
Using hand signals again, Pablo gave some simple commands. Robert, the warrant officer, nodded. Pablo held up 3 of his fingers and started counting down. The moment his last finger was down, both groups popped out and started shooting.
The elves were taken by complete surprise since the camp was located deep inside the Elven Nation. At first, the ones that hadn''t been shot stared in shock at the Green Berets. By the time they started fumbling for their guns, half of them were already dead.
¡°We are under attack! Humans! Hel¡¡±
The shouting elf was quickly shot in the face. An elf raised his magirifle and took a shot. The round went way off. He keeled over as a shot went through his stomach. Another shot made a hole in his head.
Pablo swept his eyes across the road. The dead elves were strewn around and their blood pooled on the road.
¡°The road seems clear. We need to chec..¡±
A bullet whizzed past him. He felt its force graze his cheek.
¡°Fuck!¡±
Five elves had just appeared from behind one of the buildings. They seemed to have run here from the factory¡¯s direction.
Pablo and his team quickly raised their M4s and shot back. Armed with only bolt action rifles and submachine guns, the elves were simply outgunned by the M4 assault rifles. A couple of panicked shots came from the ones with submachine guns. Soon, the 12 men team of the Green Berets quickly filled the elves of the five elf squad with lead.
Pablo beckoned Robert over.
¡°Robert, you and your team watch our backs, cover the road. We need to look through each building. ¡±
¡°Got it.¡±
Robert nodded and turned to his group.
¡°You heard the commander.¡±
Pablo turned to his group of six men.
¡°We have ten buildings here, look through the windows of each one. Quickly, we made enough sound to alert anybody nearby¡±
A few minutes later
Pablo went to Robert and nodded.
¡°All clear. I think these are where they house the prisoners. The signs said ¡®Human Quarters¡¯ They are completely empty so I¡¯m guessing the people are all in that factory. Not sure why there hasn¡¯t been more of a response from the elves but I will take it.¡±
Running towards the factory, a rather large two-floor building appeared to the right. It had been hidden by the Human Quarters. A grey military truck sat nearby on the road. There were also multiple wooden crates sitting next to the truck. They slowed their pace and aimed their guns at the door of the building. A few others kept an eye on the second floor.
Two elves sprinted out of the building and left the door open. They had their rifles slung on their backs. One of the elves seemed to have forgotten his helmet while the other didn¡¯t have any pants on. With eyes widening, they skidded to a stop at the sight of the Green Berets.
¡°Humans are out¡¡±
The Green Berets quickly dispatched them. Their M4 rifles let loose a series of pops. A hand from inside of the building quickly shot out for the doorknob and slammed the door shut.
A barrage of bullets came down on the Green Berets from the second floor. They quickly hid behind the trucks and wooden crates. Although it seemed to be all rifle shots, the number of bullets from that single barrage was a lot. Pablo guessed that there were no less than 10 to 15 elves in there. That didn¡¯t account for those on the first floor. Looking over the crate he was hiding behind, Pablo studied the building.
¡°What is this building?¡±
Pablo then noticed the sign next to the door. ¡®Barracks¡¯. He shouted to his men.
¡°Seems like there''s a lot of them and they are well hunkered down. Miles, think you can sneak over and get a couple C4 onto that sidewall? We will distract them¡ No, scratch that. Miles, how much C4 do you think you can stuff in that backpack of yours?¡±
Miles, the engineering sergeant, quizzically looked at Pablo.
¡°Won¡¯t that alert everyone in this place?¡±
¡°We already lost our stealth advantage a long time ago.¡±
Pablo and the others started laying down suppressing fire on the building as Miles quickly ran to it. They sporadically popped off a few shots from their M4s. Staying in the blind spots of the windows, Miles stuck multiple C4 onto each wall of the barracks. In a few minutes, he ran over under the cover of the rest of the team¡¯s fire.
¡°Ready?¡±
Miles nodded at Pablo¡¯s question. Pablo smiled.
¡°Okay, everyone back up a bit further. Let¡¯s see some fireworks.¡±
Pablo clicked the C4 detonator. A blastwave washed over Pablo as the barracks literally exploded in a fiery blast. Dust and smoke obscured their view for a bit before clearing. As the dust settled, only rubble remained where the barrack was. Bits of body parts could be seen in the rubble.
¡°Well, that¡¯s dealt with. Let¡¯s move on to the factory.¡±
Multiple bullets whizzed around them. The Green Berets quickly got down onto the ground.
¡°Fuck! I¡¯m hit!¡±
Chapter 68 - Operation Firestorm Part 4
0322 May 14th, 2020 CE
0441 Sun 44th, 196 AE
Affanore Human Concentration Camp, Elven Nation
¡°My leg!¡± Douglas shouted in pain. He laid on the ground like the others but clutched his leg.
Pablo and the others quickly got into cover. Douglas dragged himself behind a crate and sat. Frederick looked at where the shots came from. ¡°The elves are coming out of the fucking factory!¡±
A few elves came out of the doors of the factory and got into cover behind the crates and vehicles there. Flashes came from their bolt action rifles. Pablo looked over at Douglas. ¡°Jeremy! Get on Douglas! Everyone else, covering fire!¡±
Pablo wished that they had carried the Mk46 machine gun with them on this mission. Because they were infiltrating the elves and their bags had been made to look like the ones that an average elf carried, they couldn¡¯t bring along any of their larger or bulkier weapons.
Every member of the team had an M4 rifle and a varying amount of food and water in their bags. They also all had M9 Berettas hidden on them. From there, what they carried differed. The weapons sergeants had found a way to stuff their sniper rifles into their bags. The medical sergeants had their medical supplies. The communication sergeants had communication equipment. The engineering sergeants had the C4, wire cutters, and a few other random things. Everyone else on the team had grenades and flashbangs. This wasn¡¯t everything that they carried but it was a few of the most space-consuming.
As Jeremy, the medical sergeant, crouch ran to Douglas, Pablo focused his fire on one of the elves. A few bullets whizzed over the Green Berets but the elves were being suppressed by the sheer volume of fire that was being poured down on them. Then multiple bullets peppered the crate where Pablo was hiding.
¡°They got a machine gun to our right!¡± Robert yelled to the others.
The machine gun started spraying their entire position. Before long though, it fell quiet. Sporadic rifle fire started coming from the elves but without their machine gun, the rest of the Green Berets could keep the elves mostly suppressed. Pablo peeked out of cover and looked down the scope towards where the machine-gun fire was. Although the elf was ducked behind cover while reloading his machine gun, Pablo could see their helmet bobbing up and down. He kept his gun aimed at the area. The elf popped out with his fully reloaded machine gun and set it down. Pablo fired. Watching the elf slump over, Pablo yelled over the gunfire. ¡°The machine gunner is down!¡±
Dennis looked out of his cover as if he was debating to do something. In a snap, he made up his mind. ¡°Keep me covered. I¡¯m moving up!¡±
Dennis ran out of cover and started sprinting to a tree. It was quite a distance and a few of the elves noticed. They tried to take Dennis out but they were completely pinned down. Dennis lobbed a grenade at the elves¡¯ position.
Inside the factory, an elf ran into a room that looked like an office. The elf officer, Lieutenant Alok Rolana, was at a desk and writing something on paper. The officer looked up at the panicked soldier. ¡°Lieutenant! The factory is under attack by armed human soldiers!¡±
¡°Calm down. Alert the elves in the barracks.¡±
The soldier looked down at his feet and started stammering. ¡°They¡ they are all dead.¡±
Alok raised his right eyebrow. ¡°What do you mean they are all dead? There were at least thirty elves in there!¡±
¡°The humans blew up the entire barrack.¡±
Alok took a deep breath. He wanted to scream and question how the humans were able to blow up that big of a barrack but he understood that he was in a bad situation. ¡°How many elves do we have left?¡±
¡°About ten. A few of them are already engaging the humans outside. What do we do sir?¡±
¡°Call a retreat. Get me out of here. We will use the back door.¡±
¡°What do we do about the humans?
Alok paused as an explosion came from outside.
¡°Leave them.¡±
The remaining elves panickedly shouted after Dennis¡¯s grenade killed a few of them. They started running back into the factory. Pablo took a shot and nailed an elf, who was standing up to run, in the head. One of the elves seemingly dropped his rifle as he ran back inside.
Pablo turned to Jeremy who was still tending to Douglas. ¡°How¡¯s Douglas?¡±
¡°I patched his leg up and gave him some morphine. He should be fine. He can still walk.¡±
Pablo looked over Jeremy¡¯s shoulder and at Douglas. ¡°Douglas, your leg holding up?¡±
Douglas nodded. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m fine. A little pain like this is nothing.¡±
Jeremy stared at Pablo¡¯s shoulder. Pablo looked at Jeremy questionably. ¡°What?¡±
¡°Pablo, you are bleeding from the right shoulder.¡±
¡°Aw shit,¡± said Pablo as he touched his right shoulder. ¡°Ouch. I didn¡¯t notice it at all.¡±
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¡°Let me patch that up for you.¡±
Quickly the Green Berets moved up to the factory. They got beside the door that the elves all ran into. Dennis was in the lead and looked back to the others. ¡°I don¡¯t know how many of them are in there but there¡¯s at least three from the survivors.¡±
Dennis opened the door and threw in a flashbang. Hearing it go off, the team rushed in.
¡°For the Nation!¡±
An elf lunged at Dennis with a knife. Avoiding the knife, Dennis grabbed the elf by the neck and then went around him. He got both of his arms under the elve¡¯s armpit. Dennis locked his hands on the elf¡¯s neck. The elf struggled intensely to get out of Dennis¡¯s hold and kicked around. The elf started wildly shooting tiny fireballs. The fireballs fizzled out in a very short distance but it would be dangerous to Dennis if the elf somehow got his hand around. Dennis ground his teeth. ¡°What the fuck!¡± Shoot him!¡±
Blood splattered over Dennis¡¯s face as a bullet from Pablo¡¯s M9 Beretta entered the side of the elf¡¯s head. Letting go, the elf crumpled to the floor, blood flowing out of his brain. Dennis wiped his face. ¡°Motherfucker.¡±
Moving further into the factory, the Green Berets scanned around. They saw a couple of figures crouching behind some machinery. Dennis approached them with his finger on the trigger. The four men looked at Dennis in fear. Noticing that they didn¡¯t have pointy ears, Dennis relaxed and held his hand up to the others. ¡°Don¡¯t fire, they are all humans.¡±
Dennis studied the men. They all seemed to be in their mid-20s. Remembering the Imperial Language, Dennis spoke to them. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m human. See¡±
Dennis pointed to his ears. The men, noticing this, all blinked in surprise. Joy soon came across their faces. One of them seemingly threw themselves onto the ground as if in prayer. Another one started crying.
¡°Thank Angels! We are saved!¡±
Hearing the happy shouts, more and more figures started showing themselves. Some came out of closet doors and others stood up from the machinery and tables they were hiding behind. They were all human men and seemingly varied from as young as 16 to as old as around 40. Dennis looked around. ¡°Okay. Listen up. You are all humans right?¡±
Albeit all looking nervous, the people in the room nodded.
¡°Do any of you know where the elves went?¡±
The men looked at each other. One of them responded.
¡°I don¡¯t know. They seemingly disappeared after the gunfire and explosion. We thought they were killing everyone so we decided to hide.¡±
Dennis nodded. ¡°Thank you. You are safe buddy. We will get all of you guys out of here.¡±
¡°Who are you people?¡± One of the men cautiously inquired.
¡°We are American Special Forces. We have been tasked to liberate you guys,¡± said Dennis. ¡°Please refrain from any more questions. We have to get you guys outta here. The elves could come back with reinforcements. We will be linking up with a bigger force.¡±
0220 May 14th, 2020 CE
0410 Sun 44th, 196 AE
Three miles from the Orva Caelora Human Concentration Camp, Elven Nation
Damon and the rest of Baker Company of the 75th Ranger Regiment had quickly collected the extra supplies that the MC-130 had also parachuted out. They were now traveling hastily across the green pastures. 2nd Platoon was sent further ahead for reconnaissance.
About an hour later
<<<¡°Ghost Actual. This is Ghost Two. We have found the concentration camp. Quite a big place. Over.¡±
¡° I hear you loud and clear. Is the only elf presence at the camp? Over.¡±
¡°We have only seen them at the camp. The route there is clear. But there are a lot of them in the camp. At least a company¡¯s worth. Over.¡±
¡°Okay. Standby. We will arrive within 6 minutes. Over and out.¡±>>>
Damon got off of his radio. He turned to First Lieutenant Jeb Baker, the executive officer of Baker Company. ¡°Seems like they accidentally dropped us off about a mile from our supposed drop-off place. Ghost Two just found where the concentration camp was. It''s further than it''s supposed to be.¡±
Orva Caelora Human Concentration Camp, Elven Nation
Senior Lieutenant Kaylin Gendan saluted as she entered Captain Elion Wynrie¡¯s office.
¡°Captain. We have received reports that a human invasion has begun.¡±
¡°Start rounding the humans up,¡± said Elion, frowning at the news. He got out and flipped through a book. ¡°Protocol indicates that we need to start exterminating the prisoners.¡±
Five minutes later
Damon was lying on the grass and observing the concentration camp when a gunshot rang out from the camp¡¯s direction. ¡°Fuck! They are executing the prisoners.¡±
Damon got on his radio.
<<<¡±Ghost Sierra. This is Ghost Actual. Are you guys in position? Over.¡±
¡°We are in place. Ready to take the shots. Over¡±
¡°Good. Do not fire yet. Over and out.¡±>>>
Damon turned to the others. ¡°The gate is quite sturdy. There are multiple guards and a guard post right outside. Get the Carl Gustav and blow that entrance and post up.¡±
Two soldiers aimed down the scope of their Carl Gustavs.
¡°Backblast area clear.¡±
¡°Firing.¡±
One HEDP (High Explosive Dual Purpose) round streaked towards the guard post while the other HEDP round streaked towards the gate. A bright orange explosion knocked the guards off their feet and made a hole in the gate while another explosion shaved off half of the guard post.
<<<¡°Ghost Sierra. This is Ghost Actual. You are free to fire at any elves. Focus fire on those responding to that explosion. Over.¡±
¡°Wilco. Over and out.¡±>>>
The 50 men from the 4th Platoon swiftly moved toward the gate. Elves showed up from the clearing dust.
<<<¡°Provide covering fire for Ghost Four!¡±>>>
Mk48 machine guns opened up on the elves at the blown-up gate.
One of the snipers looked down the scope of his M2010. He led on the head of an elf running towards the gate. He pressed the trigger and the gun jerked. Moving his gun, he found another target. He fired again.
Damon watched as the men of 4th Platoon took cover behind the debris and objects at the gate. They started pouring down fire.
<<<¡°Ghost One. Ghost Two. Ghost Three. We are moving up to Ghost Four¡¯s position!¡±>>>
Disorganized squads of elves tried to respond. Taking cover behind crates, buildings, and vehicles, the elves opened up with machine gun and rifle fire. The 4th Platoon responded in kind but with a higher volume of firepower. They started pushing into the camp. Soon the rest of Baker Company joined in.
<<<¡°This is Ghost Four. The front gate is secure. We got a couple injured. We are clearing the buildings near the entrance.¡±>>>
While supervising the extermination in an open field in the camp, Elion heard the explosions and gunshots at the gate. He went to find Kaylin. ¡°Lieutenant. Report! What¡¯s happening at the front gate?¡±
Kaylin was talking to the Company Sergeant Major but directed her attention to Elion. ¡°Human infantry have begun an assault. They have taken over the gate.¡±
¡°Get the armored cars out and deal with them.¡±
Chapter 69 - Operation Firestorm Part 5
0343 May 14th, 2020 CE
0451 Sun 44th, 196 AE
Orva Caelora Human Concentration Camp, Elven Nation
The firefight continued at the front gate as squads of elves tried to push the humans out. Although the elves held a chokepoint and the camp garrison had nearly equal numbers to the human company attacking them, their unpreparedness caused them to be outnumbered ten to one at the front gate.
¡°Pull back! Pull back! Pull back!¡± The elves started rushing out of their position. Crouching behind the debris, barrels, and creates, the Rangers continued pouring fire from their M4 rifles and Mk48 machine guns. A few elves fell face forward as they ran. A couple slumped to the side after being shot by the snipers. The firefight died down as the elves retreated further into the camp.
Behind them, the 4th Platoon was clearing the buildings. Multiple shots came out of a one-floor square building. One of the soldiers from the 4th Platoon chucked a grenade into the window. An explosion rocked the ground. Multiple Rangers burst in, weapons at the ready. Three elves laid on the floor, killed by the grenade.
<<<"Ghost Actual. This is Ghost Four, we have secured the surrounding buildings.¡±>>>
<<<"Copy that. Area in front of the front gate is secure.¡±>>>
While advancing forward, opposition from the elves came back faster than expected. Elven machine guns opened up and a barrage of fire came down on the Rangers. The retreating elves seemed to have done a 180 and started rushing back towards them. It was soon clear why. Two grey armored cars moved down the road towards them. An elven officer raised his pistol in the air and waved it forwards. ¡°Attack! Attack! Crush the inferiors!¡±
In the storm of the lead laid down by the Rangers, two HEAT (High Explosive Anti-Tank) rounds from the Carl Gustavs struck the two armored cars. The cars exploded and veered off the road. Although the Rangers were still shooting, the elves seemed to be in a state of shock. Once again, the elves started retreating. This time, they were much more panicked. ¡°Pull back! Pull back!¡±
Elion couldn¡¯t believe his ears. ¡°They took out both armored cars?!¡±
Kaylin nodded. ¡°They have some sort of weapon with the ability to destroy armor.¡±
¡°Tell all units to regroup near the center of the camp.¡±
Sporadic firefights occurred as the Rangers advanced further into the camp. Groups of elves hid in the buildings and behind cover. The Rangers had taken some casualties but the elves were clearly losing. Moreover, in the midst of the chaotic battle, some of the prisoners were able to get to the Rangers.
<<<"This is Ghost Sierra. We spotted a large force of elves blocking the road in front of you. Permission to fire?¡±
¡°Hold fire. Thanks for the tip, Ghost Sierra.¡±>>>
While the 4th Platoon swept the area behind them for any hiding elves and helped the prisoners, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd moved up.
One of the platoon leaders hid behind a wall. He jabbed his thumb behind him as he talked to his grenadiers. ¡°They should be right over there. Hiding behind those crates and overturned tables.¡±
¡°Got it, sir.¡±
Multiple 40mm grenades shot out of the M203 grenade launchers mounted under the grenadiers¡¯ M4. The elve¡¯s position was smashed open by the barrage of high explosive grenades. A few of the elves survived but were heavily disoriented. The Rangers opened up.
A few minutes later
¡°They have easily broken through the first two lines of defense.¡±
Elion crossed his arms at the news. He stood still outside of his office as his soldiers rounded up the humans that had not escaped or killed and got ready to execute them. He turned to look towards where the human soldiers were supposedly coming from. Suddenly a bullet whizzed past him and hit the ground. ¡°What the!¡±
¡°Captain! Get inside!¡± Kaylin urged him into his office.
Inside, Elion had a frown on his face.
¡°Great. Now, we have snipers.¡± He opened the curtains of the window. Since the shot came from the side that faced the back of his office, he wasn¡¯t concerned about getting shot from his window. He watched as his men hid behind whatever they could find or buildings they could get in. Then the humans in the field started running.
¡°Shoot the running humans!¡±
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Shots further into the camp were heard. Damon grew concerned as it didn¡¯t seem that the shots were anywhere near where his men were.
<<<"Ghost Sierra, do you see what''s happening where the shots are coming from?¡±
¡°Not good. The prisoners are trying to run but they are getting shot at by the elves. We are trying to kill those shooting.¡±
¡°How far away is it?¡±
¡°1st Platoon will be there soon.¡±
¡°Ghost One. This is Ghost Actual. Get your asses moving! The damn elves are killing the prisoners.¡±>>>
The shooting outside of Elion¡¯s office got louder and louder. It wasn¡¯t from his soldiers killing the prisoners but the battle against the assaulting humans.
¡°Captain. Most of the humans have either escaped or been killed. We need to relocate. If we hug the walls, we can avoid the snipers.¡±
¡°Get one of the magiradioelf and tell them to start an organized retreat.¡±
A figure walked up the street towards a squad from the 2nd Platoon. The Rangers aimed their guns. ¡°Hold fire! It¡¯s a person.¡± At that, they lowered their guns.
A soldier of the 4th Platoon kicked the door open. He swept his eyes and gun around the entire room and noticed a cowering figure. Looking closely, the figure didn¡¯t have pointy ears.¡±
<<<"Found another human.¡±>>>
Watching from an elevated position, the sniper teams watched as most of the elves started retreating. Some of the elves stayed back and continued fighting.
<<<¡°Ghost Actual. This is Ghost Sierra. The elves are performing an organized retreat.¡±>>>
Damon nodded.
<<<¡°Thanks for the info.¡±
¡°Ghost Two. Ghost Three. This is Ghost Actual, I want you guys to disengage and focus on one spot. Ghost Two on the left flank and Ghost Three on the right flank. Try to create a corridor in their lines where you can go through. The elves are doing an organized retreat. I want you to cut them off.¡±
¡°Wilco.¡±
¡°Understood.¡±
¡°Ghost One. This is Ghost Actual. Take over Ghost Two and Three¡¯s position. There should be fewer elves now.¡±>>>
Elion huffed a bit as he rested. Elion, Kaylin, and around 30 of his elves were scattered on the other side of the camp. Elion shook his head. ¡°We can¡¯t hold this camp. I have requested reinforcements but the closest unit is a couple of hours away.¡±
Shots rang out. Kaylin looked alarmed. She beckoned over a magiradioelf and started contacting the platoon commanders. After a short conversation over the magiradio, she went over to Elion. ¡°They were able to get through the ones covering us.¡±
The sound of the shots got louder and closer.
¡°Captain, we need to get into a building," said Kaylin. She also called over a handful of the soldiers nearby. ¡°We will take up a position in that building.¡±
Elion went up to the second floor with Kaylin and a couple of soldiers following. One of the soldiers looked out the window at the firefight. He looked back at Elion. ¡°Captain, what do we do? They are getting closer.¡±
Elion considered the question before looking at Kaylin. . ¡°Kaylin, can we retreat?¡±
¡°We should but we may not have a safe route to do so.¡±
The soldier looking out the window spoke up again. ¡°Captain¡ some of the soldiers outside are surrendering.¡±
Elion¡®s eyes lit up. ¡°The humans?¡±
¡°No. Ours.¡±
Outside, one by one, the elves started throwing down their weapons and raising their hands.
When the 2nd and 3rd Platoon penetrated the already weakened elven covering force, the covering force was thrown into disarray and started surrendering. This caused more and more elves to do so too. Before long, the Rangers secured the entire camp and killed off the last of the ones still resisting.
A few hours later
The Rangers guarding the front gate readied their weapons as multiple figures appeared on a road. One of the Rangers squinted at the figures before shouting. ¡°It¡¯s the Green Berets that are supposed to link up with us!¡±
A few minutes later
Pablo greeted Damon. Damon replied in a joking manner. ¡°What took you so long? You missed our battle.¡±
Pablo laughed. ¡°Trust me, we had our own battle.¡±
¡°Well, I can see that.¡±
0400 May 14th, 2020 CE
0500 Sun 44th, 196 AE
In the air over the Elven Nation
Formations of F-15s and F-16s swooped down low. Their speed made them almost unhittable by the elven air defense. Off in the distance, black smoke rose from burning metal.
Multiple B-1Bs dropped their payloads onto large elven coastal fortifications.
20 B-52s cruised at nearly 50,000 feet. Although they were all in different locations, they were all moving south and deeper into elf territory.
Northern Sector Elven Detection Station
An elven operator gave an emergency report. ¡°We have detected multiple aircraft scattered by themselves in the air across our sector. They all entered from the south where the humans are attacking.¡±
The commanding officer nodded. ¡°Alert all air bases in the Northern Sector to respond.¡±
20 squadrons of Ea-192s took off from multiple different air bases scattered across the Northern Sector. Each headed straight for one of the detected aircraft.
In the air
The weather in the Northern Sector was extremely clear and it was easy to see for miles. One of the elf pilots noticed a single aircraft. It seemed so small because of how high above them it was.
<<<¡°It¡¯s above us!¡±>>>
The elves easily identified it as a heavy bomber but were mystified as to how it flew since it didn¡¯t have propellers on its wings. The twelve Ea-192s started to climb towards it. Within a few minutes of climbing, their engines started cutting out and they stalled. They had barely reached their target. The Ea-192s curved backward and started falling. Falling for a bit, they regained control.
<<<¡°It¡¯s too high up! How high is it?¡±
¡°Regroup and attack again. We will have to shoot before we stall.¡±>>>
Again, they tried. They aimed their aircraft at the human bomber and quickly climbed to intercept it. When the pilots felt that they were about to stall, they opened fire. Even with the Ea-192s reaching their maximum ceiling of around 39,000 feet, their bullets couldn¡¯t reach the lone human bomber cruising slowly through the sky as if it was mocking them.
Each squadron of twelve Ea-192s was unable to engage the B-52s that they had been tasked to destroy. The B-52s continued on their journey.
Chapter 70 - Operatioon Firestorm Part 6
In the air near the center of the Elven Nation
Aircraft Commander Evan Matthews glanced out the window of his B-52. Green mountains were seemingly spread across the land. Propeller aircraft darted back and forth below them. <<<¡°Seems like dem pointy ears are trying to get at us.¡±>>>
His co-pilot, Evan Smith, chuckled. <<<¡°Pointy ears? I think tree huggers are a better name.¡±
¡°Well, they don¡¯t hug trees as far as I have heard.>>>
Further inside the B-52, Jyreese Barnett, the radar navigator, whistled into his microphone as he looked at his video camera. <<<¡°Wooo baby. Those look exactly like those Nazi fighters my grandpa told me about. Just look at them. Never thought I would see one shooting their guns. Oh look, they are stalling.¡±>>>
Their B-52, ladened with nearly 70,000 pounds of bombs, lumbered on through the sky as the Ea-192s gave chase down below.
Northern Sector Detection Station, Elven Nation
¡°Based on their trajectory, they are going directly to all southern airfields. There¡¯s also one headed for our station.¡±
Senior Lieutenant Ivasaar Phiwarin rubbed his chin at the words of Lieutenant Alok Yesdan who was standing in front of his desk. ¡°And all the Ea-192 squadrons that have been sent out can¡¯t shoot them down?¡±
Alok nodded. ¡°Yes. All airbases are reporting that the Ea-192s don¡¯t have the altitude.¡±
¡°So there¡¯s one that''s headed to our station and it''s a heavy bomber.¡±
Alok nodded again. ¡°Yes, sir.¡±
¡°Get this to High Command.¡± Ivassar stood up. ¡°As for us, we are evacuating. Get all the important documents. Tell everyone to pack up.¡±
Alok turned to leave but stopped himself. ¡°Um, sir, we already lost contact with High Command.¡±
¡°Oh, forgot about that. Then switch to Northern Sub-Command.¡±
Ivasaar went to grab a few files from the drawers behind him. Not hearing his door close, he looked back. ¡°Why are you just standing there?¡±
Alok rubbed his neck. ¡°Sir¡ uhhh¡ how do we contact them?¡±
With a mildly surprised expression, Ivassar asked, ¡°You are telling me that we have never contacted them before in our many drills even though this region is under their control?¡±
¡°Well, sir¡ this was not in expectation with any of our military drills. It was assumed that the High Command Office would always be available.¡±
¡°Just alert all airbases first, I should be able to find the number to call them.¡±
Emethmel Air Base, Elven Nation
¡°The 55th Squadron failed to shoot down the enemy aircraft,¡± said Lieutenant Colonel Goren Ertoris while saluting.
Colonel Vaeril Quican showed his clear unhappiness at the news. ¡°What? How? It¡¯s only a single aircraft.¡±
¡°The aircraft is flying higher than any of our aircraft can.¡±
Vaeril raised his eyebrows. ¡°This is ridiculous.¡±
¡°We got reports from our detection station that one of the aircraft, which has been identified as a heavy bomber, is headed straight for us.¡±
¡°It¡¯s only one bomber right?¡±
Goren gave a curt nod. ¡°Yes.¡±
Vaeril gave it a few minutes of thought before explaining his thinking to Goren. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be able to destroy that much of the base. Tell all pilots to start evacuating by taking off with their aircraft. Tell other personnel to take what¡¯s important and start leaving the base. We will all return once the bombing is over. Hopefully, the runways will still be operational or fixable after that bombing. Most of them should. It¡¯s only one bomber that probably is carrying very light bombs. No more than 10,000 pounds probably. Coupled with the fact that the accuracy of bombers isn¡¯t that good either. Our airfield shouldn¡¯t be that badly damaged.¡±
Goren showed a bit of uncertainty. ¡°Sir, how are you so sure about the weight?¡±
¡°Remember the canceled prototype that we had? The Ra-177 Heavy Bomber? It could only carry around 15,000 pounds of bombs. And it couldn¡¯t even fly higher than our fighter aircraft. I¡¯m somewhat overestimating seeing how the humans have their bomber so high. I guess 5,000 to 10,000 pounds would be a good guess.¡±
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A few minutes later
Ea-192s and Ra-189s started taking off from the runways. More aircraft were wheeled out from the hangars and pilots got into them. Elves ran in and out of buildings carrying papers, boxes, tools, and various other things. They loaded them into cars and trucks. Watched as his aides loaded up the officer car with important documents.
Vaeril¡¯s head turned to follow the last airplane, an Ea-192, as it sped down the runway. He looked at his driver before stepping into the officer car. ¡°Follow the convoy out.¡±
10 minutes later
In the air
Jyreese stared at the video feed of the ground below. <<<¡°There¡¯s quite a lack of airplanes down there. I only see a couple down there and they are quite abandoned.¡±>>>
Evan chuckled over the radio. <<<¡°Well we got about 70,000 pounds of payload back there so you guys better start dropping.¡±>>>
In massive clusters, Mk-82 500 pound and Mk-84 2,000-pound bombs started falling out from underneath the B-52. Explosions rocked the Elven airfield below as massive plumes of black smoke rose from wherever the bombs hit.
A few miles from the Emethmel Air Base
Vaerill stepped out of his car and looked through the trees of the forest. He could see black smoke rising towards the sky. He walked back towards the car. ¡°Start turning around. Contact all units, and tell them to start returning to base.¡±
¡°What is this¡ our planes can¡¯t land now!¡±
Once they returned, the airfield was barely recognizable. What used to be runways were now blackened ground filled with craters of various sizes. The barracks and hangars were now a pile of metal and wood strewn around.
An Ea-192 circled overhead. The pilot, Voron Genjor, looked over at the ground and wondered how he was supposed to land.
Vaeril stared at the ground of the airbase before looking up and saying, ¡°They are going to need to find elsewhere to land.¡±
Goren, who was right beside him, grew concerned. ¡°Where else though? Other than this clearing, it¡¯s all mostly forest around here.¡±
¡°Are we able to contact any other airbase near us?¡±
¡°We do have a magiradio. I will try contacting the other bases.¡±
A few minutes later
Goren shook his head when he returned to Vaeril¡¯s side. ¡°I can¡¯t reach any of the other bases.¡±
Now a mixture of Ea-192s and Ra-189s were circling overhead.
Vaeril became quiet for a few seconds before saying, ¡°How long do you think we can make a suitable runway?¡±
Goren looked around and towards all the soldiers that had returned. Their vehicles parked around what used to be the airbase. ¡°We don¡¯t have any construction equipment and having the men dig a suitable dirt runway will take a while because of these massive craters.¡±
¡°Then get them to work. This is probably the only way to get these planes to land safely.¡±
Because they were filled to the brim with bombs and were flying at their maximum altitude, the B-52s¡¯ combat range was significantly reduced. However, the total distance from the northern tip of the Elven Nation was around only 15% of the B-52¡¯s total unfueled combat range. They were easily able to continue their journey back to their air bases in the Magus Imperium.
Voron watched from his Ea-192 as the elves on the ground scurried around the bombed airfield. They were clearly trying to clear a way so the planes could land. He looked at his magic gauge. It was nearly 80% empty. He was going to have to land soon.
20 minutes later
He watched as a different Ea-192 attempted to perform a landing on one of the narrow roads through the forest. It got closer and closer to the ground while tilting to avoid the trees. It seemed to be doing well until the plane veered a bit to the right. Its right wing struck one of the trees of the forest. The right wing came right off and the aircraft spiraled out of control. The Ea-192 disappeared from his view before a loud explosion could be heard. Smoke rose from somewhere in the forest.
A few more aircraft tried to land on the dirt roads or small clearings in the forest in the next hour. A couple even tried to land in the rivers that flowed across the forests. Some of the pilots survived but all their planes were completely destroyed.
The soldiers trying to repair the airfield were unlikely to finish on time. Voron looked at his magic gauge once more. The magic was completely out. He had even exhausted all his magic when he poured it into the aircraft. He had no confidence that he would be able to survive a crash landing. Pressing a button, he ejected from his Ea-192. He quickly deployed his parachute and floated down.
A few other pilots followed his example and ejected from their planes.
Voron sat on the ground next to one of the trucks near the airbase. He watched as soldiers ran around trying to even out the runway. He looked up at the sky and watched the remaining planes. It wasn¡¯t long before something caught his eye. An Ra-189 started lining up on the still unfixed runway. It passed over the soldiers doing the fixing. Its propellers blew wind across the ground. It made a hard bank to the right and circled around. It started flying lower and lower. The soldiers on the runway shouted and started running out of the way. The plane¡¯s wheels touched the blackened dirt and started running down the destroyed runway. It wasn¡¯t long before it hit a crater at very fast speeds and flipped over. The pilot, slightly injured, dragged himself out from under the plane.
With the runway unable to be repaired and landing in the heavily forested area nearly impossible, most of the pilots just abandoned their planes and parachuted out. Similar things occurred across the north, as all airfields in the Northern Sector had been bombed to oblivion. Unlike the south with sparse forests and many plains, the north was full of forests. A large mountain range divided the north from the south.
Although personnel casualties were low, the loss of most of the planes that had been held in reserve in the northern sector had a severe cost.
Somewhere in the Elven Nation
Tarron sat down in a chair in his new office room. He turned his head from left to right and looked at the surviving generals. ¡°Give me a detailed report of everything that has gone on.¡±
The generals glanced at each other. Field Marshal Aegord Gael, who had not been in the High Command Office when it was bombed, responded, ¡°That will be extremely difficult, my Leader. It''s complete chaos now. We are getting reports of attacks everywhere. It seems to be mostly from the air.¡±
¡°Just give me everything you are able to find out.¡±
In the sea less than 20 miles from the Elven Nation
Nick played a game of poker with his tank crew. ¡°We should be there quite soon. Let¡¯s finish this game up and get ready.¡±
Beaches of the Magus Imperium
Issac boarded his transport ship along with the rest of his unit. He stretched while staring out at the glittering sea.
Chapter 71 - Operation Firestorm Part 7
0522 May 14th, 2020 CE
0541 Sun 44th, 196 AE
Somewhere in the Elven Nation
Aegord had a grim look on his face as he gave an oral report to Tarron. ¡°It¡¯s absolute chaos out there. We are still able to communicate with some of our units but we are just getting panicked reports from them. From what we could gather, we have lost a majority of our bases and our navy has mostly been sunk. We tried directly calling the airbases, naval bases, and army bases but most of them were unresponsive. However, the aircraft and ground units we have sheltered inside mountains have been untouched. Other than a few other units, the ones in the mountains are the only ones that haven¡¯t been attacked.¡±
Tarron scratched his forehead while keeping his eyes shut. ¡°How did these humans know where to attack? Spies would make sense but they seem to know the location of everything. Even with spies, that would be impossible. Aerial reconnaissance would be improbable. We kept up a constant aerial patrol. Not a single scout plane should have been able to get through.¡±
Aegord shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m not sure, sir.¡±
¡°How about the defenses we have set up?¡±
¡°We also tried contacting those positions. Most were unresponsive but we got a few responses from survivors. We can conclude that most of them have been destroyed or heavily damaged.¡±
Tarron tapped his desk and looked up at Aegord. ¡°Operation Continued Arrow has started, correct?¡±
¡°It¡¯s well underway.¡±
Sylfebel, Elven Nation
The sun had almost risen to the midway point. An elven officer stood on a hastily erected stand made out of crates. ¡°The humans have launched a surprise attack and snuck onto our shores! Most of our army is currently winning the war in the human homeland and is unable to return. It is time to serve your duty for your nation! It is time to destroy these inferiors who dare tread on our land! All able-bodied male veterans please line up first!¡±
Murmurs of suspicion arose from the crowd. For the past few hours, they had seen strange aircraft flying over the sky. Nonetheless, no one argued.
Male veterans started lining up. Elven soldiers handed out rifles, pistols, machine guns, explosives, grenades, and portable anti-magipanzers. After they received their weapons, the officer spoke again to the veterans. ¡°We also have a few thauguns. They are linked up to trucks outside of the town. Okay. Now. All able-bodied males!¡±
They were given everything that the veterans got except for the PAMs.
¡°All able-bodied female veterans!¡±
They were just given rifles, pistols, and grenades.
¡°All able-bodied females!¡±
They were handed rifles and pistols.
¡°For those with our new anti-magipanzer weapon,¡± said the officer as he raised the PAM. ¡°We will have a demonstration on the field over there as to how to use them.¡±
The officer walked the male veterans to an open field. He coughed to bring the attention of everyone. ¡°This triangle cone on top of this tube is a rocket filled with magic particles set to explode. You just have to press this button under the tube to fire it. There is an iron sight on it to help you aim. These are to be used against any sort of vehicle and are not reusable. Fire them once and they can¡¯t be reloaded.¡±
The officer aimed the PAM and pressed the button under the tube. The rocket shot out and exploded a few hundred feet away.
Orva Caelora Human Concentration Camp, Elven Nation
Damon conversed with Pablo in what used to be a guardhouse. ¡°Our job is to guard these people at all costs. We were given two options. Wait until our main force arrives or advance towards where the main force will be coming from. We will get air support via any nearby air units. Personally, I think the forest option is better.¡±
Pablo considered it for a second. ¡°Either way, we have an issue. With this amount of people in addition to the elves, I don¡¯t think we have the supplies to feed this many people.¡±
¡°Good point.¡± Damon nodded at Pablo¡¯s analysis. ¡°Good thing is is that the concentration camp here does have a lot of food. However, we don¡¯t really have the ability to bring it with us. There are trucks and cars here but it¡¯s gonna be hard traveling down the road hiding this many people.¡±
¡°Hm. It seems like we are staying.¡±
Damon opened the door and looked outside. ¡°Seems that way. We are going to be here for some days.¡±
Outside, their men ran around erecting a few defenses. Using shovels, they dug a trench at the front gate.
0644 May 14th, 2020 CE
0622 Sun 44th, 196 AE
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A couple miles from the shores of the Elven Nation
Nick pulled down his hatch and looked at his crew. ¡°Ok boys, we are hitting the beaches soon. The Air Force has been doing some bombing so I don¡¯t expect resistance to be heavy.¡±
AH-1Z Vipers took off from the deck of the USS Bonhomme Richard and other amphibious assault ships. On the beach, smoke billowed from the destroyed fortifications. In one of the Vipers, a pilot spoke into his headphones.
<<<¡°We got targets onshore. Anti-tank guns, infantry, and a couple of tanks.¡±
¡°You are clear to fire.¡±>>>
The 20 mm M197 three-barreled rotary cannon that was on the front belly of the helicopter started spinning. Bullets soon spewed out onto the beach. Hydra 70 rockets flew out of the launchers on the side of the Viper. Explosions blanketed the area. An anti-tank gun position exploded. On the ground, Elves ran around like ants.
Nick felt his tank jolt as the LCAC he was on crashed into the sea. Uma looked up from his driver seat at Nick. ¡°How many of these amphibious assaults have we done?
¡°Two.¡±
Uma scratched his head. ¡°I thought we did three?¡±
Nick waved him off. ¡°I don¡¯t quite remember. Anywhere between two to four. More than we need.¡±
A few minutes later
The LCAC that Nick¡¯s Abrams was in hit the beach and quickly deflated. The front gate opened down right as Uma put the pedal to the metal.
A vein popped on Nick¡¯s head as the tank sped onto the sand. ¡°Connolly! Goddamit! You nearly rammed us into the fucking LCAC.¡±
Above them, the AH-1Z Vipers, out of ammo, banked and turned back towards the large group of amphibious assault ships that were just offshore.
Besides them, another LCAC came ashore and disgorged two M1A1s. On the M1A1¡¯s sides, AAVs came ashore. Bullets pinged off of the AAVs. Shots came from the stone rubble of fortifications. From the little turret of the AAVs, the Mk19 40 mm automatic grenade launchers and the .50 cal machine guns opened up at the rubble.
Nick shouted at Dillian. ¡°We got enemy infantry direct front. Open up with the machine guns.¡±
¡°Switching to thermals.¡±
The red-orange heat given off by the elves could be seen in the camera feed that Dillian was looking through. The machine guns on Nick¡¯s Abrams opened up on the elves hiding behind the rubble.
Under the cover of fire, marines rushed out from the open back doors of the AAVs. They positioned themselves behind the armored vehicles and started firing. The fire from the elves slackened as bullets poured down on them.
A tank shell exploded on the cheek of Nick¡¯s Abrams. A Knight had peeked out from a small hill.
Nick shouted again at Dillian. ¡°Tank 1 o¡¯clock!¡±
¡°Firing!¡±
The round went right into the turret of the Knight. In a flash, the Knight¡¯s turret exploded and was flung into the sky.
¡°Advance!¡±
Their Abrams whirred to life and started moving forwards. Behind them, MV-22 Osprey landed onto the beachhead and more marines ran out. Small arms fire from the elves peppered the advancing armored vehicles.
The AH-1Zs sped past overhead and headed deeper into land. They began clearing the way for the advancing ground forces.
Marines moved up to the rubble and took cover behind them. The supporting M1A1s and AAVs gunned down any nearby elves that appeared or started shooting.
Sergeant Finn Johnson, sitting behind a piece of rubble, looked over his shoulder. Bullets from a machine gun whizzed past him. The rest of his squad was crouched with him. Finn nodded his head over the rubble. ¡°Got a machine gunner there. Blake, give me suppressing fire. I¡¯m gonna throw a grenade over.¡±
¡°Got it, sir.¡±
Private Blake York peeked out from the other side of the rubble and opened up with his M4 rifle. Finn stood up and tossed a grenade over where the machine gun fire had come from. He quickly ducked back down and Blake returned to cover. An explosion came from where he chucked the grenade and with that, the hail of bullets stopped. However, singular bullets still whizzed by.
¡°Machine gunner down but we got some rifle fire.¡±
A fusillade of machine-gun fire was heard. An M1A1 had opened up with its machine guns on the elves that were firing on them. The rest of Finn¡¯s platoon peeked out of cover and started firing.
It wasn¡¯t long before Nick¡¯s Abrams was off the sand and onto the dirt. Something pinged off the sloped front of the tank.
¡°Anti-tank gun. 11 o¡¯clock!¡±
An anti-tank gun was sitting in a dug-out position just to the left of them. It had sandbags surrounding it. Near it was multiple already destroyed anti-tank guns.
¡°Firing!¡±
The high explosive slammed into the anti-tank gun just as its crew reloaded. The gun exploded and its crew was vaporized in the combined blast.
Port City of Ilysesari, Elven Nation
Ara sat down. In the room were the current commanding officers of the army units in Ilysesari. They were all survivors of the failed invasion. Usually, this divisional meeting would be a meeting of Major Generals and Lieutenant Generals but some of the elves ranked as low as captain were also participating. Captain Feno Dagolor, current commander of what¡¯s left of the 7th Infantry Division started the meeting. ¡°The naval base. It¡¯s completely gone.¡±
Colonel Giullis Keaynore, commander of what¡¯s left of the 21st Magipanzer Division, dishearteningly commented, ¡°You saw the planes right?¡±
Femo nodded. ¡°They are the exact same ones as those that attacked us in the Empire.¡±
¡°The humans are already here.¡±
¡°High Command is gone. We can¡¯t reach them.¡±
Ara sighed and interjected. ¡°They are doing the same thing.¡±
Giullis looked at her questionably. ¡°What do you mean?¡±
¡°Their basic strategy is to cut off the head and let the body writhe in confusion. We experienced that when they destroyed our bases in the Empire. Have we received any exact orders or reports?¡±
¡°We did receive some panicked messages. We know that this is occurring across the country. The humans are bombing everything. Nothing is clear yet though.¡±
Ara nodded. ¡°I suggest we retreat.¡±
Lieutenant General Ailred Farrah, commander of the 34th Infantry Division and one of the few higher ranked in the meeting, disagreed. ¡°Isn¡¯t it better if we fortify our position?¡±
Ara looked down at the map that was on the table. She pointed to the mountain range that divided the south from the north. ¡°This is the best place to set up a defense.¡±
Ailred scoffed. ¡°We are all the way on the southern tip and you are expecting us to move hundreds of miles across land that''s under attack by the human aircraft?¡±
Ara shook her head. ¡°We will not move as one. We will move in multiple small groups. The humans would most likely attack large numbers of units setting up defenses than small numbers retreating.¡±
¡°How are you certain?¡±
¡°I¡¯m not. I¡¯m betting on it. It¡¯s our only real chance of putting up a fight. You experienced what happened when we tried to defend cities against these humans.¡±
Chapter 72 - Into the Hornets Nest
0910 May 14th, 2020 CE
0735 Sun 44th, 196 AE
Near the shore of the Elven Nation
By the end of the day, the Marines had secured a beachhead spanning miles. Nick sat in his Abrams while keeping an eye out for any threats.
The anti-tank gun fired and the shell ricocheted off of the Abram''s cheek. After Nick turned the turret towards the anti-tank gun, Dillian quickly dispatched it with a single shot.
<<<<¡°We are holding our position right outside of the town. We just destroyed an anti-tank gun. I think the town can be considered hostile. Over¡±
¡°We are just a couple of minutes behind. Hold until we get there. Out.¡±>>>
AAVs and Humvees pulled up right beside the Abrams. Marines exited their vehicles and started moving into town. Nick¡¯s Abram followed the infantry as they entered the town. The AAVs and Humvees lined up right behind.
Although the town seemed empty, the air felt tense to Nick. ¡°This town doesn¡¯t feel right.¡±
Uma commented nonchalantly. ¡°I guess the civilians evacuated.¡±
Nick wondered to himself. ¡°Then why was there an anti-tank gun right outside of the town?¡±
¡°I dunno. Maybe they were a part of the defenses that they had set up.¡±
Brian, the loader, interjected. ¡°Well so far, considering the lack of noise, the houses should be empty.¡±
The infantry was kicking open the doors to the surrounding houses on the street. So far, there was no sound of battle.
Uma laughed. ¡°We are in a tank and fighting a country that can¡¯t even field modern weaponry. What are we so worried about?¡±
Brian shrugged. ¡°It''s still a war. Who knows what could happen.¡±
Shots rang out. Nick wrinkled his nose. More shooting started.
Finn slammed his back to a wall beside him as soon as he saw the partially concealed machine gun peeking out of a house¡¯s window. ¡°Machine gun!¡±
It opened up and wildly sprayed bullets at them. Finn returned fire with the rest of his squad. From another window, a grenade was lobbed towards them. It landed right beside Blake. ¡°Aw fuck!¡±
Blake knew that what was shown in movies and video games where people just threw back grenades was utter bullcrap. Grenades only had around a 3 to 5-second fuse and he wasn¡¯t superhuman. Blake dived for the ground. A few seconds went by and no explosion occurred. From his prone position, he looked back at the grenade. ¡°Oh, they forgot to pull the pin.¡±
Finn got his back on the wall next to the door that led into the house where the grenade came from. He threw a flashbang in. Hearing it go off, he burst in with two others from his squad. Seeing armed elves covering their eyes, Finn started shooting. They cleared the living room in no time. Shots rang out from the stairs. Whoever was firing seemed to be randomly firing at the first floor. ¡°Johnson. Get your team and keep us covered downstairs. The rest of you guys in here, we are going up. Some guy is trying to blind fire or something. I¡¯m throwing a grenade up.¡±
Finn tossed one upstairs and it clinked onto the ground of the second floor. Shouting was heard and then an explosion. Finn moved up first followed by his men. Two bodies laid strewn on the ground. ¡°I¡¯m checking the first door.¡±
They methodically checked each room of the house which in the end were all clear.
One of Finn¡¯s men, Curtis Sheridan, stared at one of the dead bodies. ¡°They are just fucking civilians.¡±
Blake seemed to come to an understanding. ¡°Explains why that pin wasn¡¯t pulled.¡±
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Finn shook his head. ¡°This feels just like I¡¯m back in Afghanistan.¡±
Blake nodded. ¡°Well, at least there aren¡¯t any children.¡±
¡°I hope it stays that way.¡±
Multiple gunshots rang out from outside the house. Finn patted Curtis who was still staring at the body. ¡°Ok. We don¡¯t have time to chit-chat. Let''s move. We still have a job to do.¡±
Nick¡¯s Abrams moved up the road. A firefight was occurring between US infantry and elves who were taking cover behind a makeshift barricade. Firing an HE, the barricade exploded. Nick and Dillian opened up with the machine guns on the tank at the surviving elves.
Something flew towards the Abrams at high speeds. It exploded on the glacis plate of the tank. Connolly shouted. ¡°Is that an anti-tank gun?¡±
Nick shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t see anything. Well, it didn¡¯t damage the tank, keep moving forward.¡±
Finn ran to his platoon leader, Second Lieutenant Albery Gray, who was standing outside with another squad of their platoon. Albery had split the platoon in order to cover more houses. Finn shouted over the gunshots. ¡°Sir, we cleared out the house. Killed a couple of elves in there. Seemed to be armed civvies. What¡¯s happening out there?¡±
¡°Same thing as you got. Armed civvies. Now, we got a Humvee coming as support. There are reports that the elves got barricades and cover set up on the streets all around town. The Humvee is gonna help a lot. I want you and your squad to keep the Humvee covered. We got lots of elves further ahead. The rest of the platoon will clear out the nearby houses.¡±
¡°Got it, sir!¡±
It wasn¡¯t long before the Humvee pulled up. Finn slapped the side of the Humvee a couple of times.
¡°We got ya covered. The rest of our platoon is clearing the houses further up.¡±
The .50 cal gunner started eyeing the windows further ahead. Bullets pinged off the Humvee as shots came from the second floor of a house up ahead.
¡°Fuck! Get down.¡±
The .50 cal gunner blasted the window where the shots came from.
With the nearby houses cleared, they moved up the road.
¡°RPG!¡±
A rocket slammed into the front of the Humvee. Finn and the rest of the squad were flung to the ground. His ears rang and his surroundings looked blurry. He put his hand down on the ground as he tried to get up. He heard shooting and a lot of gunshots. A soldier, he wasn¡¯t sure who, helped him up and got him into cover. Gaining back his senses, he took in his surroundings. One of the men in his squad, Private Dave Hunts, was screaming as he clutched his left leg which was clearly blown off.
¡°Motherfucker, what was that?!¡±
¡°The elves have RPGs!¡±
¡°Dave! Hold on we are getting you outta here. We need a CASEVAC!¡±
¡°This zone¡¯s too fucking hot. Carry him out of here first. We don¡¯t want the heli to get blown out of the sky.¡±
Bullets whizzed around as elves in plain cloth popped out and started firing.
An hour later
Finn sat in a chair in one of the houses as he munched on his MRE which was some sort of meat in barbecue sauce. Corporal Johnson looked very pissed. It was obvious why. Dave was one of the men in his team. ¡°When the fuck did the elves get fucking RPGs?¡±
Blake responded while eating his MRE. ¡°Well, I guess today.¡±
¡°And they gave them to fucking civilians.¡±
Curtis cut in. ¡°Is Dave gonna be alright?¡±
Blake shrugged. ¡°Not sure.¡±
¡°Man, he still has a wife and kids at home.¡±
A silence filled the room as they ate their rations. The silence was soon broken by Curtis. ¡°Those were civilians weren¡¯t they.¡±
Blake looked over. ¡°Yep.¡±
It was clear that Curtis didn¡¯t look too well.¡°And you guys are okay with this?¡±
Finn sighed. After the first house that they had cleared, Curtis seemingly started to put in less effort. ¡°Well terrorists were once civilians and we shot them without a blink of an eye. Look soldier,¡± Finn stood up. ¡°If they are armed and trying to kill you, you gotta kill them or they are gonna kill your friends.¡±
Curtis still looked upset. ¡°Some of them were women.¡±
¡°I know this is different from what you have been experiencing so far. You have only been deployed for a year but it''s no different from the old world. You see most of us here. We were deployed to Camp Dwyer in Afghanistan. We had to kill kids sometimes. Nobody wants to kill a kid. But when you have one running at you and your friends with a bomb strapped to their chest, you gotta do what you have to do.¡±
Blake shook his head. ¡°At least the elves in this town haven¡¯t armed their kids. We got 10 who are probably orphans now.¡±
At this, Curtis looked uneasy again. Finn stared unhappily at Blake.
Near Port City of Ilysesari, Elven Nation
Ara set out in her Knight with another Knight and two Stallions. A few platoons of infantry and magipanzers have already set off earlier. It wasn¡¯t long before she came upon the damage wrought by the humans. From her open commander¡¯s hatch, she scanned the blackened fields of destroyed magipanzers and thauguns.
¡°What was this all for?¡± She said to no one in particular. Staring at the destruction, she thought back to her childhood. At only 59, she was still a young elf so it wasn¡¯t hard. She remembered how she was taught that the world was destined to be for the elves. How she learned about the inferiority of humans. There was even a mandatory class studying the shortcomings of the humans. Their magic was inferior. Their technology was inferior. They were just inferior beings. She remembered how she was so excited when she had joined the army and learned that they were preparing to invade the humans. To finally defeat an enemy that she had learned to curse at from youth.
Looking at the scene in front of her brought her much anger but also a lot of doubt. She was scared of the doubt growing in her. In fact, she hated it. To doubt something she had believed her whole life. She pushed it to the back of her head.
Chapter 73 - Psyops and Delusions of Grandeur
1022 May 14th, 2020 CE
0811 Sun 44th, 196 AE
Nea Nalore, Elven Nation
Elves bustled around in the big city. Although they were in plain clothes, they carried all sorts of weapons. Most of them set up sandbags. Some of the elves who have earth magic set up small walls to close off streets. Inside a grocery store, Alien Morvaris, the shopkeeper, conversed with his friend and regular customer, Elwin Luyjre. ¡°I don¡¯t believe what that officer said one bit. It sounds ridiculous. What military would invade with such force when they are being invaded? Those planes in the sky are definitely not ours.¡±
Elwin frowned. ¡°Even if he was lying, I would never allow a human to step onto our soil unless they are coming here as a slave.¡±
¡°Do we even have to treat them that bad?¡±
The shock on Elwin¡¯s face grew into anger. ¡°You are actually sympathizing with those trash, right? Look at how their ears aren¡¯t pointy. It looks disgusting, who would have round ears. Also, I can easily raise walls. A human can¡¯t do that. And they can¡¯t even live past 100 years. If they aren¡¯t cursed beings only suitable as slaves, then I don¡¯t know what is." Elwin started to calm down and looked sadly at Alien. "Look, we have been good friends and I hope this is a one-time thing. I don''t want to do this to you. However, if you truly believe it, I will tell everyone and you know what happens right?"
Elwin stared at Alien menacingly. Alien gulped and nodded. "... sorry, I just got scared of the human weapons and the fact that they are invading us."
Elwin made a wide smile. "It''s fine. We will beat them back. You have nothing to worry about. Now, can I get some flour?"
A whirring sound filled the air. The elves looked up and pointed at the plane. Some started to murmur while others ran for cover.
The C-130 started descending and soon flew at a stable and low altitude. Nearing the city, Its back door opened. Paper spewed out and started fluttering to the ground. Elves cautiously picked up the papers and looked at them.
On one side, the picture of a battlefield was shown on top. It was a view of many destroyed elven magipanzers and dead elves. Right below the picture was this message:
¡°Attention People of the Elven Nation
Almost all of your military forces have been destroyed.
Do not take up arms! Our forces do not wish to harm the innocent civilians of the Elven Nation.
The Government of the United States of America guarantees the safety and wellbeing of all peaceful civilians.¡±
On the other side of the leaflet was a four-panel drawn picture. The top left panel showed an elf with a bolt action rifle. An arrow went to the top right panel which showed the elf dead. On the bottom left panel was an elf without a weapon. An arrow went to the bottom right panel which showed an alive elf.
With most of the air cleared out and more available aircraft, the US began their psyops. In multiple Elven cities, these messages were dropped. In addition to the C-130s, F-15E Strike Eagles dropped PDU-5B dispenser units. The dispenser units burst in mid-air and spread the leaflets.
1155 May 14th, 2020 CE
0827 Sun 44th, 196 AE
Jaonor, Elven Nation
Alosrin Ilikian stood with his back against a wall. His older brother, Almer Ilikian, stood beside him. Although they were both cooks with no military experience, they were proud to fight for their country. The noise of a tank was heard right around the corner. Alosrin shouted to his older brother. ¡°There¡¯s a tank!¡±
¡°I got the PAM. Firing!¡±
The rocket shot out at the Abrams. It hit the side of it and an explosion went off. The smoke quickly cleared and the Abrams¡¯s turret turned towards the two elves. Almer¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Run!¡±
Machine gun fire cut them down.
Orva Caelora Human Concentration Camp, Elven Nation
Pablo leaned back in the chair. ¡°You think we are going to be attacked any time soon?¡±
Damon shrugged. ¡°Well, you never know.¡±
¡°It¡¯s been more than an entire day and there has not been any presence of an elven force within a few mile radius.¡±
¡°We can probably be evaced soon. Depends on how much progress the Marines are making.¡±
¡°Well even if this is a concentration camp, this kind of feels like a vacation.¡±
Damon started laughing. ¡°A Green Beret calling being in a concentration camp a ¡®vacation¡¯. Kind of ironic isn¡¯t it with your motto ¡®To Liberate the Oppressed¡¯.¡±
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Pablo chuckled. ¡°Anyways, with their country being invaded, do you think they will even have time to care about their concentration camps going offline. I won¡¯t be surprised if they don¡¯t even know we took this over. They have bigger issues.¡±
Washington D.C.
Preisdent Hayes shook his head. ¡°I will not authorize the bombing of civilians. These are just towns and cities. If it''s a political building or something of military value inside a civilian area, then fine. But I¡¯m not going to authorize the bombing of random streets.¡±
Cralson slammed the table. ¡°Mr. President, our soldiers are dying fighting these elves on the streets. It seems that almost all of them have taken up arms.¡±
¡°Remember the media has an eye on this war. They threw a fit when I didn¡¯t allow them to report on the outside world for the first few months. There are going to be a lot of war correspondents for this invasion. Just continue attacking military targets. If¡ IF the situation worsens. Then I will consider it.¡±
Jaonor, Elven Nation
Finn leaned against the wall. The elven military was the least of their concerns now. This was their second town. A bit smaller than the last one but many of the civilians fought to the death. ¡°Heard the Army¡¯s coming.¡±
Johnson nodded. ¡°For once I¡¯m fucking glad they are here. These elves are suicidal.¡±
¡°How¡¯s Curtis doing?¡±
¡°He¡¯s¡ doing alright I guess.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t like the pause there.¡±
Johnson shook his head while looking at his feet. ¡°Well, it hasn¡¯t improved.¡±
¡°I know. He¡¯s still new. I probably should go talk to him again.¡±
Finn walked towards where the rest of his men were resting. ¡°You guys holding up well? I don¡¯t like this either. We are basically exterminating these people. Well, these elves.¡±
Blake took a swig of his water. ¡°Well, let''s just think of them as terrorists. Nothing changed. They just have pointy ears now and even worse weapons.¡±
Finn sat down beside Curtis. Through the background noise, there was a moment of silence between them. ¡°Curtis. Why did you join the Marines?¡±
¡°Quite a cliche story actually I guess¡ I was almost gonna graduate high school and I still had no idea what I was going to do. My scores weren¡¯t that magnificent and going to a state college didn¡¯t really appeal to me. Really didn¡¯t want to go into debt getting a useless degree. I was quite bored so I just decided to join the Marines. By chance, after I finished training, we were transported to this world.¡±
Finn sighed and looked at Curtis. ¡°Well, the military isn¡¯t for everyone. If you can¡¯t take it anymore, just talk to me.¡±
???, Elven Nation
Anfalen burst in after knocking on the door. ¡°My Leader. The humans are spreading propaganda from the sky. Look at this.¡±
He threw the leaflets onto Tarron¡¯s desk. Tarron read them for a minute and looked up. His fist slammed the table. ¡°Get me to the magiradio room.¡±
The last time he made a speech was before the elven invasion of the humans. He knew exactly what to say. The magiradio operator switched to the public channel and spoke.
<<<¡°This is a message from your Leader, Tarron Venharice.¡±>>>
Tarron gripped his microphone for a few seconds before starting to speak. He shouted into the microphone with force and anger.
<<<¡°Elves of the Elven Nation! These wretched humans have landed onto the shores of our beautiful country. Will we let these animals encroach on our sacred haven?! Will we turn our backs to our destiny?! Will the superior species be subjugated by an inferior one?! The prophecy has foretold of the demons and their weapons. It is clear here that the humans are working with the demons. The demons, the forces of evil, aim for the destruction of all of us. The uncivilized humans are mere pawns of the demons. But rest assured, our military is preparing a counterattack. The reserves are being mobilized. Weapons of wonder developed by our scientists are being brought out. Magipanzers with impenetrable armor. Planes that can fly nearly at the speed of sound. Rockets that can fly hundreds of miles and accurately hit their targets. Continue your resistance against these pests! They may have demonic weapons but our weapons are a match. You are the superior species! You have the most superior magic! You have the most ideal bodies! Your souls are blessed by our Goddess to tame this world! Do not falter!¡±>>>
Nea Nalore, Elven Nation
In the streets, elves that had crowded around the public magiradios nodded. Murmurs arose.
¡°That would explain those planes.¡±
¡°My goodness, the humans working with the demons of prophecy.¡±
¡°Just how evil can these humans become?¡±
¡°Burn these papers! Burn these lies!¡±
The crowd turned into a sea of fury. Elves started ripping apart the psyop leaflets. Some threw them into fires while others conjured up small flames. Bombarded with propaganda for hundreds of years, taught to always listen to their Leader, and to consider humans to be no more than animals, most could not see that they were clearly being lied to. Only a minority knew better and they dared not to speak. Tarron did not need a secret police because the citizens themselves were the secret police.
Tarron took a deep breath. In his mind, Tarron assured himself that they would win. He put his trust into the superweapons that they still have yet to use. As long as they could beat the Americans back, they could win. They just needed to fight them until they couldn¡¯t fight anymore. He truly thought that it was his destiny to fulfill his father¡¯s vision. He left the magiradio room and made his way directly to the military room. It was a large room filled with desks and maps. Tarron approached Aegord. ¡°Have we re-established contact with most of the surviving units?¡±
¡°Yes, sir, most of them. The situation doesn¡¯t look good at all though.¡±
¡°Let me take a look. What units are functioning? And what are not?¡±
A large map on the table showed the entire Elven Nation. Aegord placed objects onto the map. He showed the positions of each surviving unit and their conditions. After a very thorough and detailed showing, Tarron gathered his top generals.
Colonel General Vuduin Roqen proposed his idea. ¡°My Leader, we are thinking of a spread-out defense. The human¡¯s air force is very capable of destroying massed forces. By spreading them out, we will make it harder for the human aircraft to destroy our units. They will have to hunt them down one by one. The spread-out units will support the citizens who are fighting back.¡±
General of the Infantry Ryo Miahorn shot back instantly. ¡°I propose that we retreat to the mountains. It''s a natural defense and is much more easily guarded. Colonel Genera Roqen¡¯s plan just causes unnecessary casualties and only weakens us. A unified force at an easily defended place is better.¡±
Vuduin scoffed. ¡°We will be losing nearly half the country if we do so.¡±
Tarron pondered for a bit.
¡°I see merit in both of your statements. But I believe that General of the Infantry Miahorn¡¯s plan is more sensible. However, we shall not lose our territory without a fight. We will use Colonel General Roqen¡¯s plan here. We will organize a few units for a spread-out defense. If it works well, we will call back our retreating units. If not, then most of our men will be able to fight another day as they would have already retreated.¡±
Ryo smirked at Genera. Genera narrowed his eyes. Because of their constantly conflicting strategies and opinions, they had been rivals ever since they were both Major Generals. When Genera was promoted to Colonel General, Ryo threw a fit.
Chapter 74 - 2nd Battalion, 37th Armored
0044 May 15th, 2020 CE
0322 Sun 45th, 196 AE
<<<¡°One of our war correspondents has an exclusive view of the current invasion. He is currently following an element of the 1st Armored Division. Mason Booker, to you.¡±>>>
The TV screen changes to a person standing on the deck of a ship. A few seconds of silence follow.
<<<¡°Ok, John, I¡¯m currently on the USS Oak Hill, a sort of landing ship, off the shore of the Elven Nation. As you can see the soldiers here are preparing to deploy a lot of these smaller boats towards the shore.¡±
¡°Is this anything on the shore?¡±>>>
The camera pans towards the shore.
<<<¡°No. Nothing. It''s only an empty beach. Much earlier I saw multiple of what I believe to be American jets fly over.¡±
¡°Seems like the landing ships are departing.¡±>>>
The camera swivels to where the ships are departing the Oak Hill.
Off the shore of the Elven Nation
Multiple ships pulled up to the beaches. The largest of them all, the USAV Major General Robert Smalls and USAV Major General Charles P. Gross, Landing Ship Vessels, dropped down its front door. One by one, a total of twenty-eight M1A2 Abrams, two armored companies worth of tanks, rolled off. This made up the entire tank force of the 2nd Battalion, 37th Armored Regiment. The 2nd Battalion, 37th Armored Regiment was one of the Armor Combined Arms Battalion of the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team. It was made up of two armored companies and one mechanized rifle company.
Besides the Landing Ship Vessels, many LCUs, LCACs, and LCMs came ashore. From them, infantry jumped onto the beach. Humvees, M113A3 APCs, and M2A3 Bradleys also drove ashore from them. Multiple Harpers Ferry-class dock landing ships and Whidbey Island-class dock landing ships could be seen further out at sea still disgorging LCUs, LCACs, and LCMs.
Issac was among the infantry inside the M2A3 Bradleys coming ashore. He was part of the mechanized rifle company of the 2nd Battalion, 37th Armored Regiment.
The 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team was the first Army unit to land on Elven shores. More Army units were coming but there was a limited number of military transport ships. A lot would have to come by civilian contracted ships.
Jaonor, Elven Nation
Johnson shook his head. ¡°Two towns of hell and we have to fight our way through a major port city now. This is going to be a pain in the ass. The populace is just too hostile. I would prefer fighting the Taliban than this.¡±
Blake frowned. ¡°Then why are we attacking a major port city?¡±
¡°Seems like the Army is using civilian contractors to get more things ashore. The civilian ships don¡¯t have amphibious capabilities. They need a port.¡±
¡°Ah, the fucking Army. Makes sense. We are definitely not going to be able to do this by ourselves.¡±
¡°A brigade combat team from the 1st Armored is coming to assist. They should have already landed.¡±
???, Elven Nation
Tarron frowned as the officers of his General Staff bickered about his decision yesterday. He had no intention to intervene. Yet.
The voices of his generals mixed together. It was hard to distinguish who was speaking what but it was clear what they were saying.
¡°I protest this! We will be abandoning the civilians if we do!¡±
¡°To lose so much land is ridiculous!¡±
¡°The civilians are doing a worthy sacrifice. Even to a limited degree, we will still be assisting them. Do you dare question our leader?!¡±
¡°But for us to run away is undignified!¡±
¡°Dignity or not, it''s important to ensure the survival of the nation.¡±
¡°This isn¡¯t a fight for survival, we just have to find a way to beat them back!¡±
¡°The civilians that make up this nation are the nation. To abandon them is to abandon this nation!¡±
¡°Then they would understand that they have to do this. They are fighting for themselves!¡±
¡°We must reconsolidate our forces. We barely have a chain of command left. Sounding an all retreat to regroup and reorganize is important.¡±
¡°It isn¡¯t an all retreat. There are units that have been specifically commanded to continue resisting. We need to delay the enemy whilst we retreat.¡±
Tarron coughed and the room fell silent. ¡°I understand your concerns but my decision is final. We will conduct a retreat with some left behind to delay the enemy. The civilians must also fight for their country.¡±
0206 May 15th, 2020 CE
0403 Sun 45th, 196 AE
Nythnas Forest, Elven Nation.
The Nythnas Forest was a small forest that was only a few miles away from the sea. It was beside a major road that led to the Port City of Filanneas. In the forest, two elves sat on rocks and pointed at the map they laid out on the ground. Around them multiple tents were set up and two Knights sat idle nearby. A few magitracks and magitrucks were scattered around. They were what remained of the 29th Magipanzer Division. They were mostly survivors from the 13th Tracked Infantry Regiment and 4th Magipanzer Regiment.
Colonel Taenaran Elafaren of the 4th Magipanzer Regiment laid out his plan. ¡°Our recon forces have reported that we have human forces advancing through here. The sun¡¯s going down soon. A night attack would be able to catch them off guard. We are well hidden, they wouldn¡¯t even know what happened before it''s too late.¡±
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Major Allisa Krisjor of the 13th Tracked Infantry Regiment nodded. ¡°We will form a line on this edge of the forest right beside the road. A Knight will stay there with its engines turned off. Once the human convoy reaches the end of our line, we will all open fire. The Knight will come out from the back of the convoy and block their retreat. Just a textbook ambush. Nothing complicated.¡±
¡°Sounds good.¡±
25 minutes later
Taenaran crouched down beside Allisa. ¡°This is perfect. The moon isn¡¯t bright today. We are completely concealed.¡±
The elves occupied a stretch of forest that bordered the road. Only the sound of crickets could be heard as they waited silently in the darkness. It wasn¡¯t long before they heard a whirring sound.
The gunner in the lead Abrams spoke up.
<<<¡°Stop! I¡¯m seeing some movement up ahead. Multiple elves¡ there¡¯s a tank. They are hiding in the trees. Switching to thermals.¡±>>>
The lead Abrams came to a halt.
An elf observed the human convoy. He saw the lead magipanzer suddenly halt. He whispered to the soldier beside him. ¡°They stopped.¡±
¡°Why did they stop? Did they see us?¡±
¡°They couldn¡¯t have. It¡¯s even hard to see them.¡±
Gunshots and explosions came over them. A shout came from somewhere.¡°The Knight has been destroyed!¡±
¡°How did they see us?!¡±
¡°Retreat! Get deeper into the forest. They can''t get us in this dark.¡±
Their second Knight came out a mile down the road in front of the lead Abram. It fired a shot.
The driver tried to back up the Abrams but it only started circling right.
¡°The track is damaged!¡±
<<<¡°This is Grizzly 2-2. There¡¯s an elven tank in front of us. They got our track.¡±>>>
The second Abrams in the convoy pulled off to the side of the road and aimed towards the Knight. A shot destroyed the Knight.
Issac snored with his arms crossed and head leaning back against the metal wall of the crew compartment of the Bradley. He was shaken awake by his staff sergeant, Jacob who had been sitting beside him.
¡°We found a bunch of elves trying to ambush us. Get your NVG and repare to get out.¡±
Because of his sore neck, Issac shook his head from left to right.
<<<¡°Grizzly 2-2. Stay back and stay in your tank.¡±>>>
The Abrams and Bradleys swiveled toward the forest. The .50 cals on the Abrams and 25 mm chain gun on the Bradley opened up. Heavy machine gunfire came from the elves.
<<<¡±This is Grizzly 3-1. I¡¯m seeing half-tracks in the forest.¡±>>>
Three magitracks laid down heavy machine gun fire at the Bradleys and Abrams. The magibullets flashed through the air like bolts of electricity. They pinged off of the surfaces of the American armored vehicles. Using thermals, the Abrams and Bradleys could clearly see the magitracks. Rounds from a Bradley¡¯s chain gun punctured holes into one of the magitracks which blew up a second after. The remaining two magitracks were quickly dealt with by the Abrams. The rapid fire of machine guns died down.
With their front facing the forest, the back doors of the Bradleys opened. Issac and his squad ran out. They positioned themselves besides their Bradley and towards the forest before opening up.
Jacob yelled. ¡°We are moving up. Be careful. It¡¯s vital that we clear them out. Don¡¯t want an ambush happening because we left a couple of them.¡±
A bullet whizzed past and someone cussed.
¡°Open fire!¡±
The elves started panicking once more when the humans seemed to know where they were.
"How can they see us... AGHHH."
"Shoot back!"
"I can''t see them!"
Retreating back to the camp, Allisa shouted at Taenaran. "They can see us at night!"
Taenaran threw his hands up in disbelief. "How!? Are they even humans!?"
"I don''t know sir! They are coming!"
"Get to the trucks we need to get out of here! I''m not fighting monsters who can see at night."
The Bradleys and Abrams, supported by the infantry, advanced deeper into the forest. They soon came upon a clearing that had a few tents set up. A large amount of bullets started whizzing past the infantry. Many pinged off of the Abrams and Bradleys. Issac got his back to a tree. Someone shouted out. ¡°I¡¯m hit!¡±
Issac could see elves piling onto their magitrucks. A few elves stood in the open, firing their rifles and submachine guns. The Abrams opened up on the magitrucks while the Bradleys ripped apart the elves in the open. Issac peeked out of his cover and shot the nearest elf. He watched as a magitruck exploded from being hit by an HE shot from an Abrams. Bodies of the elves in the back of that magitruck were flung around. Some laid burning on the ground. The fighting soon died down.
<<<¡°This is Grizzly Actual. Forest is entirely clear. Move back to the roads.¡±>>>
A few minutes later
¡°Get the maintenance platoon up here! One of Grizzly 2-2¡¯s tracks is bust.¡±
An engineer studied the broken track. Staff Sergeant Harry Bellau looked at the engineer. ¡°Is it bad?¡±
¡°Shouldn¡¯t take long to fix. Quite lucky. It¡¯s only the track that broke. The wheels are fine¡±
The convoy stayed halted on the road to deal with the damage suffered. It wasn¡¯t long before they started moving again.
???, Elven Nation
Tarron walked into the office of the Advancement Department. He walked up to Illrune Heleren, the new Head of Advancement. Illrune was the Vice Head of Advancement until Ruehnar met his demise when an American bomb struck the High Command Office. ¡°Is it almost ready?¡±
Illrune nodded. ¡°Yes but there is going to be an issue when it comes to crossing bridges. It¡¯s too heavy even for our metal ones.¡±
¡°Then just go around them.¡±
¡°It¡¯s also excruciatingly slow.¡±
Tarron frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t care as long as it can reach the Americans.¡±
¡°Understood sir.¡±
Tarron walked out into the hallway. There, Anafalen ran to him. ¡°My Leader.¡±
Tarron raised his eyebrow. ¡°What is it Anfalen?¡±
¡°I¡ I don¡¯t believe we can win sir¡¡±
Tarron laughed. ¡°I know the situation looks bleak but don¡¯t worry.¡±
¡°The American¡¯s technology is much too superior to ours. I have been compiling and studying a list of the American¡¯s capabilities. They are not a few years ahead. Based on our past speed of development, the Americans are at least 300 years ahead. Remember, it took us 150 years to get from our first magipanzers and submarines to the current ones we have.¡±
Tarron nodded and smiled. ¡°I agree, but you see, the speed of our development is increasing. Our budget has become more and more focused on technological development. In just a few years, we created a plane superior to the propeller plane. Although it couldn¡¯t beat the Americans, I have just unleashed my newest weapon on the Americans. This one should have an effect.¡±
¡°But sir, isn¡¯t it too late?¡±
Tarron waved him off. ¡°Nonsense. Elves are a superior species. I believe in our inner superiority. We have the resolve and confidence to fight on. The humans will tire out one day and that shall be our victory.¡±
¡°Sir, resolve and confidence can¡¯t win a war.¡±
Tarron frowned. ¡°Your continued opposition upsets me Anfalen. You should watch what you say.¡±
Anfalen froze. ¡°... understood, sir¡±
¡°Good. Good. Also, Anfalen, just know that you are very important to me. It would sadden me if something happened to you.¡±
Tarron walked away.
Chapter 75 - Human Slaves
0245 May 15th, 2020 CE
0422 Sun 45th, 196 AE
On a road in the Elven Nation
Inside his M2A3 BFV, Lieutenant Colonel Manuel Linda, commander of the 6th Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment of the 1st ABCT, listened over the radio to the shouting of Lieutenant Colonel Rogers, commander of the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Armored Regiment.
<<<¡°You guys fucking missed nearly an entire company! They had their camp in the forest. We were nearly ambushed on the route.¡±
¡°A recon section had swept through that area. Dismounted infantry covered that forest and had also reported it to be clear. How big was the camp?¡±
¡°They had around 5 large tents and a couple of vehicles.¡±
¡°Where was it?¡±
¡°Couple miles into the forest.¡±
¡°The recon section missed it most likely. I can¡¯t guarantee that every single forest in your path has been combed through. You didn¡¯t take any casualties did you?¡±
¡°Only a few injuries. We saw them hiding on the edge of the forest before they could do anything.¡±
¡°I will need another cavalry troop to actually comb through the entire area and find every single elf. Any force that we don¡¯t find should be minuscule enough that it won¡¯t greatly hinder your advance. Remember, we are doing security for your rear and flanks too.¡±>>>
Two M2A3 Bradleys, a section from the 6th Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, traveled speedily down the road. They came to an abrupt halt as something appeared ahead.
<<<¡°Seems to be a civilian vehicle up ahead. Dismount and stop it. Be careful, it could be an IED.¡±>>>
Soldiers came out of the back of the Bradleys and aimed their guns at the car. One of them waved at the car. The car came to an abrupt halt and quickly turned around.
¡°Seems to be a civilian. I do hope they haven¡¯t invented car IEDs.¡±
Although there were highways, most of the roads were usually devoid of cars. The elves that they had encountered so far have all ran away in fear.
Outside the Port City of Filanneas, Elven Nation
30 minutes later
The two Bradleys came to a halt once again.
The lead Bradley¡¯s driver looked up at his commander. ¡°So this is the city?¡±
¡°Yep.¡±
¡°There doesn¡¯t seem to be a military presence. Oh¡ wait¡ I¡¯m seeing sandbags. Also armed civilians.¡±
¡°Well, I heard that the partisans are giving the Marines hell. There¡¯s a lot of them too.¡±
¡°I can see that. Guess they are waiting for us. How much you want to bet that those cars were scouts?¡±
¡°Let¡¯s keep our distance. Heard they got some sort of RPG.¡±
Port City of Filanneas
The water from the faucet ran onto Renout Hanekin¡¯s hands as he scrubbed the dishes of his master, an old and rich male elf. Elves could be heard everywhere outside of the house he was in. They were all talking, walking around, and setting up structures. The entire city was in an uproar. Renout feared for his life since every elf seemed to be armed with weapons.
Renout glanced over at a piece of paper on the kitchen counter. He was pretty sure this was what convinced his master to buy him. He couldn¡¯t read it but the picture on it clearly showed a human acting like a butler to an elf lounging around.
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Every Elf A King!
Buy your own personal human servant! Assign it to any menial job. Make it do anything you want. It will serve your every need. You will not be penalized for torturing, raping, or killing your human. Prices vary.
As Renout set down the plates, he looked around. He was alone in the kitchen but he didn¡¯t dare run away. Some people had foolishly tried to run thinking that it was easy since security was lax. All of them were caught and slowly tortured to death. He didn¡¯t want to suffer a similar fate.
0327 May 15th, 2020 CE
0443 Sun 45th, 196 AE
Outside the Port City of Filanneas
Blake gazed at the Port City of Filanneas. The tallest building in the city seemed to be just three stories. If not for the number of buildings, it would have felt like a small town. Blake sighed and looked at Finn. ¡°If this was anything like the last two towns, this entire city is going to be hostile. Is there no way we can just flatten parts of it with artillery and airstrikes?¡±
¡°Well, I¡¯m not ranked high enough to decide that.¡±
Blake shrugged. ¡°Just asking for an opinion.¡±
¡°Hm... Probably not. It¡¯s too dense. Artillery is out of the question and any bombing run, no matter how accurate, will cause collateral damage.¡±
¡°But we are pretty sure that most of the elves will be hostile.¡±
Finn shook his head. ¡°Not a good enough reason for those that are watching. Pretty sure we have journalists embedded with us.¡±
¡°Curtis definitely isn¡¯t going to like this battle.¡±
¡°I¡¯m gonna need to refer Curtis to the psychologist soon. Pretty sure we have one attached with us. He¡¯s probably gonna be beyond my help if this gets worse. He seems back to his normal self as of right now.¡±
¡°He¡¯s quite a soft guy.¡±
¡°He¡¯s still a Marine.¡±
Jacob got out of the Bradley and turned to Issac and the rest of the squad. ¡°We will be advancing into the city at 1300.¡±
Issac glanced at a person getting out of a Humvee behind them. The person was wearing a blue-covered vest. ¡°Ah. The media¡¯s here.¡±
Port City of Filanneas
Renout kept his head down as his master walked by and glanced at the dishes.
¡°Now take out the garbage.¡±
He was glad that his master spoke to him in Common. Even though his master knew how to speak Common, he had been hit multiple times for not understanding the Elven language.
Renout walked out of the house carrying a bag of garbage. Seeing the armed elves walking by, he wanted to shrink himself so he couldn¡¯t be seen. Continuing on, he then saw an elf family walking by. A mother and father watching their daughter prancing around. His heart hurt a bit. He missed and worried for the well-being of his younger sister, mother, and father. They had been separated when they were processed and given different jobs.
His family came from a quaint rural town. By luck or not, his town was in the area where the elves started taking slaves. If he had lived closer to the ocean, he and his family would most likely have died. He had seen the corpses of the people of the towns closer to the ocean. However, if he had lived farther, he probably would still be home tending to his family¡¯s farm. His stomach growled thinking of the food he would be eating back home. His master barely fed him. But he preferred this over the hard labor he would have endured if he wasn¡¯t selected to be a servant.
¡°The humans are here! They have magipanzers. Prepare to defend our homes!¡±
¡°Don¡¯t let these humans through!¡±
Two elven soldiers ran past shouting. Renout watched them run deeper into the city. He remembered that there used to be a lot of soldiers here but most of them disappeared for some reason. All around him, other elves started running in the other direction. They seemed to tighten their hold on their weapons. For some reason, Renout felt a bit of hope in his heart.
Surrounding the city, elements of the 2nd Marine Division and 1st ABCT prepared to launch an assault on the city.
Yarrin, Magus Imperium
M4 Shermans drove onto the Magus transport ship. American infantry on the dock watched in curiosity at the procession of what was the workhorse of the US Army in World War 2. ¡°Well thank god the Magus aren¡¯t using our ships. We already have enough trouble transporting our own stuff over.¡±
¡°Quite interesting isn¡¯t it. An M4 Sherman going off to war. I wonder which variant it is.¡±
¡°Seems to be an Easy Eight. My great grandfather drove one of those.¡±
Near the center of the Elven Nation
On the commander¡¯s hatch of her Knight, Ara took in the view of the mountain range. Some of the mountains reached the sky. A few hours ago, she had run into infantry from another unit and re-established contact with what was left of the High Command. It seemed that her plans were almost exactly the same as the orders.
Galath Mountain, Elven Nation
The Galath Base was a large Elven Air Force and Army base cut into the mountain. It took 50 years to complete and was protected by a few thousand feet of stone. Magipanzers, magitrucks, small arms, and other weapons were stored in it. What was left of the entire Air Force was also there. It numbered less than 50 aircraft. The base even had living quarters for the soldiers and a network of bunkers jutting out of the mountain. Unlike most of the situation outside, the base was calm and hadn¡¯t been attacked. The only difference was the large influx of troops. Thousands of elven soldiers and vehicles were pouring into the mountains. Some set up their own bases while others came to the Galath Base. Colonel General Elfred Adrora shook his head at his aide. ¡°I can¡¯t accommodate all of this. Get me in contact with the Leader.¡±
Chapter 76 - Battle of Filanneas
0700 May 15th, 2020 CE
0630 Sun 45th, 196 AE
Port City of Filanneas
An M1A2 Abrams from the 1st ABCT took the lead. Bullets pinged off of the Abrams. Rockets landed on it and exploded. The machine guns on the Abrams fired at the shooting elves.
<<<¡°This is Hawk 1-1. Are these buildings confirmed hostile?¡±
¡°Yes! They are shooting at us from the windows!¡± >>>
An AH-1Z Viper flew over and hovered a few yards behind the lead Abrams. Its 20 mm three-barrelled rotary gun opened up on the elves in the buildings. It raked the windows of the side of the building. Bricks and glass were ripped apart as bullets went through them.
The Abrams fired an M908 Obstacle Reduction round at the barricade blocking the road and moved forwards. Bullets and rockets hit the front of the tank but it shrugged them off. The remote-controlled .50 cal machine gun on the commander¡¯s hatch of the Abrams, a part of the TUSK (The Urban Survival Kit), swiveled to the building to its right and opened fire.
An elf shouted in panic. ¡°It¡¯s not doing anything!¡±
¡°Why isn¡¯t it?!¡±
The elves watched as the rockets from their PAMs seemingly did nothing to the human magipanzer. A chopping noise was heard permeating the air.
An elf in the window on a building pointed towards the hovering object. ¡°What is that?¡±
Suddenly bullets rained down on them. ¡°GAHHHH!¡±
¡°We have its sides exposed! Fire down onto it.¡±
Elves came out of the windows beside the Abrams. One of the elves readied their PAM. The machine gun on the turret of the magipanzer turned towards the elves at the window.
¡°The machine gun is turning by itself!¡±
¡°What is this magic?!¡±
The machine gun opened up.
Convoys of American units moved into the surrounded city from all sides. The entire city basically had its back to an ocean.
¡°We got the windows suppressed! Clear the insides!¡±
Blake threw a flashbang into the building. It detonated and he rushed inside with Curtis and 2 other Marines of the squad right behind. Three armed civilians occupied the first floor of the building and were quickly killed.
They moved upstairs and quickly cleared half of the top floor. Curtis opened the door and stopped in his tracks. Blake, who was behind him, shouted at his sudden halt. ¡°Curtis! What are you doing!?¡±
A shot from the elf child¡¯s pistol hit Curtis in the leg and he collapsed.
¡°Fuck! Curtis¡¯s been hit!¡±
Blake rushed forward and shot the boy. ¡°Goddamit Curtis! Why didn¡¯t you shoot?!¡±
On the other side of the city
Issac opened the door with his finger on the trigger. He aimed his M4 into the room. He nearly shot the cowering figure who had their hands up. Issac was somewhat surprised to see a surrendering elf. He shouted to the others behind him. ¡°We got an elf surrendering.¡±
This was only the third one. Issac slowly moved towards the figure with his gun raised. He soon noticed that the figure had human ears. ¡°It¡¯s a human!¡±
A few blocks away
Renout didn¡¯t really know what to do. A heavy amount of gunfire could be heard outside. He hid in the room that was assigned to him and prayed that his master didn¡¯t show up to shoot him. If the elves were losing, he would likely be executed to prevent him from becoming free. He also hoped that the invaders were humans.
0824 May 15th, 2020 CE
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0712 Sun 45th, 196 AE
A very old-looking elf sat on a small wooden box outside of his house. He smoked a pipe. A shout came from the window of the second floor of his house. ¡°Feno! Get inside!¡±
He continued smoking.
¡°Feno!¡±
Feno glanced up at his much younger friend. ¡°I¡¯m 197. I don¡¯t have a family. I don¡¯t care about your silly little war.¡±
¡°You are going to die out there!¡±
¡°If I die, I die. I will welcome a bullet anytime. Not like I¡¯m going to live any longer than a few more years.¡±
¡°Fine!¡±
The window above slammed shut.
A few minutes later
Feno sat there as bullets whizzed around him. However, none of them hit him. Either the humans had terrible accuracy or they didn¡¯t care about him. Feno blew a puff of smoke.
A soldier looked down his scope and stopped. ¡°There¡¯s an old-looking elf sitting outside of the house.¡±
¡°Is he armed?¡±
¡°No. He¡¯s just smoking a pipe.¡±
The squad leader hesitated. Almost all of the elves that they had encountered put up a fight or were armed. He was worried that the old elf was hiding a grenade and would detonate it if they got close.
¡°Don¡¯t shoot him then. Focus fire on the armed ones. Stay clear of him though and keep an eye on him.¡±
House to house combat raged on. Rogers conversed with one of his company commanders.
<<<¡°Almost all of the civilians are hostile! The infantry is taking casualties trying to clear the houses. My tank has taken multiple RPG shots.¡±
¡°You are free to destroy any hostile buildings with tank rounds.¡±>>>
0833 May 15th, 2020 CE
0716 Sun 45th, 196 AE
An M1A2 Abrams aimed at one of the houses where a lot of small arms fire had been coming from. An M908 punched a hole in the wall of the house. Within seconds, the entire house collapsed into a heap of stone.
A Hellfire missile from an AH-1Z blew open the top floor of a building. Its rotary cannon swept the inside and shredded the surviving elves.
0955 May 15th, 2020 CE
0757 Sun 45th, 196 AE
Brandon McKey stood next to an Humvee. Holding a microphone, he looked at the camera.
¡°As you can see behind me, intense fighting has broken out in this elven port city. US forces are trying to secure a port for ships to dock at but have encountered heavy resistance. I have been informed that this isn¡¯t the elven military but armed civilians who are fighting.¡±
A large explosion was heard in the background and Brandon looked behind.
¡°A building was just blown up in the city. Not sure if it was done by the elven civilians or US forces. Fighting has been going on for the last three hours with no end in sight.¡±
1108 May 15th, 2020 CE
0834 Sun 45th, 196 AE
The sun started to set but the fighting raged on. Albery¡¯s platoon came to a halt and pulled back for a moment of rest and to quickly eat their dinners. Blake leaned against a wall as he munched on his MRE. ¡°They are arming their children now. Curtis was shot in the leg by an elven kid. He¡¯s doing fine currently.¡±
Finn sighed. Blake continued. ¡°Also we found a few humans who had been kept as slaves.¡±
¡°Well, good thing we didn¡¯t blow this place up.¡±
Blake shrugged. ¡°Probably acceptable casualties at this point.¡±
Finn raised one of his eyebrows. ¡°This isn¡¯t a video game. There are elves who don¡¯t want to fight. You got quite a few surrendering didn¡¯t you? They were just forced into doing it so they weren¡¯t lynched by their own people.¡±
¡°I know but one day of fighting and we have already lost around 30 men in total fighting for just this one city.¡±
¡°In wars like these, it¡¯s hard to distinguish who¡¯s good and who¡¯s bad. Nothing different from what we experienced in Afghanistan or Iraq.¡±
Blake felt irked by that. ¡°It¡¯s different! It totally is! You know it too! We were in Afghanistan. It wasn¡¯t this bad! It was never this bad! Not every single Afghan took up arms against us. It was only a few baddies hidden among a majority of innocent people. The opposite is true here. The majority of elves here are out to kill us.¡±
¡°Do you really want to forsake those who are innocent?¡±
¡°Stop living in your dream world Finn!¡±
¡°I¡¯m not living in my dream world. I know what war is. It¡¯s suffering. It¡¯s pain. But to resort to killing innocent people¡¡±
Blake interrupted in anger. ¡°The lives we save by bombing this entire place to oblivion will outweigh the innocents that will be killed!¡±
Finn took a deep breath. ¡°Even if we argue about it here, what will this even change? We are mere grunts.¡±
Blake sat down. ¡°Those damn elves.¡±
Annallee snapped her fingers. ¡°This is the best time to strike. The fighting has died down and the darkness will cover our movements.¡±
The four other elves nodded.
Annallee looked at one of the elves. ¡°Goras. You have gathered the explosives right?¡±
¡°5 bundles of explosive mana. Enough to destroy any magipanzers. If we stick them onto the human magipanzer¡¯s sides, we are sure to destroy them.¡±
¡°Ready?¡± Annallee swept her determined eyes across the four other elves. They nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±
The atmosphere outside was tense. Many battle-weary elves rested here near the front. The wounded were also being tended here. Avoiding the streets where intense fighting was occurring and using their knowledge of the alleys to navigate, they were able to move past the frontline. It was a perfect night with the moon shrouded by clouds. Annalle stopped. ¡°This should be human territory. Keep away from any lights and stay in the dark.¡±
Before they knew it, flashes started and the sound of gunfire erupted. Goras was shot in the head and fell backward.
Annalle panicked. ¡°What!? How did they see us?¡±
She was soon cut down with the others.
Issac looked over at a dark corner. ¡°I think I saw some movement through my NVGs.¡±
One of his squadmates confirmed it. ¡°Elves, they are carrying weapons. One of them seems to have bundles of dynamite.¡±
Jacob looked and confirmed before nodding. ¡°You are all free to fire.¡±
Chapter 77 - A Literal Slugfest
1350 May 15th, 2020 CE
0955 Sun 45th, 196 AE
Port City of Filanneas
Issac snorted in annoyance. ¡°Seems to be a bunch of elven civilians who tried to blow us up with dynamite.¡±
Issac¡¯s team leader, Andrew Bennet shook his head. ¡°Sheesh, we can¡¯t get any rest.¡±
Corey Sharp, the team leader of the other team of the squad, commented. ¡°Well, at least most of the fighting has died down. The elves can¡¯t see us.¡±
Jacob shrugged and waved forward. ¡°Still good to have a technological advantage. Come on, let''s go.¡±
As they walked down the road, Issac spoke again. ¡°Do you know what''s surprising?¡±
Andrew looked at Issac. ¡°What?¡±
¡°We haven¡¯t seen a single elven military personnel. I think the fucking elven civilians got abandoned.¡±
¡°Hm. Probably. Unless they are all fighting in plain clothes.¡±
Jacob nodded. ¡°They seem more like civilians. Heck they don¡¯t seem to even know our weapon capabilities¡±
Issac chuckled. ¡°Do they even know they got abandoned?¡±
¡°Well, they are probably so fanatic they don¡¯t even care that their entire military abandoned them.¡±
The fighting had died down so Feon decided to go on his usual nightly stroll. His friend had died and he was all alone. He walked past a few human soldiers wearing strange things on their heads that covered their eyes. One of the human soldiers spoke to the other. ¡°Hey, arrest that old elf.¡±
¡°He hasn¡¯t done anything wrong though?¡±
¡°Who knows, he could be hiding something. I¡¯m not taking any chances.¡±
Feon only stared as the human approached him with a gun pointed at him. Feon raised his hands slowly. The human grabbed him.
A few hours earlier
He shook his head as he stared at his dead friend. He didn¡¯t bend down since he knew he probably won¡¯t be able to stand back up that easily. ¡°You would have probably lived if you didn''t decide to fight.¡±
He was surprised that the humans didn¡¯t kill him and just ignored him. He thought he would have been surely dead by now. If not for a human actually killing him, then by an accidental shot or stray bullet.
Present
The city was completely pitch black, the magibatteries that powered the city had been destroyed during the battle. About a few decades ago, large magibattaries were built outside of cities. They were fueled daily by elves who had time and wanted some money. Elves were paid every time they came to fuel the magibatteries and there would usually be many filled magibatteries in reserve. Although they were not targeted by airstrikes since they seemed to be just large metal boxes, the battle had destroyed many of them. Using the light given off by those with fire magic, nurses and doctors tended to the wounded. Half a street was filled with the wounded. An uninjured elf ran into the street and started shouting. ¡°Get out of here! Go!¡±
A nearby nurse confronted him. ¡°What? Why? We have a lot of injured here.¡±
He pointed back to where he came from. ¡°The humans are advancing.¡±
The nurse blinked in surprise. ¡°It¡¯s the middle of the night.¡±
¡°I know. They don¡¯t seem bothered by it and they can see us. We tried to ambush them using the darkness but it didn¡¯t work.¡±
Hearing this, the nurses and doctor started rushing. ¡°Move these patients! Come quickly!¡±
¡°Get the stretchers!¡±
Suddenly, they heard a chopping noise. The uninjured elf shouted in a panic. ¡°Take cover! Human aircraft!¡±
The pilot looked at the ground from his AH-1Z Viper.
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<<<¡±Hawk 1-1. This is Hawk 1-3. Seems to be medical personnel tending to the wounded down there. We will refrain from firing on this area. Over.¡±
¡°Copy that. Proceed with your scouting.¡±>>>
A rocket shot towards the Viper. The pilot¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Shit! RPG!¡±
The Viper banked to the left and the rocket narrowly missed. Another rocket flew towards them and missed also.
<<<¡±This is Hawk 1-3! We are under heavy fire from RPGs. We are getting out of here.¡±>>>
The Viper reeled back and turned.
On the ground
Finn looked around at his weary squad. ¡°We are only a few blocks into the city. At this point, it''s gonna take us a week to reach the center.¡±
One of his squadmates shrugs. ¡°The elves would lose their will to fight sooner or later. If we deal enough casualties, they will probably give up.¡±
"I hate fanatics."
"You can say that again."
1444 May 15th, 2020 CE
1022 Sun 45th, 196 AE
Outside of the city
Brandon waved to the city behind him. The sound of gunfire made it hard to hear what he was saying. ¡°You can see that even during the night, the battle continues to be raged. Here I have been told that we have a distinct advantage with night vision goggles. Most of the soldiers around me have them on. I¡¯m currently hoping to be able to get into the city but have been stopped from doing so.¡±
Flashes of light came from the city. An explosion rocked the sky. Brandon looked behind him as he saw soldiers pointing towards the area. ¡°Oh my god. Is that a helicopter?¡±
A few minutes earlier
An elf peeked out the window. He had been able to remain hidden in his house without the humans finding him. He looked up into the sky and tightly held his PAM.
An AH-1Z hovered in the sky above the city. The battle raged a couple blocks further into the city.
<<<¡°Hawk 1-2. Hold position. Prepare to support your street. Stay sharp and stay as far back as you can. The elves might fire RPGs at you.¡±
¡°Understood, we will¡ ah fuck! Mayday! Mayday! Mayday! Our tail rotor got hit by an RPG! We are going down! FUC...¡±>>>
The Viper started spinning out of control as its tail rotor was in flames. It crashed into a building beside it.
Washington D.C.
¡°30 casualties in a day for a couple of blocks of a city? We also lost an attack helicopter?! On fucking national television!?¡±
General Quincy Griffith spoke in a raspy voice. ¡°The elves are fighting for every single street and almost every house. We have pulled back our AH-1Zs.¡± He paused. ¡°We will continue taking heavy casualties if we don''t do anything, Mr. President.¡±
¡°I know what you are thinking, General. We are not leveling the city or any other city as a matter of fact. We aren¡¯t there to do an extermination. I¡¯m allowing precision strikes on any houses with hostiles in them.¡±
¡°This won¡¯t be enough, sir. Give me the authorization to bomb the city at will and I guarantee our casualties would hit rock bottom.¡±
¡°I will not approve that.¡±
"Sir. My men are dying here."
"I know. I''m the Commander in Chief. Those are my men too."
Port City of Filanneas
Fighting had stretched further into the night. The elves gave much more ground because they were exhausted and couldn¡¯t see that well in the darkness. Elves that tried to use fire magic to see were instantly shot. A Joint Terminal Attack Controller (JTAC) set down his laser designator. ¡°I¡¯m painting the house.¡±
¡°Keep it on there.¡±
Intense amounts of gunfire had been pouring out from the house and with the lack of support, the Marines haven¡¯t been able to push through it.
A jet zipped through the sky above Brandon.
A pilot surveyed the ground as his AV-8B Harrier II got closer and closer to the city. The AV-8B Harrier II is quite an old plane and has been with the Marines since 1985. However, it was the only jet in the US arsenal other than the F-35B that could do vertical takeoff. The last of the Harrier IIs were planned to be retired by 2025.
A GBU-12 dropped out from the Harrier over the city. It started directing itself towards the laser. A blast soon destroyed the building that the laser had pointed at.
A group of elves stood together conversing with each other with worried tones. Human soldiers stood around them on guard. One of the human soldiers talked to the other. ¡°Why do we have so many elves here?¡±
¡°Some of them surrendered and some of them didn¡¯t even fight.¡±
¡°Why are we rounding up the ones who didn¡¯t even fight.¡±
¡°Precautions. They all seem to be fanatics.¡±
¡°So how is this gonna work?¡±
¡°From what I have heard, we are gonna assign them houses away from the front and keep an eye on them. Keeps them safe from the fighting and allows us to keep ourselves safe.¡±
¡°What about the slaves we freed? Where are they?¡±
¡°They will also be assigned housing but there will be helicopters coming after the battle is over to evac them.¡±
1048 Sun 45th, 196 AE
A prison in the Magus Imperium
Simon sat in his prison cell hungry. He wasn¡¯t sure what the time was since he had no windows in his cell but he was pretty sure it was night. The humans had given him very little food. But he was among the lucky ones. He hasn¡¯t been beaten by the guard yet. A lot of elves in the prison had bruises on them. The prison was also spacious enough to handle almost all the elves so it wasn''t cramped. He read a newspaper that was given to him. Although newspapers were published every day, the guards only handed them out once in a while. Sometimes the news was old. This time, he had a recent paper. Emblazoned on the top of the front page in the human Imperial language was ¡°Invasion of the Elven Nation has Begun!¡±. It talked about how the US and Magus forces are landing in the Elven Nation. As he read, he wondered when he could return home. Although he was single, he still had a mother and father home. He was greatly worried about them, especially in this situation.
Mountain Ranges near the Galath Mountain
In the darkness of the night, elves moved about making fortifications and placing sandbags. Anti-magipanzer thauguns were put into fortified positions. Anti-aircraft thauguns kept an eye on the sky. Every route into the mountains was being blocked with layers and layers of defenses. In green areas, leaves and grass were thrown onto large weapons. In the more frigid and snowy areas, white-colored sheets were placed on.
Chapter 78 - Protests
0733 May 16th, 2020 CE
Washington D.C.
Ronell threw the President¡¯s Daily Brief on the table after reading through it. ¡°Why am I being told that people are organizing protests against the war?¡±
¡°There seem to be people who really like elves and see it as something like their fantasy dream come true. So they can¡¯t bear seeing elves getting killed.¡±
¡°Weird. But it shouldn¡¯t cause protest movements that number in the hundreds in some places.¡±
¡°There are also some who are sympathetic to the elves and pity them. We even have people complaining about our technological advantage over them and how it''s not fair. There have even been comparisons to Europeans and Native Americans.¡±
Ronell stayed silent for a bit before taking a deep breath. ¡°They are fucking Nazis. They literally want to wipe out and enslave all of humanity.¡±
¡°There are people who are calling it fake news and propaganda.¡±
¡°You know, sometimes, I lose hope in humanity. And this is one of the times.¡±
1022 May 16th, 2020 CE
1322 May 16th, 2020 CE
San Francisco, United States of America
¡°There is currently a major protest ongoing in San Francisco. You can see it right now behind me. A few hundred people are marching in protest of the current war against the elves..¡±
On the screen, a news reporter can be shown with people crowding the streets behind him. Signs that say ¡°Save the Elves¡±, ¡°Stop Killing Elves!¡±, ¡°Stop Massacring the Natives!¡±, and ¡°Pull Out Now¡± can be seen among the crowd. A couple of people held megaphones and shouted their messages.
The news reporter got the attention of one of the protesters. ¡°Sir. I¡¯m with Channel 29 News. May I ask why you are protesting the war against the elves?¡± He pressed the microphone towards the protester.
¡°I¡¯m sick and tired of the government getting us into one war after another.¡±
¡°What do you think about the reports and evidence that indicate that the elves have massacred and enslaved native humans?¡±
The protester started to look agitated. ¡°That¡¯s clearly propaganda by the government. Don¡¯t you see? The government does this every time it wants people to support their stupid war! WMDs for Iraq. 9/11 for Afghanistan. Now, these made-up massacre stories for the elves. Fake! All fake! The people are sheep! They have to wake up!¡±
¡°So you don¡¯t believe that 9/11 happened?¡±
¡°No. Of course, it did. It was an inside job. The government did it themselves in order to get us into a war to get oil.¡±
Another protester came by and overheard the last few bits of the conversation. ¡°That¡¯s the stupidest thing I have ever heard.¡±
¡°Oh. Are you one of them government collaborators? Must be a spy. Hey guys! This girl is a government spy!¡±
Looking offended, the girl replied. ¡°I¡¯m here protesting this war just like you.¡±
The news reporter instantly turned his attention to her. ¡°And what are your thoughts on this?¡±
¡°Oh. I¡¯m a pacifist. This is just like what happened between the Europeans and Native Americans. I want to prevent a repeat of that. We can negotiate with the elves to find a peaceful solution to our problems. Warfare isn¡¯t the solution to everything.¡±
¡°You have heard of reports of elves enslaving the native humans, correct? There have been comparisons of the actions of the elves to Nazis.¡±
¡°I think the elves and us humans have gotten off of the wrong foot here. We have shown the elves our technological superiority and pushed them out of the Magus. The war should be over by now. I don¡¯t believe we need to actually invade the elves¡¯ homeland. We can coexist. We just need to talk it out with each other. It was the perfect opportunity to do so when the elves retreated back to their homeland. I fear it is a bit too late now though.¡±
¡°Thank you for your comments.¡± The reporter turned to the camera. ¡°Although folks here seem to have a wide range of opinions. They all agree on the fact that the war should end...¡±
1520 May 15th, 2020 CE
1040 Sun 45th, 196 AE
Port City of Filanneas
On the road was the flaming wreck of an AH-1Z. Surprisingly, it was still somewhat intact. The rotor blades and tail boom were completely gone but the front suffered only a few crumples. Marines started showing up. One of the Marines got near the cockpit that had both the copilot and pilot in it. ¡°The pilot is still alive!¡±
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¡°Get him out of there. Good thing he crashed within friendly territory. Now quickly, I don¡¯t like these flames.¡± The commanding Marine turned his head. ¡°We need a medic here!¡±
Further in the city
Renout cowered in his room as a large number of gunshots rang out very close by. Flashes of light could be seen through his window. He peered through the windows to barely see weirdly dressed beings in the darkness. They had strange things covering their eyes. One of them instantly noticed him and raised their gun at him. Renout shot his hands up. ¡°Don¡¯t shoot! I¡¯m human!¡±
Renout hoped his words could save him and that those strange beings were human too. The beings lowered their guns and approached him. ¡°Human?¡±
The strange being checked out his ears as Renout quickly nodded. The strange being kindly smiled. ¡°We are here to help.¡±
The battle raged through the night and US forces made significant gains in the city. With the expectation of a few left behind, almost all the elves were civilians. There were veterans but there was nobody to coordinate or lead them. They had no ability to launch a counterattack or to organize a steadfast defense. However, they defended every single street and many fought to the bitter end. Every few yards, the US forces met heavy resistance. However, any defenses that the infantry couldn¡¯t get through were cleared with precision strikes from the sky. The elves were completely unprepared for a night battle and were caught off guard on how well the Americans were able to fight in the night.
0044 May 16th, 2020 CE
0322 Sun 46th, 196 AE
By morning, the infantry could nearly see the port from the streets.
Blake looked at Finn. ¡°Fucking hell. We are nearly there. This took much less than what you said it would take.¡±
Someone further away shouted. ¡°They are surrendering!¡±
A group of ten elves slowly walked towards them with their hands in the air. It was the largest amount of elves that had surrendered together. Blake, Finn, and the others kept their guns ready. ¡°Drop all of your weapons!¡±
Rifles, pistols, and grenades clattered onto the floor. A soldier closed in on the elves. ¡°Stay calm and do not resist. You will be searched.¡±
Finn relaxed. He was quite glad that the language barrier here wasn''t that bad when compared to Afghanistan. Latin wasn''t really a hard language to learn. Over 60% of English words are Latin-based. Quite a few of the soldiers had picked Latin as a second language during their high school years so they were fast to pick it up too.
Twenty minutes later
Fighting still continued as they moved ever closer to the port. Blake witnessed more and more elves surrendering. Finn looked over a corner. ¡°Seems like we got a few more surrendering.¡±
A group of elves walked towards them with their hands in the air. One of the elves threw something at their feet.
¡°Grenade! Get down.¡±
¡°Motherfucker!¡±
Blake dived to the ground. An explosion rocked his world. Getting up and dusting himself off, Blake took a look at where the elves were. Body parts and a pool of red blood were all that was left of the four elves.
Blake shook his head. ¡°Fucking hell. Good thing Curtis isn¡¯t here. He won¡¯t like the sight of this.¡±
¡°They are fucking suicide bombing.¡±
Finn looked around. ¡°Everybody fine?"
¡°All good!¡±
¡°Well good thing they suck at suicide bombing.¡±
Finn took a swig from his canteen. He leaned beside a crate. Black smoke billowed into the sky from the city. ¡°Finally. It¡¯s mostly over.¡±
Blake sat down on the gray concrete of the port. ¡°Where has Curtis been anyways.¡±
¡°I think in the rear. He might get discharged for mental health issues. He really didn¡¯t take this well.¡±
¡°I do hope he¡¯s fine.¡±
Two MV-22 Ospreys came over the horizon and got closer and closer. They started landing onto the ground outside of the city. Grass billowed as the powerful rotor created gusts of wind. The Magusian civilians, freed from their slavery were led towards the Opsreys. They formed a line behind the opened backdoors of the Ospreys. The Magusians murmured amongst themselves while looking at the strange aircraft. One of the Magusians, Frery Raoulet, eyed the strange aircraft with a sparkle in his eyes. ¡°Interesting. Two propellers on the wings. And they can fold up and down¡¡±
An American soldier shouted to them at the door of the Osprey. ¡°Let¡¯s go. Let¡¯s go. Get on and make yourself comfortable. We are bringing y¡¯all back home.¡±
Renout sat down on a seat in the weird aircraft. He heaved a sigh of relief and couldn¡¯t even believe all this had happened. It felt akin to a dream. He hoped that his parents and sister were okay.
1534 May 16th, 2020 CE
Washington D.C.
One of Ronell¡¯s senior advisors for the 2020 elections, Felipe Tiffany, entered the Oval Office. Ronell looked up. ¡°Ah, Felipe, how can I help you?¡±
Felipe had a concerned look on his face. ¡°A new third party just formed Mr.President.¡±
¡°Hm?¡±
¡°They call themselves the ¡®Peace Party¡¯¡±
Ronell sighed. ¡°Lemme guess. They oppose the current war against the elves?¡±
¡°Well, in addition to that, their website states that they are angry and shocked at the number of wars we have started only two years after appearing in the new world. Mr.President. To be truthful, I do also find it uncomfortable. We have been fighting so many wars.¡±
¡°Well, we have to find a place in this world. It had been quite hostile to us. Anyways, it¡¯s only a third party. Shouldn¡¯t be that concerning.¡±
¡°True but it has gained some popularity. Even though not large enough to be a concern yet. We will have to keep an eye on them.¡±
Ronell frowned. ¡°How am I doing in the primaries for my party? Still in the lead?¡±
¡°You are nearly guaranteed to be the candidate.¡±
¡°Who¡¯s in the lead for the other party right now? Still Mack Snyder?¡±
¡°Yes. He probably will be the candidate for the opposing party as predicted.¡±
¡°Has he said anything about his policy on wars?¡±
¡°Not yet. He¡¯s probably still gauging which position would benefit him.¡±
¡°Well, I¡¯m already this deep in. Our position is that we will fight wars when we have to.¡±
Felipe nodded. ¡°That¡¯s basically what most of us have decided too.¡±
¡°How¡¯re the polls? What are they predicting right now?¡±
¡°It¡¯s gonna be a close race, sir.¡±
¡°Just like four years ago I guess.¡±
Chapter 79 - Advance
0155 May 16th, 2020 CE
0357 Sun 46th, 196 AE
Port City of Filanneas
Jacob stared out at the horizon whilst standing and carrying his gun. ¡°I see the first cargo ship.¡±
Issac walked over. ¡°The port seems to be a bit small.¡±
¡°As long as it can offload, we should be fine.¡±
Issac glanced over at Jacob. ¡°Say, why did we even need a port? Couldn¡¯t they have just offloaded on the beach?¡±
¡°We will be dropping cargo into the fucking water. These are civilian cargo ships, they can¡¯t do amphibious operations. We do have ships capable of amphibious stuff but there aren''t enough of them to keep us supplied constantly. That cargo ship should be bringing in ammunition, food, and whatnot. Everything we need.¡±
Crates of supplies came off of the cargo ship. Ammunition, food, building materials, and much more. It wasn¡¯t long before a passenger ship also showed up and started offloading people.
Jacob watched as the ships offloaded. ¡°Seems like we will be getting Seabees too.¡±
¡°What for?¡±
¡°Modernizing the port probably.¡±
The Seabees is a nickname for the Naval Construction Battalions that formed the Naval Construction Force. In order for the port to accommodate more ships and speed up offloading, the Seabees had been ordered to modernize it. Luckily, the battle did not damage the port area at all and because it was not a port that housed Elven Navy ships, it wasn¡¯t even struck by missiles.
Ocean near the Elven Nation
Renout looked around as he got off the back of the aircraft. It didn¡¯t take long for him to realize that he was on a massive ship. It felt more like a metal island than a ship but it was definitely moving. The top of the ship was flat with the exception of a building to the right near the center of the ship. There seemed to be many aircraft sitting on the ship. Looking into the sea, many other ships surrounded this ship.
Renout followed the others. His curiosity wore off soon. For the entire flight, he had worried about his family. That didn¡¯t change even now. He couldn¡¯t forget his sister¡¯s laughter as they played around and his parents¡¯ smiling faces at the dinner table.
The second Osprey soon landed on the USS Carl Vinson. Frery got off and glanced in awe around him. It didn¡¯t take him long to realize that this was an airfield. He watched as an aircraft took off. ¡°Amazing!¡± The fact that the Americans were able to make an airfield go on sea awed him.
Hearing his outburst, others turned to look at him in bemusement. Frery was sort of an outcast in his country. He was never invested in magic but much more focused on mechanical things. Of course, he wasn¡¯t being mistreated. Others were just surprised that he never tried to develop his magic skills.
A uniformed person greeted them. ¡°Welcome. I¡¯m Lieutenant Commander Jensen Lowe. Does anybody here have injuries? A show of hand please.¡±
A few Magusians raised their hands. ¡°Ok, we will get you guys treated. How many of you guys are hungry?¡±
All of the Magusians raised their hands. ¡°And fed. Ok for those who are injured, please follow my friend, Petty Officer Gerald Phillips.¡± Jensen pointed towards Gerald. ¡°He will lead you to the med bay. Once you are treated, you will join the others in the cafeteria. Everybody else, follow me.¡±
Frery was amazed as he was led through the interior of the aircraft carrier and towards the cafeteria. The interior looked so much more well-polished than the ships that the Magus Imperium have.
An hour later
After their meal, Jensen got all the Magusians attention and made an announcement. ¡°We will be transporting all of you via aircraft back to your country. Your government will be providing ground transportation back to your homes. They also seem to be offering relocation and support services if you have lost your homes. I¡¯m not sure about the specifics of that. You will have to ask your government. Any questions?¡±
Renout raised his hand. Jensen pointed at him. ¡°Yes?¡±
¡°I have a family who has also been captured by the elves. Do you know if they have been rescued? Is there any way that I can find them?¡±
¡°We have already rescued a few people but I¡¯m not exactly sure if any of them are your family. I will bring up your issue with my commander. I think it will be best if you bring it up with your government.¡±
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With the others, Frery was led to the aircraft that was supposed to take them home. This aircraft disappointed him a bit. It was sleeker but still similar to a Machian bomber.
The C-2 Greyhound lifted off of the aircraft carrier carrying all the Magusians. Frery had stared in wonder as the aircraft took off from a ship. A few seats down, Renout sat with an unhappy look on his face.
0224 May 16th, 2020 CE
0412 Sun 46th, 196 AE
Port City Of Filanneas.
Blake stood up and stretched. ¡°What do we do now?¡±
Finn glanced around the deserted street. ¡°Well, we are to garrison this city until further notice.¡±
M1A2 Abrams and Bradleys of the 1st ABCT moved in an orderly fashion out of town. Elements of the 2nd Marines also followed.
An hour or so later
Finn walked into a tent where the medics were tending to the wounded. ¡°How are you doing Curtis?¡±
¡°Fine.¡±
¡°Are you getting discharged?¡±
¡°Not yet.¡±
¡°Hm?¡±
¡°Don¡¯t go assuming things. Had a long chat with the psychologist. I¡¯m staying. I¡¯m a soldier. I have an obligation to you guys.¡±
¡°Are you sure?¡±
There was a look of determination in Curtis¡¯s eyes. ¡°Yes. I¡¯m sorry for having to deal with me.¡±
Finn sighed. ¡°It¡¯s all fine. Not everyone can handle this. You are a good man¡ maybe too good for war.¡±
¡°Give me another chance, Sergeant.¡±
¡°That¡¯s what I am doing. We have been garrisoned to protect this place until further notice. So rest up. Shouldn¡¯t be much to do for now. Surprised you haven¡¯t been sent back seeing that you got shot in the leg?¡±
Curtis smiled. ¡°Didn¡¯t penetrate. Just hurt like shit.¡±
¡°Good to hear.¡±
0700 May 16th, 2020 CE (Central Time)
Nashville, Tennessee
Jack took a sip out of his coke as he watched the news.
<<<¡°We begin this morning with the ongoing protests about the Elven War. Counter-protests have been occurring in response to the recent anti-war protests. Members of both parties on Twitter have expressed their support for the continuation of the war. A few hours earlier, President Hayes addressed the American people. Saying that he firmly stands behind the war. And saying that the elves are fanatics worse than the Japanese in World War Two and that this war is necessary to prevent the loss of innocent lives. Joining us today is political analyst Bill Oscuro. Bill, thank you for joining us today. What do you think of these current protests and the pushback it¡¯s experiencing?¡±
¡°It¡¯s my pleasure to be here. Well, the current protests are actually quite normal. For any war, they are bound to be protests. In every recent war in American history, Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, there were mass protests. I¡¯m not surprised about this at all. However, what is interesting is the significant opposition that these protests are experiencing. It''s quite unprecedented.¡±
¡°So is this surprising seeing that it''s unprecedented?¡±
¡°No. No. It¡¯s not surprising at all. The fact that these elves are literally enslaving and massacring humans has created a negative public opinion of the elves and reduced the scale of the protests we are currently having.¡±
¡°So what can we expect in the future?¡±
¡°As you said, there has been a lot of push back from the public about these anti-war protests. I really don¡¯t expect any significant protests but there definitely will be¡¡±>>>
Jack switched the channel to another news network.
<<<¡°The photo evidence of these atrocities committed by the elves. It was substantial. It was overwhelming. Yet it was ignored by these Antifa. These people, Antifa, have a clear anti-American agenda. They are trying to undermine our country in any way possible. They are protesting the sacrifices made by our soldiers who protect us. They are...¡±>>>
¡°Huh¡ this is one of the few times that I have actually seen these two news channels kinda actually agreeing on something,¡± Jack muttered to himself as he turned off the television.
0850 May 16th, 2020 CE
0725 Sun 46th, 196 AE
A few miles further into the Elven Nation
The forest soon gave way to hilly but treeless terrain. Dust came out of the back of the two Bradleys as they drove down the road. It was quite a large road and led to the next city a few hundred miles away. In the lead Bradley, the driver, without taking his eyes off of the road, spoke to his commander, Staff Sergeant Clyde McKinney. ¡°I don¡¯t feel that safe here. We are only two Bradleys.¡±
¡°Nothing to worry about. We have an armor company right behind us and three combined arms battalions further behind. We are just scouts, we can pull back whenever things get iffy. Just continue driving down the road.¡±
¡°Ok, sir.¡±
¡°Stop,¡± Clyde shouted to his driver.
The two Bradleys came to a halt. Clyde looked through his imaging system and scanned the town miles in front of him. ¡°Small town. The road cuts right through it. Seems to be armed civilians again. Probably need to secure it so the main force can use this road.¡±
Clyde got on his radio.
<<<¡°This Staff Sergeant McKinney of A section. The town in our route is defended by armed civilians. The town doesn¡¯t seem bigger than a hundred or so people. I probably need a tank platoon here to help clear it out.¡±>>>
A few minutes later
<<<¡±You called for a tank platoon? Staff Sergeant McKinney?¡±
¡°Yep.¡±
¡°Second Lieutenant Bob Craig. What¡¯s the situation here?¡±
¡°Just a town with a few elves, nothing too much.¡±
¡°My platoon will lead then.¡±>>>
The four Abrams formed into a wedge formation as they drove towards the town. Rifle shots pinged off of the lead Abrams. They came to a stop. The machine guns on the Abrams opened up on the elves. The boxes and furniture that the elves were hiding behind were torn apart. The Abrams formed a column formation on the road and moved into town.
<<<¡±I don¡¯t see any elves around. Feels like a ghost to¡ we have an elf that''s surrendering in front of us. Can your boys secure him?¡±
¡°Understood.¡±>>>
<<<¡°Secure him. Be careful, this might be an ambush. We¡¯ll keep an eye out.¡±
A total of six infantrymen came out of the two Bradleys. Clyde watched as the squad leader of the dismounted infantry shouted at the elf. The elf dropped all of his weapons. The soldiers moved in and quickly secured him. Just then, a few elves slowly came out of their houses. The infantry quickly reacted and aimed their guns at the elves. The elves all put their hands up.
20 minutes later
The elves formed a line and threw their weapons down into a pile. It was only rifles, pistols, and submachine guns. Infantry stood around keeping an eye on the elves. Clyde mused to his driver. ¡°Seems like these townspeople are much less inclined to fight. We killed like what? 10 elves?¡±
¡°This feels so much different from the city.¡±
The entire town was secured in less than an hour and all the weapons were confiscated. The two Bradleys continued on with their reconnaissance.
Chapter 80 - Genocide or War?
0936 May 16th, 2020 CE
0748 Sun 46th, 196 AE
Washington DC
General Griffith, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, conversed with President Hayes ¡°The towns further away from the cities have surrendered much more easily. The recon forces have been able to take them mostly by themselves.¡±
¡°Compared to cities, it¡¯s likely that they haven¡¯t been bombarded constantly by propaganda. We should be able to expect only minimal resistance from them.¡±
¡°Mr. President. We should be besieging the cities from now on. Directly assaulting them would just be a gross waste of lives when we can just force them into submission or at least weaken them through air and artillery strikes.¡±
¡°General. We will just be engaging in genocide at that point.¡±
¡°We will give them time and allow any civilians to leave. If there even are any that can be considered civilians.¡±
¡°Do you really think anybody will leave? And what about the humans they are keeping as slaves? How will the media react when they learn we literally have forsaken them. It will be a humanitarian disaster.¡±
¡°Humanitarian disaster. Boohoo. Who cares? There is no international community to criticize us anymore. Public opinion is already souring because of the large loss of life we are experiencing. It¡¯s only been a few days into the invasion and we have already suffered fifty percent of the total casualties we have suffered during the entire Gulf War.¡±
¡°I¡¯m gonna be blamed for the entire thing, goddammit. And you can say bye to your career at that point!¡±
¡°In war, we have to kill our enemies. That¡¯s the military¡¯s job. To kill the enemy and you are stopping me from doing their job. These so-called civilians are all armed to the teeth.¡±
¡°We are not barbarians. General. There are established rules of war.¡±
¡°Bah. Rules. When did wars have rules? The elves don¡¯t even follow them. Mr. President. Make the right choice here. Let the military off this goddamn idiotic leash.¡±
¡°Now get out of my office. You have been coming here every single fucking day. You have been a great advisor in the past but I¡¯m very close to removing you Quincy.¡±
A few miles away from the Orva Caelora Human Concentration Camp
The grass billowed as 20 MV-22 Ospreys touched down onto the plains. Surrounding the landing area were M1A2 Abrams and HEMTT trucks. Cylindrical tanks full of aviation fuel were on the back of the HEMTTs. Soldiers rushed to connect the fuel hoses from the HEMTTs to the Ospreys. Once refueled, it was only a short journey from there to the Orva Caelora Human Concentration Camp.
A few minutes later
Orva Caelora Human Concentration Camp
Damon shouted at the Magusians. ¡°Stay in your groups! We will be evacuating you soon.¡±
The sound of the MV-22 Ospreys got louder and louder. The first one soon appeared and landed in a clearing in the concentration camp.
¡°Get on in an orderly fashion! Please put all your baggage on the floor. Once you have sat down, please do not get up unless instructed to do so.¡±
As each Osprey filled up with Magusians, dust was kicked up by the rotors and they took off one by one.
What was a bleak concentration camp had been completely transformed. In the past few days, the Rangers and the Green Berets had turned the concentration camp nearly into a FOB(Forward Operating Base).
¡°Well, the Army should be arriving soon. Guess we will be welcoming them.¡±
Less than an hour later
¡°I see two Bradleys! The recon force is here.¡±
The two Bradleys came to a stop and the commander at the lead Bradley popped out of his hatch. The commander grinned. ¡°Nice place you have here.¡±
Damon laughed. ¡°Welcome to our humble abode!¡±
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Somewhere in the Elven Nation
¡°Stop. Elven military convoy over to the northeast.¡±
Multiple magitrucks followed by a single Guard tank raced down the paved road. The two Bradleys that pulled onto a grassy hilltop spied on them.
¡°I¡¯m calling in an airstrike. Let¡¯s tail them and see how it goes.¡±
The two Bradleys sped down the hill and through the grass. They kept the elven convoy that was on the road in sight but kept a distance.
A few minutes later
An F-15 flew over the elven convoy. The noise of the F-15 flying over was still reverberating when multiple large explosions wiped the convoy out. Blackened dirt and the mangled, charred metal wrecks were all that remained.
¡°Wooo, baby!¡±
An explosion occurred underneath the track of the lead Bradley. ¡°Aw fuck! Mine!¡±
The Bradley behind came to a stop. The commander of the lead Bradley opened his hatch and looked over the side. ¡°Track¡¯s bust.¡±
0810 Sun 46th, 196 AE
???
¡°Most forces have been repositioned into the mountains. We have lost hundreds of vehicles and elves to American bombing attacks. We have also been receiving bombing runs on the mountains but I don¡¯t believe they have discovered our main base here yet.¡±
Tarron clasped his hands together. ¡°Gentleelves. We shall hold this position to the last elf.¡±
Anafalen raised his voice in opposition. ¡°My Leader, I don¡¯t think that''s advisable. The Americans are perfectly capable of wiping out our concentrated forces. In fact, I won¡¯t be surprised if their military has been made to destroy a concentration of units. It is more advisable if we spread out instead of staying here. That will make us a much harder target to kill.¡±
Tarron frowned and his eyes narrowed. ¡°Then who will keep an organized command of the units? How will we perform organized defenses and counterattacks?¡±
¡°Uh¡ we don¡¯t sir. The point is, we aim for our survival.¡±
Tarron spread his arm around. ¡°This mountain is the perfect terrain for defense and will be the staging area of our counteroffensive. Our main base is under hundreds of feet of solid stone, I don¡¯t believe the Americans have the capability of destroying that. Understood.¡±
The various department heads and the General Staff nodded in agreement. Tarron smiled, ¡°Dismissed. And also, Anafalen, I would like to see you in your office.¡±
A few minutes later
Tarron sat down in Anfalen¡¯s chair in his office. ¡°I told you before. You are getting on my nerves.¡±
¡°My Leader, I¡¯m only giving sensible advice!¡±
¡°I only need you to do as I say. That¡¯s your job. You manage the Department of Intelligence. That¡¯s all.¡±
¡°I¡¯m also an advisor.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t need time for advice. Everything is already in motion.¡±
Anfalen didn¡¯t respond for a few seconds before nodding. ¡°Yes, My Leader.¡±
Tarron exited the room. Anfalen sat down and a worried force grew on his face. His wife was also in the base with him but he had no heart to go see her. He had noticed that Tarron had changed ever since they abandoned the capital and it greatly concerned him. Tarron seemed to be angrier and was much less willing to listen to others.
¡°What should I do¡ what should I do¡¡±
He whispered over and over again as his mind played out his options.
1046 May 16th, 2020 CE
0823 Sun 46th, 196 AE
Port City of Filanneas
M109A6 Howitzers were taken off of the cargo ship. Finn¡¯s eyes followed the self-propelled howitzers. ¡°1st Infantry Division Artillery.¡±
Blake looked over. ¡°Where¡¯s the rest of the 1st Infantry?¡±
¡°Probably on the way.¡±
Docked a few feet away from the cargo ship was a WW1-style transport ship. A tank rolled off of it. Blake whistled ¡°Wow. A fucking M4 Sherman.¡±
Finn nodded. ¡°The Magusians are here.¡±
¡°How effective are they even gonna be?¡±
¡°Probably just gonna be filler or something. Maybe garrisoning the towns?¡±
¡°Do you think the brass will even trust them with that?¡±
Finn chuckled. ¡°I feel bad for them if they get sent to the frontline. M4 Shermans are quite easy to kill.¡±
MacDill Air Force Base, Tampa, Florida
General Abrams Thompson, commander of the US New World Command, conversed with his staff. ¡°Other than retreating units and stragglers. The plains are mostly clear of enemy units. This is a good situation.¡±
¡°Our units are starting to get stretched thin.¡±
¡°The 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team from the 1st Infantry Division and the 1st Infantry Brigade Combat Team from the 10th Mountain Division are arriving. The Magusians are also arriving and they will be under our guidance.¡±
¡°Most of the elven forces have retreated to the mountains. We have lost sight of them but we are sure that there will be heavy fortifications on the mountains and that they are holed up there.¡±
Abrams nodded. ¡°Increase drone surveillance on that. Prepare for airstrikes on that region. Depending on how heavily they are fortified, we might need to get a MOAB out for this one.¡±
Port City of Jahlean, Elven Nation
Elements of the 1st ABCT of the 1st Armored Division surrounded the port city. They kept their distance and had screening forces keeping an eye out.
In his house, Lorsan felt panic coursing through his blood. He knew that all the articles that he had read about their recent glorious victories were most likely lies. He sat down eating with a gun leaning against his table. The humans had his city surrounded and there was no way out.
Chapter 81 Part 1 - Bombardment
1110 May 16th, 2020 CE
0835 Sun 46th, 196 AE
Outside the Port City of Jahlean, Elven Nation
¡°I guess we are sieging the city.¡±
It was quiet. There was no sound of artillery or bullets. Only the sound of idling engines and men chatting away.
¡°Well, the orders are just to stay outside of the city. Doesn¡¯t say anything about a siege. We could be waiting for reinforcements.¡±
¡°It doesn¡¯t seem that the elves want to advance. They are just holing up in there. We might as well leave them there if they aren¡¯t gonna attack us.¡±
¡°It¡¯s gonna be a hassle if we don¡¯t do something about them since we will have to protect our logistics from possible attacks. Might as well as get rid of concentrated enemy units before they become a problem.¡±
¡°Do we even know what¡¯s inside the city? Are there any elven soldiers? I haven¡¯t seen one since we began this invasion.¡±
¡°Well, intel has nothing. They are probably just a ragtag group of armed citizenry.¡±
¡°Can we just start calling them terrorists? I don¡¯t see much of a difference at this point. They just seem to be Taliban with World War 2 weaponry and thoughts.¡±
Near Primopolis, Magus Imperium
After stepping off the plane and onto the airfield, Renout felt a sense of relief since he was finally back in his home country. A tent had been set up nearby and Magusian soldiers directed him and the rest of the people who have been rescued to it. A few minutes in a line, Renout entered the tent. A Magusian officer looked up.¡°Full name and the place you are from.¡±
¡°I¡¯m Renout Hewet. I¡¯m from the village of Hallfeld.¡±
The Magusian officer looked back down onto his desk and started writing. ¡°That has been completely burnt to the ground. You could try to return to rebuild it but I can¡¯t see how much one man can do. Do you have any relatives or friends that are willing to house you?¡±
Renault hesitated. ¡°...I have a question about that.¡±
The Magusian officer didn¡¯t look up. ¡°Yes?¡±
¡°I¡¯m trying to find my parents and younger sister. They have been captured by the elves. Have they come through here?¡±
The officer opened a drawer in his desk and took out a book and opened it. ¡°We have a very short list of people who have been rescued. Can I have their names?¡±
¡°Anna Hewet, Emelnie Hewet, and Arthurus Hewet.¡±
After flipping through the book, the officer shook his head. ¡°Sorry, they aren¡¯t on the list. If you have nowhere to go, we are providing five days of free lodging at nearby hotels.¡±
Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
¡°Will all those who are rescued going to come through here?¡±
¡°I¡¯m not sure about that. As of right now, yes.¡±
¡°Alright. Thanks.¡±
¡°There¡¯s a tent to the right. They will send you to the hotel and give you some more help.¡±
Walking out, Renout saw a poster on the wall. On it was a soldier holding a rifle charging forward. Emblazoned on it below was ¡°Your Imperium Needs You!¡±
He thought about it. If he could go, he could try to save his parents and sister himself. He was scared to actually join. He had kept his head down when he was a slave to the elves and now he wants to go back there and fight them. He wondered if it was even reasonable since he had just gotten out of that hellhole. He was quite a lonely person and didn¡¯t make many friends because of his awkwardness. He also knew that the idea of going to save his family by himself was absurd. How long was it going to take to train him? Would his family have returned by the time he was sent to battle? Will he even be sent to the right area? The thoughts circled through his head.
A few minutes after Renout¡¯s exit, Frery entered the tent.
¡°Full name and the place you are from?¡±
¡°I¡¯m Frery Gauvain. I¡¯m an engineer at the Fowke Aviation Company. I¡¯m looking to return to the headquarters at Laufenberg.¡±
¡°I meant the place that you live at. Not the place you work at.¡±
¡°I live at Laufenberg.¡±
The officer looked up. ¡°How were you captured by the elves?¡±
¡°I was on vacation.¡±
¡°Well, nothing happened at Laufenberg. It was far away from the fighting.¡±
¡°Then, I would like to go there. I need to have an urgent meeting with my boss.¡±
¡°Okay. We will provide you with a train ticket to the city.¡±
1235 May 20th, 2020 CE
0917 Sun 50th, 196 AE
Washington D.C.
The President looked at a satellite map of the Elven Nation. General Griffith briefed him on the current situation. ¡°Other than their major cities, everything on this side of the mountain range has been secured. The towns and villages have been much easier to deal with. We are laying siege to multiple cities. Mr. President, we will save more lives if we advance into the city instead of sieging it. Sieges will just leave to more suffering from both sides and the will of the elves are undeniably strong. They have already been there for 4 days. They may prefer starvation to surrender.¡±
¡°The losses we will take from these battles will be too grave¡ ¡° President Hayes pondered quietly for a bit. ¡°Alright, General, you have your wish. I¡¯m authorizing the use of artillery and airstrikes on any groups of identified armed elves in the city. Pass that down the chain.¡±
Port City of Jahlean
A woman carried a basket of fruits that was gathered from her master¡¯s small front yard garden. Right next to her master¡¯s house, a group of armed elves stood behind a makeshift barricade. The elves decided to set up defenses street by street to make the fight as bloody as possible. One of the elves eyed her as she went back into the house. She hurried into the house. After setting down the fruit basket, she looked around to make sure no one was home and went to the room that had been provided to her. It was a small room and the only thing provided was a ragged mat to sleep on.
¡°We will be saved soon¡¡±
Emeline looked at her daughter, Anna, in the room. Anna slept quietly. She was gaunt and was likely still hungry. They had been through unspeakable things but the end seemed to be drawing near. From what she has seen and heard, the city had been surrounded.
2200 May 20th, 2020 CE
0200 Sun 51st, 196 AE
Emeline awoke to a whistling noise. The ground shook as explosions occurred outside.
Chapter 81 Part 2 - Bombardment
2130 May 20th, 2020 CE
0145 Sun 51st, 196 AE
Outside the Port City of Jahlean
¡°Our drones have found barricades set up throughout the city with armed elves manning them. A few of them even have elven children there.¡±
¡°Are they armed?¡±
¡°We observed them holding what seems to be guns.¡±
¡°If they are armed, they are a threat.¡±
¡°The streets aren¡¯t that wide so surrounding houses might be destroyed.¡±
¡°We will have to take that chance then. Only target the barricades with armed elves or any area with a concentration of them¡±
¡°Understood, sir.¡±
M109A7 Paladins of the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Field Artillery Regiment raised their guns and fired in unison. Their shells went for different targets across the city.
2246 May 20th, 2020 CE
0223 Sun 51st, 196 AE
Kasnor Human Concentration Camp, Elven Nation
A soldier talked to a war correspondent observing the evacuation. They walked past a parked Abrams and a few of the crew hanging around. ¡°We are currently evacuating these Magusian civilians. This is the biggest concentration camp we believe that the elves have. About 10,000 Magusian civilians were held here.¡±
¡°How many were saved?¡±
¡°Around 9,500. Luckily, the elves just started executing prisoners when we rolled up. We caught them off guard by advancing at night. Most of the elves ran. The ones we have captured seem to be have been confused at the ongoing situation.¡±
¡°I heard that there are multiple other concentration camps. What happened to those?¡±
¡°The operation to free the prisoners started six days ago when Special Forces and Army Rangers secured multiple small and medium-sized concentration camps.¡±
¡°Why was this camp not prioritized?¡±
¡°Being this large in size and so densely packed, sending in a small or medium force would have been unwise. The distance made any insertion via air impossible. We are literally next to the mountains that cut this entire country in half. This camp was a priority target though and ground troops got here as fast as possible. There should be a ton of elves crawling around in those mountains so we are getting these Magusian civilians out as fast as possible.¡±
Close by, an Osprey took off.
¡°Is it ok if I questioned a few of the Magusians?¡±
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¡°Feel free to do so but they speak Latin. I can translate for you to a degree.¡±
The soldier went around asking those who were still waiting for a helicopter. Many responded with stories of how they were starved, forced to work, and shot for not working fast enough or collapsing. The war correspondent took multiple pictures of the interior and exterior of multiple buildings. The execution sites were also captured on camera. A picture of an Ospreys full of Magusians was also taken and a few pictures of CH-53E Super Stallions and Ospreys lifting into the air.
Port City of Jahlean
¡°Don¡¯t cry¡ we will be fine¡¡±
Emeline tried to soothe Anna. Explosions after explosions occurred and the ground shook violently. A deafening explosion occurred and the wall caved in.
Abrams and Bradleys entered the city. The barricade at the outskirts of the city had already been destroyed by shots from the Abrams. Issac followed his squad towards the city. Even with the artillery bombardments, the elves put up stiff resistance, and house-to-house fighting occurred.
A few hours later
Issac sat down on the street and leaned his head back. Jacob stood before him. ¡°We have secured half of the city.¡±
¡°Only half? Sheesh.¡±
¡°We have a much smaller force trying to take over a big city. Of course, we only secured half.¡±
Across the elven cities of the southern side of the mountains, similar fighting raged on.
Nilfelon, Elven Nation
A Sherman tank rolled down a street. Magusian infantry flanked it. Suddenly a rocket shot out and flew over the turret of the tank. Its .30 caliber machine guns opened up and the Magusian started shooting.
0301 May 21st, 2020 CE
0433 Sun 51st, 196 AE
Galath Mountain Range, Elven Nation
Gerald talked to Scott over the comms. ¡°Seems like they haven¡¯t learned that their static defenses aren¡¯t gonna do shit in the end.¡±
¡°Hah. The Magusian food is doing more damage to us than they are.¡±
Gerald snickered. ¡°I hope Hayden will be alright. We told him not to eat it.¡±
A squadron of F-15Es dropped loads of bombs onto the Galath Mountain Range. Anti-aircraft fire sprayed into the sky but nothing was hit. They just made the targets much more obvious.
???, Elven Nation
One of the generals reported to Tarron. ¡°My Leader, the defenses outside of the base have been devastated by air attacks.¡±
¡°It¡¯s fine we still have our troops inside the mountains. They will be protected.¡±
Anfalen spoke up. ¡°My Leader, I still suggest we disperse our troops. We have been setting up defensive positions after defensive positions and none of them are working. The Americans have the capability to destroy any sort of organized defense we throw at them.¡±
¡°Anfalen, when did you become a general? You are the Head of Intelligence. Not a person who makes military decisions. Isn¡¯t that right gentleelves?¡±
The general staff snickered and nodded.
Anfalen sat down in the chair of his new ¡°home¡±. It was more of an apartment than a normal house. ¡°They are all fucking yesmen¡¡±
An elf with short blond hair and ears that pointed a bit upwards looked out from the kitchen. ¡°Anfalen, it''s your first time home. You should think of something other than work.¡±
¡°Well, we can¡¯t really call this home. Can we?¡±
¡°I know. I know. But we have to make do.¡±
Anfalen laughed and continued on with his previous thought. ¡°When haven¡¯t they been yesmen. It¡¯s just gotten worse. Saelihn, maybe I should do something.¡±
¡°Anfalen. I know your work is important but don¡¯t stress yourself out too much. Tonight, we are having some Petren fish cooked with saltnut sauce.¡±
Anfalen stood up. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing this place has a large stock of food. I do prefer the fresh stuff though.¡±
Chapter 82 - Internal Affairs
0955 May 23rd, 2020 CE
Washington D.C.
President Hayes read the report as the Cralson explained it to him. ¡°Most of the resistant towns and smaller cities have surrendered. From these recent battles, we have only suffered 47 casualties. The total so far for the entire war is only 263 casualties.¡±
¡°Isn¡¯t that a bit grim compared to the figures from the Iraq War?¡±
¡°Well compared to the Iraq War, we didn¡¯t face an army that was nearly 5 million strong and a fanatical populace. Casualties will still mount though as we start battling our way through their larger cities.¡±
Pentagon, United States of America
General Griffith poured whiskey into his lowball glass. The ice inside plinked around. He looked outside the window of his office. ¡°I want those reports to be erased or changed. Understood? The President doesn¡¯t need to know about them. It¡¯s fine if one or two reports slip through. As long as the actual figures don¡¯t get to him. It will be fine. With this, I will get to keep my job. Heck, maybe I will even get recognized for what I did. And you will keep your job too.¡±
A man stood near the closed door. ¡°I¡¯m not too sure about this, General.¡±
Quincy took a sip out of his whiskey. ¡°Who do you think got you this job, Charles. I can get you fired from it with just a single phone call. Just follow this and you will keep your job.¡±
Charles swallowed and stayed where he was. Quincy gave a sigh and put his glass down on his desk. ¡°We have no obligation to protect people from other countries. In fact, fuck them. That shit of a President thinks it¡¯s our duty to save foreigners who don¡¯t even give a damn about our country. Continuing the war in the Middle East and for what? To help rebuild countries? We should of just bombed them back to the stone age and left. I have seen good men die out there fighting for people who aren¡¯t American.¡± Quincy¡¯s voice started to develop a tone of hatred. ¡°And in the end, the world still blames us. If they aren¡¯t American, there¡¯s no need to help them. Our job. Our duty. Is to protect our fellow Americans. And only that. Well sadly, in our previous world we couldn¡¯t do that because of a stupid convention. Do you know how many of my buddies, my men died because of that? This world is a dream. No international community to watch us. No rules to follow. The foreigners are nothing more than idiots, animals, or barbarians. Think about it. A US-centric world with nobody to question what we do. We can destroy any foreign country that dares not listen to us. Hiding what we do from the domestic media isn¡¯t that hard in this world. And now that idiotic President is thinking about transparency and a rulebook to restrict us like the Geneva Convention. Maybe I should run for President. We will be so much better off.¡±
Charles felt a bit shocked by the General¡¯s rant. ¡°But¡¡±
Quincy cut him off. ¡° I know you have been struggling recently. You have your wife and your kids. Once you finish this, maybe there¡¯s even something in line for you. Maybe a promotion of sorts. With a good raise in salary. And also isn¡¯t your daughter suffering from cancer? I can get her the best doctor there is. Paid by me.¡±
¡°...understood, General.¡±
¡°Most of the civilian casualties are from elven executions. Our artillery and airstrikes have caused minimal civilian casualties.¡±
Ronell nodded at Quincy¡¯s words. ¡°Maybe you were right, Quincy. I¡¯m not a military man. The current situation seems better than the past.¡±
¡°Mr. President, war is not a clean thing. You have to take risks. Your idea to restrict our airstrikes and artillery strikes until the target was confirmed and the chance of collateral damage was completely gone made us lose many men. I sympathize with the fact that you want to help the innocent, but sometimes you just can¡¯t do that.¡±
1030 May 23rd, 2020 CE
0815 Sun 23rd, 196 AE
Galath Mountain Range
A C-130 Hercules flew toward the mountain range. The navigator spoke on comms. ¡°This should be the biggest entrance to the cave and tunnel system that the elves have in the mountain.¡±
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The back door of the C-130 opened and a MOAB slid out and dropped onto the side of the mountain. A small mushroom cloud rose into the sky.
The open-air entrance to the base was very large so that it could allow magipanzers and aircraft to fit in. Usually, the front entrance would have a few elves milling around and a couple of aircraft being serviced. But because of the recent bombings, everything was moved further into the cave and closer to the part that was dug out. The elf engineers doing maintenance to the aircraft felt the ground rumble. They looked out of the cave just as they were thrown in a blast.
The overpressure from the MOAB created shockwaves that reverberated into the cave and through the tunnels carved out by the elves. Because it was not reinforced, many parts of the cave collapsed. The initial blast killed those at the entrance and destroyed the vehicles stored there. Thousands of elves died from the shockwaves. Hundreds more were trapped in the mountain.
The MOP, which was meant to destroy bunkers by going through the roofs and floors of a reinforced structure, was not suited for destroying a massive tunnel system that was carved into the side of a mountain.
Ara looked up into the sky and saw a mass of white rising into the sky. She had seen a single plane that had four propellors drop a large bomb onto the mountain. When the bombings began, she was sheltered at a smaller cave system along with others so she was able to survive.
???, Elven Nation
¡°We have lost all communications with the soldiers in the mountain¡¯s main base. We have received reports from nearby soldiers that a large explosion occurred. It is highly possible that the main base has been wiped out.¡±
In the hallway, loud yelling came from Tarron¡¯s room. It went on for a few minutes before stopping and an eerie silence fell.
Anfalen rushed into the room. ¡°Saehalin. We need to leave. We aren¡¯t safe here.¡±
Saehalin looked bewildered. ¡°Where are we going? What¡¯s happening?¡±
¡°You know where my parents live right? Their village? Go there. I already have a driver arranged to do that. Pack.¡±
They walked out of the enormous base. Two cars were waiting outside. Saehalin stopped. ¡°Anfalen¡ why are there two cars?¡±
Anfalen sighed. ¡°I¡¯m not going with you.¡±
¡°Why?¡±
¡°I¡¯m going to find a way to stop this madness.¡± Anfalen stopped her from saying more. ¡°I will be fine.¡±
Anfalen nodded at the elf standing next to the driver¡¯s door of the first car. ¡°Vesstan, you are one of my most trusted officers and our close friend. Keep her safe.¡±
Vesstan gave a small smile. ¡°Will do, sir. ¡°Come on Sae.¡±
Saehalin hesitated. ¡°Vess¡ but¡¡±
Anfalen urged her. ¡°Leave! Go! I will return to your side as soon as possible. If the Americans come to your village, do not resist.¡±
Anfalen watched as Saehalin got into the car. He had thought long and hard about this. Killing Tarron would accomplish nothing. Someone else would take over and the entire mess would continue. If he tried to take over, he will just be killed for treason. He needed another way and he now was taking a gamble. It was the most reasonable out of the three he had thought of. He hoped Saehalin will be safe. Tarron was handicapped at this point. He neither has the time nor the resources to waste to try to kill his parents or his wife. Anfalen turned towards his second in command, Athtar Uladan. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±
Tarron gave out orders in the General Staff room. ¡°Order all units to withdraw from the mountains. Disperse into the forest. Where¡¯s Anfalen? Get Anfalen. I need to talk to him.¡±
Tarron brow¡¯s creased. He loathed to admit it but Anfalen was right.
A few minutes later
A soldier saluted him. ¡°Hail Venharice! We were unable to find him and his wife was not at the living quarters.¡±
¡°Ok, then search around the compound.¡±
A few hours later
It was clear that Anfalen was gone. Two cars had disappeared from the vehicle storage and Tarron along with his wife and two Intelligence officers were gone. After hearing this in his office, Tarron gritted his teeth before shouting and slamming his fist onto his desk.
¡°Anfalen! Anfalen! Anfalen!¡±
On the road to the Galath Mountains
Athtar, in the driver seat, spoke up to Anfalen who was beside him. ¡°I see things coming down the mountain. Seem to be our soldiers.¡±
¡°Find a different route. We need to get to the other side of the mountain without being caught.¡±
¡°You know, Anfalen¡ this entire thing feels like a stupid idea.¡±
¡°Well, it¡¯s only one I can think of at this point.¡±
Chapter 83 - Dying Down?
0044 May 24th, 2020 CE
0322 Sun 24th, 196 AE
Miles from the Galath Mountain Range, Elven Nation
Surrounded by trees, Ara sat down on a flat rock while rubbing her forehead. Beside her was her Knight tank. She was glad that she had filled it up during their stay in the mountains. A few beleaguered elven soldiers milled around. Among them, one soldier came up to her and saluted. She didn¡¯t know his unit nor his name but he had patches that indicated that he was a Lieutenant. He was most likely the highest rank soldier here other than her. ¡°Major General, quite a few of our elves are missing. We have witnesses that say they have deserted.¡±
¡°Ok.¡±
The Lieutenant looked at Ara curiously. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we give out orders to shoot anyone who deserts and to find those who deserted?¡±
¡°We don¡¯t have time to care about deserters and we aren¡¯t going to shoot them. I don¡¯t even know which units these men are all from.¡±
¡°I know which unit they are from. I gathered them. Major General, it is your duty to command us.¡±
Ara sighed. ¡°The deserters are just following orders.¡±
The Lieutenant blinked. ¡°Um, Major General, I don¡¯t think the orders were to give up.¡±
¡°They are dispersing. The orders were to disperse. That¡¯s what they are doing. I¡¯m not even their actual commanding officer. They just joined up with us when we fled the mountains. In fact, some of these deserters could be trying to find their own units or their commanding officers.¡± Ara sighed again after he left. She really wished that she could also desert. ¡°Ugh, this is a mess.¡±
A few minutes later
¡°We are running low on food and we have nowhere to be resupplied.¡±
Ara shook her head. ¡°High Command is giving no help to us. Every time I ask for supplies and such, they only told me to follow the order to disperse. Seems like we will have to fend for ourselves.¡±
The Lieutenant nodded. ¡°Major General, should we take a position in one of the nearby towns? They have food and probably fuel.¡±
¡°... that¡¯s actually not a bad idea. The Americans haven¡¯t gotten to this side of the mountains yet.¡± Ara stood up. ¡°Elves! Move out, we are getting resupplied.¡±
0120 May 24th, 2020 CE
MacDill Air Force Base, Tampa, Florida
General Thompson looked over the sit-rep. ¡°Huh¡ they abandoned the mountains. That¡¯s incredibly stupid of them but incredibly lucky for us.¡±
One of his staff nodded. ¡°I guess they got scared of the MOAB we dropped on them.¡±
¡°Well, we only have 14 more of them so thank god for that. It would be a repeat of Iwo Jima if they continued staying in those mountains.¡±
0133 May 24th, 2020 CE
0346 Sun 24th, 196 AE
Somewhere in the Elven Nation
Under the blazing sun, a platoon of M1A2 Abrams sat in the middle of the plains. Captain Rose sat on the commander¡¯s hatch of his Abrams and studied the wide-open plains. A voice came over the comms.
<<<¡°This is Centurion 1-1. When the hell is the fuel going to come? The frontline is already way ahead of us.¡±
¡°This is Praterion. They did say that they did have fuel trucks coming towards us. I won¡¯t be surprised if the shipment is lost somewhere in the Magusian Empire.¡±
¡°It¡¯s so fucking hot here. At least let us find a few trees to sit under the shade. We still have fuel.¡±
¡°Yes, we can definitely still move, but we are trying to conserve fuel here just in case anything happens.¡±
¡°We are in the middle of buttfuck nowhere, miles behind the frontline. I don¡¯t expect some idiotic elf to attack us.¡±>>>
On the road, a group of Humvees passed them. The soldiers on the Humvees were laughing. One of the tankers who was sitting beside his Abrams gave them a middle finger and shouted ¡°Oh, fuck you!¡±
Skies over Elven Territory
Leaflets spewed out of an F-15E that was cruising over the skies of the Elven Nation
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¡°All cities west of your mountain range have fallen! Those that have surrendered are being treated humanely. We mean no harm to the elves of the Elven Nation. We only seek those responsible for initiating this war.¡±
On the back of the leaflet was a map of the Elven Nation. One side of the Elven Nation was colored blue and had the American and Magusian flag on it. On the other side was colored gray with the Elven flag on it. Multiple blue arrows pointed towards the gray area.
Outskirts of Faluna, Elven Nation
The sound of M777A2s firing rumbled across the plains. The firing had been going on for a few days, starting every time a target was marked. US troops have also advanced slowly into the city.
Ovagroth, Elven Nation
Finn walked down the street. There were a few bodies lying on the street. ¡°Fucking hell. These elves did a number on these Magusians.¡± A burnt-out Sherman sat right in the middle.
A few miles away, an Magusian officer greeted the commander of the 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marines. ¡°The elves have been stubbornly defending this city. Our Shermans have helped make some progress but we have been stopped by their anti-tank weaponry. ¡°
¡°If I¡¯m hearing it correctly, the current situation is a stalemate then.¡±
Near the Galath Mountain Ranges, Elven Nation
A few US soldiers, from the 2nd Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment of the 10th Mountain Division, stood around relaxingly at a checkpoint. A car appeared from the horizon. One of the soldiers noticed it and his eyes widened in disbelief. <<<¡°We have a car coming towards us at high speed. We will be trying to stop it.¡±
¡°Be careful, the elves haven¡¯t done this yet but it could be a suicide bomber.¡±>>>
¡°What the hell. Why the hell is there a car here?¡±
¡°Get into positions!¡±
The soldiers raised their M4s towards the car. The car soon came to a halt and two elves stepped out with their hands up.
<<<¡°We have two elves who are surrendering to us.¡±>>>
10 minutes later
Washington D.C.
The phone next to Ronell¡¯s bed started to ring. ¡°Ugh¡ what time is it?¡±
Ronell picked up the phone. <<<¡°Mr. President, urgent report, we just had two elves surrender to us on one of the roads leading to the mountains. One of them is claiming to be the head of their intelligence agency. He seems to want to negotiate with us.¡±
¡°Huh. A defector? That¡¯s unexpected.¡±>>>
A few miles from the Galath Mountain Range
An American soldier stood by the entrance and kept an eye on Anfalen as he sat down. ¡°I¡¯m Anfalen Inaneiros. Head¡ I guess now former Head of the Elven Intelligence Agency.¡±
A soldier sitting on the opposite side of the table greeted him. ¡°Nice to meet you, Mr. Inaneiros. I¡¯m Colonel Brian Trujillo, commander of the 1st Infantry Brigade Combat Team of the 10th Mountain Division of the United States Army. I will be acting as a temporary representative of the government of the United States. Although we are unable to confirm your identity, we are interested in what you want to say. Do understand that the soldier by the door is there as a precaution.¡±
¡°I know that you Americans have capabilities beyond my wildest dreams. My agency has gathered a lot about your country. From your planes that are faster than the speed of sound, your helicopters, and your weapons that can attack out of sight. You also come from another world don¡¯t you?¡±
Brian smiled. ¡°Well, you do seem to know more than the average elven soldier. Go ahead.¡±
¡°You know who our Leader is correct?¡±
¡°I presume you are talking about Tarron Venharice.¡±
Anfalen nodded. ¡°I am.. was a very close aide to him. In recent times, he has become more and more delusional. He started threatening me whenever I gave suggestions. I couldn¡¯t take it anymore. I knew that we weren¡¯t going to win and Tarron will be forsaking the entire elven race if he continued.¡±
¡°And how does this lead to you defecting to us?¡±
¡°I believe that there are elves just like me, tired of the war and tired of this fanaticism.¡±
¡°There are elves like you. Especially, from your country¡¯s rural areas. But how do you expect to drum up support? I don¡¯t suspect that you are well known. Are you?¡±
¡°I¡¯m not, but I know I will have support. Like you said, in the rural areas, elves are less supportive of Tarron. It¡¯s because our propaganda has targeted the urban elves more than the rural ones. Now, elves in places that you have occupied are more willing to show their distaste for the current Elven government. They won¡¯t be in hiding anymore. I¡¯m hoping to gather elves like these to form a new Elven government. It is better than you humans taking over. Not many elves will accept that. I won¡¯t be surprised if a resistance movement forms because of that.¡±
Brian set his eyes on Anfalen. ¡°But what if the elves see you as a puppet government?¡±
¡°Well¡ they won¡¯t because only elves are in the government. If humans were in the government, then the elves will see it as a puppet government.¡±
¡°Having an elf-only government doesn¡¯t guarantee that a resistance movement doesn¡¯t form against you.¡±
Anfalen grew quiet. ¡°Um....¡±
Brian chuckled. ¡°I may have questioned you too much there. Well, the end decision isn¡¯t up to me. We will let you meet an actual diplomat soon to sort this out.¡± Brian paused. ¡°Here is a serious question. Do you know where your Leader currently is?¡±
¡°... I know Tarron¡¯s hideout. I will be willing to give you this information if your government agrees to what I¡¯m proposing.¡±
082, May 24th, 2020 CE
Washington D.C.
President Hayes swept his eyes across the members of the committee.¡°The issue with the underwater sea monsters is becoming quite a nuisance.¡±
Secretary of Homeland Security Lenny Clark, started speaking. ¡°We have had a recent uptick in ships being mysteriously sunk with holes on the bottom. The Coast Guard is currently investigating but hasn¡¯t come up with much. However, a team of scientists we have gathered has come up with some information. Dr. Levi Munoz is here to talk about what his team has learned so far.¡±
Levi stood. ¡°Ahem. Mr. President. We believe that it is a creature. Most likely native to only this part of the world. Just like how the phoenixes were. However, they are fewer in numbers and should not be able to cause much damage. As long as we avoid the areas where it is mostly found, we can minimize the damage. My team has been creating a map to show where they are commonly found. Here¡¯s a map of the result.¡±
Lenny nodded. ¡°We will need to find a way to track them and then find a way to exterminate them. The Coast Guard is cooperating with the Navy in order to use their MH-60Rs to try to detect the sea monsters.¡±
¡°We are not sure about the environmental impact of exterminating such creatures. We should tread carefully.¡±
Apology about Chapter 84
So I have read some of the recent comments and I would like to apologize about Chapter 84. I was in no way trying to make Muslims look evil. The "Allah" that showed up was a fake (The form of the man who called himself Allah slowly dissipated. Where he once stood, Oldadir appeared. ¡°Ha! That was easy. Got a bit nervous there but that went well. I¡¯m the greatest actor in this plane!¡±). I understand that you may still be upset that I have decided to use Osama bin Laden. I thought he was an interesting figure to add in order to make the elves improve as an enemy and as sort of a plot twist. I only realized now that this was a dumb decision. I''m very sorry for my Muslim readers. I was being stupid and did not think about the consequences. I will remake Chapter 84 and release it again tomorrow. I hope that you will forgive me for my mistake.
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Chapter 84 - Those Above
0930 May 24th, 2020 CE
0745 Sun 24th, 196 AE
Galath Mountain Range
Jacob sat on a rock that was beside the cave. ¡°Not an elf in sight.¡±
He took a sip out of his canteen. Issac looked into the cave. ¡°The caves might have some.¡±
¡°Pretty sure they have been cleared out. We will be over this mountain in no time.¡±
¡°Would be nice if the elves gave up.¡±
¡°The way they are fighting?¡± Jacob shook his head. ¡°No chance.¡±
Creech Air Force Base, Nevada, United States
A sensor operator looked closely at his screen. ¡°We have a single large heavy tank on the road.¡±
The mission coordinator looked over his shoulder. ¡°Woah. That¡¯s a big one.¡±
¡°Permissions to fire?¡±
¡°Granted.¡±
Skies above Elven territory
A MQ-9 Reaper cruised over a long road that led to the mountain. A Hellfire missile shot out and a large explosion rocked the road.
???, Elven Nation
¡°My Leader! The Titan magipanzer had just been found destroyed.¡±
A loud, angry yell came from Tarron¡¯s office followed by the noise of shooting. Tarron came out of the office.
¡°My Leader, what¡¡±
The guard stopped as he saw that Tarron was holding a pistol and was fuming. ¡°Drag him out! I¡¯m going to my quarters. Don¡¯t disturb me for the next few hours.¡± Tarron waved his pistol at his aid behind him. The aid laid slumped by a wall that was covered in blood. Tarron started muttering under his breath and walked away.
???
Inera watched a screen when she heard an angry yell resound. ¡°Elder Sister! Sister! What is the meaning of this!?¡±
¡°What is it, Odaldir?¡±
A red faced young-looking man, Odaldir appeared in front of Inera holding a screen. ¡°This!?¡±
The night skyline of San Francisco and the Golden Gate Bridge was seen from the ocean on the screen. Inera gave a glance. ¡°Oh, that? You told me that I could summon anything I wanted to help me in your challenge.¡±
¡°When I said summon anything I thought you would do something like a hero that uncle did for his world. Not¡ whatever this is?!¡±
¡°Odaldir. I don¡¯t understand why you have to be this cruel. Can¡¯t you retract this challenge?¡±
The redness of Odaldir¡¯s face started to fade. A smirk grew on his face. ¡°What? It¡¯s fun. I killed everything in mines so it got boring. Ha. Whatever, from the looks of it, you didn¡¯t summon anything special if you are still worried. I hope you watch as I destroy everything you loved. Bye.¡±
Odaldir¡¯s smirk widened and his eyes held a tint of wildness as he disappeared. Inera sighed and shook her head. ¡°How did he share the same parents as me? He just had one of those mood swings again. I really wish mother and father will be back soon.
One thousand years ago
Odaldir watched from a floating screen as a human wearing chain-link armor ran from a group of huge, grey dog-like monsters. He laughed as tears flowed down the human¡¯s face. It wasn¡¯t long before the monsters caught up and tore the human apart. When Odaldir giggling stopped, he took a deep breath. ¡°And that should be the last one. Hm¡ that¡¯s surprising¡ being base creatures, they survived the longest.¡±
He looked around his world. Many types of jet-black and red creatures were everywhere. The land was a tan color devoid of vegetation. Ruins of civilization could be seen everywhere. ¡°Hmmm¡ it kinda feels boring now. There¡¯s nothing to kill anywhere.¡±
500 years ago
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Inera happily watched as a group of humans built a home brick by brick. ¡°Their architecture has gotten really good.¡±
Because of how little interaction the gods and goddesses have with each other, they are prone to talking to themselves. Oldadir popped up. ¡°Elder sis!¡±
Inera didn¡¯t like at her younger brother. ¡°What is it, Oldadir?¡±
¡°I¡¯m bored.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t you have a world to manage?¡±
¡°Oh, I killed everything on it.¡±
Inera swished her head towards Oldadir ¡°You WHAT!?¡±
Oldadir smiled. ¡°What?¡±
¡°Mom and Dad have only been gone on vacation for five thousand years and you already killed everything in your world?!¡±
¡°Yeah. I got bored and made some demons¡ hey sis, is that your world?¡±
¡°Yes¡ what about it?¡±
¡°Can I join?¡±
¡°No¡¡±
Oldadir pouted. ¡°Awwww¡ come on. Then how about I challenge you?¡±
¡°My world is perfectly fine. I don¡¯t want a challenge.¡±
Oldadir giggled. ¡°It will be fun! I will get to kill everything on your world.¡±
¡°Oldadir¡ mom and dad will be really angry once they¡¡±
¡°They are gonna be gone for another five thousand years. I give you 500 years before my demons invade your world. Also you are allowed to summon anything to help your world.¡±
Inera¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Only 500 years?¡±
¡°Bye!¡±
¡°¡ can I even develop my world enough¡ should I summon something?¡±¡¯
Inera hesitated. Summoning something that didn¡¯t come from her world could drastically change it. Sometimes, the result would be terrible.
1040 May 24th, 2020 CE
0820 Sun 24th, 196 AE
Malean, Elven Nation
After having most of the elves that were with her stay at the outskirts of the town, Ara and a few other elves walked into the townsquare. On her way there, the town was eerily quiet. She stopped and took in the scene in front of her. Standing besides her, the Lieutenant turned his head to look at her. ¡°Major General, seems like we have units that got here before us.¡±
Two elves in officer uniforms were in the townsquare arguing. ¡°These are our supplies!¡±
¡°No! Ours!¡±
Elven soldiers were scattered around. A few scared townselves stood by and watched. Ara and the Lieutenant approached them.¡°What¡¯s happening here?¡±
Both elves turned towards Ara and said the same thing.¡°Who are you?¡±
¡°Major General Ara Belra of the 11th Blitzpanzer Division. Beside me is Lieutenant Ehlark Valzana of the 10th Infantry Division. Who are you two?
¡°Captain Jandar Miraric of the 5th Tracked Infantry Division.¡±
¡°Major Ruvaen Jostina of the 33rd Infantry Division.¡±
Ruvaen stared at Ara. ¡°Look here, we got here first so these supplies belong to us.¡±
Jandar chuckled. ¡°Well, tell that to my magitrack!¡±
A magitrack rolled into the townsquare. A soldier manned the machine gun on it. Ara looked at Ehlark and whispered into his ear. ¡°Lieutenant. Get it over here.¡±
¡°Are you sure Major General? We can¡¯t use¡¡±
Ara cut him off. ¡°Yes. I¡¯m sure. I¡¯m¡ I guess I¡¯m currently your commanding officer. I will take full responsibility for anything that happens.¡±
After Ehlark nodded and left, Ara shook her head. ¡°Sheesh, he follows the rules too much.¡± She turned back to the standoff.
¡°We will shoot!¡±
¡°You won¡¯t dare!¡±
Ara shouted. ¡°Stop! Stop! Stop!¡±
Jandar and Ruvaen looked at her and said the same thing again. ¡°What?!¡±
¡°Look we are all soldiers of the Elven Nation here. We are part of the same army. Can¡¯t we share the supplies? Maybe we can even travel together as a single unit.¡±
Ruvaen stared at her. ¡°Between the three of us? Together?
Jandar shook his head. ¡°I have a couple hundred elves of my unit with me. They are my unit and my unit only. We need those supplies!¡±
¡°No, my unit need them.¡±
Ara coughed. ¡°I outrank bo¡¡±
She got cut off by Jandar. ¡°Look here missy, tell your rank to my magitrack. These supplies are mine.¡±
A vein popped on her forehead. ¡°Oh so you gentleelves want to have a ¡®who has the biggest dick contest?¡¯¡± A rumbling noise came from behind her. ¡°Well then, tell that to my Knight."
A Knight came from behind her and stopped in the townsquare. It turned its turret towards the magitrack. Ara took a deep breath. ¡°Ok now. We will be sharing these supplies based on how many elves we have and what we need. Understood, gentleelves?¡±
Ruvaen and Jandar stared at each other and then looked back at Ara and then looked at the Knight. ¡°...ok.¡±
¡°...I guess.¡±
15 minutes later
Ara, Jandar, and Ruvaen were sitting in someone¡¯s house conversing. Ara looked at Jandar. ¡°Ok so since you have magitracks and I have magipanzers, we will be splitting the fuel. I¡¯m taking 60 percent. You are taking 40 percent.¡±
Jandar immediately protested. ¡°Hey! That¡¯s not fair!¡±
¡°My Knight needs more fuel than your magitrack. I¡¯m already being lenient here.¡±
Jandar looked away. ¡°... alright¡¡±
¡°Ok and that should cover almost everything. I hope you two have a good day.¡±
Elven Underground Command Complex, Elven Nation
Tarron, with a frown on his face, approached his aides. The aides, who have been busy with compiling reports and various other tasks, all stopped and nervously stared at Tarron. Tarron looked around.
¡°We are leaving. If he really betrayed us, I won¡¯t be surprised if he tells the humans where we are located. Spread the word. Take as much supplies as you can.¡±
40 minutes later
Outside the complex, Colonel General Vuduin Roqe looked at Tarron. ¡°My Leader, we have nearly completed evacuations. Where will we go from here?¡±
Tarron smiled. ¡°Where our ancestors have called their home.¡±
Chapter 85 - Warlord, Opposition, and Resistance
0310 May 26th, 2020 CE
0435 Sun 26th, 196 AE
Ovagroth, Elven Nation
Although it has been reduced for the past few days, the tension between the surviving elves in the city and the human soldiers still ran high.
Finn yawned as he stood on the busy street watching the elves walk by. Beside him, Blake and Curtis were laughing about some joke. Finn was glad to see Curtis doing fine. Finn started to yawn again but stopped as he heard gunshots. ¡°Shit.¡±
The crowd of elven civilians started screaming and running.
<<<¡±Give me a report! What is going on out there?¡±
¡°Shit! There¡¯s an elf shooting some magic at us!¡± >>>
Finn, Curtis, and Blake ran towards the noise. The gunshots died down just as they arrived on scene. A clearly dead elf laid on the ground a yard or so away from US soldiers. ¡°He¡¯s down!¡±
Blake looked around. ¡°Fuck. What was that? Anybody injured?¡±
A US soldier laid on the ground. A medic was working on him. The downed soldier coughed. ¡°Shit. I¡¯m fine. Just a bit shook up.¡±
The medic patted the soldier¡¯s back.¡°It didn¡¯t even get through your vest. Just throwing stones at us with magic.¡±
He bent down and picked up one of the projectiles. It was just a small stone. ¡°Thank god most of these civvies have weak magic. That water guy last week was nasty.¡±
Finn walked towards the group of soldiers. ¡°Heard he injured two guys. He was a soldier that we didn¡¯t net when we swept through the area.¡±
Blake shook his head. ¡°I really can¡¯t be comfortable with the fact that all these elves have weapons on them.¡±
Curts nodded. ¡°At least most of the elven civilians here are peaceful.¡±
Blake chuckled.¡°Well, we kinda killed and imprisoned almost all of the non-peaceful ones.¡±
A few miles from the Galath Mountain Range
Colonel Brian Trujillo led Anfalen out to the field that had a Blackhawk waiting. Anfalen looked cruiously at it. ¡°So these are helicopters.¡±
¡°You know about helicopters?¡±
¡°The Advancement Department was working on producing helicopters. They haven¡¯t made it yet though.¡±
¡°Well, this is a Blackhawk. A transport helicopter. Probably the safest way of transport here. We will be sending you to the Port City of Filanneas. Our diplomat will meet you there.¡±
0623 May 26th, 2020 CE
0611 Sun 26th, 196 AE
Port City of Filanneas
Daniel felt a bit tired. He was a US diplomat in the Magusian Imperium that was just given a bunch of information and rushed here. He entered the room. An elf was standing next to a seat. They shook hands.
¡°Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Diplomat Daniel Foley.¡±
¡°Anfalen Inaneiros. Former Head of the Elven Intelligence Department.¡±
¡°Take a seat. I have been temporarily assigned by my government to meet with you. Of course, I hope you understand that we are not here for compromise. The current elven government must be completely dissolved and remade. Tarron Venharice will either be killed or if he survives, be tried for crimes against humanity.¡±
¡°That is perfectly alright with me. As long as we remain a free race. We will not accept being ruled by humans.¡±
¡°We are not here to conquer you. We will leave once a stable democratic elven government.¡±
¡°I will help.¡±
¡°Well, my government would like a lot of information from you¡¡±
A few minutes later
Daniel walked beside Anafalen. ¡°It is highly likely that you would be a target of assassination. I won¡¯t be surprised if they electrocute you or something.¡±
¡°Electrocute? We don¡¯t have electricity magic.¡±
¡°Well, that explains why I haven¡¯t heard anything about our soldiers getting struck by lightning magic or something.¡±
This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.
¡°Does your country¡¯s intelligence not know this? Lightning magic doesn¡¯t exist. There are four main types of mana. Air, water, fire, and earth. I¡¯m able to manipulate air mana quite well. It¡¯s not good at attacking but very good at defending against regular magic attacks.¡±
¡°Well, we will still have guards with you.¡±
0839 May 26th, 2020 CE
0719 Sun 26th, 196 AE
Skies over the Elven Nation
A B-2 bomber cut through the sky. Its black paint glinted in the sunlight. The bay doors slowly opened up and a MOP dropped. A few seconds later, a massive blast went off on the ground. An RQ-170 stealth drone circled around in the sky. Ronell watched the live footage from the situation room. Cralson nodded. ¡°That should be a good effect on target if the bunker is really there.¡±
¡°The entrance is where he said it will be. Hopefully, we killed that Tarron bastard.¡±
Einora, Elven Nation
An elf, holding a submachine gun, shouted. ¡°They have a Knight with them! Get the PAM!¡±
Another elf ran up and aimed a PAM at the Knight. The magirocket flew over the turret of the Knight. The Knight¡¯s turret turned towards the elf.
¡°Oh n¡¡±
Elves started throwing down their weapons and raising their hands towards the tank. ¡°We surrender! Don¡¯t shoot!¡±
A tied up elf looked ¡°You are nothing more than traitors to the Leader!¡±
¡°Oh, Wirenth. I doubt our Leader is even alive anymore. Even if he was, he has abandoned us and proven himself incompetent. We may be traitors to the Leader but we aren''t traitors to our country. I¡¯m proclaiming myself as the ruler of this town and the surrounding area.¡±
¡°My reinforcements will come. Nasir¡ you will regret your betrayal!¡±
¡°Ha! Reinforcements? What reinforcements? A chain of command doesn¡¯t exist anymore. It¡¯s everyone for themselves. For the past few days, I tried to recieve orders and tried to request for supplies. But we were ignored. My elves were forced to scavenge just to survive. Look, I give you this chance to live. Most of your elves have agreed to serve me. How about you? If you swear your oath to me, we can create an empire.¡±
¡°Never!¡±
Nasir nodded to the two elves flanking Wirenth. ¡°Well, if that¡¯s your decision. Take him away and deal with him.¡±
50 miles from the Elven Underground Command Complex
A platoon of elves held up their rifles at the sight of two elves appraoching them. ¡°Halt! Identify yourselves?¡±
¡°We are forward elements of the Leader Security Company. The Leader would like to meet with the current commander of your force. Which unit are you?¡±
¡°We are the 11th Tracked Infantry Regiment¡±
10 minutes later
Colonel Goras Balhorn saluted. ¡°My Leader!¡±
Tarron nodded. ¡°Colonel Balhorn.¡±
¡°Your orders, sir?¡±
¡°We will be conducting a retreat to the Forest of Origin. I would like to give a short speech to your elves.¡±
¡°Of course, sir!¡±
Tarron stood in front of a thousand or so elves of the 11th Tracked Infantry.
¡°...we will be fighting a war for the survival of all elves! These humans may have demons supporting them but do not fear, we are the mightest species on this planet. Through our righteousness and our will, we shall destroy these pests that infest this planet. We will make them run from our homes. We shall cleanse this world of them. We shall return to our ancestral land and show these humans that we are not defeated!¡±
Tarron conversed with his general staff. ¡°Before destroying the large communication equipment, we sent out a message telling all units to regroup at the Forest of Origin. I¡¯m not sure how many units were able to receive it though.¡±
Tarron nodded. ¡°As long as we have a division of elves, we can still fight.¡±
Port City of Filanneas
Anfalen stood in front of a crowd of elves. ¡°My fellow elves, I have made a deal with these humans. I understand why you want to call me a traitor but I¡¯m an ally of all elves. What I seek for is the survival and freedom of the elven species!¡±
There were murmurs among the elves.
¡°Look at where we are now. We have no control of our country and humans are everywhere. I dream of a future where we will have control over our own country and these humans will be gone. Of course, you can continue fighting but I¡¯m afraid we won¡¯t win. The humans have already taken the mountains. Our military is in disarray. And our leaders have fled.¡±
Two F-15s make sonic booms overhead.
¡°Like you, I have no intention of living under humans. The humans have offered me the fact that they don¡¯t want to control us either since they know we will resist every second of it. As long as we don¡¯t attack the humans, they will leave us alone.¡±
In a forest, Elven Nation
Ara watched as her tank crew refueled the Knight. The crew popped open the doors on the back of the Knight. They removed the two massive magibatteries that were attached. A long tube, the Mana Suction Connector, connected the large magibatteries with multiple smaller ones which was the fuel they got from the town. After checking that the connector was linked in the right direction, they turned the valve. Mana flowed from the smaller magibattery to the bigger ones.
Ara wondered how much of the magibatteries was left. Cities were the major producers of magibatteries. The density of cities, in the millions, allowed magibatteries to be easily fueled. With most cities bombed by the Americans, she doubted there would be enough.
The Knight¡¯s consumption of mana was ridiculously high. To travel a few hundred miles, it required mana that was capable of powering a town for multiple days. If she had her men continuously refill the smaller magibatteries, she doubted it would be enough. At this point, she regretted not pushing the idea to join forces.
1023 May 26th, 2020 CE
Washington D.C.
Ronnell sat back and listened to Cralson. ¡°We will be launching an assault on the Elven capital city within 35 hours. The Air Force and artillery have pounded it for the last 10 days. According to General Thompson, resistance will still be heavy. We are expecting something like the Battle of Berlin.¡±
39 hours later
Afvalin, Elven Nation
John¡¯s Abrams lurched to a stop. ¡°Fire!¡±
The Stallion exploded as an Abrams shell went right through it. The Abrams¡¯ machine guns opened up on the elven infantry defending the street.¡±
The ground started shaking. ¡°Woah! What the fuck?¡±
Chapter 86 - The Elves Fight On
1444 May 27th, 2020 CE
1022 Sun 27th, 196 AE
Afvalin, Elven Nation
From far away, the explosions and orange glows could be heard and seen in the night skies of Afvalin.
The fire control officer looked at the black and white video feed. ¡°We got an Elven armored column down there. Goddamn, how well did they hide their armor.¡±
¡°Seems like they crashed them into houses so they could be hidden.¡±
¡°Well not like that matters much now.¡±
The 105 mm on AC-130 circling the city opened up on the four Elven Knights below.
¡°We have what seems to be a company of elven infantry coming down that street.¡±
The 30 mm autocannon made bright white dots on the screen of the thermal camera as rounds hit the elves below.
The battle had been going on for a day and the elves were fighting tooth and nail for their capital city.
0123 May 28th, 2020 CE
0341 Sun 28th, 196 AE
The shooting stopped as the ground shook violently. Bricks fell off of some of the three story buildings. Jacob ducked and yelled at his squad. ¡°Get back into the Bradleys! The buildings are coming down!¡±
Issac piled into the Bradley along with his squad. ¡°Why the fuck is there an earthquake? What¡¯s the chances of that?¡±
The Bradley shook violently. A metallic pang rang out as something hit the Bradley from the outside.
Captain John Rose felt his entire body shake as the ground shook violently.
<<<¡°Captain! This is 2nd Platoon. The river is overflowing!¡±
¡°It¡¯s overflowing? How bad?¡±
¡°The water in the river is rising up at unbelievable speeds. Shit! All tanks in 2nd Platoon back up! Shit! Shit! Shit! Fuck! It¡¯s gushing towards us!¡±>>>
Another voice came on the radio.
<<<¡°All units pull out of the city. Find the fastest route possible. The city is submerging!>>>
As the shaking stopped, some water started flowing down the street. John¡¯s tank started moving back. Even with the rising water, elves were shooting again.
¡°There¡¯s a tank to our left!¡±
The driver of the Bradley yelled back at Jacob. ¡°The water is getting too high. We have to abandon the Bradley or we will be swept away Everyone get out!¡±
They have been trying to navigate the city in order to get out but weren¡¯t fast enough. Elves had also tried to stop the Bradley but were quickly dealt with by its 25mm chain gun.
¡°Fuck! We need to get on a building. Go!¡±
Issac waded his way through the gushing water and followed his squad. Entering the house, there was already a few feet of water on the ground. They rushed up the deserted building. Jacob, Issac, and the rest of the squad got onto the roof of the house through a window. The water was filling the street and rising. Their Bradley started floating away. A wave then engulfed it and turned it sideways
Jacob shook his head. ¡°Fucking hell. The elves must be up to some shit with their magic.¡±
Issac looked over the roof and at the ground. ¡°Um, the water is still rising¡ we may need to find higher ground.¡±
¡°The building beside us is a story or two higher. We should swim across when the water gets high enough.¡±
This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.Issac shook his head. ¡°The water is too violent and there are random waves, we can¡¯t swim across¡±
Jacob nodded. ¡°I¡¯m gonna try to get an evac for us.¡±
<<<¡°This is 1st Squad of 2nd Platoon. I have my squad with me. We need an evac here! We are stuck on a building on the east side of the city.¡±>>>
Issac couldn¡¯t hear what was being said on the other side of the radio but Jacob shouted.
<<<¡°Just get us something!¡±>>>
10 minutes later
In the distance, a black helicopter got closer and closer. Issac shouted. ¡°Our ride is here!¡±
Jacob looked at the edges of the roof. ¡±Jesus christ! Get in the helicopter! GO! GO! GO!¡±
The water was splashing onto the sides of the roof of the building. The men piled into the Blackhawk. As the water started flowing onto the roof, the Blackhawk¡¯s wheels started lifting off the ground. The Blackhawk¡¯s rotors made waves onto the water. Suddenly, a wave of water started coming for them.
¡°There¡¯s a fucking wave incoming!¡±
¡°Come on! Get us off the ground!¡±
The wave barely missed them as the Blackhawk gained altitude.
Afvalin, Elven Nation
The capital city of the elves was once in a valley that had a river run through it. Now, it was just a massive lake. Debris floated around in the water and the structures that hadn¡¯t been swept away stuck out of the water. It was as if a hurricane just swept through. A few Blackhawks and Chinooks flew over the flooded city. An F-15 flew by. In one of the Blackhawks, Issac looked out. ¡°They fucking sacrificed an entire city, their capital, just to kill a few of us.¡±
Jacob took in the view. ¡°Probably for their sense of pride or something. The elves¡¯ mentality doesn¡¯t differ that much from a human¡¯s. I guess. If we can¡¯t have it, you can¡¯t have it either.¡±
0444 May 28th, 2020 CE
0522 Sun 28th, 2020 CE
Washington D.C.
Ronell looked very stern. ¡°How many men did we lose?¡±
Cralson looked grim. ¡°A couple hundred were drowned. We lost five Abrams, two Bradley, and a couple of other vehicles. This was completely out of our expectations. Fucking magic bullshit.¡±
¡°We have to look out for things like these in the future. I would like all units to stay about a mile away from rivers.¡±
¡°We could ask the elven official that surrendered to us. He may know something.¡±
Port City of Filanneas
Anfalen shook his head. ¡°I did not know that Tarron had any plans to submerge the capital city.¡±
Daniel nodded. ¡°Can your entire country be submerged again?¡±
¡°We aren¡¯t capable of submerging this country as of right now. We were able to submerge our country and keep it submerged because of the last Great Magus. We surfaced our continent right when he died. The current Great Magus doesn¡¯t have the power to submerge us or keep us submerged. The Great Magus with that amount of ability comes about once every few thousand years.¡±
¡°Good to hear that we only have to deal with one of these bastards.¡±
¡°Well, if the capital is gone, then the current Great Magus might be dead. With great amounts of mana, comes great physical weakness. So much mana in one elf is not good for their health. I don¡¯t believe that the current Great Magus could have moved out of there. I remember the successor of the current Great Magus wasn¡¯t that powerful. We were still trying to find a suitable replacement for him.¡±
Washington D.C.
Ronell was delighted to hear that the chances of another flooding incident happening wasn¡¯t likely. However, the ¡®stay away from rivers¡¯ command was still in effect just in case. The President sat in the Situation Room for a briefing by General Thompson. ¡°We are seeing a general breakdown of order among their units. We have some units seemingly retreating in a similar southern direction. However we have many units that are holding their ground yet not covering anybody¡¯s retreat. There are some units moving in a completely unreasonable direction. According to military intelligence, it is highly likely that Tarron Venharice is dead.¡±
Forest of Origin, Elven Nation
Colonel General Vuduin Roqen took in the forest. ¡°I have never actually visited this place before.¡±
Tarron looked around. ¡°Our ancestors ruled these forests during the days when we used bows and arrows. Well, not much is left of that time. The forest reclaimed it all when we ventured outwards.¡±
A few minutes later
¡°Here¡¯s my plan. We will begin building a base in this forest. Multiple small spread out camps. Each with an independent yet still unified command. The Americans can easily destroy concentrated formations of us and find ways to tear apart our chain of command. This forest is perfect for ambushes. Their armor can¡¯t enter the forest.¡±
Tarron nodded to Vuduin¡¯s words. ¡°What will we do about our armor? We can¡¯t just abandon them outside the forest.¡±
¡°Our armor has proven quite ineffective against theirs. At this point, they are just metal coffins. The Titan was killed without even putting up a fight. At most, we bring our Stallions.¡±
¡°The Knights have some use. We can entrench them and make them into bunkers. We can even hide the few Fortresses we have until the day we use them again.¡±
May 29th
Sun 29th
Galath Mountain Range
With Elven forces in disarray, US and Magusian forces easily crossed over the mountains. The scattered elven units that tried to hold their ground were easily pushed aside.
Chapter 87 - Crumbling Power
0246 May 29th, 2020 CE
0423 Sun 29th, 196 AE
On the other side of the Galath Mountain Range
Frontline
Nick¡¯s Abrams came to a halt. ¡°We have elven soldiers right in front of us. Fire!¡±
The shell exploded on the ten or so elves on the hill. Some elves panickedly stood up with their weapons while others were frozen in shock. Suddenly they started shouting. ¡°We surrender! We surrender!¡±
Droves of elves put their hands up and laid down their weapons. Nick¡¯s Abrams along with the rest of the platoon drove close to the surrendering elves and stopped.
Connolly smiled ¡°Huh¡ nice. Either their fighting spirit is gone or these are just a bunch of untrained conscripts.¡±
Nick stared at them through the slit of the commander¡¯s hatch. ¡°Well, look at them. Some of them seem to be starving. I guess their logistics fell apart.¡±
Infantry started arriving to secure the surrendering elves.
10 minutes later
An elf ran into a run-down building. There were many elves in the building but the messenger ran directly to one. ¡°Commander! Human forces are here! Our forward observers have been defeated!¡±
The elf stood up. ¡°Our ¡®Leader¡¯ may have run away in fear of these measly humans but we will face them! Elves! Into positions! They will not take our city!¡±
¡°Wooo! Our new Leader!¡±
A shout came from outside. ¡°Human aircraft! Get into cover!¡±
Explosions rumbled the ground. The elves dived for the ground and took cover under desks.
A few minutes later
Another messenger came in through the door. ¡°Commander. Our forces are surrendering! Human tanks are here.¡±
Shooting and explosions could be heard outside.
¡°We are retreating! Get to the car!¡±
Somewhere in Elven-held territory, Elven Nation
Sitting on the back of the turret of the moving Knight, Ehlark scanned the sky. His head swished back and forth. ¡°There aren¡¯t that many human aircraft overhead anymore.¡±
Ara, who was sitting in the opened commander¡¯s hatch, replied without looking back at Ehlark. ¡°We are just a magitank on the road. I don¡¯t think the humans will send aircraft just for us. There are probably larger groups moving towards where the Leader is.¡±
Ara turned her head towards the forest beside the road. A few elves could be seen. In reality, a hundred or so elves were in there.
Something landed a few feet in front of her Knight and exploded. Ara lurched forward as her Knight came to a sudden halt. Ara, quickly gathering herself, went back into the Knight and closed her hatch. ¡°Enemy magitank to our left! It¡¯s another Knight.¡±
The turret started moving. Ehlark slid off of the side of the tank and ran into the forest
Ara looked through the slits of her hatch. Off in the distance, a Knight had its gun aimed at her tank. ¡°Fire!¡±
Her magitank¡¯s shell hit the front sloped armor.
¡°First one bounced! Reload. Driver! Turn our tank towards the enemy!¡±
Another shot came from the enemy Knight and flew over her Knight.
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
¡°Fire!¡±
This time the shot went through the front and an explosion occurred. Ara took a deep breath and let it out. She opened the hatch and looked out towards the destroyed Knight in the grassy field. Ehlark was beside her in an instant. ¡°Are you alright Major General?¡±
Ara¡¯s eyes widened at the voice of Ehlark. ¡°Oh, Ehlark, you spooked me there. I¡¯m fine.¡± Ara turned her head to the forest. ¡°I need a squad over here! Check the enemy Knight!¡±
An elf saluted as he approached her. ¡°Major General. The bodies are definitely elves. The surrounding area seems clear though.¡±
Ara rubbed her head. ¡°We need to be more careful. We don¡¯t know who is friend or foe now.¡±
Ehlark and Ara stood side by side while observing the destroyed tank. Ara touched the hole that her Knight made in it. ¡°Any idea which unit they are from?¡±
Ehlark shook his head. ¡°Based on the designation on it, it should be from the 88th Magipanzer Division. However, the crew aren¡¯t wearing a tanker¡¯s uniform so they could be from another unit.¡±
Ara frowned. ¡°Their shots are so bad, I don¡¯t think they are a part of the Double Eight unless they started conscripting random elves into their division. I don¡¯t think their pride could have taken it.¡±
Four hours later
Ara awaited the response of the village chief. After swallowing, the village chief spoke. ¡°Sorry, Major General. We just restarted production after another group of soldiers took ours. We barely have enough to power our village. Such a measly amount can¡¯t power your vehicles.¡±
Ara sighed and walked out of the building. Ehlark was standing outside. Ara looked at Ehlark. ¡°We may have to abandon our Knight.¡±
0845 May 29th, 2020 CE
Washington D.C.
Ronell looked through the satellite images. ¡°We have spotted increased activity inside this large forest. It seems that a lot of surviving elven units are moving towards this location.¡±
¡°Either a new Leader has arisen or Tarron isn¡¯t dead.¡±
Ronell groaned. ¡°I want this forest destroyed.¡±
¡°Understood, Mr. President.¡±
0833 May 30th, 2020 CE
0716 Sun 30th, 196 AE
Forest of Origin, Elven Nation
Many elves were working on trenches that would crisscross the main base. A single elf came running towards them. ¡°We have reports of human aircraft! Get back into the bunkers!¡±
¡°Our observers outside the forest have reported human aircraft. The humans seem to have found us, sir.¡±
General of the Infantry Ryo Miahorn nodded. ¡°Of course, this was inevitable. Hopefully, they can¡¯t see through the forest canopy."
Somewhere in the Forest of Origin
¡°I seem to be living more underground now than up above.¡±
Tarron laughed sadly as he drank. He was currently in a dimly lit room with Vuduin. The room was part of a hastily constructed building dug into the ground. There was rapid knocking on the door of his room. Whoever was on the other side of the door shouted. ¡°My Leader! We are under attack! Human aircraft are overhead. They have found us!¡±
Tarron chuckled. ¡°There seems to be nowhere I can run to anymore.¡±
Vuduin, who was sitting beside him, raised his glass. ¡°Well, we are with you till the end. Cheers.¡±
1322 May 30th, 2020 CE
0941 Sun 30th, 196 AE
Washington D.C.
¡°How¡¯s the provisional government?¡±
Katerina smiled at Ronell¡¯s question. ¡°Well, Mr. Inaneiros has been setting some things up. They are already making a census and he has elves fixing basic services in the territories we have secured. We are going directly for a democracy after the war in this situation. I wonder how well the elves will adapt to it, having never experienced it.¡±
¡°Well, we are there as a guiding hand. We can probably fix them the same way we fixed the Germans and Japanese after World War 2. They are a nation-state unlike the Mach Imperium. Also, I heard the Bem Kingdom will be having their referendum soon.¡±
¡°Ah, yes, that had been delayed until now because the process to strip the nobles of their titles has been complicated. The National Guard unit there has been doing quite a good job at keeping the nobles in check. The king already removed the personal armies of most of the nobles so that helped a lot.¡±
Ronell smiled. ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. Do we have a set day for the referendum?¡±
¡°June 6th. Less than two weeks from now.¡±
A bit of concern crossed his face on that.
Aginport, Bem Kingdom
Private Seth Campbell of the 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team of the Virginia Army National Guard made a big yawn as he stood guard in the street. The sun had just started going down. His squad leader, Staff Sergeant Noah Gonzales chuckled. ¡°Tired, Seth?¡±
Seth rubbed his eyes. ¡°Well, yeah, we just kicked another one of those nobles'' asses yesterday.¡±
¡°That should have been the last one. The referendum is gonna happen soon and if that goes well, we get to go home.¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t think being a part of the National Guard would be this much. I thought we would help people out during natural disasters. Not shooting people trying to kill us with muskets¡±
¡°Ha. We are still soldiers. Not sure what you expected. National Guard units have been sent to fight wars since World War 2 or something. Well, at least you weren¡¯t here when we deployed to Iraq. I rather fight a bunch of 17th century soldiers with muskets than terrorists with AKs and suicide vests.¡±
¡°Well if you put it that way, I guess so.¡±
Chapter 88 - The Inevitable
0840 May 30th, 2020 CE
0720 Sun 30th, 196 AE
Forest of Origin, Elven Nation
AA thauguns, positioned in openings in the forest so that their shells didn¡¯t explode in the trees, fired into the air.
¡°This isn¡¯t working! They are too fast.¡±
The human planes zoomed by before the manaflak even exploded in the air.
Mark 77 incendiary bombs dropped from the F-15Es zooming overhead.
¡°The forest is on fire! We need to put it out!¡±
¡°Sir, they are still bombing us. We can¡¯t go out!¡±
¡°Anybody who has water abilities! We need you up here!¡±
¡°But sir!¡±
¡°We have to put out the fire before it spreads even further.¡±
Flames chewed through the forest and explosions rocked the ground.
MacDill Air Force Base, Florida
General Abrams Thompson watched the drone footage that showed the damage done on the forest. ¡°The elves seem to have put the flames out quite fast.¡±
His aide snorted. ¡°They have water magic bullshit. Of course they put it out fast.¡±
¡°Well, the President has given specific orders for that forest to be wiped off of the face of this planet. I want more strikes on that forest. Also divert two B-52s on that. I want the place leveled. Carpet bomb it if you need to.¡±
1722 May 30th, 2020 CE
The Pentagon
In his office cubicle, Daniel Gretting looked at the report on his computer screen and muttered to himself. ¡°Hm. Weird. These numbers seem to be incorrect. The past few reports were all 3 deaths from airstrikes.¡±
He scrolled through the report that detailed the latest numbers on civilian casualties. In the end, the information on these reports will have to be compiled into an overall report titled ¡®Annual Report on Civilian Casualties In Connection With United States Military Operations in 2020¡¯. Daniel looked at the time. He looked back down at his computer screen. He was just a civilian worker for the Department of Defense and it was nearly time for him to clock out. Rubbing his head, he turned off his computer and stood up. ¡°I will deal with this later. I get the feeling this is complicated shit that I got myself into. Of course it had to be fucking me to notice.¡±
0250 May 31st, 2020 CE
0425 Sun 31st, 196 AE
87 miles from the Forest of Origin
The Knight started sputtering and suddenly stopped. Ara looked down into the tank. ¡°Has the magibatteries ran out of fuel?¡±
One of her crew members shouted back. ¡°I think so. It¡¯s not starting.¡±
¡°Ok. Everyone get out!¡±
Ara jumped off the side of the Knight and hit the ground. She turned around and looked at the Knight. The rest of the crew slid off the tank. Ehlark also slid off the side of the tank. Ara looked at Ehlark. ¡°Well, I had hoped it would have gotten us to the Forest of Origin. I didn¡¯t want to steal from those civilians if I had known we would have had to abandon it.¡±
Ehlark cocked his head. ¡°In military law and rules of conduct, seizing materials from civilians in order to aid the war effort is legal and encouraged.¡±
Ara sighed and shook her head. ¡°Are rules all you think about?¡±
Forest of Origin
Tarron listened intently to Vuduin. ¡°According to reports from those who have recently arrived, there are multiple units who have defected.¡±
¡°To the humans?¡±
¡°No, my Leader, it seems like they couldn¡¯t bear the humiliation of turning to the humans, so instead they have formed their own independent groups.¡±
¡°Well, they will just be a bump in the road for the humans. As long as they don¡¯t attack us, they are free to do whatever they want. It¡¯s probably better since they are bogging down the human advance.¡±
Vuduin stopped what he was saying. He wanted to warn Tarron that he was losing his grip over the country and many had become disillusioned. Tarron cocked his head. ¡°Colonel General?¡±
¡°Oh, sorry. Was thinking if there was anything else. We do have reports of elves being attacked by other elves.¡±
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Three days later
0506 June 3rd, 2020 CE
0533 Sun 34th, 196 AE
Explosions shook the ground. Loose dirt fell from the ceiling and landed on Tarron¡¯s map. He swept it off and sighed. ¡°They have been bombing for the last four days already.¡±
Less than a mile away
Ara stood in utter shock. The Forest of Origin looked almost unrecognizable. What was once a lush green forest had become grey charred wood and blackened dirt. ¡°What¡¡±
Ehlark had a grim look on his face. ¡°The humans found out.¡±
Ara gritted her teeth. ¡°Who goes there!?¡±
Ara and Ehlark pulled out their pistols while her de facto unit raised their rifles and submachine guns. They turned to face an elf approaching them
¡°I¡¯m Major General Ara Balra of the 11th Blitzpanzer Division. Who am I speaking to?¡±
The elf saluted. ¡°Private Rhys Keagella of the Leader Security Company.¡±
¡°Is the Leader still alive?¡±
¡°He is. We have set up a bunker system in the forest. Human aircraft have been bombarding us daily for the past four days but its been holding up.¡±
¡°I would like to meet with the Leader.¡±
¡°I will see what I can do. Are these elves from your division?¡±
¡°No. These are just survivors that I gathered at random. I haven¡¯t bothered to check which unit they were from.¡±
45 minutes later
Ara entered the room and immediately saluted. ¡°My Leader!¡±
¡°Major General. I would like to commend you for safely guiding a hundred elves here.¡±
¡°Just doing my duty, sir.¡±
¡°Good to hear.¡±
¡°May I inquire about our current situation? I have not been able to communicate with any form of command.¡±
Tarron smiled at that. ¡°This is Colonel General Vuduin Roqen. He will update you on the current situation.¡±
Ara gave a salute to Vuduin. Vuduin nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s take this conversation outside. There is much to inform you about.¡±
¡°Ah, before you two go, I forgot something important. Congratulations, Major General Ara Balra, I¡¯m awarding you a two rank promotion to General of the Magipanzers. Also, so much has been happening for the past few days and this is far overdue but Colonel General Vuduin Roqen, you have been promoted to Field Marshal. I expect much from you two, General of the Magipanzers Balra and Field Marshal Roqen.¡±
They both saluated. ¡°Thank you my Leader!¡±
¡°The Forest of Origin is currently the only place in our actual control. Everything else not controlled by humans is in our de jure control. We have been bombed daily and its worsening. Truth to be told¡¡±
Vuduin stopped. Ara eyed him. Vuduin looked around and lowered his voice. ¡°Truth to be told, I don¡¯t think this war is currently in our favor. Our current government has lost legitimacy. I¡¯m pretty sure you have been fired upon by other elves. I would actually suggest surre¡ negotiations with the humans.¡±
¡°You know if you said that to most other elves, they would probably report you for treason. However, I agree with that. But with how you are saying it, I guess our Leader isn¡¯t too keen on that idea.¡±
Vuduin laughed. ¡°I¡¯m a Field Marshal now and I¡¯m currently quite close with Tarron. He will believe my words more than anybody else.¡±
They exited the bunker. They were deeper in the forest and this portion wasn¡¯t as devastated as other parts of the forest.
Vuduin continued. ¡°I have been talking with a few other officers who also are thinking like me. But we don¡¯t want to do anything premature.¡±
¡°Any orders then?¡±
¡°Those 500 or so elves you led here have been assigned to you. We also have a couple hundred elves that will also be under your command. Not much but that will have to do. Which unit were you from, again?¡±
¡°The 11th Blitzpanzer Division.¡±
¡°I believe we have some survivors from your units. With magipanzers too. They will be assigned to you.¡±
Ara smiled. ¡°I¡¯m happy to hear. My elves are some hardy ones.¡±
¡°Also, I don¡¯t need you to write up a report about what you faced during your retreat here. We have more important things to do. We have been building up defensive positions. Trenches, bunkers, and such. I will take you to the command center and give you the exact locations.¡±
An hour later
Ara found Ehlark among the other elves she had left. ¡°Ehlark! I got promoted to General of the Magipanzers. You are under my command now.¡±
¡°Glad to hear that, General.¡±
¡°Not sure if I¡¯m allowed to do this but I¡¯m giving you a five rank promotion. Congratulations Colonel Valzana.¡±
¡°Ummmm¡¡±
Ara chuckled. ¡°Any higher you will be a general and I¡¯m pretty sure I¡¯m not allowed to do that. But I do need a second in command. You may follow the rules too much but you are probably the most suited.¡±
0822 June 3rd, 2020 CE
0711 Sun 34th, 196 AE
White House
Cralson updated him on the current military situation. ¡°Most areas have fallen under our control. There has been limited and ineffective resistance from the elves. I believe we have broken them.¡±
Ronell frowned. ¡°Then why hasn¡¯t this war ended?¡±
¡°It seems that the elves would rather become independent forces than surrender to us. We have witnessed elves fighting amongst themselves while still fighting us.¡±
Ronell frowned. ¡°Ok, what¡¯s next? Katrina?¡±
Katrina handed him a report titled ¡®Preparations for the First Bem Elections¡¯. ¡°We have the full list of candidates from the electoral committee. The Bem have around an 60% literacy rate so the candidates are using symbols to represent themselves.¡±
¡°How¡¯s the security situation there?¡±
¡°We have National Guardsmen posted at voting sites, protecting candidates, and patrolling settlements.¡±
Aginport, Bem Kingdom
Seth stood guard at an election site and watched as people walked into the building. He spoke to Noah. ¡°So they are doing the presidential elections first?¡±
¡°There are already a couple parties and quite a few independents on the ballot. They even have a monarchist party.¡±
Seth raised his eyebrows and groaned. ¡°What?¡±
¡°Yeah seriously, I don¡¯t really know their goal but I do hope they just want a figurehead. Well, there¡¯s something even worse. The ¡®Noble¡¯s Party.¡¯¡±
¡°Oh come on.¡±
¡°Guess what they want.¡±
¡°Fuck off. Staff Sergeant. I don¡¯t wanna hear anymore.¡±
Noah laughed.
Chapter 89 - The Occupied Territories
0848 June 3rd, 2020 CE
0724 Sun 34th, 196 AE
Aginport, Bem Kingdom
Side by side, two Bem men wearing full-skirted knee-length coats, knee breeches, and a vest, which seemed straight out of 18th century Europe, walked by an electric light pole. ¡°Say, Glover, chap, I know they made us register for this and issued us ID cards but I have yet to be informed of how this voting works.¡±
Glover scratched his head. ¡°Have you not been reading the Aginport Daily Journal, my old friend? It has a full description of how to do so. It also said that if we are confused, they will have people there to help us. Now, what I¡¯m more concerned about is whether or not these Americans will rig this in their favor in order to have control of us.¡±
¡°Now, now, why would they care about controlling us?¡±
¡°Ervin, it is of most sense. Any normal country would want to control another country. That¡¯s just how the world works these days.¡±
Ervin waved around. ¡°Then they don¡¯t have to put such effort into doing this. They already have full control of our country. Look around us, we are basically an occupied nation.¡±
Both watched as an American soldier walked by holding his automatic rifle. Ervin continued. ¡°And besides, they have given us so much unlike the Mach Imperium. They even created an electric company to give us electricity.¡±
¡°Well, it is just a subsidiary of an American company and they haven¡¯t given everyone electricity.¡±
¡°They still gave us electricity in the end. Better medicine, interesting products, and their food is great. I don¡¯t have anything to argue against that.¡±
They took their place at the end of the line that stretched outside the polling station. American soldiers were more present than on the streets but there were also some Bem soldiers who were armed with muskets.
Walking into the polling station, they were greeted by a man dressed just like them sitting at a desk. He looked up at Ervin. ¡°Please present your ID card.¡± Ervin showed it. ¡°Okay, please sign your name on this form.¡±
A few minutes later
Ervin found Glover as he walked out of the polling station. ¡°So, who did you vote for?¡±
Glover raised an eyebrow. ¡°Well, who did you vote for?¡±
¡°A predicament indeed. How about we say it together.¡±
¡°Sure. That¡¯s a terrific idea.¡±
¡°I will count down. Ready? Glover nodded. "Three. Two. One.¡±
Ervin¡¯s words came out a second earlier. ¡°Milton Wareham of the Bem Democracy Party.¡±
¡°Ned Hays of the Unity Party.¡±
¡°Why Ned Hays? He¡¯s a bit too conservative there.¡±
¡°Well, I like the status quo. Too much change doesn¡¯t suit me well. He isn¡¯t bringing much change to the laws from what I have read."
¡°We have a new system. We should have new laws to go along with it. It¡¯s only of most sense.¡±
¡°Ervin, I never saw you as one of those revolutionaries.¡±
¡°Oh, pish posh, Glover. Everything has changed. By any standards, the Democracy Party isn¡¯t revolutionary at all. If you want revolutionary, then look at the New World Party.¡±
0812 June 5th, 2020 CE
0706 Sun 36th, 196 AE
White House
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Ronell looked through the report on the election results of the Bem presidential elections. Katrina was beside him. ¡°With 54% of the vote, Milton Wareham of the Bem Democracy Party won the presidential elections.¡±
Ronell nodded slowly as he read. ¡°What did they campaign on?¡±
¡°Closer relations with us, improvements to civil rights, and support for free market capitalism seem to be their main focus.¡±
¡°That sounds decent.¡±
¡°There are other good options but much better than the Monarchist Restoration Party or the Noble¡¯s Party.¡±
Ronell looked up at Katrina. ¡°There¡¯s already a party that wants to restore the monarchy?¡±
¡°They only had about 2% of the votes.¡±
¡°We literally just got rid of the monarchy.¡± Ronell shook his head. ¡°I want to have a meeting with Mr. Wareham as soon as possible.¡±
Katrina nodded. ¡°I will set that up.¡±
¡°Also, when are the parliamentary elections occurring?¡±
¡°We are hoping no more than six months from now but that isn¡¯t guaranteed.¡±
¡°Well, at least we have someone up there running the country.¡±
Port City of Filanneas
The Port City of Filanneas had become the temporary capital city of the New Elven Nation. Of course with Afvalin becoming a massive lake, the port city could actually become the permanent capital. Anfalen sat at the desk of his office in the ¡®Presidential Building¡¯. The Americans had made him interim president. He looked through the papers stacked on his desk. Reporting everything ranging from the food situation in every city to the appointment of new officials. Anfalen was glad to see that rebuilding efforts had already begun in multiple cities albeit slowly. They had just gotten the power back on in this city.
He looked at one of the reports and sighed. The main problem was how hostile most elves were to the humans. The Americans were already on his skin about the situation. There were those who just didn¡¯t care about the humans. But quite a lot ranged from skeptical to outright suicidally hostile. It was going to take a lot of work to change the hearts and minds of the population after living so long under a regime with the main goal of teaching everyone to hate humans. Right now he was placating the population using the promise that once they established this new government, the humans would be gone. Anfalen feared that once he wasn¡¯t President anymore, a dumb zealot in his place would launch another idiotic war against the humans again.
Another concern right now was the loss of population. Some cities lost 50% of their population due to the war. It was estimated that by the end of the war, 25% to 50% of the elven population would have died. Recovery might take decades.
He got on his phone and called up an aide. He had to deal with the short term problems right now and worry about the long term ones later. The aide entered the room. ¡°Send the magibattery engineers we have in this city to the Port City of Ilysesari. We need to get power back as soon as possible in every city.¡±
In the streets of the Port City of Filanneas
Everyone kept a wide distance from the human soldier. Some stared at him hostilely. Arasne Qinrieth walked briskly to the food market in order to get out of the tense atmosphere. With current infrastructure in tatters, much of the food here came from relief aid from the humans, more specifically the Americans. Some avoided it but she relatively didn¡¯t care as long as it kept her fed. As she looked through the selection of vegetables, a human military vehicle colored in various shades of green drove past her. Someone threw a rock at it but missed and it kept going.
Getting her groceries, she got back home in a few minutes. She turned on the lights. The power had just come back on a few days ago and she was thankful for it. She was thankful for a lot of things. The fact that she survived, that the humans occupiers weren¡¯t being hostile, and that things were actually going back to normal.
0912 June 5th, 2020 CE
0755 Sun 36th, 196 AE
Forest of Origin
<<<¡°We are closing in on the target.¡±>>>
Two B-52s cruised through the skies in formation. The bomb bay doors of both B-52s opened up. Bombs started dropping in a slow pace. The forest below started exploding.
An elven officer shook his head. ¡°They completely destroyed a portion of the forest. Everything is gone. The entire defensive network, a hundred or so elves are all gone.¡±
¡°They are seeking to completely destroy us all.¡±
¡°What do we do, Field Marshal? We have nowhere else to run. They are shooting at us like fish in a barrel.¡±
¡°We only have one option left. I don¡¯t like it but we won¡¯t survive if we continue.¡±
Subican Kingdom, Soane Continent
¡°Well, King Ferdinand. What do you have to say for yourself?¡±
Vilo¡¯s lioness figure loomed over the king who was clearly trembling in fear.
¡°Commander Flametail¡ I was forced to do this¡ I had to do this to save my people. The situation was hopeless. They came at us with tanks and guns. You have to understand.¡±
Vilo snorted and turned to walk away. ¡°You threw yourself at their feet the moment they arrived and offered your full collaboration. You sent your own army to fight us. No matter how much I would like to kill you right now, the Council will deal with you. Knights, take him away.¡±
Ron quickly followed after her. Jeb and Ahab also started to take their leave. Behind them, the king struggled. ¡°What are you doing!? I¡¯m the king of this nation. Get your hands off of me!¡±
Vilo turned and glared at him. ¡°Or, I could tell the Council an accident happened and a sword accidentally found its way cleaved into your head. I¡¯m pretty sure the Council will understand.¡± The king emitted an ¡®eep¡¯ and went quiet.
Ahab walked beside Vilo. ¡°The elves are pretty much broken at this point. Quite a lot of the occupied nations have declared their liberation. I wonder if you guys even need our services anymore.¡±
Vilo nodded. ¡°That¡¯s up to the Council. And your contract hasn''t ended yet. We still have some resisting elements to sweep up.¡±
Ahab chuckled. ¡°The resisting elves have no armored support anymore and barely have any ammo left. My country has nearly conquered the elves'' homeland. Well, it still feels nice to kick their ass.¡±
Chapter 90 - The Plan to End It All
0844 June 7th, 2020 CE
0722 Sun 38th, 196 AE
Forest of Origin
Ara sat down across from Vuduin. She looked around. ¡°I hope the messenger gets there in time.¡±
¡°He probably won¡¯t. We will have to leave before this place is completely burned and bombed to the ground.¡±
¡°We can trust the messenger right?¡±
¡°Navarre¡¯s actually a very close friend. I trust him with my life.¡±
Ara nodded. ¡°Now, how are we going to leave without Tarron catching wind of us doing so?¡±
¡°We don¡¯t. Even he will know when we need to relocate from a position.¡±
¡°We will be leaving with him? How are we supposed to surrender to the humans then? He will most definitely stop us.¡±
¡°Oh, you don¡¯t have to worry about that. I have been keeping an eye on who¡¯s the most loyal to him and who¡¯s having doubts. I will give you the plan soon.¡±
¡°Are you sure the humans will treat us well?¡±
¡°I¡¯m gambling on it. We are really short on time. I wanted to ask for pardons first before we gave them the information but that will take too long. Anfalen seemed to have defected to the humans so we may have a chance.¡±
0929 June 7th, 2020 CE
0744 Sun 38th, 196 AE
White House
Ronell checked his appearance as he sat in front of a screen. He looked back down at a dossier given to him by the National Security Council. It was packed with information about Milton Wareham. Beside him, a translator fluent in Latin stood. The screen then flickered on. On the screen, Ronell could see the American ambassador to the Bem Republic. The ambassador turned his back and nodded to someone behind him. The ambassador¡¯s face left the screen to show another person sitting at a desk. He had a bushy white mustache and was a bit rotund. He had a friendly look. He was wearing black knee length coat and a powdered wig. There was a translator beside him.
Ronell smiled. ¡°Congratulations, President Wareham. I hope to see your administration create the first democracy of this world.¡±
¡°Thank you, President Hayes. My administration shall do the best it can.¡±
¡°That¡¯s good to hear. I want to know if there¡¯s anything on your agenda or any help we can offer.¡±
¡°The Bem Republic is interested in continued cooperation with the United States of America. I hope your country reciprocates this interest.¡±
¡°Of course. Of course. We will do whatever we can in developing a stable democracy in the Bem Republic.¡±
¡°The thing that worries me the most right now is the discontent from formal nobles. I fear they may be plotting a way to take back power. I abhor the Noble¡¯s Party and I¡¯m currently debating on banning them.¡±
¡°Outlawing a political party would set a dangerous precedent. Unless they directly act or there is proof of collaboration with violent entities, I would not recommend banning them. A stable democracy should accept other political ideologies and movements. However, there will be American soldiers on the ground in your country to keep the peace. We are hoping to establish an indefinite military base on your territory.¡±
¡°My country will gladly welcome that. Although that may depend on the parliament once its established.¡±
¡°Well, we will continue operating the current airfields in your country in order to support the war against the elves. Once the war is over and the situation in your country is stable, there will be a scaling down of troops. However, we will base soldiers in the military base we establish. Most likely ten thousand or so. Maybe even more.¡±
After a few more minutes, the video call ended. It was more of a simple courtesy call but Ronell felt that it got much accomplished. ¡°Seems like a good man. We can work with this.¡±
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Katrina nodded. ¡°Well, we can only truly know from his actions. But I think things will go smoothly.¡±
1025 June 7th, 2020 CE
0812 Sun 38th, 196 AE
Forest of Origin
Human aircraft zipped through the sky, dropping more and more bombs. Even with the size of the forest, the elves were taking heavy casualties. The humans were slowly demolishing every square inch of the forest. The only thing the elves could do was sit in their bunkers and hope they won¡¯t blow up. What they feared most was when two gigantic aircraft flew over. Those dropped gigantic loads of bombs capable of reducing a couple square miles to charred wasteland.
Vuduin entered into the room where Tarron was in. ¡°My Leader, we need to disperse. This forest is no longer safe. We have lost too much elves trying to hold this position without even doing damage to the humans. The few anti-air thauguns we had are all gone.¡±
Startled, Tarron looked towards Vuduin. A bit of dirt fell from the roof of the ceiling. ¡°And how do you recommend doing this dispersion? We have nowhere to go. We spent so much energy building all of this.¡±
¡°It¡¯s no use. It¡¯s slowly getting destroyed. We shouldn¡¯t have regrouped here. We will split into multiple companies spread out across this countryside. Less effective, true, but we won¡¯t be sitting ducks.¡±
Vuduin pulls out a small map from a case and sets it on the table. ¡°This is how I have our units spread out. My Leader, you will be with your security company and will be in a safe location away from the fighting.¡±
White House
Ronell looked at the people in his office. A military aide seems to be the one giving information.
¡°What is this urgent report about?¡±
¡°An elven soldier approached our forces about ten minutes ago claiming to be a messenger for an elven field marshal. He gave us a letter from said field marshal.¡±
¡°What did it say?¡±
¡°Here¡¯s a digital copy.¡± He hands Ronell a tablet. ¡°Basically, the writer introduces himself as ¡®Field Marshal Roqen¡¯ and is currently with Tarron in the forest that we are currently bombing.¡±
¡°So that bastard is still alive. Military intelligence told me he was dead. Goddamit.¡±
¡°This field marshal is claiming that he and many other elven military officials are contemplating surrendering. He claims that Tarron would never agree to it so he created a plan to end this war. He will disperse the elven military outside the forest. Some of them will be surrendering while the others we can wipe out. He¡¯s also asking for him, the other surrendering officials, and their men to be pardoned.¡±
¡°How are we going to know where they are then?¡±
¡°We haven¡¯t received it yet but he gave us a map of where all the units he planned will be. It has units marked that are going to surrender and those that aren''t. We even know where Tarron will be in about two days. Tarron will have a security company with him and most likely a couple of tanks.¡±
Ronell read through the message. ¡°This could be a trap.¡±
¡°True, but we can have drones recon the area to see if it is. If it isn¡¯t, we can end this war.¡±
¡°Has someone sent this to Anfalen? For confirmation about this Roqen fellow?¡±
¡°We are being cautious at who we give this information to. The only people who know about this on our side are the commanding officer who read this and everyone in this room. Although i can get someone to talk to him about whether or not he has heard of ¡®Field Marshal Roqen¡¯¡±
¡°Ok, so Anfalen has heard of him. But he was a Colonel General. I guess he was recently promoted.¡±
¡°Glad we can confirm that. Now just to see if the information that was given to us was correct. I want special forces on standby to capture Tarron if we find him.¡±
¡°Mr.President. The elven messenger is requesting a response to send back to the field marshal.¡±
¡°Let me write a response to thank them. I will guarantee to pardon them if the information is true.¡±
Pentagon
Daniel looked through the reports. He scrolled through past ones. He started muttering. ¡°Something¡¯s not right¡ someone¡¯s trying to hide something.¡±
All he wanted to do was to ignore this because he knew this would involve a lot of shit that he wasn¡¯t going to be happy to go through. But his damn conscience was screaming at him to do something. He needed to talk to someone.
About five hours later
In a caf¨¦, Daniel sipped on a coffee as he waited for his friend. It didn¡¯t take long for his buddy from the same agency of the DoD. ¡°Charles, how has your day been? Heard you got a promotion. Congratulations!¡±
Charles sat down and smiled. ¡°Thank you, I have been doing well. How are you Daniel? This is unusual. We usually don¡¯t meet right after work.¡±
¡°Well, there¡¯s a reason I called you here today. Do you want to get something to drink or eat before we talk about it?¡±
Charles shook his head. Daniel gave a quick look around and lowered his voice. ¡°I think someone is messing with the civilian casualty reports. Some of the data I was looking through seemed suspicious.¡±
Something flashed over Charles'' face before going back to normal. Daniel guessed it was probably shock from what he was telling him. ¡°What is it? What do you mean by suspicious?¡±
¡°Some of the data seems to be repeating. It''s as if someone is trying to hide something.¡±
Charles kept silent.
Daniel continued. ¡°For all I know, the President could be trying to hide things from Congress. And that is way above my pay grade. I don¡¯t want to play the hero but this is some serious stuff. I¡¯m not sure what to do and who to report this to.¡±
¡°Then maybe you shouldn¡¯t. We don¡¯t know who is trying to change the data. It could ruin your life. Someone up there could try to get rid of you.¡±
Daniel sighed. ¡°I just don¡¯t know.¡±
Chapter 91 - The End of an Era is Here
1711 June 7th, 2020 CE
Pentagon
Quincy had his reading glasses on as he scanned through a piece of paper. ¡°So what are you here for today, Charles?¡±
¡°Um¡ Quincy.¡±
Quincy put the paper down and raised his eyebrow at Charles. ¡°Spit it out, I don¡¯t have all day.¡±
¡°Someone may have found out about what we are trying to do.¡±
That got Quincy¡¯s full attention. ¡°...who?¡±
¡°Not totally but someone I know believes that something was suspicious with the reports. He¡¯s thinking about investigating it.¡±
¡°You fucking fool. Tell me their name.¡±
¡°Um¡ I don¡¯t think we have to worry. He doesn¡¯t seem¡¡±
Quincy cut him off. ¡°Spit it out or I swear your life will be a living hell from this point forward.¡±
Charles looked to the side. ¡°Daniel Gretting. He¡¯s a coworker. He talked to me about the civilian casualty reports being weird and wanted my advice.¡±
1025 June 7th, 2020 CE
0812 Sun 38th, 196 AE
Forest of Origin
Tarron reviewed the plan that Vuduin had given him. ¡°And you are sure this is a good plan?¡±
¡°I have already talked with the other high ranking officers and they have approved. It¡¯s better than us sitting here until we get bombed to oblivion.¡±
¡°And where will I be exactly?¡±
¡°You will be with your security company at an isolated location. It should be labeled on the map.¡± Vuduin pointed at the red circle with ¡®LSC¡¯ labeled on it. Then he pointed to another red circle labeled ¡®Vuduin¡¯. ¡°I will be in command of the center. I will lead about 500 or so elves to garrison this town. We will subjugate any rogue elves we find. I don¡¯t expect there to be much since this is less than 60 miles away from here.¡±
20 minutes later
In one of the rooms of the bunker system in the forest, Ara looked at the map presented to her by Vuduin. ¡°So we are defecting to the humans then? I¡¯m not sure how my elves will take this.¡±
Vuduin smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We will be surrounded and then ¡®forced¡¯ to surrender. Of course, we won¡¯t be doing much fighting. We will be intentionally falling into a trap.¡±
1422 June 7th, 2020 CE
1011 Sun 38th, 196 AE
It had only been an hour since Vuduin and his unit set off in the cover of darkness when the elves at the front of the unit noticed a car barreling towards them.
Vuduin, who was on foot with his other aides, was approached by an elf from his unit. ¡°Field Marshal, there¡¯s an elf who claims to be your friend and has an important message.¡±
¡°Lead him to me.¡±
The elven messenger approached Vuduin. Vuduin looked at his aides. ¡°Please give me some privacy. This is sensitive information.¡±
After getting out of hearing distance, Vuduin looked at the messenger. ¡°Navarre, did you relay the message?¡±
Navarre nodded. ¡°The humans have guaranteed a pardon to you and your soldiers and officers.¡±
¡°Well done. How long did it take you?¡±
¡°It was a short car ride. The humans are about 100 or so miles away from us. Wasn¡¯t that long.¡±
¡°Okay. I need you to send another message. This time, stay with the humans and don¡¯t come back. Understood?¡±
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¡°Yes, sir.¡±
Vuduin handed him a piece of paper. ¡°I will see you there.¡±
One hours later
White House
The camera on the MQ-9 Reaper drone rotated. Ronell watched the green tinted video feed. Multiple others were watching it with him. ¡°There are a lot of elven soldiers down there. This might be it. How many soldiers are we dealing with?¡±
¡°According to the elven messenger, there should be around two hundred of them with armored vehicles. That large group seems to be them. We have yet to confirm if Tarron is there.¡±
¡°I want his location to be confirmed and the surrounding area be surveyed before sending in Task Force 141.¡±
20 minutes later
¡°It has just been confirmed. They are in a very vulnerable position. There is no other elven soldiers in the surrounding area and we have confirmation that someone matching Tarron¡¯s description is there.¡±
Ronell smiled. ¡°Tell the commander in charge of this operation that I want that bastard alive.¡±
1533 June 7th, 2020 CE
1046 Sun 38th, 196 AE
40 miles from the Forest of Origin
Three AH-6 Little Birds, an egg-shaped helicopter with a minigun and rocket pod on each side, touched down. Four men jumped off the sides of each helicopter. The 12-men Delta Force team quickly disembarked and the Little Birds took off.
A hellfire missile shot out from the Reaper drone that had been observing the Leader Security Company. The Stallion exploded as the missile slammed into it. The elves took one glance at the burning husk of a light tank and moved into action. ¡°The humans are here! Guard the Leader!¡±
Tarron looked around at the commotion. Suddenly an elf came up to him and saluted. ¡°My Leader, we need to leave! Quickly!¡±
They rushed Tarron in the direction of the Forest of Origin.
Five Black Hawks and two Chinooks touched down on the plains a few miles in front of the elves. Men of Bravo Company, 1st Ranger Battalion of the 75th Ranger Regiment fanned out and crouched after they disembarked from their helicopters. The Chinooks left as soon as they were empty but the Black Hawks lifted off and pressed forwards. The ground a few miles in front of them lit up. Shots flew overhead the Rangers as the elves opened fire at the lights of the helicopter. The crouched Rangers immediately went prone. ¡°Keep your head down!¡±
¡°Jesus Christ! Did they fucking land us too close?!"
The concentrated and accurate fire from the elves was overwhelming. <<<¡±We are pinned down here! This is the wrong fucking LZ!¡±>>>
The Little Birds came from behind the elves and started pouring down lead and rockets. That momentarily broke the elven fire on the Rangers. That was just enough time for the Rangers to set up their Mk 48 machine gun and return fire.
The gunners on the doors of the Black Hawks spewed bullets down on the elves using minguns. Despite the support from the helicopters, the Rangers continued to face intense fire from the Security Company.
Ten minutes later
In the heat of the battle, one of the Little Bird pilots noticed that he was starting to lose control. Bullet holes riddled his glass but luckily none had hit him. He looked at the tail of his helicopter and in the darkness, barely noticed that smoke was pouring out.
<<<¡°My tail rotor has been heavily damaged. I¡¯m going down!¡±>>>
The pilot struggled with the controls as the helicopter started swishing left and right.
A platoon of twenty five elves hurried Tarron. They were moving away from the fighting. Two of the elves had a small fireball in their palms. Tarron turned to the Lieutenant that was closely following him. ¡°Do we have any other units near us?¡±
¡°No, my Leader, they are too far away. The humans seem to have known we were isolated.¡±
Realization dawned on him. ¡°Vuduin! You bastard!¡± The platoon looked at Tarron in surprise.
A crack was heard and one the elves dropped dead with blood gushing out of his head.
¡°Sniper!¡±
The elves get down and pull Tarron to the ground. They opened fire with their submachine guns towards the right, where the shot came from.
The Delta sniper kept his head down as bullets whizzed past him. ¡°Shit. How the fuck did they see me so fast in the night. They don¡¯t have night vision goggles. Fucking hell.¡±
<<<¡±I¡¯m pinned already. I need some covering fire.¡±>>>
A stream of shots started coming towards the elves from their left. Tarron kept his head down as his ears felt deaf from the bullets whizzing overhead. It felt like forever but the shooting stopped and everything went silent. Tarron could hear the crunching of boots on the ground. He looked up. Humans approached him wearing strange headgear and pointing guns at him. Tarron looked around to see that the entire platoon protecting him was dead, mostly from headshots. Tarron raised his hands. One of the humans handled him roughly and tied him up while the other said something.
<<<¡°HVT has been secured. We have suffered two wounded. Awaiting extraction.¡±
¡°Five minutes out, good job team.¡±>>>
60 miles from the Forest of Origin
Vuduin received reports that his forward elements had ran into a large group of humans and were forced to retreat under intense fire. Vuduin¡¯s magiradio operator spoke up again after giving that first report. ¡°Field Marshal. We have reports of a large number of human soldiers to our flanks and read. We are surrounded!¡±
¡°Give me the magiradio.¡±
<<<¡°This is Field Marshal Roqen speaking. We are completely surrounded. Fellow elves, I pain to say this but, lay down your arms. I have just received reports that our Leader has been captured. The war is over.¡±>>>
The soldiers murmured among themselves. Some looked grim and a few started throwing down their weapons. Soon the rest joined. It was the final straw. They were clearly losing, they had suffered from intense human bombardment in the forests with no ability to fight back, and now they were surrounded and informed that their leader had been captured. Vuduin made the last part up but he was certain that Tarron was either dead or captured at this point.
White House
Ronell heaved a sigh of relief as he watched the video feed from the soldier¡¯s camera. ¡°I think this thing is about over.¡±
¡°Not quite yet, Mr.President. We still have rogue elven elements across this region.¡±
Chapter 92 - Let The Politics Begin
1650 June 7th, 2020 CE
1125 Sun 38th, 196 AE
40 miles from the Forest of Origin
The survivors of the Leader Security Company were tied up after they surrendered.
<<<¡°We need casevacs here. We have 23 severely injured on our side and 11 severely injured elves. No need for additional helicopters for extraction. We only have 9 captured uninjured.¡±>>>
1745 June 7th, 2020 CE
Nashville, Tennessee
Jack noticed the words ¡®Breaking News¡¯ flashed across the TV.
<<<¡°This just in, we have received reports that the leader of the Elven Nation, Tarron Venharice, has been captured. The White House has just announced that the President will be speaking soon in order to most likely declare an end to this war.¡±>>>
Jack slightly frowned since that wasn¡¯t that much news. It was a war against a nation more than 70 years technologically behind. It was over before it started. He didn¡¯t expect many people to be overly celebratory about it or take notice at all.
Aginport, Bem Kingdom
A group of men sat around a table. One of the men stood up. ¡°The results were, as predicted, not in our favor. It is of most sense that those stinky peasants won¡¯t vote for us.¡±
At the head of the table, Duke Philpot looked sternly at the one who stood up. ¡°Earl Fawns, sit down. This is a meeting. Not one of your parties.¡±
¡°Now, now, who put you in charge? You aren¡¯t even a duke anymore.¡±
¡°None of us have titles anymore. But we will address each other as if we didn¡¯t lose them. Understood? Now sit down.¡±
Earl Fawns grumbled as he sat. The Duke shook his head. ¡°Now, do any of you have anything else you would like to share before we begin.¡±
Baron Pettitt spoke out. ¡°Duke Philpot, I have a proposition.¡± The Duke nodded. ¡°Should we join forces with the monarchist party?¡±
The Duke frowned as Earl Fawns chuckled. Earl Corbeld responded. ¡°They are just a bunch of wealthy peasants who bribe the KIng. Once they realize they can do the same thing with a ¡®democracy¡¯, they will turn on us.¡±
A few murmurs rose up and the nobles in the room started random discussions. Duke Philpot raised his voice. ¡°Quiet. Quiet. Enough with the acting gentlemen. We all know what we want.¡±
Baron Bacon shook his head. ¡°It isn¡¯t possible.¡±
The Duke smiled. ¡°It is. These Americans will leave eventually.¡±
¡°And how are you certain they are going to leave?¡±
¡°Before I lost my title, I was able to come upon the previous ¡®King¡¯ discussing with the Americans about their planned withdrawal after the country became a democracy. I didn¡¯t hear everything but I¡¯m sure they are planning to leave.¡±
¡°And how are you planning to do this? Our personal armies have all been disbanded.¡±
¡°I have a few of my most loyal personal knights at my beck and call. I¡¯m sure you all still have those who greatly favor you and we can always find dissenters to fill the rest of our ranks.¡±
All the fallen nobles looked at each other.
¡°So, it¡¯s agreed. It''s time to gather an army then. Once these Americans leave, we will strike. Now, meeting¡¡±
Earl Fawns stood up and interjected. ¡°But what about afterwards?¡±
The Duke narrowed his eyes. ¡°What do you mean afterwards?¡±
¡°The Americans won¡¯t miraculously disappear after we overthrow the current government. They will be back and we have no power to stop them. I¡¯m sure you have seen their weapons of war?¡±
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The room fell silent.
0244 June 8th, 2020 CE
0422 Sun 39th, 196 AE
Port City of Filanneas, Elven Nation
Anfalen spoke into the magiradio microphone. <<<¡°I declare the end of all hostilities between elves and humans. The war is over. Tarron Venharice has been arrested and will be judged for his crimes against the sentient and his reckless pursuit of war. Elves, I hate to say this but the triuth has to be said, hard times are upon us. We have lost nearly a half of our population. Our cities have been devastated and our capital city has been sunk underwater. But we will rebuild. As the new leader of the Elven Nation, I shall guide us back to the old glory days of the Elven Kingdom. A prosperous and peaceful nation.¡±>>>
Anfalen greeted the American delegation. ¡°Before we begin, I want to know. When will your forces start leaving?¡±
The head of the delegation, Ambassador Henry Cole, frowned. ¡°President Inaneiros, you have to understand, we can not leave immediately.¡±
¡°But I promised my elves that¡¡±
¡°Your promise is your promise. We only promised to leave once the current situation is over.¡±
Anfalen raised an eyebrow. ¡°But it is over.¡±
¡°You still have rogue elements in your country.¡±
¡°We can deal with it ourselves.¡±
¡°You are sure?¡±
Anfalen slightly frowned. ¡°...¡±
¡°We know you don¡¯t have an army and are in no position to fight even against rogue units.¡±
Anfalen fell quiet for a few seconds, took a deep breath, and sighed. ¡°I understand that. Sorry. That was unreasonable of me. I¡¯m under a lot of pressure right now.¡±
¡°We understand that. Once the last of the rogue units have surrendered and you have created a force capable of keeping the peace, we will leave.¡±
¡°That is good to hear.¡±
¡°This leads me to the main thing I¡¯m here about.¡±
¡°The treaty, correct?¡±
The Ambassador nodded. ¡°Usually, the terms will be discussed between delegates from both nations. However, you have expressed the wish to directly negotiate it. Is that true?¡±
¡°Yes, my current government is being set up and I¡¯m not sure who to trust and who has the ability to do this.¡±
¡°Then let¡¯s begin with the talks.¡±
Thirty minutes later
¡°We will keep Tarron in our custody and will decide what will happen to him at a later date.¡±
Anfalen nodded. ¡°I would prefer you have executed him so we don¡¯t have anyone who thinks they can put the Leader back in power.¡±
¡°We don¡¯t want to make a martyr either. But we will hold off on what to do with him. With that out of the way, here comes the harder part of our demands.¡±
Anfalen slowly spoke. ¡°Go ahead.¡±
¡°My government is looking at placing a brigade strength military unit here in order to keep an eye on things.¡±
Anfalen stood up in an instant. ¡°WHAT?¡± He sat back down quickly and took a second before talking again. ¡°Then what¡¯s the point of you promising me you will leave if you actually aren¡¯t?¡±
¡°I only say we are looking into it. We are also looking into leaving completely. But we want to ensure that you elves don¡¯t start another war.¡±
Anfalen chuckled. ¡°We have literally been devastated. Our economy and population is gone. We can¡¯t start another war.¡±
¡°But I¡¯m pretty sure your country has a few that won¡¯t be afraid to.¡±
Anfalen became quiet. ¡°... I¡¯m afraid so¡ but as long as I¡¯m in power. I promise you, there won¡¯t be any aggression from us. I will rebuild this country and I will clean up the brainwashing that Tarron and his father did.¡±
¡°We can¡¯t just take your word for this. And we aren¡¯t sure how long you can stay in power.¡±
¡°I will stay in power for as long as I can.¡±
¡°And you are sure you are able to keep a country of fanatics under control? You are very susceptible to an assassination or coup attempt.¡±
¡°Not all elves are fanatics.¡±
Henry didn¡¯t say anything. Anfalen pursed his lips. ¡°Ok look, if the situation gets bad, I will inform your government and ask for help. But I will NOT allow any humans on our land during times of peace. There will be severe consequences for everyone if I do. This isn¡¯t a threat. This is just a fact.¡±
Henry nodded. ¡°I will pass this along to my government.¡±
¡°Good. What else?¡±
¡°We would also like to continue providing aid to your nation. You will not have to pay it back. We hope that by doing this, we can improve relations with elves.¡±
¡°I can not decide on that right now.¡±
Anfalen was stuck between a rock and a hard place. He knew that he needed that aid but the problem was that it came from humans. He himself didn¡¯t care but that didn¡¯t matter. The average elf would care. The food aid that the Americans were providing were already being avoided by some of the elves.
Somewhere in the Elven Nation
¡°Target is direct front. Fire!¡±
The Stallion that was racing across the fields burst into flames as a shot from the Abrams tank went through it.
¡°Good. That should be the last of them in this area.¡±
¡°They really suck at guerilla tactics.¡±
¡°It won¡¯t be long before we are sent back home. Man, I can¡¯t wait. The native population here is just too hostile.¡±
Chapter 93 - Negotiations, Demands, and Reconstruction
0644 June 8th, 2020 CE
0622 Sun 39th, 196 AE
Port City of Filanneas, Elven Nation
¡°This has been quite the productive meeting, President Inaneiros. We have gone a bit over time and we would also like to contact our government for further instructions so we shall continue this tomorrow.¡±
Anfalen looked at Henry¡¯s outstretched hand questionably. ¡°Ah sorry, it is an etiquette for hum¡ Americans to shake hands at either the start or end of an important meeting.¡±
¡°Ah. Noted.¡±
Anfalen stood up to shake Henry¡¯s hand. ¡°Thank you, Americans. I hope we come to a final treaty soon..¡±
¡°Thank you, President Inaneiros. I hope so too. I would also like to inform you that the delegation from the Magus imperium will also be arriving tomorrow.¡±
Anfalen thought for a few seconds before raising his eyebrow. ¡°And which country is that?¡±
Henry chuckled a bit. ¡°The country your nation had invaded.¡±
A worried look washed over Anfalen¡¯s face. ¡°Ah, yes. The Magus Imperium. I nearly forgot.¡±
Noting Anfalen¡¯s expression, Henry nodded. ¡°Do not worry. Their demands will not be over the top. We understand that your nation is currently suffering. We have requested that they do not demand any land concessions. However they may require payment for damages that you have caused.¡±
As soon as the Americans left, Anfalen immediately called in his aides. They had a lot of work to do.
Thabel, Elven Nation
Thabel was a city that was untouched by the war since it was on the other side of the mountain. An elf messenger carrying a satchel hanging from his shoulder knocked on the door of a house. An elf female answered the door. The messenger looked at the letter he held. ¡°Ms.Rowarin?¡±
¡°Yes¡ what is it?¡±
He handed the letter to her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to inform you that your husband has died in the service of his country.¡±
A shocked expression passed over her face as her hand holding the letter trembled.
The messenger lowered his cap to cover his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for your loss.¡±
The messenger left and travelled two houses away to knock on another door.
With such a large number of deaths, it took time for the news of it to reach a family member. In fact, Anfalen had to set up a system in order to speed up the process. Messengers were hired to be in charge of delivering it at their jurisdictions whenever they received the letters. It wasn¡¯t long before they were called the ¡°Messengers of Grief¡±.
Abellinum, Magus Imperium
Emperor Arstant watched as people scurried around. The sound of hammers and the clanking of machines were everywhere. Rubble littered the ground of a once bustling city. Buildings have just begun taking shape again. Emperor Arstant listened to his Head Economic Advisor who had a grim look. ¡°This will take a year or so to completely rebuild. Probably more for the people to come back.¡±
¡°How much damage has all this done to our economy?¡±
¡°The entire southern region has taken a massive hit. It is predicted that there will be more than a 90% reduction in regional productivity. We are also afraid that the entire southern region is vulnerable to a famine. Although originally self-sufficient, the amount of farms and cropland torched by the elves have slashed food production by nearly 75%. We need to send food from the northern region southward.¡±
¡°Do we have enough?¡±
The economic advisor looked through his notepad. ¡°To prepare for the worst, we are thinking of implementing a ration. However, I¡¯m hoping we can demand food from the elves.¡±
¡°I will add that onto the list of demands.¡±
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1022 June 8th, 2020 CE
White House
Quincy walked besides the President as they went down a hallway in the White House. ¡°Aren¡¯t we being a bit too lenient here? They wanted to enslave all of humanity and would have succeeded if we weren¡¯t here.¡±
¡°The elves are one hell of a powderkeg. If we push it, it''s just going to explode in our face.¡±
¡°We won the war. Why do we have to be so cautious? We have to reshape these elves whether they like it or not. Set up a military government. Show them who is in charge now.¡±
¡°Quincy, after our experience in the Middle East, nobody in their right mind will want to take on this mess. I don¡¯t want to be remembered as the President who created another Afghanistan or Iraq. I¡¯m actually glad there is somebody sensible in charge of the elves.¡±
¡°You are taking a risk with that Anfalen.¡±
¡°I¡¯m willing to take that risk lest we be dragged into another endless war.¡±
1645 June 8th, 2020 CE
Washington D.C.
In a park, Quincy sighed as a man in a T-shirt and sweatpants sat down beside him. ¡°Trevor, I¡¯m getting sick and tired of these meetings that I have to travel to.¡±
¡°We don¡¯t want to risk having someone listening in on our conversation on the phone. I won¡¯t be surprised if your phone is bugged. You know that as well as I do that this is the best place. Not many people. No cameras. We can see our surroundings¡±
¡°Not suggesting we change. Just complaining.¡±
¡°So how did it go?¡±
¡°I couldn¡¯t convince him. Give me some time.¡±
Trevor looked around before continuing. ¡°General, I want you to remember there''s a couple million dollars for you on the line here.¡±
Quincy put his head back onto the bench and looked at the sky. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I will find a way. I always have.¡±
¡°I have heard plans that Congress wants to decrease the military budget. That can not happen. With no more countries to export to, my company wants¡ needs that money. Understood?¡±
¡°You will get your contracts. I promise. Just continue developing those jets. You don¡¯t have to worry about anything.¡±
¡°Good. The CEO expects to see results.¡±
0332 June 9th, 2020 CE
0446 Sun 40th, 196 AE
Port City of Filanneas, Elven Nation
The members of the American delegation looked behind them as the door to Anfalen¡¯s office opened. Anfalen stood up. ¡°Welcome. The delegation from the Magus Imperium I presume. I¡¯m President Inaneiros, the current leader of the elves. The Americans have informed me of your arrival today.¡±
The Magusians barely acknowledged Anfalen as they walked in and sat down in the chairs that had been prepared for them. ¡°I¡¯m Head Diplomat Jeph Benedict. We are here not to negotiate but to demand compensation.¡±
¡°I understand that and I would like to apologize on behalf of all elves for what we have done.¡±
Jeph¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°Thousands are dead and tens of thousands are without homes. All major cities in the southern region of my country are nothing but ashes and rubble. An apology will not suffice.¡±
¡°What are your demands?¡±
¡°A delivery of 1 million tons of agricultural foodstuff once every year for the next two years. A total of 2 million tons of steel, bricks, and wood each. 500 tons of gold. 250 tons of silver. Other than the food, we expect them to be delivered to us within 4 years. Blueprints for every single weapon design. Guns, ships, magitanks, everything. We also hope to receive intact and working weapons. 100 magitanks. 6,000 small arms of each type. 1,000 of each type of thaugun which includes artillery, anti-tank, and anti-air. Two of your latest battleships, one carrier, five cruisers, five destroyers, and ten submarines. 100 of each type of military aircraft. We also expect manuals on how to use all of them. These are our main demands. More minor demands are included in these documents.¡±
Jeph threw a heap of papers onto the table. The room fell silent. Anfalen¡¯s face was of pure shock. Even the Americans were showing some shock. Anfalen quickly ¡°Okay¡ I will say this right now. Some of these demands can¡¯t be possibly met.¡±
¡°We are willing to change some of these demands. However, the result will be under our terms."
Somewhere in the Elven Nation
Tarron looked grimly around his cell. After being thrown onto the helicopter and flown for a few hours to some city, he was then locked into a cell. There were human guards who constantly kept watch on him.
He mulled over his current situation while sitting in a corner. He couldn¡¯t believe it. He lost. He lost everything even though it went so well at the beginning. He was supposed to be the chosen one to lead the elves to victory.
60 miles from the Forest of Origin
Ara walked up to Vuduin. ¡°Glad to see that you are okay, Field Marshal.¡±
¡°You can drop the honorifics now. It¡¯s over.¡±
Ara nodded. ¡°What was it all for?¡±
Vuduin looked up to the sky. ¡°One elf¡¯s hatred.¡±
Ara thought about it for a few minutes before replying. ¡°I guess that was all it was.¡±
They watched as the elves who had been led by Vuduin started dispersing. They had all been disarmed but were not taken prisoner. The elven officers, like Ara and, had to stay. The officers had all been transported to Vuduin to make sure everyone was present. Ara turned to Ehlark who was beside her. ¡°Colonel. Want to go for a drink after all this is over?¡±
¡°We are prisoners of war. I¡¯m not sure if we will be able to see each other.¡±
¡°The war is over. All we have left to do is answer these humans some questions and then go¡ home.¡± Ara stopped at that. ¡°Hey, Colonel, do you have a house?¡±
¡°Yes, why are you asking?¡±
Ara chuckled. ¡°I got disowned by my parents and kicked out of their house for expressing my wish to have a career in the military and not marrying. I also never bought a house.¡±
¡°You were a Major General and you never bought a house? Your pay would have been more than enough.¡±
Ara rubbed her neck. ¡°Never thought I needed it. I would have bought one after I retired. But my retirement kind of came early as you can see. I also don¡¯t think houses are that common now.¡±
Chapter 94 - The Homefront
0755 June 10th, 2020 CE
Kansas
Keith led his horse back to the stable. He found his father in the house making himself coffee in the kitchen. ¡°Dad. I heard you hired a lot more new employees and bought a few acres of new land. Are you sure we are able to cover the costs?¡±
His father took a sip from his mug. ¡°People can¡¯t import crops no more so us farms have to do more work. I¡¯m expecting a lot of demand this year.¡±
Keith poured himself a cup of coffee. ¡°There are rumors that companies are trying to find replacements though.¡±
¡°Taking a gamble here. I don¡¯t expect any place on this world to have the capacity to fulfill what our country needs.¡±
They sat down drinking. ¡°I¡¯m a bit worried about you, Dad. I¡¯m already 32 years old. Let me help you manage the farm.¡±
Keith¡¯s father chuckled. ¡°I told you I won¡¯t let you have the farm until I kick the bucket. I may be getting old but I still have some energy in my bones.¡±
¡°Alright Dad, I will go tend to the pigs.¡±
¡°You will never stop asking, will ya?¡±
¡°Nope. Until you agree.¡±
Keith¡¯s father chuckled again. ¡°In your dreams.¡±
0815 June 10th, 2020 CE
0707 Sun 40th, 196 AE
Port City of Filanneas, Elven Nation
¡°For your main demands, here''s what I can do. The demanded gold, silver, steel, wood, and bricks in 4 years, the military blueprints, and the manuals.¡± Anfalen stopped. ¡°The 1 million tons of agricultural foodstuffs¡ is difficult¡ if not impossible. We have suffered population loss of nearly 50% and I¡¯m not sure what the state of my country¡¯s farms are like at the moment. We are currently depending on American aid. I also can not guarantee the intact and working weapons. Our weapons inventory has been greatly depleted. From my knowledge, the small arms and thauguns should be possible. However, the ships and planes are not possible seeing that most of them have been destroyed."
Jeph frowned. ¡°The 1 million tons of agricultural foodstuff is non-negotiable. We do not have enough to feed our population since you elves burned down almost all the cropland we had in the south.¡±
¡°As I said, we are depending on American aid. We also do not have enough to feed our population. I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m not able to help you with that.¡±
¡°Well, you elves should have thought about that before starting a war.¡±
¡°I may have a solution.¡± Both turned to look at Henry. "My country may be able to cover some of the foodstuffs. We are already providing aid to you elves. We should also be able to provide food to the Magus Imperium. However, I currently can not give exact figures on how much.¡±
1345 June 10th, 2020 CE
Washington D.C.
President Hayes was being informed of all the agreed terms so far. ¡°A pull out of all US forces once rogue elements have been dealt with.¡±
The aide stopped to let the President speak. ¡°I know this is something we set as a term but I really have a bad feeling about this part. I would like us to leave as fast as possible.¡±
Cralson shook his head. ¡°We can¡¯t just abandon them. They don¡¯t have a functioning military capable of countering the rogue units.¡±
¡°I just don¡¯t want ourselves to get into another decade-long war. I want us to leave this powderkeg as soon as possible.¡±
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¡°Not every insurgency will turn into that and I fully believe in the military¡¯s capabilities against an already defeated enemy that is 70 years technologically behind.¡±
The aide waited for them to stop so he could continue on about the terms.
In the ocean
A fishing ship 50 miles away from New York hauled in their net. ¡°Quite a good catch we have today.¡±
The newest member of the crew, Paul, checked out the fish in the net. ¡°Hey Curtis, the fish really look odd.¡±
¡°These are Redfin Tuna. They have the looks of one but are not actually tuna. Tastes a bit different too.¡±
¡°Isn¡¯t that name a bit misleading?¡±
¡°People didn¡¯t want to make up new fish names and we don¡¯t know what the people of this world name their fish. It¡¯s good for business too.¡±
¡°Is there supposed to be a hole in the Redfin Tuna?¡±
¡°Huh. No. Untie the net lemme take a look.¡± Paul pointed to the fish that had a gaping hole right through its side. ¡°Huh¡¡±
As Curtis studied the fish, Paul gave a shout. ¡°Hey, guys, there¡¯s quite a lot of fish like that in here.¡±
¡°Dammit, there goes our profits.¡±
¡°Guys, could this be the rumored Kraken?¡±
¡°We are well outside the restricted areas and this hole seems small for something like a Kraken.¡±
Atlanta, Georgia
In an office room, a few people sat around a long rectangular table. A person at the head of the table started talking. ¡°The impact of being transferred here has just started to mellow. Domestic sales have kept us afloat but we had to lay off a few hundred employees. We are hoping to start expanding operations into other countries soon.¡±
¡°Has the government agreed to let us begin expansion?¡±
¡°There are still restrictions on travel but we are sure we will be able to begin in three months. The people in the marketing department have a concern though. We have to test the taste of the people in this world. They are not sure if our current line-up of products will suit the tastes of the people here. Especially the different species.¡±
¡°I heard the McDonald¡¯s in the Bem Kingdom have been getting good sales on Coca-Cola and Sprite.¡±
¡°That is only one country out of many and they are populated by humans. We will definitely try to identify possible local flavors. We will offer up our current line-up before beginning to present local flavors.¡±
Somewhere in the Northern Frontier
A group of people trekked through the forest. ¡°Are you sure there is gold up here? I don¡¯t feel comfortable in such foreign places.¡±
¡°Just don¡¯t eat any of the plants or whatever. According to the EPA, there¡¯s no animals here so there shouldn¡¯t be anything to creep you out.¡±
¡°Aren¡¯t the EPA and CDC still operating here to make sure there isn''t any weird stuff? Are you sure we can be here?¡±
¡°They are just making sure there are no harmful and invasive plants or insects or whatever. This land is full of natural resources and the government is selling it to companies. We common folk have to stake a claim too.¡±
¡°Um. I thought we were just here to find gold. Why are we talking about land all of a sudden?¡±
¡°You are thinking so small, brother. Just grabbing some gold and leaving? No. no. no. We claim the land where we found the gold. That land will be rich with it and we will be rich too.¡±
They soon happened upon an open field. ¡°Pretty sure this is corporate land. ExxonMobil, maybe?¡±
Multiple oil derricks dotted the field.
¡°Ain¡¯t what we are searching for. Let the corporations go for black gold. We are going for real gold here. Come on, let¡¯s not get too close. We don¡¯t want to be spotted.¡±
1345 June 10th, 2020 CE
1036 Sun 40th, 196 AE
Industropolis, Mach Imperium
Pomponia had a very unhappy face as she greeted the American diplomat. ¡°I¡¯m getting sick and tired of being here. You promised me I will be able to step down soon yet here I am. Still on the throne.¡±
The diplomat nodded. ¡°Apologies for that. We have run into issues on what to do for your country. Establishing a unified democratic state holds great potential to create unrest which we seek to avoid.¡±
¡°How about you place another monarch here instead of me? One more willing to rule?¡±
¡°We are seeking ways to break up the Imperium into a collection of independent democratic states along cultural and ethnic lines. Keeping a monarch is not looked upon well in my country. However, it is possible for a monarch to remain as a figurehead.¡±
¡°I just want to quit and go back to my house. Just get me off of this throne. I swear if I have to spend another year with these noble assholes and their haughty parties.¡±
1345 June 10th, 2020 CE
1036 Sun 41st, 196 AE
Port City of Filanneas, Elven Nation
¡°I am hoping that by meeting your country¡¯s demands, that your country will allow the return of elven prisoners of war. I have been informed that most of the prisoners are being held by your country.¡±
Jeph turned to the other Magusian diplomats. Henry interrupted. ¡°My government insists that you agree upon this. More elves returned means that the elves will have more capabilities to provide you with the demanded materials. Moreover, keeping these elves locked up is a waste of resources and food that could be used to feed your own population.¡±
Chapter 95 - Conspiracies
0604 June 11th, 2020 CE
0602 Sun 41st, 196 AE
A prison in the Magus Imperium
Simon languished on the bed in his cell. If not for the small barred window, he would have lost count on how many days he had been stuck in his cell. If he was right, it had been eight days since he was allowed outside. At least they haven¡¯t forgotten to feed him. However little it was. Suddenly, there was banging. The door to his cell opened.
¡°Get out here you elves. War¡¯s over.¡±
As he walked out, Simon noted the crowded surroundings. Human soldiers were everywhere and armed to the teeth.
The warden appeared in the middle of the hall. ¡°We will be escorting you out of here. You are all going home. Now, behave yourselves. Do not dare try to attack us. You all lost the war, you hear me? If you do, we will kill you and we will find any of your family and kill them too. Understood?¡± The warden didn¡¯t wait for a reply and looked at the still closed cells down the hall. ¡°Now, you boys will be let out once they leave. Can¡¯t have all of you out at once.¡±
1822 June 11th, 2020 CE
On the streets in Arlington, Virginia
Two men flanked Daniel in the streets. One of them looked at him. ¡°Are you Daniel McCormick?¡±
¡°Yes¡ what may I do for you two?¡±
He lowered his voice. ¡°We need you to come with us. We are with the FBI.¡±
He showed his badge. Daniel instantly froze as his mind went into panic mode. He took a deep breath and barely said a word. ¡°Okay.¡±
They led him to a nondescript black car. They entered the car and the agents started driving. The other man started talking. ¡°We have found out that you have discovered some information that was supposed to stay confidential. If you release that information, you will be considered committing treason.¡±
Daniel nodded.
¡°Do not report it under any circumstance. There will be consequences. Do not try to hand it over to the media. We will be monitoring you.¡±
Daniel nodded again. The car stopped. ¡°Now get out.¡±
Daniel looked around as he exited the car. He was in front of his house.
Daniel fumbled with his keys and opened the door to his house. Then he stopped. Cold dread filled him. He remembered something that he was too panicked during the car ride to tell them. He had already sent the information to the FBI.
He shut his door and started rationalizing to try to calm himself. It was to their organization so it should be fine. And he sent it before they even came to talk to him. Maybe it was even that tip that caused them to approach him. If not he was probably going to have a meeting with them quite soon but hopefully they would let him off the hook.
A few minutes later
The agent driving laughed. ¡°Well that guy was scared shitless. His legs seemed to have turned into Jell-O.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t think we have anything to worry about. And here I was afraid this dude would be more resistant.¡±
An hour later
Pentagon
¡°Good job you two.¡±
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The two FBI agents sat down. ¡°And when are we getting paid?¡±
¡°I have struck a nice deal with a certain corporation. Once the money comes in, I will pay you two handsomely.¡±
The agents nodded. ¡°Understood General.¡±
Quincy looked at both of them. ¡°Hm. Not threatening me?¡±
¡°It¡¯s bad for business, you know. And this isn¡¯t Hollywood.¡±
¡°Ha. Never thought there would be anything as handy as corrupt FBI agents.¡±
¡°Corrupt is a loaded word, General. We prefer capitalistic.¡±
White House
¡°Mr. President, this is from the FBI and is classified Confidential. They recently received a tip that someone was tampering with the civilian casualty reports. Upon further investigation by the FBI, this seems to hold true.¡±
¡°Civilian casualty reports? Were the numbers faked?¡±
¡°Yes. The numbers are much smaller than reality.¡±
¡°I want a corrected version as soon as possible. Classify that as Confidential. I want to see it before anybody else.¡±
President Hayes'' face grew pale as he skimmed through the papers in the file.
¡°These numbers¡ this can¡¯t get out to the media or any public report. Understood? Tell the FBI to keep it under wraps. Find the guy who reported this. When did the data start being manipulated?¡±
¡°From the earliest reports, it seems to be a couple days after the military begun landings on the Elven Nation¡±
¡°Does the FBI have a suspect for who is tampering with the data?¡±
¡°None so far but they are looking into logs connected with the tampered data¡±
¡°Tell them to put more people on it. People who can keep their mouths shut. This will be a political shitshow if it gets out. I don¡¯t want to be the President who gets remembered for authorizing the killings of thousands of innocent Magusians. And get me Quincy. He needs to explain what the hell is with this collateral damage. Were we firing artillery and dropping bombs indiscriminatingly?! Wait. Don¡¯t get him. Actually, don¡¯t inform any member connected to the military. Someone from there could be the one who did this.¡±
0128 June 12th, 2020 CE
0344 Sun 42nd, 196 AE
Primopolis, Magus Imperium
Renout waited near the entrance of the refugee processing center. A soldier guarding the gate walked to him. ¡°Look. Renout. You should go home. There¡¯s no point sitting out here. The higher-ups are about done with you too.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t have a home to go to. I just have to wait. I know they will be back.¡±
¡°Renout¡ I know you have a job and home now. I don¡¯t want to actually kick you out like I¡¯m supposed to. Settle down. Don¡¯t spend all your free time waiting here. Find some friends. Maybe a wife even.¡±
Renout didn¡¯t answer.
¡°Tell you what? I will ask around occasionally to see if any Hewets came through here. I will visit you the moment I¡¯m informed.¡±
Renout still refused to respond.
¡°Look Renout. You have been here every single day and it''s gotten to the point that I know you by name. Don¡¯t you see how ridiculous this is. If I don¡¯t kick you out, they are just going to send someone else who will use actual force. If you take my offer, you will still get informed. You get what you want and I don¡¯t need to either bully you or get fired from my job.¡±
¡°...fine.¡±
0450 June 12th, 2020 CE
0525 Sun 42nd, 196 AE
Port City of Filanneas
Henry invited the Magusian diplomats for an US-Magusian only discussion. After the greetings, Henry gave the Magusians an announcement. ¡°My government has agreed to provide food aid. However we will not be sending as high as your original offer.¡±
¡°My countrymen need that food. And if you can¡¯t supply that, the elves will.¡±
¡°Your countrymen do not need that much. We are willing to supply up to 500,000 tons of food a year for the next two years. Anything in excess of that will be utterly ridiculous and does not reflect the needs of your population. We know what you are trying to do.¡±
Jeph hissed. ¡°The elves are supposed to be punished for their wrongdoings.¡±
¡°We have all punished them enough. Their country is in ruins. They are being forced to give over resources and military information. To starve their population would only incite future conflict.¡±
1403 June 12th, 2020 CE
Kansas
¡°Keith! Have you heard? The government is sending even more food aid. I knew this would pay off!¡±
Keith glanced at his dad. ¡°It¡¯s only going to the large corporations, Dad. They won¡¯t ask such a small farm like ours.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t you get it? Those corporations will be too busy trying to fulfill those government orders that the local markets are gonna turn to us small farms. This is the jackpot! Woohoo!¡±
Keith¡¯s father started doing a weird dance.
Somewhere in the Pacific Ocean
¡°Dive! Dive! Dive!¡±
The USS Cheyenne, an Los Angeles-class submarine, started going deeper into the ocean.
Chapter 96 - The World Aint Black And White
1024 June 13th, 2020 CE
Pentagon
Multiple men entered Quincy¡¯s office. Quincy looked up in a jolt but quickly put a smile on his face. ¡°What can I do for you fine gentlemen?¡±
One of them spoke. ¡°General. We need you to come with us.¡±
¡°May I know what for?¡±
One of them showed their FBI badges. ¡°We have a warrant for your arrest for suspicions of corruption and intentionally falsifying government documents.¡±
Quincy chuckled. ¡°And you have evidence for this?¡±
The agent nodded. ¡°We have someone who has confessed and linked it to you.¡±
¡°You can¡¯t arrest me just because someone said I did it.¡±
The agents approached him. ¡°In addition to that, we have more than enough proof to convict you. Face the wall.¡±
In an interrogation room at FBI Headquarters, Washington D.C.
Quincy looked up from his handcuffs as a person flanked by Secret Service agents entered the room. ¡°Ah, Mr. President, how nice to see you.¡±
¡°I can¡¯t say so myself Quincy.¡± Ronell sat down as the door closed. ¡°Quincy, you betrayed me. You betrayed the oath you swore. You betrayed this country.¡±
Quincy frowned a bit. ¡°I have been loyal to this country all my life. And I believe all my actions have been done on its behalf. I feel no guilt for my actions.¡±
Ronell shook his head. ¡°You are a lucky bastard. We will be handing you a lighter sentencing but the information about civilian casualties must never be revealed. Your career is ruined, Quincy.¡±
Quincy smiled. ¡°And what if I tell everybody about this? How are you going to stop me?¡±
¡°You will be sentenced for charges of treason.¡±
¡°And you think that will stop me?¡±
¡°You can take what we are giving you right now. Serve a few years in prison, get out, and live your life. Or we can convict you of treason and make you serve life in prison.¡±
White House
Tom Nolan, the FBI Director, sat across from Ronell. ¡°Mr. President, are you sure about this?¡±
¡°If I do reveal this information¡ sure he will get what he deserved but the collateral damage would not be negligible. We are talking about domestic outcry and if it spreads outside, straining of foreign relations. If I could kill that bastard I would but goddammit we lived in a civilized country.¡±
¡°We can make him disappear, sir. Even though it has been rare, we have made people disappear before.¡±
¡°God no. That''s a line that I will hopefully never cross.¡±
¡°I hope so too. We usually only do it to those who endanger national security to an extreme degree.¡±
1355 June 13th, 2020 CE
A corporate office in the US
<<<¡°General Quincy Griffith, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has just been arrested on charges of corruption and taking bribes. The FBI have found plausible evidence but have not declared who the now former General has taken bribes from. The court date currently has yet to be set but It is currently predicted that he may face multiple years in prison. The arrest has sent shockwaves through the government. General Griffith was considered a close friend of the President¡¡±>>>
The TV was shut down. A man sitting behind a desk shook his head. ¡°Truly disappointing. He got caught.¡±
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Another man standing nearby spoke. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter. It won¡¯t be traced back to us. I made sure of it.¡±
The sitting man waved. ¡°I¡¯m not worried about that. You have always been good with this. Such a shame though.¡±
¡°We still have a couple of congressmen under our thumbs so we should get that approval nonetheless. Would have been nice to have more people in the Pentagon on our side too. Especially the fact Quincy has so many connections. Maybe we can try with a different one or whoever is replacing him?¡±
¡°Let¡¯s lay low for a bit. The government will turn a blind eye if we don¡¯t act up for now.¡±
The standing man nodded. ¡°But we really need more people in. We have really taken a hit from not being able to sell to foregin countries anymore.
¡°Even our country has a limit to the amount of weapons it can buy. We don¡¯t want to bankrupt our only customer.¡±
¡°What about foreign countries in this world?¡±
¡°I have tried to convince them to let us sell our weapons to the people of this world but they were extremely against it.¡±
¡°It¡¯s a tall order. People are going to find it suspicious that there are congressmen willing to sell high tech weaponry to basically barbarians.¡±
Somewhere in the Northern Frontier
Soldiers, with rifles drawn, wearing baggy clothes and gas masks approached them.
¡°Hands in the air! You are all under arrest for trespassing on restricted land.¡±
The group raised their hands. ¡°Fuck you and your corporations.¡±
A few minutes later
The soldiers loaded them onto Humvees. ¡°Where are you taking us?¡±
¡°To a medical facility. You will be put under quarantine. This is for your health and safety. You will also be interrogated.¡±
¡°HA! So concerned about our ¡®health and safety¡¯. Yet you let these corporate bastards roam around taking all the good stuff.¡±
¡°All company employees have to wear protective suits while operating here. You are violating the law so you will be charged upon return to the States.¡±
White House
In the Oval Office, the President spoke to Austrin Rhodes, the Director of the CDC. ¡°I am concerned about the returning soldiers. You are certain we do not need to take heavier measures to ensure that an unknown disease will spread here? I mean you recommended that I authorize the use of protective equipment in the Northern Frontier yet you show no concern about our soldiers being deployed on unknown land elsewhere.¡±
¡°Mr. President. From what we have learned from the native¡¯s records of diseases, there should not be anything concerning. There are many diseases with similar symptoms as the diseases in our world. From what we have seen, the anatomy of the humans in this world are exactly the same as ours. If a soldier did catch anything, it would most likely be the common cold. We have yet to discover any overly concerning diseases which we do find strange. This world does not seem to have smallpox or any worse infectious disease. It¡¯s delightful but concerning at the same time.¡±
¡°Then why are we so concerned about the Northern Frontier if the diseases are similar and there¡¯s nothing actually concerning?¡±
¡°From what native records state, humans have not stepped foot on that place for nearly a thousand years. We have no idea what could be up there. It is supposedly devoid of animals but it is vital that we are certain. For all we know, there could be a small animal carrying around this world¡¯s smallpox.¡±
1424 June 13th, 2020 CE
Hundreds of miles away from Hawaii, Pacific Ocean
The USS Cheyenne continued on its exercises. A sonarman looked surprised as his sonar screen went off. ¡°Captain! We are detecting multiple signatures on the sonar. Fast moving. Seems to be torpedoes heading straight towards us.¡±
The captain of the USS Cheyenne, a testament to his experience and training, quickly started ordering commands. ¡°Engage countermeasures!¡±
Acoustic decoys were deployed from the submarine and jammers tried to confuse the incoming torpedoes.
¡°Dive! Dive! Dive!¡±
The submarine started diving further down. The blips on the sonar screen got closer and closer. The sonarman stared hoping that the blips would pass over them. The submarine jolted as the ¡°torpedoes¡± slammed into it.
1500 June 13th, 2020 CE
White House
An aide ran up to Ronell in a hallway. ¡°Mr. President. Urgent report. We lost contact with the USS Cheyenne, a Los Angeles class submarine, a couple hundred miles away from Hawaii. It was doing exercises by itself.¡±
Ronell frowned. ¡°Are we certain it''s not any communication error or some equipment malfunction?¡±
¡°We have lost contact with them for the past 30 minutes. We are currently dispatching ships for search and rescue.¡±
¡°Could it possibly be those sea creatures that have been plaguing us?¡±
¡°We are not certain at this time, sir, but if it is, it will be well outside their usual zones, sir.¡±
¡°Inform the members of the National Security Council of the situation. I want to stay updated on this. Inform me the moment we get anything new. How many sailors were on that submarine?¡±
¡°It has a crew of 129.¡±
¡°What ships are on search and rescue?¡±
¡°Various ones from the US Navy and US Coast Guard. I am not able to give you the specifics of much.¡±
¡°Get me Quinc¡ get me the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.¡±
¡°Nelson Byrd?¡±
¡°No. I meant the one that¡¯s now Chairman. Stephen Decker.¡±
Chapter 97 - The Incident
1509 June 13th, 2020 CE
Washington D.C.
While walking towards the Oval Office, Ronell ran into the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
¡°Stephen. I know you haven¡¯t had much time to settle down on this unexpected promotion but the current situation is worrisome. What¡¯s happening, I need details.¡±
¡°All we know is that the USS Cheyenne has not responded to attempts to communicate with it after it missed its scheduled status report . The only three scenarios where this is possible is either the communication equipment broke, they have sunk, or a mutiny occurred. I don¡¯t believe a mutiny is likely so we are between the first two probabilities and going under the assumption that they have sunk.¡±
They entered the Oval Office where the Cralson was already there. ¡°Mr.President.¡±
¡°Cralson, I have been informed what¡¯s happening. We don¡¯t know much do we?¡±
¡°As much as anybody other than the submarine crew themselves knows. We know the general area of where the submarine sank. According to the Chief of Naval Operations, they were conducting regular exercises there.¡±
¡°Are we certain that the submarine has sunk?¡±
Cralson shook his head. ¡°We have to expect the worst.¡±
Ronell¡¯s face looked grim. ¡°Stephen, if they are sunk, what are the crew¡¯s chances of survival?¡±
¡°If they have, it''s slim. If they met an accident while on the surface, then it''s likely we can save them. But they were most likely submerged. Depending on how far they have sunk, we may not be able to rescue them. In addition, based on the amount of damage the submarine took, oxygen production could have been knocked offline and they could be running out of oxygen. I can not say much more until our ships arrive.¡±
¡°What ships are we sending?¡±
Cralson answered. ¡°The USNS Impeccable is enroute, they are an ocean surveillance ship capable of searching for undersea objects in a wide range. We also have multiple Arleigh Burkes that have been stationed in Hawaii too. P-8 Poseidons, maritime patrol aircraft that can deploy sonar buoys, will be the first ones there. The Undersea Rescue Command has also already been deployed. They are trained specifically for rescuing crews of disabled submarines. They are currently enroute with the HOS Dominator that¡¯s carrying a Submarine Rescue Diving Recompression System which can rescue the crews.¡±
Thirty minutes later
They had quickly moved into the Situation Room. Ronell stood with his hands on his hips as he watched the screens that displayed the data coming from the sonars.
¡°They have detected what we believe is to be the USS Cheyenne. It has only slightly deviated from its planned route but it¡¯s sinking. Good news is that it is still within range for rescue. Bad news is that it''s sinking fast. They are only about a thousand feet down but the SRDRS only has a range of two thousand. We will have to get to them fast.¡±
1625 June 13th, 2020 CE
Submarine Location in the Pacific
A Submarine Rescue Diving Recompression System (SRDRS) was lowered into the ocean from the HOS Dominator. Two members of the Undersea Rescue Command went along in it.
Washington D.C
Ronell watched the camera feed from the SRDRS as it was lowered to the submarine. There were holes on the side of the USS Cheyenne. ¡°It doesn¡¯t look good.¡±
Stephen nodded. ¡°There still could be survivors. It¡¯s equipped with watertight doors that can seal off flooded areas.¡±
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¡°From what I have seen, those holes seem to be a match. It is definitely done by that damn sea creature. Cralson, I want a restriction on all submarine activities in the Pacific. Call them back to their homeports.¡±
A few minutes later
There was a video feed from the commanding naval officer of the rescue operation on screen. ¡°We have confirmed survivors from the URC. The SRDRS is being attached to the submarine hatch to get them out.¡±
¡°Excellent work Admiral.¡±
The people in the Situation Room watched as the SRDRS started positioning itself on the hatch that was at the back on the long end of the submarine where the engine room was situated. Haggard sailors started coming into the SRDRS. Once full with 16 people, it started its ascent. Clapping started.
On the screen, the SRDRS started its descent again in order to rescue more crew. The officer on live video looked grim after receiving a report. ¡°Mr.President. We are expecting casualties. It¡¯s likely more than 90 deaths. It seems only the sailors in the engine room survived.¡±
A heavy silence fell on the room.
An hour later
Dr. Munoz, the biologist hired to help identify the mysterious sea creature, was in the Situation Room. The screen had been set to a bunch of slides. A photo showed up on screen. It was similar to a swordfish but its nose was much larger and connected from the skull to the jaw.
¡°From studying the damage done by it, we have made what we believe is a possible model of the sea creature that is currently attacking us. I do not guarantee this is correct but it''s our best scientific guess. For all we know, it could be the tentacles of a giant sea monster. But if we are correct, we are currently identifying it as the ¡®Lancefish¡¯ because of its semblance to a swordfish except with a lance instead of a sword as its nose.¡±
Ronell posed a question. ¡°And how is it drilling holes through the sides of ships and submarines?¡±
¡°We are not exactly sure but we believe that its nose is as strong as tungsten. They vary in size. The largest capable of drilling a hoie about a yard in diameter. The smallest is capable of drilling around a few inches.¡±
The biologist switched to a slide that showed the sizes of the Lancefish.
Stephen asked next. ¡°And how do we kill it?¡±
¡°I would need a captured specimen in order to find a way to kill it. On that note, I believe that their presence is growing and it''s concerning. The waters around us may soon become inaccessible.¡±
Dr.Munoz changed the slides to a gif that showed swathes of red growing in the oceans surrounding the Formidon continent. Cralson nodded. ¡°We did have reports of fishing ships catching fishes with holes in them in the Atlantic.¡±
Ronell sighed. ¡°They have spread over there too?¡±
Cralson shrugged ¡°We aren¡¯t sure since it''s only one occurrence and it''s just fish.¡±
Dr.Munoz continued. ¡°That is why we suggested that they vary in size. From photos, the fish seem to have been pierced in a similar fashion as the ships.¡±
Ronell shook his head. ¡°Any idea on how we can find a specimen that can tear through metal like paper? It¡¯s not like we can catch it with a net.¡±
¡°You probably will have to kill it in order for me to study it.¡±
¡°So you need us to kill it for you to find a way to kill it?¡±
1705 June 13th, 2020 CE
1132 Sun 43rd, 196 AE
Primopolis, Magus Imperium
An American diplomat bowed before Emperor Arstant. ¡°Thank you for granting me this audience at such a late hour.¡±
¡°No need for this. We are glad you have helped us against the elves and are supplying us with food. What do our American friends need?¡±
¡°We are wondering if you have any knowledge of any sea creatures capable of drilling through metal?¡±
¡°I do not believe so. Why do you ask?¡±
¡°Our ships have come under attack by sea creatures capable of such and we are hoping you would have any information.¡±
Arstant sat there thinking. ¡°Let me call in one of my scholars knowledgeable on this.¡±
A few minutes later
A person in scholar robes stood beside the Emperor. ¡°Other than the records of the large birds on the Formidon Continent, there should be no other hostile creatures in that region. Most records of creature attacks come from the birds. I have never heard of any stories of attacking sea creatures capable of drilling through metal.¡±
1822 June 13th, 2020 CE
Golden, Colorado
In the National Earthquake Information Center, the seismograph started printing out jagged lines going up and down. The geologists in the room started looking at that specific seismograph. ¡°This is weird. This is from the seismic stations in Hawaii.¡±
¡°What¡¯s weird about that? Isn¡¯t it usual for Hawaii to experience earthquakes?¡±
¡°Oh yeah, you are new. It¡¯s the first earthquake in Hawaii we have had ever since Earth was transferred here. The plates had stopped being so active there.¡±
¡°Hm. Seems to be quite minor though.¡±
Chapter 98 - State of the World
1029 June 14th, 2020 CE
Riverside National Cemetery, California
¡°This is one of the single most devastating events that our country has faced since coming to this new world. We are here to honor the 93 brave sailors of the USS Cheyenne who have died in service of this great nation. We shall...¡±
After a few more minutes to finish his speech, Ronell was escorted to the side. Rifles were fired in three volleys as a lone trumpet played.
Families of the sailors stood crying before their loved one¡¯s graves.
5 miles from Los Angeles
A Marine Protector-class patrol boat, the USCGC Pike, tried to keep up with the speeding yacht.
<<<¡°This is the Coast Guard. By order of the President of the United States, no boats are allowed into the Pacific Ocean. Please remain within 5 miles of land. You are currently going beyond 5 miles. Turn back! I repeat, turn back. Failure to comply will result in your vessel being boarded and those aboard arrested.¡±>>>
The yacht completely ignored the commands of the Coast Guard ship and continued sailing.
The .50 cal machine gun on the Coast Guard ship opened up in a small burst. There were multiple splashes of water in front of the yacht. The yacht veered to the right and quickly came to a stop. Shouts came from the yacht. ¡°Don¡¯t shoot!¡±
¡°What the fuck are you doing? Go! You are not getting paid if you don¡¯t!¡±
¡°I don¡¯t want to fucking die! This isn¡¯t worth it anymore.¡±
Eight coast guardsmen with rifles boarded the ship. ¡°Down on the ground! Hands up!¡±
The small group of people onboard quickly raised their hands.
The Coast Guardsmen handcuffed the crew and a middle-aged couple on the yacht. The husband, who seemed to be the owner of the yacht, was visibly upset. ¡°What is this? Nazi Germany? You have no right to stop me from traveling where I want!¡±
The sailors started leading the arrested towards the USCGC Pike. ¡°Sir, there has been a restriction ordered by the President that does not allow ships on the Pacific Ocean beyond 5 miles of shore. If you wanted to go out to sea, you could have followed the shoreline until you got to the Southern Ocean where there is no restriction.¡±
¡°Do you know who I am? You can¡¯t do this to me!¡±
¡°If you aren¡¯t the President of the United States, I don¡¯t care who you are. No one is allowed to sail into the Pacific ocean unless with prior approval. You and the others on this ship will be detained and the ship will be seized.¡±
¡°Well you can go fuck yourself.¡±
¡°And you have the right to stay silent¡±
1745 June 14th, 2020 CE
Washington D.C.
The FBI director sat down across from the President. ¡°The court date for Quincy has been set.¡±
¡°Oh. It''s about this matter. I nearly forgot about Quincy. As long as he is charged within the bounds of the law, I don¡¯t give a damn anymore.¡±
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¡°What if he breaks the agreement?¡±
¡°As I ordered before. I want people to keep an eye on him and make sure that he doesn¡¯t talk and that if he does talk, make sure that it doesn¡¯t spread.¡±
¡°What do you want me to do to him if he does talk?¡±
Ronell became quiet. After a few seconds, he sighed. ¡°Just make it look like an accident, alright? Have no records of it.¡±
¡°Of course, Mr. President. We have done this before.¡±
¡°I¡¯m trusting you on this.¡±
Magi Research and Development Center, Magus Imperium
Multiple elves in green cloaks looked over the engine of a Knight magipanzer. ¡°The elves seem to have decided on using a hybrid approach. Combining both mechanical and magical. Isn¡¯t it similar to our hybrid engines?¡±
¡°Yes but they have applied magic to all of their technology. Even their ammunition is special. Well, in our view the elve¡¯s technological aim is still hybrid like ours. Ours is pure and true magic.¡±
¡°I¡¯m concerned about the American mechanical technology. The Emperor seems to be really fond of those toys that they gave him.¡±
One of the researchers who had a white beard shook his head. ¡°He has been invested in magical research since the moment he became Emperor. He won¡¯t let all that investment go to waste.¡±
¡°Not including the superiority of the American mechanical technology. Won¡¯t these Elven technologies that we know have encouraged him to still use a hybrid approach? He is very interested in these magic batteries that the elves have.¡±
¡°We just need to present something even better. Our research should be coming into fruition soon. Although I can not guarantee it to be better than what the American mechanical technology has to offer, I can say it will be better or comparable to elven technology.¡±
0222 June 15th, 2020 CE
0411 Sun 45th, 196 AE
Primopolis, Magus Imperium
Emperor Arstant looked up at the sky. Soldiers in uniform were marching down the street in the view of his palace. Civilians lined the sidewalks cheering and waving. Wyverns flew overhead at the military parade. A squadron of P-51 Mustangs flew in V-formation. While they now had the capability to build P-51s, their air force was mainly still reliant on wyverns. The magi researchers were studying the idea of enhancement magic in order to improve the wyverns and hopefully make them comparable to these P-51s.
On the ground, a platoon of four M4 Shermans drove down the road side by side followed by columns of A1s. The difference was stunning. The A1 was just a long rectangular box with a 75mm gun in front. It had riveted armor and looked unwieldy.
Artillery and anti-aircraft pieces pulled by trucks followed the tanks. More soldiers followed. Emperor Arstant smiled as he watched them go by.
0430 June 15th, 2020 CE
0515 Sun 45th, 196 AE
Hasta Air Base, Magus Imperium
¡°Welcome, Emperor Arstant. We are happy to let you view the first shipments of food aid that are being given to your country.¡±
An American colonel guided Arstant through the airbase. A gigantic gray aircraft sat on the field next to the paved runway. Arstant looked at it in wonder. The size of it was unlike anything he has ever seen. ¡°And¡ that''s an aircraft?¡±
¡°Yes, a C-5M Super Galaxy. It is a transport aircraft capable of carrying vehicles, men and equipment. We are sending food aid to your country using aircraft such as this. It¡¯s currently carrying about 100 tons of food.¡±
Arstant got himself out of staring at it. ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound like the agreed amount.¡±
¡°More shipments will come soon. Mostly via ship but the first few will be by aircraft such as these to provide faster aid.¡±
A random airfield, Magus Imperium
Simon waited at an airfield where he was scheduled to be transported back home. At least forty other elves were besides him. American soldiers stood nearby keeping a watch on them. They were very laid back.
Somewhere in the Elven Nation
Groups of Chinooks carrying soldiers departed from an airfield. An infantryman looked out from the window besides his seat in the Chinook. ¡°This is much faster than expected isn¡¯t it? We are already going home!¡±
¡°There are still some poor sods that still need to keep stuff under control.¡±
¡°We were just fighting the remnants of a defeated army. They will do fine without the rest of us there.¡±
???
¡°The prophecy shall be fulfilled! It will be to the will of the Great One. The gate will be opened soon! Our darkness will spread to the other worlds!¡±
Guttural noises could be heard among what seemed like a crowd of jet black flesh. Some of them had sticks with skulls on them.
Chapter 99 - Welcome to California
0655 June 15th, 2020 CE
0627 Sun 45th, 196 AE
Elven Nation
¡°Mr. President, the Americans have begun their general withdrawal. There are still contingents of American soldiers present for security reasons.¡±
Afalen smiled a bit. ¡°What is the current state of our military?¡±
¡°About 10,000 strong, sir. Armed mostly with small arms. We have a few magipanzers. Barely a company. We have no Air Force or Navy to speak of.¡±
¡°I think that''s good enough. I¡¯m shrinking the military budget and redirecting the funds to rebuilding efforts. Give me the agriculture minister¡¯s update on the food situation.¡±
¡°We just need half of the amount of pre-war farmland to feed our population so we should have more than enough.¡±
¡°Good. I¡¯m glad they started running again. What¡¯s next on my agenda for today?¡±
¡°Sir, you still have a meeting in the afternoon with the American diplomat to discuss how the Americans wish for how the Elven government should be restructured.¡±
¡°Duly noted, Athtar.¡±
Afalen started looking through a bunch of reports and briefs. Anfalen didn¡¯t know how long it was but a knock soon came on the door which he answered. Saelihn popped her head in. ¡°Anfalen, lunch is about ready. Athtar, join us too. We are having Petren fish cooked with saltnut sauce.¡±
Walking the hallways of his office/home, Anfalen looked at Saelihn and sighed. ¡°We have a long road ahead of us don¡¯t we, Saelihn.¡±
¡°Yes, we do, Anfalen, yes we do.¡±
Washington D.C.
<<<¡±The previous leader of the Elven Nation, Tarron Venharice, is set to go on trial on June 20th under accusations of genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and military aggression. It is highly likely that he will serve life in prison.¡±>>>
Ronell turned off the TV and drank a sip of water. ¡°This has got to be the strangest thing a President has ever experienced. Fucking elves.¡±
Magus Imperium
¡°This is not true pure magic.¡±
On his throne, Arstant looked upset at his magi researchers. ¡°Then what is true pure magic? Their ammunition doesn''t even consist of metal.¡±
¡°But it requires a vehicle to fire from.¡±
Arstant shook his head. He looked up at the ceiling of his castle while thinking about what kind of crazy idiots he had hired. ¡°We don¡¯t even use magic as ammunition. We use metal for ammunition. I don¡¯t understand what you are trying to do.¡±
¡°We are aiming to not even need the vehicle to fire from. Pure and true magic. Have we not told your majesty? This is the true pursuit of our institution. To do away with using anything mechanical and to embrace magic as human¡¯s true future.¡±
¡°Our empire accepts both magic and the mechanical and has accepted them both since our founding. I see no reason to embrace only magic.¡±
¡°Of course. Of course. We will not persecute those who embrace machines but this will be a magic revolution, your majesty.¡±
¡°Do you have anything to show for it then?¡±
¡°Of course!¡±
A few hours later
A testing ground somewhere in the Magus Imperium
The Emperor, multiple magi researchers, and members of the military crowded together on a field and looked towards the sky. A single wyvern flew about.
The wyvern suddenly sped up to incredible speeds. The Emperor widened his eyes in amazement. Then the wyvern then suddenly slowed down to regular speed. One of the magi researchers nodded. ¡°And that is an example of ¡®enhancement¡¯ magic we are developing.¡±
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¡°How fast was that?¡±
¡°That should have been about 650 mph. Much faster than an elven jet aircraft.¡±
¡°Why did it slow down so fast?¡±
¡°Well, this is why we haven¡¯t shown it to you yet. It''s not perfect. We will still need to find a way to extend it beyond a few mere seconds. We are making progress.¡±
Arstant frowned. ¡°But aren¡¯t the Americans much faster and their high speeds can be maintained?¡±
¡°Your majesty, I understand that they have amazing mechanical technology but our Empire has had its roots in magic. Our Empire was founded on the basis of protecting users of magic. To switch focus onto just mechanical technology in pursuit of the Americans would be a mistake because we will never see or find out the potential of magical technology.¡±
0720 June 15th, 2020 CE
Fremont, California
¡°Luke Fuller!¡± His mom bellowed from the floor below. ¡°Wake up or you are going to be late for school!¡±
Luke jolted awake and sat in his bed blinking. He looked at his clock. 8:05. ¡°I¡¯m coming! GImme a sec!¡±
Rushing downstairs after brushing his teeth and slinging his backpack on his back, his mom greeted him. His golden hair was still wet from the water he splashed on his face. ¡°Your dad is already off to work. It''s 7:25. You are going to miss the bus.¡±
He slid into his seat at the table after setting his backpack down. He choked down a scrambled egg. ¡°Not if I eat fast enough.¡±
Luke got on to his bus right on time. ¡°Hayden, how you doing?¡±
Hayden just nodded in response and looked out the window. Luke rolled his eyes and sat right next to Hayden. He put in his earbuds and started to doze off.
A sea of people was in front of him as Luke walked in through the doors that lined the front entrance. Sundale High School. He was going to finally graduate in 9 days and get out of this place. He was supposed to graduate earlier but due to the chaos following ¡°The Transferal¡±, the start of the school year was pushed back by two weeks which in turn pushed the end date back by the same amount.
As Luke looked through his locker, a voice caught his attention. ¡°Luke.¡±
Luke greeted the tall figure approaching him. ¡°Jackson!
¡°What¡¯s up.¡±
Jackson fist bumped Luke. ¡°Doing good.¡±
¡°You ready for the party two weeks from now.¡±
¡°Of course.¡±
¡°You ain¡¯t chickening out like last party right?¡±
Luke snorted. ¡°Of course not. It¡¯s the graduation party. Who do you think I am?¡±
Jackson laughed. ¡°The guy who ditched me last party?¡±
¡°Look. I wasn¡¯t feeling that comfortable.¡±
Jackson placed an arm around Luke¡¯s shoulder. Jackson¡¯s brown hair went down to Luke¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You have to get out of your shell, you know. You are some weird mystery in between an extrovert and introvert. I will show you the way of the extrovert. Trust me, I¡¯m an expert. You may even find a girl or something.¡±
Luke laughed nervously at that.
Luke stared at Mr. Johnson¡¯s mouth as Mr. Johnson talked about whatever subject he was currently in. He couldn¡¯t quite remember. He really didn¡¯t see the point of class anymore since he already got accepted into Santa Clara University. Then his whole body started shaking. He got out of his stupor just as the teacher shouted. ¡°Get your head down below the desk! Stay under your desk until the shaking stops! Keep a hold of one of the legs of your table!¡±
Luke dove under his desk and got his hands on one of the legs. As the shaking turned even more violent, he closed his eyes as loud crashes indicated objects falling onto the ground. His hand wrapped around his desk¡¯s leg even firmer. The crashing noise stopped but the shaking wasn¡¯t done. A couple minutes passed by until the shaking stopped. The room became eerily quiet. ¡°Everyone, stay under your desks.¡±
Luke opened his eyes. The floor was a complete mess. He could see the rest of his classmates under their desks. All seemed to be okay. A few minutes later, his teacher spoke again. ¡°It seems safe enough. You can come out but don¡¯t touch anything that fell, especially the lights.¡±
Mr. Johnson was still looking around at the damage while Luke and his classmates got ahold of themselves. Earthquakes weren¡¯t uncommon In California but it had been a long time since one occurred. One of his classmates raised their hands. ¡°When can we leave?¡±
¡°We are going to wait until directions come from the speaker.¡±
Feet could be heard out in the hallway. One of his classmates looked back at Mr.Johnson from the door. ¡°Hey, the other classes are leaving.¡±
¡°It''s been a few minutes, the speaker is probably broken.¡±
Mr. Johnson looked out of the door. ¡°Alright, we are evacuating to the assembly area outside. Everyone, stay together.¡±
Luke got into his mom¡¯s car. After everyone assembled in a field and the teachers made sure that everyone was accounted for, school was dismissed for the rest of the day. ¡°Hey mom, is the house fine?¡±
¡°Only some things that fell off. Your father is coming back from work.¡±
¡°Sweet, I also have no school for the rest of the day.¡±
Fort Irwin, California
Two soldiers looked around as the shaking subsided. ¡°Huh. That lasted a couple minutes. I think it''s a high magnitude earthquake.¡±
¡°That didn¡¯t do much damage though.¡±
¡°Man, is it just me or are these earthquakes getting more and more frequent.¡±
¡°California probably had all of that pent up and is releasing it right now. Like how someone holds in their farts and then lets them all out later.¡±
¡°Ew. You really have to be that disgusting?¡±
¡°What? It¡¯s an accurate description.¡±
¡°You coulda settled for anything else but you just had to settle with a fart analogy.¡±
¡°If I don¡¯t make you queasy everyday, then I haven¡¯t done my duty.¡±
¡°Goddammit, man¡±
A knock came on the door. ¡°Tate, Bishop, you two alright?¡±
Bishop answered. ¡°Yes, staff sergeant. We are fine, well if not for Tate¡¯s analogies.¡±
0759 June 18th, 2020 CE
San Francisco, California
Officer Andrew Molano rested in his police vehicle. He was still exhausted from helping during the cleanup efforts after the earthquake. It has now been three days since the earthquake and the streets looked quite normal. Somewhat scrambled noises start coming out of his radio.
Andrew put the radio to his mouth. <<<¡±Go ahead¡±
¡°There are reports of multiple strange animals on Baker Beach. Possible 10-91V. Advise 10-0.¡±
¡°10-4, will investigate.¡±>>>
Chapter 100 - Battle of San Francisco Part 1 (Blood on the Sands)
0814 June 18th, 2020 CE (Time at San Francisco)
San Francisco
Andrew put his police car, a Ford Taurus, at the parking lot of the beach. It was a familiar place since he had been to this beach many times with his kids. The view of the Golden Gate Bridge just to the right was impressive as always. Being a Monday morning, the parking lot only had a few cars and the beach was mostly deserted. A man with white hair came running up to him. ¡°Officer!¡±
¡°Were you the one who reported the sightings of strange animals?¡±
¡°Yes. It wasn¡¯t like anything I have ever seen. About the size of an elephant.¡±
¡°And where is it right now?¡±
¡°It went back into the ocean just a few minutes after it came out.¡± The man pointed over to a direction towards the left.
Andrew got out his notepad and a pen. ¡°Alright. Can I get your name and what you were doing here?¡±
¡°Tony Coralles. My wife and I were just walking along the beach. I recently retired and it''s not crowded at this time so I decided we could use a nice walk.¡±
Andrew nodded while scribbling on his notepad. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Coralles. I¡¯m Officer Andrew Molanos with the San Francisco Police Department. Do you have any photos or videos of the animal? Any other witnesses?¡±
¡°No. I didn¡¯t bring anything that could have recorded it. Other than my wife and I, I don¡¯t think anybody else saw it.¡±
¡°I might be able to get it on one of the cameras in the area but can you describe what it looked like?¡±
¡°Um. Hm¡ it was jet black, had a long sharp nose like a uh¡ like a swordfish, stumpy four legs.¡±
¡°Thank you. I would also like to see the exact location of where the animal came ashore.¡±
¡°Thank you for the information, Mr. Coralles. I recommend you stay clear of the beach for the time being.¡±
Andrew walked back to his patrol vehicle and sat down in the driver¡¯s seat. The sand where Mr. Coralles led him was imprinted with countless large round holes. If it was an animal, it would have been about the size of an elephant. He picked up his car radio.
<<<¡°Dispatch? This is Officer Molanos.¡±
¡±Go ahead.¡±
¡±Just questioned the person who made the report. The animal seems to have returned to the ocean. I¡¯m suspecting it''s an unknown elephant-sized New World animal. I would suggest that people stay clear of any nearby beac¡¡±>>>
Screaming cut him off. He looked outside of the window. ¡°Shit.¡±
He rushed out of his car and drew his pistol.
Mr. Coralles was hanging in the jaws of an elephant-sized, jet black, four legged creature that had a long, pointed nose similar to a jousting lance and a long tail. The monstrosity¡¯s front legs were bent in a fashion so that its mouth could get to Mr. Coralles without having its nose jutting into the ground. The creature crunched Mr. Coralles¡¯s torso.
A few people ran past Andrew. He shouted to the horrified viewers. ¡°Get off the beach!¡±
Andrew emptied the magazine of his Sig Sauer P226 at the creature. The .40 S&W bullets bounced off the scales of the creature. Andrew¡¯s eyes grew wide as numerous similar creatures of varying size started coming ashore. Even more jet-black backs of the creatures started emerging from the waters and swimming towards the beach. The creature he just shot at looked up from its meal at him. Blood covered its mouth and dripped onto the sand, coloring it red. ¡°Shit.¡±
The creature started lumbering towards him.
Running into the parking lot, he found it empty. He got back into his car, slammed the door shut, put the car in drive and slammed on the gas. The tire screeched on the gravel.
<<<¡°11-99! I repeat 11-99! This is Officer Molanos. Multiple large and dangerous creatures have come ashore at Bakers Beach. One of the creatures has eaten a man and is currently pursuing me. My pistol had no effect on it. I need help immediately!¡±
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¡°Understood. More units are on their way. I¡¯m notifying SWAT.¡±>>>
He got onto the main road. A few cars drove by and there were people walking on the streets. He switched on the lights of his sirens and the loudspeakers. <<<¡°For your own safety, please evacuate the area immediately! I repeat, evacuate immediately. Stay away from the beach! ¡±>>>
Down the road to the left, trees fell as one of the creatures emerged next to the road. A car swerved to the left to avoid it.
<<<¡°Dispatch. Traffic needs to be cleared from the surrounding area. The creature is on the road.¡±>>>
The blaring sirens indicated that other units were nearby and closing in.
1134 June 18th, 2020 CE (Time at Washington D.C)
Washington D.C.
In the hallways of the White House, an aide ran up to Ronell. ¡°Mr. President! Urgent report. San Francisco is under attack.¡±
¡°What? By whom?¡±
¡°Unknown jet black creatures came ashore at Bakers Beach. Local law enforcement are currently responding.¡±
Ronell stood there, rubbed his face and grimaced. ¡°Fucking hell.¡±
Fremont, California
Luke played with his pencil as Mr. Johnson droned on about history. The PA system came on. <<<¡°The school will be going under lockdown. We have received information that a dangerous situation is occurring nearby. All teachers are advised not to let students out of the classrooms. Please be prepared to evacuate at a moment¡¯s notice.¡±>>>
The class went quiet at that. Mr. Johnson frowned. ¡°Alright. Seeing that this isn¡¯t occurring in the school, we are going to continue with the lesson.¡±
Mr. Johnson went and locked the door before returning to the front of the room.
0905 June 18th, 2020 CE
Fort Irwin, California
Tate went up to the Staff Sergeant. ¡°Staff Sergeant, why are we being deployed?¡±
¡°Some strange monsters are attacking San Francisco. Now, you two, get to your Humvee. We will get more information on the trip there. We have no time to waste.¡±
A few Humvees, M1A2 Abrams, and M2A3 Bradleys were already gathering on the concrete field.
1022 June 18th, 2020 CE
San Francisco
Andrew had retreated further inland with other police units. They had evacuated most of the civilians behind them. The creatures weren¡¯t that fast but it took time to evacuate civilians and form a line of defense to hold the creatures back. Along the way, he got handed a police AR-15.
He stopped his patrol vehicle in front of a SWAT van and got out. The intersection of Kirkham Street and 19th Avenue in front of him was full of patrol vehicles. A line of patrol vehicles blocked the intersection. Dozens of police officers and SWAT officers were present. A SWAT officer approached him. Andrew greeted him. ¡°Officer Molanos. I was told to report here.¡±
¡°We just arrived here too. Seems like we are gonna try to stop them here.¡±
¡°Stop them here?¡±
¡°We killed a few of them while helping with the evacuation. I¡¯m sure your AR-15 will do fine. Pump a bunch of 5.56 in them and they will die. Their head is the best place to shoot. Avoid the nose though, bullets literally ping off of that¡±
Andrew frowned. ¡°San Francisco isn¡¯t that good of a place to defend. I heard they were coming ashore from the ocean all around the city.¡±
¡°We are forming a line of defense along State Route 1 up to the Golden Gate Park for the west side. A line on Page Street for the north side. And starting from Page Street going down, a line near US 101 for the east side. They are still units outside of this defensive perimeter trying to evacuate civilians though.¡±
Behind the SWAT officer, a police sergeant shouted at two other police officers. ¡°You two, check those houses for civilians. If there are, tell them to leave immediately!¡±
¡°We got incoming!¡±
A single creature came barreling down the street. Andrew opened up with his AR-15. SWAT officers flanking him also opened fire. The creature took multiple hits to the head before going down. Cheers erupted but soon died down as screeches were heard. ¡°We got more!¡±
Washington D.C.
The multiple screens in the Situation Room showed muted news channels. The channels were showing footage from news helicopters in San Francisco. Groups of the jet-black creatures were shown coming ashore in the San Francisco Bay Area. ¡°Mr. President, they are coming ashore everywhere along the San Francisco Bay. We have reports of them on the airstrips at the Oakland International Airport. We aren¡¯t sure of the numbers but it seems to be in the hundreds. Local law enforcement is being overwhelmed.¡±
Ronell furrowed his eyebrows. ¡°Stephen, what military units are responding?¡±
The Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff responded. ¡°The California National Guard has been alerted and their Quick Response Forces should be responding within hours from now. The Air Force should also arrive close to that time. The One Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Pendleton should arrive within 5 hours. The 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment is currently preparing to travel to San Francisco. They will need more than 10 hours to mobilize and reach San Francisco. We are limited in our response capabilities since a majority of our forces are in transition to return after the Elven War.¡±
Ronell sat back on his chair. ¡°Now, do we have any idea what these are¡ I guess you are here for a reason.¡±
Dr. Munoz nodded as Ronell looked at him. ¡°Mr. President. I am certain that this is the Lancefish I was talking about. The nose definitely fits the bill. Of course, I guess the fish part of the name is not true now and it''s most likely to be a reptile. Hm. Lancereptile¡ doesn¡¯t have that nice of a ring to it. Lancefish is better.¡±
Stephen interrupted Dr. Munoz¡¯s mumbling about the creature¡¯s name. ¡°From the reports from local law enforcement. It seems to take multiple bullets from a 5.56mm rifle to kill it. A .50 sniper round kills them quite easily though.¡±
A few minutes later
An aide entered the room. ¡°Mr. President. We have various sightings of ships approaching San Francisco.¡±
¡°Ships? Civilian or military?¡±
¡°Um¡ we aren¡¯t sure if we can even call them ships.¡±
Chapter 101 - Battle of San Francisco Part 2 (The Initial Wave)
1036 June 18th, 2020 CE
San Francisco
Gun fire opened up from the police line on another creature that lumbered towards them. Andrew felt his AR-15 jerk back onto his shoulder every time he pulled the trigger. The creature quickly went down. There were corpses of these creatures spread across the street in front of them. Some were huge while others were much smaller.
The rotor blades of a helicopter could be heard above him. Andrew looked up as a police helicopter positioned itself with its side facing down the street. A single shot came from the open side door of the helicopter and streaked down the street towards an unseen target. The police sniper on the helicopter stayed silent for a few minutes before they opened fire again.
A shout near him caught his attention. ¡°Andrew!¡±
It was a coworker he was close to at his station. ¡°Oh, Terry. You are here too.¡±
Terry nodded. ¡°Just got here. Where you get that AR? I don¡¯t remember you being issued one.¡±
Terry was carrying an AR-15 that was issued to him. ¡°Someone had a spare and gave it to me while I was evacuating people.¡±
¡°That¡¯s good. I don¡¯t think we have to do much now though. They got a .50 cal sniper on that helicopter. It definitely put a stop to those monsters.¡±
The shots from the .50 cal started becoming constant and faster. Every few seconds, the sniper opened fire. They seemingly only stopped at intervals to reload. Somebody further behind him shouted, ¡°We have a wave of them! Brace yourselves!¡±
A few minutes later
¡°Holy shit. Open fire!¡±
A mass of black was just lumbering towards. There were so many creatures that they seemingly blended in together. Andrew put his empty magazine down on the ground and reached for another one of the magazines that he kept on his waist only to grasp at nothing. ¡°Anybody got a spare mag?¡±
Terry tossed him two and continued shooting. Andrew slammed the magazine in and gave Terry a quick thanks. The mass of creatures slowly but surely inched towards the police line.
A SWAT officer besides him shouted, ¡°I don¡¯t think we can hold this!¡±
Andrew didn¡¯t know who but somebody responded. ¡°Keep shooting! Don¡¯t let them through!¡±
¡°Fucking hell. Start backing up!¡±
Washington D.C.
One of the TVs in the Situation Room was set to a local news station in San Francisco. <<<¡°The Governor of California has declared a state of emergency. San Francisco County, Marin County, San Mateo County, Contra Costa County, and Alameda County are under evacuation orders. All civilians are required to evacuate from these counties. Sonoma County, Napa County, Solano County, and Santa Clara County are under evacuation warning. Although not required,all civilians are suggested to evacuate further inland from these counties. If you live in a county under evacuation orders and are unable to evacuate by your own means, it is recommended that you travel to one of these locations for evacuations.¡±
The screen switched from a new anchor to a list of locations.
¡°Please locate the one closest to you on this list.¡±>>>
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Stephen had a concerned look on his face. ¡°Mr. President, that¡¯s nearly 5 million people under evacuation orders.¡±
¡°Are there any reports of Lancefish sightings in Hawaii or Guam?¡±
Cralson shook his head. ¡°None whatsoever so. People there are being restricted from accessing the beaches. The Hawaii National Guard and the military units on Guam are on high alert.¡±
Ronell sighed. ¡°We can only hope for the best at this point. When will the Air Force arrive in San Francisco?¡±
¡°Within minutes, sir.¡±
¡°Have we found out what those mysterious ships were? Any more information on that?¡±
¡°We have sent a drone to investigate. It will take some time to arrive.¡±
¡°Well, do we have any information we can gather now?¡±
¡°They are described to be the same jet black as the creatures ashore but closely resembles a ship. That''s mostly what we know from witnesses far away¡±
An aide walked into the room. ¡°Mr. President, the Governor of California is on the phone.¡±
¡°Give me that.¡±
1055 June 18th, 2020 CE
Fremont, California
Even though class was supposed to end 20 minutes ago, Mr. Johnson continued with his lesson.The PA system went on again. <<<¡°Attention all students and teachers, we will begin evacuating from the school. Please remain with your teachers and class as you exit towards the front of the school. Your parents have already been informed of the evacuation location. You will be able to meet your parents there. Please refrain from asking your parents to come pick you up at the school as we want to avoid traffic jams. Please remain calm and follow all instructions from your teachers.¡±>>>
Luke looked around. There was a moment of silence before voices arose. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡±
¡°Oh my god.¡±
Some people got out their smartphones. Mr. Johnson had a surprised look on his face but it quickly wore off. ¡°Ok everyone.¡±
The student''s voices drowned out Mr.Johnson. ¡°Holy cow! We¡¯re under attack by strange monsters. Look at this.¡± A few of the students crowded around the smartphone of the student who said that.
Mr.Johnson bellowed, ¡°Everyone!¡±
A silence fell on the students as they looked at Mr.Johnson.
¡°I don¡¯t know what is happening but we will be following these instructions. We will be leaving the classroom in an orderly fashion. Please stay together and do not stray from your classmates.¡±
Luke exited the school building following his classmates. He just had to keep an eye on Mr. Johnson¡¯s bald head. A line of yellow school buses lined the school driveway. There were also three police cars. Two near the exit of the driveway and one behind the line of school buses. His class came to a stop at the pavement near the buses. One of the front office ladies was talking with Mr. Johnson. Shouting caught Luke¡¯s attention. On the grass a few yards away, a police officer and a school faculty member were arguing with a woman. ¡°Why can¡¯t I just grab my child and go?¡±
The school faculty member shook his head. ¡°Sorry, m¡¯am, we aren¡¯t giving anybody preferential treatment. You can follow the buses to their location.¡±
¡°But it¡¯s my child. Mable Darrison. Can¡¯t you just go find her really quickly?¡±
The policeman took over the conversation. ¡°It will take time to do so and we don¡¯t have time. We aren¡¯t sure how long we can hold them off. That is why we aren¡¯t letting parents pick up their kids. We can¡¯t have traffic snarling up the evacuation. Those things will get here before even half the students would be able to get picked up. There will also be people trapped in a traffic jam. It will be a massacre. Please return to your vehicle. You may follow the buses towards the evacuation site. All students will be returned to their parents there.¡±
The argument continued but Luke couldn¡¯t listen for much longer. Mr. Johnson turned to the class. ¡°Quickly. Onto the bus everybody.¡±
Luke sat down by himself. He didn¡¯t really talk much to the classmates he had in Mr.Johnson¡¯s class. Another class started boarding the bus. A person sat down to Luke and he brightened up as he saw who it was. ¡°Hayden. Your class is on this bus too?¡±
Hayden nodded.
Luke did a small laugh. ¡°Huh. What are the chances?¡±
A third class started filing in. Luke looked around. ¡°Isn¡¯t this bus getting a bit crowded?¡±
Mr. Johnson shouted, ¡°Everyone, please sit close together we need at least 3 people per seat.¡±
1113 June 18th, 2020 CE
California State Route 58, 70 miles from Los Angeles
Bishop was at the wheel staring at the back of a Bradley as they traveled at 35 mph. Tate looked out from the window of the Humvee at the vast expanse of nothingness. A long convoy of Bradleys, Abrams, and Humvees were on the highway.
Tate sighed ¡°How long till we get there?¡±
¡°Should be 8 more hours.¡±
Chapter 102 - Battle of San Francisco Part 3 (Airspace Denied)
1122 June 18th, 2020 CE
San Francisco
Two of the patrol vehicles that had made up the blockade were pushed aside. The third one was overturned. The monsters had pushed back the firing line but the withering fire that the officers put up kept them at bay.
While Andrew loaded another magazine into his AR, the radio on his shoulder crackled.
<<<¡°This is Lieutenant James Beckinridge, in command of the units in the Golden Gate Park. How¡¯s the overall evacuation going? The monsters are swarming the park!!¡±
¡°There are about 20% complete.¡±
¡°How much longer is it going to take?¡±
A string of curses from a third person interrupted the radio conversation.
¡°Hold for a moment, Lieutenant Beckinridge. Who is this? Please keep this frequency reserved for important information. You can curse in your assigned frequency.¡±
¡°This is fucking important information. This is Sergeant Adam Zhang. The damn things have broken through at the intersection between Page Street and Divisadero Street. We are retreating. Fuck!¡±
Gunshots could be heard over the radio.
¡°Sergeant? Where are the units there retreating to?¡±
There was a moment of silence.
¡°Sergeant? Are you there? Sergeant?¡±
There was another moment of silence as Sergeant Zhang didn¡¯t respond.
¡°Lieutenant Beckinrigde?¡±
¡°Yes, sir?¡±
¡°To everyone on this frequency, we are planning a fallback line. We will inform you of the location soon. Pass the word.¡±>>>
He had forgotten to switch the frequency to the one that he had been told when he arrived at this intersection. He was glad he forgot though. ¡°Shit.¡±
Terry didn¡¯t hear Andrew¡¯s cursing but he did notice that Andrew had stopped shooting. Terry stopped firing and raised his voice over the sound of the gunfire around them. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Need more ammo?¡±
¡°No.¡±
Terry shook his head. ¡°What? Speak louder!¡±
¡°No! Someone reported over the command frequency that the monsters broke through at a point on Page Street. My children go to school near there.¡±
¡°Jesse told me that schools have been ordered to be evacuated to the evacuation points. I¡¯m sure they are alright.¡±
Andrew patted on his phone in his pocket. ¡°I¡¯m gonna go make a call.¡±
¡°Jesse is on her way to pick up our children at the evacuation point. She can also pick up yours if you want her to.¡±
¡°Will she be staying there or evacuating? Most of Richmond District is overrun now so I don¡¯t think going back home is a good idea anymore.¡±
¡°Most likely staying and waiting for us. If the situation gets worse, she will evacuate with the kids.¡±
¡°I will call my kids and tell them that Jesse is picking them up at the evacuation point then.¡±
¡°I think you should do it later when we don¡¯t have fucking monsters a couple yards away from us.¡±
Andrew shook his head. ¡°Family comes first. I gotta make sure my kiddos are fine. I think you guys can handle it if one guy leaves for a bit.¡±
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¡°Then call Jesse for me and tell her about your kids. Also tell her I''m doing fine, alright.¡±
¡°Got it. Thanks, Terry¡±
With that Terry continued shooting.
As Andrew began walking away from the firing line, he looked up as he heard and then saw jets fly over them. Soon after, multiple explosions were heard.
<<<¡±This is Eagle One. The package has been dropped. We are Winchester and will RTB.¡±
¡°RTB is authorized. Have a safe trip back.¡±>>>
The two F-15Es banked to their sides so they could circle back.
<<<¡±This Eagle Two! Multiple objects on radar coming towards us from behind at high speeds! Break formation! Break formation! Deploying countermeasures!¡±>>>
Flares and chaff popped out of the F-15s as they climbed upwards. Multiple projectiles sped past them straight into the sky.
<<<¡±This is Eagle One. I have been hit.¡±
¡°Copy. How bad is the damage? Are you able to return to base?¡±
¡°It hit my left wing. I¡¯m unsure of the damage but the aircraft still seems capable of flying. I will try to make it back to base.¡±
¡°This is Eagle Two. I have a visual on the damage. Half of Eagle One¡¯s left wing is gone.¡±>>>
Less than an hour later
Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada
The F-15 that was missing half its left wing started its descent onto the runway. Eagle Two stayed in the air above making loops. The pilot sweated as she focused on keeping the aircraft in control. The landing gear came out and the F-15 started touching the ground.
The pilot and her weapon systems officer clambered out of the aircraft and took a look at it as the ground crew started running up to her. Half of the F-15¡¯s left wing was sheared clean off.
Washington D.C.
¡°Mr. President. One of our F-15s that was conducting an airstrike over San Francisco was nearly shot down from an unidentified source. It has landed safely at its airbase. However, it brings up the fact that what we are facing could possibly have surface to air missiles.¡±
Ronell frowned. ¡°Surface to air missiles? Are we facing a technologically comparable enemy?¡±
¡°We aren¡¯t certain. From current information, a high speed projectile collided with an F-15 when it began its return trip from bombing the Lancefish, tore off its wing but did not explode.¡±
¡°Do we have a visual of their ships yet?¡±
¡°We have an RQ-4 Global Hawk from Beales Air Base approaching the area soon, sir.¡±
Fremont, California
Chattering filled the bus as Luke classmates looked through videos of the monsters invading the Bay Area. A few others around him were making phone calls like him. Luke felt relieved as his mom¡¯s voice came on through the other side.
<<<¡°Hey mom. Have you heard what''s happening?¡±
Her mom¡¯s voice, tinged with worry, replied. ¡°Are you alright? Where are you right now?¡±
¡°I¡¯m fine, mom. I¡¯m on a school bus. We have police escorts. The school told me that they are taking us to Levi¡¯s Stadium and that our parents can pick us up there.¡±
¡°I know, the school informed me. I¡¯m on my way. I¡¯m glad you are okay. Your dad got off work and is also on his way. Stay there until we arrive alright?¡±
¡°Oka¡¡±>>>
Luke couldn¡¯t finish as he felt as if he was flying. In a snap, pain pierced through him.
<<<¡°Luke? Luke, are you there?¡±>>>
Hearing his mom¡¯s voice, Luke opened his eyes and blinked. A group of blurry colors filled his vision. He heard gunshots and shouting as he got out of his pain filled daze. Realizing that he was lying on his side with something cold touching his face, he sat up to look around. The bus was flipped on its side. He was sitting on the windows which were thankfully laminated glass so it didn¡¯t shatter into glass shards. He could hear groans from a few others on the bus. Looking around, a few were sitting up like him but some were still lying down. Hayden was lying beside him with his eyes closed. Luke started shaking Hayden. ¡°Hayden. You alright?¡±
Hayden responded with coughing.
<<<¡±Luke!¡±>>>
Luke looked around for where the voice came from and found his phone. His smartphone survived thanks to the heavy duty case and screen protector he had put on it. The screen was cracked and his mom was getting hysterical though. Luke picked up his phone.
<<<¡±Mom, I¡¯m alright, something hit our bus.¡±
¡°What? What hit your bus? Do you need me to pick you up? Are you hurt?¡±
¡°Woah. Woah. Slow down there Mom. I¡¯m alright. I uh¡ I don¡¯t know. Just uh¡ just give me a few minutes. I need to get out of the bus.¡± >>>
Luke looked towards Hayden who had opened his eyes but was staring off into space. ¡°Hayden. You good? We need to get off the bus.¡±
1234 June 18th, 2020 CE
Washington D.C.
¡°We have just gotten a visual of the ships that were approaching San Francisco. They seem to have landed and are concentrated on Ocean Beach. It will be on screen momentarily.¡±
The large screen that covered a side of the Situation Room soon displayed a beach with rolling waves. On the beach were multiple figures that all those in the room were staring at.
Ronell¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°What the hell are those?¡±
Chapter 103 - Battle of San Francisco Part 4 (Reinforcements)
1235 June 18th, 2020 CE
Washington Blvd, Irvington, California
The emergency exit door at the back of the bus was opened. A policewoman peeked in ¡°Everybody! Get off the bus! The monsters are attacking!¡±
Without thinking, Luke grabbed Hayden and slung Hayden¡¯s arm over his shoulder. Luke¡¯s mind was still taking in what had happened. Around him, people stood up to get off the bus and some, like him, carried and helped others.
Since the door was sideways, everyone had to climb to get out. Luke gave Hayden to a person outside and Hayden was pulled out of the bus. When Luke himself got out, he was met with utter carnage. Police officers were trying to get the rest of the students off the bus. Whilst another waved and shouted at them to go somewhere. ¡°Go! Go! Go! Come on! Off the street and into that building!¡±
A couple people pushed past him to get to wherever the officer was telling them to go to. The background noises were deafening. Around the street, multiple police officers had assault rifles in their hands firing towards something. There was a metallic smell in the air that Luke had never smelled before. None of the other buses that their bus was following were there, most likely having already fled.
A person patted him on the back. Luke turned to see Mr.Johnson looking at him with concern. Luke barely made out what he said. ¡°Luke, we have to go. Come on.¡±
Mr. Johnson had rarely addressed him before so it came as a shock that he remembered his name. Luke replied with only a nod and started walking towards where everybody else was going. Behind him, Mr. Johnson''s voice vibrated in the air amidst the gunshots. ¡°Stay together!¡±
A blast of cool air hit him as Luke entered the Wells Fargo bank. Students crowded the place. The amount wasn¡¯t surprising as three classes had been jammed onto that one bus.
Two police officers and the teachers of the two other classes were also there. They had their attention on the students lying on the ground. Close by, a police officer was shouting into their radio. ¡°We have people bleeding here. I need medical here.¡±
Luke quickly looked away when he saw that the girl that the policeman was tending to had an arm covered in blood.
A shout came from the door behind him. ¡°Is everybody here alright? This position is collapsing. We have to move.¡±
The police officer tending to the wounded girl shouted back. ¡°We have people who are injured. They need medical assistance.¡±
Luke looked at the door that he had entered from. The voice that had told them that they had to move came from another policeman. ¡°No time. Just carry them. I¡¯m not sure how much longer we can stay here. We are going on foot.¡±
Mr. Johnson, who Luke had not noticed coming into the bank, walked up to the officer shouting from the door. Luke heard Mr. Johnson raised voice but he didn¡¯t make out what he said. Luke noticed that Mr. Johnson looked unhappily at the police officer. Luke could hear the policeman¡¯s reply. ¡°Sorry, I can¡¯t do that. I promise you that we are gonna find some way to transport you guys there. But we have to get away from this area first and the best way is by foot.¡±
One of the teachers shouted. ¡°We need some people to help carry the injured.¡±
Amidst the commotion of people carrying the wounded. Luke soon found Hayden sitting down, leaned against the wall. ¡°Hey, Hayden.¡±
Hayden had his eyes open and seemed to be less dazed. ¡°Hey, Luke.¡±
¡°You alright?¡±
¡°Thanks for saving me.¡±
Luke nodded. ¡°Come on let''s go, we have to leave.¡±
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Hayden nodded.
Washington D.C.
On the screen, the beach was populated by large humanoid creatures with leathery jet black skin. Some of them had horns on them while others did not. They were all holding chunks of rock that somewhat resembled a spear. A few were grabbing crates and moving them onto the beach from their ships. Their ships looked very unnerving. It resembled a cargo ship without a bridge. It was the same skin texture as the humanoids and multiple eyes dotted the ship at random locations. While most of their ships had eyes moving around and looking in all directions, the eyes of one of the ships seemed to be focused on the drone.
A giant red toad with a giant box-shaped growth on its back jumped into the camera view of the beach. It turned towards the drone.
In the Situation Room, a voice pierced the quietness and shock. ¡°I think they noticed the drone.¡±
A blast of objects came out of the box on the back of the toad. The screen suddenly became black.
Ronell immediately spoke up. ¡°What happened? What was that?¡±
¡°It seems that the drone was shot down by that giant toad thing.¡±
Stephen spoke up. ¡°Their munitions are not guided at all. It''s more akin to a canister shot.¡±
Ronell turned his attention to him. ¡°Canister shot?¡±
¡°When you fire a canister shot out of a cannon, the shell turns into multiple pieces in order to damage a large group of something. That''s what''s happening here. They don¡¯t have the accuracy so they just blanket the sky with shrapnel or objects.¡±
Ronell shook his head. ¡°What are we even facing and where did these things come from?¡±
¡°I have to say they look like things from the depth of damned hell¡±
¡°Those anti-air weapons do seem alive. Maybe we can¡¯t get that scientist back in here to give us an explanation.¡±
Dr. Munoz tapped his chin.
¡°This could possibly be an artificial modification of the creature. On the other hand, it could be naturally occurring. If the species ate flying animals and those animals flew at heights similar to fighter jets, it is possible... albeit you would only expect something like this from a fantasy world created by an insane maniac. But I can¡¯t tell you where it came from. This new world has quite a different biological makeup than our world and we haven¡¯t cataloged all of it .¡±
Cralson interrupted Dr.Munoz¡¯s musings. ¡°Mr. President. We are setting up a task team to scour through satellite images in order to locate their origins. We are hoping for results soon.¡±
San Francisco
Andrew walked back towards the firing line, having just finished his phone calls.
A shout caught his attention. ¡°One of our jets are going down!¡±
He looked to the sky. A fighter jet was spinning out of control in the sky. Both of its wings were missing.
20 minutes later
¡°They are breaking through!¡±
Andrew kept firing his AR but it seemed as if every monster he downed, another came to replace it. The entire firing line had started backing up once again. A voice came through his radio.
<<<¡°All forces prepare to fall back to reorganize. We have set up another perimeter. 7th Avenue for the west. Frederick Street and Duboce Avenue for the north. Folsom Street for the east. The National Guard will be arriving soon.¡±>>>
¡°Retreat!¡±
Andrew turned his patrol vehicle around and followed the other police vehicles. After driving down the road for a few minutes, they saw two Humvees rushing towards them from the opposite direction. The .50 cal from an California National Guard Humvees started laying down lead on the monsters behind the fleeing police vehicles
A few minutes later
Andrew and the others had gotten to 7th Avenue safely thanks to their retreat being covered by the two Humvees. A couple soldiers rushed around setting up sandbags at the intersection. Andrew noticed a police lieutenant was talking with a soldier, ¡°We are with the California National Guard and will be providing assistance to these creatures known as Lancefishes.¡±
¡°That''s the dumbest name I have ever heard."
¡°Not my choice. A couple scientists have decided to name them that and the government ran with it. There are only 10 of us here but these monsters seem to be slow mindless meatbags so it shouldn''t be that hard to deal with. Our mission is to help you hold this perimeter until the Marines, Army, and additional National Guard units get here to push them back."
"We could definitely use the additional firepower." The police lieutenants looked at the Humvees. "I think we can hold them back with these. You say these are .50 cal machine guns?"
"Yep."
".50 cal snipers seem to kill these monsters in an instant so that''s good."
Andrew rested his hands on his AR. Two Humvees with .50 cals sat in the middle of the intersection, their machine guns aimed down the road.
Camp Pendleton, California
V-22 Ospreys lifted off from the airfield. Following them were AH-1Z Vipers.
Chapter 104 - Battle of San Francisco Part 5 (Not So Pleasant Surprise)
1310 June 18th, 2020 CE
San Francisco, California
The riveting noise of the .50 cal machine guns firing reverberated through the air. The Lancefishes were collapsing by the dozens into pools of their own purple blood. The sound of the .50 cal was deafening. Since he didn¡¯t have ear protection and the adrenaline from earlier was wearing off, the noise from the .50 cal was actually awful. Andrew was certain he was going to be suffering from tinnitus for the rest of his life. Other than the SWAT, none of his other coworkers wore ear protection so they were all pretty much guaranteed this fate as well. However, they had to keep firing in order to keep the monsters at bay. Even two .50 cal machine guns were not enough at holding back a tidal wave of monsters.
Washington Blvd, Irvington, California
Luke pulled Hayden to his feet. ¡°You sure you can walk on your own?
¡°Yeah, just a little woozy. I¡¯m fine.¡±
Amidst the commotion of everybody helping each other up and moving towards the door, one of the police officer¡¯s voices was being drowned out. ¡°EVERYONE SHUT UP!¡±
The building became dead silent. The policeman continued in a raised voice. ¡°Listen. If you want to survive, you have to listen. We will be going from building to building until we get out of this area. The other officers are trying to hold the line until we get out. The only exit is through the front door. When you get out, go right immediately and get into the parking lot. Avoid the intersection. I don¡¯t believe any of you will be dumb enough to run into the middle of a battle but I repeat DO NOT go left into the intersection. We will be ducking behind this building for cover so go fast. When you get into the parking lot, start moving towards the neighborhood behind this bank. Let¡¯s go, no time to waste.¡±
1615 June 18th, 2020 CE (Washington D.C TIme)
Outside the White House
Ronell looked at the crowd of reporters gathered in front of him. ¡°Good afternoon. This morning, as many of you already know, the city of San Francisco came under attack by creatures that we have never seen before.
Our understanding of these creatures are limited. We are not certain of their origin. We are not certain if they are intelligent or that we are capable of communicating with them. And we are not certain as to why they are attacking San Francisco. However, we are working tirelessly to understand the nature and origins of such creatures.
What we do know is that these creatures do not come in peace. They have attacked the city of San Francisco and its people unprovoked. The battle is still ongoing. Just a few minutes ago, I was in the Situation Room being updated on the situation.
Our first priority is to ensure the safety of the people of San Francisco.
Local law enforcement have held off the advance and civilians are being evacuated from the Bay Area. I have federalized the National Guards of California, Nevada, Oregon, and Arizona and I have directed them to repel the creatures invading San Francisco. The California National Guard have already begun arriving to assist. In addition, I have directed the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment from Fort Irwin, California along with 2,200 Marines of the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit from Camp Pendleton, California to provide further support.
The current situation is still developing and we will provide further updates once more is known. Thank you. And may God bless the United States of America.¡±
Situation Room
Stephen gave his update to the President. ¡°The Air Force has reassessed the situation and are switching their munitions to long range cruise missiles in order to take out the enemy anti-air and to bombard their landings on the beach. Direct bombing runs are no longer considered viable due to losses. The navy is also unable to be deployed in the Pacific due to the fact that there are still Lancefishes in the water.¡±
¡°Do we have any updates on the origins of these creatures?¡±
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¡°None whatsoever. But rest assured, Mr. President, we will find something. The entire National Spatial-Intelligence Agency is working on it.¡±
¡°Well then. The only thing we can do at this point, gentlemen, is to hope for the best.¡±
¡°Should we inform other nations of the current situation?¡± Inquired the Secretary of State, Katerina. ¡°I was planning to do so but I¡¯m looking for your approval.¡±
Ronell shook his head. ¡°Keep it under wraps for now. We don¡¯t want them knowing something they can take advantage of. We can inform them later. If they start being attacked, then we will tell them.¡±
Ronell sighed and swiveled his head to look through all the screens in the Situation Room. Multiple news channels were in a frenzy over this. Some of the screens showed footage of the monsters in the streets of San Francisco. News anchors talking with almost any person they could get a hold of that was somehow related or could give an opinion on this. .
1325 June 18th, 2020 CE
Irvington, California
Luke looked around at the houses that lined both sides of the street they were on. Their large group made their way down the street. They could still hear gunshots since they had only traveled about three blocks away from the bank. Luke realized that his phone had been vibrating in his pocket for a while now. Looking at it, there were 20 missed calls from his mom. His mom came through the moment it connected. ¡°Luke?! Why haven¡¯t you picked up?¡±
Luke paused for a second at his mom¡¯s hysterical shouting.
¡°Mom. Calm down. I¡¯m fine.¡±
¡°Where are you right now? Are you alright? What happened? Why didn¡¯t you pick up?¡±
¡°Calm down. I¡¯m alive and safe. Perfectly fine¡ not a scratch. Don¡¯t freak but our bus was¡ had engine problems. We had to travel onto the streets and I didn¡¯t hear my phone.¡±
¡°Were you able to get on another bus?¡±
Usually, his mom would pick up on that pause. But she was probably either too panicked to notice that he was lying or that she was just taking it since she understood she probably didn¡¯t want to hear the truth. And hey, he wasn¡¯t technically lying, the engine of the bus is having problems. More so caused by the bus being flipped than the bus engine itself though. But hey, potayto, potahto, tomayto, tomahto.
¡°No, mom, we are currently on foot. We have police officers escorting us and I think we are trying to find a vehicle or something to get us to the evacuation point.¡±
San Francisco, California
A Guardsman tapped Andrew¡¯s shoulder.
¡°We will take it over from here. Report to your commanding officer back there.¡±
An amalgamation of police forces all gathered in front of their supposed ¡°commanding officer¡±.
¡°I¡¯m Lieutenant Alan Beckingridge, in charge of all local law enforcement forces in this intersection. Gonna keep this short. There are people handing out MRES over there. Get some food and rest. You guys have 20 minutes. Then we gotta cycle you guys out so half of the soldiers can eat. Any questions?¡±
A city police officer raised his voice. ¡°Why can¡¯t we focus on just evacuations now that the National Guard is here?¡±
¡°There aren¡¯t enough soldiers. What we have is just a Quick Response Force from the California National Guard spread out at some of the intersections. More soldiers are coming to reinforce us but they need some more time. So take your break, and get ready to come back. Be glad, you are even having a break.¡±
20 minutes later
Andrew was getting up from his break when loud shouting from the firing line caught his attention.
A Humvee was suddenly flung. It gained some air before skidding on the ground a few yards away from Andrew. A giant metallic spear-like log was punctured through what was left of the Humvee. The second Humvee started reversing, its .50 cal firing wildly. ¡°Fall back! Fall back!¡±
¡°Ognu daria sugaaa!¡±
¡°What the hell are those!?¡±
The soldiers on the firing line quickly started backing up in an organized manner.
Irvington, California
Luke looked around at the houses that lined the sides of the deserted street. One of the police officers pushed past him and went to converse with Mr. Johnson. A few seconds later. The police officer shouted. ¡°Alright, everybody stop. We have to hide in these houses. We may have monsters approaching soon.¡±
Then murmurs grew as people looked down the road. A sand colored Humvee appeared there. Luke could see that a soldier manned the machine gun on it. Behind the first Humvee, three more Humvees showed up followed by sand colored trucks. Everybody got onto the sidewalk in order to clear the road. A Humvee without a machine gun on top separated from the convoy and parked on the side of the road near them. The rest of the convoy continued. A soldier dressed in full sand colored combat gear and carrying a rifle walked out. ¡°What are you guys doing out here? It''s not safe here.¡±
A police officer went up to him. ¡°I¡¯m Officer Hills Cooper with the Fremont Police Department. We were escorting a convoy of school buses from Sundale High School to the evacuation point at Levi¡¯s Stadium. However, one of the school buses was overturned by one of those monsters. These are the kids from that school bus and we are trying to find another vehicle to get us to the evac point.¡±
¡°Sergeant David Lumen of the California Army National Guard.¡± The sergeant looked around at everybody. ¡°Hm. Lemme check with my commanding officer to see if they can offer any help.¡±
Chapter 105 - San Francisco is Lost Part 1 (Fleeing)
1345 June 18th, 2020 CE
Irvington, California
Around Luke, a few sat down on the sidewalk to rest. Luke looked around. It was a nice little neighborhood with a variety of white one-story and two-story houses lining both sides. Luke looked to Hayden who was also sitting down. ¡°I¡¯m gonna go listen to what they are saying.¡±
David came back from his Humvee. ¡°Sorry. My unit can¡¯t spare any vehicles right now.¡±
Hills sighed. ¡°Well, thanks for asking.¡±
David pointed behind him. ¡°You guys are nearing the Paseo Padre Parkway. There¡¯s still a lot of people driving through there. You can probably flag down someone to get a ride. I did see a couple buses which could probably fit all of you guys. Maybe if you are lucky, another bus will pass by.¡±
The sound of machine gun fire interrupted their conversation. David looked down the road towards where the gunfire came from. Someone in the Humvee shouted. ¡°Sergeant! They made contact. There¡¯s a horde of them.¡±
David looked to Hills. ¡°I need to go. I have orders to stop those monsters here. You guys should be relatively safe for now but I do suggest that you guys keep moving.¡±
The soldier got back into the Humvee and it drove off. Hills looked at the students around him. Most had sat down to rest. ¡°Okay. Everyone! We will be stopping for a few minutes in order to make a decision. Please take this time to rest whilst we talk with your teachers. I need all teachers and all officers over here.¡±
A few, who hadn¡¯t lost their stuff, started eating from their lunch boxes and drinking from their bottled water. Luke sat down besides Hayden and hugged his legs to his cheat. Luke took a deep breath. ¡°You okay, Hayden?¡±
¡°Yeah I¡¯m fine.¡±
¡°You think we gonna live?¡±
¡°...probably.¡±
They sat together without speaking. Luke rummaged through his pockets for his earbuds. To his surprise, nothing came up.He probably dropped his earbuds in the chaos. Chattering filled up the air and Luke fidgeted a bit while sitting silently besides Hayden. He didn¡¯t know anybody else around and making new friends would be awkward in this situation. A few minutes passed by for Luke to say anything again. Hayden would usually ignore him. Today, however. Hayden seemed finally able to talk. Although being given the chance, Luke started feeling like he would chicken out. ¡°Hayden¡ um¡ I have been meaning to talk to you about this¡ I know this is probably not the place and I¡¯m a bit late on this but we have been good friends since middle school. You kinda stopped talking to me starting¡¡±
Luke was interrupted. ¡°Okay. Everyone. Attention! We are asking everyone to call their parents to come pick them up at the Paseo Padre Parkway. Tell them to pick you up at the Paseo Padre Parkway. For those who can¡¯t be picked up, we will find a bus or something to get you guys to the evac point.¡±
A few minutes later
Luke got off of his phone with his mom again. ¡°Hayden, will your parents be picking you up?¡±
¡°They told me that they are already at the stadium waiting for me. They are gonna try to drive to me though.¡±
Oddly, even though they had already walked a street away from where they met the soldiers, the sound of gunfire seemed to be getting louder and louder. Somewhere in their group of 60 or so students, somebody shouted. ¡°Hey the soldiers are coming back!¡±
Unlike the first time they had seen them, the military vehicles weren¡¯t in a neat convoy line. Instead disorganized Humvees and trucks were speeding towards them.
The vehicles came to a halt near them. The soldier from earlier that had talked to them jumped out of one of the Humvees. He started waving to everybody. ¡°The monsters are coming! Get onto the trucks! Come on.¡±
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Officer Hills ran up to him. ¡°What? What¡¯s happening?
¡°Get these kids onto the trucks. We can¡¯t hold off the monsters. Squeeze in as much as you can.¡±
People started getting onto the backs of the trucks. Luke spotted something in the sky. A humvee flew right over them. It clipped a house down the road and smashed upside down onto the lawn of a house further down.
Radio transmissions ten minutes earlier
<<<¡°Shit. Shit. Shit. This is Second Lieutenant George Rowland of 2nd Platoon. We are not able to keep the monsters from reaching the Paseo Padre Parkway in Irvington. I repeat. We are not able to keep the monsters from reaching the Paseo Padre Parkway.¡±
¡°What¡¯s happening Lieutenant? I need a sitrep, this instant.¡±
¡°The monsters are flinging projectiles at us and we have taken heavy casualties. They have taken out most of our .50 cal humvees. We need someone to redirect the traffic on the parkway elsewhere. We are not able to hold this position at all.¡±
¡°That¡¯s a negative Lieutenant. Don¡¯t let them onto the parkway. That''s an order.¡±
¡°Sir! We can¡¯t hold it. Don¡¯t we have anything on hand? Is there any air support?¡±
There was a bit of silence before a response came. ¡°Negative, Lieutenant. Air support is unavailable. Enemy air defense is proving too strong.¡±
¡°Sir, for the safety of my men, my unit is retreating to the parkway. Holding our current position is impossible. We will try our best to protect the parkway for as long as possible but we don¡¯t have the firepower to hold it for long.¡±
There was another brief silence over the radio. ¡°... I will see what I can do.¡±>>>
Washington D.C.
Inside the Situation Room, Stephen presented worrying news to Ronell. ¡°Mr. President, the National Guard is being pushed back. We are receiving reports that humanoid monsters, description matching the ones we saw on our drone, appear to be throwing projectiles at high speeds towards humvees and destroying them.¡±
Ronell rubbed his forehead. ¡°How long until the Marines are there?¡±
¡°Within an hour.¡±
¡°How much of San Francisco have these monsters taken?¡±
¡°Mr. President¡¡± Stephen paused. ¡°San Francisco may be lost.¡±
¡°So you are telling me that an American city will be occupied by foreign forces and that we can do nothing about it?¡±
¡°...yes sir¡ even with the responding marines, we do not have sufficient force to prevent San Francisco from being¡ well more infested with monsters than occupied.¡±
Ronell sighed. ¡°The first wave were monsters. Those Lancefish things. Whatever that second wave was with the giant humanoids and anti-air toads seemed like a coordinated military to me.¡±
1411 June 18th, 2020 CE
San Francisco California
A patrol vehicle barreled down a street lined with stores but devoid of people. Andrew¡¯s radio squawked as he made a right turn in his patrol vehicle that nearly tilted his vehicle. He felt his entire body slide to the left.
Terry had his eyes wide open at that. ¡°Woah, drive a bit slower. You are gonna kill us.¡±
¡°Do you not see the situation we are in? We gotta get out of here.¡±
¡°I know but these monsters aren¡¯t that fast.¡±
Another message came through the radio that silenced all other radio chatter. <<<¡°All units. All units! Holding San Francisco is no longer viable. San Francisco is lost. I repeat, San Francisco is lost. The evacuation of remaining civilians is top priority. Hold Interstate 280 at all costs! We must keep our only way out open.¡±>>>
¡°I guess that''s where we are going then.¡±
A ringtone started playing in the car. Andrew felt his right pocket vibrate. ¡°That must be my kids. Terry, can you fish that out of my right pocket? Answer it and put it on speaker too please.¡±
Terry placed the phone in the cupholder.
<<<¡±Dad?¡±
¡°Yes? I¡¯m here.¡±
¡°Hey dad, Mrs. Gray is making us board a helicopter.¡±>>>
Andrew made another tight turn.
<<<¡°Just follow and listen to her. Keep your younger sister safe. Alright?¡±
¡°Okay dad¡ are you ok? I¡¯m hearing that San Francisco is being overrun. Are you still in the city? Ashley wants to see you.¡±
¡°I¡¯m still in the city but I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m with Mr. Gray and we are finding our way out. Just listen to Mrs. Gray. And can you put your sister on the phone?¡±
A young, quivering female voice came through. ¡°Dad?¡±
¡°Yes sweetheart?¡±
She sounded near tearing up. ¡°Dad. I want to see you. I¡¯m worried that what happened to Mom will happen to you.¡±
¡°Dad¡¯s a-ok. I¡¯m already at a very safe location. Just listen to your brother and Mrs. Gray. Can you give your phone back to your brother?¡±
¡°Mhm.¡±
His son¡¯s voice came through. ¡°Dad?¡±
¡°Call me when you get to wherever the helicopter is taking you. Sorry that I can¡¯t talk for long, take care of your sister, I will see you guys soon.¡±>>>
Chapter 106 - San Francisco is Lost Part 2 (The Last Line)
1420 June 18th, 2020 CE
San Francisco, California
Their patrol vehicle barreled down the deserted street. Andrew held tightly onto the steering wheel. He looked around. ¡°Where is Interstate 280?¡±
¡°There are signs on the street that will get us there.¡±
¡°Can you get a map out on your phone or something?¡±
¡°If you stopped driving like a maniac, we can just check the street signs.¡±
¡°Well, the entire city is being overrun, who won¡¯t drive like a maniac.¡±
¡°You are gonna get us killed.¡±
¡°I¡¯m driving at only 60 mph and there¡¯s literally nobody here. We are way behind everybody and have no idea when those things are gonna get here. Just please check where we are.¡±
Terry tapped on his phone. ¡°Ah. Okay, take the next right.¡±
As Andrew rounded the turn, the entire car tilted to the left, its right wheels spinning in the air. Jostled as the car slammed back onto the ground, Terry held onto the door ¡°Jesus H. Christ!¡±
A few minutes later
In front of them were multiple police vehicles and a Humvee that formed a checkpoint of sorts.
¡°See we didn¡¯t need the signs.¡±
¡°Next time, if we ever have to do another escape or something, I¡¯m driving.¡±
Andrew and Terry got out of the vehicle. A police officer from the checkpoint approached them. ¡°You guys alright?¡±
Andrew and Terry introduced themselves. ¡°We are fine. I¡¯m Officer Andrew Molanos from Richmond Station.¡±
¡°Officer Terry Grays, also from Richmond Station.¡±
¡°Corporal Anthony White from Mission Station. Did you say Richmond Station?¡±
¡°Yeah, why are you asking?¡±
¡°Ouch. Wasn¡¯t that where the first reports of those monsters came from?¡±
Andrew nodded. ¡°Oh yeah, I¡¯m pretty sure I was the one who made that first report.¡±
¡°You were? Huh. Glad to see you are still alive. Well, surprised to see actually. We need all the officers we can get.¡±
Terry looked around at the couple other officers and Guardsmen. ¡°Can you tell us what has been going on? Nobody seems to be communicating over the radio anymore.¡±
They walked towards the checkpoint. ¡°I think we switched frequencies or something but that isn¡¯t important right now. It¡¯s not going well. The National Guard is in complete retreat. They are trying to reorganize and regroup. We have abandoned most of the city north of here.¡± Anthony pointed southwards. ¡°The Ingleside Police Station is now the headquarters. The City College of San Francisco next to it has also become the main evacuation site. The various stadiums there and the parking lot are being used as landing areas for National Guard helicopters to ferry out civilians. People can also drive out of San Francisco using Interstate 280 but we are trying to control the flow of traffic so it keeps moving.¡±
¡°And what are we doing here?¡±
¡°Our orders are to hold this highway and that evacuation point. We will most likely be the last ones to leave unless the National Guard gets their shit together. I will call someone from HQ and see if they need you guys elsewhere. You will probably be staying here with me though.¡±
Irvington, California
Everyone stared bewilderedly at the destroyed and upside down Humvee. Sergeant Lumen waved at the students to snap them out of it. ¡°Quickly! GO! GET ON.¡±
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People started rushing into the trucks. Gunfire could be heard in the distance. Luke soon clambered onto one of the military trucks. The sand colored tarp covering the back of the truck had concealed how crowded it was inside. The truck was packed with students. Other than that, there was a soldier tending to a wounded soldier lying in the middle of everybody.
Luke sat down on the truck bed. He heard gunfire again. This time it sounded extremely close. Screams also came from outside. Luke looked out the back of the truck. A Humvee was driving towards them with a monster following it.
1433 June 18th, 2020 CE
San Jose International Airport (Forward Operating Base)
Colonel Bill Gunn looked increasingly worried as radio messages flooded in.
<<<¡°We are retreating.¡±>>>
<<<¡°We can¡¯t hold! I repeat. We can¡¯t hold!¡±>>>
<<<¡°There are still civilians on this highway. The monsters are breaching!¡±>>>
The only thing he could do now was order a general retreat. The monsters had heavy firepower with them and easily dealt with the lightly armed National Guard. The heaviest weapon he had currently in his disposal are Humvees armed with .50 cal machine guns. He was gonna have to wait for more heavy weaponry in order to turn the tide.
A beacon of hope came to him in the form of someone rushing to him with a message.¡°Colonel!. The commander of the Marines that are arriving soon wants to speak to you.¡±
<<<¡°This is Colonel Henry Weiss, commander of the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit. Is this Colonel Gunn of the California Army National Guard?
¡°Yes, it is.¡±
¡°My forces will be arriving soon. What is the situation in San Francisco?¡±
¡°Thank god you guys are here. The front is collapsing. I currently have at my disposal just about 250 men. We had to throw together what we had at hand since we couldn¡¯t get the entire 79th IBCT mobilized fast enough. Our top priority is getting people out. Holding defensive positions is no longer viable for us. My forces in San Francisco have been mostly pushed out and are in disarray. Elsewhere along the Bay Area, my forces are being forced to retreat but they are still organized. We are also severely lacking in air support since these monsters are shooting down the Air Force with ease.¡±
¡°Thanks for the information. I will be taking command once I arrive. AH-1Z Vipers will fly in low to avoid the enemy anti-air and will provide air support. I will patch you in with the squadron commander.¡±>>>
30 minutes later
MV-22 Ospreys landed all along one of the runways of the San Jose International Airport. Marines ran out from the backs of the Ospreys towards the hangars. Corporal Eric Lu was among the Marines.
As he got off of his osprey, Eric looked up just as three AH-1Z Vipers in formation flew by overhead. Besides him, Humvees were driving around on the runway of the airport. Carrying his service rifle, the M27 IAR, he ran with his fellow Marines. ¡°Let''s go. Let''s go.¡±
¡°Move. Move. Move.¡±
A large number of soldiers crowded the hangar that they just entered. The aircraft hangar had been turned into a command center of sorts. Whiteboards and computers on desks were everywhere.
In a rather large open area in the hangar, Marines clad in combat crowded together and filled the space. Captain Dan Martinez, commander of their company, was standing in front of a large whiteboard with a map on it. ¡°Alright, Echo Company, this is the current situation. To enable easier travel, most of northern San Jose has been cleared of civilians. Across the Bay Area, the National Guard is on retreat. They are the worst hit in San Francisco. The situation there is also the most dire because San Francisco is on a peninsula and can be cut off.¡± The captain traced his finger on a highway on the map. ¡°Local law enforcement and National Guard have been pushed back to Interstate 280 and are desperately holding it as the main highway for evacuations.¡± He then pointed at an area on Interstate 280. ¡°This is the City College of San Francisco, where they are evacuating civilians via helicopter. This is where this company and Fox Company will be headed to. However, each platoon from Fox Company has been assigned to protect various points along Interstate 280 so they will not accompany you the entire way to San Francisco. Elements from the battalion weapons company will be attached to this company. They will have Javelins, TOWs, and mortars with them. Those will be vital against these demons. We do not know much about these demons but we do know that they are hardy enough to take multiple rifle shots and can seemingly fling Humvees. This will be a retreating battle. Our goal is to protect the civilians and hold out until more forces arrive. The 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment is a few hours away and will bring heavier firepower. The rest of the 1st Marine Division will be pouring in too. Understood? Let¡¯s go kill some demons, Marines, oorah!¡±
¡°Oorah!¡±
1733 June 18th, 2020 CE (Washington DC Time)
0046 Sun 48th, 196 AE
Off the coast of the Mach Imperium
A Machian battleship cruised lazily in the waters. It was an old battleship but it was one of the few battleships that the Mach Imperium had left after its war with America. Suddenly, a commotion occurred on the bridge.
¡°Captain! We are suffering from a hull breach and are flooding. Something punctured through the side of our ship!¡±
¡°Seal the areas where the flooding is occurring. Is this an enemy attack?¡±
¡°We are not certain, Captain. Whatever it was, it seemingly went through one side of our ships and out the other. However it''s not exploding.¡±
A few minutes later
¡°There¡¯s reports of even more flooding. It seems something has punctured our ship again. Captain, we might not be able to control this flooding.¡±
¡°Set course for homeport. Contact headquarters. We have to save this ship at all costs!¡±
Chapter 107 - San Francisco is Lost Part 3 (Evacuations)
1800 June 18th, 2020 CE
Washington D.C.
Katrina alerted the President. ¡°Our Ambassador to the Mach Imperium has just told me that the Mach government is currently in uproar. They are trying to keep it under wraps but there are rumors floating around that a Mach battleship being sunk was the cause for this.¡±
¡°A battleship? Didn¡¯t we sink almost their entire navy?¡±
¡°According to the Ambassador, it was an old battleship bound for the scrap yards that they recommissioned.¡±
Ronell sighed. ¡°Seriously? They are rebuilding their military?¡±
¡°They still seem to be wary of the Magus Imperium.¡±
¡°What were our plans for the Mach again? I remember we have that Queen in power but I heard she really doesn¡¯t want to stay and will be abdicating the moment we give her the chance to.¡±
¡°The committee in charge is hoping to split them into multiple republics. They have so far identified 85 or so different possible republics based upon ethnicity, religious background, and other factors. We will most likely have to spend billions of dollars to prop up these countries and ensure stability. According to them, a single republic wasn¡¯t going to work because the ethnic and religious differences run deep and may interfere in the processes of an unified democracy.¡±
Cralson coughed. ¡°Mr. President. Secretary of State. Now is not really a good time to be discussing nation building. We are being invaded.¡±
Ronell nodded. ¡°Sorry. Yes, Cralson, you are correct. So it seems like these demons have started their attack on the Mach Imperium.¡±
¡°It isn¡¯t confirmed but there is a very high possibility since they face the ocean where they came from.¡±
¡°I suppose we are ready to reveal to the world our current predicament.¡±
1500 June 18th, 2020 CE
Somewhere along Interstate 280, San Francisco
Andrew shook his head. ¡°San Francisco is really a terrible place to defend. We are on a peninsula being attacked on all sides. I hope we can get out of here soon.¡±
Andrew and Terry stood at the edge of the highway crowded with cars. Although their view of San Francisco was blocked by houses and hills, they could see the black smoke rising into the sky from the general direction of the city.
Terry looked over ¡°Any ideas of where you are going to go after this?¡±
¡°Hm?¡±
¡°Our homes are overrun by monsters. Where are you gonna live until our military takes back San Francisco?¡±
Andrew frowned. ¡°We aren¡¯t exactly out of danger yet so I haven¡¯t thought of it.¡±
¡°Better to start thinking early. It will definitely take some time for us to be able to return to San Francisco.¡±
¡°I might go to my parents-in-law¡¯s place or try to see if my old home that I sold to that company has been bought yet.¡±
¡°Have your parents-in-law forgiven you for¡¡± Terry stopped himself as Andrew¡¯s face darkened. ¡°If you really need a place, my grandpa might be willing to take you. He''s an ex-cop and his house definitely has space.¡±
Andrew smiled. ¡°I might take you up on that offer.¡±
¡°I will probably go there too. Ha¡ I literally just bought my house in San Francisco. I¡¯m not sure if it''s still there.¡±
Andrew chuckled. ¡°Well, now I¡¯m glad that I rented my home. I don¡¯t have to pay my rent this month and I don''t own the place so I don¡¯t have to worry about it.¡±
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Anthony called out to them from a distance. ¡°I want you guys over here to direct the flow of traffic!¡±
A few minutes later
Cars slowly crawled in front of them. Other than one empty lane, the two way highway was filled with cars going the same direction, out of San Francisco. Andrew cursed at his phone.¡°I haven¡¯t been able to reach my kids at all.¡±
¡°They are in a helicopter and probably don¡¯t have good reception. I can¡¯t contact my wife either but I¡¯m sure she¡¯s safe.¡±
Andrew looked up into the sky. ¡°I promised her that I will protect them.¡±
Terry nodded slowly. ¡°And you will keep that promise. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡±
The sound of helicopters could be heard getting closer. Andrew and Terry looked up as military helicopters flew over them. They had to brace themselves as the helicopters were flying so low that the winds from the rotors could be felt. Terry¡¯s hat flew off into the distance but Andrew held onto his. ¡°Oh well, there goes my hat. Seems to be attack helicopters from the Marines.¡±
¡°Won¡¯t they get shot down? We saw what happened to those jets.¡±
¡°The military is the military. I¡¯m not sure what they are up to but I¡¯m glad they are here. Hopefully they are successful.¡±
Mission Valley, Fremont, California
It has been going well so far. They had escaped the monsters and saved all of the students and teachers. However, David was still visible with worry as he scanned the surroundings. He was sitting in the passenger seat at the front of his humvee as their convoy sped down Paseo Padre Parkway in an effort to distance themselves from the monsters. Because of their earlier warnings, the parkway was mostly clear of cars. What really worried him was that his entire group was now just a mishmash of around 24 able National Guard soldiers and a few police officers that had been escorting the high school group. They didn¡¯t have any heavy weapons on them so they couldn¡¯t possibly face a horde of those monsters.
David was lost in thought but the sight of helicopters brought him back to reality. His second lieutenant came over the comms. <<<¡°Boys, we got air support!¡±>>>
There was a moment of silence before his second lieutenant talked again. <<<¡°Hey¡ has anyone seen what happened to the last truck? I can¡¯t get Aaron on the comms.¡±>>>
David looked behind him and didn¡¯t see the last truck. A curse word floated through his head.
A few minutes earlier
Luke closed his eyes and took a couple deep breaths as he rested next to Hayden. He rubbed his head. He was sick and tired of what had been happening so far and wanted to go home. Luke¡¯s mental complaints were stopped because he felt a force suddenly fling him forward as the truck came to an abrupt stop. Then he felt an impact that caused the truck to veer to the left.
Luke sat up coughing. He literally had enough of this. This was the second vehicle accident he had in a single day. ¡°Ughhhh¡ what the fuck¡ not this again.¡±
A voice shouted a couple seconds later. ¡°Everybody get out. Come on! Wake up!¡±
Including Luke, a few others walked out of the back of the truck. A lot of people were still unconscious inside the cargo bed of the truck.
A girl looked around. ¡°What happened? I don¡¯t see another one of those monsters.¡±
Looking at the cab of the truck, they instantly found the answer. A red sedan had slammed into the side of the truck. The airbag had been deployed and the driver of the red sedan was slumped onto it.
Luke sighed as a few went to investigate. Luke shouted to one of the boys who went to the cab. ¡°Are the soldiers at the front of the truck alright?¡±
The boy had opened the door to the cab. ¡°One of them is unconscious. The other is¡¡±
The boy looked away and into the street while covering his mouth. That was enough for Luke to understand what happened to the other.
Luke and a couple others pulled out the surviving but unconscious soldier. A rifle dropped out from the cab. More people gathered outside the truck as more had regained consciousness. There were murmurs amongst everyone.
¡°What do we do now?¡±
¡°Holy shit. That guys dead.¡±
¡°This is bad.¡±
¡°Where is the rest of the convoy?¡±
A screech filled the air and they all became quiet. Luke slowly turned to the right and realized why the car had slammed into the truck. It was trying to escape one of the monsters.
Much smaller than the other monsters they had seen, it was looking at all of them with its red eyes. Its black pupils switching between them. Its spear-like nose swung around. Luke gulped. Everybody stood in silence and didn¡¯t dare move. None of the soldiers were conscious. There were no police officers or teachers in their truck either. They were just a bunch of high school students.
The monster started galloping towards them. Luke panickily looked around. His eyes darted everywhere. There was a rifle on the ground but he had no idea how to use it. Everybody was frozen in fear. Luke shut his eyes and braced himself.
Chapter 108 - San Francisco is Lost Part 4
1523 June 18th, 2020 CE
Mission Valley, Fremont, California
In his mind, the world seemingly slowed down. I am so dead. That thought coursed through Luke¡¯s brain as he saw himself in slow motion raising his hands in an instinctive yet futile effort to save himself. He knew for certain that the spear of the monster would pierce right through him.
Then everything, suddenly, went back to regular speed as gunshots went off besides him. Luke¡¯s hands went from futilely shielding himself to quickly covering his ears from the piercing noise. He blinked and looked to where the gunfire was from.
Standing just to his left, Hayden had grabbed the rifle on the ground. He fired another burst into the monster. The monster stopped charging, staggered a bit and roared. The bullets clearly were hurting it.
The creature turned its attention towards Hayden, its red eyes seemingly burning with hatred, and began its charge. Hayden, with a face that showed no panic, looked down the sights of the gun and fired a few more shots. This time, the shots hit the monster¡¯s skull as purple blood flowed down its head. The monster slowed down as if in shock and collapsed
Luke stared in amazement, instantly forgetting about how close he was to becoming a meal.
¡°...holy shit. You know how to shoot a gun?¡± Luke looked towards the dead monster. ¡°What the hell was that? Holy shit. This is California¡ where did you¡¡±
Hayden had a sheepish smile on his face as he rubbed his neck with his left hand. ¡°My grandparents live in Arizona. Getting a gun there is very easy. I have been on the range there every time I went.¡±
¡°You didn¡¯t strike me as someone interested in guns.¡±
¡°It was nice to shoot targets and get away from the problems in my life.¡±
A classmate interrupted them. ¡°Ummmm¡ I don¡¯t want to disturb you guy¡¯s conversations but we have more problems coming our way.¡±
They looked down the road where the dead monster laid and couldn¡¯t believe their eyes. From further down the road, a dozen red, seemingly pissed off eyes stared at them. These ones were much larger than the one they had killed. They moved slowly towards them, seemingly incapable of going faster due to their size. But it was certain that they were pissed.
Hayden pulled up his rifle in position and aimed again. Steadying himself, he hit the trigger of the rifle. Instead of the expected gunshot sound, nothing happened. He hit a couple of times and then blinked. ¡°Uhh¡tch¡ no ammo. Do any of you see any magazines lying around?¡±
Everybody started looking around on the ground. As Luke looked around, he noticed that most of the students had finally recovered from being knocked out by the crash. Hayden called out again. ¡°Check the soldiers. They should have ammo on them. Quickly.¡±
Luke tapped Hayden¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Hayden. I think they are slow enough. We have to run away.¡±
Hayden looked towards the monster and then turned his head back to Luke and the others.
¡°Are any of the soldiers awake?¡±
¡°The injured one is awake but I don''t think he can help us that much.¡±
¡°We need some people to carry the soldiers.¡±
Together, a couple students tried to lift the unconscious soldier from the front seat of the cab. ¡°I found some ammo! Catch!¡±
A magazine was thrown at Hayden and he caught it and slammed it into the gun. Just as Hayden aimed to fire, fiery explosions blinded him and Luke. The grounds where the monsters stood tore up. Everybody stopped to look at the scene in front of them. The shrieks of the dying monsters could be heard. In their panic to leave, they didn¡¯t hear the whirring helicopters above them.
Two gray colored military helicopters hovered overhead as bullets spewed from them.
¡°Holy shit. Attack helicopters!¡±
The firing soon stopped and not a single one of the monsters stood alive. Trucks from their convoy pulled up. ¡°Are you guys alright?¡±
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A few minutes later
<<<¡°We are still unable to hold our position. There are too many of these monsters and we have multiple wounded. We are currently evacuating civilians that we found during our retreat.¡±
¡°Number of civiliams?¡±
¡°It was just the earlier reported high school students with their teachers and police escort. About 60 or so people.¡±
¡°Good work, Second Lieutenant. We can not spare both helicopters but one will provide overwatch and follow your convoy. Continue your retreat.¡±
¡°We are, at the insistence of the teachers, traveling to Levi¡¯s Stadium.
¡°Continue on for Levi¡¯s Stadium. Marines are moving out just south of there. You will be able to be reinforced there with other elements.¡±
¡°Will do.¡±
Above them, one of the two helicopters banked to the right and flew away whilst the other stayed above them.
Somewhere in the Pacific
A towering humanoid stood among the various creatures scurrying around. The ground was barren dirt that showed no signs of life and the seas surrounded their island. A soldier came up to him and bowed. ¡°We adffe edfkvpering ghsviff resisvnvfhbha sdromdk thsfe sumands.¡±
It was a Regular so she could barely understand what he was saying. The soldier rambled on in what was to her, gibberish.
The more developed one was, the less they were capable of understanding the less developed.
Those ranked at the bottom of development, the Beasts, actually didn¡¯t even have a language. It was a sort of instinctual understanding of noises. She couldn¡¯t understand much of what those ranked lower than the Enlightened said but they could understand her. The Beasts only understood how to take orders from their lord and act on instinct. Although inferior in mind, she actually really liked the Beasts. They were good at giving hope to the humans that they were fighting a mindless horde. In reality, the true horrors awaited.
She calmly waited for the soldier to finish before she looked to her advisor, an Enlightened, on the right. ¡°He has said that our invasion forces to the west are facing stiff resistance. It seems that the humans of this plane have peculiar weapons.¡±
¡°Has this impeded the advance?¡±
¡°Not at all, Great Lord. The Beasts are advancing albeit slowly.¡±
¡°Slowly, hm.¡±
¡°My fellow Enlightened advise you to allow our greatest creation to ascend.¡±
¡°Then we shall unleash it.¡±
¡°By your will, Great Lord.¡±
30 minutes later
A roar vibrated throughout the island and the ground shook.
1850 June 18th, 2020 CE
Washington D.C.
¡°The first of the Marines are arriving, Mr. President.¡±
¡°Get me in contact with their commander. I want to speak directly to him.¡±
A few minutes later
The man on the screen saluted. The background showed that he was in a hangar at an airfield. People in uniform scrambled around
<<<¡±Mr. President. Colonel Henry Weiss, commander of the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit.¡±
¡°At ease Colonel.¡±>>>
Before Ronell could say anything else, Henry spoke.
<<<¡°Mr. President, if I may speak freely.¡±
¡°Go ahead.¡±
¡°It is an honor to speak to you but I¡¯m busy commanding my men and I really wonder if this is necessary.¡±
¡°I understand Colonel but your assessments will be vital to me.¡±
¡°Assessments?¡±
¡°How confident are you that you will hold San Francisco? With your current numbers and with more reinforcements.¡±
¡°Mr. President, General¡¡±
Ronell interrupted. ¡°No, I don¡¯t want what the general said. I want your honest opinion. As a commander on the ground, what is your say on this?¡±
¡°With my current numbers¡ no, not at all. Colonel Gunn of the California Army National Guard has informed me about these demons we are facing. Unless we bring in armor, we will be pushed back. Even with more reinforcements, especially armor, it will still be a hard fight.¡±
Ronell nodded slowly. ¡°... thank you Colonel.¡±
Somewhere in the Magus Imperium
Nick shook his head after coming out of a briefing. ¡°What the hell is happening back home? San Francisco under attack?¡±
Brian nodded. ¡°They are trying to get us back home as fast as possible it seems.¡±
Nick scratched his head. ¡°The information they gave us wasn¡¯t much. Is there any way we can find out more?¡±
¡°Well, seeing that we don¡¯t have internet or cellular because this world hasn¡¯t developed that yet, no. Well, it shouldn¡¯t be long before we go back home though. They are rushing Marine units back. We will be there if whatever invading San Francisco is truly a threat.¡±
Nick snorted. ¡°If we get sent there, then something¡¯s wrong. There¡¯s an entire Marine Expeditionary Force there.¡±
Chapter 109 - A Ray of Hope Part 1
1610 June 18th, 2020 CE
San Jose International Airport (Forward Operating Base)
Eric stood among his platoon listening to Second Lieutenant Ryan Scottfield as he gave them a more detailed briefing than Captain Martinez.
¡°We will be deployed to defend whatever parts of Interstate 280 that are still being held in San Francisco. We will be backed up by 3rd Platoon. An anti-armor squad, a TOW squad, and a heavy machine gun section will be joining us as well. It seems like the LAV-25s just got here on time so we may have them at our disposal.¡±
Private First Class Gregor Edwards, a grenadier in his squad, looked at Ryan with questioning eyes. ¡°Didn¡¯t the Captain say we will be facing demons that can throw Humvees?¡±
¡°Yep.¡±
¡°So that will be all our forces?
¡°Yep. Other than disorganized local law enforcement and Guardsmen, yes. 1st Platoon will be busy securing the evacuation sites in the City College of San Francisco. As the Captain said, Fox Company will be keeping our rear together so we can get the heck out if things go to hell.¡±
¡°What about Golf Company?¡±
¡°They got sent to East Bay cause those things are over there as well.¡±
¡°Any other questions?¡± Everybody stayed silent. Ryan sighed. ¡°I know that this is the first time some of you have had odds so stacked against you. Some of you haven¡¯t even seen combat before. But just like how good ol Chesty, who once commanded our specific battalion, once said about communists, we are First Marines and not all the demons in hell can overrun us. Ooorah! Let''s make him proud boys!¡±
Interstate 280, San Francisco
<<<¡°We got these monsters nearing Monterey Boulevard. I want all officers to defend that street! Do not let a single one onto the highway!¡±>>>
Andrew tapped Terry on his shoulder.
¡°You hear that? I think that''s our cue. Come on.¡±
As Andrew and Terry got closer to the on-ramp, the sound of rifle fire got louder. They had to weave and squeeze through the cars that were bumper to bumper on the highway. Andrew¡¯s eyes darted around looking at all the people in their cars. An elderly couple in a sedan, a family of four in an SUV, a clearly pregnant mother with her son sitting right beside her. Most of them were looking towards where the sound of shooting was coming from. Most had fear and worry on their faces. Some looked at them with a bit of hope.
They hurriedly ran off the off-ramp and onto Monterey Boulevard. At the three way intersection in front of them, the one where Acadia Street went into Monterey Boulevard, multiple officers and a few Guardsmen with a Humvee were laying down withering fire.
Andrew fired his rifle as the Lancefish¡¯s head appeared. Since Acadia Street was an uphill road, the first thing that always appeared was the Lancefish¡¯s nose. A small mound of monster corpses were already forming at the top of the road. Because there were also houses on both sides of the street, it was the perfect chokepoint for funneling these creatures.
A few minutes later
<<<¡°We need more reinforcements at Forester Street! There''s too much of them!¡±>>>
Besides Andrew and Terry, Corporal White shouted into his radio. ¡°The situation on Acadia Street is stable. I can send a couple officers.¡±
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White turned towards them. ¡°Andrew! Terry! I need you two to get into your cars and get to Forester Street as fast as possible!¡±
¡°Shit.¡±
Andrew¡¯s police car screeched to a halt. The Lancefishes had clearly pushed past the mouth of the intersection. Officers and Guardsmen were still trying to hold onto the middle of the boulevard. Andrew and Terry got out of their cars and opened fire while shielding themselves using the car doors. Although the car doors were completely useless if the monsters came barreling down towards them, it gave them a sense of safety. Terry shouted while shooting ¡°Where the hell are those attack helicopters from earlier!?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know! Reloading or some shit?¡±
It didn¡¯t take long for the Lancefishes to notice two guys shooting them in their vulnerable sides. Three monsters turned towards them. ¡°Ah fuck.¡±
Explosions rocked the ground in front of them. An attack helicopter flew in a straight line down Forestor Street, rockets spewing out of it onto the monsters below. The sound of its minigun could then be heard.
¡°Fucking hell. They took their merry time to get here.¡±
Cheers and whoops rose out of the men on the intersection. Some even waved at the helicopter.
1635 June 18th, 2020 CE
Interstate 280 near Daly City
A convoy of sixteen Humvees led by two LAV-25 sped down Interstate 280. In the lanes beside them, civilian cars crowded them. His squad commander, Sergeant Julian Shelton, commented on it. ¡°Good thing they kept this lane open.¡±
Eric looked over his shoulder. ¡°Couldn¡¯t we have used the Ospreys and flown over this?¡±
¡°Something about them being needed to get more guys and stuff over here. The situation at the front is also not that clear at the moment so they don¡¯t know where we should be dropped off. On that note, we should probably slow down once we enter San Francisco. Don¡¯t want to run into one of those things.¡±
1940 June 18th, 2020 CE
1120 Sun 48th, 196 AE
Primopolis, Magus Imperium
In the throne room, Magician officials lined both sides. Jimmy stood in the middle and Emperor Arstant sat on his throne. ¡°Does your nation need any assistance? The Magus Imperium would be glad to provide it.¡±
Jimmy shook his head. ¡°My government fears that these creatures may be preparing to land on the shores of the Mach Imperium. We would like to request your nation¡¯s assistance in defending against them once they do arrive there. Our country would only be able to provide limited support to the Machians and we fear that these monsters may overrun them.¡±
Arstant frowned. ¡°What sort of assistance?¡±
¡°Boots on the ground. We are hoping that you will send your military to bolster and help the Magus.¡±
Rubbing his beard, the Magusian Emperor contemplated the request. ¡°I¡ am afraid that is not possible. To support a nation that had been our archnemesis and the greatest threat to our sovereignty for a hundred and twenty years would only cause an uproar in my court, my populace, and my soldiers. On top of that, these monsters may land directly on my country, requiring me to have the full might of my military available.¡±
¡°We are certain that these monsters will not be landing directly in your country as they have only appeared in the seas facing the Mach. I do understand your first sentiment. But if these monsters trample through the Mach Imperium. Who will be its next target? This is a matter of your country¡¯s own safety. You could prepare until these monsters arrive on your borders but the damage will then extend to within your country.¡±
Arstant fidgeted around as if agonizing over the issue. Multiple expressions flashed through his face as he gave it thought. ¡°Give me some time to discuss this with a few of my most trusted officials. These monsters have yet to appear on this continent so it does not seem urgent. I will see what I can do.¡±
¡°Thank you.¡±
¡°Before you go, the offer for support to your country is still on the table. That is the least we can do for your country helping us defeat the Mach.¡±
Washington D.C.
A group of aerial photographs were laid down in front of Ronell. An aide explained what they were. ¡°Mr. President, we have spotted something rather massive 100 miles off the coast. We have some photos via satellite, courtesy of the National Spatial-Intelligence Agency, and we are also sending a drone over it.¡±
Ronell held one of the photos in his hand while scratching his head. ¡°A giant dark red rectangle?¡±
¡°We think it''s some sort of massive radar system. We are detecting signals from it. It''s likely what they have been using to detect and help shoot down our aircraft.¡±
Chapter 110 - A Ray of Hope Part 2
1945 June 18th, 2020 CE
Washington D.C.
Ronell looked to Cralson. ¡°If we destroy it, is it possible to regain air superiority?¡±
¡°We aren¡¯t certain seeing that we don¡¯t have a clear picture of how their anti-air systems work. We do believe it will degrade their air defense capabilities.¡±
¡°Then what are we waiting for? I want missile strikes on that thing this instant.¡±
Cralson nodded. ¡°The bombers are already in the air, they should be firing their cruise missiles soon. We will get visual confirmation of the damage through the drone.¡±
¡°Good. Anything else to report?¡±
Katrina got Ronell¡¯s attention. ¡°The Ambassador to the Magus Imperium recently finished up his audience with Emperor Arstant. We made the request but he seems reluctant in helping the Mach Imperium.¡±
¡°Figures.¡±
¡°We will be giving out a detailed report about the meeting later.¡±
¡°Thank you, Katrina. I guess we should consider this another way. Does the Mach need help from the Magus? What units do we have in the Mach imperium?¡±
Cralson responded to that. ¡°We have two National Guard Brigade Combat Teams operating in the Mach Imperium. The 2nd IBCT, 28th Infantry Division from the Pennsylvania National Guard and the 56th IBCT, 36th Infantry Division from the Texas National Guard. We also have many forces in transit so those might not be the final figures. We currently do not have plans in sending additional forces there though. These numbers are lacking when it comes to defending the entire Mach Imperium.¡±
Ronell crossed his arms together. ¡°Should we provide some incentive to get them to defend the Mach? But what could we offer?¡±
Everybody in the room stayed silent at that. After a few minutes, Ronell sighed. ¡°I suppose we can consider that later. Cralson, does anyone in the DoD have a clear picture on how many units do we need in San Francisco?¡±
¡°We have yet to form a clear idea on the capabilities of the enemy so there is no actual answer. We are hoping that sending a couple brigade combat teams can push them.¡±
Katrina interrupted. ¡°Well on that note, Emperor Arstant seemed quite willing to help us, though. The ambassador told me that it felt like the emperor was quite enthusiastic to offer it. He says, from his experience, he thinks it probably has something to do with us helping them finally defeat the Mach. I won¡¯t be surprised if there''s a part of Arstant that fears that we could make demands from him since we helped them quite a lot against the Mach.¡±
1645 June 18th, 2020 CE
Somewhere in the middle of San Francisco
A humanoid stood in the middle of a street. His height was comparable to that of a one story house. He looked down at what was below him. ¡°These humans are using quite strange weapons. Quite different from the ones we faced in our world.¡±
He looked at his second-in-command, Shgvfdyhc, a Regular who was the most intelligent amongst the Regulars he commanded. ¡°Yes Vghng. Agree much. Think they advanced. We careful. Still prey.¡±
Vghg picked up the object at his feet and flipped it around to what he thought was its upright position. He studied it. The four round things that were at the bottom of the object touched the ground. A memory flickered in him. The humans in his world would put round things on their wooden boxes in order to move them. He could barely remember because no humans existed anymore in his world. This object was different from the wooden boxes seeing that it was made of metal. A human weapon also sat on top of the hatch of the object. It spewed out stuff that caused pain. Vghg thought up a name. ¡°Metal box with four round things at bottom and human weapon on top sounds like a good name for this human weapon.¡±
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Shgvfdyhc didn¡¯t care about the ¡®Metal box with four round things at bottom and human weapon on top¡¯ at all and only stared hungrily at the dead humans inside. ¡°There still human inside.¡±
He grabbed it and shook a human out of it. He then grabbed onto the body and put it into his mouth. Vghg looked at Shgvfdyhc with mild disinterest. ¡°You still eat them raw? You should really try them cooked.¡±
¡°No cook. Hate cooked. Taste bad.¡±
Interstate 280, San Francisco
Andrew looked around and shouted. ¡°Anybody got any spare AR15 ammo? I¡¯m out!¡±
Someone shouted in response. ¡°Catch!¡±
¡°Thank you!¡±
The attack helicopter had only provided relief for ten minutes before being forced to retreat in order to refuel and rearm. But with the lull in the monster¡¯s advance, they had been able to retake the entire intersection. Andrew had his back against a wall as he reloaded his AR. ¡°Shit how much longer do we have to hold out? The monsters don¡¯t seem to ever stop.¡±
A Guardsman close to him answered. ¡°Until all the civilians are evacuated. Now less whining and more shooting.¡±
As Andrew got back to shooting, he noticed that in the short time he had spent talking to the Guardsmen, the Lancefishes had gotten closer. ¡°Shit they are getting through again. Where are the fucking helicopters?¡±
30 minutes later
They were barely holding the intersection. They had plenty of ammunition gathered but the sheer number of the Lancefishes meant that the monsters inched forward little by little. There also seemed to be some intelligence in the Lancefishes. Instead of letting the bodies pile up, they seemed to have been purposefully moving them aside in order to not block their advance.
Sweat dripped down from Andrew¡¯s head as he fired from his rifle. He had no idea how long he had been fighting for but he was growing seriously tired. Then, what sounded like four pop rivets vibrated through the air. The forwardmost Lancefish instantly collapsed as purple blood sprayed out of it. Andrew looked to his left to see an armored vehicle with a turreted cannon. The cannon on the armored vehicle fired more continuous shots at the monsters. Behind the armored vehicle were multiple Humvees. The military vehicles drove into the intersection and fanned out. Soldiers poured out from the Humvees and opened fire on the Lancefishes.
A few whoops erupted amongst the tried police officers and Guardsmen. Andrew breathed a sigh of life. ¡°Finally, the actual military arrived.¡±
The Guardsman beside him chuckled. ¡°Hey, we are Army, too. Says so on our patch. Be glad that we were here too or you guys would have been toast.¡±
Andrew chuckled. ¡°I know, I know. Just a joke.¡±
A soldier got out of the Humvee and walked in the middle of the intersection. He shouted over the noise of the gunfire. ¡°I¡¯m Second Lieutenant Ryan Scottfield. Commanding officer of 2nd Platoon, Echo Company of the 2/4th Marines. I would like to speak to the officer in charge here.¡±
A Guardsman responded. ¡°I¡¯m Staff Sergeant Joe Scneider. I believe I¡¯m the highest ranking one at this intersection.¡±
¡°Do you not have a platoon leader with you? A Lieutenant?¡±
¡°There could be a Guardsman higher ranked than me along this street. I¡¯m not sure. We lost organization during our retreat.¡±
A policeman interjected. ¡°Well, the chief of police is still on the radio and is basically the one giving commands. Well mostly just giving us instructions. The Guardsmen just joined up with us. We can contact him for you.¡±
The Marine nodded. ¡°I think it''s actually better to patch him through to our Expeditionary Unit commander.¡±
Ten minutes later
Andrew¡¯s radio crackled. <<<¡°This is a message to all local law enforcement units. This is Chief of the SFPD, James Hawthrone, I would like to say that you have all gone above and beyond your duties to protect the citizens of San Francisco. Although we have been bolstered by the Marines and National Guard, we are not certain if it''s enough to hold these monsters off. We will need some officers to stay and fight on the frontlines. Of course, this is not mandatory. And I will not force anyone to do so. Those who want to stay and fight, stay and fight. Those who do not want to stay and fight, we will need you to help with the evacuations at the City College of San Francisco. No matter if you stay or not, every one of you are heroes. I am proud to serve with the finest men and women the SFPD have ever had. I will be staying at the Ingleside Police Station until the last officer has been evacuated.¡±>>>
Andrew glanced at Terry. ¡°I think its time for us to go. Well, you can stay if you want but I got two kids who will be orphans if I don¡¯t get back to them.¡±
Terry nodded. ¡°Mm. Yeah, I''m not interested in playing a hero right now.¡±
Eric looked around. Quite a few of the police officers had decided to stay and fight. The fire from their LAV-25 kept the Lancefishes at bay. Behind him, three LAV-25s sped by, on their way to help the other intersections.
Chapter 111 - A Ray of Hope Part 3
1735 June 18th, 2020 CE
Parking Lot of the City College of San Francisco
Andrew parked his police car on the road next to the parking lot that was being used as an evacuation site. Helicopters were lifting off and landing. From what he could see, all sorts of helicopters that they could get a hand on were being used. He could also see a mixture of soldiers and police officers trying to barely organize the situation. A soldier spoke from a megaphone whilst standing on an elevated platform. ¡°This is a reminder to all to keep your baggage to the minimum. We are allowing one suitcase per person. We are trying to evacuate as many people as possible.¡±
As Andrew and Terry walked onto the parking lot, they heard an argument breaking out. A man with a backpack and holding onto two suitcases was arguing with two officers.
¡°I¡¯m getting on with all my stuff whether you like it or not.¡±
¡°Sir, you are not allowed onto this helicopter with all that.¡±
The man let go of his suitcases and fished something out of his backpack. ¡°Oh yeah what you gonna do about huh? Anybody wanna steal my stuff? Huh?¡±
He started waving around a knife at the officer. Guns were quickly drawn at him. ¡°Sir, drop the knife.¡±
The man started shouting. ¡°I want to have all my stuff with me!¡±
More police officers surrounded him. ¡°Sir. Drop the knife or you will be tased.¡±
The man started moving forwards. ¡°Shut the fuck up!¡±
¡°Last warning! Drop the knife!¡±
¡°Taser! Taser! Taser!¡±
The man fell to the ground spasming as a taser hit him.
¡°Quick, detain this man!¡±
Andrew shook his head as he watched the scene unfold. ¡°Good grief.¡±
They quickly found and reported to the police captain in charge of all local law enforcement at the evacuation site. ¡°We just got here from Monterey Boulevard.¡±
¡°Part of the defenses then?¡±
Terry nodded. ¡°Yep. Got relieved by the Marines.¡±
¡°Good to hear. We could definitely use more hands to keep this place under control.¡±
Andrew pointed to the unconscious man that was being detained. ¡°Was that incident common?¡±
The captain nodded his head grimly. ¡°We had a fair share of troublemakers. Two idiots came in waving pistols. They got gunned down.¡±
They stopped talking as a news helicopter carrying five people lifted off beside them.
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San Jose, California
As they got closer to Levi¡¯s Stadium, the traffic got worse. Luke looked out the back of the truck. Their helicopter escort was gone. There were people crowding the streets and even onto the roads, making their way to the stadium whilst seemingly carrying all that they had. Some wore their dress shirts and ties with barely any luggage as if they had just gotten off of work. Parents held onto their children, who mostly had just their school backpacks. No one had been prepared for such a sudden evacuation.
Their convoy of trucks and Humvees came to a stop. A soldier appeared at the back of the truck. ¡°Okay, everybody off. Traffic is gonna get worse from here on out. We got orders to link up with another unit so this is where you guys get off.¡±
One of Luke¡¯s classmate looked outside of the truck. ¡°Where are we?¡±
¡°You guys are on the Great America Parkway. Just follow your teachers and those police officers further down and you will get to Levi¡¯s Stadium.¡±
Their teachers were already shouting at everyone and gathering the other students. ¡°Everybody, please stay together. Get into contact with your parents.¡±
Luke and Hayden joined the gathering of highschoolers. One of the teachers of the other classes was talking to Mr. Johnson. ¡°My husband and son are already here so I¡¯m gonna be going first.¡±
Mr. Johnson nodded. ¡°You go on. We can handle it.¡±
1803 June 18th, 2020 CE
Interstate 280, San Francisco
The street was eerily quiet. The Lancefish corpses that littered the street in front of them made it impassable for regular people. Near the end of the horde, the monsters had to climb over their dead comrades in order to advance. At some point, the monsters seemingly just stopped and retreated.
Eric looked around with suspicion in his eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t like this."
Lance Corporal John Felder sighed. ¡°Yeah, we still haven¡¯t seen those humanoid monsters yet. What do you think, second lieutenant?¡±
Ryan nodded. ¡°We got reports that some of our helicopters were shot down trying to go deeper into San Francisco.¡±
Rockets streaked from the Viper that was doing overwatch for them. Eric looked up. ¡°What is it shooting at?¡±
Ryan shouted. ¡°The humanoid things are approaching. Everybody get ready!¡±
Eric was confused as he saw the attack helicopter bank hard to the left. It soon became clear why. Something streaked past the helicopter¡¯s right side at extreme speeds.
¡°Holy shit. Did you see that lieutenant?¡±
¡°The fuck?¡±
More of the objects streaked past the helicopter as it tried to get out of the way.
Ryan shouted again. ¡°The humanoids are throwing some stone lances at it. They don¡¯t think they can dodge all of them and are retreating.¡±
¡°I see them!¡±
¡°Fire! Fire! Fire!¡±
The LAV-25s opened up with its autocannon. Ryan looked over. ¡°Shit, it ain¡¯t having an effect.¡± The rounds were just not penetrating these monsters. The humanoid monsters were a terrifying sight as they clambered over the dead Lancefishes. They had reddish and jet black skin, were about one to two stories tall, and had muscles like bodybuilders. They seemed just like what one would imagine a demon as. Some were carrying shiny, black stone lances.
¡°Backblast!¡±
A Javelin missile shot towards the monstrosity. The missile shot towards the sky and soon came back down on top of the monster. The monster looked up as he sensed it. The Javelin missile blasted the monster¡¯s head apart. Purple blood and guts exploded from it. The headless body of the giant monster stood for a few seconds before collapsing to the ground. This gave all the humanoid monsters a pause as they looked at their fallen comrade.
¡°Keep those Javelin missiles coming!¡±
San Jose International Airport (Forward Operating Base)
In the aircraft hangar that had been turned into a command center, a radio message got Colonel Weiss¡¯s attention. <<<¡°The monsters are making landfall near San Jose! The evacuation point at Levi¡¯s Stadium is at risk! We need units down here!¡±>>>
¡°Get me in contact with the commander of the 11th Armored Cavalry this instant.¡±
A few minutes later
<<<¡±This is Colonel Henry Weiss, commander of the 13th MEU. Is this Colonel TImothy Wades of the 11th Armored Cavalry?
¡°This is Colonel Wades. We are currently enroute to your position.¡±
¡°How far out are you currently?
¡°We are about an hour away. Are there new developments?¡±
"We need your assistance at San Jose. The monsters are arriving on the beaches of San Jose and will be threatening a major evacuation site at Levi¡¯s Stadium. I do not have enough forces at my disposal if a horde appears.¡±
¡°Understood. I will send out a detachment that can reach you faster. They will be infantry though.¡±
"Anything will help.>>>
Colonel Weiss turned to one of his aides as he got off the radio. ¡°Get me in contact with the Air Force and the attack helicopter squadron commander.¡±
Chapter 112 - A Ray of Hope Part 4
1810 June 18th, 2020 CE
Interstate 280, San Francisco
¡°Look out!¡±
The LAV-25 backed up just in time as the stone lance embedded itself into the ground where the LAV just was. The LAV didn¡¯t stop firing at the demons as it repositioned itself. Its turret turned to keep the gun facing the demons.
The demons started throwing even more lances at them. Eric jumped out of the way as a lance landed a few feet from him. The shock wave from the impact knocked him to the ground. He coughed as he dealt with the after effects of slamming into the ground. ¡°What the¡ heck.¡±
As he got up, he saw a rocket from an AT4 slammed into one of the demons and blew off its right arm. Around him, the voices from his fellow soldiers seemingly mixed together.
¡°Fucking hell. Keep firing!¡±
¡°Shit. It''s no use!¡±
He watched as a Guardsman started screaming as he shot his M249. He didn¡¯t let go of the trigger as he focused the firepower on the demon. He suddenly got slapped on the back. The bullets had absolutely no effect on the demon as it continued marching towards them. ¡°Snap out of it Eric! Keep shooting!¡±
More lances soon rained down on them. The Second Lieutenant shouted at them. ¡°They ran out of lances! Keep them back! They aren¡¯t that fast. We can hold them off.¡±
One of the larger demons roared. The sound was deafening. And then the demons started charging.
0205 Sun 49th, 196 AE
Industropolis, Mach Imperium
Pomponia looked quite unhappily at the American diplomat, Chris Wilkins, as he explained his visit. ¡°My government requests that you begin evacuating your civilians from the shore. Especially the land facing the area where your battleship was sunk. This is for the safety of those civilians.¡±
Pomponia nodded. ¡°I will see what I can do.¡±
Chris frowned. ¡°Pomponia, I¡¯m serious. This is not a request but a demand.¡±
¡°Chris, I have heard that one of your major cities is under attack.¡±
Chris paused. ¡°That is correct. My colleagues have announced it.¡±
Pomponia sighed. ¡°Some anti-American factions are seeing this as the perfect time to strike. I have no idea how much control I have right now in my government.¡±
¡°That is concerning to hear. I¡¯m not certain how much aid I can provide on political issues. But rest assured that my nation has enough military force in your country to put down any possible rebellion. It is vital to keep in mind my government¡¯s demands for evacuation. It is for your citizens'' safety.¡±
¡°I understand that and I will do whatever I can to get them away from there.¡±
Chris bowed. ¡°Thank you.¡±
Chris began to turn to leave but Pomponia stopped him. ¡°I would like to ask something.¡±
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¡°How much will your military be helping us against this new threat? We have not recovered from the last war with your country.¡±
¡°Our forces are being sent home in order to help with defense and we are garrisoning multiple military bases across this continent in order to keep the peace. We may not possess enough military power in your country to stop those demons. But rest assured, we have a solution.¡±
Pomponia raised an eyebrow. ¡°May I hear what kind of solution it is?¡±
Chris decided this was the perfect opportunity. ¡°It is on a need to know basis only. This is why I am requesting the evacuation of civilians near the shore.¡±
Pomponia narrowed her eyes. ¡°Seeing that you are insisting on evacuations¡ how dangerous is this solution?¡±
Chris kept a straight and unchanging expression as he stared at the Queen. ¡°Sorry Madam, it''s classified.¡±
¡°I¡¯m sorry but this is still my country no matter how much I want to step down.¡±
They stared at each in silence for nearly a minute.
¡°Please keep your citizens away from the shore where those monsters land. Those that refuse will face the consequences. Have a good day, your majesty.¡±
1830 June 18th, 2020 CE
Near Levi¡¯s Stadium, San Jose
¡°Do not rush or panic! All pedestrians, stay off the road. For those in vehicles, we still have space in the parking garage. Do not leave your vehicles in the middle of the street! If¡¡±
Luke started to tune out the officer that was shouting through a megaphone at them. It was just the same message over and over again. According to what he heard from others, they were outside a convention center. It seemed to have been turned into a help center of sorts. The police officers that had been with them have left but two out of the three teachers, including Mr.Johnson, remained. They were talking with soldiers for some reason.
Luke studied the sign in front of him. ¡°Hyatt Regency. Santa Clara.¡±
Hayden commented on it. ¡°Yeah, a hotel.¡±
¡°Hm? Ah. I see. I guess it''s nearly time for us to go find our parents.¡±
¡°Yeah¡ also, you wanted to talk to me about us being friends earlier weren¡¯t you.¡±
Luke scratched his face with a slight frown. "Yeah.¡±
¡°You know how much you started hanging out with Jackson when we started high school?¡±
¡°Yeah?¡±
¡°I just thought you won¡¯t think of me as cool anymore?¡±
¡°What? Why?¡±
¡°Jackson kinda threatened me.¡±
¡°Seriously?¡±
¡°Yeah¡±
¡°What did he say?¡±
Hayden kept quiet. Luke looked back at the sign. ¡°... I won¡¯t press you on this. Look I don¡¯t give a damn what Jackson says. I mean look at what you just did today. You literally saved my life dude.¡±
¡°Thanks.¡±
¡°I mean it. We are gonna see each other after all this is over.¡±
Shouting behind them disturbed their conversation. ¡°Stay clear! Stay clear!¡±
The road full of people and cars started parting. Hayden tapped Luke on the shoulder and pointed further down the road. ¡°Look at that.¡±
Multiple tanks and military vehicles drove past them. Cheers erupted from the crowds.
Whilst waiting for entrance to the Stadium. Luke noticed something in the sky and pointed at them. ¡°Hey Hayden. You see those?¡±
In the skies near Levi¡¯s Stadium
<<<¡°We are approaching the target.
¡°Bomb them to hell!¡±
¡°Roger that.¡±>>>
Near Levi¡¯s Stadium, San Jose
Hayden pondered to himself. ¡°I think those were fighter jets dropping bombs.¡±
Luke widened his eyes in shock. ¡°The monsters are already here?¡±
¡°What do you think they are bombing?¡±
¡°Thinking about it, where was the Air Force when San Francisco was being overrun. I didn¡¯t see any
2140 June 18th, 2020 CE
Washington D.C.
Cralson got off his phone. ¡°The missiles are approaching the target, Mr. President. The drone has eyes on it.¡±
The screen flickered on as it showed the live feed from an RQ170 that showed a huge dark red mass in the ocean. ¡°It''s huge. How many missiles did we fire at it?¡±
¡°40 JASSMs are headed directly for it.¡±
Chapter 113 - Holding On
1850 June 18th, 2020 CE
America Center Drive, San Jose, California
The lead Abrams came to a stop in the parking lot. It swiveled its turret to the right.
¡°Fire!¡±
The tank fired towards the beaches full of Lancefishes. The shell found its target as aLancefish¡¯s head was blown off and its remaining body collapsed. The machine guns on the tank started firing, punching holes into the creatures.
The lead tank moved into the parking lot which still had a couple cars parked here and there. Behind it, Abrams, Bradleys, and Humvees poured into the parking lot.
Some of the Lancefishes have already reached the asphalt of the parking lot from the grassy beaches. One was even beside the massive glass cube building that had the sign ¡°Hewlett Packard Enterprise'''' on its top left.
A TOW missile streaked out of the Bradley towards the forwardmost Lancefish, its autocannon pummeling the second closest one. Soldiers rushed out of the open doors of the Humvees and the back of the Bradleys.
<<<¡±Keep them contained in that area. We cannot let them breakthrough. There are hundreds of civilians at Levi¡¯s Stadium behind you. Air support is also available.¡±>>>
Levi¡¯s Stadium
After a bit of directions, the students found that their parents had all been waiting together at a western end of the football field. Luke found his mom first. She looked very tired. ¡°You alright hun?¡±
Luke smiled ¡°Yeah I¡¯m fine. I''m a bit tired.¡±
His dad chuckled and he ruffled Luke¡¯s hair as he approached from behind. ¡°You have definitely seen better days.¡±
Luke didn¡¯t resist at all. He felt all energy leave his body as he embraced his mom and dad¡¯s hug. His dad let go first. ¡°We still need to get out of here. Come on, I know you are still tired but I got a backup of your stuff. Here. We are boarding the next helicopter we can get in.¡±
¡°Neat you got my laptop.¡±
In the middle of the field, various helicopters were taking off and landing.
100 miles off of San Francisco
40 JASSMs cruised through the air at subsonic speeds. There were anti-air frogs on top of the creature that started firing its grapeshot into the air. However, the JASSMs were skimming the ocean surface.
Bits of the creature¡¯s flesh erupted and flew off in chunks as the 1000 pound armor piercing warhead slammed into the right side of the massive block of flesh. The creature started moving and wiggling as if in pain. Then it finally stopped and started sinking into the ocean.
March Air Reserve Base, California
A drone operator had an aerial view of Oakland, California. An MQ-9 Reaper was circling right outside the suspected range of the monster¡¯s anti-air. His officer nodded as he got off of his radio. ¡°We got the go-ahead.¡±
¡±Approaching their air defense zone.¡±
¡°Let¡¯s see how far this drone can go.¡±
¡°Understood.¡±
Minutes passed as the drone got closer and closer to the San Francisco Bay. The officer got onto his radio again. <<<¡±No anti-air response in Oakland, California. We will be proceeding to check out the airspace over San Francisco. The skies should be ours.¡±>>>
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A few minutes later
Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada
¡°Seems like that thing was some sort of radar system. We got the all-clear for Oakland and we are pretty certain that also means their air defense is down in San Fran.¡±
The Colonel who was in charge of the base, screamed to the men in the room. ¡°You heard him. Get all the planes off the ground. We are sweeping these things out of San Francisco!¡±
A few seconds later
<<<¡°Eagle Two is taking off¡±
¡°Good luck and come back with both of your wings this time.¡±>>>
The voice over the comms chuckled.
1903 June 18th, 2020 CE
Above Lafayette, California
An E-3 Sentry, an airborne early warning and control aircraft, circled Lafayette, California. A Surveillance Operator rubbed his eyes and looked closer at his radar screen. ¡°There¡¯s an unidentified aircraft approaching from the ocean. It''s¡ it''s huge. Sir, we need to contact Command. Look at the size I¡¯m reading from this.¡±
The Tactical Director got onto the comms. <<<¡°We have detected a very large flying object approaching San Francisco at a speed of around 100 miles per hour. It will reach San Francisco in an hour and a half. It seems to be something that is 1500 feet wide and 500 feet long.¡±>>>
2230 June 18th, 2020 CE
Washington D.C.
Ronell sat back in his chair, exasperated at the news he received a couple minutes earlier. ¡°Do we have any idea what that massive thing is?¡±
¡°We have just received satellite imagery of it. It''s a dragon. Its coloring is similar to the monsters in San Francisco. Based on the data from the E-3, it is possible that it has a wingspan of more than 1500 feet and a length of 500 feet. It has a wingspan of about eight Boeing 747s. If it reaches San Francisco¡ the amount of destruction it can cause will be horrific.¡±
Ronell sighed. ¡°One thing after another. How long do we have?¡±
¡°An hour and a half.¡±
A few minutes later
General Schmidt of the US Northern Command appeared on screen. ¡°General, I want everything on hand that can intercept that thing to intercept that thing.¡±
¡°Mr. President, I already understand the situation and we are working on it. The Air National Guard and the Air Force will be responding in a moment¡¯s notice. Rest assured, we will do everything in our power to shoot that thing down.¡±
Fresno Air National Guard Base, California
With the not yet setting sun in front of them, F-15Cs and F-15Ds of the 194th Fighter Squadron lifted off from the runway of the airport.
Hill Air Force Base, Utah
F-35As of the 388th Fighter Wing sat on the tarmac. An officer shouted at the ground crew as he walked past. ¡°Get it into air-to-air beast mode. There¡¯s a massive air target approaching San Francisco. Let''s go. Let''s go.¡±
The ground crews rushed to attack missiles onto the F-35s. Missiles were loaded into the internal load bay and onto the hardpoints on the wings. 14 AMRAAMs and 2 Sidewinders were loaded onto each F-35.
Washington D.C.
Ronell tapped his hand on the desk. ¡°How long till we engage it?¡±
¡°It''s gonna take about 10 minutes for our first wave of aircraft to have the target within missile range of the AMRAAMs. The Air Force and AIr National Guard will be intercepting it. We are not sure how much of an effect the AMRAAMs will have on it but hopefully enough ordnance can kill it.¡±
1945 June 18th, 2020 CE
Forester Street, San Francisco, California
<<<¡±We are barely holding on to the City College of San Francisco. Everything north is basically overrun.¡±>>>
Eric spoke into his comms after listening. <<<¡±This is Corporal Eric Lu of 2nd Platoon, Echo Company of 2/4th Marines. I¡¯m with Lance Corporal John Felder and Corpsman Ian Stevenson of the same company. We are currently behind enemy lines. Specifically in a house on Forester Street. Can anybody get us out of here?¡±
¡°Negative, Corporal.¡±
The voice sounded very familiar.
¡°Second Lieutenant?¡±
¡°Yes, Corporal. The entire 2nd Battalion has been pushed back. You guys are cut off. It''s impossible to get to you. You will have to figure something out.¡±>>>
Eric had his back against a wall and he looked to the other two. ¡°We have to retreat. We are cut off.¡±
Ian was kneeling on the ground tending to the wounded John. ¡°Let me finish patching him up.¡±
¡°You alright? That''s a bad looking head injury. Do you see how many fingers I¡¯m holding up?¡±
John nodded ¡°Yeah Doc, two, tis but a scratch.¡±
Ian chuckled. ¡°I think you may need to get your head checked if you are quoting Monty Python. But yeah you seem fine enough.¡±
John laughed back. ¡°Let''s get our asses out of here.¡±
Eric peeked out the window besides him. ¡°Well, we can¡¯t go through the front cause a fucking monster is outside.¡±
John stood up and responded. ¡°Let''s try the back door.¡±
¡°Alright. Be quiet when exiting, we don¡¯t want to alert the damn things.¡±
Eric slowly opened the back door and peered out. ¡°Clear. It''s a fenced in backyard. Should be safe. Let''s go.¡±
They exited the house and into the backyard. Eric peeked over the fence. ¡°It''s just all backyards. There seems to be a street on the right but we are gonna need to vault over multiple fences and I¡¯m not sure how safe that street is.¡±
Chapter 114 - The Dragon
1955 June 18th, 2020 CE
A few miles east of San Francisco
52 F-35s closed into their firing position. Ahead of them, 24 F-16s were about 20 miles away from the dragon that was closing in on San Francisco. Nearly a hundred AMRAAMs launched from the F-16s.
The swarm of AMRAAMs cruised over the Pacific Ocean. Right ahead of them, a massive dragon with a wingspan of nearly 1500 feet flapped slowly towards San Francisco. Explosions blanketed the entire wingspan of the dragon.
Peterson Air Force Base, US Northern Command Headquarters
Lieutenant General Doug tapped his chin while watching the large screen in front of him. Behind him, a number of soldiers were on computers with a variety of maps open. The Lieutenant General turned to General Schmidt. ¡°The missiles from the F-16s had no effect, it''s continuing towards San Francisco.¡±
¡°I can see that. So it took the brunt of nearly a hundred AMRAAMs and not a thing happened to it? Were any of the missiles shot down?¡±
¡°We are certain that almost all missiles hit their target. The E-3 is reporting that it seems to be moving faster, I think we only pissed it off.¡±
Ten miles west of San Francisco
More than seven hundred AMRAAMs from the F-35s streaked through the skies over San Francisco, all headed towards the dragon.
This time, the explosions were much more numerous. The dragon reopened its eyes after the onslaught of missiles. Its piercing red eyes shone through the smoke of the explosions. A roar filled the air in the ocean.
2305 June 18th, 2020 CE
Situation Room, White House
¡°Mr. President, General Schimdt is reporting no effect at all.¡±
¡°Ugh. Shit. Get me the General.¡±
The screen flickered on and General Schimdt could be seen in his command center.
¡°General.¡±
¡°Mr. President, we are preparing for the worst. We have a Patriot battery being set up to try to shoot it down. We are hoping that the bigger warhead would have an impact¡±
Cralson shook his head. ¡°That thing took on nearly 30,000 pounds of explosives head on. What would a battery of Patriot missiles do?¡±
¡°Then do we have any other option?¡±
A silence filled the room. Cralson leaned forward in his seat and clasped his hands together. ¡°The nuclear one¡¡±
2010 June 18th, 2020 CE
A few miles east of San Francisco
<<<¡±To all aircraft near or above San Francisco, begin evacuating out of the airspace. You have 30 minutes before a massive dragon will reach the area.¡±>>>
A pilot in an F-35 got on his comms.
<<<¡°Captain, we didn¡¯t shoot it down. Permission to engage with guns and the Sidewinders?¡±
¡°Request denied.¡±
¡°The thing is gonna reach San Francisco if we don¡¯t kill it.¡±
¡°Hundreds of AMRAAMs didn¡¯t do anything to it and you expect guns and sidewinders to do anything? You are just gonna get yourself killed and waste your life for nothing. Return to base. That¡¯s an order.¡±
¡°...understood.¡±>>>
America Center Drive, San Jose, California
<<<¡°We still need that air support over here at Levi¡¯s Stadium. We are barely holding the line over here!¡±
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¡°Understood. Please await further instructions.¡±>>>
An AC-130W Stinger II¡¯s 105mm cannon rained down onto the Lancefishes below as it circled the battle. The soldiers and vehicles on the ground didn¡¯t let up on their fire. Without ranged weapons, the Lancefishes couldn¡¯t do much but mindlessly surge forth. Two F-15Es passed over the horde while unleashing a cluster of 16 small diameter bombs from each aircraft.
The radio crackled. <<<¡°The dragon is headed directly for San Francisco. Air support at Levi¡¯s Stadium will remain available unless the dragon changes direction.¡±>>>
The pulverized corpses of thousands of the Lancefishes littered the beach and the pavement but there seemed to be a tidal wave of them as they continued walking ashore.
An A-10 swooped in with its signature ¡°BRRRRTTT¡± coming from its rotary cannon. As it passed over the horde, a variety of cluster and regular bombs dropped from its wings. Explosions rocked the jet black tidal wave. As soon as the aircraft passed, the Lancefishes surged into the places where their brethren had just been obliterated
¡°Let¡¯s try the new shell out. Gunner! AMP! Airburst!¡±
¡°Up!¡¯
¡°Fire!¡±
¡°On the way!¡±
The round exploded in front of the horde, scattering fragments onto the Lancefishes.
Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada
Colonel Todd listened to the orders while visibly upset. ¡°What do you mean ground all aircraft!? I just got them into the air less than 30 minutes ago!¡±
A voice replied over the phone. The Colonel seemed like he was about to throw the phone across the room but he put it down. ¡°Dammit. We finally got them up in the air but now we need to ground all of them.¡±
2310 June 18th, 2020 CE
Situation Room, White House
Ronell shook his head. ¡°Are you insane? We are basically nuking San Francisco at this point.¡±
Cralson countered. ¡°Won¡¯t the dragon cause destruction nonetheless?¡±
¡°A nuclear bomb will be resigning every single person still in San Francisco to death. Only an utterly idiotic person would suggest such a thing. With a dragon, we might hope for people to escape.¡±
¡°We aren¡¯t sure what the dragon is capable of. What if it could breath fire that could be comparable to a nuke?¡±
Ronell frowned. ¡°Why do you want to use a nuclear bomb on American soil that much. This is a last resort weapon. We may no longer have restrictions like we did on Earth but throwing nukes around without a care in the world is not something I want to do.¡±
¡°That dragon requires a last resort weapon. What if we threw a low yield nuclear bomb at the thing?¡±
¡°Won¡¯t that still have the consequences of fallout affecting thousands of people.¡±
¡°So what if a couple thousand civilians get cancer or leukemia? We will save millions by destroying that thing before it gets to San Francisco.¡±
Ronell became silent.
Somewhere in the Pacific
¡°What do you mean our communications with our invasion force have been cut off? Soghr should have been positioned far from the battle.¡±
¡°Great Lord. We are pretty certain Soghr has been destroyed.¡±
¡°Soghr is such a massive entity. It couldn¡¯t have been that quickly destroyed.¡±
¡°The humans have weapons that causes explosions. That seems to have been what happened to Soghr.¡±
¡°What about the next army?¡±
¡°Our next army should be approaching in a couple hours. They have Ehruf with them. We will reestablish contact once they arrive.¡±
The Great Lord walked to a team of Enlightened who were fiddling around with an aquatic creature of this plane. She observed them. One of them poured a purple viscous liquid into its gaping mouth. The reddish skin of the aquatic creature turned jet black and seemingly hardened. One of the Enlightened had an Obsida, a smooth black metal, in his hand, it was forged into a spear-like shape. The Enlightened proceeded to place the Obsida spear on the front of the aquatic creature. A purplish liquid oozed from the altered creature onto the Obsida and secured it.
They placed the creature back into the ocean and crowded around. The creature floated back up and was soon motionless. One of the Enlightened who noticed her approached her. ¡°Great Lord. The aquatic creatures of this world are too weak for modification.¡±
¡°So it seems¡±
¡°We are certain we can find a stronger being to reengineer.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t care. Just make something useful.¡±
¡°Thank you, Great Lord.¡±
2010 June 18th, 2020 CE
Hearst Avenue, San Francisco, California
¡°We are only a couple of blocks from the City College of San Francisco. We just have to avoid getting caught.¡±
They were pressed up to a wooden fence in somebody¡¯s backyard. Eric peeked over the fence. The street was empty and there was a school building across from them.
¡°We should probably get into that school building.¡±
¡°Are you sure Eric? We have to cross an open street.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t see any of the monsters here.¡±
¡°Is there nowhere else we can hide?¡±
¡°The only thing across from us is the school building. That''s the only way we can get to safety.¡±
Ian stayed silent and nodded. They could still hear heavy amounts of gunshots which gave them hope.
Chapter 115 - The Destroyer of Worlds
¡°Now, I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds.¡±
- J. Robert Oppenheimer, father of the atomic bomb
2315 June 18th, 2020 CE
Washington D.C.
¡°By the time we get the bomber in the air, it would have already reached San Francisco.¡±
General Schmidt nodded at Cralson¡¯s statement. ¡°Mr. President, the Air Force is planning to strike it again.¡±
The President sighed. ¡°We already fired eight hundred missiles at the thing and it did nothing!¡±
Cralson crossed his arms. ¡°At least most of San Francisco is evacuated.¡±
The President shook his head. ¡°We are not nuking San Francisco, Cralson. We are not nuking a fucking major American city for christ sakes. Just because there¡¯s an overgrown flying lizard in the city.¡±
¡°It could possibly breathe fire.¡±
¡°We aren¡¯t in a fantas¡¡±. The President stopped himself and sighed. ¡°We aren¡¯t certain of its capabilities.¡±
2020 June 18th, 2020 CE
Sunnyside Elementary School, San Francisco, California
The three soldiers all dropped to the floor the instant a roar shook the building. Ian frowned. ¡°What the fuck was that?¡±
Eric whisper-shouted. ¡°It¡¯s the dragon. Keep your head down!¡±
John looked at the two. ¡°Dragon?!¡±
¡°I forgot to tell you about that when it came over the comms. You were still unconscious then. Yeah, there¡¯s a dragon on its way here.¡±
John frown deepened. ¡°And you didn¡¯t tell me why?¡±
¡°Well we are trying to sneak away from some monsters much closer to us. We just need to focus on getting outta here. Dragon didn¡¯t seem that important¡±
Eric peeked out the window of the school building and looked towards the dimming sky. ¡°For right now, we should probably stay in here and see what happens.¡±
Just then, Eric¡¯s eye caught something. With what was left of the dimming twilight, he could make out a massive dragon. It flew right over them and it was terrifying. Although a completely different form, it was obvious that it was related to the monsters on the ground. The building seemed to quiver as it passed overhead.
2325 June 18th, 2020 CE
Washington D.C.
¡°We have reports that the dragon has passed over San Francisco. It hasn¡¯t landed anywhere. If it keeps going, It¡¯s headed straight for Nevada.¡±
The President sighed. ¡°Where is it going if it''s not stopping in San Francisco?¡±
General Schmidt frowned. ¡°We are not sure to be honest. So far it has been flying in a straight line. It hasn¡¯t changed direction that much. We are expecting for it to continue that route.
Cralson immediately perked up about that. ¡°Nevada? Aren¡¯t our nuclear testing sites over there?¡±
¡°Yes they are Secretary.¡±
¡°We can nuke the thing when it passes over one of the sites can¡¯t we? Won¡¯t that minimize the damage caused? Will it pass over the Nevada Test Site?¡±
General Schmidt nodded. ¡°Interesting proposal. Mr. President? If the Patriot missile system fails, then we won¡¯t have many options left.¡±
President Ronell rubbed his forehead. ¡°What will the collateral be if we nuke it in the Nevada Test Site.¡±
General Schimdt nodded. ¡°I¡¯m gonna get someone on that. In the meantime, the Patriot missiles have been set up to shoot it down into the San Francisco Bay. We will be seeing what happens in a few minutes.¡±
If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.
2030 June 18th, 2020 CE
30 miles east of San Francisco
Across the road from a worn down gray barn, six Patriot missile launchers sat in a field overgrown with golden and green wheat-like vegetation. The sound of crickets echoed through the night.
¡°It¡¯s approaching the bay. We are ready to fire at your command.¡±
¡°Fire.¡±
Six missiles exited from the launchers leaving a plume of dust around the launcher. The missiles streaked across the darkening orange sky. The crews stared at the radar as it tracked the missiles streaking towards the dragon.
¡°All confirmed hits¡ no effect on target.¡±
¡°Fuck. Pack up and relocate. We are not sure where it''s going but we are not sticking around if it''s trying to find what shot it with missiles.¡±
¡°But, we can try another volley at it.¡±
¡°The thing got hit with fuckton of missiles. I heard Command has decided to smack it with a nuke in the test fields in Nevada. We were just here as a last ditch effort. Our orders were clear. Hit it and then bugger off.¡±
The trucks hooked themselves to the radar and the Patriot batteries.
¡°The Patriot batteries had little effect on it Mr. President.¡±
¡°What do we have about the nuclear option?¡±
¡°It¡¯s going to pass over the training range instead of the test site. If we use a low yield nuclear device, there won¡¯t be much damage and the fallout won¡¯t affect any large population centers. We just have to evacuate the surrounding towns.¡±
¡°How many people are in the surrounding towns?¡±
¡°Tonopah is the biggest with a population of around two thousand people. In addition to the smaller towns, we would be expecting to evacuate up to three thousand people.¡±
¡°And the fallout? How far will it spread?¡±
¡°Most of the land is government land that we used as a training range. Well depending on the actual yield, the impact should be minimal due to the fact that most of the area is empty. Of course, the area will have to be avoided because of the fallout but there¡¯s usually nobody on most of this land anyway.¡±
¡°Then we are going ahead with this? It''s impervious to our conventional weapons. This is the only way we can shoot it down?¡±
¡°Mr. President, this is our best option.¡±
¡°Are we even sure if it''s gonna land somewhere?¡±
¡°We shouldn¡¯t be taking any chances. It will pass through multiple cities that are filled with more people than San Francisco right now.¡±
Ronell slumped and sighed. ¡°Get me the Pentagon¡¯s deputy director of operations and the commander of Strategic Command.¡±
¡°Yes sir.¡±
A few minutes later
A few men were on the screens in front of the President. ¡°A nuclear cruise missile with a low enough yield to not cause major destruction to any large population centers but a high enough yield to kill that thing.¡±
¡°An AGM-86B from a B-52 would do fine. It''s a W80 nuclear warhead with a blast yield of 150 kilotons of TNT. However, the question is whether or not it will hit the target since it''s an air to ground missile. It does have an inertial navigation system with terrain contour matching but none of those mean it can hit a moving target. Although, with that large of a target, we can probably assume that the missile will hit it.¡±
¡°Are we certain? I don¡¯t want to have to use a nuclear missile just to have it miss.¡±
¡°We can probably calculate where the dragon will be based on its current speed and direction. Then use those coordinates to set the target. Worse comes to worse, we miss, the nuclear missile detonates on the ground close to it, and the nuclear blast will still at least heavily injure it.¡±
¡°Do we not have any nuclear missiles capable of hitting a moving aerial target?¡±
¡°We retired those kinds of things in the 1980s.¡±
¡°Alright then. I¡¯m ordering a nuclear strike on that dragon.¡±
An aide gave the President a black laminated card. On the screen, the deputy director of operations looked at his card. ¡°Tango Delta¡±
The President replied. ¡°Alpha Victor¡±
Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota
A single B-52 taxied onto the runway of the base. The runway was lit up with lights.
¡°Get the B-52 on cart start. We are loading it up with a nuclear cruise missile.¡±
The ground crew inserted small explosives into two compartments next to two of the eight turbofan engines. Black and white fumes poured out of the back of the B52s from its engines. The B-52 taxied down the runway and lifted off into the night sky.
A nuclear cruise missile launched from the belly of the B-52.
Chapter 116 - The Hammer Falls
2105 June 18th, 2020 CE
Sky above Nevada
The dragon looked around in this foreign, night sky. The sky reminded it of what its world looked like before everything happened. It still remembered the time it was a being of its own. Before the monsters took over the world and made him into this. There wasn¡¯t much it could do but listen to the commands. Strangely, it hadn''t received anything new so it was just flying in a straight line. Out of the corner of its eye, the dragon saw something approaching it.
Another one of those weapons. This was a single one of the explosive arrows of whoever it was attacking. However, the explosive arrow was much slower than the ones that had hit it earlier. The dragon felt the arrow impact its back. Then a blinding light enveloped it.
A mushroom cloud formed above where the dragon had been.
0005 June 19th, 2020 CE
Washington D.C.
The President tapped on the table of the Situation Room as everyone awaited the report of the nuclear detonation. Everyone in the room was tired and cups of coffee were everywhere. General Schmidt who was in his command center was on screen. A flurry of activity occurred behind General Schmidt. ¡°Mr. President. We have confirmation that the dragon has been downed. A drone will fly over to verify its death. We have strike fighters on standby in case it needs to be bombed.¡±
There was mild clapping and a few unhappy faces. They had just launched a nuclear missile on American soil. Even though it was on grounds that have been used for nuclear testing before, it was still a very heavy decision.
¡°I want to know where that thing came from. And I want that place blown to smithereens. Also, get someone to check on how bad the radiation around the nuclear detonation is and where it will spread.¡±
¡°The EPA is already on that.¡±
Somewhere in the Pacific
On her shiny, jet black metallic throne in the middle of the island, the Great Lord listened patiently as her advisor translated the garbled message of the less intelligent Soldier-level. ¡°Great Lord, We have reconnected communications with our forces in the battle.¡±
The Great Lord stood up from her throne. ¡°How is the situation? How far inland have we pushed?¡±
¡°There seems to be a stalemate. We have accomplished in taking the northern part of the peninsula but have not been able to advance any further south or east despite our large numbers.¡±
¡°What about the dragon?¡±
¡°We¡¡± The advisor frowned and paused as he got confirmation from the soldier. ¡°...lost contact.¡±
¡°You lost contact? Are you still able to detect it?¡±
¡°It''s just gone, we can¡¯t find it or detect it. We are not certain what happened. It somehow disappeared during the time when communications became offline.¡±
Her advisor slowly inched away. The soldier had already dismissed themselves. She was not like her predecessor that skewered all who came with bad news. However that didn¡¯t mean she didn¡¯t have anger issues like her predecessor. At that moment, no one wanted to be near her when she sat quietly on her throne
2045 June 18th, 2020 CE
Sunnyside Elementary School, San Francisco, California
Corporal Eric Lu looked out of the school building. ¡°If I remember correctly, we are only a couple streets away from the City College of San Francisco. I can hear the intense firefight from here.¡±
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Ian frowned. ¡°Won¡¯t that mean there are gonna be those monsters swarming in front of us since we are approaching the frontline.¡±
Eric rubbed the back of neck. ¡°They won¡¯t expect us to come from behind in the night?¡±
Ian shook his head and sighed ¡°We still need to get through them and I have no interest in running through a group of those things. And with his head injury, I¡¯m not sure how well John will do.¡±
John looked up. ¡°I¡¯m perfectly fine, doc. It just hurts a bit.¡±
¡°Then that''s bad. That¡¯s a head injury. Also I¡¯m a medic, not a doctor. We need to get you to actual help.¡±
Eric sighed. ¡°I¡¯m gonna get Second Lieutenant on the comms and see what they can do.¡±
Eric got on his communication device. <<<¡±Second Lieutenant, this is Corporal Eric Lu.¡±
¡±Go ahead corporal. I¡¯m listening¡±
¡°We are approaching the City College of San Francisco from Forester Street and hearing heavy combat. Is there any path we can take to get to you guys?¡±
¡°Negative. We are holding the line but monsters are swarming the place.¡±
¡°...is there any way you can make a path for us? Lance Corporal Felder is a bit banged up with a head injury and may need medical attention¡±
No reply came for a few seconds.
¡°Okay corporal, I will see what I can do. In the meantime, are you able to check on how many monsters are on Foerster Street?¡±
¡°Got it, sir.¡±>>>
A few minutes later
Eric reported what he saw outside from the 2nd floor window of the school. <<<¡°There seems to be around ten or so monsters milling around on the street facing us. Its a bit dark so I can¡¯t confirm¡±
¡°Corporal, where exactly are you on Foerster Street?¡±
¡°We are currently in a building that seems to be an elementary school.¡±
¡°Which type of those monsters are you seeing? The anteater-like ones with spears for noses or the humanoid ones?¡±
¡°From the forms, I believe they are the humanoid types.¡±
¡°Thanks for the info, corporal. Go down Foerster Street and in exactly¡ 20 minutes, have yourself right behind the avenue between the rows of houses and the college.
¡°How will you let us know that the path is clear?¡±
¡°Keep an eye out and just get ready to run. There will be a clear path.¡±>>>
0010 June 19th, 2020 CE
Washington D.C.
¡°We have confirmation of the death of the dragon. We are confident that the dragon is not alive.¡±
A green tinted night vision videofeed was shown from the camera of the drone. In the desert below, a charred corpse of the dragon with half of its wings missing was shown.
The aide went on. ¡°Since it was an air burst, the nuclear fallout is minimal. However, it is still recommended to avoid a 10 mile radius around the blast zone. Although the towns closest to the nuclear blast were not affected, the EPA has recommended testing the area for radiation so we will have to relocate a couple thousand people for the time being.¡±
Ronell leaned back on his chair. ¡°... how¡¯s the media coverage on this?¡±
¡°People are definitely debating about the usage of a nuclear weapon on American soil. Most are still reeling from the invasion of San Francisco.¡±
Ronell rubbed his closed eyes. ¡°Well, I hope we can weather this storm. Not that its that important. I kind of just want to retire and go to the beach at this point.¡±
MacDill Air Force Base, Florida
¡°General Thompson, our drones have spotted movement on the easternmost shores of the Magus Imperium. It is just as we anticipated. Earlier sightings were most definitely these monster¡¯s reconnaissance forces.¡±
¡°How''s the situation on the ground?¡±
¡°All civilians have been evacuated and the Magusian military is pulling back as instructed.¡±
¡°We will wait as more of these monsters advance inland, then we will hit them.¡±
Somewhere in the Pacific
She had calmed down immensely from her anger. She had found her scientists tinkering with another aquatic species of this world.
¡°Great Lord?¡±
¡°We are gonna use the toy that you guys has been so excited about. How many of them do we have?¡±
¡°We have 5 in total.¡±
¡°You are certain it won¡¯t have any effects on our forces? Just the humans?¡±
¡°Yes we have done extensive testing on both our own and the humans. Early tests had a very bad effect on our own and many died but with later improvements it has proven extremely lethal to humans and non-lethal to us.¡±
¡°Can they be ready before our second wave of forces land?¡±
Chapter 117 - Fire in the Sky
0010 June 19th, 2020 CE
MacDill Air Force Base, Florida
General Abrams Thompson watched the digital strategic map on the screen. The red that indicated the area that the monsters have taken grew on the eastern portion of the Mach Imperium. His aide looked up from the comms system. ¡°The monsters are swiftly advancing forwards from their landing positions. They are pushing out from the port city and into the surrounding farmland. They will be approaching the outer kill zones within minutes.¡±
¡°Inform all artillery units to fire on their pre-designated targets. Accounting for time to impact¡¡± The General looked at his watch. ¡°They should hit them as soon as they arrive.¡±
0805 Sun 49th, 196 AE
In a field 50 miles from Stelport, Mach Imperium
¡°We have confirmation to fire at the pre-designated coordinates. Light¡¯em up.¡±
The missile pods on the M270 MLRS that were already lifted up towards the sky and let off a volley of 12 M30A1 rockets. The rest of the battery of two other M270s let off their rockets towards the sky.¡±
Monsters advanced lazily through the tight streets of the city that were lined with red and gray brick buildings. A whistling sound caught their attention and they looked up to the sky to see where the noise came from. All hell broke loose as the streets and buildings were peppered by holes as the monsters were torn apart by tungsten fragments falling from the sky. The tungsten fragments sliced and ripped through the monsters.
The M270 gunner leaned back on his chair. ¡°I don¡¯t think the Machians will be happy with all that collateral damage in their city.¡±
¡°At least they are just metal pieces and not the explosive DPICM submunitions. Should be much easier to fix.¡±
¡°I¡¯m pretty certain the brass brought up M777s to finish up the job so it doesn¡¯t really matter.¡±
In the distance, they could hear the booms of the M777s as they fired.
0022 June 19th, 2020 CE
Washington D.C.
¡°Mr. President, we believe we have found where the monsters originated from.¡±
A haggard looking Ronell set down his coffee. ¡°Go on.¡±
¡°We have found an island in the western portions of the Pacific. We are currently confirming whether or not this island existed beforehand.¡±
¡°Another island? How big of an island is this for this many demons to appear? Don¡¯t tell me this is something like the elves and there were a bunch of them living underwater.¡±
¡°This is not confirmed but there seems to be a structure in the middle of the island that is transporting more of these monsters here.¡±
Ronell rubbed his eyes. ¡°Great, this could mean they are coming from somewhere else on this planet.¡±
¡°I have been informed that it is possible for it to be not from this planet.¡±
¡°A gate from another world? What is this? A pro-JSDF Japanese fantasy novel series?¡±
¡°Well, we are basically in a fantasy world so why not? Our situation feels like a fantasy web novel written by someone.¡±
0711 Sun 49th, 196 AE
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Bem Republic
Six of the once prominent members of the Bem nobility sat around a table. A heavy silence permeated the air. Finally, one of the members spoke. ¡°Seems like these demons actually exist.¡±
¡°That is a problem for our plans.¡±
¡°Why? This is an opportunity. These demons are only invading the Americans and the Mach right now. We should take this chance to throw the Americans out.¡±
¡°The Americans stopped leaving. That¡¯s the problem.¡±
¡°Then we will have to push back the date of what we plan to do. We will let these Americans fight the demons for us.¡±
¡°I overheard rumors that they will be establishing a permanent base here.¡±
Everyone was silent at the table again.
¡°Even with our original plans, we had no way of preventing them from coming back. We say we had plans but I don¡¯t think any of us have any idea what we are doing.¡±
The silence continued after that sentence.
¡°It''s not fair at all. These ¡®Amercians¡¯ just all of a sudden appear out of nowhere and then mess up the order of the world. I had plans you know? Being a noble and all.¡±
¡°You know¡ maybe we should just give up. We lived under the yoke of the Mach before this and now we live under these Americans. What''s the difference?¡±
¡°Well under the Mach, we were nobles.¡±
¡°And the Americans completely destroyed the Mach. What hope do we have? You know what, screw this. I¡¯m done.¡±
The person stood up and exited out of the room. A silence hung in the air yet again. One of them interrupted it. ¡°I¡¯m thinking about using what I have left to create a business. Who wants to do that instead? We could make a joint business. The commoner merchants seem to have gotten rich doing this so why can¡¯t we?¡±
2120 June 18th, 2020 CE
Near the intersection of Foerster Street and Staples Avenue
The gunfire was much much closer now.
¡°Jesus, how the fuck are we meant to safely get across this?¡±
Eric poked his head up from the wooden fence they were hiding behind. It was dark and he could make out a row of houses that was basically on an incline across the street. The front yards of each house was terraced. Each house had stairs leading up to the front door. None of them had fences that they could jump over. Ian shrugged. ¡°At least the monsters aren¡¯t filing into the avenue and are just pushing forward on the street.¡±
Eric sighed in resignation. ¡°We can hide in those bushes and find a house we can get into. Lets just hope that somebody left in a panic and forgot to lock their doors. There has to be at least one house.¡±
Monsters packed Forester Street. Eric prayed that the darkness of the night hopefully concealed them.
A couple minutes later
¡°You guys stay down here. I will sneak up the stairs and see if either house has their door open.¡±
Eric twisted the doorknob on the door and pushed in to no avail. He tried the door in the neighboring house.¡±
7 minutes later
¡°Come on¡ come on. Finally.¡±
The door swung slightly inwards as Eric gently pushed it in. He crouch-walked down the stairs and whispered to Ian and John. ¡°Let¡¯s go, this house has its door open.¡±
They had passed through a few more backyards and another street before getting to their supposed position. Ian looked out of the window of the house they were hiding in. ¡°Now what? We are basically at where they told us to be and this place is swarming with them.¡±
They could hear a massive boom from where they suspected the frontline was. They were on the first floor of a house right next to where they were told to be. It was directly on the front and the monsters infested the streets. They were lucky to have snuck into this house Eric¡¯s comms crackled. <<<¡±Corporal. You in position?¡±
¡°Yes, sir.¡±
¡°Get your ass ready to run. You will know when to do it.¡±>>>
Multiple booms penetrated the air. Suddenly, the swarms of monsters were being mowed down. Explosions after explosions impacted the mob of monsters. Tracers from machine gun fire lit up the night. Ian shook his head in disbelief. ¡°Jesus fuck, they want us to run through that?¡±
¡°Ian, John, hug the wall. They are concentrating fire in the middle of the street. Hug the wall! Go! Go! Go!¡±
They made it out of the house and stuck themselves to the wall outside. They started moving towards the human lines.
Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado
General Ralph Albert, commander of both US Northern Command and NORAD, rushed into the command center. He was immediately greeted by his deputy commander. The General¡¯s face was serious as he asked his deputy. ¡°Give me a rundown. What¡¯s happening?¡±
¡°Sir, our satellites are detecting missile launches from the Pacific.¡±
¡°Are we certain it''s not a glitch in the system? No one in this world are supposed to have missile technology.¡±
¡°We are not certain. The PAVE PAWS at the Beale Air Force Base is currently tracking 5 possible missiles. The system is calculating its trajectory and should come up with a solution quite soon.¡±
Everyone in the room closely looked at the screens on the wall as the trajectory was calculated by the computer. Within a few seconds, lines appeared showing where the missiles were headed. Each line streaked to the same city. Realization dawned on them. ¡°Sir, we need to get Washington on the line right now. They are all heading for San Francisco.¡±
Chapter 118 - Limited Exchange
0033 June 19th, 2020 CE
Washington D.C.
Ronell¡¯s face was extremely bitter. It was almost as if he aged 10 years and got a hundred wrinkles. ¡°Missiles? Are we certain that''s not a glitch?"
¡°We are confirming it right now and preparing for the possible need to intercept the missiles.¡±
¡°Get NORAD on the goddamn line.¡±
On the screen, General Albert appeared. ¡°Mr. President.¡±
¡°Are you certain this is not¡¡±
The general replied as if he had expected the question. ¡°No, Mr. President, it is not a glitch. We are 99% certain that those are in fact missiles. All of them are headed for San Francisco.¡±
Ronell took a deep breath. ¡°Where exactly are those missiles from?¡±
¡°We detected missile launches from this island in the western part of the Pacific.¡±
The screen changed to depict a satellite map of the Pacific. Ronell pinched the bridge of his nose as he replied. ¡°Make that 100%. I have just recently been informed that that is where these creatures came from. Do we know what kind of missiles they are?¡±
¡°Due to their range and their exoatmospheric capabilities, we are categorizing these five missiles as intercontinental ballistic missiles. However, we are uncertain as to what type of warhead they are carrying. They could be conventional, biological, chemical, or nuclear. We are also uncertain if they are MIRVs.¡±
¡°Are we able to intercept them?¡±
¡°I have already put in motion the orders to shoot them down. We have the Ground-Based Midcourse Defense in Alaska that will fire once the missiles are within range. If the missiles get through that, SM-3s fired from ships based in Naval Base San Diego will attempt to shoot down any that get through.¡±
¡°What are the chances of intercept?¡±
¡°We are 90% certain we are capable of intercepting all five missiles.¡±
Ronell sighed. ¡°Only 90%...¡±
¡°Mr. President, sir, shooting down an ICBM is a complicated task. To be honest, the 90% estimate might be an overestimation... in our simulated tests in perfect conditions, the GMD system has had only a 55% success rate overall. We are hoping the newest variant of the SM-3s... that we haven''t tested yet... could do something.¡±
¡°I know¡ I know that it''s complicated¡we can only hope for the best. Has this information gotten to the ground forces in San Francisco yet?¡±
¡°They should have been informed already.¡±
¡°Thank you, General. Now if you don¡¯t mind, I have an island to wipe off of the face of this fucking planet.¡±
The screen turned off as Ronell faced the room.
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¡°Get me the Pentagon¡¯s deputy director of operations and the commander of Strategic Command again.¡±
2035 June 18th, 2020 CE
Fort Greely, Alaska
Multiple Ground-Based Interceptors flew up into the starry Alaskan sky out of their silos. The exhaust flame lit up the cool night.
2135 June 18th, 2020 CE
Judson Avenue, San Francisco
¡°Corporal!¡±
Just as Eric arrived onto friendly grounds after crossing the avenue, his Second Lieutenant shouted at him. Eric looked around. Multiple Abrams tanks had situated themselves on the downward slope that was right besides the sidewalk. Only their turrets were exposed on the avenue. His Second Lieutenant came running to his group. ¡°Corporal, good to see you. Find a vehicle and get in. We are retreating!¡±
Eric looked quizzically at his Second Lieutenant. ¡°What? Why, sir? I thought this was the last line before these monsters got to the evac site?¡±
¡°The monsters somehow have missiles. NORAD just detected five launches at San Francisco. It might be nuclear so we are gonna pull back as much as we can before they hit.¡±
¡°What? What about the civilians?¡±
¡°We are putting the remaining civilians in trucks and prioritizing the roads for them. Get yourself to safety.¡±
¡°Understood, sir.¡±
¡°Also, don¡¯t get into a Humvee. Get in a Bradley or Stryker if you can, those have CBRN protection. If you can¡¯t, then get into an Abrams. If the missiles are just biological or chemical weapons, you will be fine in them.¡±
¡°Do we not have gas masks?¡±
¡°Logistics is getting them here right now as fast as possible but there won¡¯t be enough for everybody. If you get a mask handed to you, put it on and get into a Humvee.¡±
A few minutes later
Eric, John, and Ian piled into the back of a Bradley. They were squeezed in since the Bradley was already crowded with the original squad.
¡°Good to have you folks onboard. Sit tight. Until we get the all clear, stay inside the vehicle.¡±
0035 June 19th, 2020 CE
Washington D.C.
On screen were the same men who authorized the usage of a nuclear bomb on the dragon.
¡°Twice in less than a few hours, Mr. President?¡±
Ronell nodded. ¡°We have located where these monsters have come from and they have just launched missiles at San Francisco. I want a nuclear strike on that island. It''s quite obvious that these creatures are a threat to humanity and we need to act now. Any protest against this?¡±
Nobody said a word.
¡°Alright. I want to authorize the use of a nuclear ICBM. I¡¯m afraid they will use more missiles so I want the fastest option possible.¡±
The commander of Strategic Command nodded. ¡°Understood sir.¡±
¡°Since it''s a new day, I guess we have the new codes right?¡±
The Pentagon deputy director of operations looked at his card. ¡°Yes, Mr. President. Oscar Hotel.¡±
An aide gave the President a black laminated card. Ronell looked at it. ¡°Juliet Tango.¡±
2240 June 18th, 2020 CE
Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana
The missile combat crew commander turned to his deputy after looking at the screen. ¡°We are getting launch orders. Open the safe.¡±
The safe that contained the Sealed Authenticator was locked with two locks. Each of them had a key to open one of the locks. They both opened their respective locks. The deputy looked at the code from the screen as the commander got the Sealed Authenticator out of the envelope. ¡°Are the SAS codes valid?¡±
The commander nodded. ¡°They are the same. You take a look¡±
¡°Yep, they are the same.¡±
The commander got in front of the Launch Control and began typing in the code. ¡°Okay. It''s all typed in.¡±
The commander and his deputy put in their respective keys to their own Launch Control. They looked at each other and nodded. Both of them turned their key.
The silo hatch slid open and a tower of flames spewed upwards and brightened the entire area. Covered in the flames, an LGM-30 Minuteman III missile shot out of the silo. Almost like a massive bright star, the ICBM traveled upwards in a curve towards the sky.
Chapter 119 - Race to Intercept
2035 June 18th, 2020 CE (Five minutes earlier)
Fort Greely, Alaska
The night sky was veiled in darkness and the frigid Arctic air blew across a field where military police Humvees zoomed around. Tension gripped the soldiers stationed at the Ground-Based Midcourse Defense installation.
Inside the command center controlling the Ground-Based Interceptors, five soldiers sat in front of their monitors, each carrying out their task. The commanding officer, Colonel Chris Karbler, stood behind the five soldiers and looked at the three monitors that hung at the top of the front of the room. On the three monitors, blips slowly blinked across the map, each blip representing an approaching hostile missile. The atmosphere was heavy with the gravity of the situation.
The communication officer reported the situation. "One minute remaining until hostile missiles breach the threshold of our interceptors, sir."
The commanding officer, Colonel Chris Karbler, glanced at the screens. He wasted no time in issuing his orders, his voice resonating with authority. "I want a ratio of two interceptors per hostile missile. Initiate the countdown at five seconds."
Acknowledging the command, the operations officer nodded with a firm resolve. The other soldiers swiftly moved into action. The room fell into a focused silence as they adjusted controls, double-checked systems, and ensured that every aspect was ready for the interceptors to launch.The operation officer soon began the countdown in a steady but undeniably urgent voice. "Five, four, three, two, one. Within range, sir."
The commanding officer barked out the order to fire. "Engage!"
Outside the command center, lights were flashing across the field where the interceptors rested in the launch tubes in the ground. Horns and warning messages were being broadcasted of the imminent launch. Military police that patrolled the interceptor missile field have already cleared off.
The ground of the field burst in pillars of fire as the night sky soon lit up with the fiery trails of the 10 interceptor missiles. The thunderous roar of their engines filled the air, drowning out all the blaring horns and warning messages.
The soldiers in the command center held their breath, their eyes locked on the monitors displaying the ongoing interception.
0040 June 18th, 2020 CE (Now)
Washington D.C.
An aide gave the announcement. ¡°Mr. President, we have just launched our ICBMs and the Ground-Based Interceptors are approaching the hostile missiles.¡±
Ronell had his entire being focused on the screen in front of him. The rest of the Situation Room was in a similar state of being. Projected across the screen, green blips representing the interceptors blinked slowly across the map edging ever closer towards the red blips of the hostile missiles. A singular blue blip over Idaho represented the American ICBM that had, mere seconds ago, been fired in response
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Two minutes later
The green blips had converged on the red blips. Time slowed and the seconds seemingly felt like hours as Ronell waited to see if the red blips would continue. Two red blips blinked forwards. An aide got off the phone and bitterly confirmed what he saw. ¡°Mr. President. Three missiles have been successfully intercepted. Two have broken through to our final line of defense.¡±
Ronell took a sip of his water, put the glass down, and made no comment.
Fort Greely, Alaska
The same screen was being shown on the three monitors at the top of the front of the room. The operation officer reported the result. ¡°Confirmed interception and destruction of three of the five missiles headed towards San Francisco. Two missiles are confirmed undamaged and still heading to San Francisco.¡±
Three minutes later
Naval Base San Diego
The captain of the USS Spruance looked at the radar that showed the incoming two missiles. His Arleigh Burke-class destroyer was already loaded with all the SM-3 Block IIAs they could get their hands on, the newest variant of the SM-3 and was said to have the capability to possibly intercept ICBMs. However, this capability had never been tested. It was supposed to be tested against an ICBM by the end of this year but now it''s going against the real deal.
The captain''s voice reverberated through the control room of the USS Spruance, cutting through the tension-filled air. ¡°Split the SM-3s targeting between the two incoming missiles. Five on both.¡±
Under the light blue lights of the control room, the crew sprang into action. On the green radar screen, the two red blips representing the incoming missiles drew nearer. The crew manning the controls set the limited number of the Block IIAs to split between the imminent threats. As the missiles closed in on their target, the crew members stood ready to launch at the captain¡¯s command.
The captain gave the order. "Five... four... three... two... one. Launch!"
An ear-splitting siren blared on the deck of the ship. Both front VLS cells and the aft VLS cells opened up. The front and back of the ship were illuminated by a blaze of fire and smoke as if the sun had just appeared. The front and aft VLS cells launched their first SM-3 and the noise of their launch drowned out the siren. The noise of the siren returned as the first two SM-3 Block IIAs streaked skyward, leaving trails of exhaust smoke in their wake. The siren was interrupted again as the next two missiles launched. Two at a time, missiles streaked towards the sky.
Skies over the Pacific
Two missiles traveled over the Pacific. Under the moonlight, the missiles were shaped like a dark greenish mass of meat. It was pulsating and seemingly had small limbs and eyes jutting out everywhere. Fire spewed out of the back of the missiles through some unknown chemical reaction that propelled the organic missiles forward at insane speeds. One of the eyes on the missile moved its pupil after noticing something blazing towards it.
Naval Base San Diego
The crew members in the USS Spruance control room fixated their eyes on the radar screen, tracking the trajectory of the hostile missiles. Beads of sweat formed on some of their brows as they watched.
The green blips of ten SM-3 Block IIAs closed in on both red blips.
Washington D.C.
The Situation Room was filled with tense anticipation as the green blips representing the SM-3 interceptors closed in on their targets. President Ronell''s gaze remained fixed on the map display, his heart pounding in his chest. The room buzzed with restrained energy, the air thick with the weight of the impending outcome.
The first two SM-3s that reached the first missile seemingly missed, two green blips flying past the red blip. However the green blip of the third SM-3 seemed to have stopped right on the red blip of the missiles. Both the red blip and green blip disappeared. However, no cheers could be heard for the interception though. The second hostile missile had yet to be hit by its fourth SM-3. The fourth blip flying past it. The fifth and last SM-3 moved ever closer to the missile. Seconds ticked by. The last green and red blip converged. The red blip moved forward. Everybody looked at the phone as it rang.
An aide picked up the phone. He proceeded to announce the bitter news to President Ronell, his voice laced with disappointment. "Mr. President, despite the successful interception of the first missile, all five of the SM-3s meant for the second missile have failed. It''s continuing towards San Francisco."
Ronell''s expression tightened, his disappointment mirrored in the somber faces surrounding him. The gravity of the situation weighed heavily upon them.
Chapter 120 - Strike Back
2140 June 18th, 2020 CE (10 minutes before missile impact)
San Francisco
Eric sat quietly in the Bradley with apprehension. He didn''t quite know how to feel. He felt very safe now that he was back in friendly territory. However, the threat of the ICBM had him worried.
He could hear the ¡°thump, thump¡± of the Bradley¡¯s 25mm as they performed a fighting retreat. He was hopeful that the NBC system on the Bradley could withstand whatever sort of ICBM that was thrown at them.
The retreat was done in as organized a way as possible. However, since they were in the middle of a massive city, not all vehicles could retreat at the same time. Most of the Humvees left first since the Abrams and Bradleys were slower and better suited to cover the rear. Soon, the Bradleys started retreating too with the Abrams slowly backing whilst still covering their rear.
Most of the vehicles had to navigate the roads of the City College of San Francisco which was narrow. Eric¡¯s Bradley and a few other armored vehicles had resorted to driving over the baseball field and soccer field at Balboa Park, a park directly adjacent to the college. As a few of the tanks moved onto the field, the well kept grass was soon ripped up by the retreating armor.
All this while, the monsters slowly pushed forward despite a wall of lead of all sorts of calibers from Abrams and Bradleys.
2150 June 18th, 2020 CE (Now)
Eric soon heard a shout from presumably the commander of the vehicle. ¡°Cease fire! Cease fire! The monsters have stopped advancing. Continue backing up!¡±
Just a few seconds later, the same voice was shouting again. ¡°I just got informed that one of the missiles got through. Just in case, get ready for impact!¡±
Suburbs of Seattle
Across the United States, those that did not mind staying awake late had their eyes glued onto the television. A family of four were watching their television with anxiety.
<<<¡°We are coming to you with the latest update on the ongoing invasion of San Francisco. We have received confirmation that four out of the five missiles heading for San Francisco have been successfully intercepted. However, one missile is expected to strike the city.
To those who are still in San Francisco, we urge you to prioritize your safety and seek shelter immediately. Take refuge in the basement or the innermost room of the building you are in. It is crucial to distance yourselves from windows and exterior walls. Secure your homes by closing all windows and doors, sealing any gaps, and turning off any ventilation systems to minimize the risk of exposure.
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If you begin noticing any suspicious colors or odors in the air, It is of utmost importance to avoid inhaling it. Protect yourself by covering your nose and mouth with a wet cloth or wear a gas mask if available.¡±>>>
0050 June 18th, 2020 CE
Washington D.C.
The atmosphere in the Situation Room was heavy and thick with concern. Ronell tapped his fingers on the table. ¡°We can only hope to God that that doesn¡¯t have a nuclear warhead or anything else more dangerous.¡±
Cralson nodded. ¡°Nuclear warheads require a lot of scientific knowledge to build. Based on these creatures, it is more likely that whatever they have on that missile is biological or chemical.¡±
¡°If it is chemical or biological, how many civilians will be caught up in it? Are our soldiers protected?¡±
¡°Our soldiers should be protected with their NBC equipment. We have also begun issuing gas masks to civilians that are on evacuation buses. The problem now is the surviving civilians that have been unable to be evacuated. We have already begun broadcasting on emergency frequencies in San Francisco and have already informed news channels of the situation. But there isn¡¯t really much else we can do for them¡±
A couple seconds later
Upper atmosphere above San Francisco
The greenish missile plummeted towards the center of San Francisco at great speeds. It hit then embedded itself into the ground. With the bottom half of the missile jutting out of the ground, a fizz that indicated the release of gas could be heard.
In the middle of San Francisco
Vghg stood next to his second in command, Shgvfdyhc, and told him what was passed down telepathically to all creatures ranked above Regular from the Great Lord. ¡°We are not to advance until the smell killer arrives. Once we smell the smell killer, we can proceed since the humans will be all dying around us.¡±
Shgvfdyhc nodded. ¡°We rest then. Human have terrifying weapons. Me think good idea wait. Me worry we won¡¯t survive.¡±
Vghg tilted his head ¡°Does it matter if we survive or don¡¯t survive? Whatever the Great Lord commands us to do, her will be done. Great Lord Wills It!¡±
¡°That true. Me see a lot death. Cause me lose core values.¡±
2213 June 18th, 2020 CE
Near the Outer Limits of San Francisco
The US military had just undergone a massive retreat and were nearing Daly City, a city basically connected to San Francisco. Once they crossed over the line, there won¡¯t be any US forces in San Francisco and it would have been considered completely conquered by the monsters. Eric shouted towards the front of the Bradley. ¡°Hey, Bradley commander, are you sure the ICBM has hit? It should have struck by now but I didn''t hear any sort of explosion or seen anything happen at all.¡±
¡°The name¡¯s Staff Sergeant Dallas. It is possible that it was non-explosive. Just stay in the vehicle for now. The monsters stopping their advance most definitely has to do something with the missile. We got orders to set up a defensive line at Alemany Boulevard, right outside of Daly City.¡±
The various military vehicles were soon filling up a wide boulevard and most of the vehicles had stopped there.
In Space
The Minuteman III that was currently in space had already gone through most of its booster stages. The cone cover of the reentry vehicle split open to reveal the smaller cone of the single W87 warhead. The last booster separated from the reentry vehicle. Small thrusters oriented the reentry vehicle towards the earth and made minor adjustments. The conical W87 warhead was soon released from its reentry vehicle base. The W87 warhead started its rapid descent towards a small, blackened island in the Pacific.
Chapter 121 - Detonation
2213 June 18th, 2020 CE
Alemany Boulevard, San Francisco
The boulevard was illuminated by the headlights of the numerous armored vehicles. Everybody was a bit confused and waited quietly in their vehicles as the detonation of the missile had yet to go off. Eric rubbed his chin wondering if whatever missile they had feared hit San Francisco was a dud.
Demon FOB in the Pacific
The Great Lord sensed something wrong and stood from her open air throne to look around her area. ¡°Guards! I feel danger but I don¡¯t see anything. Check the surroundings!¡±
¡°Great Lord, nothing is threate¡¡±
The guard was cut off as a massive explosion detonated in the middle of the island. There was a blinding flash of light and a mushroom cloud rose to the sky. The ground trembled violently.
¡°What is¡¡±
The Great Lord was cut off as the shockwave threw her onto the ground. Within seconds, thermal radiation swept over her. The searing heat and flames of the blast quickly engulfed the entire island, turning it into a flaming inferno. The only thing that was left standing on the island was a strange circular swirling purple that sat in the middle of the island.
Ten minutes later
Eric spoke up in the Bradley ¡°Well nothing seems to be happening, Staff Sergeant.¡±
The staff sergeant didn¡¯t reply to Eric but gave an announcement instead. ¡°I just got informed that PLS trucks are arriving with more than enough gas masks for everyone. I want everybody to have one just in case.¡±
The back door of the Bradley was opened and Eric could see the Palletized Load System trucks driving into the boulevard.
A few minutes later
The gas mask was definitely not the most comfortable thing as Eric, now back inside the Bradley, adjusted it in a vain attempt to address the discomfort. Voices came through comms.
<<<¡±Does anybody else in the Humvees notice the green stuff in the air that is moving towards?¡±
¡°Yep I see it too. That''s probably what the missile brought. Some sort of gas attack. Lets hope our gas masks work¡±>>>
The green gas soon started to envelop the vehicles in the boulevard.
The staff sergeant started talking. ¡°All systems are holding up. The Bradley is airtight.¡±
The staff sergeant then talked into comms. <<<¡±Are you guys in the Humvees all right?¡±>>>
A few seconds later, a curt reply came through.
<<<¡°Yeah, we are fine. The gas masks are working.¡±>>>
Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
Washington D.C.
An aide started reporting. ¡°We are getting information from units on the ground that this may be a chemical attack, they are seeing some sort of green gas.¡±
Ronell nodded. ¡°Seems to be as predicted. Are our men all fine?¡±
¡°The gas masks seem to be working and no deaths among our units have been reported.¡±
The tension and apprehension seem to lift a bit at that news. Ronell breathed a sigh of relief ¡°It is not as bad as we feared. What are the chances that those trapped inside San Francisco will survive?¡±
Cralson commented on that. ¡°It will depend on what sort of gas it is. We have given orders for some of the gas to be taken as a sample and sent to a lab in order to see what it is.¡±
¡°Are we able to push them back now? How many more units are arriving, Cralson?
¡°Elements of the 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team from Oregon and elements of the 116th Cavalry Brigade Combat Team from Idaho are all racing to get to San Francisco. Combined, elements from those two BCTs should amount to about 5,000 more men. We also have more Marines from elements of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force from Camp Pendleton flooding in. In addition to the units already present in San Francisco, the 79th Infantry Brigade Combat Team and the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, this is most of our ground combat units that we have at hand in the West Coast. We also have amphibious assault ships with their complement of Marines and aircraft nearly ready to sail towards San Francisco once the ocean is confirmed to be clear. If we add them all up, it should amount to 20,000 to 30,000 men. They have armor support and limited air support due to hostile anti-air. We have been avoiding the usage of artillery and missiles and resorting to precision airstrikes in fear of collateral damage if there are any surviving civilians in the city. We will have to wait and see whether or not that would be sufficient in pushing forward.¡±
2227 June 18th, 2020 CE
Near Alemany Boulevard, San Francisco
Amongst the crowd of demons, Vghg looked to the front of the street. ¡°I¡¯m seeing the human metal boxes in front of us. They have some sort of light. It''s very bright.¡±
Shgvfdyhc responded. ¡°Human alive?¡±
Around them the demon army slowly marched forward.
¡°I¡¯m not sure, their boxes aren¡¯t moving at all though.¡±
¡°Maybe they dead inside?¡±
¡°Most likely. Then let¡¯s march forward with the rest of the army.¡±
Alemany Boulevard, San Francisco
The gunner of the Bradley that Eric was in spoke to the Staff Sergeant. ¡°Staff Sergeant, the monsters are getting close¡¡±
¡°I see the damn things in front of us. Don¡¯t open fire yet. I got orders not to open fire on them until they almost get into the boulevard.¡±
¡°Won¡¯t they attack us, sir?¡±
¡°They aren¡¯t doing so yet so they might think we are dead due to their gas attack. Just keep calm and open fire when I tell you¡±
The gunner nodded in response to that.
The staff sergeant had his hand reached out. His other hand was trying to get the comms as close as he could to his ear. He repeated what he was hearing. ¡°Wait for it¡ wait for it¡ NOW! Fire!¡±
The connection between the street and the boulevard exploded as machine guns, 120mm cannons, and 25mm chain guns opened up on the monsters that were only a few yards in front. The unsuspecting monsters were caught off guard.
Sudden explosions went off at the front of the demon army.
¡°They not dead!¡±
¡°Push forward! For the Great Lord!¡±
The mass of monsters surged forwards into the kill zones set up by the human armor. Soldiers disembarked from their vehicles in order to start laying down small arms fire on the surging mass.
Eric kneeled as he fired off his M27 rifle. Besides him, a soldier wielding an AT-4 stood up.
¡°Backblast clear!¡±
¡°Clear!¡±
¡°Rocket, rocket, rocket!¡±
An AT4 rocket slammed into the mass of monsters.
Chapter 122 - Defang the Demons
0127 June 19th, 2020 CE
0843 Sun 49th, 196 AE
Stelport, Mach Imperium
A soldier raised his M4 at the twitching monster humanoid on the ground. The thing had been hit by so many tungsten fragments from the M30A1 rockets but yet was somehow still alive. He let off two shots to what he thought was the monster¡¯s head. The monster stopped moving. The soldier looked around the street and got onto his comms. <<<¡°Most of the things on this street are dead. Couple monsters still twitching but nothing else.¡±>>>
Corpses of the monsters littered the pockmarked stone ground. The soldier observed his surroundings closer and realized that everything here had been pockmarked by the tungsten fragments.
50 miles from Stelport, Mach Imperium
The driver of the M270 MLRS nodded his head as he listened to the radio. He looked over to his gunner. ¡°Seems like we didn¡¯t have to resort to a nuclear bomb for this.¡±
¡°When the enemy has no means to counter artillery and we don¡¯t have to worry or pay much for the damages, then artillery is truly king. Although this assault felt much much less intense than what I heard was happening in San Francisco.¡±
¡°I hope the guys over there are doing okay. Seems like brass doesn¡¯t want to use artillery on our own city unless necessary. They are allowing precision strikes though via aircraft.¡±
2300 June 18th, 2020 CE
Alemany Boulevard, San Francisco
Humvees poured into the boulevard and soldiers dismounted. Eric momentarily stopped his firing as the new soldiers rushed to their lines in order to help suppress the monsters. ¡°Who you guys with?¡±
¡°41st Brigade Combat Team.¡±
¡°How ¡®bout you¡±
¡°I¡¯m with the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit. Although I think at this point, the unit has been put back into the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force.¡±
0200 June 19th, 2020 CE
Washington D.C.
Ronell nearly had his head slam into his desk but he jerked himself up. He really needed sleep at this point. The coffee just wasn¡¯t doing it for him. He was so weary he couldn¡¯t direct a question to anyone so he decided to ask it out loud at random. ¡°How likely is something major going to happen in the next hours?¡±
Someone responded but Ronell was too tired to care. ¡°Seeing that we have nuked their base of operations, we are hoping that the advance of these beings stops. I have confidence that we are able to hold the line and keep the outer edge of San Francisco.¡±
Ronell rubbed his eyes. ¡°It is extraordinarily late at night now and I need to sleep. Wake me up four hours from now or if any pressing matters occur beforehand.¡±
Ronell would have liked more sleep but that was the downside of being President especially with the amount of strange things that have occurred. Why couldn¡¯t I have had a normal Presidency? Dammit.
He slumped his back into the chair and promptly fell asleep. Well if they need anything, they can just wake me up since I¡¯m still in the Situation Room.
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Four hours later
Ronell yawned and drank his cup of coffee. He barely got enough sleep but it was better than nothing. It was a bit unsightly to fall asleep in front of everyone in the Situation Room but he didn¡¯t have much choice. He was now awake and directing questions at Cralson. ¡°How¡¯s the situation in San Francisco?¡±
¡°The monsters seem to be thinning out and more and more of our men are arriving. The amount of ammunition they are consuming is a minor concern though. We are certain we can keep them supplied but they are burning through it at an amazing rate.¡±
¡°I want San Francisco to be retaken if it is possible. Have we been monitoring that island where the monsters have come from?¡±
¡°We are pretty certain that everything on that island has been wiped out. However, the satellite imagery is seemingly being disrupted by something in the middle of the island.¡±
¡°What is it then?¡±
¡°Whatever that is basically confirms our original theory that the gate is where they came from. The island is not large at all. Unless there were more space underground, there would not have been sufficient room at all for this amount of creatures we are facing. We suspect the gate structure was wiped out but the portal still remains. That static and random coloration in the middle of the island is most likely the portal.¡±
0310 June 19th, 2020 CE
Mission Street, San Francisco
Eric was shaken awake from his brief nap. The sound of gunfire returned to his ears. ¡°Your nap shift is over, soldier. Get to the front.¡±
Eric thanked the random soldier, grabbed his rifle beside him, and stood up. Sleeping in a gas mask was not the most comfortable thing but he had been beyond tired to even care. He got out his water canteen from his pouch and connected the gas mask¡¯s drinking system to it. The drinking system was basically a tube attached to the gas mask that allowed it to be connected with his issued water canteen. He tilted the water canteen upwards and started gulping in water. He looked to the sky. He hadn¡¯t exactly checked the time but the sky was still dark. He was only a block away from the frontline. With low risk of an enemy breakthrough, logistics was moving in and out of the area dropping off all supplies in order to support those at the front. A HEMTT truck sped past him and came to a sudden halt. Soldiers in gas masks jumped out and seemed to start unloading rounds for the Abram¡¯s 120mm cannon.
Other than attacking them from the roads that directly led into Alemany Boulevard, some of the monsters had climbed up onto the freeway which was basically on a hill in front of the boulevard and were spilling downwards towards them.
A few minutes later
Eric rushed to the hastily constructed sandbag positions and joined the massive firefight. At this point, this was like a defense mission from a video game where one battled an endless horde of enemies. However, from what he heard, the enemies were thinning out. There won¡¯t be anymore in the future since the island where these things came from was obliterated by a nuclear missile.
Orders started coming through the comms. <<<¡±We are preparing to push forward in order to retake Sagamore Street. This part of the boulevard is hard to defend due to the Southern Freeway blocking the view. We need to take a better position.¡±
0610 June 19th, 2020 CE
Washington D.C.
Ronell sipped his coffee and tried his best to relax whilst fighting the urge to fall asleep again. It had been confirmed that the retaking of San Francisco was only a matter of hours now. ¡°Since these creatures seemingly all are on land now, I want to test out if the waters are safe. I also want a team to be sent to check out that island. We need to find a way to close that damn portal. I don¡¯t want anymore of those damn things coming from there.¡±
¡°How are we supposed to close a portal that withstood a nuclear detonation right on it?¡±
¡°Well, let''s first check to see if the portal is still functioning and we will go from there.¡±
0605 Sun 49th, 196 AE
Primopolis, Mach Imperium
Underwood looked up at the Queen of the Magus Imperium. ¡°Although I do not like the amount of damage that was caused. I would like to thank you and your country for providing so much assistance to mine.¡±
Underwood internally chuckled. She still maintains her pride. At least it''s not arrogance. She does want to get off the throne as soon as possible but we are definitely not making it easy for her. She is most definitely upset with that. Oh well, not like I can do anything about it. The CIA really loves someone who doesn¡¯t have the will to care that much.
¡°We were just doing what had to be done. These creatures were a threat to all humankind and wiping them out is the top priority of my country.¡±
Chapter 123 - Pushing Through
0403 June 19th, 2020 CE
Alemany Boulevard, San Francisco
A single Abrams flanked by two Bradleys behind it pushed forwards on Sickles Avenue in order to try to get to Sagamore Street from Alemany Boulevard. The Abrams¡¯ main cannon fired into the crowd of monsters in front. All the machine guns on the tank were basically firing as fast as possible while trying not to overheat. The Bradley¡¯s 25mm were also going to town and laying down lead.
Eric had finally been reunited with the remnants of his original unit. The Second Lieutenant was leading the way as they advanced behind their advancing armor. ¡°Although there doesn¡¯t seem to be any monsters small enough to fit, we are still going to have to clear all the buildings to make sure. Keep an eye on your side boys, don¡¯t let them sneak up on you.¡±
The response was a bit muted since everyone was tired but everyone nodded.
¡°Look alive¡ look alive boys. I know we are all tired but we have a city to liberate.¡±
Eric raised his rifle and fired a few shots into the horde of monsters. The armor was doing most of the work but he and the rest of the infantry didn¡¯t want to be left out. Of course it was uncertain if they had much effect since the armor was tearing the monsters apart. During all this time, he had yet to see a monster retreat. They all just seemingly mindlessly advanced with no care of casualties or fear for their lives. Eric got his back to a wall of a house. He was in a line of soldiers ready to breach in to clear the place. The soldier by the door kicked it open and entered
0703 June 19th, 2020 CE
Washington D.C.
The Chief of Naval Operations, Jeffery Mills, was in the Situation Room. ¡°The Navy at Naval Port San Diego and Naval Station Pearl Harbor were able to send ships into the Pacific. We have yet to receive any news of them being attacked.¡±
The President nodded. ¡°Although the enemy invasion is dying down, I want the Navy to form a defensive blockade at Hawaii and the West Coast. Prepare a special forces team with protective gear and get them on that island to check it out. Actually get the Navy to blockade the island too.¡±
¡°On that, sir. We should probably get a scientist to study that portal too¡¡±
This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
Ronell mulled over that. ¡°What kind of scientist?¡±
There was silence at that question. Homeland Security Advisor Taylor Sky responded with a bit of uncertainty. ¡°... maybe one that deals with wormholes?¡±
Cralson looked at him with a bit of confusion. ¡°You think it''s a wormhole?¡±
¡°Then what kind of scientist do we get?¡±
¡°We will look around and see who we can find. Maybe we can find one that actually studies portals?¡±
Ronell shook his head. ¡°Make sure the person you get is an actual scientist and not a nutjob.¡±
¡°Not much of a difference but we will see.¡±
A few minutes later
Ronell leaned back and looked at the screens in the Situation Room. It ranged from news broadcasts to military maps that showed the progress of their push to retake San Francisco. An aide¡¯s voice broke through the quietness. ¡°Mr. President, we have gotten information on the chemical that the monsters used in their chemical attack. The scientist is contacting us via video.¡±
¡°Put him on screen then.¡±
A person appeared on the TV screen in front of the Situation Room. The aide rattled off information. ¡°This is Desmond Shah. A leading expert on chemical weapons and among the team studying the chemical sample we obtained.¡±
¡°Nice to meet you Dr. Shah.¡±
Desmond sat down on the screen. ¡°An honor to meet you Mr. President. My chemists have discovered a few things about the gas that these monsters used in their chemical attack.¡±
¡°Go on.¡±
¡°These chemical compounds don¡¯t exist on Earth so we are unable to link it to any known chemicals. However through testing, we have been able to find that its effects are very similar to phosgene. It has many differences such as being green and a few other peculiarities that we are still testing.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t really know what phosgene is? Care to explain?¡±
¡°Of course. I will just give you a quick description. Phosgene is a chemical compound that was used as a weapon during the First World War. It''s a colorless gas with a suffocating odor. Phosgene targets the respiratory system, causing severe damage to the lungs and leading to a slow and painful death by suffocation.¡±
San Francisco
0615 June 19th, 2020 CE
A soldier to his right fired off an AT4 at the creature a few yards in front of him. It smacked it right in the chest area and punched a hole through it. Eric stopped shooting his rifle and sighed. ¡°Another one down, let''s see if there''s anymore around.¡±
They looked around the street that was littered with the corpses of the monsters. Most of the monster corpses were blasted into pieces. His unit¡¯s Second Lieutenant walked up and shouted at them. ¡°We are clearing the nearby houses. We need you two on one of the breaching teams.¡±
Eric was the first one in. He pointed his M27 rifle with a flashlight attachment into the first room down the hallway. The light shone into the dark room. It was a living room with a TV and couch. A person was slumped over the couch. Eric called out to the person. ¡°You alright?¡±
Eric walked up and shook the person a bit. Foam dripped down his mouth and his eyes were glazed. Eric quickly stepped back in a bit of shock.
His second lieutenant, which Eric hadn¡¯t noticed earlier, shook his head with a grim look on his face. ¡°He¡¯s dead. Most likely from the chemical attack.¡±
Chapter 124 - Reclamation of San Francisco Part 1
0700 June 19th, 2020 CE
2 miles of the shore of San Francisco
The USS Bunker Hill sailed within a couple miles of the beaches of San Francisco. Black smoke was rising into the air from the middle of San Francisco. The captain of the Bunker Hill peered through his binoculars at the city. He started muttering. The Lieutenant Commander, the executive officer of the ship, looked to his commanding officer.
¡°Captain?¡±
¡°Those damn monsters. I wished we could have killed those fucking things.¡±
¡°Me too Cap. We couldn¡¯t do much in this scenario. We just make sure that no more of these monsters get on shore.¡±
The Captain nodded. ¡°Command seems to be considering an amphibious assault to push those things in from the other side. We have a ton of amphibious assault ships at San Diego.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t these monsters have anti-air we need to worry about Cap?¡±
¡°The ships from Hawaii are enroute to take out their giant detection thing in the middle of the ocean. Although it''s moving away from San Francisco, we aren¡¯t sure about its air detection range so we are basically waiting for the pursuing ships to get it. Once that''s clear, I think the Marine Corps will begin an amphibious assault.¡±
1000 June 19th, 2020 CE
Washington D.C.
Cralson nodded and got off the phone. ¡°We are receiving reports of confirmed civilian deaths due to the chemical attack. They were trapped in the city and couldn¡¯t escape in time.¡±
Ronell looked over from the reports he was reading. ¡°What is the death toll predicted to be like?¡±
¡°We are expecting around 10,000 or possibly more civilian deaths. We are also expecting around 500 military deaths.¡±
Ronell shook his head. ¡°This is a national tragedy. That¡¯s two times more deaths than 9/11 and Pearl Harbor combined. It''s been nearly 70 years since an invasion of American soil. What is the cost of the damages?¡±
Cralson shrugged. ¡°Hundreds of millions of dollars, possibly even a billion. Just a guess but the city has taken a lot of damage. We will probably need professionals to calculate it.¡±
Ronell shook his hide in grim resignation and looked to an aide. ¡°Arrange a trip across the refugee camps. I need to speak to them and reassure these people. Also prepare for me a trip to San Francisco once we have defeated the invasion. I want to take a look at myself.¡±
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Around 350 miles north away from Pearl Harbor
The Arleigh Burke-class Destroyers USS Chung-Hoon, USS Halsey, USS Chafee, and USS Micheal Murphy sailed at a brisk pace in the Pacific. The four destroyers were part of Destroyer Squadron 31. The commander of Destroyer Squadron 31 was aboard the USS Halsey and was shouting into the radio with delight. ¡°We finally get to kill one of those fucking things. Blast them!¡±
All four ships launched ten Harpoon missiles one after another.
0820 June 19th, 2020 CE
2 miles of the shore of San Francisco
Two Wasp-class amphibious assault ships, two San Antonio-class amphibious transport docks, and a Harpers Ferry-class landing ship dock sailed closer to the USS Bunker Hill.
From his ship, the Captain of the USS Bunker Hill could see the full aircraft complement on the two Wasp-classes. Each had 6 F-35Bs stealth strike fighters, 4 AH-1Z Vipers attack helicopters, 12 MV-22B Osprey tiltrotors, CH-53E Super Stallion heavy lift helicopters, 3 UH-1Y Venom utility helicopters. The Captain whistled at the sight of it. ¡°Those monsters are in for it now.¡±
100 miles north of Destroyer Squadron 31
Ehruf, a massive rectangular dark red mass similar to the being that the US Air Force took out in order to destroy the monster¡¯s air detection capabilities, floated back towards the island that it came from. It could no longer hear the voices that came from the island so it was going back to figure out what happened. If it couldn¡¯t pass on the communication and orders, it was very useless to the forces on the ground so it was tasked with going back to find out what went wrong.
It felt that something was moving very fast towards it. In fact, it felt like many objects were moving towards it. The frog-like anti-air monsters jumped around on top of Ehruf and positioned themselves towards the incoming objects.
40 Harpoons approached the lumbering sea giant at over 500 miles per hour. The frog-like creatures jumped around aboard Ehruf in a desperate attempt to position themselves to intercept the missiles. However, the Harpoon were skimming the sea and the monsters were sitting on top of the sea giant. They had no way of actually intercepting it. The 40 Harpoons slammed into the side of the monster.
Ehruf tilted to the right as the explosive force of the missiles pushed it. It felt tremendous pain and its purple blood bushed out of its left side. Its consciousness slowly faded.
Around 350 miles north away from Pearl Harbor
The Commander of the USS Halsey received the report on the Harpoon missiles he had fired. ¡°Sir, all missiles have been confirmed to have hit the target. Our radar is still indicating that the enemy vessel is still afloat so we do not know if it was effective.¡±
The Commander nodded. ¡°Then we will have to wait and see. It''s a very massive ship, bigger than one of our aircraft carriers so it will take some time for it to sink.¡±
A few minutes later
¡°The enemy vessel has disappeared from radar, sir. It should have been sunk.¡±
¡°Relay that back to Command. We got the bastards.¡±
0830 June 19th, 2020 CE
2 miles of the shore of San Francisco
F-35Bs vertically took off from the two Wasp-class amphibious assault ships. They hovered into the sky and flew off towards San Francisco. LCACs with M1A1 Abrams and AAVs carrying Marines were launched from the various large ships into the ocean. On the Wasp-class ships, Marines piled into MV-22 Ospreys as the tiltrotors on the Ospreys spun up.
Intersection of Farallones Street and Orizaba Avenue
At the middle of the intersection, Eric looked around him. He had to turn his head around because of the limited view offered by his gas mask. The sun was rising and giving the sky a mix of yellow and light blue. The green gas had been dissipating and was mostly gun. The intersection looked oddly clear. Not a sign of those monsters were around.
Chapter 125 - The Reclamation of San Francisco Part 2
0836 June 19th, 2020 CE
Northern part of Ocean Beach, San Francisco
White smoke spewed out the turrets of the AAVs as they got closer and closer to the shore. LCACs followed right behind as smoke covered their approach. Although there wasn¡¯t anything on the beach, it was a safety precaution in case there were some monsters hiding somewhere.
The AAVs smoothly went from the sea onto the land, their tracks making marks on the sand. The AAVs stopped on the beach and the back door opened. US Marines wearing gas masks piled out of the back and onto the sand. Some kneeled as others took up positions behind their AAVs. A command was shouted. ¡°Beach is clear! There¡¯s no resistance. Move into the city!¡±
Marines rushed forward on the beach and lined up against the sandy hills that separated the beach from the road. Behind them, M1A1 Abrams rolled onto the beach from the deflated LCACs that had let down their gates. Osprey tiltrotors touched down on the open areas of the beach and more Marines with gas masks came running out the back of them.
Intersection between Upper Great Highway and Lincoln Way
The first Abrams cleared the sandy hills and was able to get onto the road. The turret turned towards a lone humanoid monster when the commander of the tank noticed it. ¡°Gunner! Target in front! HEAT!¡±
¡°Up!¡¯
¡°Fire!¡±
¡°On the way!¡±
The M830A1 HEAT round smashed into the monster and decimated it. Marines rushed onto the road followed by the AAVs and more Abrams.
Minerva Street, San Francisco
Eric looked up to the sky as a pair of jets roared through the sky. His second lieutenant¡¯s eyes followed the aircraft as they zipped through the sky in a low pass. ¡°Seems like we finally have air support again.¡±
Eric nodded. ¡°This should make this job so much easier.¡±
¡°We still have to clear everything house by house though.¡±
Eric sighed. ¡°There¡¯s literally nothing in the houses. The monsters don¡¯t go in them at all.¡±
¡°Seems like Command is not taking any risks. We still need to clear them just in case. Don¡¯t want our logistics to be randomly attacked in the back. Besides, more marines are landing in order to clear San Francisco from the other side. Should make the job faster. Also why are you still wearing your gas masks.¡±
Stolen story; please report.
Eric perked up a bit. ¡°Huh?¡±
¡°Don¡¯t you see that none of the green stuff is in the air anymore? It dissipated an hour or so ago.¡±
Eric looked around and what he had been told was completely true. The air that once had a green tint to it had become completely clear. Eric took off his gas mask before he spoke. ¡°I guess we were so focused on liberating the city that we didn¡¯t notice it clearing up.¡±
1150 June 19th, 2020 CE
Washington D.C.
¡°The situation in San Francisco is all but clearing up. It is turning into a clean up and mop up operation of the monsters left there.¡±
¡°That means we can turn our attention to that island if I¡¯m correct.¡±
¡°Yes Mr. President. The Navy already has ships heading there in order to blockade it. On board them are a team of Navy SEALs as you requested and are outfitted with CBRN protection. They will be inserted onto the island to clear it and check the portal.¡±
¡°What about the scientists?¡±
¡°We have contacted scientists who study wormholes, other dimensions, and portals. We aren¡¯t certain about what insights they could give us if any but we are hopeful for anything.¡±
A few hours later
Somewhere in the Pacific
On board the USS Hopper, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, 16 men of a Navy Seals team prepared their gear for the duty. ¡°Listen up, at exactly 0900 Hawaii Time, we will board the RHIBs and make our way onto the island. Make sure your CBRN gear is fit on tight. The island got nuked so it''s irradiated. Don¡¯t let your guard down, we have been given information that the portal, which the higher ups expect was what brought these monsters, is still active. Be cautious and expect possible hostiles.¡±
¡°Sir, yes sir!¡±
1155 June 19th, 2020 CE
San Francisco
Hidden behind a building, Eric looked out into the street. He swished his head from the right to the left and stopped. They were becoming fewer and fewer in number but he was staring at one of the humanoid-type monsters that was directly to the left. The others in his platoon also noticed what he was staring at. He started quietly backing away until a deafening boom
He heard the mechanical whirr and tracks of the thing before he saw it. An Abrams rolled down onto the street followed by a platoon of soldiers. Eric waved out at them and they waved back. Eric turned to his second lieutenant.¡°Seems like we met up with the marines that did the amphibious landing. San Francisco will soon be fully retaken.¡±
Eric shook hands with what he supposed was the commanding officer of the platoon. The woman in question answered what he was speculating. ¡°Second Lieutenant Wendy Frisk with the 5th Marine Regiment. We are part of the amphibious assault.¡±
¡°Corporal Eric Lu with the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit. We were the initial response force. My second lieutenant is busy with getting clarification from our captain right now. Didn¡¯t really expect to meet you guys here.¡±
¡°Resistance on this side has been light so we have been advancing extremely fast.¡±
Island in the Pacific
The SEAL team squad of 8 men quickly slid out of their RHIBs and kneeled on what had been once a sandy beach. Black gas masks obscured their faces and they were all wearing heavy CBRN gear. Trinitite, sand that had been fused into a glassy residue, covered the beach. ¡°I¡¯m not seeing any form of life on the shores. The nuclear missile has done a number on the environment of the island. Cautiously move up. Bring the TALONs with us just in case we find the portal.¡±
Three of the SEALs each carried out a heavy rectangular object from one of the RHIBs.
Chapter 126 - Through the Gates of Hell
1205 June 19th, 2020 CE
Modesto Junior College West Campus (currently a refugee camp), Modesto, California
It took a bit of time but Andrew finally found them. ¡°Come here you two.¡±
Both of them shouted in happiness when they noticed his voice. ¡°Dad!¡±
They ran up to him and embraced him in a deep hug. Andrew smiled as they hugged him. His son was the first to speak up.¡°Dad, you smell awful.¡±
Andrew chuckled. ¡°Yeah, my clothing has seen better days.¡±
A woman approached him. ¡°Sir, these are your children?¡±
¡°Yeah. I¡¯m Andrew Molanos, part of the SFPD. I was helping with the evacuations and I was separated from them¡±
The woman nodded. ¡°Thank you for your service, sir.¡±
¡°I was just doing my job. The entire police force was there alongside me.¡±
The woman who was probably part of the team helping at the refugee camp nodded again. ¡°I¡¯m Sarah, a volunteer helping parents find missing children and also taking care of the children that were evacuated without their parents. We just need you to fill out a form to confirm that these children have found their guardian. Follow me, sir.¡±
¡°Sure. Do we have any news on the situation?¡±
¡°I think I heard that the military is taking back the city.¡±
Andrew gave a sigh of relief. ¡°That¡¯s great news.¡±
Island in the Pacific
The sixteen men of the SEAL team platoon slowly inched towards the center of the island. Black gas masks obscured their faces and they were all wearing heavy CBRN gear. The entire island had been flattened and only a couple pieces of rubble was present here and there. In front of the sixteen men was a mass of swirling green air. It was extraordinarily tall and wide. To the sides of the portal were pieces of what looked to have been a frame. One of the soldiers spoke. ¡°I think that¡¯s the portal.¡±
Another soldier nodded. ¡°Move up slowly. We are dealing with the unknown here. I¡¯m gonna contact Command.¡±
<<< ¡°We have confirmed visual of the portal. A small part of what we believe was the frame of the gate is still there. The portal looks like some sort of swirling green mass¡±
¡°Can you confirm that the island is clear?¡±
¡°As far as we can see, the island is empty other than the portal. It has been basically flattened by the nuclear blast.¡±
¡°Copy that. Set up positions around the portal. Go ahead with what was planned. Stay cautious.¡±
¡°Understood.¡±>>>
The three men set down each of their heavy rectangular objects on the ground and started setting them up. They ensured that the electronics on each were still working. ¡°All ready to go.¡±
Stolen story; please report.
The squad leader, a Chief Petty Officer, nodded. ¡°Send the first one in.¡±
The heavy rectangular objects were TALONs, a small unmanned ground vehicle capable of multiple missions. These specific TALONs were special operations types which meant they were outfitted with cameras and listening devices.
The first TALON¡¯s caterpillar tracks spun the vehicle forward and into the portal. As they were situated on the edge of the portal, It was a strange sight for the SEAL team. One half of the unmanned ground vehicle was into the portal so if you looked on the other side of the portal, it wasn¡¯t there.
1510 June 19th, 2020 CE
Washington D.C.
Three screens around the Situation Room came to life as a videofeed was broadcasted from each of the TALON¡¯s cameras directly to the White House. Ronell commented whilst staring at the screens. ¡°It definitely looks like a portal.¡±
On another screen, Commander Orville, the liaison officer for this mission and the commanding officer of the SEAL Team that the platoon conducting the mission was part of, spoke up. ¡°They are sending it in now, Mr. President.¡±
Island in the Pacific
One of the SEALs was flipping switches on what seemed to be a computer in a metal storage box which was the Operator Control Unit for the TALON. The operator of the first TALON spoke. ¡°First one is in. Visuals are working. The connection and controls are fine. Mobility is good.¡±
The lieutenant gave further commands. ¡°Everything seems to work. Send the rest in.¡±
???
The TALON¡¯s tracks spurred up dust behind it as it moved on the dusty ground. A mechanical zooming noise could be heard as its camera adjusted by moving up and down. Two of the other TALONs entered from the portal and split off in other directions to the left and right.
Washington D.C.
Cralson spoke out loud to himself. ¡°This is definitely another world.¡±
Each video showed a red sky devoid of any celestial elements. Not a single vegetation could be seen. It seemed like a desert if not for the fact that it was clearly red dust.
Ronell nodded. ¡°It looks just like Mars. Now where did these monsters come from? It seems completely empty.¡±
Commander Orville replied. ¡°We will have the operators start moving them further and seeing what they can find.¡±
10 minutes later
¡°That¡¯s a city¡ isn¡¯t it¡¡±
There was a bit of doubt in Ronell¡¯s voice as he viewed the video feed.
Cralson nodded. ¡°I suppose so¡¡±
One of the TALONs was perched on what seemed to be the edge of a cliff. It was the only one with something other than a dusty red desert in front it. The video from this specific unmanned ground vehicle showed what seemed to be a black mass of objects. Some of the objects seemed to have the appearance of skyscrapers whilst most looked like spires. It was hard to distinguish the exact features. It looked like a city but it felt off to everyone in the room.
¡°How close do you think we can get?¡±
Commander Orville replied. ¡°Mr. President, none of the TALONs have run into any of the creatures yet so I think we can get quite close.¡±
¡°Then get it as close as possible without it being seen.¡±
To the people sitting in the Situation Room, it was surprising that these monsters even had a city seeing how mindless the invading horde was. On screen, as the camera from the ground drone zoomed in, they could make out some of the beings that were outside of the city. It all but confirmed that the city was occupied by the same creatures that had landed in San Francisco.
The camera zoomed back out as they took in the view of the city. Spirals made out of some dark material could be seen reaching the skies. The entire city was made of some sort of dark material. The connection to the video feed suddenly ceased. Ronell looked concerned. ¡°Huh, what happened?¡±
The video then came on again. Cralson responded. ¡°Probably a connection issue. It is being broadcasted back from a portal.¡±
Commander Orville¡¯s words interrupted Cralson. ¡°Mr. President, the SEAL team is reporting that the portal is flickering.¡±
¡°Flickering? Is it about to close?¡±
¡°We are uncertain¡ it seemed to have stopped flickering now.¡±
¡°Does this mean it could close at any second? We have no idea how to maintain the portal do we?¡±
The Commander shook his head. ¡°As we don¡¯t have much information on portals and how they exactly work, we can¡¯t really assume anything.¡±
Ronell nodded. ¡°Well¡ we found something. What do we do now?¡±
Chapter 127 - Modern Problems Require Modern Solutions
1525 June 19th, 2020 CE
Washington D.C.
Cralson brought the room to attention. ¡°Mr. President, I think we need to retaliate. We did destroy their invasion force but we should send them a message to never come back.¡±
Ronell looked at Carlson. ¡°And how do you suggest we do that?¡±
¡°Seeing that the UGVs haven¡¯t found any other cities and this one is clearly populated by these monsters, I think we should nuke it.¡±
¡°Are we able to get a nuke there? I¡¯m not sending anyone into that world unless we know they can come back.¡±
Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff, Stephen, nodded. ¡°Here¡¯s the idea Mr. President. It¡¯s quite simple. We put a nuke onto a drone and drop it over that city.¡±
Ronell frowned. ¡°Are we certain we are able to operate an aerial drone through the portal? I know we weren¡¯t certain if ground drones could operate there until we tried.¡±
Stephen contemplated it for a second. ¡°Well, it seems that radio signals are capable of passing through the portal. This is why we are still able to control the three UGVs we sent in. In addition, according to how far the UGVs traveled, the monster¡¯s city can be seen from a cliff only about a bit over 0.5 miles from the portal. It¡¯s not a long distance.¡±
¡°How does this translate to aerial drones?¡±
¡°Usually our aerial drones use satellite communications to be controlled but they are capable of being controlled by a ground control station if within short range. With the city being only about 1 mile from the portal, it should work if we place a ground control station outside of the portal.¡±
¡°Okay¡ do we have a drone that is big enough to carry a nuke?¡±
Stephen nodded. ¡°We do, Mr. President. The QF-16.¡±
¡°QF-16?¡±
¡°An unmanned old F-16. We have been using those as practice targets since 2013. We can put two B-61 nuclear bombs each with a 340 kiloton yield on it and drop them over that city. Although I think one would be more than enough.¡±
Ronell crossed his arms and leaned back on his chair. ¡°Hm. What does everybody in this room think about this idea?¡±
Murmurs of agreement arose from the rest of the members of the National Security Council. ¡°We need to pay them back for what they did to San Francisco.¡±
¡°Let the door hit them in their ass on their way out.¡±
¡°They are human eating monsters and they launched chemical missiles at one of our major cities, a nuclear strike is completely justified.¡±
The President considered the idea from those murmurs of agreements. ¡°Are there any possibilities of civilized non-monster beings there?¡±
Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.¡°Mr. President, based on the environment of this world, I don¡¯t believe it is suited for long term survival of anything else other than these monsters. Especially considering the fact that these monsters just seem to eat other living beings without regard. This world has been barren other than that city.¡±
Ronell pondered for a few seconds before responding. ¡°Commander Orville, can we get confirmation that the portal is big enough for an F-16 to fit through?¡±
The Commander on screen nodded. A few seconds later, the answer came. ¡°The portal seems big enough to fit an aircraft carrier. We shouldn¡¯t have any trouble getting a F-16 in there.¡±
Ronell nodded. ¡°Then get the F-16 there as fast as possible. We don¡¯t want this portal closing before we drop it.¡±
Stephen responded. ¡°Please get the Chief of Naval Operations and the Chief of Staff of the Air Force. They should be at the Pentagon.¡±
A few minutes later
On another screen in the Situation Room, the Chief of Naval Operations, Darren Mitchell, and the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, Sam Brown, were talking to the President.
Sam was responding. ¡°Mr. President, an QF-16 with both drop tanks can get to the island from Hawaii.¡±
¡°That¡¯s good then.¡±
¡°There are two issues with this Mr. President. First of all, it''s going to have to land on that island but there¡¯s no airfield there. Second, if the QF-16 is carrying both drop tanks, it can¡¯t carry a B-61 nuclear gravity bomb.¡±
Ronell frowned. ¡°How about aerial refueling? Don¡¯t we have aircraft specifically for this?¡±
¡°We have only ever done a couple tests of aerial refueling of a drone. Never with a QF-16. In this situation, a QF-16 carrying a nuclear bomb.¡±
Ronell sighed. ¡°Can¡¯t we have it take off from an aircraft carrier then?¡±
Darren shook his head. ¡°Mr. President, an F-16 is not meant to take off from an aircraft carrier.¡±
¡°Then does the Navy operate any drones capable of carrying nuclear bombs?¡±
¡°We don¡¯t have that capability, Mr. President.¡±
¡°Then are you able to find a way to get an F-16 drone in the air through that portal and have it drop a nuclear bomb or two on that city?¡±
Sam was the one who responded. ¡°It will be an undertaking but we believe we can do it. The Pentagon is formulating a plan right now. Give us a couple hours and I think we can have an operation underway. The SEAL team currently on that island will have to stay there.¡±
Two hours later
On screen, Commander Orville spoke. ¡°Mr. President, the portal had flickered again a few minutes earlier.¡±
Ronell had just come back from a break. ¡°How long was it since the previous flicker?¡±
¡°Two hours and five minutes sir.¡±
¡°Okay, keep track of the timing of the next flicker. Let¡¯s see if there¡¯s a pattern.¡±
¡°Stephen, any word from the Pentagon?¡±
¡°They have a plan and will be sending it to you once they finalize a few things. It requires your approval due to its involvement in the usage of nuclear weapons.¡±
Ten minutes later
The National Security Council were all flipping through documents that detailed the operation.
Stephen put his document down. ¡°What do you think Mr. President?¡±
¡°This plan seems quite good but there is a concerning part about the transportation of the nuclear bomb on page five.¡±
¡°The delivery to the island part?¡±
Ronell chuckled. ¡°Are we certain this is safe?¡±
¡°The two nuclear bombs won¡¯t be armed during transport and delivery so there is no risk of it going off.¡±
Less than an hour later
Travis Air Force Base, California
A C-17 Globemaster III taxied onto the runway. Its cargo compartment was filled with pallets and a humvee.
Chapter 128 - Nuclear Logistics
1830 June 19th, 2020 CE
Washington D.C.
Commander Orville appeared on screen in the Situation Room. ¡°Mr. President, the SEAL team has informed me that the portal has flickered again. It¡¯s been exactly two hours since the last flicker.¡±
Ronell nodded. ¡°It seems to be decreasing by 5 minutes every time it flickers.¡±
¡°Let¡¯s wait for the next flicker before confirmation.¡±
1 hour and 55 minutes later
Commander Orville¡¯s appearance on screen again confirmed what they had earlier predicted. ¡°We are now certain it''s decreasing by 5 minutes every flicker. Based on this pattern, we are predicting that the portal will close in exactly 23 hours from now.¡±
Ronell looked to Stephen. ¡°Is that enough time?¡±
Stephen nodded. ¡°If everything goes smoothly, that''s more than enough time for us to complete the operation.¡±
Sky over the Pacific
As two KC-135 Stratotankers flew close in front of two C-17s, each of their flying booms connected to the top of each of the C-17¡¯s cockpit. The four aircraft steadily flew in a formation as the KC-135s refueled the C-17s. Fuel was being disgorged at around a thousand liters per minute.
30 minutes later
Each of the two massive aircrafts carefully disconnected from each other. The two KC-135s banked right as it turned back towards the Hickam Air Base in Hawaii and the two C-17s continued forward.
1505 June 19th, 2020 CE
Hickam Air Base, Hawaii
The QF-16, which looked no different from a regular F-16 other than the orange paint on its stabilizers and wingtips, began a careful descent onto the runway of the airbase.
A few hours later
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Island in the Pacific
After resting on the destroyers stationed off shore of the island, the SEAL team had brought more supplies on their return to the island from the ships. They were still wearing their CBRN suits as the island was most likely highly radioactive from the nuclear missile. The setting sun illuminated the ocean in front of them.
¡°The package should be arriving soon.¡±
¡°Sir, I see the two C-17s¡±
The massive gray military cargo jets appeared in the darkening sky. The last of the sun¡¯s rays were shining on them from the west which made them seemingly glitter.
The first C-17 flew closer to the ground and its speed seemed to have slowed. The back ramp of the C-17 opened and pallets slid out. One by one, pallets flew out of the back of the C-17 and their parachutes opened up. The sky was soon filled with a line of pallets and parachutes. As the C-17 flew closer to the end of the island, the final object was a Humvee that also flew out with its parachute opening up. The C-17¡¯s ramp started closing and the aircraft began to pull up.
After the first finished, the second C-17 started its airdrop a few yards to the left of the first C-17. Multiple pallets with parachutes dropped out which formed another line of pallets in the sky as the ones from the first C-17 started hitting the ground.
The SEAL team moved into action as the second C-17 made its pass.
¡°Find the pallet with the nuclear bombs and keep it secure. There should be two pallets, each with one B-61 nuclear gravity bomb. It should be from the first C-17.¡±
The men fanned out. ¡°I have the first pallet.¡±
¡°Can you confirm?¡±
"It''s labeled ¡®B-61 Nuclear Bomb¡¯.¡±
They soon found the second one. ¡°Secure them. Ramirez! Keep an eye on the nuclear bombs. Rest of you guys start getting the AM-2 matting out and start setting up the airfield.¡±
Other than Rameriz, the rest of the SEALs started unpacking the pallets from the first C-17 and taking out the steel rectangles that were coated in epoxy non-skid material. The AM-2 matting was a special matting capable of withstanding a jet landing on it. The SEAL team platoon started laying down the matting onto the ground and connecting them together in order to form a runway.
An hour later
The men¡¯s night vision goggles emitted a faint glow into the night. Although dark, the AM-2 matting formed a long rectangular runway on the right side of the island. They had stationed the Humvee less than a thousand feet away from the runway. The back half of this Humvee had been replaced by a large rectangular metal box. The lieutenant started to explain to the men. ¡°We have the Universal Ground Control Station on this Humvee. This will be what we use to control that QF-16. Rameriz! Since you are trained for UAV operations, you will be the one flying the QF-16 once we take possession of it. The last thing we have to do now is to get the drums of JP-8 kerosene fuel and the jet fuel transfer pump out of the pallets. They are in the rest of the pallets. Remember, keep them away from the runway. We don¡¯t want an explosion happening due to a misplaced barrel of fuel.¡±
30 minutes later
Almost completely dark, the only lights came from the destroyers out at sea. The lieutenant barked out orders. ¡°The QF-16 is in Hawaii now. Since the drone will be attempting to land on what can barely be called a makeshift runway, it¡¯s been decided to attempt the landing during daylight since we should have enough time before the portal closes. Take shifts and get some rest. Keep an eye on the portal and make sure nothing comes out of it.
Chapter 129 - The Final Retaliation
Island in the Pacific
With the sun peaking out from behind it, the QF-16 started its descent onto the island. The sunlight glittered off of the ocean onto the drone. The operator currently controlling it from Hawaii carefully moved the yoke to steady the plane onto the path of the runway. The QF-16 bumped a bit on the runway before coming to a halt.
The lieutenant started barking out orders once the QF-16 settled on the runway. ¡°Get the two nuclear bombs loaded onto both wings and start refueling it.¡±
A couple of SEALs pushed the B-61s that had been placed on bomb trailers earlier onto the runway. They positioned each under each wing of the QF-16 and carefully attached them.
Another couple of SEALs rolled up multiple drums next to the drone. They connected the jet fuel transfer pump with the drone and the jet fuel drums. The transfer pump started doing its jobs transferring the fuel into the drone.
30 minutes later
A SEAL that had been watching the portal shouted in alarm. ¡°Lieutenant, something is coming out of the portal.¡±
An arm and leg from a towering, jet black being was emerging out of the swirling portal. In a few seconds, more and more of the being came out of the portal. The SEALs soon identified that it was the same creature as the humanoid monsters that had invaded San Francisco. The lieutenant started cursing as he saw the situation ¡°Shit. Don¡¯t let it near the runway! Fire! Fire! Fire! Rameriz! Get the AT-4 on it.¡±
Small arms fire opened up from the SEALs and the bullets plinked off of the humanoid monster. The monster seemed to not notice the bullets as it moved out of the portal unfazed. It only stopped when it saw the much smaller humans in front of it.
The lieutenant shouted into his comms. <<<¡±We have a demon coming out of the portal!¡±>>>
An HEAT shell from an AT-4 slammed into the demon. The demon staggered back from the blow and seemingly fell back into the portal.
¡°Good job, Rameriz!¡± As soon as the lieutenant said that, more of the demons started emerging from the portal. ¡°Shit, we have more coming! Keep up the fire boys!¡±
More and more of the humanoid monsters lumbered out of the portal, seemingly without realizing there were humans on the other side. A hail of bullets from the SEALs poured onto the monsters exiting the portal with little effect. Suddenly, a deafening boom reverberated through the air that drowned out the sound of the hail of small arms fire. Multiple booms occurred one after another. The ground beneath the portal shook violently with explosion after explosion. The 5-inch guns from the destroyers offshore were firing in rapid succession, their shells creating craters around the portal. The explosions from the 5-inch shells tore through the demons with ease.
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With this respite, the lieutenant shouted at the ones refueling the QF-16. ¡°How much longer on the fuel?¡±
They shouted back in response. ¡°Nearly done sir.¡±
The lieutenant slapped Rameriz on the back
¡°Rameriz! Get on the controls. Get that drone up in the air once it''s fully fueled. You will have the honors of dropping the bomb on their city.¡±
The lieutenant then spoke into his comms. <<<¡±Thanks for the fire support, keep that up.¡±>>>
10 minutes later
<<<¡±Ceasefire! Ceasefire. No more are seemingly coming out.¡±>>>
Gaping holes dotted the ground around the portal. The blood and body parts of the demons were splattered across the holes in a gory mess. The lieutenant once again shouted towards the ones refueling the QF-16 ¡°Are you finished with the fucking fueling?¡±
¡°Just a bit more¡ done.¡±
The lieutenant barked out questions. ¡°All fuel good? Bombs are secure on it?¡±
The SEALs did a final check before responding. ¡°Affirmative, sir!¡±
¡°Yes, sir!¡±
¡°Rameriz, get that thing in the air! Pronto!¡±
The QF-16 turned around on the runway. It picked up speed as it went down the runway with a nuclear bomb under each of its wings. The AM-2 matting of the runway seemingly shook under the drone. A blaze of orange came out of its jet engine as the tip of the drone tilted upwards. In the air after traveling a distance, the drone banked and circled back towards the island. It lined up with the massive portal in the middle.
The drone entered and disappeared from this world.
0635 June 20th, 2020 CE
Washington D.C.
On Rameriz¡¯s screen, he could see the red sky of the world on the other side of the portal. The Situation Room also had a direct video feed of Rameriz¡¯s screen. Everyone in the room kept an eye on the screen. Cralson muttered. ¡°The jet is on the other side and still functioning.¡±
Stephen nodded. ¡°They will be dropping the two nuclear bombs on the city in less than five minutes.¡±
It was a relief to know that a flying drone still functioned on the other side of the portal. Even if the portal was severed or the drone shot down, no human lives would be lost. It was also quite unknown what effect the otherworldly environment would have had on a human pilot.
Minutes Earlier
Island in the Pacific
As the QF-16 ascended, the SEALs on the ground quickly regrouped, their eyes following the drone as it entered the portal. The lieutenant turned to the platoon and started barking orders yet again. "Secure the perimeter! We can''t let our guard down yet!"
The platoon, moving with practiced efficiency, spread out to keep an eye on the portal in case more of the demons came out.
Now
Skies on the other side of the portal
With the swirling green portal behind it, the QF-16 sped through the red skies towards the black spires of the monster¡¯s city.
Chapter 130 - Rain of Ruin
Other side of the portal
A lone gray fighter pierced through the red sky with a bulbous bomb under each of its wings . Soon, the QF-16 was right on top of the monster¡¯s city.
Island in the Pacific
With his hands on the controller, Rameriz kept the drone steady as he kept his eye on the video footage. He could see the city appearing underneath the drone. The black structures dotting the city below looked very inhuman. Narrowing his eyes, he pressed a button on the controller.
Other side of the portal
The first nuclear bomb was released from its left wing. The large bomb dropped and quickly fell behind the QF-16 that was traveling at near 600 mph. The drone tilted to the right as it suddenly lost 700 pounds of weight on its left wing. As the drone kept a straight path over the city, the second nuclear bomb was released just mere seconds later.
The QF-16¡¯s jet engine blazed again as Rameriz threw it into full afterburner and banked the aircraft hard to the right in order to avoid the expected nuclear blasts. Minutes later, the QF-16 jostled as a blast wave hit the aircraft. Although Rameriz could not see it yet, behind the drone, a mushroom cloud was beginning to rise into the sky.
10 minutes earlier
Sbhuazpl, Aptosadjgx
The various monsters of the city milled about. Some of the humanoids were in their dens and were chipping away at black stones to form javelin-like weapons whilst others conversed amongst themselves. Black spires rose into the sky from the ground. The city still had some of what had been a human city of this world underneath the dens that the creatures had created. Rubbles of wood and brick of what were human houses lay on the ground everywhere. A few Lancefishes in packs wandered the streets aimlessly.
Then a sudden explosion occurred. Monsters around the city turned to look at the bright flash of light in confusion. It was almost as if a sun appeared in the middle of the city. The monsters at the center of the detonation didn¡¯t even realize what had happened when they were instantly vaporized. Within seconds, a searing wave of heat radiated out and a blast quickly followed, knocking down the surrounding structures. The dens, a combination of monster additions and human remnants, were reduced to debris and dust. The ground quivered under the colossal force of the explosion, and the very earth itself seemed to tremble in response. The blast wave begins spreading out just as a second violent explosion goes off a few miles north of the same city. The black spires that rose to the skies started collapsing as they were hit by the double blast waves. The spurs crumbled and shattered into a chaotic mess of stone and scorched rubble.
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0655 June 20th, 2020 CE
Washington D.C.
Rameriz¡¯a voice transmitted through the videofeed that was being shown in the Situation Room. <<<¡°Turning around for confirmation.¡±>>>
The camera on the QF-16 showed the two mushroom clouds that were rising over the city. <<<¡°The enemy city has been confirmed destroyed. I am flying the QF-16 back.¡±>>>
Ramerz banked the aircraft left towards the swirling green portal.
Island in the Pacific
Orders came through on comms to the SEAL platoon commander from Commander Orville. <<<¡°Retreat from the island and begin pulling out.¡±
¡°What about the heavier equipment, sir?¡±
¡°Take what you can. The rest will be retrieved later. We don¡¯t know if the portal closing will take the entire island with it since the island wasn¡¯t here before the portal opened.¡±>>>
The lieutenant closed his comms and started shouting to his SEAL platoon. ¡°Once the drone lands, get ready to get back to the boats. We are returning to the destroyers. Take what you can with you.¡±
The roar of the QF-16¡¯s engine could be heard as it zoomed out from the portal and back into this world.
Offshore of the island
The captain of the USS Hopper listened to his orders. <<<¡±Keep an eye on the island and make sure to identify anything that comes out of it. Once you retrieve the SEALs, make distance but keep the island in visible range. We are uncertain what exactly will happen when the portal goes out but the brass is taking precautions¡±
¡°Understood, Admiral.¡±>>>
0425 June 20th, 2020 CE
Presidio of San Francisco, San Francisco
Eric flopped down onto the grass of the golf course and let out a sigh. His gun laid on the grass beside him. Every bone and fiber in his being was tired. The others in the platoon also started sitting or lying down on the grass. They had advanced to the northern tip of San Francisco. With armor and air support, they were able to kill the remaining singular or groups of monsters they had encountered. The rest of the Army and Marines were clearing out the city and checking for monster stragglers that got through in the first sweep. An AH-1Z buzzed overhead as it headed towards the center of San Francisco. Eric¡¯s second lieutenant came into view. ¡°Good job men. I know that we are all tired. We fought for more than 24 hours with minimal breaks. I¡¯m proud of y¡¯all. We are some of the military units that have been here the longest. We have retaken San Francisco against a seemingly endless wave of monstrous hordes. Take a break, eat your MREs.¡±
Eric¡¯s stomach grumbled as he remembered he hadn¡¯t eaten in a while.
0725 June 20th, 2020 CE
Washington D.C.
The worry and tension in the room seem to have evaporated. A person started clapping. The rest of the room started clapping. Ronell sighed. ¡°I would like to declare that the crisis is over.¡±
Chief of Staff John Wills nodded. ¡°Mr. President, you will need to address the people again.¡±
Ronell sighed and rubbed his eyes in frustration. ¡°Ugh. I want to go to sleep¡ I feel like I look terrible¡ someone get me some makeup and a new suit. Can¡¯t look like this when I¡¯m giving a speech.¡±
¡°Understood, sir.¡±
¡°Also, get Air Force One ready for me. I need to visit San Francisco and the refugee camps as soon as possible, preferably tomorrow.¡±
20 minutes later
Ronell stepped behind the podium. He took in a deep sigh as he stared at the cameras in front of him.
Chapter 131 - Victorious Aftermath
0445 June 20th, 2020 CE
Cal Expo (Refugee Camp), Sacramento, California
Tents were spread around the open spaces of the Cal Expo. Refugees from San Francisco had been pouring in mostly via an assortment of helicopters landing on the open grass besides the Expo. Medical tents, a food distribution center, portable toilets, tents for housing, and much more facilities had been quickly set up by volunteers and local emergency services. As the sun started peaking over the horizon, people huddled together in front of a large TV that someone found and placed at the information center. Some people who had been looking through the missing persons wall at the information center also turned their attention to the television.
>>>¡±My fellow Americans, today, I stand before you¡¡±<<<
More and more people started surrounding the television.
>>>¡±In the past two days, our beloved city of San Francisco faced a terror beyond our wildest imaginations.¡±<<<
Everyone listened intently as the President extolled the work of the military and the government.
>>>¡±Now, I am here to announce that, due to the extraordinary efforts of our military and the unbreakable spirit of our citizens, we have successfully repelled these monsters from our shores. Our forces have not only retaken San Francisco but have taken decisive action to ensure that this threat will not rise again. We have found that these monsters came here from a portal in the middle of the Pacific. In a carefully planned operation, we have deployed two nuclear bombs on the city across the portal in which these monsters came from. That city has now been completely destroyed. I have also been informed that the portal where they came from will close in the coming days. We believe that the threat is now over!¡±<<<
There were some cheers and claps as the news was announced. It soon quieted down as the President kept on speaking.
>>>¡±¡we will repair the damage, support the displaced, and restore the vibrancy and spirit of San Francisco. This effort will require the unity and determination of all Americans, as we come together to lift up our fellow citizens and fortify our nation against future challenges.
Let this moment be a testament to the power of American ingenuity, bravery, and compassion. Together, we faced the unknown, and together, we prevailed. Our resolve unbroken, our spirit undiminished, we move forward as one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
Thank you, God bless you, and God bless the United States of America.¡±<<<
The cheer and clapping in the camp started up again. Some people were crying and others were hugging.
0850 June 20th, 2020 CE
This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.
0725 Sun 50th, 196 AE
Primopolis, Mach Imperium
Underwood stepped into the throne room. It was empty other than him and the Queen. Usually there would be guards but he could see none. It was obvious why. The Queen was lying on her throne with her legs on one armrest and her head on the other. Underwood coughed. The Queen turned to look at him. ¡°Oh, hello there Ambassador Underwood.¡±
¡°I would like to inform you that we have destroyed the threat in its entirety and we believe that we will no longer be under any threat of an invasion.¡±
The Queen sighed and uprighted herself on her throne. ¡°And how did your country do that?¡±
¡°Sorry, I am not at liberty to tell you.¡±
¡°Hm. Alright.¡±
Underwood chuckled. ¡°You backed off quite quickly.¡±
¡°Well, I¡¯m not my father. I¡¯m not suffering from a brain injury like he was when he decided to go through with this whole fiasco. When you say you can¡¯t tell me something, then I will shut up. I¡¯m surprised your country haven¡¯t even basically taken over us yet.¡±
¡°Quite blunt I see.¡±
¡°You promised me I only had to stay on the throne for a while. I want to go back to drinking tea and enjoying my books. Not here running this mess of a country. Give me back my freedom.¡±
Underwood nodded still with a grin on his face. ¡°I do apologize about that. We were derailed multiple times. With the elves and then these monsters occurring.¡±
Offshore of the island where the monsters originated
Rameriz looked through his binoculars at the island and stared at the blinking portal. ¡°It should be closing soon.¡±
His lieutenant beside him commented. ¡°Thank god for that.¡±
¡°Hey lieutenant, do you think more portals will open?¡±
The SEAL platoon commander frowned. ¡°Let''s hope not. We have had more than enough to deal with for the past few months. From the elves to this. Everything seems like it''s straight out of a book.¡±
0900 June 20th, 2020 CE
Joint Base Andrews, Maryland
Ronell sat down in the Boeing VC-25, now with the callsign Air Force One as he is on the aircraft. He leaned back and sighed as the plane took off towards Sacramento.
A few hours later
San Francisco, California
The convoy of black SUVs stopped and Ronell stepped out of the Presidential state car. He had, an hour earlier, visited the refugee camp in Sacramento and given another speech. A Blackhawk flew overhead. Ronell looked up. Lieutenant General Michael Dunford, commander of the I Marine Expeditionary Force, appeared beside him and spoke. ¡°We are still scouring the city just to make sure there is not one monster left. However, this area has been cleared and is perfectly safe.¡±
Ronell looked around and didn¡¯t comment on the general¡¯s words. Destroyed buildings were spread out. Some clearly damaged by explosions, some riddled with bullets, and others with walls smashed in. Ronell sighed. ¡°I wish we can go back to our world. Sure we had near peer adversaries but we didn¡¯t experience random large-scale attacks like these. We traded one danger for another.¡±
After walking down the street, Ronell watched the ground that were covered with numerous body bags ¡°Victims of the chemical attack, Mr. President.¡±
Ronell offered a silent prayer.
???
¡°I guess it''s time for me to go down and visit them.¡±
Chapter 132 - Revelations
0532 June 21st, 2020 CE
Beale Air Force Base, California
Ronell sighed as he sat down on his plane seat. He had spent the entire day yesterday visiting refugee camps, looking at the damages in San Francisco, and talking with officials. Just two hours ago, he had a final meeting with the governor of California in Sacramento. Now, Air Force One was beginning preparation to take off from Beale AFB back to the White House. His personal aide was sitting across from him and had concern on his face. ¡°Are you alright, Mr. President?¡±
Ronell slumped on his seat and sighed. ¡°Just tired.¡±
¡°I understand you haven¡¯t been getting much slee¡¡±
Ronell interrupted ¡°No. Not that, just this entire situation.¡±
¡°What do you mean?¡±
¡°This world has just been us lurching from one crisis to another. I had to deal with domestic issues like usual expect we kept on having international incidents such as ¡®oh no, the elves are attacking¡¯ and ¡®oh no now these monsters are attacking.¡¯¡± Ronell sighed and shook his head after saying that.
¡°I can understand that.¡±
¡°I¡¯m not sure¡¡±
Ronell couldn¡¯t finish as Chief of Staff, John Wills, appeared in their row. ¡°Mr. President. A person has appeared in the White House and is now sitting in the Oval Office. She is requesting your audience.¡±
Ronell¡¯s face scrunched up in confusion. ¡°What do you mean by ''a person has appeared in the White House¡¯? Who let them into my office if we don¡¯t know who they are?¡±
¡°I have been informed that security has looked through the security system and she doesn¡¯t seem to have entered from anywhere. Just¡ somehow popped into existence in the Oval Office. I have also been told that she is currently sitting on one of the couches in the Oval Office whilst calmly sipping a drink from a teacup that appeared in her hand. We don¡¯t know where that came from either. The Secret Service has her surrounded. They tried to get her out but we couldn¡¯t get close to her. She seems to have some sort of forcefield around her to prevent us from approaching.¡±
Ronell¡¯s face wasn¡¯t scrunched up anymore but the confusion was still apparent.¡°What? And this person wants to meet me?¡±
"Yes, she¡¯s requesting your audience. We have cleared out the White House. We are trying to make her agree with a video call but she wants to meet in person.¡±
Ronell sighed and slumped in his seat again. ¡°As I said, one thing after another.¡±
Ten minutes later
Ronell and his advisors sat in the conference room of Air Force One. The TV screen installed to a wall came to life and a woman appeared on screen. ¡°Nice to meet you, leader of this country¡ I believe the term would be Mr. President¡ Nice to meet you, Mr. President.¡±
On the screen behind her, you can see some of the Secret Service agents who still have their guns pointed at her. Ronell rubbed his head like his brain was hurting him. ¡°Apologies for being blunt but who are you and what are you doing in my office? How did you even get into it in the first place?¡±
Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.
The woman seemingly pondered a bit before responding. ¡°I¡¯m just here to thank you for what your country has done for this world and I would like to make some offers of what your country can do after this.¡±
Ronell got more confused. ¡°What?¡±
The woman stopped and pondered again. ¡°I¡¯m more used to explaining stuff in person than through whatever technology you are currently using.¡±
¡°I guess we can meet in my office once I get back.¡±
The Secret Service agent in the conference room stepped forward. ¡°Mr. President, I don¡¯t think you should be in the same room as her.¡±
The woman on the screen nodded as if making a decision. ¡°I will come to you then. Give me a second.¡±
¡°What do you me¡¡±
She disappeared from the screen before Ronell could finish his sentence. The Secret Service agents on screen looked around in confusion as they lowered their guns.
She popped into existence in front of the TV in the conference room. ¡°Hello once again. Nice to meet you in person.¡±
The agent in the conference room shouted into his earpiece. ¡°Shit. We have a breach! I repeat. We have a breach!¡±
Secret Service agents rushed into the room with guns drawn and pointed at her. ¡°Hands up! Hands up!¡±
The room went silent as the agents kept their guns on her. Ronell spoke. ¡°How are you doing that?¡±
¡°Oh, I¡¯m just using my powers. Teleportation is not hard at all.¡±
Ronell sighed. ¡°Someone get a chair in so she can sit. And lower those guns. She would have probably already killed me if she could teleport anywhere.¡±
The Secret Service agents reluctantly and slowly did so.
A few seconds later
The woman, now sitting in a chair, spoke in a completely relaxed tone. ¡°Hmmmm¡ where should I start? I guess I should start with apologies for what I have done so far. You see, I¡¯m the one responsible for placing¡¡±
She couldn¡¯t continue as somebody burst into the conference room. Ronell gave an extremely exasperated sigh. ¡°Goddammit. What now?¡±
An advisor had come in. ¡°Mr. President, we have a situation going on on the island that those monsters came from. What seems to be a young boy is destroying things.¡±
¡°A young boy¡ what? What the hell do you even mean?¡±
A flash of worry showed on the woman¡¯s face. ¡°Yeah¡ that might be my younger brother¡ give me a second. I will deal with it.¡±
¡°What do you mean¡ and she¡¯s gone¡ great! What the fuck is happening today?¡±
Ronell couldn¡¯t finish his sentence to her as she instantly disappeared.
5 minutes earlier
Offshore of the island where the monsters originated
On the USS Hopper, Rameriz watched from his binoculars as a CH-53E Super Stallion lifted the Humvee containing the Universal Ground Control Station. More ships had arrived to reacquire the materials that had been placed on the island. Their ship was staying just in case something happened. As he swept his binoculars over the island, Rameriz noticed a small figure on the empty, far right side of the island. ¡°There seems to be a kid on the island, sir.¡±
Besides him, looking bored, his lieutenant perked up and responded. ¡°A kid?¡±
Rameriz pointed towards the area. ¡°Far right side where there¡¯s nothing.
¡°Give me those binoculars.¡±
Rameriz handed it off to him.¡°Well I will be damned. there is. Huh. That¡¯s¡ weird. How did he get there? Go notify someone about that. Tell them to approach with caution though. This seems suspicious.¡±
A minute later
Rameriz watched as a couple of the engineers on the island slowly approached the boy. The boy turned like he noticed the engineers approaching. In an instant, a shockwave originating from the boy blew the engineers off from their feets. Rameriz could only gape at what happened. ¡°What the fuck?!¡±
Chapter 133 - The End?
Offshore of the island where the monsters originated
The boy didn¡¯t seem to have actually harmed anyone other than blowing everybody off of their feet. The engineers on the island were standing back up and moving as quickly away as possible. The boy started rising into the sky. Rameriz watched through a pair of binoculars. ¡°That is definitely not a normal kid.¡±
The boy¡¯s eyes landed on their ship. He stretched out one of hands towards them. Rameriz looked out of his binoculars and at his lieutenant. ¡°Uhhh, lieutenant, I don¡¯t really like¡¡±
A blue beam shot out of the boy''s hand and right at the USS Hopper. At first, nothing seemed to have happened. There was no explosion or noise. Rameriz looked over the side of the ship just as alarms started blaring on the destroyer. A gaping hole could be seen. ¡°He just blew a hole in the side of the ship.¡±
Shouting started. ¡°Abandon ship! The ship is sinking!¡±
As Rameriz looked back up, he noticed another person, a woman, had just appeared in the sky over the island. The boy fired a beam at the woman. The woman blocked the boy¡¯s beam. The woman smiled and shouted. ¡°Mom and dad are back early. You are in so much trouble for trying to do a challenge.¡±
A look of surprise washed over the boy''s face. The woman suddenly appeared in front of the boy. She slapped the boy in the face and then grabbed the boy. With a swing, she threw him up into the sky. The boy seemingly rocketed towards the clouds.
She clapped and a shockwave came out of her. Something seemed to slam into the destroyer as the shockwave. Nothing seemed to have happened again until Rameriz looked over the side of the ship again. ¡°Huh¡ we aren¡¯t sinking anymore¡ and the hole is gone.¡±
His lieutenant shook his head. ¡°I wish we stayed on Earth.¡±
0605 June 21st, 2020 CE
Air Force One (currently over Nevada)
In the conference room, an advisor was giving a rundown on the situation on the island. ¡°We have just received a report that the woman has appeared over the island and dealt with the boy.¡±
¡°Dealt with him how?¡± Ronell questioned.
¡°It seems that she threw the boy up into¡gah!¡± The advisor shouted in surprise as the woman appeared in the conference room again.
If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
She waved. ¡°Hello there, once again. Sorry about my younger brother. I have fixed the damages he has caused and sent him back to my parent¡¯s realm.¡±
Everyone in the room just stared at her. She coughed. ¡°Now where were we¡ ah yes¡ I am the one who sent your country to this world.¡±
Ronell sighed. ¡°And who exactly are you?¡±
The woman bowed as she began. ¡°I am Inera, the one who manages this world.¡±
¡°So you are the goddess of this world?¡±
¡°Correct.¡±
Ronell gave her the side eye. ¡°Ooookay¡ and how am I supposed to know you are telling the truth?¡±
Inera shrugged. ¡°Due to restrictions, I am not allowed to show much of my significant powers. The basic things I can do right now is create things and teleport anywhere in this world. I guess you are just going to have to trust me.¡±
Ronell rubbed his chin. ¡°Well¡ can you answer why we were sent to this world?¡±
¡°It¡¯s mainly due to my younger brother, Odaldir. Since he killed everything in his world, he wanted to mess with mine so he challenged me. Those monsters came from his world. Due to restrictions, I wasn¡¯t allowed to interfere. However, based on challenge rules, I¡¯m allowed to pick a hero from another world to be put into my world against the challenger. Turns out there was no definition of what the ¡°hero¡± was so I picked an entire country.¡±
Ronell looked a bit upset. ¡°So this entire thing was a sibling dispute except this was the divine type?¡±
Inera nodded. ¡°I believe that would be a fitting description.¡±
Ronell just frowned. ¡°You know what¡ I don¡¯t even care at this point. It already happened and I¡¯m in no interest in picking a fight with a divine being. Just¡ are you able to send my country back to our world?¡±
¡°About that, I would like to offer you a few options as a token of thanks for your involuntary help.¡±
¡°And what would that be?¡±
Inera smiled. ¡°Your country can stay in this world for however long you want. Either forever or for a period of time. If your country wants to go back now, I can let you go back now. I can send your country back to your world at the moment right as your country disappeared. Or I can send your country back whenever you want. You can even request I send your country back after a certain time. Your country is welcome in this world.¡±
Ronell stayed quiet for a few moments. The rest of the conference room stared at him before he spoke. ¡°Huh can you let us think about it?¡±
Inera nodded. ¡°Of course.¡±
¡°How do we contact you once we have made our decision?¡±
¡°Oh, just say my name and I should appear.¡±
¡°Well, thanks for helping me so much. See you whenever you call for me then.¡± After Inera finished speaking, she just disappeared from the room.
Ronell rubbed his head. ¡°I want everything that was said in this room, her identity, and that entire situation that happened on the island to be kept top secret. No need to release any of this information. Make sure the people involved know.¡±
¡°Understood, sir.¡±
¡°Now, gentlemen, I guess it¡¯s time to make a decision¡¡±
End of a Journey/Put Recommendations for Rewrite in Comments
Well guys, it''s been a journey. Four years of writing. Would have been three years if not for the many disruptions (sorry about that but this thing called life gets in the way XD). I wrote this near the end of high school for me (around 11th grade if I remember correctly) and now it''s nearing the end of undergraduate for me XD (I¡¯m currently a junior).
133 chapters. Around 230,000 words in total. Around 850 pages (based on estimations from Royalroad and Scribblehub). I¡¯m kind of amazed by how much I have written. I remember hating to write 2,000 word essays (I still kinda do but its not that much of a struggle anymore).
It may be the end of a journey but it isn¡¯t ¡°The End¡±. I have so much more planned for the future. I¡¯m only in my twenties. Like around 8 more books of very different genres (zombie apocalypse to superhero to war stories). At the rate I''m currently going, I should have all my books I currently planned written out by the time I¡¯m in my fifties. Yeah¡ hopefully I can write faster in the future. Well I¡¯m still currently in college. I wonder if I will be less busy after I get a job¡ (I honestly have no clue).
I have also learned a lot of stuff from writing AIAW. Here¡¯s the two most important things when it comes to overall writing for me. Plan ahead. Write ahead. I had so many times where I wanted to go back because I realized I was missing something or I could write something different that would have been so much better. When I started writing AIAW, I liked the idea of letting things happen when I think it up but it kinda made it hard for my story to actually gain a direction, led me to missing things, and had me struggling to fill in plot holes.
I have big plans to write a better version of AIAW. This version was always meant to be a draft. I had no idea what I was doing to be honest when I began writing this. I definitely needed to take time to learn how to write better. I will take some time while writing my other books to plan out AIAWR (America in Another World Revamped). It will include things such as a bigger world, more other-world countries, more fantasy creatures, better magic system, space exploration, actual main characters (this will require a bit of tinkering but I¡¯m planning for a Multiple POV from a few characters that will be there for the entire book, probably a character from each branch of the military or something idk), hopefully better combat scenes, actual economic matters, more complex political maneuvering, diplomacy, mentions of cultural exchange, and more suspenseful/challenging situations. There will probably be even more changes. The ending also definitely need some polishing. This isn¡¯t a complete list but its a start.
This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
I won¡¯t mind some recommendations for AIAWR¡ however¡
We are not going nuke crazy (y¡¯all have no idea how many requests I get saying to use nukes as if it''s like no big deal, I even had people criticize me for not just nuking all the enemies which doesn¡¯t make sense at all). The two times we dropped nuclear bombs on Japan and even today it¡¯s heavily debated whether or not it was justified. And no, unless you can think of a situation that justifies the time (many years) and money (millions of dollars) to reactivate a battleship (or somehow provide evidence it doesn¡¯t need that amount of time and money), I¡¯m not doing that either. Try to be realistic (when it applies to the US military and stuff). Also, no I¡¯m not doing other countries (the research that I had to do just for the US military was a lot). The amount of research I needed to just figure out the US military and political system was a lot (I thought I had a good understanding of the US military before writing this¡ oh boy was there so much more). Throw in another country or two and here I go trying to figure out said country¡¯s military organization, equipment information, doctrine, etc. I¡¯m pretty sure I¡¯m on some sort of list at this point with how much I have been staring at satellite imagery of US military bases on Google Maps. Sure you can mostly find online where military units are based and what equipment they have (although it doesn¡¯t always say it either) but it doesn¡¯t guarantee they station the vehicles on the base. I scoured satellite imagery to make sure that there were Abrams and Bradleys on base for the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment in Fort Irwin before I decided to include them in the story.
Anyways, I will probably take a minor rest (or a long one, idk, probably not more than a year) before I start writing my second book. Well I still have to do some planning for it. Since my future books will probably be mostly unrelated genre-wise to AIAW, I probably won¡¯t see you guys come back until I start publishing AIAWR. So I guess I will see you guys once AIAWR gets started.
Oh yeah, I¡¯m also thinking about writing a spinoff of AIAW after AIAWR. I call it ¡°America in an RPG World¡± (AIARPGW). S rank Abrams tank XD. I don¡¯t know if this idea would even work but I¡¯m toying with it.
Well¡ I guess this is goodbye for now. Love y¡¯all!