The U.S has been making progress in the war. Since the initial deployment of a marine division in the peninsula's, enemy troop movement from the west has been hampered immensely. With U.S superiority in firepower, even with minimal troop deployment in the offset of the war, the enemy has been taking much more casualties. One movement in particular is important to note.

***

Kingdom of Flenning. Town of Flovenguard.

Its been a couple of days since the Osprey's rapidly deployed U.S marine platoons to the region around Flovenguard. As one of many platoons that are a part of this massive operation to slow or stop the enemy advance to the eastern region of Flenning, they have finally met up to cut off the enemy advance from Flovenguard. In total, nearly a company of marines have met up to form the bulwark against the enemy advance coming from the town of Flovenguard. However, they are just one of many company's in the war that have been deployed to secure and stop enemy advancement in the region. However, this operation in securing the path from Flovenguard is of importance to note. This is because of the massive amounts of Tolerian Kingdom soldiers which are currently resting in the town of Flovenguard.

As a prominent town in the region due to its religion, the town originally had around 15,000 inhabitants. However, refugees in the region numbered in the thousands. It can be said that the towns population is significantly reduced. Especially with all of the pillaging that is occurring in the town. Many of the marines that have been deployed have not seen war before. Its natural. Despite the U.S's image of having a huge military, its been over a decade since the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. So it would be weird if any of them have been deployed before in a war zone. However, the amount of pillaging is just completely new to the marines. They witnessed in the outskirts of Flovenguard the massacre and blatant rape and torture that was occurring around the town. While many of the marines wanted to see some action already, there are still no orders to advance on the town. However, a perimeter has since been set around the town to prevent any more enemy troop movement outside the town.

In a meeting area, the company leader fetched together the lieutenants that are in charge of their respective groups. They are currently looking at their plan of action.

"Command wants us to stop the enemy here. What I am proposing is simply waiting it out until they march out of those gates in an orderly fashion. From there, we will bomb the hell out of them with mortar shells. Any questions?" The company captain spoke sternly. As captain of a company of around 200 men, he puts his men first. Then thinks about fulfilling his task. In this instance, he saw a simple answer to a simple problem. One of the inquired the captain.

"How long until the enemy marches onto their next target?"

The captain answered without hesitation. "The enemy is expected to march by tomorrow. Movement suggests that there are not many provisions left in this town. More scouts have been deployed recently to find food, so we can expect their departure soon. Once they do move from the town, is will be target practice for us men. We will set up to these positions around Flovenguard to prepare for their advance. Although they may number in the thousands, we got enough bullets for all of them." The captain looks around the meeting area again to see if there are any more questions. "Lets move out then."

***

Flovenguard. Currently occupied by Tolerian troops.

As the town is the most prominent in the area, the 3rd army of the Tolerian Kingdom took this opportunity to re-supply. As one Tolerian soldier walked through the streets, he could hear the screams and wails through the walls of some of the houses. The past busy streets are now only filled with loitering Tolerian troops in leather or metal armor. Some held large swords or pikes. In an era where hand to hand combat is the norm, longer weapons held a bigger advantage on the field.

The Tolerian solider proceeded to the command quarters where the leading commander was staying. In the room were some other leaders in charge of legions of troops. The Tolerian soldier bows before heading into the quarter. He announces that the supplies for the army have been secured from the town and surrounding farms. The commander nods. "Good work, notify the other leaders to prepare to march tomorrow morning. We need to make haste if we are to take over the southern areas of the Flenning peninsula." The Tolerian soldier bows and promptly leaves the room full of generals and group leaders. The lead commander continues his talk. "One we proceed down and capture the town of Herald, we shall control most of the southern lands of the Flenning Kingdom. From here, we shall re-supply and move into the main capital before the others. I assure you, all of you will be rewarded with new lands once this succeeds." The other leaders gave a grin.

As a Tolerian soldier, war can be quite profitable. New lands, items, and titles are given to those that contribute. Although this assumes that the average soldier returns alive. In that case, only the powerful who lead men will gain more than the average foot soldier.

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

The mood in the camp is quite good. If one just ignores the occasional scream, then its a jolly festival in the town. The men assumed that tomorrow, they would face the same cowering soldiers of the Flenning Kingdom. They would then take lands and lead a more fulfilling life. Such is the characteristics of the New World.

***

Flovenguard. The Next Morning.

As expected, the Tolerian army marched out of Flovenguard to take the next neighboring town of Herald. If the army were to take it, it would allow a closer supply line through the southern sea of the peninsula.

Although the fighting has skimmed down the Tolerian armies that are marching to the capital, the army is still around the size of 11,000 men with swords, pikes, and some Derrius matchlocks. In comparison, the marine company numbered 200 men. Quite the number difference. And while the Marines also do not have any armor, they do have tons of easily deployable mortars set up for the oncoming army.

The U.S. marines decided to engage the army as they went up a hill. They would wait for them at the top. Once they start firing, the mortars will start making holes in their army formation.

The U.S marines lie in wait for the oncoming army. As they proceeded up the hill through a path that some seven to eight men could walk up side by side, the Marines let loose their mortars. As the mortars flew through the air, the iconic screeching sound sounded off throughout the area. The next moment, the Tolerian army experienced fierce explosions, blowing up the tightly pack men into the air and onto the ground. Immediately, the sound of screaming and crying could be heard. Generals throughout the army started to shout commands.

"Defensive stances men! Mages! Cast your protection!"

Soon after, a light appeared and disappeared over the Tolerian army. As a mortar piece was about to hit the army, it blew up mid air. It was as if it hit something mid air.

The Tolerian men could not cheer though, as they knew there was a limit to those barriers. Furthermore, they still don't know where the enemy is coming from. The shrubs and trees near the path and hill made it difficult to determine where the attack was coming from. Furthermore, as a mortar round is launched vertically into the air, its harder to ascertain the direction of attack. As the army fell into a defensive stance along the path, gunfire erupted from the marine company. As the barrier seemed to only block a certain direction, the gunfire sped past and into the defenseless Tolerian army.

The sound of gunfire erupting only made the battlefield more chaotic and troubling for the Tolerian men. As these men are used to hand to hand combat, the idea of dying like this is unsettling. Many felt this problem and the formations rapidly fell out of order. Even the generals and leaders could not contain the panic which slowly enveloped the army lines. Soon, one of the Mana users were hit with a stray bullet or mortar fragment and the light disappeared. The screeching mortar rounds continued their onslaught on the defenseless Tolerian army. The marines and mortar teams continued their attack into the army. Other teams and platoons flanked their army and killed even more men. What felt like an eternity, the battle ended after ten minutes. The aftermath is a path of bloodied soldiers in an assortment of leather and metal armor. All punctured by shrapnel, bullets, or completely blown off by mortar rounds. It was an absolute massacre. Nonetheless, this played out more or less the same in other areas of the Flenning Kingdom, and even in the other two peninsula kingdoms. This would lead to a massive slowdown on the enemy side.

***

Tolerian Capital. The throne room of the his majesty the King.

Although modern communication devices are an unknown in the New World, magic devices allow for distant real time communication like the phone. The only difference is the fact that one needs a satellite or cable while the other does not need anything. The only downside being that its quite difficult to obtain. However, even with its rarity, the Kingdoms of this world recognize the importance of such devices.

As the war continued for the Tolerian Kingdom, one point became clearer over the past couple of days. Somehow, their armies are simply disappearing. Furthermore, talk about the Americans began to sweep through the Kingdom through gossip and rumors. The King and his advisers have become flabbergasted at the situation. In no way shape or form did they ever imagine that their huge armies would fall and disappear so quickly. They also never anticipated that the Americans would intervene in the war so readily. Mutual defense agreements are made between Kingdoms in the New World, however it would take months to mobilize. The U.S mobilized simply too quickly they thought. The advisor's were talking with the king, before one of them mentions something peculiar he received earlier.

"You found an artifact prime minister?" The King asked. Somewhat surprised, but still maintaining his resting face.

"I received a message from one of my lands. They spotted smoke from a distance. Once they did however, they found a huge white artifact that seems to have crashed for some reason."

The king inquired on what this artifact looked like. The prime minister continued.

"The artifact is mostly white with huge angular flaps that extend from a single area. What is more important though is the writing on it. It seems to use a similar tongue to the peninsular kingdoms and the kingdom of Astra."

"Well on with it, what is written on it?"

"It has a prominent red mark on one of its fins with the letters JAL inscribed on it. A longer message is also inscribed which is read out as "Japan Airlines."