The night beckons him with the silence of the skies as a Demon Knight trudges through the endless pine trees that encapsulates most of the continent of Schon. His heavy sabatons crushed branches and soft soil as he stood at the edge of a cliff inside the bushes.
His head quickly turns to his right as a Human in full blackened special forces gear pops out of the forest alongside an entire squad. “Alv Kreh Durah. The Cosmic Gods have fulfilled their promise. The leaders of Earth you sought after for vengeance are dead except for one.” the Knight in his fresh adamantium armor that’d still shine even in the dark forest throws them a bowl which the Squad Leader catches. “Perform this final task and the contract is fulfilled. Be happy Durah that my Bishop has given you an extra for your work in Woodstock.”
A single nod was given back as a reply as the Special Forces squad returns back into the forest, leaving the Demon Knight be as they casually jog through the bush. Feint sounds of helicopter rotors could be heard as they approached a dirt road with an unmarked transport truck and a rally car with their headlights on. Being the only source of light of tens of kilometers.
Walking to the window of the Audi, he looks in where its passengers, both in combat gear and sporting quad nods, were given the ceramic bowl which was kept inside a protected briefcase.
Seated next to the driver, the navigator pulls out a clipboard and does a final check on their route and the turns. “Thirty secs.” The squad leader spoke in a calm manner as he walked away, leaving the two players be.
Setting their watches, the countdown began and the two lone vehicles switched off their headlights for blackout lights. The road illuminated by the unseen light that only there night vision could and with the cloudless night above them, the navigator in an orderly tone spoke of one word. “Begin.”
Combat gloves clutching the leather cover on the wheel, the driver pushes in the clutch and switches gear. Driving in the pedal as both vehicles leave in opposite directions. “Four Right, Caution, Three Left, Tightens into a cliff side and narrows.” with the Co-Driver speaking the callouts, the one behind the wheel was precise with his speed and control.
Veering left and right, the dirt seemed nothing as they skidded and drifted through the waney forests of Schon where danger lurks in every branch and tree and sitting neatly behind the two was the briefcase.
“Caution left, thirty, and right five, and junction.” As they came into a road where there was another path, a convoy from the UN unknowingly drove past the Audi’s route as the trucks full of skeleton soldiers went on their way with their headlights in full blast. By the time the tail end of the convoy had crossed, as if in the nick of time, their Rally car zoomed across completely undetected.
Even in their bulky combat gear and ballistic helmets inside the cramped vehicle, the two worked well together, with extreme coordination and the absolute silence respected, only speaking of things that mattered, they crossed through multiple Battalions and even Field Armies setting up in the forest and whatever patch of open plains were contained within.
Fast approaching the edge of the treeline, the driver quickly shifted down and hammered the brakes and gas, drifting to the left as they hugged the edge as over from yonder to there right was a busy highway where military trucks of all sizes were driving on.
Looking at his map, the Co-Driver nods and they continue onwards through the seaside path and upon reaching a large clearing, they stop to a grinding halt. The empty grassy area just beyond the highway as the two Operators got out, assault rifles up and ready for combat as they put the briefcase into the hood of the Audi.
As the two Operators stood upright and stoic, facing the dark forest. A dark sheep was quietly eating grass, the headlights of the ever so endless convoys of army trucks driving in the dark night silhouette the animals silent posture, peaceful in its time as a looming shadow reached out from the forest and the two players presented to it the briefcase.
High above the skies, a private plane enters the territorial waters of Schon as a cabin filled with tall pale skinned women, all of them with varying hairstyles from twin tails to buns with braids going around it, most of their height roamed around 6’5, some were as tall as the Queen who was busy studying the maps and charts sat elegantly watching the ocean far below them.
Her assassins were all donning fashionable outfits, be fit of modern women though some still opted for gowns and dresses, many were in jeans and slacks with earrings, bracelets, necklaces, and rings of jewelry. Jackson just shrugged his head as he looked at the pretty women. “How much did all this cost the Guild again?”
Bahamut and Alana were busy themselves, the Countess skimming through the units available for combat and the Dragon, eating food whilst looking out the window, the boundless and seemingly endless forest of Schon. Though the Three Rivers were still gushing with life, he knew it was nearing its end as he looked at the maps and documents available about the city. “We won’t be defending that. Those two small roads are the death of any big armies. We’ll contain our actions there to delay tactics. The moment they begin to encircle us, we’ll dip.” On the screen in front of him was Yamaoka who was already on the ground, directing officers and soldiers.
“Copy on that. But are you sure it's fine to give me the entire Seventh Field Army and the Skeleton General in charge?”
“Don’t worry, those are basically self contained war robots if anything. The skeletons will do everything themselves, they’re the main point of the Army of the Damned Project. A self sustaining field army that doesn’t need food or water. The ultimate endpoint for skeletal legions.”
“So this is the rumored Mid Continent capable invasion army being built up by the secretive Guilds on the Dark Continent, huh.”
“Exactly. All of our testing with the Men of the Woods led directly to them. The magnum opus of the Knights of Eldwood and the Men of the Woods. The skeleton legions.”
“I expect results then. Also, Jackson. John is here in the airfield waiting for you.” Hearing this, he jumps up and smiles. “John?! Oh dang, how long has it been? How is he and his Elven friend?” Yamaoka walks back a bit and turns to the exit of the tent and then back to the screen. “Good so it seems. That Elf girl with him seems to have the energy of a nuclear reactor, yes.”
Looking out, the blue sky was endearing as night drew near. “General, sir. We’re now entering Schon’s airspace.” Behind the General, the Black Knives looked like a traveling Miss Europe on Tour as they all were brandishing beautiful outfits, looking as dashing as ever with Elizabeth having quite a smile to her as she applauded herself with her take in modern fashion.
With their pale skins, silver and white hairs. Their less threatening look made it look like the private jet was meant for Miss Victorian Models than one ferrying an important military official. “Heh, good to know John’s still fine. Pilot, if you can, get this thing there faster.” Bahamut, though, had a slight reaction as they entered Schon’s territory. With her, squinting outside and the endless amount of clouds that clogged any view of what’s down below.
Elizabeth though is looking at the documents she has in hand as her assassins kept to themselves at the back, looking outside the window as the contrails of cargo planes flying back and from Schon kept the airspace extremely busy.
“My Lord, though your plans are quite easy to understand and read, don’t you think it’s better to have something more complex in the works just in case when our enemies adapt faster than we expect?”
"Hah! Screw you! My plans aren't always the best but they work!"
"Screw? Very well, My Lord. Do you want to try my Black Knifes too?"
"Ahahaha! Nice one.” Looking at her, the Queen just curiously tilts her head, making the General facepalm. “We have a job to do, Elizabeth. Save that for later."
"Why not? I do perhaps believe that our time together is rather... limited now seeing as time is advancing forward into the great war that will encapsulate the world."
"Geez, I am always surprised with the amount of words you can fit in your mouth. But can you slow down? My head still hurts from all these flying."
"Very well... though..."
"Hm? Oh, Don't you dare-"
"Something else perfectly fits in it."
Jackson just facepalms again as the Countess giggles whilst Bahamut just had an empty expression under her veil. Eating the onboard snacks without care.
On the cliffside to Schon, as the torrent waters hit the rocky sides. A paved road on top of it had countless military vehicles going on both opposing lanes and in a truck column of five vehicles was a squad of soldiers silently sitting inside. Many of them were just sleeping through the cold afternoon as the lights of the passing vehicles and the one behind theirs gave illumination to an otherwise bleak atmosphere of the oceanside road. The mist thickens over the water, blocking the radiant view as lights brush past their covered seats.
In the innermost bench, a scrawny Sergeant looks through the map he has been given and the rally points he has to find to reach an OP with the Combat Patrol. A clack then rang out to his right as an Elven player pulled the hammer on his M4A1. “Don’t… do that.” The Elf then turned his face to him. “Why not? It’s not loaded.” The player then adjusted the headset as it wasn’t meant for his sharp ears.
“Again, it might not be loaded but still. Heck, you're the one in charge of the Platoon. Why are you doing this? We can’t have a discharge inside the truck." The Elf just laughs it off as he puts the safety on and loads the magazine back in. “I swear, you're like those Demon or Vampire players. Your species type is getting into your head.” He then just goes to his vest and takes out the map, turning his helmet lamp and pressing it once again to turn it from white to red light as the truck bounces from some potholes.
The blueish atmosphere was a perfect time for a doozy as the horizon was covered with a low fog. The only light was the one seeping through the clouds that encircled them from all sides. “Geez, I think this is how it's always in London or something.”
Their 6X6 Medium Tactical Truck then veers off the main road as they enter a prairie. The enormously wet hilly grasslands had nothing in particular with it. With the occasional blooming flower of rectangular shape that’d light up a purple color, the ride through the dirt was as quiet as ever as most of the players had begun to snore, though one with reading glasses on was reading a Native book named Odyssey of the Eternal Flame. On its cover, an interesting group of people from differing species on a longship.
The Sergeant though just went back to his map and with nothing coming in his mind after a few seconds, he goes in between his legs with a huge rucksack with a tent and bedroll. Opening it, he takes a canned ravioli. Looking at the sleepy truck, he slowly pulls it out and takes his Ka-Bar from its scabbard that’s on the upper left of his vest.
Setting it on top of his rucksack, he could hear the leaf spring suspension arching up and down and upon the gear shift sound, the man stabbed the leftmost of the can. The small slit was good enough for the sauce to peek out and he sips some of it before closing the lid with magic. Putting his palm on top of it, a shine was emitted and the lid was once again fully closed.
Before long, they reached a treeline and the three trucks stopped just before the smaller dirt path and one by one, they exited out the back with their rucksacks sitting in front of them as the Platoon divided itself by their respective squads. “Alright, remember your Land Nav Course. If anyone gets lost, we’ll have someone at the radio always to coordinate your return. We have Sergeant Alco here who can control birds and make spectral birds with thermal eyes so don’t worry about getting lost." The Elven lieutenant had a snazzy uptown accent to him as he waved the map around.
“Five squads, Alpha to Foxtrot, Five members each. Be sure to keep a headcount when you reach a rally point and report to me. I’ll be in Alpha always and in the center of the Patrol line. Five hundred meters is the width, remember that. We need to cover as much land as possible.” He then uses magic to make the map float as he highlights the Observation Post in the center of the forest. “OP Dreamer is twenty clicks from the forest edge, so be ready. It’s going to be a long walk. Food, water, medicine, potions, crafting materials, and whatever porn you have with you, keep it close. Rotation will be in five days. Copy?”
One by one, the soldiers lifted their rucksacks up to their backs and they replied with a quick “Copy!” with a nod, the Platoon of soldiers set out for the forest. “Keep your eyes peeled and don’t fuck about and get murdered by the local fauna. The nearest respawn point is seventy klicks from this forest, so good luck." As they began their trek to the Observation Post, one of the soldiers noticed dirt tracks nearby but walked forward as each squad spread out in a line, their shoulders twenty meters apart as the terrain instantly became inhospitable.
There is no flat ground anywhere, every step of there boots would either be in an incline or a downward tilt, with the grayish roots of the tall trees peek out from the soil, often mixed with rocks as the audible sound of the forest was mixed with the noisy racking of there guns and gear.
The Elven Lieutenant kept his gun near his chest as the scrawny Sergeant increased his pace to walk side by the side with the player. “What is it now? Still thinking about the attack on Woodstock? Crazy stuff, huh.”
“No, my Squad Mage reported an oddity in the Mana of this place.” Another Sergeant then came up to him, coming from the farthest squad. “Sir! We have an issue.” The Elf quickly locked his eyes on the two as they continued walking forward. “Don’t have to tell me. Mana fluctuations?” the second Sergeant nodded as he kept moving forward.
“Keep your heads up then. Report to me of any more fluctuations." As he leaves, the thin Sergeant shrugs his head. “Sir, Mana fluctuations could mean the density of the air could change. Heck, it could even increase cosmic activity. We don’t have blessed bullets.” the Lieutenant though just kept on looking ahead as the player looked around the thick forestry. “Sir, we have to report this back to Headquarters. Mana fluctuations only occur when a Global or Local Game Event occurs… the fact that it’s happening right now, something must be wrong here.”
The Lieutenant then goes to his vest and takes out the map. “I think it might be the nearby Labyrinth. But it should’ve been closed already. Sappers came three days before us and blew it up." He then points 10 kilometers from there Observation Post is an icon of a Labyrinth that has a thick cross over it. “A part of our orders is also to monitor the area further alongside Combat Patrol. We’ll continue with the Operation, Sergeant.”
Walking for the next hour, night began to fall and night vision goggles were mounted on their helmets except for the Mages and those with specialized roles like Rogues in the Company as they reached the first rally point.
It’s a small clearing on top of a rocky hill with flat surfaces, making it a perfect spot to set up for the night and with having done this many times before as adventurers, it didn’t take long for everyone to be setted up for the night. Many preferred to stay inside their tents, sleeping and resting while others talked to one another. “Dang, Duchess Carmilla huh. Sheesh, she’s a looker.” another player then looks over to the smartphone and the downloaded interview playing. “When you get back to Woodstock, buy me a smartphone. I miss having one so much.”
Resting inside his tent, the scrawny Sergeant had it face towards the campfire as he read a translated book with the name of Epic of Raldia. “Sarge, do you have info on when they’ll lift the tariffs? I can make bank if I time it correctly with my off time." The player then turns his head to a Corporal who was using a buffy rucksack as a pillow. “I have no idea. Ask the LT. He might know more than I do.. But… I have some stuff I could sell. The UN removing tariffs… huh, looks like it's truly coming if those bureaucrats no longer care for money.”
“Yeah, yeah, and get this. I met this merchant, you see. From the Three Rivers Fortress City. The dude has heaps of Spitfire Wolf hides. With the tariffs gone and my contacts inside Zavalda, I could easily bring home some big coins!” The Corporal then spun his body around to look up to the open sky. “And then, since Bahamut is back as a God. I’ll go and pray to her, Dragon Gods are known to keep their end of promises without fail and get me some buffs. I’ll set up a wheat farm in a barren place and rake in the gold coins!” He spreads his hands up, his fingers as to grasp the stars.
“Good on you, Corporal. But I’ll be needing to hear that report later about the Mana fluctuations. Have your TL made one already?” Closing his book, the player shrugs his shoulders making the Sergeant sigh as he slips into his tent as the darkness of the night dawns from all sides.
Suddenly, a crackle came from outside his tent. Audible enough that it woke him up, making him grab his assault rifle. “Huh? Who the hell pulled a charging handle on their M4? Didn’t I tell you kids not to fuck around with your guns without light?” He then opens his tent, still in his shirt and combat pants.
A light was then flashed at him. “Sarge, did you hear it too?” the player nods as he swipes the flashlight out of his face. “Yeah, did you see anyone?” The Elven Private shrugs his head as they both then look around. “Eh? But you heard it right? It sounded like someone pulled the charging handle on their rifle.” the Elf nods. “Yes sir. That’s why I came back here, I thought someone was dilly dallying about the camp.”
“...Eh? Well, it would be odd for even a predator to come to a large camp of people unless it's really desperate for food.” He looks around and sees that there’s nothing but some branches on top of the rocks aside from moss as a silhouette of a tall figure approaches them from complete darkness. “Sergeant, what the hell was that?” The two players then saluted the Lieutenant who was in full gear. “Nothing to report, sir. Area is clear.”
“Tsk. I swear I heard someone play with their gun. The night patrol said they spotted nothing.” He looks at the other Elven player, as if the two could sense something the Human player could not. “Carry on then. Report to me anything that happens, big or small.”
After a good night’s sleep, the Sergeant got his gear together, removing the tent and rolling it up again. He notices the branches next to his tent are broken and the print of a lanky finger was on the moss.
He didn’t even think twice and reported it to the Lieutenant who quickly came to inspect it with the three other Sergeants of the company who were all astonished at it. “How… Did it get so close? We had a magic field and everything set up…” he looked around the forest line and as usual, it was as noisy and alive as ever. He then looks at the four Sergeants. “Should we call it off?”
Looking at one another, they checked the tracks and noticed how incredibly boney this creature would be, making one of the Sergeants shrug. “I don’t think it should be that much a problem, sir. We’re all Level Ten at least and you at Twenty. Something like this shouldn’t be an issue.”
“I second that, sir. It’s better to fight and kill this thing or find out what it is." With this, the Lieutenant looks at the two other Sergeants who just gave a light nod. “Alright. But keep an eye out, okay? We’ll continue to rally point Bravo then.”
And once again, they set off deeper towards the forest. The Platoon was more amped up for combat. Many had their rifles up and these senses heightened as they kept on trekking towards the dense foliage. Always keeping an eye out for one another and their surroundings.
It wasn’t long till they reached a hillside where the terrain, though on an incline, was far more flat and reasonable to walk on and the Sergeant could see the very edge of the line while walking. Matching each other's pace as they marched on and on and on till night nears once again.
And nearing the next rally point, the Platoon stumbles across another prairie, the Human players kept a bit further back as they had to use Night Vision goggles while the Elves. Humans, and Wizards with proper magic and sights were up on the front, some having casted a fireball so that the NVGs could work even better with the lighting.
And in one of the trees, a wicked sight came upon the Lieutenant as he raised his gun, making everyone do the same as what stood upon this tree that’s broken in half was a creature that sent shivers to the Sergeant’s body.
It crawled on all fours, with a body that could be that of a Humanoid, it was far too lanky, its arms and fingers also were far too long to be normal at all and its skin, an absolute graying color as the huge empty slits where its eyes once were just stared at the Platoon of fifty or so players. “I CAST AIR COMBUSTION!”
An explosion then happens, the creature jumping high above the sky and into the treetops as the boom destroys the wicked tree. It then kept its eyes on them as it crawled down and stopped the border between the prairie and the forest. It then slowly retreated, crawling backwards with its head trained on them.
On the NVGs, the Human players could notice the glare of its eye becoming smaller and smaller as it retreats into the forests of Schon. “ALRIGHT, WE’RE RTB!” With the Lieutenant’s order, everyone didn’t question it, as if it was already on their mind, some had already turned around, their walk turning to jog as they got back into the treeline.
Upon reaching the edge, the lead squad’s Mage stops them. “My… my spine is tingling like fuck! Holy fucking shit! Something is ahead of us! Halt! Everyone!” The Elven players all stayed silent, as if another side of themselves had taken over, the complete professionalism of the sharp eared species now in full swing as the Human players stumbled and fumbled around finding cover.
“Sir! Lieutenant! We have to go around!” One of the Mages, with his Holy Staff stepped forward, though his arms were shaking uncontrollably, he managed to spill over a spell through his mumbling mouth. “Oh Holy True God, Destroyer of the Pagan Beliefs of Gad and Zith, I cast your power through this staff! Reveal the Evil before us!” and then a massive bonfire is lit in front of them inside the forest.
Surrounding it were 13 Witches dancing and prancing around it, laughing and wailing as their pale naked bodies in full display as the only piece of cloth on there bare bodies were a cowl shrouded their face. “For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts…” The Holy Mage quickly draws his pistol as his Divine Staff shone a bright blinding light.
One of the Witches turned to them, revealing her lusty body but everyone was far too stricken with fear from the sudden reveal, another Witch holding a large mortar and pestle was given a baby Lamb whose legs were all broken as it cried out in pain.
One strike to its head and then another to its body as the mortar was spun around, the sound of the flesh getting crushed was audible even from afar and the Lieutenant who had his assault rifle up could feel his ration lunch coming up his throat. “O-O-OPEN FIRE!”
Immediately, everyone fired their guns. From assault rifles to light machine guns and even some, using their underbarrel grenade launchers and disposable Anti tank launchers, the platoon of players unleashed everything they got at it. Lighting up the entire forest as the Holy Mage got an image shot straight to his retinas.
The sky had turned red, bloody red and running open an open field was a black horse and slowly, its skin began to flay, its flesh coming off but it continued to run and run till it caught fire. “AAAAHHHH! HELP! HELP! MOTHER! THE PALE HORSE! THE PALE HORSE IS HERE!” The Elven Lieutenant quickly trained his pistol as the Mage and shot him straight in the head as he pointed it back at the coven of Witches.
There bullets weren’t doing anything as it seemingly phased through them and the Witch with the mangled corpse of a lamb inside the mortar up to the bonfire as black tentacles came down from the cosmic sky, training there guns up, the Lieutenant couldn’t even utter a word at what he was seeing.
Unfathomable, and unknown, the blackish creature with two legs and two arms, through its body, having a slimy texture to its skin and a cylindrical body had numerous appendages coming out of its back but deep within his soul, the fire burns brighter. His eyebrows frowned as the scrawny Sergeant came rushing past him with a SMAW rocket launcher. “BACK BLAST!” He quickly gets a hold of himself and dives into the grass. “CLEAR!”
Pulling the trigger, the high explosive hits the creature and gunfire starts once again, this time pointing upward as another munition casing, this time with a Thermobaric Anti Mana Warhead. “BACK BLAST!” The Lieutenant just taps his helmet once and he opens fire and a powerful explosion blinds them all, their ears ringing as the bright white covering their eyes reduces into the dark forest once again.
As if with a blink of an eye, the forest was silent once again and the empty sky was getting lit up by tracer fire. “E-Eh?” The two players looked around and the trees were devoid of bullet holes, the only thing that left a trace still was the blown up broken tree in the prairie. “H-HOLD FIRE!” The forest was absolutely ruined, with bullet holes and broken bark, some of the trees falling from the amount of bullets shot into them and all they hear as a light and peaceful Meh of a sheep.
With the order, everyone came back to their senses as they lowered their weapons. “WE’RE MAKING A RUN BACK TO RALLY POINT ALPHA! EVERYONE! GET YOUR PACKS AND AMMO! LET’S GO!”
Approaching the airfield out of the Three Rivers City, Jackson receives an emergency call from the flatscreen TV which he immediately answers. “General sir, this is Colonel Langley from the Two hundredth Infantry Brigade and we have a report to give to you.” He leans forward, seeing the serious expression on the face of the officer. “We have a Combat Patrol that returned an hour after a canceled deployment to an Observation Post in Southern Central Schon. They… encountered a Pale Walker and what could only be called a Cosmic God that was summoned by a coven of Witches.”
This made his eyes open wide as he looked at Bahamut and then back to the screen. “Wha-what did it look like, Colonel?” The CO then bought an illustration made by the Lieutenant of the Platoon, its true features were unmarked as it was all black but the badly made picture was more than enough to alert him and all of the girls were already behind him, staring intently at the screen. “Bahamut, can you say something about this?”
“Master, as I said. The Mana of Schon is going crazy. I do not think I have much to say from this as loose Mana could make one see delusions or increase the activity of the unknown. If it was truly something cosmic, then they’d all be dead by now… I think this needs to be further investigated, Master.”
“And the coven of Witches? The Pale Walker too, I don’t think that’s local fauna here. That’s an enemy Deamon in Tur.”
“With all of the things happening here, Master. The only observation I could give is that the Underworld is making its moves again but it's being very careful to not gain attention to them. They know how much gung ho we can get and are unpredictable.”
“Again? After the Woodstock debacle? Aren’t they becoming a bit too active? Colonel, what happened? None of them died?”
“One respawned. A Holy Mage. He said he saw an image of a skeleton horse riding on an open field.” Jackson just scratches his head as the seatbelt sign turns on. Making everyone sit down. “Well, have them sent to the rear. They don’t need to see combat after witnessing something like that.” he then goes silent for a bit, thinking carefully.
“My Lord, would you believe me if I were to tell you that this could be related to Woodstock?” Jackson nodded as she looked at the illustration. “... I believe, with my knowledge of the history of Geraldia, that is the same Coven, My Lord. That Incantation Bowl must’ve released a Great Demon Lord who is connected to the Moon.” a long hard sigh was all the General could muster as reply.
“Colonel, contact Woodstock for me and have them send me a report about the history of the place the city got teleported into.”
“Yes sir.” He takes the remote and closes the TV as a bit of turbulence comes and the Private Jet descends below the clouds, reaching below it. It reveals the Three Rivers Fortress City has been completely taken over by the UN. Most of its walls had players guarding it with mounted weapons.
The two pilots in the cockpit kept it cool as the rugged runway that’s been battered by the large cargo planes taking off and landing in a constant hourly schedule was in sight and they began to line up for the final approach.
To the left side of the airfield was a large opening with a massive magic circle. Players numbering in the tens of thousands were gathered there and an Archmage would activate the teleporter, making so many people vanish with a blink of an eye and the replenishment of the consumables restarts. “Do we even have enough Elven Birch Tree Bark for this?” His line of sight was then broken by the large aluminum hangers where even more players were gathered up.
The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.
Some were already loading up people, most of them being the other side of the Dark World’s Community which were Halfings, Fur Humanoids, and Lizard folk and not one aircraft hangar was on standby, with the cargo planes in a constant rotation while on the terminal, more proper passenger aircrafts were parked up.
As they came near to the edge of the runway, a wide body passenger aircraft took to the edge. The pilots of the Private Plane remained calm as they glided meters above it and landed as soon as possible as they depressed both of the rudder pedals, turning on the brakes of the landing gears and bringing the plane to slow down.
Being brought to the tarmac used by the military, there was no parade to greet him and he himself instantly jogged away when the door was opened and into the convoy of lightly armored vehicles. His Mine resistant vehicle being packed by the three women as the assassins boarded the remaining ones in the back and front. “Jackson! Paul!” as he was about to get in, a familiar voice came from his back. “I figured you’d have more women by now. Aren’t you a playboyin’ son of a gun.”
Turning around as the person opens the driver door. with his silky pomade and blue eyes, it was a face he is far more acquainted with. “JOHN! YOU MOTHERFUCKER!” The two immediately exchanged a bear hug as they both patted each other's shoulders. “Ahahaha, good to see you, Paul. You’ve been making a lot of mess lately so I’ll drive you there and make sure you don't collect more local women to your harem.” he then got on the MRAP, exchanging handshakes with his party.
“Alana, looking beautiful as always!” The Countess giggled and bowed respectfully to him. “Bahamut! My favourite Dragon ever! How have you been?!” she hugged John briefly and patted his shoulders as he sat on the driver seat. “Ahahahah! I’ve been good!” and finally, he looks at Elizabeth. “And if it ain’t the Queen. Looking dashing as ever. That interview too was a piece of work.” she smiled at him and blinked slowly. “Of course, take it as a gift from me to all Earthlings.”
Jackson though hopped on shotgun and looked at John. “Where’s Treala?” the Air Force General goes on his radio and spoke only one word. “Go.” and the column began rolling through the dirt road. “She’s at Three Rivers. Guarding the Headquarters and the VVIP from the Mages Association.”
“Three Rivers?”
“She’s guarding the Almukah City Square where I’ll be delivering you and your ladies…” He peeks over him and waves at Alana and Elizabeth. “Man, you’ve been busy haven’t you. Alana, how was Woodstock?” She smiles at him and elegantly bows his head. “I’ve had a wonderful time, Sir John. The food culture was also beautiful.” he then looks at Elizabeth, a lusty grin on his face as he admires her magnificent form. “And Miss Bartley, you look wonderful. That Cosplay Magazine did not do justice but you make a good Bishamonten. Though the Kiss Shot one was pure art. I suggest you do-” seeing there were only two people behind them, he tilts his head at the rear view mirror.
Looking around, John squinted his eyes as he peered over Jackson’s shoulders even more. “Huh? Where is Bahamut? Don’t tell me she got out as you got in, Paul.” He then felt a presence next to him. “What? I am here. Also, how are the Dragons of Castle Eldwood doing?” Turning his head to his left, the Air Force General just lifted his cap and gave her a big wide smile. “Aw, look at you. From an itsy bitsy cutie Black Dragon to a tall hot goth mom-”
He gets his collar tagged by Jackson who just gave him a sigh and a blank stare. “Oh, Yamaoka is already there with the Skeleton Generals in command of the two Field Armies assigned to you. Ladies and Gent, please follow me.”
“It’s really happening, huh.”
“Yeah… and it’s only going to become harder from here on out with the Mana Cores all closed. We’re dependent now on what we can maintain on hand with magic and the materials from the Locals. Whatever we have stockpiled can last us for a month at most, though that depends on the attrition level." He then leaned towards Jackson as they drove out of the tarmac and into the barracks section of the airfield. Traffic completely stopped for the convoy of high ranking people.
“Though, what are you here for? Wasn’t the UNAF meant to stage more combat air wings on the West? Since the desert is pretty much perfect for what you are supposed to do?”
“I’ve been given command of the entirety of the UN Air Combat Command. All air and rotary wings from this side of the isle are under my direct control and most players went here where civilization is more concentrated… So, after a few days, I’ll have to fly back to the West with Treala.”
“Dang, we’ve been all busy… how’s Trevor? Ramirez? Or the Big Boss himself?”
“Scattered. Hassan is in Iron Mountain, I heard he went and massacred like fifty of the Demon Assassins, littering multiple floors with their decapitated bodies. Trevor? I think he is somewhere in the mainland and Ramirez is in Dragovh. The rest are also everywhere.” They soon exited out of the wire and into the forest of Schon, the bushes were thick in all directions, the trees themselves so close to each other that a tank could barely fit in between them.
“And the teleportation to the portal fortress? What’s the situation there?” Every now and then, the sound of a branch smacking the thick armored glass would happen but Jackson was far too fixated on John to even react as their convoy drove through a path that is nowhere near meant for vehicles of such size and weight. “One of the Mage's Association Grand Wizard guy will tell you. He’s been here since the start of the evacuation. The one Treala is guarding.”
The road then began to get wider and wider as the Fortress City’s walls came into sight. “This place is older than most of the cities in Dragovh. Built by the people of Vitas, strengthened by the Dark Elves, it came under control of the Rogues. It’s older than most empires on Earth." The gates were left open due to the massive influx of trucks and buses, going in loaded and exiting out empty as the dirt path’s many potholes got larger and larger and the noises of the engines drowned out the forest completely.
Most of the houses were in bad shape, many already leaning in odd directions as the pain and colors had long been done and the wooden covers for the windows on most of the buildings were either gone or were hanging by the last nail as it swayed ruthlessly by the amount of vehicles passing through the stone road in front of it.
Sidewalks are full of players, most of them in a long line whose end is far into the zigzagging street with buses parked by the alleys and smaller roads making the congestion a headache for a city not even built for modern cars.
“The guy the Mage’s Association sent is a bit of a weirdo, but he knows his shit.” Jackson just turns around to the three girls sitting side by the side behind him. “I think I am more than equipped for the matter.” John just had a smirk as they entered the main city streets. Most of the buildings were made out of wood, no glass nor even plaster on the walls as far the eye could see and none of the original citizens were present.
They then cross a cobblestone bridge. The checkpoint stood in salute as they passed by and drove straight to the city square where two people stood out from the sea of camouflage uniforms and medieval outfits.
Wearing an odd neo future white suit, two pale people, an outstandingly astute man with broad shoulders, excellent height and black hair that’s divided in the center and a smaller height woman with a shoulder length white golden hair stood in the middle of the square as they nonchalantly conversed with the Mage’s Associations Field Wizards.
All in all, as Jackson and John exited out the MRAP. They both looked like uncouth reprobates walking to ascended people as they excused themselves in the crowd of high level sorcerers and mages.
“Ah, General Paul Jackson.”
“Y-Yes. That’s me.” He then properly stood before the Grand Wizard. Saluting the top notch magician. Jackson’s eyes couldn’t truly stare at the magic man’s light blue eyes as he gave the General an empty smile, it didn’t activate the natural tendency to smile back at him. “I am Solomon, pleased to meet you. Grand Wizard of the Third Chair.” he then reaches his hand out, and touches it. The man felt some heat but the fingertips were oddly cold to the point the contact gave him chills. “I really prefer it when you guys are wearing your old people disguises.”
“Pfft. And this is my assistant, Grand Wizard Hermes of the Tenth Chair.” She bows to him and reaches out her small boney hands and he accepts it with grace. “It seems the Vampires had instilled some culture into you, General.” he smiles but the lady’s grin seemed off to him. “You must take good care of their blood, the Minuit and Bartley bloodlines is enough to shake entire continents. Be sure to know well what weight and power there very veins hold both in reality and socially." With a nod, he turns his attention to Solomon.
“Well… How’s the evacuation?”
“As planned. Most of my Wizards had returned, these are the best men and women the Association could offer and they had done their task. Not one player remains within this side of the continent that’s not in this region.”
“Good. And the ones here? How long till they get out?” John though looks at one of the Mages who uses magic to materialize an apple. He smiles and gladly takes it. Biting as Jackson conversed with the Grand Wizard.
He flicks his finger and a white crow appears on his shoulder. “Ka-caw! Lord Solomon, with my calculations, I believe it will be done within tomorrow at the very least. It could become faster if you could use your Magician's great trait of Wind manipulation and increase air traffic’s efficiency.” he then looked at a seemingly random Mage at an instant. “Return by the evening.”
To Jackson’s surprise, the player bows and begins to float. “Of course, My Lord.” He didn't look like he was struggling at all as he took off to the direction of the airfield. The General could only shake his head in disbelief with the mastery in show, the discipline and perfection of their respective magics is unheard off even for someone like him. “Tomorrow, General. Only three hundred thousand will players remain in Schon. We will then make it for the Central Schontic Army Depot.”
“And any news on what they could do with the Respawn Point they stole? Or the Incantation Bowl?”
“I believe not much. They already know how to kill us permanently when they first moved their hand in those three Kingdoms with their robots.” The Grand Wizard puts his hands behind his back, the white crow on his shoulder looking at the Dragon as it observed it's Humanly shape closely. “And for the Incantation Bowl, it’s basically useless. It’s already been broken. What we need is a way to kill whatever it released. Goddess, I presume you already have an idea?”
Behind him, Bahamut was ready to pounce on his talking pet. “What? No. The Mana is crazy here. I need a stable biosphere to read and detect things from afar.” Solomon then looms his eyes to Jackson who just shrugs. “What? If you wanna complain about how she speaks, English is not my first language and I only learned most of it from eighties action movies.”
Hermes just had a playful expression on her as she gave Solomon a wink. “Very well. But General, I suggest you drop these priorities fully. Whatever our enemies has in store for us, it’s nothing meager like what you’re imagining. No, it's something far worse than any of us could even muster.” Squinting and crossing his arms, Jackson leans into John who was scratching his head as he ate his apple. “So why would they go to that length then? Just to show off that they can appear anywhere and mess with us? Or maybe to tell us they know how to infiltrate every facet of our societies? They should know that we aren’t that easy to demoralize.”
This made the Grand Wizard smirk as he lifted his finger up his chin, stroking it. “Hm, though just theories. We do think it might be somewhere along that line.” This made the General squint his eyes even more, in the back of his head, he knows how dangerous these people are. “But whatever is in store for us in the future, I do hope the Heroes can make it in time… time is not something we can freely use now.” This made Jackson put up a smirk and turn around. “Please make haste with the evacuation. John, where’s the Forward Headquarters and that Elf girl of yours?”
John with an eaten apple in hand turns to a large warehouse at the Town Square, and raises his arm where he throws the fruit at its upper window and as it flies towards it, an arrow is fired from deep inside it.
Walking at the edge of the window, a lanky Elven girl sets her left foot on the edge as she waved her hand. “Ah! Sir Jackson! We meet once again!” he smiles and waves back at her. “Of course! Pleased to see you again Treala!” Her green short dress was gone, replaced with a more armored leather and enchanted pauldrons and sabatons as her former long flowing free hair was now regulated to a lengthy blonde ponytail.
As he approached the warehouse, the main doors remained closed, forcing him to go into the smaller one next to it where the players saluted the two high ranking officers and inside, he was greeted with a large number of tables with hardened laptops. In the center of it was Yamaoka in the aristocratic white and blue officer’s uniform of the Shine Guards. With a golden accent to it, he stood out in the sea of multicam camouflage as he looked at the large screens showing the maps. “And can anyone find Mars? Thank you.”
“Huh, M’Lord. Bahamut is also gone.” He and John both turn around as Treala drops down from the second floor and peeks over the Air Commander’s shoulders. “What… where did she go now?” He walks back a bit and looks at the square as the Wizards all dispersed to their duties, leaving just the lines and the players taking a break from the exhausting wait. “Ah dang it, I hope she didn’t find anything shiny from the locals.”
He walks back into the warehouse, going to the center where Yamaoka gave him and John a quick salute. “Good afternoon, Sir McKinley, Sir Jackson. How was the flight?” He smiled and the two exchanged a shake. “Terrible. My sleep schedule is shot up to bits. Didn’t even watch the inauguration of the Heroes as they set off to the Empire.” Thomas just laughs as he points at the map and the valleys that surround their region. “Oh! Let me show you what the satellites showed.”
As he starts scrolling on the screen, moving the map away from there location, the mountainous terrain basically landlocked them in the region and upon zooming out did the marking of the territory of Vitas appear, the only path towards it is through a small slit on the valley formation where a Gate City awaits and on the other side was open plains for as far the eye could see.
Labeled with a big red bold text on the territory of the Kingdom of Vitas was a large “DO NOT ENTER, WITHIN LASER TOWER RANGE!” and on the edge of the luscious plains that borders into the dead soil of the Kingdom was a camp.
Turning his head to it, the land was still ambrosian and green with the satellite photos revealing a tent camp that was the size of a small city and for the first time, he saw clear images of Giants and their plate armor and chainmail. Some of them wield massive towering shields and greatswords. “Holy… is this supposed to be part of the Underworld’s legions?” he touches the screen and is surprised it moves. “Oh, let me see more then.” Zooming in, the tents were far more numerous than he thought as he finally could notice the scope of the base and it exceeds whatever he previously had in mind.
The Goblins were wearing chainmail while their larger Orcish brothers donned the same but with a mixture of light plate armor and metal pauldrons. They also had proper specialized groupings with mages and mounted infantry riding on mutant armored wolf-like creatures. “Get this, Jackson.” he then takes to the screen also, scrolling to the center where a huge fire pit was, but it emitted a blue color. “That is a magic barrier. An invisible one. If we were to bombard it with cruise missiles, it’d stop. So we have to spend precious Anti Mana Warheads as we don’t even know how powerful it is.”
This made Jackson rub his chin almost immediately, resting his hand on his cheek as he moved the photo around, just observing the entire place calmly. “Elizabeth, can you send your assassins?” she nods and with a look at the empty window on the open second floor and then back to him, the golden woman then approaches the screen. “Tonight, My Lord, we should get a report. May I?” He steps aside as she makes space for the Queen and Countess.
She’d then drag the satellite map around, closely observing the top view of the camp. “Truly, this is a proper army. Countess, what do you make of this?” The teenage beauty just got struck with an odd sense of curiosity as in the back of the camp, Giants were busy assembling siege towers. “Your Majesty, M’Lord, not even the current Vampire Kingdom is aware of this strength. The Royal House and their numbers do not even come near to this actual projection. Whatever force we have, it might only be enough to level the field.”
“I see the both of you haven’t changed a bit. Jackson, you’ll make great work with them. Just like in Zavalda. Elizabeth-sama herself should have a handful aces up her sleeve.” Jackson just sighs as he walks next to Thomas, his body as stoic as ever as he laid his eyes on the two ladies taking in the images they’ve been given. “I know we will. But… an army that size could easily be at eight hundred thousand.”
Thomas nods as John just kept quiet, his usual vigor and positive attitude has completely dissipated as the warehouse echoes the sounds of computers and dials going. “It’s actually around that, with a thousand giants serving as their tractors for the battlements and cannons while also serving as heavy tank units, like in Zavalda. Sir John’s planes will do a lot of carrying.”
“So, what do we do then? Our main objective is to delay as much as possible.” Jackson looked at everyone as he turned back to the screen. “Though our Field Armies can easily crush that, I wonder how the Portals will play a role in this. If we shore up defenses here, and those Portals open behind us too, we’re trapped.”
“My Lord, may I recommend something?” he turns to her, the Queen elegantly having her chin resting on her hand. “I believe this bears an assault. Uncouth may it be to attack their resting camp, it'd be best if we keep a mobile posture.” Yamaoka zooms out the screen to a world map, showing that there’s a gate city between them, kept inside the valley that separates the Wildlands of Schon to the proper territory of Vitas. “But how are we gonna get through that though?”
Jackson just lifts his hand up his eyes, covering it completely. “This is going to be a pain in the ass but Elizabeth is right. We’ll have to meet them in battle and hope for the best. If portals open behind us, since we’re mobile, we can just shoot our way out. But that gate city of sorts though…”
“We’ll think about that later. For now, McKinley, is there any news for our reserve vehicles and the Skeleton Generals in charge?” Jackson then looked at the Organization of Battle with him being on top and as he orders, the Field Armies given to him have been distributed between him and Yamaoka. “Where are they anyways?” Thomas then points towards the West of the city. “Inside the dense forest. They're standing there like terracotta warriors inside the bushes. We have to free up space for the volume of civilians and their transports.”
“We don’t have to do that though. John, can you take care of this instead? Have one of your Colonels take charge, me and Yamaoka have to get to action and talk to the Skeleton Generals in charge of them.” the fellow Death Knight player of Eldwood nods with glee. “Of course! Treala is more inclined with this anyways than waging war.” The Elf nodded as she puts her elbow high up into John’s flat shoulders.
“We Wood Elves aren’t one for war unlike our High Elf cousins. We much prefer a quiet life with nature and taking care of the Mother Tree.” She then looked at the direction of the square. “I feel great sadness with the knowledge that you are trapped here. Your only way out, with the wits of the Gods. This is the only form of solace I can offer to you Outworlders.” she then bowed to them and Thomas quickly replied with a 90 degree bow while Jackson gave her a smile.
A soldier then walks up to Yamaoka, saluting. “Sir, we spotted Goddess Mars. She’s at the tallest parapet on the North of the city with Bahamut. They're both sitting at the closed roof.” Jackson walks to the edge of the stage as his eyebrows frown. “What?!”
Sitting atop the stone tower, behind them, laying a well maintained Mana Cannon from a time before the Rogues, watching over the many chimneys that were producing smoke as the sounds of engines and rotors filled the atmosphere, the noise pollution becoming worse than that of a city, the two Dragons had a sack of potatoes which they’d cook the inside of and use magic to rip the upper part open as they ate what was its mashed insides.
“Pfft. Look at those disgusting people of the swamp.” Mars eyes a pair of Lizard players walking through the main road. “I wonder how Albion would react knowing we have to protect these walking shoes and leather clothes. If only we could muster a force to finally remove them from Tur.”
“Hah, Albion is no longer with us. It’s better to just think we’re doing this for the Humans we love. Though the Demon Chosen Ones, they need to be cleaned quickly first if I were them.”
“Ah, but they won’t.” Mars then eats the innards of the potato as she throws it behind her at another sack that’s already littered with potato skins. “It’s truly disgusting that those vile things believe they are related to us. Just because a Dragon created them. Pfft! They don’t even hold a cent of our grace.”
“But, Master said everyone, every Chosen One needs to be protected and delivered to the Portal Fortress. I just ignored it… and Mars, you weren’t even there in the final battle of our Kingdom.” the crimson haired woman leaned forward as she sighed. “I know, but… after Zavalda, I couldn’t help but linger at the thought of what it’d look like.”
“It was nothing grand. It was just a sad sight, no Dragon should live through the horrors of that battle. There was no glory in it. The sea was full of dead Wyverns and Dragons and it could heal even the dead fishes at the bottom.” Bahamut then makes two potatoes float towards her hands as she melted the insides with her magic. “The thrill of battle that we love so much wasn’t there. All I could feel was the weight of it all crushing the Dragon kind. It’s only due to our sheer perseverance that our kind continues to live on.”
Mars just wiggled her long legs at the battlement, sitting on the edge, she’d lean in and out whilst looking at the many players down below. “The Trov did well didn’t they?” The Black Dragon looked at her with a curious stare. “We needed believers to grow beyond of our physical forms and they needed something far more than themselves to believe in.”
She then roasted a potato completely and took one large bite off of it. “We wrote down our experiences into books, and they read it so well they became more in love with us than we are with ourselves.” The Dragon next to her just chuckled as she finished up her roasted potato. “They are truly a peculiar species, to see wonder in everything other than the truth. Master himself is one of these types.” Mars then leaned forward, to look at her friend's face. “So, Bahamut. What do you plan to do? Stay and do as a Dragon does when promised?”
“I have to. Did the Gods of this world also speak to you?”
“Hm. It wasn’t pretty at all. They seem more desperate than anything else.”
“The world they so cared for and created to meticulous details is on the verge of absolute destruction and take over. I think these Gods aren’t as strong as they make themselves out to be with how much they’ve spent on the Heroes and the summoning of us and the people of Tur. We can both surely take them on.” Though Mars smiled at the idea, she was then bought back and her sights lay on the square that’s tucked between the hundreds of two storey houses. “But would our Humans approve of such a thing, Bahamut? They don’t do things the same way as we Dragons do. You could tell that to Dragonlord Jackson but he would not agree to that.”
“Haaaah… I know… but I also know Master would stay here if it meant being with me, to support me with all his might and being. He… he is that type of Human. Doesn’t surprise me a King’s sword made its way to his hands.”
“Thomas would be the same.” She then flicks her finger and the potato peels itself open completely, leaving only the insides. “Defending those An’shets. Can you believe it? Me, Mars. The Crimson Dragon that was born from the endless wars of Tur, holder of Star Ray, the Greatsword powered by a crystalized star.” She eats her meal in whole, swallowing with ease. “I’d rather use that sword against those taints of nature, but I guess that is for another day.”
Hearing this made Bahamut just smile and blink. “Let’s… not use our swords for something this trivial.” Mars though shrugged her head and leaned into her. “What? Do you know one of them even said my expiry date expired. How does that even make sense?!” though for Bahamut, it made her smile a bit. “That’s… not that bad. I overheard a bunch of those lizards mention us and said that we are so old we could’ve probably gotten a signed copy of the Bible if we were on Earth.”
After a bit of silence, the two sigh in unison. “One of Thomas’ friends said we’re probably old enough to be the Co founders of Tur.” Bahamut though one ups her as a memory gushes over her head. “Ah! But one told Master that I am so old I probably was alive when the last Demon Kingdoms fell!”
Mars just had a blank expression on her face as she tilted her head. “But… you are.” Bahamut just pushes her finger up Mars’ forehead. “Oy! Your friends are probably fossil fuel by now!” Mars then pushes back on the Black Dragon, using her head to swipe away her finger as she drives her forehead up hers. “Hah?! It’s not my fault you had so little friends! At Least I don’t need to go to a museum to reminisce about my times!”
Bahamut then pushes her back, both of their heads clashing against one another. “Why? Because you tucked tail and ran since you were angry that I defeated you? At Least I could respond to most ancient stories by simply saying that I was actually there!”
The Red Dragon then pushes her back, her eyebrows in a frown. “I would be saying the same if you didn’t lock me up and take away my wings!” As the two growled at each other like predators preying upon each other's territories, the sound of a bus stopping took their attention away as it began boarding players.
“Pfft. Just save it for when we return to Tur, Mars. We’ll put them down like the mongrel beasts they are. We don’t need to be fighting over something so miniscule.” They both then suddenly stood up, looking at the edge of the forest where their eyes locked into something in the far horizon. “Did… Bahamut, you felt it too, right?”
Apparitions made of pure shadow began to appear, unseen by the normal eye, the two Dragons got shivers sent to their spines as the players carried out about these days, ignoring the blackened shadowy creatures standing amongst them. “I… I haven’t felt like this since that day. Mars, do you think…?” looking at her, the red haired woman had a ghastly grin to her. “Ah. It’s here.”
The Black Dragon closed her eyes and breathed in, which made Mars do the same and as they stood atop the battlement, the air rushing through their clothes, the Mana has shifted, the feeling down to their very bones and the primordial essence of their soul all led to one conclusion.
They both opened their eyes at the same time. “It has begun…” Mars then turns to her, both of their golden shimmering eyes gleaming in full. “The wrath of the Cosmic Gods in all their fury has arrived.”
Inside the warehouse, alarms were set off as the screen quickly shifted to the Mana Detector and Counter that’s sitting at the roof, the Mana spikes are unheard of, even surpassing that of the Zavaldia initial portal open as the air began to shake in a violent way.
Everyone’s senses then became dulled, as if they reached a certain altitude and air wasn’t just as readily available and in a sudden action, an explosion akin to that of an atomic bomb was set off in the skies above them.
Its shockwave was so strong that even though its mushroom head was all they could see from how far it was, it managed to reach them within a handful of seconds. Making window covers be blown open as aircraft flying was disturbed.
Behind the two Dragons, an apparition of a creature from the great beyond, tentacles reaching out its back watches Bahamut turn around and pick up the sack of potatoes. They then unfurled their wings, flying to the center of the city and more and more explosions occurred far away.
They did not even bother to land on the square, flying straight to the windows of the warehouse where they arrived inside just as John was rushing out with Treala collecting the two Grand Wizards and the entire place was a mess with players going in all sorts of directions accepting calls for reinforcements and medical aid. All possible alarms were being rattled, everything that could mobilize were on the move.
In slow motion, as Bahamut observes their surroundings with Mars, both of them couldn’t believe the sudden upheaval. It was pure chaos as everyone went and did as they could with the power they have, some panicking and losing their minds as they grasp the unfolding situation they find themselves in.
“Master!”
“Sir Jackson, where is Thomas?”
“Thank God, Bahamut! I need your help, asap!” he then points outside. “Thomas is helping a civi on the street. He still hasn’t changed. It's a man looking for a missing girl. Bahamut, I need you to fly to the ammo dump and check the damage, I’ve already sent Alana and Elizabeth to the others.”
“Ahem. Ahem.” The voice of a woman echoed throughout the entire city, making everyone turn to the direction it was coming from, even Jackson who was knee deep in radio calls and important discussions couldn't help but turn his head. “Krk… krrrk..” hearing this, it made Mars and Bahamut both walk towards the huge door to the warehouse.
Without even a care to the world, they kick the thick metal door outwards, sending it to the city square as the two Dragon Gods look up to the ancient three storey building. The ruckus made Thomas run to the warehouse where he noticed the two Dragons staring at something and turning his head to where they were looking made his eyes instantly fixated on it.
Donning the blood robes of the Underworld was a rotting demonic woman, her hand gripping the neck of a little girl who had a sharp red tail and horns, she was gasping for air as the fingers of the inhuman creature were digging in her small neck as she constantly tried to scratch her fingers to no avail. “Hello! People of the other world! How does it feel to be ripped from your lives and be taken to this place? I hope you haven’t had many issues!”
Bahamut and Mars both stood as still as a statue, with Jackson and Thomas both at their sides, the two’s eyes were in attack mode, as if they were just waiting for the moment to perform a killing blow as the walking corpse of a zombie demon looked down at them. “Ah, Dragons. I believe this is your kin, right? I do wonder how does Dragons from your world taste like. Oh, I wonder if your souls can be used for something else! I’ve captured many Dragons before and their souls were so strong that it made it so fun to keep them in Stygian Jars!”
With her free hand, she then grips the base of the tail of the little dragon girl. “Krrrk… please… no…!” as if the Priestess heard nothing, she began to slowly pull on it, making her cry out in pain.
This sent the two Dragon Gods in a manic state as their Humans had to get in their way. “BAHAMUT! NO! THAT’S A TRAP!” She didn’t listen, still pushing forward as the two Generals put both their weights into them. “Heh. Creatures with Motherly Instincts are so easy.” The undead demon then began to pull even more, as blood began gushing out and the tailbone becoming exposed. “AHAHAHA! Oh, I wonder if this will kill you? Doesn't your kin have the ability to stop blood flow to limbs that've been removed?”
“Master, I’d like to say sorry. But, even with all my might, I cannot remove what is natural to me.” She then looks up to the Priestess. “I’ve taken care of many Dragons before, I nourish, teach, and protect them.” She slowly turns her head to Jackson who was frantic in halting her advance. “How can I call myself a proper Dragon if I cannot even save a mere Wyvern girl from death? My soul cannot bear such an insult. This is my natural duty, and I will fulfill it.”
“Bahamut, I will rip that things head off, you’ll skin it alive and leave its body to the cosmic creatures you hold to eat and devour painfully.”
“Hm. We will give it a lengthy torture. Its very soul must become nothing.” They both once again unfurled their wings, taking off and leaving the two on their feet as the Underworld Priestess then started to float. Mars quickly shot a beam of golden magic at it as Bahamut took to the flanks and spoke of an ancient spell.
As the Wyvern girl began to heal, the Demon Priestess’ already rotting and zombified body began to liquify as she held the little girl in her arms. “Oh… interesting. Very interesting. So this is magic I can level with!” and suddenly, the skies turn red, devoiding the entire city of color as even lights didn’t even seem to work and almost instantly, the players began to take out their weapons, ready for the fight.
The Underworld Priestess then began to fly away with the two Dragon Gods in her tail as the mana became utterly heavy, enough to put everyone to their knees and above, a small disruption in the atmosphere became noticeable.
With the shape of a small black circle, Jackson and Thomas both squinted at it as they pushed their bodies to the limits to look up in curiosity. “ELYSIUM COMES!” The Demonic Priestess cried out as a tiny black portal suddenly expanded to cover the entire planet in mere seconds. The two Generals' hair stood up, their eyes watering at the corporeal dimensional hole that had engulfed the city and before they knew it, everyone’s knees became weak, making them fall to the ground unable to get back up. The two Dragon Gods had their halo’s become physical, shocked, and suddenly felt a cold shiver crawl up to their heads. “Mars! Tundus ilt bi’ tao!”
The Crimson Dragon’s scales became emboldened with a shower of gold and platinum as she opened her mouth and flames that could make a star look like a candle burst out in full. The Demon Priestess tries to avoid the trailing fire, whistling into the hills but the fire just plows through the terrain as a larger hole was created with an angry Dragon God, her body had become even bigger. Her act alone razed two thirds of the entire hillside as Bahamut kept a watch from a higher altitude.
Upon seeing the Crimson Dragon was coming closer and closer to the Demon, the Black Dragon spread her frontal legs. “CORE!” Her head began tracking the Priestess as it arched around the hill and upon reaching halfway through the curve, Bahamut held the skyscraper sized Claymore's handle with two hands and with one swipe created a massive flying blade that was following the creature from another world.
It looks up and smiles. “Oh, looks like I’ll have to go. We shall meet again beauties! Your souls are perfect!” Before the translucent flying blade of pure cutting energy could reach her, the Priestess disappears, leaving the little girl to fall down.
She tries to use her wings, but being far too young, her flapping was far too fast and mismatched to make her gain altitude, this made Mars to shield her from the blade as it hits her spine armor, causing a massive clank that could be heard for tens of miles. As if a massive cannon just bounced off an armored mountain.
Inside the Three Rivers City, Jackson is trying to stand up. But the weight of the portal was crushing everyone’s spirit. Not even the two high level players could withstand it, but the lower level ones were on the verge of tearing their eyes out from the visions they were witnessing from the cosmos.
A pair of massive black shadows then flew past the entire city. Suddenly, Jackson and Thomas felt less weight on their backs, able to look up to witness the two Dragon Gods with halo’s above their vertical horns. “Beautiful… just magnificent." It made him shed a tear as he looked back down and clenched his fist. “ALRIGHT! COME ON! RAAAHHH!” With his scream, the General starts to slowly rise.
The veins on his hands became visible as Jackson pumped every bit of adrenaline, blood, and gut he had to stand up. “GAAAAHHH!” The man's scream was painful and hard but this made Thomas try even harder as the General then finally manages to fully stand straight up.
But the sheer weight on his shoulders was far more than anyone could bear but this didn’t stop him from walking towards Yamaoka and reaching out his hand. “WE WILL RETURN HOME!” As the drums, the beating sounds of the Eldritch truth descended upon Threa, the Dragon Gods with their swords looked up to the unimaginably huge portal and swung their blades, lightening the cosmic effect.
This made the two Generals now able to finally walk freely but the players on the other hand were a different story, with only a handful of them being able to at least lean upwards.
Thomas began running towards them as Jackson grabbed his arm. “No! They have to stand up with their own willpower! There’s just far too many!” He then dashes towards the center of the square where he unsheathes his Vampire sword. “COME ON EVERYONE! STAND UP! WE MUST LIVE!”
No one is able to hear him out properly as they all griped the weight of the foreign space invading the biosphere of Threa, with flesh already seemingly growing on the crevices of the cobblestone floor.
Appearing from behind him were the two Grand Wizards, their color was still the same, the light they emit was able to dispel the red hell of the cosmic world. “General, you may not trust us for what we did to you and your friends and guild, but believe me when I tell you that it was all to lead you to this.” The two Grand Wizards then touch his sword’s sharp edge. “The Mad Gods will be defeated, and an age of peace will reign over this world.”
Gripping the blade, the two Grand Wizards bled and the Vampiric Sword sucks in there essence and lights up a bright ruby color which made the players in the city’s heads feel lighter. Seeing this, Jackson removes his revolver from its holster and points it upward.
“ARISE! GREAT COMMUNITY!”
“ARISE FOR A FIGHT TO THE DEATH!” He then shot two rounds which made everyone’s head turn to him. “AGAINST THE DARK COSMIC FORCES!” His glass sword then grew even brighter as the highest leveled players began to be able to move again. “AGAINST THE CURSED HORDE, OUR NOBLE WRATH WILL BOIL OVER LIKE A WAVE! FROM TAKING US FROM OUR HOMES AND DESTROYING THIS PLANET THAT TOOK CARE OF US!”
One by one, the players began to stand up. “THIS IS THE PEOPLE’S WAR! A SACRED WAR! AGAINST THE ELDRITCH TRUTH! AGAINST THE COSMIC EVIL!” Looking up, the two Dragon Gods roared in joy as Bahamut dives straight down towards the city square where she turns to a Human once again. “Master! We must move quickly! The soil has begun to move! The Labyrinth and Dungeon Portals have been activated!”
Looking at the players, they have all stood up and picked up their weapons, the two Grand Wizards revealing their Platinum Staff whose light brought back the color of the city. “Go, General Jackson, McKinley. We will both stay here and defend. I know you do not trust us, but your path of retreat won’t disappear. We will make sure they will prioritize this place over you.”
With this, the two Generals looked to Bahamut who swiftly turned to a Dragon once again. “Thomas, let’s get to work. Are radios working?” he runs inside the warehouse and jogs back out, shrugging his head. “Something is heavily interfering with the radio towers and outposts right now.” he looks up, making Jackson do the same. “Alright… How about Telepathic Magic? The mana in the area might be all messed up but it should be able to go through, right?”
Yamaoka shrugs his head as Mars landed and turns into her smaller form, much like what Bahamut would do. “I do not recommend it. Telepathic Magic goes both ways, Jackson. If Thomas were to do it, we would be a lighthouse on a dark foggy shoreline.” This made the General turn to the black dragon who instantly knew what to do.
Hopping into her back, Jackson points towards the forest to the east. “Bahamut, take us there. The Field Army needs to be ordered.” as she spreads her wings, the Black Dragon lifts its head and turns it to look at her back. “Oy Mars, you better fly by yourself. Only our land bound warriors may ride on the backs of Dragons!”