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South of Alvern village, a truck convoy consist of 100 Alana’s troop arrives at New Terra’s army camp. After the attack on its territory New Terra has mobilize a battalions of 1,200 strong to retake the village while leave most of its force to defend Warwick.
Prof. Fay, Hellen and Roy all in military uniform step out from each of their truck to greet colonel Mattson. The human solider put their gun away when they saw Alana flag. Their current standard gun model in army is the assault rifle Sturmgewehr 44, the same one where Alana’s troops use.
“Welcome Mr. Machesky, Miss Hellen and Mrs. Fay. We’re glad to have you here.” Mattson salute all three teacher and bring them inside his command tent with table and map.
“We’re here to assist. What the situation?” said Roy.
“Around 20 caster and 300 goat and sheep from Dro Degar attack and slaughter the people of Alvern in the middle of the night a few days ago. From the report they target mostly human and wolf but there’re also report a few goat who were killed trying to stop them. The village itself have only a small police force with limited firearm so they fail to defend against a platoon of caster. At the moment the number of dead is uncertain but could be as high as 200 while many more are hiding or being held hostage in the village. My unit surrounded the village as soon as we get here and we exchange a few gun fire kill 4 caster wound 3 and take down around 50 goat while a few hundred of us were wounded by their magic. We could have retake Alvern already but had to stop after these fanatic start putting people on the roof as hostage and will kill everyone if we approach. At least for now they stop random slaughter inside Alvern.” Mattson understandably sound angry but he try to keep his composter. Mattson at the moment is the highest rank military official in Warwick his unit is the closest to Alvern.
“You already take down 4 caster? That is impressive but we radioed ambassador Armstrong that Alana help is coming and ask you to wait for us first.” said Roy.
“I’m sorry sir but that not the order I received. We were to take Alvern back immediately.” said Mattson.
Three teacher seem displease but didn’t press colonel further. “What about Amalthor? Is their army not arrive yet? These zealot came from their country and they said they would sent help.” said miss Hellen.
“Our scout spot their force crossing Pol river, should arrive at north of Alvern by tomorrow.” Mattson point at river on the map inside Amalthor territory.
“They sure take their time riding.” said Roy.
“I want to rescue the people of Alvern as soon as possible but Headmaster Osmond told us to wait for Amalthor so we shall wait. Tell your men we attack as soon as Amalthor arrives.”
“I will lead the south force, Fay will take west, Roy will be waiting for Amalthor in the north to coordinate with us when they arrive and our captain will be with you on east side with 50 of ours troops is that alright.” miss Hellen speak like a suggestion but Mattson know they are here to take command.
“Please allow me to talk to them first, as a follower of Amalthaea I might be able to convince them to stop these senseless killing.” said sister Fay.
As an officer of New Terra army Mattson knew he can’t let outsider order his army around like this but Roy, Hellen and Fay are all famous war heroes before his time. Mattson and many in the army even now admire and respect Roy achievements in the great cleansing when he was known as major Howitzers. They may be just a teacher with no rank but even a field marshal of any nation would have to stop and listen to what they have to say.
“Very well but officially I’ll be the one leading this operation if that alright with you.”
“Of course, like I said we’re here to assist.”
“How do you plan to assault their position...you’re not going to shell the village right major?” said Mattson.
“What? Haha! No, I’m not going shell a residential area.” Roy laugh at his own bad reputation who specialized in long range bombardment “And I’m not a major anymore just call me Roy.”
“Yes sir.”
“Please, you rank is higher than me there no need to use sir with us”
Mattson glance at Hellen who is over a century old and just nod.
Next day after a long wait a battalion of 1000 goat and sheep lead by Paladin Pwyll finally show up riding on their horse.
A use of car has been adopt by every nation for trade and transport but beside New Terra most other nation don’t has access to enough oil to sustain a wide use in large number so many still travel on horse.
Roy tell his men to radio everyone to get ready and he walk to meet with paladin Pwyll who get down from his giant salamander.
A paladin is equal rank to major general who usually lead a division of 20,000 troops. For Amalthor to sent him here with just 1000 goat is highly irregular but Roy can guess the reason why.
They would get a good headline for appearing like giving New Terra full cooperation in putting down terrorist by sending a paladin without needing to mobilize a full army. And also make everyone think the church have nothing to do with this terrorist act by Dro Degar but Roy doubt these zealot would dare attack human village without at least tell the church first.
Paladin in silver cuirass and navy clothes approach and look at the flag patch on Roy clothes before speak “Solider from Alana? Do you have a message for me?”
“I’m Prof. Roy. I’m here to coordinate our attack with you”
“Major Howitzers? It’s an honor to meet you I’m paladin Pwyll. Father Pan sent for me to assist the people of Alvern.”
“Yes, It’s an honor to meet paladin from Amalthor as well, sorry to cut to the chase but does your men ready to attack immediately the rest of our force is already in position and we were waiting for you before we attack.”
“I’m ready but most of my men has been riding since early morning to get here I would like them to rest for a moment if possible.”
“The zealot...” Roy observe Pwyll reaction as he try to find a word to describe those lunatic goat that attack Alvern, to Pwyll they are still a fellow brother and sister amalthorian.
“...have taken hostage on the roof. New Terra won’t wait any longer even if you won’t join the attack.”
“Very well...me and a few of my men should be enough to take back the village but let me try to talk with them first. I’m a paladin if they are a faithful as they claim they would listen to me.”
“We wasn’t aware that Amalthor would sent a paladin, sister Fay has already start negotiation. I radio them the moment I spot you.”
“I see...that too bad.”
At the west entrance of Alvern Fay walk in alone to demand a talk with their leader. The building that hostage was held is near the south entrance right now Hellen is trying to sneak in from the spot where the guard can’t see her, Alvern is still a big village with zealot needing to station men on all four side they can’t cover every wall and building, all Hellen is to do is to find a blind spot and push herself over the wall or window with her ice magic.
“So Alana finally sent someone” a male goat approach he signal other goat to lower their crossbow “do they think we would stop our lord work just because they sent in a sheep.”
“My name is sister Fay”
“I know who you are! The traitor! who abandon our god to work for those wolf.”
Fay quickly realize it was a mistake to sent her as a negotiator but there no going back now.
“I wasn’t aware that is how you see me. I left Amalthor to save our people, to bring peace and put an end to the war that was leading everyone to a path of destruction”
“By shaking hand with wolf and bird that enslave our people and keep us around like a livestock.”
“That was a long time ago all races agree to no longer eating...”
“US! But that not true is it sister? A black market where our people who gone missing was found lying on the table is still open inside Eardwulf right now and the biggest one is in their capital, Ardolf!.
“That is not true. We’re working with the wolf on this and already close more than hundred such shop since the war end. There are almost no such market in today time.”
“Lie! Those wolf were train since young to enjoy our meat as a reward. It’s in their instinct, they will never stop craving for our fresh. And so the lord said to strike down evil, thus we shall do his work on this earth.”
Fay try to reason with him “Only the older generation of wolf were raise in such way, all children nowadays are raise to see all races as conscious begin and it would be immoral to eat other being whose through the will of god awoken into this world. And if your agenda is with wolf and bird then why attack human settlement?”
“In the beginning they too enslave our people for skin and meat they must pay the price as well.”
“The people who live here did nothing to our people most of them is not even alive when it happen and neither is you! From what I can see you’re not even 30 yet why would you have such hatred for them? Please I beg you, let’s the hostage go they have done nothing wrong.”
“Their death shall be our message to the world that the true follower of Amalthaea is still here and we won’t stop until all evil is cleanse from this world with our father love. And now that Amalthor army is here there no need to keep them alive any longer.” the goat leader wave his hand and one of his men rush toward to building with hostage.
Goat and sheep on the roof start firing a crossbow at Fay but she summon a ice wall to protect herself “a man who walk with such hatred have no right to speak of love.”
“Congelo” 4 caster and their leader hail ice spike at Fay. She fall back to fire a flare gun she brought with her to signal the talk fail and now all force will begin their attack.
Fay notices two sheep caster on the back is the source of their water since it’s difficult to just create ice from thin air so when there is an open she fire two ice ball and knock those two out in one hit.
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“Dammit! Get a bucket of water out!” other zealot then rush around to get a water to their caster while Alana troops star open fire and dash to reach Fay.
But Fay who is better at controlling water simply use the water they bring to whip at their own men before zealot caster take control of water with their magic. The zealot is shock at the range she can control water.
“Too slow” Fay swat the whip at their leader but he’s able to block with his own ice wall.
“Get up! We train on our lives for this moment. For our father!”
Two goat caster slowly get back up while other zealot keep shooting arrow at Fay.
Fay can hear the sound of assault rifle so her troops is not far behind. For a moment she think she can capture everyone here without needing to kill them but at a corner of her eyes a goat pick a gun up from the box and fire at her.
Fay instinctively create ice wall just as she always have done since the time of great war. This ice wall is thicker than the one she use for defend against arrow because bullet have more firepower and this level of magic is always enough to stop them.
To her surprise the gun didn’t fire just one or five but 20 round in quick succession before it click out. Her wall shatter after 15 round and a few bullet fly pass her face, one cut right through her ear.
With the sharp pain Fay swat her hand cutting everyone nearby in half instantly.
The leader didn’t even know what hit him when his head fall to the ground, other zealot start running away in fear deeper into the village.
Many emotion hit Fay at once but shock and fear quickly fade remain only disappointment in herself that she had to kill so many people. She walk over to where to gun fall and pick it up. A Thompson submachine gun she finally recall.
She saw this gun in a report before, a submachine gun that Eardwulf develop after the war end but stop producing because their government found other alternative. This gun is able to fire much faster and hold more bullet in magazine than most gun human were using in the great war, back then most of old knowledge in the past era are lost and their industry is still not up and running so they can only made mostly semi-automatic gun where you shoot one bullet and have to load with bolt-action. As she take the magazine out she consider herself lucky cause if they were using 100 round drum magazine she saw in the report she might not be standing right now.
Then a sound of explosive wake Fay up making her upset at herself for lose focus while on the battlefield. It’s been too long since she fight on front line.
Fay rush ahead to the building where the hostage were hoping Hellen would have save them in time.
On the East side of the village Alana and New Terra troops charge at the entrance at the moment they saw the flare. Dro Degar caster and solider hail down arrow and ice spike on the troops charging at them but some troops from New Terra who wear MAM glove slam his hand on the ground and make a block of dirt raise up as a cover for his squad, the arrow and magic hit mostly the dirt as troops exchange fire from the cover and slowly gain ground. Zealot caster may put up an ice wall in time to block the bullet and gather big magic to form ice spike big enough to smash several of these dirt cover but with combine force of Alana and New Terra over 500 men against their 7 caster of which 3 wounded and only few hundred goat with crossbow and sword they stood no chance.
In the north paladin Pwyll asked Roy to let him and his men do the fighting while his troops stay on the side. Roy agree to paladin wishes.
“Careful paladin Pwyll I spot two tommy gun, they can be quite dangerous at close range.” Roy concern raise up when he see zealot got machine gun with them.
“Can they shoot us from where they are?”
“They’re accurate up to 150m—we’re almost 300m away now but we should find some cover as we approach.” although the land in front of them is a clear open field with paladin on their side Roy is not too worry.
“I see. You stay here with my men then please give them some pointer on the gun too if you can. They need live practice.” paladin Pwyll then walk out alone in an open field without fear.
Roy look at a dozen goat in front who carry shiny new M1903 Springfield, a bolt-action rifle which Amalthor manage to produce themself, and sigh. It would be rude if he didn’t give them tip even just a little.
The battlefield in the north stay quiet as the other front start open fire and a ring of gun shot from far away can be heard over the wind.
“we greet paladin Pwyll” zealot goat and sheep bow their head to Pwyll when he reach them.
“May Amalthaea protect you” Pwyll stop at less than 10 meter from two tommy gun “Will you surrender?” Pwyll get to the point.
“You know we can’t do that this is all for our lord.” said the only goat caster here.
“I understand” Pwyll raise his hand to signal his men to open fire.
A dozen goat fire at his signal and hit five zealot, some in the chest some shoulder but many survive the first volley.
“Fire” the zealot shout to fire back but no one is aiming at Pwyll only at his men over 300m away.
Paladin Pwyll raise an ice wall and slowly back away from line of fire but with two tommy gun and over fifty arrow his wall quickly shatter. He’s surprise but looking back none of bullet hit his men while some arrow does hit a few troops legs so now he create water wall floating in the air and make it so thick no bullet may pass.
“Reload and aim again before fire” Roy walk around the back checking each Pwyll’s men posture and give tip so they can hit the target.
When his men is ready to fire Pwyll would lower his barrier but put back up when his men need to reload. Took them a while but in the end only zealot caster remain since he protect himself with magic.
“I request a duel with sir Pwyll. I’m one of the best caster in our village and can create ice without needing water. It’s would be my greatest honor if...”
Pwyll create an ice spear and throw at him in an instant. The zealot put up ice wall but spear just pierce through like it nothing and kill him.
“Making ice out of air might be impressive to most people but don’t you compare my devotion to our lord with the like of you. We are on different level like you wouldn’t able to imagine.”
With that Amalthor march in through the north, Hellen manage to save all villager and Alvern is back under control of New Terra.
“Where did they get these gun from?” after the battle all the leader gather to discuss tommy gun they found.
“We give it to the police of Alvern, the zealot must have found them. We’re still missing two gun but with all the damage and fire I must report them lost.” colonel Mattson speak with annoyance when he think of how to tell his superior how a few gun went missing.
As far as he concern the zealot took them and run over to hand it to their Father Pan but he have no proof.
“I thought police only allow to use pistol?” said Roy.
“Only in emergency which as it happen the police did manage to take down two caster when they were attack.”
“A caster take down by human just like that?” Pwyll surprise. normally a good caster is equal to a force of hundred men in an army. A champion like Pwyll or Hellen is said to be able to hold off an army of 10,000 alone.
Exaggerated rumor of course more like 5,000 and it’s also depend on situation and environment as well. If Fay and Hellen has to fight an army in a dessert there’s only so much water they can draw from thin air. But on the sea with right weather? 100,000 men could come and they would have been push away.
“We demand an investigation of Dro Degar” the topic move on to New Terra demand to investigate village the terrorist came from. Amalthor agree and everyone move part of their army to Dro Degar. The villager and their elder claim no knowledge of what a few of their men have done.
“Sure a few hundreds goat and most of their caster manage to arm themself and march to human village outside Amalthor border but no one know anything.” Roy joked.
Colonel Mattson order his men to tear town center apart looking for any proof or document of how these zealot got the weapon and supplied and if the government of Amalthor have any involvement.
They found nothing.
While the solider is searching a few building Fay walk around Dro Degar dress in habit so that villager didn’t try to run and hide from her. She walk around for a whole day and didn’t found anything unusual but as she walk past a school she noticed a children is jumping over a picture on the ground. When she get close she can hear a teacher cheering for student to scream at picture of a wolf on the ground along with Eardwulf flag.
The wolf is Eldrick Conri the current fenrir and Marco’s father.
“Die you demon”
“Evil wolf!”
The children is laughing and shouting while the teacher encourage with cheer.
Fay want to jump in there and put the stop to this heinous act right this instant but she’s just an outsider, even Alana have no right to say on how people would raise their children and this is no evident that the people and elder of this village sent those men to attack Alvern. The fact that Dro Degar citizen follow an old teaching which view other races as inferior and evil is known far and wide.
As Fay walk away she can’t help but wonder if in 20 years time should she still alive and incident like this happen again, would it be these children that she have to fight and kill next time?
In not far future due to this incident of over 200 human and wolf along with 200 goat and sheep death and thousand more injured on both side the government of New Terra will arm the village of Alvern with more and more weapon slowly turn it into a military outpost which Amalthor will respond in turn by arming Dro Degar into a military outpost as well. This will create a tension between two nation for many years to come.
When Fay return to Alana after many days of travel she is too tired and wanted to rest but they need to report to headmaster on what happen so she went up to white tower where no one is around and walk on the corridor to watch the view of city below while wait. The sky tonight is cover with dark cloud so there is no light from moon or star only a dim yellow light from city below.
“Leon, you’re back” Fay greet her old friend who was sent on a mission in city of the damn weeks ago.
“Hi” Leon answer back almost whisper.
“Is everything alright?”
For a while Leon wan unable to look at Fay “No.”
“Is the mission gone bad?”
“The mission is a success I found out who that crow is though it’s lead to dead end but that is not the problem. Fay...I break our promise.”
“...Which one?” Fay smiles for Leon.
“To blend in I...kill and eat a sheep.”
Leon shoulder shrink closer as if to hide away as he glance at Fay leg and gather his strength to work his way up to her eyes.
He’s was expecting rage anger for this betrayed but all he see in her eyes is exhaustion.
“Was she or he suffer?”
“No, I made it end as quick as possible.”
“It’s for the mission and this city right” Fay tell Leon and herself.
“Yes, and I promise it’s won’t ever happen again. It’s been over 45 years since I last...taste goat.”
Fay nods before ask “Was it’s still taste as good?”
Leon look out at the dark sky and think of his memory “more sweet than I even remember.”
Now it’s Fay turn to look away, after a moment of silent she speaks “I also kill a lot of people this past few days but that is not the worst thing I saw.” Leon look back at her to listen “There was a school in Dro Degar. What they were teaching their children over there...make me so scare and fear for them yet I can’t do anything. It’s make me feel so angry at myself.”
The two of them wait in silent for what feel like forever don’t know what else to say to help one another ease their mind.
At last other teacher arrive and Leon sigh “Let’s get the meeting done shall we” he gesture to her and they both enter the meeting room with everyone.
This meeting is one of the most heavy meeting they have in a long time. Rio and Tonia don’t have much to report from school trip which Fay thank Amalthaea for. Leon mission is a success but he has bad news.
“The bomber body we found, turn out he’s not a bomber at all. He’s just a slave who was sold to an anonymous buyer. The bird was deliver in a cage at a fix location near Panthera, no one saw who he or she is.”
“So the real bomber is still out there” Osmond grimmed.
Hellen and Roy then report on what happen in Alvern, Hellen talk about how both New Terra and Amalthor is not really corporate with them as much as she would like while Roy mostly focus on the old gun model Amalthor army now adopted, old but still a first time they use gun they made themself in real battle. Along with New Terra integration of MAM in battle.
“A MAM glove for makeshift cover along with other simple glyph help their solider flexibility on battlefield, no mind glyph, all glyph is pre-made for them even a child can use it. We know from the report before but it’s prove to be much more effective on real battlefield than we predicted.”
“Then we’ll need incorporate them into our army more as well” said the voice from the tube.
Fay then report on what she see at Dro Degar. She speak of how the children was led down a path of hatred and how every nation now seem to care less about their promise to uphold peace. Like a wheel of war is turning and there’s nothing they can do to stop it.
“We always knew there would always be people who reject unity” said Osmond “For the longest time we share nothing in common it’s natural to suspect and repulse at unknow others. Our work here is to help change that just like how Princess Alana did it for us. We must always remember that.”
“I would let all of you go rest now if possible but unfortunately we have one more bad news” Osmond look around the table.
“Just get it over with so I can go sleep” said Hellen.
“Someone broke into all of our room two days ago”
“What?!” everyone shouted before look at the tube.
“How?”
“Did chief not noticed?”
“No” said the voice in the same tone which does not help teacher calm down at all.
“The one who break in is definitely an Amiel” said Osmond “No one else can use magic to evade Rei...no glyph can do that at least none that we know of. I also want you all to check your room see if anything missing.”
“So it’s the bomber? Bomber is Amiel who good enough at magic to evade chief?”
“It’s seem so.”
“There can’t be that many Amiel who can sneak pass chief eyes” everyone turn to look at Hellen.
“We’ll be checking all Amiel who capable soon. For now know that we clear all your room, there is no bomb left behind but it’s a little bit of a mess right now so sorry about that.”
“Great, room cleaning before bed.”
“I’ll just clean tomorrow” said Leon who hasn’t sleep soundly for a few days now.
“Your room is always a mess” said Roy.
“At least with the big incident at Alvern where over hundred zealot who cause problem were killed or capture by combine force of Alana, New Terra and Amalthor other faction should lay low for a while. We’ll use these time to prepare for their next move.”
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