"For when the screams stop, I may already be just another voice in the choir." --unnamed combat medic of the 5th auxiliary company
Day 2
The trumpets sounded on the second day, rousing every single soldier from their sleep. Their night vision adjusted to allow them to see more in the vast, empty darkness of the cavern as they immediately stood up at attention.
Within mere moments, everything in the outpost was once again busy. Fortifications were built, and traps and mines were being set up at the outer end of the base. Food was prepared as the machines for both war and the like were recharged and had their daily maintenance checks.
The troops did their morning exercises while being screamed at by the drill sergeants. The day's schedule was made and adjusted due to various elements, much to the logistics team's frustration. Guns were lined up on the battlements as their ammunition was loaded and stored on top of a platform that would be the foundation for the warehouse.
The commander, along with each battalion major, sat around each of their individual offices, organizing and writing paperwork. As the sunless day unfolds, each soldier is busying themselves with work, food, or loved ones.
The battlements were almost complete, as the desolate cavern floor in front of them was being slowly turned into soil and mud by magic as mines and other traps were laid down all around.
The battledroids the creator had made were primed, oiled, cleaned, maintained meticulously, and treated with the utmost of care, for many believed it to be the creator's way to participate and lead the army into victory.
Even the cluster knight, the smallest and arguably weakest one, would cost more than a thousand years worth of a normal infantry soldier's salary. That is not even to mention the cost of ammunition and replacement parts.
Although it was costly to make and maintain, its effectiveness would make it worth it. As seen a week ago, during the 3-hour-long battle of the first assault battalion, it turned the tides in their favor within mere minutes.
Although the loss of five tanks was understandably heavy and huge, it was good news to hear that more of them would arrive from Beacon City, as well as more reinforcements, within 4 months if the railroads were setup quickly.
Even then, the commander thought it wasn't enough. Even as the walls of the outpost grew taller by the minute, if the rail system was not finished on time, Beacon City would fall.
Just then, his standard-issue phone rang. He picked it up and saw that it was from someone he knew. He answered and, with a smile on his face, conversed with the person on the other line of the phone.
As the hustle and bustle of the growing fortress becomes background noise, the commander immerses himself in the conversation. The stack of paperwork that was set to the side of his desk cast a silhouette under the florescent light of the chandelier that dangled above.
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The commander ended his phone call with a smiling yet solemn expression on his face. Although they had only known each other for a few months, he still feels as if they were meant to be.
If love were blind, then he would wander blindfolded through the thick fog with only his hearing to guide him.
Looking at the paperwork beside him, he decided that missing a single meal wasn't much of a problem when the person he cherishes is in danger of being overrun by the nymph in a few months.
As the day stretches on, the outpost continues to grow stronger with haste as the ocean of red, claws, and acid comes nearer, with their numbers, rather than dwindling, growing.
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Day 3
At exactly 4:13 a.m. Gunshots rained down on the encroaching horde of nymphs. The nymph easily fell under the heavy hail of high-caliber projectiles.
With painful cries, the beast fell in droves. By 5:30, the last of the nyx had been killed, but everyone knew it was just the scouts, the nyx, whose main purpose is to relay information back to the main horde as well as soften up the enemy through sheer numbers. Soon more specialized Nyx would pop out, and the rail system was still far from being completed.
Total casualties: 0
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Day 4
Unlike the day before, not a single nyx was seen, even towards the farther fringes of the outpost. The Aculons quickly used this possibly short reprieve to set up more mines and reorganize.
With extreme vigor, they not only laid down hundreds upon hundreds of mines but also built up their defenses to be even larger and more powerful.
The corpses of the nyx were quickly rounded up and stored in a warehouse to not only serve as food but also to gather any bullets to be melted down and cast to become new bullets.
With this plan in mind, the commander ordered the construction of a small but adequate building where most, if not all, of the maintenance is done, as well as the creation of new bullets using the ones that were gathered.
The earthshaker companies used their magic to build up the walls of the factory, while the other soldiers quickly set up the tables and workshops.
Before they launched this campaign, the soldiers were ordered to bring several units of machinery besides the energy reactors that power not only the outpost and its equipment but also the vehicles and battledroids.
The guardian-type battledroids were activated, and with their grabber fists, they lifted and carried the heavier equipment all around the outpost. The 15-meter-tall mech shook the ground beneath and around it with every step it took.
Besides their main function of being machines of total annihilation of the adversary, they are also quite efficient and reliable for manual labor.
As the 4th day ended, the outpost was now far more prepared for any more incursions by the Nyx, although some harbored fears of running out of ammunition if the Nyx repeated the same day-by-day raids on Beacon City. For now, they are good.
Casualties: 0
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Day 5
Everything was still—far too suspiciously quiet.
The lack of action and deafening stillness unnerved everyone, and because of this, activity within the outpost was slower than usual, with an underlying sense of dread within everyone. But still, the day continued.
The cooks from the auxiliary company prepared small energy bars from the corpses of the nymphs. Well, they had been fighting Nyx every single day back in Beacon City and had a lot of time to experiment with their corpses. It was to be noted that a single plate of nyx meat had insane amounts of protein and nutrients, fully capable of feeding a normal aculon their daily five thousand calorie intake, which is half of what a normal aculon soldier requires a day.
Because of the amount of calories an aculon needs daily, food is sometimes not found in any of the warehouses the military has control over. Because although the farms provided lots of food every single day due to the unnatural growth and reproduction of both plants and animals, said food still needed a bit of time to be properly prepped, packaged, and delivered.
So the fact that nyx meat was edible, although absolutely disgusting if not prepared and seasoned properly, was still a miracle from the creator.
And so, the day closes with the soldiers getting ready to go to bed with full bellies.
Casualties: 16.....
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Day 6
(LOG NOT FOUND)
(PLEASE HOLD)
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(DISTRESS SIGNAL FOUND)
(MESSAGE RECEIVED)
(AUDIO RECORDING FOUND)
(PLAYING)
The sound of gunshots echoed in the background as screams resounded throughout. The shrill roars of a nymph, unheard of until today, were heard.
"Ou-.... (static).... -ack requ-.... (static)...AAAH......... GE-.... (static)... *crunch* HEL-....."
(END OF AUDIO RECORDING)
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