Karen showed a weak smile as a tall, black-haired man dropped a blanket into her lap before elegantly sitting down beside her.

The pair, although given plenty of room, was two of many people that were resting at the end of a large, underground tunnel that disappeared off into the darkness. Orb-like crystals were embedded into the wall at regular intervals giving off a soft, white light.

Muted voices echoed off the magically reinforced earth walls, accompanied by the occasional sob or pain filled cry further down the tunnel.

Everyone became silent as they nervously looked up at the roof after a dull thud, accompanied by many smaller ones, shook the ground above them and tiny amounts of dirt shook free from the ceiling. After they subsided, quiet, barely audible prayers were muttered, mainly focused on not being buried alive.

The milk-white skinned man, now sitting next to Karen, sighed as he flicked his long hair behind him, his slightly Asian features and feminine face making him seem entirely out of place amongst the grimy masses that surrounded him. "They already collapsed the tunnels back to the fortress, why are we still using them as cover. I swear if we get buried alive, I am going to come back and haunt the Earthies for all eternity."

"That's if any of them survive this," replied Karen with a sigh of her own, casually readjusting her metal bra and skirt and making sure they were cold enough not to set fire to her new blanket. "After the porters, they are the most pressed group out here, and the lizards know how essential they are."

Tentatively wrapping herself in the corse fabric, she kept an eye out for any smoke. "I tell you what though, my love for fire is quickly disappearing. I would kill for a soft bra and some pants. I am sick of people keeping their distance or following me around with a bucket of water in fear I am going to combust at taking the area with me if I do as much as stub my toe."

Karen knew she was just projecting her frustrations and trying to, for at least a moment, forget what was going on around her.

It seemed the man had noticed what she was doing and attempted to join in. "Don't forget finding it hard to have relations without taking things like 'burning passion' and 'hot and steamy' to a new level."

Karen's face flushed as it dipped down a bit, small sparks of fire igniting in the air around her causing a dim glow emanate outwards.

"Sorry." The man patted his hand on her shoulder, flinching at the heat, as guilt apparent on his almost perfect features. "I'm an arsehole. I know you are only yourself around a few people and yet I continue to tease you. You will get the hang of it, and then things will get back to normal."

Karen shook her head, still embarrassed. "It's OK John; I know you are just trying to lighten the mood."

John shook his head as he chuckled. "You need to stop, or I am going to fall head over heel for you. Act all cute and shy around me and then turn into an arse kicking fire goddess of destruction when you are around other people."

"Thought you batted for the other team," laughed Karen, turning a deeper shade of red. She liked John, and she couldn't deny she wasn't interested but he had made it abundantly clear that appart from seeing her as a good friend, he saw her as competition.

"Cute is still cute, and they have toys that can sort out your... lack of physical bits," shrugged John. "Plus with how hard you have been working, your muscles are going to put those 'warriors' to shame soon. Won't be long before even the ladies are drooling over you."

Karen snorted at the considerable grin John was revealing. "So, Let's say I do manage to spark your interest, do you give or take?"

"Is that an offer?" sniggered John.

The pair laughed for a few moments, enjoying the banter that momentarily pushed the horrors that they had witnesses into the back of their minds. However, it soon returned as their laughter died out.

Karen's eyes turned to the floor.. "We have lost so many."

"Not as many as we could have lost," responded John as he revealed a smile that did not reach his eyes. "After the initial confusion, the porters managed to retrieve lots, and the priests revived those that were passing on. It's just a shame it took us so long to get our arses into gear. It's sickening to think even with people that can teleport anywhere within a certain distance and people that can revive the dead, that so many were left until it was too late."

"Over half our forces froze up, a fair few ran and the rest..." Karen's voice cracked. "The rest forgot everything we have trained for in the last few months and turned into street brawlers.!

John nodded. "We should have expected it. We are lucky to have a few people like you, who served and had some sort of combat experience or it would have been a lot worse. We were taken from our homes, dropped on an alien world and mutated in ways that even now, seem impossible. Even though we struggled at first, I don't believe many accepted this was our reality, and many of those idiots treated this as nothing more than a game. It's all so... impossible."

A woman in leather armour, large elf-like ears sticking away from her head, bobbing as she walked, passed by the many buckets littered at the edges of the cavern, waving her hands about above them as water condensed from the air and fell into them.

"I think I like the normal elf ears better," John muttered as he leaned his head against the wall. "You know, the ones that stick out backwards, like those dark elves in the third division. Those are cute but... not very sexual."

"Why is everything about or related to sex with you?" Karen chuckled as the woman gave them both the stink eye, clearly hearing them even though John tried to be quiet. "I think she heard you."

"No shit," muttered John as he returned a polite smile that was instantly dismissed. "It's because I am a man trapped with a subsection of humanity which have mainly been selected to propagate and survive. Not sure why they picked me with my preferences but~ I wish they picked a few more that at least swung both ways. With all these straight men fulfilling their fantasies to become the ultimate male, I'm like a man dying of thirst in the ocean.

Another rumble, small amounts of dirt falling from the ceiling as the stone lights dimmed slightly before returning to their usual glow.

"Seem's Val is still..." Karen's words cut off as a tear ran down her cheek.

"I'm sorry about Geoff." John put his arm around her and pulled her closer, ignoring the heat. "Though, it seems his misses is going to make sure he has more than enough company in the afterlife. I just hope she doesn't do anything stupid."

"If we had just accepted System they might have found him sooner. Before his soul left his body. They could have brought him back." Karen's bottom lip trembled. "But we didn't. We didn't trust him.

Another tear ran down her cheek. "But now... System has really stepped up. Without him, we would have lost instantly."

Around them, men and women were sleeping, trying to eat or staring into nothingness, however, at the mention of Geoff's name, like throwing a pebble into a pond and watching the ripple, they all became silent for a moment.

Geoff had sacrificed himself to save hundreds. Most of the people here wouldn't be alive without him, and deep in their hearts, they felt the pangs of grief and sadness.

"We thought we were so prepared," mumbled John as he lightly hit the back of his head against the earth wall a few times. "We thought we were ready. We outnumbered them, had defences and traps in place and, pretty much every one of us is more powerful or has better abilities than their best and yet we are only just hanging on. We are more powerful but compared to them, it's like giving a toddler a machine gun and telling him to fight against a one-armed cripple who holds a toothpick but has been fighting for every day of his life."

The ground shook violently, and a few people appeared from their left and raced down the tunnel towards the dead end just visible in the distance. The small group drew their weapons as they disappeared up a stairway that appeared in the wall before them before collapsing in on itself.

The remaining people in the tunnel ignored them.

They had seen it many times before. They probably were on some critical mission but not important enough for the porters to take them.

Karen shook her head. "We weren't ready. We let the changes to our bodies and the feeling of power get to our heads. We should have trained more against the beasts, each other. We needed combat experience. The first battle after we repelled them from the walls and they pulled back into the hills was a massacre."

Karen's head turned to look further down the tunnel, spotting those from her command that had become incapable of fighting, not due to injury but because of the physiological stress they had suffered in that battle. She knew that what they had seen and done would scar them for life. Many would recover.

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

She sighed.

But none of them would be the same.

"Thank God we had you," smiled John, as he looked at Karen with respect. "Army medic or not, you saved a lot of people today. I speak for most when I say that I am not keen to see if my soul sticks around long enough for a priest to revive me. You rallied us, organised the rescue for those isolated and helped us break through to the other units."

Looking down at the floor, Karen bit her lip. "So why am I here instead of up there? Why am I leading instead of saving people? I can't do both. I'm a medic, not a leader."

"Your strength isn't in saving one or two people, we have healers for that. Your strength is in making sure people don't need them and getting the job done. Geoff and William were right when they put you in command and as for the reason why we are here? It's to rest and recover so that we can go out there, kill those who would harm our friends and save as many people as we can in the process," chuckled John, the first real sound of mirth in the tunnel occupied by hundreds of people. "We couldn't let the goddess of fire and destruction burn herself out."

Karen's eyes locked onto John, her face twisting into a snarl. "I ignored it last time but stop calling me a goddess. I am nothing like those pricks."

"No. You are not." John had to hold his hands up as he flinched away from the incredible heat Karen had suddenly released. "You are not hiding away, refusing to use your power and letting good people die. You stood on the front lines. You rescued those that were cut off. You saved us when we were about to be overrun. You showed us what to do, and when this is all over, the troops of the Southen Garrison will remember it. Unlike all those crappy stories where strength rules and people drool and cower in fear, action not strength will win loyalty. I know for a fact that the first three divisions are behind you and most of the others. You lead by example, and we are more than happy to follow."

A few people nearby, who couldn't help but overhead the heated exchange nodded their heads.

The ferocity of Karen's eyes almost instantly died as sadness replaced it and she was forced to look away. "Without Geoff... I'm just..."

"We will stand behind you and the rest of Geoff's team. They aren't going to take over the Southern Garrison. It would create an uproar, and especially after their blunder with the defences, probably a civil war and they know it. Besides the gods and council leaders have shown where their priorities lie, and it's not with us 'common' folk." John placed a hand on her shoulder, noting how the temperature had rapidly cooled and subconsciously noted how easy it was to read a lot of people with their new abilities.

The earth trembled again, this time lasting a few seconds.

"I wonder if she's going to destroy the planet?" A smile that wasn't a smile appeared on the fire elemental's face. "To be honest, I am not sure I am not sure I would stop her."

"She is going to need you guys when this is over." It was John's turn to stare at the floor. "What doesn't kill us will make us stronger, but only if we have direction. Otherwise, we will just split."

Suddenly, John, along with most of the others in the tunnel flinched, their eyes becoming unfocused.

Seconds passed before he responded. "Fuck."

"What?" Karen immediately stood, her blanket falling to the floor. The tone of John's voice immediately set her on edge.

"The lizards are going after the children. Using some sacrifice spell to escape. System has ordered all capable troops to the surface and to prepare for an all-out assault to give those closest to the garrison breathing room so they can return to the fort and save them. He's initiating the Armageddon plan that was meant to be kept as a last resort. The necromancers have already started resurrecting the lizardmen dead, and those with the 'taboo' abilities are being mobilised."

John's lips twitched. "Maybe System isn't so bad, he has given the Gods and other garrisons an ultimatum. Aid us with everything they have or lose all future support. William has sided with him as acting commander of the Southern Garrison and will declare independence if they don't step in."

The sound of metal clanking and creaking leather erupted as men and women stood with a grim look on their faces. Even a few of those that had previously been unable to fight getting to their feet.

Karen was amongst them and already pushing her way to the front. "What are the chances that they will help."

"Pretty good." John quickly caught up with Karen, who was marching towards the end of the tunnel, those prepared to fight, falling in behind her. "We believe that one of the prerequisites for selection for anyone over twenty-five was a strong moral tendency to protect and nurture the young. I guess the Lizards didn't realise this when they came up with this plan as it was pretty much the only thing that could galvanise every human."

John's eyes unfocused momentarily. "Even the monster races seem to be on board. "

Karen's face was grim. "They want our species to survive and prosper, for whatever reason and so they selected those with strong maternal or paternal instincts. It did help us unite early on, having over one-quarter of us below eighteen and stopped us turning on each other but..." She glanced back at the simmering rage in the faces of people, noticing the rage flicking across their faces. "You didn't tell me everything did you?"

"They are torturing children, extracting their souls into stones and then using them to power some sort of portal," John hissed. "System is actually sharing visuals of what is happening back in the fort. I... I had to dismiss it. I can't watch."

"Fuck," hissed Karren, her voice becoming chillingly calm. "Open it up."

Karren had reached the end of the tunnel where three men, in dark, dirt-stained robes were waiting. One of the men had a yellow crystal against his head.

One of the men flinched at her words. "We are waiting for the second division to clear the area. If we open up now, a well-placed spell or ranged attack and everyone could get killed. I know how important it is to get out there but getting everyone killed isn't going to help."

Karen nodded and turned back, her gaze pausing momentarily on the rows of bodies neatly lined up at the edges. These had been the ones that the porters had been unable to collect before their souls left their bodies. They couldn't leave them out there, but at the same time, they couldn't waste the energy to get them back to the garrison while the living were still in need.

As the third division leader, Karen felt responsible for the under her command, but she knew that she was going to be leading more to their deaths. The Lizards, though individually weaker fought with such ferocity, that even in the throes of death, they would still inflict devastating wounds on their foe.

Karen cursed internally. She had been a medic, not a leader, and now she was expected to lead a bunch of inexperienced soldiers, now of different races, weapons and abilities, on a world were logic had been thrown out the window.

She reminded herself that things were different now. She was one of the most powerful in the second garrison. Her responsibilities had forced her to pace herself earlier, but now they were going all out, she didn't have to hold back. She just needed to get to the front, so she didn't commit any friendly fire, and let loose.

Flames flickered in her eyes.

"Form up into your groups. Those that have lost members will merge and act as support for those still intact. Priority is aiding the Second Division and clearing a path for their wounded. After that..." Karen paused, "System will let us know what to do. Those without system, you are to listen to his commands as a priority."

Karen had decided that the time for internal strife and mistrust was over and she needed someone to delegate to so she could see what she needed to do.

John stepped up beside Karen. Although he was thin, he was tall. Much taller than Karen. "What our leader means is that while we take the 'safe' roles and stay out of harm's way and behind the Second, she is going to go be on the front lines. Burning every lizard stupid enough to glance in her direction to a crisp and putting herself at risk, so we don't have to."

More than a few chuckles came from the people behind, though it was clear that these were the ones that didn't have access to System.

"First and second units with me. We will provide our selfless commander with an escort to the front lines and make sure she leaves enough for the rest of us." Groups started moving as people stretched and began to prepare. Most having learnt their lesson from their earlier battle. "The rest of you, you know what you got to do. Get to it."

Karen glared at John. "What the fuck? I just gave you an order and you didn't only dispute it, you changed it."

"What was the first thing you said this morning?" A serious look appearing on his face.

Karen frowned.

"No heroes. Heros die. Stick together, work as a team, treat the men and women next to you as if they were your own family." Johns' voice echoed down the corridor as he leaned in, many of the nearby people nodding. "And this is your fault. You said that if we were given an order, we didn't morally agree with, not to do it. That I was ordered to is NOT an excuse."

The ground behind them rumbled as one of the earth mages shouted. "Ten seconds."

Heat radiated off Karen as she turned around, refusing to give into the impulse to throw John into the wall and see how far he bounced off or to see if his remarkable healing abilities and defences could withstand her flame. "When this is over, we are going to have a long talk."

John nervously chuckled, a bead of sweat almost instantly appearing as the people closest took a step back from the heat. "Your place or mine?"

Karren raised an eyebrow but said nothing as small wisps of flame started dancing around her as she stood before a faint outline of an opening. "Make it a ramp; the stairs earlier were a cluster fuck."

"Yes." One of the earth mages responded, sweat dripping down his face as he focused on what appeared to be a rune on the floor.

"Five seconds," the one closest to the wall bellowed. "A few hostiles still in the perimeter but the best we are going to get. First waves are going to have to push through, or we are going to be stuck in a bottleneck or trample each other."

The lights along the side of the tunnel brightened, preparing their eyes for the world above. Another lesson they had learnt.

As if dissolving, the earth fell away, revealing the open, dark grey sky above, and the sound of battle, like thunder, swept past them.

Lightning arched over them, fireballs rained through the sky, along with arrows and other projectile weapons as the ground shook violently from many explosions, the soldiers no longer insulated by the earth mages.

With a roar, the group charged up the ramp, many of them watching the small maps appearing in their peripheral as System pushed himself to his limits.

"Ren and her team will be joining within five minutes." Bellowed John, trying to be heard over the noise. "Their mission is deemed a success. Allied reinforcements ETA 30 Seconds."

Karen frowned as she pushed her hand forward, incinerating a Lizardman rouge who has appeared behind a falling wolf-like, blood running down its bone dagger.

However, instead of gaining ground, Karen and her troops slowed to a halt as the dark tide of lizardmen flowed over the hills. The other human forces had all responded in the same manner and sensing their doom, the Rakorn had committed themselves to a single point in the human lines in an attempt to break out of the encirclement.

Unluckily for Karen, it was her location, and it was almost impossible to use her abilities as everyone packed together.

A shadow loomed over Karren, and she felt a shiver run down her spine as she stared up into the eyes of a gigantic Lizardman, a considerable bone club in one hand.

"Karen!" Bellowed John as he weaved through the horde of Lizardmen to get closer to her. Each one of his punches, twirling kicks and graceful acrobatics ending the lives of countless Lizardmen.

Though John's shout was enough to deafen those closest to him, Karen hadn't heard.

Her entire world was focused on the club as it tore through the air and approached her head.

Karen's flames spluttered out as she froze, her mind refusing to work while the giant lizardman grinned menacingly.

He knew she was one of their leaders and prayed that with her death, her troops would crumble and allow them to escape.

A freezing chill, seemingly from the depths of the abyss ran down her spine, and she knew it was the end.

What she didn't know was the Rakorn felt the same sensation.

And it wasn't just them. The the intensity of the fight disappeared almost instantly as dread weaved descended on the battlefield.