Howlings of pleasure roared across the dark forest. Bonfires were lit under the veil of the night. The fortress of Hydaria was teeming with intoxicated euphoria. For this one night, the barriers between nobles and commoners were lifted and everyone was elated to receive yet another bountiful 'harvest' of aetherus from the savages that they subjugated. Every three months, many of them would cross the great forest with supplies of aetherus and transport them back to Hydaria. They would also receive the chance to be discharged and replaced with fresh soldiers. That day would come tomorrow.

Gavrin q'Fazquez was one of the few knights that volunteered to stay for extended periods, he had only gone home one time since he was first stationed three years ago. Many thought he had a weird fetish for those savage women, made obvious by his secretive adventures with one such Osmanian woman. But his extended stay also had another effect: it made him reliable and trustworthy. All the higher-ups gave him free rein and a degree of freedom in his duty, for he was one of the most fluent Hydarian-Osmanian interpreters and the most familiar with Osmanian culture and people.

Gavrin refrained from drinking like the others. He usually did not overdo it, but tonight especially he was completely sober without a single drop of alcohol in his bloodstream. As was instructed by the mysterious Aksha who claimed to be the envoy of an Osmanian god, he walked around the entire military compound, greeting everyone that he could. The Hydarian fortress was well-made despite it being a temporary military station, it was made mostly of clay but still had a distinctive Hydarian architecture. The outer walls were hexagonal with a guard tower at each point. Inside the fortress, multiple buildings that served as barracks and prisons were also present.

The young Hydarian did frown as he passed by everyone. Even when he was resolved to betray his homeland for the sake of Evui, he was still worrying about his brothers in arms that would soon presumably be slaughtered by an unknown force, despite his doubts about their capabilities to do so. He also was disappointed at the soldiers' unpreparedness. Compared to the Hydarians on the frontlines of the war, who were battle-hardened veterans and Magus, the knights here treated their stay in Osma as a vacation and a retreat from combat. As such, nights like these presented a clear security risk to their entire base.

Gavrin finished walking through the entire compound. He was now walking towards his final destination—the prison, or dormitory as the Hydarians referred them as. Indeed, it was both a prison and a dorm, for the children received rooms with bunk beds and facilities that supported their lifestyle. It was not wholly inhumane, the Hydarians were going to re-educate these savage children to be Hydarian soldiers, after all. They treated the children roughly but with some respect befitting future citizens. Unlike the adults who were treated as complete savages, the children were treated as innocents who had a chance to be moulded into servants of the empire.

As the security tonight was lacking, the dorms were completely absent of guards, he simply walked inside into the hallways where many rooms resided. As Gavrin walked up the stairs to the second floor, a person that was not supposed to be there—yet he was expecting—was standing in front of the staircase.

A hooded man with a long flowing cloak of peculiar fashion. The Aksha.

"Good job, Gavrin." The Aksha said to him.

Gavrin almost tripped as he walked up the staircase.

"Y-you are here already! But I did not hear any attack!" Gavrin replied.

The Aksha walked forward and touched Gavrin's shoulder as he passed by him, he was heading downstairs.

"I am calling them now. It's just me for now." The hooded man stopped and turned back to Gavrin, who was staring at him. "Gather the children. The night is beginning."

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30 Minutes Before.

Manusya had gathered the Osmanian hunters inside the forest, they were a safe distance away from the fortress and have set up a makeshift hut for their base of operation. Manusya had also brought some holographic devices and one delivery bot that transported their supplies here. Inside the large makeshift hut made out of wood and leaves, screens showing a bird's eye view of the fortress as well as the first-person point-of-view of Gavrin q'Fazquez could be seen.

Manusya was wearing all-black. His entire head was covered with a helmet and a hood, and his light exosuit was covered with a cloak with designs engraved into them like the feathers of a bird. Hidden beneath the cape on his back was some sort of small metallic backpack. It was quite the over-the-top design.

I decided to play the role of Aksha. Manusya thought as he examined his appearance. The Aksha is a persona, a myth I must create myself. I will strike fear into the heart of the Hydarians and reverence from the Osmanians. While I have mixed feelings, for now, this is the best way to gain power and influence quickly.

Surrounding him, Captain Ahmi and the other lieutenants who led the platoons were also present. They were all staring at the screens in front of them both analysing the situation and in awe of such magic. They have already rehearsed everything multiple times, they now only needed to perform their roles.

The Osmanian hunters were wearing skin-tight metallic—yet rubbery—battle suits. Despite its hard appearance, the hunters were capable of moving their bodies freely. It was the result of the spray-on clothing technology that the ancient humans invented. With the nano printers, Manusya was capable of crafting temporary battle outfits for the Osmanians by spraying their bodies with carbon fibre coatings that he recycled from some of the broken ship parts. It created a light but durable layer of armour for the Osmanians. In addition, the hunters have dyed their faces with mud, concealing their appearance in the dark to blend in with the forest environment.

This should be enough. Manusya examined the hunters' outfits and remarked in his head. I hope there's no casualty. I have helped them with my technology, but they must also partially do this with their power so the fire of revolution in their heart is lit.

Despite their armour, the hunters were relying on their handmade bows and arrows as well as daggers to fight this battle. The past met the present in terms of the technology they were employing.

"Commander Aksha, all the platoons and squads have now finished their preparations." Ahmi, the captain of the hunters reported.

Manusya nodded. "Gather the men. I will make one final remark," he said as he walked out of the hut.

All the platoons, separated into squads and teams were now lining up in front of him. They stood in lines at perfect distances from one another with their hands on his back.

They are not fully trained yet. Two weeks in VR does not replace actual training. But they are warriors nonetheless. If we are to survive this battle, I will make a mighty army out of the united Osmanians. Manusya thought as he stood before them.

The men were looking at him in reverence. The Aksha that stood before them appeared out of a legend. His face was not visible as if he was a deity who dared not graced his appearance to feeble-minded mortals, and his menacing outfit exuded fear and respect. After experiencing that different realm that the Aksha controlled, they were confident about standing behind him.

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The sounds of insects of the night coloured the forest atmosphere.

"Hunters of Ohm," Manusya said with a normal volume, yet a reverb that entered the ears of even the people at the back. "I will not waste your time with a moving speech. We do not have the time. I am here only to remind you of your objective and what's at stake."

"You are rescuing not only the children of Ohm but the children belonging to the other villages. Thousands of children are currently being kept captive in their prisons. Many of the older children have been taken away into the Hydarian fatherland. I cannot promise we can bring them back, but that possibility is there. You see, I will help you build a proud nation that can rival even the Hydarians." Manusya explained.

The hunters were trained not to say anything when they were not ordered to, but one could see their eyes bulging with surprise.

"After we rescue the children, bring me to the Druids and the capital. If Suwe'pien wills it, then we will reunite the Osma Alliance. But that's all the future, we must refocus our attention on the present." Manusya waved his hand and a holographic screen appeared before him showing the fortress in real-time.

"We have rehearsed the plan many times. We cannot win a direct attack against the Hydarians, nor can we simply win in a siege battle against their fortress. No, we plan to ambush them, free the children, and create as much confusion and chaos as possible that would drive them away in the middle of the night with their pants down. We want to kick them out of their fortress in their drunken stupor, not slaughter them. We want to send a message of fear and a warning to the Hydarian, that the Osmanians are no longer subjugated and they will take from us no longer. " Manusya said to the men.

The hunters had looks of resolve in their eyes. Their gazes were as terrifying as hungry beasts.

"Operation Liberation begins now. Put on your contact lenses and earpieces!" Manusya shouted.

The hunters began to enter green contact lenses which made their eyes turn green all the same. They were speciality night vision contact lenses crafted by nano printers. They also now wore earpieces that would enable them to communicate with each other even amid battle.

"I will see you in combat! Let us commence!" Manusya said.

The hunters saluted in unison by putting their right hand on their temple. They formed squads and began rushing into the forest.

The Aksha began lifting himself from the ground. The metallic backpack beneath his cape was a hover jet pack which produced no sound. They were used in Low-G combat or combats in terrestrial bodies such as on an asteroid. His cloak began fluttering in the wind as he flew in the night sky. One would think he was some sort of giant raven flying. As Manusya approached the Hydarian fortress, he activated his camouflage and turned nearly invisible, with only a sliver of his outline remaining.

Manusya descended on the rooftop of one of the dormitory buildings which housed the Osmanian children. His AR interface changed into X-Ray vision, where he saw that there were no guards and that all the children were sleeping.

How fortuitous was it that this is the night we decided to attack? Arrogant Hydarians. He thought.

Manusya entered one of the windows in the hallways and began walking downstairs. As he was about to go down to the first floor of this building, a familiar figure appeared in his X-Ray vision. Gavrin q'Fazquez could be seen walking up the stairs.

"Good job, Gavrin," Manusya called out to him.

Gavrin almost tripped as he walked up the staircase. He seemed shocked to see him.

"Y-you are here already! But I did not hear any attack!" Gavrin replied hastily.

The Aksha walked forward and touched Gavrin's shoulder as he passed by him, he was heading downstairs.

"I am calling them now. It's just me for now." Manusya stopped and turned back to Gavrin, who was staring at him. "Gather the children. The night is beginning."

Manusya began whispering, "Commence the infiltration, let me know when all the explosives have been set." Manusya said.

"Affirmative, Commander Aksha." A voice belonging to Ahmi replied to him from inside his helmet.

Manusya walked outside the building and began flying up into the air again. He could see the fortress from the air. The men of Hydaria were scattered without rhyme or reason. Decadent, undisciplined. Their utter arrogance and confidence in the complete subjugation of the Osma people will be their downfall.

I was never the best soldier, nor was I ever a soldier at all. Manusya thought. I am unable to create an average battle strategy.

Manusya was chosen for Project Messiah, not for his combat ability or how adept he was as a UPF soldier. No, Manusya was a perfectly normal conscript that served his years and returned to Ark. Despite receiving possibly some of the best training in possibly the entirety of human history, he was not particularly gifted or excellent in battle. Nor did he ever care to be at the time. Manusya's life after his conscription and during his selection for the project was as a filmmaker. He did not only create documentaries of the lives of the last humans, but he was also one of the few remaining auteurs to craft fictional works for the enjoyment of the masses. And not one of those AI-created films with no soul, but real handmade films created with intention and artistic desire. While he was partial to drama, he dabbled in action cinema as well. With the space-age technology of the UPF, they were capable of not only creating realistic imageries in post-production but indistinguishable illusions in real life that would cut down on production time.

As Manusya was overlooking the fortress, he could see numerous shadows climbing the walls with impressive acrobatics. The few remaining knights on top of the walls also let their guards down and were drinking the night away. Their throats were quickly slashed by the soldiers silently. Manusya could see two squads of soldiers entering first, they were taking down men silently, hiding their bodies, and planting some sticky grey substance on the walls and buildings.

Explosives crafted with locally sourced herbs and ingredients. Analysis done by Erectus created a recipe for a new type of explosive native to this planet. Manusya thought.

As he was analysing the plant lives, he noticed that they too mutated because of the aether in the air and were now essentially entirely different species of plants, despite some of them looking similar to their Earth counterpart. Some of them, when mixed, created the chemical reaction necessary for explosives.

"Commander, this is squad Alpha. the explosives are ready, over." A voice said to him over the wireless communication.

Fear of the Osmanians and fear of me, the Aksha.That is something that I need to accomplish for these Hydarians. Manusya said in his mind. I am unable to wield this aether that people have, so far. I have tried under the instruction of Ahmi, but it did not yield anything.

Manusya was yet unable to wield this mysterious energy that this solar system has. Maybe he could not. But he needed to hide all of his technology behind the magic, to explain all of the miracles he could perform as mystical to both the Osmanians and his enemies.

There is no better way to mimic magic than to use movie magic. Manusya thought and chuckled.

Manusya released millions of tiny nanobots from his wrist. They were practically visible to the naked eye. These nanobots started to flutter around him.

Real Nano Imagery, RNI, the visual effects of the space age. Who knew my talents as a filmmaker would be used like this? He remarked in his mind.

Manusya snapped his fingers. The nanobots started to hover and each bot was combining itself with another like a swarm of insects. Millions and millions of nanobots were starting to create some sort of three-dimensional image that was practically indistinguishable from reality. Manusya turned off his camouflage and a vortex of fire surrounded him, giving him the appearance of a powerful wizard who is flying in the air.

"Greetings, Hydarian scums!" Manusya shouted, his voice was amplified by his helmet and slightly distorted to alter his voice. He was speaking in Osmanian.

The drunken Hydarians below were surprised by the voice. They looked up to see a flying man with a hood and cloak, fire danced around him. They shouted in Hydarian, with 'magus' being a word that even Manusya who did not understand Hydarian heard them shout repeatedly.

"I am Aksha, the envoy of Suwe'pien, protector of Osma. Hark! I will send you all to oblivion!" Manusya shouted.

Enormous fireballs started to spawn next to Manusya. With a point of his index finger, the fireballs were hurled at the buildings and walls. These were visual effects created by the nanobots, but for the Hydarians, they looked as real as they could get. Manusya did not target the 'fireballs' randomly, he was aiming for the explosives. At the same time that the fake fireballs hit the buildings, the explosives were triggered, causing numerous shockwaves of explosions throughout the military complex. The Hydarians shouted to themselves in panic, they readied themselves for combat, and the archers prepared their arrows and aimed towards the flying magus.

Manusya turned on his camouflage again and disappeared to avoid the arrows.

"All platoons and squads, attack! create as much chaos as possible while we rescue the children! Drive them away from the fortress!" Manusya shouted over the wireless communication.

The Battle of Ohm had commenced.

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ART

Manusya's Aksha Outfit:

[https://i.imgur.com/qgZ6PSH.png]