(Part One)

Castle Hark, Jin-Hark, 3:27 PM

Maus and Patagene sat in one of the many meeting rooms of the castle as they waited for the Parpaldian envoys. It was always a bother when they had to call them. The envoys didn't want to live in a 'rat-infested dirty barbarian' city like Jin-Hark and had to opt with living in their own bungalow in the country.

They waited for hours nervously and finally as they were notified that they were about to arrive, Maus and Patagene then went to the meeting room to meet with them.

With that doors opened. Two hooded figures in red robes entered. Maus and Patagene tensed up at the sight, for they knew that Parpaldia was the one true superpower in Philades. With their ominous presence, the two figures sat down quietly.

Patagene then spoke, "D-dear delegates, thank you for arriving on such short notice..." The general questioned the duration of the trip. At most it would have take only four hours, so why did it take more? He did not dare question them as he continued. "We have summoned you for a request to the Parpaldian Empire."

The two figures looked at each other before one of them, a man, spoke, "You may say your request."

Maus looked at Patagene with more hopeful eyes before he eyed the figures. With that the prime minister spoke, "We ask for military assistance against Italy. We are in desperate need of aid right about now. If Louria falls then we won't be able to unite all of Rodenius."

Patagene nodded, "We... need your empire's immense strength to assist our... weak kingdom," he said. The general absolutely hated pandering to Parpaldia, even when he knew they were the superpower and not Louria. "Please... we desperately need help."

The two figures did not speak for a moment. However the second envoy, a woman, then laughed, "Oh how the barely mighty have fallen..."

Patagene frowned deeply in embarrassment, "Please... Just this once, we need your aid. We will return the favour in whatever way you wish."

The man then shook his head, "It's all over, general... Louria is finished. Your armed forces have been decimated and with no hope of your nation coming out on top, you have nothing to offer to us."

The woman nodded as she and her partner stood up, "With that, we will excuse ourselves. We have a boat to catch. Finally we will be returning to civilisation."

Maus's heart dropped to his stomach. Before long he stood up as he spoke shakily, "W-wait! The enemy has surrounded the lands and seas of Jin-Hark! Surely someone from Parpaldia would send help to you?"

The man looked back, "Oh do not worry. The Italians will be giving us top notch transportation back to Parpaldia. Enjoy your defeat, prime minister."

As the two left, Maus slowly collapsed to his seat. He then muttered, "They've... abandoned us. For Italy... They favour the enemy over us..."

Patagene couldn't find the words to speak.

...

Once more the heavy doors of the meeting room opened up as Patagene entered. With a nervous look, he took his seat as he spoke, "The capital is entirely surrounded... there are reports of iron beasts and men surrounding the city. The reinforcements have not arrived... it seems they have been taken out. And right now numerous iron ships have surrounded our waters... Parpaldia has no interest in helping. The Italians announced an ultimatum. Surrender or have the castle be stormed by their soldiers," he said as he looked to Hark.

The king sat quietly in his seat. The chandelier above shadowed his face as he clasped his hands against his chin. He sat there, silent as nobody around him dared to speak. Finally he then muttered, "It's over... we're done for. Aren't we...?"

Everyone in the room shuffled in their seats. It really seemed like they were surrounded on all sides as Hark spoke further, "It was just yesterday we were approaching victory... now in just a day we are now on the brink of death,"

Yamirei frowned deeply. Maus was sweating bullets, and Patagene stayed quiet. However, the general spoke up, "No, we can still win this. Or at least you can, your highness... We must at least preserve the crown!"

Hark looked up, "How? What sort of men will defend me? We do not even have enough swordsmen to defend the city."

Patagene spoke with a more determined tone, "Even so, every Lourian men has vowed to defend you, the Gods' appointed leader of our nation. We have the armour and weapons. Even with crude training, our men will surely come to your aid... We must keep you safe and hold back for as long as possible, your majesty."

Hark eyed the general. For once he felt a sense of hope as he stood up, "You are an honourable man, general."

Yamirei then stood up and so did the other generals in the room. The Grand Mage spoke, "We will defend you with all our might, your majesty. All of us."

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Patagene nodded in agreement, "They will expect you to be in the Throne Room, your majesty. But please endure our plan for now,"

Hark looked to Patagene in confusion.

...

The dark, damp dungeons of the castle stung the nose of every men that descended down the stairs. But even so, Hark found the darkness comforting. Illuminated only by the lanterns carried by his guards, he sat down at a guard's chair with crossed arms.

Patagene looked to Hark, "This dungeon is impenetrable to even by the strongest soldier. They'd need to know the twist and turns of this castle to find you, your majesty. Please bear with the room until we finally push out the enemy!"

Hark looked up to him, "I'm counting on you."

Patagene nodded before he started to leave the dungeons of the castle. Once he reached the main area of the castle, he looked to the side to see a handsome man with long and graceful hair. With that he spoke, "Commander Rand... I entrust the King's safety to you and the Royal Guards. Protect him with all your might."

Rand nodded with an unwavering expression, "No matter what, they won't even set foot in the same room as the King. You have my word, general," he said.

Patagene nodded before he walked out of the castle.

...

4:53 PM

Around the walls of Jin-Hark, helicopters and tanks had the city surrounded. In a particular B2 Centauro tank destroyer, a crew sat in boredom and yet anticipation as the driver spoke, "They're about to pass the time limit we've given. Should we advance right about now?"

The commander shook his head, "Not yet. Wait for the exact time, men." He said firmly as he waited for the signal intently.

...

As the gates opened, Marum Swallow resisted the urge to feel fear. He looked around as there were tons of unfamiliar faces, regular men down to mere merchants who were conscripted last minute to defend Jin-Hark.

As Marum then looked back to the castle walls, he could see every mage and archer that was ready to defend the city. Even without wyverns for support, Marum saw the sight as nothing short of glorious.

Even in the sea of men in armour, Marum stood out prominently. With his heirloom shield passed down from his family, the gold colour shined under the eerily cheerful sunlight of the day.

This was it, Jin-Hark's last stand.

...

"Oh hell... that's a lot of guys," the gunner said.

The commander then nodded, "Indeed. Get up on the machine gun. We'll be working with the other Centauros and Arietes for this,"

The gunner nodded. He climbed out and positioned himself at the machine gun. After he prepared himself, he took aim towards the amassed men.

...

Patagene gripped the reins of his horse tightly. With Yamirei on the walls with the mages, Jin-Hark despite its heavily defeated army, amassed the strongest force on the continent. He was sure of it. The enemy will be overwhelmed and will turn back.

He looked around. Heavy swordsman, conventional swordsmen, and numerous cavalry to try and flank the enemy. Archers and mages on the walls. They were now ready.

Once he slipped down his visor, he yelled as he raised his sword in the air, "FOR LOURIA, FOR THE KING, AND FOR OUR FAMILIES! CHAAARGE!"

The battle cries of hundreds of men then resonated through the field. Dozens upon dozens of horses started to make haste, the men with their swords and armour ran with vigour all the while the archers and mages up above started to take aim.

Marum started to run with his fellow warriors. He yelled out his own battle cry as he ran down the hill of Jin-Hark. Suddenly, the cries of determination turned to pain and death the further Marum ran. He raised his shield as he could see lightning quick arrows start to hit his fellow warriors. He flinched at the hard force that was hitting him. The men around him turned from glistening iron from their armour to piles of red and black.

...

The gunner stopped for a moment. He went wide eyed at the sight. Just waves upon waves of men dying, "Jesus fucking Christ." He said, baffled before he shook his head as he started shooting again.

Up above, the Mangustas fired their missiles. Some onto the attacking forces while some on the walls. Each missile decimated each man, no matter where they were. Another Mangusta meanwhile circled around the city as the pilot spoke into his headset, "We confirm that there are a small amount of troops in the city. It seems like they've given all they got for the assault. There are guards on the castle grounds, stay alert." With that the helicopter flew off.

...

Yamirei fruitlessly enchanted as much spells as he could towards the helicopters but as his fellow mages died to the explosions, the old man fell to the ground as the wall collapsed under him.

Weakly, he started to heal himself with a hand on his chest as he started hyperventilating, "T-that can't be... my spells... do not work, and yet those beasts...! I don't detect magic at all!" he said shakily to himself before he looked back, wide eyed as the scene of the massacre continued, "It has to be them! It's the Ancient Sorcerous Empire! There's no doubt!!" He held his face in distress as insanity took over his head.

On the fields, Patagene was knocked down from his horse as a bullet hit his shoulder. He laid on the ground weakly as he sneered in pain. To the side, he then went wide eyed as Marum was against the ground while he kneeled. His armour dug into the dirt as he kept himself hidden behind the shield which deflected his bullets.

"It's him... a hero has risen!" One unharmed soldier exclaimed as the others watched the sight.

"He can withstand the arrows! We have a chance!"

"Maybe they aren't as strong as we think!"

As he saw that his men was getting motivated, Patagene yelled, "Charge! Now!!"

Once more battle cries filled the air as the warriors that remained started to run towards the iron beasts.

...

The gunner kept shooting before he eventually raised his protective eyewear to confirm the sight, "Some soldier has a bulletproof shield somehow! It's causing the men to attack again!" He said. He couldn't believe how many were just fruitlessly running into their bullets before he slipped on his eyewear again and continued firing.

An AW129 took aim. With his sights on the shielded hero, he launched his missiles.

...

An explosion knocked Marum back towards the gate as he went flying. He yelled in a panic as his shield remained intact, yet cracked and burnt. The conscripts that remained saw this. The hero they looked up to laid on the ground weakly. This wasn't worth it and quickly they started to run back into the city as they abandoned their weapons.

"N-no wait! Come back! COME BACK!!" Patagene said as he yelled. He stood up as he held his shoulder before he looked back.

The battlefield was riddled with corpses after corpses of Lourian soldiers. His face turned from anger to horror as he stumbled for a moment before he kneeled on the ground. As far as the eye can see was a sea of bodies. Hordes of dead men that wouldn't be able to return home to their families. Patagene suppressed the urge to vomit as he realised something.

It was all his fault.

Patagene collapsed onto the ground. He may not have died, but his soul surely has.