TFA1 7.3 - Invasion
Guise Sea
02:30, 27 Aug 2025
Under the night sky, more than 600 warships from Buriek Navy's 4th Fleet were advancing at full speed heading north. In the rearmost row, 10 carrier ships, 60 cruisers, and a dozen of supply ships anchored as soon as they reached a position of 40 km from Sandhur's coastline.
The Buriek's carrier ship was up to 300 meters long and could accommodate 20 Cloud Hawks. Its hull could fully open, and was equipped with Cloud Hawk’s hanging perch made from an iron frame.
As for the cruisers, it was 275 meters long, manned by 300 sailors, and equipped with a combination of hundreds of footbows and ballista.
From the bridge of carrier ship Rebbar-01, Admiral Orres looked at the hundreds of ships moving away to the north. He waited until the 4th Fleet convoy disappeared into darkness before turning to his assistant.
"Wake the Riders up and get them ready."
"As your command."
---
For thousands of years, Guise Sea had been a source of livelihood for Sandhur's fisherman. The fishermen only used small boats so they could not go too far from the coastline.
A dozen of fishermen joyfully packed the equipment they had just used. Even though the early morning wind bit their bodies, the fishermen did not feel disturbed. Instead, they would smile widely every time they saw tonight harvest which for some reason was abundant.
However, the fishermen's smiles instantly evaporated when in the distance a faint screams was suddenly heard, followed by the sound of people splashing into the sea. One of the fishermen immediately grabbed a torch, and while he tried to look into distance, without warning a bolt shot straight through his neck.
At the same time, 20 people dressed all in black boarded the boat from each side and fired crossbows at the dumbfounded fishermen. After giving finishing touches for each fisherman, the people in black then threw the fisherman's bodies into the sea.
Once the fishing boat was under control, the people in black immediately directed it to a large fishing village on the beach. Altogether there were 84 boats, and 2 km behind them 150 landing ships from Buriek’s 4th Fleet tightly followed.
---
Femm couldn't understand why her baby suddenly woke up and didn't want to stop crying. She tried to breastfeed her, but her baby refused and continued to cry. Her baby even continued to sob when she was tired of crying.
Even though the early morning wind from the sea was not good for health, Femm decided to get out of her hut and walk to the shoreline. Of course, she wrapped her baby tightly in a thick cloth.
Although Femm did not recognize the concept of time based on hours, she could accurately determine when her husband usually returns from fishing. She hoped the baby would calm down after meeting his father, like any other day when she was fussy.
When dozens of fishing boats' silhouettes appeared in the distance, Femm immediately smiled. "Sweetie, look, your father has come home. Don't cry anymore so your father won't worry."
Femm joyfully cradled her baby, while dozens of fishing boats continued approaching the beach.
As soon as the first boat touched the sand, 20 people dressed all in black immediately jumped out. Femm frowned because she didn't recognize them, then immediately ran towards the village as soon as they drew their short swords.
Femm ran as hard as she could, but one of the men in black caught up with her and slashed her back. She fell forward, but reflexively managed to ensure that her baby was not injured.
Femm hugged her baby tightly while the man in black clothes walked up to her.
"Please... Don't kill my baby daughter. I will do anything but don't kill her," Femm pleaded while tears started pouring down from her eyes.
The man in black looked at the baby in Femm's embrace, and doubt reflected in his eyes. The man's hand began to shake and his grip became loose.
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"If you hesitate you will fail to kill them on first strike, and they will suffer longer."
An older man who was also dressed all in black approached the man whose heart was filled with doubts. The older man then looked at Femm for a glance before continuing.
"Akrei, we are assigned to launch a Genocide War into Sandhur Region. If you are unable to do so, you can return to the ship and join the Ballista Crew."
Akrei immediately took a deep breath and erased the image of his son, who was only a few months old out of his mind. In an instant, Akrei's eyes turned cold again.
Without hesitation, Akrei then cut Femm's neck, who was trying to protect her baby. A moment later he also cut the baby's neck who was still sobbing. Then, he made sure that the mother and child continued to hug, hoping that they could cross into afterlife together.
---
Dawn was just breaking when more than 1,600 people in black marched toward the fishing village with drawn weapons. After setting up a perimeter, the people in black immediately launched a total massacre.
Some women who were fetching water from wells become their first victims. The screams of the women made the other residents awake, but it was in vain. Because all that was left in the fishing village was only elderly, women, and children.
Some teenagers and old fishermen tried to fight back, but they instantly got killed. Once the resistance was suppressed, a house-to-house hunt began. The cries and screams of the children who called their parents could be heard, but a moment later silence returned to envelop the fishing village.
While the massacre in the fishing village was taking place, the 4th Fleet landing boats landed on the beach to unload logistics, support personnel, and of course the main elements that would attack Sandhur Region.
As soon as the fishing village has been controlled, the support personnel immediately went to work. First, they were cremating the villagers' corpses. Then, they set up defensive barricades, building logistic depots, communication posts, and a field command post.
While the foothold on the beach was being established, five cavalry squadrons of Buriek Guard moved toward the deeper part of Sandhur Region. Their mission was to disturb and delay the rapid reaction elements that would be sent by Sandhur Guard.
---
The entire Sandhur Region was flanked by two cliffs. When viewed from above it was looked like an hourglass. The cliff on the left was called Levsait while the cliff on the right was called Raisait.
Levsait and Raisait were extended from the coast, passing Lagra City to the northern border with Sviek and Rivek Region. Because of its vital position in protecting Sandhur Region, Sandhur Guard puts 60% of its strength into Levsait and Raisait. It could be said that almost the entire surface of Levsait and Raisait was a network of strongholds and fortifications.
In the coastline, Levsait and Raisait were separated by a 65 km wide sandy plain, and in the middle of this sandy plan stood the large fishing village. Even though Sandhur Guard’s personnel at either end of the cliff could not saw the massacre in the fishing village, they could still spotted more than a thousand Buriek Guard entering it, followed by a landing of hundreds landing boats.
As soon as General Pommer received a report regarding Buriek Navy's landing, he immediately rushed towards Railev Pass, where Levsait and Raisait were narrowed to only 5 km apart. General Pommer realized that on the coast there was a fishing village with more than two thousand residents. But he did not send Sandhur Guard to save the villagers.
General Pommer was sure that when he received the report about the landing, all the villagers had already been slaughtered. Moreover, if Sandhur Guard's elements he sent were ambushed and captured, then it would be a tantamount to providing free information to the invaders.
General Pommer's response was fairly simple. He issued a mandatory military call for all Sandhur Region's residents, followed by a full-scale mobilization of Sandhur Guard. As for the counter invasion's strategy, Sandhur Guard would withstand Kingdom of Buriek’s invasion in Railev Pass by utilizing a salvo of footbows.
Footbow only had an effective range of 1.5 km, but if they were fired from both sides it was more than enough to destroy 80% of the invaders who were trying to pass the Railev Pass. Therefore, the key to victory was how well Sandhur Guard in defending Levsait and Raisait from Buriek Riders’ attack.
Meanwhile, Buriek Rider had conducted a Combat Air Patrol, and found the exact position of Buriek Navy’s carrier ships.
"They really took a big risk by making a landing before getting a hold of air superiority," General Pommer muttered while fixing his gaze on the strategy map on the table.
It didn't take a genius brain to realize that Kingdom of Buriek's invasion would end up in failure, if reinforcement from nearby Region arrived before Buriek Guard succeeded in controlling Levsait and Raisait.
Also, even though ground reinforcement would take a while before arrived, with Cloud Hawk's combat radius reaching 500 km, Sandhur Riders didn't have to worry about being outnumbered.
Therefore General Pommer began to wonder where the Buriek Guard higher-ups' confidence had come from. But he didn't have much time to ponder, as an operator of crystal communicator suddenly made an announcement.
"Combat Air Patrol from 8th Squadron reports the movement of 80 Buriek Riders. They are moving straight to Levsait at an altitude of 200 meters."
'Looks like they don't want to give us time to prepare,' General Pommer muttered before giving an order, "Let Sandhur Riders welcome them, and inform Sviek Riders and Rivek Riders who are standby at the border."
"At once, Ser!"
Without delay, General Pommer's orders were dispatched. A moment later 120 Sandhur Riders took off from both Levsait and Raisait.
*****