Chapter 12
Vicenzo
1200
“What we must focus on is ensuring the civilians are safe.”
“Of course, highness. I have ordered those in the outskirts to move into the palace already, they should be arriving later tonight.”
“Defense of the city is also vital, so we must keep the walls fully manned, hard as it may be.”
“Of course, highness, I have already called for volunteers.”
“And you, boy!”
Dennis eyed the red-headed young woman with some uncertainty as she turned to him. She was looking at him with what might have been disdain or exasperation. She was certainly not looking past him at the other guys packing their munitions and moving out of the palace grounds and she most certainly was not considering objecting to the Americans' assistance. No way she would be. Governor Lucretius stood by her, also staring at him. The blonde rabbit woman next to him said nothing.
Dennis said, “Yes, highness?”
“What other weapons are your men bringing to protect this city?”
Good question…
He replied with a calm “If all goes well, we will have some of the weapons from the mountains here, which should help us greatly, as well as more men to help hold the line until a steadier stream of men and materiel can be brought over.”
Which we already told you…
Not appearing satisfied but with nothing else to object to, the young woman said “Good. So, if all goes well, that leaves us with…”
With her right foot, she made a line on the dusty dirt beneath them. She had drawn an oval with a few vaguely visible squares around it, one the city and the other Octavius’s army. She gave it a studious glance and spoke calmly.
“Thirty men per segment of city wall! Should be manageable for an army of our caliber to defend.” She concluded proudly.
“But the Americans are bringing in more.” Lucretius sighed.
“Then thirty-five or forty per segment of the city wall. Either way, I believe what we should do is focus on holding the lines so no one breaches the city. Of course, if it becomes necessary, the gubernatorial palace has sturdier walls we could fall behind should that fail.”
Dennis did not comment right away.
“Boy!”
Damn it…
“Yes?”
“What say you?”
“What say my commanding officers.” Dennis corrected.
She frowned at him but he did not let her object.
“I understand that the consensus amongst my superiors is to agree with you. We hold the line and wait for more of our men and equipment to arrive. Then, when we have all that, we can hit them from afar and make all attacks untenable.”
“Good! Strange that we agree on tactics, but good! Lucretius, I shall be inspecting the defenses now.”
“Be careful, highness.”
“Nonsense! The American weapons have not sung as much as earlier and things have quieted down! Excuse me, governor.”
The young woman walked past him.
Dennis eyed her as she left, her guards waiting for her nearby.
“She is a real believer in her military skill. I am envious.” Lucretius sighed.
Dennis said, “I thought her soldiers were mainly for parades in the capital.”
“They are. Where did you hear that?”
“Prisoners from that first attack months ago.” Dennis replied simply.
The governor paused.
Dennis wondered what their mentality was. Would it be comparable to say that this would be like the Romans depending on help from Barbarians during a siege? It wasn’t insane, but what was the mentality behind it? Was the man embarrassed? Ashamed?
Lucretius spoke suddenly.
“You know, young man, I do not understand why your people are so ready to suddenly work to defend us.”
Dennis felt his brows furrow ever so slightly.
They were soldiers. They had opinions, but those didn’t mean much on a battlefield. They got orders, they executed them, and if the situation changed, they adapted. Plus, this was an enemy city that they had, whether the governor wanted to admit it or not, taken without firing a shot.
Lucretius then added, “Though I suppose your people gain from this either way. Assuming you win.”
Dennis did not comment on their chances.
A lone, distant gunshot reminded them that the battle for Vicenzo hadn’t truly started in earnest yet.
***
“I think we can sneak around at nightfall and hit their positions. Especially once we get some more mortars here.” Captain Thorne muttered as he looked through binoculars at the forest where the enemy lay.
Andrew Reagan eyed the same treeline with less certainty. Grassy hills, a few trees; but not quite enough to hide an approach from them. But then again, if it was dark enough, maybe. It was insane how dark the night could be outside the civilized world. For thousands of years, humanity had fought to keep the darkness away, and now many had forgotten just how much of a blessing the light bulb had been.
But would it work here?
A rifle cracked.
“Got one!” one of the 7th’s men hooted, racking back the bolt on his M1903A4. Indeed, Drew saw for a split second a human-shaped silhouette fall over behind one of the hills.
The Romans stared at the chuckling marksman with disapproving eyes, but not quite condemnation. To kill with such ease must have been an alien concept to them, yet not an undesirable one. Probably. Did they see it as desirable or abhorrent? He tried not to think about it and instead lifted his binoculars to scan the battle lines.
The fields between the city walls and the tree line were effectively empty with the exception of a few dead bodies. No arrows were raining on them anymore. Not after the gunships did a few passes over the area before they left. The smoke from that had long cleared, and he wondered what Octavius and his men were waiting for.
Octavius… It has to be the same guy from Dallas so why isn't he attacking?
He hoped the bastard got to live. Got a trial, a sentence, in front of both worlds to see. It was one thing to perhaps attack without proper information. It was one thing to mistakenly attack civilians. It was another to knowingly do so, and then actively sabotage any attempts at peace.
But then again, maybe that’s just how people are here…
It was in this thought that he saw something just over the treeline.
“Uh, hey captain?”
“Yeah, I see them.”
Neither spoke for a moment. Some of the city guards squinted as though they’d seen it as well without the help of binoculars. Their faces turned grim at the prospect, no different from the Berets.
The Legend lowered his binoculars and grumbled “We’ll have to radio this in… bad guys have Wyverns.”
Alpine Mountains United States Forward Operating Base
“Put simply, sir, we need to prioritize helicopters and fuel in order to reinforce our guys in Vicenzo.” the Army Logistics officer stated.
General Abrams eyed the frustrated Air Force Colonel as the man countered with “We can start bombing them now! They’re in an area with plenty of trees, we can napalm them to hell and be done with it.”
The Marine Colonel spoke up, adding “If they breach into the city, are we supposed to bomb it to oblivion, too?”
The Air Force Colonel said, “We can avoid that situation with air power.”
“That’s what my guys thought in Peleilu. We had total air dominance there, and it did nothing to stop the Japs from turning it into a meat grinder.”
“Christ, I thought you Marines were supposed to have balls.”
“Gentlemen.” Abrams spoke firmly, “The situation is changing, that means our strategy has to change as well. The governor of Vincenzo has agreed to assist us if we can protect his city, and I don’t think air power alone is going to help us here. Not without some more concrete volume of aircraft.”
“If we move the right vehicles we can have Skyhawks and Skyraiders with enough bombs to level Moscow all concentrated on these fields.” the colonel said, pointing at the map made from the photographs the Lightning Bugs brought back.
“We can break them through air power alone.” the man concluded.
“Yes, but right now, our guys need supplies, reinforcements, a steady chain of logistics, and- Look, we all read the Dallas reports. We shot straight for that damned portal, and a few dozen Romans who got left behind took some of our people down. Can you imagine a few thousand in a city like this?”
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The Air Force colonel deflated slightly.
“We could bomb the city as well, but then what? We have reporters snooping around already, the President wants us to avoid incidents, and we may have for the first time actually established some form of peaceful contact. We don't have to give a damn what the locals think, but we have to do the best we can with the established R-O-E.”
The Air Force colonel sunk in his chair.
It was the Marine Colonel who then said “That still leaves us with the problem of defending the city with what we have.”
More pensive now, the Air Force colonel said “We can bring in more Chinooks, your Marines also have the Mojaves on the line, right?”
“Yeah, but my guys are busy trying to clear the paths. We can't just rely on the choppers to do all the work.”
Right… the blocked mountain passes…
"We may have to."
Alpine Mountains
It was a damned annoyance.
The “highway” behind them had been blocked by large portions of the mountain that had, for all intents and purposes, been blown apart by some kind of enemy explosives. No one ever said the Romans were stupid, but he wondered who decided to give them what amounted to magical demolition charges. Now they had to keep the area secure while they worked to clear a path for their vehicles to move down the mountain.
In theory, they could walk down the smaller, rockier mountain paths. They could even move some troops through the air now that elements from the air cavalry had arrived. But doing so without a proper logistics chain could cut them off from much-needed supplies and even artillery support, and the last thing anyone wanted was cut-off troops. Market Garden had already taught them the harsh lessons of over-extending their lines. So there they were. Standing to, with simple defenses on both sides of the ravines all to deny the enemy the immediate high ground, while the engineers behind them worked down below. Progress. But oh so slow.
Either way, the Marines and Army engineers had to clear the paths if they wanted their vehicles to have more direct access to the frontline, which by now, was centered on a certain city at the bottom of the mountain. They were working 24/7 to clear a path for their tanks and APCs, and of course, the imperials were trying to make the task as difficult as possible. There wasn't much brush, mostly a few trees, but some peaks were close together. Too close.
“No, we haven’t pushed the rocks out just yet! Guys are working on it but-”
“Contact!” a private shouted as he lifted his rifle and unloaded into the trees nearby.
His lieutenant’s talk was interrupted by the dreaded whistling of the incoming enemy attack. It rang in his ears, growing louder as a war cry came from the nearby peak, hidden by the tree line. The whistling stones flew down just as the guys around him, guarding the engineers in the ravine to their rear, opened fire in earnest on something he couldn’t quite see yet.
M14s and M60s lit up the tree line. Still, whistling stones slammed into their positions, usually bouncing off their hastily set up cover, but he saw one guy take a hit to his waist and collapse. The young Marine clutched his waist as he twisted and writhed on the rocky ground.
He was quick to go check on him. The stones didn’t penetrate the body the way bullets or arrows did, but he shuddered at the internal damage they could cause. He quickly pushed away the Marine’s vest, the whistling stone fell away from where it had lodged itself, and already he could see the skin turning a sickening shade of purple, albeit not the way it would from internal bleeding. Still, the Marine would be down for the count for now. But he’d live.
He couldn’t say the same for the bastards on the receiving end of their guns.
There truly was no kill like overkill.
The gunfire reached a crescendo that reflected the rage of the Marines, even though the stones had stopped falling by now. Smoke filled the air. One of the trees fell over. What had once been battle cries died down, and he could’ve sworn he saw figures running away over the peaks nearby. Some were picked off by the guys adjusting their fire, but he saw a few vanish behind the rocky peaks and into safety.
“Cease fire! Cease! Fire! God damn it…” the lieutenant ordered through clenched teeth.
In the brush, something could be heard.
“Sharpe, Elliot, go check it out.”
The two guys tightened their hold on their M14s and rushed ahead with a quick “Yes, sir!”
The Lieutenant turned to him and asked “How is he?”
“He’ll live.” He spoke matter of factly.
Meanwhile, the Lieutenant turned back to the radio, “Yes sir, another attack. Yes, sir we’ll keep at it, but these roads won’t be cleared anytime soon, I’m afraid.”
“We caught one!” Elliot shouted back.
The pair of Marines moved out of the trees and tossed an injured Roman out into the clearing. He had no doubt they would make sure he “tripped” going back down the cliff wall, but not quite yet. The man was clutching his arm. He saw that it was bent out of place. No one ran to help him.
He didn’t bother either as the man shakily started to get up on one leg, blood streaming from his right, and a hateful glare in his eyes aimed at the Marines who caught him, as though he would kill if he had the means to do so.
He only approached as someone called “Corpsman! Check this guy out so we can get him out of here!”
A part of him wondered why they bothered with these savages, but his duty wasn’t to judge who he stitched up.
Vicenzo
Cassius and his fliers did the smart thing in flying around the city and a distance away rather than over it. Octavius was unsure if the enemy had its terrible weapons that could swat fliers out of the sky just yet, but the fact was that risking it now was not something he wanted to do. As the wyverns landed in the forested areas, he welcomed them with a smile.
“Cassius, excellent work! I take it those are the new weapons?”
Cassius said, “Yes, general. Warlock Agustine and his mages prepared them to help us destroy Vicenzo as quickly as we can.”
Octavius approached the Wyvern. The creature had laid down, Cassius patting its snout like any horserider would their steed, and it allowed him to get a closer look at the goods it carried on a wooden crate behind the rider’s saddle.
He cocked an eyebrow.
“They are just… balls of dirt?”
Cassius shook his head.
“No, general. Not at all. Warlock Agustine explained, once we are over the city, we pull on this here string…” he pointed to the small thread tied around the saddle, “It will open the rear of the crate and allow the weapon to roll out as we fly higher. Once that is done, each ball has a stone tied to each portion of the string, which, once it snaps out, will detach and cause a small spark to ignite on each one. Only one needs to ignite for all of them to follow.”
“That was the theory, but… will it be enough? For the whole city, I mean.”
They were so small...
“Warlock Augustine says the results should be as though the gods themselves have decided to rain fire on Vicenzo. He was quite excited about it, general.”
Octavius nodded.
Another thunderclap rang out, followed this time by a pained yelp, and they all turned to the hills, a man ran down, clutching a bleeding forehead while searching for his fallen helmet.
“Soldier! The orders were to stay away from the sight of the enemy!”
The man did not skip a beat, kneeling and Octavius was quick to note it was a messenger.
“Sire I apologize, but Legate Sulla wishes to understand the situation! Are we to attack Vicenzo on the orders of Emperor Traianus?”
“Of course you are! Did the Seljuk agent not say as much?! Does that idiot need me to send someone else to do the job?!”
“No, sir, I will report to him myself. He wished to hear it from you-”
“Then here!” Octavius barked.
He grabbed a water jug from his waist and dumped it into the ground. He made sure to mix a touch of mud, which he gathered up and jabbed his ring onto it before handing the mud to the man.
The ring’s seal was just visible on it.
“Tell him to keep his men ready for attack. I want the walls scaled, and the city taken when I give the order, am I understood?!”
“Yes, general.”
“And tell him not to question my commands again! Now go!”
***
Sulla was a good soldier.
And that was the problem.
Lucy watched from the shadows as the messenger arrived, this time bleeding, but with proof of General Octavius’ order. The enemy’s firearms occasionally rang now, but the flying monstrosities had gone. It was almost quiet now, but she could tell the men on both sides were preparing for the main battle. It was only a matter of when and how.
Sulla darkly said “So, this is how we have fallen. Refusing to speak with those who wish to…”
Lucy took the opportunity to say “No one would force you to attack, though the consequences for refusing to follow orders would be disastrous to your legion.”
Legate Sulla scoffed, her cat ears twitching as he said “Damned feline. I understand that better than your kind ever would.”
“But you do not agree with the orders?”
“Go do your degenerative things, cat.”
With a flick of her tail, she moved further into the shadows but kept an eye on the man as he listened to Octavius’ orders.
“At night?”
“Yes, Legate.”
“Well, there is a new moon tonight. If done carefully… yes, it could work.”
And so died the last chance of the war ending before more people died.
Throughout their history, many wars had been waged, and many had died. Innumerable men, women, and children. Lucy thought back to those stories of the wars before this unprecedented era of peace. The heroic journeys of men who fought off giant monsters and brought much prosperity to mankind; an age of Heroes that was long since gone. Now wars were fought by men against other men.
Wannabe heroes who did not back away from any challenge regardless of the logic behind it all.
She eyed the small walls of the city. Men ducked down as they moved through them. She did not see the green helmets of the Americans, but she saw that the soldiers of the city were now in a position to defend where necessary along that western section of the city wall.
Above her, the sun slowly moved towards the horizon.
Not long now.
Imperial Capital
“Lucius, damn it, where are you?!” Emperor Adrian Traianus called as he stormed down the halls.
Antonius Trainus kept silent as they moved down the halls of the palace. Through the windows, he could see the orange skies above as the day began to close. Their capital city almost seemed to shine in that glow. What would happen if the enemy reached it?
Giggling from further down the hall caught his ear before he heard the words.
“Coming, father!”
Lucius exited one of the bathhouses in the palace, the merchant’s daughter laughing as she wobbled with every step, clinging to him in a rather inappropriate manner.
“Ah, but of course…” his father groaned, the woman straightening as she stifled her drunken giggles just enough.
Yet he had to admit, his father seemed almost pleased.
Lucius said, “Milady, I do believe you should get going now.”
“Bah, I do not mind staying.” the woman giggled, a hiccup punctuating her last words as she caressed his brother’s shoulder.
“I am certain my son will correspond with you further, but I do need to discuss some important details with him, so if you please….”
The woman seemed to understand, and with a sigh, she pushed herself away from Lucius and fumbled down the hall.
After a moment, his father said “A fine specimen from the south. Strong, beautiful, and with a rich family.”
Lucius said “Energetic, too. I would not mind seeing her again.”
“A good choice for your empress, my son. However, we have pressing matters to discuss.”
“Uh, of course. What is the problem?”
Antonius took the opportunity to finally speak.
“The enemy from the Alpines has reached the city of Vicenzo.”
Lucius winced.
“In… in less than a month?”
“They have brought some metal birds that move somewhat faster than our Wyverns and have placed troops in the city. Governor Lucretius has betrayed us. Over a beast, of course. Octavius is already working to destroy the entire city on my orders.”
Lucius was silent. Something in his face appeared conflicted, but whatever it was he kept it to himself.
Antonius said, “The merchants have agreed to ramp up all weapons they can make, and the Eastern mages have begun researching new crafts to try and break these invaders, but as it stands we must face them with what we have… so we must prepare for this battle to be an abject failure.”
Lucius then asked “Have they not tried communicating at all yet? No demands?”
“Why would they after what happened to Octavius.”
Antonius did not comment, but he noticed his father appeared rather uncomfortable with the question. The way his eyes dropped their gaze, how his words felt… detached.
Emperor Traianus quickly said “So I have ordered Antonius to head to our southern ports. He will meet up with Aedora Traianus in Ancona to determine more of our navy’s strengths.”
Lucius winced at that.
“Father, are you suggesting that we may need to evacuate the mainland?”
“Naturally. An enemy this deranged… this powerful… we must meet them with greater determination. That of the Heroes of Old. That which makes us great. And should something happen… to me… you… both of you must be prepared to lead in my stead.”
“Of course, father.” they both said.
Then, with a sigh, he said “I will try to recall Parthea, as well, but I will soon be expanding the order of the Scorched Earth policy. We cannot allow these men any footholds within our land.”
Antonius said, “I shall leave immediately, Father.”
“Good.”
Antonius walked past the windows again.
The city no longer glowed in the darkening skies.