Hōshōjima Island, Harukami Shogunate.
August 12th, 1427. 5:42 PM
Joker fiddled around with the CLU of the Monarch II missile, checking its various settings as he looked through the digital display mounted inside. “Ohhh…. This thing has thermal mode! And of course the Army gets the cool shit first while we’re the one doing the vanguard job…”
“Don’t bum so much, Joker. We’ll get these things issued to us one day, by the labels these things were made quite recently.” Richard patted on his buddy’s back.
Milton looked over the AD-25-2 towed anti-aircraft guns and at his AMR-25 anti-material rifle, letting out a sigh at the wasted effort. “Why did I even bring this thing?...”
Senki walks into the command tent with a pair of guards armed with muskets, marvelling at the small electrical lamp inside which provides decent lighting of the dim interior. One thing she noticed about these Elysians is that they loved their mechanical instruments and weaponry, even the strange pair of metallic carriages they carried with them on the large flying machines were clearly heavy mechanical weapons.
Their ambassador had promised that she would remain in power and keep control of her country, but will have to represent the Shogunate and its people in their Federal Parliament as well as obeying any federal orders given to her. Besides her half brother who is now practically a demi-God, the only thing she could think of all night before is how the Lords will adapt to the new rules placed on them, not from her but from the Elysians. Her people have completely approved of the Elysian’s presence in the Shogunate, a product of desperation and a mix of gratitude. The Lords will most certainly lose their feudal power and would be angered, but she convinced herself that she could settle their discontent using the power she would have. Because, if not her, then who else could?
The Captain inside the tent quickly picked up on her presence, turning to her to give a slight bow. “Uhh… I’m Captain Raleigh. How may I help you, Empress?”
The Elysian’s naming tradition was strange to her. The typical Harukamian often announced their family’s name or their title first, but not these outlanders. She quickly picked up on the fact that they liked to use their title and first name only even at high level meetings, relegating their family name to the backseat of their documents. A total opposite of the Shogunate ways, where someone’s first name is only used for close friends and family. It was strange to her ears, but not everybody is the same, she knew that much. Even Azurians preferred to use their first name, afterall.
She gave the Captain a worn out paper map, taken from her father’s storage. The map was meticulously drawn, and details were included from her grandfather’s time of exploration and studies. “We’re almost there.” Senki said.
“I know, Empress. We’re looking at it right now.” He offered her a look into the tactical map. The map was far more detailed, with terrain elevation and several special areas marked down with small figurines. “The typhoon’s emission source is coming from inside that mountain, where it’s also the source of the monsters, that’s what you said right?”
“Indeed, you are correct.” She answers, looking at the Elysian’s excessively cluttered map. How can these people even read this? Most of the maps she had access to were beautifully detailed, unlike these Elysian’s who seemed to value practicality over style.
“Then we shall spend the night until before dawn here, after which we will move towards that mountain to complete both of our objectives. If you excuse me, I have a job to do.” Raleigh said before returning to his business, discussing plans with several lower lieutenants.
Senki returned outside, where Lord Daisuke was waiting along with a small group of Harukamians. She was expecting heavy casualties just to get here, but the flying machines that the Elysians called the ‘Rorqual’ along with its escorts helped tremendously in the raid, transporting herself and her guards to the southern island in just mere hours where it would’ve taken days.
“Jotei-sama, the men are ready. The Elysians only allowed for about twenty men of ours to go with due to the weight restriction, so I have chosen carefully, bringing the best men under my command.” Daisuke gives a slight bow before the rest of his Samurais do the same.
“Very well. Daisuke-dono, make sure they’re up for what’s next.”
“It is my duty to carry out your will with my life. I will not fail you, Jotei-sama!’ He bowed again. “I expect the same of my men as well.”
“I will make sure that everything you need will be taken care of, Daisuke-dono. You may finally look to retire after this, it is only right.” Senki said.
Daisuke widened his eyes in surprise, but quickly suppressed it as he bowed slightly again. “If that is your wish, then I’ll happily do so.”
He hasn’t thought about retirement at all. He was expected to die in battle, but death never came. Will he even know what to do after all of this is over? After fighting for decades? He truly couldn’t tell. Perhaps he would find a way eventually, he thought to himself.
A small house suddenly popped up inside his head, surrounded by natural beauty and serenity. Is this what having a dream felt like? He asked himself. Almost every day for the past decades, dedicating half of his life, he fought and led the fights against the monsters roaming across the island. There was no time for him to dream for all those years, so why did one appear in his mind now? Hope? Confidence? Maybe retirement wouldn’t be too bad, afterall. He just needs to get this raid over with.
– –
August 13, 1427. 2:12 AM
Senki lay in her own private tent, erected in the near center of the camp for protection. The Elysian’s mechanical machines had made much noise throughout the night, particularly the one they called the ‘diesel generator’ which apparently is capable of producing energy to power their ‘flood lights’ that they had installed throughout the small camp, filling the area around them with light to make sure they could see at night. A device with capabilities similar to the Power Gem, she references from memory.
The Shogunate have never had many magical gem deposits. There were a few small mines, but those were lost to the monsters throughout the decades. The knowledge of how to use magical gems was spreaded to the archipelago thanks to the few Azurian sailors drifting ashore like Lieutenant Hauke, giving way for some small integration of the arcane into daily life by the people. Maybe her people could learn how to use advanced mechanical instruments from the Elysians? Who knew? Maybe she could too one day.
RATATATATATATATATA!!! RATATATATATATATA!!!
Senki quickly stood up from her Futon, spooked by the sudden loud bursts of what she thought was thunder continuously attacking at unnatural speed.
“Enemy attack! We got Kilos inbound! About two to three hundred!” Several voices outside yelled out. “Man your position! Get me some 25 mike-mikes for the guns!”
“Get me more mortar rounds! High explosive! Corporal! Fire Illuminating rounds! Two hundred meters ahead!” A voice outside yelled out, he was heard even through the gunfire and commotions.
“Clear! Hanging!”
“Fire!”
THUMP!
Many shadowy silhouettes ran outside her tent, illuminated by something that was just shot up the sky. She pushed the canvas aside, glancing at the floating sun above before covering her eyes from the sudden brightness in the sky. “Did they just create an artificial sun?...”
“Jotei-sama!” One of the samurai yelled behind her. “You have to get inside! It’s not safe! The Kibaōkami are attacking, there are a lot of them!”
Noticing the situation, she picked up her swords and a Naginata. “I will fight! I didn’t train for years just to sit back and do nothing!” Her words had the intended effect, with the Samurai obeying her will before heading off for battle, joining force with the Marines ahead.
The albino wolves can be clearly seen even from a distance during the pitch black night thanks to the multiple artificial sun floating above, burning like fireworks but much slower. Hundreds emerged from the treelines ahead without pause, charging through the hail of tracers and lead being flung at them at incredible speed.
One appeared before her, shooting its fleshy tether-like tongue at Senki in an attempt to pierce through her chest but was quickly deflected. She spun her body around, using the momentum to cut its tongue off with the Naginata. The creature writhe in pain, giving her an opening.
“HEYYAH!” She slashes its eyes before quickly turning to its legs, cutting them off in quick succession before lifting her Naginata upward, smashing the blade against the creature’s head and killing it instantly.
Senki smiled as she noticed Lord Daisuke quickly running up to her. “Daisuke-dono-!”
“Behind you!” He yelled, leaping forward into the air to cut an Onibanes in half. The bird’s half-cutted body fell down, still waving one of its blade-like wings around before he stabbed its head with a Katana, ending its life. “Are you alright, Jotei-sama?! Come with us!”
“Alright!” She quickly followed him, regrouping with the small group of Samurai fending off a smaller group of Kibaōkami.
– –
“Watch out!” One of the Marines shouted at his comrade, who’s being dragged away by a long tongue of a Kibaōkami. “Fuck off! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!” He empty his pistol at the creature’s head to little effect, pulling out a longer weapon behind his back and blasted the creature at point blank range, tearing its entire head off with a bright flash and a loud bang.
“Shi- SHIT!” Richard kicks the creature’s mangled corpse away, accepting Joker’s hand as his buddy pulls him up. “Ewaaugh… why does every single life form here so fuckin’ slimey on the insides?!” He quickly wipes away the bloody goo covering his flak jacket. “Where the hell do you even get that thing?”
“Heh. I like to bring this,” Joker flashed his newly acquired RG-12 shotgun with confidence. “-for close quarters.”
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“Army’s ‘donation’ again?”
“Fuck yeah. Heh heh.”
Boris ran up to the two, catching his breath. “The fuck are you two dumbasses hanging out here doing?! We need more ammo on the forward trenches, bring heavy barrels as well! These things ain’t getting the message we’re giving them.”
Richard and Joker quickly ran back to the ammo depot, grabbing several cans of 5.56 rounds and 40mm grenades before running back to the respective trench. They found Milton laying on the sand, rapidly firing off his R-25MK marksman rifle into the distant treeline, prioritizing volume of fire over accuracy. Rita is also helping a Harukamian man, wrapping him in bandages from the injuries caused by the monsters.
“Here. Take this!” Joker threw a box of 5.56 magazines, which Milton gladfully accepted. “Keep ya waitin’, huh?”
“Of course you did! Get the machine gun’s up, these Kilos are unrelenting!”
Joker puts up his new R-125L light machine gun and begins firing off into the charging packs of Kibaōkami, cutting them down en masse with automatic gunfire. The 25mm anti-aircraft guns finally swivel around, spitting their anger at the horde and blasting them away with dozens of smaller explosive rounds at incredible speed. Larger explosions also followed, originating from the 84mm mortars in pits dotting around in the camp which sowed panic at the charging horde. They finally fell back, retreating from the Marine’s line of fire and into the forest where they had come from, trying to get away from the explosions engulfing them.
The roar of jet engines flew overhead, their ear-piercing howls getting louder and louder until they became visible for a brief moment thanks to the illuminating rounds floating above. The flying objects blew up mid air, covering an entire section of the forest in small explosives more numerous than those that hit the horde just moments before, completely decimating the creatures and lighting the area on fire.
Several Orca attack helicopters were deployed around the area, cutting down any remaining creature still alive with their 25mm cannons and rocket fire.
– –
Command tent.
2:40
“That’s one out of two Harbinger salvos, Captain. Orcas will be returning to the boat. Over.” A female voice over the radio said.
“Thanks for the help, Admiral Lainey.” Raleigh said to the microphone. “I'd rather have the cruise missiles saving our asses rather than letting some of my boys die. I’ll take full responsibility for this. Over.”
Expending a twelve cluster cruise missile salvo on a bunch of charging Kilo Bravos that is already retreating certainly won’t look good on Raleigh's track record. But at this point, why does he have to care anymore? The only thing that matters to him was to get everyone home alive. If he proves that he could do so, he could fix his relationship with Boris who still hasn't forgiven him for killing both the kid and Tarya.
“This reckless expenditure of high priority munition, you got balls, Captain. This will be on your record. You know the consequences. Over.” Admiral Lainey responded with a stern voice, affirming her position.
“Copy that, Admiral. Over.” He cuts the transmission, letting out a long sigh.
Lewis stepped into the command tent, wiping away some of the dirt on his face. “Sir, the Kilos have been annihilated. The men are cleaning up the area and are currently packing their gears. There are several injuries but no death. We could move in about two to three hours from now by dawn.”
Raleigh looked back at him. Honestly, the 21 years old Specialist in front of him reminded him of Tarya a lot, even to the way he spoke and followed orders without questions. “That’s good, if there’s anything else then let me know.”
“My CO (commanding officer) still dislikes you, Captain. I tried speaking to him this morning, but still, he’s not convinced.”
“I figured.” He let out a sigh. “Boris is not easily persuaded by anything but actions. You may return to your duties, Specialist. I’ll take care of it from here.”
“Yes, sir.” Lewis gave a salute, heading off outside.
– –
Akatsuki gave out a long whistle, impressed by the firepower of the Elysian Marines in the distance. Clearly the technologies these outlanders possessed gave them explosive edges over the piss poor so called Samurais of the Shogunate, destroying his beasts with ease. Their flying machines, rapid firing mechanical weaponry and screeching ordinances is most impressive, prompting him to clap in amusement at the explosive displays. They will be useful in deciphering the complex Khanterran instruments, he confirmed his theory.
An Onibane landed in front of him, bowing as it spreaded its bladed wings obediently.
The probing attack was costly, but he had seen what kind of firepower and technologies these outlanders possessed. He had been trying to decipher the old Khanterran’s weather machine’s inner workings to no avail for decades ever since fleeing here, but the magi-techs was far too complicated even for him to understand. Perhaps he could use these outlanders to decipher it for him since their objective is also where he is currently hiding.
He returned inside the old Khanterran complex built into the mountain, his footsteps echoing throughout the vast, empty metallic and concrete structure. The only thing he could decipher throughout his time here was how the Khanterran’s Ethereal Gems work. By grinding the gems down into dust and poisoning the wildlives through their food source, he could mutate them, morph them into beings that crave flesh and blood uncontrollably.
Looking at the alien device on his hand, he smiles deviously at it. The Khanterran’s treasures here were immense, filled with unknown technologies and magi-tech devices in which he could use to enact revenge on those who have wronged him. The device on his hand allowed him to control the monsters that he had created in order to wage war against the Shogunate, against his father who abandoned him and his mother for casting him away. His father and grandfather thought they had taken everything of value from this place, but they were merely scraps, leaving the actual treasures behind, save for the device on his hand which also functioned as the key to this place.
His life was a mistake, that’s what everyone around him had told him when he was a boy. A mere bastard of the Shogun, and an expensive, useless boy in the red light district where he was born. So he had orchestrated a revenge plan against those who had wronged him.
Planning meticulously for years, his first plan for assassinating the Shogun had almost succeeded if not for his carelessness in executing them, but he did get the beast-controlling device as compensation. His second plan, dating about nearly two decades back, also failed due to his old man’s new whore who had given birth to Senki. She took the hit from his black powder pistol for the old man. He had tried to kill the man who wronged him right then and there after the incident, but he wasn’t strong enough at the time to defeat all the guards rushing to the place so he stole as many Khanterran artifacts as possible and fled into the dark night that day.
He still hasn't had good control over the power he had taken from Lord Raijin, relying on his emotion to discharge immense power instead of controlling it at his will, at least he could use some energy power. He eventually arrives at the main area, looking at the singular horned human skeleton hanging in the cage. Wirings, small clear tubes and other equipment surrounded the skeletal remains, a reminder of what had transpired here several decades ago.
He didn’t plan to kill his half-sister’s mother, but it happens regardless. Apparently his old man didn’t tell Senki about how that whore died, giving her a false story that she died of illness. His half-sister was only a few months old at the time when he shot her mother with a black powder pistol, afterall. At least the old man suffered from grief, he figured, which only drives his desire to torment the old man even more. Until he died from Ethereal poisoning, which disappointed Raiden immensely, prompting a visit by himself to Sansekiro Fortress.
Raiden looked at the map hanging on the wall which depicted the captured territories of his conquest of the Shogunate. If these Elysians want this faraway southern land, they’d have to step over him and his army of beasts. He had wanted to destroy the strange outlanders right then and there, but he needed them to unlock the secrets of the magi-tech devices along with shutting down the storm generator, paving the way for his future conquest beyond the Shogunate’s watery borders so he had only sent a small swarm for a probing attack.
He will live for a thousand years more thanks to the godly powers that he had taken from Lord Raijin, he will have all the time in the world to build up an army that could trample over all that stood in his way, so why should he restrict his conquest to the Shogunate only? The only thing he needs are the secrets left behind by the Khanterrans in this place. Once the outlanders figure out how to turn the Khanterran’s weather machines off, he would kill them all.
“Hah…” Raiden let out a sigh of disappointment as he looked at the old black powder pistol in his hand. “Why did you have to die like that, old man? The goal of my life was to kill you myself. Now you left me with this…” He puts the pistol down, looking at the magi-tech device on his arm. “At least I’ll have some fun.”
– –
Hōshōjima Island
9:21 AM
The company of Marines, Azurians and a small group of Harukamians marched through the dense forest behind the pair of Hustler light tracked vehicles. Their rumbling engines throttled up, knocking down and rolling over some heavy vegetation while the Marines with their machetes cut through smaller branches and leaves, clearing a path through to their objective in the mountain ahead.
The name of the mountain had been long forgotten, its legends and stories lost along with the original inhabitants of Hōshōjima Island throughout the decades of Kibaōkami conquest. The trees and vegetation became worse as they came closer to the objective, turning to grey ash as if they were burnt, but none were on fire.
“This place is creeping me out.” Milton said, breaking the silence.
“I swear, why does everywhere but the city look like this?” Lewis chimed in, worried about what’s ahead.
A masked Samurai speaks up, not wanting morale to sink. “Centuries of poisoning have not done this place any favor. The last time I was here, it was the same as it is now.”
“You’ve been here before?” Lewis asked him.
“Aye. With the late Taikō. I fought here in the early days against the monsters before we were pushed back to Kōyōjima.”
“I see…”
Joker let out a long yawn, tired from the lack of sleep. “These things just don’t leave us alone… a few of ‘em have been tailing us but ain’t got the balls to attack. Some good rounds into one of them and the rest scatters…”
“I thought you’re used to sleep deprivation since basic training already?” Richard asked his buddy.
“Well… I’m not the proactive type.” Joker let out a confident smirk before being knocked in the back of the head.
“Stay awake, sleepyhead.” Rita marched behind Joker, carefully watching his movement to check for signs of fatigue. “You’re not gonna haul ass in this state.” She said to Joker, giving him a half-full leftover pack of powdered energy drink, which he gladfully accepted, savoring the bright blue liquid in the plastic pack.
“Gawd damn.” Joker jugs the rest of the drink down his throat. “This stuff always hits the spot.”
“You people are truly strange.” The samurai man comments, eyeing the rifle in the Marine’s hand. A clear evolution of firearm technology, certainly far more advanced than the black powder one in his hand. Their weapons fire so quickly that they only carry around a small blade to attach to their ‘rifles’, used for emergencies while he had to often resort to his blade after a single shot. Maybe he could use one of the new ‘rifles’ one day, once his personal quest is complete.
“The Marine Corps doesn't want regular Army folks anyway. So only fuckups like Joker, weirdos like Richard and a nerd like Lewis would be in this anyway.” Rita answered him before realizing something off about the man. “You don’t sound like… um, Harukamian.”
Shook by the sudden revelation, the man quickly took off his mask slightly to reveal his Azurian identity underneath. “I beg of you, don’t tell anyone of my presence here, especially to Jotei-sama. The Empress.”
“Alright. I’ll keep it to myself.”