Commando Part 34

Being bound to a bed Maurice had nothing to do. All he really could do was calm down, relax, and gather his thoughts. Hilastes, and Amonif stayed in the room to watch over him only letting him out of the bonds to let him drink, eat, and relieve himself when nature called. Four days of this went by until they decided it was time to let him out of his bonds. Maurice spent a full day stretching his legs and going for a stroll up and down the trail and the main road for six miles. He returned to the fort to discover a party of travelers among some families hugging the doorway.

When he got closer the commando noticed the travelers were twelve soldiers and these families appeared to be exiles or refugees running away from something. They were talking to Kanuna who then pointed to him as he approached. At his approach the whole party turned their attention to him. Maurice introduced himself as Lieutenant Viyamor of the Vestrisian Expeditionary Forces. He told them briefly about his mission, welcoming these soldiers and civilians alike into the comforts of these fort. Due to him having the same rank as Vincent he had shared authority over the fort until another higher rank came along. Twelve soldiers revealed themselves to be Vestrisians as well to the Lieutenant giving their ranks and names. Most of them were Corporals, and Privates whereas two of them were Sergeants. Commanding them was Captain Mekker. Maurice led them inside quickly as the civilians begged to enter the safety of the fort.

Letting this group of soldiers and people inside allowed for more information to be revealed. His comrades brought the high-ranking officials to the room where Vincent was and hit them with various questions. Maurice joined his fellow officer in hearing what these Sergeants and Captain had to say. These twelve vestrisians came all the way from Oceanrest Var villages and the Khasungai. A year ago they heard rumors about this fort. Ever since they learned about this fort these soldiers of Vestrisia went on a quest meeting fellow Vestrisians and other helpful peoples. Mekker mentioned there were other Vestrisians still in the cities of Khasungai and Oceanrest Var. Hearing all of this Maurice asked where he could find these other Vestrisians.

Vincent left this to Viyamor as Mekker dismissed the Sergeants. They dispersed from the room to attend to other tasks. Both officers left the room to talk somewhere else. Maurice and the leader, Captain Mekker sat down at a table in the cafeteria. They were soon joined by Vincent who followed them inside. He explained to Mekker what happened and how Maurice found this fort. Although they were leaders themselves they still had a higher rank to answer to. One of them was a Colonel who was in the Sarcagos, and another was headed for Waikun with a mercenary leader. He also asked if they had anyone who could operate a Gantronese radio. Mekker sat up and said he knew four countrymen who could operate a Gantronese radio. He mentioned one who could get it working in a day. This was a Private who took residence in an old outpost with a cat outside the limits of Oceanrest Var. There were nine other Vestrisians residing in that city whom sent them here. For a whole year and a half they had been in contact with more countrymen residing in Khasungai.

In order to get this radio working they would have to gather more vestrisians and this private or others who knew how to fix a radio. Just before any of the others spoke the alarms sounded indicating something had gone horribly wrong or the fort was likely under attack. As though they were under attack the Vestrisians, Warriors, and mercenaries rushed to their weapons. Every one of them exited the fort interior to see what was going on. They climbed onto the walls to see a group of goons and warriors ready to assault the fort. It appeared to be a small army of two hundred of them armed with various weapons. Among these would be assailants stood Gantronese, other outsiders, some natives, Uxane warriors, dragon like warriors. Many of them were armed with melee weapons such as spears, swords, axes, clubs, bows, and other melee weapons. Plenty of them did wield rifles, and other guns.

Maurice felt confident in swift victory when several more groups arrived at the clearing around the fort. A small army of two hundred Uxane braves came out of the jungle, a gang of sixty raiders who looked more like they belonged in the city, fifty gladiators, eighty or so tattooed figures armed with sickle swords, two hundred Grussian outlaws armed with axes, seventy-two alien warriors and twenty warriors who painted themselves like skeletons. Seeing nearly a thousand warriors, braves, goons, raiders, and fighters all in the clearing would be reason to set the alarm off. Every fighter and soldier manned the walls in case this large force of gangs attacked.

To their surprise these gangs moved to different parts of the open area as if setting up pieces on a board game. Many of the smaller groups banded with each other, the larger groups or stood alone. Maurice ordered for his men and those in the fort not to open fire. He knew what was about to take place here in the jungles. This was nothing new in the Unknown Lands despite what people say. Tribe against tribe warfare, turf war it was all the same type of warfare here, over land and resources. Vincent leaned over and said there was a massive turf war going on over this particular road each year. A turf war over a road that connected Khasungai, Waikun, and Oramatra that had gone on for three years or more. . Something must have snapped inside the heads of these gathered warriors like a ticking time bomb as each group charged for an opponent on the field.

Uxane warriors, natives, Gantronese, other aliens, raiders, gladiators, tattooed warriors, Grussians, and other warriors clashed into each other, letting arrows loose, blasting opponents and engaging in melee combat. Maurice had no clue who to pull for or to even pull for any group. Chaos spread across the surface around the fort with multiple armies battering, slaying and shooting each other. He just watched the battle and slaughter last more than ten minutes. Like a spectator watching a match or a tournament Maurice observed the conflict that had unfolded before the walls of the fort. Various warriors, goons, outlaws, fighters, and ex-soldiers killed multiple foes before getting killed in return. The process repeated itself as fresh meat engaged fresh meat and veteran alike on the field.

A full hour with more combatants pouring into the fight representing each faction. Five hundred more warriors who appeared vying for the Gantronese came out of the jungles. Three hundred and more pirates escaping the law as outlaws poured out of another part of the jungles The two forces pressed for each other engulfing small pockets of fighting into their own mass of flesh. Not caring at all about the clutter of bodies or wounded the two new forces clashed. It became the same result quickly only the two forces pressed against the other back forth.

Many of the Uxanes, and native groups began to retreat out of the battle as well as handfuls of Grussians, and other combatants who pulled out of there. Many of them scattered into the jungles while others raced for the trail and road. He watched thirteen Grussians carrying their comrades make a run for it. They were intercepted by another force made up of Uxane warriors dressed in what appeared to be uniforms. Behind them were other native warriors with a force of one hundred ninety-two, following one hundred fifty Uxanes. Vincent muttered in his ear that these warriors were Waikun soldiers, followed by Utsali tribesmen. As he said this another force came rushing up the road. He then tells Maurice the Khasungai had arrived. The Khasungai came in with a force of one hundred seventy. Both new arriving armies made quick of any retreating combatant on the road. These forces stopped to allow the opposing forces to kill each other off while dealing with those who fled their way. Any of the combatants who fled into the jungles would be dealt with by the jungle itself.