Izzine stepped to the side letting her contacts lead them. They were informed about them, but she wasn't really informed about them very much. It was more likely hinted at. Yet according to the other Wizards a Goblin Mage managed to gather a sizeable, small army to fight the Gantronese. Cannie, Durditz, Bellime, Faidal, Christal and Voden herded them into a larger room as they climbed down. A well dug up and constructed bunker's interior lay before them. Entering an entry chamber in the shape of a trapezoid they could tell these IBOIS soldiers made themselves busy with its modifications and tunneling. Just looking at it Izzine could tell tools were used in its construction. Past the trapezoid room they entered a large rectangular shaped room with three tunneled halls along its flanks. Several of their contacts left them in the hands of Cannie, and Faidal. Cannie led them further through the bunker system that took them to a large hexagon shaped room that had rooms, and tunnels trailing off.
Noticing the main rooms were empty Izzine assumed the rest were resting or something. Cannie grabbed Izzine by the arm and took her to a room on the left. She snapped her finger which signaled for the large Faidal to block the others from following them. In her own deep voice she explained to them Izzine was to meet the leader alone. Turning to face them Izzine told them to wait there. She followed Cannie into the other room. Cannie lightly pulled Izzine into a room that was shaped like a sphere cut in half. Inside the round room was a table with a map on it surrounded by a few officers. Only one of them Izzine could identify as Cularis.
"Corporal Cannie reporting back in, Colonel Cularis sir. This is Izzine White-Spear the Zhenrai sent over to fill in for Gredaro." Cannie said with a salute to the higher rank.
"How many arrived?" Cularis asked the Bard who was now Corporal Cannie. He placed a few white flags on some islands on the map.
"Her 8 mercenaries and a crew of 43 pirates." Cannie replied.
Cularis looked up with wide eyes of shock and horror in them. Izzine could tell this was not good news to him. He was expecting the whole armada to show up at this very island. Izzine was no military strategist or tactician yet it was obvious to her something was going on. Another battle was about to take place.
"We need that extra force to beat back the Gantronese mercenaries! I only have a force of 174 to defend this island! All we get are 8 mercenaries, 43 pirates, and one Zhenrai! Radio Obrik about this." Cularis barked at them baring his teeth.
"There are 5000 others coming this way." Izzine responded to the outburst.
"Really? In Obrik's last message to me she said there were a thousand coming this way." Cularis scoffed a little. It seemed he was rubbing this information in the dirt after wiping his ass with it.
"One of the Wizards informed me that you were able to seize another island. Or is this the only island you managed to keep?" Izzine put in hoping this would not insult the commander. His nostrils flared a little at this. For a few seconds he said nothing.
"There are a dozen islands, some do not show up on maps due to failed expeditions, or other forces at work. Our common enemy the Gantronese invader held one island and another faction known as the Order of the Beast once held this one." Cularis said turning around to look at another map of Calorn on the wall.
"Sir a group of O.B. forces have landed!" someone shouted from behind her.
"Sverx! Everyone is either tired or wounded. Zhenrai this is your chance! Go use your powers or something." Cularis commanded Izzine.
Without hesitation Izzine twirled around to pass a half goblin female that came up to her shoulder. She raced towards the exit eager to show what she can do. Her Order's missions were not as exciting as this first one for the newly formed IBOIS. Heading for the exit she hollered at the 8 mercenaries to get ready. Throwing off her robe Izzine summoned a few spirits to increase her combat skills and strengthen her. Running past the mercenaries Izzine climbed the ladder back up to the surface. Her eight mercenaries struggled to keep up. Once she was on the surface Izzine went straight to ascension to scan the island. Her mercenaries made a circle around her with their weapons primed and focused on every direction around them. Scanning the island below she found a force of 37 strange alien humanoids scouting the island as a unit. She got out of ascension and prepared herself. Stomping on the ground she launched herself in the air. Izzine flipped around landing outside the mercenary circle. She unsheathed her blade and raced to meet the scouting unit of invaders.
Izzine did not stop for anyone. She was sent here to fight invaders. Rushing towards his unit her skills did not allow them time to react or even see her coming after them. Killing the 37 member scouting party she felt like this took away the invader's eyes a little. When she stopped to settle back in her normal phase her 8 mercenaries finally caught up to her. Each one were exhausted from running after her. She was clearly faster than them due to her abilities and training. Just looking at them she wondered if they really needed an army. A sharp pain went through her right shoulder as though something sharp impaled her there. Moments after feeling the sharp pain Izzine heard the sound of a rifle going off. One of the mercenaries pulled her down as the rest opened fire on an enemy she was not facing. Blood flowed from the wound soaking her robes. How could she be this clumsy? Sure she was still young, but how did she not sense this enemy? It hit her like a shock wave. This was a war, something Izzine was not too familiar with. She was plunging right into it. Letting the mercenaries carry her back she went into ascension to look at the 37 scouts. Among them was a horned warrior with blue skin, a croc mutant, some smaller ettin brute, shell reptile mutant, a lion mutant, as well as mutants for a few other animal humanoids. She spotted an Ogre, an ugly white beast, war troll, a blue skinned brute, a goblinoid abomination, vulture demon of some sorts, one big Troglodyte, and a few other humanoids she did not recognize.
She was rushed back as quickly as they carried her. Sporadic fire was exchanged showing the invader pursued them. From the brush machinegun fire erupted forcing whoever pursued them back to their lines. Her mercenaries took her to the safety of the bunker. There she was tended to while the IBOIS soldiers under Cularis fought off the first wave. Izzine rested for a day before deciding to get up and walk around. Inside the medical chamber she found a wall dedicated to the IBOIS.
She looked at a section of a wall with names, professions, and ethnic group. Among the first members to fight were Amphianoids, lone Crusader, an Elf Warlock, Warrior from Oceanrest Var, Grussians, Draconic Assassin, Barbarian, Cycloptic Warrior, Rangers, Boar Mercenary, Dwarfs, Magesar Rogues, Sentient insectoid. Izzine did not care for insects or bugs. Some gave her the creeps. Seeing there insect humanoids made it worse for her. Ever since her child hood she was creeped out by large insects. Shaking it off Izzine read more of the names on the wall. There was a young Barbarian named Efrit, an unnamed pinkish monster, an elf rogue outlaw called Gedwir, a winged crusader from Syrianos, some two headed wolf experiment along with 3 wolf pets. These wolves had names such as Borlin, Rolin, and Lina. As she kept reading she noticed some hand been labeled as aliens. This included an elite droid from another world, 4 bulky blue bots, 32 mercenary clones who came with 9 combat vehicles. Seeing them on the wall gave her the idea there were others who wanted to liberate Calorn. Izzine kept reading while her mercenaries rested and the pirates unloaded what was needed to make camp. Four half elf monks joined from Kilscar Orvain, a pair of orange elf knights joined from Miccado, a spearman, 6 goblin hybrids all joined at the same time as the monks. From other parts two Bone Cultists, a renegade elf wizard, reptilian gunslinger, a half Orc barbarian outcast, one Orc Ax fighter, and a hooded Mage fought and died as a team. Six Kilscar Orvain Warriors joined them because they were shamed for life. A young ninja warrior from Vorcadam joined because he was a runaway avoiding the Gantronese draft. Others included a long blade Ranger, crafty rogue, a former Paladin Initiate, and a pirate captain known as Barnabyss Froste.
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