Right after securing the castle like platform the marines patrolled the waters around the island holding this platform. They had at least twelve more platforms to clear out. Yet it seemed their newfound friend Yvonne brought them to the edge of the platform seas. In his mind he believe they might clear out another one. Looking around the whole settlement they found plenty of essentials, weapons, junk, trinkets, food, furniture, and some vehicles belonging to the Gantronese. On the northern coastal port they found three amphibian landing craft armed with anti-aircraft guns. Using these would enable them to reach other islands. Checking the ignition of each one they found them to be in working condition. Ammunition was limited showing some more use. One of the Majors contacted Colonel Gleicher who had orders to kill any aliens who did not flock to them except for any factions of the IGC. Gleicher informed them the Gantronese still had 1,320 troops holding 8 platforms, and another 2,240 troops on some close nit islands. All those islands and platforms were up north, and one was located to the south. According to maps some Rangers found there were at least thirteen or more platforms occupied, while the rest were either empty or inhabited up north. Some former CSO and Order of the Beast members warned their former comrades, IGC and Gantronese each held islands near their location. Every other islands to the south were unoccupied and overgrown. Yvonne may not have command over them, but she was their transport.
"Vestrisians, I bid you good luck with the rest of your mission. My Iperantosi and I are claiming this island. We need to pick up some members of a Knightly Order that landed on an islet to the southeast. They are called the Order of the Invincible Plume. Take any boats you can find there should be plenty. I bid you farewell." the tall Yvonne left them with eight extra motorboats, pointed out three heavy AA transporters on the southern part of the island. Not sure if this Yvonne could be trusted to leave men behind the Majors ordered for them to check for more vessels to use. For an hour Greigorsson patrolled one part of the island outside the castle like settlement. Ratledge and his team joined Greigorsson's platoon in the search for more vessels. This island stretched a little farther than they thought. On the southern and western sides of the island's structures lay a sizeable jungle. Appearing like the jungles of Borvados, and southern Ottante this jungle hosted flocks of creatures. Wingless furry birds roamed the area chasing each other. About three sail spine lizards crawled on the sand hissing as they prowled for prey.
Some of the Marines shot in the air scaring the creatures away for laughs and fun. One of the Marines, Private Banappel kept shooting at the strange creatures while chuckling. Sergeant Ratledge barked for him to stop, yelling as loud as he could at the Private. Other Marines of the eleven-man group were about to tackle or snatch him away from the jungle. Greigorsson stepped over to pull him away. Two large creatures burst from the jungle in the middle of a fight. A green dire tiger and large hairless were rat creature appeared before the marines. Locked in a fight between each other the Wererat, and Dire Tiger were oblivious to the eleven marines. Banappel stopped firing at once. Everyone froze at the sight of both creatures swinging, and clawing at each other. One hissed, and screeched while the other growled. The Tiger bumped into Banappel who was frozen stiff. Backing away in a blink of an eye the Tiger pounced on him. With one claw it ripped his stomach open. Private Banappel fell backward letting his ten fellow Marines open fire on the two creatures in response to the attack. It took a few rounds of ammunition to take down the Green Tiger and Wererat. As silence fell the group of Marines backed away in case something else jumped out. Greigorsson kept his eyes on the trees, and bushes. Just looking at these trees reminded him of the ones on Ruhonthra. Palm trees, coconut trees, fern trees, exotic oaks, a few banana trees along with the Eel trees. Greigorsson wondered if his banana would please a woman again. He hoped it would be an Uxane, or a tan Evusian. Most of the fat hogs in his town did not appear happy, but arrogantly stubborn to even maintain a good wait. He did not mind, just pondered over why they didn't push to exercise more. Sometime before the war he remembered some girl from Vorcadam whose family moved in a decade prior. He offered to meet this one at a library, but a pandemic was going on. Some large whale hog suggested they stay for 30 minutes. She was there an hour before him. With that date ruined he had no other choice than to wait patiently to see her again.
Sporadic gunfire broke his concentration. Everyone in his squad turned to face the direction of the sound. When they heard it again they rushed over to the source of the shooting. Racing through the island they passed several metal buildings that held some overgrowth on the walls, and through the windows. Running through the enclaves or camp sized settlements they came across smaller patches of jungle to race through. Greigorsson burst out of a small patch of jungle. On the southeastern part of the island they find another squad of Vestrisian Marines engaging a group of strange humanoids wrapped up like mummies. Over the linen strips of cloth they wore tunics, collars, circlets, headdresses, green broad collars, oblong crowns, and headdresses draped over their head and shoulders. Each of these humanoids wielded a gold green staff weapon. Some appeared like green pens with gold snakes wrapping around them, and bronze trim. Others held the design of spears with thick poles. Whoever these weirdos were, they must have come from a different planet or got brainwashed. Greigorsson could only think these guys were part of some cult or ancient civilizations fanbase who got their hands on alien weapons. These new invaders surrounded a fire team of five Marines who were part of a squad of 12 marines. No more than seven of their own countrymen lay dead, and just two of the weirdos lay dead. Did these weirdos come out of the sand, scaring them or something? Greigorsson aimed his rifle at the closest one and spotted something else he should have expected. Guarding their flank lay a seaworm like centipede monster with red, dark brown-, and sand-colored scales. It's length must have stretched at least 16.7 feet in length, and a body height of 4.5 ft. Standing on 22 legs with sharp points. Seeing this for the first time freaked the other Marine's out who started firing at the beast first. Ratledge and a few others shot up its eyes and pincers. It screeched and writhed violently, knocking down some of the mummies. As wriggled on the sand in pain the new invaders fired on their squad.
Shooting out miniature purple, and green bullets that appeared like tracer rounds. Three more Marines fell in Greigorsson's handpicked unit. In reaction to the invader's they filled them up with lead. All thirty-three fake mummies lay dead around their captives. With not time to waste they rushed over to the group of fellow marines who were sent to patrol the island as well. Ratledge cut them off before they could even speak. No one wanted to hear any excuses or an explanation about what happened. Forced to carry their fallen countrymen they raced back to the port area where the other Marines regrouped. Major Unnose, a completely bald 5'10 figure with a strong physique who donned sunglasses took command over the whole lot through Gleichersson's permission. Looking at the twelve fallen Marines they knew it would take time to transport or bury them. Praying to the three main deities, Zuexis, Ipsul, and Gaivos to guide the souls of the dead, they buried them inside body bags. Marking the grave with their helmets the Marines prepared to move out in force. The process of digging a grave wasn't too difficult, but the very ideas of never seeing these comrades again ripped them apart inside. With Unnose in charge the 874 Marines decided to move out in force. Taking whatever floating craft they found around the island they moved south to another island 47 miles away.
Leaving the island city abandoned gave Greigorsson a wheezing feeling in his lungs. Their new ally did not return yet. Regardless of being so far from HQ they pressed on to another island along the end of the platform seas. Looking to the right Greigorsson had to look over the heads of other Marines to see another wall of rock formations that stretched for miles. Recalling some of his schooling days Greigorsson tried spotting possible volcanos jutting out of the ocean. Castaria's southeast was flanked by island volcanos. For most of their journey to the next island he could not stop searching for a volcano among the rock formations. As the current rocked the craft up and down Greigorsson couldn't find a single volcano among the rock formations. Returning his attention to the path ahead Greigorsson spotted twenty-five islands.
Seated on the ocean's surface in front of the Marine battalion a 32 mile long island that appeared roughly two miles wide. Much like the island Yvonne claimed behind them this one had metal alien structures among a long dense jungle. Covering most of the island the foliage and structures allowed very little vision of what lay on the island. Towering over the rest of the island stood nine Expecting to be shot at upon their approach the marines crouched down as they disembarked. Aiming their weapons and the foliage the marines split up to flank the island while checking it out. Finding nothing in the northern part of the island they pressed further. Towards the middle part of the island they found some sot of runway for aircraft, and an airport. Lined up in two rows facing each other on opposite sides of the aircraft lots sat twenty-four aircraft. Past the runway rested a small city with landing platforms. None of them could tell how many buildings there were because of the close nit construction. Their gaze went to a few other humanoids roaming around the aircraft. Seven obscure looking aliens patrolled the are. One beige skinned potato humanoid with arms, and legs, a mollusk mutant creature with a large shell, one four armed Dire Ape, one pink-yellow skinned lizard-mantis-monkey with three pincers, and six limbs formed one group. The other three were a light blue Ogre, some Shark looking humanoid called a Sharkmo, and a bronze skinned figure with ten arms.
Taking positions the VUVR marines flanked the seven strange monsters using bayonets. Doing that wasn't easy, despite their larger numbers. Using bayonets as spears proved effective, but it cost lives against the other two, the multi-limbed alien, and the large mollusk. About six of their own were lost to the multi-limbed alien, two to the Mollusk, one to the potato creature that laid on top of the Marine, and 5 men died while taking down the Ape monster. As for the Mantis-Monkey they lost six more men. To the Blue Ogre, and Sharkmo the Marines lost two men. Each monster either crushed or tore their countrymen to pieces. Even Sgt. Jake Ratledge died at the hands of the Mollusk. It wrapped an extra eye around his throat as he stabbed it with his dagger. Losing twenty-three Marines on this island wasn't enough to break them. Experiencing war changed people. If they add the elements of monsters along with men getting torn or crushed then the experience is terrifying. Greigorsson and the rest of the unit had to shake it off as best they could. Despite some better judgements each one took a rolled up Wanda's herbs. A type of plant whose leaves can be smoked for relief. All someone had to do was roll it up, bind it with thin bark, and lit it up. From the main port of the airport settlement a horde of figures shambled their way to them. Unsure if these people were drunk, exhausted, oblivious, or drugged up they hold their fire. One of the commanding officers orders for them to halt.
"Stop right there! That is far enough! I SAID STOP!" Major Blue shouted at the crowd of shambling figures.
When they did not respond or show any signs of stopping their Majors barked out to discharge weapons. Pulling the triggers, the Marines obliterated the oncoming horde of shambling figures. It did not become clear what they were until they approached the fallen. At first glance these slain figures appeared human or humanoid. Upon closer inspection these figures had something off about them. Looking down at the faces Greigorsson saw no life could be seen in their eyes. Most had pale faces or or rotted faces and signs of decomposing. Estimating the number to be 527, other Marines surmised these to be zombies. Greigorsson remembered encountering one or two of these types of living dead in the streets. On a cool night, Dimitri and his pals roamed around the edges of the city limits. Along the borders of Bloodstone they came across an abandoned shed once part of private property. Most of the property burned in a fire two decades prior to his birth. Regardless of warnings they checked it out. At the back of the abandoned shed they found a figure, which they believed to be a homeless person. Realizing it wasn't a homeless person they darted out of the area screaming in the streets. Greigorsson did his best controlling a smile that tried appearing on his face. Turning his gaze up, Greigorsson kept his eyes straight ahead of them. Passing the alien aircraft the Marines reached the grouping of buildings encircling a tower.
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