Iperantosi Flag

 

The state of Iperantos is a grouping of islands located south of the Unknown Lands. Known for an exotic environments its culture is quite exotic itself. Resting on the very edges of the long stretch of reefs, and rocks called the Arm of Lost Souls, the Iperantosi Isles act as the key inside what is called the platform seas. Some speculate these peoples are descendants of the aliens who created the metal structures dotting the islands in the south. 

Castaria-Zegrav #10: Hunting Insurgents

 Sixteen mounted soldiers of the VUVR's 1224th battalion plus a Desert Trooper went ahead of their battalion. Now astride a sand furred camel named Jeez, Malik rode towards the Abbahin desert. A 600-mile-wide desert of dunes, flat earth dotted with patches of grass, bushes, cacti, caves, black humped camels, and rocks. Recalling some past adventure when he was only fifteen, Malik recalled other things. An assortment of creatures and animals lived here in Abbahin Desert. Sixteen miles from Red Curve and ten miles west of a Hamlet called Snake's Lullaby, Abbahin is home to snakes, scorpions, camels, spiders, lizards, scarabs, rodents, hyenas, hares, and scavenger birds. There were also Jackalwares, Lamia, and toad Lizards. 

"You've been here before, haven't you?" Malik heard someone ask from his left. It sounded more like an accusation than a question. Turning his head left he spotted Private Stephen McPaulis, the more prejudice one of the squads. Beak nosed, gaunt faced, square chinned, two moles on his nose Private McPaulis was an average human. Under his standard dark blue military cap rested Stephen's hair cropped hair of brown. McPaulis never liked Uxane, or Zegrav. He had to tuck that in due to this war. 

"What does it matter to you? We wear the same uniform, boots, cap, and bean hat McPaulis." Malik rebuked back. The Private just squinted his eyes and spat on the sand. Malik let that slide. He had a strong feeling they would all die during this hunt for insurgents. 

"Never mind who's been where! Move it soldiers!" Ritherson's voice carried over from the front of the pack. 

Acting as the alpha leader Lieutenant Ritherson held a strong jawed appearance, triangular face, straight nose. His lean built physique under the tan uniform, white shirt, made his rank complete with a goatee and shaven head. Their usual double-breasted uniforms were blue, but that was for parades or if there was nothing else issued. Depending on where they were stationed Vestrisians had an assortment of fatigues. Khaki, Tan, white, green, brown or sand colored were used along with camouflages. Each one had a helmet, cap, beanie, or bandana. It became a lot to keep up with as well as equipment. Yet each style of uniform served its purpose on the field, blending in with their surroundings. 

As one unit, sixteen Vestrisian Soldiers moved further into the wastes of Abbahin. Dusk was not far away for the region of Zegrav-Castaria border. Their sun set in the west bringing the daylight hours to a close. Two hours later at 8:45 pm they made camp. Yes, it was late for setting camp. Flashlights helped them set up camp. Under a single large canvas tent they slept together. Lined up in a single row the squad grabbed as much sleep as possible. Privates Naviddi Calumet, and Walter Olaff woke them up at what felt like five o clock. Both of them jumped out of their skin when they felt some critter crawl on their feet. Private Naviddi Calumet the female grenadier had a fear of creepy crawlies. Her caramel skin, black hair, brown freckles gave away her Zegrav-Vorcadam background. Naviddi did have a hint of Evusian in her eyes. A purple red tint in the eyes and a few strands of red dye representing the Evusian heritage. It made her a brief target until this war began. Private Walter Olaff stood at 5'11 as a sand haired Geverine from Tegian. Coming from a coastal settlement like Tegian, Olaff made for a strange submachine gunner. Most people thought this diamond faced; aquiline nosed, pretty boy chinned male belonged to the navy. His feet felt a scarab crawl against them. Both Privates were heckled lightly over that. Most squad mates were too angry over being woken up at an early hour. Lieutenant Ritherson saw this as an opportunity to begin the day. 

Feeling like they were ahead of schedule the squad made morning meals. Each one wet the soil and sand when they relieved themselves. This six-hundred-mile-long desert. Getting ready for today's journey the squad left the tent up. Their current location was only twenty miles away from the edge. Ritherson chose Corporal Munn, and Private Sextur the marksman of the squad to guard camp. Reducing the squad to fourteen seemed a little risky. Searching for wanted criminals, fugitives, or rebels in regions like this exposed them to hostile eyes. 

When they left the dark skinned Corporal and Beige Private, Malik turned around to see another group coming this way. Thirteen mounted figures made their way from the north by northwest. Ritherson ordered them to pause for a moment. One of them checked on the thirteen figures using binoculars. Malik could only sit and wait for Pumpeen to decipher who it was. 

"It's another group of Vestrisians Lieutenant Sir." 

"Must be Lieutenant Vanfin Jolee's squad of twelve humans, half-Orcs, Elemani, and half elves. They are likely to join us." Ritherson noted out loud, ignoring their presence. As though he was alone Ritherson pointed out more to himself than to anyone else. 

"Are they hunting down the same target?" Private Sedwash asked from his right back flank. Turning his head right Malik spotted Sedwash's round face, wide nostrils, frowning brow, short chin, a scar from a Gnoll's claw on his left cheek. Recalling last year's experience with Gnolls Malik was sure he hid more. Under Sedwash's unformed and undergarments were five claw marks including one on his right buttocks. 

"They should be Private. Colonel Zepher has orders to hunt down any insurgents." Malik heard himself answer. Sedwash gave a surprised facial expression for a reply. 

Since the insurgency in Castaria ended Malik predicted more troops and Country Guard would move on to Zegrav. As a low ranking officer, he could be filled in on what happened to the front or elsewhere. Up north in the mountains of New Vattoram, other states and nations showed their true colors. A faction that called itself the MLIS arose. Really known as the Mountain League of Independent States, it started annexing the mountain factions. Absorbing the neighbors into an empire created a new conflict. That conflict would draw needed forces away from the main fronts. From what he heard their V.U.V.R. had reserves just for that. Other events occurred elsewhere such as a stalemate in Zekmar, their forces pushing further into Gontrella, Muskalla, and Vimasdra. Manpower for two of those enemies was dropping fast. Generals, Colonels, Field Marshalls probably predicted its fall in the next few months. 

On his camel Malik felt the heat beatdown on his clothes. Like the others Malik's Camel let out grunts as it moved. Moving around a little, the beasts showed their displeasure in staying put for a bit. Acting fast Ritherson led the squad towards their fellow Vestrisians. He did not move without marking where they previously stood. Sticking a thirteen-and-a-half-foot retractable pole in the ground. On the very tip of the pole sat a fist sized mirror to reflect sunrays for codes. Meeting the other squad Ritherson's squad learned about another gang of insurgents. It was part of the same one they were sent after. Yesterday the Vestrisian 1224th seized a Motte and Bailey from insurgents. Ten Vestrisians were wounded, close to 85 died in combat. For the insurgents mounted to be 451 killed, and sixty-one taken prisoner. Militia and Country Guards helped out from all directions, losing a few hundred. 

While returning to camp they greeted the thirteen other Vestrisians. Jolee's squad rode camels, horses, and ugly reptile mounts. Covered in scales and boils these mounts called Gathsorine were going extinct. To a Zoologist or animal lover it would be sad to watch a species died out. Malik met several of those types of characters who died to poisonous cacti. Scattered cacti, rocks, drying riverbeds, signs of past travelers, bushes of weeds, some skeletons, and debris from past adventures added more to scenery. Upon returning to camp Ritherson gave them an hour's rest before moving out again. Breaking camp the doubled unit moved out as a platoon. Twenty-nine mounted soldiers rode their mounts at full gallop. Aong the way Malik caught the names of some members of the thirteen fellows 122nd infantry. He caught whiff of names such as Sergeant Saben, a black-haired figure with half a pretty face, and scarred face came from Lheobethe. Private Sigliina, a half elf with cropped gold hair, stubble beard, and Private Keth the third half Orc with green, gray skin, brown mustache. Keth came from a certain part of Castaria. Aside from those three names Malik spotted Private Melissa Sullenir, a blonde haired Elemani female from Naatidra. She was more of the camp leader type for scouts as well as a librarian type. Today she did not don spectacles. Her eyesight was poor some days for reading. Everything else she could see fine. 

He couldn't spot everyone in the platoon sized unit. Everyone else were behind him or ahead of Malik. Riding towards the south in a wedge shape formation, the platoon traversed sixteen miles. Jolee and Ritherson stopped the platoon near a crashed aircraft halfway buried in the sand. Identifying it deemed impossible because of exposure to the elements and the corrosion of metal. The desert wind picked up slightly, pushing sand in several directions. One small snake slithered out of a hole in the downed aircraft. A Zegrav Cobra is the classification they were looking at. Some of the camels got a little spooked. As they grunted and grumbled the lizard mount dove for the snake, throwing the rider off its back. Private Samanth, the scout was the one thrown off the mount at the feet of the camels. Samanth had her face completely covered with a set of goggles over her eyes. Most of the platoon burst with laughter. Malik found himself laughing a little. Emitting as mile across his lips, Malik glanced over at the lizard mount eating its cobra snack. 

Not too far from the crashed aircraft a large dune sort of towered over them. Gazing upon this hill sized dune he spotted several large stones jutting out. Scattered along this dune's base, the stones were not the only things sticking out. Malik approached the dune drawing his rifle from its holster in the saddle. Securing his Eagletan-7 Repeater against the shoulder pit he stepped closer. Samanth's lizard mount slurped up another snake from the sand. It did not care for its surroundings. Something in the dune stirred adding proof to Malik's suspicions. From the dune three groups armed with spears emerged out of the sand. One trio of Ghoul-Orcs, another trio of Goblins, and a third group of twelve Ghoul-spawn burst from the sands. Clearly an ambush they set up. Ghoul Orcs had a grotesque appearance, lopsided eyes, small, snubbed noses, cat eye nostrils, green-gray skin under layers of cloth strips, and rags, stitched together. Goblins had those big pointy ears, wide smiles, rows of sharp teeth, various skin tones, and heights of three or four feet. Some had small eyes while others had big eyes. Dressed in completely light-colored shirts, and pants wrapped tightly against their bodies with strips. 

Ghouls varied in appearance, but none of them appeared pleasant to look at. Holding the similar appearance to a decaying corpse they looked more dead than alive. Ghouls would have grayish skin, pale skin, sand skin or vomit green. Some had no lips, others with blistery lips. Their eyes would come in tints of black, red, yellow, white, and orange. In Badraan and Kaniima, Ghouls were repopulating with upright spawn who did not look any better than actual Ghouls. Malik only heard about this occurrence after the fall of Castaria. Samanth's mount killed on of the Goblins before it could swipe another one down with a front claw. Each attacker became filled with bullets from Vestrisian guns. Not taking any chances the platoon fired into the dune. Ensuring no one else was in the sands they fired into two more dunes. Yes, it was a waste of ammo, but they needed to make sure no more traps waited for them. As they checked ammo Ritherson checked the corpses. Malik knew what he was really doing, looting the bodies. From the top of the dunes another figure popped their head up. 

"Up there, on the dunes!" he shouted pointing out the figure peaking over the dunes. Still forced to keep his eyes on the dunes, Malik let the others shoot. Two platoon members fired on the single figure. Whoever or whatever race they were he could not tell from the base of the dune. His fellow soldiers put a couple of holes in the figure on the dune. Their body slumped down on the sand. 

"Corporal Malik take two Privates and check what is past those dunes." Ritherson commanded the Corporal. 

He had to obey his commanding officer. For a brief moment he thought of which Privates to take. Private Sextur, and Private Swannson appeared more willing to go up there. Both had their faces covered making it difficult to identify them. Giving each one a good glance he could read their blue and green eyes. Neither of them looked ready to go up to the dunes. However, they had no other choice. Forced to clamber up the dunes they just shot up, Malik and the two Privates obeyed orders. Not many were a fan of obeying orders. Orders had to be obeyed or they would face punishment. Getting to the top of the dunes was a struggle. The sand went down whenever they tried grabbing hold to get up. Their pathway upwards felt like a landslide whenever sand gave way to their elbows or grasp. Clawing into the sand Malik could have sworn he burned the palms of his hands through the gloves. When each one reached the top of the dune they were coated in sand. Wiping the sand from his goggles, Malik got a good look at what lay beyond the dunes. Spread out across approximately quarter or so mile, several mound sized hills made a foundation to some mines and settlements. Checking their surroundings Malik found their peaking figure several feet away. With a better look this one he saw it was a Zegrav noble siding with the rebels. Unfortunate for the noble, he law dead in the blood soaking sand. 

Returning his gaze back to the settlements Malik spotted more than just mines in the area. Nine tent roofed huts, eight tents, six large huts, three mud brick houses, five mines, a total of nine wells, some old adobe castle, tavern ruins, four hideouts, and six large stones stretched across half a mile. Other structures could be seen adding more to this scenery they discovered. Seventeen sites of past outposts, an old tower, forty-five campsites of adventurers, explorers, and hunters. He figured the camps had left them due to failed quests, lost expeditions, or unfortunate adventurers meeting their end. Towards the farthest point from them lay some old ruins with pillars. Malik could not tell which civilization it once housed. One newly constructed tower stood next to the ruins like a watch tower. 

Lieutenant Ritherson and the rest of their combined platoon joined them. From this dune, Malik and his fellow soldiers witnessed quite a gathering. More than eight-hundred armed figures raced over to the center of the region. Ritherson looked through his detached scope. The other commanding officer ordered one of his Lieutenants to see through their own binoculars. Jolee ordered the Lieutenant to say what he saw. 

"Gnolls, Troglodytes, no Goblins, some Orcs, Kaniima Raiders, Kaniims, Uxanes, Lamia Lions, Sessine Camel Kols, Jackals? Wait, there are Goblins among them. Lieutenant there are also Perispawn, Lembaskun spawn, and wolf-Gnolls. They could be Jackal Weres." the Lieutenant in training reported. He pulled the binoculars from his eyes. 

From here Malik could barely make out the Gnolls, but they were tall creatures. Other humanoids rushed around the spread-out settlement within the dunes. He knew the orange tan furred Lembaskuns could be identified because of their ape like appearance. As for the Perispawn, their reptilian humanoid appearance could not be deciphered well enough. They liked to cover their bodies from head to toe. His fellow Vestrisians shifted in the sand appearing uncomfortable with the size of the horde they would be facing soon. Preparing his rifle Malik focused on the surrounding hills, dunes, and mounds. The way things were situated made it appear they were on the edge of a vast pit. Hills, Dunes, mounds, wrapped around the area like an unfinished or demolished spiral formation. To their left flank he caught sixt stray camels in the corner of his eye. Each one had the black fur on the top of the hump. In a crooked formation the beasts plodded their way along the dunes. 

Malik looked at the farthest thing from their position, the recently built battle tower. Judging from the way these insurgents or brigand army operated that tower looked abandoned. Although he did not have any scope, binoculars, or spyglass Asim's eyes did not fool him. Sometimes his eyesight deceived him. This time they did not. Behind it stood the dune and hill with a group of figures crawling on top. To the right flank his eyes glimpsed another group preparing to attack. 

"Sir, I see two more groups encroaching on the insurgents." Malik pointed out to Lieutenant Ritherson. 

"Would you look at that. Sergeant check those two spots along the dune ridges." Ritherson ordered the main squad sergeant. Lieutenant Jolee did the same thing, copying Ritherson. 

Sergeant Pumpeen and the other soldier wasted no time. In a matter of a few seconds, they each gave their report. Pumpeen gave his brief discovery followed by the other soldier in Jolee's unit. In his gruff voice he gave out what he saw to his squad leader. Malik swore at times the Sergeant sounded more like he should be telling life stories with advice in them. 

"A platoon's worth of twenty-six Knights that are preparing an attack sir." Pumpeen's voice grunted the words out of his mouth. 

"There is a force of sixty or so Uxane tribal militia. An Uxane tribe from Castaria's southern woods." The other spotted reported to Jolee. Uxane were scattered all over the map in Calorn. It had more to do with migration, and nomadic lifestyle. For millennia this group of humans migrated from place to place. Some groups broke off forming their own communities until all the Uxane peoples were settled. 

Malik was given the binoculars to see for himself. Sure, enough these two forces launched an attack on the insurgents. at first it took them by surprise. Scores fell while the rest scattered for cover. Several dozen of the insurgent brigands managed to return fire. An opportunity presented itself before the Vestrisians. With the intended targets preoccupied Asim's squad mates and comrades started down the dune's other side. No one went down the sandy hill without firing a few rounds first. At ground level with the insurgents the combined platoon found a few more structures. About half the structures made from brick or mud stood at least two stories tall. They hugged some structure closest to the base of the dunes. Jolee ordered his own squad to move ahead as the fighting went on. Hardly a shot was fired in their direction. If one did fire their way the bullet would hit the ground or the surrounding buildings. Splitting up the squads the Vestrisians rushed for buildings closest to them. Ritherson had his unit begin seizing one of these buildings. 

"Malik check this building for hostiles!" Ritherson ordered the Corporal. 

Not even blinking or hesitating< Malik went up to the closest window as he went around. He crouched low hoping to avoid detection. For some reason it reminded him of the wealthier women he met or saw during his boot camp days. Those ladies knew how to drive and went up to coffee shops at the window. Around this time, drive thru window was a new trend in larger cities. Their intention was to avoid the creeps, offenders, stalkers, and female beaters. Through Malik's mind it would be easier to have a guard at the door who would beat those types of guys up. Avoiding them would only drag the problem out. It would allow them to find the homes of some of those ladies. Malik was sent over here before he was even asked to help some of the women with that problem. Checking the building through the window he found fifteen Uxane held prisoner. Each were tied up or bound to the walls. Hold them there was a group of five pirates. The only way one identified a pirate was by tattoos depicting skulls, crossed weapons ship wheel or a kraken. 

With a better look inside, he noticed it was one small gang of six pirates. One of the lay wounded but appeared to be healing or just hanging out to rest. This building had to be a hide out or something. even though it appeared to be in adobe style, the walls looked every cave like. A stray bullet must have hit the wounded man somewhere in the chest. Blood soaked their clothes and parts of the dirt floor. Before Malik moved to report, more shots were exchanged. Two bullets hit the door frame and exterior wall. Malik dropped to the ground in response. On his belly he spotted a Zegrav Guard rushing over to this building. Did they even see me? Is all he could think at the moment like this. Fighting inside this pit ensued as both sides took positions. As the Zegrav ran this way, Malik raised his rifle and fired at them. He only hit the leg, dropping the guard. Doing that scared the pirates inside their adobe hideout. 

"Aahh!!" Sverx you, Gronder! We should have stayed at the Tavern!" one of the pirates yelled. 

"The rebels would have killed us anyways.
 another voiced pitched in, arguing with the first. 

"For what, piracy?" a third voice remarked. 

"Just-just join the Vestrisians. The tribes are searching for their Chiefs." a fourth voice said shakily. They tried to sound tough, but the battle took it out of them. 

Out of the window a half-Goblin half Orc popped their head to see who was there. They held a white piece of cloth as a sign of peace. Whichever pirate it was they produced a guilty grin that showed its sharp teeth. he was surprised the sun was not directly above the Goblin-Orc's head. It hovered over the area sending heat down on the lot of them. Exchange of fire followed by clashing still lingered as background noise. Three shots out of a score or more hit the building. Malik felt small pieces of debris fall on him. As for the Goblin, they ducked down inside. He wondered if any shots got that pirate, but he was proven wrong when their voice appeared again. 

"Hey Vestrisian!" the Goblin-Orc called to him. A few more shots whistled past them. Those shots were answered by Malik's platoon. 

"Yeah, what?" He answered back unsure if he should trust a pirate. 

"We um switched sides." the Goblin yelled back. 

"That won't guarantee you will avoid being locked up!" he warned the Goblin in a loud forceful manner. 

"Suits us just fine, Vestrisian!" the Goblin answered in return. Something about that reply did not ensure any security. Pirates were known to backstab anyone given the right opportunity. 

One of the pirates exited the two-story hideout armed with a Zegrav rifle. A three feet long bolt action rifle with a metal frame buttstock, and wood covering the barrel. Even though they were in the open they approached the wounded Zegrav insurgent guard. Showing little hesitation, and no mercy the Goblin Pirate shot the wounded guard dead. Like many pirates would they took the dead guard's weapon from the corpse. Seeing this as signal to move Mailk crawled his way to the entrance as a few more shots hit the walls above him. A pair of strong arms pulled him inside the building. His Goblin acquaintance raced inside with more shots following. Sitting himself upright from the ground he got a better look inside the place. Fifteen Uxane-Zegrav-Castarian Chieftains sat against two walls bound in ropes. Some wore cow hide fleeces, plaid shirts, hide leather vests, laced leather hide shirts, loin cloth hides, wrap clothing with tribal designs on them. Some of the Chiefs were female who appeared to be the most clothed in modern clothing. Several shots hit the hideout building forcing the pirates down on the ground. None of them were hit. Malik's own unit returned fire. 

"Go ahead and release the Chiefs! These Vestrisians are here!" One of the pirates yelled in a panicked voice. 

The one he presumed was called Grondor, moved on that. A Goblin-Orc of five feet tall wearing a loose green shirt, ripped jeans, and hat flap, cut the ropes binding the Chiefs. Quickly releasing the captives from their bonds these pirates looked hopeful in a renewed relation with the Vestrisians. That was easier done but getting weapons for them proved difficult. Only nine of the captives received a weapon. Whether it was a dagger, gun, or bludgeon weapon, it would not matter. This battle in the dune surrounded pit turned into a melee fight. 

Looking over where the battle took place Malik saw more hostiles emerging from various buildings. Some emerged out of the tents set up revealing a foxhole or underground hideout. A few scores poured out of some mines. The tribal militia and Knights now engaged in melee, found themselves caught in a fragmented encirclement. Other groups joined in the fight for their own reasons. One group in particular were the Lamia Lions. Those humanoids had lion bodies for legs attached to the upper body of a humanoid. Shaggy hair, long ponytails, braids, shaven heads, spotted heads, dreads, and self-inflicted tribal scars donned their heads. Another group called the White Jackals made their move. With five hundred sixty pale furred or white skinned half Jackalweres in loincloth wraps or tunics, these white jackals overwhelmed their positions. 

Malik estimated they killed close to 856 or more enemies, wounding over a score before the Jackals jumped in. He fended off several Jackals armed with those sickle Khopesh swords, axes, and spears. It seemed outdated to fight with melee weapons. Yet Zegrav's population were left with limited access to firearms it made sense. You would either have to make your own weapons or steal them. Malik thought to himself. There were also the hidden stockpiles the VUVR often overlooked. He could not blame the VUVR. Some of the deserts in Zegrav were unbearable to search. It only allowed the anti-Vestrisians to get away with hiding such caches. The main conflict going on did not help either. Gunning down ten Jackals Malik looked where their local aid fought the mass of insurgents. Most of them lay dead among hundreds of dead insurgents. As for the rest, the Jackals made quick work of them. His own platoon let losses go by as they unleashed a torrent of fire into the horde of white Jackals and insurgents. 

From their left flanks another unit of Vestrisians arrived at the scene. Ritherson and the other squad commander barked for them to take positions. He stopped Malik for some reason he could not fathom. Sextur was also ordered to stay put with Ritherson. As the other unit of twenty-three Vestrisians moved in the insurgent's exchanged gunfire. Arrows, bullets, small rocks from slings came their way from the insurgent's side of the pit. One small rock hit Munn on the helmet before an arrow hit Munn in the chest. As arrows cluttered the ground or broke against the buildings hopes for victory started to dwindle. One by one the Vestrisian platoon fell to the insurgent arrows, and gunfire. The day dragged on as the insurgents took cover like the Vestrisians did. However, their casualties made a carpet of bodies. Out of nowhere Lieutenant Ritherson went down with a bullet to the side of his head. All the shooting drowned out the shot that took Ritherson's life. All they could notice was his body slumping down on its side. 

Malik turned left to find the newly arrived Vestrisians killing Lieutenant Jolee. Each one was Zegrav natives taking a dagger to their own Lieutenant's throat. Malik maneuvered his body to shoot hitting a female Zegrav solider who held the bushy hair in a bun. Her cry of death could barely be heard above the shooting that started to die down. Realizing what was happening the other Vestrisians in his unit turned to gun down these Zegrav traitors. Every surviving insurgent used this as a distraction to overwhelm the Vestrisian squads of the 1224th. Malik was hit with a hooked drudge mace from the flank. He collapsed feeling pain and numbness sweep his body. Flashes of his life appeared in his view as his life faded away into blackness.

Return of a Native

 Was it worth going back? He kept asking himself the same thing every day since they arrived in Borvados. Jaxa felt out of place in his Khaki green Marine uniform while wielding his issued E-7 Repeating Rifle. Was it just him, or did coming back to Tuzzarru, Borvados seem like a bad idea? Tuzzaru was known for its tower style houses. Standing on the docks of the port he only had one of the piercings the military allowed him to keep on his ear. Shawls of clans or associated families were draped over long tunics, colorful wrap dresses, colorful shirts they called Sherwani and pants they often wore, they called pajen. Most went barefoot, while the rest either wore sandals, shoes, or boots of different materials. Every Borvadosi had at least one or two piercings depending on their standing or status within society. Loyalty to family, country, trade, and professions are important to Borvadosi society. Each family member is required to keep family together while helping around. At least one or more family member must serve in the defense of Borvados. No matter what type of trading it was every member got involved in mercantilism. Each member of the family had to show an interest or prowess in a profession depending on their status. Jaxa Sonnen held the profession of locksmith then chose Soldier, which really pissed off his family. It somehow got mixed with the rifle smith profession since they only did so much. Calls for a locksmith were rare so the master who took him in made him a rifle smith as well as a locksmith. That was how he got involved in the newly formed V.U.V.R. or at least the Borvadosian military. As for the Family Mercantile Trade it involved transporting and selling of certain herbs, they either grew on the roof of their house complex or plucked in the outskirts. 

Taking a step forward Jaxa recalled joining the militia that was formed between Borvados, Dorntallans, Zema Ilam hold outs, and Gaskouth Ladai tribes. How he recalled how many forces he did not know except for the drilling they pulled on them while preparing them to fight the invaders in Dorntalla. The Zema Ilam put up a fierce fight while the invaders fought each other that it took years before the Gantronese pushed the advance again. Returning to the present on the docks of Tuzzarru, Jaxa felt pushed along by members of his unit. With his duffel bag on his back and rifle hanging on his left shoulder Jaxa gazed at the towering houses, and structures forming the city that is called Tuzzarru. Several Keeps standing above seven stories dotted the city scenery that was Tuzzarru. Tower like homes in the shapes of watchtowers, guard towers, bastion towers, pagodas, and wide obelisks. Between a range of two stories to fourteen stories all the towers towered above the ground like group of small mountains with trees all over them. Upon a closer glance they appeared like giant mushrooms, pines, and phallic shapes. Other structures encircled these towers and Tuzzarru's outer city circle. Bungalows, stilted huts, dome/round houses, and floatable houses attached to raised piers, and docks built for flooding made up most of the city. Entire roads made from planks and floatable material connected the port to the city. Pressing further with his unit of three hundred thirty he saw eight familiar faces waiting at the end of the docks. 

Donning the Sonnen Shawl of light purple with tribal diamond shapes flanking a black symbol letter for laboring these figures had the dark tan skin tone. Several ring piercings on the left cheeks. Some of the wealthier families would have bar rings on the cheeks with emeralds or sapphires. His family along with other laborers had the rings one would see on a nose. His own ring piercings were missing. That did not look good to their eyes. Neither did him leaving his profession for the militia then becoming a soldier without warning. He did not expect them to know of his return. Jaxa did not send word he was coming home. Someone must have ratted him out. None of his family members looked directly at him. Some of them forced their gaze on him. His mother Ollesse approached him with a hug. She then smacked him for leaving the family business, and profession. Her own profession was a Healer. His own father embraced him with a bear hug saying he should have chosen a Brewer profession like he did. His father was pushed aside by his brother and sister. In their profession clothing they hugged him. His sister wore the rugmaker apron over her linen hide dress with several tools in the pockets. His brother Aiggan, wore the modernized toll keeper uniform shirt with them baggy purple trousers. Both looked like him except the nose, and chin. Jaxa's finely curved adopted cousin, Pelliz wore a light blue robe with white polka dots. She wore the bar piercings on her eyebrows. Two topaz piercings on her cheeks. Giving him a hug, she pressed herself against him. She was the adopted relative who winked at him and pinched his cheek every time they crossed paths. Jaxa's uncle Botho the Harness Maker had to give him a quick hug in his artisan clothing. Noemi his mother's sister, the Caravan Leader gave him a brief hug in her traveler's clothing, and linked mail shirt. She left the reunion since she was on call for leading Caravan's out of Tuzzarru. Jafar his male cousin, Noemi's son became a Guard. He was the only one who smiled showing joy in seeing him again. Two bar piercings, a nose ring, and coin shaped rings hung from one his ears. His heart shaped face and big ears made him look like a boy still. 

For a couple of weeks his unit rested at Tazzarru City at the edge of Borvados. Other battalions, and brigades arrived. Something was going on. He was sure of it. One night while drinking with his cousin, and brother Jaxa learned they were not going to the Unknown Lands. There were enough troops fighting in those savage lands. Instead, they were poised to invade the islands of the Iperantosi State. Taking a better look at other Borvadosi and their piercings he recalled why they got them. Each Piercing represented a specific event in their life. Either their age reaching adulthood, first successful hunt, learning a trade, mastering a skill, surviving a first encounter with a monster from the Unknown Lands, or showing some form of bravery. With a combined force of 10,000 Marines, 1,000 Rangers, 53,000 Soldiers, and a sizeable fleet the VUVR set off for the Iperantosi Islands. On Board a cargo ship used as a troop transport, Jaxa and his unit represented a more miscellaneous side of the 530th Infantry Division. Their commanding officer, or Division Commander, General Presven pronounced it as they Invantry Division. Fifty-three thousand Soldiers were divided between two military Divisions. Them being the 530th with thirty-one thousand, and the other being the old 2nd Infantry Division under the command of General Ornellson. Both of them were Elves who had be a thousand years old or a few centuries old at least. 

A Colonel Devdan Thexina commanded the 7th Marine Division of the Marine 3rd Corps. Although the 530th, and Old 2nd Divisions formed a Corps, it would not be commanded by a single Commander. The one thousand Rangers made up a battalion from the 31st Ranger Division. Under the command of Colonel Jorryn Sarnelis this battalion was sent to act as trackers and pathfinders. According to rumors the Iperantosi Islands rested north of a vast sea of islands no one really heard of until now. Iperantosi were known as the "Prostitutes" of the Sea. Skin tones such as tan, brown, red-brown, bronze, honey, golden, and chestnut made the Iperantosi women exotic, and desirable. Some tales said their women were round and curvy like melons or pears. Others say they are mermaids who appear on the beach and turn their fins into legs whenever foreigners arrive. Jaxa sort of knew the truth. During his younger years he saw the Iperantosi women had rectangular bodies, triangular bodies, thin physiques, as well as plump bodies. As for the tales of them being curvy and round as melons. Those tales were true about plenty of women from Iperantosi. Someone showed him and his siblings photographs of the houses the Iperantosi lived in. Although the photos were in either bronze color, black and white or gray, they could see they lived in nice pile dwellings, raised huts, adobe structures. Yet those were houses belonging to the middle class, laborers, artisans, or farmers. As for the wealthy, merchants, and higher class, the houses were in the shapes of shells, or fish made from wood, mud brick, stone, and large bones. 

For almost three days their gathered armada sailed towards the Iperantosi Islands. It wasn't until the end of the third day the islands were in sight. According to multiple sailors the path was mostly clear ever since the several victories won against Gantronese Naval Forces. Many of them joked about how aliens from the stars resorted to technology similar to the Calornese modern technology. Jaxa heard one Zedirian with ram horns, and bluish skin reveal the Gantronese Invaders used to have powerful ships with the fire power to destroy islands and cites. Jaxa rested in his hammock in the same passenger hold as thousands of others. In the middle of the night, they were woken up by fighting along their southern and northern flanks. Thankfully their own transport was spared whereas close to eight vessels came under attack. One of their Frigates were boarded by a Vorcadam Death Bringer, a now outdated Atakebune loaded with warriors. It appeared more like a floating palace fortress made from wood and iron. Ten of those Atakebunes sank leading to the deaths of tens of thousands. Other ships that were involved in the attack included older ironclads, old Xebecs, makeshift destroyers, patrol boats, and a handful of sloops. Iperantosi also sent in the obsolete galleys that crashed into each other or proved no match. 

With the way clear for them, Vestrisians loaded onto transport boats. Multiple landing craft ran into floating debris. Shattered wood, corpses, torn sails, and burnt pieces of ships cluttered the path to the first Iperantosi Island, Nokocour Cay. One smaller island stretching from the larger island Buchsoll. Buchsoll was one of eight main islands. The other main islands were called Disna Holm, Yoskada, Lulu, Sarin, Distant Haven, Ponegu, and Sunmis Islands. Surprised the Iperantosi, and their Gantronese did not open fire, they pushed ahead towards the beaches. Getting on the amphibious boats took some time. As many as thirty to thirty-six soldiers packed in like sardines aboard the amphibious LCVP "Roughmore Boats". At speeds of 9 knots no more than 1,700 Roughmore Landing Craft went after Nokocour Cay, and Buchsoll Island. It seemed eerie no one fired on them yet as they drew closer to the beach. Covered in the usual sand, rocks, pebbles, seaweed, storm debris, Nokocour Cay Beach hosted some skeletons of monsters. Teaming with scuttling crabs, other shell creatures these monster skeletons resembled beasts or behemoths belonging to a long dead era. 

Well past the beaches lay the settlements of Nokocour Cay. Someone muttered there were at least twenty-one settlements on this island. Jaxa could tell this person was a bit of a traveler from Lheobethe. When the ramp dropped down everyone poured on to the beach expecting to be fired upon. Instead, they found a seemingly empty beach except the crabs, sand dollars, and those sea tigers some heard about. Jaxa remembered seeing these sea tigers with their black stripes over a thick hide of brown or gray. His boots stepped onto the beach crushing shells, and sand dollars cluttering the beach. The waves hit the sand behind them making progress a little slow. With their eyes fixed ahead of them they spotted what looked like foxholes in the stones, and sand. Jaxa knew if his life was a novel or tale, it would be called Return of a Native. Only the Native's return was short lived. 

Unseen Apocalypse

 We did not know it was going to come in our life time. What social media, and authorities put down as just crazy people, druggies, or feral people turned out to be a nightmare come true. As videos, photos, tik toks, stories, and rumors surfaced through the internet it was already upon us. Even trail cams found footage of them shambling through the woods either alone or in smaller groups. Whatever movies people watching about them it always spreads like wildfire. Transferred from person to person from either a bite, or scratch the disease or virus acted more like a feral version of rabies. A much slower spread was seen gathering pace because everyone was oblivious. Everyone's attention were directed at how fake they thought it was, other social media, celebrities, world events, and personal lives. That only caused it to resurface elsewhere. 

Whoever knew about this within the military or authorities had to keep it quiet. Yet as more people got bit by what they thought were some crazy homeless man, or some messed up drug addict it became more clear what it was. A zombie apocalypse arrived in our life time. Nobody really saw it coming. Well maybe the nutcases or fans claimed to have seen it coming from watching all those videos before Youtube took them down. Man did that mess with my job. It never helped with all those morons making the fake zombie walks, short films, movies, or just claiming they saw a zombie just for views. A bunch of assholes is what I call them. As someone who works for a very secret military agency hidden from all other governments, I guess I could say I work for aliens watching over the planet. Actually watching over the galaxy. Even with hundreds of planetary members the universe proved big enough to stretch forces thin. 

Making sure this zombie outbreak did not happen again like it did in the past proved easier and complex. So many people within the zombie cult following fucked everything up. Whatever stupid thumbnails they came up with screwed with some of our monitors. Some thumbnails were clearly fake while the rest were legit photos or footage from clips. As one of ten thousand Guardians or Dunnadein, yes we are called Dunnadein, I have to hunt any threats down. Yet my biggest concern was this zombie outbreak that slowly took the world by the ankle.