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. 

Chalice of the Vampire

 Picking up the goblet she studied it for a moment. It depicted two Vampiric bats with open wings. Two small rubies above the depicted bat on the bowl. One pair of blood rubies on the chalice stem. At the base of this chalice were eight skulls etched or forged on it. Lia Nikoalas took a drink from it. Its contents tasted sour even though she just poured in sweet tasting wine a few seconds ago. Lia found herself spinning around in one spot. The room twirled around at the same time in a blurry twister. She became engulfed in a twister that transported her through a tunnel that appeared above the ceiling. Whatever kind of twisting tunnel this was it sucked her in. Nothing but blurry twisting images surrounded her as the tunnel brought to a different place than her apartment. When everything stopped spinning and the tunnel disappeared she found herself inside some chamber in a palace or mansion. 

Looking around the place she found she was not alone. Seven Gargoyle statues holding females in various sexual positions encircled the chamber's interior. In between each statue was a bed with queen sized beds. On one of them dark red covered beds was a nude wizard forcing his shaft down a female's throat. On his back in the form of a tattoo was an arcane magic symbol depicting a hand with fire and a star above it. Just above the fiery star rested some eye with a swirl for an iris and diamond stars around it. Lia got a better look at the female who was choking on him. The female looked to be a female dhampir with the vampiric fang bat symbol on each shoulder. While the Wizard kept ferociously humping the dhampir's face Lia had thoughts that this could be a possible rape. He appeared too focused on the dhampir to notice her in the chamber. Taking a single step, she bumped into a railing she should have seen. 

Everything stopped and fell quiet. All the sounds of the lips smacking on the manhood and the gagging along with the choking sounds ceased. Lia was certain this Wizard would stop and turn around then come for her. Fingering her pockets and clothing she felt for a weapon or something to use as a weapon. She found nothing on her. Not a single knife, or pistol, not even a pin or utensil she could use as a weapon. Looking down at her hands Lia discovered the Vampire Chalice was missing. How was she going to get back to Monabay, Nymres? Slurping and sucking sounds filled the chamber as the dhampir worked him in their own section of the room. Did the Dhampir know she was there? Lia did not know for certain. She did not know where she was. Where was she exactly? Yes she was inside a chamber, but in what part of the world? Looking around her surroundings she became oblivious or just ignored the intercourse going on. In the center of this dark purple lighted chamber was a metal spiral staircase. Seeing no signs indicating where she was on the walls or floor she looked up. Hanging from the ceiling was a red flag depicting a gold crescent moon and three thunderbolts. The only region with this flag that came to mind was Vossa. A vast region in the world where one part was wild, another part dead, some parts savage, and tribal. As for the rest of Vossa it was either civilized or cruel, or simply Ominous. Very few places showed any hospitality, or courtesy along with security. 

Realizing the chalice brought her to the lands of Vossa, Lia felt confident in grabbing someone's attention. When she moved one foot forward someone came climbing up the spiral stair case. Startled Lia fell backwards on the hard floor. Both Wizard and Dhampir stopped copulating. Mortified Lia felt her body freeze to the floor. Feeling paralyzed Lia did not know what to do other than watch the pair look in her direction. This Wizard had a thin Oblong face. His hair was in short mohawk with eyes tattooed to is head that flanked the mohawk. Something about his eyes shouted untamed desires. Both appeared to be slitted teal color. Everything else about his face looked more beige colored with scars, and signs of curses. A part of his arm looked completely ruined on the surface like it was burned at some point. Each limb had a sign of battle or defeat. As for the Dhampir's appearance. It was all pale with tattoos all over depicting vampiric symbols, and ancient demonic runes. Her eyes appeared to be purple with the slitted eye pattern. Bleach blonde hair draped over her shoulders and firm breasts. Some bracelets could be seen on her arms, and ankles. Lia was certain she was in trouble. 

"Who are you? How did you get here?" The Wizard asked. 

"Ha ha, I am Lia Nikoalas the Geneticist, Inscriptions, and Occult Keeper from Nymres." She answered in a nervous voice. Lia could not stop herself from grinning nervously as her eyes shifted a few times. 

"You are all three of those professions?" the Wizard pointed out in a skeptical tone. 

"Why yes. Um how are you? Ha ha." She forced herself to ask the Wizard. 

"Travoss Kydell the Teal Wizard. Welcome to the chambers of intercourse." the Wizard answered her. 

"Sorina-Kairos le Vol the Dhampir Sage. Yes welcome to the chamber of intercourse, trespasser." the Dhampir replied with a rather playfully cruel smile. 

"Just show me the way out and I'll be out-" Lia was about to finish when a barmaid came up the metal stairs. Dressed in a standard barmaid's outfit of a white ruffled shirt, striped long skirt, and a fine blue bodice over the shirt. Slippers with a wooden sole was the behind the noise of her coming up the stairs. All three looked at the red-haired barmaid with curls who came up with nothing in her hands. Travoss looked at Lia then at Sorina-Kairos. 

"Excuse me." He said then went over to the barmaid. Grabbing her by the dress he pulled her in to another bed where he undressed her while kissing, biting, and licking. Lia watched as he proceeded to mount the barmaid on the second bed. Showing his desires and hunger were not satisfied he forced himself on top of the barmaid. Each thrust procured a gasp, orgasm, and a cry of pleasure that sounded more like yelping and crying mixed in. Lia and the dhampir listened to the sounds of humping, rattled of the bed, the orgasm, grunts, and skin slapping against skin. When he was done the wizard let out a growl of pleasure before letting the barmaid return to her duties. Travoss spanked her on the left buttocks sending her back downstairs. Each participant in the intercourse cleaned up before dressing back in their clothes. 

Travoss shot a finger at her casting a little spell on Lia. He donned his travelling clothing. A pair of baggy trousers with black chevron patterns, one big hide belt, a long blue linen tunic went over the trousers. Over all that he donned a long-belted charcoal dyed long coat with a hood. Travoss picked up a satchel, a belt with a broken pickaxe weapon, dagger in sheaths or loops, and a cudgel walking cane. As Travoss put on his weapons belt under the coat Sorina clothed herself. She layered herself in a red sleeveless tunic dress with a dark purple Vorcadam Kimono robe over it. Over the kimono robe she donned a large wood brown hooded wrap around her body. It covered the kimono all the way down to her shins. However she was not without weapons herself. Since Vossa was still a savage land everyone there needed a weapon. For her weapon of choice a curved short sword, and a chain belt with some weight balls attached at the ends. All Lia had on her was her green, black brooch of a dragon's eye, a few coins, ID card, ring of keys, three nuts to a lamp, box of twenty matches, office pen, and stress marble. Everything else she would have on her were in her purse, which she did not have with her. Dressed in a dress suite depicting the Nymresian colors Lia felt she was more suited to a banker's profession in Vossa. 

"Are you going to do anything to me?" she asked the pair of them who were heading for the stairs. 

Her only answer was a blank stare from each of them. Neither of them looked in the mood for answering questions. Whatever they set out to do that was already accomplished. Lia knew she needed their help to get back to Nymres. Travoss gestured for her to follow them downstairs. Both started descending the stairs with Lia getting up to follow them. Descending the spiral staircase reminded her of the whirl wind that transported her here in the first place. Dizziness overcame her making her stop to grab on to the railing. The metal felt cool to the touch. A whole story of stone or concrete encased the staircases in a hollow cylinder-shaped prism. Their footsteps were almost stomping sounds due to the metal and wooden steps. Lia kept her eyes on her footing as they descending to the bottom of the spiral staircase. Following Travoss and Sorina-Kairos down she came to another chamber hall that appeared to be the size of four rooms put together. Resembling the shape of a clover heart, this chamber appeared full of patrons from different races, and backgrounds. Cushions of various shapes and sizes covered most of the chamber. Some corners had a circle of sofas and couches in colors of either dark green, red, or purple. Most of the cushions were either red, purple or light blue. In one of the corners of the chamber was a bar area with stools, and booths. A set of doors leading to other rooms or the exit stood closed along the circular wall. A total of twenty-eight patrons occupied the place. Just several or more barmaids, and serving girls carrying drinks around the chamber. Lia was surprised she even found room to walk through the cushion littered chamber. Getting a closer look at the other patrons she noticed they were half-elves, dhampirs, Dark Elves, half demons, Zedirians with hooves, and voluptuous humans. Some were nude, others were half naked, while the rest wore loose revealing clothing. Bar patrons included a few Wizards, witches, and one Zhenrai Knight from the Vestrisian Continent. 

What was he doing here? Lia asked herself as she stepped onto the floor without taking her eyes off him. He did not appear tall, but his appearance stuck out anyways. Opposite him sat the Wizard with graying short hair, fine beard, lightning, and conjuration markings on his clothing. As for the Witches they appeared more traditional in their dress robes. Not the school type, but the stereotypes without the hats. Even the bartender was a witch with the earth elemental sign on her necklace. Next to the Zhenrai knight as a sexy looking witch flirting with the Zhenrai Knight. Travoss, and Sorina sort of parted ways when a door opened, but no one noticed. It gave Lia time to approach this Zhenrai who wore a dark gray suit with a bronze vest. The coat was off including the ascot that lay draped over the stool next to him on his travelling duster coat. On the back of his neck was a burn mark in the shape of the outcast sign. Lia could not believe her eyes. A Zhenrai Knight cast out of their Order. Travoss pulled her away from the bar area. Forced to let the Wizard lead the way she noticed an extended part of the chamber. Through the doorframe she spotted a man making love to several women of different races, and skin colors. One appeared pink with small horns, another looked green toned with jet black hair, and another with the resemblance of an elf only red skinned. As she passed the doorway Lia watched the man pull each woman to sleep in the large bed. Travoss took her to the exit of the chamber and into a corridor that was pitch black save the torchlights that barely pierced the darkness. 

"SHE TOUCHED THE CHALICE!" a voice screamed from the hallway. 

"Intruder!" another voice screamed in the hall. 

"A vampire's best meal in Vossa. The curious ones." a third deep voice declared in the darkness. 

Ignoring these voices Travoss grabbed her arm and pulled her against his body. Lia pissed herself as they entered the dark corridor with nothing but torch light. Pushing her along regardless of her soiling herself the Wizard held up and amulet that created some sort of bubble around them like a shield. Within seconds of moving further the door slammed shut and vampires emerged from the dark walls. Each one lunged after them only to be bounced back by the shield. Fangs exposed, eyes red, skin pale or scarred, and nails become claws on the thirsty Vampires. Travoss kept moving while the Vampires pressed the attack on the bubble as it only pushed them back. Some hissed, others growled, and the rest screamed with anger over the teasing meal they were likely promised at some point. Lia believed there was no end to this corridor until she spotted a door slowly opening. As it opened sun light peaked through. Any Vampires chasing them were either forced back into the walls or likely dead. Travoss went for the opening only to be greeted by a Drow Spider Priestess from Galaia. Dressed in the traditional Galaian Drow garb of leather strips, belts, and chains resembling spider webs on her body the Drow stood near a portal. A palla of dark red with thin white patterns draped over her shoulders in a wrap pattern. Lia recognized her as Alicia Bells the Mad-Liv of House Red Tori. She met the Drow at a party or festival in Galaia honoring an alliance between countries. Blood Red hair with three white stripes in long curls hung over her right shoulder. Was Alicia Bells here to save her? Lia couldn't believe it. Despite soiling herself Lia ripped away from Travoss and hugged the familiar face. A look of disgust must have appeared on the Drow's face as she pressed her whole body against her. Lia did not care if her clothing was still wet or smelled from urinating herself. She was that terrified of being chased by vampires whom she thought never existed. 

Quickly thanking Travoss for getting her out Lia followed Alicia through the Necromancer Portal that was made from bones with a few skulls at the top. A swirling vortex of green and blue lay open for anyone to enter. Taking a deep breath, she plunged into the portal with Alicia next to her. This was also the first time she entered such a portal. She was more used to standard transportation, horses, carriages, stagecoaches, automobiles gifted by the Nazdar Invaders and Inventors of Calorn. Inside the vortex they rushed through a twirling tunnel of green and black filled with skeletal souls reaching out to them. All the way to the end of this tunnel Lia and Alicia had to avoid the arms of the black and green creatures attempting to snatch them. Here she thought the nightmare couldn't get any worse. Grabbing Alicia by the hand Lia squeezed it hoping that would get her to speed up. The Drow Priestess quickened her pace as though she grew six extra limbs and hauled themselves off to the end of the tunnel. Finally exiting the tunnel of green, black arms the pair of colleagues came to a dancing university where servants or slaves were forcefully taught to dance for the pleasures and delight of masters. Its stone walls appeared more ominous than cheery. Yet it was meant to keep nosy Uxane away who were superstitious about scary imagery. Just outside the portal Alicia opened lay a scary looking automaton resembling some mechanical demon with vertical spikes, and pieces jutting from its shoulders beating a fat looking figure into the ground. Lia recognized them as one of the red-brown skinned heroes sent by the temple monks to dispose of villains, crooks, corrupt officials, thugs, bandits, invaders, and monsters. To the new governing powers these were rebels dressed in martial arts uniforms. Many of them attempt covering the uniforms in ponchos, animal pelt cloaks, Overlapping shawls, and tribal wrap garbs. In her mind Lia could tell this was only the beginning of a rebellion. 

Vullanese Front 1840 Mothgar Isle

 Vullan was officially at war with their newly formed V.U.V.R. He did not want to think about the full name of their new nation just what he was going to do here. An invasion was starting on their behalf not the Vullanese. It had more do with what they did over some treaty the Vullanese leaders broke. Waiting for the orders to attack he kept his eye on the town on the other side of the border. Having a demon in his scopes Sergeant Flame made him a little uneasy about fighting the Vullanese now that war began. Pondering over these events he wondered if this war would last a while or be short. Not much was known to him about the true reasons behind the war other than what the newspapers said. There was no time for him to waste while sitting the grass while perched on a hillside. He was hidden from view by rocks, bushes, and tall grass from the ground troops. In front of him Flame had a few fallen tree branches and a naturally hollowed out fallen tree stump. As for the winged imp on the rooftop, he doubted he was well hidden. Perched on a spire to some cathedral built behind the town his target held binoculars in its clutches. Unsure if the demon could see him, Flame did his best not to move an inch. Putting his finger on the trigger he prepared to fire. Flame stopped realizing the gunshot would alert the Vullanese troops in the town. Just yesterday they arrived at the border with word that half the population left. That was good for them. Less collateral damage and less civilians in the way. Moving his scope to see the imp's exposed stomach he found it a little outlandish for Vullan to have winged creatures in their ranks. 

Taking in a deep breath he prepared to start a fight with the Vullanese of these parts. Ever so slightly he put pressure on the trigger when some loud aircraft came overhead. Making a lot of noise the few aircraft drowned out everything else with their growling sound engines. Even a dog's barking could not be heard above the roaring. Flame could not hear his own thoughts, these engines were so loud in the air. Taking advantage of the noise, Flame fired a killing shot to the imp's lung. The brown skinned imp fell from the spire leaving the binoculars on the spire's jutting spikes. Breathing a sigh of relief, he allowed himself to relax. Sweat started to soak his undershirt under the brownish green uniform his unit was issued. 

Charging enemy positions now would not be a smart move. Even if their comrades on other fronts did so. He was not the personnel in command, but he had combat experience. Just a single year of military experience in war was all he possessed under his belt. Evusia attacked Meze, Redrin, and Nahem. Right after the Nochannian-Zegrav conflict the Evusia Empire started invading its neighbors. That war gave Flame is first taste of modernized combat. Only two years of training, a full year of hunting wild Gnolls, killing Troglodytes, fighting Kuruks, removing Beastmen threats, and a seven-month war earned him Sergeant. To him that prepared him for this new war. Hailing from a small town called Axebing, Geverine, Rogert Eminabel Flame was now twenty-two years old. 

Checking out the town of Orney on Mothgar Isle he spied on Vullanese soldiers. In their new khaki uniforms, the Vullanese appeared more modern rather than out of date. He saw photos of the old uniforms they once wore. Jerkins, trousers over red, white cotton tunic shirt in a color set of orange with light blue. Distinct yet out of date that Vullanese uniform became an easy target to shoot at. Now the khakis were their uniform it would be harder to find them. Through his scope Flame could see how different it was on the Vullanese side. Houses constructed in the appearance of pavilions with hexagonal roots of clay tiles. In the size of an actual house these pavilion shapes had walls covering the inside. Some were two stories tall. Other building shapes included small villas, brick cottages, terraced homes, chapel shaped homes, limestone round houses. Most of the cottage and brick houses were single stories painted orange. The rest were painted a lighter blue, yellow-gold, and red. Plenty of these houses had flat roofs, bonnet roofs one thought to find in the country or store on the road, hip roofs and hexagonal roofs. Every one of them had clay tiles, slate tiles, or concrete tiles. Among these buildings the Vullanese called homes he spotted a marketplace, blacksmith, carpenter shop, pottery shop with kilns, and studio with it. Orney's townhall could be seen in the center next to a merchant guild, a library of sorts, and a temple with exotic statues. Orney possessed no walls around her to defend the settlement. She still had feudal age structures among homes from different ages. A Bowyer, town guard, town watch, Mason's Guild, Leather Tanner near a villa complex, Blacksmith, an Inn and a Tavern could be spotted through his scope. Within Orney's confines Flame spotted seven other Taverns. 

One Tavern in particular caught his attention. Taking a better look at it, he saw it was named The Black and Blue. Smiling with a thirst for a drink Sergeant Flame hoped their own bombers would miss it. He even cursed the artillery in his mind. Outside this Tavern he spied a woman waltzing about in a Baker's dress equipped with apron, and ascot. Donning a coif, she did not look the prettiest he'd seen yet still a little attractive. Flame did not believe in judging women by their beauty or appearances. However, he ran into plenty of women that stunned him. He followed her with his eyes for a while holding both eyes opened. To the left of Orney the town spa caught his gaze. Vullanese troops prepared defenses along the town's borders. Oblivious to Vestrisian presence the team of Vullanese troops stopped work and headed for wherever the imp perched itself. 

Orney's spa thrived with male and female staff moving around. Loading and unloading boxes, and small crates these Vullanese seemed to rush the evacuation. He saw their military uniforms had changed since their last few conflicts. Never before had he seen the Vullanese traditional garments they wore. Long Tunics, which came in different styles along with colors, covered their persons. Some Tunics were light blue, orange, gold yellow, red, brown, green and white. Most of them were women at the spa's location performing different duties. Brown, Reds, and the whites performed laborious tasks, while the oranges did manual tasks. As for the rest, they performed skilled tasks. Some dismantled equipment, others boarded up the windows. Others prepared the vehicles used for transportation. Situated near a stream this spa was run by some beautiful, voluptuous, curvy, and petite women. One in particular caught his eye at the edge of a man-made pond with finely carved stoned encircling it. Standing at five feet eight inches, a tannish brown skinned female wore a loose light blue tunic dress. Her light brown hair rested on the back of her head in a messy bun twist. Her tunic dress covered her torso, chest, and upper legs covered by a green shawl. She had the shawl draped from her left shoulder to her right hip tied at the back. 

"Hello there, Sergeant, are we spying on those lovely ladies? Or are you peeping at those voluptuous beauties. My, my I do want to meet those vixens I spy." He heard a very smug, cocky voice appear next to him. The all too familiar voice emerged from his right flank. Hearing it made him stiffen a little. 

Turning his head to the right he found Private Eggard "Suave" Fusesky the perverted prude of the platoon. He stood up above the tall grass, and upright foliage Flame hid in. A photographer, sketcher, and spotter for the platoon, Private Fusesky held a more infamous reputation among the 408th battalion's 13th platoon. The self-proclaimed ladies' man had his three cameras around his neck. The cylinder shaped one, the container shaped one, and plate shaped camera that folded up. Out of seven combat artists, four photographers, and six cartographers, Private Fusesky ruined their image with his perverted taste for females. How he still managed to keep a smug smile after the number of times he was beaten to the earth in boot camp, and the fields of Castaria. Taking another glance at the Vullanese women Flame knew Fusesky would attempt sliming his way into their beds or clothes. Fusesky broke his train of thought. 

"Ooo, that one would do me a favor and keep this rogue comfy! While I paddle that naughty looking behind to our delight!" Fusesky claimed, spotting another woman to target. He moved a few steps forward making kissing sounds as he watched through his binoculars. 

Sergeant Flame's heart raced and pounded his rib cage like a drum. Was Fusesky about to blow the cover of the entire 408th? They were supposed to wait for the signal to attack while staying hidden in the foliage. This Private's personal fetish was getting in the way of their surprise attack. Flame's mind raced around picturing himself as some sentient rodent circling a closed off room in panic. He had to act fast or Fusesky would reveal their positions. Flame made a grab for the Private then pulled him to the ground with him. 

"Could you pack it in already? We are in a future warzone! Our country may be the ones attacking, but history is about to be made! Yet you have a history of harassing women! Now do us a favor Private and keep your eel in your pants! Cut it off from your brain and focus on the frontlines!" He growled at him through his gritted teeth. Flame wanted nothing more than to drown him in the pond or the river just to be rid of Private "Suave" Fusesky. All he did was blink several times in confusion. 

"Why Sergeant Flame. I thought the men loved it when I woo the ladies." Fusesky responded in a half sarcastic yet confused tone. Flame released him and sent him back to camp. He did not watch the Private move away from his position. 

"Sverxing Pig, going to turn all the women of Mothgar on us." Flame cursed under his breath. 

Checking the spa again he found Vullanese soldiers and militia appeared in the scene. Humans, Mehoge demon spawn, Kuruks with ram horns, Orc Jaws, tall Goblins, Orcs, half Orcs, half goblins, short Ogres, Beastmen spawn, Troll Spawn, Man bull spawn (Minoatuars), Zedirians, Half-Elves, Redcap spawn, Aos Si humanoids, and ugly Lideric spawn wore the uniforms of Vullanese Military. Being human, Sergeant Flame envied other races of their newly formed Vestrisian Union. Elves lived longer, which allowed them to learn more, fight better, and experience more than everyone else. Dwarves also lived longer yet showed off their mastery in smithing techniques. They also made better craftsmen, inventors, scientists, as well as artisans. Gnomes had a better taste for machines, tinkering, gardening, and alchemy. From what he heard, Gnomes were not as good with alchemy producing gunpowder or poisons as Goblins proved to the world. Well, the civil ones. His envy also went towards Zunia Pucks who know how to farm, cook, play music, excel at herbal alchemy, and singing came natural to them. Many Zunia Pucks became servants, maids, butlers, house keepers, care takers, and nurses.  Flame felt like he would be complaining about that if he revealed his thoughts to anyone. Humans could master all those professions it only took time, patience, and a bit of free time. 

Just past Orney he could see the city of Busry Isle. An island said to be filled inhabited by Harpies, Trolls, and Gargoyles. One would think neither of those races would be productive. He could certainly say the Vullanese were productive while an enemy watched them. From his position Sergeant Flame spotted Vullanese defenses. Protecting Orney stood eight fixed pill boxes out of wood, eight tower mounts for machineguns, eight pillbox walls. These defenses were spread out across the town limits. He also found the road to be blockaded at the border, and laden with over sixteen tank traps. Eight old broken pillars lay strewn about the road's shoulders. Flanking Orney by the north and the east sat sixteen pieces of cover the Vullanese constructed from logs. Between the constructed cover and pill boxes he spotted sixteen or more sections of walls. Flame presumed these houses either burned in a fire or destroyed by the Vullanese to make more defenses. Right as he was about to call it quits on reconnaissance a platoon of Vullanese troops forced a group of prisoners along. Gnoll prisoners, Human prisoners, Goblin prisoners, Half Elves from Boathrin carried sixteen crates, and sixteen barrels. Watching them carefully place the containers in other parts closer to the town. Another group of prisoners appeared from Orney's streets wielding shovels. Flame took note of this as the enemy's prisoners filled containers with dirt and rocks. 

Out of curiosity Flame returned his gaze to the Spa area. Every spa employee found themselves in a line. Most of the Vullanese troops left them at the supervision of an ugly hunch back figure in uniform. This one wore neither of Vullan's military uniforms. Instead, this hunchback donned a brogg brown uniform with a Nymresian Flag under the Invader's Flag. He was not the only one in that particular uniform. A full platoon of the ugliest creatures for men buried their faces in the features of these spa staff. The hunchback pinched the leading spa owner who appeared powerless. Flame sort of felt offended for these women. Whose side were these scum on? His stomach grew sick, churning as the hunchback started to lick her in several places. He rubbed his face against her exposed areas for a few more moments. Out of the blue his head exploded. It blew up in a bloody, fleshy mess. Brains, torn tissue, blood, and muscle splattered her face. Sergeant Flame did not fire that shot. Looking around to see if anyone else joined his team Sergeant Flame called it a day. Slinking further back until he was out of view he got up and bolted for their camp. 

Sprinting towards camp he found Fusesky sketching an abandoned cottage. Sverx you we have not time for that, get going! He wanted to shout the words at Fusesky. His focus was ripped from Suave when Flame found the rest of his team nearby in the clearing between two hills. Hearing more shots being fired from the Vullanese side caught their attention. His team was now alert as bullets flew above their heads. 

"Get back to HQ! MOVE! MOVE! MOVE!" He shouted at them. In a mad hurry Flame's team grabbed all they could while scrambling back to base. Leaves rustled, twigs snapped off as bullet's flew above their heads. Vullanese troops opened fire in a frantic manner in retaliation. That would sap away at their ammunition if they kept doing that. Another shot rang out from a position closer to their location. Flame stopped for a moment realizing he left his position, disobeying orders. Sergeant Flame turned around to return to his position on the hill. Going back had to be cancelled out as an option. Over a hundred Harpies, and Imps flew from Orney. Resembling a bee swarm the flying humanoids went for trees and nearby hills. Flame crouched low in the foliage brush to conceal himself. Harpies, Imps pounced, and dove for a dozen places around them. Screams, and shouts emitted from thirteen different places in the region. Only nine of those places saw gunfire erupt in the faces of the attackers. Rifles, machineguns, pistols, submachine guns joined by screams, shouting, and screeching, filled the air. 

No more than three Boathrian militiamen of the Queen's Sharpshooters were dropped. Those Imps, and Harpies plucked them up and tore them apart before dropping them back down. Other armed troops fared better than the three sharpshooters found in the trees. Entire groups of Imps and Harpies flew away. A larger group of Harpies discovered Flame and his team. Sergeant Flame and five of his Privates became surrounded by one hundred seventeen Harpies. Some appeared hideous with black red lips, red hair like spikes, pale skin with red spots thin bodies. Others resembled scaly humanoids born with tails, wings and grew horns dotting the scalp. A handful of them almost mimicked female bodies covered in feathers or fur. Several had wings for arms with talons. Whereas the rest of them possessed a woman's face, body, arms with talons, claws, and wings. One wielded a mace preparing to smash a skull open. Private Fusesky, Private Browners, Private Monn, Private Riovas formed a tight circle. Not that it would doo much other than allow all members to spray fire in a circle killing multiple foes before getting torn to pieces. 

Sergeant Flame found himself in the middle of the tight circle. Expecting nothing short of being torn apart he went for his pistol. The world slowed down with adrenaline taking over. Sweat poured from his skin, soaking his undershirt, and underwear. All sounds became blocked out except for his heartbeat. How could they escape tis swarm of Harpies? None of them would be able to move an inch with ten pouncing on each of them. Flame returned to the present as all sounds returned to his hearing. In his mind he wondered if the town hero of Queens Church Jeff Blair the Sheriff-Warden, would head this way. As a Veteran in the Geverine infantry, Colonel Blair enlisted to fight in this war. He saved the town from some corrupt thug boss who attempted to take over during the Castarian Conflict. 

More than a thousand guns went off from their eastern flanks. Scores of leaves, sticks, small branches, and Harpies dropped to the ground. Just the noise itself would scare off the Imps. According to the Boathrians who fought the creatures before. Yet the Harpies needed to be killed or wounded in order to drive them away. Most of the Harpies go hit while the rest scattered in the air. Dozens of Vestrisian Soldiers and Boathrian militia emerged from the foliage. Using T.M. 13's, Lever Action Rifles, Repeaters, Boathrian Vowed Rifle4s, and the early E-7 prototypes, the riflemen gunned down as many Harpies before the winged creatures disappeared behind the hills. Colonel Jeff Blair appeared with Major Gorgenne, Major Ol-Gribb, and Captains Castern, Nennetz, Greymir. Sergeant Flame saluted them and handed over his report. Blair checked the notes Flame wrote when a squat bug monster with rustic red lumpy hide, armored tail that ended in a bony paddled projection, emerged from the tall weeds along the hill's base. Its two prehensile antennae were about to grab a gun when an Uxane in VUVR Ranger's uniform burst out of the woods armed with a wooden stake. The red-brownish warrior drove the spear into its skull ending its life. 

"Ranger. Name and Rank." Captain Nennetz demanded calling for his attention. Nennetz wore the officer's uniform depicting blue chevrons over a pair of silver bars. The uniform appeared similar to the standard grunt's greenish brown that had a vest in similar colors only with a khaki brown tint to it. As ugly as it looked it saved their lives from enemy eyes. His pinkish beige skin and clean-shaven face would be an easy target especially the eagle like nose. As for the Uxane, he wore the Ranger's dark green uniform that allowed them to blend in the environment. 

"Sorry Captain." He straightened up. "Corporal Otterspaw Red-Cat, 10th Rangers Battalion." 

"Are you specialized in slaying monsters such as this, Corporal?" Colonel Blair asked folding his arms in his Commanding Officer's field uniform of Bluish Green decorated in small patches representing his rank. He had a flap every officer came with to cover the patches making it look like they wore a short cape poncho. Every personnel including the Officers wore a helmet, the standard Vestrisian military caps, beanies, garrison caps, or a Fassool hat of Vestrisia. 

"Yes Captain, I used to hunt-" Otterspaw was cut off before he could finish his explanation by Major Ol-Gribb the Zedarkhand with brown-grey hair, triangle face, a few war scars dotted his neck and right cheek. 

"That will be all Corporal, carry on." Blair dismissed the Corporal back to his monster hunting job. He ordered for the rest of the unit to return to HQ while sending the captains off to find other teams. Flame and his own team followed the Colonel back to a castle on V.U.V.R territory. Flame prayed their own unit's Captain; Captain Haley De Vill Skald was back at this castle. Currently garrisoned with 290 troops this Castle called Farfell could house a brigade. Around its grounds and base sat 64 tanks, five artillery platoons with twenty pieces, and twelve troop carriers. Each vehicle looked read for the war that would start tomorrow. 

Eoth's Lost Altar

 Not caring for the laws of a modernizing era she wanted to ensure an Eoth victory. Grussia stood as any ally all the way through. Vunnace and eight city-states pledged to fight these invaders. Shabbilne gazed upon the temple altar expecting an answer from the gods. Wearing the traditional Eothan poncho Shabilne had two other companions accompanying her. Captain Grechin of the Eoth Jaguar Warriors, Walod the Mage brought a volunteer for a sacrifice. Shabanna, an Eothan enchantress who made a mistake in a spell. While enchanting a dagger for a youth seeking to be a Jaguar Shabanna had the dagger stab the poor youth. Elders of the village banished her to service of the cults who still practiced the old ways. Shabbilne was a priestess to the altars of Nemarho Yerza, the god of sacrifice, and payments. At the overgrown temple of Nemarho Yerza the four of them were at the very borders of the Unknown Lands. Wedged between two mountains, the temple altar sat as a doorway into the lands of vast jungles, extended mountains, marshes, tribal lands, and grasslands. All of such landscapes filled with savages, monsters, beasts, and wild carnivorous animals. Tales say the tribes are cannibals that kill and eat the outsider upon encounter. 

They were within the mountain range itself that separated them from the Unknown Lands, the Dyhrex Mountains. A large mountain range that acted as a thick natural wall for them and Grussia. A rather large lake was shared with Grussia as well. Lake Nixorne, they called it, another natural border between them and the Unknown Lands. Fishing, diving, swimming, rowing, and sailing could be done on that lake. Nixorne bordered the Dyhrex mountains acting as an extra border between them and the Unknown Lands. Shabbilne had little time to waste. Eoth, Grussia, and Vunnace could hold out for a few years with combined forces. Their new allies in other parts of the world can increase their chances of holding out by a few months. Would that be enough to cripple the invaders? She doubted that it would even force the combined forces of the invaders and their collaborators to quit their offensives. More allies is what they needed and a miracle, according to her point of view. Leading the trio closer to the altar within the temple Shabbilne prepared the dagger. 

"I don't know if this will work Shabbilne. It has been centuries since anyone has made a sacrifice here." Walod warned her. 

"Bah! It will work Walod, it will! I have read the ancient texts on how to do this. Come now Shabanna, come over here." She beckoned for the enchantress to approach the altar. The young Eothan woman hesitated with a concerned expression on her face. 

"What will you do to me?" She asked sounding like she wanted to back out of this. 

"Just a slit of the palm or finger. Several drops of blud should drip onto the altar. Come on now. It is clean." Shabbilne urged her. 

"You mean you have been here before?" Captain Grechin asked her, gripping the torch in his left hand. The lantern they used to traverse one of the mountains to get here ran through their tinderboxes. 

"Several times, Captain Grechin." She replied as Shabanna approached the oval shaped altar with a small bowl crevice in its center. 

Grabbing Shabanna by the wrist she pulled her over the altar drawing the dagger closer to the enchantress's skin. To her surprise the enchantress did not pull back or attempt to resist her. In her grip Shabanna's hand rest in her control at the moment. The enchantress bared her teeth and shut her eyes closed. She even turned away like some scared child or youth made to look at something or do something undesirable. Shabbilne chose to ignore her with some strands of her wild hair draping over her face as she began to press the blade into the palm. Making a cut into the sacrifice's palm she drew blood. Her hands acted on their own squeezing some blood out into the small bowl-shaped crevice in the altar. The red fluid seeped out of Shabanna's palm and onto the altar. It filled the bowl-shaped crevice. That was the only amount of blood required. Looking past the altar at the back walls she waited patiently. Do not fail me. Was all she could think as she released the enchantress from her grasp. Stepping back she placed the dagger on the altar in a position that it faced the center at an angle. From the altar itself stones grounded against each other from the altar's interior. It sounded as though a mechanism was built inside and the blood acted as the trigger. 

Without warning the altar rose a few feet and the wall opened up. Stones grounded against stone, cogs, and other levers squeaked and groaned. Amazed by the success of the attempt they stood idle for a moment. Slowly the wall separated become two sliding doors making way. A secret door opened up behind the shifting walls revealing an outdoor tunnel like hall covered in vines, and overgrowth along the sides. The infamous dreadful Unknown Lands lay before their path. to the four of them this created a new path to take into the wild lands most civilized cultures avoided. Shabbilne could only guess how long it would remain out of the invaders' reach. Shabanna quickly wrapped her hand in a piece of cloth from her leather hide handbag. 

"How many days of provisions did you bring with you?" Grechin asked from behind. 

"First we need to let someone know we are here." Walod informed the Captain. 

Hearing their voices annoyed her. When travelling with them they brought a few weeks' worth of rations. They even stayed at several villages along the way riding in Grechin's automobile that broke down a few times. Hunting and staying at a few settlements helped maintain their stock for each mouth. Shabbilne lived alone these days and lived off the land. She could not say the same for Shabanna, and Walod. Captain Grechin brought two rifles, and a hunting crossbow. The Tiger's Roar 93 bolt action rifle, and the king's favorite, Scorpion Sting 33 breech loader. All three projectile weapons would do them good. Grechin brought a curved machete knife, sickle weapon, and bamboo warclub. All three weapons would prove useful. She possessed a dagger, short sword, metal claws, and retractable staff on herself. At the age of fifty, Shabbilne could still hold out on her own. She was once a Manticore acolyte of the Manticore Circles. 

"Walod, take Shabbana back to the nearest village. Captain Grechin and I will explore this new discovery for the next few days. We will return of course." Shabbilne ordered the Mage. 

"Are you sure Shabbilne? There is only two of you. Who knows what monsters and perils lay beyond those doors." Walod warned them. 

She ignored the Mage plucking up her dagger, and grabbing her own satchel bag. Eager to find out what lay beyond the temple doors she opened, Shabbilne welcomed Grechin to join her. His footsteps behind her said he was joining her. Walod and Shabanna's footsteps faded behind her as she entered the overgrown tunnel. Vines, moss, mushrooms, wildflowers covered the walls of the tunnel. For a ceiling this tunnel did have rough parts of stone overgrown, showing signs of crumbling. Fifty-two lunges away from the last crumbling part the tunnel opened up at the ceiling. Another twenty paces past the opening in the ceiling the tunnel became sheltered by leaves of jungle trees dotting the landscape. With Captain Grechin following her she sauntered ahead for a mile before spotting hints of humanoid life. Various animals chirped, let out caws, loud purrs, and rustled in the foliage. Shabbilne raised her arm to stop Grechin in his tracks. Squatting down she spied what looked like a hut or lodge mixed together. Topped with a flat roof this structure appeared put together with logs, branches, rocks, stones, and mud as the mortar. To her it seemed strange for there to be a structure this well made in an area such as this. Who was she to judge, she had never been here before. 

Drawing closer to the structure they found a few more huts and some inhabitants. Excitement grew inside then faded when she saw some of them had tails. Through some trees, and tall bushes she could see a group of humanoids gathered in the center of a small hamlet in the jungle. Nine horned lizard demons with green scales that looked like armor on their bodies. Each one wore a leathery vest with fur grieves over their legs. On a chain linked leash the lizard demons possessed some bumpy fat dragon of orange, green stripes. Standing on four fat legs this one reminded her of the type of bulldogs Shabbilne saw among Grussians. At a closer glance she noticed these Lizard Demons wielded black ion weapons such as spears, tridents, axes, and machetes crafted in crude shapes. Confronting them or attempting to were three Lizardfolk that held more native appearances. Clad in bones, hides, and shells these Lizardfolk possessed claws, tribal Spears, and tipped tails for weapons. At their flank stood a large, mutated crocodile humanoid fighting one of the Lizard folk archers. In their own language these humanoids held a heated argument about something. Each growled, roared, and hissed at the other. The Mutated crocodile started to swing at the archer, which rolled back to loose an arrow at it. Shabbilne felt her hands reach for her weapons while Grechin prepared to shoot at the lizard humanoids. Just the amount of noise these monsters made gave her goosebumps. Her heart raced as she watched the heated argument turn into a brawl of claws, swinging blades that drew blood. For several minutes it dragged on until something else burst out of the jungles to their left flank. Another lizard beast with a large head and two arms appeared before them. Yet this one possessed two heads attached to another body of another beast. Squinting her eyes, she spotted two metal collars linking the heads to the body revealing it was more of an experiment of some mad scientist who hid in these parts. 

Not taking any chances with any of these lizards the pair of Eothans turned tail and ran from the scene. Knowing what the outcome was they raced back the direction they came. They tried to as there was no clear path to take beyond the tunnel. Finding the tunnel would be rather difficult. What did not help was the sun setting into dusk for the day. Several minutes of sprinting through the jungle one of them lost a boot, and likely a few items from their bags. Neither of them turned around to retrieve anything. Even though she felt like a coward, Shabbilne admitted to herself this was a part of the world she did not know. A Ranger would have helped. She thought to herself when she spied another structure in the jungle. Stopping in her tracks to see what it was the Eothan noticed it was a military aircraft propeller that was usually found on the invaders' choppers for assault. According to the stories such craft were easily taken down with machineguns or handheld modernized cannons. 

"We need to get back to that tunnel!" Grechin shouted as he rushed past her. 

"Yes." She replied taking another glance at the aircraft. Have the invaders already been here or are they just sending scouts? She asked herself before chasing after Grechin. Her discovery of some lost altar opened the door to an older world that was likely alive with monster who could be hostile to both them and the invaders.  

Castaria-Zegrav Borders #9: Insurgents Attack

 His fellow soldier, Sergeant Pumpeen barked at the five palm branch wielding staff. Under his cap his thick reddish hair, and handlebar mustache made him look like a lion trying to be a human. A lion with a big nose, shaven chin, and exposed cheeks. Wind blew around them lifting sand up that hit their clothes, and tried getting in their eyes. Most of the citizens, workers and patrons ran from the blast site. Checking their surroundings Malik spotted two Uxane Horses, a pair of armor wearing twins approaching their direction, a Camel Rider, some Gnome goat rider, and female Drow Mage covered in a tan cloak. To the locals the twins were called Dane workers. Both were fighters and laborers. One Vestrisian Desert Trooper who was Zegrav came up to them. Malik could tell they were of Zegrav background due to the tribal band around their head. It could be seen under the cap, tangerine orange over dark brown skin. Adding another soldier to help wouldn't hurt. Malik had never really been here in Zegrav before. Red Curve was a city he heard about or passed on is travels through Zegrav. Studying the figure in their tan brown uniform they sort of blend in the surroundings. Telling his squad leader what he found, Malik glanced at the Desert Soldier who stuck out because of several light blue tents, orange striped tents, green ones, red painted huts, and colorful vendor stands. 

Handing over his discovery Malik heard the Desert Soldier's voice. Everyone in ear shot turned their heads on the covered Desert soldier. All they could see of her were the eyes above the tan veil. She introduced herself as Corporal Bia Jeerdall of the Desert Unit. Facing North West Malik spotted a Blacksmith at work in his open forge as through nothing happened. Clanking and hammering of metal could be heard from the blacksmith along with other noise as Jeerdall spoke. She once had thirty-five fellow soldiers she called co-workers in a platoon. Now it was just her after a week in Badraan. 

"I heard what happened out there in Badraan, Corporal Jeerdall. A platoon sized unit of thirty-five or more Desert Soldiers and forty local militia set out to hunt down a band of unruly Ghouls led by a Lamia Lion. When they caught up with what they thought was seventeen turned out to be a set up ambush. Caught in the grassy dunes they were first attacked by seventy white spawn Ghouls followed by a wave of eighty Black Ghoul spawn. Both waves were repelled until the Lamia-" Lieutenant Ritherson's story was cut off by fresh screams and shouting. This interruption was followed by sounds of attacks and clashes. 

All their attention was transferred to the southwest. Hundreds of people fled towards them in panic. Several shots rang out behind the fearful crowd. Heading towards the source, Malik's squad was not alone. A total of seventy-seven armed humanoids rushed to defend Red Curve. Malik could tell this was the work of the Lamias of Ottante and their Ghoulish henchmen. No one expected this to happen so soon. Yes there was an insurgency going on. However insurgents acted as guerillas attempting hit and run attacks. They would always melt away or disappear into the countryside or wilderness whenever troops arrived in force. Knowing or believing this was the force they set out to deal with, Ritherson ordered a counter attack. 

Red Curve's populace barely mobilized to face this threat. Citizens, residents, workers, and inhabitants moved towards the defensive castles that formed Red Curve. Malik's squad mates passed a tea salon, practicing dentistry in a cottage, carriage tour guide, bake with a bread stand, and two safari stations against the walls of a castle. Some trio of ex pirates searching for mounts had to give up and join the defenders. Everyone was expected Red Curve or hide in a safe spot. The newly formed VUVR government permitted the Zegravs rights to arms for defending themselves. As long as they don't rise up against the new government. Fortunately this law was not going to last much longer. An enforced law the VUVR's 4th Law of Restraint ensured the Zegrav's would not rise up or form large militias. 

Besides the enforcement and restraining law there were bands who sought to resist. An insurgency arose in Castaria, Zegrav, and parts of Ottante. Yet this day he was facing the Zegrav insurgents. More people rushed pas them in fear. Up ahead they spotted the insurgents near an old mine shaft, an old tower, one saloon, and a bank. Malik's squad mates started firing at the insurgents when the crowds were clear of their line of sight. they lined up near a working blacksmith who was too focused on his work to care. The seventy-seven warriors rushing to defend Red Curve charged at a force of three hundred. Shooting at these insurgents became hindered due to the heroic seventy-seven in their line of fire. 

Forced to watch the Red Curve defenders fight, Malik and his squad mates helped civilians get out. Hiding in a Radio Station within a sand brick structure, a horse riding instructor, her student, chimney sweeps for the castles, a couple of merchants, a family of four, and station master race out. They rushed by a cottage and the stands owned by the merchants. On the vending stands Malik saw they sold saddles, lever rifles, sleeping bags, and other essentials. Among the merchandise they found arrows, bolts, and bullet holes from the insurgents. At other vendors, and structures they found some dead Red Curve citizens. Two ex-pirates selling saddles, and belts, two fire fighters, an operatic entertainer, male surveyor, and older female surveyor-photographer, two kids, a beast tracker, and a merchant. One of these merchants sold essential parts, cameras, small campfire extinguishers, carpets, belts, carpets, capes, banners, circlets, collars, gold coifs, an ale pitcher. Opposite those vendors and particular shop sat the Sheriff Office, a Saloon, owned by nine nobles, and a castle where a noble stood by the stairs. Giving the Tavern a good look he saw it had decorations such as banners, halberds, spears, swords, maces, mortar cannon, and shields. Noting the settlement had ten banks, Malik wondered if the insurgents were after money, supplies, and weapons. Not getting a chance to engage the insurgents was disappointing. 

The engagement of combat between Red Curve defenders and the insurgents lasted for a few minutes. Every Red Curve defender got at least one or two kills. Malik hoped the volley they sent in helped out. Calling this one a second attack Ritherson led the squad over to the site of the skirmish. Just one defender died in the fighting, local sheriff, Lomon Gunari. Whereas the insurgents lost two hundred twenty-five dead, and seventy-six taken prisoner. at their hands a total of fifty-nine Red Curve people died and over sixty wounded in the attack. Knowing the wrath of  Red Curve's citizens these prisoners were at their mercy. As though the VUVR soldiers were not present, fourteen Ghouls, spawn, and Zegravs were hanged. 

As usual in Zegrav every remaining prisoner received the dungeon sentence. Between the eight castles, sheriff stations, and abandoned wells the prisoners found themselves distributed into one of the structures. Corporal Malik knew half these or more would die of starvation, torture, or suicide. He only heard the stories after arriving in Zegrav again when he was a little older. Ritherson took command of the defenders since he was a Lieutenant in the VUVR military. The seventy-six defenders who joined the fight were made up of various professions. A team of seven Swan Knights camped out nearby, another group of five Swan Knights with the swan sigil, stayed at some Tavern. One platoon of twenty regular knights, nine Dwarves, three Crusaders in VUVR uniform, a Tournament Knight on vacation, and a pirate knight came here for new steeds to buy. One female archer, female rogue, Elf Archer, and Dwarf Body Guard lived here in Red Curve. An Elf Blue Blade, female archer, four Tower Shield Knights and Zegrav Tribesman acted as security in Red Curve. Three Blue Archers, a single winged Demon, three Vestrisian locals resided here. Helping the two other Sheriffs of Red Curve, three Vestrisian Troopers ensured the banks would be protected. 

Leaving the prisoners in the hands of Red Curve locals Malik's Squad Mates moved towards the southern end. They were now leaving Red Curve's citizens to clean up the carnage and aftermath. It was not against them. His fellow soldiers did care about the citizens of this member state. Their own duty lied elsewhere in Zegrav. Much of Zegrav remained untamed like Ottante and Castaria. He even heard rumors about parts of the northern regions still had wild bands roaming the country. Bands consisting of Beastmen, wild Troglodytes, Kuruks (humanoids with horns), Fierce Gnolls, and other creatures that should have stayed in tall tales. Looking at the sky he noticed they patrolled Red Curve for over five hours. 

This was normal for patrols and a little short compared to some patrols. Patrols could take days at a time. Depending on where they were patrols would not return for days. Letting out a loud sigh Malik looked around their surroundings at the end of Red Curve. Just the way this settlement was set up in the grassland fields full of hills, it formed a scimitar shape. Old forts, castles, along with the close nit structures allowed for an easy defense. Attacking forces would have to spread out or be caught in a choke point. Either way it would require artillery or bombers to reduce Red Curve to rubble. 

"Alright lads fall on me." Ritherson commanded them. 

The squad of soldiers, now camel riders, or Camel Kols, rallied to Lieutenant Ritherson's position. Corporal Jeerdal joined them, making her part of the squad. Sergeant Pumpeen looked at her up and down unsure about this. Corporal Asim-Sugmuk Malik checked his fellow squad mates with his eyes. Corporal Amun Munn, the second Corporal hailed from Zegrav, Privates Naviddi Calumet, Eric Sextur, Seymour Bleu, Grommni Swannson, Stephen McPaulis, Ed Drommond, Redd Pawblade, Nimor Sedwash, Michael Stonehaven, Walter Olaff, Jasmial Amakiir came from Castaria, and Geverine cities. Then there was Corporal Bia Jeerdall being assigned to his command. Six others used to be under his command under Ritherson. Three of them were dead, one was wounded, and the other two filled in the ranks of another squad in the 1224th. 

"Listen up squad, our presence drew attention of insurgents. We need to move. Our own 1224th just cleared out insurgents while we were fighting the other force at Red Curve. With held from local militia, Zegrav 428th Cavalry Battalion our comrades cleansed a village of 541 insurgents. No prisoners were taken so expect extreme fanaticism. Sort of disappointing, we got nothing, but news about a freed village. Colonel Zepher will move south. A motte and bailey is under the insurgent's grip. In the countryside we have a merchant involved in some rivalry. According to locals and sources they work with a spy who serves a priest. Between the three are four hundred forty-five rebels roaming the country in Zegrav." Ritherson briefed the squad and Jeerdal who was tagging along.