Eodem: a Rifle and Sword Adventure - Chapter 41

A carroty Sun or Lehsol as the locals call that star, ascended above the amaranthine sky over New Albany today. But the usual peaceful bird chirps, howling livestock, and the yawn of awoken peoples did not greet that day. Instead, the day’s first melodies were the thunderous whirl of six Super Osprey’s that made their final approach to the New Albany Airfield where Colonel Polonsky, Thomas Sight, Lutheor Mirrien and Dr. Mahelona waited idly by at the tarmac. They had heard the news of this Wing’s arrival and they were very eager to see its cargo with their own eyes.

Earlier a few days ago, Colonel Polonsky had authorized Jaguar Group, with additional elements from some UFEAF Marine Corps to intercept a shipment of Exotic Minerals that was destined to go to the Empire whom War has been formally declared upon by the Federation who are now roused and preparing for a fight. If word of these Actocolite, Scandanite, and Ghyranite were to be believed by Iris, Martainne, Lutheor, Aliathra and every other folk they talk of this subject about, these minerals promised vast amounts of possibilities ranging from fully harnessing the power of the Mana Crystals and in contrast negating any harmful effects caused by it. According to Captain Mendoza, the raid was an astounding success with no casualties and maximum damage for the Caravan ‘who didn’t know what hit’em.’ Absolutely know survivors and all of the precious cargo that they transported is now the Federation’s. There was a bit concern from the Colonel’s part about if all of the Osprey’s can fit all of the minerals in their holds as Mendoza had stated that they can barely all fit inside, but the rest of the journey back home was only met by minor turbulence caused by rogue gale winds. Additionally, Jaguar Group was authorized to confiscate any other unidentified materials for study.

As the Strike Teams safely disembarked from the Ospreys with their precious cargo, Dr. Mahelona excitedly bolted to the containers carrying the minerals with the Dwarven Merchant Lutheor following suit with his stubby legs to help authenticate the haul. David marveled at their curious brilliance and smiled amusingly on how convenient they were all molded into ingot bars too.

Actocolite were the warm reddish-bronze ingots that is reported that when forged into bladed weapons or bows. Their mystical properties can be much more easily bestow Magical Enchantments into the object it will be formed upon to last longer and become more potent in output. Additionally, weapons forged in Actocolite significantly dull less often than more conventional materials.

Scandanite in contrast with its cooler purplish-blue ingots that is incredibly dense and heavier than the other two minerals hauled in. It is also quite flexible upon cutting down the size of it to form more acute shapes. It shares the similar ease of Magical Enchantments that its sister Actocolite possess but due to its heavier nature, the mineral is best used to forge adamant armors, blunt weapons and even sometimes weapon components. In Dr. Mahelona’s experience, Scandanite is similar to the Federation’s synthetic Plasteel compounds.

Lastly, there is the dark-jade ingot known as Ghyranite, also known as the ‘Anti-Magic Mineral’. Its application is much more niche but is very much just what the War Effort is looking for. An effective Magic Countermeasure. It is used to multi-compound armor to make very magic resistive protection much as a bullet-proof vest. Additionally, if you can form the Ingot into something that is enclosed such as handcuffs for the magically adept or a containment room to hide off one’s Mana signature from magical detection then in conclusion, Ghyranite is the most purposive haul among them.

“Ah… the little voice in my head is telling me to do so many great things with it!” Dr. Mahelona joyously hugged each an ingot of Actocolite, Scandanite and Ghyranite like a little girl would cuddle her dolls ecstatically.

“What kind of stuff?” Polonsky inquired.

“Well, the quad-weave Hecate Suit for Samantha for a start. But I only need like a few ingots to make’em. For the rest, I am seeing new Armor Plates for our personnel and vehicles, some new blades, and finally, I can experiment with that Trophy System…” The Doctor rambled. His excitement was like the mountains rising upwards as he couldn’t contain his cavalier mood on being the Vanguard of Progress, likely a side-effect of his Chosen One brand, Estsygol, ‘the Scholar’.

Meanwhile, Lutheor Mirrien’s eyes widened at the extensive haul that the Otherworldy Warriors had brought back and he was left aghast.

“Do you know what and how much of this did you steal?” Lutheor turned to Polonsky.

“Not really, but if it was meant for an army of one thousand then I say we put an effective stop to whatever their plans were.” Thomas Sight shrugged.

“You don’t understand this. How us Dwarves live…” Lutheor muttered.

“You barely talk about your homeland?” Polonsky turned. “Is there something you want to say?”

“Nirnkarim, the southernmost Dwarven Hold of the Ostalrocs was my home. It was the closest to the south and its unlike most Holds.” The Dwarf said.

“How so?” Thomas inquired.

“The Four Great Holds: Kur-Falduhr, Tilelyuhr, Darbaddihr, Mirlarum, they are the cities you think off when you think of the Dwarves of the Ostalrocs. Great Mines, bejeweled roads, and sophisticated tunnels are how the Hold Dynasts through the strength of their bloodline continued to rule until this day.” Lutheor explained.

“Bloodline? Are they mages?” Thomas asked.

“Indeed, they produce many exceptional Geomancers of great power, one who’s job is to dig the mines for more great minerals that the Dynasts control. However, Nirnkarim, my Home Hold is unlike those Great Holds.” Lutheor voice dropped melancholically. “Dwarven Society is split into two parts, the Noble Hold Dwarves who sit opulent upon themselves at their thrones within the Mountain Holds whilst the Terrace Dwarves are the commoners, farmers, laborers, shepherds and all that. Nirnkarim is ruled mostly by these Terrace Dwarves and me and my family descended upon them. The Mountain I had once called home is more suited to grazing livestock, a watermill, a stone quarry, and nothing else. It’s poorest of the Holds due to not having as rich mine as all the rest.” Lutheor stared wholeheartedly to the UFE. “There was not much opportunity to do much of anything there so that is why I and several of my kin moved to Tyr Rian and became merchants, forwarding trade between the Dwarves and the Citadel for decades. If I recall, I had an old friend that once taught a young lady by the name of Iris Cadohagan Sygillry for her budding talent in Enchantments.”

“I see… but how does this explain that look on your eye?” Thomas asked.

“Hold and Terrace Dwarves don’t really see eye-to-eye often, and even if they do, it is not quite amiable. Most often or not, Dwarven Society is that the Terrace serve to the magically empowered Hold Dwarves, specifically at the Mines.” Lutheor said.

“Oh, I see where this is going…” Thomas tickled his chin as he began to piece together Lutheor’s story in cross-reference to the fabulous loot they had acquired. “But go on.”

“The Actocolite, Scandanite and Ghyranite ingots you stole is, in my experience over two-decades worth of toilsome Deep Mining unto the earth! And the fact that you had stolen all of this is not going to sit well… not going to sit very well for the Dwarves and the Empire when the latter finds out.” Lutheor said.

“How hard is it to harvest these minerals anyway?” Doctor Mahelona butted in.

“It is no secret that some miners die just to obtain them.” The Dwarf bluntly answered. “Cave-ins, appalling conditions, low-wages, being separated from their families… the Mining Guilds will be very unpleased about this.” The Dwarf said.

“Why are you divulging this information?” Thomas asked.

“Because I am one such Terrace Dwarf and from what I have seen with you, you might actually be able to help my kin up at the mountains with all of what you have done here in Tyr Rian. Some of my kin tried to make things better for us Terrace Dwarves but the Hold ones always put a stop to it.” Luthor said.

“Let me guess? These ‘Steam Engines’ you speak off once?” Doctor Mahelona referred.

“Yes, I am not the inventor but I was a… silent supporter of the inventor… I … honestly don’t know much about how they work but the Inventor told me that he was trying to harness the ‘power within the Earth’. I think its best I just show it to you when the time is right.” Luthor said.

“We will see to this… but no promises at least until after we deal with this Empire.” Thomas brushed his chin.

In Thomas’ experience, such an exploitative existence breeds impending revolt amongst the un-empowered working class. Magic and the genetics resulting from a Magictocratic Social Hierarchy unique to Gliesia can be a vicious cycle as the Minister studied. Most often than not, the Magistocracy of Gliesia literally have the power over those who aren’t blessed, it is a self-feeding system that also breeds decadence and stagnation. Back in UFE, many of the labor-related to traditional terrestrial mining from extraction to refinement is all automated with as little human risk as possible. Even then, there were still many innovations in recent history that made mining less risky without sacrificing output. These Terrace Dwarves will indeed be scolded back into the mines once the transaction has been found to have an unexpected complication. Perhaps an exploitable angle to cut off vital resources for the Empire post-Operation Haymaker? A few well-placed words and perhaps a shipment of contraband could plunge the old order into anarchy that the Federation can move in and take in for themselves once the time is right. Thomas would rather have he and the Party-owned corporations managing the Ostalrocs than Aparo or even the likes of Martian Maximov Heavy Industries. A potential crisis should not be put to waste.

“This is all indeed sad.” Thomas nodded, hiding his impartiality behind the cold LED Irises of his Artificial Eyes.

Life was trying to revert back to normal in Tyr Rian in spite of the recent damages on over half of the Citadel. UFE Mechanized Construction Workers, armed literally with their Constructor Mechs muscled through the heavy debris whilst working in tandem with local laborers in rebuilding efforts of the homes, business, and establishments that were once stood proudly by at the titular ‘Crossroads’ that is the Citadel. Most of the vulgar paraphernalia (corpses, ashen debris and lay about weapons) had been discarded to be either buried or recycled to rebuild from what was once been torn down. Some of the outwardly charitable volunteers from the Federation’s Colonists passed off candy, healing gels and other various emergency goods to help alleviate Tyr Rian’s collective suffering for those who had lost the most. As for Governor White, he and his inner circle were already working with the rest of the Principality’s Administrators in coordinating the rebuilding efforts and the sweat-dropping task of informing the Prince, the news of the attack by the Grey Order and the connection that traces back to the Empire, Tyr Rian’s Liege Lord herself. They are already bracing for the Prince to Implode on their faces. Jeremy was already stirring his composure of what he will have to do. At least, Prime Minister Bousquet will be at his side to help mediate the Prince on the situation but it was insisted that he, as the Governor of New Albany plus the Principality’s Administrators personally say the grave news to Prince Clovich.

But outside of Politics, the people of the UFE and of Tyr Rian could never have been more in solidarity than ever trying to smile through and endure through this trying time in spite of this setback warmed Aliathra’s heart upon looking out of the window of the Drunken Bastard Tavern and Inn where April’s 8th Birthday was being held and she had just finished her enchanting Quar-Alfel Vandor dance in front of April Root and her Kindergarten classmates. Lutheor’s establishment had to be temporarily renamed for the duration of the party to avoid offending the s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e minds of the children that the Tavern and Inn were to be called ‘the Dancing Bogie’ to fit the party’s of a ‘Fairy-Tale Princess Ball’ theme as hosted by Mister and Misses Root. It was quite endearing for the Elf to be participating in such a very Fey-inspired gathering. At first, she thought such an idea for a party would have been parodical, a mockery of True Elven culture but just seeing the smiles of the children enjoying the festivities dashed her doubts away, you couldn’t fake such jubilation if you could. In description to her Dance that was passed down upon her through generations, the Elf wore a flowing light blue toga that exposed b.a.r.e legs while adorned with glittering sparkles giving the one who wore it a very Fey-like appearance. Aliathra’s graceful twirls, breathtaking leaps, rhythmic sound and the aid of some visually eye-catching Illusionary magic on her part gave her a standing ovation among not only the children but also the a.d.u.l.ts and a few of the bar patrons who have never seen the sight of a beautiful Elven Maiden dance such enchantingly (they did question Aliathra’s prosthetic legs but were brushed off). That is also in addition to Iris’ Magic show where she dressed in a feminized version of a Magician���s clothes that was quite frankly not as colorful as most show magicians but did give quite a look on Iris’ creamy white legs imprisoned in netted stockings. The Vampire Witch’s performance too was just as equally well-received, performing relatively safe spells from Destruction and Conjuration school meant to visually captivate onlookers in a vein-like an Illusion based spell. Seeing such smiles lightened up for the former Elven Princess and the Vampire Witch as they exited off of their stage costumes. They soon caught their eyes a familiar redheaded maiden that has just arrived from the ornate oak door the Drunken Bastard greeted all patrons to.

“Ladui Rose! You have come.” The Elf hugged the redheaded Lieutenant as she stepped foot inside the Tavern.

“Alie!” She returned her embrace. “How is the party? I am so sorry I am late, I had to take a detour heading here.” Samantha informed.

“Oh, this party is great. Actually, the first party I have actually enjoyed being in. Knowing me and all.” She tittered.

“Come ffrindiau!” Iris urged Samantha through the occupied table of merrymakers.

The rest of Stryder Group, drinks, and party snacks at hand approached Samantha as the Lieutenant gets herself into the Rhythm of the party. The men were concentrated with Obediah testing a mix on their ironed stomachs all the ales, beers, and liquors the Drunken Bastard had from top to bottom. The women were closer to their children near the stage that is rented out for a few instances of entertainment such as the earlier performances of Iris’ Magic Show and Aliathra enchanting dance. Crocker and Obediah were having a drinking contest on who can down the most rounds of a certain very fiery brew straight from the Ostalrocs. There was also a scent of a few herbal blunts being ignited by no part by a cigar-chomping Diaz who lit himself with the fumes by the smoking corner of the Tavern away from any tyke’s prying eyes. Clay was busy helping himself with the food, specifically the berries and meats served as local delicacies rather than some of Leah’s own home cooking.

“Ah… El-tee!” Crocker smiled haphazardly with the goofiest grin from an otherwise mostly-austere Sargeant. He was really letting himself go after all of what had happened yesterday.

“Hello Sarge, you boys are all enjoying themselves.” The Lieutenant smiled.

She, Iris, and Aliathra were greeted with babbling coo’s and gazes of the other men on the table, Federation and Native alike. Samantha was a fairly attractive individual at her ripe old early half of the 20’s age with her short ponytail red hair and petite face but not as eye-catching as the snow-white skinned and raven-haired Iris or the exotic eared and golden mane Aliathra. They do make a cute trio nonetheless.

“Crocker! These are the girls you are with all the time in your squad with Obby there?” One of Obediah’s neighbors who was invited to the party asked. He was mostly there for the wanton abandon of free drinks being served that day and was loving the samplings of the native craft beers and spirits the Tavern has in stock.

“Yep.” Crocker drunkenly confirmed, his breath reeking of spiced spirits.

“You lucky Es-Oh-Bee you and Obby!” he playfully slapped the Sergeant in the back in congratulations.

“I see y’all enjoying yourselves everyone?” Leah Root, wife of Obediah approached the men smiling like the sun.

“Indeed, we all are Miss Root.” Samantha nodded.

“Oh, you must be my hubby’s Commanding Officer, right? Young lass of the crimson top? Fresh from West Point?” Leah asked the Lieutenant.

“Yes.” She confirmed.

“I have to say that Obby told me nothing but praises about you!! You are doing a damn fine job and the Lord’s work out’here Miss Rose.” Leah smiled.

“Thank you that I am doing so well for my first post on my military service.” She smiled back.

“Post… Post…” that word struck Leah like she had seen a ghost. “Oh my! The Post!” Leah stiffened.

“Did you forget something for the party?” Iris asked.

“Yes, April’s present! We have been saving up for it for weeks to get it in and it was a godamn miracle that it made it to the Post Office by the Embassy across the street.” Leah said. “Thank you for reminding me! Obby! Can you go across the street to get April’s present?” she winked to her husband.

“Ahh… shit… ahh… I can’t… sorry…” Obediah, wasted in alcohol nayyed.

“Well can you at least wash up before we personally give April’s present outside? Remember it was your money for this.” Leah requested.

“But it was YOUR idea,” Obediah argued back, but his wife didn’t budge. “Ahh… fine… gimme a second. You go get the kids outta there…” Obediah conceded. He muddily stood up from his chair and walked towards the Tavern’s comfort room to expel the drunkenness from him.

As she sees her husband makes his leave, Leah Root made her way to the stage and called for everyone’s attention.

“Everyone, friends, and fellow well-wishers. I would like to guide you outside of the Tavern for an extra-special gift from mommy and daddy for our sweet little princess April.” Leah smiled.

April, wearing a pink and sparkling princess dress appropriate for her size leaped into excitement. There wasn’t much she could expect to receive on her birthday this year unlike before due to how stretched the logistics it was for many Federation Trade to happen but she knew that her parents were very resourceful of folks’ worthy of the name ‘the Roots’. If she were to believe in her wildest fantasies then it was likely that her wish that she wanted from her parents to get her was coming true and she couldn’t contain her excitement as she, her classmates, and all of the party attendants exited the Tavern onto Arhaf Square. Forming a semi-circle in between the façade walls of the Drunken Bastard to a nearby cart carrying several barrels of dried fruit that shaded some of the sun-s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e of folks. April stood in front of the congregation eagerly smiling for what great gift she will receive on her very special day.

“Close your eyes sweetie.” Leah lulled her daughter as she scampered off to the Embassy.

The rest of the party attendants were behind her, surrounding the Root Family’s only child ready to sprout a great yell of ‘Happy Birthday’ upon Leah’s signal.

“Are you sure bringing some of them in is a good idea?” Samantha asked.

She pointed to a particular group of children who were, at the last minute, allowed into April’s Party on the insistence of Leah. They wore rags or hastily donated clothing that covered with ash and dirt, their demeanor happy but deep down in their eyes, they had seen horrors. The horrors of the past days of where their previous carefree world was burnt down, their loved ones killed, and their lives forever changed. Native Children now turned orphans.

“Leah wanted to do her part in helping them, she grabbed as many of these poor kiddo’s as she could and gave them food, new clothing, and of course you girls,” Crocker explained before cl.i.c.k.i.n.g back to Aliathra and Iris.

“Wait, hang on a sec? What was April’s say on this? It’s her party after all?” Samantha asked.

“Oh, she was such a sweet little thing. When Little April heard about what had happened to those poor folks she wanted to help out too. It was her idea to bring in as many children to her party as she could get and have them play with her, she wanted to make ‘New Alien Friends’.” Iris explained.

“That’s very… charitable of her and Leah.” Samantha blushed, her heart warmed by April’s act of spontaneous kindness. “But why here? In New Albany? You could have moved it back to New Albany where its safer.” Samantha said.

“In my experience, and this is coming from a guy who had his fair share of Humanitarian Aid, real charity begins on the ground rather than an internet click with bank transaction from the comfort of your home.” Crocker quoted.

“Neneth preaches Charity to those who are in pain. I see all of your kind doing just that. Helping these poor folks rebuild their city and healing these children. Even after all of this devastation, now is the time that Tyr Rian heals, especially those children. I have seen their smiles and laughter when they played with April and her friends. In her teachings, children learn to give thanks to the Goddess of Life for they thank their birth due to her hand. Neneth has strong regard for those who are weakest and most vulnerable in life who are like these children. She spoke once ‘Let the Children come to me, for my creation belongs to those like them for All those that I give unto you will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away’. Those who wish to serve the Goddess must have a childlike humility, faith, and simplicity when it comes to praying and acting for her.” Aliathra exhorted softly. She dangled her Cleric’s Rosary Necklace showcasing the symbolic base of her faith to Stryder Group.

“That makes a lot of sense now that I think of it.” Samantha acknowledged.

The symbol at the center of the Elf’s b.r.e.a.s.ts was an intricate treelike carving that optically speaking, seems to keep continuously sprouting out like the pathfinding way how nature and life always finds a way to thrive even at the most desolate of places. There was also a faint jade glow of Restoration Magicks that beat like a heart faintly.

“I can say Amen to that.” Diaz smile. “Hey, after this Alie you wanna have some fun?” Diaz asked.

“Eh… sure. You do wish to show me more of New Albany soon.” Aliathra accepted.

Leah came rolling in with April’s present, a loud cl.i.c.k.i.n.g noise tickling the young girl’s ears like the light gallops of a healthy pony made its approach to her. It was another such of the Federation’s Contraptions, a ‘Wheeled Steed’ as most Natives would describe a bicycle or a motorcycle, all of the utility of a horse, less of the majesty and none of the unsanitary trouble of maintenance.

“Happy Birthday Sweetie! Ope—” Leah greeted but just as she was about to tell her daughter to open her eyes.

But a great thunderous crack exploded from the cart next to Leah where several other civilians, UFE and Native alike were caught in its wake. Smoke from the resulting fireball fogged everyone in Arhaf square disorienting and knocking down everyone.

“Shit!? Another attack?” Samantha coughed.

Aliathra stood back up to recombobulate herself, her five senses reeling to realign themselves that she could barely take note of her immediate surroundings. Her now artificial eyes were much easier to resist the irritant effects of the explosion’s smoke cloud compared to everyone else. Just as the Former Elf Princess got back up on her two feet, a great force pushed her down. Someone, a hooded figure, had rushed pass Aliathra, knocking her back to the floor. Likely a panicking person… but why was she running towards the explosion’s origin than away?

“Mama!? Ahh! Let me go!” a girl’s scream echoed in fright as the hooded figure grabbed the little girl and carried her away kicking and screaming before dragging the impudent little imp onto a sack. She was being kidnapped and the Elf, recognizing the little girl’s voice knew who was being taken away.

“April!” Aliathra cried, reaching out her hand she gave chase to the Kidnapper.

But in her haste, the Elf tripped over a charred obstruction underneath the camouflage that was the clouds. To her horror upon recognizing what she stumbled upon made her recoil oh so vehemently.

“Neneth’s Grace!” Aliathra shrieked when she looked on face to face with the melted corpse of a person in front of her. Its eyes blanketed in white horror, its skin charcoaled with a few specks of medium-rare flesh that melts off of its frame from the slightest of touch and its limbs forever frozen to depict him trying to shield himself away from explosion’s blast.

She clambered away, not wanting to lose her focus in April but she too found her hands grasping the charred flesh of even more victims of this great catastrophe. Dozens upon dozens of people littered where she plodded to her abhorrence. The Elf almost froze catatonically if it were not for continued cries of April off in the distance.

“Let me go!” April shouted as the stranger stuffed the petulant brat on his hands onto the sack behind him before continuing to dash off.

Aliathra’s maternal instincts surged within her mind as she re-steeled herself and regained her footing. Swearing Widall, the Conquest God’s vengeance upon the villain who would dare commit such a heinous act, the Elf, with added fatigue-lessness of her bladed legs traipse her way across the field of corpses and laying injured in hot pursuit.

“Alie! I am coming with you!” Samantha, regaining her own footing shouted.

Using her gifted powers, the Lieutenant conjured up a ball of gallic winds upon her legs. With her self-patented spell Air Scooter (an osmosis influence from certain cartoon shows that the Lieutenant watched as a child), Samantha mercurially dashed forth but not before taking a good look on the many corpses left in the explosion’s wake. Scattered around Arhaf Square, she could discern about fifteen or so corpses at first glance at such varying states of amorphization to the explosion’s recent wake that is hard if some of the dead were actually melded together like the wax of two candles flickering alongside each other until they became one. To see such visceral death before she made Samantha’s stomach churn restlessly. Seeing corpses on photos back at West Point was one thing, but to see them with her own two eyes and to be near the place that had killed them was a forever-changing experience that darkened the bright green face of the young Lieutenant. These Slaegians were really not going to stop until all of them were laying on the ground broken, defeated, and scalded. Not on her watch, she will allow such a caitiff to get away with this waylay.

The two girls tailed the evildoer through Tyr Rian’s semi-seared streets fighting their way past confused rescue workers, beleaguered townsfolks, and loose wreckage yet to be disposed of.

Seeing one of their own, the famous Lieutenant Samantha Rose giving chase to a cretin carrying a sack that kicked and screamed frivolously, a few dozen of the UFEAF soldiers sprung up to their feet and aimed their rifles on the malefactor.

“Stop right there!” one of them shouted.

But instead of stopping heed, the hooded transgressor tossed on his person a fused bomb set alight and broke upon impact off of the UFEAF Soldier’s feet. A purplish gas that airburst a song of squeaking cacophony that fell upon the soldiers as all of them release a salvo from each of their lungs a maniacally jovial guffaw. They lay down their weapons and allowed the panting run-away to pace through unimpeded.

“What happened to… ha…ha… them?” Samantha covered her mouth but she too fell victim to the gas the smoke bomb’s furrow.

“An Alchemist Bomb… of the… Hideous Laughter spell.” Aliathra said. “They will get over it unscathed in a while.” She reassured.

“Hurry now! That man is going to reach the gate!” Samantha pointed out.

They scampered off past their joshing comrades as the walls of the Tyr Rian citadel loomed over the horizon. Nearby the walls were one of the Citadel’s famous iron gates that lay open widely as people and material passed by in and out of the city. Additionally, there was also a Stable where mounts were parked, fed, and allowed to discharge themselves upon. One such mount was perhaps the most out of place, a magnificently grey ghost of a stallion that caught many equestrian and riding aficionados to pause from their walk and marvel at. His saddle was adorned in an Ethuilen-silk laced leather and its tall majesty gave an air of prestigious royalty that those who looked upon it would question who could afford to travel in such style?

“Out of my way!” the sack-carrying villain yelled at the crowd gathered at that horse, by Samantha’s notarization, the voice was distinctly female.

She climbed atop of the mount and with a great kick of her feed the stallion sauntered off at due haste past the guards.

“Lay— Sam! You cannot let her getaway!” Aliathra cried.

“Oh no she won’t.” Samantha seared.

Shifting herself into high gear, the Chosen One dug her heels onto the Gliesian Earth and with the training, she was given by her teachers, the Lieutenant burst off with Air Scooter in a blazing sprint, expeditiously hightailing the fleeing kidnapper with all of her arcane might. Yet still, despite her effort, the horse was simply outpacing her for every knot she covered, two more would the steed gallop. To make matters worse, Mana Exhaustion was about to wear Samantha upon every flashing second in this pursuit. It was only a matter of time before the Lieutenant quite figuratively loses steam and the Villain escapes with a young child at her hand.

Now was the time at that moment that fortune favors the bold.

With no other way to stop the perpetrator, Sam unholstered her Pistol that she keeps on her right t.h.i.g.hs and took aim. Her target was the mount’s center mass. Her trusty Militech Gladius Pistol, named after Ancient Rome’s famous Legionary Short sword, it is the standard sidearm of the Federation’s Armed Forces, firing .45 Auto rounds with great reliability, accuracy and generous ammo capacity, often treasured by Criminal Gangs and Mercenaries for such features since the gun is meant for the hands of the Armed Forces only (but even that is debated as it might give Militech an air of exclusivity when they wish to sell them within the Black Market but any time this was exposed they said it ‘was stolen shipments’.). The spiritual successor to the Glock and Sig Sauer series, the pistol almost never, if at all jams and can fire accurately with 90% reduction in recoil at an effective range of 70 Meters and at a muzzle velocity of 400 m/s

“Halt by the name of the Federation!” Sam yelled as she squeezes her Gladius’ trigger with a dead eye glared at the villain as she loosened twelve servings of .45 ACP unto the speeding horse’s torso.

Pierced by these otherworldly arrows that struck its frame like lightning, the horse fell limp to the earth mutilated with apertures of entrance and exits littering its grey skin and being tainted erubescent with its blood. The Runner fled fell on sideways and luckily not atop of the sack that April was kept captive in. Furthermore, her hood fell off, releasing a streamer of auburn hair and emerald eyes that met with Samantha’s turquoise. Upon closer examination, Samantha can discern that she wore a very light leather armor beneath her cape that held a utility belt’s worth of tool and she saw that her ears protruded out of the bushes that were her ears with a pointed end. The perpetrator was an Elf, likely from those vexatious Sefydliad.

Both women’s legs were weary from their pursuits as each of them straggled gawkily yet stubbornly with the former still trying to get away whilst later tries to apprehend. A slow-paced chase but a tense one when one carries with them a hostage, a child hostage.

“Release the hostage immediately!” Samantha demanded. She shoved her pistol forward assertively as she maintained here pressed conviction for Justice.

“You think… I… will listen to you!” the c.h.e.s.tnut-haired elven woman bedamned.

“We will go easier on you if you let the Hostage go right now.” Samantha gave out her terms.

“Enough of your lies Demonspawn!” the Elf Spy screamed as she pulled out from her right hand a pistol-shaped object. It had to small but elongated limbs that stretched backward like crossbow but made into a miniature sized, it was a Handbow.

“Damnit!” Samantha cursed as she weaved out of the way of the Elven Spy’s handbow shot. She reflexively returned fire but, in an effort, to further intimidate the damaged individual to consider yielding than trying to fight any longer.

They go about this for several tenses and oh so agonizingly lengthy five minutes as Samantha continuously weaved and apply pressure on the Sefydliad Spy.

Soon enough, they made their doddering steps towards a great cliffed hill called Iuisur Hill or the Hill of Oathtaking that is also where the nearby the Tyr Rian Citadel connects itself to the mountain passes leading to the Slaegian Empire’s just a few statutes away lead to. The Elf Woman’s feet reached its base first and with a cunning idea on her mind, she hurriedly scaled the rocky hill taking advantage of the elevated height to pin down Samantha on the ground level rocks.

“How long can you think you can hold out?” Samantha taunted only to be shot at again by another Hand Bow bolt. She cursed herself as she tactically reloaded her Gladius

“Samantha.” Aliathra panted. “I followed as best as I could.” She said.

“Did she see you?” Samantha asked of her.

“I uhm…” Aliathra stuttered not understanding Samantha’s question.

“Did the bomber we are chasing saw you?” Samantha clarified.

“I don’t think so.” The Elf denied.

“Good, I need you to do something. I got our Bomber trying to climb up the hill and I need you to run around the hill and corner her. Can you do that?” Samantha asked of the Elf.

“Yes, we must rescue April.” Aliathra nodded.

“Good, I will keep her distracted. Now move.” The Lieutenant sent her off.

Samantha emerged from her rock and opened fire at the Suspect as Aliathra snuck around to the other side of Iuisur Hill.

“You growing weak now! Let the hostage go and I will let you run away.” Samantha teased.

“Never! With this Specimen I have taken from your Demon Fortress we will finally be able to know how to defeat you once and for all.” The Kidnapper shot back.

“Well, that ‘Specimen’ of yours is slowing you down. It is only a matter of time until we surround you.” Samantha appealed.

“By the Gods of the World, I will not fail in my task while I still live.” The Suspect stubbornly refused again as she loose another shot of her Hand Bow at Samantha that she easily vanished into the safety of the Hill’s rocks, its piercing bolt strongly kicking tiny stone and dust into the wind like an all-powerful bullet.

They continued their stalemate of the distance between each other now that the tired Elf Spy was exhaustively scaled the Hill at the same rate of advancement as the Lieutenant. Little did the former noticed Aliathra circle behind then scale the Hill from the other side. Her prosthetic legs built for raw athleticism plus the enhanced stamina thanks to her Bio-Augmented new heart allowed her to reach the summit of the hill just as her Quarry, with her hostage, also reached the top too.

“Let her go—” Aliathra conjured a phantasmal bow from her magical hands.

But as she drew its semi-ethereal string, her eyes took aim at a closer look at the Villain and the Elf’s new Eye-see Vision Enhancement Package or as she would call them ‘Super Eyes’, and was shocked to see who the unhooded individual was.

“Lyndis?” Aliathra muttered.

The Sefydliad Spy’s heart skipped a beat as she turned around and saw Aliathra standing in front of her. If this was under normal circ.u.mstances, the Auburn-haired Elf would have been relieved to see one of the Royal Scions of the Lareththor Line grace their appearance before her, especially at such a dire time as this. But oh, how strange circ.u.mstances have brought them together at very disconsonant matters. She remembered how she saw the Elven Princess be found without a heart, replaced instead with one of the stone when they performed one of Neneth’s most sacred of Healing Rites. How she ran like a doe being preyed upon when the other Clerics uncovered her deception.

“You!” Lyndis scowled and took aim with her Hand Bow, but it clicked harmlessly signifying that ammunition for its feed has been found wanting.

“Widall’s Balls!” the Sefydliad Agent cursed as she pulled out her dagger from her pocket and unveiled a confused and weeping-eyed April from her kidnapper’s sack and held the child at knife-point.

“Let the little one go Lyndis!” Aliathra demanded.

“Princess? Why?” Lyndis asked.

“What do you mean why? I am not jesting you like we used to back in the Academy Lyndis. Let her go!” the Cleric-Ranger pressed.

“Why do you fight with these Demons? Is it because you wanted to change your destiny? You no longer wanted to be the Perfect Princess that your parents wanted you to be? Was that it?” Lyndis accused.

“That is none of your concern right now.” Aliathra dodged.

“Waaggh! I want to go home!” April Root wailed as she wiggled to loosen Lyndis’ constricting grip on her little body but to no avail.

“April everything will be alright I promise,” Aliathra reassured the birthday girl who was being like actual Fairy Tale Princesses as a guaranty for whatever plots and schemes the story entailed for her.

“Then tell me this? Why do you care so much of this irritating Imp? Look at her dressed in this mockery of a proper Elven Gala Gown.” Lyndis belittled April.

“But I am a Princess!” April defended herself.

“Oh, you speak like your lying, conspiring and treacherous Princess Aliathra.” The Sefydliad said.

“No! She is nothing like you said. She loves me because she is a true-hearted Princess! You are the one who is evil not her!” April kicked back.

“Enough of your lies Imp!” Lyndis pommeled the girl with her dagger’s blunt end producing a plum bruise that was slowly converting to crimson.

“What are you hoping to achieve by kidnapping that girl?” Aliathra asked.

“What else? I thought it was so obvious for you now that you turned into the dark side that is Alboen and his corrupted ilk.” Lyndis sneered. “This Imp is the key, the basis, the foundation that the Alliance of the Light will triumph once again from the Demonic Invasion! Once we learn about your weaknesses from dissecting this Imp. The result of that little Raid on Tyr Rian and the Demon Fortress I had formulated will never result in the massacre ever again with for the forces of the Alliance.”

“You are behind the Raid?” Aliathra questioned.

“Indeed, and I thank all of those useful idiots in the Grey Order to volunteer for my ‘experiment’ that I came to the realization of how overwhelmingly powerful you Demons. You are just as what they say in the old legends. So, I planned to kidnap this Imp by discharging an Uzeagon Bomb then kidnapping this easy prey. When I return to College of Magi in Haringpoint, we will use her to learn about what weaknesses the Demons hold by dissecting this little monster then parading the cadaver all over the Empire to show that Demons are not invincible and they can be killed.” Lyndis explained with a wicked smile attached to her face as she playfully tickled the tip of her dagger at April’s vulnerable self.

“You want to dissect then parade her?” Samantha rose up from the summit and aimed her Gladius Pistol at Lyndis. “You are a Goddamn Psycho!” the Lieutenant denounced.

“Let my daughter go you bitch!” Obediah appeared by Samantha’s side followed by the rest of Stryder Group.

“You! So, you are this Madame Gwarthen I found by biting off of that Grey Order Adventurer?” Iris accused.

“Correct! You are smart for such a feral little monster Vampire.” Lyndis confirmed.

“I am afraid you will learn nothing by taking her away, from her Parents no less.” The Vampire Witch rectified with a chastising tone.

“Oh if only wars were won by witty words or Fibs! You think you can lie to me Vampire? So, you are in the league too with these Demons? Hmph… I would like to let you know that we will redouble our efforts to wipe your kind off of the face of the Earth!” Lyndis derided.

“Lyndis stop this now!” Aliathra interrupted alarmingly. “My old friend, what happened to you all of these decades? You are not the same roommate I had back in the Academy. You were the only person who treated me like a friend! You were intelligent, well-spoken, and tranquil! Not… THIS!” Aliathra pleaded to her.

“Aliathra, dear Aliathra…” Lyndis chuckled. “Even after all of what I had gone through with you, you are still a naïve little Princess. Don’t you know who you are?” the Sefydliad agent asked.

“Who I am?” Aliathra startled.

“You are a Lareththor, the Royal Elven Line that produces the Strongest of Mages in all of Elvenkind. The one true ruler of all of Elvendom with your father is the greatest amongst us. Yet you are just the youngest, the last in the line of succession and you know how they said it in class, the strength of the parent’s Arcane might dwindles on each new seed. Your Sister and Brother, Ithiel and Valorion was nigh-peerless in their Prowess but for you? You allowed your exalted bloodline to be humbled in a Convent?” Lyndis decried.

“I serve the Goddess of Life because I wish to give back as much as I can to our People Lyndis.” Aliathra contended with her life choice.

But the Sefydliad Agent only laughed maniacally at the answer.

“You are still not getting it do you Aliathra?” Lyndis guffawed. “Despite your Line, you are just an adjunction, a sideshow to the real prize. Oh if all of Alfel-Nora could see you and what you have become now, their fracas could shake the heavens. If your Family saw what Sins you have done, their tears would fill the oceans. Look at what they have made of you.” Lyndis scanned her finger over Aliathra’s corrupted form. “Your hand and your favor? They are just a stepping stone, a pawn, a doorway to ascend in Elven Society. Yet somehow, these… Pests crowned you as their Queen. You are only good for two things Princess Aliathra! To get close to your family and to plant the seed of the next line of Mages through your w.o.m.b.”

“Lyndis please… stop this.” Aliathra began to weep, her emotions of herself starting to pound her sordidly. Yet her Super Eyes could not truly weep.

She knew deep down that her old friend was correct. She was ultimately just a play piece in the grand game of Politics but she also refuses to be a willing participant in it. It brought simply the worst of people out beneath those convivial balls and flattering diplomatic conventions. All wish to ascend when the Goddess preaches that all of this is but trivial worldly matters that mean nothing ultimately in her eyes.

“Don’t listen to her Alie!” Diaz inspirited the Elf Cleric.

“Perhaps now I understand why you so easily were seduced by these Pests.” Lyndis pompously smirked. “You tire of your duty to your country, your family, your people because you see that you are nothing which you are indeed NOTHING.” She proudly declared her answer.

“You may boast of your great Restoration Magicks while I and the rest of you classmates sat by while being outshined by someone who would ultimately become just a baby-maker to produce another kinsman branch of the Lareththor Bloodline. To see you have that future while you outshined the likes of Future Loremasters, Sefydliad and Magi like the rest of your classmates was absolutely unacceptable. Your hubris knows no bounds!” Lyndis said.

“But I was an excellent student! I was cultivating my talents to my supreme limit.” Aliathra tearfully (and hyperbolically) defended herself again.

“As I said your Hubris and defiance over where you are in Elven Society must be put into place which is why I and many others had to do.” Lyndis boasted.

“No… you can’t be saying…” Aliathra beckoned her head in denial.

“Do you ever ask why you were so lonely back in the Academy with only me, your Sister and your Brother being your only companions? That is because every one of us absolutely cannot swallow the sight of you Aliathra. You always to excel in all of your assignments despite how many times we tried to level the favor. I spread rumors about you that made many of our classmates leave you away so that I may be your only friend. Second, with you all alone I leave you to do my own homework secretly whilst I mingled with your much more impressive siblings.” Lyndis said.

“You… were using me?” Aliathra faltered, her legs barely maintaining verticality.

“All to have me ascend to your ranks as your ‘Closest Friend’ as I said to your Older Sister. When you had that rare Ddragcath on our quarters I couldn’t bear to see you avert your favor to that… that thing! So I had to cut your friendship short…” Lyndis seethed with spite.

“Zena? My pet? She didn’t eat those berries by accident?” the Cleric’s sorrow soon then turned to rambled ire. “Did you know how long I cried when I held his body as he slowly faded away from my Arms… you-you-you tart!” Aliathra cursed.

“With ‘friends’ like her, who needs enemies?” Clay commented.

“To think Elves had it all! I thought Alfel-Nora was a Paradise. Who knew the Elves are no different like those stooges from the Empire?” Iris added.

The Elven Cleric collapsed to the floor now emotionally destroyed once again but greater was the damage of a betrayal of someone that was once thought to be your friend than finding out what you have become.

“So it is done, I have done it.” Lyndis smiled smugly as she saw the broken Aliathra fall down before her feet.

It was not enough for a Sefydliad to break someone physically as their philosophy in interacting with adversaries go, but to break them mentally and spiritually so they may be permanently disabled from becoming an Enemy of the Entente was its highest purpose. To see a Demon, break down upon Lyndis’ breaking speech was the most sublime of satisfactions.

“I have to say, Princess, I have yet to tell you one more thing that I know would finally break you,” Lyndis said. “I know Ithiel’s Secret and oh how she will be torn down if everyone knows of it.”

“My… sister? No…” Aliathra responded catatonically.

“Don’t listen to her Alie!” Samantha attempted to elate the Elf Cleric-Ranger.

“Tell me again, why are you continuing to disguise yourselves as Humans Demons? You are all the same inside! Watch… Look!” Lyndis questioned Samantha before she hinged her hand to plunge her knife on April’s bowels so she may skirt the blade and expose the inner nothingness which are the true selves of the Demons. Nothingness personified into a form of something of eminence. Her Dagger, blessed with Holy Water was meant to

In that split second, Aliathra was confronted with a hard but newfound Truth. She was not a Demon nor she was a monster anymore. Hearing all of Lyndis’ words of how she used her all those years so she could selfishly ascend with her unwitting assistance made her blood boil, but what had made her truly snapped was how unrighteously impassioned Lyndis truly was when she set off that bomb near those children, kidnapped a child thinking she was a ‘Demonic Tyke’ and wanting to despoil her in front of her father no less.

“Get your claws off of her you DEMON!” Aliathra launched herself from the ground and in a split second as she grabbed hold of Lyndis’ hand as it sunk its blade’s kiss on April’s tyke-abdomen. Pulling the knife out from the child and then forcefully pushing April away so that the Elf can take her place.

But the sudden force that disrupted the already uneasy equilibrium that Lyndis stood upon had now been broken. Gravity did its work as the two Elven women, locked together in a desperate struggle fell over the hill leaving April to be immediately attended by the rest of Stryder Group.

Lyndis and Aliathra soon fell down upon roughly on a patch of flat but slowly eroded rock by the slope of Iuisur Hill. Upon touchdown, the Sefydliad managed to get the first initiative.

“Demon Sc.u.m!” Lyndis shouted as she raised her hand as white magicks flowed around her as she prepared a Magical Spell.

Knowing through years of study, Aliathra new that her old friend turned enemy is about to use a Holy Spell on her. This amused and displeases the Elf at the same time.

“You have no power over here Lyndis!” Aliathra ridiculed. She prepared to shield her artificial blue eyes to brace herself for the impending blinding light that will follow. She knew full well that Lyndis fully bought into the delusion that the Elven Princess was corrupted into a Demon and will likely use harmless Holy Spells against her. Still it doesn’t help to prepare for anything more than that at the meantime. Aliathra carefully stepped forward readying her dagger and her spell hand for any other conniving tricks the Sefydliad are infamous for.

“Take this” Lyndis shouted.

She cast what Aliathra can discern as a simple Holy Firefly spell. A relatively newly conceptualized spell invented by the Holy Inquisition. Its means of application is that after being shot out of the Mages hand or Magical Focus, it locks itself onto a target before meant to immobilize severely and inflict stinging pain upon any creature of a Negative Mana Flow from Demons, Undead and Sochairfuil to name a few of effective targets, that fortunately, Aliathra was not. The Firefly-like conjuration, silvery in its eminence touched Aliathra’s skin harmlessly before moving away and dissipating.

“How?!” Lyndis challenged as she saw that her spell had no effect.

“Stop this madness now!” Aliathra pleaded.

“Never! I will just have to try harder!” Lyndis revoked. She then tensed her legs to ready for another spell.

“Aer Daoin!” Lyndis cried. A more powerful variant of the Aer Galad spell. It conjures a Bright sun-like object glow before the area of effect, shinning everything in a brilliant light. The spell is designed for banishing multiple demons or one powerful one at once.

Yet again, Aliathra was again disappointed by Lyndis obstinate live-in-denial attitude. Its magical sun rays causing no effect on the Elven Cleric.

“WHAT ARE YOU!” Lyndis cried to Aliathra in a combined fervor of confusion and desperation as she began to switch tactics.

“You still think I am a Demon Lyndis?” Aliathra asked her, a single tear now being able to fall from her eye.

“Do not lie again to me Demon! I have to say, you have all gotten much stronger than the last time you came upon our lands. But playtime is over now. I purge you with the Flames of the Phoenix!”

This time the Sefydliad’s arms glow from silver to orange as a dangerous sweat fell off of Aliathra’s lithely brow. This time she can feel it, a spell that could actually hurt her. In a split instant, Lyndis erupted forth two twin jet streams of searing fire in one last anguished discharge of her Mana reserves on Aliathra. They coiled together like a duo of snakes that move as fluidly like water charging forth towards the Elf Cleric.

Any lesser mage would have been good as a well-done roast but Aliathra had a trick off her sleeve. Thanks to Samantha and David’s application of ‘High Science’ as she would call their methodologies plus copious amounts of watching upon the Lieutenant’s Magic Mirror the ‘play’ called Avatar the Last Airbender, Aliathra knew that Fire requires air, specifically oxygen that is the very substance she and many other life forms of Neneth’s creations to be able to breathe, to remain to be alight. An earlier experiment with a Spell called ‘Air Bubble’, a cheaper but more serviceable versatile than the posher ‘Waterbreathing’ spell as it can be used to not only create a breathable area for deep-sea divers to inhale precious air for but was also used by miners and artisans whose trades involves being within proximity of noxious aromas. It was also, quite sadistically for those who are skilled in its application can do the opposite and remove the oxygen out of the bubble creating a vacuum of space. It was theoretically possible as the Otherworlders had suggested but they had yet to put that theory to the test yet as all experimentations with Samantha was halted

Gritting her teeth, Aliathra hastily cast with her readied hand an Air Bubble spell in front of her, inflating the bubble-like structure until it was just as tall as herself just as the Dual Firestreams collided onto her position. Thanks to her makeshift shield, Aliathra’s Air Bubble, negating itself of oxygen from the fire had perfectly countered spell Lyndis’ attack as the fire was safely extinguished causing a misty smoke to permeate where the two dueling elves stood.

Lyndis coughed profusely as the smoke blinded her senses, her body was exhausted but she still had her own two feet with her. Perhaps this smoke cloud could be her cover to escape now that all of her best-laid plans were all for naught or its intended damages had been done as best as she could. But just as Lyndis was about to cut her losses and flee, she felt a great right hook pommel her at the c.h.e.s.t.

“This is for everything you had done to me!” Aliathra struck with her left hand. “This is for Zena and my Sister!” her third strike, another Right Hook but to Lyndis’ head. “And this is for every innocent whom you shed their blood today!” the Elf proceeded to pelt a flurry of jabs on a bewildered Lyndis who now exhausted of all means of offense or defense took every blow at full force, barely able to raise her hands in a vain attempt to shield her severely battered face now bleeding, bruised, pus-filled, cut and swollen.

“Ali—ya—fra— I… dost—wa—die…” Lyndis yielded; she reached out to Aliathra beseechingly by c.a.r.e.s.sing her cheek equally wetted cheeks, made flushed by the Cleric’s mournful sorrows.

Aliathra could see her old friend in the eye and that in that moment, she hesitated to bring down the final crushing blow to end this tragic chapter. She was left in a stupor of thoughts that encircled her mind thinking about how she like many others of her people were so led to misbelief to the lie about the Otherworlders. Blinded by her heart rended tears it was hard to keep track of all the emotions that encircled her head. Elves are known to be, despite their outward appearances of being very aloof beings of being very emotionally s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e. It is said that what any other race could feel, an Elf would feel five times as much. It was also easy for them to be quite dizzying when it comes to thought patterns from the point of view of a non-Elf as their extended lifetimes gave them plenty of time to learn many hobbies, skills, and habits over the decades. But going back, Aliathra hesitated to kill Lyndis as it was the first time, she willingly attempted to take another Elf’s life. In her teachings by the Goddess of Neneth, there were two tenets in her word about the just time one devoted to the Goddess of Life can take the life away from her creation is when it is the animals you hunt (with a thanksgiving prayer upon chancing on the corpse of hunts successes) and in self-defense. But in this terrible chapter, she was just about to commit murder.

“Aliathra! Watch out!” Iris voice echoed behind her.

She snapped back from her haze as she saw Lyndis slyly grab a knife hidden on her pocket and was prepared to throw it. It was a Feigned Surrender! One final spiteful strike for the Sefydliad that if she were to go down this day, she will take one of Forces of Darkness with her.

Aliathra weaved out of the way from Lyndis Knife throw but little did the Elven Cleric knew that Iris was directly behind her.

“Agghhh!” Iris quailed as the knife pierced her shoulder. It was a backup dagger of Lyndis’ many Thrice-Blessed Elven Daggers that managed to hit its mark on a truly effective target, the quasi-undead Iris Cadohagan.

“Iris!” Aliathra rushed to the Vampire Witch. In all of her disdain for the Sochairfuil, to have her saved her life from her once friend’s wrath had truly shocked her.

“It’s…. okay… It is not at my heart… aaahh…” Iris smiled as she leaned herself to a rock to rest upon.

“Die all of you! Die!” Lyndis shouted

Meanwhile, Aliathra saw that Lieutenant Rose had also followed the Vampire Witch with her, and with a renewed vigor of some recharged Mana reserves thanks to feeding upon Iris’ necklace, Samantha conjured from the earth, a giant stone slab that wrapped itself on Lyndis cabalistic hands shackling her.

“You may have bested me and corrupted the Royal Princess Demon, but harken my words, ALL of Gliesia now knows you are here. The Alliance of the Light has prevailed against your kind once and we will again.” Lyndis sneered.

“Well then, when they come, we will be ready.” Samantha grimly accepted the challenge

“Kill me now then, though my last wish shall be when I see your priggish selves fall nto oblivion upon the sight of our Armies. Oh! How you shall wait to see when our Chosen Ones come upon you all and annihilate you back to whence you came for this Dark Time, the Sacred Crystal Heart had chosen not one but three!” Lyndis louted with one final nefarious laugh. She was ready to die now by the Demon’s hands but it would make embracing Tivna as she guided her soul to her Garden or be damned forever into oblivion feel partially consoling.

“You’re wrong. Bitch. Take a look at this.” Samantha coyly responded as she removed her right glove and showed her stigmata, the Brand she had received to the jestering Elven Terrorist that is Lyndis.

“I-Impossible! The Shareholder! But… how can you be the Chosen One?” Lyndis’ eyes widened in a fl.u.s.ter, was her eyes deceiving her or was there more to this sight than first glance?

“Unless… Chosen One! You have been deceived!” the Elven Spy cried out to Samantha.

“Deceived?” Samantha returned the favor of expressing her confusion too.

“These Demons… just like the Royal Princess Aliathra! They are making you fight for them. Making you fight against your people and destroy all of Gliesia for them!” Lyndis said.

“Oh, come on are you that stupid?” Samantha berated Lyndis. “Your people? My people had always been with the Federation for all of my life! Born in raised in Sacra Terra’s green earth. I am with the Federation always and will always be. I will never fight for barbarians like you.” The lieutenant scolded the captive Elf’s hubristic accusation.

“Then you are a Demon who killed the real Shareholder Chosen One and stolen his power!” Lyndis continued her lunacy which has begun to tire on Samantha.

“Bullshit!” Samantha protested.

“I…I…YOU!” Lyndis growled. Her fanaticism expending beyond any mortal limit conjured her hands to ready a spell to smite this ‘False Chosen One’. Using the last bit of her magical reserves, the Sefydliad member cracks out of the stone bounds that Samantha had disconcertingly placed upon her prideful self before aiming her evil eyes on the Lieutenant.

“No!” Aliathra dashed towards her former-friend-turned-enemy and grabbed her from the back like cattle wrangling a rampaging ox, her two arms c.a.r.e.s.sing heavily its weight on Lyndis’ throat. She now see Lyndis for what she truly is now, a Demon in Plain Sight and by her dying breath, she will not let them harm her friends.

Lyndis struggled to heave away Aliathra’s grip, with her hands bound, losing her breath slowly and unable to concentrate to conjure her next spell, desperate tears fell down upon the Sefydliad’s eyes as her breath was being stolen away from her by the person she swore to avenge for her nation’s honors sake.

“I—I—wwaa—er—fend…” Lyndis gasped.

But Aliathra tightened her viper’s grip on Lyndis further.

“I—-dos—wan—die—–” the Sefydliad wheezed.

Lyndis’ scrapping of feet and arms slowly dulled the longer Aliathra’s grip stayed its weight between her throat. The Cleric could feel the warmth of Neneth’s Gift fade away from her former friend until finally she lay limp upon Aliathra’s Elvenwood vambraces, dead, face frozen in despair.

“Ironic, for all of your grandiosity, you did not have the stomach to face death much like a craven little rat you truly are!” Aliathra mocked taunted Lyndis corpse allowing her emotions to possess her voice.

She then turned to Iris who was being tended by Samantha, she could see the Vampire Witch, a ‘Creature of Darkness’ who had just saved her life now lay before her wound, her hand feebly grasping the knife thrown to her and her teeth gnashed out of her snow white and tattooed face.

“Iris!” Aliathra readied her Healing Hands onto the Sochairfuil.

“Don’t worry about me. I have taken worse…” Iris reassured her. “But you need to get back up there now. It is April she needs you.” She behest.

Hearing those words, Aliathra quickly rescaled Iuisur Hill again until she had reached the summit where a more desperate scene was displayed to her.

Obediah, laying his slowly dying daughter in his l.a.p whilst Crocker, out of the weighted arms of his Exo-suit armor applied pressure to the child’s stab wound where Lyndis’ Knife had been embedded onto her. The rest of Stryder group meanwhile stared on anxiously as the more venerable members of the Squad tenaciously cling on to April’s life in a bid to deny the Terrorist one more life to take.

“Alie! Get your knife-eared a.s.s over here and do something!” Crocker shouted.

“The thing you are good at! Please!” Obediah pleaded. “Baby, keep your eyes open! Please! Please!” he held his daughter’s bloodied hand.

Quickly switching themselves over, Aliathra took over Crocker’s role of holding the leak from April’s blood wound, from her sense of touch, Aliathra could easily feel the young child’s intestines hanging out loosely along with the dangerous amount of blood being seeped out of April dangerously. In her knowledge of Anatomy, scale of the creature is inversely proportional to how much blood one can afford to lose. Children are the most vulnerable to being killed forcefully through bloodshed due to their size and juvenile state hence why Neneth’s teachings always put a fond emphasis onto their character and protection. Seeing the blood leak out of April, made Aliathra distress over the grave situation. Even if she seals her wound and corrects the way April’s intestines should be arranged, she has lost too much of her precious essence for such a small child.

“She is losing so much blood.” The Elf wailed. “April please do not give up on me.” she pleaded.

April’s eyes turned upside down as her body begins to jolt furiously as she began to rattle causing Obediah and Aliathra’s hands to shake in forlorn anguish.

“Damnit! She is going through Hyopvolemic Shock!” Crocker shouted.

“Pardon?” Aliathra asked.

“CAN YOU MAKE HER PRODUCE MORE BLOOD!” Crocker asked of her, not wanting to waste more seconds in explaining scientific terminologies with the Elf.

Hearing the Sargeant’s words, Aliathra knew what to do albeit a very risky and invasive procedure. She will have to target April’s bone marrow where she will have to accelerate the production of blood whilst at the same time, she will have to seal up the little girl’s room so that she can jumpstart her body once again and bring her out of Death’s cold grasp. She has only one shot at this but, with a renewed faith in her heart, the Elf, like Diaz would have done, took a risk, and cast the dice.

“April, Im Aliathra telin le thaed.” Aliathra prayed as her hands glowed in Restoration Magicks. “Lasto beth nin tolo dan na Neneth-sya laug.”

It was a mind wracking effort as her bloodied palms dried and her hands sweated off of expenditure as slowly April’s vitality mounted upwards as dolorous throes blithely reversed to calm breathing as April opened her starry eyes at her savior Aliathra Lareththor.

“Princess… are you… my… knight in shining armor?” April asked her with a child’s sunny beam of glee.

“Yes. Yes, da’len. Yes, I… I am.” The Elf smiled back, panting and sweating just like a triumphant gallant returning to the damsel in distress to show that all is well and that the Knight shall take the damsel safely home.

April tried to raise herself back up, but her recent wound crippled her upper body strength.

“No don’t sweetie you need to rest,” Obediah said.

“It was so… dark and scary when that bad lady stole me, daddy. Princess… Daddy, can you hold me please?” April asked.

“Of course, you can.” Aliathra nodded.

Together, bracing April between each other, Aliathra and Obediah warmly hugged April as she nestled herself between their embrace.

“Aliathra, thank you, again.” Obediah blessed the Elf, his beard brushing her shoulder quite ticklishly.

Due to how exhausted both April and Aliathra were, they had to be carried back to the Land Cruiser by Obediah and Diaz respectively. Despite all of the wounds being easily healed they still have to get a proper go-ahead from the New Albany Military Hospital which was a ten-minute drive from Iuisur Hill. It was quiet in contrast to the contempt everyone had to go through (except for April whom her father shielded her eyes away) have to transport Lyndis’ corpse with them to be disposed of for autopsy at the Hospital. Aliathra was by far the most irred, grasping her fist tightly as she glared at Lyndis’ body. Upon arrival at the Hospital, at the same time, a sizable quantity of Ambulances and Red Crossed trucks gathered around the vicinity of the Military Hospital as their red and blue lights glowed into the background.

To Samantha’s unnerving, she saw dozens upon dozens of hospital stretchers being dispatched to receive the human cargo, some bandaged with rouge tints over their mummy-like bodies while others were veiled completely in black bags, some of whom were meant to be designed meant for medium-sized animal cadavers. She and Stryder even saw a very emotionally overwhelmed Doctor Lee Haneul squatting coldly on the pavement of the Hospital’s emergency receiving lobby.

Obediah quickly let April go, giving her to her newly dubbed ‘Auntie’ Aliathra and dashed off. Kayin, Clay, and Diaz meanwhile brought out Lyndis’ despicable corpse to be disposed off so that the dishonorable bitch of an Elf would not leave her taint on their vehicle leaving Samantha and Crocker inside the Land Cruiser with the Elf and the little girl.

“Mark my words; this Alliance of the Light? They will pay.” Samantha vowed.

“Patience you, we must build our strength.” Crocker stayed the fiery redhead’s hand.

“We cannot let them get away like this Sergeant, this time they directly attacked us! Look at those bags!” Samantha pointed to the much smaller body bags.

“I assure Lieutenant, Patience for when the time is right. They will know of the Federation’s might. High Command needs more time.” Crocker rebuked her enthusiasm.

Samantha reluctantly sulked down in admission upon her veteran second-in-command’s words. He was ultimately correct.

“Princess Aliathra?” April asked the Elf. “Can you sing me a lullaby?”

“Elgara vallas, da’len, Melava somniar, Mala tara aravas, Ara ma’desen melar…” Aliathra soothed the little one as all the horrible terror of that day melted away from April’s mind.

Just then, a knock on the MRAP’s back door was heard, it was Obediah now returned. His eyes were catatonic and his posture jittered in micro-vibrations. He reached out to his now sleeping daughter and personally enveloped her in his embrace quietly.

“Daddy? Where is mommy?” April asked of him.

“Shh…sleep now…” Obediah hushed April to sleep.

“Papa? Where’s Mommy? Where are my friends?” April continued ask.

But Obediah continued to seal his lips, unwilling to stomach to tell the horrible, painful truth of their fates. Patting her back he slowly swayed the young child like a cradle as April faded to rest her tired body. Samantha and Aliathra looked on at first confused about why Obediah, typically the most honest and down-to-earth man in the team dodge April’s question. Until, to their alarm, Obediah began to sob very profusely as he continued to lull April with his tearful aegis. Their realizations were later confirmed when Kayin, Diaz, and Clay returned to the MRAP with similarly morose visages, Clay holding onto Obediah’s shoulders as Obediah held onto his daughter tightly not wanting to let her go. Iris too now realizing last what had happened, roll her hair to like a mourning veil as she hidden her face to show her condolences in the Squad Marksman’s plight.

Lieutenant could only back away to give Obediah the space he needs as she held back her co-lamentation by cupping her mouth with her two hands to shadow her emotion. This was the first time in her squad where one of their own was seriously wounded.

“They…they… they are… I am so sorry…” Obediah stammered.

“I… I… don’t understand?” April asked her father.

“She… she is dead. Your mother… is dead.” Obediah told his daughter.

“What is dead?” April asked. “I want to see Mommy and my friends again.” she rattled with a few tears streaming down her cheek.

Obediah had honestly no idea how to respond to April’s naivete. He was more of the family breadwinner whilst his wife was the caretaker of the household. His skills being of weapons, the tracking, and taking of life, never its nurture. Deep down for the old hunter, he now regrets those times he chose to pursue upwards his career over attending to his family. But now, those rare moments he had together with Leah and April became more so precious for its scarcity. As for April’s friends? Oh how would he also explain several of their fates to his daughter? How would her school teachers too in dealing with such trauma?

But for all intents of purposes, now it has become more than just a tour of service to his country in exchange for the material privileges his family enjoys compared to the average citizen, now it has become personal.

“I will explain one day sweetie… not now.” Obediah said.

By God, he will Journey to the very depths of Hell to protect the one last person he loves.

Obediah looked on to his daughter and further embraced April, perhaps arguably the least physically damaged but in contrast the most psychologically scarred of her Kindergarten, covering her eyes and ears from the mourning parents and orphaned children that echoed down the Halls of New Albany Military Hospital. The surviving Root Family then stood up and passed by the sad scene that lay b.a.r.e with Obediah doing his best with his faltering two hands to shield April from this sight, but his hands were so weak that the overtly curious little girls managed to peek out from the crevices of her father’s fingers to witness what he had meant.

It only took one look to see one little Jimmy Baxton, one such friend of hers from her school who now lay cold and still in front of his parents as they cried over his body just as the paramedics zipped up his black body bag to realize what had happened. April soon began to wail loudly as Obediah, Iris, and Aliathra checked into the hospital for debriefing medical examination on their injuries. For several hours till she fainted on her Father’s arms, she unleashed a flood of tears, questioning the mortality of man being thrust upon such an innocent little girl at such a ripe young age for her to barely understand.

None of Stryder group can ever forget April’s cries all throughout that long night.

——————-

One of Governor White’s attendants quietly entered the conference where he held a Video Conference with between himself and his excellency Prime Minister Bousquet. They were discussing about the conclusion of Clovich’s Tour of Earth the damages of the recent Grey Order Raid upon the Principality and how best tactfully say the grave news.

“There has been a second attack Governor,” the Attendant whispered to Jeremy.

“What of the damages?” the Governor asked.

“Mr. Sight is seeing to it now.” the Attendant nodded.

The Governor White’s head swayed back as he absorbed the bureaucrat’s affilctive words as his attendant just as quietly as he entered took his leave. Jeremy lay there out in the open distraught on his words as he mindlessly recomposed himself as he turned to Prme Minister Bousquet’s holographic image from the Video Call standing in front of him.

“Is there something you want to tell of me?” the Prime Minister asked.

Bousquet swallowed nervously as he prepared to make his opening word to a very indignant Prime Minister who had high hopes for New Albany’s and Tyr Rian’s continued partnership.