July 6, 2019

Fort Grenden

“Lacey, you won’t be able to salvage those experiments, especially not after a second drop! The General is calling for all personnel with medical training. You oughta hurry up to the infirmary!” Dr. Nikita Tesla yelled.

Lacey Darwin nodded, hopping over the equipment strewn about the floor. “Do see if there’s anything that looks intact. I don’t want to lose a couple months of progress,” she requested.

“I’ll see what I can do, good doctor.” Tesla resumed his work, coordinating with his partner, Dr. Alan Oppenheimer. Together, they sorted the un damaged equipment in the lab.

“Nikita, pass me that harness will you?”

“Here,” Nikita replied. “I hope we won’t be seeing a third anomaly…”

“I do concur, my old bones are not made for this!” Alan said.

They fastened the remaining intact equipment and experiments, securing them to tables and shelves bolted to the ground. They then went to go find Lacey, carefully navigating through the maze of broken glass as they exited. The only source of illumination in the hallway was a dim orange lighting system, powered by the base’s emergency generators. Complimenting this orange was an intermittent red, which came from the alarm system. As the two scientists traveled to the infirmary, they experienced much traffic; airmen ran about as they prepared for another attack. Others were attempting to gather supplies and secure the most important items throughout the base.

An announcement came on, blaring itself through the few communications systems that managed to survive the two gravitational anomalies. It was a message from General Harding himself. “All base personnel, please travel through the interior of buildings unless it is absolutely necessary to go outdoors. All outdoor personnel must first acquire cushioning material in the event of another gravitational anomaly. All portal systems aside from Earth communications are to be shut down until further notice.”

Once they arrived at the infirmary, they noticed many more patients. Most of them shared the same injuries as the initial five, but some had nasty fractures. After the initial incident, many airmen were sent outside to set up fortifications. Some were unfortunate enough to be caught in the middle of open ground when the second anomaly began. Dropping from a height of a couple stories is not something human legs were built for. Nikita and Alan stared at the most unfortunate victims with sympathy. At least no one died, they thought.

“Hey!” Lacey approached them, her clothes appearing bloody due to the alarm’s lighting. “Kelmithus wants to talk with you. He’s in the next room over with Dr. Jones and some Sonarans. They’re using healing magic.”

The two scientists followed the good doctor’s instructions and headed over to see their old friend. It has been a while since they talked; the last time was a few weeks ago when they were performing magical experiments. Nikita and Alan could only regret that their reunion couldn’t be under better circumstances.

“Kel?”

“Ah, my good friends Dr. Tesla and Dr. Oppenheimer! Give me just a moment! I am in the midst of healing this fine lady here.” He went back to work on healing his patient, the glow on his hands regaining brightness as he resumed his work.

“Lieutenant Hayes?” Nikita asked. “What happened?”

Sarah Hayes groaned as Kelmithus’ magic restructured her broken leg back into the proper position. “Ugh, I had a box of gold fall on my leg!”

“I thought you were supposed to be establishing communications with the Beastia Alliance?” Alan asked.

“Yeah, but we just finished our mission. Command sent over an ambassador type and so we returned with the gifts from the Alliance. Just so happened we arrived right when gravity turned off. Bad timing eh?”

“Yes, quite unfortunate. It is good though that we now have yet another mage helping out,” Kelmithus interjected, gesturing at Aranmithus who was busy healing a man’s concussion. “Alright, Lieutenant Hayes. You are now great to go!”

“It’s ‘good to go’, Kelmithus.” Sarah smiled slightly at Kelmithus’ effort at applying the new Earth terminology he learned.

“Oh,” Kelmithus replied, flustered. “I knew that,” he quickly added, “I just replaced ‘good’ with ‘great’ because my healing magic makes your condition ‘great’!”

“Sure thing. Thanks, doc. I’ve got to get back to the rest of Bravo Team now. We’ve got a meeting with teams Alpha through Golf; the General’s got something in the works.”

“Have joy!” Kelmithus said, waving as she left. “Now, where am I… Ah! Yes, I have brought you two here to discuss this new anomaly. Quickly, let us venture to your lab,” he said.

The three aged intellectuals, all of them sporting grand beards suitable for a wizard, rushed back to the base’s science wing.

“It will take too long for us to traverse the circumference of the entire base just to get to the science wing… Follow me, I will cushion our fall with wind magic if we become lighter than air once more.”

Nikita and Alan looked at each other, sharing the same concerned expression. They trusted Kelmithus not quite with their lives just yet, but they did trust him with their legs. “Okay,” the two men agreed.

They made a mad dash across open ground, traveling from the infirmary to the science wing. If there existed a special type of Olympics specifically for the elderly, the three men may have set records. Thankfully, they were able to reach the science wing’s interior without incident. As they made their way to the main physics research lab, another announcement came through the intercom.

“ALL NUCLEAR TECHNICIANS, PLEASE REMAIN ON STANDBY IN THE CONTROL ROOM UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL WILL BE SENT TO ACCOMMODATE YOUR REQUESTS.”

“Gee, I sure am glad that thing is secured tightly. Can those things even survive being tossed around like we were?” Nikita wondered.

“I wouldn’t dwell on that topic,” Alan said.

Upon their arrival at their destination, Kelmithus began making his way to a terminal that was secured to the wall. “I think I know some things about this anomaly,” he stated as he typed away. “I recall a time when King Selios sent me to work with some Mekkanese scientists as part of a research agreement many years back. They were working on a way to miniaturize their airship engines so that a small vehicle or even a person could use such a device in order to fly. They noticed that certain Divinian mages had the ability to fly without using wind magic, and could manipulate objects freely. Some could even throw heavy objects as if they weighed as little as a small rock, before these objects regained their weight and came crashing down on their targets. Eventually, they stumbled upon an ancient suit of armor, and that is where my assistance was required. They needed me to unravel its secrets, but before my ship even completed its journey to the Mekkanese port of Feau, the artifact and several researchers vanished. Presumably, a Divinian team stole the suit and kidnapped the scientists.”

“Aside from the similar effects on gravity, how might these two events relate to each other?” Nikita questioned.

“The Mekkanese facility I was supposed to go to was very secluded. While traveling on the seas, I was provided with data to study. Among this data was a series of tests conducted one of Mekkan’s few mages. The first test was conducted in one of their more significant research facilities, leading to a loss of many pieces of valuable equipment and prototypes. So, they transferred the research somewhere else. Essentially, what happened there is quite similar to what has just happened here. I believe that we are seeing Divinian testing of this suit. The geography supports this theory; the Ecith Kingdom was an area not quite prized by the Nobians, so they allowed the Divinians to conduct research in this relatively secluded area while they waged a proxy war against my people and our Mekkanese... sponsors.”

Nikita nodded in understanding, but his scientific mind remained unsatisfied. “Quite the conspiracy, Kel. But then again, it all does make sense. Could it not be something else? Say, a mage experimenting with gravity magic, or perhaps even another suit was found?”

“I suppose it could be, but I doubt another such suit exists. It is, after all, an ancient powerful relic. I highly doubt the existence of more. We would have found it by now, unless such duplicates reside in the wastelands of South Obeg or the forbidden islands to the east.”

“In that case, what are we doing in the lab?” Alan asked.

“I am looking at the experiments we’ve done last week, with Dr. Jones and Omnis. I believe that we may be able to use Omnis to locate the source of this gravity magic, as Omnis was able to detect even the smallest of mana signatures during these tests.”

“Come to think of it, I did notice some odd spikes in the data you recorded, Kel. What do you think of them?” Alan raised his eyebrow.

Kelmithus smirked. “Yes, those anomalies make sense now! That odd data must have been due to powerful magical bursts! Quickly, let us retrieve Dr. Jones from the infirmary!”

——

The relentless ticking of the clock mounted above the briefing room table constituted the only reply garnered by Kelmithus’ explanation. Not many within the room had the capacity to follow Kelmithus’ intricate magical philosophies. The only things understood by all was his sense of urgency and his point.

“So… let me get this straight: you were able to find the source of this gravitational magic using Omnis, who ‘triangulated’ the origin point using the data acquired from some magical experiments? Sounds real like some sci-fi mumbo jumbo,” General Harding said, narrowing his eyes. He then reclined back on his chair and crossed his arms before continuing, “But then again, you are technically the foremost expert on magic in this room. Perhaps even the most knowledgeable we are acquainted with.” Nods of agreement supported General Harding’s observation.

Kelmithus accepted the General’s reasoning with much appreciation, resulting in a humble smile. “Thank you, General. We have discovered the exact position of the source of this powerful magic: Mount Loe, the closest in its respective range to the Hydra Forest.”

“Hydra Forest eh? Is it possible these magical events are somehow connected to the Hydra?” The question came from a man dressed in a dark suit. His eyes were obscured by a pair of opaque glasses, clearly unnecessary inside a building.

“Given the context we now have access to, I would bet that your assumption is indeed true. I don’t know much about the behavioral patterns of beasts to say for certain what effect such magic would have on one, but I can speculate. Hmm, the magical energies may have forced this Hydra out of its long slumber or even increased its hostility,” Kelmithus explained as the man in black noted the information.

General Harding leaned forward. “Then, would we need to fight through a horde of monsters in order to get to the origin point?”

“Unfortunately, yes. I think an army in the hundreds would be required to clear out such an infestation, but your advanced weapons give each man the capabilities of a dozen men. Furthermore, you have access to powerful ancient weapons from Site Beta One.” Kelmithus paced around and seeing the unsatisfied faces of the Americans, he attempted to reassure them. “While I don’t anticipate any monsters as powerful as the Hydra or Epic Dragon, there could always be a possibility that the mountain ranges have hidden other apex predators.”

“That’s helpful information Kelmithus, but all of our equipment is to be grounded until the source of the magic is neutralized. We can’t risk a journey to Site Beta One to collect weapons, nor can we risk the deployment of any aerial assets. Tanks and artillery pieces will simply take too long to arrive, and don’t get me started if one of them falls from several stories.” General Harding shook his head and sighed. “Teams Alpha through Delta will be authorized access to transport to Mount Loe and will have 2 Tomahawk cruise missiles available for emergencies. Teams Echo through Golf will stay behind and provide support to our other installations. Any questions?”

Major Donnager spoke. “Sir, since when do we have cruise missiles?”

“Officially, they don’t exist. These are top secret post-INF systems. Washington had some Mark 41b units brought here in order to conduct testing without the rest of the world seeing. I suppose now’s a good a time as ever to try them out.”

“Sir… ‘testing’? Are you sure they’ll launch?” Emma asked, the worry evident in her voice.

“Oh, don’t you worry about that. They’ll definitely launch, but Washington will have my ass if the VLS units become fried in the process. Now, we should really get on track with this operation. Who knows when the next gravity wave might hit?”

After being dismissed, Henry led four of the specialized teams to the armory, where they stocked up on heavy weapons. Ever since the encounter with the Spyders lurking in Site Beta One, Washington saw it fit to send the latest weapons and gear to Fort Grenden. Among such equipment included an arsenal of experimental combat drones, a series of enchanted nanofiber armor sets, and a variety of customized weapons.

Henry was one of the few allowed to use the Homagus weapons. In fact, he had taken quite an interest in his trusty N109, carrying it around everywhere he went. Similarly, Owens returned his standard issue M9 Beretta in favor of equipping a N25 Homagus sidearm. Alpha Team was looked upon by the other teams with great envy, as they didn’t have such pickings.

The rest of the teams stocked up on more conventional items, such as C-4 explosives and heavy ordnance, from enchanted grenades to launchers. Thanks to the minimal oversight in this part of the galaxy, these teams were also able to use chemical weapons, courtesy of the CIA, who had been testing such weapons on captured monsters and other creatures in a joint program with the Sonarans and Mekkanese. Other personnel helped these teams find climbing equipment, in the event that the magic’s source is located on the peak of the mountain, and cave equipment.

Each team’s mage carried with them a sidearm and a backpack, filled to the brim with mana gems and materials for their special arcana. Kelmithus hurriedly stowed batteries in his backpack while his former students, Aranmithus and Scarnmithus each brought with them a selection of chemicals. The mages contracted by the U.S. military grew fond of certain types of science. For Kelmithus, it was electromagnetism, influenced by his close friend Dr. Tesla. For Aranmithus and Scarnmithus, it was chemistry, influenced by the doctors and researchers they had become acquainted with on the base.

The four teams, now packed with the best firepower and equipment available to any infantry on two planets, made their way toward a vehicle hangar. There, several Rheinmetall armored vehicles awaited them. Engineers and mechanics made their final adjustments on the cars’ suspension systems, maximizing the survivability of these vehicles should another gravitational wave occur. Yellow lights flashed intermittently around the hangar as the doors were opened. The groan of heavy metal doors echoed throughout the cavernous complex, followed by the rumble of 4 armored vehicles as they rushed out of the hangar.

The communications system in each car crackled to life as General Harding patched himself through to these elite teams. “One of our contacts in Felomia just received word from Lord Talvin. A beam of light is continuously firing into the sky, but no gravitational anomalies are occurring yet. Our researchers stationed in Site Beta One tracked this beam, and it appears to be connected to something on Lune, the largest moon. So far, the anomalies we’ve experienced here have bled into Earth through the portal, albeit with less effectiveness. But if that beam of light is indicative of powering up, then we need to stop this magic at all costs. We still don’t know how to close the portal, so any catastrophe that happens on this world may spread to Earth. I’ll let you all know if there are any further updates. Good luck and Godspeed.”

After driving 50 miles, the teams received another update. “Be advised, gravitational wave inbound.”

Having preemptively decelerated, their cars were now at a standstill. Henry watched as the beam of light in the sky faded then vanished. As soon as it disappeared, he felt the pull of gravity fading. His body pressed up against his seatbelt while a bottle in the cup holder ascended slowly. He grabbed it, not wishing for the contents to spill once gravity returned to normal. Looking out the window, he noticed that the convoy had already risen to a height of a one story building. Silently, he prayed that the engineers back on the base had sufficient time to prepare the vehicles.

The sudden return of standard gravity came as a surprise. It felt like an instantaneously accelerating elevator as his body and the rest of the convoy once again became subject to the planet’s gravitational pull. Each vehicle became filled with sound as falling passengers screamed, their seatbelts fastened as tightly as possible. All of the vehicles within the convoy crashed to the ground with harsh metal clanking and the unsettling sounds of suspension systems pushed to their limit. With beating hearts and sweaty brows, the members of each group spread out into a defensive perimeter while a few select personnel checked the vehicles for damage.

Emma analyzed each vehicle, corroborating her findings with a combat engineer from Charlie Team. “JLTV’s are all good, sir!” she told Henry.

“Alright then. We’ve still got a hundred miles to go; let’s get moving!” Henry ordered, his loud voice a stark contrast to the quiet countryside environment.

The four teams continued their journey in silence, staring out of the windows and taking note of the passing scenery. As they approached the epicenter of the anomaly, they noticed more damage. Dense fauna lay on the ground, their legs broken from tremendous falls. Some trees were uprooted, the normally grounded dirt around which their roots were entangled strewn about in a mess. The blood red sun was beginning to fall under the horizon, illuminating the carnage.

The town of Felomia seemed to fare slightly better. Built upon a strong foundation, the buildings within the town did not suffer the same fate as the trees the convoy passed by earlier. Some patches of damage were evident though; these were areas where the dirt was loose. The convoy stopped by Lord Talvin’s Estate. Seeing the doors ajar, Henry led Alpha Team inside while the others under his command remained outside. They navigated through the toppled shelves and miscellaneous debris until they found Lord Talvin himself, coordinating an evacuation with a group of American advisors.

Henry knocked on the open door, drawing the attention of the bustling men and women within. “Ah! Major Donnager,” Lord Talvin called out. “It is good to see you. We tried to send a request to your superiors for evacuation vehicles, but your advisors have been distraught over something,” he said worriedly.

“Major,” an advisor continued. “We can’t establish contact with the base!”

“Yeah, it seems like something’s been messing with our communications. Our last contact was just 20 minutes ago, no clue what happened. Captain Lamarr?” Henry looked to Emma for theories.

“Sir, it is possible that powerful magic generates radiation that can interfere with our technology.” In response, all of the Earthborn personnel began to frown. “Of course, this isn’t radiation we need to worry about,” she quickly added. The mood within the room lifted until she inadvertently quashed it with her hypothesizing. “Well, so far at least. We don’t know how this radiation affects Earth human bodies, but I would assume that it is safe, seeing that Dr. Jones hasn’t developed cancer… yet.”

“Captain…” Henry shook his head.

“Sorry, sir. I get a bit carried away sometimes.”

“Anyway,” Henry changed the topic. “Is everyone alright? We experienced another wave almost two hours ago.”

“Yes, but things have only worsened since the last magical outburst,” Lord Talvin answered. “Our mages have recorded an increase in power each time we become lighter than air. I fear that our structures will not be able to handle another such disastrous event,” he said, gripping a chair tightly. “Even the soil beneath us has begun to fall victim to the influence of this magic!”

“If we’re lucky, we won’t be experiencing any more. I’ve got a few teams with me; we’re on our way to Mount Loe to investigate the source of these anomalies. Anything you can tell us?”

Lord Talvin tapped his fingers on the chair he was gripping. “Mount Loe… I know little of it, as areas past the Hydra Forest have long been forbidden from our people. After our conflict with the Nobians, we were forced to survey the area for them. After the surveys, they hired a group of laborers to do heaven knows what in those forbidden lands.” He spoke with a venomous tone, further explaining, “They returned, but my countrymen who went with them did not. Only later did we find out that they were murdered. By fate, one of ours survived: Sage Wellin. I don’t recall his story, but you may find him in the town library. Take this seal with you, so that he may trust you with his wisdom. May you be graced with fortune.”

Henry nodded and not wishing to waste time, heeded Lord Talvin’s advice and immediately set out for Sage Wellin. The town library was situated between the town circle and the western gate, so Henry directed the convoy toward the exit while he rushed to the library in order to find Sage Wellin. Fortunately for him, there was only one man in the library.

Graced with fortune indeed, Henry thought, especially considering that he left Lord Talvin without even asking what Sage Wellin looked like. He walked up to the lone man scurrying about, picking tomes and scrolls from the floor and placing them in a creaky wooden cart. “Sage Wellin?”

The brown-robed man jumped at the sudden introduction. “Ah! Sorry, I was not expecting visitors! You may wish to return at a later time, when I have restored order to this mess of parchment!”

“Good Sage,” Henry got straight to the point, “I have a seal from Lord Talvin. I need to speak with you about Mount Loe.”

Upon hearing the cursed mountain’s name, Sage Wellin immediately ceased his actions and inspected the seal. Looking up to Henry with a cold gaze, he spoke. “What of it?”

“I think that’s where this powerful magic is originating from.”

“Those wretched backstabbers! I knew those Nobians were guilty of this destructive sorcery!” Sage Wellin declared, shaking his fist. “You wish to go to Mount Loe?”

“Yes, we are to cease this magic at all costs.”

“Good. I can lead you to them. There is a cave in Mount Loe, filled with ancient artifacts from a bygone era. I can guide you, but I ask for one thing,” Sage Wellin said, his cold gaze almost capable of solidifying nitrogen.

“What is it?”

“Should it be the truth that Nobians are at fault for this disaster, leave none alive.”

“I’ll see what I can do. No promises,” Henry said after a short period of silence.