Alone. That’s what he felt. He felt alone.

Blood coated the once beautifully colored green and golden shards of glass. Blood was smeared on the soft sand dune and muddy dirt. Blood was strung on the bodies the familiar looking black birds ate from. Blood mixed in with both the salt water from the ocean, and the fresh water inland.

The moon sat high in the sky. It was the middle of the night; a nigh familiar to that of one of many he had seen many times before. The beaming rays from the sun had long passed, forgetting about the current situation that had unfolded just beyond the prairie fields.

If there was any God above looking down on these tainted lands, what they saw was incomparable to the sight Mike saw through apathetic eyes as he stood just above a small hole in the dirt that was created by a large explosion.

Unlike what he felt, he was not alone. There were several occupants in the hole behind him, yet they remained silent giving him the proper time to collect his thoughts. He was thankful for the time, though he rather speak to someone now rather than later.

Lowering himself into the large crater, the occupants around him were awake, with only the three knights they had retrieved earlier taking a nap. Beside him was Private First Class Green and Princess Leccamaradel. Out of all the people present, they were his closest confidants. Both to a certain degree had been with him when horrific events happened, their presence kept him from going over the edge this early.

Quietly readjusting his white tunic, he wore underneath his battle gear, all Mike could recall was the burning sensation in his eyes as the images from the complete desecration of the rear-echelon units, and the following recovery efforts flashed through his mind.

Over 150 dead, ambushed by what was believed to be only 30 hostiles from the Demon Lord’s army. That alone made him unsettled and sick in the stomach. Just like the world he had left; this one was cruel. He truly wondered what the Demon Lord’s modus operandi was.

He chuckled lightly as he recalled his child of how he was raised by a cop and a chef.

Feeling someone’s eyes fixated on him, Mike scanned the hole until he traded glances with Princess Leccamaradel. Her brown eyes and dirtied-silver hair were the only things highlighted under the moonlight, thus when she caught his gaze, she shuffled uncomfortably as she posed a question to break the awkward silence, “Are you not going to sleep for the time we have?”

“No.” Mike responded in a semi-business-like manner as he brushed his right hand against the rifle slung over his chest. “Someone has to keep watch in case of trouble.” He said while motioning to the other seven Rangers who were also staying awake.

“May I ask another question?” Not knowing what to say, Mike nodded his head letting her continue, “What is your world like?”

Lowering his head into the collar of his white tunic, Mike along with the others spent time in thought. There was always a knack at the back of his head that wanted him to find someone that would listen to the stories he held, yet he could never find the proper “somebody” nor the courage to strike a conversation and properly speak about his home, let alone his home world.

Glancing once again around the hole, Patterson, Baker, Thompson, and Richard sat waiting for him to respond, while Malkovich, Green and Simon sat anxiously as they watched the surrounding approach.

And there was a second question. Marco Politer, Eugene Fritz, Anne Rena. Along with the three knights’ names and the buildings and culture he had seen, it was clear some level of Germanic influence existed. Thus, he wondered, was he really in another world? Was he sent to some alterative Earth where magic and supernatural things existed?

Noticing that Lecca was curled up in her knees with a soft look on her face, Mike found the answer he was looking for. “Earth, humanity’s home world…” He began hesitantly. “Unlike this world it is a place without magic or anything supernatural. The way we grew as a species was through intellect and craftsmanship.”

“To be honest, our technology alone makes the magic we’ve seen practically obsolete.” Captain Thompson cut in clearing his throat.

“Magic-obsolete?” Lecca parroted with large eyes.

“Correct.” Thompson said. “Though magic would be an amazing discovery and would certainly be useful in the advancement of humanity, any worthwhile applications you can think of have been already overtaken by machines.” Lecca listened intently as she sat up straight, “Cooking, cleaning, recreational activities. We have progressed far enough so that technology is something ingrained in our culture.”

“Yeah.” Corporal Richard cut in. “Hell, I’d be willing to bet that another world revolution would come around. Magic users Vs. Technology and non-magic people. Who would be right?”

Pondering on the explanation provided by the three men, Lecca rested against the wall of the crater as she gazed at the pearlescent moon and its accompanying stars numbering well over the millions. She began to paint a picture of the world described in her mind.

“Just remember that a fair portion of the technology invented was made to be used against one another.” Mike said staring at the FDE carbine in his lap.

“Yes, we too have practiced the art of war against one another. Not even the Demon Lord can bring humanity together as one.”

With Mike now looking towards the stars, the conversation has seemingly ended with the words Lecca spoke. Brushing her hair from her eyes a sense of envy overcame the princess. Though Mike and his comrades were an enigma to her, they remained human at their core even with their daring jobs as “Holy Knights” and “Rangers”.

A question tugged at her heart which forced her to speak her mind, “What is it you want to do now.” Her voice grew weak as she curled up into her knees once more.

“I just want to go home.” Mike clenched his rifle as he kept his gaze towards the stars. “This place… It’s beautiful… But we’re kept here under the assumption that we are to kill the Demon Lord. It’s cliché as hell, but it’s the reality were in.”

A thought suddenly came to Mike’s mind as he shot his head towards Lecca and spoke firmly waking up the three knights. “You said we were summoned to this place. Is it possible that anyone from our home could be here?”

“It is possible…” Lecca said uneasily.

As her mouth closed, a large roar emanated in the distance. A wave of sand and dust kicked up from the shockwave which blew past the hole and ran all the way to the city. Looking over the edge, Thompson and Mike spotted a large plume of smoke rising from the eastern tree line.

“Was that ours!?” Sergeant Malkovich called out as he calmed down the panicking knights behind him.

“Get ready to move!” Thompson ordered as he withdrew his rifle and pointed it at the origin of the explosion. “We need to get back to the city!”

“Yeah, just watch yourself.” Mike said in return. “Recon guys said there were a few at the hilltop over there.” He said while pointing to a small tree covered hill near the city entrance.

Illuminated by the dispersed rays of light from the moon, shadows were casted upon the battlefield filled with bodies as the eleven climbed out of the crater. Their destination required them to move through several fields. Each had white burnt flowers that protruded from the ruined ground.

Other than the flowers that acted as small headstones for those killed during the attack, not a single facet of life could be seen as the group stepped onto ground level. The beauty that once laid across the fast fields were gone. In a mere hour, humanity had destroyed everything and created a wasteland.

Thought he ground was not painted in a crimson liquid, bodies became silhouetted under the moonlight. Alongside a pile of maimed bodies, Lecca took in a breath of the iron-stained air. Her arms unfolded and fell to her side. The cold harvest wind battered against her exposed skin making her shiver.

Ahead of her, Captain Thompson led the group unlike before. He was at the point of the formation she was not familiar with. Three men stood ahead, Thompson, Malkovich, and Richard. Behind her, Mike, Green, Simon, and Patterson pulled rear security. Lecca herself was standing with the other three knights in the center of what looked to be a circle.

She once more wrapped her arms around herself. She felt safe being in the custody of the Rangers. It was almost as if they “Reclaimed” her, and was taking her to a faraway place, yet the large, now ruined stone walls of Bishmark casted a shadow upon her making her cold.

In the dark corners of the city walls, several guards watched as the eleven shadows moved through the primary gate after being checked in with the knights below. Though in silence, they were being watched-being observed as their constant shuffling of footsteps on the dirtied stone roads echoed in the occupied streets.

Thankfully they slipped past unnoticed. Their gear, though unrecognizable, painted them as being a part of the Royal Guard in addition to the dirtied white tunics and brown trousers they wore. Passing by several light posts that were powered by small mana gems within, they were temporarily illuminate, visible for all to see. Amongst the citizens that were trying to clean the ruins within the city, they received no glances of ire, yet no one gave them respect either.

As they slowly came to a stop, man wearing colorful clothing approached them. He had the aura of a leader, and he demanded attention as he raised his voice. “The clean-up operation is currently in progress.” He said confusing those not on the same page, “I want you all to assist in the collection of bodies to assist with identification. I’ll lend a few of my own to assist you.”

Captain Thompson reached out his hand and called for the man that had just forced orders upon them, but as swift as he arrived, he was lost in a crowd of civilians and soldiers who were carrying covered bodies towards several carts nearby.

“Clean-up, huh?” Patterson murmured as he snuck his hands into the sides of his plate carrier. “Guess we should get going.”

With a group of unnamed soldiers approaching them, the Rangers quickly let themselves be led to the western gate. Upon turning a corner, the smell of blood and burning wood overwhelmed their nostrils. Bodies, body parts, destroyed buildings, ruins. Stalking in the darkness looking upon the carnage did not sit well with Thompson. His rifle lightly shifted in his quivering hands. It was impossible to notice the faint glow of red embers littering the moonlit street.

“I thought the attack happened to the south?” Green said as he kneeled above a burning piece of wood. He rose and stomped it out as he continued, “What the hell happened here? It looks like it was hit by a one-fifty-five.”

“If it was a two-front attack, there’s nothing we could’ve done.” Mike said cautiously as he eyed the pale-faced Princess next to him. “We were stuck on the southern front. There’s no way we could have made it back here in time.”

“True.” Richard added. “If we were here anyways, we could’ve been caught in this shit.”

An uneasy silence fell upon the group. Spotting a collection of people in the ruins of a building, Patterson notified the group, and the small distance in between was traversed with minor difficulty. Unnerved by how many people were at this single building, Thompson took the lead as he maneuvered through the crowd.

Entering what looked to be an inn, Thompson spotted a lone girl standing at the reception desk. She wore a small white cloak that gave her the aura of being a Nobel or a member of the church. Noticing the captain’s lingering gaze, the girl motioned her hand allowing for the group to approach her. Lowering the hood that concealed her face, the girl’s black hair tumbled out and rested on her shoulders.

With an apathetic gaze she eyed the captain, then swiftly she examined each member of the group. The girl only looked to be ten years old but based on her disposition Mike assumed that she was more mature than she let off. He paused momentarily as he stared at an insignia commonly found amongst Royal Guard members. Was she apart of the guard? That was the only question occupying his mind.

“Welcome Holy Knights. My name is Ariel Yumi, daughter of Count Leonidas Yumi. I will act as your resident mage during the clean-up operation happening.” She lightly bowed her head as she spoke softly making the men look upon her in surprise.

“Captain Oliver Thompson.” In a confused state, Thompson raised his hand and offered a handshake. It took several moments for Ariel to understand what he was trying to do; thus, he relented and lowered his hand as the girl composed herself and spoke clearly.

“The Royal Guard made me aware of your sudden departure from the royal capital and your subsequent arrival in Bishmark. I do apologize that you were all caught up in the attack, then the defense of the city, but I am here to help you all get back to the capital safely.”

“So, they been watching us the entire time? Go figure…” Richard said as he shared a glance with Malkovich only gaining a shrug in return.

Annoyed by the lack of response she had gained, Ariel huffed as she stepped out from behind the desk and to the front of the group. “There is a nearby site we have to examine. It would be best to head there now, and Princess, the king will overlook this ‘ignorant’ decision you’ve made.”

As she walked to the entrance of the room, Ariel noticed how the “Holy Knights” all stood around the First-Born Princess with confused looks. Leccamaradel was taken aback by the faint threat given by the mage, yet she did nothing to retaliate.

“You good?” Malkovich said concerned.

Coughing into her hand, clearing the awkward atmosphere established by the mage, Lecca spoke flustered as she tapped Mike on the shoulder as she walked off. “We must hurry to the site… Come along now…”

Looking to and from the place where he was tapped. Mike was somewhat confused as he watched the Princess stand near the door waiting for himself and the others to follow.

“C’mon lucky bastard. Time to go.” Green chuckled as he continued to curse out his now flustered Sergeant.

Walking outside the now group of twelve travelled around he ruined city to reach a collapsed building near the western gate. A large scar laid in the middle of the street, bodies were collected to the side and covered with a shredded tarp, a pool of blood collected under the palates, and the scar. Ariel stomached the thought of a whole group being simply vaporized under the sudden heat and pressure of the object that caused the canal.

She almost hurled, yet she was kept upright by Malkovich who helped her. Soldiers walked up and down as the cleaned the body of the dead off the streets.

Seeing another collection of people outside of a building, Thompson directed the group inside. From a simple observation, a large boulder was thrown from the impact site, crushing all those that were inside the building.

Morale was non-existent. Simon fell to his knees as he looked upon the crimson liquid that stained the boulder.

“What-” He choked out struggling to comprehend what laid before him.

Walking up to the mangled bodies and reaching out her hand, Ariel began to chant as the men watched in horror. “In the name of the Goddess of light, I ask thee to take these souls to their final resting place.

A bright golden light emanated from the body parts. Mike watched in awe as the parts began to dematerialize into bright balls of light as they rose to the sky one-by-one.

Walking up to the boulder and placing his hand on it, Mike felt a small amount of heat escaping the huge rock. A light pain rested in his head as Lecca walked silently beside him. She was worried about the direction the Sergeant’s emotions went, so she rested her cold palm on his shoulder garnering his attention.

“Come along…” She spoke softly while she stared at the sergeant’s shining brown eyes. “It’s time to go. We are done here.”

Publicly Available Information: Casualties – Military – The Raid on Bishmark:

Casualty report:

5th Garrison Guard –

20 Knights K.I.A.

13 Knights M.I.A.

413 Soldiers K.I.A.

36 Soldiers M.I.A.

59 Wounded.

12th Mountaineering Corps –

3 Knights K.I.A.

23 Soldiers K.I.A.

17 Wounded.

1st Royal Guard Division –

15 Knights K.I.A.

54 Soldiers K.I.A.

13 Wounded.

Total:

528 Killed in Action.

49 Missing in Action.

89 Wounded.