“Bound to the wall! Enemy plane, high!” Thompson shouted as the roar of what appeared to be machinegun fire echoed in a distant quadrant within the settlement.

Two explosions kicked up a large pillar of dirt, and embers were spread around the impact zone. “Hurry up! Hurry up! Get out of the kill-zone!” Patterson roared as he saw several members of the Volunteer Corps running for cover.

“Simon, you’re covering them, light suppression! Green, get Mike and the princess inside that building!” Thompson directed. “We’ll meet back up when the rest are here!”

With the princess withdrawing a small dagger in place of the rifle she once had, she used her left side to help Mike off a nearby wall. Green moved across the street towards the building Thompson pointed out, and with the help of Randall, who had switched to his handgun, the two set up a cross-pie to look within the building. “Breach.” With that word said by Sergeant Randall, Green kicked the door opened and moved away from the door as the three looed inside. With their immediate corners clear, the Private First Class took point as he moved in with a shaky finger over the trigger of his rifle. What they entered looked to be a long-abandoned tavern. Scattered wooden cups, bowls, and trays littered the room with a light layer of dust. It was almost as if time had been frozen when the inhabitants left. It was a cold feeling.

Sweeping the rest of the building, the gunshots that came from the unknown plane both echoed throughout the settlement and Lecca’s mind. She kept her questions, and her feelings to herself. The reaction the sergeant gave to the unknown aircraft stunned her. It was almost as if he recognized the craft. Her belief in the story of the “Holy Knights” cracked, and a part of her lost faith in the story. She bit her tongue and sharpened her eyes as she corrected herself; after all she was one of the summoners. The line of thought made her want to pound her head against the nearest wall.

“Hey man what are we doing here?” Green said as he took a seat at one of the many empty tables. “This part of the world is fucked up. Another world? Magic? Fucking monsters and a Demon Lord? I’m loosing it man…” He sighed.

Neither Lecca nor Mike responded. The princess wanted to find a way to comfort the young soldier, but she had now words as the silence kept her mind distracted from the outside world. Though explosions and gunfire rang out through the streets, she curled up into a small ball on the floor, her hands covering her ears, and her eyes now remained clamped closed as she tried to make sense of everything.

Calling out from the door they entered through, Patterson slammed the door open as another wave of bullets slammed into a nearby building where a small number of the Corps members attempted to hide. Along with the rest of the squadron, Mr. Que and three other Corps members, including the guild attendant, stepped inside and took cover within the tavern.

Lecca held her over her ears as she heard the muffled voice of PFC Green. “What the hell were those two dead guys, huh? It looked similar to something out of Wolfenstein, like some World War One German Storm Trooper shit.”

“Private.” Thompson said sternly making the young man quiet.

“Apologies…captain…” He said meekly.

Thompson shook his head as he folded his hands over the rifle sitting in his lap. He watched as the young man took a seat next to Mike and Lecca, his sharpened eyes, and broad appearance was momentarily highlighted in the low amount of light that shed through the semi-destroyed window shutters.

With the tavern they hid in shaking due to the sudden impact of a large explosion not far away, Lecca remained curled up and her body shook. “Hey…” A soft voice came from beside her, the same comforting that she had known the entire time, even before the special reconnaissance mission. Opening her eyes to a light pressure that had appeared on her right shoulder, she looked to the corner of her peripherals, and there, Mike sat with his helmet and goggles still on; he gazed at her with a worried and fear-filled expression.

Her light-brown eyes flashed back to her knees that were tucked against her chest. With hesitation, she slowly removed her hands from her ears. Mike removed his hand as the young woman beside him turned towards him, snaking her arms below her knees, her dirtied-ruined, long white skirt shuffled loosely as she sat in a position of comfort.

She breathed in with shaky, uncontrollable breaths. Lecca did not know why, but tears began to form in her eyes, she was beginning to lose control of herself. “I-I’ve killed people before…” She said in a breaking voice. The men around the room all looked at her. “W-why am I like this!? I don’t, I don’t-I’ve killed h-people…”

“The hell?” Richard said with wide eyes.

Crawling on his knees, Mike closed the gap and grasped Lecca by the shoulders. She had a far away gaze, and her face was a deathly white. Sighing, he took her into his embrace and hugged her loosely as he brushed aside the weapon strapped over his chest. “She has shell-shock.” He admitted firmly. “This will take a minute.” He said rubbing the silver-hair of the woman in his arms. He let out a violent cough as he set himself against the wall attempting to nurse his broken ribs.

“Anyone hear the plane?” Patterson suddenly said as he gazed out one of the semi-covered windows. Silence enveloped the room, only the sounds of Lecca’s crying was heard as the men move towards the exterior of the building.

“No. I don’t hear shit.” Richard exclaimed moving away from the window he stood at. “You think it bugged out?”

“Only one way to find out.” Malkovich said as he approached the door. Before he could place his hands on the wooden door, Captain Thompson grabbed him by his vest and slammed him against the wall.

“Hey! What the hell do you think you’re doing!?” He said fiercely.

“Sir, we’re not going to figure anything out if we stay hidden here.”

“So, you just want to get killed, sergeant?”

“No captain. Though I already signed my will.”

“Yeah? Well that shit is null and void right now!”

Simon cut over his captain’s tirade looking outside the window. “Sir we’ve got Volunteer Corps members running around. I think it’s over.”

Cursing to himself Thompson left go of Malkovich. He shared a brief glance at the two on the floor and through it all he could only wish that some weird magical portal would open to allow himself and his men to get back to Earth. Mr. Que and his men stood silently behind the Rangers, each had a look of confusion, with the guild attendant holding fear. Seeing them at the corner of his eyes, the captain sighed as he grabbed hold of his rifle.

“I’ll be the first one out there. Everyone else stay inside the building until I give the all clear.”

Ignoring his captain, Mike turned back to Lecca. She had calmed down and had collected her emotions. She remained in his tight grasp and had yet to back away. “Thank you…” That was all she could muster as she fought against the urge to keep her arms wrapped around the sergeant. Quietly she withdrew herself, but she failed to remove herself from his arms.

“Area clear! Let’s get a move on people!”

Using each other to stand up, Mike and Lecca took the lead outside. The settlement was well beyond in a state in collapse, the place they stood was once the invisible fortress line for the frontier. Brave men and women stood up to the plate, many being owned by the Volunteer Corps, took to the battlefield in daring raids against criminal and unknown hostile elements. Each group answered to a member of the Royal Guard, yet the kingdom was unable to provide any extra manpower.

It was a never-ending conflict between the people and the monsters beyond. The destruction of this settlement could’ve very well spelled the close of the war.

“These lands have withstood both time and the numerous strikes made by the Demon Lord. This, one of eight settlements, provided a once unbreakable fortress that stood and protected the kingdom.” Mr. Que spoke to the two as he and his men walked behind. “The foolish nature of the king, he and the former members of the Royal Court have stalled all progression in colonizing the frontier. The damned bastard killed any hope the people still have.”

The princess remained silent as she alongside Sergeant Randall with his arms hung over her shoulder. She never dared open her mouth; it was imperative that she kept her identity as the “Crown” Princess hidden. She was no more than a Chieftain in the Royal Army, anything else would be catastrophic to the safety of her men.

Two tents were hastily set up under the cover of the wall. The surviving sixteen members of the Corps stood tending their wounds or finding something to settle their churning stomachs. For them it was a miracle that they survived the onslaught of the unknown aircraft that had long passed. To the Rangers, it was just luck; there was once a time where each of them stood under the constant raid of SU-57s and long, but capable F-14 Tomcats during the campaign in Africa.

With Mr. Que dispatching the men behind him to check in on the others, Knights Marco, Anne, and Eugene followed behind the princess and her rangers as they climbed the weathered wall that guarded the settlement. As they ascended, the brunt-tattered Corps flags still flew under the dark blue skies. The cold wind blew across the destroyed fields, the stench of death emanated from several large craters just on the other side of the walls.

At the peak, the wall stretched for miles around. Lecca stood at the forefront of the group, her dirtied-silver hair fluttering in the wind. She looked out to the brunt fields. A small army of what looked to be one-thousand soldiers of an unknown army had made camp not far away, less than five-hundred meters.

The seconds she stood their taking in the agonizing silence was broken by her soft breaths as she contemplated what her and her subordinates next move should be. “Captain.” She said turning on the heels of her boots.

Already looking afar with his binoculars, Thompson nodded. “Yeah, I see them. Looks like a whole battalion waiting to storm this fucking city.”

“Why haven’t they occupied Stratega?” Knight Eugene asked as he placed his hands on the crumbling wall.

“It’s like the battle of Stalingrad.” Simon interjected. “They don’t want to sit inside a ruined settlement with no way to receive supplies, thus, they are staying outside for logistical reasons. It’s a siege.”

“S-talingrad?” Anne parroted.

“We got people moving, captain!” Green called out. “Is anyone capable of short-range artillery magic!?” He asked alarmed.

“Huh?” Lecca hummed turning around.

“I need: Multiple Launch Rocket Systems, High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, Short Range Air Defense, Anti-Aircraft-Artillery, Airburst Rounds!” Green suddenly ranted making the men around look at him in confusion.

“Are you hit?” Patterson asked.

“Patterson he’s right.” Thompson said firmly taking control of the situation. “Chieftain, I need you to gather all the mages the Corps have capable of hitting targets well beyond three-hundred meters! We’re going to take these fuckers to hell!”

She did not know the words PFC Green spoke. She did not know what, nor did she care for what her future held. The orders given by Thompson; it was for survival. There was no choice, it was fight, or die. Turning on her heels she tapped Mike on the back. Without another word he followed his commanding officer, their boots crunched against the dirt and gravel. Her fears tried to control her, yet she would finally fight against them after ten years.

“I need all available mages up on the wall, now!” Her sudden shouts attracted the attention of the Corps members that were tending to themselves in the scattered-makeshift tents. “If you can cast a spell more than three-hundred meters, get up there!”

No one moved. Each one of them looked at her with suspicion.

Then, the guild attendant stood up and walked up to the princess.

“Who are you really?” She asked in a violent tone. “You come into the guild with theses men that obviously don’t belong here, then you go on a campaign with the Volunteers? Who are you!?”

“Lecca-” Mike was cut off.

“I am the First-Born Princess, Leccamaradel Emma Arish! Daughter of the displaced king!” She said placing her left hand over her heart. “Beside me is a Holy Knight, a Reclaimer!” She announced making Mike freeze. “He is one of the men that successfully drove back the attackers during the raid on Bishmark!”

Hushed whispers grew around the camp.

“Were it not for them risking their lives the city would’ve been lost! Yet now is not the time for recollection! A force much greater than ours is preparing to march on this very settlement! This is your home! Fight for it!”

Several men let out cheers startling the guild attendant. One-by-one the men pooled to the top of the wall surprising Mr. Que and the Reclaimers. Following up the rear, Mike was confronted by a smiling Thompson. He simply patted him on the shoulder as Lecca stepped once more to the forefront of the group of fighters now under her command.

“Rangers! Move it out and keep them boxed in! Shit will get real when bullets start flying!” Thompson bellowed kicking his men into action as they set up kill zones around the gate below them.

“Ma’am! Looking at about two-hundred soldiers gathering in the camp’s center!” Green called out as Mike set up his firing post next to him.

“Mike! Get me a firing solution!” Patterson said over the radio.

“Princess! Recommend high explosive magic.” He said resting on his bag.

“Mages! Cast!” Lecca bellowed as she formed a small casting circle in her hand.

“We got a large force marching out of the camp!” Green called out. “Range: 649 meters! Fire mission! Call for fire to follow: Distance, six-four-nine meters. Elevation, seven-eight meters. Seven-three-three klicks from our position! Fire for effect!”

Understanding the basic numbers and measurements provided by Green, Lecca translated it for the Corps members, “Mages! Prepare fire! Mission as follows: Two inches below the sun! Dual line cast!” A second path of lines appeared on the magical circle adorning her right hand. “Sergeant!” She screamed as the blue hue around her hand intensified.

“Shot! Shot! Shot!” Mike said into his radio.

“Shot!” Patterson said.

“Shot!” Thompson said.

“Shot!” Malkovich said.

“Carry out the bombardment! Lecca shouted as she launched the first projectile from her hand. In a matter of seconds, thirteen projectiles flew into the air and towards the unsuspecting enemies.

Mr. Que watched in awe as the multi-colored projectiles representing the elemental that existed flew behind a set of clouds. Everyone alongside him anxiously waited for the rounds to impact at the enemy’s location. Five seconds turned to ten.

“Splash!” Green called out.

Were the large group of unknown soldiers once stood, thirteen fireballs grew within the group and the camp behind them. A large amount of dust followed, and lastly, after two seconds, the shockwave of the explosions reached the walls only giving off a loud thunderous noise.

“Hell yeah!” Richard’s scream brought smiles to all the defenders.

“Repeat fire! Adjust elevation, eight-one!” Green called out as Lecca and the mages began casting another round.

“Set!” Lecca shouted.

“Shot!” Mike said over the radio once more, his chest heaved in pain.

“Shot!” Patterson said.

“Shot!” Thompson said.

“Shot!” Malkovich said.

Ten more seconds.

A thick cloud of black and brown smoke emerged from the ground within the camp. The fireball was so huge it marred the sky as splinters of fire erupted from the impact zone. In the shape of a mushroom the dust ascended into the blue sky, the loud roar of the explosion shook Lecca making her step back from the front of the group. Cheers came from the Corps members, yet Green and Mike watched as they tried to figure out what they just hit.

“What the fuck!” Green hissed.

“Was that an ammo dump? Armory perhaps?” Mike guessed.

A secondary explosion kicked up another large mushroom cloud, the immediate blast shook the two as the shockwave travelled at indecipherable speeds. Three more pillars of smoke emerged from the strike zone; men covered in dust moved out of the camp alongside normal soldiers. The two watched as the secondary personnel ran away from the large cloud of smoke, dust, and embers.

Moving from their firing positions on the south side of the wall, Thompson was escorted by his men as he approached Mike and Green. “Hey!” He called out gaining the attention of the two, Mr. Que and Lecca, “Patterson just spotted what looks to be the base commander! We’re going after him!”

“What!?” Lecca said alarmed.

“We need to go now! We can commence SSE afterwards.” Thompson said as he was stopped by Lecca. “This is a chance to get the intelligence we need! Then we can return to the capital! Let’s move it!”

Grabbing his bags from the ground, Mike scrambled from his observation point with Green as they hastily descended the stone staircase with Lecca tailing behind with Marco, Eugene, and Anne.

Publicly Available Information: Short-Range and Long-Range Artillery:

Artillery in the Kingdom of Yondel is new to the armed forces, yet it fills two important missions within the battlespace: Suppression of enemy fire and providing support for both static and maneuver warfare.

Specially trained mages within the Kingdom’s army commonly work with magical devices to help aid in casting, yet it is still possible for even an untrained mage to concentrate and turn their magical powers into short and long-range fires support for friendly elements.