American Sin

"These mosquitoes man! I'm tired of these fuckers!" Said Brian swatting at one of the flying insects, "Isn't it too cold for these assholes to be out here?"

"Must be a special breed," Said Lafayette, who was busy under the truck. He was repairing a little bit of damage that it had received through the past few days. He noticed a strange sound coming from the suspension, and thought it appropriate to investigate. A few replacements parts would've fixed it, and he was nearly done.

Flint, Quinn, Lafayette, and Brian were together. The only man missing was their squad leader, the four were waiting for the new orders of the day. Unity surprisingly wasn't tired after the initial battle at the garrison, though it was relatively easy to capture it. Good thing too, since they needed to conserve their energy for when the assault started.

The morning looked good, but the skies ahead carried fearsome clouds that looked to put a damper on their party. That, and the temperature had inexplicably dropped in the span of a few short hours. Going from fifty degrees Fahrenheit to just over twenty degrees. The sudden change in weather worried the officers who feared that freezing temperatures might put the assault on hold until the Marines could get proper cold-weather gear, but Jefferson insisted that the winter coats and boots that the Marines had were enough and that the operation continue uninterrupted.

"Big day ahead of us," Quinn mumbled, "Taking on an entire Iscariot city and all…"

"Yeah, in this weather no less," Flint chortled, "I'm from Texas so I know what unpredictable weather is like."

"You're a Texan?" Asked Brian, a bit surprised, "I had no clue."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, you don’t have an accent or anything," Brian told him.

Flint shrugged it off, "Not everybody has one, I guess."

A few minutes of silence went by before Quinn decided to ask a question that was on his mind, "You think animals have souls?"

"What?" Asked Flint.

"You know, we're fighting these half-animal; half-human things. You think they are like us?"

"The Iscariot guys? Yeah, I think so. Regular animals? Dogs… maybe dolphins."

"What about cats?"

"Nah."

"Really? You don't like cats or something?"

"Nope, I'm allergic," Flint said, "Besides, the only cat I knew was when I was a kid. Her name was Princess. A goddamn demon I'll tell you that," Flint recalled the memory of his childhood, "Ever since, I've always been a dog guy."

Quinn chuckled and shook his head, leaning up against the wall, "Eh, your loss."

Lafayette pulled himself out from under the truck, which he had affectionately named "The Buffalo". His simple repair work finished, "Alright, she looks as good as new," Said the soldier, "We ought to let Hezekiah know."

"No need," Said a familiar voice, Hezekiah walked into the room at that exact moment, "We've got our new batch of orders today."

"What is it?" Asked Brian.

"We have to get to Captain Newman, she'll tell us about our mission ahead," He told them.

"What do you think she's gonna tell us to do?" Quinn asked him, "Is Jefferson still going on with the invasion?"

Hezekiah thought about it for a moment and then shook his head, "I don't know. I'm not hearing much word from higher up about much of anything. If I knew anything, I promise I'd tell you."

"Damn," He heard Brian sigh in the background. Hezekiah ignored it, gathering the squad together to march to Newman's place. They passed by the LAV's that had arrived in bulk arranging themselves into formations. Captain Bannon was riding inside of one as the armor leader, his head yelling at one of his subordinates to do something, though the squad could barely make out what. Howitzers and their gun teams were preparing shells to fire, also under the leadership of Bannon. Helicopters flew endlessly overhead, keeping watch on the ground in case of an Iscariot counter-attack, but nothing of the sort ever arrived. Instead, the Iscariots had dug themselves in Minerva, preparing for what they knew was an all-out attack.

The five men walked to Newman's command tent, soldiers from Foxtrot were all around chattering away. Hezekiah expected that they would have to enter inside of the command tent, but instead, Newman came out to stop them, "Unity, you're finally here," she said in her usual tone, "You have a lot on the menu today, boys. Follow me."

She ducked back inside of the tent to which Unity followed her into. Inside, they saw two marines carrying satchels containing something unknown, and the Warrior Elves. Temetet and Otaes.

"Those two? Again?" Whispered Brian, "I thought we saw the last of them in Ithaca."

"Guess we'll be seeing them a lot in the future, get used to it," Hezekiah said.

"Heh, Flint's gonna like that, I tell ya," The response from Quinn was a bit odd.

"Why?" Hezekiah asked.

"Dontcha know? Loverboy's got a crush on that Otaes chick-"

"Dude! What the fuck man?"

Quinn laughed at Flint's outburst of fury, "You never said it was a secret!"

Hezekiah grew an awkward smile, shaking his head, "That… is none of my business," He said to himself as Unity walked into hearing range of Newman and the two elves. In the background was a seemingly pissed-off Jefferson who was on the radio with another officer, Newman shot him a nasty look while he wasn't looking, and returned to normal form.

"Look! Kilo! I don't care if you have to ship the cold weather equipment from buttfuck-Middle-of-nowhere-Alaska! Just get it here before the week's end! Tell Logistical Command to get off of their goddamn asses for once…" Jefferson walked off into a separate compartment of the tent to continue his yelling.

Newman stopped by a table in the center of the tent, a map sprawled out over it. It detailed Minerva and all the road networks, buildings, and infrastructure therein. Four red circles were drawn over bridges that connected the different parts of the city, only one bridge was left unmarked, "1st Battalion is beginning its assault on the city in a few short hours. Jefferson expects a…" She struggled for what must've been the first time, at least in Hezekiah's eyes, "Resolute victory," she sighed. There seemed to be something wrong in her words, something between her and Jefferson, though Hezekiah couldn't put his finger on what. Everybody knew that the Major was always ambitious and confident of both himself and his soldiers. Maybe she had pressed him to delay the assault until the weather changed and Jefferson had none of it? That's what Hezekiah figured at least.

"What needs doing, ma'am?" He asked.

"These bridges are to be destroyed immediately. Your squad has been in charge of demolitions before back in Afghanistan, correct?" She asked.

Hezekiah nodded, "Yes ma'am. A few weeks before we arrived in this world, we were in charge of destroying an Al-Qaeda weapons cache with explosives."

"Then you should have no issues with this," she pointed back to the map, "Misfit has already been dispatched to handle the bridges to the west, you are in charge of the two bridges to the east. The Raritans have been so kind as to offer their assistance to support you in infiltrating the city. They'll get you inside behind the Iscariot army, and then they'll get you out," she told them.

Hezekiah took a glance at the two candy-colored elves, noticing for the first time that a blue magical field surrounded the room. Must be the translation magic.

"The bridges are nothing more than stone and wood. It shouldn't be difficult to bring them down. When you are finished with that, you tell us over the radio to begin firing our…" again Newman struggled, "Artillery. We'll trap the Iscariot army inside preventing escape, except for one bridge that'll be patrolled by our attack choppers. Understood?"

"Yes ma'am!" Unity chanted in response.

"Good, you'll follow Temetet's and Otaes' orders as if they were my own. I've already discussed in detail the plan for the battle with them. Dismissed," she told them.

The two marines standing at attention proceeded to hand over the satchels to Unity. Those must've been the explosives, Hezekiah figured. Quinn and Flint received them, and after brief instruction on how to detonate the bombs, the two marines left for their own tasks. Now it was just Unity and the two Raritans.

"Look's like we're stuck together, eh?" Flint asked the elves.

"It would seem that way, yes," Temetet answered, "Our tribal mother pledged the assistance of the Five Nations in liberating our brothers and sisters from the shackles of Imperial slavery."

"Are those guys also from the Five Nations?" Lafayette asked.

"Some. Not all. Most of the Elves held there are from the Eastern Nations like the Falklands. Many of the slaves are Humans or Reptillian. All of them captured by raids or via conquest."

"Damn, you couldn't pay me to be a slave," Flint said with confidence until he really thought about what he had just said, "Well, I guess if I was being paid, then it'd be a job. But you know what I mean."

"So do you think about the words you're gonna say or do you they just come out on their own?" Quinn punched his shoulder.

"Kiss my ass," Flint told him.

Hezekiah figured now was as good a time as any to start moving on, and he requested that the Raritans brief them on the mission as they walked back to The Buffalo. The Warrior Elves were still dressed in their seemingly warm winter clothing, they too seemed to know of the cold weather that was coming ahead, that being confirmed when Otaes brought the subject up, "There's a cold snap this year. The Tappan Farmers predicted it."

"How'd they tell?" Hezekiah asked.

"They always know what the weather will be like, their magic is tuned to nature. They are holding their seeds until the weather passes over. If I were your commanders, I'd wait until then as well."

"How cold will it get?" He asked again.

"That I can't tell you," She said, "The Southern Continent has boiling summers and bitter winters. As far as I know, everything might freeze over, or it could just be some cold air," She told them. It sank Hezekiah's morale a bit to hear that they could very well be launching an attack in freezing temperatures. He was used to the fatigue-inducing heat of the Central Asian Steppe. But the cold? And to think that it was already pretty chilly since they had been here.

The seven walked to The Buffalo which was parked inside of the motor pool just where they left it. He noticed that the elves didn't have their horse-moose thingies. Nehta? Neyna? Neheyna? Hezekiah forgot what they were called. He wondered briefly if he'd see those creatures again, but his mind quickly flipped back to the first problem of the day.

The truck had room for only five people inside. A driver, three passengers, and the gunner. Normally this was fine for a five-man squad like Unity, but extra passengers had to be carried some other way. Unity came to an agreement that Brian and Flint would ride desant on The Buffalo, holding onto the handrails and footsteps perhaps installed for that very purpose. Lafayette was instructed to drive with extreme caution, with Flint and Brian so exposed. The two Warrior Elves got the luxury of being inside, where they could give directions and talk the plan over with Hezekiah.

As the Buffalo gently went off down the path that the Elves pointed Lafayette down, the Warrior Elves had questions of their own to ask the soldiers, the first of which was about Unity as a squad, "We were wondering about your history," Otaes said out of the blue addressing nobody in particular, "What did you do before all of this? How did you get here? Where are you from?" She asked them.

"Well, Flint and I knew each other for a few years before I met the rest of Unity. We were deployed to this country called Afghanistan. Quinn and Lafayette transferred over from a support company a month beforehand," both Lafayette and Quinn nodded in confirmation of that, "So they've been with us for a while. Brian's the new guy, came only a few weeks before we were transferred over to this world."

"What do you people call your world?" She asked.

"Earth. Planet Earth. It's an alright place but…" Hezekiah fell silent as he thought about his home planet. What he was leaving behind, both good and bad.

Otaes leaned forward, "Is everything okay there?"

"The planets fucked," Quinn said with a pained smile, "Too many wars, too many deaths. They say my hometown is gonna be underwater in a few decades. And here we are dicking around in a new world to start problems. The whole thing is fucked, I tell ya."

The two elves looked back to Hezekiah for confirmation, he didn't really know too much what to say about it, "I'm not sure how in the hell we are supposed to save you guys… we couldn't even save ourselves," Hezekiah whispered to himself, though it was loud enough for elves and Lafayette to hear.

"Save them from what, sir?" Lafayette took a glance at him before returning his eyes to the road.

"I think he is talking of the Guardians…" Said Temetet. Hezekiah furrowed his eyebrows. That's a new name, "The who?"

"The Guardians. The sworn magical protectors of our world. Well… they were. Until they were corrupted by their own power and gave in to their selfish desires. Our world used to be very peaceful… once upon a time," He said in remorse.

"They control the infinite knowledge of the E'Aethal beings. Using them, they've managed to keep a firm magical grip on the world, locking themselves away in Wesmich. It's possible that your arrival here was a result of their magical experiments," Otaes added.

All three of the Marines were deeply confused, trying to form some sense of the massive infodump they've been given. Lafayette was the first to speak as he tried to piece the puzzle together, "So… what you're telling us is that… those Guardian guys used their infinite knowledge to open a portal?"

"Possibly. Most people in this continent don't even know if the Guardians exist, but we do. We can feel it every time they tamper with the magical force. All magically-born creatures can…"

Hezekiah and Lafayette looked at each other for a brief moment, nodding as a silent connection was shared between the two. Hezekiah took out a notepad from his pack and wrote his understanding of the situation down. He had no idea if High Command knew about any of that, but if they did they'd want to know.

"So… those are the real bad guys?" Quinn asked.

"In a pinch."

"I don't know about you, but I don't think the Marine Corps is equipped to take on literal wizards. Terrorists? Normal Iscariot guys? Fine. But Wizards? I don't know man," Lafayette nervously said.

"It's unlikely you'll ever meet. Nobody knows where the Guardians are. Even those born with a magical sense cannot tell you where to start. Everybody who has gone looking for them either came back empty-handed or didn't come back at all…" Temetet told them.

"They've hidden themselves. Possibly out of guilt. Possibly out of fear. Fear of something larger than they, a bigger fish in the water that would lead to their end. But one day they must face the reality they've made. One day or another."

The truck fell silent afterward. The only sounds being the purring of The Buffalo's engine, and the noises she made as they drove over the cobbled road. It was obviously built as a connection between the city and garrison for logistics. But now, it was being used as an invasion route. They passed by numerous LAVs that were beginning plans for their offensive. Trucks with soldiers packed inside were passed by The Buffalo. They saw choppers fly overhead, whistles being blown, and flags being waved. No need to be stealthy now that the garrison was under control. All that was needed now was for Unity's operation to succeed. Again.

Temetet pointed down a dirt path that was cut into the forest asking Lafayette to drive right in there. They were on the peak of a smaller hill that allowed them to see the walls of the city. They were absolutely massive, at least four stories tall and who knew how many miles long? From Unity's vantage point, the walls were made of stone for the most part. Inside the walls was the city proper, giant tapering spires and some of the taller buildings peeked their tops over the walls of the city. The grey skies casting a shadowy fog over Minerva. It looked peaceful… blissful of the coming storm. Hezekiah even thought that it was beautiful. It's a shame that Jefferson had plans to turn it into rubble in the coming days. Hezekiah himself was unaware of the reality of the city, teeming still with life that had no idea of what was to come. Nobody knew…

The Buffalo pulled into the forest and traveled down into a clearing by a tributary river's banks. The Buffalo halted, and everybody climbed off. On the bank was a rowboat, a covered Gondola with colorful patterns and symbols on it that Hezekiah couldn't discern the meaning of. Around the Gondola were a few more elves wearing red headbands. Three of them in total.

"Those Elves are from the Five Nations, do not mind them," Said Otaes, "But they aren't Raritan."

"Who are they, then?" Asked Brian as he walked up to her.

"Ximac. Our warriors. They'll stay here and watch this area to keep any loose patrols away, though if all goes to plan, we won't need to lift a finger."

"Just leave everything to us," said Temetet. The two elves closed the translation bubble and talked in their native tongue to the Ximac people. After a few seemingly friendly gestures, Otaes motioned for the soldiers to follow them.

They came upon the boat which was quite large. The covered part of the boat looked as if it contained some valuable cargo and wares giving it the appearance of a small trading vessel, "We'll take this into the city up to the bridges set for destruction. Heavens willing, we'll pass right under the city walls undetected by the Imperial Garrison. But if we are spotted… you know what to do," said Otaes after casting the translation magic again.

With that, the seven boarded the ship, the Ximac warriors helping them up onto the ship deck and bidding farewell in their native language. The soldiers hurried into the covered part of the ship where they waited to get moving, as Otaes and Temetet took the oars. Thus beginning their journey into Minerva…

After paddling downstream for about twenty minutes, they were getting closer. But Otaes and Temetet seemed to be put off by something. When Brian asked what was wrong, they only asked for patience as they tried to figure it out. But as they got closer it became obvious…

"Hide," was the only word they gave the soldiers. Almost as if they were programmed to do so, Unity obeyed. No questions asked, no resistance given. They found places to cover themselves amongst the goods. Hezekiah quickly ducked in between a large crate and a tall barrel with a cloth covering the gap. He hid in the shadows of the interior of the ship, able to see outside through a tiny opening in the cloth. He soon saw what the issue was.

An iron water gate had been built across the entirety of the river. The walls ran over the river forming a rather high bridge, and the gate was suspended from the walls of the city. At least four Iscariot guards patrolled either side of the river, and when the boat came close enough, they pulled out a colorful flag and waved it.

The translation magic vanished, and the two elves descended into panicked conversation with the other. Hezekiah could feel his heart banging against his chest. His breathing became quicker as he strained not to breathe too quickly unless he was heard and give his position away, despite the impossibility of the guards hearing him currently. It didn't matter, as he too was scared. But then he remembered something…

Cold metal pressed against his face. He looked down and saw his gun, the IAR. If he needed to… he'd blast them. Even better was the pistol pressed against his chest. Hezekiah reasoned that if it hit the fan, his pistol would be his best bet since it was the fastest option.

He looked around the boat, unable to find the rest of Unity from where he was hiding. He originally wanted to find comfort in their presence, but quickly remembered that it was a good thing that they were unseen. He breathed a quick sigh of relief, though nothing was over yet. It could all still go wrong at any moment.

The boat slowed down, with the two elves at the front in the open addressing the Iscariot guards. A loud conversation between the two parties began, as three guards stepped on board the ship. Their boots making a loud clanking sound on the wooden deck, contrasting well with the splashing of the water. Hezekiah got a good look at one of the Iscariots, a panther. The large black cat looked twice his size, at least. Fangs hung from its mouth like knives. Its green eyes swept around the boat. A few words came from its maw, and it stepped inside the covered part of the vessel. A gas lamp was held in its big paws, and orange light killed the darkness of the interior. It looked around, lifting a few coverings here and there, to find crates full of goods. The cat, presumably male, said a few words to the elves who nervously laughed in response. The cat continued.

It reached closer to Hezekiah, and he receded closer in the darkness to avoid detection. His hand went to his pistol. Drawing it out of the holster, and quietly putting in a magazine. The orange glow of the candle seeped inside of Hezekiah's compartment, but the Puma didn't seem to notice anything awry. Hezekiah stiffened his breath, unable to hear anything now except for the cat's footsteps banging against the floor.

It passed. Hezekiah fought the urge to sigh in relief, fearing detection. It moved on to the back of the ship. Another round of tension came as Hezekiah worried that he'd find one of the other soldiers. He tried to figure out which one. Brian was most likely going to be found. If he was found, would they kill the poor kid? How would Brian react? Would he be too scared to do anything? Hezekiah worried for him as he was both unsure of where he was, and unsure of what the Puma was looking at now. It had already passed beyond his visuals. The cat could be looking at anything-- anyone-- right now.

But the footsteps continued. The cat let out a rather bored remark to the other soldiers, who said a few words in reply. The Puma walked off back into the open part at the front of the boat. Talking amongst the rest of the soldiers, four guards in total. Soon, they all stepped off of the boat and back onto shore. The iron gate was raised, and the elves continued rowing. Getting the boat back to speed.

Hezekiah only let himself breathe a sigh when Otaes came into the compartment and told them all the news, "Okay. We are in the clear." She said.

Hezekiah practically melted as he let his pent-up anxiety out through a slurred breath. He moved out of his hiding spot into the rest of the ship where he saw the rest of Unity getting out of some pretty impressive hiding places.

"Holy shit!" Flint said as he rose from a seemingly obvious spot, but amongst the junk of the boat his uniform and helmet blended right in, "Are we in good hands or what boys?"

"Nearly fucking shat myself, man. Are you sure we don't have to worry about them again?" Quinn asked.

"No, they only needed to check our ship for identification. I promise that we had no idea that there was a water gate here. If we had known…" Otaes didn't finish her sentence. Temetet meanwhile seemed to be deep in thought about something.

"Well, it doesn't matter now. The important part is that we've gotten through them. If they found us, we would've just had to kill them," Hezekiah sighed, "Luckily, we didn't have to resort to that."

"But it doesn't make any sense!" Temetet shouted out of nowhere. Everybody turned to face him to see what was bothering him so much.

"What's the matter? We got through those guys! We're alive!" Flint told him in an attempt at comfort.

"If the Guards were on patrol to man the water gate, why did they let us in?"

"What do you mean brother?" Asked Otaes.

"They are being attacked, they can't let trade goods in while the city is under siege. Either they didn't care or… they don't know that there's an invasion going on?"

"Impossible. The King must've surely alerted the city by now!"

"It doesn't make any sense if he had. Those guards should've at least attempted to turn us back! This is an active battleground! They know as well as we do that this whole city will be turned into rubble in a few short hours. If the Guards let us in…" Temetet trailed off.

"Nevermind that now, we've got a job to do. Temetet, Otaes, you are guys are still with us right?" Hezekiah asked.

The two elves nodded, "Of course, don't worry. We'll get you where you have to go."

"Good. We'll be on the lookout for anything out of the ordinary. We'll make sure this ends in as best an outcome as possible…"

The boat continued to row down the river. On either side of the river were sloping banks covered in thick foliage that prevented the soldiers from seeing what was on the city streets. The upper floors of homes and buildings rose above them, though they couldn't spot any activity. Soon, the boat came upon the first bridge set for detonation. A small stone arch bridge with a wooden deck. Sensing that everything was normal, Unity disembarked from the boat carrying the first of their explosive satchels. Hezekiah was a bit worried that there might be something wrong, but he was eager to get this job done as fast as possible so he could return to base. He was focused solely on the mission objective and the possible reward for completion, so much so that he barked at Unity to move as fast as possible when exiting the boat, a bit unnecessarily.

"A little wire, a little spark, and then BOOM! That'll get the job done alright," Said Quinn as he and Flint prepared the satchel. The rest of Unity stood guard around the shore of the bridge. The sloping banks still rising much higher than the Marines had liked. The Iscariot army could be watching them this very minute. But for now, they saw and heard nothing. It wasn't until Brian spoke up that they realized something was truly awry.

"Hey, guys. You hear that?" Brian asked in a hushed tone.

"What is it? What are you hearing?" Hezekiah asked a bit pressingly, though returning the whispery tone to Brian. If Brian thought that a threat was close enough to hear them, Hezekiah wasn't going to take any chances.

"It sounds like… people. I heard someone laughing," Brian said looking up the slopes into the streets above the river.

"Probably an Iscariot patrol," Otaes said.

Hezekiah sighed as he turned to Flint and Quinn, "Hold off the explosives for a while, stay on high alert!" The two soldiers dropped what they were doing and held their guns in a readied position, expecting the worst. An Iscariot garrison looking over the river bank right now could put a foil in their plans, and if a fight broke out, the entire Iscariot army would be out looking for them. While Unity had enough ammo to deal with a patrol or two, an entire army was something else.

They waited for about ten minutes, and Hezekiah indeed heard a pair of footsteps and friendly sounding talking coming from up the slopes. Still unable to see and identify who it was, he ordered Unity to get as low as possible to avoid being spotted. Eventually, the sounds passed away and disappeared out of sight and out of mind. Flint and Quinn resumed their work and within a few minutes, had finished.

"Alright, explosives are live! Let's get the hell outta here," Quinn said. With that, everybody embarked on the boat once more. Lafayette was given the detonator, and when the boat had gotten about 150 meters away, Lafayette would pull the trigger.

They waited a while, slowly being pulled downstream by the paddling of the boat's oars. Soon Hezekiah nudged Lafayette, who pressed on the detonator. A click from the detonator, followed by a 'BOOM!' from the explosives, and then the sound of tons of dirt and rocks falling to the ground confirmed that the bridge had been destroyed. The seven even saw a plume of smoke rise from the tops of the river banks, bracing themselves as a large wave came towards the ship as a result of the disturbance. But the boat rode over the wave with ease, though it threatened to knock everybody off of their feet. Everything was going according to plan, at least until the sound of panicked screaming came brought everyone to their senses.

"I hear people screaming now, Hezekiah?" Said Lafayette, turning to his squad leader.

Hezekiah nervously looked around the ship, he didn't have an answer that was concrete. So he relied on a fallback, "It's probably the Garrison-"

"Are you fucking sure?" Lafayette demanded, a look of both terror and anger growing on his face, and all of it directed at Hezekiah.

In an attempt to defuse the situation, Hezekiah had to explain where he was coming from, "It has to be! Who else would be here in the middle of a soon-to-be battleground?"

"What about those guys?"

Hezekiah turned to see where Flint was pointing. The river banks were becoming lower, and they could now see the streets of the city. On it were carriages, stalls full of fruits and goods, and most importantly…

People.

"Those guys do not look military to me!" Brian yelled out.

"I KNEW IT!" Temetet shouted, "I KNEW SOMETHING WAS WRONG HERE!"

"WHY DIDN'T YOU FUCKING TELL US THAT THERE WERE CIVILIANS HERE IF YOU KNEW?" Lafayette turned to Temetet.

"I didn't know specifically! I just knew something was amiss-"

Unity and the elves descending into a fierce argument with each other, and the boat stalled as nobody was pushing the ship along. Hezekiah just stood there, unable to react to what was going on right now. On the streets were Iscariots dressed in civilian clothes, running away from the blast site. Among them, all were children, who cried and yelled as panic overtook them all. Hezekiah couldn't believe it.

"What have I done," He looked down at his gloved hands with tears forming in his eyes. His weak legs failed him, and he collapsed backward, landing on his behind. He didn't know. He couldn't have. He should've called this off as soon as Brian heard some noise. But how could they have known? Hezekiah kept trying to use the shield of ignorance to protect himself against his own guilt, but every time it felt weaker and weaker of an excuse.

But then, Hezekiah felt something buzz. His radio.

[Zulu 9] "This is Zulu-Niner to Unity. I can see that your first objective has been destroyed. Your second is dead ahead. Is everything okay down there? Why have you stopped in the water? Over."

Hezekiah forgot that they had a UAV watching over them. If the UAV could see them, it could've seen the civilians. Why did nobody warn them? Jefferson had ordered an entire recon flight to cover the whole city! He should've known! But neither Jefferson nor Newman told them!

"I DON'T CARE ABOUT THE FUCKING MISSION ANYMORE! I DIDN'T SIGN UP TO PLAY DOMESTIC FUCKING TERRORIST!"

Hezekiah looked up to see everybody fighting, yelling at the top of their lungs in complete shock at what was going on. Hezekiah felt that same familiar voice speaking to him, telling him to regain control of the situation.

"Guys! Calm the fuck down! Shut up and listen!" Hezekiah yelled out. Everybody turned to look at him immediately. Now their anger was pointed at him, understandably so.

"You better have a fucking explanation for this shit, Hez," Flint told him.

"Yeah, a good one too," Quinn added.

Hezekiah nodded, "I know you are all pissed off. I am too. But you have to trust me when I say that I had no clue that there were civilians in the AO. This isn't your fault, and it isn't the fault of Temetet or Otaes," He said to the elves.

"So then who's fault is it then?" Asked Lafayette.

"Commands," Hezekiah answered. Everybody gave him a look begging for more explanation, "Hear me out. Jefferson sent a UAV flight to scout out the entire area just a few hours before we ran this op. If there were civilians in the area, he would've known."

Silence. He wasn't sure if the silence was one of understanding or one of anger, but he continued anyway, "While running the mission, Zulu Nine was assigned to us as our recon overflight. There is not a chance in hell, that he didn't see the civilians."

"So Jefferson didn't tell us…" Lafayette said.

"Exactly! He knew that if we knew about the non-combatants in the area, we would've never run this mission!"

"Son of a bitch," Lafayette said.

"What the fuck are we gonna do about it then?" Quinn asked, "Jefferson is the guy calling the shots! It's not like we can go back to Earth and report the motherfucker! He is the law around here!"

"I-I don't know, Q. I don't know."

"Well, we gotta do something! We can't just let this shit happen. If he did this once, he will do it again!" Flint argued.

Hezekiah tried to think but ultimately found no answer. Jefferson couldn't be stopped. There was no UN or ICC in this world. All of Jefferson's superiors probably wouldn't care, and even if they did, they were on Earth with no way to be contacted by grunts here on the frontlines. Hezekiah was sure that this entire operation was completely classified, so even if there was a chance, there would be no public knowledge of the event and Jefferson might just get a slap on the wrist.

"Absolutely nothing…" Hezekiah sunk to the floor again.

"Oh god, Hez! Listen, man, your my friend and all but you have to give us something! I can't live with the knowledge that I've just committed an act of terrorism! How am I supposed to sleep with that shit on my mind?" Quinn asked.

"I'll talk to Newman… and I'll get mad. Real mad," Hezekiah said, unsure if he really wanted to do that.

"What the hell is she gonna do?"

Hezekiah said nothing.

Another radio call.

[Foxtrot 6] "Unity, this is Captain Newman. Do you read, over?"

"Speak of the devil," Said Lafayette.

Flint answered the call.

[Flint] "Unity Five here. We read you."

[Foxtrot 6] "You are RTB. Head back immediately. Mission failure. We'll debrief when you return."

Just as quickly as she radioed in, the radio fell silent.

"Mission failed?" Flint said, "She knows what's up."

"Yeah, and she didn't tell us either!" Lafayette said, "I don't care if she was following Jefferson's orders, she should've let us know."

Hezekiah noticed that three people were awfully silent. Otaes, Temetet, and of course, Brian. Otaes and Temetet sat together, completely stunned or tired. Whichever one. Brian, he looked broken. Hezekiah sighed as he turned to the elves, "Can you get us back upstream?"

"No, the collapsed bridge will prevent passage that way. We have to sail down this river, and down the Albya," Otaes told him.

"What's our chances of getting spotted?"

Otaes told him straight up, "Definite. The original plan was to detonate the two bridges and then leave the boat to walk back to your truck. But if the entire place is still inhabited, our only option to escape is the Albya..."

And of course, this day just went from bad to worse. It seems that Unity attracted special negative karma to them, maybe they had been cursed with some sort of spell by one of the locals here?

"Damn it. Alright fine, just get us out of here. If anything goes wrong, we'll cover you with our guns... though," Hezekiah checked his body, "We don't have much ammo. Only enough to take on maybe a few patrols."

"We understand, just sit back and let us do the rowing," Temetet said.

The boat was back in motion again. A few minutes of complete silence passed before Unity passed under the next bridge, their second objective to destroy, "So... are we still stopping here or...?" Temetet asked breaking the silence.

"Fuck no," Flint said, despite not having the authority to decide, "If they want that bridge destroyed, they can do it themselves. I'm not doing that shit again."

Hezekiah didn't say anything to protest that. Newman said it herself, their mission was already considered a failure. Now their main objective was to get the hell out of there. They passed by the bridge, avoiding detection from anybody on the streets until another message came through, this time much direr.

[Zulu Nine] "This is Zulu-niner here, you've got hostile infantry moving towards your position. Lots of them. I think they are looking for you. You need to get out of there, ASAP. Over."

"Oh for fucks sake," Hezekiah pushed his head back until it hit the walls of the boat, "Not today... Flint, tell him that I understand, we're moving out of the AO."

[Flint] "Unity Five to Zulu-Niner, we copy. We are moving as quick as we can."

[Zulu nine] "Command has dispatched Zulu-Eight to provide close air support for you. It is an armed drone, you can request a bombardment when necessary. How copy?"

Flint stared at the radio dumbfounded. What the fuck?

Hezekiah gestured for Flint to give the radio to him. Hezekiah had grown an eerily calm look on his face, "Just give it to me, I'll sort it out," He told him with barely any emotion in his voice. Flint put the radio into Hezekiah's gloved hands.

He cleared his throat.

[Hezekiah] "This is Unity Actual to Zulu-Niner. We refuse Zulu-Eight's close air support. We request that Jefferson call it off. He can shove that fucking drone of his UP HIS FUCKING ASS!" Hezekiah directly yelled into the radio, "There are civilians in the area! Call it off! Unity out."

He handed the radio back to Flint, "Fuck those guys," Flint said.

No sound came back from the radio. Silence.

The boat continued to move. Coming close to the junction of the Albya. Ice was beginning to form closer to the shore, though it was easy to navigate around. With a push, the boat made the turn and went downstream. But behind them, they all spotted something awry. Warships, large ones too. Wooden decks with sails larger than buildings were floating upstream of the Albya River. The Iscariots had a river navy. But the large ships weren't the main concern. Coming towards them at a high speed were smaller river vessels, filled with maybe five or so Iscariots each. They all had sails blowing in the wind, going faster than the boat could paddle.

"Damnit, it's the Iscariot Navy!" Said Temetet.

"Can you outrun them?" Lafayette asked.

"Not a chance. But we can fight," Otaes said, pointing to a spear and a bow inside of the boat.

"Good. We'll need you. Just keep us afloat, we'll deal with these assholes. Unity!" Hezekiah changed his focus to his squad, all of whom were still recovering from the realization of what they had just done, but they snapped to attention when Hezekiah's voice reached them. Almost all of them. Brian was in a dark corner of the boat, face buried in his hands, doubled over so he was nothing more than a forest fatigue-colored mass. He looked like he was shaking or crying, probably both. Hezekiah didn't even bother, he'd only be wasting time. He had more pressing matters, "Our day isn't done yet! I understand you are all pissed off... some of you are even pissed off at me, but we need to fight. Now!"

"Don't worry, sir. I'm here with you," said Lafayette.

"Yeah, me too. Whatever you need doing, I'm your guy, " Quinn stated.

"I don't blame you for what happened, just get us out of here alive, alright?" Flint added.

Brian was silent.

Hezekiah smiled a bit wearily, at least he still had the support of his squad. He wasn't a complete failure yet, "Thank you. Alright, let's show these Imperial fucks what Unity is made of!"

The soldiers grabbed their weapons. Limited ammo prevented them from engaging until the Iscariots got closer. The rising and falling of the boat along the waves of the Albya river would throw off even the best aim from among them, and none of the soldiers in Unity were marksmen. Hezekiah trusted that the warrior elves were called 'warriors' for a reason. They should be able to hold their own in combat. With that knowledge in mind, Hezekiah ordered the men to hold their fire.

The Imperial sailboats were closing in. Eight of them in total. They sensed danger and sent out an entire hunting party to track them down. They must've figured out that they were behind the explosion. Hezekiah had to admit that he felt a bit bad for them, they had their shit blown up and were only trying to defend their homes. But, all was fair in love in war. And if it was between his life or theirs, Hezekiah wouldn't hesitate to defend himself. The rest of the party, save Brian, must've come to that same conclusion too.

They had their sights trained on the boats until they heard yelling coming from the shores. Now the boat that they were in sat in the middle of the Albya, which was massive in size, at least in comparison to most rivers around it. It was about 600 feet wide, and the boat had about 300 feet of pure water on either side of it. They were sure that the Iscariots could not mount an effective attack on the boat from the sure. But when Hezekiah spotted at least a platoons worth of Iscariot soldiers, armed with bows, gather on the closest riverbank, the idea that they were untouchable was beginning to stand on weak ground.

"Oh shit!" Hezekiah spat, "Archers!"

"They got our range?" Quinn asked.

"No not yet, but they will!"

"What's the plan, sir?" Flint asked.

Hezekiah started thinking. How was he gonna fight the boats trailing them and focus on the ground forces that were in the process of getting their range? He could almost feel the neurons in his brain fire as he thought at the speed of light. He searched around the boat for anything, his eyes landing on the second charge.

"You two still got the detonator for this?" Hezekiah asked Flint and Quinn.

"Yeah, why?"

"Just trust me on this, alright?" Hezekiah asked. Flint and Quinn looked at each other for confirmation, and they nodded when they found it.

"Alright sir, what's the deal?"

"When those sailboats get close enough, I want you to toss the last charge at them into the river," Hezekiah said pointing at the steadily approaching boats, "They are spaced close enough that we can maybe wipe out two or three, and keep the rest of the fleet away for a good while. Detonate the charge when I say. Understood?"

"You got it!"

"Aye, sir!"

"Good, Lafayette?"

"Yes?"

"I need you to keep an eye on those Iscariot's gathering on the shore! If they launch anything at us, you tell me!" Hezekiah told him. Lafayette nodded in confirmation.

Lastly, he turned to the two elves, "You two can fight, right?"

"We were born to fight, Hezekiah," Temetet said.

"The Imperial bastards don't call us warriors for nothing!" Otaes added.

"That's what I wanna hear," Hezekiah told them. With their plans in motion, a while passed. Lafayette spotted that a volley of arrows had been launched from the bows on the river bank, though they undershot and missed by around 100 meters. Far too close for comfort. The ships behind them were closing around that same distance, and good observation by Otaes revealed that they too were armed with bows.

With that in mind, Hezekiah gave the order, "Open fire on those ships!" He yelled out. Immediately, Unity sprung into action, shooting their rifles. The loud bangs of the guns frightened the two Raritans, but only momentarily. They quickly grabbed bows of their own and began letting arrows fly. Together, they seemed to be able to keep the ships away from closing the distance, though nobody was sure if they were actually killing any of their targets or not.

"INCOMING FIRE!" Lafayette yelled out. Hezekiah turned to face Lafayette's position and saw in the skies, hundreds of flaming arrows descending on their position. Ignited probably by some sort of liquid, they would not only burn the group and possibly even kill them if they were struck, but sink the vessel if even one of those flaming arrows hit somewhere important.

"EVERYBODY, TAKE COVER!"

They all hit the deck, hearing the whistling sound of arrows descend upon the ship. The Iscariots got their range perfectly, now to see if any of them actually hit their target. Hezekiah curled into a ball on the floor and closed his eyes expecting the worst, but nothing happened. He looked up only to see that one of the arrows had managed to pierce through the covered part of the boat, and had landed straight onto the deck hitting nobody. But the fire was definitely spreading, both in the covering and through the wooden deck.

"Shit! Lafayette! Put that fire out!"

"With what?"

"I-I don't know, use your helmet! Scoop up some water, there's tons of the stuff here!"

Lafayette aggressively rolled his eyes and clicked his teeth, as he took off his standard-issue helmet and began scooping river water with it. He hurriedly doused the flames with the water, doing a pretty good job for a makeshift firefighter. Hezekiah knew he needed more hands on deck, and his eyes landed on Brian, who was still frozen.

He took a few steps up to the soldier, and placed his hands on him, "Listen! Brian! Look at me! Look at me!" He shook the kid. Brian looked up at him. For the first time, Hezekiah was able to get a good look at Brian's face. He had obviously been crying, red eyes were visible through his foggy glasses. But Hezekiah couldn't care about that right now. He understood that the kid was only nineteen, far too young to be involved in any of this, but he needed him now, "Look, I know you are scared! I am too. But we need you on deck. Now! If you want to cry, you can do it while you help Lafayette put out the fire! Understood?"

Brian only nodded. He surprised Hezekiah by doing exactly what he asked with a speed that Hezekiah didn't expect from Brian. The kid detached his helmet and dipped it into the river water, pouring it onto the covering of the ship that was currently on fire. Dousing it out. When all the flames had been extinguished, he grabbed his rifle and watched the flank with Lafayette. Good kid.

With that settled, Hezekiah held his own rifle and returned fire against the soldiers on the shore, following him, Lafayette and Brian did the same. The bullets whizzed by, tracers on the fifth bullet highlighted their position. The constant fire should've kept them pinned down, at least until the squad had to reload. Hezekiah took a look behind them and noticed that despite the gunfire, the Iscariot boats were coming closer. Magical shields up and everything. Now 50 meters away. Hezekiah knew that as long as the shields were up, the Iscariots could not return fire. It worked both ways, preventing projectiles from coming in, and leaving. The same trick was used to close the distance back during the battle at Ithaca, and now it was being used here. He had no idea how well trained these guys were in hand-to-hand combat, but figuring that they didn't have access to good ranged weapons and carried swords and spears, the Marines were probably far out-classed in that aspect. But at the speed their dinky rowboat was moving, now barely being pushed along by the oars and only being dragged along by the current of the river, keeping distance would be next to impossible. And if Temetet and Otaes had to abandon rowing to fight, they'd just be moving slower.

And yet the bullets kept dinging off of the red ekron shields as if they were made out of paper. The shields back in Ithaca could be damaged and the spells broken if they came under sustained fire, but Unity had neither the ammunition nor the firepower to do so. Much less against five water-borne targets that were constantly bouncing up and down with the waves. And to make matters worse, whenever the Marines had to reload their rifles, the shields would come down and a new wave of flaming arrows would descend onto the ship. Thankfully, they were inaccurate as all hell, and most of them missed the ship by miles. Most of them. A few arrows landed potentially critical hits on the boat, but with Brian now putting his effort into firefighting as well, the flames were under control. Hezekiah thought it was remarkable how quickly Brian could just snap out of it and go straight into a robotic state of doing whatever it is that needed doing to survive. It must've been his fresh out of Bootcamp training. Or maybe it was something else with the kid?

Without a second to think about it, Hezekiah quickly took out his magazine and went to his vest to try and grab a fresh new one, landing on the pocket that he usually goes to first for a change. A slight panic overtook his mind when he realized that he had already gone through two magazines subconsciously. Three more left. Every bullet counted. He took a look at the sailboats which had just unleashed a new hail of arrows on them, as soon as their archers finished firing the shields went up. Hezekiah was noticing a pattern here.

The Iscariots would fire, shield up, and then reload. If the squad could time it right, they could inflict serious damage on the Iscariots before their shields go back up for the defensive, "Hold your fire! Hold your fire!"

Unity stopped shooting and looked at Hezekiah, "Don't waste your ammo. When their shields go down then you open fire, as soon as those shields go back up, hold it. Understand?"

"Yes sir!" Everyone called out. The Iscariots still had their shields up as they were in the process of reloading their bows. Any second now those shields would come down. And they did.

Instantly the squad unleashed hell on the boats trailing them, Hezekiah could spot multiple Iscariots getting hit by bullets and arrows coming at an impressive rate from the team. Hezekiah managed to wound at least one on a boat flanking their portside rear. He eyed Otaes nail an Iscariot in the face with an arrow, and his body fell into the water. Brutal.

The Iscariot shields went back up almost instantly, but their losses had been sustained. Their pattern had been revealed, and now Unity and the Raritans held an advantage. But the Iscariots were tenacious and seemed to still be on the cusp of closing the gap. This time, the shields did not come down. They wouldn't risk another major loss of life again.

"These motherfuckers got balls, I'll give 'em that much," Quinn yelled out as he kept his gun sights trained on a boat that was closing in around ten meters of his side of the boat.

"Status report. How are we looking?" Hezekiah asked the crew.

"I'm uninjured!" Temetet said after checking himself.

"I'm good!" Said Flint.

"Low ammo, I've only got one mag left," Quinn said.

"Same as Q, got next to nothing," Lafayette told him.

"I'm holding it down here," Otaes said, looking at the quiver hung around her waist. Hezekiah noticed that she only had about ten or so arrows left. Not great.

One of the boats collided with their own and Hezekiah was knocked to the floor from the impact. It discombobulated the whole of the team, who either fell or were stunned by the collision. Hezekiah looked up and saw Brian aiming his sidearm at his head, "SERGEANT! BEHIND YOU!"

Hezekiah ducked back down, and the sound of Brian's pistol going off kept him there. The bullet just missing his head, instead, going for an Iscariot soldier that had boarded the vessel and was about to slice Hezekiah's head clean off. The sword that the Iscariot carried fell right in front of his eyes, and Hezekiah quickly rolled away. He was able to more clearly see the situation. The Iscariot soldiers, dressed in metallic colored light armor and burgundy undergarments, had begun boarding. They were jumping off from their own boat, onto Unity's. Their shields were down, but they knew that Unity had been too disorganized to effectively stop them.

Feeling too weak at first to pick up his rifle, Hezekiah did as Brian and went for his pistol. He nailed another Iscariot in the thigh, and the large bear creature nearly fell trying to assess the pain. At first, Hezekiah thought he had gotten a crippling hit on the bear, but instead, it only seemed to enrage the creature. That is until a spear expertly handled from Otaes passed clean through its neck. Gore spewed down its chest and mouth until the spear was swiftly removed. The bear fell and its limp body stumbled back into the river. Two more Iscariots had boarded the ship, swords were drawn out.

"YOU HANDLE THE OTHER BOATS! I AND TEMETET WILL COVER YOU!" Otaes yelled out to the Marines. Hezekiah knew that he could drop the two hostiles if he could just land a few more hits. But before he could tell his brain what to do, the forces had already engaged in combat, with a third Iscariot jumping onto the ship. Surely he thought the two would be overpowered, but he was wrong. An arrow fired from Temetet's bow had wounded one of the Imperials in the knee, a wolfman, who fell down. As his face drew forward in the knee-jerk reaction, A blow to the face by the blunt end of Otaes' axe must've shattered some bones in its jaw and nose, and the wolfman was thrown back into his comrades, with his paws trying to cover the extreme pain.

Meanwhile, Hezekiah eyed Lafyatte trying to get him up. A hand was raised to him, which Hezekiah took. Another boat was on the verge of closing in and beginning to board, with the other three trying to keep distance to support. Hezekiah could do nothing but watch, as the shields of the boat were still up. He thanked Lafayette and turned back to Otaes and Temetet who now had the Iscariots scared to try and board their vessel. He had no idea what happened to one already on their boat, a silver fox who was holding his eye and whimpering in pain, lying on the ground curled into a balled mess. The last Iscariot on board, another Fox, had thrown a fist at Otaes, which she successfully caught. Performing a move Hezekiah learned in Bootcamp, she twisted his arm over her shoulder and threw him onto the floor. The last thing it managed to see was the sharp end of Temetet's axe coming down into its face. Hard.

To describe the scene in Hezekiah's mind the words, explosion and bloody, were the only ones that surfaced. Most certainly dead, or at the very least mortally wounded, the fox was out of mind. The two Warrior elves turned to the boat trailing them. The last few occupants were hesitant to board, for incredibly obvious reasons. The Warrior Elves did not mess around at all, no wonder they managed to maintain their independence against the Iscariots. And if he remembered correctly, the Raritans weren't even the fighting tribe. Who knew what the Ximac were capable of?

The last Imperials on the boat must've been mages because they had red Ekron stones embedded into their helmets. Just like Hezekiah remembered from the computer-message-machine thing he saw during the capture of 181. This was doubly confirmed when, with the wave of a hand, a crimson pulse of energy pushed Otaes and Temete backward, sending them flying back close to where Hezekiah was. Both of them hit the ground pretty hard and struggled to get back up. Feeling that they had the upper hand, the mages boarded the ship, shields up and all. Hezekiah desperately looked around for anything he could use to get rid of those guys. Any kink in the shield was not visible to him, he wouldn't even be able to land a painful shot to get them to drop it temporarily. But they did leave their backs turned against the Marines in order to face the Warrior Evles. Quinn slowly got up, gun in hand, and put hot lead into the side of one. Just as predicted, the pain from the impact caused the mage to drop the shield spell and allowed for a follow-up gunshot to put a bullet clean through his head.

Now the last Iscariot on the ship had to readjust his position, shields were still up, and in a position where nobody could harm him unless they were in the water somehow, "Quinn, remember the last charge?"

"Yeah! I've got it right here, sir!"

"Toss it at them, now!"

"Are you sure-"

"Just do it!"

Quinn didn't answer, instead picking up the satchel and with all of his strength, throwing the charge straight over the edge of the boat. Hezekiah waited a few seconds for the charges to hit the water and then sink under the ships passing through. When he felt that the perfect time came, he turned to Flint who held the detonator.

"BLOW THE CHARGES! NOW!"

A click followed from the detonator. At first, nothing happened, and Hezekiah was led to believe that his plan had failed once again. But a bulge appeared in the water, growing until it carried their pursuer and lifted them in a massive wave that rose at least six meters in height. What followed was an incredibly loud explosion that rocked their already damaged ship sending all of them flying. Hezekiah was thrown backward five feet and then slammed into the wooden floor. But even after the initial wave of the explosion died down, an even larger wave was approaching them. It capsized three of their pursuers and threw a lot of the crew staffing the other boats overboard. As for Unity's vessel, they fared no better.

Their boat rose in the tsunami-like wave and flipped over. Water crashed into the deck of the boat, and Hezekiah lost his footing, being dragged out into the icy cold waters of the Albya. His brain and eyes hurt as cold river water went up into his nose and his open eyes. He tried to gasp for air but failed, just barely able to stop himself from choking on it. If it wasn't obvious to him at first, it was now. He was trapped underwater...

"You have to give me the approval to go and rescue them!"

"No such thing will happen-"

"But those are my men!"

"And how do you plan on going about saving them? They are as good as dead already! Leave them!"

"They are Marines, sir. They know how to swim! We have them on the UAV! All I need is the approval to take a helicopter flight to go out and rescue them! That's all!"

"Do you know how much planning and logistics it takes to pull off a single rescue mission? This isn't something that I can do on a whim, much less with all of my helicopter squadrons booked around the clock. Are you trying to put me behind schedule?"

"What the hell is more important to you? Logistics or the life of the men that you sent out there? You might not care about... life. But I do! I'm getting them out of there!"

"..."

"I have to get them back! And I will. Because Marines watch each other's backs. Those soldiers will give their life for the mission. We could at least offer them some help."

"Fine. I'll assign one Venom Helicopter from our transport flight sortie. You'll have door gunners to provide CAS. You better bring those damn Marines back, if this mission fails-"

"If this mission fails, I'll die trying to save my troops."

"You're going in personally?"

"Yes, sir."

"You'd understand the irony of me telling you that you've got balls, right?"

"Sir..."

"Go ahead then. Bring our boys back home."

I'm so sorry

Nora heard the sound of voices coming up to her room. She let out an exasperated sigh as she carefully put Prince Julian away in his crib. The little white fox let out an adorable coo, as he was gently laid down. It would've been heartwarming for Queen Nora if she didn't already have a burden weighing her heart down. That burden sat in the headlines of the Imperial Newspaper. She decided to pick one up, being ever vigilant as to the affairs of the country, and she nearly regretted it.

Her ears twitched at the sound of jovial and hearty laughter coming from a group of people, and the familiar sound of a door opening. Footsteps approached in, four people. She turned to find Fredrick at the head of the pack, and three other aristocrats flanking him, "Well that was certainly an interesting conversation with all of you," said Frederick.

"Oh most certainly, your highness. You are of course invited to our banquet as always," said a warthog, whose crackling deep voice grunted at intervals throughout the sentence. His tusks protruded from the sides of his mouth like the mandibles of an insectoid, but the tusks on this pig were only for show.

"And do bring your son, Prince Julian. Fair wishes on his first birthday!" Said a deer with the voice expected of one of the rich elite, she wore an elaborate white dress with a headpiece that dazzled the eye. Her horns were small, barely noticeable in front of the white headpiece, but they still somehow managed to convey the feeling of wealth and snobbery that the rich such as herself and the warthog had.

The third was a blue jay, his blue feathers were covered in a stylish orange suit to fit his frail frame. He wore an orange peaked hat that originated from the Falklands but looked pretty good on him. It had blue embroiderings and secondary colors. The three of them were all very rich and very influential people. The jay was the largest merchant in the country, running a trade of spices, textiles, coal, and jewels from the Imperial Vassal states to the Imperial core. The hog was a military tycoon, producing the metals and equipment that went to the Imperial army. He owned many blacksmith shops throughout the region and employed many more. And lastly, the doe was the owner of the naval yards in charge of building Iscariot ships. Though the Royal family technically owned them through the right of that being their domain, she was the head manager of the yards and was essentially the sole person who ran the place.

All three of them together represented the upper crust of Iscariot society, the best of the best. All three disgusted Nora. Not because of their wealth, since it would be hypocritical as Nora was one of the richest in all the land. It was the way that they used it and abused it. That, and they disliked Nora themselves. They knew something Fredrick didn't. They knew that she didn't like their manipulation of Iscariot society for their own interest. Their practices of slavery were horrifying to Planinias who were trained from birth to accept all people for the greater good. Fredrick might not have been the smartest king, the most inspiring leader, or even the most fearsome (For he was pretty tame compared to other Jorgans before him) but what made him incredibly important, was that he wasn't Nora. If Nora came into power, who knows what would happen to the wealth of the richest. If Fredrick was out, Nora would be in. And that was all the Nobles needed to try and pamper him as best as possible.

"Fredrick?" Nora asked, walking up to the four animals. Fredrick turned around with a smile, holding out his hands.

"Nora, my darling!" said the Fox King in a jovial tone, he wrapped an arm around Nora's shoulder, which she brushed off. Fredrick seemed to have gotten the message that Nora was rather unhappy, as his smile turned into a frown of concern.

Nora turned her attention to the nobles, putting on a fake smile when addressing the people who were otherwise her adversaries, "Lord Galahad," The warthog, "Lady Agatha," the doe, "And Sir Windsor…" the jay, "It's a pleasure to have you here."

"Pleasure seeing you, my lady," Said Windsor, "I take it you and the boy are doing okay?"

"We are," Nora answered, turning to her husband, "Fredrick. I'd like to speak to you…" she glanced at the three animals, "Alone please."

Fredrick nodded with a sigh, "You heard the lady," He said dismissing them. They said farewell as they left to do their own things.

When the door closed, Fredrick turned to face Nora, "Now what the hell was that about?" He demanded.

"This," She walked over to a coffee table and held up the newspaper, "Explain to me what I'm upset about."

Fredrick took the paper from her paws, his ears dropped when he read the title.

"MINERVA UNDER SIEGE! ROYAL DECREE ORDERS CIVILIANS TO STAY AT HOME!"

"Now, Nora-"

"Don't 'Now Nora' me!" Nora snapped. She had it. She was angry now. Not disappointed, not upset, full-on angry, "You promised me that you'd do better!"

"Nora I-I've tried-"

"You aren't trying hard enough! First, we're at war with these damn Ithacans and now you're refusing to let the people run away?"

"I can explain-"

"Fredrick-"

"I CAN EXPLAIN, Nora," He yelled out trying to gain control of the situation.

Nora sighed, pinching the bridge of her muzzle. She fell back into a lavish chair that faced Fredrick, "We are at war. So I called a general assembly to discuss what our plans for the upcoming battle were. They are invading us so we have to do everything possible to slow them down! Even if it means sacrificing a few people! It's the oldest trick in the book-"

"So that's it then?" Nora asked, unsatisfied, her anger unabated, "The millions of people in Minerva are just… numbers to you? Is that all it is?"

"It was a necessary action, if we didn't, I guarantee you that the Ithacans would run through us!"

"I don't even care about the Ithacans now," Nora told him, "So far, they haven't proven to be half as brutal, as you are!"

"That's treasonous-"

"It's true!" Nora told him defiantly, "You told me that you didn't want to be like your father. You gave me a sob story about how you didn't want to see him in you or Julian, and that he was an evil man who sent your brother out to die. Now I know that the whole act was just a farce!"

Fredrick cried out, "Well what do you want me to do, Nora? Do you want me to be a strong leader who can rule the country? Or do you want me to be some moral and upstanding pushover who would never hurt anyone and let his own country get destroyed? I can't be both!"

"I want you to understand that you don't have to kill millions of people to solve your issues," Said Nora, "Fredrick, if you don't want to be like your dad, you have to change. Just saying words won't do that. There's always diplomacy, have you tried that?

"Diplomacy? With humans-"

"Fredrick you already know how I feel about this country's absolutely disgusting practices, I don't need you to remind me of them!"

"Diplomacy with the Ithacans was thrown out of the window as soon as the first soldier dropped dead!"

"It's never too late to try and end this! You know as well as I do that not every battle has to be fought with blood and swords!" She said, looking down at the floor now, "Sometimes they can be won with words."

Fredrick sighed, "Nora. What's been done has been done. I cannot reverse what has been done."

"Is that an admission of fault?"

"Don't pester me! What I'm saying is that I cannot stop whatever is going to happen in Minerva. I have ordered the best of our country out to protect the people there and end this war immediately. I promise you we won't fail!"

Nora was unimpressed still, "You can promise me a victory now?"

"I can! We'll win! We have to!"

The Queen buried her face into her paws, she had to find some way to convince Fredrick that this war wasn't worth it. That it would only end in disaster. She tried to find the appropriate place to begin, and when she had, she spoke, "Remember those weeks ago when we had the conversation about your family?"

Fredrick nodded.

"You told me that you felt like something bad was coming on the horizon. Like it is all going to end soon… just-- just know that this war could very well be it. You started this, now you have to end it."

"I will. One way or another…"

Later in the day, the news from Minerva had only grown more horrifying. The Ithacans had launched two separate and bloody attacks inside of the City. The defending Garrison managed to force a retreat from one of the attacks, able to kill a few of the Ithacans. But the other led to a water pursuit, that ended with the attackers still on the loose, and multiple Imperials dead. The Battle was drawing near and the Minervans had been left wholly unprepared. Even though Nora didn't want to admit it, the war had already broken out. And now it would take a monumental effort to stop it before too many had died in the crossfire.

She turned to Julian, still a baby blissfully unaware of the goings-on. Usually, his soft face would bring her spirits up whenever they came down, but today was not the case. Instead, it was fear. The road ahead looked insanely difficult. And ultimately, whose fault was that? Certainly not Julian's. She had to ask if it were her own. Sometimes Nora wished she had never been born at all, and she feared the day when Julian would start to wish for that too...

Nora was busy today. She stood in a meeting room inside of the Palace, awaiting an appointment. It was early in the noon. The golden sunlight of the Continental Heartland was high over the mountains that guarded northern Fargo. She kept herself occupied with a book, an old classic...

A knock came at the door.

"Come in!" Nora said as she put the book away. She straightened herself as the visitor was let in by a Royal Guard.

Professor Andrew Hyde, "My Queen," He said bowing his head and going on a knee.

"Professor Hyde, strange seeing you here," Nora said quizzically.

"Oh, is this an inappropriate time-"

"No! No, it's fine," Nora said standing up, "I just wasn't expecting you here. I thought you were busy arguing with Igraine over Reformist work."

Hyde smiled as he pushed up his spectacles, "Yes well- that's sort of what I wanted to talk to you about."

Nora sat back down, this time interested, "Go on," She said with a wave of her paw.

"Well, as you know, the Reformation is dedicated to the liberty of the oppressed peoples in this land. We wish to see all the pain, suffering, torture of the innocent come to an end. And to that extent, I came to ask the one who shares these values to support us."

Nora sunk in her chair. Political parties never garnered the support of Kings and Queens in the Empire. Usually, the Royalty was above such things as petty politics. That was the job for people like Professor Hyde or Igraine. And parties have always respected that, which makes it even stranger that Hyde would come to her now for support.

Sensing a trap, Nora's eyes narrowed, "Why?" she asked in a suspicious tone.

The weasel took his spectacles off, cleaning them with a towelette from his pocket. He sighed, "Well, the truth is simple. Your husband is working with a genocidal maniac-"

"Hyde! Watch your words!" Nora growled at him.

"I'm sorry, your majesty. But it is the truth. Igraine cannot be trusted to hold the amount of power that she does not only over the nobility but over our own King! The only person who can fight that... is you," Hyde said to her.

Nora slightly relaxed as she felt that he was telling the truth, and his words were somewhat flattering. Vaguely, "I'm sure you've already heard of the news from Minerva," Hyde asked her.

"I have."

"Then you will know what I mean when I say that Igraine has had an influence on Fredrick that... is not necessarily good. Never before has the Empire even thought to deliberately keep its own people ignorant of an invasion going on," Andrew spat, "And for what? A slight tactical advantage? I-I... words can't describe how horrific that city will look in the next few weeks or so. We need you now more than ever."

"I see your point," Nora admitted.

"Then you'll agree that something has to be done. The madness must end, there must be a return to basic dignity in the Throne."

Nora thought about the situation. She knew plenty of the Reformation, for they were nowhere close to being a secret organization. Aside from being one of the largest political movements in Iscariot history, they were also lovers of Falkish democratic values. That looked bad in the eyes of the aristocracy. Really bad. But she was already despised by them anyway. How much worse could her current situation get? Something had to be done about the way the Empire was being run, for it couldn't operate much longer under this system.

Nora's blue and white dress sparkled in the waning sunlight of the evening sky seeping in through the window. Her hands went to the top of her white head, where her signature black tiara sat. She took it off and held it in her hands.

Anyone who knew the symbolism of various colors could tell that she was descended from Highland nobility. She took the black tiara from off her head and held it in her paws, "This crown was forged with obsidian, and embedded with a single Ekron stone…" She said as she twirled the black lace crown around, "Do you know the significance behind it?"

Hyde shook his head in confusion, "Err… no."

The numerous jewels sparkled as she twirled it around, one being most attractive though, the singular Ekron crystal embedded at its crest. Red in appearance, contrasting with the smoky black of the structure.

"This crown was forged by a forefather of mine who lived before the Heartlands were unified. Back when our nation was still independent. It was forged as a symbol of our royalty and our unity. A strong family…" Nora smiled as she looked at the red Ekron jewel, "When our nation was invaded centuries ago, we had to retreat to the snowy Highlands. There we stood, defending our nation with everything we had against the bandits. And this crown was gathered from the obsidian fields around the mountains. Or so my father used to tell me..."

Her father was not a known liar. Three Hundred years ago, when the Empire was still a warzone of hundreds of small duchies, city-states, and provinces, the Planinia Kingdom was invaded by Bandits. They retreated North and expanded into a mountainous Kingdom where the family called home. Until now when Nora was Married off to Fredrick, uniting the continental heartlands and the highlands.

"Upon this green soil and with all the power vested in me, as Queen of the Empire, I approve of your actions," Nora said.

Minerva

Type: Major Population Center

Population: 1.2 Million (Demi-humans) 250,000 (Slaves)

Allegiance: The Iscariot Empire

Yuri's eyes widened as the convoy approached the city of Minerva. It was awfully quiet today. Freezing cold, though she was warm in her thick coat. A thin layer of snow had covered the ground, and more was still falling harder than ever, and it seemed it would only get worse. The Reformists talked amongst themselves of what was in store for them. A few reports from the ones up ahead gave rumors to what sounded like a huge explosion, but nobody knew what the cause could be. Perhaps the battle had already started and they would need to work extra hard to mitigate the damage and alleviate the population? Yuri heard the explosion too, though it sounded like a faint crack of thunder from the distance they were.

The procession of carriages passed through the gates, with the Iscariot guards not bothering to stop them. All they needed was a toll and they would be allowed entrance. But they were warned of an attack recently by the Ithacan forces, the Imperial guards advised using caution, which was all. Yuri and the Reformists knew that the Royal Throne had severely downplayed the scale of the attack to prevent people from fleeing the area. These Iscariot soldiers, many of whom were slaves themselves, would die here fighting for a throne that didn't care much for them. Yuri could tell that some of the gaurds were slaves, many were reptillians or humans. Some were Eastern Elves too. Battle Thralls that were taken against their will and forced to fight. It was a miserable existence being a slave, Yuri knew that firsthand from her work in the coal mines. But she couldn't imagine the type of torture that Battle Thralls went through, from regular beatings, being forced to kill their own kin. Many of the more resistant ones even went through brainwashing, and those that survived came out as changed beings. For the worst most definitely.

She pitied them, especially now that she was a freewoman. She shivered to think of how different her life could've been if she had been pressed into military servitude, the ultimate punishment for any disobedient miner. She managed to get a good look at one of the Imperial Battle Thralls, a human guard. His suit of armor looked nearly perfect on display. A curved helmet covered his head with the face shield lifted. Light silver-colored body armor covered his vitals and lined his legs and arms. Going off of the appearance of his clothes alone, he looked fine. It wasn't until one saw the look of severe exhaustion and malnutrition in his face that the reality became clear.

His eyes were sunk deep into his skull, cheeks looked hollow, and an absent expression existed on his face. He was a goner. Yuri equated him to one of the ghosts she heard of from legend. She pulled her eyes away, no use staring at him. Nothing could save him now.

Flanking that guard were others. Some thralls, but most of them were Iscariot citizens. The citizen-soldiers were of course, much healthier and they took the active lead in their squads. They all simply watched as the procession went through.

"There's a lot of soldiers out here..." Yuri said aloud.

"Minerva has been on high alert after an Ithacan attack, or so the guards say," Cathy said after embarking onto the carriage once again. Previously, she was talking to one of the Imperials. Presumably about the recent attack.

"Was anybody hurt?"

"That I don't know. They won't tell us," Cathy's ears dropped low behind her head, "Knowing how populated this city is, there has to be a few casualties..."

"You already know that I'll do all that I can to help-"

"That's fine, Yuri. But I don't need you on the frontlines with us, remember?" Cathy turned to look at her.

Yuri sighed, "Yes. I remember."

Cathy held her gaze upon Yuri, as if she was worried about something. Yuri probably wouldn't know, Cathy was very protective of her. But she never lied to her before, "You'll be with some very good friends of mine. They are based in the Minervan City Hall, the Governor happens to be a Reformist himself. You'll stay there and assist with their work."

She desperately wanted to be on the frontlines. A chance to see what the whole issue surrounding the Ithacans was, who this mysterious faction was, and how they managed to be so powerful that they were launching a full-on invasion against the mightiest empire on the planet. But she held her tongue. If Cathy and the other leaders were right, the number of casualties sustained in the coming days would be enough to quench her thirst for action.

The procession continued through the city until they reached the City Hall. Yuri's eyes widened as they approached the massive building. Located directly on the waterfront of an Albya tributary, the City Hall was a glistening structure. Yellow stones that nearly resembled gold made up the walls, and turquoise blue tiles painted the sloped roof. On either end was a large tower that spiraled into a tapering steeple. Large stained glass windows shielded the inside. The building itself was fairly large but even more impressive was its height. The tallest building in the city, it towered over five-hundred feet, and mightily stood over the city like a watchman ever vigilant. It rivaled even the Crystal Palace in its grandiose, though the scale was much smaller. A testament to the massive wealth of Fargo.

"That'll be it then," Cathy said to the carriage man, who slowed the lower creatures down to a halt. Cathy turned to Yuri, "Come, we have a job to do. Best not be late."

"Who exactly are we meeting with?" Yuri asked her.

"I'll be meeting with Governor Lombardy. You'll be with those two over there," Yuri followed her gaze to two people standing in front of the City Hall. One was a blue avian, black beak and talons, and a crown of feathers at the back of the head. Judging by the dress she wore, she was one of the more established of the gentry here in Minerva. It was pink, contrasting beautifully with her blue feathers. Everything surrounding her was bright and colorful. The dress looked warm enough to handle the cold, probably more a winter coat than an actual dress.

The other was her polar opposite, a human. He wore plain clothes, black and brown colors all over. Black boots that were hidden by brown slacks dropping down to his ankles. He wore a thick wool coat, black in color, that hung over his broad shoulders like curtains. A cap usually worn by working men in the Falklands donned his head, brown and peaked. A brown scarf covered his neck, and atop sat his mature face. Stubble and a purple bruise under his right eye made up the most noticeable parts of his facial features. He looked rough, a freeman but still a laborer nonetheless. Something about him seemed all too familiar to Yuri, but she couldn't tell where from. She brushed the thought aside as both she and Cathy stepped out of the carriage to introduce themselves.

Yuri's boots landed on the snowy ground with a crunch. She brushed her black hair out from in front of her eyes, sighing when the now-hard blowing only pushed it right back. The frosty air bit at her skin like a continuous slap, though she was used to the cold by now. They were in front of the City Hall in the Central Borough or Downtown section of the City. The buildings here were tall and luxurious. The Southern City Walls were visible from here, and Yuri could even spot the Minervan Garrison congregated on top of it. The avian lady smiled when she saw the two approach, "Cathy!" She exclaimed in a very refined and yet all-too excited tone, "You've finally arrived! What took you so long? I thought you had-"

"The snow slowed us down a little bit," Cathy interrupted with a sly grin, she turned to Yuri, "This is my assistant, Yuri. Yuri this is the Governor's daughter, Duchess Filo."

"Pleased to meet you," Yuri said with a bow.

"The pleasure is mine, Yuri. I've heard very good things about you from those letters Cathy has sent me," Filo told her with a smile.

They were talking about her without her knowledge? Yuri grew a questioning look, turning to Cathy for an explanation, "I do my best to make you look good." Filo whispered to her.

"Thanks... I guess?" She whispered back.

Cathy motioned to the human with a clearing of her throat, "This is the leader of the Reformation Party in Minerva. His name is Marcus."

Marcus said nothing, only leaning back against the stone walls and tipping off his hat for a brief time to reveal that he had surprisingly long black hair. Much like Yuri's, though shorter, "These two I trust can handle the work of the Reformation-"

"About that..." Filo interjected, "My Father is under a lot of pressure from the Royal Throne."

"How come?" Cathy asked.

"Well we believe that there were several attacks on the city recently. I heard everything, very frightening and worrisome. As such, the Governor's been doing a lot recently," Filo told her.

"Can I see him? Maybe he could take me to the scene that the attacks happened?"

"He can't, but I can," Filo sighed, "They are targeting the bridges. Luckily they didn't get all of the bridges, but two had been destroyed. One further to the East, and another just a few blocks from here. Both scenes were bloody, to say the least."

"How bad?" Cathy asked.

"I could show you a little of what happened," Marcus said. He had a very deep and gruff voice, not unexpected for a man of his looks and age. He pushed off of the wall with his boot, and slowly walked into the entrance of the City Hall. Opening the large doors revealed a cavernous room with hundreds of people inside. A loud buzz of talking and pained cries filled the air, and with it came the stench of sweat, blood, and garbage. When Yuri's eyes adjusted, she saw the tables line up in rows. Mostly women and children lay on top of them. Most of them were Demihuman, though many were Humans. Many were missing limbs or had burns, clothes were stained with blood, and red flesh was exposed to the air. The sight was revolting to Yuri, whose knees began to wobble a bit. But she steadied herself against a nearby pillar as she took in the scene.

"Oh my..." Cathy said, as she took a look upon the casualties as well, "All of this is from one attack?"

Marcus silently nodded. Cathy turned to him, "Well it's a good thing that I brought an army. Five hundred of us are ready to assist."

"That oughta be enough," Said Marcus.

"Filo, take me to the explosion furthest away, I'll bring a team to help with the wounded," Cathy said.

Filo nodded as she briskly walked out of the room. Before Cathy followed, she turned to Yuri, "Cathy, you're with Marcus. And you take good care of her, yeah?"

Marcus nodded, "You got it boss."

She turned back to Yuri, "Do as he says, and you'll be fine. Alright?"

"Right!" Yuri told her.

Cathy smiled for a brief moment before she turned around and left, leaving Yuri and Marcus alone, "Come on missie, we've got work to do," said Marcus as he began walking away.

Yuri followed him, passing off his sentence as him just being kind, but then growing a bit agitated at the fact that she heard someone refer to her as 'Missie' before. But just couldn't quite remember. That, and his familiar face was putting her off, "What did you call me?" She asked in as polite a way as possible.

Marcus didn't say anything. Yuri doubted that he even heard her, for she did have a pretty small voice. And in this loud room it was completely possible that he just couldn't pick it up. Speaking of loud, Yuri turned to face a human woman who was seated next to a pillar. She was in the process of screaming her lungs out. Yuri picked up her pace to walk closer to Marcus, "What happened to her?" She asked, loudly enough so that he could hear. The man took a glance at the woman in question and put his seemingly hopeless eyes back on the space in front of him.

"She lost her kid in one of the attacks."

"Did you ever find it?"

"Never did. Most likely died," He said in sorrow. Yuri could almost hear regret in his tone, as if he was sympathizing with her, "Lot's of parents around here can't find their kids."

Marcus seemed old enough to have had grandchildren by now. He looked around forty or fifty ish, very healthy-looking for an older man and especially so for a Human in the Empire.

"How many people were killed?"

He shrugged, "Probably somewhere between twenty and fifty. One hundred people are injured from both attacks. They hit us good," said Marcus.

"Who's they?" She asked.

He again shrugged, "Those Ithacans. Lot's of scary rumors about those guys, but I haven't seen enough of them to say for sure. All I know is that they caused this."

"It's probably about the coming battle ahead," Yuri told him.

"We were only told of that a few hours ago by a message from the Imperial nexus," The man seemed to suppress a scowl, "The King and his lackeys are so corrupt I tell you. We should've evacuated this city weeks ago, and only after the first attack do they let us know what's going on..."

"That's the royalty for you," Yuri said.

The man nodded in agreement, "Where are you from?" asked Marcus out of the blue.

Yuri paused for a moment, trying to figure out the best way to tell him that she wasn't really from anywhere. But he asked another question before she could answer, "Are you from the Falklands?"

"Uh, yeah."

"Were you a slave?"

What kind of question was that? Didn't he know that it was taboo to bring that kind of thing up? Even if he was human, it was awkward to lead into a discussion with that topic. She didn't answer it.

"It's ok. I was one too..." He said.

"I'm sorry, it's just that I was taken back a bit by the question," She attempted a laugh which only came out as a pathetic sounding whisper of a chuckle.

"No, it's my fault. One of the principles of the Reformation is fraternity. One struggle among all. I just thought you'd be willing to-"

"If you'd be so kind, I don't really want to talk about it. At least not now," She said.

Marcus nodded, "Understandable."

The two approached a door at the opposite end of the room. Upon opening it, they were transported into another large room staffed by people, though it was much smaller in comparison to the one they'd just left. Along the walls were rows and rows of wooden sticks with metal parts inside of them. Yuri thought that they looked familiar, "What are those things?" She asked.

Marcus picked one up, it had a piece of fabric that hung from the stick forming a useful sling. He held it over his shoulder that way, "Guns," He said. Yuri remembered talk of guns, able to shoot a metal ball at impossible speeds using only a bit of gunpowder, "We smuggled them in from the Falklands. All in preparation for today," He said.

"The Governor let you do this?"

"The Governor's a reformist. The local garrison won't bother with questions if you have a good sum of money, so getting them in was easy," He said, "Mainly we were keeping them just in case the Empire ever decided to start increasing its control around here. A revolution of sorts, if you will."

"How come you haven't stopped the slave trade around here?" Yuri asked him.

He shrugged, "Politics. The Governor could hide the smuggling of Falkish guns into the city, the rich people around here don't care about that. What they do care about, is their money. If he banned the trade, the Empire would retaliate. Which is why we were waiting for things to get bad enough to start a revolution, or better yet, an invasion."

Yuri had to process the information she was being given. The Reformists here had to wait until the situation became bad enough for them to take any action. But how long were they willing to wait for that opportunity? It may have never presented itself. Only now did it show, and only on the cusp of an invasion that nobody here knew was coming until the day before the first attack! Why were the Reformists here waiting so long to get action done, when they could've fought the Imperials and liberated the slaves themselves? Wasn't that the purpose of their base here?

"As much as I appreciate the opportunity that the Ithacans gave us to pursue our goals, I cannot look past the amount of damage," He said again.

Yuri wanted to make her grievances known, but her curiosity of who the Ithacans really were won out, "Who are they? The Ithacans that is?"

"We don't really know. They are human, but they have no perceivable allegiance to the Falklands," he said, "I pressed Filo about it, and she said that the Imperials only discovered them around the Albya River Estuary on the coast. She says that a general named Wendover went to try and subjugate them, but failed. Does that name ring a bell to you?"

"I know who Sir Wendover is. My question is, how could they beat the Empire without the technology of the Falkish?"

"That's the thing," Marcus said, "They don't have Falkish technology. Theirs is better, more advanced if you will," He said picking up another rifle.

'More advanced than even the Commonwealth?' Yuri thought. Her mind failed to think of what that could entail. A fear came that she would know all too soon at a time and situation most inconvenient. She realized that even though she wouldn't be fighting on the frontlines, the attacks on the city proved that she'd still be at ground zero. And stuck inside of one of the most important buildings in the city, this wasn't exactly someplace safe, though it was probably safe than accompanying Cathy to do what she had to do. It might not have been the safest place in the world, but it would give her time to escape if things went south.

"The only issue is..." Marcus continued, "Crown has sent a huge wave of reinforcements over recently. While the Minervan Garrison doesn't care too much about the weapons, the Imperial Army does."

"So you do plan on fighting the Iscariots directly?"

"Self-Defense is the name of the game," He said, "We won't be launching any attacks. Only acting to defend ourselves and our brethren. As soon as the battle begins officially, the numerous slave estates in the city will be overtaken in a city-wide revolution," His mouth pulled to a smile, "The Iscariots will be overwhelmed. We'll arm the slaves with the Falkish guns, and then we'll proclaim ourselves an independent Republic. Democracy..."

"Democracy?"

"It's what the Reformation was built around. Even in the Imperial core of Fargo. While a revolution might not be feasible there... yet... Professor Hyde had it set out that the Empire ought to operate more in a manner of governing by the people rather than by a king."

"Kill the king for all I care," Yuri smiled in return, finally feeling the freedom to be able to talk dirty about royalty. A freedom she hadn't been granted for an incredibly long time, "As long as those Imperials get what's coming to them..."

The man turned pulled a gun off of the rack, "Have you ever fired a rifle before?"

Yuri twisted her head, "What's a rifle?"

"It's a type of gun the Falkish use. The barrel of the gun is built in such a way that when the bullet is fired, it spins. It allows greater accuracy and range," He handed it to her.

When Yuri took hold of the slim wooden contraption, she felt that it had some weight to it. Twisting it around in her hands, she observed the fine details. From the smooth trim of the wood, to the intricate carvings made into the metal parts of it, "When all hell breaks loose in a few short hours or so, I'm going to need people who can defend us from both the Imperials and the Ithacans if they turn out to be hostile. You'll do as a rifleman."

"You will show me how to use this, right?"

"Of course, of course. Though, you are missing something," Marcus said. He took a step back, eyeing her up and down, trying to visualize her. As if it struck him across his head, he turned to a box full of a thin blue cloth. He took one and held it up to her, pausing before he reached her head, "May I?" He asked.

Yuri sensing that it was some sort of headpiece, responded by bowing her head a little. Marcus proceeded forward, tying the fabric around her forehead and wrapping it around all the way to the back of her head. He pushed away her black hair as he made the knot at the back of her skull. When he finished, he took a few steps back and Yuri returned to her normal posture, "There you go. You're a Reformist. Now you look the part."

"Do all Reformists wear a blue headband?" She asked pointing to it.

"Only the fighters," he said picking one up himself and tying it over his own head, "And you... you definitely look like a fighter."

"I've been fighting my whole life."

"Then you were born for this," He said. He pushed open the door, letting in some cold air from the outside. It was nothing but a grassy field that extended into the river. Chunks of snow lie on the floor with some browned grass poking through. The skies were now grey and filled with falling snowflakes the size of raindrops. In the snow, a group of what appeared to be soldiers were firing their guns, "They are practicing," said Marcus, "Let me show you how its-"

"BOOOM!"

It sounded like an explosion. The Reformists who were training all immediately hit the deck, and so too did Yuri and Marcus. They looked around trying to locate the source of the noise, their eyes only landing on the city wall. Yuri's eyes widened in shock as she saw a fireball grow from the top of the wall. Smaller bursts of light resulted in similar sounds, though much quieter because of the range. She spied the soldiers on the wall using magical shields to defend themselves, the red glow of light permeating through the air. Ekron spells were being worked...

"Fuck!" Marcus cursed out, "The Invasion's already begun..."