November 28, 1640

Veirakal Forest, Malmund Grasslands, Mu

The afternoon sun began to set over the horizon, its golden rays illuminating the tired victors. Wisps of smoke still drifted over the battlefield – remnants of the chaotic destruction that ensued mere hours ago. It casted dark shadows over the tired faces of the Muans and their EDI allies below, contrasting against the serene iridescent sky above created by the setting sun.

Jonas took a swig of water from his canteen, breathing a sigh of relief as he stared up into the sky. He and his comrades had emerged victorious against the Gra Valkans, allowing him to triumph over his initial fears. With their determined spirit and the firepower of American technology, they managed to accomplish what seemed impossible just months before: send the Valkies into a demoralizing retreat.

He and his friends were relieved from their work, as reinforcements from the rear pushed up to help clear the battlefield and search for survivors. They regrouped and began to head back, a sense of relief and elation spreading throughout them. Though their faces were rough and smeared with dirt and sweat, their eyes sparkled with joy and triumph – telling a different story altogether.

Haggard from the constant fighting, they eagerly accepted this reprieve and walked back toward camp. When they arrived, they immediately sought food from the mess tent. Finally ready to relax, they found themselves sitting around a campfire together, enjoying their hard-earned meals. Initially, they ate in silence, their bodies too tired to even celebrate.

Only after they regained their energy did they begin to react to the fact that they had indeed won. Mylan was the first to speak after a long silence, grinning as he declared, “Bloody hell, we did it! We sent those Valkies runnin’ with their tails between their legs!”

Jonas chuckled, wiping the grime from his forehead with the back of his head. He knew better than everyone else here just what the Gra Valkans were capable of. He feared more than everyone else here what the Gra Valkans could do. It still felt like a dream to him, especially considering the unthinkable weapons and tactics they used. “Damn right,” he said, “The Valkies’ve got nothing on us now.”

Theo chimed in, his Otaheit accent adding a unique rhythm to his speech, “Aye, lads, we showed ‘em just what we’re fucking made of! I’ve never seen anything like it – golems, bloody tree creatures, and all that magic working alongside future tech! We’ve most definitely got ‘em on their heels now.”

The group expressed their thanks to the Agarthan and Centrallite mages alongside their American benefactors creatively, discussing what feats they witnessed on the battlefield. Jonas listened as a lucky man from their unit excitedly told them about wielding one of the American launchers, which was then followed up by Theo’s tale of an Agarthan mage narrowly saving him from a hail of bullets using a quickly-cast Earth Wall. As they made rounds discussing their experiences, they eventually turned their attention to Jonas.

“What about you, mate? See anything interesting?” Mylan inquired.

Jonas had refrained from participating in the conversation because of the lingering feelings of vengeful satisfaction, but he decided to indulge. Maybe it was peer pressure, or maybe it was a desire to know if his comrades felt the same way. Either way, he subtly hinted at his feelings, “Yeah, the new rifles we got – I’ve never seen anything like ‘em. Think I took down at least twenty Valkies. It felt good for a change, having the upper hand.”

“It’s looking like this war’ll be over before we know it,” Theo said.

“What’re you gonna do when the war’s over?” Mylan asked, directing the question to everyone.

Theo answered first, eyes taking a distant look as he pondered the future, “Reckon I’ll head back to Otaheit, finish my degree. Maybe start a family too, if I find the right lass.”

“Yeah, sounds lovely, mate,” Mylan nodded. “I’m gonna try to get some work with the Yanks, heard they live in paradise over there. What about you, Jonas?”

Jonas paused for a moment, considering the question. He hadn’t dared to think of life beyond the battlefield for quite some time. “Honestly, I’d love to go back to my family’s farm in the countryside. You know, tend to the crops, raise the animals, a simple life.”

The men continued to share their dreams and aspirations, the firelight casting a warm glow on their faces. For a moment, they were no longer soldiers in the midst of a brutal war, but friends envisioning a better future. As the night wore on, the conversation shifted to lighter topics, like humorous anecdotes and memories from their lives before the war. Laughter filled the air, drowning out the distant echoes of the day’s violence.

Jonas felt a sense of camaraderie he hadn’t experienced since the early days of his military service. It reminded him of the friends he first made when he was sent to the front lines. His eyes narrowed slightly in determination. He knew the horrors of war were far from over, and that more battles lay ahead. But for the first time in what seemed like an eternity, he was convinced that they had a chance of making it out of this meat grinder alive. He was convinced that they actually had a chance of winning.

Jonas glanced around at his friends, their faces lit by the dying embers of the fire, and felt a warmth within him that went beyond the physical. These men had become his brothers-in-arms, and together, they had faced down an enemy that had seemed insurmountable.The shared bond of their victory was a testament to their resilience and determination. However, as his eyes lingered on the empty spaces around them, the cost of their victory weighed heavily on his mind.

Not everyone had made it through the recent battle. There were certainly others like him, who lost their friends. Jonas couldn’t help but remember those who had fallen – particularly the bright young men who had to buy time for American supplies to arrive; the men who sacrificed everything in order to prevent the blasted Valkies from gaining more ground before they could mount a proper defense and fight back. The faces of the fallen flickered through his thoughts, a sobering reminder of the price they had paid, and the cost of war to come.

As the fire dwindled to glowing coals, Jonas and his friends settled in for the night. Surrounded by the silence of the night, he gazed up at the sky, the stars twinkling like tiny beacons of hope in the vast expanse of darkness. The victory had breathed new life into their cause and stoked the fires of determination within their hearts. Having seen the combined capabilities of American firepower and magic, he knew that a new sunrise would soon grace the country of Mu, leading it out of the muddy trenches of war. Jonas closed his eyes, his thoughts filled with visions of a brighter future, as well as the faces of the friends they had lost, and drifted off into a fitful sleep.

—-

December 3, 1640

Veirakal Forest, Malmund Grasslands, Mu

Several days had passed since their victory against the Gra Valkans, mostly spent on rest, replenishing their energy and ammunition, and sorting through the Valkies who had surrendered. Jonas looked up from his plate of food, watching as a car drove a group of POWs inland for questioning. The few Valkies that did talk confirmed what they had already known thanks to American satellites: the captured town of Sylverton had been reinforced and the troops there were preparing to mount another offensive.

After he finished eating, he made his way onto a square in the middle of their base, where Captain Alistair had set up a projector. Images of Sylverton’s surroundings were displayed on a large piece of fabric, allowing the audience to get an understanding of their strategy. While people continued to stream in, Jonas found himself fascinated by the wonders of this technology.

His peers shared the same thoughts, with Theo remarking, “I’ve had the chance to see the Shinies’ broadcasts before, on a magic telly imported right from their motherland. Really cemented what they said about being the strongest bloody country in the world, ‘til the Yanks came along,” He snickered, “Now their tech’s rubbish in comparison. Bet the Shinies are feelin’ pretty jealous about that one, eh?”

Jonas chuckled. If there was anything that united them, it was their rivalry against the Mirishials. Before he could respond, a sharp, high pitched noise echoed throughout the camp as Captain Alistair tested his mic.

“Dragon Company!” His voice boomed through the speaker system.

Jonas and the rest of his comrades quickly dropped their conversations, gathering around as their eyes locked on Captain Alistair and the projector screen. Alistair began with a confident tone, “As we’ve learned from our recent victory, the combination of superior technology, magic, and resolve has proven to be a formidable force. We’re going to capitalize on that once again as we move to retake Sylverton.”

The captain pointed at the screen, showing a detailed satellite image of Sylverton and the surrounding area. Red circles were drawn around key enemy targets. “Our primary objective is to take control of key locations within the town, starting with the town hall, which they’re using as a base of operations. Wyvern Company will focus on capturing the airfield. To achieve this, we and Wyvern Company will be flanking through Veirakal Forest while the rest of the Second Battalion engages the enemy along the main road.”

“A lot of our anti-armor munitions will be diverted to our sister companies; they’ll be needing the launchers more than us, so we’ll have to make do with what we’ve got.” Alistair pulled up more images of the town and explained, “The Valkies have defensive perimeters set up all alongside the forest, at the edge of town, making it nearly impossible for us to breach inside without sustaining heavy casualties. Lucky for us, we managed to find two Valkie deuces unscathed. Bulldog Squad and Vanguard Squad will be infiltrating the Valkie base, each being accompanied by two mages.”

Jonas’ ears perked up as Alistair mentioned Bulldog Squad. He turned to look at his friends, who all shared the same look. Although they spoke no words, he could tell they were all experiencing a combination of surprise, excitement, and nervousness. Infiltrating a base disguised as the enemy was highly risky and something he’d only heard of in stories of wars long ago. A hundred questions ran through his mind: how will they be able to slip past undetected? What will they do once they get inside?

Prepared as ever, Alistair had the answers for Jonas’ unspoken concerns. “We snagged some papers from the Valkies we captured a few days ago. Agents from the Strategic Intelligence Bureau will be in the driver’s seats, so all you’ll have to do is stay quiet. The mages will maintain a false illusion of an empty truck. You’ll be directed to a logistical station near the town hall and wait to disembark. You need to wait a few minutes after they sound the alarm, until most of their forces have been sent to the main road.”

Alistair paused for a moment, letting the information sink in before continuing. “Once the Valkies have been successfully diverted, you’ll sabotage their perimeter defenses from the inside and open the gate for the rest of us.” He then switched to images taken by American drones, showing each observation post and searchlight. “Split yourselves into eight teams to capture these positions as stealthily as possible. Archmage Vindarin will now explain the details regarding illusion spellcasting,” Alistair said, handing off his microphone to a middle-aged elf wearing a camouflaged wizardly robe.

Vindarin began by clearing up any misconceptions about magic, “Let me be clear, what we’re about to attempt is not an invisibility spell; it is a modified illusion spell. We’ve tested it and it does work, but it is so far inefficient and drains mana extremely quickly. Once you’re behind enemy lines, my mages will not be able to support you further using magic. They are trained to use rifles, but may be afflicted with mana exhaustion, so you will also need to protect them as you secure your objectives.”

Captain Alistair took the mic once again and wrapped up the briefing, “Once we breach their perimeter, we’ll conduct a sweep of the area and converge on the town center. After we eliminate any lingering resistance, we’ll reinforce the other companies and join the battle along the main road, striking the Valkies from behind. We’ll wrap this up quickly, and from there, we’ll be able to provide support to neighboring towns and continue pushing back the Valkies.”

He stepped back from the projector and surveyed his audience. “Although we have the advantage of superior technology and magic, we cannot afford to be complacent. The Valkies are an adaptive bunch, and they will be prepared for our next move. However, we’ve proven we can stand against them and not only outgun, but outwit them. Now, we must show them that we won’t yield until every single last one of them has been booted off our continent! Dismissed!”

With that, the soldiers dispersed, talking amongst themselves about the upcoming operation. Having received one of the most important missions, Jonas couldn’t help but feel anxious; their entire operation rested on the success of their infiltration. The plan was solid, but he knew even the best plans could go wrong. He would just have to trust in his comrades and the American advisors who whipped up this crazy plan. Hopefully, they could add another overwhelming victory to their growing list.