***

--- Outskirts of Dalko, Great Plains Region ---

Date: August 24th, 2026

Vanguard-5 regrouped after removing their parachutes, landing in an open valley. Captain Bailey Robinson looked up and saw the cloud streaks from the three C-130s engines that had just transported them and a company from the 82nd. He felt that they were now trapped. Deep behind enemy lines with no way to escape if things go south.

Hearing whining, Bailey heard his Warrior-Bunny wife crying. With a smile he looked toward Delilah who was on the ground, thanking her god to be on the ground. “You could have waited back at base.”

“No…,” Delilah slowly replied as she held her arms. “I…, I cannot believe that you people do this. I mean, who jumps out of a perfectly good 'aeroplane'? If bunnies were meant to fly, we would have wings.”

“Then you need to drink Red Bull,” Specialist James Ward commented as he took off his parachute, causing many of the other Rangers to laugh.

“Or the ones who failed high school,” Sergeant Oliver Harris replied. “If you don’t understand gravity, you cannot fear it.”

Bailey walked over to his wife and kneeled. “This is why I wanted you to stay home.”

“No…,” Delilah said. “I know these lands. I just need a moment.”

“Take as long as you need,” Bailey said as he patted his wife on the back. He looked at the rest of his unit and saw them gathering their gear and securing the area.

“Finally,” James said. “I was starting to get worried that we wouldn’t get a drop in this war.”

“That would be a war crime in my opinion,” Private First-Class Daisy Wallace jokingly said.

“Not really,” Private First-Class Adam Hopkins said. “Biggest one in this war has been the fact that James here still gotten rejected.”

“Need to move on man,” Daisy said. “I keep telling you, she never going to take you.”

“You say that,” James said.

“Wait…,” Daisy stopped and stared at James. “Noriko said yes?”

"Why didn't you tell us on the plane?" Adam asked.

"Still processing something that had happened," James replied.

“Damn man,” Sergeant Oliver Harris said. “Congratulations. That took you long enough. What pick-up line did you use?”

“I visited to say goodbye,” James said. “Three Oprichnina showed up to kidnap her son and I fought them off before Krysist intervened. She then kissed me and we… became a thing.”

“That would do it,” Daisy said with a big smile. “Every girl wants to be rescued by a hero. I had a feeling she was playing hard to get.”

“Really?” James asked, confused.

“Knock it off everyone,” Staff Sergeant Trenton Hicks ordered. “We are deep behind enemy territory so keep your eyes sharp. You can gossip after the war.”

“Sir,” Adam said. “I have made radio contact with Vanguard-2. They have made contact with the 2nd platoon, 1st Brigade. Still no contact with the Command Team. There is too much interference in the air.”

The magical interference has been a new element throughout the war, something that military scientists and engineers still don’t fully understand. Being this close to the magical city of Darlko, Bailey is not surprised.

“Probably from that city,” Bailey said. “Good that we can still maintain local COMS. Have anyone made contact with the enemy yet?”

“As of now, no,” Hicks said. “Seems like we have a clean drop.”

Thrilled by the news, it seemed that the enemy was not prepared to counter their landing. Unlike the Alcatris Region, which has many forests and mountain terrain like in the Pacific Northwest, this region seems to be more like the Great Plains of the Midwest. Outside of a few small forests and hills, nothing but a sea of grass as far as someone can see so there was a fear that the enemy could easily spot and counter as the Airborne were regrouping.

He knew this peace would not last. If the enemy were smart, they would try to overrun their beachhead before they could amass enough troops to counterattack. However, if the reports are true about the enemy plans, then it might not matter. If Darlko opens their Gate, then no amount of troop level here would be enough to counter that.

After everyone got their gear together, Vanguard-5 left their drop zone and headed through the tall grassy meadows. Delilah took point as she agreed to be their scout. While not from this region of the Great Plains, her people once originated and preferred the open plains.

Two uneventful hours passed by, to Bailey's surprise. He wondered if the enemy even knew they were here or that they had gotten used to combat conductions in Alcatris. The one benefit was witnessing the multiple lonely mountains scattered in the distance. All of them remind him of Devil's Tower in Wyoming. Delilah explained that these types of mountains were scattered everywhere.

As the unit spoke, everyone froze as Delilah signed for everyone to stop. In the tall grass ahead, they heard a noise.

Hicks directed two Rangers to investigate while everyone else had their weapons ready. As the two Rangers approached, two neko's rolled from the grass. They fell flat onto the ground and saw everyone. Out of fear they quickly hugged each other as they stared at the Americans. It became clear that this was the first time they had ever seen any from Earth.

"Hold your fire," Hicks ordered. "They are just kids."

"Should we contain them?" James asked. "They might give up our position."

"No, let them be," Bailey said. "The enemy has to know we are here, and we are in no condition to drag them around."

Delilah told the neko’s to run, which they quickly listened.

Deciding to reach the rally point as quickly as possible, Vanguard-5 continued their march through the tall grass. On the way, they linked up with Captain Charlie Johnson's team, Vanguard-2 who also reported the lack of enemy contact.

After an hour of marching and having little contact with the wildlife, the group reached the rally point. A large open field where hundreds of Airborne and Rangers were gathering. While it was hard to see, in the distance Bailey already saw engineers starting to construct the makeshift airfield. Soldiers making sandbag bunkers and digging foxholes. No time was being wasted as everyone prepared for reinforcements from Alnus.

Seeing where the Rangers Command Post was located, close to the 1st Brigade Command Post. Bailey ordered the team to do an equipment check and prepare to be deployed while he went to meet up with Colonel John Yang.

"I am impressed how quickly you guys can establish a base," Delilah commented as gazed around. "It should be no time before the airfield will be built."

"We still have a few days," Bailey said. "But when you are single focus and with little red tape you can accomplish a surprising a lot quickly."

"Do you think we will win?" Delilah asked. "I know this is not how your kind likes to fight."

"Challenge breeds greatness as my superiors would say," Bailey said. "This might not be the fight we want but we will remind them why they should fear us."

"You are very overconfident," Delilah stated. "Are you not worried that this is a one-way trip if we fail?"

The truth for Bailey was that this being a suicide mission did not bother him. It was decided by the brass and the White House that if their mission failed to stop the Demon Gate then one of the bombers would drop a nuclear bomb on the city, regardless of there were friendly forces in the area as there would be no way to evacuate them.

“Of course, I prefer to live,” Bailey said. “However, I understand what is on the line. I just compartmentalize that fact and solely focus on the task at hand. Worrying about that will only cause that to happen.”

“That is crazy,” Delilah said. “All I can think about is our babies.”

Bailey laughed and hugged his wife. “Don’t worry, we will see them again.” He walked into the tent and saw Yang standing over a table along with his staff. Other Vanguard team leads are also there, being given their orders.

Overhearing the conversation, the other teams are being sent out to scout the area. Some of them will set up Observation Posts as an early warning system while others are being ordered to scout out the region.

“Welcome to the war Bailey,” Yang said.

“Was just enjoying the sights,” Bailey replied. “We ran into some neko children but nothing more.”

“A platoon from Alpha company ran into a village about five kilometers northeast,” Yang said. “They said there were not that many of them to fit a fully populated tribe.”

“Bastard cat-people,” Delilah said angrily. “I bet they moved into our lands.”

“I hate to say it,” Bailey said. “There are not really your lands anymore. It has been what, five, six years now? It was only a matter of time before someone else would move in. You cannot be angry with them for just wanting to find a place to call home.”

Delilah fist shook however took a deep breath. “I understand. I just feel like it is wrong, but you are right.”

“Now that you two are finished,” Yang said. “I want your team to move up the main assault path and see what the enemy is up to. I also want you to get a good view of the city as if Darlko is going to attack, this is the time.”

“On foot, the enemy won’t get far so we should have some breathing room,” Bailey said.

“I know but it is better than nothing,” Yang replied. “I want you to take your team to the ISV.”

Infantry Squad Vehicle is a small open utility vehicle designed to be dropped by aircraft or helicopters to help give Airborne infantry extra mobility. While great to get to where you need, the design has very little protection.

Regardless of the grunt’s opinion on the design, what impressed Bailey the most was how extra equipment like these even got here. Needing everybody as humanly possible in the first wave, airmen figured out how to transport these vehicles and other materials for the runway inside one of the B52s besides carrying bombs. While risky and thinking out of the box it saved precious time and manpower that would have been needed to build and protect the airfield.

“God, I hate those things,” Bailey commented. “Still, better than walking.”

“Don’t engage,” Yang said. “Figure out what we are going up against. I bet they saw our landing and must be planning a response.”

---

The captain was surprised by what he saw or lacked of. Just like the landing, his recon mission has run into little resistance. One enemy patrol linked up to an outpost, so Vanguard-2 was split from the mission to deal with them.

Vanguard-7 drove toward the magical city of Darlko. As the team approached, the green grass meadows slowly turned into a dark wasteland. Trees stand as usual however the leaves are dark rather than healthy green. The same effect with all the surroundings.

“Talk about a cliché,” James commented as the Rangers got out of their vehicles. “Demon invasion and everything dying around us.”

“They are not dying,” Dohate said. “They are changing. The plant life by the airfield was normal however this has changed.”

“What do you mean,” Daisy asked. “Everything looks dead to me.”

Delilah walked to a bush that was pure black. Taking a sniff, she turned toward everyone and said, “These plants are still alive. Dohate is correct, they are changing into something else but are still plants.”

“I know what this is,” Hicks said. “They are terraforming.”

“Terraforming?” Delilah asked.

“It means you change the land into something more desirable, depending on the species,” Bailey answered. “Remember when you asked about my nation's goal to go to Mars and how long-term, we will need to change it so we could breathe. Something like that.”

“That is freaky,” Daisy said. “But why? I thought they wanted to kill us all.”

“If they wanted to kill everyone then I doubt Darlko would do all of this just to get themselves killed,” Harris said. “Assuming the old book is true, they want to claim this world and everyone in it. As I think, God knows what is true anymore.”

“Stay focused, everyone,” Hicks said. “Don’t let the politics of the world get in the way of our mission. Team two, watch the rear.”

As the teams split to get into position, Bailey headed over to a large crater that had the best viewpoint of the city.

“Those bombers really did a number on the land,” James said. “Hopefully they wiped out the city and we can call it a good day?”

Between them and the creator, they saw dozens more craters that led to the city. From the city, they can see smoke, some destroyed buildings, and parts of the city wall broken. All carpet bombing runs from the B52 and B1 bombers making long-range strikes from Alnus.

The Rangers set up their Observation Post over the city. They set up high-resolution balancers which are connected to a laptop feed.

The city was built into two of those Devil’s Towers mountains, providing natural protection. It looked like stone and the design looked like something the ancient dwarves would create. Delilah said there were stories that dwarves once settled there and ruled over these lands; however, the Dark Races overran it long ago. However, over the city structure were vines, torches, skeletons, and all the signs of a dark mage city.

“Damn, look at that,” Bailey mumbled. “What do you think?”

“Look at that over there,” Delilah said. “I think they are going to open their Gate outside the city.”

“Make sense,” Bailey said. “The amount of devastation at Philadelphia when Alnus Gate opened was massive.”

“It almost feels like they are daring us to attack,” Delilah commented. “They must be pooling their mana to create a strong enough barrier to protect the Gate. Long enough until they summon it.”

Looking at the scope feed. Eight beams surround a recently built tower that is at the center. Five tall stone towers overlap the temple, acting as some kind of protection. A slimy, black organic layer just like what was consuming the nearby grass and plants spread across the tower protections. Like a creep that was swallowing the temple whole to protect it.

“Now we know where the Gate will appear,” Bailey said. “Seems like our bombs cannot penetrate that protective barrier. Must be additional protection we cannot see.”

“I do not like this,” Delilah said. “Where is their army?”

“True,” Hicks said. “I expected them to assault the airfield.”

“Hold on, I see enemy movement,” Harris said.

Bailey was surprised by who said that Harris was looking west from their location. From the general direction, the enemy is around the main path for the planned assault. “Are they attacking?”

“No,” Harris replied. “They are doing something though.”

Zooming in on his binoculars, Bailey saw a large formation of people. To his fear, mages, and lots of them. With the amount of them, they could easily overrun the airfield. However, they were not gathering for an attack but digging. Mages lift dirt from the ground as others install fortification within the hills.

“They are digging in,” Bailey said. “They have to know where we have to attack from and set up a string of defenses. Quickly it seems.”

“But why?” James asked. “Why not just attack? They have the numbers and enough mages to cause a lot of damage.”

“Probably because they do not have a standing army,” Hicks pointed out. “Think about it. When was the last time you saw an army of mages by themselves? They are always integrated with a larger force, never independent.”

“That is true,” Delilah said. “Mages rarely go alone as they do not have the endurance or flexibility of normal soldiers. As your kind says it, they are assisting enhancers.”

“Close enough,” Bailey said. “At least the airfield is safe for now.”

“Sir,” Adam said. “Colonel Yang ordered us to pull back. A Wasp UAV detected Imperial forces south from the airfield and are inbound.”

“That lasted what, three seconds?” Bailey said.

“Why Imperialists?” Daisy asked. “I thought we won that war? Shouldn’t they be on our side.”

“Don’t forget, the news probably hasn't reached this far yet,” Bailey said. “Good chance they have no idea that the war is over and are just defending their territory. We better hurry.”

Reference:

------------------------------------------------