War of Drekis, Rearmed - Chapter 3: Tides of Darkness

[Justin Law]

Chapter 3: Tides of Darkness

 

Segment 22: A Looming Crisis

“Why did you bring me here? This doesn’t look like the Central Government’s seat of power,” Telissa asked Tim as the young swordsman brought her to the headquarters of the SLJ after they’d dropped off the Seeker’s injured colleague at the First Khazan Hospital’s A&E unit – the duo currently in a wing of the Sentinels HQ known as the Hall of Immortals; it was where the images of Khazan’s greatest heroes and champions were immortalised in various media – photographs, paintings, statues or interactive holograms.

“You’re right, it’s not… but it’s not as if we’re authorised to just waltz into the presidential palace at the Lumenspire and request an audience with Mr. Pharis,” Tim replied sheepishly as Telissa walked down the length of the gallery and studied every exhibit with a keen eye, interacting with the display holograms and eagerly taking in every bit of information she could find.

“Then this has been a waste of time…” Telissa turned away from an interactive hologram of Dragoon T to glare at Timothy, “That’s it, I need to find someone more competent,” the blonde remarked bluntly as she turned around to walk away, but Tim’s hand shot out and grabbed her by the wrist, surprising Telissa.

“Wait, wait! Don’t fret, please!” The silver-haired youth pleaded, “While I can’t directly get you to the president, going to the Sentinels of Liberty and Justice is the next best thing we’ve got! As Khazan’s premier hero institution, they have plenty of pull with the government! Surely we’ll find someone with the connections to provide us with a channel to the president!” 

There was a tense moment filled with uneasy silence as Telissa stared at Tim with apprehension smouldering in her blue eyes, but as Tim slowly released his grip on Telissa’s wrist the blonde sighed, “Fine, I’ll trust you on this.” 

“Thanks! I will prove that your faith in me is not misplaced!” Tim exclaimed with renewed confidence as the two exited the Hall of Immortals to search a different wing of the Sentinels HQ. And then it struck the young swordsman that they haven’t even gone through a proper introduction amid the hectic chain of events. “And while we’re at it… Could you at least give me your name? Please?” Tim asked.

“After all that you’ve done for me and Robert, I suppose I owe you the courtesy of a proper introduction,” The blonde sighed, running a hand through her hair. “Call me Telissa Ravan, I’m one of the Seekers – a bounty hunter agency that primarily takes contracts from the Galactic Defence Force.”

“Right then, Telissa! Name’s Timothy Shinestar,” The young swordsman replied. “And uh… what brings you all the way here to Khazan? You mentioned the world being in danger, but surely you wouldn’t mind elaborating on that?”

“Great, just great,” Telissa grumbled under her breath. An answer that only leads to more questions wasn’t something she fancied entertaining, especially not with a critical mission at hand. 

“Let’s just say, this is all you need to know for now, get me to your leaders first and the rest will be revealed on a need-to-know basis,” Telissa retorted, holding up her right hand as a gesture that she will not entertain any more queries.

“Well, if you say so,” Tim remarked. The duo passed administrative offices, recreational sectors, meeting rooms and hallways, and eventually at an open atrium Tim finally managed to locate Raea, garbed in her Sentinels duty dress uniform and in the middle of a conversation with the famous Captain Khazan, who was also similarly attired. 

“Raea!” Tim shouted, waving at his girlfriend as he approached her at a quick pace with Telissa following close behind. “Please, I need to talk with you right now!”

“Tim?” Raea turned her head in the direction of Shinestar’s voice, her eyes wide with surprise at his unexpected arrival at her workplace, “What brings you to Sentinels HQ?” Raea asked, her surprise replaced by joy as she gave Tim her usual warm smile.

“Please excuse us for a moment, sir,” Tim bowed respectfully to Captain Khazan before taking hold of Raea and pulling her over to the side, “Raea… I have something important to tell you. At least, according to her she says it’s a matter of grave importance.”

“Wait Tim, what do you mean by ‘her’?” Raea queried, before she spotted Telissa standing right behind Tim, her brows knitting with apprehension as her smile quickly faded, “So what’s this important thing, that you’ve hooked up?” 

Tim held his hands up defensively as he shook his head, “No, no, please don’t get me wrong, Raea! This woman, Telissa – she’s not from this planet, says she works for the Seekers and that she has urgent business with our world leaders.”

A palpable tension hung in the air like fog in a graveyard as Raea looked at Tim, then at Telissa. Her mood shifted the moment she noticed the blonde’s injured arm and the dried blood caking her sleeve, “You’re not one to ever lie anyway, especially not to me. So, what’s this about speaking to our leaders?”

“It’s a long story…” Tim muttered as he scratched the back of his head. “I came to the SLJ headquarters hoping to find someone with the connections to arrange an audience with the president on Ms. Ravan’s behalf.”

Telissa pushed Tim to the side as she stepped forward to face Raea, “Enough with the idle banter already, grant me an audience with the Sentinels Council!” 

Captain Khazan raised a hand and stepped forward, looking to speak to Telissa; but Raea beat him at initiative and spoke up first.

“Easy there, Ms. Ravan,” Raea gestured smoothly with her hands, “Whatever your personal emergency is, there’s no reason to go directly to the SLJ Council. Here in Khazan we practice proper channels, so it’s advised that you start with a police report before escalating-” Before the redhead could finish, the blonde reached out and seized her by the lapels of her uniform jacket. 

“This is no personal matter! So stop fucking around!” Telissa screamed as she lifted Raea up by her lapels, the redhead’s heels elevating off the ground as all eyes in the atrium turned towards the two women. 

“Hey, Telissa! Please, calm down!” Tim grabbed Telissa’s shoulders and tried to pull the Seeker away from his girlfriend, but the blonde’s grip felt strong as a vice.

“Manners, please,” Captain Khazan said calmly but assertively as he got between the two women and gently separated the two – or what constituted ‘gentle’ to the powerful Sentinel. Telissa fought Captain Khazan’s grip with all her might, but Trent remained immovable as a mountain, “I don’t know what is this emergency you speak of, but I can see it’s far beyond a personal matter. But as urgent as your business may be, it is not an excuse to be physically or verbally abusive towards Sentinels staff.” 

“It’s something that concerns life or death for this entire planet,” Telissa huffed as she finally stopped resisting Captain Khazan. “What have you got to say about that?” 

Captain Khazan’s countenance became grim as he released his hold on Telissa, “Well, if you’re looking for the SLJ Council, you’ve got me, and Mrs. D’Larthi.”

“What? Just you two?” Telissa asked, shaking her head in disbelief.

“The Central Government has declared a state of emergency after a massive attack on Sevarian City in Xaelon this morning during pre-dawn hours,” Raea explained, “The rest of the council have been called to attend an emergency summit with the Central Government’s officials to discuss mobilising a joint Sentinels-Military task force.” 

“The military, you say? Are we at war then?” Tim gasped, before Captain Khazan rested a hand on his shoulder to reassure him.

“We don’t know the scale of the conflict yet, but two hours ago Operation Pavise has been greenlit,” Captain Khazan interjected, “The Khazan Armed Forces high command has authorised the deployment of three army regiments and a Khazan Rangers battalion to Xaelon, I’m sure the situation will be quickly taken care of.”

“Well, we should still bring up Telissa's business before Mrs. D’Larthi regardless,” Tim added.

Captain Khazan nodded, “You’re right. Let's not waste time and allow me to show you to Elwin, so follow me.” With that, the mighty Captain made his way to the SLJ Council Hall with Raea, Tim and Telissa following closely behind. 

 

Segment 23: Return to Araelis

Vincentzo’s private transport shuttle made a gentle, controlled descent as it reached the VIP landing pad on Vincentzo’s palace grounds, the flight repulsors sending a powerful draft of air that forced Woose to raise his hands over his face and sandbag himself to avoid getting swept off his feet. As the engines powered down, a red carpet was rolled out as the transport lowered its landing ramp.

A military band, dressed in elaborate parade uniforms began to play a rousing melody as Vincentzo disembarked from the shuttle, escorted by several bodyguards as an honour guard contingent flanking either side of the red carpet stood to attention to receive their monarch’s return to Araelgrad. The commander of the honour guard saluted the archmage, which was the cue for the soldiers to perform a rifle salute as Vincentzo strolled down the red carpet.

In his POWAAA!!!-Man persona, Woose stood out like a sore thumb in his pink gi amongst the stylish suits and elaborate military uniforms as he greeted Vincentzo at the doorstep of his palace, “Hey ‘Centzo, so how did things go in Khazan City?” He asked, cheerful as ever.

“Woose, you have no idea just what this world is coming to,” Maiinverno replied in a sanctimonious voice as Woose followed him into the palace, making their way down the lavish hallways towards his throne room. “I do not intend any offense towards Uberman, but it is my sincere belief that should I be nominated to head the Sentinels’ leadership council, Khazan would be a much safer place,” The palace guards flanking the double doors of his throne room saluted Vincentzo before opening the doors.

As Maiinverno approached his throne, he uttered a brief incantation followed by a snap of his fingers as a cocoon of brilliant white light enveloped him, switching his business suit out for his familiar court robes and royal mantle. The wizard gave his cape a flourish before sitting on his throne with theatrical flair. 

“Why do you say that?” Woose wondered, scratching his head.

“What’s with that look, Woose? Don’t tell me you’re doubting me?” Vincentzo glowered at Woose, resting his chin against the back of his right hand, with his right elbow planted on the armrest as he crossed his left leg over the right. “You of all people should know me well enough – had I been the one calling the shots within the Sentinels, I would use my leverage with the Central Government to mobilise every Sentinel, every military asset to comb every nook and cranny in Khazan for those darkspawn!”

“At least the Central Government has agreed to send some military assets to Araelis,” Maiinverno huffed as a secretary handed him the after-reports of the summit meeting between the SLJ and Central Government, as promised by Captain Khazan. “But not much, though – Xaelon gets top priority due to the full-scale attack on Sevarian City, but oh well… it’s better than nothing I guess.”

“So ‘Centzo, what comes next?” Woose asked, “Is Araelis going to have to defend herself?”

“Right on point, Woose!” Vincentzo replied, a twinkle in his eyes as he cracked a smile, “Who needs the Central Government, when there’s nobody better-suited to defending Araelis than her very own people? Especially with I, Vincentzo Maiinverno at the helm.”

“So how do you exactly plan on doing this?” Woose wondered.

“I’m going to raise Araelis’ very own defense force, that’s how!” Vincentzo proclaimed jubilantly as he practically leapt out of his throne, his cape swishing behind him. “Contact the chief strategist and gather the war council, Woose. Tell him that I’m instituting a nation-wide call to arms. We will offer incentives to every able-bodied man or woman who wishes to fight for their homeland, with extra bonuses to military veterans who wish to assist in the training of this army!” The archmage pointed at the ceiling of his throne room, decorated with rich murals depicting beautiful sceneries of Araelis and Eroneth.

He continued, “We’ll create a free army of Araelis, one that answers only to Araelis and her people rather than a faceless organisation like the Central Government of Khazan! It’s going to be a small army, for sure – but size matters not when they’ve got the ultimate force multiplier, me!” Vincentzo’s eyes sparked as he spun around, basking in his own glory as the throne room lit up with an empyrean golden glow that only he could see.

Woose watched Vincentzo’s theatrics in stunned silence, but eventually snapped out of his stupor as he nodded, “Right away, sire! I shall contact the chief strategist this instant,” He commented as he scurried out of Maiinverno’s throne room.

“Good, that’s what I want to hear!” Maiinverno said to himself as he sat back down on his throne, as several palace maids came out from behind a tapestry screen to attend to him; one massaged his shoulders and another poured him a glass of wine, while a third served him a platter of fine cheeses and exotic fruits, “When I prove that I’m a capable stewart and defender of Araelis, the people of this state-kingdom are going to look at me in a totally different light… I won’t be just a ruler, I’ll be their hero!” 

 

Segment 24: The Family that Stays Together, Slays Together

Veronica Daemon stood atop a rocky perch overlooking her legion as minion beasts and Discordant Scions exited the Endless Caves from a cave mouth in the western region of Zel’Mier where The Marauders have near complete control of all major population centres. The lack of any Khazanian military intelligence ops taking place in this area due to the Marauder occupation made this a perfect staging ground for Drekis’ legions, while The Marauders ignored their activities as long as the Drekis legions refrain from encroaching upon the Marauder-occupied cities and towns. 

A roar accompanied by loud wingbeats from overhead caught Veronica's attention. Looking up, the female Magister smiled as she caught sight of a winged dragon-like beast descending from the skies. It was Jon Avalon, riding on his trusty mount, Zegrin. 

Zegrin gave another roar as he touched down next to Veronica; the mighty winged reptilian measured at least thirty feet from snout to tail, and a wingspan of over fifty feet, with hardened scales like armour and razor-sharp talons and fangs. The dragon rested his belly against the ground as Avalon hopped off the saddle to meet Veronica.

“So… What is milord doing back here?” Veronica giggled as she leaned against Jon, wrapping her arms around his waist as Avalon rested his head against her shoulder and lovingly tousled her hair. She looked up at him with a smirk and a sly glimmer in her eyes, “I mean, last I remembered you were leading a joint strike in Xaelon with Deimos.”

“I just can’t set my mind at ease without paying my beloved a visit before she leads her legion to war,” Jon smiled, putting his arms around Veronica’s back and giving her one more nuzzle with his head before the two separated from the embrace. 

“Oh my, putting your wife ahead of the interests of our Archon? How naughty of you,” Veronica cooed in a sultry voice, narrowing her eyes before giving Jon a playful boop on the lips, “But that’s the Avalon I know and love,” She winked before gently sucking on the same index finger that she booped her husband with.

“It’s not like I’m leaving my legion unattended for long,” Avalon chuckled, “Korruptus and Kalia can fill in for me just fine in the meantime. Like what, you think I’d just leave Deimos to babysit my legion on his own?” There was a beat of silence, before both husband and wife burst out laughing.

“Now kids, don’t you think it’s time to say something to father?” Veronica Daemon glanced over her shoulder, where their two young daughters stood – Eliza and Vanessa Avalon. The two girls appeared like human teens, with Eliza bearing a stronger likeness to the mother with her long wisteria-coloured hair, while Vanessa bore a light blue bob cut, giving her a stronger likeness to the father. 

“Aww, look at you two!” Jon said happily as the two girls bounded up to their father and threw their arms around him. “You grow so fast,” The blue-haired Magister remarked as he patted the two girls on their heads.

“Uncle Relinqiest showed us what you and Uncle Deimos did in Sevarian City! Father’s so cool!” Eliza exclaimed as she and her sister separated from the group hug.

“Yeah!” Vanessa added, brimming with excitement.

Jon smiled at his daughters’ compliments, “The only reason things went as smoothly as they did back there was because we took the Khazanians by surprise. No doubt they will be ready for us. Xaelis will be the site of our first major showdown…” Avalon briefly glanced towards the distant horizon with a serious expression, “Expect things to get bloody from there on; real bloody.”

“Please be safe, father!” Eliza and Vanessa’s eyes misted with tears as they gave him another hug. 

“And you two had better stick close with mother while you’re in Thenesiea, she’ll show you the ropes on what it means to be one of Drekis’ generals,” Jon Avalon smiled as he escorted the two girls over to Veronica Daemon’s side, giggling as she placed her hands on each daughter’s shoulder. 

“No doubt the Thenesiean campaign is going to be not just a learning experience for our girls, but also something of a coming-of-age ritual,” Veronica remarked as Jon turned around to head towards the waiting Zegrin. 

“I’m sure you will make His Eminence proud,” Jon remarked as he climbed into the saddle, “I wish I could spend a bit more quality time together as a family, but duty calls – I must make haste if I am to rendezvous with Deimos before midnight. When both of our campaigns are successful, we will come back here to celebrate.” 

“I wish you success in your campaign,” Veronica smiled and waved as Zegrin took off with Avalon in the saddle, who smiled back and raised a hand in salute before flying off. 

“So macho!” Eliza and Vanessa fawned, before Veronica patted both girls on the shoulders to get their attention. 

“Come Eliza, come Vanessa,” Veronica said as she gestured for her daughters to follow her as she sauntered towards a waiting Terror Beast, a hollow section of its carapace opening up to reveal passenger compartments. “Your father has returned to his campaign; it is time that we begin ours. This will be your first real taste of large-scale battle, so keep your guard up and listen to my advice.”

“Yes, mother!” Eliza and Vanessa chirped excitedly as they skipped behind Veronica, mother and daughters boarding the giant biomechanoid, which began to chart a flight course towards Thenesiea while the minions and Discordants on the ground started their march, the ground shaking from the pounding of hundreds of thousands of feet. 

Segment 25: Operation Pavise

The citizens of Xaelon were treated to the sight of Khazan Armed Forces air wing crossing Xaelon’s airspace, charting a course towards the city of Xaelis. The massive Bahamut-class carrier airships flew in a delta formation, escorted two Valkyrie-class strike airships and their accompaniment of Peregrine fighters and Hymenoptera gunships.

On board this fleet’s flagship, the Bahamut christened the Heart of Fire, Uberman stood at the front observation window of the bridge, watching as the city of Xaelis loomed ever closer on the horizon. As the Heart of Fire passes over the outskirts of Xaelis, he could see Mobile Police taking formation, as Operation Pavise was already underway.

Due to the nature of this emergency, Sentinels were granted provisional command over military and law enforcement assets by the Central Government, which was the reason Uberman was present on board the flagship. Next to the cyborg was Colonel Louis Freebird, who went by the callsign “Scout” – a highly-decorated war hero and veteran Ranger, renowned for his expertise in stealth and tactics and keen knowledge of Khazan’s diverse terrains. 

Scout was a middle-aged man with short mahogany hair and hazel eyes, possessing a strong jawline and chiseled facial features and wiry, athletic physique of a man half his age, dressed in the signature camo cloak and combat uniform of a Khazan Ranger. 

“So, colonel, given your knowledge of the terrain, what do you foresee in the event of an enemy attack?” Uberman asked, casting a glance over to Scout. 

“If I were the enemy, I’d use the forest in the north of the Greater Xaelis Region as a staging point for an attack on the city proper,” Scout replied as he crossed his arms; his customised uniform lacked sleeves, revealing the toned muscles of his left arm and his cybernetic right arm – sporting a matte olive-green finish instead of the more popular chrome for ease of camouflage. 

The colonel turned away from the observation window to face the captain's holography terminal which was currently displaying a 3D strategic map of the locality, “However, aftermath investigations of the Sevarian City attack implied that the city was struck from the south, meaning the enemy will likely continue to advance northward towards Xaelis.”

Scout paused to pick up a half-finished cup of coffee from the table and took a sip before continuing, “If that were the case, then we have a tactical advantage, since if the enemy were to muster their forces to the south of Xaelis, we will definitely see them coming.”

“That’s good to hear, but how could you be certain that Xaelis is going to be the next city to come under attack?” The power armoured Sentinel wondered.

“Based on forecasts by the military high command and calculations by our most sophisticated artificial intelligences, we deduced that the enemy is likely to escalate their tactics,” Scout replied between sips of coffee, “As the old capital of Xaelon, Xaelis would represent the most logical step-up after Sevarian City.”

“Even as we speak, Ranger recon teams are being aerially inserted across the Greater Xaelis Region,” Scout continued as markers appeared on the strategic map one after another, each signalling a successfully inserted recon team. “If the enemy moves through the area, we’ll see them coming and ambush them before they can muster for an invasion.”

“Sir, we’ve received confirmation that all recon squads have been successfully inserted!” A bridge operator announced. 

“I’ll go through the details of our strategy when we arrive in Xaelis, I need to brief my Rangers in the meantime,” Scout remarked as he stepped away from Uberman to head to the bridge command centre, picking up a communications headset along the way. “Comms officer, put all recon team leaders on the global comms!” Scout ordered. 

“That should set the minds of the Xaelonians at ease,” Uberman nodded as Scout held a briefing with the leaders of the Ranger recon teams.

Half an hour later, the carriers touched down at a military base on the outskirts of Xaelis, where Uberman and Scout continued towards the inner city on ground transports. As their military convoy passed through the suburbs, they were greeted by crowds of citizens who gathered along the pavements and watched from the windows of their homes to cheer on the Sentinels and military. 

Despite lacking knowledge on the enemy or how they might attack, Uberman stood on the top of the Behemoth-class land cruiser transporting him and waved back, boldly assuring the crowd that the SLJ had everything taken care of. Despite the eroding public opinion towards the Sentinels in recent times, the SLJ’s historical track record made many citizens trust Uberman. 

However, as the convoy pulled to a stop at the walls of the inner city, it became clear that not all of Xaelis’ civilian population were content to simply hold out for a hero, as a large number of them ended up volunteering to take up arms to defend their homeland, organising themselves into militia groups that were willing to fight alongside the armed forces regulars. 

A multitude of armed civilians, dressed in a motley array of tactical gear and camouflage BDUs assembled at the gates of the inner city to greet Uberman and Scout. One man – a ginger-haired man in his mid-30’s dressed in woodland camouflage fatigues and a plate carrier vest and carrying rig and armed with a CMMG Mk47 Mutant assault rifle stepped forth to act as their spokesperson, “Uberman, let us free citizens of Xaelis fight by your side!” 

In response, the assembled throngs of fighting men and women cheered to show their willingness to fight, as some thrust their fists into the air, others waved their headgear, and some even fired blanks into the air. 

“Well, I…” Uberman found himself at a loss over how to reply to this unsolicited offer of assistance. He had nothing but utmost respect for these volunteers’ bravery, but it also weighed heavily upon him that if they were to accept their offer, he was allowing them to put themselves into harm’s way. But there was also no telling how they might respond to being declined. 

“Scout, what would you say about this?” Uberman turned to Scout as he got off from the Behemoth, looking to get a second opinion from the Colonel who appeared to be in deep thought.

“We know little about this enemy, so I say we could use all the help we can get,” Scout replied after some deliberation, “I know how to make some on-the-fly adjustments to our strategy to factor in civilian volunteers. And if it helps put your mind at ease, Uberman, it will keep them away from direct involvement on the front lines.”

Uberman turned to the assembled civilian militia and gave them a nod, to which the multitude responded with rapturous cheers and waves. 

“Alright, Colonel, you’re the expert on military strategy here, so let's hear what you have planned,” Uberman said after the crowds began to disperse and the two headed into a command post that had been set up to coordinate Operation Pavise.

“As I mentioned earlier, I had Ranger recon teams inserted by air across the Greater Xaelis Region,” Scout replied as he gestured to an array of large QLED monitor screens at the far end of the operations centre, with one displaying a map of the Greater Xaelis Region and markers indicating the recon teams’ positions. 

“Half of the army contingent will be supporting these recon teams, mostly platoons of mechanised infantry and armour as well as elements of the air cavalry,” More markers appeared on the map, showing the army units involved in supporting Ranger operations within the area. 

“The other half, mostly infantry and artillery, will be positioned around the walls of the inner city to serve as a static defense alongside the Mobile Police and civilian militia,” Scout continued, gesturing towards another monitor displaying the map of Xaelis’ city proper, “For the defense of the inner city, we will be relying on a network of anti-air guns and SAM batteries and heavy artillery, as well as infantry and militia positioned around the ancient fortifications and at strategic choke points on the streets.” 

“Outside of the city, within the Xaelis Metropolitan Area we will not be relying on static defenses but on defensive assaults,” Scout continued his explanation, “We will be relying primarily on high-mobility units such as motorised and mechanised infantry, self-propelled artillery and gunships who will be working in coordination with Ranger recon. When our recon teams report enemy movements, we will use airstrikes, mortar fire and drone strikes to harass them via ‘shoot and scoot’ tactics – the key is to draw them away from their attack staging ground and funnel them into designated kill zones where they will be intercepted and ambushed by Khazan Rangers and motorised infantry.”

“So what’s our current division strength?” Uberman asked. 

“All in all? Our combat soldiers plus Mobile Police number about nine thousand,” Scout replied, “In addition, we have about three thousand paramilitary volunteers.”

“These will be our primary weapon for defending Xaelis,” Scout said as another monitor displayed video feeds of massive artillery guns being assembled on the bastions of the ancient inner city wall, the parts being airlifted into place by helicopters before being assembled by combat engineers and labour droids, “K-280G artillery platform, codenamed ‘Gungnir’ – latest from KOMBG. Twin 280mm guns, capable of firing smart munitions with plasma payloads. Too big and heavy to move around, but who needs mobility when you have range? Any enemy that encroaches upon the outskirts of Xaelis are well within the effective range of these bad boys.”

“In addition, my recon teams have a surprise in store for the enemy,” Scout held up a spiderlike drone, roughly the size of a football, “Meet the Z-K15 smart mine, another fine product from KOMBG. These little devils blend seamlessly into virtually any terrain, and when they detect enemies, they will scuttle into their formation to detonate with lethal results; my recon teams have mined suspect enemy movement routes with these.”

“We lack reliable intel on the enemy, so I’m planning my strategy around a worst-case scenario,” Scout concluded as he oversaw the process of setting up defenses and finalising the defense strategy. All that was left at this point was to wait for the enemy to make their move. 

“Whoever is responsible for the attack on Sevarian City will be made to bear accountability for their crimes,” Uberman commented as he exited the command post. 

 

Segment 26: Enter Cortelloni

In an older, more run-down district of Xaelis, Michael Cortelloni sat at the bar counter of Nestor’s – a seedy pub that caters primarily to the blue-collar populace, swirling a shot glass of whiskey as he kept his eyes fixed on the television, the local press giving coverage of Operation Pavise as he was treated to footages of troops deploying and defenses being set up around the city. 

‘It’s gonna be another sleepless night for me, that’s for sure,’ The esper thought as he slammed down his drink and promptly signalled the bartender for another one. It felt as if some higher power – gods, The Powers That Be, or the Cosmic Precepts; he didn’t know which, nor did he care – was out to make his life miserable, and Michael didn’t like it one bit.

For much of his life, he’d served the syndicates of the Khazan Mafia as an enforcer, then did a short stint in The Marauders as a supervillain codenamed The Ragemaster, then as a gritty street vigilante. All of it had left scars on both his soul and body – betrayals, being used and tossed aside, he was sick of it all.

‘Thought I could just keep my head low here and get away from all this shit in Xaelon, but no…’ Cortelloni thought as he chugged down another shot of whiskey. “Shit just finds me, one way or another,” he muttered as the news showed footage of local heroes shaking hands with Uberman as they volunteered to assist the SLJ. If the local metahuman community were involving themselves in this capacity, Michael figured that one way or another it was only a matter of time before he got caught up in the storm whether he liked it or not.

‘Maybe I should just pack my bags and head to New Xaelis tonight,’ He thought, though he wondered how late it would be by the time he packed everything up, and between moving to New Xaelis and staying here Michael found himself caught between a rock and a hard place.

“Shouldn’t we pack up and leave Xaelis while we still can?” Michael’s ears picked up a conversation as he glanced at a nearby table, with four men who appeared to be anywhere between mid-30’s to early 50’s trading gossip over cheap beers, bearing the unofficial uniform of the working class – either jeans and plaid flannel shirts, or jumpsuits.

A large-framed man seated across the table – bald and bearded and dressed in a boiler suit – interjected, “I would if I could, I bet the government already has the city under lockdown by now.”

 ‘Of course the government would, the liars that they are,’ Michael snarked in his thoughts, ‘Bunch of snakes in suits. Claiming they want to keep us safe, yet keeping us penned up in the most dangerous place.’ If there was a silver lining, it was that Michael also knew not to believe every hearsay that reaches his ears, a lifetime in the mob taught him this much.

“We’re closing, sir. Any last orders?” The owner of the place asked, a portly, balding man in an apron, a crisp white shirt, black pants and a black bowtie who gave Michael a quizzical look as he wiped down the bar counter.

Looking around, Cortelloni realised he was the sole patron left at this point, the other men having left some time ago. “Don’t you still have at least an hour till closing time?” He asked as he gulped down his shot of tequila. 

“I’m winding down early,” The owner replied, untying and putting away his apron. “If I’m to die in the attack on Xaelis, at least let it be with my family by my side.”

“Well lucky you,” Michael remarked as he paid the bill and rose from the bar stool, “I live alone in a crummy rented apartment in Ned Hill, not exactly in a hurry to return there, brother.”

The owner said nothing but gave Michael a firm look. It was all the ex-hitman needed to know, that the declaration of an early closing wasn’t up for negotiation.

A moment later, Michael was outside the doors of Nestor’s, the security shutters drawing down as the neon sign went dark. Possibly for the last time, depending on how things develop. “Ah, bummer,” The retired hitman mused as he walked off, hands in his pockets, in search of another establishment he could drink at. 

 

Segment 27: Knowing Thy Enemy

“That explains all the recent going-ons in Khazan,” Elwin said in a sagacious tone after hearing what was presented to her by Telissa Ravan as the Sentinel veteran connected the dots, her role as a SLJ council member and double appointment as First Lady and Vice President of Khazan Prime clearly not for show – She’d earned every bit of it. And if there was anyone capable of understanding the gravity of the situation, it would be none other than Elwin. 

Telissa nodded, her expression grim, “Yes, I had a feeling Drekis had already made big moves during my ill-fated voyage here. The attack on Sevarian City, the demon army, they’re all his doing.”

“Mrs. D’Larthi,” Tim chimed in with all the due respect he could afford to the veteran Sentinel, “All we ask is that you relay this to your husband. I believe the President should definitely know about this.”

“Of course,” Elwin responded, smiling at the uptight bounty hunter. “Thank you for the intel, Ms. Ravan. I only wish that Uberman and the rest of the SLJ council were present to hear this.”

“I could set off to Xaelon right away,” Captain Khazan offered, “If I fly at full speed, I should make it before midnight.”

“Do what needs to be done,” Elwin replied to Captain Khazan. “Now, Telissa… Regarding this Drekis, is he the one that the GDF has classified as a Sigma-class threat?”

“Sigma-class?” Tim scratched his head, the terms all sounding foreign to him. 

As Telissa and Elwin conversed, Raea gently pulled Tim closer and whispered into his ear. “The GDF has a classification system for threats to galactic peace based on their level of severity, be they terrorist groups, dark cults, crime syndicates, monsters, etcetera. In ascending severity, they are Epsilon, Delta, Gamma, Beta, Alpha and Sigma. Sigma is reserved for top-priority threats that endanger multiple systems or even an entire galaxy.”

Raea continued to whisper, “As far as I know, there's been only one Sigma-class threat within the last 500 years, but we’ve never heard about it.”

Telissa butted into Tim and Raea’s conversation, having overheard the young couple, “Anything pertaining to Drekis is classified as beyond top secret by the GDF and Seekers.”

“You overheard us? You have good ears,” Raea gasped, not expecting to be eavesdropped on. 

Telissa continued, “As Khazan isn’t a member of the DSA, the GDF and Seekers have no obligation to share intel with your institutions. Either way, in the event of GDF-Drekis conflict they believed that Khazan would likely stay neutral, unless directly threatened, so there’s that.”

“So, that criminal’s name is Drekis?” Elwin mused, stroking her chin with the back of her hand. “I’ve heard some chilling stories about him, but never had I imagined he would be right here on Khazan.”

Telissa’s expression darkened, “He’s no simple criminal. We have no idea what he really is, but he’s been called anything from a Demon King to the supreme embodiment of malevolence, ruling over an empire that devastated over 20,000 civilised worlds…” The female Seeker’s voice trailed off. 

“...Including…” Her voice trembled. She felt it – the dryness in her mouth, the growing wetness in her eyes, “...My own.” The last two words left her lips with great effort, the mere mention of her doomed homeworld conjuring traumatic memories that she would rather stay buried.

“Sorry,” Telissa sniffed through mucus-filled nostrils, “Please excuse me for a bit.” The blonde distanced herself from the group and turned away, facing a drinking fountain. There, she wiped her eyes, using every bit of willpower and discipline to stop herself from breaking down and crying. 

After taking a while to compose herself, Telissa returned to the group. 

“I see,” Elwin remarked in a grave tone. “So, you have a personal stake in hunting down Drekis. If he’s indeed a Demon King or avatar of evil, then this calls for drastic actions.”

“Oh? Please tell me you have a plan,” Telissa replied, sounding more emotional than she wanted to.

“I do,” Elwin gave a long, hard look. “To minimise the casualties and property destruction that will come from a drawn-out conflict, I believe the best strategy is to go right to the root of the problem, and take out Drekis himself. No-one here knows him like you do, so do you have any possible leads on where in Khazan he might be hiding?”

“Absolutely,” Telissa’s response was resolute as she retrieved a tablet-like device and brought up the results of the RavenStorm’s scans on the display, dragging her fingers across the touchscreen to magnify and draw attention to the key details. “My ship ran multiple scans of your planet’s crust, but in this particular area I found a positive signal on the presence of umbricite, or Darkstone in layman’s terms. That is a sure sign of Drekis’ presence,” She said as she passed the tablet to Elwin.

The First Lady VP raised an eyebrow as her slender fingers danced nimbly over the touchscreen, “That is a pretty large area,” She noted how the umbricite signals came from an area covering at least three state-kingdoms. Mostly Zel’Mier and Xaelon, but also parts of Araelis and Cretalia as well. 

“It's most likely they’re underground, in the depths of the Endless Caves; their tunnels and chambers stretch virtually everywhere under Khazan,” Elwin copied the data onto her own phone, before passing the device back to Telissa. 

“I have further proof,” Captain Khazan added. “Amy Coleman and I encountered some of these minions of Drekis in the Endless Caves the other day, there were many of them and we hadn’t even gone down that deep.”

“That confirms it then; Drekis’ base is somewhere down there in the dark,” Telissa said. “He’s going to be a tough nut to crack though; his base is bound to be swarming with minions.”

“Oh I believe I have just the solution to that problem,” Elwin replied with a confident, helpful smile. “If Drekis is a Demon King or embodiment of evil, then I have every reason to call in an old friend to help; he’s just the kind of person you call in when you have to deal with dark gods, demon lords and other such cosmic threats.”

“Who?” Telissa wondered with a puzzled expression. She looked to Raea and Tim for answers, but the couple looked just as clueless as herself. 

“Just in time, Captain Khazan,” Elwin smiled as Captain Khazan stepped out of the locker room, having changed from his duty dress uniform to his SLJ battlesuit, his cape swishing majestically behind him. “I need to task you with a secondary objective.”

“Of course, Madam D’Larthi,” Captain Khazan folded his right arm over his chest as he bowed. “Name it, and I’ll give it my best and more.”

“Please pay Tanin a visit,” Elwin replied, “Tell him that I wish to speak to him privately, person to person. That is all. He will know where and when to meet me.” 

“Oh, and Captain Khazan? One more thing, please,” Elwin began, “Could you first make a stop at Tanin’s on your way to Xaelon? Let him know that I wish to speak with him in private… he'll know where to meet me, so don't sweat the details.”

“As you wish,” Captain Khazan bowed one more time before setting off. 

“F-for real!?” Tim exclaimed, wide-eyed at the revelation. 

“The legendary Dragoon T…” Raea added, “A… Friend… of Madam D'Larthi…” 

“Hold a sec, just who is this Tanin or Dragoon T guy?” Telissa interjected, confused by all the sudden fawning being displayed towards Tanin on mention of that man, “And why is he such a big deal?” 

“Tanin’s no man!” Tim replied, twitchy with excitement, “He’s a living legend who’s done it all – won the FPL Main Event, helped save Khazan on numerous occasions. They say he’s literally divinity in human form, an Archon of… something.”

“Archon of Light,” Raea chorused, filling in the blanks for Tim.

“Aye,” Elwin said, her eyes closed in introspection, “Him and I… We’ve got quite a history between us, but that’s another story for another time,” There was an unusual undercurrent of sentimentality in her voice, a mild flush on her cheeks, all rather out-of-character for a woman who’d built a reputation for herself as the ‘Iron Lady’ of Khazan Prime. 

“Ah yes!” Tim suddenly chimed in, “I remembered that tabloid article from over 20 years ago, about Sailor Archer, something about ‘The Archon Who Dat-’ Mmf!” Before he could finish, Raea moved in with the swiftness of a striking cobra, clamping her hand firmly over the young swordsman’s mouth.

“Not another word of it, Shinestar,” Raea’s voice was low and stern as she kept an iron claw grip on Tim’s jaw. It was the kind of voice she only used for admonishing Tim when he was about to seriously fuck up. 

“OK, Raea, I won’t! I won’t!” Tim replied in a garbled voice as he writhed and squirmed, swearing that his girlfriend was about to rip his jaw off. 

“Just what did I do wrong anyway?” Tim asked, rubbing his jaw, before Raea pinched his right ear and gave it a yank. “Ouch!” He yelped. 

“It’s a woman’s thing that you’ll never get, so let’s go!” Raea sighed in exasperation as she led Tim away by the ear. As Tim found himself dragged off, he stole one last look at Elwin, noticing that even though she was smiling serenely with her eyes closed, her right hand was balled up so tightly in a fist, that faint lines of blue from her veins could be seen under her fair skin. 

Telissa remembered her partner Robert, and then looked at Tim and Raea, there was so much the three had in common. “That’s why I simply gave up on trying to understand you humans,” She remarked as she followed Tim and Raea. 

 

Segment 28: First Strike

True to their reputation as the Khazan Armed Forces’ special ops group, as darkness falls over Xaelon, the Khazan Rangers navigated the wilds with catlike tread, the nano-weave of their signature camo-cloaks allowing them to blend almost seamlessly with the local terrain as they moved silently from one cover to another.

“Anything yet?” A voice crackled over the comms as a Ranger surveyed the opposite bank with a pair of binoculars, the still-smouldering remains of Sevarian City’s skyline visible on the distant horizon.

“Negative, Sarge. All’s quiet,” The Ranger replied, identified as Hudson by a tab affixed to the chest plate of his armour bearing a Private First Class insignia on his uniform sleeve.

“Too quiet, I’d add,” Another Ranger laughed, her voice recognisable as female even from behind her helmet’s visor and faceplate, her armour bearing an ID Vasquez and sporting a Corporal insignia.

“Don’t forget why we’re here, Rangers,” A third Ranger caught up to the pair, his armour’s ID tab bearing the name Apone and sporting a Master Sergeant insignia. “Base Camp’s Drone Squad Bravo reported they lost signal with one of their Ravens in this area. Patrol flight, and camera feed cut off all of a sudden; failed to even return basic instrument readings. We’re here to confirm whether the drone was shot down.”

“We’re considered to be in enemy territory, so be on your guard at all times,” The Sarge asserted as they spread out, searching the area for the alleged missing drone.

“Sarge! Hudson!” Vasquez’s voice came through over the comms. “I think I found the bird… What’s left of it anyway.”

Corporal Vasquez’s comrades pushed through the thickets to find her standing in the middle of a clearing, next to the wreckage of a KX-1B Raven drone – a medium-altitude, long-endurance unmanned aircraft designed for reconnaissance and light air strikes. The Rangers managed to locate the Raven’s serial number plate after a cursory check of its battered chassis, confirming that this was indeed the MIA drone.

“Electronics are fried,” Hudson remarked as the faint smell of burnt plastic wafted through the air upon prying open a hatch, exposing burnt-out PCBs that continued to emit intermittent sparks. “It wasn’t shot down; no signs of hull breach – its systems were fried in mid-flight.” 

“It’s gotta be some kind of EMP-based weapon,” The Sarge replied, his tone grim, “That’s some crazy range and precision though – KOMBG built these Ravens to fly at over 7,000 metres.”

“That settles it, we’re reporting back to Base Camp, we’ll need to get a recovery team on-” Apone’s sentence was interrupted as the nearby grass and tree branches suddenly began to sway violently under a freak squall of wind that came out of nowhere.

“The hell is this sudden weather shift?” Hudson wondered, placing his trigger within the trigger guard of his K-AD49 designated marksman rifle out of sheer reflex.

“Something’s amiss,” Vasquez added, releasing the safety on her own DMR as she and her comrades heard the sound of rocks rolling, followed by the rustling of leaves and snapping of twigs, as if someone or something was moving through the undergrowth.

“I heard something!” Hudson exclaimed, raising his DMR. “No, it’s over there!” The Private yelled as he spun from 12 to 3 o’clock and then to 10 o’clock, trying to pin down the source – or sources – of the sounds.

“Calm down, Private!” Apone snapped, placing a gloved hand on the barrel of Hudson’s DMR. “It’s just the wind.”

“No! No… I know what I heard! Something’s out there! Something…” Hudson stammered.

“Damn it, Hudson, what’s wrong with you?” The Sarge demanded.

“I don’t know… why… but I just can’t shake this feeling of agitation, it’s like… it’s like we’re being watched… I-I don’t know!” Hudson was barely making sense at this point, and it worried Apone. The Khazan Rangers were known to be some of Khazan’s most disciplined, hardened and highly-trained fighting men and women, and it was not typical to see one quake in his boots in such an irrational manner.

Without himself realising it, the Sarge was acting no differently as he became jumpy over every sudden noise, pointing his weapon in the direction of every rustle of the bushes as an unexplained feeling of dread and impending doom hung heavy over his shoulders.

Without warning, a flash of blue came from the other side of the Falcon river as an energy bolt struck the ground near the Ranger’s general vicinity, sending out a ripple of EMP from where it struck.

“Base Camp, this is Corporal Vasquez, we’re under attack! Requesting immediate backup!” Vasquez yelled into her helmet comms, but only static greeted her, “They jammed our comms!”

“Optics aren’t faring any better either!” The Sarge cursed as the AR display on his helmet visor showed glitches and “ERROR” words, as well as noticing the computerised smart scope of his DMR wasn’t functioning.

Another bolt of energy sliced through the dark and struck Vasquez in the chest, the powerful energy weapon burned right through her armour and body with equal, terrifying ease, leaving the Corporal with a smoking, fist-sized hole in her upper torso. 

“Ranger down!” Hudson shouted into his comms as Vasquez slumped lifelessly onto the ground, hoping against hope that his transmission would get through as he set the fire selector of his DMR to auto to begin firing in random directions at a foe he could not see.

Despite his wild shooting, a few of the rounds found a mark as a rippling silhouette appeared out of thin air, while drops of blood fell onto the grass below. The Private continued to fire on the outline, causing more bullet holes to appear on it. A monstrous humanoid in gnarly-looking armour became visible as it slumped onto the ground, dead. 

“Those bastards have active camouflage!?” Apone exclaimed.

“And what the hell are these things?” Hudson wondered as he noticed the weapon dropped by the creature. Outwardly it bore the shape of a rifle with an underbarrel launcher, but no firearm he’d seen looked quite like this one. It had a gnarled, almost organic look, a far cry from the usual angular or curvy designs he was used to. But more disturbingly was the fact that it didn’t appear to be constructed from metal, polymers and ceramics, but from crystal, bone, and what looked like chitin. 

“It doesn’t look like any gun I’ve seen, but if that’s what killed Vasquez then that’s some serious firepower,” Apone added. 

More rustling came from the surrounding vegetation, followed by more bolts of energy – identical to the one that struck Vasquez – slicing through the dark, exploding against the ground near the remaining Rangers’ feet. 

“Fuck! There are more of these things!” Hudson cursed as he and the Sarge fell back, diving behind the closest cover they could find in the form of a large fallen tree.

“Suppressing fire, now!” Apone yelled as he rose from cover to fire his DMR on full auto at the rippling outlines lurking amongst the trees and undergrowth, forcing them to spread out and seek cover, while Hudson moved further back until he reached a boulder.

“I got your back, Sarge!” Hudson yelled from behind his new cover spot as he laid down suppressing fire of his own to cover Apone’s retreat, performing a fighting retreat manoeuvre as they took turns to provide suppressive fire to cover each other’s retreat.

“Comms are still dead, but you have to get to base camp somehow to get backup!” Apone remarked as he removed a frag grenade from a pouch on his armour’s utility rig, pulled the pin and tossed it over the edge of his cover, sending it arcing into the undergrowth. 

“But that’s a lot of ground to cover!” Hudson shouted over the grenade’s explosion as he unleashed another burst of suppressive fire to cover the Sarge. “How are we supposed to shake off these fuckers?”

“No, not we… You,” Apone replied, his tone ringing with a finality that hit Hudson like an ice bath.

“No way, Sarge!” Hudson protested. “We can make it! You and I!” 

“Either you make it out, or we both die together!” Apone interjected as he reloaded his DMR. “Now get going, Private; that’s an order!”

“Understood,” Hudson replied grimly as he tossed his DMR and extra ammunition to the Sarge, before breaking into a full-tilt sprint. 

“Alright, you sons of bitches, COME ON!” Apone roared as he removed his helmet and tossed it aside, followed by ditching his camo-cloak, before snatching up both DMRs, one in each hand, steeling himself for a heroic last stand. 

“I’ll take on you and your whole family!” The Sarge yelled as he boldly stepped out of his cover, dual DMRs blazing as he hosed the area with gunfire while screaming at the top of his lungs like Rambo. Seconds later, Apone was dead before his body even hit the ground as over twenty energy bolts struck him at once from all angles, reducing him to charred cinders in an instant.

Hudson’s heart pounded within his chest like a jackhammer, his breath in ragged gasps as he sprinted through the woods, weaving between trees, crashing through undergrowth and vaulting over rocks and fallen logs as enemy fire whizzed past him.  

As he continued to sprint, he saw something small and fast approaching from the corner of his field of vision – seconds later, he was hit by a strange sensation of losing all feeling from neck down. The Private tried to move his arms, or his legs, but he felt nothing as he fell towards the ground.

It was only when he saw his own headless body stumbling forward that the realisation sank in that he hadn’t fallen down – someone, or something had decapitated him in a single stroke. Before everything went black, the last thing he saw was a velociraptor-like monster standing over him.

It was then that Deimos’ legion crossed the Falcon River, keeping their steps quiet to avoid giving away their position, not that the Magister minded – any skirmishes with Khazan Ranger recon teams here would be at worst a minor inconvenience.

“Brave, but futile,” Deimos remarked as he walked past Hudson’s remains. Regardless, he would prefer to avoid further skirmishes where possible so that his rendezvous with Avalon’s legion could take place on schedule. Overhead, storm clouds rolled in the skies as the first signs of rain came as a drizzle that quickly turned into a downpour. 

“What a great day for battle,” The Magister’s voice was cold and deadpan as he continued to lead his legion in the direction of Xaelis.

 

Segment 29: Telissa's Obsession

Timothy Shinestar could hardly get any sleep, thoughts about Drekis and his activities weighing heavily on his mind as he stared blankly at the ceiling of his bedroom, wondering just how long he’d been idling there yet his eyelids never grew heavy. With a sigh, the young man hauled himself out of bed and leaned against the window sill, gazing at the full moon that hung high in the night sky.

Still feeling restless, Tim began to pace around his room, glancing intermittently at his heirloom sword, currently resting inside its scabbard and placed on his desk, and then at the clock at his bedside table, the current time being just past 1.00 AM.

“How can a warrior who can’t even get a good night’s sleep become a hero?” He said to no-one in particular, “Perhaps some water might steady my nerves.”

Dressed in a simple baggy T-shirt and shorts, Tim left his bedroom to head to the kitchen to grab a drink of water. He found Telissa in the living room, sitting upright on the couch, just as sleepless as himself, glued to the television set. 

The silver-haired youth left the kitchen moments later not with one but two glasses of water. “Sleepless night too?” Tim asked as he politely offered the other glass of water to Telissa, sitting next to the blonde.

“A pretty normal thing for me for as long as I can remember,” Telissa replied gruffly as she held up an open palm to decline Timothy’s offer.

“Oh, okay…” Tim replied sheepishly as he set the other glass down on the coffee table, just to see if the female Seeker might change her mind later. “You could at least try to relax a bit… being so uptight all the time couldn’t be good for your blood pressure, you know?”

The blonde gave him a cold stare, her gaze never leaving the television as she continued to follow the news on all things related to Drekis; the attack on Sevarian City, Operation Pavis, watching every coverage on every news outlet, “Until I have that archfiend’s head mounted on a pike, relaxing is out of the question for me,” She remarked in a brusque tone.

“Then you could at least make yourself comfortable here rather than sitting out in this heat,” The swordsman said as he got up from the couch to head to the switch panel for the ceiling fan, noticing the sweat forming a glistening film around Telissa’s neck and forehead.

“Wait, what are you…” Shinestar’s voice trailed off as Telissa made herself comfortable, but not in the way he was expecting as she began shedding her uniform, first removing her black Seekers utility vest, followed by the long-sleeved shirt underneath – when the blonde was done, all she wore was a pair of black cargo shorts and a tight-fitting sleeveless undershirt that had turned see-through from sweat, making the outline of a black bra visible underneath. 

He almost aspirated his drink at the sight as he quickly averted his gaze from Telissa, flipping on the switch for the ceiling fan as it powered up with a soft hum. “What’s your history with him anyway? I know he deserves eternal damnation for all his crimes, but… your vendetta with him feels… personal,” Tim remarked as he tried to make his way to the couch while keeping his gaze off Telissa to the best of his ability.

“There’re plenty others in the galaxy who have a bone to pick with him,” Telissa replied in a weary voice, finally picking up the glass of water from the coffee table to take a drink, “I’m not so egotistical to think that I suffered more than anyone else. Want to know why it’s personal? It’s thanks to that bastard that my parents died, and that my species went from a population of over eleven billion to under four thousand.”

“That’s terrible! I… I’m so sorry to hear, but I think we’re kind of in a similar boat here,” Tim replied, fidgeting uneasily as he sat down next to Telissa, “Me? I don’t even know about my species. I was told I wasn’t human and that Khazan wasn’t my original home. All I knew was that my mom was already pregnant with me when she and dad came to Khazan, then dad died shortly before my birth… the only link I had to my family history would be my mom, but she too passed away before I could learn anything. All I know is that there was some dark secret neither of them were ready to share with me until the time was right… except that the time never came… I wonder if me and my parents were also survivors of a species that was wiped out by Drekis?”

There was a brief moment when Tim’s turquoise-coloured eyes met Telissa’s blue ones, and the swordsman thought he saw the look in the Seeker’s eyes soften ever so fleetingly. But as soon as Tim realised Telissa’s state of undress he quickly averted his gaze once more, muttering an apology.

“I wouldn’t dismiss that possibility; Drekis’ rap sheet is parsecs long,” Telissa replied, her tone carrying less of an edge than before, “Thank you for the hospitality, Shinestar… but you really needn’t worry about me. Try to get some sleep.”

“Alright then,” Tim remarked as he finished his water before gesturing to the kitchen and then the bathroom. “Just so you know, you’re free to use the shower and help yourself to more drinks in the fridge if you want. If you need a change of clothing, you can borrow some of Raea’s outfits from the other room. She comes here for a sleepover every now and then so she keeps several sets of clothes here.”

“Except for the red dress… nobody else touches it but her,” Tim continued, gesturing to the secondary bedroom adjacent to the master bedroom. “She’ll positively kill me if I let anyone else wear it.”

With that, Tim headed back to the master bedroom, the door closing softly as Telissa was left alone in the living room, unlit save for a night light and the glow of the TV screen as she continued to cycle through the news stations. “Drekis… I know you’re going to pull something off tonight in Xaelon,” Telissa said to herself, “Just what are you planning, you archfiend?”

 

Segment 30: A Grim Report

“Foxtrot outpost, what’s your status? Foxtrot outpost isn’t responding, sir!” An operator announced, turning to Scout who was standing next to Uberman as the situation in the Operation Pavise command centre grew increasingly grim over the last two hours. One by one, the operators reported losing contact with Ranger recon outposts across the Xaelis Metropolitan Area.

“Colonel, we’ve lost all signals from Charlie outpost!” Another operator announced.

“Sir, still no response from Golf outpost!” Yet another operator declared.

“Just what in The Powers is going on?” Scout wondered, clenching and unclenching his left fist as the operators’ grim reports continue pouring in – Ranger recon outposts not responding, and communications lost with the mechanised infantry and motorised infantry, all part of the vanguard that was supposed to serve as Xaelis’ first line of defence.

“Sir, we received an incoming transmission from First Sergeant Lutz!” An operator declared, adjusting her communications headset.

“That’s one of my Ranger recon units!” Scout replied, putting on a headset, “Patch him through, sergeant!”

Over the headset, the comms crackled to life as a monitor displayed a video feed of a Khazan Ranger, “First Sergeant Martin Lutz reporting, sir! My recon team has detected enemy movements near the Falcon River, at the Sevarian Valley!”

“Your deductions were correct, Scout,” Uberman remarked, glancing over at the Colonel, “The enemy is attacking from the South.”

“Sergeant, what is the enemy’s current location?” Scout queried.

“They’ve already crossed the Falcon River, Colonel – they’re halfway to Xaelis as we speak!” Came 1st Sergeant Lutz’s reply.

“How is this possible…” Scout muttered, “We also have recon teams positioned on the other side of the Falcon River, why didn’t they report on the enemy movements?”

There was an uneasy beat of silence, then the Ranger Sergeant continued, “Sir… my team found over fifty of our men killed in action, their base camp was ambushed. We found that their communications and electronics were disabled due to the enemy using EMP; in addition, we also found remains of our surveillance drones.”

“Looks like the enemy aren’t the mindless beasts we initially made them out to be,” Scout remarked, thoughtful and serious, “They were smart enough to shoot down our drones and ambush our recon teams, all without being spotted.” 

There was a certain unsettling irony in how one of the most elite outfits in the Khazan Armed Forces, and experts at stealth, somehow were beaten at their own game. Scout tapped on his headset, “This is Colonel Freebird, I’m announcing a change of plans – to all units reading me, fall back to Xaelis city outskirts to reinforce the second perimeter. I want the Gungnirs and all long-range artillery armed and ready!” 

“Acknowledged, sir! I will get my squad to pull back,” Martin replied, “1st Sergeant Martin Lutz, over and out,” And with that, the transmission cut out.

“Didn’t expect them to break through the first perimeter just like that,” Scout said as he removed the headset and headed to his desk to pick up his Ranger Repeater – a high-tech repeating crossbow made from advanced composite materials, making them more lightweight, robust and deadly than their Earth counterparts. 

“So, Uberman, you’re joining me on the frontline, I suppose?” Scout asked as he slung his Ranger Repeater behind his shoulder and prepared to head out of the command centre.

“That’s the reason I’m here,” Uberman replied; despite the lack of any facial features on his helmet’s faceplate, Scout swore that the cyborg smiled, as the glow of Uberman’s optics briefly went from yellow to pink behind the visor and then back to yellow again. 

 

Segment 31: The Siege of Xaelis, Part 1

From the top of the hilly ridge, Deimos was able to see the outlying suburbs of Xaelis, and further in the distant horizon, the skyline of the city proper. Already, the Magister could hear the blaring of distant sirens as searchlights swept the skies and the unmistakable flashing beacons of military aircraft.

“It is time,” Deimos remarked as his legion assembled behind him.

“Ah, there you are, Avalon,” Deimos said in a dry tone as a roar accompanied by the flapping of wings heralded the arrival of Jon Avalon, riding atop his mount Zegrin as his own legion caught up to him, the Deminites’ eyes giving off a signature red glow under the influence of the Hive Guards’ auras. “Just when I was starting to wonder how much longer I would have to babysit your legion for you.”

“For someone as deadpan as yourself, Deimos, you sure know how to crack a joke,” Jon smirked as Zegrin landed next to Deimos, “Besides… It’s not like me at all to ever skip a good fight.”

“You’re right,” Deimos added as he raised his right hand towards the stormy sky. With a crackle followed by a whoosh, a column of fire erupted from his palm before coalescing into a bastard sword with an ebony grip and bronze hilt, its blade formed from a single tongue of snarling hellfire.

“The enemy is anticipating our arrival, so let’s entertain them!” Deimos declared as he swung his sword a couple times before pointing its tip in the direction of Xaelis, “Legions of Drekis, unleash all your fury!” 

In response, the assembled legion behind Deimos roared, screeched and made a cacophony of unholy noises as they dashed past the Magister and descended the slopes of the ridge, charging headlong into battle.

Jon Avalon raised his clenched fists as spectral green flames gathered around them, his cape flapping as his power stirred up an unnatural breeze. Clapping his gauntlet-clad hands together, Jon spread out his arms as a green sphere of eldritch energy formed between his hands. With a shout, a wave of energy rippled over the ridge as the sphere solidified into a longsword with a blade consisting of a single beam of green eldritch energy, with a hilt made from an unknown black alloy with green fluorescent veins reminiscent of his battle armour. 

Pointing his energy sword towards the sky as lightning flashed through the clouds, Jon slowly lowered his weapon until it pointed in the direction of Xaelis as a clap of thunder followed. “Charge, Legions of Drekis! Destroy the enemy!”

 

Segment 32: Hello Darkness, My Old Friend

Michael Cortelloni watched from his apartment window as explosions lit up the distant horizon; the bedtown district that is Old Ned Hill was located at the outermost reaches of Xaelis’ city limits, practically granting the former hitman a front row seat to the carnage and chaos that was unfolding beyond the city limits.

Michael could hear the window panes rattling and feel faint vibrations running through the apartment building every time nearby heavy artillery fired, while rockets left blazing trails through the night sky as the battle taking place just beyond Xaelis’ outskirts continued to escalate. On the streets below, tanks, APCs and mechs shook the ground with their passage as they made their way to the front lines, while gunships flew over the buildings to unleash missile and rocket barrages.

Bright flashes appeared over the horizon – not the fiery explosions created by the military’s artillery and air strikes, but blue-white flashes of energy weapons being discharged – the Drekis legions unleashed counter-battery fire, sending powerful bolts of plasma that screamed through the air like wrathful spirits.

Most of them were aimed at the fortifications of the Inner City walls where the Gungnirs were located, others were directed at lighter artillery units positioned around at outer districts, but a few landed at civilian buildings and infrastructure. One such bolt hit another apartment complex a couple blocks away from where Cortelloni stayed, reducing an entire block to ashes and sending panicked civilians running and screaming.

In the sky, silhouetted against the full moon the former mob assassin saw what looked like winged demons, circling overhead while unleashing a hail of ball lightning on ground forces below, while mechs, IFVs and self-propelled anti-air guns returned fire with lasers, autocannons and missiles; and gunships and fighters engaged the pterosaur-like monsters in dogfights. 

“And here I was, hoping that they’d be destroyed outside the city,” Cortelloni remarked gruffly as he slid open a drawer on his bedside table. With these airborne creatures, the enemy still had a way to get past the defensive perimeter, and realised that it would only be a matter of time before the fighting reached his neighbourhood. 

“Looks like I am going to get involved whether I like it or not,” he mused. Inside the drawer was a break-top revolver – an inexpensive Webley Mk. IV clone of questionable workmanship, along with several boxes of 98 grain .32 S&W Long; ever his potent telekinetic abilities surfaced, Michael had little use for firearms, but he always carried one around out of habit. And as far as this one went, it was cheap and shoddy, but it gets the work done in a pinch. 

“Heh, I was right about tonight being a sleepless night,” Michael snickered as he gestured at the mini-fridge at the far end of his room. Using his telekinesis, the refrigerator door opened and a can of stout floated towards him as he sat on the edge of his bed loading the revolver’s ammunition. 

The can of stout continued to float in midair until Cortelloni grabbed hold of it; a brand of stout known as “Darkness” the can sported an all-black background with a pair of green feline eyes. The former hitman smirked, “Hello darkness, my old friend.”

With a pull of its ring, the can opened with a satisfying hiss, and Michael took a long swig of stout, savouring the bitter taste that carried an undertone of malt and caramel. It was the last bit of pleasure that he would treat himself to before all hell broke loose. 

 

Segment 33: The Siege of Xaelis, Part 2

The once-idyllic suburbs of Xaelis had turned into a slaughterhouse as Deminite Soldiers exchanged fire with Khazan Rangers, soldiers and Mobile Police. Hellfire blasts from the Deminites streaked across the battlefield, forcing the defenders to spread out and find cover, while those unfortunate enough to be caught in the rain of fire died in unspeakable agony as they succumbed to massive third-degree burns.

As soon as a lull in the enemy fire presented itself, the soldiers and cops rose from cover and returned fire with assault rifles, Ranger Repeaters and beam rifles, while armoured vehicles and mechs provided support fire with heavy machine guns, autocannons, autolasers and automatic grenade launchers. The demonic thralls of the Drekis Empire were mowed down in droves, but for every Deminite that was gunned down, two to three more trampled over their fallen kin to join the fray.

The soldiers and Khazan Rangers fought with ruthless efficiency, holding back the incoming tide of enemies thanks to the support fire provided by the Gungnirs and other artillery batteries positioned on top of and around the Inner City, as volleys of rockets and heavy shells with plasma payloads exploded in the middle of the enemy’s ranks. And for a moment it looked like the battle was tilting heavily in Xaelis’ favour. 

More flashes of blue-white light appeared over the horizon as the enemy unleashed another salvo of long-range bombardment, the plasma bolts exploding against the deflector shields being projected over the Inner City walls. 

From his position atop the fortifications, Scout personally coordinated the battle as he went through the squad leaders’ reports and formulated strategies, “Delta and Echo companies, get me eyes in the sky; I want to know where the enemy’s artillery is firing from! Ulysses, Viper and Whiskey companies; stand by the Gungnirs for counter-battery fire on my command!”

On the SLJ’s side, numerous Sentinels and freelance heroes – predominantly wizards, mystics and espers – combined their powers to create a dome-shaped barrier that covered the Southern face of Xaelis’ Inner City Wall, shielding the defenders from the worst of the plasma artillery strikes and the aerial assaults of the winged beasts known as Ptera-Deminites, allowing mechs and vehicles with anti-aircraft weapons to shoot down the demons with impunity.

Outside the walls, soldiers formed defensive phalanxes supported by IFVs, scout crafts and tripod-mounted guns, tearing through incoming waves of Deminites with bullets, explosives and beams in an unending fusillade. Slowly but surely, the Khazanian forces began to drive the demonic army back, as more and more beasts dropped dead on the ground.

Uberman himself fought directly at the front, throwing himself into waves of Deminites – his powerful punches and kicks and concussion blasts demolishing all opposition as enemy bones snapped and skulls were crushed with every blow. His skill in martial arts and advanced combat prediction algorithms allowed him to strike with great precision while deftly dodging and parrying enemy attacks.

Uberman tilted his head to avoid the claw swipe of a Deminite Soldier that was leaping at him, and countered by seizing the demonic thrall by its throat and delivering a thunderous chokeslam to it that made a crater in the tarmac below, before finishing it with a stomp to the face. At the rate the battle was going, the cyborg had initially hoped that it would be over in less than an hour, but as his optics zoomed in towards the distant ridge he saw another wave of monsters, much larger than the first, descending the slopes and heading towards the city outskirts.

“That’s not good, we’ve only been fighting their vanguard!” The powered armoured Sentinel remarked, realising that the first wave of enemies were merely sent ahead of the main force to test the Khazanians’ defenses, “Steel yourselves, the real battle starts now!”

Swelled by reinforcements, the Drekis legion attacked with redoubled fury, their thralls launching themselves headfirst into the line of fire without fear or hesitation. Fire blasts streaked across the battlefield like unholy spears, wiping out entire squads of soldiers in a matter of minutes. 

Uberman’s armour withstood the barrage of hellfire as he stood his ground and returned fire with his forearm blasters, killing Deminite Soldiers and Reptillions by the dozen, but the enemy pushed forward by the hundreds. Even with the sheer volume of firepower the Khazan Armed Forces and Mobile Police were throwing forth, the Drekis legion continued their inexorable advance, like a tide of darkness washing over all in its path.

It wasn’t long before the Khazanian defenders found themselves locked in brutal close quarters combat with the enemy, whereupon a new threat presented itself. Small, velociraptor-like beasts with arms ending in serrated blades instead of hands known as Reavers weaved in and out of the ranks of the Reptillions and Deminite Soldiers with breakneck speed and inhuman grace.

The diminutive and lightly-armoured minions, each no taller than a human child, were easily dispatched by gunfire, but their agility made them adept at using their larger and better-armoured brethren as meat shields, while closing the distance with frightening speed. 

As the first wave of Reavers reached the defenders’ lines, the results were horrific – despite their small size, the Reavers were capable of explosive bursts of strength that allowed them to leap great distances and easily overpower grown men in hand-to-hand combat; while their arm blades possessed monomolecular cutting edges that penetrated body armour with terrifying ease, hacking off limbs and slashing open throats.

The military line continued to falter as more and more powerful minions entered the fray. Serving as squad leaders were Drekis’ fanatical cultists and agents, the Discordant Scions – hailing from many different species and walks of life, they wielded the Khazanians’ own weapons against them, while the metahumans and mystics among them attacked with a variety of powers and magic spells ranging from super strength and energy blasts, to elemental spells and blood curses.

Robed apparitions known as Phantom Sorcerers blinked in and out of reality, frustrating the efforts of the Sentinels’ mystics and wizards by performing counterspells, while assaulting the defenders with elemental spells such as raining fire from the sky or zapping them with lightning bolts, to casting illusions and hexes that threw them into chaos and disarray. 

Capitalising on the confusion sowed by the Phantom Sorcerers, Reptillions leapt into the defenders’ formations, spitting acid that melted flesh and armour, and cutting down soldiers and cops with their swords. 

“Noble defenders, stay firm!” Came Uberman’s rallying cry as he sent a Deminite Soldier flying with a kick, before pivoting around to take down a plasma-blade wielding Discordant Scion trying to flank him with a well-timed concussive blast. “No matter what it takes, they will not reach the Inner City walls!” 

Firing up his suit’s repulsors, the cyborg took to the skies, shooting down flocks of Ptera-Deminites with his forearm blasters as he weaved and barrel-rolled in the air to evade their return fire of ball lightning. A Ptera-Deminite swooped in at Uberman from 7 o’clock, attempting melee combat, but a familiar figure intercepted the winged demon before its claws could reach the cyborg and tore it in half with his hands. 

“If it isn’t Captain Khazan,” Uberman remarked with delight in his tone as he turned around to catch sight of the familiar caped crusader. “You couldn’t have picked a better time to show up,” the cyborg said as he spun around to backhand an incoming Ptera-Deminite, sending it spiralling out of the sky.

Captain Khazan smiled, “Apologies for the delay, Uberman. But I had to run an errand for Elwin before heading here.” The mighty Captain dived back to the ground into the middle of an enemy formation, leaving an impact crater where he landed, the shockwave sending the demonic thralls flying like ragdolls. The caped crusader proceeded to go medieval on the Drekis minions, using his herculean strength and martial arts to smash as well as rip and tear, all the while tanking blades, claws and fire blasts with hardly a scratch.

A Reaver screeched as it tackled Captain Khazan from behind and slashed at his back, but its arm blades only drew a shower of sparks instead of slicing through flesh and bone. Trent in turn counterattacked by spinning around and bringing down his right fist on the crown of the Reaver’s head in a thunderous hammerblow, shattering its skull and compacting its spine as his attack snapped the creature in half. 

From his position at the top of the Inner City’s fortifications, Scout set Discordant Scions and other elite minions in the scope of his Ranger Repeater and sniped at them with deadly accuracy. “Heads up, heavy minions incoming!” The Colonel warned over the global comms channel as he spotted giant ogre-like beasts with red skin, along with bug-like aliens that resembled centauroid scorpions descending the ridge.

Scorponox warriors – alien mercenaries that possessed the lower body of a scorpion and a centauroid upper torso – scuttled into the fray, unleashing EMP blasts from their tail stingers. Units caught in the blast found their electronics disabled; vehicles locked down, comms jammed and energy weapons ceased to function. Panic and confusion took hold of the affected defenders, allowing Deminite Soldiers to close in and attack them with claws, fangs and hellfire.

A Devonox – a towering ogre-like beast with blood-red skin – lumbered towards a Mobile Police AFV that had been disabled by a Scorponox’s EMP attack and flipped it over with the ease of flipping a table, before picking it up and hurling it towards a squad of Khazanian soldiers. The Drekis legion continued to gain momentum as soldiers fell left and right to the Discordant Scions, who attacked with everything from firearms, to powers and spells ranging from cryo-blasts to paralysis waves.

In turn, soldiers and cops took cover behind armoured vehicles and buildings and returned fire with kinetic, energy and explosive weapons, cutting down weaker members and wearing down the stronger ones with sustained fire.

A Reptillion fell dead to a single punch from Uberman, who saw that the Gungnirs and other artillery units positioned at the Inner City were dealing massive damage to the enemy. The minions of Drekis – both monsters and men alike – fell in droves under the rain of heavy ordnance, but they continued to press the assault as if possessed by an otherworldly force. “Do they not possess any sense of self-preservation?” Uberman wondered as he dispatched several Discordant Scions who were shooting at him with assault rifles and combat shotguns, “They’re all fighting as if demonically possessed!”

Hunter-Killers and Deminite Wolves joined the battle, with the Hunter-Killers moving unseen under their cloaking fields and picking off squad leaders and support units such as medics, snipers, heavy gunners, and radio operators with their beam rifles; while the Deminite Wolves generated a psychic aura that induced feelings of dread, causing the weaker-willed fighters in the defenders’ ranks to either break formation and run, or cower helplessly in abject despair.

Despite the enemy offensive gaining steam, the overall morale of the soldiers and Mobile Police defending Xaelis showed no signs of breaking as they rallied under Uberman and Scout’s command – appearing to not only hold their ground, but even push back the attacker in some places.

A roar that sounded unlike any of the Drekis creatures he had heard so far drew Uberman’s attention to the sight of what looked like a winged dragon descending from the skies, landing in the middle of a troop formation and proceeding to sweep away an entire squad with a swing of its mighty tail. Riding on the beast’s back was a man with spiky, cornflower blue hair and dressed dark-hued armour with fluorescent green accents wielding a sword formed from a green eldritch energy. 

The dragon rider spotted Uberman and swung his sword, unleashing a crescent-shaped sword beam in the cyborg’s direction. Uberman swiftly rolled out of the way as the energy blast destroyed a shop behind him, followed by leaping into the air to avoid a tail swipe from the dragon.

With an ear-splitting roar, the dragon reared up on its hindquarters and brandished both front claws before pouncing towards the cyborg with the intent to rip him apart. “I’ll take you head on!” Uberman remarked as he raised his hands just as the dragon brought its claws down. A shudder ran through his mech suit as Uberman grappled the dragon, a tremor running through the ground as the two titans collided, their feet leaving imprints on the asphalt below them. 

“Uberman!” Scout exclaimed as he caught sight of the cyborg Sentinel wrestling a dragon, the two powerhouses appearing to be  evenly-matched in raw strength as the dragon pressed down with a single-minded determination to sink its claws into Uberman, while Uberman pushed back with his mech suit to keep the dragon’s claws at bay. Loading his Ranger Repeater, Scout let fly an adamantine-tipped armour-piercer that found its mark on the dragon’s neck.

The giant reptilian roared in pain as it broke off from its grapple with Uberman, bucking and thrashing about and throwing the rider out of its saddle, but the blue-haired man sailed gracefully through the air before landing in a three-point stance in front of Uberman, sword in one hand and another hand planted on the ground, his cape flapping behind him. 

“You must be the one they call Uberman, I take it?” The man asked in a calm voice as he rose to his feet. His draconic mount growled and stomped its feet, eager to continue its battle with the cyborg, but quickly stood down when its rider held up a gauntlet-sheathed hand to pat its snout. 

“That is enough, Zegrin; I will take over from here, go get your wound tended to,” The man’s countenance softened as he spoke to the dragon with an uncharacteristic warmth in his voice, as if it were a beloved pet. The dragon known as Zegrin acknowledged with a snort before it took to the air, the dragon rider’s expression hardening once more as he faced Uberman alone. 

“That I am; no more, no less,” Uberman replied, “And I take it that you’re the commander of this army?”

“Hehe, guilty as charged,” The dragon rider snickered, planting his energy sword into the ground and resting his hands upon the pommel, “I am Jon ‘Darkenfire’ Avalon, and you can’t imagine my excitement over meeting you at last, leader of the Sentinels.”

“The same cannot be said of me,” Uberman retorted, raising a clenched fist, “I know not where you came from, Avalon – but if you’re the one behind all the chaos and destruction in Xaelon, then I shall see to it that you’re brought to justice!”

Nearby, a severely wounded Deminite Soldier growled as it dragged itself back onto its feet, a ball of hellfire gathering in its right claw as it attempted to use the last of its strength to get off one final shot at a medic who was tending to a wounded soldier, but a Khazan Ranger tackled the demonic thrall from behind, putting it in a headlock while delivering a series of stabs to it with his combat knife. One to the left kidney, two to the abdomen, and a final one to the neck before ripping his knife out, almost beheading the creature. The Deminite groaned and gurgled as it clawed weakly at the air before expiring with a gasp.

Noticing Jon Avalon nearby, the Ranger stalked towards the Magister like a panther, wielding his combat knife in an ice-pick grip as he thought he could stab Jon from behind. “Rangers lead the way!” The Ranger yelled as he tried to leap at Jon, but the Drekis general spun around and swung his energy sword.

“Don’t interrupt when the adults are speaking,” Jon said in a tone that sounded like a parent admonishing a misbehaving child as he turned his attention back to Uberman, the Ranger seemingly frozen in action as he stood with his knife raised. A glowing green line – barely thicker than a strand of hair – appeared to run diagonally across his torso from his right shoulder to his left hip. A few seconds later, there came a geyser of blood followed by a sickening squelch as the Ranger was cleanly bifurcated at the torso.

“You… you sick bastard!” Uberman cursed.

“He deserved no less for stepping out of line,” Avalon replied, showing complete nonchalance towards how he dispatched the Khazan Ranger. “Now where were we? Ah yes, you said chaos just now. Yes, that is who I am, that is what I live for!” With the declaration, the blue-haired Magister raised his sword and closed the gap between himself and Uberman, bringing his weapon down in a flash. 

Uberman’s response was swift – the cyborg raised an armoured forearm to block the chopping blow, the green energy blade hissing and sparking as Jon attempted to cut through the cyborg’s armour. 

The armoured Sentinel levelled his other arm and fired his forearm blaster point-blank to send the Magister flying backward, before firing up his repulsors to charge in and throw a flurry of punches at his opponent. Jon evaded the punches, but was left open to a roundhouse kick that caught him across the face, sending him into the air with a double corkscrew flip and landing in a half-kneeling position, with his sword planted into the ground to prop himself up.

Uberman was determined to keep up the pressure on the Magister as he raised his fists above his head to bring them crashing down on Jon’s head in a double hammerblow, but as he brought his fists down, they were stopped by a fluorescent green aura of energy radiating from the Drekis general’s body – it wasn’t just a protective barrier, it was also an energy sheath that damages anything attempting melee attacks as sparks flew from the circuits in Uberman’s mech suit as warning messages flashed all over his HUD.

Jon let loose a resounding yell as a pulse of energy erupted from his energy sheath, an omnidirectional eldritch blast that knocked away the 10-foot tall, heavily-armoured cyborg like he were an action figure; Uberman backflipped several times in the air before landing on the ground in a three-point stance, his hand clawing trails in the concrete as he skidded backwards.

Uberman’s optics glowed red behind his T-slot visor as jets of steam blasted from his armour’s cooling vents with a high-pitched hiss. Rising to his feet, the cyborg pointed his right index finger at Jon, “Avalon, you’ll pay for what you did to the people of Sevarian City! You and whoever you work for!” Uberman raised both arms and fired a stereo concussive blast at Avalon, who sandbagged himself to take the blast head-on. The Magister grunted through clenched teeth as the blast sent him skidding back a good thirty metres, but his energy sheath bore the brunt of Uberman’s assault as it broke up the concussive blast into a volley of smaller blasts that flew in random directions across the battlefield, indiscriminately hurting Drekis minions and Khazanian defenders alike. 

Uberman shouted a war cry as he charged right at Jon, who met the cyborg in the middle with a charge of his own, neither combatant showing any trace of hesitation or trepidation. Avalon’s energy sheath blazed with a spectral green flame as he performed a horizontal slash with his sword, which Uberman dodged by twisting to the side, before rolling to avoid a follow-up downward chop from the Magister as his sword carved through the ground.

The cyborg countered by throwing a powerful left straight aimed at Jon’s face, his punch almost piercing through the Magister’s energy sheath, causing him to stagger from the forceful impact; but as Uberman followed up with a swift kick, Jon managed to regain his footing and blocked the cyborg’s armoured foot upon his sword, creating a thundering shockwave that pushed both fighters apart from each other.

“You’re a strong one, Uberman… Possibly one of the strongest I’ve faced in a long time,” Avalon smiled as he gave his sword a theatrical flourish; in their brief exchange of blows, Jon believed he had more or less an accurate estimation of the cyborg’s abilities. “If you are a representative of what this world has to offer, then I’m truly looking forward to this campaign!”

Lightning flashed once more through the clouds, followed by a clap of thunder as rain began to fall – first as a mild shower, before quickly escalating into a downpour. Even then, the battle showed no signs of abating as men and monsters continued to exchange fire with one another all around the two. 

Uberman fired up his flight repulsors as he threw himself right at Jon, who raised his energy sword in anticipation of another punch, but Uberman fired a surprise concussive blast at near point-blank range against the Magister’s energy sheath, creating a blinding flash of energy that momentarily obscured his vision. Capitalising on the distraction, Uberman turned his repulsors to full throttle and tackled Avalon by the waist, slamming into the Drekis general like a freight train.

The two flew across an entire city block, landing in a park as they ploughed a trench through the lawn and smashed through a large marble statue, coming to a stop with Avalon lying on his back in the middle of a crater and Uberman positioned on top of him. The cyborg attempted to get into a groundfight as he delivered a series of mounted punches to Avalon, who guarded against the barrage with his energy sheath before sending out another pulse of energy that blew Uberman right off him.

As Jon sprang back onto his feet, Uberman came right in again with a flurry of melee strikes, but this time the Magister was ready as he evaded a Superman punch from the cyborg and counterattacked with a slash from his energy sword that cut through his armour. The green eldritch blade managed to bury itself within the helmet of Uberman’s suit, sending a shower of sparks flying along with leaking coolant fluids, forcing the Sentinel to stumble back.

“Substantial hull damage detected, systems integrity compromised,” A message flashed across Uberman’s HUD, “Structural integrity: 65%. Systems integrity: 78%.”

“Not human, are you?” Avalon taunted as he realised Uberman leaked coolant fluids and sparks instead of blood, “But credit where it’s due, you had me fooled for a while with your convincing act.”

“Trust me, I am very much human in spirit,” Uberman retorted as Avalon came back in with a slash, swinging his sword in a wide arc. The armoured Sentinel activated his flight repulsors to dodge the attack, vaulting right over the Magister with a somersault to land behind him. Jon spun around on his heels to follow-through with a roundhouse slash, but Uberman ducked under the blow to counter with an uppercut, while simultaneously discharging a point-blank concussive blast. The Sentinel’s mighty blow pierced through Avalon’s energy sheath, launching the Magister tens of metres into the air before crashing back down, cratering the ground as he landed. 

“Your campaign of violence and death ends here!” Uberman yelled as he launched himself into the air, attempting to land a knockout blow by diving towards the supine Avalon and delivering a meteoric double hammerblow to the Magister while he was downed.

“No, Uberman,” Jon retorted as his energy sheath flared up once again, the spectral green flames gaining intensity as the storm clouds overhead began to swirl around in a maelstrom. “This is just the beginning!” With this declaration, the weather took on a violent shift as the winds escalated to hurricane intensity, while forked lightning flashed from the clouds dangerously close to Uberman, who now struggled to maintain his current flight trajectory due to the violent weather, while torrential rain mixed with hail obscured his vision. Within moments, the normal storm in their immediate vicinity had turned into a supernatural maelstrom. 

Taking advantage of the distraction, Jon swung his energy blade to unleash another sword beam that struck Uberman square in the chest, knocking the cyborg out of the sky and sending him crashing to the ground. The Magister leapt, using his control over the surrounding weather to summon a powerful updraft of wind to carry him even higher into the air before clutching his sword in both hands as he performed a plunging stab towards Uberman lay, looking to drive his energy blade through the cyborg’s chest to finish him once and for all.

Through a combination of quick reflexes and sheer grit, Uberman sat up at the last split-second to grasp the energy blade between his hands, keeping it away from his chest even as the eldritch energies of the weapon hissed and sparked as it threatened to burn through the armour plating. “Such stubbornness, as expected of a Khazanian,” Jon grunted as he pressed down with all his might, “You should just give up, I have you now.”

“Never, you’re too early to make this assumption!” Uberman grunted back as he wrestled against Avalon’s sword; sweat rolled down the Magister’s forehead as he pressed with all his might, but cyborg had him beat in strength as slowly but surely, the tip of Avalon’s energy blade was forced further and further away from Uberman’s chest, before the cyborg managed to lift a knee and perform a kick to Jon’s midsection, knocking the Magister off him. “Why are you doing this?” Uberman demanded as he picked himself up.

“The destruction of Sevarian City and the attack on Xaelis, I take it?” Avalon remarked with a cold smirk, “My Archon wills it, that is all you need to know.”

“People like you are the worst of the worst,” Uberman interjected as he got into a fighting stance, the two getting into another standoff as they got ready to throw themselves at each other with renewed fury.

Explosions shook the ground beneath them as artillery strikes hit nearby, killing scores of Deminites and Reptillions. ‘Could he be right?’ The Magister thought as he observed the damage done to his legion by the Gungnirs, ‘So many minions dead, and we’re still nowhere close to taking the Inner City walls.’

Bullets, pulsed plasma, and laser beams splashed against his energy sheath as two squads of Khazanian soldiers advanced on Jon’s position, firing on the Magister as they moved in to back up Uberman. For the first time since the battle, cracks began to show in Avalon’s composure as he clicked his tongue in annoyance, “Tch! Insects! But if these small fry can join the fray, it would mean my forces are severely depleted at this point.” 

Jon raised his energy sword, its aura flaring as he prepared to unleash another sword beam, but the military squads were intercepted by Deimos as the fellow general blitzed through the soldiers’ ranks, cutting them down with swift and precise strikes from his hellfire sword. “Avalon, we’re taking too many losses from the enemy’s artillery,” Deimos warned, confirming what Avalon had suspected. “If this keeps up, we can forget about taking Xaelis; we won’t even reach the Inner City’s walls!”

“You’re right, Deimos,” Jon concurred, his eyes still locked onto Uberman as he slowly stepped back, the violent maelstrom returning to a normal storm as the Drekis general relinquished his control over the weather. “Congratulations, Uberman. It would appear you have won the day, but all you have accomplished is to buy Xaelis time. I shall reflect on this defeat and besiege this city once more,” He said as Zegrin returned to the fray, landing next to the Magister with a mighty roar.

“Coward, you’re not getting away!” Uberman yelled, preparing to fire his forearm blasters at Jon as he began to get onto Zegrin’s saddle, but ended up staggering as a rocket-propelled grenade exploded against the ground near him. Turning in the direction where the attack came from, Uberman saw several Discordant Scions armed with pulsed plasma rifles and RPGs opening fire on him, while a metahuman in their midst spewed streams of caustic bile from his mouth. As the cyborg engaged the Drekis agents in battle, the two Magisters took the opportunity to retreat from combat.

“Pursue and harass them all the way to the border of the Xaelis Metropolitan Area!” Scout barked orders over the global comms channel as he rode on board a Hymenoptera gunship, operating its door gun – a pair of twin-linked Browning M2 heavy machine guns mounted on a pintle. “Gun down as many of them as you can!” As Scout’s Hymenoptera strafed over the retreating hordes of Drekis minions and Discordant Scions, the gunship opened fire with every available weapon system, launching rockets and missiles while its nose-mounted autolaser blazed. From the side door of the Hymenoptera, Scout mowed down yet more demonic thralls with the door gun, joined by a few Khazan Rangers who also took pot shots at the monsters with small arms fire.

More Hymenopteras accompanied the Colonel’s gunship as they flew in formation, while on the ground, elements of the mechanised infantry and motorised infantry moved out as they harried the retreating Drekis legions even as they pulled out of the range of the static defenses’ artillery guns, the sounds of gunfire and explosions fading into the distance. 

All that was left in Xaelis was the mop-up, as Mobile Police and civilian militia stayed behind to handle stragglers from the Drekis legion. Captain Khazan landed next to Uberman as the rain began to abate, who appears to have taken some damage himself as minor burns and scuffs marred his skin, and his cape and battlesuit was ripped and torn in places.

Captain Khazan looked Uberman up and down before commenting, “Fought one of their commanders, did you? And looks like he did quite a number on you too.” 

“That he did,” Uberman replied, sparks flying from where his armour had been breached, “But it’s nothing that can’t be easily repaired… Can’t say the same for them however.” The two Sentinels surveyed the aftermath of the carnage, the streets littered with the mutilated bodies of both Drekis’ thralls and Khazanian defenders alike. Unfortunately, the lives that were lost in the defense of Xaelis could not be replaced, unlike the hardware in Uberman’s suit.

“The commanders leading the attack got away, so it’s like what Avalon said… it’s only the beginning,” Uberman remarked grimly, knowing that it was only a matter of time before they attacked Xaelis again – they had won this battle, but it was only a preview of more bloody ones to come. 

Regardless, when the news broke the citizens of Xaelis rejoiced, and most of the city’s defenders, uniformed or otherwise, took solace in knowing that they had saved Xaelis from suffering the same fate as Sevarian City. A Hymenoptera landed near Uberman and Captain Khazan as Scout exited the aircraft to approach the two Sentinels. 

“This calls for a celebration, though I suspect that in the following days we won’t get a chance to,” Scout remarked.

“Anyway, my purpose of coming here isn’t just to back you up in battle,” Captain Khazan revealed, “It was also to let you know that we’ve managed to learn a good deal about these monsters. A woman who has great familiarity with these beasts came to Khazan the other day, and she’d shared a lot of vital intel on this enemy with Elwin.”

“Tell me about it when we get back to the Inner City then,” Uberman replied as he assisted medics and civilian volunteers in evacuating the wounded. “Right now? I think the soldiers and heroes who fought alongside us, together with the citizens of Xaelis just want to have a night of rejoicing.”

“Very well,” Captain Khazan chorused as he joined Uberman in returning to the Inner City, but before the Sentinels could make their move, to everyone’s surprise a sudden gust of wind swept through the aftermath of the battle, and the mortal remains of the Drekis minions simply crumbled into dust which dispersed in the breeze; had it not been for the scene of utter devastation the beasts had left in their wake, it would be as if they never existed in the first place. 

 

Segment 34: Stalwart Ally

Originally, Elwin had planned to return home a lot earlier, but as soon as she received news of the attack on Xaelis, the veteran Sentinel found herself working overtime at the Sentinels HQ to stay updated on the whole affair. It brought her great relief to learn that Uberman had led Xaelis’ defenders to victory in spite of early setbacks – a good start to Operation Pavise.

Despite the good news, many more issues still weighed heavily on Elwin’s mind. Chief among them were concerns over how subsequent phases of Operation Pavise are going to play out, as well as a meeting that was due the next day where she would meet the top brass of the Sentinels, Khazan Armed Forces and Khazanian Intelligence Services to work out the details behind the operation to infiltrate Drekis’ lair in the Endless Caves. 

“No, this won’t do…” Elwin muttered to herself as she found her typing growing increasingly sluggish as a combination of physical exhaustion and mental stress wore her down, “Need to step outside for a bit.”

Taking a break from all the administrative work, the blonde Sentinel left her office and took an elevator to the headquarters’ sky garden to get some fresh air and touch grass. The place was small, but well-decorated and meticulously maintained, showcasing a wide variety of flora from many different worlds, all artfully arranged to have an aesthetically-pleasing and calming effect. 

The instant she stepped out of the lift lobby and into the open air of the sky garden, Elwin felt a weight lift off her shoulders as her nose picked up the scent of flowers amidst the relaxing sound of running water. However, all that was only a sideshow for her. 

The one part of the sky garden that Elwin loved the most since her Sailor Archer days was the Japanese-styled pavilion overlooking a koi pond, under the shade of an enchanted cherry tree known as the Everbloom Sakura, which true to its name, remained perpetually in full bloom. 

But as she approached the pavilion, she soon found that she was no longer alone, as someone was already sitting at the pavilion. Elwin’s eyes widened as she recognised the figure, a sight that tugged at her heartstrings. 

“Hey Elwin, it’s been a while…” The figure who spoke to her was a young man with long chestnut-coloured hair, garbled in a set of armour crafted from the finest mithril with impeccable craftsmanship and an ornate greatsword kept in a scabbard slung behind his back. Despite the man’s youthful appearance, his golden eyes shone with a timeless wisdom.

There was no mistake about it; Tanin, codenamed “Dragoon T” – the Archon of Light, and a living legend of Khazan, had responded to Elwin’s summon. 

“Tanin, it’s you!” Elwin replied, a beaming smile on her face, “I suppose it's ‘a while’ from your perspective, but by the Archons, it’s been so long for me.”

“And, I take it Captain Khazan found you?” She asked.

“Aye, that he did; and to be honest, that’s quite impressive of him. Cause you know me – nobody finds Dragoon T unless Dragoon T sets out to find them,” Tanin replied, gesturing for Elwin to sit with him at the opposite end of the table, where a tea set had been readied along with a pot of hot water.

As Elwin sat across the table from Tanin in a seiza position, the Archon took a few seconds to read Elwin’s expression, studying her face with his eyes. “And it looks like you’ve grown quite a bit since,” Tanin remarked. When the two first befriended each other, Tanin and Elwin looked to be around the same age, but fast forward a couple decades, the teen girl had become a mature lady, while the Archon remained unchanged.

“Oh come on, do you have to bring that up?” Elwin retorted with mock exasperation, making an exaggerated pout at Tanin’s remark about her age, “I mean not everyone has the ability of immortality or agelessness like yourself.”

“I mean, I’m just saying that you’re still radiant as ever,” Tanin laughed as he brewed tea, deftly handling the tea leaves, water and cups with practiced ease. “Anyway… you look stressed, so fancy some tea to soothe your nerves?” The Archon of Light offered a cup of freshly-brewed green tea to Elwin.

“Thank you,” Elwin smiled as she picked up the cup, giving it a gentle whiff to savour the aroma. “But know that I didn’t call you all the way here to reminisce about old times,” The blonde Sentinel said before taking a sip of tea.

“Oh of course not,” Tanin commented, flashing a confident grin before sipping his tea. “When the news broke about Sevarian City being attacked by demons, part of me figured you were going to call for me sooner if not later.”

“According to the Seeker lady from off-world, those demons answer to someone – Drekis,” Elwin added.

On the mention of Drekis, the Tanin suddenly became more serious as he gave Elwin a long, hard look, “That explains everything; and to be honest, it’s not as if the whole thing hadn’t been foreshadowed during my stay at the Trisee village.”

“You mean that tribe of three-eyed people?” Elwin asked, “Please elaborate.”

“Okay, it’s a long one so I’ll try to stick to just the key points to the best of my ability,” Tanin took another sip of tea before beginning. “I’ve been staying with the Trisees for the past year or so, and you might know that their shamans possess a spiritual connection to the land, allowing them to commune with the spirits of the planet.”

Elwin nodded, and then took a sip of tea.

“Recently, whenever their shamans try to commune with the land’s spirits, they all share that the spirits have been pretty restless, saying that there’s some kind of spiritual ‘wound’ on the Nexus of All Realities that’s making them upset and even corrupting some of them,” Tanin continued. “And it’s been that way for quite some time too; the Trisee shamans say they first felt the disturbances about ten years ago, but it’s in the last three years that it’s been steadily worsening.”

“And you suspect that Drekis has something to do with this?” Elwin asked.

“Exactly,” Tanin nodded grimly. “Now, I hadn’t exactly faced this Drekis rascal myself, but I’ve heard stories about him, and have long wondered if there’s any connection between Drekis and… Him. Nothing concrete, mind you – it’s just a conjecture on my part due to noticing some overlapping patterns between the two.”

“Pray tell, who might this ‘him’ be?” Elwin queried, finishing her cup of tea, upon which Tanin quickly brewed another cup for her.

“The Archon of Chaos – Selegon,” Tanin replied matter-of-fact as he brewed another cup of tea for himself. “I didn’t face him, but my predecessor, a former Archon of Light, fought him along with the other Archons of the Cosmic Precepts during the War of Genesis, which shaped the then-unknown world of Khazan into the Nexus of All Realities that it is today. I know not what became of Selegon after my forebears cast him out of Khazan, but it was long believed that the divine post of the Chaos Archon has remained vacant for a very, very long time since.”  

“I… See… Sorry if I’m having a hard time following all of this, but…” Elwin commented. “Are you saying Drekis is the Archon of Chaos?”

“Like I said, it’s all theory and conjecture,” Tanin chuckled, waving a hand dismissively. “Regardless, Archon or not – if he’s some kind of Demon King, or dark god, or embodiment of evil as he’s being called, then it’s my divine duty as Archon of Light to hunt him down. Just fill me in on what you’ve learned so far about Drekis’ activities here on Khazan.”

Elwin nodded, a relieved smile on her face. “I know I can always count on you, Tanin,” She said as she passed Tanin a folder containing the intel reports that Telissa had shared with the SLJ.

 

To be Continued...

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Onward to Chapter 4: Eve of the Last Stand

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