Kismet’s Tale

      The assault of the Exiled One’s flock started with a Lazonian bomb which was then followed by a concentrated artillery barrage. The first defensive line was about eight hundred meters away from the half-mountain.

Intense small-arms and machine gun fire struck the horde that came crawling towards them with critter-like movements resembling that of an insect. It was a horde of crustacean-like abominations with lobster-like forms and rocky claws with a hue of red.

Some of the creatures were like moss. It reminded them of a dead rock. Their initial firepower wouldn’t have worked if it wasn’t for the volley of gunfire focused on each creature. There was a curtain of bullets. The artillery and mortar focused on the approaching creatures, while the airships rained down anti-ground and focused their fires on the fifteen meter units rushing to the upward slope.

These creatures were four-limbed, four legged, snake-like creatures with prolonged heads, and protruding gooey lumps. The artillery focused on the giant creatures, while the ground units focused on a saturated fire.

The machine gun fire struck down the fast runners. The mortar brought down the areas, levelling the steppe, while also disrupting the horde of the Exiled One’s flock.

“Concentrate fire on the mass, let the machine gun shred the fast runners,” a voice ordered. “Brother, keep watch of your magazines, keep your aim steady, and auxiliary! Keep our brothers supplied!”

 Brass casings started to flood their position. The machine gun emplacement on their right began to melt, they had to replace the barrels while the rest of the machine gun kept their steady fire on the enemy.

The Vulcan-units remained stationary as they fired their forearm-mounted gatling gun on the fast runners. The ones who were fast enough to evade the curtain wall of bullets pounced on the defense line, only to be caught by the Vulcan-units that were on standby.

The defensive lines were backed by the Vulcan-units. The airships, the flyers were running down the areas marked by the searchlight.

Four flares have been fired on the sky to give the soldiers visibility. The lightshow ravaged the flock. The soldiers pulled the trigger, reloaded, and fired.

The tanks fired their rounds on the twenty-meter tall demifiends that were coming out of the opening in the sky.

If there were any doubts before. It was all wiped out by the thousands flooding out of the sky. Some had thought that it was too wary, but seeing the horde of creatures, varying from five meter sizes to twenty meter sizes coming out of the opening.

It felt like there was enough.

The sound of gunfire didn’t stop. Every soldier felt like they were going deaf as they kept on opening fire against the creatures.

“Brothers of Lazon,” the voice rang behind them. “This flood of demifiends is nothing. This is still the beginning of the night, but we shall not let them get the upper hand. The Shield of the Empire, the slayers of Demifiends, that’s what they call us. Do not falter.”

His voice remained calm.

It was like a soothing call as they exterminated the rabble.

The horde of demifiend flock that came from the opening sky was like an unending waterfall. Forty minutes have passed, and they already have met waves, the once-empty steppe became littered with carcasses of torn demifiends. The artillery was able to somewhat keep the demifiends from forming meat shields, but as the carcasses multiplied each wave.

It was starting to be difficult to find their targets. Seeing this, the aerial units started dropping gallons of fuel on the area around the carcasses, they dropped a flare, and lit up the area, producing flames.

The demifiend flock that came out of the opening were either burned to death or shredded by the bullet. But as the demifiend horde kept on coming. The soldiers started to think that it was going to be endless.

But none of them dared to put their thoughts in that direction. All they needed to do now was trust their superior officers, keep their heads cool, and just pull the trigger.

All over Alzed there were demifiends going in every direction. The areas around the left flank of the north, northwest, and northeast were able to handle the wave after wave of enemy attacks.

The southern parts of Alzed however were filled with boulders, rock formations that made it hard for them to keep the defense line there, and with the horde that was coming out of the opening in the sky.

They were too numerous. Not even the planes that kept on dropping bomb after bombs on the demifiend horde made a dent. Most of the casualties were on the southern flank of the half-mountain.

Seeing that there were lesser soldiers in the flank. The regiment from Karka city deployed, and alongside them were even more Vulcan-Units that marched. Since the defensive line had leaks on them, the Karka Regiments engaged the fast running demifiends.

The ten meter tall demifiends were engaged by the Vulcan-units, their forearm-mounted gauntlet tearing through the scale, hide, and dead rock-like monsters. Close-combat engagements were mostly handled by the Vulcan-units who were carrying spikes on their right arm to puncture through the demifiends.

It was a vision of hell in the southern flank, while the north, west, and east were able to contain the flood of demifiends.

Back at the North-Eastern side of the defense line. They kept on firing still. The machine gun emplacements were emptying crates after crates of casing.

The amount of brass casings that were flying out were stupefying. The preparations, the supplies that were stored around the defensive areas were staggering. Most of the auxiliary unit had to carry around the crates of ammunition. They were burning millions of coins every hour as they continued their rapid fire.

The soldiers didn’t mind this. They didn’t have to mind, with the voice speaking out to continue their fire, and remain firing. There was no need for cover when they were facing beasts that only knew how to pounce at them.

They believe that as long as they keep on targeting the enemy. They will soon be gone.

“Do not worry, keep firing, we have prepared for this battle. Do not leave a single demifiend alive.”

They obeyed without question. 

Not a single hesitation as long as they have weapons in them. Mechanically, they kept on pinning down, massacring the flock that was flooding out of the opening in the sky. It was only then that they saw something erupt from the opening in the sky.

“The next phase of the excursion is happening.”

This..was the only first phase?

The soldiers felt their stomach churn at the words of their Commander.

“Your next enemies are able to fire projectiles that are hotter than boiling water. They do this by detonating explosions inside their bodies. Watch out for their attacks, and keep cover.”

The four-legged carapace-clad beasts went out of the opening in the sky.

Before they could even react, these insects release a jetstream of liquid at them. They were far enough not to be affected, but the enemies that could now fight back using their own projectiles proved that this battle was far from over!