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      "body": "![Bryce and Liarie chap 9 for online and such.png](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmPSnt7qChoGGc4GmiLhpD9Sque7rDGhYxPFspfdGx9JWc/Bryce%20and%20Liarie%20chap%209%20for%20online%20and%20such.png)\n\nThe military leaders of Derdainia meet to discuss the latest conflicts in the country. A meeting that has happened time and time again, with new and old faces alike. As one conflict comes to an end another begins in the on-going war.\n\nSee the full chapter list over at the [Perpetual War page](https://cardforge.net/perpetual-war/).\n\nThe featured art was done by Mattias and you can see more of his work here – [website](https://baconstrap.carbonmade.com/).\n\nThe editing was done by Luke Thompson and here is his – [website](http://www.editingbyluke.com/).\n\nOnce you finish this chapter if you want to support my continued work, you can do so here -  [CardForge Patreon](https://www.patreon.com/cardforge)!\n\n<h1><center>Chapter Nine – A Conflicted World</center></h1>\n\nGlodoran has become the largest battle of this past decade. Over fifty million causalities in total. When battles average in hundreds of thousands here or a million there, it becomes trivial when placed next to such a number. This battle all began when Yenvark Union, upon encroaching into Derdainia territory brought forth enough magic to create a crack in the mountain and revealed the existence of a Primordial Tower within. Naturally, Derdainia responded in kind by retaliating at first to the encroachment and next in trying to take control of the tower. This initial confrontation alone had two hundred thousand causalities. The news of the tower spread fast, and before long neighboring nations began to seek ways to press into Derdainia’s northern borders. Now as of my writing four major nations and three smaller nations are locked in a stand still – Derdainia to the south of the tower with Yenvark to the north. Swenork pressing in from the east along the Bosakil Mountains and Oligany coming from the northwest. To the northeast the faction known as Vlaxtawk take up refuge in the Glodoran mountains as well as pockets of remaining forest on the outskirts around the Glodan plains. In the southwest the Uleashe numerous in their numbers hold on to their corner. The last faction is that of the Morhi’can Alliance to the west. A complicated mess the battle has become, and it is destined to grow in size with rumors of Ashakuriya and Luncal making strides in entering the fray with their own war machines.\n\n-Scholar Telorl Uvish, The Study of Great Battles\n***\n\nThe chandelier hung high above the table, its sparkling lights lit the golden frame ablaze, and in turn chased away any shadows seeking to consume the large oval shaped room. The table that was beneath it was made of a rare, sturdy maple wood stained dark and was covered in an array of papers and documents with a map at the center. Flags and blocks stood scattered across the map to depict the location of various armies in Derdainia and the surrounding front lines that encircled the Imperium. The edges of the table were smoothed evenly all around its massive shape.\n\nFour men and a woman stood around the table, dressed in their dark gray uniforms decorated with a variety of pins signifying past accomplishments. An insignia with three stars surrounding a sword decorated each of their collars to noting their rank as grand altálonos.\n\nStanding back from the table was each altálonos’ personal aide, ready to serve. Around the table three, more aides walked with long sticks in hand made for reaching across the table to the center as to reposition the flags and figures to new spots.\n\nTall windows with maroon curtains drawn were on one side of the room. To either side, doors led out of the room that were currently shut. Portraits hung along the walls with a pair of massive horned eagle heads mounted above either door, their eyes locked across the room. The final wall was used to hang a large framed painting of the Father himself and nothing else. His blond hair seemed to have a glow to it in the light of the room and his piercing gaze was locked upon the table set out before him.\n\nA final man sat at the table with the back of the chair facing the painting of the Father. His uniform similar to the others with the main difference in the insignia on his collar instead was a sword all by itself, the design similar to the Father’s own great sword showed in his grip in the painting behind. A heavy, furred coat hung around the elder man’s shoulders, his entire body leaning forward to rest his head on his hands that held the top of the black cane in his possession.\n\nVeyluna stood at an angle along the table, between the windows to her left and one of the doors leading out to her right. Her own body was kept in disciplined attention, back and shoulders straight with her arms holding documents ready to be retrieved if ordered for them. A notepad atop the stack in the crook of her arm was opened to a page with words already written within, notes of various details she picked up. She watched the whole display of minds come together to discuss the Imperium’s current blight with acute attention.\n\nAt that moment her focus was on Hadeon, the grand altálonos that she was personally under. The man had a hand on the table, leaning heavily on it with his eyes focused on the map laid out in front of him. She watched him reach for his cup of coffee. He surely spiked it with alcohol, I swear he’s not the man I expected to be placed under. Too lazy and quick to turn to drinking.\n\n“The recent reports of the East Balkyud are not very promising.” The stern voice opposite of Hadeon came from Grand Altálonos Krontelk. His glasses appeared tight on his pudgy face.\n\nVeyluna leaned slightly forward to get a good look of Krontelk. Such a plump man, the idea that he was once a soldier on the front line is comedic.\n\n“If we don’t do something about it before winter sets in there is a chance, we’ll lose the entire front,” Krontelk continued.\n\nA tap of a finger on the edge of the table drew the large man’s attention to Grand Altálonos Oestreiker. “When has the eastern front ever been promising?” He slid a finger along the smooth surface of the table looking for any inconsistencies. The metal tip of the glove adding a distinctive ring as he moved his finger. “I suggest we take advantage of the Talmakians withdrawal to reposition the fifth and twenty-eighth Sereg along the Balkyud front before winter sets in.”\n\nVeyluna winced at the metal on the table’s surface. What is with those gloves? Is it to do with him being an esper? She thought after spotting the black orb patch stitched into his uniform.\n\n“I’d agree with that. What of the Southeastern border? Is Petrovard holding, Helmina, so that you may reposition both Sereg?” Krontelk asked, his round spectacles turning to the woman who stood to the right of Hadeon.\n\n“As of recently? Or overall?” Helmina replied with her own questions, arms crossed.\n\n“Why does that matter?”\n\n“Well, overall, it’s abysmal, I’ve been suggesting we redirect supplies there for months, but you and Oestreiker made sure to put a stop to that happening.” She straightened herself more as if growing with the aggression of her words. “As of recently though, yes the lines are holding and healthy as of this morning line report from the fortress.”\n\nVeyluna looked to her right at Helmina, a shiver running through her at the woman’s visible scowl. She looks like she’s ready to tear someone’s heart out.\n\n“You know very well why that shipment from the city of Weshvale had to be re-routed to the border cities of the Oosatull Kingdom.”\n\nVeyluna from her angle saw Krontelk give Oestreiker a glare at having been cut off by the man before returning a reply of his own against Helmina. Krontalk’s bald head seem to turn red as the man ground his insult before calming down with a slow breath.\n\n“Yes, some sort of epidemic.” Helmina waved her hand and shook her head, the black curls of her hair shifting in the light. “And at the time I suggested we create an investigation into the situation as good chances the people of Oosatull are meddling with Talmakian drugs. Or worse, they’re lying to us and want free aid! Then we’d have every excuse to not have to help our poor ally for a change.”\n\nOestreiker cracked a knuckle in his hand as he examined over the gloves looking for anything wrong in the fabric. “It took a great deal of effort to establish the ceasefire on that border.” He cracked another knuckle, “With an entire front closed we’ve been able to turn our attentions to other areas, it should be expected for us to send the occasional gift to our allies out of good faith to maintain the peace.”\n\n“It’ll backfire on us, this ridiculous peace with Oosatull, they’re a bunch of thieving mongrels just like Talmakia,” she sneered.\n\nThe grand altálonos between Hadeon and Oestreiker, and across from the old man who had not spoken yet finally did with a gentler, but commanding tone. “Calm yourself, Helmina, such insults fall on no one who’d disagree or be tempted to fight you on the issue of Oosatull or Talmakia. Thus, keep them bound behind the key to your mind.”\n\nHelmina returned to a more normal pose, her arms uncrossed as her shoulders relaxed. “I understand, Lugern.”\n\nLugern turned his attention to Oestreiker and Krontelk behind. “Let’s stay on topic and avoid any more heat, shall we?”\n\nKrontelk simply nodded with a huff of breath and hid his emotions with a long drink from his coffee.\n\n“Noted,” Oestreiker replied.\n\nHe always knows what to say. Veyluna admired the older man before turning her eyes to Lugern’s assistant, a young man with black hair similar in age to her. Lucky bastard getting paired up with a legend like Lugern.\n\n“Krontelk, your suggestion on repositioning armies to support Balkyud is of sound design, I do believe though we must take from a different location. I fear if we perform the same plan as last year, then Petrovard will surely fall during Summer as it nearly did then.”\n\nVeyluna watched Hadeon take another sip from his coffee. Why can’t I be under Lugern? He clearly has more knowledge behind him than this slouch. She rubbed at her forehead to hide her frustration. Lugern recommended me for this position after academy school; surely, he intended for me to work for him and yet here I am.\n\n“And what would be your recommendation?” Oestreiker inquired, cracking a third knuckle.\n\nLugern waved for an assistant with a long stick to step forward. Taking it, he pointed out a group of three blocks near the center of the map. “The newly reformed eighty-eighth infantry Sereg along with the mechanized thirteenth core and fourth armored Spautink have been away from the war for quite some time, this would be a golden opportunity for them to perform.”\n\nHadeon awakened from his stupor, “Those were assigned to support my objectives in Glodoran, there must be another place we can take troops from? What of the western borders? Have they not improved?”\n\n“The Ulhtarn plains have and will continue to be a complete mess for the time being,” Krontelk chuckled. “No matter what we do our forces are outnumbered by the Uleashe Federation, the only saving grace for us is the encroachment of Ashakuriya Clan slicing through their rear.”\n\n“A fair point, but if I don’t get the reinforcements required in Glodoran then we won’t have any front broken in the new year,” Hadeon continued.\n\nLugern ran his fingers along the smooth wood of the stick. “You needn’t worry, Hadeon. After the eastern front is helped, come spring we can reposition them back north. You should only see the positive in this, they’ll be receiving immense experience in preparation for your schemes to the north against Union.”\n\nHadeon crossed his arms and leaned back slightly in acknowledgment. “You have a good point, but when we discuss the situation again in Spring, I expect to get the supplies and manpower I need.”\n\n“You will get what can be spared, Hadeon,” Helmina said, giving the man a glare. “We all are short of supplies on all fronts as we have been for years. I suggest you make plans with what you have just in case you get nothing.”\n\nHe leaned forward, returning Helmina’s glare with his own. “I am only concerned after the failures of the southeast to capture territory to fuel our war machine.”\n\nVeyluna squeezed the documents to her chest. What is he doing, trying to start a fight with her?\n\nHelmina’s eyes narrowed as she prepared to lash back with words of her own.\n\nThe old man raised his head slightly and let forth a light chuckle that deflated the tension in the room and drew the attention of the altálonos in the room. Clearing his throat, he looked at Hadeon with blind eyes. “Young Hadeon, you are new here, so you have much to learn. The piece of knowledge I encourage you to gain this day is to control your urge to accuse and maintain your mask. Emotions here won’t get you far. A lesson that even others in this room have trouble with sometimes, isn’t that right, Helmina?”\n\n“Understood, Precursor.” Hadeon nodded his head and stepped back into his relaxed position, hand moving to his cup of coffee.\n\n“Sorry, Precursor,” Helmina replied with a solemn tone.\n\nPrecursor Tanendorf, just how old is he? I wonder if he can speak to Father?” Veyluna looked into the old man’s blind eyes and felt an invisible pressure as she was forced to look away, eyes drifting to her documents in hand in an attempt to hide from the white glare. What was that feeling? She peered up to see the old man with his head down again, motionless.\n\n“To side with Hadeon, I must admit the recent failings of this year on all fronts has put us in a precarious position.” Oestreiker moved a bang of brown hair back behind his ear from where it had gotten loose from. “We must gain a victory in Glodoran, so we may continue to strike fear in our neighbors as well as boost morale. Failure would surely force us to shrink our borders.”\n\nHadeon simply nodded his head in agreement before sipping from his cup in quiet contempt.\n\n“A victory there is unlikely thanks to Swenork, Luncal’sha, and Ashakuriya all stomping their way into Glodoran,” Krontelk said.\n\nHelmina stifled a laugh. “For once I agree with you, Krontelk. We’re better to focus on the southeastern front’ I’m confident with enough strength that I can break Talmakia by this time next year.”\n\n“What gives you the confidence for such a bold claim, Helmina?” Lugern inquired.\n\nShe smiled, “I have formulated the plans and will have my assistant give you a copy before you leave. But, to summarize, the plan calls for the capture of a key Talmakia worship area on the border and force them to focus a large number of troops there. Through attrition we can weaken them then push into their land with the onset of Fall next year.”\n\n“A sound plan, but where do we find the supplies to break them on their turf in the first place?” Krontelk asked, adjusting his glasses on his wide nose.\n\n“You said it yourself, Krontelk, the western border is a mess with Ashkuriya cutting through. With such a distraction we should be able to reposition supplies to the southeastern front.”\n\nKrontelk snorted and his face reddened. “Are you crazy? If Ashkuriya turns on us, they’d force our hand in our current state!”\n\nOestreiker leaned forward to study the map with a renew focus. “That is unlikely to happen based on Ashakuriya’s current movements. I believe Helmina is on to something.” He grinned and rubbed his hands together. “And if her plan succeeds and it breaks Talmakia it will also solidify our alliance with Oosatull further. The southern border for once will grow still.”\n\n“Let us not jump so far ahead,” Lugern interrupted the growing excitement in the three altálonos. “We must study the plans that Helmina is putting forward and compare them to the situation carefully. Even if we’re right about the clan’s movements, that still ignores the current threat of the north with Luncal and Swenork moving from the Glodan and Bosakil mountain ranges.”\n\n“And what of their movements up north?” Helmina asked, turning to Hadeon. “Have the scouts there given you any information to go on?”\n\n“Yes, currently Luncal’sha has taken the Bosakil pass leading into the Glodan plains. Nothing of equal threat has occurred. It is still too early to conclude their current strategy in the region and the ambassador has not returned any message to the northern outposts.”\n\n“Such a lack of information should put to rest any current discussions,” Lugern said and handed the stick back to the assistant. “I believe we should part for now and gather as much information before convening once more.\n\n“Wise words, Grand Altálonos Lugern,” Tanendorf said with his raspy voice. He slowly raised his head and turned to each altálonos with his blind eyes. “I want each of you to study Helmina’s strategy carefully as well as Hadeon’s. Before Winter sets in we must solidify our strategy.”\n\n“Yes, precursor,” they replied in unison.\n\n“Good, now return to your respective chambers and get to work; the Father waits eagerly for our next victory.”\n\nHadeon downed the last of his coffee and left the cup for an assistant to collect. He turned and met Veyluna’s glare. “Get a copy of Helmina’s plans and meet me in the hall,” he grumbled and stomped off towards the closes exit.\n\nVeyluna watched him go with a sour look before heading over to Helmina’s assistant who passed her a black folder filled with papers. Other men and women moved beside her to get their own copies, giving her the space to ease away from the growing conversations in the room, uninterested in joining them herself and instead focused on catching up to Hadeon.\n\nA servant opened the door for her, and she passed through into a hallway lined with marble and well-lit by light fixtures running along the ceiling. Hadeon was waiting there, flask in hand.\n\n“Hadeon!” She hissed at the sight of the flask.\n\nHe waved a hand to silence her and closed the flask before concealing it in a hidden pocket of his uniform. “Let’s get going.”\n\n“Of course,” she replied and stepped forward to match his pace going down the hall. The familiarity of the halls coming to her with ease having now worked besides Hadeon for some weeks now running papers to and fro down the halls. They weaved back and forth through them, the marble interior broken up by statues, paintings, potted plants, and the various posts denoting occupants of the rooms they passed.\n\n“Why the rush?” she asked, finally breaking the silence between the two of them. A foot shorter than him, she was forced to take a faster step to be able to keep up. “Don’t tell me you’re agitated by your plan not getting what it needs to succeed.”\n\nHe slowed in his step to glance back at her and without a response he kept walking.\n\n“I knew it, that Helmina got to you.” Getting no response, she continued, “I knew you told me your distaste for the grand altálonos’ meetings, but now that I’ve finally been to one, I think you set yourself up to be annoyed. You can’t possibly expect to get everything you want.”\n\n“I don’t,” he growled.\n\n“Then why get angry at all?”\n\n“Because each meeting makes my grand strategy to break the Glodoran line seem further away.”\n\n“I can see that getting to you.” Veyluna nodded her head in understanding. “I always heard about how precarious our situation as a nation was with fronts at nearly every angle, but seeing the grand map with the most up to date locations of each regit really put it in perspective.”\n\nHadeon stopped and turned to her. “And I expect your help in making sure my plan still happens even if we lose more support for it.”\n\n“Well, yes, that is my job.” She laughed. “To have to deal— I’m sorry, I mean work with you.”\n\nHadeon grumbled a curse under his breath and looked past her to a window looking out on the garden surrounding the Supreme Military Headquarters. “Lugern assigned you to me for the express purpose of helping make the Glodoran push happen.”\n\n“Did he now?” Was that Lugern’s intention from the start?\n\n“Yes, I’m telling you this now as I believe you have the talent to plan on both the strategic and tactical level.”\n\n“I’m glad you see me more than a secretary.” She grinned. “Shall we get back to your office and get to work? Spring will be here before we know it.”\n\nHadeon took a deep breath and marched on. “Another week is over; we draw closer to the operation’s day. Let’s hope it isn’t a huge mess.”\n***\n\nThe halls of darkness rushed past him in a blur. The echo of his footsteps struck out in every direction and yet were muffled. Heavy breathing not his own seemed to bellow forth from the shadows threatening to engulf him at any moment. A skittering of noise in the distance.\n\nA light ahead caught Bryce’s attention. He raced for the gap of light, rays growing brighter as he neared it.\n\nHe reached the exit and stopped short at the emptiness which greeted him. The source of the light was high above him in the distant, dark sky.\n\n“Always moving…” a voice bellowed forth from high above. “What exactly do you race toward?”\n\nThe skittering of noise came ever near.\n\nHe looked back, eyes widening at the sight of the light casting on the black shadows coming close to him. Without a second’s thought, Bryce leapt forward into the emptiness. He plummeted down; eyes closed as he reached out for the strings of magic. The familiar touch tickled at the edge of his mind and he took hold with reassurance. His quick descent turned abruptly to an ascent towards the bright light.\n\n“To change the world, is it?” the voice asked with an inquisitive tone. “But what can a single man do with the world ever in motion as a raging river?”\n\nA sudden weight struck him down, his mind clinging to the touch of magic. With a heavy impact, Bryce found himself on his back in the midst of shadows. The light from before was now gone and in its place was a red lingering glow.\n\nStanding in a rush, Bryce called flames to his fingertips. The fires danced about, casting their light upon the odd shapes striking out from the unmoving shadows. He cast out with his hands alighting one of the figures. The heat began to grow against the cold as other fingers drifted away from the one withering away in pain.\n\n“Your determination has been admirable since the beginning.” The voice’s words, in a deep throaty pitch mixed with a snarl behind them, seemed to come from different angles. “It might even be just enough.”\n\nThe figures tightened around Bryce, their oddly shaped appendages reaching out in an attempt to snatch him.\n\n“In the end, time will dictate that.”\n\nHe unleashed more of the flames with a silent cry of effort. The shadowy figures pulled away, unable to stay close to the heat and light.\n\nThe red glow above morphed and changed to a pair of large eyes looking down upon him. “Your search for this Guidance will lead you down a terrible path.” The voice now emitted from a of pair of eyes, the creature’s shape hidden amongst the darkness. “Will you follow it, nonetheless? All for a chance?”\n\nBryce expanded the flames further as he looked out upon the eyes trying to peer into the darkness to learn more from their deep pools of crimson.\n\n“Seek me then” The voice said with disdain and the eyes closed as the figure moved away. “Human…”\n\nThe darkness all around rushed forward to engulf Bryce. His touch upon the magic was pulled away from his mind as a frozen chill took his body. He tried to scream, but nothing came out.\n\nBryce’s eyes shot open.\n\nA low rumble in the distance. A cement ceiling above. His body covered in a heavy blanket. A bead of sweat slid down his forehead.\n\nThe room itself was plain, another pair of beds both empty along with crates and bags of supplies in the corner.\n\nHe blinked his eyes a few times and tried to move his hands. Aches of pain came with the movement, but with some effort he pulled his hands free of the blanket to look at each digit, moving them as if to confirm he was still alive.\n\n“Bryce?”\n\nLowering his hands back down, he felt a comforting warmth rush through his heart at the sight of Liarie in the doorway of the small room. “I’m—” he coughed as he tried to clear his throat. “How glad am I to see you, Liarie.” He smiled and coughed a couple of more times.\n\nLiarie settled down beside him and forced a canteen into his hands, “Don’t talk, drink first.” She stared at his face with a quizzical look, “Did you have a bad nightmare?”\n\nHe shook his head and took the canteen into his hands, the thought of water making him realize just how parched and dry his lips were. Eagerly, Bryce brought the opening to his lips and drank.\n\n“Alright, well I’m sure you’re wondering about everything that has happened since you became unconscious.”\n\nHe coughed again and paused in his drinking to look at her, “How long was I out?”\n\n“You used quite a lot of blood.” She laughed. “More then you should have, but thankfully you did not receive any fatal injuries. So, in the end just a day and a half.” She tapped the bottom of the canteen. “Drink some more.” She shifted her legs into a crossed position, her tail flicking behind her a couple of times. “Thanks to your actions at the end, everyone who had made it to that point, made it across. The only loss we received was Chapman. Compared to other units, we did phenomenal considering the circu—.”\n\nBryce cleared his throat and handed her back the canteen. “I know you mean well, but please, Liarie. Don’t speak of Chapman as just a number, he was a person.”\n\n“Sorry, I… forget…” She lowered her head, ears drooping.\n\n“Don’t feel bad. You are right, it could have been worse.” Using his elbows, he sat up against the pillows and pulled the blanket back to try to cool down.\n\n“Are you sure you didn’t have a bad nightmare?” Liarie asked now seeing just how drenched his shirt was with the blanket pulled aside.\n\n“I guess you could call it that.” He rubbed at his forehead trying to clear it of sweat. “It was dark, and shadows were chasing me.”\n\nLiarie leaned slightly forward, her ears tilting towards him as she hung on every one of his words with curiosity.\n\n“A voice was speaking to me all about the futility to the flow of time.” He took a deep breath and rubbed at his chest. “In the end, the voice said that if I seek out Guidance that it’d lead me down a terrible path.”\n\n“A terrible path, eh?” She smiled. “Well, how much worse could our situation get? We’re surrounded by war every day.”\n\nHe returned her smile and laid his head back to stare up at the ceiling. “The voice wasn’t human, some sort of creature… I think it’s what we’ll be led to after we meet up with Guidance.”\n\n“A creature? An ancient race you think?”\n\n“Maybe.”\n\n“Anything else from this nightmare of yours?”\n\nHe shook his head.\n\n“Are we still looking for Guidance after we leave the trenches?”\n\n“Yes.” Bryce looked down at her, admiring the bright green glow of her eyes. “We’re already on this path. I don’t see why we should get off of it.”\n\n“I agree,” She rose to her feet with a light bounce and began to head for the door leading out of the small cramped space. “Get some more rest, my dear, I’ll bring you dinner and we can meet up with Hendrick to discuss the next set of plans.\n\n“Thank you, Liarie.”\n\n“Of course,” She gave him a final look of longing and left with a wave of her tail.\n\n“Bound to a bed again.” He closed his eyes and reached out for that familiar string of magic, its flow soothing his mind. Once I leave this comfort, what will be waiting for me? He saw the flash of the pair of red eyes. What exactly was that creature?",
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      "title": "Perpetual War Arc Two: Chapter Eight - The Price of Battle",
      "body": "![Bryce and Liarie chap 8 for online.png](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmVfNQSahk3HRerSLb4f8s8kpg5Nd8647grSMJd3daAzbo/Bryce%20and%20Liarie%20chap%208%20for%20online.png)\n\nEvery battle in this ongoing war has a price that must be paid. Those who take part whether from the rear forming strategies or in the trenches themselves, they will be forced to pay. What that price is will remain unknown until the moment comes and they can only hope it is not in the form of death.\n\nSee the full chapter list over at the [Perpetual War page](https://cardforge.net/perpetual-war/).\n\nThe featured art was done by Mattias and you can see more of his work here – [website](https://baconstrap.carbonmade.com/).\n\nThe editing was done by Luke Thompson and here is his – [website](http://www.editingbyluke.com/).\n\nOnce you finish this chapter if you want to check out the next chapter right now instead of waiting you can over on the [CardForge Patreon](https://www.patreon.com/cardforge)!\n\n<h1><center>Chapter Eight – The Price of Battle</center></h1>\n\nThe battles ebb and flow with the passage of time. I once thought the war would end, but it is clear to me now that it is the foundation of Coronam, and just like the oceans that bring both life and death, now, too, do the battles across the land. Glodoran is just another perfect example of this. Eleven long years it has gone on and there is no end in sight, the death toll it takes on each nation that participates continues to grow in staggering numbers. At the end of it all though, when the battle finally quiets down to complete silence, life will return. You can see it just fifty years after the Battle of Dasherranah, the land now prospers. Animals come freely and plants grow bright with rich nourishment from the land. I suspect with another fifty years that the land will entice the return of civilization due to the rich resources now abundant. And of course, with the return of civilization there will come influences of nations with their own opinions, then… a second battle of Dasherranah. It is but the natural order of our world. With this fact though it raises the question of whether this War too will grow silent. It may… but, as it stands now? I doubt anyone alive today will see the end.\n\n-Halbern Isador, A Philosophical Take on the History of the World\n\n***\n\nThe chaos of the trench fighting still roared all around Bryce. The release of gunfire and crashing artillery shells joined the screams of the dying. The acidic smell of gunpowder grew thick in the air to mix with the smells of the trench that always lingered.\n\nAmid the tight space of the outer trench line of Derdainia, Bryce stood his senses numb to it all. A hand on his shoulder shook him away as he looked to Liarie who gave a reassuring squeeze.\n\n“I saved him, damn it…” Bryce’s look of shock turned to anger as he squeezed his working fist tightly.\n\n“This isn’t the time or place. We need to move as soon as I stop your bleeding.” Liarie unhooked his dust flask from his belt and loosened the top before forcing it into his working hand. “You need to drink.”\n\n“Hurry, Liarie, the Imperials are getting closer!” Zel shouted before firing off a few rounds aimed at a distant target.\n\n“Quiet, Zel!” Liarie replied.\n\n“Why couldn’t you save—?” Bryce stopped himself from finishing the sentence not daring to look at her face. “I’m sorry, I know you tried.” He brought the flask to his lips, the iron water kept chill from the air gave his senses renewed focus now that his sense of taste was gone from the dense gunsmoke clogging the air. He gulped down what was left within the flask. The sorrow that clenched his heart was pushed away for now as the horrors of what was happening quickly came back to him.\n\nHe looked to Herra to see the woman give a thin smile.\n\n“At least he won’t have to listen to Zel’s bad jokes anymore, right?” Herra said with a forced laugh.\n\nBryce looked back to Chapman and rubbed at his forehead of sweat.\n\n“Sorry, Lead.”\n\n“No, you’re fine, Herra. Cut his emblem. We can’t take his body with us, but we can at least do that.”\n\n“Yes, Lead.” Herra replied and unsheathed a knife before bending down to Chapman’s cold body.\n\n“How are we doing?” Zel called out again, his rifle clicking at the sound of an empty magazine.\n\n“I’m just about finished!” Liarie shouted again. Her fingertips lit up with a gentle glow over the open wound in Bryce’s shoulder.\n\nWarmth surged through his left shoulder, the numb feeling still lingering but not as strong. Feelings returned to his left hand; Bryce tried to move each finger, finding it painful.\n\n“It’s the best I can do with our current situation,” Liarie said.\n\n“I understand, where’s the rest of the company? Is Dunkir fine?” he asked, placing the canteen back onto his belt and unholstering his pistol to reload it. The motion of emptying the barrel caused him to grunt in pain that shook his left arm. The empty casings fell out as he loaded in two fresh slugs.\n\n“Yes, he’s fine and with Hendrick who led the rest to the location of our retreat. I told him to not wait for us in crossing back over.”\n\nBryce nodded in approval. “Good… knowing Hendrick he’ll stick around for us, best we hurry.” He turned to see Murn blocking the entrance with his large shield, Zel peering over. “Let’s go you two!”\n\n“Aye, Lead!” Zel replied and gave Murn a pat on the shoulder. “Let’s go big guy.”\n\n“I’ll take the lead, Bryce. Conserve your energy, I don’t want you wasting any on spells.” Liarie turned to Herra without waiting for a reply. “Keep your rifle ready, you’re with me.”\n\n“Yes, Lady Majes,” Herra replied.\n\n“Zel, Murn, both of you are bringing up the rear, I don’t want the Imperials catching us off guard.” Liarie began to head down the trench, tail flicking as ears turned and angled themselves at every odd sound that drew too close to their position. “Let’s move swiftly!”\n\nBryce followed after Liarie and Herra, his eyes constantly drifting to the top of the trench to his right where an Imperial could appear at any moment. The return to moving through the brown sludge littered with remains of death gave him a sickening feeling. The pain in his shoulder kept gnawing at him with each beat of his heart, only worsening from the pace he was forced to move. The roar of gunfire from the crater they had been in for what seemed like forever never seemed to leave, but instead followed them. The battle itself turned to the dead lands to his left where Union soldiers scurried in panicked retreat. The whistles of artillery overhead crashing into the dead lands only furthered the chaos coming at every angle towards his mind.\n\nAll of it was overshadowed in Bryce’s mind by the pale features of Chapman’s corpse. A growing dread in his heart at Dunkir’s fate or Hendricks further ahead on their path or even those around him and what could happen at any moment made his heart only race further. The feeling of invincibility that he had felt striking down the Imperials gone all too quickly.\n\nThe incline of the trail and the curve of it drew his attention as he was forced to watch his footing. The loosening of dirt and mud from the fighting now created a slow-moving sludge in places along the path. Wooden boards used for even footing slid beneath his step. Bryce was only saved from falling face-first by Zel, who still seemed to have infinite energy even after the day’s events.\n\nAs they moved towards the remaining defensive bastion of Union, friendly soldiers who were injured or too afraid to move looked on with pleading eyes for help. The threat of Imperials overrunning them at any moment forced the group to leave the poor souls behind. Bryce’s heart only sinking further at how helpless they appeared with wide eyes afraid of death. On several occasions cries of pain from behind alerted them to Imperial soldiers making their way to clear the outer trench line, killing any Union along the way.\n\nTurning another corner, Bryce recognized the teal banner with wolf’s paw marking the area as Lead Helfin’s position and main hold on the left flank for the offensive. He entered the space to see the short-barreled cannon at the center of the space now a twisted mangled mess of remains. Around the cannon were various crates of supplies and wreckage where the remaining Union soldiers made a desperate defense against the Imperials who were flooding in on the other side through two intersecting trench lines. Union soldiers too afraid to stand and fight anymore were scurrying up the trench to head back to their side, many getting shot in the back in their attempt to escape.\n\nLiarie guided the group to a pile of remains closes to them.\n\n“Do you see Hendrick?” Zel called out to Liarie who was already looking over the remaining Union soldiers.\n\n“Yes, he’s on the far side closes to the hole in the wall leading out of the trenches.” She looked back to the rest of them. “Bryce, can you muster a fireball?”\n\n“I believe so, what are you thinking?” He asked with raised brow.\n\n“I can’t maintain three spells nor any for long.” She rubbed her hands together trying to rid them of a shake. “I can maintain a thin barrier while shifting the remaining crates of ammunition for the cannon to the Imperial side. If you throw a strong enough fire spell, you can set them off.”\n\nHe blinked a few times, noticing the pale look on Liarie’s face for the first time. We all look horribly exhausted, don’t we? Even the magical fey can only take so much.\n\n“Bryce?”\n\n“Yes, sorry.” He shook his arms and rubbed at his eyes with the least muddy part of his wrist. “I can do that.”\n\nLiarie looked to the other three. “Herra, Zel I want you two focusing on any Imperial who tries shooting at us and Murn you’ll provide your physical barrier as further protection. We have to do this fast or else we’ll get shot up like our Lead has gotten the privilege of experiencing.”\n\n“See, Herra, at least one of our superiors can crack a joke in a shitty place.” Zel chuckled.\n\n“A fine one, Lady Majes.” Herra laughed and checked her rifle’s chamber to confirm its readiness. “Let’s send some more Imperials to their false Father.”\n\n“On a count of three then.” Liarie said eying each of them slowly before closing her eyes, each hand lighting up at the fingertips slightly. “Let us strike true in the name of Yenvark themselves.”\n\n“One.”\n\nBryce holstered the pistol and closed his eyes, feeding energy into the palm of his right hand. Yen, grace me with your beautiful flames so I may immolate those that wish to harm you and all of the Union.\n\n“Two.”\n\nHeat welled up in his hand, the sound of a growing fire reaching his ears over the gunfire.\n\n“Three!”\n\nIn one smooth motion, Bryce stood and followed the motions of Liarie’s hands to spot the pair of crates of ammunition being forced across the ground toward the Imperial side. The gunshots of Herra and Zel to either side of him with Murn standing at the front gave him comfort to focus everything he had on the crates. The flame grew and a moment later he flung it through the air in one smooth motion of his arm.\n\nThe fire flew through the air to land squarely on one crate positioned at the front of the cover the Imperials were using. It exploded in an instant, causing the cover to scatter and act as shrapnel to cut apart any man or woman behind it. The second crate caught aflame by the explosion went off a few seconds later to add to the damage on the Imperial side. Smoke filled the area and the gunfire from either side grew silent. Union soldiers, caught off guard by the sudden change of tone, looked about in confusion before settling on the group at the edge of the open space.\n\nLiarie turned to the soldiers and gave a thin smile. “Now’s the time… to depart…” Liarie mumbled before stumbling back into the raised arm of Murn.\n\n“Liarie! Are you alright?” Zel called out.\n\nBryce leaned forward, using a metal rod for support as he glanced over to Liarie with tired eyes. “You extended out too far, Liarie…” he said weakly.\n\n“We have to keep moving…” Liarie muttered, trying to desperately stand back up, but instead only managing to twist about in Murn’s arm. Sweat covered her face, the pale look to it gaining an expression of red as a heat flash hit her causing her to hit a delirious state.\n\n“Are you crazy? We need you and the Lead to rest!” Zel exclaimed.\n\n“No, she’s right, we have to move.” Herra looked to Bryce, “Right, Lead? Else we all die here.”\n\n“That’s correct.” Bryce forced himself to his feet. “Murn, can you carry her?”\n\n“Yes.” Murn replied in his gruff voice and cradled her small form in his single arm while holding the shield still in the other.\n\n“By the holy ones, did you call upon all of their magic?” Hendrick asked, running over to the group.\n\n“We called enough. Where’s the rest of the company?” Bryce asked.\n\nHendrick looked out to the dead lands beyond, cigarette in mouth. “I sent them all with Lead Helfin when he began his retreat. The Union you see left are the poor bastards who’ve been trying to find their way out of this mess.” He took a deep drag of the cigarette and looked to the smoke still drifting over the silent corner to the area. “I honestly was starting to regret staying back for you all, thinking you may have crossed someplace else.”\n\n“That’s nice, Hendrick,” Zel replied and patted Bryce’s shoulder. “However, I think you can tell us all about your hardships after we get to safety.”\n\nBryce unholstered his pistol, the weight of it seemed ever increasing as the hour dragged on. “Hendrick, take the lead across. Zel, Herra, I want you both to gather up the remaining soldiers; we’re moving as soon as I stumble on over to the hole.\n\n“Yes, Lead.” They both said in unison and wasted no time in running about the area shouting to the various Union soldiers who hadn’t taken the silence of the Imperials as the cue to make a run to safety. Being given words of action, the various soldiers gathered up their remaining wits and began to make a move to the wall to climb it.\n\nThe silent corner of the Imperials began to come to life as new soldiers began to climb through with more starting to appear from the entrances to either side that came from the outer trench line. Multiple Union soldiers were caught off guard as others began to fire in retaliation. The Imperials dwindling in at first were caught one by one, but more kept filtering in at a faster rate than they could be taken care of.\n\nBryce reached the hole and waited for Hendrick to climb up it before he began his own ascent over the dirt and wooden planks that once made the wall, now turned into an easy access point to the land above due to an artillery shell. The muscles in his legs ached as he took each step, the pain in his knees making him groan. He came to the top and found himself at the doorstep of the thin strip of land now seemingly wide as can be, known as dead man’s land.\n\nCraters filled the long space that stretched in either direction as far as the eye could see. What littered that space was a mess of discarded weapons and supplies, sections of barbed wire, and bodies in various states of decay. Past that the Union line was lit with activity most evident in the plume of smoke that released along the rear of it, the whistle of shells reaching into the sky before descending.\n\nOut of instinct Bryce sought after any shells that would come too close but saw none. A moment later the shock wave knocked him along with everyone else nearby into the mud as the shells detonated not far behind. Maybe one was too close.\n\nThe only one that stood unaffected was Murn, who marched onward.\n\nGetting onto his hands and knees, Bryce crawled forward and found Hendrick offering a hand from within a wide ditch. Taking it, Bryce slid into the ditch and sunk in for protection to catch his breath.\n\n“Seems our side is launching counter artillery.”\n\n“I can see that, Hendrick,” Bryce grumbled and rubbed at his sore arm, fresh blood coating it as a light headiness hit him. “We have to keep moving before they end up killing us instead of the Imperials.”\n\n“Piss, poor aim, I swear that’s all they got, those damn gunners,” Zel grumbled sliding into the ditch. “Lead, by how exhausted you look, one might think I’m the esper with all the energy I got left.”\n\n“Focus on moving forward, Zel, instead of talking,” Bryce grumbled in reply and glanced over the ridge to see Herra scurrying out of the trenches along with more Union soldiers.\n\n“That’s the last of them!” Herra she called out before joining them in the ditch.\n\nSeveral other Union soldiers slid into the trench after Herra, their eyes turning to Bryce at the sight of the insignia on his coat.\n\nFeeling the pressure of stares on him to take action, Bryce rose up in a half crouch. “Hendrick, do you see any easy passage to the other side?”\n\nHendrick having crawled along the ditch to the other side peered over the edge. “Yes, a wide enough path through a section of barbed wire. It isn’t far from here.” He looked back to the assembled group, “We can jump from crater to crater heading towards it.”\n\nBryce nodded and looked to the different pairs of eyes staring at him. “You three with Herra will fire at any Imperial who poke their head up along the trenches while Zel and you four cross to the next trench with Hendrick. Then Zel’s group will provide covering fire for Herra’s. Simple and easy, any questions?”\n\n“Where are you going?” Herra asked.\n\n“With you.” Bryce glanced back at Hendrick, “I want you leading Murn ahead of the rest, I don’t want Liarie getting hurt by a stray bullet.” He holstered the pistol and pulled his sub-machine gun off from his back and checked its readiness. “We do this quick and efficiently, let Yen guide our hands and Vark give us the strength to perform!” He exclaimed and rose to face the Imperial side, Herra and the three unknown soldiers to Bryce rose up and began to fire in unison towards the Imperial trench line. “Get moving, Zel!” Bryce called back.\n\n“Aye, Lead! See you in a moment!” Zel replied.\n\nSeveral Imperial helmets along the trench line they had come from minutes prior quickly poked back down at the sudden burst of fire from Bryce and Herra’s group. Some of the helmets popping off as a burst of blood dotted the area for a brief second. Returning fire kicked up the dirt and mud along with one of the young men beside Herra collapsing back with a bullet hole in his forehead.\n\nLowering back down, Bryce pulled the magazine free and loaded in a fresh one. Last one. He grimaced at the circumstances and looked up to see Zel wave to him to move. “Let’s move!”\n\nThe other two Union soldiers along with Herra followed his lead in climbing out of the ditch and begin a quick, low-crouched run through the short space between them and Zel’s group. Bullets whistled by, threatening to claim another life at any moment.\n\nBryce half ran, half stumbled towards the crater, his mind loosely grasping at the concept of a barrier around his body. He slid into the crater with a heavy breath of relief. “Go, Zel…” he muttered and stood up to take Zel’s place in firing upon the Imperial side.\n\n“Not much further, Lead,” Herra replied standing beside him, her rifle kicking back with recoil at the release of another bullet. “I just saw another crater before the final sprint past the barbed wire.”\n\nA roar echoed from the Union side as another volley of artillery sounded off.\n\nBryce looked to the sky searching for any stray shells that would land too close. A low hanging cloud overhead that had drifted into the air was torn apart by shells running through its airy shape. Explosions sounded off not long after. He watched the dirt and debris fly high into the air where each shell landed. The Imperials firing upon them became silent. More shells landed, drawing closer to Bryce’s position.\n\nHe spotted a pair of shells drawing too close and raised his hands up out of instinct. Vark! He called for the God and dropped his weapon to instead raise his hands to the sky. His left hand ached and he felt the numbness in his shoulder eat away at his senses. With teeth gritting, he focused on the barrier and closed his eyes. A heavy impact hit him both mentally and physically as he felt blackness take hold.\n\n“Lead!”\n\nHe fumbled in that darkness, trying to pry his eyes open at the call of his title.\n\n“Bryce, get back up!”\n\nHe recognized the voice as Herra’s calling his name. Bryce felt a grip on his right arm trying to pull him back up. Why am I here of all places? Fighting this pointless battle?\n\n“There you are, get up, come on.” Herra began to laugh. “This is no place to die for someone like you.”\n\nBryce groaned as he blinked his eyes awake to see Herra leaning over him. Another pair of hands were pressing bandages onto his left side. Looking down he saw bandages wrapped around his left arm and more being placed around a jagged metal shard in his left shoulder. Things just keep getting worse it seems. He gave a thin smile and reached for his pistol, unholstering it. “Let’s keep moving.”\n\n“Is he serious? We’re better to wait here until the fighting calms and sneak across.” A youthful voice said.\n\nBryce looked up at the pair of hands to see the boy, one of the three that had stuck with him and Herra. Eyes shallow and devoid of emotion.\n\n“We stay and we risk dying by our own artillery. Lead barely kept us alive in that last barrage,” Herra pointed out and forced Bryce up into more of a sitting position. “Come on, Lead, we have to move again before our side fires another volley.”\n\nBryce looked over to his sub-machine gun. “Do you mind, Herra?”\n\n“Sure, I got it, just focus on getting up and out of here,” Herra replied and took the weapon over her shoulder, tightening the strap. “Samuel, help me get him to his feet.”\n\n“Okay,” The youth replied and took hold of Bryce under the shoulder, taking care not to apply to much pressure while Herra pulled from the other side.\n\nHe groaned in pain, forcing back any urges to curse out. Standing on his own feet again, Bryce looked around for the third unnamed soldier that was with them.\n\n“She died,” Herra said and pointed out a piece of an arm at the edge of the crater. “Was just too far out of reach of your barrier.”\n\nBryce simply nodded, unable to bring himself to say anymore and trudged forward to the craters edge. “Are the Imperials firing at us anymore?”\n\n“In this area, they’re rather dormant after our comrades shelled the bloody crap out of us,” Herra replied and helped Bryce climb up.\n\nBeing forced to the next crater with a quick step, Bryce stifled another cry of pain as he slid into the next and last crater. There he saw Zel holding the hand of one of the other soldiers with the third trying to press bandages into them with tears evident on their faces.\n\n“Are you okay, Bryce?” Herra asked.\n\n“Yes, help Zel.”\n\nWith a nod, Herra drew Samuel’s attention, and the pair went to the other side of the crater to help Zel.\n\nSitting in the mud, Bryce looked over his bloody wounds, the piece of metal dirtied and rusty. He glanced around the crater; its features were similar to the chaos of everything else. Bodies, fresh, rotting, and merely bones, were lying about. The gear of the bodies was intermixed with the mud, wood, metal, and other materials that had been brought to the trenches for defensive or offensive measures.\n\nHe laid the pistol in his lap and placed a hand over the wound in his shoulder. Closing his eyes, he focused on the spot, trying desperately to gain the composure to feel the wound and stop any serious bleeding. Tingles of warmth pierced the numb feeling gripping his whole left arm. His racing heartbeat loudly stopping him from gaining any sort of peace to maintain a healing spell. Opening his eyes again, Bryce tried moving his left hand and could feel his fingers move. “Slow, but it’s better than nothing,” Bryce muttered while picking the pistol back up, the handle a comfort to his senses now numbed to the cacophony all around that only lessened but never went away. “It’s time to keep moving,” he muttered and stood up slowly to move over to the others. “If she can’t walk then we have to leave.”\n\nThe boy with tears in his eyes looked up, his face turning to sobbing anger. “No, we can’t leave her! We’re to be together!”\n\n“We can’t stop her bleeding; she’s going to die,” Herra said, sitting off to the side with dismay in her voice.\n\n“There’s a chance, surely you can do something?” Samuel asked.\n\nBryce looked to each face before stopping on Zel.\n\n“Your call, Lead,” he replied and gave a gentle squeeze to the girl’s hand.\n\nHe looked down at the girl, red hair stained with blood from the gash in her head. The wound to her stomach, still gushing blood, had stained the bandages pressed over it. The look in her eyes was utter fear, but for a tinge of hope at the sight of Bryce standing over her.\n\nThe Union strives to keep all its followers healthy and protected in its grace. Yen, please use me as a guide to heal this innocent follower of yours. He lowered, half falling, to his knees. Herra helped support him as he knelt close to the girl. She is too young to die, instead heal her so she may continue to serve you with renewed vigor. With pistol holstered, Bryce reached his right hand out to the girl’s stomach and closed his eyes. Resting his hand upon the stomach he felt the beat of her heart and the racing of blood to the wound, each beat of the heart pushing more precious blood out. His mind sought after the broken veins and open organs within, feeding his warmth to each to help seal them shut. Upon succeeding in stopping the loss of blood, the beat of the girl’s heart began to pick up as magic fed into it promoting the flow of blood through the now closed veins. Pulling himself back Bryce turned his attention to the outer layer of skin, his mind imagining the wound closed to show smooth skin once more. Movement beneath his hand lifted his fear as he opened his eyes a moment later to see the girl’s face exhausted but not nearly as pale.\n\nShe tried moving her lips to thank him, exhaustion hitting her as her head rolled back.\n\n“What happened!?” the boy cried out.\n\n“She needs a moment to recover, sit back and give her space,” Zel snapped. “Herra, take the Lead’s canteen and help him drink some water.”\n\n“Of course.”\n\nHis vision blurred as he fought the darkness again. The voices of his comrades around him keeping his attention. A cold trickle of water touched his lips and he began to drink without hesitation. The cold touch of water not tainted by iron passing through him gave him a slight boost of comfort further helping him stay awake. Blinking his eyes, he could tell he was laying back, his head resting in Herra’s lap. Bryce tried to sit up but quickly fell back into that haze of barely staying awake. Every muscle ached and the thought of movement seemed insane to him. Voices drifted in and out as he tried grasping upon them. More water touched his lips and he drank, but his exhaustion was hitting him too strong, just staying awake was proving difficult enough.\n\nHe opened his eyes again at hands lifting his body and the sharp pain from his left arm being moved. The voice of Hendrick filled his ear along with the heavy movements of Murn. His feet slid along the mud, his mind jolting at the tip of his boot banging into something heavy. Not long after he found himself being lowered again.\n\nHe tried prying his eyes open again through the sheer force of will and succeeded. He saw Zel by his side, a grin on the young man’s lips.\n\n“Come on, Lead, stay with us. Hendrick and I just dragged your ass past the barbed wires. Not much further and we’ll be in our trenches finally.”\n\nBryce looked over to see Hendrick wiping sweat from his face. “What about the Imperial artillery?” he muttered the question.\n\n“We’re fine, just as you predicted Lead, the main focus is on the central line where most of our forces retreated,” Hendrick said and came closer to Bryce’s side. “Let’s keep going before they change their minds and start beating the crap out of us here.\n\n“That’s at least something,” Bryce said and offered up his arm for Hendrick to grab hold of. Hoisted up to his feet, Bryce stumbled with him and Zel by his side along the rest of the way towards the Union trenches. Other soldiers ahead were jumping into the trench, the path they had taken laid out before the three men. Step by step they drew closer to the end, the exhaustion of the day’s events weighing heavier upon Bryce’s shoulders.\n\nEars poking above the ridge of the trench catching Bryce’s eyes. A thin smile crept along his lips as he watched Liarie climb out of the protection of the trench and rush forward, a limp in her step.\n\n“Bryce!” she exclaimed, coming closer to see his bloodied and exhausted look.\n\n“What are you doing up so soon, Lady Majes?” Hendrick asked.\n\n“I’ve recovered enough to help a bit more. Now keep going, I want to make sure every straggler makes it across before the Imperial artillery turns to this position.” Her voice was stern and expression emotionless as she tried to hide the pain and exhaustion in her features. She glanced down to Bryce, a crease in her lips as she returned the smile before continuing past them.\n\n“Let’s not waste any more time, we’re just about there,” Hendrick said.\n\n“What a horrible day,” Zel said with a groan as they began to move forward again.\n\n“It’s not going to get better. The rest of the night they’ll be bombing us.”\n\n“Why don’t we have a magical shield here anyways like the Imperials had?” Zel asked.\n\n“From what I understand, it was destroyed a few months back and repairs take time. If there’s anything positive of this attack is now, they’re missing theirs.”\n\n“Just means both sides are going to bombard each other endlessly,” Zel groaned.\n\nStaring at the passing mud below him, Bryce listened to the pair talk, too exhausted to add his own words. He felt relief at the sight of the trench and more as he was carried down into the protection of the walls. He caught sight of the defenders in various states of exhaustion. Many looked up at him as he passed before returning to their own injuries. The soldiers who had remained behind had more energy about them that was quickly turning to sorrow as the onset of a night filled with heavy shelling began to weigh on their minds.\n\nThe passages through the trenches all became a blur to Bryce, and before long he found himself in a dimly lit bunker, the table he had been playing cards at the night before close by. He recognized some faces of his company that caught sight of him as he passed through, carried by the two men who led him deeper into the bunker toward an open bed. There he was laid out as gently as possible.\n\n“Zel, go get fresh bandages and find Vonna, we need her medical kit. I’ll stay with the Lead and keep an eye on him.”\n\n“Yes, sir,” Zel said and quickly moved away.\n\nHendrick watched the young man go before looking back to Bryce, “Another mission done, eh?” he asked with a half-hearted chuckle and began to rummage through his pack. “Let me get you something to eat before you pass out.”\n\n“Another task forced upon us…” Bryce groaned and closed his eyes trying to find peace from the cold numbness gripping his left side. The face of Chapman’s pale face came to him. He opened his eyes again trying to escape the sight. “We need to get back to our real goals, Hendrick. Another mission like this will get…” He paused, his hand moving to the handkerchief, forgotten in a pocket. Pulling the mud-stained fabric free he brought it up to get a better look of it. “It’ll get more of us killed.” He groaned and gave the handkerchief a squeeze before resting his hand on his chest.\n\n“We’ll make it through, Lead. We have in the past and we will in the future. Just bear with this pain for a little longer,” Hendrick replied.\n\n“Just a bit longer…” He closed his eyes again. Just a bit longer… How much though until the Union is changed for the better? A bit seems so far away right now. His grip on the handkerchief grew tighter as he tried to hold back a tear.",
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      "title": "Perpetual War Arc Two: Chapter Seven - Glodan Fields",
      "body": "![Bryce and Liarie chap 7 for online.png](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmNPi8KTAahcgPronyAaQLDsPNaM3Sg2Vo8yzzSipKFc66/Bryce%20and%20Liarie%20chap%207%20for%20online.png)\n\nThe acolyte’s plan has been set into motion, thus Bryce’s company is forced into a terrible battle that will test their resolve. Once more a battle begins in the thick mud of the trenches where nothing thrives.\n\nSee the full chapter list over at the [Perpetual War page](https://cardforge.net/perpetual-war/).\n\nThe featured art was done by Mattias and you can see more of his work here – [website](https://baconstrap.carbonmade.com/).\n\nThe editing was done by Luke Thompson and here is his – [website](http://www.editingbyluke.com/).\n\nOnce you finish this chapter if you want to check out the next chapter right now instead of waiting you can over on the [CardForge Patreon](https://www.patreon.com/cardforge)!\n\n<h1><center>Chapter Seven – Glodan Fields</center></h1>\n\nThere are those who believe we grow nearer to the magical realm. I believe there is merit to this thought, but I fear for the land if this is to be the case. Studies show the two sources of magic grew thin over the years due to each nation’s eagerness to use it for their own gain. Growing closer to the realm will only allow further greed. It’s only a matter of time before the magic is drained entirely by Espers and Thaumaturges. This only worsens as more familiar bonds are created between both users of magic. I encourage every nation to practice in feeding back to the magical realm less every well is dried up entirely. Sacrifices must be made for the wellbeing of Coronam!\n\n-Medya, The Two Thoughts of Magic\n\n***\n\nWhistling of shells passing over head came to an abrupt explosive end. Dirt and shrapnel followed, raining in a wide radius. Further explosives going off sent more debris flying. The noise was overwhelming, sending many soldiers to cower to the mud in a desperate attempt to find anywhere to hide from the chaos. Others faced with orders and the will to carry them out climbed out of the maze-like trenches to try to scurry in a mad dash toward their target before finding bullets lacing through them or a shell landing at their feet. The only grace given to any on the battlefield was a swift death.\n\nThe glistening sun high above pierced through the clouds to give a view only obscured by the growing smoke of weapons firing. A distant whistle caught Bryce’s attention. Peering over the edge of the trench he stood in he spotted a group of soldiers rushing out of distant trenches heading in his direction.\n\n“Company! Rifles at the ready, we have another group heading toward us!” Bryce called out while bringing his own weapon to bear, a short-barreled sub-machine gun. To his side, he saw familiar faces rising up on command with bolt-rifles aimed for the approaching soldiers. “Fire at will!”\n\nWith a squeeze of a trigger, Bryce’s weapon joined in unison with the others in spitting out quick death. The imperial soldiers coming closer with each step began to fall one by one with holes appearing across their frame. Details obscured by the thickening smoke helped hide the true horror of what he and the rest had caused.\n\nSeeing no further movement, Bryce lowered back down in the protection of the trench. “Reload and get ready to move!” He clicked a button on the side of his weapon, the empty magazine falling into his hand. Holstering the magazine, he retrieved another to insert into the weapon. With a quick pull of the hammer, the sub-machine gun was ready to fire once more.\n\n“Bryce, those Union shells behind us seem close, don’t ya think?” Herra asked, the bolt of her rifle pulled back as she fit in a fresh clip of bullets into the magazine within the rifle’s frame.\n\n“It’s going as expected.” Hendrick stated, coming over to Bryce in a hurry from the rear of the company. “I think it’s time we start to make our leave. The number of squads here are thinning out.”\n\n“What makes you think that?” Herra asked.\n\n“That imperial squad we just killed? Others further down the line made it across. Won’t be long until we have a fire fight in this tight place.”\n\n“It’s just one thing after another…” Bryce muttered and stood up with his hand raised. “We’re moving!” He looked towards Liarie who stood tall at the center of their line, eyes and ears pointed to the sky, wand in hand. “Liarie, how are you holding up?” he asked, heading towards her.\n\n“I fair well,” Liarie replied, glancing towards him briefly.\n\n“Good, keep it up, we can’t let a single shell get to close to us.” He moved past her, heading for the rear of the company where Vonna was helping the shivering Roy to his feet.\n\n“Just focus on moving, one step at a time,” Vonna said, helping turn the young boy in the direction they were heading.\n\nBryce nodded to Roy, giving a forced smile before turning to face the rest of the company now behind him. Dunkir and Theodore brought up the rear of the line, Dunkir with a visible scowl while Theodore had a nervous twitch about him. Next came Murn, Earl, and Herra, all shouldering heavy packs that had a slight hue to them; magic feeding toward Liarie who stood at the center with eyes still staring to the sky. Hendrick stood close to Liarie, helping guide her and pass any orders down the line. Past him, Chapman with a face plastered in mud maintained a crooked smile, joking with Zel who added in his own poorly timed comments whenever possible. Lastly to the front Vonna who still comforted Roy.\n\nThey’re all holding up so far. “Alright, let’s get a move on!” Bryce shouted and turned to begin a quick jog heading towards the central part of the current front of this section of trenches. The muddy path littered with the dead and the dying began a gradual shift outward.\n\nAnother round of whistles went off in the distance as shouts and cries filled the air. “Man the walls! Keep those Imperials from getting closer!” He called back to the others and watched them stand up to peer over the ridge towards the Imperial side. Spotting the intersection just up ahead he rushed for it. Looking around the edge, Bryce saw several Imperial soldiers dropping down to begin making their way through it. “Murn, bring that shield of yours here!” He called out and released a quick burst from his gun. One of the Imperials dropping as the others returned fire.\n\nThe large behemoth brushed past the others with swift legs, his heavy boots crushing anything along the way. “Yes, Lead Coduire?” he called out, voice heavy and clear even in the storm of noise.\n\n“Block this path,” Bryce ordered.\n\nWithout a word, Murn moved into place, the shield taking up much of the passageway, loud dings of bullets slamming into the shield joined in the cacophony of noise.\n\n“Chapman, Zel! Get over here and fire over the shield!” Bryce called out and took up position behind Murn to fire off a quick burst of his own weapon’s fire.\n\nMurn’s figure remained unflinching, the shield withstanding the force being brought to bear against it.\n\n“We’re here, Lead!” Zel called out.\n\nBacking up a step, Bryce gave room for Chapman and Zel to take up positions to either side of Murn, their gunfire adding to the storm of sounds all around. A whistle caught his attention and Bryce turned in time to see a smooth, silvery shell caught midair by Liarie. The hem of her long, indigo skirt, dirtied by mud, billowed all around her legs in an unnatural wind. A moment later the shell was thrown off towards the Imperial side, an explosion sounding from where it had landed. The red hue of the shields held up by Earl and Herra brightened at Liarie’s touch as the fey shook herself back into action, ears and eyes seeking the next threat to draw near.\n\n“We can’t give pause at every sighting of the Imperials, we have to keep moving, Lead,” Hendrick said, coming up close to Bryce so his voice could be heard over the noise.\n\n“Nor can we show our back to them, otherwise we may lose someone.” Bryce moved to the wall and fired over the edge towards more soldiers running towards their position. The vibrations of the weapon in his hands shook him to the bone with each burst of fire. The tune of the weapon changed as the clip ran empty before giving nothing more than a muted click. Reaching for the clip’s ejection, Bryce paused at swift movements of dust along the ridge that made up the rear of the Imperials defenses. His eyes narrowed as he tried to focus on the objects, only barely making out the sight of smoke billowing from the rear of the metallic shapes.\n\n“What do you see?”\n\nCrouching, Bryce removed the clip and began to load in a fresh one. “I can’t tell the model, but it’s definitely armor.”\n\n“Tanks?”\n\nBryce looked up at Hendrick spotting the man’s fear in his expression. “I don’t think so, they’re moving too fast for the terrain.” With the clip secured, he pulled back the hammer to ready the sub-machine gun. “Liarie! Are the skies clear enough for us to continue moving?”\n\n“Yes!” Liarie replied.\n\n“Bring up the rear, I’m continuing on!”\n\nLiarie nodded and looked to Dunkir and Theodore who were busy firing over the wall. “We resume, ignore the Imperials for now!”\n\n“Hold this spot, you three, until everyone has passed this path,” Bryce ordered and gave a quick glance past the shield to see the Imperial soldiers had created a makeshift barrier of bodies and debris, their weapons nearly silent under the hail of bullets that Zel and Chapman gave.\n\n“We have it covered, Lead, carry on!” Chapman piped while reaching for another clip of bullets to load into his rifle’s magazine.\n\nBryce moved on down the outer line of trenches, only giving pause to confirm the others were following his swift movements. Bodies lined his path where Union and Imperial soldiers alike had fallen, their hands all seemingly reaching up in a desperate plea to escape the mud that had formed along much of the ground. Only the wooden and metal sheets left along the ground gave any evened footing.\n\nComing to a halt at a loud cascade of noise, Bryce saw the dirt and debris fly into the air up ahead. Another salvo of mortar shells rained down on the area before the barrage came to an end. The center can’t be holding up well at all. He shook himself into action and carried on down the path. Dirt flung high into the air began to rain down in a large radius, the dinging of it against his helmet a constant reminder of what a single well-aimed shell could do to him or any of his company.\n\nThe path slowly inclined as the mud lessened in the number of layers filling the trench. Several soldiers, part of another Union company, waved to him as he passed, words of encouragement and cries for murder lost to his focus on moving forward. The trench shifted further away from the Imperial lines before it returned to a parallel with it. His heart raced as images of the map he had studied last night came to him. The central part of the line is just up ahead, exactly where that barrage had struck. He tightened his grip on his weapon, the solid shape of the weapon a comfort to his senses.\n\nJust as the trench evened out with the inner lines of the Imperium defenses it began to widen, due both to the destruction of artillery and by design. Bryce looked back to his comrades and motioned for them to stick close to the wall the Imperial soldiers were up against. Stray bullets arcing from gravity led them to the other side of the trench, only furthering the importance of sticking close to the protection of the dirt wall. The path continued to widen until the trench started to become more and more crater-like. Union soldiers up ahead positioned behind crates and wooden posts were firing in succession toward a target that Bryce could not see.\n\nHe reached the group of soldiers, garnering the attention of one soldier who was busy reloading his weapon behind cover.\n\n“What is it?” the curled-mustached man asked, his eyes, devoid of emotion, only acknowledging Bryce briefly before returning to his weapon while his shaking hands reloaded it. The red insignia on the man’s breast pocket marked him as part of Gilford’s company.\n\n“What’s the situation in this area?”\n\n“What’s it look like?” He cocked his weapon with a loud click and turned to fill in a gap in the defenses, his weapon joining in the chorus.\n\n“Like a bloody mess,” Bryce muttered and moved to the left around the barrier toward a thin path descending into the open space beyond. Reaching the edge of the path, he froze up in surprise at the magnitude of destruction laid out. What was once a central point of defense where the trenches fed late last night had now been reduced to a massive crater. The area was filled with an assortment of debris and remaining piles of dirt that now acted as cover for both Imperial and Union soldiers who fired at one another. The line of Union soldiers extended along the ridge of the crater toward the side opposite him where the trench picked back up as some form of protection and pathway. A heavy gun emplacement along the ridge hastily put together by sandbags and dug into the dirt was lighting up with bursts of tracer fire, the buzz of the rounds release drowned out everything else in the immediate area. Along the opposite ridge closest to the Imperium’s ridge were the Imperial soldiers attempting to gain a footing so they could advance and push the Union out. Imperial soldiers were feeding in from a few trenches that ended at the crater, many falling to their deaths as they tried to sprint for better cover. The crater’s center was filled with bodies that now lay still as a clear sign to anyone to reconsider any attempt to advance.\n\n “Bryce!”\n\nHe turned at his name to see Liarie beckoning him toward her. Doing just that, he went back up the path to see the rest of his company huddled close waiting for their next order.\n\nHendrick moved close, his eyes glancing to the other Union soldiers. “I’d advise we make a quick step to the other side and head for the left flank as planned. It’s not long now until this position is overrun.”\n\nWith a nod, Bryce looked to Liarie. “I agree, do you think you can provide cover long enough for us to make it across?”\n\n“I should be fine.” She tilted her head to the sky, ears and nose twitching. “Best we not waste time’ I sense one of the espers approaching.”\n\n“Which one?” Bryce asked.\n\n“The youth from the mountains of Bosakil.”\n\nHendrick checked over his weapon, making sure it was fully loaded. “Could be worse, could be a skilled one like Orsolya.”\n\n“Doesn’t mean she still can’t show up.” Bryce laid a hand on Hendrick’s shoulder. “I want you to take the lead across while I bring up the rear just in case the esper tries anything.”\n\n“Copy that, Lead.” Hendrick gave a quick salute and motioned to Theodore and Earl who were closes to them. “Pass it down, we’re cutting across!”\n\n“Where do you want me?” Liarie asked.\n\n“At the center, just like before.” Bryce replied and moved to the side to make space for Hendrick and the rest of the company. Each one passed him to head down the thin path and into the great crater.\n\n“Should I remind you that this would be a bad time to fall behind with helping others?”\n\n“No, I’ll keep up, now go.” Bryce kept a stern look.\n\nShe flicked her mud-tipped tail. “Alright,” she replied and headed down the path.\n\nHe watched her go before looking back to confirm everyone had left. Bryce looked to the soldiers’ part of Gilford’s company still firing away. I have to continue. With a sigh he caught the attention of the soldier from before with a wave of his hand. “My company is moving on,” He said, coming closer to the man. “Keep an eye on your rear.”\n\nThe man scoffed, “Don’t worry about us, now carry on!” He loaded in another clip to his rifle and pushed the lever into place, “You’re distracting me!”\n\nBryce stood back as the man turned to resume firing. Nothing I can do here. With a grimace he turned and headed down the path.\n\nSpotting Dunkir behind a set of cover several meters away, he paused behind the edge of the wall to his right just before the open space of the crater began. Folding the sub-machine gun’s stock in, he placed the weapon onto his back, tightening the strap around his shoulder so it would stay in place. With his hands free he unbuckled the holster holding his dual-shot pistol and took up the weapon in his right hand, cocking the hammer back. Let Vark protect me from all that would mark my body with the red of blood. His left hand balled into a fist as he kept his eyes shut to focus, the sounds all around became distant and muffled to him as he envisioned a tight barrier around his body. Heat surged through his body as he could feel the beat of his heart picking up. With his fist still tight he opened his eyes and saw out into the world clearly; the only oddity was a slight blur in the area where light caught onto something invisible around his body. The blur was non-existent wherever he looked ahead, only lingering at the edges of his vision. The barrier itself only visible to his magic-tuned vision. And thus, I step through the destruction unharmed.\n\nHe stepped out past the wall taking no heed in staying low or sprinting for cover. Instead he kept his footing evened and moved forward at a steady pace, left fist held up. A thin layer of mud clung at his boots with each step. Dips and holes along with debris and bodies lined his path. The focus of the barrier through his tightened fist took up much of his attention, the rest of it given to moving past the obstacles in his way and reaching his companions ahead of him.\n\nReaching the first set of cover, Bryce walked past it to create an extension of the cover towards another makeshift wall further beyond. “Dunkir, don’t fall behind!”\n\n“Sorry, Lead, just had to take a shot on an Imperial weasel scurrying around!” the short man shouted before dashing for the next piece of cover to join up with Chapman and Zel.\n\nMoving behind Dunkir, Bryce felt a few sharp strikes hit against the barrier. He looked out the corner of his eye to see a couple of bullets flattened against the invisible barrier before they harmlessly dropped to the ground below. He moved the rest of the way to join the three men behind cover. “I’ll extend the cover to the next one, as soon as I give the command, I want you three to go.”\n\n“Understood Lead, just like the fight at Galicia!” Zel shouted. He gave a pat on Chapman’s shoulder to gain the youth’s attention who was busy shooting into the distance. “Get ready, Chapman!”\n\nUse me as your guide, Vark, spread forth your protection. Bryce stepped out from the cover and walked steady steps toward a space between the next piece of cover further away. Facing the Imperial soldiers, he extended his left hand and closed his eyes. The invisible barrier all around him unwrapped itself to create a long wall between both sets of cover. Bryce looked over to Zel and nodded his head. Focusing his attention back to the barrier in front of him he watched bullets slam in the barrier before falling harmlessly. Out of the corner of his left eye he saw the three men arrive safely behind the next set of cover. He pulled his hand back into a fist, the barrier encasing him once more.\n\nBryce turned to head for the cover before pausing at a nagging sensation at the back of his mind. He looked along the ridge of the crater towards the Imperial side to spot a group dropping down and huddle behind wooden and metal sheets. The last individual to drop down was a young girl, the blonde braid of hair dirtied by dirt and mud still caught his attention. It seems she has arrived. With a grimace he hurried himself to the cover and relaxed his senses slightly in the safety of the physical protection of metal. The buzz of the gun emplacement coming back with roaring attention along with everything else.\n\n“Are you okay, Lead?” Chapman asked, offering up a handkerchief to Bryce.\n\n“Yes, I just need a brief pause,” Bryce replied, flexing and unflexing his left hand as he holstered the right pistol and took the handkerchief. “Thank you,” He said patting the soft cloth against his forehead covered in beads of sweat.\n\n“It’s the least I can do next to your incredible power!” Chapman smiled.\n\n“You’re doing well, just keep it up.” He found the flask infused with dust from the night before along his belt. Unscrewing the top, he gulped down the red water within. The taste was that of iron with specks of sand. The initial gulp was disgusting, but the sensation of warmth that followed was a comfort to his beating heart. The gunfire and ringing of explosions all distant to him in that brief moment of recollection as he turned inward to his calming heartbeat. Almost halfway, he thought to himself, spotting Liarie further along the outskirts of the crater, hands raised to a well-aimed shell. Murn stood in front with shield raised against any stray bullets. Earl and Herra were to either side, strained looks on their faces at having to carry the heavy shields, the red hue of the shields evident even with the growing smoke in the air. Further beyond he spotted glimpses of Hendrick leading Vonna, Roy, and Theodore toward the remaining pieces of cover before the exit out of the crater and back into the trenches. Everyone is still making it.\n\n“We moving?” Dunkir grumbled.\n\nBryce nodded in reply and placed the flask back onto his belt. With pistol in hand, he tightened his left into a fist focusing his strength on the single point. I call to you Vark, once more. Stepping out from the cover, he sought out the next piece of cover and began walking towards the space between. Guide my thoughts. Warmth flowed through him as his heart began to pick up in the speed of its beating.\n\nReaching the center, he extended his hand out and the barrier unfolded itself to create a wall. The three men quickly crossed over before he closed his fist again. A distant whirring of gears nagged at the corner of his mind.\n\nA shout of pain from Dunkir, caught his attention, fist loosening slightly. Cracks in the air like glass at the corner of his eye brought his attention back to his senses. With eyes closed he refocused on his fist before opening up and moving towards Dunkir. The thick-mustached man was on the ground with a bloody shoulder, the sleeve of his coat drenched in crimson. Chapman was busy with dragging Dunkir closer to the cover while Zel was rummaging through his pack for bandages, several other containers already thrown about in his search.\n\nKneeling behind the cover himself, Bryce looked over the wound before meeting Dunkir’s visible scowl. His left hand loosening the barrier as he reached for Dunkir’s wound.\n\n“It’s not that bad, don’t waste your magic on me!” Dunkir growled.\n\nBryce paused.\n\n“Let him do it, you stubborn idiot. We need you shooting the imperials not staring them down!” Zel spat.\n\n“We don’t need me shooting, we need to get out of here. Focus on that, Lead!”\n\n“Wrap him up, Zel,” Bryce ordered.\n\nZel fished out another container from his pack and opened up to reveal gauze and a couple of rolls of cloth. “You know, shooting them also helps,” he replied before getting to work on Dunkir.\n\n“Lead!” Chapman cried, panic in his voice.\n\nBryce turned and felt his heart skip a beat at the appearance of an armored vehicle atop the Imperial ridge, the weapon on its top spinning to action. A burst of noise echoed from the vehicle as the initial shots darted across the crater to the heavy gun emplacement behind Bryce. He looked back in time to see the heavy weapon burst into flames as the soldiers behind were torn apart by the following explosion. Flames licked out at surrounding men and women, their bodies becoming engulfed.\n\n“Liarie!” He shouted out to her.\n\nShe said something to the three shield wielders who moved to hide behind a piece of cover. She quickly made her way over to him. “Why do you stop? We must keep moving!” She shouted coming to his side.\n\n“If that thing turns on us, we won’t last long enough to get out of here,” Bryce nodded his head towards the armored vehicle. “You and I will move swiftly and destroy it from afar, then I want Herra and Earl to escort Dunkir out of here while us two, Murn, Chapman, and Zel clear the area of immediate threats.”\n\n“Are you sure about this? That esper is intermixed in the chaos, what if she decides to strike?” Liarie replied.\n\n“We have to deal with that vehicle while were still close enough to strike, what choice do we have?”\n\n“Not many, it seems.”\n\nWith a glance over the cover, Bryce saw the area in the distance where the blonde-haired esper had dropped down. “I can’t tell if she’s still there.”\n\n“The battlefield is becoming more difficult to read as other espers draw near. I believe she is still there, but I am unable to confirm that.”\n\n“Keep an eye out for her, it’s all that can be done.” With the pistol holstered, Bryce tightened his left fist again and stood up in a defiant motion to the onslaught of Imperial gunfire. To either side cries of pain and fear echoed from Union soldiers as the loud buzz of the armored vehicle filled the air, the bullets ripping soldiers to shreds. He focused his attention squarely on the vehicle, right hand rising with open palm. Let those who build such crude machines in the name of none find only a cold peace. He pointed his free hand to the distant vehicle, nearly a hundred meters away. The warmth washing through his veins suddenly felt hotter than before as the familiar touch of Liarie’s presence coursed through him towards his fingertips before creating invisible motions through the air towards the vehicle. He felt a grip in his hand and began to squeeze it. The vehicle lifted into the air, dents forming all along its edge as the invisible force pressed in at every angle, the metal armor squealing in a futile attempt to keep its rigid form. Abruptly the back end of the vehicle buckled in, then the front before suddenly the entire thing crumbled into a ball to land with an audible thud. The munitions within went off a moment later as fire enveloped what remained of the car.\n\nBryce released the grip, a wave of exhaustion hitting him as he stumbled back a step before feeling a reassuring touch of a hand against his back, energy flowing back through him.\n\n“Steady as she goes my dear,” Liarie mused.\n\nHe looked to her and nodded his head before straightening himself, he tightened his right hand upon the barrier, strengthening it. Smoke billowed all around him as he stepped past debris being used as cover, soldiers looking up in awe at the defiance that Bryce showed to the Imperials. He gripped the saber’s handle and unsheathed the smooth, silvery blade into his left hand. The point of it acted as a guiding light for those nearby to push back their fears, grips upon weapons tighten as triggers were pulled. Where’s the esper hiding?\n\nAt his side, Liarie wove a second barrier further ahead where now Murn trudged forward with his heavy physical shield. Zel and Chapman were just behind Murn with rifles ringing out shots in unison. The group marched toward the center of the crater where a slight hill of dirt still stood covered in debris with Union soldiers barely clinging onto the area. Reaching that small space, Liarie shifted her barrier to the sides to focus on the flanks. Murn hunkered down at the front giving a solid foundation to hide behind. Zel and Chapman found a place behind Murn as protection while firing towards Imperial soldiers. Zel shouted with excitement with each shot.\n\nRun, you Imperial dogs. Don’t be foolhardy enough to challenge us. With a grimace, Bryce took in the scene now wrapped around him in every direction. He could make out the faces of the soldiers both in surprise at the pain enveloping their body and the anguish to give out the pain through a pull of a trigger. The Union soldiers, now taking his stand as an opportunity to push, were raining death upon the Imperials who coward behind their cover. The grip on his saber tightened as he sought any targets that threatened his position. Beyond the crater other armored cars moved along the trenches in the distance, their buzz filling the air as they drew closer to the outer line of defense the Union clung to. The dark gray of the Imperial soldiers swarmed ever closer to replace the ranks of those who had already fallen.\n\nA burst of gunfire to his left drew his attention. With hand spread he focused the barrier, catching the bullets in the air to form them into a metallic ball. He flicked his wrist causing the ball to propel toward a pair of nearby Imperial soldiers, their bodies torn apart by the shrapnel.\n\nAnother onslaught to his right bore down on their position, his quick reflexes deflected the bullets that threatened to overwhelm the thin barrier now strengthening with his renewed focus. He began to gather the bullets again in preparation.\n\n“Bryce! Expand your barrier forward!” Liarie called out.\n\nPulled from his thoughts, Bryce released the ball and expanded his barrier. The strain hit him hard as he grit teeth. The cry of pain drew his attention and he saw with wide eyes the sight of Chapman’s body collapsing back. He looked in the direction of where the bullet had come from to see the blonde-haired esper with rifle raised. Bryce released his grip on his saber, the blade caught in an invisible hold as he reached for the dual shot pistol. In one smooth motion he unholstered his pistol and took aim, the ironsights aimed squarely on the girl’s chest. A blinding light flashed around him as he pulled the trigger, the recoil kicking his hand back.\n\nBlinking his eyes clear, Bryce growled at the sight of no clear evidence of the esper being dead beyond the distant piece of cover. With his focus on the area he could feel through the muddy mess of magical presences a glimpse of hers. She has some talent. “Liarie, is Chapman alive?” He holstered his pistol and took the saber from the air to sheath it as well.\n\n“Yes, he’ll make it thanks to your protection.”\n\nBryce glanced down to see Liarie pressing a red stained hand against Chapman’s chest, the other holding the boy’s hands tightly. Chapman himself dulled in his senses from shock, “He shouldn’t have gotten hurt at all.”\n\n“This is not the time to waste, Bryce.” Liarie snapped and gave him a glare, “Clear the area with Murn. Zel and I, will get Chapman back.”\n\n“Let Yen keep us focused,” Bryce replied and turned to face the Imperials with renewed vigor. He raised his hand, a glow of embers forming in the palm of his hand, the very air fueling the growth into a burning inferno. He spotted two running from the cover where the esper was. Not those two, the girl is still in the same spot.\n\nSwinging his palm out, the inferno leapt from his fingertips to bellow forth in a slow arcing curve. Embers fell in the path of the inferno catching Imperial soldiers off guard, their clothes catching fire as they ran in fear. Reaching the end of its path, the flames engulfed the barricade to join up with the rest of the flames that still burned along the wreckage of the armored car.\n\nJust missed her. He noticed her stumble into a ditch along the edge of the crater. “Murn, stay here as protection until Chapman is able to be moved.”\n\n“Bryce!”\n\nHe glanced back to see Zel helping to finish bandaging up Chapman, the young boy starting to regain some of his composure. Liarie looking up at Bryce with frustration, beads of sweat covering her face from maintaining a constant barrier.\n\n“Take the help. Murn can catch up with me after.” Without waiting for a response, Bryce ran parallel to the Imperial esper towards a group of Union soldiers behind a set of cover made out of kicked up dirt and the dead.\n\nBryce reached the spot and with one hand still gripping the barrier he began to grow a new flame in the second. He felt a light headiness flash through him forcing his eyes to shut as he focused on the beat of his heart and maintaining the flow of magic surging to the palm of his left hand and to the barrier now tightening around his body.\n\nA sharp pain struck at the barrier causing his heart to skip at the lethality of the bullet. Opening his eyes he saw past the growing flames to see the girl peering over cover with rifle pointed at him. She adepts quick! He snuffed the flames out in an instant by pulling the air into the barrier instead feeding the blood and energy to increasing his defense. A resounding boom echoed towards him that was followed up by a heavy impact against the barrier he held up. A spasm of pain shot up his right arm as he let out a growl of pain. The barrier became visible in the cracks reflecting lights before it shattered in every direction ripping apart the Union soldiers closes to him.\n\nHe shook his right hand, the flow of blood surging through it helping to heal torn muscle from the shockwave of the blast. Feeding the barrier with fresh blood, he unsheathed the saber, taking the blade into his left hand. Bryce felt ripples from the impact of multitudes of bullets hitting the barrier. Imperial soldiers taking the lead of the esper began to fire on him. Lend me your strength, Vark, as I strike down these endless rats.\n\nWith a swift dash, Bryce was upon the closest pair of Imperial soldiers, his saber cutting them down with a smooth swing of the blade. Another quick move and a swing of the blade cut down more men, crimson blood dusting the air by the sweep of the saber and the magic weaving through air. Bullets bashed harmlessly against the barrier he held, a surge of energy with each killed Imperial helping to fuel it.\n\nHe jumped back at a grenade being thrown in his direction, the shrapnel striking the barrier with no effect. From his vantage point he saw the thrower at the edge of the crater with more men and women joining by his side. Another armored vehicle was drawing nearer, its roaring weapon clearing out the trenches that his company had come from. This is becoming impossible. Strengthening the barrier forward he glanced back in search of Murn. Spotting the heavy-set figure of Murn coming close he shouted out an order, “Murn move to the esper’s position and keep her attention while I clear out the surrounding Imperials. Be ready to retreat!”\n\nWith a nod of his head, Murn marched past Bryce his boots leaving deep, weighty impressions in the mud. The mud itself caked on Murn but was unable to pull him back due to his immense strength. Bullets struck at his shield and armor, unable to find a weakness in his plating.\n\nBryce pulled the barrier back around him like a cocoon and dashed to his left flank. The saber in his hand led him along to the next set of Imperial soldiers to slash apart. Screams of pain from men and women alike were distant to his focus on the evened beating of his heart. Blood left in his wake filled the air that was punctured by bullets. Many of the soldiers who fired at Bryce were unable to keep up with his erratic movements, panic striking them, and their aim grew unsteady.\n\nMud, wreckage, dead bodies all tried to cling at him and trip him in his dance. With focused eyes, Bryce weaved his path unharmed by the dangers at his feet and the barrier held together by his faith protecting him from the dangers all around. Another cry of agony filled the air as the tip of the saber in his hand met skin exposing the flesh within to the open air. The life of the bodies seeped out as the blade gained a slight hue of blue at the magic filling its soul.\n\nA sensation of the release of powerful magic rippled the air near him. He turned abruptly to its touch to see Murn knocked into a crater, where he had been sent from now stood a tall, lanky woman with the younger esper sitting up. Orsolya! This whole mess and she comes to this spot!\n\nMoving along the outskirts of the crater now, Bryce saw the wreckage of the armored car still burning away and just ahead of him stood four more imperial soldiers firing at him from behind two sets of cover. He reached the first two, saber easily slicing them apart and with a quick motion he unholstered his pistol. He took hold of his barrier with his left hand now squeezing the handle of his saber ever tighter.\n\nA shot from the young esper cracked his barrier. She’s quick to recover, I need to close the distance, fast.\n\nHeading for the remaining two imperial soldiers, a man and a woman, Bryce aimed his dual shot pistol and fired the first round. Fire licked out from the barrel as the recoil shook his already weakened arm. The cover where the man stood splintered apart as he fell back in surprise.\n\nA second crack formed in the barrier.\n\nVark please keep aiding me with your strength, just a little longer.\n\nA third crack, an aching pain grew in his left hand, his nerves begging him to release the growing tension in his veins. The beat of his heart grew closer to a resounding crescendo, his teeth held in a tight grit.\n\nWith a quick step, he bounced ahead to catch the woman off guard. The saber sliced down from shoulder to waist sending the woman to the mud. Not wasting time to see her condition, Bryce stormed forward with the pull of the pistols trigger to release the second shot.\n\nA fourth crack, then the fifth and last shattered the barrier all around Bryce.\n\nThe man who stood in front of Bryce was blinded by the flash of light from the collapsing barrier. The rifle he held faltered.\n\nStanding there in surprise, Bryce quickly regained his composure and shifted to his right as he noticed the man blindly pull the trigger in hopes of hitting something. The saber hit its mark squarely in the man’s chest.\n\nHe spotted Murn moving out from the crater and called out, his focus on Murn helping carry the words through the air with the aid of magic. “Murn, retreat!” He holstered his pistol and raised his barrier up in time from Orsolya’s onslaught of bullets from her gas-fed pistol. As Vark aids me with his strength, so do I need yours, Yen. Please guide my magic and help focus my mind.\n\nThe sting of bullets against the barrier subsided. Bryce tightened the barrier around himself and began to transverse the terrain with swift feet. His once-light movements were more sluggish as mud gripped at him; only his determination allowed him to keep any form of pace.\n\nHe aimed his saber as he neared the closest esper, the young girl. Her blonde hair even dirtied with dirt was still a guide for his blade as he descended upon her spot.\n\nA rush of dirt and wood blocked his view as his blade dug in to find only disappointment of the lack of flesh. He pulled the blade free and jumped back out of instinct. The dirt barrier exploding outward as the wooden shards rained down around his feet.\n\nBryce looked up to see Orsolya standing over the girl with pistol raised and a bright light in the palm of her left hand. To kill two espers here, let alone Orsolya! Yet… He studied her cold expression and looked beyond to the fresh Imperials entering the crater. My death would be pointless here. “Farewell,” he said to them and dashed off. The grip on his barrier held strong as he waited for an attack by Orsolya during his escape, but nothing came.\n\nHe dashed past craters and wreckage, his eyes constantly shifting to the left at the armored vehicle drawing ever nearer. The barrel of the vehicle’s weapon began to tear into the group of Union soldiers at the entrance to the crater that his company had come through. In his act of staring he suddenly caught his foot on a pothole, catching himself with his hands. Exhaustion hit him hard in that instant as he forced himself back to his feet before abruptly tripping over again.\n\nA heavy grip on his shoulder and a quick tug on it brought Bryce back to his feet in one motion. A surge of warmth flooded into him as he blinked his eyes clear to see Liarie standing in front of him. He looked to his shoulder at the iron grip of Murn, following the arm to the faceless mask. “Thank you, both of you,” he said with a nod of his head, “But, why are you two still here?”\n\n“Waiting for you!” Liarie seethed and turned in the direction of retreat, her hand held tight around a dim light of power feeding the barrier around the trio.\n\n“I told you all to keep going!”\n\n“Zel and Chapman did,” She glanced back to make sure he was following close enough behind to stay in her protection, “I came back for you to clear your retreat. Otherwise you’d be surrounded by Imperials by now.”\n\nMurn grumbled in response to nod at a pair of Imperial soldiers crushed by a heavy object before showcasing the mark of blood on the edge of his shield to Bryce.\n\n“And now all three of us will be surrounded!” Bryce reached for his pistol to eject the empty casings within the two barrels before sliding in two fresh slugs.\n\n“Don’t focus on our immediate surroundings but instead on our destination.”\n\nLooking past Liarie, Bryce saw the opening leading into the outer trench line. Familiar faces of Zel and Herra poking above cover to fire off quick shots at approaching Union soldiers.\n\n“They’re holding onto the exit; we just need to make it there!” She slid down into a crater, hooves moving swiftly to the other side to climb out. Her free hand wove a rune in the air before sending forth a spark of lightning that caught an Imperial soldier coming too close from the right. The man cried out as his body spasmed before collapsing, limbs still shaking as he died.\n\nMurn raced up to Liarie, shield raised to block bullets aimed for Liarie from the left.\n\nAiming his pistol, Bryce killed the soldier on the left, whose head partially exploded from the heavy slug. He aimed for the second and fire, the round barely missing as the woman ducked after seeing her companion die in an instant. He finished the climb up the crater and sped along to try to keep up with Liarie who was already on the move again.\n\nThe area, already a confusing mess, had only became more confusing since they had entered. Fresh craters littered the space from the artillery that now aimed further out in an attempt to catch retreating Union soldiers in the dead land. The buzz of the armored car having reached the crater’s edge filled the trio with a sense of dread as its bullets tore apart the Union soldiers, only slowing in its onslaught to cool the barrels and reload. Imperial soldiers coming ever closer were only slowed down by the quick shot of Bryce’s pistol or a strike of magic from Liarie’s skilled hands.\n\nMoving along the ridge a group of four Imperials were firing upon Zel and Herra’s position. Seeing them, Bryce aimed his pistol and fired; the slug caught the soldier in the rear, sending the youth to the ground squirming in pain. Bryce watched one Imperial turn around to see what was wrong, and he took aim with his pistol for a second shot before pausing at the sight of the grenade being primed in hand by one soldier. “Liarie the group on our right! Can you reach them?”\n\n“I see them!” she replied and threw out a bolt of lightning.\n\nThe Imperial at the lead was struck dead in an instant; the tendrils of light reached out for the second. The grenade left the second soldier’s hands in a perfect toss before he too collapsed to the floor spasming in pain. Bryce watched helpless at the sight of the grenade landing behind Zel and Hendrick, their distant forms caught in surprise before they jumped from the cover. The explosive went off, sending the two men sprawling into the mud. The shapes of more from his company fell back, he was not able to tell who let out a scream of pain. His heart was gripped in fear. “Liarie, run ahead!”\n\nShe met his eyes and began to speak before seeing the fear in them. She turned and sprinted off, agile hooves helping her to cover the distance far faster than any human hindered by boots caked with mud. Her long tail helped her to maintain her balance.\n\nVark, I call upon your aid to give me your protection. Not that I deserve—. A shock of pain filled his senses. Opening his eyes, he found himself laying back with Murn overhead in a defensive pose. He tried to use his left elbow to rise up and felt pain as he grit his teeth trying to ignore it and failing as he sunk back into the mud. Looking over he saw the blood drenching the sleeve of his coat, a bullet hole visible below his shoulder. He tried to close his left hand as best he could and closed his eyes, trying to grasp for the strands of magic, the warmth of magic in his veins felt cold on the left side of his body, the heat trying to break through. Not that I deserve it with my numerous pleas, but so I can reach my companions and help guide them out of this horror. Bryce felt the tightness of the barrier as a whisper on his fingertips, a bullet aimed in his direction slowed but not halted fell by his feet. “Murn, I can’t maintain a barrier!” he called as he looked past the heavy boots to see the third Imperial soldier who had turned to help his companion. The man was shouting in clear anger as he fired his rifle in anger at Murn. Bryce took aim and fired his pistol from the mud. The man collapsed, dying alongside his still squad mates.\n\nMurn turned and placed his shield in the direction of the Imperial side before gripping Bryce’s right arm to force the Lead to his feet. “I shield, you fire.”\n\n“Agreed,” Bryce replied. He tried moving his left hand, but only felt pain. With a grimace he holstered his pistol, unable to reload it with one hand. To use magic with an open wound, the worst thing you can do. He fed magic into a small growing ember in the palm of his hand. At least it’ll be easier to create then a barrier. “I shouldn’t bleed out; the wound didn’t hit anything vital.” He spoke aloud to himself more as reassurance then to anyone in particular.He looked up at the path laid out before him that led up to the exit of the area. “It isn’t far…” He began to take slow steady steps forward, eyes darting to either side in search of any Imperial who drew too close. Pockets of Union soldiers still remaining were firing wildly as they one by one turned from their cover to blindly retreat in a mad dash or simply collapse in fear, unable to act anymore.\n\nLoud dings of bullets striking against Murn’s shoulder kept Bryce on edge, the knowledge that the Imperials were catching up giving him further urgency in his step. Spotting a pair of soldiers out of his peripheral vision he turned and firing off the small sphere of fire he had grown. The soldiers backed off in surprise as the flames engulfed the area they had been standing in a moment before. Bryce turned away focusing on another ball of fire, not caring to finish off the two soldiers who barely escaped his spell.\n\nA misstep made him stumble a moment before he caught himself, the fire snuffed out from his hand. Standing at an awkward angle he felt a wave of dizziness hit him as he began to tilt further before Murn dragged him back to attention.\n\n“No time to waste, Lead.”\n\n“Thank you, Murn,” he muttered not having the strength to voice it over the roar of noise all around. He kept moving, the path growing shorter with each step as he could make out Liarie dragging a body into the trench with the help of Dunkir. Zel spotting him began to fire at something beyond. Bryce fed magic into another fire spell and turned to see what Zel was shooting toward: a group of Imperials charging toward Murn’s shield. He released the ball of fire to catch the leading woman who burst into flames, the others faltering in their eager charge to instead cower in horror at their comrade’s screams of pain.\n\nBryce turned and took the final steps to the incline leading up towards the exit out of the massive crater and back into the protection that the trench would provide.\n\n“Lead! You look like shit!” Zel yelled as he ran down to Bryce help support him. “Let’s get you up quick; we can’t dawdle with these Derdainia bastards hot on our heels!”\n\nPulled up the incline by Zel’s insistence, Bryce froze up at the space where the grenade had gone off, nearly killing Zel and Hendrick. The dismembered arm surrounded by the pool of blood keeping him captivated.\n\n“Lead, we need to keep moving.”\n\n“Who’d we lose?”\n\n“We’re losing Chapman, now let’s get you into the trench,” Zel spoke with an unnaturally stern voice, “Now!”\n\nThe sounds of battle suddenly seemed distant as he hurried forward. The sight of Liarie’s tail flicking as the fey was busy working over a body deeper in the trench helped guide him toward the entrance. “Liarie how is he?”\n\n“A lost cause. I stopped the bleeding but he’s drifting away,” Liarie replied.\n\nHerra, standing to the side with medical supplies, began packing them up with a sorrowful expression.\n\nThe youth lay frozen in the mud. Bandages stained red were wrapped around the stump of his right arm. More blood covered his stomach and chest where the coat had been ripped by shrapnel entering. His skin was pale white, what little life draining away with final gasps of pained breaths.\n\nBryce stood there frozen, the pain he felt numbed by the sorrow that now crept at his heart. His hand reached for the wooden charm hidden beneath his coat. Why must I lose another one, sister? Why can’t I keep those I hold dear alive?”",
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