A Pixie fluttered towards his troops on the city wall\u2019s northern battlements before setting down. \u201cHow are things going, Lieutenant?\u201d he asked a woman as she prepped her broom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThey\u2019re coming along as expected, Sir,\u201d replied the woman. \u201cI would like to go a little faster, given what\u2019s coming. I know they\u2019re on an enemy faction, but I\u2019m still fighting my own people. It feels\u2026wrong, you know?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThey\u2019re just misguided,\u201d soothed the Pixie. \u201cWe\u2019ll win and they\u2019ll see what harm they\u2019ve wrought.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThat\u2019s what we assumed at the end of the War of Stars,\u201d called Arsha\u2019s voice. Arsha walked up behind them. \u201cLest we forget, it DID give the Splitters more power.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWell, well, well, if it isn\u2019t Pinky,\u201d growled the Pixie. \u201cHow are things up in the clouds?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cFine, at the moment,\u201d replied Arsha with an equal growl. \u201cHow are things with you, Tiny?\u201d The two stared at each other\u2026then\u2026a smirk crossed their faces, then they started laughing before they hugged. \u201cIt\u2019s been too long, Quenthem!\u201d cheered Arsha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWAY too long!\u201d agreed the Pixie, Quenthem. \u201cNever thought I\u2019d see you again!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHold me out so I can get a look!\u201d urged Arsha. Quenthem then held her away from him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDo I look good?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cVain as ever, I see, but yes.\u201d Quenthem then released Arsha. \u201cErodeth told me you were one of the best Air Fighter Captains, I needed to see for myself.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat, don\u2019t trust Erodeth of all people? You wound me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWell, you know me, gotta double-check everything.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSo, I heard you actually have fianc\u00e9s.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cFive, two of them are Lardeth and Malnar.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe Heirs to the Over and Under-realm Thrones? Nice! Who are the other lucky three?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cA peasant from Rokanth called Foresna, a Zephyr woman called Falnii, and a Minotaur named Gorfanth.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cGorfanth? Gorfanth Steelhorn?! Lucky bastard!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou know him?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe met on an online Okamon match. Never got the chance to meet him in person.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cStay alive, and you see them all.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWell, with that offer, we better win this.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHow about you? Did you find anyone?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cFound someone, went the whole por with her.\u201d Quenthem then showed off his ring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c\u2026You\u2019ve got a full-on spouse?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cA lovely Zephyr wife by the name of Lantuu.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOkay, we BOTH have to show off our partners after\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cEnemy sighted!\u201d called the human Lieutenant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou take care of yourself out there, you got me?\u201d Quenthem asked Arsha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHolding you to the same promise!\u201d Arsha declared before she teleported back to the Endeavor<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAll hands, battle stations!\u201d ordered Arsha as she sat down in the Captain\u2019s Chair. The Red Alert alarm sounded, and everyone hurried to their station, ready to fight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAll weapons primed,\u201d reported Malak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cCommunications limited to allies only,\u201d called Shalvey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cEngine core\u2019s secured,\u201d Thangred\u2019s voice came over the comms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAll stations report ready,\u201d finished Shalvey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cReady to take us up,\u201d called Nazay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDo it,\u201d ordered Arsha. Nazay keyed in a command on his console and the Endeavor<\/em> rose up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cEnemy now within range,\u201d reported Malak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThere she is!\u201d chuckled a Golem. \u201cPity to destroy such a beautiful ship and city.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cStay focused, Lanthek,\u201d called Yulduk. \u201cA-B-12792, what did your scouts reveal?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThere are 5 trenches between us and the city,\u201d droned a Robot. \u201cEach trench is roughly 2 mebs above an average Golem\u2019s head. Distance is easy for us to leap across with plenty of opportunity for us to reach and stabilize ourselves on the other side of each trench.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNot very bright of them. Any aerial support?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNone can be detected.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIf this is so important, why aren\u2019t they guarding it so well?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAlert!\u201d called another Robot. \u201cMordek en route!\u201d Mordek hovered over the trenches he blasted into the earth and landed between the first and second. His voice sounded like roaring flames as he spoke.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWithdraw or feel my wrath!\u201d he warned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cGet real!\u201d laughed Yulduk. \u201cEven with the power you have, there are 750 of us and only one of you. You\u2019ll tire out before you get enough of us!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou assume I\u2019m alone,\u201d challenged Mordek.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe\u2019re on the clock here. Get him!\u201d The army charged at Mordek, only for magic blasts to whizz by the Divine One and strike the enemy, knocking them into the trenches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou were warned!\u201d snarled Mordek as he summoned his hammer and lit the head. The ones who cast the magic blasts then dispelled their invisibility spells and revealed themselves to be the Air Fighters!<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cGET FLOCKING!\u201d called Quenthem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cFLIERS, DEPLOY!\u201d ordered Yulduk. As the Robots with flight capabilities launched themselves, Mordek continued knocking the ground forces into trenches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThey\u2019re being held at the trenches,\u201d reported Shalvey. \u201cAnd Quenthem\u2019s forces are occupying their fliers.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAny calls for bombardment?\u201d asked Arsha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNone so far.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDoggone, and they say I\u2019M the miracle worker here!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHold that thought, the Robots are starting to push back! They\u2019re asking for bombardment!\u201d Arsha turned to Malak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cReady topside torpedo launchers!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cTopside torpedo launchers ready,\u201d reported Malak. \u201cAll allies\u2019 genetic signatures identified.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cFire!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yulduk and Mordek were personally dueling. Yulduk swung twin fire swords while Mordek continued using his hammer. He blocked Yulduk\u2019s downswing with the hammer\u2019s handle and shoved him back. \u201cYou are a cancer on the Realms!\u201d snarled Mordek.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019m bringing the Realms to a greater glory than you and your idiot fellows ever dredged up!\u201d retorted Yulduk as he slammed his knee into Mordek\u2019s face. Mordek recovered and swung his hammer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOur father\u2019s way isn\u2019t the right way!\u201d Yulduk blocked the blow and shoved Mordek to the side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWho said it was Oyed\u2019s version of glory?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWell, who else are you fighting for?!\u201d Mordek slammed his hammer to the ground, creating a ring of fire that blew Yulduk into the trench.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cGlad you could join us,\u201d snarked a female Drider Revenant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cZip it!\u201d hissed Yulduk. \u201cSo, they think we\u2019re blindly going along with Oyed\u2019s plan of eternal war.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou got proof of that?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMordek himself said so.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cShould we tell them?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNah, better to let them be ignorant. We\u2019ll have the upper\u2026\u201d Yulduk was interrupted when a Robot went \u201cSQUAAARK!\u201d and fell into the trench in a mangled heap. \u201c\u2026They\u2019re learning how to adapt around the Robots, that\u2019s far from good.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe joints!\u201d called one of Quenthem\u2019s fliers. \u201cThey\u2019re weakest at the joints!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBoys and girls, we\u2019ve got a weakness on them! Exploit it!\u201d ordered Quenthem. The Air Fighters followed that order to the letter! Quenthem then did something rather\u2026unorthodox. He yanked his lower leg off! \u201cFORE!\u201d he called, then he whacked a Robot\u2019s head off!<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c\u2026Did he just\u2026?!\u201d squeaked Shalvey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHe lost most of his leg in an unstable mana explosion,\u201d explained Arsha. \u201cHe\u2019s got an Ironwood leg that he uses as a golf club just to freak people out. It nearly made Mama faint the first time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt seems to be effective,\u201d remarked Malak. \u201cThe enemy is sounding a retreat.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cKeep bombardments up until the enemy is about a por away from the field,\u201d ordered Arsha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cRETREAT!\u201d called Yulduk. \u201cFALL BACK TO THE PERIPHERY TRENCH!\u201d All those that could get out of Mordek\u2019s trenches ran like the Depths away from the battlefield, running back to the north. Mordek then raised his hammer and slammed it to the ground before bellowing in victory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOur forces return,\u201d reported one Robot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAccept them,\u201d ordered the Lead Robot. Yulduk and his troops then entered the trench and sat down, catching their breath. \u201cWhat has happened?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe just spent the entire time running from Air Fighters,\u201d panted a female Golem, \u201cand you start a quiz show?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAir Fighters? The city has no local Air Fighters.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThey outsourced,\u201d gasped Yulduk as he breathed heavily. \u201cDammit, I KNEW this was too easy!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cShould we pull out?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNo, we need to be more discreet in our approach. I\u2019m open to suggestions.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSir!\u201d called another Robot. \u201cWe\u2019ve miscalculated!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c\u2026On what?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOver here! Come see this!\u201d Yulduk followed the Robot into the command bunker and saw a group of Golems and Revenants digging into the dirt with their hands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHey! What\u2019s going on here?!\u201d called Yulduk. One of the Revenants then pointed to an object on the table. It was an egg twice the size of a man\u2019s fist, purple, and it sparkled as if it were made of diamond. Yulduk\u2019s eyes went wide. \u201cI don\u2019t believe it! There are some buried out here!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe also found a coffin earlier! The writing on it matched on a dead form of writing!\u201d reported the Robot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThey must be an old form of hibernation capsules!\u201d guessed Yulduk. \u201cDid we really miscalculate that bad? \u2026Or are these just an honor guard to protect what\u2019s under Realmgate City?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c\u2026I had not considered that theory.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIn any case, we need to keep searching the trench! If there ARE more, this will help us replenish our numbers! Get command on the horn! We\u2019ve made a discovery!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI can\u2019t believe you did something so dumb!\u201d snapped Marshii as she and other doctors tended to the wounded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cCome on, I did it before!\u201d protested Quenthem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIn a peacetime situation, perhaps we could afford to fix up Ironwood prosthetics, but Ironwood trees aren\u2019t exactly easy to harvest for saplings, nor are they readily available in war!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cQuenthem, you have to admit, that was a little reckless,\u201d remarked Arsha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOh, please, Pinky! It worked!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAnd it was too risky,\u201d called a voice. Gorfanth then entered Sick Bay. \u201cJust popping by to see you in person.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cGlad you could visit!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cVisiting hours are over!\u201d snapped Marshii. \u201cYou can see him again when he\u2019s released! I\u2019m currently growing a new leg for him! \u2026Well?! Didn\u2019t you hear me?!\u201d Arsha and Gorfanth left the room. \u201cIdiots, I swear!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cCalling your Captain an idiot?\u201d snarked Quenthem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019m the CMO, I have the right!\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A Pixie fluttered towards his troops on the city wall\u2019s northern battlements before setting down. \u201cHow are things going, Lieutenant?\u201d he asked a woman as she prepped her broom. \u201cThey\u2019re coming along as expected, Sir,\u201d replied the woman. \u201cI would like to go a little faster, given what\u2019s coming. I know they\u2019re on an enemy […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3203,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[97,237],"tags":[482],"class_list":["post-3206","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-three-realms","category-the-three-realms-book-4-trials-of-light-and-dark","tag-fantasy"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3206","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3206"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3206\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3207,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3206\/revisions\/3207"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3203"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3206"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3206"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3206"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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