400 years ago, the world changed forever, becoming new, vibrant, and alien. The people that survived were also changed, becoming stronger, faster, superior and have come together under the banner of the Senshadou Empire, as it's called, creating an era of peace and prosperity with technology and magic progressing faster than ever before.
Most believe there was nothing out there, so they did not expand beyond their borders save for when absolutely necessary. However, that will soon change.
Kuromorimine City, capital of the Senshadou Empire-not the most creative name, but it fits well enough. The largest city in the Empire, it was busy 24/7 due to the numerous large businesses that are found in the city's Economic District. Various citizens-mostly young girls-fluttered about their daily lives, without a care in the world. It has been 400 years since the Senshadou Empire's formation and much has changed in that time.
The Various Senshadou school commanders had taken on a leadership role, forming a sort of Democratic Oligarchy. The vice-commanders serve as military officers and advisors, still aiding their former commanders to the best of their abilities. Oddly enough, Miho was at the head of this military command structure, having vehemently refused to be a leader of any sort, which didn't surprise Maho, all that much. Her sister was modest almost to a fault, after all. Still, as the head of the military, Miho held as much authority as the Council did, creating a good compromise. Many of Miho's Oarai teammates served as her staff, but branched out with their own interests, which Miho didn't mind.
Today, though, everyone was busier than usual. The Empire was holding a large celebration in honor of the their civilization's prosperity in economy, military, infrastructure, science, and Magic. Most of this was handled by Anchovy and her Anzio girls, since most of them were trained cooks and chefs. Miho, with her sweet demeanor, was the announcer of the celebration and ensured the public was content. Miho, who was in a sharp suit, was currently addressing a crowd of people at this very moment.
"Thank you all for coming. Today's the day that marks our 400 years anniversary of the Senshadou Empire's founding and success as a nation. I'd like to thank all who helped make this all possible: my friends from Oarai, my sister and her fellow council members, and the brave soldiers who defended our home from the dangers that lurk in this world. It was they who made our Empire so great and I'm certain they will continue to do so. Long live the Empire!" she shouted, performing the traditional Senshadou salute-placing a clenched fist over her chest. The crowd mimicked her.
"Long live the Empire!"
Maho Nishizumi, older sister to Miho and head of the Council, watched her little sister give her speech through a holoscreen, since the whole event was being broadcasted live across the whole empire. She couldn't fight down the smile at seeing Miho look so happy and confident. Miho always was a little shy around people, but she's become much more confident in the last 400 years since becoming Commander-General of the Senshadou Empire's armed forces. It also helped that she had numerous friends to encourage her and support her.
"Kommandant!" a voice called. Maho glanced and saw it was Erika. People have taken to calling her that as a way of getting Maho's attention without getting the other Councilors mixed up.
"Yes?" Maho asked, curiously. Erika held out a file.
"This is a report from Keizoku Navy Base. I think you should read this, as it contains an interesting report" she said. Her curiosity piqued, Maho took the folder and began reading.
Kommandant Maho or Commander-General Miho Nishizumi.
Over the past few weeks, our long-range scanners have been picking up strange signals and readings. At first, we assumed they were just glitches in the system, as we had just installed the new upgrades. However, just recently, our watchmen have been spotting strange ships in the Fog. While we couldn't get a a good look, they certainly weren't our ships. Most of them were sunk by the Fog's severe storms, but each one got closer than the last. Our troops are on high alert and we are keeping a close eye on the Fog. I also thought it best to inform you of this, in the event of an invasion or hostile attack.
Sincerely, General Koume Akaboshi.
Maho was certainly interested. Something was trying to breach the Fog. Surrounding the landmass that the Senshadou Empire was a fog bank that was thicker than any that ever appeared on Earth. Any attempts they made to explore it were met with failure due to severe storms raging on in the Fog. It also due to the Fog that using long-range telecommunications was impossible, forcing them to use old fashioned mail deliveries.
So, this development was either a sign or an omen.
"What shall we do, Kommandant?" Erika asked.
"For now, we keep an eye on the situation. With today's celebrations, most of us are busy or preoccupied. Tomorrow, I will call a Council meeting and we will discuss our next move. Hopefully, this will not result in conflict" Maho said. Erika nodded and proceeded to leave. When she reached the door, Maho called out.
"Oh, and Erika? Do try and relax. Today's a day of celebration, after all" she said with an encouraging smile. Erika nodded, silently, and left. Maho sighed in mild annoyance. Erika's always such a workaholic.
Down in the plaza, it was packed to capacity with various booths and vendors. Most of them were former Anzio girls, who had turned their cooking skills into professional careers if they didn't enlist in the military. Anchovy was on a small stage, announcing various activities with the same energy she always had. Carpaccio and Pepperoni stood at her side, as always, and trying to keep their friend and superior calm enough to keep from going overboard. Miho, who was overseeing the booths nearby, giggled at her enthusiasm. Some things never change.
Miho leisurely walked through the maze of booths, making sure everything was up to code while also chatting with a few citizens who were eager to talk with her or get her autograph-that still bothers her, even after all this time. A couple of little kids run by her, laughing without a care in the world. This makes Miho smile with pride. She quickly spotted a familiar blonde entering the scene.
"Alice!" she shouted, getting Alice's attention. The young Shimada smiled at the sight of her best friend and walked over to greet her.
"I'm glad you came!" Miho smiled that signature sweet smile of hers.
"Of course. This day celebrates all of our hard work and it would be rude not to attend, even if it's for a few minutes" Alice stated. Alice has managed to move on from her shyness, much like Miho, and is a much more confident individual. They both still love Boko, though.
"That's right! Hard to believe it's been 400 years, though" Miho said, staring off into the distance.
"Yes, and much has changed in that time. Even we're different" Alice commented. She wasn't wrong. When the Cataclysm ended, the surviving people were severely altered in strange ways. They became extremely strong, gained enhanced senses, extremely long lifespans, and the ability to use Magic. Physically, they are relatively unchanged, but they are noticeably taller, gained athletic builds, and their ears were twice their original length and ended in a sharp point, giving them an Elven appearance, and a pair of horns that came in various shapes. The strangest thing was that a vast majority of the survivors were female and any remaining males were unchanged and quickly died off.
Everyone was worried that they would go extinct, until a number of women suddenly found they were pregnant despite not having any intercourse with men, before. It was quickly understood they now had the ability to reproduce asexually, which relieved everyone. This had caused a major population boom that forced the Council to enforce the same single-birth policy that China had used to prevent overpopulation.
"Yeah… We don't know what we are, but we're certainly not Human, anymore. But, that doesn't matter now. We have a thriving civilization, free of the mistakes of the past. We're happy and content. And that's all that matters" Miho said, her voice full of pride. Alice, smiling brightly, nodded in complete agreement.
"Alright, everyone! It's time for the main event: one-on-one duels!" Anchovy shouted through the speaker system, earning cheers from everyone.
"Well, I better get back. I'm expected to watch the duels. It was nice to talk with you, Alice" Miho said and left. Alice waved good-bye. The day went on without any major incidents. The duels were quite enjoyable in Miho's opinion, as there were many eager combatants and she even got to participate, at Anchovy's insistence, and found herself enjoying it. While she was glory-seeking fighter, she certainly found she had a certain talent in warfare. As the day began to end, the energy from earlier died down as people headed home. Miho left as soon as the clean-up crews arrived and headed home.
Miho's home matched the size of the old Nishizumi estate and looked quite similar. Despite the grievances and tension that existed between them, Miho still loved and respected her mother and had her house built in a way that it reflected Shiho's values and the Nishizumi Styles rich history. No one questioned these choices, despite many knowing Miho and her mother didn't see eye-to-eye on Senshado.
As Miho closed the front door, she sighed in relief, happy today was over with. While things were fairly casual compared to her normal work schedule, she had a feeling in her gut that'll change tomorrow, and her gut never steered her wrong, before. Taking off her jacket and shoes, she entered the living where she found Yukari was tinkering away at some project. When the Senshadou Empire formed, Yukari was selected as head of their military's R&D Department, much to everyone's surprise and Yukari's utter delight. While she took her job very seriously, she was still the excitable tank nut everyone knew.
"Miho, you're home!" Yukari, who easily spotted the girl, exclaimed. In a few short bounds, Yukari closed the gap between them and brought Miho in for a passionate kiss. Over the centuries, Miho and Yukari had fallen in love and had been dating for some time. Now, they were happily married and were quite devoted to each other, despite their rather demanding positions. After a full minute, the two broke apart.
"Sorry, it took so long. The celebration lasted longer than I thought. Not to mention, traffic was murder, today" Miho said, apologetically, plopping onto the couch with Yukari cuddling up next to her, her earlier project completely forgotten in favor of her wife.
"It's okay. I know you were busy, but now you're here" Yukari said with a content sigh, snuggling as close to Miho as possible. Miho giggled at this. Yukari always seemed to become very affectionate whenever Miho came home from a long day at work, which she didn't mind in the slightest.
"Now, how about you remove those stuffy clothes" Yukari said, seductively, with a predatory smirk on her face. Miho stared at her wife with slight surprise. She's been acting strange the last few days, being more clingy than usual,constantly visiting a doctor, and trying to "have fun" with her. She was beginning to worry about Yukari. Nonetheless, Miho complied as her clothes were a little stuffy, and Yukari pounced almost the moment they came off. The rest was history.
"Captain Graham, sir! The storm is getting worse!"
"Maintain our heading and tie anything that's important!"
"Yes, sir!"
Captain Jacob Graham stood beside the wheel of his galleon-sized warship, his naval uniform soaked due to the heavy rain. All around him, a large fleet of similarly sized ships sailed his own, uncaring of the monstrous storm seeking to destroy them. He had been given a task by the king: to explore and conquer new land in the name of the Kingdom of Crosta. And, by God's name, he will do it, no matter what may stand in his way.
"Captain, I can see the other side!" the man at the top of the crow's nest yelled.
"Good! Keep onwards! This storm shall not defeat the Crostan navy! Not now, not ever!" Graham yelled, earning cheers from his crew. Graham smiled at the dedication they showed. He's certain many of them will die, but it seems they don't care. Graham can't help but feel proud to call these men comrades. The ship lurched as the fleet neared the end of the fog. Everyone watched on as the edge drew closer. Finally, the broke through, leaving the raging storm behind and into calm waters. The men cheered in victory.
"What did I tell you, men?! No storm shall ever conquer us!" Graham exclaimed.
"Captain, look!" a crewmate exclaimed. Graham turned and saw that the fog that had been such a thorn in their side was quickly disappearing. Graham smiled, again. Now, traveling back home will be much easier.
"Coastal city, up ahead!" the lookout called. Graham instantly spotted the large city hugging the coastline. It rivaled the size of some Crostan cities and had a very unique shape to their buildings. The roofs were curved and had a strong metallic feel, as if made of metal or the like. There were a couple decent-sized-metal!-ships anchored in the nearby harbor.
"The locals might gives us some trouble, Captain" his first mate stated.
"Yes, but we likely outnumber their militia by a large margin. Ready the men, we strike at dawn" Graham ordered.
"No attempt at diplomacy, this time, sir?" the first mate asked.
"No. We were sent here to conquer, not make nice. Any other questions?" Graham asked.
"None come to mind"
"Then, you have your orders"
"Yes, sir!"
"Thank you all for coming. We have an important topic to discuss, today" Maho said, addressing her fellow Councilors. The Senshadou Empire Council consisted of eight former School commanders: Maho, Darjeeling, Kay, Anchovy, Alice, Kinuyo, Marie, and Katyusha. They were all seated around a round table, not unlike that used in government meetings before, outfitted with the latest advances in Magic and technology. Miho, while technically not part of the Council, also had a seat at the table, next to her sister. Council Guards, elite and highly trained soldiers, stood in attention at each corner of the room and on either side of the door.
"Sometime, yesterday, I had received an important message from General Koume in Keizoku City, stating that she and her troops discovered mysterious ships trying to emerge from the fog bank. Most don't make it through, but she worries they may succeed, one day" she explained. Miho had a concerned look on her face, worrying about her friend.
"Wait, if we received this yesterday, how come we're only now talking about it, today?" Anchovy asked.
"I had postponed bringing this to our attention, as we were all busy with the festival" Maho replied, cooly.
"Does this message give any descriptions of the ships?" Alice asked.
"No. Whatever or whoever these ships belong to, are a complete mystery to us. Koume has her troops on high alert, for the time being. However, I am still worried that this threat is graver than we realize" Maho said.
"I can understand. In the 400 years since we founded this Empire, we've never encountered many threats and the few we have were defeated by us, specifically. Never by our army" Kinuyo said.
"Yeah, we did everything we could to prepare for anything, but we won't know if all of our effort is worth it" Kay said, a little worried herself.
"You seem to forget, many of our troops have had centuries to train and hone their skills. I doubt there are any better soldiers on this planet" Marie said, taking a bite out of her cake.
"Yes, Marie, you have a point, but have you heard the saying "Better safe than sorry"?" Darjeeling asked, rhetorically, cooly taking a sip of her tea. Suddenly, a girl burst into the room, startling everyone. She looked like she just ran a marathon, panting heavily, and her eyes wide as dinner plates.
"What is it?" Miho asked, her military and combat experience allowing her to recover quickly.
"We just received word from Keizoku! It's under attack!" she exclaimed, shocking everyone present. Even the entirely calm Darjeeling and Marie looked shocked.
"By who?" Maho asked, standing up.
"You won't believe this, but by Humans" the girl replied, her breathing not as heavy as before.
"Humans?!" Katyusha exclaimed, flabbergasted.
"I thought they were extinct..." Alice muttered.
"The winds have shifted" Mika said, strumming her kantele.
"Where did these Humans come from? The fog?" Marie asked, having gotten over her shock.
"Yes. By all accounts, it seems to have dissipated, as well. That's how we're able to now contact Koume through our comms" the girl replied.
"Patch her through!" Maho commanded. A holographic projector appeared from the ceiling and a holo-image of Koume appeared on the table.
"Kommandant!" she said with a crisp salute.
"General, what is the situation?" Maho asked.
"The Humans attacked us with a fleet of, what looks to be, twenty large galleons filled with well-armed and well-trained soldiers. While we are superior to them physiologically and technologically, they have us greatly outnumbered and still fight with the same unconquerable spirit Humans always had. Without reinforcements, they'll outlast us" Koume explained, looking quite worried.
"We'll send reinforcements, immediately, and one of the Councilors will lead them, personally" Maho said. At that, Kay stood up, looking excited.
"I'll go. It's been a while since I saw some action" she said. Maho nodded in confirmation.
"Good luck and be careful. While we have once been Human, it does not mean we know what they're capable of" she said. Kay, with a serious face, nodded and left. Miho smiled at Koume.
"Don't worry, Kay is on her way" she said, encouragingly. Koume smiled back and nodded.
Keizokou City was in chaos. Humans and the defending forces waged battle in the streets. While the Humans and the numbers advantage, they were sorely behind in technology, still using swords, spears, and the like, with few rifleman. They did have siege weapons, which appeared to have been taken out of a steampunk age. The defenders, while smaller in number, used more advanced magitech-the hybrid of magic and technology-weaponry.
Soldiers of the Senshadou Empire wore armor similar to that of a samurai, reflecting their Japanese roots. It was primarily black in color-Kuromorimine's influence-and was consisted of a form fitting full body glove underneath a dark blue breastplate with a segmented armor over the abdomen attaching to a belt around the waist. The sode were quite large, rounded at the edges, and featured noticeable neck guards. Metal guards protected their arms, and shins while their thighs were protected by a durable, yet cloth-like armor that reached below the knees, and a pair of boots under the shin guards. They wore a standard kabuto-style helmet with flame-like decorations and openings for their horns.
The standard weapon they used looked similar to a high tech long rifle, but had a sharp blade incorporated into the barrel, giving it a spear-like look while also being twice the length of a standard long rifle. They fired pure magical bolts that proved to have quite a nasty punch, as anything on the receiving end could attest. They had greater recoil than normal rifles, but their greater strength countered that problem, easily.
The battle raged on in the streets, Koume was in a makeshift FOB in the city hall, coordinating her troops through various short-range comms as they fought their hardest. These Humans were a new generation, separate from the one Koume was born into, but they certainly had what made Humanity so strong to begin with: ingenuity, excellent teamwork, and a stubborn refusal to quit.
"4th, 5th, and 3rd platoons: continue with citizen evacuation. 1st, 2nd, 6th, and 7th: create choke points at strategic locations in the city. We need to thin out the Humans' numbers as much as possible and stall them until reinforcements arrive" she ordered. A loud explosion went off nearby, kicking up dirt and blowing out the city hall's windows, forcing Koume and the soldiers with her to cover their faces from the wind. Koume gritted her teeth.
'Siege weapons? Or maybe some form of powerful magic…' Koume wasn't sure which was more worrying for them.
Graham stood aboard his, now beached, command ship, watching the battle unfold from a distance. Resistance was greater than he originally thought, as this fight has been going on for three days, now. These natives appeared to be robust horned Elves, but they were anything but. Their strength was immense, as they effortlessly picked up and threw large slabs of rock at their enemies, which made them a nightmare to face in hand-to-hand combat. They also wielded weapons he's only seen Dwarves use and had some pretty strong armor compared to even Orcish heavy armor. The only advantage his troops seem to have is numbers.
The weirdest part was that all of them were women. Extremely beautiful ones, at that. No one has encountered any men, civilian or otherwise. What kind of civilization has no men? He'd figure that part out, later. He has a job to do.
"What's the status of the natives?" he asked his first mate, who was going over a list of reports.
"On the defensive. They're setting up choke points all over the city and trying to slow us down as much as possible. It's almost as if they're waiting for something" he said. Graham humed.
"Perhaps they managed to send a letter to their ruler and are awaiting reinforcements. Any commander with half a brain would do so" he said.
"Whatever comes, our artillery should be able to handle it. But, there is one interesting thing that keeps popping up" the first mate said, gaining Graham's interest.
"What is it?" he asked.
"They have a staggering amount of magic users in their ranks, almost as much as the Elves do, actually" the first mate replied.
"Really now?" Graham asked, curious.
"Yes. Powerful ones, too. Many of them are casting 5th Tier and even 6th Tier spells with remarkable ease. Conquering these people will prove a worthwhile endeavor, it seems" the first mate stated. Graham nodded in agreement. Many Human kingdoms and non-Human races still remain unconquered by Crosta due to their sheer magical, military, or physical might. These girls, however strange, just might change that.
"Captain, look!" the lookout called, pointing to the sky. Everyone gasped in shock when a small number of large, metal ships appeared from the sky, kept aloft by some form of large rotating engines near the rear of the vessels. They all bore a strange demon-like insignia in red on the sides, further intimidating the men.
"By the Gods…" someone muttered as strange nozzles on the ships' undersides started moving until they were pointed at the ship. In small explosions, the nuzzles open fired, decimating the galleons in a single volley.
While the airships battered the Humans' ships, several transports descended from the ships hangar bays and offloaded their cargo of soldiers onto the battlefield, routing any Humans they came across. In front of the city hall, a transport landed and opened to reveal Kay, wearing her custom-made armor and wielding her energy mace, flanked by Naomi and Alisa on either side. Koume met the Councilor outside.
"You arrived just in time, ma'am. I don't know how much longer we could've lasted without artillery support" she said, grateful.
"You're welcome. These Humans' weapons and tech is woefully primitive compared to ours, so I doubt they'll last long now that we're fighting seriously" Kay said confidently. A massive explosion went off on a nearby building.
"That looks to be 6th Tier Magic they're using. They must have a powerful Magic Castor with them" Naomi said, as calm as ever, as she blew a bubble from her gum.
"So do we. We'll find and subdue the Magic Castor along with their commander. They will regret attacking the Senshadou Empire!" Kay shouted, earning cheers from ever soldier within earshot.
Graham was absolutely furious. Furious that these knife-eared upstarts would dare make a mockery of him, a proud officer of the Kingdom of Crosta. He groaned in frustration as the Magic Castor that had accompanied him launched another spell. Human Magic Castors were extremely rare in Crosta, so they typically were only deployed in rare situations, and the one with him was able to cast 6th Tier Magic. A private rushed up to him.
"Captain, I've checked the ships as you ordered and we're in luck, the power armor suits in our possession are still intact and awaiting use" he said.
"How many are there? Graham asked.
"Only three, I'm afraid" the private replied. Graham cursed.
"Right, gather the two highest ranking troops you can find and tell them to meet me here" he said. The private saluted and rushed off. Graham turned to the Magic Castor.
"How are you doing?" he asked.
"I still have plenty of Magical Power left, so I'm still good" the Castor replied, readying another spell.
"Okay, don't let up, no matter what" he said. The private came back, two other ship captains trailing close behind.
"We came as soon as we could, Captain. What's the plan?" one of the captains asked. Graham turned to them.
"Get in a power armor suit, gentlemen. We're going in, ourselves"
Kay was having the time of her life. She hasn't fought on the frontlines in well over 100 years and, oh boy, did she miss it! Everytime she struck a hapless Human with her mace or shot them with its built-in blaster, she felt pure, unbridled joy swell within. Naomi and Alisa fought beside her, as always, Naomi bashing Humans away with her massive bladed shield while Alisa shot them with her dual pistols, wielding them with a sense of flair western movie cowboys would be jealous of.
Humans dropped around them like flies as the trio made their way towards the docks, where their commander and Magic Castor will likely be. The soldiers around them cheered and rallied behind their Councilor, her mere presence reinvigorating them. Kay laughed as she swatted away another Human with her mace like a baseball bat.
"I live for this!" she exclaimed, a huge grin on her face. Naomi smiled at her friend's enthusiasm. Administrative work never seemed to suit her. A loud crash caught their attention and three men in bulky armor that almost appeared to be Fallout Power Armor knock-offs came into view, tackling any soldier that got in their way. Naomi and Alisa were worried while Kay was excited.
"Finally, a challenge!" she exclaimed, tossing away her mace. The most ornate of three mechs spotted Kay and, without hesitation, charged forward. Kay did the same and the two leapt into the ar. Kay, however, torpedoed right into the mech's midsection, wrapping her arms around it, and sending the two tumbling before Kay, using her immense strength, tossed the mech several dozen feet, slamming into a vehicle with enough force to severely dent it. The mech slowly stood up, its pilot dazed from the toss, before turning to a smug Kay, who made a taunting gesture to attack again.
Angered at this display, the mech charged again and got into a deadlock with Kay. Despite the mech having a great deal of power, Kay's own natural physical strength proved to be an even match, much to the pilot's shock. Kay smiled cheekily, taking pleasure in her opponent's discomfort and the fact she gets to fight. Without warning, she knees the mech in the gut, flips over the mech while grabbing its shoulders, and flips the mech over her shoulders and into a nearby jewelry store. The mech recovered quickly and charged out, catching Kay off guard, and hitting her with a barrage of punches. Kay stumbles back, slightly dazed, and spits out some blood and smiles gleefully. The mech follows up with a, literally, rocket-powered punch, sending Kay flying into the third story of a building.
Graham smiled from within his mech suit, his troops cheering all around him. The natives looked nervous, so it was obvious the girl he just beat was a high-ranking commander. She was certainly a fearsome foe, but nothing could match the strength of a quality-made set of power armor. The other two captains in their power armor were struggling against the two other two commanders, especially the one with the large shield. He was about to go and help them when he heard the distinctive crackle of lightning. Suddenly, the building he threw the commander into exploded in a show of lightning and she jumped out, landing easily on the ground with her body coated in lightning and sporting a massive grin, as if she was having the time of her life.
"My turn…" she said before slamming into Graham with a mighty charge, severely denting the power armor. Before he could retaliate, she threw several punches, each one having the added force of lightning autmenting the damage. Soon, the once shining power armor was severely dented and damaged. Seizing, she punched Graham onto his back and began to tear open the armor, using her immense strength and lightning-enhanced abilities to make short work of the armor's remaining durability. Once the armor was ripped open, she pulled Graham out and held up by the neck.
All around them, Graham's troops were defeated by the strange natives. The two captains in power armor were already defeated, their pilots killed by some rather powerful blows to the armor's more vulnerable necks. One of the two raised her shield in triumph, earning cheers from her comrades. The commander's body, finally, stopped emitting lightning.
"Well, it seems your little invasion failed, Human" the commander said, smiling cheekily. Graham stared at the girl in shock. How did she already know his race despite the two obviously never having met before? Before he could ask, she pushed him towards a couple of waiting soldiers before addressing her troops.
"Round up any Humans that are still alive-administer Healing Magic if you need to-and store them in my flagship. We'll ship them off to Pravda for proper interrogation" she commanded, her voice loud and booming.
"Hai!" the soldiers called and went to work. Graham started chuckling a bit.
"You forget about the Magic Castor that was with us! He'll likely return home and inform the King of this transgression. Once that happens, you all will be serving under the flag of Crosta!" he exclaimed. The commander stared at him for a long while before smirking.
"Let them come. Our military will be able to handle anything you're able to throw at us. I'm actually looking forward to seeing what you have to offer as a challenge. Things have been a little boring around here, these days" she said, sounding completely casual. Graham stared at her, in shock, again. Then, he loses it.
"Cursed hag! Vile witch! Annoying b-" he rambled, but was silenced by a metal clamp being placed over his mouth, cutting his his tirade of insults.
"Take him away. We'll deal with him later. For now, let's get this mess cleaned up" she said, unfazed. Once Graham was lead off, the commander and her subordinates got to work.
Out on the sea, a lone ship was sailing away. The Spell Caster stood on the deck, staring out at the city. Once it became clear they needed to retreat, he gathered up what little men he could and had them load one of the ships that wasn't destroyed with whatever supplies they could and sailed off back to Crosta. The king needed to be informed of this, immediately. If they could conquer this new race, they'll finally have the whole world under their banner. However, that will be extremely difficult given the strength of their military, skill of their Casters, and scale of their technology.
He was sure they'll find a way, though. They always do.
The next few days were undeniably busy for Kay, as it took a while to load up all the prisoners and/or apply Healing Magic to the more injured ones. Pravda was also far from the coast and was freezing. How anyone could stand living in the cold 24/7 was beyond her. Once the interrogations started, it quickly became apparent these guys were very tight-lipped with the only things they'll say being insults or how this King of Crosta they keep mentioning will come and put them in their place. Which leads to their current predicament.
"I'll only ask this, one more time: what of the Kingdom of Crosta and why did you invade our territory?" Kay demanded, slamming her palms on the table. She, Naomi, and Graham were in an interrogation room, but Graham was likely the most tight-lipped of them all.
"I'll tell you nothing, you Amazon pretender!" he shouted, making Kay slam her head on the table in pure annoyance. How did she respect this guy during their fight? A knock came from the door, alerting Kay. As she raised her head, a young girl walked in.
"Ma'am, the rest of the Council requests your presence" she said.
"Ha! You don't have one person govern your people! How idiotic can you get?" Graham mocked, earning a glare from Kay.
"Naomi, stay here and keep an eye on him. If he finally decides to cooperate, record whatever he says and inform me later" she said. Naomi nodded, blowing another bubble with her gum. Kay left the room and followed the girl to a special room which held several hologram projectors showing the other Councilors. However, she noticed Miho wasn't with them.
"Hey, where's-" she started.
"Miho is currently cataloguing our military hardware, as to ensure we can handle whatever these Humans can muster" Maho replied.
"Speaking of which, how well did they fight?" Kinuyo asked.
"Their tech and weapons were around pre-industrial age, but they had some pretty advanced power armor and a powerful Magic Castor, who has apparently retreated when things went South. They were pretty much normal Humans, other than that" Kay explained.
"But, why did they attack us? They couldn't have known about us" Katyusha said, genuinely confused.
"I don't know. They won't give up any information regarding their motivations, but they are pretty convinced their nation, Crosta, will come back to finish what they started" Kay replied.
"The winds are not boding well" Mika said, seemingly lost in her own world.
"It's obvious we haven't seen the last of this Crosta, especially since the Fog is now gone. We are connected to the rest of world after 400 years of isolation" Darjeeling commented.
"I'll immediately start to work with Miho to strengthen our coastal and aerial defenses. Whatever this world contains, we will be ready for it" Maho said.
"I'll have my spies begin inducting espionage and intelligence gathering missions to learn whatever we can about Crosta and whatever else may be out there" Alice said.
"I'll have Rosehip doing similar tasks. After all, have you heard the saying 'Knowledge is power' ?" Darjeeling added.
"But, what of the Humans currently imprisoned by us?" Mary asked.
"We'll need to move them to a more secure location to ensure they don't escape" Kay commented.
"Leave that to me. No one has ever escaped from an Anzio prison, yet" Anchovy said, proudly.
"Good. We cannot take chances. A whole new world awaits us, now, and we must be prepared for anything" Maho said.