Cole pushed through the foliage of the Forest he and the rest of Delta team were in. Carmine was next to him and was watching the treeline with his Lancer held at the ready.

It had been three weeks since they separated with the Dark Elves from Schwarz Forest. In that time, Delta Squad had to be saddled with a new member Yao, who had agreed to help the Gears manoeuvre around Elbe kingdom, since she was one of the Clans hunters and was accustomed to the area. She was quick and nimble, if a little awkward, and Cole thought her to be a good addition to the Squad.

"You think we gonna see any action," Carmine asked as he pushed a low branch out of his way. The wood snapped from his excessive force, and the Carmine grunted as he tossed it away. "I had my fun with the Elves and all, but my instincts are itching. Feels like we're in a damn grub hole right now."

"What makes you say that Clay?" Cole asked. "It's been pretty smooth sailing. Let me tell ya, I wouldn't mind setting up shop here. Open up my old wine cellar again," Cole grinned at the thought. "Vintage Ostri Wine, finest out there Clay."

"Never figured you a class man," Carmine demurred as he swept their right flank. "Had a go at wine myself. Nothing fancy, Jacinto Whites, ya'know? Great for a nice homey meal with prime steak."

"I'm a Medium Rare kinda guy," Cole said good-naturedly.

"Shit, you're all sorts of class Cole," Carmine dropped his gun from his shoulder and made a sharp whistle. "Hey Sam! Did Baird say anything yet?"

From behind them Sam came up, a finger pressed to her right ear, and Dmitri and Yao flanking both her sides. Yao was looking at the forest, her pointed ears twitching at every single noise, and Cole noticed her giving strange looks at Sam and her weird pose. Cole had to admit, if he didn't know what radios were, the sight of of Sam with one finger pressed against her ear, head staring up at the sky in exasperation, and a hip cocked to the side in annoyance would have been a very strange thing to look at.

"Yes, we've left the valley...No, we didn't hit the Swamps yet, those are deeper inland and there's too much rough ground...What? How far?...Alright, I'll relay it to Cole...What no goodbye?" She rolled her eyes from whatever reply Baird made and gave Cole a small look. "Baird says some of the King Ravens spotted something on the Edge of Elbe territory, he wants us to go check it out."

"I thought we're a Special Investigations and Recon Unit," Dmitri grunted. "I'm guessing we'll be facing some nasty buggers."

"Baird doesn't know," Sam said, "He wants us to scope it out. But not to cause a ruckus. The Crown Prince, or King now, might not be all that happy with having Gears in his land snooping about."

"Where exactly is this?" Yao asked as she walked towards Sam. Dmitri moved to cover the girls backs as Sam pulled out her map and showed Yao where they needed to go. Cole kept an ear on the conversation to know whether there were any complications and Carmine went off to stand a few metres from the group.

"That's near Dablune," Yao said. "It's a town at the edge of Elbe territory. There's a forest and lake that intersects it, and Dablune is known as a military outpost and barracks for Elbe soldiers." She traced her finger across the map and glanced up at the stars in the night sky, most likely trying to formulate a path. "We can cut through here. It's mostly open farmland, so we'll have to be careful not to be caught."

"Just like the good old days tipping cows, huh?" Cole said as he nudged Carmine on the arm playfully.

"Poor cow, with how much meat you got on you Cole, the cow would probably die if you even give it a pat," Carmine replied.

"Boys, behave!" Sam said in mock admonishment. "You see what I have to deal with everyday?" She said to Yao. The Dark Elf smiled in bemusement, her face a mix of confusion and apprehension. Poor girl seemed to think they were all mad.

"You get used to it," Dmitri supplied helpfully when Yao glanced at him. "The weirdness I mean. They act more like family than a military unit to be honest."

"We all are family D!" Cole enthused, "You roll in Delta, you rolling with trust." Yao was only more confused at Cole's terminology and glanced at Dmitri again for confirmation, who grunted in amusement at the large question mark above her head.

"Balls," Carmine said suddenly, "How far until we reach the town Sam?"

"It's not that far," Yao answered for her. "Just another hour walk and we'd already reach it."

"Yeah? Well then shit, I think I found what we're looking for," Carmine nudged his head into the forest, and Delta Squad all turned to see...giant rats on two legs rushing towards them. "I told you! I told you I felt my instincts tingling!"

Sam made a disgusted sound as a terrible smell reached her nose and Dmitri grunted when he saw the oversized vermin marching towards them, lightly armored and carrying clubs, followed closely by a narrowed eyed black-furred version of their brethren.

Yao, however, had the most animated expression out all of them. "Skaven!" She yelled, her mouth dropped open and fingers twitching as the small horde stormed closer. "Kill them! Kill them before they get you! They'll rip you to shreds or drag you down!" She warned fiercely, sweat glistening on her forehead, and she pulled her bow into her hands.

Delta Squad reacted with a start, and they easily brought their guns up on the inhuman monsters. If Cole concentrated enough, they reminded him slightly of the Locust horde. "Fire! Fire!" he ordered. The team pressed down on the trigger of their rifles, launching hot lead across the expanse of space to pound the enemy lines with deadly projectiles. Yao made a strangled noise as her bow fell from her hands, her eyes wide and uncomprehending at the loud booms and echoes of the Gears weaponry. Cole remembered how they hadn't used their weapons before in front of Yao, and the Elf was clearly stunned at the speed and strength their Lancers could fire. She turned to the Skaven horde, and she grimaced as she saw limbs explode by their joints, skins ripping apart from terribly powerful kinetic energy, and the soft, fragile bodies of the Skaven being reduced to ribbons underneath the awesome firepower.

Yao pulled back slightly on her bow, pale faced at the speed with which the first horde had been dealt with, and wondered if she was needed at all. But the Skaven at the front were, as she had come to know, the Slaves with which the Skaven's opinion was the least of. They fell to the attack, their armorless torsos leaking gallon fulls of blood onto the ground, and the warriors of the Skaven came up next, their more armored torsos and sharper weapons gleaming under the moonlight, and Yao knew they had gotten too close and the Gears couldn't keep up their rate of fire so easily as that.

She notched her arrow, whispering words of her native Elven tongue. Her arrow sparked to life and fire burned brightly at its tip with wind swirling around its shaft. She let go of the string and a swirling vortex of wind was left in the wake of her enhanced arrow. It cut straight through a line of thirteen Skavens, their bodies igniting into flames from the powerful magic, and the Skaven stopped as their ranks parted and dispersed from the fire.

Cole was stunned, and wary. That arrow would have no trouble cutting through Gear armor at its weakest point, and he now eyed Yao in a more critical light. Dmitri made a noise next to him, and Cole turned to see the Gorasni give her an appraising eye. He shot Cole a look, and nudged his head into the trees.

"There's more of them," Dmitri stated,"They're circling around us." Cole grunted, knowing these tactics. When the Locust Horde hit the world, COG commanders made the mistake of thinking the Locust were just mindless beasts with no intelligence, leading to uncountable deaths from being outflanked or surrounded. Cole never liked looking down on anyone, his opponents or his allies; he was a professional sportsman and a team player after all, the kids looked up to him. So Cole knew that his best course of action was to retreat. Baird would have, Cole decided. Baird was the better leader, and Cole the brother he needed, but Cole had to wise up and take charge now and the least Cole could do was lead by the example he had gotten used to in the war.

"Come on Baby Queen, you know a place we could go to lay low? Force them into a chokepoint?" Cole asked. Cole had always rushed into the battlefield laughing, inspiring friends and foe that fear was not needed and that Cole would protect them, or at the very least, shield them from the worst of it, but as the leader whatever he faced, the others would too, so he knew to stay away from the fight if the rest weren't prepared to meet it.

Yao stuttered then finally nodded. "The ravine," she said, "It's dug past the valley and its connected to the underground river that flows underneath Dablune!"

"Smart," Carmine commented, not letting his finger off the trigger. "Building a town over an underground river."

"The original villages atop the Jacinto Plateau did the same," Sam remarked. "We should get to it, they're getting closer." Closer would mean right at Carmine's throat. The Private dodged back from the swipe of the claws, and body slammed the rat thing by his shoulder. The Skaven stumbled backwards and Carmine holstered his rifle and tossed the Skaven over his shoulder and onto its fellow brethren. To Clay's surprise and disgust, the Skaven merely cut through the body as though it was a useless object, their swords shredding the body to small chunks so that it didn't impeded their progress.

Sam pulled out her Gnasher and fired a spread of pellets into the horde, blowing some Skaven backwards but some had their armors held against the small pellets and suffered small and deep trenches in the plating. "Shit!" She cursed and dodged a Skaven lunging for her. Another tried to grab her legs but Sam kicked him away, but that opened up her flanks to a Skaven wrapping its arms around her waist and threatened to pull her into the horde to be ripped to shreds. Cole ran forward, chainsaw bayonet growling, and severed the Skaven's head by its neck.

"No good manling!" One of the Rat men, a black-furred one, lashed out with a wicked looking blade. It created a gash on Carmine's forearm, but the Private was no stranger to pain and he ignored it as he punched the vermin square in the jaw. He was surprised how fragile the thing felt and knew he had broken the bone and its snout from the punch. The thing staggered and jump back, but it still fought on. This time he ducked underneath Carmine's next swing and jabbed at his chest plate. As expected the blade didn't dent the power armor, and with an annoyed huff the Skaven flipped the blade and skewered Carmine's bicep.

"Agh!" He grunted, "You cheeky little fuck!" With the Skaven so close to him, Carmine wrapped his powerful arms around it, ignoring the pain flaring up on his arms, and then he performed a suplex on the creature. A loud gut-wrenching crack was heard, and Yao felt her lips shrink backward in distaste as the Stormvermin skull cracked and skin ripped to deposit the contents all over the ground.

Cole's chainsaw still roared and the awkward way he had to hold it made it difficult for him to block or parry any of the strikes the Skaven made. But every time he did, their weapons would snap when they met the chainsaws rotating blades and that left them defenseless to his cutting them open.

"They're all around us!" Dmitri warned, his trigger discipline being dropped in favor of stopping the flanking move to their left. Yao fired another of her arrows, this one not speeding forward with speeds rivaling a Lancer but instead it hit the ground and sparked another flame, engulfing the trees and burning or scarring the Skaven rushing through the foliage.

"We have to move!" Yao said desperately, "Please! They won't stop! They have an endless number of soldiers!" Cole grunted and quickly made the order to fall back. Sam and Dmitri kept up their fire to cover Cole's and Carmine's retreat, Sam slowing down the horde the most with her continuous stream of shotgun pellets.

They ran through the forest, one of them always stopping to fire a few rounds into the horde before rushing on. Cole was huffing as he ran, completely surprised by having an entire army behind him. They had fought hordes of Locust, but the number behind them was larger than all that. Cole was still certain, however, that his Gears could handle them perfectly fine, but the Sergeant was sure there was something else in that pack, and he wasn't comfortable running into something he didn't know about. The Cole train isn't afraid of anything, but even he knew some battles had to be thought through.

"Drop down the ravine!" Yao yelled and she jumped off a steep decline to grab onto the rock wall opposite the drop. Cole was impressed with her balls, and had boisterously complimented the Baby Queen before leaping off the drop and doing the same as her. Sam landed to his left, while Dmitri missed his footing and ended up below them as he struggled to keep his grip. Carmine was last, and had managed to toss several Skaven down the drop before jumping off.

"Climb down!" Yao said. Cole did so and eyed the Skaven trying to climb down. He pulled out his Snub pistol and fired at the Skaven, causing them to fall and crash to the ground. The Skaven glared at him and they backed away from the ravine.

"What are they doing?" Sam asked.

"They're not risking it," Yao answered, "Skaven care about personal survival more than fame or glory on the battlefield. But they might also be looking for another way down." Cole glanced down at her, his face surprised. She grimaced. "They thrive underground. They came with the Dwarves long ago, back when the Dwarves had Karak Mapak. That was before the Siege of Mapak, and the Skaven had always been despised by both the Dwarves and the Humans. They were hunted by them, but the Skaven dug tunnels underground and disappeared. Us Dark Elves have come across them in Tybe Mountain at times. They're horrendous," she sounded really distraught at the sight of the Skaven. "They're cruel and filthy, and I fear why they have risen to the surface."

"I can take a guess," Dmitri said as he pointed down to the ravine floor. Cole glanced down and realised that the flowing lake beneath them was slightly stained red with body parts and corpses littering the sides of it. "Looks like we know what exactly was that huge mob."

"Great. So, call it in and we can leave this shit hole!" Carmine grunted as he hopped off the wall and hit the ground with a thud. He pulled his Lancer off his back and switched on his tactical light. "Fuck, those things could be the Locust's weaker cousins for all I care!"

"Went from grubs to rats," Sam said sarcastically, "What else will the universe through at us?" She let go of the wall and hit the ground alongside Dmitri and Yao as Cole was the last to get off. "Good job back there Yao. That was an impressive thing you did with those arrows."

Yao blinked and blushed at the compliment, her eyes dropping to Sam's feet. She seemed completely surprised by the sudden compliment, to the point that Cole's senses were tingling about potentially deep issues. "N-no, it's really not that impressive. Most elves could do that much, at least. Dark Elves are better at combat magic though," she said. Cole noticed how she didn't sound proud of herself when she said that, but rather proud of her people. Filing that away Cole nodded down the ravine.

"This leads all the way to Dablune?" He asked. He glanced the other away, and realised that the water went underground and beneath an entire rock wall.

"Yes. The survivors from Dablune must have thrown their corpses here after closing their walls to the Skaven," Yao said as she stared at the fallen soldiers.

"Seems stupid," Dmitri grunted, "Having water is one of the most important things during a siege. They've just polluted their entire water supply by throwing their corpses down here when they could have just thrown them over the wall."

"The Skaven might be throwing the bodies back at them," Sam rationalised. "During the Silver Era, the Gorasnaya Empire did that during the siege of Guvira."

"Besides," Carmine interjected, "For all we know these guys might have died fighting here. Yao said that the Skaven built underground networks, right? They might have used this ravine to get the drop on the town."

Cole half-listened to the conversation as he peered down on the dead soldiers. Unlike Imperial soldiers, they didn't have the head encasing armor and chest piece with skirt. Their armor covered their thighs and femur, with their torso armor appearing to be metal octagons sewn over important areas, and the helmet was metal and covered the sides of their face but it opened up more of their chin and a piece of metal jutted out of their chest armor to cover their neck.

"We'll we can't go back up," Cole said as he stared at the top, "Them Locust-knock offs are up there waiting for us."

"If you can't go up..." Dmitri muttered.

"You go forward," Yao finished. Cole grunted and hefted his Lancer onto his chest.

"Clay you got point," he said.

0o0o A Tomorrow For Us o0o0

Baird frowned as he listened to Lelei describe what she understood of her people's technological ability. Beyond discovering the wheel, Baird wasn't sure there was anything else noteworthy from this planet. They still weren't even completely sure about whether or not space was actually a vast expanse of nothingness, or disc shaped void and the stars were actually light passing through holes on the disc from an otherworldly beyond.

He snorted. But their magic still made him wary and agitated. From what he understood, it wasn't just about saying a couple of words and then 'poof' it happened. There was an application of logic and understanding, a complex system of cogs that had to be turned individually or simultaneously by the magician to create the spell. They needed to know what they wanted to do, needed to know how it was to be achieved, and used magic to 'enforce' the logic and understanding into their surroundings.

He got the gist of it easily. Basically, you can't give a person CPR if you don't know where his lung is, so learn about the human body first before CPR then try to save a choking person.

"This Holy Karsic Empire," he interrupted Lelei, "How much more advanced than the Imperials are they?"

Lelei frowned as she thought inquisitively, "They have repeating crossbows, using mechanisms and clockwork contraptions to make it happen. Their ships are large, a third as large as a Flame Dragon, and they have large metal cannons fastened to its front and sides. They still use axes, and swords, and the like, but they have a different kind of trebuchet that fires rocks covered in lava."

"You seem to know a lot about their military," Baird muttered skeptically.

"Most of my information is outdated from the time of the Siege of Mapak," Lelei admitted, "And Imperial scholars and citizens vehemently deny the Dwarves technological expertise, and are aghast at any implications of the Dwarves being stronger than them. Their pride had been wounded, and they still refused to budge." Baird was impressed with her bluntness and cold and hard logical viewset of the world.

"Alright then," Baird muttered. "FRED, come over here." He said to a robotic drone. It flew close by and Lelei looked at it curiously as she realised it was sentient. "Go through your databanks and see if you can find some books to print out on advanced chemistry and physics."

Leleo gave him a curious look. "Books? What do you need them for?"

Baird grunted, "It's meant for you. Anya told me to teach you something, but I'm too busy to deal with that right now, so you'll have to make do with books."

She nodded her head and glanced down at the paper that Baird had been scribbling on before Lelei arrived into his room. It was a map on the discovered land of Falmart, with places sections off in red, green, yellow. Red meant areas with probable deposits of petroleum, and green meant that there wasn't any. Yellow meant the presence of petroleum but signified that it was either too much hassle or too open to the public.

She looked at the words over again, and a frown marred her features. "What is petroleum?" She said and Baird was further impressed to know she could read Tyran letters.

"It's nothing important you nosy little brat," Baird muttered, careful not to swear lest he pissed off both Anya and Marcus. But when had he ever felt scared of them? Probably when the two of them got married and he became irritable at the reception.

Lelei frowned but didn't argue when the bot returned with printed books on the subjects he asked for. Lelei grasped it from the bots dangling arms and opened it to read. She didn't seem to find any problems even though the book was in Tyran.

She furrowed her brow as she continued to read the book, and Baird sighed as he went back to staring at the map. He wasn't happy though and preferred working on his thermal seeking rockets he had invented to be used with the King Ravens. At least his work had been cleared somewhat now that it was confirmed that there was indeed fuel in Falmart.

Now he just needed to catalogue and devise a more portable method of extracting fuel to be carried onto this side of the gate. A very frustrating project to do. He glanced back at Lelei and realised that her eyes were glossy as she hadn't blinked since she started reading.

"If you're going to take up space then leave, I've got things to do," Baird said snippily. Lelei gave Baird a silent and annoyed glare before stepping off her chair and leaving the room where Private Derrick was no doubt waiting for her. Baird watched her go and then grunted. "Fuck me, I should have just modified the Assault Dericks to collect oil."

0o0o A Tomorrow For Us o0o0

Countess Myui saw to the departure of Delilah alongside the latest batch of workers to be sent to Alnus City. She closed her eyes as she sat in her throne room, her bath having not cleared her mind as much as she wanted it too. She sighed audibly, her mind going through the machinations of a morning routine, and when everything seemed to be in order she glanced at the newest addition to her throne room.

The guard standing there had once been common before her father left for the expedition, but since then the halls of Italica had been empty save the dangerous forms of her maids. Now though, Italica's former garrison had been replenished, sporting their dragon scale mail armor that would protect them.

Italica armored was different to Imperial armor, same as how Italica dresses were different to that of Imperial dresses. Their armor completely encased the upper body of the soldier, with shoulder pauldrons and gauntlets protecting the arms. The legs had metal boots that rose to their knees, and the rest was leather or fabric. The armor was colourful too as with a tunic over the metal, there was the color yellow, black, and green to signify the person as an Italica soldier.

Countess Myui was glad she was able to hire her new guards from the local populace, rather than call on mercenaries with the proceeds she earned from selling dragon scales. She trusted them more than she would simple mercenaries, and it allowed her to save money to buy the best weapons available for her men. But they were untested and inexperienced. She feared their first battle, for it was no doubt that it would be very soon.

Sooner than she expected.

Just then a soldier burst into the room, his face covered in sweat and his eyes wide with fright as he strode towards Myui. The Countess felt her insides twist painfully as she realised the reason for his haste and stared blankly as the man bowed to her, dropping to his knee with his right fist over his heart.

"Countess, o-our scouts have discovered Imperial forces massing just outside Italica borders," the soldier said shakily, "What are your orders Countess Myui."

She bit her bottom lip. She knew nothing of war, its intricacies and demands. She frowned and looked down on the soldier. "Gather the men, and prepare the Citadel for a siege. Inform the Gears of the coming assault."

"Yes, Milady," the soldier gasped, still tired from running, and Myui despaired for a moment seeing such weakness in her soldiers. He rose to his feet and raced out of the court, his boots hitting the ground with heavy thuds.

"Milady, what will you do?" the Head Maid asked, her head bowed. Myui felt her fingers tighten over the armrest of her chair, her nails digging into the wood in worry and fright. Had her father felt such emotions when battle was so near? The future of Italica rest on her shoulder, and she was unsure to her ability to combat the enemy.

"We must defend the Citadel at all costs," Myui stated. "The yuu-ees-gee will send their Gears to come to our aid. An army with the power to vanquish a Flame Dragon will have the necessary strength to stand against the Imperial Army."

"An excess amount of, I would imagine," the Maid replied. Myui nodded her head, hoping that that was indeed the case. She had heard stories of the Gears strange repeating crossbows and hoped that they were indeed as powerful as described.

"I wish to see the battle," Countess Myui said, ignoring the protest of her Head Maid and the guards. "My decision will not be swayed, I wish to see the fate of Italica's future with my own eyes."

She rose from her throne, her hands folded neatly in front of her, and she made her way down the the steps of her throne. The guards quickly took positions around her, their grips tight around their halberds, and faces sweating from the idea of combat.

"Stand tall," Myui said, recalling Princess Pina once saying that, "Victory is within our grasp. Never falter with that knowledge." They nodded their heads. Their fear dissipated seeing Countess Myui was as passive as ever.

"Italica had survived the Empire once before," the Maid said, "We will do so again."

Myui nodded and walked towards the balcony of the Formal mansion. She gazed at the wall from where she stood. The balcony was designed by her father, so that during a siege he was able to view the progress of the battle and there was a pathway that led directly to a chokepoint on that side of the mansion.

From where she stood she could see her men line up on the wall, the soldiers manning the cauldrons of boiling hot water above the gates and archers preparing their arrows. Myui frowned and looked down to see Sergeant Blaine of Foxtrot-Four.

"Ma'am," he said and snapped the Gears version of a salute. "I've sent back news to New Anvil Gate and we can expect reinforcements to arrive within twenty minutes."

Twenty minutes. Myui had no doubts that the Gears would arrive within that time frame. But she looked out towards the wall and she could see the Siege engine moving towards them. "Sergeant, do we have an estimate to the numbers of the Imperial Army?"

She returned her gaze to Sergeant Blaine, and she was shocked and surprised to see a wolfish grin on his face as he looked back at her. His eyes were alight with easy confidence and assurance. "About five thousand, ma'am." His voice didn't waver a bit.

Myui frowned, unsure what to make of the man's nonchalance in the face of such an impressive military attack. "Do you believe we can withstand the assault."

"With due respect, ma'am," Blaine said, "This isn't close to Gear odds. We'll keep your citadel safe, don't worry about that." He grinned at her and his enthusiasm was as infectious as he hoped, but Myui felt relieved that at least someone felt that way.

"I thank you for your service," Myui bowed her head and instinctually performed a curtsey. Blaine blinked in surprise and to Myui's own astonishment he bowed to Myui.

"Of course, Ma'am."

0o0o A Tomorrow For Us o0o0

Princess Pina kept her eyes steady on the walls of Italica. There was a knot in her gut as she watched the walls be manned by armed soldiers. While ahead of her the professional full-time soldiers of the Imperial Legion were amassing and preparing an assault on Italica's walls.

The Legion Legate, Verminus, was seated on horseback as he eyed his men begin building fortifications and trenches for the long battle ahead. "Princess Pina, would you care at all to position your Knights at the back?"

"I must question the wisdom of such a move?" Pina questioned, her tone harsh and clipped. Her fellow knights were lined up on horseback next to her, and Bozes was managing the rest of the knights with Gray. "The siege of Italica is projected to be long and arduous."

"Indeed," Verminus said, "Yet, I know the strength of these young men. I fought in the battle of Italica, Milady. When I was nothing more than a low Centurion, but even at then, I saw the fire in their eyes. They will fight tooth and nail to protect their Citadel. Thus, I plan to send the youngest and less experienced soldiers through the siege towers first, while the ballistas rain ordnance down upon the walls. After the first wave, my Centurions will lead the second attack against the defenders and open the gates for the Legion through." Verminus explained his reasoning, and Pina could not fault him or deny his experience. Verminus had been a Legate for many years, an Evocatus that had served her father for many years. To doubt him was to insult his many years of hard experience, and even Gray would not dare such a thing. Deference to his seniority, Pina decided, was the best judgement.

"Then what will be the duty of my knights?" Pina asked.

"It is regrettable we have none of our auxiliaries to provide cavalry support, but your knights are here and that is an advantage I do not plan to waste. When the gates open, I wish for you and your knights to break through the opposition that would form on the other end with a charge. Your knights, as praised by the esteemed Gray, should manage that fact. From there continue on to cause disarray in the ranks," Verminus continued explaining. "It is an important role, no doubt, but the task is needed. My Legion, Vicesimum et contumax adfligens (Unyielding and Unrelenting 20th), is the most veteran of the current Legions, and that is due to virtue of us having been garrisoned and replenished just as the 1st and 12th Legion traveled to Alnus Hill. My Centurions are veterans, but the same cannot be said for the rest of my men. We need to have momentum on our side, if we are to prevail in this coming battle."

Pina nodded her head, relaying the order to Beefeater as she pulled on her horses reigns. "Your Highness," Verminus began, catching Pina's attention. There was a grave look in his eye, and Pina did not know why. "Thrice now I have faced enemies I know nothing off. Once, against the Orsimer Kingdom of Knappnai, second, against the Fae Folk of the Forest Court. Each time, I have earned a scar more grusome than the last, and I fear, this one scar shall prove my last."

"W-what exactly are you implying?" Pina asked, her face contorted into confusion.

The Legate gave her an appraising eye before shaking his head. "I knew the Legate who led the 1st Legion, the Empire's best; Gloria et honore (Glory and Honor). He would not have been defeated, entrenched and prepared as he was. That speaks of danger like that I would have mistaken to the second coming of the Vampire Courts," the Legate said seriously, "I ask of you to practice sound judgement when you lead your knights, Princess. I fear the enemy we must face might be the worst our Empire has faced since." Pina furrowed her brow in confusion and worry, but still she could not bring herself his words as that of stable mind. Surely, his age was merely showing, and his wariness was the result thereof. So, without thinking much on his words, she nodded her head and pulled her horse back.

"Of course, Legate," she said, not particularly concerned. The Legate watched her go, and there was a faint look of sadness in his eye.

"Now, thrice, the life of his Emperor's court lays in my hands. Lost at the hands of the Orsimer, and the other at the command of the Fair Queen of the Fae, Her Majesty Queen Titania, and now the fair princess' fate is decided upon today. I do so hope my epic poem does not end in despair," Verminus whispered to himself, age and a grim life now creeping to his face. "How unfair, us humans have it, on this world without a shred of mercy."

"Legate, the siege towers have been constructed as you ordered!" The Broad Band Tribune, his young inexperienced face screaming of similarity to the rest of his soldiers, said as he stepped up to him.

Verminus nodded, "Then prepare!" He shouted, "My valiant men! March forward and onto our enemies. Falter not in the face of fear! Falter not in the doom of the world! Falter only when commanded to by the Emperor and Senate! And even so, falter together, for the Legion stands united, brothers of humanity and progress! We are the Empire's Legion! Senatus Populusque Imperium!"

"Senatus Populusque Imperium!" They roared.

"Senatus Populusque Imperium!"

"Senatus Populusque Imperium!"

"Senatus Populusque Imperium!"

A/N: I have no fucking clue if the Latin is right. But hey, might as well. Sieges, sieges galore. We have two arcs here. The Elbe Arc, and the Italica arc. Admittedly the Elbe arc will be longer than the Italica arc. The Italica arc is to kick the Imperial War into Gear (pardon the pun) and to restart the war. The Elbe Arc is to open up this whole new world of the Falmart mythology and stuff. Most of the inspiration of these newest additions is (Warhammer (Fantasy) F/SN mixed with a little Dresden Files, and Skyrim) While the Skaven was uplifted from Warhammer, my skaven are a little different. They don't have clans, they still think they're the superior race, but none of that Thirteen Lords or Plague Units. They don't worship their dark god (I forgot his name) but rather the gods of Falmart, which may be Hardy or a custom made one. If you wanna come up with something for that, because while I'm conscious of the Warhammer Universe, (40K hurts my head though) their gods and stuff make me real queasy, especially those Dark Elves.

I've also taken the liberty of differentiating the armies of the Empire and the Vassal states. Elbe striked me as a welsh tribal/ronin japanese state. Italica as a France type state, especially the dress Myui wore and Pina wore when she visited Japan. I'm thinking Alguna is like a Macedonian type state and League like Carthage, you know with a good navy but hires mercenary soldiers.

From the Elbe Arc I plan on moving onwards into new land, new territories, and more, and more, factions on Falmart. And just as a hint, they're not all native.