Tullus awoke to the sound of a distant rumbling. It was the middle of the night, Imperial soldiers around camp seemed to be having similar awakenings. Tullus exited his tent to question his guards.
"What is happening? Where is that noise coming from?"
"We don't know for sure what's going on, but the sentries think the noise is coming from Aquila Hill." The guard spoke with a slight tinge of fear in his voice.
Tullus' eyes widened. "Rally the men together! Prepare for an attack on that hill!"
The man nodded and ran off and Tullus went back into his tent to put on his armor. It seemed that the enemy had come to them. The Imperial Army couldn't allow them to have the first move, they needed to catch their enemy by surprise before their mages could ready their full strength. Speed was the key to victory now.
He fumbled with the last strap on his armor before finally getting it tight. Tullus then picked up his sword and exited his tent to find Caius. Fortunately, the two men thought alike.
"Tullus! Are we to attack the hill in the darkness?" Caius' hair was a mess and his armor was clearly put on in a rush.
"We don't have time for our mages to cast their protective spells, we need to strike fast. It seems we'll be going with your plan after all."
Caius nodded in agreement. "I'll lead the cavalry in a charge, you bring up the infantry and archers to mop up."
Tullus clasped his hand with Caius'. "Good luck to you, friend."
"The same to you."
Viktor watched through his night vision goggles as the enemy army gathered for an attack. They'd set up limited defensive positions and were now awaiting an assault. Bastards better come soon.
The Russian Military hadn't skimped out on supplying them with top of the line vehicles. The BTR-82A that Viktor's squad used was the latest in development for Russian BTRs. At the front, the tank battalion was using top of the line and very rare T-90 Main Battle Tanks. Though they hadn't arrived through the gate yet, there was talk of the experimental 2S35 Self-Propelled Gun being used. Suffice to say, they had the best of the best.
This, in addition to the infantry's Ratnik equipment, added onto the wishes of many to see combat. To test out this brand new equipment would be a truly awe inspiring display.
Viktor suddenly noticed something through his night vision goggles. In the distance, a massive wave of horses and men were approching them. It was a glorious sight to behold.
"Command, this is Shapka-213, we have enemy cavalry approaching our position. Do we have permission to fire?" Viktor spoke into his radio.
"Understood, Shapka-213, all units are cleared to engage. Repeat, all units are cleared to engage."
He looked towards his squad members. "Open fire!"
Viktor flipped the safety off of his AK-12 and set it to semi-automatic. Immediately, the sound of gunfire erupted around the hill as accurate fire was towards the encroaching cavalry.
The front line of horsemen started to fall. Many of their horses were shot dead, causing the riders to be crushed or trampled. The Russians were slaughtering them.
Still, they kept coming.
Viktor sighted down another cavalryman and open fire. His round tore through the man's breastplate and knocked him off the horse, dying. Firing at another enemy, Viktor's bullet entered the skull of his target's horse and caused the man to be crushed by his own mount.
He could hear the sound of Igor's RPK firing in fully automatic. Tomas was next to him, sighting down anyone who looked important and the rest of the squad were firing their AK-12s.
Then the tanks opened fire.
The T-90s fired high explosive fragmentation, or HE-FRAG, shells down range. Instantaneously, the remaining cavalrymen were obliterated as their armor was sheared through by shrapnel caused by the shell. The tanks then opened fire with their machine guns.
PKMT and NSV machine gun rounds wiped out any survivors. In a matter of less than two minutes, the glorious cavalry charge had been completely annihilated.
Viktor's radio blared up. "All forces, advance on the enemy and neutralize survivors. Take prisoners for interrogation."
"Alright, we're moving!" He stood up from the ground. "Get in the BTR, quickly!"
Tullus watched in horror as the cavalry was decimated by the otherworld's magic. The great iron chariots spat forth fire, killing all in its sight. Nothing could have survive that. Not even Caius.
They needed to run.
"We can't fight them here!" He shouted to the infantry around him. Tullus looked to a centurion near him. "Bellnahgo is just north of here, get the army there safely and fortify it. I'm putting you in command. Do you understand?"
The man was too shocked to react.
"Do you understand?!"
He nodded mutely before gathering the strength to speak up. "W-what about you, sir?"
"I'm staying here, under no circumstances are you to come back for me. Now go!"
The man nodded again and started to lead the remaining soldiers away from the battlefield.
Tullus looked at the iron chariots approaching him. He drew his sword. These monsters of metal and magic killed Caius. If he ran now, Tullus would never forgive himself. He knew that he couldn't make it off the battlefield alive, but if he could draw their blood once it would all be worth it.
The chariots grew ever closer. Of all the things he had expected to destroy the Empire; natural disasters, civil war, famine, poor rulers. Invaders from another world was not one of those things. The Imperial Army had been too arrogant, Tullus and Caius had been too arrogant. They thought nothing could best their might. Now, Tullus saw their foolishness. There's always a bigger fish.
An iron chariot stopped in front of him. Several men in strange green clothes, wearing mask and, carrying metal staffs, stepped out of the chariot.
"Bros' svoy mech! Podnimite ruki vverkh!" Their language was strange and incomprehensible to Tullus.
He walked forwards with his sword.
"Ostan'sya!"
Tullus continued forward. He became close enough and sprinted at the first man he saw. Tullus' sword was forward. He was ready to take vengeance for all the men that had been killed, he was ready to take vengeance for Caius.
Pain exploded in his right knee.
The Imperial General found himself on the ground, clutching his wound. It had appeared along with a deafening noise. He tried to stand, but two of the strange men shoved him down. Soon enough, one of their strange staff impacted his head. Everything went dark.
Viktor sat on top of his squad's BTR, surveying the battlefield. It was morning now, and the results of their engagement were now visible. Thousands of dead men and horses littered the area. Carrion birds were picking apart corpses, while Russian soldiers dug mass graves to bury the dead.
Serves them right for attacking us.
Kilment climbed out of the BTR and sat next to Viktor. He was smoking a cigarette and gazed upon the piles of bodies. They sat in silence for several minutes.
"Why did they keep coming?" Kilment suddenly asked.
Viktor looked over at him. "Hmm?"
After we started shooting at them, the cavalry could have run. But they kept coming until the tanks killed them all. Why?" He inhaled deeply on his cigarette.
"Loyalty?" Viktor didn't truly have an answer.
"How loyal to do have to be to walk into that slaughter?"
"Maybe they're just insane?"
The answer didn't satisfy Kilment. "Maybe..."
Viktor sighed. "I'm going to get something to eat, you want to come?"
Kilment just sat there quietly. Viktor took that as a no and hopped off the BTR. In the hours since the battle ended, hundreds of supply trucks had brought in the supplies necessary to build an entire military base. The engineering corp had been working hard to set up the structures.
Designed to allow for the maximum field of fire possible, the fort took the shape of a large hexagon. The outer wall was constructed of wire mesh gabions, similar to the HESCO barriers used by the American Military, which were planned to be replaced by more permanent concrete slabs. Inside, the construction of the barracks, mess hall, vehicle depot, medical center, base storage and command center was under way. There was even an area laid out for the construction of an airstrip.
Unfortunately, just because it was under construction did not mean it was finished. Viktor would still have to make do with field rations until the kitchens had been completed.
Digging into the rations, he thought about the invaders. They'd managed to capture a significant number of the Roman looking soldier, most of them having surrendered or picked up after being wounded. Apparently, someone had managed to translate their language and through the interrogation reports hadn't been fully released, some information trickled out.
They called themselves Saderans. The continent they were currently on was Falmart and, according to them, it was ruled bu the Saderan Empire. They came through the gate, hoping to conquer new lands from the Empire. Unfortunately, they found Russia. No one can conquer Russia, many have tried and many have failed.
The hill the gate had opened on was called Aquila Hill, translating it to 'eagle'. As such, the Russian base was named the Oryol Military Base. Another gate had also opened up at a place called Alnus Hill, that was where it was presumed the JSDF had entered through.
Viktor wondered when they'd next move out. The remains of the Imperial Army had fled north. Apparently, there was a city there that they wished to defend. While he understood the importance of securing their only entrance into this world, Viktor didn't like the thought of letting an army with Russian citizens as their slaves escape.
All he could do was wait.
Tullus was cold and miserable. He awoke to a dark room with no one else in it. Strapped to some sort of metal chair, he couldn't move any of his limbs. There were also some strange metal clamps attached to his body. Tullus was then left there for what he believed to be several hours.
A sudden blinding light filled the room. The door to the room opened, revealing a tall man in a strange uniform and a fur hat.
"My name is Cheslav Boykov. I am an operative for the Foreign Intelligence Service of the Russian Federation. I understand you are very confused, but I have some questions I'd like you to please answer." The man spoke in a very thick accent, but at least Tullus could understand him, unlike the other strange men.
"What is-." Tullus tried to speak but he was interrupted by an intense pain coursing through his body. His muscles froze up until Boykov flipped some sort of switch.
"I will be speaking, please do not interrupt."
"But-." The pain immediately returned.
"May I continue without your interruption now?"
Tullus nodded, not wishing to have the pain returned.
"Excellent. Now, I understand you are a general for what is known as the Empire. Correct?" He nodded his head in confirmation.
"And you were assigned to the Imperial Army sent to the gate at Aquila Hill?" Another nod.
"Am I correct in assuming you were in command of said army and thus commanded the expedition through the gate?" The man was now glaring at him directly in the eye.
"I-I had partial command." Cheslav raised an eyebrow in response. "The other man, Caius, h-he didn't survive."
"I see." There was a long pause before Cheslav continued his questioning. "I am aware that you managed to take many slaves during your incursion into the gate. Might I ask where they've gone?"
Tullus looked at him strangely. Why would he care about some peasants they took as slaves? He gave his answer regardless. "I don't know."
"You don't know?" Cheslav rubbed his chin for a moment. "Well then, I'm afraid our conversation is going to be a rather long one."
With the flick of a switch, the pain returned to Tullus' body.
Emperor Molt Sol Augustus rubbed his head as he listened to the senate. The Empire was up against its greatest challenge to date. Not only was the attack on Alnus Hill a complete failure, but there were now reports coming in from Aquila Hill that it had similar failures. There were now two forces in the east that threatened the Imperial Capital.
"But what shall we do?" Godasen stepped forward with his cane. "The army we sent to Alnus was defeated in just two days, the one to Aquila felled in a few hours. Now both gates have been captured and the enemy is attempting to set up bases at both of them. We attempted to take them back, but the enemy sorcery..."
Senator Podawan stood up. "We ought to fight them! If we do not have enough men, we need only to recruit them from our tributaries. Attack the other side of both gates once more!"
"What good will brute force alone do?" One of the senators cried in outrage.
"It'll be another Godasen!"
The room started to descend in a shouting match between the two sides. Molt knew he needed to make a decision. He slowly raised his arm into the air and the room became silent.
"I do not wish to sit idly by. Therefore, we must fight." There were shocked expressions from the anti-war side of the senate. "Send delegates to our tributaries and neighboring states. Ask for help in defending the continent from these men from another world."
Molt stood from his throne. "Have the Allied Army lead an attack on Alnus Hill while the remnants of the army at Aquila Hill resist and wait for reinforcements."
The room exploded into cheers of praise for Emperor Molt. But beneath his mask of assurance, Molt knew both armies wouldn't survive. Though that wasn't necessarily a bad thing.
Korney Malikov once again stood in front of rows of reporters and journalists. This was the second press conference they'd had that week.
"President Malikov, why has the Russian Military increased its presence in Novinka? Is the cult still truly a problem?"
"Our military is in the area to protect Novinka and nothing else. The cult activity has diminished due to our efforts, however it still remains a significant threat. Next question." Malikov had been well prepared for the reporter's inquiry.
Another reporter stood. "Satellite imagery has recently revealed a gate similar to the one found in Ginza at the center of Novinka before being covered by a dome similar to the one in Ginza. Do you still deny the allegations that Russia has a gate of its own?"
"The purpose of the dome in the center of Novinka is to serve as a secure facility where our military forces are able to coordinate defensive measures against the recent terrorist attacks in the area. The image of a gate in Novinka is falsified. Russia does not have a gate similar to the one at Ginza."
"If this is true, why has the press been restricted from entering the area?"
"Novinka is still very much a dangerous area to be in, the restriction of the press is purely for the safety of reporters." He immediately pointed to another journalist.
"Does Russia have any personnel assisting the Japanese in the Special Region?"
Malikov had his answer before the reporter finished. "The Japanese government has so far refused any offers for assistance from Russia. In the future, we would be willing to send civilian or military personnel to assist their mission." The Russian President gave his response with a serious face.
"Until that time arrives, there are no Russian personnel in the Special Region."
Reviews:
The killer uchiha: Thank you. :)
ClockGuy341: Thanks. No, the chapters from the original story remains the same, aside from fixing the spellings and grammars, and expanding it would take too much of my time.
Supreme Supra: Like I said to ClockGuy341, no.
Kasrkinsquadtrooper: Okay bro, those ideas is too much for me and some of them that I didn't even played or watched. But thanks for the offer and the support though. :)
Oh yeah, nice to meet you also. :)