Gaza Chronicles: The Untold Past of Legaia

-=Chapter 2: The First Day=-

I turned from the bridge leading across the chasm to the window of my apartment. A small flicker of a light was present. "Arna..." I whispered to myself as I walked further and further from the tower. Jaku ran up behind me, placing a hand on my armor covered shoulder. "Dude, today we set out to be men!" I smiled at his immature words, "Maybe I'll be, and you, you'll be a full fledged woman after today."

He tried to punch me in the shoulder, but I dodged and slap him upside the head. The men behind me laughed. Jaku grinned in his usual annoying fashion.

"Let's go." I said, marching towards Conkram.
"To Glory!" The men then cheered in reply.

-=-

"My Gods!" One soldier cried out, "Save me!"

I hunched over behind the trench as a fresh splatter of blood shot across it. I shuddred, we were completely unprepared. I signaled to the closest Corporal and had him fetch his men for a attack. They were wearing Flying Seru, so I expected nothing but a sweet blitzkrieg. No good though. The men flew over the trench and soon were decimated by the Theeder-wearing Conkramians. Toasted corpses hung over the edge of the trench.

"This is crazy shit man!" Jaku exclaimed. He only swore when he was nervous. I was more in control.

"Listen Jaku, there's only one way out of this. A full frontal attack, with everyone. Eart Squad will lead, to take out their Thunder. Then everyone will rush across the field. If we can take their outpost, we can knock back the border a few hundred feet." I explained. Jaku knodded. Waving his arms, Jaku gathered the Earth Squad. At the sound of a Soren Flute, the Earth Squad dashed across the field of battle. After some screaming the Earth Squad called for the follow-up. I eagerly leaped the edge of the trench and dashed into war.

Flanked on my right by a soldier of Conkram, I drew my sword and knocked the shield from his grip. I then followed with a slash to the fiend's throat. Realizing I was the commander, the Conkramians focused on me. I was forced to utilize my most meticulous of training, but the months in the Muscle Dome paid off. An enemy soldier jumped me from behind and lept on my back. Meanwhile, another soldier charged me from the front, pike raised at me. I immediately dropped to my knees, placing the man on my back in the way of the pike. He was impaled through the head, holding the pike-bearing soldier stuck. I picked my sword up from the ground and dispatched him.

Within an hour, the bloody first battle of the Great War was complete. I had lost 70% of my men that day, Conkram lost an entire legion of 2,000 soldiers. It was truly a Pyrrhic victory for us. If Conkram was to counter attack, we would lose our position. I send some flying Seru-wearing soldiers back to Sol to ask for more men. If only the Soren were on our side...

Jaku limped from a distant position, taking survey of the dead. "My Gods," he mouthed, "It's so horrible... the death... the Seru, how did their Seru get so strong?"

"The Mist." I simply said as a fresh evening breeze brushed the field. I shivered. It was cold, cold like hell.

"The Mist?!" Jaku exlaimed, "H-how? I thought it was defunct!"
"That's what I thought too… apparently they got it to work." I replied, clearly worried, "If we're not careful, the Mist-driven Seru could tear us apart."

"Jaku," I then explained, "We need to fortify our position. Get anyone wearing a artillery Seru to the front line. Have them switch off shifts. We need to be as defended as possible until reinforcements arrive."

"Will do." Jaku then replied.

"Also," I started to drawl out orders again, "Make sure the Light Seru-wearers pull a double shift. I need our entire legion healed by noon tomorrow."

"Yessir." Jaku said, and limped off to see the Corporals for orders. Poor Jaku took a pike to the right leg. He'll be limping... and aching, for quite a while.

"Commander!" A distant voice called to me. I turned to see a squad of 20 Artillery men being flown into my post. Thank the Gods. I need Artillery. I ran over to shake the hand of their Corporal. "Thank you, soldier" I said, gripping the man's hand and shaking it vigorously. "Thank you so much, these men are a Gods-send!"

"No problem." The Corporal then said, scratching his head.

"Anyways," I then said, kind of embarrassed at my lack of self-control, "I am very happy to have the reinforcements. Night will soon fall, and I am quite sure Conkram will counter attack. They have extremely strong Seru, and our only hope is a long-distance battle."

"That was the Emperor's opinion." The Corporal solemnly agreed, "Reinforcements, another legion, will be here in three days. All we need to do is hold this position."

"We can do that nay, I know we can do that." I then asserted.

"Excellent," the Corporal agreed, "Oh, by the way, my name is Corporal Tura, from the 5th Artillery Division."

"Good to meet you, Tura, I am Commander Gaza." I said with a grin.
"Sol's greatest son." Tura said with a smile.

I waved Tura's men off to pitch camp for my remaining men and themselves. Meanwhile, the Artillery prepped themselves for the night, and the next day.

"Only two more." I said to myself, looking at the sky, as I did once before. No prayers this time, just hope. Prayers are worth rubbish in war.