Interlude 1
A few days prior to the Luxmouth raid…
"Pardon me, Commandant. Your presence is requested in the conference chamber."
"Yes, yes, I know. Tell Red I'll be there soon."
Being addressed by rank alone never bothered her; she'd long since forgotten her real name. In its place she had taken on a title, one symbolic of the growth and progress her work was dedicated to. She, like the lush environments of the Inlands and the bountiful resources they had to offer, was called Green.
The semidarkness of her private workshop had been disrupted when the door opened, letting in a stream of light from the fortress' hallway. A young man in standard-issue Usurpation knight armor and a ragged burgundy robe stood just outside, awkwardly shifting back and forth while he waited for her. Green looked up from the metal leggings she'd been tending to when she realized he wasn't leaving.
"…Commandant Red insists you come now. He says you are half an hour late to the war council."
She narrowed her eyes at him. "Were those his exact words?"
"U-um… no, Ma'am. He was a bit more… forceful, in his phrasing."
Green rose and donned her gray Usurper's cloak over her dirtied, redstone-stained work clothes. "Fine. Head back and tell him I'm on my way- I've just been putting the finishing touches on the new armor set he asked me for, 'as soon as I could have it ready.'"
The young knight saluted and left without further comment.
Green was several things: an inventor, a technician, and a researcher. She wasn't a warrior, though. Leave the fighting to the fighters; her place was to create the tools they would put to use in the field. And create she did. From the redstone engines used on troop carriers to the armor worn by soldiers, Green had overseen much of the Usurpation's research and development personally. Her natural propensity for crafting had earned her leadership of the Industrial Division.
Of all the creations she'd put out, she still couldn't think of one she liked more than the macro-scale Core tracker, a contraption seven blocks tall and ten long with thirty coordinate displays that could be changed at will. It was an enormous machine, certainly not an easy one to disassemble and transport, but it could monitor the positions of no less than thirty Genesis Cores at a time from an extraordinary distance. And unlike the micro-scale variant, which traded adaptability for portability, the device wasn't locked into showing the coordinates of whatever Cores happened to be nearest; a panel on the side could be configured to track down different types. That was how the twin Bonemeal Cores had been located in the first place- incidentally, she wondered how Marshal Orion from the Expansion Division was faring in their recovery.
Yes, she was a proud inventor. But she was also one of the three Commandants, heads of the Usurpation Army. And the position entailed attending meetings. To that end, she left her workshop and proceeded up the stone-brick hall, flanked by a pair of guards. On her way to the chamber, Green passed a balcony through which she had an impressive view of the outer wall and the various barracks, storehouses, and armories around the central castle.
The fortress city sat in the middle of a vast expanse of terracotta and cacti, a mostly arid region she'd heard was called the "Great Badlands" by the Inlanders who lived there in small villages. Said Inlanders had surrendered without much of a struggle, and had been put to work in mining operations by Green's Industrial underlings. After all, why waste the manpower when it could be used for the sake of progress? It wasn't like they'd had anything better to do before Green and Red's forces arrived.
No Usurpation civilians were present, for they had yet to begin their migration from the "Far Lands," as the Inlanders referred to the wastes. The fortress city instead served as the forward command center and stronghold of the Expansion and Industrial Divisions, from where scouting teams (named after shades of red or green, at her fellow commandant's insistence) were deployed. The main bulk of the army, under Red's control, was stationed within Incursia itself and many smaller outposts spread across the Great Badlands, fighting to secure territory from the hostile creatures which emerged at night.
Green was fond of neither the heat nor the dusty dryness, much preferring the forests and plains they'd passed through upon first entering the Inlands. But the region was sparsely populated and thus had been easy to conquer and settle. Until their enemies further south were forced into line, they'd have to take what they could get.
The halls she traversed were a patchwork of different block types, reflecting such a notion. Sandstone, bricks, cobblestone, chiseled stone bricks, and more came together for an aesthetic that, while ugly, was functional enough for Green's liking. Through these inhomogeneous corridors she walked, passing assorted agents, troopers, and knights until she reached the chamber where a council of marshals and overseers had assembled, all of whom stood and saluted upon her entry.
"At ease," she said. "Your armor's nearly done, Red."
Commandant Red was as tall as her, but with a much sturdier build which suited combat. It wasn't common to see people from the wastes who were well-developed or even well-nourished, so she could only wonder how he'd built up enough muscle mass to attain such an intimidating figure. He wore no cloak, only a suit of very old armor covered with so many scrapes and scratches its original color was indiscernible.
Behind the scarlet visor covering his face, Red rolled his eyes. "Thanks, Green, but you're late again."
"Well, here I am. Let's cut to the chase."
He muttered something she couldn't hear, then turned to address the room. The attendees were seated around a large, circular map spanning most of the floor. Several markers had been placed across it, representing the sites of battles or outposts, and the largest collection of them lay beneath diagrams of a mountain range and a great wall from generations past. Both were to the northwest of Incursia, but neither reached as far north as the border between the Inlands and the wastes.
"Here's the situation," Red announced to the chamber. "Our progress is stymied at every turn by local resistance. We've kept the Inlanders from uniting into a force large enough to push us back, but Expansion and Industrial scouting teams report several large cities not yet under our control have bunkered down. Laying siege to them isn't a possibility until we can properly assemble our army, and that's the biggest issue at hand."
He pointed to a few different spots between the wall and the mountain range, as far west on the landmass as was possible before reaching the ocean. There lay a passage around the mountains, through which the Usurpation had launched their invasion in the first place months prior.
"Commandant Blue is working on moving her troops south, but a group calling itself Iron Garrison is slowing her progress considerably. They consist of seasoned monster hunters, and underestimating their experience in battle has already cost us Genesis Cores. The Expansion Division remains strong, but without our reinforcements we're at a bit of a standstill- and the longer it takes us to rally, the more chances we give the Inlanders to assemble their own army."
He paced along the map, occasionally pointing out a marker where teams had been dispatched.
"The Industrial Division has a new product in development which could tip the scales in our favor," Green said. "Once it's ready, our issues with manpower will be a thing of the past."
Red raised a brow at her. "Really? This is the first I'm hearing of it. When will this 'product' be finished?"
"Unfortunately, it's still in the prototype phase and won't be ready for use just yet. We'll need to endure until then, perhaps even give up some ground and push our way northwest to try and join Blue."
A smattering of disappointed murmurs was audible. Green knew her suggestion wouldn't be a popular one, but she didn't know what else to say.
"If I may, Commandants? I believe I have a solution."
The voice was a woman's, coming from the far corner of the room. Fornax, one of the Industrial Overseers, had spoken up with a raised hand. She wasn't wearing her mask, revealing an assured and bizarrely perky smile.
"Your detachment was assigned to scout further southwest, wasn't it?" Red asked. "I sent Marshal Orion that way as well; why are you the only one reporting back? Have you failed to obtain the Bonemeal Cores?"
"I called her here to assist with the project I just mentioned. She left her squads under his command for the time being," Green told him. "Speak your piece, Overseer."
The two of them stepped aside as Fornax took the floor. She stood near one of the map's furthest corners, gesturing to a diagram of a forest near the shoreline. "This is where my outpost is situated. It's south of a city called Luxmouth, one of the biggest in the region. In fact, that very city is the one Marshal Orion was planning to infiltrate."
"Isn't that where Moss Squad went missing?" Red cut in.
Green felt a sudden pang of regret. "Near the beginning of the invasion, yes. I dispatched them to find the light Bonemeal Core without properly assessing the territory, and have never heard back from them since. We must assume they've been captured- or worse- but the leader, Dame Gilda, had no Genesis Core of her own… forgive the interruption, Overseer. Please continue."
Fornax pointed to the northeast of her outpost's rough position, to a bit of rocky terrain surrounded by mountains. "This place is called Tenebyss. I hear an anomalous amount of ores can be found in the caverns, so much so I'd suspect a certain something might also be located underground."
She wiggled her eyebrows at both the Commandants and the rest of the chamber tellingly, despite it being obvious what she meant. An awkward silence lingered before she finally continued, losing none of her dramatic flair.
"While those treasures are indeed valuable, I think there's something else here which could greatly benefit our cause. You see, a group called the Ender Forge ruled out of Tenebyss many years ago, invading the Inlands themselves. Their efforts failed, and their strength was crippled, but they never truly disappeared."
Fornax crossed her arms, looking exceptionally pleased with her speech. Green spoke up just as she began to feel Red's humorless gaze- just as she began to worry their subordinates might begin to question her judgement in promotions. "How do you know all of this?"
"As I said, holdouts of the Ender Forge still remain. I must admit, Commandant Green, that I've met with a few representatives who are willing to exchange supplies across their smuggling lines. They'll help us, given the chance."
Nobody said a word, but the shock in the room was palpable.
"You… have had dealings with Inlanders?" Green asked slowly, hoping it was just a misunderstanding, and the situation could be defused before the Overseer would reflect any worse on her.
"In a matter of speaking. And I know what everyone's thinking!"
Glares were being sent Fornax's way, but as she turned and looked at each member of the assembly her confidence never seemed to diminish. "My idea sounds absurd, I know. How can I, an esteemed member of the Usurpation Army, dare suggest we work alongside our enemies? Such a thing is antithetical to our goal, isn't it?"
"Something like that…" Green heard Red grunt.
Whether or not Fornax did, she continued. "But my logic follows three points. One: like I already mentioned, the Ender Forge's remnants could offer us a valuable supply line. Two: its members hate their fellow Inlanders with a burning passion, and I hear they've sought revenge for years. A little nudge in the right direction could channel their animosity to our benefit."
The chamber's mood began to shift. Green noticed the assembled leaders paying closer attention, some whispering to each other with focused stares on Fornax.
"And, three: said members are able to blend into the Inlanders better than we ever could, going completely unnoticed as they scheme out of the public eye. Their informants can infiltrate just about any settlement without issue, and bring us back some very useful intelligence."
She looked at Green and Red. Whatever hostility may have been directed toward Fornax before had disappeared. "Does my idea pique your interest, Commandants?"
The villager's axe missed Raleigh by a wide margin. He brought down his sword and cut across his clumsy foe's leg, sending him to the ground with a shriek. From there, he didn't even have time to finish his plea for mercy before Raleigh dealt the killing blow. The onlookers whimpered and sobbed, but could do nothing under the watch of his subordinates. One trooper dragged the corpse to the side, piling it onto the three prior volunteers.
"Come on, you really don't have any better fighters than this? I wasn't even using my Genesis Core, you weaklings."
He was a knight of the Expansion Division, and the leader of Blood Squad. Fitting, he thought, but he wasn't satisfied with the title. Raleigh would cut his way through as many Inlanders as it took to reach the top of the Usurpation's ranks, and by any means necessary. But they were so easy to kill, he feared it wouldn't gain him the attention he needed from his superiors. The large-nosed creatures in particular had to be coerced to pick up a weapon, with the chance to defeat him in exchange for their freedom.
"I want a challenge. But you've all disappointed me so far… I'd bet even the weakest Usurpation soldier is worth ten of you."
Raleigh sneered.
"Maybe you aren't properly motivated yet? If I give you more of an incentive to fight harder, could you give me what I want? Blood-2, bring me the youngest one you can find."
It didn't take long. The trooper dragged forth a crying child and shoved him to the ground at his feet.
"Don't take this personally, little one. You're just what I need to give them some inspiration."
He raised his blade, cackling. To the side, the captive villagers began to scream.
"Stop!"
The shout came not from the onlookers, but from someone behind Raleigh. Delaying the execution, he turned around to see an unfamiliar woman with an iron sword drawn on the outskirts of the village. She was old- very old- and wore heavily damaged diamond armor, to the point he wondered if it was even worth the minimal protection anymore. But she had a fire in her emerald eyes which intrigued him, which suggested she'd be different than the helpless townsfolk.
She also stood over the fresh bodies of two Blood Squad troopers. "Let the kid go. If it's a fight you want, I'll give you one."
Raleigh scowled. "Are you mocking me? Your equipment's in shambles, and you only killed those two because you had the element of surprise. Now an old hag like you is asking me for a duel?"
"That's what you wanted, isn't it?"
After a moment's deliberation, Raleigh nudged the child with his foot. He scampered back to the crowd of prisoners, still blubbering.
"Fair enough. You're not quite the young fighter in his prime I wanted to kill, but I suppose you'll make a decent distraction. Who are you?"
"My name is Gwendolyn, and I am called the Diamond Knight," she announced, holding her sword high. Whispers of surprise could be heard amongst the villagers, while his troopers merely looked confused. "You don't have to introduce yourself, Usurper. In less than a minute, it's not going to matter."
He found himself smirking. "How right you are."
Dirt blocks rose from the ground around him, flying at Gwendolyn as he charged. It was a simple tactic, yet an effective one- the light Ground Core made just about every fight a trivial matter.
As such, his surprise couldn't be understated when his new opponent promptly smashed through every block with a shovel she'd suddenly drawn. No Inlander he'd faced had shown such reflexes, but he wouldn't let that trip him up. No, the only one to trip would be her; his next manipulation was of the dirt beneath her feet as he got closer. The blocks shook and shifted, and Gwendolyn's balance looked thrown off. It would be effortless to find an opening with her distracted like that. He was close enough to strike, and lunged with his sword raised.
"Now she dies… such a disap-"
There was a slash. A moment later, he realized he'd fallen to his knees. Another moment later, he felt the pain in his hip.
"W-what…?! She was too fast, I didn't even see her MOVE!"
He heard another loud commotion behind him as he scrambled to pick up his fallen sword. By the time he'd hobbled upright and turned to face her, he was greeted by the sight of his ten remaining troopers, all dead around Gwendolyn. She hadn't suffered a scratch, and she was starting toward him again.
"How?!" he snarled, rushing her again. He was in too much pain to concentrate on the dirt anymore, but that didn't matter. His ambitions couldn't end there- his long list of kills couldn't go to waste!
She didn't even need to attack him again, though, for in his panic he stumbled and wound up face-down at her feet. Gwendolyn was poised to bring her sword down on him. Realizing the gravity of his situation all at once, he began to shake.
"M-mercy, please… you win…"
"How right you are."
Her fierce emerald gaze was the last thing he saw.