Disclaimer - I own Advance Wars! MWUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
(A couple of workers at Nintendo appear and beat up Ascension.)
Ascension: Let me rephrase that... I don't own anything in this fic except Red Sun, its COs, Azazel and several random extras.
*****
CHAPTER 6: HAPPENINGS
Colin's forces arrived too late. Olaf's forces had already been crushed. Red Sun pushed forward relentlessly, and eventually the Blue Moon capital fell. The last military divisions of Blue Moon and Orange Star gathered at a fort on the eastern coast, desperately holding out against a seemingly endless siege. Fortunately, Grit had showed up with Yellow Comet transports and they managed to escape, hoping that Red Sun wouldn't pursue them across the ocean.
*****
Kelalith and Yal'Dan were in the war room of their HQ, engaged in a heated debate. Kelalith was fully in favour of chasing down the escapers and assaulting Yellow Comet while they were at it, but Yal'Dan thought that they should stay and tighten their grasp on Orange Star and Blue Moon and leave the other two countries for now.
The two looked to be on the verge of getting into a fistfight when a familiar face appeared.
"Not fighting, I hope," said Cabal, taking a seat. "We'll need to be together if we want to bring down Yellow Comet."
"What!?" shouted Yal'Dan, annoyed to the limit. "First you disappear before a big battle, and now you just waltz in and decide to invade Yellow Comet? I'd like to remind you that you're not in charge here!"
Cabal didn't even seem to have heard. "The transports are prepared," he said. "We leave in a day."
Kelalith and Yal'Dan were left speechless.
*****
The Orange Star, Blue Moon and Yellow Comet COs were cramped into a single, small conference room in the Yellow Comet palace. According to Sonja's intel, Red Sun was on the move again and they must prepare to avoid the same fate as Orange Star and Blue Moon.
The environment in the room was not a relaxed one, and not just because of the impending danger. Olaf blamed Grit for the destruction of Blue Moon, refusing to speak to him and glaring daggers of hatred at the sharpshooter whenever he got the chance. Sami, Grit and Colin were still suffering from the after-effects of being in the presence of the mysterious cloaked figure. And Kanbei had put on odd socks by accident.
Nevertheless, the meeting made good progress and they had made a battle plan within a short space of time. Yellow Comet would fortify their coastal defenses while the Orange Star COs would leave for Green Earth and bring reinforcements. Blue Moon would take its remaining navy south, west and then back to strike at Red Sun from behind. Hopefully, it would be at that time when the reinforcements arrive, just in time for a full four-army assault on Red Sun. Kanbei was quite pleased with the plan, but no one else was. Even Black Hole had not managed to crush two entire countries so quickly.
*****
Cabal stood on the deck of a Red Sun battleship, silently studying the calm waves of the sea. Yal'Dan's mood had taken a turn for the worse after his decision to attack Yellow Comet and he insisted that all three Red Sun COs share a single command ship. Kelalith hadn't been too happy about it, but Cabal only seemed mildly amused. Though Cabal had said nothing, Kelalith got the feeling that his companion was only too aware of Yal'Dan's suspicions against him.
A low, menacing voice sounded out. "Thought I might find you here."
"Yal'Dan," said Cabal impassively, without even turning to look.
"What will it be this time? Running off to test our enemies again?"
"Possibly, if the need presents itself."
Yal'Dan's face distorted in rage. "Traitor!" he hissed.
"Oh? How so?"
"I can forgive your stealing my glory in the old wars, but let me put this bluntly: I don't trust you further than I can spit! You weren't even a Red Sun CO in the first place! You may have proven yourself in everyone else's eyes, but not me! Fine, you may have saved my skin a few times, but I know that you've got your own reasons, whatever they are!"
"Of course I do. Every man has his own reasons, doesn't he?"
"So you admit it!"
"We can never be sure. Nothing is impossible."
"Hah!" snorted Yal'Dan. "Beating around the bush will get you nowhere! Well, sorry, I'm just gonna assume that you're admitting it by refusing to deny it! And being with us for so long, I'm certain you know the penalty of treason!"
"I know well enough," said Cabal. "Everything has consequences."
Yal'Dan whipped out a long knife from his belt. "Turn and fight, then! We'll settle this, here and now!"
Cabal slowly turned around, giving Yal'Dan's weapon a disdainful glance. "There'll be no violence here today, Yal'Dan. We may have a reckoning in the future, but the time is not right now."
"What, so you can buy yourself more time to sell us down the river? I don't think so!"
Yal'Dan leapt to the assault as soon as his sentence was finished. In a blink of the eye, a blade appeared in Cabal's hand and he easily deflected the blow. Driven by fury, Yal'Dan launched a barrage of lightning-fast slashes and stabs, but Cabal's skill far exceeded his. He blocked every attack with ease.
Cabal broke away from combat. "Don't be a fool, Yal'Dan." His voice had a warning tone to it. "I praise your devotion to Red Sun, but as I said earlier, this is no time to be divided amongst ourselves. We must leave such quarrels for later."
"Very well then," sneered Yal'Dan. "If you're really as loyal as you claim, swear your allegiance to our country. Go on, it isn't that hard."
Cabal paused, and then shook his head slowly. "My actions speak for me, not my words."
Yal'Dan's eyes gleamed briefly with triumph. He pressed home his attack, showing no quarter now that he was utterly convinced of Cabal's treachery. Again, Cabal defended himself effortlessly, but made no move to counterattack. Eventually he sighed, and with a flick of his wrist, sent Yal'Dan stumbling backwards, his knife falling out of his grasp.
"Go on then," said Yal'Dan. "Finish me off. I deserve a quick death."
"No." Cabal shook his head again. "I will not harm you. Go. You cannot win, and I have no wish to continue this fight.
He turned around and started walking away. Seizing the opportunity, Yal'Dan grabbed his fallen dagger and charged towards his unprotected back.
*****
Sonja looked out towards the sea from the top of a hill. After much persuading, her father had reluctantly agreed to let her take command of the coastal sentinels watching for signs of the Red Sun navy. Her sharp eyes roamed constantly from one side to another, noting every single tiny detail in the area. A good intel officer never missed the details.
Well, okay, maybe one detail not counting...
The cloaked figure slid up behind her stealthily and dealt a silent blow to the side of her neck. Darkness instantly seized Sonja and she slumped onto the ground without a word.
*****
Yal'Dan sat on his bed, in his quarters, clutching the bloodstained knife so tight that his knuckles turned white. What had he done? Had he been too rash just a few minutes ago? He did not regret killing Cabal, but what was going to happen to him now? He himself had said it ¡V everyone but himself was sure of Cabal's loyalty. Next thing he knew, he could be executed for treason.
Yal'Dan shook his head. There had to be some way out of this. First, to destroy the evidence. Checking to see that no one was outside, he quickly threw the dagger out of his window, watching it fall to the waters below. Certain that no one would ever find it, he left for the war room.
*****
Kelalith was squinting at a gigantic map of Yellow Comet, spread across four tables. He cared little about clever strategies and tactics, but it was good to know the lay of the land he was about to conquer. He was just sticking another miniature Red Sun flag onto a certain province when Yal'Dan came in.
Yal'Dan frowned at the masses of little red flags all over the map. "Kel, perhaps you should consider forming a plan."
Kelalith waved a hand dismissively. "Bah! Plans, who needs them? Do you think they stand a snowball's chance against us?"
Yal'Dan shrugged and walked over to the map. "You might have a point there. Where are we landing?"
Kelalith pointed to several marked locations on the western coast of Yellow Comet. "Here, here and here. I'll take this one, you take this and Cabal... Hey, where's he?"
Yal'Dan felt fear sting him. Keeping a straight face, he gave what he hoped sounded like a genuinely confused reply. "I don't know. I haven't seen him since this morning."
Fortunately, Kelalith didn't seem to have seen through the lie. "Oh well," he sighed. "Cabal's always like that. He'll show up when the time is right."
"No!" screamed Yal'Dan's mind. "He'll never be back!" But his mouth only said, "Yes, you're right."
*****
The premier of Red Sun had left the capital for a few days, accompanied by nobody but his personal honour guard. As of right now, he was sitting in a chair in his HQ on Faith's End.
"Welcome back, brother Azazel," said Sturm. "How are things?"
"Good," answered Azazel. "It is pure torture to be surrounded by the hated humans all day, but the results are well worth it. Just yesterday, I received a report from CO Kelalith on the front lines. The Red Sun army has already laid waste to Orange Star and Blue Moon. They are now headed for Yellow Comet."
"That is well," said Sturm. "The more efficient they are, the better."
"What do you mean, brother?" asked Azazel.
"I mean that we might have need of them soon. My spies within the ranks of my old army told me that Hawke is amassing his forces for an invasion. He knows of Red Sun and plans to claim Orange Star as his new base of operations now that the bulk of Red Sun forces are far from it."
"A minor drawback," said Azazel.
"Hardly, brother. Hawke is not to be taken lightly. Though he might seem puny on first glance, he is a most competent CO. He single-handedly plotted my downfall, and would have succeeded too, if it was not for a stroke a good luck on my side."
"Then he must be destroyed," concluded Azazel. "Any ideas?"
"None so far, I'm afraid."
"Very well then. We shall wait for an opportunity to present itself."