The Moscau Raid II: Resistance
Citizens of the Russy Federation.
The Federation government and its head, Comrade Dzhugashvili, have ordered me to make the following announcement:
Today, at 8 o'clock in the morning, Imperial troops have entered our country, without making any demands on the Russy Federation and without a declaration of war. Unprovoked, they have subjected our nation's capital to aerial bombardments during which more than 200 people have been killed or wounded. Many of the great works we have striven to build since the revolution have been smashed asunder by the betrayal wrought by the Empire.
This attack is unheard of and is a treacherous act that has no equal in the history of civilised peoples. The attack on our country was launched in flagrant disregard of the non-aggression treaty between the Russy Federation and the Empire of Germania that had been signed by the Federation, who has observed all conditions of this treaty in full honesty.
The attack on our country was launched even though that during the entire period this treaty has been in force, the Imperial government has never once been able to dispute our observance of this treaty. The whole responsibility for this raid on the peace-loving Russy Federation lies in its entirety in the hands of the government of the Empire.
Now that the attack on the Russy Federation has been launched, our government has ordered our troops to counter the Imperial Forces and we have begun an operation to invade and demilitarise the treacherous Imperialists to prevent further unprovoked assaults on Federation Citizens and our homeland.
This war has not been forced on us by the Germanian population, nor by the Germanian workers, farmers and the intelligentsia, whose suffering we understand very well. But by a clique of bloodthirsty nobility and capitalists who have suppressed the Francois, the Legadonians and the various peoples who they have subjugated within their Empire.
The government of the Russy Federation is unshakeably convinced that our courageous army. navy and gallant Eagles of the Russy air force shall do their duty towards their motherland and the people of the Federation in an honourable fashion and deliver a crushing blow to the aggressor. The Red Army and our population shall once more wage a triumphant War for the Motherland, for honour and for freedom.
The government of the Russy Federation is firmly convinced that the entire population of our nation, all workers, farmers and the intelligentsia, men and woman, shall meet their obligations and devote themselves to their work with the necessary conviction. Our entire population must now be staunch and unified as never before. Each of us must demand discipline, order and self-sacrifice from themselves and others, worthy of a true Patriot, in order to attend to all needs of the Red Army, the navy and the air force in order to guarantee victory over the enemy.
The government calls on you, citizens of the Russy Federation, to close the ranks around our triumphant Bolshevist party, around our loyal government and around our great leader, Comrade Dzhugashvili.
Our cause is just. The enemy shall be defeated. Victory shall be ours!
– Speech delivered by Commissar of Foreign Affairs Vyacheslav Skryabin on the day of the Raid on Moscau, 38 hours after Federation invasion into Imperial territory.
16th March Unified Year 1926 08:20
Red Square, Moscau, Russy Federation
Lavrenti Loria could not believe what he was witnessing; an angel had descended from the heavens right before his very eyes!
Despite being raised by a particularly pious mother he had never been a religious man, the world was too cruel for there to be an all-powerful being watching over humanity. He should know, he had inflicted a decent amount of that cruelty himself when the situation necessitated it. However, in that moment he felt as though he could fall to his knees and praise the almighty for sending such a vision of perfection to him.
He could feel the saliva running down his chin as he watched the girl hovering a little way in front of him; his enraptured mind blocking out all but the sound of her voice as she sang the imperial national anthem. None of the girls he'd had in the past could compare to her. She was the ideal specimen; everything he had ever wanted, everything he had ever deserved. After one look at this heavenly gift, there was no way he could return to one of the girls lifted from the streets or taken to control his political enemies. They could never satisfy him, not after he'd witnessed this, not anymore.
I must have her!
He'd initially been stunned about the sudden assault on the capital; the very idea that the Imperials would attack nearly a thousand kilometres behind the lines was ridiculous. That they could attack the heart of the Federation itself was inconceivable, they weren't some backwater like Dacia, they were one of the Great powers, the greatest if you believed the propaganda, it was impossible for their great city to be threatened like this!
Yet that was precisely what had happened, and he, like so many others, had found himself staring dumbly at the sky as a handful of mages flew almost completely unopposed over the city. If not for the terrified masses struggling through the streets he might have thought it were nothing more than a dream.
Worse still, these Imperials had been incredibly destructive. Many of the state's great works had been brought down in mere moments, and government installations across the city were in flames. A panic-stricken soldier had even informed him that his own offices had been targeted; it was fortunate he had been out at the time, otherwise, he too would likely have perished in the blast.
Soon his shock turned to anger at the ineptitude of their defenders. How had the Imperials been allowed to get so far? Where was the city defence force? Why hadn't the attackers been spotted and intercepted en route? Where were the fighters? Everyone knew aerial mages were uniquely vulnerable to them, why had they yet to be scrambled? However, then the answer came to him, and anger was replaced by fear.
He and the rest of the politburo had instituted the no-fly zone, they had ordered that no one act without prior authorisation. Since the purging of the officer corps, no one dared take action without orders from the top. In truth it was a miracle that the anti-air guns were firing at all; on any other day, the commanding officer would be sent to the lageri for such disobedience, today he might just be made a Hero of the Russy Federation.
What was more worrying for Loria however was that as Commissar for Internal affairs, state security was one of his primary duties. Although this sort of attack was most definitely the military's responsibility, it was possible that he might be forced to shoulder some of the blame for this debacle. The vast majority of troops in the city were his NKVD officers, therefore under his command. Although they were unlikely to be able to achieve much against the mages, they should at least be seen to be doing something. If nothing else, they should be dealing with the crowds. This was exactly the sort of incident that could embolden reactionaries to act against the Party.
The General Secretary was not a merciful man and Loria doubted that anyone in the city would escape being touched by his vengeance when he demanded those responsible for this failure be punished. He would have to get Krugov and his men on the streets and soon, or he might be among those to suffer the secretary's ire.
However, all his fear and anger had evaporated as soon as he'd seen the girl, replaced instead with a deep and primal longing. He'd not believed his eyes at first; an adolescent girl floating in the air and clutching a camera and a gun like a normal girl her age might a stuffed animal or purse? Just the idea sounded like something out of a dream, yet here she was, and she was everything he had ever desired in a plaything.
She is perfect.
His thoughts were broken as the song came to a close and Loria felt almost pained now the girl's voice had left his ears. He swore he would hear that voice again, he would not allow it shared with anyone. However, she would be performing a very different kind of song once he held her, one he was certain he would enjoy even more.
He watched as the girl lowered her camera and turned to mages at her side. He felt a mixture of anger and jealousy as she spoke to her comrades. Anger because these mages were so unconcerned and overconfident that they could not be harmed that they were able to have a casual conversation in the middle of Red Square. And jealous because the girl's attention was focused on them instead of him. Particularly the little boy.
He frowned as he studied the interaction between the two children, it was clear that they were close, or at least knew each other well. The boy looked at her like a lost puppy while she seemed to be teasing him while wearing a wide grin. A childhood crush perhaps? Have no fear I will relieve you of that burden, my angel. And as for you boy, you would do well to stay away from her if you know what's good for you.
She turned and spoke to an older girl for a few moments, and Loria scanned the angel's companion to see if she too had any potential as a playmate. What a pity, she's far too ripe. A few years younger and she would have made for a fine aperitif before the main course. He thought before turning his attention back to the younger blonde.
He felt his heart skip a beat once again as he saw a spark light up in her eyes and his knees began to quiver slightly as he felt a measure of her enthusiasm as he watched her. However, jealousy once again replaced this euphoria as she grasped the shocked boy's hand and pulled him forward before raising it in the air. How dare you touch her!
"A new Tsar has come to free you from the scourge of communism! All Hail Tsar Wilhelm the First! Saint of Letzenbourg!" The girl proclaimed in a slightly broken Russy accent as the ripened girl fed her the lines.
Despite the words that should have enraged any good member of the party, he couldn't help but feel an overwhelming feeling of euphoria at hearing the girl's voice again as she magically amplified it so that all of Red Square could hear it. Her pronunciation was rough, Russ was obviously not a language she knew well, but it did not matter. She would learn all she needed from him soon, they all learned to say "no" quickly enough, even if it did nothing to stop him. It made their games far more exciting when they screamed.
He took a breath to try and calm his lust and allowed a measure of the more pragmatic part of his mind began to search over the words as he watched his soon-to-be treasure deliver her speech. So the brat beside the angel is one of the western royals eh? And a prince? How foolish of them to allow you to serve in such a dangerous position he mused reluctantly taking his eyes off the object of his desire to glare at the boy for a moment. The first thing we did was strip the monarchy of their possessions, I look forward to seeing your face as I take this girl away from you.
He shook the thought from his head, he needed to think one step at a time; he would have her eventually, but that goal was out of his reach at this moment. He would need to be patient. They were still at the mercy of this imp, this fairy. And her proclamation about making the boy Tsar was problematic.
He glanced around at the sparse crowd who had also stayed behind to watch the spectacle. Fortunately, they seemed more confused by the declaration than inspired to rebel. It seemed the years of crushing tsarist anti-revolutionaries and carefully impressing the importance of keeping loyal to the party was enough to give these peasants pause before they reassessed their allegiances. Even with such an overwhelming display from their opposition.
Good, but we will need to be careful, I'll…
It was then he became aware of a low growl at his side. He turned to see that his deputy, Comrade Captain Krugov, had drawn his pistol and was aiming it directly at the pair hovering on the opposite side of the square.
"No more Tsars! We tore off our chains to be free!" The Captain roared as he fired over the crowd towards Loria's new treasure.
Time seemed to slow as Loria spun around to see if any shots would strike the angel of his desire. He felt numb, fearful that he might lose his prize even before he'd been able to have a taste. He wanted to reach out and rip the gun from Krugov's hand but despite his desire to see that no harm come to the girl just yet, self-preservation held him back.
The man was beyond furious, his eyes filled with insane fervour. Even in his state of desire, Loria knew not to mess with such madness.
The crowd began to panic and began running in towards the closest exits of the great square to escape the sudden bursts of gunfire. Meanwhile, Krugov's shots struck the unnatural barrier that the mages had erected in front of themselves; each shot grouped impressively in front of the young prince's face causing the boy to flinch instinctively. The girl turned back towards their direction and returned the gesture with an unimpressed frown that was just as captivating as her smile.
This silent admonishment was not enough to deter Krugov however, and he soon began yelling orders as he hastily reloaded his gun. One by one, stunned soldiers that Loria had not realised were even there began adding to Krugov's fire, although both their accuracy and fire rate was dulled by the terrified civilians trying to escape the chaos. At least he could take solace that he could distract from his own inaction by pointing out theirs if any questions were asked. He was a bureaucrat after all, not a trained defender of the Motherland like them.
Fortunately, none of the shots marred the angelic girl's form; none had even penetrated the shield. Unfortunately, Krugov's actions seemed to convince her and her comrades it was time to leave, and they soon took to the air and were quickly out of range of any of the instruments Krugov and his men had on hand. Loria felt almost empty as he was left with nothing more than the memory of his prize.
I will have you! He thought as he watched her drift away, I swear it.
However, he could not afford to allow himself to be distracted by her now distant form for too long, there were now urgent matters to attend to. First and foremost his deputy.
That idiot Krugov had almost ruined everything, not only had he nearly damaged his precious gift, but he had foolishly fired on a battalion of mages with nothing but small arms and no thought for the consequences. The man who had so carefully hunted down the Federation's mages had no right to be so sloppy.
I should make you pay for your foolishness.
"No Tsars!...Never again!" Krugov whispered angrily as he glared at the retreating mages, his knuckles white around the grip of his now empty pistol.
Ah, I understand Loria thought, a smile reaching his lips as he began to comprehend the workings of his subordinate's mind. Krugov had always been a party fanatic. His upbringing had made him utterly loyal to the revolution and Comrade Dzhugashvili, even at the expense of his own family. Even at the expense of the true party values. The very idea that there could be a tsar again was an anathema to him, he'd given so much, been so blinded by the cause, that any regression was unthinkable for him.
Fool, can you not see how we simply replaced one dictator with another? We were just wise enough to place ourselves in the ruling class.
This was why Loria had never had any fear of the man he knew the General Secretary had chosen to keep an eye on him. Krugov may have been unquestionably loyal, but he didn't have the ambition or creativity to try to undermine his position for his own gain. The fool would only act on the General Secretary's orders;as long as Loria continued to produce results, Dzhugashvili would not care what he did. That was the way of the federation, corruption was built into its very foundations, only men like Krugov were blind to it.
It allowed Loria some other benefits however, it meant he could use Krugov however he saw fit without fear of reprisals. Although the Captain was hardly a towering intellect, he was useful as a show of muscle and, although he had not exactly exhibited it today, he was rather skilled, particularly when it came to dealing with more difficult captives. He was even useful for cleaning up Loria's playthings once they were too broken to use.
"That boy… he looked like…Was he really that prince from Letzenbourg?" The man asked breathing heavily in an attempt to control his anger. Loria wasn't certain, from what he'd seen in the foreign press before it was sent to be censored it certainly looked like him; he even held a passing resemblance to the old Tsar. However, he'd always assumed the stories of a young boy fighting on the front lines were fanciful nonsense engineered to instil some fighting spirit amongst the Imperial rank and file. He'd even allowed the censorship board to publish those stories with the aim of painting the Empire as a backward nation that sent its children to war.
However, until a few minutes ago, he would never have believed the perfect little doll could lead an assault on the Federation capital either, so perhaps the boy really was the real deal. Regardless it did not matter, it presented an opportunity to keep Krugov under control and ultimately, allow him to add the doll to his private collection.
"It would appear so Comrade Captain, to think we would see the day when the bourgeoisie would return to the capital and claim it as their own. Ulyanov will be spinning in his grave." Loria purred, injecting a tone of regret into his voice. In truth, he no longer felt anything about the attack, save for perhaps the usual amount of self-preservation required to keep himself from being held responsible. In the past, he might have been angry, but there was nothing now, only the need to capture her.
Krugov didn't need to know that however and his fanatical devotion to the cause was by far the easiest way to direct him towards the capture of Loria's prize.
The man was quiet for a moment, although Loria could hear the man mutter a few more words under his breath. Finally, the man's anger established control over him and he clenched his fists together tightly once more.
"I will not allow it." He growled through gritted teeth.
Simple men are so easy to control Loria grinned inwardly, he was certain they'd make a great team.
"No, we won't." Loria replied with a flourish, emphasising their shared commitment, even if their reasoning for doing so was vastly different. It seemed to have the desired effect however, as Krugov returned a begrudged look of respect. "But first we have work to do!"
"Comrade Commissar?" Krugov asked with a raised eyebrow as Loria turned and strode back towards the car.
"Had you not noticed that we have been attacked Comrade Captain? We need to deploy the NKDV to take control of the situation on the ground and prevent panic or opportunistic attacks by counterrevolutionaries." He began falling back into his role easily, despite the image of the fairy still dancing in his head. "Then we will see to it that the criminals responsible for this attack are captured and punished. I will even allow you to deal with this self-proclaimed tsar personally."
Krugov nodded with understanding, his expression hardening now that he had both orders and a target causing Loria to smile as he added silently:
And I will have that girl all to myself.
16th March Unified Year 1926 08:30
Somewhere above Moscau, Russy Federation
Tanya couldn't help but grin as she and her battalion glided effortlessly back into the sky above the Federation capital. She hadn't enjoyed her work this much for ages, who knew that messing with commies could be so much fun? The looks on those people's faces were priceless. She hadn't realised doing the selfless act of trouncing the communists could be so fulfilling.
In truth, she was a little surprised by how smoothly everything was going. Sure they were commies, and you couldn't exactly expect even a decent second-rate response to an attack from them, but she'd thought they'd at least make some sort of effort. Other than the sporadic AA fire and a few overzealous soldiers ready to risk a dirt nap, they hadn't met any real resistance despite all the damage they'd done. Honestly, it was a little underwhelming.
At this point Visha was probably feeling embarrassed for her former countrymen; clearly, all the useful personnel had left during the revolution as she had. Those that had stayed behind were better suited to shooting dirty looks rather than firearms. They'd faced better defences during the Letzenbourg uprising and compared to the Federation the little country was barely even worth noting on the map, even after the territorial concessions awarded by the Empire. She'd only seen worse in Dacia and that campaign had hardly been worth noting.
It must have been a symptom of communism; more proof of the inherent flaws of the abhorrent system. The lack of freedom left people unable to react and adapt to changing situations. The lack of rewards brought by a free market economy also prevented anyone from exhibiting the creativity that was needed to gain these skills. Why would any logical person want to strive to be better when there was no chance they ever be properly rewarded for it? Why would anyone risk their skin to please ideological fanatics that didn't respect good work ethic? There was no drive to make anyone work above their pay grade.
These flaws meant Communism was destined to go the way of the dinosaurs. Those unable to adapt go extinct, and she was more than happy to help speed the process along for the Federation. Particularly if they were too inept to properly defend themselves.
"We've done enough, can we please leave now?" Wilhelm hissed as he floated up beside her, her smile disappearing as the boy's consistent foul mood dampened her previous high spirits. His poor attitude during this mission was starting to grate on her nerves.
"We're paid to get results Captain Hozollern, not slack off." She declared loudly, hoping the admonishment would force him back into silence. He was being more irritating than usual today and so far she'd been very forgiving of his behaviour. However, enough was enough; if he truly cared about his inflated reputation he would have to at least pretend he wanted to face the enemy. "We're still relatively fresh and we've yet to meet any real resistance, we'd be remiss in our duty if we were to leave now."
Honestly though, even she'd expected that they'd have been forced to withdraw by now. She may have enjoyed blowing up everything with a hammer and sickle, but the idea of a raid was it was supposed to be a hit and run. However, due to the communist's lacklustre response, she found herself unable to give the order to pull out just yet. It would make her and her unit seem lazy if they were to leave before the communists tried to force them out. It made her wonder if the Federation's city defence plan was to wait until their attackers tired themselves out.
"You have no idea what you've done, do you?" The boy replied with an angry incredulity, although he made an effort to keep his voice low so his objection wasn't overheard by the rest of the battalion. "This…This…"
Tanya stared back at him with a raised eyebrow and a hint of annoyance as he struggled to find his words. She had no clue what the boy was talking about but he was getting dangerously close to crossing the line of insubordination. Even if the stress was getting to him again, she still expected him to act professionally.
"Ngh… Never mind. We can't do anything about it now." He grunted irritably, backing down under her gaze. "But I'd like to point out we have met resistance. That Captain shot at me for starters! Do I need to remind you that I'm not exactly popular in this country? And you haven't exactly done me any favours in that regard. We should leave, now!"
"You can hardly call that resistance and we were all fired upon Wilhelm." Tanya scoffed rolling her eyes at the boy's transparent attempt to avoid joining in with another attack. The boy's irrational fear of the communists was becoming problematic, if things continued like this it might start to reflect badly on her. She'd hoped she'd be able to rid him of his anxiety with some easy successes during this mission. The proclamation in the square was designed to stroke his ego and stop his sulking as much as it was to upset the communists.
Unfortunately, it seemed this fear was far more ingrained than she'd realised. Perhaps it was something to do with the assassination attempt when he was younger that he mentioned.
"It was only small arms fire, we were never in any real danger. Perhaps if you were a little more proactive with dealing with these communists you wouldn't feel so under threat."
"Easy for you to say." He grumbled quietly, "I'm telling you we should−."
"Commander, the anti-aircraft guns have stopped firing but it doesn't seem like they've scrambled any fighters yet." Visha reported behind them, keeping the rest of first company alert and in formation as she talked with Wilhelm. Not for the first time, she was glad of her adjutant's professionalism. It had provided her with an avenue of escape from the boy's incessant complaints.
A brief glance told Tanya that the older girl's words were true. The idiots manning the AA guns must have realised that filling the sky with poorly ranged anti-air fire would do nothing other than cause civilian casualties as it fell on the city below. From what they could tell they hadn't even adopted a basic civil defence strategy, they hadn't even tried to get their citizens into shelters. It was pathetic really, in any civilised country such a failure to protect its citizens would be unthinkable. But then again, being communist and being civilised were practically opposing ideologies; she doubted the communist leaders cared what happened to their people.
"It seems we have more opportunity to have some fun, spread out and try to find a few more targets."
She was pleased to hear the chorus of affirmatives from her troops as they raced to obey her orders. It was good to see her loyal band of war maniacs so eager after hearing Wilhelm grumble and complain so much. It seemed even the little captain wasn't able to dampen their spirits.
"Tanya, please…." He began but fell silent as she shot him a look that told him the conversation was at an end. Suitably admonished, he spared one last pleading look before slowly turning and floating off back towards his own company.
She held her gaze on him for a moment to be certain he wouldn't try something stupid before turning away and letting out a sigh. The boy was putting a real dampener on what would otherwise be a fine day. She could only hope that the boy's attitude would improve once Captain Zerbist returned. If not, I may have to consider−
Her thoughts were broken as several gunshots whipped through the air nearby, one creating a bright flash of mana along her shield while a surprised yelp from behind her told her that Wilhelm had also been caught off guard. She accelerated upwards instinctively and began searching for the source of the incoming fire and was surprised to see a lone mage struggling to keep their balance as they sped towards her and fired at extreme range. However, they were a lone combatant, at least for the moment.
It seems the Federation does have a few mages Tanya thought as she tried to gain some distance from the approaching mage. Normally she would have tried to put another member of the battalion between her and the enemy, however, since this mage was acting alone, she sensed an opportunity to assess the capabilities of these communist mages without too much risk. Besides, even sending a platoon against one mage could be seen as an inefficient use of manpower considering their limited resources. It would be better to get the most out of everyone before they left.
"Carry on everyone. Visha take the rest of the company and find a new target. I'll deal with this one."
She manoeuvred herself around the mage and let out a small burst of return fire to bait them into following. She was confident that she could both outpace the mage and maintain a higher altitude than them, all the information they had suggested the Empire's orb technology was vastly superior to anything else currently available. However, she was soon surprised to find the mage starting to close the gap on her as they fired once again.
The mage's attacks had all the signs of an overenthusiastic newbie; accuracy was sloppy and charging headlong without support was foolish, to say the least. However, Tanya had to admit they were moving astonishingly fast for anyone using a standard single-core orb. That they were even managing to keep up with the speed afforded by the type 97 orb was incredibly unusual.
Tanya turned on her back and squeezed the trigger, providing another burst at the approaching enemy causing them to swerve as they attempted to dodge the incoming fire. She still couldn't get a decent look at her enemy yet, but she could see the equipment they were using. Contrary to her previous assessment, it seemed this mage wasn't a Federation mage at all; they belonged to the Allied Kingdom, or at least one of their Commonwealth colonies.
Damn, what the Hell are they doing here? She grumbled inwardly as she increased speed to put some more distance between herself and her attacker. If there was one Commonwealth mage there was bound to be more. Did this mean the Allied Kingdom had already been interfering with Federation affairs? Were they the reason behind the commie's sudden attack? It wouldn't be the first time they'd used diplomatic meddling to get someone else to fight for them.
"Major, incoming mages, five o clock. Estimated strength of a Regiment." Major Weiss reported over the radio urgently, causing Tanya to click her tongue with annoyance. It seemed the expected resistance was finally showing itself, but she'd never expected it to come from the John Bulls; she certainly had never expected them to allow a newbie to act as a decoy.
Cruel bastards, I guess the saying about the John Bulls treating war like a sport wasn't an exaggeration. She thought frowning with frustration. Sending out a newbie to act as a distraction while you get your troops into positionmight have been an effective tactic but it was an almost criminal way to spend an undeveloped human resource. Knowing the reputation of the John Bull spirit though, the mage had probably volunteered for such a suicidal mission.
She had no time to dwell on that right now, however. In ideal circumstances, her augmented battalion might be able to hold its own against a regiment but being so far behind enemy lines meant she had to act more carefully. They had quite a distance to go to reach friendly territory and any injured would have to be carried or left behind. She'd be damned if she was going to allow any of her precious meat shields to be captured by bloodthirsty commies.
"It looks like target practice is over." She broadcast to her soldiers, mentally changing gears to adapt to the new threat before broadcasting her new orders. "Regroup and keep them at a distance, prepare to withdra−"
Her words were cut off the novice mage unleashed another volley of fire in her direction, lighting up her shield once more. Tanya swore. She'd expected that the mage would break off her attack now that her task as a distraction was done; any sane officer would. Then again, she'd seen her fair share of glory seekers on the Rhine and knew that many green soldiers seemed to lack the sort of rational thinking to keep themselves alive and would fight on even when it was unnecessary and unwise. This was obviously one of them.
Tanya let out a frustrated grunt and increased her speed and altitude, fingering the trigger of her weapon to loose a small bust of fire to allow her to gain some distance. She glanced over her shoulder towards the rest of her battalion and was pleased to see they had already begun to form back up into formation. Even Wilhelm had finally started pulling his weight, ordering his company into the aerial equivalent of a skirmish line in front of the 203rd and providing covering fire to keep the approaching mages at a distance as the rest of the troops regrouped. Evidentially, the fear that drove him to inaction against the communists didn't extend to the John Bulls.
"Ta…Commander, the attacking unit has a mix of equipment. I suspect it's a multinational force, probably volunteers." The little captain reported via a communication spell. Sometimes she wondered if the boy could tell when she was thinking about him.
"You're certain?" She replied hurriedly, feeling a twinge of anxiety. The presence of a volunteer force meant that more countries not directly involved in the fighting had started to take an interest in the conflict. It meant they were one step closer to the world war that Tanya had warned of.
"I've flown with enough volunteers to know what they look like! My company is made up of them remember?" He replied testily, "Does this qualify as resistance yet?"
Tanya opened her mouth to rebuke the boy for his dissentious attitude but was cut off as more shots struck her barrier. She cursed as she saw the persistent mage was still managing to keep up with her, worse still, she could see another platoon heading her way. She didn't have time to be messing around trying to outrun a foolish glory hound anymore. With the new threat from these reinforcements, Tanya had no choice but to teach the newbie the hard lessons of war.
She halted and turned in the air before unleashing another torrent of fire from her submachine gun directly at the mage barrelling inelegantly towards her. She didn't need to try anything fancy to deal with this one, she had the high ground and she had greater firepower. It was over.
Her bullets struck the mage's shield, causing a cascade of light with each strike. It held longer than Tanya had expected, the mage must have been a powerful magic user; a pity they were too foolish to live up to their true potential as a human resource. However, the barrier could not last under Tanya's unrelenting fire and it soon began to waver before a sudden flash signalled that it had finally shattered.
She fired off a few more shots and was rewarded with a scream. She'd struck a hit, however to her surprise, the mage was still charging forwards.
Tanya frowned irritably, the mage was now getting close and she was getting annoyed with how much energy she'd had to expend on a novice mage that by anyone's reckoning should have pulled back by now. This is why I don't like dealing with newbies, their inexperience always leads to extra work.
She squeezed the trigger once more but instead of another burst of fire to finish off the charging mage there was a soft click telling her that the magazine was empty. She cursed under her breath, angry at herself for not accurately keeping track of her ammunition; it was an unforgivable lapse of judgement on her part.
She would not have long to dwell on this, however. Even a novice knew that a soldier was at his or her most vulnerable while reloading and the look of determination on her face as she tried to force a little extra speed to close the gap between them was enough to tell Tanya that she planned on exploiting it.
Tanya was impressed, most mages were wary of getting involved in such close quarters. What the mage lacked in skill they more than made up in guts. It would be a fatal mistake, however. Most mages weren't all that accustomed to getting into a melee, much preferring to stay at a distance; to them, a charge was the last resort. However, she had long since learned it was a highly effective tactic, particularly when combatting the disciplined fire of the Francois. Wilhelm had taught her a few lessons on the value of close quarters to combat too, although she still thought he overspecialised in it.
The result was that the overconfident novice was about to feel the benefit of combat experience.
Tanya tore the empty magazine from her weapon and tossed it at the charging mage's face. No newbie would expect an empty mag to be used as a weapon and as expected they instinctively raised an arm to block the incoming lump of metal. By then it was too late, the novice would learn never to take her eyes off the enemy again.
Tanya counter-charged at full speed bringing her weapon around and smashing the butt of her gun into the mage's abdomen, using her mana to further augment the strength of the strike. She looked up at her enemy, finally managing to see exactly who this annoying novice was for the first time.
She was surprised to see a girl, perhaps only a few years older than her. Part of her wondered how she might have found herself in this situation. Despite the likes of herself and Wilhelm, youngsters like themselves were rare on the battlefield, at least as combatants. Perhaps she'd had the same thought as her and had joined early in the hopes of rising in the ranks to get a position in the rear. It seemed like the type of bitter irony Being X would enjoy.
Then again, that hardly mattered anymore.
She heard the sudden cough and splutter as she forced the breath out of the older girl's lungs, and she tumbled off of the broom-like device that the Allied Kingdom used as their flight gear. Tanya got one last look at the girl's face as she slipped away and curiously, she didn't seem to be looking at her at all. Instead, she seemed fixated on her submachine gun. She supposed she would be surprised too, usually you would be more worried about the other end of the gun.
Tanya didn't spare another glance as the girl fell to the ground. In truth, she felt as though she had been quite charitable towards the overzealous novice. If the girl could muster a formula as she fell, she would likely survive the fall and could learn from the experience. Maybe she'd be able to do what Tanya had not yet managed and get a job in the rear.
She began to turn away and head back to her troops, but something made her pause. She felt a strange electricity in the air and a feeling of foreboding that she'd learned to associate with the being that had sent her to this world in the first place. The Demon whose presence proved that God could not exist.
She turned back abruptly but realised she was too late to act as the girl suddenly erupted in a glow of unnatural power and Tanya felt the familiar power of the creature that had cursed her.
Damn you Being X
16th March Unified Year 1926, time unknown
Somewhere above Moscau, Russy Federation
Will froze as the unearthly glow illuminated the sky, moving only to shield his eyes from the blinding light that pinned both friend and foe in place. Dread filled him immediately as the sudden surge of power made him feel as though his hair was standing on end, although he couldn't tell if it was the cause of the sudden terror growing in his chest or the static electricity that crackled in the air around him.
"No, it can't be!" he mouthed quietly to himself as his stomach filled with anxiety. He recognised this power, how could he not? He'd seen used it before.
Once by the boy in Letzenbourg, his doppelgänger. The thing that had taken the first part of his future happiness away from him as he ripped apart his volunteers and tossed poor Haussmann to the ground like a piece of refuse. Will would never be able to erase the vision of the bloody broken form of his once deputy lying on the cobbles of Letzenbourg city. The boy had made Hausmann nothing more than another spectre to keep him awake at night, an ever-present shadow in the corner of his vision and a reminder of how he'd failed and what he'd lost.
The boy had wielded power like this as he sang praise to the monstrous God. Power gifted to the true "Saint of Letzenbourg" for his devotion to the monster that demanded nothing but blood. He'd almost taken Tanya from him too; because of that, he might have been the few people he didn't feel that bad about killing, along with that bastard Canaris and the Libyan separatists who had crippled Christina. He may not have been able to chase the ghost of Haussmann away from his dreams, but at least he'd been able to avenge him.
However, the power that his double had exhibited was nothing compared to what he was witnessing here.
He'd only seen this level of power from one person.
Tanya.
She was bathed in a similar aura whenever she used the Type 95 orb; a device she described as being cursed by what she called Being X. He could see why. Much like the boy, the power seemed to be dependent on the praise given to the Almighty in order for it to be used. It was the only explanation Will could think of why the usually aggressively atheist Tanya would start praying to the monster that had sent them here.
However, from what he had observed, the praise may not have been entirely optional. It seemed to force the words into her mouth causing her to sing His praise and even affect her usual rational decision-making. He'd even observed her seeming not to remember events hours after she ceased using it, yet no one else thought it strange. Even Visha, who had served with the girl back when she was a Lieutenant on the Rhine said she'd always been this way but knowing how Tanya felt about Being X, Will doubted it was as normal as the others thought.
It was not something he understood.
The only power he had experienced from the monstrous deity was the void unmaking him and taking away everything he cared about. However, the power Tanya drew on was completely different and incredibly destructive, the things she could achieve with it even be described as akin to performing miracles. Perhaps that was why Will hated to see the girl use it. Watching Tanya praise the monster made him sick and on the few times he'd witnessed her use the orb, she'd seemed like a completely different person. Even after the unearthly power ceased, her behaviour remained changed for a while. Privately Will feared it was another way for the monster to take her away from him, eroding her mind from within until there was nothing of the real Tanya left.
He was glad she used it so sparingly.
This was most definitely the same power, the otherworldly energy of the thing that sent them here. But what was it doing in a godless country like the Federation? Why now after everything else that had happened here? Perhaps Tanya was right about Being X's twisted sense of humour.
It was Tanya however who reacted first to the unearthly power, hastily reloading her weapon and firing wildly at the dazzling light. Her fire was unusually erratic and although Will was some distance away, he could sense from her movements that seeing the unnatural power had panicked her, something that did nothing to ease Will's deep sense of foreboding. It was rare for Tanya to lose her cool.
However, the sudden burst of fire had snapped everyone back into action, freeing everyone from the spell that had frozen them. Will acted quickly, urging his company back towards their commander, fear that the monster might snatch her away from him driving the decision to hurry back and reinforce her. Even if she'd been ignoring his concerns about how far she'd taken things in this attack, he couldn't bear to see her lost. Not when he'd lost both Haussmann and Christina already. He needed to get her away from here.
Unfortunately, the skirmish line he'd set up to protect the rest of the 203rd as they regrouped had now left his men out of position and his order to move exposed them to the approaching Commonwealth mages. As the close combat company turned to follow him the enemy commander chose the moment to take advantage of Will's mistake.
A flurry of disciplined fire peppered his barrier causing him to swerve to evade in order to maintain its integrity and slowing his progress towards Tanya. He swore as he glanced over his shoulder seeing that Sergeant Litz and the others were similarly affected, the enemy's numerical superiority making it difficult to maintain their shields even while pouring mana into them to reinforce the barrier. However, this was the least of their problems.
Suddenly a company of mages was among them, flying in a tight formation and targeting his soldiers one by one in an attempt to keep them separated. They did not venture close enough to engage hand to hand, if they had, Will was confident his men could deal with them easily with their specialised weaponry and tactics. However, they were close enough that the proximity of their weapons would be brutally effective in stripping them of their shields, particularly in the loose informal formation that the close combat company had found itself in.
Damn! Damn! Damn! He swore inwardly as his worry for Tanya's safety clashed with the new danger to him and his men. He could try and press on and simply hope his troops would do the same but they'd been left hopelessly exposed. Worse still, now the light had dimmed he'd lost sight of Tanya and he no longer had any clue as to how she was fairing against whatever the evil god had unleashed upon them.
He hesitated for a moment unsure of what to do but the sound of nearby combat filling his ears forced him to reluctantly turn back toward his company. Tanya would never forgive him if he abandoned his men to save her, she'd probably call it an inefficient use of human resources. He would just have to hope she was safe for now. If there was any hope of them getting out of this mess they would need every man they had anyway.
He accelerated back towards his men, their discipline beginning to waver as the scattered formation left them isolated and desperately fighting for their lives. In truth, it was a miracle none of them had been downed yet. Had he not known it impossible, he might have thought that God was on their side.
Their luck did not look as though it would last long however. An enemy platoon concentrated their fire on Warrant officer Fukunaga, the last remaining volunteer from the Akitsushiman Dominion, and the weight of fire shattered his shield in an instant. Will sped forward raising his rifle to fire on the man's attackers but he was too late and a second volley of artillery fire ripped into him leaving him nothing more than a cloud of pink mist.
Will drew a breath through his teeth as he winced, feeling a stab of guilt in his stomach as he saw his subordinate disappear. It had been his fault the man had died, just like Haussmann and Christina, his mistake had led to his doom.
"Damn You!" He yelled, pouring a generous amount of mana into his rifle as he returned fire on the warrant officer's killers. Much like with Haussmann, he could no longer save him, but he could still avenge him. He just hoped it would be enough to keep the man's spirit away from his nightmares.
His shots struck the mage leading the formation, the explosion causing the man's shield to falter before disappearing completely. Will took his chance and charged forward, releasing his grip on his rifle and allowing the strap to take it as he drew his sword. He impaled the first mage in the larynx knocking him from his flight gear before grabbing his pistol and turning to fire on the next.
He did not get the chance to fire however as the previously close formation of Commonwealth mages scattered in a panic, making it impossible for Will to get a clear shot. Meanwhile, the sword, still entangled in the platoon leader's throat, made it difficult to track their movements.
Will cursed as he withdrew his sword, calling for the rest of the company to regroup on him as he fired toward another group attacking Sergeant Litz. He hadn't done nearly as much damage to Fukunaga's killers as he'd wanted, but he hoped the distraction would be enough to help the rest of his men from suffering the same fate.
At least this one counted towards the debt he thought sadly as he caught sight of the numbered blade on the edge of his vision. It was as he had suspected; the Allied Kingdom and its colonies would provide better prospects for liberating him from what he owed than the godless Federation. Yet it was here he would likely be stuck fighting for the foreseeable future.
"Forth company! Support the Letzenbourgers!" He heard Captain Weiss order over the radio, evidentially he and the rest of the 203rd had managed to regroup and were now ready to counter-attack. "Visha, take the rest of first company and regroup with the Commander. Everyone else, return fire!"
Will let out a sigh of relief as Grantz's company charged forward causing the remainder of the enemy mages harassing his men to fall back to the rest of their battalion, who were still taking pot-shots from a distance. Evidentially, the enemy commander was cautious about committing his forces to an all-out brawl. Annoyingly, that was probably the only way the 203rd could tip a prolonged fight against the numerically superior enemy. He just hoped the mages didn't plan on chasing them as they withdrew.
He glanced upward to see Visha lead the first company into another, now depleted, company that was assaulting Tanya; quickly dispatching two more enemies and forcing the rest to hastily withdraw. He felt a strange stab of jealousy. Sure he was happy that Tanya was ok, but part of him had wanted him to be the one to make sure of it. Still, what worried him more was there was no sign of whatever it was that had held the strange power.
Did she use the type 95 again? Will frowned anxiously, worried about what he'd heard Tanya mumble to herself about mental corruption. He needed to know what had happened.
"Sergeant Litz take over." He called, speeding his way quickly towards her position; trusting the sergeant would follow his command.
He felt a knot of anxiety as he approached, watching Tanya staring down at a cloud of smoke where the light had once been. A feeling that only increased as he saw the strange expression sitting on her face. There was a mix of worry and confusion; she looked distant as though lost in thought. However, he could see no sign that she had used the type 95. For the moment at least, the Tanya that floated next to him was still his.
He followed her gaze towards the smoke below. The power had dissipated but Will still felt on edge. His instinct told him that it was still there, lurking on the edge of his senses. Worst of all, he felt like it was watching him.
"Major, the enemy has fallen back out of range but Lieutenant Neumann reports fighters have been spotted from the south." Visha reported as she and the rest of first company returned from seeing off the rest of the enemy mages that had been close to the Major. "Should we withdraw?"
"Yeah…" Tanya answered absently, still staring at the smoke below before her expression hardened and she turned back to Visha, readying a communication spell. "All units withdraw, rendezvous on my position."
Will might have usually directed a snide comment towards Tanya considering how he'd been begging her to withdraw for what felt like an eternity now. But there was something about the way she'd been staring that gave him pause. He took one last look in the direction of the fallen mage but still could see nothing. However, the feeling of unease had not disappeared.
He felt the build-up of mana from Tanya and her company as they prepared to speed away and Will followed suit, struggling to shake the feeling that something was watching him. They moved as fast as they could, hoping to retain their lead on the approaching fighters and mages, however, they needn't have gone to the trouble. It soon became apparent that both the Commonwealth volunteers and the Federation aircraft were more interested in protecting their bruised and battered city. Or rather, what was left of their pride.
With the immediate danger under control, Will took the opportunity to catch up with Tanya and soon he found himself on the receiving end of a harsh glare as he made his way to her side.
"Why are you out of position Captain Hozollern?" She asked neutrally, acting as though nothing had happened. Will wasn't about to let the matter drop however and he pressed on regardless of the creative punishment she would probably find for him later.
"Tanya, what happened? That thing… It was like −"
"I dealt with it." She cut him off quickly.
"But−"
"I said I dealt with it. I shot her, she's dead. It's not worth worrying about." She finished shooting him a glare that told him that she would say nothing more, although Will didn't think she truly believed her own words. However, he could not press her further as she turned to the rest of the battalion with a wide grin.
"Just like we dealt with the Federation! Captain Weiss, I hope you remember your promise about treating the men to your personal stash of alcohol when we get back?"
Tanya's words garnered a cheer from the troopers following them, as well as an exaggerated groan from Captain Weiss. Will didn't feel much like joining them though, he knew this had all been a mistake.
The destruction of all the Federation symbols might have seemed like a good idea on paper but Will was certain that it was something they'd all live to regret. They'd wounded the bear, that much was true, but a wounded animal fights all the harder. Tanya might not have seen the will to fight in the faces of the crowd, but he had. Each looked as though they would have killed them if they could, it reminded him of the way Ludwig had always looked at him.
Peace would not be an option for some time.
Then on top of that, the monster that Tanya called Being X had reared its ugly head. Tanya said she'd dealt with it, but Will wasn't so sure. He felt sure something was not right. The monster was hungry for the debt he owed; He would try to take something more from him, he was sure. He would try to take Tanya from him.
I need to get her away from the front. Somewhere more difficult for the monster to take her. He glanced back towards the now distant smoke of the Federation capital and an idea began to form in his mind.
And I think Tanya has given me the way to do it.
16th March Unified Year 1926, Time unknown
Tverskaya Street, Moscau, Russy Federation
It hurt to fall to the ground. It hurt even more to be shot. But such pain was nothing compared to the ache that Mary experienced in her heart. It felt as though the pain ran so deep it scarred her very soul.
"Papa…" She mouthed, tears welling up in her eyes as the memory of the man's smiling face entered her mind. She could almost feel his warm embrace as she remembered the last time they'd been together. Almost feel the tickle of his stubble on her face as he pulled her into a tight hug. Yet rather than the comfort it should bring her, she felt only misery after what she'd seen.
She stared blearily at the sky, drifting in and out of consciousness as she tried to come to terms with what had happened. Tried to reconcile what she had seen through the fog of pain and anguish.
The Imperials had attacked the city, her friends had been hurt and she'd needed to do something before it was too late. Too many people were suffering, too many would lose their loved ones, suffer the same ache that she did every day and she'd sworn she would do everything she could to prevent anyone else experience such anguish.
Then there had been the singing.
She'd rushed forwards as fast as she could, furious that the Imperials could be so cruel. Not only were they attacking a city full of terrified people, but they sought to taunt them; bully them, mock the sacrifices of those who died.
It was too much, too cruel, she couldn't stand it, they had to be stopped!
Much of the fight was a blur, perhaps the fall had scrambled her memory or maybe it had simply been the adrenaline, she wasn't certain. However, she remembered chasing one of the mages. She'd tried to focus on one target in particular in the hope that it would help her stay upright, even if her target had been small and difficult to hit.
In response the mage had fired on her, her shield had dropped, and her shoulder had erupted in pain. At the time she thought she would never experience such agony and it had taken all she had to stop herself from falling. However, it had paid off. She'd gained an opening.
Commander Drake had drilled into them the importance of staying protected whilst reloading your weapon. She'd had enough lectures and stern looks from the imposing man that she could never forget it so when she realised her enemy had run out of ammo, she'd taken her opportunity to charge.
That's where it had all gone wrong.
The enemy had thrown something at her and as she moved to shield her face, she'd felt a heavy impact strike her stomach, forcing the wind from her lungs. Time seemed to slow as she looked upon the face of her attacker, it was a girl, even younger than her, yet she wore an almost emotionless expression as she casually smashed her from her flight gear.
This was the Devil of the Rhine she realised, the stories were true. She really was just a little girl. This was the monster that committed the atrocities in Arene, the one that had terrorised soldiers on every front she'd fought on, the one that had killed…
She couldn't say what had caused her eyes to look down at the weapon buried in her abdomen, but she wished she had not. If only to save her from pain in her heart as she recognised the initials engraved on the butt of the rifle.
A.S
It was Papa's gun.
She'd felt the tears begin to flow from her eyes as she slipped off her flight gear and began plummeting to the ground. It felt as though every memory she had of her father was bombarding her in the same instant. Him helping her hide her broccoli when she was five, much to the chagrin of her mother, his surprise visit from the military on her twelfth birthday and the warm embrace they'd shared before they left for the Unified States. All this and more filled her mind as she fell, yet it now seemed almost tainted.
How could the girl be so cruel, she really was a devil, how else could she be such an expert on torture? Was it not enough that she take her father away from her? She had to take the gift she'd given him, the thing she'd put so much work into saving for to keep him safe and turn it against her. It was as though she were spitting on his memory, twisting everything he had tried to do by using his gun for her evil acts instead of what it was intended for.
It hurts, it hurts, it hurts! Papa it hurts!
For a moment, she'd felt as though he were back with her again as she was bathed in a bright light. She thought she heard a choir singing and there was suddenly a feeling of calm and serenity, even her pain was all chased away as she listened to the song.
It was not to last however as the Devil quickly reloaded and fired on her once more, her lust for violence still unsatisfied. Fear filled Mary as she raised her arms to protect herself, she still had yet to reforge her barrier and there was no way she would survive such a barrage. However, to her surprise, a new barrier surrounded her and effortlessly absorbed all the incoming fire from the demon girl.
She had been saved.
Smoke surrounded her as she continued to fall before she finally landed hard on the ground below. Even the unnatural barrier was no match for the power of gravity, and although it significantly cushioned her fall, it shattered as she struck the ground, making her body erupt in pain as she crashed into the cobblestone streets. The Devil may have been unable to finish her off, but she had chased away the light and the pain from both her injuries and her broken heart had returned.
She wasn't sure how long she had been laying there. It felt like an eternity but there was still fighting happening above her so she knew that could not be true. She tried to move but her body only responded with another shot of pain in protest. Yet somehow staring up at the demon girl who had done this was only worse. It almost felt as though she were twisting a knife in her chest.
She tried to stifle a sob but was ultimately unsuccessful as she felt more tears running down her face. It was all too much to bear.
Suddenly she felt a presence at her side, and her cloudy mind managed to bring Damian's face into focus as he leant over her. Something was different however, he was no longer wounded and rather than his usual serious expression, he wore a reassuring smile.
"Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, the Lord is with you wherever you go." He whispered before gently placing a hand on her forehead. She felt the pain recede a little as the boy scrunched his face up in concentration before he stopped and let out a breath. "Don't try to move, the others will be here soon. You are safe now."
Had the boy cast a first aid spell she wondered? The pain was still present, both in mind and body but it had lessened to a point where it was bearable. She wanted to question what he was doing here but her mouth refused to move and her mind remained cloudy and confused. She felt herself slip closer to the edge of consciousness once more.
The boy climbed to his feet and stared up at the sky with a worried frown. She'd only seen him wear such an expression when he talked about his brother, was he mixed up in all this too?
"There is still time." Damian whispered to himself absently, "No path need be set in stone."
He remained silent for a few more moments as he continued to stare up at the sky before he turned back towards her wearing his usual expressionless face.
"You should rest." He said quietly before moving away. Her eyes tried to follow him, but a wave of drowsiness washed over her, and she finally slipped into unconsciousness. She did not know how long she remained in that state, she may have even remained this way indefinitely if not for the voices that began pressing on the edges of her consciousness.
"Mary!…Mary!"
"Warrant Officer Sioux!... Can you hear me!"
Once again, she opened her eyes reluctantly to see her squad mates knelt over her with faces full of concern. Even Commander Drake was there, wearing his usual dour expression. However, upon seeing her awake, he quickly pushed his canteen to her mouth, wetting what she hadn't realised was such a dry mouth.
She was still too dazed to properly move but she did her best to look around for Damian. She wanted to thank him for what he'd done for her, but he could see no sign of him.
Pain washed over her once more and the medics bid her to lay down once more so that they could see to her wounds. Whatever Damian had done to dull the pain had worn off and whatever the medic mages were doing was not nearly as effective. They could take the edge off the pain in her body but the formula they used had no effect on her heart and she soon found her mind returning to the girl who had caused so much suffering.
She killed him, she Killed Papa. She thought as she watched the dark plumes of smoke spiral into the sky behind the attentive medics. The Imperials were long gone but the evidence of their actions was still on full display.
She took his gun.
Unbidden the memory of her father holding her filled her mind once more. She could feel the warmth of his hands. That gun should have been in those hands, not hers. It should be used for protecting people, not hurting them. The girl had twisted his memory into something terrible.
She could never forgive her for that.
Dear God, please give me strength.
Give me the strength, to kill that Devil
Authors Notes
Hello everyone and as always thank you for reading.
For those not pleased with there being a Loria POV, I understand and apologise. Writing it made me feel a bit gross but unfortunately, I think it was needed for the sake of the story. Hopefully, I can keep his POV to a minimum in the future as he makes me feel uncomfortable. Funnily enough though, my beta reader was disappointed that I didn't make him creepier. Which I'm not really sure how to take.
Hopefully, I haven't made Tanya too bloodthirsty these past few chapters. It is a pet peeve of mine when people portray Tanya as a killer psycho for no reason. I want to show she can be a little more cavalier when she'd dealing with communists because of her ideological beliefs but ultimately she is still the pragmatic Tanya.
I also realised while writing this chapter I missed the opportunity to have a proper reaction from Wilhelm to Tanya using the type 95. I feel like it would be an interesting pov but I have left it a little late in the story now.
Not much more to say other than I hope you are still enjoying the story and thank you again for reading, reviewing, favouriting ect.
Xanen