Hey there, and welcome back, hope you guys and gals had a good day, and as always, before we start, responses to reviews:

-Davin111: Indeed, and thank you

-Artyom-Dreizehn: If it does, it's not all that spectacular, at least from my point of view influenced by the game.

-Guest: Yes, it was, I'll try not to make mistakes like these, but this is still my first fanfic, so these things are bound to happen

-Roboman: Well, the rebels entering the scene would certainly make things more interesting, but I think it's completely unrealistic, the Gate is heavily guarded, and the rebels are being pushed back due to the Overwatch's extension of manpower and equipment. They don't really have the resources to spare for opening a portal to another world, let alone expanding their operations there

-44: I'm doing my best

That's all for now, so here we go..

Falmart, Alnus Hill approx. 5 hours after the battle

Overwatch forces have finished their mop-up operations and the order to dispose of the bodies was given, which was carried out by the engineers blasting a hole into the ground a few hundred meters from the Gate, filling it with flammable materials, setting them on fire, and throwing the bodies inside. Problem was that not all of them were dead, there were mortally wounded, but definitely alive soldiers among the dead, some were completely uninjured and were just unconscious, and they all tried to get out of the burning pit, screaming all the way. It got so bad that a few soldiers had to be stationed there for the duration, to kick the burning wretches back inside.

They weren't worried about potentially lost intelligence in the brains of the survivors. They apparently captured the general of the army they faced, and his memory was being thoroughly scanned in the Citadel on the other side of the portal, and that was all the intel they needed.

Meanwhile the troops who weren't bringing the dead to the pit were busying themselves with construction work. The first Combine fort on Falmart was starting to rise up from around the Gate, with barracks, munitions depots, and motor pools for the APCs set up around the Gate. The fort had 3 layers of defense. The first layer consisted of arrays of Hellion batteries around the camp, protected by shield generators. The second layer consisted of bunkers and pulse gun emplacements, accompanied by earthworks for the APCs. The third and outermost layer consisted of trenches, dugouts and foxholes, screened by Hopper mines. Further plans were drawn up for the fort of course; complete walls with watchtowers, an 800-meter tall command center (imagine it like one the "mini-citadels of Lambda Wars), satellite launch platforms for the Annihilation mortars and recon of course, hangars for Airwatch units, which would be brought through the portal in time, and headcrab canister silos.

Earth, City 17, Citadel, approx. at the same time

The Consul has just received the reports about the first engagement with native military forces on the other side of the Gate. The results were a resounding success; more than 60.000 casualties suffered by the enemy and a captured enemy leader, with basically no losses suffered by the Overwatch. The entrance to the primitive world has been secured, and construction for an outpost has already begun, which would later turn into a full-fledged fortress. He was currently discussing the possibility and parameters of a new military-focused initiative for the Overwatch, namely combat medics. The fact that the other side was technologically backwards and had just seen modern technology meant that a reliable source of medical supplies was next to impossible to find, meaning that injured soldiers would not reach an auto-healing station in time, necessitated medical personnel embedded within standard units. So far, what they've agreed upon was that the uniform of these troops would be red-tinted, and their main weapons would consist of MP7 submachine guns and 9mm pistols. He also thought of equipping one soldier per unit with and additional RPG as counter against the 'wyverns' which the natives were so fond of, but that could wait for now.

He just received a message, the memory scan of the captured enemy general ha just been completed. He quickly copied it over to his personal Union-issued tablet and started reading it while making his way to the elevator that would take him to the interrogation room. He knew what his job would be with him.

When he arrived into the room, he was surprised to see an Advisor already waiting for him, it looks like they would personally supervise his deal with the indigenous general. He quickly opened his translator program. Just in case it wanted to address him. It didn't. It just silently followed him inside and took it's place next to the control consol. The Consul turned to the stalker monitoring the general's sleep.

"Wake him up." he ordered, and the creature obliged.

Within seconds the general jolted awake, pulling at his restraints until he noticed the Consul and the Advisor watching him.

"Wha- what is this? Where am I, you barbarian savages! If torture is what you planned, you won't get a single word out of me! The Empire will be victorious! We will conquer your weak nation, just like the nations that came before you! SADERAS INVI-"

"SEXTUS GALBA" the Consul interrupted his ramblings with a commanding voice he didn't knew he still possessed. "born in the year 628, married into the House of Julia in 653, you went on your first campaign in 644 against the 'Warrior Bunny tribes' under the command of Prince Zorzal El Caesar, followed by campaigns against orcish tribes to the north, and the nation calling itself the 'Atroarsassacid Empire' in the east. Impressive, I must admit."

"Ho- how did you know that?" asked Galba, flabbergasted.

"Well, you see my friend, you were wrong in your assumption that I'm here to torture you, and that is because we already went through your very mind, all of your thoughts and feelings, all of your memories, even the ones that you don't remember now, were ours to know in around 20 minutes, there's nothing we didn't get out of you. No, I'm here to make you an offer."

"What kind of offer?"

"Let me put it this way; you, in your current state, have only one sort of use to us We need an experienced advisor and observer for our forces on the other side the Gate native to that world. I guarantee, you won't go hungry. With enough proof of your loyalty, you would be in control of the entire military of the Saderan Empire, maybe even the entire military of your world if you prove worthy enough for that, but make no mistake. If you turn against us, there won't be an offer like this one again.

"And if I refuse?"

"The only thing we can offer you, then is a fate worse than death; rather an anticlimax after your military career."

"What makes you think I'm even interested in turning my back to my Fatherland? Especially for your nation, that hides behind cowardly magic!?"

"My friend, let me tell you about the power of the nation I serve. Tell me, have you ever been in a desert?" asked the Consul, though he didn't give time for Galba to answer, "Of course you have, memory-copied, remember? Anyways, imagine a single grain of sand from that desert as your entire world; all the continents, all the seas, and the heavens above them. My nation has conquered not just an entire desert, but many, many deserts. In fact not just deserts at that, but forests, plains, lakes, rivers, oceans, hills and mountains. Your precious Empire is nothing, but a tiny point on the map, an insignificant spot, that could be easily wiped off by a wet thumb."

Galba, who has become mentally blinded and deaf because of this, could only stutter for a few moments before finally giving an answer: "I- I accept your offer, but with the condition that my family will not be harmed by your armies."

"That can be arranged, my friend, but first you will spend some time here with learning."

"Learning what?" asked the dumbstruck Galba.

"You'll see my friend."

And with that the Consul motioned for the guards to unlock his restraints and escort him to a cell. On his way out he felt that the Advisor wanted to 'talk' with him. he turned towards it.

"Good work, Consul. Better than expected. Are the preparations for the accommodation of one of my associates commencing on the other side?" read the Consul on his tablet.

"Yes, preparations are well underway, it should be ready in one and a half weeks at worst."

"Understood, dismissed." it said before silently floating away to parts unknown.

An alien invasion, followed by a portal opening into a primitive fantasy world, than invading that fantasy world on behalf of the alien invaders, and now an Advisor complementing me? This is getting crazier every day. thought the Consul as he boarded the elevator.

Falmart, Imperial Capital City of Sadera, Senate Building, 3 days after the First Battle of Alnus Hill

A lone cavalrymen was waiting to be admitted into the Senate's chamber. He participated in the battle against the Otherworlders, and was one of the few survivors from his alae, he was one of, if not the highest ranked soldier to get out of the battle relatively unscathed, he was told by the commander of the castrum he and his remaining comrades regrouped at. A lot of the survivors had the same train of thought, it seemed, as they slowly trickled into the fort. A day hadn't even passed before a messenger from Sadera arrived, demanding the results of the battle. When he saw that only a few hundred rag-tagged men were there, and that the cavalryman was the de-facto commander of those few hundred men, he ordered him to accompany him to the Capital and give his testimony to the Senate.

So here he was, waiting to deliver the bad news to the Senate and the Emperor himself, therefore he thought that these moments would be his last. It wasn't unheard of that the person who delivered such news was to be executed, usually in a grim, horrifying manner.

Finally, it seemed that the Senate has finished whatever debate they were having before as the door opened and the guards escorted him inside. Soon, he found himself in the center of the chamber, and in the center of the attention, facing the Royal Family and surrounded by Senators from all sides.

He knelt, and bowed his head to the Emperor.

"Rise." came the simple answer. he obliged. "Now tell us what happened on Alnus Hill." No further elaboration was needed, he knew exactly what the Emperor meant.

"Your Majesty, I was part of the reinforcement army you sent to our fort on Alnus Hill. We were briefed on our way there about our battle plans, so we could engage the enemy the moment they exited the Gate. We were fools, it all started with rumours of ghosts in the surrounding woods appearing out of thin air and dragging unfortunate scouts into the darkness of the night. We of course dismissed these 'rumours' but something was making the scouts disappear, and that's what should have made us worry right then and there."

"Ghosts?! What foolishness! Let me guess, pixies then bribed our legions to turn against us!"

"I think we should put this session on hold until he sobered up!" Came these and various other snidely remarks from the Senate. There were voices of reason among them but they were drown out in the jeers and shouts of the majority.

The Emperor though remained silent and just lifted his right hand into the air, demanding silence, it didn't take long for the Senators to comply.

"Continue"

"It was that night that the Otherworlders attacked. We were awoken by the roars and howls of their monsters. We were ordered to sleep in armor and with weapons within reach, so we quickly assembled into our formations, and started our attack, but the enemy possessed magic that we've never seen before. Streaks of blue and orange light bombarded our soldiers, our wyverns were torn apart by columns of smoke that exploded when they touched the wyverns, and explosions larger and far more devestating than any single spell I've seen a mage cast. I don't think it's far-fetched to say that every warrior in their army was a mage. Including their beasts. All this even before our ballistas got into range. My memory of the battle is splotched for lack of a better word. I remember our formations breaking on our way up, the screams, the battle-cries, the explosions, I remember my Tribune ordering me to alert our reserves before he was felled by the enemy's magic. When I looked back, I saw our camp go up in flames with the Legatus nowhere to be found. I followed my orders,and we rode to Castra Caesara to alert our comrades there. But when we got far away enough to see the whole battlefield, we could see that there was no army to be reinforced, so we fled, our warriors' screams accompanying us off the battlefield.

This time, the Senate was dead silent, until a more militaristic Senator didn't stand up and voiced his opinion, that is.

"These Otherworldly savages are clearly cowards hiding behind magic and lack the bravery to face us fairly, with honour! We need to send a larger army against them! More legions! More mercenaries! When they see our true might they will crack, and then world beyond the Gate will be ours!

Immediately, the Senate erupted into a flurry of heated debate, arguments, voices of approval and disapproval flying left and right, though he could see from the corner of his eye Zorzal, nodding in approval.

"And where will we draw those troops from? Our legions are guarding our borders against the easterners and barbarians as we speak!"

"What about our vassals? They have been building up their military for years, I say it's a good time they finally used it!"

This went on for long minutes before the Emperor rose from his throne, and silence once again fell onto the Senate.

"Senators! These are dire news indeed, but remember that throughout our Empire's history we faced threats such as this one before. And whenever that happened, the Senate, and the People united in the common cause of defending her. Instead of bickering here and waiting for the Capital to be surrounded, we shall take up arms and banish these Otherworlders from the Holy Hill of Alnus! We will call upon the Armies of the Allied Kingdoms to bolster our forces! Saderas Invicta!

The effect was instantaneous, Senators were standing up, cheering, glorifying their Emperor, chanting. Chanting.

Saderas Invicta! Saderas Invicta!

Chanting so loud that it could be heard on the streets of Sadera.

Saderas Invicta! Saderas Invicta!

AN: And that's it for this chapter folks, hope you enjoyed it, and sorry if you found it shorter than you'd have liked. Reviews and ideas of any kind are appreciated as always, take care, have a nice week and see ya in the next chapter!