March 10th, 2016 of the Gregorian calendar
Artillery and mortar fire could be heard pounding the hill, softening up the defenses for the infantry who'd advance the moment the barrage stopped. Trees or more accurately what was left of them smoldered while smoke from the numerous small fires rose. Johnson couldn't imagine anything surviving that. The men waited behind sandbag walls and machine gun nests ready to repeal any suicidal attack at a moments notice. The hail of explosive slowed to a halt after an hour of intense shelling, the battlefield going totally quite other the distance gunfire in other sectors.
Then came the sound of trumpets before swarms of troops rushed out of concealed entrances wielding pikes, swords, and muskets at them but the Americans weren't scared at all by this show of defiance for they had experienced this time and time again for nearly a year. The mortars quickly opened up and clumps of men were blown to bits while fifty cals turned legionnaires into bloody swiss cheese. Eventually the infantry joined in and fire pop shots while MK19 grenade launchers chugged along, further devastating their lines. The closest anyone got to the Americans was two hundred and fifty yards, not even those crawling could escape death's slashes.
Either through a sudden need for glory or an opportunity to quickly smash enemy morale, shouted, "Fix bayonets!" That phrase wasn't something anyone wanted to hear, especially since range was their biggest advantage but they still complied. The moment the firing ceased and the enemy or what was left began to retreat, the wolfhounds surged forward while letting a battlecry from hell. The Saderans sure as hell didn't expect such a response and couldn't retaliate even if they wanted to. The Oprichnina that tried to fight were either shot or gutted as their bayonet punched through the lower quality armor. The rest of the battalion seeing their brethren in battle soon followed suite and made steady gains. This wasn't to say the enemy didn't stand their ground as groups of men clashed in brutal hand-to-hand combat.
Johnson let out a three round burst into a Saderan before he and the rest of his squad began to give suppressive fire to a rudimentary bunker where a magician were shooting magic orbs that had the same power as a fifty cal. "Give me covering fire!" Orders Collins, "Imma silence that fuck!" They need no works as the sergeant went to complete his task, dodging the mages attacks until he got right next to the firing hole and out of the shooters line of fire. He could see him grab a grenade, pull the pin, and chucking it in before getting the hell back as dirt shot out.
"Nest clear, let's go!" The men quickly caught up with their commander and continued up towards the peak where the tunnel entrances were located. They didn't even have to reach them before men with white clothes emerged, their face covered in dirt, sweat, and blood. They looked more like terrified homeless people then soldiers that routinely marched straight into gunfire without question. He could see how sunken their eyes were and the black bags that were directly underneath them, it was almost sad to see them in a state like this.
One by one the last of them left and were escorted away to prisoner camps not far and those wounded were given medical attention but from the words of a few prisoners, many were still inside the underground garrison. In response c4s were placed in all entrances that could be found and blown up, trapping them in their tombs to slowly await their fates which was much easier then potentially having to clearing them out in the tight spaces. Was it morally questionable to let them die that way instead of giving them a chance to surrender but the people of New York City wasn't given any mercy so why should they receive any in return.
Later at Fort Cluster...
He was extremely proud of his men, they in just six days smashed the two key strongpoints of Marais city and Beza, taking only a third of the time estimated. While numerous it seemed that the Saderans had made the mistake of not mutually help other positions and relying on ambushes to stop the advance. Most of the Marias city defenders after a quick battle surrendered with little resistance while those at Beza had been utterly smashed by the barrage and later charge by the 27th Wolfhounds, leaving only tiny bands to clear out but these unfortunately were most Oprichnina who wouldn't surrender so the battle would still continue but on a smaller scale.
Tomorrow the airborne units would destroy what remained of the Imperial navy stuck in port and secure a base of operations for both the USN and further incursions into the continent. Twenty Globemasters were to help transport the men to their destinations with gunships on standby to wipe out any major formation headed their way. Whatever troops that would otherwise be sent to Sadera would instead have to deal with this new threat. To help with resupply, a stripe had been hastily built on the island nation of Tinae so that aircraft would have a pitstop to refuel.
The armor spearhead had since the meeting in February had once again changes added to it. The size of the tank force was increased from just two tank battalions to four fully equipped tank battalions numbering two hundred and forty two M1 Abrams while more apaches and A-10s were brought through the gate. This obviously was a logical nightmare but the Americans had adapted to the burden of the Gate and quickly mobilized both the reserve and national guard for this operation in record time.
It'd hopefully be the last strategic offensive they'd have to partake in as he wanted this war to end quickly. The tensions in Falmart were rising steadily as Rustica rebels swiftly made gains after the capture of Aeruem just two hundred miles northeast of Telta. The newly formed UPDA and it's peasants' army while mostly untrained were highly motivated and had the potential of reaching the Arbuscula peninsula if not halted while the Doves were getting increasingly more antsy about getting their previous positions back, not including Ezimaas' plan to attack the USN which could spark a war with Avion. He let out a sigh as he thought out all these things, "Why can't things be simple?" He said to himself.
Mars 11th, 688 of the Imperial calendar
The emperor when he wasn't raging about how the military had failed him or how victory could be easily obtained was depressed beyond words, a man with multiple faces it seemed. He reluctantly allowed about thirty thousand men to retreat to the capital from the Marias forest. With Woody dead and most of the men either died or captured made the defense of the southern part pointless and ordered the Oprichnina to stay behind to act as sacrificial lambs. The barbarians had moved far faster then expected and had cleared nearly half of the giant forest in less then a week, causing him to fear the speed if the Ugarian was attacked.
The preparation to make the city a fortress was nearly complete and now with about eight hundred and fifty thousand with more on the way at his disposal. He disregarded trying to stop them at the city gates and would simply let them straight into the carnage that would commence. Mudra being his most trusted and loyal general, would help lead the city's defenses. He had suggested having special teams of soldiers make daring attempts to steal enemy equipment, so that they could study and later produce these weapons so the Empire would have an effective means to fight the Other-worlders.
Now he was in his war room thinking, thinking of what other ways he could win the war. He thought of using dead corpse laced with disease to devastate them but the the Imperial army could get sick as well, he thought of gathering a legion worth of assassins to sneak to Alnus to kill their leadership but it too was basically impossible to implement. He taped on the desk until he saw a mouse that could fit in his palm scurry across the floor in the corner of his eye. In a split second he picked up a knife and threw it, skewering the rodent. 'Cursed thing, how did it get in here?' He thought, before his mind went to all the things he'd do to them the moment the war was won.
He'd make sure to destroy their cities and everything they held dear. He'd eradicate their population until all that was left was obedient slaves to the Empire, never to disrespect Sadera's glory forever. He'd with the newly obtained technology would massively reform the army into one that couldn't be matched by anyone in either worlds. It had always be policy to kill those who openly resisted and if possible peacefully integrate them into the general Saderan population but that wouldn't be the case here for too much damage had been done anyway. The emperor fuelled his angry with mental images of the Empire exactly righteous vengeance against a previously godlike enemy. 'I will not lose...' He thought, 'I swear upon the gods that I'll wipe them all out!'
Somewhere in time and space...
He felt his spiritual soul rejuvenate as he was awoken from his long, long slumber. It had been so long since he was in his realm, so long after what they did to him. Then he felt a laugh come up and he did nothing to stop it, those fools had thought he could be kept down forever? Not a chance in hell. It was a cave system with moldy walls that hadn't seen much water for millenniums, much like how he hadn't taken a breath for who knew how long. He continued down until he same into a giant room the size of the grandest palaces in the heavens.
It was dark and the only thing that could be identified with any accuracy whatsoever were mountains of bones that had collected throughout time, whose potential was wasted until now. Raising his hands into the air and they began to glow red. "Rise..." He said with a almost demonic voice as the room glowed as the bones began to rattle. Slowly they all sorted themselves out until an army of skeletons in red hues rose up and looked up to their master. "My servants..." He began, "I have been gone for a very long time. But now, now I return."
They did not react whatsoever to his words, they only stood still like dolls, just like he liked it. "The balance the fakes have created has been tipped and has allowed me to escape my eternal entombment." He could feel his power returning, and it felt wonderful. "They're mistake was turning their backs against me and the mother so I'll be returning the favor in whole!" He had waited patiently for this moment and he wouldn't squander this chance, all he had to do was to wait until the tip was right.
The Marais Arc is over! This has been the longest arc Ive done for this story yet but we still got some ways to go. It'll all about to go down for one final clash between the superpowers of The Empire and the United States. I have definitely improved since I have started this so expect some "refurbishment" of the early chapters before this story is completed. It's been a very long year and Ive been flabbergasted at the amount of support given, top thirty GATE fanfic in favorites and follows, TOP THIRTY!! I hope y'all have a fantastic Halloween, peace. - Signed, Peppergum