The Imperial Wars, or the Falmart Wars, was a series of military conflicts across Falmart and Earth.
While primarily seen as a conflict between the Saderan Empire and the United States of America, it was actually a series of consecutive wars happening all at the same time. With the rivals of both the Empire and America trying to take advantage of both nation's apparent weakness as they are engaged in a high intensity conflict against one another.
The consequences of this war will be felt for millennia.
Valiati was just a common farmer, he was born and raised in Italica and all his life he had known what he would become. He never had any ambition to be a great warrior, he never desired wealth. The only time he have ever craved for something that at the time felt out of reach was when he was courting the woman who would become his wife.
The only thing he could ever want was to raise his children and provide for his family for as long as the gods allowed him to.
When he first heard the Legend of Alnus, he didn't think much about it. Supposedly, every few millennia, the Gates of Alnus would open and horrific beasts and monsters would cross over to their world. They would kill and murder everything in their path and carve a path of destruction into the world.
He doesn't believe that something like that would happen again, at least not in his lifetime. So he continued on with his life.
One day, the Count suddenly announced that every family in the city must provide a single man of fighting age to join the newly-formed Italica Auxiliaries. This announcement shocked the whole city. While these kinds of things are normal in the border regions, Italica was far from the border. The Italica Legion was more than enough to secure the lands from roving bandits and beastmen.
So why did the Count suddenly mobilized the entire city? He had been a good leader to them, and he had no problem fighting in his name. But he wanted to know why.
Speculations abound, some people thought it might be because the Dark Races was invading. Though the merchants traveling through the city haven't heard anything about an invasion, though they did say that the Count wasn't the only one raising an army. Some thought that the Emperor must be planning some sort of invasion.
Whatever it was, he have his own problems. Like saying goodbye to his family.
He had prepared a rucksack filled with his clothes. And he bought himself a rusty short sword. It was the only thing he could afford for himself. He hoped that the army give him a shield later or he wouldn't last long on the battlefield. With everything he needed packed away, he said goodbye to his wife and children.
His wife looked morose, though he knows that she wouldn't cry. Not in front of the children. They embraced each other before sharing a short but passionate kiss. Then he turned to his daughters who were openly crying as they said their goodbyes. They begged him not to go, but as much as he wanted to do what they ask, he knows he can't. He had to do his duty.
When it came time to say goodbye to his eldest child and only son, the boy turned away from him. And he can't help but sigh in disappointment. His son always wanted to join the legions. He had thought that this was his chance to finally fulfill his dream. When his son found out that he was gonna join instead of him, his son was furious. For the rest of the week, his son had refused to talk to him. His son ignored him and he leaves the room when he enters. He was hoping to use this opportunity to finally talk to his son and explain to him why he was taking his dream away.
But he knows that whatever excuses he comes up with, none of it would be enough. If he told his son that he thought he was too young, he's just gonna think that he's underestimating him. But that's not what he was trying to do. He loved his son, and he would do anything he can to make sure that the light on his eyes never disappear, unlike what happened to his own father.
So instead of explaining, he placed a hand on his shoulders. "Take care of your sisters. Make sure to bring in the harvest before winter and..."
His son suddenly embraced him and he hugged him back. "Father, why? I want to fight, you don't have to go out there."
He gave his son a smile and said, "I'm an old man and I'm not getting any younger. You, however, you have a life ahead of you. Cherish it, while you can."
And with that, the two parted ways. And as he was walking away, he looked back at his family. His wife, still beautiful even after 20 years of marriage. The woman he had grew up with, the only woman he had ever loved. Their daughters standing by her side, wiping their tear-stained cheeks with cloth that his wife kindly handed them. When they saw him looking, they both gave him a wave. And he turned to his son, strong-willed and headstrong, his son gave him a smile though he knows his heart isn't in it. His son still wanted to fight, even after knowing the risk.
He hoped to see them again soon.
The training camp was a series of tents built just outside the southern gate of the city.
He had been living here for weeks, and he had made friends with his fellow auxiliaries. They were being trained as the Empire's light infantry, they were meant to fight on the flanks of the legion and they are to harass the enemy by using slings to throw stones and protect the flanks of the legion.
To help with this, they were given intense training as well as new weapons. He was a fit man, having worked on the fields for all his life, so the training wasn't as physically demanding as he dreaded. Though it still wasn't easy.
But the weapons they gave them was a surprise. The moment he received his new weapons, he had decided to sell off the rusty short sword that he had bought. He wouldn't be needing it anymore. The Count gave them a sword that can cut through steel like a butcher's knife on meat. Along with linen armor and a small round shield, both items enchanted by the mages of Rondel. They should be strong enough to withstand a few hits from arrows or stabs.
He was happy about getting the new kit, but it also made him worried. The metals, the enchantments, there is a good reason why the Empire only equipped the best legions with these, much less its auxiliaries. These were expensive, extremely expensive. So why did they go through all the trouble of outfitting the entire army with these?
Who are they going to fight?
His questions were answered when Count Colt Formal entered the camp escorted by his guards. He told everyone to gather around and every auxiliarymen came to listen to what he has to say.
"I know you're all wondering why I dragged you all out here, away from your families, your homes. Do you remember the Legend of the Gates of Alnus? About how every few thousand years, the Gate would open and hordes from another world would come and pillage our lands?" His eyes narrowed, everyone here knows that story, considering that Italica was the closest city to the Holy Gate of Alnus. "It wasn't just a mere tale. Those stories are true. And thanks to our pious priests of Hardy, we have learned that the Gate would open soon." Everyone took a sharp breath after hearing that. If the stories were true, then there would be war. And most likely his home, his family, would be caught in the middle of it. "And the wise Emperor Molt Sol Augustus had decided, that instead of waiting for us to be invaded by these other-worlders, we would invade them instead." The Count unsheathes his sword and declared, "We, along with hundreds of thousands of warriors from the Empire, will cross the Gate. We will enter this new world so that they will never reach our homes. Instead of ruin and devastation, the Gate will bring wealth and prosperity to our people. Long live the Empire?!" The crowd cheered and Valiati can't help but be swept up by his comrades' enthusiasm.
After the speech, they were told to form up into columns. They will follow behind the columns of the Italica Legion as they march to Alnus.
On their march to the Holy Gate, they all sang songs of heroes long ago. Some mused about what songs their descendants would be singing about them. Some even tried to make one. None of them are talented bards though.
When they arrived on Alnus, they were the first to arrive. Not surprising since they were the closest to the hills.
They immediately went to work building a camp. They fell timber which they used to build their tents or for kindling. They set up palisades around their camp though they never bothered to add any towers or additional defenses. They didn't need it, many thought. No one would be insane enough to attack the biggest army ever assembled in all of Falmart.
Somehow, he never really thought much about that. Only when he was watching the standards of many other legions arrive on the hills, and saw them set up their own camps, did he realize the scale of what he was about to take part in.
Everywhere he looked, he sees different war camps with their standards hanging on their palisades. There were so many soldiers that the all the trees near the hills have all been cut down so they can use it to build their camps. It was like several small wooden cities scattered throughout the hills.
He wasn't an ambitious man, he never crave anything that was out of his reach. But he wondered how his own descendants would look at this moment. Would they know that he was a part of this? Would he want them to?
His son should be the one in his place, he would have loved to be a part of this. Some parts of him feel regret for taking his son away from this moment.
One day, he was woken up by a horn. Already used to life in the camp, he got up from his sheets, put his armor and kit on, and ran out to join the ranks of the auxiliaries.
Their commander then delivered them the news. "The priests of Hardy told us that the Gate would open this afternoon. While the Emperor is still back in Sadera, Italica, Codimium, Sallaria and Malistellum Legions will venture into the Gate and establish a bridgehead. As the auxiliaries of the Italica Legion, we will follow them into the other-world. Assume that any creature we encounter on the other side is hostile and show no mercy! For the glory of the Empire!" They cheered in response.
He didn't think much about the order to treat everything on the other side as hostile. An order that was probably given to the other legions and their auxiliaries as well. In hindsight, maybe he should have questioned that. But right now, he was more concerned with looking for his unit.
The Holy Gate of Alnus were a majestic structure of marble and stone. With massive spires supporting an equally massive roof. It's more like a temple really than a 'Gate'. The entrance to the Gate were dark and he watches as other legionnaires marches into the darkness.
Then it was their turn.
Admittedly, he was terrified as he marched with the others into the maw of the Gate. He kept his hands on his sword and shield tight as they entered the darkness. He knows that nothing was gonna attack them as they march through the Gate but he still can't help but feel afraid. What if some beast managed to penetrate the Gate? What are they gonna do then?
Everyone was quiet, the only light around was the light from the torchbearers. The only noise the sounds of their boots hitting the marble floor. He shivered, suddenly feeling cold. Then he starts to hear a distant popping noise, then he sees the light, and then...
Valiati Ludii, first of his name, sets foot on another world for the first time.
Like it, hate it, let me know.
Now, this story is actually a crossover with Gravity Falls, though the characters from there are now aged up. The reason why I didn't mark it down as a crossover is because I might add more crossovers later. Which might complicate things.
This story is a Gate story but Earth, well the US, have some knowledge about magic, not enough to make it mainstream but they have some knowledge about it. And that the Empire's Invasion Force are a little more prepared when they invaded Earth.