UNDERDOG
"ATONE FOR YOUR SINS"
DISCLAIMER
NOTE: I am aware that the entire series is not finished yet. With the potential number of changes in the canon, this story will be an AU (Alternate Universe) that combines both elements and characters from Hazbin Hotel and Helluva Boss, while adopting some actual new elements from the canon. This story is also not too "Lore-Friendly" (aka not being too accurate to the world of the Canon.) So, be warned if some inaccurate information in this AU may make you cringe.
In regard to The Magne Family being renamed into The Morningstar Family, I will be sticking to "The Magne Family" as it's what I'm used to during the development and writing of this story. If it gets in the way too far for most of my readers, I can make an exception and fix it to "Morningstar". Just let me know.
Both shows along with their characters DOESN'T belong to me. The series respectively belongs to SpindleHorse and its creator, Vivienne Medrano (aka "VivziePop".) The plot in this Fan Fiction and some characters you'll know who are OCs (Original Characters) are original from me. If any ideas or characters sound similar to another story written by somebody else, it is purely coincidental. I refuse to blatantly steal somebody's idea and claim that it was mine. If you have any concerns, you are always welcome to message me.
If there is anybody outside of this site posting this Fan Fiction without giving proper credit or impersonating me, please let me know.
The Cover Art is also drawn by me. I know you can't see it well with the size, but hope it looks okay!
AUTHOR'S NOTE
This is NOT going to be a musical story. Pretty obvious as writing songs in a story without visuals or sound is kind of pointless unless you make them yourself.
GENRE(s): Militaristic/Tragedy/Adventure/Romance
M RATED WARNING: This story contains the following.
-Blood: Pretty obvious. It'll mostly appear in fight sequences and few other scenes. Not to the point where I start describing excessive guts though.
-Violence: Another obvious element, since this is a militaristic themed story.
-Character Cruelty: Not to the point of "obnoxious torture porn", but there are things that might make you uncomfortable.
-Sexual Content w/ Nudity: Elements of Fan Service and Possible Explicit Scenes, but I'll try not to shove it all over your face. I mean, who doesn't like seeing fan service of guys and gals? Unless that's what you prefer OR you're asexual, then I see your point. (Characters who are clearly Minors will NOT be subjected to this. I refuse to write something like that.)
-Generous Amounts of Profanity: They say whatever the FUCK they want, unfiltered. We're all adults here. …Right…?
-Some Jokes That May Be Offensive: I'll just be real about it. There is humor in this story. BUT some jokes about sensitive subjects ARE PRESENT HERE! They're "jokes". Remember that. "JOKES". Nobody has the moral high ground. I'll keep these tamed (not always frequent.) But they will still be present.
Basically, I am NOT afraid to show how cruel this world can be. If you are faint hearted or overly sensitive to this sort of thing, IT'S BEST TO STEER CLEAR FROM THIS STORY! If you refuse to read this story because of it, I understand. No offense taken.
With that out of the way, enjoy!
Chapter 1: WarDogs.
The One and Only Best of Hell.
-(WarDog Headquarters; Pentagram City, Pride Ring of Hell)-
This was the moment I have been waiting for.
As I stood there on stage, I watched one by one as my brothers and sisters in arms received their next promotions with pride shining behind their eyes - behind their blank faces. There, stood one tall man with a high-fade hairstyle and moderate stubble beard while wearing the high-ranking insignia of a Major General; a Two-Star General, scanning his grey eyes on each and every one of the soldiers lined up. Including me at the far end where he faced. The name tag on his dress uniform was gold plated, which represented and complimented his position as a General Officer. "Damiens", it read. In his hands was a pristine wooden box that contained what I assume was our new rank insignias. At first, it was confusing on how he was going to put them on alone, but it was all answered a few seconds after the ceremonial music went dead silent after finishing their tune.
Two female demons went up on stage to stand next to Damiens and bowed their heads at him before looking straight towards all of us. One was dressed in her military dress uniform with the insignia of a Captain, a commissioned officer. She had grey hair that was ponytailed neatly with bangs clearly symmetrical to each side in the front, matching her dark silver eyes that gave off a beautiful yet intimidating stare. For the second woman, she was different. She wasn't dressed in her military dress uniform, but rather just a red cocktail dress that exposed some of her left leg and thigh, fitting well with her white high heels. Red hair with her left side having a long sidelock, her demonic horns on clear display, yellow eyes, and a mole under her right side of her right eye along with one placed on her chest; on her left breast seen from the cleavage of the dress. Clearly, she caught the most attention from the majority of men and some women on the stage and audience.
"Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen." Damiens said while looking at us and the audience as we bowed our heads as a mutual response. "I am Major General Damiens; Commander of the WarDog Division for the Royal Armed Forces of Hell. It is a pleasure to welcome everyone attending this ceremony to recognize the men and women who claimed the honor of stepping forward for their excellent service for Hell and its rulers. Where it'd be sinners, Hellborns, or Underworld plutonian, their services for the sake of our Kingdom are to be commemorated by all for the balance of Hell that keeps our people in order and safe. And for that, I would like to introduce you all to those who are up here that have proven their invaluable service for Hell and will now move forward a step for our future."
The two ladies next to Damiens were the first ones to clap before the audience began to applaud at all of us lined up. After the room was silent, Damiens began to move forward towards us as the two women followed closely by his sides. As soon as they reached the first service member in line, Damiens opened the box to reveal its contents; a proper assortment of ranked insignias – two each for one with labels would assume are the names of whom they belong to. Few of them contained shoulder epaulettes, which was exclusive for Officers. The rest that didn't have them seemed to be for the enlisted, non-commissioned officers, and warrant officers.
Damiens ordered the first in line to raise his hand while beginning to say the oath, followed by the servicemember repeating it loudly for Damiens and the rest to hear. Upon finishing it, both women took the rank insignias from the box and placed it on the servicemember's arms using a special form of magic to replace the old rank with the new one on their uniforms. In his case, the rank of a Corporal was changed to a Sergeant.
"Do us proud, Sergeant Kovac." Damiens said as both women placed their hands on their hearts as a sign of respect and congratulations, to which Kovac showed the same sign of respect by saluting. "My daughters are counting on you and the rest too." He revealed the identity of those two.
As the ceremony continued, with each of the servicemembers saying their part and receiving their new rank insignia down the line from lowest to highest, Damiens and his daughters approached closer towards the end of the line where I stood. Being the last one, I knew I was going to receive the highest promotion out of all the ones up in line. Because of that, I would have to act the most professional that I have ever acted in my life. Both when I was alive, and during my time in Hell. As soon as the woman next to me received her new rank from Captain to Major, I kept my straight face on after listening to the oath and preparing myself to follow along with it to say it perfectly without any mistakes. Now, it was my turn as Damiens and his two daughters reached me with the pristine box now almost empty. Except for my new rank insignia for my chest and the shoulder epaulettes that complimented it.
"Major Morgan Adler," Damiens called me by my current rank and full name, "raise your right hand."
I did so and said the oath as soon as there was a sign upon doing so.
I Morgan Adler, solemnly swear by my soul to serve and to defend the Kingdom of Hell.
For I will not falter or surrender from our foes.
That I will remain faithful for the future of our Kingdom.
And that I will conduct my allegiance till my last breath.
My Duty, My Faith, My Honor; always for Our Cause.
My acceptance of this gift of exaltation is verified.
I will carry on our legacy.
Long Live Our King.
Upon finishing the oath, Damiens nodded his head as his daughters went on each side to put on my new shoulder epaulettes while my new insignia was placed on my chest underneath my silver-plated tag by the cute daughter in the flashy dress. She looked up at me and gave a sweet smile followed by a wink, which I clearly didn't see her due to the others. Made me feel special for a moment there.
"Congratulations on the Promotion, Colonel Adler." Damiens smiled and patted my shoulder before saluting.
"It's an honor, sir." I proudly saluted and gave a mutual smile back.
With the giving of our new ranks finished, Damiens turned around back to the crowd as both his daughters stepped to the side of the stage with their jobs done. He carried out one final speech before the ceremony finally ended with a concluding round of applause. Each of us on stage saluted as Damiens returned the same gesture.
From this day forward, I was now a Senior Field Officer.
With the afterparty of the ceremony beginning, I decided not to stay for too long as I didn't recognize a lot of faces in this place. My friends were either deployed in different parts of the city, or even outside of it. Instead of mingling with others from scratch, I headed to the restroom to check up on myself. I exited the amphitheater and walked down an almost empty hall with very few military personnel chatting with their friends or family that happened to attend. Unfortunately, my family wasn't here since I died and was sent to Hell. Ignoring my sense of loss, I opened the door and walked into an empty men's restroom that was pristine and clean thanks to the custodians ordered to make it as spotless as possible at all times. There was no need to use the toilets or urinals, since I drank close to nothing out of fear of needing to go while on stage.
Instead, I just looked at myself in the mirror.
Dark bronze brown hair in a brush mid fade style, vermilion red eyes, fair skin, stubble beard, and a small battle scar on my left temple from shrapnel a few years ago. I felt good about myself as I finally got to look at myself in my military dress uniform with my new rank insignia and epaulettes. Complementary to my WarDog patch, which was still my best achievement to receive and to become a part of. And yet I received it way back almost when I first arrived in Hell. The only thing that felt off was my canine ears. I know I'm in Hell and I was transformed into some sort of demon, but…really?
How I got my dog ears and some feral instincts of one is completely unknown to me. Maybe it alludes to what I lived up to when I was alive? Doesn't matter. It is what it is, and I'm stuck with them whether I like it or not. However, my senses have enhanced because of it and has saved my hide at times. So, it's an advantage I'll take.
I finished up by washing my face and fixing my hair before walking out of the bathroom. Heading straight for the entrance of the amphitheater to find something to drink, I was suddenly halted by the call of my rank and surname down the hall.
"Colonel Adler?" A voice called from behind.
When I turned around, it was that same woman who was on stage in the red dress; one of Major General Damien's daughters. She gave me a welcoming smile and approached me in order to get a closer look. It was a bit awkward, of course, since I was already taken. But I just assured myself she wasn't trying to make a move. Even with that wink on stage earlier.
"First of all, congrats on the promotion~!" She started.
"Thank you." I gave a smile back. "Miss…err…Miss Damiens?" I stammered.
All she gave me when I called her that was a face of confusion. "Hmm? No need to address me like that. Just call me Mei."
"Understood, Mei." I chuckled; relieved, as I thought I screwed up on calling her the wrong name she prefers.
"You…really don't recognize me?" Mei asked as she was clearly surprised to hear me call her by her surname, and not by her first name.
I gave a wry smile and shrugged my shoulders. "Not really."
She giggled and shook her head. "Now THAT is a big surprise to me. Figured you WarDogs would love the eye candy I give from the posters I pose for."
"Wait, hold on. Posters?" I raised my eyebrow.
"Mmhmm. I'm the pinup girl for the WarDogs." Mei said as she pulled out a magazine cover that had an advertisement for military recruitment for Hell's Armed Forces. The woman in the cover was clearly her; wearing all white from her sleeveless dress, thigh highs, boots, and elbow gloves. A bandolier of bullets was wrapped around her torso, but intentionally didn't block her busty cleavage. Lastly, her right hand was holding a standard issue rifle for Hell's Armed Forces. Quite the eye candy. And patriotic.
I gave a wolf whistle and gave a smile, which she took as a compliment. "Looking good."
Mei bowed her head and winked. "Thank you. I may not officially be a WarDog like you, but it's good to give a morale boost for the boys. And some ladies, of course." She said while putting the magazine away. "By the way, that's a new issue that hasn't been released to the public. So you were the first to see it."
"I'm…honored?" I chuckled. "When does it come out?"
"November."
"That's the worst month to release it!"
"Why?"
"Think."
Mei stayed silent for a few seconds before her eyes started lighting up and let out a laugh. "OHH! Pfft. I assure you that not a lot of guys play that game."
I shifted my eyes away and let out another chuckle. "Anyway, what was it that you needed from me? Something urgent?"
"Oh, right! I'm sorry!" Mei snapped out of her laughing and cleared her throat. "Supreme General Calinao is expecting you in his office. It involves your new position after this ceremony."
"I see." I nodded. "I'm assuming he's going to give me some advice about it too. Working this high in Hell is already intimidating enough."
"WarDog Advisor for the Royal Guard." She stated my new position. "That title alone is enough for you to know how important it goes."
"And I just got off the Counter-Terrorism Pack. Makes me wonder what made them think I'm capable of being an Advisor to those guys…"
She rolled her eyes and patted my shoulder. "Don't be coy. I've heard the stories around you while serving in that Pack. They're going to need a man that knows how to keep things clean while knowing how to outsmart dangerous targets. In my opinion, I think the Magne Family picked the perfect WarDog for the job."
My mouth couldn't help but form a smile from her compliments. "Thank you!" I said to her.
Suddenly, a musical tune coming from her waist bag began to ring. Obviously a phone call for her.
Mei picked up her phone and answered it. "Yes, dad?...Alright, alright. I know….I'll be right there. Sorry." She apologized before hanging up. "I need to get back to the party. If you're not doing anything right now, best to head to the General's office."
"Yeah. I'm on it. Thank you again!" I said while taking a few steps to go past her.
"And Colonel? It's…it's an honor meeting you in person." Mei smiled and gave a curtsey bow.
"You too." I smiled back while giving one last head bow.
After passing down the now empty hallway and turning a corner, I headed up a flight of stairs to the second floor. I continued to head straight down as the echoes of my footsteps was all the noise that was being created at this point. Then, I started to hear some muffling coming out of the office I was meant to enter. Seeing through the blinds of the window, I could see my superior talking on the phone while walking around his office. He wore the same military uniform as Damiens, but with five stars, representing a much greater General. He looked middle-aged with a black but greying clean-cut hairstyle and the yellow eyes of a hawk. The moment he turned around to see me waiting in the front, he raised his pointy finger to point up on his side as a sign to hold on a moment. So, I did just that. Patiently.
His phone call finally ended as he approached the door to unlock it and opened it. Inside was the strong smell of cigars and liquor, which was expected from a General like him. But admittingly, it smelt pretty good. A clean and pristine office with everything laid out from his ranks, medals, guns, and even flag with the coat of arms for the Royal Armed Forces of Hell. It almost felt more like a miniature museum than anything, to be honest. This man was clearly decorated and dedicated to his job for years as General of the entire Royal Military Forces.
"Morgan! Or should I say: Colonel Adler, eh?" He grinned and shook my hand before allowing me to enter his office. "I'm not sure what I should be impressed by the fact you got a two-rank promotion, or you're pretty young for a Colonel."
"Would you even consider 34 years old being young?" I chuckled, stating my actual age instead of the age I died to before becoming a demon, which was 29.
"I guess that's my age speaking, since I was given the chance to serve as Commanding General technically forever." He shrugged.
"Weren't you a General before you died though?"
"Brigadier General of the Philippine Revolutionary Army." He answered, "Lucifer decided to appoint me as the Commanding General of Hell's Military due to my experience in the war I got killed in, and my years of serving in his army. You may be thinking getting gifted with immortality is amazing. But it's not. Not only do you get to live longer, but you also have to deal with bullshit forever."
Letting out a chuckle, I nodded my head as I understood him in a way even while I was an officer in the field. "Sir, there's no need to always drown yourself in the negative stuff. More than your alcohol, that is. Surely there is some good to it."
"Yeah, you're right. But you're not a hundred years old like I am." He rolled his eyes and shrugged his shoulders. "But, speaking of alcohol, this calls for a celebration from me to you!"
I let out a playful groan and leaned back against the wall. "Oh God. You're not going to start singing too, are you?" I joked.
Calinao chuckled and opened his personal liquor cabinet that had an assortment of real world and Hell's alcohol; all expensive brands that would easily be brought at a very high price for collection. Although I was a hefty drinker on occasions, even I was impressed by the large collection that was clearly bigger than mine. Twice as big, in fact.
"Well?" Calinao smirked and pointed his finger around the menagerie. "Take a pick of your poison, Colonel. This was years of collecting ever since I was sent down here."
Clearly, I was having trouble taking a pick as I didn't recognize a majority of them. To play it easy, I asked, "Any personal favorites? I'd really want to give them a try."
In response, Calinao pulled out a gilded bottle that was decorated in gold plating and tinted glass that had colors that represented a sunset. "Golden Coconut Lambanog. Brings back so many memories when I drank this when serving in the Revolutionary Army. And the taste, of course."
"Sounds good. Crack it open – pour me one, and let's start drinking!"
Calinao nodded and shut the cabinet after taking out two glasses for our drinks. He set the bottle down next to the glasses and went to the freezer to get a bag made of cloth that contained whiskey stones used as a substitute for ice cubes. "Again, it's impressive how you went from a Major to a Colonel. Two-Step Promotions are pretty tough to obtain, so I assume you impressed Major General Damiens and his acquaintances."
"Yeah." I nodded as I was fairly impressed with myself too.
"And about your new position now?"
"Yep. Transferred to be a WarDog Advisor for the Royal Guard." I answered. "Funny how I have to work with our supposed rivals now."
He rolled his eyes and let out a sigh, "It's most definitely going to be hard to get them to respect you. Even with your distinguished service."
"Royal Guards are one of the most hard-headed in the Force. It's not really our fault they think they're hot shit just because they're close and trusted with the Overlords and Magne Family."
"And yet, there are reports of Overlords hiring WarDogs as temporary or even permanent bodyguards for themselves, instead of Royal Guards." Calinao added.
I nodded in agreement to his statement. "If I may, what's your opinion on me becoming the face of the WarDogs for all of them? Overlords, Royal Guards, and even The Magnes."
"To be honest, you're still a fresh Colonel in my eyes." Calinao stated while he poured a glass of lambanog on both glasses for me and him. "Working close with the high families is going to be a difficult one. Especially with Lucifer's. His wife is…pretty tough and hardheaded as nails; almost fitting like him. For their daughter, she's much easier to work with."
"Do you know from experience? Or just words from the others that worked with Lucifer, Lilith, and Charlie?" I asked curiously while accepting the glass.
Calinao chuckled and took a sip of his glass. "Obviously both. This is the consequence for being a General of the Hellion Military."
"I'll say. At this point of our time, being a General is more of a focus on politics than the battlefield."
"Well, from a WarDog like you, I never would expect you to take that level of leadership."
Giving a nod, I drank some of the alcoholic beverage and clearly expressed my enjoyment from the smoothness and taste. "Well, if I have it in me and I decide to get married or have children with my girl, then yeah. Probably."
"It's going to be a long talk with the lady then. How is she, if you don't mind me asking? Damiens usually handles the WarDogs more than me."
"She's doing alright. But I can tell the stress is really getting to her."
"Has she considered resigning? Now that you're a Colonel, I'm sure she should be able to lay down and leave the rest to you."
"It's easy for you to say until you realize she has a lot of pride in it." I sighed, openly admitting that my girlfriend tends to not let go of her job even if it's killing her. "Too much pride is a sin, I kept telling her."
Calinao shrugged his shoulders. "Is that why there's some gays down here in Hell?" He joked.
I shook my head and laughed at how completely outrageous it sounded. "You better watch your mouth. If your brother heard that, he'd be pissed."
"Honestly, he would have still loved that joke." He replied and leaned back on his chair while raising his glass towards me. "Jokes aside, things should be easier for you now that you have a more considerably stable position. The only tough part in your new job is the first week." He said before gulping down more of his lambanog. "As for your girl, if there's too much pride in her about this job, maybe try to convince her to either step down or transfer her to another position that is even less busy than the Security Pack. Like the Coast Guard?" He said while refilling both our glasses.
"I'm not sure if that was a genuine suggestion, or you're just making fun of the Coast Guard." I raised my glass to his and tapped it, creating the most satisfying sounding cling to echo across the room. "But I'll do what I can."
With that, Calinao smiled and gave me a nod. "Once again: Congratulations on your promotion, Colonel Adler. Make us proud."
-(Camp Juno; Pentagram City, Park District)-
It was already sunset as soon as I arrived back at my home. A simple one-story home with two bedrooms and two bathrooms along with the usually living room and kitchen installed. However, this was your typical military housing inside the base. The reason why I chose this house instead of off-base was mainly because of its convenience, just around twenty minutes away from WarDog Headquarters. It was much more expensive to buy or rent a home downtown where my work was. I much prefer to save up as much as I can while serving in the military. Plus, it's a lot more comfortable and less rowdy than your typical city condo. And lastly, I at least have my own driveway to park my car.
Getting out of my car and stretching for a bit, I closed and locked it before heading towards the front door. On my way there, all the lights weren't even turned on yet, which led me to assume my girlfriend was either too lazy to turn it on due to work, or she's working too much to the point she forgot about it. Regardless, I unlocked the door and walked inside with my first instinct to turn on the lights. She wasn't in the living room, but I knew she was in the guest bedroom where we use it as an office workspace. And I was right.
Marcela, her name, was organizing a file cabinet next to the main desk while seated on an office chair. She didn't seem to notice me yet as she was more focused on her work while only relying on the sunset for lighting. Her black ponytail was a mess while she was only in her casual attire, which I can understand as our military dress uniforms can be a little uncomfortable at times. Her devilish tail was also wagging around from the constant stress and the need to keep moving like her violet eyes on the files and paperwork.
The room smelled strong of something potent, but that wasn't my main focus. I shook it off and ended up sneaking up on Marcela. I opened my arms wide open and…
"Hey, babe~!" I grinned and hugged her from behind.
She jolted in surprise but looked back at me with a smile and playfully hit my arm. "Morgan. Not while I'm holding these. You know Major General Damiens needs these properly organized."
I let out a chuckle and eased up my grip around her body. "Sorry. Who else wouldn't be excited about their new promotion?"
"Well, at least YOU get to experience it. I've been stuck as a 2nd Lieutenant for years…" She let out a dry chuckle, embarrassed.
"Look on the bright side, Marcy. Now that I'm a Colonel, we can finally look into that dream condo you always wanted."
Marcela sighed and gave a small smile. "I was mainly kidding about that. We couldn't even afford it even before your jump-step promotion."
"Major General Damiens said he can help compensate for our living expenses because of my new job. Hell, I think you don't even have to work as a WarDog anymore while I work. Just leave the work to me and I'll support you." I offered proudly without any hesitation as I was fully committed to not only sticking to my purpose, but to her as well.
Upon hearing that, Marcela was clearly happy for me opening up this much. But at the same time, she felt troubled with that idea due to the fact she still loved working for the WarDogs. But knowing this was entirely her decision, she had time to think things through.
"Morgan, you're such a sweet man. Makes me wonder why you were sent to Hell instead of Heaven." She said while leaning on my chest.
"Was planning on it. Especially after the Princess was working on the Happy Hotel. But the quotas were..."apparently full" when I wanted to give it a try. Plus you're one of the reasons why I wanted to stay." I patted her head but started to catch that smell again from earlier. Something strong directly on her. Upon scanning the office, I caught a pack of cigarettes and an ashtray that was recently used with some ash piled in the center, still smoking. "Babe, have you been smoking again?"
A sigh was let out as Marcela stayed silent, clearly unable to respond with an explanation.
"Seriously. I talked to you about this. Smoking isn't going to make your health any better." I told her with deep concern in his tone. "I wouldn't want you in an early grave. That's my job."
"Putting me down?" She turned her head with a smirk.
"No, dunderhead. Protecting you." I laughed along with her while keeping her in my arms.
Marcela rolled her eyes with that smirk still on her face but switched it to a reassuring expression. "Morgan. Don't worry about it too much. It's just one cigarette. It's not like it's going to kill me." She told me before planting a kiss on my cheek.
I sighed and smiled back. "I know. But do it daily, it'll start to have an effect to you in the future."
"Worrywart." She joked and playfully bonked my head with her fist. "Fine~! I'll lay off the smoking more~! But stop trying to be so negative about it every time. I don't really smoke daily anyway."
"Good girl." I patted her head while I let her put down the files and paperwork for a bit. "Listen, how about you take a break from your work for tonight?"
She leaned her head back onto my chest as she gave a rather naughty smile up at me. "Planning on letting some stress out after work~?" She asked while placing my hand on her right boob.
"No. That's my dessert. We haven't had any dinner yet." I playfully teased her as she gave me a cute pout for cockblocking her like that. "Have you eaten yet?"
My question was answered as soon as I heard her stomach growl loudly, much to her embarrassment as her face went red as a cherry. She shifted her eyes away to avoid eye contact, knowing I would tease her about that.
"Seriously. You need to at least put some food in your stomach. Even if it's a snack." I told her. "Want anything?"
"Well…since you asked…" She gave a small smile and looked back up at me. "Can you get some burgers at that joint downtown…? Please~?"
The thought of burgers did make my stomach growl just as loudly as hers. Now that I think about it, I haven't eaten anything either. I left the party as soon as me and General Calinao stopped drinking. I began to undress out of my military dress uniform with only my boxers before heading to the room to change into my casual apparel. I just got dressed into a flannel and jeans. While I was fixing myself in the mirror, Marcela took my uniform and neatly folded it for me. She looked down at my insignia and gave a proud smile.
"So," the smile shined as she looked up at me, "what is my new Colonel going to be doing now?" She asked before going for my pockets to take my key and toss it.
"I'll be an Advisor for the Royal Guard." I answered while I caught them. "Remember what I said about Major General Damiens helping with compensating for that condo? It's much closer to my work and he's willing to open it up under my name immediately."
"Nice!" Marcela excitingly jumped and spun around. "You better not eye on any of the noble girls too much though." She pouted and chopped my forehead playfully.
I rolled my eyes and chuckled at her concern. "I would never cheat on a girl like you. Plus, women don't date down. The upper-class ladies probably still see me as a peasant, even with my position."
"Hmm…" She pouted and folded her arms, which was admittingly cute. "…I don't know. What if they use their charms on you and you fall for it? They go after WarDogs; usually Officers."
"Tell you what. How about I buy you a present to convince you I am still faithful to you?"
Marcela raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"
I nodded and finished up with myself in the mirror. "I'll drop by downtown tomorrow to get something. It'll be a surprise."
"Thank you, babe! By the way, I heard from my friends that Princess Charlie is going to be down there too. If you see her, tell her I said "Hi", okay?" Marcela smiled as she was a fan of hers too.
I chuckled at her clear fan girl side and just nodded my head. "Well, I'll be working with her and the rest of the Magne family too. So, I guess we're going to have to meet anyway." I said while walking to the front door.
"Drive safe." She tiptoed up to give me a kiss.
My head leaned forward down as I kissed her lips quickly. "I will."
-(Fort .████(((CLASSIFIED)))████.; Pride Ring, Hell)-
(No Character POV; Third-Person)
Sunset was still shining down on the horizon. The grassy plains along with the distant plateaus and mesas blending into the color, a remote place like this would've been perfect for a postcard. Little to no signs of life was seen in the fields or in the air. Only the sounds of the wind and the shivering grass were heard all around the area.
However, one structure that was not a natural formation stuck out of the ground like a sore thumb. It was a massive antenna tower, with the size equivalent to a skyscraper, containing multiple solar panels and parabolic dishes. Its main purpose was to ███████████.(INFORMATION CLASSIFIED.)███████████. But at the moment, the tower was deactivated with only its warning lights remaining operational. As for its defenses, however, is a different story. It might not be visible, but this tower was under a heavily armed defense system that will only be triggered if unwanted guests are approaching the tower by ground or air. The suspicious symmetrical pathways and spots on the ground surrounding the tower was more than enough to have those looking at it to have a better idea that heading for it isn't going to be easier than expected. And the weapons involved were most definitely lethal.
Near the center where the tower was located was a tunnel with an unpaved road reaching out of the defense systems, where it would continue out into the grassy plains and towards a path to civilization for a lengthy drive. With that, a line of military trucks were exiting the tunnel and driving down the road. As soon as they exited out of the unmanned checkpoint in the front, with the barricades lowering out of their way, they began to pick up their speed as their main objective is to get out of the grasslands due to its openness.
Onboard were at least five squads of Hell's Royal Military; from the Regular Army, and the WarDogs. The regular soldiers were part of the Hell Domestic Security Forces with the squad elements of Avatar, Icepick, and Dumbbell Team. As for the WarDogs accompanying them, both of whom were part of Sentinel Pack; a regiment for domestic security and defense. Callsigns: Amber Squad and Fireteam Chimera.
The ride was eerily quiet yet peaceful as the convoy spent a few minutes down the road with nothing but the setting sun making the sky and surroundings darker.
"Chimera 1 to Watchtower"
"Watchtower. Send traffic."
"Proceeding east down the road with special cargo. No issues at this time. Fortress is 20 klicks out."
"Affirmative. Don't stop or drop the cargo, fellas. King Lucifer is already expecting this to be delivered without delay." Watchtower said.
"And we weren't given aerial overwatch support at this time? Special cargo from Ringleader Actual surely would've had more protection."
Watchtower gave a dry chuckle and sighed. "The boys at Merrick Air Base are standing on my dick when they reported some mechanical problems. But the King was willing to take the risk of having you deliver it without air support. Should be a cakewalk. Especially with your WarDog Fireteam."
Chimera Leader was annoyed as well by Merrick AB's incompetence in this sort of situation. Being a WarDog Fireteam Lead for years has made him wise and ensured everything was planned accordingly. He has also been through enough operations to know this could go south in just a snap. "Copy. We'll be sure to move to Fortress ASAP."
The third vehicle in the convoy, right behind Fireteam Chimera, was the one holding special cargo. It was under the protection of a WarDog team known as Amber Squad; composed of five members with their own specific roles. Due to the nature of this operation, they are forbidden to use their surnames and rely on their callsigns on the radio and outside of it until the delivery has been finished.
"Amber Actual to Chimera." The team lead called while driving.
"Go ahead, Bullhead." Chimera Leader responded and acknowledged using his callsign.
"What's the status on air support? Over."
He had his answer from a sigh being exhausted over the radio. "Merrick Air Base is having some issues that stopped the flyboys from taking off. That includes drone support. We're on our own. Over." Chimera Leader replied.
"Amber copies. Out." Bullhead hung up and looked at the passenger seat. "Smog. How's the package?"
"All good, sir. Not a single scratch on it." He answered. "Yo, Moth. What do you think is in this case?" Smog asked as he tapped the heavily shielded suitcase, handcuffed to his arm. He looked back to his left to see their Marksman behind his seat, who was the one he was asking.
"Probably Bullhead's porn collection." Moth joked as she snickered quietly. "If it's sealed that much and cuffed to your hand, the evidence is clear."
"Shut the fuck up, Corporal." Bullhead chuckled back while his hands calmly held the wheel. "If it was, it would've been much bigger than that." He joked, making the rest of his team laugh.
Smog sighed and eased the grip on the case. "Still. I would feel a lot better if we had an air escort. Or hell, even a UAV overhead."
"Send your complaints to Merrick Air Base. Plus, if something does happen, it's kind of on King Lucifer's ass for authorizing this delivery without anything." Bullhead said.
"I don't think accountability is compatible with the Overlords and Higher Ups." Moth rolled her eyes.
"Says the woman." One of her squad mates on her left joked.
"Fuck off."
With the sun finally down, all trucks switched on their headlights while still proceeding down the road hastily with no traffic in the way. In the open plains like this, they were an easy target for just about anything. All units didn't think of falling asleep even if the slightly bumpy road was making them. A package this important was to be taken seriously, and others who are enemies or looking to steal from them were possibly out there awaiting their time to strike. Fireteam Chimera were the ones especially kept on high alert, since they were the most experienced and elite WarDogs in the convoy with Amber Squad being the second. The other three squads who were just regular Army Security were just there for additional support.
Bullhead took a sip of his canteen and picked up the radio. "Avatar 1-2. How's it look in the front?" He called the lead driver of the convoy.
"All clear. Just dark as shit." He replied.
"Roger. W-"
Then, something stops Bullhead from speaking any further. In the corner of his eye, even during their high speed, he saw something flash from afar near the small hills. Like a flashlight suddenly blinked briefly. His eyes weren't deceiving him as he was sharp due to driving. He looked back at the team marksman; Moth and clicked his tongue to get her attention.
"Moth. Scan IRNV to the left. Coming up right now." He ordered.
With that, the two other Amber Squad members on the left side of the rear passenger row leaned their seats back to give Moth a clear view out their window. She kept her safety on but aimed her scope and rifle down the horizon, which was equipped with an infrared feature. It turns out Bullhead's eyes haven't fooled him. Two unknowns were running across a small hill before reaching the other side out of plain sight. They moved quickly as if they were trying to avoid getting spotted by them.
"All units. Watch the left. Movement detected on thermal." Moth said as she scanned her scope across the left side of the road.
"Chimera Actual. I saw it too." Chimera Leader replied over the radio. "Hit the gas, Avatar 1-2." He ordered the lead vehicle in front of the convoy.
"Rules of engagement?" Moth asked as she kept her thumb on the safety switch.
"We have our orders. No delay on traffic." He replied. However, he noticed the lead vehicle in the convoy was not doing what he was told. It seemed like he was doing the opposite as the vehicle was slowly starting to reduce speed. "Avatar 1-2. Pick up the pace!"
…
No response was given over the radio. The vehicle was now traveling at a quarter of the speed of what it was earlier.
Chimera Leader groaned and decided to contact Avatar Leader instead. "God damn it. Avatar 1-1. Give me a sitrep on your vehicle, over." He called, assuming there were mechanical problems.
…
Again, no response.
"I say again. Avatar 1-1, what's the status on your vehicle, over."
…
"Avatar 1-1, Chimera: Do you copy, over?" He called yet again, already growing suspicions from the lack of response.
…
…
…
"Chimeras. Safety off. Something's not right."
"Hold on. Let me try." Bullhead jumped into the comms, "Avatar 1-1. This is Amber Actual. Radio check. Do you copy?"
*BOOM!*
An explosion suddenly and violently erupted out of the lead vehicle. With the flames igniting from the fuel, blinding anyone who faced it and lighting up the entire surroundings, the concussive blast was able to shake and disorientate those who were the closest. Fireteam Chimera being one of them.
"OH FUCK!" Chimera Leader hit the brakes as some of the debris from the explosion hit their vehicle, cracking the windshields.
"This is Moth! Contact spotted to our north!" She relayed danger on the radio before a hailstorm of bullets started cracking and swishing by.
"AMBUSH! 9 O'CLOCK! 9 O'CLOCK!" Chimera Leader shouted over the radio as their vehicle started to receive incoming fire. "Icepick 3-1! Back it up! I say again, BACK IT UP!" He added to the rear vehicle of the convoy.
"Chimera. This is Icepick 3-6. Icepick Actual is K.I.A! Their vehicle exploded too!"
With that, Chimera Leader looked back to verify if it was true. Unfortunately, it was. Smoke and tips of flames were seen behind the others in the convoy. With the front and back blocked, there was no chance of going over the wrecked vehicles. They were on a small single-track road with each side having deep roadside ditches that would've made their vehicles stuck. Because of these obstacles, they were stranded in the middle of nowhere against an unknown group of individuals attacking.
"Watchtower to Chimera Actual. Give me a SITREP! What the hell is going on?!"
"We are under heavy attack by unknown forces from the northside of the road! Excessive casualties already reported! All of Avatar is down and Icepick Team has lost possibly half of its members!" Chimera Leader responded as he was trying to shout into the radio due to the bullets impacting the door.
"An ambush that far out? How could that be…?" Watchtower asked in disbelief.
With a few bullets hitting the window, which was thankfully bulletproof, Chimera Leader growled before turning off the truck and switched on his NODs (night vision device). The other three members of his team did the same as they all exited out through the right side of the vehicle to avoid stepping into the kill zone immediately. The last one who was about to jump out was stopped by Chimera Lead as he kept his head down beneath the side of the hood.
"3, get back inside and man the .50!" He ordered.
"Rog!" The third Chimera Member remained inside the vehicle and took control of the turret to provide fire support or suppression to assist his fellow soldiers. However, the muzzle flash was giving him away clearly in the dark, easily making the unknown troops open fire in his position.
The gunfight was still going on as the light coming from the fire of the destroyed vehicles was making the area around the WarDogs and regular Hellion soldiers lit from where they were stuck. It was an even harsher disadvantage as they were facing unknown contacts concealed in the dark night. No muzzle flashes were appearing when they took their shots, making the Hell Forces believe this ambush was planned by a smarter group of individuals instead of a gang of bandits. However, it was not always bad news for them as all of those in the convoy came equipped with NODs. However, those close to the fires would have to reposition themselves not only to hide from their foes. But to not get blinded from the flames while wearing night vision.
All sounds happening was nothing but exchange gunfire and all members in the Hellion Military providing each other information and identifying their targets. Then, radio transmissions picked up a voice that was not Watchtower this time. Instead, it was their King.
"This is Ringleader Actual." Lucifer called directly on the line. "Fireteam Chimera. What the hell is going on up there?"
Chimera Leader immediately answered the radio when he heard the King of Hell himself. "Ringleader Actual!...SHIT! 3, keep up that fire with that .50! Sire, we are under heavy fire from the north by unknown enemy ground forces! I say again, we are under heavy fire from unknown enemy forces!...Break!...We cannot advance down the road at this time! How copy, over?!"
"Watchtower, I want to know why the hell the convoy isn't moving!" Lucifer demanded as he was clearly aggravated.
"Ringleader. The road is blocked by both sides from their destroyed trucks! They can't get out!" Watchtower answered.
"Why are you WarDogs having trouble with these group of individuals?! I expect you, especially Fireteams to do better than that!"
"Sire, we cannot identify who these hostiles are! But they're definitely not your regu-"
"FUCK! RPG!"
Chimera Leader's sentence was interrupted as a concussive blast from a rocket propelled grenade hitting the truck pushed him down to his knees. "God damn it! 3, statu-…Shit! Chimera 3 is down! I say again, Chimera 3 is K.I.A!" He said as the body of his squad mate was now lifelessly lying inside the truck with heavy shrapnel cuts on his head and neck. Clearly his jugular vein was cut and leaking out blood at an alarming rate.
"WarDogs. Can you get out of there on foot?" Lucifer asked.
Amber Actual: Bullhead picked up his radio and responded while his team provided return fire back at the enemy as best as they could. "Negative! We're in the middle of nowhere with no cover around us! It's suicide!"
"It's suicide to sit your ass there too. Now get out of there!"
"Another RPG! Get down!" Moth shouted as she fired upon the figure's silhouette in her thermal scope.
But it was too late. The figure was clearly hit with her shots, but the rocket was already dashing towards its target. It headed straight for Fireteam Chimera's position as the rocket impacted beneath the truck and exploded, igniting the gas tank to cause a much more catastrophic explosion. The last moments of their only elite WarDog team present was their attempts to jump away from the truck and into the roadside ditch. But they were horrifically engulfed by the flames and obliterated by the shrapnel. Three vehicles were now gone.
Bullhead felt the blast of the fireball as he ducked back down behind the door of the passenger seat. He looked under to see no survivors from that rocket attack. Only some bits and pieces of who were left. "Oh fuck! Fireteam Chimera is down!" He stated on the radio.
"Say again? Who's down?"
"All of Fireteam Chimera is K.I.A!" He repeated while firing his rifle. Then, a round grazed across the side of his helmet, whiplashing his head back. But remained where he stood and continued to fire back. "We're still taking small arms fire from the north!...Break!...We are unable to hold our position much longer!"
"Sire, my men are getting killed out there! Send any support we have!" Watchtower said as he was clearly distressed with the risk of losing them.
"There is no time! Fight with whatever we have and get that package out of there!" Lucifer replied.
Bullhead growled from both the sound of incoming enemy fire and the comms between the two. "We're down to at least three more squads! What is this bullshit?!" He shouted directly to the comms while he focused on providing fire for his team over the truck.
"Whatever we have isn't enough, sire!"
Lucifer ignored him and spoke over the radio sternly. "I say again. Do. Whatever. It Takes."
"With all due respect, this package is much more important than you think it is to use only this mu-"
"I know what is onboard. Now fix this problem, WarDogs! Out!"
"Your Majesty! Lucifer!" Watchtower tried to call him back, but he already hung up on the line. "FUCK!"
Smog kept firing his rifle until his mag was empty. He crouched down and reloaded his weapon. "Sarge, who the fuck are these guys?! We're getting our shit pushed in here!"
"Whoever they are, I don't give a fuck! All stations - Kill these bastards! Hold the line until we get something!" Bullhead ordered as the rest of Amber Squad provided direct fire on the supposed location of their enemy.
"Watchtower to all squads left; both WarDogs and Army Security Forces! I'll contact for any help to reach you! Just hang in there!"
"This is worse than when I deployed in Iraq with the Marines!" Smog said while trying to reload a LMG (light machine gun) he picked up from one of his downed men in the team.
Bullhead kept firing his rifle while noticing Smog using the LMG this time. "Status!"
"4 and 5 are down, sir!" Smog stated that the other Amber Squad members were now part of the rising casualties.
Amber 5 was no longer with them as his lifeless body was just laying against their truck. The LMG he held was now being used by Smog. As for Amber 4, he was next to Amber 5 just clinging onto life as best as he could with a cloth shielding his bullet wound on his lower torso on the left.
"Dumbbell 4-1 to Amber 1! We are down to three men! We are unable to hold our position much longer! Requesti-GWAAaaahh…!" The painful sounds of Dumbbell 4-1 getting hit and gurgling out was the last thing the rest of the survivors heard. This sent the last two members of his team into a frenzy as one frantically fired his LMG while the other fired his rifle while trying to get their dying leader back into cover. But it was all in vain as the last members of Dumbbell were almost expertly taken out.
Before the rest of Icepick Squad could regroup a little bit closer to Amber Squad, the rest of them were taken out by another RPG hitting them directly, sending shrapnel and their bodies in the air from the force. One, barely still alive, attempted to crawl to his rifle. But was shot dead before he could reach it.
Moth panted as she was barely getting hit whenever she was popping out of cover to fire back. She went prone to have a small view from under the truck and scanned the small hill. The chaos happening didn't make her think about how many enemies she at least killed. But it didn't matter as her scope detected heat signatures as if none of them went down yet. Then, she noticed a figure standing up while holding a scoped weapon. However, the figure wasn't aiming at her. But at one of her other two squad mates still standing. She took the shot, but it was too late.
The handcuff between Smog and the special delivery case was suddenly shattered by a precise bullet from enemy fire. Unfortunately, Smog felt and saw it happen as the sharp pain from the bullet shattering the metal and penetrating through his bone and flesh made him collapse on his knees.
"GRAAAAAARGH! FUUUUCK!" Smog screamed in pure agony as his left hand was now hanging off of his wrist while blood spurted out and coated his sleeve. The suitcase that was cuffed to it fell out as it was now stained in his blood and dirt.
"Smog!" Moth cried out and ran towards him quickly, ignoring the incoming fire.
He grunted and covered his wound with his handkerchief. "Forget about me! Get the case!"
Immediately, Moth did what he said and grabbed the suitcase directly by the handle as the handcuff and chain were already damaged beyond repair.
Bullhead ducked down behind cover as he looked back at the severely injured Smog and Moth trying to at least stop the bleeding by giving her own handkerchief as an additional layer of bandage. Amber 4 was already gone as he succumbed to bleeding out.
Their best, Fireteam Chimera, were all killed.
Icepick, Dumbbell and Avatar Squad were all killed.
No air support or QRF coming to assist their grim situation.
It was now just the three of them.
The situation was hopeless and all of them knew they weren't going to get out of this alive.
Determined to continue fighting, he went over to Smog and Moth to give an order they are about to hear for the last time from him.
"Smog. Moth. Get that fucking case out of here. I'll provide suppressing fire while you two try to make a run for it." Bullhead said as he grabbed the LMG Smog was using.
"What about you?!" Moth asked as her heart dropped, already knowing her lead was about to do something rash.
Bullhead gave a small smile and looked directly at her and Smog. "It's been an honor, WarDogs." He loaded the LMG and gripped it tightly. "RUN!"
With that, Bullhead deployed the bipod of the LMG and unleashed a hailstorm of bullets all over the hills while roaring out a war cry and taunts towards his enemies. Moth and Smog saw this as an opportunity and went out of cover to run south into the darkness. Some bullets cracking and whizzing by were heard heading towards both of them as their enemies saw their escape and attempted to pursue. The roars and heavy fire from Bullhead was gone at this point as he was already killed by their ambushers.
Smog looked back and saw the silhouettes of their attackers from the flames of their destroyed vehicles. One popped out of cover, holding a rocket launcher, aiming directly at both of them.
Moth looked back at Smog, "How you are holding up?!"
"MOTH! LOOK OUT!" He leaped towards her.
*BOOM!*
The blast of the rocket that hit them sent both of them flying in the air, with Smog taking in all the shrapnel as he could instead of Moth.
As soon as Moth hit the ground, she was already wounded from some of the shrapnel her squad mate failed to take in. The pain was unbearable as she was unable to move too much as they were deeply inside of her flesh. She was also vulnerable as her rifle was no longer in her hands. Her eyes shut for a bit as her adrenaline could no longer keep up from the pain and exhaustion. But upon opening them, she saw a figure approaching them while holding the suitcase she was meant to protect. From this distance, she could not identify who it was. But what she did notice was two other figures next to him, carrying a rifle while wearing a vest and combat pants; and the other shrouded while holding a sword.
Smog, barely clinging to life, growled and used every last bit of stamina left to get up and try to kill the culprit with his knife. "FUCK YOU!"
The one with the sword immediately stepped into the way and deflected the knife out of his hands. Then, the finishing blow. Smog was stabbed in the stomach, then forcefully pushed off the blade where his body finally gave up and hit the ground. One last taunt, he lifted a middle-finger up at his killer and died where he laid.
"You alright, sir?" The sword wielder asked, who turns out to be female.
"All good. Thanks to you." Their leader nodded.
"This one is still alive." The one with the rifle, whom was a male, pointed at Moth.
The leader looked at Moth and approached her. His two supposed bodyguards stood back and watched but remained cautious just in case something would happen.
Little did they know, Moth was on the radio in her vest. As soon as the leader was now at a good distance to be identified, it was a shocking revelation that silenced her for a few moments. Then, the pieces started coming together as to why the rest of the convoy was defeated this easily.
"C-Colonel…?" Moth's voice shivered over the comms as she looked directly at the man responsible for the massacre of her team.
"You've done the WarDogs a great service." The man smiled and took aim to her head with his pistol.
"Moth. Are you there?! Who do you see?!" Watchtower called on the radio.
With an open opportunity, Moth slapped the pistol up, causing it to discharge and gave her a quick chance to state the name of the man she recognized. "Watchtower, it's Colonel-"
*BANG!*
Unfortunately, her last move was in vain. She dropped to the ground with her radio as she lifelessly laid there with a pool of blood forming around her head, where she was shot. The bodyguard with the rifle was the one that gave the kill shot instead of his boss.
"Close call. Good shot." The leader said to him, who just stayed silent and nodded.
"Sir." One of the unknown gunmen called from behind. "Convoy is secure. They're all dead."
"Alright." He acknowledged and walked back to the wreckage with the case, leaving the last two dead WarDogs in the darkness. "Let's return to Pentagram City before they get suspicious."
In Moth's radio, Watchtower was still on the line and knew there was no point of trying to convince any nearby elements to intervene. Because there was none. And the other options like the fort they came out of was already far enough to not provide support in time.
Watchtower was utterly defeated at the silence of Moth, knowing it was too late.
"All stations. We have lost contact with the convoy. I say again, the convoy is lost. Unknown status on special delivery…"
(Universe Trivia)
The WarDog unit is a joint special operations group comprised of the best fighters in the Royal Armed Forces of Hell from all five branches (Army, Air/Aerospace Force, Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard). More than half of them is mainly comprised of military veterans; among them being a part of the Royal Armed Forces of Hell for years, and sinners who are ex-Military/Special Forces operators from all over the world (American, British, Russian, German, Australian, etc.) while the rest were Sinner or Hellborns civilians upon joining. Social statuses of Hell do NOT matter in the WarDogs. Anyone who reaches the requirements can join. However, the odds of becoming a WarDog is usually a 20% chance of succeeding on average.
Because of this, Hell's Royal Military has begun to rely on WarDogs in almost every operation while providing them with the initiative of multi-role training to further increase their capabilities on the battlefield or security for the Kingdom of Hell. One WarDog is capable of doing the following: direct action, special reconnaissance, foreign internal defense, handling armored vehicles, power armor, lesser naval vessels, and even piloting aircraft. Of course, there is more to the list of their capabilities.
WarDog is also a partial acronym for WAR-Development-Operations-Group.
Hope you found this chapter okay. First impressions are important and the toughest to execute.
Anyway, please read the disclaimer if you have any concerns about this story.
I am also planning to draw some art for this story (from characters, emblems, environments, and other things like how Japanese Light Novels display a scene in a whole page) but I'll have to look into where to post them. I just wish this site got updated so we could post our own media like WattPad.
Take care!
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