Tempest Chapter 23: Relentless, a hololive fanfic

…

Hanging lamps in the Command Post bunker of Lt. Colonel Hakos illuminate the provincial map of Poseidon's Point laid out on a table. Black chess pieces from multiple chess boards are scattered over the map at various points. Each piece is carved with distinct letters or numbers on the nubs or flats, but they are hardly distinguishable from far enough away.

The white pieces, on the other hand, are all gathered at the border of the province - unarranged, unmarked and unidentified.

Anya Melfissa, clad in a Xenokunian poncho and handcuffs that bind her to Altare Regis, watches the black pieces get moved around by Lt. Colonel Hakos and the hodgepodge of a team that she calls her General Staff. At the same time, the 'General Staff' argues about the white pieces and anticipates how they would be fielded.

From Anya's perch roughly ten paces away, she observes the battle plan taking place before her eyes. More than that, she offers her thoughts on where and how the white pieces could possibly move under the command of Kaela Kovalskia.

The General Staff listen to her. Then, they place the white pieces on the map based on her theories and assumptions.

Lt. Colonel Hakos turns her eyes away from the gridless chessboard of the Exclave map and glances at Anya.

"If what the Pavie spy is telling us…" Bae starts.

"Ex-Pavolian spy." Ollie Kureiji interjects.

Bae clears her throat.

"Ex-Pavie spy." Bae corrects herself with a frustrated scowl, "If what she's telling us is true, then I think we'll need some experienced units helping out the militia."

Bae picks up two pawn pieces carved with 'H' and 'G' on the nubs and places them at the mouth of the peninsula.

"Take my H and G rifle companies. They'll help the militia hold the fort." Bae declares. She turns towards Altare and asks, "Will your boys be able to take charge there?"

"Axel and Magni are already there." Altare nods, "I'll inform them over the radio."

Bae nods back and folds her arms.

"Still, this isn't ideal at all." Bae sighs.

Lt. Amelia Watson muses this time. She picks up a knight piece marked '3' and tentatively plops it next to the two black pawns.

"What if we take the reserves from the 3rd Tank Company and place them here?"

Ollie's face sours. She puts her hands on her hips and shakes her head, saying, "I don't think we can afford to lose those reserves, Lieutenant Watson."

"I agree." Kiara Takanashi, now wearing her ten-gallon hat firmly on her head, promptly adds. She points to the rooks posted at the walls of the Exclave and reminds, "I've talked with the Charon Company's commanders. We've got the front lines covered, but we won't be able to help everyone at all times."

Lt. Gura darts towards Ame and pats her shoulder.

"It's not just that." Gura explains grimly, "Seems our blabbermouth prison Warden told one of the Keris Abu-Abu spies that got away about the 3rd TC. They'll be expecting that move."

"Seriously…?" Ame winces.

Gura nods. She promptly adds, "So. Let's leave the ground forces to the experts, Ame. We've got our own jobs to do in the skies."

Ame snorts. She puts the knight piece back where she took it. Instead, she picks up one of the bishop pieces from the airfield and sighs.

"That we do." Ame puts a hand on her hip and points the tip of the bishop piece at Anya, "But will that be enough to hold the city for a week?"

All eyes in the bunker turn towards Anya. The turncoat spy turns towards Ame's one eye, rattling the chain of her handcuffs, and answers her.

"The battlefield changes in a heartbeat, Lieutenant Watson. Kaela Kovalskia is a formidable foe, but we've blunted her first moves. What she does next - it will be completely up to all of you."

Just as Anya says this, air raid sirens sound throughout the Exclave, just like the previous night. However, at the same time, the radios and telephones in the bunker crackle and ring en masse.

Bae picks up a telephone and listens to the report. She then puts down the phone and turns to everyone.

"Kovalskia's making her move. Everyone - prepare for battle. Make what adjustments you have to, but we're going with our plan! Get Phase Boulder and Phase Landslide ready. Dismissed!"

…

BOOM! BOOM! BRA-BAM! BRA-BAM!

Pavolian artillery pounds the Exclave peninsula, illuminating the snow swept hills, plains and villages with blazing fires that burn into the night. Those flames reveal line after line of shallow-dug trenches that criss-cross the countryside and the thousands of Elysian soldiers and militias taking shelter in them. All the while, the air raid sirens of the distant Exclave city echo eerily like a truly ghostly wail.

"Fucking hell!" curses Axel Syrios, shielding himself from the blasts and the debris.

He strides over discarded construction materials and shovels dives into one of the trenches. Then, he presses his back against the rough earthwork and clutches onto his Browning Automatic Rifle.

"DEZ!" Axel shouts over the blasts and the sirens, "DEZ, GET OVER HERE!"

Moments later, PFC Magni Dezmond rushes over to Axel's trench and huddles up close to him. The distinct silhouette of an SCR300 radio backpack and its antenna sticks out from behind Magni.

"I'm here, soldier boy." Magni reports in. He brings out his M1 Carbine and peeks briefly over the trench, "Were you starting to feel lonely withou-"

His words are cut off by another barrage.

BOOM! BOOM! BRA-BAM! BRA-BAM!

Both Axel and Magni brace themselves in the trench.

"Keep your head down, dumbass!" Axel hisses, pushing down on Magni's helmet, "And keep that radio on your backpack safe!"

"Alright, alright!" Magni grunts.

When the blasts subside, Axel scoots over to behind Magni and picks up the telephone-like handset.

…

"HQ6, this is Dingo Leader." Axel spoke firmly "Do you read me, HQ6? Over!"

The voice of Altare Regis answers him from the other end of the line.

"Acknowledged Dingo Leader. This is HQ6 reading you loud and clear. Give me a sitrep."

Axel takes a deep breath and begins his report to Altare.

"Dingo-2 and I just got to Dog Green Zone, but the Pavies are already shelling us! Our flyboys are mixing it up with the Pavie planes too, though, but I can't tell if we're winning or not!"

"The Army Air Corps will protect us, Dingo Leader. HQ4 promised us that. Worry about your own mission first."

Just as Altare says this, powerful spotlights scattered throughout the Exclave switch on and cast sweeping rays of light into the night sky. They illuminate the formations of Pavolian warplanes flying towards the walled city. Then, the Elysian anti-aircraft artillery and machine guns shoot the heavens.

Axel heaves a sigh.

"Roger that, HQ6."

"How goes the preparation for Phase Boulder?"

"As ready as we'll ever be! The parts in Dog White and Dog Red, at least. But where are those reinforcements you were talking about, chief? These militia boys aren't gonna hold their own here in Dog Green Zone!"

"They're en route, but we're going to have to make some adjustments. We may have to run Phase Boulder sooner than planned."

"That's something we hear a lot nowadays, innit?" Axel hisses.

"We have to roll with the punches here, Dingo Leader. But be advised - HQ1 has additional orders for Dingo Team."

"Additional orders?" Axel gulps.

He presses the handset against his ears and listens closely to the orders. He furrows his brow and tries to remember everything that he hears. Then, his blue eyes bulge with shock.

"Huh!? We have to do all that? THAT's what you're trying to do with Phase Boulder!?"

"I have full confidence in you, Dingo Leader. My team and I are talking with the unit commanders in your area. They'll support you as best as they can. The question is - can you pull this off?"

Axel winces and clicks his tongue. He grumbles beneath his breath for a moment. Then, he answers.

"Honest answer - I don't know. But we'll find a way, HQ6."

"I knew I could count on you and Dez, Axel! HQ6 - out!"

Axel puts the handset back on the radio and Magni turns around.

"What did Leader say?" Magni asks.

Axel scratches his head and grumbles, "Leader said a lot of things - gah - but we're gonna get em' done."

"... what things?" Magni's face goes pale.

Axel pauses for a moment, but he shakes his head and shores up his resolve.

"Just… get off your ass, keep your head low and follow me!" Axel urges. He points to a hill a rifle shot away and explains, "There's an observation post on that hill. We gotta take it and report back what we see to Leader."

However, just as Axel does so, Pavolian bombs explode in the snowfield and illuminate the hills. For a brief moment, Axel sees silhouettes of people storming the hill. Axel takes out his binoculars and spots the faintest hints of royal blue from the silhouettes.

"The Pavies took initiative. Fuck!" Axel curses.

He turns around to the militiamen cowering in the trenches and shouts to them.

"Oy! Who's in charge here!?"

A short, young man with light blue hair tied into a braid rushes over to Axel's and Magni's trench.

"Who's asking?" The young man demands, clutching onto his Garand rifle as he huddles close to the two. Even then, his voice is nearly drowned out by the rattle of machine guns and the burst of artillery around their position.

"Corporal Axel Syrios. Callsign's 'Dingo Leader'. HQ6 put me in charge of Phase Boulder."

"Phase Boulder… I heard the other Company commanders talking about that." The young man gulps. He clears his throat and finally introduces himself, "I'm Octavio P. Tan - a Sergeant of the Provincial Guard. I'm in charge of Armis Company. We're still preparing trenches for Company G. Then we'll pull back to…"

"Company G's not coming. Company H ain't either. They're going straight to Dog White, north of the Dry Moat." Axel corrects him.

"They're what…!?" Octavio's jaw drops. He looks around nervously, "S-should we retreat then?"

"Nah. You guys are with me now." Axel points to himself with his thumb, "We're holding the line at Dog Green until I say so. HQ6 needs eyes and we're it."

"Eyes… as in recon?" Octavio protests, "It's the dead of night - we can't see a damn thing!"

"Then get some Illumination rounds in the sky! You've got mortars, right?" Axel barks at him, "There's Pavies crawling on that hill, so we've gotta see their ugly fucking faces!"

Octavio's face sours. He looks like he wants to protest for a while, but another barrage of Pavolian artillery silences him.

Finally, he turns around to his men and shouts, "Mortars! Get some illumination rounds in the sky and light up that hill! Machine guns - set up shop. Now! Everyone else - grab your rifles and dig in!"

Moments later, the mortar teams of Octavio's unit fire their illumination rounds. Their bright, flickering phosphorous lights shine over the hill and the Pavolian skirmishers .

Axel cocks his BAR and roars, "PAVIES, TWELVE O' CLOCK!"

The Elysians raise up their heads and their weapons over the trenches and open fire.

RATATATATATATATATATATAT!

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

RATATATATATATATATATATAT!

Scores of Pavolian skirmishers are shredded by the concentrated Elysian fire. Many more are mowed down when they scamper to find whatever cover they can find.

Axel empties his BAR's magazine and brings out his binoculars again.

"The fuckers are running! Keep the pressure on!" Axel cheers.

Axel turns to Octavio again and pats Magni on the shoulder.

"My boy and I are going over to that observation post at the top of the hill. We're gonna need troopers and cover fire."

"W-we are…?" Magni blinks.

Sgt. Octavio shudders, "You're serious, aren't you?"

Axel grins and gives a thumbs up, "We are. It's got the best view of the provincial highway - or what's left of it."

Sgt. Octavio heaves a sigh and gestures to his men, "Third Platoon, with me! The rest of you, watch our backs!"

A dozen militiamen rise up from the trenches and hurry over to Octavio's position. The other militiamen stay in their trenches and foxholes with their weapons at the ready.

With his troops assembled, Sgt. Octavio glances at Axel and prods, "Lead the way, Corporal Syrios."

Axel snorts and waves the militiamen over, "Let's get going! Don't fall behind!"

Axel promptly reloads his BAR and charges ahead of the others. Magni, lugging the SCR300 radio, follows closely behind him - albeit with much effort. Octavio and his platoon, meanwhile, sprint to catch up.

More Pavolian skirmishers appear on the phosphorus-illuminated hill, but the entrenched Elysian militia shoot at them. The militia's shots fly wild and scattered, but they push back the Pavolian tide once again.

Axel, Magni and Octavio's platoon take their place and storm the hilltop observation post. They find the dazed Pavolian skirmishers and flush them out with hails of lead.

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

RATATATATATATATATATATAT!

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

The skirmishers swiftly regroup and try to fight for the hill, but Axel yells ferociously, "Have a load of this, you fuckin' cunts!"

He takes out a grenade from his kit, pulls off the pin and throws it at them. It bounces towards their position once, twice, and then…

BOOM!

Entrenched Pavolians come flying out from their cover. Their maimed corpses litter the hillside.

Octavio's platoon, meanwhile, fans out and mows down the stragglers.

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

"The hill's ours!" Magni declares.

"What do we do now?" Octavio asks.

"We have to see what the birdbrains are up to!" Axel urges. He brings out his binoculars, "Dez. Get the radio tuned to HQ6."

"On it!" Magni complies. He sets down the radio backpack and adjusts the frequency.

Axel, meanwhile, looks out to the devastated length of the Poseidon's Point provincial highway. A single, four-lane steel-truss bridge crosses a shallow river, but its electric lights have long since gone dark.

Even then, the light of the illumination rounds tell Axel enough. He takes the radio handset from the radio backpack and makes his report.

"HQ6, this is Dingo Leader. Do you read me? Over."

"Acknowledged, Dingo Leader. This is HQ6. What's your situation?"

Axel cradles the handset between his ear and his shoulder and looks out his binoculars once more.

"We're at the observation post! I'm spotting two - maybe three Pavie tank companies going towards the old highway bridge. There's Hakugrenadier half-tracks fording the river too. Foot soldiers, even!"

"They're not holding anything back, are they?"

"No sir. What are our orders?" Axel asks.

"Give us their coordinates. I'll relay them to BATCOM and give them a warm welcome to the Exclave."

Axel grins, "Alright chief. Here goes…!"

Axel relays the positions of the approaching Pavolian armor and troop carriers to Altare as best as he could. Even though the light from the illumination mortars start to fade, Axel continues his report with sheer determination.

Altare's transmission ends, but is quickly followed up by another transmission - this time from Kiara Takanashi.

"This is BATCOM speaking to Dingo Leader. Be advised - Fire Mission has been received. We are firing for effect. Confirm our hits for us, please."

Axel holds the handset firmly and nods, "We'll spot for you, BATCOM. Looking forward to the fireworks!"

The distant rumble of howitzers and heavy artillery reaches Axel's ears from the Exclave. Then, BATCOM's shells arrive and set the highway ablaze.

BOOM! BOOM! BANG! BRA-BA-BANG! BRA-BA-BANG!

Axel brings out his binoculars and grins.

"Hits confirmed, BATCOM! Their vanguard's smoked! Keep the fireworks coming!"

"Acknowledged, Dingo Leader. BATCOM will send them hell! Over and out!"

The howitzers and mortars of Charon Company continue in earnest.

BOOM! BOOM! BANG! BRA-BA-BANG! BRA-BA-BANG!

"Holy fucking hell…" Axel whistles as the myriad of explosions shimmer off of his blue eyes.

He shakes his head and gets back to his mission. He takes the handset from Magni's radio again and calls Altare once more.

"HQ6. This is Dingo Leader. We've wrecked the enemy armored vanguard. Smashed tanks are clogging up that bridge - they won't be crossing there for a while." Axel reports.

"Acknowledged, Dingo Leader. Good spotting. That should buy us enough time."

Axel nods in agreement at first. Before he could breathe easy, though, Pavolian half-tracks fording the river trained their machine guns at the observation post and opened fire.

RATATATATATATATATATAT!

"Fucking shit!" Axel cursed. He, Magni and Octavio's platoon ducked down and took cover.

Axel grabbed the handset again and continued his report.

"HQ6! HQ6! The Hakugrenadiers haven't stopped coming, though! They're not waiting for their tanks to cross! We're not gonna be able to stop a wave this big!"

"Stick to the plan, Dingo Leader. Our forces in Dog White and Dog Red will handle the Hakugrenadiers. They're digging in as we speak, so hold steady and wait for my call. Over and out."

Axel clicks his tongue and puts the handset back on Magni's radio. He reloads his BAR and cries out, "The Pavies are coming, but we're holding the line here! Get ready for a long fucking night!"

…

Across the shallow river, in the barnhouse of an abandoned Elysian village, Kaela Kovalskia pores over the engine of her personal HaKu V Panther tank by herself. Armed with a toolbox, she tunes up the engine of her metal beast with a calm expression painted on her lips - one that is almost at peace, despite the rumble of artillery rumbling in the distance.

Her peaceful machine tuning session, however, is interrupted by the sound of jackboots against the wooden floorboards of the barn.

"Lady Kovalskia!" An eager voice calls her. She salutes Kaela so sharply that Kaela nearly hears the swish of her hand.

"At ease, Agent Satwa." Kaela speaks. She halfheartedly returns the salute but she quickly returns to tuning up the HaKu V's engines, "I have already given my orders to the troops. The battle plan is already in motion. Did I not say I do not want to be disturbed?"

Agent Satwa's expression sours. The owl's feather on her head droops down somewhat too.

"We know that, ma'am, but there have been developments from the front." Agent Satwa insists, "The Elysians rallied quickly and spotted our tank column crossing the bridge. A massive artillery barrage took out our vanguard."

"How are the casualties?" Kaela asks again, still working on the tank engine.

"4th Company lost 2 tanks. 6th Company lost 3. There are some more disabled tanks that we'll get running after some repairs, but the entire column is stalled at the bridge right now." Satwa reports.

"What about the HaKugrenadiers?" Kaela quizzes, "Have they already forded the river?"

"Y-yes. At multiple points. Two battalions and their half-tracks have already made it across. Two more are waiting to cross." Satwa confirms, "Curiously enough, they are facing very light resistance. Aside from a few Elysian strongpoints, the Hakugrenadiers are advancing gradually."

Finally, Kaela turns to Satwa and asks, "Have we faced Elysian armor yet?"

"None so far." Satwa shakes her head, "There were a few Elysian half-tracks reported on the radio, but not in significant numbers."

Kaela hums and puts her tools back into her toolbox. She faces Agent Satwa and folds her arms.

"Either they're holding back their armor or they're just as ill-equipped as Zeta says they are." Kaela reveals nonchalantly, "Regardless, the Elysians are not in a good position."

"I wish we had more intelligence about them - but the OSS cracked down on our network hard." Satwa chimes.

"We have enough intelligence on them. That prison Warden you roped in told us plenty already." Kaela reassures her, "Things are already falling into place, Agent. Don't worry."

"Don't worry…?" Satwa raises her brow.

"The Elysians, just like us, are hanging by a thread of morale. The only difference is - we're fighting on their 'conquered' lands. Not ours." Kaela explains plainly. She dusts off her hand and wipes the engine grease on her officer's uniform, "They have their backs to the sea and their people are clamoring to get off the continent."

Kaela sighs.

"As the Grand Marshal, Zeta also has control over the ships and submarines of the Angkatan Laut. We will start the encirclement of the Exclave - and the Navy will finish it. When they realize that the sea has turned against them, their resolve will surely shatter."

"What about the Elysian Navy?" Satwa tests.

Kaela shakes her head.

"We've already sunk many of their vessels. Their destroyers are stretched thin protecting their convoys. Their battleships and carriers are vulnerable. They won't risk losing them - not when Elysium's national unity is hanging by a thread."

"The propaganda says that their government is on the verge of collapse - but are they, really?" Satwa asks.

"Elysium's own newspapers and their 'ECN' broadcasts tell us everything we need to know." Kaela explains calmly, speaking like a university lecturer, "The Elysian Prime Minister is clinging onto her seat. Her own Parliament is threatening to expel her - and whoever will take her place will surely want to sue for peace. They're clamoring to end an unpopular war that they're losing in the land, sea and air. That war… hah - it will be over in a month."

"Is that really possible?" Satwa dares to ask.

"The winds of change blow swift and strong. It's our job to wield those winds against our enemies." Kaela assures her, "And the only way we'll do that is if we execute our plan calmly and to the letter. Let madness consume the Elysians in their Exclave. Let them know that they have been abandoned and left for dead by their Parliament. They will start making mistakes and their defenders will collapse upon themselves. And once we see their throats…"

Kaela draws a dagger and slashes it through the air. The flat of the blade taps against the side armor of the HaKu V Panther tank.

"We ourselves will strike!"

Satwa nods in agreement.

"Will you participate in the battle, ma'am?" Satwa asks.

"If it will help topple the Exclave more quickly, then yes." Kaela answers her. She sheathes her knife and turns toward the night sky outside the barnhouse, "But I would much rather prepare to send our troops to support Zeta in Xenokuni. Those Xenokunian zealots are a bigger threat than these Elysians would ever be, after all. I've told Zeta this before, but I believe that they are the ones who will truly surrender last."

Just as Kaela says this, another Pavolian soldier enters the barn house. He salutes Kaela and Agent Satwa and proudly declares,

"Ma'am! Our forces have made a major breakthrough! They've discovered a gap in the Elysian defenses - an old dry moat. Our scouts say they might be able to breach the Exclaves outer walls through there!"

Kaela snorts.

"Seems attacking quickly was the right decision after all." Kaela muses. The smile on her lips grows wider and she faces the soldier eagerly, "Tell the ground commanders to exploit the gap immediately!"

The soldier salutes Kaela and rushes out the way he came. Once the soldier is out of earshot, Kaela turns to Agent Satwa.

"You'll be in charge of breaching the walls, Satwa. Take charge of the elites - the 86th Company. Your objective is the Exclave Prison just beyond the walls." Her gaze grows cold, "Free them and let them sow chaos in the city. Then, when all is said and done… you already know what you have to do."

Satwa smirks menacingly.

"Of course, ma'am. The cowards and the loose ends will be dealt with."

Kaela nods and looks up to the night sky again. She reaches under her royal blue coat and brings out a photograph of Zeta Vestia, glancing at it fondly.

Then, she whispers.

"Maybe then, this war can finally end."

…

Pavolian and Elysian artillery answer each other in a ferocious duel that continues into the dawn. Even as night hours turn to day, explosions rock the battlefield and machine guns bark in a medley of death and destruction.

The rising sun casts light over the battlefield, its dawn revealing the fresh, open wounds of war: bodies of Pavolian and Elysian soldiers strewn out on the snow, on the crests of the hills and in the depths of the trenches. Bomb blasts and derelict war vehicles sully the once pristine Exclave peninsula, but the battle rages on.

In the thick of that bitter fighting, Axel Syrios and Magni Dezmond dig in with Sgt. Octavio and his troops. Miles away from their positions in Dog Green Zone, the frazzled crew now occupies positions in the deeper, more-fortified trenches of Dog White Zone.

"This pass we're guarding used to be an actual castle moat, I heard." Magni remarks, dusting the mud and snow off of his boots, "Old man Vesper said it was a bendy old river that they drained a while back. After Elysium finally took over Xenokuni a hundred years ago, they didn't need a moat anymore."

"Now it's a big fucking gap in our defenses…" Octavio P. Tan scoffs. He glares at Magni and then Axel and demands, "Tell me again - why is this famous commander of yours plugging this dry moat with just a single Provincial Guard company and a few trenches?"

Axel scratches the back of his head, "Didn't I already tell ya, mate? It's for Phase Boulder."

"But what IS Phase Boulder? And what's Phase Landslide?" Octavio insists.

"Afraid I can't tell you that, chief." Axel shakes his head, "I've got a more pressing question for you, though."

"What is it?" Octavio asks.

Axel grins and asks, "You want corned beef or spam for breakfast?"

Octavio pouts.

"How the hell can you guys sit down here and just talk about breakfast!?"

Magni and Axel both turn to Octavio.

"You haven't been on the battlefield for long, have you?" Magni tests.

Octavio shudders under Magni's gaze and turns away.

"I was a civilian until last week. I finished High School so they made me a Sergeant." Octavio admits, "I'm still worried that the Garand rifle will eat my thumb when I reload it. The damn things' a bigger danger to me than to the Pavies!"

Magni laughs and pats Octavio's shoulder, consoling him.

"Well, take it from veterans like us. You gotta keep your spirits up somehow in this hellhole of a war." Magni explains. As he speaks, he opens up a can of corned beef and passes it to Axel, "You need something to keep you sane. Food - when you can get it. Thinking of someone back home. Playing cards. A swig of booze. The latest issue of PlayBird magazine."

"PlayBird…!?" Octavio winces. His cheeks flush red and he tries to play it down, "I-I didn't know they still made that stuff."

Magni's smirk widens.

"Oho. I see how it is." Magni teases.

"No you don't!" Octavio stomps his foot. He mutters beneath his breath, "They just have really good photography. That's all…"

Magni just laughs.

"Either way, Sergeant, we're gonna need energy for what's coming next." Axel insists. He digs into his corned beef can with his bayonet and wolfs it down hungrily,, "If you're not gonna eat breakfast with us, then get ready to move. We have to be ready for HQ6's call."

Octavio pouts and clenches his fists.

"I'll never understand you criminals." He hisses beneath his breath, "I'm a law-abiding citizen! Why do I have to take orders from these clowns?"

Neither Magni nor Axel hear him as the two men share the can of corned beef. Octavio heaves a sigh and just lights a cigarette instead.

…

Octavio barely has a chance to puff his cigarette when Magni's radio backpack whirrs and crackles. Altare's voice comes through from the speakers.

"Dingo Leader. Dingo Leader. This is HQ6. Do you copy?"

Axel wolfs down his corned beef and answers the call.

"Acknowledged, HQ6. This is Dingo Leader."

"Be advised, Dingo Leader. The Pavolians have completely taken Dog Green and they're preparing to assault Dog White. Company H and G have spotted large concentrations of Hakugrenadiers approaching their positions, but a sizable part of them have split off the main group and are pushing towards the dry moat."

"Shit. Already?" Axel clicks his tongue.

"The enemy seems to be determined to take as much ground as they can. BATCOM will be busy supporting the main battle lines to slow them down, so make do with Sgt. Tan's Company's mortars. Just let me know when you're executing Phase Boulder. Is that clear?"

"We'll do what we can, HQ6. Wish us luck."

"I believe in you, Dingo Leader. Over and out."

Axel gulps and puts away the radio handset.

"We've got more Pavies coming our way, boys and girls!" Axel declares, "We're gonna draw as many of the Pavies to our position, but we'll fall back over yonder - in the floodgates of the outer walls at Dog Red Zone."

"Dog Red Zone?" Octavio tilts his head, "That's pretty damn far for a fallback position. A country mile or more. And it's not exactly a straightforward path."

"It's not that far. We're leaving out heavy equipment when we do too." Axel shrugs, "OH! And just a note… don't use grenades when we get into the moat!"

"Don't use grenades…?" Octavio furrows his brow with suspicion, "Why not?"

"Cause the whole fuckin' moat's rigged with explosives. All daisy-chained and shit." Axel finally answers. He realizes what he says and goes pale, "Oh - fuck… wasn't supposed to let that slip."

"EXPLOSIVES!?" Octavio and Magni both fume at Axel.

"Keep it down, you fuckers!" Axel hisses, shushing the two. He draws Magni and Octavio close and whispers, "Yeah, there's explosives in the moat. We're drawing the Pavies into this trap, so we're taking as many of them as we can."

His words pacify neither Magni nor Octavio.

"Are you planning to blow us up with the Pavies, Soldier Boy!?" Magni protests.

"Basic training did NOT prepare me for this shit!" Octavio seconds ferociously.

"Desperate times call for desperate measures." Axel insists, grabbing Magni and Octavio by the shoulders, "We're gonna hold this trench for as long as we can and get the Pavies to commit forces to go down the moat. But when we fall back, we're fuckin' booking it! The detonator's in Dog Red Zone. We take that and blow the fuckers sky high!"

Octavio winces, "Mother Kanata almighty… this isn't how I want to die!"

"We're NOT gonna die here, Sarge." Axel growls, "We're not gonna die here, cause we're going to complete the mission and tear the Pavies a new one and fry them like bacon on the barbie! Got it!?"

Before Axel can say anything else, blasts of Pavolian artillery strike around deep trenches of Dog White Zone.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BANG! BRA-BAM! BRA-BAM!

Axel, Magni and Octavio and his men take shelter from the blasts in the ditches. They clutch their weapons and wait until the shelling stops. When it does, dozens of Hakugrenadiers storm the trench.

"Here they come!" Axel roars, cocking his BAR, "Give em' hell!"

The other soldiers follow suit and open fire on the Pavolians.

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

RATATATATATATATATATATAT!

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

The first wave of Hakugrenadiers are struck down by the Elysian fusillades, but another wave comes soon after. Garand rifles all around Axel ping and eject their spent en bloc clips. Magni's carbine falls silent next - and then Axel's BAR.

As soon as the Elysians scramble to reload, the second wave of Hakugrenadiers answer them twofold.

PA-PA-PAK! PA-PA-PAK! PAPAPAPAPAK!

Riflemen of Octavio's Company fall are struck down and fall from their positions, writhing in agony in the trenches.

"Medic! Someone get the medic over here!" Octavio yells.

"Shit! What the fuck are those!?" Axel curses, reloading his BAR from behind cover, "They're spraying us over here - and they're not stopping!"

"It's that newfangled Pavolian rifle - something they call a Sturmgewehr or something. I think Leader said our officers called them 'assault rifles'." Magni answers, reloading his own carbine, "I heard only the elites carry that thing."

"But every one of these fuckers seems to have one!" Axel groans. "This has got to be their elite unit then!"

"An elite unit!?" Octavio's face goes pale. He nearly smacks his thumb trying to reload his Garand rifle, "Fuck this, we're screwed!"

"Nah, nah! It means we're pissing off the right people!" Axel corrects him, "Now get your mortars firing on their positions, Sarge. We need to shut em up for a bit!"

Octavio winces but turns to his mortar teams and shouts, "Get some shells on target!"

The mortar teams begin firing from their positions. Their first shots fly far and overshoot their targets, so Octavio screams, "MORTARS! TOO FAR! TOO FAR!"

The shells of the next barrage land much closer and strike near the Pavolian positions.

BAM! BAM! BAM!

Finally, the Pavolian guns are silenced for a moment. Axel and the others pop out from their trenches and bring their guns to bear.

RATATATATATATATATATATAT!

"Over here, assholes! Come get me!" Axel cries.

Magni, Octavio and the rest of the militiamen follow Axel's lead.

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

RATATATATATATA-CLICK! CLICK!

"Fuck!" Axel curses, "I need more ammo!"

"Here, take mine!" Octavio tosses him an ammunition can of rifle rounds.

Axel grabs the can and starts refilling his magazines under the cover of the trench. Bullets whiz overhead and strike the wood trench frames or thwack into the earthworks, but Axel works undaunted. All the while, Magni, Octavio and his men shoot back at the seemingly endless Pavolian tide.

From his position, Axel can hear the cries of Pavolian soldiers falling from Elysian fire. But every now and then, Pavolian bullets find their mark.

WHIZ! THWACK!

One of Octavio's riflemen falls backwards into the trench.

WHIZ! THWACK!

Another one follows quickly after.

Both of the soldiers bleed out from bullet holes right between their eyes.

Axel grits his teeth and cries, "ENEMY SNIPER! Someone find the fucker and give them a lesson in…"

Before Axel could finish, a third rifleman falls dead beside him.

Magni and everyone in Octavio's company scrambles to get under the trench. Axel, on the other hand, brings out his binoculars and dares to scope the field one last time.

His sharp eyes quickly spot the Pavolians advancing towards their trench. He counts close to a hundred of them. Black clad Pavolian flamethrowers arrive on scene as well, prepping their heavy weapons. Pavolian half-tracks arrive on scene too, unloading even more Hakugrenadiers with bloodlust shimmering in their bloodshot eyes.

However, what catches Axel's attention is a brief flash of light reflected off a sniper's scope - and the faint silhouette of fair brown hair with a pair of owl's feathers sticking out.

"Shit!" Axel curses.

He ducks down immediately, but a bullet smashes through the lens of his binoculars.

CRASH!

"Holy crap… this day can't get any fucking worse." Axel looks at the shattered lens of his binoculars and tosses it away. He brushes off the broken glass from his coat and grumbles, "We're not gonna be able to hold this position for long."

He turns towards Magni and takes the radio handset from his pack.

"HQ6! HQ6! This is Dingo Leader! Come in, HQ6!"

Altare's voice answers him from the other end of the line.

"Acknowledged, Dingo Leader. HQ6 speaking."

"Be advised. We're facing overwhelming forces at the entrance to the dry moat. We're executing Phase Boulder immediately! Over."

Axel slams the handset back onto the pack and turns to the Elysians cowering in the trench.

"We're getting the fuck out of here - NOW!"

…

Spurred by Axel's command and the seemingly ceaseless barrage of Pavolian gunfire and artillery, Axel, Magni and Octavio sprint down the dry moat as quickly as their feet could take them. Soldiers drop everything but their weapons and leave everything behind strewn out on the ground.

Axel glances behind him as he runs and he spots the Hakugrenadiers taking over the trench that they abandoned. From there, some of the Hakugrenadiers shoot at the running Elysians.

PA-PA-PAK! PA-PA-PAK! PAPAPAPAPAK!

The others affix bayonets to their rifles and storm into the dry moat, chasing vigorously after their prey.

The Elysians take cover behind the earthworks in the moats twists and turns, but a few of them still catch Pavolian bullets in their backs.

On one of the last bends, a winded Octavio huffs and puffs and trips on the muddy earth of the moat.

A Pavolian rifle shot strikes the sergeant through the back.

"GAH!" Octavio wails. He stumbles into the safety of a ditch, but his blood spills out onto the mud and the snow.

"Sarge!" Axel cries.

"Leave me!" Octavio grunts, heaving labored breaths, "Take my troops. Go get that detonator… and blow these Pavies to kingdom come!"

Axel grits his teeth.

"We're not leaving without you!" Axel insists, "Hold on tight - I'm gonna get you!"

"What are you doing!?" Octavio yells.

Axel doesn't listen. He cocks his BAR one more time and rushes back for Octavio. He finds the rushing Pavolians chasing after them and unloads on them.

RATATATATATATATATATATAT!

A handful of Hakugrenadiers riflemen are caught off guard. They fall down from Axel's shots, but their comrades find cover in the moat. One of the Hakugrenadiers, however, continues surging forward.

A black-coated Pavolian flamethrower. The tip of his heavy weapon flickers with burning gasoline fumes.

"It just had to be one of you fuckers…!" Axel curses.

He points his BAR at the flamethrower and tries to shoot, but…

CLICK! CLICK! CLICK!

He watches the flamethrower point his weapon at the downed Octavio. His face goes pale. However, he tosses away his BAR and draws his pistol.

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

The flamethrower stops in his tracks. Then, he falls face down onto the bloody snow and mud.

Axel holsters his pistol and rushes to grab the downed Sgt. Octavio. He hoists the sergeant up over his shoulders and runs back after Magni and the other soldiers.

…

"You came… back for me?" Octavio croaks weakly as Axel carries him, "The two of us… could have been fried!"

"But we're not extra crispy yet, Sarge." Axel replies cheekily, "Now hold on tight. It's gonna be a bumpy ride!"

Axel holds onto Octavio over his shoulders and runs as quickly as his feet can take him. His still-recovering leg aches and threatens to rob Axel of his strength.

"C'mon - not now. Not now!" Axel huffs. He pushes himself forward on sheer willpower alone.

He makes one last turn in the moat and finds Magni and the others huddled behind the floodgates under the walls of Dog Red Zone. Octavio's soldiers gasp when they see their wounded commander on Axel's shoulders. Magni, on the other hand, has the detonator in his hand and shows it to Axel.

"I found it!" Magni declares.

Axel grunts and roars, "BLOW UP THE MOAT, DEZ!"

Beads of sweat form on Magni's brow. He holds the detonator and places his hand on the top of the plunger rod, but he hesitates.

"DO IT NOW!" Axel shouts again.

So, Magni takes a deep breath and pushes down on the detonator.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BRA-BA-BA-BA-BA-BAM!

Thunderous blasts go off one after another, tearing up the earthworks and flooding the moat with fire. Hundreds of Pavolian assault troopers are burned to a crisp.

Octavio watches the carnage and the flames behind him from Axel's shoulders. Burst of hot air blows into Octavio's face, forcing him to shield himself, but the worst of the blasts are far behind them.

Finally, Axel makes it to the floodgates underneath the outer walls of the Exclave. He sets down the wounded Octavio and hands him over to his troops.

"Someone get Sarge to a medic." Axel commands the militiamen, "Then - get him to the Naval Hospital. The rest of you? You're with me now. Check your inventories and standby for further orders. This battle ain't over yet."

Octavio's soldiers salute Axel and carry off the wounded sergeant as they were told. The rest plop down on the ground and lean against the outer walls of the Exclave, catching their breaths.

However, Octavio turns to Axel one last time.

I won't forget this, Corporal Syrios!"

"A simple 'thank you' would be nice!" Axel shouts back.

"Looks like you made a friend, Soldier Boy." Magni comments.

Axel scoffs, "Hah. I doubt it. Bastard hates my guts."

Magni rolls his eyes, "Gosh, you really are dense, huh?"

"What was that?" Axel asks.

"Nothing." Magni shakes his head.

…

Magni turns to the blown up moat and thinks out loud, "Did that finally get them?"

Axel shakes his head.

"These cunts are relentless. They're like animals that smell blood. They'll be back before long. You can count on that." Axel heaves a sigh. He watches his breath fogging up before him, "Makes me wonder what else Leader's got in store. Whose bag of tricks is gonna run out first? Theirs, or ours?"

"Why don't we ask him, then?" Magni proposes, pointing to his radio backpack.

"Good idea." Axel nods. He moves to grab the handset of Magni's radio once more, but he's interrupted by a voice.

"Corporal Syrios! PFC Dezmond!" The voice calls him, coming from behind the floodgates.

Axel and Magni turn around. There, they find a curious sight: a Pavolian officer wearing his uniform but it is topped off with a green armband. The Pavolian officer is accompanied by a hundred other Pavolian soldiers with the same green armband.

All of them are carrying a curious mix of Elysian and Pavolian weapons. But more than that, every single one of them has a Pavolian Garrison gorget hanging proudly on their chests.

"What in the goddamn…!?" Axel's jaw drops.

The other militiamen of Octavio's Company are, likewise, aghast. They scramble to get up on their feet and rush for their weapons, but Axel raises up his hand.

"Armis Company, stand down." Axel barks.

Octavio's militiamen do as they're told and tentatively lower their weapons.

The Pavolian officer approaches and salutes Axel. He then introduces himself in heavily-accented Elysian.

"Greetings! I am the commander of Munafik Company 1. Sergeant Regis has placed us under your command!"

Axel rubs his temple and contemplates.

"This war is getting stranger and stranger by the minute!" He shakes his head and turns to the Pavolian officer, returning his salute, "We're glad to have you, Munafik Company 1."

…

Back in the confines of the Command Post bunker, Baelz Hakos and Ollie Kureiji pore over the battle map. Altare Regis, meanwhile, helps the radio technicians man the communications equipment.

"I just got word from Dingo Leader. They've successfully executed Phase Boulder. He's taken command of Armis Company and Munafik Company 1 too."

"Finally, some good news." Bae smirks. She gleefully topples down white pawn pieces positioned on the dry moat of Dog White Zone and muses, "We've proven that Kovalskia can bleed."

"The other Munafik Companies should be deploying to their positions as we speak. They'll be with their attached units within the hour." Anya chimes in. She starts placing black pawn pieces on the map, each one marked from 'M1' to 'M10'. She faces Ollie and Bae and insists, "The Munafiks should be able to bolster your defenses in the short run, but Kaela Kovalskia won't take losing her precious 86th Company in the moat sitting down."

Ollie folds her arms and grumbles, "She's going to send in her armor for a spearhead thrust soon enough. We have to get ready for the inevitable."

Bae takes off her peaked cap and wipes the sweat off her brow with a handkerchief. She turns to Ollie, Altare and Anya and orders them, "It's time to roll out the next phase and twist the knife. Get ready to execute Phase Landslide."

She then approaches Anya Melfiss and brings out a key.

"You'd better not mess this up." Bae says. She unlocks Anya's handcuffs and frees her from Altare, "This whole operation hinges on you."

Anya rubs on her now-freed wrist and looks straight into Bae's eyes.

"I swear I won't fail." Anya declares, "Kaela Kovalskia and Zeta Vestia will pay for their crimes - and I won't rest until they do."

Bae heaves a sigh.

"You three already have your orders. See them through. Dismissed!"

Altare, Ollie and Anya salute Bae. Then, they leave the bunker quickly.

…

Altare, Ollie and Anya emerge from the darkness of the bunker and into the bright sunlight of the late morning. Together, the three of them march towards a large brick warehouse guarded by throngs of Military Police. Among the guards is Corporal Vesper Noir who salutes them.

The rest of the Military Police follow suit and accompany them to the warehouse.

"It's good to see you again, Lieutenant. Leader." Vesper's gaze finally falls upon Anya and he smiles, "And you too, Miss Melfissa."

"It seems fate hasn't ordained it for me to spill your guts out on the snow yet, Mr. Noir." Anya teases.

"Hah. And that time will never come." Vesper laughs. He turns to Altare and Ollie and urges them, "Come on. We've already finished preparations. Our 'new' tanks are waiting for us."

"New tanks?" Ollie laughs, "You mean those Pavie tanks we captured months ago."

"Those tanks were supposed to be shipped to Metro Elysium for our research teams, but we snagged them off the manifests at the last minute." Altare explains, "Some of them were in pretty bad shape… but there are some diamonds in the rough."

"There's one in particular that you might like, Lieutenant Kureiji." Anya chimes in with a grin, "The Munafiks can crew the other vehicles, but we're saving one just for you."

"Really?" Ollie hums with keen interest, "Hah! Now I'm curious."

The Military Police open the warehouse and let Ollie, Altare, Vesper and Anya inside. They switch on the lights and reveal the dozens of Pavolian armored vehicles painted in Elysian olive drab inside. Many of them are older HaKu III's, half-tracks or armored cars.

But one vehicle stands out from the rest.

An imposing HaKu IV medium tank in near-pristine condition. Ollie stops in her tracks and regards the beast with awe and admiration.

"A HaKu IV… and it's a Model G too." Ollie croaks. She pauses for a moment and catches her breath.

"Do you like it?" Anya asks with a grin.

Ollie turns towards Anya and nods.

"Back in the Monteazulas, Zeta was telling me about how she thought I was still one of the best HaKu IV commanders to this day." Ollie clenches her fists with determination, "I want to prove her right - but I'm going to need a crew."

She turns towards Altare, Vesper and Anya and asks, "Will you fight with me?"

…

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