Chapter 1

"Sniper, There's a sniper working in front of us, sniper!"

"BTR, fire at the second story of the apartment building 200 meters out on the right of the

intersection!"

Mariupol. May, 2022. Vladimir Putin has rolled the dice and launched a "Special Military

Operation" in Ukraine. His goals are unclear. Some say he wants to take the Donbass, some

say he wants to topple the current government. Others say he wants the whole country to

himself. However, this gambit opens up a hitherto unforeseen opportunity. Can he take

advantage of it, or will it be a bridge too far? And what will the cost be?

A man in uniform with a red backpack leads his contingent through the city streets.

Destroyed vehicles litter the intersection to his front. Enemy, or friendly, all the same. And the

bodies besides them. The same. Brothers. The detachment he sent forth met resistance at this

intersection and called for help. He personally led the relief column.

"Hey, what happened, where is the enemy located, can you tell me?" He asks one of the

remaining men.

"Ah, Struna, they're down the road to the left, I-I'm not sure exactly, we got hit so fast,

RPGs and sniper fire, machine guns…" He trails off as he starts to hyperventilate.

"Breathe, breathe, get behind the BMP, we got you now."

All of a sudden, gunfire erupts, and it sounds like it's from the positions that soldier

described. A hell of a lot of full auto fire. Everything all at once. And not pointed this way.

What the fuck are they doing? Is someone else coming from behind them? Struna is

worried he might get caught in a friendly fire incident once both sides break through the enemy.

"Bird, can you tell me what the fuck is going on over there?" I ask into the radio on my

shoulder, hailing my drone operator.

"Yes, let us get over there."

"Hurry up, please." I mutter.

A few minutes later, the gunfire quiets down. With that, my drone operator contacts me,

with a skeptical sounding voice. Like he doesn't believe what he is seeing with his own two

eyes.

"Uh… sir, they aren't the enemy… or well, they aren't the ones we've been fighting so

far.."

"What do you mean? What do you see? In simple terms, man." I say, trying to pry a

straight answer out.

"It's a bunch of Roman looking soldiers. But not just that. They have like monsters and

shit too. It's like a fantasy army there, they came from the north it looks like."

Hmmm. Definitely not what I was expecting. I can see why he was so skeptical. I trust

him though, so I know he wouldn't yank my chain like that.

"What kind of monsters? Are they hostile?"

"Well, they are hostile to the enemy for sure. I see them taking bundled up Ukrops to the

north. It looks like it's like orcs and giants and shit. There's a few of them dead, looks like they

got hit by rockets."

"Okay, so what are they doing now?" I ask.

"It looks like they are forming up on the street on the other side of the apartment

buildings you are looking at." Bird finishes.

I tell him thanks, and I radio my Colonel with the information I have gotten and to get the

big picture. "Porozhni, sir, I have encountered an unknown enemy to the north, they are about

250 meters away. What is the directive?"

The Colonel, an Afghan veteran, gets back to me with, "The enemy to your north has

proven hostile to us in other sectors, fuck them up all you can, but you may have to retreat!

There are a shit ton of them coming out of some thing on the north side of the city. We aren't

sure what to make of it, just fight all you can, but don't stick around unnecessarily. That's all so

far. Good luck, brother."

"Everybody, grab our comrades and get close to the vehicles, we need to be ready to

make a quick getaway!" I make clear to my soldiers that we need to be ready to leave, but will

defend this spot for the time being. A chorus of "Yes sir!"'s ring out and I describe how I want the

vehicles arrayed. Heavy vehicles on the north side of the intersection, all the vehicles pointed on

the road south.

All of a sudden, the radio pipes up, "This is bird, the enemy is leaving their positions and

they are coming our way now! There's so many of them… it's an ocean!" He exclaims madly.

"Bird, send it to the artillery, they're gonna have a fucking field day with them! Everyone,

get ready!"

I start to hear rifle safeties being moved, and chambers being checked, and all the other

actions the men take as they brace themselves for the enemy swarm. And then, all of a sudden,

we can hear it, "dun, dun, dun, dun, dun, dun" The sound of thousands, even tens of

thousands of feet hitting the ground in unison. I see them round the corner, and immediately

open fire. Everyone else has about the same idea. They fall, but their comrades push forward,

start running even, to meet us in close contact sooner. I see one off to the side with a bigger

plume in his helmet, and make sure that he is down for the count. A few minutes in, and they've

made a hundred meters ground. But they have to have taken immense casualties to do so.

However, they don't stop. They keep running over their brethren to get at us. It's almost

unsettling, really. It would be, if I could think about it now.

"Mount up, everyone, we are leaving!" I yell out loud, and the order starts repeating down

the line. They run closer and closer, now that the rifle fire has let up. Not that the vehicles have,

but they can only do so much. I get on top of the BTR I am near and tap the commander on the

shoulder. He gives the order, and we are off. The softer vehicles are between the two BTRs in

the formation. The tail end is still firing as the enemy closes on them. The soldiers on top fire

desperately with their small arms to keep the enemy away before their vehicle also moves away.

I get on the horn with my Colonel, "We are moving to D'orty Prymors'kyy park with the

rest of my BTG! We will fight there as long as we can!" I then tell Bird the same. Since he was

stationed at the sports complex, he is going to be moving back and will be unavailable for a few

minutes. As we get into position, I meet up with my Captains and describe the situation to them

thusly: "We are going to defend the western approaches of Mariupol from this enemy from within

the city. I take it that you have all encountered them by now. We may end up retreating to the

outskirts of the city. I haven't heard anything from the Colonel about reinforcements, so we are

it. I have our vehicles and those with range looking down long streets, and the rest can dig in to

the park or make home in the apartment buildings to the north. The artillery should be checking

their advance for now, so if you need to take a piss break, now is the time. "

"Yes sir, hahaha!" They chorus. I move to help those in the park with me dig in as much

as is possible in such scant time. More like making barricades than digging in. Knocking down

trees with vehicles, making piles of trash that would need to be climbed over, etc.

Meanwhile, hundreds of miles away:

"This new enemy is different. They are all coming out of a single place, a building that

just appeared in the center of the city. There's thousands of them, and they haven't stopped. But

beyond the men, there's… unnatural things, or, at least supernatural things. Ogres, goblins,

dragons and the like. Our current forces in Mariupol are exhausted, and if the new enemy keeps

coming out of there, we are going to get forced out of the place. Where can we get more men?"

A man with graying hair in a clean green uniform asks.

"Shoigu, are you sure you got the right information? Someone isn't relaying a novel to

you? A Ukrainian spoof?" Tatiana Shevtsova, Deputy Minister of Defense, responsible for

financing says.

"Oh, I am entirely sure. Let me show you, and then you will be as well." Shoigu plays a

video on a projector, taken from an Orlan drone. It shows an ogre running against a building,

taking a few bullets, and slamming a club into the building, smashing it in. "These things are

tough. Could consider them like APCs in terms of their ability to resist fire." Shoigu says. "But

also, there is this" Shoigu says. And what displays is a video of a man in a robe, shooting literal

magic at the Russian troops holding an intersection.

"Hopefully that makes things clear. This is an enemy that can be considered completely

and utterly different from what we or anyone else has faced before. And with that, I want to

make it clear I need more men in the city. As fast as we can. Faster than they can get their guys

in. And they are fast, let me tell you. I don't want another situation like up north."

All of a sudden, a voice at the head of the table speaks up, and everyone turns to listen.

"I will tell Prigozhin that he needs to bring a few thousand of his guys in. They are experienced,

and are fresh from a low conflict zone. Would that do?" The leader of this meeting, and the

nation, Vladimir Putin says.

"Hmmmm… are there not any regular forces we could use? Marines, VDV, anything?"

Shoigu asks.

"No, they are either stuck in fighting or regenerating after leaving the north. There are not

near enough troops in the theater without this new thing, nonetheless with it." A new voice,

Valery Gerasimov speaks up.

"I will make a call. All are dismissed. Thank you." Putin says as he motions the others to

leave. He gets on the phone, and after a few rings, "Hello. Yes, it is time to come home."

Mariupol. May, 2022

The Colonel suddenly gets on the radio,"Struna, I have word of reinforcements. PMC

Wagner is moving into the northern sector. They will begin pushing and everyone else is to hold

them from escaping. I know it's tough out there. These guys are the best of the best though,

they know how to do things. The VKS will also be conducting strikes on the forces gathering in

front of the structure. This should all happen in the next 24 hours. Hold tight."

I promptly relay this information down the chain of command, and see the motivation in

the men, knowing we will be getting help in time. Seeing that things are happening as they

should, I light up a cigarette as I sit down for a moment in the HQ we've had set up in the TV

tower building. Thinking about things… Mom, dad, the siblings. I wonder what they're doing right

now. It's late at night now, they are probably almost going to bed. As I am thinking this, the

rattling of gunfire opens up again at the edge of the park.

"Contact!" The observation posts yell. They quickly find their way back to the more

secure lines.

Shit. They're attacking at night. If we were just a little higher up on the food chain we

might really be able to push the night vision advantage, but I have little to no capability now. And

so I hop on the radio. "Mortar, fire flares in front of us, they are moving!"

"Firing!"

The gunfire ramps up as more and more enemies come into the line of fire of more and

more friendlies. I join in with my own AK-74m. Precise, controlled semi automatic fire. Not that

it's necessary to be precise, looking at the sea of bodies coming at us. It's a real wonder. Is it

like this on every front? How can they take these casualties like this and still keep pushing? Can

we even hold on if they push regardless of their casualties like they have been?

"Fall back! To the next line! Don't wait, live to fight another day!" My captain in front of

me is doing his job. This one is called "Magician". He got the name after he kept magically

acquiring things his company wanted or needed. And he has kept it up through the operation. A

real hard worker. And really cares for his guys.

"Keep it up, only 18 more hours left. We'll make it through the night, for sure. Your guys

are seeming to hold the park alright. Bird can see that they are having trouble making it through

the brush to get to them." I say to him.

"Yeah, well, you make sure they don't get around on the sides, I am only on this position,

I would hate to get surrounded by folks like these. Now, let me get back to the fight, comrade!"

And he walks out to his combat line. God be with him.

And so it goes, we fight through the night, with vigor and tenacity. Those at the front

have it toughest, and a few times they end up swallowed by the flow of humanity coming at us.

However, on the whole, we manage to hold the line as they attack off and on throughout the

night. However…

6 AM. Mariupol.

"Good fucking job holding on, Struna. The other sectors haven't been so lucky. They're

all practically kicked out of the city, you can expect them to come down on you like a ton of

bricks soon. Luckily for you, the VKS will be coming in now, and Wagner is expected to come in

force by 10 AM. With that, we should be able to turn the tide. However, the rest of the front is

suffering. I'm hearing we are pulling out of the north entirely. God help us. Anyway, carry on as

previously ordered." I reply with a quick "Yes sir!" and get back to my duties.

We've fallen back to the port area by 8 AM, as they attack my tired soldiers at daybreak,

and it seriously takes a toll by now, after hours and hours of non-stop killing. However, finally, we

start hearing explosions in the city center, and Su-25's flying overhead. That's one piece in

place. Just to hold on until reinforcements arrive. My men can do it. I am sure.

"Hey, let me help you with that." One of Magician's guys' is reloading his AK. My

command duties are fulfilled for now, so I do what I can to help out. And show my presence.

That I care for them.

"Ah, thank you sir! You're a hard worker! I bet any other Major would be sat in their HQ

playing with themselves!"

"Well, as much as I would like to, people need mags refilled, and fortifications made. Just

sitting is for when this is all over. Unfortunately, God, Putin, and others have different plans for

us." I say as I put round after round into the magazines.

I am startled from my action by my radio by bird who sounds urgent, "Hey, Major, they're

trying for one more hard attack, I think it's their last one in our area, looks like the planes have

made them pull back a lot into their dirty hole!"

Thanking him, I rouse everyone to attention. "Everyone, we can expect one more attack

today before Wagner comes in on the other fronts and pushes them in. We are going to hold, no

ifs, ands, or buts!. We can't let the contractors take all the credit now can we?!"

I then move on to detailing the plan to defend the suburbs. I decide to have vehicles with

heavy machine guns stationed at intersections, and have them aim down the road that makes

up the front. Infantry will be around the vehicles and in the houses. Infantry are to expose

themselves the least amount possible. We have already lost a few, even to such a

comparatively primitive enemy. And thus, the attack begins. However, it's a little bit different this

time.

"Hey, what the fuck just happened out there?" A BMD commander yells on the radio.

A massive fireball had just impacted next to him, and shook him and his vehicle all around.

"AHHHHHHH! FUCK!" "GAHHHHHHH!" A chorus of screaming and cursing echoes

out as men roll around, starting to burn to death.

"What happened? Hey! Fuck!" I get on the radio with him directly, having gotten

information on the incident from a sniper that saw it happen. "Hey, calm down! I am having the

infantry around you pulled out and replaced! They got hit with a fireball. It wasn't anything

explosive. If my sniper is to be believed, it was a wizard!." He quickly retorts, "A wizard!? Are

you fucking me? What the fuck is this, DnD? Come on man!"

Deciding it isn't worth it to argue with him for too long, I tell him, "Look, that's what he

told me, alright? Just keep on it!" He replies with a "Yes sir!". I suppose they do trust me well

enough, even if they find me hard to believe. Hell, I would too if I were them.

Porozhni suddenly gets on the radio with me right after that incident. "Hey, the musicians

are here! They are pushing in the other sectors!. You mount an attack as soon as you are able!"

"Yes sir! As soon as they stop pushing, we will turn them around!"

I quickly go through a plan in my head, and relay to the captains: "I want all the armor

mounted infantry to be in or on the vehicles, we are going to be mounting an assault! I am going

to have the mortars perform a creeping barrage down the road, you are to follow it as close as

you can. Make sure you are defending the vehicles from all angles! I will have the rest of our

men walk behind and clear up any stragglers. Our attack starts at 10:00!"

Finding a perch on one of the BTRs leading the assault, at 10:00, I order over the radio

"All ahead, front! Fire at anything that moves!" And off we go. In front of use, the screams of

the injured and dying are buffeted by the pounding of mortars. The vehicles push forward at

about 20 kilometers per hour. "Contact, front!" The man next to me yells. The sound of

autocannon fire rings out from my vehicle and others. Rifle fire soon joins it.

The cacophony continues deeper into the city. We recover more and more territory we

gave up in the past couple days. The sights begin to get quite disturbing. Things like crucified

men. My guys, in particular. Damn those sons of bitches. I will get them back for that one. Mark

my words. I see someone in a fancy helmet on the ground up ahead. I make sure to give him a

double tap in his brains.

"All halt once you reach your first objective!" Our line has moved a mile back into the

city. We are within mortar range of the entry, and are in fact pouring shells into it. The enemy is

routing, and any that we see in the open are running or are dead. I convene on the radio with

my captains and ensure they are in position for the continued assault. I get word from the

Colonel Porozhni that I am effectively free to do as I wish, and to be careful of fire. Wagner has

almost reached the entry point, and so I tell my mortars to stop altogether, because we are

moving forward.

The roar of engines bellows one more time for my battalion in this battle. The

autocannons blast into the buildings where the enemy are suspected to be sheltering. The

staccato of machine gun and rifle fire into the bastards are all around. If one wasn't careful of

their hearing, they could go deaf. However, on the other side of the pocket, it was clear that the

Orchestra had arrived. The artillery pounding the entry was incessant, until, it stopped, and

cheers were heard on the radio moments later.

"They got it! Wagner has reached their hole! The fuckers are done for!" I hear Bird

exclaim in glee. Seemingly celebratory automatic fire is heard forward of us. However, the job is

not done yet. Taking a slower approach, I ensure every single building is clear of the enemy. It is

tough work, and some ambushes take us by surprise, but we mostly sweep the stragglers aside,

taking many prisoners. I can't tell what they are saying, they seem to be some kind of scared

and flabbergasted. It sounds like they are speaking some kind of romance language. I just send

them to the back, until they aren't my problem anymore.

And so, the fighting in Mariupol reaches its end. The enemy has been routed, and the

stragglers are being cleaned up. I finally come upon what has been dubbed the "Gate" myself. I

ponder it as I smoke a cigarette. Definitely roman in structure. All the pillars and arches and the

clean marble. Which is frankly incredible, considering the pounding it should have received. The

area all around it is scorched and pockmarked, with even deep holes from shells and bombs. It's

a wonder if anyone even got back alive at all. However, this is sure to not be the end of it. There

is bound to be lands on the other side. And of course, this great nation of mine is in a bit of an

expanding kind of mood right now. So, I have to wonder, when am I going to be sent in there…