"Thoughts": Regular speech from characters POV

"Thoughts": Thoughts from characters POV

"Thoughts": Foreign language from one perspective

"Thoughts": Foreign thoughts from one perspective

AN: Once again I had to rewrite this chapter several times before I was, somewhat, satisfied.

To the Guest Modern Day Sword: Thank you for your suggestions as well as the picture for the 'Modern Samurai'. However, although it was interesting to maybe bring the sword in use in some manner... I want to be realistic in that although this is a modern Empire of Japan, the usage of swords was ultimately reduced to only ceremonial use.

Though I forgot to explain properly in the previous chapter that the sword would be used ceremonially by officer ranks. The only ones who would carry the sword at all times while on duty are the higher ranking officers from Brigadier to Marshal.

Believe me when I say that I tried to come up with ideas on how the sword could be used, but I just couldn't see how the sword would still be in use in the modern times... at all. I apologize if this disappoints you.

Gate: Thus the Rising Sun Fought There

Chapter 9: The Siege of Italica

July 4, 2015

+21 days since arrival in the Special Region

Town of Italica, East Gate

Local POV

Very late at night

Ever since the Alnus soldiers, aka the Japanese and Thai, have arrived and had agreed to help defend the town, they along with the people of Italica and the Rose Order of Knights prepared and waited for the bandits to attack again in what most definitely will be another difficult battle.

Yet, as the hours passed into the cold breezeless night there was no sign of the enemy and most of the Militias were starting to succumb to the temptation of falling asleep.

The commander of the East Gate Militia, Norma Co Igloo and his subordinate Knight were able to stay up thanks to all the training Grey Co Aldo had drilled into their heads when the Order was first created 7 years ago.

Even so, Norma was somewhat nervous as five of the... Japanese soldiers, along with one of their Iron Cast Carriages were also stationed at the East Gate. The Carriage in question was positioned behind the wooden barricades with one of the soldiers mounting that large metal wand.

Even just thinking about that metal wand made Norma shiver, his brief experience on what those things could do had unnerved him. To think that such powerful magic could kill someone so quickly and easily was unnerving, he and the rest of the Order had been trained to fight with honor... but what these soldiers were capable of would destroy all of that.

"At least they will be pointing those things at the bandits, and not at us." Norma thought thankfully as he glanced at one of the soldiers, an older man that seemed to hold an aura of a veteran.

That made him grimace; just what kind of battles did this soldier experience if they were capable of killing each other so easily?

Then, one of the other soldiers suddenly stiffens as he seemed to have seen something through the odd object attached to his helmet somehow and shouted in their language, "This is Isuel, I got visual of a large group approaching our position in the fields!"

After the soldier said those words, the rest suddenly went into action and aimed their metal wands in the darkness while the soldier back in the Iron Cast Carriage readied his large metal wand as well.

Seeing this and despite not able to see what the soldiers likely spotted, Norma ordered the rest of the Militia to be ready, causing those almost falling asleep to suddenly snap awake.

But before anyone could do anything, the voice of the soldier's leader was heard coming out of a small black box.

"You're clear to engage! I repeat you're clear to engage!"

Norma and the defenders were confused, how did the leader manage to communicate with them when he is at the South Gate? Was the black box some sort of magical object that they were able to utilize to communicate with each other at great distances?

Those thoughts were interrupted as the older soldier shouted, "You heard the Lieutenant, pick your targets and open fire!"

Almost immediately, flashes of light erupted from their metal wands and flew at frightening speeds into the darkness.

The defenders were stunned at the sight of the flashes until they heard screaming in the field. They looked into the general direction where the flashes were hitting but could not see anything.

But, just as the flashes suddenly erupted, it suddenly ended.

"Furuta, Iseul fire some flares in that area!" The older soldier shouted as two of the soldiers pointed smaller metal wands and released something into the air.

"Now what?" Norma wondered.

His and the defender's answers were soon answered when, to their surprise, two glowing lights illuminated the night like mini suns. It was then that Norma and the defenders laid eyes on the fields and saw dead bodies, bodies of bandit archers that were only several perches away from them!

But what caught everyone at the East Gate's attention was the massive army that was behind the initial group of archers.

Wasting no time Norma sounded the alarm, "Enemy attack! Send a message to Princess Piña, the enemy has launched an attack at the East Gate!"

"Archers and Crossbowmen, shoot!" he ordered as arrows and bolts flew into the air and landed on the stunned enemy army.

"This is Sergeant Major Jiahao to all units! The enemy is concentrating their forces at the East Gate, request support!" The older soldier, somehow communicating with the other groups with the small black object, shouted as the rest of the soldiers fired more flashes into the enemy.

South Gate

RCT3 POV

At the South Gate, Itami's squad can hear the sound of gunfire at the East Gate as a soft orange glow can be seen in the distant.

Suddenly on everyone's radio, "This is Sergeant Major Jiahao to all units! The enemy is concentrating their forces at the East Gate, request support!"

Kurata checked his watch, "0311 hours, it's the perfect time for a night attack."

"They may be brigands now, but they were once well-trained soldiers." Hanuel explained before turning to Itami.

"Sir the East Gate is clearly under attack, we should get going and support Pops."

Itami nodded, "Yeah, radio Alnus and the Coda Village Outpost and tell them we need support now!"

Coda Village Outpost

SPREF POV

In the reformatted Coda Outpost the commanding officer of the IJA 1st Combat Unit, Colonel Kang Young-Gi was having a meeting with his Thai counterpart, Colonel Somchai Preecha in what was formally the Village Chiefs home when a radio operator from Young's unit arrived with an urgent message.

"Sir's, the Third Recon Team is under attack and are requesting assistance to defend Italica!"

"Get everyone ready, we're moving out immediately!" Kang ordered as he and Somchai exit the building and head straight to their Command Vehicles (1).

Once the order went out, the troops of the two Combat Units began to mobilize.

After both Kang and Somchai's second in command's Lieutenant-Colonel's Tsuge and Prasert had reported that both of the Combat Unit's are ready to go, Kang radio's the entire group.

"This is Colonel Kang to all units; our destination is the Town of Italica that is currently under attack by an army of marauders! Our main objective is to support RCT3 and prevent the town from falling into the marauder's hands! 1st Combat Unit, move out!"

With that, the IJA's 1st Combat unit rumbled forward.

"RTA Combat Unit, move out!" Somchai ordered to the RTA Combat Unit as they followed the IJA 1st Combat Unit towards Italica.

Alnus Base

SPREF Airfield

At the fully lit airfield, 18 helicopters of the 5th (Airborne) Combat Unit under the command of Colonel Kengun Shunya were fully assembled and prepared as the crew and soldiers of the Unit were being briefed by the Lieutenant General Hazama himself.

"The Third Recon Team under the command of First Lieutenant Itami Youji has sent a request to defend the Town of Italica! Your target is a battalion-sized force of 800 bandits. These are likely remnants of the enemy Allied Army that attacked us nine days ago when we defeated them. Right at this moment, the Town is under heavy attack and has already suffered heavy casualties in the time before RCT3 arrived." he explained.

"The 1st Combat Unit and the RTA Combat Unit have already left Coda Village and are heading towards Italica at speed, but it will take time for them to reach the town. Speed is of the essence, so the 5th Combat Unit will go as well and get there faster to support RCT3!" Hazama finished with a salute.

After everyone saluted back, Colonel Kengun turned to face his Unit and shouted, "This will be our Unit's first battle in this world, so get to your choppers and move out!"

With that order, everyone scrambled to the helicopters as the sound of the engines and rotating blades increased, ready to take off. Once everyone had boarded, the 5th Combat Unit takes off filling the air with the sound of the rotor blades.

At the refugee settlement, the sound of the helicopters flying overhead had woken up the refugees, causing them to look up in amazement as the 5th Combat Team flew overhead and headed towards Italica.

Town of Italica, South Gate

RCT3 POV

After Hanuel radios both Alnus and the Coda Village Outpost for the reinforcements, Itami checks up on the group at the West Gate, "This is First Lieutenant Itami to Sergeant Major Thaksin are there any signs that the enemy might've sent some of their forces at your position?"

"No, we haven't seen the enemy here at all." Thaksin reported.

That was enough information for Itami as he gave out new orders, "Alright, the enemy is clearly focusing their entire army at the East Gate. Thaksin, if the enemy is truly not going to attack at the West Gate, head to the East Gate! My group will also go and support Pops and his squad until the reinforcements arrive, understood?"

Thaksin replied, "Affirmative sir, we will head to the East Gate now, Thaksin out!"

After that Itami radioed the Type 49 Tank, "Armando, move your tank and hit the enemy from behind!"

Once everyone collectively acknowledged his orders, Rory, due to being a little frustrated that the enemy was not coming to the South Gate, suddenly jumped down and sprinted at great speed into the town.

"Sir, Rory is-" Kuribayashi started.

"I saw what happened, just get to the Type 51 and we'll go after her!" Itami replied before glancing at Lelei and Tuka.

"If you two want to go with us, stay behind the barricades when we get there, alright?"

After the two girls nodded, the group rushed down the wall stairs and boarded the LAV and Truck, Armando shouted at the Militia, "Open the Gate!"

Though hesitant at first, two of the Militia rushed forward and opened the South Gate, allowing the Tank to rush out and turn to the left toward the East Gate.

In a makeshift garrison situated between the East and South Gates

Local POV

"What, they're attacking the East Gate!?" Piña exclaimed as a runner gave his report to her.

"Yes, your highness! Presently Knight Norma and his defenders, along with the Japanese are currently engaged in combat with the enemy!"

Piña glances at the South Gate as the unfamiliar sound of the metal wands echoed in the distance, "The enemies were ex-soldiers, yet they aren't employing tactics or any strategy. Are they just using numbers to try and force their way through the Gate?"

She gritted her teeth in frustration as she realizes that Itami's subordinates were right, the enemy were not going to fall for her original plan and would've been suspicious if they had seen a rather small number of troops defending the South Gate, "The reality is truly different from what I had originally thought of... shit..."

"Grey, Hamilton! We're going to the East Gate and garrison the perimeter!"

Following her orders, the forces moved out and headed toward the East Gate to prepare for the worst should the East Gate fall.

East Gate

RCT3 POV

Back at the East Gate Jiahao and his squad, along with Norma and his defenders continued to fire into the enemy army, slowing them down as the initial shock of once again being attacked by the invaders from Alnus had frozen the marauders on the spot.

Although a good chunk of the enemy had been taken out, they had started to regroup and begun to advance once they realize that the amount of fire from Jiahao and his group was significantly less than what they had experienced at Alnus.

This was not good news as the squad knew that they have limited ammunition and tried to conserve ammo as Jiahao, Iseul, and Furuta fired their Type 59 rifles in single shots while Rainer fired his Type 13 LMG in bursts.

Zan with the mounted Type 12 HMG had yet to fire, but that would soon change as the enemy managed to set up several ladders on the walls and had begun to bash at the Gate with a makeshift Ram.

"Grenade out!" Furuta shouted as he dropped a Type 40 hand grenade onto a small group of bandits setting up a ladder near him, blowing up the group and the ladder with them while barely dodging an incoming arrow.

"Damn these fucking bastards!" Rainer exclaimed as he guns down a bandit that managed to climb up the wall before pushing the ladder off, "Attacking the Town just to pillage and destroy it like wild animals!"

Just then, almost everyone noticed that some of the arrows launched by the defenders weren't hitting the enemy and were seemingly blown away.

Looking further back at the army Isueul spotted the source, "Sir, over there!"

Everyone (including Norma) looked to where Rainer was pointing at and to their surprise saw that the source of the winds was from a green, feather-like haired girl with bird-like talons for feet.

"A Spirit wielder?" Norma muttered.

"Huh? Why would she help them!?" Isuel exclaimed in disbelief as it did not look like she was being forced to use her magic and was instead, willingly using her magic to support the bandits.

Unfortunately, no one had no time to respond as the enemy was managing to scale the top of the walls, forcing Jiahao and his Squad (minus Rainer) to fix their rifles with bayonets (2) and engage in close quarters.

Behind everyone, Piña and her forces finally arrived on scene and were somewhat surprised that the South Gate had not yet been fully overrun as they watch the battle going on the walls. Still, Piña ordered Hamilton and Grey to organize a new defense line at the barricades and instead wait for the enemy should they take the South Gate.

Local POV

As the battle continued, Norma had heard one of the marauders shouting "well done" before killing a militia that had chopped down a ladder with an axe right in the head with a crossbow bolt.

"Well done?" Norma thought in confusion as he glances at one of the corpses that he cut down and saw that the bandit... was smiling.

He recoiled at the sight, "Have they come here seeking a place to die by our swords?"

Distracted momentarily, Norma barely noticed a marauder rushing towards him with a spear before barely dodging and grabbing a hold onto it before beheading his opponent.

Suddenly, two different small explosions from the metal wands the Japanese were using erupted near him as a bandit behind him was ripped to pieces while another two rushing with their swords in a thrusting position was riddled with holes.

Norma was shocked at not only what almost happened to him... but also at the sight of the corpses of the three marauders riddled with holes or ripped into pieces by the metal wands. It made him realize that this is what would've happened to him when he was shot at by the Japanese when they were accidentally 'attacked' by one of the Crossbowman.

He glanced back at the sources and saw the older Japanese soldier and the other soldier aiming their metal wands in his general direction. Piña, Hamilton, and Grey were looking on in shock at what happened to the enemies that nearly killed him as well.

He shook his head as he briefly gestures thanks to the older Japanese soldier and the other soldier at the Iron Cast Carriage before refocusing the task at hand. After all, the battle is not over yet.

RCT3 POV

With Norma clearly safe at the moment, the Type 12 HMG resumes to cut down any marauder whenever Zan sees an opportunity, and pray that he does not hit any friendly's by accident, while behind him Piña and her forces continued to look on in shock and surprise at what the Type 12 could do.

The sound of the Type 12 caused the enemy to halt as more flashbacks at what happened at Alnus Hill came flooding in. Their leader was also shocked but immediately shook it off as he shouted, "Keep calm! There is only a handful of them! Advance and kill them to avenge our fallen warriors at Alnus that didn't live to see this!"

The leader's words had a tremendous effect on the army, as the memories of Alnus Hill was now used to fuel their newfound thirst to avenge their fallen as they all collectively shouted and swarmed the ladders, "Avenge the fallen at Alnus!"

But before the army could rush toward the ladders and climb the walls... a distant roar was heard. For both the enemy and local defenders, it was an unfamiliar sound, but for Jiahao's group, it was a sound they know very well as they looked to the right and some of them couldn't help but grin as the Type 49 Kai tank roared into view.

The enemy was at first confused at the sight of the 'Iron Elephant', but that soon turned to terror once the tank fired its main gun on the bandits causing enormous casualties as well as surprising the local defenders at the booming sound of the 120mm gun.

"About time you showed up!" Rainer radioed as he and the group resumed fire on the enemy.

Armando replied back, "Give us a break, man! It was still quite a distance from the South Gate to reach here!"

Jiahao shook his head, "It doesn't matter we're not letting these bastards anywhere near the Gate, so keep shooting!"

As the squad continued to fire on the marauders, everyone heard the sound rapid feat behind them. Turning around they saw that it was Rory running at inhuman speed!

"Wow... she's fast", was all Rainer had to say before Rory jumped high into the air, launched herself over the walls with her halberd, and land in the middle of the army.

For a moment... everything had stopped as everyone stared at Rory as she stood up with a grin and swings her Halberd, splitting several marauders in one swing.

In the Tank, the crew watched as Rory giggled and laughed as she hacked her way through the enemy army even taking out a giant of a man armed with a large spiked flail with relative ease.

"Damn... remind me not to piss her off." The driver Natalio Travieso nervously said.

Armando and Zan numbly agreed, "Yeah, well... we might as well provide cover for her so that she doesn't get surrounded."

After Armando said those words, the Tank resumes firing its weapons from its position as it sends an HE shell at the enemy lines, sending shrapnel and causing more death as the shell detonates. At the same time, while the gun is automatically reloaded, Zan Xue temporarily switches to the coaxial Type 49 machine gun while Armando remotely controls the mounted Type 12 HMG and cut down the enemy.

While Jiahao and his squad resumed their fire as well as provide covering fire for Rory, Norma and his forces, gawked as the 'Iron Elephant' killed the enemy in such a brutal manner as it fires its gun again, sending more bandits to their deaths. Piña, Hamilton, and Grey as well as several curious Militias had reached the top of the walls and also gawked at the site of the battlefield.

"Is this the kind of power the Japanese and their allies are capable of?" Piña thought to herself.

All the while, Rory the Reaper herself was in the middle of it all as many (still surprised that the Apostle of Emroy herself was on the battlefield, just not on their side) fell to her Halberd.

A few minutes later as the local sun is starting to lighten up the sky, Itami's Type 51 truck and the Type 60 LAV arrived and everyone dismounted. Behind them, the Chaiprakam light truck also arrived as Thaksin's squad dismount.

"Sir, Rory went over the walls!" Iseul called out from the parked Type 60.

"Dammit, everyone fix bayonets! Get up onto those walls and provide her with support!" Itami ordered as he fixes his own bayonet onto his rifle.

Once everyone mounted the bayonets, they all rushed toward the South Gate walls while Tuka and Lelei stayed behind at the barricades with Carina and Iseul. As they climb the steps Itami radios the reinforcements, "This is RCT3. We are engaged in combat with hostile forces at the East Gate! Repeat, the enemy is at the East Gate, where the hell is that support!?"

Over the radio a voice is heard, "This is Colonel Kengun Shunya of the 5th Combat Unit we are a few minutes out from your position, hold out for just a little while longer."

Then another voice chimed in, "This is Colonel Kang Young-Gi of the IJA 1st Combat Unit, my Unit along with Colonel Somchai's can see smoke in the distance, ETA four minutes."

"Understood, we will mark the target with a flare! Be advised, our Tank escort is also outside the walls so check your fire." Itami informs the Units before switching to the Tank in question.

"Armando, the reinforcements are fast approaching, get Rory out of there before they arrive!" Itami orders as he fires a flare into the air while his team engages the enemy from the walls.

"Understood sir, we'll go and get her!" Armando replied, "Driver plow through the enemy, we're getting the Reaper herself out of there!"

The tank then roared forward as it sped to where Rory is at as she continues to cut down several more marauders.

"Everyone provide cover for the Type 49 while they get Rory out of there!" Itami ordered as he shoots at several bandits closest to the Type 49 while it drives through the army and fires its weapons.

The bandits themselves had given the tank a wide berth as it moved through their ranks just as Rory was about dodge a group of spearmen attempting to rush at her when the tanks machine guns ripped them apart before stopping a few feet from her as Armando emerges from the commander's hatch and starts shooting his Type 59 Carbine.

"Rory, we have to get out of here! Our forces are almost here!"

Although Rory wanted to continue fighting, she somewhat understood why they had to leave and jumped onto the Tank.

"Driver, get us out of here!" Armando ordered as the Tank reverses and fires its smoke grenade dischargers, surprising the bandits as it made a sharp turn, crushing an unlucky swordsman in the process, before rushing out of the soon to be killing field as the 5th Combat Unit arrived on scene with the rising sun behind them.

The escort Flight of Type 53 Attack Helicopters formed up at the front and fired the first rockets onto the enemy resulting in multiple massive explosions, while also firing their 20mm Gatling guns as they make a pass over the army.

The Squadron of Type 48 Utility Helicopters then split up into four groups of three as they pass over the battlefield with their gunners firing the Type 13 Machine Guns onto the enemy with extreme prejudice, much to both the astonishment of the defending Militia, as well as fear of Piña and her Knights as the Type 48's fly over them before turning around back to the battlefield.

The soldiers they were carrying also fired their weapons at every opportunity while also throwing grenades into the enemy ranks causing further confusion and chaos as the bandits start to panic.

"What are these things?!" A crossbowman exclaimed before he and several other bandits were gunned down.

"Run away! Those are monsters!" A horseman screamed as a group of bandits tried to flee from the helicopters. This caught the attention of a Type 67 Scout Helicopter flying nearby as its observer radios the other two Combat Units.

"1st Combat Unit, a group of marauders is running in your direction."

"Copy that, we've got a little surprise for them!" Colonel Kang responds as both the IJA 1st Combat Unit and the RTA Combat Unit make their appearance on a small incline, shocking the bandits.

"Their armies are here too?!" A swordsman exclaimed in shock as the enemy from Alnus appeared in front of them.

Immediately, the Tanks fired their guns at the group, wiping out several bandits before switching targets at the rest of the crippled and disorganized bandit army. Immediately afterward, the rest of the Unit's infantry dismounted as the combined force of 4,800 soldiers of the IJA and RTA along with their armored vehicles laid waste on the enemy.

At the same time several infantry observers, as well as the Scout Helicopters, radioed the Type 57 Self-propelled Howitzers of both Unit's stationed further back to provide artillery barrage on several enemy locations resulting in massive explosions to erupt all over the battlefield.

In the ensuing chaos, the bandit leader was caught in one of the explosions and was killed instantly.

Meanwhile, after moving to a better position, Armando's tank resumed to fire on the bandits as Rory, from on top of the tank's turret, watched with glee at the sight of such a one-sided slaughter.

Soon it was just too much for the demoralized bandits. After being attacked by the Iron Pegasi and a large force of the enemy from Alnus, as well as being attacked by some of the enemies already at the Italica East Gate, many simply dropped their weapons and surrendered.

Slowly the battle began to wind down as the soldiers of the IJA and the RTA begin rounding up the surrendering survivors while the 5th Combat Unit's Type 48 Helicopters unload their 240 passengers.

Back at the East Gate, RCT3 could see that the battle is over and cease their fire... although Kuribayashi was rather reluctant to stop since she wanted to keep fighting after getting several kills with her bayonet since CQC was her specialty.

Town of Italica, East Gate

Local POV

Morning

"By the Gods... in all my years of service for the Empire... I have never seen such a terrible sight." Grey muttered as he along with Piña and the knights looked on at what was once the fertile fields of Italica, now littered with smoking holes and the remains of what was once an army of over 800, completely wiped out with no casualties on the Japanese and Thai armies as they gather up the remaining survivors.

"Iron Elephants capable of blowing fire... Iron Pegasi with people riding in them... they are otherworldly monsters capable of unleashing an overwhelming power that no human can withstand… a power that can crush everything, a power that denies honor and pride in an instant." Piña muttered.

Was this their true power? Is this the Gods mocking them at how frail, worthless, and insignificant that they are?

They then realized that although Italica was saved, it now more than likely would fall under occupation to the Japanese and their allies in their war against the Saderan Empire. But, what can they do? The mighty Saderan Army was crushed in a short amount of time on two occasions, the Allied Army was destroyed despite their superior numbers, and now even a small group of soldiers and one Iron Elephant were able to hold off an army many times their size and numbers.

So what could they, only seven of the Rose Order of the Knights, could do against the enemies that occupy the Holy Hill of Alnus when they have such overwhelming power?

"Princess... what are we going to do now?" Hamilton asked.

"... I don't know. If they were to demand our surrender, one of Sadera's most important agricultural areas would fall to the enemy. And the people of the Town would likely welcome them with cheers and open arms as their saviors." Piña replied.

"That's-" Hamilton started but was cut off by Piña.

"This victory is not ours; it was the Priestess of Emroy and the Japanese and their allies who won, not us. They wiped out the brigands in but a moment with things like the Iron Elephants, Pegasi, and Carriages that no blacksmith, not even the Dwarves were capable of making anything similar." Piña explained as she turned around and walked down the stairs of the South Walls.

"If they were to turn that power towards Italica, we would be quickly turned into captives... and I'll have to plead for mercy. Me the Imperial Princess pleading to the enemy for mercy." Piña laughs hollowly at what might happen as her Knights follow her.

"Why did we even attack them in the first place?" Piña quietly muttered.

None of her Knights could answer.

(1) Domestic (IJA) and license-built (RTA) longer eight-wheeled version of the Type 82 Command and Communication Vehicle from the OTL.

(2) The bayonets used even back in the Invasion Chapter are improved versions of the Type 30 Bayonet.