Part 1

November 23, 2016

06:22 AM

6km South of Village No. 4 (Coda Village)

41km East Southeast of Shanmen Military Base

...

"Yellow men of the Qing, Welcome back to hell!"

With that declaration, the dragon stretched its wings one more time and made a soft landing on the ground.

When it's very scaly foot landed on the ground, a bright red light shined brightly blinding everyone.

Especially Colonel Ying Chi who is standing the closest towards the fire dragon.

All of them, the pilots driving the helicopters, the jet fighters as well as all other soldiers inside the tanks and the artillerymen and all the foot soldiers present in the area where all bathe in that blinding reddish light.

And that includes the one person who wasn't supposed to be there.

Part 2:

05:30

52 minutes earlier

3 km away from Coda Village

...

Metallic beasts without legs and move with wheels never before seen by her eyes –

Steel dragons that flies faster than the fastest birds, mightier than the mightiest of dragons –

Soldiers carrying weapons her eyes have never set their gaze yet.

Then

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Metallic beasts roared with an intensity so deafening that it made her drop down to the ground in a futile effort to protect her ears.

Thankfully, her ears were all right, with only a slight and temporary hearing loss.

However, despite her condition, sounds of the battle unfolding above her head still invade here crippled ears.

Massive explosions no magic she can ever replicate explodes on the feared and legendary dragon's scaly skin.

The explosions are so powerful it made holes on the dragon's body.

Its wing shredded. Its mighty limbs wounded.

Then…

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Without mercy, hundreds of kilos of explosives and metal struck the dragon's mighty skin.

In the early morning sky, dark reddish flashes of light shined out.

However, it was not enough to put the almighty dragon down.

Defiant, the mighty red dragon fired one more of its fiery breath.

However, it was not enough.

With agility on their side, the steel dragons simply evaded the dragon's fury. In response, the steel dragons fired two more shoots –

Finally shooting down the dragon –

With the dragon falling down the sky, the strange men then began to move forward –

Towards the place where the dragon fell!

Looking at the strange men moving away from her, the aqua-teal haired girl looked at them with that certain look on her eyes.

Unknowingly and unaware of it, she made one-step towards the direction to where the strange man is going.

"Lelei, you want to know about them, aren't you?" The old man looked at the girl with concern on his eyes.

The blue-haired girl looked back at the old man. Without uttering a single word, Lelei looked at the old man.

Hesitant, Lelei made a slight nod.

"If that is what you wish, young one, then, you can go now." The old man said to her.

"I won't stop you."

"Thank you for everything Master."

Noticing that the strange men are now moving away from her, she instantly turned her gaze away from her old master and ran towards where the strange men are going.

Towards the direction of the fallen dragon.

Lelei did not even bother looking back behind her.

Having her eyes encountering such weaponry and such magic of great power, she cannot help but become a slave of her own curiosity.

She ran and she ran all the way, towards where the strange men are going. Not long after, she managed to catch up with them.

On the middle of the field was the dragon –

Its greatness all reduced to that of a helpless animal.

Its limbs, its wings – the dragon's entire body was all covered with chains, the size and type the blue-haired girl has never before seen.

The girl was about to come out and get a little bit closer towards the dragon when…

TSSSK

Lelei then looked down and saw she stepped on a twig and without even bothering to check if anyone had noticed her, she ducked down and hid behind the bush.

However, not even a single soldier had heard her nor even look back to check it. The soldiers, after all, are busy keeping an eye on the chains and contraptions that are holding the dragon down.

"HOW DARE YOU MOCK MY CAUSE!"

Like a thunderclap on a thunderstorm, the dragon's almighty voice made its way towards the entire area. Despite the dragon's current state, it was still strong enough to scare the people around it.

However, the red-haired man standing in front of the dragon looked unfazed. In fact, he was not afraid of the dragon.

However, the girl standing behind 30 strong men stared at the dragon with fear and shock.

"A dragon that can talk?"

Surprised and afraid, Lelei stood up and stared at the dragon with a terrified yet curious look.

"A dragon that can talk?"

She said again one more time.

"I must be dreaming."

Lelei smiled as she tried to deny what she just heard, after all…

The only dragon the can talk about is the dragon god and the master of an uncountable army of wyverns.

They were taught that dragons cannot talk and therefore they are nothing more but beasts subservient to the human race and ultimately to the Gods.

For Lelei, dragons are beast without sentience, incapable of reasoning of learning and thinking…

Beasts have no emotions.

However, that yell was full of emotions. It was full of desperation, regret, and struggle.

"No this is just my imagination."

"You're not one of them?"

The smile of denial written is all over Lelei's expression. She was speechless.

Dumbfounded

However, that was just the beginning of Lelei's intellectual torture.

The Great Red Dragon was one of the well-known beasts she knows. Hundreds of years ago, during the Arctic War, the Great Red Dragon and the dragon armies along with Northern Horde from the north and the Great Elven races from the south once wreak havoc all over the continent.

She only knows the invaders were all barbarians, illiterate and godless creatures.

However…

"I see. The Queen has been waiting for your kind for 200 long years."

"The Queen?"

Lelei asked herself. She had not heard of anything like this before.

"200 Years? The Arctic War? And what Queen?"

Lelei continues to be dumbfounded as she heard the information she had not heard before.

And it continues.

"There is still a chance for us to win this war."

"Winning the Arctic War? But I thought the war was long over?"

Lelei made a large gulp after hearing the revelation the dragon has just revealed to her.

"I must tell everyone about this."

However,

"I can't move."

The girl was about to take a step out of there – away from the dragon and back to friendly familiar faces.

However, she can't even feel her legs. She looked down and still, she can see her legs. And there she saw her legs shaking in the ground.

She tries to muster what power she has to escape this fear-induced paralysis. However,

"Yellow men of the Qing, Welcome back to hell!"

"The Yellow Men of Qing? Wait?"

"Are they the? No..."

"It can't be."

Lelei was lost in her thoughts. The dragon said a few more things towards the strange men.

However, Lelei stood there and did nothing.

For her, even the very idea of dragons being sentient beings goes against her beliefs, especially now that she is aware that the feared and hated dragon of all, the Great Red Dragon was not killing humans for the sake of killing. Rather it was for the sake of a cause unknown to her.

That was what she has deduced so far.

When Lelei managed to regain her composure, she looked again at the dragon as she then heard the dragon said.

"Oh I'm sorry my allies, how rude of me to talk in a civilized manner with you humans with this state."

The dragon then landed on the Earth, with a terrifyingly powerful expression, the dragon talked to the men and women standing around it.

"My friends, I am Helia, the Great Red Dragon, one of the 5 generals of the Dragon army and the mother and leader of the fire dragons. And this is my true form!"

Moreover, after the proud dragon said that, a blinding flash of light shined out of the dragon. A massive great inferno blazing out of the dragon then flared up in an instant.

The inferno blazed in speed so fast that the fire covered a massive area in almost an instant.

Part 3

...

Despite the dragon being about more than a hundred meters away from her, the inferno that flared away from the dragon still managed to reach her.

Before Lelei could even realize the inferno burning her alive, she was already engulfed in flames. However, it was not scorching hot at all.

Rather, it was warm – like the morning sun in the first hours of the day. It was gentle, smooth.

It feels like the warmth of a mother's embrace. No, it was something more.

Lelei looked around her and she realized something different is going on. Despite the burning fire blazing wildly and proudful, she can see something within it.

It was a world full of fire and volcanoes, of sand and ash and of molten rock. There she can see dragons of all sizes flying in the heavens. Some of them were green like the leaves of vibrant trees, some were dark brown like the fertile soil, others were blue like the pristine seas and the rest resemble that of metals.

And in the land, humans –

No, they look humans but their skins have patches of red scales like the dragons. And their ears resemble that of elves, only with scales on them. And their eyes, slits can be seen on them, like the lizard.

At first glance, the scenery was like a picture of hell. However, she felt no fear of watching the scaled reptile-like humans wandering in the molten world.

Rather, she felt peace and harmony. There she saw smiling dragons, laughing with glee with the expression of content written on their faces.

She stood there watching them for a very long time. She saw young dragons came out from their eggs and turn into adults who then began mating only to raise the next generation. She stood there as she witnesses this cycle going on and on, cycle after cycle, generation after generation.

She stood their observing the fire dragons live in peace and harmony for eons.

Until…

One day, in the northernmost continent, a massive burst of an unknown type of energy shocked the entire draconic world. That burst of energy was so strong, even the dragons that lived on the other side of the world trembled and fell down to their knees.

Following that mighty blast, four more bursts of that same unknown energy manifested around her. The explosion was still strong but compared to the first explosion, it was weaker and more localized. All over the world, six gates opened itself to the world of dragons.

From those Six Great Gates came out four different races, races from worlds unknown to them. All of them are all humans, somewhat. One of them is short in terms of height. Some of them have furs all over their body and are animal-like. Moreover, others well, humanlike. Then there are the humans.

They arrived en masse from the gates. And with them, they carried their strange customs.

They wage war after war, great wars, wars that last for centuries, with the longest of the wars lasting for a millennium. Like any world wars, all sentient beings across the world fought into war they never wanted, and for countless years, dragon blood spilled over the Earth and draconic lives were lost.

In the end, all that remained was nothing but hatred and the thirst for vengeance.

"Interesting!"

A feminine voice said.

"A Halfling, a product of the Fourth War on Heaven."

Hearing that feminine voice, as if in an instant, the trance-like state that Lelei was in was broken. The girl then blinked her eyes, only to see an iron clad woman with red scale patches on her skin, paired with a fire like hair, waving with the morning breeze.

"Impressive. I can see those massive mana reserves of yours. Boundless potential!"

"And also I can smell that familiar disgusting scent."

Before Lelei realizes the enigmatic woman standing imposingly close to her, for a moment, she felt something hot and metallic touch her neck.

The next thing Lelei knew, her feet were not standing anymore on firm ground. She then felt a sharp pain on her neck.

"Are you with the Asuras or are you with the Otherworlders?"

The red fiery woman held up the young blue-haired girl even higher up into the sky as she said the word Asura, strengthening her already tight stranglehold on the young girl's neck.

Blue hair…

Aquamarine eyes…

The scent she despises the most…

Those massive mana reserves…

"I see. You must be her descendent – no. You must be her direct offspring even."

"No wonder you smell so disgusting."

Helia tightened her grip even more, to the point that her grip is a few more newtons away from breaking the blue-haired girl's windpipe.

However, the girl, despite undergoing into such great pain and with her death inevitable, showed the dragon woman an expression she never expected. In fact, the girl never showed any resistance to her murderer.

It was a mixed expression of sadness, regret, sorrow, and pity. She even never uttered anything to the woman who is about to strangle her to death.

Expecting her imminent death, she closed her eyes. Soon, the strength in her body began to dissipate, further weakening her body. Weak and defeated, she let go of her staff.

"Are you mocking me you brat. SAY SOMETHING!"

The blue-haired girl still uttered no words. She remained silent. However, tears began to flow unexpectedly from the young girl's closed eyes.

"THAT'S ENOUGH!"

A masculine voice disturbed the angry female dragon. It was Ying Chi.

"THAT'S ENOUGH. ENEMY OR NOT, I WILL PUT THIS GIRL UNDER MY CUSTODY. I NEED HER."

Speaking with authority, the red-haired commander of the Chinese forces in Falmart moved close behind the dragon woman.

"The Asuras think of you Imperials and Outworlders as nothing more but livestock. In this girl's veins flows the blood of an Asura and an Outworlder. She is dangerous."

"Asuras? Outworlders? I do not know what you are talking about. Still, we can use her to learn more about the Imperials and possibly the beings you call Asuras. And, also, I believe she is not even aware of her powers. Isn't that right?"

The girl did not respond.

"Well then, I take that as a yes." Ying Chi said confidently as he stares at the girl strangled by a dragon on its human-like form.

"So, we on the Chinese side, I mean, the descendants of the former Qing Empire and as your old ally, I request that you surrender this Halfling to us. I believe we can use her."

"Hmmm." The dragon woman made a small smirk.

"And how can you guarantee to me that she will not become someone who can become a threat to our war?"

"Well, if she indeed is as powerful as you talk about, I recommend that you guard her. And if she becomes a threat to us, you can do whatever you want to her."

"Guarding a Halfling?" Annoyed, the dragon looked at the girl who is about to lose her life.

Then… As she looks at the girl's all too familiar face, she remembered something. Or rather someone, someone from a long time ago.

Someone who she can remember like it was the back of her hand. Someone that was very important to her.

"Well then. It is a deal. And if she becomes a threat, I will personally tear her apart, limb by limb."

The dragon woman then let go of her stranglehold on the girl. With her iron grip out of the girl's neck, she threw the girl towards the direction of the red-haired man.

The dragon woman soon stared towards the sun after she threw away the girl to Ying Chi.

As if reminiscing a past long gone.

Then the helicopter landed in the middle of the clear field. As soon as the helicopter landed on the ground, a few soldiers rushed toward the injured girl.

They immediately placed her on a stretcher. The medic then placed an oxygen mask on the girl's face. The medic then turned open the valve of the oxygen tank, releasing oxygen with sedatives to the girl's veins.

Lelei soon lost her consciousness as she drifts towards sleep.

The medics then rushed her towards the helicopter. The soldiers who accompanied the red-haired commander stepped into their carriages and began to move towards the direction of the open path.

"Great Red Dragon General Helia, will you come with us?"

The red-haired commander said, inviting the dragon on her human form to board into the helicopter.

"You can call me Helia." The Great Red Dragon General replied. Helia then walked straight towards the helicopter and boarded in.

Soon, the helicopter flew away from the site. Around the helicopter, four fighter aircraft flew past them by, escorting the helicopter.

Under them, the tanks, troop carriers and mobile artilleries move along the path they have created, leading to the base.

Part 3:

November 23, 2016

07:30 AM

Shanmen Military Base (Alnus Hill)

...

"Colonel Ying Chi, reporting for duty!" The red-haired commander placed his hand on his head as he enters the door leading towards the conference room.

The Governor-General of the Military Base is Governor-General Wang Qishen, Colonel Ying Chi's uncle and Major Wang Xin's father.

There in the room, is a group of men.

One of them is Major General Vladislav Saratovich, the commander of the Russian Federation Expeditionary Forces in Shanmen.

The third high-level official in the room is the Commander of the UN Peacekeeping Forces – Shanmen Brigade, Major General Eduardo Marquez, a Portuguese, who also represents the European Union and NATO.

With these three men are their respective general staff.

With a map of Falmart laid in the middle of the table.

"And who is this…" Saratovich paused as he looks at the features of the woman standing behind Ying Chi.

As she walks into the conference room, her hair, resembling fire, swayed in the direction of the air. As the dim light of the conference hall illuminated her frame, a body covered by a metal-like substance, resembling armor.

When the light hits her skin not covered by her armor, the light revealed a skin covered by light scales. It is visible on her arms, on her hand, and even on her face.

Her eyes showed a pair of red irises, forming an animal like a slit.

She resembles what human conspiracy theorists describe as reptilians. However, she is a dragon, a dragon in the form of a humanoid.

"Allow me to introduce myself."

The dragon woman moved beside the red-haired colonel and made a slight bow to the men sitting inside the room.

"I am Helia. The Great Red Dragon General."

As soon as she said her title, the men inside the room began to look at each other.

"A dragon? And a General?"

The Russian leader asks.

"I am a General, Yes," Helia replied.

As soon as she replied to the skeptical Russian general, she then turned her gaze towards him.

"And under my command are 130,000 Fire Dragons. I serve under the Dragon Queen and one of the Five Great Dragon Generals."

"Interesting." The Russian general replied, on which he then stood up and made a slight bow.

"I am Major General Vladislav Saratovich, Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Federation Expeditionary Forces in Shanmen."

As soon as the Russian general stood up, the Portuguese general immediately followed up to him, stood up and made a slight bow.

"And I am Major General Eduardo Marquez, commanding officer of the United Nations Peacekeeping Forces – Shanmen Brigade. I am also the representative of the European Union."

"Forgive us for not immediately introducing ourselves." The man sitting at the end of the table stood up as well and introduced himself.

"I am Governor-General of the Shanmen Military Region, Wang Qishen."

"By the way, how did you know our language?" Wang Qishen asked. "I can actually understand you without using translators."

"It's a passive ability the dragon race has. It's an ability that allows us to converse with everyone who we decide to communicate to can understand our language as if they are talking with their own language."

"Ah, I see." Wang Qishen said while nodding in awe at the ability. "A very handy ability for communications."

"Anyway, let's cut to the chase." The Russian General said. "Earlier, Colonel Ying Chi has reported to us that you intend to form an alliance with us humans." The Russian General paused as he turned his eyes towards the red-haired colonel.

"Is that correct?"

The Dragon Lady continued to keep her focus towards the skeptical Russian General.

"Yes, that's correct."

Helia then broke eye contact with the Russian General as soon as she replied.

She then looked at the map plastered on the wall, the Imperial Capital to be precise.

"After the Fourth War in Heaven, the Dragon Armies, the Outworlders and the Three Great Races lost to the Imperials and to their benefactors, the Asuras, and their Rakshatas"

The three generals observed the dragon woman very meticulously as she starts to talk about the history of the new world, on which the dragon queen has immediately noticed.

"The Dragons lost 90% of its population. Seeing how the war might push the Draconic race to extinction, the Dragon Queen agreed to capitulate to the Asuras. The Asuras accepted our Queen's offer to surrender as long as she continues to give birth to dragons that will serve them. These dragons become the slaves of the Imperials and the Asuras and their cohorts."

Helia paused for a moment as she takes in another breath of air, which prompted the curious European General to make a gesture in the air and said: "Continue!"

"I opposed the Queen's decision. Therefore, the fire dragon army under my command continued to wreak havoc through the Imperial lands. However, we have very little success in intervening with them."

The Dragon General then moved closer towards the table with a very imposing atmosphere looming around her.

However…

"I and my rebels only numbered at 130,000. As former allies of the Fourth War in Heaven, I would like to rebuild the Alliance with you Outworlders."

As soon as Helia said that, she then bowed her head towards the three generals and kneeled in front of them, prostrating and pleading to the three generals who are inside the conference room.

"I believe that your army can crush the Imperials without even breaking a sweat. However, I doubt you and your armies can even make a dent on the Rakshatas, let alone the Asuras – especially the 12 great Asuras. You need all the force you can get if you are serious about waging war with the Imperials and their Masters. If you can rescue the Dragon Queen and convince the other races to rise up again, we may have a chance to stand up against them."

The Indian officer looked at the Dragon General with suspicious eyes. Inquisitive, the Indian officer asked the Dragon General.

"What do you mean by Asuras? Are they Gods?"

Hearing the question, the Dragon General immediately turned her gaze towards the Indian officer. Everyone also turned their gaze on him as well, but with curious but cautious looks.

"Yes. They are the Gods of the Imperials. But to us, they are our mortal enemy."

The Dragon General, looking somewhat suspicious of the Indian officer, asked him back a question.

"Outworlder, how did you learn to pronounce that word correctly?"

"Of course…"

However, the Indian officer paused.

Instead, the Indian officer asked a question back with a straight face. Seeing the man's expression, the Dragon General backed down. On which the Indian officer asked another question.

"So tell us more about these Asura and Imperials?"

"Asuras are powerful beings. They have the power to manipulate certain aspects of nature. In addition to that, they were once humans and were once dragons and elves. Some were once part of nature that attained consciousness. There are hundreds of Asuras, but among all of them are the 12 Great Asuras."

Helia paused for a moment before she continued. "The 12 Great Asuras rules all over what remains of the Asuras. And each of these 12 Great Asuras has their own Rishis and Rakshatas."

"The Rishis are entities who have reached a certain level of intellect or wisdom. The Rishis are the disciples of the Asuras. However, only the 12 Great Asuras have their own Rishis, and also only they have the power of the Rakshatas."

"The Rakshatas are the individual armies of the Great Asuras. There are as many Rakshatas per Great Asuras as one can imagine. As far as I know, every Great Asuras commands millions and one of them even commands billions of Rakshatas."

Hearing this from the dragon general, the human generals began to look at each other. This made the three generals become confused about the situation. Especially on the race, she refers to as Asuras.

"Allow me to explain Generals." The red-haired colonel spoke up, which took the attention of the three generals.

"Honourable Generals, according to my assumptions, it seems that around 1750 to 1780, the Qing Empire under the Qianlong Emperor fought a war with the dragons and the other races of this world against the humans and their benefactors."

"Hmmm… this is strange." General Wang said. "Because there are no written records that exist today that says of such a massive war taking place during that period."

"So Chairman Xing, what is your opinion about forming an alliance with the dragons?" Wang Qishen then turned his eyes on one of the monitors behind him.

After saying that, the monitor showed turned on by itself. It then revealed the face of a man in his early 60s.

It was Chairman Xing, the President of the People's Republic of China and the leader of the Chinese Communist Party.

"You said earlier that it would be impossible to defeat the people of this world and their masters. Can you tell us the level of strength these people have?" Chairman Xing said in an attentive manner.

"The people, the Imperials, are the least of your worries. To be honest to you, defeating them is very easy, especially on the level of organization your armies have."

Helia paused for a moment to take a breath of air before she continued.

"The ones you should worry about are their masters, the Asuras, their Rishis, and their Rakshatas."

"If what you said is true, then if we fight these Imperials, you are telling us that we will then fight their Gods?" One of the men from the UN Peacekeeping forces asked.

"Given that what happened a few centuries ago will happen again today, then yes." The Dragon General replied.

"And what happened back then in the past?" The European general asked.

"It all began when one of the gates in the North opened up on its own. We were not certain of why, only that it happened. And there, an army of 1 million outworlders led by two men, one claimed that they were from the Qing Empire, and the other one claimed to be from a secret organization who also claimed that fighting against humanity's oppressors."

"The man from an unknown organization was responsible for the war. He convinced the Leaders of all of the Three Great Races as well as some faction of the Imperials to rise up."

"Anyway, I want to know. How powerful are they?" Helia was about to say something when the Russian General asked her.

"Very powerful. One Asura alone has the power to defeat entire armies without breaking a sweat." Helia said in a depressed tone.

"From what I have deduced from your statements, I am certain that your purpose of aligning with us is to rescue your Queen. However, I fear that retaking your Queen might because of the entities you call Asura to consider us as their enemies. Tell us why an alliance with you dragons would be beneficial to us?" Chairman Xing asks again to General Helia in a very inquisitive manner.

"There is a reason why the gate has been opened by the Asura Hardy."

"And that is?"

"She is trying to collect fresh humans from your world, mostly the very young ages. They use humans to gather mana for them from the world and send it to them by means of dedicated meditation, through prayers. Let's just say the relationship between the Asura and the Imperials is the relationship between the shepherd and their flocks of sheep."

"And you outworlders are the ideal sheep for them as your bodies have one of the highest capacities, only second to us dragons, in terms of natural mana collection. In addition to that, your race can transfer mana in a very efficient manner, far more efficient than us."

"For this Asura, we are livestock then. Anything else?"

"Another reason why you should align with us is that the two of us have the same enemies. As far as I know, the Asuras consider you as a threat to their existence, especially what you outworlders are trying to achieve. It's only a matter of time the Asura will make a move on your race."

"The reason they haven't made a move is that they lost a good amount of their numbers back in the Third War in Heaven."

After Helia, the Dragon General said that to the crowd of high-level officials, which prompted a response as everyone looked at each other with a strange bewildered look.

"What we are trying to achieve? Tell me, what would that be?"

"Shared co-existence and empowerment through means that are not bound to the human flesh, that's something we are indeed doing."

"And in addition to that, being aligned to us, you and your men will have all of our resources at your disposal. Which includes vital intelligence and our collective knowledge as a race." The Dragon General added.

Chairman Xing then said, "The goals you have just said are perhaps, true. However, from what I learned from you concerning the Asuras, I prefer not to push ourselves too far. And we don't know anything about this world."

"As a matter of fact, if a significant number of you elevate a certain being or remember him on a much significant level, then you can turn any being into a Rishi, or even an Asura given that a certain amount of mana has been transferred."

"Oh?" The Chinese raised his eyebrows upon hearing this statement from the dragon, a statement that was loud and clear to all the people inside that conference room, with representatives of 14 countries present.

On which everyone began to look at each other with awkward looks on their faces.

The Dragon General, without fail, has noticed this somehow strange looks everyone has on their faces.

The same looks she has seen from all other beings who have first heard this certain revelation from her, era after era, millennium after millennium.

Except for that one man.

"Yes. As long as you outworlder humans reach a certain level of enlightenment, he or she can become an Asura, and the more humans who prays and has faith on a certain belief or being, no matter what race he or she or it has, the more mana they can transfer."

The Chinese President massaged his chin for a moment as he contemplated the alliance.

"Let's see."

Seeing the hesitating head of state in front of her, Helia rose her head and abstained herself from prostrating in front of the coalition army.

"Well then, I have a new proposition. In the meantime, I would like to have a limited alliance with your forces. We will still share as much information and resources we have, as necessary, with your forces. We will also provide support as necessary to your forces, and I hope we will receive the same level of support and resource and information sharing with your armies."

"And the setback?"

"You and your forces will not be directly involved, as much as possible, to our main objective, which is to free our Queen. However, our forces will not involve itself directly if your endeavors endanger the survival of our entire race, such as the time the asuras will make a move against your race."

"And how can we guarantee that you are making up some fairy tales?"

The representative from NATO asked.

Helia's fire like hair changed color from yellowish red hue to bluish-white. The temperature inside the room began to rise up a bit as shown by the sweat pouring out of the skin of everyone sitting inside that room, despite the fact that they are inside an air-conditioned room with ventilation ducts all around the room providing cold air.

On the screen behind the Governor-General, the President of China stared intensely towards the dragon general.

A staring contest was the best way to describe the situation between the people inside the room and the Great Red Dragon General Helia.

However,

"60 days."

The Chinese President finally spoke after a tense few seconds, breaking the ice.

"60 days?"

The Dragon General asked back.

"I want to talk with you about the terms of a temporary and limited alliance. After the terms are set, the People Republic of China will be temporarily and limitedly aligned with the Red Dragons, for a span of 60 days."

"Temporarily? And in a limited manner? And what happens after 60 days?"

"Yes. Temporarily, and in a limited manner. I want to talk furthermore about the terms and conditions of our alliance in a space of 60 months. When both sides have agreed upon the terms and conditions, both parties will have another 60 days to evaluate and integrate their strategies and tactics to the side. The same goes for information sharing and resource reallocation and requisition. If the terms and conditions are met within 60 days, the alliance will become permanent and limited only by the limits of what both parties realistically do."

After hearing the Chinese President's terms, the dragon general snarled at him.

"Isn't that term of yours full of loopholes on which you can use later to betray us? Aren't you acting way too arrogant for a human?"

"I don't know anything about you or your race of dragons. Isn't your terms also full of loopholes on which, could have the possibility of dragging us into war with godlike beings, as you have just described them earlier?"

Then, there was silence between the Dragon General Helia and Chairman Xing.

"You don't believe what are we worthy of?"

Helia, this time looked pissed off to the Chinese President, as shown by her somewhat an elevated tone and sharp looking eyes.

Chairman Xing, on the other hand, looked overwhelming in the screen, as shown by his sitting occupying a wider space than normal. His face shows confidence as indicated by his low cool tone.

Therefore, Helia made a deep breath, cooled herself down, raised her hand and snapped her finger. Almost in an instant after she snapped her fingers, alarm bells began to cry all over the conference room.

On the screen far left from the position of the screen where the Chinese President is the X Band Radar Screen.

The Radar captured 1000 targets approaching around the base at a very high speed.

"Is this a show of force or something else? Even so, you cannot bluff me to an alliance."

"Oh no, I have no intention of destroying the alliance before it even starts. I am simply sending a thousand of my fire dragons to show to you my sincerity."

"Sincerity with a sword aimed at our throats? And how have managed to send a thousand dragons in an instant?"

"I can always tell you all that I did, but we have to be allies first."

"Governor-General Wang Qishen, I order you to deploy all of our anti-air systems and command all planes to scramble and prepare for intercept. No one fire until I say they can or the dragons attack them first."

"Yes, Chairman Xing." The Governor-General then looked at one of his aides in the conference hall and made a nod. The aide in response made a salute and turned around towards the base's command and control center.

Outside the base, alarms went off which was then followed by a public announcement passing the words of the Chinese President to every serviceman in the Shanmen Base.

Seconds later, 30 anti-aircraft guns and 8 missile batteries are now on standby. The base's fire control system then acquired radar targets and sent the coordinates digitally towards all anti-air stations.

180 seconds later after the announcement, all of the base's aircraft, 48 fixed-wing aircraft, and 300 drones, began to scramble.

Another 5 minutes later, 75% of the base's fixed-wing aircraft are now airborne.

"Just in case." Chairman Xing said.

"Now I am willing to start the negotiations and make a review on the terms and conditions of this alliance." Chairman Xing added.

"Come to China. We would like to talk with regards to the terms and conditions of the alliance. You can bring your aides if you wish to, your weapons also. Ah, perfect! Two days from now, we will have a press conference. Though still informal, I would like to show to my people our alliance."

"You Yellow Men always like to twist arms when it comes to negotiating. Well then, as you wish..." The Great Red Dragon General paused for a moment only to ask him another question. "What's your name?"

"Oh, I'm sorry for not introducing myself. I'm Chairman Xing Jianping, President of the People's Republic of China and the Chairman and Secretary-General of the Chinese Communist Party."

"And I am the Great Red Dragon General Helia, one of the five generals that served the now fallen Dragon Queen. It is of great honor to me to be of acquaintance with you and your nation Chairman Xing."

"Now then, let's build this alliance."

Part 4:

November 24, 2016

Morning

Imperial Capital

...

"Thank God those barbarians from Alnus Hill hadn't reached the Imperial City."

The blue-haired man looked ecstatic as he and his "current" master, Princess Pina co Lada entered the gates of the walled city of Imperial Capital.

Xin, that same blue-haired man who planned the entire operation and has a surface map of the Imperial Capital on his head.

"Is this your first time here in the Imperial Capital, Mario?"

The Princess, curious, asked Mario (or Major Wang Xin).

"Yes, My Lady," Mario replied with ignorance and amazement on his face.

"Whoever this man is, he is the perfect actor. Who are you?"

"Is there something on my face My Lady?"

Princess Pina co Lada blinked once before she was released from her trance-like state, only to realize the blue-haired man was looking at her eye to eye.

Looking at her with somewhat seductive and gleeful eyes.

Eyes that covers something deeper and much more different from what she is seeing now.

All this time – the Princess, her grouping of knights, her aides and Mario was going to the Imperial Palace, Mario continued looking at everything he saw in the Capital with ignorance and the Princess looking at the blue-haired man with suspicion.

Not long after, she and everyone along with her, including Mario, arrived in the Imperial Palace.

Unbeknownst to her, the great enemy from Alnus Hill has already about 10 recon drones, with one of them watching the actions of one man, the blue-haired Major Wang Xin aka Mario.

"It's so large!"

The blue-haired man looked at the palace with awe in his eyes.

Beside him, the Princess was watching his reactions closely.

"So it's your first time here?" The Princess asks him, keenly observing his reactions.

"Yes, it's my first time here," Xin replied with amazement on his eye as a group pass by the Palace Gates.

"What can you say about the recent actions of our enemy?" After seeing a reaction from Xin, the Princess turned away her face. She then asks him a question inquisitively.

Seeing how the Princess is trying to hide his face away from Xin, he sighed back and made a reply.

"Whoever we are against, they have the ability to attack the Empire from the air. They also have weapons with a scale of destruction enough to destroy an entire fortress."

"I see." Pina then turned her face back towards him and then asked again.

"And what do you think we can do about it?"

"So far I have three ideas."

"THREE IDEAS?"

The Princess stopped for a moment (on which she continued going into the palace door as soon as she stopped) as she was taken aback by Xin's reply.

"Yes, Three Ideas. The first idea is to use the dragon riders to avoid the enemy from gaining the upper hand in the air."

"And the second idea?"

"To use the mages to mount an anti-air attack, denying them the capacity to attack us from the air."

"And the third?"

"A combination of the dragon riders and the mages. The mages will provide cover and support fire to the dragon riders."

Hearing both of Xin's reply, the Princess stopped in front of the door leading to the Imperial Palace and placed her hands right next to her sword.

"You seemed to know a lot about how to fight them! Tell me, how do you know how to think like that?"

"I am from the Imperial Colony way down the southern lands."

Hearing that answer, the Princess distanced her right hand away from the sword and instead placed it on the door. With her hands now touching the door, she pushed her hands hard into the door, causing the door to open, revealing a room full of men and women of the nobility, the commanderies and of the Empires vassals and tributaries.

Xin began to look around the entire room as his eyes darts left and right, glancing and glancing at every soul present at that massive hall.

Of course, Pina noticed this weird action by Xin, which then prompted her to disturb Xin on whatever he is doing.

"What are you doing?"

Pina asks with a hint of suspicion on her voice.

"I'm feeling nervous," Xin replies with an anxious tone. "This is my first time to meet the Imperial nobility after all."

"So who is that guy over there?" Xin asks as he points his finger towards the man sitting at the center of the room.

"Ah, that's my father, the Emperor, his highness Emperor Molt Sol Augustus."

"Ah, I see," Xin replies approvingly as small lines of his blue eyes changed.

"So the man beside him must be the Crowned Prince?" He points his gaze towards the man standing close to the King.

"Yes, he is. My Half Brother, Prince Zorzal el Caesar" Pina replies with hints of hesitation on her voice. Something that Xin has made a mental note about.

"You don't know?"

"I don't. All I know was that the Emperor is the Emperor. We in the far south actually haven't seen the Emperor before."

"I see."

"And that man over there?" Xin pointed the man left to the room, who happens to be talking with a lot of what seems to be senators.

"Ah, he is the leader of the senate. I don't really know his name though." Pina replied.

"I see."

Xin was about to say something more when the King interrupted the crowd, forcing them to turn their heads toward him.

"I see that everyone made their way to the capital." The King said loudly and arrogantly.

"Your Majesty, it seems that our enemies from Alnus are preparing for a major attack." A man iron clad with armor bravely talked towards the King.

"I agree with him, my King." The Princess along with her companions marched towards the King. "Dumas Fort has fallen."

"DUMAS FORT HAS FALLEN?"

"YOU MEAN THE DUMAS FORT?"

Senators and military men began to murmur left and right as the word of the fortress fallen has reached their ears.

"What kind of theatrics is this Pina?" One of Pina's younger sister moved out and talked arrogantly towards the Princess wearing full armor. Her name was Julia la Argentia, the third Princess, and seventh child of the Emperor.

"While we were on our way here to the Imperial Capital, we passed by the mountains, where the Dumas Fort was. When we arrived there, we only found the fort fully destroyed."

Pina paused for a moment to look left and right, looking at everyone's reaction.

"And judging from everyone's reaction, it seems that no one has learned of what happened to the fort. I haven't seen anyone yet from the fort either, but I believe none survived from the attack."

"Impossible! Fort Dumas survived the Artic War and the Civil War!"

"And yet, when my party passed by Fort Dumas, all we saw was a pile of rubble and lingering smoke rising up from the ruins."

Both leaders of the military and the political elites of the Empire began to murmur as soon as the Princess finished her statement.

"Anyway, why are you here anyway Pina? I thought you are planning on stationing you and your order in the city of Italica?" The Emperor said to the young Princess with a judgmental look at her.

"The city of Italica has been attacked by the occupiers of Alnus Hill. The city's armory, government stations as well as the Imperial garrison, all destroyed. All destroyed in a matter of an hour. Before we left the city, one of the advisors said 200 died on the attack and rising. However, the city remains under Imperial control."

"If that is the case, then why are here? Aren't you suppose to defend Italica?"

Another man revealed himself to the party. It was Prince Diabo El Caesar, the second prince, and the second child of the Emperor.

"I am compelled to come here to present myself to the Emperor." The Princess said with a stoic expression. "According to my advisers, it's only a matter of time before the occupiers of Alnus Hill will make an offensive towards Italica."

After hearing her daughter, Princess Pina co Lada, the first Princess, and his third child, the Emperor cannot help but raise his eyebrow upon hearing that, what her daughter had said.

"Pina, may I know this advisor of yours?"

Pina then turned her head and looked at the blue-haired man standing behind her. It was from Mario.

"Your Majesty, this is my advisor." She stretched her hand straight towards the blue-haired man. Seeing this move by the Princess, the blue-haired man immediately dropped on his knees and bowed his head down.

"I am Mario, ready to offer my life for the Empire!"

Seeing this respectful gesture of the blue-haired man, the Emperor smiled a little bit, pleased at the young man's action.

"You're Majesty; this is my advisor Mario, the man who had defeated twenty of our Praetorian Guards in a 20 vs. 1 battle. He is also from the southern colonies."

"I see!" The Emperor nodded in approval as he strokes his chin, looking at the blue-haired man with amazement.

"Your majesty, may I ask a question?" Mario asked while prostrating himself to the Emperor.

"What is it, young man?"

"Was there any strategic places on the Empire that they have attacked, aside from Italica and Fort Dumas?"

"Why do ask Young Man?" the Elven General and Senator Godasen looked at the blue-haired man with suspicious eyes.

"I believe the enemy has attacked all major fortifications around the Imperial capital. In addition to that, they have attacked Imperial garrisons and armories on nearby cities, especially close to the capital. Another thing I believe is that Proctor must have also has been attacked, destroying the harbor as a result."

"And why do you think they would do it?" the elven general asked again.

"I believe that in less than two months' time, the invaders from Alnus Hill would launch a full-scale offensive towards the Imperial capital. They are also trying to lessen the morale of our troops by showing us how powerful they are, which could greatly affect our mobilization efforts."

The elven general stroked his long beard for a moment. The Emperor has noticed his top general in deep thought asked: "What does this imply then?"

"Once try making their move, judging from their military prowess, I bet they will be at the Sadera's doorsteps in a couple of weeks, maybe even days." The Elven general replied.

The Elven general then turned his attention towards the blue-haired man standing beside the Princess. "Tell me, young man, want is your affiliation?"

Mario replied, "I served the Imperial Garrisons in the Imperial Colony. I serve there as an informant and also a clerk for the commanding offices of the garrison."

"I see, the Imperial Colonies in the south." The Elven general said.

"My Majesty, I see this man is quite adept at the conditions of the South. I think this man might have faced the armies of both the Coalition Army from the Southeast and the Dragon Armies from the Southwest."

Xin for a moment paused and became dumbfounded at this new revelation. He only knows there are settlements and some forts in the south taken by drone recon missions. He also just learned the name of that place from collaborators whom he has talked to during the night attack in Italica.

"The Imperial Colony I see." The Emperor said with hints of suspicions on his voice. "So, what can you say about our enemies from Alnus?" The Emperor asked his general will keeping his eyes looking at the blue-haired man.

"I'm afraid our enemies have the same destructive capacity as a dragon, given their power to destroy objects from the air. These enemies might even be aligned with the dragons. And judging from our previous attempts to attack the occupiers of Alnus Hill, I can say they have weapons far more destructive than our own."

"I see. So what -?"

The Emperor was about to say something when he heard something strange.

Everyone also heard it.

It sounds like someone is beating something very fast. And the sound was getting louder.

Louder.

Everyone began to look frantically left and right as that sound becomes louder.

The sound of beating.

Soon, it was very loud.

And then…

BANG!

BSSSH… T-T-T-T-T-T-T-T… CHSK-CHSK.

A new sound, never before heard by the strong knights and the aristocrats of the Empire roared just outside the doors of the castle. More and more of the sound broke through. And the screams of the men outside the palace complimented the noises outside.

Then, silence.

For a moment, there was silence. However, those who have heard the sounds of screaming and terror, the expression of grim and uncertainty filled their faces.

Then, there were some strange noises just on the other side of the door.

There was a sound of knocking…

Then scratching.

It was a mixture of the two sounds.

Then the palace gate made up iron and enchanted wood, a gate, built to withstand battering rams, is now being flying away from its hinges, complimented with a deafening explosion.

Men and women inside the halls of the Palace who previously stood near the door immediately found themselves injured.

As soon as the door has been blasted away, five men, wearing clothing they have never before seen, immediately entered the palace gates.

However, Xin who has once worked in the Middle East immediately noticed the attire they are wearing. They are Middle Eastern guerrilla forces. In addition, the green patch in their arms gave away their affiliation.

"Allah Akbar!"

One of the militants yelled his battle cry, and soon, the five men fired their guns towards the mass of people who are inside the palace halls.

They are from Hezbollah.

Phase 3 has begun.

Xin then looked at the dumbfounded Princess beside him and yelled to her. "Pina! Go and protect the Emperor."

Pina nodded without hesitation. She then ran towards the Emperor and her along with her collection of knights, stood on their ground, protecting the Emperor.

Xin, on the other hand, rushed towards the location of the militants and threw a smoke bomb towards them. The militants now blinded, stopped the gunfight as they recognize this tactic.

Sensing that the militants are now alert, Xin threw a small dagger a bit behind the position he last saw the Hezbollah militant.

The dagger found its mark and hit one of the militants in the shoulder.

"Arrrgh!"

Hearing the distressed sound from one of the militants, the praetorian knights, who are in standby inside that room, ran towards the cloudy smoke. They all ran towards the cloudy smoke and yelling with their battle cries.

However, as soon as the militants heard their battle cries, the militants began shooting their rifles to where the sounds came from.

While the praetorian guards and the militants are doing their battle, Xin ducted and took cover on one of the castle pillars. He then took a glass bottle filled with liquid from his pouch and removed the lid.

After that, Xin took a piece of cloth from his pouch and drenched the cloth with some of the liquid contents of the bottle. He then closed the bottle with the drenched cloth.

Xin then looked around if there is any source of fire he can find inside the castle. There close to him, he found a burning candle. He then made a dash towards the candle and lit the wet cloth.

As soon as he placed the cloth on top of the burning candle, Xin then made a dash towards the cloudy smoke.

"OUT OF THE WAY!"

Xin or Mario yelled in Latin, causing the knights to look towards him. Xin, without hesitation, threw the bottle into the air and towards the cloudy smoke, which is now starting to clear.

The bottle then hit one of the five militants head, causing the bottle to break into pieces. For a moment the militants wonder what was, the blue-haired medieval man had thrown at them. The contents of the bottle smelled like alcohol.

Then one of them realized what happened.

It was a Molotov cocktail.

However, it was too late. The burning cloth soon made contact with one of them and the flame from the burning cloth spread towards their clothing. With their body fully covered in cloth from head to toe, the fire easily spread to all five of them.

In less than two seconds, the five militants were on fire.

Seeing the five militants now distracted, Xin grabbed the sword of one of the decorative knight armor in the wall and launched himself towards the burning militants.

He immediately stabbed one of them in the chest. Upon stabbing him, Xin immediately realized the person was not even wearing any sorts of armor, let alone a Kevlar.

He then grabbed the rifle of one of the men, an AK-47, and struck one of them with its rifle stock in the face, knocking him out. Less than a second later he grabbed the dagger still stuck on one of the militant's shoulders and slashed the man's throat.

Realizing that the fire is starting to die down, and the two remaining men aimed their rifles towards him. The two of them mustered everything they have and fired their AK-47s towards him.

Xin, with a small dagger in hand, launched himself recklessly towards the two militants and swung his dagger at their necks, slashing both of their windpipe and their carotid arteries in the process.

All of that in space of six seconds.

However, one of them is still alive. Groaning in pain and recovering after the stock of an AK-47's smacked him to the face, he looked at the blue-haired man.

At first glance, the man noticed the facial features Xin or Mario has.

Looking at Xin, he saw that the man looks like a Chinese.

No. His does not only look like a Chinese. He is Chinese. In addition to that, judging from the way he fights, this man must be from the Chinese Special Forces.

But why?

Why is he fighting against us?

The Middle Eastern militant wonders as he tries to comprehend what is going on.

Then…

Hearing the groaning man behind him, Xin then looked at the man behind him with his blood-soaked face.

Seeing Xin looking back at him, with blood still dripping from the man's face, he noticed something off at him.

Xin was smiling in a very twisted way.

At first, the man froze in terror. Xin does not look like a human at all. However, his adrenaline kicked in and mustered every energy he has left and grabbed the rifle sitting right beside him.

"YOU'RE NO ALLY TO US. YOU ARE NOT HUMAN! YOU'RE A TRAITOR, YOU DJINN!" The man yelled in Arabic, a language that Xin also understands.

For Xin, he understands all too well what the man has said, on which he uttered not even one word.

For the Imperials around him though, what the man said was just a load of gibberish.

However, before he can grab his rifle, two swords pierced his body.

Behind him, two praetorian knights stabbed him from the back.

With that, the last of the five militants were down. Along with them, some 12 praetorian knights and about 18 guests of the Emperor lost their lives and a few more were injured. One of the wounded was Godasen, with a bullet wound on his right arm. Seven more senators were injured as well. The rest were all dazed from all the action.

Only after all of that fiasco that Xin realized he has a bullet wound in his left arm. However, it was only a mild injury.

Xin then looked outside the palace halls and into the clear skies outside. However, he heard something. It was the sound of jet engines flying some distance away. He then looked at the direction where the sound was coming from and there, he saw something flying not so far away from the castle. It was something that is quite big. It is also flying very low and very slowly. Without thinking much, Xin already knows what those flying objects in the skies are.

They are bombers.

In addition to that, they are circling the city like vultures.

"GET OUT OF THE CASTLE, NOW!"

The Emperor (seeing the blue-haired man and witnessing how he performed earlier) followed the man and relayed back what he said. Then everyone ran out of the palace doors.

All 211 beings inside the castle went out to the now widely opened door. Xin, however, went towards Pina and the Emperor. Behind him are the remaining six praetorian knights.

Along the way, he picked up the Elven General, General Godasen and carried him on his back.

Upon Xin arriving in the throne area, the Emperor then made a nod and soon, the Emperor, Princess Pina, and the Imperial family then followed him towards the exit. As soon as they reached the exit, Xin then leads them away from the castle and into a clearing.

Six minutes later, the bombers, without fail, are finally up on top of the city. They soon opened their bomb bay doors and released their payload in the city below.

In total, there are six bombers in the sky.

When everyone was out of the castle, the bombers (observing the situation in the ground and seeing people going out away from castle) released their payloads into the entire city, with some 9000 kg of free-falling bombs per bomber.

Of course, only Xin knows about the intention of the bombers. It was going on as planned after all.

Since the bombers are flying at an altitude of 1500 meters, the bombs did not even took a minute to reach ground.

Everyone saw the small dot-like objects falling down from the planes. Everyone heard the bombs falling right on top of the castle.

And…

BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM

BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM

But wait, there's more…

Behind the six bombers were another six bombers.

Seeing that the first wave has dropped their payload into the city, coming in from the northerly direction, the six remaining bombers swooped into the city at maximum speed.

Once they were on top of the city, the six remaining bombers dropped another 36,000 kg worth of high explosive bombs into the city.

And…

BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM

BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM

Just like that, the entire city was on fire. It also happened so fast that the dragon riders in the city failed to react immediately.

Once the dragon riders were on the air, the bombers have already climbed up to an altitude of 10,000 meters while cruising out of the city at a speed of 600kph, way above the altitude and the speed the dragon riders could ever achieve.

Looking at all of this horror happening before him (burning the capital city in less than 15 minutes) the Emperor fell unto his knees.

He laughed depressingly.

"So these are the armies we are supposed to fight?"

Xin, who was standing by close to the Emperor, replied to him and said "Your majesty. I believe we still have a chance to go against them."

The Emperor turned his head towards the blue-haired man, who seems to be unaffected by the morale crushing attack of Sadera.

Without any signs of shock nor fear in his face, the Emperor looked amazed at Mario's (or Xin's) strength of will.

The Emperor was amazed. Seeing the Emperor and Xin interacting, Pina was coming back to her senses and saw what the Emperor saw on the blue-haired man.

Xin looked so brave. So powerful. So calm. As if nothing ever happened. Even when around him, the city is burning.

"How?" The Emperor asked.

"Your Majesty, we still have numbers on our side." Mario or Xin said to the Emperor in the most composed manner he can muster.

The old elven general then looked at the blue-haired man with amazement on his eyes and said "Indeed we still have numbers on our side. We also still have the land on our side. But.."

As soon as he heard a sign of opposition from the old elven general, Xin interrupted him.

"And much more than that…" Xin said and for a moment, he paused, as if catching the attention of everyone in the crowd.

A crowd made up of the noblest of noble families all over the Empire as well as representatives of various provinces.

"We also have the Gods along with us today. The Gods saved us from death and as long as the Imperial Family lives on..."

Mario (or Wang Xin) kneeled and prostrated in front of the Emperor with his gladius planted firmly in the ground, still with the old elven general, General Godasen, behind him.

"As long as Imperial Family lives on, the Empire lives on."

Just like that, the morale of the all-around him went up. Some in the ground, those who want to oppose what Xin said, have failed to show their opposition, fearing they might lose the favor of the Emperor. The pro-war parties in the crowd, on the other hand, applauded what the young man has said.

Seeing how everyone has applauded the efforts of the heroic young man, the Emperor stood up from his knees and made the most authoritative gesture he can muster.

"You are right young man."

The Emperor raised his hand to silence the crowd.

"As long as I live, the Empire lives on."

As soon as the Emperor said that, the crowd of noblemen, governors, and soldiers kneeled down in the front of their Emperor.

"I, the Emperor, declare total war against – no. I, the Emperor, declare a holy war against the invaders. We must drive the invaders out of our holy site no matter the cost."

With a strong and powerful voice, the Emperor made his declaration towards his subjects, on which all of them replied to him with the most powerful battle cry they could ever muster.

Xin on the hand remained to kneel in front of the Emperor, facing the ground, with his usual cold and expressionless face.

The Emperor said a few more things about the war they are fighting on, and every time he says it, everyone responds to him with their battle cry.

However, Xin remained kneeling and prostrating in front of him.

Seeing this, the Emperor stopped on his talking and looked at the "Hero of the Empire".

"Show me your face, young man." The Emperor demanded.

On which Xin or Mario raised his head, showing a face who revers him, the Emperor.

"What is your name, young man?"

"My name is Mario."

"Mario?"

"Just Mario, your Majesty."

"You mean you don't have a family name?"

"I was an orphan you're Majesty, raced by a nameless mercenary in the southern lands."

"I-I see." The Emperor looked at the young man with pity.

For the moment, the Emperor looked at Xin. Then he turned his gaze on his sons. And then on his daughters, to Pina especially.

Pina, noticing the gaze of his father on her, lowered her head in response.

The Emperor then looked at the crowd in front of him. And he saw how noble families looked at the blue-haired man with awe and gratitude.

After that, he turned his gaze on the now burning city and his burning palace.

Then to his interior minister, Marcus and Marcus, seeing that the Emperor is looking at him, made an approving nod.

If I let him be, a man without a family name, the noble clans might adopt him to their family.

The Emperor then looks back again, to the representatives of the noble clans, he saw on their faces an expression. They look at the young man with an intent of greed.

The young man has saved them twice in less than an hour, with the first from the fighters from a foreign enemy, and the second time from the fire from skies.

The nobility owed him their lives.

Their faces betrayed their intentions.

He finally turned his gaze back to the blue-haired man, on his eyes to be precise. There he saw something his sons do not have.

Through Xin's eyes, he saw within him a man of great intellect complemented by a great degree of humility. Yet also in Xin's eyes, he saw the cunningness of a wolf.

Judging from the way he fights earlier, his bravery is bordering recklessness. Yet also in that show of skills, he saw what a great soldier should be.

Right now, he witnessed the boy's characteristics of a great advisor and a leader. A man like him is a very rare find.

Another fact about him as well, judging from his poor clothing and the roughness of his skin, it is clear he is of the lower class. He can talk to them. That they would be loyal to him.

In addition to that, he owes him his life and now, it appears that the Empire also owes him one thing.

The will to fight.

So he made his decision.

"Young man, you call yourself Mario, right?"

"Yes, your majesty," Xin replied with respect and humility.

"From times long ago, past Emperors would speak of a great man who is both outstanding in the arts of warfare. He also a great statesman. However, that was from the time before the Empire was founded."

"I see. He must be really great for the likes of you to regard him of greatness."

"His name was Alexander. Have you heard of him?"

For a moment, Xin's expression was that of curiosity. No one in China or in the world, who studies the art of war, after all, has not known of that name.

"I haven't, Your Majesty," Xin answered, feigning ignorance.

"I see. It's not surprising for me for you to not have heard of him. But from now, you will bear that name."

Xin looked surprised. After all, he knows all too well, who a certain Alexander from his world was.

"I, a man of lowbirth am not worthy to have that name."

"You are, Alexander El Augustus."

So, the Emperor is trying to adopt me. Oh well, let us see how it will work.

For a moment, something like five seconds, Xin kept himself quiet for a while.

Then, he dropped his hands into the Earth and further lowered his head down to the ground almost to the point of kissing the earth.

"I will never fail you Your Majesty!"

"Raise yourself from the ground, my adopted son. And from now on, call me father."

Upon the Emperor uttering those very words, all of his sons and daughters and his wives present in that ground looks at him with protest.

However, as much as they want to protest at their father's decision, like the rest of the people in that crowd, they also owe him their lives. Talking now would only make their positions worst. Even Zorzal, the heir to the throne understood this.

So Xin stood up, now with his new name, Alexander El Augustus.

"As you wish, my dear Father." He said in the most respectful of voice.

"So what does my new son wants to say?" The Emperor asked.

"I want to say your Maj…" Xin paused as he tried to correct himself before he continued. "My Father, I suggest that we save the people of the city first. We need every man and woman of the Empire to fight those barbarians at Alnus."

"Very well."

The Emperor wants to say something to Alexander (or Xin) more but then he saw blood flowing out from his arms.

It was from the wound he got from that battle from earlier.

On his back, is the elven general Godasen who is also wounded.

So, he carried that elf on his back, save us all, and kneeled down to the ground earlier and now he demands that we save the people of the city – all of that while he's also wounded. He is also quite a selfless man.

"Very well, but first we must heal all the wounded." The Emperor said that as he turned his gaze on all the uninjured elves.

On which all the elves in the crowd got his message and approached Alexander and Godasen.

"You heard the 10th prince of the Empire. Send your men all over the city and save all that can be saved."

He then turned his gaze on all the wizards in attendance to the Emperor. "And to all mages, extinguish the fire and salvage all that can be salvaged."

On which he then turned to his generals present. "And keep the soldier on high alert; they might launch an attack against us today."

"Yes your Highness." All of them replied.

Part 5

...

"I see!"

A person with the sound of a little girl said.

"This is quite an entertainment."

Behind the crowd of nobles, aristocrats, mages, and soldiers arranging behind the Emperor, a few hundred meters behind them, sitting on tree branch, was a little girl.

Wearing a black dress with red frills decorated on it, complimented with black stockings supported by garters and a pair of red boots, the girl was merrily watching over them as her straight black hair and her red ribbon sways with the wind.

She appears to be like a 13-year-old child. However, the purple ax on her right hand, a giant axe, an ax that she is toying with as if it was an actual toy, betrayed her childish appearance.

Her innocence appears to not exist at all, as her face portrays an expression of arousal and ecstasy. A remarkable sight as behind her, an entire city is burning to the ground.

"Very, very interesting."

The gothic Lolita dressed girl said as she listens to the conversation that was happening between the Emperor and a man whose scent is all too familiar to her.

The scent of the men whom they had fought against with some 250 years ago. And above all.

That certain scent that she once has.

"It seems that Emroy seems to be right. He is a very interesting man."

As the men and women looked at him with respect and hope as seen by the atmosphere they are emitting, she can see what others do not.

She can see that man they respect and revered so highly is a man is so dark and black, that he becomes so bright. Looking at him is like looking at an abyss.

"Alexander I see." The girl giggled with lust. "A wolf in sheep's clothing."

"I cannot wait to know you more, Bringer of Chaos."

The young girl giggles more lustful as ever now, with her face, filled with twisted satisfaction, as men and women burn behind her.

"I, Rory Mercury, have taken a liking on you young man. Well, even Emroy also likes you outworlder."

The girl then leaped out of the tree from a height of 10 meters as if it was nothing. She then took a glance at outworlder one more time, and then she giggles ever more twistedly.

"I and Emroy were once outworlders, once we are mortal beings, now have ascended beyond mortal bounds. So, Alexander, or…"

She giggles one more time.

"Come to think about it, I don't know your true name yet. Hehehe!"

She then turned her back away from them and began walking away.

"Well meet again my new slave."

Just like that, she disappears from the face of the world.

Leaving the man named Alexander behind as he is being hogged by the Imperials with glee, gratitude, and respect.

Between the Lines:

Shahenzhen Military Base

Beijing, China

November 24, 2016

00:30 GMT+8

...

"General Dong! General Dong!"

A masculine voice called as he knocks the door loudly.

"General Dong!"

The man was about to knock again on the Airforce General's quarters when the door opened. And there, the old general in his military uniform showed up, with an angry expression on his face.

However, when General Dong saw the serious expression of his commanding officer, the general calmed down.

He asked, "What's wrong?"

"General, an unidentified aircraft is hovering over the military base."

"What! Are you not aware of the protocols during wartime, officer? No planes, civilian or military, should intrude on restricted airspace unless given clearance!"

"General, we are only made aware of the foreign aircraft when it was already over the base!"

"WHAT! You should have shot the plane down! And it doesn't matter if it's a Russian or American or even friendly plane!"

"But generally, we cannot make a lock on it on the radar. It's invisible on all radar, even in the microwave or by passive radars."

"NO WAY! Anyway, how about anti-aircraft guns?"

"Yes General. We were about to use them but then when someone, using the emergency channels, said to pass a message to you sir, and then allow you to decide on the fate of the aircraft."

"What message?" The General said with a worried look on his face.

"Charlie-Bravo-Genesis-X-1-Zeta-3"

Then, upon hearing the message from his commanding officer, the General's went from worried to simply pale.

"Never tell a soul about the message. This never happened officer, you hear me?"

The commanding officer then made a salute as he saw his commander rushing off to the base's PLAAF headquarters in Shahenzhen.

The general, rattled by that message, rushed all the way to HQ, covering what supposed to be a 10-minute walk in less than 4 minutes.

Upon arriving at the headquarters, his officers were startled to see the General of the PLAAF himself going there with a tired and worried expression. The General then took the radio microphone and said.

"Unidentified UN aircraft, you are authorized to land in the base. Please proceed to Pad 17."

Upon hearing what their commander has just said, the officers inside the control room began to murmur as their general, with panic in his face, began to look at all the radar panels inside the control room in the headquarters.

"Thank you very much, Mr. Dong!" a female voice replied.

Right after that conversation between the unknown female voice and General Dong, he immediately turned his gaze into one of the officers and said, "Ask one of the personnel in the ground and prepare 2 APCs.

"Yes, Sir!" The officer responded and made a salute to the general.

After that, he immediately dashed out from the control room and into the elevator. Upon arriving on the bottom floor, he immediately went into the parking area and into one of the armored personnel carriers parked outside the headquarters.

As soon as he saw the two drivers standing outside waiting for him, he stopped in front of them. "To Pad 17." He instructed. He then turned his gaze on the other driver and said "And you follow me."

Without saying anything, the two drivers made a salute, went into their respective APCs, and drove the military vehicles into the large helipad, to Pad 17.

Upon arriving at Pad 17, they already saw the unknown aircraft. It was a plane that shares the same features with the V-22 Osprey, except that instead of two large rotor blades on both ends of the helicopter-plane hybrid, it was instead a plane that has three engines, two one both ends of the wings and one on the tail.

It was a jet engine and the engine itself can turn up and down in the 110-degree angle. The engines themselves are moving up and down on the y-axis as the plane descends into the helipad.

A few moments later, the VTOL aircraft landed on the helipad.

Soon, the forward door of the aircraft opened down and landed on the ground. Behind the door was an airborne airstair. Soon men in black clothing came down from the aircraft first.

After all of the men in black suits came out of the aircraft, a silver-haired woman, about 5'9 in height came out from the aircraft. The general then went to the bottom of the stairs and waited for the silver-haired woman to come down.

"Welcome the Shahenzhen, Ms. Davis." The general said in the most humble manner he can make.

"General Dong, it's nice to see you." The silver-haired girl came down from the airstair and stretched out her hand to him, on which he accepted it.

"So, General, I believe you know where Serpens is."

"Yes, Ms. Davis. However…"

Upon hearing the word 'however', the woman the general called Ms. Davis looked a little upset, even disappointed.

"I would like to tell you where he is, however…"

"Ophiuchus said no. I see. I wonder though how long can he keep the snake on its leash? Oh well, by the way, I already told Mr. Xing about this one the way here."

She then turned her head towards one of the men in black who happens to be carrying a briefcase.

"Mr. Xing has agreed to let me go to that new world and monitor Serpens in great detail personally. In exchange, please deliver this gift to him. It's beyond top secret information the organization has about the other world."

The men in black then gave the briefcase to General Dong, on which he accepted it.

"Here is my clearance from the chairman and the minister. So well then general, I'm going now."

The silver-haired woman then heads towards one of the APCs, "Ah also General Dong, I'm taking this APC. Thank you for your cooperation."

The silver-haired woman then opened the front passenger seat of the APC. One of the men in black then went onto the driver's seat and gestured the driver to get out of the vehicle.

At first, the driver tried to resist at first when he looked at the general who is gesturing at him to get out of the vehicle. The driver then complied and soon the men in black took his seat.

Moments later, the rest of the men in black went into the back of the APC.

The men then drove the APC away into the night, leaving the general and his two drivers.

As soon as the APC drove away from the area, the military transport aircraft silently flew up into the night sky. As it rose up into the sky, the plane slowly became invisible, until it was gone.

Without a single-engine noise or the storm like the wind speeds that a usual jet engine would do.

"Were those even jet engines?" the air force general asked himself.

Then then turned away into the two drivers and looked at them seriously. "You saw nothing tonight. You heard nothing. You know nothing."

The two APCs driver made a salute as if affirming to what the general has just ordered them.

It seems that even the twelve zodiacs are on the move. What is happening?

Looking at the sky, the general thought about his missing grandchild who is missing, believed to be on captivity by the 'aliens' from the unknown world. And the person Ms. Davis mentioned.

Serpens (the Serpent) or better known as Maj. Wang Xin (codename Snake).

End of Chapter

Smokes and Mirrors

Hello there. It is the Ordinary Guy again. For the moment, I am trying to write a new book, an actual book. Still on the planning stage.

Anyway, again, yeah it has been a long time again since I last made an update. I have made a decision. I am going to use the original content as nothing more but a source of reference. I want to inject some new ideas on the topic all-together like the deep state that is behind the most powerful nations of Earth. In addition to that, I am going to add the SCP universe in here as well as ideas from the Electric Universe and Ancient Aliens and some more mythology on it.

It is because I find the original content lacking substance on so many levels (well the fanfiction itself is quite lacking much itself as seen on how bland the characters are).

Yeah, I made him into a very important figure. I even renamed him as Alexander. And yeah Rory is here.

Well enough of the blabbering on my side, time to respond to the reviews.

Review Response:

Wacko12: No, the countess is not dead yet. For the moment, she is still assisting in governing the recently attacked city of Italica.

Assistant Elite General Matteo: Napalm sticks to imperialist imperials.

MadClawDragon: The story will be very different from now on. I am trying to create a history to link Earthlings and Falmartians.

KyleLiberty: Now that Earthlings have to be introduced to Gods or as I call them here, Asuras, as well magic, they would be a bit more careful now. I bet any military organizations in real life would think twice about making a move when they have an idea of things like magic and gods.

King Kurush: I will add some wishy-washy things here like more mythology, a highly organized secret religious sect running the world with a countermeasures arm that would be the SCP group and some obscure scientific ideas like the electric universe. Now that I reread the fanfiction, they are kind of not so Chinese, so I will try to work more on that section. I also called the Arctic War as the Fourth War in Heaven.

King Quinn of Tucky: I would continue grinding out some new chapters in the future.

Guest: I would do my best to make as many as possible.

Warning: This story may touch sensitive topics of the current world and the content may be considered offensive to some readers. I remind you, this is just a fictitious story and all of the views presented here are of the author's views and imagination, and are not real-life events themselves, although it will be based on it. This is just a piece of entertainment and not a form of propaganda or any other suggestive mediums that can create misinterpretations especially to real-world events nor it is meant to influence my reader. Reader's discretion is a must. Criticism, suggestions, and ideas are welcome – and for the grammar, English is my second language and so it is not my main language – expect wrong grammar along the way. Therefore, if a beta reader happens to read this, I think I need help from a person very good in English. I have been writing stories for a few years already, but my grammar and in general, my construction of the story, is still bad.

One more thing, all events, experimental weaponry, techniques and strategies and names involved in this Fanfiction story are all fictional, probably. Nothing in this storyline happened in real life probably. I do not own Gate, obviously!

Don't forget to review – this will be of good help for the author (which is me). China bashings, very personal comments and criticism – I will welcome them all.

Peace!