Chapter 1: Total War

Manhattan 1943. The World is engulfed in the most catastrophic conflict in human history: World War 2. The United States is fighting a war on 2 fronts, Imperial Japan in the Pacific and the Third Reich in morale is at an all-time high, with war fever present in every man, woman and child. The hustle-and-bustle of Midtown Manhattan is replaced with workers and military personnel working around the clock. Even civilians were busying themselves to provide for the war effort. And on May 30th, 1943 at 11:50 AM, the crowds of Manhattan were shocked by the sudden appearance of a strange marble structure in the middle of the city. It stayed dormant for about 30 minutes, which prompted many local police force and military personnel to go on standby.

A young man was doing a crossword puzzle in a local coffee shop when he heard that a weird building propped up in the middle of the street. He seemed intrigued by the structure but decided to continue his crossword in peace.

"A word for disorder and confusion…?" He wondered aloud as he tapped a pencil to his temple.

"What about Pandemonium?" An older voice said. The young man sighed as he stared up to the owner of the shop.

"I could've figured that out on my own, thank you very much!" He said as he scribbled down the word. "So what's up Hank? Or are you going to tell me about that archway down the street? Because if so, I've already heard it countless times already."

"Read me like a book, didn't you?" Hank chuckled as the younger man gazed at him with a bored expression. "Aren't you a least bit interested in that thing too?"

"I am, I just want to finish my coffee and puzzle first. It hasn't harmed anyone… at least I hope it hasn't."

"So it would seem… Also, a fantastical concept of the arcane is Magic."

"Dammit Hank, I was about to get that myself!" The young man fumed as the other man laughed joyfully. He finished out his coffee as he pulled out a few coins. "Here, thanks for the coffee, and no thanks for ruining my puzzle!"

"Heheh, you're too easy you know? So where you off to now?"

"That weird thing down the street. Gonna check it out, and hopefully nothing goes wrong." The young man said as he grabbed his coat and walked out the store. After a few minutes of walking, he reached his destination. A crowd gathered by the structure, with local police getting people to stand back. Militia forces were placed all over the street should the structure pose a threat. Suddenly, the marble structure started to glow until a void appeared in the opening of the archway. It stayed quiet for a few seconds until something flew out of the portal. It soared around for a bit before hovering above the crowd menacingly, flapping its wings at a steady pace.

Out of the portal came other fantastical creatures and what seemed to be Roman centurions. They sported a strange, purple and yellow flag as cavalry units appeared. The men looked around in shock at the sight of the skyscrapers but reigned themselves back in and began to surge forward. The crowd ran away in fear as the mysterious army attacked and killed those in their path. Local police force tried to gun down the invaders but was overrun by the waves of attackers. The gathered militia had a better time dealing with the attackers as they radioed for backup.

The young man ran out to the streets and went to defend the civilians. He saw a little girl crying next to a dead policeman, who was killed by an arrow to his throat. He ran over and got the girl up as he found a legionnaire try to lunge at him. The young man grabbed the policeman's revolver and fired into the invader's head, killing him.

"Hey, kid! Get to running! I'll catch up, you just listen to the cops alright?!" The girl teared up a bit but nodded as she went and ran behind the military barricade. He watched her safely escape as he turned his attention to more civilians fleeing. He and other militants safely escorted the people out of harm's way as they continued to battle in the streets of Manhattan. The young man eventually escaped over to the Madison Square Garden arena, where other refugees hid and were protected by the armed forces.

The invasive forces were finally routed several hours later, as tanks and fighter planes arrived on the scene, killing off the hostile threats. The tanks blasted through the bullet spongey ogres as the airplanes gunned down the wyvern riders. Infantrymen were able to gun down the ancient army efficiently as the invaders started to make a retreat. Mages protected their archers with magical barriers, but the spell wore off eventually, allowing the soldiers to blast through the enemy's ranks. The offensive mages were more of a threat, with fire and lighting being flung at the US soldiers. Some were killed by the spells but were quickly avenged by their brothers-in-arms. Only a few invaders made it back through the portal, taking away any citizens they could grab before leaving. The armed forces mopped up any last stranglers as they made their way to OK the citizens in Madison Square Garden.

After the battle, civilians reunited with loved ones, although some couldn't. The young man watched as the little girl from earlier crying bitterly in a corner.

"Hey, what's wrong?" He asked as he approached the girl. She couldn't be older than 6 he thought.

"M-m-my *hic* daddy… H-h-he's n-not co-coming back… He wa-was all I had…" She then burst out in tears as she cried into her knees. He watched somberly as the girl was facing the fact she was now orphaned. A state he couldn't bear. He got down and hugged the girl, who accepted it willingly. After a few moments, the young man pulled her back a bit so he could look at her.

"Hey, hey listen, look at me ok?" The girl wiped her eyes as she stared up at him. "Good… now kid, I need you to be strong. Can you be strong for me?" She nodded as he smiled. "Thank you. Now then, what's your name?"

"…Natalie…" She whispered.

"Natalie, huh… well then Natalie, I'm not letting you leave here with anywhere to go. So, how do you think about staying with me?" The girl perked up at this and looked in awe at the man before her. "I know I won't be the perfect replacement for your old man, but I don't want-"

"Ok."

"Huh?"

"I said ok. I-I know my daddy won't come back, but… if you're gonna be my big brother from now on… I'd like that…" The girl looked at the older boy, who smiled with relief as he ruffled her hair. He got up and extended his hand.

"Alright then, let's go then." She almost took his hand but remembered one last thing.

"Hey, big brother… what's your name?"

"Oh, my bad. It's Leo. Leo Collins, I work for the army. And I guess after today… you'll be Natalie Collins."

A few days after the Battle of Manhattan, Leo was rewarded for his bravery in the battle. He was promoted to the rank of Second Lieutenant for his actions, an upgrade from his Sergeant Major status. After his awarding, FDR made his way to the podium. From there he talked about the appearance of the attackers, the intentions of the invaders known as the Saderan Empire and ending it off with a declaration of war against said invaders. This took everyone present by surprise. World War 2 was already at its highest point, and even if the Nazis were being pushed on the defensive, they still controlled a majority of Europe. As for the Japanese, the Pacific theatre is at a stand-still with both sides stuck in bitter warfare.

The broadcast and declaration of war resounded all over the world. The Allies voiced their support for their American ally, who was once again attacked without warning by a new entry into the War. The Soviets, however, were wary of the Gate, knowing that if the States got full control of it, they'd have an abundance of resources. And even if they're allies now, who's to say the Americans would stay to that in the future? The Japanese viewed the entry of the Gate as a blessing since the U.S would now have to allocate resources to fighting in the new territory rather than focusing on Japan. As for the Nazis, they claimed that only America would be foolish enough to fight 3 empires at once, but secretly had plans for the Gate should they make it to the American homeland.

The American populous were on board with a war with this new combatant, wishing revenge for the lives lost and the prisoners captured by those cowardly bastards. And after a few weeks of fortifying the Gate's area, the United States would enter the portal. They would send a sizable amount of ground troops along with tanks and planes. The area known as Alnus Hill would be their starting point. After securing the fort, the armed forces are to launch an invasion into the Saderan Empire. Information gathered from the Latin-speaking Saderans revealed that they lived on a continent named Falmart. Therefore, the new battlegrounds of the Second World War would be known as the Falmartean Theatre, and the region itself being known as the New World.

Amongst the men going to Falmart was Leo Collins. He entrusted his close friend Hank Wall to take care of his little sister while he was away. Collins would be the second-in-command of Recon Squad C, tasked with scouting out areas for invasions and making friendly contact with locals. The purpose of such a task is to not only gather information but to ensure the safety of locals who are unaffiliated with the Empire. The U.S did not want any unnecessary conflict, wishing to quickly overrun this threat.

Recon Squad C consists of 8 members. Each one prepared the Empire. The squadron would leave to go to the New World in about 15 minutes, so they decided to get to know each other better. The Recon Squad were in a separate room like other squadrons as they awaited deployment. A grizzled man stepped up to speak with the soldiers present.

"Morning boys, my name is Jonah O'Hara, First Lieutenant. I'll be in charge of this squad here." The man's voice commanded respect but had a hint of friendliness. "Now then, let's get some introductions shall we? Anything we share here stays between us alright?" After getting affirmative nods, he continued. "Good. I'm 42 years old, and I served in North Africa before being called back here." He smiled at the memory as a younger man started up.

"Well ain't you a charmer? Name's Axton Gar, Sergeant. Friends just call me Axe." He ran a hand through his blond hair as he continued. "20 years old, fresh from Georgia, and ready to kick some ass!" O'Hara got a good laugh out this.

"I like your spunk kid! And you there! What's your story?" He said, calling out a soldier fiddling with his pouch. The man straightened out upon being called upon.

"My name is Eric Parker, Technician Third Grade. I'm 24 and I, uh, joined because I… really like working with machines." The dirty-blonde haired man admitted. This got a few more laughs out of the group but was glad to have the technician on board. Going down the list, a soldier on the younger side piped up.

"I'm Private Conrad Andrews. I'm 17 and ever since reading that Hobbit book, I've been wanting to enter the New World."

"Wait, hold on. Did you say you were 17?" Axe asked. After a quick nod by Conrad, he whistled in amusement. "Jeez, so young… practically a kid!"

"Like you're any better." A voice retorted. Everyone turned to meet the owner, a man with short, brown hair and towering over everyone save for O'Hara. "Oliver Grant, First Sergeant. 32 years old. Pleased to make your acquaintance." The tall man sat back down as he signalled for another man to introduce himself.

"Oh, yeah. My name is Frederick Till, Private First Class. I'm 23 years old, got bored at home, came here. And I think that's all there is to me." He nudged the soldier to his right to go before sitting back down. The soldier groaned as they turned to face the group. They took off their helmet and revealed shoulder height orange hair, and after parting it away from their face revealed an effeminate face, surprising everyone present.

"Corporal Caroline Innes, at your service. I'm 25, joined up to fight since no one else in my family could. I got good know-how in the medical side of things, so leave wounds and such to me."

The room was quiet for a bit until Eric broke the silence.

"So you lied about your gender to get in here?"

"Wouldn't call it that, more like… uh… yeah ok, I lied. But what else could I do, you know? Besides who hasn't lied to enter the army before?" 6 hands went up as she sighed. But all eyes turned to the one person who didn't raise a hand: Leo Collins. Caroline took this as a chance to divert attention away from her. "Hey, you. Why isn't your hand up, huh?"

"Me?"

"Who else?!"

"Well, if I raised up my hand I'd be lying." After a few confused looks at him, Leo stood up to introduce himself. "Leo Collins, Second Lieutenant. I enlisted a few months ago. I only got my rank from my actions in Manhattan."

"Ok, but that doesn't explain why you didn't raise up your hand."

"Well… I'm 16. Won't be 17 till next February." This got everyone talking until O'Hara lifted a hand to silence them.

"I'm just as surprised as everyone else here, but remember, not a word to anyone who isn't in our squad. Still," O'Hara sized up Leo, who stared back at him quizzically. "I didn't expect someone as young as you as my second-in-command."

"Jesus, another kid… what are we, Japs?" Caroline muttered. Axe and Eric laughed at this, much to her ire. Frederick shrugged at the news and struck up a conversation with Conrad, who started talking with him about fantasy topics. The older men started to make small talk, with them talking about their families at home. Hearing this, Leo's mind drifted to Natalie, wishing she was doing ok. He just hopes he can make it back soon to spend more time with the little girl.

After a few more minutes, the troops were called to deploy. It would be the first time U.S troops will fight on another world's soil, and they were ready for whatever lied beyond the Gate. Loading into Jeeps, the Squadrons and Platoons of the Army went through the Gate, followed by M3 Lees, M4 Shermans, and other tank variants. Although smaller fighter planes like the P-51 Mustang could go through without hassle, larger aircraft would have to wait before being deployed over in the New World.

The entry into the New World was a dark void that had a light luminating at the end of the tunnel. The armed forces went ahead and got through the exit. Upon exiting the Gate, the area around them was a hilltop, with a valley beyond them. Spotters were able to scope out the enemy forces who were nearby, lying in wait for the United States' army. The battle cry of the prideful warriors resonated throughout the valley, giving some soldiers chills. But they shook it off as they entered their vehicles and went to battle.

The tanks stormed through the terrain, ignoring the arrow onslaught as they tore through enemy ranks. Soldiers in the backlines gunned down Saderan foot soldiers as they tried to encroach onto No Man's Land. Wyvern riders tried to get the drop onto the entrenched soldiers, but fighter planes made their lives a living hell with the raw damage pumped into the beasts. Any tank-like troops the empire had were blown to smithereens by M18 Hellcats.

Mage units were the biggest adversary in the battle. The spellcasters created forcefields that stopped regular gunfire as they launched powerful spells against the war vehicles. Some hit the tanks, which were immobilized, but were able to keep firing. Aircraft had to maneuver around the airborne mages atop the wyverns, who launched ice spells at them. But like the standard riders, they too were shredded by the aircraft's gunfire. Some planes hit by the spells, and the unfortunate soldiers were either blown up in the plane's explosion or were skewered while trying to parachute out.

Ground troops suffered some casualties as well, with the arrow storm managing to hit and even kill some. But the number of soldiers lost by the U.S was minuscule compared to the Empire's loss. The more the battle dragged on, the fewer waves of soldiers approached. After a day of fighting, the Imperial army was all but wiped, with the remnants retreating. U.S soldiers cried out in their first victory against the empire.

First Battle of Alnus Hill

Result: Overwhelming United States Victory

60% of the Saderan Imperial Army… Completely Annihilated

With the dust settled and the Imperial army wiped out, the US went to fortify their position on Alnus Hill before advancing further into the Empire. According to the leading General, it was better for a strong home front to be made before going directly on the offensive. 'Just take a look at the Germans' he said. With that in mind, the new fortress was built, with the groundwork for expansion in the works. The fort held the purpose of aircraft and tank storage, bunkers, rest areas, and medical wings. Siege guns were mounted on its roofs and walls, meaning that any Imperial invasion of the stronghold would be met with heavy resistance. A cemetery was made to bury the fallen soldiers of the battle and to honor them. The base was dubbed Fort Gate and would be the main base of Allied operations.

The news of this otherworldly adversary defeating the Saderan Empire brought shockwaves all over the empire. Especially towards her ruler, Emperor Molt Sol Augustus. The remnants of the fighting forces sent a messenger to the capital of the Empire, who arrived there a week after the slaughter. He requested an immediate audience with Emperor Molt.

"Y-your Highness…! I-I've returned!"

"Oh? And what say you, messenger?" The old man gazed upon the frightened messenger with curiosity. What could've happened to prompt such a terrified soldier before him?

"The forces we've sent to invade the world beyond the Gate… Only 13 return…"

"13 Legions? That is very troubling… but were they at least victorious?"

"No sire, what I mean isn't that 13 legions survived… but rather 13 men!" This revelation shook every man in the throne room to his very core. The senators present were arguing amongst themselves as to how this even happened.

"ENOUGH!" Molt's voice boomed throughout the hall, shushing the men present. "Are you certain of this, messenger?"

"Y-yes sire. Our troops were utterly decimated at the battle. I was told to run back here to inform you of the dire situation. But the survivors, they look like they've been to Hell and back. They speak of such strange horrors of the battle." The meek man lowered his head as the Emperor digested this piece of news. It was worrying that a major force of their army was defeated. If news of this defeat were to spread… Suddenly, a devious plan clicked into Molt's head.

'Yes, of course… a win/win scenario for our empire indeed…'

"Messenger!"

"Y-Your Majesty?"

"Send a message to our Vassal States. Tell the Kings to sound the call to arms and to drive these invaders back beyond the gate."

"That's… It will be done, milord…" The messenger somberly walked out of the war room, with some senators looking at Molt inquisitively. Molt himself was prepared for the outcome of this plan, and already had plans in motion. But for now, it would be wise to wait. For now at least.

A month later, Fort Gate had come a long way from its smaller state. It had much larger and improved walls and defensive positions. Proper wings were established, and the stronghold itself appeared very imposing on Alnus Hill. The airplane field was firmly established and heavily guarded. Despite the Empire being primitive in nature, it'd be nice to not have a repeat of Pearl Harbor here. The underground war room was fully established, where a meeting was taking place.

"According to intel gathered by Recon Squad A, our enemies are amassing a large force just beyond our parameters. Won't be too long till they pass our boundary line." A grizzled old man explained. He is General Kalvin Warner, the leading general of the Falmartean Theatre. "Estimated strength… about 100,000 or so men. This includes wyvern riders and cavalry units."

"The cavalry shouldn't be too much of a problem. Mow 'em down with machine gun fire." A younger officer said. "Although, I worry about some of the more… unrealistic members of these forces."

"Oh, how so?" Another officer asked. "Even with their hocus-pocus bullshit, we've still overrun them."

"If we compare them to the Romans of our world, these Saderans could be just as adaptable to changes. I suspect that with each loss, they get more and more wary of our fighting style. Those mages could potentially be a giant swing factor should they adapt first."

"You raise some good points, Colonel Hughes…" Warner said, stroking his chin in thought. Once he got an idea he started again. "Then why don't we take a page out of the German's book? We'll do a Blitzkrieg offensive for this upcoming battle. Not only will it force the Imperials on the defensive, but we'll then get the momentum to started out invasion of the Imperial homeland." After a few scattered murmurs, the officers present agreed to the plan. The plan was set into motion, and the army prepared for their offensive.

After days of preparation, the Allied States were just about ready for their assault onto Alnus Hill. Before their strike, the Kings decided to host a war council. The first one to speak was the Duke of League Principality, Ligu.

"This battle shall bring glory to all of us vassal states! It seems the Emperor has finally recognized our greatness! Aren't I right Duran?" He laughed as he nudged the older man to his left. The man in purple armor sighed as he looked at the map.

"I worry about this battle. We have received no word from the Saderan reinforcements Molt was sending and I question our being here. Didn't the Emperor send 120 legions to battle? If so, where are they?" The man shook his head as he continued. "I have a bad feeling about this fight. We must act with haste. Even if the enemy won against the Empire here, they must be weakened after such a battle."

"You worry too much old friend," The King of Alguna said. "With you at our forefront, we should be fine."

"I hope you are correct…" Suddenly, a soldier burst into the chambers, fear worn all over his face.

"MY LORDS!"

"What is the meaning of this?!" Ligu exclaimed.

"T-The enemy… They're already here!"

"WHAT?! Impossible! Didn't out scouts say they were still at their base?"

"Yes, but now they're encroaching onto our positions! What do we do?!"

"Put on your helmets. We hold our position and fight for a chance to push back. TO ARMS!" Duran roared as the Kings ran out to fight with their troops. The Vassal army was unexpectedly forced onto the defensive as the otherworlder's iron elephants and metal vultures stormed their ranks. Their soldiers rode in horseless wagons as they attack with their mysterious rods. The iron elephants' trunks exploded, sending their soldiers flying or blowing them up. The wyvern riders attempted to intercept the metal vultures, but after a series of loud cracks, the dragons fell to the ground as the 'birds' rained down hell upon the soldiers.

Duke Ligu foolishly tried to lead a charge against one of the elephants, wherein one flash, most of his raiding party were blown away, with Ligu's own body being blown to bits. The other kings attempted similar rushes, each ending the same, gruesome way. The mages cast their elemental magic, which some were able to incapacitate the elephants from moving, but their trunks kept firing. Men dressed in green came out of the downed beast, shocking the legionnaires present. One man went to heal the beast with a strange tool as the others used their rods to take down any approaching soldiers.

The siege was going terribly for the Vassal States, with many of them losing their leaders in the process. All the while, King Duran stared at the destruction and carnage before him. He clutched his bow hard as he realized what happened.

'The reinforcements aren't coming… The Empire brought us here to die…' He started to laugh like a madman as he aimed his bow towards the enemy. Unbeknownst to him, an artillery shell landed a few feet away from him, primed to explode in seconds.

"I'm not leaving… until I give them one, good shot…" He nocked the arrow back, aiming at an engineer. But before he could release it, the artillery shell exploded, causing Duran's weapon to explode and him to be blown back. The blitzkrieg attack lasted for another hour until the Vassal Army was completely wiped out. The battlefield was littered with Imperial corpses, and as for the United States, about 100 men died with a few tanks damaged in the battle. They'll need repairs before heading back into battle again and the men needed to be buried. Overall, the operation was considered a success.

Second Battle of Alnus Hill

Result: Decisive United States Victory

Saderan Vassal States… Utterly Defeated

Any survivors of the battle were found and brought into the medical wing of Fort Gate to be cared for and eventually interrogated. Out of the survivors was an old man in ruined, purple armor. His injuries were terrible, but doctors were able to save his life. He lost his left eye, left arm, and right leg. His body was littered with scars, and his eyes were desolate. Upon being resuscitated, he was brought in for interrogation. General Warner and a Latin translator, Francisco Suarez.

"Hello, sir. I'm here on the behalf of the United States. Before we get started, mind telling us your name?" The man spoke, to which Suarez translated.

"Duran huh? Strong name… Now then, I want to ask you some questions about this empire we're fighting. Any information helps." Duran spoke again, to which Suarez widened his eyes in surprise. "Hey, Suarez. Don't leave me in the dark, what's wrong?"

"He… he says that the Empire betrayed him. So he'll do the exact same. Duran is willing to answer any and all questions you have." He listened to Duran speak again before continuing. "If allying with us means the fall of the Saderan Empire, then Elbe's sword is with us."

"Really now? That's great news then. Now then Duran… what exactly is this place?"

"Look alive boys, we've got new orders," O'Hara said, holding some files in his hands. The team watched their Lieutenant as he laid out the plans before them. "According to high command, we're to scout out any villages nearby. Our mission is to warn them of the war and get them to either ally with us or ensure their neutrality. Our sister squads went West and South respectively. So we'll head East and go from there. Any questions?" One hand went up. "Go ahead."

"Will we see any friendly elves?" Conrad asked excitedly Leo let out a sigh, but before he could say anything, Axe stepped in.

"You know, I really, really wanna hit you right now for asking such a shit question." Conrad shrank a bit at this, but Axe continued. "Thinkin' 'bout what we saw here… I'd say hell yeah!" The younger boy perked up immediately. "You know a bunch about these things. Think we'll see some bimbos or are they gonna be prudes like Innes here?" An angry 'hey!' was heard from Caroline, but he ignored it.

"Given by what we know through Tolkien's novels and our own legends… I'm going with stuck-up." Frederick replied as he flipped through a comic. "What about you Eric?"

"M-me? Hmm… I'm gonna go with... bimbos? I dunno though. Here's hoping they'll treat us nice."

"If they're even friendly." Grumbled Grant as he shut his novel close. "Given by what we saw here, who's to say they won't blast us with magic the moment we meet them?"

"And I thought I was the downer here…" Caroline sighed. "Would it kill you to lighten up a bit old man?"

"I am lightened up. I'm just a realist." The rest of the team chattered for a bit as Leo got a chuckle at the absurdity of the situation. Here they were, about to march into enemy territory, and the only thing on everyone's mind would be if the elves are sexy or not.

"Hey, Leo!" Eric called out, catching Leo's attention. "What about you? Snobs or Bitches?"

"I don't think I'm the right person to ask here…" He turned to look at his commander, who shrugged as he looked back at him. He shook his head as he relented. "But I'd go with… nice, fair women. Not overtly snobbish, I think."

"Hey, no fair! That ain't one of the choices!" Axe cried.

"Well, I'm the Second Lieutenant here, and I say it is now."

"Wise usage of your power there boy." O'Hara quipped. The other boy groaned as the squad got another good laugh. Leo couldn't help but join in as the talked about nonsensical stuff for a bit.

'Moments like these are nice… I'd like to cherish them while they last.' Leo thought to himself. Eventually, O'Hara got up and gathered his team's attention.

"Alright men, we're headed East to find some friendlies. Pack your stuff and load up." In their small convoy consisted of an M18 Hellcat, 3 M3 Half-tracks, and 2 jeeps. Some of the squad members rode in jeeps, while others rode in the Half-tracks with the other soldiers.

"Imagine this view, but filled with shells… Those Nazis bastards really tore up England hard…" Eric said, looking out towards the plains.

"I'm sure the boys over there are gonna give them what's comin' to 'em soon. S'only a matter of time." Axe replied, laid back in the car. A strange smell filled his nose as he sniffed around. "Y'all smellin' that? Smells like…"

"Smoke." Frederick softly said, looking to his right in horror.

"Yeah, smoke! Nice catch Freddie!" Frederick's face was still in shock, causing Axe to get worried for his spectacled comrade. "Fred?"

"BOSS!" The boy cried. "There's some heavy smoke comin' from that area over there!" Everyone turned to see what Frederick was talking about, and they noticed a black pillar of smoke coming from the forest. O'Hara took the initiative of the situation.

"What in the goddamn… Hey, you boys in the truck! Follow me, we're going to investigate!" He then turned to the remainder of the convoy. "You fellas set up close by, we'll radio for backup, but for now stay put!" O'Hara got his crew to ride into the forest, following the smoke trail. It was a rough drive, but eventually, they reached a forest village. Or what remained of it rather. The huts were all but burnt to ashes, and the area was littered with…

"Dear God… are these elf corpses?!" Caroline gasped, while a private from the other convoy vomited. "Shit, are we too late?"

"It looks so… why don't we scourge around for any supplies then? I doubt there are any survivors here…" O'Hara somberly sighed as he sifted through the remains of a house. He stopped at the sight of a charred elf, before moving her aside silently.

"We should give these guys a proper funeral before we leave then…" Frederick said in a melancholic tone. "Dammit, I need a drink…"

"There's a well over here, find out if it's got any fresh water," Grant said as he lit a cigarette on a burning roof. He noticed a few members giving him an odd stare and shrugged. "Hey, I'm taking any advantage I can get."

"Jesus man…" Was all Conrad said as he took a seat on a fallen log. The group only found some minor scraps and trinkets and were about to leave until Frederick called out again.

"Uhh… guys? You might want to see this…" Leo and O'Hara got over to see what the private wanted, and when they followed his flashlight trail, their eyes went as wide as dinner plates.

"Jesus Christ…"

"HEY! YOU THREE!" O'Hara called out to three convoy soldiers. "Get over here, we got a survivor!" The men rushed over, along with other soldiers on the team. Frederick went into the well, where he grabbed the person before being hauled out by the rest of the squad.

"Innes!"

"On it!" The woman had her medical bag at the ready as she inspected the person before her. A blonde elf girl, looked no older than 18, dressed in rags, and looked worse for wear. But the fact she was breathing gave the medic a sigh of relief. After patching up some external wounds, the girl was taken to the armored car. "She'll be fine physically. But after seeing what happened here, I worry about her state up here." She said, tapping her helmet.

"Thanks, Innes, you're a life saver." Leo let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. He then addressed the rest of the team he gathered for the small excursion. "Alright men, you lot in the half-track take the elf and head back to the others. We'll find out what to do with her later." The men from the convoy nodded as they loaded back up with the elf as they left. "As for us… let's give these guys a proper burial."

The burying process took about 2 hours, but the elves were all buried, with Axe surprisingly giving the fallen a sending off prayer.

"My old man's a religious nut… He said since I'm headin' to war, I should learn to pray for the dead, no matter who they are."

The trip back to the rest of the troops was in silence. No one spoke a word, too disturbed by what they saw. The only thing on their minds was what caused this carnage and why they did it. The recon squad returned without hassle as they continued onto their journey.

After 30 minutes of driving, the group reached a small hamlet. The thing that struck out was instead of imperial soldiers at the gates, were simple farmers. The men gazed at the vehicles in awe as the soldiers made their way into the village. They stepped out of their way mostly out of fear of this new presence. The citizens stopped what they were doing and looked onto the outsiders in curiosity and worry.

Recon Squad C got out first, with Leo OK'ing the rest of the teams to unload.

"They seem docile now. Just be ready for anything, alright?" The soldiers gave a salute as he and O'Hara made their way to find the person in charge. An elderly man approached the two men and asked them something in Latin. Leo tried to converse but gave up mid-sentence.

"Fuck it, you handle this old man! I'm not gonna embarrass myself anymore that I need to."

"…Is this because you didn't pay attention to the Latin class we took at the base?"

"No! It's just…fine, it is." O'Hara raised an eyebrow at the younger boy while he defended himself. "Don't give me that look! That class was boring as hell!"

"I would say that that Axton kid would agree, but somehow he knows a lot more than you."

"Oh shut up! Listen, you're really good at speaking this language fluently, plus you're a lot more experienced at negotiations than me. So don't expect me to do a lot of talking okay?" O'Hara sighed but agreed anyway.

"I'm not doing this by myself though. You're coming with me and you're going to learn on the fly."

"Oh come on!"

Meanwhile, the village elder looked on in confusion as the two men before him bickered. He cleared his throat to get their attention. They stared back at him as he started up again.

"I said, what are you men doing here?" The older man stood up straight, but not before nudging the younger one, much to his ire.

"We are on a mission. We want to engage in peace talks with you." The other man nodded as he continued. "My name is Jonah O'Hara. This one is Leo Collins." The younger man waved, then he spoke, although his accent was much rougher.

"Peace, please. No want to harm. Pizza urchin." The one named O'Hara laughed as Leo fumed.

"You do realize you said pizza urchin instead of please understand."

"S-shut up! I'm trying ok!" Despite the men's trouble with their language, the village chief understood what they wanted.

"I see… alright then, if you would, follow me. We shall discuss everything you need to know at my cottage." The men let out a sigh of relief as the elder walked towards a large house in the middle of the village. Following him, they entered a rather humble abode as the man took a seat. "Now then, I assume you're a part of forces the Empire is fighting, correct?"

"Yes, that is correct."

"Hmm… how curious. You are not like other armies. Others would pillage villages such as ours during war, yet you claim you want to make peace with us?"

"Precisely. We'd rather not drag anyone else into our fight. Our fight is with the Empire and the Empire alone." O'Hara explained. A half-truth, given what the U.S is doing outside the Gate, but the old man doesn't need to know that. "My friend and I here are the leaders of this small force. And we'd appreciate if you would either ally with us or remain neutral."

"That boy is also in charge? He looks so young though."

"Hey! I earn rank! No insult!" The boy chimed in, causing both men to chuckle.

"Lively one, isn't he?"

"Indeed. So then, do you agree to help us?"

"I'd prefer if our village would stay neutral. But I have a friend named Cato el Altestan. An old wizard with a gifted apprentice. They can be helpful to your cause if you ask them."

"Where they?"

"Off towards the edge of town, they live in a small hu-" The elder was cut off by Leo dashing out of the house. O'Hara groaned at his Lieutenant's eagerness to escape the conversation. Although he can't blame him, he was still a boy, no matter how mature he may seem at times.

"I apologize for my second-in-command. Guess he really doesn't want those Latin lessons… Too bad he still has to speak it when talking to the sorcerer."

"Latin?"

"Oh, sorry. I meant your language. It's very similar to a language from our world."

"Oho? Very interesting indeed… But your face, you look like you have something else on your mind. What troubles you, Mr O'Hara?"

"Well, you see…"

Meanwhile…

Outside the village elder's house, the soldiers were on standby. Some stood by their vehicles in case anything happened, but Axe had different plans. He holstered his rifle as he walked over to some children playing.

"Axe!" Eric harshly whispered. "The hell are you doing?!"

"Relax Eric, I'm just gonna ease some tensions with my charm." Axe approached the kids, who stared up to him curiously. Their parents looked on in horror, afraid they might see their child die to this mysterious warrior. But what happened next surprised everyone present. Axe grabbed the small ball the kids were playing with and gave them a… baseball mitt?

"You kids wanna learn how to play ball?"

Leo ran out of the tent, only to be met with the sight of about 8 soldiers playing baseball with the village kids and even adults. And the head of the whole operation was none other than Axe, who was helping a village boy swing the bat. When he got a hard hit, Axe laughed joyfully as he gave the kid a high-five.

"Now THAT'S how you hit a ball! Good job kiddo!" He ruffled the head of the boy before getting up and seeing Leo, who was staring at him dumbfounded. "Somethin' on my face?"

"I-uh… no, it's nothing…" Leo shook his head as he stared at the scene with amazement. In the short amount of time that he and the captain were out… these guys made friends with the village through baseball. Leo wondered whether or not he should be proud of Axton's actions. He'll just go with the former for now.

"It was quite amusing you know," Frederick's voice came up from behind them. The spectacled man carried a smile on his face as he tossed a ball back into the makeshift field. "One minute we thought Axton gonna commit a war crime, the next we're playing ball with the villagers. What a strange turn of events."

"I-yeah sure. Anyways, you guys saw a wizard 'round here?"

"…Like Gandalf?"

"Who?"

"A character from the Hobbit." A confused look from both men made him sigh in disappointment.

"Thinkin' you spendin' too much time with Conrad, Freddie." Axe joked.

"Oh haha, laugh it up, Joe DiMaggio. Anyways, why do you want to see a wizard?"

"The elder says him and his apprentice can help us out. So while Cap is dealing with the old guy, I'll talk with the wizard. Said his name was Cato el Altestan or something."

"Cato… can't say I've heard of someone with that name, although I did see a blue-haired girl with a staff walking around. See if she knows anything."

"Oh, ya mean Lelei?" Axe chimed in.

"Wait, you know her?" Frederick asked, in which Axe nodded, catching the man in glasses by surprise.

"Yeah, Lelei la Lalena is her name she said. She's talkin' with Caroline and Conrad right now."

"Great, thanks Axe! You too Fred!" Leo then took off to find this girl. And just like Axe said, the bluenette was with his squad mates. The closer he got, he was able to hear their conversation, and to his surprise, the girl was speaking fluent English.

"-nd these beasts are tankers?"

"They're just tanks, but yeah. They're not alive at all." Caroline said as she knocked on the plating of the Hellcat, making a clunking sound. "See?"

"Amazing… Who knew there could be such strange contraptions..." The girl said in awe. Conrad then noticed Leo approach and saluted.

"Hey sir, guess what? This gal's a full-fledged magician!"

"I'm still learning. I'm not a master. Not yet at least" The girl then turned to meet Leo, who looked at her with curiosity. "And who are you?" Leo recovered from his shock as he hastily replied.

"M-my name is Leo Collins, I'm second-in-command here. I actually wanted to meet with you."

"Me? What for?"

"I'm trying to find a man named Cato el Altestan and his apprentice. Do you know where they are?" A small giggle from the girl caught the boy off-guard as he blushed a little. "Did I say something funny…?"

"Well, the thing is Leo, I AM the disciple of Cato el Altestan." Leo almost hit himself when she said this.

"Of course, why wouldn't the only other mage be his apprentice… God, I'm an idiot." He shook his head as he went back to Lelei. "Hey, you mind accompanying me to where your master is then? I'd assume you of all people would know." Lelei tapped her finger to her chin as she considered the lieutenant's offer.

"I don't see why not? Yes, I'll get master for you then." She walked off away from the group before stopping to turn around and beckoned towards Leo. "Are you coming?"

"O-oh, yeah, on my way!" Leo said, trying to hide his blush of embarrassment. He ran up to catch up with the girl, who waited for him patiently.

"You know, that girl is impressive," Caroline said as she watched the two teens walk off, talking about something.

"You said it… I dunno what I expected when she pointed that wand at her tongue, but certainly not that!" Earlier, Lelei met with the squad members while Axton was playing with the village kids. She spoke in Latin, and although they tried to speak it with her, they were still rough on it. Then Lelei asked Caroline to open her mouth. She warily did so, and Lelei pointed her wand at her own tongue while using her free hand to touch Caroline's. A flash of light later and the girl was speaking Fluent English, although she started sweating quite a bit after this process.

According to the girl, the spell was a bit of a strenuous one due to it having to manually translate the language piece by piece. And the fact this was done almost instantly shook the two soldiers. They ended up trying to laugh it off, but the whole interaction got them thinking about the capabilities of magic. A thought neither of them was ready to explore.

"And to top it off, she's just 16! Now that's a shocker."

"Well, we have our own prodigy kid, the Second Lieutenant."

"That's true… although I'd prefer if they didn't have to fight so young..."

"I dunno, 16 is close enough to an adult yeah? I'm 17 and I still got in."

"Well, you're different. God, I'm acting like a doting mother, aren't I? I just want this mission to go smoothly..."

"You and me both." Conrad said as he popped open a novel he carried around, with Caroline going back to watch the game between the villagers and the convoy. She then noticed the doors of the main house open, with O'Hara and village elder looking distressed about something. Axe ran up to talk with the older man, but his face slowly turned into one of worry as he looked down at the kids by his legs. He nodded as he went back to the others.

"Guys, really bad news," He started, instantly catching everyone's attention. "Remember that scorched village we found earlier? Apparently, the village elder's sayin' a Flame Dragon burnt it to the ground. Says this place is next." O'Hara came up behind him as he took over.

"We came here while they were getting ready to leave anyway. Help wherever you can men, and once they're ready we escort them out of here." Affirmative salutes responded to the order as the men worked to help out the citizens of the village. O'Hara walked up to his squad as they noticed him. "By the way, where's Collins?"

"Went with the girl magician to find her master. He should come back soon though."

"Alright, get to work then boys."

"Sir yes, sir!"

7 minutes earlier…

"So… how did you learn English so well?" Leo asked the girl as they made their way towards the edge of town.

"English? Oh, your language." Lelei pointed to her staff. "I used a translator spell. It was... taxing, to say the least." She said softly, wiping some sweat off her brow. "I should be glad I am able to walk properly. That must be proof that my hard work has been paying off."

"Yeah, no kidding. English's a hard language to learn. I like being able to talk with you in English though. Beats speaking in Latin."

"Latin?"

"Your language. Unless you have another name for it."

"We just call it Falmartean. But Latin rolls off the tongue easier"

"You can say that again."

"But Latin rolls off the tongue easier?"

"…It's a figure of speech." Seeing Lelei watch him quizzically made him sigh. "Don't worry too much about it, I'll teach you later." Their conversation was cut short upon reaching a modest hut. In the front was an elderly man in a pointed hat, who was in the process of loading up a cart. Upon seeing the two teens before him, he waved to them.

"Lelei! You've returned!" The man exclaimed, with Lelei nodding as she took out a small bag from her pouch.

"Here are the latchberry seeds you wanted Master."

"Thank you, dear. And it looks like you've finally gotten yourself a man!" The girl gave the old man a cold stare before blasting him with ice shards.

"H-hey… isn't that a bit much?" Leo asked, worried for the old man's safety.

"He will be fine. He just needs to learn how to mind his tongue." Lelei responded, only to have the elderly man groan in pain and annoyance.

"Magic is a precious art, don't go squandering it on menial things!" The old man cried as he got up. He then turned to Leo, who looked dumbfounded at the bizarre scene before him.

"I take it he's your master?"

"Unfortunately…" She sighed as she spoke to the elderly man. He nodded as he gestured Leo to open his mouth. A flash of light later and the man was speaking fluent English. And surprisingly, not at all fazed by the spell.

"There we are, much better. Now then, I believe introductions are in order. My name is Cato el Altestan, master sage." The man gave a small bow. "And I believe you've already gotten acquainted with my apprentice here."

"Y-yeah. Listen, my name is Leo Collins. I'm here to-"

"As much as I'd like to listen to you, I can't afford to. Lelei and I have to load up our carriage."

"Why is that?"

"A flame dragon has been spotted. And I am not going to stick around and wait for it to gobble me up. So we gotta get out of here!" He waved his wand as crates magically loaded themselves onto the wagon. This took Leo by surprise, who didn't expect the wares to float so seamlessly.

"'Magic is a precious art, don't go squandering it on menial things.' Weren't those your words, master?" The old man laughed nervously as the girl shook her head. "Well, it can't be helped. Do you mind helping us, Leo?"

"S-sure… just as long as I get your cooperation afterwards."

"Kid, if you help me out here, I'll listen to whatever you gotta tell me. When we get the time of course." Leo nodded as he helped the mages load up their carriage. After getting the carriage to a reasonable weight, they went into the town, where their caravan was also getting ready to leave. Leo gave his thanks as he went back to his team.

Cato and Lelei were in the village caravan, talking with some of the townsfolk. A loud thud was heard, along with a scream and soldiers yelling. Lelei, out of curiosity, went to investigate.

Lelei! What are you doing?"

"I'm going to find out what's the problem. I'll be back soon master." The bluenette ran up to the center of the commotion, shrugging off some soldiers trying to tell her to hold back. She found a horse that was foaming at its mouth on the ground along with a woman who was bleeding from her nose. "I can fix this… I just need to-" Her musings were cut short as the horse suddenly reared up, getting ready to trample over her. The girl closed her eyes and waited for the end to come.

"LELEI!" A body tackled her as 3 loud bangs went off nearby. The girl slowly opened her eyes and before her laid the body of the beast, blood pooling out of 3 small holes in its neck. It stirred for a moment before falling still. The blue-haired girl looked up and found herself staring right at Leo, who had a look of worry on his face. "Hey, you alright?" A small nod made him breathe a sigh of relief.

"You… you saved me…"

"Yeah well, you were gonna get yourself killed by sitting there. Don't do that again, alright?" He said as he helped the girl up. She stared at the boy in front of her for a bit. Normally, armies wouldn't care at all for civilian casualties, but this one seemed to actually care for their safety. She then turned her attention to the fallen horse, intrigued by the deadly holes pumped into it. But seeing it made her remember her near-death experience, and the person who saved her. She walked back with Leo as he went to his jeep.

"…Thank you." A small nod from the boy let her know he heard. She sighed in relief as the jeep started to take off.

The evacuation order was carried out successfully, and the convoy hit the road. On the way through the plains, the convoy kept running into roadblocks.

"My wagon! It's stuck!"

"Alright boys, just like training! HEAVE!" Luckily, most were solved by American intervention. However, some villagers just couldn't make it, unfortunately. Others had to set fire to their belongings to make space. A sad reality the Americans faced, unable to assist fully in their efforts. The men in the half-tracks offered to let some villagers ride in their cars, much to the amazement of the children. They were on the road for about an hour until Conrad spotted something.

"Hey, Boss. There's a buncha ravens over there, and a… little girl?"

"What? Sure you ain't hallucinatin'?"

"I'm seeing this right, here you look Axe!" Conrad handed the other boy the binoculars as he went over to the half-track O'Hara and Eric were sitting in. "Hey, something's up. Can you send some guys up?" A quick motion got two men running out of the truck to approach the strange girl. They made simple small talk as they got to her. The girl smiled wistfully as she walked to the caravan with the men. She saw the children in the half-track and grew wary of the men with her.

"Everyone look! It's the Apostle Rory Mercury!" Cried a village man. The other villagers came up and gave her their respects, and the children in the truck smiled giddily at the Victorian girl.

"Hello everyone, what's going on here? Why are you all in a rush to go somewhere?"

"Ah, you see, a Flame Dragon is in the area. We're trying to leave. These men in green are helping us leave. They're very friendly by the way!"

"Oh? They aren't dragging you here by force?"

"Not at all! One of them is a really fun big brother! His name is Axe and he taught us how to play baseball!" A younger girl exclaimed. Rory widened her eyes at such a statement. Not only are they treating the villagers well, but they are friendly too. Most interesting…

The man in the truck tapped the door, getting Rory's attention.

"Hey, miss. If you're not gonna cause us trouble, are you coming in or not?"

"Oh? And who are you? And what's this thing?"

"Grant and this is a truck. Are you loading up, yes or no."

"I think I shall then, thank you." She tried sitting in the back, but it was too crowded for her tastes. So she sat in the passenger seat of the truck… which meant she sat on the lap of a very annoyed Grant.

"Hey, girlie… I ain't Santa. So get off my lap!" He grumbled, causing the driver to chuckle. "You shut it!" The man quickly fixed his eyes on the road, but not before attempting to hide his laughter. And much to Grant's ire, Rory adamantly stuck to his lap.

"Ooh… I swear I'm going to lose it…" After the encounter with Rory Mercury, the group carried on, with the only other piece of news was that the elf might wake up soon.

Suddenly, an ear-piercing roar bellowed throughout the plains. The villagers instantly went for cover as the Americans armed themselves for a battle. A large shadow was cast overhead as the behemoth that was the Flame Dragon appeared. It breathed fire over a majority of the village caravan, burning many of them alive. It dropped down to eat the remains of the dead villagers, with others running away in fear.

The American troops spurred into action, firing a hail of bullets into the dragon, who shrugged it off.

"DAMMIT! KEEP FIRING! WE'LL FIND A WEAK SPOT EVENTUALLY!" O'Hara barked as his crew kept blasting the dragon.

"H-hey, what're you doing?!" Caroline's voice came from behind him. A hand then grabbed the man by his shoulder, getting him face-to-face with the elf from earlier.

"Shoot his eye! That's his weakness!" She said, pointing to her eye. O'Hara was shocked for a second before nodding.

"MEN! STRIKE ITS EYE!" The team's fire concentrated onto the beast's eye, causing it to stagger back in pain. The tank destroyer rolled up as the radio sparked to life.

"Hellcat here. Gonna see if we can get a good shot in now. Keep that thing busy alright?"

"Copy that Hellcat. KEEP FIRING!"

"Alright, got the shot lined up. I'm gonna let 'er rip!"

A loud burst was sounded as the Hellcat fired its main gun. The dragon attempted to dodge it, but a quick flash made it lose balance, causing it to trip into the shell. The dust settled and was left a dragon that was bleeding heavily. And to its left was a severed arm, blown off by the Hellcat. The beast snorted before retreating, leaving the convoy alone. The men in the tanks got out as they looked at the giant arm before them before raising their guns into the air.

"HOORAH!"

Whew lad, that was long. But it was really fun writing this. I initially got the idea for this fic really by thinking: How would World War 2 era United States fare against the events of Gate? That and it'd be fun playing with a country that isn't restricted by international laws, because A: UN hasn't been invented yet, and B: The U.S would have free reign to expand, unlike the JSDF in the original story. Any feedback on the story is appreciated, as always! I'm working my other story too, don't worry. Well, until next time, see ya!

Next Chapter: Night Running