Chapter 31 Part 1 of 1 (Patreon)

Domonos looked over the most recent map information on the locations for all of the Sects pushing towards Vuzgal.

There were just grey markers, taking into account when they had left the different cities, how fast they had been moving and the direction they were going in. There was no recent information on just where in the mountain ranges they were.

Domonos' eyes fell on the iron ring around Vuzgal. They showed patrol routes for the airforce and the scouts observation posts.

Zukal walked into the command center.

"How are the reserves looking?"

"Good, they were listening to their training staff. They haven't slept in three days, since they were recalled."

"You get them sorted out?"

"They have their weapons already, gave their leadership training ammo and moved them into their barracks. Rest them up tonight. Tomorrow have them out on the range getting used to their equipment."

"Good. Then we'll push them into the defenses." Domonos said, looking over the underground city that peeked up out of the ground in front of Vuzgal.

"You sure you don't want them to support the front lines?"

"Too much can go wrong. Their cultivations are all over the place. So what a normal soldier does, they might not be able to. They need time to adjust. Run them through using the defensive weaponry. Easier than figuring out new gear, new tactics and having to use them all in a few days. We have plenty of forces in the field," Domonos pointed at the artillery units.

"With all of our units turned into artillery platoons we've created a double ringed defense." The artillery positions were spaced out like a “W” that had been repeated over and over again in a crude circle.

"We have two lines of artillery so the guns will never go silent as they continue to pull backwards. Our people have been working alongside one another for years now. They work seamlessly, adding in new units will only add complications. And we won't have a place for them. Instead of increasing their combat effectiveness, it will reduce it, turning our lean fighting machine into a bloated whale."

"Understood," Zukal looked at the map. "So what do we do now?"

"Now?" Domonos exhaled and stood up. "Now we wait and watch for the enemy.

***

Captain Wazny moved with his sparrow mount against the air, his eyes never left the diverging black lines. Like a river of poison, the different sects were flowing through the different mountain paths that led towards Vuzgal.

“Hey Joe, you seeing this too?” He asked Joe Santos, his wingman for the recon flyover.

“If you mean the thousands of people flooding through the mountains, yeah I see it.”

"Well, shit."

"We got five days out of it. Still take them another three or four to reach Vuzgal and they're in our range now," Santos said.

"You're one positive bastard aren't you. Just give me a second I'm gonna call it in."

Wazny used his sound transmission device to connect to the Vuzgal command center.

"Vuzgal command, this is Recon Flight Alpha Three, message, over." Wazny checked the map on the inside of his arm.

"Recon Flight Alpha Three, this is Vuzgal Command, say message over."

"Vuzgal Command, be advised I am seeing the enemy moving through the northern mountain range, grid square Whiskey November Two Six Ten heading south over."

"Recon Flight Alpha Three, understood would you be able to give exact locations for the different passes they are using?"

"Vuzgal Command, understood, wait one over," Wazny checked his map against the ground terrain and went through the process of passing back information to Vuzgal Command.

***

Rugrat was leaning against George who was keeping him warm, looking over the artillery position.

"Why did you take the worst sentry shift?" Simms asked.

"Not like either of us need to sleep much anyway," Rugrat said as he shifted his sling, raising his rifle that was between his legs and scanning the forest beyond.

"Yeah. But still boring as hell in the middle of the night."

"Don't worry. You'll be back in your warm cot in no time," Rugrat grinned as he kept scanning.

"All forward artillery platoons this is Vuzgal Command, stand to. I say again, stand to!"

Rugrat stood up as Simms raised his rifle a little higher.

The artillery position came alive as lighting formations lit up. Artillery squads rushed out to their prepared guns.

Rugrat pulled out his map and checked it. Symbols were appearing all across the map in the north and the south.

"Looks like the recon flights found them."

The red river of enemies seeped into the mountain ranges. Secondary markings showed possible routes that they might take into Vuzgal.

"Load for spell trap dispersal, our observers should have coordinates for us shortly." The Second Lieutenant briefed his squad leaders through the linked sound transmission channel.

The mortars’ coverings were removed, revealing their runes. Enhancing formation plates were activated as mages prepared spells to increase the mortar's range.

Rugrat and Simms seemed to be outside of the craziness happening all around them.

"Lay down the spell traps first, then wait till they get into range. How do we know that they're not going to reach the spell traps before we hit them with mortars?" Simms asked.

“We don't. The scouts have to radio in coordinates to the command center. They'll check them and agree. It’s up to them to make sure that the spell traps are far enough back that the enemy shouldn't run into them first. Starts a timer really. We have to hit them with mortars directly before they reach the spell traps or we lose the element of surprise." Rugrat grinned. "Don't worry, it won't be long now." Rugrat patted George who let out a low growl.

"Target is preset Charlie!" Second Lieutenant Couto yelled out.

"Target is preset Charlie!" The mortar squad leaders called back. "Deflection change!"

The Squad leaders called out changes to the mortar teams who adjusted according to their presets.

The guns were turned in line, their sights adjusted and checked onto their markers before setting the guns again and adjusting the elevation.

"Mortar One One ready!"

"Mortar Two Three ready!"

Mortar teams finished positioning their mortars. They operated in teams of four: the gunner on the gun checking the sight, ammunition bearer one stood on the other side, ready, the second ammunition bearer was checking his storage ring, checking on the mortar rounds to make sure that they had the right amount of additional charges.

Two mages stood at the rear with the squad leader, a Staff Sergeant or Sergeant, the formations they were on glowing with power, linked to the mortar.

"Mortar Team One One, tracer round, fire when ready!" Couto yelled.

"Tracer round!" The Staff Sergeant called out, the first ammunition bearer took out a tracer round.

"Hang it!"

They held the top of the round.

"Fire!"

They released and ducked.

The formations flashed and the mortar fired illuminating the dark hill.

Everyone waited in silence as Couto waited on his sound transmission device.

"Shift one five zero, drop one hundred!"

"Shift one five zero drop one hundred!" The Squad repeated as the squad leader turned that into changes, the gunner inputting them as the first ammunition bearer readied his next round.

"Looks like a real military now. Shit." Rugrat said.

The other mortars were all adjusting their point of aim off of the changes happening with Mortar One One.

"Ready!" The squad leader yelled.

"Fire when ready!"

"Hang!" The Staff Sergeant ordered.

The Ammunition bearer loaded.

"Fire!"

The mortar fired once again.

They waited, looking between one another.

"Good shot! All guns load T-D rounds! Twenty rounds each, increase deflection two turns after each round. Fire when ready!"

Everyone went into motion.

Ammunition bearers dropped their rounds and ducked out of the blast of hot gas. Gunners changed the deflection before the next round was placed in the mortar's mouth.

The six mortars fired off of one another, the waves of air hit those standing on the hill constantly as they worked methodically.

"Rounds complete rounds complete! Change to new target!" Couto yelled as they finished coating their target area with three hundred and twenty artillery shells.

In the silence as guns were cleaned and repositioned Rugrat heard the rumblings of the other artillery platoons nearby.

He checked his rifle and looked out into the darkness.

"If everything goes well I won't have to use you." He tapped his fore finger against his rifle's body. I have a feeling that I'll have to.

***

"Been a day since we spotted them, but they're all finally in range," Zukal said.

New yellow zones appeared on the map, marking out where trap formations and shells covered the ground.

Domonos' eyes were focused on the crooked red lines that weaved through the mountain paths into Vuzgal Valley.

"What time is it?"

"Around seventeen hundred hours."

"They should be settling down in a few hours to camp. Do we hit them as they’re going to ground or as they wake up and start moving? If its when they set up camp, they're all spread out. In the morning they'll be packed together again." Domonos looked at the trap fields.

"They will be deeper in our range and they shouldn't hit the trap formations."

"I vote for morning," Zukal said. "Our people can set their ambushes, preset their impact zones. In the light our people will be more alert while they're just meandering. They will also see their lines collapsing in the light. At night they won't know what situation they're in."

"Director, at what time do they break camp in the morning?"

"Oh-Seven-hundred hours.The Willful Institute dictates when they move." Elan was standing off to the side.

"Do we have more information on where their leadership is?"

"No. We know where their units are but Marco Tolentino doesn't want to be found apparently."

Domonos grimaced.

"We would do the same thing. Hell, we have with the Adventurer Guild's assaults." Zukal said.

Domonos looked at the lines in the rear, the supply lines and camp followers.

"That's where I would be if I was him. They're well back from the artillery though. Kanoa, you think that your people could hit their supply lines?"

"Hit them with the sparrow flights. They'd have the maneuverability to hit them multiple times. The Kestrel's are much too slow."

"Artillery will prioritize forces moving along the mountain passes. The air force will target the supply lines. The camp followers aren't under the same restrictions as the fighters. If they collapse to the rear, the forward forces will lose their support and luxuries," Domonos said.

"Most of the fighters are pampered. Their every care is sorted out by someone else so they're in the best condition when they fight. Without having those luxuries taken care of, it'll effect their morale," Elan explained for Kanoa's benefit.

"Sorry, just still hard to get my head around. Won't we be hitting, you know, civilians?"

"Would you consider our quartermasters and supply lines to be civilians?" Domonos asked.

"Well," Kanoa frowned.

"The traders? Well they've been conscripted into the military as well. The camp followers are actively supporting the fighting forces. They came out here knowing the risks. They too want to gain from our corpse. I don't like it. But, they are vultures. While the army is the tiger. The difference, in the Ten Realms, between fighter and civilian is a thin one. Most have experienced death, and the majority have needed to kill to survive. Whether they killed  beasts or humans, it’s a degree of difference."

"I understand sir. I have my orders."

"Good. It'll be their task to hit the supply lines and camp follower trains in time with the artillery barrages."

"Yes sir."

"Make sure that everyone rests as much as possible tonight, tomorrow it begins." Kanoa looked at the leaders in the room.