The Imperial Invasion

Xalerion walked forward. The scene was almost disastrous. The dead littered the ships, although it was of both sides. The siege equipment was largely unaffected, although some had been frozen to the point of needing repairs. The Imperial Legion troops moved aside from the Imperial Guards. Xalerion squad of fifty thinned out until there was some on each ship, he now walked with his own private squad of a mere ten Elite Imperial Guards.

As he neared one of the last ships in the Western Fleet, he found a Vurstarian with katar like claws and a shimmering scimitar. He had his own large squad with him. They seemed to be coordinating the fight, as they surrounded the Vurstarian as if they were personal guards. As they approached, Xalerion suddenly heard a war cry from a Vurstarian. The one who did so, charged at Xalerion, a shield of coral was out, and a long spear in hand. Xalerion smirked from under his helm and nodded to his own men. They backed away, knowing that this would end up in a literal blood bath.

Xalerion side stepped and dodged the pointed spear. He brought his armored knee into the staff, breaking the spear in half as if it were a thin branch. He spun and kicked, smashing his boot into the shield of the Vurstarian, sending it flying back along with the soldier a few feet. The Vurstarian got back up, they circled around each other. He gave another cry and lunged forward with the broken part of the spear. Xalerion did nothing, but watched as the staff broke and splintered against his impenetrable armor. Xalerion suddenly grabbed the Vurstarians face and held him above the ground. A jet of green and blue flames shot out from that hand. The body crumpled onto the floor, slight jolts of electricity mysteriously plsed around the body.

"Who's next?" Xalerion bellowed.

I watched as one of the Vurstarians boldly stood up to the elite soldier. He ripped through him like paper, it was horrible to watch but it was inevitable. May Lord P'rossa watch over him. The Temperean turned his glance back over towards me. I'm not sure why but there was a glimmer in his eyes. He seemed interested to see me, I guess you could say.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, Temperean." In all honesty, I wasn't in the mood to chat. But I'll keep it short and sweet, see what information I can gather. I don't expect much from this one, who knows I probably am biting off more than I can chew. But that's no matter, I planned on dying here anyway. "But I believe you're here to destroy us for a so called 'purpose'. My people are unaware of what we've done wrong. We've been in isolation and away from otherworldly problems, we are not the cause to your traumas. And yet you purge our barrier with bloodied intent."

I looked him dead in the eyes, no emotion showing. I couldn't afford to show emotion here, this isn't the time for it. "To come into our land unannounced and lay waste to the embodiment of our city. To insult Lord P'rossa with your purpose, you disgust me." Water laced itself along my claws, incasing them in ice. My tail swereved behind me, but other than this I remained motionless. If I didn't have to fight, I wouldn't. But judging from them barging into our home, I'm expecting one.

"There is no room for your kind here. We left your walls peacefully to protect our own. Your problems are not ours, but I assume that's not the reason you're here. You have something in mind, don't you?"

Xalerion looked at the Vurstarian in the eyes. Just as his enemy did, he showed no emotion whatsoever. He sighed and grabbed his gear sack, taking out a scroll and unfurling it before the Vurstarian. He showed the scroll, as was his orders.

"Then your leader hasn't told you, his own people, very much, has he? New Tempera proclaimed war upon you five days ago. The leader of your nation responded to it, therefore we are not "unannounced". Secondly, this is an edict of the great Lord Chancellor of New Tempera, acting in our Emperor, Polius V's stead. We are to purge the traitors of the Empire, forthwith, due to their secession as a Feudal State. You do not know this apparently, but you isolationism only began after illegally seceding from the Empire after the death of the Great Polius IV! I guess not only is the country isolated, but so are its own people from common knowledge."

Reading through the scroll, I couldn't believe what I was being shown. What was S'grasso hiding from us? Why was he hiding from us? The Tempereans were always very organized in all they did, war was no exception. This however I was confused about, why am I here fighting? Why am I truely here? I looked back into the eyes of the Temperean that stood before me.

"I guess we're left with no other choice then. We are at war, and we must do what war calls for. I request that we make this honorable, you Tempereans know of the word very well."

I unstrapped my muzzle helm, tossing it behind me as one of the other Vurstarians captured it. I was not at all ashamed of my scar, although I wasn't proud of it either. "Unlike our king, I am trustworthy to my kin. I protect with my life as I trust they would do for me." I removed my chest plate, along with my quiver and arrows. To me, this was a death match, one of us would not make it out alive.

"If I am to make it out of this alive, I assure you that our king will be dealt with. Even if I have to do it personally. He has betrayed us all, he has kept word from our ears, he has taken away from us while we have given to him."

Thoughts raced through my mind as our enemy faced us. I wasn't sure what to think, who to believe. There were so many things wrong, I can't see what's right. Is the reason I'm fighting right now a good reason? Or am I dying for a lost cause?

"My name is Et'rivvok. I am a Warlord of the Sea. You may not believe it, but I have a reason to fight. For my city, for my people, for Lord P'rossa. For everyone I know and love. My adrenaline blasted through my body, I felt like I was burning up. To think I might die here, for all the wrong reasons. I am sorry Lord P'rossa, I have failed you. "I may have failed them all, but that doesn't mean I've given up. I will still stand and fight for what I believe is right."

Teekeeus had helped a few soldiers back at the camp before returning to the beach. the fighting was still going but a few more ships have landed, and even more were on there way. the dead and dieing were all around him, they ran out of streachers and one of the medics is dead "oh P'rossa... what do we do" He said to him self. "hold out" an injured soldier said as he placed his back against a rock "help will come" he said losing his breath. Teekeeus had turned to look at him and kneeled next him "lets get you out of here" He said, as he helped him limp back to camp he thought of his words. "oh, i hope your right" He finaly said putting him down at the camp. Teekeeus looked back to the ships, somthing was happening and he wish he knew what it was, he could faintly make out two groups of men but that was all.

As the final transport under Tarn's command landed and the Flamehurlers disembarked on the shore Tarn gave the order to push forward again. This time the Flamehurlers took the lead and burned anything in their way and if someone was lucky enough to escape them then they would meet the long pikes of the Legion. Tarn showed no mercy for the traitors as he stood on a rock issuing orders to his men, he watched as the beach turned from a chaotic battlefield to a raging inferno

''This is what happens to those that betray the Empire,'' He said ''And so it shall happen again. Do what must be done, do not hesitate, show no mercy.''

And so they did, burning and battling their through any and all Vurstarians in their path. They moved across the beach as an unstoppable juggernaut.

Xalerion took a final glance toward the beach-head. All of his transports had started to dock and unload their soldiers. The shore was a raging sea of shimmering armored Legionnaires. He turned back to the Vurstarian and smirked. He removed his great helm and then his chest plate, revealing nothing underneath but a light red tunic of thin cloth. You could tell however, that he was musclebound, probably from hours, even days of merciless training.

He decided to leave his armor on from his waist down. He drew his longsword, the dark ore blade shimmered in the sun, as well as the large shield he held in his free arm. He split his legs and rose his blade above his head in the "Hawks Stance".


"Let's begin this, Vurstarian." Xalerion said with a cold undertone, which would turn most normal men cowardly and still.

I watched as the Temperean stanced himself, ready to duel. He accepted my challenge, in a way I was honored. But that's not the point here. The other warriors back up into a large circle along the ships, we had an open area to work with along deck. I drew my scimitar, it shined vividly against the sunlight. His sword was quite large, he seemed very well built and I could tell he was no laughing matter. This wasn't a force to be reckoned with.

I set myself in a crouching stance, ready to retreat or pounce upon command. Looking deep into his eyes once more, the emotions remained faded. He was cold, but he knew what he was doing. He set his feelings aside to do what was right for his people. As I do for mine..

"It will be my pleasure, Temperean."

Teekeeus saw that the impearial troops have landed and our forces have been pushed back "damn, what can we do?" Teekeeus said running to pull a downed solider from a fight, the enemy had taken large amounts of the beach "move the camp farther back get the injured away from this place" Teekeeus said to Neilix before he ran back to tell the other medic. Teekeeus looked back to the ships and saw that there was some comotion on board, what looked to be a fight "good luck" He said no no one specific. he then returned to the battle at hand, he took out his bow and tried like the others to take out the flamethrowers. some of the arrows found there mark but others only scratched there heavy armor. "aim for there legs" he said to a small group of archers, they began to try to hit the weaker armor between the shin and upper waist, that tactic was doing better then aiming strait for the heavy chest plates. He then returend to help more the injured far from the battle.

Finally, a full fifty percent of the overall invasion force hit the shore and invaded the lands of Vurstaria, starting with the beach head. Officers of heavy silver plate armor, along with about twenty Imperial Guards landed on the last ship, spreading mass chaos among the enemy ranks due to their amount of power. Trees burned everywhere from Flamehurlers who had been decimating the entire area. It truly was hell in a manifested form.

The sun had gone down, and yet the entire beach was lit bright from the blazing inferno. The Imperials officially had the Vurstarian troops on the run. Those troops who could move from the enemies force, moved deeper into the forest, trying to avoid being burned alive or preemptively being slaughtered by the Shock Troops. Even though the Vurstarians were pushing forward with their might, many casualties were a cost from the initial beach landings. Over one hundred and fifty lay dead, two hundred more wounded.

Back at the Western Fleet, Xalerion continued to square off against the Vurstarian warlord. They had been battling for only ten minutes, but it felt much longer. He had been dealt many blows from the enemies scimitar and katar claws, while he had also dealt near fatal blows from his shield and longsword.

Xalerion found that this was going on for far too long now, he had to win, and win quickly. He looked to his men who watched his fight, and then to the enemies men who also stood, facing toward their enemy. Xalerion knew that this had to be concluded now. If he did not get second half of the troops to the beach soon, absolute victory could be washed away quickly.

"I am sorry about this Vurstarian, do not take it personally. You are a grand fighter, and I hold very much respect for those who are, whether they be ally or foe, but I have my orders, and on Polius IV's name, I shan't fail them." Xalerion said.

Xalerion snapped his fingers. His entire squad of Elite Imperial Guards charged forward in a fury toward the Vurstarians who were initially with the one Xalerion was dueling. It ended as it started, abruptly. The Imperial Guards stood over the shattered bodies of their enemies, and looked back to Xalerion who nodded. The last of the Vurstarian forces had been wiped out from the Western Fleet. The only one left was none other than his opponent who stood before him dumbfounded.

A slight glimmer of sorrow passed over Xalerion's deep eyes. He knew his job, and he would keep to it. With the last second, he swung his sword forward, slicing clean through the last Vurstarian's stomach. The enemy fell over the edge of the ship, and sunk in the water. Xalerion saluted the fallen enemy in the New Temperian style, and then thought.

"The body is heading directly for the underwater city, hopefully they can heal him before he dies... I would very much enjoy another duel, after this damned war."

With that, Xalerion retrieved his armor back from another Imperial Guard, donned his helm, and headed off toward the last transport to the beach.

Teekeeus whatched hoplessly as his fellow in arms were merciless slaughterd infront of him "Neilix! break camp start to transport the injured as far away as possible from this, i fear we have lost here" He took one last glance to the ship, there was a group of men and no more fighting, Teekeeus sighed and hoped for the best before picking up his gear and helping a solider to his feet "C'mon keep moving, if your able carry streachers, we need to get you out of here" some soldiers had ran past them but others offerd to help get the wounded back to safty. He had a horrible feeling in him, after seeing the masses of lifeless bodies, but he removed the image from his mind and focused that there were still some left that were in need of him. "keep moving!" He said as he helped a soldier walk with the others. we must leave.

Teekeeus and the others were able to get most of the wounded back to the city although he found out that the back half of the group were waiting for a few people to catch up and were ambushed, none survived. "Neilix take the lightly injured into the first room, and tell the other medic to bring the more heavely injured into the second, save the third for revoveries. Teekeeus helped get the soldiers down onto the ground were the other medics can begin to help them. He noticed a group of soldiers rush in another one from the opposite door. He left the other medics and Neilix to there jobs and went to look over the other soldier. "what happend to this one?" Teekeeus was asking, but then noticed it was actualy Et'rivvok. "oh no... you quickly go grab my bag!" He said to one of the soldiers. as soon as the bag was in Teekeeus hand he began to look over his wounds. "not to good..." He said while he injected somthing into his arm. "hey, hey can you hear me?" Teekeeus began saying to Et'rivvok despratly trying to get him to wake. He then began to press solvent coverd bandage into his wounds. "oh please wake up,Et'rivvok?, oh P'rossa help him!" Teekeeus wisperd manily to him self. "go get me another vial please" He said to a soldier.

There were a lot of thoughts running through my mind, even now. I didn't realize at first I was still alive, I believed that I was halluscinating. Visions of the Tempereans, a Vurstarian slaughter. I saw the one in the dark armor again, his eyes as I fell through the water. They were unsatisfied, not in a power-hungry way but in a way that made me think he wish this could have been avoided. More flashes of visions, I wasn't sure what I was being shown. And then...

"Oh please wake up, Et'rivvok? Oh P'rossa help him! Go get me another vial please!"

Teekeeus..? I can't be dreaming this, am I alive? My eyes shot open as my body tensed, I rushed up into a sitting position but quickly held my wound. It stung, badly. Was I back in the city? I wasn't going to even bother trying to talk right now, I was exhausted. I fell backwards, my eyes slowly closing again. I had to mutter something.

"I'm alright.. Teekeeus.. I'll survive."

Teekeeus had just recieved the vial when he saw Et'rivvok shoot up, then lower back down and wisper. "oh thank god your alive! i though is said i DIDnt want to see you on a streacher" He said injecting another vial full of solvent. He then removed the now blood soked bandage and replaced it with a fresh one. "well your safe now" He said still inspecting the wounds, there pretty deep he thought, it was worse then most of the others but he didnt doubet he couldent pull through. He had another vile filled and injected before he removed the bandages again to begin sewing the gashes back together. Teekeeus had then secured the stiches and wrapped him back up. "get some rest" He said not knowing if he was already asleep or not, he then moved away from him and began to treat another soldier with burn woulnds aross his chest