Steel and Mana

From our vantage point, I watched as the beasts got stopped, showing us that a victory was at hand. Of course, I never doubted that, because if this number of monsters could hamper our army, I would have been devastated. As for the big ones... I had confidence in our mechs.

Ten of the, actually, big cats, were already engaging with the first of my mechs to respond. Not that they could fight back, as the barrage of fire rained down on them came from a distance they couldn't pounce on. It was... nice to hear them howl in pain. Still, I wasn't allowing myself to get complacent, because if even one breaks through, just one, it could kill more soldiers than the whole tide surrounding them right now.

"Knights, intercept them before they can get another meter forward," I had ordered, not wanting to even see one of them try to jump over us.

I watched as one of the newer-built mechs' flamethrowers came alive, setting one of the beasts on fire, while another, namely the Leviathan, was coming in tandem with the firespewing brother of his and smashed down on the cat, unafraid of getting dosed in the same fire. From further behind, the artillery was still shooting, bombarding the surroundings, discouraging the monsters from trying to flee or avoid my mechs' charge. Honestly, from the image alone, it looked like it was midday with how many fire spells were coming down from the skies, dispelling the night.

As I looked, my eyes, without me thinking about it, moved to find my son and future daughter-in-law...

Their machines moved together, and from all of the others, theirs was the most fluent formation. Jila's Juggernaut was running ahead first, its more bulky frame surprisingly agile as she was throwing herself at the titanic kitten without hesitation. The beast, as a reaction, reared on its hind legs, wanting to swipe down with its front paws, but Jila didn't dodge or stop at all. In my head, I could hear her hydraulics screaming as she locked both arms around the beast's torso, getting it into a firm hold. The monster roared, its claws coming down on her back plating as it tried to tear and bite into her, but the Juggernaut held, legs digging in like roots of a tree.

Then... with a flip, she lifted the beast up and tossed it into the air, surprising the monster as it whipped its tail, hitting Jila in the process, making the mech tumble. Still, in the air, it was now defenseless...

That was when my son and his Blade came. His mech was already in position and its chosen weapon, the bone-sword, folded against his arm, flicked out in one fluid motion, the genuine monster runes on it activating in the process. Sparks of lightning ran across its whole length by the time it was completely extended and swung his arm in my Father's signature style, converting what he taught Lancelot perfectly into being used by his mech. I couldn't help but wonder if my Father's style developed to this extent since piloting the Lion, and the only answer to it was: yes. It did. Lancelot's sword swung in a perfectly calculated arc that opened a line of white-hot cuts across the monster's ribs before it could drop to the ground... then... with a thrust, the now visible insides were skewered, and by the time the beast landed, it was already dead.

I felt pride swell in me. That's my son...

Then, nearby, another beast bellowed, straight at them, coming up from their left flank. It wasn't jumping or clawing, but it was opening its jaws, and there was a magical formation rotating within it, spilling a surge of fire toward Lancelot. So they are desperate enough to start using their magic... A good sign. Of course, I wasn't worried as my son's mech's left arm came up, palm out, and the anti-magic engraving on it ignited at once. The firestream coming from its throat was snuffed out in midair, as if pinching a candle.

"Good," I whispered, "That's it, Lancy."

Just as the fire was gone, the Juggernaut seized the chance without hesitation. She had already rushed to flank it and smash into it. Grabbing onto its body, Jila twisted her mech's waist, using its entire frame like a lever, and slammed the cat to the ground in a booming crash. In perfect sync, Lancelot leapt forward, sword driving down, and the electrical burst that followed lit up the projection of the Imaginary as a lightning strike rushed from the ground up towards the sky... The beast convulsed multiple times, but it was already dead. Its smoking corpse was simply twitching thanks to the electricity coursing within its carcass.

"The battle should end soon," Kustov muttered at my side.

I only nodded, my eyes still fixed on the projection of my son, my boy's first confirmed kills against something that size.

But there was no time to celebrate yet. Another titan had circled them already. It feinted toward the Blade's side, but its tail was swinging for the Juggernaut's cockpit. Jila caught it with her machine's massive hands, locking onto the tail and holding it fast even as the monster dragged her through the dirt. It is unwise to go for melee with her... I had already learned that. That girl is a wrestling maniac, and even if sparks were showering from her mech's joints, she didn't let go. She wouldn't.

The beast inhaled, and by the glimpse of the formation, I could tell the frost was gathering in its throat. So... they have different elements, huh?

Not that it would have any chance of letting a breath attack out. The anti-magic hand came up again from Lancelot, dispelling the frost-breath in a crack of light, shattering the formation, and then his sword followed suit. He spun the weapon in a full-bodied cleave that cut straight through the monster's spine at the neck, beheading it. The owergrown cat staggered, collapsing as its body went limp, while Juggernaut stepped onto the rolling head, squishing it like a melon.

"Blade and Juggernaut, confirmed kill on the third target," one of the operators reported flatly, "They are leading the count amongst the others."

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"Don't let them know." I smiled, "I don't need Lancy's ego to grow any further. Well... not in the midst of battle, that is."

Around them, the rest of my Knights weren't idle either. Yuri's Princess was dropped by the Knight's Errand, right across the field, behind the monsters. She had just skewered one of her own, struggling to pull her spear out that got lodged in its body. Close to her, my Father's mech broke another's skull with a single overhead smash of his massive sword, while multiple others coordinated from further back, their shoulder-mounted cannons spewing bombardment on various targets at once. It was a complete wipe.

The last jaguar-like bastard crashed to the ground, its body burning as one of our flamethrower-equipped mechs swept over it to be sure, making it smell like it was time for barbecue. By then, cheers echoed faintly from below, rolling across the lines of both mine and the Ishillian troops, our soldiers shouting in victory.

"Log the end of the fight," I told Kustov, "I want a full report in an hour."

"Yes, My Sovereign." He saluted, sending out my order through the proper channels.

"I will go find Merlin... I'll be with him if something comes up."

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.....

By the morning, the camp was alive again, the battlefield cleaned up, harvest going on, fresh monster meat being roasted and distributed while officers were barking at those who were slow in breaking camp. We were getting ready to move again.

"Report from the first sector," Sasha said as she walked into our cabin, where Luna was in the middle of handing me a toast while I sat there and sipped on my coffee.

"The first?" I looked at her, "Did something happen with the bridge?"

"There was another attack from the same type of beasts." She explained, sitting down with me, taking a muffin from the tray, and biting into it, "It was noticed in time, so Merlin's sonar towers do work. There were minimal casualties amongst the rear guard, and the bridge is undamaged."

"Good," I said, eyes flicking across the map, "Send back a commanding message and encourage them."

"Already did so," She nodded, smiling, "There is more. Seltana just came into contact with us. The Stormbringer, along with the Khulman forces, should arrive soon, within an hour."

"About damn time," I murmured, "Did she send any other news?"

"That," Sasha chuckled, "the Khan was surprised she was wearing a uniform and that she was the envoy we sent. But, he seemed... intrigued."

"Bet..." I grunted, continuing my breakfast, "Well, let me finish this... then I can be ready to meet their army."

When it was time to do that... I'd seen large armies before. Hell, I was commanding one now. But the sight of Khulman's riders coming wave after wave made even me draw a long, steadying breath. I was looking at cavalry in their tens of thousands, no, hundreds of thousands... Then, there were their infantry columns stretching, mostly archers instead of frontline soldiers. Was this what others felt when meeting with the Golden Horde?

The Stormbringer above them slowed as she reached our air cordon, exchanging signals with Camelot before circling to get into formation. Getting down on the ground, I watched as the ramps of the Stormbringer lowered and Seltana walked out, followed by the silhouette of her Father.

"Sovereign of Avalon!" His voice thundered across the field when our eyes met, forming a small smile.

"Tula-Khan Rhanak," I answered, stepping forward, but I didn't raise my voice like he did.

We stopped within arm's reach, his figure towering over me, but I kept my posture leisurely while looking at him. For a heartbeat, neither of us moved, and I knew he was, once again, just playing theatrics, always looking to reinforce his own authority. Seeing that I wasn't budging, he finally grinned, reaching out a hand.

"You kept your promise," he said.

"And you brought your people," I replied, shaking his arm, "More than I expected, to be honest with you."

"Of course!" He laughed at that and slapped my shoulder hard enough that I half-wondered if my ribs would still be intact... "Come," Rhanak boomed once again, "We need to discuss how we move forward from now on!"

"True." I nodded, "It is indeed our priority."

The command chamber aboard the Camelot was filled quickly. Seltana slipped to my right, already unrolling fresh cartographic overlays onto the Imaginary's projection, so she could mark points of interest for her Father and to have something he could look at whenever he wanted. It wasn't just Seltana who was now present either, as Rashira was also here, standing by the artillery projections, wearing her own uniform, giving the Khan another surprise that he handled in silence... Whatever he thought about it, he was good enough not to show it. Across the table, the Khan wasn't alone, as he was joined by three of his leading generals, including Bakhi, who had apparently been promoted... good for him.

"This is our present camp," I began, marking the coordinate. "Our supply tail stretches a week behind us, but it's secured. Ahead is the flatlands of the old Kingdom of Markoth. From what we had seen so far, it had to be filled with ruins and likely monster nests. Beyond that… more unknown."

"It is a big land to cover. Do we have a proper target?" Rhanak asked.

"The Third Pass. Somewhere in the east... Our main objective is to find it before winter and plug it. We cut the monster hives out, one by one, as we come across them, but we are heading in this direction." I pointed at the mountains on the northern edge of Airosia. "We don't stop until we find it."

He studied the projection, beard between thumb and forefinger, playing with it.

"You speak as if you've already seen it," he said.

"I did not," I answered simply. "But we had sent troops ahead via the sea. They are already looking. By the time we link up... hopefully, they had found it or at least clues to where it is."

"My Khulman will fight with you," he said after a brief pause, his hands moving to the gauntlets hanging from his ornamental belt, "Until the last beast is slain, and the continent is cleansed."

"So do we." I nodded, maintaining eye contact with him. "Going by the old maps, our next stop will be the border crossing between Markoth and Airosia. The land between us and the borders was fields upon fields of farming villages in the past, with the occasional regional lords' castles... But no major settlements. I don't know their current situation, but if all is well, we can maintain a good pace and cross the borders in time."

"My riders can scout in all directions while we move." The Khan nodded, drawing fanning lines with his fingers, making it look like the army now had a proper 'magnetic field' around it.

"That sounds good. Our planes will focus on forward scouting while yours can handle the rest..."

It took about an hour to agree on all that was to come, and when we stepped back onto Camelot's observation deck, the morning was replaced by an early noon, and with strong, blinding sunlight. The army had already packed up and was beginning to march, my mechs and halftracks leading the formation. But we weren't the only ones anymore...

With the Khan's riders, we had grown to a massive shadow, especially after their horses began fanning out. Now... I was indeed sure of it...

We will find that Third Pass and plug it in.