The Deian War: Conquest (7 page)

  
“I am coming to you, Commander. We will face this new threat together and push the enemy back” Phoenix had promised her.

   Ten minutes later, a Stormfalcon landed on the roof of Akurei’s command post
that was situated amongst the tertiary series of defences in the western flank. Bearing both Apostles, the transport was as graceful as it was important. Had the enemy been closer to their position, that method of arrival would have been far more difficult.

   “Apostles,” Akurei bowed as the pair of them approached her. They were in human form, but wore the black armour of legionnaires, with red and sky blue strip
es marking them as affiliating with the Fireblades and Dawntreaders respectively.

   Phoenix wasted little time in formalities. “
What are we facing Commander?”

   Akurei
led them into the command post to the same level where she had observed the change in play less than an hour ago. In the centre of the room was a holo-table that projected the battle as reported by the forward elements of the 77th. The 906th held the northern flank and had also been forced into a withdrawal. Oz carefully observed a bank of holo-screens that displayed the movements of his legions. Both forces were in capable hands, but it was evident that at this time the Apostles were needed on the field.

   “We’re not entirely certain, my Grace” Akurei confessed as she introduced the projections to Phoenix. “All we know for now is that the Phantoms have a sudden drive
and capability to match it. They’re using tactics that are entirely unknown to them. Our forces cannot anticipate their next moves. At present, they have both the numbers and the strategy to overwhelm us”.

   Oz turned to speak to her. “Strategy? Since when does that word belong in the same context as the enemy?”

   “Since today, my Lord” a male voice answered from behind them.

   Oz felt surprised rather than gladdened to find that it was Volanquis, the Commander of his legion. “Commander, why are you here?” he asked,
taking the Guardia to one side not trying to sound uncaring and rude, yet concerned for his absence from the northern flank.

“Do you bear news of Lucius and the others on Gothica? I can’t imagine how much they must resent Valkyrie for leaving them behind the way she did…they must know we can’t get to them, either” he whispered. He didn’t want anyone else to hear his distress over what had happened.

Volanquis understood his feelings. He would be the first to admit to sharing them. “No my Lord, there’s been no further message since we were told about their isolation”. He saw the concerned look on his Apostle’s face grow stronger and added, “But they all knew this could happen. They accepted their mission knowing they could be on Gothica for years, not just to meet a single objective. I know Lucius personally, I’ve served with him closely many times…he will lead the team with the same stoicism and duty as from the start, no matter what circumstance befalls them”.

With this reassurance, Oz felt a little better about the things that had been privately eating at him. Now he stepped away from the Commander and gestured for him to resume the original conversation.

   Volanquis, ever respectful, bowed despite his Apostle’s tone. “Communications are down, my Lord. I thought it best to reach the Command post in person, lest you enter the battle unawares.”

  
It was Phoenix who replied. “Unawares? What of?”

   Akurei was embarrassed to realise that whilst her legion had no answers or explanations for the enemy’s movements, the 906th
apparently did. “Needless to say, the 77th will be in debt for your knowledge Volanquis”.

   The 906th Commander didn’t let the comment go to his head. He was neither a man of vanity nor humility. He simply reacted to things and words with cold calculation. “The Phantoms have
real leaders now. Not just superior forms, who assume power and strength over their subordinates like a devii would to a paradigm, but actual figureheads”.

   Oz let the surprise wash over him and drove to the core of the matter, already dreading the answer. “What are they capable of, Commander?”

   Volanquis, with his clean-shaven face and silver hair, looked gravely at the group. “Forward scouts report they are nothing like what we have encountered before. Though they do appear to be another level to the Phantom hierarchy, each leader being identical creatures, they have a level of authority and capability unparalleled. Even the Gore Kings do not exude the same tactical brilliance as these creatures. They are forcing our lines back because they have the military mind to employ their numbers not just as brute pressure, but to apply it in exactly the right way.”

   “They can specialise their assaults?” Phoenix asked. Volanquis nodded
, like it was a trivial thing. She shared a knowing look with Oz that told him he was right about his ominous comments earlier. He wished he had never said anything, as though his words really had caused all this to happen.

   Phoenix approached the holo-table and watched as the Guardian forces fell back in a staggered retreat. Their discipline was holding despite suffering a steady rate of casualties. “We cannot give them the city,” she
declared. “We need to pull back to this location…and here” she said, pointing to key areas of the city that could be fortified and prepared anew for the enemy’s inspired fervour and ability.

   Oz and Akurei gave their assent, but Volanquis remained quiet. “What is it, Commander? Do you disagree?” Oz asked.

   “Forgive my saying, my Lord and Grace” Volanquis began, “but these new creatures…they are the closest thing we have seen to your power that the enemy is capable of. It is even possible that these…whatever their label…are the dark god’s lieutenants.”

   Phoenix, as always when facing a challenge, smirked and played it down. “Then it will be a good fight, won’t it?”

   “Just so. I was getting tired of the same old Phantom. Weren’t you, Commanders?” Oz said. Both nodded, an eager mood in Akurei’s and a serious one with Volanquis.

   “There is a battalion of Warhounds from both the 77th and 906th awaiting you downstairs,” Akurei told them. “They are itching to advance and cover the retreating forces at your command.”

   “We’ll all be going with them, Commander. This is a battle where we all fight, no matter the chaos and danger of it” Phoenix answered.

   With that, the legionnaires packed up their gear and withdrew from the room, leaving only a small detach
ment to watch over the holo-table and report the movement of the battle to the Apostles. As they descended the stairs, vengeance filled the hearts of the legionnaires and Apostles, all of them hungry to deny the Phantoms once more.

   In the back of her mind, Phoenix urged Solitaire to speed her arrival with all haste. Oz had been right; the war was
different now and it would take all three of them to prevent this world from falling into enemy hands.

THE WARHOUND THAT Phoenix rode in pulled to a stop in front of the western bunker complex. There had defensive structures had been built by human hands, but at the start of the campaign for Kraxus the Guardians had chosen to stage their defence further out into the city limits. Now with the legion forces in retreat, Phoenix privately wondered if they had been mistaken to disregard the human safeguards so adamantly from the beginning.

   “We exit here” she told Akurei, who passed on the message to the tank’s Captain.

   The hatch at the rear of the Warhound ground open and the street beyond them was revealed. They departed swiftly, a thousand legionnaires doing the same from their Warhounds and Thundertrack troop carriers to join the network of bunkers, pillboxes, trenches and sandbag forts. Where the humans still relied on concrete for defence, the Guardians at the forefront of the battle would have been using energy fields to create impassable walls between the buildings they occupied. However, with the rise of the new Phantom leaders, it seemed technology and firepower didn’t work so well against the hordes. Somehow, the enemy had found a way around the barriers the Guardians had put it.

   “Have every section of the line manned, but don’t spread the platoons too thinly” Phoenix ordered. “We need to cover the vanguard’s retreat. Once we have regrouped, we shall be the anvil against the hammer blow of the enemy and they shall be shattered.”

   “Yes, my Grace. More brigades are moving up to reinforce us. The reserve legions are being put in place as well” Akurei answered and saluted her with her right arm across her chest, covering her heart with a clenched fist.

   Phoenix watched as the Commander passed on the message across to the platoon officers. As thousand
s of legionnaires began to move and carry out their orders, she went back to the Warhound that brought her here. Waiting inside for her instruction was High Captain Aelius, the officer in charge of the entire 77th Warhound division.

   “What are your orders, my Grace?” he asked. His skin was pockmarked and bore a burn mark where a lucky escape from a tank’s exploding engine had almost obliterated him. It had been years
ago, before the Blessing had even happened and though she had served with him in battle for some time now, Phoenix could still not stomach herself to ask what else he had endured.

   “There are ditches dug large enough for static deployment of our Warhounds. Whether the humans had vehicles like ours is beyond my knowledge, but let us be thankful of what they have provided for us” she answered.

   There was a frown on the High Captain’s face. She knew his next comment wasn’t about questioning her command, but rather an expression of concern. “My Grace, if we are stationary we will have a limited field of fire”.

   “A fact I am aware of, but one I cannot help. There are precious few other positions for effective use. We need to present a solid wall of resistance to slow the enemy. This line will provide that. Each section complements the next. You will not be vulnerable, High Captain. Once the rest of our legion has crossed the line, we will make certain the enemy cannot follow them”.

   Aelius bowed his head in obeisance. “Of course, my Grace. We will do as you command”.

   With that, Phoenix took her leave of his vehicle again and made her way to the centre of the line. She could hear the grinding tracks of fifty Warhounds already shifting position and seeking out the dugouts where they would add their devastating firepower to the punishment of the enemy.

   The bunker network stretched out for kilometres to the western limit of the city before curling down to the south. It also reached out to the north where it would link up with those fortifications now being taken over by Oz and his legion. Hopefully, the arrogance and hunger of the enemy would blind them to the knowledge that the Guardians would have a second line of defence.

By now, even with these new powerful figureheads directing them, the Phantoms’ thirst for killing would have taken over. Once the legions had reunited at the human
defences, the discipline of the Guardians would take over and the enemy assault would be blunted and turned away.

  
Phoenix found Akurei again in a structure that appeared to be the area’s command bunker. With the conflict always in favour of the Guardians, there had never been a need for the Apostle to come here. It was strange for her to be here and a sense of guilt came over her for not coming sooner.

The Commander was setting up a chamber
to be their communications room and consigning duties to various legionnaires. Phoenix saw Helena, a comms officer, keep her composure as she was selected to take over Florian’s role as Recon Master. Though it was temporary, since he was back in the centre of the city to provide the safest, most detailed overview of the battle, it was a duty that would elevate her far above her fellow officers.

  
She approached Helena as she was setting up her station and comms gear. “I’m glad I have you here, Helena” she told the legionnaire, who seemed overwhelmed by the praise. “Can you provide me a link to the 906th? I must speak to Waterfox”.

  Helena nodded hurriedly, keeping herself together in the presence of the demi-god who stood at the head of her legion. Though she had seen the Apostle in battle many times before, she had rarely been this close to her. Now they were talking like Helena had always been a member of the Command squad and the fact almost got the better of her.

   She fumbled at first, but quickly recovered and gave Phoenix a small bead that she could place in her ear. Holding a pair of headphones to her own ear and scrutinising her gear for the right channel to the 906th, Helena held a thumb up to Phoenix once the connection was made.

   “This is Phoenix of the 77th. To whom do I speak?” she said without pause.

   “My Grace, this is Tacitus; Recon Master of the 906th. How can I assist you?” came a reply.

   “I know of you, Tacitus. Waterfox praises you highly”, she told him genuinely. Though she wouldn’t usually be throwing around compliments like this, she knew the power of her words to a legionnaire and keeping morale high was of paramount importance. “Can you put him on the line?”

   Tacitus said nothing else and after a moment she was speaking to Waterfox. “Are you ready, Oz?” she whispered, her voice barely audible to the legionnaires nearest her.