0936 May 16th, 2020 CE

0748 Sun 46th, 196 AE

Washington DC

General Griffith, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, conversed with President Hayes “The towns further away from the cities have surrendered much more easily. The recon forces have been able to take them mostly by themselves.”

“Compared to cities, it’s likely that they haven’t been bombarded constantly by propaganda. We should be able to expect only minimal resistance from them.”

“Mr. President. We should be besieging the cities from now on. Directly assaulting them would just be a gross waste of lives when we can just force them into submission or at least weaken them through air and artillery strikes.”

“General. We will just be engaging in genocide at that point.”

“We will give them time and allow any civilians to leave. If there even are any that can be considered civilians.”

“Do you really think anybody will leave? And what about the humans they are keeping as slaves? How will the media react when they learn we literally have forsaken them. It will be a humanitarian disaster.”

“Humanitarian disaster. Boohoo. Who cares? There is no international community to criticize us anymore. Public opinion is already souring because of the large loss of life we are experiencing. It’s only been a few days into the invasion and we have already suffered fifty percent of the total casualties we have suffered during the entire Gulf War.”

“I’m gonna be blamed for the entire thing, goddammit. And you can say bye to your career at that point!”

“In war, we have to kill our enemies. That’s the military’s job. To kill the enemy and you are stopping me from doing their job. These so-called civilians are all armed to the teeth.”

“We are not barbarians. General. There are established rules of war.”

“Bah. Rules. When did wars have rules? The elves don’t even follow them. Mr. President. Make the right choice here. Let the military off this goddamn idiotic leash.”

“Now get out of my office. You have been coming here every single fucking day. You have been a great advisor in the past but I’m very close to removing you Quincy.”

A few miles away from the Orva Caelora Human Concentration Camp

The grass billowed as 20 MV-22 Ospreys touched down onto the plains. Surrounding the landing area were M1A2 Abrams and HEMTT trucks. Cylindrical tanks full of aviation fuel were on the back of the HEMTTs. Soldiers rushed to connect the fuel hoses from the HEMTTs to the Ospreys. Once refueled, it was only a short journey from there to the Orva Caelora Human Concentration Camp.

A few minutes later

Orva Caelora Human Concentration Camp

Damon shouted at the Magusians. “Stay in your groups! We will be evacuating you soon.”

The sound of the MV-22 Ospreys got louder and louder. The first one soon appeared and landed in a clearing in the concentration camp.

“Get on in an orderly fashion! Please put all your baggage on the floor. Once you have sat down, please do not get up unless instructed to do so.”

As each Osprey filled up with Magusians, dust was kicked up by the rotors and they took off one by one.

What was a bleak concentration camp had been completely transformed. In the past few days, the Rangers and the Green Berets had turned the concentration camp nearly into a FOB(Forward Operating Base).

“Well, the Army should be arriving soon. Guess we will be welcoming them.”

Less than an hour later

“I see two Bradleys! The recon force is here.”

The two Bradleys came to a stop and the commander at the lead Bradley popped out of his hatch. The commander grinned. “Nice place you have here.”

Damon laughed. “Welcome to our humble abode!”

Somewhere in the Elven Nation

“Stop. Elven military convoy over to the northeast.”

Multiple magitrucks followed by a single Guard tank raced down the paved road. The two Bradleys that pulled onto a grassy hilltop spied on them.

“I’m calling in an airstrike. Let’s tail them and see how it goes.”

The two Bradleys sped down the hill and through the grass. They kept the elven convoy that was on the road in sight but kept a distance.

A few minutes later

An F-15 flew over the elven convoy. The noise of the F-15 flying over was still reverberating when multiple large explosions wiped the convoy out. Blackened dirt and the mangled, charred metal wrecks were all that remained.

“Wooo, baby!”

An explosion occurred underneath the track of the lead Bradley. “Aw fuck! Mine!”

The Bradley behind came to a stop. The commander of the lead Bradley opened his hatch and looked over the side. “Track’s bust.”

0810 Sun 46th, 196 AE

???

“Most forces have been repositioned into the mountains. We have lost hundreds of vehicles and elves to American bombing attacks. We have also been receiving bombing runs on the mountains but I don’t believe they have discovered our main base here yet.”

Tarron clasped his hands together. “Gentleelves. We shall hold this position to the last elf.”

Anafalen raised his voice in opposition. “My Leader, I don’t think that's advisable. The Americans are perfectly capable of wiping out our concentrated forces. In fact, I won’t be surprised if their military has been made to destroy a concentration of units. It is more advisable if we spread out instead of staying here. That will make us a much harder target to kill.”

Tarron frowned and his eyes narrowed. “Then who will keep an organized command of the units? How will we perform organized defenses and counterattacks?”

“Uh… we don’t sir. The point is, we aim for our survival.”

Tarron spread his arm around. “This mountain is the perfect terrain for defense and will be the staging area of our counteroffensive. Our main base is under hundreds of feet of solid stone, I don’t believe the Americans have the capability of destroying that. Understood.”

The various department heads and the General Staff nodded in agreement. Tarron smiled, “Dismissed. And also, Anafalen, I would like to see you in your office.”

A few minutes later

Tarron sat down in Anfalen’s chair in his office. “I told you before. You are getting on my nerves.”

“My Leader, I’m only giving sensible advice!”

“I only need you to do as I say. That’s your job. You manage the Department of Intelligence. That’s all.”

“I’m also an advisor.”

“I don’t need time for advice. Everything is already in motion.”

Anfalen didn’t respond for a few seconds before nodding. “Yes, My Leader.”

Tarron exited the room. Anfalen sat down and a worried force grew on his face. His wife was also in the base with him but he had no heart to go see her. He had noticed that Tarron had changed ever since they abandoned the capital and it greatly concerned him. Tarron seemed to be angrier and was much less willing to listen to others.

“What should I do… what should I do…”

He whispered over and over again as his mind played out his options.

1046 May 16th, 2020 CE

0823 Sun 46th, 196 AE

Port City of Filanneas

M109A6 Howitzers were taken off of the cargo ship. Finn’s eyes followed the self-propelled howitzers. “1st Infantry Division Artillery.”

Blake looked over. “Where’s the rest of the 1st Infantry?”

“Probably on the way.”

Docked a few feet away from the cargo ship was a WW1-style transport ship. A tank rolled off of it. Blake whistled “Wow. A fucking M4 Sherman.”

Finn nodded. “The Magusians are here.”

“How effective are they even gonna be?”

“Probably just gonna be filler or something. Maybe garrisoning the towns?”

“Do you think the brass will even trust them with that?”

Finn chuckled. “I feel bad for them if they get sent to the frontline. M4 Shermans are quite easy to kill.”

MacDill Air Force Base, Tampa, Florida

General Abrams Thompson, commander of the US New World Command, conversed with his staff. “Other than retreating units and stragglers. The plains are mostly clear of enemy units. This is a good situation.”

“Our units are starting to get stretched thin.”

“The 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team from the 1st Infantry Division and the 1st Infantry Brigade Combat Team from the 10th Mountain Division are arriving. The Magusians are also arriving and they will be under our guidance.”

“Most of the elven forces have retreated to the mountains. We have lost sight of them but we are sure that there will be heavy fortifications on the mountains and that they are holed up there.”

Abrams nodded. “Increase drone surveillance on that. Prepare for airstrikes on that region. Depending on how heavily they are fortified, we might need to get a MOAB out for this one.”

Port City of Jahlean, Elven Nation

Elements of the 1st ABCT of the 1st Armored Division surrounded the port city. They kept their distance and had screening forces keeping an eye out.

In his house, Lorsan felt panic coursing through his blood. He knew that all the articles that he had read about their recent glorious victories were most likely lies. He sat down eating with a gun leaning against his table. The humans had his city surrounded and there was no way out.