As Sharpe leans against the ground, hand on his chest after getting shot. He is breathing heavily, trying to catch his breath.

He can hear gun fighting still going on, other members of the Delta team still fighting for survival. This was his fight combat mission and he begin to realize that it probably will be his last.

He looks down to see his hand and sees that it is covered in blood from his bullet wound.

He then hears something. He looks up and sees this soldier, one of the Chinese Special Forces soldiers.

He sees that the soldier spots him and aims his rifle.

Seeing that, he grabs his M1911 pistol and aims, firing one shot.

The Chinese soldier falls from the shot.

He takes a breath of relief, now just have to find the energy to get up and look for survivors. The whole platoon wiped out just to save the North Korean fat pig. The President said it was one of those moments in history where everything could change or not.

Regardless if that is true or not, we were it. Very little time to prepare, very little time to plan. The cloak of history always against the ones who wish for more time. So, the Delta platoon command said, Major Harvey before a bullet went through his skull in the intense firefight.

Before he could get up, he hears a noise coming from the left. He prays to god that it is either one of his boys or the South Koreas back up. He looks over, aiming his pistol. He sees another Chinese soldier standing there, aimed. He tried to fire another shot…

Bang…

***

--- Path of Hardritus ---

August 27th, 2025

Sharpe opens his eyes and sits up. Before he gets anywhere, he is forced right back down by this strong force.

"Don't move." He hears this soft feminine sweet voice as he is forced back down.

With his vision coming back, he looks up and sees Rory's face looking down at him. He sees her give him the biggest motherly smile he has ever seen. It was only a few days ago where he was extremely angry at her but now none of that matters.

"Shh. You are safe, everything is ok. Just relax and rest. Don't let your mind drift away from my voice again." Rory said as she moves her hands to both sides of his head, trying to help him relax.

Hearing that, he finally relaxes. She must have realized he was having those dreams again, something that seems to be no secret anymore. The last thing he remembers was Krysist fist ramming right at him and then everything went back. He closes his eyes and then reopens them. He notices that his head is laying on Rory's legs, acting as a pillow for him.

He moves his hand to his chest, now feeling this pain on his chest. He realizes that he is shirtless with bandages around his chest. Now he feels two spots, right in the center and the other on his side. The chest from being hit by this magic attack by that strange-looking elf and the other from Krysist blade.

"Are you ok Major? Jerry really knows his stuff. The wounds were not as serious as they look." Lelei said in a happy voice. "That magic attack wasn't mean to do a lot of damage. I think it was to just to destroy your equipment do you couldn't call for help."

He lifts his head to see his surroundings but is forced back down by Rory Mercury.

"Yes, he doses… Sitrep." He asked.

"And there he goes, back to normal," Rory said in a sarcastic voice.

He sees Lelei La Lalena sits close by him. She has this big smile, happy that he is awake. However, her face is a bit red, like she is blushing.

"Why are you read?" He asked, with his brain still a little fuzzy.

"Aw! This is going to be fun." Rory said in an evil tone.

"You promised," Lelei said, glaring at Rory.

"She was poking your chest before. Feeling your abs." Rory said with no shame in her voice.

"You bitch. Should I tell him what you were doing? All googly eyes before." Lelei responds with much fire in her voice.

"What, no…" Rory responds, struggling to find a response.

He raises his hand to stop them. "Nope. This ends here, I don't want to know. I have a headache. Just… sitrep please…" He asked in an exhausted voice.

"Well, when we noticed you and Tuka weren't behind us, Randy and Alicia went back for you two," Lelei explains.

What she said confuses him. He did not remember Tuka Luna Marceau being with him during his fight with Krysist. "Tuka?"

"Here?" Tuka said as she appears to his right side.

Her looks to here, surprised by her presence. He would assume she would be with her father.

"Tuka went back for you first sir after realizing that you were missing. Then the rest of us showed up." Lelei explains.

"Yes. I want to say I am sorry for how I treated you. You were right about everything and me just…" Tuka said before he interrupts her.

"Don't worry about it." He spoke.

"Yeah, he deserves it for something anyway." Rory comments.

"Speaking of that… what sitrep…" He asked again.

"What does that mean? Why does he keep saying that?" Tuka asked, looking at Lelei.

Lelei looks at her. "Sitrep means situation report. This is a military phrase; you will have to get used to it if you are going to stick around. He is kind of rigid like that."

Lelei then looks back down to him, knowing that he just wants to know what has happened. "You have been out for seven hours."

Hearing that he forces himself up, not liking how long he has been asleep. Again, Rory forces him back down, not letting him get off her lap.

"I said don't move," Rory said again in a motherly voice, clearly overreacting for his wellbeing.

Sharpe wanted to tell her to knock it off however decided against it, seeing that she is happy. And besides, he does not have the strength to fight her or any of them right now.

"Seven hours?" He asked as he looks back to Lelei.

"Yes. Tuka used her sleeping magic to put you out." Lelei responds.

"Yeah… you don't corporate when you are sleep. That could be fun sometime in the future." Rory adds and then smiles at some thought she just had.

He glances up back at Rory and then looks at Lelei. "What has happened?"

Lelei rolls her eyes at what Rory said and look back at him. "Everything is ok Sharpe. Your plan worked."

"Yup. My people are being taken to Alnus by one of your flying machines. I cannot wait to see Alnus for myself. Lelei and Rory have been telling me stories about your adventures and the story of Alnus." Tuka said in a cheerful voice.

"Yup. Colonel Yang told both your and Bailey team to report back to Alnus to rest. We should be there in a few days." Lelei continues.

Hearing the name Alnus, that name never sounded so good. That is when he remembers Selina and how she is going to react about this. He will come up with some bullshit story that makes that will make her feel better and overblow all this.

"Cool. When we get back… a couple of things." He begins to feel tired again, forcing himself to speak. "First, steak. Second… Tuka, you are going to love Selina. Your smile kind of reminds me of her. Then we're all going to watch Lord of the Rings." He spoke.

"Finally, you have been talking about it forever," Lelei said.

"What is Lord of the Rings?" Tuka asked confused.

Lelei's shoulders just fall after hearing Tuka ask that, knowing full well what is about to come. "You just had to ask that…"

"What!? How do you not know…"? He said before Rory covers his mouth. He tries to struggle free but gives up, knowing she is stronger than him.

"Nope. We are not hearing this again." Rory said in a commanding and lecturing voice.

Tuka looks at them all, baffled by these people. She has never seen such a strange group of people in her life and she honestly liked it. "You people are insane."

Rory holds up one hand with one figure extended, ready to lecture. "Look, if you are going to hang around us, you will need to get used to this. He was going to complain that you haven't seen this special movie that he loves. That it is a great crime in all of Mankind on his world and this one. Then go off explaining how you are missing out in life and so on and so forward." She finishes, moving her hand like she is wrapping up what she is saying.

"Yeah, he has been talking about it all the time and referencing it all the time. I will be happy to explain what their world is like while on the way to Alnus." Lelei adds.

"Ah, my point still stands," Tuka said.

Tuka then looks to him, laying there on Rory lap. "Major Sharpe, I have a question. How did you know that this was a trap?"

He notices all three of them look at him, all wondering the same thing.

Sharpe takes a deep breath, placing his hand on his side wound. "I didn't. Delilah gets most of the credit. He rubbed me off since the beginning, but I could not put my figure on it. She helped confirmed my doubts about him. All I can say is, I been in this game for a long time. Seen many bloody things and such. Whoever he is, he is good. If it were not for Delilah and you Lelei, I wouldn't have come up with that plan."

Rory quiets Sharpe so he can gather his strength. "Just rest Jackson." Seeing that he is reliving memories.

He looks up at her and then raises his figure. He has been meaning to tell her to stop. "Rory…"

Rory just places her hand over his mouth, knowing that he cannot do anything about it. "Nope. That ends now." She then looks down at him and gives him an evil smile. "Otherwise I will have Tuka put you asleep and we will paint your nails." She then gives him a flirtatious wink.

His eyes widen when he hears that. He looks over to Lelei, knowing he can always rely on her.

Lelei smiles and waves at him, showing that she is siding with Rory on this one. "I don't see the problem with that idea."

When Rory removes her hand from his mouth. He then looks at them all and seeing the situation he is in now. "You are all evil." And then he lays his head back on Rory lap, just enjoying the moment. He feels Rory place one hand on his left side of his head, providing comfort while her other hand she places on his shoulders, lightly rubbing. To help ease the pain.

With that, he falls back asleep.

***

--- Outside Fortress Legrath ---

July 26th, 2025

Krysist walks over and picks up Frayen arm from the ground. He just looks at the arm, reflecting on what happened in the tunnel. Even if they escaped, he considers this a massive victory.

He has learned a lot about these people, and they are a worthy opponent. He is now convinced; he was born for this war, the ultimate challenge to his abilities.

He then looks at the burning vehicle in front of him. His Dark Elf destroyed it before being defeated in battle. That did not bother him, the message he wanted to send was sent. That this war only just has begun and that these Other Worlders have not even faced their true opponent.

They are in his arena now and he fully intends to play the game. So far, the plan is going perfectly.

Now he fully understands that man the Royal Family fears. Major Sharpe is a worthy opponent which is key to his final objective.

To be honest, he exceeded his expectations. How he handles his apostle that tags along to his backstab plan. He betrayed him in the most honorable way he could think of.

In just in a few days, he has learned much from the Other Worlders. No wonder why so many are defecting to their side. They have the power and more importantly, the ideals.

He got to see their technology firsthand, their tactics, how they communicate, structure, and much more. He sees how they are defeating the Empire in the war so easily.

All his life he has wanted a face a worthy opponent. Someone who could challenge him.

"Master, did everything live up to your expectations?" Frayen asked as he walks up to his side.

Krysist looks over to his Dark Elf servant. "Even better… and stop calling me that."

"Even if he escaped?" Frayen asked as he looks to his master.

He thinks about the question and looks to the burning vehicle. He then smirks, excited for the things to come. "Yes."

Frayen nods his head seeing that his master is happy with the results. After all these years, he still struggles to try and understand what is going on in his head. "Can I have my arm back please?"

He looks to Frayen and then back at his arm. He then hands his arm back to him. "Sorry old friend. How is the regeneration going?"

Frayen takes his arm back and places it on his right side, allowing his body to start reconnecting. "It is going find, stings though. That blue hair girl was far stronger than I expected."

"Agreed. It is the worst-case scenario. Their technology has kept them arrogant so far. But that won’t last for long." Krysist said that, talking about using the creatures and abilities of their world against the Empire. Talking about mages, races like Bunnies and others.

The Empire's biggest advantage is how different the American world is. But when the day comes when they fully utilize the strengths of this world and their world, the Empire stands no chance.

"Did you learn why Rory Mercury is following them?" Frayen asked, knowing that has been a big question for Krysist.

He looks to his Dark Elf and then back at the burning vehicle, thinking on the question. "Honor, example and more importantly, love. I saw it in the eyes. Even in Lelei, that blue hair girl. The Warrior Bunny, saw the same thing when looking at the other Ranger."

He then looks to Frayen. "I see why so many have defected to their side. It is not their weapons we should fear but their identity. That is what's attracting people to them, even if they don't realize it or not. Truly appropriate successors of the Empire when the day comes."

"I did see how quickly the High Elf women switch sides when the truth came out." Frayen points out.

"I noticed that too. I expected that but not that quickly." He responds.

Frayen looks to his master, happy that his arm is now fully connected again. He wishes he could just die when getting cut down like that however it is a cure the gods placed on him. "Do you want me to clean up your face master? It looks pretty dark."

He looks to Frayen and then thinks. He completely forgot that his face is bruised. He is just used to these kinds of damages. "No. I want everyone to see and know that nothing can stop us from winning."

"As you wish to master," Frayen responds, expecting an answer like that.

Behind him, he hears this horse rider that rushes up. Turning around he sees this boy, looking around sixteen. The boy is one of the fortress messengers and now part of his legion.

"What is it?" He asked.

"I am sorry General, however, Legatus Propraetor Pelue Muilk is requesting help in Havcristen. His scouts show NATO forces are gathering forces for an attack." The messenger boy said.

Hearing that, he is impressed with how fast these people are moving. After spending some time in their vehicles, he understands why now. He will have to rethink the timetable of his plans.

Havcristen is the regional capital of the Greater Elies Region. That city is key to his plans against the Americans. He fully intends to make them bleed for the city.

"Tell Legatus Propraetor Pelue Muilk that I am on my way." He responds.

He then turns around and sees a hundred of his fellow soldiers. These are not the normal soldiers of the Empire but men who are personally loyal to him. Before matching down to Elies to face the warriors of the Other Worlder, he gave them a choice. To disband and go home or following him to the greatest war in all the time. He enjoyed the results.

"Legion… We ride now!" He yells in this confidence-inspiring voice. He then walks over to a horse and leads his troops to Havcristen.