Up the sloping muddy shell of the shelled island beast were moss and all kinds plants that Terin had not seen before. Each step they take made it sound like they were stepping on leather boots. Not far from where they are hiking was the sight of the Ark resisting the ‘leeches’ of the Ark-Shelled Island

Two-legs that were scaled and attached with black barnacle-like things on the legs. Four arms of this creature were on the rib area of the creature. The carried coral spears and some of these creatures were using the stretchy plant fiber coiled into a rope, creating a catapult that are fired on the soldiers taking cover on the ditch they dug.

The soldiers make use of two columns of shoulder to repeat a saturation fire on the creatures. There are about four group of soldiers repeating fire. Terin and the others took cover on the side. They watch as two groups fire one after another.

“Why aren’t they firing all together?” Mardon asked.

They all stick on their skin on the wall. Caldor Ando countered the enemy. The Doctor placed the pistol near his chest, his finger on the side of the trigger. He inhaled and exhale before peeking. Terin crouched near Mardon who was eyeing the fight ahead.

“If they attack who’s going to attack the attackers?” Sir Caldor pointed out. “They need to fire while the others reload their weapons. That way they can cover them and suppress them.”

Mardon nodded. The Doctor eyed the soldiers who were scratched and bleeding. It looks like there were trained medics near them. Not that they find medicine at the moment with how they are pinned on this ditch.

“That’s one bad.”

“Not going to rush, Doctor?”

“And then get killed trying to be reckless,” Doctor Gabrio looked to Sir Caldor. “I can still help them, unless it’s too late. They look strong enough to endure this unless you want to sit here all day, Caldor Ando?”

“No,” Sir Caldor pitched a ball to where the catapult was. The ball exploded into a cloud smoke.

Sir Caldor ran straight ahead. Doctor Gabrio followed though his eyes were set on reaching the soldiers. Mardon and Terin dived down the ditch where the soldiers are.

Terin noticed the glow on their expression as they saw Doctor Gabrio in the ditch with them. Doctor Gabrio didn’t waste his time, hands inside his medicine bag, he started wiping the injured arm.

“Lad, how many times have you gotten injured in the past hour?”

“Aye, can’t be helped, Doc.”

“Are there others?”

“Just me, Doc. There should be those medics running around and from the looks of it the sides are full of these creatures.”

“Have you spoken to the troops inside the Ark?” Doctor Gabrio tightened the bandage around the soldier’s arm.

“No, Doc. But we can tell they want the Ark defended while the roots are spreading around the Island.”

“Spreading?” Mardon asked.

The soldier turned to Terin and Mardon before answering. “Aye, we see them roots digging into every hole it can. Besides, it’s not like they are going to need help when they have the elves in the Ark.”

“So, you eight stuck in this ditch?”

“We do,” The Soldier inserted paper cartridges on his rifle, cocked the rifle, and fired the rifle. His hand reached out for the ramrod, and cleaning the barrel of the rifle. “Not that we have a choice, we’d been trying to flank every side. Every hole seems like there are more of these parasites.”

Terin realized that there are soldiers not far from them. Squinting his eyes, he saw the soldiers throwing a shrapnel bombs in these holes. There are also figures of men fighting a group of these creatures in a triangle formation.

Returning his eyes to the area where the catapult was firing. Sir Caldor had taken down the catapulting creatures with his sword. The other four who were in the next ditch started to sprint up the hill.

“Gotta go!” The Soldier that was talking to them rushed up the hill. Doctor Gabrio, Mardon, and Terin followed up the hill until they reached catapult area. Seeing that there was a clear way without a catapult targeting them. Groups of soldiers charged up the hill, gathering on the area, creating points where the rest could travel while they create defensive positions on each of these points. Sir Caldor however didn’t rush like he did before. Terin understood why the moment he saw this scar-like trench that the creatures are using to chuck spears and roll the ammunition that they use on the Catapult.

“Anyone injured!?” Doctor Gabrio shouted. Those who got wounded approached the Doc and was patched back to the fight. The rest took position and started a saturation attack on one single part of the trenches. The bombers lobbed their bombs on these trenches while a group was advancing forward while the majority drew most of the attention. Terin’s group stayed still in the trenches while the soldiers fired on the position of the creatures. Not to mention that they have to make a box to protect the four sides where the creatures might appear and flank them. It was only when they heard loud grunting and groaning that there was a devilish smile on the faces of the soldiers. A cannon with wheels was being pushed up the hill and next to the cannon was two men hauling a box of ammos.

“Cannoneers!” One of the Soldiers thundered. “Haul them to the front now!”

Soldiers started rushing at the cannon. Pointing the mouth of the cannon on the area where the parasites were. Terin covered his ears as the cannon fires a grapeshot on the enemy position.

“They are dazed! Lobbed them!”

Bombers lit their fire bombs, lobbing them into the position of the enemy. When that was done, they dived back to cover, and let the cannon finish the area. Some used the smoke and the confusion to rush to the trench with their rifles. The rest stayed cautious, making sure that the enemy are pinned.

Professionals. That was the one word that popped in his head seeing all of this. They were composed soldiers who could stay fighting despite the thunder they carry in their hands.

Trembling, covering their scaly and barnacled ears. The creatures tried to run from the volley fire only for the soldiers to gun down every creature trying to escape.

The Soldiers didn’t foolish charge in after this. Instead, they cleared the area from any monsters before placing a marking for everyone to see. Seeing the landmark, the Soldiers who arrived from the other ships turned to the direction the soldier assigned to the landmark said. All around the Ark-Shelled Island were pops of smoke shooting up. There were red and green smokes that indicated what the area needed. The orange ones were used to signal that there was a need for immediate attention. Most of the soldiers went to the orange smoke.

“Looks like we’re clearing them out,” Mardon said.

Sir Caldor shook his head. “Not even close. We are still on the surface of this parasite and if the Ark is holding back the horde, then it means that we have to wait it out until they decide to clear the area.”

“How are they going to clear the inside? Wouldn’t that kill the beast?”

“I have seen puppetry from the elves, Terin,” Sir Caldor had a grim look. “They give their livestock a chance to serve them or be free. This is honor to them and if this beast had resisted, then no way than even the Ark could subdue this creature easily. It means that it was willing.”

“What about the inhabitants of the Island?”

“Parasites, I told you they are parasites. Can you not see the sprits?”

“Huh?”

Terin focused his eyes on seeing past the ‘veil’. Through the veil he saw the spirits who accompanies the fleet dance around pointing fingers. From what he could tell they gathered on the Ark and were uniting their hands to lead the roots of the Ark into every orifice of the island.

“What are they doing?”

“I told you that it is puppetry, Terin. They are going to turn this beast into a treeman, a living tree. This beast’s veins will become that of roots. Its blood will become nectar and this beast shall return to the nature and become an Arbor. Every organ will be used to nourished the Ark and this Island. It would become a living fortress for the fleet. Hmm, I didn’t think that they would use the Elder Trees from their home to do this. It looks like they really do something.”

Terin nodded. “Do you think the Chancellor knows?”

“I don’t doubt it. He knows too much and do you really thing that he wouldn’t know everything? Look around you boy, do you think he’d send so many good men if he doesn’t know what they are up to? I don’t know that they are doing, but at the moment this can help our travels. Having an island like this would lessen the burden. Besides, I think we would need this to plow the way forward.”

“Huh?”

Sir Caldor didn’t continue speaking. He returned to his overwatch while keeping an eye on the Doctor who was tending to the wounded.

As the sector was clear from the parasites. The group continued to go uphill where the muddy soil became less of a hindrance. From where they were standing, they saw a giant with two beady eyes and three whiskers on each side rushing at a group of soldiers.

Soldiers who were not far from the group stayed out of range. Some started planting these wires that if pulled would ignite a match and blow up the bombs. The giant certainly had the strength, but the speed of this giant was slow enough for the soldiers to take turn. Those who weren’t able to see the giant were strewn on the ground with their bodies mangled by the shelled claw of this beast.

The creature started to rush at the group of the soldiers. It was then that one soldier raised up a shoulder-held bombard that the creature was stunned, tripping into the trap, and its legs blown apart. It didn’t take long for the rest to lobbed their bombs on the creature, blowing up its protective shell and the rain of gunfire shattering the skull of the creature. It didn’t take long for the rest to finish off the rest of these giants who were rampaging the sector. Some of them were stopped with bullets, while the harder and tougher ones were brought down using the hard-hitting firearms of the soldiers.

“Help!”

Hearing that, the first one to charge was the Doctor who went for the injured as always. Though the Doctor carried pistols on him. He never had to use them with the soldiers that need patching up all around the island. Sir Caldor joined the Doctor, and from the looks of it, the Doctor had to do much around again.

“Looks like I’ll be staying here for a while,” Doctor Gabrio placed his bag on the side of the soldier. He turned to Sir Caldor. “I’d be staying here for a while.”

“Go ahead,” Sir Caldor agreed.

“Give me the wounded, make sure not to worsen them!” Doctor Gabrio shouted. There were battles happening around the area. It took them a while to clear the sector and by the time they were done. The area they fought on was littered with the two-legged parasites.

Terin surveyed the area with a tired gaze. “Sir Caldor, are we facing the same enemies?”

“They are sea-borne, Terin. They are not us, and we are not them. It doesn’t matter if we can understand another. Us humans won’t be able to live with those who doesn’t resemble us in appearance.”

Terin nodded. Then he noticed that there were soldiers at the edge of the cliff. Walking to this cliff they saw a sight that froze the soldiers. Creatures that were smaller than the island they are stepping on, but at the same time larger than even their Grand Galleons.

It was a sea of carcasses.