He exits the helicopter hastily, weaving through the soldiers dug in the soil with tanks scattered about one hundred meters from one another deep in their own trenches where only their turret could be seen peeking out. He stops and looks around, he notices some soldiers in their trenches peeking waiting to shoot something.

“Skeleton, where are the commanding officers?”

The lifeless skeleton points his hand to his right, behind the entrenched M1A2 Abrams. Directly pointing to where his commander is at.

“Ahahaha, we’re so proud of how we scripted you guys. Where’s your player squad leader?”

The soldier once again points, but this time to the left where he could see this very animated skeleton with a tankman, looking at the grass and chatting about something.

“Are they this jumpy or just bored?”

Paul follows the direction of the skeleton and finds a tent attached to the back of an APC with tanks from his army scattered around it. There he sees General Matthew in combat uniform like the rest, the only thing distinguishing him from the others was his Beret with four stars on it, busy as ever as he talks to players and replies to radio transmissions.

“So after this, we’ll perform a counter attack? What aircraft will we board?”

“UH-Sixty Blackhawks, if we manage to break their attack we’ll quickly blitz them. Now go back and attend to your skeletons Sergeant. General Paul will lead an armored arrowhead straight into their camp.”

“General sir, I got the report from the forward recon. They say the combined army has amassed at least four hundred thousand soldiers. More on the way, they want to use their numbers to overwhelm us sir. The first army group seems to be moving through the night using magic and is currently about one hundred and eighty thousand strong.”

“Ah crap, that’s a lot Lieutenant. But they could still fit within the three kilometer free fire zone. Have the field artillery boys load up airburst clusters if they can.”

“Yes sir.”

Paul walks in the tent. It was full of Officers of varying ranks, all with questions and reports to give. They notice him and make a snappy salute.

“What a party, you seemed to be having a grand time.”

“Why are you still in uniform? Get some combat uniforms on.”

“Uhhh, I don’t have any?”

“Then pick one up. There’s some on the crates next to the tank.”

He follows the suggestion and changes to a basic UCP Multicam uniform used by the United States Army. Its patch depicts Skeleton Knights and the flag of Eldwood. Though now, he looks the same as the other skeletons and peacefully, he moves the little Bahamut to his Kevlar vests’ ammo pouch.

“Got anything that might make me look apart?”

“Yea, hold on a sec. Yea, Catapult. I want you to load cluster munitions. Save the Thermobarics for when we’ll attack them.” He drops the call and picks up an item next to him “Yea, uh just get a Beret. Take this spare one.”

“Ohhh fancy. Never wore one of these. Am I doing it right?”

“Ugh, if a real soldier were to see us, we would’ve had our asses canned. Straight across the forehead and one inch above your eyebrows. You see that excess part? Make sure it's lowered to your right ear and have the eagle with the stars above your left eye.”

“Alrighty. How’s the defense?”

“So far so good. I hope they’ll rethink this. I really don’t want to do this man.”

“I know, it sucks very much but at least we won’t be doing the killing by hand.”

“Yea but we’d still be the ones calling in the shots. Ah, how am I gonna look at my Grandparents?”

“Matt, bro. We have no choice. Do you want to find out what’ll happen if we die here?”

“I know but ugh, it makes me puke what we’re about to do. I know we have no choice but still, we’re human.”

“I guess this is how it is for generals back in our world. To send men to die and to seal the fate of thousands.”

“Good thing I never joined the army. Paul, if they cross Phase line Charlie. What’ll we do?”

“You know the Mana nuke we created with the Russian players? It’s right now deep within the city. If they ever overwhelm us. We’ll use it as a leeway as we booked it to our air base up West.”

As they chat, helicopters could be heard behind them. Flying nearer to the free fire zone as the Moon slowly goes down at the horizon.

“It's a pretty simple plan ain’t it Matt.”

“Yep, have a three kilometer free fire zone about 10 miles from the city, have them walk to it and we’ll bomb them and massacre them through accurate high explosive shells, if they break and run. We’ll go and blitz them back with a combined air, land and sea assault.”

“How’s the logistics so far? How long can we keep this up?”

“Francis told me that we have enough for at least another week of fighting as if we’re an actual modern army. But other than that, we’d have to completely strip down our capabilities. Good news is, we found good mining sites. He might not be here but I could hear his happiness through the radio as he reported the finding of materials.”

“Good. Time to play my part I guess. Also, warn the others to make sure the Hero is left alive. The King of James told me so.”

“Ah crap, yea. I’ll report that immediately. Now get going. I get the feeling they’ll be using the Moon’s light as a method to attack us at night.” He then picks up a Cigarette, using his finger with fire magic to light it.

Paul quickly leaves and looks around. He sees a Command M1A2 Abrams, its extra antennas for the long range radios give it away in the large pool of tanks. He boards it and sees its skeleton crew silently awaiting orders inside. As he seats in the commander’s position, he grabs one of the long range radios and tunes into the local frequency.

“HMMMMMM...” as the tank's turbine engine idled, the darkness of the night was broken as the marching feet of hundreds of thousands of soldiers and horseback slowly approached their defensive line.

“Alright, calling to all callsigns. This is Hannibal signing in. Gridiron actual, do you copy me?”

“Affirmative Hannibal. This is Gridiron actual. All three armored formations are in station and ready for orders. Over.”

“Roger that. I’ll quickly link up to you and take command.”

As Paul finishes his sentence a helicopter pilot interdicts. His voice was muffled a bit by the loud rotors spinning above him, but his tense voice could be clearly heard.

“Break, This is Murdock one, I have positive eyes on a mass movement of an army, direct North of the free fire zone. They’ll reach the zone in about thirty minutes. Seems to be about one hundred thousand or so. Knights on horseback in the rear and grunts in the front with spears and shields. Dragon mounts seem to be following their pace while Mages are behind. About two hundred meters in the back. That’s all. Out.”

“HNNNNNN…!” The tank's turbine engine roars into full swing and it rotates its body to the position of Gridiron while its turret steadily points itself to the free fire zone, the seventy ton tank starts trekking at full speed, weaving through the scattered tanks defending Matthew’s position.

“Hannibal to all callsigns, Operation Spinebreaker is in full swing. All units are to open fire when ordered.”

“Gridiron here, we have eyes on a massive I repeat, massive formation of grunts with spears and lancers. Awaiting orders to open fire.”

“Roger that Gridiron. Shed actual here, the ones in the defensive line will open fire first and then artillery. Await my signal or Hannibal’s discretion to fire. Over.”

“Affirmative Shed. We’ll be awaiting Hannibal’s arrival. Out.”

As Paul’s tank rumbles through the open plains, the massive army steps into the free fire zone. Their marching feet could be heard from the defensive line and their Dragon mounts were visibly seen. With their Night Vision goggles, the soldiers train their weapons at countless soldiers approaching their effective firing range.

“Shed to all units, when they reach eight hundred meters, it's a free game. Fire with all you got.”

The tank reaches Gridiron’s position and takes the lead. Paul goes into the turret and looks at the commander's camera and switches it to thermals. The army clouds almost the entire screen as it marches closer to the defensive line, he tries to find the Hero as it marches ever so nearer. He concludes that he isn’t there.

“Hannibal to Shed. You’re all cleared to open fire.”

“Affirmative Hannibal. They’re just about the EFR of the M4s and M249s. Catapult, this is Shed to fire support. I’m requesting danger close, at map coords Two-Five-Zero-Three-Two-Six. Target is a formation of about thirty thousand soldiers with spears and shields, HE is recommended. Over.”

“Affirmative on that Shed, Five guns, six rounds each, HE delay, round is enroute to the sector, time before impact is forty seconds, over.”

“Roger that Catapult. Shed to all units in the defensive line, I’m announcing weapons free, I repeat. Weapons free. Open fire on the target.”

“Shot out.”

The morning darkness was suddenly lit up like a giant firework show just appeared out of nowhere. Tracers gun down the approaching army, their shields useless against the bullets while the tanks and infantry fighting vehicles picked off the ones on horseback. Far away while on top of his tank, Paul could see the lines of bullets hitting the dark as countless men died to them. The sounds of the one hundred twenty millimeter smoothbores of the M1A2 Abrams fill the night while the immense “DAKA DAKA” sounds of the Bradley’s Twenty Five Millimeter autocannons rip apart the invaders.

At such close range, the accuracy of the guns caught the medieval army off guard, they put their shields up with their spears. Forming a Testudo while the Knights on horseback attempt to rush through the gunfire with a Wedge formation only to be cut down. Some of the horses got caught in the barbed wire while some of the soldiers screamed in agony as their body was shot to pieces and ripped apart by the high explosive shells of the tanks.

Out of nowhere a piercing sound punching through the air is heard.

“Eeeeeeeooo…”

As quickly as its heard, a trail of large explosions came. The entire frontline was ablaze. The mages far behind the formation could only look in awe of the continuous rain of explosions as the night was turned into morning by the one hundred fifty five millimeter shells.

“Splash out.”

The Dragon Mounts attempted to rush through the lines but encamped Point fifty M2 Browning machine guns ripped them apart with M163 VADS Anti air Vulcan miniguns. None of the Dragons was able to get close, the large tracers of the heavy machine guns looked like small fireworks as it flew through the sky.

In a matter of minutes, the army of one hundred and eighty thousand was decimated to sixty thousand. As the battle continued, none of the Knights could get close. Some of the barbed wires were full of dead men and the once open plains was turned into hills, full of dead bodies and scattered barbed wire, tank traps and craters of varying sizes.

The General far behind the formation immediately called for a retreat as their unseen enemy constantly fired into their position with deadly accuracy.

“Shed, this is Valkyrie two-four checking in. Flight of five, six four delta Apache helicopters in Angels Two, direct South of Center. Armed with eight Hellfires, Seventy Two Hydras, and One thousand and two hundred thirty mike mike rounds for each bird. Ready for your order, over.”

“Valkyrie two-four, this is Shed One solid copy. The enemy is currently running away from the defensive line. You have free discretion to pluck them out. Over.”

“Affirm Shed, we’ll be egressing through Northwest of the Area of Operations. Time until arrival is forty seconds. Out.”

Five attack helicopters appear from the horizon, Paul looks up as it directly flies over his armored formation. The helicopters were in a V formation as it approached the battlefield. One kilometer from the free fire zone, it opens fire with its 30 millimeter guns and fires their rockets. Taking out the remaining fleeing soldiers while artillery constantly barraged and harassed the panicking men.

An hour after the attack, the army was decimated to a mere twenty thousand. Mostly wounded. Horrified by that he experienced, the General runs to the tent of the high ranking officials and other generals. It was beautifully decorated and expensive wine bottles were everywhere with portraits of their Kings and Queens.

“General Zweit. How successful was your attack?”

“They’re… they’re all dead Lord Courtageux.”

“What do you mean all dead? It’s only been an hour, the Sun hasn’t even rose yet.”

“I’m telling you, they killed everyone in a flash. They had flying metal birds and these piercing sounds of lightning as massive explosions followed. We need to run and retreat! We won’t win against such a foe!”

“Go home General Zweit. I shall be with my Generals and we’ll lead a victory in no time. We have almost three hundred thousand men under our disposal. From Elves to Reptilians and Halfbreeds, your all human army is decimated as it does not have the variety to take on the unknown foe.”

“I’m telling you now, you’ll regret this! And you Duke Philippe! You’ll eat your words!”

As the two were about to have an argument, Knights in light blue armor entered the tent. Behind them was a beautiful woman with long white hair. Her crown immediately shines in the ornate tent. Everyone immediately saluted.

“Princess Mary, please go back to the ship. It’s dangerous here.”

“My father allowed you to consolidate your forces here, yet rather than joining together, all I heard was an argument waiting to happen. And what is with this tent? Why is it flashy? Aren’t we in a war?”

“It was the Dukes and Lords who put up the tent. We had no connections to it.”

“Why do I even bother? Could you all at least unite a bit and end this? This gigantic tent city of yours is costing your Kingdom thousands of Gold coins, let me remind you.”

“Of course Princess. Please go back to the ship and wait there.”

Unbeknownst to them, the Hero has entered the tent.

“I’ll go.”

The voice of Sigured immediately captures everyone's attention.

“This war of yours has cost my Father and our Kingdom too much already. When the Sun rises, we’ll attack them with all we have and immediately end this. I’ll lead the formation. Are we all done?”

The Prince’s presence was very powerful and his words forced everyone to comply and follow his orders. The young man proudly stood by his words and left with his party members. They quickly mounted their horses and went to the staging area. Leaving the high ranking officials to talk it out with one another.

The Pope was about to enter the tent when he suddenly got rattled by the Hero, hurriedly walking to his horse. He tried to speak to the man and wasn't able to find a chance.

After a few hours, the Sun was rising above the horizon, behind the fortified position. Paul knew that it's gonna be a matter of moments when he’ll launch a counter attack. While in the front, a tanker is looking through his binoculars when something blinds him.

“This is Warpig two one. Can I get my eyes direct, North?”

“Solid copy on that Warpig, I’ll get my thermals up. It’s… holy shit…”

Hearing this, the tanker quickly goes inside the tank and opens his thermals. It’s a massive formation of what seems to be Templars and Crusaders on Horseback while Dragons adorned in armor were flying high above them. Their Knight armor was so shiny their formation was basically blinding the people on the defense. Their horses were quickly running at their lines, jumping over the dead bodies and barbed wires. The players in the trenches could feel the rumbling of the soil as the gigantic horseback formation came into their view.

“Deadeye to Shed, are you seeing this?!”

“Affirmative, I’m calling all possible aircrafts and Naval batteries we have on station. This is it, they're gonna try to break our back in one run. Do as your honor wills! Weapons free!”

Suddenly, Elves on horseback that were behind the Templars turn left, flanking the line. With their bows in hand, they fire enchanted arrows.

“Deadeye to all units, we got hundreds of Elves on horseback… wait are they firing their bows?”

Even though being one point five kilometers away, their arrows traveled the entire way and were arching into the line.

“EVERYONE, TAKE COV-” buzzing cuts his words.

“Deadeye, do you copy? Deadeye this is Shed actual. What’s your status?”

After a few seconds, another man is heard on the radio.

“This is Deadeye two! Deadeye one is dead! An arrow pierced right through his skull! SEND EVERYTHING!”

“I know, I kn-”

“This is Godhand signing in. We’re ETA twenty minutes from the area of operations. Over.”

“Oh sweet Jesus, get your bombs over here! We got hundreds of thousands storming the line!”

“QUIET ON THE RADIO! This is Shed actual, solid copy. Where will you guys be ingressing from?”

“Roger that, we got two wings of B-Fifty-Two Hotels. One wing will ingress through your West while another through your South. Hold tight. Over.”

As the soldiers desperately held the line, their tanks opened fire tearing apart the Templars and their horses. Bullets from their assault rifles and machine guns weren't able to penetrate the Templar Knights armor but point fifties were still able to tear them open. The flanking Elves was able to successfully cross the second phase line, prompting General Matthew to call in missile strikes

“Shed one to all units of Firework! Get your fucking missiles over here and on their tents!”

“Solid copy on all Shed. We’ll be firing all guns and all salvos targeting both the free fire zone and their headquarters. Twenty seconds till splash on target Alpha and Two minutes on their Headquarters. Over.”

Missiles are fired from the batteries, as Hero Sigured is charging the front, he could see the rockets slowly arching to the frontline, he screams for everyone to disperse but the artillery bombing that was harassing the flanking Elves had turned their guns on the front moments ago and their shells was piercing through the skies as he was talking. The explosions threw him off his horse.

“No! Everyone! Watch out!” As he screams this, the missiles burst mid air, dropping cluster bombs into the frontline. Effectively turning the Templar Knights into corned beef with the Elves. He could hear the ringing as the shrapnel bounces off their armor.

“This is Hannibal, I’ll be lining up my tanks behind the entrenchments! There’s way too many!”

“Roger that Hannibal, just make sure you’ll have enough for when we’ll perform the counterattack! Out!”

The tanks and IFVs under Paul’s control all move forward, forming a firing line behind the trenches. The mass of armored vehicles creates a gigantic silhouette as the Sun behind them slowly rises and like an organ of cannons. The ear blistering shots of the cannons decimate even more of the attacking Templars and Elves. Though their arrows were hitting them, their armor was strong enough to simply ping off.

Thousands of Mages that’re behind the formation started chanting, a large magic circle was slowly being created above the skies as their armored dragons got taken down by air to air missiles from fighter jets and Vulcan miniguns.

After a few seconds, the large circle was fully formed and Golden Spectral Swords and Lancers were shot into the one point five wide defensive line. It pierced the top of the tanks armors and shot down some of their Apache helicopters. After the barrage, a hail of Tomahawk cruise missiles are fired from the Arleigh Burke Class Destroyers and the Iowa class battleship opens up with all its main guns.

The formation was absolutely getting destroyed while Prince Sigured was thrown about in his cover. Bodies of the Templars and Elves were thrown around like toys as body parts flew as far as the eye could see. Though they only killed about thirty thousand of the three hundred thousand men.

“This is Godhand, we’re now in station. Keep your heads down. We’re laying down the Carpet.”

“This is Hannibal, holy shit you guys finally arrived. I lost multiple tanks to their magical attacks. LAY DOWN THE CARPET!”

Through a raspy and buzzy voice, Shed also replies.

“--Bro-ken--Arro-w--Dan--ger--Clos--e--”

“Copy on all. Keep yer’ heads down, out.”

Paul opens the tank hatch and looks above, he could see the silhouette of the bombers as they fly over the battlefield. He looked around and could see that some of his tanks and infantry fighting vehicles had been disabled by the spectral blades.

*BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM--*

To his left, the medieval army was completely engulfed by the bomb's explosion. Going from left to right, the hail of fire and shrapnel covered hundreds of meters and some large pieces of metal and soil flew over a kilometer. It completely destroys the frontline.

*SWOOOSSSHHH---*

He looked up and could hear the B-52s engines as it flew over the area; another formation coming directly from the South arrived. The carpet bombing reaches all the way back to the Mages of the Holy See. The magic circle completely disappears as the bombs reach their casters. Prince Sigured, who was still unable to move due to the mass amount of explosions, stands up. Valiantly looking over the absolute massacre happening on his side.

Bahamut, who was preparing for her own show of power, used a concentrated breath of fire, it first burned Yellow, but as it continued streaming down from the clouds, it became a large blue laser. Annihilating the Middle Formation that was hastily attempting to reinforce the soldiers that were getting destroyed at the frontlines. Her fire breath was so powerful that only the burnt soil was left and some extremely well made magical weapons and armor.

He looks back at the silhouette of tanks on the horizon, he squints his eyes and could see a mass of Apache helicopters with Blackhawks all flying towards him while more missiles are seen flying high above the skies as it arches, headed towards far behind their lines.

Meanwhile at their tent city, the entire place is ablaze as the constant rain of missiles comes down destroying everything on it. Princess Mary with the surviving officials was on a ship in the river next to the massive camp and could only look as everything was turned into a parking lot. Completely flattening and glassing the place as more missiles come down to make sure no one is left alive.

“By the Gods, we’ve been defeated.”

The once three hundred thousand army was dumbed down to a mere ten thousand after the mass bombing and the cleaning up of the helicopters. Little to their knowledge was that their Hero Sigured was still alive though severely wounded on a hole made by the shells.

“This is Hannibal to all units, forward! Phase 3 of Operation Spinebreaker is a go! Shed, we’ll be launching the counterattack now and I recommend you consolidate your forces. Out.”

Paul’s formation of thirty armored vehicles roared into the battlefield, crossing over the defensive line as the skeleton soldiers on it stood up to check their dead and see the damage on their vehicles. General Matthew who was in the frontlines salutes to the tanks as they roll through his defenses and into the enemy lines.

His tanks trample through the carcasses of Knights, Horses, Elves and Mages. Lifelessly going through the mass amount of corpses. Paul, who was inside one of the lead tanks could not bear to watch the horrible scene outside and is actually thankful he couldn’t smell the outside of the tank.

General Matthew, looking at the aftermath of his line, sends some Humvees with trucks to the battlefield. Checking over for anyone that survived the bombings and hail of bullets from the smallest to the largest calibers. He found a hand of people, who’re then brought back to their lines to be treated. One squad of skeletons finds Prince Sigured who was unconscious from the blood loss carrying him back to their lines.

Miles ahead into the open plains, the mass armor formation rolls through everything they spot. They caught up to the retreating forces and in a show of mercy, simply passed through them. The men were shocked at the lifeless machines as its tracks crushed the soil below and the ground rumbled as they passed by at such a high speed.

Though Paul had his reservations about the Thunder Run style blitz into enemy territory, he knows that speed is a matter of victory and defeat. As he neared the enemy camp, he could see the tall smoke stacks, created by the bombing.

Out of nowhere, some of his tanks fall into holes made to trap elephants. Some of the tank’s front was completely vertical.

“Damn it! This is Hannibal, I lost three tanks to enemy traps. I need a recovery tank over their position, over.”

“Solid Copy on all, This is Nomad One, we’re rolling. Out.”

“Gridiron, dismount a squad from one of your M3A2s and have it guard this place. Everyone, watch out for more surprises, we’re very near. We just need to crest that small Hill over there and we’re at their camp.”

“Copy that Hannibal, I’ll be leaving Delta Two five here with their Bradley. Over.”

One of Gridiron’s Bradley’s opens its rear ramp, seven soldiers exit the vehicle and quickly run to defend its stranded tanks perimeters. Its crews exited to look at the damage while some grabbed their assault rifles and prepared to defend their metal beasts.

With twenty seven tanks and fifteen infantry fighting vehicles, he continues his run to the enemy camp. As they cross over the small Hill, he immediately sees the destruction done by their missiles. Destroyed tents lay as far as the eye could see, while some parts of the gigantic camp were on fire, large holes made by the cruise missiles and long range thermobarics could be seen hundreds of meters away, scattered throughout the land. He could only be in silence on the destruction they’ve committed. His tanks halt at the edge of the camp, just trailing its entrance. He picks up the long range radio mic and tunes into 115.21

“Hannibal to all callsigns, damage report is at ninety eight or even at a hundred. There’s no signs of life here.”

“Copy, do a clean sweep. We got helicopters heading to you to recover any survivors and put them into the hospital for treatment. Over.”

“Roger that. Out.”

“Gridiron, this is Hannibal, I’ll be dismounting from my Abrams. Keep your eyes on me. Dismount the skeletons inside the Bradley’s and have them help me sweep this place.”

“Copy on all. Be careful now sir.”

Immediately dismounting from his tank, he looks down and sees the ground has darkened from the missiles warheads. He then looks around and feels the area, it was an absolute genocide. As far the eye could see, all that’s in his eyes is the small sparks of fire flying around like Fireflies. It took him a second to process the aftermath of their nonstop bombing. Soldiers from the Bradley’s immediately started sweeping, caught in the moment. He grabs himself together and starts walking with them. Gridiron was out of his tank turret, looking around in his binoculars.

As he walks through the remains of the place, he remains of what could’ve been a catering area while burnt and scorched bodies litter the place. He hears crunching as the combat boots of the soldiers and his step on swords and shields that’re crisp and some still hot. Some of the weapons are embedded on the ground, thrown far from their original place and landing on the soil like an arrow shot out of a bow.

“Jesus, what have we done? This might’ve been too much. Skeletons, look for any survivors and take them to the back of the tanks and wait for our healers.”