Chapter 10

February 10th, 2043Falmart, Koan Forest

"We're not heading back to base yet boss?"

The 5th Marine Recon pulled out of the remains of Koan Forest, having only found ten survivors. Now that they were clear, they continued on with their objective.

"Nah, we're gonna stick around out here a little more." Mason responded to the driving corporal's question. "Satellites picked up a likely settlement about five miles southwest that wasn't labeled on the map. I wanna check that out first than we'll head back to base."

"Understood sir. Has base responded about the dragon situation?"

"Yeah. Drones and several helicopter flights spotted the damn thing leave our area of operation several hours ago. Since then they haven't seen it reappear. Base just issued a theater wide alert to keep an eye out for it and report it's trajectory to all units if it shows up again. We're to avoid contact with it for now. But if unable to avoid it, we're to do whatever is necessary to either survive or kill it."

"I'm sort of down with killing it rather than surviving." Stewart responded. "If that thing comes back and goes after us, best we kill it now than later."

""

"What's the catch King? The MRAP can't be that bad, over."

""

In his seat, Mason sighed and came to a decision. "Convoy halt. We're gonna change seats with the lead vehicle and MRAP, over."

The convoy of vehicles breaked to a stop as Mason unbuckled himself and grabbed his pack. "Grab your shit Corporal. We're taking the MRAP." The other marine did the same while leaving the engine hot as Master Sergeant King and Sergeant Rees exited from the MRAP.

"You boys take the ATV. We'll take the Cougar and push up as new lead vehicle." He explained to them as they nodded and passed by him. Climbing into the passenger side of the MRAP, Mason looked back into the cabin and noticed the ten elves looking back at him.

"You well?" He asked them as Eletha and the younger elves nodded. "Good. We continue moving."

Taking his seat and settling in, Stewart set the vehicle to drive and pushed on the gas. The larger heavily armored 6x6 pushed out of line and drove ahead of the L-ATV ahead of them, assuming it's new position as lead vehicle. Now the convoy was the MRAP as the lead vehicle, L-ATV behind it, LAV-35 third in line, and L-ATV at the rear.

With their new formation, the convoy continued on as they followed the dirt roads towards another forest where this unnamed settlement was located.

Using the rear view mirror, Mason looked back at the elves in the cabin. While seated, he noticed the curiosity in them as the younger ones were looking outside the armored, reinforced windows with amazement.

"Mister human —, Mason, how does this carriage move without horses?" One of the younger males asked.

The lieutenant looked back at the elf while pulling out his dictionary to find a proper translation and response. "Eh...machine is complicated. Lots of moving parts. Make's cart go when we want it."

"Is it magic? How do all of these parts move?" Eletha asked to which Mason wasn't sure how to give a detailed response they would understand.

"Engine." Was all he answered and left it at that as they began approaching the forest where the unknown settlement was located.

"Hey boss, we got more smoke up ahead!" Stewart called out as several trails were rising from the forest leading up to a larger cloud. "Either whoever lives here has several bonfires lit or that dragon has been here as well."

"I don't know." Mason responded. "The forest is still here. If that dragon was here you would think it to be already alight or burnt to ashes." He was right. The forest was still all green and wasn't lit ablaze. Something else was causing the smoke.

"Convoy, accelerate to sixty five, we're gonna checkout the smoke." Mason announced over the radio as the vehicles drove into forest following the dirt road.

Upon reaching a large clearing, they came across both the source of the smoke and their destination. They found another settlement. However it wasn't looking promising as huts and facilities were broken down, some even burning being the cause of the smoke. This suggested this was only recently. The entire place was in wrecks with crop patches and fields burnt and items scattered about as if the place was trashed.

"This don't look good. Dismount and proceed on foot. Approach with caution." Mason instructed as he climbed out of the MRAP with his rifle up at the ready. The other marines dismounted with their rifles and machine guns at the ready. Approaching the area, they aimed at every building as they approached the ruins. Unlike at the elven village, this place was in a slightly better condition, with some huts still standing and recognizable.

"Eh sir, these bodies aren't human." Sergeant Kebrer reported. "They look like...canines?"

Inspecting the bodies, they were humanoid in stance and form, but had huge amounts of fur over their bodies and canine faces and tails. While not human, their expressions were somewhat readable showing signs of pain, anger, and fear before they passed away.

"Adults and juveniles. Not even the infants were spared." Warren noted as she inspected the bodies. "None are showing signs of burns. These wounds on them were from sharp bladed weapons and several arrows."

"This definitely was no dragon. What or who could've done this?"

"Spread out and run a visual sweep of the area. Find any clues or any survivors!" Mason ordered. "I hope to god we find survivors."

Searching around the ruins and bodies, they found broke arrows, crudely made swords and makeshift weapons. There clearly was a struggle here. Someone came here and attacked this place, but who?

Turning over a piece of wreckage, they found another body that was impaled by a broken piece of wood. The result was a massive puddle of blood underneath where they laid. The wood punctured one of the arteries but wasn't enough to cause instantaneous death. Who ever this was died to their injuries. Perhaps minutes ago.

"Lieutenant, sir!" King shouted as he walked up to the lieutenant. "We swept the area. No viable evidence to whoever was responsible for this. Every body we found resembles wolf like features and none are showing any pulse. They're all dead."

"Alright, radio command and update them on our findings. Have them redirect a few drones to our location to find any unknown parties moving about. Whoever did this probably isn't that far."

"Yes sir."

From the MRAP, Eletha figured out how to open the doors from the inside and disembarked to check on what the humans were investigating. A few of the younger elves wanted to come out but we're instructed to remain inside the

"What has happened here?" She asked as she looked around the destroyed settlement and inspected several of the canine dead bodies. The marines ignored her and didn't respond as she recognized the species these bodies were. "Volralden!"