Knights

Lord Kean cracked his neck and stretched his lean muscular body. He looks at the female laying on the floor wondering what manner of creature is this.

He squatted down next to the unconscious female and observed her closely. She looked well fed, with none of the imperfections of the skin, if it wasn't the short ears, she looked almost like a normal person. Such a pity.

The clothing on her that appeared to be a cut out from a single piece of material, the fabric rich and finely woven with a cross in red sewn on the upper sleeves.

What matter is this creature? He tilts his head in thought. Did these filth low blood mate with some other sub races?

He gave a spit and turned his attention to the exit of the tent. The rest of his men drenched in blood had finished off all the filth in the tent, stood waiting for his commands. Their self-inflicted injuries to blend in with the slaves already healing as they cast healing spells on themselves.

"My Lord, we are ready." A tall grunt elf armed with the dead soldier's sword greeted Kean.

He nods to his men, 10 in all including him. "You all know your duties! Kill everyone who resists, we are here to destroy their camp and hold the Pass for Duke Sturm."

"How about her?" His subordinate indicates the unconscious female.

"Kill her," Kean than remember watching her providing treatment to the people in the tent. "No, wait, keep her alive. Bring her with us, even without magic, her healing arts are quite good. She will make a valuable slave for her skills."

Flashes of lightning lit up the tent and followed by a series of thunder rumbled in the distance. Even the Gods are watching and blessing us. Kean smiled, "Let's go!"

"FOR THE EMPIRE!"

-----

Machinist mate Petty Officer 2nd class Ivan Pavlo sat on the driver seat of the half-track packed at the side of the encampment. He took a drag of his last remaining few sticks of cigarette, blew a smoke ring out of the window and hands it over to Sgt Raman. who accepted it.

"What the hell are we doing here?" Raman complained for the third time since they hid here to secretly smoke a stick. "I am sick of this place, no women, no drinks, nothing."

"Didn't you see those 'elves',?" Ivan propped his feet up against the steering wheel and leaned back in the chair. "They look fantastic! Hotter than a Russian girl. Might need to fatten them up a bit, but damn are they good looking." He gave a soft wolf whistle.

He signed up with the Navy after the Court Judge gave him a choice, prison or military service. He got caught jacking cars, stripping them down at his own garage and selling them to customers after doctoring them as 'clean' parts.

'Yeah, I admit they are pretty hot," Raman agreed, "Damn, don't know what the Captain is doing, inviting them over and all that shit. They are just uneducated barbarians, we should just make them follow our lead."

"Oh yeah, great idea," Ivan muttered, removing a small bottle and swallowing its contents in a gulp. "Ahhh... that hits the spot."

"Is that alcohol?" Raman stared at Ivan's bottle. He licks his lips as he stares greedily at the bottle.

"Here, made this myself." Ivan hands the bottle over to Raman, who quickly drowns the contents down. "Hey, don't finish it all!"

"Damn, it burns all the way down. It's good!" Raman smacks his lips, handing the bottle back. "Anymore?"

"Damn you greedy svin'ya!" Ivan cursed in Russian when suddenly some commotion could be heard from the isolation camp. "Huh? What's going on?" He peers out of the side window.

In the distance, lightning lit the night sky, followed by a series of rumbles.

-------

Kean's men slipped out of the tent and rushed towards the exit of the camp. They memorized the layout of the camp as they were brought in earlier in the day. Several people headed towards them, seeing them covered in blood, started questioning them what had happened only to have their necks twisted or hearts crushed.

Pushing on, they reached the camp entrance, where several of Goldrose guards and a couple of those short-eared beasts stood. Arcs of lightning flares out from the leading Empire soldier's fingertips, blasting the guards away.

Suddenly thunder and fire erupted from the short-eared beasts, sending a couple of his men spinning away. Kean raised his hand and muttered a quick chant, and spray his fingers out, blocking the fire from the beasts' spells.

Sparks crackle across his magic barrier, each blow knocking him back slightly, Kean raises his eyes in surprise, as his barrier can block spells up to level 5 without any issues. He felt his magic power draining with each fire hitting his barrier.

His remaining men split into action, tossing spells at the beasts, sending them scrambling to cover, giving Kean a respite from the barrage of spells he blocked. "Kill them all! Make it quick!"

Rushing forward without any regards for their lives, his men rushed the remaining few guards who fought back bravely but were overpowered instantly. His men are all knight class soldiers, proficient in all known weapons and magic.

He watches as one of his men fired a magic bolt, sending the black and grey clad short-eared beast flying. Kean walks over to one of his fallen men, his body broken from the spells welded by the thundersticks. Several holes leaking blood could be seen on his body, Kean flips the body over, seeing the large wounds at the back.

What an amazing spell. Their spells enter your body and explode inside, making healing impossible, how marvelous! "Collect their thundersticks! It must be sent to the Ministry of Magic to be studied!" He ordered his men.

Lord Kean stood at the gates, watching his men scattered into the night, heading towards the enemies headquarters and laughed, enjoying the cries of pain and screams of the dying. "Kill! Burn! Rape! It is a good night for mayhem!"

-----

Pike with his arms folded stood watching the UAV feed, waiting for the infiltration team actions. He smiled when he saw the laser message came in, updating Base of the target and calling in the missile strike.

He walked outside the command tent and looked in the direction of the enemy camp, and minutes later, several flashes of light could be seen followed by several claps of thunder like rumble. "That's what you get for messing with the Marines, fuckers!"

He turns towards the tent only to spin around when several distant gunshots woke the camp. "What the hell?" Picking up his comms, he speaks into it. "Report! What is happening? Who is firing?"

"Staff! Gunfire reported from the isolation camp!" A support staff poked her head out of the command tent. "The sentries are not responding!"

"Damn! Order everyone to stand to! All camps are to go on lockdown! Shoot anyone who doesn't comply!" Pike orders, "Get the rapid response team to head to the isolation camp now!"

The layout of the camps was arranged with the defensive works at the Pass, then at the rear, the military camps for both the elven and human troops. Next to the military camp was the hospital area and isolation camp for the new arrivals, traveling further to the rear down the slopes at the foot of the mountain is the elven refugees camp.

Pike rushed towards a Jeep parked next to the command tent, "Son, get me to the isolation camp! And make sure your weapon is loaded!" He woke the off-duty driver who was napping at the driver seat.

"Yes, Staff!" The crewmate started the engine and reversed the Jeep before driving down the rock path to the rear. As they arrived in the rear, bodies littered the area and several tents were on fire, while arcs of lightning could be seen striking at the soldiers who rushed towards a group of elves clad in rags.

"Fuck! I should have tightened security on those elves!" Pike leaped off the Jeep. "Get to cover." He told the driver who happily drove off somewhere safe.

"All units, we got enemy contacts inside the isolation camp," Pike spoke into his comms. "Contacts are highly dangerous with magic. Do not approach, shoot to kill! Repeat, shoot to kill!"

-------

Lamelath laughed with glee as he toasted several Goldrose soldiers with a lightning bolt, enjoy the burnt smell raising from their bodies, reminding him of roasted meat. He licked his lips as he dodged a spear thrust from another soldier, and riposte with his borrowed blade. The Goldrose army prefers a curved, single-edged blade as opposed to the Empire's short stabbing swords, making it slightly weaker in stabbing attacks.

His borrowed blade hit the chest plate of the soldier and it slid like a hot knife through butter, much to the surprise of the soldier. His look of surprise as he died with the blade entering right through armor and heart earned an amused chuckle from Lamelath. He had imbued a spell onto the sword, making it able to cut through almost anything.

He leaped into another group of soldiers who attempt to spear him, cutting them down with his enhanced strength and agility. He stood there posing, with dozens of soldiers in a semi-circle around him, none daring to approach him. "Come on! You low lives, come bow before the master race!"

"Master race?" A grizzly looking short-ear male pushed past the crowd of soldiers and stood in front of him. "You? Don't make me laugh."

"Than die, beast!" Lamelath bent his lean body forward and sprint forward towards the short-ear.

That short-ear male shooked his head and raised his hand, his fast movement surprising Lamelath who has cast Speed and Quick Reflex on himself, the black object in that short-ear hand appeared magically in his hand.

It must be another of their thundersticks! He felt time appeared to crawl, he twisted his body to dodge that weapon, knowing that as long as he dodges the first attack, that short ear is done for.

Only to see a flash of silver coming from his bottom left, he glanced down to see a silvery blade coming from his blind side. Noo! He twisted his upper body backward, narrowly avoiding the slash that would have taken his head. He grins and wipes the thin trickle of blood on his neck, "You missed!"

"Oh really?" Pike shrugged and fires point blank at that crazed looking elf face, blowing his brains out. "Dodge this."