Gate: War Of Two Worlds

As the fighting inside the fort continues, Lelei walks up to one of the vehicles that are facing the fort. She can hear some of the nearby soldiers talking by some of the vehicles. It would sound like they are commenting about the fighting from inside the fort and how intense it sounds like inside there.

As she watches the fort, one of their Stryker's with a heavy cannon is tearing apart of the keep. Apparently, the strike team requested fire support on the keep. It seemed they were taking heavy arrow fire from there. It is a specular sight to see how efficient the destruction is.

The rapid firing from the Stryker would end as she witnesses two of what they call Javelin missiles hit the outer edges of the keep. After the two explosions from the missile strikes and parts of the keep would fall apart.

"Hmm… everything seems to be going as planned." She says as a few soldiers to her left fires another Javelin missile at the fort. Its target seems to be a trebuchet that is on the far side of the wall. The missile will hit its target, blowing up the device and everyone around it.

That is when she overhears First Lieutenant Peterson over the radio. She looks down at a handheld radio that was given to her.

"All units, move to the right flank, contact right. Engage at will, weapons free." Peterson says.

That is when she notices everyone around her pack up and rush to the right side of their position. The three vehicles that they call Stryker and the JLTVs would begin to move, most of them going to where their commander said to.

Small arm weapon fire can be heard from that location. As more soldiers arrive at that location, the sound of weapons fire increases.

She decided to rush over there to see if there is anything she can do to help.

"Lelei! What is going on!?" That will be Selina over by one of the vehicles, next to Sergeant Alicia while she's talking on the radio.

"Stay there. We are under attack." Lelei says to Selina as she readjusts her combat helmet. Just like Selina, she also was given some protection to wear while in combat.

Once she arrived at the right flank, she could see the Empire forces advancing. There seem to be about four hundred cavalries taking cover by the tree line. For her something seems to be off, the hors.e.m.e.n are not attacking but taking cover. That isn't what horses are for though.

That is when she overhears someone yelling 'incoming'. She looks up in the air and sees these two fireballs coming in their direction. As everyone around her breaks for cover, she begins to chant a spell. As she chants, the top of her staff glows bright blue and then she raises it, pointing at the two fireballs.

Two bursts of energy would appear from her staff and strike both objects, blowing them up.

Once she finishes her spell she looks around and receives some cheers from the American soldiers, impresses with what she did. To be honest, it was just a basic spell. For a people who never experience the magic, she guesses any spell would be impressive.

"Thanks kid." That would be Second Lieutenant Charles Johnson of Vanguard-7. He walks over to her as the fighting would pick up again.

"Those were some kind of projectiles." Lelei says looking towards him as he walked up.

"Yeah, kinda figured. Had to come from some artillery piece, which means all of this was preplanned. We are in a trap." Lieutenant Johnson says, thinking out loud.

"I somewhat agree but their attack seems disorganized doesn't it? I mean I'm not a military expert but why are there so few of them and why haven't they properly attacked?" Lelei says as she looks over to the Imperialist lines.

After their failed artillery attack, the Empire cavalry did attempt to charge our lines but was torn apart. However, though, it just doesn't seem like enough Imperialist soldiers. They know how to advance these Americans are so why are they attacking with too few numbers. This only advantage is numbered, is it all they could spare?

"I was thinking the same thing. That fort can hold far more then what we are facing. Could just be an undermanned base." He says as he looks at the battle with her. "Either way we have to take out that artillery. Want to come with us?"

She smiles and nods her head. As they begin rushing to was Lieutenant Peterson located, Selina would catch up with them. "LELEI!!!" She says panting for air once she arrives.

"Selina! I said stay there!" Lelei says in a frustrated tone. It is rare for her to express a negative or positive emotion but here, she would be angry at her.

"I am sorry but… I am under orders from Alicia. She needs both of you now." Selina says as she regains her breath.

"Alicia? What does she want? OK, let's go kid." Johnson says confused.

The three of them would move to the left flank. There would only be a few soldiers over here as everyone else is either engaging at the fort or on the right side. Compare to over there, over here seems to be very quiet.

"Lieutenant, over here!" Alicia says, standing by their JLTV.

"Alicia, what are you doing? Going to get in the war?" Johnson asks her as he walks up to her.

"Aww sir, two things. One, look." Alicia says and then points out. The direction she is pointing to they all can see a large cavalry force organizing around the tree line.

"It is the main force." Lelei says, speaking her mind. "The fighting over there is a distraction."

"That is why they wouldn't fully commit. Sacrificing a small force and hoping it would overstretch our forces." Johnson would finish the realization of what's happening.

Johnson grabs his radio. "Lieutenant Peterson, this is Johnson. I need people on the left side now. Engaging the main army. About to be flanked."

There is a short pause over the radio. "What? I have no one I can send you right this second. We're taking out their artillery and routing the rest. We can't disengage"

"Well, sir!" Alicia speaks up, interrupting them both. "I was able to find air support. Well, Sarah did."

Johnson looks at her confused. "What? There isn't any, Sharpe already tried. Lieutenant Colonel Kason said there wasn't any aircraft currently available."

"I ask Sarah to go around the brass to see if anything was happening. It was just a shot in the dark, but she was able to find out that there's a gunship on an evaluation run right now." Alicia replies to both Johnson and Peterson.

"So? That still is going to take time…" Peterson says before being interrupted by a soldier.

"Here they come!"

"Alicia, contact the gunship and get them over here if they have ammo. Everyone, prepare to fire." Johnson orders.

Lelei watches everyone prepares for the incoming force and then looks at the incoming cavalry. "I have an idea. Hold your fire, trust me." After saying that, she would rush forward so that the Americans are a good distance behind her and inform of the Empire forces.

She could hear them calling out her name, telling her to come back. She would just ignore them and focus on her plan. Once she thinks she is far enough away, she closes her eyes and begins to chant.

As Lelei chants, slowly there will be a glow appearing all around her. She begins to sweat, concentration greatly. A small but intense blaze of wind is forming around her, building up a massive amount of energy. She has been practicing spell casting all her life, being trained by some of the greatest masters in the world. Never she has ever felt this much energy, power moving around her.

As the hors.e.m.e.n get closer, she would finish her chant and open her eyes. A bright bluish form of energy will be gathering into her staff. It would take all her strength and knowledge to control this spell.

Once they get close, she pushes her staff towards them and then a massive sonic boom would burst towards the hundreds of hors.e.m.e.n. The sound would be massively large, louder then any jet could produce. Many of the ones in from of the charge would fall off their horses, holding their ears.

The sudden sonic boom would scare not just the Empire soldiers but also the horses, not knowing what just happen. They would fly back to the forest.

Lelei will watch them run away, at least temporarily. "That actually… worked…" And right then everything goes black as she passes out.

***

The fighting in the fort has been brutal. There must have been hundreds of troops within the fort perimeter, but they were not ready for how quickly we were able to overwhelm their defenses. The biggest threat was the archers within the keep. That normally would have been a problem, but they did have good cover.

That was until the keep got hammered from concentrated fire from 30mm and missile fire. Seeing the keep be taken out of the battle, it seemed like the infantry decided to pull out of the courtyard and try to make their stand on the walls and the smaller buildings.

Them retreating is perfectly fine by Major Sharpe. The goal here isn't to take the fort, just get their man back. After gaining control of the courtyard, they were able to go to the crucifixion area without much resistance.

Sharpe, Jerry and a few other soldiers rush over to the crucifixion area. "OK Jerry, your up." He then looks up at Larson, extremely angry by the sight.

Two soldiers would begin trying to take him down but then Jerry, Vanguard-7 medic would yell at them. "DON'T! If we don't do this right, we will do more harm."

Sharpe looks at him. "Jerry, we can't just…"

"Major, I got it. Let me do it right. Just keep us covered." Jerry says at him and then looks at Larson. He would begin to study Larson to see what is the best way to free him without doing more harm. He would begin to order a few soldiers close by to help.

"Ok, you two. Do everything he says. Your four, watch their six. Randy, you got this?" Sharpe tells everyone.

Randy looks up at Larson and then looks at Sharpe. "I got this. No one going to get close."

Sharpe will feel good knowing that Randy has his back. He hasn't known him long, but he quickly learned you don't want to be on his bad side.

With that, he will rush back to the other side of the courtyard to were everyone else is. The situation would be becoming more stabilize by this point. We have a clear exit that we claim, and the enemy is forced back.

As he moves, an arrow would barely miss him. He stops and aims his rifle to the direction of the arrow fire. The shot came from one of the towers on the far side of the wall. Before he could fire, he witnesses Rory jumps on top of the tower and then down it. With her massive halberd, she slashes the foundation. After that, the tower comes falling to the ground. Moments like this are when he's happy she is on their team. Once seeing that threat gone, he rushes back to his men.

He rushes to Captain Charles. "They're getting him down now. Going to be a minute."

"Is it bad?" Captain Charles asks, already knowing the answer to his question though.

"Worse. There lucky were not planning on staying." Sharpe says, looking to the other side of the fort.

"Your damn right. No Genève conviction BS here after that." Captain Charles says, venting a little.

That is when they both hear a loud engagement happening on the other side of the wall. Both of them will look up and then heading to a staircase.

"Looks like that cavalry came back." Captain Charles says.

"Yeah, shouldn't be a problem." Sharpe replies to his commit.

When they get on top of the wall, they and a few other soldiers that were on guard be looking out to their comrades and see the intense engagement. They witness as they move to attack the force and see Trebuchet shoots at their location. A magic shot would hit that volley sparking a massive cheer from the soldiers on the wall.

"Hmm… now I see why you keep these kids with you." Captain Charles says to him in a c.o.c.ky tone.

"What's that suppose to mean Captain?" Sharpe says back to him.

Charles would just shrug his shoulders. "Last year you would have found that funny sir." He says to him.

"I know. I have been trying to work on…. Wait… why were those shots coming from the forest?" Sharpe says realizing something is wrong.

Captain Charles look at him confused but then realize that fact too. "It shouldn't unless… all of this was a trap. They were waiting for us."

"Shit, I thought I took the hardest job. I expected an attack, but this is far more organized than I expected." Sharpe says, speaking out loud.

That is when both of them hear a soldier give off a warning, about a large cavalry force coming from the right flank. A far larger force than that one that is currently engaging their forces out there.

"Shit, they're going to get flanked." Says Sharpe as he looks at the events unfolding in front of him. "Charles, you're in command."

Before Captain Charles could say anything, Sharpe would have already dropped most of his gear and jump down from the wall, using some of the broken cracks and debris to hop down. Once he gets down, he would run as fast as he could to get back to the convoy.

There are some scattered Imperialist soldiers around between him and the convoy. As they attempt to attack him, the soldiers on the wall would be picking them off as he rushes back to his comrades.

As he runs, a massive large sound and a tense wind would hit him out of no were. His ears will be ringing, and he would fall on the ground. That sound would be the loudest thing he has ever heard.

After adjusting himself for a bit and with sheer will, he gets back up and runs back to his men. He will pass a few solider and they look confused to see him back. As he runs, he sees his people all recovering from what also hit him. The closest thing he could think of was a sonic boom but far more intense than the ones he witnessed before.

He reaches to Lieutenant Johnson and Sergeant Alicia by their vehicle. In an exhausted voice, he will ask for a situation update.

To his frustration, all of them would just look at him, shocked or confused that he is there.

"Sir, where did you come from? How…" Alicia asked, confused about his presence.

Sharpe interrupts her. "I said sitrep." He says panting.

That is when he sees Selina looking over Lelei. She is laying against the vehicle. "What the…"

"She is the ok boss. She is just out cold." Johnson says before Sharpe would finish his question.

"Yeah… she did some kind of magical spell. It scared the Imperialists away, but it looks like it took everything she had to do it." Alicia says, adding to Johnson commit.

"No, they're coming back. Once they rally together, they are going to hit hard." Sharpe says, finally catching his breath and wiping the sweat off his head.

That is when Lieutenant Peterson and a few soldiers rush over to them. They all would be wondering what is going on and were surprised to see Major Sharpe back here.

Both lieutenants will fill in him in on what's been happening and would agree that this has been set up. The terrain is good for the Empire, they can hide in the forest and attack. We can attack and kill many of them before they can hit but we can only kill so many before they get close. Just like what happens with Vanguard-5.

Holding here would just mean they could attack from all sides, we wouldn't be able to concentrate our firepower, besides half of our forces are in the fort. We could move into the fort but that means we would have to take it and hold off an attack. The Stryker's will be fine while out in the open but the Infantry are the ones at risk but leaving the JLTV means they lose their mobility.

Running some quick scenarios through Sharpe's head, he sees them winning all the fights but with heavy causalities. This was supposed to be a rescue mission, not a major engagement.

"Another thing sir. Lieutenant Rose was able to go around Lieutenant Colonel Kasen and found a gunship. It is going through a specs evaluation to determine it is combat-ready or not." Alicia says. "It is on its way, about five minutes. They say they can do one strafe round only though. That's all the ammo they have on board."

Sharpe looks at Alicia, a little angry about that news. He's not mad at her but annoyed that he spent the past twenty-four hours trying to get some kind of air support and got stonewalled.

The thing is about the Gate, fighter jets and helicopters can be moved through easily. The problem has been the bigger aircraft, they do not fit through the Gate. Like the AC-130U, the larger aircraft had to be taken apart back on Earth and reassemble here.

So, either Lieutenant Colonel Kasen didn't know the Air Force had some aircraft assembled or he didn't bother to ask. He would guess the latter, but politics doesn't matter right now. Having that gunship, in the beginning, could have been useful but now it seems too late to matter.

That's when Sharpe looks back at the fort and then takes a quick look around. Larson was bait for them, all of this has been planned out. We are in their kill zone; they planned to weaken us and then charge into us. Why not let them?

"Sir? What are you thinking?" Alicia asks him. They all can see the wheels turning in his head.

"Alicia, contact Captain Charles, tell them they will have to holdout. They should be safe in the fort." Sharpe says.

They will look at him confused about that order.

"Sir, we should go get them now and pull out." Lieutenant Peterson says as he protests that order.

"Negative. They need to stay there for now. We hold here for them to regroup and charge. It should be very soon." Sharpe says back to him. "Move your men here and here, I want gaps in the lines, so they have a path."

"You have gone crazy, there is no way I am going to give that order." Lieutenant Peterson says back to Sharpe.

Everyone looks at him, wondering if he has lost it. That is when Selina speaks up. "We are baiting, right? Is that your plan?"

They all look at her and then each other.

"Bait for wha… the gunship." Alicia says, snapping her figures.

"They are scattered right now however though if we can get them in the open and close enough, they're dead." Johnson adds.

Sharpe nods his head, acknowledging that is his plan. "Picking up the men at the fort will take too long. The biggest threat is the forces out there. Once they start attacking, we fake a retreat. Now give the order." He finishes, a bit annoyed that it is taking this long to follow his orders.