Chapter 4

"Lead the civilians towards the Imperial Palace for refuge!"

"But sir...There's no way I can do that. The idea of using the Imperial Palace to shelter people is outside the realm of consideration for any ordinary police officer." The police officer replies.

"You have to think about this." Itami grabs the police officer on the shoulder. "We are talking about 3,000 innocent lives standing outside of the gate of the imperial palace, the only place that is large enough to hold that many. In fact, the Imperial Palace had originally been a military structure. So it was actually well suited to accommodate tens of thousands of people and protect them from medieval-grade troops, perfect against those bastards outside."

"But it still not my call to..." before the office could finish a certain voice interrupts. Tej and the rest of his team were then seen carrying wounded civilians into the entrance of the palace where the police officers hastily check on their conditions.

"Get someone who can. You have a phone don't you? Use it!" The office immediately when to the phone and started to call someone. Meanwhile, Tej started to observe the situation and it not looking too good.

"What are you looking at Oracle?" Itami asked

"Folks are going if the feds don't hurry the fuck up." He wiped the sweat off his head and took a heavy sigh. "Ironically, I came here to have a relax but I just walked right into another bloody battlefield." He angrily but laughably said.

Itami chuckle, "That's military life for ya."

Tej smiles at Itami's comment, to be honest Itami has a point, but that happy moody would quickly end as Tej focus on a crying child next to a Policeman.

"Mommy! Daddy!" she cried loudly as the policeman tried helplessly to calm her down. The cries and the blood for the wounded, all flash into the Nepali Sergeant's mind. Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia, South America, London and Recently Ginza, Tej covers his face as the sound of screaming and crying engulf his mind, The heavy breathing started as the memory made his head flinch from side to side as the deafening voices in his head intensified.

"Tej..." a voice echoed quietly, "Tej..." the voice repeats but more loudly.

"TEJ!" he felt a cold feeling that surrounded his face. He then was snapped out of his mind and was brought back to reality. A slight pain was felt as his eyes were directed at his Scottish partner.

"Sorry... I was distracted."

"Take all the time you need." Scarlet wipes of the sweat on Tej face. "That's one hell of a fit you had there." She leans closer to his ears and whispers. "And keep the glasses on. Your eyes and cheeks are a bit green."

"What?!", He found out that Scarlet Rayban sunglasses were on his face and aggressively took it off only to see the reflections of his face. The two share lines that stretch from his eyes down to his cheeks was becoming visible.

'Shit' Tej mentally cursed. Hastily putting the glasses back on the Nepali Sergent looks at his teammates, "if we all just stand here then more people are going to die. So get your game faces on and prepare to move out!"

The three operators would look at the Sergeant with a smile and replied, "Copy, Thapa"

"Good." Tej then faces Itami. "You coming Itami?"

"No. I'm saying here if those bastards come I'll be waiting for them." the 2nd Lieutenant gave Tej a thumbs up.

"Then good luck Itami."

"You too Oracle!"

With Tej and his team heading out to conduct more search and rescue, Itami sought the cooperation of police officers who were willing to risk their lives to protect civilians even though they'd been cut off from the chain of command, along with that of civilians who were taking shelter, and holed up in the Imperial Palace. The Imperial Guards were upset by it, but they were calmed down by a word from an "important person" who lived in the palace. Though that was a reference to one of Itami's favourite manga, many thought of something else.

As Tej's team ran towards the city, the Nepali Sergeant brought out his phone and put in a specific number.

"Caller please identify yourself." A lady spoke in a queen's English accent.

"Access Oracle," Tej said the phase code. "Give me a clear line to 'Top dog'."

"Please stand by..." the phone when silent for a few minutes but to the Nepali sergeant, it felt like forever.

"Thapa, I've been expecting a call right about now. The bloody news is going insane. What's the situation?" The phone spoke, which could be easily recognised to be Captain Mitchell Brooks. But due to the poor signal, there were some static.

"We got hundreds of civilians dead and local law enforcement being overrun." He took a brief pause to take the information into his head. "And ASTAS is nowhere to be seen."

"Well, that's bollocks..."

"Captain, It worse than London." Tej coldly stated. "Me, Macmillan, and the twins are commencing Search and Rescue now."

"Copy Thapa. Just get any folks to safety."

"Roger that sir." Tej hung up the phone and continues to lead his team into the battle-torn city.

****

"Ginza 4-chrome police box here! We've got hostile force overrunning the streets. Requesting immediately Reinforceme-...." the radio then cut out.

IFV gunner, Corporal Jacky Hector who listen closely to the radio looks over to her commander with a concerned "L-T what the hell are we dealing with," Corporal Jacky asked as she observes the CCTV camera of the IFV turret.

"I don't even know Hector. Terrorist probably." Lieutenant Jacob Franklin answers stoically. The streets were dead quiet and were horrifically littered with a combination of abandoned cars and dead bodies. This was the sight that greeted Jacob's IFV, (Sus Bellum) and the Webïrúian- American contingent as they make their way into Ginza.

Jacob never imagines the amount of damage that could be caused by some medieval army but since they have a sizeable amount of trolls, ogres and other creatures it probably made more sense. It almost as if the ancient army of the past manages to find its way into Tokyo.

The scenery has gotten worse as they travel and the smell of the air started to the stench of that was smoke coming from the many burning cars that had crashed as the crowds of people fled for safety. Sus Bellum was in the rear, its Thermal CCTV Camera slowly scanning the area and the small convoy rolled forward. In front of them was the American Bradly IFV followed by Webïrúian IFVs 'Wicked Witch' and 'War Thunder', while the other three are two American ACVs and a sole M1A2 that brings up the front. With another intersection clear but still no sign of any survivors, the answer would lay ahead as the convoy soon came across a horrific sight.

Though with many past experiences similar to this situation, Jacob saw such brutality at this scale.

It was a police bus that had crashed into a storefront and was now engulfed in flames. But what disturbed the Marines, was that the bodies around the vehicle showed signs of extreme violence. Some were missing heads, bodies mutilated, and others had large gashes about their bodies while others were impaled with what looked like spears.

"I think these are the distress call came from," Jack informs

"Good lord..." Sus Bellum's Quebec loadmaster gasped out, as he and the rest of Sus Bellum gazed upon the scene before them. "It's goddam a massacre."

"I know..." The 2nd Lieutenant replied with an emotionless tone in his voice. Though he was very much shaken by the sight before him, "Those Barstards have a lot to answer for that's for sure." Suddenly Jacob's radio cracked to life.

"All vehicles, we are approaching the tar-." a voice with a Southern Webïrúian accent suddenly was cut off following with a sound of a loud crashing noise from the front, War Thunder has been taken out. From Sus Bellum's CCTV Camera Jacky could see a large Ogre that was almost half a story tall.

"Holy Sh-" before the driver, Kabul could finish his sentence his Commander shouted on the top of his voice. "OPEN FIRE!" Then the AV/70 Autocannon started to open fire from both Sus Bellum and Wicked Witch. The 40mm High Explosive shell from the two ACV turned the giant monster into Swiss cheese, it also didn't help that the ogre was taking fire from both US and Webïrúian marines with their small arms weaponry.

"Hold fire!" Jacob ordered on their radio, quick the guns when silent and Jacob open the hatch of the turret to take a look outside and lock his eyes on the beast.

"Holy shit..." Jacob gasped out in both shock and amazement as he lay eyes on the Ogre. It was plastered with various holes that were caused by the shells and lead that both marines but into it. Its inside was now exposed to the outside thanks to a 40mm high explosive round. If this was the gun from his war machine then he could even imagine what the 120mm gun could do to this beast.

The 2nd Lieutenant would head back into his turret and send a radio call to the whole column. "This is Sus Bellum to all units. The three has been neutralised, continue to get back on route."

****

The Imperial Calvary was some of the first troops to reach the imperial palace. As their mission is to scout the area for any threats that possess to the Vanguard of the imperial army. What they have stumbled was a large fort that lay across the river. The design of the castle was mighty enough to put the Calvary in awe. They also could see massive crowds of these otherworldly civilians rushing into their Castle to escape the empire's Rath.

The commander could see the fear in the people as they ran into the gate of the castle. This certainly brought back unwanted memories as he did when the empire subjugated his homeland. This is equally shared throughout his Calvary troops as they are once part of a sovereign nation.

"My lord. What's taking the army so long?" One of the soldiers asked. "I thought the empire has a reputation to maintain."

The commander stoically look at the soldier and replied. "Those arrogant pigs could take as long as they like looting these poor people."

"My lord?! Why are you showing sympathy toward... towards these barbarians?!"

"Barbarians?" He raised both of his eyebrows then gave a small chuckle. "Tacitus what do you see in front of you?"

"A fort my lord." He said with confusion in his voice.

"Then tell me about the buildings."

"I-it large and extraordinary my lord." The soldier answered back. "A work of God."

The Commander smiled. "Can barbarians make this?"

"I- I don't think..." then the commander cut him off.

"The Empire consider everyone and everything outside the empire as uncivilised. Barbarians! That what the empire used to be called us during the war of our nation." He calmly explains. "Hehe.... oh the irony. The empire hunger for power is so vast, that it blocks its own image. Instead of a Civilised saviour. They nothing more than an army of train Barbarians."

He slowly took a brief moment to take in the moment that was currently unfolding in front of him before leading his men back to the main camp where an ambitious general was waiting...

****

Half a click to where the incident took place, Tej, Scarlet, Tom, and Theo were heading out of the city, all of them was unarmed but was willing to fight to the death. As they check the building for survivors whilst avoiding hostile units. As they travel past the damaged buildings. From the outside, they could hear the sound of jet engines roaring through the skies and explosions that erupted from various places.

The four operators were horrified as they saw dead bodies everywhere in the streets, some were speared at their heads.

Theo tried to hold back his vomit. "What the hell is this... what kind of sick fuck could do this?!"

"Psychopaths bro. God damn psychopaths." Tom look at the dead woman holding a lifeless baby on the ground in pity. "They'll pay for what they have done."

Suddenly Scarlet heard some footsteps from the distance. "Thapa! An unknown group approaching towards our location, 11 o'clock!" she warns Tej.

When the group approached, however, they saw their uniform. Coated in urban camouflage these men were equipped with military gear, Russian military gear to be precise. All three operators wielding an AS Val Carbine and all bear the patch of Spetsnaz GRU.

"Calm your balls. It's just some Russians." Thapa informs

"Is everyone alright here? Anyone hurt?" the one of the Russian soldiers ask in fluent English. "I'm Master Sergeant Victor Dima from the Russian Army. We'll get you all to safety."

"Actually where here to search for more civilians" Tej replies as he removes the glasses from his eyes and places them on his head. But despite speaking clear English to his squadmates, the Russian hear everything in their native language. This was one of Tej's sets of 'skills' that he time to time uses unnoticeably.

"You speak good Russian my friend," Dima replies back in Russian.

"Trust me. It complicates." Tej replies with a chuckle.

Sergeant Dima was taken aback by the foreigner for a moment, but soon his memories of the past would flicker as he lay eyes on Tej's face.

'Wait... Those green eyes.' Dima thought for a second before fully remembering.

"Wait. You're the British Marine that we found in Syria."

Sergeant Dima's subordinate gave him a confused stare before one replies, "Yeah I remember too. He's the one that killed that corrupted General Pavlovich.

Ten widen his eyes to the Russian sergeant and his team before giving out a burst of joyful laughter. "What a small world sergeant."

"Small world indeed, Private Thapa."

"It Sergent now. It has been years since we last met and I prayed it was the last."

"Likewise."