Things Have Changed

Battles had broken out around Italy as Mortis forged a personal army that was able to push the government to Rome. This event left the Italian government stuck in a hard spot between A.F.A.F.I. and the U.A.C. as they marched towards the center of the country. It was starting to cause panic around what was left of the country itself. This left everything in his favor as he turned the people of the land into a putty for his forming.

He walked his soldiers through the streets without argument from the people before taking to T.V. to speak to the world. Taking to the airwaves talking about how he could protect Italy when the government couldn't stop even his ragtag group of fighters from walking into the capital itself ending the civil war that had taken place. This led to a change in how people felt as Mortis and his newly claimed power handed out gas masks to the people who could take them. While weapons got handed to everyone and instructions to not get taken alive due to not being saved if taken.

Everything was seen as the risk that it was. The fog changed how everything would be done in the future as the rush of war drew closer to the new Italy.

The support for his lead had begun to rise as men, women, and children gathered in the streets to cheer him on. Over loud speakers he had called for men to pick up arms in his favor and for the women to take theirs kids to the bunker under city hall. They had done as he had asked without question even while knowing they wouldn't be promised to come home. While everyone in the streets armed for war Morris was searching for the codes to the countries defense system. He didn't want the people to die but all the same he wouldn't be bothered if they did.

"We need to find these codes men. Can't lead if we have nothing to lead." Mortis yelled to his men as they destroyed the desks around them trying to find their codes.

They didn't respond as the crashing of broken wood continued to echo. Outside his message continued on repeat for the world to hear. His voice even to him gave off an obvious fake care for the people around him. He didn't understand why they followed his commands. Was it because they believed him or because they have nothing to lose?

Finally a cry came out of joy as he was handed the codes. He gave a devious smile as he finally felt like he had some hope to survive the onslaught that was to come for him. Now he had to find a way into the silo control building to launch the weapons.

The sounds of rolling tanks and marching soldiers echoed through the night as the U.A.C. closed in. Finally close enough for the early warning system to activate. This was the sign for A.F.A.F.I. To begin their early assault. First a flare launched that was closely followed by the scream of mortar shells being volleyed at U.A.C. troops.

The explosions made it seem like the sun had been brought down to earth with the absence of streetlights. The sheer volume of explosions shook the grounds waking any of the A.F.A.F.I. troops that had been stationed nearby. The next volley of mortars had been followed by small arms fire from windows in every direction catching U.A.C. soldiers off guard. Many of them fell to the surprise of the people that had been firing down on them.

When the U.A.C. started firing back it became the loudest night in Italian history since WWII. Men screamed commands back and forth as mortar volley's got more spaced out with each passing hour. Makeshift tanks pulled down the main street blowing U.A.C. soldiers away with constant fire. They alternated as they fired so someone was always firing while the others reloaded.

Mortis could see the fighting below from where he sat in a defensive command tower. He turned to look at the few men he had with him and gave them a nod. Shortly after the nod a siren activated and the small arms fire stopped below. The mortars continued to rain down as a voice came over the speakers counting down from ten.

Mortis gave a smile when air rushed out from below the tower. The rush of air caused a billow to form in the fog that still held thick in the air around them. Soon a sharp flash of flames burst out paired with a deafening boom. That was the last clue that everyone needed to know the system activated without a problem. It was a sign that things might change for the better.

The world seemed to fall silent for a few minutes before the horizon covered in a bright yellow fire. The screams of men and smaller explosions followed the flames as it seemed victory was at hand. Mortis was giving a small chuckle as the fires burned on the horizon until the shots started again. Some buildings collapsed and more people screamed out in pain. Another volley of mortars seemed to fire into the flames without Mortis giving the command.

It seemed to be working as the shots began to become few and far between. The volleys seemed to keep going until the gunshots stopped completely. After a while the battle seemed to be over completely. Until the ground below him started to shake and rumble to the tune of tanks parading through the flames. This would cause him to prepare the defense system for another launch. It was important to keep the enemy from taking another city block from them.

"We need to get that next shot ready. They have brought their armor up to our lines." Mortis started to sound really worried when he said this.

"Yes sir, we are working on it. We managed to find a Hellstorm shell. We don't know what they do, but we are going to use it." One of his men said as they started shouting commands into a loud speaker.

They took a few minutes before they said that they started to charge the shot. This would be the one Mortis thought as he looked out and started seeing the tanks coming closer and closer. He commanded for mortars to be dropped on the road in front of the tanks. He hoped it would stop them from coming further up the road and killing more of his people. These invaders needed, no, deserved to die for their trespassing. They killed and needed to be killed for it. Blood can only pay for blood that is spilled.

The tanks got closer as they fired shots into buildings bringing them down one by one as they inched down the street. The site began twisting a knot into his stomach the more he watched it happen. He wanted to know if they could possibly be stopped from moving forward with their plans? That was when a large volley of mortars dropped on the street in front of the tanks and some fell on the tanks themselves.

A large cloud of smoke was cast across the field of battle blocking anything from his view. This caused him to start feeling very uneasy about what may come as a result of this action. When the dusk started started to settle and the smoke started to dissipate he saw two destroyed tanks blocking the road. On the other side of those tanks was a massive hole. He had managed to guide his men into buying some time. It brought some weight off of his shoulders, but not enough to make it better.

"How long?" He asked with some frustration in his voice.

"Well, it is almost ready. We need to make sure that we buy about fifteen more minutes." They called back to him.

"I think we can get that." Mortis said with a sigh of frustration.

He watched on as soldiers got out to start trying to pull the tanks out of the way. Mortis called out a command for mortars to fire on the soldiers and for gunmen to start firing on them as well. The buildings came to life as shots rained down on the soldiers that got out of the tanks and mortars fell leaving a smokescreen upon their impact. He knew it would keep his soldiers from seeing their targets, but it would also keep the tanks from seeing them as well.

"How long?" Mortis asked again.

"We need five more minutes." His men responded back.

"Okay, but you guys will be punished for every shot that gets off from those tanks." He turned back and gave a stare that seemed to drive in his point.

"Yes sir." His men said before going back to pressing buttons.

Like the snap of a finger a count down started over the loud speakers and the gunshots ceased. That was when it all went into slow motion again for him. This time the fireball was bigger than the last and the fog seemed to clear away in a bigger area. The trail behind the rocket seemed to cast a light that seemed to eat away the fog. It took it about five minutes to reach its peak and when its nose pointed to the ground it exploded sending five large pieces falling to the ground. Those five pieces split into five smaller pieces. They had a trail of burning liquid falling behind them.

When the five pieces hit the ground they exploded throwing large amounts of burning liquid and metal to the surrounding area. It reminded Mortis of the story of Nero one of the roman emperors of past. He set half of Roman ablaze to make room for a building he wanted to build. The only difference was Mortis didn't want to build anything for himself. He just wanted to see his enemy burn alive. After the Hellfire landed screams filled the air as everyone too horrorstruck to speak about what had just happened. This was what told him as to why he had never heard of or seen one of these things used. This weapon had to be the most horrific weapon he had ever seen. That was beside the fog that surrounded them as they spoke.

"This is both amazing and horrific. Go ahead and load another shell. We can't let them gain their feet." Mortis said as he watched the fire continue to burn.

"Y-yes sir." His man said as they walked to their desk and started pressing buttons and speaking into a telephone.

"I hope to never be the hand that guides another one of these into being used." As he spoke the fog just started moving into place.

"If they fight like we think they do, then we might have to do it one more time." The man said from his desk.

"We should be ready to do that yes." His voice seemed to fall into a depressing tone.

It was a thought that he didn't like even in comparison to what he had done to get into power. They had been gross and snake like action that felt needed for his goal, but now he was feeling like this had been crossing a line. How far will these U.A.C. soldiers push him? How fair will they push the world? It is thoughts like these that have been coming to his mind as of late. However far it is then he needed to be ready to get that far for everyone else. The countdown came over the loudspeakers an hour after he told them to ready the shells, and the fire was burning stronger than it was before.

"The shell is ready sir." One of his men said.

"Continue with fire when the countdown is finished." Mortis said without even thinking about his response.

"Firing sir." His man said as the system followed its normal process.

His mind had become numb to everything now as he watched another shell slam into the burning lands or before. He couldn't care which it had hit. His goal was to push the U.A.C. into leaving his Italy. Nothing was left for him to do, but to destroy their troops and their morale. They needed to leave and never come back to his shores. That would be his goal even if it left any of Italy unlivable for a while.

"Goodbye assholes. Go back to your lands in Africa." Mortis said with a gravel in his voice.