Gate: Thus the Sorcerous Kingdom Fought There

CHAPTER 2: War, war never changes

A man in his thirties with a neatly trimmed brown mustache and beard leaned over the tactical map of the Hill. He was General Atticus Cassius Cyprian. This man was the commander of the expedition force that was set up quickly by the order of Emperor Molt Sol Augustus right after he and the Senate received the news about the Gate's appearance on the Hill.

The commander of the expedition force, Cassius by name, gained the leadership position due to his battle and command experience and because he was a highborn noble in the Empire. Also because of his strong family connections in the Senate.

Of course, despite his marital status, he worked hard to earn this position. As his wise father always said, "Do not rely on your wealth and family status son, because you can lose everything at any moment." He carved this advice into his head and lived according to this in all aspects of his life. He had a beautiful wife and two children, a girl and a boy, along with wealth and a high position. Everything that a man could wish for.

The Senate and the Emperor gave him a sizable expedition force to invade the other side of the Gate and link them to the Empire. Further strengthening the might of his country and bringing glory to his family and his country's name.

He drank a sizable sip from his golden goblet that he placed beside the tactical map after he finished drinking from it.

He could not predict what will be waiting for his men on the other side of the structure. Who could? He only hoped the enemy forces would be weaker than the force which he sent forward. If his troops managed to secure an outpost on the other side and build strong defenses around the structure on the other side, that would make his work a lot easier.

Suddenly, one of his messengers stepped into the command tent. "General Cassius! Sir! Some of our soldiers came back from the other side."

Cassius pondered for a moment. "Strange. They crossed the gate about two hours ago. My troops managed to secure the other side in such a short amount of time?"

"Our forces managed to secure the other side in such a short amount of time?" he asked.

The light armored messenger bowed his head. "No, sir. I am afraid not. Those few survivors who managed to come back spoke about some kind of monsters on the other side. They barely managed to escape from them and according to the healers they had to restrain them before the survivors could harm themselves."

The General looked to his soldier with an angry expression. "What?! I am not in the mood for jokes soldier! You better not try your chances with me."

The messenger gulped, and sweat ran down his face. "I-I am not joking, General. I swear! I-I just relayed the message to you. If you want to speak with the survivors, they are in the care of our healers."

The General, feeling the honesty from his soldiers words, nodded. "Thank you. You can go now. Tell the healers I'll see them and the survivors later."

The messenger saluted to his General and left the command tent. "Alas", the General sighed. . "And just when I thought this would go smoothly."

A few hours later the General finished his meeting with his Legates whom he had called due to the news of their defeat on the other side. Before the meeting, he had walked down to the medical wing of his encampment and personally questioned the surviving soldiers.

All of them were in a hysterical condition as the messenger had reported and wanted to either flee away from the battlefield as fast as they could or commit suicide, despite that being treason towards their country.

All of them spoke about some kind of armored skeletons and black armored demons on the other side. Of course, when they first arrived on the other side, it seemed that everything was normal and all that the Legate found was a small defense force that their numerical superiority quickly overpowered.