Siren's Elegy Volume 1: Orphans of Ashen Earth

Chapter 53: Contact

October 04, 4021 06:00 [Lahab Mutajamid Desert]

The desert was still frigid when the troops readied themselves for an arduous march across the barren land in the dawning hours of the morning. Buzzards flew above the regiments as they shuffled along the sand in Crawlers; beastly machines that took the form of scarab beetles. Akula observed his leaders calmly; Temujin sat hunched over his notes, poring over them as he reviewed their formations and methods of communication with Hart.

The theoretics of each form and its use had been drilled into their heads ad nauseum for some time now, though Akula felt a certain unease about putting these tactics into effect. The principles were just that—principles. Yet, their implementation in the present circumstances would solidify that they were truly at war with another people. Though the borders remained tenuous to navigate, it had always been accepted as fact that conflict arose at a territory's edge. Whether the retaliation was just or not, he could not say. The details surrounding the catalyst for their deployment were hazy, but Akula knew one thing: where they were going, few would return, and even fewer would return whole.

It had felt like an eternity since they had arrived at Matriarch 03, walking through the gates with nothing but the clothes on their backs and the sparse items they could carry with them. He never prayed, not because he didn't believe in omnipotence—that much had been proven centuries ago—but for the simple fact that he didn't believe in miracles of faith. Every occurrence had a reason behind it, no matter how inconsequential it seemed in the grand scheme of things. Today, however, he was a pious man, praying for their safety and return. He would keep an eye on his wards, Aisha especially. He trusted Mirai's ability to adapt after seeing his progress since their initial introduction to the Uturian behemoths of old.

The Lancers trailed behind them, transported on vast floating palettes, drawn by a line of Crawlers. The pilots, excluding Hart, sat atop their respective machines alongside the mechanics. Akula raised his head to the sky, a squadron of aerial craft above them, flying steadily in formation. Once they reached their destination, they were to oversee the distribution of rations, arms, and munitions, tending to the wounded as they returned from the frontlines, nothing more. For all its intents and purposes, however, Akula did not believe that the network would remain unscathed.

It would be wise of the enemy to target them, cutting off much-needed supplies from their soldiers. After all, if the rumors were to be believed, the network would be key to winning the war and perhaps bringing it to a rather swift end. There had been whispers of a miracle drug developed by the enigmatic Vultures of the fourth Matriarch. Shipments of this supplement would be arriving in the coming weeks, and it was of the utmost importance that these shipments remained undisturbed along their journey into the hands of the Homunculi vanguard.

Why they had decided to ship this drug so late was beyond Akula's understanding; he had only heard in passing that it had been formed in part thanks to sample tissue taken from a Homunculus with a rare healing factor. He pitied the poor fool, imagining the feeling of flesh rended forcibly from one's body. Still, the drug would prove paramount to their success. Healers need not be present on the battlefield to treat most injuries. They would only serve to mend wounds that the drug could not.

"How long do you think it'll last?

"Hm?"

"The war," Akula stated. "How long do you think it'll last?"

"There's no way of telling," Hart sighed, stretching languidly as if he were on the beach. "It could be days, weeks, months, maybe even years. Who's to say?"

"Do they even have the resources to last that long?"

"Not sure. Our sources say they don't, but they could've been stockpiling their reserves all this time to prepare for situations like this. We won't know for certain until we're in the thick of things. I'd suggest you operate under the assumption that they do and that they're prepared to prolong this fight as long as possible to weaken us."