Chronicles Of Two Powers

Chapter 52 - Battle of South San Diego

From a distant vantage point beyond the kingdom, I marched forward. The loud thumping and clattering of metal, and the rattling sounds of chain mail armour made our approach anything but silent. Under the dark sky, many of us had heard tales of this foreign land but had never seen it with our own eyes.

There, I saw it. The stars above seemed to touch the ground, where towers with lights stretched endlessly. The wailing of unknown beasts echoed from the distance, and the border seemed like an endless wall, though transparent. The roads we followed were more advanced yet damaged as if they didn't belong to this world but existed nonetheless. Ahead, I noticed a sign with warning labels.

"San Ysidro Border Crossing"

But was scribbled away, replaced by a newer, yet menacing warning:

-WARNING ENTERING UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. TRESPASSERS WILL BE SHOT-

The armoured-cladded men brushed off the warning, grinning behind their bascinet helmets as they continued their march. Meanwhile, from the line of metal-wired wagons, our troops slowly crept towards the border. An officer on horseback shouted the first orders of the operation.

"MAGES! PREPARE TO CAST FIREBALLS!"

The army slowed to a halt, every soldier standing motionless. The clinking of armour and the rustling of chainmail faded into silence. I saw the mages in a separate battalion begin their work in that tense moment. They gathered in a circle, their hands weaving through the air as they chanted in low, rhythmic voices. The words of their chants were ancient and powerful, resonating with a mystical energy that made the hairs on my neck stand on end.

As the fireball grew larger, its heat radiated outward, casting an eerie glow on the faces of the onlookers. The mages' concentration was absolute, their eyes fixed on the growing sphere of flame. I glanced back at the looming wall in front of us, a massive barrier that had seemed impossible just moments before.

Suddenly, the command "FIRE!" echoed through the ranks. The mages grinned, their confidence unwavering, and with a final, synchronised movement, they launched the seven fireballs towards the wall. I instinctively shut my eyes against the blinding light. The intense orange glow seeped through my closed lids, and I could feel the heat even from a distance.

The explosion was deafening. I opened my eyes to see a massive plume of fire and smoke rising into the night sky. The once formidable wall now lay in ruins, shattered by the sheer force of the magical assault. Cheers erupted from our ranks, a wave of jubilation that swept through the soldiers. Officers laughed and clapped each other on the back, their faces lit with triumph.

As the smoke cleared, the path beyond the wall was revealed, free of obstructions. The order to advance came quickly, and we resumed our march, moving swiftly through the breach. The eerie silence was soon replaced by the wail of sirens in the distance, growing louder with each step we took. The sound was a stark reminder that our presence had not gone unnoticed, and the real challenge was yet to come.

As I gazed down the road, I beheld a sight unlike any other. Towering structures with thousands of windows stood illuminated as brightly as day, their lights piercing the darkness. The air was filled with the distant wails of sirens and the haunting cries of beast-like sounds. The sheer magnitude of this foreign kingdom felt like a foreboding prophecy, as if judgement day itself was upon us. Staring at this surreal scene, the final command rang out, echoing in my mind:

"ONWARDS TO VICTORY!!"