Army of the Damned

VOLUME 17 Chapter 1

Multiple footsteps echo out in a grey hardened bunker hallway, three players were in cross with each other as they stopped in the center. One, donned an archaic white wizard robe with futuristic designs, another, in full general uniform and the last one, in a fine three piece suit with the pin flag of the UN Coalition.

The invading red tint is nowhere to be found, the normal colors of the world still present and the vibrant color coded lines leading to certain sections were bright and clearly visible.

"Look at that, finally got out of that white ivory tower of yours huh?" The suited man turned to the player in wizard robes, the young teenager just gave him a light scoff and smirk. "I've been away from that place since three weeks ago. The last portals on the First Floor of the Complex are all finished. We can freely travel from the major operating bases all throughout the world."

"Gentlemen, the stage has been set. We are now on the precipice of a new age for the people of this planet. I've spoken to all of the Guilds and over ninety five percent of the expected player number on that very day is accounted for."

"Ninety five? What about the remaining five percent? That's still a lot of people not going home, sir."

"Well, we chalked it up to probably already dead and not wanting to go back to Earth. General Maltese, I'd also would like to ask how you are planning on keeping the peace when the portal opens? We are talking about tens of millions of people flooding into the Inner Layer."

"The Inner Layer itself is eight kilometers in width and the massive tunnels to the portal are all placed in a circular manner like the wall, it won't be an issue. Civilians first, Guild Militaries last... And also, to the Mages Association, what's the news on the reserves of Ancient Elven Birch Wood? Do my men have assurance they'll be able to escape via teleportation?"

"All spent. If a portal is destroyed in one of your Star shaped Forts, we can't build anymore. It didn't help that almost all of the Major Guilds placed their storages in locations where their Mana Cores aren't attached to. If those portals are destroyed or their fuel source depleted, you will be forced to move via normal transport."

"Of course... But who knew this would've happened? As if the stuff we grinded for weeks and years, we'd leave to be built with Mana Cores materials. You Wizards scare me at times, but the Joint Armies will make do as always."

"If you want to blame someone, it wasn't us who made the decision to also close down most Mana Cores, with it the factories. Me and my Mages are scraping by the bottom too."

"What about me and the military? We still have to slow down the Demon Horde and play along. Sir, may I ask if we're still green on trying to fire up the portal? The Conference on the Empire already said it won't open till we've done our part."

"... We will do our part. You've vouched for Jackson and I can see why. Let's see if he can do his part alongside the other Generals on the front."

"Still though... without factories to create fresh weapons and ammo... the armies on the frontlines might only fight for a few days, most of it will either be retreating or in a fighting retreat. This is extremely counter intuitive to what we've built with Operation Army of the Damned."

"Gentlemen." The Mage and General both turned to the man in the suit. "Let us not lose focus with what needs to be done. Everything is in place now, the stage is set and the Cosmic Gods have made their move known. Two Linchpins, one contaminated by the Sword Saint and given Human Empathy. We are right now smack dab in the center of a war that makes Humans seen like ants."

"Sir Rossi, I still say we must perform a First Strike. All of our aircraft, one Mana Nuke, is all we need to wipe out Leayla from the face of the planet. If we do this-" before he could continue, the UN General Secretary rudely cuts him off. "And if it fails? We can't even begin to imagine what weapons and creatures the Cosmic Gods have. Who will defend our armies then? Or the Portal Fortress itself? Those Sentry Towers won't be enough for the fight ahead."