Ad Astra - The Alagore War

AA V4 Salva, Chapter 14

"With the latest attack by our formal rulers, I wish to cast a blessing. Six Altaerrie, five from America and one from the United Kingdom, had fallen. Among them were three of our brave Militia, who bravely defended the southern wall from our attackers.

The Aristocracy continued to press against our walls. The Unity crusaders marched against our city, the last beacon of Mother's touch left in Nevali. Time and time again, they attacked, and we survived. With overwhelming might, they rained their shells against our beautiful city, and our warriors defeated them each time.

As we know, it has come at significant cost. As Princess Assiaya lays flowers on the six caskets as a gesture of thank you for their bravery, let the deity Willrin guide Logia so their souls can lay to rest. We thank the Altaerrie for coming to our aid, with their might and courage, defending the last hope of our world against this new darkness that the Unity unleashed across Alagore. " - Tempass Finnea, Temple of Brevia

April 12th, 2069 (Military Calendar)

Salva Underground, the former Confederacy of Daru'uie

Nevali Region, Aldrida, Alagore

*****

Captain Mathew Ryder eyed an Astralis soldier guarding the Salva generator room's stairway entrance. Moss coated the stone walls, vines hanging from the ceiling, pre-cut for passage.

"Worst stairway ever," Wallace grumbled.

"I don't know," Gonzales replied. "I found it comfy."

"Because you're half my size, Shrimp," Wallace shot back.

"Maybe you should take the hint," Gonzales quipped, earning a few chuckles. He noticed Natilite, the Templar, clutching her arms. "What about you, Wings? You seem rattled."

"I am a Valkyrie. We prefer open skies," she said.

"This must feel like torture," Wallace said.

Natilite's uneasy glance at Wallace betrayed her discomfort. Ryder remembered their first meeting—her in an underground cell, stripped, chained, joints broken to block her healing powers. Despite her strength in Comanche, these tunnels clearly unearthed old wounds. "Enough tunnel talk," he snapped, shooting Wallace a warning look.

The team took the hint and moved toward the generator room doors. As Natilite approached, Ryder gently grabbed her arm. "If you're not combat-ready, you can stay back. No one will judge."

"No," Natilite said firmly. "You'll need a swordswoman against those monsters."

"After last time," Ford added, "I'm glad to have a melee specialist."

"How many was it?" Barrios asked. "A hundred dropped from the ceiling?"

"We all know what happened," Barrett said, refocusing the team. "Game faces on. Close quarters—final weapon check."

"Exactly," Natilite agreed.

The Salva generator room's vast chamber awed Comanche. Stone pillars lined the walls and studded the space, a rapid river slicing through, its chill fogging the soldiers' Atlas-variant visors but not piercing their suits. Engineers—military, civilian, and militiamen—worked amid recent goblin attack reports, some standing guard. A squad of twelve Astralis soldiers, armed with P52 submachine guns and tagged A/3B/1AIBCT, 1st AID, secured the hydro-generator room. Trained for combat in Luna's lava tubes and Martian craters, they protected the dwarven engineers.