-=+ +=- [COMPLETED] The Second Universe -=+ +=-

Part 5: Thaumaturginite

CHRISTMAS RELEASE⁉⁉⁉⁉🗣🗣🗣🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥💯💯💯

(i'm gonna try experimenting with more in-depth writing for individual characters instead of just a bird's eye view of the events)

MO = Major Operation

"MO - Thaumaturginite"

December 3, 542 - 14:21:43

Sgt. Allen, 30th HB-Division attached Marines

South of/at Sarnin

Frogfoot Peninsula, Balingian Empire

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Several decently armed strike groups/platoons from the 30th HB-Division are just now arriving at the outskirts of "Sandy" Sarnin, the southernmost city of the Balingian Empire. An AGCFV then broke off from its group and started to pull up to the city with its gun pointed up to signify a lack of hostility, before its ramp drops and a full fireteam piles out, with their two ISUGVs in tow alongside their MMPFP. Other AGCFVs pulled up as well, offloading troops who went in to generally scan for resistance and interact with the surprisingly chill locals.

Sergeant Allen, a Caucasian-looking Helios III native, is his fireteam's commanding officer. He then issues orders to his fireteam. "Alright fellas, split up into groups of five Alpha thru Delta, four on me, scenario Alpha-One. We're gonna be looking for that artifact the Agency boys told us about in that briefing. HQ, ya there?" "We're here, Allen." headquarters replied. "Great."

A synchronized "Roger that!" is heard from his fireteam before they break off, with two machine gunners, and a rifleman escorting Allen. He was internally excited to participate in this operation, since he was rather elated to finally encounter real magic for the first time in his life. 

He began scanning the area with an optic built into his M365X exoskeleton, before noticing a strange peak in mana, causing him to telepathically transmit to his teammates. "All teams, Epsilon Team has enc'd (encountered) mana peak, transmitting coords. Main(tain) search if no upd(ate), over. HQ, mana peak site located." "Roger that." came their reply.

The Sergeant began heading over to the location where the mana peaked, which was behind a sand dune just south of the city. He motioned for his team to follow him, and he then activated his jetpack. He flew over the relatively tall sand dune, eventually finding a ruined mud-brick structure. Allen landed in a hole in the roof of the structure, eventually finding a pristine shiny door. 

It looked metallic and heavy, with a particularly smooth texture. "Found a big ol' pristine metal door. All teams form up on new coords. Base, target found, over." Allen transmitted. "Affirmative." HQ replied, and a "Rog'." came from his teammates. soon after, the other twenty soldiers in his fireteam formed a perimeter around the metal door. A rifleman scanned for hostiles through the door, of which there were none. A grenade launcher guy came over with his RNGLM and fired three sticky breaching charges at the door, which then exploded.

The door was blown open, and they began piling in with their ISUGVs and Allen leading the way. They had left their MMPFP behind, since the door was not large enough to fit the vehicle properly. What they found was a large empty room with a small hallway at the entrance. The hallway had one door on each side, and the large empty room had a central staircase along with several side balconies.

Allen carefully stepped forward once, and again, and again. To him, it smelled like an ambush, even though they had not picked up anything on the scanners. He stepped forward once more, then he stepped forward again, speaking as he did so. "Has anybody scanned for portals-"