VERONIA...
The first thing that came to Lucas mind after crossing the gate was peace, he'd never felt this kind of sensatiom before.
Everyone at the 1st CEBEG unit also shared Lucas feeling and satisfaction.
The fact that a paradise with green landscapes, fresh air and healthy trees do exist was pretty breathtaking for them all.
They didn't mind the cracks caused by the earthquakes since it was natural itself.
But their small sightseeing was only short lived as they were immediately met with corpse-riddled plains, holes and craters.
Plus a burnt out village below the small cliff the structure stood at, with about a few hundred corpses littered around the area.
That was a few days ago, but Lucas still couldn't forget and shake off the feeling that wherever Qhoris went, death and destruction always followed after.
It was like Qhoris himself was a living plague that aims to destroy everything on it's path.
The burnt village and the corpses near the structure were a good example of it.
Back to the present now, the corpses had already been cleared, and a large foothold for the Coalition is currently being built.
Defense perimeters that stretched for a few kilometers were built around the structure, including the nearby village as well.
Speaking of the nearby village, they've already transformed it into their main headquarters, but renovations are still being made right now.
Towers, barracks and armories were built, also a communication control tower is currently being set up right now.
Bulldozers were seen digging trenches and fortifications around the area, while the sound of tools hitting the ground below can be heard everywhere
"All is going according to plan." Lucas muttered under his breath, a smile slowly creeping up on his face.
He was currently overseeing the construction of defensive positions on top of a tower they just built recently.
"Sir!!" Lucas suddenly heard a yell coming from below him, he then looked down towards the ground from above.
And there he saw Felix's older brother, Statham, waving his hand and calling out to him.
"Observers from the department have just arrived now!!" yelled Statham.
"Alright, tell them to wait, I'm coming down now." Lucas replied, which causes Statham to nod in response.
Lucas watched Statham run towards a small building, possibly where the observers at right now.
After climbing down the tower, Lucas began to walk towards the building, it took a few minutes before arriving.
He opened the main front door, and was met by a narrow hallway with doors on each sides.
There was a guard standing on the farthest door on the left, he seems to not notice Lucas walking towards him.
"Hey!" Lucas called out to the guard, gaining his attention.
"C-Captain?" The guard responded in a stuttering manner, he then proceeds to clear his throat and continue.
"Felix, Statham, as well the observers are waiting for you inside the room." The guard sternly stated.
Lucas nodded and opens the door leading inside the room.
There, he saw Felix, Statham, a few observers from the department and two additional guards inside.
"Oooh." One of the observers said after seeing Lucas enter the room, not even bothering to tell everyone about his arrival.
"The captain's here." Felix suddenly said, gaining everyone's attention who were too busy fiddling with documents and files given to them.
Everyone stood at attention, including the observers themselves.
Lucas eyed the observers carefully, seeing women amongst their group too.
He then proceeds to clear his throat before speaking.
"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Fort Mc-Gregor!!" Lucas said to the occupants in the room cheerfully.
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It was dark.
Yes, the only thing Jessica can see after waking up, was darkness.
And she knew the cloth wrapped around her head was the one blocking her vision.
She tried to move, but the only thing she can do is struggle against the bonds that held both of her hands behind together.
She tried to speak, but the only thing that came out was a muffled voice, she then felt some cloth pressed inside her mouth.
She was gagged... oh boy this is bad.
She then cleared her mind and tried to analyze the situation she's in and why did she ended up here in the first place.
First of all, she was currently tied up in a sitting position, she can't speak, nor see, but the only thing she can do right now is hear.
The ropes might come off is she would wiggle and struggle that much, but the problem is that it may produce loud noises.
And she hates attracting people and getting captured again, that was why she had to do it silently.
Next thing was how the hell she ended up here.
She then cleared her mind and took a deep breath in an attemp to bring back recent memories.
After a few minutes of thinking, her eyes hidden behind blindfold suddenly lit up.
Recent images and events flowed inside her mind, she then proceeds to piece the puzzles and place them in order.
Now, she remembered all that has happened.
'Sigurd, Reku, are they safe now?' Jessica thought worriedly.
Sweat are starting to form on her head, the chances of their enemies catching up on them are low, but at the same time high.
'No, our sacrifices are worth it, I believe in them.' Jessica thought again, but this time with determination and hope in her voice.
Her thoughts were broken when she suddenly heard a flap and multiple footsteps coming towards her.
"This is the one?" A male voice asked in their strange language.
"Yes, supreme leader, shall we begin the interrogation?" Another feminine voice replied and asked.
"Yes, I do want to know everything." the same voice from earlier responded.
After a few seconds, Jessice felt a hand suddenly grabbed the blindfold off, unblocking her vision and much to her relief.
She was then met by multiple people sorrounding her, and they were inside of some sort of a... tent?
She then observed her captors, they were men, a single woman, and a goblin.
She was then surprised after seeing this.
'They had goblins in their ranks?' She thought to herself curiously.
"Remove the gag." A certain man said, Jessica then turned her head towards the voice, the first voice that spoke earlier.
She saw a man, not much older than thirty, he was well built, had black hair, and some unshaven beard on his chin.
As she stared intently at Qhoris, a man behind her proceeds to remove the gag in her mouth.
After that was done, she made an audible coughing sound and then took a few deep breaths to put her breathing back to normal.
Qhoris then turned his head towards the little goblin girl and spoke.
"Mimi, right?" He asked, which got him a little nod from the little goblin.
"Alright, cast this so-called translation spell at her, we need information about them right now." Qhoris ordered to Mimi.
Mimi then turned her head towards Curtis who was right besides her, Curtis then flashed a smile at her, indicating that everything would be okay.
She then turned back towards the still tied-up Jessica and slowly raised her palm on her.
"So beating that goblin champion really was worth it after all." Qhoris said with a smirk, the rest nodded at this.
"Yes, it was all because of Mimi that we were able to converse with our captives now easily." Lisa said which made Mimi blush a little.
A few seconds passed until Jessica's eyes suddenly lit up, Mimi then slowly dropped her palm and turned towards the group with a smile.
"Done!!" she said to everyone in the tent.
"Goodwork there Mimi." Qhoris said as he patted Mimi slowly in the head and proceeds to walk closer to the tied-up Jessica.
"So, can you understand us now?" Qhoris asked Jessica, who then slowly proceeds to make eye-contact with him.
No response.
"Alright, can you at least tell me your name?" Qhoris asked again, his voice still calm.
Still, no response.
"Maybe we should just beat the shit out of her to make her speak." Jordan who was on Qhoris left side, suddenly spoke.
Qhoris then turned his head towards Jordan and flashed him an angry and irritated glare.
Jordan then suddenly hung his head low at this, his head rapidly sweating nervously.
Qhoris sighed at this and turned his head back at Jessica who still kept her mouth shut.
"Now then... why did you follow us?" Qhoris asked at Jessica again.
No response again.
"You're making it hard for me and everyone else." Qhoris stated to Jessica, his calmness earlier is slowly fading away.
No response, which irritated Qhoris and everyone in the room, especially Jordan who was now clenching his fist, ready to beat someone up.
"Look, we don't want any war with you people okay?" Qhoris said calmly, hiding his irritation behind his smile.
Jessica raised an eyebrow at this, but it didn't go unnoticed in Qhoris's eyes.
'Finally! some progress!!' Qhoris thought to himself as a smirk slowly formed on his face.
"Alright, why did you suddenly attack my soldiers?" Qhoris asked, calmness slowly returning to him.
No response, but Jessica's face has now turned into a frown and confusion, Qhoris noticed this and smiled.
"As I said earlier, we don't want any unnecessary bloodshed, just tell us the reason why and we'll be on our way."
Qhoris stated to Jessica with a smile.
Jessica's ears perked up at this, her face slowly turning into anger, her eyes now filled with rage.
"THE WAR HAS ALREADY BEEN IGNITED THE MOMENT YOUR MEN STARTED KILLING OUR WARRIORS!!"
Jessica suddenly yelled, surprising everyone in the tent, including Qhoris himself.
"ALSO, IT IS YOUR MEN THAT STARTED IT FIRST!" Jessica yelled again, shocking Qhoris at her statement.
"I THOUGHT YOU PEOPLE WERE AT LEAST REASONABLE, BUT HELL I WAS WRONG!!" She continued to yell at them.
Qhoris then sighed and motioned for the man behind Jessica to put the gag back on.
"NO, YOU WERE NEVER REASONABLE IN THE FIRST PLA-mmghh mgh?!" her outburst was suddenly cut short as the man behind her inserted the gag back on her mouth again
"I've heard enough, let's go." Qhoris ordered as they slowly made their way out from the tent.
"Also, how long does the spell last?" Qhoris asked Mimi curiously as they walked away from the tent, leaving the struggling Jessica inside.
Mimi smiled at this and spoke.
"Permanent." She responded with a smile on her face.
Qhoris smirked at this as new plans started to form inside his mind, he then noticed Robert and a few men following him.
"Robert, get a few of our men to guard that tent, we need more information from her tommorow, do not let her escape." Qhoris ordered to Robert.
Robert saluted and then ran off with a few men following him, Qhoris then turned towards Curtis and Mimi who was still following him, and spoke.
"Alright, Curtis and Mimi, back to your unit now, I need to be alone for now." Qhoris ordered to both of them.
"Y-yes supreme leader!" They both said in unison and ran off back towards their unit.
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A few dirtied men wearing rags are currently seen huddled up inside a tent.
"Charles, you ready?" a man spoke towards another man whose name was Charles.
"Yes, Koko" Charles replied to the other man that is now known as Koko.
They both turned towards the other three men inside the tent.
"Tusman, Kelly, Freid, you guys ready?"
Koko asked the other three men who was now known as Tusman, Kelly and Freid.
"Yeah" Tusman responded plainly.
"Fuck yeah, we killin' these assholes now." Kelly responded, a smirk on his face.
"Yes, I can't wait to free ourselves from these otherworlder freaks!" Freid responded excitedly.
Koko smiled at this and began pull out a shank hidden under his shirt.
Everyone followed suit as they all pulled out their own respective and home made weapons.
"C'mon, we're getting out of here." Koko said as they all slowly and quietly exited the tent in the middle of the night.
A/N: Chapter done!... See ya guys in the next chapter!!