Location- Donlindagrad Forward Salvage Post.

Status- Combat and Operational ineffective.

Morale- None.

-

The camp was in a state were it was no longer viable, were once stood a few dozen tents filled with Men, Women, Home Guards, Templars, Psi-users, Smiths and the Clergy.

But all those still left were broken. Killing the enemy is one thing sure they could do that... but this? Where in their history had a force being reduced to one fourth of their original strength, not counting that one of the leaders of the expedition was missing... assumed kidnapped by the foe.

The bodies of the dead, still dying and the re-killed were still left unaddressed... but everyone was to afraid that they may come alive if disturbed. Naon could be seen just wondering in a daze after all that had happened he and two others were all that was left, his brothers and sisters of the cloth were nothing more then torn bodies for the carrion to scavenge over.

The Templars no matter the rank or skill, to have some many die against what they would consider a insignificant foe but not that their Arch-Templar was taken alive... their Honor couldn't allow that, it was their duty to die before them and if they had died before them to recover the body no matter the cost... and yet, their foe was mocking them by taking her alive. They could already be seen rallying behind a charismatic Templar and readying themselves to recover Selendis, even with only having nearly two dozen Templars they believed they could cut down anyone in their path Friend or Foe.

Leaving the last combat orientated group within the camp, who could be described in one word would be: Disbanded. Many fled during the battle and hadn't returned and those that stayed were dead, exhausted or deserted when they got the chance after surviving the horror of the unliving. Leaving Polos, a failed lieutenant with no Home Guard willing to listen to his orders.

Lastly the Psi-Users and Smiths who were collectively devastated but came out of it the most intact structure wise since their wasn't a total collapse of the command chain from their senior most to the junior member. But were the most unsuited for combat outside of a select few.

…

Location- Section One's Trench System (Empress's Guard).

Status- Combat and Operational Effective. 

Morale- High.

-

The Women within the trench were ecstatic, not only did a blow been dealt to their Empress's enemies but they had been bolstered by the very people who did it and their homemade bombs worked.

"Okay ladies, now tell us! You two have evolved what are you and what class do you two have?" Asked Section one's leader Alpha-One. Everyone turned on the pair, unlike the rest who had a simple green dress shirt and pants. The pair had a sidearm that better with maybe a dozen clips for grenades to be put on.

"Right well, were both Grenadiers now but we haven't evolved according to the system anyways. It states our hand to hand combat skill is higher and our ability to use grenades is better..." The first one answered but was cut off by the other.

"We can also put our Mana into the grenade to change the effects, like a larger explosion and every two grenade we get we receive an extra one due to a skill." She turned to the woman who made it, "Can you make more?"

The budding Artificer blushed at the attention but smiled and pulled out a hand full of tin cans, but their was something new about them. "I made some adjustments from what you told me, I added extra metal and packed the powder more. It should be just as deadly if not more."

"Great!" The instant either one took their second grenade a third appeared on their body which was a perfectly identical as the pervious two.

"So does anyone know where Instructor Erika is?"

The two Grenadiers and the one Enlistee shared a look before she said, "Last we saw of her was getting shot in the head." Her sullen tone was equally met by only two others looking down somewhat depressed.

Alpha-One reassured them "If Instructor Erika is anything like the Empress she'll be back."

"What do you mean?"

"If you listen to every the DIS Phoenix's crew they often say that the Empress is immortal and can't truly die. We've seen her go off with Section eleven and twelve and not return. But you saw her right?"

The three nodded, "You see? The Empress was in the group before you ladies." Scratching the back of her head she asked, "So what is different with your weapons?"

The Grenadiers pulled out their pistols, compared to the 10mm that emphasize general purpose with the Enlistees, theirs's in with the high strength stats allowed them to hold a sidearm that was more focused on stopping power, down side was the high recoil and mostly useful in combat ranges that see anything longer then your arm as impractical since it packs the same punch of a rifle, and is best paired with a melee weapon. And both of them explained such to the Enlistees.

"We only have nine shots compared to the fifteen we had before, but in exchange we do more damage."

"Fair enough.... Oh looks that Guardian Medusa is back." Alpha-One commented, and everyone turned to see Medusa stretching with a ecstatic smile her forked tongue smelling the air.

But the smile turned into worry, which caused confusion as she never showed worry. "Ssssomething iss coming! Ready yoursslevess!" She ordered. Medusa's animal sense were on high alert, akin to our she could sense a bad storm was coming but it was worse. This a storm this was an enemy. "All Ssssectionss ceasse attacking sssave the numberss!"

That order was met with apprehension as that when against both Erika's and Jean's but assuming she was given the go ahead. Section eleven and twelve got into combat positions. Section One grabbed the shovels and started digging in more then they already did.

Everyone could tell she was agitated by something, as her body was unnaturally tense more then it normally was. Not counting her tongue which kept tasting the air, to her it was filled with hatred, anger and a thirst for revenge... no vengeance. It was that vengeance, and it was such an interesting taste... better then despair she was use to, not by much and it was still preferred over it after all she could see the despair.

But the potency is what concerned her even from were she was, it was thick enough to even reach her... normally she would have to be nearby or even a dozen meters away, but this could be smelled for kilometers. Even the animals nearby could sense it and moved away. Several Enlistees started whistling as they locked themselves into their Spawners and slits on the sides opened, with only enough of a gap for barrels to poke out. Ready for whatever they expected unfortunately not incase.