I took many pictures on my journey, yet it was her picture that I took in that chilly night that genuinely moved me to this day. The first angel I have seen - and I found her in another world.

- Excerpt from A Peacekeeper's Journey.

United Nations Occupied Esuvia

Southern Alterian Region, Astar Province

En Route to Tria

07:22 PM

"Preparations for the coronation of the Lethian Crown Princess Amelia Victoria the third are currently going smoothly, Governor-General Horatio Blum said this afternoon. Currently, opposition to a new united Esuvian state amongst the native population and amongst the Earthling public is still severe. Still, the current ONUE administration has decided that Esuvia will only be stabilized under a legitimate native government..."

"That's a lot of nonsense," Katelyn said irritatedly, which caused Anderson to tilt his head and internally raise his eyebrow. Katelyn noticed it and she rolled her eyes at Anderson.

"What?"

"What do you mean nonsense?"

"'Esuvia will only be stabilized under a legitimate government' what a foolish notion. Only Lethian areas would stabilize with this plan, in fact, probably not. You Earthlings really think that all of Esuvia will bow to our royalty?"

Anderson could see sense in her words. Still, what struck him was how open she was about it. She is literally inside an Armored Vehicle of the UN, surrounded by armed peacekeepers.

Sure, he is just a peacekeeper, but he is a soldier, too. Do people really take them less seriously that they would openly risk themselves looking like a rebel to the UN?

"What a brave girl."

He notices that she smiles a bit.

"But, at the very least, it's Her Highness that's going to lead us. I have trust in her." She looked proud and confident as she said that, which Anderson found interesting.

"I assume you know her?" Anderson asked curiously. Katelyn found it interesting to talk to this peacekeeper. Unlike his comrades, who stayed muted and silent, he seemed to listen and speak to her actively.

Still, she felt strange talking to the faceless man. Covered with that sleek blue helmet, just looking at him almost instinctually caused her to feel a chill in her spine as her face stared back at her from Anderson's grey visor.

But, as an aristocrat, she has since learned how to hide such things and so answers him in a disinterested manner.

"Yes, I do."

"That's cool," Anderson replied in an interested tone. "So, what's Her Highness like? She'll rule this world soon, and I'd like to know stuff about her."

Katelyn chuckled. Did the human really think that they would truly allow them to rule? They may entertain the idea of giving them some rule, but only as a puppet, she thought.

"Rule? We both know who's really going to rule behind the scenes."

"Well, it's more of a temporary thing till the elections are finished," Anderson replied defensively. Which really only earned him another chuckle, which he ignored.

"You really do know nothing."

"Eh, I know a lot of things."

"Not in politics, if you seriously believe that." Their discussion ended as the two stayed silent. In the end, Anderson pulled out a notebook and pen.

...

A UNPC trooper aims his gun at the dense, tall grass fields outside the town. Something was moving out there. Or at least, that's what he thinks.

He looked at the area for seconds, and after seeing no movement, he sighed. It was nothing. Definitely nothing, right?

Yep, there was nothing, he thought. What he did was just a dumb detour from his patrol. Speaking of which, where were his mates? Where did their usual chatter go? That was strange, the peacekeeper thought, but it could just be a dumb prank. This province was deadly dull, after all.

Moving toward the road to return to the town and find his squadmates, a sound distracts him to his left - and before he knew it, he is suddenly pinned to the ground.

A powerful punch cracks his helmet and nearly knocks him out. His neck was probably broken, as severe pain engulfed it when suddenly, his malfunctioning and cracked HUD disappeared from his face. As his helmet was pried off his head and thrown into the air, cold Esuvian air entered his nose.

Looking at him was a pretty Teratan lady, her small red horns sticking straight out of her golden blonde hair. He would have called it cute if not for her neutral face as she attacked him.

"D-demon!"

It was his last thought as glowing red knives decapitated his head, witnessed only by the cracked visor of his blue helmet on the ground, some blood splattering the visor.

The Teratan smiled at her work. Another invader bites the dust, she thought, satisfied, when suddenly, the sounds of an incoming human vehicle filled her ears. It was still far away, but the ears of Demons like her, and Teratans in general, are miles ahead of humans. She hides down the tallgrass as a white vehicle bearing the two symbols of the Earthlings passed by.

"United Nations." She said, hatred in her voice, as the vehicle sped towards the town. After it passed, she stared at the Town of Tria.

It looked so vulnerable to her...her sources were correct. The town was the perfect target. And she will take it, in the name of her dead mother, his father be dammned! She joined the remnants to retake their rightful land for the Drakard Clan, and her people, and those invaders, will be vanquished, she vowed.

...

It's my first time being with Lethian Aristocrats. I must say, these two fine ladies do have an aura of greatness to them. Are they perhaps truly angels? Just being in their presence makes me feel insignificant. She did wipe out an entire squad with one shot, which puts a chill in my spine. Perhaps, that explains these feelings.

I do not know. What I can say is, like a lot of things in this world, these ladies are almost the same. Mystical, unbelievably beautiful...alien, yet at the same time, so close to something we humans are familiar with. I can barely hold the urge to take my camera and capture this strange and interesting beauty.

- Excerpt from A Peacekeeper's Journey 

The Hemlat passed through the streets of Tria, its headlights illuminating the already dark streets.

Many civilians opened their windows to peek at the foreign vehicle. Even though the United Nations has conquered their world for three years now, to them, these so-called Humans are still strange. Driving around with their fast all-metal vehicles in the middle of the night...or whatever things humans like to do with their advanced technology.

To Anderson, this world is just as strange. The designs of the houses and buildings they passed through looked like it's straight out of fantasy books. Alteria had this quirky architecture he always saw in his time here, a mix of victorian era Europe and Asia. Then the magic part of that strangeness is perfectly shown by the bridge glowing as they pass through it since the town is cut in two by a river.

He pulls out his camera as they neared the town center, anticipating a good angle for a picture. While it is challenging to take a picture with his helmet on, he already has much experience anyway. Expertly timing it, he captures an image from inside the vehicle of the town center.

The massive demon fountain statue in the middle, the houses, and the town hall, all covered in lanterns, it was a perfect picture from the point of view of an adventurer journeying a strange land.

Soon, they reached the UN compound, which stood out like a sore thumb to the town. Lit up not by lanterns, with its utilitarian but modern design, and then the electronic screens in the headquarters building that showed a red "Alert! Threat Level 3."

His stomach sunk as two IFVs exited the compound. Hemlats and Peacekeepers assembled outside, already combat-ready, all while their Hemlat stopped before a checkpoint as an officer approached them.

Reynolds lowered the Hemlat's door glass and received one order from the officer.

"Prepare yourselves, possible rebel activity."

...

"So, you were supposed to go to Count Drakard to deliver a special artifact?" Lieutenant Jones adjusted his glasses as he finished interviewing the Lethian lady.

Katelyn and Sherry nodded, a bit saddened after recounting their story. Sherry especially, considering one of her best friends died.

Lieutenant Jones looked at Reynolds' squad, all still clad in their power armor. Reynolds gave him a nod, and the officer looked back at the two girls.

"I'm sorry we didn't get there in time. Condolences to your losses, but this town is too understaffed to guard everyone...and well, we were unable to save you in time."

Katelyn breathed out a sigh while Sherry looked down at the table.

"It's alright...bad things happen. Just, can we please be allowed to go to the Count's city, Altrad, already? At the very least, if we can get there and complete the task-"

"No."

The mere commoner unexpectedly cut off Katelyn, and she gave an angry look for the sudden disrespect, definitely pissed at the Lieutenant.

"I apologize, Miss Katelyn and Sherry, but we cannot allow that. As of now, something is brewing across the Astar Province. The Military Administration in Altrad has already raised alert levels and is blocking all roads from civilian access. Not to mention multiple bases and outposts across the province went dark hours ago."

He stared at her with a stern, iron look. Explaining the situation to mere civilians was difficult, but to Lethian Aristocrats? He knows she knows how serious the problem is.

"The situation is too unstable and dangerous for us to allow it. You two will stay in this town until further notice."

"That's unacceptable! We need-"

"No, that's final. Until this is resolved, we cannot allow it."

...

"What do you mean the comms is down?!" Captain Santos shouted at his CyberOps Specialist and other Comms Officers. For some reason, all electronic communications with their HQ at Altrad and other units died.

"I-I don't know, sir! Something is jamming everything. All I can hear is static."

"Get it fixed. The fucking natives don't have jammers yet. And all bases can't go down at the same time. It's definitely a human error, GET IT FIXED!"

...

UNPC troopers and vehicles were scrambling like angry bees across the town. Civilians woke up at the commotion as Hemlats and Karambit IFVs rushed into the streets.

Then, the drones, multiple combat quadcopters, began flying in the streets. Centaur Company seems to have awakened and is preparing for a possible engagement. At the same time, civilians are left in an uneasy atmosphere as they watch human forces scramble to a combat-ready state without any explanations of what is happening. There were no announcements to them, and it made things worse.

It was a tense scene that genuinely captured war.

*Click*

"What are you doing?" Came Katelyn's voice. Anderson removed his eyes from the camera display and puts it down before facing Katelyn. His Helmet was currently in the hood of the Hemlat.

Katelyn recently exited the UNPC compound, still a bit angry for not being allowed to continue her journey. Still, looking at the commotion, she concludes that it was sensible.

"Just taking a picture." He replied.

"So, that's your face," Katelyn commented. He certainly looked, well, average. Humans usually looked boring, in her opinion, especially their hair colors. It's almost always brown, blonde, or black.

"You were curious? Sheesh."

She turns her head to the side and closes her eyes.

"Talking to a faceless human for hours will make anyone curious."

Anderson smiled, and aims his camera at her, and took multiple pictures before she turned at him, or, specifically, the circular camera lens of his camera.

"D-did this man just take pictures of me? Out of nowhere?"

"Can you give me a little smile?" Anderson asks, keeping the camera aimed at her.

"And who gave you permission to take pictures of me?" She frowned instead.

"You looked cute in your pose, so I took it. Plus, I can delete it if you want. Come on, give me a smile. It'd be nice for my collection." She looked irritated, but Anderson's comment directly triggered her pride, so she conceded.

"Alright, fine." She smiles, and Anderson takes multiple shots of her.

"Thanks," Anderson said as he walked towards her and showed her the pictures he had captured. Her pink hair, blue eyes, the yellow halo tilted slightly to the left above her head, and her young face, it was all cute. To Anderson, it was almost a real-life angel.

"I...yeah, I do look cute in that. Definitely better quality than the pictures I have using magcams." She says as Anderson nods.

"Yeah, you do."

"Wait a minute, does your job include taking pictures of pretty ladies in the middle of a war?" She asked a little bit weirded out.

"Well, I'm a photographer, just in the military. I capture all things I could in this war, I guess. I don't get paid for this for now, but it's my hobby. Plus, capturing what happens in this world is a worthy endeavor, personally, I think, so I do it." She nods somewhat in understanding but is still a bit weirded out.

"A-and I don't just take pictures of girls!" He began showing her many other pictures, from pictures of the town, the Alterian countryside, soldiers, peacekeepers, and even civilians.

"I take pictures of everything." He stopped at a picture of UNPC troops giving boxes of food to civilians. "Like ones that tell a story." He continues scrolling and stops at a picture of magical light pillars created by a Theikan mage. "Or pictures that looks cool. I signed up not just to be a peacekeeper. After all, I am mainly here to see this strange and mystical world. And...it's great."

To Katelyn, he seemed...almost childish. He described his reasons for doing it, and it appears that he is only here to find adventure. To go to a wartorn world, away from his prosperous planet, just to take pictures?

Katelyn hummed and gave another proud pose. "I see. Now I understand why a mere footsoldier like you took a picture of me. I am pretty, after all."

Anderson chuckled. That was true, but most people in this world were pretty anyways. Not really something special, he thought. Well, she was above the average Esuvian, he mused, so he took the picture.

"Well, yeah, I guess..." He puts back his camera as he sees Reynolds and the rest of the squad running towards their Hemlat. He grabs his Helmet and turns back to Katelyn. Looks like his photo-taking session is cut short.

"Well, duty calls." He puts on his, as the cold grey visor reflects Katelyn's face.

"Behind that mask...a young man enjoying a childish adventure exists...interesting." Katelyn thought as he joined his comrades in their armored vehicle.

...

"Someone even got decapitated." Anderson hears from the company-wide BatNet of Centaur Company. Two Hemlats rushed back from the town's outskirts towards the checkpoint they formed at its entrance.

Around him, Peacekeepers worked like busy bees, preparing defenses, dispersing civilians, and transferring supplies.

"Anderson, keep yourself focused. You're getting distracted again." Came Jeremy's voice. Both were positioned near their Hemlat, a simple fence standing between them and the farms outside the town.

For minutes, they have been both scanning the area for hostiles, as the dense wheat fields could be a place where the enemy might hide.

Yet they haven't detected anything. It was difficult, as the natives have wacky magic that could sometimes hide them from advanced censors, forcing them sometimes to shine searchlights on the fields to see them instead visually.

And that's what exactly Anderson is doing, aiming the searchlight at the fields.

"I just really don't detect jack-shit," Anderson replied as they both turned the searchlight to the left. Then to the right, left, and center, they even repositioned their mobile searchlight five times to check all of the fields.

Nothing.

"This is Baseplate One, no hostiles spotted, over," Jeremy said over the BatNet.

"Did the drones find anything?" Anderson asked in the BatNet as well.

"Negative."

"If they haven't, how will all these searchlights help?"

"Just do your job. Stop whining."

The two resigned to continuing their task, flashing light at the darkness, hoping to find an enemy. But, as Anderson watched their distant drones search using their lights, he noticed something.

One of them just crashed.

...

*Bang*

"MAN DOWN! MAN DOWN! Armed civvie in the streets!" The BatNet exploded as UNPC troopers began forcing the civilians to disperse. Shouts were shouted as panic spread.

A UNPC trooper lay bleeding in the streets in front of a bookstore, with his comrades giving him basic first aid. While the Mark IV Defender Mobile Armor is capable against mundane gunfire, it is a different story if it eats a magically charged bullet, especially when the shields are off.

Other UNPC troops chased down an escaping Draconic man, being bogged down by civilians also trying to get away.

"GET BACK HERE!" One of the troopers shouted as he aimed his gun at the escaping armed man, he fired a burst, but it completely missed.

That did it.

Chaos engulfed the town as the sound of the three burst fire was heard. Multiple Hemlats scrambled in response, driving in the streets and turning on their external speakers; these phrases were heard across the town.

"CITIZENS! CALM DOWN AND REMAIN AT HOME! THE SITUATION IS UNDER CONTROL!"

That was the scene Katelyn and Sherry saw from the windows of the inn they were staying at.

"What is happening?" Sherry asked uneasily as Katelyn observed the commotion outside.

"I think we should move." She declared.

The Teratan man ran like crazy in the streets. The invaders were hot in his tails, but the civilians around him were a great distraction.

Charging his pistol with his magic, it turned violet.

"STAND DOWN AND PUT DOWN YOUR ARMS!" An invader shouted behind him as he turned into a small lane. He turned and aimed his pistol at the building near the lane's entrance and shot the upper parts of it, resulting in an explosion.

Rubble fell down, blocking the humans' access to chase him further. And so he ran and ran until he exited the lane, only for one of that cursed white human armored vehicles to suddenly appear and turn towards him in the streets.

Acting quickly, he sees a terrified child near him. He grabbed her.

Reynolds slammed the brakes as the suspect took a girl hostage. The man then charged toward a store near him, carrying the kid and causing more civilians to run away.

Jeremy and Anderson acted quickly and exited the vehicle, rushing quickly to the store, and entering it, determined to capture the terrorist and save the child until a shout stopped them.

"BACK OFF, OR SHE'S DEAD!" The man shouted at them, aiming his pistol at the kid's head, who was now crying in terror.

The two stopped advancing and moved sideways to surround him, their rifles aimed at him.

"Put him down," Anderson said in a low tone. His fingers were itching like crazy, but he needed to keep his cool lest a child could die.

"How about this human? You let me leave this town, and she goes back. Deal?"

"How about you put her down and surrender yourself?" Reynolds' voice replied in a neutral tone as he entered the store.

"You're the leader of these two goons?" The man asked, angry. "Let me go, and she will go."

Anderson's fingers were itching crazy.

"Calm down, Harold, calm down."

Reynolds stayed silent as he assessed any ways to save the kid. He didn't see a lot.

"I'll give you 20 seconds to agree, if you don't...her brain goes poof." The man declared as he tightened his grip on her.

"Sir, what should we do?" Asked Jeremy in the comms, his helmet preventing him from being heard from outside.

"Wait, I'll try to find a way," Reynolds answered.

"What now, Human?!" The man shouted. Anderson's grip only grew tighter. This felt worse than the angry civvie encounter this afternoon. Way worse.

"20!"

"19."

"18."

The man began counting down as the atmosphere grew tense. Anderson started to experience cold sweat...that child could be saved, right?

"10!"

"9!"

"Reynolds, what the hell is your plan?!" Jeremy growled over the comms.

"8!"

"7!"

"6!"

"5!"

She was crying like crazy, and Anderson resisted the urge to close his eyes. Should he shoot now?

Do they even have a choice?

Perhaps, if he pulled the trigger, the man would also die, at least.

"4!"

"3!"

He didn't sign up for this!

"2!"

"Fuck it, sorry, everyone."

*Bang*

Reynolds pulled the trigger, hoping it would hit the man's head, and prevent him from shooting her...but...

A violet field suddenly surrounded the two, and his shot bounced.

It happened all too quickly, and Anderson felt like he had a mini heart attack.

The man turned furious and pulled the trigger...

But the same violet energy blocked the shot.

"What?"

Suddenly, two icicles slammed on the man's face, then his hand holding the gun, knocking him off.

The kid fell as the panicked trio suddenly fired shots, but then...a familiar angel caught the kid and held out her palm at them. A violet shield blocked all their incoming bullets.

Anderson fired two bursts before he stopped, realizing it was Katelyn.

"CEASE FIRE! CEASE FIRE! FRIENDLY!" Anderson shouted, just in time for the shields to shatter, leaving the two of them looking at each other awkwardly.

"Katelyn?"

"ANDERSON? WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU THREE?!"

"YOU LITERALLY CAME OUT OF NOWHERE!"

"STOP BEING SO ITCHY FINGERED, YOU APE!"

A painful groan distracted the two from their sudden shouting match, coming from the terrorist...who was peppered by bullets and lay bleeding on the ground.

"Specialist! Call in the medics!" Reynolds ordered, regaining his composure. It seems that even their sergeant was severely affected by it.

"Don't worry about it." A voice announced behind them. Turning around, it was Sherry.

"I can do healing magic." She said, then looked at Reynolds, seemingly asking for permission. Reynolds nodded, and she rushed towards the bleeding man.

"H-hey, stay back lighty!" The man shouted, but she simply aimed her wand at him and cast a silencing spell.

"Don't worry, I can save him, so he can experience justice."

Later, a green glow illuminated the area as Sherry, and a group of medics healed him.

It was still tense, but at the very least, the girl was safe, and the man was captured. Outside, UNPC troops stopped any curious civilians from checking the scene and continued doing their job of preparing for a possible attack.

Anderson removed his helmet to breathe some fresh air and sighed. This day has been blood pumping, way too blood pumping. His cold sweat, combined with the cold air, made him shiver.

"What a chilly night it is." He thought as he looked at the two moons above them: one blue and one pink.

He turned back to the store. There, he realized he was in a great position to take a good picture. A picture he will definitely forever remember.

Pulling out his camera, he took a picture of Katelyn checking out the kid like a parent would, while beside her was Sherry healing the shot man.

It was beautiful and strangely moving, he thought. Two angels saved the night, and he is there to witness it and take a picture of it. Like something out of a fantasy novel, really. He can't believe that he is literally seeing it play out with his own two eyes.

"I guess there's some bright side in life. What a chilly, moving night this is."

Words Context:

Lighty - a racial slur popular in Grand Alliance territory. They are used against Theikans, referencing their bright yellow halo.

Hemlat - the modern four-wheeled utility car of the United Nations. Well-armed, reliable, and decently armored.

Karambit IFV - one of the older IFVs of the UN. The Peacekeeper Corps usually use them.

Mark IV Defender MA - Modern Power Armor utilized widely by the United Nations Defense Forces and the United Nations Peacekeeper Corps. Uses energy shielding, but to keep it light and less energy intensive, its physical armor is not great, at least by modern standards.