A precarious situation this is, a danger unlike anything I've come across. The storm indeed was the herald of great change, one can only assume so with such a sight as this.

My lips remain sealed. The rest of my fellow hunters remain just as silent, doing our best to fade into nature's embrace.

My heart is pumping, pushing worry throughout my very being. A winged abomination looms in the air, both its circular wings casting a never ending growl, lacking that graceful element of flight.

Yet, these very wings are able to keep it aloft, effortlessly like that of an insect. The bony appendage remains in place, never once fluttering against the winds, unlike those of a dragon or wyvern.

That is not a shape gifted by nature, so it may be a creature of creation. It is not alive, but merely an empty vessel through which to command.

Should that guess be true, this abomination will be one of formidable strength.

I scowl under my cloak, still weaving along the outskirts of trees with the rest of my elven kin, perhaps now with a touch of desperation. These beings along the northern coasts, are people, most certainly molded by the gods as well, like us.

Yet as I peer into their forms, I sense no magical aura within. Not a spark resonates in them, even a sapling has more. They are beings of unbridled uncertainty to us, why have they come to our shores?

So many questions to be answered, so here we stand, the source of the visions. It has sadly done nothing but birth new questions. Questions which I fear the answers to.

But regardless of what my thoughts are, I shall not allow it to dictate my actions. My eyes remain free and roaming, watching the beings in all their armored glory.

Their faces are shrouded in black fabric, but there is one who stands out amongst the gathering of warriors, looking very strange, yet eerily familiar.

A red leather is adorned to the top of his exposed head, there is hair but it is strangely painted in the shade of black. The eyes as well share the same trait, yet it holds a kindling spark of suspicion.

The stance of this being is simple yet commanding, almost as if he believes this land is his to proudly defend.

Is it right to call them beings with souls of steel as dictated by the visions of my wife and other seers?

Most definitely....

The aura of warriors, it resides in every being, but there is more within. A strong yearning for knowledge deep in their souls, appearing almost instinctual. This primal desire for all things unknown, perhaps that is what compelled them to journey across the horizon of great blue.

"We must bring this to the Bishop's attention," I speak out, as dictated by my worrying thoughts, "this place has been claimed without our blessings."

"I must concur, their flying stones are all around, they seem ready to strike," One of the hunters replied, doing well to mask his fear.

The consensus has been crafted, all hunters nod in agreement, aware of the dangers before us.

Our retreat must be made with haste, lest we share the same fate as the slain armidyles. This was their nesting site, the cradle through which they hatch their young.

A sudden flare of anger seeps into my thoughts. So how dare they take it at the height of their mating season.

This crime must not go unanswered.

======

The journey back to the village is one that requires us to be weary of our dashes, such effort is needed as the storm has no qualms about endangering the lives of those who come unbalanced.

Should there be any invaders in pursuit, I will rest easy knowing we have lost them within the valley of giant trees and grass. Nature's green embrace shall hide our presence from the invaders.

Through the long journey back to the village, I think of what will become of this Island. My home Island. Fate has always been a mysterious force, none can stand against it.

The rest of the kingdom will not take kindly to their misdeeds, the era of timeless peace may have already been shattered.

Being bearer of such worrying news, my actions should be of little surprise to the townsfolk. I barge into the town hall, having said farewells to my fellow hunters, face stricken with the burden of an urgent message.

There is only one person I seek, and so I went about searching for her in the grand library. As expected of a lady with a love for knowledge, I find the Head Bishop elegantly seated in the centre of the room exuding the very essence of serenity with her eyes on a book.

I greet her with a firm voice, drawing her golden eyes to seek out mine, "Head Bishop Valerai, I have returned with troubling news."

The frown on my face causes her to close the book with a sigh, "Please do tell, I worry about our village, the visions still plague the seers. You know as well as I do that it is a warning from the Crystal Herald about the dangers we might face."

I join the Head Bishop on the seat, "Of course, Vierra is never one to send visions without a purpose." The faith I have for my goddess will always remain strong.

"These beings are just as she describes in her visions, not of elven-kind... " I briefly pause, allowing the silence to cement my worry, "they tread upon the armidyle nesting shores to the north, claiming it as their own."

She gasps, "Armidyles you say, the largest and fiercest of the shell scuttlers?"

I nod, frown ever more grim. "Indeed, many have been slain in their just attack on the strange encampment. Their souls have passed long before me and my hunters have arrived to scout."

I feel powerless to the wave of sadness taking over me. The invaders do not have the foresight to not pick such a sacred place, and so they resort to the brutish ways of violence.

As I ponder about things beyond my control, Valerai places a hand to her temple, "So I was right to send a messenger to the Capital Island...." She closes her eyes to ponder, seemingly distraught with the decision.

"I never thought this would require the aid of warriors, it appears I was mistaken." She remarks, much to my amusement.

The Head Bishop has always been a lady with a disdain for the need of warriors. But even she knows the value they bring should the times call for it.

She abruptly turns to me, "Do you know we have been visited by them?"

"The invaders?" I guessed.

"Yes, they were here in the absence of you and your hunters." Valerai draws her words from memory, continuing on without respite.

"They.... seem to be on a quest to seek out something from the village, what that is I do not know. Even with my wisdom I fear their motives are beyond me."

My worry returns like a vengeful tide, "Did they harm anyone? What of my daughter and wife are they safe? W-where are they rig-...."

Valerai cuts me of with a soothing tone, "Maira and Lumina are safe, worry not."

"They are dangerous....." I decided with a fiery tone. These invaders stand against peace, so they must be stopped.

What if they had harmed my family? I cannot to think of that any further, they are defenceless.

"I sadly concur..." She admits with another sigh, "the Grand Cabals should arrive at the fourth sunrise."

"There is more to your report I believe, but I sense you would like to first confirm the safety of your wife and child."

I avert my gaze with a nod, "I would very much like to.... with your permission that is." Please do accept it, my soul is restless beyond belief.

"You have my blessings Feros, " Valerai agrees with an understanding smile, ever so radiant, "please head to the Church Of Life before night's peak. I shall await you there."

With my intentions conveyed and accepted, I leave the Head Bishop to continue her reading. My eyes curiously trace the book's cover, finding it to be the sad tale about the great retreat our ancestors took from across the ocean, thousands of seasons ago.

Their footsteps have long since vanished, but their legacy lingers on.

As I exit the Grand Library, Valerai mutters a soft string of words, my wanting ears barely picking them up.

"The fairies will not take the invader's deeds lightly..." Her words carry a sense of worry.

Fairies, a dear friend of the elves. They are perhaps the true folk of nature, they will be enraged. I have nothing but respect for their people, I can trust them to stand by our side.

The coming days will be filled with chaos, no longer shall peace be expected on this Island.

But that matters not in this moment, for now I must seek out my wife and daughter, nothing matters more than their safety.

======
-1922 Military Hours, Southern Tip of Visegrad Island

Humanity might have bitten off more than it could chew, the Black Vipers prove we're dealing with a highly advanced civilization. This will shake the chain of command, possibly impacting how future explorations will proceed on the archipelago.

It was the sole reason for everyone's current situation outside the inn. We have to get a detailed report back to base camp, it is only then everyone will consider this mission concluded.

Rain water dribbles down my form, helping the chilly winds peck away at my core body temperature. It was nothing like the snow back on Cygnus, but the comparison didn't make it any less discomforting. Once again, the suit's lack of thermal insulation comes into the spotlight.

I find myself uneasy, and maybe even a little impatient at having to wait through the storm without a roof over my head. My men, as well as those of Angel share the same train of thought. It was clearly in their body language, the tiny details aren't that hard to pick out.

"The Humming Birds should be here in a minute or so..." I whispered out, tracking the northern skies, searching for that recognizable silhouette of a JU-29 Humming Bird.

If the situation were any different, I would have found the massive waves crashing against the shores behind to be mesmerizing.

"This storm is beautiful..." Narkis remarks with a small dose of wonder.

His words couldn't be closer to the truth. "Very...."

For a brief moment I enjoyed the atmosphere not as a soldier, but as a person. I wanted to commit this scene into memory, and so I did just that. How could I not when the sky looks so breathtaking?

An alluring backdrop of dark grey, complete with the occasional streak of pure unadulterated white, highlighting the areas where the sun is able to pierce through the veil of clouds.

The Humming Birds come into visual range shortly after the mental capture, serving as the cue to bring back my cold persona, forcing that rare simplistic side of me to fizzle out.

A voice registers through the radio, "This is Panther Two-One, we have you lads in visual."

"Likewise Two-One, zone is all clear," I respond with a definitive edge, eager for the Exfil.

With my words of encouragement, the two helicopters begin to descend, constantly adjusting their twin rotors to cancel out the turbulence caused by the weather.

I look back to the inn situated a fair distance away, not surprised in the slightest to see the entrance pilling up with onlookers. Male and female alike, they watch on with disbelief evident on their easy to read faces.

I didn't spare them anything significant, just a neutral look to acknowledge their curiosity about the stealth helicopters.

There isn't much to gain by staring at a culture so fundamentally different from my own, so I pull my gaze back to the front. I follow the rest of my team as they step into the passenger cabin, liking the dry warmth as it rubs against my cold skin.

With each team now in their own respective helicopters, I can finally tell myself to rest easy. It's been less than twenty four hours, and already Visegrad Island has me seeing things I honestly wanted to doubt, but just couldn't.

This has to be the height of my career as an operative. Nothing else could compare to the classified existence of the Rift and the world beyond it.

New Eden has always been an illogical mess to me. The people that reside here are hard to fully understand, and that's not even going into detail the magic most seem to wield with devastating effect.

I highly doubt science could come up with an explanation to that. It is only through observation that I know their powers are somehow tied to those blue crystals.

So many questions... but now is not the time.

I pull myself out of the train of thought, feeling the need to reflect on the mission upon seeing my men doing it. My vision is set downwards, overlooking the GD-45 situated firmly between both thighs.

As the Humming Bird brings us closer to base camp, I lift my eyes to the slitted windows, watching the rain from the safety of the cabin.

Operation Splinter Shield has been concluded, we're the last peace of the puzzle.

I break the silence with a warm tone, directing the gratitude to my comrades, "We've done it..." A smile tugs at my expression, I didn't stop it in any way.

"Yeah... this might be a short one Jerome, but it still adds another success to our track record," James announces with a nod.

"It does... yes." This is only the beginning, I can sense it.

A dark undertone of apprehension festers at the back of my head during the latter portions of the ride. I know there will be more interesting scenarios in the future, I can count on that because of who I am.

Whether those scenarios have a chance of death, it remains to be seen...

======

-1954 Military Hours, Base Camp

There isn't much to be said when we landed, we all knew the drill. I lead my men straight towards the command tent right beside Angel team.

My strides are filled with a calm sense of urgency, resulting in several glances from a couple of engineers to the left.

Everyone keeps up the pace, not breaking momentum or formation. The walk is a blur through the rain, but nonetheless, we reach the command tent in the expected time frame.

The Major is already expecting both teams, his eyes mean serious business.

I position my right arm for a salute, keeping it in sync with the rest of the operatives alongside me.

"Major," I greet him, being the only one to push through the tension.

He maintains his firm expression, sending my red flags tingling. I cast a few glances at Angel team, they seem to have also picked up on Fullerton's rigid behavior.

This isn't like him from what I can tell, so I decide to speak out again.

"Sir... both teams are ready for the debriefing," I reminded him, placing my arm back to the side.

Stirred by the words, Fullerton answers, sharp voice working in tandem with his still firm expression.

"Lieutenant Hadar," He calls out.

"Yes sir?" Narkis responds with a questioning tone.

"Are your men able to make a complete report without Desert team's input?" The stone faced Major inquires, sending my team a brief look at the latter part of his sentence.

"It.. uhh, it will take more time to complete it with only us, but we're be able to," Narkis shrugs, using the brief pause to formulate the rest of his words.

He then continues on, "I believe our assessment can be summarized if absolutely necessary, our helmet cameras will provide the footage of the settlement for reference in that case."

I pick up where my counterpart left off, wanting to add my two cents, "These people aren't that much of a threat, the ones on Visegrad at least... but I'd still advise the researchers to proceed with caution."

"Noted, " Fullerton centers his attention on my team, "also, you four are needed back on Tartarus right away."

"Does it concern its safety sir?" Douglas immediately comments, earning a negative from the Major.

"Not in any way Sergeant.... however a small ground force from Faction Alpha has been detected heading directly for Tartarus, their movements were discovered in the early afternoon, just hours after you gave them the prisoners."

I cast weary glances at my men, "I see." My looks are met with solemn acceptance, coated with the dull edge of agitation. I would have facepalmed at the news if I didn't have my helmet on.

My suspicions were right, something like this was bound to happen the moment we let Faction Beta's soldiers off the hook. I fucking called it, I'm not surprised in the slightest.

Fullerton waves a hand to get our attention back, "But that headache isn't for you guys. In-Ops believes it to be reconnaissance based on their unit size, they already have their drones marking their every move."

"As it stands, you four are the only available operatives to have prolonged contact with Faction Alpha, so we need you back to their palace alongside Daniel Cooper."

"What about Domino Squad?" They were there with us during the first trip to Drossal, there must be a reason they are left out.

"Urgent redeployment to South Africa, things are heating up again. Your team previously operated in Tanzania, so you should know what I'm talking about." That got me thinking back to the days before I left for Catherine's wedding invitation, so the insurrection is in full swing.

It is concerning, but irrelevent now.

"Alright, what's the goal this time sir." I fold my arms, shifting the topic back to the relevant subject, wanting a direct answer for the sake of time.

Fullerton looks me squarely in the eye, my visor appearing none existent to his glare. "We're trying our luck with negotiating for the whereabouts of Expedition six, we know their customs well enough for prolonged discussions now."

"Huh... now that's pretty bold." I accept the news with a newfound sense of intrigue, this is an interesting development. A look towards Fireteam Angel made it clear they thought along the same lines as I do.

With the firm tension put on hold, Fullerton takes the wheel of the discussion, feeding my team snippets of information on a need to know basis. A helicopter has already been prepped for departure, its allocation a subtle nod to my Fireteam's status as Tier One Personnel.

I bid Angel team my well wishes, they return the gesture with their own, a nod or two added into the mix.

The urge to sleep was always at the forefront of my mind, the rest of my team aren't exempted from it after so many hours up. But the matter in which we boarded the transport chopper displayed how far we were able to stave off that need for it.

There is the occasional micro lapse in attention span, but they could be forgiven. A brief jolt forces me against the seat, disrupting my inner monologue.

I evidently realize we are no longer on the ground. Through the next several minutes, I position my eyes on the nearest window, watching as Visegrad Island disappears over the faded horizon.

There is something oddly captivating about knowing there is nothing but ocean beneath me now.

Water constantly patters against the airframe, helping to maintain the pleasant atmosphere alongside the droning engine of the helicopter as it powers through the backdrop of thunder and rain.

Trickling in from all windows, is a dark hue of stormy grey. It bathes the interior of the cabin with a sliver of clarity, allowing me to watch the rest of my men from the corner of my vision.

Their mental walls are down, allowing exhaustion to seep into their posture.

"We all better get some rest.... it's a long trip back," I release a yawn at the end of the statement, laying down on my side, no longer seeing the reason to fight against darkness' embrace.

My ears pick up a soft reply from Robert, "Yea.."

I tell myself every time there is always that next assignment, mission or target.

This is the rhythm of my adult life, each day is a different one. If there really is something that triumphs this way of life.... I just haven't found it yet.

But as I ponder deeper, I begin to question if such a thing even existed...

I entertain that thought till the grip of slumber takes me away.

======

-0338 Military Hours, Tartarus base.

The night drags on as the lone helicopter touches down on the familiar landing pad, guided by the occasional pulsing of strobe lights in the absence of the sun.

The wait is finally over, there will be solid land under my feet. Anticipation runs through me as I prepare to exit the passenger cabin.

I pull open the side door as soon as the ride makes contact with the ground, the Rift being the first thing to catch my attention as I take in a large gulp of fresh air.

Standing on the edge of the landing pad are several human silhouettes. There are four in total, three of them were UN Military Security based on their equipment.

I look back and grab my team's attention with a small gesture of my forearm. All three comply without hesitation, issuing nods my way as we collectively exit the helicopter.

The diminishing sound of the rotor's engine permeates the ambiance as I identify who the mysterious fourth person is.

"Daniel Cooper, " I greet the senior diplomat with a healthy tone of respect. He seems to have been expecting my team, although his tired eyes beg to differ.

"You are...?" There is a glint of confusion on his expression, most likely from trying to discern who I am behind the visor.

I stop an arm's length away, removing the helmet to reveal my identity to Cooper and his accompanying escorts. "Jerome Simmons, we've already met.... as I'm sure you know."

I continue on, taking the awkward silence as the cue, "My fireteam has got a rough idea on what we're expected to achieve."

Cooper takes the initiative after hearing my words, a resolute look plastered on his expression, "I see.... but I'll still need to give your team a full rundown of what the plan is."

"Alright," I said, giving the man my approval. A briefing before an operation, nothing is more natural than that.

Said briefing lasted until the crack of dawn.

=====
-0629 Military Hours, Fortress City Of Drossal.

With my head downcast and in deep thought, the entire flight seemed like a single blur. Silence was the norm, respected by everyone partaking in this new task.

The briefing made it clear what we're supposed to do, get the remains of those researchers, wherever they might be.

"Destination reached, Banshees have broken away from our six, prepare for landing."

It is only when the intercom blares that I decide to look up, getting a glimpse of the outside world through the windows.

The sight that awaited my eyes is a familiar one, it is the courtyard of the palace. The designated landing zone.

Can't believe I'm back here. The flowers, the grass, and that golden fountain in the middle, it all takes me back to the recent past.

I have to trust the chain of command, even if I think we've returned too early.

In the midst of my thoughts, the ramp lowers, revealing more of the outside. Light fills the interior, temporarily blinding my vision as I stand up, weapon idly resting on both hands.

"Whenever you're ready sir, " I urge Cooper to begin what was going to be a long drawn out affair.

He puts on a business expression, breaking the suspense with a clear tone, "Follow my example, don't deviate, and we'll wrap this up as soon as possible."

His words inspired my men, inciting them to follow his lead as we step into foreign territory. We cross the boundary of the courtyard, entering the palace through its many hallways.

A wave of surprise rides across the inhabitants of the palace, maids or guards, none were spared from that emotion. Their movements grind to a halt, attention firmly glued to us.

Whether that came from the obvious appearance of my fellow operatives, or from something else entirely, I can only speculate.

The language necklace should open up the option to talk to these people if the need arises.

"Do you remember where you should be going sir?" Robert shifts to the back of the formation, seemingly uneasy about the incoming attention.

Cooper keeps his stride as he answers, "Yes, we'll head towards what they call a reception chamber, it's where the talks took place."

"Understood, we'll keep you escorted until you reach it," I commented, suspiciously eying the heavily armored guards in the distance, watching for any signs of hostility.

There is a noticeable decrease in their numbers, most likely related to the war. If I had to guess, their military must have scraped up every soldier they had for that massive counter attack on the eastern forest.

"Movement to our six, " Douglas whispers, getting my eyebrows furrowed as I send a glance to the rear.

Palace Retainers followed closely at a safe distance of five meters, doing so with a sense of purpose. Ambient music fills the air as these ladies continue their stalking, snowy hair gracefully swaying with each step.

I keep a look out for a familiar face with a set of violet eyes. Anhj was a pain to deal with her attitude, but she was the one to answer my every question on the first trip here.

From their strange customs to ways of showing courtesy, she taught it all and I soaked it up, allowing me to relay the knowledge to the rest of my team.

'We are a people of tradition, the Euralian Kingdom is a nation built upon the wishes of the faithful...'

I recall those words by Anhj, remembering the passion in her answer. That was the moment I cast aside my cautious distrust towards her.

She is far from someone I would call a friend, but I would be lying if I didn't think of her as an ally I could trust.

===End===