We had entered the large forest a day ago, sadly, we did have to send the short barreled Panzer IV and the Matilda, the Panzer was sent back because it had many mechanical problem on it's way here so we simply decided that they should head back and the Matilda seemed to have developed a problem with her engine, it simply didn't output the power that it needed and was even slower than usual. We still do have quite a warried group with us which is good. On the other hand, it had been raining non stop for the past 30 hours, soaking the whole ground beneath us, making it a mud hellhole, but we still are able to make it through. Of course, everyone was stuck at least once, with some more often, the Tetrarch is getting off the best, it is the lightest of us all. We carve our way through the thick forest, sometimes having to cut down a tree, but making decent progress. We did come across briefly across a couple creatures, they ran away from all the noise, but what we saw was interesting. Foxlike creature with white fur and horn atop it's head, a deerlike with three sets of eyes and rather goat looking horns instead of what we are used to. There were some birds here and there, we only saw them for a brief moment through the thick tree tops above us. There were other small critters that would best be described as fairy tale creatures. This whole area seems magical, the water not of clear blue but of bright greenish blue tint. During the night the whole forest floor lights up with all sorts of insects, flowers and mushroom, we had not tested anything if it was edible, the last thing we want is someone to die of food poisoning. During the night, while it is warm, we would still hang around our tanks as it felt safe. We simply don't have a clue what is inside these woods and wouldn't test it. 

As the sun slowly sets we decided to set up camp in a small clearing we came across. Parking our tanks and letting them rest while we cook our food and chat, getting to know each other further, since we will be doing this mission together, best would be to know who we are working with. The men are definitely interesting, each being different in their own way. The Panzer crew seems to be more mission focused and precise while the Brits do like to joke around and are much easier to talk to. As we are discussing and laughing and of course, drinking, the Brits brought some alcohol with them, we hear all sort of noise from the thicket, but we ignore it, probably some damn animal. But something whizzes by us and hits one of the canteens, imbedding in it. An arrow and upon seeing it everyone quickly gets up, picking up what they need and jumping into the tanks quicker than a sailor for a Siren. And soon, the engines roar into life, closing our hatches we feel much safer inside our metal boxes. It is too dark to see but we can hear things hitting our armor in all sorts of directions. It is as if we are surrounded. I try to look through my commanders sight, to try and see what is outside, if there is anyone. And all I do manage to see are figures in the bushes, firing arrows and throwing rocks at us. They do seem to wear some sort of mask, many of them do. 

Alex: Oi, Desmond, what the hell do you want us to do? I don't plan on sleeping with all of this racket going on.

Desmond: I don't know. 

Cody: With all due respect, if they were friendlies they wouldn't have attacked us. We should strike back.

Alex: I am with the kid here. 

I take a moment to think, the constant banging interrupting me. Cody is right, if they were friendly they wouldn't have attacked us. Plus, it should teach them a lesson on attacking someone they don't know anything and when to run away, 

Desmond: All right.

I grab the radio.

Desmond: Listen up, all crews, you are free to engage. Let your guns rip. 

That is all it took, they seemed to have waited for those exact words for quite long as the moment I issued the order they let loose. Firing their machineguns and HE from the main guns. I climb out of the cupola and grab the .50 cal and let loose in a random direction, in the process cutting down a couple trees. It felt exhilarating, it always did, firing the machinegun, you felt powerful. We cut them down like flies, I could see some running away, so I didn't shoot at them. If anything, they would be messengers for their leaders. The battle only took a couple seconds until we all stopped, a deafening silence ensued. We were still on full alert, looking around, for any sort of movement. The forest around us destroyed, trees fallen over, small craters liter the ground for the HE shells exploding. Once a short time passed and there was nothing happening I decided to get off the tank and check out what we killed. I am armed, like any other commander, one must have a pistol at least with them. However, I didn't see no corpse, I only saw the masks. There were no signs of bodies anywhere, just more masks which left me confused. 

Solider: No corpse here!

Wherever we searched, there were no bodies. I mean, we hadn't gone crazy since there was something left. The bodies couldn't have simply vanished? I don't know the true extent of this magic, what it is and is not able to do. If the things we were killing were a product of some sort of magic and weren't actually living creatures. We stop the search and head back to our vehicles and decide to call it for the night. Tomorrow there will be more work and the questions we all have will be answered some other time. For now, we need to gather as much as we can. 

The next day we continue on our journey, more cautious now, considering there are strange and possibly hostie creatures out in these woods. Our tanks keep on traversing the forest, the rain however, had stopped which made it easier to traverse. The ground is still muddy, but not as much and is slowly beginning to dry up which is good for our Churchill. As we are traveling however, engrossed in our conversations the Cromwell in front of us suddenly stops causing us to rear end them. They were pissed and soon realized why. As we stepped out in front of us stood nothing but a cliff at least 50 meters tall. The Cromwell was standing on the very edge so we towed it back as their revers is rubbish, honestly it is just sad. We looked down and out at what lay in front of us, there was no way we would be able to go down there so we looked around for another way. And the German commander thinks of something, to call in a plane to scout out a path for us. And so we do just that and wait for an hour or so until the plane arrives and flies around, doing a couple circles. If he does find a path he is to dive down for a short period so that we know which direction. After a couple more circles he finally goes in for a dive about 4 o'clock from our current position and then he flies away. Grabbing our stuff we head towards that direction, not knowing what we will find. And after a few hours we do finally see what the pilot saw and, while not prefect, it isn't terrible. A slow descent down we finally make it down and continue on our way, like there was no cliff to exist. Making our way deeper we come across more wildlife, thicker vegetation and more dangerous animals. Some seemed to be of predatory nature, but I guess the loud noise of the engines does scare them away. We did also come across more of those creatures, but they were no trouble to deal with and we did get a better look at them. Skinny, black as the night sky without a star in it, some strange marking on their bodies, maybe a tribe or a mark of their creator. As we have discovered that they simply dissolve into a pile of ash. They are probably some sort of creation dark magic or something similar, probably evil in nature. 

And so,  five more days pass as we explore until we come across another drop off, but at the bottom of this one was a whole city. Made of stone and wood mostly, at first it looked overgrown but it seems to be bristling with activity. And before us stood a conundrum, what to do? Do we head back and report or do we satiate our curiosity and head inside. And I wasn't the only one thinking of this, many were, unsure what are we to do. So we, the tank commanders decide to have a chat. The commander of the Tetrarch is Edwin Shelton, of the Churchill Lester Moore, the Cromwell Callan MacFarlane and the Panzers Lorenz Kehrer. We stood at the edge and looked down.

Desmond: What do you guys want to do? Head back now or go in there and see what is what?

Lorenz: The correct thing would be to head back and report everything in full detail. But, there is a curiosity within me that wants to see what this city looks from the inside. 

Edwin: I'll be damned, even the uptight German wants to see what is inside. 

Lester: But, if we were to go in, we would need to carry guns with us and not everyone would be able to go. 

Desmond: We know that we can't bring anyone and we would need to do it on foot. We can't bring out tanks in there, it would cause too much of a commotion.   

Lorenz: I would also suggest hiding our faces if we were to go down there. 

Callan: Why?

Lorenz: Well, we don't know what species is down there and how they will react to humans. From what I read, it is either, neutral or hostile, there hasn't been any welcoming encounters. 

Callan: Actually, makes sense. With that debacle at the north with the elves, we shouldn't dilly dally and go in there all high and mighty. The other human kingdoms probably started many wars and ruined the reputation of humans. 

Desmond: One last question does remain. Who will be going? 

Lester: I definitely won't be, my old age and my brittle bones wouldn't be a good thing for you young'uns.

Desmond: Fair point, you can watch over the camp for us while we are out. Are the rest of you in for the idea of going down there?

Edwin: Oh for sure I am.

Callan: I'll join ya, just because I don't want to sit all day out here and going into the city is better than the boredom I would experience here. 

Lorenz: Of course, but first let us prepare everything that we are going to need. Are we setting off immediately?

Desmond: If you are up for it, sure.

The guys nod and we each head to pick up our respected things. A pistol, knife, some rations, ammunition, I grabbed the M3 Grease Gun I have laying in the tank while the others pick out some rifles. After everyone had double checked if they had brought everything that they wanted we set of by foot. Who knows if this is even smart? We might get killed or something worse, who knows. But the curiosity simply is too much to resist and we need to check out what is going on inside. Who the people are and such. This is a expeditionary and a colonization mission and if there is some sort of governance than it might not be a bad idea to engage in dialog, to see how the other party would react. For now however, we will reach the city and what happens happens.