[X] Join the Volunteers battling against the South Winds army. Sazama will organize and protect the evacuation efforts.
Because so far, Autumn's main successes have been in combat. Even this espionage / bodyguard mission kinda counts, with the brief fighting aginst the Gunbatsu goons in the Minister's home and the insurrection afterwards. There might be some fighting in the evacuation, but the only similar experience Autumn has with that was herself and her sister, and this is much bigger than that.
Join the Volunteers battling against the South Winds army. Sazama will organize and protect the evacuation efforts.
"If something happens to me, I hope you would take over Ministry Security," Autumn asked Captain Sazama.
"You've been through a lot already. But of course, I will. We've got a lot of advanced Pathists who don't know how to fight back, they've been deprived from the ability to defend themselves. I'd like to work with more than just Tanimoto, and if our evacuation team is attacked, my arrows will be a big problem for the attackers."
"I've been through a few small scale battles, but I'm still a newcomer when it comes to war," Autumn said.
They stood before Saito's surprisingly large militia scattered across the fields near the Governor's manor. There were tents, fires, rowdiness and loud conversations. It seemed more like a gathering or a fair than an army.
"Quite an eventful first day, Captain?" Autumn said. "You should start the evacuation planning, and I need to talk to Saito."
"Stay safe, Setsu. Ayaka was talking about coming out of retirement to show you true sword-fighting skill. Hah, even I'd like to see that."
Sazama left, and Autumn approached Saito, who was speaking with a group.
"Of our hundreds, we've got less than twenty with real military experience. You three are the only who have served in leadership before. Mrs. Shiraishi, I understand you served as a sergeant in the Girls' Army years ago?"
"Yes sir. I signed up for my daughter. If the Gunbatsu are defeated, I hope to see her set free."
""Mr. Kanai, you were a captain in the Regular army. What made you want to join our special forces?"
Kanai was an old man, but still standing proud. "I saw something change in the officers serving me, and now this newest generation. We now see the consequences of a generation who doesn't truly know war or honor. Don't put me in the dirt, Colonel. I can still plan a battle if I can't fight one."'
The third person addressed by Saito was young, in his early twenties perhaps.
"Arms-Sergeant Otani, I understand you are technically still an officer of the regular army?"
"Yes sir. My mother's been a regular Minshuto voter, even with all the pressure from the Auxiliaries. And, as the master of the armory here in Mizumi, I've seen more than enough about how the regular army and Gunbatsu are acting. They may ask for me back sir, but I don't want to go back. Mom's joined up as well."
"That's it for our officers with experience. And I see Lieutenant Setsu is here also. She has been tasked with leading our security teams to protect ministry officials. Temporarily she has left behind ministry security to help out here.
We are short on time, so I will dismiss you quickly. Kanai, I'll put you in command of Battalion 2, which is platoons N through Z. We don't have any other high officers, so I'll be commanding the first 13 platoons and the overall effort, but I could use your planning expertise.
Shiraishi, Otani, and Setsu, you'll lead platoons. We don't have enough qualified experienced people to have sergeants, but it's a hope for the future. If you want to appoint your own sergeants temporarily go ahead. These are people unfamiliar with war and unorganized, for the most part. I don't expect perfect formations and discipline. Just do your best.
I've distributed talent fairly evenly, so I'm labeling our platoons by letter, not number. Shiraishi, you'll take A, Otani B, Setsu C. The rest will be picked from their platoon membership.
Planning meeting is at 1800. Go familiarize yourself with your platoon."
Headed towards the throng of people, Shiraishi and Otani were shouting out their platoons, hoping to find out where they had set up camp.
Autumn had to say something to the woman called Mrs. Shiraishi. It couldn't be a coincidence that she knew 1st Lieutenant Shiraishi and this woman talked about her daughter.
"Shiraishi?" she asked.
"Hmm. You would be Lieutenant Setsu."
The 1st lieutenant's mother may have mellowed out from her military days, but her gaze was a piercing as her daughter's.
"I think I served under your daughter, ma'am," she said. "It wasn't for very long, but she already inspired me during that time. I really respect her."
"You were at Cherry Blossom? Your journey has been twisty then. What happened at the First Battle of the Wastes?"
"It was Major Sumida who attacked the South Winds army. They were trying to scout through the wastelands, but it was his decision to attack. The 1st Lieutenant saved us when his attack failed."
"They won't say where she is being held, but we should hurry to find our platoons. It is good to hear from someone who knew her," she said.
Autumn shouted out, "Platoon C, who can tell me where platoon C is?"
Saito and Kasai had agreed to refuse anyone under 18, excepting those who had already been part of the army, like Autumn herself. They didn't want to promote child enlistment anymore than it already had been. These people were mostly older but some younger women who never went through the Girls' Army as they were not evaluated as likely Pathists.
"Platoon C is just the next cluster of tents over," said one of the younger women.
Autumn took her time assessing the motley group of people she spotted near tents and near the fire which was in the center of their ring of tents.
Among the two dozen men, most of them seemed to be in their forties, or some even their fifties. There were younger women, as well as older, about ten of them total. She hadn't experienced a long running campaign, she couldn't tell who had survived such things in their past. Her fighting experience and Path did give her a rough sense of who could fight, and it seems like a half-dozen at most, had any real experience in it.
A short, bald man spoke up, one of those few she had estimated had fought before.
"Hey miss, are you a late addition to our platoon? I heard there were a few more joining. We don't know when the Lieutenant is arriving,"
Leading people who were much older, some of who had more experience, was going to be tough. She really did need to choose an experienced sergeant among her platoon members. Even if he or she didn't have an official rank it would be helpful to organize and keep people on track.
Autumn stood up tall, speaking confidently. "I am Lieutenant Setsu, soldier. I've just transferred from Protective Services to help out during this defensive.
"What are you, sixteen years old?" the bald man asked. 'This is stupid."
"I've fought in the first battle of the war, soldier. And defended the Prime Minister's house from 3 attackers, as well as rescued ministry staff from the Government office. I may not have experience as an officer, but I can show most of you how to fight. What kind of weapons do you all have?"
They responded. Many had axes, mauls, three had slings, two had bows, and three sword users, utility and kitchen knives even for some of the women.
"I personally am a sword user, specifically the Dao blade. I also have the ability to teleport a limited number of times. If we end up under enemy fire from a distance, I will try to suppress it. Is anyone else a Pathist?"
The bald man spoke up, "2nd step. I'm a lumberjack by day, but I think I can use that same skill for fighting. If our young lieutenant is going to be bopping around bopping heads, I think you need a second in command."
"In a couple of hours, I have to go to the planning meeting. Discuss among yourselves who wants to be my second, and then I'll make the final call."
There wasn't enough space with all the packed in tents to do full on drills, but she was able to do a little one on one training and address flaws in their fighting technique. She didn't have much to say to the half-dozen people with bows or slings, but she made corrections to everyone else's techniques, even the lumberjack.
"This is a great technique for cutting down trees, but not people. People fight back," she told Mr. Lumberjack.
When she asked for a ranged team leader, the answer was clear when a 40 year old woman stepped up. Being one of the two bow users, she demonstrated skill and still had a keen eye.
Saito's meeting was brief and focussed on only a few things: updates about enemy positions, cooperation with the other West Winds armies, and how and when they planned to resist the enemy.
"If we achieve a clean victory, don't be surprised if the regular army turns on us. We are outside their command structure. We have to keep our forces together and position ourself for that possibility," Saito said.
Kanai had a lot to say. "There won't be any clean battle lines in the city. Memorize your call and response, to determine if you are near other Self-Defense forces. Don't share it with the Gunbatsu armies.
Ranged weapons in excellent position will do considerable work. We don't have a lot of those, so let's hope Gunbatsu does. Our advantage will be once we get inside. There's not a lot of space or time to stop our blades.
We are operating with civilian levels of equipment. Freely use South Winds equipment if you are able to familiarize yourself with it. Fall back rather than letting your unit fall apart. The global fallbacks are the Government Offices, and the Governor's Manor. Since we control the manor, it is greatly preferable to the Offices, but also much further back. Be prepared for South Winds special forces attacks from the behind our lines."
Captain Tashihara was there for some last minute enemy situation analysis. "High Command wants you out there right away. We desperately need help. The High Command is forming their own neighborhood militias, and trying to rally routed forces for one last defensive in the city. As soon as I get back I expect the city will be under siege."
Finally, Saito gave some concluding remarks. "Mizumi is too large for our small force to cover. We will advance into a close position and evaluate where we can help. We have to set a trap for the South Winds, set a quagmire for them."
--(---->
What experience Autumn had of marching, was in the field, and not leading a bunch of rowdy, unorganized civilians. The overall force of the militia was divided into sub-forces and platoons as they had to split up to get through the city more quickly and maneuver around obstacles.
There was no way to transport 100s of people easily by horse or teleport formation, it was only by their own feet.
Food was limited. Saito was working on organizing resupply for those fighters who used arrows or other ammunition as well as providing food and better weapons and gear. Would they have time to get any help before battle came?
The lumberjack had been voted as 2nd in command, and despite his brash and rude demeanor, he did have a positive effect on the group.
"What kind of old song should we sing now, Lieutenant?" he asked.
"Something to put a little fire in their belly. Whatever you've got sergeant," she said.
The Lumberjack grinned, shouting, "Old boys, do you remember Western Star?"
These older men the lumberjack was referring to were constantly reminiscing of old days and nostalgia as they marched.
Three of them shouted, "We remember. Western Star! Western Wind, rushing across the sky! Western Star, True Star!"
"Don't sing it all yet, you dope," said the Lumberjack. "Let's lead our younger boys and girls in a rendition. Follow along, all of you!"
Autumn didn't remember any of Western Star or the other folk legends and songs of the West Winds. Thinking about it, she remembered a few songs her mom had taught her, but there wasn't a lot of singing of that style back home. There was more of a focus on instruments and melodies, and the kind of drunkenness which leads to belting out such songs was very much disliked.
"You have to know this one, Lieutenant! The Worldwinds!"
She heard murmurs from everyone about the song, but she also heard something else. Something not from within their group.
"Quiet! Scouts, I want you to go forward and be our ears."
"And who would that be lieutenant?" asked one of the privates.
"You three. The hunters."
She had a younger woman who actually liked to hunt, and two older men who hunted game. They all likely knew how to slink about and avoid getting heard as well as hearing others. It seemed like the best choice for scouts.
Platoon B was only a few hundred feet away, marching along the next parallel road. She would send a runner to Otani's platoon if she spotted anything.
She watched the scouts go in front of them along the roadway. One took the left side, one took the right and one down the middle.
The woman who took the left path returned to the other two and they were engaged in discussions as they came back.
"Definitely someone around that neighbor's house on the left," said the woman. "I don't know what the different forces look like so I'm not sure which unit they were."
They had only advanced a few miles from the farm country near the Governor's Manor, and now they had come into a group of residences.
"How many did you spot, private?" she asked.
"I saw at least two, probably there's more."
"Platoon B is in between us and the sighting, moving along center road. Scout team, I want you to move past us once we have engaged the enemy. Meet up with the B platoon leader and give him the news. Ranged team, I'm giving you time to swing around in front of the house, while the rest of us swing around back. Stay quiet."
Asking this group to stay quiet seemed to be impossible as they stomped and romped around the house. No one said anything but still the noise almost made Autumn want to learn a few swear words from the Sergeant.
More problematically, she already heard the archers firing.
"Sergeant, get moving fast, I have to go save the ranged team!"
From halfway around the house, she teleported to the ranged team to see one of the archers cut down by a jagged throwing knife. Three men stood in the doorway of the home, and who knew how many were inside. She deflected the second throwing knife, and the third.
Another person entered the doorway.
"Card user! Watch out." she yelled.
She tackled the other archer, her ranged team leader, forcing her to the ground. Autumn's precognition told her something was coming, as some kind of projectile hit one of the sling users instead of her and the archer. A roar of flames erupted from behind her, but she didn't catch fire, and the archer was safe also.
She had no intention to let him play around with more cards. The sergeant was rushing towards the doorway, but Autumn wanted to end the Card user in a moment.
She slashed her blade downward, teleported the blade right on top of the card user and caused quite a head wound.
Teleporting in she ripped the blade out and got stabbed in the same moment that she struck a second man standing by the doorway.
The sergeant bursted through the doorway, attacking the second man by the door, and the third had fled down the hallway.
"Why didn't you wait?" the axe wielding sergeant asked.
"Card user almost got us blown up," she explained. "Go!"
She had to protect her last ranged volunteer, otherwise they would have to charge down every hallway. Other than the archer, she didn't see any of the sling users getting up. The sergeant needed support.
As he lead the motley melee crew forward, checking doors as they went down the hallway, Autumn gave them covering fire.
The sergeant called back.
"There's a basement, looks like they just cleared out, They're sure to be feisty down there."
Autumn was sure some scientist like Tanimoto would tell her about the specific ability of Pathists to resist wounds. Something about superior clotting power or stronger heart. The reality was, the wound had already closed up, it was just unfortunate that the knife was still embedded in her.
"Private," she said, looking at the last bow user. "You and I will open the door. Fire if you see anything down there. The rest of you, get ready to charge on my go."
She realized that while she had a useful ranged attack in blade teleport, it would be stupid to continue to teleport into the middle of the enemy position. Instead she'll have to recover the Dao blade after the fighting is finished.
Someone swore in a South Winds dialect. "They said, get forward and prepare to play the hyena. There's no whole slabs left, just scraps of the West Winds army, we promise."
"Shut up!"
Autumn opened the door.
"Shit~!"
"Do you surrender? I understand that you respect the Emperor. I can tell you about him," she said.
"Come down here, and we'll drop our weapons," they said.
"If I teleport out, you charge in, " Autumn said to the sergeant.
Holding her Dao blade in a good position to deflect thrown weapons, she descended the stairs.
At first, she thought they would attack, but as the lantern illuminated her to them, they were silent. There were only two of them.
"Even our regent doesn't have so... You are telling the truth! We surrender."
Autumn didn't want her unit to hear about her family connection. But after she studied what a good percentage of the Divine Monotheists believed, she realized her heritage might prove useful at some point.
"Don't say anything to the soldiers. They have no idea. I'm a Xue princess, unfortunately, the Empire is fallen, and my father has ascended. There's no love lost for our family there, so I keep it quiet."
"What's going to happen to us, your royalty?" said the first man.
"Call me Shusui. It's my disguise. Setsu Shusui. To be honest, you'll be captives. You are part of a South Winds offensive taking over our country. Everyone you've faced so far, that was the Gunbatsu army. We are part of the Minshuto militia.
"I knew there was another force out here," said the second man. "They said it was over, that we weren't facing any more soldiers, just sheep."
The first man spoke up again:
"Listen, Shusui, you could take us back to wherever the other captives are at, or you could not bother with it. Take us with you! We will try to get any suitable Divine Monotheists to give themselves up. They won't attack if they know your lineage. You'll still have to face those frown-faced Anattanists, and death-seeking Samsarrans, but at least one of the armies might melt away."
Vote on how to handle the captives:
[ ] Have part of your force return the captives to Saito, let him deal with them.
[ ] Keep the captives with you. They have promised to try to get other Divine Montheistic army units to surrender or quit the field.
"It is fortunate you missed your friend, or you'd be captured too. It's too easy for the commonborn to move from palace to palace with control of the main palace," Snow Chau said.
"I wish I hadn't sent her on that scout team. Our numbers are too few, even combined to change that. So what would you do?" Kazumi asked.
Snow Chau had filled her in on what transpired in the North before she fatefully met Wei and Shusui, aka Thu. She was sure that there had been bad things in the old system, but you had to stay and fix the problem! Leaving the nation to be torn apart by war was a horrible choice, and one that offended her. Was there some even greater injustice pulling Ho Junko away?
It seemed like the Sang needed to be rooted out. Perhaps the Commonborn could be negotiated with, if they could come to the table with everyone to establish a new government.
Snow Chau's approach was much like her own. She had a rag-tag group of daring everyday people who took big risks to see things done right.
They had skirmished with the Sang twice more since the battle at the border, but nothing that rose to a true fight. It appeared that the Sang had claimed the periphery and the commonborn took the capital city.
Now with her band joined with Snow Chau's group, the younger girls could learn from the men and women of the North Winds forces. With the release of so much stored treasures, North Winds armies had gone from the least advanced in the world to the most.
The weapon that had killed 1st Lieutenant Yamada and so many others was operated by a team of three people. It was called a cannon, and between Sang and Snow Chau's group they had the only two on this world.
Kazumi watched as the three 'cannon' specialists worked on maintaining the monstrous device. One of them was just a loader, one of them was just focused on aiming. One of them focussed only on the horrible substances that fueled the cannon. The amount of resources it took just for a single shot were appalling, but so was its destructiveness.
Kazumi didn't enjoy relying on such things, but with their combined forces being few in number, they had to use the threat of the cannon to get the commonborn to talk to them.
She was aware that they were approaching Wei and Shusui's old home, when Snow Chau's scouts spotted the main palace in the distance.
"There's regular patrols. We can't afford to waste a shot, so here's the plan," Snow Chau said
--(---->
"I don't think this is going to work," Kazumi said. They were walking to the palace like they belonged there.
The commonborn faction's guards didn't have any kind of distinguishing symbol or uniform. Many of them seemed to have walking sticks or staves. And one of them ran up to her and Snow Chau and accosted them.
"You there. No one is allowed here unless they have permission from the Lord and Lady."
"We wish to talk with your Lord and Lady," Snow Chau said.
The guard seemed undecided between driving them out, or looking for someone to ask.
"So the Imperial sympathizer shows her face. I have it on good authority that you were the one who insisted on protecting the Imperial family."
According to Snow Chau, this 'Lady' of the Palace was Hejl Yaeko, who fought Autumn to a stand-still, and by Snow Chau's account that was the best fighting her mentor had ever done.
She was appropriately cautious as the woman approached.
"Do you think you can rescue anyone from the center of our power?" Hejl Yaeko said.
"I had hoped North Winds heroes would be more honorable. I barely know you, but you have a high bar to reach compared to Shusui."
"I've got responsibilities now, people to protect. North Winds to look out for. As for Shusui, I don't know who that is."
"The Fourth Princess, I have heard. Shusui is her West Winds name."
Hejl Yaeko picked up her staff. It was an ornate thing, decorated with gold and inset with jewels. "Anyone who is friends with that foul woman counts as an enemy of mine."
Snow Chau wanted to interrupt, but Hejl Yaeko pointed the end of the staff at Kazumi before she could say anything.
Arcs of heavenly lighting flowed between the staff and Kazumi. She wanted to respond, to fight back, but the lightning was pleasant. It tickled. It did not harm her.
"Thank you for the lightning massage," Kazumi said, bemused herself. "I did not know that would happen."
Hejl was speechless.
"We've got a cannon, we came here to parlay, but it seems whatever we expected, we were wrong about. You've turned into a warlord, Thunderbolt."
They turned to walked away, but Kazumi looked back. It was obvious that Hejl's next step was to switch targets to the Snow scion.
Turning and stepping in front of Snow Chau, she received the more intense burst of lightning, and found her own essence overfilling beyond normal capacity.
This "Thunderbolt" would be trouble if she wasn't stopped. At least she shouldn't be able to fling heavenly lightning. She didn't deserve to use such power with foul purposes.
She swung her two-handed sword at Thunderbolt, despite there being over ten feet between them. Lighting surged out beyond the end of the blade, and a massive current of heavenly lightning crackled and blasted Thunderbolt backwards.
"Uh, that was more powerful than expected," Kazumi said. Normally, it was just a small arc extending from the edge of her two-hand sword.
"So let me get this straight," Snow Chau said, as they turned and walked away unimpeded. "Ho Junko suddenly turns into this ridiculously powerful heavensent who destroys the Empire, and now you've arrived. I assume you didn't plan on being here in the North, but we have to go through another Heaven-shaking individual. I'm grateful, but I'm wishing for some calm, Kazumi."
"Uh, there's just one thing. I'm not usually that powerful. I didn't want to kill Thunderbolt. I hope I didn't. I just wanted to get my friend back, and see the place where my friend and my mentor lived. If she would have cooperated, I would have counted her as a good friend.
All my goals are in the West, Chau. End the wars with North and South, End conscription of girls under 18. And if we have to have a separate Girls' Army, we should have women and girls in charge all the way up to Brigadier General.
If I need to resolve some issues in the North to get your help, I will happily do so."
The commonborn forces seemed to be busy retreating with their Lady, so their soldiers and the cannon advanced easily towards the front steps of the palace.
"If we take this place, I have to check out Shusui's old dojo," Kazumi said.
"We're just doing a rescue, Kazumi. If we stay here for long, we'll face the combined Sang - Commonborn forces," Snow Chau said.
"It's probably been ransacked anyway," Kazumi said gloomily.
The guards were rushing through, and as the last one entered, he turned towards them. In another moment, the massive palace doors slammed shut.
"There's a side entrance! Come on!" Snow Chau said, and she ran forward. Kazumi waited, keeping an eye on the cannon, to make sure it was protected.
Soon, Snow Chau had returned. "Locked too."
"What are we going to do? They could take our people to whatever Palace they want now," Kazumi said.
She didn't know how Wei was holding up.
--(---->
Wei had been as meek and obedient as she could when Autumn's old foes captured her and the rest of the Quartet.
They were on their way to meet up with Kazumi. Snow Chau reported in, saying that she was ok, and she was with Kazumi and the Cherry Blossom girls.
The Quartet expected Sang interference, not the appearance of those two powerful pathists. Thunderbolt's lightning was terrifying.
She had been a captive for two days, back in her hometown, with new people in charge. She just kept quiet and did whatever they told her to, and soon she didn't have to have her hands tied or her mouth gagged. She walked around, and tried to look like the same girl who had left home a month ago.
Even though she was no fighter like Kazumi or her sister, she still had picked up a lot from them. She didn't have a weapon, but she had boxing lessons. She had hope that maybe she could do something about her situation.
Mr. Rieff was talking to another of the captives, and detailing his "plan".
"Thunderbolt will stay back at the palace, draw in Snow Chau and these West Winds girls. It should be easy to capture them, and then we'll have total control of North Winds. Your West Winds army wouldn't be able to stand against our armies. With all of this equipment stored up by the old Emperor, our soldiers are vastly stronger, enough to fight back against the West.
So it's important to make this meeting with the South Winds. We can plan to split the West up. They don't trust us yet, so we have to show them, Mr. Conner."
Mr. Conner spoke up, "Sir, what about the Sang family?"
"They are a servant family, they've already been lapdogs, it's just a question of who's got the leash. We are all about the people of North Winds having strong leadership. And we are willing to share the largesse that's coming."
They were in First brother's palace. There were a lot of people here going through the treasures, sorting them and sending them back to the main palace to be distributed. She had no idea there was so much wasted, just sitting around in boxes.
But Mr. Rieff wasn't concerned about that, he was taking them to a very particular part of the palace, where they were going to go somewhere new, somewhere none of them, even Mr. Rieff, had gone before.
"This is supposed to take us up to the cloud kingdom. Stand close, and whatever you do, don't look down until we know we're on solid ground. Your father used this to get up there, Wei."
The three of them stood inches apart, on a spot in a corner of the highest level of the palace. She saw no sign of a heavenly treasure like that hateful teleport formation.
Instead, it was with no warning that she suddenly looked up and realized they were rising rapidly into the air. She was so tempted to look down at the Palace, but she looked up at the white clouds instead.
They didn't go straight up, but instead seemed to veer off towards a specific place, but they had no control over what was happening.
Whatever Mr. Rieff expected, it couldn't have been this, as they stopped moving inside of a building made of the fluffiest whitest clouds.
The walls were white clouds, as were the floors, and only the ceiling was different, being made of a massive angry stormcloud.
In front of them was, maybe it was a court?
A tall, regal-looking man sat in a high backed chair. Half the chair was gold, and around him were two others, a man and a woman. One of them held a stack of papers, and the other seemed to be offering the man a choice of fruit.
"AH! The new Emperor has arrived. Come, get dressed in the servants' quarters," the regal man bellowed.
"I am not an Emperor, nor a servant! Where are we?" Mr. Rieff said. "We were supposed to meet with the South Winds ambassador."
"You can do that after your chores, Emperor."
"I'm confused. Why does an Emperor do chores?" Wei asked.
"Ah, Emperorspawn, Emperor, though he may be, in this higher kingdom, he is only a servant. The last five Emperors have agreed to serve me, in exchange for greater wealth for their nation. I couldn't deny them. North Winds is, of course, firstborn of the lower nations. Now, new Emperor. Get dressed."
"I'm leaving!" Rieff Chan said, and drew out the greatsword.
Wei saw the first servant, the one carrying papers, wink. And in a moment, the greatsword was gone, and Rieff Chan was on the floor gasping for air.
Wei could only giggle as Mr. Rieff tried to protest, resist, or fight back, but soon he had left to get dressed. Wearing the Emperor servant clothes, he feebly asked the Magistrate what he had to do.
"Honorable sir, what about us?" asked Conner after they watched everything that occurred.
"You might as well stay for dinner. I'll be sure to send you back afterwards. The Lady will get you settled in."
He's the most influential person in the world, but with a very peculiar perspective. A lot of it is spoilers at this point. Autumn's father was never around because he was serving the Magistrate. The Magistrate seems to think whatever man is in charge of the North Winds must be an Emperor. His chauvinism is a bit more paternalistic, rather than the brutal West Winds perspectives.
He's the most influential person in the world, but with a very peculiar perspective. A lot of it is spoilers at this point. Autumn's father was never around because he was serving the Magistrate. The Magistrate seems to think whatever man is in charge of the North Winds must be an Emperor. His chauvinism is a bit more paternalistic, rather than the brutal West Winds perspectives.
Keep the captives with you. They have promised to try to get other Divine Montheistic army units to surrender or quit the field.
It was said that West Winds army was taught to never retreat or surrender. But it appeared the officers only considered it to apply to their subordinates.
Platoons A, B and C had converged on a battle entering it's late phase. A wave of West Winds men were rushing forward, but their commanding officer was trying to slip away.
Saito's platoons were spread out over many blocks in the center of Mazumi. Each platoon was staying in contact with it's cluster. A, B and C, D E and F and so on were marked as clusters.
Lieutenant Shiraishi had priority over the cluster, and led them forward. Shiraishi's scout team intercepted the fleeing Gunbatsu Captain, but he refused to answer any questions and was off again, heading back away from the battle line.
It was hard to say the loyalty and character of the Gunbatsu soldiers. They certainly were trained to fight and advance forward without ceasing. Regardless, they had to do something, before their effort collapsed.
"A and B platoons should sweep up the friendly position and move on to striking the enemy. Setsu's platoon C will provide rapid response reserves and sweep up in the critical moment to break defenses," Shiraishi said. "Use your mobility when you have to, Setsu, don't waste it."
This was not the cohesive charge of a trained Girls' Army, however. Many of these men and women were not fit like they had been as a child. Though her platoon started for the enemy twenty-seconds later, some of her soldiers had overtaken the slower runners of A and B.
The people of those two platoons avoided the Gunbatsu army, instead joining battle to the left and right of those soldiers.
The South Winds soldiers fought with teamwork in mind. They were better fighters than the Gunbatsu regulars, and the militia didn't fare well at all. Her nature was to get involved, not to watch and wait as volunteers were cut down, but she waited nonetheless.
Their own soldiers owned every kind of weapon under the sun, and while some might be good and some bad, no one knew what to expect from their neighbor. The South winds soldiers, to a man, used the straight double-edged blade. It was long enough to have reasonable reach but was still acceptable for close up fighting. The men appeared to all be right handed so they gave each other space to strike.
There was a reserve unit, platoons P and Q were assigned to their sector. Shiraishi was senior so it was her call to decide whether to retreat.
The Gunbatsu army was in the middle of the newly expanded battle line with A and B to their left and right, but their numbers were so low that the South Winds forces were just a moment away from surrounding the volunteers.
"Up the middle, we have to stop them! Charge!" she yelled to her platoon.
Sergeant Lumberjack, which her whole crew had taken to call him, yelled out, "Western Star strikes!"
He must have made a career of singing on the job. His voice was deep as the yelled the words of the song again leading the charge. He had asked permission to lead the assaults, so she relented.
Autumn followed behind the bulk of her unit, with the two South winds captives. Autumn had been surprised when she found out their names. They were peculiar names, not what she expected. They were completely unlike the South Winds soldier she had met in 25th platoon.
David and Jeremy were her two captives. Their unit leader had placed the group of four in that house and left, and David was slightly senior to Jeremy, despite having the same luck.
"Each religious tradition in South Winds has their own names, their own language. The Samsarran and Anattanist names are similar, the languages are dialects of the same core, but we are from a very different tradition," David said.
"Are we fighting Anattanist or Samsarran soldiers?" she asked..
"You would know if it was Samasarran. Those guys are crazy," said David.
Her normal fighting approach was affected by all of the allies in close proximity. She couldn't get to the battle, as her forward elements fought. She darted in, stabbing with her Dao blade wherever an opportunity to strike opened up.
She didn't trust the captives with weapons, so they largely just watched the battle, and she felt their attention on her was weird.
She pulled an injured woman back, and an injured older man, getting them out of the line, and then she had to fill the gap forming, facing two of the straight sword soldiers.
For normal line soldiers, they were impressive, and they were well coordinated, but the one flaw in such an army was the lack of response to someone like her.
She forced the first soldier's blade out of position, then drove her Dao blade through the second man's chest, withdrawing it quickly, and deflecting the first soldier, and through three strikes, overwhelming him, causing his own blade to tumble and slashing at him.
She had forgotten, after training and practicing against other Pathists, how much stronger she was than even a strong normal soldier. Surely some of these soldiers would be 1st step pathists, but only in the early stages, and it depended on their talent and temperament.
She had restrained herself enough, but she didn't want to lose any more soldiers than necessary. In addition to rescuing her troops, and pulling back the wounded, she cut down more than ten South Winds soldiers.
She had been forced to direct those soldiers who still were fighting to cover more of the line, as A and B were struggling to hold on also. She held back her blade steps, since the day was likely to be long.
P and Q platoons rushed up from behind and started to fill spots in the line. She was forced back by Colonel Saito's orders to bring C platoon back to the command reserve location, which was around a building one block back.
"C platoon, let the new guys have it, we are relocating to command."
Of the soldiers that could follow her order to relocate, half were hurt in some way, and they numbered two dozen at most.
Even David and Jeremy had entered the fighting at some point.
They made to drop the weapons they had gathered, the straight swords of the enemy, which they were also likely trained in.
"Keep them. You know what I can do, if you betray me," she said to them.
"We fought with hands and feet until we could scoop up weapons. You needed the help. We are trained rough-country fighters, you know. Our church has battle practice every Thursday, and plenty of them were unarmed brawls. We've been practicing fighting since we were young boys.
The Sergeant was still upright, although he had cuts and was bleeding from the elbow.
"Western Star, sergeant. We're needed elsewhere," she said, as they hurried back to the building where Saito was coordinating the battalion and army.
Saito was talking to Lieutenant Shiraishi. "We haven't seen the Samsarrans yet. I don't know how our men and women will take it. We've integrated remnants of the Gunbatsu army in parts of the line. Z platoon is on gather duty, to try to collect retreating Gunbatsu and Minshuto soldiers."
"C platoon, sir," Autumn said to him.
"You've maintained strength well then, Lieutenant. We've lost a lot of volunteers in not much time, but our enemy is no-doubt thinking the same.
Between the Gunbatsu and us, we've inflicted about the same reduction to one army that our enemy did to two. Militias don't do well against trained armies, Lieutenant. I didn't expect to see the famed West Winds army lost in the winds. They must have a redoubt, a place of strength.
If they could force us to spend blood while they saved strength, they would serve them doubly. If I see a Samsarran army, I'm calling for plan B. The Anattanists are strong, but the Samasarrans are fear inducing, and that is something our militia can't withstand. We can't outrun them, so we'll have to outhide them.
No sooner than he said it had a person ran up to him, whispering, "Enemy reinforcements are coming."
The voice broadcast equipment was small, a polished appartus the size of a chunk of bread, maybe. When Saito put it up to his mouth and spoke, the words reverberated around the neighboring streets.
"Move back, Volunteers! Let's take this fight to the buildings. Make them knock on every door in Mizumi! Good fortune and good fighting, all."
This was an area of the city with quite a few combined craftsmen buildings with upstairs residences. Did a militia know how to fight this kind of building to building warfare? Not really, but they didn't know regular open field fighting either.
"What do you think, sergeant?" she asked.
Sergeant Lumberjack pointed back at a building 100 feet behind Saito's position. "If I take it right, that's a weaver's place. There'd be a number of girls working there normally, so a lot of extra rooms, and places to operate.
The sad sight of girls still working these looms, as they entered, made Autumn think of the evacuation team. It would be better if they could evacuate everyone from the city, but that was impossible. No one had reached this weaver to tell them the peril.
"You need to leave in a hurry," she said, to the girls, but the Sergeant put it better. "Hundreds of soldiers are coming, avoid any horrors! Get moving."
Autumn asked one of the girls, "Where is the owner? Is there anyone else here other than you?""
The girl, who was probably in her early teens, told her, "Boss went into town. Didn't say why or when he'd be back. His boy is still here."
"Let's go check the residence. Sergeant, you're with me. The rest of you, explore down here. We need to try to deal with any injuries. I want two people on each outside door. Find them all."
David and Jeremy did their best to put the soldiers at ease, about their presence. She turned back up the narrow and steep staircase.
Sergeant Lumberjack followed her, his axe clanking against the metal guide rail.
"Stay there, sergeant. If a child is up here, I don't want to scare them," she handed over her Dao blade, and he looked quizzically at the weapon.
Coming up to the top of the steep stairs, she saw that there was a door into the residence proper. Trying the handle, she found it was locked.
She knocked on the door twice.
After a pause, she heard a young boy, "Dad?"
"This is Lieutenant Setsu of the volunteers. Don't be frightened."
She heard nothing more, despite waiting for quite a while.
"If you get lonely, we'll be right downstairs," she said after a bit. He would most likely be curious after the fright was over.
She came back down.
"It's locked," she said.
"I could break the door," the sergeant said.
"No. Do you have children?" she asked.
"Two," he said.
"Think about how scary it would be for them to be in the same situation. Let him come down if he wants to. We'll have to survive on our rations and what food we can scrounge up. Maybe the weavers kept a bit around downstairs. There must be bedrooms down there too," she said.
The battle had been loud and quick, but now they were in a long, quiet period of time. There wasn't a lot of jovial conversation between the group as they had spread out through the weaver shop.
Autumn went to make sure David and Jeremy weren't trying anything, and equally that no one was trying anything against them.
"The beds have all been claimed. There's a couple of bedrooms with rows of bunks, so the ladies have all got a bed in their room. The guys have to fight over ours, and we didn't qualify. Did you find anything upstairs?" David said.
"Door's locked," she told them. "There's a scared boy inside. I asked him to come down when he's ready."
"The army might go door by door, but first they'll take the high value targets," Jeremy said.
Being mindful of the unlikely possibility that they were spying on her conversations, she left them behind to go to the sergeant.
It would be nearly impossible to stay in touch with Saito until the bulk of the South Winds forces had dispersed. They had to have their own plan.
Sergeant Lumberjack seemed to be repositioning some of the door guards.
"You should rotate every two hours. Keep your eyes fresh," he said. "Lieutenant, we have two entry points. Some people thought they should just let the same two take watch all day. I think rotating is important, don't you?"
"If people are injured enough that they can't hold watch, but otherwise everyone should share a rotation. I will take a turn, if you want to organize that," she said.
"I'll set it all to paper, I think some of the ladies found some," the Lumberjaxck said.
Before that moment, she honestly hadn't been sure if he could read or write, being a rough sort of man, but kind.
"What about this?" she proposed an idea. "Their special forces are primarily composed of people of David and Jeremy's religion. For whatever reason. South Winds may send special forces to root out these buildings, while the main force marches on. We could post David and Jeremy at the front door, and have them speak with the special forces. Tell them All clear, or whatever those two can come up with?"
"What if they decided to rejoin their buddies. Why do they care about us?" the sergeant said.
"Do you swear to keep your lips sealed on this. Come on, I'll talk to you at the stairs." she said.
"I'm not sure what a young lieutenant has to hide, but I swear it," he said.
When they were on the steps, and had dislodged two soldiers from sitting and smoking from a pipe on the stairway, she talked to the Sergeant.
"I'm not from here, sergeant. I was born in the North, and fled here only a month again. It's been an eventful month."
"A Snow Lady. That is a surprise, but why does that matter, with this crazy plan of yours?" he asked.
"I'm not just from the North, I am a child of the Emperor. Fourth daughter, to be specific. And these South Winds special forces, they believe in the Divine Emperor, which isn't my father, to be specific. It's the first emperor, the one that we don't really know any details about. He was the only emperor without all of this human greed and failure on his hands. But these special forces, the Divine Monotheists, they believe that the bloodline of the Divine Emperor is still special, so they look at me differently, and they happily laid down their identity as South Winds forces. I think we could use them to trick others, as we tricked them.
The line of Emperors is done with my eldest three brothers, the heirs, all dead. They were the only ones, I suppose, that were taught the real secrets of becoming an emperor. 4th brother Tuan wasn't much different from me in what he was privy to.'
"That's all above my head, Lieutenant. To think this, foreign royalty is leading this little company of folk. You fight like some kind of higher being, that's for sure. I'm still against that plan, though. Any soldier will return to his fellows, if he has the chance."
Vote:
[ ] Concede to the Sergeant, putting David and Jeremy at the front door is more likely to result in them betraying you than pulling a trick on their countrymen.
[ ] Insist that David and Jeremy will agree to faithfully try to trick their countrymen.
[X] Concede to the Sergeant, putting David and Jeremy at the front door is more likely to result in them betraying you than pulling a trick on their countrymen.
[X] Concede to the Sergeant, putting David and Jeremy at the front door is more likely to result in them betraying you than pulling a trick on their countrymen.
[X] Concede to the Sergeant, putting David and Jeremy at the front door is more likely to result in them betraying you than pulling a trick on their countrymen.
