The Floodplain - Snippets and Stories

[Killerflood]

This thread is dedicated to any and all stories and snippets, short and long, I have and will write. Long stories will be linked to only while the short ones and other snippets will be posted in full. Examples produced include: (RWBY x F/SN - long) The End of What Remains, (RWBY cyoa/oc si - snippet) My Brothers Grimm.


Without further ado, I bring you the table of contents!

Long Stories (Have their own thread):

1. The End of What Remains (RWBY x Fate/Stay Night)
2. A Demon's Tale (Ace Combat Zero)

Snippets (Scenes, Settings, or unfleshed-out ideas):

1. My Brothers Grimm
   • The Story of the Youth Who Went Forth to Learn What Fear Was.
2. Ace Combat Historical Timeline: The Belkan War
3. The Forlorn
   • Arrival 1

Musings:

1. Identity
2. Where Are You?

 

[Killerflood]

The Story of the Youth Who Went Forth to Learn What Fear Was​

"Did you ever read old tales and fables of long ago and find yourself thinking something along the lines of, 'Wow, what kind of drugs would I need to be on to actually believe them?' I don't know about you, but I've found out that I apparently needed really strong ones.

"What? What else could have transported me from my pathetic life as another faceless peon into what seems to be becoming one of the longest - and sometimes the most boring - nightmares I've ever had? I honestly can't think of a single scientific reason for why I found myself waking up in the middle of a red forest filled with monsters.

"Yes, I said a red forest.

"No, it wasn't because of it being fall. It was too hot for it to be fall.

"Oh, you said 'falls.' Forever Falls? Red all of the time? That figures. Did you know the stuff that plants use to absorb light actually works better with red than with green?
"Sorry, sorry. I've been out here struggling to survive for a few months by myself - No, Dale. You only count as half a someone else and I'm rounding down because you ate my dinner last night. - and I might have lost a few marbles along the way. I'll just go back to being quiet…"

My mouth clicks shut and I miraculously manage to keep it that way for the next couple of moments. My eyes however continue to glance through the foliage surrounding me. Green leaves are definitely a change than from what I started out with. Apparently I have meandered away from what is called 'Forever Falls' into a whole other forest. It's still deadly though. I don't see any read-eyes but I needn't worry. The forest is still filled with … what was it she called them? Ah, yeah! Grimm. I've already had to deal with a small group of what looked like werewolves and a freaking armored bear. I'm glad I had Dale with me.

My eyes glance over the green armored and muddy-ish scaled hide of my first and sole-surviving companion. Durandal, or 'Dale' as I like to call him for short, is what I summoned when I first stumbled across said summoning ability. He looks similar to the very first Grimm I killed. He's only slightly smaller than a horse shoulder-wise and is as long as a pick-up truck and half. Did I forget to mention that he's smaller than the one I killed? What can I say? I got really, really, lucky. I think I wasted three mags shooting down a charging drake with the commandeered rifle that I'm surely waving in front of my face like an amateur.

"Why an amateur?" says my increasingly sarcastic inner-voice, which is astonishing really because I was already a smartass to begin with. "Surely in six months you'd have had the time to be waving it around like a master! Isn't looking down the sights all that matters?" Hah, I'm not too far gone to delude myself. Playing Arma 2 does not a soldier make. I think four out of every five Grimm kills has been either done by Dale or one of the other summons that have all come and gone. Like "Dog-Fodder-Number-Forty-Something", whom was cut down before his time less than half an hour ago by the black-haired girl walking behind me. It took me nearly ten minutes to summon him – one for the actual summoning and nine to lay panting on my back from whatever counts for the 'effort' – while it took the girl less than thirty seconds to fully unsummon him.

She calls herself 'Blake'. From what little I got out of her between my own rambling thoughts she seems to be what's called a huntress-in-training. Wearing a non-camo black blouse with white undershirt that goes well with her pistol … things, she seems to be the type of huntress who hunts mean monsters for mankind instead of fluffy forest animals for food … Hey~! Alliteration! Awesome. Anyway, she's not so much a companion as she is a guide.

"Wait."

Maybe backseat driver is the more accurate term considering that she's telling me what to do while her eyes bore into my back. She also seems to constantly question whatever I say or do. So yes, exactly like a backseat driver. What's different though is that I actually stop and crouch. She's the one with experience after all. I concentrate as much as I can on my hearing. I listen in and only notice the soft whistle of wind, rustling of branches and the not-so-distant crack of-

"Gunshots?"

My head tilts and my eyebrows scrunch up in confusion. I see Dale's dragon-like head nod up and down in my peripheral vision and he clicks once for yes. Yes, he's able to answer yes-or-no questions. Why do you ask?

I can barely hear Blake behind me shuffle a little bit and then I hear her whisper, "It's coming from our left."

I strain my hearing and sure enough the sharp staccato - which seems to be becoming more of a load set of explosions - is coming off from our left. I turn forward and smack Dale's tail to get his attention. He clicks once so I point my arm up into the trees.

"Get up there and then see what's going on. Make sure you're not noticed."

Dale turns and trots toward a tree. For a grimm of his size he climbs surprisingly quick. In a few seconds he's gone, jumping or gliding from tree to tree. I make to follow him but find myself pulled to a halt. My head whips around to find Blake having caught my arm.

"What are you doing?" She hisses.

I stare at her with some bewilderment. I glance from her to the direction of the still-rumbling gunshots back to her.

"Uhhh … I'm going to see who's shooting bombs?"

Blake's amber eyes narrow and then go back to normal. She lets go of my arm but her expression is still combative.

"Why?"

"Because gunshots mean guns, guns mean people, and more people means safety?"

I'm sure my face right now just screams understanding. I wrack my mind for why she doesn't seem to want to join in with someone to make our group larger and my mind latches onto the first thing that comes to mind. I cringe.

"This initiation thing you mentioned … it doesn't happen to be a team-deathmatch type situation does it?"

What can I say? I like video games. Her own face scrunches up as well. Why does she look at me like I'm crazy?

"What? No."

She shakes her head and begins to explain.

"We were supposed to land out here, find a partner, and then get a relic from a temple. The temple is in that direction."

She proceeds to point in the direction we were heading originally. I smile and then nod my head.

"That's great. And in this direction," I point to where Dale is likely lounging somewhere since the shooting and explosions had tapered off. "You can maybe get a partner if we hurry. Another reason to find out who was shooting!"

I start walking again but stop once I notice that Blake is just crouching where we were with her mouth slightly open.

"What are you waiting for?" I ask.

Blake closes her mouth and then furrows her eyebrows. If I were better at reading emotions I might see some subtle signs that she was slightly hurt but, as I am, I only see the clear markings of annoyance.

"You're not wanting to partner up?"

I blink. I blink again. My smile slides off my face while I try to force my train of thought to change tracks. Did she want me as a partner?

"Uhhh … Blake, I'm not a … hunter-in-training? Is that what you called yourself?"

Blake nods. I nod back.

"Right, I just stumbled into this place. I don't think you want me as a partner because I have no idea what I'm doing or what's going on. You're the first person I've seen since waking up in Forever Falls. So, if we run, we might find you someone who knows what they're doing and can be your partner and who can bring my own chances of survival up by a few percentage points."

Her mouth pinches shut and I wait for a moment. I'm beginning to think that whoever was fighting is probably long gone by now. She finally sighs but gives me a sharp nod. I grin and turn around.

"Great! Now we need to run because the person is likely to ha-"

My words are cut off as Blake once more catches my arm. My lips curl up quickly and I actually manage to growl. I turn to see Blake's eyes having widened slightly.

"What?!"

Before Blake can explain I begin to hear crunching coming from the brush. I whirl around and my gun flies up to where yellow soon comes barreling out from a bush. Lavender eyes widen when meeting the black barrel of my rifle. Before I can even move the gun away a strong swipe knocks the gun out of my hands. My instincts prove useful for once and I jump back with a yelp. My balance however does not. I fall flat on my behind and cover my head with my arms. When I don't fall victim to a mad pummeling after a short while, I slowly open my eyes and lower my arms.

"You know you're not supposed to show your gun to a woman until you know her better, right? I'm not that kind of lady."

I look up to see the yellow blur is an older teenager like Blake. A tan bomber jacket connects to tan shorts with a yellow scarf merging into blond hair. Sweat runs down her face towards a goofy yet strained smile. The hands that so easily knocked my weapon aside are raised up in the air with palms facing me. My first thought is that those are some huge bracelets.

I blink and then jerkily nod, "Yeah. Right."

I'm still stunned as I take the hand slowly offered me. Not so slowly I'm given a strong tug that lifts me back to me my feet. Quickly the girl grabs my shoulder and then moves to dust off the back of my ratty and torn cloak. Needless to say she doesn't actually do so due to it being a ratty and torn cloak. She nervously chuckles and then backs off. Blake walks up to us and hands me my gun. I nod my head at her and give thanks. I do the same for the other girl.

"Thanks for picking me up."

She just shrugs and laughs.

"No problem. Sorry about the whole barging in and not saying hello business."

She turns towards Blake and waves.

"Yo, Blake. I see you've found a partner."

Blake hesitates for a second before replying.

"He's not actually my partner."

Yellow looks from me back to her.

"What do you mean? Surely you've locked eyes for at least a second or two?"

Getting my breath to calm down I try to explain.

"I'm- I'm not a part of your- Initiation."

I look up from my hunched down position and see Yellow giving me a quizzical gaze.

"Huh?"

I shake my head and give a laugh while waving her question away.

"It's a long story that can wait until after I'm done having a heart attack. Just know that she's still looking for a capable partner."

She continues looking confused but shrugs and acknowledges the weird situation we're in.

"Oookay. Anyway, the name's Yang. What's yours? I can't just call you short, brown, and scraggly."

"Yeah, that's too long to be used, huh?"

Yang smiles widely. Nodding, she laughs.

"Exactly."

Smiling back I answer her.

"You can call me Leumas. Have you already met Blake?"

Yang and Blake make eye contact. Blake softly nods her head while Yang happily says, "yep," popping the 'p'.

"Well then," I straighten up and spread my hands. "I now pronounce you partner and partner."

Blake gives me a deadpan glare and Yang just laughs. Before Blake or I are able to react she wraps her arms over our shoulders and brings us in for a hug.

"Well Leu, Blake, I think we'll get along just fine."

I wince when I see Blake's nose scrunch up. As quickly as we were pulled together we are gently pushed away. I see Yang with the same scrunched up face as she dramatically waves away the air in front of her.

"As soon as Leu here takes a bath."

Yeah ... doing my best to survive the past six months means I have completely forgotten some of the simple things. Like hygiene.

 

[Killerflood]

"Who are you?"

The man, woman, child, elder, idea scuffed the bottom of its feet on the broken marble. He lazily scans the vista seen from the ruined building we have found ourselves in. I wait for a moment longer but she seems content in ignoring me for the time being. I decide to walk up to her. I do my best not to step on the discarded items in my path. I move over and around books, dolls, tools, and toys. I look around and see treasures of lost eras and machines of future hence.

I finally stand beside the man and try looking out for myself. Nothing. At least nothing I can notice. I grumble and glance towards my apparent companion.

"Do you speak?"

"Aye, I do."

I see its eyes move towards me so that it can see me out of the corner of them.

"You asked me who I am?"

I nod my head and say, "Yes."

Her eyes move back to look forward. I begin to think I'm going to be ignored once more but then she answers with a melodious voice.

"I am you. I am not you. I am everyone and I am no one. I am someone dearly important to you while also being someone you will never once care for. That is who I have been, I am, and I will be."

I allow its words to go through my mind and then I eventually scowl.

"So are you a contradiction? I'll have you know I don't much care for riddles. I'm not good at them."

He barks out a powerful laugh that echoes even off the crumbling walls. Eventually he quiets down. He turns to me and smiles.

"If that is what you wish to see me as. But what about you? Who are you? Who is the man that stands beside me asking such a question? Who is the apathetic man who cares enough to ask?"

Its words make me blink.

"Awfully dramatic aren't you?"

The thing shrugs its shoulders and softly chuckles.

"I can be a simpleton if you prefer. Or better yet! It has been a while since I have been rude and an ass. Would you like for me to insult you? Please?"

"I'd rather you not."

"Aww…"

The girl beside me pouts. It doesn't last long as she quickly breaks into giggles. I softly laugh beside her.

"Now that you've ignored my question for the first time, I believe this second one means you are now supposed to answer me."

"But I thought third time was the charm?"

The old man softly hits my shins and shakes his head.

"Don't be smart with me boy. Answer me."

After rubbing my shins I straighten up and finally sigh.

"You can call me Leumas."

"I didn't ask for your self-given label. I asked 'who are you?' Now tell me. "

I frown and then shake my head. I turn to the officer beside me and answer her.

"I am a white male. I am a new graduate with a degree in computer science. I'm a software engineer in the USA. I'm someone who plays video games and sometimes writes. I read a lot. Does that satisfy you?"

The father smiles a little but shakes his head.

"Closer but still not what I wanted. Being a software engineer says nothing. They can be efficient or incompetent. Their work can be fulfilling or not. Being white and liking to read tells me even less. It actually only brings to mind more questions, not less. So let me rephrase it. Who are you as a person? How do you define yourself and what do you see yourself as?"

I scowl and look away. A short while creeps by before the small girl pokes me in my ribs. She smiles innocently up at me.

"Well?"

I take a deep breath and then stare back out.

"I am an insect floating on a river without any wings to be able to fly away. I'm someone with many different stories but without the drive to finish any of them. I'm someone whose ambition is to gain ambition. Someone who wants to change from a consumer to a producer. Someone who wants to start and finish a personal project for once. My personal sin is sloth with minor ones being lust and envy. My personal virtues are humility, temperance, and patience. I eat to live instead of living to eat. I don't have any major realistic dreams in life and my primary drive is to survive or maybe just subsist. Need I go on?"

I glare at the woman beside me. She gives me a beautiful smile and then laughs heartily. She claps.

"Yes! Yes! That is exactly what I wanted! Substance. Meaning. The paint on the canvas, not just the canvas itself. Wonderful! Thank you."

I close my eyes and face forward again. I hear childish laughter coming from behind me. My curiosity gets the best of me and I look behind back into the ruined building. I see the boy running and jumping over the few bits of ceiling that have come down. He hops onto the tallest one and then turns toward me with a smile.

"The floor is lava!"

I chuckle and shake my head.

"Then you best hope that convection doesn't get you."

I see him pout and then fold his arms. He finally groans and makes a disgusted face with his tongue sticking out.

"Ewww … You're one of those rational logical people. Do you have any emotions in there, robot?"

I can't help but laugh. I smirk at the school girl as she sits down on the marble rock.

"I don't think I could laugh if I didn't have any."

She tilts her head and then nods. I decide to look around the building. I'm in a single, large, circular room. It sort of looks like an old Roman temple. Marble columns surround me with most of them still standing. There's a dip in the center where the curved ceiling connects. Or should connect. There is a hole that lets a beam of light to come in and hit the old senator sitting on the rock. What is this place?

 

[Killerflood]

Belkan War

OPFOR: Belkan Federation, (Occupied) Province of Recta, (Occupied) Province of Gebet

BLUFOR: Osean Federation, Union of Yuktobanian Republics, Republic of Ustio, Kingdom of Sapin, Kingdom of Wielvakia, Kingdom of Ratio, Democratic Republic of Clavis, Valgan Republic, People's Republic of Verusa.

End Result: The official end of the Belkan Federation. Ustio, Recta, and Gebet are given aid by major combatants and given official recognition by all signing parties of the peace treaty. Border adjustments for Recta and Gebet with Ratio and Wielvakia. Nonaggression pacts signed between Sapin, Ustio, Ratio, and Wielvakia. Ustio officially cedes eastern Ustio to Ratio. Belka officially cedes Great Lakes region and South Belka to Osea. All BLUFOR businesses are given commercial access to Belkan, Rectan, and Gebeti material and technological resources. Adjustments in the Pacific island chain between Yuktobania and Osea in slight favor of Yuktobania and their allies' aid.

2nd Yuktobanian War of Revolution

OPFOR: Tzardom of Yuktobania, The Heavenly Empire (Verusan Empire)

BLUFOR: Union of Yuktobanian Republics, Osean Federation, Democratic Republic of Clavis, Valgan Independence Rebels

Reasoning(Doylist): For what reason was Yuktobania considered an ally of Osea before the Unsung War? Generally, if you drop two large powers into a setting your first thought wouldn't be "Hey! Those two would make great allies!" The Belkan War shouldn't have dragged Yuktobania in as it was only on the scale of a regional war in the dead center of the Osean continent. But have Yuktobania and Osea already be in a war together just before or during the conflict as allies and things make a little bit more sense.

---

The Belkan War​

Background

The Belkan Federation faced a severe economic crisis during the late 80's and early 90's. Due to this, Belka's central government found itself stretched thin and it became increasingly difficult to govern its southern and eastern provinces. Belka had directly governed them since before the Great Osean War during the 1910's but were forced into federation after the Belkan Empire's loss. In the early 90's, the governments of the outlying provinces decided to declare their independence over outcry even among their own population. The Belkan government was unable to fight against this due to the situation and tentatively allowed it so that Central Belka could get back onto its own feet. The three new nations of Ustio, Gebet, and Recta were thus founded on shaky ground.

The southern province of Ustio found itself barely able to weather the chaos. When Ratio invaded eastern Ustio in late `93, Ustio called to its ally, Ostia, for aid. Unable to send actual military forces due to the Yuktobanian conflict and its occupation of the Western Great Lakes regions, it instead offered financial and equipment aid. With it, Ustio was able to quickly arm a mercenary force while it built up a professional one. This only held Ratio off for a short time however. After Ratio annexed eastern Ustio (slight majority of Ratians), the Ustian populace was split. Western and Northern Ustio, which already had decent majority of Belkans, began to simmer in resentment to both the Ustian government which had focused mainly on the eastern portions now lost and the Osean Federation for nurturing the secessionist movement and then aiding the Ustian government more openly after independence. Osean's aid came about due to their interest in making Belka a non-threat.

With Osean aid, the Ustian economy slowly stabilized. Ustio might have been in a precarious position socially but its economy and external influence allowed and forced it to continue floating. Gebet and Recta however were not as lucky.

Gebet's government only stopped their nascent State from succumbing to a Pro-Belkan coup by convincing its highly Belkanized population into believing that Belka's Central government was actually getting in the way of Gebet's Federal government's actions to restart the economy. The new government was given a chance. Even so, most pro-Belkan groups walked out of the new nation's government in protest. In the midst of this political chaos a group of intelligentsia, which pre-split had called for socialist action in regulating the spiraling provincial economy, provided a possible solution. The acting administration gave them a chance out of desperation and so a Socialist policy was taken to fix the economy.

Working against them was the fact that Belka's economy and thus naturally Gebet's was heavily capitalist with an Aristocratic tilt. Gebet's society was neither socially ready nor had the available resources to institute a Socialist economic policy onto a heavily Capitalist market in the throes of depression. Gebet's economy plummeted further and its society teetered on anarchy. When Belka finally regained slight footing in late `93, it was to jubilation when Belkan armed forces moved into the capital of Mons.

While Gebet and Ustio suffered under economic turmoil and invasion respectively, Recta's catastrophic issues came solely from its own government. Similar to Gebet, Recta's population had been heavily Belkanized. Unlike Gebet, its new government took no action to placate its citizens and instead did its best to walk a completely different road altogether. The new government's primary desire was to remain in power and independent from Belka. The economy was considered secondary to the fight for Recta's new existence. To solidify this move, the capital of the new state was changed to the far eastern city of Cors which was over 1000km away from the mountainous border with Belka.

Such sudden change did little to ease the social tension. Heavy crackdowns of ethnic Belkan protests caused the tenuous social balance of the new republic to spiral out of control into civil war. By early `94, after finishing with their retaking of Gebet, Belkan forces high on victory marched into Recta citing Rectan "grievances against Belkan citizens."

It is at this point that the now radically right-wing Belkan Government, which was increasingly being influenced by a mixture of military higher-ups and the military industry, sets its sights on the next step of reunifying Belka: Ustio. Border clashes near the round table had begun in mid-1994 as Belka continuously pushed its own claims in the area. In early 1995 an ultimatum was given to Ustio. Peaceful annexation or invasion.

This was the flash point for the Belkan War. Ustio could not immediately count on its ally Osea's aid due to war across the ocean. While the 2nd Yuktobanian War of Revolution might have been winding down, a decent majority of the Osean military was still on the Verusan continent or on the Western Osean coast. Osea nevertheless guaranteed that it would brook no invasion. Sapin, which had guaranteed aid to Ustio as a warning to its rival Ratio and its ally Wielvakia, was noticeably waffling. This comes from most of its forces being in position to defend against Ratian aggressions and not Belkan aggression. With Ustio's allies not in position to give aid in the crucial first days of a potential invasion, many within Belka and even Ustio thought that Ustio might give in. Thus, it came as a large surprise to the Belkan government when they received a flat refusal on the last day of the ultimatum.

Beginning

On the 25th of March 1995, in the early morning hours before the sun had even come up, Belkan forces charged over the western and southern borders. The Ustian border forces, which were just nearing ready status mere days after the ultimatum refusal was sent, were completely defeated and nearly wiped out. Ustio's nascent professional army was destroyed and it was forced to fall back to using mercenary forces. At the same time Sapin and Osean lands were taken as well. Osean occupation forces of old West-Belka were caught flat-footed. These were garrison troops and not the veterans of the war wrapping up a half a world away.

Ustio was almost instantaneously occupied. It is only thanks to the surprising war declaration of Ratio and thus Wielvakia that the remnants of the Ustian Air Force were kept supplied and in the fight. This causes a minor panic in the Belkan higher-ups. They were expecting a war against Ustio, Sapin, and Osea but the unforeseen entry of Ratio and Wielvakia creates a scramble in the Belkan military. The elite land forces which were assigned to the Osean front and a few divisions from the Sapin spear are split off and sent east to defend the lands of Recta and Gebet. This decreases the effectiveness of the Osean and Sapin offenses and while previously Belkan held lands are retaken, necessary gains in Osea and Sapin proper aren't seen.

By April 1st, all previously held Belkan lands except for those sold to Fato and the eastern Ustian mountains have been retaken. However, the Belkan offensive has begun to stall. Belkan forces are split too thin defending nearly their entire border and the offensives and previous reassignments have caused disorganization. Belka, still seemingly with the advantage, takes this time to reorganize their forces.

The next couple of weeks sees the Allied forces connect their separate defensive endeavors into a unified plan under Osean lead. Early April sees Ratian and Wielvakian forces continue their assaults against Belkan defenses in the east. Sapin meanwhile attempts to create a defensive line against Belka's Sapin Spearhead and Ustian mercenary remnants defend against air assaults.

High Tide

April 2: Operation Crossbow: Belkan bombers attempt to destroy Valais Air Base and remove the last Ustian stronghold. Galm Team and other 6th Air Division mercenaries destroy the bombers and prevent the base's destruction. First mention of the pilot codenamed 'Cypher' in Ustian military reports.

April 3: The Osean Military is finally able to send veteran troops from Yuktobania to begin relieving their weakened defensive forces. Secret talks with Yuktobania begin.

April 8: Belkan forces begin re-advancing. Ratio and Wielvakia's offensives into Belka stall. Sapin, Ratian, and remnant Ustio forces barely manage to hold the hastily created Sapin defense line. A salient is created into Osean but a general rout is kept away by the increasing stream of veteran forces.

April 15: Operation Roselein: The 6th Ustian Air Division helps to secure Route 171 in Sapin to open a supply line for the Allied Forces to the western coast.

April 17: Belkan advances have stopped all across the line. Belkan higher ups begin to realize the depth of what they're up against. Contingency plans are brainstormed.

April 20: Operation Choker One: The 6th Ustian Air Division is sent as decoys to Area B7R to allow the 3rd Osean Naval Fleet to begin advancing. The 3rd Osean Fleet offloads fresh troops to the Sapin theater near route 171 and then heads for the Futuro canal.

April 24: Offensive Campaign No. 4101: The Allied forces begin a full counter attack against Belkan forces. The 3rd Osean Naval Fleet captures Futuro Canal with the aid of the Ustian air force and opens a naval transit line for Osea. This operation is done in conjunction with the Osean army in the west and Allied forces to the east. Sapin, Ustian, and Ratian forces focus on retaking occupied Sapin and Ustio. Ratian and Wielvakian forces begin an assault into Recta and Gebet. The Union of Yuktobanian Socialist Republics, Democratic Republic of Clavis, People's Republic of Verusa, and the Valgan Democratic Republic jointly declare war on the Belkan Federation. Volunteer forces are seen at the very beginning among the Osean military in their fight to retake Eastern Osea.

May 12: Operation Varsity: The Osean 101st and 122nd Airborne Divisions carry out a paratroop drop to capture Solis Ortus, with the help of the 6th Ustian Air Division.

May 13: Operation Constantine: Allied forces alongside Ustian resistance groups liberate Directus from Belkan rule, returning Ustio to full independence.

May 14: By this time, many in the Belkan civilian government are realizing their folly. South Belkan delegates discuss peaceful arbitration by a third party but are shot down by the Belkan central government ruled now by the military. Many politicians that the military deems to be cowards are arrested. A plan made in mid-April is decided upon as a last resort if the Allied Forces manage to get through South Belka. Dissenters secretly leak information on weapons to be used in such an event.

May 15: Offensive Campaign No. 4101 comes to a close as all lands occupied by Belka have been retaken. The Allied forces take the next few days to reorganize. The Belkan installation Excalibur nears completion.

Countdown

May 17: Operation Hell Bound: Following intel on V2, Allied forces begin invading Belka through the Southern and Western mountains starting at Mt. Ivrea. One official reasoning given is "nuclear inspection" to ensure Belkan nuclear forces are safely dealt with. No nuclear ordnance is found, but the invasion presses on. The Belkan installation Excalibur begins operations and destroys some of the allied forces.

May 19: Operation Dynamo: Allied attempts to capture the Schayne Plains, Belka's second line of defense, start well but are thwarted by Excalibur.

May 21: Ratian and Wielvakian forces attempt to pass through the mountains in the east as a plan to bypass the Excalibur installation but are thwarted easily by well made Belkan defenses.

May 23: Operation Judgment: A massive air assault is made against the Excalibur installation. All Ustian aircraft along with a large amount of Sapin, Osean, and Volunteer forces make an attempt to destroy the thorn in the Allies' side. Allied forces take large casualties but the installation is destroyed. 'Cipher' is credited with the kill by a bomb near the focus point causing a chain reaction throughout the rest of the tower.

May 24-28: Belka starts a counter-attack which at its high water mark manages to reach their old defensive line at Area B7R. Once defeated, it is the last major attempt of the Belkan conventional military to create a stalemate.

May 28: Operation Battle-Axe: Belka attempts to reacquire Area B7R, and a large-scale battle breaks out. All remaining air divisions on southern and south-western fronts are thrown into the grinder. The 6th Ustian Air Division, which remains as Ustio's sole remaining air wing, bloodies itself in the melee. 'Cipher' establishes himself as the Demon Lord of the Round Table with an unprecedented 24 kills in one engagement. Ten of them are gun kills.

June 1: Operation Cannibal: Osean and Volunteer forces commence the bombing of Hoffnung with escort by the 6th Ustian Air Division. The bombers end up performing a carpet bombing raid rather than a precision-based one. Many factors including heavier air resistance, cloudy skies, and lust for revenge contribute to the free-for-all bombing. From this and scorched earth tactics by retreating Belkan forces, Hoffnung is razed.

June 5: Battle of Waldreich: Due to the Waldreich Mountains stalling the retreating Belkan forces, Sudentor remains defended by only three regiments. The Allied Forces use this to their advantage and begin a hastily made offensive on Sudentor.

June 6: Operation Ravage: The Belkan military uses their last contingency plan. A majority of their nuclear arsenal is loaded and sent to targets across the front. Due to interceptions by the Allied forces helped by Belkan dissenters, most are dealt with before reaching their targets. Original targets included the capital of Ustio and many forward operating bases in South Belka, Osea, and Ratio. 2 bombs given to the Belkan air force and 5 given to the Belkan ground forces manage to get through however and are detonated in the Waldreich mountains. The immediate casualty count is thankfully low due to the low population density of the mountain passes but over 12,000 in the end die from the explosions and thousands more likely die in the coming years from radiation poisoning and cancer.

Fallout

June 6-15: The Belkan Federation immediately devolves into a short two-sided civil war with the general line being between forces loyal to the remnants of the civil government and the forces loyal to military establishment.

June 8: Even with the confusion wrought by the nuclear bombs, the Allies manage to aid the beleaguered Civil Government forces with a rushed offensive made into Belka proper.

June 13: Operation Stone Age: The remnants of the 6th Ustian Air Division, which now number a single flight after the bombs, assault a large number of unrelenting Belkan troops holed up in Mount Schirm.

June 15: A ceasefire is given to all sides by the Allied Forces and Belkan Federation's Civil Government.

June 18: The 6th Ustian Air Division is officially disbanded but unofficially maintained to deal with Belkan remnants and then as instructors for the planned professional Ustian Air Force.

June 20: The peace treaty to officially end the Belkan War is finally signed in Lumen. Many details had been written and agreed upon before the end of hostilities and the Belkan Federation is in no place to argue. Operation Broom: Simultaneously, the 6th Ustian Air Division alongside selected black squadrons carry out a top-secret operation against remaining Belkan military resistance in Anfang.

June 20 - December 25: The war has ended but it is noticed by the Allies that many known war criminals are missing. Dead ends for further investigations are the norm instead of the exception…

Throughout this period the Allied military forces experience many minor breaches of conduct from tired veterans. Deserters are at an all time high and missing equipment and unplanned flights are experienced. Draconian measures are enforced which only helps to fuel the fires.

December 25: Operation Valkyrie: The hitherto unknown terrorist organization 'A World With No Boundaries (AWWNB)' emerges onto the scene with large scale operations. They use the XB-0 Hresvelgr–a stolen Belkan prototype–to bomb Lumen in a symbolic gesture against the peace treaty that they call "enslavement" of the newly formed Belkan Principality to Osea and the greedy leaders among all the allies who carved up the rewards among themselves and left the people and those actually harmed "to die among the ashes." XB-0 immediately attacks Valais Air Base with the help of Espada Team. The still weak professional forces are nearly wiped out before being able to lift off. Garm Team manages to take off and with the help of the few professional pilots able to lift off they intercept and shoot down the XB-0 and its escorts over the Waldreich Mountains.

It is mentioned but buried in the reports that the terrorists were heavily equipped with missing aircraft and piloted by deserters like Espada squadron from Sapin.

During this time AWWNB manages to take control of Avalon Dam from the still weak Belkan Principality.

December 31: Osea discovers AWWNB had commandeered Avalon Dam to launch a prototype V2 missile and cause mass destruction. An air assault manned primarily by paid mercenaries remaining from the Belkan War are quickly executed.

Operation Thunderbolt: Garm Team shoots down AWWNB members sent to intercept them over Area B7R on their way to Avalon. Garm flight is cut in half as two are forced to land due to damages taken.

Operation Point Blank: Garm Team and other Allied Forces fly through Mund Valley and arrive at Avalon. The launch of the V2 stolen by AWWNB is thought to have been stopped but the launch is manually ignited by AWWNB's symbolic leader codenamed 'Morgan'. Garm team is taken down to 'Cypher'. The operation ends with "Morgan's" defeat and a premature detonation of the V2. Avalon is damaged but the surrounding area only suffers light radiation effects from the air burst.

January 1 - April 20: Manhunts and investigations into the people behind AWWNB's December terrorist attacks are created with marginal success. The lower echelons are caught but the ring leaders remain in hiding. After April 20 the efforts take a backseat in the preparations for the Ulysses asteroid.

 

[Killerflood]

My shoes kick a rock and it goes tumbling across the marble floor. The Senator is still sitting on the rock. He observes me with a neutral expression but remains quiet. I don't really have anything to talk about so I go back to looking at the temple. Across the floor, there are still toys, tools, books, and other such things scattered around and left unattended. The building itself is obviously crumbling but it hasn't yet reached the point of ruin. In all honesty, it's not even crumbling. It's just stagnant.

I walk towards one of the shelves standing against the curving wall. The shelves I see aren't rotting but they haven't truly been cared for either. The few books on this shelf are covered in dust. Some more, some less. I see a thin book on the lowest shelf. I bend down and pick it up. I shake it to get some of the caked on dust off.

"Recognize something?"

I look back and see a middle aged and overweight man still sitting. I look back at the book. It's a small history book. One meant for children during school. I open it up and gloss over some tidbits of American history. I close it and put it back on the shelf.

I turn around and nod towards the teacher.

"Yeah. Old workbook."

"The one that was meant to be given back?"

I snort and shrug.

"Maybe. It's been awhile since 5th grade. Memories fade away, get mixed up, or are overwritten with fantasy. I think so though, yes."

I turn back around and continue walking. There aren't any statues or major symbols so this place is probably not actually a temple. Nothing to worship to. Nothing to pray to. I don't really care. I check the walls and examine the marble. It's that white, smooth, and glossy type with lines of darker rock shooting through. Pockmarks and cuts are seen in some places but overall it's intact. Like I thought before, it just looks … uncared for. Stagnant.

Focusing more on the general layout of this place, the room I'm in is circular. The entrance is on one end and is square with two columns acting as the frames and morphing into the sides. A minor arch, which isn't an actual arch, connects the two. Everything is romanesque. In the middle, the circular dip is connected by two small steps. In the middle is-

Should be-

Vertigo hits me as I remember there being a large piece of fallen rock from the ceiling. Instead, the lower area is clear of any actual rubble. There's only more items tossed haphazardly. There's no rock for the missing man/woman/thing/idea to sit on. I look up and the hole is now part of the architecture instead of a tell of damage. A perfectly circular opening allows the light in. The molding covering the edge shows it's meant to be that way. The columns around the room are all intact. A few may be chipped slightly, but they're all there.

I take a step back in disbelief.

"Where am I?"

"Where do you wish to be?"

I turn towards the back of the rotunda. An old man in a suit and top hat is standing in front of a hallway to somewhere else. He's checking his pocket watch.

I tilt my head and my eyebrows lower in confusion.

"What?"

"Come, come."

The old granny motions me to follow as she smiles mischievously. She turns around and walks back into the hall. I look back around the room and find nothing else has changed. I sigh and move to follow.

We walk for a little while. The hall is definitely longer than it should be. Windows come in spurts. I look outside and only see white. Sometimes black. I also could have sworn there was a moment it was static too. There wasn't a window there though when I blinked. We continue walking.

"This place is … interesting."

"It can be very Lovecraft sometimes, yes."

I turn back to the Cthuloid and ask a question.

"Any particular … hrmm … school?"

"Oh! Many! There are times when its Roman, Gothic, Modern, or even Baroque! Personally?"

The clown turns back and honks his nose with a wide smile.

"I enjoy it when it's M.C. Escher. Very humourous and the bacon is to die for."

I turn back to glance at the brick walls we pass and mumble.

"Bacon?"

"Or was it Dali? Hmm ... Oh well."

The aristocrat beside me shrugs and struts onward.

"So tell me. Where are you?"

I sigh and shoot a small glare at her.

"Again? I thought I asked you first."

The small nurse tuts and then opens the metal door we've walked to. She steps through and I follow her to see whiteness. I look around and there's just more and more whiteness. I shake my head and sit down on the wooden bench behind me. I stare at the baby in the carriage beside me.

"So? Where are we?"

The baby gurgles and throws its hands around.

"Somewhere! Everywhere! Nowhere and anywhere. I'm sure there's a few more where's I'm missing … maybe around there ... but until then? We're here!"

The conductor taps his stick on my forehead. I roll my eyes and slump back.

"Oh boy, how 'deep' are we going?"

"As deep as you want!"

The prostitute leans towards me and giggles.

"Or as shallow as you can get!"

I snort and then shake my head. I close my eyes and lean back into the sofa. Wherever this is, I can at least rest ... for the moment.

 

[Killerflood]

EMERGENCY: Unknown omniversal level distortion detected! Buoys in select universes and multiverses [Data Missing], [Data Missing], and beyond are missing or unresponsive! Interuniversal Emergency Systems engaged!

Backup protocols initiated.
WARNING: Backup system unresponsive.

Investigation protocols initiated.
WARNING: 89.25% investigation units unresponsive. 5.75% Confirmed Out of Operation.

Lockdown procedures initiated.
… Lockdown Procedures Completed: 45% Status Confirmed Safe; 46% Unknown Status; 8% Status Confirmed Compromised.

WARNING: CRITICAL LOSS OF OPERATIONS ABILITY DETECTED

Adaptive Immune systems initiated.
ALAYA: WARNING! Contact lost!
ALLIED PANTHEONS: WARNING! Contact lost!
PLANESWALKERS: WARNING! Contact lost!
YGGDRASIL TREE LOOPS: WARNING! System unresponsive!
[Data Corrupted]: WARNING! System unresponsive!
[Data Corrupted]: WARNING! Syste-

- [Connection Slip] -​

Connection Lost. No available systems. Reverting to default.

FORLORN HOPE LOTTERY: ONLINE!

Initiating Available Systems:
Initiating Forlorn Hope Lottery system.
...
…
Waiting for connection. Please be patient.
…
…
Waiting for connection. Please be patient.
…
…
Connection found. WARNING: Unstable connection.
Kidnapping(s) in progress. Please be patient.
…
…
Kidnapping(s) in progress. Please be patient.
…
…
Kidnapping(s) in pro-

- [Connection Slip] -


…
…​

"-ciousness. Next state start. Guide en route."

"Hrrrnn … "

My mind stumbles and groans to a start. I can't pay attention to the noise, whatever it is. The slight tingles of pain all over my body and the mix of nausea and vertigo I get when trying to move overwhelm my senses. The fact that my senses themselves are going haywire isn't helping at all.

It takes more time than I would like to regain enough of my mind to be able to even think of trying to figure out where I am.

"Welcome! Out of countably infinite sapient human beings, you have chosen, or been chosen, to relocate to one of our finest interuniversal centers. I thought so much of Observatory - [Data Corrupted] - elected to establish my Administration here in the - [Connection Slip] - Our Benefactor. And so, whether you are - [Connection Slip] - passing through on your way to parts unknown, welcome to Observatory - [Data Corrupted] - safer here."

"Ghh … wait. Did it say interuniversal?"

My eyes open and then immediately close shut. Since my vision has apparently gone haywire I elect to think and listen. It's silent for right now. I try to feel around and I realize I seem to be on some type of bed. Now that I can reliably think, I try to remember what I first heard. And it strikes me as familiar.

`That sounded like something out of Half-Li-`

My thoughts are cut off by the sound of a Doom door opening. I turn my head and try to squint and stubborn my way through the resulting unease. Annoyingly, I still can't see shit.

"Ah! You are awake. That is good!"

`Sounds like C-3PO.`

I try sitting up but quickly stop that when it makes my head feel like exploding.

"Are you well, Sir?"

`Yeah. Definitely Threepio. ~I'm not crazy, I'm just a little unwell.~`

Whoever is speaking is in the periphery of my still wonky vision. I simply answer no.

"Oh dear. I will call for a doctor."

A pause occurs and I try to focus on the speaker. I hiss when trying to move my eyes causes slight pain to shoot through them. I slowly move my head with my eyes close and then open them when I think the speaker will be centered in my view. Slowly I open them and see what looks like a dull brown C-3PO clone looking at me.

I close my eyes again and mumble, "Fuck. Did the apartment's mold get that bad?"

I hear Threepio shuffle again and then hear it say, "A medical unit is on its way. Can you tell what is wrong?"

I sigh and say, "Heavy nausea and splitting headache when trying to move. Moving my eyes hurts. I can only see straight and barely then. Oh, and also I seem to be tripping balls."

The droids voice sounds slightly offended when it asks, "I'm sorry, that expression is not in my databanks. Could you explain what 'to be tripping balls' means?"

I snort and then say, "Hallucinating really badly due to drugs or chemicals. At least I really hope so. Otherwise, can you tell me why you look like a muddy C-3PO from Star Wars?"

The droid, and with my thoughts becoming slightly more calm I'm really hoping it's just a sick form of cosplay, says, "One moment."

A moment passes.

Threepio says, "Ah, Star Wars. That is a known designation for the S-IG-77 multiverse from which my design originates from. However, I was unable to bring up any information for any entity known as 'C-3-P-O' due to database corruption caused by the current crisis."

The droid finishes his explanation just as I hear the door open to wherever I am. And once again, I realize I'm hearing the Doom door sound. My eyes open and then widen. I ignore the resulting pain to watch more droids come in holding various equipment and what seems to be a floating gurney.

The threepio steps back and lets the new droids swarm around me. I try not to panic as the droids pick me up and then strap and set me down on the gurney. As they whisk me away to who knows where I hear the threepio say, "Calm down, there is no need to worry. However, I will apologize as I will be unable to give any further explanations to your new condition. Your health is currently top priority."

`Currently?`

The inertia change has made my nausea and headaches nearly unbearable. Unable to do much of anything I allow myself to slide back into unconsciousness as we travel through dim hallways and unadorned grey walls. My last thought is fairly simple.

`Fuck.`