Kingdoms End

It was early the next day, the sun had just come up and it revealed two massive air vessels, floating outside the walls of Meg, the twin city to the west. The vessels bore the four thousand ARU troops between them. They also bore combat armour, weapons, equipments and vehicles. They’d arrived this position, north of Meg, an hour ago, but Captain Neggin wouldn’t lead her soldiers in an attack in the dark; except if course if she’d planned it that way. The six, giant skyscrapers in the city of Meg, a hundred and fifty stories high, with their thirty story high spires were visible over the city wall. These six towers were perfectly replicated in Meg’s twin city, Teg.

The twin cities, Meg and Teg were so called because whatever structure was erected in one, was precisely replicated in the other. Even the roads, bridges, overpasses and decorations were exactly the same in both cities. The cities were side by side and had just about a 1000ft between them. These cities were the business capitals of the kingdom and also its biggest tourist attractions. The cities shared one governor, who had alot of work to do, making sure the twin cities remained twin cities. Many wealthy people loved in the twin cities, as the single houses, villas and mansions which had perfect replicas in the other city, were very lavish and cost alot of money both for purchase and for maintenance. There were condominiums and apartment buildings in the cities, each replicated in the other city of course and it was here that one could find some middle-class people living. Everyone wanted to live in, or visit the twin cities because the cities’ governor knew his cities’ worth and thus established many many recreational facilities. Though each building in one city existed in the other, not all of them were owned by the same entity, answered the same name or served the same purpose. Even the roads and streets were differently named, though they ran in the same patterns in both cities. All round, these cities were a unique and wonderful sight, thus, King Fakumar would not allow rebels hold them for too long and he also saw it as a perfect battleground for what he knew would be a great victory against the rebellion.

Captain Neggin was in the control room of Teran I, one of the two massive vessels which she’d led to a halt north of Meg. Commander Zari stood next to her Captain and the other hundred and thirty commanders who’d been selected, were all present in the room also. The other commanders stood on the higher levels of the control room, while Viva and Liann stood on the lowest level which had one of its walls made of blast proof glass which looked out to whatever was in front of the vessel and that happened to be the city of Meg right now. It was from this room that the air vessel was driven and though there was a massive meeting room on the vessel, Captain Neggin preferred to address her commanders here in the control room.

“This mission is very dangerous, as we shall be entering a rebel held territory without information on what kind of preparations the opponents have made,” Viva began. “Everyone must follow my orders exactly as I give them. Each commander will be put in charge of fifteen soldiers and and the balance will be left on the vessels, ready to serve as reinforcements should the need arise. Commanders Liann Zari and Hugo Hudson will be coming with and twenty soldiers Commanders Lazarus, Zahra, Lego, Patricks, Medford and Dubbin, are to remain behind and lead the reinforcements if we need them on the field. The mission is simple. Of the hundred and twenty-four teams going out there, I want thirty of them to proceed to Teg’s northern gates, secure it and remain there until I say otherwise. The remaining ninety-four teams will proceed to drop with my team, but hold on the ground until I give the order to enter Meg. Once you are inside Meg, watch your fire, we are not here to harm civilians and though overhead flybys have reported no people on the streets, I want you, no, I am ordering you to kill no civilians. There will be no collateral damage in this assault. Do i make myself clear?!!” “As my captain commands!!” the commanders all yelled in unison. “You are dismissed now. You know your teams and positions, so move to them,” Captain Neggin ordered and her commanders all moved to obey.

The other commanders filled out of the control room, while Liann remained still at her friend’s side. Commander Hudson who who the captain had said would come with she and Liann, came down to where his captain stood. “Ready our team, Hugo,” Viva ordered him, prepare for drop. Liann and I will be with you soon.” “As my captain commands,” the man replied, then turned and walked away.

“Ready for this?” Viva asked Liann. “I’m five hundred years old,” Viva said the elf who looked barely thirty. “If I die today, I can still boast that mine’s been a long life,” she added. “Stop talking nonsense and go help Hugo prepare our team,” Viva said with a smile. “As my captain commands,” Liann replied, smiling also. The elf left her friend’s side and headed for the exit.

Viva turned around and looked out the glass giant glass wall before her, at the beautiful city that was Meg. “We’re assaulting our own twin cities,” she said yo herself. “Why didn’t these rebels take any other city?” She looked down at the red box her mother had given her the previous day. “I just hope I don’t have to unleash you guys on these cities.” She turned around now and walked toward the exit. “Keep this vessel ready to move and attack the instant I give the word!” she yelled as she went. “As my captain commands!!” replied the vessels drivers who were the only people still left in the control room.

Viva was dressed in her white, metarubber suit of armour, Liann and Hugo to her right and left respectively. Metarubber was rubber which had been enhanced to serve as a very effective protective covering. It was very flexible, no matter how thick, allowing for completely free movement, while at the same time, providing extra protection. It was what most technologically advanced nation in the Versall solar system used in manufacturing their armour. It could be bent into not just intricate and beautiful suits of armour, but also strong and trustworthy ones. Metarubber wasn’t completely impenetrable, a blade, bullet or laser blast would cut through it after many repeated strikes at the exact same spot, but it was fire and lightning proof.

So, Viva was in her suit of armor and so are her commanders and the rest of her assault team. The commanders had on black armour, with one big, white stripe down the front and back torso, while the lower soldiers’ were either duty green, brown or red. Everyone had an assault rifle in hand and swords and daggers hanging at, or strapped to their sides. They also had on helmets of Metarubber which covered the top and sides of their heads. The helmets were the same colours as the suit of armour, but Viva’s was of a different shape from the others. The team was walking fast, but ready for attacks and they were nearing the wall now.

“Nearing the wall,” Viva said, her left index finger on her earpiece. “Watch the top for fighters,” she ordered and the soldiers with her did just that. “All other teams for Meg, move now,” she ordered next and got several replies of. “Yes, Captain from the other ends of the connection. The other teams were advancing now, from about eight hundred feet away, where they’d dropped from the vessel with their captain’s team. “Okay, the Meg assault teams are moving now, we’ve got to create that entrance before they get here,” Viva said to her team mates without using the earpiece. Viva, the commanders and fifteen soldiers stopped in their tracks, about fifty feet away from the wall,while five soldiers went toward it. “Hairor,” Liann chanted, her arms spread open and her eyes going white. A green, transparent wall appeared before Viva and the rest of her team. “Those are Plido-set explosives, Liann,” the captain explained, “they can be set to blow inwards or outward.” “I’m not taking any chances,” the elf replied, her arms still spread to hold up the shield.

The soldiers who’d set the explosives, turned around and have Viva a thumbs up. “_The explosives are primed,_” came a male voice on the earpiece. Viva touched her earpiece and spoke, “Fire away.” The soldiers stood just 10ft from the soon to be blown in wall, strengthening Viva’s claim that Plido-set explosives would blow only toward the direction they’d been set to do so in. The explosion was loud and the ground trembled. The wall was blown in and a flexible, but strong material was released the material was a by-product of metarubber and used in special explosives to hold up the seam of the hole created by the explosion in the structure so it doesn’t collapse. A page hole had been created in the wall, 20ft wide and nearly double that high. The hole was surrounded by a purple substance like rubber, which covered the seam of the blown in wall and held the rest of the wall from collapsing.

The two soldiers who’d set the charges, now jumped to the sides of the hole, so as not to get shot at. “I’m moving in,” said Viva to her team which age had on a different frequency from the others on her earpiece. “Satay back until I ask you to enter,” she added. Liann lowered her arms and the green energy wall disappeared. “But, Viva,” the elf began to complain, but Viva ignored her and moved forward.

Viva entered the city of Meg through the hole her soldiers had created in the wall and she found that the whole place was void of any life. The roads were empty, buildings were locked and no one must have been at work, since the ARU captain knew that this was a business district. She’d studied maps of the twin cities before the mission and had been to the cities several times in the past. She looked around, gun ready, but found no sign of life. She pit her fingers to her earpiece. “The streets at void of civilian,” she said. “They must be locked inside their homes, making our mission that much easier. Shoot only rebels and use as little explosions as possible. My team is free to come to me now.”

Viva’s team came through the wall now and up to her. “Okay, let’s make our way to the governor’s villa here in Meg and from there, we go to the western gates and move on to Teg,” she explained. The team moved as quickly as they could, without loosing cover.

Viva and her team moved through the streets of Meg for well over two hours without encountering any opposition. They never dropped their guard, always alert and ready for anything, even though ANYTHING hadn’t come at them for over two and a half hours.

“Maybe the rebels just packed up and left,” Liann suggested as they were moving along an overpass. “If that was the case, then the citizens wouldn’t be indoors,” Commander Hugo stated. “I agree with Hugo,” Viva spoke. “Why don’t we just stop and take some photos, captain?” said one soldier from behind and everyone laughed, except Viva who just smiled. “It’s not everyday one gets to visit the twin cities and find it in such silence,” said the same soldier. “No thousands of people to block all the wonderful sights of the place,” another soldier added. “I still say the rebels aren’t here, captain,” Liann spoke. “You can say all you want, just as long as you remain on the alert,” Viva replied. “We’ve been on the alert for two hours and forty-seven minutes, said one soldier. “That’s enough from you, soldier,” Viva warned him. “As my captain commands,” the soldier said, disgust in his tone. “Everybody down!!!!” screamed Commander Hugo and his team members fell flat in their stomachs. Viva had her head sideways and saw the explosive shell sail over them from behind, just two feet above their sprawled out form.

“Cover our rear!!” Hugo ordered and twelve soldiers spun around on their stomachs, but saw nothing to shoot at. “I don’t hear any shooting!!” Viva yelled. “No enemy in sight, captain,” came the reply. Viva got to her feet and looked around them. The shot had come from behind, but there was no one in sight and nothing to conceal anybody. There was a loud boom, as the shell they’d dodged, struck a building in the distance. The rest of Viva’s team got up, but maintained squatting positions. “Scan the area, Liann,” Viva ordered and Liann stood erect now. She stretched out her right hand and her eyes turned white. Hugo too rose fully now and had his gun at the ready to defend Liann who would be exposed during her searching spell.

Liann slowly spun around around, her hand held in front of her. She soon came back to face the direction from which she’d began and her eyes returned to normal now. She lowered her hand and squatted once more. “There are four soldiers trailing about a hundred feet behind us,” she spoke. “They have on cloaking necklaces and since I cloaked myself before scanning the perimeter, they didn’t see me do it. One of them has a shell shooter with him and a case of shells also. The case is currently on the floor before him as he is reloading, so if I can hit the case with one fire blast, the explosion should take care of them all, plus a hefty stretch of the overpass.” “But we’re on the overpass too,” Commander Hugo pointed out. “I can cast a containment spell over the explosion,” said Liann. “It will hold up for about thirty seconds after which it will release the explosion with thrice its initial intensity.” “We’re close to the end of the overpass,” Viva stated, “do it.” “You all get ready and the instant I rise to my feet, you open fire in the direction of the rebels,” Liann spoke, her eye going white. “Sopiz,” she chanted and orange flames appeared around her left arm.

Liann rose to her her feet and the rest of her team rose also, making sure to stay out of her way and firing ceaselessly in the direction of the supposedly cloaked rebels. A large line of fire moved out of Liann’s hand and toward the invisible case of explosive shells. Once the fire left her hand, Liann chanted another spell. “Hairor!!” she screamed, moving her hands around as though rolling some invisible ball of dough.

Everyone heard the sound of the shells exploding and saw the flames of the explosion, then a transparent, green dome of energy appeared around it, holding the explosion inside it. “We have twenty seconds!!” Liann screamed, turning around and racing for the end of the overpass which wasn’t too far away. “You said it would be thirty!!” Hugo yelled to the elf as he too turned and ran. “We’ll be lucky if it even holds for fifteen!!” Liann yelled the reply. The entire team was sprinting towards the end of the overpass. They were just over the end in seventeen seconds and still seeking some cover, when the magical shield gave way and the explosion was let loose. The sound of it was deafening and would definitely be heard miles away. The overpass trembled with insane force and the whole thing went down. The shock wave picked Viva and her team off their feet and flung them seventy feet forward, before letting them crash to the tarred road below and roll over several times.

The entire city returned to its former silence and groans could be heard from the badly treated ARU agents. “Everybody alright?!” Viva yelled, barely able to hear anything herself. One soldier got to his feet and Viva looked up at him. The man was saying something to her, but she couldn’t hear him properly, so she was going to force herself into a kneeling position but just then, a large piece of rock fell from above and splattered the standing soldier beneath it. “Falling debris!!” Viva yelled, not hearing her words herself. She shot to her feet now and saw many others do the same around her. Everybody ran for cover, Viva and Hugo finding theirs in the overhanging doorway of a building to their left.

From her fairly safe point, Viva looked out at the street and one soldier was seated there, signalling her to come to his aid. Viva’s hearing was better now and she could hear the soldier’s screams. He was injured and couldn’t move to safety. “Captain!!!” The soldier yelled repeatedly, stretching out his arms towards her. “Stay here, Hugo,” she ordered the commander who was opposite her, then she rushed out into the streets.

Only a few large rocks like that which had flattened the other soldier had fallen since that time. Debris of rock and metal were raining down on the road, but Viva was a captain and she would act like one. She couldn’t look up and run forward at the same time, so she just ignored the former and focused on the latter. The injured soldier was about thirty feet from where Viva had hidden. Another soldier had rushed forward to aid the injured one, it was a female and Viva couldn’t send her away once she saw the state of the injured soldier. His left leg was twisted the wrong way and the captain couldn’t help him alone. Viva and the female soldier helped the injured one up and with him in between them, began moving back toward where Viva had been sheltering from the rain of debris. Hugo rushed out and lifted the wounded man’s legs in his arms. The injured man yelled in pain, but this would make their movement faster. As they rushed toward safety, one soldier yelled, “Look out!!!” Viva looked up and saw a massive piece of rock coming down toward them.

“Move!!” Viva yelled and the trio still tried to move their companion to safety, even though they knew it wouldn’t be practically possible. The trio managed to get to the safe spot without being struck by the great falling rock which they believed was supposed to get them and they hadn’t even heard it fall after them either, so what had happened to the rock? Once they got to safety, Viva looked back at where the rock was meant to have fallen and found the rock just fifteen feet above the ground, wrapped in vines of green energy. Across the street was Liann, standing on the sidewalk, both hands stretched out toward the suspended rock and her eyes glowing white.Liann drooped her arms, the vines vanished and the large chunk of road fell to the ground. Liann and Viva shared a smile, before the former returned to her hiding place.

It took about thirty seconds for the debris to stop falling, then Viva looked up and when she found the air clear once more, she steeped out unto the sidewalk. Liann took came out and the rest of the team who could still walk unaided also stepped out from hiding. Viva walked up to the stone beneath which her the only dead soldier had been crushed. Blood flowed out from beneath the large mass. Liann and the others joined their captain by the rock. Being tossed by the shock wave had only hurt them a little, save for the one soldier who’s leg had been broken. They’d all be dead if it weren’t for their metarubber suits and helmet.

“Stay here, I’ll check the overpass,” said Viva. “Be on high alert,” she added, picking up an assault rifle from the floor. She walked to the overpass, or where it had been at least. The whole thing was obliterated from one end to the other. Most of the debris slay in the road which had passed beneath it and the others had been scattered in several directions, some travelling many kilometres away from the sight if the explosion. “We haven’t even started fighting and I’m already loosing soldiers,“the captain thought to herself. “Captain? Captain? Captain?” came several voices over her earpiece. “I heard an explosion,” someone said. Viva put a hand to the communicator and spoke. “The north Kempton overpass was just blown up,” she said. “We have a man down and one wounded. I need an emergency team sent to my........” Her sentence was cut off as she heard gunshots behind her. She immediately crouched low and turned around to find her team scrambling for cover, while at least fifty rebels were firing at them. The soldiers were hit severally, but their metarubber suits kept the bullets from getting into them. The rebels had on normal armour and only few of them did. Metarubber was expensive to produce and the needed a proper facility for production also.

While her teammates hid, Viva took position, squatting behind a large piece of rock which had fallen close to the edge of the overpass, where she’d been standing. The rebels hadn’t seen her leave her team and come to this spot, so they didn’t know she was here. The rebels came toward the teammates, while they hid and Viva knew she had to do something. She looked down at her father’s red box which was strapped to her right thigh. She immediately stuck her left, little finger into the hole in the box. The finger only went in as deep as the first joint on it, then Viva made a little exclamation as something pricked the tip of that finger. She withdrew the finger and found a little blood gathered at the tip of it. The side of the box which faced up at the moment, vanished and a stack of cards was revealed. The card on top had the moving picture of a tornado on it. “Works for me,” Viva said, then picked up the card.

Viva peeped out from her hiding place and saw that her teammates were firing at the rebels now, but their hiding places kept some rebels hidden from their view and those ones were moving forward fast. Viva jumped out from behind the rock, flung the tornado card toward the road before her, ran after the card with her left hand stretched forward and the fingers on that hand spread open. She yelled the chants, “Yaniz fakan!!” and the card transformed into a tornado, 50ft high and 10ft in diameter at its slimmest point.

The tornado moved forward, Viva running about thirty feet behind it. She manoeuvred the tornado with her outstretched left hand, moving it left and right to suck up rebels. The rebels were fleeing and once the tornado was past where Viva’s team had hidden, they stepped out and began firing at enemies the tornado had missed.

Once the tornado had picked up all the rebels Viva could see, she raised her left hand up and the twister began going high into the air. When the base of the tornado was about ten stories high, Viva chanted the word, “Dasdinia,” snapping shut her outstretched, open, left hand. The tornado instantly ceased to exist, leaving about fifteen rebels to plummet ten stories to their deaths, or immobilizing injuries. “Havusta,” the captain chanted now, her left hand open once more and the magical card flew back into that open hand.

Liann and Hugo came to Viva’s side, while the thirteen soldiers they had left, rushed past to go and finish off whatever soldiers the 10ft fall hadn’t killed. Viva slotted the card back into the red box whose top side vanished as her hand came close to it with the card.

“Your father had one good deck there,” Liann said, placing a hand on Viva’s shoulder. “Magic,” Hugo spoke, “I don’t know how you people do it.” “Some of us are born with it,” Liann explained, placing her free hand on her chest. “And some others learn it,” she said, placing the free hand on their captain’s chest. Viva put a finger to her earpiece. “This is to commander center,” she said, “We have multiple dead and one injured at the North Kempton overpass’s western entrance. The overpass has been destroyed, so chat a different route for the emergency vehicle. Emergency vehicle must be heavily guarded. I repeat, there are multiple hostiles in the region, thus the emergency vehicle must be heavily guarded. I’m leaving two troops behind with the injured. The rest of my team is advancing further into the city with me.” “_Emergency vehicle heavily guarded and in its way, Captain_” came a reply from the other end. Viva put down her hand and raised her gun. “Let’s move,” she ordered.