stonecrandall Page 175
Page 175
Casalos narrowed his eyes at this answer.
"Fine, whatever whose will it is." It shrugged. "Since we're here, let's not just sit around. Demons won't wait for us to chat."
Domiel nodded: "The Holy Sword Legion is ready. As for the angels..."
He looked at the divine attendants, and the representatives of different divine powers nodded in agreement, clearly indicating that they had already reached a tacit understanding.
"We will cooperate in this battle," a divine servant radiating the light of dawn spoke. "The expansion of the Abyss threatens the entire multiverse."
"The Lovethorns won't stand idly by either!" shouted one of the Radiant Cloud Angels, and the other Lovethorn Celestials echoed in response. Although they lacked a unified command, their passion for fighting evil was unanimous.
"Don't rush," Casalos shook his head, halting the restless Radiant Cloud Angels, then connected Innott's communication: "Notify all departments to prepare to receive the 'guest'."
Domiel frowned slightly: "Time is of the essence, the demons' reinforcements..."
"The demons' reinforcements have been arriving, it doesn't matter if they arrive a day earlier or later. Inot is only facing one enemy, we can hold out for as long as it takes!" Casalos interrupted the archangel. "But if we don't coordinate first, charging into the abyss will be suicide. What kind of combat style are your celestial legions accustomed to? What kind of logistical support do they need? How will they coordinate with the army of the Prime Material Plane? If these problems aren't resolved, no matter how many people you have, you'll just be a rabble."
Though harsh, it was the truth. Domiel was silent for a moment, then nodded slightly: "You're right."
"First," Casalos turned to Serenhi, "we need to grant the Celestial Legion access to the Mystic Lock. Otherwise, they won't even be able to enter Itno."
Silinxi chuckled softly, "I already thought of that."
She raised her hand and traced intricate runes in the air, the structure of the maze appearing before everyone like a holographic projection. As her finger moved, new nodes were added.
"Temporary visitor access settings complete." Silinxi withdrew her hand. "They can now freely enter and exit Iteno's public areas."
Domiel raised his greatsword, a golden light flashing: "Sub-Air Legion, enter the fortress."
Five thousand Holy Sword Envoys neatly folded their crimson wings and passed through the labyrinthine barrier in perfect formation. Their expressions were calm and resolute, showing no hesitation even as they entered the unfamiliar environment.
"The seventh to twelfth flight platforms are ready for you," a half-dragon officer said in fluent dragon language. "Those were originally the base of our dragon cavalry regiment; there's plenty of space."
The leading Holy Sword Envoy nodded slightly; its unique eloquence made communication effortless: "Thank you for your arrangements. We don't need any special care; a place to stay is sufficient."
The arrival of the angelic legions proceeded smoothly as well. The astral apostles of the Lord of Dawn marched in, singing cheerful hymns, while the attendants of the Moon Goddess followed quietly, and the warriors of the Earth Mother, though their steps were heavy, maintained perfect order.
"Your barracks are in the fifth living quarters," the dragon vein sorcerer in charge of reception said respectfully. "Food and supplies have been prepared."
"We don't need mortal food," a Dawn Servant replied gently, "but we appreciate your kindness. If possible, some clean water will suffice for the purification ritual."
In contrast, the arrival of the Celestial Clan was much more "lively".
"Wow, this place is huge!" A Radiant Cloud Angel excitedly twirled in the air, its bronze skin gleaming under the lights. "It's much better than I imagined!"
"Calm down, Garandall." Another, seemingly older, Radiant Cloud Angel pulled at its companion, but its eyes also gleamed with curiosity. "We're here to fight, not for sightseeing."
"I know, I know, but look at those structures!" Garandall pointed to the construction machinery operating in the distance. "They're so cool! Can I get a closer look?"
The half-dragon warrior in charge of reception gave a helpless smile: "Of course, but please don't interfere with their work. Your activity area is on the thirteenth aerial platform, where the view is unobstructed and suitable for flight."
The Celestials cheered and dispersed, some to observe the constructs, others to chat with the Dragon Vein Warriors, their chattering not much different from a flock of sparrows that had flown in.
Casalos observed everything from the command tower, nodding in satisfaction. The situation was better than expected. Although these celestial warriors came from different factions, their discipline was at least not an issue. The only pity was that no Seraphim had arrived; otherwise… he wondered how many Seraphim remained.
"Report!" Casablandi, in charge of settling the Celestial Legions, strode over. "The initial settlement of all legions is complete. The Asiatic Legion has 5000 men, the Angelic Legion has a total of 40000 men, and the Celestial Race of the Aether has approximately 3000 men."
How is the logistical pressure?
"Within a controllable range." The half-dragon strategist flipped through the report in his hand. "Angels and the subspace beings basically don't need regular supplies, only clean water and a small amount of special materials. The Elyos's needs are slightly higher, but still far lower than those of ordinary soldiers."
"Very good. Notify all department heads that a meeting will be held in the strategy room in half an hour," Casalos ordered. "We need to develop a rough coordination plan..."
Inside the strategic meeting room, a huge 3D projection displayed the complete structure of Itenno. Representatives from all parties sat around a round table, the atmosphere serious and focused.
"Gentlemen," Casalos began, "this is not a surprise attack, nor a probe. Our goal is to establish a permanent stronghold in the Abyss, making it a bridgehead for Faerûn's future counterattack. This is a protracted war without end, a near-eternal one, and we need perfect coordination."
Domiel spoke first: "The duty of the Avian Legion is clear—to exterminate demons. We are warriors born for this purpose, and we have a natural advantage in the fight against demons."
"The Lord of Dawn's legions excel at healing and purification," the Dawn Servant added. "We can heal the wounded and purify the abyss's corruption."
"The warriors of the Moon Goddess are skilled in illusion and stealth," the Moon God's attendant said softly. "Leave the reconnaissance and infiltration missions to us."
"Mother Earth has bestowed upon us resilience," the Earth God's servant said calmly. "We are best suited for the construction and maintenance of defensive fortifications."
Casalos nodded: "Very good. And what about the Celestials?"
The eldest Radiant Cloud Angel, chosen as the representative, scratched his head: "To be honest, we're not very good at this kind of... organized warfare. But we're particularly adept at dealing with premeditated evil—like demon commanders and cult priests."
"Guerrilla warfare and decapitation strikes," Casalos concluded. "That works well; each has its strengths. I believe you and my tribe's youngsters will get along very well."
The discussion then delved into more details: how to unify communication systems, how to identify different units, and support procedures in emergency situations…
"Language is not a problem," Domiel said. "We can all communicate with the Deepsea forces in Dragon Language, and as for the Silvermoon Federation, Arkham's eloquence can serve as translators. We will assign personnel to various units when necessary."
"The Silvermoon Federation's troops have begun learning basic Celestial Language," Elasdra added. "While fluency in the language won't allow our soldiers to quickly grasp Celestial Language, the mages' language skills will speed things up. We expect them to be able to communicate effectively within a week."
"What about other training programs?" the thinker added.
Edgeworth presented a detailed schedule: "Starting tomorrow, each morning will be dedicated to individual training, the afternoons will feature small-scale coordinated drills, and the evenings will be for tactical discussions. The first week will focus on getting to know each other, and the second week will begin simulating actual combat."
"Won't this take too long?" Storm Silverhand frowned. "The demons are still gathering outside."
"Taking time to sharpen your axe won't delay your woodcutting," Casalos said. "Rushing into the abyss will only lead to total annihilation. It's better to prepare for an extra month than to fight a pointless battle... The fighting never stops; real combat can be done on the abyss side."
As if to confirm Casaloz's words, a slight tremor came, indicating that the demon was attacking the Lock Barrier again.
"They're getting increasingly frenzied," Silinxi sensed the state of the maze, "but they don't threaten the stability of the barrier for now."
"Let them attack," Casalos sneered. "Each attack drains their power, while the Abyss Chains continuously absorb abyssal energy and convert it into their own. And with the Abyss Chains' defenses intact, our warriors are rapidly adapting to and understanding these demons."
The meeting continued, discussing the integration of the medical system, the optimization of resource allocation, and emergency evacuation plans. Although they came from different worlds and factions, the celestial visitors fully cooperated with the mortals in the face of the common goal of fighting the abyss—this was probably the effect of the divine oracle, or perhaps because there were a large number of voters among the attendees.
"There's one more thing," Casalos said as the meeting was drawing to a close, "and it's the most important one: the division of command authority."
It activated its projection, displaying a pyramid-shaped command structure: "Supreme command is with me, no objections, right?"
Everyone nodded, even Storm Silverhand stopped his erratic behavior. This was Itno, and Casalos naturally possessed the highest authority. At the same time, the presence of Serinshi unconsciously restrained her obsessive nature.
"The second level is the theater commander," he continued. "Domiel is in charge of the Celestial Alliance, Elasdra is in charge of the Silvermoon Federation Army, the Thinker is in charge of the Deepwater Dragonflight and the Half-Dragon Legion, and Forel continues to command the Deepwater Ground Forces. Major operations such as joint advances beyond the Maze for annihilation battles or decapitation strikes require multi-party consultation, and in emergencies, any party has the temporary right to make decisions regarding its own situation."
"That makes sense," Domiel agreed.
"The third level consists of the commanders of each unit, and the fourth level consists of junior officers. Specific organizational structures are determined by each party and then exchanged only briefly to ensure smooth communication while minimizing the possibility of leaks..."
38. New Recruit
Within the energy vortex at the edge of the portal, Iteno's enormous spherical body was advancing into the abyss at a speed almost imperceptible to the naked eye. The magical fluctuations emanating from the Miser Core and the power of the abyss constantly collided, annihilated, and regenerated at their contact surface, forming an ever-burning halo. The color of that halo shifted between blue and purple, sometimes as dark as the deep sea, sometimes as dazzling as lightning. (The last sentence appears to be unrelated and possibly a separate thought: "You Lin Yong, do you want to sing about emptiness? Are you Lin Zai Zai...?")
Casalos stood on the top floor of the command tower, his indigo vertical pupils watching the slowly changing numbers on the monitoring array, his tail gently slapping the ground, leaving shallow dents in the specially made foam aluminum floor.
Progress report.
Edgeworth's voice came through the psionic network. Even while reporting, the chief engineer of the semi-construct maintained his usual composure: "Current advance speed is 0.027 meters per hour, a 10% decrease from yesterday. At the current speed, it will take 43 years and 7 months to completely pass through the portal. The psionic network pressure monitoring is normal; the highest pressure peak during single-sided engagement does not exceed 7% of the design redundancy, and the minimum structural integrity has never fallen below 99.927%."
"The speed has dropped again," Toothpick complained from the side, its sharp thorns slightly raised in frustration. "At this rate, my thorns will start to cavity."
Casalos, however, smacked his tail with satisfaction: "Good, maintain this speed. Remember, this isn't something that can be done with a 'pop'."
Shaving teeth couldn't help but laugh out loud, getting Casalos's wicked humor: "Your analogy is really... like some goddess pulling a huge string of beads out of her buttocks?"
"What, not descriptive enough?" Casalos glanced at it sideways, his dragon beak slightly parted, revealing a wicked smile. "The magical flow nodes in the Prime Material Plane under the control of the magic network are far larger than the string of beads. Even with the extra maintenance of the magic network, the portal is much more fragile. If it's too fast, either the string will break and the beads will fall, requiring surgery at the proctology department, or the excessive force will tear your sphincter, leaving you with injuries all over the place."
Elminster nearly spat out the tea he had just picked up, quickly steadying the cup with his mage's hand: "Couldn't you use a more elegant analogy? Like...like setting a jewel into a crown?"
"Elegance?" Casalos scoffed, turning to face the ancient sage. "Elegance before the abyss? Wait until you've spent a few years there, watching demons torture prisoners in unimaginable ways, smelling the 'fragrance' of sulfur mixed with rotting flesh, before you talk to me about elegance."
Elasdra coughed lightly, trying to steer the conversation back on track: "Forty years is indeed a long time. There are already people in Silvermoon City questioning the feasibility of this plan."
"Let them question it. Lady Silvermoon, has a thousand years still not freed you from the shortsightedness of a short-lived species?"
It walked to the enormous magical projection and lightly slashed through the air with its sharp claws. A real-time situation map of the entire area surrounding Itno immediately appeared, with densely packed red dots representing potential demonic threats and blue dots indicating the deployment of friendly forces.
"You thought these past forty years had just been a tedious wait?" Casalos's voice deepened and became magnetic. "Wrong, terribly wrong. Look at these numbers—in the past week, we've repelled 147 waves of demonic attacks, ranging in size from several thousand to tens of thousands."
It pointed with its tail to a combat log on the projection: "In yesterday morning's demonic raid, the recruits of the 7th Combat Group, without any veterans to lead them, independently repelled the attack of over three thousand demons. The casualty rate was less than two per thousand—and that's with one recruit twisting his ankle from running too fast. Keep in mind, a week ago, in the same situation, the death rate alone exceeded seven per thousand."
"This is the meaning of real combat." Casalos turned around, his indigo vertical pupils sweeping over everyone present. "You can't learn from books how to remain calm amidst the howls of demons, and you can't experience the fear of comrades falling beside you on the training field. Only real combat can forge soldiers into warriors."
Storm Silverhand remained skeptical: "What's the price? How many people will die over these forty years?"
"You ask me how many people will die? A lot! Conservatively speaking, the total number of casualties will exceed 100,000. But in comparison, what will we gain? Battle-hardened elites who have experienced tens of thousands of actual battles, a tactical system that has been tested countless times, and most importantly—a group of commanders who truly understand how to fight against the Abyss." Casalos made no attempt to hide his admission.
"One hundred thousand..."
"Storm Silverhand, put away your self-comforting pity. Think about it carefully. In your not-so-short lives, how often will the continent of Faerûn be invaded by the demons of the Abyss? And in each invasion, how many souls will be dragged into the Abyss by the demons?" Casaloz's nostrils flared. "Not to mention the distant past, a few years ago in Damara, the Vasa demons, led by the Witch King Zheng Yi, the spokesperson of Okus, suffered a failed invasion that cost Damara nearly half a million lives. And just recently, Zheng Yi has returned! What, don't the lives of ordinary people deserve your pity? Or do you think it's right to send those teenagers who can't even hold a sword steadily to the battlefield to face the demons of the Abyss?"
As they were talking, an alarm sounded. Battle horns echoed throughout Itno via the labyrinthine communication system, and yellow warning lights flashed in the combat zone.
"A swarm of demons detected to the southwest!" The communications officer's voice rang out clearly throughout the area. "Initial identification indicates a swarm of Spider-Hunters, approximately two thousand in number, three kilometers from the defensive line. They are expected to make contact with area A-P6 to A-T3 in fifteen minutes!"
The attacking demon swarm was singular and limited in number, and lacked air power. Following contingency plan, ground operations commander Forel immediately issued the order: "Deploy the A-layer Maze Lock Denial Layer and launch the Third Combat Group. Inform Captain Gomez that his recruit battalion will operate independently this time. The veteran units will remain in reserve and should not be involved except in emergencies."
Not just veterans, but Forel's orders meant that this battle would be devoid of dragons, half-dragons, and the Celestial Legion, a pure ground combat exercise for practical experience. However… Storm Silverhand was still struggling: "Why lower the barrier layer! Two thousand Spider Hunters are too many recruits for close combat!"
"The Spiderhunters aren't high-level demons. Within the Enchanted Realm, their strength is suppressed to less than 30%, while the recruits still benefit from the Enchanted Realm's buffs," Casalos said confidently. "We don't want an easy victory; we want them to experience pressure. Only under pressure will human potential be unleashed—otherwise, how will they be able to stand alone and defend against Abyssal invasions throughout Faerûn?"
The order was quickly relayed. Through magical surveillance, the recruits of the Third Combat Group could be seen rapidly taking up positions under the command of their officers. Most of these soldiers were new recruits who had completed their basic training in the last three months. Most came from Deepwater Territory, while some came from the Silvermoon Federation, and others were actually adventurer volunteers from outside Sword Bay. They were mixed together to form the recruit camp.
How many half-dragons and dragonvein creatures does Deepwater have? Casalos couldn't possibly maintain an army of pure dragon descendants. Moreover, this is a planar war against the Abyss, not just a matter for Deepwater or Sword Coast. Any far-sighted ruler across Faerûn should understand the significance of this fortress.
Volunteer troops from Damara have already set off, becoming the third continental force from the Faerûn continent to join the Innot defense line, after Deepwater Territory and the Silvermoon Federation. More ambitious individuals will join later, until Innot's capacity of a million people is filled—of course, the abyssal demons are also gathering. The magical aura emanating from Innot spreads the sweet and delicious scent of the prime material world into the bottomless abyss, and the demons residing within those layers of the abyss naturally won't let this seemingly readily available food pass them by!
Meanwhile, the number of celestial visitors continued to grow. More celestials and angels, bathed in golden light, settled within Innot, mingling with the Deepsea Army and the Silvermoon Alliance, using their radiance to sanctify the mortal soldiers…
Over the course of more than forty years, the intensity of the war will escalate as Innot deepens its influence, until Innot is completely engulfed in the abyss—that will not be the end, but the beginning of the real war.
This will be another bloody battle!
The only difference is that the participants have changed from Hell and the Abyss to a coalition of the Celestial Realm and the Material Plane against the Abyss.
The destroyers on Faerûn's side have also begun to take action. The followers of the abyss and the worshippers of demons are gathering, intending to attack Innott or Deepwater Territory and the Silvermoon Federation from behind, spreading the battlefield of good and evil into the Prime Material Plane, just like before the Dark Ages.
Ironically, it was the iron dragon of the neutral order that reignited that ancient hatred and ignited the war.
"Shield Wall!" Captain Gomez's voice echoed across the battlefield. This officer, who came from the slums of Waterdeep, had risen to the rank of battalion commander in just a few months, not through personal connections, but through the merits accumulated from the heads of demons.
Three hundred heavily armored infantrymen quickly formed a dense shield wall, their thick tower shields pressed tightly together, creating an iron barrier. Behind them, artillerymen mounted their weapons atop the shields, their barrels gleaming coldly.
"Elite archers, take your positions! Casting team, prepare!"
Five hundred archers spread out on both flanks of the formation, their magic-piercing crossbows humming and occasionally scattering sparks that pierced the air. Meanwhile, the academic mages, the laid-back warlocks, and the priests from the various temples of benevolent gods, who had gradually adapted to the battlefield, stood at the rear, preparing in an orderly fashion for another coordinated spellcasting session that would require them to maintain focus or pray amidst the carnage of the battlefield.
The swarm of spider demons appeared on the scorched horizon on one side of the abyss. These enormous, carnivorous spider demons, which feed on Tanaris, were covered in spotted black carapaces, had menacing barbs on their forelimbs, and mouths full of venomous fangs that dripped with poisonous slime. Their mere sight was enough to send chills down the spines of any intelligent being.
"Hold on! Hold on, all of you!" Gomez's voice drowned out the demon's roar. "Remember the training! Trust your comrades! Trust your weapons!"
"Fire!"
When the horned demon horde reached two kilometers away, the gunners received the order to fire.
The smokeless gunpowder roared, and streaks of gray, almost invisible, shot out from the muzzle flash, tracing nearly straight paths as they plunged into the swarm of Spider Demons. Relying on pure kinetic energy, they tore through the Spider Demons' carapaces, then exploded within their bodies into forces of destruction, radiance, order, or nature.
"Stop their advance; archers focus fire on those special individuals that can evade obstacles and move forward."
The spellcasting group synchronized and unleashed a barrage of environmental spells—mud swamps, ice/stone walls, earthquakes, bio-force fields, random gravity, and other non-lethal but extremely annoying ones—breaking down the Spider Demons' charging formation into the chaotic mess befitting a demon. The powerful individuals hidden within, who had advanced to higher levels, were immediately exposed.
The buzzing of the elite archers' magic-piercing crossbows abruptly ceased, replaced by a deep roar, sonic glow, and gunfire triggered by pure kinetic energy.
The long, mithril "arrows," which were much faster than the enchanted projectiles fired from the cannons mounted on the shield wall, instantly pierced through the bodies of several spider demons in front of them, who were at least at the Exemplary Warrior level. They tore the contents of their bodies into hot fragments, which were then ejected in an inverted cone shape behind them, covering the carapaces of the ordinary spider demons behind them.
However, the three thousand Spider Hunters were not three thousand infantrymen. According to Casalos, they were three thousand tanks without high-pressure direct-fire cannons. The firepower of the Innot Battalion's first-class formation was insufficient to completely defeat them within two kilometers. Reducing their numbers to half was already a result of the recruits' good training.
"Shield wall advance, artillerymen change weapons, elite archers and spellcasters retreat and disperse, prepare for close combat!"
boom!
The first wave of impact was like waves crashing against rocks. The immense force shook the entire shield wall, and several weaker soldiers, even those wearing thick, reconstructed body armor with internal propulsion, were still forced back half a step. But the training paid off; the comrades in the rear immediately stepped in and maintained the formation.
"prick!"
The artillerymen, now equipped with jet-propelled spears, pressed the triggers in unison, following the rhythm of their training. Propelled by a cross-shaped flame, the thick, armor-piercing spearheads, over a meter long, pierced the chests of the Spider Demons, which resembled steel constructs. Black blood spurted out, and golden light shone through the wounds. The first row of Spider Demons fell, but more immediately took their place.
The battle entered its most brutal phase. The spider demons trampled over the shield wall, their limbs and fangs flashing as they clashed with the gunners' jet spears, tearing through their centimeter-thick armor with their fangs. Casualties began to fall.
"Third rank, move up! Wounded, retreat!"
Gomez's command remained calm. Under his direction, new soldiers continuously replenished the front lines, maintaining the integrity of the formation. Elite archers continued to pick off high-threat individuals and cover the melee lines, while the spellcasters withdrew from synchronization, each maintaining focus or praying to cast buff and debuff spells, providing attribute and protection bonuses to the frontline soldiers, or continuing to weaken the demons' power. Only a few warlocks, fully adapted to the battlefield, dared to approach the melee lines, unleashing devastating spells directly at the heads of the spiderhunters at a close range.
The Thinker observed all of this from the command tower, occasionally offering Gomez advice via telepathy. But most of the time, it simply watched silently, letting the young commander make his own decisions.
"The pressure on the west side is too great!" came the observer's report.
The Spider Demon, with its wide field of vision granted by its multiple compound eyes, discovered a weak point in the formation and began to concentrate its forces on attacking the left flank. The soldiers there were clearly inexperienced, and their formation began to falter.
"What about the reserves?" Elasdra, who was also watching the game, couldn't help but ask.