The Rise Read online

  The Rise

  Worldsend Garrison Book 2

  M.D. Krix

  Grivs Publishing

  Copyright © 2020 Mike Dean Krix

  All rights reserved

  The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.

  No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher.

  Cover design by: Thea Nicolescu

  Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright

  The Rise

  Introduction

  Letter 1

  Letter 2

  Letter 3

  Letter 4

  Letter 5

  Letter 6

  Letter 7

  Letter 8

  Letter 9

  Letter 10

  Letter 11

  Letter 12

  Letter 13

  Letter 14

  Letter 15

  Letter 16

  Letter 17

  Letter 18

  Letter 19

  Letter 20

  SOON...

  The Invasion

  Introduction

  Worldsend Garrison Series

  The Rise

  Worldsend Garrison Book 2

  M.D. Krix

  © 2020 Mike Dean Krix

  All rights reserved

  Artwork by

  Thea Nicolescu

  www.ikaruna.eu

  Published by

  Grivs Publishing

  Introduction

  Full moon is bathing this idyllic beach in its silvery light, and its reflection sparkles on the calm waters of the bay. Further from the shore, waves are crashing against the rocks in a thunderous roar, but here, everything is serene. The two silhouettes walking on the wet sand of the low tide appear to be enjoying a peaceful night.

  But here, at the tip of the Karabia Peninsula, where the Great Western Ocean meets the Valkyan Sea, nothing is as it seems.

  On a closer look, one can see the swords sheathed on the right side of their profiles and the unmistakable shadow of a rifle hung over their shoulders. They are no lovers having a midnight stroll, they are men-at-arms on duty.

  “This area is actually beautiful, don’t you think?”

  “Yes, sure Ribolev. That’s the exact kind of surrounding where I would like to retire with my family. No food, no water, scorching heat … a real paradise, indeed.”

  “No need to be sarcastic, Hoffmann. I meant the landscapes are wonderful. I never said that this is a nice place to settle. It’s obvious no one in his right mind would want to live here.”

  “Why, just because you can be killed by invisible monsters? Come on, don’t let that kind of detail stop you from enjoying your time here.”

  This dark reminder of their situation cools Ribolev’s enthusiasm for conversation. Anyway, he doesn’t really like Hoffmann. He is a good and trusted comrade, but a man with very limited social abilities. He can’t spend more than five minutes without complaining or criticizing. He is not the best partner to patrol the beach during the night, yet Ribolev didn’t have a word to say about it. The Colonel had decided, there was no arguing.

  Anyway, their shift will shortly be over. Already, some faint light is to be distinguished in the East. Soon, the Valkyan Sea will assume a bluish glow, quickly turning to yellow before taking its unique orange tone when the sun finally appears above the horizon. Ribolev never gets tired of this show provided by Mother Nature.

  Hoffman can say whatever he wants, this place is beautiful. If he wouldn’t be stuck in the fort, if he hadn’t been sentenced by the Emperor, if his wife hadn’t died years ago from tuberculosis, he would have loved to come here and share this unique sunrise with her. But those are many “ifs,” the reality is different.

  “Do you also see something there?”

  His thoughts are interrupted by Hoffmann’s question. He’s staring at the sea, squinting. Ribolev immediately knows where he’s looking, and what he’s trying to distinguish. He turns his head towards the rocks. Those damned stone formations at the end of the bay.

  They might be a natural barrier against the waves approaching from the ocean, protecting the beach at Worldsend, but this is also the place where they live. Or at least, where they come from. Soldiers posted at the fort learned to fear and loathe those rocks. They bring death.

  “Do you know if guys had nightmares lately?” asked Ribolev.

  “Not that I heard of. And the Colonel would have told us. He would have doubled the patrols.”

  “Then why are you so worried?”

  “Look.”

  Ribolev gazes in this direction, where nothing is to be seen. Maybe some hints of grayish mist, but this could be only the reflection of the moon on the waves. Or his mind playing tricks. It’s easy to picture things that do not exist when you are under stress.

  However, Ribolev and Hoffmann have been in Worldsend Garrison for quite a long time. They know that not seeing anything doesn’t necessarily mean there is no danger closing in. All the contrary.

  “Does it feel colder, or is it just my imagination?”

  “It is getting chilly.”

  They instinctively switch to combat mode. Years of training in the military school, dozens of battles fought for the Imperial Army automatically kick in. They take their rifles and aim towards the water, waiting for the invader to come.

  “They are here.”

  “I know.”

  Hoffmann’s voice is tense, but stress doesn’t show in his behavior. He spans calmly the horizon with his gun, looking for a target. Ribolev does the same, hoping to catch a glimpse of something, a hint of their enemy’s whereabouts.

  They’ve been in the fort for a long time. They are aware of the singularities of their opponent. But this information doesn’t make fighting easier for them. Knowing that you have no idea of what will strike, nor where, nor when, is not a comfortable situation. The only advantage for them is that they can prepare for the worse, and learned not to hope for the best.

  Because they will be coming soon, they have no doubt about it.

  “Shall we discharge some warning shots, and wait for reinforcement?”

  Hoffmann’s suggestion is a good one. If they fire their weapon, they will be heard from the fort. Other men will join them on the beach. This will mean more eyes to spot the enemy, and more firepower to destroy it. They are simple privates, only by sheer force can they handle those monsters. Officers sometimes manage to kill them in single combat, standard soldiers never.

  Many patrols disappeared close to the shore, while few came back reporting a successful defense. None ever claimed to have won. When you guard the bay, surviving is the only victory to hope for.

  Then, everything happens in a split second.

  Ribolev is about to agree to send a warning to the fort. He actually opens his mouth and the words start to form in his throat. But before the sound reaches his vocal cords, he has no neck anymore. It disappeared in a gush of blood. His head, severed from the rest of his body, seems to hang in the air for a while, before gravity pulls it towards the beach.

  When Ribolev’s decapitated, Hoffmann notices a movement in the corner of his eye. Even before his comrade’s blood splatters his face, his brain simultaneously launches various commands to different parts of his anatomy.

  Reflex curiosity tells him to look towards his companion, to assess the situation.

  Military training tells him to fire his rifle towards the enemy that is now upon them.

  Deeply ingrained survival instinct tells him to run and
flee for his life.

  All those commands are sent, but none of them reaches the intended muscle. All nervous communications within his body are shut off when his spine is slashed in three distinct places by powerful and razor-sharp claws.

  ***

  The sun is barely above the horizon, and the tip of the Karabia Peninsula is bathed in a reddish glow. The tide is going up, slowly covering the beach. Where Ribolev and Hoffmann stood, traces of blood can be found, but there is no body. Or any part of a human body.

  Already the water is reaching the crime scene. Soon, the blood will be washed away and their footprints erased. In an hour, the alert will be raised in the fort. The Commander of the garrison will send a search party. Most likely, he will go with the group, as he normally does when a disaster strikes.

  They will not find anything, and no one will be surprised.

  It is usually like this in Worldsend Garrison.

  Letter 1

  To Empress Theodora,

  With deep sorrow, I must inform that my first letter to you carries tragic news. While, by the very nature of our organization, this is the way it has to be, I can only regret that my sad words come to you so unfairly soon.

  As you most likely already understood, Colonel Sigalvo has fallen in the line of duty and, according to your wish of following his suggestion concerning his successor, I am now the new Commander of Worldsend Garrison.

  I would like to reassure that, despite having been an officer for only a month, I learned a lot concerning the fort and our enemy under Colonel Sigalvo’s guidance. Furthermore, I can count on Lieutenant Sebastian’s full support, and his years of experience here will indubitably prove incredibly useful in handling all the administrative tasks.

  Your Majesty can remain confident that she will not regret her decision to put me in charge of the garrison and its men. I swear solemnly to protect the Empire and its citizens to the best of my abilities.

  ***

  I dare to say that in the short time I worked with our regretted Colonel Sigalvo, we got to know each other quite well. While circumstances didn’t allow us to become close friends, the mutual respect and appreciation we had for each other went further than professional requirements.

  From our conversations late at night, I came to understand that the bond linking he shared with you was more than a military obligation, and his feelings were more than a mere admiration for the beauty and wisdom of our Empress.

  Maybe I am wrong and my foolishness will cause my destitution from this new appointment I so dearly wish to succeed in, but I can only imagine that Colonel Sigalvo’s sentiments were reciprocated. This daring and unlawful assumption convinced me that I should give you a detailed account of what happened last week in Worldsend Garrison. I must recount the way our late Commander fell as a hero.

  ***

  We had managed to return to our normal routine after Colonel Sigalvo was officially appointed and took charge of the fort. Things were calm, as much as they can be in this place, and men were already praising our new Commander for the way he was handling the garrison. Recruits had come, and the spirits were high as there was a feeling that, while we were still dangerously understaffed, we hadn’t seen so many soldiers in Worldsend Garrison for a long time.

  I was learning the ropes of my new position as a sergeant, and most of my time on duty was dedicated to the intendance, a task I was performing with the help of Sergeant James and Sergeant Igor.

  However, all my free moments were devoted to Colonel Sigalvo. For some reason unknown to me, he took me under his wing and tutored me. I, a simple soldier from the Third Infantry of the Northern Guard, had the opportunity to study military strategies taught at the Malaya’s Officer School.

  I also learned about the fort and its history, as our Commander gave me access to the archives.

  But more than anything, we discussed the elixir and its impact on our capacities. This was of great interest to him, bordering on obsession, and he transmitted to me his belief that we only barely scratched the surface of its possibilities. This is a matter that I wish to investigate further, with your permission. I will inform about the results when conclusions are beyond the shadow of a doubt.

  However, for the moment, my duty is to tell you thoroughly what happened.

  ***

  The apparent tranquility of the fort didn’t last, unfortunately. Soon, soldiers started to have nightmares. I do not have the gift of Knowing, I can’t perceive the imminent attacks of the enemy, but I can watch it on the faces of the men who do. The horrors they see keep them awake, and their tired looks express the strain on their nerves.

  Observing those exhausted faces within the fort is never a good sign. We all understand what they mean.

  Despite his efforts to hide it, the stress (would I dare to say fear?) in the Colonel’s eyes was unmistakable. It seems the gift was strong in him, and I can’t fathom how dark and lonely his nights must have been. He knew what was coming. I even believe he realized his death was imminent, and this is why he was so adamant in transmitting me his wisdom.

  When Colonel Sigalvo ordered for two chain guns to be mounted on the beach, permanently staffed with three soldiers each, some of the men considered he was being too cautious. This was his first attack as a Commander of the garrison, and a few regarded him as overzealous. Lieutenant Sebastian was among them. Even I, to my greatest shame, didn’t think that such measures were necessary.

  None of those having the capacity to dream believed the Colonel was acting too prudent, however.

  The only pride the troops can take in the events that followed is that nobody questioned the orders of our Commander. We all fulfilled our duty. We had complete trust in Colonel Sigalvo, and we had all spent enough time in Worldsend Garrison to know that you can never be too careful.

  Further developments proved us that we had gravely underestimated the danger.

  That night, we all woke up with the sound of the chain guns roaring. They stopped before we could send back up to the beach, and we all wondered what it meant. The fight was over, but we couldn’t know how it ended.

  Sergeant Camillo volunteered to go out on the beach. When he came back announcing that our men were all safe and sound and that the invaders had been repelled to the sea, the relief was immediate.

  As Your Majesty can imagine, each victorious battle brings some happiness within Worldsend Garrison. The feeling that we accomplished our duty prevails, but there is also the knowledge that we will be peaceful for some time. The tension invariably drops after an attack. Not that time.

  Now that the threat had gone, I believed it would be a quiet night, in which we could all get the rest we deserved, but I was wrong. We were all mistaken, blinded by an excess of confidence. We thought that things would be as they had always been.

  I was still awake when I heard the first screams of terror, coming from the barracks. The nightmares had not disappeared. On the contrary, they seemed more vivid than ever. Those who had the gift of knowing didn’t want to go back to sleep.

  On the following morning, Colonel Sigalvo’s face was grave. It was obvious that he hadn’t rested at all, and his eyes were sagged with dark circles. Before breakfast, he requested four more chain guns to be mounted behind the fort. At lunch, he issued a new order, sending another six machine guns, and asking for all twelve to be permanently staffed by four soldiers armed with rifles.

  If you except the cannons, half of our firepower was now waiting on the beach. This was highly unusual. By then, everybody within Worldsend Garrison had understood the situation was unheard of. We didn’t know what was coming, but we realized this would be something bad. I believe even the Colonel didn’t expect for things to be so catastrophic.

  He wouldn’t have left half of the artillery in the fort if he had foreseen what happened.

  ***

  The attack came a bit before midnight.

  This time, nobody was awoken by the roar of the machine guns, because not a single soldier w
as sleeping. We heard, and we got prepared to go on the beach to back up our comrades. To our dismay, the Colonel stopped us. He forbade anyone to leave the safety of the fort.

  The fight lasted a long time. The chain guns and the rifle had been shooting for almost two hours before silence came back. The battle was over and, just like the previous day, we didn’t know who had one. Again, Sergeant Camillo volunteered to go to check, but he never made it through the entrance.

  He was still inside Worldsend Garrison when we heard a noise.

  As unlikely and unexpected as it was, there was no way to ignore it. Neither was it possible to mistake it for something else. Powerful claws were scratching against the wall facing the beach, like a gigantic dog pawing against the door, begging to be let in.

  Then came the thumping sounds of a hard weight colliding with the outpost’s stockade. Something heavy was trying to get in, and we all knew what it was.

  Colonel Sigalvo told the men to be ready to shoot at whatever would make it through. This scared us, imagining the enemy pouring inside our fort. To make things worse, the Colonel turned to Lieutenant Sebastian and asked him to take command of the defense. Then, he ran away to the front door.

  Some of the newest recruits may have believed that he was deserting, abandoning us to our fate in the face of the greatest danger we ever confronted, but the rest of us knew perfectly well what he was doing. We had all seen the late Colonel Balakov doing the same mistake. I didn’t want for history to repeat itself, not so fast, and I went after him.

  This is why I know exactly what happened. I witnessed the unfolding of those horrendous events firsthand.

  Colonel Sigalvo ran around the fort and began to shoot as soon as he approached the beach. I was only fifteen or twenty meters behind him when I saw the invader, and started to fire as well.

  Your Majesty read well: I SAW them.