The Invasion Read online

  Nobody, nothing, can’t be defeated. This is my belief, and I stand by it. However, it can be incredibly difficult, sometimes.

  I am sure Kahid already told you about the last attack at Worldsend. We lost exactly two thousand two hundred and eighteen combatants in that battle. It is a disaster that I do not wish to minimize. Nevertheless, weeping our fallen comrades, shrinking with fear, self-pitying and not moving forward is the best way to continue sacrificing pointlessly our men.

  My interest is to keep alive those who are still standing, and we will not succeed in doing so if we do not learn from our experiences.

  We lost far too many soldiers in this last conflict, but I am proud to announce that we won it. The enemy was defeated, and retreated towards the sea, where they came from. However, more than the victory in itself, those are the lessons we can remember from this battle that are invaluable.

  First of all, our opponent can be killed, their invasion can be stopped. We learned it at great cost, our casualties being far more than theirs, but this is a cheerful information. Do not be misled by the demise of so many warriors. We won this fight, and our men celebrated as such.

  There is a huge difference in the state of mind of our soldiers between the morning in which we discovered that our comrades stationed on the beach had vanished, and the aftermath of this last battle. There was disquiet, anxiety and even despair after we lost two hundred combatants in the village, but hope is blooming after the death of two thousand in what they call “The Battle for Worldsend.”

  This hope is fueled mainly by the second point we learned in this fight. I had noticed that the vast majority of the houses in the settlement were still standing, despite the fact that they had been caught in the middle of at least three offensives during the last months. It made me think that perhaps the unknown foe was not able to destroy our constructions. That’s why I decided to use the planks and boards from the fallen smoking shack to build a kind of protection for the camp.

  This was a very poor palisade, stretching for maybe fifty cubits and being barely higher than the height of a grown man, yet it shielded our base efficiently. Our cantonment avoided the full blow of a frontal attack, the enemy dispersing on each side of the defensive wall. We were surrounded on two flanks, but not three, and their strength was scattered in two groups. If it hadn’t been the case, we would have deplored many more deaths.

  Now come the third key aspect of this battle, which might also be the most important. As incredible as it still seems to me, I managed to identify our opponents, and they are clearly not arriving from Valkya.

  They are not any kind of warrior or soldier.

  I do not believe in demons, yet the term is suitable to portray the creatures that attacked us on Worldsend beach. I am sure they are also responsible of the slaughter that happened in the village last month. We have no evidence, but this conclusion seems reasonable as they clearly correspond to the description done by this young soldier who chose to tell me of his nightmares, and who fell bravely in this offensive.

  There is no word to depict the abominations coming from the sea, at least none that I know.

  Those things are not from our world. Such a dreadful creation simply can’t find its roots in our land. I understand now what he meant when he talked about “flying fish-snake with horrible jaws.” This is as accurate a description as it could be, but it doesn’t reflect at all the truth. They are neither a fish nor a snake, and they do not fly like a bird. And their jaws are worse than horrible, tearing a man apart in the blink of an eye.

  If our soldiers indeed dream of those creatures, I can only pity them. Witnessing such atrocities while resting must be an awful experience, and it is no wonder that they scream during their sleep.

  My Emperor might be pondering how I can so accurately describe our enemy, and ascertain with such confidence their identity, when so far hundreds, thousands of warriors swore that they are invisible. Unfortunately, I have no answer to this question.

  During the battle, it became obvious to me that our soldiers indeed do not see the creatures. None of them observed them coming from the sea and spreading on each side of the makeshift wall. When they attacked the camp, they went absolutely unnoticed.

  I witnessed with my own eyes some of our combatants looking straight towards one of those monsters without raising their swords to defend their life. They were letting themselves be swallowed entirely, have their arms severed, their heads hacked, their bodies lacerated without the hint of a struggle.

  Some appeared to react at the approach of the creatures, but they did so confusedly, just like someone who would fight with a blindfold. Obviously, they were no match for those monsters. The situation was dire, and I didn’t know how to organize our soldiers. The invading force seemed invincible.

  Until I saw one of our crossbowmen shot a bolt straight into what could be the eyes of our foes. I have no doubt that it was pure luck—the poor man had no idea at all of where the enemy was—, and he perished seconds after firing his last arrow.

  But this unlikely shot had great effect, the creature hit seemingly coiling on itself before crashing down on the floor and lying still. Just like any living thing, this beast had died.

  They might be from another world, but they are not invincible, nor immortal.

  I took my saber and ran towards one of those creatures. The monster was chewing its way through our cavalry, and I stabbed it directly under its eye. I keep on referring to them as eyes, but there are six of them, and they are more like dark holes rather than eyes as we know them. Just like the first one, it wriggled and jerked before falling on the ground, dead.

  The word spread quickly among our soldiers that the opponent could be slaughtered with a crossbow or a sword, and suddenly we started to fight. Our men were blind, but I could see the enemy. Standing on the stirrups of a horse, I was guiding our troops indicating them the general direction where they should focus their attack.

  They had no way to identify the exact position of the creatures, nor where they had to hit to kill them… However, they knew that our brother in arms were being ripped by those monsters. When this was happening, this is where our archers and crossbowmen were aiming.

  Most of them missed their goal wide and far, and many of our soldiers died because of an arrow shot by a fellow. This could have been a disaster but sheer number saved us. Out of five hundred darts and bolts directed roughly where the enemy is, one of them would hit its target and bring it down.

  Our brave cavalry rode in the directions I indicated, slashing around with their sword. Most of them perished without a warning, but some managed to slice the gigantic bodies. Those monsters bleed. And when they lose important quantities of this gooey liquid flowing inside them, they collapse.

  Just like any living thing, they die.

  This is how we won the battle. Outnumbered, killed one by one, they had no chance against us. When they realized it, they retreated to the sea. Forty of them had come on the beach, only twelve returned.

  I do not know why I am the only one to see them, but I noticed a strange phenomenon. On land, they are as clear as could be and I can observe any tiny detail of their horrendous body. Then, when they go back in the water, they become blurry, fuzzy… Until they finally disappear in a kind of mist surrounding the huge rocks forbidding the entrance of the bay to any ship.

  I saw them vanishing silently in the fog but, according to everybody, the sky was perfectly crystalline, without any trace of a single cloud.

  ***

  Though I am sure it is worth investigating the reasons why I am the only one able to see the horrors attacking, I consider there are more urgent matters to handle.

  I gave the order to dismantle the village of Worldsend. We will use the wood to build a wall around our camp. This seems to be strong enough to hold our enemy, and I now believe that many would have survived the previous offensives if they had remained hidden inside the houses rather than fleeing for their life.

  Th
is wall will help us to defend ourselves during the next attack, but it will not resist in the long term. We need solid fortifications, barracks where our soldiers can rest safely, and towers where to post archers and crossbowmen.

  Also, I would consider reducing drastically our cavalry, as they can’t fight efficiently and the horses need a lot of water and food. I suggest to decrease our mounted forces to a strict minimum, the only use we have for those animals being to carry messages and supplies from the city of Karabia.

  On the other hand, a reinforcement in long-range units would be definitely necessary. Archers and crossbowmen, but also spear warriors and boleadoras holders. Anything will prove helpful against this new enemy.

  We will have time to mourn our dead, but now we need to prepare to fight. We are at war, and we only won our first battle. Let’s not fool ourselves: many more will come, and we must be ready.

  With all due respect,

  Colonel Laval

  Letter 12

  To Bailiff Kahid of Karabia,

  We share your worry concerning the safety of the city of Karabia and the entire Empire. For this reason, many steps have been undertaken to ensure that the invasion will not go further than the tip of the Karabia Peninsula, where the Valkyan Sea meets the Great Ocean.

  As you saw, the Imperial Cavalry has been called back as they are no longer needed at Worldsend, where the enemy has finally been defeated. We had to pay a huge price in terms of human life, but this is the cost for our freedom and the peace within our borders. This was not the first war we fought against a treacherous foe, and we must be realistic enough to understand that this will not be the last one either.

  The threat is now over, and there is no need to send reinforcement to Karabia. Our territory is vast and permanently at risk of being attacked by some invidious enemy. For this very reason, the Imperial Army must be deployed at some other place where the danger is more imminent.

  However, past events taught us prudence.

  There is always a possibility that a menace might reappear when it is least expected. Presently, there is no motive to believe things will be different in the Karabia Peninsula. We must be prepared. That's why it’s been decided that the village of Worldsend will be dismantled and deleted from all maps and archives. We do not want for any adventurous settler to wander there with the hope of making a living as a fisherman.

  This will ensure that no new disaster will appear in case of a Valkyan raid.

  Furthermore, at the location where this village used to be, a fort will be built. This will be supplied with food, water and weapons by the city of Karabia, who will get a financial compensation directly from the Imperial Palace for its efforts. The place will remain permanently staffed, under the commandment of Colonel Laval. He showed again an impressive display of his science and expertise in the art of war by repelling the insidious nemesis, and proved beyond any doubt that he is the man to handle the situation.

  Worldsend Garrison will ensure the enemy doesn’t set foot anymore on our land and destroy entirely any attempt of invasion. The Province of Karabia and its capital will be protected by a fort, a barely crossable stretch of furnace, and an unwelcoming swamp on its southern side. Its inhabitants can thus keep on living their existence as they always did, without fear. Furthermore the Bailiff of Karabia can now resume his usual activities, without having to worry about the events happening south of the town limits and The Marsh.

  Also, in order to boost the economy in Karabia and the port city of Igereiger, it’s been ruled to promote the celebrated Karabia Fish through Imperial Decree. You can expect a steep increase in the demand, and I trust that you and Igereiger’s alderman will make sure there will be no shortage in the supply.

  I now consider the entire incident closed.

  My decision has been taken,

  Emperor Niklas

  Letter 13

  To Colonel Laval,

  Your messenger has been rewarded with a pouch of gold for delivering according to your instructions the important missive you had entrusted him.

  I share your opinion that our dead will be mourned when time has come. We are in the middle of a war and we need to focus on the following steps. The information you manage to gather during the last attack is highly valuable and finally allows us to plan our actions instead of simply reacting to the events. We must now make sure that those creatures, as you call them, will not be a threat for the Empire and will be contained to the waters around Worldsend.

  We now have a strong uphill position in this war against these strange invaders. The nightmares of our soldiers appear to be a clear warning of an oncoming offensive. This knowledge will allow us to be ready to receive them before they come. They will not have the advantage of surprise anymore.

  It seems that in the present situation the only way we can fight with a good chance of triumph is by greatly outnumbering them. We have no choice but sending as many archers and crossbowmen as possible to the Karabia Peninsula. Thus, it is exactly what we will do.

  However, the resources of the Empire are not limitless, and we can’t afford to lose so many brave men. While I rejoice in your victory during the last battle, counting more than two thousand casualties on our side when our enemy only sacrificed twenty is not sustainable in the long term.

  Given the importance of the task, the exceptional nature of the invader, and the high risks inherent to the missions, only our best men can be dispatched. Sending volunteer units is absolutely out of the question, and even our trained soldiers will have to be carefully selected.

  As such, protecting the life of the men in Worldsend is a priority for us. Minimizing our losses is the only way to keep on outnumbering the enemy in a sustainable fashion. With this objective in mind, a fort will rise at a safe distance from the beach where the fishermen’s settlement used to be. Worldsend Garrison will be a state-of-the-art construction, assembled with the latest materials and technologies of the Empire. Its purpose will be to protect both the soldiers stationed there, but also the inhabitants of Karabia.

  The erection of the garrison is presently our main priority. An Imperial Engineer will be sent by the end of this month to the Karabia Peninsula. He will come with a hundred skilled workers, and all the equipment and tools required to build efficiently. Their safety on the way will be guaranteed by five hundred archers and five hundred crossbowmen, who will then remain under your commandment.

  Until they arrive, you and your men will need to hold on.

  ***

  Colonel Laval, the description of our enemy is troublesome, and the fact that it is invisible to anyone but you can’t be overlooked. From all accounts, those creatures are clearly not from our world, and you have a gift allowing you to view them while they remain undetectable to the common man.

  What makes you so special? Where do those monsters come from?

  I cannot help but wonder if you made the same connections as I did.

  You and I went deep under the Karpi mountains while chasing the dwarves during our expeditions. We saw strange things, heard even more disturbing ones, and witnessed some truly unsettling curiosities. Many unnatural beings exist down there, and those bearded cave dwellers lived among them for centuries.

  We can’t rule out that some of the dwarves survived, hidden deep in those grottoes.

  We can’t rule out that they are now striking back, in a most unusual place, proving again how cunning their race can be.

  We can’t rule out that the dwarves summoned unearthly creatures and sent them to the Karabia Peninsula to distract our attention from the Karpi mountains, allowing them to gather forces.

  Cautiousness is a must. Having an army of dwarves coming from the East, looting and burning the fertile lands on their way towards Otezalp and the Imperial Palace would be a disaster. We thought they had been exterminated, but recent events tell us it might not have been so.

  A new punitive expedition will be sent to the Karpi range. They will comb the place, and make sure there
is not a single abnormality remaining.

  The Empire can’t allow intruders within its borders, may it be under the mighty Karpi mountains or in the troubled waters at the tip of the Karabia Peninsula, where the Great Ocean meets the Valkyan Sea.

  We must eliminate them, to the last.

  My decision has been taken,

  Emperor Niklas

  Letter 14

  IMPERIAL LAW

  I, Emperor Niklas, Benevolent Ruler of the Empire by decision of the Gods and the blood of my ancestors running in my veins, have issued the following decrees, to be implemented immediately.

  Access to the Southwestern part of the Karabia Province, commonly known as the Karabia Peninsula, is now forbidden to any non-authorized person, either civilian, official or military.

  Troops will be permanently stationed in this area, called Worldsend, in order to ensure the previous restriction is respected.

  All maps must be updated with aforementioned information. Any old chart must be destroyed, without any exception.

  In order to prevent any risk of counterfeit, either by foreign influences or within our borders, and to protect our culture and knowledge, the celebrated Karabia dried, salted and smoked fish must fulfill the following requirements to be sold under the name “Karabia Fish”:

  - It must be taken exclusively in the Valkyan Sea by skiffs registered in Igereiger, according to the ancestral tradition.

  - The conservation process of drying, salting or smoking has to be made directly in Igereiger, upon arrival of the fishing boats in the harbor.

  - All trade of Karabia fish is to be handled solely by merchants based in Igereiger or the city of Karabia.

  - Any additional treatment on the dried, salted or smoked fish is strictly forbidden once it left Igereiger.