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The original was posted on /r/hfy by /u/DrDoritosMD on 2025-06-18 01:51:21+00:00.
FIRST
Blurb/Synopsis
Captain Henry Donnager expected a quiet career babysitting a dusty relic in Area 51. But when a test unlocks a portal to a world of knights and magic, he's thrust into command of Alpha Team, an elite unit tasked with exploring this new realm.
They join the local Adventurers Guild, seeking to unravel the secrets of this fantastical realm and the ancient gateway's creators. As their quests reveal the potent forces of magic, they inadvertently entangle in the volatile politics between local rivalling factions.
With American technology and ancient secrets in the balance, Henry's team navigates alliances and hostilities, enlisting local legends and air support in their quest. In a land where dragons loom, they discover that modern warfare's might—Hellfire missiles included—holds its own brand of magic.
Chapter 48: Arnsburg
The harvest wrapped in just under an hour. Shorter than Henry had figured, but the locals knew what they were doing, and his team had gotten plenty of practice by now.
“Captain,” Dr. Anderson called out, kneeling beside a section of intact plating from the second Bralnor. “This chitin’s rather resilient, isn’t it? The armor withstood bowing from the inside. Materials are nowhere near my purview, but surely Dr. Lamarr or Dr. Perdue can do something interesting with this, eh?”
Henry nodded, approaching to inspect the piece himself. The armor plates bore an almost ceramic quality and weighed heavier than he could’ve imagined – closer to vehicular composite armor than typical body plates.
“Yeah,” he admitted, “might be worth shipping back, but I doubt it’ll revolutionize anything. We’ve already got those Sentinel Lindwyrm scales from GB-2. Tier 7 or 8 or whatever ain’t gonna have shit on that.”
“Yeah,” Dr. Anderson agreed.
“Plus, it won’t be worth the risk with Nobians potentially on our tail; we’ll at least have to wait for the guys to set up shop in Krevath. We’ll just have to keep everything in our Holding Cart till we can head back. You almost done?”
“Mmhmm,” Doc responded, slipping the plating into a plastic bag. “The locals don’t see anything useful left, aside from the meat – and it’ll take way too long to harvest everything. Might get hit with another wave if we dilly dally.”
He sealed the collected specimens inside the Holding Cart, then headed back toward his MRAP.
Henry did the same and climbed in with Ron, eyes on the convoy as they finished up. The caravan had taken the time to reorganize to spec – nice.
His plan had the caravan sandwiched between their vehicles, wedged into their existing formation alongside Perry’s vehicle. In hindsight, they probably should’ve added one or two more transports to the convoy. A few stragglers here and there, they could’ve given them a ride, but an entire refugee caravan? They couldn’t have expected that, and yet, they somehow made it work.
Still, Henry couldn’t help but frown slightly. Having unknown civilians inside their security envelope complicated matters. Not that he regretted the decision – it was the right call – but it slowed them down to the horses’ and dradaks’ pace, putting them at greater risk if the Nobians decided to get adventurous.
Ron glanced at him through the mirror up front. “What, second thoughts?”
“Nah, never. Just… imagining the report I’ll have to file, embedding a whole caravan of foreigners into our convoy. Fuck, you shoulda seen the look on Wolcott’s face. Poor guy was ready to crash out; only went through with this cause it was the Ambassador’s call.”
“Wolcott can suck it,” Ron said flatly. “Not like we left ‘em for dead.”
“Yeah,” Henry said with a slight shrug. He could live with the choice. Still… doing the right thing didn’t eliminate the risk that someone might exploit their generosity. “Just hope it doesn’t come to bite us in the ass.”
“Ehh… Doubt they’ll even come after us,” Ron reassured. “Even if they manage to keep up, we’ve whooped their asses enough for them to learn not to mess with us. They ain’t gonna hit a full convoy, not this far away from their territory. If they do…”
Henry knew the only possible answer to that. “Fuck around and find out.”
Ron grinned. “Exactly.”
Henry wasn’t entirely convinced, but he had to admit, Ron’s little pep talk had done its job. There wasn’t much to worry about; the most the Nobians could do is trail them. With the Nobians’ invisibility, there’d be nothing they could do about that. And with their firepower, there was nothing the Nobians could do about their convoy either.
He glanced out of the viewport, everyone damn near ready to get out of here. Perry had Brusk and his family in tow, heading for the command vehicle – the last to get out, just like they’d done in their town.
Henry had to respect it. After what they’d been through, after demonstrating the courage to sink with the ship, the nobleman and his family still carried themselves with remarkable composure. Unlike the snobby-ass, selfish nobles in Ron’s anime shows, these guys exhibited – no, they epitomized the ideal of noblesse oblige.
That aside, most civvies would’ve been completely lost after tangling with those monsters. It made their security detail a lot easier knowing that these guys could keep their shit together.
Meanwhile, Sera had returned with Livia. The elven mage carried a simple pack and a small satchel with various potions inside. She observed the MRAP with open curiosity, rather than the sheer awe most of the locals had shown.
“Apparently I’m to ride with you, Captain Donnager,” she said as they approached. “I was given no chance to protest – but I suspect neither were you.”
“Really, now?” Henry let sarcasm tinge his voice. “Don’t get me wrong, you’re welcome to join, but… your Party’s okay with you temporarily ditching them?”
Livia chuckled. “Oh, they’re quite used to being overruled. I do it so gracefully they mistake it for consensus. And naturally, they dared not challenge the will of the Queen of Cinders.”
Sera groaned, “Ugh, must you stress such an embarrassing epithet? Just… get in.”
Henry helped Livia climb aboard. He flashed Sera a smile when she entered. “Your friend seems nice.”
Sera rolled her eyes. “Pray, do not encourage her.”
Livia settled into a seat, her gaze sweeping over the control panels and internal fittings like they were ancient artifacts. She tugged experimentally at a restraint harness that Sera had indicated.
“Well,” Livia remarked, her theatricality blending with curiosity, “this conveyance… this spider’s web is… rather more involved than a simple saddle. I trust these straps are indeed for our benefit, and not some peculiar form of American penance?” She locked eyes with Sera. “Or perhaps a rather… enthusiastic form of courtship I’ve yet to be apprised of?”
“Livia!” Sera mock scolded her. “It is merely a safeguard, nothing else. You see, the Lieutenant has a certain… philosophical approach to roads, which may or may not include remaining upon them.”
Ron turned around. “Hey! It’s not my fault we keep running into fuckin’, Tier 8s and shit.” Defensive as he was, the big man was actually chuckling now, quickly trying to stifle it. Introducing locals to their tech never got old.
“Alright, let’s lock in now.” Henry keyed his comms. “All units, this is Alpha Actual. Form up and move out. Let’s try to get to Arnsburg by nightfall.”
The convoy lurched forward, MRAP engines drowning out the whinnying horses and braying dradaks from the caravan behind them. For a good minute, nobody spoke. Henry watched the feeds, checking positions, distances, and making sure Perry's vehicle was moving smoothly with the nobleman's family aboard.
The silence stretched. Henry glanced up from his display, noticing Sera and Livia exchanging looks. Right. It dawned on him then that they were probably waiting for him to finish his command checks before starting up conversation. Happened every time with new passengers – courtesy or something. Might as well break the ice.
“So,” Henry said, curiosity winning out. “What exactly has Sera been writing to you about us? I’m guessing we’ve been a topic of interest.”
Livia’s face lit up with a mischievous grin that reminded Henry of his friends back home, right before they’d drop some hard-won piece of gossip about him in front of the entire group. “Oh, your letters were most illuminating, dear Seraphine, particularly that flourish concerning Captain Donnager’s regal bearing. I scarce managed to finish the sentence without dropping the page in mirth.”
Sera rolled her eyes again, though the corner of her mouth twitched. “There is nothing in those letters I would not say in his presence. Though, perhaps, not with your fondness for embroidery.”
“Ah. ‘Embroidery’, is it?” Livia laughed. “I was especially taken with your account of the forest affair. Your language was indeed embroidered, if not entirely charitable.”
Henry caught Sera’s eye in the reflection of his display and raised an eyebrow. “Wait, forest affair? You mean the ruins, or the Vorikha?”
“The latter,” Sera admitted, a faint flush rising on her cheeks. “When we discovered the cave and you insisted upon examining the fallen treants for tactical merit. I admit… I was rather taken with your initiative.”
Henry fought back a smile, disguising it with a casual shrug. “What can I say, a man knows what he wants.”
“Your dear Captain’s candor is as unvarn...
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