It was not just the 1000 from the Midnight Battalion who looked up in the sky. Across the accursed planet, all the surviving soldiers looked at the light show. The brightness that filled the sky was, ironically, a sign of their dark future.
They did not know what had happened, or what was happening, but space battles between ships was not something new. They had witnessed them many times and had even taken part in them once or twice. But from what they could see from the planet, it did not look like there was a battle taking place. Instead, it seemed like the ships were spontaneously combusting.
"Midnight Battalion, defensive positions," Luthor said, his voice calm and steady, even if tinged with a hint of solemnity. "A single one of those explosions is enough to cause a ripple. So many of them are bound to cause an entire wave."
Around him, the battalion got in a circular formation, and activated some technique they all used in unison. Because of their stellar service these many months, they had been eligible for many rewards from the alliance, and this defensive formation was one of them.
A dome of light blue light formed around them, separating them from the outside. As if reminded by the battalion's actions, the others around them also began deploying their protective measures, but they were a step too slow.
A massive shift in reality crashed into them, though the shift seemed to be absorbed into the Midnight Battalions shield. A few others also survived the episode, but a lot of soldiers who could not act fast enough died.
The ground beneath them cracked, and then following an earth-shattering sound, split into many fragments. Gusts of toxic gasses were released from deep within the ground, threatening to sweep any of their feet. Fortunately, all the soldiers who had made it this far had good quality, enchanted armor, or else the gasses may have corroded their skins as well.
If there was one good thing about such a volatile environment, it was that the space ripples would affect them and the Fuegan forces equally. Far off, many mindless creatures that had been bred to spread chao died since they did not take any precautions.
Unfortunately, as if to make up for any respite they may gain, any time space would break new, more heinous enemies would emerge that were harder to kill.
"Someone contact the alliance and find out what's happening. Gerard, send out a beacon. Have all who are willing gather near us. We'll build a defensible position and wait till the alliance sends more ships. Sandra, I want you on patrol. Gather a team and scout our surroundings for any enemy activity. In case more enemies invade from space, we need to be ready. Pamela, I want you to rest up and be ready to deploy at a moment's notice. IIf any other teams decide to join us, they may have wounded that need treatment."
Luthors orders were passed through seamlessly, and the battalion started moving like a well oiled machine.
This was not the first time they had to build an impromptu defensive position, and so they had a dedicated team for this task. A phenomenon that seemed quite common is that all of those who had come out to participate in the war were unlocking new and random abilities. Jace, the head of the team who was responsible for creating a defensive position, underwent a mutation in his bloodline. Unlike the Regalia Bloom, which channeled energy through weapons and items, he could use energy to manipulate the earth and minerals. Using that ability, he could dig up trenches and erect walls wherever needed. For now he was not too proficient in using the bloodline, so he was limited to only using his ability outside of combat for now.
Sandra was similarly another worker who had unlocked the ability to control electricity, or lightning. She had learned how to use the ability quite quickly, and had become one of their strongest members. Z had been especially helpful in guiding her on how she could use her abilities.
Finally, Pamela was the one member of the battalion who unlocked the most unique ability. She could heal anyone! Moreover, the energy for healing came neither from Pamela nor the injured person, so she could use the ability for a long time. Her mental stamina is what mattered most, for if she became too fatigued, her ability would stop working.
Once she had been a victim of bullying by an unruly guest at the Inn, so she had worked hard to become stronger. Who knew the ability she ultimately unlocked would not aid her fighting, but in war time made her more valuable than any other soldier. Being able to help her comrades made her feel more than satisfied with her ability, though he ones from the battalion barely ever needed her help to begin with.
Despite their dire situation, none in the battalion panicked. Although their situation was unusual, in the past months they had been through too many such dire situations to be affected easily.
They maintained their vigilance and did their duty, maintaining full faith in Luthor's ability to guide them out of tough situations. They also knew that, should Luthor ever fail, they could still rely on the Innkeeper. So while their vigilance never dropped, and they did not underestimate the seriousness of their dilemma, they were not as daunted as the other soldiers deployed on the planet.
"There's an issue," one of the battalion members said as they walked up to Luthor. "I am unable to contact the battalion regardless of what means I try. From technology to spirit techniques, all forms of communication are blocked."
Luthor frowned. The situation was bad, but not irredeemable. The alliance had strict protocols. In an hour, when their ships did not report to the alliance, they would notice something amiss and send reinforcements. They just had to wait.
"Hunker down, and prepare for a siege," he passed the order. Despite the obstacles, his demeanor never changed.
