Land of the Rising Sun: Quelling the Ryu

by TheronSniper

Ch. 4 Among the Warriors

Ch.4 Among the Warriors

Deep inside South Coria, through the many green trees which populated the landscape walked Neighponese soldiers. It had been another move upon a Cinia stronghold and remove their meager naval base, with mana rifles and bladed weapons in arms all that awaited the confrontation. Leader Nozu had taken command of the elite brigade on land which spearheaded all the recent offensives. He and his fifty guards held tightly their Lotus staffs enchanted with paralysis spells that glowed dimly with coursing magic. Dawning the standard military uniform of cloth over their hardened dragon scales, just like their opponents they were mostly hybrid kirin with some support pony or griffon. The days of yor using contests of brute strength and skills with close combat were long gone in favor of projectile casting spells, the finest Neighpon had to offer were often at the forefront of combat with no ranged weapons. This yielded more prisoners to bargain with as the years went by with Cinia on the losing end of the war. The more of them they held captive, the most land they could gain as the enemy lost both their numbers and control over Coria.

In truth, Nozu had heard of loss of life at Ryojun after what was described as a rigged detonation of a hospital ward. It had been full of Neighponese soldiers as well as some locales and prisoners, they met their unfortunate end in a very painful way from gunpowder barrels in the basement. Many were still alive in the rubble, yet the few who could be extracted didn’t make it either. Since then, every able warrior has been on the warpath earning victories after victories, some striving to gain the most prisoners themselves for the honor itself. That was the reason for Nozu and his soldiers to be out this far towards the Shandong Peninsula, there were two other regiments on their way by flotilla and they were the distraction for the fleet.

As it were they listened to the sound of birds chirping in the trees and the occasional rodent scurry away. Their claws carefully treaded awaiting the messenger bird to signal the assault of Dengzhou, they had run into a few patrols and quickly dispatched with them. Though once the order was given, they would face a much stronger force than twenty warriors and they’d test their abilities once again. Chihiro had claimed the night before that he’d earn the most captives by the end of the operation, the teal scaled kirin had even redone the runes on his glaive in anticipation.

“This has been an easy war so far Nozu, do you think we’ll take the port by the end of the day?” he laughed heartedly.

Another of the elite cadre added, “Watch as I take the most officers while you get the dredges!” Isamu taunted, it was a far more difficult act to capture leadership with how few there were to the standard infantry.

Nozu tapped his staff to his chest with his right forelimb, “The honor of the commander falls on me and only me, just remember that younglings. Now keep your heads on those scrawny necks! The Way would see you fall in battle with such arrogance as you’re displaying now. Besides… I believe the time has come.” The faint flapping of wings reached his swiveling ears as he stopped to look up.

Though the other two grunted with disagreement they knew the messenger bird meant the battle was about to begin. Every other soldier slowly caught on to the pigeon which landed upon the claws of their commanding officer, their anxiousness palpable in the air like a musk from a yak. They had been traveling for a week with little excitement to keep them in check other than their training and the ever watchful hawkeyed officers.

Nozu removed the miniature scroll tied to the little leg, using his magic he unfurled it so he could read, “The fleet is in position, we are to begin the attack!”

The commander was one of the rare copper colored variations of his kin, it held a mystical belief that he was destined for greatness and to be highly useful to the Emperor as was the metal he embodied. For his subordinates that meant they were in safe claws and he had the history to back it up, when they charged into a fight his copper gleam shone as a lighthouse in a storm. Rather than serve from the back and bark at them into harms way, Nozu was always on the frontlines bearing the cannon fire and melee alongside them. No matter if they were pony, kirin, or griffon they all looked up to him and few ever fell in battle. When a section of the line gave to concentrated enemy attacks, he and his elites would move to buffer while the injured or paralyzed were removed and fresh forces sealed the gap.

Sensing the pride coming off of the second division of the IA, the alpha male turned to face them, “I will be honest with you, this will be a fight to remember! As we are to serve as a distraction for the landing boats, we will earn most of the Cinian’s retaliation! All the other battles will be play fighting compared to what lies ahead this forest. The army up ahead… is in the thousands. I want to see all of you earn your keep! Though they are numerous! We! We are their betters! Bring honor to your lines! Show these Cinians what a Neighponese soldier is!” he shouted out a war cry akin to that of a dragon in their younger years.

The bellow soon joined in by the second division even though they were widely dispersed, no one missed a single word of his. The fire in the commanders spirit surged through the ranks as their want of combat would be finally met.

Birds flew away at the war cry, creatures scampered away, and even the insects were silenced as the army started to march on as the act finished. Adrenaline started to empower the warriors, their hooves, claws, and talons all stomping as one with the few miles they still had to cover. This however was the state Nozu needed them to be in, at least for the majority who were kirin would be diving deep into their dragon side and bring the inner flame into a blazing furnace. They could fight better and with much more fervor than normal, the other races would see this and be far more resilient when the fighting started. The griffons he could trust to hold their own, but the ponies however were still seen as weak unascended halves of Neighpon. He wondered why they stayed in their herbivorous forms when the worship of the Dragon Lords could give them so much more just as he. Contemplation he’d have to save for later, as of then they needed him focused and on the ball.

Walking on all four, he like the rest of the elites used their right or left forelimb to hold their primary weapon. The mana rifles walked on their hind legs easily though they had to crouch to avoid making themselves targets to hidden archers. Unless of course they were non-kirins in which their ranged spell casting arms, the latest in magical military ingenuity. These were proven to lengthen a unicorn or kirin spell over twice the distance and provide a good gap between possible return fire or close in combat. Previous battles proved their usefulness, where the Cinia troops were often given inferior firearms which lobed tar rounds that held together with a simple spell. While they could slow and eventually trap an opponent on the spot with enough volleys, Neighpon Mana Rifles were able to send freezing spells, blinding star shine, incendiary fire castes, and several other spells.

From what Nozu knew of the weaponry were the two gems on the top back section of the gun, they absorbed the users spell compacting it. They hosted strange magic from Mount Fuji where they were mined, said to have the blessings of the great Ryu that dwelled within as their all father and patron god. In some complicated fashion the spell was then primed inside the chamber and sent forth upon the pull of the trigger. The condensing process allowed the spell to have a longer life before it fizzled out on its path. Where a normal mage usually only had the range of initial proximity aside from a beam energy, any magically capable being could aim with great accuracy and reach. These would be tested soon enough, with thousands of enemies and twelve fortifications with heavy coastal cannons from Mustok.

Their march stopped just before the forest cleared into sparse farmland, Nozu could see the tall walls of protective guard towers and entrenchments. A well dug in enemy as it seemed yet under careful study revealed at most five warriors per wall section and only one guard in each tower. If they spearheaded two sections they would fall easily to a simple shock and awe, but the problem came from the dead zone between them and their target. With the likelihood of dug-in cannons that could launch sticky bombs or worse, they had a conundrum.

Chihiro stood beside him, “The Major did say we were to act as a distraction? We’ll be facing a northern snow storm soon by the looks of the skies as well. Shall we wait till we can use the snow as cover? Launch smoke shells from the three cannons back there to bolster our cover? Otherwise we’ll lose a third of our force by trying to get through that alone.”

Nozu nodded, “We shall use the storm yes, but I want the cannons to fire on the left five hundred meters away and stage a distraction. The enemy will think we’ll be attacking there and aim their artillery in that direction, buying us time to get in closer before they readjust their fire. It will also divert more of their soldiers to defend the smoked embattlements, leaving a gap we can focus on piercing.”

The teal kirin nodded, “Is that your final order?”

“Yes, go get the men to get the guns in place, I want six shots put down on most of that wall to make it convincing and have them shout after. It’ll add to the trick.” He affirmed.

“Right!” the elite said with a salute and dashed away.

Isamu strode to the commander who took a seat on the ground to await the storm and his force to set up, “Going to be a long run through those flooded fields. We have fifty griffons air capable and one hundred flyers of ours we could drop fire from above? Or shall we ground them on foot?”

“No flyers until we reach the port’s inner perimeter, archers would be the danger here… too open. Besides, I have an idea for making our distraction all too potent not to earn the ire of every Cinian there.” Nozu answered.

“I will send the order then, did Chihiro say there was a storm coming?” the redish hued dracony asked just before saluting.

Indeed, past the dense leaves overhead there was a huge line of storms sucking in the air from the southeast. The feel alone from the mitigated breeze by the trees they hid in meant there was a good blizzard about to hit the area. It was that time of the seasons where it was most possible, but hopefully it affected their foes more than them.

“By the keen eyes of my mother I will attest to it, tell the warriors to suit up. We will be using it as cover.” Nozu gazed over the far distant walls checking for anything he might of missed.

A salute and a verbal affirmation and the kirin was gone, leaving their leader to be alone with his calculations. In two hours the weather would change and the battlefield would become saturated in white as the storm gathered power from the arctic blast. Their foliage cover cried and groaned as the winds swept through like tidal waves, Neighpon soldiers could feel themselves forced a little to lean on one side as the gusts passed by. Yet they were stalwart as if it were a common occurrence, they still had the commander’s energy within them and they couldn’t wait to engage in fighting.

With the plan set, Nozu waited a little longer till the snow became dense enough that the walls were just barely visible from his spot, “Signal the cannons!”

“Signal the cannons!”

“Signal the cannons!”

The line of callers between the main force and the guns carried the message over and soon the eruption of the metal bores blowing out the smoke screen capsules. The wind managed to slightly deafen their sound wave and nearly remove the explosion which sent out the precious exhaust of burning fuel. The good thing about the storm was how it carried away the cover further down the wall, it proved to do much more than Nozu expected. The walls would have even less defenders as their force would be stretched thin to reinforce the long line of obscured positions.

Giving ten minutes to pass, Nozue rose his staff in the air and stood on his hind legs to his troops, “Your Empire! Your Emperor! Your fellow citizens need your best!! You will give them your all! And if you need more?! The Equestrians are sending a princess to visit. That means we must show those ponies that WE hold our own! That WE are a force to be reckoned with!! On MEEEE!!!!”

With that final word the officers blew their whistles and joined the mad dash to the ramparts. In a massive inflow of bodies, Neighponese blindly attacked their enemy with their leader at the tip. Using their magic to keep their weapons to their backs, the warriors gained further momentum by galloping on all four. They ignored the ice cold water soaked fields and muddy rows of sprouting grains which splashed upon their scaly legs or furry fetlocks and coats. Griffons screeched in their native tongue of avian origin, and ponies shouted all eager to prove their worthiness and bring the reward of combat to their parents. What gear they had upon their belts or saddle packs jiggled and clanged against their bodies, yet like the environment as harsh as it was they endured.

Nozu could see there were at best six guards they’d have to deal with and he had an entire division at his claws. The Cinians only caught wind of their approach with barely half a mile left in between both forces, of course it was too late to react.

Two ponies working the heavy gun were ordered to reposition the weapon, but the snow had already melted enough into the ground to make it a muddy mess. They slipped trying to make the wheels budge which angered the dracony on the walls, one joined in and tried to help. Seeing little to be done else with the useless piece of metal, the defenders prepared for the coming fight as the towers fired off alarm fireworks. They were ignored with the cannons Nozu had used to fire the smoke screen shot off their explosive payloads, obscuring the sound. Only a few still rallying to the false attack point noticed the red gleam up above and changed course.

Before the enemy could attempt to send a volley of tar rounds at Nozu’s force, the kirin before them changed to a standing run on their hind legs. With Mana Rifles ready they loaded the purple gems with blinding rounds to buy more time, the kickback from the expelled energy shook the soldiers slightly. Though the sight of the flying projectile spells were all too pleasing to the massive force, like shooting stars of many colors sailing in an arch until they detonated in a flash all along the walls where awaiting guns were set to harm the Neighpon army.

Cinian troops recoiled away at the sharp pain in their eyes, some accidently firing their guns into the air to no affect. They never saw Nozu scale the stone wall and leap into the air above them in time, nor did they see the coming paralyzing staff which came slamming down upon their skulls. His first captive, colored with the magical aura of his mana so no one would steal his spoils the victim crumbled down like a rag doll. The glory of being the first was his now and he would present his record to the alicorn, how his skills and abilities would probably trump their Captain of the Guard he heard about. Some kind of attack by Changelings which he repulsed through some arcane use of love, how strange the ponies were from that land they called their own from their old exodus. Weak things they were who couldn’t survive out here in this world of theirs, they needed to be taught how to live. War was life…