Corrosion
ur lite fades awey
The nations of the world came together under the banner of the United Nations to respond to this threat, and with the combined resources of over a hundred nations the world weathered more of these attacks, until it seemed like it had become a new normal.
Then two years after the first invasion, a new rift appeared, but from this rift came not demons, but people who seemed so much like us, who had experienced their own invasion with much less success. They came from a world known as Erodiel, a world that seemed straight out of a fantasy novel. And through this rift came new opportunities. Humanity could finally strike against the invaders for the first time.
Seven months have passed since the world of Earth and Erodiel were connected by a portal opened by the latter's resistance forces, and seven months since the forces of Earth were given the chance to strike at the heart of the demonic forces themselves.
Six months since the combined militaries of Earth launched an invasion into the other world in a counteroffensive that took the demonic forces by surprise. Six months since the demons found themselves getting pushed back by the unrelenting war machine of Earth's militaries, and six months since they had realised that they were facing numerous defeats.
Three months since the forces of Earth found their advance slowing from their lines stretching thin and the demons stepping up their attacks. Two months since the offensive ground to a halt, and the war seemed to have become a brutal stalemate.
Now the forces of Earth under the command of the United Nations Extradimensional Response Coalition prepares for a decisive offensive that would hopefully end the war for good, but not before a newly-formed task force comprised of both the best both Earth and Erodiel has to offer is put to the test.
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MAY 30, 2025
0755 HOURS
LOWER GALILEE, ISRAEL
Captain Jonathan Merrick sat in the passenger compartment of the UN-60M Black Hawk, the morning sunlight streaming through the small windows on the doors on either sides of the helicopter, the electronic lights within the cabin itself helping to provide some much-needed illumination. The aircraft was making good speed as it sped above the grasslands of the Lower Galilee below. The cabin was empty besides him, but it still felt rather filled with all the thoughts swimming in his head.
Merrick leaned back, taking a moment to think. Just a few days ago he had been in Syria, combating a resurgent ISIS, and now here he was, on his way to his new tasking. For whatever reason he of all people had been chosen to lead one of the teams of the newly-formed Direct Assault & Ground Reconnaissance Program, or DAGR, in which hand picked members of Earth’s finest servicemen would work alongside the best of what Erodiel had to offer. He’d been told that it was meant to encourage cooperation between those of both worlds, but he knew that it was really more of an experiment than anything else.
He shook his head. He had his orders, and he intended to fulfil them. Instead, he decided to turn his attention to the folder in his lap that contained records of his new squad. He’d read them several times already to give himself a sense of familiarity, but from what he knew the members of the squad were already quite colourful individuals.
He flipped the folder open to take another read, and he was greeted by the ID photo of Veronica Amira, his new XO. She already seemed like quite a capable soldier, and one of the exceedingly rare female members of the British Royal Marines. Plenty of experience, too, a veteran of Operation Runestone just like he was. There were a select few other members of Earth’s military forces, but the rest were all Erodiel natives.
The one he hadn’t really expected to see was the princess of the Irdonian Kingdom itself, Princess Cynthia Stormcrest. Though, from what he knew, she had been one of the minds behind the program itself, and she was the commander of the Erodiel Resistance who had been fighting their demonic enemies for many years, and had been instrumental in forming the link between the two worlds. She was a capable fighter by all means, but he still had his doubts. Mainly the fact that the princess herself would be under his leadership.
Then there were some who worried him a fair bit, namely Damian Enyo. His file was heavily redacted, and from his psych profile Merrick wondered how he was even cleared for duty after what he had been through. Apparently, he was the only survivor of his unit and had been MIA for several days. Something had happened to him, and somehow he had gained the ability to detect nearby demons. He had also gone through something of a mental break and would refuse to show his face and even speak, so that was something he had to keep an eye on.
The other one was Demi Drakos. Little was known about her other than the fact that she was much older than she seemed, and possessed a great deal of magic prowess. And also that fact that she was an actual blood-sucking vampire, which was something. She seemed to be on their side, at least, but Merrick still wasn’t quite sure how he felt about that.
The other files contained the profiles of similarly colourful individuals, and that was only the first combat team of four in total. The support staff had a cast that was just as diverse, but he didn’t have their records.
Merrick sighed and leaned back. This was going to be a challenge, that much he knew, one that was going to truly test the limits of his command. He leaned back and closed his eyes, thinking of a memory.
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"You're leaving? Already? You just got back."
"I know, and I'm sorry. I should've told you sooner."
"No, I understand. This is bigger than all of us. They need you more than we do."
"Cath, I..."
"Don't say it. I get it. I really do. You need go back for a reason."
"I'm sorry it was on such short notice, Cath. It's just that this thing just came so suddenly, and you know I'm not one to ignore orders."
"Daddy, are you really going again?"
"I know, sweetie. But I'll be back in no time. I promise."
"Pinkie promise and swear on your heart?"
"Pinkie promise and swear on my heart. Now how about you go to bed, sweetie? It's late. Just remember that I love you. All of you."
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He was shaken from his thoughts by the voice of one of the pilots. “Approaching Base Barak now, sir. Commencing landing in one mike.”
The Delta Force captain peered out the window to see his destination come into view. The swirling portal with flames licking its outline was the first to catch his attention, and really, of anyone’s. That was, as the United Nations had officially termed it, the Anomalous Extradimensional Entry Point, or rather simply and informally, the Gate. The interdimensional portal that connected the worlds of Earth and Erodiel. It sat at the peak of Mount Tabor, which was perhaps something very biblical. All around the Gate were structures, a massive fortress of concrete and metal that stretched from just by the portal itself to the base of the hill, all of which made up Base Barak. It was a massive complex that functioned as the final supply point on Earth before the other world.
Besides the hill itself was a large field of white tents surrounded by a wire fence, the trademark sight of a United Nations refugee camp. It was known as Accommodation Facility Naphtali, and it had sprung up to house the massive influx of refugees from the other world, fleeing from the demonic tide that had ravaged their world. The camp already housed a population of sixty thousand, and that number was continuing to grow as the war raged on the other side.
The Black Hawk descended, and then touched down on a helipad. Merrick slid the door open, and then he stepped out, his boots landing on solid ground. He took a moment to stretch, and then he took a breath of air, nose wrinkling slightly at the scent of engine smoke.
Well, time to meet the team...
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Princess Cynthia Stormcrest sat within the small lecture room of the base. The room itself was arranged much like a theatre, with rows of chairs on one side and a podium and screen on the other. This was of course where men would gather to receive their briefing for a mission, or for other reasons. Now, however, it was mostly empty, with only the others members of DAGR Team One with her.
She drummed her armoured fingers against the armrest of her seat, and she glanced at the others. She knew many of those from Erodiel, as they had been in her Resistance. Still, while she knew their names, the only one she personally knew was the man simply known as Davian. She had fought by his side many times before, and she knew he was someone he could trust.
The others were a little more of a mixed bag. It was true that her Resistance was made up of just about anyone and everyone who opposed the demonic forces, but they had varying degrees of proper loyalty. Many weren't really soldiers, either, unlike the professionals of Earth's militaries.
Still, they had fought the demons all the same, and for what it was worth, that was enough for her. These were the Resistance's best, after all.
She glanced at the clock, noting how it was almost eight o'clock. Or, of course, as she had come to prefer, oh eight hundred hours. She preferred the language of Earth's armed forces. Simple and efficient, without the need for extra complexity.
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