Shadow of the Iron Horizon: Chapters 1&2

Chapter 1: Early Bird

The Alliance of Athelis and the Empire of Arpeggios of Graylocks were neck and neck, after one whole century of war, in the rubble that was left on both sides. Decade after decade of relentless fighting finally made the empires draw to a fragile stalemate, as the armies were utterly exhausted and their supplies depleted. No peace treaty was signed, and although the guns had fallen silent, the tension still hung in the air like a storm ready to break. On both sides, the citizens were in disarray, insecure, and fearful of what would happen next.

However, all this did not faze one man at all.

Kurtz Kitazake, an incorrigible young trainee at the most celebrated military academy of Graylocks Empire, revealed his allegiance unflinchingly. An absolute devotion to the Empire, he attempts to rise upwards in this big war, which he believes he can contribute to by turning the tide on the battlefield once again.

Chapter 2: Espionage in Athelis

As the instability between the two empires grew more palpable, both sides retreated further into their bunkers-cum-trenches, waiting for that opportune moment to strike. But that opportune moment never came. Three and a half months dragged along without even a single gunshot or the roar of planes hovering above. It became unbearable, but neither of the two sides dared to make the first move. Graylocks Empire, however, would not be so docile.

It was then that the Assembly of Generals plotted to take advantage of that moment of confusion. They called one of their most expert agents into their presence with the mission of infiltrating Athelis and uncovering its secrets.

No one knew Kara's last name, not even people in her division; she was picked for the mission. The experienced leader that she was, she accepted the mission, though the risks were higher than imaginable. The message had been crystal clear: bring back vital intelligence or your family will suffer for your failure.

It was jarringly easy to cross the border into Athelis: no guards, no checkpoints. But Kara's team was not tempted to let their guards down. Something about the quiet was unnatural. The farther in they walked, behind enemy lines, the grimmer it felt outside. Finally, they were hailed by a solitary figure who trudged toward them. He regarded them warily for a moment before speaking.

"Where'd you come from?" he asked.

Without hesitation, Kara said, "We're with the 2nd Battalion of Athelis. Just here to stock up on supplies before heading back to the front."

The man nodded, appeased by the explanation. They were in.

It was a shock-the city lying before them was whole, even pretty. The streets were clean, the buildings stood tall and undamaged, far from the iron-and-blood wastes they had left behind. Kara and her crew were taken aback for a moment by its eerie normalcy.

But their mission was not sightseeing.

As they pressed deeper into the inner capital, Kara saw a figure that stopped her heart. A man was surrounded by nearly two thousand soldiers, but he wore the unmistakable insignia of an Athelis General. There was no mistaking it-she didn't get to live this long by not recognizing key leadership when she saw them. This was no ordinary sighting; the general himself was here, out in the open?

Kara's head was racing. This wasn't reconnaissance anymore; this was an operation where something like critical intelligence-or even the takedown of a key figure-was conceivable. Yet, with that number of soldiers guarding him, the risk was equally high.

For the moment, Kara signaled her team to be still-keep a low profile, just observe. Their mission had just really begun.

Excellent

Nice job, Koya.