Minutes passed since I sent out the order and I saw people start to gather at the vanguard trenches. It was clear there was confusion about what Vanguard meant, but eventually everybody understood what was going on exactly.


    Me and the rest of Valdez’s squad was joined by a dozen others as everybody gathered at the vanguard trenches preparing for an assault.


    I was sure everybody was in the trenches or as many that could realistically fit in the trenchline, to target the warehouse for one big push.


    I brought out my clipboard, “Majors once you confirm most of your squads are in the vanguard or surrounding trenches, send a message confirming everyone is present. The main goal of clearing out the bunkers and tunnels is still a priority, but taking their base of operation is now more important.” Orders from CeoofMacNCheese.


    I looked over the top of the trench, I didn’t see anything until I saw a goblin pop its head up from the trench line. Followed immediately by a gunshot and then falling down back into the trench very much dead.


    I heard the panic of the goblins from the trench not that far away.


    “Can we hit them with our arrows from this close?” A goblin asked.


    “Possibly.” Another answered.


    I turned to the grenadier who was sitting down on the firing board.


    “Throw a grenade into the neighboring trench, I hear quite a few in there.” I said.


    The grenadier nodded, he stood up, grabbed the red glowing ball from his pouch, when he pulled the pin it started to buzz, and threw it. The grenade flew in an arc, it exploded right above the trench line prompting cries from the goblins.


    “What the hell!” One cursed.


    “So those glowing balls really explode.” Another said scared.


    The grenade roused a response from the trench they were in, as orders from whoever their commanders were, started being yelled around.


    “Prepare to attack. Stop standing around doing nothing! This is our last chance at victory!” Yelling the deep voice.


    A message from Fish, and Silenz confirming everybody in his company was at the trenchline.


    “Prepare for an enemy attack!” I yelled, everybody turned their attention towards the communication trenches that connected to the ones we were in.


    I looked towards the trench line that the enemy was in and saw the goblins were climbing up and out of the trench line and for some reason started to cross directly towards ours, despite cover being available.


    Everywhere they did just that, up and out then they ran towards the forward trench line we were at, all exposed. These were very much untrained conscripts.


    I brought out my SMG, and began firing into the charging goblin horde. I wasn’t all that accurate, but from the sheer amount climbing out almost every shot had hit, resulting in a goblin falling down and being trampled in the process.


    The rest of the force had also taken notice soon after I did and began to fire into the charging horde. AT Guns charged up, grenades were being desperately thrown, the trench they were climbing out was only 30 feet away.


    30 feet was the distance they had to cross to get to us, I reloaded and fired another mag in the seemingly never ending horde of Goblins. Explosions rocketed the goblin horde throwing up dust, and gore into the sky. Hundreds of guns tore through the goblin horde, annihilating the disorganized lines of goblins.


    I heard the goblins fear, yet the sheer amount of goblins made it impossible to pick out any words from them.


    No spells had been activated at the moment, the goblins'' attempted charge lasted less than a minute. As in the end there were only hundreds of dead goblins that formed a small hill, I looked over to my left and right and saw men were moving forward through the communication trenches.


    I looked over and saw no more movement from the trench the goblins were in, meaning we either killed them all or they were scared shitless and as such refuse to attack us.


    I brought out my clipboard. “Cancel waiting, they have made attempted attacks, whatever you have just take the trenches and surround the warehouses on the whistle. Do not use grenades, flamethrowers, or AT guns when you get near the warehouses.” Orders from CeoofMacNCheese.


    I brought out my whistle and blew it, a high pitched whine came out. “Go get dinner!” I ordered, everybody gave a cheer and began moving through the trenches, with me right behind them.


    I entered the communication trench, with the rest of the squad. No one, not even me, wanted to risk getting hit by making a direct beeline towards the warehouse. Instead we took an indirect route, through the for once properly built trench lines that wiggled providing natural cover from the way it moves through the landscape.


    I could hear explosions off in the distance, by distance I mean it was loud. Deafening so, as I saw several pillboxes being shot at with a dozen AT guns. The boxes immediately caved in on itself; a quick survey of the surrounding trenches near the pillboxes showed there were attempts at resistance via arrows from the goblins. They were somewhat successful from the fact that a few dozen soldiers were being treated by medics for arrow wounds.


    I didn’t even need to raise a finger or order as I silently moved through the trenchline towards the warehouse with Valdez’s squad.


    The fighting was desperate, with goblins performing suicide charges from surrounding trenchlines, pillboxes, and bunkers. There was a pile of dead goblins everywhere I could see, there''s an alright chance we will be eating good tonight.


    When I arrived at the warehouses it was a different story entirely, the warehouses were brick and mortar, providing substantial protection. I didn’t know the inside of the warehouses but there were archers and crossbowmen on the roof.


    Smoke covered the battlefield obscuring my vision so I couldn’t see much yet.


    I saw that Fish was here, he was cautiously looking at the battlefield from the fire step, occasionally looking over for brief moments before crouching back down. I took a position next to him on the fire step.


    “What''s happening?” I asked.


    Fish turned to me clearly in shock. “They have guns, that''s what''s happening.” He exclaimed.


    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    “Guns? I thought they were less advanced than that?” I asked.


    “I thought so too, good news is that it''s just single shot guns from what I’ve seen.” Fish Mekely said.


    “I hope their guns aren’t rifled.” I said I was equally scared.


    “Yeah, they’ve fired several volleys at us, and lost a few squads.” Fish said.


    “Volleys? They have that many guns?” I asked.


    “Yep, we already lost a few guys.”


    I took a peak from the trench, I saw several squads cowering behind brick cover, looking closer towards the warehouse the smoke had disappeared there I saw a single Lizard just standing in the center uncovered.


    To the sides of the lizard, there was a long line of sandbags, through the firing holes in the fully built sandbags I saw possibly hundreds of goblins behind them. I could also hear all those goblins from that direction too, so I was sure they were taking cover behind the sandbags.


    The warehouse had many open windows where I saw a barrel belonging to a gun sticking out from each one. The archers and crossbow goblins were as stated before were on the roof.


    Yet no one was taking any shots at the goblins on the roof. Then the goblins and ogres suddenly stood up revealing hundreds of them, along with the goblins on the roof.


    “Take cover, they are about to fire!” Yelled a Warrant Officer in the trench, as hundreds of arrows fell down on the trench line. Fish and I were luckily not hit by an arrow as dozens of soldiers in the line fell down in pain. Arrows littered the battlefield around.


    Followed immediately by someone activating a healing spell, leading to those that were hit getting back up immediately.


    I got to ordering bringing out on my clipboard once more, “Prepare to return fire! Throw grenades and fire AT guns at the sandbags!” I ordered, with the same message appearing in front of me and everybody else.


    Everybody scrambled back up onto the fire steps, presenting their arms. The soldiers behind the cover carefully gauged the battlefield then they started lobbing grenades, followed by the wind up of an AT Gun. Prompting an immediate response from the guns in the warehouse, with them attempting to hit the AT Gunners.


    However several explosions rocked the sandbag forts annihilating the cover revealing hundreds of goblins and ogres in the lines. All of them were guarding the warehouse.


    I brought out my whistle and when I saw the majority were on the firestep, “Aim!” I yelled.


    “They are about to fire, get behind cover you meatbags!” I heard the lizard yell, it was pointing around. The goblins and ogres immediately began scrambling for new cover.


    However the bipedal lizard didn’t run for cover, just standing there.


    When I blew the whistle, a second later a massive volley tore through the lizard, ogres and goblins. Followed immediately by a counter volley from the warehouse, I saw dirt get thrown around as a round musket ball hit the dirt in front of me.


    Smoke covered the warehouse''s top floor. I looked back at the lizard who was clearly the commander.


    The lizard didn’t fall down, the goblins and ogres that couldn’t get to cover in time fell down dead. Yet the lizard didn’t fall down, there was blood dripping out of it, a lot from what I could tell from this distance.


    Then the Lizard moved their head upwards and gave out a series of high pitched squeaks, almost like a laugh.


    Then it said, “These newcomers are funny with their guns. But this is not how you kill an Apostle!” The Lizard laughed.


    “Fire another volley directly at the lizard!” I ordered, everybody turned their guns on the lizard.


    I blew my whistle again and a hundred rounds tore into the lizard in every inch of the body. It was annihilated, to the point it was unrecognizable if I knew what it even looked like before. I could literally see what I thought was the organs.


    This prompted a counter volley of arrows from the goblins on the warehouse.


    The side of my head felt warm, followed by a slight sting.


    “What?” I quietly said to myself.


    I put my hand on the stinging spot, and looked at it, there was blood on my hand. I was bleeding, looking behind me I saw a bullet belonging to a rifle was lodged into the plank behind me.


    “It ricocheted?” I said in disbelief, I looked at the lizard again and at that moment I saw its wounds just heal.


    “Open fire at the lizard again!” I ordered, panicked at the idea of an unkillable enemy.


    Then the lizard got down into a running stance like it''s going to kick off the ground. Then it did just that, suddenly dashing forward almost like a character from those shonen manga. Directly towards the line, hundreds of guns fired in another volley, all missed the lizard hitting the warehouse and surrounding area.


    I lept off the ground with a lot of strength and speed in an attempt to intercept the flying lizard.


    I was successful in my attempt as I directly slammed into the Lizard mid air, with a speed equal to it. Knocking it off course into remaining sandbags while I was essentially stopped and I slammed into the ground.


    A healing spell was active, the lizard however wasn’t too happy about me.


    “So you are the apostle, although you are a mere toy, to the Child. I’ll entertain her for a little bit but no more. I’ll show the child a real apostle, not this embarrassment to our kind.” The lizard said, all I knew was that it was a threat.


    I grabbed my spellbook and activated another healing spell as the Lizard charged forward. Time slowed down even more, as I barely avoided the lizard slamming into me.


    I got a good look at the lizard, leopard gecko-like scales covered in blood. I didn’t get much chance to look any more as the lizard somehow stopped itself midair, or was stopped by something from the way it seemed to bounce off an invisible wall.


    Then it launched forward without needing to kick off the ground, followed by what felt like a shock. Almost as if the air was rushing out to equalize in pressure with the surrounding air.


    The lizard came flying at me again, its hands or claws were spread out as I couldn’t recover in time. It was fast, almost the speed of a high speed train. It was too fast for me to dodge, the lizard grabbed my arm and it slowed down as it should’ve and by a lot.


    Followed by another shock wave as I suddenly found myself in the sky.


    “Ever been in the sky before?” The lizard asked with a murderous look, throwing me upwards.


    I was rotating out of control, I couldn’t straighten myself out when the lizard suddenly slammed into me. My breath was thrown out of my gut.


    “At some point the air becomes too thin for a living being to breathe in, before eventually disappearing. I am sure you know that if you are considered an apostle.” The lizard said.


    I didn’t respond as I couldn’t, nor did I want to. The Lizard gave a punch to my gut, knocking out whatever air I was able to recover.


    I was becoming angrier with each hit I took, I was angry at the world for giving me a hand I could barely control, I was angry at, Program Administrator for throwing me into this world without preparation or hell prior warning. But I was also angry at myself for not being able to even fight back, I failed everybody, even Administrator.


    The lizard grabbed my throat, as I had barely recovered my breath. It was getting cold now, the wind was powerful, there was a good chance we had hit some sort of jet stream. Although it wasn’t like it mattered at all as I was losing consciousness from the lack of air.


    The lizard grip tightened, as I weakly tried to reach for my saber. I gave up on that line of attack as I was losing consciousness to even grab onto it. Let alone to pick it up.


    “I knew it, you are a mere toy. You are getting thrown around just like a toy, it seems like the only thing the Child is good at is throwing around city destroying weapons. Which the child doesn’t have here do they? Apostle of the Child to the Abrahamic God.” The lizard said grimly, their grip was tightening even more on my throat. I was grabbing at the Lizards claw that was digging into my throat but to no avail at relieving the pressure.


    The lizard wasn’t speaking at all, just simply focused on killing me.


    I decided to do one last desperate attempt at a chance of getting free. I opened my jaw as wide as I could, and with the last bit of strength I had left. I lunged forward and chomped onto the lizard''s neck, before pulling back, tearing out the shoulder muscles.


    As I hoped, their grip loosened on my neck giving me room to breath. As their shoulder dropped before it began to rapidly heal the exposed flesh.


    The lizard was clearly angry.


    It picked me up with its right arm, till I was eyelevel by the neck still, brandishing its left claw it slashed across my face, I could no longer see out of my left eye as pain shot up across my face. Almost like a cat scratch but worse, with my remaining right eye beginning to be covered in blood.


    Before it lets me go, allowing me to fall, the height will surely finish me off.


    Through blurry eyes I saw the lizard was just standing there, on nothing with an angry look, not sure how I could tell. I just knew it was pissed.


    I was in free fall, now still looking at the Leopard Gecko styled lizard, who was covered in a neon glowing red. Before suddenly it disappeared.


    Afterwards I blacked out. There was nothing, nothing left to experience or was there?


    I couldn’t tell.


    I heard whispering in my ear, “You won’t die,” I heard the familiar voice of Administrator, “I won’t let you.” She whispered.


    “You won’t die.” She said, repeatedly then stopped, there was nothing except for my mind.


    Everything that happened before was a blur, I could barely remember.


    Wait..


    Who am I?


    Where am I?


    How am I?


    When am I?


    What am I?


    I just stood there in this nothing that surrounded me, confused, before I heard something then saw something. Sparks of white, and shades of gray and black. Along with the garbledness of nothing.


    I felt something, a massive amount of pain. I didn’t like it, I had nothing to tell me what was happening. Why was I in pain, how do I know I am in pain, what is causing that pain.


    The only thing I knew was to respond and that was to scream, yet I had no mouth yet I must scream. To tell someone, I am in pain in hopes they know I need help.


    How do I know I am not alone, and why must I scream?


    I don’t know, maybe I should sleep. Will it help?


    I hope so.