Somewhere Someplace

A crowded and large round chamber of rock and stone, darkly lit besides the partial luminescence from the few torches and glowing fungi.

It had been some time, she felt, since she had last been in this grand chamber—the central 'hub' for the Fallen's presence underneath the Huckleberry Dutchy… A presence that had contracted considerably in these last many weeks. At the very least, they were no longer a scattered network of aligned dens whose initial goal was simply raiding the surface; they were now concentrated in only a few select locations deep within the under-network.

The crystalan half-elf, to be dubbed simply thus 'Crystal' henceforward, had spent these many-many days doing…nothing, besides moving around and being in reserve. Quite frankly, it was disappointing. She was supposed to be the anointed spearhead of the elves-at-be for the Fallen's reconquest of Grandberry; yet so far, she was an over-glorified messenger girl who occasionally subsumed leadership of dens here and there. Neither her nor her bronze legion had done any combat or fighting at all, to both their dismays; she was itching for Company blood…

Worst of all, she barely even understood what their plan was… Those vampiric cultists and their so-called Great Watcher—she had never heard of such a deity. They had shown up at random that night and now acted as though they were running the place. Though, granted, their words had proven true; the information regarding the Company's advances and plan of attacks… Even the goblin general had remarked of their accuracy.

However, such notwithstanding, what she did not like was their…intentions; there was something weird about them…

There was more to what they were interested in—their yet-to-be-enacted plan of kidnapping that girl… And it was not only her who was thinking such. In fact, it was hard to know how much of this skepticism was her thoughts or the bronze golem's own bleeding in.

Yet… As Crystal stood atop the shoulders of her very golem lord, all she saw was an endless sea of figures of so many kinds and types; there was barely any space or room left, frankly. This was practically all of the souls involved in the Humbleberry campaign—of course, such was not actually all of them. Hyperbole.

Nevertheless, she could see…

Gnomes and under-goblins, their ambushers and skirmishers; dark orcs and dark elves in their linear lines of patience, their heavy infantry; in the far corners, gremlins—a spastic and crazy bunch—jittering away atop their cannons with tongues panting out; lesser giants stood tall with their huge clubs, dozing off.

These were the mere expectations, however; what stood out the most were those unlikely allies…

Forest elves from the surface who provided their scouts and spies, savage orcs who provided their brutalness, green goblins who provided their…participation, and even dwarven folks who provided their equipment and craftsmanship… More astonishing were the few dozen Protector deserters who had abandoned their oath, their tarnished gold armor unmistakable. And she had even discovered throughout her time here that they even had 'mysterious' benefactors who had been providing them with the contemporary weapons of man.

Indeed… Beheld before her crystalic pinkly ignited eyes…was the true strength of the Fallen: it was beyond any one race or civilization, united by a single cause. Unlike man, they did not exclude; they were a composite of victims and the forsaken. These devilish nightstalkers were merely the most recent addition.

Yet, of course, Crystal herself—a halflite—was only interested in being delivered her promised revenge. Such was her only investment; such was the only thing that kept her moving in any of this…ridiculousness. She could only wonder what her so-called 'father' would be thinking; would that he could see her now.

"At long last… I have been awaiting." Her thoughts conveniently escaped her breaths.

Indeed… One of the cultists' protectors—not to be confused with 'Protectors'—had ordained suchly. Everyone had been gathered; everything was assembled; they were all simply awaiting an impending arrival—she herself, of course, being in the front row. This had to be an announcement…

"All of this nothingness… Surely this must be it; our time." She could barely hear her own voice from the noise of the crowd.

Though, the bronze golem lord needed not to hear to know and neither did she—a synchrony of thoughts and information, not words or voices.

"Yes, of course, much has been befalling. I meant nothingness in what we have been doing…." she recognized; "I still fail to see how any of this has strengthened us. The efforts of the goblin's army have been undone…" She looked towards that entry abyss of an opening directly ahead, no light emanating through and from. "Perhaps they will give us that clarity…"

The bronze golem lord's pinkish glowing eye-lenses blinked slightly.

"Yes… Wars require years to fight, I know that; I have contributed…my own years of value. But we are so close; this could be everything I have been desiring—hoping… If what they say is true; of what their plans are to be leading towards… Vanquishing that perfidious company from our rightful lands." She turned her pinkish ignited eyes to that golem's triangular head. "I believe that is why you accepted me, sir knight… We are driven by the same thing."

The golem lord's glowing eyes flashed abruptly for a moment.

"They are here…" She returned her attention; the crowded crowd below…gradually but surely became silent, some seeing what was arriving for the very first time—perplexed and bemused, no doubt…

Lights in the abyss, as if floatfully crawling out from the pores and holes in the crevices around. The dozen or so supposedly divine protectors were quick to take their encircling formation as they had done the last time. Yet unlike that last time, these protectors were different now. Instead of that golden glow of piercing light in their central eyes, it was a stranger magenta; instead of that dark and almost manufactured—industrious—ancient brown, their protective armoring was now a bleak…ostensibly blackish color.

They were the same bulky and pointy shape, however.

One of them—of a different sort and more circular floaty kind—hovered about, center high, threads of light beaming forth from its large and only eye, moving in a magentic wave as if reading their very existences.

Not long after, of course, finally arrived in a shadowy forward march from that frontal abyss… The cultists themselves; there were even more of them this time. Arriving, they took their own linear position around. They might be obscured with their pale lavender cloaks and their strange fang-smiling masks, but each and every one of them had the same…rust that emanated from their auras and souls. It almost made her ignited eyes 'flicker', as if 'scratching' a growing 'itch'.

Yet the worst of these esoteric 'scents' came not from those lavender cloaked ones, but seemingly their leader of a more peculiar silver-grey cloak and an even more peculiar triangular mask, engraved upon which was that…unsettling glyph. Although, truth be told, it was difficult to distinguish whether the terrible sense was actually coming from her or the other cloaked soul standing closely behind her…

Indeed, that one clearly had to be something special compared to the others, considering the cloak was of a distinct darkly indigo-dye color, the mask being of a darker grey…having neither smile nor fangs, but simply a circle in the middle of which was a single dot…

"How do they see through those things…" Crystal had to wonder. Truly, it gave her the creeps; though, she remained steadfast.

Interim

Ariel stood in place as her mask-obscured eyes scanned about, initially overwhelmed by the huge crowd of quiet disquieted souls. "Is this all of them?" her songful voice mumbled with inquiry… "Floaty…" She looked up to the overwatch sentinel, to be dubbed simply thus 'Floaty', which hovered down to her.

Seeing its arrival, she pressed her provided communicator and translation device in her left ear, which too had been…recustomized to be of a midnight color pattern; its light blinked on in that same magenta.

{In progress.} Its deep and intimidating synthetic voice so replied. Abruptly, the sentinel began to scan Ariel to her hidden surprise. {Your auric strain is minimal, however there are indications of stress. Have you been consuming the provided nourishment?}

"…" Ariel remained stoic. With evasive—hidden—eyes, she quietly replied; "It tastes sickeningly awful…"

{Noted. We will inform Hive to recalibrate sustenance synthetization to improve flavoring effect.} Floaty thus noted. {However, it is necessary that you maintain sufficient auric strength in order to handle intensive asset synchronization, mitigate depletion, and counter critical fade risk. You are a designated candidate for C.C.. Prioritization of both personal and essential well-being is required.}

"…the Watcher wills it…" Ariel could sigh, though she did not; she was not going to be consuming one of those horrid bars here, of course.

{In other information, Hive asset reconfiguration is in process. Allocated proxy equipment will be customized to your specified cosmetic preferences.}

"I…told mother that I wanted dark blue—like Umbriel's hair and cloak. Not black…" Ariel replied, her mask-obscured magenta ignited eyes staring at a seemingly black sentinel.

{Incorrect. The shade of coloring, while noticeably dark, is categorically blue. It is being perceived as black by your optical processing due to the insufficient lighting in this area and consequential understimulation of retinal cone cells.}

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"Still not what I asked for…" Ariel finally did sigh. "It does not matter; I am not picky."

The circular and more rounded shaped sentinel—an assessor—finally finished its scanning assessment of the murmuringly waiting Fallen, withdrawing.

{Assessment completed.} Floaty immediately received the data. {Although not the entirety of their estimated forces and assets in this region, a plurality is present.}

That same assessor, arriving, promptly lowered itself to Ariel's view, projecting from its expanding lenses a digitized diagnostic of a single monotone hue which she quickly began to skim.

"Hm…" She seemed impressed; "They have been hoarding a lot. Cannons… They are remarkably diverse; that is many races…"

{Yes—}

"What are you doing?!" So snarled away with quite the shout that familiar goblin general, who came stomping forth; the impatience bled from his very essence.

Floaty immediately reacted with focused security, eye lens brightening, though Ariel gestured calm…which the sentinel proceeded to do.
"You should be more cautious, cousin."

"I am not your cousin!" The goblin general waved his hand…though he did not bother to get closer. "We have gathered! And you are keeping us waiting and that is making unease! Half of us believe this is a trap!"

"To which you nevertheless assembled…" Ariel merely replied.. "I apologize. We shall begin this, now… What you have been awaiting for." She quickly glanced at the indigo-cloaked figure behind. "Sister, follow…" And thus, she and her indigo-cloaked sibling both approached closer into more sufficient view for all…most…of whom had gathered.

With her communicator and translator light still active with reception, once again Ariel was to be nothing more than the messenger of greater schemes so scheming, her words being merely the filtered conveyances.

"You have all been wondering the plan which we have been preparing." thus she began to so speech away, her voice seemingly weirdly loud and…almost omnipresent—those in even the farthest corners could hear so clear.

There was a speaker operator hovering about synched with her communicator.

"You have followed our suggestions, withdrawn from your unnecessary dens, and gave the Company a false sense of easy and victory." Ariel continued on; "The pieces are coming onto this stage; they think you are weak, and their arrogant complacency will present holes to exploit."

"Save your platitudes!" the goblin general, however, screeched in mimicking tongue; "Weeks of silence even after we agreed, all we want is the full plan already! Give us confirmation that you are with us!"

"Getting there…" Ariel muttered, forgetting that her voice was 'on speaker'… She ahemed. "Floaty…" She deferred to the sentinel.

{Initiating briefing.} The overwatch sentinel repositioned itself higher so that all could see its upscaled visuals and displays of…now magenta monotone hue, which it so swiftly began to project from its center eye—to the gasps of those stunned and surprised.

"Woah…" The half-elf, Crystal, standing by on shoulder, was once again amazed. "It is close…" Indeed, it was.

{Terrestrial monitoring has been observing the on-going situation on the surface. Utilizing gathered data and predictive modelling, Hive has developed the following plan of action.} The sentinel spoke its synthetic voice, yet Ariel did not immediately translate.

"What's it saying??" The still impatient goblin general, naturally, wanted to know.

Yet Ariel simply eyed so plain; "Platitudes that you care little for…"

{Due to on-going geopolitical tensions between the Huckleberry Dutchy and the United Central Trade Company (or UCTC), its operating forces are receiving minimal assistance from the ducal loyalist faction; its logistics are overdependent on a few key locations which we have identified.}

"…Our spies on the surface bring news that the Company's assembled army in Huckleberry is no longer receiving adequate help from the dutchy due to a newly emergent squabble." Ariel, meanwhile, simultaneously began to convey—of course, in her own filtered words of flowery obfuscation of intentions. "The Company's plan of retaliation against us needed the duke's consent and nourishment from those who follow him, without which they must rely on their own supplies… And our spies have brought marks of those important places."

Indeed, the overwatch sentinel displayed a large map.

{These outposts and storage facilities form an interconnected link critical to the logistic network supplying both UCTC military forces and commercial security escorts.} The projected depictions and visualizations—maps, diagrams, and digitized focuses—flowed and matched with the moves of its voice. {Eliminating these targets will disrupt resupply of involved units, inhibit force mobility throughout the Huckleberry region, and threaten long-term sustainability of their operation.}

"…With our guidance, you will finally be going on the offense." Ariel, having conveyed, continued it; "The plan is for a single decisive raid on each of these outposts—not to steal, but to burn and raze. This will cripple their war efforts and will force them to find alternative supplies before desperation chokes its hold."

She only conveyed what was immediately necessary for them to know—not the intricate depths of the plan, rationale thereof, nor even true extent of the sentinel's own words.

Yet the goblin general was staring up at that large projected map, seeing the marked and highlighted points of interest… He knew what he was seeing. "[I know those bases… We were trying to avoid them—not that it matters anymore…]" he muttered, though only to then grin… "[Heh. Indeed, I am eager for an offensive…]"

Abruptly, the digitized visuals and projected display changed, shifting view and emphasis to the under-network that laid beneath the surface above.

{Despite the general vacancy of routes in the accessible subterranean network in the Huckleberry region, we have identified suitable pathways that will bring your assigned taskforces closest to the targeted locations.} Those holographic routes were detached and highlighted. {Physical maps will be provided for your coordination; we have been authorized to allocate necessary supporting assets and personnel.}

"…Follow these paths, and you will be able to attack these outposts with surprise and awe. Our spies have made maps for your convenience, and you will have some of our own at your disposal." Ariel had simultaneously reconveyed, though she then transitioned with seizing initiative. "Everything done thus far—the sacrifices… Our suggestions were not without motives. It was to forge a perception of easy victory, and their arrogance is already showing…"

Following her voice, the sentinel shifted its displays yet again, visualizing holo-projected schematics, parameter information, and stationed force details—all windowed next, of course, to that flat map on which…different points became highlighted.

"As you see," she looked at the map, "many of the dens our spies fed them…happened to be around those very outposts. They have been deceived to believe we have been weakened greatly." She relooked at them; "Feeling safe, they have siphoned much of the defenders away to place elsewhere… And these outposts are no longer as defended."

"Hehm." The goblin general mused within; "Say we succeed and destroy those supply outposts… What then, huh?" He wanted to know the full picture of what they were planning.

"The nature of our deception—the depths of our coordination—will immediately be revealed." Ariel was honest. "The invasive mans, arrogant, are not stupid; they will realize, but the damage will be done and, if the timing is done correctly, the consequences that come to collect will be grave." She smirked from behind that mask… "And with every drop of spilled, they will become more maddened to avenge. The pressure on them is extreme, and they must justify every death of their war by tenfold."

"Alright, and what does this mean? What does this do?" the goblin general interrogated; "I understand your playing of strategy, what happens after?"

{Escalation is anticipated. Operatives will continue providing false targets for retaliatory elimination, including this operating base.} Floaty reinitiated its designated briefing, to which Ariel reconveyed.

"What??!" And the goblin general really did not like that. "This is the core of our purification in Huckleberry! You cannot dare to—"

"Calm, cousin." Yet Ariel interrupted; "We did not request your full assembly without cause… By then, we will be well elsewhere."

The projected map shifted yet again as it refocused on the accessible underworld, specifying in the depths…a new area of interest, and the route leading to it.

{We have identified this subterranean pocket locale as a more suitable and secure base of operations for your forces. It is sizeable for the majority of your forces' housing, supplies, and retraining. Location is in the relevant inter-proximity to the primary UCTC forward operating station and the city of Grandberry.}

"…This once lost chamber is of an ideal size and position." Ariel meanwhile did her thing. "Everything we are…suggesting that you do are nothing more than repeating feints with respect to the real prize: Grandberry."

"Grandberry??" The goblin general really did not like this… "I thought your plan was to kidnap that manling bastard child and use her as leverage first!"

"That is still the plan; however, plans…do change." Ariel…admitted, though kept her persona. "An attack on Grandberry has been…determined to be a…necessary step—an ultimate distraction to an already penultimate diversion. All eyes will be pulled away from the bulge, allowing us to stage our raid on the Berrybottom's estate with ease."

"It would be suicide, and you already made me sacrifice too many!" the goblin general squealed with hopping feet; "We wouldn't have anybody left to even ambush them in the underworld!"

"Trust us. We have a plan in the works… But it is still in development—treat this delay as a sign of our caution." Ariel so reassured. "In time, you will know its depths. But right now, the focus is on those supply outposts. Nothing else happens or matters until they have been destroyed at the precise time."

The goblin general calmed, though remained uneased… "There is more to these…plans of yours than you say to us—I'm not a fool." he thus began to say; "But… you have given us at least a plan of action… That's all we wanted." His goblin eyes so gazed up at that digital projection so enlarged for display; he still could barely comprehend what he was looking at… "It's clear to me your…god really is some kind of all-seeing eye… Who am I to challenge its…plans." Even if he still did not feel it was on their side. Even so, this 'Great Watcher' and its cult was terrifying in their planning abilities—never mind intelligence gathering.

"Yes…" Ariel so mellowly replied; "But always keep as a whisper in memory: we are here to only help you… Not control you."

Yet, then so abruptly: "Neugh!!" Interjecting herself was, of course, that cloaked half-elf, who so stood atop her equally interested bronze golem lord—both annoyed and frustrated in their own ways. "I am sickened by this waiting! What of me—us!"

"Hm?" And, naturally, attention sharply flipped to them.

Crystal, despite her outburst, suddenly…became more nervous; though, she ultimately persevered. "Ahem—Where do I—we—come forth into this?" Both her and it had awaited with eager anticipation…only to be still left without any answers. "You requested my—our…legion for your…kidnapping. We are willing to lend you it, but all you have me—us—do is…nothing? Stand and wait… When do we finally—"

"Soon enough, Crystallan." Ariel so spoke; "You and your legion are what started this…retaliation. Your bronze golem lord is a target, and its absence forces them to keep fighting us." she explained; "Even a slim encounter that results in no deaths could be reconstrued as an excuse to claim victory and stop, and we need them to keep biting."

"I see…" But Crystal wanted to start spilling blood now. She wanted her vengeance.

"Always remember, halflite of Crystalla, your kind were not the only ones victimized by the Company. I understand your rage. I do." Ariel stated…slightly more personally; though, she quickly refocused her attention to everyone. "Regardless, once you all have been…relocated to your…new home, we will reveal greater details regarding the initiation of this attack plan. Although the majority present will be relocated, many of you must stay behind here in order to inflict…needed distractions."

"[To be more sacrifices…]" The goblin general snarled almost.

"Martyrs to the Watcher. Heroes to your betrayed Crown." Ariel preferred a rephrase. "We will not be the selectors; that is your prerogative. And, as I said, they will not be alone." Her hand waved to she who was behind and who thus stepped closer in reply. "This is…my sibling, Umbriel." she introduced; "If I am a messenger, then she is a deliverer. She along with several of our own will remain here; they shall provide guidance and direct help."

The goblin general snorted as he stared… "[I don't like the smell from that one…]" Indeed, so silent and quiet; a very terrible sense emanated from that indigo-cloaked other.

"Needless to say," yet Ariel so began her closing statement, "come the final day of Autumn's Feast, we shall attack their outposts; from there on, the pieces will begin to fall in place…for the finale."