Reich Marshal of the Belkan Reich

RM Vol 4: War – Chapter 11: Case Yellow (Day 3 – Impromptu Alliance)-

"Eh..." Long Caster dryly says while turning to look at one of the operators aboard the AWACS. "Did we do that?"

The man gestures to the live footage of the scorching Chéhéry and Connage. At this point, Omicourt is basically burned to the ground. " I'm pretty sure we didn't douse them in oil and torch them, right?" The question is laced with sarcasm, making some of the crew chuckle while shaking their heads.

Aside from some Willy Pete rockets, none of the incendiary bombs were dropped directly on the three towns. What happened was bad winds carrying the fiery embers willy-nilly and making life harder for the Ustian Loyalists. They expected the bombs and such to do a lot of damage, sure, but they never thought they would light a fire beneath the Loyalists' ass like that. Currently, the Loyalists are forced to put out the fires in the two towns first, otherwise, they will be consumed by the flame. When the 1st Panzer Division is finally spotted approaching Chéhéry, the Loyalists are stuck between a rock and a hard place. Fight the Belkans and they'll be burned to death or fight the flame and show their defenseless back toward the enemy.

Sure, Chéhéry does have numerous tanks of the 3e BCC waiting in ambush, but they're hopelessly out of position. When Chéhéry was set aflame, the tank crews hastily removed their R35 tanks from the town. No one wants to sit under a burning building in the slowest tank out there. Save for a few tanks in hull-down positions in Chéhéry's perimeter, the remaining H35 are sitting in the open fields around the town, some are even empty. The crews of these tanks run to aid in firefighting alongside the common foot soldiers. They aren't tasked to do that, yes, but if they can't even save a town, then how can they protect their country? The fire seems big enough that there won't be much left of Chéhéry come dawn if no one stops it.

The total abandonment of any defensive plan would usually have these good-natured soldiers court-martialed by their superiors. Fortunately for them, even the officers see it as a must to save Chéhéry and Connage from a combination of Belkan bombing and freak accidents. Some officers command the firefighting efforts while others rush to commandeer fire engines or water trucks. No one even cares about the approaching Belkan force, they only care whether or not the civilians will still have a roof and a place to call home.

It's unfortunate but some civilians stubbornly cling to their properties and lands even in wartime. They either find sentimental value in their homes or are just incapable of relocating elsewhere. Now, the remaining civilians of Chéhéry and Connage are forced to fight for the very lands they're living on with tears on their faces. Nobody expected a monstrous gust to set their abodes ablaze. They believed the combat would have left them be as long as they showed the white flag on the veranda. They thought wrong.

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Regardless, with the Loyalists paying full attention to putting out the fire in the two towns, it has created a weird situation where the Belkan shows up at arms only to find no enemy to fight. What they come to see is men of all ages and even some ladies are forced to pass along buckets of water, ultimately dumping them into burning houses and barns. Their attires are worse for wear, their faces and arms covered in burns and soot, and their guns and equipment lay abandoned away from the flames... Overall, the Belkans do not see a proper fighting force, all they see are desperation in Chéhéry and Connage. It's a heart-wrenching sight for the Belkans since they were the unintended firestarters in the first place. The supposed battles for Chéhéry and Connage can be considered won just because the Loyalist garrisons find no will to resist Belkan occupations. The Loyalists truly have better things to worry about.

Yet, in the eyes of the 1st Panzer Division, this is not a sweet victory at all. It tastes bitter like ashes in the air. They were looking forward to a series of pivotal battles, not mindlessly lighting fire to civilian infrastructure to flush both combatants and non-combatants out. Sure, if the building is garrisoned by the enemy then lethal force is authorized, regardless of civilian presence or not. Still, this is on a building-by-building basis, what happened were towns with families of non-combatants all over being set on fire. No matter how one tries to spin this, the Belkans are responsible, at least in part, for setting off the chain of unfortunate burning.

Witnessing the lamentable calamity, none of the Belkans find it in them to point their weapons at the Loyalists. General Raymond of the 1st Panzer Division even expressively ordered not to engage the towns of Chéhéry and Connage. Instead, an advanced party will be sent to meet the unaffected Loyalists at Chemery while the bulk of the 1st will aid in the burning towns. So, in one of the most major twists in history, Belkan and Loyalist vehicles are parked side by side as soldiers from both sides forgo their weapons for tools and medical equipment. Stares and gazes are exchanged before all unanimously agree to set aside their difference to save what's in front of them. Those who can speak each other's tongue aid in coordinating the firefighting duties while the rest take to the fiery front, either using their strength or talent to combat the flame. In the rear, the engineers and support units of the 1st Panzer Division rush to the affected towns with more fire engines and medical vehicles. Impromptu field hospitals are set up to treat burns and toxic inhalations.

As more and more Belkans join the firefighting effort, the spread of the flame starts getting under control. It's not uncommon to see some Belkan soldiers using their magical talents. Ice and water spells are thrown out constantly while earth pillars and walls are raised to prevent the collapse of some buildings. There are cases of people still trapped inside the burning housings. As such, brave Loyalists work hand in hand with the Belkans to rescue them. The latter will work to secure a safe passage while the former rush in to stabilize the rescuee and bring them out. The scenes would have made for wonderful tales of friendship and cooperation amidst tragedy but regrettably, not everyone can be saved. Those that perish are mostly trapped Loyalists and civilians who failed to run in time despite the fire warning. The flame has been too fast and fiery for them to get out or wait for rescue. It's expected that their screams will haunt soldiers from both sides for days to come.

Still, there are also circumstances of true heroism in the heat of the moment. When a grandmother of a family rushes to the soldiers, dropping to her knees and begging for them to rescue her grandchild, the soldiers rush only to see a nearly destroyed home. It's a three-story building slotted between two other houses, and the grandchild, a baby in a crib, is stuck on the third floor of the building. The grandmother was elsewhere to sound the town's warning bell when the fire reached her home. Now, it's up to the soldiers from two nations to rescue her grandchild. The house is burning too bright, too deadly, it's also unknown whether the baby is still alive or not. The good thing is the fire hasn't affected the third floor, much, so there's still a chance.

The Loyalists grab a speeding fire engine by literally jumping in front of its path before rushing to claim the water hoses. As the Loyalists douse the fire in the ground floor with minimal effect, a Wood Elf takes a deep breath, and splats herself with a ball of water, before running right into the burning abode. The brave Belkan woman then secures a path by transfiguring earth pillars from the ground, blocking some of the flames from reaching her as she makes her way to the staircase. The process drains her mana and stamina as water vapor appears all over her body. Getting up to the second floor, the Elf nearly got scorched by a breath of flame if not for her jumping back a step. It's hard with all the fire around her but the Elf manages to create a big enough ball of water to clear the path to the third floor. Once there, she kicks open the door that she thinks is the baby's room. It has been a guess for her, to be honest, but it's a good guess, thankfully.

Seeing the baby still in their crib, the entire room filled with smoke and being encroached by flame, the Elf dashes to secure the child. Wrapping the baby with the blankets in the crib, the Elf is just about to backtrack when the floor outside the baby's room collapses to the bottom floor.

"Fuck!" The Elf manages to step back just in time, hugging the baby closer to her chest. A stray fear speeds across her mind, painting a cruel image of her and the child plummeting down the burning pit.

Tearing that imagery mentally, the Elf runs back into the room, now without a path to safety. She opens the window, really by kicking it open, before peering half her body out. Whistling, the Elf grabs the attention of Belkans and Loyalists alike. Fortunately for the Elf lady, her friend from the same squad is there and knows immediately what the Elf's about to do. Taking a few steps backward, the Elf runs and jumps through the window, baby in her protective embrace. To shield the child, the Elf twists her body so that she lands back first while wrapping her arms around them. A part of the Elf fears a rough landing after a three-story jump, but fortunately, there has been enough cushioning by virtue of many hands from Belkans and Loyalists alike. Some of them may have sprained wrists from catching her so this better be worth it.

As the Belkans and Loyalists start lowering the Elf and the child down after carrying them away to safety, the grandmother of the baby runs up to them. Her hands shaking, the grandmother takes the child hand over to her by the Elf. Kneeling onto the ground, the grandmother cries, shedding tears of joy when she sees the baby breathing, alive. The child is somewhat covered in soot, yes, but still alive, and that is all that matters.

Seeing the confirmation that the kid will be fine, the Wood Elf lady allows herself to lie on the dirtied ground as tired and happy chuckles can be heard around her. The Elf also allows herself a smile, thinking that she has managed to do some good at last. It's a long path she's treading, but hopefully, she will be able to gain the Wood Elves a kinder reputation. A sinner of a race affects the whole, after all.

... Though the Elf wished that she would be able to do that without fire and casualties, really.

By the time the Elf has regained her strength, she wryly realizes that the last of the flames are under control. Now, understandably, the Loyalists and Belkans start seeing each other with unsure gazes. What are they to do now that the immediate threat is taken care of?

Surprisingly, not much.

When the Loyalist officers look around to see that Chéhéry and Connage are safely surrounded by Belkans and that none of the Loyalists are fitted to fight, they can only sigh. As if coming to a unanimous decision telepathically, the officers remove their caps and weapons before throwing them into neat piles. Their actions prompt the rest of the Loyalist troops to either discard their weapons also or sit down and gaze at the sky tiredly, glad that things finally end in peace. Surprisingly, not a single R35 tank from 3e BCC is lost, yet they too surrender without any resistance. Ultimately, Chéhéry and Connage give up without any opposition at all, the fire already sapped the towns of their fighting will. The forest beyond the river Bar is still burning now with smoke coming from there even blocking the first ray of sunlight. Fortunately, the windy condition has ceased, so that's one less trouble to worry about.

Long Caster, still above the AO, comments. "Ladies and gentlemen, I think we just witnessed a moment that will go down in history."

The AWACS Chief Operator is not wrong. It will be hard to find examples like today's event in the annals of history.

Thirty minutes after Chéhéry's and Connage's surrenders, Chemery is seized by the 1st Panzer Division's advance party. If the Loyalists don't surrender, they're welcome to see the full might of Belkan's armored fist. Chéhéry and Connage have been outliers, and General Raymond does not pull his punch against a willing enemy. The Loyalist 12th Reconnaissance Regiment, the 2nd Infantry Battalion of the 213rd Infantry Regiment, and three FCM 36 Tank Companies of the 4e BCC, all met their end at the last town in the Connage axis.