#4 - Unites, and Surrounds (Vignette PoV)

"Miss Vignette, are you copy?"

A voice goes out from my communication device. I wonder who is they, maybe from Confederation? Never mind, it's really them. I took the device and start to answer it.

"Yeah, loud and clear." I answered. "What's going on? Are you gonna send reinforcements here? Things get very messy here." I said while I looked at my surroundings, many buildings are destroyed and fallen apart.

"Yeah, we're gonna start to send vanguard units to help evacuate civilians there. We just need to confirm something to you." She said.

"What do you need to know? About the portal? Unknown invaders? I still do not know about that thing. Sorry." I sighed.

When I looked at the sky, that portal now is shrinking in size. Looks like it's about to be closed. In that means, there will be no other enemy troops coming here.

Good, but I think it's not that good. I saw before two big birds, flying in the sky. It must be the enemy's pawns. Huh, these things got real bad.

"We know that. By the way, we're not gonna ask about anything. We'll just gonna inform you about the evacuation point." She responded with a small laugh. "Azqur vanguard units are already informed about this. Join with them, and escort the civilians to Mount Ammar."

Mount Ammar… It's the place where the Confederation base at the Azqur Kingdom stood at. I see, so they going to escort the civilians to high-ground, so the enemies cannot catch up to them easily. From what I know, Mount Ammar is a very high mountain indeed.

"Roger that. I am on my way to the portal location. I will be joining forces with them there." I said.

"Good luck, Miss Vignette. Base 09-00 out."

The connection cut off. When I put back my communication device, I have mostly arrived at the point. I see some Azqur military troops passing by, they wore armor and utilizes shields and metal pipes as their weapons.

I see, they are Azqur Anti-Riots Army. Looks like they are heading for the portal too. I quickly run to them and joined forces with the frontline, where their commander is running first.

"Hey," I greeted, "You all heading for the portal too?"

"Who are you?" He asked.

"I am from the Confederation, my name is Vignette. Confederation told me to stand here and help the military." I answered politely.

"Are you the reinforcements they send?" He asked again.

"No, I am here before this incident happened. I am enjoying holiday here before, when this thing suddenly occurs and I have to go work again." I said as I mumbled. Their commander then laughed after hearing that.

"Yes, it's troublesome indeed, I must admit. After we heard that this thing is not a tornado, but a portal that sends many unknown invaders here. We have to check it out, and yes, there are many of them." He explained. "By the way, you should join us. One is better than nothing. We're appreciating any help." He said as he looked at me with a smile.

That's what I aimed to do in the first place. I just nodded, replied to his smile, and looked away.

"Call me Akbar." He said, and I replied with a nod again.

We've finally arrived at the point. Akbar and his armies then scattered to many places around this point. Looks like they're going to execute a "Hide-and-Hit" plan to stall any enemy forces.

"Team D5 here. Has anyone reached their guarding points?" Akbar connected to another Anti-Riots unit with his communication device.

"Team D4 here, we've been arrived at our point. We've been stalled many enemies and neutralized them too. How about the other?"

Another team answered with the same answer. Looks like only Team D5 that had just arrived. We've been too late.

"Magisters and snipers, take the high-ground and watch out for any air units or ground units." Akbar commanded. "Melee units, scatter in three and surround this point to avoid any enemy troops to pass by and let our vanguard units in problem."

"So, the vanguard units are the ones who evacuate the civilians?" I asked while we were prepared for the siege.

"Yes," Akbar answered, "our duty is to protect vanguard units and their business from being screwed up."

I nodded slowly as a signal that I already understand.

"By the way, you carried out SMG in your hand." He looked up at my SMG. "Are you non-Magisters?"

"No, I can use Magist," I responded, "but I prefer to use my SMG. I can just use this SMG as a Magist medium if I want to."

He nodded. "I see," He said, "You go to the high ground. That's a good place for sniping. Attack from the second floor to avoid your bullets not falling down and not killing anyone."

I already know that, SMG cannot be used as a long-range weapon because of its small attack range. I then just walk away to the random ruined building around without saying anything.

But a big phoenix bird, the same as I have ever seen before, flying upon us and trying to attack the melee units. I then stopped at the building door and looked back again at them.

"Ranged units, attack!" Akbar commanded while he and melee units on the ground are busy baiting and evading that phoenix.

In seconds, Magist spells and physical bullets fell from the high ground and charged that low-flying phoenix blindly.

"I have to help too!" I exclaimed in my heart, and prepare to pull the trigger. A yellow circle appears at the front of my SMG's muzzle, that's a Magist spell to extend the bullets range and deal extra damage to the enemies.

"Hiya!" I started to pull the trigger, The SMG started spitting out bullets. Some of them missed because the phoenix is too fast. But luckily, the other actually hit its body.

I thought the phoenix has been badly injured, but suddenly that phoenix changed its direction and started to attack me.

"W-Wha?!" I surprised.

"Vignette, evade, now!"