"I knew something was going to happen. The empire attacking us was inevitable though I hadn't predicted they'de attack us so soon and in the middle of winter." Tyuule in an interview with Time's magazine.

Falmart. Imperial palace. November 9th. 665 imperial time.

"So the final touches to the offensive have been completed." Molt asked as he looked at a map of Sadera. He had drawn a massive circle on the area that the newcomers controlled.

"Yes my liege. Soon they will tremble at the might of our legions." Said Formal mocking Zorzal. "But Honestly, yes. The Hayro or so they say have successfully infiltrated the small border settlements though they have failed to infiltrate any of the major cities expect the capital of the organizations." Formal said in a bittersweet tone.

"So only the minor objectives and one major objective were completed by them" said a disappointed Molt. "Yes my liege." Formal said in a sad tone. "I had expected more from those shapeshifters." Molt said, frustrated. He would have to talk to Bouro(leader of the Hayro tribe) about this.

"Well other than that I have good news." Said Formal. "That is?" said Molt. "The Gods are on our side. 50 apostles have been sent down to assist us." Said Formal proudly and happily. "So the newcomers are truly cursed creatures of the gods who are sending us aid." Said Molt to himself.

"Good to know that we have been blessed by the gods to distribute the apostles among each army. And get the mages to ensure snowy weather for the offensive. We need to make sure those metal birds will be able to spot us." Molt said. "Yes my liege." Said Formal rushing out.

Molt while acting calm and unfazed on the outside was internally nervous. Only 2 more months until the offensive. Why couldn't he get it over with. No he had to be patient and wait for the holiday the organizations called Christmas was the perfect time to attack.

Just 1-2 more months until the empire set off to save Falmart.

Falmart. Forests. November 12th. 665 imperial time.

Snow has already begun to fall. Delilah was glad she and her warriors had set up a sable camp that could withstand snowfall.

The snow has slowly begun to pile up. She sent out scouts to try to make a good layout of the capital's defenses. The capital's old walls were being torn down and replaced with houses and new neighborhoods. The former Queens palace had been turned into a museum of some sorts much to her disgust.

Once they were back in control that petty museum would be turned into a palace fit for a queen. She had already begun to move her warriors around the forests that dotted the outskirts of the capital. Some of her warriors had gotten in through faking poverty and making the alias that they were going to the former capital for better opportunities.

They're act had worked only because of the kindness and nativity of the GOC guards and church of the broken god members who had been based on what the Hayro told her were trying to reduce poverty in the capital.

She had been seeing more horseless carriages popping up in the former capital and hoped that the warriors that had gotten into the former capital had gotten ahold of one and had linked up with the Hayro which were supposed to be infiltrating the capital. (The Hayro infiltrations efforts had failed and the UIU had almost captured one of them but the Hayro infiltrators committed mass suicide to avoid plans being leaked.)

Delilah planned for some of the warriors who weren't in the city to mass hijack several of their horseless carriages (mind you they have no idea how to drive them.) and try to drive them into the checkpoints in front of the city and attack them. Meanwhile she and another group of warriors would sneak in through the sewers.

The plan was now set in stone. Soon her people would regain their freedom.

Falmart. Warrior bunny capital. November 12th. 1 AEE.

"This is Lambda 5. I got 9 targets who have killed themselves." Said agent Pierce under his gas mask on the radio. "This is Stolas 12 you and your squad clear the building fully, we want to make sure they have been eliminated." Said the leader of Bravo squad. "Understood Lamda 5 over and out."

"Alright clear the building."Said Pierce as he and his UIU agents moved from room to room of the 2 story building clearing it.

"This is Lambda 5 all hostiles are dead, building is clear awaiting further orders." Said Pierce on his radio. "Lamda 5 send two bodies to our scientists so they can dissect and do research on the shapeshifters burn the rest of the bodies and report to HQ once you've completed this." Replied Stolas 12 on the radio.

"Understood over and out," said Pierce. "Alright, choose two of the bodies to take to our scientists and burn the others." He said to his men as they began to drag two bodies out while pouring gasoline on the others.

"So you think this was an organized effort by the Hayro tribe or some rogue elements of them." Asked one of his men under their gas mask. "Based on what we know it's probably rouges elements though we cannot cross out the Hayros double crossing us."Pierce said as lit a match and dropped it on the bodies causing them to start burning.

"Bouro while I don't fully trust that fucker admitted that he didn't have full control of his tribe so it's possible these were some fuckers who thought they could get some of our weapons." Said Lt Ivanov in a thick Russian accent as he spat on the burning Hayro tribe members bodies.

"Either way these fuckers killed 2 of my men in the brief fire fight we had with them." Pierce was annoyed and pissed off. "Interesting thing about these fuckers is that our heat vision goggles were able to tell they weren't humans or Demi cause they don't radiate a heat signal." Said Ivanov as he kicked a body that wasn't fully burning.

"Maybe it has to do with their blood or something." Theorized Pierce with lackluster effort."Possibly." Said Ivanov as the other UIU agents moved around scanning the place for any possible hiding Hayro members.

"So I heard you'll be taking part in operation Osowiec." Said Pierce turning to Ivanov. "Yup. Me and the 6th GOC Russian Paradrop battalion will be dropping into Hill 3234 to secure a foothold for more infiltration operations into Sadera." Said Ivanov took off his gas mask revealing his bushy beard. Ivanov took out a cigarette and smoked it.

"Isn't the hill near one of the roads that leads to Italica." Said Pierce curious. "Correct my British comrade. The road is one of the many that leads to those imperialist scum trade centers. We hope that once winter is over it will be used as a jumping off point for our invasion of the empire." Said Ivanov.

"So we will be finally invading those rapist fuckers." Said Pierce grinning. "Indeed. Will have them by the belt by March." (The GOIs had planned to invade the empire in March). Pierce smirked at this. "Knew it was only a matter of time. I wish you luck for when operation Osowiec goes ahead." Said Pierce as he fist bumped Ivanov.

"I hope you enjoy Christmas. My British friend's thanksgiving was dull this year." Joked Ivanov. "That's cause we didn't get our dam to leave." Said Pierce joking back.

"So what are you doing this Christmas. I'll be stuck digging in with the 6ths digging in on a hill." Said Ivanov. "I'm hoping to spend more time with my sweetheart." Said Pierce taking out a photo of his girlfriend. "Pretty one she is. You got lucky comrade." Said Ivanov punching Pierce army playfully. "You'll have your chance too Ivanov just be patient." Pierce said as he watched the bodies melt away under the fire.

"Thanks for the advice, comrade. Either way we'll have to head off high command won't what we are slacking around." Said Ivanov as he began to head out of the building with the other UIU agents.

"Yup. Wait for me." Pierce said the following after Ivanov.

Falmart. Dwarven kingdom. November 20th. 665 imperial

Uriel had gotten a call from Clark just 3 months ago about how he and a large part of the GOC would be given leave on Christmas Day. Christmas she had learned was a holiday his people celebrated.

She hadn't payed much attention to the details, only the fact that she would be able to see their capital for the first time. Her head was filled with the wildest dreams. She hoped that she could see the big metal birds as well.

She had been going over every detail for the trip for the last month or so. She would also get to be inside one of the horseless carriages this time.

She hoped she could convince Clark to allow her to try to drive it.

Things have changed a bit in her people's kingdoms ever since an alliance with the organizations. First the organizations had begun to sell them their mining equipment for gold in a trade deal. The organizations had given them large drilling machines that could drill into the earth itself. They also began to teach some of her kind to drive these large horseless carriages that they called mining trucks and Dozers.

Another thing that had begun to happen was the newcomers had begun to assist the dwarves in road work for the road between the two allies. Along with this Clark's groups and those metal men had been working on what he called industrialization of the surrounding land.

Clark during a second trip to her peoples kingdoms had given her king and her team the blueprints to make some according to him outdated versions of those black rods he called guns (the blueprints were from repeating rifles, gatling guns, and civil war era tech.)

She had currently been working on crafting a repeating rifle for herself to keep as a little ranger weapon and for her to test it out on some unlucky untamed Wyvern she found in the Mountains She also hopes to challenge Clark to a shooting contest to see who has better marksmanship.

Either way life couldn't be going better for her.

Falmart. In a C-130. December 5th. 1 AEE.

Ivanov sat inside the C-130 along with his fellow paratroopers of the Russian 6th Paradrop battalion. The wind crashed against the plane and when he had gotten on the C-130 it had begun to snow.

This would be a miserable way to spend the holidays. Cooped up in a hill behind future enemy lines and carrying out infiltration missions. Among the members of the battalion were several members from the insurgency.

"Alright comrades get ready for the jump!" Yelled LT Samstov as he got up.

Ivanov would be the 16th man to jump out and quickly got in line with his fellow Paratroopers. The wait was nerve wracking. He could hear the wind howling as he and his comrades awaited the jump.

Ivanov has already done paradropping once in a training exercise in the Russian army and now he was doing it on a combat mission. He saw Samstov open the side doors of the C-130 and the first man stepped up to prepare for drop. Samstov waited for the nearby light to turn green and it did.

"Ok comrades jump! Go, Go,Go!" He yelled as by one we began to jump. Ivanov jumped out and got his parachute open as he dropped. He saw as he glided down snow falling and the miserable weather. The wind whipped around and he watched as some of his men glided in the wrong direction because of the wind.

Ivanov touched down soon on the hill. As he hit the ground he went tumbling down the hill. He sustained some minor bruises and got up. Several of his comrades who had been gliding away from the hill due to the wind he saw making their way to the hill from a distance.

Ivanov began to climb the hill and prepared to dig in with his battalion.

Falmart. Clarks apartment. December 21st.1 AEE.

I had gotten up as my alarm rang. I had finally had a good nights rest. I made my way to the window. I could see the Christmas decorations hung along the newly made apartment buildings (apartment buildings in paradise city were 4 stories tall).

This would be our first Christmas in this new land. I made myself some coffee and watched as the snow fell on the streets of the city. The outpost we had set up on the nearby mountains which one could see clearly were now hidden under a layer of snow.

Winter was certainly a peaceful season. Nothing to do but watch the children play outside in the snow or relax in bed reading a book. I was starting to sound like an old man. I guess this experience has aged me.

If Ganzir had lasted longer how would we have celebrated Christmas while under constant siege. Do foundation agents celebrate Christmas any more? There were no meetings for today which was rare since we had them all the time up until now. The Engineer wanted us to have a meeting on the 24th on Christmas Eve to celebrate our first Christmas here.

The road work between the dwarven capital and Paradise city had been halted for the holidays leaving one side of the road still the same muddy mess that it was before. Still I was going to drive to pick up Uriel and take her sightseeing around Paradise for the next week or so.

I got dressed and put on my winter coat which had a GOC patch on it of course and my Beret and eyepatch.

I walked out of my apartment and to the parking garages where my car was. I got in the car, turned it on and drove out of the city to go pick up Uriel. Due to at least some of the road being made it would only take me 4 hours to get to the dwarven capital by car though the way back would be longer probably due to the increasing snow fall.

The airport in the warrior bunny capital had apparently been completed just 2 days ago and we had built 5 civilian planes already and more were to most certainly come.

Paradise city reminded me a bit of those small European cities but it had a bit of a resemblance to Warsaw Poland. Sadly Warsaw had fallen to the foundation after 2 days of resistance by the polish army during the foundation's war on humanity which is impressive considering DC had been overrun in just 3 hours.

The battle for Moscow was something else though. The Russians withdrew large amounts of their army to defend Moscow to attempt a similar stand like that at Ganzir. Moscow lasted for 2 weeks before an impressive and successful evacuation by the GOC helped save 400,000 civilians and 20,000 Russian military personnel before the foundation broke through on march 12th. The Russian winter had fail to save Russia when the foundation declared their war on humanity on Jan 14th.

The Sarkic cult had actually formed their own state during the war but it was crushed by the foundation after 23 days.

France and Italy lasted the longest out of all European countries ironically and Rome lasted a month long and chaotic siege before the GOC evacuated the civilians to Ganzir. Paris lasted for an impressive 3 months with the French army and civilians fighting the foundation and their horrors in the Catacombs before they all commited mass suicide.

Then came Ganzir of course the siege of Ganzir started on February 11th and the city fell on July the 8th. It just fell he remembered it clearly. The city itself broke.

Its shields collapsed, then the walls, then it burned, then it began to sink. 8 million souls were lost that day. He hated to remember it.

Least their sacrifice wasn't in vain humanity had lived on. Very few cars were on the road he saw some take exit 48 towards the warrior bunny capital and before he saw the exit sign for Dien Bien Phu. (Dien Bien Phu means Valley of Heaven in English.)

The snow continues to pile on the sides of the road. Winter must be hell for the peasants living in Sadera. There came a point when I no longer saw exit signs meaning that I was going in the right direction. The last sign I saw was the Dwarven border 3 Kilometers away sign.

At some point I drove past the border. The Dwarven capital was some 45 minutes away according to the GPS.

As miserable as the weather was, it was also oddly peaceful. At least spending Christmas with Uriel will kill boredom and make Christmas more enjoyable.