**Kira Emberwhisk's Log, Supplemental**
**Shire Valley Staging Area recording**
**40 days after Rothgard's Fall**
The dawn breaks on the edge of war.
Just inside Shire Valley's reinforced gates, **1st Company** stood in disciplined formation. Rows of electric 10x10 troop carriers and HAS-V-A1s sat idling in the pre-dawn gloom, their electric drivetrains emitting a low, steady hum. Soldiers moved between the vehicles, performing final gear checks — tightening straps, checking ammunition loads, and running last-minute diagnostics on their Mk1-A carbines. The air was thick with the scent of ozone and charged Mana from the active Induction Cores.
A deep, powerful rumble rolled across the valley as a CHS-130 Condor Heavy Shuttle descended through the early morning mist. Its four massive hybrid fusion-torch engines glowed with fierce orange-white light as it touched down on the Spaceport pad with a heavy, ground-shaking thud. The rear cargo ramp hissed open, and the returning ground squads began disembarking.
Kira Emberwhisk's squad was the first to step onto the tarmac, followed closely by Torin Shadowear's team, Borin Ironvein's squad, and Sylvana Silverleaf's unit. Their faces were streaked with dirt, sweat, and fatigue, but their movements remained sharp. They had spent the last several days deep behind enemy lines, marking Imperial infrastructure targets for the orbital strikes that had crippled the Draco Imperia's supply ports.
Torin Shadowear rolled his shoulders and exhaled. "That last target at the Atlantian docks took longer than expected. Glad to see the sky answered when we called." Borin Ironvein grunted beside him. "Aye. Those war factories won't be feeding the front lines for a long while." Sylvana Silverleaf adjusted her pack, her elven ears twitching as she scanned the staging area. "The Gnome capital was the hardest, but we got the coordinates through." Kira Emberwhisk gave a tired nod. "All that matters is the strikes landed. Now we move to the next fight."
They were still exchanging quiet reports when a loud, bright, and unmistakably cutesy voice rang out across the staging area. "Torin! Borin! Kira! Sylvana! Over here!" Elara Quickgear came bounding toward them, waving enthusiastically in her brand-new Sergeant's uniform. Her short frame practically vibrated with energy. Torin blinked. "Elara? Sergeant already?" Borin raised an eyebrow. "You got promoted that fast?"
Elara beamed, puffing out her chest. "Top of my class! Beat everyone in marksmanship and field tactics. The instructors said I was a natural." She fell into step beside them as they walked toward the waiting 10x10 troop transport. Her expression shifted into an exaggerated pout. "But oh my gods, the training was brutal. I thought basic was bad, but this? They had us running full-kit obstacle courses at three in the morning. And the Delta instructors? They don't yell. They just stare at you like they're disappointed in your entire bloodline. One of them made me redo the same breaching drill seventeen times because my elbow was 'too high.' Seventeen!"
Kira managed a small laugh. "Sounds familiar." They reached the 10x10 and began climbing aboard. As the last of them settled in, their Delta operators approached the vehicle. The lead operator, Reyes, gave them a rare, genuine smile. "You did good out there. Target marking was clean. Keep that same discipline on the front lines." Kane, the quieter operator, simply nodded and offered a firm handshake to each squad leader. "Stay sharp. And try not to die before we get that drink." The 10x10's electric motors whirred to life with a smooth, rising pitch. As it pulled away, the squad waved to their Delta operators one last time. Reyes raised a hand in farewell, her voice carrying over the noise. "See you on the other side, Guardians."
---
The 10x10 rolled into the main staging area just as the first pale light of dawn began to creep over the eastern mountains. The entire 1st Company was already formed up in precise columns. Electric 10x10s and HAS-V-A1s stood in long, orderly lines, their crews performing final systems checks. At precisely 0630 hours, the Company Commander's voice came through every soldier's comms, calm and steady. "First Company, this is Actual. In five minutes we roll out. Our mission is clear — we hit the Imperia where they least expect it, and we make them bleed for every inch of ground they've taken. Stay sharp. Watch your sectors. And remember why we're here."
A brief pause. "Convoy, move out." One by one, the massive electric vehicles began to roll forward with smooth, powerful acceleration. The lead 10x10 passed through the gates first, followed by the HAS-V-A1s and the rest of the formation. The low, synchronized whine of electric motors echoed across the valley as the column disappeared into the morning mist, heading south toward the front lines.
Inside the lead vehicle, Kira Emberwhisk stared out the narrow viewport at the fading lights of Shire Valley. "Guess this is it," she muttered. Torin nodded beside her. "About damn time."
The war had finally come to them.