Arriving back at the top of the fort, I sighed in relief, a lot of the people I recognised were resting and recovering.

"Apollo!"

Willow yelled as she stood up from her resting place next to Rhea and ran over to me. It looked like she was going for a hug, but before she just jumped at me, she was violently bashed to the side and before I knew it, I was being constricted.

"Apollo~ I am so pleased to see you are well. Thiz battle, this war. It was so hectic compared to a hunt. I still have a lot to learn about these guns you all use. Their sting is rather painful"

I managed to wriggle a hand free and patted Sithrik on the... Back? "Glad to see you are alright Sithrik. You too Willow, sorry about this lady, she is still learning manners."

Sithrik audibly gasped at my words, before slinking off me, seemingly embarrassed. Willow then stood up and chuckled. "Don’t worry about it, I understand her excitement all too well. Plus being shoved over is nothing. The amount of injuries I have sustained today... That Francesca is something huh? Perhaps Sophia should hire her? Hmmm~"

I gave Willow a glare, but with my helmet on, I don’t think she picked up on it and just proceeded to stand there with a smile until Rhea walked to our side.

"Apollo, you look... Cleaner than the last time I was with you. I’m glad to see you still able to stand, mad bastard. You should probably go speak to Skaja though, I’ve had to go in that tent like half a dozen times to talk my great aunt down."

"Serena? Is everything alright?" I asked. Rhea nodded her head.

"Yeah, but ever since the orbital communication relay was set up here, she has been asking for your presence every five minutes. When she wouldn’t take the ’The sentinel is still chasing down and culling the enemy’ card. She flipped to the Hyllus Hierarchy card and long story short I have been uninvited to my own birthday party even though my birthday was literally last month but... Can you go and speak to her before she starts calling my mom or something?"

I sighed "So much for her not interacting with me, Valerica..." I muttered under my breath. I then turned to Gabrielle and Nerissa. "You two should get some rest. No need to follow me around for a bit. I’ll probably try to get some rest after this anyway."

After saying that, Gabrielle walked up to me and caressed my helmet. "You did good work today, S-Apollo. I’ll come find you later." Nerissa however, stayed put. "I’ll sleep when you do. Besides, I need to make some communications of my own afterwards."

I shrugged my shoulders, I wasn’t going to attempt to convince her again and I began walking towards the command tent. The tent had been set up in the beams of the former Boomstick tower.

Upon entering, I was greeted by an unkempt Skaja. Her armour was no longer equipped, she was simply in a tank top and stretchy pants. Her golden hair was out of its braids and curled down her back. The stark contrast of what I was expecting took me by surprise more than it should have and she noticed.

"Oi Perv, you can look all you want later, will you get this red haired bitch to pipe it down!" She then grabbed the headphones she was wearing and yelled into the microphone after seemingly hearing something.

"UGH! Yes he is here you senile old cow! Fuck! What? Oh you wanna try hoe? Take it up with my Grandmother then before I shove my figurative dick down your throat and suffocate you to death, strawberry dumbfuck! I’m sick of your shit!" She then took off the headset, slammed it on the desk before her multiple times before switching and flashing me a very cute smile.

"Apollo, Commander Hyllus wants a few words, would you be a sweetie and take it for me? Please?" She then even fluttered her eyes innocently like I had not just heard all of that. But I pretended not to.

"Sure, no problem." I said and approached, I then took the headset from Skaja and put it over my ears

- ’rawberry? My hair is crimson, you ignoramus! Like All Hyllus women? And do you think I won’t take this up with your grandma you spoiled brat? Sviedana doesn’t scare me, you punk now hand me over to my-"

"She already did" I commented

"- Sentinel Apollo! So glad to hear your voice after all these hours. Are you well? Are you injured?"

The sudden affectionate tone in her voice baffled me. She sounded similar to Valerica. ’Makes sense, they are sisters.’

"I am well, Commander Hyllus. I have been told that you have been requesting me for some time? Is everything ok?"

I heard her cough before she continued.

"*Ahem* I may have been a bit enthusiastic and asked for you a couple of times. But nothing more, I assure you. You see, I need confirmation from you that the siege was a success so I can send relief to your location. I cannot afford to move the front line to you until I know you have secured the area. Also, off the record, Valerica would murder me if she found out I didn’t check in after sending you into a siege."

I nodded my head, even though I was literally wearing headphones and all that was in front of me was a tent wall. "Yes, the siege is over. I believe I killed the last Drakoshi inside the walls myself, the tanks that flanked to the east killed the rest of the cowards."

"Excellent work, my Sentinel. I had full faith in your battle tactics. Now. Do you have a moment to discuss the estimated casualty report? I asked your... Colourful Vallaheimr second in command to run the statistics while we waited for you. However, following the chain of command, I am only able to discuss them with you."

"Ok, I’ll check." I said before turning to Skaja who had her eyes closed massaging her head. "Um, Skaja?" She looked at me emotionless. "Do you have some statistics for me?"

She let out a breath of sheer relief before nodding. She then walked over to a data pad and flicked the screen a few times before handing it to me. "Dumbed it down for you, got rid of all the political mumbo jumbo, thought you would appreciate straight facts."

I nodded to her before speaking to Serena. "Ok, I have them."

"Wonderful, not if your second is competent. Enemy casualties should be first?"

"Yes, Drakoshi, Estimate. 92,000 dead."

"Mhm, good. Very good actually. Those losses will take them a while to grow back... Phalanx casualties?" 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

I then went down to the next number and my eyes went wide and my mouth hung open as I paused.

"Apollo? Are you there? Are the numbers bad? It is fine, it is your first command. Just tell me." Serena spoke. Her voice sounded like she was trying to be empathetic, but the numbers before me didn’t lie.

"Between 400,000 and 650,000 to be determined with wounded."

There was a pause before Serena spoke with a gulp. "Y-You took how many losses?"

"Between 400,000 and 650,000." I said again the amount shocked me. And clearly it shocked her too. I thought I had done a good job? And still so many died? That was horrific. That was-

"Amazing!" Serena screamed. She then pulled away from the communicator and shouted to her bridge. "Sentinel Apollo Hyllus-Lambdason Has managed to take a Drakoshi fort packed to the brim with over 90,000 Drakoshi and only took over half a million losses!"

I proceeded to hear cheering from the other side and it left me baffled. "Serena? I don’t understand why you are cheering? This is a lot of dead."

Serena was baffled hearing this before remembering that her new nephew was not Kathrine’s age at all. He was still basically a child. She then spoke in a soothing comforting tone, that shocked those on her end that ceased their celebration upon hearing something they never heard before.

"Apollo, these numbers are... Incredible. The actual number of phalanx it takes to kill one Drakoshi on an open field is on average is ten to one. One hundred to one would have been more likely during a siege...

I have been told at the start of the battle, not including last night relief, You were given just over two million Phalanx alongside a great deal of heavy armour. Before your fight last night, our estimate on that fort was twenty thousand Drakoshi. They pulled in reinforcements at a shocking rate after last night’s field battle.

So statistically, with the original parameters. The battle would have been even greater losses. Close to the entire Phalanx regiment being wiped out. So to tell me that not only did you kill a force that ten million Phalanx would have struggled against with only two million, but only half a million died on estimate... Apollo, your performance here today was nothing short of... Impossible... Statistically speaking. You should be proud, not saddened by those numbers."

I remained silent for a moment. While the losses were still... Whuff. I liked the way Serena put it. I did something statistically impossible.

I smirked at the thought and followed up with something that made Nerissa and Skaja glance at one another.

"So, you could say, what I did here today was a miracle? Heh, I suppose that should be celebrated then."