diary of pfc. Odyssia Moore (excerpts 4-6)

14 Nov, 2026

alternate views of events by mary land: 4 | 5

10. Brick Schidtt, Earth-2 soldier

    This one wasn't me - more like I let it happen.

    He didn't like working with the dragon, but Mary Land and I were agreed that it was nonviable to do otherwise. I think he really believed in the mission of the Armorican government - foolish. Death to lords.

    So he went up against it in a NATO jet. Bold. I recommended against this, but he was undeterred. Probably I could have forced the issue. But I didn't. Decided not to watch this one on the feed - I had already seen the beast take out two other fighters with relative ease.

    Found the wreckage in a field on our way to Gold Keep (as the dragon had requested of us). Recovered his oculars (lucky!) - wraparound 'oakleys'. Tried them out for a bit. Not my style. Returned them to the family for memorial in the temple of his sky god (or whatever), along with other recovered remains.

    Submitted nomination for posthumous Medal of Honor. No word on that.

2. (todo) the lord of Gold Keep (name unknown)

   Forgot to get the name of this one. Annoying. Should be easy to ask after later.

   The dragon (see below) asked a favor of us: to depopulate the keep at the northern edge of its domain. So we hired an aeronaut to rain upon it with volatile chemicals imported from Armorica ('lysergic acid diethylamide' - noted for later). Was not long after application that the men in the keep turned to violence - started eating each other. (Better result than expected - Mary Land working on upscaled version.) When we swept through the keep we found it largely depleted of resources.

   I was seeking after the lord. Not among the dead, nor among the corpse-eaters, nor locked in the treasury (suspiciously low), nor cowering in his room. So, either fled or conveniently away on business. None of the residents of the keep left sane enough to say - all dead or babbling nonsense (and then dead). So this one needs tracking.

   Frustrating. Adding here so we don't forget. Find him eventually.

additional notes - will be important later:

• note: on the silver dragon Arcturius

  As big as an elephant. Silver scales. Breathes green mist that melts men. Various additional magical powers, extent unknown (note to self: ask the sword later). Speaks Chaos.

  We taught it how to use NATO assault rifles. Well, it taught itself - fast learner.

  Very dangerous. Survived a targeted NATO bombardment. Personally downed four NATO fighter jets in sequential engagements. Has slain at least one other of its kind and bound its soul into a sword - worked out well for me, though.

  We fed it 13 men, and killed maybe 100 more securing the keep for it. Fashioned a banner from the old tapestries (good silk), big Chaotic lettering, written in blood:   •MISSION•ACCOMPLISHED•  . It met us on the return road, and presented us with the sword.

  Currently allied.

• note: on the dragon soul-within-a-sword Caraktis

  It hates. The gods, and their servants, and all lawful authority - agreed. And then also those that pollute the bloodlines of dragons, and those who thieve from the weak. Conveniently, no objection to violence. Says its goal is to shatter the crystals that bind creation - needs more research, but no immediate objection from me. There are other worlds.

  Called me weak. Clear insult, but true. It's right. Body is frail and slow (too old - too many years wasted in drudgery before I killed him). I asked it what we could do about that, and it said we need to 'subjugate' others of its kind. Alright.

  When wielded, it starts fires and speaks Chaos and drinks blood and senses the unnatural. Probably other things - little occasion to explore yet.

  Useful.

• note: on Dragonne(s)

  Local degenerate dragontype. Looks like a dragon fucked a cat. I asked the sword what they were, and it said, quote: 'Well, sometimes a dragon fucks a cat.' (Actually, it said 'miscegenated' - pretentious asshole.)

  Not just us, then. Noted.

  Dangerous vocalizations - some kind of disabling effect. The sword very concerned about this, which was reason to end those in reach quickly.

  Six in total threatened us. We exploded three with grenades. Another I killed with a swordstroke - blade bit into its flesh and set it ablaze. (They burn just fine.) The remaining two then fled. They were fast, but not so fast that they couldn't be shot from the sky with NATO rifles.

  Followed their tracks back to a lair - cat-piss stinking hole. Jack Flash lowered himself down eagerly (no comment). The sword considers this whole endeavor unworthy when compared to a real dragon's hoard. But we take what we can get. Came out of it with fair bit of cash - seems to me they hoard just as readily as any other dragon (if the stories are to be believed, anyway).

  Need to prepare more for this sort of thing. I know I could not have killed the beast alone - wouldn't last half as long enough as it would take to bring it down - claws would find me first. Not strong enough, yet. Much more to do.

• note: on the Prime Shark

  We had saved the yuppie woman - Brenda Rees - from her corporate-conspiracy colleagues on the island back in Earth-2, on mission for the Program. After the gunfight in the café (reminder: check TikTok later - unsure if we got all the cellular phones), we exfiltrated aboard our rigid-hulled inflatable. Had to detonate our drone intercepting the first pursuer, and still they chased after us in a flying machine afterward, so I shot it out of the sky.

  The gunmen had landed in the water (something about Bill Smith frightened them - held them back from approaching - useful talent to have on staff). So we shot them, too. And then, drawn I assume by the blood scenting the water, it arrived.

  Huge. Bigger than any we'd seen - bigger than Arcturius, even. Tore the gunmen in half without much effort. A 'Prime Shark', Mary Land called it - just before it knocked her into the water. Didn't know they still had such monsters on Earth-2 - assumed NATO had pacified all the wild places ages ago, as their propaganda claims (another tally in the 'against' column).

  Terrible place to fight anything while wearing mailed plate (note: look into alternatives later). But we scattered the water with buckshot and NATO explosives as smaller fish began swarming our craft, pelting the hull. Took on a good amount of water (need a bigger boat), but eventually able to slay the beast and drag it ashore with harpoons.

  Mary Land taking possession of corpse. Expect to see it mobile again soon. Still counting the kill, though.