Damon and Barksdale went their separate ways to Apams and Gantz.
Within hours, Barksdale had arrived in Gantz . Using the previous tactics that was used in Madi , over ten airships opened fire on the castle ridling it with bullets . During the clearing of the castle, about ten knights led by Lord Apams son decided that it was a wise idea to charge directly at the soldiers in the courtyard only to be cut down by a single Mg 42 general purpose machine gun.
The next thing they did was to raid the vault to gather all the fortune to be transported back to Merula.
As for Damon he took a much more different approach as the airships were ordered to land 10km outside of the city , within the range of the cannons . Then the cannons were ordered to fire on the castle, ten 125mm cannons rained high explosive shells on the castle. Each cannon fired between ten to twenty shells per minute.
After an hour of constant bombardment , Damon led a group of five hundred soldiers to storm the city , this was minus the the five red guard and the twins that accompanied him.
Gog and Maggog were just there to witness the battle from the rear as per their request to witness how modern warfare was waged.
When they arrived at the city gates they found it open as the city was in chaos .
A warning shot was fired into the sky as they entered the city and Damon announced,
" Citizens of Apams, this city is now under new management, return to your homes, lay down your weapons and don't resist, anyone who disobeys this little rule will be eliminated immediately."
Everywhere was silent for awhile as they gazed at the strange men in green uniforms with strange weapons. Some men of the city guards rushed forward to repel the men who were attacking their city only to be met by bursts of gunfire that ended their lives in a blink of an eye.
As soon as their bodies dropped to the floor, the civilians in their midst ran for their lives while the city guards and the knights rushed to avenge their fallen comrades only to be shot the same. Damon and his soldiers divided themselves to effectively clear the streets, Damon himself took ten soldiers along with five of the red guard and moved towards the castle.
Damon and the red guard were carrying sig riffles and Uzis while the army used m4 riffles and mp4s. The bombardment of the castle had long been stopped and no matter what it looked like before, it was now rubble.
They then moved through the ruins of the castle , eliminating anyone that looked like they were alive.
During the course of clearing the castle, Lord Ronalla was found with three other well dressed men who were presumed to be the Lords of the three cities.
By the next morning, the cities of Madi , Apams and Gantz now has banners with the sigil of the cross, crow and skull hoisted all over the city.
Over the course of the next few weeks, people from the department of audits , the construction department and the ISB would arrive in these cities to integrate them into Kaduna.
In Duke Abegnogs castle, the Duke was fuming with rage as he received the reports of Damon conquering three cities in a day.
" Calm down Duke Abegnog, it could be in our favor ." Tiberius said to the Duke who was still fuming.
"Your Majesty, they are calling him Damon the conqueror , don't you think he is bound to undermine our rule." The Duke replied.
" That is why you would come up with a plan to put him check , I believe you are capable of that, aren't you ".
Duke Abegnog still mad replied " he is just nineteen years old and he is not enamored with the offer of one of my daughters hand in marriage. At nineteen years old he has control of five cities in this Dukedom, that is ten percent of these lands. And with the city of Apams under his rule which connects us directly to the southern region, what do you think he will do now."
" Duke Abegnog, you worry alot about unnecessary things " Tiberius said, " he came around with proceeds from the mines as he sells considerably cheaper than others with high quality steel. I believe he will still know his place in the long run ".
Back at Kaduna, extensive road constructions were being carried out to connect the three cities to Ronalla and Merula. With the new population joining the workforce and the emergence of more air ships, construction and reformation of these cities were carried out quickly.
New garrisons were built close to the border with the southern region of the empire. Airships patrolled the skies looking for any anomalies and ground troops patrolled between cities and the ISB maintained to peace inside the cities.
Two months after he conquered the three cities, Damon was in training with Gog and Maggog, at this moment they could properly use their telekinetic force now even able to hover in the air.
Then a message came from the gates , an envoy of the Duke had arrived. But to call it an envoy was an understatement, because these envoy consisted of one hundred heavily armored knights carrying the banners of the Duke.
This was not an envoy, this was of force ,this was the Duke's way of telling him that he was still in charge.
But when Damon met with the envoy, he was not greeted with the contempt or arrogance that he expected but with reverence, after all only a mad man would disrespect the man who conquered three cities in a day.
Because of this alone Damon ordered that they be well taken care of. They were then provided with lodging, food , drinks and a bath . The next morning they delivered the message, the Duke Abegnog had asked for his input in the war effort.