Marking the beginning of the 525th year of the Zarack-Merxenne war, Feyl 12, 640, was the discovery by Zarackian spies of Project Laurus, the efforts of Merxene scientists to build a Qualirium-based bomb. General Mackenzie immediately dispatched a strike team, lead by Captain Dae Nara, to steal the results of the experiments. In order to infiltrate the bunker that housed the project, contained within Leaf 11 in Xyloclover, a keycard from the Armory located on Leaf 3 would be required to open the thick outer doors. Knowing that two teams of experts descending on Xyloclover would be a cause for concern within the Merxenne ranks, Mackenzie ordered a group of trainees to acquire the keycard.

Cyrus, Pyro, and Gan-the three recruits assigned to the task along with the Illusionist known as Iris-successfully infiltrated the Armory and retrieved the keycard, but not without a loud clash between Cyrus and Pyro over the fate of a sleeping Divine Knight when it is discovered that an eye scan from an officer would be necessary for the card to work. In the end, though, Gan uses his necromancy to both end the argument and solve the eye scan problem, and the team made their way to Leaf 11 to meet with Dae Nara's team.

When the trainees arrived, however, the situation was much different than expected. Dae Nara's infiltration team had been discovered, and the Captain was the only surviving member of her team after the skirmish. She immediately presses the trainees into her service, and the impromptu team stormed the bunker. In a flash of magical assault, Nights, Cyrus, Pyro, Gan, and Iris infiltrated the base and retrieved the weapon that had been produced by the experiments. After leaving the bunker, Nights orders the weapon destroyed. Despite Cyrus's complaints, Pyro destroyed the device, sparking a firey debate between Cyrus and Nights that eventually devolved into blows. Cyrus eventually struck a killing blow only to find the Nights he was fighting was only an illusion. On this note and a few more harsh words, the team returned home after a long pair of missions.

Shortly after the mission, on Feyl 17, 640, General Mackenzie had another task for Captain Dae Nara: the capture of Blast Port Rockett, a city in southern Merxenne that held a launchpad that could be used to launch a Qualirium bomb anywhere in Zarack. The Captain assembled a motley crew of mercenaries and soldiers to destroy it, rather than capture it, to protect the world from a devastating bombing. The team almost made their way through the security forces outside the launch pad before alerting a sentry, who in turn alerted a nearby garrison of Merxenne troops. The crew was only able to do enough damage to the launchapd to disable it for a few weeks before being forced to retreat.

Mackenzie, reeling from defeat, decided that the only way to end the War was with decisive action. Noyl 7, 640, the most powerful fleet assembled in decades descended upon the island of Xyloclover, stepping stone to the invasion of Merxenne. In several brutal hours of fierce fighting by soldier and mercenary alike, the Zarackian forces captured the island. Another victory became apparent in the aftermath of the battle: the death of "Merciless" Marguerrs, Seraphim Knight of the Merxenne army.