Burning Skies Saloon

[Sgt. Spoon]

After almost getting squashed by Lockheart's ship, Spoon threw himself off the balloon. Sadly his left leg got entangled in the rigging and he ended up hanging upside down, struggling to get loose as the Caladonian soldiers jumped down.

Suddenly the world stopped as the air around them lit to flames. The sudden blast jerked him around and lunged him off the ship. He flew across the sky, flailing his arms around and screaming, just to crash right on Lockheart himself.

*Uffgh*

[N-Sunderland]

Sunderland lifted his ship out of the explosion as it happened. The Duck Pharaoh could take such a blast, and it only left him with a few burns. Years of injuries from engineering had essentially destroyed his nervous system, so they were far from painful. He retreated further into the city.

[Surette]

Surette froze in place momentarily as the ground next to the wall literally tore apart, before realizing Serenity would be lost in the blast if he didn't act quickly. Running back to his ship, he hopped aboard and pushed the engines to their limit, narrowly avoiding explosions as well as The Duck Pharaoh. He found a suitable clearing a few blocks farther back from the wall to land Serenity, and hopped out to group up with some other defenders. Looking ahead to the newly created crevice, Surette exhaled deeply.

_Surette
"Things are starting to get serious..."

[Gryphos]

--The Wyvern--

While other ships were preoccupied at the walls and soldiers were being stalled by the road collapse, The Wyrm took the helm of his ship and burned kerosene, charging straight through the fight and taking several hits but staying very much intact. He rammed a defending Goldfish out of the sky on the way, before making his way further into the city.

Gallafell
"The battle continues at the wall, yet you fly into the city! This is yet more direct disobeying of orders!"

The Wyrm paused and for a few seconds there was silence. Then he drew a pistol and shot Lord Gallafell between the eyes.

Wyrm
"I've really had enough of your whining. And I don't need it now, I've got business to attend to."

He looked ahead of the ship and saw the Armoury.

I never did blow that thing up.

"Get some charges and be ready to disembark!"

--Eastern district--

Nidhogg looked up with Tristan and saw a Galleon pass overhead. Nidhogg noticed it had a strange sigil on the balloon, a rearing drake, being strangled by a serpent.

Tristan
"The Wyrm. Where is he headed?"

Nidhogg
"Oh no. He's headed to the Armoury for unfinished business. We have to stop him or half the city will go up in flames!"

And so Nidhogg charged off in the direction of the Armoury, while Tristan called over a squad of defenders and followed.

[Yiski]

--Eastern Wall--

_Defender
*over the radio* "We have multiple contacts coming through the southeast gate! We're taking them down, but we're getting pushed back!"

_Lauren
*another radio* "Kyllo here and we're taking heavy fire from the galleons! They're too close for comfort!"

Hearing the numerous transmissions, Frank turns to Yiski.

_Frank
"What's the plan? Those bombers did a number to a good number of batteries."

Yiski had been firing the lumberjack still and managed to take down a few goldfishes, pyramidions, and transports, but it didn't seem to make a difference. Yiski hops off the lumberjack and picks up Blood Bolt assault mode.

_Yiski
"Well, they didn't take out any of the front batteries. Keep fire on the ships, but start diverting more men toward the gates. I'm not about to lose a district to them!"

As Yiski starts down, he and Frank hear yelling and screaming. They look down to see a few Baron troops had managed to reach the Eastern Wall batteries. Yiski aimed and fired a few quick burst at the Barons and they took cover and returned fire. Eventually, other wall Defenders opened fired and took out the few Barons which had made it to them.

Down from the wall, Yiski and a group of thirty Defenders made it to the southeastern gate. It was a absolute hell. Despite losing ground earlier, the Defenders managed to keep their positions and create a no-man's land around the breached gate. Consequently, the new defensive positions stretched the defense line thin and the Barons knew it.

_Yiski
"Status!"

_Heavy
"Commander. The Barons are holding position on the opposite side of the gate. We think they're going to rush at a single point to overwhelm our thin position."

Yiski quickly alternated to Blood Bolt rifle mode and loaded in a clip of sunburst rounds. He took aim at the gate opening and fired two rounds at each wall corner. The rounds hit and soon the signature red smoke started filling the gateway. The now visibly obstructed breached gate made the Barons hesitant to rush in blindly.

The Defenders took this opportunity to regain some lost ground. Yiski provided additional support fire by switching to sniper mode loaded with tungsten rounds and downing any unfortunate Baron who stuck his head a bit too high.

"DIE ANVALAN SCUM!"

Yiski quickly turned to see a single Baron about to impale him a rifle bayonet. Yiski couldn't turn Blood Bolt fast enough to shoot or defend. Yiski raised his arms in what seemed a futile attempt in defense.

Suddenly, the Baron fell over to Yiski's side. Yiski noticed a large fist shaped hole in the Baron's back. Yiski looked up to see Althea holding a smoking pistol. Yiski shook his head, but he was smiling.

_Yiski
"I was wondering when you'd actually save me?"

_Althea
"Well, it is a good thing I was assigned to you then."

Althea took another shot which whizzed by Yiski and hit another Baron who had gotten too close to Yiski. Yiski quickly looked at the Baron and back at Althea who was wearing a smirk. Yiski turned back and resumed sniper fire.

_Yiski
"Smirk later, kill now."

Althea and Yiski then saw a rouge galleon pass overhead.

_Yiski
"That can't be good."

[Captain Lockheart]

After standing fairly heroically surrounded by his veterans, Lockheart then felt himself flattened by Spoon who had hit him at such a force he fell face first into the dust as the explosion went off. Been pressed against the ground meant that the explosion ricocheted in Lockhearts bones. He was assisted up by some of his soldiers who smirked ad he dusted himself off.

Lockheart
"Ahem... Er well ... Could've gone better.

Lockheart then noticed the gap between them and the walk and his 2 ships  fairly alone on the other side. He radioed them to fall back further. Before picking up his sword again . Then Lockheart noticed the galleon fly overhead.

Lockheart
"Shit, * radios to Yiski * Yiski I might know a way we can stop that Galleon..."

Lockheart examines the galleon.

Lockheart
"I can order my pyra to harpoon it and slow it down, if you can find a gun battery and some time to shoot it down. My galleon is occupied holding the rest if the fleet up."

Lockheart kept his hand on the radio awaiting an answer.

[N-Sunderland]

Sunderland

"Awaiting orders, Yiski. Do you want me going after that Galleon or helping out at a wall?"

[Yiski]

--Defensive Post Near Gate--

_Yiski
"I want that galleon gone!"

[Sgt. Spoon]

As a moment of unconsciousness passed, Spoon reslised where he were and more importantly that his jacket was on fire. He quickly rolled over and threw it off him. Staggering to his feet, he watched the blazing inferno around them. Burning buildings and men alike, showing him quite a horrendous sight.

Luckily for them the ships had blocked parts of the explosion which meant they'd be able to survive. Looking around him, he picked up his cane and lurched back to Lockheart.

Spoon:
Well, if it isn't the Chaladonian eh?

[N-Sunderland]

Sunderland

"Roger that Yiski. Going in for the ram."

N-Sunderland swung the Duck Pharaoh over to the armoury. He moonshined in, focusing on the Galleon with his gatlings.

"Ramming speed! Let's make this a good one!"

The Pyramidion hit full speed and smashed into the Wyvern's side. The Galleon was launched off to the side and away from the armoury, but it survived, and its hwachas were pointed at the Duck Pharaoh.

Sunderland

"Flak! He was running impact bumpers! Get ready to take a hwacha barrage."

Sunderland to all

"Galleon's hurt and pushed away from the armoury. Should buy you guys time to try to finish him. Hwachas are pinning me down. I'll make it through, but the Duck Pharaoh's disabled for now."

[Plasmarobo]

Plasma dashes out of the wreckage. He'd almost been out of the blast zone when the ground shattered. Still, they were mostly alive.

He glances at Surette.
_Plasma
"YOU! So I did see you at the saloon! It's been a long time hasn't it? We have some unfinished business, you and I."

He glances at the broken city behind him.

_Plasma
"I suppose it can wait. I'll come find you when this is over."

He sprints off with his men in tow, running towards the military docks.
The Point Wing is already in the process of launching when he reaches it. The Pointy End is pulling away from the docks, retrofitted with Artemis rocket launchers.
Plasma jumps, somewhat gracelessly, though the air. Tumbling onto the deck.

The Captain glances back at him.
_{Captain Verra}
"It looks like we'll make a Captain of you yet Lieutenant."

The Three ships burst out of the dock, sending rockets screaming into the side of the Galleon. Shattering the engines and weapons of the Wyrm's.
The Hawacha's were down, for the moment.

_{Captain Verra to Military Frequency}
"Get out of it Sunderland. Let the heavy guns take it down! We'll keep them disabled for as long as we can, but we need heavy fire on it!"

[Gryphos]

--Armoury--

By the time Nidhogg and Tristan arrived with their squad, The Wyrm had already disembarked with most of his crew and were setting up charges. They took cover behind a wall and listened in. The Wyrm himself was standing outside the building with at least twenty men, yelling orders at others who were inside.

Wyrm
"Put charges all around the powder stash, I want the fireworks to be seen all the way from Aileron. And be quick, the Anvalan dogs are probably chasing the Wyvern now!"

Tristan whispered to Nidhogg.

Tristan
"You were right. He's gonna rig the powder stash and take out almost half the city. We need a plan of action."

Nidhogg
"How about, 'Run in guns a'blazing and kill all of them', we do have the element of surprise."

Tristan
"Look, I really don't think-"

Too late, Nidhogg was of dashing towards the enemy with both sword and pistol drawn. Tristan immediately followed along with their squad.

The attack was immediately a success. Nidhogg, mid run, shot one in the chest before stabbing one in the back. This was followed by Tristan, who kicked one of them in the chest, causing him to buckle over, before plunging his sword down through the targets neck. The Wyrm was caught off guard but was no less fast with his reactions, as he quickly pulled out a pistol and started unloading on the charging defenders, killing two, before throwing away the gun and plunging a knife in the gut of another.

The battle continued as more mercenaries flooded out from within the building. But numbers mattered not to Nidhogg, who suddenly went into a murder frenzy, using pistol and sword in flawless synergy. But heavy casualties were being suffered on both sides. And all the while the battle was punctuated by the sounds of flak shot hitting the Wyvern. Not before long the only three people left standing were Tristan, Nidhogg, and the Wyrm.

Wyrm
"Hey!"

He pointed at Nidhogg.

Wyrm
"Aren't you that prince I was hired to kill?"

Nidhogg
"Maybe."

Wyrm
"And his brother, Tristan."

Tristan gave a small nod.

Wyrm
"Well then, I'll enjoy killing both of you."

Tristan
"Don't count on it."

Tristan charged at the Wyrm with his sword raised, only to be shot in the head. The moment the shot was fired, time seemed to go slow for Nidhogg. He heard the sound of that shot reverberating in his head, along with the thud of Tristan's body hitting the floor. Words wouldn't even leave Nidhogg's mouth, no screams of rage, no murderous cries, just the paralysing shock.

Wyrm
"Yeah... That's what you get for bringing a sword to a gun fight. Your turn?"

If Nidhogg was previously in a murder frenzy, it was nothing compared to this. He charged at the Wyrm with such speed that he didn't even have time to raise his gun before he took a sword in the gut.

Wyrm
"...hey."

But then the Wyrm threw a massive uppercut on Nidhogg with his caestus-equipped hand, practically sending Nidhogg flying.

Wyrm
"That almost hurt."

Nidhogg got up again and charged the Wyrm. The resulting fight was like two savage dogs at eachother's throats. Nidhogg was swiping with his sword left and right, while the Wyrm was deflecting and sending punches with his iron gauntlet. All the while The Wyvern was engaged in a battle in the sky with the Duck Pharaoh. It fired a hwacha broadside that stripped the armour off of Sunderlands ship, until the combined attack of three ships disabled the hwachas, leaving the Wyvern vulnerable.

[Captain Lockheart]

Lockheart radioed the White Whaler to harpoon the galleon. The spear flew through the air and the rope trailed behind it. The harpoon hit and the White Whaler went into full reverse and the galleon halted in its tracks.

Lockheart
"Yeshan Dragon ... FIRE!"

The galleon  fired all 3 if its facing heavy guns at the galleon, its back was severely crippled and deformed. Lockhearts galleon then spun round and the dragon figurehead let loose its wide jet of fire on the wyrms ship.
Lockheart then radioed yiski, plasmorabo and Sunderland.
Lockheart
" now who wants to finish him?, a rifle shot to that exposed fuel tank should finish him "

Lockheart then turned to spoon

Lockheart
"Yes it is, I must admit I've never met a flying spoon"
*chuckle*

Lockheart then looks back to the Yeshan Dragon as it breathed fire on the Wyvern

[Plasmarobo]

Plasma chuckles over the radio.
_Plasma
"I believe I will claim that honor."

He loads a charged round into the Mercury.
Takes careful aim, although there is little need, they are well within range, and fires.

The bullet takes it's time, meandering through the air as it seeks out the exposed fuel tank on the once mighty ship.
This is no burst round. It punches through the side of the tank, then ignites.

The fuel tank implodes, sucking itself in as the oxygen is consumed, and splitting apart, covering the lower deck of the galleon in dull red flame. Quickly threatening to consume the whole ship.

_{Captain Verra}
"Sunderland, if you'd be so kind as to escort our flammable friend away from powder-filled areas, we'd be much obliged."

[N-Sunderland]

Sunderland backed the Duck Pharaoh up, before engaging the burning, dying Galleon with moonshine.

"Ramming speed! Let's end this guy!"

The Wyvern was obliterated on impact.

"Sunderland here. Galleon's down, Yiski. I repeat, Galleon down."

Sunderland's relief didn't last long, however. He glanced below him and realized that Nidhogg and Tristan were still down there.

"Tristan, status report please. Tristan, do you copy?"