Chapter 55: Fighting On

 

In a situation of life and death, the battalions under Lina and Yuupiecca held the lines against the thousands of humans that were assaulting their position. 

Their disadvantage? Their very small numbers. 

Their advantage? They were basically in an impenetrable superweapon. 

Charging the large glowing orb at the top of the giant iron box was Yuupiecca who directed the magic power towards a group of humans. The large beam shot out from the iron box, decimating tens of soldiers on the Alliance side.

The alliance soldiers were unable to get close to the iron box as volleys of projectiles intercepted their path— all shot from the Analysts and Succours within. The few other crests held the entrance to the vehicle while the Saboteurs and Cunnings did hit and run outside the iron box via small tunnels that linked the bottom of the iron box and the outside— tunnels dug by a squad of Saboteurs. The excellent teamwork between the five crests was displayed at large for the enemy to see.

Lina herself was throwing ice bolts out of the vehicle towards some of the humans. Her hands and legs were shaking and her aim wasn’t that great, but she scored herself a few good kills. 

She was still in a state of trauma but was trying her best to fight it, rapidly breathing in and out, trying to calm herself down. However, the fact that every single arrow that flew by her caused her to jump did not help her situation. Still, she remained strong and kept fighting. She was a captain of the Seventh Army and her followers depended on her, she needed to be strong for their sake, past fears be damned.

As she was throwing ice bolts at the humans, they suddenly packed up and ran away like scurrying rats. It was weird, they still outnumbered them and they were so close to reaching the iron box yet they just ran away like cowards. Lina felt something was wrong.

“Sir! The humans are retreating!” Yuuka yelled out. 

Confirming his statement, Yuupiecca opened a small slit and looked out of the vehicle. It was as Yuuka said, the enemies were making a full retreat. Or at least running away from their sight.

“They are regrouping for another assault. I need the big laser charged up again and ready to go. Yuuki, Yuuko, hurry up with those charges!” Yuupiecca gave out his orders.

“Yessir!” His battalion in the iron box replied and they all started moving in tandem to their objectives.

‘A regroup, of course,’ Lina thought to herself.

Taking this time to take a breather, Lina slumped down to the floor before letting out the air within her lungs. She gripped her hands in an attempt to make it shake less. 

Gritting her teeth in a look of frustration, she cursed herself for being so weak. She knew what must be done, but her body wouldn't listen to her. Her heart remained weak and her mind kept going astray remembering how she lost her wings back at Fort Kron. If she could only wipe this accursed memory then she would do it without any hesitation.

It was at this moment that she felt a shadow looming over her. Looking upwards, she could see Yuupiecca holding out a bottle of water to her. 

With shaky hands, Lina took the bottle out of his hands. “Th-thanks.”

“No problem,” Yuupiecca said as he sat down next to her, unbeknownst of the inner panic that this caused Lina to feel. On Lina’s face was a little blush.

“You alright here? Think you can keep up?” Yuupiecca asked.

“...Yeah. And you are mistaken. I must keep up. I’m not about to make that same shameful display like at the mines,” Lina replied and took a drink. One could see her having difficulties drinking due to her shaking hands.

The two then shared a silent moment. Sitting next to Yuupiecca calmed Lina’s heart down enough to stop shaking. There was another reason why she needs to be strong. In terms of strength, Lina definitely defeats Yuupiecca. But Yuupiecca was definitely a greater asset than her. She needed to make sure that Yuupiecca stayed alive. Lina just couldn’t see the AK’hims surviving this war without his brilliance.

“...Try your best. I’m rooting for you,” Yuupiecca scratched his cheeks.

Letting out a small chuckle and a small smile, Lina said back to the inventor. “Thanks.”

“You know… I never expected to stand side by side with you l—” Yuupiecca tried to say something, but he was soon cut off by a soft and annoying voice. 

“Yuupie! Are you there! You better not be dead!” It was the voice of her annoying little sister, Poilautenula Analyst.

Clicking his tongue, Yuupiecca yelled back. “Yeah, I’m here. I’m alive just so you know!” He then stood up and walked over to find her.

Using her acrobatic skills, Poi parkour over the other soldiers and the obstacle within the giant iron box before reaching Yuupiecca and embracing him in a hug. “I’m glad you are safe…”

Yuupiecca who could be seen rather embarrassed at the fact tried to peel her off to no avail. “...Where is Senior Balestra?” Yuupiecca asked, noticing that the elder rogue was not together with Poi.

"I'm right here, Yuupiecca," Balestra, who came from the sides, said to him. It looked like he took the more normal way to get to Yuupiecca. He was accompanied by Medica who guided him around the iron box.

"It's good to see you alright. I feared the worst may happen when you disappeared," Yuupiecca replied.

"It very well might be. Fill me in on the situation. Why aren't you all leaving this place while the enemy is regrouping? Is there any significance to holding this point?" Balestra asked.

"... We are scuttling this machine. Can't let the humans have their hands on it. We are also to hold the position until the other armies group upon us," Yuupiecca replied.

"Under whose orders?"

"Under mine. The general is still missing, Harbin and the others are on their way to assist her right now. I have the only functioning replica grimoire right now." 

"Yuupie just doesn't want the humans to lay hands on his dear invention," Poi said.

"Why you!" An angry Yuupiecca was seen knocking Poi's head. She only responded with a silly: “Tee hee!”

The group then talked to each other about random stuff, sometimes pertaining to the fight at hand and sometimes just throwing jabs at each other. It doesn’t take a genius to see that they were close, no matter how they quarrel. 

Though, there was one person in the group that irritated Lina ever so slightly. Lina knew that Poi was Yuupiecca’s sibling, but she couldn’t help but feel a little unpleasant at her presence. She stared at the butterfly-shaped hairpin that was on Poi’s left bang, the same hairpin as the one that Lina wore.

"Lord Lina, will you be fine?" Medica asked with a concerned tone towards her.

"Yeah, I'm not about to—" Lina's reply was cut off.

“The enemies are back!” Yuuka yelled out, setting everyone back into alert status.

"Demolition charges set! We are ready to blow the Mark Three at any time, sir!" Yuuko yelled out as well.

"Everyone into defensive position! We hold this place as long as we can!" Yuupiecca shouted before moving to the control orb, the orb that controls the big laser beam.

"Poi, Balestra! We need you to cover the rogues outside!" Medica yelled out before flying to her position.

The two rogues immediately went to work without question, leaving only Lina behind. Taking a deep breath she then stood up before looking out the small window towards the outside. She then started charging magical ice bolts to throw at enemies. Although this time, she was a little bit calmer about it.

 

* * * * *

 

In another part of the forest, lies the remnants of the First Army led by Samiyadere alongside the reserves and the mercenaries of the Ak’hims. They were currently engaged against a group of elves and dwarves who were blocking their way to the location marked by the shining red flare. The signal that Samiayadere deduced was the signal for the Ak’hims to regroup.

They tried their best to punch through but the Alliance held strong. Samiyadare and the other Dragonica’s who could transform tried to blast through using their sheer firepower but found themselves in a precarious position as the elves and the dwarves had large ballistas aimed at the dragons as soon as they transformed. Some of them had already fallen to the large arrows. Not only that, the Succours elites who were more agile in the air were being shot down by strong magical arrows from the elves.

Their only way to push through was through the ground, but that seemed to be a rather hard thing for the Ak’hims to do. The enemies were well fortified in place and their numbers were numerous. Much more numerous than the First Army who just lost half their manpower. The mercenaries and reserve army who were with the First Army did supplement them, but it wasn’t nearly enough to push through.

Getting desperate, Samiyadere thought to do a well-timed all-out assault on the enemy’s position. Steeling herself, she transformed herself into a dragon before moving out of cover to rush to the enemies. Seeing this, the First Army joined in and provided support for her. She opened her reptilian eyes wide to prepare herself to dodge any oncoming large arrows. Though her effort was proven pointless when suddenly, huge lightning strikes fell upon the enemies.

More specifically the ballistas that the dwarves were operating. Then, large amounts of tridents fell from the skies towards the Alliance’s position, causing even more lightning strikes to fall down. Samiyadare looked east of her position and found a group of minotaurs, led by General Vargus, charging at the enemies. To her west were Lamias led by General Shieska, moving from tree to tree, narrowly avoiding arrows from the elves and striking back with their own.

“I see you are doing well, young dragonicia. We are here to assist you,” a voice came out from Samiyadare’s back. It was the queen of the merpeople, Saladis, gliding through the ground next to her.

She could also see numerous mermaids and mermen sliding the ground with ease as well. They were throwing tridents which summon lightning strikes onto their enemies.  It looked like they became more agile and stronger within the rain.

Seeing no reason to maintain her draconic form, Samiyadare transformed back before running side by side with the mermaid queen. “I thank you for your assistance, Queen Saladis.”

“Do not be so. My people owe a debt to the Ak’hims, we shall fight to the very end,” Saladis replied.

“I see… I thank you regardless.” 

“I could hear the sadness in your voice. My condolences on the loss of Lord General the First.” 

“... I can grieve later. Our duty right now is to fight on,” Samiyadare replied.

“Indeed, tis is so,” Saladis said to her before gliding even faster now, her trident aimed at the enemy as she leapt into combat.

‘I’ll try my best to uphold your legacy, Big Sister.’ Samiyadare thought to herself as she too leapt into the fray of battle.