Siege of Tsaritsyn
part 1
Iona looked upon the starlit sky with content. It was a perfect early morning. The sun had just risen over the Ural mountains. All the trees and houses were covered in brilliantly shiny snow. As if the world were covered in crystal. She laid on her back as the winter breeze tickled her face and fox ears. When suddenly Sonje appeared. Wearing her dark Karlsland uniform. She was always a quiet girl. The type you never know when she is around. Iona tried to wave to her but was too tired. Instead she just rested on the ground while Sonje knelt beside her. "Sonje, what are you doing here?" She managed to say. Sonje paid her welcome no mind. Moving as graceful as an angel. She placed her gloved hands on Iona's chest. "Hey! W-What are you doing? Iona muttered her face, red as a cardinal. "Please don't move, I'll take care of you. It will be a lot more comfortable if you remain quiet." Sonje replied in a voice smooth as quicksilver. Sonje's wolf ears perked as she pressed harder on Iona's chest. She felt a warmth bleed from Sonje's hands and an aching in her extremities. Iona looked at Sonje's face and saw a deep intensity in her hazel eyes. Then a flicker caught her eye. A beautiful shooting star arced across the sky. "Please..." She muttered again. "Be patient, things like these can't be rushed." Replied Sonje. Then Iona felt a hard jolt from Sonje's hands. She felt as though she was rushed into a new world. "Done! That will be all for now." Sonje exclaimed. "We need to get indoors." She pointed to an ugly looking building. It was little more than a ruined apartment building. With smoke and embers floating skyward. Iona's brown eyes widened as she realized the hell she was in.
A wail unlike any natural sound shrieked through the air. The sky darkened with black clouds. The fragrant dreams of home were stomped underfoot by the smell of oil, soot, and death. Crimson beams pierced the sky. As storms of Katyusha missiles arced overhead like meteors. The earth trembled with every impact. Iona rolled to her feet. She picked up her long barreled cannon. Clutched her chest feeling the after effects of Sonje's healing. She mentally checked herself. "T-34; cannon, loaded, armor piercing rounds, treads in working order, spare ammo, okay everything ready." Suddenly a huge Neuroi beam shot towards her. Using her magical shield she deflected it and boosted backwards. She skirted along the ground like an ice skater. Firing shots toward the smoke. More beams shot forth.
One hit a witch with a heavy trench coat. Her shield broke with the crackle of broken china. She let out a blood freezing scream that filled the air as she clutched at what remained of her left arm. Along the grey snow she squirmed toward the cover of a nearby burnt out tank. Leaving a carmine trail among the ash. A cub mewling, trying to find protection in it's mother's warmth. Before another beam obliterated her leaving only smoldering treads in the snow. Iona skated her way towards the building Sonje directed. It was a sad looking building. With dark square pits for windows. The entire first floor walls were collapsed. Leaving piles of rubble that witches and infantry used for cover. Sporadic shots fired like comets toward the Neuroi. Resting her back towards a broken pillar she swung around and fire another shot towards the direction of the beams. Proud officers shouted orders while grim faced men ran around her shooting at any visible target. Sonje was laying on her belly among a pile of bricks. Unmoving Carefully aiming and predicting shots with her Panzer cannon. She seemed so concentrated like a painter placing the final touches on a prized painting. She then fired which sounded like a thunder strike. Huge clouds of snow and ash blasted away, making her appear like a specter.
"Don't get bogged down push forward!" Barked a voice from her side. It was Katyusha. The Orussian star on her ushanka gleamed a harsh red. The ushanka had hastily cut holes on the top to allow her bunny ears through. "NOT ONE STEP BACK!" She moved like a predator unlike the bunny girl she was. Each step she took with her T-34 striker impacted the ground with unnecessary force. Firing from behind a fallen pillar she then skated sideways legs apart away from them, firing from the hip. She made huge whorls of dust that followed her like an angel of war.
She then used her magic to super boost into the air. Strapping her cannon back she pulled out two NR-40 knives from holders on her thighs. She infused magic into them. Thereby making them impossibly sharp and extending them three feet. Holding them reversed grip she landed on a creeper neuroi. A large spider-like abomination that fired beams form it's "eyes". She stabbed it all the way through. Kicking off she activated her shield as it was enveloped in a fireball.
"Katyusha! That is too dangerous, fall back now!" Yelled Sonje. "Why do you just move forward instead of laying around!" Snapped Katyusha over the radio. As she wrestled another creeper to the ground cutting it's head. As a murder would slit it's victim's throat. Reluctantly she returned. Infantry men moved ahead. Taking what the witches left behind.
"Why are we stalling!" Katyusha yelled at Sonje while pointing to the distance. "We have our orders: advance to the October factories. The rest of the squad should be there already. "Katyusha" replied Sonje her voice as ice. "We are separated from the main force. The Neuroi have all our sectors under fire. Even on the other side of the Volga. We must link up with more forces before driving north to the factories. We simply do not have the firepower." "Also Sergeant, I as Staff Sergeant out rank you. So we will regroup first then advance. "Fine Sonje, well at least I get to kill more Neuroi" Katyusha smiled as she licked her knife.
"Enough." Grimaced Sonje. "Iona, I want you to move along the roof tops. "Cover us as we make our way to the sixth army." "Remember radios are only partially effective due to the Neuroi jamming.
"Yes ma'am" Iona replied.
She had mixed feeling about this. Being alone was terrifying. She could never know if the next door held a Neuroi. Or if the floor collapsed due to the weight of her striker. Yet being above the streets and having extended sight lines made it bearable. Also, she got some time away from Katyusha. She is a little scary, okay really scary. Perhaps it could be this war eroding her mind? No Sonje was there since day one and she is still nice. Maybe it is just her personality. She thought, as she walked through a burned out doorway.
She rolled across the roof tops. If they could be called that. With so many holes blasted in by the Neuroi bombers. They resembled Cheese more then homes. Multiple times she had to jump down to the floor below and dash between topple furniture. Then searched for a way back up. She glanced down. Katyusha and Sonje hugged the walls opposite of each other. Senny a quiet Orussian panda girl. Moved along the center. Her red skirt and blond twin tales fluttered vividly in the icy wind. Two T-34 tanks followed close behind them with infantry. Both Karksland and Orussian struggle to keep up.
They were close now. She looked above. Huge swarms of Neuroi completely dominated the sky. Some were huge, larger than zeppelins. Dark smears against the grey sky. She could see the distant flashes of beams. Tracers flying skyward signaling the last pockets of resistance. Huge black clouds boiled upward as if an painter spilled black ink on a painting. The rumble of explosions. Like an approaching thunderhead echoed through the city. Not a single structure remained untouched from war. Every one of them were broken ruins. Toppled bricks laid everywhere. Twisted spears of black metal pointed to the heavens like perverted cathedrals. In contrast to the dark background. Glittering while snowflakes swirled around her.
A glimmer caught her eye. "Neuroi spotted!" "two blocks ahead, holed up in that large four story building. Oh and air units are coming to." She said as shadows shifted over the buildings as plane sized Neuroi passed overhead. She ducked behind a chimney.
The neuroi shot first. Huge glaring beams shot downward. Senny dashed ahead. Placing her hands forward like a holding an invisible wall. She made a huge shield, larger then any other witch could make. Such was her ability. The beams deflected, flying wildly. Anti aircraft fire shot upward. A few Neuroi were hit. They spiraled down crashing into buildings. But there were too many.
"All units get off the streets!" Sonje commanded "Iona, get away from the roof tops." Even though her voice was calm it hit Iona like a thunderbolt. She moved toward a staircase. Then a Neuroi spotted her. It fired a beam like a finger moving across the sand. It missed but the wake of it made her right foot break through the roof. She struggled trying to free herself. Panic overcame her. Teary eye she pulled with all her might. Her fingers scraping the ice cold chassis. But it was useless. Gritting her teeth she saw a shadow over come her. "Iona..." she heard a voice blare over her static filled mic. A Neuroi so close she could almost touch it. Dull red light signaled that it was charging it's laser. Just then the roof gave way. It pancaked downward. Her stomach was thrown into her chest, as her world faded to black.