Siege of TsaritsynTsaritsyn
Part 2
Approaching Blizzard
"Incoming!" Yelled Anesha
Commander Hilda looked head to see a squad of Neuroi. Huge fingers of crimson lashed toward them.
"Blizzard Witches, break!"
The six of them spread out. Rado and Aino gained altitude and to drew the enemy fire. Anike a mischievous Karlsland squirrel girl slowed and steadied her Wz 35 rifle preparing for long range support. Ellina the reckless Orussin eagle girl. Moved toward the ground to hit from underneath. Hilda moved with Anesha chasing down a mid-sized Neuroi Stinger. Appropriately named due to it resembling a stingray. She eased back lining her sighs when a beam lashed at her from behind; flaring her shield.
"Anesha, keep with it" She commanded to the Orussian mongoose girl.
Anesha thumbed up as Hilda peeled away. Hilda's two toned red and white air rippled as she made a hard bank. She examined the new stinger through her monocle. It was coming 6 0clock, fast and high. She barrel rolled left as it overshot her. Now on it's tail she fired her machine gun. It rolled over and zoomed toward the snow. Her shots bounced off it's carapace. It moved left, she struggled to keep with it. Trees blurred by as they slithered their way through the icy valley. She fired again, her gun spitting molten metal. Her shots hit and it careened into a few trees. Slicing through them like a scythe. With the stinger damaged and slowed she destroyed it.
She took this time to observe the battle. It was not going well. The Allied forces were trying to cross the Volga river. With most of the city underneath Neuroi fire. Things were getting desperate. Had not the reserves come the; city would have been overrun.
The Volga a silver ribbon that drew toward the horizon, was in turmoil. The only life line left to the defenders, it was being crossed by hundreds of boats. The great counter offensive was taking place. Lasers, missiles, shells, arched over the river. As if two great volcanoes had erupted. On the surface of the river she saw boats filled with men, supplies and witches. One laser hit a boat carrying a squad of witches. She looked away as the witches were thrown overboard. Doomed to drown in the frigid waters if they could not part from their strikers. She saw other witches flying above the iron city. They made intricate lines dog fighting the Neuroi. One girl with a Karlsland uniform and helmet. Was hit from three stingers. There was a dark puff and a crackle, she spiraled toward the snow her legs aflame.
"Commander, Hilda!" Ellina spoke over the static filled radio. "Our sector is clear requesting permission to assist ground forces."
"Granted, and take Rado and Aino with you." She chimed her mic again. "Anike provide long range support and spot for the artillery. Anseha, move to higher altitude and warn us of any counter offensives." She received a chorus of acknowledgments. She glanced at her squadron shimmering in the distance. She saw Anesha hovering overhead her magical dipole antenna flaring as she assisted other witches with clear communications.
"Urrah!" Yelled Ellina excitingly. As she zipped toward the city. Her grenade pouch flapped wildly on her hip. Aino the quiet bear girl from Suomus was with her. Wielding two large machine guns akimbo style. Rado the ever so peppy Raccoon girl darted back and forth in her flight, wielding her large rocket launcher. Ahead of them lay the battlefield. She intercepted an urgent call for fire support; she accepted.
"Aino, and Rado!" Ellina ordered. "We have a target, Near that large grain elevator. Follow me and set up a heavy run."
They banked westward, low to the ground. Buildings flashed by as they neared the grain elevator. It was larger than she expected. Large sections were blown away. One of the silos was on fire It belched black smoke like a coal plant. She could see the large number of Neuroi; black blobs against the grey snow. She motioned to Rado. Who quickly adjusted her helmet and opened fire with a barrage of rockets. Large clouds pop corned their way toward the Neuroi trying to encircle the building. Ellina and Aino broke off to either side of Rado and laid support fire. Crimson beams shot skyward toward them. Aino flew like a dancer; twirling in between beams. Then dropped to the ground to hit them close range with her dual machine guns. Rado took a more direct approach. She bashed her way through with her shield flaring. Pouncing downward like a hawk unleashing her rockets, taking scores down with every run. Ellina flew at ground level, tossing grenades down alleys ensuring the enemy could not escape. She saw men in the silo firing back, helping them. When she noticed a large shadow eclipse the building.
A huge Neuroi, as large as a battleship! Blotted out the weak sun. It fired. She moved between it and the grain elevator. Her shield flared a brilliant blue as it deflected the beam as an umbrella would a water hose. Over head she could see Hilda in her dark Karlsland uniform, Anesha and other squadrons move in. It traced them with lasers. Long contrails swarmed around it as the more witches moved to intercept it.
Hilda darted back and forth drawing the battleship Neuroi's fire. She was so close to determining where the core was. Using her monocle she traced it toward the bridge.
"All units, pinpoint your fire toward the bridge."
She flew close. Huge explosions hit the deck and hull. The AA guns blared red. She moved from bow to stern. Weaving in between firing cannons that nearly made her deaf and blind from it's intensity. While at the same time struggling to not hit railings. Huge chunks of the hull broke off and crushed buildings below. Rado fired her rockets that flew around Hilda and crashed into the bridge. The core gleamed a blood red through the remnants of the bridge. Like a corrupted heart inside a ribcage. Aino hit the port side batteries, her guns blazing. With Ellina thrashing star port with her bare magic infused fists. The ship dived under the barrage, hoping to evade the onslaught. Shooting at the grain silo with renewed desperation. Anike defended the buildings with her shield. Hilda fired at the core which shattered. The battleship careened broadside, like a whale turning over. It made the air rumble with the sound of an earthquake. Then with a bone trembling impact it crashed into the Volga river. Enormous geysers of water vomited hundreds of feet. Large waves inundated riverside buildings.
She took a breath of relief. The remaining neurio in the immediate area would also be terminated. Hilda saw men cheering from the bombed out grain silo. She blew them a kiss. Hilda felt the cold water droplets from the impact on her face like a fresh spring shower. Rado and Aino danced around with intertwined fingers. Anesha nibbled at a chocolate bar. She turned way, embarrassed about the fact she had a half dozen bars stashed in her belt pouch. With Anike giving Ellina a noogie. The latter in clear distress.
Just then a deafening shriek filled the air. Looking towards the horizon she saw an immense Neuroi. It looked like a giant inverted pie pan. It had a cloud of smaller ones surrounding it. It moved ever so slowly toward Tsaritsyn. The underside glowed a harsh red as it laser charged. It glowed brilliantly. Then with a huge earth shattering boom it obliterated the land underneath it. Huge waves of energy radiated outwards as a new sun dawned. She blinked away dots that swarmed her vision. When she could finally see again, the horizon glowed lurid colors.
"Commander Hilda!" Anesha mumbled with a mouthful of chocolate. "Priority messaged broadcasting from central command. Feeding it to you now."
A deep voice with an equal sense of authority and pride boomed over her radio "-is green lit. All Karlsland, and Orussian forces. Complete the encirclement and counterattack on all fronts. Priority target is the Neuroi command center."
All around her; Hilda saw glimmers of witches and planes, ME-109s, and IL-2s. They flew by her like a blizzard of steel. She trained her monocle toward the distant horizons to the north and south. Huge clouds of dust and snow were kicked up from hundreds of vehicles. The southern forces cut through the Neuroi line like a sickle. While the northern front came down upon them with the force of a hammer. All of them raced toward the west. Toward the enemy command.
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