Ch 21: Rescue
Pina was kept in a dark chamber, the chamber made of stone with a wooden floor and ceiling. A shackle locked around her right ankle and chained to the wall. Despite having no windows or openings other than the now shut door, the room was quite cold, made worse by the fact that Pina had been stripped naked.
Pina had to wrap her arms around herself to try and stay warm. She had barely been given stale bread and cold water, both tasting horrible, but Pina forced herself to eat it, wanting to keep her strength up.
As Pina contemplated her situation, she thought about her father, Grey, and if Zorzal was ok. She also thought about Itami.
Pina nearly jumped when she heard the door slowly open. The light from the hallway hurting Pina's eyes as she tried to cover them.
Standing over her was Diabo who looked down at the naked Pina.
He sniffed before shaking his head.
"She stinks." He said before one of his men tossed a bucket of water into Pina who shook as it hit her.
Two men came down with cleaning brushes and scrubbed Pina who felt violated, screaming and trying to fight back as she was held down.
After finishing, the two men grabbed Pina's arms and held her in place as Diabo came down in front of her.
He smiled as he stroked her chin.
"I know we should probably wait for our wedding day. But I can't stop thinking about it sweet cousin. Now that I'm the emperor , why wait."
Pina spit in his face, Diabo wiping it out before punching Pina, the princess grunting as she was dragged onto her back.
Pina violently trying to get up, kicking before another man held her legs down.
"You know, it takes a lot of charisma to form an alliance of so many different kingdoms. I spent many years having to be calm and diplomatic. Unlike you and your brother, I grew up a political refugee, no money, no power, just an ambition. But now that I have all of that, I'm ready to let loose a little." He said undoing his pants as Pina began to scream.
"Your grace." They heard, a knight standing in the doorway.
"Will you give me a few minutes dam it!"
"My emperor, the additional troops from Lord Duran have arrived. The army is ready to march."
Diabo sighed.
"Fine, looks like we'll be waiting for our wedding day after all dear. See she stays fed, I never liked them too skinny." Diabo said before raising his trousers and leaving. Pina was released before the guards left, shutting the door.
Outside the capital a massive army had formed, hundreds of thousands of men, and non-human mercenaries standing in formations wielding ak-47s, ak-74's, RPGs, and other modern weapons. Many wore chainmail armor, leather armor, or plate armor, but hundreds wore older kevlar armor over themselves, having dated helmets as well.
There were hundreds on horseback, but also dozens of armored vehicles, trucks, and large guns placed on trucks.
Diabo wore knight armor with kevlar plates over the exterior. A horse was brought to him before he rode across the army.
Diabo reaching a large truck and stopping in the back.
"Soldiers! I stand before men of many kingdoms, kingdoms who have suffered great indignity at the hands of the empire, at the hands of my uncle and his children. Kingdoms and people who only wished to live in peace but were ruthlessly conquered by the legions of the empire. Only to satisfy the endless ambitions of its emperor. The kings who stand before me stripped of their thrones and forced to serve as vassals, only to be sent like sheep for slaughter against an enemy that could not be beaten. Invaders who seek to carve up our land and swallow us whole like the empire, who have allied themselves with the empire to that they might rule us together. No more!" Diabo shouted as his men opened the truck.
Inside the army saw the semi-truck was filled with gold, precious stones, statues, and artwork.
"This is but a small bit of the spoils of war my uncle and cousin stole from you, prizes to remind themselves of what they did, and kept separate from the royal treasury. As your new emperor, this treasure doesn't belong to me, it belongs to you!" Diabo took a handful of treasure and tossed it in front of a formation, the men scrambling to get the treasure.
Two more semi-trucks pulled up alongside the army Diabo's knights tossing more treasure at his army.
"We will march to Arnus hill with the weapons of these invaders, we will bring death and destruction to them as they did to us and save our land!"
The army began chanting.
"Diabo el commodus! Diabo el commodus!"
Diabo smiled as he rode his horse away from the main army towards a helicopter.
"That was quite a speech." One of his knights said.
"Motivating men to fight is an art my friend."
"Is it wise to attack the enemy at their fortifications, many of the lords are uneasy about it."
"We have the proper weapons to do so now. We have advisors from their world who will give us proper tactics to use against them."
"So what is the plan exactly?"
"There can't be more eleven-thousand of them in their fortifications, we lay siege lines and destroy the gate, cutting them off from reinforcements."
"But what about the deal you made with this nation of China from their world?"
"That fool actually thought I could shift the gate to open in his nation. I only told him what he wanted to hear, the last thing I need is more people from their world here. Once this battle is over, we destroy the small pass in the mountains as well, we have enough supplies for the foreseeable future."
"What about the advisors from their world?"
"Those men are mercenaries, they have no loyalty, I've offered them all lordships. They serve me now."
Diabo got off his horse and into the helicopter.
"What about Zorzal? With most of Duran's men with us, can he keep him contained?"
"Even with only a skeleton force, Duran has these weapons. He can contain Zorzal."
"Why not just kill him?"
"All in good time, after our victory he'll be executed in my triumphant, and his half-breed son. As for Tyuule I may keep her around if I grow tired of Pina."
Diabo got inside the helicopter.
"Your father would be proud of you."
Diabo's expression changing as he buckled himself.
He shut the door as the pilot lifted the helicopter up.
Elsewhere, Duran rode through Zorzal's camp, thousands of legionaries and auxiliaries chained or tied together as Duran's skeleton force cheered seeing their lord drag a naked Zorzal from the back of his horse.
Zorzal grunted, his hands bound by a rope as he was dragged.
Nearby Zorzal's praetorian guards were chained to poles, Tyuule with a shackle around her neck as she was chained to a post like a dog.
She begrudgingly watched her husband dragged around the camp, and saw heard their son crying as a pair of drunk soldiers stumbled around near him in a makeshift crib.
Tyuule nearly strangled herself trying to get free, it being even worse when she saw several of her warrior bunnies being restrained, many of the soldiers trying to violate them.
"All hail the mighty Zorzal el Caesar!" Duran shouted in mocking tone as his men laughed.
"Bastard!" One of the centurions shouted before being his by the end of a rifle.
Duran stopped, Zorzal grunting as his body ached, bruised and bloodied.
He contemplated his current situation, seeing his army in captured, his wife chained like a dog, and his son crying, him unable to do anything. He looked up at lord Duran, the look of resentment on his face towards him. Zorzal thought about those he conquered, realizing how they must have felt, it made him wonder if his own wife had ever hated him.
The rope was cut as two men dragged Zorzal back and to a post.
Zorzal saw Duran slowly walk in front of him.
"To think, I defeat the great Zorzal el Caesar, does this make me a legendary commander?"
"The last time I heard of you, you had your arm and leg blown off at Arnus hill." Zorzal said before Duran hit him across the face with his prosthetic arm, Zorzal spitting up some blood.
"You and your wretched father lead thousands of my men to their deaths , just so we couldn't rise up against him. Well now we are, your father is dead!"
"What?" Zorzal said.
"Emperor Molt Augustus is dead!" Duran shouted as his men laughed, the legionaries looking horrified, some breaking down.
"No, no." Zorzal said.
"Our new emperor , Diabo el Commodus wants you alive for his triumph, but my men at Arnus hill will be avenged."
Duran moved as one of his men came up with a knife.
"You're army is going to watch as Zorzal el Caesar is turned into a woman." Duran said.
Tyuule and the others looked horrified. One of the praetorians now noticing a strange looking creature flying over them.
She nearly lost consciousness as she tried to break free.
The man gave a sick look as he came to Zorzal who looked terrified before looking enraged.
"Duran, I'm going to cut your head off!"
"I think you're misunderstanding the situat-" Duran started before a loud gunshot was heard , the man with the knife's head nearly getting blown clean off.
Duran ducked under his horse as his men ducked down, looking around for the shooter.
"What? Where is he? Who fired?!" Duran shouted.
A man waived an RPG around before another gunshot was heard , his chest bursting as the bullet went through.
On the hilltops overlooking the camp, Jiraiya laying down with his sniper rifle in front of him and a spotter beside him.
"Range is good, wind , distance." The marine said as Jiraiya zero'd in on a guard on a machine gun.
"I miss using this beauty." Jiraiya said as he pulled the trigger, the bullet ripping through the gun and killing the man behind it.
Jiraiya wasn't alone, several other marine and JSDF snipers were on the hilltops over the camp.
A few of Duran's winged dragons with machine guns mounted on them getting restless, one of Duran's men flying up.
"Airborne beast." Jiraiya said over the comlink.
"Copy , UAV has it marked." A marine Lieutenant near Jiraiya gave a hand signal as a marine fired a javelin missile. The missile soaring through the air and smashing into the wrymling before blowing it in half.
Jiraiya and the others could see the chaos and confusion in Duran's camp.
A few getting into their armored vehicles and driving around as the others fired at the hills.
On another hill Tomita was with Takeo, Yanagida , and Delilah. The bunny warrior seeing her queen and people.
Yanagida saw the look on her face and put his hand on her shoulder.
"Easy there, we have to be careful."
Yanagida turned to Tomita.
"Are your men on standby?"
"Yes sir."
"Good, once the colonel gives the signal, we move in. Prepare those mortars." Yanagida said as Takeo and other SDF soldiers got the launchers ready.
"Aim for the vehicles, and make sure you don't hit the hostages." Tomita said.
Several marines around the hills also began setting up mortars, others taking out gustov guns.
"Fire!"
Takeo fired a mortar that soared through the air, whistling as it crashed into a truck, the vehicle exploding as the soldiers with Duran continued to scramble.
Another vehicle was hit by a gustov gun before a second wrymling was shot down by another javelin round.
As Duran heard more gunfire and explosives he began to have flashbacks to Arnus hill, Zorzal as well. Duran dropping his weapon and curling up under his horse.
"They're spread out enough. Move in." Yanagida heard from their colonel.
A series of smoke canisters were launched into the camp, soon the entire encampment was covered in smoke. Tomita and his men putting thermal vision goggles on.
"Go go go, and watch your fire." Yanagida said as he put on his pair before helping Delilah put hers on.
The bunny warrior looking around.
"Woah!? What is this?" She asked before the SDF soldiers and U.S marines rushed into the camp.
Each of them having laser sights on their assault rifles.
One of Duran's men firing randomly before Takeo put three rounds in him, the man falling to the ground.
Tomita had a shotgun in hand, firing rounds into Duran's men who were unable to see them.
Yanagida stayed close to Delilah who moved incredibly fast, slashing and stabbing Duran's men while Yanagida shot any who fired near her.
Several of the marines and SDF soldiers freeing the legionaries and auxiliaries. With the smoke clearing, several of the legionaries and auxiliaries attacking Duran's men.
Several of the warrior bunnies getting particularly violent with the men who had been at them.
Delilah cutting several of them free before reaching Tyuule.
"My queen!" She shouted before breaking the chains.
Tyuule took one of Delilah's blades before rushing at the men by her son. Violently slashing at their throats and guts. The two men falling down before Tyuule grabbed her son.
"It's ok , mommy's got you, it's ok." Tyuule said as she held him.
Yanagida saw Zorzal still tied to a post and picked up a sword before cutting him free.
As Duran tried to get up he carefully picked up his gun before he felt a sharp pain in his arm.
Duran screaming as Zorzal cut his arm off before slashing low and taking his leg off.
Duran screaming like he did at Arnus hill, Zorzal kicking his prosthetic arm and leg off, Duran now on the ground , seeing his arms and legs all separated from him.
Zorzal breathed deeply as he stood over him, Tyuule walking up beside him with their son in arms.
"You've lost your arms and legs Duran, now I'm going to take one last thing." Zorzal said as he came down and cut off Duran's head.
Tyuule heard their baby laugh seeing this.
Zorzal turned to Tyuule who smiled a little.
"…..That concerns me."
"Don't be , it just show's he's going to be a warrior."
As the last of Duran's men either retreated or surrendered a pair of Boeing V-22 Osprey's flew in from the sky, medics and other military personnel.
"My prince!" One of the praetorians shouted before he rushed over to him.
Zorzal's now freed aid collecting his armor and putting it on him.
"Prince Zorzal." He heard, turning to see Yanagida with a SDF colonel approaching.
"You saved me, my men, my wife , and my son." Zorzal knelt down.
"I am forever in your debt."
"Come with us, you should get looked at my a doctor, you and your son."
"My sister? The imperial capital, it's been taken!"
"We know."
Elsewhere at the imperial capital, a small force of Diabo's men still inside the city. The hidden rose-knights were watching in horror and disgust as Diabo's men ran rampant, dragging people from the wealthy district out of their houses, shooting people in the poor district, and dragging prostitutes through the streets.
One of the knights tightening the grip on her sword as she saw a pair of men go into a house, one dragging a young woman out before a mob of people showed up, the other firing into them as the mob scattered.
The knight grit her teeth as she heard the young woman scream and saw the dead people on the streets. She almost went out before another rose-knight grabbed her shoulder.
"It won't do them any good if you get shot Alice."
The two knights moved back into an alley as several other men walked by.
These men weren't armed with guns or kevlar, but instead wore leather armor and cougar skins over their backs, each one also armed with a short dagger.
"This is insane, these brigands are practically sacking the city." A man in the street said.
"Is this Diabo really Caligula's son, my father told me about the days when he ruled. Have those days returned?"
"I don't know, but we can only pray that prince Zorzal and the invaders come to stop this madness."
Moments later the men wearing the cougar skins surrounded them.
"You dare insult emperor Diabo, traitors!" They dragged the men away, several people shouting angrily before the men with guns scared them off.
On the walls surrounding the city, dozens of the armed men lounged around the wall, crates of ammo, explosives and large manned turrets.
Two stood around a SAM site with a mercenary who ran them through the controls.
"And this will shoot down the flying metal beasts?"
"Yes, these surface-to-air missiles are specifically meant to shoot down aircraft. It's also what these stinger missiles are for." The mercenary took one out and handed it to the soldier.
"Just aim it, wait for the light to turn green then squeeze the trigger."
"These would have saved thousands of our men at Arnus hill." One said s he thought about the battle months prior.
"I'd like to see those invaders fight us now that we have weapons that can match theirs." Another said as he got onto a .50 cal turret.
Moments later the soldiers heard something, something familiar.
"What is that?" One asked before the one on the turret shook in fear, remembering where he heard that sound before.
"In the sky!" He shouted as the other soldiers on the wall looked up as a pair of F-16 fighters and a pair of F-4 phantoms flew at them with three A-10 warthogs flew at them.
Inside one of the A-10's was Paul.
"Hunter 2-3 moving into position, targets marked, weapons free." Paul said as his A-10 unleashed its deadly gatling gun and missiles. The other planes opened up on the top of the wall, dozens of the mercenaries and Diabo soldiers getting torn apart as the planes flew over them.
"Fight back! Get those anti-air weapons ready!" The lead mercenary shouted as he turned on the SAM site.
The gun battery's missiles shifted as they took aim at Paul's A-10 before firing.
"Hunter 2-3 you've got a bogey on your tail." One of the F-16 pilots said.
"I've got him." Paul said as he pressed a button and pulled on his throttle , his A-10 made a sharp bank as several flares shot out the back , the SAM missile following the flares before exploding.
"Hunter 2-3 bogey is clear."
"Copy Hunter 1-2, coming in for another pass, weapons free." Paul fired a missile at the SAM site, blowing it to pieces as well as the men operating it.
The seven planes kept at the wall before more aircraft was heard.
One of the cowering soldiers slowly looking over the walls to see three Apache helicopters and four Little Bird helicopters.
"Juliet 4-7 moving in." An Apache pilot said as she opened up on the remaining men on the wall.
Several getting torn apart by their fire before one of the men fired a stinger missile, the Apache moving as it launched flares, the stinger missile exploding harmlessly away from it.
"Wall is clear, move in the ground troops."
A large group of black hawk helicopters flew towards the imperial capital, the sounds of dragons roaring followed as Glaedr and Iondraet flew beside them.
On Iondraet's back was Arkanes and Raven, on Glaedr's was Daniel and Tuka, both in their tactical gear.
"At last! I was disappointed we missed out last time." Glaedr said in excitement.
Itami stood inside one of the SDF black hawks. He had his tactical gear and was surrounded by other SDF soldiers, Itami as well as the others each having a patch on of a pair wings with a parachute in the center over branches surrounding a diamond.
Itami has a serious look on his face as they flew over the city.
"Sir are you ok?" One asked.
"Yeah." Itami said as he pulled a cloth up over his mouth.
Across from them an American black hawk helicopter hovered over a building.
Ryan came out with other soldiers each having a ranger scroll and tab on the shoulders of their uniforms.
"Let's go! Rangers lead the way!" Ryan shouted as he and his ranger platoon began gunning down more of Diabo's men.
Across the city men from the SDF special forces and U.S 75th ranger regiment began air dropping in and taking strategic points in the city.
Glaedr roared as he flew over the streets, breathing golden fire into groups of Diabo's men while Daniel and Tuka fired from his back.
Three wyrmlings with machine guns mounted on their backs flew around Iondraet, the larger dragon roaring as she breathed fire into them, keeping the three back before Arkanes slashed one of the men riding one in half with his katana. Iondraet snapped her jaws around one of the Wrymling's necks, breaking it as Raven leapt onto the backs of another wyrmling slashing the rider before taking the reins and flying the dragon down before attacking men and non-human mercenaries on the ground.
Glaedr used his large paws to smash apart an armored vehicle before seeing another get blown apart by an Apache as it flew over.
Glaedr and Tuka both saw how easily the 75th rangers and SDF special forces took down groups of Diabo's men and mercenaries.
Even after everything Tuka and Glaedr had seen, they were still in disbelief from what they saw.
"These soldiers of yours seem even more capable than your others"
"These are rangers and special forces. They're the elite." Daniel said.
"Rangers? Like that tab you wear?"
"Yes." Daniel said before he saw a troll growling as he came in front of the golden dragon holding two RPGs in his hands before firing.
"Lookout!" Glaedr roared as he unleashed a jet of fire that hit the two rockets before exploding.
As the smoke cleared a round from a gustov gun hit the troll and blew it in half.
Daniel and Tuka looking over to see Ryan and his men.
Across the streets as Diabo's men scrambled to defend the city, the ruthless cougar-pelt wearing police tried to join in before they heard a horn blowing.
Several of the rangers and civilians seeing dozens of mountain knights on horseback holding the sigil of the Rose-knights as well as other sigils.
To the surprise of the rangers, these knights began cutting down the police and mercenaries , despite some having guns.
"We're with you!" A woman knight shouted as she ran past Ryan and his platoon.
"Overwatch this is Bravo 3-5 be advised knights are friendly, say again, knights are friendly!" Daniel shouted over the com-link.
"Copy Bravo 3-5, all units be advised knights are friendly, say again, knights are friendly."
"Ahh hell yeah, we're fighting with knights and dragons now, let's go rangers!" Ryan shouted as he and his men followed Glaedr.
Itami could see the the battle in the city below, hundreds of rangers and SDF special forces moping up Diabo's men with ease , hundreds of knights and armed civilians joining them.
As his helicopter approached the imperial palace, several turrets placed on the building began firing, the black hawk moving as Itami held on.
The door gunners fired back as Itami got on the com-link.
"Charlie 6-2 to Overwatch, palace is hot, say again, palace is hot." Itami said.
"Air support is available Charlie 6-2."
"Negative Overwatch, friendlies inside the palace."
"Charlie 6-2 I know just the air support you need." Itami heard before seeing Glaedr and Iondraet fly past them with Raven close behind on a Wyrmling.
The turrets at the palace began firing at them, one firing a SAM missile before Iondraet breathed fire into the missile causing it to explode.
The dragons eventually got close enough and blasted the turrets with fire or ripped them apart.
Daniel and the others using some magic to help.
"Charlie 6-2 you're clear." Daniel said.
"Move in!" Itami shouted. His black hawk moved in with several others over the palace, a rope dropping as they hovered over a balcony.
Itami grabbed the rope and slid down first, his boots hitting the balcony before he raised his gun, moving forward with the other special forces troopers close behind. They reached a door and stacked up on it, Itami giving hand signals as one put a breach charge.
Moments later it went off, one of the soldiers tossing a grenade in before they heard cries of pain on the other side.
Itami came in first, gunning down one of Diabo's men before two more were shot by Itami's men.
Itami and his team continued to move through the palace, facing two or three of Diabo's men every room or so, the mercenaries from their world putting up a bigger fight than those from the special region armed with modern weapons.
However, even the mercenaries stood no chance against the elite SDF soldiers.
Eventually they reached a larger chamber , bullets immediately flying past them.
"Cover!" Itami shouted as his men scrambled to get behind pillars and other means of cover. Alongside their side of the room were several rangers and other SDF special forces troopers exchanging fire with a large group of Diabo's men.
Itami saw two trolls with large armored plates meant for vehicles put over them like kevlar, each one also holding a PK machine gun in both hands.
Bullets hit the pillar Itami was hiding behind, before he returned fire. The firefight was intense, Itami eventually noticing Mary was with the rangers. Also in cover was Panache with several other various knights.
The two trolls kept most of the coalition forces suppressed as they moved closer. Another bullet hissed past Itami as he jerked back.
Itami then noticed a doorway to his right and gave a hand signal, two SDF special forces troopers and two rangers kicking the door down before running through it.
One of Itami's men tossed a grenade before a troll kicked it back, the explosion shaking Itami and his men before they heard another burst.
On the other side of the room, the four men had outflanked Diabo's men and ripped into their sides with bullets.
The two trolls turned, one of the rangers firing a grenade launcher round into the monster, knocking it back.
Itami took out a grenade and ran forward reaching one of the trolls and shoving his grenade inside the armor plates.
The troll swung its arms around and knocked Itami onto his back, the troll growling as Itami covered his head with his arms, the troll thinking he was cowering.
Moments later the grenade went off , the troll's mouth filling up with blood as his stomach and intestines were blown out.
The other troll saw this and tried to shoot Itami but was hit in the exposed arm by one of the rangers.
The troll groaned in pain before being hit in thew exposed leg and backed up.
Itami got up and fired a round into its shoulder, the troll now in front of a window with the last of Diabo's men beside it as the they tried to concentrate their fire, Itami having to sprint back to cover, diving behind a low wall as one of his men pulled him back.
"Are you fucking stupid sir!" one shouted.
"Probably." Itami said as they resumed the firefight, the rangers and SDF killing two more of the mercenaries before the glass shattered behind them.
Fire enveloped the remaining mercenaries before Arkanes leapt forward, the Troll turning just in time to see Arkanes's sword as he cut the Troll's head off.
Arkanes landed on the ground, Iondraet slowly coming in behind him.
One of the severely burned mercenaries tried to get up, but was decapitated by Raven as she came in behind him.
"We're clear!" Itami shouted.
"Captain." Mary said as she came up to him.
"Corpsmen Quinn, come with me , we need to find Pina."
They heard more gunfire in a nearby chamber, as well as the roar of a dragon.
Itami rushed there with Arkanes, Raven, and Mary, seeing the next chamber was already cleared. Glaedr with Daniel and Tuka on his back surrounded by dead bodies. Several rangers with them.
"Too slow Itami." Daniel said as he got down with Tuka.
"Sir, we've got a live one." They heard as a ranger came forward , dragging a wounded mercenary.
He dropped the man in front of Daniel and Itami.
"Where's the princess?" Daniel asked in a forceful tone.
The man only grunted before Itami grabbed him and pinned him against the ground.
"Where the fuck is Pina!?" Itami screamed before punching the man.
"I don't know!"
Itami now held the man up by his uniform's collar.
"Five seconds , if you don't tell me where Pina is , I'm going to feed you to those dragons!" Itami screamed as the man's expression changed.
"No way, I heard you invaders don't allow harsh treatment of-"
Glaedr came forward and snapped his jaws in front of the man who yelped.
"Four, three, two, one."
"Ahh! She's this way!"
One of Itami's men held the man up with his gun.
"Show us!"
The man lead them through a series of hallways , Glaedr and Iondraet finding it difficult to move through the hallways.
The man lead them to a locked door , one of the rangers placing a thermite charge on the lock.
Itami's heart raced as the thermite burned through the lock.
The door was slowly opened, Itami saw Pina inside the dark room, covering her eyes from the light and looking afraid. She was naked , wet, shivering, and chained to the wall.
Pina slowly looked up as she saw Itami lower the cloth around his mouth.
"Itami." She said shaking.
Despite being chained, Pina tried to get up but fell, Itami catching her.
He heard her cry as he held her in his arms.
"It's ok Pina, you're safe." Daniel knelt down and used his strength to rip the shackle in half off her ankle.
"Princess, thank the heavens you're unharmed." Panache said as he knelt down, Mary coming forward before taking out a small flashlight.
"Princess, I need you to look at me." Mary said putting her hand on her head, Mary looking at her eyes.
Mary spent a minute looking over Pina , checking for any injuries or complications.
"No signs of malnutrition, other injuries, still we don't want to take any chances with a dirty cell like this." Mary said as she took out a syringe.
"What is that?" Pina asked.
"Just some antibiotics." Mary said before giving her a shot.
Daniel saw the look on Pina's face, tears still coming out.
"They're dead, my father, Grey. They're gone." Itami hugged her again as she continued crying.
"It's going to be ok, our people are helping Zorzal as we speak, we're clearing the city."
"Zorzal is safe?!"
"Tomita and the others are personally seeing to it." Daniel said.
"She's good to travel." Mary said as one of the rangers put a kevlar jacket over her.
Itami picked Pina up in his arms and carried her as they began to leave.
However, as they moved back towards one of the earlier rooms, Glaedr and Iondraet stopped, both sniffing and growling.
"What's wrong?" Arkanes asked.
"I smell something." Iondraet said.
Moments later something smashed through the floor, snatching the man who lead them to Pina in it's jaws.
The others backed up as they saw a massive snake like creature rose its head up and over them. The creature had black scales , red eyes, a forked tongue and had a head almost as big as Iondraet's.
The snake creature hissed before snapping at them, almost getting Daniel before he jumped backwards, Glaedr roaring as he breathed fire into the creature, forcing it back.
Tuka shot at it's eyes as the creature hissed and moved back again.
"What the fuck is that? What's it doing here?" One of the rangers asked.
"Must be one of Diabo's pets." Panache said.
One of the SDF soldiers took out a gustov gun and aimed it. Arkanes's eyes widening.
"No!" He shouted before the soldier fired and hit the creature's neck, the explosion taking the head off the creature.
As the head fell down the neck violently shook before immediately cauterizing. The group watching in terror as two more heads grew back into the neck.
"It's a hydra!" Arkanes shouted.
"Fuck!" Itami shouted as the two heads snapped at them again.
Glaedr and Iondraet snarled as they both tried to pounce the hydra heads, but were knocked back.
Raven held her blades as the hydra snapped at her, slashing at it's tongue before she leapt over it.
"Brisingr." She shouted as her blades ignited while she stabbed it's head.
The other head knocked her off before Tuka said something and fired a grenade launcher round, the round exploding with lightning around it , the two heads convulsing as Glaedr snapped his jaws around one and snarled as he ripped the head off.
"Glaedr no!" Daniel shouted as two more heads grew.
"Are you insane!" Iondraet said.
The two new heads knocked Glaedr back, one head now snapping at Itami. As all of this happened, the other soldiers tried shooting the hydra to no effect.
Seeing that his gun was useless, Daniel took out his sword, standing with Arkanes and Panache as the heads snapped at them, the three slashing at them.
Daniel and Arkanes scored a hit on the snouts before Panache slit the tongue of the third.
However, they were hurled back by the strikes of the heads, Itami and Pina also getting hit before the head loomed over Itami, hissing.
Pina watched this in horror, however, in that moment she saw Panache's dropped sword and quickly snatched it, lunging forward and stabbing up through the mouth of the hydra head. The creature crying out in pain as Itami saw the look of intensity on Pina's face.
As Pina pulled her sword free, Iondraet leapt over her, slamming the hydra into the ground.
Iondraet put her mouth over the center head's mouth and roared fire inside its mouth.
The other heads cried out in pain , blood starting to come out of them before all three stopped.
The eyes all closed as the beast now stood still.
"We're clear!" Daniel shouted as he took his gun back out.
"All units be advised this is overlord, we've secured the city, I repeat we've secured the city. What's the status on the palace?"
"Overload this is Charlie 6-2 we have the VIP. Palace is secure."
"Excellent Charlie 6-2 helicopter is on the way for extraction."
"Let's go!"
They got to the same balcony where a black hawk was waiting for them.
"We get Pina back to the base and to a doctor. The rangers and SDF special forces are going to keep the city secured with the allied imperial knights." Daniel said.
"Where is Diabo?" Itami asked.
"He left with his army."
"We'll need to find them." Daniel said before Itami, Mary, and Panache got into the helicopter with Pina.
Daniel and Tuka got onto Glaedr's back with Arkanes and Raven getting on Iondraet.
Pina looked down at the imperial capital, the people chanting in excitement as they saw the imperial knights and coalition forces now in control of the city.
Pina let out a breath of relief as she felt Itami hug her again.
"I thought I lost you." He said letting out a tear.
Pina began to tear up again as she had her arms around Itami.
Later that day, Pina wore a hospital gown and sat in a bed at the base medical center.
Itami stood over her with the others as a doctor looked over her.
"You should be perfectly fine princess." The doctor said as Itami put his hand on Pina's
"Pina, we're so sorry, about your father, and Grey." Daniel said.
Pina saw Tuka's face, the sympathetic look on it.
"Where is Zorzal?"
"We wanted to bring him here, but he insisted on staying with his army. A battalion of marines stayed with his army as they went to Italica to camp. A few doctors too." Jiraiya said.
"His condition?"
"He's fine, as is Tyuule, and their son."
"Son? Their child was born!"
"Yes, a healthy boy, they named him Molt el Tiberius." Takeo said.
Pina looked happier hearing this.
"Could I have a moment, with Tuka." Pina said as the others left.
"Are you ok?" Tuka asked. Pina began to tear up.
"I've lost knights before, people who have been my dear friends….But Grey, and my father…..It hurts, it hurts so much." Pina said tearing up.
Tuka put her hand on Pina's shoulder.
"I know, it feels like you've lost part of yourself, something you'll never get back."
"How did you get past it. How did you move on."
"Move on? For weeks I refused to believe my father was dead. This isn't something that just goes away Pina…Whenever I think about my father, the others in my village. It still hurts." Tuka said as she teared up.
"Pina, in moments like this, the best thing you can do is be with those you love. They're the ones who are going to get you through it. Thinking about Daniel, the others as well, I'd still be in denial if it weren't for them."
Pina thought about what Tuka said.
"Itami."
Hazama and Rooth sat with Wilcok and Asami.
"The capital is secure, Zorzal and Pina are safe, all that's left is Diabo." Rooth said.
"Ashamed emperor Showa and president Direll couldn't stick around to see them." Wilcok said.
"Well we can breath for the moment, but there's still Diabo's army, an army with modern weapons." Hazama said.
"They won't think like a modern army, even with advisors. We find them, bomb the hell out of them, sweep up the survivors. " Rooth said.
"Sounds good to me." Asami said.
"Get recon aircraft in the air, find Diabo." Rooth said.
Itami was in his quarters sitting on his bunk, he had taken off his tactical gear, his jacket , and boots, now sitting in his undershirt and trousers.
He exhaled, relieved beyond imagination that Pina was safe and unharmed.
He heard a knock on the door before getting up and opening it.
Standing there was Pina still in her hospital gown.
"Pina, what are you doing here, you should be in the medical center."
"Your physician said I was fine, I wanted to see you."
Pina hugged Itami again , putting her head against his shoulder as he hugged her back.
"I'm so glad you're ok. I've never been more scared then when I thought something had happened to you."
"Well something did, that bastard Diabo held me as a prisoner and tried to rape me."
"What!? I'll cut his balls off I-"
"He never actually got to it, thank the heavens. Still I don't like thinking about it."
Pina walked over and looked at the picture of Itami with his team.
"I talked with Tuka, she said that in times of loss, being with those you're close with, those you love can help."
"She's not wrong." Itami said as Pina smiled a little. It was at this point Itami noticed the back of Pina's hospital gown wasn't tied right, her large-round rear end hanging out for him to see.
"Ahh Pina." He said with his face turning red.
Pina took a deep breath as she reached behind her back and grabbed the knot on the back of the hospital gown.
Itami's eyes widening as he saw Pina undo it and allowed her gown to fall off. Pina now stood naked, the light from the setting sun shining on her elegant skin. Pina now blushing with a happy/nervous expression.
"Itami, we needn't wait for our wedding night."
"..Pina, are you sure about this. After everything that's happened?"
Pina came over and wrapped her arms around Itami, the princess pressing her lips against Itami's lips.
"I'm more sure than I've ever been before."
The two kissed again, Pina grabbed the ends it Itami's shirt before pulling it up and off. Pina now able to see Itami's muscular body.
She guided Itami onto the bunk before crawling on top of him, carefully undoing the trouser belt before doing the same to the buttons. Itami felt Pina pull his trousers and underwear off, both now clothless.
Pina stroked her hands through Itami's head and face as she kissed him, Itami slowly moving his hands from her waist to her breasts, fondling them before he felt her thrust her waist into him.
Pina now began to moan softly as Itami felt her tongue enter his mouth. Pina felt Itami's tongue respond as he put his hands around her back, finding home on her large rear end. Pina moaned louder as she felt Itami squeeze her butt tightly. The princess pushed herself onto Itami before continuing to enter him.
In the morning, Paul was at the airfield looking over his A-10.
"How long until she's refueled, might need to do a combat run soon."
At the main gate, the MPs and security forces were doing their usual gate duties when they noticed movement outside the base.
"Hey what is that?" One asked.
A coalition drone soared over the base when it sighted something outside of the base.
A guided rocket flew up and crashed into the drone, destroying it.
Paul heard something , almost like a whistling sound before he was lifted up and hurled onto the ground. His vision turned white and his ears rangs, eventually his vision returning only to see the hanger on fire, most of the aircraft destroyed or damaged.
"Shit."
Elsewhere at the gate, several of the soldiers around the checkpoint heard the whistling as well.
"Incoming!" They heard as an artillery round smashed into the gate, followed by another. As the soldiers scattered the gate began to collapse the pillars falling down and the way back to earth sealed.
Outside the base, a massive trenchline was dug, thousands of Diabo's men inside with armored vehicles behind them and large artillery guns.
Diabo stood among his men on horseback, smiling as he saw his guns hit the coalition base.
"And so, it begins."
Author's note
Pina has been rescued, and shared a night of love with Itami
But now Diabo is on the attack
The gate fractured, and the coalition under seige
so until next time,
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