The Legend of Spyro: World Fury

by LauncesMechinist

Eighteen years have passed since the events of Metal Storm. The Southlands, now known to the humans as Avalon, have come into a world that none knew even existed. While everyone enjoys the hard won peace, a dark shadow of an all but forgotten enemy begins to resurface. For the children of James, Lysa, Spyro, Cynder, Ignitus, and Thera, a war none have foreseen now looms over them.

22. Hearts of Iron Part 1

Hey everyone, I'm back again with another update. Man, is it just me or are political races getting dirtier and dirtier each year? I mean seriously, the people running for political offices are slinging mud at everyone who's running against them and even some people that are not.

To be honest, just once I'd like to see a good honest election where no one tried to slap their opponent's face with cowpie...blasted muckrakers. Don't these people know that everyone has their plus and minus sides? Like the Bible says, 'Let he who is without Sin cast the first stone'.

Then again, like the old saying goes, 'Show me an honest politician and I'll show you a vegitarian alligator'.

Oh well, I'm probably rambling again. On with the show.

P.S. For my readers in France and in Europe, my prayers are with you in this time. As a citizen of Louisiana and the United States as a whole, I too have been wounded by the attacks on Paris. Again, my prayers are with you all.

Also, I shall be listing the fictional designations for several aircraft in this chapter. To see their real world counterparts, please read the updated World Fury Tech Guide.

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING OR ANYONE IN THE SPYRO UNIVERSE. ONLY MY OCS.

Chapter 21: Hearts of Iron Part 1

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All along the way back to Sanijo, Bertram and the rest of his wing said nothing. He kept the radio on and listened for any mention of the enemy attacks that had befallen Praetoria and also listened for anything his own command might say about it. There had been one or two communications from his father on the matter but nothing else.

Syllia was sending aid, that much was certain, as was Espan and Anozira. In fact, Anozira had been the first nation on the scene of the disaster. The Anoziran tricolor soared high next to the banner of Praetoria marking the locations of medical and aid camps in and around the ruined city. While on the carrier preparing to sortie, Bertram had summoned Miller and the Mitchell brothers to the Officer's Mess where he told them that, if they wished to do so, he would sign their papers, relieving them of Syllian duty to go home to their families.

Much to his surprise and pride, they declined the offer.

'Generous it is of you Major but to be honest, it'll be some time before Anozira, Espan, and Praetoria get back on their feet and can properly give the Rotarians the thrashing they deserve for this. While we're with you, we may just get first crack as these meurtriers.' Was what Miller had said. True to his Anoziran upbringing, he had little liking for dishonorable tactics and even less so for people who willingly targeted civilians.

The Mitchells had said pretty much the same thing, only in much more colorful tones of voice.

Regardless, it seemed that 242 Squadron was to stay together after all.

Having taken off from the carrier with extended fuel tanks and permission to use the Grottos Island base to refuel if needed, the First Launces Aerial Wing made near record time in getting to Sanijo Naval Air Field.

Although it had been months since last seeing the city and the port, evidence of the fateful attack that had happened here still hung everywhere. The wreck of the battleship Prince Obël remained where she had sunk level, his superstructures had been cut down as partof a salvage operation and now fuel trickled to the surface a few drops at a time. The runways at the airfield were stained with the chemicals that had been used to put our fires, as well as stained with oil, fuel, and even blood.

There was a tension in the air that made Bertram's skin itch. His dragon senses could see the look of worry in everyone's eyes, he could sense their fear, he could even go so far as to say he smelled their anxiety. The base commander, upon seeing the Wing land, hurried them into the mess hall to get some food and coffee into them while their planes were finished getting fueled and armed.

Once they were summoned to the hagars for their planes however, Bertram and the rest of his squadron stared at planes that were neither Syllian in design nor in markings and coloring. Instead, the markings and design were obviously Tellanian. Upon seeing Bertram's confused expression, the Base Commander explained.

"Currently there are new aircraft in the experimental stage and those modern planes we do have are already deployed over there. These planes were built by the Marks Brothers at the direct order of the Federal Council in Exile. They are, by far, the most up to date and high tech planes built by the Federation. Plus, with the way the Rotarian forces are gunning for you, believing you are a wing of Federation aces might tone down the heat a little bit. According to the reports, Mechanos has ordered and entire wing of these new 'jets' to Tellanos with orders to intercept you and shoot you down should you get anywhere near the front lines. Thankfully, aside from the light bombers going to D Wing, these latest fighters may not be able to outrun the jets but they can sure as hell out maneuver them."

Bertram listened as the Base Commander explained the new planes and their abilities. First was the A Wing planes, the PF32-C1, the latest Federal Interceptor. Armed with only two cannons, it was faster than the P-31s and also able to turn on a dime.

Then there was B Wing. They were assigned the PFB33-A4, a two seat fighter/bomber with incredible firepower and speed to match.

Next was C Wing using (in Bertram's mind) an aircraft the was the personification of ugliness. Yet he quickly reevaluated that decision when the Commander told him about the defences on the plane and how a pilot managed to get the plane back to base with half a wing and tail missing. This aircraft was the Federation's apparent pride and joy, the PF32-E1.

Lastly was D Wing. Now this aircraft looked Syllian designed (and in fact is was) but it bore Tellanos markings, the PHB32-408C1. Upon closer inspection, Bertram was shocked to see a 75mm cannon sticking out of the nose of the aircraft and arrayed around it were various versions of the Federation's GG1 'Meatgrinders'. He could see the men of D Wing apparently eager to get into one of these behemoths and do some real damage to the enemy.

They didn't have to wait long.

As soon as the crews were assigned and the final checks complete, the First Air Wing was given clearance for takeoff on all runways. Bertram and A Wing took the lead, flying a Combat Air Patrol or CAP until B Wing was up. Then C and D Wings were up and they adopted a large diamond formation for flying to Tellanos. A Wing took the lead with B and C Wings to the left and right and D Wing to the rear.

As Sanijo rapidly vanished in the early morning fog, Bertram vaguely wondered how long it would be until he was able to see his home, his family again. He touched the locket that Flaire had given to him before he left Warfang and silently prayed that he would live to come home.

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(Meanwhile, in Royalis, the Capital of Syllia)

James stood at his position in the Royal Council, silently wishing he'd taken Lysa's advice about bringing a bottle of medicine to help stop the headache he was rapidly getting due to each and every Lord and Lady shouting their fellow's ears off and trying to raise their voices to the high heavens above. He silently gazed at Eddy and wondered how he was taking the news. He gazed past Eddy to the empty throne where his wife, the Queen, would normally sit but she'd locked herself in her private chambers upon hearing the news.

Her bodyguards, who were also Praetorian, shared her plight and her grief.

Across from the Noble Council was the Military Council, all of whom were respectfully silent.

(Or perhaps they're trying to figure out how best to handle and resolve the situation before it gets too out of hand...what am I thinking? Diplomacy went out the window when those bombs detonated...Still...how could Mechanos have...)

He heard someone on the noble council speaking about forming a treatise, a ceasefire, with Rotiart.

If James had thought the room was loud before, well, he might just have to leave the room and find a bottle of headache medicine after all. He didn't however because as Archduke he was the King's Right Hand in all political matters. To leave in the middle of a rant, even one that went absolutely nowhere, was symbolically meaning that the King didn't give a damn about the current situation. Instead, he nodded to the official by him who heavily banged the ceremonial 'Staff of Law' on the wooden block under it while simultaniously shouting to regain order and decorum in the Council Chambers. James looked to the King and saw the barest hint of a nod, giving him permission to step forward to address the council and also give voice to the King and Queen's wishes.

"My Lords and Ladies and Generals of the Royal Military, it goes without saying that a ceasefire now would simply not be possible nor would it be the best time. Our ally, Praetoria, is reeling from an attack on their capital city. An attack which, may I remind you, cost them the lives of not only their Empress and the Imperial bloodline, but also robbed them of some of the best and brightest young men and women the Empire had ever produced. To speak of a ceasefire now is to say that we do not care of the state of our closest and dearest ally ad to follow up on such a thing risks jeopardizing our alliances with Espan, Anozira, Nevora, as well as our trade agreements with Schildhaven."

That got their attention. All known human nations, with the exception of Rotiart, were once part of the Praetorian Empire at some point in their histories. To deny Praetoria was to deny their heritage and their history and all of Syllia's allies were still loyal to the Empire, even though they no longer flew the Imperial Banner.

"Furthermore, Mechanos and Rotiart have shown that, no matter who faces them, ceasefire or not, they are subject to destruction. I recieved a report from an officer in the Avalon Campaign a few days ago stating that an officer of the Rotarian Empire they captured divulged that Mechanos plans to resurrect the ancient Rotarian Empire. It is a fair assumption that this invasion of Tellanos and now their new offensive there is aimed toward that goal."

There was murmuring amongst the Councils as he said this, some were in disbelief, some were appalled, most were frightened.

Most of the treatises of war the human nations followed were written in part due to the countless atrocities commited by the ancient Rotarian Empire in the bygone era. The Empire was founded on the idea that men in power ruled over the weak with an iron fist. You crossed them, you could be killed or worse, enslaved.

The common saying had been the Empire was founded in a sea of blood and supported on the backs of the enslaved.

A return to those days, even in this modern era, meant nothing but ill to everyone in the chamber.

James heard someone in the distance ask how Mechanos could have devised such a weapon. He sighed and then withdrew an old transcript that had been typed up during the last days of the Dalon Conflict many years ago.

"To answer that question, as you all know in the days following the destruction of the Poseidon, we sent several underwater diving teams to try to locate the Uranium Bomb Dalon had made but never used. For two weeks we sent divers down there but always the same result: nothing. I have here, a report filed the day the war ended from the RNV Arkibus, the dragoncarrier that was sunk in the last hours of the conflict."

He began to read the document aloud.

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EMERGENCY TRANSMISSION FROM DCV RNV ARKIBUS:

TO ALL VESSELS OF THE UNITED FLEET.

HAVE ENCOUNTERED UNKNOWN SUBMARINE BEARING 045. ESCORTS HAVE ENGAGED BUT HAVE NOT DETERMINED IF SUB WAS SUNK. ENGINE CONFIRMED TO HAVE BEEN OF A FOUR-SCREW DESIGN.

SONAR DETECTS TORPEDOES FIRED. SHIP HAS BEEN HIT.

CAPTAIN HAS GIVEN THE ORDER: ABANDON SHIP.

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There was silence in the room as James finished reading the missive. He held it aloft for all to see.

"The radioman who sent this message was one of the casualties of the sinking. He stayed at his post transmitting until the power went out, the room flooded, and he drowned. I firmly believe this sub was part of a covert salvage operation to recover Dalon's Uranium bomb before we could. They scattered enough debris around to make us think the bomb had come apart and that the tide had swept the radioactive material out to sea. An agent we planted in Rotiart, one who, regrettably, is now deceased, sent us this information some months ago and has only just now come to light. These photograghs depict a large submarine, bigger than anything we ever though possible to build, in a special made dock in the Rotarian port of Rum Cove. The sub pictured was currently in the process of being 'decontaminated' due to 'exposure to dangerous materials'."

James then produced photos from a folder that an aide held for him.

"Furthermore, it appears that there are at least two more subs of this type and size under construction however, these photos do not disclose the location of the shipyard, only that it refers to the facility as 'Number 17'."

As James handed the photos to be handed around to the council members, James took a deep breath, bracing himself for what had to be said next.

"Reports indicate that a large submarine, this same one, has been seen by a number of Tellanian fishing boats loyal to the Resistance lurking in the sea lanes between Grand Vista and Damoneni, preventing Schildhaven from sending direct supplies to Praetoria and cutting off an attempt to flank Rotiart. If Mechanos gets any more of these monstrocities underway we could face the threat of losing not only our sea lanes but our trade routes as well. Without maritime trade, our economy will suffer a breakdown worse than what the Praetorian economy has. In short, those of you who have funds tied up in the Merchant Marines, and those of you who have invested in shipping companies and own sea lanes, stand to lose everything if these subs sail."

Upon realizing what this meant many of the councilors clamored for more of a naval presense around certain sea lanes, in particular those that were used by ships that they themselves owned. Another glance at the Chamberlain got their attention as the King rose. Eddy looked dire and pale as he weighed his options. Pale not only for the fact he'd been sick this past week but also that he'd fretted the night before about what to do.

"There is a much more dire situation at present than shipping lanes and giant submarines. The Praetorian Empire is now without a ruler for the first time since the days of the Imperial Civil War. As I understand it there are two faction vying to fill the gap left by the Empress' passing. One faction follows the traditionalists in keeping peace treaties and alliances intact while another more radical branch seeks to build up a military and begin an expansionist movement as an effort to stabilize their reeling nation."

Eddy looked at James who was confused as to what his cousin meant by this. This was one thing that Eddy hadn't told him when he arrived in the Capital this morning.

"This morning, a letter was sent to us from the Traditionalists. Unless something is done soon, the Radicals will sieze power and withdraw all the support they've given to the war effort and wait for us to wear ourselves out. To that end, they...they want Anita to return to Lavonshire and take up the mantle of Empress."

The Council went dead silent for a moment. Not a work was spoken, no one even so much as breathed. James turned to his cousin, his face marked with worry.

"Edward," he began, ignoring all pretenses, "you know what this means...don't you?"

Eddy sighed and sat back in the throne.

"Yes, I do. If Anita accepts this...my marriage to her will be annulled. The thing is...I love her...I cannot and will not annull the marriage vows we made to each other. Besides...she found out a few days ago that she's...in a delicate condition...I cannot leave her now..." One of the Councilors cleared his throat and stood.

"Your Majesty, we all grieve for the Praetorian Empress and we sympathize with the Queen, truly we do, but you have not a choice in the matter, if she goes the marriage must be-" Edward shot from the throne, fire in his eyes as he glared down the councilor.

"No! I shall not! I will not! If...if she decides to go to Lavonshire...then..."

James found himself growing incredulous at what Edward was doing. If the Queen decided to become Empress of Praetoria and Edward didn't annull the marriage then-

"If she goes to Lavonshire then I shall abdicate! I shall surrender the throne of Syllia and my name as King of Syllia!"

James no longer felt a headache. Instead he suddenly felt the urge to find a castle servant and get them to bring him a bottle of strong alcohol. The civilian and military councils were in an uproar.

At that moment, the door to the far side of the council chambers opened and in stepped Queen Anita, letter in hand, tears in her eyes.

"My love, Edward, I heard every word that you said. I...I have already decided to return home to Lavonshire." Edward stepped down from the throne and took Anita by the hand.

"My dear, I meant every word I said. I shall cast aside the throne if only to remain by your's and our child's side."

James looked upon the empty throne with a sense of worry, even as the council continued to rant and rave. He caught Edward's eye and nodded. Edward closed with his cousin and sighed sadly.

"I'm sorry."

Before James could reply to that an aide came running in with a piece of paper in hand.

"Your Majesty! Chamberlain has been overrun! It fell before our reinforcements could arrive! The remnants of the Tellanian Army is bottlenecked at Union City!"

James turned to Edward and then to the council and spoke in a loud, clear tone.

"Tellanos has fallen."

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Whew! Well, here's Part 1 of the New Front. What will Bertram find when he arrives? What will happen with Eddy and Anita?

Find out next time!

(Tech Guide Excerpt)

Tellanos:

PF32-C1: Soviet Lavochkin La-7: Speed: 423mph. Armed: 2x 20mm cannons.

PFB33-A4 (not previously listed): American Douglas DB-7: Speed: 351mph. Armed: 6x 20mm cannons, 4x LMG22s, 2 Ton internal bomb load.

PF32-E1: Soviet Iluyshin Il-2 Sturmovick: Speed: 380mph. Armed: 3x 20mm cannons, 2x LMG22s, 1x LMG22 (tail gun), 8x rockets, 4x bombs.

PHB32-408C1: American B-25H Mitchell: Speed: 315mph. Armed: 75mm gun (close support), 4x GG1EX 10mm Gatlings, 10x GG1L .60 caliber varient, 1 Ton bomb load.

As always, please review.

Fluctuat nec mergitur 'Tossed but not Sunk'

God Bless America. God Bless France.