Minor inconsistencies with Estinies's backstory in the previous chapter have been fixed
...
They only had dozens of minutes for preparation, which was far from enough. The moment Gaius and Raubahn heard the message from the front, they knew what was to come. A very familiar instance for both, they knew what devastation and chaos could follow.
There was no time to waste. Cid rushed to warn Fordola and Arenvald, who was tasked with bringing citizens away from the walls, though it would hardly save them. Gaius and his companions, Raubahn and Nero, have joined the soldiers and moved to the western wall, the one facing Ghimlyt. It all began with collisions of the wind…As the warm breeze turned wild, it could seem like it signaled a storm, but it acted as a harbinger of a weapon of mass destruction.
And then, from beyond the mists, the giant Ruby Weapon flew at full speed, leaving clouds of sand behind as its monstrous face was turned towards the city. Citizens would not see the full picture, only its distant face, which towered above the walls, but it was just enough to plunge an entire city in fear. Shocked screams echoed in Gaius's ears, and many rushed towards the conference building, leaving their houses. Horrified mothers clutched their newborns and prayed to Rhalgr as they ran towards the conference building. Many soldiers stayed to show them the shortest way.
"Seven hells…" - Raubahn said with a slightly quivering voice as he looked at the shade of metallic creation standing on the other side of the wall. They could see some of its body through holes in the metal gate. It seemed even more resilient than the original Ultima.
Surprisingly enough, the Ruby Weapon stopped when it reached the wall and remained standing almost motionlessly for a few more minutes. And those minutes would feel like an eternity.
"Why hasn't it moved yet?" - Severa asked with a worry, looking at the towering monstrosity. What was it waiting for? Was there a pilot? Nero, who had quickly clad himself in his red imperial armor and took up the gunhammer, was the first to answer.
"I want to say that my pure glory and power made it doubt the intentions…But somehow, I'm not that certain." - He spoke with his usual sarcasm, though Gaius could read him easily after the time they spent in the XIVth. Nero masked his underlying feelings, be it hatred, jealousy, or fear.
"We can't just stand here; how do we act?" - Valdeaulin asked with impatience. Gaius knew that this question was meant for him.
"When we are in its reach, don't try to pierce its metal lest you want to break your weapon…Look for weak spots. If we are in luck, its design will be flawed enough to disable it. And most importantly, remain calm." - Gaius said sternly, not looking away from the weapon.
"That was helpful; next time, you will tell us to keep up faith or something…" - Nero hit back, but Gaius had no time to answer his pointless quips.
The Legatus thought back to the annihilation of Praetorium and how he had to battle Edwin at the charred ruins underneath Lahabrea's gaze.
Bear witness to the true power of the Ultima Weapon, he said…While fighting a powerful warrior who knew not any limits. If only he had been here to fight, perhaps the weapon would not have even reached the city. Gaius was not oblivious to the sheer irony of his position. Once a conqueror of Ala Mhigo threatening Alliance city-states with annihilation by his machine…Now standing among the people of this liberated city, have no choice but to withstand the onslaught of a similar weapon. Yet now he was not an ascian pawn…A fair price to pay for a drastic change.
When the screams grew distant, and it felt as if grave silence had fallen upon the outer reaches of Ala Mhigo, the weapon made its strike. A powerful crimson ray of destruction pierced the stone wall, demolishing it in a matter of seconds. Gaius and others had to take nearby covers to avoid the broken boulders flying toward them. Stones fell atop the nearby houses and left cracks in their roofs, as did bloodied corpses of soldiers…It was only when Gaius could see the Ruby Weapon in its full, right as the machine flew over city streets, stepping on the stone road and immediately breaking it with its sheer weight. This demonic machine had wings that covered its jet packs, as well as metal hexiclaws on its hands. In place of a heart, there was a beaming crimson projector, which must have been the source of the destructive ray.
"I've seen much impressive tech, but…" - Nero began only to be cut off by Raubahn.
"Quiet, or else it will notice us!" - The warrior said; he and Gaius began looking for ways to reach the weapon. All while the weapon continued to wander around the wall, occasionally turning to the opposite sides, scouring for something or someone. Why would it not simp,y annihilate the city? Surely that's why it was here. Gaius could only hope that all citizens managed to retreat further into the town.
"Do you see any weak spots?" - Severa asked, desperately hoping for Gaius to give her some answers, but Nero was first.
"Well, as the man most experienced in magitek here, hm…" - He declared proudly, only to stumble when the time came to give out the actual answer. Gaius tried to carefully look out from behind the house in which shade the quintet had hidden.
"Its ruby armor is the strongest defense, no doubt, but I wonder if we manage to strike any of the places where it is absent…" - Gaius began but could not finish.
The Ruby unleashed a myriad of rockets behind its back, each of them hitting one of the surrounding houses.
"TAKE COVER!" - Raubahn commanded, causing others to immediately rush away. This was seconds before the rocket hit the house; Gaius could hear the piercing sound of an explosion and the smell of flame emerging upon the charred land and stones. One precise hit and all of them would be dead or at least immobilized. Still, this was no reason to abandon the fight.
The Ruby stood amidst ruins, finally noticing the quintet in front of it. There were almost no suitable covers remaining there, they had to either fight in the open or lure it further, but there were citizens beyond…It seemed that Severa noticed Gaius's doubt. She was clearly sick of it.
The woman rushed forward without any warning or announcement, the Ruby Weapon tried to shoot her with a mechanical firing system, but she quickly evaded each obstacle.
"What are you doing? Get back, now!" - Gaius instinctively commanded, but he knew that there was no stopping her. Severa has always relied upon him for plans and guidance, but once the path before her was clear, you could hardly find anyone more determined.
"Take the goddamn cover, you fools!" - Nero was the first one to rush to the house most well preserved after the rocket strike. It was a good place, close enough to the weapon to strike it. Valdeaulin and Raubahn chose to follow, Gaius was the last one, but even he rushed towards them. He could only see Severa reach the weapon and take the jump as high as she could. The woman pierced the weapon's ebon covering above the armored legs…Successfully. The mechanisms were separated, with sparks coming out of them. It might not have been the weak spot, but its skeleton was far less protected without the armor.
Yet what followed was far from fortunate. The weapon unleashed a defense protocol with a powerful electrical current rushing through its body, shocking Severa with a destructive charge. The woman screamed agonizingly for a few seconds before letting go and falling to the ground between the weapon's legs.
She did not move.
Gaius wanted to rush in and help her, but he knew leaving the cover now would be suicide, and Severa wouldn't have wanted that. He was never religious or followed any gods, but in moments like these, his desperate hope for her to still be alive was akin to prayer.
"So it is not invincible…" - Valdeaulin whispered, looking from behind the cover.
"And it has a very high charge. Perhaps I can try turning it against it; wouldn't be the first time…" - Nero thought to himself, though he would not want to risk his life and charge ahead. Even Raubahn remained cautious.
Gaius could feel his heart fuming with vengeance, but before he moved toward others, he heard a very faint voice behind him.
"P…Please…" - The Legatus looked behind him and saw a pile of rubble with a bloodied hand sticking from beneath it. Gaius looked closely and noticed a man buried beneath. There was nothing to be seen of him beside the hand and an eye which was spared from the destruction. The rest of his body was covered by ruins of a nearby home, and a river of blood was flowing from underneath. Gaius could hear the man's breathing, slow and heavy. There was a torn leg stretching out on the other side of the rubble, though there was no way this could have belonged to this man.
Gaius thought back to the time he had to escape charred Meridianum, everything he saw…Mutilated body parts, cut-off legs, soldiers praying for help while their mouths were drowning in their own blood.
Gaius tried to help and remove the rubble, but the moment he did, a piercing screech echoed in his ears. The man coughed uncontrollably and muddied the stones over him with blood. Gaius saw him trying to breathe as the only sounds he could let out there were those reminiscent of a dying beast. And then his skin turned paler than the moon…
There was no salvation.
Gaius had no choice but to reunite with others, Severa still might have been alive, and the weapon had to be stopped. The Ruby would unleash more rockets in the direction opposite Gaius and others, annihilating three more houses into dust. There might have been some people left in there; now, they would be lucky to perish quickly…Gaius knew that the time was to act.
"Nero, your weapon is electrically charged, correct? You can try overpowering it so the aura will be broken for a moment…Then Valdeaulin and I will strike the leg nearest to us." - Gaius swiftly took charge of the situation.
"That has potential…" - Nero agreed, followed by a nod from the Elezen thaumaturge.
"In that case, I'll distract your plan to work." - Raubahn said with confidence.
"Be cautious." - Valdeaulin noted doubtfully.
"Don't worry, this old bull still has more than enough strength left in him." - Raubahn brimmed with confidence, and the Flame general ran out in the open, immediately getting the weapon's attention.
"You seem to be adamant about killing civilians, eh? Then how about you take it up with real warriors, you bastard?!" - Raubahn took a defensive stance, ready for any attack. His blade and shield would buy him some time, but the others couldn't linger.
Nero was the second one to leave cover, with Gaius and Valdeaulin following him. In an instant, Nero unleashed an electrical wave, scorching the weapon's black skeleton. The machine seemed weakened; its movements became torn and irregular for a second, almost as if its system was broken.
"It's working!" - Nero exclaimed, giving Gaius a signal. The Legatus jumped up to the wedge Severa had created and pierced it with strength twice as hard. There was no electrical defense, only sparks and echoing buzz as the weak spot on the weapon had been finally formed. Valdeaulin did not stand aside. He unleashed his fiery spells to weaken the Ruby.
The machine did not strike back for a few seconds, almost giving Gaius and others hope that it could be damaged…But soon, the electrical aura returned. Before it could fry Gaius, the Legatus jumped to the ground, leaving an open breach in the monstrosity. Now they had no cover, standing amidst ruined houses and piles of charred rubble with their enemy looking at them from above. Gaius rushed to lying Severa while there was a moment and checked her pulse. His worst suspicions were immediately confirmed…
Gaius looked up at the weapon; his eyes could scarcely contain anger. She was a loyal companion, fighting with him to the end, following the promise he gave…Gaius was no stranger to loss, be it Rhitathyn, Livia, Emperor Varis, or separation from his children…Yet it would always make his heart ache.
It took him a few moments to realize that the weapon did not fire. It towered above Gaius with a clear focus upon the renegade garlean, but there was no action at all. Did they manage to break its systems already? No, that seemed unlikely…
"We need to move, now!" - Nero said as he and Valdeaulin approached Gaius, hoping for instructions from him. Before they could act, however, the weapon plunged one of its claws into the cracked ground, unleashing a powerful shockwave. It pushed Gaius, Nero, and Valdeaulin over the next few houses until they finally landed on the stone floor, with the Ruby Weapon becoming far more distant.
"Damn it…Raubahn is still there, we have to help him." - Valdeaulin got up, preparing to rush back, but he wasn't quick enough.
The weapon was not done; it would put more energy into the ground, with a number of fiery lanes appearing on the floor…They would circle the land around the Weapon and Raubahn. Something was coming. Valdeaulin slowed down his steps; he wasn't quite eager to run into death's hands just yet. In a few seconds, the lanes exploded with hellish power.
The result was an earthquake…Gaius felt the land beneath them trembling. All the houses that surrounded the Ruby Weapon were annihilated to an end, with its rubble scattering all around the city's outskirts. The tall block, which overshadowed the trio, was shattering…Its foundation grew weaker.
"After me, now!" - Gaius commanded authoritatively; Nero and Valdeaulin did not question him. As they escaped the shadow, an echoing sound of the forming crack sounded in Gaius's mind. The tall house to their side was pushed to its fall. The trio managed to escape a moment before the broken house collided with the land with a crushing blow, pushing it downwards. The sand has risen now that there were too many cracks in Ala Mhigan floor; it began consuming the smaller stones and rubble…And at the center of this chaotic vortex, Raubahn was trapped with the Ruby Weapon.
The trio watched the ruins before them, obstructing any vision; even the weapon could not be seen. They have stood in silence as the horrible realization crawled up their backs like a hungry devil…But they still had to fight. Gaius faced the brink of his demise many times, and each time he found the strength to go forward.
"We need to find another way. Raubahn needs help." - Gaius said, looking for a shortcut.
"Easier said than…" - Nero began, only to stop upon noticing something. "Look, over there!" - The engineer pointed at one of the few intact rooftops in the area. There was a tall armored figure with a lance standing there, looking directly at the chaos beneath him. The Azure Dragoon has returned.
…
The moment Estinien witnessed this horrific weapon, he knew that he would have to fight. His memories have immediately taken him back to the foe he battled in Garlemald. This machine seemed reminiscent in structure but much more powerful in reality. Estinien would think of the best way to approach it, but this wasn't before he witnessed it destroy a huge wall, annihilating everything in its path and leaving a trail of ruin.
Orn Khai did not linger. Estinien commanded him to leave before charging into the fray, swiftly moving between rooftops and avoiding explosions, getting closer to the Ruby Weapon. He saw many destroyed homes and terrified citizens who tried to escape on his way, filling Estinien with dread. How many must have died in such a short period of time? The machine would not stop surprising him, be it numerous shockwaves, demolishing earthquakes, or the rising sand levels. Gaius was right; what they saw in Garlemald was definitely a reason to worry, and now he was amidst the chaos.
There was only one man bravely fighting the weapon. Estinien managed to recognize Raubahn Aldynn from above. The gladiator tried to reach its legs and strike the less armored spots, but unsuccessfully. Raubahn was scratched with its claws, pushing the man away. As the blood clotted from his hands and chest, Raubahn kneeled, and his sword fell to the ground. But it only lasted a moment; he stood tall despite shaking and fatigue. The general was not afraid to face even such devastating odds. The weapon shot again, pushing Raubahn back a few meters. He went through agonizing effort to even seep himself standing as the floor beneath him was colored in crimson. The weapon attempted to strike him with a claw once again, piercing Raubahn's shoulder as he barely held his scream. After this, a red beam began to emerge at the heart of the Ruby Weapon. There was no time to waste.
The next moments have gone swifter than lightning, at least for Estinien. The dragoon jumped in between the Weapon and Raubahn and pushed the general away. He used the dragon's power within to succeed; no matter how heavy the general might have been, this would be enough for one push.
They managed to avoid the blast and found themselves on the other side of the nearby rubble; Estinien's power allowed them to break through, as hurtful as it was.
"Damn…This thing…" - Raubahn spoke slowly and painfully as he looked over the burning ruins of his home. He was the general and had to remain strong, even when he was on the brink of death in the city that might soon turn to ashes. But he fought enough for today.
"Don't speak. This will only waste your energy." - Estinien said, keeping his calm demeanor.
"Who are…You…"
"I'm Estinien, but that's beside the point now…" - After these words, Raubahn let out a faint smile; he must have heard many stories about him. The dragoon looked over, trying to find the safest way deeper into the city. "I need to get you somewhere safe before that thing finds us.
"I can't leave my people, can't…AAARGH!" - Raubahn shouted as he lost more blood. His time was limited. Soon Estinien heard other voices from behind the nearest cloud of steam mixed in with irregular coughs. Raubahn began to cough, too, his strength was leaving him, and soon the general would lose his consciousness…
"My daughter is there, please! I need to find her, I BEG OF YOU!" - The mother's wail pierced Estinien's ears, a truly horrifying sound that hit a little close to home. As he looked, he noticed a dark-skinned man and a redhead woman walking along with someone else who they held by hands. The third one was a woman as well; she limped as the blood flowed from her body; she shook and screamed, and the other two were barely able to control her. Estinien knew the two warriors; he saw them during his prior visits to Gyr Abania…Arenvald Lentinus and Fordola Lupis.
"Please, you need to get to safety!" - Arenvald tried to make this woman see reason while still remaining sympathetic, but she would continue to resist. "There is nothing you can do there. We will…"
"LET ME GO!" - She screeched like a wounded voidsent, resisting Arenvald's grasp.
"Now, listen up." - Fordola spoke harshly. "If your daughter is alive, we will try to find her; what are you hoping to achieve there on your own? To get you both bloody blasted, or to be buried under the rubble, is that what you'd like?" - She spoke loudly like a military commander. Estinien was a little surprised to see Fordola helping out; wasn't she held prisoner?
"I…I…" - The scorned mother calmed down. Arenvald slightly loosened his grasp. "No, I'll find her!" - She raged and pushed Arenvald aside, only to run into the open ruins.
"No, wait!" - The scion shouted, but it was too late. She disappeared inside the smoke, and then two more bangs of explosions followed…Arenvald was about to follow her into the mist, only to be stopped by Fordola.
"Don't waste time; she is dead! We need to find others around here, the ones we still can save!" - She said with a sign of plea in her voice.
"You're right…" - Arenvald sighed, turning around and seeing Estinien. Arenvald quickly overcame the immediate surprise.
"Are you not the former Azure Dragoon? What are you…Forget it. We need all the help we can get." - He said with some relief, seeing another powerful fighter in their sight.
"I was passing by…Before the attack occurred, that is." - Estinien recounted, still wondering how he did he manage to end up in this hellhole.
"And is that…" - Fordola looked at the man Estinien did his best to carry.
"He is still alive but needs attention; where is the medical bay here?" - Estinien asked urgently.
"I imagine it will be full, but east, get to the…"
"Gaius, here they are!" - They got interrupted by a voice unfamiliar to Estinien. The dragoon looked at a man armored in red imperial clothing, who was followed by a familiar Shadowhunter.
"Praise be to Rhalgr. We almost began to worry…" - Arenvald responded. "How is your squad doing?"
"The elezen stayed behind to help civilians while we do the "fun" bit." - The armored man with a hammer said sarcastically as Estinien looked at Gaius.
"I should be surprised, but all I can is take joy in your presence here, Ser Estinien." - Gaius spoke with confidence and brimming relief. "What's with the general?"
"I need to get him to the medical bay; his time is short."
Gaius nodded and looked at his companion.
"Nero, get Raubahn to safety and help protect the inner reaches."
"What? But you'll need my help with the weapon!"
"We'll figure out what to do. You are more needed there. Now go before it's too late!" - Gaius commanded; Nero had no choice but to obey. His armor apparently served as a mechanical enhancement to his strength, hence why he was able to carry the general. Soon after he disappeared, Estinien was left with Gaius, Arenvald, and Fordola.
"I assume you have some kind of plan." - Estinien looked at the garlean.
"Somewhat. We can either break its inner defenses until it gets immobile or separate the weapon from its pilot, whoever is in the cockpit. Dragoon's lance and agility will aid us in both." - Gaius said. "Fordola, Arenvald, may I count on your support?"
"Of course, anything to stop the madness." - Arenvald responded with confidence.
"First things first, we need to get close." - Estinien tried to track the weapon. There was a myriad of ruins in between them with rather narrow pathways, but those would have to do.
The quartet moved out, following Arenvald as he already scoured many corners in search of survivors. Estinien was prepared for the mech to notice them at any moment and begin the onslaught. Even with the strength he possessed, there was no hope in open combat.
The destruction around him, the rubble with corpses buried beneath them as the clouds of smoke rise…All of this was a familiar picture to Estinien. Having just remembered it in his ode to Nidhogg did not help. Each echoing scream was an echo of people in Ferndale, the ruins he saw, and the charred corpses before him…Only this was even bigger. The weapon could burn an entire city were they not careful enough, the atrocity which spurred him into vengeance…How many more broken souls would this create.
But there was no time to think, not when they got close to the weapon. Hopefully, together they could stop the carnage. The weapon was still there, aimlessly wandering around the ruins. Was it searching for survivors before moving into the city's heart? Did the pilot want to leave absolutely no trace of life in here? Not unlike Nidhogg.
The four maneuvered between the ruins and soon found themselves behind the weapon. The hope was that it would not notice them until it was too late.
"Get ready…" - Gaius said as he looked at his companions. "Estinien, focus your power on its weak spot. Severa and I created a little more, and it might lose control over its leg."
"Wherever you need me." - Dragoon nodded and stepped forward; he wasn't willing to let the tragedies repeat themselves, especially not on such a scale.
Seconds before the Weapon would notice, Estinied jumped high into the air and grabbed the crimson armor on the weapon's leg, trying to get up as quickly as possible. Others were quick to help. Arenvald and Fordola swiftly distracted the machine as it turned around in its attempts to detect the danger, while Gaius unleashed the might of the energy-filled blasts in the form of swift magical crosses. This was not enough to stop the weapon, but enough to slow it down, even if only a little.
"Come on, we're getting close!" - Arenvald encouraged as he saw Estinien being so close to the weak spot of torn wires. Just one more push, and they might stop the weapon from advancing.
The Azure Dragoon felt the weapon shuddering at Gaius's onslaught. It should give him enough time. It should've, but defense protocols have been already activated. Estinien became a target for two laser turrets which he barely evaded. One of them would strike his pauldron. This was enough for Estinien to feel the heat. The weapon's skeleton was hardly receptive to it. The same could not be said about its opponents. Estinien had to jump to the ground to avoid getting blasted right where he was.
"Damn it!" - Fordola shouted. "What now?"
"I'm not done!" - Estinien said with confidence and anger as he began to think of a way to reach the weapon. The Ruby machine turned towards the quartet, and a robotic voice rang from its dynamics.
"SEQUENCE INITIALIZED: OPTIMIZED ULTIMA."
The electrical current began to fill the weapon as its red heart brimmed brighter, ready to unleash another desolating blast. Even Gaius was caught off-guard, but only for a moment.
"Run and take cover!" - Arenvald shouted as they began to retreat, but it was too late.
The explosion that followed left nothing but ruin.
Estinien could hardly realize what happened before he found himself pained in the chest and back as the rubble fell all around them. The vision was blurred, Estinien almost became deaf for a few moments, and his sense of reality had been warped beyond any sense.
Only then did the silence begin to fade, allowing for distant echoes to be processed by Estinien's head. He was forced to the ground by rubble but still able to move. The dragoon looked to his side as sweat covered his body, and the scent of blood paralyzed him. He saw another lying beside him, silently and statically. Despite the pain, Estinien extended his hand and turned him around; it was Arenvald…The stones hit him right in the head. Blood came out of his broken skull, and his eyes remained motionless, nothing but empty reflections. As Estinien felt the chill, there could be no question about it. A righteous fury filled the elezen's heart.
There were no signs of Gaius or Fordola, but the weapon was still there, and now it had set its gaze on the city's main square. It was close, way too close…Most of the citizens have gathered in that area if it gets there…No, no. Estinien a presence of a familiar shade, the one of a vengeful and monstrous dragon whose hatred allowed him to persist even after death. As much as Estinien despised following in his footsteps and thinking of the past rage, this was the only way. Dragon's fury gave Estinien the power to break free and toss the rubble away. Soon he found himself on his feet with the path clear to him.
The weapon stood near a half-ruined house with a pile of rubble atop it; it created just enough height to jump on the weapon's back. Estinien rushed atop before being noticed by the machine. He swiftly climbed the broken pathway to the roof, hoping that what strength he has now would be enough. When he was as high as possible, he still was not noticed…
"SEQUENCE INITIALIZED: OVERSOUL."
And so Estinien made his jump.
He did not know where the cockpit was exactly, it had been well-hidden beneath the armor, but he made a calculation. As it turned out, it was correct. Estinien's lance has pierced a small crack in the Ruby Weapon's structure, seemingly separating the pilot's armor from the rest. This brought a siren's mechanical call, followed by the same protocol voice.
"ABORTING THE SEQUENCE: INTRUDER DETECTED."
Yes, he was right. Estinien pushed a little harder; his strength could be the last saving grace for Ala Mhigo. Eventually, with the destructive power of the dragon, Estinien managed to damage the pilot's cover, finally causing the crack to become wider. He could see the one in control of this dreadful machine, and this was a far cry from who he envisioned.
It was a young au ra woman in red garments and hair with dark skin. The first impression Estinien got from the girl was pure fear and agony. Her eyes were wet with tears. Even seconds before she noticed Estinien, the dragoon heard an echo of a pained sob. She realized something was amiss When whatever sequence she launched was stopped halfway through. The girl shivered and looked at the pending dragoon who clung to the armor of the destructive weapon.
"Who are you?" - The dragoon wondered. She was not imperial; why was she even here?
"Leave!" - She screamed, holding back tears. "Just let me finish the job, let the weapon do it…"
"And allow you to destroy an entire city? Never." - Estinied reached for the girl, grabbing her shoulder. He wouldn't want to kill her. She must know some very valuable information if she is given an opportunity to use the weapon. Estinien was expecting the pilot to be someone forcibly connected to the weapon like the one he saw before, but she was sentient and clearly free.
"No, you don't understand, it will be worse; they will die!" - The girl resisted and activated the protective laser turret. Estinien had to do his best to evade those beams and continue to pull her away.
"You are going with me, and I'd do it peacefully if I were you!" - Estinien would not give up. He was unquestionably the stronger of them. Finally, he managed to separate the girl from the controller and pull her away. She resisted, she kicked the dragoon and screamed in her pleas to let her go, but all ended up fruitless.
The turret still continued to attack for the last few seconds; Estinien thought that they had finally got out; a few more seconds and he would be able to jump down to the ground, leaving the weapon without control and therefore neutralized…The girl would still clutch resiliently, the last bit of control she had over the turret, sending one laser beam after another…
Until it backfired. One of the lasers stroke her horn as the pilot has finally lost her grip. It was a gruesome image. The girl screeched as her horn was split from her body and thrown to the ground beneath the weapon. Nothing was left except a charred burn in its place. She continued to scream but had no power to resist anymore. Estinien jumped to the ground as he held the girl in his hands. In a few moments, the weapon became static as it stood on the ground. It worked…The weapon was neutralized.
They have won, but at what cost?