Disclaimer: I still don't own HP.
AN: Here it is at last, Chapter 9. Took me along time to get this out. Writer's Block can really screw you over.
Chapter 9: United in Victory
Estepuerto, the Harbor of Marporre…
It had barely been a week since the Azkabanians were completely routed, and already the city would have to withstand yet another assault. On the horizon, the sillouette of four warships lay in contrast to the setting sun. Its cannons pointed seaward, defiant against even the elements. On land, soldiers and civilians scuttled about, preparing for the inevitable invasion. Overseeing the preparations was Felix Storm.
A soldier hastily ran up to the General, saluting briskly. "General Storm, the King has made contact with us. He wants to speak to you, sir." The soldier presented a communication mirror to Felix, waiting for him to take it. Felix quickly turned around, and grabbed the mirror from the hands of his subordinate. With a wave of his hand, he dismissed the soldier, focusing his attention on the face in the mirror.
"My liege, it is heartening to hear from you again." Felix greeted.
"Bring me up to date with the situation on your end, General."
"We've taken control of the island, and strengthened the harbor's coastal defenses, as you instructed. We've begun to move all available manpower into the immediate vicinity of the city and the surrounding areas in response to the Azkabanian threats of invasion. Ten thousand strong are already in position. Another five thousand should arrive within 3 hours."
"Are what of the Air Armada?"
"The Dragons are reassembling and rearming in the forest under the command of Director Faren. They should be fully mobilized in half an hour." Felix reported dutifully.
"Very well, I need you to hold the island against a Fleet of twenty-three Battleships for as long as possible."
Felix calculated their chances of success in his head, and came to a quick conclusion. "We could hold for perhaps five hours at best. After that, we would either have to sound the retreat or risk total decimation. Might I be so bold as to ask what you're planning sir?" Felix asked, nervous.
"I plan to end this war, General. As it stands, we have little chance of fending off such a large naval force, even if I could reach you in time. Taking into account the four ships under you and the seven ships with me, we have less than half the battleships the Azkabanian Fleet can muster. Our only chance for a quick end to this otherwise lengthy war would be to force a submission from their Assembly."
A dawn of realization came upon the General's face as he absorbed the words of his King. "You plan to assault Azkaban Island." It was a statement, not a question.
"Exactly," Harry replied, nodding. "With this attack of theirs, they've already drained their lands of defenses. There will be little resistance from their remaining Marines and ships stationed in their capital. They will be outnumbered, outflanked, and ill prepared for such an engagement. Victory is certain; it is only a matter of when." Harry paused for awhile, gazing into the eyes of Felix. "Buy me four hours, and by this time tomorrow, we will have emerged victorious form this conflict. This war will be over, our lands will be united, and our goals will be achieved. Tonight, we make history."
2 Hours later, Azkaban Island, Spire of Assembly…
"Members of the Assembly, hear me out! We are gathered here today to witness the downfall of Ionos!" Cheering erupted from the frenzied crowd of legislators. The man smiled to himself, as he signaled to the guards stationed at the door. One of them moved towards the center of the room, and began setting up a Holo-Mapper. "With this wonderful instrument that has been given to us by the English Ministry, we can now view the battle as it takes place."
The device shined brightly, before releasing a rapidly growing halo of light. The boundaries of the circle extended to 30 meters in diameter, before settling. Three dimensional images and figures made of light flickered to life within the circle.
It appeared that no ships had been able to breach the port, although some ships had already landed a few kilometers off. There were perhaps a dozen dragons circling above the port, the only thing below them being flaming wrecks. One or two Ionian ships were anchored near the harbor while men rushed to and fro in a desperate attempt to repair the ships. In the forests, marines clashed with Ionian Cavalry in a bid for control over the nearby villages. Ionian troops began marching out of the city to bolster the ranks of their comrades in the woods.
Suddenly, the images disappeared as violent blasts shook the tower, knocking several guards to the ground. Panic quickly spread over the legislators. A guard near the window looked outside to see what was happening. "Sir! Ionian Warships approaching from the West!" He informed them frantically.
"Send our ships after them!" One man screamed.
"It's too late, they've already been sunk." Another soldier responded, getting up.
"Then send the Dementors at them!" Another one yelled.
The guard shook his head in dismay. "The Dementors are loyal only to the King. They won't leave the prison unless the King says so. And seeing as we have no King, as of yet, moving them would be an impossibility. The Aurors won't help us either. They're under ceasefire orders form the British Ministry, as some of you might now."
"Then what can we do, Captain?"
"I suggest that the tower be reinforced, and to draw up all the reserves to bolster the outer wall of the Spire." The Captain said, moving towards a window to get a better overview of the situation.
"That would leave the villages open to attack. They'd be massacred without our protection."
"With all due respect sir, there's nothing we can do to help them. The Ionians have already taken the harbor by storm, from what I can see. Our only chance is to hold up in the Spire until reinforcements arrive. And the longer we stand here arguing about what to do, the less time we have to prepare for the onslaught. We must be decisive." The Captain said, turning to face the legislators.
The Assembly looked to one another, as if communicating telepathically. Then, one man stepped forward, and nodded to the Captain. "You have our backing. Do whatever is necessary, Captain."
The Captain saluted briskly. "Yes sir." Turning to face his men, he said. "Lawson, Jones, sound the recall order. The rest of you men, come with me. We need to reinforce the gates in case of a breach." With that, the guards ran off to do their duty, leaving the Assembly alone.
Donovan Orthex, Eastern Coast of Azkaban…
Donovan waited in hiding for the signal to storm the Spire. With him were about three dozen Guardians, armed with swords and wands. While the Azkaban Guard had their attention focused solely on the Warships and the harbor, his men would remain undetected and poised to strike at the heart of the island. They had but one goal they needed to achieve: secure the gates of the Spire.
A red flare shot into the sky at a breakneck speed, visible for barely a second. It would have been invisible to anyone who wasn't looking. And seeing as a battle was going on right now, Donovan was certain they were the only ones in the island who would have spotted the flare. It was unmistakable. "Let's move!"
As one, the party surged forward, running up to the outer walls of the Spire virtually unnoticed. Upon reaching the wall's base, they immediately threw their grappling hooks at the battlements above, and began scaling the wall. In moments, they were inside the Spire's perimeter. "Squad 1, take the left side, Squad 2, the right side. Clear the walls of any hostiles. Squad 3, with me; we'll be heading straight for Spire's gates."
With their orders received, the group split up to do what they had been assigned. Donovan sprinted forward, wand and sword in hand. What few guards had noticed them we're quickly subdued by stunners before they could offer any resistance.
In the distance, a mounted platoon rode through the scattered guards with ease, heading straight for the Spire.
Ten minutes later, Spire of Assembly, the Assembly Room…
The doors to the Assembly Room were ripped from their hinges violently, sending them flying. Fifty Guardians walked into the room in two columns, before spreading out to form 2 rows, wands facing the Azkabanians. Harry walked into the room calmly, with both hands behind him. "Well Gentlemen, I've taken your beloved Spire and have this island captive. Are you ready to talk, or perhaps I should just let your land be pillaged? It's your call."
"You may think you've won here, but our Fleet will avenge our deaths. As we speak, Estepuerto is being razed to the ground!"
"I wouldn't be so certain of that. According to the reports I've received, your men are having difficulty breaching the city, despite the fact that the outlying villages have already come into your possession. And let's not forget that every moment that passes, my forces are bolstered while yours are diminished by the Dragon Armada. This war can be over without further bloodshed. Withdraw your claims over my Island, and I shall leave your Capital untouched. I ask of only this one concession from you. Refuse my offer, and the only alternative I can offer is the destruction of your lands."
"…The Storming of the Spire was one of Lord Ionos' first major victories against a foreign power. Lord Harry has been praised greatly by his people for this stunning and decisive victory which directly caused the end of the war in his favor. In recent years, however, the focus has shifted form the Lord Ionos' tactical brilliance to the carelessness of the Azkabanian High Command, and more specifically, Admiral Lothar.
By this point, most of Ionos' initial problems when it passed into the administration of Lord Harry had already been solved, or was in the process of being solved. The rapid build up of military personnel in the Imperium resulted in either the elimination or integration of dissidents and bandits. Their position as a naval power in the English Channel was slowly being cemented due to the humiliating defeat of the Azkabanians and the importation of several warships. A trade agreement with the People's Republic of China solved their lack of food, although how the King managed to enact such an agreement with the Communist super state is still a mystery to this day…"
-excerpt from: The Golden Age, Chapter 3: The Early Days, by Geoffrey Aquinas
"…Marporre Island was originally a Portuguese Colony established in the 1400s. By the 1700s, the colony passed on to the hands of Ionos, who, in exchange for the island, guaranteed their support against a war with France. During the Magical State Wars, the island served as a strategic naval location for the Ionian Navy, especially when fighting against the neighboring state of Azkaban due to its close proximity to Azkaban Island (barely two hours away by ship)…"
-excerpt from European Geology: Volume 5: Anglo Region, published by the Prime Papers Inc.