Invasion of New York
II

Tatsumi and the Blue Figure stand opposing one another. Tatsumi readies himself with his spear. Esdeath's voice speaks to Tatsumi once more. "I will be proud to hear of your victories soon, okay my Tatsumi." Esdeath's voice rings in Tatsumi's head. "Dammit. I can't get her out of my head. But if she wants me to bring victory for her, then I shall not let her down."

"What are you waiting for? Come on Tatsumi, attack me! I'm your enemy!" The Blue Figure challenges Tatsumi to a fight. Accepting the challenge Tatsumi charges forward with his spear.

"Für Esdeath!" Tatsumi cries out. The Blue Figure parries to the left and grabs Tatsumi's spear, his free hand he uses to punch Tatsumi to make him lose grip. The Blue Figure tosses the spear aside.

"If you're going to fight me, then fight me like you mean it, Tatsumi!" The Blue Figure begins to punch Tatsumi with multiple rapid strikes. Tatsumi blocks with his arms and pushes them forward to cease the strikes.

"You say my name like you know me. When I don't know who you are! All I know is that you are an American in the way of her plans!" Tatsumi lunges with a forward strike but the Blue Figure blocks the strike.

"I see that you aren't your old self anymore, Tatsumi. Perhaps you've been brainwashed by her and those Nazis you're fighting for." The Blue Figure quickly uses an uppercut from the knee and punches Tatsumi with enough force to push him several yards deeper into the city. "It would be a tragedy if you have completely forgotten everything that you've previously done."

Tatsumi stands up once more. "This guy, I can't remember who he was exactly but it's like I've experienced something like this before. Just who is he?"

"GRAND FALL!" The Blue Figure falls from the sky like a torpedo. Seeing this movement, Tatsumi jumps out of the way, and Blue Figure lands. Tatsumi dodges once more as he sees a powerful energy shot reaching him.

"Dammit Atlantis keep him still so I can get a better shot." The sniper, Flamingo, tells herself as she lines up for another shot. She sees Tatsumi being pushed out of her line of sight by the Blue Figure, Atlantis.

"Had enough, Tatsumi?" Atlantis stands up once more. Tatsumi takes a better look at the Blue Figure.

"That suit of yours. … It's like mine." Tatsumi comments as he breathes heavily.

"That's because it's an upgraded version of you Imperial Arms: Incursio." Atlantis responded. "Grand Chariot." Atlantis stances himself in opposition to Tatsumi once again. Tatsumi charges forward but he turns invisible as he runs. "He's gone?!" Atlantis is surprised to see Tatsumi turn invisible. He looks around trying to spot Tatsumi.

"You're finished!" Tatsumi shouts as he comes down with his hands clasped together on the Atlantis striking him on the head. Atlantis collapses forward after being dealt a heavy blow to the back of the head. Atlantis' armor disappears and reveals a more human form. Atlantis, now more human, attempts to stand up and grabs the cutlass to his side using it to prop himself up. "Kampfbegierig, na!" (Eager to fight, huh!) Tatsumi taunts as Atlantis stands ready to face him.

"Come on Tatsumi. As long as I stand, I shall keep fighting to free you." Wave points his blade at Tatsumi.

"It seems you wish to keep fighting me. Well, I will say this to you. Your sacrifice will be remembered by those who still stand." Tatsumi lunges forward with a clenched fist ready to strike the beaten-up Atlantis. But his momentum suddenly ceases as he can no longer continue to move. "What is this?" Tatsumi asks himself. He tries to move his arms but can't even move them. Tatsumi is pulled tight.

"Jeez Atlantis, if you're seriously going to take this long then at least give me a heads-up next time." Another voice begins to walk forward. "But seeing that you had your fun, I think it was just about time to finally capture him."

"Apologies Goblin." Atlantis apologizes.

"Lasst mich los ihr eiglingen!" (Let go of me, you cowards!) Tatsumi cried out. The two look over at the captured Tatsumi. Tatsumi then reverts back to his original form. Tatsumi also didn't fare better as Atlantis was also bruised and bloodied. "What are you two looking at me for? Go ahead and end me. Let me perish here!" Tatsumi pleads for death after a duel. "I've failed you Esdeath. I guess I was not strong enough to bring her victory." Tatsumi thinks of his last thoughts being Esdeath.

"No, Tatsumi. Not this time." Atlantis uses the hilt of his cutlass to strike Tatsumi down with a heavy blow. The single strike knocks Tatsumi out.

"Any harder and he would've killed him." Goblin thinks to himself. "With Tatsumi finally captured. What's our next course of action?" Goblin asks. Atlantis takes a moment to think.

"Bind Tatsumi up and regroup with the rest of the group. Let the Army handle everything from here, Goblin." Atlantis orders Goblin.

"You got it. Also, I know it's our codenames and all, but I would much prefer to not use my codename." Goblin responded, being a bit frustrated with his codename.

"Just go." Atlantis orders. Goblin binds Tatsumi and his Imperial Arms separately and he begins to run with the two following behind. Atlantis turns around to face the battlefield, he sees that the battle is finally drawing to a close and not much is left for him to do than to regroup with the rest. He sheaths his cutlass and draws out a flair gun and fires off a green flare. He turns back and runs to catch up and rendezvous with the rest of the group.

"Zurück und hält die Position!" (Fall back and hold the position!) The Hauptmann of a Wehrmacht platoon gives his orders as he and his men try to navigate through the American trench. "Zeigt keine Angst Männer!" (Show no fear men!) The Hauptmann and three of his remaining subordinates have already fallen back. They've taken heavy casualties but know that their advancement cannot continue.

"Herr Hauptmann, was sollen wir tun? Die Invasion ist vorbei! Wir haben noch genug zeit zu den landbooten zu fliehen! " (Herr Hauptmann, what should we do? The invasion is over! We have a bit of time left to return to the landing boats) A subordinate Heer Soldat cries out, demanding for a retreat order.

"Granaten frei!" (Grenade out!) The Hauptmann orders his men to lob their grenades and they soon take out their grenades. "Aktivieren… eins, zwei, werf!" (Activate…One, two, throw!) The Hauptmann ordered his men to activate and lob their grenades, creating a momentary distraction to retreat back to the boat. "Los, los, oder Sie wollen hierbleiben?" (Let's go, let's go, or do you want to stay here?) The Hauptmann orders his men to fall back and so they complied.

"Los oder wir-Garahh!" (Let's go or we're-) A young Soldat, Rolf, falls as he is sliced in half.

"Rolf, nein!" (Rolf, no!) A Soldat cries out seeing his comrade being cut down.

"Sie werden für den Tod für Rolf bezahlen!" (You'll pay for killing Rolf!) An Obergefreiter cries out as he raises his rifle at the assailant. They open fire in the direction of the approaching assailant.

"You're done!" Within a split second, the assailant nicks the remaining two subordinates with ease.

"Huh," The subordinates, baffled, turns to the assailant. "Hauptmann! Aufpassen, hinter dir!" (Hauptmann! Be careful, behind you!) An Unteroffenzier turns to warn the Hauptmann but before getting another word out his heart stops as black marks envelop the two. They collapse, no longer living. The Hauptmann turns to see his subordinates collapse and he turns to see the assailant that had cut down all of his men with ease.

"Eliminate." With a single word, the assailant kills the last of the Wehrmacht soldiers within the sector. "Don't forget you're in enemy territory." The assailant tells the dead Wehrmacht Hauptmann. "Now, if you can excuse me, I'm going to find the rest of my team soon." The assailant darts off just as an American squad is arriving. "I hope they're finished with the target. Tatsumi, you have a lot of explaining." The assailant thinks to herself as she continues to run in order to find another member of her unit. She looks up and sees a green flare up in the sky. "That means he's captured." The assailant thinks to herself. "Right, now to rendezvous with the rest."

The Landungsboot beaches once more, the ramp drops violently on the sand, and the men shout out in a battle cry. Some of them help the wounded Wehrmacht soldiers board the Landungsboot. The men of the SS 9th Panzergrenadier Eis Divison, Esdeath's elite, change forward. They're the last wave, and as the last wave, they're to push forward and drive the Americans back or die. For in the SS there is no retreat. Loyalty to the SS is loyalty to Hitler, and thy commander. For the SS remains loyal in a world that knows only betrayal.

"Los, los, los!" (Go, go, go!) An SS-Hauptsturmführer gives his order to his men. Opening fire with his StG-58 rifle. His men follow his lead. The 21st Squadron push forward but the half-destroyed American bunker, recently reclaimed by the Americans, begins to open fire at their position. The SS- Hauptsturmführer gets shot and so do a couple of his subordinates. Those who still stand immediately hit the ground and take cover. They begin to crawl.

"Hauptsharf… nein!" (Captain… no!) An SS-Scharführer, Heinkel Johannes Rotehann, cries out. He looks behind him and sees some of the Landugnsboot retreat with full capacity of wounded and wearied Wehrmacht soldiers. "Schieße." Heinkel curses under his breath. "Vorwärts, Männer. Kämpft biz zum Tod! Lassen kein Amerikanischer Soldaten stehen bleiben! Vorwärts!" (Forward men! Fight until death! Leave no American standing behind! Forwards!) Heinkel takes command and orders his men. They begin to charge forward at the bunker post, seeing that it has stopped firing as it needs to reload.

"Hurry up and load before those Krauts fire back!" An American sergeant orders his men as he tries to load the M60. Charging, the SS men drop just in front of the bunker lobbing their grenades.

"Granate aus! Aufpassen!" (Grenade out! Careful!) Heinkel cries out as he throws his armed stick grenade.

"Shit grena-!" before being able to warn, the stick grenade explodes killing a couple and wounding several more.

"Fuck this. This position has fallen, get the fuck out of here! Fall back, fallback now!" The young Army lieutenant orders his men. The remaining soldiers comply and begin to fall back.

"Angriff!" (Attack!) Heinkel cries out. They launch up from the sand and begin to push forward. A few of Heinkel's subordinates enter first but the Army lieutenant was ready for them.

As the last man leaves the bunker, the Army lieutenant turns around and sees a few SS men quickly dropping in. He opens fire with his M16 first, shooting and killing a couple of them before being shot by Heinkel. The lieutenant collapses to the floor, he lays back on the wall as he sees the SS men go past him. One moves into another corridor adjacent to the right-hand side to clear out any more Americans, the others move past him. Finally, an SS-Schütze walks up to the injured lieutenant. He trains his rifle on the young lieutenant's head. The lieutenant looks up, he knows his time has come and there is no one left to save him as he already sent his men away with himself staying behind to secure their retreat. He has many regrets but can't think of a single one at the moment.

"Es tut mir leid, aber Befehl ist Befehl egal welcher diesen gibt." (I'm sorry. But orders are orders. No matter who gives it.) An SS-Schütze tells the lieutenant. The young lieutenant simply closes his eyes, hoping for a quick death as he bleeds out. But before the Waffen-SS soldier is able to pull the trigger, he turns to see a couple of his comrades leaving in a hurry. Confused he looks at where they're coming from. A bullet is fired at the SS-Schütze's head, blowing out his head.

The young lieutenant looks up and sees his would-be executioner collapsing, missing a head. He turns and sees a few more Waffen-SS soldiers running out in a panic. Yet none will ever leave alive.

"Was… was zum Teufel!" (What… what in the devil!) One of the retreating Waffen SS soldiers of the Eis Division stands his ground and opens fire but he is struck with a spear to the chest. Terrified, the remainingWaffen-SS of the SS 9th Panzergrenadier Eis Division soldiers open fire as well but they're no match for these three assailants' strength and speed as they're shot or sliced.

"That was pretty good work there you two." One of the assailants, a female katana wielder, compliments the other two. "I'm pretty sure they're all dead or had fled." She inspects her katana. "Damn, I was hoping to get one more to complete a set of eight." She talks to herself.

"Wha…what are you doing here still?" The young lieutenant looks up and sees the three assailants. The three turn around to see the young lieutenant who is on the verge of death.

"Huh. You're still alive?" The katana wielder asks. She walks up to the lieutenant with her sword drawn. The young lieutenant looks closer and sees that the assailant, who saved him and possibly his squad, is a young-looking girl, no older than eighteen or nineteen years old.

"What… what is a little girl like you doing here? D-d-don't you know it's a dangerous place for you here?" The young lieutenant struggles to get the words out as he continues to bleed out. The young girl walks up to him and crouches at his level.

"Don't you worry about it, rest easy... okay? They're dead and you can simply rest. Got it." The young assailant comforts the dying lieutenant.

"Heh. Thanks…thanks for that" The young lieutenant thanked his savior before dying from his wounds. The last sounds are that of the battle being won.

"A shame really." The assailant stands back up. "But at least he died peacefully." The young assailant speaks.

"Necromantress, where are you?" A familiar voice calls out her code name.

"Over here, Big Sis!" Necromantress responds back to the call. She faces the beachhead once more. "It appears that they're falling back and being left behind. I doubt any will surrender though. It gives me an opportunity to collect more." Necromantress comments with a dark smile on her face.

"Now is not the time for that. The target is captured. We're to regroup immediately with the rest of the group." The big sis replied.

"Understood!" Necromantress comments. She turns to her two other assailants. "Come on you two. We're done here." Her two accompanying assailants simply nodded, accepting the order from their mistress. The three begin to walk in lockstep.

Around the corner from the opposite side, Heinkel stands behind a wall as the remaining member of his unit. He grips his rifle tightly and keeps it close, breathing heavily. Moments ago, he cleared out another bunker with a single grenade and rifle shots. Yet what he had witnessed will haunt him in his remaining moments. Seeing his men butchered and shot at like wild pigs.

"Ich…ich werde mich fur euch alle rächen," (I…I will avenge you all.) Heinkel mutters quietly as he replaces an empty magazine with a new one. "Für mich, den Führer, den Volk, und Reich." (For me, the Führer, people, and Reich.) Heinkel pulls and releases the bolt on his StG-58. "Für Sieg oder Tod." (For victory or death) Heinkel turns the corner. "STIRB!" (DIE!) Heinkel cries out. One of the Necromantress' companions hears the cry. She twists herself, drawing her revolver and firing at Heinkel. Before Heinkel can even open fire, he is shot in the abdomen. The force of the bullet stops Heinkel and throws him onto the ground. The other two turn around to see what has happened.

"Oh. It appears I've missed one," The Necromantress comments. She walks slowly up to Heinkel. Heinkel leans back up, covering his wound with his left hand, and sees the assailant walking up to him. To his right he sees his StG-58, he tries to reach for it but his hand is blocked by a spear blade. The assailant looks directly at Heinkel with death in his eyes.

"Schieße, schieße!" (Shit, shit!) Heinkel utters out loud as he crawls on his back using his right hand to crawl and raising his left hand to block. "Nein! Nein! NEIN! Bitte, ha-halt! Shtop!" (No! No! NO! Please, halt! Stop!) Heinkel cries out. "Bitte, hört…hört auf! Ich… ich gebe… ICH GEBE AUF!" (Please, stop! I… I give…. I give up!) Heinkel cries out as he begs for the Necromantress to stop. But his path to escape ends when his back meets a wall.

"Should've stayed quiet and ran with the rest of them," Necromantress tells Heinkel as she slowly raises her blade with a creeping smile on her face. "Now you get to have the distinguished honor of being one of my puppets. Ha-ha-ha-haaaaa!" She raises her blade high.

"NEIN! BITTE! AUFHÖREN! HALT! STOP!" (NO! PLEASE! STOP! HALT! STOP!) Choosing to not hear Heinkel's plea, Necromantress brings her blade down straight through Heinkel's chest and pierces his heart. Heinkel coughs out blood before completely submitting to his fate. Necromantress simply chuckles.

"With you completing my collection, you'll be working for me now," Necromantress tells the dead Heinkel. She retrieves her blade, flicking it, before returning it back to its scabbard. She meets up with the other two assailants of hers. "Now, let's get out of here."

KMS. Deutschland
0830

On the KMS. Deutschland, the officers, sailors, and soldiers can clearly see that the battle is all but lost. They've done their best to hold out, but they themselves underestimated the American's strength. Seeing the last of the Landungsboot returning, the Kapitän zur See walks up to the Kommodore, standing over the bridge's port side.

"Herr Kommodore, we're losing the initiative." The Kapitän zur See reports to the Kommodore.

"You don't think I can't see that?" The Kommodore responded, turning to the Kapitän zur See.

"If we remain here then we'll only be left sitting ducks for those American planes and helicopters. Most of our air support has already been exhausted, we only have a limited amount of ammunition, and barely enough fuel left to reconnect with the Kommodore's Flottille D in Massachusetts. If we can rendezvous with them then we can at least make a significant impact and try again with New York some other time." The Kapitän zur See gives his opinion to the Kommodore.

"I understand what you're saying, Kapitän." The Kommodore turns to the Kapitän zur See. "Give a retreat order for Flottille E. Give the order to rendezvous with Flottille D."

"And the men on the beach? What about them?" The Kapitän zur See asks, concerned for many men are still fighting on the beaches and in a round of the city.

"Most of the wounded have already been evacuated and sent to the nearby medical ships, haven't they? Then send out an order to call for the retreat of any Wehrmacht or SS units on the ground. We'll leave them behind if they don't make it in less than ten minutes" The Kommodore turns around and walks to the bridge.

"Ten minutes?! That's not enough time for many of them, are you sure about this?" The Kapitän raises his concerns.

"It is an order, Kapitän." The Kommodore continues to walk.

"And the boy that the SS-Gruppenführerin gave to us? What about him." The Kapitän zur See tells the Kommodore, stopping in his tracks.

"Leave him. He's already MIA at this moment." The Kommodore responded.

"But…" The Kapitän zur See hesitates.

"That was an order Kapitän. Do it now or I'll do it myself. If I have to do it myself then you must prepare to face the consequences of such hesitation." The Kommodore raises his voice.

"Yes, Kommmodore." The Kapitän zur See salutes the Kommodore and proceeds to the bridge of the KMS. Deutschland to give the retreat and rendezvous orders.
Within the ten-minute time frame, most of the remaining Wehrmacht Heer soldiers are able to quickly evacuate with much of their wounded. The SS men of the SS 9th Panzergrenadier Eis Division also followed suit but took casualties as well in securing the retreat of their comrades, but this act they themselves see as cowardice as they had no choice in the matter. Soon, the Kriegsnamrine Flottille E, designated to strike New York failed to capture the city with a lack of manpower and without Esdeath. Forcing themselves to rendezvous with Flottille D striking Boston.

In the Kommodore's quarters, the Kommodore begins to contemplate his next moves. "Hopefully we get to rendezvous with the rest of the northern flotillas." The Kommodore speaks to himself in his quarters. "Yet what I can be assured is this one truth. Time is running out for our thousand-year reign." The Kommodore moves to his cabinet drawers and grabs a cyanide pill. "I know what my fate is in store. I failed not only my mission but also her too. God knows what will await if I face her." He turns to see the picture of his family standing on his desk. "What I've done is unforgivable for those in command. But they can't see it. Yet if I can send a message to my family and the rest of the Reich, it would be this." The Kommodore looks closely at the pill. "May our beloved German Fatherland strive in glory." The Kommodore lays down on his bed and closes his eyes, in full uniform, and consumes the cyanide pill

Hours later an attendant to the Kommodore knocks on his door. "Kommodore." He asks but no response. "Kommodore, we've rendezvoused with the other Kommodores of the northern flotillas and wish to speak with you." The attendant becomes annoyed and opens the door. Before his eyes is an unimaginable sight a sailor can behold.

March 21-22, 1963
United States of America

American soldiers celebrate a victory after an intense hard-fought battle against the Wehrmacht and German SS units since the early morning. A major victory in defending home territory in New York and Washington D.C. but still have taken casualties after being struck by multiple V-4 rockets and a portion of the Luftwaffe. Though defeated, the SS and Wehrmacht left behind on New York shores decided to fight to the very last, with many not willing to surrender and either take their own lives or go out in glory.

The US Navy is in a scramble as several ships were intercepted by U Boats, giving time for the Wehrmacht to establish beachheads in the north Atlantic states. Eastern Massachusetts, Maine, and Connecticut all had fallen within a matter of hours, and Rhode Island fell entirely. As the Reich establishes a foothold in the northeast in the southern coast, the Reich struggled as defenses were reinforced and fortified. Causing the Wehrmacht's Kriegsmarine and Heer to pull out as they were absent of major Luftwaffe air support.

Yet the battle for the North American continent has not come to an end yet as the United States and the UFN fight continually against the Greater Germanic Reich and its Einheitspakt allies. The US curved the Reich from the south to the mid-Atlantic shoreline but the Reich still dominates the north Atlantic.

March 22, 1963
North Atlantic Ocean
KMS. Freya

On the KMS. Freya, one of a handful of battleships from Flottille E sent to rendezvous with a portion of other flotillas, Esdeath looks out from the bow of the ship. She looks out into the setting sun. It's been over a few days since being separated from Tatsumi and she has grown into a restless state.

"I'm confident that Tatsumi would do fine on his own. I did after all leave a thousand of my men to keep him safe and to grow as well as a leader." Esdeath thinks to herself. She lays her right hand on top of her chest that covers her heart. She firmly squeezes her chest and develops a smirk that only occurs when one senses a tragedy to a person they knew well. "But why do I have this feeling in my chest." Esdeath recomposes herself and continues to stare out at the sun. "I hope by the end of this campaign we'll be reunited once more in the Fatherland Tatsumi." Once the sun had disappeared from the horizon, taking its last rays of light with it, Esdeath turns around and walks to her quarters.