Assault Run

As we fly through the dark, turbulent air, I can smell the fumes of lava from below, and more faintly, the charged odor of the lightning that flickers above us. The wind that brings these smells whips coldly around me with the speed of our passage. Yet at the same time, I can feel the heat from underneath, where the lava of the Wasteland bubbles.

This place is ominous, but we do not waver, for our purpose is absolute. The Cyclonians have declared war, and stolen the Aurora Stone, the very symbol of Atmos itself. My squadron, and so many others – all the best that our world has to offer – have joined forces to recover the Stone, and to put Cyclonia back in its place.

I can see their stronghold ahead now, a dark shape on the horizon. I would be lying if I claimed not to be a little nervous. The military might of Cyclonia has been legendary in the past. However, our might is legendary now, and with such a force as we have assembled, surely we must prevail. Even the Dark Ace himself could not take out all of us.

I tighten my hands and lean forward slightly as we close in on our destination. The Cyclonians will be the ones with something to be nervous about now. We have all vowed to do whatever it takes to succeed in this mission. I silently repeat this to myself, ready to engage their Talons. I will show them that their age is over.

But where are they? We are nearly upon the stronghold now, and not one of their people has appeared in the sky. What is going on?

As we close in, I can see a single figure, standing on a rampart below. The Dark Ace. Like most of us, I have never seen him before, but we all know the most infamous of the Cyclonians by description. Yet why does he stand there, instead of engaging us in the air? I would like to think that this is to our favor, but in my heart, I fear a trap.

One of the Sky Knights at the front of our formation has just opened fire on him. He cannot possibly be standing there truly defenseless, and I tense, ready for whatever form battle will take.

Suddenly, a wave of energy sweeps toward us, generated by the weapon in his hand. I can feel the shockwave, and I struggle to evade it. It is no use; there is nowhere to go. I feel my craft break apart beneath me, even as it tumbles under the incredible force.

As my parachute breaks my fall, I look around me as best I can. All around me, the others are in the same position. I see nothing else. Did no one out of our whole fleet evade that attack? How can that be? What kind of power is he wielding? Surely the Cyclonians have no crystals that powerful – or is he fueling his weapon with the Aurora Stone itself?!

I cannot see from this descending angle, and so I will never know. Our enemy does not bother to pick us off as we drift downward, and why should he? This is not an oversight, nor is it mercy. He knows as well as I do: there is nothing below us but lava. I can see it beneath my feet now, glowing balefully, as I fall slowly but inevitably toward it. I can feel the heat growing stronger and stronger from below, and the sulphurous smell thickening.

We have failed.