booktalesy Chapter 1018: Electric Siege (1)
Chapter 1018: Electric Siege (1)
Chapter 1018: Electric Siege (1)
The Colonel was up on the highest watchtower, keeping an eye out for the thaids. His communication device started crackling.
"Sir, long-range sensors have picked the thaids up. ETA 10 minutes."
Vance's jaw clenched. "Sound the alarm. All units to battle stations."
Sirens wailed across the outpost, jolting soldiers and civilians alike into frenzied action.
Vance watched as the M-290 Skybreaker batteries swiveled into position, their brain-crystal- power enhanced systems humming to life.
"Shield status?" Vance barked into his comm.
"68% and holding, sir. But without those XR-5 cells... too many attacks might make the barrier crumble."
Vance cut him off. "I know. We'll have to make do."
The horizon darkened as the Thunderwing flock approached ten minutes later.
At first, they looked like distant storm clouds, but as they drew closer, individual shapes became visible.
Each Thunderwing was big... No, massive was the right word to describe a wingspan easily reaching 60 feet.
But the most terrifying aspect was the electricity surrounding them like the tongues of a demon.
"All batteries, prepare to fire on my mark," Vance said, his voice carrying over the comm to every gunnery position across the outpost.
The flock got closer, to the point Vance could see the gleam in the thaids' eyes.
There was a fierce, primal intelligence within them, and that sent a chill down his spine.
He raised his hand; the gunners waited with fingers hovering over triggers. He waited a second, then brought it down.
"Fire!"
The Skybreakers roared to life, their massive barrels glowing with a blue light as they unleashed their ammo.
They let loose energy bolts that made the outpost shake.
The air crackled with energy as dozens of bolts streaked towards the Thunderwing flock.
The sky lit up like in a deadly fireworks display, flashes of blue from the Skybreakers mixing with the lightning made by the Thunderwings illuminated it.
But it wasn't easy to kill them. These were powerful beasts, with very strong natural mana barriers.
Yet the Thunderwings were not invincible, and the added fire power made more of them fall from the sky, their bodies crashing with earth-shaking thuds.
Three years earlier, such an event would have been the signal for doom, and yet, Vance was managing the situation with very low casualties.
What Etrium did, by creating brain crystal weapons, had indeed been great for humanity. The problem was, that being colluded with the blackguards, they had a monopoly.
Sure, there were some crafters that left the country and sold the technology to others, but it wasn't enough to level the field. For years, Etrium would earn a ton of money, at least until the foreign nations didn't start mass producing them.
Two Skybreakers' attacks collided with a large Thunderwing, whose wingspan was easily over
70 feet.
They pierced its feathers and later its hide, making the beast convulse in midair.
In its last moments, a massive electricity surge arced and struck several of its brethren. Half a dozen Thunderwings crashed due to the chain reaction.
Mechs worked well too. Advanced targeting systems guided their arm-mounted cannons'
rapid fire.
A skilled mech pilot killed three Thunderwings with a single burst, sending the energy blast through each beast in a gruesome daisy chain.
As the battle continued, Thunderwing corpses burned on the ground.
Some of the dead creatures still twitched in their death throes.
"We can do this!"
Despite mounting casualties, the Thunderwings continued due to an instinct beyond human
comprehension.
They attacked the barriers, trying to break them. The shield weakened as their attacks
exploded on impact.
The Skybreakers targeted the Thunderwings closest to the shield. Energy bolts stopped the
creatures before they hit.
"We can do this!" People said again.