Ace Combat: Shadow War

Chapter 10: Hell on Earth Part 2

(Song: Inferno by Namco Sounds)

Oh my god...

We broke from the wall of clouds and laid eyes on...

Farbanti burning, it was burning the entire city was on fire.

This wasn't from a nuclear detonation this was from bombers and jets and they were still dropping bombs on the city. The fire made the sky day again and we watched as bombers flew over the city and dropped their payloads everything from cluster bombs, incendiary bombs, JDAMs, cruise missiles, and conventional bombs. All the while jets such as A-10s or SU-34s dove down and strafed and bombed the streets without a care in world for the people who were probably screaming and running for their lives. Other jets either assisted or attacked friendly aircraft trying to protect the people.

"Who are you guys, state your business here now!" a mad and exhausted voice came through our comms, "Were the Outcast squadron, who are YOU huh?" I bluntly asked, "Were the Gargoyle squadron, I'm guessing your Erusean, friendly I should say" the leader said, "Yes we are Erusean and we are here to help just hang tight" I said reassuringly.

"What are Oseans doing here?" I heard Zilla say but didn't pay attention.

"Alright Outcast, full throttle and fire at anything that isn't one of us" I said, and everyone said 'roger' except Laura, but I didn't pay too much attention to it.

While everyone separated to fight, I pulled up and gained altitude rapidly. When I was at about 10,000 ft up, I pulled the stick down and was now diving back towards the ground at immense speeds. I locked eyes with a B-2 and aimed my crosshairs right at it and when I was in range, I fired a barrage of bullets, tearing into the bomber it exploded. I pulled up hard, feeling the plane shake and my chest feeling the G's. Looking back, I saw two Gripen E's coming at me, "Alright let's have some fun" I said and pushed the throttle to full.

Zilla's POV

I watched lightning rip an A-10 apart and I cheered but even with the sound of the jet and sound outside, I could hear a faint sniffiling sound, it was Laura making that sound. She was crying. "Laura, you okay?" I asked and she let out a shaky breath "No Zilla, I'm not" I tried to understand why she was crying and then it hit me, "Laura... I'm sure their okay" I tried to reassure but I could sense that she was shaking her head, "You don't know that Zilla, none of us do" she said, she sounded so heartbroken but there wasn't time for that "Laura please listen... I need you right now please" I continued "The only way we can't assure they live is if we shoot down every one of the bastards, okay" I questioned and I heard her release a shaky breath "Okay let's do it" she said confidently. I couldn't help but smile.

Warfare's POV

I flew through the flames of a burning Gripen E and I fired at two bombers destroying them both, I then spotted an F-14 but I recognized it to be a Gargoyle, it sped off towards the water for whatever reason and then through the comms voices of panic came through "Outcasts if you can hear, were engaging a bomber which we believe to have a nuclear device inside" those were words I didn't want to hear, "Roger, I read you guys coming your way" I said but before I could turn towards the ocean again voices of not panic but relief "No need, Outcast we got th-" there was heavy static and then nothing, I knew what was coming I turned my face away from the ocean and closed my eyes.

(Song: The Stage of Apocalypse by Namco Sounds)

The sound around me seemed to end and I peeked for a second and saw the nightsky getting brighter and brighter so I closed them again and then the shockwave hit and I lost control for a second but regained it. The shaking ended with an uneasy atmosphere, It sounded so quiet that the only thing I could hear was my breathing, when the brightness died down I looked towards the ocean a saw the mushroom cloud in the very far distance. Gargoyle saved us all and they died in the process, I can never forget that. "Outcast come in" I said and their voices came through, I looked down at the city and saw the streets were burning and the enemy aircraft now left, "All Outcast's return to base" I said and they all formed up on me and we flew back home.

Once landing back at base, we quickly gathered around the radio and listened in and heard a voice no one has heard in a while.

"I am Rosa Cossette D'Elise, Queen of Erusea. Today as the sun sets and the sun rises all over the world, we humans have seen a disaster like no other. The organization known as Shadow Organization that made their presence known last year, are believed to be responsible for deaths of around 15,000,000 and on the last hours of our day, the organization conducted firebombing raids on cities and even towns and terrorist attacks such as mass shootings, planted bombs, and even chemical terrorist attacks that killed 400,000 more people. As of now the remaining leaders of the world are fighting as they believe it wasn't the shadow organization but each other and... it has been found that billions and billions of material and supplies have been stolen from nations around the world and that has fueled the fire even more. People of Erusea, we will not stop fighting as we know that it was them but the world is scared and can't think right, right now-"

Static interrupted the radio and the speech was cut off, Star turned off the radio and we all sat there, in just silence. All of this in one day and the world was on the break of destroying themselves and if that happened, they would fall right into D00Ms hands and he would step up and take the world like he wanted. "Were playing right into his hands" Wolf said in despair, "I know, what are we going to do?" Digital asked arms crossed, "What can we do, I mean we know the truth so it's us vs the world" Laura said and we nodded in agreement. Then a base worker entered our hangar and walked up to us, "Excuse me?" I looked up at the base worker "Are you guys the Outcast squadron?" he asked, I nodded "Well um I have a transfer paper for you guys" he said and handed me a paper, I nodded saying thank you and he walked out of the hangar. I looked down at it and read.

To: Outcast, 13th Tactical Fighter Squadron

From: Colonel Halsey

I write to your Outcast squadron because of your bases condition, I am personally writing to you as I want you guys here at Tyler island. The twinkle islands aren't that far from Tyler island, so we will hopefully launch an attack from Tyler island. Also coming here isn't optional that's an order from your superiors.

I sighed and crumbled up the paper, "What was that about?" Zilla asked and I sat down shaking my head, "Were being relocated to Tyler Island" I said and everyone felt uneasy as we were leaving the home that we lived in ever since we started out. "And I should mention that it's an order so it's not optional" I added. "So, when we leaving?" Laura asked "It didn't say but I'm guessing he wants us there tomorrow" I continued "Well it's kind of a long flight, so come on let's get some shut eye for the night" I said and everyone stood up, I could see the sleepiness and exhaustion in their eyes, so I'm sure they will fall asleep quickly and tomorrow morning we will get a new home.