Unbroken: Rise of the Horde

Chapter Twenty

After Hordak's first shot, the rest of the ships began to add to the fire. Cladding over of the hull moved to reveal powerful cannons. On the decks, soldiers fired with cannons.

The blasts from the most destructive weapons left rips in the magical barrier. Just as Catra predicted, they could sail right through and take the city. Sailors and soldiers raced around, roaring orders and commands at each other and through radios. Down in the boiler rooms and on the bridge, the professionals were working over time.

With more precision than Hordak cared for, the main ship sailed through the largest rip without hesitation. All magic the air contained was gone. As the Horde fleet entered the harbor, people screamed and raced from their homes. Citizens of the ocean city were panicked, trying to flee for their lives. The more he looked at the people, the more they reminded him of the citizens of the Scorpion Den.

Of all the people I've killed, he whispered to himself.

His gaze wandered over to where Catra was shouting commands. In her eyes, he saw no hesitation. She was willing to do whatever it took.

So am I. He pushed away the thoughts and fired with his cannon. The laser beam demolished the surrounding cliffs. The beautifully carved stone splashed into the sea below. Homes were carved out of massive sea stacks, which was proven to be a fatal mistake. With one horizontal strike of his weapon, whole towers plummeted to the sea below. He refused to dwell on those who stood in his way.

Guards and troops from the city tried to hold off the enemy ships. Some were successful.

"Ship alpha 1-b has been taken down!" Catra yelled. "Show them no mercy!"

It wasn't long before most of the Salineas fleet had been destroyed. The remaining troops scrambled around, taking shots where they could, but it was useless. Their weapons were for hand to hand combat, but the Horde remained on their ships. Without the magic of Princess Mermista, protector of the kingdom, there was nothing stopping the Horde.

"Destroy everything!" Catra screamed. This time, when Hordak turned to face her, he saw her pupils had turned to tiny slits again. She trembled where she stood, surveying the damage.

Hordak's free hand automatically glossed over the runes on his First Ones crystal. They were both betrayed by someone important to them. It was time for the Princesses to pay.

With a mighty battle roar, he carved his own line into the cliffs. The massive rocks fell from the sky, crushing homes and buildings.

Adrenaline sped through his veins. Never before had he felt so alive, so alert. If this is what Etherians felt like all the time in battle, he loved it!

It couldn't have been more than half an hour. People fled the city, trying to paddle away in the remaining boats. Soldiers of the Salineas guard were exhausted and disoriented. It wasn't long before Hordak saw what was been waiting for.

On top of a remaining spire, a soldier was waving a massive white flag. Hordak smirked and commanded for the robots below deck be released.  "Liquidate the city."

Soldiers and war bots swarmed the city. Hordak surveyed from the deck, refusing to engage below. Catra stayed behind as well. Fires and smoke rose so high, Hordak bet it could have been seen from the emptiness of Despondos. Soldiers cheered in victory and raised Horde flags on poles and mounted them wherever else they could.

Hordak was not bothered by the thick smokey air. Embers and ash danced around him. The pale sunset had turned blood red. Heat pulsed through the capitol as the fires burned.

He stepped forward to admire his work, then turned to Catra. They shared an acknowledging nod.

They did it. Now that they captured the capitol, they could move along the coast. Then they could march inland and take the rest of the planet.

Salineas was gone, and soon the rest of Etheria would fall with it.