The Ruler and The Hunter //Original Countryhumans Au

Chapter 18: Serpents and Feathers

TW: loads of blood, potential violence and torture(?) / /

A sharp ringing in his ears was all he could hear.
The sharp and putrid smell of smoke burned the back of his throat as he stared up towards the ash-filled sky, burning embers drifting around like glowing leaves.
His eyesight was blurry and his body ached, and yet he attempted to move. Arms and legs trembling as he gradually pushed himself up. Muscles burning and straining at every movement as the Admiral had himself leaning up somewhat.

Kazakhstan coughed roughly, wheezing slightly and cringing at the irony-taste of blood that hit his tongue. All over his lips and running down his chin.
His head ached horribly, with waves of pain running down his body and his back, bones crying out in pain with every second he held himself up on his arms. Confusion and so many questions were already filling up his head before realization hit him and he remembered exactly where he was.
Almost immediately beginning to attempt to look around to see exactly what had happened. Seizing the sight of his now beaten and ragged wings spread out under him in the dirt and broken remains of trees that scattered across the ground around him. With bent feathers and blood splattered all over them. He groaned as he sat up, panting heavily and gripping onto the ground as he continued to survey the battlefield that lay around him.

The clouds and fumes of smoke that clung closely to the ground began to lighten and the Admiral pulled back his cracked goggles to see several soldiers laying on the ground, some attempting to sit up like him. With the uniforms of Finland, Germany and Russia's Kingdoms, and yet also the uniforms of the enemy Kingdom.
But Kazakhstan didn't seem to care about whether or not Britain's soldiers were alive, still looking around and trying to recognize some of his own fleet; his own family.

He squinted his eyes, recognizing the feathers of a soldier who was moving nearby. The uniform and the epaulettes that hung on their shoulders, battered and stained with ash and mud.
A slight relief to the Admiral before he began to try to attempt to stand, crying out in pain and trembling as waves of agony struck his legs and his wings. Biting down on his lip as tears formed in the corners of his eyes, shaking and stumbling to his feet, coughing a little.

His wings lifted off the ground, muscles and feathers feeling like nothing more than a dead weight hanging from Kazakhstan's shoulders as he started to take a few steps forward towards the winged soldier. Gritting his teeth and trying his best to hurry to their side.

The soldier groaned from where they sat, gripping the side of their head with a gloved hand, brown and white speckled feathers slightly wrapped around themselves protectively before they looked up towards the familiar face.
Kazakhstan sighed in relief a little at the sight of the soldier who gave him nothing but a small nod, hurrying Kazakhstan on to look for his brother.

A King amongst the wreckage.

Despite the aching pain that was shooting through his body, America was already sprinting down the hill with all the energy he had. Legs carrying his small body through the remains of the forest he and Ukraine had ridden through only a handful of minutes ago.
Panting heavily with tears still sticking to his cheeks, wincing and stumbling desperately over the roots of the large oak and pine trees he passed. His ears were still ringing sharply, but nothing could make him care less about the sounds he was hearing. Entering the battlefield and looking around desperately with wide eyes filled with nothing but agony and terror.

Where was Russia?

That was the only question that was running through his head.

He was the last person he had seen upon this field before that blinding light had struck.