Tomorrow's Ashes (ZANE)

CHAPTER II BRIDGE

DUX SANTUARY
Middle Island - DEMESY

The sound of a soldier's footsteps echoed in the hallway. He entered the conference room, where high-ranking officers were gathered for a meeting. The soldier saluted and handed a piece of paper to one of the commanders.

The officer read the paper in silence, unsure of what to say. He glanced around at the others at the table, waiting for someone to speak.

"It seems that we need to send men to the Caelistis Bridge," an Unknown Ordo Excelsior officer said. The others exchanged puzzled looks. Why the sudden order to reinforce the bridge? It was already well-protected, serving as the vital link between Militare Zona and Dux Sanctuary.

Without another word, the Unknown Ordo Excelsior officer stood and left the conference room, leaving the other high-ranking officers confused.

HOMINES INSULAE
1st Island

Zane stood by the window of his apartment, gazing out at the city below. The view filled him with nostalgia. Life in the city had always felt good, yet he couldn't help but wonder what other regions held in store for him. In just three days, he would return to Militare Zona for his final month of training before finally joining the Vanguard.

At 13:00, a loud boom echoed through the air. The Caelistis Bridge was struck by a massive explosion.

"Sir, we're under attack!" a voice shouted.

Another shot struck the bridge, and alarms blared throughout the area. All personnel near the bridge quickly gathered. The bridge's cannons were ready, but no one knew where the shots had come from. Then, another blast echoed.

"Sir, enemy vessel at 6 o'clock!" the navigator shouted.

"Position the cannon!" the captain ordered.

"Cannon locked and fully charged, sir!" came the reply.

"Fire!"

The cannon unleashed a powerful laser at the enemy vessel. A thick cloud of smoke appeared over the ocean.

"Did we get it?" one of the bridge guards asked his partner.

As the smoke cleared, the enemy vessel remained unharmed. It fired back, striking the bridge with a mighty blow. One of the laser cannons was damaged.

"Recharge the cannons! Get ready for another shot!" the captain ordered. "Contact Headquarters, tell them the bridge is under attack!"

The soldier nodded and rushed to make the call to HQ.

DUX SANTUARY HQ

The command room was in full alert.

"Tell the Praefectus that Caelistis is under attack!" a senior officer ordered. A soldier rushed to the commander's office to deliver the news.

The soldier saluted as he entered. "Sir, the bridge is under attack."

The Praefectus turned sharply. "What's the status of the men on the bridge?" he asked.

"They're facing a titan-class battleship, sir. The 11th and 16th divisions are holding their positions, but they're under heavy fire," the soldier reported.

The Praefectus waved the soldier away and picked up the phone. He quickly dialled the undercommand and requested immediate reinforcements for the men on the bridge.

Meanwhile, on the Caelistis Bridge, the shield was active but failing fast. The enemy continued its relentless assault with laser cannons and artillery, and the bridge's shield strength dropped to 62%, then rapidly decreased. The defenders had only 30 minutes to hold.