Broken Steel - The Pillars of Sovereign

Episode 12 - The City Sleeps in Flames.

Another round ripped through the buildings wall forcing the militia out into the streets choked with smoke, as more and more shells arced in, explosions sending shrapnel through the air. A Templar took a direct hit and was torn apart before bursting into flames, its munitions igniting and exploding. The flaming wreckage sent flying through the smoke like specters in the fog.

Buildings and defenses crumbled to the barrage as the defenders scrambled for cover, but without falling back there wouldn't be any to be found. In the confusion of the attack the Orders forces found themselves firing blindly at an enemy that wasn't even there. As they avoided the shells and relocated, the Orders formation descended into chaos and with the blind fire there was more than one incident of friendly fire.

The chaos was exactly what the alliance needed as once again they gathered to press the attack and storm the city. The dagger was poised to deliver the final blow, and both sides knew this. The Order had thought themselves safe behind the cities energy shield, but now that was little more than folly as the alliance had brought artillery within the shields protection.

An eerie silence descended upon the battle, the smoke still hung low, choking the streets and throats of the militia on the ground. A man could barely see the hands before his face or the fires that now raged within the city.

Black smoke swirled up from the fires and up over the city. From the temple complex at the center on the city Mika and Rose looked out from their vantage point, Rose turned to Mika.

"One way or another, this is the end." Mika knew he was right, nodding in response.

Within the northern tower of the temple complex, locked away on the top floor, Jericho was knelt praying, begging for retribution, for absolution and, with his thoughts, Solomon flickered to life, ready to defend the walls of Sovereign once again.

Two defender Cataphract's cautiously edged their way down the street, towards what they hoped was one of the breaches, but they had been turned around that many times, and with the smoke still choking the streets they couldn't be sure. The first pilot saw an outline begin to form within the swirling smoke and brought its gun to bear. There was strain in the Cataphract's arm as it took aim; it struggled to move as if fighting against a current. The second defender began to seize up and grind to a halt. They both tried to aim their weapons against the figure within the smoke but as they did, metal began to groan and gears seized up, the barrels of the guns twisted and warped.

The first pilot signaled for help as the smoke began to dissipate between the defenders and the figure in the smoke. The Titan stood, defiance flickering within its mechanical eyes, its arms stretched out projecting energy into the two defenders holding them fixed in place. The Titan brought its two hands together with a clap and with that the two defenders collided with such force that they smashed together, the mangled forms dropping to the floor.

The smoke began to lift from the streets, and as it did the Alliance made itself known. Concentrated fire decimated barricades and fire points before the Orders forces even knew what was happening, or the extent of Alliance forces now within the cities walls.

Down the street from the Titan several more hostile defender Cataphract's laid in wait. They took aim and fired upon the now visible Titan. Luca within the Titan was ready; he projected a wave of energy forward, that colliding with the incoming fire deflecting away incoming shells and rounds, or causing missiles to explode in midair. The defenders watched as the explosions filled the street and as their shells ripped through the nearby buildings, the chaos subsided and the smoke and fire died down to show a still defiant Titan floating a few feet off of the ground, but now flanked by several Warhorses and Prophets Hydra taking aim.