Kantai Collection: Winds of the West

Chapter VI: A Sliver of Hope

"Come on Maikaze," Nowaki said. "There is absolutely nothing between me and Zai. Hey, talk to me."

"Aaaa, aaaaa, I'm not hearing anything."

Nowaki could only sigh. Maikaze had been giving her the cold shoulder since last night. The blonde destroyer caught her and Zai holding hands. She could still hear Maikaze shouting 'Nowaki you big idiot!' before scampering off.

Looks like I'll have to wait a couple of more days before her head cools down, Nowaki thought. Placating her will have to wait until we're done with the mission.

The group had decided to fly northward at sunrise to check if their worst-case scenario was true. It was barely a couple of hours after they departed from their camp when a familiar sight greeted them.

Smoke was rising from a walled city a few kilometers ahead. It was under siege from a black-armored host which had it completely surrounded.

"Corvinus, can you take us closer? I just need to see what flag do they carry."

The dragon nodded and sped up towards the scene.

"Spearman, I have this feeling that you already know who it is we face, but I shall oblige you."

Setanta thanked him. It did not take long before the battlefield unfolded in their eyes. Catapults rained down boulders on the walled city. Ladders filled with armed warriors propped and held by the fortifications, with the city's defenders peppering the climbers with arrows and stones. The carnage made the ship girls think that their battle in the forest clearing seem like a drop of water on a lake. Northumber's garrison flew the striped flag of orange and red, and directly opposed against theirs was the flag of the upraised fist.

A normal soldier would have immediately turned back. The garrison was clearly outnumbered, their spirits gradually being weathered by each rock that Bane's crusaders would send over the walls.

But he was not a normal soldier.

"Drop me in the city," Setanta said. "I'm going in. We've all seen what Bane's followers are capable of. I will die first if I let something like that happen under my watch. Corvinus, after you've brought me to the city, I would be in your debt if you would return these girls back to the south."

Nowaki and the girls protested at their teacher's decision, but he would hear none of it.

"Girls, you have to send word to Myrdin. Tell him of the threat in the North. Besides, have a little faith in me. No way in hell am I going to die in a shithole like that."

Just as an awkward silence began among the seven, the female bard tapped Nowaki on the shoulder.

"Do not fret. I will accompany him and keep him from doing anything reckless."

The four destroyers looked at each other, then turned their eyes to their master.

"All right sensei. On one condition, " Nowaki said. "We'll provide fire support from the air. At least give us that right."

Their mentor smiled and raised his spear up high.

"Then let's be off and raise hell!"

All five ship girls cheered.

--o0o--

How could this have happened, a raven-haired knight in bloodied alabaster armor thought to herself as she grit her teeth. She gripped her bastard sword, ornately decorated and having the pommel of a lion, and swung with both hands. The blade cleft through the plate armor of an orc like it was butter, splitting the unfortunate creature in half at the torso.