Lord of the Skies

Prologue part 1 - The Great War

Samael fell out of bed with a shout, "What was that?!", hearing an explosion outside. He rushed to his feet and looked around, wondering if they were under attack. Out the window, he saw fire and ruined buildings. He quickly changed into his leather jacket, white shirt, and black skinny jeans and ran to his sister's room.

"Jess, get up, we have to go now!" he yelled, swinging the door open. Jess rubbed her eyes, still waking up, and asked, "Big brother? What's wrong?"

Sam handed her her favourite top and a pair of blue jeans, saying, "No time to explain, get dressed quickly!" He then went outside to wait while Jess got dressed, taking her favourite teddy with her. She asked, her voice trembling as she spoke, "I'm scared... what's going on? Where's daddy?"

Sam reassured her, "It'll be okay, he'll be waiting for us. Let's go." Another explosion shook the house, and they ran down the stairs. In the hallway, Jess noticed a picture on the floor, the one of their family, and asked if they could take it. Sam, who didn't like the picture because it reminded him of their mother's death, agreed and went to get his revolver and some food while Jess got her bag.

Sam then grabbed his gunblade and they stepped out, ready to face what lay ahead.

As they stepped outside, a scream pierced the air nearby. Jessica sprinted toward the source, but Sam yanked her back just in time as another explosion rocked the street. Debris from their house rained down, and Sam helped his sister back to her feet. "Are you okay, sis?" he asked.

"I think so," she replied shakily.

The air was thick with smoke and ash, and buildings were ablaze around them. Sam and Jessica joined the panicked masses rushing toward the shelter. As they ran, Sam spotted their father, General Carmine Loire, guiding the crowd. He pulled Jessica out of the throngs and pointed to their dad.

General Loire was a tall and commanding figure, seasoned from many battles in his lifetime. Though he had lost some of his agility and strength with age, he was determined that this war would be his last. Four soldiers approached him, armed with military-standard machine guns. The bullets bounced harmlessly off of his heavy armour as he walked toward them, drawing his twin-lance gunblade. In one swift motion, he sliced two of the soldiers down.

One soldier knocked General Loire backwards, while the final soldier charged forward, gunblade raised. Sam raced in front of his father, deflecting the soldier's attack with his own gunblade. "You've lost your touch, old man," Sam teased with a smirk. "Let's handle these two and get to the shelter."

Carmine looked up at Sam surprised. "What are you doing? Where is your sister?" he exclaimed. "Don't worry. She'll be fine." Sam replied before launching himself at one of the soldiers. The final soldier, surprised by the unexpected arrival, made a hasty retreat.

Carmine stood up and looked at Sam again, "Well thanks. You two need to come with me!"

Sam was taken aback by his father's sudden change of plans. "But why not head to the bunker? What's the plan?" he asked, still trying to wrap his head around the situation. Carmine sighed, his eyes serious. "There's no time to explain. We're rendezvousing with Cpl. Wedge at the town square. We have to move now." He hoisted Jessica onto his back and started walking down the street, beckoning for Sam to follow.

As they walked through the chaos and destruction, Carmine filled Sam in on their mission. "We're leaving this town, but we're not running away. We have important information that needs to get out to the right people. Wedge and his team will help us get there safely."

Sam nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. He kept a close eye on their surroundings, ready to act if they were threatened again. They made their way toward the town square, their destination, and their hope for survival. The streets leading to the town square were now empty of people. If it wasn't for the screams and explosions going on around them then it would have seemed like a ghost town. They walked hurriedly towards the square, stopping only to hide and let an enemy squad pass without being seen.

As they reached the square Sam was surprised to see that it had been fortified quite heavily. There were also a couple of troop transport carriers by the entrances. "They were prepared for this?!" he shouted.

Sam and Jessica followed Carmine as he climbed onto the stage and addressed the crowd. The street leading to the town square was deserted, a stark contrast to the chaos and turmoil that surrounded them. Despite the fortifications, the situation was dire, and Carmine's voice boomed with urgency as he addressed the panicked civilians.

"Listen up, everyone. We don't have much time, so listen closely. You're going to be evacuated by security forces in the transports waiting outside. This is your chance for safety, and we need to act fast. Board the transports now," Carmine instructed.

A murmur of concern rose from the crowd as they asked about the fate of those who sought refuge in the shelter. "We haven't received any word from our forces at the shelter, but our priority is to get everyone here to safety. So please, board the transports," Carmine emphasized.

Sam and Jessica followed Carmine's lead and helped usher the civilians onto the transport carriers, their eyes darting nervously around the square for any signs of danger. They knew that every second counted in their fight for survival.