Smoke floated thick in the air. Fires burned in a dozen directions around the Bonnie Lass as she trolled the waters around Bad Wolf Bay. The engagement had lasted a long time already. The sun was falling rapidly as the darkness of night over took the sea, but still the fighting would continue. The second fleet was grinding the Draquus ships hard. The Draquus had dozens of ships, almost three to each of their one. The numbers had been against them from the beginning. All they had going for them was their experienced crews, battle hardened veterans that knew how to maneuver as a team rather than a gaggle. Together they went about separating the bigger ships from the smaller ones, preying on them like a pack of timber wolves. It was hot, messy work, and even with their superior firepower and training they were not without their losses.
Out in the sea around his ship, Pip could see the burning hulks of many Draquus ships, but he was also witness to the misfortune of at least a dozen of the Royal Navy's own ships. The timbers of many still cracking with fire. The ocean all around was littered with the corpses of the dead; dorsal fins of sharks were aplenty in the blood soaked waters as they fed on the bodies.
Maneuvering was tight and difficult, the noise was a crescendo of cannon fire, splitting wood and the screams of sailors from both sides. The acrid stench of charred flesh was all to present in the air around them, the only smell that beat it was the scent of blood.
Even with the chaos all about them Pip could see that the tides were in their favors. Within a couple hours still they should have control of the waters around Bad Wolf Bay. Within a couple more hours they would uncover the truth about the incursion of the Draquus.
Pips reprieve was suddenly interrupted by nearby cannon fire. Out of the smoke came a Draquus ship, straight for the Bonnie Lass. They were at a disadvantage in their position, already maneuvering around the burning hulks of half sunken ships they were unable to come about fast enough to repel their assailants. They wouldn't need to though, as Pip watched with commands on his tongue, two more of the Royal Fleet came fast on their stern. The Draquus were doing their best to flee their tails, in doing so they payed little attention to what was hidden in the thick smoke.
The Draquus ship was run into one of the half sunken hulks. The impact tore into the hull, ripping into its body like a sword. A massive hole was punched in the ships body, it eventually ground to a halt, taking on water faster and faster, soon the other ships were on them, firing freely into the ship as it continued to sink with the other vessel.
Early on in the campaign they had tried to show a willingness to take on survivors from defeated ships. That was no longer an option, once the boarding party of one vessel had been allowed on board one of the first ships defeated in order to prepare it for transport back as a prize the remaining crew had spilled forth from the lower decks and slaughtered the boarding party, then sacrificing their own ship and lives as they detonated the magazines below, the explosion was massive and it had decimated the other Royal Navy vessel completely. None had survived. After that they drew no quarter.
Night was fully upon them now. The smoke was thinning at this point, but was still very thick, much of it was still illuminated by the dozens of fires that still burned. Many of them set by the Bonnie Lass's own Blaze Cannons. The Ship that had been chasing the Draquus vessel was just ahead, slowed almost to a halt as they watched the ship they'd been after sink beneath the waves. The sound of cannon fire was slowing now, the Draquus were almost defeated, very few of their ships remained. Many of the Equestrian naval ships around the waters were regrouping, prepping prizes, caring for their wounded, and disposing of the dead.
His own crew was dispensed about the deck of the ship in similar fashion, they had few wounded thankfully, they'd taken some hits as well but they were in good shape. Nothing to serious. It was getting quieter still now, the last of the visible Draquus vessels was being cleaned up by three vessels. The would have control of the waters. Luckily they had managed to claim this victory without the first fleet. It had been a hard fight, but luckily they'd managed. Even now they were sending back their crippled ships to the safe harbors back in Equestrian waters.
Pip was helping the zebra twins Zanza and Danza re-secure some loose rigging when he heard it. At first he had thought it was wind but then he made out the unmistakable sound of disturbed water. Something big was coming their way. He figured it was due time for the First Fleet to show up. They would no doubt need the large guns to break the costal defense the Draquus no doubt had in place upon the Island.
Then, at the edge of the smoke the first Iron Clad hull broke through. First relief seeped into Pips veins, seeing those hulks of engineering was always a good feeling. They were moving fast, there were five of them Pip counted as more prows broke through the smoke. That feeling of relief was short lived though.
While he watched them sailing quickly he noticed that they were not slowing. They were moving far too fast to be meeting up with them. Something must have been going on elsewhere that the Second Fleet and his vessel had yet to hear about. Then as the first of the ships turned to face him he saw it, illuminated by the burning fires of wrecked ships. The Draquus.
Their flagships had arrived. Before Pip could signal a warning to the Royal Navy vessel ahead of him the foremost hulk slammed into its side. The Draquus vessel was nearly five times larger than the Equestrian ship. It plowed into the vessel at full speed, timbers were hewn in two, crushed to oblivion under the sheer force of the impact. The ship was torn in two pieces in the blink of an eye.
Then the cannons spoke. The ship turned toward the grouped vessels of the second fleet, guns, dozens of them, opened fire all at once from the Draquus ship, blasting into the Equestrian ships with frightening effects. The shells they threw at the ships were larger than anything they had at their own disposal. They punched massive holes in the ships, blasting them out completely in only a couple shots. Before anypony could gain a bearing of what was happening they'd already lost half of their remaining ships to the brutal onslaught of the Draquus Flagships.
Pip shook himself from his shocked stupor, "Douse the lights! Get us out of here!" he shouted as loudly as he could, trying to make himself heard above the din of the Draquus guns. They stood no chance without the first fleet. The few that heard him set about darkening the Bonnie Lass and prepping her for retreat. It was then Pip heard the noise to their port. He turned in time to see the massive prow of another Draquus flagship cutting through the water towards them. In a matter of a second it was upon them. Pip had only enough time to look down, meeting the eyes of Nixx as he came from below deck. The impact threw him clear of the Bonnie Lass. the water was cold and full of flotsam. Pip was dazed as he surfaced, clinging to a bit of wood. He watched with blurring vision as his beloved ship was ripped in half. Its crew thrown into the churning sea around it or dashed upon the hull of the Draquus ship. Her stores went off, blasting a gaping hole in what was left of the aft section of the ship. He saw the Bonnie Lass sink beneath the waves as his vision tunneled into black and he lost consciousness.
The first thing he noticed upon his waking was the sunlight. It was morning he guessed, his sight was still was not perfectly crisp, but he could see well enough. His head ached, he could feel the bandages around his temple and ears. Pip looked around, he was on the deck of another vessel. There was a hoof scrape beside him and he turned, albeit groggily. His eyes met the glare of another pony with eyes like that of a lion, slit pupils and fierce. He looked past the eyes to the midnight blue coat, the membrane wings. A Draquus, instinctively, he tried to jump up to flee, but instead he could only scrabble in his weakened state.
"Woah! Easy! Your safe, it's me!" A familiar voice called out.
Pip looked back at the pony before him. He was indeed a Draquus. No doubt about that. Looking around he knew he was on board an Equestrian vessel. Then he noticed the armor the creature wore. Bright, large crests on the shoulders, all engraved with lettering. He saw more of them down the ship's deck, tending to the wounded. He remembered then, it was the Guardians. He'd been so sure of their demise after they helped him escape, he'd given no hope that they would have made it out alive. But here they were. And before him stood Quillweave.
"I'm sorry. I didn't recognize you." He said apologetically.
"It's ok. No need to be sorry, you got knocked about pretty badly." Quillweave said.
Memories flowed into Pips mind then. The Bonnie Lass.
"So it's true. She's gone." He said.
"Sadly, yes. Lost to the sea. I saw the last of her sink below the waves as we finished off the Draquus Flagships. It was then I found you and your crew all spread around it." Quillweave confirmed.
"How bad was it? The fight?" Pip asked.
"It was bad, it has only just finished. Their ships were tough, but they were made with haste. Easy to dispatch for the first fleet once they saw how they operated." Quillweave said.
"And the second fleet?" Pip ventured.
"...All but lost....Only the few that left earlier in the fight remain. There were very few survivors from the other ships I'm sorry to say." Quillweave replied quietly.
That weighed heavily with Pip. Losing an entire branch of the Navy would not be easily, or quickly, replaced.
"So what are we doing now? Have we taken the bay and the island?" Pip asked.
"No, Not yet. Once the Flagships were defeated we started rescue operations. Now that that is mostly finished we are preparing to take the island. Without their ships for help it should not take long to clear out what remains of the Draquus and put down this invasion." Quillweave answered.
Just then Pip felt a vibration in the deck of the ship, sudden and strong at first, then steady and almost unnoticeable. He looked around, their ship was starting to move. It must have been the engines starting that he had felt. Pip staggered to his feet. With a bit of help from Quillweave, he walked to the aft end of the ship and looked down. The waters were churning behind the great blades of the propellers. Pip had not yet seen how the great ships moved through the seas, what he saw amazed him.
"Incredible." He said.
"Yes, indeed. I've never seen anything like these ships." Quillweave said.
They were making quick pace towards the docks that jutted out into the sea from the large Island that dominated Bad Wolf Bay. They closed fast, within the hour they were within range. Pip now was improved enough to be of some help. He made himself useful by assisting where he could, on the massive guns below deck, or at spotter points. Wherever he was needed.
The Draquus were in force on the shores and in the shanty town all about the coast. There was a massive fortress just beyond that. Already they could see the shore guns being prepared. The fight was about to start. Seconds of silence passed then their center most ship sounded a loud and deep horn, signaling the battle to begin. Their ships lurched forward, bringing the remaining guns to bear, the large ones on the top deck rotated their single long barrels towards the coastal fortress. They were massive. When they fired it sounded like the sky itself had joined the fight with thunder. Flames and smoke belched out of the end of the guns, blowing back in their faces as they sailed through it.
The effects upon the shanty town were devastating. Entire blocks were obliterated. Within moments half the area was turned to craters and rubble. Then a resounding chorus broke out from the coastal batteries, shells whistled past them as the guns got their bearings. They fired rapidly, one after another. It seemed they had kept their best back in case of their fleets defeat.
The first hit against them was a glancing hit to the hull of a nearby ship. The shell impacted the iron clad hull of the vessel, gouging a long seam in the platted armor before it glanced off into the water. That ship fired directly after. Its shot hit home as well. A corner of the fort exploded into a massive fireball as the round impacted. Another shot hit next to it, punching through the wall and vanishing inside the walls. Soon they were shelling the fort with great effect. They took hits as well though. One of the gun batteries of the fortress had gotten a good bearing on one of their ships and was hammering it hard. Shell after shell slammed into the ship, many glanced off the armored sides but many also hit solid. One round hit home on one of her three large guns. The effects were absolute , the gun was now immobile, its rotating mechanism all but destroyed. She kept at it though.
Soon the front of the Fortress was turned into a mural of holes and rubble. But still the guns fired on from further back. There was a commotion from behind Pips area, a group of technicians was wresting a large round across the deck towards the main gun. Pip ambled over and gave them a hoof. Looking around at them all argue and speculate. But then he noticed one in particular. It was Nixx! The tech from the Bonnie Lass spoke up now.
"It will work! I designed it myself, now shut up and let's get it loaded, otherwise I don't know if we will crack this fortress any time soon!" He shouted.
Pip didn't know what he meant by designing the shot, but he could not deny that the fortress, while taking a beating, was holding out very well under the circumstances.
They wrested the shot to the gun crew, who at first refused to load it, but after a moments arguing and then once an officer heard them they were convinced to load it for the next shot. The techs retreated back from the gun so they could do their work aiming and loading the round. Nixx ran down the way and waited against the rails facing the island.
Pip followed him, not sure as to what was so special about the round they'd loaded. He found out soon enough. The gun launched its payload with a shattering boom. The shot struck home, punching through the main section of the fortress wall. A second passed and it seemed nothing would happen. The guns continued to pepper the walls. Then suddenly a tremendous explosion shattered the front of the fort, fire blasted out a dozen windows and gun ports. The explosion rent a great hole in the wall of the fortress. More explosions went tearing through it shortly after.
Pip at once realized what Nixx had loaded into that shell. It was the same formula that they had used in the Bonnie Lass's Blaze guns. The fortress guns were silenced suddenly as the wicked fires burned out of control. Draquus could be seen taking to wing all around the fortress. Vanishing into the crags and crevices all around the large mountains that made up the island. It seemed victory was near at hand, the coastal town was gone, the fort set ablaze. Their enemy in full retreat, leaving behind even a large section of the fort that could still have fought on Pip noticed. Quillweave now joined the two of them.
"Well done Nixx." He said over the din of continued gunfire from their fleet.
They watched the Draquus fleeing towards the mountain. Quillweave lurched suddenly, face contorted in a mixture of pain, surprise, and fear. They looked at him in concern.
"It can't be." he whispered. He lifted himself into the air, wings thrusting powerfully, at the same time using his limited magic to launch a magical flare high above him, it was solid black. A strange color to use Pip thought, but all this set ill in his gut. Something was coming he didn't quite understand. But to see the rather calm Guardian react in such a sudden manner unnerved him.
Then, above the din of their gunfire a resounding, thunderous, ear shattering noise erupted from the island. Pip watched from the deck as the top of the tallest mountain suddenly exploded in fire and rock. A volcano he thought. Then the noise came again, greater still. Their guns silenced. More fire and smoke exploded out of the mountaintop. It was then he noticed the Guardians had all but left the ships and were headed towards the island as fast as their wings would take them.
Then a great explosion blasted the top half of the mountain clear, boulders the size of wagons and ships were cast like toys down its sides and across the island. Gouts of fire erupted from the sides of the rocky slopes, smoke billowed out in great plumes obscuring the sky above them. Then the shockwave hit them, the ships swayed back slightly, the crewmembers on deck were flattened to the hull or pushed across the deck with its force.
Then he saw it, great black wings, long sinuous neck and shinning scales. A dragon.
Fear coursed through Pip, audible shouts could be heard from all the ships around him as the great beast exploded out of the mountain all fire and wings. It was soon airborne and headed straight for them. It was so fast. The great monster barreled past the Guardians and was upon them in an instant.
It strafed the first ship it reached with fire. It was hot, red and white gouts erupted from its toothy maw. Incinerating the ship from aft to stern. The wood exploded into crackling embers, the iron parts of the hull glowed from the heat before melting into slag. The dragon passed once more, laying more flame to the ship. The white hot fires decimated the vessel in seconds. Its stores of ammo exploded, it began to sink quickly. Steam billowed from the sea as the hot flames and red iron sank into the water. Not a single crewmember was seen in the waters after its sank.
The sheer power of the raging dragon was incredible. The Naval Fleet did their best to return fire but the cannons were to slow. Soon the dragon was turning around, coming about for another pass at the next ship. It's great black wings drove hard, cupping the air in great swaths, propelling the beast towards them with great speed. The monster was upon them in moments, Pip was soon looking straight into its jagged toothed mouth. A bright orange and red glow was building inside that jagged grin as the dragon continued its approach. His ship was next. After seeing what that monster could do to one ship Pip knew if he stayed on board he'd be killed. So overboard was his only option.
With the dragon almost upon them Pip turned to jump over the railing. Willing to take his chance in the waters below rather than be immolated by the inferno about to be unleashed upon the vessel he was on. He stopped at the railing just before he jumped. A flurry of dark blue and shinning silver filled his vision. It was the guardians, they had regrouped and were charging headlong at the monster once more. This time as Pip watched there was a magical glow that emanated between them. As soon as he saw it, the magic lanced out from them in a flash. It missed it's mark but still sliced a hole through one of the dragons wings. The suddenness of the attack took it by surprise and it pulled up, shooting over the ship close enough that Pip got a good view of its armored hide, the flashing claws, and the wicked barbs on its tail.
Pip turned as the dragon blew past them, he was surprised to find Quillweave standing on deck in front of him.
"Our time here has come to an end. I'd have enjoyed continuing to help rebuild and clear this infestation but as you can see a greater problem has arisen. This is the dragon that changed my people. We thought him dead long ago, but it seems as though he was only building his strength. Now, my warriors and I must do what is needed to prevent the fall of another kingdom. Our magic is stronger around this monster because of him, we must use our strength to stop him. Please, take care of Nightspark in my absence. He is young, and has lost much." he said to Pip.
"Wait, how did you know about him? He's not even here, I made him and Dinky stay back on shore." Pip said in surprise.
"You're not the only one who knows about the isle in the mist. I told you I have a wife. You yourself met her upon that very island. Nightspark is not ours, no. But you are not the first to adopt him. I am saddened that I could not be there for him after his parents were taken. But you, I imagine, will not let him down. Take care of him. Promise me that much." Quillweave said as he mantled his great wings for flight.
"I will." Pip replied.
He was battered momentarily by great gusts of wind as the Guardian took flight to rejoin his troops who still harried the dragon, keeping its attention away from the fleeing ships of the First Fleet.
As they plowed the waters away from the Dragon and the Guardians there was a great thunderclap and flash of magic. Pip watched as powerful magic lit up the sky around them. The wind blew against them, towards the fighting dragon and Guardians. The sea below them churned white, seemingly of its own mind. Great sparks snapped through the air around the dragon. The air was turning crisp around them as it was saturated with magic. What he was seeing he could not believe, the sheer power was astounding and unfathomable.
҉
Quillweave hovered momentarily as his soldiers flew in circles around the great dragon. Their spell was nearly finished, it was taking all they had to achieve it. The sheer amount of magic it required was only possible because of their connection to the very beast they fought. The crackling noise of the spell around him quieted the sound of the wind and ocean below. The beating of the dragons wings were quiet. Its roaring of anger muffled as if under a pillow. He looked down at the retreating vessels as they passed beyond the spells area of effect. His last glimpse of an unlikely friend below, watching him. The seafaring pony he knew as Pip of the Bonnie Lass had made him a promise and Quillweave was going to make sure he had that chance to keep it.
A dark and heavy voice interrupted his thoughts. The dragon spoke to him directly.
"You cannot defeat me. Do as you will but you all shall fall to my power. I will return here after I blacken your broken corpses. I gave you power and you squander it. You will fall just like your kingdom before you." It said.
"We will see about that." Was all he said in response.
҉
Pip felt the deep reverberations of the dragons voice as it spoke. They shook in his body. He heard every word, and it frightened him. He heard no response. But he did see one. There was a sudden building hum of energy, lights spun around the dragon and the Guardians as their spell came to its climax. Pip had no idea what was about to happen but he could imagine it would be devastating. He was instantly proven right. With a last sudden burst of light and a resounding boom the dragon, the Guardians and even a large portion of seawater below them vanished in a massive thunderclap. They had vanished. To where Pip could not be sure. But they were gone.