They came. Low and quiet. An insertion group. Go in quiet, hit fast, get out before anyone knew they were even there. It wasn't a tactic Alina used herself, or at least wasn't one she learned much of. Her attention on how soldiers under the Empire had fought faded the moment she turned into what she was now. She had her own strength, she didn't need a unit at her back.
Scanners showed one lifeform within, just as intended. They were hesitant to land without more information. No droids, nothing coming up on any of the normal sensors. Until a movement alarm went off.
A sword of all things, black as the night sky, ripped through. No, that thing was too big to be called a
sword. Too big, too thick, too heavy and too rough. It was more like a large hunk of Iron. It didn't cut, it shattered, bent, and broke through the wing of the Pegasus coming in to land. In the blink of an eye the whole damn engine was just gone. And what caused it was just as gone.
The crash itself wasn't bad. Alina watched from a distance, hoisting her blade onto her shoulder. Watching, waiting. Air ships weren't something she could freely deal with as she was now, not without surprise on her side. An ambush assured they'd fight on the ground. Her golden eyes watched the survivors step out. Guns raised but silent.
Coms, most likely, blaring.
A flash of light illuminated her form. A flash light, a sparkler, didn't matter. She wanted them to see her. Wanted them to be prepared. As guns raised for her, she took off. Sprinting through the rubble of the crashed ship. Using the environment to cover her. Not that she needed to. She was faster than she thought she could be.
Mild surprise filled her face as she ended up almost on top of one of the soldiers. Her weapon came down, mostly to halt her sudden advance. Cleaving through the man's armor, flesh. Alina grinned. There it was, the thrill of combat. Of taking lives and having her own on the line. Blaster fire erupted, snapping her back to reality. As quick as she was, these weren't the soldiers who'd hesitate when one of their own was scattered.
Landing on her blade itself as it slammed into the ground she leapt off of it for the next. Narrowly avoiding the bullets meant to claim her in the process. Red erupted along the edge of her sword, producing the edge it otherwise lacked. Another swing of her blade, and the soldier before her scattered apart.
Still, no smell of fear in the air. Just blaster fire and- She leapt back, away, sprinting towards the rubble just as a thermal erupted where she stood. All consuming heat singed her flesh, her armor. With it, pain. Alina cursed inwardly, but couldn't stop the grin on her face. Another grenade came around, right where she was running.
They were learning.
Rather than stop or dive away though she brought her blade around. Slammed the flat of the blade onto the explosive. The ground ruptured with the ensuing explosion, catapulting Alina through the air. She spun with it, her blade a whirlwind of death as she came to a halt, landing onto one of her baited prey. Her blade carved through a fourth. Where there head was, just a smattering of blood across the ground.
With a stomp of her foot she caved in the chest of the one she landed atop. One remained. Burns scarred over her flesh, none of which healing. They hurt. But the pain just made her feel more alive. She was strong. She was
strong. She was s-
She wasn't strong enough for a rocket. Her golden eyes blinked as she found the last, rocket already fired. Her blade came around as a make shift shield but the explosion sent her scattering back and away. Crashing through floor and wall with the bulk of her Warform. She came to a halt in the room of the Emissary. Unmoving. Unbreathing.
"Don't worry, I'm very much alive."
Her voice rattled out as she brought herself to her feet. Flashing an all too toothy grin to the man who's hope had just been crushed anew.
"There's more coming."
Aien Mueller 
