The tank had been a massive, steel behemoth with tracks that churned up the dirt and debris beneath it. It had a rounded turret on top that housed a formidable-looking gun, which pointed menacingly in the direction of its intended target.
The tank had been covered in a dull greenish-gray camouflage, giving it a distinctly military appearance. It had been heavily armored, with thick metal plates that could withstand even the most powerful of attacks. Its presence alone had been enough to strike fear into the hearts of anyone who had seen it, as it represented the full might and power of a modern army.
As it rumbled forward, the ground had shaken beneath its weight. There were many soldiers in their foot following the tank from behind.
"I didn't think I could survive fighting a tank," Nico stupidly said.
"Me too," Arfin stupidly replied.
"You need to destroy that tank, Arfin. Or we will be stuck here," Nico had said while still lying down in the gutter.
"How could my bullets work on a metal tank?" Arfin asked. "I could only destroy concrete at best."
As their tank gun had aimed at them, Nico shouted, "Get down!"
The tank shot its massive gun. Its bullet created a shockwave that flew above Nico and Arfin. The ground had shaken violently as the tank's bullet slammed into the earth, creating a massive explosion that sent dirt and debris flying in all directions.
Nico and Arfin stared in shock and horror as they watched the devastation wrought by the tank's bullet. The impact had created a huge crater, with smoke and flames rising from its center.
"Since when could tanks shoot like that?" Nico shouted in fear. It was nothing like he had ever seen on television. The sound and destruction it had caused truly frightened Nico and Arfin.
"Look, it's getting closer," Arfin said in fear.
As the tank moved closer to Nico and Arfin, its tracks churned up dirt and debris in its wake. The ground shook with each heavy, metallic step it had taken. The tank's gun turret swiveled back and forth, scanning the area for any potential threats. The sound of its engine roared in their ears, drowning out all other noise, and they had felt the vibration of the tank's movements rattling their bones.
Nico and Arfin had known they needed to act fast, or they would be crushed by the tank, but there was nothing they could do. They could only lay down in the gutter because if they stood up and ran away, they might have been shot by soldiers walking behind the tank.
"Just shoot it already. Come on, shoot," Nico urged Arfin. "Maybe some miracle could happen."
As Arfin was about to shoot, someone suddenly appeared from the back of the building, raising his sword, the blade emitting a faint red glow. He ran towards the tank, dodging bullets fired by the enemy soldiers.
With a swift movement, he swung his sword and struck the metal surface of the tank. There was a loud metallic clang, and sparks flew in all directions. The tank shook violently and started to emit a strange voice. Suddenly, there was a deafening explosion from the inside, and the tank burst into flames. Chunks of metal and debris flew in all directions, and the ground shook as it exploded. The tank's turret soared high up into the air, and its hull split into two.
The blast was so intense that it sent a shockwave through the surrounding area, blowing away anything that wasn't anchored to the ground. The soldiers walking behind the tank were blown away, hurled and rolled on the ground. They stood trembling and immediately fled in a haze of fear.
Behind the tall smoke, a figure emerged. "Geralt!" Nico shouted happily.
Geralt holds a flaming sword that emits thick smoke like a torch. He has made the tank explode like a balloon. "Luckily, I wasn't late," he said.
"Thank god you are here!" exclaimed Arfin.
"Let's go. They're coming," Geralt said as many other soldiers eyes were still watching them from afar. Nico and Arfin followed Geralt running away together.
Thanks to Geralt's spectacular power. No soldiers seemed to dare to fight them again. They were only seen at the back of the window house, watching them passing.
"How did you get here?" Nico asked Geralt while running away with him.
"Fergus told me your location," Geralt replied. "If he had not sent the message, we wouldn't have come here this fast."
As Nico were making their way through the dense forest, they suddenly heard a faint but unmistakable sound in the distance. It was the sound of clashing metal, the distinct ringing of swords and shields as they clashed with bullets.
"What sound is that?" Arfin asked.
"It's from other knights. I didn't come here alone," Geralt answered. "There were many Friends from Aurora Castle who also came to pick you up. Especially from the Sir Kashan division. They really wanted to protect you, Nico."
After they ran for a long time and went in and out of the forest many times until their shoeprints couldn't be traced anymore, they finally calmed down and walked leisurely on the outskirts of the city.
"Why did they attack us like this?" Nico asked.
"Don't you watch the news?" Geralt asked.
"What news?" Nico asked.
Geralt looked around and took them into a nearby empty shop. He turned on the TV, and an emergency news report was airing on one of the channels. They saw a view from a helicopter - thousands of soldiers had landed on the coast marching in unison. They were all dressed in dark green fatigues, and each of them carried a weapon. There were many heavy machines such as tanks, Humvees, and artillery. Dozens of aircraft carriers could be seen near the beach.
"Wait, isn't that Eteria?" Arfin asked in surprise.
"Eteria?" murmured Nico in shock. "Is Eteria known to the entire world?"
"They have already invaded the beach," Geralt said. "The east coast of Eteria was occupied by England, and the west coast by America."
"Really?" Arfin asked in disbelief.
"It seemed like we were entering a new era of warfare."