The sun barely touched the horizon the following day when the first signs of Valtoria's retaliation came. Enno stood at the edge of the resistance camp, his gaze fixed on the distant lights of the floating city. It seemed so far away, yet he knew how close the danger truly was.
The central tower, now dark and damaged, stood as a stark reminder of their boldness. They had hit Valtoria hard, but the silence that followed was unnerving. Every resistance member felt it—the calm before the inevitable storm.
Senna emerged from her tent, her eyes shadowed from lack of sleep. She had barely rested since their return from the upper districts, always planning, always thinking ahead. Enno admired her resolve, but he knew the toll it was taking on her.
"We don't have much time before they respond," Senna said, joining him by the ridge. "The tower was a symbol, and now that we've crippled it, they'll make an example out of us."
Enno nodded, scanning the distant city. "How bad do you think it will be?"
"Bad enough to send a message," she replied, her voice grim. "They'll want to remind everyone who's in control."
Reinforcing the Camp
The resistance camp had been on high alert since their return. They knew Valtoria wouldn't remain passive for long, and they were preparing for the worst. Enno moved through the camp, checking on the preparations. Barricades were being reinforced, supplies were being distributed, and weapons were being readied. Every fighter was tense, their movements purposeful but heavy with anticipation.
Daron approached Enno, his expression serious. "Scouts have spotted increased activity near the city's base. More enforcers than we've ever seen before. It looks like they're getting ready to deploy a full battalion."
Enno's jaw tightened. A battalion meant hundreds of soldiers—more than the resistance could possibly hope to hold off. They had fought enforcers before, but never on this scale.
"They're coming for blood," Enno said quietly.
Daron nodded, his gaze hard. "We need to be ready for anything."
Enno glanced around at the faces of the resistance members, some new, others veterans who had fought beside him for months. They were tired, but determined. This was the moment they had been preparing for, even if none of them were truly ready.
"We can't let them break us," Enno said, his voice firm. "Whatever they throw at us, we stand our ground."
The First Strike
The strike came just after sunset. A distant rumble echoed through the air, followed by the unmistakable hum of Valtoria's drones. Enno stood at the center of the camp, his heart racing as he watched the lights in the sky grow brighter. They were coming.
"Everyone to your positions!" Senna's voice rang out, sharp and commanding.
The camp erupted into action, fighters scrambling to their posts, weapons at the ready. The tension was palpable, every second stretching into what felt like hours as they waited for the inevitable clash.
Suddenly, the night exploded with sound. The drones swooped down, their engines whining as they unleashed a barrage of fire on the outskirts of the camp. Barricades splintered under the assault, and the resistance fighters scattered, firing back with everything they had.
"Take cover!" Enno shouted, diving behind a pile of debris as bullets and energy blasts rained down around him.
The drones were fast, darting through the air in erratic patterns that made them difficult to hit. Enno's heart pounded as he took aim, his finger tightening on the trigger. He fired, hitting one of the drones square in the center. It sparked and careened into the ground, exploding in a shower of metal and fire.
But more were coming. Enno could see them in the distance, their lights flickering like stars as they descended toward the camp.
"Stay focused!" Senna's voice cut through the chaos. "We hold the line!"
The Ground Assault
As the drones continued their assault from above, the ground shook with the approach of Valtoria's enforcers. They moved like a well-oiled machine, their formations tight and their weapons powerful. The first wave hit the outer defenses with brutal efficiency, cutting through the barricades and forcing the resistance fighters into close-quarters combat.
Enno gritted his teeth as he engaged one of the enforcers, his movements sharp and deliberate. The enforcer was well-trained, but Enno had the advantage of desperation. He fought with everything he had, every punch and strike fueled by the knowledge that failure meant the end of everything they had built.
"Push them back!" Enno shouted, rallying the fighters around him.
But it was a losing battle. The enforcers were too many, and for every one they took down, two more seemed to take their place. The resistance was being overwhelmed.
"We need to fall back!" Daron called out, his voice strained as he fended off an enforcer. "We're getting cut off!"
Enno glanced at Senna, who was in the thick of the fight, her blade flashing as she took down one enforcer after another. She met his gaze, and for a brief moment, he saw the uncertainty in her eyes. They couldn't win this fight—not like this.
"Fall back to the second line!" Senna shouted, her voice hoarse but commanding.
The resistance fighters began to retreat, pulling back to the inner part of the camp where the defenses were stronger. But even as they regrouped, Enno knew it was only a matter of time before Valtoria's forces broke through.
A Desperate Move
As the resistance fighters scrambled to hold the line, Enno's mind raced for a solution. They couldn't hold out much longer. The enforcers were relentless, and their firepower was overwhelming. The only chance they had was to disrupt the enforcers' coordination, to buy themselves time to regroup and mount a counterattack.
His eyes landed on a communications tower at the edge of the camp—the one they used to monitor Valtoria's movements. If he could take it down, it might throw off the enforcers' command structure, giving them the opening they needed.
"I'm going for the tower!" Enno shouted to Senna, who was locked in combat nearby.
She glanced at him, her eyes wide with alarm. "It's too risky!"
"We don't have a choice!" Enno called back before sprinting toward the tower.
The air was thick with smoke and the sound of gunfire as he ran, dodging blasts and debris. His heart pounded in his chest, every step feeling like a race against time. The enforcers were closing in, and if he didn't move fast, the resistance would be wiped out.
He reached the base of the tower, scrambling up the ladder as explosions rocked the ground below. His hands were slick with sweat, his muscles screaming in protest as he climbed higher. When he reached the top, he could see the enforcers swarming the camp, their formations tight and precise.
With shaking hands, Enno pulled out the small explosive charge he had brought with him, setting it against the tower's support beam. He activated the timer, giving himself just enough time to get clear before it went off.
As he descended the ladder, the tower exploded behind him, the shockwave knocking him off balance. He hit the ground hard, the breath knocked from his lungs. But as he looked up, he saw the enforcers faltering, their movements suddenly disjointed.
It had worked.
A Narrow Escape
The explosion bought the resistance the time they needed. With the enforcers' coordination disrupted, Senna and the others rallied, pushing back against the attackers with renewed strength. The drones, now without proper command, veered off course, crashing into the ground or flying aimlessly through the sky.
"Fall back!" one of the enforcers shouted, and Enno felt a surge of relief as he saw them retreating.
But the victory was bittersweet. The camp was in ruins, and the resistance had taken heavy losses. Bodies lay scattered among the debris, and the air was thick with the smell of smoke and blood.
Enno limped back to the center of the camp, where Senna was helping tend to the wounded. Her face was grim, her hands shaking as she wrapped a bandage around one of the fighters.
"They'll be back," she said quietly, not looking at him. "And next time, we might not be so lucky."
Enno nodded, though his mind was already racing. They had survived, but just barely. Valtoria wouldn't stop until they had crushed every last member of the resistance. And now, more than ever, Enno knew that their only chance was to keep fighting—smarter, harder, and with everything they had left.
"We'll be ready," Enno said, though he wasn't sure if he believed it.