Dark Crow Rising

Adjusting my footing, I eye the horizon-plastering screen as all three of its main cast come into view. With a wall of Union airships on standby as well as the not-so-discrete, bladed form of the Endearing Fury on the sidelines, it seems like now is the time. The giant, which has thus far been eyeing the flagship with what seems to be comparable to paranoia looks elsewhere. Mountain ranges shift and buckle, with a pair of behemoths leaping out into as close an opening as they can get.

The mobile fortresses roar and drum their chests, their smaller rib-attached claws snapping in anticipation. The armour of these immense animals shines with what must be enough magic to power a city. The shells on their backs glow with the greatest intensity, their contents a full complement of trained witches. Even beyond the war-witches, those who have trained and fought against the Valkinvar and many others like them, even beyond there are capable and skilled hands to be found.

The giant shifts its body about, though it is taller by a considerable margin, it knows these animals are not to be trifled with. One hand lifts its sword up until it is fully upright and positioned against its shoulder. The giant slims its form and presents only half a view for us to see. Two legs widen the gap, building up a weak recreation of what this country has lost. Though it is not fighting another swordsman, it continues to follow through with preparing for a duel.

Even with the notoriously untameable nature of the mobile fortresses, the beasts obey their masters. Front arm after front arm, the pair of beasts knead their way towards the edge of the giant's aura. The most eager of the pair moves closer and it prods the mysterious change in the landscape. Like an electric shock, it flinches back and hoots its frustrations.

My mind lingers on the image of what had happened. The internal-magic of the mobile fortress and its armour, along with the gigantic, defensive aura provided by the war-witch chapter lit up in berylic fire. The one whose hand tested the waters rises onto its legs and beats out its call for battle. The giant remains silent and unmoving.

"Be mindful of your attacks, guide your mobile fortresses to attack in conjunction. May Jhrarda the Mighty bless your endeavour." the Prince orders and the war-witches respond with a battle cry that ignites the land as a supervolcano would. The reigns are whipped and the mobile fortresses charge, roaring against the dying of the light as the aura overtakes them. The immense beasts close the distance and break up as the giant retaliates.

The first swing misses but my instincts tell me that's the point. Its footing shifts and all that momentum goes back down into the feet, springing it shoulder-first. Impact is made and the chased mobile fortress skids with a howl. It slaps back with a spell-enhanced blow and the arcane shockwaves force their way out of the aura.

The airship giving us this footage shakes violently and the sounds of its alarms crack into our sound experience. Emergency stabilisers put it back on course and our view widens to put some further distance between it and the fight. The exclusion zone of the fight shifts and I barely catch a mobile fortress backflip through the air. It lands with acrobatic skill and charges back into the fight to catch the giant's sword thrust.

Possible death averted, the other mobile fortress takes the opportunity to box into the giant's gut. It flinches away just as a grasping set of black bones come for it. A beaked jaw that has no problems swallowing city districts whole finds itself suckling on the immense digits. The hand pops out and the beast snaps up again.

Its attention on the other, the giant reaches for the mobile fortress unceasingly trying to tear the limb off. A quick sock does little to dislodge the living mountain and it almost possibly loses a chunk of fist in the process. The sword drops, unbalancing the mobile fortress and opening it up for a knee. The immense creature flies for a short distance, its impact burying its shell.

The mobile fortress gets up with a cocky snort and charges back in but it holds off from its next attack. The other one is circling for a chance and the giant bends to take the sword back. The chance appears and the fortresses roar with all they have. One leaps right onto the giant's curved back and it thrases wildly to take its attention.

Though not dexterous enough to use it like I might be able to if I shared that scale, the mobile fortress is plentifully primate in nature to grab the handle. With its handler passing on the subtle instructions, the beast spins almost comically. A tornado of a single, bladed gust builds up and the back-rider leaps, legs pushing down. The giant trips straight into a side-cleaving blow and rolls away.

The mobile fortresses take the chance and shift in the giant's location to go back into unaffected lands. The airship perimeter repositions and some offer up their engine power to reinvigorate the great beasts. Nothing catastrophic seems to be occurring but with what the giant can do, I've no doubts as to the need for a brief moment of recovery. This is not a fight that can be allowed to drag on if the war-witches hope to succeed.

I clutch my uniform tight and mind the sword the fortresses brought with them. The aura is not emanating from it. Only the giant itself can generate the aura. The Prince takes notice of this and leans forward to the mic.

"Toss the blade away, destroy the giant." he orders and his will manifests itself into reality. The long, black shape flies away into the sky, casting an untouchable darkness over the land until it lodges into a distant mountain range. The perimeter weakens and airships break off to begin firing on the unknown construct. Refreshed with new power, the mobile fortresses build speed as the giant rises.

It's slower, dazed and confused. Seemingly, anyway. It barely has any time to consider its options before a leaping fortress drags it back into the sands. A tidal wave of desolated earth and life buries the giant like a lost corpse and a tug-o-war begins. The head finds itself a means to secure a fortress' footing and the legs are much the same.

It's going to happen, the giant's defeat! Come on you magnificent beasts, snap this thing in two! Destroy it! Destroy it now!

I blink in surprise at how close to the screen I have moved and jump as the giant manages to move. The fortresses back away as fear washes over them so blatantly. The giant shakes and adjusts its stance. With a roar emptying all four of their lungs, the mobile fortresses move to immobilise the giant again.

The giant's head shakes in what I hope is disbelief and a lazy, clumsy kick comes out. The attempt unbalances it and one fortress aims to pull the ground out from under it. The other leaps back for the head and drops all its weight on the skull. The giant's form freezes up.

Two beasts of indescribable strength pull and shake with all they can but the giant remains up. One leg stabbed right into the ground while its arms flail uselessly. Shoulders roll and the giant forces the momentum back. As if the gods are willing it, the giant forces its way back onto its feet.