*EEEEER*

*EEEEEER*

Jack’s eyes shot open, the claxon horn echoing through the city jolting Jack out of the trio of naked bodies on his king-sized bed.

“What the hell is that?” Ada asked as Kamila rolled to her feet and Leona stood with a rifle in her hands summoned from her wrist.

*All personnel to battle stations! All personnel to battle stations! Second stage pilots, on deck!*

Jack rushed to the window, opening the balcony door of his manor to spy the wall of purple miasma in the distance.

“Shit…” Jack whispered as the others joined him, the enormity of the massive cloud of corruptive smog causing pause.

“Is that-” Ada began.

“The lost lands,” Leona frowned, despite being miles away, the sight of such a massive wall of miasma sent chills down their collective spines.

Jack turned and grabbed the telescope on his bed before stepping out into the balcony with Ada quickly handing him a towel to cover himself as he took flight.

Up above the floating city, Jack peered into the magnification device, watching as the boats below ferried troops into the smog from the dozens of airships hovering over the water supplying them.

Jack frowned, lowering the telescope and turning to the manor where his loved ones stood.

“I was hoping I had more time…” Jack muttered as a swarm of thousands of black dots began to emerge from the black miasma. “Get to a shelter! Now!”

Immediately the hordes of demonspawn were met by gunfire, the CIWs of the fleet of boats and airships shredding monstrosities in droves.

Jack turned and landed on his balcony, the trio of women already in the midst of getting dressed.

“Here,” Leona said, handing him clothes as Kamila got his armor from the nearby closet and Ada brought him his duel gunblades.

“Thank you. I can take it from here. Now get to where you need to,” Jack said as he turned to the armored archangel touching down on his balcony.

Covered in a splendid armament, Sahaqiel gripped her thunderbolt staff tightly, sweeping her golden eyes across the room that bore the signs of an intense battle.

The angel frowned, sweeping the room with wind that cleaned the stench of sweat, oil, and bleach from the chamber.

“That bad?” Jack asked, much to Sahaqiel's irritation.

“Yes… get ready, Python and the others are waiting at the airfield,” Sahaqiel said, flapping her wings and taking off as Jack summoned Gram to him via the wind.

****

Adorn in his silver armor and cape, Jack kneeled, giving Celeste a kiss on her head as she marveled at him and the dozens of aircraft and Mech's preparing to leave.

“You're a knight!” Celeste exclaimed, pointing at Jack's armor as he adjusted her headphones to muffle the sound of aircraft taking off.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

The little girl suddenly shoved her hands upward, making a sign with her fingers that spelled out Knight.

“Yes, yes I am,” Jack said, ruffling the girl's head before signing “Who taught you that?”

Celeste cocked her head sideways, “uhm. UHM! Huh!”

The girl balled her fists and crossed her arms over her chest, making the motion for love.

Jack smiled, returning the gesture as a hamster poked its furry brown head from her shirt pocket and squeaked.

“Are you taking care of Hamtaro?” Jack asked, happy to see Yun’s pet keeping his daughter company.

Celeste nodded repeatedly as Jack's grandma approached, the elderly lady shuffling towards Jack with his cousin carrying various satchels and straps.

“More bullets. You will need them,” The wrinkled woman said, handing Jack the burlaps filled with speed loaders and ammo.

And a plastic canister of rice topped with seasoned meat.

“Thanks Granny,” Jack said, furrowing his brow as he noticed Ada crossing the hanger wearing red Hoshido samurai armor with her nodachi on her shoulder.

“What are you doing?” Jack asked, stepping in front of Ada and Yukino who were trailed by several Hoshido warriors.

“What? You didn't think I'd sit this fight out did you?” Ada asked, her brow raised.

“Its-”

“Too dangerous? Too risky? If any of the next words are those from your mouth, you are about to get a reality check Mr,” Ada sasses, standing face to face with Jack, “Because this is a fight for the fate of the world and I'll be damned if you THINK for a SECOND I'm going to let my man fight alone while I'm sitting in a house raising our kids.”

“But-”

“Your grandma and cousins are taking care of Celeste and Ito, so, like it or not, I'm coming,” Ada said, brushing past Jack with Yuki sticking her tongue out at Jack as they passed. “Love you though!”

Jack sighed, looking down at his daughter who produced a cookie from somewhere and was munching down.

“Behave while I'm away, okay?” Jack said with the little girl nodding and being guided by her great-grandma.

“That is a good woman,” Python said, looking towards Ada as he stood beside Jack with a small box that would filter the air of the Lost lands. “Enough supply for twelve hours.”

“I have extremely high corruptive resistance-”

“Take it. Just in case. We don't know what we're going to experience inside so no chances lad,” Python said, taking a daylily from his uniform and sticking it in his mouth.

“Did Selfia manage to secure a large enough supply for this offensive?” Jack asked, taking the canister as Sahaqiel landed beside him.

“She got what she could, most of the filter producers just so happen to be owned by the High Table, I'll brief you on the way,” Python reported as they began walking to a dropship, “General order for troops on the ground is to scavenge and recover. So as long as the filter remains intact we can rotate them and charge them.”

“How many soldiers are on the beach?” Jack asked, boarding the dented up aircraft.

“We landed with an initial force of six thousand.”

“Casualties?” Jack said, his gaze turning to Ada who sat down across from him beside Sahaqiel.

Python cleared his throat.

“Roughly three thousand and counting, The beachhead came at a cost but the supply lines are fully functioning now,” Python yelled over the roar of engines, prompting Jack to create a barrier of air so he could hear the man, “Selfia's already on the beach establishing the TOC, she'll give us a better picture once we're on the ground.”

“And why isn't she commanding from the city?” Jack asked, scooting over to make room for several soldiers and paladins with the latter obviously nervous to be in Sahaqiel’s presence.

“Interference from the miasma. We have to be within the smog if we're going to call in a fire mission. One of the many Unique qualities of the Lost lands.”

“Great,” Jack muttered as his dropship rumbled. He turned, looking at Ada directly, “Honey, last chance, it will be extremely-”

“Stop worrying, I'm a warrior, I can take care of myself and I'll be damned if I let you fight alone,” Ada snapped, steeling her resolve as the VTOL closed its iron doors, taking off from the airfield alongside dozens of other transports.

Jack turned his head to the viewport nearby, looking down at the impressive line of airships and small hodgepodge of naval vessels scrambled from all corners of the earth.

“All or nothing huh…” Jack said, gripping his blade as he prepared for the worst.