Fishing Part 3

[Living_Hellfire]

Friday, May 23 18:14hrs Local Time, 2025

 

Right on time.

 

The Angel on Fire wasted no time "chasing" the skiffs as they registered the heat signal behind them and ignited their afterburners, climbing into the thin cloud cover over the water and separating as their rear-mounted guns swiveled to face the oncoming threat. The firmament shook as four sonic booms echoed over the Atlantic Ocean and the flanking skiffs banked left and right respectively while the lead craft lifted its nose up into the draft and allowed the trailing skiff to duck underneath and take lead, pouring on the speed. A fifth sonic boom shook the heavens and the battle was joined.

 

Tracers lit up the early evening sky as they coursed their way towards the burnt orange comet. The rounds splashed and danced as they approached the centre of the blazing star as the man shaped figure rolled, capering almost playfully in the swirling fire, a tattered, shredded cape snapping in the burnt orange trail in his wake.

 

The first Skiff went down hard, carved in two, right down the centre line by a blazing, concentrated beam of Hellfire. Its shredded remains fell, twisting and burning into the ocean below.

One down, two to go.

The reaction from the Sky Raiders was immediate. The lead skiff nosed down slightly, gaining speed as the coast line of the Rogue Isles appeared in the distance and the other two took up a rear flanking position. The cannon fire relented slightly as The Legendary Living Hellfire climbed, gaining altitude and taking position above the escorts into firing position on the lead craft. The Sky Raiders opened up once more, firing into the sun at their pursuer sending 50mm rounds of high-explosive proximity rounds at a target that was no longer there.

 

The Ghost of Paragon City grinned as he registered the panic. He manifested his Celestial gladius as he dove, shredding the port side wing of the skiff guarding the left flank of the lead Sky Raider aircraft and arced right, blazing a trail of burnt orange flame in front of the nose of the remaining two skiffs, forcing the lead craft the barrel roll clumsily to avoid immolation. A sixth sonic boom shook, shattering the instrumentation of the Sky Raider craft guarding the right flank. The Legendary Living Hellfire couldn't hear the screaming enunciators in the cockpit but he knew they were there as he rounded the curve, heading back towards Paragon City, climbing again into the sun, climbing, climbing before pausing and holding still. Arms out, eyes closed The Angel fell backwards and Hellfire followed in his wake as casually he resumed his chase.

The Sky Raiders raced towards Sharkhead Island with Hell on their heels. Before long the lead craft broke off, racing North West towards Grandville as the sole escort banked South to greet the hunter that would bring its fate. The skiff opened up with lead cannons, sending a blistering barrage into the burnt orange comet. The oncoming fire was intense and The Angel on Fire ducked his head and channeled Hellfire to provide cover as the rounds melted and splattered against the heat shield before colliding with the skiff, igniting the cold-fusion reactor powering the aircraft.

 

The resulting explosion lit up the newly darkened night sky over the Atlantic Ocean and the lead skiff sped onwards to safety.

 

Some time later Arachnos agents would report a fisherman who witnessed a bright, burnt-orange light over the ocean, West of his fishing spot. The report would contain the following description; "Like wings, but on fire, and then there was a blast of heat that came off the water. I packed my gear and headed home. I don't know nothin' else."