Azur Lane: World at War

Chapter 1: Flames of Destiny

Cmdr Rushena's POV

Flames, lots and lots of flames. I suppose that is one way to describe what's around me right now. Looking around I see what could only be described as a killing field. It is difficult to see through all of the smoke, but I can hear the sound of battle. Artillery fire, shouts and screams, and the clashing of metal all on this war-torn ocean. Walking forward, wait... walking? Looking down I see a weird contraption of sorts on my lower legs.

"Weird, walking on water is new." But before I get a chance to test any theories a scream rips through the air, a scream that I recognize. Bolting across the water I see what is happening. 

War, unadulterated war and the slaughter that accompanies it, the dead litter everywhere, Eagle, Royal, Sakura, Parliament, Iris, Ironblood and even Siren. Destroyer bodies lay by the dozens in the water along with a plentitude of other, there must be hundreds of them. 

Glancing around to get my bearings, Pennsylvania seems to be guarding a wounded Arizona from a pair of Sakura cruisers that I can't make out. Cleveland is running from a trio, but it's so far away I can only tell she is crying, endlessly crying.

"Stay away!" Is all I can make out from her, while a cacophony of laughter can be heard from the others giving chase. 

My attention is required when I hear what almost has to be the roar of a great beast, what kind I don't know, and I'm not sure I want to find out. Running further into the mayhem I found what I was after, Nevada. Bleeding out on the water, firing her last remaining main turret at a brown kitsune.

"Nevada!" 

"Commander! Stay back, she's going to kill you if you don't get away." 

"Oh my, has the great commander deigned to join us on this lovely evening." Giving an almost fiendish smile and soft laughter.

"I must say, I do appreciate the company this night, but I do find the level of hospitality rather underwhelming, wouldn't you agree Eagle Commander?" Right after she finishes, Nevada fires at her head using her main turret, which Akagi simply sidesteps to avoid, launching a squadron of bombers to pound her into further submission.

"My, my. Such a brutish way of acting like a lady, I wonder how Constitution would feel?" As she steps on Nevada's chest, pinning her down after the bombing runs, smirking at her bleeding form.

Clenching my fists in rage as I feel a strange, but oddly comfortable weight in my right arm, quickly glancing down at it to see a sword, glistening in the flames.

"Let go of her." 

"Oh, what was that dear commander?" 

"I said, GET OFF HER!" As I charged, swinging the blade with both hands at her neck, forcing her to backstep.  

"Nevada, up! We have a fight to finish." While holding a guard up against the carrier.

"Sir, yes sir." Was her response, though I could hear the pain in that normally rather cheerful voice of hers. Why are we fighting, what happened here to cause such slaughter? Before I got a chance to continue that line of thought Akagi made her next move, taking a step forward and launching more aircraft.

"The Sakura Empire with our allies will pave the way for the future of humanity, we will all prosper. A shame you could not see that potential. As she throws a trio of flaming paper planes at the two of us. Slashing desperately, I managed to slice the first in half but before the other two could hit Nevada shoved me forward, taking the remaining two directly and seemingly killing her. 

"Nevada! You are going to PAY for that Akagi!" Jumping at her, aiming to divide her in half.

"Oh, will you strike me down? My, my commander. I didn't know you treated girls this rough. I wonder what Oklahoma would say about this." I snapped, cutting from the thigh to the shoulder, ripping her in two, the shockwave of the strike blowing away all the smoke and mist of the battlefield, bringing it clarity.