Broken Wings

July 16th, 1943, Benevolent City province.

This time Lily and Kate were escorting a few «Loop-2» bombers to a target area. They met one small enemy patrol on the way, but easily repelled all three fighters and there were no enemy sightings since.

"Have you heard, enemy patrols are so afraid of Boss that his sole presence is enough to scare them?", Kate was in a good mood today. "Recently they started attacking our bomber groups on South-Eastern direction, so he volunteered for escort missions and just loudly announces his call sign on an open frequency. They just do not risk to come close each time he does it".

"Glad we are not facing alemanian aces. I heard they have better machines and stimulation drugs so way harder to get rid of".

"Maybe, never fought them, so I cannot say".

They almost arrived at the destination, when another enemy patrol showed up. This time it were four «Jac-7» models.

"Lets shoo them off. I will attack the right flank, you take the left one. Do not let them get close to the bombers", Lily launched in the direction of the enemy, Kate followed.

The enemies scattered as soon as first magic icicles reached their formation. Lily continued to fire, keeping her two fighters at bay. Kate did the same. They were chasing each other for some time. Enemy fighters tried to scatter, but thick stream of spells kept them busy.

Suddenly, a machine gun trace emerged from the nearby forest and almost hit Lily. They had an air defence hidden nearby. She was able to dodge it but it gave one of the enemies an opportunity to slip away and turn. Though, instead of attacking her, he launched in the direction of the bombers.

"Not that fast!", Leitis activated Acceleration and also turned back.

Before the second fighter noticed her move, she was able to catch the first aircraft and bombard it with fire spells. It sustained a significant damage and decided to abandon the attack. Seems like it was a group leader, as the other three machines followed.

The radar team was able to locate the enemy air defence position on a small clearing in the forest and our duo bombarded it with fire spells. Remaining part of the mission went without any surprises. But trouble awaited for them a few days later.

July 19th, 1943, Benevolent City province.

"Enemy group approaching. Two «Jac-9» and our «Three-star» guy in the lead. Should we flee?", Kate was very serious.

"We cannot, we are escorting allied bombers from the mission. Let’s take a fight to let them escape", Lily prepared for combat.

"Roger that!"

They went in the direction of the enemy full speed. Lily exchanged fire with one of the enemy fighters and dived down to get some distance for a turn. «Three stars» tried to follow her but was attacked by Kate.

"Not that fast, champ, lets fight!", she prepared the next spell to launch at him, but he made a dash in the opposite direction and stopped there above her.

Lily at the same time was able to turn her aircraft and was attacking both remaining opponents at once. They tried to approached her from two sides, but she dodged their shots while maintaining return fire. With each loop enemies became more and more exhausted, while Lily still kept her tempo. For a moment their fire stopped.

«Got exhausted making so many incarnations, train more», Lily used the pause to bombard the right fighter with the white «7» on a side with a bunch of fireballs. Its tank got shot and caught fire. The craft started to lose height, leaving the fiery trail behind it. The second enemy tried to attack her, but she dodged the barrage yet again. Even if she was ascending, she could maintain her focus better.

"I will try to snipe him while it is not to late", Kate’s voice in the radio was pretty calm. "If I fail, you should flee".

Kate prepared an incarnation and launched a few huge fireballs in the direction of the enemy ace. Burst allowed them to keep the momentum despite the huge distance and enemy position. Still, he managed to avoid most of them only slightly damaging his wing.

"Damn, looks like it did not work. I see him changing the aura. In this case…", Slacker launched her fighter into the enemy trying to ram him.

Just as she almost reached the enemy, a daze spell hit her. She still managed to connect, but it only shook the craft. Her plane started to lose height and a barrage of ice balls hit it in the air. Kate managed to regain her consciences and land the plane on the ground, but when she blacked out.

Both «three star» ace and the remaining «9» ganged on Lily. She was to shocked by the Kate's loss to repel both of them. Leitis sent the last desperate incarnation in their direction and when heard the last weak message from Kate on the radio: «Live…»

Lily had no time to think. She grabbed the parachute, opened the cabin and jumped. The enemy ace tried to shoot her, but a group of allied fighters showed on the horizon and he turned away after seeing them.

As soon as she landed, she ran to the Kate’s fighter, but it was already to late.

The funeral took place in two days. Inna was crying her eyes out. Guys from the third fighter wing sent off their friend with grim look on their faces. Commander Wheeler was on the verge or having a breakdown, but did his best to keep the appearance. And Lily… she felt empty inside. First she lost Lex and now her best friend also died. She threw a dozen of white lilies on the Kates coffin and turned away.

That evening she got to her room and dropped on the bed. She did not cry, she did not try to blame the destiny for another loss, she just stared at the ceiling…