The 50 mm Mortars were hand fed into long barrels. The main cannons having been moved for the very purpose of being aligned properly with the rest of the Cannons. Marines in pairs of 2 carried foot long 50 mm canisters before hoisting them up and pushing them into openings before a curved door on the outside of the wider base was slammed shut, and a Marine next to the 7 foot barrel slammed down a lever! Firing the artillery!
The sound was suspiciously quieter than any normal artillery, but whistled and whizzed through the air, causing people running through the forest in the middle of the island to peer up as through the sky dozens and dozens of trailing smoke came hurtling towards the ground!
With a crash! The Canisters hit the ground in front of a group near Raven and Emmett. They all stopped almost on instinct like hoping that the object not pay attention to them, like wild animals.
"What is that…" Spoke a man in large rimmed glasses and a knit sweater.
A second later wisps of smoke began to come out of the canister before exploding into a large cloud! It wasn't explosive, but it did fill a sizeable area. "Smoke?!" Emmet said with narrowed eyes breathing heavily as a woman called out to the man caught in the cloud. "Peter! Are you okay!"
A noise filled the air, like a hacking sound from within a person's throat after having something stuck. Only for the next second Peter to appear! Breaking through the cloud in a hazey swirl of the smoke!
"Ack! Gackagh! Augh!" Blisters and sores covered his body face red and flush with blood as the red fluid leaked from his eyes in the place of tears, he tried to scream but his lungs could barely take in air only a gagging harsh sounds being formed into the world "Help! It burns!"
Chemite Gas. With a special component of Mustard and Chloride Gasses combined together. Causing blisters and sore on the skin while within the mucus membrane of the throat and lung, forming Hydrochloric Acid. Melting through internal organs.
Dozens and Dozens of these clouds formed throughout the central areas of Tovara. The Grey yellow hue of the gas rising into the air. While the rest of the main clouds stuck to the ground due to being heavier than air.
"Both the woman, Emmett, and Raven began coughing as only slight trickles of smoke reached them, Emmet already on the run! "Cover your mouth!" Emmet said pulling a handkerchief from his pocket, only to set raven down for a moment, pull his sweater up to his shoulders and wrapping the Sleeves around his neck while the collar was around his nose in a makeshift mask
Picking Raven back up he began running again. Unfortunately, the Mask would be useless…
They were forced to constantly evade the gas as they were on a mad dash! Bobbing and weaving through the forest, even if it'd only been a minute since the bombardment of gas had stopped. Raven coughing harshly as Emmett could feel his eyes burning.
"Second Bombardment fire!" Ordered the ships, this was a much shorter bombardment. A Single line of shots fired into the air and whizzed back down before exploding into fire balls! They were filled with material meant to burn and erupt in flames! Causing the lingering gass to explode!
Like a sudden wind that crossed through the Island! A Wave of heat washed over any that were near as the gas was ignited! Burning the forest, grass and the Great Tree of Alexandria! It wasn't bad enough that bodies were left with chemical burns. But now thermal as well.
The fire spread quickly, licking and lapping at leaves along with grass and clothes. This fire was special, it was burning from a viscous substance known as Palph Gel. Mixtures of acids and fuel that created something that burned hot, and stuck.
"Final Bombardment! Ready!" Yelled the commanding officers, the Huge 1000 mm and 5000 mm Cannons aiming back straight towards the island. Entire deck below the guns were stocked with Gigantic Artillery shells that took entire loading teams to ready. On simple feeding towers, like a larger spring magazine for a gun, that fed up into the ceiling and into the guns.
"Attention all ships. Do not cease firing until command is given." The Commander ordered. When a final loud "Fire!" filled the air
The sound was thunderous. Like hearing a lightning bolt strike from only a mile away, the sheer explosive power of the gigantic 5000 mm shells being fired were caused the water below the muzzled of the cannon to become indented meters down from the sheer force of the shockwave and recoil, before returning to shape in a coursing current!
It was like watching small buildings be launched through the air! Loud whizzing and whipping of wind heard only for vibrations to quake through the ground a second later! Any within a 100 meter distance felt the ground shake like a Magnitude 3 Earthquake. Accompanied by gigantic huge fireballs and explosive force that whipped entire sections of forest of the island! Plums of smoke rising into the air only to fold into itself and form pillars of smoke that could only be described like pillaring mushrooms
Each naval warship had 5 5000 mm Cannons. 3 In the Front, with two and port and starboard. With the 1000 mm being number at 10 on each ship in various positions to on the surface deck to being embedded into the sides of the ships. Resulting in over 100 1000 mm Cannons and 42 5000 mm Cannons. Each firing all at once on to the island of Tovara.
Such ludicrous munitions would seem outrageous. But in a world where ships could reach the size of miniature cities, being able to house 1,000 people. Or going against individuals with strength that could combat even these monstrous rounds. It nothing short of preparedness
Each 5k mm Shell had the Explosive yield close to a kiloton of TNT, meant to wipe entire city blocks off a map.
Multiple shells struck into the Grand Tree! Causing entire branches hundreds of meters long to shatter and fall to the ground with monstrous quakes to the earth! Other shells impacting it as the fires burned into the contents inside! Chunks being taken out of the island one after another after another like a giant hand was poking holes into soft jelly.
Raven covered her ears tight, Emmetts ears beginning to ring from the sheer amount of Artillery. They could feel that they were getting closer and closer to the end of the island as the main artillery was focused on the tree and immediate surroundings. The guns would eventually target the shores, but they were being systematic and thorough in their annihilation…
Emmetts old legs creaked with arthritis. The pain was excruciating but he pushed forward for Ravens sake! Eventually, he broke through the forest and onto the shore where one of the loading docks were, sitting a couple dozen meters from the thicket they came from. Only to find-
It was empty.
This was the last resort. Their only chance. Was now sailing meters and meters away from the docks. Full of refugees from the Island of Tovara.
"It's too late." A voice in a quiet cadence came from the side of them. Emmett whipped around in a blur even in his Old Age, only to be met face to face with-
Vice Admiral Seiko