Months pass by as spring flies right by, giving away to summer then fall. On the northern front, Odin's battalion had crossed the Viskov-Sovi border a month prior and is now only a couple hundred kilometers away from the city of Sovi.
However, Kylia's and Zeleny's forces down south had already approached the main southern distributary of the South Trench River Delta, just several kilometers of brackish water between them and Pavo City.
But how would the Allies forces get over the southern distributary to Pavo Island?
With the width of the distributary being a few kilometers in length a constructing a pontoon bridge would be impractical, even more so with Rito flying everywhere with bomb arrows ready to rain fire on the venerable Kylian Engineers.
Luckly for the Allies, the Kylian Navy had finally arrived in the east. Back when the war started two years prior, Queen Kylia sent dozens of Kylian Lavovy Engineers to New Rosa City and Zeleny City to help with fortifications and to start the construction of ports to service the Kylian Navy patrolling the entire western coast of the Hylian Continent.
Now with the port of Rosa, New Rosa and Zeleny, the Kylian Navy now has access to the eastern coast of the Hylian Continent which they were denied earlier because of range issues.
As such, in nearly a year's time of travel, six Kylian 6th-Rate Ships, totaling 3,000 tonnes, sporting 1,200 crew, along with 240 Kylian Marines, 700 Kylian Lavovy Airmen, an airship and 5 Valors were now nearing the south coast of Pavo Island, ready to give the Hylians the fatal blow needed to win the war.
Onboard the Naval flagship KYV Kylia Admiral Viysʹkovo, Colonel Yuter, General Morsʹkyy along with Kylia, Pavo, Zeleny, Rosa and Valeska all gathered in a dedicated command room, reviewing the plans regarding the landing of Pavo Island.
Kylia motioned the map to the center of the table. "Intelligence from the KAS Korona has shown the Hylians had spread 2,000 of their forces thin over the entire southwestern portion of Pavo Island in response to our artillery bombardments and air patrols in those areas. This means that the Hylians now have a force of less than 1,000 troops garrisoned in Pavo City."
"Now to review," Leaning over the table Kylia explained, "the Kylian Navy will approach Pavo City over on the eastern portion of Pavo Island. There Viysʹkovo's ships will conduct a bombardment on any Hylian forces in the vicinity. After that, Kylia, Pavo, Zeleny, Rosa and Valeska, we'll all will lead 240 Kylian Marines along with 700 Kylian Lavovy Airmen to storm the dockyard, gaining access to the city. General Morsʹkyy and his 240 men with gatling guns will be responsible for clearing the city streets of any Hylian forces. The 700 Kylian Lavovy Airmen will secure territory and search for any stragglers. Lastly, the five of us Valors will storm the Hylian top command in Pavo's Manor."
"Any questions?" Hands clasped together, Kylia asked the others for any last-minute objections.
The silence in the room answered Kylia's question.
"Fine! We land at noon!"
…
The eastern Hylian sky was only beginning to redden when the Kylian fleet emerged from the horizon.
From the decks of the six 6th-Rates, Kylian sailors scurried around, hauling lines and readying cannons. Far ahead the silhouette of Pavo City appeared on the shoreline, prime for the taking.
"Range?" Viysʹkovo called.
"Five thousand meters and closing!" A sailor called out.
"Hold fire! Wait for my orders when we are within 500 meters!" Viysʹkovo ordered.
The fleet pressed onward, the ships' hulls slicing through the calm waters as the city slowly grew larger on the horizon.
"Four thousand meters!"
Admiral Viysʹkovo stood rigid at the bow, spyglass fixed on the docks. He could already make out movement of Hylian sentries scrambling on the city walls, signal flags rising in alarm.
"So," he muttered, "they spotted us."
Onboard the flagship, Kylian Marines and Kylian Lavovy Airmen checked rifles and bayonets for the final time. The airship KAS Korona drifted above the fleet, ready to drop some bombs.
"Three thousand meters!"
"Two thousand meters!"
"One thousand meters!"
Viysʹkovo lowered the spyglass.
"Battle stations!"
Cannons were swung into position, fuses lit but held. The ships angled slightly inward, forming a shallow arc aimed directly at the city walls overlooking the docks.
"Five hundred meters!"
Viysʹkovo's hand dropped.
"Fire."
Six broad sides thundered almost as one, the recoil shuddering through the ships as iron shot screamed toward shore. The eastern city walls vanished behind the smoke and flame. Any Hylian resistance on those walls was unilaterally suppressed under the heavy firepower of the Kylian Ships.
"Reload! Keep firing!" Viysʹkovo roared.
Above and behind the city walls at an altitude of 2000 meters, the KAS Korona surged forward.
"Hatches open!" came a cry.
Dozens of lightweight bombs ran down, whistling as they fell into pre-confirmed targets behind the city walls.
A second later the city shook.
Explosions blossomed behind the shattered walls, the strikes targeted barracks, warehouses, and command posts identified weeks earlier by Kylian reconnaissance. Fire leapt skyward as rooftops collapsed inward, shockwaves rippling through narrow streets.
Below, panic spread through the Hylian defenders. Any hope of organizing a Hylian counterattack could only die beneath the combined fury of Kylian naval guns and aerial bombardment.
"Hold fire! Landing craft away! Send the Lavovy Airmen in!" Viysʹkovo commanded.
Kylian Sailors lowered wooden rowboats filled with Kylian Marines with ropes and pulleys. The Kylian Lavovy Airmen took off the decks of the Kylian Navy Ships, gliding towards the city. At the same time, Kylia, Pavo, Zeleny, Rosa and Valeska all took flight, hurtling towards the city docks at sonic speeds.
Within a little more than a second, all five Valors landed on the docks, decelerating to walking speeds not to accidentally break the floorboards of the dock tiers.
Gripping the hilt of Zirka, Kylia scanned the dockyard in a single sweeping glance. Several dozen of the Hylian defenders, the few who survived the first volley, took shelter in the city docks, purposely unscathed by Kylian Naval fire.
"Who are they?" A clueless, fresh Hylian soldier shouted out.
"They're the Kylians! Run!" A different veteran, Hylian soldier responded.
"Theres only five of them and dozens of us! Attack!" A Hylian Officer rallied the unwilling Hylian forces to confront the Valors.
"Hahahahaha!" Looking at the horde of Hylian soldiers rushing at them with swords and bows, Kylia laughed with contempt.
"Who are you laughing at dark haired woman! Die!" The offended Hylians clenched their teeth in rage.
"Hmph! Courting Death!" Kylia exclaimed as she unsheathed Zirka before charging towards the Hylians at Mach 1, the other Valors following behind.
"Ack!"
"Wha-!"
"Help!"
In less than a second the five Valors beheaded 84 Hylians with terrifying precision. The high-end combat power of Valors is just overpowered in small scale battles like this.
Staring at the scene of several dozen kneeling headless bodies squirting blood fountains and rolling heads behind her, Kylia motioned to the other Valors to continue onward.
The other Valors fanned out, systematically pursuing any stragglers attempting to flee toward the warehouses or the edge of the docks.
By the time the first of the Kylian Marines reached the docks, Kylia and the other Valors had killed a couple hundred more Hylians, securing a corridor from the ships to the outer-city streets. The 240 Marines poured out of the boats, bolt-action rifles down as they charged towards the city to take positions and set up gatling guns if needed.
Above, the Lavovy Airmen swooped low, scanning rooftops and alleyways for hidden Hylian archers and ambushers. With a series of pinpoint grenade bombings and rifle rounds on barricades and supply crates, they neutralized any potential threats before they could act.
Meanwhile, Kylia and the other Valors rushed towards Pavo's Manor, taking only seconds to travel from the edge of the city to the center, killing any Hylians in their way.
Hylian soldiers clustered at the gate of the Manor's walls, desperately trying to form ranks as shouts of alarm rang out across the estate.
However, their preparations were in vain.
The iron reinforced wooden gates buckled inward as Kylia kicked them at Mach speed, unknowingly using EMS fields to reinforce her body structure, a side effect of her blackening into dark Kylia.
It can be said that the true side effect of Kylia's blackening is that her combat talent and skill had improved dramatically, offsetting the change of her personality.
Pavo and Zeleny followed through the breach, scattering the defenders inside the courtyard, while Rosa and Valeska swept the perimeter for any more Hylian soldiers to eliminate or to now persuade them to surrender.
Using her left-over momentum, Kylia barreled through the Manor's wooden front door, then skillfully weaving through the various halls of Pavo's Manor before arriving at Pavo's former war room.
"Surrender or die!" Kylia shouted out in Hylian as she kicked the door to the war room right open, before swearing her kingdom's language in fury.
"Blyat!" The war room was filled with a dozen or so Hylians in fancy knightly armor befitting of Hylian commanders and officers. However, with Kylia's Valor eyesight, she could tell that the Hylian commanders and officers in the room were just fakes. The war room was stripped bare of any war maps, documents and was littered with piles of sake alcohol bottles. These were all just useless scum and drunkards.
The supposed Hylian command didn't even notice when Kylia entered the room, a somewhat sober Hylian just took a glance at the door before picking his bottle up to take another huge gulp of alcohol.
"Disgusting" Kylia murmured, annoyed that she could only wait, guard and do nothing. Although Kylia had blackened, she still had a bottom line. At least these Hylians weren't causing any trouble, for now. To rashly kill them would harm her conscience, even though they were likely guilty of causing some unspeakable acts towards the city's citizens. It would be much cleaner to judge then execute them all later in front of the city's citizens to put them to a better use.
While Kylia waited for her forces to catch up with her and detain the fake Hylian command, General Morsʹkyy's forces encountered new Hylian resistance.
After minutes had passed after the first volley from the Kylian Navy, the Hylians in the inner city had enough time to flee into prepared positions for guerilla warfare.
Glancing at the various buildings obviously filled with Hylian archers waiting to rain fire on his forces once in range General Morsʹkyy calmly ordered. "Gatling forward! Suppression fire on those walls!"
"Ratatatatatata!" Shots rang out and the screams of the encamped Hylians were drowned out by the noise of the gatling gun.
The rest of the Hylians could only hide from the gatling gun with seething rage, giving ample time to the Kylian Marines to throw grenades into the broken windows where they were hiding.
Although General Morsʹkyy's forces were facing some resistance, most of the city had been occupied by the Kylian Lavovy Airmen.
By the late evening the last pockets of Hylian resistance fell and Pavo city after two years of Hylian occupation had been Liberated.
The 2nd battle of Pavo had been won.