Dorne Capital Airport, once a bustling runway, now lies in ruins. The two bombs have left huge craters still smoking, the charred marks like hideous wounds spreading across the runway. The edge lights are crooked, some even shattered into pieces scattered all over. Tang Army's planes bombed here, leaving a scene of devastation. The once smooth concrete surface is now filled with cracks and shrapnel, silently speaking of the cruelty of war.
Two brand new jet airliners stand alone at the end of the runway; they were meant to soar in the blue sky, carrying passengers to destinations worldwide, but now can only stand silent, becoming the mute witnesses of war. The field for take-off has been destroyed; they've lost the freedom to fly, left with no choice but to wait for the end of this war, longing for peace.
Beside the airport in the military zone, inside the command tower, the atmosphere is heavy and oppressive. A young pilot, his eyes filled with anger and reluctance, is fiercely arguing with his comrades.
"No matter what happens! I want to prove that not all of us Dorne are cowards!" His voice is powerful, imbued with a determination to face death unflinchingly.
"Are you crazy?" His wingman, a brother who has been through life and death with him, anxiously advises: "Do you know how high Tang Empire's planes can fly? Do you know how fast they can go? Their fighter jets are far superior to ours, taking off now is tantamount to hitting a stone with an egg, it's a suicide mission!"
He tries hard to persuade his leader to abandon this terrible thought because he knows it's a battle without any chance of winning. How many planes took off never to return again, how many pilots didn't even have the chance to parachute and became fireworks in the sky?
"Yes! Dying is meaningless." Other pilots also began to voice their advice; none of them wanted to see their comrade sacrifice in vain. They understood how insignificant personal bravery is in front of a mighty enemy; dying won't change the outcome of the war, it will only add to the casualties.
"No need to persuade me," the young pilot firmly shakes his head, his eyes flashing with a resolute light, "I want them to know that Dorne still has warriors who dare to fight!" His blood is boiling within; he longs to prove the courage of Dorne with his actions, even if it costs him his life.
"I graduated from Tang Empire Flight School, trust me, brother..." said a pilot who had studied overseas in the Western Continent, earnestly advising.
"None of that matters! Honor, life, future, none of it matters now! I want to fight, I want to pilot my fighter jet for combat! From the moment I donned this flight suit, put on this helmet, that became my purpose, the purpose of becoming a Dorne fighter jet pilot!" The young pilot's tone is firm and undeniable. His hands clench tightly into fists, his knuckles turning white from exertion.
"What if I don't approve your take-off request?" The Commander's voice is deep and authoritative, carrying a trace of reluctance and advice. He knows the young pilot's determination but also understands the harsh reality of this battle.
"Sir! I beg you! Approve my take-off request! Those cowards on the ground may surrender, abandon their resistance, discard their dignity, betray the country! But our Air Force cannot follow suit and surrender! We must not bow to the invaders! We still have the will to fight, we still have the resolve to protect our nation!" The young pilot's voice carries a trace of choking, his eyes full of anticipation and pleading.
"Tang Army's vanguard will soon arrive here; they will control the entire airport. All we need to do now is stay put here honestly, wait for His Majesty The Emperor's surrender order, rather than sacrifice in vain. We just need to wait here, for the next instruction from the higher-ups." The Commander tries to reason with the young pilot, urging him to abandon this dangerous idea.
"No! I can't wait! I can't sit and watch the enemy occupy our land, trample on our dignity! I want to fight! For this country, for the pride of our Air Force, for Dorne's glory, I want to fight! I want the whole world to see that even in such desperate circumstances, Dorne's Air Force still fights, fights to the last moment!" The young pilot's voice grows louder, more excited, his chest heaving violently as if to unleash the surging blood.
"Child, no one will see this meaningless sacrifice, no one will know your bravery; your contribution will only become a cold statistic, a name unknown." The Commander's tone is filled with helplessness and regret, understanding the young pilot's patriotism but aware of the harsh realities of this battle, a fight doomed to fail, a charge destined to defeat.
"Even if no one sees, even if my name is unknown, I will go! If only to let our opponents know, we still have the spirit of resistance, we still possess unwavering will, I will go! I will never surrender! I will never give up! I will fight to the end!" The young pilot's gaze is full of determination and resolve, having made his choice, a choice without regret, a heroic choice.