Hans and his men rushed into their boats.
Their kits jostled as they stepped inside.
The sailors lowered them into the dark abyss below, and then the men began rowing.
As he moved towards the island, Alexander turned to the rest of his men.
"Get tactical, Marines! We're going in thirty, whether we get a signal or not!"
The men nodded, everyone rushing to a boat and getting settled.
Alexander turned to Klaus and Wagner.
"Choose separate boats, I don't want our best leadership being taken out by a lucky shot."
"Sir!"
— — —
The climb up the cliff face was a difficult task for Hans and his men.
Even with the rope Hinata left, their kits still weighed them down.
Hans was the first up, Hinata gripped his forearm and pulled him up on the summit.
He let out a long breath as he took a knee.
Then turned around to help Hinata lift the next marine.
Once everyone was gathered in a circle, Hans pointed to Erich and two others.
"You three, take positions in that tower. When the shooting starts, your objective is to keep those guns silent."
The three men nodded, unwrapping their weapons and rushing the tower.
Hans turned to the remaining twelve.
"The rest of you spread out along this ridge, pick a target on the pier."
The men nodded, taking their weapons from their packs and unwrapping the oilcloth.
Hans turned to Hinata.
"Do you want us to shoot first? Or wait for you to engage?"
Hinata shook her head.
"You should keep the element of surprise, I'll move in under your fire."
"Understood."
Hans raised his binoculars, turning his attention to the pier.
Meanwhile on the pier, one of the pirates raised a spyglass.
His eyes narrowed as he spotted a ship in the distance.
<"Is that a ship?">
Another pirate stepped beside him, squinting his eyes.
<"What are you talking about, the Vizier isn't supposed to be here until tomo–">
He was cut short by a 7.92x57mm round to the skull.
His body slumped, rolling off the rail.
15 shots rang out, echoing against the dawn sky.
Three pirates on the bastions dropped, with the fourth following shortly after.
Meanwhile, the pier was in chaos, pirates fell left and right, shouting and running for cover.
<"Where are they shooting from?!">
One pirate shouted, peaking from behind a crate.
He was cut down a second later.
<"There! There! Look!">
Another pirate pointed his musket at the muzzle flashes on the ridge.
Hinata sprinted down the gravel path, her spear splayed to her right.
And in her left hand was a pistol.
The pirate turned his musket on Hinata, but she gunned him down.
She then jabbed her spear into a man hiding behind a barrel.
As the chaos unfolded on the pier, Alexander ordered the remaining boats to be dropped.
"Move!"
The boats dropped into the sea with a splash.
The marines rowed as soon as they touched the water, their faces etched with grim determination.
Alexander was in the lead boat, moving in sync with his men.
"Faster! Faster! Row like your life depends on it!"
The sounds of shouting and gunfire grew louder as they drew closer, until eventually the chaos was in full view.
Pirates, who were hiding from the gunfire, aimed at the oncoming boats.
<"shit! There's more!">
He fired.
The bullet whizzed past Alexander and smacked the man next to him in the shoulder.
The man gripped his shoulder with a shout, "I'm hit!"
"Keep rowing, we're almost ashore!"
Alexander's roar cut through the gunfire.
"We're sitting ducks out here!"
"Keep your heads down and row!"
Musket balls splashed into the water around them, zipping past with deadly whistles.
Hinata began targeting the pirates hiding behind cover, while the snipers on the ridge shot anyone reloading.
CRACK-CRACK-CRACK
The boats soon slammed against the shore, and marines rushed out.
They stripped the oilcloth from their rifles as they sprinted along the docks.
Joining Hinata in hunting down the dwindling pirates.
Wagner was the first to get a kill, thrusting his bayonet into the back of a fleeing pirate with a killer grin.
"Oh, how I missed the smell of blood in the morning!"
He threw the body overboard, and it hit the water with a crash.
Klaus moved with cold efficiency along the deck of the flagship, ordering his men into its bowels.
Reinhardt and his unit charged into one of the frigates, where he gunned down a cowering pirate.
Alexander and Wagner both took their respective frigates.
In the bowels of the ship, he moved with speed and precision.
His marines followed behind him.
Room after room was cleared, all empty.
With the ship cleared he ordered his men uptop, where he was met with a tense silence.
Bodies lay scattered, coated in a thick red fluid that shone like crimson in the morning sun.
The marines were catching their breath, some shaken, others dressing their wounds.
No casualties had been taken…
The battle for the pier was over.
The suppression of the fort was in full effect, no one dared to man a cannon.
Alexander took a deep breath, before ordering his men on the island.
"Push up!" He pointed towards the fortress, "Set up two lines of fire on that gate!"
Klaus and Wagner relayed the order.
"You heard the man, get up there and move!"
"Move out!"
The Marines scrabbled up the gravel path, dragging along any cover they could find.
Crates and wagons…
They set up two barricades a hundred meters from the entrance.
Alexander watched the fortress with caution.
The 'easy' part of the plan was complete with only three wounded.
But now…
He wasn't sure he had the guts to do what was necessary next.
— — —
Inside the captain's quarters of the fort, there was rage and frustration.
<"Who the hell are they?! Did anyone see?!">
The captain, a massive man with an even larger beard, slammed a hand against his desk.
Everyone looked around in confusion, they hadn't seen anything.
And they were afraid to peek.
Ten men had died without even seeing their killer.
CRACK.
Eleven…
The captain gritted his teeth, <"Someone find Lieutenant Ali, you all are useless!">
The pirates scrambled out.
A moment later, a man stepped into the captain's quarters.
He was lean and held a sharp gaze.
Dressed in the uniform of the Sparsia grand army.
Tan and white.
<"Captain,"> his voice was calm despite the chaos outside, <"I've been assessing our situation since dawn. And–">
<"And?!"> The captain barked, <"Tell me what's going on, I want answers, and I want a solution!">
Lieutenant Ali sighed, <"Sir, if you would calm yourself I can fix this. But only if you–">
CRACK.
<"–listen.">
The captain laughed bitterly.
<"Listen to what? The sounds of my men being slaughtered? They've trapped us here!">
Lieutenant Ali didn't flinch.
<"You're not thinking straight. The only advantage they have is range, we outnumber them, I know it.">
The captain paused.
Ali continued.
<"Think about it, we didn't see them coming, because they don't have a sea of warships at their back. Which means they've traded firepower for speed.">
<"Are you sure they lack firepower?">
The captain replied sarcastically.
Ali grinned, <"Just because they can shoot faster and farther, doesn't mean they can withstand a melee. In fact, I'm willing to bet they rely so much on their guns, they're terrible at CQC.">
The captain narrowed his eyes, starting to put the pieces together.
<"You could be right. But there's no way to reach them without being gunned down…">
Ali cracked a sinister smirk.
<"Are you sure?">
The captain stared at Ali with his one good eye.
<"What are you…">
Ali stepped forward, raising his palm to chest level and making a fist.
<"The slaves, we'll use them as living shields when we march down on their defenses. The ogres should soak up most of their fire. The demons will act as a final screen.">
He placed his hand on the table.
<"With their lines disrupted we'll be free to close the distance and give them hell.">
The captain's eye widened.
<"That… that could work, but what about the vizier? He'll be angry with-">
The lieutenant leaned closer, his voice low.
<"It'll be worse if he comes here and gets shot by those snipers on the ridge."> he narrowed his eyes, <"speaking off, I have a plan for them too.">
The captain swallowed, <"What? It better be good if we're killing the merchandise.">
<"As the main force engages the enemy's lines, I'll have a smaller force of thirty men march up the ridge and engage them.">
<"Won't they be gunned down like then men on the bastions?">
The lieutenant nodded.
<"normally yes, but the best way to deal with a sniper is the break their vision. The men will march under a sail, spread out and running.">
The captain grunted, <"Praise the desert serpent, you're a mad genius!">
All chuckled softly. <"And here's the best part, with the snipers distracted and the main force engaged, our cannons open up at point-blank range. It'll be a massacre.">