Wings of the Stars

A week and six days had passed since the success of Operation Northern Front, where Furina claimed her second Ace rank in only her second sortie.

Now, Operation Liberty was a go.

In the thirteen days since the last operation, the Blancheur had been steadily making its way toward the Teyvat Orbital Elevator—a towering structure stretching into the heavens, a crucial asset that once symbolized cooperation and progress.

But now, it was under Snezhnayan control.

The elevator stood at the heart of the conflict, situated between Fontaine, Liyue, and Sumeru, visible even from the most northern reaches of Snezhnaya.

It was a beacon in the sky—but for now, it was a beacon of war.

Furina and Lyney stood on the carrier's viewing deck, overlooking the vast horizon, waiting for further instructions from Admiral Augereau.

The Nocturne Squadron had already been deployed, tasked with securing air superiority over Morozvyat Plains, paving the way for other allied squadrons to establish a secure route into enemy-controlled territory.

Lyney leaned back against the railing, stealing a glance at Furina.

She was silent, her gaze locked onto the horizon, the faint outline of the Orbital Elevator barely visible in the distance.

The wind played with her hair, strands of blue flowing with the breeze.

"For someone her age... she has way too much skill behind the stick," Lyney thought.

"Outside the cockpit, she's just a young pilot, fresh from the academy. But once she's in that seat… she's someone else entirely."

An Ace.

In just two sorties, she had claimed over 20 aerial kills.

His mind drifted back to her maneuvers, the ones that still left him questioning everything he knew about Fontaine aircraft.

The 90-degree pitch-up Pugachev.

The 360-degree Pugachev.

The 270-degree Pugachev.

The Cobra maneuver.

Moves that were signature maneuvers of Snezhnayan aircraft—hard, if not impossible, to pull off in Fontainian, Liyuan, Inazuman, or Mondstadt fighters.

Yet, Furina executed them flawlessly.

His mind flashed back to an earlier moment, right before launching off Catapult One during Operation Northern Front.

He had glanced at Furina's Rafale, watching her do pre-flight control checks—and that's when he noticed it.

The way her flight surfaces moved—the elevons, the front canards, the rudders—they reacted almost instantly to her sidestick input.

It was unnatural—as if her Rafale wasn't just responding, but anticipating her movements.

"The way those flight surfaces moved… like they were directly wired into her reflexes."

The Sky and Its Limitless Horizon

Furina let out a soft sigh, brushing her hair back as she continued staring at the sky.

"You know, Lyney… it's moments like these that put me at ease."

Lyney turned toward her.

"Really?"

Furina nodded.

"Mhm. When I was a teenager, I used to sketch horizons. It just… I don't know… cleared my mind of everything."

Lyney raised an eyebrow.

"Huh?"

Furina chuckled, her voice softer than usual.

"The skies are the limit. Anything can happen in those deep blue skies above. Not everyone can live forever… not even me. One day… I won't be here. I won't be there to save you."

Lyney sighed.

"Furina…"

Furina finally turned to face him, offering a small but determined smile.

"But I don't plan on dying today. Or ever. We will fight. We will end this war as a squadron."

Lyney smirked, nodding.

"Right."

Then, the moment was broken by the arrival of an officer.

"Waltz. Magician. The Admiral is ready to brief you."

Furina smirked.

"Right. On our way."

The pair left the viewing deck, making their way toward the Briefing Room.

Mission Briefing – A New Threat Emerges

The briefing room was calm and empty, except for Admiral Augereau.

Only Furina and Lyney were here.

As they took their seats, Augereau began.

"Alright, Waltz. Magician. It's now up to you as we enter Phase Two of the mission.

The objective: Assist Nocturne Squadron in securing air superiority.

AWACS Zaytun has reported additional enemy reinforcements inbound—so it's time for you two to deploy immediately.

Help Nocturne Squadron pave a secure route for other squadrons in the area."**

Then, the screen changed, shifting from the Morozvyat Plateau map to an unfamiliar aircraft.

"And there's more…"

Furina's eyes narrowed.

"Since the start of the war, Snezhnaya has been deploying drones. But now, we've identified a new model."

The image of a sleek, angular UAV filled the screen.

**"This is the MQ-101, an advanced attack drone. These aren't standard UAVs—they're deployed from a massive unmanned aerial carrier."

The display shifted again—this time to an aerial war machine unlike anything they had seen before.

"The Seraphis Bird."

A colossal aircraft with six sub-propellers and two massive main propellers.

A flying fortress, capable of launching dozens of these MQ-101 drones.

The map panned out, showing the Orbital Elevator surrounded by a massive red zone with a broken line indicating the Seraphis Bird's patrol path.

"Natlan and Sumeru spearheaded the development of these massive Seraphis Birds to protect the Orbital Elevator."

Augereau's tone grew heavier.

"However… multiple reports claim these assets have fallen into Snezhnayan hands."

Furina's jaw tightened.

"If that's true… this will be a massive obstacle for future operations."

Augereau nodded.

"Get out there and give our squadrons the air support they need. Good luck."

The pair stood, saluted, and made their way toward the carrier's main deck.

Takeoff – The Mission Begins

The main deck was alive with movement.

Both of their fighters were already lined up on Catapults One and Two.

Furina climbed the in-built ladder, settling into the ejection seat.

She secured her harness, tightened her gloves, and fitted her fighter helmet over her head.

The cockpit sealed shut, and with a flick of a switch, she powered up her engines.

Her flight plan was already uploaded, three waypoints locked in:

The Blancheur (Home Base).

Snezhnayan Airspace (Hostile Zone).

The Shoreline (Engagement Area).

Both fighters were armed with Long-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (LRAAMs) and High-Capacity Air-to-Air Missiles (HCAAs).

Furina glanced to her right, watching as Lyney gave the hand signal and salute before gripping the launch handle.

Moments later—his F-35 was catapulted off the carrier, engines roaring as he climbed away.

Furina smirked.

"Let's do this."

She turned to the Shooter, gave the hand signal and sharp salute, then braced herself.

The Shooter returned the salute, got into position, and signaled for launch.

Furina slammed the throttles to max power.

The afterburners ignited, flames bursting from the twin M88 engines.

Then—the catapult fired.

The Rafale M rocketed forward, accelerating off the carrier's edge before climbing up to join Lyney.

The mission had begun.

It took them only fifteen minutes to reach Morozvyat.

As they neared their designated airspace, their IFF systems lit up like a Christmas tree—dozens of enemy fighters marked in red.

Furina's eyes widened.

"Holy shit, there's a lot of them."

Lyney exhaled sharply, his hands steady on the stick.

"No kidding. Nocturne Squadron needs backup—fast."

Then, AWACS Zaytun came over the radio.

"Welcome to the party, Tidal Squadron. Help yourself to some enemies—take them all out!"

Furina's grin widened.

"Wilco."

Without hesitation, she slammed her throttles forward, the afterburners igniting as she broke formation with Lyney.

"Tidal Two, engaging!"

Lyney shook his head, a smirk forming on his lips as he banked hard to follow.

"Tidal One, engaging. Following Tidal Two."

The battlefield was chaos. Explosions dotted the cold skies of Morozvyat, enemy aircraft darting in every direction, trying to reorganize their formations.

Furina's HUD locked onto a MiG-26, a previous-generation fighter struggling to keep up with modern jets.

She pulled the targeting reticle over its fuselage, her weapons system confirming a lock.

"Fox Three!"

A high-capacity air-to-air missile (HCAA) detached from her Rafale's wing, streaking toward its target like a comet.

She immediately yanked the stick, rolling her jet inverted as the missile struck home.

The MiG-26 exploded instantly, its debris vanishing into the clouds below.

Nocturne Two's voice came over the radio.

"Looks like the Élégante et Efficace pilot has arrived!"

Lynette followed.

"Oh, I am so glad to see you, Waltz."

Furina smirked.

"Que le spectacle commence, mes chéris."

As she scanned the chaotic dogfight, she spotted an F-14A Tomcat—an old but still dangerous aircraft.

The pilot was waving off, likely signaling surrender.

But Furina didn't hesitate.

"Fox Two!"

A Sidewinder missile roared off her rail, striking the F-14 mid-turn.

The aircraft tumbled, its left wing shearing off before it spiraled downward, exploding against the ground.

AWACS Zaytun called it in.

"Splash one for Tidal Two!"

Then, from the opposite direction, a Su-25 attack aircraft streaked past her.

Furina gritted her teeth and immediately yanked her stick right, pulling into a brutal 90-degree bank before executing a high-G 180-degree turn.

Her sight picture aligned perfectly—she had the Su-25 dead to rights.

She squeezed the trigger.

"Fox Two!"

The Sidewinder missile left her wing hardpoint, racing straight for the Su-25's exhaust.

It was an instant kill.

AWACS Zaytun confirmed.

"Splash one for Tidal Two!"

The battle raged on, but the enemy fighters were scrambling, struggling to mount an effective defense.

AWACS continued calling out kills.

"Nocturne One, splash one!"

"Nocturne Five, splash one!"

"Nocturne Two, splash one!"

Then—the last three enemy fighters came into view.

Three Su-27 Flankers.

But one of them had locked onto Furina and was aggressively staying on her tail.

Outmaneuvering Death – The Pugachev Cobra

Furina gritted her teeth, her HUD flashing red as the Su-30 pursued her relentlessly.

Her G-suit compressed tightly against her legs as she banked hard left, then hard right, trying to shake it.

Her missile warning screamed through her headset.

Then—the Su-30 fired.

Two Sidewinders left its pylons, heading straight for her.

Lyney's voice cut through the radio chatter.

"Waltz!! Missile inbound! Evade! Evade!"

Furina's eyes sharpened.

"I've had enough of you! Go. AWAY!"

She slammed her throttles to idle and pitched up violently, simultaneously kicking her rudder hard left.

The Rafale responded instantly, shooting into a perfect 90-degree nose-up climb before yawing into a full 360-degree rotation.

A textbook Pugachev Cobra.

The enemy Su-30 shot past her position, the missiles missing completely as she regained control.

Lyney's voice cracked with shock.

"What the fuck!?!?"

Even the enemy pilot's radio came through.

"Holy fuck!"

Before the Su-30 could react, Furina had already locked on.

Two Sidewinders left her wing hardpoints.

Direct impact.

The Su-30 erupted into a fireball, tumbling downward before shattering into the landscape below.

AWACS Zaytun confirmed.

"Splash one!"

The remaining two Su-30s didn't last long.

Nocturne One and Nocturne Four picked them off moments later.

AWACS called them out.

"Nocturne One, splash."

"Nocturne Four, splash."

Then—silence.

A moment of stillness washed over the battlefield before AWACS Zaytun made the final call.

"All enemy aircraft down. We have it!"

Victory in the Skies

A wave of cheers erupted across both squadrons.

Nocturne Three's excited voice came through the comms.

"Le pilote élégant a fait le travail efficacement!"

Furina laughed, her voice carrying pride and amusement.

"Merci, merci!"

Her grip loosened slightly on the stick as she finally allowed the tension in her body to fade.

Just as victory seemed within reach, the cockpit alerts screamed in warning.

A harsh, rapid beeping.

Then—the missile lock warning blared.

"What the hell!?" Nocturne One barked over the radio.

"I'm locked!" Nocturne Two's panicked voice followed.

Furina's stomach twisted as she saw the threat indicators light up across every squadron member's HUD.

"Everyone, evade!" she shouted.

Without hesitation, the entire squadron broke formation—jets rolling into wild, erratic maneuvers as flares and chaff burst from their aircraft like fireworks.

Then AWACS Zaytun's voice cut through the chaos.

"ALERT! ALERT! Massive aircraft inbound! Keep evading! Stand by for identification!"

Furina gritted her teeth, pulling into a steep climb, rocketing through a cloud layer.

As she broke through, her eyes widened in horror.

There it was.

A colossal airborne fortress—something feared in war doctrine but never seen in real combat.

The Sepharis Bird.

"Fuck! It's the Sepharis Bird!"

Silence.

Then—

"The WHAT!?" Nocturne Two's voice cracked.

"Sepharis Bird?" Nocturne Four echoed, uncertainty lacing his tone.

Lynette's voice was sharp with realization.

"Those fuckers had it ready all along…!"

From beneath the Sepharis Bird, dozens of sleek, black silhouettes detached—racing out like a swarm of predatory wasps.

Furina clenched her teeth.

"Shit. The Sepharis Bird launched its drones! MQ-101s!"

AWACS Zaytun confirmed their worst fears.

"It's confirmed. Mission Control says to take it down!"

Lyney's voice exploded in disbelief.

"Are you fucking insane?! You can't take down a monster like that!"

Furina scoffed. "If we take out the propellers, then maybe we can!"

Without hesitation, she slammed the throttles forward, breaking into full afterburner.

Lyney cursed but quickly relented.

"Waltz! We're behind you! Nocturne One, Nocturne Three, form up on her!"

"Wilco. Following the Waltz."

Evasion was impossible now.

The colossal shadow of the Sepharis Bird stretched beneath them. Massive dual rotors spun at terrifying speeds, keeping the airborne warship aloft.

Furina dove beneath it, twisting her jet around to line up the rear propellers in her targeting system.

She locked onto the two main engines and fired.

"Fox Two!"

Two Sidewinders streaked toward the propellers—direct hits.

AWACS Zaytun called it in.

"Tidal Two has disabled a main propeller! We need more support!"

Furina wasted no time.

She banked left—locking onto the second main rotor.

Another pair of Sidewinders.

The explosions ripped through the air, sending flaming debris spiraling downward.

"Both main propellers down!"

Nocturne One, Nocturne Three, and Lyney coordinated their attack, firing in perfect sync. Each sub-propeller detonated.

AWACS Zaytun confirmed the kill.

"All sub-propellers are down. Now take out the drones!"

As the Tidal and Nocturne squadrons reengaged the swarm of MQ-101s, a new voice cut in over the radio.

"Ianus Squadron engaging the Sepharis Bird. We'll handle the defenses!"

Furina blinked in surprise.

The Ianus Squadron—seven F-16s—had entered the fight.

Five of them immediately began ripping into the Sepharis Bird's weapon systems, while two provided cover against the drones.

"Damn, these drones are fast!" Ianus Three shouted.

Then—an explosion.

"Ianus One is lost! Ianus Two, take lead!"

AWACS Zaytun grimaced.

"Ianus One, down… Ianus Two, you're in command."

The fight turned into a brutal, desperate melee.

Furina managed to gun down four drones, while the Nocturne Squadron took out another six.

But then—

A deep, mechanical hum rumbled through the air.

Above them, the Sepharis Bird's massive blue energy ring—its defensive system—suddenly flashed red.

And then—

It expanded.

AWACS Zaytun's voice turned urgent.

"EVERYONE! BREAK AWAY FROM THE SEPHARIS BIRD! I REPEAT—BREAK AWAY!"

Furina yanked her stick, her jet rolling out of range.

But Ianus Squadron—

Too late.

The shield expanded outward like a tidal wave of death.

The Ianus Squadron was caught inside.

One by one, their F-16s disintegrated into nothingness.

AWACS Zaytun's voice was hollow.

"Ianus Squadron… lost."

Lynette's voice shook.

"A-All of them!?"

AWACS Zaytun exhaled, voice tight.

"All of them."

Furina slammed her hand against the cockpit panel.

"FUCK!"

Zaytun's voice was grim.

"We have to proceed. Take out the remaining drones."

Furina's grip tightened on the throttle.

"Roger."

Furina slammed the throttles forward, her Rafale roaring ahead, chasing the remaining ten drones with unrelenting fury.

The Nocturne Squadron engaged alongside her, their jets cutting through the sky like blades.

Furina locked onto two MQ-101 drones, their superior maneuverability taunting her, daring her to make a mistake.

They wouldn't be so lucky.

One of the drones snapped into a sharp, high-G maneuver, transitioning from a vertical climb to a steep dive.

Furina's eyes narrowed.

You're not getting away.

She slammed the throttles to idle, her left thumb pressing the Spoileron button.

The inner elevons snapped upward, outer elevons dipped, and front canards twisted—her Rafale responded instantly, snapping into a high-G pitch-over from a 90-degree climb to a nose-down dive.

She felt the crushing weight of the G-forces, but she held on.

The drone's afterburner glowed ahead of her.

She squeezed the trigger.

"Fox Three!"

Two Sidewinders screamed off the rails.

The first struck dead center.

The second detonated what was left.

The MQ-101 was obliterated, pieces scattering into the sky like shattered glass.

AWACS Zaytun's voice cut through the radio.

"Tidal Two, splash one!"

Meanwhile, Nocturne One and Three scored two more kills, cutting the drone count down to seven.

Then—disaster.

A warning tone blared over the comms.

"Fuck! I'm hit!"

It was Nocturne Two—Calcagni.

Her F/A-18 trailed black smoke, a missile tearing into her left wing.

Lynette's voice was urgent.

"Nocturne Two, don't risk it! RTB, that's a direct order!"

A frustrated sigh.

Then—

"Roger. RTB."

Calcagni's F/A-18 peeled away from the fight, limping back toward the carrier.

Furina clenched her fists but forced herself to stay focused.

She zeroed in on three more drones, her anger fueling every move.

The MQ-101s darted wildly, twisting through the air, but Furina stayed locked on.

She fired.

One. Two. Three.

Three more kills.

AWACS Zaytun called them in.

"Tidal Two, splash three! Only four left!"

Then—an emergency call.

"I NEED SUPPORT! I'M BEING CHASED!"

It was Nocturne Two.

Furina's stomach dropped.

AWACS Zaytun's voice turned grim.

"Nocturne Two is engaged in a dogfight. With…"

A pause.

Then—

"An Su-57."

Nocturne Two's Last Words

Silence.

Then—Calcagni's voice cracked with fear.

"Everyone! Anyone!? Please help! I need support!"

Lynette's voice was tense.

"Hold on! We're almost finished here!"

Furina clenched her teeth as she chased another drone into a vertical climb and fired.

"Tidal Two, splash one!"

But then—

A scream over the radio.

"HELP! I NEED HE—"

Then—an explosion.

A burst of static.

The radio went silent.

AWACS Zaytun's voice cracked with anger.

"Nocturne Two… lost."

The Su-57 had fired a Sidewinder directly into the cockpit.

Calcagni never had a chance.

Furina's vision blurred with fury.

Her hand shook on the throttle.

"I'VE HAD ENOUGH!"

She pushed the throttle to full afterburner, tearing toward the last two drones.

She locked on, firing a Sidewinder at one.

Direct hit.

The last drone broke behind her, trying to chase her down.

Fatal mistake.

Furina slammed the throttles back, pulling off a brutal 90-degree Pugachev maneuver.

The MQ-101 overshot instantly.

She gained a lock.

One missile.

One explosion.

One last kill.

AWACS Zaytun's voice was quiet.

"Tidal Two, splash one. That's the last of them."

AWACS Zaytun sighed.

"All enemies down. RTB."

Furina punched in the home waypoint, her Rafale climbing to 15,000 feet.

She switched to autopilot, her hands tightening into fists.

The remaining Nocturne Squadron and Tidal One formed up around her.

Lynette's voice was soft.

"She was a good girl. A good fighter. A brave one."

Nocturne Three's voice was quieter than usual.

"She was a helluva fighter, Ritesword."

Furina said nothing.

She stared straight ahead.

She didn't let her voice shake.

She didn't let herself break.

Not yet.

Not now.

She shadowed her emotions… and flew toward home.

It took twenty minutes before they finally reached the carrier.

And another fifteen minutes before everyone landed.

The main deck was alive with motion—crew members rushed to assist the Nocturne Squadron, guiding their battered aircraft into position, checking for damage, and refueling the remaining fighters.

But Furina didn't move.

She remained seated in her Rafale, her canopy open, her engines silent, her helmet resting in her lap.

Her right hand pressed against the bridge of her nose, her fingers trembling.

She was holding back tears.

Her breath was unsteady, her mind replaying the battle, the chaos, the losses.

Calcagni. Ianus Squadron.

They were gone.

Just like that.

She shook her head, biting her lip.

"Fuck..." she muttered under her breath.

It was really sinking in now.

This isn't just a fight.

This isn't just another mission.

This is war.

And it wasn't going to stop anytime soon.

She inhaled sharply, trying to steady herself.

Her left hand moved instinctively, pulling up her sleeve as she glanced at her watch.

5:30 PM.

Sunset.

The sky was a blend of gold and deep orange, the ocean reflecting the colors like a vast, endless mirror.

Furina exhaled and pulled her sleeve back down.

Then—without another word—she climbed down from her Rafale and walked straight toward the briefing room.

The Aftermath – Debriefing the Disaster

Minutes later, the briefing room was silent.

Everyone had settled into their seats, exhaustion and grief etched into their faces.

Admiral Augereau stood at the front, hands behind his back, his expression grim.

The display flickered to life, replaying the timeline of the operation.

A series of red markers spread across the map—each one marking where lives were lost.

The Admiral's voice was heavy, slow, deliberate.

"The two-front offensive… was a failure."

Silence.

No one spoke.

No one moved.

They all knew what was coming next.

"The aircraft carrier, Arkhe Two, was sunk off the coast of Morepesok during the attack. Along with that, we suffered severe losses."

Then, the names.

"Calcagni.

The entire Ianus Squadron."

The room felt colder.

Furina's hands curled into fists.

It should've been me.

The Admiral let out a slow, heavy breath, shaking his head.

"But if it weren't for Nocturne One, Tidal One, Nocturne Three… and especially Waltz…"

Every pair of eyes turned to Furina.

She didn't react.

Didn't even blink.

The Admiral continued.

"Many of us here might not be sitting in this briefing room today."

He paused, his expression darkening.

"We're running out of time. We need to reach that Orbital Elevator before it's too late."

Then—his voice dropped to a quiet, almost defeated whisper.

"That's all. Everyone, dismissed."

The pilots slowly filed out.

Some headed for their rooms, seeking rest, isolation, or maybe even sleep that wouldn't come.

Others walked toward the viewing deck, hoping to clear their minds in the open air.

Furina?

She walked in the opposite direction.

Straight back to the main deck.

Her boots echoed against the metal flooring as she made her way to the stern, where the endless ocean met the burning horizon.

The sun was sinking below the waves, casting the sky in deep crimson and purple hues.

She stood there.

Silent. Motionless.

The wind brushed against her face, carrying the distant murmur of waves against the hull.

Her hands gripped the railing.

Her chest felt tight.

Her eyes burned.

But she refused to let the tears fall.

It has completely sunk in now.

She was part of this war.

No matter how much she wanted to deny it, no matter how much she tried to pretend otherwise…

This was her reality now.

And then—her expression changed.

Her gaze hardened.

Her jaw clenched.

Her hands trembled—not with grief, but anger.

She whispered, her voice cold, unwavering.

"If this is the first and last war I fight in…"

Her fingers tightened around the metal railing.

"I won't back down."

Her eyes narrowed, dark with rage.

"Not until this comes to an end."

She exhaled sharply, her breath hot with determination.

"I'll do everything I have to."

The wind howled around her, but she didn't move.

Her gaze was locked on the horizon.

And then—her final words.

"Even if it means sacrificing myself… I'll end this fucking war."

She turned on her heel, walking back toward her quarters.

Not hesitating.

Not doubting.

Not stopping.

As she and the others waited for their next sortie…

Furina knew one thing for certain.

She wasn't afraid anymore.

She was angry.

And nothing would stop her now.