Chapter 151: Fire Above Part 1
The sun had barely crested the treetops when Inigo eased the Apache’s cyclic stick forward, coaxing the massive attack helicopter into a slow, deliberate lift. The rotors roared as they bit into the air, dust and leaves scattering from the clearing below like panicked birds.
He was flying.
"Goddamn..." he muttered, half in awe, half disbelief. His gloved hand tightened slightly on the controls.
The Apache AH-64E was sleek, matte black, and brimming with raw power. Twin engines flared behind him, and the cockpit, modified slightly by the System to run solo, responded to his every input like an extension of his will. Onboard HUDs glowed faint green, feeding him real-time data—altitude, radar sweeps, weapon systems, even wind pressure.
He’d spent the night in the forest clearing to avoid questions. Even Lyra didn’t know what he’d summoned—only that he needed "space."
Now he had it.
Trees blurred below as the Apache soared over the Emberreach foothills, the landscape shifting from forest green to charcoal black as he pushed toward a more barren stretch beyond the main valley. He needed open ground for testing—and far from civilization. The last thing he needed was panic over a "metal dragon" flying overhead.
He banked left, watching the shadows roll across the glassy volcanic plains far below. The whole region looked like a battlefield long after the battle was lost—scorched, cracked, and cratered. Perfect for weapons testing.
The HUD pinged. Systems online. Hellfire missiles, Hydra 70 rockets, 30mm chain gun—all operational.
"Let’s see what you can do," he said under his breath.
He spotted a rocky basin below—a wide, empty depression with enough space to maneuver. He throttled down slightly, letting the Apache descend to a safer test altitude.
"Firing practice—rockets only," he muttered, reaching for the armament control. The targeting system locked onto a cluster of boulders.