Ace Combat 5 - Retribution of a Demon

**Status** | Complete

Ace Combat 5 - Retribution of a Demon is the first story in a series of five created and written by DemonLordGalm about the Ace Combat franchise. Its word count reaches 118,113 words, and was published on September 19, 2013

## Summary

The story takes place in 2010 on Earth (Strangereal version) and follows the character "Blaze" and his squadron, Wardog, when a war between their country of Osea and the country of Yuktobania suddenly comes to life. Unintentionally during the Circum-Pacific War, the Wardog pilots fulfill the prophecy of the Razgriz, discover who their flight lead really is, and uncover a sinister plot devised by an age old enemy to sow seeds of hate and destruction across both Osea and Yuktobania.

## Characters

* "**Blaze**", is the main character with a shady past and formerly a trainee on Sand Island who was selected as the fourth wingman for Captain Jack Bartlett, the leader of the Osean 108th Tactical Fighter Squadron *Wardog.* After Bartlett is shot down during a mission and goes MIA, he is appointed the flight lead of Wardog and leads the squadron throughout most of the war until he is shot down and presumed dead after an attack over November City.
* **Kei Nagase** (callsign "Edge") is the sole trainee survivor of the attack on Wardog Squadron prior to the story's events, much like the game. After Bartlett goes MIA, she refuses the promotion to flight lead and instead gives it to Blaze, resolving to protect him no matter what.
* **Alvin H. Davenport** (callsign "Chopper") is another member of the squadron and is regarded as the comic relief of the group. Although being loud and disrespectful to his superiors, Chopper proves himself to be a valuable companion and member of the squadron throughout many of their battles.
* **Hans Grimm** (callsign Archer) is the youngest member of Wardog Squadron. Even though he was still a trainee, during an air attack on Sand Island by Yuktobanian fighters, he commandeers a working jet with the help of the base mechanics and joins the fight himself, officially joining the Wardog Squadron in the process. It is later discovered that he gets his skill in flying from his ancestor, Heinrad Grimm, an ace of the legendary Belkan Air Force who flew during the Belkan War.
* **Jack Bartlett** (callsign Heartbreak 1) is an ace pilot who fought during the Belkan War alongside the infamous Galm Team. He has a long history with Pops as well as an old Yuktobanian fling, which causes superiors to become suspicious of him early on when he goes MIA after getting shot down. In reality he was captured by Yuktobania and became one of the first P.O.Ws of the war, later escaping and leading a resistance group against the Yuke government.
* **Peter N. Beagle** (callsign and nickname "Pops") is an aging mechanic who has a long history with Bartlett and is friends with the Wardog pilots. His past is shrouded in mystery, prompting suspicion from the base superior.
* **Albert Genette**  is a freelance journalist who arrives at Sand Island to do a report on Bartlett. Due to the string of attacks on the base he is initially cut off from other journalists to keep the news of the attacks secret, but after war breaks out he ends up becoming a part of the Wardog Squadron's escapades.
* **Nicolai Reznov** (callsign "Czar") is a Yuktobanian fighter pilot and ace, along with being the flight lead of the famous Yuke squadron "Kvant". Meets and fights Blaze and his squadron multiple times during the Circum-Pacific War, forming a competitive yet friendly relationship with the pilots.
* **Makarov** is an unknown ace pilot possibly of Yuktobanian descent that has an unusual obsession with Blaze, stating that he knows who he really is. Watches him from just beyond their radar overage zone and at high altitudes, eventually fighting him in person over Cape Landers.