"Mono/Dialogue"
'Inner thoughts'
Narration
[Message/communication apparatus]
Date: May 646 AU
Location: Sea of ????, West Regalian Control Zone
POV: Narrator.
[Condor One, this is Two, we had checked the northern part and spotted nothing, how copy? Over.]
[Condor Two, continue on overwatch and standby, we’ll need to wait until Three and Four finish theirs.]
[Copy that One, Two shall be on standby. Out.] She turned towards her copilot for opinion.
“Hey Luke, what do you think?” Her question confused him before he realized that she was referring to this new world. Exotic birds and mammals could be seen through the thickets of woods periodically, flying fish with horns, and even a rge dinosaur-like flying creature now people accepted as a wyvern of sorts.
“Beats me really, either the world has gone mad or we've gone mad. At least we don’t have to do our daily dancing quota with Mr. or Mrs. Missile. Damn, these peaceful days are surreal.”
“I know right? Two weeks ago we crash-nded near Westcles, almost getting run over by blind tankers. Real wankers that one, using the camera but almost turning us into a fresh red paste.”
“Ease up on the grunts, Cath. They got battered with artillery from sunlight till sundown… if they’re lucky.”
“That’s just life, and we dodged missiles every day. Surely dodging them wouldn’t be too hard compared to missiles who tracked heat signature?”
“Have anyone ever told you that you’re an ass? Besides that was not a fair comparison, we could dance they could only face pnt on the ground during a good day.” Cath shrugs and change topic.
“6 years on the air, and we still kickin’ even after being downed for the 5th time.”
“Sure, sure that’s why folks keep callin’ us that name… I hate that name…”
“Can’t do much about that, so live with it won’t cha? Honestly, Reaper’s Rejects sounds kinda cool too.” Luke groaned hearing that infamous name of theirs. He could not for the life of him understand why she would think of that as cool. To ensure she won’t bring that up again, he does his usual modus operandi.
“By the way, wanna continue our bet?”
“I’m not betting on the chocote.”
“Cigs?”
“… Fine.” While they are chatting, not once do their eyes leave the instrument of flight nor do they pse in listening to local comms. Instead of turtling up, Grand Autarch Cylene is wary that avoiding any form of contact would put them at a disadvantage. People are irrational and would be exacerbated with fear of the unknown.
The findings of unidentified satellites orbiting the pnet don’t help either. They could try shooting them down, that would not be too much of a hurdle, but they’re not sure who it belongs to. Worst come to worst, they would rig the Western Isnds to deny hostile a potential stronghold pced too close to Regalia, they’re truly in the dark.
These chains of isnds could also serve as outer perimeter or primary operation bases. There are pns to embed spies and gather information, but that would be perilous if they only had satellite photos and some wistful thinking that their spies would be fine on their own this far from home.
Be that as it may, the reason they went this far is quite simple really.
Raw resources such as oil and natural gases have been discovered here.
These findings force Regalia to keep an eye out and stake their cim, and that’s without mentioning how fast they could rebuild depending on national stability, ergo resource prospection. They would need to spend a stupendous amount of resources, manpower, time, and bancing the Cost vs Opportunity if they wish to get back on their feet sooner.
Another would be if the locals have an understanding of the industry, then an atomic bomb or the like would not be an exaggeration. So they are also trying to prospect for Uranium mines to take or buried it by force of arms.
The patrolling jets circled the now westernmost outpost of Regalia while waiting on the other for a report. A peaceful patrol that was interrupted by an update coming through the communication channel.
[Condor One, Condor Three here, our radar detected bogeys about 200 kilometers (140 miles) away and their vector is 2-9-5.]
[Current speed?]
[It’s fluctuating around … 230 kph (143 mph).]
[How many of them?]
[Radar signature says around 8 ma’am, but they might be clumped up like that eastern incident back at home. Permission to investigate?] Cath deliberated with her co-pilot for a second opinion.
“Is there anything else around that side?” Her co-pilot goes through his notes, Luke tends to maintain redundancy, much to his partner’s exasperation but she wouldn’t deny that his overtly cautious demeanor has been saving her countless time. Don’t tell him she thinks that though…
“Let’s see… that would be… yep, yep we do. We have ocean research boats being active for resource prospecting and regional mapping. With how the report of underwater oil and more being detected st week, this pce would be a high-priority one. Oh right almost forgot, there are more of those isnd chains as well. Most aren’t big enough to make a decent outpost though.”
“Good enough.” She switches back.
[Condor Three, I think that’s a good idea and besides we got researchers all around the clock near the isnd chains there, go check them out too. How copy?]
[Sure thing boss.]
[Condor Four, Condor One here, were you guys listening?]
[Affirm.]
[Proceed with Three’s lead and investigate or check on our seafaring researchers, I’ll inform Command.]
[Wilco, Condor Three peeling off from formation.]
[Affirm, Condor Four re-tasking to assist.]
“Good luck boys.” She spoke watching as Three left her side and Four could be seen in the distance making a beeline for the intruders. She sighs before contacting the other fighter in her squadron.
[Condor One to Condor Two.]
[Two here, anything you need One?] She turned to the side and saw that Two was retively close by, she even saw them waving at her, normally she would reprimand them for being so carefree but hey? A small leeway in monotony is always good. She shakes her head before continuing.
[As you might have heard, Condor Three and Condor Four are on tasking, resume patrol stance.]
[Resuming patrol stance copy, out.]
She swerves from her circling pattern and continues with her duty. She then remembered about informing command so she switched the channel to HQ, and sure enough, it was quiet, unlike the orderly chaos that was the st war.
[Command this is Condor One, our radar detected 8 bogeys from vector 2-9-5, potentially revealed as bandits and of higher number. Condor Three and Condor Four had been sent to investigate as per protocol. They are also heading out to check on our researchers and isnd chains. How copy? Over.] She waits for a reply which doesn’t take all that long.
[This is Command, solid copy Condor One, and do remind them not to expend their ordinances unnecessarily if they can help it. We are far from home and a local arms factory has yet to be built around here.]
[Will do Command, Condor One out.]
“Knowing them they would return with two-thirds empty.” Her co-pilot snorted in amusement.
“Have some faith in them… or are you still sore for losing that bottle? Come on, I promised you that was a cheap one anyway. So cheer up…” She might have her face forward, but he visualized a smirk forming on her face. The co-pilot only grumbled in denial.
“No…” his denial came out like a drawl…
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[Bogeys in visual range within 5 minutes, Four are you ready?]
[Ready as we can be.]
Going above the speed of sound, they could finally see the flocks of lizard-like creatures that were attacking each other. There are Two types, one being red colored and rger while the other being blue colored and a bit smaller than the usual types they had encountered. They have only heard reports about green or yellow colored, never there was a report for these.
From what they could see, there are a pair of red against a few dozens of blues. The reds are sustaining wounds but holding on admirably. The blues are attacking not with a usual flying fmethrower maneuver, but pecking and chomping at them like birds or cwing with those disturbingly sharp legs of theirs. Both fighter jets start recording this dogfight between presumably equally matched participants.
What is more fascinating, however, is that the blues are being ridden by humanoid creatures.
[Four, you guys seeing this!? Those folks are riding a damn dragon!]
[Yep, a whole dogfight. Also, that I don’t that those are dragons. They looked closer to wyverns.]
[How so?]
[Wyverns aren’t four legged, like those guys there. Their forelegs meld with their wings, their faces have sharper beak like birds, and they are hunched over judging from the posture. Compared it with the reds, now those are dragons.]
[Yep, technically those aren’t dragons and neither could that be considered dogfight, but, eh… I’m not the smartest tool in the shed.]
[Pipe down, start recording.]
The wise choice would be to watch from afar, but something tells Condor Three that there is something to gain for being a tad less trigger-happy and daring. He decides to share this thought with his co-pilot that it would be prudent to find out.
“Think we should get closer?”
“Here I thought you would have told me we’re going to bst them.”
“I’m serious, but what about you?”
“Hmm… I mean the combat data is valuable as is, then again it is tempting to get closer. Who knows we will find something interesting.” He contemptes before spotting something peculiar on one of the red ones’ bodies, like a strip of cloth or fabric. He sees that the blues have riders, but the red has none. That thin strip might be their clue.
“Wait… that’s a strap isn’t it?”
“What kind?”
“I don’t know… saddles? I mean the blues undoubtedly uses them, else they either use glue or some otherworldly substance to keep it tight stuck on their backs.”
“We still don’t have the appropriate RoE here, at most we can only cim enforcement of territorial integrity. State of emergency is still in pce, so we might be able to open fire but I don’t wanna risk it.”
“That’s a conundrum… but we might be able to disperse them.”
“This is so stupid…” He waited for a follow but there was none, a usual tacit understanding between them. He contacted Condor Four who had been watching the ensuing air combat raptly.
[Four, we’ll attempt a fly-by and see what the fuss is about.]
[Why?]
[See closer, specifically on the smaller red being protected by the other one.]
[Alright…] He enhanced the camera as best as possible and spotted what Three had meant.
[That’s a strap, and the other dragon-like thing is hindering the view from up here. Damn, that thing is agile as hell for its size, better than our Ats.] Condor Four recorded how the red creature seemed to be dancing while repelling the blues from getting closer. Its hardened tail was seen smacking a poor guy to paste.
[Remember our RoE? Yeah we have leeway.]
[You see what we mean then? Don’t worry, we’ll only make a pass once or twice on them.]
[Roger that and good hunting.]
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“Don’t let them get away!” a knight wearing a blue and green uniform shouted into his communication device. It is shaped like a radio but embedded into the saddle and he talks through a microphone that also doubles as a handle. His pissed-off tone underlined the sheer stress and annoyance of open sea combat.
[Kreon, I’ll cut the bastard off from the right, go on the other!]
[Heh, let’s split the glory between us!]
[Aha! I got yo- oh no! AH-] A wyvern and its rider were smacked dead on by the red wyvern’s tail, killing the rider and dazing the wyvern with a fearsome force. Sickening crunch and blood-red liquid plummet unto the sea below.
[We lost Lokon!]
“I want that bastard prince to be fed to the pigs!” He angrily shouts into the radio. It appears that he is not the only one getting angry.
The dead rider’s wyvern released a sorrowful cry before climbing high and smming onto the red’s back. It starts gnawing and biting on its naturally thick carapace in a frenzied fury. The Red wyvern screamed in high-pitched agony and tried its best to shake off the furious blue wyvern that held its cws in a vice grip.
[The half-blood is distracted, dive in! For honor and glory!] Before they could, however, a low rumbling noise, like thunder but consistent, could be heard from the sky. The noise wasn’t anything like they ever heard before and then when they saw it.
A rge white… bird? Lizard? Some kind of sky beast? No one knows, they only know that it is coming straight towards them. Its wings are stiff and the continuous eerie noise it produces sends chill down its spine.
“Scatter!” Their encirclement disintegrated in chaos, even the raging wyvern felt death approach and flew away into the sunset. The unknown beast swooped in, and its shining body reflected the sun most beautifully.
Those farther from the fell beast of white could hear its cry.
“What in God's name was that?!”
[I don’t know!]
[By the aligned and blessed heavens! Run! Fly away!]
[We shouldn’t have passed the daemonic waters! Its fell beasts are now preying on us!]
[Come back here, maintain evasive formation, you cowards!]
They would have been mesmerized, if not for an earth-shattering thundercp it left behind. Especially those who had the misfortune to be closer to it. Screams of agony invaded to communication link, further worsening the already pervasive fear within their ranks.
[MY EARS! AHHHH!]
[AHHHH!]
[Nghh! someone had fallen off!]
A rider was passed by the beast from a dangerous proximity. He feels how his very bone screamed. Luckily he was saved from plummeting onto the sea embrace by his saddle and belt, but the man dangled unconscious on a frantic wyvern. Everyone could see it, the beast merely made a pass and one of theirs had almost fallen to their death and subjecting the rest to an unseen agonizing, inexplicable, sound magic.
Their wyverns lost their nerves, and there were those which lost their hearing, permanently, from the screeching sound of that horrible beast. Even if the rider tried to rein in control, the ear-splitting sound of the stiff-winged beast and their partner’s baleful cries of pain further disorients their fgging formation.
Appears that even the red wyverns found itself swaying and reeling from the unexpected apex predator. However, they fared much better from the looks of it. For a singur moment, they forgot the feelings of desperation and watch in frightened awe to behold a true ruler of the sky. Such a deadly beast turns its sharp nose back at them and the grim reaper’s scythe inched closer.
Seeing a beast much faster than they could ever conceive made them fear and dread it. Formation of disciplined and elite knights began to disperse in terror, their officers failed to reform order. The wyverns they rode is incapable of using fme balls, and the speed and size of those monsters doesn’t help instill confidence.
[This is the devil’s beast, surely!]
[Oh heaven… oh lord!]
[Aghhhh! Spare me! Oh lord!]
[It’s too fast!]
Their commander could only watch in fear, so he did the only reasonable action.
“Retreat! Back to the Tide Roost and flee from this hellish sea!” Everyone is scattered in all directions, screams, pleading, and prayers are filling in the comms with how rapidly discipline broke down. Even in his state, the Wing Commander gred at the fleeing red wyverns hatefully before sporting a nasty smile towards them, or specifically the dying person on one of its back.
“May hell take you, and your carcasses be fed to the leviathans!”
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[Looks like we are right, there is a kid on the back of the red one. Looks to be teenager, but I can’t be sure. How is it looking there?]
[They are running, might be a good idea to follow them.]
[You guys sure having enough fuel?]
[We’ll fly high to try gliding and our external tanks are still good, we could maybe find where they came from. Our satellites are too busy guarding and watching this much territory after all.]
[Affirm, we’ll watch over the crimson pair. If they do anything funny, we’ll bst their wings. It’s gonna be sucks for the kid, but we did our best.] Condor Four was about to bank their jet toward the fleeing unknown force, but Condor One voice stopped them.
[Negative, Condor Four.]
[Ma’am?]
[I had been listening on your comms and informed the higher-ups. stand by for an update.] Statics filled their comms before their new directive was transmitted.
[Condor One here, we got the update. They should feel tired after all that, highly probable that they’ll nd somewhere. Command’s new directive is for you to keep an eye on those red creatures, codename Crimson Dragons, we got a destroyer and cargo ship heading out towards your location. How copy?]
[…Copy, Four entering overwatch stance.]
[Three copy, proceeding as tasked.]
[Rex, we got a proper recon pne at the closest AO being redirected to tail them. You guys made a good call there in refraining from using your weapon. Let the Regalian Intelligence take it from here, you do your job until repcement wing arrive, and then fly back home. Condor One over and out.]
With that, the pair kept a close watch on their presumably non-hostile intruders. They watch as the pair of flying lizards cranes its head at the closest jet. Safe to say the creatures are instinctively wary of being tailed by something they have never seen before.
To make them drop their guard, Condor Four starts climbing high and disappears from view. The telltale jet engine noise could still be heard somewhat, but it did the trick.
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“Baroness Narina… what was that? That was no dragon, was it?” Surprisingly, one of the red wyverns spoke fluently in a human tongue. The timbre of its sound was soft with firmness beneath it, the complete opposite of its bestially intimidating visage. The other red wyvern replied, equally puzzled and shocked by the dispy of power the flying sword had showcased.
“Forgive me, Lady Luanaya, the Magicademy of Glerson hath never spoken of this… Such a dreadful scion of the skies, the Forgotten Ocean was fraught with unknown dangers and monsters… yet I must admit, my knowledge is shamefully shallow after such awe inspiring dispy.” The other wyvern’s voice it let out was a touch softer and elegant.
“We must stay vigint, but I fear you no longer have enough mana to keep us on flight.”
“… I truly am regretful…”
“There is nothing for you to be ashamed of, Prince Zorphal is safe… the treachery was unthinkable.”
“Where must we seek refuge? At our pace, we would be naught but a morsel for leviathans bellow and fierce beast above. By the aligned and blessed heavens… neither was a pleasant choice.”
“We must try… let’s nd on the nearest isnd, then… I suppose we can only pray… At least… we must not make their sacrifice go in vain. The traitors will be unable to use the crown as long as Prince Zorphal is alive.” The red dragons nded on the nearest isnd they could find. Their body descended vertically, their rge body does not appear to hinder much movement.
Once touching down, the dragons slumped with their faces crashing on the sandy ground. It was an eerie spectacle, like puppets whose strings were cut. Soon, an incision tore through the torso and chest, blood burst forth to reveal a pair of maiden exiting the now-dead carcasses.
Strangely enough, they are only minimally painted crimson.
One named Luanaya is cd in armor fit for a royal household and with a pair of bloodied swords being held in her hands. Her silver eyes, once vibrant, are now clouded with uncertainty contrasting her slightly wild threads of purest white. The other maiden garb herself in a robe of azure and purple silk, a small bloodied dagger clutched tightly within her palm. Her turquoise eyes faced the sky with dread, but her schorly fascination gave way to amazement. The schorly woman’s green hair spyed by the wind.
“To think I would thank Fleshmancy, the dimwitted moron, me from days ago, would have balked at the mere idea.” Luanaya chuckled morosely, a hint of shame cast into her eyes. She climbed atop the other wyvern’s body and gently extracted the unconscious prince. There is blood on him, but no visible wound.
“Think none of such, Fleshmancy is an offshoot of Necromancy and Golemancy, your distaste is understandable and I found yours to be adorable compared to outright witch hunt.”
“Shame that His Highness’s magical enhancement was broken due to my incompetence…”
“Even notable warriors I met during my travels rarely measured up to your dispy of martial skills, be proud that you saved His Highness.”
“You’re truly eccentric… and… My humblest apology, for having insulted you and disparage that power as heresy… but I do not deserve to be forgiven.” Luanaya gently id the prince's head on her p, she longingly caressed his face.
“It is all in the past, no need to be remorseful. Especially not when the present demands our attention, and the future is uncertain.” Narina settled next to her after picking up dried wood and with arcane nguage, cast fire to glow upon the branch. A makeshift firepce to warm the night away and a simple tent made of leaves were erected after a short but taxing arcane work.
“It makes me wonder what happened to the rest of our royal fleet.”
“It is pessimistic of me, but I won’t fancy their chances. The Empire would stop at nothing to legitimize its complete reign. One5 years passed, and they are no longer recognizable… all because of one person…” Luanaya smiled bitterly.
“To think that I used to idolize the Crown Prince… this Emperor was not like what I remembered of him, he was gracious but now he stops at nothing to realize his dream. Those prophecies of greatness poisoned a great man.” She carefully lowered the prince in her arms and id him near Narina. The Fleshmancer took her turn to care for the Prince before tilting her head and seeing the Knightess heading deeper into the woods.
“Please, safeguard the prince; he is our st hope. I shall forage for provision and water, the both of you are much more important than me.”
“Do ease yourself of burden, and to treasure yourself more… Even when only pains were transmitted, you’re no doubt mentally fatigued…”
“… Hmph, I’m tougher than this.” She didn’t heed her words and made her way into the jungle. Despite her backs turned, Narina could hear the telltale sobs cascading down her face. This has been a long, long day…
“As expected… what a stubborn dy…”
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The next day, the pair is just about to finish cooking a wild hog for breakfast. Luanaya made herself a makeshift spear for hunting and weakening the beast, her sword while sharp would put her in danger of being used when it wasn’t immobilized enough and better safe than sorry with using reach. The hog proves more tenacious compared to back home as she sustained injuries such as a bruised torso and muscle pain, thank god for her armor else she would be even worse off.
When Narina had finished pting the well-cooked meat, the Prince stirred awake. This prompts them to look at him. His wheat-colored hair shone beneath the morning light, and the dew made it glisten in gold. His eyes are a mix of purple and emerald that bewitching and pleasing to look at. His royal garb is fairly modest for someone of his stature but there is sign of violence upon it seen from the dried blood.
“My prince!”
“Thank goodness!”
“Mmm-… Lua, Nari, where are we? Where is my Sister?” Narina froze from the mention of his sister but Luanaya snarled. Her disgust and hate are pin to witness.
“Princess Ionie betrayed the kingdom…”
“L-Lady Luanaya-!”
“It’s the truth! She sold herself! Our people fought for her honor and what did she do?! Groveled on our conqueror and spout bald-faced lie?! I won’t rest until I have her head felled by my bde!”
“That’s more than plenty of grievances, please rein in your temper.”
“Grievances?! How could you be so calm?! Your son was left suffering by that sordid quim!” Narina’s face darkened, but she kept her emotions controlled. The Baroness could only sigh, their Knightess is under a lot of stress and duress. Her outburst would have continued if not for someone to sigh weakly.
“… I see…” The Prince doesn’t admonish her retainer’s outburst. If anything, the teenage boy only stares far to the west. He heaved a sigh and smiled apologetically to the two of them.
“We should turn back.”
“W-what?!”
“Your Highness?”
“Surrender me, that way the both of you should receive leniency. Testify that I used mind charms on the both of you.” He knows that he is clinging to a slim hope, that they will be punished but it beats being dead. Their fate would be worse if they got captured.
“T-that’s… no, I refuse…” The armor-cd dy trembled, her voice cracking from both grief and disbelief. She couldn’t accept such an end for him.
“Lua…” Her pained expression made the Prince stare sadly, his words had hurt her but he could not see any other recourse.
“It’s the truth! I don’t give a single rat ass what those soothsayer said! I vowed to break that very prophecy and-”
“Lady Casteln of the Royal Guard, cease your senseless tirade this instant! Your unsightly outburst benefits no one!” Narina’s arcane shout manifested like a bucket of ice-cold water, the white-haired knight had tasted a sting of ancient wisdom bleeding from the Fleshmancer’s tongue straight into her brain. The Knightess slumps back on the sand, her sorrow written clearly.
“I-I just…”
“My son does not lead the resistance with a fragile heart. He was no fool to the truth either but he committed to fight to the st; to the bitter end… even if he is the only one left…” Narina smiled forlornly, her heart ached to imagine her only son fighting a losing war all by himself.
“Please, don’t let discord divide us. I had always been relying on the both of you and the old man, so please…” The trio of exiles went quiet, the crackling of the firepce, the sizzling of meat, and the stench of burnt leftover fat filled the silence.
Tranquility, uneasy and mortifying as is, permeate at st. Luanaya could offer no rebuttal, she turn her remaining energy to maintain her bdes. Some chips on her pte armors could not be repaired at the moment, but that’s not really important compared to the bdes. Narina used whatever she can muster to quicken the Prince’s recovery.
As, this Somber and heavy mood was shattered by the telltale thunder and roar from the heavens above. Luanaya jumped on her feet and Narina positioned herself in front of the prince. They paled seeing not one, but Four dreaded stiff-winged beasts making a past their temporary refuge. They eerily move in concert, akin to the Elite Royal Knights during a parade.
“W-What are those?” The Prince was not lucid when the beast bared its cws at first, his fear is palpable. His exhausted and sore body would not facilitate steady withdrawal, he bitterly understood that he must rely on his loyal retainers once more.
“T-Those are the beasts which had a sway on our survival… as, appears that was neither altruism nor Lady Luck’s pity…”
“Narina, can we evade them using at least one of the flesh constructs?”
“I’m afraid that’s a tall order, the crystal has suffused into the flesh on yours and mine has yet to recharge. Yours would require extensive care while mine would result in us plummeting off the air to make a tender feed for fishes and monsters below. Lastly, I must confess, that our journey drained me mentally. Fleshmancy requires stable sanity, or else we share the crystal’s fate. Ergo, my objection on the matter of our Prince pced anywhere but outside of the construct…”
That is also when a sharp whistle, like a trumpet, was sounded from the dusky sea. They watched as a pair of humongous vessels of steel broke through the foggy waters. None of those ocean monsters appears to have sails, thus confounding them about how could they move. Their bafflement turned into fear when the Four steel beasts went past the vessels in a perfect array resembling arrowheads.
They had no intention to strike, and that’s when it clicked in their minds. They are reted or at least not willing to strike those vessels. The beasts that made a mockery of their pursuers are unwilling to strike these behemoths.
“… B-By the gods…”
“…”
“Wait…” the prince chanted in arcane nguage, and his eyes bzed in azure light. He was soon shocked.
“There are people aboard!”
“H-Huh?!”
“T-that’s… within the realm of probability… The st expedition to sail the Forgotten Ocean occurred Three centuries ago and is rumored to have ended in disaster. It was told in scriptures that every Arganean sailors and schors were lost to the horrors beyond the depths… a-and yet…” Narina’s mind is in chaos.
“W-What if the sky beasts were theirs?” He said his opinion with a disbelieving look. With everything they had seen, it was getting harder to dismiss his theory. Narina then gritted her teeth in horror when she noticed the rge trunk attached to the ship.
“Your Highness … that’s an arcane cannon… a massive one to boot.” The Fleshmancer recalled the tale of nations far to the west. Fantastical stories and grim glimpses into the future. How wars were no longer fought in a pitched battle with chivalry and honor but the mindless sughter of monstrous proportion and horror. She had seen the destructive power of a much smaller cannon… Heaven forbid she is going to bear witness to hell unleashed from such a humongous construct.
As if to mock her muted plea, a rge aquatic beast resurfaced from the sea with its mouth wide open. The beast has an appearance akin to a shark but with a mouth filled with teeth glinting beneath the sun and sharpness comparable to the finest of bde work. The trio stood in fright, despite the Baroness' words, a tinge of skepticism still abounds about the vessel's prowess. Then their mind was presented with more shock than might be enough for a lifetime, the rge arcane cannon on top of it swiveled without anyone being seen remotely anywhere near it.
With a thundering boom, the interloping beast was felled. It was so fast that they couldn’t believe their vision. The beast let out its st death throes, pained and equally bewildered perhaps. Blood was spilled on the ocean while the Prince saw how the people on the vessel barely made any reaction against the beast that was famous for sinking a war fleet. The beast was rewarded not with a mere gaping hole through its head, but instead with chunks of flesh and brain matter that became extra meals for predators of the lower strata.
‘No… I would be hard-pressed to believe that the cannon was commandeered by a celestial mage… this is…’ Narina gave up trying to decipher the phenomenon even when her mind and heart were torn between lust for otherworldly knowledge and fright of the abyssal secrets. She feared that if she persisted then madness would be her due, and madness would not be beneficial for the Prince.
The cannon swiveled back into position, and except for the wailing of the wind, silence ruled. Then the sheer disinterest of the ship’s crew is ughably more monotonous than even the most absurdist opera one was forced to see repeatedly. No one could say anything, the magnitude of power shown by that drab-colored ship was enough to sap any will to fight. Then they watch as one of the vessels gets closer to it, some sort of crane has been lowered.
“… They meant to harvest the Bdemouth Shark…” Luanaya could feel how her throat dried up into nothing with a single beat of her heart. She is witnessing a great beast, only known from history books, of the Forgotten Ocean that would inflict horrendous casualties and be treated as a mere delicacy, or accessory, damaging her psyche.
‘Did we enter the realm of the divines? Or are we marching upon the fabled nd of the ancient? It felt like everything I had learned meant nothing in the face of this raw expression of might…’ Zorphal’s fright turned into awe.
“Ha… ha ha ha…” Narina’s sanity is on the verge of catastrophic colpse. Her desperation for an answer made her go back on her words. She tried to detect just how vast the power used… and she could not sense even an ounce of arcane energy from the cannon.
It meant Two things, either an Archmage of the highest order was in control of the arcane cannon or it was powered with something else entirely. She ughed listlessly and wallowed upon what her dimwitted brain could never fathom. Fear had finally grasped her heart, but she pushed her terror aside for the Prince.
“…”
“…”
“… Your orders?” Luanaya's voice is now bereft of vigor. With the sky beasts circling above and a massive steel vessel approaching, they would be captured without any meaningful resistance. She half contempted running into the woods, but that would only worsen their predicament. Still, she is loyal to her prince, and if need be… she would disgrace herself for him.
“Lua…”
“Please.” Zorphal’s heart ached, seeing his loyal retainer with a resolved smile on her face… He bit back the venomous curse from his words. Thinking about everything that had happened, they had to gamble. Exposing his identity might be more beneficial… he just hopes that honesty still has its value.
“… If they come for us, at least tell them the truth about myself. Perhaps not all hope is lost.” The two royal retainers’ expression darkened, but they could only solemnly abide by his words.
“By your will… Your Highness.”
They watched as the ship stayed offshore, perhaps the isnd was too shallow for their liking. Their puzzlement was soon answered when a smaller boat was lowered onto the water and cut through the wave.
Such a view provoked amazement at how fast they could sail rapidly through the tides. Soon they see Four people wearing a sort of leathery brigandine and carrying unknown metal staff on that strangely made boat.
‘The metal staff is too small for an arquebus, so surely it won’t be as powerful if it is a comparable imitation? Then again… the ship with arcane cannon flits through my mind, even if the comparison is disproportionate.’
The bck boat beached a quarter league away and disembarked. The three stiffened and prepared for the worst, if they weren’t praying before now they are crying out for providence. This is their territory, unquestionably, and not even their serene Old Kingdom would permit strangers to intrude without consequences for such brazenness.
Their apprehension turned into puzzlement when one of the people left their weird staff and a knife on the ground. The other Three stays near the bck boat and watch from afar. Two of them are gazing around, and appear to be on alert for potential threats while the st one point their staff on the ground but their eyes are trained in her direction. Curiously, the one staring at her held a much bigger staff. If goes by the logic she learned from the Baroness’ scarce expnation, that means this one is the Four-man group’s trump card.
The approaching stranger uncsped their helmet, they saw that the person was a female and she approached them carefully. Luanaya looked behind her and saw the prince nod, she nodded back and left both of her swords on the ground too.
In a bid to present herself as harmless, she let go of her steel breastpte; letting it fall on the sandy beach. She is still wearing her arming-doublet and Luanaya could only hope that the stranger would be gracious enough to spare her a modicum of decency. Then again, she understands that she has no choice in the matter anyway.
The female stranger looks surprised but she soon smiles; understanding her intent. They approach closer to each other until they are standing merely a couple of steps away. She decides to initiate the contact first by bowing in a knightly manner.
“… Pardon my rudeness, but with whom do I have the pleasure of speaking?” The stranger tilted her head. That clear bewilderment showing on her face seems to be an indication that she is not a descendant from any lost expeditions. It would be unlikely for the Intercontinental Language to entirely vanish in just Three centuries, no matter how prejudiced one might be, much less when a capable congregation of minds were on board.
‘She does not speak the common tongue, now what to do?’ Their awkwardness continued when the female said something she never heard before. Now it is the Knightess’ turn to be left baffled.
Luanaya might not be richly versed in inter-nguage dialogues yet she does know the one spoken by this stranger to be puzzling at best. It cked the usual drawl or sing-a-song quality of Intercontinental nguage. Narina might be a better choice for this, but she is weakened and there is no telling what would happen if they let them get anywhere near their best bet on survival.
This communication deadlock sted until the female stranger expression light up with an idea. She looked at her feet and back at her hands, so she started making some rudimentary hand signs.
She use her hands to motion the both of them to sit or kneel. Luanaya complied and watched as she draws on the sand, an intention the Knightess understood immediately. First, the stranger drew a sword, which made her stiffened once again. Thankfully, her conversation partner points at the sword and erased it while shaking her head left and right. She redraw the sword, erase it, and does the same left and right shakes, a repetition to underline her intention.
‘So they are not here to fight?’ Luanaya starts drawing her response. She makes a crude drawing of two people bowing to each other. Her counterpart was visibly pleased and nodded, she then drew a pair of skinny people walking side-by-side with their round heads opened like talking. It looked fairly amusing and simple, but Luanaya nodded in understanding.
‘They are not our enemy and wish to talk… I see.’ Luanaya's reply was made by drawing a shield. She then pointed at it before beating her chest and showing an insignia on her gloved hand, then she looked back at her prince with a bow. Her conversation partner was confused before crity was set for her. Then she draws several people on the sand with one of them wearing a crown in the middle while others bowed towards them. Luanaya nodded at the drawing.
Luanaya witnessed how a strange wire attached to the friendly stranger’s ear was pressed. The stranger starts talking using that unknown nguage and the Knightess hears a faint voice coming from that wire contraption. She surmised it functioned the same way as a smaller but imperfect telepathic tool or the expensive magical radio they had back home.
The stranger’s conversation ended with a nod and she is back on drawing. Then the Knightess watches on as the friendly stranger draws a camp; or at least just a tent. After that, she points at it, then at herself.
‘That’s her camp.’ She made an open arms gesture at the Knightess, then redirected her arms at herself, then the small boat, after that to the ships waiting for them, and finally back at the camp. It took her a while to understand what it meant.
“She wants us to accompany them back to their homend!” Luanaya shouted her words to her Prince. Her voice carried enough volume that the stranger’s brethren snapped their eyes and soon those staffs were pointed at her. She reflexively reeled back seeing what could be interpreted as hostility. Luanaya had met a group of arquebus wielding man-at-arms once, and she never wanted to weather that barrage of power ever again if she can help it.
Fortunately, the stranger noticed her distress. She looked back at her kin with a scowl before shouting something in her nguage and they lowered their staffs or arquebus… or something… Luanaya honestly doesn’t know if that’s even an arquebus.
She smiled at her apologetically, with a hand scratching the side of her cheek; an adorable gesture. Her pensive expression means she is waiting for Luanaya’s next response.
To say that she is hesitant would be an understatement, then again they’re lost in between uncharted waters. Notwithstanding the fact those steel beasts are eyeing her entourage. Sensing her hesitation, the female dusted herself before standing up and offered her a hand.
She once again wordlessly asks for opinions from the prince and her colleague. They nodded at her, resolves and understanding were exchanged. Thus she takes the offered hand, she watches as the female smiles and shakes it tightly with another palm on top of theirs.
This marked the first contact between these New Worlders and Otherworlders.
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“Pardon my intrusion, Your Grace.”
“Address me as I instructed you to, we are not in the public’s eyes. My weariness grew proportionally in line alongside my aging bones with how distant people had become these days.”
“… Lady Cylene.”
“Remember to not repeat that pse and yes, Meredith?”
“The pn succeeded.” Cylene had a tiny curl at the corner of her lips.
“Fascinating, rarely would I have thought that sonar would be the star but it was wonderful regardless… Where are they?”
“Regalian’s guests should be resting at the naval base of Nova Eureka soon, exhausting voyage in more than just physical sense.”
“I see, accommodate, and keep a close eye on them. Do try to solve the communication issue posthaste, and if that’s impossible… Hmm… We’ll just give them a show of force if the preliminary report was accurate, and before I forget, I’ll be expecting you to accompany me by then.”
“By your will. I shall screen and coordinate your escorts as protocol dictates.”
“Thank you, dear. You are a fine interior commander material, and Otto can work more efficiently with his workload lessened.”
[END OF CHAPTER]
Author’s Note:
Yo there, this is me, myself, and I, the author who feels kinda dead inside.
These are images for the map of Regalia and others, except for the south that will be expined ter.
Central Capital Zone
Eastern Capital Zone
Northern Capital Zone
Western Capital Zone
Regalian Autarchy Fg
Tenebrean Commonwealth Fg
The patrolling aircraft were made up of modernized plus modified F/IA-12V (G-98J) and the recon being U-2 spy aircraft. The Destroyer and Cargo Ship Regalia sent to fetch them are based on Charles F. Adams Missile Destroyer and an enrged Victory-css cargo ship respectively.
They are still repairing their shipyards for rger cargo ships so that old WWII-era ship has to make do as stopgap. There might also be some other intentions for its use.
That’s all…
Ciao.
