Chapter XCI : Unleashed

  Latenight of Quartus, Third Day of Duskmoon

  Since flying into Angkorian airspace, Géorg’s fleet went on high alert. Though they had not been attacked, the risk grew as they approached the capital city. The moment of the counterattack was at hand, but all it took was a chance encounter with Angkor’s galleon class airship, and their fleet wouldn’t stand a chance.

  As he neared his destination, Géorg felt a familiar surge of excitement. Naming him captain was a greater gift than Samir could have possibly known. Nearly a decade had passed since his injury, but the battlefield still called to him, and he wanted to be a part of the fight. He had been comfortable as a merchant in Saladin, but not happy. It wasn’t until now that he understood why.

  None of it would have been possible without Kitezh’s new king. King Unruh wasn’t always careful whose toes he stepped on, but perhaps that ambition was the reason he stood above the others. Józef Brandt might have been born into the role, but he didn’t deserve it. Kitezh needed a leader who had vision and was decisive. One who could improve the country’s strength and standing in the world.

  Of course, Géorg knew the battle ahead had more at stake than Kitezh’s standing. The world was at a crossroads, and the powers at play could doom or save all of humanity. If the Ahrimen were to rise again, the scene at the end of Lady Rouge’s vision would come to pass, and the world would be consumed in fire. But, perhaps wounding Angkor and slowing their advance would give the world a chance. Because of him and the brave men of the Kitezhian air fleet, the fate of the world might change.

  The capital was now minutes away. It was time for Géorg to open the communications portal, so his king and Lady Azul could witness the events along with him. He expected Konrad to be there, too. He wanted his trustworthy friend to witness his triumph. He had grown fond of the Primary Minister over the past few weeks. Though small in stature, Konrad was not a weak man. He was authoritative, yet comforting, and along with King Unruh and Lady Azul, he was among the people that Géorg admired most. He wanted them all as his audience.

  Now was his moment to show off his skills at sorcery. Circles of magic were already inscribed on the floor of his airship’s bridge, and all the proper ingredients were in place. All he needed was to summon his manna and cast the spell. He remembered the techniques that Lady Azul had taught him. He smelled the hint of sulfur, tasted the bit of ash, and felt a burn atop his right hand. A trail of manna flowed from his bloodstream and spread across the circles, lighting up the room with magic. In moments, a window opened in midair, creating an image of his friends on the other side.

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  Lady Azul called out from across the void. “Mister T?ller, I must congratulate you on a job well done. I can see you quite clearly. Few novices can cast a spell requiring such acuity. If I didn’t know better, I’d say you received training from an expert in the field.”

  She winked.

  He couldn’t help but smile broadly. “Thank you, my lady. We entered Angkorian airspace without incident and are expected to reach capital in minutes. Will provide full report of ground activity as soon as we have visual.”

  One of King Unruh’s generals approached the screen. “Make sure you have a clear path on the way out. The area’s about to become a wasp’s nest!”

  Hans echoed the sentiment. “Agreed. Kitezh owes you all a debt of gratitude, and we want you to return safely.”

  A soldier entered the bridge and saluted. “Sir, we have a visual on the capital.”

  Géorg saluted back. “Report your findings, Lieutenant.”

  The man approached the communications window. “We see no sign of ground troops, Sir, and strangely enough, there seems to be signs of damage in the city.”

  Hans looked taken aback. “Damage? Did I hear that right? Was Angkor attacked by another adversary? Koba, perhaps?”

  The Lieutenant continued. “There’s no sign of that, My Lord. We see damaged structures, but no armies. We should know more as we approach.”

  “It’s quite curious,” Lady Azul mused. “Is this serendipity? Or an omen? Will it change anything?”

  “No.” Hans spoke decisively. “It’s an opportunity to wound our enemy further while they’re distracted on a second front. It’s perfect, in fact. We can be in and out before they assemble their defenses.”

  The general once again approached the window. “Did you find anything else of interest?”

  The lieutenant paused before responding. “We did fly over a field that appears to have had a great deal of construction. There was scaffolding, but it appears … scorched.”

  “You mean as if lit on fire?” the general asked.

  The lieutenant nodded. “Yes, but more like it had been in the blast radius of some kind of explosive. But whatever they were building appears to be gone, Sir.”

  Lady Azul looked intrigued. “Interesting. Could it have been an airship that took off and scorched the site with its engines?”

  “No, My Lady.” The lieutenant seemed certain. “It would have had to be the largest airship ever built. We’ve never seen engines that can cause that kind of damage. And I doubt anything that big could even get off the ground.”

  “I don’t like it.” Hans rubbed his hands together nervously. “I want you to focus on the mission and drop as much of the payload as possible while it’s still safe to do so. And if you encounter anything that could put the fleet at risk, I want you out of there.”

  Géorg nodded as he felt the thrill of anticipation. “Yes, Your Majesty. Do you have any further instructions?”

  “No, Mister T?ller. Fire when ready.”