Demoness 3 - Chapter 10: ​Interception (12,339 Words) (Patreon)

Elania smiled as she set down a large blanket on the grass, the fabric unfurling in a gentle wave.

Shadow let out a playful growl and chased after a cluster of butterflies, his paws pounding against the earth as he bounded through the wildflowers.

Yolani approached, a basket hanging from the crook of her arm. She set it out on the center of the blanket, then helped straighten the fabric out. “This is nice,” she said, taking in the peaceful surroundings.

Nature embraced them, the chosen spot to the southeast of Contia offering a tranquil escape from the city’s bustle. Wildflowers bloomed in a vibrant array of colors, their petals dancing in the breeze that cut the heat enough to make it comfortable.

Elania called out to Shadow, her voice carrying across the field. “Don’t go too far, Shadow!”

The darkwalker paused, his ears perking up at the sound of his name, before resuming his playful pursuit of the butterflies.

They both settled onto the fabric, the soft grass giving pleasantly underneath.

Reaching over to the basket Yolani had brought, Elania retrieved a thermos-style bottle. She unscrewed the cap and took a gulp of the fresh water, the cool liquid refreshing her throat.

Yolani rummaged through it as well, her brows furrowing. “Did you forget to bring the snacks?” she asked, glancing up at Elania.

“They’re somewhere,” Elania said.

Yolani continued her search, her hand emerging with a package of dried meat. “I can only find this,” she said, holding it up.

Elania nodded. “That is the snacks.”

Yolani stared at her, a look of disbelief on her face. “What about the sweet rolls?”

Elania raised an eyebrow. “We didn’t stop at the bakery.”

Yolani peered at her intently, her green eyes narrowing. “You’re telling me you didn’t get the sweet rolls?”

Elania suppressed a smile. “Do you want me to fly back to the city to get the darned sweet rolls?”

Yolani pouted, her lower lip jutting out. “Dried meat then,” she conceded.

“I’m sorry,” Elania said, her tone laced with amusement.

Yolani looked away, feigning offense. “This is a grave betrayal,” she declared.

Unable to hold back any longer, Elania broke into a grin. “Relax,” she said, reaching for another bag and plopping it between them. “Of course I didn’t forget the sweet rolls.”

Yolani’s eyes widened with excitement as she eagerly opened the bag and pulled out a sweet roll. “Yessss!” she exclaimed, holding the treat aloft like a prized possession.

Elania laughed, the sound carried by the gentle breeze as they settled into their picnic. Hopefully, no one started shooting arrows at them. She would hate to take an arrow to the knee.

They chatted idly, their conversation punctuated by the occasional laughter and the rustling of the grass as Shadow played in the field. High above, cirrus clouds wafted through the blue sky, their wispy tendrils stretching across the expanse.

After a while, Yolani stood up, brushing off her pants. Elania looked up at her and raised an eyebrow. “What’s up?” she asked, tilting her head.

Yolani’s gaze drifted towards the nearby forest. “I want to take a walk,” she said, gesturing towards the trees.

Elania nodded, pushing herself up from the blanket. “I’ll come with you.”

Yolani shook her head, a gentle smile on her lips. “You don’t have to. I just want to look at the trees and things.”

Elania grinned, struggling to suppress a laugh. “Of course, trees are nice,” she agreed, her tone playful.

Yolani pouted at her, her lower lip jutting out. “I never got a good look at them last time. They didn’t exist in Neftasu, and wood was super rare.”

Elania’s expression softened, and she reached out to take Yolani’s hand in her own. “That’s all true. So, let’s go look at trees.”

As they headed towards the forest, a sudden rustling in the bushes caught their attention. Shadow burst out, a small critter clenched between his jaws.

Yolani made an unhappy noise. “Eww.”

Elania squinted at the creature, trying to make sense of its appearance.

It seemed to be some type of mix of squirrel and possum, its features blending together. Shadow tossed the critter above his head, its broken carcass landing in his mouth before he swallowed it whole.

Yolani eyed Shadow warily, her nose wrinkling in disgust. “You aren’t licking either of us for a long while,” she declared, pointing a finger.

Shadow merely stared back at them, his tongue darting out to lick his bloody paw, seemingly unconcerned by Yolani’s admonishment.

Elania muttered under her breath, a hint of amusement in her voice. “Sometimes I forget he’s a darkwalker because he acts so much like a lazy house cat.”

As they continued into the trees, Shadow darted ahead, clearing a path for them and startling a flurry of birds and small critters.

Elania cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted after him, “Don’t eat too many, or you’ll get fat!”

Shadow leaped onto a vine-covered rock and turned to face them, his expression indignant, as if the mere suggestion of him getting fat was an affront. Yolani giggled at the sight. They headed deeper.

As they walked, Elania took in the towering trees that surrounded them, their ancient trunks stretching skyward. “This reminds me of a really old-growth forest,” she mused, running her hand along the rough bark of a nearby tree. “Trees that haven’t been harvested or chopped down in hundreds of years.”

Yolani tilted her head. “Why would that make them special? Aren’t there a lot of trees like this on Earth?” she asked.

Elania sighed, a hint of sadness in her voice. “Most of the forests on Earth have been chopped for resources. Enough that old-growth forests and the like aren’t super common like they used to be.”

Yolani frowned, her brows furrowing. “Earth must be smaller than I thought.”

Elania smiled, shaking her head. “No, it’s big. It’s just that there are a LOT of people on it. Billions of people.”

Yolani fell silent for a moment, her expression pensive. “That’s a hard number to try to envision,” she admitted.

Elania nodded in agreement as they approached a particularly thick tree. Yolani attempted to wrap her arms around its girth, but her fingers couldn’t quite meet. Elania tried as well, but she couldn’t fully encircle the massive trunk either.

Yolani gazed up at the tree, a hint of wonder in her eyes. “This tree would have fetched thousands of gold coins in Neftasu after it was cut, lumbered, polished, and stained,” she said, her voice tinged with a mix of awe and sadness.

Elania nodded. “Some things are worth more in other places simply due to their scarcity.”

As they continued through the underbrush, following a path that seemed clearer than the rest, a large four-legged creature suddenly burst out of a nearby bush and bolted away from them. Shadow immediately leaped after it, his instincts taking over.

“Shadow, no!” Elania shouted, her voice stern.

Shadow skidded to a stop, glaring back at her with a disgruntled expression.

Elania shook her head. “You don’t need to kill it. You’re not starving, and I don’t want to deal with a carcass during our picnic.”

Shadow let out a low growl, his displeasure evident.

Yolani reached into her bag and pulled out a piece of dried meat. She tossed it towards him, and he deftly caught it with his jaws.

“Don’t be mad,” Yolani said, her voice soothing. “We’re playing, not hunting.”

Shadow plopped down on the forest floor and began chewing on the jerky, his frustration seemingly appeased by the tasty treat.

Elania smiled as the three of them continued through the trees, the lush foliage surrounding them in a vibrant embrace. She reached out and took Yolani’s hand in her own, giving it a gentle squeeze. The warmth of Yolani’s skin against hers sent a pleasant tingle through her body.

“I wish it could be like this every day,” Elania said, her voice wistful as she gazed at the tranquil beauty of the forest.

Yolani nodded, a thoughtful expression on her face. “Maybe if we can protect Contia, it could be.”

Elania laughed, the sound carrying through the trees. “Maybe a weekly thing,” she suggested, her tone turning more serious. “There’s a lot of work to do, and we’ll be needed even without the war.”

Yolani frowned, her brows knitting together. “Let’s forget about that, remember?” she said, her voice gentle but firm. “At least until this afternoon.”

Elania’s own frown mirrored Yolani’s, and she nodded in agreement. They continued walking, the soft crunch of leaves beneath their feet the only sound accompanying their footsteps.

As they ventured further into the forest, Elania’s gaze fell upon a dead, dry tree, its branches bare and lifeless. An idea sparked, and she turned to Yolani with a smile. “Do you want to have a campfire?”

Yolani blinked, confusion etched on her face. “Why? It’s already hot,” she pointed out, wiping a bead of sweat from her brow.

Elania grinned. “Just for fun.”

Yolani’s frown deepened, and she shook her head. “That doesn’t sound fun,” she countered. “It’s already hot, and I spend half my time working over a furnace already.”

Elania grunted. “Maybe when it’s cooler out, we can cook hotdogs or whatever the Contia equivalent is.”

Yolani eyed her, a mischievous glint in her gaze. “If there was a lake, we could take a swim.”

Elania pouted, her lower lip jutting out as she considered Yolani’s suggestion. “Lake Astum is off-limits,” she said, shaking her head. “We’d be too obvious, and there aren’t many other good places.”

Yolani’s brows furrowed, and she tilted her head. “What about the river?” she asked.

Elania wrinkled her nose. “The river is dirty,” she explained, “and that only leaves ponds that aren’t... appealing to swim in.”

Yolani’s eyes lit up, and a smile tugged at the corners of her lips. “The beach sounds like it would be nice,” she said, her voice wistful.

Elania felt a little thrill at the thought, her mind conjuring up images of Yolani in a bathing suit, the sun glinting off her skin. She nodded, a grin spreading across her face. “I wish we were closer,” she admitted, “but it’s on the top of my list.”

Yolani’s expression turned thoughtful, and she looked away, her gaze drifting towards the trees. “I’m not really sure what to expect,” she confessed. “Neftasu’s abyssal lakes weren’t really visible.”

Elania blinked, realization dawning on her. She reached out and took Yolani’s hand in her own, giving it a gentle squeeze. “All the water in Lake Astum has nothing on the ocean.”

Yolani’s eyes widened, and she shook her head in disbelief. “Lake Astum is already more water than I can imagine,” she said, “and I’ve seen it several times already!”

Elania smiled. “It would be nice to travel around and explore the world together.”

Yolani returned her smile, nodding in agreement. “That would be amazing.”

Shadow let out a meow, drawing their attention.

The darkwalker sat at their feet, his tail twitching impatiently.

Elania and Yolani laughed, realizing they had forgotten him for a moment.

“You’re so needy, it’s silly,” Elania said.

They crouched down, their hands reaching out to rub his ears, eliciting a contented series of purrs.

*

Elania studied the strategic map of Tiria, Joria, Monevoia, and Contia. Her brow furrowed in concentration.

Arlois moved several wooden pieces shaped like ships to Contia’s western border, the pieces making a soft clack against the map’s surface. “This is the best information we have based on our detection range,” she said.

Yolani leaned in, scrutinizing the map. “The amount of ships isn’t enough to threaten Contia,” she observed.

Arlois nodded in agreement. “They can’t expect such a small fleet to invade,” she said, her eyes narrowing.

Arlois turned her gaze to Ember, who shrugged, a hint of frustration in her expression. “We can only detect so far,” Ember explained. “If we want better information, we’ll need to move the detector closer to them.”

Elania felt the weight of everyone’s gaze as it slipped to her. She looked between them, realization dawning on her. “Oh, I see,” she said, a wry smile tugging at her lips. She was always the one going on missions, wasn’t she?

“How hard will it be to carry the detector?” Elania asked.

Yolani spoke first. “I made a simple device that can record and play back the data on the recorder,” she said, “but it requires special work to make it function, as well as a more bulky receiver.”

“Carrying it isn’t the problem,” Ember said. “It’s the fact that the detector is an arcane working, not a device.”

Elania frowned, confusion etched on her face. “Why is that a problem? I’ll just take Yolani?” she asked.

Arlois shook her head. “Really, as a Demi-Divine, you need to work on these abilities,” she said, her tone almost chiding.

Elania bristled slightly. “I’m not going to be learning how to ‘arcane’ anytime soon,” she said, her voice defensive. “I don’t even understand most of the artifice other than the basic principles.”

Yolani reached out and patted Elania’s shoulder. “It’s fine. I’m happy to go with her. We can—”

Ember cut her off. “No,” she said, her eyes fixed on Yolani. “You’re too important and needed in the city. There’s a chance there will be fighting, and you could get hurt.”

Elania frowned, her gaze shifting to Ember. “You’re not going, so who am I supposed to carry, then?” she asked, her tone slightly exasperated.

Yolani bit her lip and then offered an apologetic smile. “The Contia mages overseeing the Detection device are nice,” she said, her voice gentle.

Elania groaned. She had lost the argument.

“It is settled. Elania will carry a Theotechnican to the border and look for more enemy activity,” Arlois ordered.

Elania’s brow furrowed. “Do they have something for carrying people in flight?” she asked. “I don’t want to hug them the entire time.”

Arlois snorted, a hint of amusement in her voice. “What were you going to do if Yolani went with you?”

A grin spread across Elania’s face. “I could hug Yolani all day long.”

“Probably all night too,” Ember chimed in.

A blush crept onto Yolani’s cheeks.

Arlois let out a warning noise, her expression serious. “We need to focus,” she said, her voice stern.

Ember nodded. “There’s a harness and basket for carrying people I designed and have buried somewhere,” she said.

Arlois gave a curt nod. “Bring it out,” she instructed. “I’ll fetch the mage and brief him.”

Yolani turned to Elania. “We should go to the workshop,” she said. “I have a few things for helping you during long-duration flights.”

Elania blinked, surprise clear on her face. “I had no idea you were working on something like that.”

Arlois looked between the two of them with a frown. “Don’t waste time. Be at the wharf in an hour.”

It was a short flight back to the estate.

Elania and Yolani hurried, their footsteps echoing on the polished floors. They passed by a startled Darius without a word.

Shadow saw them and bumped against their legs as they passed through the hallway, eager for attention.

“Sorry, Shadow,” Yolani said, her voice apologetic. “You’re not allowed in the workshop.” She gently locked the door, leaving him pawing and mewling on the other side.

“He’s spoiled rotten,” Elania mumbled.

Yolani nodded and pointed to the corner. An array of leather bags and accessories lay neatly arranged in a few different piles. She turned to face Elania, her expression serious.

“Your current accessories aren’t optimal for flight,” Yolani explained, gesturing to Elania’s gear. “The single flight bag is bulky, and your harness doesn’t allow easy access when you’re in the air, especially during acrobatic maneuvers.”

Elania nodded in agreement. “Yeah, it flops around when I move in different directions.”

“Take it off,” Yolani instructed, helping Elania with the straps. The old harness found its place on a nearby chair as Yolani slipped a new one over Elania’s head, adorned with numerous straps.

Elania grunted. “I’ll look like some kind of bondage freak in this.”

Yolani frowned in confusion. “What’s that?”

“Nevermind,” Elania said quickly. “I’m not ready to explain it yet.”

Yolani gave her a look and then continued fastening the straps. Once finished, Elania reached down to tug at her flight bag. No matter which direction she pulled, the bag remained in place.

She stretched, bent, and flexed, testing the new gear’s flexibility. It was hardly noticeable she was wearing it.

“How did you manage this?” Elania asked.

“The bands are made of runed leather,” Yolani explained. A smile appeared. “It enhances their elasticity.”

Elania blinked, tugging on a strap. “Wait, this is leather?” she asked, running her fingers over the smooth, stretchy material. “It feels weird as heck for leather.”

Yolani tilted her head, puzzled by Elania’s reaction. “Yes, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Elania said, shaking her head. “It’s just weird.”

A playful smile tugged at Yolani’s lips. “You’re the one who’s weird,” she teased.

Elania grinned, her eyes sparkling with affection. “Weird for you,” she countered.

Yolani’s expression sobered. “We shouldn’t waste time, Arlois said to hurry,” she said. “Let’s get you outfitted quickly.”

Together, they worked to equip the new gear, their movements efficient. As they finished, Yolani’s brow furrowed, a realization striking her.

“I forgot to make a harness for your sword,” she said, her tone apologetic.

Elania blinked. “What sword?” she asked, her mind searching for the weapon in question.

Elania’s eyes widened as realization struck her. She had taken Eziel off to put on her gear and had laid him against the wall. Amid the preparations, she had completely forgotten about him until Yolani mentioned it.

She reached down and grabbed Eziel, frowning as she demanded, “What did you do to me?”

Yolani blinked. “Oh, it’s Eziel,” she said, her voice filled with recognition.

They both stared at the Eziel.

Elania knew he had been using mind magic to hide himself from the Towers, but this was the first time she realized it had been working on her and Yolani as well.

She had talked to him extensively during her time in Hels, but since returning to Contia, she hadn’t given him a single thought.

“Answer us,” Elania demanded, her voice firm.

[I have been keeping a low profile. The more you interact with me, the harder it becomes to remain hidden.]

Elania’s brow furrowed, a hint of anger in her expression. “I don’t appreciate having my mind or Yolani’s messed with,” she spat.

[I did nothing to you directly. My working simply makes the world forget about me. It’s not specific to you or Yolani. Now that you have fully bound your Regalia, it will affect you more than before.]

Yolani’s gaze shifted to Elania. “There’s no harness for him.”

Elania shrugged, a nonchalant expression on her face. “He never needed one before.”

Yolani frowned, confusion evident in her eyes. “He just sticks to your back? I thought there was a holder hook or something.”

A laugh escaped Elania’s lips. “He just floats most of the time,” she explained, “like some lazy video game devs forgot to do a scabbard and make sure the models lined up.”

Yolani tilted her head, her brow furrowed in confusion. “What’s a video game?” she asked. “And what’s a ‘dev’?”

Elania smiled. “I’ll explain RTS and RPGs to you later,” she promised.

“Okay,” Yolani hummed.

They finished the outfitting, ensuring everything was secure and easily accessible.

On the way out, they took a moment to pet Shadow. With a last wave, Elania spread her wings and took to the sky, Yolani clinging tightly to her.

As they soared through the air, Elania checked her pack, marveling at how much easier it was to manage compared to her previous setup.

Her accessories were within easy reach, including a brace of the Mushroohum healing potions.

She noticed tiny holes in the inside of her leather bracer, a clever design that would allow her to form her Regalia without damaging her outfit.

And all that while clinging to Yolani. It was going to be even easier when she was solo.

Seizing the opportunity, Elania practiced morphing her bracer and revolver while holding Yolani with one arm.

To her delight, the process worked smoothly, her divine power flowing effortlessly. A moment later, Yolani’s voice cut through the wind, shouting that she didn’t like being held with just one hand.

Elania squeezed her reassuringly and returned to holding her with both arms, ensuring a secure embrace. “You should create a two-person flight harness or a belt to hold us together! That way we can both use our hands!” she shouted.

Yolani’s eyes widened. “Oh my gods, you are a genius!” She fumbled with her notepad, trying to scribble down the concept despite the rushing wind.

“I thought you wanted a secure hug! What if I let go?” Elania rolled her eyes. “You could wait until we land!” she called out over the gusts.

“You would never!” Yolani’s attention shifted, and she pointed ahead, shouting, “There they are!”

Elania followed her gaze and spotted Arlois, Ember, and a few men standing near a large basket-like device, reminiscent of something a hot-air balloon would carry. She mumbled under her breath, “Great, I’m an eagle delivery service now,” as she angled her wings to land nearby.

They touched down near the waiting group, the wind from Elania’s wings stirring up a brief gust. Ember stepped forward, gesturing to a man standing beside her. “Elania, Yolani, this is David Sun,” she said, her voice carrying over the wharf’s ambient noise. “He’s the theotechnician who will be accompanying you on the mission.”

David bowed his head respectfully, his short yellow hair catching the sunlight. Yolani pulled out the detection device, holding it up for him to see. “Will you be able to handle this?” she asked.

A confident smile spread across David’s face. “Absolutely,” he assured them. “I’ve already studied the design and worked with Ember, so I’m well-versed in how to utilize the device.”

Yolani nodded, satisfied with his response. She walked off with David, engaging him in a discussion about the device’s intricacies.

Elania turned her attention to Arlois, who stood with her arms crossed, a pensive expression on her face. “I suspect the Lightbringers are up to something with their constant patrols along the border,” Arlois said, her voice low and serious. “Establishing a base of operations, or something else.”

Elania frowned, her brow furrowing. “Wouldn’t that mean war with Joria, or that Joria is an enemy?”

Arlois shook her head. “The Prince likely has no desire to start or join a war,” she explained. “He’s probably just letting them do as they wish over the vast wilderness.”

“The fastest way to lose sovereignty of land is to fail to express control over it,” Elania pointed out.

Arlois let out a laugh. “They’re probably just happy to not be conquered right now.”

Elania considered the possibility. “Maybe they would be allies, then.”

Arlois’s expression sobered. “Maybe,” she conceded, “but they don’t have a Celestial Engine, and they have a small population without a proper standing army.”

“How do they stay independent, then?” Elania asked.

“The current prince is a weaker Demi-Divine, descended from a westerner,” Arlois explained. “Since Joria is small, so is his power, but he has a passable water-based Domain. That’s why most of the population and city live near the coast.”

Ember approached, carrying flight basket. The prospect of carrying it made Elania inwardly groan, but she kept her composure. Ember presented her with a harness designed to fit around her wings and back.

“This is silly,” Elania remarked, eyeing the contraption skeptically.

Arlois reassured her, “It will be fine. The basket—and David—won’t weigh much.”

Elania rolled her eyes. “That’s not what I was worried about,” she muttered under her breath.

Ember hooked the center of the harness. “Avoid acrobatics and especially wrapping the cord around your body—if you don’t want to kill the passenger and destroy the harness.”

Elania nodded, although with a tether of only six or eight feet, she couldn’t imagine how she could wrap it that badly. Ember instructed her to do a loop around the city to get accustomed to the setup, assuring her they would have the detector figured out by then.

With a nod, Elania took off, waving to Yolani and the others as she departed.

She soared through the sky, doing a loop around Contia. The sunny day tried its best to burn away the clouds clinging to the bottoms of the islands, but they persisted stubbornly.

As Elania flew over the Neftasu district, she noticed people stopping their activities to wave at her.

She wondered how they knew it was her and not one of the Towers, but then realized her wing color probably gave it away.

She waved back, unsure if anyone could see her gesture from the ground.

Completing the loop, Elania returned to the others.

She hovered, cutting her horizontal motion first before slowly lowering the basket until it touched the ground. She then landed herself.

“Easy enough,” Elania muttered.

Yolani approached, stating, “Things are ready.”

Elania nodded and turned to David. “Are you ready?” she asked.

David affirmed with a nod. “I am ready.”

Elania glanced at Arlois, Ember, Yolani, and David, a determined look in her eyes. “Let’s do it then,” she said, turning to David. “Hop in.”

A few minutes later, Elania sat on the wharf cross-legged, her wings folded and feeling annoyed.

Of course, it was not that simple.

Once David got in the basket, he had to measure the basket’s interference.

Then Elania’s interference.

Then the fucking temperature and air-density interference.

Elania felt miffed and wanted to explain how ‘things are ready’ was defined, as everyone, including Yolani, had no sense of ‘let’s go!’

Finally, David stepped into the basket.

Ember said, “All good.”

Yolani came over and patted Elania’s shoulder. “It’s time to go.”

Elania stood up, swallowing her frustration, and gave Yolani a hug. Yolani gave her a quick peck on the lips.

Elania flared her wings and grinned. “That’s at least enough fuel to get there and back,” she teased.

Yolani giggled, her eyes sparkling.

David coughed. “We should fly at a relatively sedate pace so I can adjust the sensors. They haven’t been calibrated or tested while moving at high speed.”

Elania rolled her eyes. She took off, lifting the basket into the air.

They headed west, the noonday sun beating down on them.

At first, Elania took it easy, then slowly sped up until the basket started to tilt behind her. She checked on David, who was holding onto the straps, looking mortified.

Elania laughed and sped up, her wings creating little whorls of turbulence behind them.

Her HUD reported when they had been moving for almost an hour before she slowed down. Eventually reaching a sedate pace, she shouted, “Are you ready, David?”

David croaked out a weakened, “Yes, keep going at this speed so I can do some tests.”

Elania scoffed, “Why couldn’t you do the tests before?”

David shot back, “Because I’m detecting a lot more things that are supposed to be out there!”

Elania’s stomach dropped.

*

Elania watched as Arlois paced back and forth, the woman’s brow furrowed. Ember tapped her fingers on her knee in a rolling pattern of agitation.

A servant entered the room, delivering a tray of drinks and snacks on the small table sitting between the group.

Yolani sat beside Elania, the other girl’s presence a warmth in the chilly, tense atmosphere.

The clip of the scouting mission played on the ceiling in a loop, the images casting an eerie glow over the room.

Elysia broke the stillness, her voice calm and measured. “There is nothing we can do for the moment, but at least we have a better idea of how many enemies we will be facing.”

Lyra shook her head. “We should strike first, while they are still preparing.”

Arlois grunted and stopped pacing, turning to face the group. “If we struck into Monevoian territory, it would cause even more problems than it would solve.”

Yolani leaned in, fiddling with the detection device. She zoomed in and out, refining the blobs that represented moving airships. A steady stream of them entered a large red glare located just on the border of Joria and Contia, while inside Monevoia.

Elania frowned. “It’s pretty clear they are happy to help the Lightbringers.”

Ember shook her head. “We can’t be certain Monevoia is giving more than logistical aid to the Tirians.”

Arlois sighed. “We’re going to need more ammunition and more weapons.”

Ember nodded. “We can keep production up enough to handle a siege.”

Arlois shook her head and gestured to the map of fuzzy lights. “There won’t be a siege. They will be making a frontal assault—all in and all at once.”

Elania grunted, her mind racing with the implications. “That would match the Lightbringer strategy used in Neftasu.”

She paused, her brow furrowing. “I’m surprised that they can muster another army, considering they lost something like fifty to a hundred thousand men in the underground.”

“They used a lot of infantry in Neftasu, but not that many Paladins or artifice weapons,” Arlois replied.

Elania frowned, a sense of anxiety settling in her gut as she considered the implication that the Lightbringers might have a lot more powerful units this time rather than fodder.

Although…

Hadn’t she gotten stronger as well? If their strongest soldiers were the Paladins… she didn’t think they would be a challenge.

She glanced at Yolani, who met her gaze with a concerned expression.

Ember nodded. “We’ll need more mana shards quickly if we are to rush production, and that means more of the crystalline metal.”

Arlois turned to Elania, her voice firm. “We will need a more efficient method of collecting the metal.”

Yolani’s brow furrowed. “The crystalline metal is dangerous, considering what it can do and how it spreads.”

Arlois nodded but pressed on. “We’ll need to use the Gold or Heart to help the collection efforts.”

Elania’s stomach churned at the thought. “The last time, it caused a massive wave of Arcane creatures to attack.”

Arlois nodded again. “At least the faster or wider ranging ones you’ve already dealt with. It should be less intense this time.”

Elania leaned back and sighed. “You must know of more sites of the stuff?”

“They are kept recorded and pruned every so many decades to keep them from spreading everywhere,” Arlois confirmed.

Yolani bit her lip. “Why not destroy them if they are so dangerous?”

“Destroying them isn’t easy and requires a massive amount of effort. It leaves the area devastated for generations. It’s easier to prune them,” Ember explained.

Elania frowned, a chill running down her spine. “What happens if something happens to the Towers and they don’t get pruned?”

Arlois’ voice was grave. “Another Demi-Divine would have to take up the effort, or the entire region would turn into a wasteland.”

Elania shivered, shaking her head in disbelief. “That’s—”

Arlois interrupted her. “It is much the same across the face of Eladu, where out-of-control death is held back by the powers of the few or the Celestial Engines themselves.”

Elania watched as Yolani leaned forward, her gaze fixed on the Towers.

“What does Contia’s Celestial Engine do?” Yolani asked.

A heavy silence descended upon the room as the Towers exchanged glances with each other.

Finally, Arlois parted her lips, ready to respond. “The Engine—”

Elysia cut her off abruptly. “It is not permitted to divulge that information to outsiders.”

Arlois stared at Elysia, her brow furrowed. “Do you really think that Elania and Yolani are outsiders still?”

Elysia frowned and averted her gaze. “They aren’t officially part of the city and are technically refugees.” She turned to Arlois, her voice challenging. “What is the point of the law if we don’t follow it?”

Arlois crossed her arms, her stance firm. “All four of us are here now, so we should vote on whether or not to consider Elania a Tower.”

Lyra hissed, her eyes narrowing. “We can’t just make Elania a Tower, not after the ordeal I went through to become one.”

Ember raised her hand, her voice calm and measured. “Why not just vote to recognize Elania and her refugees as allies? Then it will be relevant to tell them for their joint defense.”

Lyra glared at Ember but remained silent, offering no objection.

Arlois chuckled, then called for a vote. Each Tower voted in turn, their responses positive, even Lyra’s. Arlois smiled and settled into her seat, her gaze meeting Elania and Yolani’s.

“Not all Engines have equal responsibilities, and much knowledge on how they work is lost,” Arlois explained.

Elania frowned. “Does that mean you have no idea?”

Arlois shook her head. “Contia’s Engine is chiefly responsible for the wind.”

Yolani blinked, her eyes widening. “The wind?”

Elania’s brow furrowed as she considered the implications. “So, it controls the weather?”

Arlois shook her head again. “No—it specifically monitors and adjusts the wind so the prevailing winds run in a steady rhythm across the continent, the entire world.”

Yolani tilted her head. “Doesn’t that pretty much control the weather, then?”

Elania looked at Yolani and shook her head. “There are a lot of factors that go into climate and the weather, such as the strength of the sun, the tilt of the planet, and even the pull of the moon.”

Elysia turned to Elania, her eyebrows raised. “I’m surprised you have such a scholarly knowledge of climate.”

Yolani frowned. “Wind definitely plays a part, too, though?”

Elania nodded, her gaze shifting to Arlois. “I think that normally the prevailing winds would be created as an effect of all those things.”

Arlois shrugged, her expression neutral. “I’m not a scientist, but I have records of the weather of the before times.”

A moment of silence hung in the air.

“And?” Elania prompted.

Arlois sighed. “Without the Engine’s regulation, the wind would devolve into circular tempests that sweep yearly storms across the surface that would scour the world clean.”

Elania blinked. “Just like that? If Contia falls and the engine is destroyed, the world ends?”

Arlois shook her head. “No, it’s likely the other remaining engines would compensate and adjust, but they would likely be worse at it than Contia’s specialized Engine. There would be bad weather for hundreds or thousands of years until things settled down, or another Engine was specialized in the role.”

Yolani leaned forward. “So other engines can change their specialization?”

Ember nodded. “Some Engines are more generalist than others, which has advantages and disadvantages for their holders.”

Arlois added, “We’re lucky Monevoia’s Engine is hyper-specialized and does not help the Sun Emperor as much as a tool for conquest.”

Elania frowned, staring at Arlois. “What does it do?”

Arlois met her gaze, her expression serious. “It controls the intensity of the sun.”

Elania blinked again. “He could cause the sun to stop and kill everyone on the planet?”

Lyra scoffed, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “Yes, he could if he didn’t mind killing all his followers as well—the sun affects the entire world.”

Elania’s frown deepened. “What if he just turned the sun off when it was over someone he didn’t like or made it even stronger?”

Arlois let out a puff of breath. “Luckily, we are near the same longitude as Monevoia.”

A knock at the door to the room proceeded a Silver entering the room, interrupting their discussion. Arlois frowned, her voice sharp with annoyance. “I thought I made it clear that we were not to be disturbed.”

The soldier saluted, his posture stiff. “Apologies, ma’am, but a Monevoian cutter has docked in the city.”

Arlois’ frown deepened. “So what?”

The soldier held out a rolled parchment. “There was a messenger on board, and they presented this on behalf of Tiria.”

The group exchanged glances, a sense of unease settling over the room.

Arlois took the message and dismissed the soldier.

She turned to Elania and the others, carefully unfurling the parchment.

After a moment of reading, she read the message aloud, her voice clear and steady. “The Kingdom of Tiria, unable to stand the unjust and evil acts of Neftasu and Contia, their wild provocations, and evil hold on the holy artifacts that protect our world for their own nefarious uses, declares that a state of war exists between our two nations.”

Elania frowned, her voice tinged with sarcasm. “It would have been nice if they had sent one of those before coming down the Neftasu elevator.”

Yolani folded her arms together. “They probably would have, if you hadn’t blown up their plans and they had to move half-ready.”

Elania nodded.

“Does this change anything?” Ember asked.

Arlois and Elysia spoke simultaneously, their voices clashing. “No,” Arlois said, while Elysia said, “Yes.” They looked at each other, their frowns deepening.

Lyra scoffed, her voice dripping with disdain. “The two of you are so predictable it’s ridiculous.”

Ember stood, her voice firm. “We know what we need to get done.” She turned to Elania and Yolani. “How are you going to collect the metallic crystal?”

Elania hesitated, unsure of the answer. “I don’t know? How should we do it?”

Ember rolled her eyes, her tone exasperated. “I’m too busy, and so are the others. It’s time you graduate to figuring things out yourselves. It can’t be that hard, can it?”

*

Elania gritted her teeth as a gust of wind blasted her from below, hurling a spray of sharp metal shards against her [Demonic Aura] barrier.

The shards shattered, sending a shower of sparks back toward the giant Arcane [Quillbeast].

She leveled her Regalia Revolver at the creature and pulled the trigger, but instead of the expected blast, there was only a dull clunk. Nothing happened.

“Yolani!” Elania shouted, frustration evident in her voice. “This is why we should fucking test things!”

Yolani dipped down, flying alongside Elania with the Silvers’ style flight pack flaring on her back. “Ice is reversed polarity!”

Elania grunted, wondering what the hell that even meant.

She sucked out the [Power] she had dumped into the weapon and hurled the energy as a makeshift bomb toward the monster.

A purple field formed in the air before the creature, the energy digging into its spherical shield and splashing the entire area with lashing gold lightning.

Nearby, a loud boom signaled the firing of artillery from the Heart.

Another Arcane creature charging at them in the distance exploded in a massive fireball, flattening and hurling trees in every direction.

Elania couldn’t help but think that the forest was utterly fucked as another wave of quills impacted her barrier.

Yolani slipped out of Elania’s wing shadow and raised a wand.

A volley of blue spears flickered into existence. She shouted something indecipherable, and the projectiles flashed forward toward the [Quillbeast].

They shattered against its barrier, but spider cracks began to form, and the last projectile punched through, impaling the massive monster.

It shrieked loudly and fired back, but Elania flashed forward and flung a barrage of her own golden light feathers at it overwhelming the incoming barrage and slashing the creature to pieces with its barrier down.

“Focus!” Yolani shouted at her.

Elania cursed under her breath. “You should have made it more intuitive,” she retorted.

“Reversing polarity should be easy!” Yolani countered.

Elania blinked as another creature exploded out of the ground, resembling a giant groundhog.

What the fuck was wrong with this world?

She reflexively aimed her Regalia Revolver at it. The weapon clicked again. She drained the [Power] back out in frustration.

Flipping the weapon on the side and looking where she imagined the safety should have been was a switch. Safety wasn’t a real concept yet, so she figured maybe that was it.

The second she flipped it, she could feel the ‘polarity’ change. It felt like the mana shard behind the chamber did a backflip.

She pumped her power into the weapon again and pulled the trigger. A deadly blue line formed like a laser pointer, and then kickback rattled her arm as she braced, her wings flaring with energy to keep her steady.

There was no sense of travel time for the projectile; the Arcane creature simply exploded into a giant icicle that shattered instantly, sending a hurricane of ice shards away from her to impale the forest and flatten it for four or five hundred meters.

“What the fuck? This is ridiculous, and it can shoot six of these?” Elania shouted.

“Five! You already fired one!” Yolani shouted back.

Elania cursed again as they looked around. A lull formed. No arcane beasts…

“My pack is half drained!” Yolani shouted.

“Go back to the ship,” Elania told her.

Yolani nodded and headed back.

Elania surveyed the devastated area, with still-burning wildfires and flattened trees, as if a dozen different natural disasters had hit at once.

And they pretty much had.

Dead creatures littered the ground everywhere.

Elania glanced up at the Gold and Heart.

Their weapons had worked well in the fight, too.

Her Regalia had taken some work to figure out how the different elemental ammos functioned, but the results were far superior to her just hurling random energy blobs at things.

When nothing else seemed eager to try to munch on them, Elania started to survey their spoils.

Absorbing all the Arcane beasts would grant her more [Power] and skills, but the ratio of [Power] to [Divine Power] was unfavorable.

The ships couldn’t possibly haul all of them, though.

Leaving them to rot seemed like a waste, so they would need to confer and decide which ones to keep.

Perhaps sending the Gold back with their chosen corpses while she and the Heart moved on to the next site would be most efficient.

She lowered herself toward the deposit. This time, she had a special harvesting tool Yolani made. It was much more effective at chopping the nodes off than using—

Elania noticed Eziel on her back and cursed. “You could have helped during the fight, you know,” she grumbled.

[You did fine without me. It wasn’t necessary.]

“I got grabbed by a tentacle! How was it not necessary?” Elania hissed.

[You handled it well. The appendage never made contact with your skin thanks to your barrier.]

Elania suppressed the desire to strangle the Arch Seraph’s hilt, but couldn’t stop the low growl from forming.

[Your darkwalker is showing.]

Rolling her eyes, Elania picked up the hopper of crystalline metal by its two straps and pulled it into the air, aiming for the Gold.

As she deposited the package on the deck, sailors threw a tarp over the hopper, which constricted and sealed the metal inside for safety and to prevent the men from being exposed to it.

Elania waved to the flight master before heading back to the Heart to discuss their next steps with Yolani and Harlock.

After a brief discussion, they decided that Elania’s idea was sound and the best option.

The Gold would transport one of the more impressive specimens along with the crystal metal back to Contia, while Elania would absorb the rest. The Heart would then proceed to the next crystal site to harvest, and the Gold would return to collect the resources.

The following two days passed similarly as they worked their way through the remaining sites.

Elania absorbed most the creatures, feeling her [Power] and skills grow with each one. The ships’ crews worked tirelessly to ferry the valuable crystal metal, ensuring a substantial haul for Contia.

As they completed the fifth and final site, both ships turned their course back towards the city. When Contia’s silhouette appeared on the horizon, Elania turned to Yolani with a grin. “Want to fly back together instead of waiting on the ship?”

Yolani nodded, a smile playing on her lips. “Sure, we can test the flight harness I made.”

Elania blinked, surprise clear on her face. “Wait, when did you make a flight harness?”

Raising an eyebrow, Yolani gave her a pointed look. “Did you think I was idle the entire time on the ship?”

Heat crept up Elania’s neck as she realized that’s exactly what she had been doing herself. “Ah, right? Go get it then!”

Yolani laughed and unhooked a large clasp from her leather belt, then attached it to a strap encircling Elania’s waist. “There, that should do it.”

“That’s it?” Elania questioned, eyeing the simple setup.

“I didn’t have that much free time,” Yolani admitted. “It should slide around my waist as needed for rotation, but otherwise, I’ll mostly be dangling.”

Elania frowned, concern etched on her features. “I’m afraid the clasp might snap or the tether could break. Shouldn’t there be more straps?”

Yolani shook her head. “The strap is strong enough as long as our outfits don’t get cut to pieces. Multiple straps without a careful design would just get tangled, so this is the best for now.”

Nodding, Elania pulled Yolani into a hug, excitement bubbling within her. “Alright, let’s go!”

Without hesitation, she leaped into the air, eliciting a startled “Eep!” from Yolani as they soared towards Contia.

They touched down gracefully in front of their estate, their faces flushed with exhilaration from the flight. As they approached the entrance, Darius greeted them with a bow, a message clutched in his hand.

“My Lady, a missive arrived for you while you were away,” he said, offering the sealed parchment to Elania.

She took the message, breaking the seal and unfolding the paper. Yolani peered over her shoulder. “What is it?” she asked.

“It’s a summons,” Elania replied, her brow furrowing. “It arrived two days ago. We’re required to attend a Council meeting tomorrow.”

Yolani’s eyes widened. “What’s it about?”

Elania shook her head. “It doesn’t say, but it appears to be a general summons for a variety of people.” She handed the message to Yolani, who scanned its contents.

“It must be a big announcement,” Yolani mused, her expression thoughtful.

Elania nodded, then shrugged. “It’s a worry for tomorrow, though.” She turned to Darius. “Please have a nice dinner prepared for us. We’ll eat in an hour or two after a bath and cleaning up.”

Darius inclined his head. “Of course, My Lady.”

The evening passed pleasantly, and the following morning found Elania feeling energized. Yolani helped her don her gear before attending to her own. Together, they made their way to the city council building.

A heavy Silver presence guarded the entrance, allowing only those with invitations to approach and enter. One of the Silvers took their summons and escorted them inside.

The council chamber was already partially filled, and Elania realized they were nearly late. They quickly found their seats, and moments later, the Four Towers entered and took their places.

Arlois ordered the building sealed, then surveyed the assembled crowd.

“As you are all aware, Tiria has declared war on Contia,” she announced, her voice ringing with authority. “Each person in this chamber plays a crucial role in managing Contia’s efforts. Let it now be known that the Council has declared war on Tiria and the Lightbringers.”

A hush fell over the room as Arlois continued. “The enemy has mustered their entire fleet and pushed into Joria and has begun to test our own borders. Our response will be swift and decisive. Their fleet is currently airborne and vulnerable. Contia itself will sally forth immediately to crush this threat.”

Elania blinked, sharing a surprised look with Yolani.

Silence reigned in the chamber until Ember stood. “If it wasn’t clear,” she said, her voice carrying, “the entire city will be going into battle itself.”

Arlois nodded. “The Council will now take questions.”

As if a dam had burst, the chamber erupted into chaos, voices rising in a clamor of confusion and concern.

*

Elania stood at the prow of the Heart as the ship pushed through the sky.

The entire Contia airship fleet stretched out in a long line to her right. She glanced back, confirming the Gold trailed behind the Heart, with Yolani commanding from its deck.

To the left, the flying city of Contia itself cut through the air, slowing its pace to match the slowest airships. The fact that the city could move faster than either the Heart or Gold was ridiculous.

It had taken half a day to secure loose debris and prepare for the journey.

Even an hour into the flight, small bits of the city trailed off into the air as the wind pressed against it. The least maintained buildings sloughed off like dead skin shed by a creature. Elania frowned, hoping no one had been inside, though she feared it was likely.

Her receiver crackled with a weak message from Arlois, announcing the enemy’s presence ahead and warning that communications would soon be impossible.

All commanders were instructed to use their discretion. Elania grunted, thinking that despite Contia’s love for bureaucracy and laws, its military was essentially a gaggle of captains, each acting independently, alongside three of their four Demi-Divines blasting away. Well, plus herself, now.

To be fair, Arlois had mentioned it had been over a century since the city last went to battle.

They had far more time to detail the intricacies of inter-Demi-Divine relations than to establish proper military formations. Elania hoped the enemy was similarly disorganized, as her experience in Neftasu suggested might be the case.

It still made her nervous that their strategy essentially boiled down to a dumb ‘Select All’ and ‘Attack Move.’

The morning sun hung behind them as the air fleet pressed forward.

Elania squinted, finally spotting the first enemy warships on the horizon, their silhouettes moving perpendicular to their own formation.

A crewman’s shout carried across the Heart, announcing that the other airships had raised the enemy sighted signal. In response, the fleet surged ahead of Contia, engines roaring to life as they pushed the ships into military power. They couldn’t maintain that pace forever, but it would hopefully be enough to close the distance.

The Heart lagged for a moment, it’s smaller artifice engine taking longer to charge up. But they slowly began to pick up speed, and then they started to zoom.

The wind whipped through Elania’s hair as she watched the unfolding movements. They caught up and then surpassed the other ships, angling upwards rather than straight forward.

Elania bit her lip. She knew it would be her turn to act soon enough, but for now, she let the crew and Harlock handle the ship’s maneuvers.

As the Heart gained altitude, Elania noted the other lighter airships, those with two or even a single balloon, rising alongside them.

Their task was to chase down any fleeing enemy vessels. The enemy fleet seemed oblivious to their approach. A smile tugged at the corners of Elania’s mouth as she realized that coming in from the sun with the dawn had helped maintain their element of surprise.

It was only when the Contian ships were nearly upon them that the enemy vessels began to turn away, desperately trying to group up in a defensive formation.

But it was much too late.

The larger Contian airships opened fire with their newly installed long-range artillery, the sound of the cannons reverberating through the air.

Large puffs of red smoke filled the sky where the timed fuses detonated the shells just in front of the enemy ships.

Arcane fields flared up, a shimmering barrier that the enemy crews likely expected to protect them.

But Elania could imagine the chaos erupting on their decks as small fires and sparks rained down upon them, the black powder shells spewing their deadly shrapnel across ships and crews alike, bypassing the magical defenses they had relied upon.

A call went out that drew Elania’s gaze to the north. The rest of the Lightbringer fleet was on the way.

They’d be far too late to assist the detached patrol.

Instead of trying to flee to their allies, the enemy group turned and charged toward the Contia airships.

Elania glanced at the Gold, then leaped off the Heart’s prow, unfurling her wings. As the two airships flashed by, she waved to Yolani before folding her wings and diving toward the enemy vessels.

A massive laser erupted from Contia, slicing two battered enemy airships in half, creating colossal detonations.

Elania aimed for the enemy ship at the center of their wedge with a dive, pulling up at the last second with a flare of her wings to level her Regalia at them.

A white blast of kinetic force lanced out of the barrel, punching through the ship from above.

Arcane shields were weak or nonexistent from above and below, and airship combat, from what she knew, meant avoiding allowing enemy ships to get shots from those angles.

That meant little to her, though, and she fired a second shot that pierced the airship’s rear. The strike hit something vital, and a second later, the rear half of the ship exploded in a massive fireball, sending the vessel hurtling toward the ground.

The Lightbringer ships closed the range despite the growing damage.

Elania bit her lip and then flew to the next ship, dodging several blasts of flame darts fired from swivels.

Rolling and then flipping to face the rear of the ship, she fired her Regalia into the ship’s center of mass.

The kinetic force of the elemental bullet ripped a tornado through the ship from stern to bow, carving out the engines.

She flashed forward and then flung her wings in front of her as she flew straight through the balloon, slashing it open. The enemy ship went into an uncontrolled tumble towards the ground.

Elania angled upward to gain altitude, flying backward to survey the battle. The enemy ships traded arcane fire with the Contia ships, but they were heavily outnumbered.

The wind whipped through her hair as she ascended.

Several smaller enemy ships turned to flee, breaking away from the main engagement and heading toward the bulk of the Lightbringer fleet in the north.

Her eyes darted to the Heart and Gold, watching as they surged forward, their engines roaring to life as they pursued the fleeing ships. Elania picked up speed, her wings propelling her through the air as she caught up to the Gold. She grabbed onto a balloon line, steadying herself as she waved to the bridge.

The crew were battened down inside, bracing themselves for the impending dive.

Through a window, Elania spotted Yolani, her eyes wide with a mix of excitement and concern as she waved back. The sheer scale of the airship battle below was both exhilarating and terrifying, with magic and bullets flying in all directions.

Elania turned her attention forward, keeping track of the enemy ships the Heart and Gold were pursuing. As they closed the distance, the Lightbringer vessels opened fire, launching flameshot projectiles that impaled themselves into the arcane barriers at the bow of the Contian ships.

The Heart and Gold leveled off, turning to present their broadsides to the enemy. Crewmen rushed out of hiding, filling the deck as they manned guns and delivered ammunition. Others pulled out rifles, taking aim at the enemy ships and opening fire at a steady rate.

Elania took that as her cue to attack. She let go of the rope, flinging herself forward into the fray, her Regalia at the ready as she prepared to engage the fleeing Lightbringer ships.

Elania flashed forward, her wings spread wide as she willed them into deadly blades.

With a swift slice, she severed the ropes holding the balloon to the first enemy ship.

The vessel lurched sideways, dangling precariously from the remaining ropes on one side. Men spilled into the air, along with equipment and debris, their screams lost in the battle’s chaos.

A barrage of artillery from the Heart slammed into the exposed top of the ship, causing it to detonate in a fiery explosion.

Elania flared her wings, preparing to engage the other ship, but the twin artillery cannons from both the Heart and Gold delivered a devastating four-shot salvo to it. The Lightbringer vessel’s arcane defense fields crumbled under the blow.

Wood and metal shattered as a second salvo from the lighter cannons tore through the unprotected hull, shrapnel digging deep into the ship’s structure before blasting out the other side.

Flames erupted from the rear, leaving the vessel spiraling out of control. Another salvo from the artillery cannons reduced the ship to an expanding cloud of debris, the remnants of the once-formidable vessel scattered across the sky.

Elania let out a puff of breath, surveying the aftermath of the engagement.

She glanced back at the main battle between the Contian warships and the Lightbringers, noting that all the enemy ships had been destroyed or were in the process of crashing.

In contrast, none of the Contian vessels appeared to have suffered heavy damage.

Her attention turned to the north, where the bulk of the enemy fleet awaited.

Elania began to count the Lightbringer warships, her heart sinking with each passing number.

Ten. Twenty. Thirty. Forty. They had successfully eliminated the enemy patrol ships, but the actual fight was only just beginning.

*

Zarek Miroslav brought the telescope to his eye, scanning the horizon.

The signals and flags weren’t visible on the last patrol ship as it crashed and burned, engulfed in flames that licked at the sky.

Outwardly, he remained calm, his expression stoic and unreadable.

Inside, however, he seethed with anger towards the foolish orders forcing him to place a dozen ships in a useless, vulnerable position just so they could provoke the Contians.

Behind him, Bishop Darfek ordered him a second time to hasten the attack and destroy the enemy.

Zarek turned around slowly, his movements deliberate and measured. The two Paladins that served as his handlers had their hands on their swords, ready to enforce the bishop’s command.

The fool had already ordered the entire fleet into a reckless assault. Even if they outnumbered the enemy two to one, it was reckless.

The uncharacteristic low-level clouds that had rolled in with the Contian attack were suspicious, and no self-respecting admiral would attack into the unknown without at least attempting to utilize his scouts.

But here they were, forced into a battle that reeked of ill-conceived strategy and blind fanaticism the Lightbringers loved.

They had seized control of the Kingdom, deposing King Westvane and putting in place their fanatical ideals. The changes had been slow at first, but as they slowly put together a corps of devoted superhuman soldiers, all ability to resist their rule had folded like a wet rag.

Including his own precious admiralty.

Even he’d fallen into obedience as their lapdog when they’d taken his wife and children hostage, one of their favorite tactics.

Zarek finally spoke, his voice calm and measured. “The fleet must maintain cohesion if it is to emerge victorious.”

Darfek scoffed, his eyes narrowing. “You make me question your piety, Admiral. Do you not believe the Gods will bless our fleet with victory?”

“Even the most pious must toil and provide their own efforts if they are to be rewarded for their faith,” Zarek replied, his words carefully chosen.

The paladins relaxed their grips on their swords, mollified by Zarek’s response.

“The fleet is already engaging the enemy,” Zarek continued, turning back toward the horizon. “Battle will be upon us soon enough.” He raised his telescope, focusing on the distant ships as they outran the roiling billow of the clouds behind them.

Their formation was ragged and loose, a sloppy display that made him feel contempt for their admiral.

Through his telescope, he spotted two light airships, one with a Demi-Divine whose wings were spread out. His chest tightened at the sight, but he reminded himself that the Monevoians had upgraded their ships, including the Archelo, his flagship.

They could take down one Demi-Divine, as long as they weren’t as powerful as the Sun Emperor.

That they had at least three or four more hidden somewhere did not inspire confidence.

Zarek waved to one of the crew members and handed him a set of cards with a signal to be raised: “TARGET DEMI-DIVINE IF RANGE ALLOWS.” The man rushed out of the room to inform the signalers.

“What did you just send?” Bishop Darfek demanded.

“I have given the ships their targeting instructions,” Zarek replied, mentally cursing the man as he turned back to watch the approaching fleet through his telescope.

He noticed the cloud again, seemingly following the Contians—a bad sign that was only growing worse. It was obviously artificial. How many more ships were they holding in reserve behind it?

Zarek considered the chances of convincing the Bishop to turn off and allow their scouts to investigate while refusing the engagement, but he thought it more likely he’d lose his head for suggesting such a thing.

So, he remained silent.

As the enemy fleet drew closer, the arcane field generators hummed with power, and faint shimmers of protection filled the air. The gunners secured themselves in their armored positions on deck.

Zarek spotted the flares of enemy artillery fire much too soon, well out of range of his own ships.

He shouted for a sailor and handed him a card that read, “Full Ahead, All speed, Engage Enemy.” The sailor ran out to the signalers to raise the flags.

Zarek turned to the helmsman. “Set the Archelo to the front of the formation at full speed.”

“The flagship should remain safe,” Bishop Darfek objected.

“We will not win the battle without presenting the dreadnought,” Zarek countered, his tone firm.

Darfek’s face twisted with displeasure, but he didn’t argue further. The man wasn’t just an ambitious snake; he was a coward.

As Zarek turned back to the front, an enemy shell exploded just ahead of the ship, sending a spray of shrapnel onto the deck.

The small pieces of metal clinked against the Archelo’s metal-clad deck and balloon, while the gunners remained safe behind metal embrasures. One man, caught in the open, was torn to pieces.

Zarek felt a twinge of consternation. The Contian’s new weapon did little to the Archelo, but it would be devastating to the lighter warships, which the patrol had entirely consisted of.

Those men had no chance, he realized, seething with anger.

He turned to the gunnery officer and ordered, “Begin targeting with the primary cannon.”

The officer picked up a funnel and shouted the commands into it. At the bow of the dreadnought, a large turret began to point at the nearest enemy ship.

Zarek felt a surge of confidence as the primary cannon finally fired, a large purple lance of light flashing out to strike the lead enemy warship dead on.

Through his telescope, he watched the arcane fields become visible, lasting for several seconds before burning away. The laser slashed through the enemy ship’s balloon with ease, venting two of the three and sending the ship spiraling downward.

Mentally, Zarek noted that was one down.

The enemy fleet fired another long-range volley of artillery.

It exploded in front of the Lightbringer fleet like a wave, sending metal pricks through the fleet. Zarek assessed the damage. It was light but pervasive, a death by a thousand cuts approach.

It wouldn’t be enough. His fleet was made of sterner stuff than that.

Zarek looked at the two smaller airships he had noted earlier and realized the Demi-Divine was missing. He turned to the gunnery officer. “Tell the sub-gunners to be on alert.”

The gunnery officer shouted into the funnel, relaying the command.

The primary cannon fired again, this time aiming the laser at one of the smaller airships the Demi-Divine had been on.

Zarek watched through his telescope, his heart pounding as he anticipated the impact.

His breath hitched as the laser stopped halfway to the ship, a radiant display of light in the form of a sphere blocking the beam. The Archelo’s laser dug into the yellow energy but failed to penetrate. A few seconds later, the beam ceased, beginning its recharge cycle.

Zarek pointed to the Demi-Divine, who had blocked the attack. “Sub-gunners, open fire at maximum range!” he commanded, his voice booming across the bridge. The gunnery officer quickly relayed the order.

The Archelo’s small turrets pivoted toward the Demi-Divine and unleashed a barrage of nightmarish purple bolts, dozens of them streaking through the air.

Zarek watched as the anti-Divinity rounds hurtled towards their target, his hope swelling as the Demi-Divine made no attempt to dodge. The purple energy exploded all around the golden-feathered woman, encasing the area in a cloud of purple-black smoke.

Every other ship in the fleet followed the Archelo’s lead, their weapons firing in unison. The Demi-Divine began to fly away, but it was much too late. Zarek couldn’t believe his eyes—they had struck down one of Contia’s powerful leaders.

He trained his telescope on the falling figure, his heart pounding in his chest. One of her wings was missing, and the other had a massive hole. If Contia’s leaders fell that easily, they’d win the war.

That thought didn’t bring him the satisfaction he expected.

Zarek lowered his telescope, his mind racing with the implications.

The Demi-Divine’s fall could shift the balance of power in their favor, but at what cost?

He glanced at Bishop Darfek, who wore a triumphant smirk, and felt a twinge of unease.

The Lightbringers’ fanaticism had driven them to this point, but Zarek couldn’t shake the feeling that their victory would come at a heavy price.

Bishop Darfek stepped forward, demanding to know if the heretic was dead.

He opened his mouth to confirm, but the words died on his lips as he realized the Demi-Divine’s wings were reforming—she was healing.

Fear pricked him for the first time in the battle as her freefall slowed and then reversed, aiming directly for the Archelo.

“Sub-gunners, fire again!” Zarek shouted, his voice cracking with urgency.

Anti-Divinity rounds filled the air once more, purple smoke billowing around the Demi-Divine. She moved with impossible speed, zigging and zagging in lengths longer than the shells could fill with their anti-Divinity clouds.

Before she reached them, the Archelo’s main cannon fired again, slashing through another Contian warship.

On both sides, airships entered close range and opened fire with their main batteries, the volume of fire much higher on the Lightbringer side.

Fire, lightning, and yellow and purple energy splashed and filled the air as the attacks flared on arcane fields and defenses.

Zarek paid it no mind, his attention focused solely on the approaching Demi-Divine attacker.

He saw the moment she leveled a hand at the Archelo, a lance of white light flaring out and striking the ship’s arcane field. The entire ship shook, and Zarek grabbed a handhold to steady himself.

Then it shook again—and again.

Realization dawned on him as he noticed she was firing multiple times, the sound of the arcane field generators reaching a high-pitched hum as they stressed under the onslaught.

A flicker wrapped around the ship, and then a lance of white light punched through its middle. Metal screeched, and Zarek’s heart sank as he realized the lance of energy had torn a hole through the Archelo despite its metal-clad hull.

He bellowed at the crew to get the field generators back online, his voice cutting through the chaos erupting on the bridge as damage control orders went out and officers organized the response.

The anti-divinity guns opened fire again, filling the air with a barrage of purple bolts, but the Demi-Divine was much too close. She flew under the ship and then came back around, landing on the deck with a resounding thud.

Zarek tensed as he looked at her, his hand instinctively reaching for his sword.

Everyone on the ship’s deck turned to face the intruder, their eyes wide with a mixture of fear and awe.

Two Paladins rushed out to attack, their blue-hued blades gleaming in the sunlight, but the Demi-Divine flexed her wings and sliced them in half with a single, swift motion.

Zarek turned toward Bishop Darfek, who had gone white as a sheet. “You should probably have your Paladins deal with the boarding,” Zarek said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Darfek screeched at him, his face contorted with rage.

The Paladins pushed out of the control room, their armor clanking as they moved to confront the Demi-Divine.

Zarek looked at a crewman, a young man who seemed terrified by the unfolding events. “Signal ‘Boarding Action’!” Zarek yelled, his voice cutting through the din of battle.

The young man nodded and ran off to carry out the order.

Zarek turned back to his telescope, scanning the battlefield for another target. He pointed to another Contia warship, one of their largest, and ordered the gunnery officer to target it with the main cannon.

Zarek watched as the weapon yawed and elevated, preparing to fire.

Just as it was about to unleash its attack, the enemy Demi-Divine reached the turret and grabbed it with her wings. With a sickening screech of metal, she ripped the cannon from its mount and tossed it over the side.

Flames shot upward out of the turret hole, painting the sky with an orange glow.

Zarek felt ice in his spine as he realized the severity of the situation.

He turned to the helmsmen, his voice steady despite the fear gripping his heart. “Set a collision course for the nearest enemy warship,” he ordered, knowing that there was only one option left.

Zarek watched as the deck ran awash with blood, the crimson liquid pooling around the fallen bodies of a dozen paladins who had attacked the Demi-Divine with no success.

They had died without even coming closer to her, their lives snuffed out like candles in the wind.

As he witnessed the carnage, Zarek couldn’t help but wish that King Westvane had warriors capable of such a feat before he was deposed by the Archbishop.

A blast of light from the Demi-Divine exploded one of the Archelo’s balloons, the sound of the rupture echoing across the deck.

Still, the ship maintained its course, the powerful engines and the remaining three balloons enough to compensate for the loss.

Zarek tore his gaze away from the destruction on his own ship and looked to the rest of the fleet.

To his relief, he saw they were getting the better of the enemy.

The Contia warships were aflame, their hulls blackened and smoldering.

The Tiria ships, on the other hand, were well within close range, their superior numbers and formation allowing them to pick on the enemy in two and three-on-one engagements.

They had won the battle, but lost the flagship. That was a loss in itself, but one he could live with.

Zarek turned to a nearby crewman. “Raise the ‘ANTI-DIVINITY, ME, FIRE’ flags,” he ordered. The young man’s eyes widened in terror at the meaning.

Bishop Darfek, who had been cowering nearby, suddenly found his voice. He screamed at Zarek, his face contorted with rage. “You can’t order our own ships to fire on us!”

Zarek’s patience had reached its limit.

Without hesitation, he pulled out his single shot ceremonial weapon and aimed it at Darfek. The bishop’s eyes widened in shock, but before he could utter another word, Zarek pulled the trigger.

The shot rang out, and Darfek crumpled to the ground, a gaping hole in his forehead.

Zarek looked at the shocked crew, his face grim. “Send the signal,” he ordered, his voice steady.

The crewman hesitated for a moment, his eyes wide with disbelief, but he quickly snapped to attention and rushed to carry out the command.

On the deck, the Demi-Divine continued her rampage, ripping off chunks of the ship with each devastating attack.

The remaining paladins fell one by one, their bodies littering the blood-soaked deck. Zarek watched as she stripped half the hull of its turrets, leaving the Archelo vulnerable and exposed.

His heart pounded in his chest as the Demi-Divine raised her golden pistol towards the bridge.

Zarek braced himself for the impact, but before she could fire, a wave of purple shells washed over the ship.

The anti-divinity rounds punched through the now non-existent arcane fields, bathing the Demi-Divine and Archelo in their destructive energy.

Zarek felt a surge of satisfaction as he watched the woman as she was washed off the side like another piece of debris along with half the strewn corpses.

It was a minor victory, but one he would take in the face of their dire situation.

“Admiral, we’ve lost lift,” the helmsman reported, his voice strained. “We’re falling.”

Zarek nodded, unsurprised by the news. He had known the Archelo wouldn’t last much longer. “Give the order to abandon ship,” he commanded. “All hands to the parachutes.”

As the crew scrambled to evacuate, Zarek turned his attention to the cloud bank ahead. His frown deepened as it began to clear, revealing a sight that made his blood run cold.

A massive city of floating islands emerged from the dissipating mist, its presence both awe-inspiring and terrifying.

Zarek clenched his hands, realizing the true extent of their miscalculation.

A thousand cannons opened fire on the Lightbringer fleet, their thunderous roar filling the air. A dozen lasers, each as powerful as the Archelo’s, carved into his fleet, cutting through ships like a hot knife through butter.

They had been utterly defeated—crushed.

The only solace he could find was the thought that they would no longer have to fight for the self-righteous bastards who had led them to the slaughter.

A blinding yellow laser cut through the Archelo, its searing heat the last thing Zarek felt before everything went dark.