by Feng Yue
In the reverberation of the bells, countless trees that had been growing for many years were destroyed out of nowhere. Heavy rocks fell apart and shattered into tiny pieces. A massive amount of earth and stone were shaken off from the islands as they shook.
Roads cracked and disappeared.
Buildings collapsed and fell apart.
Ports shook and sank into the sea.
In the end, a terrifying glow shone from each of the islands. The leylines buried in the deep sea were activated. Countless torrents of aether gushed towards the islands and were greedily swallowed by the awakening monsters, leaving no drop behind.
A huge amount of soil and rocks fell into the sea, causing a large area of seawater to turn murky. Dust and ashes rose into the sky and were blown away by the hurricane, revealing the actual chaotic situation.
Of the 24 islands, ten had disappeared. In their place were ten scorching hot, sun-like glows! The alchemy arrays which had been slumbering in the depths of the island for centuries had been awakened. They absorbed the vast torrents of aether that took all of Anglo’s resources to supply, playing passionate movements, and morphed into their actual forms.
They were warships! Each island was a warship giving off terrifying aether waves!
They were unlike products of the modern era but resembled antiques kept in the museum. They even had sails of old versions, and the weapons they carried were just arms like ballistae and harpoon cannons that had long been eliminated. But at the moment, everyone in Avalon couldn’t help but cheer and scream in excitement.
They themselves were the history of Anglo, the past of Anglo, the embodiment of great achievements in history, the indelible glory of this country!
Boom! The ocean was turbulent, as if the entire of it had completely solidified. All the seawater was no longer under the control of the demons. It was no longer flowing, frozen completely by invisible forces.
On the flagship of the fleet, Servin, who had already made up his mind to sacrifice himself, jumped up and ran to the porthole. Dumbfounded, he stared at the silhouette of the warships that seemed to function as pillars to stabilize the sea.
He couldn’t believe his eyes.
“This is impossible!” He murmured softly, “Crown, Revenge, Determination, Magnificence, Ruler, Reaper, Piercer, Arbitrator, Punisher… These are…”
“Servin, it’s not your time to sacrifice yet,” a voice coming from Avalon sounded in the flagship. “Anglo still needs you to continue fighting.”
“Marquis Lancelot, is this the sealed First Royal Fleet?” Servin stared at their outlines and danced ecstatically. “Every one of them is a legendary warship. The legends are actually true? I knew it! I knew it! The legendary fleet King Arthur commanded to conquer the seven seas really exists!”
The First Royal Navy Fleet, the fleet of glory that has left its mark in history! The undefeatable legend under King Arthur!
Each ship is a legendary warship far beyond anyone’s imagination. They recaptured the ocean from Leviathan and opened up new territories for Anglo. They are great existences that have once dominated the ocean!
All along, everyone has thought that their existence is just a myth passed down from the dark ages, but never entertained the possibility that they actually exist!
Witnessing a legend becoming reality, the ecstatic Servin couldn’t help but dance. “God bless Anglo! Bless! Marquis Lancelot, are we going to counterattack?”
From the other end of the communication channel came a long silence. After a long time, Lancelot replied hoarsely, “No, Servin, we are going to retreat.”
Selvin was stunned.
Outside the porthole, the outlines of the sun-like warships began to sway slightly, as if they were slowly dissipating.
“What’s going on?” Servin turned back and asked. “It’s the perfect opportunity, sir! As long as we attack, we will be able to reap unprecedented victory! Why retreat?!” He forgot himself and asked aggressively, “Why?!”
“I’m sorry, Servin, legends are only legends after all.” Lancelot sighed. “The First Royal Fleet is a sealed relic belonging to Stein Chamber Number Zero.
“Its flagship, the Intrepid, and the ship reserved for the Queen’s royal progress, the Royal Pride, are all part of the Holy Grail of Destruction and form part of Anglo’s final line of defense.
“To dispatch them, one must first obtain all three approvals from the Empress, the Keeper of the Seal and the sword bearer, before commanding them with the state seal and the stone sword.
“My hasty activation of it is already an overstepping of my authority. Not even half of the Royal Fleet responded to the order. They will not obey my command as well, and only serve the purpose of deterring the enemy. “
Violent coughs sounded, and Lancelot’s voice grew hoarser. “Retreat, Servin, don’t let my efforts go to waste. We must conserve our forces, as we couldn’t afford to make any more sacrifices.”
Servin bit his lip in silence, staring at the phantoms on the sea with infatuation. After a long time, he threw the crushed heather pipe in his hand onto the ground, and it was as if all his strength had faded away.
“Retreat,” he ordered in a low voice, not wanting to look at the battle at sea.
“I have already expropriated all the ships in the harbor, reinforcements will be with you shortly.” Lancelot’s voice sounded from the communication channel, “Later, don’t come back. Meet up with the fleet at the port of Dunkirk and depart straightaway.”
“Those at Dunkirk?” Selvin was stunned and felt a chill going up his body. “Depart? Where to? Marquis Lancelot, surely you are not preparing to…”
“Abandon Avalon,” Lancelot voiced out what he had been suspecting, yet feared most in his heart. “Avalon is no longer able to withstand the attacks of the catastrophe, we must move the capital to Birmingham.”
“Are you crazy?! Lancelot!!!” Servin roared and his face turned red with anger. “Do you f*cking know what you are saying?! For centuries since Anglo was founded, we never experienced such humiliation! Avalon is the city of glory our ancestors have sacrificed for, are you going to hand it over to the catastrophe?! You will be hanged on the Arch of the Traitors! You most certainly will!”
“Then so be it.” Lancelot’s voice was calm. “Servin, someone must take on such a responsibility. I have been mentally prepared for it since a long time ago. Rest assured, I will stay here and be buried along with the city. But you can’t die meaninglessly here. The country deserves a brighter future.
“Now, I entrust you with the future of our nation, Servin. If you want me to beg you, then yes, I beg you, please go to Birmingham.
“Please reorganize the army there, and endure future suffering and pain along with the country.
“One day, you can definitely return once more.
“I firmly believe it. “
Servin stiffened. “Lancelot, you…”
“Half an hour ago, I have already given the orders to organize an evacuation. Soon, our remaining forces will leave here by boat. I hope that you can escort them safely out of this sea of darkness,” Lancelot interrupted.
“Half an hour? That’s way too short! There are so many people in Avalon, in such a short time, how can there be enough time to finish evacuating them?!” Servin asked.
“We evacuate as many people as we can.” Lancelot’s calm answer was one full of cruelty. “It’s the only thing we can do.”
The communication ended.
Servin slumped on the chair, breathing the hot air from the temperature controlling array, and felt nothing but suffocation. His internal organs and hands were convulsing. He wanted to vomit, but couldn’t. He just raised his eyes and stared at the burning Avalon, motionless.
Just watching it, he couldn’t help but tear up. It was the city where his ancestors had fought, the city of miracles which countless people had praised and sung about.
At the moment, it would be destroyed in his hands.
Do we re
ally…have to do so? Servin thought.
Soon, hasty footsteps sounded outside the bridge. A seaman walked in quickly and whispered in his ear, “Sir, a representative from the Hall family wants to see you.”
“Hall family?” Selvin was momentarily confused, then immediately realized what was happening. He wrinkled his brows and walked out of the door. He spotted the musician who had with him the access order of the military and had risked landing on the deck after passing through the enchantment despite the battle outside.
“I’m here as a representative of the Hall family, Mr. Servin.” The middle-aged man bowed. “The Hall family is willing to provide support in the upcoming evacuation to help you accomplish your mission. We only hope that you can show us a little pity during the transfer.” The musician who represented the top-ranking family in the Avalon aristocracy paused. His voice condensed into a line and sounded in Servin’s ear, “Ten spots, sir, we need ten spots to ensure that our family members can have priority in evacuating from here. We are willing to pay any price for them.”
Servin remained silent.
But then, one after another, aether waves crossed the war-torn sea, despite attacks from the catastrophes, and landed on the deck flusteredly.
“Lord Servin…”
“I’m…”
The musicians approached him, one after another, and surrounded him. Soon, amid the noise, a person squeezed his way into the core. “Sir, I’m the representative of the Field family.”
The soaked old man took out a handwritten letter. “Just now, the head of your family has promised to cooperate with us in the upcoming evacuation and to unite our families via marriage. Please make sure that we have enough spots in the evacuation. Before our families are done with their meeting, please do not agree to any other conditions rashly.”
Servin took the letter from him in silence, opened it forcefully, and saw the familiar handwriting. “You require two boats?”
“Yes.” The old man leaned closer and whispered in his ear, “More than ten families will be paying for it. It must be different from the commoners who are stuffed in the bilge as ballast. We require clean cabins, dignified treatment, and protection of top priority. We may bring some luggage with us, but those are filled with the national treasures of Anglo that do not deserve to perish along with the city. We guarantee that you will have a good position in the government in exile. “
“Get lost…” Selvin squeezed out a few words.
The old musician was stunned and couldn’t believe his ears. “What did you just say?”
Silence.
Servin said nothing and closed his eyes weakly. Soon, he gave a smile of self-mockery. “No, I said nothing.” He said, “I will cooperate with you.”
A deep sense of powerlessness shrouded him. He turned back and looked out of the porthole, at the city that was about to fall, in the hands of the ocean.
It’s like a ship that is about to sink into the sea.
The remaining ships may be unable to escape a similar end, sooner or later.
A great retreat?
It’s just an attempt to prolong death.
Lancelot, why don’t you understand?
Why don’t you understand!!!
He withdrew his gaze and shook hands with the old musician with a smile, but for some reason, tears streamed down his face.
They wouldn’t stop.
The rest of his time consisted of nodding and handshaking numbly. After handing over the command of the ship to the first officer, he returned to the captain’s cabin and sat in his chair, looking at the sea chart of Anglo on the wall.
An iced bucket of fine wine was on the table; a gift from some family during the crisis.
“30-year-old Fontainebleau, how nice.” He stared at the swaying light in the glass and smiled. Then, he took a capsule out of his pocket and threw it into the glass. With a hissing sound, the capsule disappeared.
The taste of the wine was still amazing, but it had one more thing in it named dignity.
In the lengthy silence, he held the glass up, took a final look at the burning city outside the window, and gave a smile of farewell.
“Long live Anglo,” he murmured softly, tilted his head upwards and finished his drink. The cold wine slid down his throat, containing a lethal poison, extinguishing the pain and sadness in his organs, and his expression became peaceful. He spread his arms, like a flying bird, ready to embrace death.
In the silence, he saw an illusion-like reflection from the window. Someone, maybe the god of death, walked out of the darkness and rested his hands gently on Servin’s shoulders. The stranger’s silver hair was like moonlight.
“Am I…dying?” he murmured softly.
“It’s still early, Servin.” The young man kept his eyes low, as if he was conveying a message from God. “It’s not over yet.”
“Is that so?” Servin whispered softly. Maybe it was intoxication from alcohol or the effect of the medicine that made his vision darken slowly. “How much longer? I have already grown tired of such war that only brings pain…”
“Soon, very soon.” The man behind him gave a gentle push, and the chair slowly slid towards the window, making him look at what seemed like a war in hell.
“I brought something back.” The man said, “Consider it as a gift to the city.”
“Gift?” Servin laughed. “Where?”
In the reflection of the window, the silver-haired young man tilted his head and lit the pipe at the corner of his mouth. He inhaled deeply, and the flame on the tobacco flickered. The phantom-like smoke rose and blurred his face.
He said, “It is right in front of you.”
[The sixth mode is activated.]
[Petitioner No. 1 has finished aiming.]
[Code: A gift to the pains of the world.]
[Fire.]
The next moment, in the depths of the fog, the slumbering monster opened its eyes, murderous intention in its gaze.
A blazing light tore apart the darkness, noise, distance, and everything.
It engulfed everything.
A sudden silence descended.
The whole world seemed to have been thrown into the bottommost of the abyss. The outlines of the ocean and the sky could no longer be distinguished, and even the fire and storm could no longer be seen.
It was light.
A light that penetrated everything.
The light came from afar.
The ocean shook, the demons hissed, the heavens and the earth roared, but all sound was lost, as if the sounds had been blocked out by the light.
The light that destroyed everything was emitted from the mouth of the monster. It penetrated thousands of miles of rain and waves, tearing apart the towering iron-gray tides. It chiseled a precise crack in the bowl imprisoning Avalon, advancing forward.
Forward, forward, forward! It ignited the fog, pierced through the wind, evaporated the sea, crossed the distance, stung countless stunned eyes mistakes and descended on the battlefield. It engulfed the ancient tide summoner drumming and singing in the center of the tides.
Dead silence.
The short moment of silence felt so long.
The next moment, a fierce scream of pain resounded between the heavens and the earth.
It was the ocean crying in pain.
It was the whine of sorrow of the dying old Murloc.
It was the roars of the ten thousand tons of seawater that had lost all forms of support and fell from the sky, returning to the sea. As the seawater that had risen fell again, the vacuum collided with waves of air, producing bangs similar to steel scraping against steel.
The iron drum had already evaporated in the light of destruction.
The huge humpback whale turned into stiff charcoal in an instant.
The tide summoner lost its tides, and its entire hunched body shrunk significantly, like frost evaporating quickly when exposed to the scorching sun.
[Observation is complete. Shelling has been effective.]
>
[Transition from the sixth mode to the seventh mode is complete.]
[Petitioner No. 1 overheating; cooling process started; Petitioner No. 2 warmed up; Transfer of alchemy array complete; Warm-up of Petitioner No. 3 started]
[Aiming is complete.]
[Fire.]
In the next moment, a terrifyingly bright light burst forth from the behemoth that roared past from afar once more. It was a roar of ecstasy and anticipation, containing murderous intention that was reignited after many years of slumber.
It was the ecstatic cry of the old men.
“Yes! That’s right! That’s how it should be!” Facing the ocean that was stirring up huge waves as if it was enraged, mad laughter sounded from the deck, and the madmen dancing in ecstasy roared at the sea. “Look, our souls are here!”
“Right here!”
A flaming holy emblem slowly rose above the bow and ignited the iron-gray sky.
It was like a sun.
After many years, the emblem of the Religious Court of Inquiry made its mark once again on the battlefield that it hadn’t set foot on for a long time!
Come fight us, for we are back, it declared.
Continue, our war that would never end till the day we die!
War!
The blazing light of destruction descended from the sky as if it would never end. The deciding piece had been placed on the chessboard of war by an outsider. The monsters who made their way here from afar had finally embarked on the battle belonging to them!
On board the Sovereign, Servin was finally jolted awake from his drowsy state, confirming that everything that had just happened was not just a dream, nor an illusion.
After jerking awake from his drowsiness, Servin turned back in shock and looked at the young man. He was smoking a pipe and kept his eyes down. His silver hair reflected the fire outside the porthole and shimmered as if it was burning.
“Who on earth are you?!” Servin asked.
“Me?” The silver-haired young man laughed and opened his left hand. In his palm was the poison capsule that should have dissolved in the wine a good while ago.
“Nice to meet you, Mr. Servin.” The young man shrouded in smoke raised his head, like a monster in the mist revealing its true form.