Empire Burning (Emerilia Book 11)

by Michael Chatfield

The fleet weathered this battering, trusting in their shields.

  The drones of the Jukal applied even more thrust as they rushed in close, readying the missiles they held and unleashing countless light attacks against the barriers.

  “Execute!” Frank yelled.

  “Broadside facing!” Navigation barked. All of the ships in the combined fleet flared new runes and runic lines as thrust nodes were activated. Blue flames illuminated hulls as the ships turned ninety degrees to reveal their broadsides.

  Lines appeared between the vessels; they interconnected with one another, centering on the BloodHawk that was out in front of the fleet, creating a massive spell formation made of magical circles and runes that rotated around the lines as they became all the more physical.

  The various spell formations finished forming. A massive spell formation covered them all and then shrunk down. Powerful ripples emanated from it in coruscating waves.

  “Fire!” Frank barked.

  Deep in BloodHawk, a Nalheim holding a spear struck his spear to the side. With a roar, he twirled the spear and stabbed it forward. Nothing happened in the room, but from the magical circle, ripples and distortions shot from the spell formation. This was the terrifying Nalheim disrupting attack; however, it had been superimposed upon the massive human fleet and fueled with the power of fourteen ships.

  The ripples were like a tsunami and everything in its path was destroyed; missiles, laser attacks, rounds, drones—all were caught up in the blast.

  “First salvo!” Frank yelled, flicking a switch. From dozens of missile tubes, missiles blasted out, one after another.

  Artillery cannons bellowed as the dwarves manning them watched the cannons fire again and again. They had already locked in their targets long ago.

  Around the artillery cannons, familiar spell formations looking like solid panels of light appeared. These were similar to the panels that appeared around Deia when she used her plasma cannon attack and scaled-up versions of the ones that the dwarven artillery cannons on Emerilia had.

  The runic lines along the cannons glowed with a powerful light. The panels and the lines worked together to fire the rounds containing grand working spells at alarming speeds.

  The disrupting attack had weakened with clearing out everything in front of the fleet.

  It hit the Jukal fleet, rocking their shields.

  The disrupting attack passed through the gaps in their fleet and continued onward.

  Three-quarters of their drones had been destroyed; two of their six ships had shields that were flickering, showing signs of collapse.

  On the heels of the disruption attack, the missiles rushed forth like banshees. A few of them were destroyed, but most of them made it through under the disrupting attack’s cover.

  The shields flared with brilliance and explosions appeared all around them. However, as this light disappeared, the shields looked much weaker than they had been just moments before.

  These were barrier busters.

  The two ships with flickering shields lost them altogether. The barrier busters hit their hulls with massive kinetic force. Power shot out from the grand working. The power ran through the ships’ systems. There were a lot of back-up systems and coding so the ships didn’t go down. Less protected or just weakly designed sections of the ships started failing, making it harder and harder to manage the massive ships.

  Another Jukal destroyer’s shield failed just as the cannons’ grand working rounds hit.

  Most of these rounds flashed with golden light as the grand working converted its energy into light spells that shot forward, cutting deep into the ship’s hulls.

  “Going AI!” Frank called out as the fleets started to get closer together.

  At the speeds they were traveling, it was impossible to have people try to get accurate hits when they were among the enemy, requiring them to use an AI to simultaneously target and fire on the enemy.

  “Rotating!” Navigation called out. The ships once again flared with maneuvering spells; the ships turned, once again facing sunward.

  “Drones and fighters out!” Communications called. The areas between the ships were rapidly filled with drones and fighters around the Pandoran ships. Spell formations appeared, shooting out at the oncoming Jukal.

  Jukal and human fleets fired their missiles. They shot out of their sides, turning and coming around to meet the enemy. With the missile boats and their larger fleet size, the human fleet had a quantitative as well as a qualitative advantage.

  Explosions rocked in the space between the fleets. A Jukal destroyer couldn’t take the punishment as sections of its hull were destroyed and the disrupting secondary grand working cut out great swaths of ships.

  Fire missiles melted through the ships, igniting the very air held within them, melting through air locks that tried to stop the all-consuming fire spells.

  One of the arks shuddered under the weight of fire. Without waiting, they teleported away, their Mana barrier more illusionary than real as it now watched the rest of the fleet enter into the last stages of the fight.

  The two fleets crossed one another, faster than a normal human mind could understand. However, these were Emerilians manning the ships. Their impressive stats allowed them to still react, albeit slowly.

  Magical formations appeared; multiple mages worked together, creating spells that were powered by the runic lines of the ship.

  In close, the Pandora ships were covered in spell formations. Their cannons bellowed, with Mana discharge covering the ships and missile tubes glowing with runic lines as missile after missile rushed to meet the enemy.

  They showed their teeth and sent the Jukal reeling.

  Magical attacks tore through the defenses, grand working warheads and rounds releasing their stored spell matrixes.

  The Jukal unleashed Light spells and missiles. Their drones and the drones and fighters of the human ships crossed one another, hunting the other down and trying to reach the opposing force’s ships to unleash their attacks upon their hulls and shields.

  That one moment disappeared and the two fleets crossed one another.

  They came out of the other side. A number of the human ships were damaged, a few of them with their Mana barriers down and attempting to recover as the drones and fighters disengaged one another and raced away.

  “Third fleet is coming in,” Communications called out.

  Three of the Jukal ships were floating wrecks. Only the carrier still had shields that were in the process of recovering, though significant damage could be seen on its hull.

  The two other destroyers had hull damage but they were still able to fight.

  Just as they were recovering from the battle, Third Fleet teleported right into their flight path with perfect timing and precision, seamlessly matching their speed and heading with that of the enemy Jukal ships. As soon as they came out of their teleport, spell formations rotated around their ships and missiles tore through the silent void. The cannon batteries glowed as their enhancing spells and runic lines lit up with power.

  The Jukal destroyers were cut down, rocked by several successive hits, opening armor and tearing through the Jukal ships. They continued to fire, the weapon systems not knowing that the ship had already been knocked out of the fight. The carrier fired all it had, but its weapons were mostly to keep missiles and rounds off the drones it had carried. All of its drones were already headed toward the new attackers.

  A Light penetrating grand working tore a hole through the failing shield and one of the carrier’s hangars. A Dark grand working with a decaying curse matrix ignited its power. Decaying power reached out through the hangar; the metal and materials within the hangar rotted and rusted at speeds visible to the eye. It spread through the ship. The area around the hangar fell apart. It cut through the ship, the Jukal unable to stop it.

  Cannon rounds pierced into the hull of the carrier, exploding inside and even creating shades that tore through anything they saw.

  There were
just so many types of spells that the Jukal had no time to try to think of a way to defeat them; then a massive fusion spell exploded off the side of the carrier. Combined with the decay that tore through the ship, the carrier shuddered as it split into two. Debris flew through the void as the Pandora fleet passed through the remaining Jukal fleet.

  Their cannons were relentless. The Jukal ships continued to fight back, their computer systems fighting with everything they had left.

  To the Pandora ships, they were nothing more than punching bags. With every hit, more and more of the Jukal ships were torn apart.

  The field of debris around them smashed into the barrier and hit the hulls of the ships that continued onward.

  Their guns went silent as they left behind a broken and destroyed fleet.

  “The overseers and Devastators will be sent out to deal with them. We’re needed in another system,” Captain Xiao said. “Ready teleportation spell for us and the Deq’ual fleet. I want readiness reports from all stations and ships in ten minutes.”

  The Pandora ships moved around the formation as the Deq’ual ships moved into the center.

  Thirty minutes later, a massive spell formation, grounded in the Pandora ships, appeared around the Deq’ual and Pandora Fleet One.

  They disappeared and reappeared in front of the system’s portal.

  Pandora Fleet Three disappeared from their position and followed, leaving behind their two arks as well as two destroyers that were moving toward the Jukal fleet wreckage.

  Frank looked to the details on the next system and started to talk to the other fire controllers in the three combined fleets. They started to build up fire plans to deal with the next Jukal fleet.

  Chapter 6: No Battle Plan Survives Contact with the Enemy

  “How did this happen!” the emperor yelled out. In his fury, he shook his sleeve and fire wrapped around the Jukal aide kneeling off to the side.

  They let out gargling screams as they were burnt alive. The emperor’s eyes flashed with bloodlust, unaffected by the screaming. The aide couldn’t run, metal surging from the floor and holding them steady.

  The other aides shivered but dared not move even as they were close enough to the heat for their damp skin to dry up and their eyes to become itchy.

  The burning aide finally succumbed to the flames, falling on the ground. The metal moved back into the floor as the flames continued to burn, the smell of burning Jukal filling the room.

  The emperor’s concubines, who had seen the darkest sides of the emperor, were hesitant to get close to him, lest they draw his ire.

  The emperor panted, leaning forward in his seat as he stared at the screens that adorned the wall of his chambers.

  The screens showed as human fleets linked together, increasing their numerical superiority, and then crushed the Jukal fleets. They moved system by system. Already half a dozen fleets had been destroyed.

  “Send more of the fleets! Destroy the humans completely! Why have our other ships not reached Emerilia! We’ll destroy the very sun itself! They dare to test me! We’ll make Emerilia another Sol system until there is nothing left!” the emperor said.

  The aides didn’t say anything.

  “Well! Why are the other fleets not there yet?” the emperor demanded, his voice empowered to the point where a concubine in front of him exploded from the pressure and the aides were thrown back. Two of them died from internal injuries.

  With the power he had stored up and his personal AI, he was as close to a god as any other had come. There was no comparison between him and Bob. Even with saving all of that energy aboard the Datskun, the emperor had an empire behind him.

  “Sire, the only remaining fleets we have are around the home world and the fleet heading for Emerilia will get there in a few months,” one of the aides said, lying on their back completely, showing complete submission to the emperor.

  “Not good enough!” the emperor shouted. Spikes rose from the floor, shooting into the Jukal and tearing them apart from the inside.

  Both of the aides would come back on an Altar of Rebirth, but after dying, nearly all who came back would be certifiably insane. None had lasted more than three rebirths before they had cut off themselves from the Altar of Rebirths, wanting to die instead of come back again.

  “Send out our fleets to destroy the humans! I want Emerilia destroyed within the week!” the emperor screamed.

  The aides shivered, knowing that there was no way to get the ships to move that fast. He had watched battles and movies from his thrones. He had no concept of modern battles, nor how they could no longer move fleets easily through their own empire as the humans now controlled their portal network.

  He might be revered as the commander of the Jukal Empire’s military forces, but he had no idea of their capabilities and took them for granted, assured that they would never lose and that no matter what, the Jukal fleets would win.

  He couldn’t come to accept their losses and blamed others, when he himself had continued to pull their money in order to fund more shows and his frivolous pursuits.

  Footsteps could be heard ringing through the room as the emperor’s uncle appeared at the door.

  Some of the fire in the emperor’s eyes died down as he looked to his uncle.

  “Leave,” the emperor said to the others in the room.

  The aides and concubines couldn’t move faster, clearing out the room in moments and sealing the door behind them.

  “Why are they not dead yet, Uncle?” The emperor’s voice filled with complaint as he slumped back into his chair, pouting. Comparing the bloodlust-filled demon from before and the childish look of the emperor now, no one would be able to reconcile the two personalities.

  The emperor’s uncle sighed, long used to this kind of transformation as he relaxed his official and stern standing.

  “These humans are a powerful foe. We will destroy them, but it will take time. They have won this fight, but soon there will be another in Emerilia. There we will destroy them,” the uncle said.

  “So boring! I’ll have all of the admirals and their officers put through the Altar of Rebirth for not destroying the humans already!” The emperor smacked his hand on his throne. The sound reverberated through the hall and objects around the emperor were tossed out as a Mana barrier around the emperor’s uncle flashed into existence, stopping the seemingly simple movement that had the force to kill anyone without a shield.

  “Nephew, the admirals and officers were in the wrong. However, let them pay for it after the battle. I will pass on your feelings and they will show their true abilities,” the emperor’s uncle said, consoling the emperor.

  The emperor snorted. The noise shook the room. “Fine!” The emperor drew out the word, agreeing reluctantly as he slumped in his chair.

  “In the meantime, you can look over our new magical forces,” the emperor’s uncle said. Hidden in his eyes was a pleased look, knowing that he had grasped the emperor’s weakness.

  “How are the new players coming along?” The emperor straightened up, an excited look in his eyes.

  “Why don’t you check them out?” The emperor’s uncle flicked his hand and an interface appeared in mid-air, showing what looked to be a massive battlefield. There were all kinds of creatures and abilities being hurled across it. People were in groups; others by themselves. However, all of them were fighting either with weapons that would be familiar to those on Emerilia, or using magical abilities.

  The fighting was not simple, with entire mountain ranges shooting up from the ground and what looked like seas descending from the sky. Such power would make even the old members of the Emerilian Pantheon look at them in shock.

  The emperor clapped his hands as he watched them, a look of glee on his face.

  “Yes! Thank you, Uncle!” the emperor said, not looking away from the screens.

  He missed the dark gleam in his uncle’s eyes that vanished without a trace, a pleased smile plastered on his face.

  “Anyt
hing for my nephew,” he said, with no ripples showing in his face or actions.

  ***

  Party Zero and the majority of Emerilia could only watch as the Jukal fleets met with the human fleets. The fighting between the two forces was violent and final. It wasn’t all one-sided either.

  It seemed that at one point the Jukal fleets started to go crazy all at once, most of them using any tactics they knew in order to try to destroy the human ships.

  The Jukal fleets that had come out to clear the systems outnumbered the human ships three to one. Losing a ship for the human fleet cut deep. However, although they lost ships, with the portals, teleport pads, and onos, not many people died.

  The Jukal, however, were now in the same position as humanity had been in their first war. They had no way to return to their shipyards in order to repair or re-arm. They were constantly being hit by human ships that were fresh into the fight, with full power and armaments.

  Unlike the human fleets of old, these Jukal fleets relied on AI and drones to make their decisions. A lifetime of political maneuvering had made them slow to make snap decisions. Also, the human fleets were only getting stronger with more and more ships being completed; the Jukal fleets saw new ships every couple of years.

  With magic, anything is possible. Dave watched the different feeds from within the Mirror of Communication command center.

  Lucy cleared her throat. The side conversations from around the table faded as everyone looked to her.

  “Thank you all for coming. I’ll get right into it,” Lucy said without preamble. “So far, we have lost a total of twelve ships. We have wiped out seventeen of the Jukal fleets and the remaining fleets within the contested systems are under attack. We have three fleets re-arming and preparing to move deeper into the Jukal Empire and hit their secondary targets. The other fleets not engaged with the Jukal or re-arming and repairing are in transit or have already reached their secondary targets.

  “Also, we’re seeing that the number of people on the Jukal planets who are now using the resources and different items that we have given them as well as joining in on the Mirror of Communication classes has skyrocketed. It seems that now they see we might be a viable option to oppose the Jukal Empire, more people are doing what they can to make the best of their situation. Now, we’re not expecting them to help us, but it seems that they are more than willing to stay out of our way and be neutral in the conflict. A number of groups that are representative of the planets and systems that our fleets have already been in have already contacted Air and her people.