by Andur
“Then all my men will have to fight with all their effort! All one thousand eight hundred and ninety three of them! Plus my personal guard, that will amount to almost two thousand men. I think this will work out.” He nods while scratching his cheek.
“You know that the whole situation looks like I will win the bet, don't you.” I pat my belly while being surprised at this man. He is a mystery to me.
“Aahh … the bet. No, I hope that you won't win it for a long time. Although it bugs me that I may have to show the world what I am capable of. They will see Sarn with different eyes after their armies are crushed.” He purses his lips and shrugs. “They will mourn that they didn't take Sarn more seriously.”
But my ears peak up at what I heard. “Armies? As in … multiple armies?” I take a drink from my armrest.
Ascathon arches an eyebrow. “Ah, I guess you couldn't know. There are thirty ships from the Nation of Mist on their way too. Ha! In the worst case, I'll have to split my forces. Maybe it will become a little hairy after all.”
*Pfffff*
I can't help it. This surprised me! I spurted everything over myself and my third wife. “Ah … I am so sorry, dear!”
“It's understandable. If you'll excuse me? I will go and clean myself.” She has a dangerous expression while leaving the room. I guess I will get no special time from her tonight. Well, there are still number one and number two!
No! Forget that! That's not important! “THIRTY SHIPS!? They can lay waste to the entire northern coast with that much fire-power! And your city has a harbour! So they have access from the sea! No wait! Why are they attacking too!? Don't you have good relationships with them?”
Ascathon sighs. “Unfortunately I don't know that myself. I just know that they are coming my way. Their reasons and intentions are a mystery to me. But I will prepare for the worst case. Better safe than sorry.”
I nod slowly while looking at this strange fellow. “Well, If you are so sure of yourself, I will lean back and watch how this situation will evolve. You may go now. I am sure there is much for you to do.” … and I have to clean myself. That will become an ordeal.
Ascathon smiles and bows. Then he leaves the room with happy steps, actually skipping a little. That guy has some screws loose.
He could be …
“Please bring me a document. I have to dictate something important. And this order has to be secure against forgery. And get that snotty bastard who should be my aide! Where is he hiding again?”
46 - A fleet?
Norfolk, Sarn-Valley
Ascathon
“Strengthen the inside with more clay and bricks. It has to withstand the high temperature. And don't seal the openings to blow air inside by doing so!” Really. Some things you have to do yourself.
“Yes, master. The chimney will be done soon.” Worker 'B' runs off to instruct the others.
I smack my head. “It's NOT a chimney!”
The people on this construction site are killing me. It's really annoying to instruct them on how to build a blast furnace.
“Wow! That's a big chimney! But you forgot the house!”
I recognize the voice behind me and I turn around. “Please, Kane! Not you too! It's a blast furnace! To melt iron! It's not a damn chimney!”
“To melt iron!? That big? What the hell do you want to build? How does it work?” He looks in awe at the twenty metres high furnace.
“Nothing in particular. I simply want to increase my iron production. It will be needed for many things in the future.” I shrug my shoulders. “You can never have enough metal.”
I grab a blueprint and show it to Kane. “See? There is the chamber inside. From the bottom, you blow air upwards to increase the temperature. From the top, you throw iron ore and coal into the furnace. It's a continuous process. These recirculation pipes reuse the hot air which is coming out at the top and lead it back down to preheat the new air. On the bottom, you get some useless slag and raw iron, which can be refined easier by smitheries or other following processes.”
“You fill the whole thing with iron ore and coal? Ah, that's why you needed so much. But won't it be a problem if you shut it down? I mean, there must be much molten stuff inside?” Kane looks curiously at the furnace.
I shake my head. “You don't shut it down. It has to be running continuously, day and night. That's why I needed an ensured supply of coal and iron ore first. If you shut it down, it's easier to destroy the whole thing and build a new one than to clean it out.”
Kane nods. “But I am here to talk to you about that army from Mislow. Shouldn't you be more concerned about them than about this thing?”
I close my eyes. “They will be dealt with when they are in striking range. So in the meantime, I want to invest my time in doing something useful. Like getting this damned thing running.”
Kane snorts. “Is there some kind of problem?”
I shrug my shoulders. “Not really. It's just annoying that I have to watch over every little detail on new construction sites. Simple workers who can read are too rare, so I am setting this up with commoners only. And they keep calling it a chimney, that's what bugs me the most.”
“Well. It's a chimney. It's a hollow tube with an air inlet at the bottom and a fire inside.” Kane folds his arms in front of his chest and smiles at me.
I pull a grimace and look at him like he is dirt.
“~Chimney! Ahahahaha …~”
Sera is laughing from above my head. She has been riding on my shoulders for quite some time now. I had to take her with me since everyone else had no time to take care of her.
“No! Blast furnace!” I sigh and store the blueprint away. “It will take them some time to enhance the walls. Why don't we go and take a look at my fleet?”
“Ah, yes! The fleet. Sure, why not? But I first I wanted to inform you of our great success! We managed to distribute the new artefacts evenly over the whole main continent. There is almost no one who doesn't know about them. And we made a big profit by doing so.” Kane is shining over his whole face.
I nod. “That's good. Unfortunately, the trade will go down now. The other countries besides Norfolk will surely shut down your trading companies.”
Kane shakes his head while still smiling. “That's no problem. I already anticipated that. We are prepared to switch completely to black market trading and smuggling once that happens. Unless they shut down their borders completely, we will still be able to trade.”
“~Black market … smuggling …~” Sera looks down at Kane with new eyes.
“Don't you have a cool uncle!? I will become an underworld boss, just for your father.” Kane hits his chest with a broad smile.
“It's not like you weren't involved in illegal trade before. And don't teach my daughter bad words!” I grumble while walking with Sera riding on my shoulders.
The harbour is a little far away to walk there by foot, but the time passes quickly because of Kane. He has news about what's going on in the world and I listen eagerly to the minor details.
Unfortunately, there is nothing which could hint at the reason for the activities of the Nation of Mist. These elves are too secretive.
It takes us about twenty minutes to get to the harbour. My fleet is stationed in the dry dock at the beach. There are twelve wooden ships with sails. Eleven of them are identical to each other and smaller than the twelfth ship. All ships are mounted on wooden frameworks for the time being.
The whole setting is as lively as a beehive, as many people are working all over the place. Workers are hammering, painting, polishing and accomplishing many other tasks.
The small ships have elegant long and sleek hulls. Strangely enough, some of the sails actually extend to the sides. With their length of about sixty metres, they seem relatively small, compared to the one vessel which is bigger.
The big ship has a length of a hundred and fifty metres, which is more than twice the size of the smaller ships. The hull is bulky and there are big outriggers to
the sides. The ship is clearly not from the same designer. All ships are armed to the teeth.
“What do you think of my little fleet?” I look at Kane, who has a dumbfounded expression.
Then he looks at me. “I am sorry, but I think you are doomed.”
I arch an eyebrow and look at my beautiful ships. It took me three weeks to design them! “What's wrong with them.”
Kane points at the small ships. “They look nice, but the rigging of those sails doesn't work at all! They will hang into the water! And those hatches are under the waterline! I wouldn't want to be on those ships while they are being launched!”
He points to the big ship. “And that big one looks like you stole it from Phenex! Their ships have the same design! It has the same issue with the hatches!”
I shrug my shoulders. “That shouldn't pose a problem, they are intended to fly after all. Who would want to sail a slow sailing ship, if you are are able to float through the skies.” I wave one hand at the clouds above us.
Kane jaw drops while looking at the ships.
I walk closer while trying to avoid the workers, who are swarming around the ships. “And you are right about the big ship. We managed to capture a ship from Phenex and repaired it.”
The workers are still busy with giving my vessels the final touches. Like finalizing the painting and the interior equipment.
As we come closer, I can finally show Kane the long tubes at the bottom of the ships, which are acting as jets. I used a combination of wind and levitation magic on my vessels. When I am done with explaining the idea of forcing air through a metal tube to use it as a jet, I smile at Kane. “I think we should become quite fast if we forgo the decoration.”
“Decoration?” Kane is still looking in awe at the vessels.
“~The sails of course.~”
“~Who needs sails on vessels like these?~”
Sera suddenly joins the conversation and Kane's jaw drops another degree. “Did … did … she …”
I shake my head. “Hahaha, isn't it strange how fast children learn nowadays. You look away for just a second and they can already talk in complete sentences.”
Kane points at Sera on my shoulders. “You … you … realize that they shouldn't be able to talk at that age!?”
I keep my smiling mask. “I was a fast learner too. Actually I am quite happy about her potential. She will become a great genius! Hahahaha. That reminds me, how is your wife doing!? ”
Kane shuts his mouth. “She isn't my wife, yet. But the baby should arrive soon.”
I shake my head. “You can't do that my friend. You have to marry her, I will even do you the honour if you allow it! What do you think?”
Kane expression becomes a little dangerous. “I won't forget who is at fault for this disaster!” His eyes wander to Sera.
“~I just smoothed the way!~”
“What about marrying her to your child if it is boy? She should take a little responsibility after all!”
Suddenly my ear gets grabbed and twisted hard, but I ignore the pain.
47 - Departure.
Norfolk, Sarn-Valley
Ascathon
“NO!”
“Please Celestial! Be reasonable. I want you to stay here and coordinate the defence against Mislow. It's not necessary that both of us go with the air fleet.”
My left eyebrow is starting to twitch in annoyance. Celestial doesn't want me to leave with our ships to intercept the fleet from the Nation of Mist.
She actually stopped me in front of the entrance to my mansion and demanded that I stay here.
“I wont allow that you run off alone to throw yourself into danger!” She shakes her head while standing in front of me.
“Ok! Then you command the air fleet and I stay here with Sera. That's the other possibility.” I turn to walk back inside but Celestial grabs me from behind.
“I don't want you to! It … it will be dangerous! And there is no need for you to be with the fleet. Shouldn't they be fine on their own?” She looks at me with a disturbed expression.
“Hah!? Most of them don't even know how their own ships work. And we have no experienced commanders either! So someone has to be there to ensure that nothing goes fatally wrong. Besides, we have no idea of the other side's intentions! Maybe someone with authority has to be there to negotiate. It's still the Nation of Mist. We can't shoot at them without justification.” I fold my arms in front of my chest. “And someone has to hold the position in Sarn. Your parents might be able to help, but they aren't nobles of Norfolk. On top our enemies timed their arrivals. So if we don't act, they will attack us from the land and the ocean at the same time.”
Celestial looks at me with a doubtful expression. “And you think that you are such a good commander?”
“You are looking at the great demon general Zod! Three hundred years of experience against the forces of light!” I stay a little straighter until I remember whom I am talking to.
“Three hundred years isn't very old for a demon …” Celestial expression becomes sceptical. “How did you die?”
“I crashed my flying command fortress into the angels' capital city and eradicated their forces. When I emerged from the rubble, I died. I don't know what killed me that time. A blinding light came down from the heavens and I reincarnated.” I look down at the ground.
“And you want to command air ships!?” Celestial is screaming now.
“Fine. Then you go.” I turn to the entrance and see that Sera is listening in on us while using the door to keep standing.
“But I have even less an idea of how your ships work!” Celestial holds me back by my clothes.
I turn around again. This game is becoming a little tiring. “Fine. Then I go.”
“YOU! … Do what you want!” Celestial stomps off into the mansion and I see Sera headpalming herself.
“Is it that time of the month?” I look at Sera who drops flat on her belly and moves no more.
She starts to mumble, while lying on the ground. “Keeping them together will be a job for the rest of my life …” Then she looks up. “~Listen idiot-dad.~ You both are individualists and dull like stones! Mom is afraid of losing you, so this should have been the scene where you hug all of us and tell us goodbye and that you love us! AND THAT YOU WILL COME BACK AT ALL COSTS!”
“I never told her that I love her. Why should I start now?” Now that I think about it, we are already married since quite a while and I never told her that I love her.
Sera sits up and holds her head with both hands. “Then why are you married? Why did you have me?”
“Because it was the most convenient way to get a citizenship for everyone. And she blackmailed me a little. And you were some kind of -planned accident- by her.” I click my tongue. “Although it didn't surprise me after screwing her like that.”
Sera has a dead expression now. “I see. I am an accident ... I guess there is still much work to do. First I will have to talk to mom to get the whole picture. Goodbye daddy, beat that fleet fast.” She waves at me and starts to toddle back inside.
I shrug my shoulders and walk to the carriage in front of my property. Hopefully Sera won't meddle too much in her parents' affairs.
She is clearly trying to improve my relationship with Celestial. Although I have to admit that she already managed a big deal, I doubt that I will ever have real feelings of love for Celestial.
My mind blanks out while thinking about the complicated situation in our family. When I return from my daydreaming, I am in front of the dry docks.
Okay. Better to turn back to the important stuff. I decided on intercepting the fleet from the Nation of Mist. The reason is that the fjord may be heavily fortified, but those ships are still able to deal serious damage. I don't want them to play target practice with my watchtowers.
When Phenex attacked us, the watchtowers did a fine job. On the other hand it has to be mentioned that we had to concentrate all our fire power on a single enemy vessel to break their barr
iers.
I investigated the barrier techniques of the captured Phenex ship. The ship's barriers broke, that's a fact. But the barriers broke only because we attacked from all directions at once. Obviously the designers sacrificed adaptivity for strength.
So as long as all our attacks would come from the same direction, we wouldn't be able to scratch the barriers with our railguns. But the barrier management on the Phenex ship tends to pour most of the power into the barrier, which is currently under attack.
A flaw, which wasn't a big deal on sea. The practice of sailing directly into an enemy fleet doesn't seem to be used in naval warfare. Going by that knowledge, it should be similar to the Nation of Mist.
I could hope that they fall into the same trap as the Phenex fleet, but that would mean that I am forced to shoot it out at close ranges with them. Something I am not confident with, because my watchtowers don't have good barrier protection.
Because of that, I want to intercept them at their waiting position. Their fleet actually has already been in striking distance for quite a while. But they were waiting for the army from Mislow to arrive, because they were faster than them.
This gives me a hint on their relationship. They aren't moving independent from each other.
I jump from my carriage and walk towards the waiting ships. The big converted hulk from Phenex will be my command-ship.
If we manage to sink the fleet from the Nation of Mist and turn around immediately, then we should arrive in time to help with repelling the army from Mislow.
It's a good thing that my fleet of fisher-boats are very useful in detecting foreign ships which are coming close to Sarn. There are about six hundred river boats with new engines. I forced their production after the incident with Phenex.
Normally, a fisher boat would have to be sailed or rowed. But I designed a small and cheap motor which acts on the same principle as my air jets. Just with water.
We simply converted all existing boats and stuck one of the new motors onto them. They are still very slow with twenty miles per hour.