The ARK / Artemis then entered normal orbit and at night, without the moon, from the ground you could see a luminous bar like a line, with the naked eye because the ship was so big. Its positioners flashed red and yellow lights at regular intervals.
The Republic's resident astrologer ran into the main palace, the Magincia Tower.
Mandrake, named after the astrologer, was terrified.
"Enchantress! They're here! They're here!"
She frowned, obviously unaware.
She scanned her crystal ball and cast divination spells, but her magic was unable to penetrate the atmosphere and nothing was notified!
"Magic doesn't work! but with a convex mirror, you can see the ship in yellow and red light!"
It was evening and the cloudless sky gave an impressive view of the stars and moons as well as galaxies.
But a dot was flashing and nothing in the sky was flashing!
She immediately noticed the yellow line and Mandrake placed the mirrors that acted as telescopes in 2 frames and, with a little magic, the image became clear and acceptable.
"Is this a star ship?
Mandrake: "I'm afraid so, Your Excellency!
Then a point of light shot out and, like a shooting star, headed for Central City, the Imperial capital.
"Are they firing?
Mandrake: "No, it looks like a fireball on one side of a sphere... that's all I can see."
Enchantress "Do you know how big that ship is?"
Mandrake: "According to my calculations, it should be bigger than Magincia, The distances are immense and the ship looks small, but don't be fooled... on land, it would go from horizon to horizon!!!" There must be thousands of them and they must have weapons that defy belief."
The lights on the half-dome of Mir, has the same colour and flashes in sync with the space ship."
Enchantress: "Thank you for your observation, we'll try to find out more and what their intentions are."
Meanwhile...
Guards brought a sphere with its parachute harness still attached onto a lorry. It entered the courtyard and we watched as it was unloaded.
At first glance, it wasn't a bomb but a communications terminal.
I looked at Maxime, who had returned in the meantime.
I nodded and he rushed off with Sacha to install the equipment.
There was a computer, electrical cables, solar panels and a battery and a satellite communication module with a big rod, like the satellite phones of the time (my time).
I was curious to know what operating system it was, whether it was OS or Windows or Linux.
Ah! I recognised IBM... they still exist!!!
It was the Win AI 2100 system, an artificial intelligence, but the desktop was still there, but as an accessory.
I wanted to pounce on it and turn all its functions upside down, but the wyvern was detaching itself from these technologies. I was no longer Brilliant, but Mir! It was nothing more than a form of nostalgia, a memory without flavour.
Sasha: "Mir, do you want to see the montage?"
No.. You know, technology is useful, but it doesn't amaze me any more."
"Sorry, Mir.."
I smiled back at her, then went to rest with Chlorophylle and was joined by my brother and sisters and Blanche, who were reduced in size, and we all went to bed together, feeling a bit calmer.
Then Blanche asked me, "What are you going to do about our tribe?"
"I don't know. To attack is to risk execution. They didn't do anything because we defended ourselves, but I'm going to have to face the dragon knights in a duel, probably, or else the earth humans will negotiate with the witch. I'm not going to attack just yet to give negotiations a chance."
"And all these weapons?"
"It's to guarantee our safety. They're there to frighten, that's all, and also to allow us to negotiate without sacrificing ourselves.
She thanked me with a flick of her tongue.
On board,
Tanner: "XO, Captain Vidocq, I entrust you with the ship. We're going down with a maximum of cryo on board the shuttle. Kim, I guess you're coming down with me!"
Then on the screen, a video with Sacha on the line.
"Commander? Commander? It's Sasha!"
Tanner : "You look good. They treating you well?"
"Yes, I'm free to do what I want... We've won the battle and things are calming down a bit.
Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.
Then from behind, Maxime waved.
"Your uniform's worn out, we'll bring your stuff with the shuttle. Say, isn't anyone listening?"
"No, not that I know of, but there's magic here and it's crawling with spies. But only us and the wyverns speak English... not the others. They speak a common language, a kind of Italian based on ancient Latin. The writing is runic, but translators shouldn't be a problem.
Could we have MacDo and Coke? We all dream of it! And our wyvern friends would like a taste too..."
"Yes, what are wyverns? We don't know this race."
Sacha: "Yes, Kroa is arriving, he's human-sized and he's still a wyvern child, but he's a friend of mine. I think he likes me. Hang on, I'm going to turn the camera."
Then the whole crew stiffened.
They had before them (before the camera) a super super predator that was no match for the t-rex. Teeth! teeth! teeth! and it was all claws, scales, a mincer on legs.
Its snout came closer and its slit eye almost stuck to the camera. It looked like a crocodilian eye.
"Kroa... back off! "
Kroa : "Ah, I can see myself in the square, it's a strange mirror! is it magic?"
Sacha: "No, but it's just the same!
"There's someone in the frame, we've got to help him get out!
BLam Blam
The wyvern had circled the screen.
"It's flat!... how do they get in?"
"No.. you see yourself in the screen and they see you too and you can see them too... like a remote system!"
"Like the telescope! then"
"Yes, Kroa.."
"That sounds great... are there others in your world?"
"Yes... but the commander would like to see you and talk to you.."
Kroa straightened up and gave a military salute like the knights.
"Hello Commander Taller? my name is Kroa and I'm Mir's little brother. Your daughter is very pretty and I'd like her to come and live in my nest!"
Sasha fell to the ground, all red... Kroa had had the courage to confess, asking permission from the "father" of the woman he loved.
The whole crew was perturbed.
An alien with a fearsome physique was sentient, spoke the same language and had almost human feelings.
The commander was embarrassed.
"Mr Kroa, I can see that your intentions are more than noble and that you care about the welfare of the humans near you. Forgive me, but this is the first time I have come into contact with a non-human being. I assume that if I meet you, you will look after our well-being and physical integrity?"
"We expect you to play!!!"
The commander was surprised.
Sacha: "Er, sorry... Shh Kroa!! we'll have to talk afterwards... I say afterwards! "(he pushed his cheek against Sacha's shoulder, who pushed him away as best he could. Kroa was acting like a huge cat).
Then in the background, "Commander, do you have any toys?
Sacha was dead ashamed.
The commander smiled, seeing no malice and the fact that humans were treated well.
Teller: "Sacha, the situation on board is critical... we all have to disembark. The ship is on its last legs. The reactor is exhausted. We don't even have enough power to recharge the other shuttles, just one more descent that we're saving for emergencies."
"I'll inform Mir."
Then as Kim asked Kroa to turn to show himself, the young dragon laughed with Kim.
Kroa: "Now get undressed and show me your bum!"
Zalar collapsed to the floor laughing.
It was chaos.
Of course, Kroa was only joking and only wanted to play.
His animal nature drove him to unlimited curiosity and Romas often had to put things in order.
It was going to be a clash of cultures but the ice was broken. I'd left the youngsters there on purpose... (I was young too).
Then Sarah came into our room by the garden and I was against Blanche.
"Sarah?" in my big voice...
"Lord Mir... there's a problem!"
I was about to ask her if she wanted to join us in bed for a brood but at the word "problem" my attention was fixed on her.
"The ship...it's in distress....There was an accident when we beamed down here and 3 of the 4 reactors have been drained and they're rationing power. They have to land...or they'll die."
"Turn on the runway lights and the transmitter guide post, explain to them, but we don't yet have any fire engines or fire extinguishers... If there's a problem, that's what the retention ponds are for. That's what they're for."
"Isn't there anything else we can do?"
"No, Sacha. Magic can't do anything... the worse we risk obstructing them. Watch out especially for saboteurs, spies or any spell casters foolish enough to disrupt their landing!"
Meanwhile, the staff rolled the minimal capsule without the ejector on each cryogenic limb, to reduce the weight as much as possible. Vital functions were removed to make room and recovery would be effective on the ground. This was an emergency evacuation.
Sockets and a recharging interface were also loaded into the shuttle and weapons removed.
But everyone was afraid of the wyverns...
If they only knew what else was out there.... An army of monsters.
There was also a Lich Duke who was due to take over the ruined city with his army of the living dead. He was a former archpriest who had become a lich and had even grown back his flesh!
Sacha and Maxime said nothing, for fear that they would not come looking for them.
From the observatory of the great tower of Magestia, a larger light could be seen coming towards the capital, then slowing down and from her crystal ball, she could see an enormous spider of iron and fire land in a spray of fire and smoke!
She bit her finger.
"What is it?"
But the magic eye weakened as Chlorophylle's power climbed.
Spies reported to her that they were talking to a general from the stars and that they knew the 2 weak heroes that Mir was protecting thanks to a magic plate from the stars that they knew how to mount.
The Enchantress exclaimed. He knows them! He knows their star magic! Those monsters! No wonder we didn't stand a chance. Then she remembered my words...
"An army will come from the sky and you won't stand a chance".
She spat on the ground. Mir had sold out to the celestials, the gods of heaven. If he went on a rampage on his own... I can't imagine with those!
Enchantress Xayida's godfather entered her boudoir, a private suite at the top of the tower from which she could theoretically see her entire domain.
"You look worried, Xayida..."
All this war because of the wyverns...
"What if I got rid of the tribe, as an example?"
He grimaced. In theory, they've done nothing to you... you pushed young Mir to flee and find refuge in Winter Fort, then he went to take refuge in the capital where he made friends with young Chlorophylle.
All they did was defend themselves, yet you succeeded in your bid to eliminate the royal clique."
"I know... but the prophecy, the witch... She's growing up now and she's going to get her revenge...we killed her parents and her sister.."
"That's where you're wrong... Chlorophylle was tortured and mistreated because it was her sister who was to inherit, but her heart was flawed. Chlorophylle renounced power and simply wanted to run away with her friend, Mir. You know the system as well as I do. It's a tool of the Gods, to amuse them. When he killed the guards, he acted like an animal backed into a corner. You woke the tiger in him and now he's demon lord.
You stare at him as if he were an enemy, but Mir is and remains an animal. He's simply a dragon. He will protect his clan and defend his territory. He won't seek politics or expand the empire. You're forgetting that he's not human!"
"And what do you suggest we do?"
"A step in the right direction! Stop the violence. Don't forget that there are 8 other Lord demons and this one defended the humans in his empire. The others weren't so lucky. "
"But the witch! her powers and the Demon Lord, who's going to stop them? The heroes will be torn to pieces! The nation, the people and parliament are behind me and the outlying states too!"
"My little witch...can't you see that numbers mean nothing to them anymore. You would have 10, 100 armies...it would be a pointless sacrifice. Let the animal wear the iron crown and prepare for more threats."
"So you want me to negotiate with them? Give up these powers?"
"What more do you want? You already have everything you want. You'd double your powers... then what? You'd be even younger than you are now? If I were you, I'd take an interest in the celestials and propose a truce or a cessation of hostilities."
"But the people? the families they are exploited and with horrible monsters!!!"
Give them a chance to show they're different!"