Robert waited on the cabin of the smiths, being handed a sleek new rifle that was recently crafted by the smiths. The man who crafted it, looked down at his handiwork, frowning.

  “The Doctor was the one who inspired me to create this design. Not only that this can be made by converting the old parts of the breechloader. It allows us to fire faster.”

  The smith demonstrated the reloading process. It was done by inserting a paper cartridge inside the chamber of the rifle. From what Robert had observed, there was a needle pin inside the bolt handle, which would then ignite the percussion cap at the base of the bullet. The rifle could fire the same oblong lead ball, and it was an improved design that made it possible for them to fire faster than their old units.

  “Looks like for the past weeks, we’ve done nothing but improve our rifles, we don’t even know if they will work.”

  “The elven-kin helped, so there should be no problem with the design itself. Though this mechanism is impossible to the pistols that we carry.”

  Robert pulled the bolt-handle, opening the chamber, inserting the paper case containing the sabot, gunpowder, and ball that is then flung. He nodded.

  “We will be dangerous with this,” Robert nodded.

  The man called Karl inspected the side of the rifle before sighing. “I hope it will help in the next battles.”

  “It will be, hopefully,” Robert said, running his palm on the side of his rifle. Though Robert preferred to carry a bow, he kept the short bow on the side while he usually carries a bag of ammunition nowadays.

  Karl looked away from the rifle. He plucked another rifle from the side of his table and started dismantling it. On the other side of his table are where the newly crafted parts of the rifles were, which mostly melted parts that were hammered back and assembled to fit the new rifles that are improved by the smiths.

  “It looks like the Fleet is eager to hunt down this Silence.”

  “Are you not?” Robert’s tone of voice lacks excitement. There was a righteous sound that was leaking out. “Not only that they killed one of us, robbed us of our people, they've not been hiding their desire to target the fleet.”

  Ten weeks have passed since Doctor Gabrio and Lady Mana was taken from them. In those ten weeks, the fury of the fleets were felt by the people of the Icean Spine.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

  The first one to walk was Arkshelled Island, bringing its walking island to the shores of the Icean Spine. Without the fear of the seas, the Walking Fortress of the Elven-kin made use of the spirits of the land to conjure Tree-Guardians to escort the Island. With the Arkshelled Island acting as the base of the operations of the fleet, coupled with the living guardians. They were able to wreck havoc.

  The fleet originally landed in the coast of Dalmond. After the accident, and the first walk of the Walking Island. The Regiments that were following Arkshelled Island settled in the areas of Weymock and Helhil. With most of the Ayfield, the ruling clan of the territories allowing them passage through the roar of the artillery of the mighty fleet.

  Skipinmo, one of the lands that were against the fleet, were crushed underneath the feet of the Walking Island, unable to even penetrate the thick rock and bark of the island.

  Slowly, the plan was to gather many allied clans to the cause, but right now the Fleet only had one demand from them. That they would either let them hunt down ‘Silence’ or that they shall crush the territories of the Thatkean Lands if they refuse to cooperate.

  Thankfully, they were intimidated by the foreign armies and the artillery that were installed in the shoulders of the island. Most of the fleets were guarding the coasts of Dalmond and were ready to strike at any moment’s notice. Those who do not fly the banner of the Fleet, do not produce the right signals, and the right equipment were blown to bits by the overwhelming firepower of the Reconnoiter Company. Though the fleet opted for diplomacy first, losing their kin upon trying to help them has made the fleet judge the whole western side of the Icean Spine as untrustworthy. Only Lord Seke and his vassals were spared from the destructive urges of the fleet.

  There was reason for war, and the reason was strong enough for the fleet to risk its life. It was certainly questionable how the fleet have started pillaging the lands that they have passed to. Each time the regiment moves to a location, the first thing that the fleet did was take the food and the metal of the area.

  There were many reasons why the fleet started to take lands. It was just that it was more righteous if the people of the fleet thinks that they are doing this to achieve vengeance against those who took the lives of their kinsmen who died in that ambush. It was more beneficial for the fleet to take on the enemies, take their supplies, covet them, and make sure that they can supply the fleet. Everyone knew that this was coming, and yet they didn’t expect that their fragile attempts of talking it out was easily broken and now they were going to fight their way through the continent, open the mountainous gates that would allow the passage of the fleets to the Great Seas where they could finally begin their journey to the Thousand Islands.

  This was the first steps of the Reconnoiter Company and if they fail in the Icean Spine, then they shouldn’t even think of going to the Great Seas where they would finally spread the sails and head to the promised land where they could achieve a long dream that their ancestors have dreamed for many years.

  But the path to the Thousand Islands was not easy.

  They now faced unknown enemies, but with the mighty guns of the Fleet pointed at their enemies.

  The Soldiers of the Reconnoiter Company marches to battle.