The previous city of Watfordia was drowned in panic at the sight of the Horde of Undersea Tribes coming from Ashinria from the west. The refugees from Gamerden were hurrying in the city after the Reconnoiter Company left for the Coastlines of Pilbor and Leiz. The coastlines of Pilbor stretched thousands of miles. The oddest thing about said coastline was how in good heavens the Undersea tribe managed to get their lobster-like vessels on dry land.
Lieutenant Heron Silva, who recently arrived had reported, “From what we can tell there are underground tunnels that they were using that stretched from the area called Hatham to Rothing. Our scholars had actually thought of using this channel but the size of the fleet and the land made it impossible to pass through, not to mention that there are parts of this tunnel that are completely submerged within miles..”
The Great Lake that was connected to the Seas was on the Coastlines of Pilbor. The coastlines were zigzagged and they would need time to reach them. Arkshelled Island had reported using their own methods. The Elder Spring, the name of the giant tree standing in the middle of Arkshelled Island, acted as a scouting tower.
Heron Silva said. “The Command in Perlshaw has ordered that every ship in vicinity is to hold their fire. Captain, they also instructed that we form a defensive column line until all fleets reach the Great Lake.”
The bud that Heron was holding is a communication device that was handed by the Elven-kn to act as a communication device to pass on orders. It was said that this device was to carry their voices. It was rather limited because the voice of the wind was sometimes not so eager. The fleet still relies heavily on smoke signals and the flaglets to make coordination. But when there is zero visibility then the fleet was relying on it. Their quick lightning campaign and utterly good coordination was because of the use of these buds that are connected. Of course, the use of the buds is only possible because of the Elder Spring that was on the back of the island.
They used the device to coordinate the fleet captains who take defensive formations while scouting the land.
“Ishma, can you hear us?”
There was a voice coming from everywhere. “Silence when you have none to say!” someone barked in the communication bud. Only the Command in Perlshaw was allowed to keep the sound open all the time. The command called again to the Leader of the Whalers.
“Ishma here,” the captain of the longships said. “There is no sign of hostile monsters, but there is a disturbance west of us. I think it’s a sleeping nest...it’s so close.”
“Can you move?” Command said.
“I can, Commander. However, there is a chance we might wake up the horde.”
Ishma’s tone of voice was worrying. He didn’t have that brazen voice that he usually had. It was careful and subdued as if he was meeting an obstacle that he couldn’t easily laugh at.
“Keep your distance, Captain. All Captains on the starboard of the formation are to hold their fire until said otherwise. If you understand, send smokes now.”
It didn’t take long for the green flares to light up the sky on the starboard side.
The fleet carefully moved while the smaller ships went ahead to scout the areas past Pilbor coastlines.
“Captains, there are signs of movements in the Portside of the formation. Our scouts have reported that they have the appearance of creatures that had similarities to the ones we had dealt with in the Coral Island.”
“Milostiv, Scut, and the Razbunare are to stay on the tailbone of the Arkshelled Island. All ships on the edges of the formation are advised to prime their cannons and prepare for combat.”
“My Captains,” said a voice that the fleet captain recognized. “The denizens of the seas are attracted to the light of our movements. They are like insects attracted to a wonderful flower, eager to destroy it and leave none. We are in our last steps towards the Greater Seas. Once we cross this Great Seas then it shall be leading us to the Greater Seas. My Captains, the voyage had been tiring and on the day we left the shores of our homeland; we were met with an unprecedented disaster. We’ve so far managed with our skills, the strength of our guns and the sturdiness of our hulls. Nonetheless,we are only at the first steps of our journey.”
Crossing the Oceans wasn’t the problem.
It was reaching the Great Seas and entering the Greater Seas.
They have charts of the Icean Spine and directions because of the White Sails. But beyond that they had nothing other than faith to rely on. They were following rumors and tales that were said to them in ancient scriptures of a place where there are thousands of islands and are bountiful of the gifts of the world.
To reach the islands meant that they would find the most fertile place in the world filled with unimaginable riches. But at the same time it was also the place where the crystalized form of the eye of the world was.
To save the world and at the same get its riches.
It was a wonderful mission that gathered everyone together. Heron Silva believed that if the Old Carthan disaster where the land melted and the water turned into salt didn’t happen. They would have far more mutinies on the board.
The fleet itself was a miracle untold in years. The size of the fleet and how it could sail seas and defeat monsters was something unheard. And now they are about to enter a new place where there is a high chance that they wouldn’t be able to go back.
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The voice of the admiral was a soothing reminder of the challenges that they must overcome. And here they were far from home.
Eager and determined against the coming troubles.
The fleet moved forward carefully. However, the non-human races that were eager to snuff the light of the fleet had rushed out of the land and into the seas. Every telescope that was pointed in the direction of the beast saw this human-sized abomination stand on the head of this monster.
This abomination born from the underseas tribe raised a molded horn made from beasts and blew on it.
There was a horrifying sound that came with it. The sounds of hundreds of beasts seem to respond at the call of the horn. Immediately, the quick-witted ones sounded their cannons to block the sound of the horns.
Whether it was by accident or not. The horn was stopped at the right second. But it was too late at that point.
The Great Seas screamed.
The waters shook and before the Fleet was the sight of the giant beasts that was half the size of Arkshelled Island.
Everyone stalled for a second before they heard the voice of the admiral ordering them the glorious words.
“All ships on the edge of the formation. Open fire.”
And the guns of the Reconnoiter roared. The artillery located on the shoulders of Arkshelled Island blasted their mortar at the beasts that were heading towards them. The thunderclap and the shockwave of each blast produced by the Island was then sucked by the Elder Spring Tree on the back, clearing the smoke that was left.
The beasts that came at them were shredded by the cannon and mortar fire. But those who had dived underwater were able to escape harm. Nonetheless it didn’t stop the fleet from bombarding them.
Each shot made the world shake.
And the buildup of gunpowder smoke made it hard to see. Everyone was going deaf at the continuous shots made by Arkshelled Island. It made Heron Silva wonder what would happen if the fleet managed to improve the cannons used by the fleet. They were hoping to refurbish the cannons of the islands like a single-shot rifle.
“Portside ships, target the horn caller. They are summoning beasts after us. Artillery keep on the bombardment until they are nothing more than corpses. Ships prepare the mines! Expect attack from the water. Keep on moving.”
The fleet moved at a slow pace while dropping mines and flame barrels, The underwater barrels were dropped once in a while and the sounds made clear that there were underwater creatures assaulting them from below.
Heron Silva saw how the smaller-sized ships started firing at the underwater beasts. The riflemen and soldiers were also locked in a battle as the creatures who were trying to board the ships were shot down by their single-shot rifles.
The whole fleet was locked in battle. The artillery and mortars were keeping the giant beasts and the main forces of the enemy at bay while the ones rushing in were shot to death by the rifles who were covering the ships.
“Steady yourself Captains. Remain steadfast. We must enter the Great Seas before we start our true offensive!”
The goal of the fleet right now was to escape the narrow place they are right now. Of course it was because of this loud engagements that they still opted to use the smoke signals and flaglet bearers to keep the fleet in formation.
Heron Silva as well had already drawn his pistols. The poop deck where Captain Malfor and the Helmsman was at was heavily defended as these nasty beasts tried to claim their lives. It had become a bloody bath with the Captain and the Helmsman trusting the steel and gunpowder of the crew as they navigate to a far more open area where they can fight better.
The giant beasts that were on the starboard side were torn to shreds.
The horde on the port was still fighting back and were launching these balls of rock wrapped in black liquid. Because of the previous learnings of the fleet members, they were able to identify the black liquid as flammable and were able to shoot them down.
The Island that was on the center of their diamond formation was still unpierced by the enemies.
The Reconnoiter Fleet was being welcomed by the Monsters of the Great Seas.
“My Captains, steady your hearts. The monsters welcome us with their ravenous. Keep your hearts steel and your firing hands pointed. We shall give the Greater Seas the corpses of its abominable brethren.”
The undersea tribes were using the shells of their lobster-like vessels to deflect bullet and cannon fire.
As for the giant monsters that appeared on the starboard. They were being faced by the constant and continuous bombardment of the Arkshelled Island Shoulders. Every shot, another one comes, and it was as if there were endless shots.
But the battle was not at its end.
The amount of the monsters that were swimming towards them were as numerous as ants and the savageness of this beast would put those who weren’t prepared to shame. One of the beasts were able to escape by using the water and although they were able to pierce the defenses, the strong hulls of the starboard defenses managed to hold and prevented themselves from capsizing.
The man-o-war in question used the portside cannons as a recoil while firing all of its starboard cannons on the beast that clung to the man-o-war. As that man-o-war escaped the clutches of the beast.
A great shadow suddenly overcame the beasts.
As if appearing out of nowhere through the use of the blood and carnage that the fleet had started.
It was a ship made of ebony.
It’s black sails reminded Heron Silva of the White Sails that once departed for the Greater Seas.
Through the telescope he saw at the bow of the ship a figure donning a black armor and a sword made black material.
It was like the moon’s light was constantly shining on the skin of this figure. Those who saw the figure were reminded of the time the Blinder of the Light broke the walls of the black gate.
And a giant sword made out of the moon’s light was conjured.