Nil

“Wake up! I need your help today!” Luna bellowed, ripping the covers off of me. I looked around, seeing no sunlight.

“Why?” I whined. I thought I was her boyfriend, why would she wake me up this early? Today is a rest day.

“Because I need your help! Come on, up and at it!” Luna ordered me. I looked around, getting my bearings.

“It’s not even five in the morning.” I whimpered. Luna looked wide awake while she was clearly ignoring my protests.

“We need to get an early start. Now stop whining and get moving!” Luna barked. I noticed she was wearing her combat boots, jeans, and a loose-fitting shirt. Whatever we’re doing is either dirty or some form of physical activity.

“What are we doing?” I asked as I stood up and began stretching. I was fighting the urge to yawn.

“That’s the spirit! We will be enacting my grand plan today!” Luna informed me, striking a victory pose.

“Oh? Your grand plan? I was not aware you were plotting a grand plan.” I teased her. Luna poked me in the cheek.

“Yes, my grand plan. I can only tell you so much of the details as there are rules stopping me from saying more.” Luna confirmed with a smile.

“So, what do you need me to do?” I asked as I changed my shirt.

“We’ll get to that. I’m keeping the pieces need to know.” Luna taunted me. She was grinning ear to ear as she told me that.

“For someone who likes telling me to stop scheming so much, this is an odd move, and how am I not need to know? I am an active participant that may get in trouble as a result of our actions of today. I am getting some very mixed signals here.” I continued. Luna turned around to face the wall, so I could change my pants.

“Let’s add to the mixed signals; the target of today is Helga.” Luna informed me. Oh? This was an exciting revelation.

“I promised to keep my torment of her down for a few months as an apology for using her as a selling point of being my Naval Admiral. You want me to break my word?” I checked, feigning being offended.

“You've been on your best behavior dealing with Krahinn, and you're not breaking your word. What we’re doing is for the greater good of Tenebrae, or are you really going to act like you won’t help me?” Luna told me.

“I’m done changing by the way. Greater good of Tenebrae you say? This sounds like you are trying to justify less than stellar behavior. Behavior, which in the past, has gotten me many lectures and foxtrot lessons.” I pointed out as Luna turned around while giving me an oh really stare.

“I wasn’t aware you had such outstanding morals. Where has this Nil been?” Luna challenged me, raising her eyebrow slightly at me.

“Cultivated through Duthane lessons and some recent soul searching.” I replied while smirking at her.

“Uh huh. If someone is super helpful today in Operation Nest the Dragon, I’ll let him take me dancing.” Luna offered with a massive smile.

“Oh, didn’t realize it was an operation. Even has a fancy name and everything.” I teased her. Luna checked her watch.

“Can you please stop being a dork? We need to get moving as we have a lot of preparations to make.” Luna demanded, stepping closer to me.

“My reward is I get to take you dancing? You’d let me take you either way.” I pointed out, which made Luna’s eyes narrow.

“Perhaps. I was trying to entice you because it is four forty-seven in the morning.” Luna retorted with a shrug.

“I’ll help you because you’re my girlfriend. So, what’s first as apparently, we need to get this show on the road?” I told Luna which made her start blushing.

“You are such a good boyfriend.” Luna praised while she hugged me. I hugged her, nuzzling my head on her.

“And co-conspirator now.” I retorted. How does she smell so good? She felt so comfortable in my arms.

“More of my lackey for Operation Nest the Dragon.” Luna teased, hugging herself tightly into me.

“Do you need a leather chair, black cat, and cigar for your Machiavellian scheme?” I replied. Luna reached up and stroked my hair a bit, nestling her head into my neck a bit.

“Can you speak in Tenebrae terms? I don’t understand your Reincarnator terminology.” Luna requested. What did Luna have planned?

“I was joking you are becoming a stereotypical crime boss.” I clarified. Luna chuckled as we stayed like that.

“Was Machiavelli some sort of crime boss?” Luna checked. Oh, yea, that term didn’t exist in this world.

“He wrote some book about how rulers should be manipulative and basically terrible people; his name has come to mean some form of sinister scheming. The chair, black cat, and cigar are a stereotype that I don’t know where it originates.” I explained. Luna just relaxed for a moment, leaning heavily on me.

“I understand. Come on, let’s get going.” Luna declared as she stopped hugging me.

“So, what is step one?” I inquired as Luna and I left my room.

“We are on step three I’ll have you know.” Luna teased as we began marching.

“Was step one or step two waking me up at this unholy hour?” I asked while I yawned a little.

“Neither.” Luna taunted with a smirk.

“Wow. That’s hurtful.” I shot back. Luna was smiling at me.

“Step two.” Luna informed me.

“Was step one making coffee?” I probed hopefully. Luna laughed.

“Yes, as I know a certain someone hates waking up early without some.” Luna confirmed for me.

“You’re the best, even if you woke me up ridiculously early to get me in trouble.” I told her as we began walking down the staircase.

If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

“You could’ve said no.” Luna pointed out.

“Because you were definitely not going to pester me until I said yes in the highly unlikely instance that I didn’t want to join in on girlfriend sponsored scheming. Is there a reason I am not just using to bring us to the kitchen?” I retorted. Luna poked me for pointing that out.

“You’re going to need every drop of you possess for today; we can walk rather than risk you barely not having enough.” Luna explained. Oh? I was casting dangerous too? What other surprises were in store for today?

“What do you need me to cast that powerful? I’m getting excited just thinking about it. Also, what did Helga do to deserve this? Other point, why now a few days after we no longer have Lux to assist?” I inquired, trying to grasp what she cooked up.

“I needed to finalize my plan, and unfortunately Lux left a bit suddenly. She did nothing, we are helping her. In a sense. Big picture helping her. As for the , it is a secret.” Luna replied. I began mentally going through the I knew. It's a ? Which one did she want?

“Secret? I kind of need to know to make it.” I pointed out as she stepped out onto the floor her and Duke Dawnsfield were staying on. Not using the main kitchen either?

“Start practicing making a telescope, or someway to see really far away if that doesn’t work.” Luna instructed. Telescope? The only reason I would need that would be a long range . Wait.

“You want me to snipe Helga?” I checked. No I knew had that much range.

“Snipe? What does that mean?” Luna asked, sounding confused.

“Snipe roughly means a long-range attack from a hiding spot.” I clarified. I definitely should ask Luna before talking more than I do.

“Oh, then yes.” Luna confirmed as we reached the small kitchen where she had coffee in some form of travel mugs.

“I don’t know a that long range let alone a . I mean, I never tried, and I don’t know how much distance you are talking.” I told her as she handed me my mug.

“Because I haven’t explained the to you yet. Last time, you had a fearsome you rarely used that is suited for the task.” Luna explained. She really had my attention now.

“Why did I rarely use it?” I asked, kind of curious as I sipped my coffee. Just how I like it too. Luna is great.

“It was suited to long distance attacking, so you still used it to bombard in sieges. You simply made so you could drop in on long range targets instead in other cases though.” Luna answered. Today looked like it was going to be exciting.

“And you want me to unleash this on Helga? For her benefit?” I checked as Luna sipped her coffee as she motioned for us to return to the stairs.

“Trust in the plan, Nil.” Luna assured me.

“How are we getting far enough from the castle to make such a necessary? Also, the castle has protective wards.” I inquired. Now that I thought about it, how far was she talking?

“We’re going on a hike. Krahinn will be our protection as he can do it from the castle without having to do anything. As for the wards, this won’t care.” Luna told me. I mean, in theory, he should be able to instantly help if we needed it. Doesn’t mean he won’t make us sweat a little first.

“Ah. I mean, Krahinn does have an incredible range he can cover. So, we are going on an early morning hike? How romantic.” I quipped. Luna blushed a bit.

“You are such a dork.” Luna shot back. I just shrugged as we kept descending the stairs.

“I prefer sniper team ace shot, Nil Sathanas Crowthorne; currently on assignment in Operation Nest the Dragon.” I teased her. Luna made an expression as she slowly turned to look at me.

“Crown Prince Dork is more accurate. We need focus.” Luna squeaked, as I realized Luna had turned a light red.

“Someone likes when I’m dorky.” I taunted. Luna hurried her pace down the stairs.

“Lucky for you.” Luna snapped, still a bit red.

I just hummed the song we danced to, which made Luna even redder as we kept moving. It took about fifteen minutes to reach the bottom of the stairs, where there were to bags waiting for us; Luna really did think out this operation quite thoroughly. I quickly skimmed mine, seeing it had snacks, three waterskins, a flare, and some chalk so I could some . Interesting. We walked out of the castle, going towards the mountains. Wait. Did Luna want me to use a from the mountains to the castle? That was easily five miles; I was kind of excited to know what had that kind of range. Part of me did wonder how attacking Helga was supposed to be helpful. I trust Luna has a reason. As we began walking to the gate, I could feel the gaze of Krahinn despite the fact he was on top of the castle. He gave me quite little to work with in regard to our wager, but still gave me insight occasionally. One part of our wager I’m worried about, Krahinn is no fool and controls information well. Krahinn also was occasionally helpful like this as well, which was interesting. From what I gleaned so far, Krahinn being the Great Blasphemer was tied to how he became King of the Wastes. Hugminn was related somehow, but I think that was what precipitated what happened. Not important today; today was helping Luna by attempting to snipe Helga from the mountains which somehow was helpful for . I think it was somehow connected to her wager with Dha, but it did make me curious how at minimum tormenting my caretaker was necessary for whatever the wager entailed. The two of us walked across the rolling knolls towards the mountains in relative darkness as it wasn’t even first light yet. As Luna requested, I began lightly practicing making a telescope with my .

“Can you walk me through more of Operation Nest the Dragon?” I requested, getting the first draft of my telescope down; it needed more range.

“We are hiking a long distance so you can fire a single at Helga; I requested Krahinn to recover us after he sees the signal. The rest I will tell you as you need to know.” Luna explained with a smile.

“Fine.” I conceded as it was clear she wasn’t going to explain more.

“It’s okay Nil. You called the . I never understood why, but I imagine you could explain it.” Luna told me. ? Long range, so like a sniper shot. Why not call it ? No, sounded better. Rail? Why rail? Oh.

“Railgun and sniper shot I imagine. What did the use? Did I just launch a piece of metal?” I inquired as I began thinking what the looked like.

“No, you used for the projectile. It usually had like nine rings and two rails you sent the projectile through before it launched out at high speed.” Luna informed me.

“Okay. Getting an idea of what it should look like. Can you give me a bit to think as we hike?” I replied. Two rails and nine rings?

“That’s fine.” Luna stated as we still weren’t even close to the mountains.

The two of us continued walking towards the mountains while I thought. Railguns used magnetic waves to accelerate an object. According to Luna I used for the projectile; her plan clearly relied on me figuring this out. I’d like to not disappoint her, but just knowing the look and name isn’t always enough Luna. How? The original idea sent electricity in the rails to make a magnetic field that propelled the projectile. Were the rings stabilizing the idea while the rails generated speed? Each ring accelerated the projectile to launch it with massive speed? The first hurdle was figuring out how to make the speed. I continued to think about it as we reached the mountain and began the hike up. An escalator would’ve been nice. Wait, that was an idea. No wonder she needs me to have all my . What if I made little rollers using the axis to impart speed on the projectile? What did the rings do? Quite a few are in the too. Make a so the projectile could accelerate even more? I tried making one of the rings with a small inside it, grabbed a rock, and tossed it through watching it gain a little bit of speed. Oh. This was going to be devastating.

“Figure it out?” Luna probed as we continued our hike.

“I did. Are you sure I’m not about to kill Helga?” I inquired, a bit nervous.

“She’ll be fine.” Luna insisted with a smile.

We hiked a bit longer, reaching a nice outcropping as the sun was finally visible. It was nice and flat, with a great view of the castle. I began using chalk to the to create a sound barrier, some cushions, and vibration dampening which Luna thankfully powered for me. I made the rails, surrounded them with the rings, and put a on each end to give it even more speed as it looped through the several times. I used the telescope to look at the courtyard, seeing Helga walking with Nautilus. I looked at Luna who gave me a thumbs up. Nautilus, please be able to block this. My was crying from what I made already as I made the shell, seeing it get faster, and faster, and faster. My was rapidly depleting from maintaining this as I activated my to use . I could see the path of Helga, aiming at her. Here we go. I removed the , unleashing the shell.