Summoning The Great Powers

Chapter 6 : Fantasy

One week later,

Central Calendar Year 1639, Month 2, Day 3,

Clemens,

The sky above Clemens was a bright cerulean canvas, with clouds drifting elegantly across the vast expanse. A gentle breeze, refreshing and cool, swept through the port, carrying with it the scent of the sea.

In front of the Ministries Harbour office, the diplomatic mission had convened around the pier as a rather dark-skinned man in a suit conversed with them warmly, "Greetings ladies and Gentlemen of the delegation, I am John Moore and it is my utmost pleasure to be guiding you to our World, beside me is Mr Tanaka whom some of you might already know."

Tanaka stepped forward with a polite bow. "It's a pleasure to meet all of you. Should you have any needs or concerns during our journey, please do not hesitate to inform me."

The New Worlders, unaccustomed to such courteous treatment, exchanged surprised glances since they were usually treated as dirt by any of the major nations.
While some seemed pleasantly taken aback, others, like General Hanki, appeared less enthused.

General Hanki, his face etched with irritation, muttered under his breath, "A boat trip... why must it be by boat?"

Yagou, noticing Hanki's displeasure, approached him. "General Hanki, you seem troubled. Is something the matter?"

Hanki waved a hand dismissively. "Please, Yagou, there's no need for formalities now. Just Hanki is fine."

Yagou nodded, his tone laced with concern. "Ah! Alright, what's bothering you then?"

Hanki's gaze was drawn to the undulating waves of the ocean. "It's the journey at sea," he admitted with a heavy sigh.
"The confinement within the belly of a ship, the perpetual dampness, the risk of tumultuous storms... and the food, always overly salted for preservation. It makes for a dispiriting experience. I'm just hoping this voyage proves different from the ones I've endured before since the last one had left me gasping for water in a place with water as far as the eye can see."

Yagou shared a sympathetic look with Hanki. His experiences with sea voyages had been less than favourable, and he wasn't looking forward to repeating them.

Hanki, with a hint of scepticism in his voice, added, "They claimed our journey would only take four days, but that seems implausible. Not even the fastest Parpaldian airships can cross the ocean so swiftly."

Yagou nodded, his curiosity piqued. "True. But considering the steel dragon they possess, they might have means beyond our understanding for such rapid travel."

Both men stood in contemplative silence, their eyes fixed on the distant horizon. The unknowns of the journey lay heavily on their minds.

Soon, the call for departure echoed through the harbour, signalling the start of an unprecedented voyage that might just redefine their understanding of the world.

They made their way to the end of the pier, where ships usually docked for boarding. As they peered into the horizon, a shape emerged from the dense morning fog, slowly revealing a colossal white hull that dwarfed everything in its vicinity.

Yagou's jaw dropped in disbelief, his eyes wide with astonishment. "Wha... What is that beast?" he stammered, barely able to grasp the scale of what he was seeing.

Beside him, Hanki shared his bewilderment. "It has no sails... How does it move?" he wondered aloud, his voice tinged with disbelief.

The ship drew closer, its massive form casting a looming shadow over the pier, dwarfing the gathered crowd. At that moment, John approached the delegates, a hint of pride in his voice.