Central Calendar Year 1639, Month 11, Day 9. 3rd Foreign Affairs Department, outer gardens of the Paradis Palace, Parpaldia Empire
"What did you say!? The Imperial Oversight Army to the Fenn Kingdom got defeated and the subjugation failed, too!?" Kaios thundered towards his subordinate who delivered the news.
"Bring me the report! On the double!"
"Yes, sir!" said the subordinate before he raced out of Kaios' office and returned with three-page documents containing information regarding the defeat of the Oversight Army.
"Lost contact with all twenty dragon lords... Three ironclads - Mamiz, Cummasharo and Paos, and eleven ship-of-the-line; were destroyed... Only eight vessels survived; the ironclad Washinashi and Galiass, and eight other ships of the line with their masts had been broken, hence unable to sail... Mass casualties..." The Director of the Third Foreign Affairs Department muttered as he carefully read each line of the report.
Words by words, and lines by lines, a vein popped on Kaios' forehead, a sign that he was furious that it seemed probable for blood to start spurting from his head any moment until he reached the sentence, "Two massive ironclad-like vessels with a single-mounted battery of magic cannon... All hundred shots are confirmed hits!?!"
The report papers in his hands were crumpled due to his overflowing anger.
"Curse you, Admiral Poquetoire! Reducing the losing battle's damage estimates and wanting to lighten his responsibilities! You've gone way too far!" yelled Kaios before he threw away the reports.
It took a moment for the elderly Parpaldian man to calm down before he could resume.
"Sheesh... We cannot lose the first initiative to the 1st Foreign Affairs Department! It seems like we have no other choice but to start the investigation concerning the alliance of the FPDA..." said Kaios.
"Uh? I thought that we had turned down their officials, sir. Why is that so?" asked his subordinate upon his statement.
With a sigh, Kaios replied with a sombre tone, "It's all because of yesterday's meeting with the Topan ambassador,"
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A day before
"Wha? What did you say!? You aren't going to send any slaves from now on!?" Kaios shouted at the ambassador of the Topa Kingdom.
"Yes, Mr Kaios. The Topa Kingdom, at this moment, has declared to stop enslaving our citizens and send them to your Empire," the ambassador of the Topa Kingdom spoke with a firm tone.
"Hmph! If that's the case... Your nation will be suspended from the technology share arrangement, forever!" thundered Kaios.
At first, Kaios thought that threatening the Topan ambassador to stop the export of tools, nails and other essential items would force him to give in. Yet, he received a different response when the Topan ambassador gave an annoying chuckle.
"What!? You're thinking that it's hilarious?" asked Kaios, before the Topan ambassador cleared his throat and spoke seriously.
"Mr Kaios. From here on, we don't need the Parpaldia Empire to help us build our nation... We already have the FPDA to rely on... Either it's by technology or economy..." said the ambassador before he snorted with a smirk, ending the conversation.
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Fast forward to the present
"And guess what? After the Topan ambassador said so... One after another from the... I don't want to use that term... They came to my office and mentioned the same thing! Even the one from that foolish Sios Kingdom!" said Kaios, letting out a fuss as he retold everything.
"The Sios Kingdom, too?"
"Mmm... Guess what? They've been secretly having ties with the alliance of the FPDA since seven months ago! And that added to my anger,"
"Now... Regarding Admiral Poquetoire's failure in the Fenn Kingdom, are you still going to report it to His Majesty the Emperor?"
"Concerning our defeat in the Fenn Kingdom, it would only be dismissed as our incompetence. This failure will soon be heard by His Majesty the Emperor... We need a thorough investigation concerning this matter, and I have no doubt that it could be the hands of the FPDA that might be responsible for what happened," said Kaios.
"Err... Sir Kaios, can we change the topic of our conversation?"
"Hmm... Why not? Go ahead - you speak first,"
"It's regarding the Altaras Kingdom. His Majesty the Emperor has ordered us to send his request to our branch in the Kingdom,"
"A request from His Majesty, huh? Get me the details, then,"
"Yes, sir,"
His subordinate went out again and came back with a file containing the matters about the demand made by the Parpaldian Emperor. He opens the file and reads; his bored eyes growing wider and wider with each line.
"What in the name of God is this!?" Kaios freaked out.
Out of all the lines of words written, his eyes locked onto a statement that seemed to be off for him; the Altaras Kingdom's Princess Lumies will be sent to the Parpaldia Empire as a slave.
"I'm not dreaming, right?"
"Um... Yes?"
Without saying anything, Kaios closed the file as fast as he opened it and using a hand signal, he ordered his subordinate to leave the room and close the door for him. Once everything is silent, Kaios' mind and thoughts start to tangle like a spider's web as he pours a cup of water for himself.
"Ludius... You're truly a madman! Ordinary people and those who are poor are fine to be made slaves by us because they need some money for their families and the technology exchange in return for our ties, but now you are asking for a princess? If I were in your shoes, I would have rather marry her than be made into a slave!" thought Kaios.
Something not known by many of the Parpaldian higher-ups, despite Kaios being loyal to the Empire and carrying out his duties diligently, deep inside him, he greatly despises his nation's administration.
Ever since the death of the previous Emperor, the slavery system went out of control - the influx of slaves had caused so many problems that were obvious to his own eyes. From the lack of local labour due to them being replaced by the slaves, to the increasing amount of crime rates committed by the slaves, too. That's not including the Empire's policy that allows its citizens to commit a crime in a non-superpower nation and not be persecuted, which is also genuinely despised by himself.
Still, what can he do? If he openly disobeyed the order from the Emperor, it would've been a death sentence to him and his family. He needs to act fast to save the princess - after a moment of thinking, he takes a piece of paper and jots down a letter that will be sent straight to the hand of the Altaras' king.
The letter he wrote reads:
His Majesty The 14th King Taara
Athenall Castle, Le Brias
Altaras Kingdom
3rd Foreign Affairs Department
Parpaldia Empire
9th November, 1639
Dear Sir,
I am writing to Your Majesty, Sir, to share my deepest concern regarding the request of His Majesty the Emperor of the Parpaldia Empire, Emperor Ludius upon your kingdom. Your Majesty, Sir, do know that the Empire would demand countries to gift some of their land, or slaves consisting of poor or normal citizens, in some cases, as an exchange for technology, economy and even defence. Yet, today, the Emperor has decided to do the most outrageous thing ever; he urged Your Majesty, Sir, to hand over the Princess of the Altaras Kingdom - Princess Lumies as a slave.
This cannot and must not happen, Your Majesty. You must bring your daughter, and the rest of your family members if possible, out of the Altaras Kingdom and bring her somewhere safer even though I cannot guarantee the fate of you and your Kingdom. I have the power in my hand to not approve his request, but if I did so, the Emperor would have me and my family sentenced to death.
Once again, I have the power in my hand to not approve his request, but if I did so, the Emperor would have me and my family sentenced to death.
Please Your Majesty, Sir. Act fast to bring Her Highness Princess Lumies and other members of the Altarasan royal family out of the Kingdom before it's too late. Plus, please keep the conversation between us two secrets. Your Majesty can terminate this letter once finished reading it.
I have to remain the Emperor's most humble and obedient subject even though I objected to his decision.
Kaios [Director of the 3rd Foreign Affairs Department]
After writing the letter, Kaios put it in an envelope addressed to the Altaras Kingdom's royal castle the Athenall. He later called up a messenger and handed over the envelope.
"Please send this to the King of the Altaras Kingdom and make sure no other person opens it except the King himself!" said Kaios with a stern tone.
"Yes, sir," the messenger said before he went off.
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Central Calendar Year 1639, Month 11, Day 10. Athenall Castle, Le Brias, northern shores of the Altaras Kingdom.
In the south of the Philades Continent and the north of the Rodenius Continent, there was a small but densely populated island country known as the Altaras Kingdom. Every year, the climate has always been warm, but the structures in the capital adopted a design based on circles allowing it to adapt to the weather pattern.
The gentle nature of the population is a symbol of pride for the nation. As a possessor of magic gem mines, the nation made itself wealthy off of exporting its resources, with the 500,000 people consisting of humans and demi-humans, mostly elves, living in the capital Le Brias enjoying vigorous lifestyles.
However, it was all about to change when the 14th King Taara of the Altaras Kingdom received a document from the Parpaldia Empire via the 3rd Foreign Affairs Department's branch in Le Brias with two statements, in which one was negotiable and the other one was complete nonsense.
"Ludius... Are you mad, young emperor? I know that your ambition to expand your nation's territory to increase its power is fathomable even to me... But to send my very own daughter, Princess Lumies to the Empire as a slave is very unacceptable!" said Taara.
The document sent revealed that the Empire requested the Altaras Kingdom to present the Siltras Mine, the largest magic gem mine in the nation. Taara had no problem with this as he knew that he could ask the Empire to send their miners to work with the locals, thus strengthening the economic ties between the two.
Yet, the mention of having her daughter sent as a slave makes it crystal clear to Taara that it was an attempt by the Parpaldian to insult the Altaras Kingdom or worse, a provocation to war. It was utterly incomprehensible.
Without further ado, the elderly Altarasan king went down to the 3rd Foreign Affairs Department's branch in Le Brias for clarification.
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3rd Foreign Affairs Department's branch in Le Brias
"What!?" Taara exclaimed
"It's true, Your Majesty~ It was the Emperor's request and it should be fulfilled within two weeks. Plus, we hate to use the imperial forces when it can be easily contented, you know?~" The Parpaldian ambassador rudely responded as his legs crossed while sitting lazily on a chair.
"While I still agree with the Emperor's decision to present my kingdom's most important asset as I believe it would strengthen our relationship... I completely disagree with his decision to turn my daughter into a mere poodle for this request!" Taara replied.
"So what? Are you going against Emperor Ludius?!"
"Not I wouldn't dream of opposing him... But, can we not negotiate a change in the request?"
"The way you responded is an obvious yes to me that you're going against His Majesty the Emperor! As the empire's ambassador, the Emperor's will is also mine! Do you realise who you're dealing with, King Taara!?"
Upon hearing this, Taara silently stood up from his chair and turned around, instantly leaving the place.
"Hey! We're not done here!"
"Consider it ends here," Taara replied before ignoring every curse that came from the mouth of the Parpaldian ambassador.
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Athenall Castle, Le Brias, northern shores of the Altaras Kingdom
"That hellish ambassador can return to the hellish Parpaldia!" the 14th King Taara bellowed.
"So... You're Majesty, what is your next action?" his advisor asked.
"Send an official letter to their department that I refuse their request, along with a letter to end our diplomatic ties, and at the same time, I'll freeze all of the Parpaldian assets in the Altaras Kingdom! Now, go!"
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
Immediately, the advisor leaves as soon he receives the order from His Majesty. Now, the only people left inside the throne enlightened by the torches' flickering flames were him, his wife - Queen Delila and his daughter - Princess Lumies.
Princess Lumies is a young woman in her 20s with black hair and brown eyes. She wears an Arabian long dress costume with long shemagh scarf headwear.
Queen Delila on the other hand was an elf in her 30s even though her exact age is 91 years old, with long golden-blond hair, pale skin, blue eyes, and pink-red lips. She wears a pure white dress covered by a white cloak with a large hood.
"Taara... Is it..."
"Yes, Delila... The Parpaldian appeal was true... And I simply choose to not give a damn about it. Who are they thinking? Ever since the death of the previous Emperor, whom I know was kind and not as devilish as Ludius, the Parpaldia Empire wanted to expand its territory and its national power," grumbled Taara before he took a sip of water.
"Father, you said you refused to hand me over as a slave to them... Does that mean... the Imperial Oversight Army will come to take punitive action?"
"Yes, Lumies! Plus, your life is at stake, too! If the Imperial Oversight Army manage to get its hands on you, not only your dignity and life will be in danger, but there is even a great possibility that they will also be sentencing your father to death!" Taara replied with great worry.
"Then... What can we do?" asked Delila.
"Fret not, my beloved Delila. I will assemble the army, tighten defences in the capital and call up our reserve troops! The Imperial Oversight Army will arrive at any moment and I want to show how the Altaras Kingdom monikered by them as a 'barbarian nation' will become their Achilles' heel!" Taara replied confidently, but the expressions on the faces of his wife and daughter showed the difference.
"B-But... Father. What happen if they decided to send their main forces, too? Sure we can't fight them because of their overwhelming numbers, right?" asked Lumies.
The 14th King Taara was left with a momentary silence as he stroked his white beard after hearing his daughter's question. Lumies and her mother had anticipation on their faces as they waited for the answer and on the spur of the moment, the advisor returned with an envelope containing a letter.
"Your Majesty! I've just received this letter from Mr. Kaios, the head of the 3rd Foreign Affairs Department of the Parpaldia Empire. It's stated here that only the King can open and read it," said the advisor before he handed it to the king.
Taara, at first insisted on opening the envelope but finally did it. Inside it was none other than a letter written by Kaios himself for the Altarasan King regarding the well-being of the princess.
"Kaios... You're suggesting to me that I bring my daughter and other members of the Royal Altarasan Family out of this here while he couldn't secure the future of me and my nation from the greed of his country? Uncouth... For the Parpaldia Empire... Yet helpful... Because of you" Taara thought in his mind before he folded the letter and burned it along with its envelope using a nearby torch.
"Father. What is that letter all about?" asked Lumies.
With a sigh, Taara replied, "Lumies... It seems like you and your mother must flee from this country,"
Hearing that made the two's eyes widen in disbelief as a pang of shock hit them.
"Dear, you can't be that serious..." Delila replied, feeling cringed.
"Father. Are you saying that Mother and I have to abandon our people and run away?" asked Lumies.
"I fear that the answer is yes..." Taara replied.
Lumies ran and clung to her father's shoulder as tears slowly formed in her eyes.
"Wha... Why is that so, Father? Why did you suddenly come up with the decision to send us two away when I can surrender myself to them and-"
"That is not an option, Lumies! The Empire may have been possible to reason with before despite their unchanging, intolerable attitude. Yet, this young Emperor didn't even try to hide his ambition!" The 14th King Taara emphasised.
"No... Father..." Lumies said weakly before she softly cried onto her father's left shoulder while hugging his old body tightly and lovingly. No child, no matter how old or tall they are, is willing to leave their parents or to see their parents go them.
Delila slowly approached the two from behind and hugged them as she calmed her beloved daughter and stared at her husband with worry, yet with a cinder of hope.
"Lumies. What your father said is true. Plus, you're also well-received by the people and well-versed in politics," said Delila with a calm and assuring tone to her daughter who was wiping away her tears after she released her arms from her father.
"And I believe that one day when you return to this very land of the Altaras Kingdom with your mother, your existence will be the strength of this kingdom," replied Taara.
"But father! Where would Mother and I seek refuge once we escaped?" asked Lumies in between her sobbing.
"As of that, the best choice would be you and your mother riding the southern currents and heading for the Rodenius Continent. If the opportunity arises, seek protection from the five-nations alliance that defeated the Louria Kingdom and if possible, form friendly ties with them, Lumies," said Taara.
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Central Calendar Year 1639, Month 11, Day 10. Paradis Palace, Parpaldia Empire
As the moon begins to shine over the Eastern horizon of the northern end of the capital city of the Parpaldia Empire; Esthirant, lies the Paradis Palace where the young His Majesty Emperor Ludius resides. It had rows of pillars with such detailed, extravagant carvings on them that they awed visitors.
There was a breathtaking garden that evoked the image of this world's idea of heaven and the interior of the palace was gorgeous and dazzling, with treasures from all over the world, gained by the means of force on their enemies however, on display.
The interior of the palace is lavishly decorated with gold and silver jewels. These are not only found on the frames of paintings, but they are also finely crafted into the handles of doors. The floor is made out of highly polished marble with a spread-out thick, scarlet carpet over it and magical lanterns adorn the silver candlesticks on the walls.
The windows are made with colourless and transparent glass and are still valued highly in the Third Civilisation Area, and the palace is designed in a way such that there aren't any dark places.
The scene then zoomed into the throne room, where a man in his middle age was kneeling, trembling as beads of sweat trickled down the sides of his head, toward the Emperor of the Parpalida Empire sitting on his throne.
"Mr Kaios, raise your head, please..." the Emperor ordered.
Slowly, Kaios looked up, for in front of him was Emperor Ludius, who carried himself with such dignity that it was almost unimaginable for him to be only 27 years old.
"Y-Your M-Majesty..." Kaios said with a stuttering voice.
"The oversight army was sent to punish the Fenn Kingdom... Where is the preliminary report?" Ludius demanded.
"Oh... Err... Y-Your Majesty. Please accept my deepest apologies for failing to receive approval to dispatch the Oversight Army and-"
Ludius coughed, thought and gently, in a serious tone at Kaios' response to his question. This causes Kaios to cower, fearing that his life might be at the end of the line for failing to perform a simple task.
"Mr Kaios. We do not care that you failed to seek approval - we recognize the authority of the 3rd Foreign Affairs Department. The only thing that we care about is the matter of the defeat of the Oversight Army," said Ludius.
Hearing the words come out of the young Emperor of the Parpaldia made Kaios sweat like a waterfall.
"How they were defeated, Mr Kaios? It's impossible if it belongs to the hand of the Fenn Kingdom, isn't it?"
"Y-Y-Yes, Your Majesty! We are currently pulling every single resource to determine which nation is responsible for this heinous action... A-A-And we believe they are from outside of the civilized area since we have not obtained any more definitive information... We do not know enough to submit a formal report just yet..."
"Wha!? You... You still don't know!?" Ludius growled as his face screwed up in anger while clenching his fist.
"While that fleet consists of old warships and the latest ironclads, for an uncivilized country to dare oppose us... That country must be held responsible for its impropriety! Be sure to thoroughly instruct them on the consequences of challenging our empire!"
"Yes, Your Majesty!" Kaios responded before he frantically bowed.
"I will ensure that the other barbarian nations were privileged to watch the grand Parpaldia Empire extinguish the Fenn Kingdom for good! Find the country that dares to defy the Empire, and I shall send the Imperial Army to destroy them along with Fenn!"
"I-I understand!!!" Kaios said in fear.
"Good~," said Ludius before pausing for a while, straightening his shoulders, and going on.
"Anyway, how is my request sent to the Altaras Kingdom going? Did that foolish old 14th King Taara comply with it?"
At first, Kaios refused to answer his question for he had sworn to himself that he must protect the Princess at all cost, but fearing his life would be taken at any moment, Kaios nervously opened his mouth to answer.
"The request sent by Your Majesty... They agreed to hand over the Siltras mine but..."
"But?"
"They have frozen all our assets in their country and cut all ties with us as their refusal to give away Princess Lumies as a..."
Before Kaios could finish his words, Ludius angrily slammed his fist on the throne's manchette.
"Imbecile!" Ludius shrieked, much to the horror of the Head of the 3rd Foreign Affairs Department.
"How bold... To rebel so openly, they're truly underestimating us! We don't need the Oversight Army for this case - send in the Imperial Army and crush those bloody Altarasans!"
The young Parpaldian Emperor turned his head towards a man in military dress standing beside him.
"How soon can the Imperial Army be ready?" asked him.
"The Imperial Army is always ready to execute the Emperor's will, Your Majesty! From the very first Emperor of this Empire to the latest of yourself. At your word, we'll depart as soon as possible and seize every inch of their lands in your name,"
With an evil smile of satisfaction, Ludius replied, "Then, this matter should be left in your care. You may do as you wish with the citizens of the Altaras Kingdom,"
"Understood, Your Majesty!"
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Central Calendar Year 1639, Month 11, Day 10. Southwest reefs of the Altaras Kingdom.
A flight of wyverns belonging to the Royal Altarasan family can be seen flying low in the sky as they head for the southwest reefs of the Kingdom. Here, a warship in disguise of a merchant vessel along with its crew was docked inside a cave with an opening that overlooked the ocean and was once a pirate stronghold.
Accompanied by two Royal Altarasan guards, Princess Lumies and Queen Delila, now in their Arabian long dress costumes with long shemagh scarf headwear descended the stairs before they were greeted by a Lilcide, a senior knight and aide of the Princess herself.
Lilcide is a short-cut woman with freckles around her eyes. She has two large scars on the right side of her shoulder and stomach. Due to her disguise as a troupe of travelling merchants, she wears similar clothes to the Princess and the Queen.
"Your Highness. Your Majesty. All preparations requested by the King for you two's escapes are all set. We'll be ready to leave at any moment," said Lilcide.
Without saying any words, the two proceed to board the vessel ready for them to escape. Lumies has her tears well up as she recalls her last moment with her father and the previous conversation with a kind gramp who works as one of the Athenall Castle's janitors.
"Your Highness. Take care of yourself, and please do not worry about us. For if God had truly sealed our fate in the hands of the Parpaldians, we would always remember you until our days arrived. Have a safe journey then, Your Highness,"
The words of the gramp resonated within her mind as the ship began to unfurl the sails and set a course for the Rodenius Continent.
"Everyone... Please... Stay healthy and stay safe..." Lumies softly spoke as more tears trickled from her eyes.
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Athenall Castle
"Your Majesty, Princess Lumies and Queen Delila have safely departed!" An aide reported to the 14th King Taara.
"Very well... You have done me a great service... If the bloodline of the Royal Altrarasan family had ended so easily, I wouldn't have been able to face my ancestors on the other side..." said Taara before he asked his aide to return and have some rest.
As his aide walked away, Taara looked out of the window overlooking the calm seas as he sighed anxiously.
"The Parpaldia Empire had already turned into an atrocious monster, for they had made many unreasonable demands and made war with every country. Their citizens have embraced their pride as a superpower, relishing in victory as their leaders, on the other hand, amass an untold amount of fortune from their wars... What more do they seek?"
Taara was in deep thought when a guard entered the throne to inform the King that all preparations had been made. A combined force of 20,000 troops of the Altaras Kingdom Royal Army with 300 cavalries equipped with spears and bows, 120 wyverns and the Altaras Kingdom Royal Navy's fleet consisted of 50 ships-of-the-line, ready to fight against the colonisers at any moment.
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Central Calendar Year 1639, Month 11, Day 11. 130 km northeast of the Altaras Kingdom.
Dawn.
Through the warm day without gushes of wind and great, billowy clouds and the calm ocean, a huge number of ships left streaks of white and shrouds of black smoke in their wake as they headed towards the Altaras Kingdom.
These vessels belong to the Parpaldia Empire's Imperial Forces, and there are 324 ships in total - mostly dominated by ships of the line, dragon carriers, and transport ships carrying the ground forces.
Yet, their vast numbers were shadowed by the smaller numbers of the Parpaldian ironclads that were shiny, elegant and far more protected than the ships of the line, though shrouded by plumes of smoke sprouting from their smokestacks.
(The Narwhal-class ironclad)
(The Bowhead-class Ironclad)
(The Super Pishanus-class Ironclad)
The Imperial Army was given an order by His Majesty Emperor Ludius of the Parpaldia Empire - to conquer the Altaras Kingdom and they must carry out the task with no excuses and with ease.
Aboard the deck of a Super Phishanus-class ironclad named Pall, stood the General of the Parpaldia Imperial Army and Commander-in-Chief of Imperial Fleet, Sius - a middle-aged one-eyed Parpaldian due to a sword wound to his right eye, and he was watching the peaceful ocean.
While Sius is known by many to be trustworthy and a clever strategist by his men, he is also known for being cold-blooded and merciless when facing the enemy that dares to defy the Empire.
"Sir! We are now within the range of the Altarasan wyverns but none were perceived on the Magic Signature Sensor!" A report from his subordinate came in.
"I see... As soon as there's anything detected, send a hundred dragon riders out on alert. I bet the Altarasan a**holes are too scared to deploy their precious wyverns into the battle and keep them off for good... Hahaha!" said Cius before he made it into the ironclad via the hatch of the pilot house.
The Magic Signature Sensor is a special equipment developed by the Advanced Weapons Development Laboratory of the Parpaldia Empire to detect aerial threats and the ones on the ground given its wider detection range ability, as long as there are magic signatures.
In case a distinctive pattern of magic is encountered, it will be displayed on the monitor which is made of quartz, and a squadron of Dragon Lords on standby will immediately be deployed to support the fleet from the air. Each armoured dragon carrier is capable of transporting up to forty-five Dragon Lords.
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Central Calendar Year 1639, Month 11, Day 11. 20 km northeast of the Parpaldia Empire's Imperial Forces.
The Royal Altarasan Navy could see the ships of the Imperial Forces approaching from the horizon but decided to hold their attacks as there was a massive distance gap between them. Unlike the Parpaldians, the Altarasans had no dragon carriers at their disposal - the only choice was to launch their wyverns from the mainland.
Standing at the forecastle of the Altarasan ship-of-the-line Silanto while holding an extended telescope overlooking the ocean, observing the Parpaldian vessels moving in unison, was none other than the Navy Commander Bordo.
"They're coming to take over our country... Those damn Parp Corns!" Bordo yelled angrily as he lowered his telescope and kept it.
(Author's Note: The word 'Parp' is a shortened term that refers to the Parpaldian, and it is used as a slur by the people of the New World)
The endless array of Parpaldian warships as they crawled forward along the wide horizon however didn't dread the Altarasan at all, for they had sworn in the name of the 14th King Taara to protect their nation at all cost, even if it meant sacrificing their own lives.
"Messenger!"
"Sir!"
"Inform our friendly forces on the mainland that the enemy fleet has entered the range of our wyverns, send them in and we'll go on the attack simultaneously!" said Bordo.
"Aye, sir!" The messenger said before he got himself to the manacom.
In unison, the bells aboard the Royal Altarasan Navy's ships-of-the-line Silanto, Beshial, Cidy, Osia, Pacella, Vuodet and other twenty-five vessels ranged as the crew prepared themselves for a battle that was about to ring.
"All hands! To your battle stations!" the order came in.
"Drum up your courage, lads! Our country's survival depends on us! Everyone needs to be sharp!" said Bordo.
Simultaneously, the Altaras Kingdom Royal Army's wyverns with a total of 120 soared high above their heads as they flew in formation to the Northeast to conduct an airstrike upon the vessels of the Imperial Army along with a few Altarasan personnel cheered as they saw their glorious flying reptiles roaring overhead.
"Yeah! Go and burn those Puny Parps to hell!" said Bordo as he waved his hands towards the flight of wyverns
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Central Calendar Year 1639, Month 11, Day 11. 15 km northeast of the Altaras Kingdom Royal Navy fleet.
"Sir! The Magic Signature Sensor has detected the Altarasan wyverns with the strength of 120 units coming in fast!"
"Deploy the Dragon Lords, now! Here they come!" said General Cius.
With that, one after another Dragon Lords took off from the Dragon Carriers with Mille, Ganam and Masale being the first to launch the sortie.
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Central Calendar Year 1639, Month 11, Day 11. 30 km northeast of the Parpaldia Empire's Imperial Forces.
The Altaras Kingdom Royal Army's Wyvern Squadron, numbering 120 in total flew in formation to the northeast to strike the Parpaldia Empire's Imperial Forces. The Knight-Captain Zaram of the Wyvern Squadron gave orders via his helmet-mounted manacom.
Shortly thereafter, the massive Parpaldian fleet came into their view after passing by several clouds.
"</I see them!\>"
"</Those tyrants are pretty serious about attacking us, huh?\>"
"</Seems like we're after a big feast today, Captain\>"
"</That's it! All units! As planned, spread out and follow the twelve squadron leaders' orders!\>" said Zaram.
With that, the Altarasan wyvern riders began to scatter and nosedived for the Parpaldian vessels. Everything seems like going as planned until a dread realization hits Zaram when he hears hoarse roars from behind through his helmet, followed by distressed messages from his comrades.
"</Captain! We've got a swarm of Parpaldian Dragon Lords inbound from our tails!\>"
"</They're diagonally behind us! They're attacking with the sun at their backs!\>"
The Parpaldian Dragon Lords came in a line from the sun's direction - a perfect spot for a surprise attack as the Altarasan riders could barely see them. Within seconds, the havoc wreaked out as the Altarasans' communication with their friends was interrupted, and so were their formations.
The enemies dove rapidly while firing blasts of powerful fireballs at the disorganized Altarasan wyverns as they frantically evaded the attack, and over half of the Altarasan squadron was killed from this sudden attack.
The Altarasan tried to push back but the major difference in speed and size left them unable to catch up. Those who managed to escape from the onslaught found themselves dealing with death from above - the Parpaldian squadron ascended higher to rain them with another volley of fire blasts.
In no more than five minutes, the entire Altaras Kingdom Royal Army's Wyvern Squadron faced destruction with the opposing forces suffering no injury or loss.
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Central Calendar Year 1639, Month 11, Day 11. 16 km northeast of the Parpaldia Empire's Imperial Forces.
"All of them have been taken out... With ease..." Bordo said as he lowered his telescope while his mouth hung open in flabbergasted. He was thoroughly shaken in his mind, but he wouldn't show his men how anxious he was.
"Captain! We are 4 km away from the enemy fleet!" a report from the Petty Officer came to him.
"Alright! Helmsman, maintain course for the enemy fleet!"
"Aye, sir!"
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Slowly and surely, the two battle lines approached with deadly intentions for each other as tension, anxiety and anticipation began to bear as both sides closed in. While the ships of the line that belonged to the Parpaldian and the Altarasan moved in unison speed with their sails propelled by the Tears of the Wind God, the Parpaldian Ironclads stood the foremost of the Imperial Forces' battle formation thanks to their steam engines that granted them better speed.
The gun ports of the Parpaldian vessels opened to reveal the perfectly aligned magical cannons as they were vigorously pushed from inside, and the Altarasans started to arm their ballistas with special bolts crafted by the very people of the Altaras Kingdom known as the Rune Arrows - magic stone-tipped ballista bolts. The said stones are filled with explosive magic and at the other end of the bolt is fitted with a for faster propulsion and spiral tail or fletching.
Once both sides reached the effective ranges of their weapons, the contest of death commenced when a single word was uttered by Cius - "Fire!"
Puffs of smoke wrapped around some of the Parpaldian warships, followed by the sound of cannon fire as the first volley came to life. Big pillars of water streamed up into the air whenever a cannon shell failed to hit the targets. This causes only a small portion of the Royal Altarasan Navy's vessels capable of performing full broadside while constantly under barrage from the enemy forces.
Amidst the heat of the attack, an Altarasan vessel was struck.
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Royal Altarasan Navy's POV
"Captain! Ship-of-the-lineSittee has been hit!" an officer reported to Bordo.
"What!? Sittee!? It's been hit already!?" said Bordo before he witnessed erupted in flames that engulfed the ship in mere seconds.
Sittee, the first Altarasan warship to become the prey of the Parpaldian's magical cannon that belongs to a Narwhal-class ironclad, violently exploded after it weaved through the waves and tried to attack it. At the same time, her crew unintentionally put their lives in danger.
Despite managing to sink one, the vast shells from the Parpaldian's first volley hit the waves. This gave the chance for the Royal Altarasan Navy to organise their attack.
"Helmsman, hard to starboard! Change our angle of approach to 45 degrees, and all crew! Keep our ballistas trained on them! Load the Rune Arrows!" Bordo ordered.
The fleet slowly turned to reveal their starboard and with the ballistas aimed towards the direction of the Parpaldian vessels, they began their attack.
"Launch the Rune Arrows!" Bordo yelled.
Simultaneously, thousands of Rune Arrows were launched towards the enemies at a tremendous speed as the Altarasan personnel watched in anticipation, hoping that their bolts would land perfectly on the targets.
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Parpaldia Empire's Imperial Forces' POV
"Commander-in-Chief, report! One enemy ship has been destroyed but most of our shots missed their marks!" an officer reported.
"As I expected for the first volley... Perhaps we engaged them too early. I suppose that's the best we can do," said Sius.
"Sir!" an officer called out as he saluted.
"What is it?" asked Cius.
"The enemy fleet's angle of approach is changing. They're now on full broadside towards us!"
Hearing that, Cius came out and stood above the roof of his vessel along with other officers with a telescope extended in his hands, pointing towards the ships of the Royal Altarasan Navy. As he observed, he noticed that the Altarasans were aiming their ballistae in the direction of his fleet.
"Ballistae? Those things have such a short range... What's the point of those bastards firing them?" Sius muttered while frowning in confusion before he lowered his telescope and turned around to return.
Suddenly, one of his officers yelled, "Sir! The enemy ships are firing their ballistae and... the arrows are flying towards us!"
"!!!"
Panic gripped Sius' heart as he lowered his telescope, and saw the arrows heading directly towards his and the others' vessels. Quickly, Sius and the rest officer rushed into their ironclad for cover. Similarly, those on the ships of the line also did the same thing - some of them used the Tears of the Wind God to fill their sails so they could avoid the arrows.
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The previously launched thousands of Rune Arrows begin to rain on the front formation of the enemy warships, and the tip of the bolts explodes as they find their mark. The Ironclads, including Pall, violently rocked and everyone inside held on for their lives whereas the foremost ships of the line that were alongside the armour-plated warships were torn apart in the fire as the arrows hit their wooden deck.
The arrows that failed to hit any ships caused pillars of water to rise dramatically as they exploded, causing sprays of water to hit the other Parpaldian vessels and gusts of thick, greyish-white smoke rose into the air, blinding the view of the enemy.
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Royal Altarasan Navy's POV
"The first volley of Rune Arrows has been launched, sir!"
"Good! Helmsman set a direct course for the enemy fleet so that we could get within their cannon range as soon as possible! Prepare for the Rune Arrows' second volley!"
In Bordo's judgment, their attack seems to go as planned - focus their fire on the flagship and the vessels around it to disrupt the chain of command before concentrating on the rest at a distance. As Bordo's men busied themselves reloading the ballistae, the smoke abated to reveal the destroyed Parpaldian ships of the line.
However, he and a few officers were shocked by the sight of the Parpaldian ironclads, sailing through the destroyed wooden vessels in all-perfect condition with Pall leading them.
"I-Impossible!" Bordo cried out as the unscathed armour-plated warships made their way towards his fleet with the Parpaldian ships of the line hot on the ironclads' track.
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Parpaldia Empire's Imperial Forces' POV
"Damage control team, report!" said Sius.
"Sir! Our vessel received small damages on the front deck and the pilot house. No malfunction was reported from the boiler room," an officer from the damage control team reported.
Something that the Royal Altarasan Navy has yet to discover was unlike the ships of the line, the Parpaldian ironclads were protected by anti-magic steel platings that prevented them from being sunk or rendered inoperative, though they did receive damage but not too serious.
"Sir! Message from the Bowhead-class ironclad Shirant!" said the Messenger.
"Read it loud,"
"Eight ships of the line sunk, three damaged by the attack. It is deduced that the arrows launched by the enemy are probably enchanted with explosion magic and Tears of the Wind God,"
"Any survivors from the sunken ones?"
"S-Survivors? T-To confirm... All hands lost from the attack... Sir,"
While the amount of vessel loss wasn't that much, the number of crews aboard the ships of the line matters, and it was enough to fuel the anger of hatred for Sius to avenge his fallen comrades. He had sworn by the name of the Emperor of the Parpaldia Empire to bring the Altarasan to their knees, and he wouldn't let the minute fleet of the Royal Altarasan Navy hinder this mission.
Gritting his teeth angrily, Sius issued an order to the whole fleet via the manacom operator.
"</Attention to all friendly vessels, this is the order from the Commander-in-Chief of Imperial Fleet - Converge onto the enemy vessels by their port and starboard and concentrate your fire once they're within the range of our guns. Let's give them hell and show them the consequences for challenging the might of the Parpaldia Empire!\>"
Soon, one after another Dragon Lords took off from their respective Dragon Carriers. The steam engines of the ironclads rattled and billowed a great deal of smoke coming out from their smokestacks and the ships of the line advanced with their sails opened wide, filled with the Tears of the Wind God, continued advancing and began to attack the Altarasan fleet. In comparison to the first strike, the second one was much more destructive than before.
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Needless to say, though the Altarasan fleet managed to sink seven more Parpaldian ships of the line, critically damaging a Narwhal-class ironclad and bringing down nine Dragon Lords with the help of their Rune Arrows and their magnificent effort, they were obliterated with ease when it comes fighting against the overwhelming firepower of the Parpaldians.
"Captain! Ship of the lines Beschial, Budehi and Pachera have been sunk!"
"A dragon lord's fire blast has hit ship of the line Osia, a fire has broken out!"
The number of attacking enemy vessels kept increasing, increasing the number of shells that scored hits on the fleet until they were continuously devastated by explosions.
In the end, Captain Bordo and his men, all perished in the grave of fire and sea.
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Parpaldia Empire's Imperial Forces' POV
"Commander-in-Chief, report! The Enemy fleet has been eliminated!" an officer informed
"Status of our fleet?" said Sius.
"Sir! Message from the ironclad Bowhead! To confirm, our fleet lost fifteen vessels, an ironclad was heavily damaged and nine Dragon Lords were killed along with their riders,"
Again, the number of losses on the side of the Parpaldian wasn't that much but it did give Sius an idea that if the now destroyed Royal Altarasan Navy fleet could inflict small but serious damage and destruction to his armada, that meant the ground battle against the Royal Altarasan Army could even have the same result - the Altarasan suffered from total annihilation whereas the Parpaldian experienced little to no casualties.
Still, he didn't want to become a killjoy as he and the rest of his crew enjoyed their victory against the Royal Altarasan Navy as they proceeded their voyage towards the mainland.
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Central Calendar Year 1639, Month 11, Day 11. Le Brias, Altaras Kingdom
The 14th King Taara has the preparations for his departure finished. The news of the Royal Altarasan Navy perishing in the hands of the mighty Parpaldians reached everyone's ears aside from the careful analysis of the magical communications before the connection was lost.
The King prayed for the navy personnel who died for the sake of preserving the kingdom's sovereignty. He knows that some of them may have parents who need to be nursed, and others may have been betrothed or already have children. Yet, they still went to die for their country.
Before leaving his chamber, Taara contemplated his image in the mirror idly. In his opinion, if they could push back the enemy this time, he would do something for the families of those soldiers, to honour them. Yet, he realized that he had little to no time to do so.
The Parpaldia Empire's Imperial Forces had now landed on the vast, empty coast in the wilderness North of the Le Brias and had already set up their encampments. The only thing that could serve as a buffer against them would be the Royal Altarasan Army which amounted to 20,000 ground forces.
With this, the king couldn't do anything but blindly hope for victory despite the odds.
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Central Calendar Year 1639, Month 11, Day 11. 10 km North of the Royal Capital Le Brias, Altaras Kingdom
The Royal Altarasan Army, with a strength of 20,000 men armed to the teeth with various weapons ranging from bows and arrows to swords and spears, are now in position as they marched ahead. Their objective? Secure the bridgehead north of the capital and wipe out the 3,000 Parpaldian soldiers that have just recently landed.
The amount of Altarasan forces outrated the Parpaldian by a rough ratio of 7:1 - one can consider this arrangement as overkill but what they're up against right now is a superpower nation, and when it comes to a superpower nation, their equipment must be superior than their foes had.
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Central Calendar Year 1639, Month 11, Day 11. 4 km North of the Royal Altarasan Army's position
The Parpaldia Empire's Imperial Forces, having their encampment placed along the coastline of the Kingdom and secured the bridgehead, marched relentlessly towards the Royal Capital along the southern coast.
There were 5,000-strong troops in total - a mix consisting of elite infantry equipped with flintlock musket rifles, cavalries, artillerymen and mortar men, as the Dragon Lords flew overhead, scouting and sending information to the ground forces that forty-five Land Dragons heavily guarded.
Like the late Demon Lord Nosgorath's Scarlet Dragon which has gone extinct, the Lindwurms, simply called 'Land Dragons' by the Parpaldians and other people of its surrounding nations, are terrestrial wingless dragons that can only be found in the Philades Continent.
While their appearance and capability are similar to the Scarlet Dragon, the only thing that makes them different is their size and capability. Lindwurms are two times smaller than a Scarlet Dragon so are their fire-breathing ability. Nonetheless, the Parpaldian found a good use for these beasts - the carapace on their back is built with a wooden board and the aspect of transporting troops as well as taking the role of towing and transporting Magic Cannons, Gatling Guns and cargo.
Led by the Land Battle Force Commander Captain Bafram, he and his men were ordered to conquer the Royal Capital and crush the remaining Altarasan forces.
"Commander! If the reports from our boy who went scouting with their Dragon Lords are true, we will be in contact with a 20,000-strong Royal Altarasan Army," The Chief Staff told Bafram.
"20,000-strong men, huh? So it seems like these men gathered without even thinking about turning their tails back - impressive!" said Bafram, seemingly unfazed.
"What can those puny barbarians do best against us when we have what does it take to defeat them with ease? Plus, what lies ahead of us isn't just the Royal Capital but also the famed Siltras mine! Can you imagine it? The world's finest magical gem turns out to be in the hands of these barbarians! Once we annihilate them, the mine along with the magical gems will soon be ours! Hahaha! Oh Your Majesty... I'm very glad to bear the responsibility to lead this mission," added him, now with a sinister smile.
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Central Calendar Year 1639, Month 11, Day 11. Rubyle Plains, Altaras Kingdom
The Rubyle Plains, as the name suggests, was an open field in the wilderness with great visibility. No fresh water, no resources, and not even a grass in sight - just a piece of land. Yet, on this day, everything was about to change when the Royal Altarasan Army and the Parpaldia Empire's Imperial Forces faced off.
"All troops, charge!" the Altarasan commander gave the order.
Soon, clouds of dust were kicked all over the Altarasan cavalry, leading the charge for their comrades to follow. Their morals are high, and they're determined to bring the invaders to their knees.
Everything seemed to be going well, until all of a sudden, explosions went off all over their battle formation - the Imperial Forces retaliated by firing the 12-inch mortars they brought along. The mortars were small, but devastating siege artillery fixed on solid metal platforms with four metal wheels and used by the Parpaldian originally meant for coastal defences, but soon learned that they could be utilised against an overwhelming amount of enemy forces as well.
The Altarasan soldiers, though lost thousands in the explosion, spreading to form a huge barrier as they continued weaving towards the Imperial Forces through the explosions like threading a needle. Indeed, this is a human wave tactic, which became a doctrine in the Royal Altarasan Army.
"Spread out and swarm them, men!" an Altarasan soldier yelled.
The Dragon Lords of the Imperial Forces went into the fray as they nosedived and rained a hell of blasts above the heads of the Altarasan soldiers to deter their aggression, which failed miserably as it was like trying to stop a flood by throwing rocks at it - the aerial attack could only take out one soldier at a time.
Within the huge clouds of dust and gusts of smoke, the Altarasan defenders closed in fast and were met by the Land Dragons; all lined up in a horizontal row as they slowly moved. The beasts billowed a horrendous roar to scare away the Altarasans, which of course wouldn't have any effect at all.
"Archers! Zero in towards the Land Dragons!" The bowmen's leader called out.
The archers, among the rank of the cavalries, took out their bows and aimed at the quadruple reptiles.
"Aim... Loose!!!"
One after another arrows cut through the air and flew at the Land Dragons. While it's clear that the arrow has little to no effect on them because of their thick and protective scales, the projectiles found their marks on the Parpaldians. Those who were on the wooden board of the Land Dragon or behind the tails of the beasts were either killed or injured by the attack.
This causes the formation of the Parpaldian soldiers in disarray as they search for cover from the falling projectiles. The injured ones were quickly dragged out of the battlefield. Witnessing the disorganized formation of the Parpaldian infantry, the lanced cavalry of the Altarasan forces made themselves to the forefront and led the charge to break through and strike them.
Realizing his men were mixed up, Captain Bafram ordered the Land Dragons to attack. Simultaneously, the beasts opened their mouths with a flicker of flame coming from within after their reins were shaken twice by the Parpaldian soldiers that rode on.
"!? Everyone, watch out! Those Land Dragons are about to attack!" An Altarasan lanced cavalryman said as he warned his comrades after noticing the impending doom, but it was all too late.
In unison, the Land Dragons unleashed their short-range, but high-powered, stream of lava-like flames that burned the ground and their enemies black while panning their heads side to side to extend the range of destruction. The Altarasan soldiers that failed to evade jumped straight into the fire - alongside their horses, they rolled on the ground while screaming in agony as the fire consumed them alive.
Due to the concentrated and scorching blaze, the Altarasan soldiers came to a halt but not for the Land Dragons as they let out more of their attack as these beasts advanced. Still, there were about 300 Altarasan cavalry who were able to get through the attack and went straight for the Parpaldian foot soldiers.
As if been destined by bad luck, the lanced Altarasan cavalry was met by a massive firing line formed by the Parpaldians. In an instant, they raised their flintlock musket rifles synchronously, aimed for the charging line of enemies. Their artillerymen did the same thing with the Magical Cannons, too after they loaded canister shots into the barrels.
"FIRE!" yelled Captain Bafram.
In an instant, puffs of white smoke rose from the enemy infantry formation followed by the thunderous blow of their Magical Cannons, and the Altarasan cavalry fell jumbled to the ground.
"Wha!? What's going on!?" One of the charging-lanced Altarasan cavalry questioned as he watched his comrades around him fall along with their horses before a stray steel ball from the canister shots smashed through his skull.
The Parpaldian forces' attack continued as fierce explosions erupted and went off all over the Royal Altarasan Army that was in the plain. The ships of the line along with the ironclads, divided into two large battle formations provided supporting fire for their friendly forces against the remaining Altarasan troops.
In the end, before the Parpaldia Empire's Imperial Forces, the Royal Altarasan Army faced total annihilation. This easily paved the way for the Parpaldians to capture the Royal Capital without any resistance and within just a day, the Altaras Kingdom was officially declared to fall into the hands of the most powerful nation of the Third Civilisation Area.
As for the 14th King Taara, he was killed along with his servants when the Lord Dragons launched an airstrike upon Le Brias to destroy any remaining Altarasan forces that could deter their mission.
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Central Calendar Year 1639, Month 11, Day 11. 200 m north of the Parpaldia Empire's Imperial Forces fleet
As the final drama was playing out with the Parpaldians celebrating their victory and the Altarasans mourning their defeat, already on station at the sea unknowingly to the Imperial Forces was the Republic of Singapore Navy's submarine, namely RSS Illustrious of the Type-218SG 'Invincible-class'.
On this faithful day, back during the naval battle between the Royal Altarasan Navy and the Parpaldia Empire's Imperial Forces, Illustrious and her crew were venturing through the deep waters of the Altaras Straits and on their way returning from patrol duty, had been right there by coincidence, on the starboard of the Parpaldian vessels, with her crew observing the battle through the periscope.
Had her Captain given the green light to launch torpedoes to sink the attacking Parpaldian vessels, she would've helped the Altarasan and the fall of the Altaras Kingdom wouldn't have taken place. Yet, as the Captain reported the situation to the Changi Naval Base, she wasn't permitted to engage but only to shadow the invading fleet, fearing that they might be comprising their location, to which she forcefully agreed.
So, while the Parpaldian ships of the line and ironclads bombarded the Royal Altarasan Army at the Rubyle Plains, Illustrious and her crew sat behind helplessly. Despite being fully armed and still having fuel in her tanks, she could do nothing. After the battle ended, Illustrious returned home safely, but her Captain was devastated - she wished that things were different if she decided to retaliate the order.
Still, the reports that came from Illustrious's Captain were something that the higher-ups at the Changi Naval Base shouldn't take lightly, as it quickly became a hint that the FPDA might be drawn into another massive conflict.
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Central Calendar Year 1639, Month 11, Day 14. Investigator Straits, Australia
The warship in disguise of a merchant vessel that brought Princess Lumies, Queen Delila, Lilcide and several other Royal Altarasan Navy personnel swayed on the sea. It rode the southern currents, but due to the strong wind and violent waves, the vessel had to deviate from the direction of its destination.
Instead of arriving at the Rodenius Continent, the vessel ended up about ten miles away from the coast of the Investigator Straits, Australia. Having long since nearly running out of food and water, everyone on board has no other choices except to fast.
Time after time, the Altarasan naval personnel would change position since they were all exhausted for the past 48 hours.
"Right now, as it seems Your Majesty and Your Highness. Due to the unexpected harsh weather, our ship has diverged too far from the Rodenius Continent," said Lilcide as she pointed out towards the map on the table.
"How about the Tears of the Wind God? Is it still operational even after the terrible things we experienced for the past two days?" asked Delila.
"Your Majesty, it is a piece of bad news - the generator of the Tears of the Wind God has been damaged and even if we manage to fix it, there's no way it can reach its fullest potential," said Lilcide.
"Then, how are we supposed to make it back towards the Rodenius Continent?" asked Lumies.
With a sigh of despair, Lilcide replied, "Your Majesty, my best guess is that we either make it to the nearest shore or be sitting duck and wait for any ship to pass by and help to get out of here,"
Suddenly, the Captain barged in.
"Lady Lilcide! We need you right now! on the double!" said him.
Realizing that something bad was about to happen, Lilcide ordered the two to stay inside the cabin as she went out to investigate what was going on.
"What is it, Captain?" asked Lilcide as she prepared her sword and armour.
"We've spotted a massive, grey vessel of unknown nationality right on our starboard," said the Captain as he handed over to her his telescope.
"Pirates?"
"To say that it's a pirate ship, it doesn't even fly one,"
Everyone moved towards the ship's side with their hands tightly holding bows and arrows, observing the vessel slowly approaching them.
As it got closer, everyone couldn't believe their eyes. This ship moves without any sails and has a length of 80 metres, a beam of 13 metres and a draught of 4 metres. This ship was larger than theirs and what baffled them more is that it appears to be completely made out of steel.
"Captain, do you think I should announce everyone to their battle stations?" asked Lilcide.
"I think better not... Somehow, my heart said that they are here without any means of bringing harm to us," said the Captain.
Quickly, the Captain ordered his men to lower their weapons. The steel ship slowed down before it spoke up to the ship with a loud voice that couldn't be considered made by a human.
"</This is the Royal Australian Navy! Your vessel has currently entered the waters of our nation! Please state your intention or turn yourselves away if you don't want to deal with the use of force! Repeat!-\>"
While the voice that came out of the vessel was indeed shocking and terrifying at the same time for the Altarasan as they were not expecting the ship to speak as if it was possessed by a spirit, there was something that made them even more surprised.
"D-Did the ship mentioned that... It belongs to the... Australian Navy?" asked one of the men.
Slowly and surely, an expression of relief and happiness grew on their faces as they realized that this steel ship belonged to one of the five-nation alliances that the late King once told. Immediately, one of the men on board waved a white flag which successfully gained the attention of the crew of the steel ship, HMAS Pilbara.
As you would expect, after a thorough inspection, the merchant vessel was towed by the Offshore Patrol Vessel, taking it into the waters of the Down Under nation. This in itself allows Princess Lumiess to seek the protection of the FPDA.