105 Chapter 6.26 - We all Lift

Callion Grier was not a fan of elven formal raiments. They were made according to the few surviving stories and tales of his past, but what was previously constructed using fabrics 'as soft as the clouds and light as the wind' was now made of wool. It didn't matter if it was enchanted, 12 layers of fabric was heavy and hot. But he would not let this stop him. It was a beautiful day for his people. His second in command and mentor for the grove, Adam Brock, kept him assured. Other than the Matriarch and Patriarch of the Grove, the Second was the 3rd most important person. Adam Brock, having held a position as a representative would be the best candidate for second behind the Patriarch Callion. As for the Matriarch...

Standing next to him was his newlywed Liza Mondjager, very happy to be with her new mate, and starting to show the signs of being pregnant. She did not complain as much about her vestments, but as the new Matriarch of this Grove, hers were not as heavy or as layered, and not as hot as the armor she wore at the Battle of the Pass.

The Staked land for the Grove was opposite the massive research complexes, adjacent to the outer walls of the Foundry region giving ample distance while still allowing for access to freshwater. It was still considered fairly secluded from the cacophony of Shurik's labs, as it was almost the same distance from the new grove to the complex as it was from the complex to the center of Haven's capital region. This would work as the grove was in its infancy, and when the Grove was established, it wouldn't matter if Shurik's research facilities butted right up against the Grove's boundaries. The Grove endures.

The Stake was prepared for the day's ceremony. There were several families of elves selected to move from the mother Grove to the new Grove, usually second born children and their partners. In the parting ceremony, the newly elected Patriarch gently separates his root from the previous Grove, and plants the cutting into the prepared soil of the new Grove. Afterwards, those adept at druidic magic cast growth on the cutting until it begins to root and grow into a Grove Tree. Normally this process would take such a small colony of elves and transmuted several years to make a sustainable Grove. But Liza was the most powerful Healer class in all of Haven, and quite possibly in the continent. Once the weaving began, under guidance from her husband Callion, she poured her kindness, happiness, light, and mana into the root. What should have taken years of slow development into a Grove Tree happen before their very eyes under the immense magical power of a high mage. Callion could not believe what he saw. There were a few elves visiting from the mother Grove to witness the ceremony, specifically Isil's father, and the parasite Yuni who was driving Matriarch Grier. Watching the love and happiness so quickly grow this tree, a single tear fell unbidden down the eye of Yuni's face.

The rapid growth of the Grove Tree was a powerful expression of Nature and beauty, something that would take incredible effort to surpass, which was surprising that it was the second most incredible thing to occur in the Foundry Region that day.

***

It started with a hum and a high whistled tune.

Then a percussion added on. A learned purveyor of Harvest Festivals and post battle celebrations would identify the style of the music. It was done in the style of a Skygge battle hymn, sung as ships left moors and steins were raised.

But there were no skygge voices singing. Definitely not enough to project such a powerful performance.

It seemed that seafaring wasn't the only trait that Thanatos and his clan had learned from their Skygge teachers. Thanatos had his children learn absolutely everything from the Skygge so they could best reproduce their naval skills. Naturally, The Transmuted did not separate the logical skills of the sailors and stevadors from the emotional skills of their music. Thanatos had each of his children practice replicating the sound of an instrument within the Skygge band set. Most of their instruments could be replicated with various vibrations of their bodies. Thanks to the natural design of the vessel, it inherently resonated with the sound produced by Transmuted.

Which was as their first ship began to lift into the air, the Transmuted began singing as they all lifted together, their vessels rising from drydock.

The H.A.S. Dreadnaught class vessel 'Monarch' took flight. It was not the only ship. Four other ships took flight as well, smaller versions meant as its escort vessels, also completely manned by the Transmuted.

The kinetic force of the ships firing, as well as the spacial requirements for its armaments made it impossible for anyone but the Transmuted to pilot or even ride in. The force being that the entire ship was built around its cannon, and there were no kinetic dampeners. Even most of the transmuted could not survive the full blast of the cannon.

But Thanatos had ensured his clan was bred for it. This was his clan's purpose. They would pilot the Flagship of Haven, as the ship dwarfed even the largest titans to sail through the sky.

"Was it designed to allow them to sing like that?" Serin asked Shurik as the dreadnought rose into the air to hymns echoing in the valley.

"Not intentionally. But the intricate weaving of the metal work turns the entire vessel into a tuning fork for the Transmuted people's method of vibrative communication. Intern from the Collective figured it out."

Serin shook his head. He had heard the skygge style hymns in bars and on their airships, but this was blasted at such volume that it was heard clearly by everyone in the Foundry Region, and mostly likely heard faintly over the mountains.

"Shurik, I don't know if you know something I don't, but that ship's cannon looks capable of killing the strongest titan we have seen several times over. Why in the divines did you make such a large cannon?"

The ships rose and the dreadnought prepared to launch its first airborne round. A mountain had been raised by magic roughly 50km away as a target. Serin then noticed the dozens of windrunners floating about like gnats around the Monarch. 'These must be his eyes.' Serin mused.

"There are two specific reasons why the Monarch, our nation's flagship, was built to such specifications. The First is that building weapons systems based on the index of threats discovered without including the possibility of future threats is a foolish endeavor, as it took several months to get this ship airborne, a timeline that is not possible to be considered a reactionary measure to new threats."

The round fired, and after a few minutes Serin saw from the observation station the mountain was obliterated. "And the second reason you built such a monstrosity, Master Shurik?"

There was an intensity behind Shurik's eyes and a fiendish grin, watching the unrivaled destruction of this vessel.

"The second reason is simple Lord Serin. Because I can."

***