51 To the north!
I am sitting on my chair at the command centre of my flying fortress grinding my teeth while I think about the situation.
We left Ireth, Aengus and Rose back in Midpoint. Celes didn't want me to walk into this alone. Arthur and Nicosar are with me too. Katrine went another path to oversee the evacuation of the north.
The north was already emptied of most people to begin with, but there are always some idiots who wont leave their houses.
But what I am more worried about is how to deal with the magic circle to summon Tjenemit. Should we just keep shooting at the city until there is nothing left except dust?
Arthur informed the troops which besieged the city. They are ready to advance.
"What are you thinking about?" Arthur asks me while he is taking a look at the map. After two days of flight, we have almost reached our destination.
"I am not sure if we should take the risk and destroy the magic circle from afar with everything we have after the shield is broken." I scratch my head.
"Why should that be risky?" -Arthur
"What if the whole thing blows up? There is a serious amount of energy in there! What if the aftermath makes the world uninhabitable?" -Me
Arthur goes stiff. "Do you think that could happen!?"
I shrug my shoulders. "I have no idea how well the summoning circle is made. It could have some safety mechanisms and it could have none."
"Then what other possibilities do we have?" -Arthur
"We break the shield, bomb everything to pieces, except the building with the summoning circle. Then we invade and take a close look at the thing. Maybe we can cancel it safely somehow." -Me
"You don't sound convinced." -Arthur
"That's because I have no idea what we will find there. The only safe possibility would be to blow the whole city to smithereens. But that come with a serious risk." -Me
"Those Meltheim and Tulhelm fellows have already proven that they have some screws loose. I don't want to gamble on the possibility that they did something smart like installing safety mechanisms into the circle!" -Arthur
"I don't think it's a question if they wanted to install something like that. It's a question if the blueprint for the circle came with something like that. I doubt that they understand the circle. I doubt even more that they would be able to modify it if they wanted to." I lean back in my chair and look at the ceiling.
"That makes me even more uncomfortable with a gamble like that! We will invade by foot if necessary! That's it." -Arthur
"I don't now Tjenemit well enough to take any guess, so we should really try it the safe way." Celes gives her opinion too.
I nod and take another look at the map. "Start the long range bombardment. I want the shield weakened when we arrive."
"Yes, Sir." -Technician
The fortress shudders, as a full salvo of blue energy balls is fired. They are pure plasma, encased in a magically upheld electromagnetic field under high pressures. Upon impact the field crumbles and hell is set loose upon the world.
A few seconds later the screen shows blue flashes on the horizon. "Start the drones and give the command to swarm the city as soon as the shield goes down. We will use them as the first wave."
"We will loose many of them to our own fire sir." An officer reminds me.
"They are just metal and maybe some can find valuable targets in the confusion. Set them up to clear out the area around the summoning circle. I don't want any surprises there." I point at the locations I want them to be.
"I will order the troops to overrun the city as soon as the shield goes down." -Arthur informs me.
"They will run into our fire." Celes interjects.
"Everyone knows what's on the line. I have picked only veterans to serve here. They all know that this could affect the world. If I tell them that they improve our chances a little by throwing themselves into a firestorm, they will do it." -Arthur
I nod. "I hope it will be worth the risk."
The rest of the time we watch in silence while the fortress is shaken by our own artillery. After another hour our target comes into view.
Located at the biggest mountain range, we can see the City of Seria. A white bubble over the city constantly lights up and disappears again while it is hit by our artillery.
It looks like any other city, but a few structures stand out. First the big tower at the centre of the city, second is the dome, which most likely houses the summoning circle. And third are the smaller towers around the city which are similar to the big one.
Around the city our besieging troops started to intensify their bombardment too and the whole city is constantly hit by projectiles.
"Prepare the main cannon. The target is this tower at the edge of the city. Fire when ready." I give my command.
"Why exactly that one?" Nicosar asks with a curious voice.
"I studied the city layout for quite some time and I guess it's the most likely place for one of the magic devices which create the shield. I don't think it's created by a single device, which would be hard to control. The central tower most likely acts as the power source which supplies the shield generators at the periphery. We will concentrate everything we have on that single tower. I hope we can overload the supply line for the mana. If we manage to blow out that part of the shield we will take out the big tower next." -Me
"That's the plan? And if we can't overload the supply line?" -Arthur
"Then we will fly the fortress above the city, climb to the highest altitude possible ….. evacuate and cut the engine." I answer with a sweet voice.
"Target acquired! Firing!" -Technician
A big red beam shoots out of the front of our ship and impacts into the enemy's shield, where it disperses and vanishes. But the beam of energy doesn't stop.
"Output continuous. Raising it to hundred percent." -Technician
I watch the effects on the shield, but it seems like it isn't working. "Raise the output by five per cent every ten seconds."
"But... that could blow the cannon!" -Technician
"Do it! If it can't break that shield, we don't need that cannon!" -Me
"Raising the output to 105.... 110....115.... we are overheating!" -Technician
"120! Do it!" I scream. This fucking shield has to go down!
"120" -Technician
The beam of red energy starts to pulse while the city's shield starts to flicker. Suddenly a little beam of energy passes through and strikes the tower.
Flickering again the shield vanishes and the disappears, being hit by the full power of the beam. The people in the room start to cheer.
Our energy beam also flickers and turns off.
"The main cannon burned out!" -Technician
"Who cares! Open fire! Wipe the big tower from my sight!" I start to laugh like mad while our cannons pour their fire through the opening at the big tower. Explosions tear the other building apart and suddenly the whole shield goes down and the bombardment starts to ravage the city from all sides.
Arthur activates a little communication device. "All units attack!"
"Clear out the area around the dome and give the command to the drones. Get ready to teleport us to the dome." I jump out of my chair.
Some white balls of energy start to rise from the city, but they are few compared the bombardment of the besieging force. As soon as a ball of energy starts to rise the position it was fired from is torn apart by multiple impacts.
Our army is doing a good job in taking out the enemy's artillery.
"Start to teleport the troops directly to the dome!" Nicosar gives instructions to a technician.
"I guess it's time get ready." I nod at Celes and we start to make our way towards the weapon arsenal.
A few minutes later we are equipped with the latest magically enhanced armour and weapons. A few technicians are helping us to correctly put on the golden armoury which looks like a combination of a knight and a space suit.
Everyone has his own, but I still should have checked on the work of my people. "Why do we all have black suits combined with gold, while the regular troops are black and silver?"
"Your majesties have to uphold the right appearance! It's unthinkable to dress you in the colours of the regular troops!" A technician explains shocked.
"Hmpf. Get us normal ones the next time. We stand out like hell! This just screams to the heavens that we should be shot first! Well at least the black dominates, so it should just be a problem at close ranges." I grumble to myself. You should always check everything for yourself!
The technician bows to me while sweating a little. Then his communication device vibrates and he listens to it for a second.
"The troops cleared an area around the dome and judged it safe enough. They are now entering, but there is heavy resistance. Drem thinks it would be okay if you follow on their feet while they are advancing. That's just if it's true that every second counts."
Suddenly Celes hugs me. "Don't do anything stupid!" After a few seconds she lets go of me and I kiss her forehead. "I promise."
Then I look at one of the guys at the teleportation controls. "Get us down there!"
