Murder

The Old World, Bronze Mountain 281st Cartel Air Fleet, The Bronze Picker

Cartel Lord Boldstar turned his attention away from the boarding action of the Loose Confed merchant airship and gave an order to the helmsman. "Bring us away from this place! Resume course to Waterfall Cove!"

"Yes, my Lord!" The helmsman replied as he spun the wheel. The heavy sky cruiser turned and pointed its nose towards the direction of the cove and its air screws powered up, pushing the heavy sky cruiser forward between the clouds.

"Inform me when we reach our location," Lord Boldstar yawned as he left the bridge. "I shall be in my cabin!"

The bridge crew saluted and returned to their duties while Lord Boldstar went into his cabin to get some much needed sleep, totally unaware of the situation that had befallen his crew onboard the merchant ship.

-----

Pelan was a skywatcher onboard the Bronze Picker. He had just turned fifteen summers this year and was proud of the fact that he had made junior sky hand and was posted as a skywatcher whose job was to watch the skies surrounding the airship.

He was also proud that his performance was highly praised by his team leader and this morning, he was the one that spotted the merchant airship. Lord Boldstar had even given a rare word of commendation to him earlier and he saluted him like the rest when he left the bridge.

He returned to his job of scanning the skies with the huge farseeing device when he passed over a cloud before he jolted in surprise. He looked closely at the cloud again that was just several ship lengths of distance away and to his horror, he realized that something was hidden inside it.

"Sir!" He called out quickly. "Th- There's something in that cloud! Six points to the helm!" He cried out. "I do not know what is it!"

The Second Lieutenant who was in command of the bridge stepped over with a frown. He wanted to berate the skywatcher but he kept it down as he recognized the boy as one of the more competent crew. "What is it?"

"Look sir!" Pelan gestured to the cloud. The Second Lieutenant bent down and looked through the bulky farseer and a confused expression appeared on his face.

"What in the mountains..." The Second Lieutenant barely finished his sentence when there was a mighty boom and the whole ship shook violently.

"Rock and stone! We are under attack!"

-----

The Old World, UNS Icarus

"Tango Alpha holding steady," The weapons officer intoned. "All guns ready and awaiting command."

"UNS Daedalus reports guns ready and locked on," The XO reported next. "They are waiting for your lead, Sir!"

"All guns..." The Captain of the Icarus snapped. "Fire!"

"Aye, aye!" The weapons officer replied before he spoke into his comms. "All guns open fire at Tango Alpha!"

Almost instantaneously, the two turrets housing a pair of 88 mm long guns thundered. The shock wave of the cannons, blew off part of the cloud cover, exposing the gun turrets. The UNS Daedalus's guns followed a short moment after and shells slammed into the side of the Cartel airship without any warning.

The 88 mm shells designed to be able to punch through magical monster hides and armored steel, easily ripped through the iron armor of the Cartel airship. Balls of explosions rolled out from the flanks of the airship as it was bracketed by shellfire.

The Cartel sky cruiser was a symbol of absolute might on the skies of the Old World collapsed from the skies on the fourth volley, the crew barely even able to power up whatever magical defenses they had nor even fire a shot back in retaliation.

"Old Ugly, Old Ugly, this is UNS Icarus," The captain of the Icarus keyed the comms and made his report. "Tango Alpha has been destroyed."

"Roger that, Icarus," The reply came back a moment later. "Check for survivors. Out"

The captain of the Icarus turned to the display screen where the image of the Cartel airship was shown shattered all across the land below. He sighed and ordered, "Send a Search and Rescue party down to see if there are any survivors."

He shook his head as he looked at the shattered remains of the Cartel airship and mumbled to himself, "How can there still be anyone surviving in there after getting blown to pieces..."

-----

The Old World, The Old Ugly

Blake turned to Trism and asked, "Any wounded?"

"Surprisingly there were only a few bruises and minor cuts on our side," Trism replied. "I think we really took them by surprise."

"And the Cartel?" Blake asked next.

"Twenty six KIA and fourteen wounded and captured," Trism reported. "All fourteen are currently recovering in the brig."

"Interrogate them once they are health enough," Blake said when there was a knock at the bridge hatch and a Marine dressed in a civilian wear stepped in.

"Sir, the dwarvan specialists are requesting an audience urgently," The Marine said as he saluted.

"Let them in," Trism said after seeing Blake gave a accepting nod.

Grand Lord Hammerfall and Lord Copperstone entered the bridge shortly after. Hammefall had an unhappy expression on his face with Copperstone was seemed uncertain.

"Lord Blake!" Grand Lord Hammerfall puffed. "Why have you attacked and killed soldiers of the Cartel? By the Mountains! I demand an explanation!"

"An explanation?" Trism stepped forward and growled. "Do not forget you status here!"

"Rock and stone!" Grand Lord Hammerfall glared at Trism before storming over to Blake seated at the command chair. "Why are you murdering my people?"

"Murder?" Trism snapped angrily as he intercepted Hammerfall's path. "You-"

"Enough," Blake gestured Trism to step back before he spoke directly to Hammerfall. "We did not want to do this, but the situation forced my hand."

"By the Mountains! This is not an excuse for murder!" Hammerfall was angry. He, Copperstone and a few others were suddenly told to move into a hidden cabin and keep really quiet. There they stayed for several turns of the glass before they allowed out again. By then, he found out that a small Cartel force had docked with the Old Ugly for a custom check but the whole party was killed off instead.

"I do not have to explain my actions to you," Blake said in a cold voice. "But as basic courtesy, I shall inform you that Cartel airship was in cahoots with pirates."

"Pirates?" Hammerfall was surprised. "Rock and stone! That is impossible!"

"Whether it is true or not, you shall hear of it very soon," Blake said. "Now, this shall be the first and last time I take such behavior from you!"

"Do not forget that you are a still a prisoner of war!" Blake snapped. "Now get out of my bridge!"

Red faced, Hammerfall could only be allowed himself to be led out by Copperstone. The Marines guarding the bridge hatch saluted Blake before they shut the hatch. Blake let out a sigh and turned to Trism. "Look for a place to land. We need to get rid of those two boarding... barrels on our flank..."

Within the next hour, the Old Ugly descended down from the skies and landed on a grassy clearing. The goblin engineers and techs came out in force and they undogged the two Cartel boarding barges and striped them down to their components before loading them into the hold.

The Marines took the chance to do some hunting in the nearby areas and returned with some game and once the loading was completed, the Old Ugly rose into the skies again and took up formation between the two UN airships that still had wisps of clouds wreathed around their hulls.

-----

Somewhat in the center of the continent of the Old World, sat a sprawling city that was built on a plain. A snaking river cut through the middle of the city, splitting it into two and a huge white palace cathedral stood out in the city center.

An unusual thing about the city was that there was no city walls surrounding it and the flags of all the Seven Great Nations and many other minor kingdoms and nations were flown at different districts of the city and along the white palace cathedral's walls and towers.

The city was known as the Free City of Ender, where the embassies and councils of all nations and kingdoms gathered at. A neutral city where Kings, Emperors and Rulers came to discuss trade, treaties, and wars. The Free City of Ender was built several hundreds of years ago by the greatest kingdom at that time and had ever since served as a place for diplomacy among the kingdoms and nations of the Old World.

The white Ivory Palace sat in the center of the city and from the skies, looked like a blossoming flower with nine 'petals', with each 'petal' belonging to one of the Great Nations and the remaining two 'petals' shared by the remaining minor kingdoms and nations. The Ivory Palace constructed entirely out of white ivory stone, was the place where intrigue, secrets, and backdoor deals of national level were made among the ambassadors of each nation and kingdom. Spies were everywhere and one could even barely trust their own subordinates in this place.

Today, inside the Domain of Dragons' wing of the Ivory Palace, a group of delegates from the Suugon Dynasty strolled down the richly carpeted hallway and reached a set of massive ornate doors that lead to the chamber hall of the Dragon Lords.

The person leading the delegates stared at the massive doors depicting dragons soaring in the skies with appreciation before the doors need several guards each to push, swung open silently. The dragon guards gave their salutes to the Suugon delegates before returning to their posts.

The delegates strolled through the opened doors that was more like a gate used in city walls and found themselves in a spacious hall supported by massive pillars that were wider than several people joining hands around. The ceiling was so high up that a drake could fly around easily and the whole hall was flooded with natural light that came from floor to ceiling window like openings.

At the end of the hall was a raised platform which an obese green dragon laid on a dragon sized mattress sewn from the finest spider silk and filled with the softest of griffin feathers. The hall was so long that the Suugon delegates had to walk for almost a quarter of the sand glass before they came within talking distance.

"Greetings Dragon Lord Alder!" The person leading the Suugon delegates bowed while the rest of the delegates went down on their knees and kowtowed to the green dragon.

Dragon Lord Alder cracked out an eye and let out a yawn before he lazily reached out to a dragon sized bowl made out of pure gold and picked up a morsel of sweet meat and snacked on it. He sucked his jeweled decorated claws clean before he turned his attention to the Suugon bowing before him.

"Oh, why its Lord Lei!" Dragon Lord Alder gave a lazy smile at the Suugon. "What honor do I have to owe for your visit?"

Lord Lei straightened up and smoothed out his long jacket that had golden dragons embroidered onto his sleeves and smile back at the green dragon whose scales were colored in a dark emerald green. "I have word that the Iron Kingdom's flying island fortress has returned."

"And?" Dragon Lord Alder let out another yawn, showing off his dagger sized teeth. "What of it?"

"I also heard that its holds were filled to the brim with magic crystals..." Lord Lei lowered his voice as if sharing a secret.

"And?" Dragon Lord Alder did not take the bait. "I have already heard of that too!"

"Well, but did you hear that the Crown Prince is missing too?" Lord Lei gave a small smile.

"Oh?" Dragon Lord Alder's serpentine head rose up in surprise as he was intrigued by the news. "Really?"

"Yes and that is not all..." Lord Lei's smile widened as he knew he caught the full attention of the overweight dragon. "The entire flying fortress has returned... void of life!"