Chapter 1: The Unexpected Guest
The Genyrre, a colossal land wagon, loomed over the grasslands of the Doran Kingdom, its mechanical legs and steam engines propelling it forward with an imposing presence. As it journeyed for weeks, the rhythmic thuds of its massive legs echoed for miles, a testament to its sheer size and power.
Inside the land wagon, the journey was surprisingly smooth, even when navigating challenging terrains like lakes and swamps. The upper floors, reserved for the elite, contrasted sharply with the lower sections where the lower classes found their accommodations. Despite diligent patrols, the lower parts sometimes harbored lawless elements, exploiting the vastness of the land wagon for clandestine activities.
As the Genyrre departed the Doran Kingdom, Europan patrol ships intercepted it, seeking permission to dock. Rowan Erickson, a major overseeing the patrol, and Selena, a dedicated officer, scrutinized the land wagon. Its deteriorating exterior and rust-covered frame raised concerns.
"No word from the Land Wagon yet!" the pilot reported to Rowan, heightening the tension.
"If they do not comply, then I believe we will have to use force. It's in the protocol, sir!" Selena suggested, adhering to the strict procedures.
"By the book as always, Selena," Rowan acknowledged, preparing for potential confrontation.
Before force could be considered, a transmission from the Genyrre reached the Europan patrol ship.
"This is LW-0029 Genyrre. You may now board. I-I apologize for the delay in the transmission!"
"Is there something wrong? Are you the Captain?" Selena asked to the transmission from Genyrre.
"The captain... i-is not well. It is the first mate speaking on our Captain's behalf." The first mate replied to Selena.
"Something's not right. I will assign you to scan the land wagon while I interrogate the crew!" Rowan ordered Selena.
"Yes sir!" Selena agreed.
Upon landing on the deck, Europan soldiers embarked on a meticulous scan for illegal cargo. Meanwhile, Rowan and Selena divided their efforts – Rowan heading to the cabin where the captain should be and Selena leading an inspection of the upper floors.
As Selena and Rowan disembarked, two Europan soldiers reported, "There's nothing unusual in the deck!"
Rowan replied and said, "Good! Proceed to the lower floors. Selena will lead the inspection. I need four soldiers with me!" Rowan proceeded to the bridge.
Inside the land wagon's bridge, the captain scolded the first mate, aware of the impending scrutiny. As Rowan knocked on the cabin door, a facade of normalcy enveloped the room, masking the illicit dealings beneath the surface.
Rowan, accompanied by soldiers, inspected the cabin under the pretense of checking ventilation. The crew's responses seemed rehearsed, hinting at a hidden truth. The humid and smelly atmosphere added to Rowan's suspicions, setting the stage for a potential revelation.
"It's humid here! Is the ventilation even working?" Rowan asked the crew.
No one answered, and then Rowan asked the same question again. One of the crew replied and said, "It's been months since we requested the repairs of the ventilation system. Upon arriving at our next destination we will have it fixed."
Rowan sounded unconvinced, "Oh?" He inspected the entire smelly and humid Cabin with himself and his soldiers.
Meanwhile, at the upper floors of the land wagon, Selena decided to split up her men to search the land wagon faster. She wears the standard white uniform for the border guards with black epaulets on both of the shoulders of her uniform. There was a distinct gold embroidery that described her rank. She fixed her hair in a clean ponytail. Then she wore black gloves and black boots.
Walking on the halls of the upper floors, Selena suddenly saw an entourage of well-dressed people. In front of her and a few guards in her back is a gentleman who looked sophisticated. He wore an iron lion emblem on the jacket near his left pocket on his chest.
"You're not supposed to be here!" Selena said to the gentleman before his entourage.
"Whatever the treaty signed by Europa and the Heathens without the approval of the Dynellan Family, it will not be legitimate. I have the right of the throne and rescue my people held by the heathens. You have no right to stop me!" The silver hair gentleman said.
Selena, who had no choice, contacted her superior who was at the bridge. "Sir! We have a situation here. The heir of the Dynellan Dynasty is here!"
"What!?" Rowan replied in surprise. "He's not supposed to be here!"
"I know, but what should we do?" Selena asked.
"We will have to force him back to Svedenia. Drag him if you must. No one must know that he was here!" Rowan replied to her.
"You leave me no choice. We will have to drag you even if you resist!" Selena told the silver-haired gentleman.
"Over my cold corpse!" The silver-haired man replied and orders his entourage to aim their rifles at their fellow Europan soldiers.
"Are you mad!?" Selena replied. Her men did the same and aimed their rifles at the silver-haired man and his entourage.
While observing Selena's confrontation, Rowan sighed, recognizing the escalating complexity of the situation. The tension further heightened as the Genyrre's captain, frozen in fear, spotted six unidentified ships on the horizon – a harbinger of the dreaded Umayar invasion.
"Selena, there is something serious that is going on. Leave the prince be. I am rallying you all for the defense of the land wagon!" Sensing the severity through Rowan's voice, Selena lowered her rifle, opting to prioritize the defense of the land wagon against the impending invasion. "After surviving this ordeal, I will drag you back to exile. I have matters to attend to!"
Selena left with her soldiers and went to the Bridge to meet up with her superior officer.
Meanwhile, Rowan asked the Genyrre's Captain if he had prepared for the defense of the land wagon. The Captain did not talk and ignored Rowan.
Rowan, unable to hold his frustration, grabbed the Captain by his collar and asked, "Do you have a plan to save the land wagon!?"
The first officer unable to keep his mouth shut, confessed to Rowan and said, "This is no Umayar invasion... the Captain. He had dealt with an Umayar General for an illicit cargo. We lacked several tons of it. That's why the Umayar General sent us ships to destroy us!"
"Not another word boy!" The Genyrre's captain approached the first officer angrily but was tackled by Rowan.
Other Europan soldiers helped Rowan out in detaining the Genyrre's captain. "After this ordeal, I would like to have all of you officers for investigation and interrogation," Rowan declared, determined to address the treachery within.
The officers inside the cabin of the land wagon looked at themselves in silence.
"Don't you hear what I said? Get a move on or we will all die here!!!" Rowan yelled at the officers.
The officers scrambled and did what Rowan told them to do. The alarm sounded in the entire land wagon and the regulars scrambled to man the defenses, "This will be a bloody fight, prepare yourselves!" He advised the crew in the Bridge.