Old Rivalries
Act 9: Whispers
Chapter 30
"I've cleared the path towards Mor Ardain, and I've learned something new." Argentine said. "As it turns out, Mor Ardain is not as heavily defended as we thought, but an island close to it is, and we're going to have to pass through it to get to the capital." He pointed.
They all leaned forwards, squinting at the small dot. "They know we're coming, they've dug in in preparation.". He explained. "And we can't go around it or land in Mor Ardain?" The minister asked.
"If we did, we'd be pinned from both sides, the landing zone is in range of both the island and the fort guarding Mor Ardain." He pulled out a map with more detail. "If they've concentrated their forces there, shouldn't we just attack other places?" Elanis pointed towards the capitals of Uraya, Gormott and others.
"Bah! Are we scared to go in and pull them out by the roots!" The Grand Chieftain scoffed. "We can't just go in recklessly, we're going to have to have a plan and a bigger force," Stolt said. "I can bring a fleet for support, we knock out their airships then we have a chance," he suggested. "Sounds good enough, let's rally our men," Infinite sighed.
Elanis overlooked the massive factory from a balcony. "We'll be able to make a hundred or more by the deadline, the problem is the pilots," the owner, Oroaous, said. She nodded slightly and watched the artifices being assembled by the sea of workers.
"Did it really have to be this way?" She asked herself. It was almost reaching a year and a half at this point, but was there really an end goal? Were they doing the right thing? Or was this all just pointless bloodshed?
"So I assume you'll have our payment ready?" His voice interrupted her thoughts. "Yes, but if there is a single artifice malfunctioning or not present, you will not receive any payment." She stared at him with her cold black eyes. "I understand." He bowed and opened the door for her.
"Are the legions ready?" Infinite asked. "Most. Not enough." Stolt lit his large cigar. "Who's not sending their armies?" He looked at the masses below the balcony. Hundreds of men were preparing their weapons, shining their helmets and more. "Make way!" someone shouted.
He focused on the group of people who the crowd parted for. Drivers and blades marched in a large line, armor glinting and weapons charged with power. "Our drivers, they're too little," he leaned forward. "Our world was never good at being drivers and blades eh? We used them to become stronger anyways," he took a long puff. "I never meant for them to be that way. It still pisses me off." his grip tightened on the railing.
"Well it is what it is, we don't have as many flesh eaters as we did. And to answer your question the Alte private militaries haven't been helping at all and have been ignoring us." he said. "I'll take care of that." He summoned his sword and opened a tear. "Still can't get over that," Stolt laughed, shaking his head.
Infinite dropped into the main gate of House Nero, home to the Duke of Alte. He strode in, guards bowing in respect as he passed them. He burst into a conversation. Jess was holding Hugo as she talked to Rose and Caitlyn, Ace was arm wrestling with Valko while Tenestrom was arguing with someone.
"Your Majesties," He bowed towards Tenestrom, and the king of Alte. "Ah my friend, what news do you bring?" Tenestrom asked. "I wish to speak to both of you. Privately." He added. He nodded, telling his guest and Infinite to follow him.
"Well now what's the issue?" Tenestrom closed the door behind him. "Everyone but Alte has been contributing to the war. We need the extra strength to get past the final hurdle." He explained. Tenestrom coughed, trying to tell him to drop it.
The king leaned forwards. "My friend, a good king must make his people happy, and my people do not want to risk their own safety to help you," he slowly explained. "King Geralth isn't it?" He asked.
The king nodded. He had long brown black hair, his figure on the wide side. Instead of the typical purple black colors that royalty wore, he donned a green and gold outfit. "So you're willing to let everyone else die, just so you can stay king?" Infinite was disappointed.
"I'm staying as king so I can help you, who do you think supplies the money for the war?" He countered. "Epitychimenos, they've been the ones supporting us. Those "funds" you send us do nothing, we need an army." He was getting close to threatening Geralth to get the point across.
"Say what you want, we are not sending our men." He said stubbornly. Infinite lunged forward, knocking a few ornaments off the table. "Now look here, you ARE part of this Coalition, our men did not die out there so you could sit here comfortably. And when we do lose, what will happen to Alte?" He held Geralth up by the throat.
Geralth just laughed as he stared into the glowing purple eyes of Infinite. "So this is how your Coalition gets people to help? No wonder we're losing." He taunted. "The world will know what you do here, remember that." He boldly stated. Infinite looked at Tenestrom, who was slowly picking up the ornaments. "Funny, I don't remember caring what the world thinks of me.".
Darkness slowly started to flow from Infinite as his body started to glow purple. Geralth slowly realized that he didn't care and his eyes opened with fear. "Now this…" his voice amplified and echoed around the room. "Is the best part of killing someone, the part where they realize they're about to die. Oh the joy of seeing fear in their eyes! I've missed this.".
The door burst open. "Infinite! Calm down!" Jess yelled. The demon quickly set his sights on her. Then he glimpsed at the mirror on the wall behind her. He sighed and dropped him. Geralth squirmed around in a panic on the carpet and Tenestrom helped him up and out of the house.
"What the hell happened?" Ace asked later. They were gathered around the table for dinner. "It uh, got out of hand." He admitted. He told them everything. "Guess we all have our demons," Jess twirled her fork in the air, almost putting it in her mouth like a cigar.
"Old habits die hard." He sighed. "I've forgotten, here's your package," He handed Jess a large metal case. She gasped. "Is it really?" She said excitedly. He nodded as she popped the case open. In it were her weapons. "Nothing wasted from your old ones, just in a different shape.". She held it up to light.
It had the purple metal blades from her knives, now in the form of a long knife, almost like a short sword. The handle was curved, with a trigger near its top. The golden barrel of her pistols had been fitted on the flat side of the blade. She pointed it towards a vase and pressed the trigger. "That totally wasn't my favorite vase," Tenestrom sighed.
"Something has to change, the people of Alte won't do anything, they believe they're too safe because we're so far inland the Empire can't reach us yet." Tenestrom stated. "Leads me to our next question," Ace said.
All heads turned to him. "What's the least amount of mayhem we can cause to scare them." He grinned. "I'm listening," Infinite put down his utensils. He told them the plan. "I'll call them then, all of them." He said, agreeing to it.
"I've missed going on missions like this." Silver took a deep breath of the afternoon air. They stood on a tall building overlooking Alte watching the sun set. "We just sabotaged the main Elysian port four days ago." Revenant reminded him. "Four days too long!" He idiotically grinned.
"Sky team, we're in position," Cassandra's voice spoke through the radio. "Alright, it's go time." Revenant's red aura emitted from his black armor. Infinite followed suit and the sky over Alte began to blacken drastically. Panicked citizens were buffeted by dark winds, reducing visibility. Shots rang out and the city went into chaos. Atlas fired controlled blasts, turning some buildings into rubble.
Cassandra and her team were having fun causing mayhem in the streets. Cassandra and Levina lit up the area with "gunfire" while Adam and Adair knocked out the distressed soldiers, not doing any real damage.
"Cassandra, time to go," Infinite said. Cassandra gave the signal and her team evacuated under the cover of the darkness. The storm subsided and the citizens slowly lifted up their heads and cried in relief. "See? Told you it would work," Ace laughed.
"How'd you do it?" Stolt asked, lighting a cigar. "A good magician keeps his secrets,' Infinite smiled faintly. It had been a few weeks later, and after a very much more motivated Alte were convinced Geralth to send their mini armies to help with the effort. "You want one?" Stolt opened the box of cigars for him. "Well, maybe once in a while wouldn't hurt," He gingerly picked it up and Stolt lit it up for him.
"The hard part is about to come," he reminded him. "Yup," he sighed. He looked down on the balcony. All the soldiers were loading into massive ships, all poised to invade the island. "To a successful victory?" Stolt raised his cigar. "Would be the wrong item to do it, but yes," they touched their cigar ends together and took a long puff.
"Away!". The last of the doors closed. The Hyperion looked magnificent in the afternoon sun, along with the other waiting ships. Horns blew from the escorting naval ships as they started to move out for the biggest battle of the war.