Next chapter, woohoo! ...Yeah, I can't think of anything to say. O.o
Disclaimer: ...I'm not even sure if I need to keep doing this, but it's better to be safe than sorry. It's in the first chapter.
Keelan had never heard of Alexi Shelton. Iridian, thankfully, had.
"Alexi Shelton? Yeah, I know him." Keelan blinked at her.
"You do? How?"
"Well, I don't know him personally, but I know of him, you know?" Keelan just stared, and she rolled her eyes.
"Never mind. Anyway, from what I heard he's supposed to be a tactical genius. He was apparently trained by the Commodore himself, and then he went to Monquista where the King hired him to help them out in their civil war. You know about that, right?" Keelan nodded.
"Well, that's something at least. Anyway, last I heard he was still in Monquista." Keelan glanced down at the Commodore's list.
"And that's where the Commodore says we need to go. Looks like we're heading in the right direction, then." As he spoke they emerged from the Stormgate into the Tierra Primata Skyway, and Keelan was quick to guide the ship into a wind lane and drop the anchor. Under Iridian's watchful eye he pulled out a map from his bag and unrolled it, spreading it over the wooden planks of the deck as he studied it intently.
"Here's Monquista City, where the King and Queen are," he said, tapping the spot in the map. Iridian nodded before pointing somewhere else, miles away from the city.
"And over here is where I've been told the rebel base is." Keelan craned his neck to get a better look.
"Zenda?" She nodded again.
"Yep. Apparently it used to be a dungeon, until one of the ex-queens and a gorilla called Gortez took it over. But never mind that. I don't think we'll need to go there at all. I think we just need to go to the city and ask to see the King and Queen. The Commodore's admission letters should get us in, at least."
Keelan was thankful he'd filled her in on the Commodore's complete plan while they were sailing. He was also glad she was with him, not just because he wasn't alone anymore, but her confidence was contagious. And she told great stories. She was also more than competent with a gun, as she'd proven to him earlier when she'd spun in a full circle and hit a golden coin right in the centre from the other side of the ship. Yes, he was definitely glad she was there. He folded up the map and sailed them towards the city, Iridian keeping an eye out for Scarakeet flocks and schools of Batacuda or Flying Fish, but they docked without any trouble. And as she had said before, the Commodore's letters got them right to the King and Queen, who looked less than pleased to see them.
"Oh, more humans. What do you want this time?" King Fernando said, sounding rather irritated. Keelan frowned before replying, "I was sent by the Commodore in Skull Island. He wants Alexi Shelton to come with us and be part of a team sent to go and destroy the Armada's main fortress." The King's eyes widened and his jaw dropped considerably, but Queen Isadore nudged him violently and he regained his composure.
"W-well, that is quite the demand. And what makes you think we will allow you to have him? He is needed here, you understand." Keelan nodded.
"Of course we understand. But I can't stress the importance of our mission enough. If we succeed, the entire Spiral will be saved." King Fernando frowned.
"You've made that very clear, but all that hinges on possibility. Besides, rather than focus on avoiding a possible war with the Armada sometime in the future, I would much rather prefer to focus my efforts on the war we are currently fighting right here, right now. So, to answer your question, you may not take him. El Genio is needed here." Keelan frowned.
"Sorry, El who?"
"El Genio de la Guerra. The Genius of the War. It's what they call Alexi, so I've heard." Iridian answered. Keelan nodded his thanks.
"Yes, that is correct. Now leave this place immediately, the both of you, or I shall call the guards!" The Queen threatened. Keelan gulped nervously and stepped back, but Iridian was having none of it and glared daggers at the monkey-woman.
"I don't think you'll be doing anything like that, your Highness. I had the same treatment when Keelan came looking for me to join his little team. My superiors weren't going to let me go, but I saw the gravity of the situation and came along anyway. I put it to you; you let us tell Alexi of this plan in person, and let him decide what he is going to do. How does that sound to you?" The King frowned at her before sighing dramatically.
"Oh, fine. Whatever it takes to make the pair of you leave me alone sooner. Come, we will take you to El Genio." He slid from his throne and began walking away, his wife following with a thunderous expression on her hairy face. Keelan mouthed a "thank you" to Iridian and she gave him the thumbs-up and winked before they both hurried to follow behind the monkey monarchs.
They soon arrived at a large room with a paper-strewn desk in the centre which reminded Keelan of the Privateer's Office back on Skull Island. There were maps and charts all over the walls, floor and tables, and standing over a table and frowning down at a chart was a young man who Keelan believed couldn't be older than twenty. He looked up as they entered, and he raised an eyebrow when he caught sight of the two humans.
"Greetings, your Majesties. What can I do for you today? And who are our guests?" The King scoffed.
"El Genio, these pesky little humans come with a proposition for you. Well, what are you waiting for? Out with it!" He snapped, and Keelan jumped slightly. Alexi's dark eyes narrowed as he walked around to lean against the table and he folded his arms across his chest, waiting patiently for Keelan to begin.
"W-well, we come with a request directly from the Commodore of Skull Island." Alexi's face lit up.
"The Commodore, you say?"
"Yes. He sent me to gather a group of experts to form an elite team to sneak into the Machine-that would be, the Armada's main fortress in Valencia-and destroy it. Your name was on the list he gave me." Alexi stared at him.
"So, are you asking me to join this little team of yours?"
"Yes, I am, if you wouldn't mind..." Alexi stared for a moment longer before he smirked.
"I'd like nothing more. It's a deal, my friend." The King and Queen's jaws both dropped.
"W-what?! But what about this war right here, right now? You can't just leave us!" The Queen wailed, and Alexi shook his head.
"I'm not 'just leaving you', your Majesty. It isn't as though I'm the only tactician here. But I know the Commodore, and I believe in his judgement. If he believes the real threat right now to be the Armada, then I do as well. I have never known the Commodore to be wrong yet, which has to account for something. Yes, I will join you."
"And then there were three." Iridian said gleefully as they made their way back to the ship. Alexi grinned.
"So there are. Forgive my asking, but who exactly are you two?"
"My name's Keelan. I work under the Commodore, back on Skull Island. He was the one who sent me out here."
"And I'm Iridian Elfirth, of Her Majesty's Royal Army of Marleybone." Alexi's eyes widened as he shook their hands.
"Iridian Elfirth, you say?" She nodded.
"I believe I've heard of you. The youngest ever recruit into the Marleybonian Army, who rose through the ranks faster than anyone before or since and was offered leadership of the entire Army? That Iridian Elfirth?" She nodded again, and Keelan's jaw dropped, and Alexi smiled and bowed deeply.
"In that case, it's an honour to meet you."
"The feeling is mutual." Keelan shook his head emphatically.
"Woah woah, hold up. Did you say that she was offered leadership of the entire army of Marleybone?" Alexi nodded.
"Why wasn't I informed of this?!" Keelan screeched, and Iridian winced before shrugging her shoulders dismissively.
"Maybe because you didn't ask? Now, if you're all done shouting, I think it's time we carried on. We still have one more person to find, don't we? And Alexi needs to be filled in on the plan of attack." Keelan raised an eyebrow at her.
"What plan of attack? We don't even have one yet."
"You know what I mean. He needs to know what's going on, and the sooner he gets told the better. Now, come on. We're on a tight schedule." She stalked off to the docks, and Keelan and Alexi exchanged a glance before hurrying after her.
"I'm sorry, but who died and made you leader?" Iridian just grinned.
Another chapter done, and I'll admit not much has happened yet, but the first few chapters are just plot and introducing characters and all that jazz. It'll get interesting eventually, just bear with me. Anyway, R&R, and I'll see you guys later. Ciao for now! (Hehe, that rhymed...O.o)