Trapped in Another World With No Magic

Chapter 48: The Siege of the Citadel Part 1

Daniel approaches the group in the large dining hall of the Citadel, being fed by Xyreko's golems. It's the newest guests to the Citadel, as well as the rest of the dragons. To his surprise, although he suspected he shouldn't be, he rather easily recognized Kera'tai and Shek, the Chi'rinnis and goblin respectively, whom he met when he was recovering the survivors incapacitated by his defense of Fort Peony. 

Shek notices him first, pointing and saying, “Master! Master is alive!”

Kera'tai jumps up, smiling broadly, before Hekate swoops in. “No! No more mistresses! Daniel's mine!”

Shek approaches her, retorting fearlessly, “Shek belongs to Master before you! Shek come to be with the Master.”

Hekate, who finally has someone shorter than her, stands tall, unintimidated by the goblin woman. “I'm not budging. You may live here, but Daniel is mine.”

The two stared each other down, and Daniel said politely as he pets Shek's head gently, “Good to see you're safe, Shek. And, you too, Kera'tai. We'll have to catch up later, though. There are some things I need to ask Lady Vaergraes.” 

Vaergraes rises to her feet, excusing herself from the others. Daniel encouraged them to finish their meal, and he'll meet with them later to see what they've all been up to.

Hekate, Daniel, and Vaergraes head to a private room to meet with Ryuogriar, Reignleif, Geirahoel, Ryukana, and Xyreko, now that the dragons have their eggs again. Aoloan, Treia, and Gwenesphia are also present, but they stay out of the way for now.

Daniel greeted Vaergraes properly, “Lady Vaergraes, I'm glad you're alright. You're welcome here indefinitely, of course.”

“Thank you, Daniel. I appreciate you allowing Lady Xyreko to accept us even without proof.”

Daniel shook his head. “Xyreko gave me a top down view. Sorry that I didn't tell you that we had you followed by golems.”

She smiles, saying gratefully, “You saved our lives. I assume I witnessed your dragon slaying staves in action?”

Daniel nods once. “Xyreko controls her golems, and the weapons won’t fall into unwanted hands.”

“According to my analysis, my staves are not nearly as powerful as Daniel’s, but I am confident anything less than dragons and drakes would be little match for mine. And, it leaves no traces of operation, unlike Master’s.”

Daniel nods in agreement. After she made self-sabotaging weapons in the event a golem is defeated, he also asked her to make the bullets for the security golems out of sharmelkolle using the magic infusion that can return the bullets to a designated location in the Citadel for reloading, even after they’ve been fired. The casings are ejected into a catcher to prevent anything that could be reverse engineered from being collected after the fact.

Vaergraes explains her last meeting with the covenant leaders, and how they said she’s no longer useful.

Daniel sighs. It’s as he feared. They made ‘logical sounding’ excuses, but it seems peace is the goal of a lot fewer of the rulers of the demons than he hoped. 

“When I realized that I was being effectively forced out, I collected Thymeria and Illianna to leave, which is when a group led by Guillemsah attacked us. Thanks to your golems, we escaped unharmed, but… I didn’t think they’d try to kill us.”

Daniel nods as he listens. “If you survived and pieced it together, you could potentially know what I suspect; this war will continue because certain people in power want it to continue.”

“What!? Why!?” asks Vaergraes, horrified that he would even suggest it.

Ryuogriar replies to her with disappointment in her voice, “I felt the same, but the more I see that Daniel compares to his world… I know our former lord didn’t help matters by just being a war monger anyways, but it sounds like Daniel might be closer to the truth than we would want to admit.”

Vaergraes looks between Ryuogriar and Daniel in horror. After all, it means that everything she did to try to preserve as many lives as possible from the Devourer amounted to nothing in the end. And, in fact, they can easily pin it all on her.

Daniel states, “We won’t be interfering directly. I've never wanted to be an assassin, so I have no interest in killing political leaders until the war ends. It’s not my place.”

The goddess Ryukana murmurs softly, “It’s likely Daniel could be telling the truth. If diplomacy is not being pursued by either side, in spite of the odds favoring one side much more heavily, then the war isn’t as cut and dry as we all would hope.”

“I still don’t get what the point of endless war would be if you’re not trying to conquer everything,” remarks Geirahoel with frustration.

Daniel replies, “Sharing control over the world is more functional than trying to conquer it. You cling to one side or the other for safety, never realizing they’re the same side, and they get to tell you how to earn their protection.”

Geirahoel frowns, but she huffs. “That sounds stupid. I’d rather relax.” She pets her egg for emphasis, glancing a little sheepishly at Daniel briefly.

He nods in agreement. “I’m with you. I’m just comparing what my world was doing with what this war is looking like, given the evidence.”

Vaergraes asks sincerely, “So, what do we do? If what you say is true,... A lot of innocent people are going to die.”

With a small sigh, Daniel explains gently. “I can’t save the world from corruption, namely because a lot of people will willingly accept that safety, even if they suspect it’s an illusion. Our path right now is only safe and secure because we have superior firepower in ways they can’t even fathom yet. Those of your covenant that see what happened to the Devourer, though, will realize that there is a power that they should fear. All the better if you didn’t indicate who it was.”

Vaergraes nods in agreement. “I never mentioned your name or even your nicknames. They may piece it together, though.”

Hekate retorts smugly, “Not if Googliegaggle whatever his name was is dead. He’s the only one who met with us.”

“If he was part of the conspiracy I’m talking about, then he likely already informed his allies. And, of course, it’s also possible that I’m wrong. I just know what my world was doing most of the time.”

The group is quiet for a moment as they share glances.

Daniel adds more specifically to Vaergraes, “To answer your question, we’ll support trying to end the war, but even the innocents will be difficult to convince to end the war when those they believe are protecting them are telling them that war is the only way. After all, victories are only available through conflict.”

Again, there’s an awkward silence. 

Xyreko finally chimes in, “Daniel, military forces have begun staging for siege.”

“Siege?” asks Daniel, surprised.

She nods to confirm. “I recognize various siege weapons and count around twenty three thousand soldiers bearing various different sigils, including that belonging to the Stalvaltan Grand Duchy.”

“Guess I underestimated how hard they’d push for Earth weapons. All the more reason to never let anyone know about the weapon we used against the Devourer.”

They nod together in agreement.

Daniel then asks, "Xyreko, what do you need to defend the Citadel?"

"Virtually nothing, Daniel. If they somehow breach the barrier and can defeat my golems with ease, then defenders, but until then, I suggest everyone shelter in place and worry not. I shall alert you."

"Good. Have the other dragons make a show of not taking interest in the enemies. I'd like to see what all the enemy is planning. After that, we'll find and destroy their supply lines. Hungry soldiers are less loyal soldiers."

Geirahoel asks, "Can't we just surround them with dragons? Surely they'd surrender instantly. Even you have said how much the east fears dragons." Ryuogriar nods in agreement, while Reignleif watches Daniel for his answer.

"No," replies Daniel while shaking his head. "You should never trap your enemy where they know their only options are to fight or die. They will fight even more ferociously. True, we would almost certainly win, but we might lose one or more of the dragons. No offense meant to Xyreko, of course, but her soldier golems are virtually completely disposable. Letting the enemy pile up endless bodies will wear them out and allow us to close in on what will actually take their hope away; their supplies. They can run, but they might not make it back to the mountains. In that case, the vast majority of them are more likely to surrender, worn out, tired, and hungry."

Ryuogriar remarks, "You sound like you're the one besieging them."

Daniel nods. "Battles are won or lost in the planning stages. I don’t know what they have planned, but if they can't defeat Xyreko’s legions of golems, then there's no point to their plan, which lacked important information. Xyreko, if you need any support, let us know. I'm going to gather equipment for our retrieval mission."

"Retrieval mission?" asks Vaergraes curiously.

"Yes. I left something behind that I wasn't concerned about before. Now, it's proving to be dangerous. I won’t be taking a whole team, though."

Hekate retorts sternly, "I'm going."

"I as well," adds Ryuogriar. Reignleif nods, and just as Geirahoel, Treia, and Aoloan are about to speak, Daniel cuts them off. "I'm not going with a whole team. I'll allow two. Have Xyreko draw straws or come to a diplomatic solution, but no more than two. And no tricks or deception. Now, I have to go get ready. Xyreko, make sure it's fair." He leaves them all speechless for a moment, though he hears Xyreko cackle as he's leaving. "You heard him. The bidding starts at…"

Daniel closes the door, sighing. He shakes his head as he heads for the armory. He puts his helmet on, asking aloud, "Xyreko, can you multitask?"

"Can I?" replies her voice proudly. "Need you even ask, Daniel?"

"You know me. I like to check. Have you finished the non-lethal weapons I asked about?"

"Indeed. I actually took the liberty of preparing a magic bag with many of them ready for your use."

"Xyreko… are you single?"

They both laugh at his joke, and he adds sincerely, "Thank you. With this, we should be able to complete my side mission before the siege even really begins.”

“Indeed. Would you like to teleport?”

“Let them have enough time to decide on the two accompanying me. If I skip out, everyone will likely be angry.”

She chuckles, but agrees. “As you wish, Daniel.”

After preparing, Daniel returns to the control room, finding the group gathered together. Hekate is ecstatic, and the only other one not dejected, other than Xyreko and Ryukana, appears to be Reignleif. She’s keeping a low profile, and Ryuogriar and Geirahoel are pouting.

Hekate bounds over to Daniel with happy skips, saluting him happily. “General Hekate, reporting for duty!” She giggles giddily, and Reignleif approaches, followed more distantly by the others. Daniel pets Hekate’s head, replying with a teasing tone, “Usually, Generals are the ones being reported to, Hekate. But, I like the energy.”

She grins, and he asks, “So, am I safe in guessing Hekate and Reina are my team?”

Hekate nods vigorously, as does Reignleif. Geirahoel huffs, and Treia snaps, “They cheated! They excluded us because we can’t use stealth magic!” Gwenesphia and Aoloan nod in agreement with her. Shek pouts, “Shek can’t use any magic.”

Daniel simply murmurs, “Oh?” He looks at Ryuogriar, who can definitely use more magic than Hekate and Reignleif, given what he knows. She murmurs with disappointment, “Reina is the most reserved of us. Depending on what is said, I don’t know that I could keep my temper. And…” She glares a little at Hekate, who returns the glare. “Hekate seems to mind Reina less.”

“That’s because she doesn’t try to seduce Daniel right in front of me!” retorts Hekate with a distinct point at the senior-most of the dragons present. Ryuogriar crosses her arms with a cold smirk, more perturbed than amused. She reports almost viciously, “I don’t need to seduce him.”

Hekate growls, but before it can escalate further, Daniel replies, “That’s enough. I understand. And, I assume Hekate will be using return magic to bring us home?”
She nods proudly. She’s still the only one who has practiced return and teleportation magic enough to be able to use it for a mission. Teleporting the three of them will be even easier for her than teleporting the four who participated in the destruction of the Devourer.

“Reina, are you willing to fly us to our destination?” asks Daniel, now that the team is set.

She nods with a smile peeking out of her high collared dress. “Yes. Leave it to me.”

“Thank you. Xyreko, any questions about the siege?”

Xyreko replies, “None, Daniel. I will simply send droves of earth golems to begin as to waste as little material as possible.” Her tone shifts a little to gleefully dark, “Golems do not need to sleep.”

“Remember to minimize casualties as much as possible. Injuries and incapacitated are acceptable.”

She nods in agreement. “Of course. A humiliating and overwhelming defeat shall benefit us greater than retaliation.”

“Exactly. And, keep Vaergraes in the loop. By the sounds of it, she’s a fair tactician, and our priorities are the same.”

“As you wish. Be safe on your mission, Daniel, Hekate, Reignleif.”

As Hekate proudly reassures Xyreko, Daniel faces Ryuogriar and the others. “As I mentioned, I don’t want you to intervene unless they break through Xyreko’s line. Prioritize escape. If you can’t escape, defend yourselves at all costs.”

Ryuogriar nods seriously. He’s not specifically trying to give her orders making  use of their contract. Instead, he’s worried for their safety. “I will see our future come to light, my beloved Master.” The others nod, and Geirahoel huffs, “You have to come back quickly if you’re so worried.”

Daniel smirks and replies softly, “I will move as quickly as possible. Be safe, all of you.”

With that, Daniel, Hekate, and Reignleif move to the flyway, with Reignleif transforming into her true form. Daniel and Hekate thank her and climb on top, and Reignleif ascends into the sky. As they fly, Daniel observes the siege forces assembled a short ways beyond the outer wall of the town surrounding the Citadel. 

“That’s a lot of people…” remarks Hekate.

Daniel shakes his head. “It’s not enough to attack a castle like the Citadel. It’s a distraction, if anything.”

“Distraction for what?” asks Hekate, her big triangular ears shifting curiously when she tilts her head to look over her shoulder.

“If they’re here to assassinate me, then that would be it. If they know how to take control of the Citadel, but don’t know they have to kill me, then they may be trying to infiltrate for that. And, lastly, if they know of my dragon-slaying weapons, it’s possible they just want to snag one and reverse engineer it.”

“Woooowww… How do you know that?”

“That’s what I’d do if I was in their relative position. Those are their three main objectives if they know what they’re dealing with. Unfortunately, if they actually knew what they were up against, they’d have to know they don’t stand a chance of success.”

Hekate nods. “Especially if you’re not there for them to assassinate, right?”

“True, but I’d rather be present than not. That said, this item that we’re retrieving has too many secrets. I shouldn’t have left it behind, but I was afraid of it getting lost or broken, and I thought I could trust the Stalvaltan family.”

Hekate’s ears flatten in sympathy, causing Daniel to pet her head. “I’m an old man, Hekate. I’m not worried about it beyond getting it back. Once that’s done, I can put the east behind me for good.”

She nods, leaning back against him. “You’re not that old, Daniel… We’re basically the same age…”

He chuckles. “You’ll live much longer than I will, so I understand why you’re saying that. But, I’m very quickly approaching half-way through my life… Or, I was. I guess I am a little younger, physically, thanks to the summoning magic.”

Reignleif cocks her head, but surprisingly, her voice reaches Daniel’s ears. “You are not old, Daniel. And, you deserve to live longer than all of us.”

He chuckles. “Reina? Since when can you use telepathy on me?”

Her cheeks shift color tones, and she looks ahead. She admits softly, “I asked Xyreko… I noticed you speaking during the two audiences with Guillemsah and the soldiers.”

“You noticed that?”

She nods her big head ahead of them, flying through the air at a quick cruising speed. “You were moving in the same ways you do when you talk. I… I often… watch others. S-sorry…”

“I’m not offended or anything. I’m just impressed. That was when your egg was still new, and you couldn’t take your hands or eyes off of it… I thought.”

She blushes even more, remaining silent. Hekate asks, “Wait, so we can use telepathy on your helmet to talk!?”

Daniel nods at her when she looks up from leaning back into him. “Apparently so. I knew Xyreko could talk to me directly through my helmet, but I didn’t know others could until Reina mentioned it now. I had assumed the armor was simply a part of Xyreko.”

Hekate sits up patting Reignleif on the back urgently. “Reina! You have to teach me! I can’t use telepathy at all! I thought there was no point if I couldn’t use it with Daniel!”

“Part of me wants to prevent you from ever learning,” teases Daniel. He tugs playfully on her ear, causing her to squirm as he adds, “You’d talk my ears off, even when we’re far apart.”

She whines, trying to deny it. Though, they both know better.

Reignleif murmurs, “It only works when you’re wearing your helmet, Mukori.”

He twitches, and Hekate grins up at him deviously. She adds with a snake-like tone, “Last I checked, you don’t sleep with your helmet on, Daniel.”

He sighs, smiling at her as he pets her head. She happily lays back against him once more.

Of course, she doesn’t forget her new objective. “You have to promise to teach me, Reina. I won’t forgive you if you don’t.”

Reignleif nods. “It is not the same as telepathy on a person, but very similar.”

Daniel whispers softly, “Thank you, Reina.”

She smiles, cruising along contentedly.

Daniel adds, “Ironically, it’s not so different from the object we’re getting, in a way.”

Both Hekate and Reignleif look back at him, and Hekate asks, “Really? How so?”

“Well, mainly because it’s a device for long range communication, similar to telepathy, or speaking through my helmet. It uses electricity, not magic.”

Hekate narrows her eyes skeptically. “You’re lying, aren’t you?”

He shakes his head. “It won’t work that way in this world, since it needs a support infrastructure to be able to talk, and it talks to other devices like itself. So, we’d need a minimum of two, as well as the communication towers that my world uses.”

“Communication towers?” asks Reignleif.

“You got it. Let me think… Does this world use signal towers? Tall structures on mountains with either mirrors, torches, flags, or something like that?”

“Yes, I believe I’ve seen some of the eastern fortresses use such methods. Or, perhaps their magic flares?”

“Yes, but more specifically similar to the towers, since it has to serve as a relay. My phone sends my voice to the relay tower like telepathy, the relay tower then passes that to the phone I’m calling.”

“If that’s what it does, why do you want it?” asks Hekate.

“Because, my world developed these devices to not only do that, but to act like a complete archive of information, not unlike how Xyreko’s memories are stored. I have a lot of designs and engineering books stored on it. With them, this world could eventually accelerate beyond its capacity to be safe with the technology.”

“Such as your god-killer?”

Daniel nods. “I don’t have specific plans on my phone, but similar leaps in technology. I had intended to share them with Wenlianna, so I’m sure she’s made use of some of the information, but that’s fine. The Citadel will be able to outpace anyone in this world, especially because Xyreko can comprehend almost anything quickly, it seems.”

The other two nod, and Daniel peeks over Reignleif’s shoulder. They’re approaching the mountains, thanks to Reignleif’s rather quick cruising speed. The wind magic barrier she has been using to streamline herself and shield Hekate and Daniel ensures there’s very little wind for them.

Before they reach the mountains, Reignlief speaks to them both again. “Mukori, Hekate… there is something off about the cloud ahead of us.”

“Off? How so?”

“I detect… a large amount of magic.”

Daniel studies the cloud. It looks like a fairly standard cumulus cloud, but it’s also moving at a fairly quick rate. As he runs through options, a sudden glow catches his eye. He shouts, “REINA! EVADE!”

She banks hard, narrowly avoiding a long stream of fire that rockets out of the cloud, and she begins climbing quickly. Dragons can fly high above everything else, including wyverns, and their air superiority also comes from their ability to rain magic down upon their enemies.

And in a perfect world, that also assumes that no one else can fly after them.

The attacks continue with spears of fire, ice, water, and stone race out of the cloud as if a battleship were launching a surprise attack from mid-air.

Reignleif roars, reminding their attackers that she is a dragon in hopes of intimidating them. In spite of that fact, Daniel knows that, whoever their attackers are, they know that they are attacking a dragon. So much so, that the cloud has accelerated, pursuing after them and leaving behind streamers of fog in a long string.

It’s not heavy enough to be a glycol fog, so it must be water. But, it’s thick enough… Chaff? And, if it is an airship… “Reina! Can you blast wind across it? Disperse the cloud!”

She nods, rolling in a steep barrel roll as Daniel and Hekate cling to her. She rolls over, flapping her wings with powerful magic gusts concentrated at her wing tips, sending them towards the attacking entity. 

Her whirlwinds overwhelm the surprisingly robust cloud machine, revealing the hull of a rigid-winged craft, similar to a boat with an exposed weather deck and around thirty soldiers anchored down with ropes as they brace against the wind attack.

“An airship!” calls out Daniel.

“How is this possible!?” asks Reignleif urgently.

“Look!” points Hekate. She is pointing at a sigil painted on the wings of the craft; an emblematic Feldrok wielding all of the world’s magical elements.

Daniel explains, “Wenlianna. I had described such a machine. I’ll explain later. Reina, keep avoiding their-...”

A sudden crack of thunder explodes, and Reignleif is slammed off her own flight, falling. Daniel is briefly dazed, but he gathers his senses quickly enough to grip Reignleif’s wing and catch Hekate, who is still stunned by the blast. He pulls Hekate to Reignleif, and she quickly grabs on. “HEKATE! TELEPORT, NOW!”

“I-I…”

“YOU CAN DO IT! I believe in you!”

Her eyes water, and she begins casting the spell.

Daniel draws Nemaisol with his free hand once Hekate is focused on holding onto the plummeting dragon and closes her eyes. Just as she’s finishing her spell, he kicks off of Reignleif, watching as the two of them vanish in teleport just as a barrage of offensive spells converge.

Daniel’s heart is racing, but more importantly, his blood is boiling.

He draws and aims a grapnel cannon Xyreko made for him, firing it above the airship as he falls.

Thankfully, it snags the airship, which is slowing to a stop, and he manages to avoid breaking his arm when his momentum halts, swinging him in a huge arc. The only reason he is able to hang on and ignore the ground far below him is the rage he’s feeling.

Daniel’s swing brings him up across the back of the airship, which has a rounded boat-like shape with broad wings. Each wing contains a sort of jet engine, clearly modeled after those of modern airliners from Daniel’s phone, but made with wind magic crystals -specifically, diamonds-.

Daniel tumbles to a sliding kneel on the weather deck of the airship, startling the Stalvaltan soldiers around him. His joints and muscles ache, but anger-sparked adrenaline is now coursing through his veins.

He quickly pulls out a grenade, pulling the pin and releasing the spoon as he holds it, counting off the fuse. He throws it up and shields his neck.

It’s a flashbang grenade, blindingly bright and stunningly loud, though the deck of the ship is likely too big for the sound to have its stun effect. Regardless, the Stalvaltan soldiers aren’t ready for the light in any way, and most -if not all of them- are briefly blinded.

Daniel keeps Nemaisol drawn, since it will shield him from magic, and he draws his pistol, firing volleys of three to five shots at each soldier until they’re hit, reloading quickly as he turns in a circle, firing as he also checks around himself.

Daniel murmurs, “Nemaisol, if you are by some chance a spirit infused sword, I could use your help. I need to cut into the hull.”

Daniel blocks a magic spell with the blade just as he sees the caster, and he fires, knocking the soldier off of his feet. The soldier slides down the hull, bringing his rope taut.

Daniel’s attention is soon drawn to Nemaisol, as the magic sword begins to glow. He smirks. “Thank you.” He slashes the hull of the ship with a quick swing, blocking and firing in alternation when other soldiers take notice of him.

Once a rupture is made in the hull, he is able to clear away enough room for him to drop down inside. He’s near the tail of the craft, but it’s rather open inside, similar to the inside of a regular nautical ship of the age of sail. There are multiple decks, but the cargo hold takes up the most space, and there are fewer soldiers inside.

Daniel isn’t a fraction of the soldier that these men and women are. They could easily defeat him in a one on one battle of magic or strength.

But, Daniel comes from a world without magic.

He casts two more flashbang grenades forward, bracing as they explode. Fortunately for him, his armor is prepared for it, and it protects his ears.

The enclosed hull of the ship makes it far worse for the others, and many of them, especially those with sensitive hearing, such as the gatonines, cry out in agony and pain.

Daniel works his way forward, shoving one of the soldiers over the railing into the cargo hold. He navigates forward, blocking a haphazardly fired spell from one of the soldiers able to summon a shred of focus enough to cast the spell.

In spite of his best efforts, Daniel takes a hit in the chest that tumbles him back, and it takes everything to hold onto his weapons. Nemaisol will return to its sheath if he ever drops it, but the pistol won’t. Xyreko is still studying the return function and figuring out how to apply it to the weapons.

Daniel spots the large cannon barrel running along the lower middle of the airship. He can’t tell for certain, but it felt and sounded like a clap of thunder more than anything else. If he had to guess, it’s some sort of pressure cannon, using air pressure to create a small, high-intensity shockwave pulse that specifically has the dragons in mind.

He hopes Reignleif is alright, but he needs to focus on halting this airship.

And, destroying that cannon.

Daniel scrambles and fires his pistol at the mage that just hit him with magic, and the mage cries out, toppling to the floor.

Daniel throws teargas and smoke bombs out. His helmet isn’t completely sealed, but it does have filters on it, so it should protect him well enough.

As the smoke begins causing coughing, the soldiers urgently cry out, believing there to be fires or damaged equipment. A few spells fly through the smoke, and a wind mage tries to blow all of the smoke out, but the grenades keep billowing out thick clouds, and the coughing is able to throw off concentration for powerful spells.

Or, much of anything. Daniel experienced an extremely watered down teargas in military boot camp. It was a training exercise known as ‘the confidence chamber’ to demonstrate how gas masks work. Even at five percent potency, the gas makes it difficult for most to see, speak, and even breathe. Daniel cranked his teargas up to as potent as possible. Only the lucky few might prove resistant. The rest; defense comes to a grinding halt.

Daniel finds a position over the shockwave cannon, and he withdraws dynamite from his magic bag. He was hoping he wouldn’t have to use actual explosives, but he ensured he had something just in case. Now, he’s glad he did.

He lights the fuse quickly and tosses the dynamite into the hold, landing it near the shockwave generator, by the looks and position of the equipment.

Just as he’s about to run to the cockpit, he is pounced by a heavy weight, being tackled to the ground. He drops Nemaisol into the hold, while his pistol tumbles forward on the mid deck. Daniel does his best to try to fight back to his feet, but the soldier grapples him, putting him into a chokehold. The armor protects him, but Daniel can’t lose his pistol, and he made the fuse about ten seconds.

“Tough *cough* tough bastard, aren’t ya, demon?” growls the soldier trying to choke out Daniel.

Daniel tries to elbow back, but the guard is wearing armor, and it has little effect. Another pair of soldiers are jogging towards them from ahead. The fog is getting clear enough for them to resume defending, and his gun is laying just out of reach.

Suddenly, a young female voice yells, “HYAH!”

The soldier pinning Daniel grunts as extra weight lands on them, and the soldiers ahead come to a stop. Daniel can hear and feel flames being produced, as well as the bright glow, and the soldier screams, flailing off of Daniel. A small form swoops down in front of Daniel; a young girl in armor similar to his, with big triangular ears and a large, poofy black tail. Her hand finds Daniel’s pistol, and she whirls, firing at the two soldiers before they can cast attack spells. Daniel rolls over, pulling a dagger off of his belt, but the guard Hekate just burned is launched over him and Hekate with immense force, slamming into the wall of the airship and falling into the hold of the vessel.

Then, with a deep breath, a young woman in a highly conservative, shroud-like dress flares her dress mantle out like wings. She exhales just as deeply, but a spark ignites at her mouth, and a devastatingly purplish-blue flame roars ahead of them, casting a demonic glow throughout the hull of the ship as it lances through the side opposite them, and the soldiers scream and flee out of her literal line of fire. She sweeps down and across, lancing the hull of the airship and causing it to lurch violently as one of the engines gives out.

Wenlianna is smart, but she might have overlooked the need for redundancies. Modern aircraft of earth can generally return to an airfield with half of their engines, and can generally stay airborne with only one, able to fly without any of them so long as the plane is gliding forward in the worst cases of scenarios, so long as there is power to the steering surfaces.

Wenlianna made the first airship in this world, and they haven’t learned the many lessons engineers of Earth learned through the oldest currency in the world; blood itself.

Daniel scrambles to his feet, snagging Reignleif by the hand and pulling her to Hekate, who is already following him. He tackles them both to the ground, shouting, “Get dow-!” KABOOOOM!

Daniel’s dynamite just exploded.

***

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