章節 644: It Is Time!
As word spread across the Old World about the possible alliance between the Tri State and the Protectorate of Ramuh, the Iron King of the Iron Kingdom listened to the latest report about their dwindling stores of magical crystals left onboard the Iron Fortress. The mage tower where the ball lightning spell had fallen silent hours before as they could not keep up with the demands needed.
The ball lightning spell tower had burnt through enough magic crystals to bankrupt the Iron Kingdom twice over in just a day and thankfully, the huge stores of magic crystals stored onboard the flying island all came from the New World, or the Iron Kingdom would really be facing a magical energy crisis despite the majority of their industry had been converted to steam power.
"Reserve the rest of the magical crystals for the magic barrier and arcane cannons," The Iron King ordered as he turned his gaze upon the viewing crystals. The crystal showed a blurry view of the Protectorate fleet as they continued their mindless chase after the Iron Kingdom forces. He nodded to himself and with a grim smile, said, "Now is the time!"
Over the course of the day, the Iron Kingdom's airships had fought a running battle with the Protectorate, using great use of their range and accuracy advantage against the enemy. And with home ground advantage, the military airships could even rotate out with the dozens and dozens of militia merchant ships for resupply as the entire Kingdom responded to the invasion.
On the other hand, the longer the battle dragged on for the Protectorate forces and the deeper they entered the Iron Kingdom, their supplies lines became overstretched and with each steam cannon fired and each coal burnt, it depleted the Protectorate's supplies. The Iron King having the knowledge that the Chief Inquisitor commanding the war, was a stubborn and die hard fanatic of Ramuh, which meant she would not stop in her holy duty to Ramuh even at the expense of her followers' lives. And after leading her deep into the skies of the Iron Kingdom, even if she wanted to retreat, it was far too late for her to do so!
The Iron King stood up from his throne and unlike the weak and flail bedridden old man he was just a few days ago, walked forward with firm steps and stood at the dais with a proud bearing. He looked down at his subjects hard at work, seated behind rows and rows of arcane controls that piloted the flying island and shouted, "My soldiers! It is time! We have suffered long enough for all the atrocities caused by the Protectorate and their God!"
"Our people have died and bled from their actions which they justified as law and order..." The Iron King's words resonated throughout the Iron Fleets by the use of expensive magic. Every soldier and crew paused temporarily in their duties as they listened to the words of their King. "Now it is time for us to take part our lands, our blood debts, our pride and our freedom from the deranged followers of the Protectorate! IRON FOR IRON!"
"IRON FOR IRON!" The soldiers and crew members roared out after their King in elation. "IRON FOR IRON!"
"All ships are to stop falling back!" The Iron King ordered his Sky Generals and commanders. "The enemy supplies should be low on fuel and water! We shall start our counter attack!"
"Yes, your majesty!" The Sky Generals and commanders saluted and soon, the command cathedral of the flying fortress turned busy, as commands were relayed out by both magic and physical methods.
The Iron Kingdom's airships slowly halt their fighting retreat and started to rearrange themselves into a fighting formation. The Iron Kingdom forces had been reinforced by forces of the local lords, adventurers with their private armed vessels, militia airships and even armed merchants which boosted the fighting numbers of the Iron Kingdom.
On the Protectorate side, their numbers had dwindled caused by 8 level 10 ball lightning spells and the brief exchanges of steam fire when both sides offered battle. Heavily damaged Protectorate ships were left abandoned on the ground as the Protectorate mindlessly rushed the Iron Kingdom's forces. But with their heavier hulls, the Protectorate were unable to close in enough to force a battle, as the faster and lighter airships of the Iron Kingdom, seemingly danced out of the way each time.
Now, seeing their enemies suddenly slowing down and forming a battle square, the once orderly lines of the Protectorate fleet slowly dissolved as each individual ship rushed forward at their maximum speed, breaking their formation as the crew sought to vent their pent up frustrations on the heretics of the Iron Kingdom.
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Protectorate Grand Inquisition Fleet, Flagship Ramuh's Judgement
Chief Inquisitor Nerssia's expression under her featureless white mask remained still as she watched the ships under her command break formation. Instead of feeling anger at the loss of discipline, she in fact felt proud of her soldiers' eagerness to punish the lawless heretics.
Seeing the lawless heretics had finally given up running and were turning to offer battle, she felt a rush of anticipation to the fight. Already over a third of her fleet had been destroyed by the heretics' magic but that did not weaken their morale, for it only made their resolve firmer to bring the lawless heretics to be judged by Ramuh for their blasphemy of magic!
She waved away the concerns of her commanders about their supply issues as her focus was on gaining the last of the Seven at all cost. Strolling to the front of the bridge, she gestured for her people to broadcast her voice throughout the fleet with magic.
"My devoted brothers and sisters of Ramuh!" She spoke into a piece of yellow crystal that magically transmitted her voice to the other ships. "We have endured much to come this far in our crusade to bring law and order to the world!"
"Many of our brothers and sisters have long departed to the Halls of Judgement... To be judged of their sins and their worthiness... By Ramuh himself!" She orated to the fleet. "Those deemed worthy would be able to stand side by Ramuh and raised to become Angels of Order!"
Hearing her words, the soldiers and crew members of the Protectorate fleet cheered as their lifelong desire was to serve Ramuh as an angel. With their mortal shells discarded, the worthy would become Angels while the lawless and sinners will suffer eternal torture to strip away all their immorality before they could be absolved of their sins and be reborn again, gaining another chance to prove their worthiness and ascend as Angels.
Chief Inquisitor Nerssia pointed right at the ships of the Iron Kingdom and said, "It is time to prove to Ramuh himself with your resolve and piety! For His enemies stand right before you! FOR JUDGEMENT!"
"FOR JUDGEMENT!"
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The disorderly lines of the Protectorate forces suddenly surge fore without any tactical sense. Like a dam breaking, the crimson red ships charged as fast as their aerial screws and fuel allowed, straight at the Iron Kingdom's ships in the midst of forming into a fighting screen.
Steam fire erupted from the Iron Kingdom's ships in ragged volleys, the projectiles hammering away the Protectorate's ships defences. Yet the Protectorate ships threw themselves into the fray without regard for their lives. Ship after ship fell off the skies as they were pounded to scrap, their propulsion systems destroyed, but the Protectorate crew still alive onboard the dying airships sang hymns and recited prayers until the crippled airships smashed onto the ground and snuffed their lives out.
With the sacrifice made by the charging Protectorate airships that soaked up most of the steam fire, it allowed the other airships following behind to come into range of their heavier steam cannons. Those airships survived long enough to release their steam fire back in vengeance for their lost brethren and the dying began on the Iron Kingdom lines.
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The Iron Kingdom, The Iron Fortress
"T- They have all gone crazy!" An Iron Kingdom Sky General hissed out with shock as the command staff watched the ongoing battle, seeing the mindless way the Protectorate ships threw themselves into the steam fire of their ships. "It must be their last desperate attack!"
"Y- Your Majesty! H- Heavy cruiser Iron Hammer... Is lost!" A young soldier cried out from his station as he read out the report. "I- It was rammed!"
All eyes turned towards the young soldier's direction and the sudden attention made the soldier nervous. "W- We are getting reports of ships getting rammed!"
The report made the command staff and the Iron King uneasy about the suicidal tactics being utilized by the enemy. The Iron King turned to his advisors and commanders and asked, "Is the Chief Inquisitor known for such methods?"
"Suicidal ramming tactics?" The Sky Generals looked at each other before they shook their head. "We have no such records of such tactics used by her..."
"Y- Your Majesty!" A cry of alarm came from the command cathedral lookouts. "Enemy ships heading straight for us!"
"Evad- No!" The Iron King quickly replied back. "All steam cannons and arcane cannons to destroy those ships! Magical barriers to be overcharged!"
"Yes Your Majesty!" The crew responded and soon the light hazy bubble of the magical barrier surrounding the flying island became more distinguishable as if the air had thickened. Stubby barrels rotated and prism towers crackled with magical energies before discharging spells at the fast approaching Protectorate warships.
Airships escorting the Iron Fortress immediately manoeuvre into blocking positions and added their own weight of steam fire at the fanatic airships attempting to ram the flying island. The die hard fanatic airships ignored the punishing steam fire and spells as they charge straight at the flying island. In the end, all but two of the Protectorate airships managed to break through the barrage and their crippled hulls slammed right against the strengthened magical barrier of the flying island.
The magical barrier blended slightly at the impact points before the barrier reformed back to its original bubble shape as the two crippled hulls with knocked away to the side, their mass and speed too little to cost much strain to the magical barrier.
But the actions of the suicidal airships of the Protectorate made the Iron Kingdomites fearful, for facing an enemy without the fear of death and with the intention to die together was something one could not stand up against, no matter how brave one was.
The captains of the Iron Kingdom's ships started to waver, causing command decisions to be second guessed. It quickly showed in the formation and the coordination of the airships, making the Iron King curse under his breath. But before he could rally his people, the cathedral spotters cried out again, this time, the panic was evident in their voices.
"Y- Your Majesty! T- They are all trying to ram us!" The report sent shivers of fear down the spines of everyone in the cathedral. The Iron King stood up from his throne and rushed forward towards the crystal windows to see with his own eyes. "They have all gone mad!"
And the scene before him made his eyes widen in shock as he saw wave after wave of Protectorate ships ignoring damages was just ploughing through the screen of Iron Kingdom airships. Many of the Iron Kingdom airships had gone into evasion actions and opened up holes in the formation, allowing more and more Protectorate airships to slip through, causing confusion and panic in the second screen of airships.
But what made him sweat was the huge dart shaped crimson red airship trailing behind under the cover of the other airships. Like a released arrow, the Flagship of the Protectorate charged through the opening made by the sacrifices of their brethren, aiming straight for the flying island!
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