Dark Crow Rising

Leaving the latest in what is becoming too long a line of inflamed verbal bouts, I get going to my temporary office. While I know little about him, Baltanthan was quite certain what he had for me would be integral to the country's survival. Under normal circumstances, I wouldn't think much of it, no self-respecting agent of the law would. Especially not after the stunt he tried to pull and I am not even going to consider that situation.

Post-riot tensions have my forces on edge and the introduction of unfeeling, automatons for Union soldiers is... I'm going to need a dictionary just to look up every similar meaning words and so I can recite their full definitions. Such a profoundly stupid boy he is, but, one that may prove essential. Well, I hope this all ends up being the case, anyway.

I admit, I only bothered taking the issue from Baltanthan's assigned interrogator because of a name. Up until now, all we've known the giant as is well, the Giant. To hear that it has an actual name is at least something. Maybe the detail appealed to the hope I have that this is all just some foreign weapon.

"Certainly some weapon..." I mutter with a sneer, my hand gripping the door handle tighter than usual. Stepping into the office, my eyes linger on the mess Baltanthan made and I walk up to it. Noting the tablet he's written something on, I pick it up first and go through its contents. It's nothing too important, just a heads up about marked faces and some insistence about ignoring the poor formatting.

Setting this unimportant one aside, I get started at what he's marked as the starting points. He's not wrong, this is some truly messy exposition straight from the mind of a now dead student. Thankfully, Baltanthan's word is more than kept to, to an exceptional degree even. He has made a point of highlighting and even blanking out what are blatantly invasive thoughts.

I put the first tablet down and consider what the details were, a lot of mythological stuff. He is entirely certain, with the backing of the expert who left him this information, that this is divine. Unfortunately for us within the now former Dual-Republic, divine artefacts are not readily available. While the city of Suhurlodst might have had them, once upon a time, they likely vanished when the Valkinvar migrated north.

Thrurstradtur has never made much of a name for itself, either with ancient relics and powers within its possession. The mountain-state has always prided itself on being a technological marvel with a peculiar interest in Ihtuntar's memory. As much as Baltanthan's cited works insist upon using such items against this, Atarifuge, we simply do not have them. I doubt whatever the Union is in possession of, if it has any at all, will be brought out either.

The worst part about this all, as well, is that it's too hard of a concept to accept with anything close to open-mindness. While the divine has most certainly played a part in the world, there's too much that exists for it to have just been some form of arbitrary existence. It's so absurd a concept that it just falls on flat ears. I want to believe what these tablets are saying, but, even if it manages to convince me even slightly, it has to succeed with so many more.

I have not been the only one Baltanthan needs to convince for a very noticeable, but short, timeframe. Much as I want to take solace in this, I cannot. I need something more concrete than fairy tales and legends. And, well, it's ludicrous for me to assume he can prove his theory with some dug up relic.

"I guess I can try backing this theory up with whatever we can pull out of all the black sites and out-of-bounds regions in the land. If I can get a team to start work on such cataloguing, we might be able to find something that fits the appropriate definition of 'divine,' I suppose. Gods and goddesses above, this is so nonsensical." I get out of my system as my legs and feet carry me on a wavy course to a chair.

Landing in the cushioned structure, I take up another tablet and go through its details. This one in particular gives a lot of description about the Sword-Faced Giant, a famous statue. Or, rather, as the tablet insists, an ancient weapon designed by the gods and goddesses' and blessed with the name of a member of the Pack of Seven. All seven of these machines received the same treatment, each bearing the name of one of Undwote's soul-seeking beasts.

My mouth tightens and lips tilt. This is hardly anything to indicate that they're divine in nature. Anyone can name anything after some divine creature or beast, so many do, in fact. People have the sense to never use a god or goddess' name in anything but naming the deity itself. But, some mutt who finds the dead for their judgement is hardly under the same scrutiny.

Conspiratorial as it is as well, I can't help but consider this to be a Union weapon. They of all nations would have little issue disrespecting the old divine in favour of their relatively recent adoration for a particular moon. Jhrarda the Mighty, as the legends go, he delivered them their first king and is why the Wind Mountain is even active. Whatever really happened, people buy into the idea when science can only explain so much.

The story is partly why Suhurlodst here is so interested in the study of Sudden Induction Theory...

"I guess," I start to say, sighing through my nose with cleaning force, "Even if we get nowhere, we can always keep trying bigger and bigger bombs."

The greatest, biggest bombs the world has ever seen, in fact. One so heavy and rich with magic, its very core will be carved straight from the Wind Mountain itself. I know I've seen and been talked through the concepts of such super weapons. So many possible threats get given to me as theoreticals to consider, but none ever came close to this.

At least with that bomb idea, I could dismiss it and not lose a night's sleep over it. No people on this planet would ever consider damaging the source of their continent's magic. Even the famous stairs to the Finger's Reach Palace are entirely natural. No tool has ever pierced that rock. Grand estates on the Wind Mountain are not easy, simple affairs and one must truly be entitled to it.

I put the tablet down and cross my arms and legs to aid in my lengthy process of thought. If there is something to be found in all this information, I cannot make use of it now. It actually makes the Prince's current plan on destroying the country sensible. Much as I hate thinking like this, throwing masses upon masses of shielded material may be our best option.

Yet, with the failure of the two mobile fortresses, one has to consider how much more is needed. To have such grand, weighty creatures enriched even further with power not natural to them fail. It boggles the mind as to where we can go from here. If what Suhurlodst insists is true about the Prince, maybe his royal blood is the answer.

He is attracting so much power into himself to funnel something that surely he can turn this power on our shared foe? Maybe the pair, him and the giant, can both die together and never be heard from again. Thrurstradtur-Suhurlodst will be able to recover and bounce back stronger. For now, I'll settle with anything that can ensure we won't have a continent of dunes like the scorned Water People.

"Ah, yes, that's right, the Grand-Kingdom..." I say, tutting out a single, harsh noise. With what occurred the day I gave over this country's sovereignty, we may have to become part of the Union truly to survive. It was our land the Grand-Kingdom's subjects unnecessarily shed blood on. I doubt their politicians, parliamentary or royal, will care much about what we have to say. It's all excuses for them.

A great war will happen in our lifetime, if we manage to see a tomorrow. Whatever that war entails, I wish to play no part and, if I am involved, a very small one. Though I was no small-time commander back in Errakur, the past was such a simpler time. One where I patrolled the walls of my keep and battled some skirmishes, no international politics or submission.

Only defiance and prosperity, or death.

The door to the room shoots open and a courier starts to catch his breath, "Y-You... You are wanted at the temporary command centre, Grandguard Inerish."

"What for? All operations against the giant have been put on hold and the evacuations are going as planned." I ask, my heart stopping at the idea of another leaping monstrosity. His head starts to move in an odd manner, indicating something far milder. Yet, still an oddity worth rushing to me like this. Getting up, I watch him carefully.

"All I've been told is to get you. I was, however, able to overhear something about three unidentified airships. A runner has also been sent to His Royal Highness, the Prince-to-Ascend Jhrartur." he clarifies and I stick my arm out to move him aside so I can get going.

"Very well, dismissed." I tell the courier and I begin my trek. One odd occurrence after another today. Someone's broken into the Gnomon! It was just a student...

Someone's broken through the barely attempted blockade around the giant's locale! Probably just some smugglers we should leave to their doom. I've no genuine clue why I'd ever be called in for something like this. The giant is public knowledge now. Anyone who tries to get close to it knows full well what to expect.

It's not even something they can miss, either. We can all take time watching with absolute horror as the land turns to sand. We can bask in the raw magic burning away at its edges, the destruction even a drop of rain does when it falls. It's all complete nonsense. Nonsense, nonsense, nonsense, nonsense and more nonsense!

The temporary change in operations handling comes into view and I throw the door open. Minding the improvised design and layout of the vast room, I make my way to the main projector. The giant is still there, and it's still on the move. Not even a peep from any of these three unidentified airships.

"Well? What have I really been called in here for?" I question, displaying just how on edge I am by showing off my brilliant edge. A random bout of paranoia will do me good, I think.

A woman steps up, her eyes wide at the presence of my sword, "H-Here... Grandguard Inerish."

Snatching the tablet up, I make the adjustments I need on the screens and she scurries off. Frowning in thought at the images, one sticks out to me and I focus on it. The illegal dig site I, Nin, Baltanthan, Seigunfrei and that oh-so teasable baker. That one of a kind creature.

But, seeing the mountain again, I can't help but wonder how fate brought me back to looking here. The giant is closing in on the beacon-peaked stone, but so are our unknown infiltrators. I bring up the required feeds and make a point of letting the rest of the room see. My eyes narrow and specific details are picked up on immediately.

These three airships are warships, ones bristling with a set of heavy turret batteries. Crimson plated and glowing such a sugar-infused green, shaped much like a flying steel ship of the sea. Certainly of no design I have ever seen before and the way the nearby magic sensors are reacting leaves me in a state of pause. Their behaviour is certainly something to behold as well.

One is diving into the valley, towards the sealed mountain with no care given to its hull. It will smash on through to that wreck of a site and the mountains are feeling it. The other two are in a defensive formation, angling in such a way to aim as many guns as they can. Unlike with other things, the giant does not seem to mind them.

"What are you three up to? What could you possibly want down there that is so important?" I speak, getting my thoughts out into the open as further details become clear. These airships are old, very old and worn, like they've never been allowed to see a dockyard in all of their lives. The crew is not exactly clear to see either.

What I can see is stiffly climbing its way to bolster the ship's guns with infantry firearms. Oddly enough, they seem almost mechanical and it starts. The first forward battery lights up with blinding energy. The giant staggers back, its gaze rolling back towards the airships. My mouth imitates the command and the next battery roars.