Chapter 640: Destruction

Mushroom shaped projectiles whizzed across the skies between the groups of airships. The Protectorate fleet, three times the size and having heavier ships compared to the retreating Iron Kingdom fleet, seemed like a wave as they advanced confidently in a checkered formation stacked four high.

Below the shadows of the war machines, thousands fled in terror. Spent projectiles or projectiles that missed their mark, came whistling down like bombs and bombarded the fleeing people. The Iron Kingdom, Iron Runner, Rapier class destroyer with leaking aetherium tanks dropped down over the horizon, the helmsman desperately trying to avoid crashing into the mass of refugees underneath the failing airship.

The helmsman managed to successfully avoid the majority of the refugees as its underhull, snapped the tops of the trees before ploughing through the trees and rocks, crashing whatever underneath into unidentifiable bits. The airship rolled to its side and its heavily strained pressure tanks storing superheated steam ruptured, spraying clouds of steam all over the area.

Hundreds of crew and soldiers ferried on board the ship died instantly as they were flash boiled by the steam. Others trapped in their cabins and compartments were slowly baked alive, unable to scream as the air around them rose to boiling temperatures. None of the two hundred crew and over five hundred soldiers cramped onboard survived.

Those refugees on the ground closest to the crashed airship that had avoided getting pancaked by the crash, were blasted by a cloud of steam that cooked them alive. Those further away, received a brief wave of the steam, suffered horrific burns and injuries.

The crash made the fleeing refugees even more desperate to escape and created a trample among the people, increasing the causality count. In the later years, historians estimated close to twenty five thousand civilians died that day.

-----

9th Iron Fleet, Flagship Iron Regent

"Your Highness," Sky General Bundberg addressed Prince Herod with a serious expression on his face. "It is time to leave."

Prince Herod sighed as the bridge crew and command staff saluted him. In the short two days, they had become comrades in arms and Prince Herod did not wish to abandon them to their fate. Sky General Bundberg placed a comforting hand on his shoulder and said, "It's alright, we all have sworn to do our duty for the Kingdom."

"You, your Highness, had done more than enough to stand by our side..." Sky General Bundberg said. "This ship... and the 9th Fleet can no longer outrun the Protectorate..."

"But your Highness," Sky General Bundberg stared into Prince Herod's eyes and solemnly said. "You still have your part in this war to play! Your life is more important than any one of ours! You must leave at once!"

Prince Herod stood rooted as gritted his teeth in helpless anger. Sky General Bundberg let out a soft sigh and he nodded to two of the Prince's aides to bring him away. Prince Herod closed his eyes for a while before he opened with, this time with a determined light in them. He straightened himself and saluted the Sky General and the crew before he turned away walked away without another word.

The waiting courier ship was already fully steamed up and ready to depart at any time. The hangar once filled with dozens of Fairy class ornithopters, courier ships and steam barges were now emptied, with only two other courier ships parked at one side. The ornithopters had all been spent and their volunteer crews sacrificed to slow the Protectorate while the steam barges and courier ships carried away the families of officers to safety.

Prince Herod paused at the boarding ramp of the courier ship and looked around. While the hangar was emptied of its small craft, it was instead filled with soldiers and stores picked up from Mortling's Hold. There was even a portion of the hangar converted into a hospice for the wounded. The feeling of helpless anger rose within his chest again and he turned away from the scene and boarded the courier ship.

The side hull of the hangar swung open, creating a strong draft of wind that blew through the hangar. The courier ship slowly rose up off its landing jacks before it flew through the opening. Prince Herod watched from a view port inside the courier ship, seeing the scenery change. The skies outside the safety of the hangar were filled with grey and white smoke.

Shimmers of magical barrier lit up the air constantly and the captain of the courier ship hastily put the bulk of the Iron Regent's hull between them and the Protectorate. The air was filled with cannon projectiles which could easily destroy the courier ship with just one hit.

Prince Herod watched as the 9th Iron Fleet slowed down as they changed formation. No longer running, the majority of the fleet shift their heading and turned raggedly to face their broadsides at the Protectorate. The other ships of the fleet that carried non combatants and civilians continued at their fastest speed as the rest of the fleet offered battle to the Protectorate.

"May Aedi protect their souls!" The captain of the courier ship prayed to the Goddess of Fire as the Protectorate fleet closed in. "Those brave souls shall need them!"

-----

Seventeen destroyers and escorts, nine light cruisers, three heavy cruisers and one battlewagon, stood their ground. Dozens of smaller craft could be seen departing from those ships as non essential personnel were evacuated off.

Volleys of steam cannons erupted out, as Sky General Bundberg wanted to deal as much damage to the enemy's T before they turn. His ships formed up in three lines, one on top of each other, with the Iron Regent right in the middle, which seemed like a flimsy wall easily broken, when compared to the solid column of airships advancing straight at them.

The head of the Protectorate column soaked up the projectiles thrown by the 9th Iron Fleet. Ship after ship fell out of formation as they lost steam, had aetherium tanks ruptured or had their aerial screws and steering flaps knocked out.

Yet the Protectorate fleet continued on, enduring the punishing fire until they reach their own effective range of their steam cannons. Unlike the Iron Kingdom's steam cannons, the Protectorate mainly fielded a heavier and lower range and accuracy steam cannon.

The column of Protectorate ships split up, their checkered formation allowing them the flexibility and change of movement. The first wall of ships came to a halt and rotated, presenting their broadsides to the Iron Kingdom ships that were just 200 meters away. As they formed up, the 9th Iron Fleet broke their own formation as they went into evasive.

The first wall of Protectorate ships' steam cannon erupted almost as one and a hail of deadly projectiles blanketed the evading 9th Iron Fleet. Weakened magical barriers flashed and popped upon impact as hundreds of projectiles were thrown in their direction. The weaker destroyers went down rapidly in balls of leaking steam and flames while the heavier protected cruisers managed to hold out against the enemies' fire.

The ground behind the 9th Iron Fleet rippled with explosions as the shots that missed rained down on the land. The Protectorate fleet seemed indifferent to the destruction wrought by their weapons as another broadside crashed out. The Iron Kingdom ships tried to evade and fight, others overlapped their magical barriers to hold out longer, but the sheer number of cannons throwing projectiles their way, quickly decimated the much smaller 9th Iron Fleet.

-----

Prince Herod's fists had turned white as he stared out of the rear viewports at the diminishing view of the 9th Iron Fleet being decimated. "Curse the damn Protectorate!"

"Y- Your Highness!" A cry of surprise came from the captain of the courier ship as he pointed to the front of the bridge. Prince Herod let out a growl as he turned away from the rear viewports and looked at what the captain was pointing at. He froze at the sight before he covered his eyes and started laughing madly as tears of relief flowed down.

-----

Strength and energy that he had never thought he would ever have, flowed through his entire body. Even the heavy plate mail and belted sword that he was wearing now, felt light as if he had returned to the days of his younger self.

He stood with his arms crossed, staring out of the battlement of the castle, his cape fluttering gently in the wind. Everything was clear to his eyes and he no longer had to squirm his eyes to even read all the missives and reports. He smiled, as he recalled the words of the girl healer telling that he would be well once again and that his health would return.

"Your Majesty," The row of Sky Generals and soldiers standing behind him saluted. "The 1st and 5th Iron Fleet have assembled."

"Good!" The Iron King lifted a gauntleted hand and pointed to the distance. "Is the spell ready?"

"Yes, your Majesty!" A hooded figure bowed. "The mages are awaiting your command!"

"Cast the spell!" The Iron King, once bedridden and dying, now stood tall and strong in full armour. His loud voice radiated strength and confidence and his bearing noble and regal. His subordinates bowed and hurried off to his bidding. "Destroy everyone that dare tramples our Kingdom!"

A hum that could be felt in one's bones grew louder and louder and a massive magical circle suddenly formed in the air right before the flying island's castle. The purplish glowing magical circle expanded as more and more runes materialized into being around the spell. In the tower, several hooded mages each stood behind an altar that had a bowl on the top and chanted as one.

Magic crystals of all types were filled to the brim on the bowls and visibility, the crystals could be see corroding as the mana stored inside were absorbed by the spell formation in the air. Acolytes dressed in similar robes hurried from one bowl to another and refilling them with more magic crystals from the dozens of storage chests on the side.

The sudden surge of magical energies in the air created an abnormal storm to form. Dark clouds circled around the flying island and despite a magical barrier dampening the strength of the winds, those outside of the castle, could feel the force of the gale. Purple and green lightning crawled unnaturally across the skies as the magic circle solidified into being.

"ARCANA LIGHTNING BALL!" The chanted mages suddenly, yelled loud out the spell as they activated the Level 10 magic circle.

A pure white ball of energy covered in purple lightning snakes erupted out of the centre of the magic circle and sizzled out in an arc. The diameter of the ball of lightning was dozens of meters wide, large enough to engulf a common airship whole.

It soared through the skies, leaving behind trails of lightning and pure magical energy until it impacted the Protectorate fleet with a blinding flash of light and ear shattering boom. It was like the birth of a new miniature sun and for a moment, everyone was blinded by the harsh light before the shockwaves spread out and slammed into the nearby ships and flattened the ground.

When everyone recovered their eyesight, a massive hole had formed in the middle of the Protectorate fleet and the remains of the fleet were disorientated by the affect effect of the spell. Some ships were even spinning around lifelessly and the fleet was totally shattered.

The Iron King opened his eyes and nodded to himself after seeing the destruction wrought by the spell. The mages had collapsed from overtaxing themselves with the spell. In total, for the Level 10 spell to be cast, over thirteen million gold crowns worth of magic crystals, a tenth of the stored magic reserves were used which equalled two and a half years worth of taxes of the entire Kingdom!

"All ships... Advance!"