Chapter 92: The Legendary Sword Nemaisol

Chapter 92: The Legendary Sword Nemaisol

Daniel closes the door to his lab with Hekate and Wenlianna with him, having gotten permission to include them from the topic of the discussion to be had.

He wanted to include Ryukana, but Nemaisol vehemently objected for some reason, promising to explain.

Daniel takes a seat, setting Nemaisol on the work bench, and Hekate and Wenlianna take seats beside him.

“Don’t treat me like I’m crazy, alright?”

“I would never!” replies Hekate.

“I’d like to know what’s going on first,” replies Wenlianna playfully. “That is to say, even if I feel you are, I won’t abandon you.”

Daniel chuckles. “Thanks.” He touches Nemaisol, asking gently, “Nemaisol?”

There’s no response. Daniel replies to the silence, “Nemaisol, not funny. I know you’re being quiet on purpose.”

“A-Are you saying... you... can talk to the sword?” asks Wenlianna.

“It’s a new development.”

Hekate puts her hands on her hips, sitting up straight as she puffs up her chest proudly. “It’s like a soul-bound golem. Or an artificer intelligent.” She grins, and Wenlianna looks from her to Daniel.

“Artificial intelligence. It’s the technology version of Xyreko. Though, without the soul part.”

“I... I see.”

“Th-That’s what I said!” whines Hekate. “I just bit my tongue!”

Daniel smiles, not poking fun at the feldrok empress for now. “So, Nemaisol? Or... no... You said that’s not your real name. Please tell me your real name.”

Again, no response. Daniel sighs.

“Are... you sure it wasn’t just from... the fear? Or... perhaps the enemy using telepathy?”

Daniel shakes his head. “I still don’t have enough mana to receive telepathy. Fear is a reasonable assumption, but... I was able to draw Nemaisol because we were communicating.”

“Maybe you need to draw it again?” asks Hekate. “Though... I guess you did say it told you to draw it... Hmm...”

“Can’t hurt to try, I guess.” Daniel draws Nemaisol, leaving it on the table, keeping his hand on the grip. “How’s that? Gonna keep messing with me?”

Again another pause. Daniel sighs. “I can’t help you if you don’t speak. And, I know you’re just making me look crazy.”

“Very well, Daniel. You could at least let me have some fun, but they clearly trust you too much.”

Hekate and Wenlianna both gasp. “It’s really talking!” cries out Hekate in surprise. Wenlianna carefully inspects the blade without touching. She knows that anyone else touching Nemaisol will be shocked, and the weight could increase suddenly. And, knowing now that the sword is apparently sentient and capable of its own magic, it’s even more risky to upset the sword.

“Fascinating. I can’t even see any glyph markings, runes, or magical circuits. Are the magic elements internal to the metal of the sword?”

“I am not some stove or goods preservation unit. I am a... Well... that actually brings me to my problem. Daniel;”

“What is it?” asks Daniel.

“That thing I want you to protect me from... I’m... or rather, I was a goddess, similar to Ryukana.”

This shocks all three of them, and Hekate asks, “You... lived in the Divine Realm and all that?”

“Yes. Chaos and Order are the only two true gods, and the rest of us are their servants, each assigned to one or more worlds, preservation of the Realm, or observation of the whole of the universe. We aren’t much different than living beings on the worlds in question, but serve as a sort of management system; a lesser tier response so that Chaos and Order don’t have to erase and start over, which is the easiest response to anything going wrong.”

“How did you end up as a sword, then?” asks Wenlianna.

Nemaisol’s voice scoffs. “A fair question, I suppose. You see, I was once in charge of protecting this world of Zenkon, and in so doing, I summoned a hero to whom I gave an immense amount of power. She was valiant and brave, kind and passionate, and she fearlessly carried out the task I gave her to complete. She was to fend off an invading extraterrestrial force, and I gave her immense magical powers and abilities to do so. She was virtually invincible, could wipe out vast armies in a blink, and she had no need to eat or sleep to maintain her limitless mana and resilience. I thought, if I chose a young woman to be my champion, she would be unlikely to be corrupted and abuse the power I gave her. But... I was wrong. Most sentient beings seek to better their station, and she was no different, seeking even to challenge the Divine Realm. I could not live with this shame, as she was wreaking more havoc than the aliens that I had summoned her to thwart. Seeing no other way to cover up my mistake and prevent it from getting worse, I turned myself into a divine weapon, and made myself available to the weakest person I could find; someone who would know the compassionate allure of humility, the gentle peace of tranquility, and the absolute duty to complete one’s task and surrender. And... if not, I could simply take my power away.”

“I don’t understand,” starts Hekate. “How can you call yourselves goddesses when you can give power, but can’t take it away?”

“That thought comes from a mortal perspective, viewing us as almighty. But, as I mentioned, there are only two who are almighty. I’m more akin to... I guess a regional lord to this world’s system. I have power and authority, but I am nowhere near the Emperor.”

“So what happened after you found your new wielder?” asks Daniel.

“He killed the summoned heroine, and then gave me in my sheathe to the Feldroks to be archived and forgotten, if possible. There, I slumbered for centuries, until the Caretaker Xyreko gifted me, a goddess, to this otherworldly summon, Daniel.”

“Lucky...” remarks Hekate.

Daniel and Wenlianna look at her, and she blushes. “I-I mean, I... Hmmm... Forget it! Nemaisol, or... You said you have a different name! What is it?”

Nemaisol chuckles. “Yes. I did say that. Daniel, my true name is Kaeralageir. Nanita began calling me Nemaisol in sword form after a work of fiction in her world. Something about video games...”

“Wait, that doesn’t make sense,” starts Daniel. “Video games are less than half a century old on Earth. Was Ms. Nanita from a different world?”

“Mmm... No, Earth sounds right. And it was a book, I think. But, one about video games. Ah! I see now. You wonder how hundreds of years have passed if only fifty or so have passed on Earth.”

“Exactly.”

“Worry not. Time is a construct of the realm hosting the affected worlds. You might say ‘universes’, Daniel, since I know your range of science fiction extends well beyond what this world knows or has imagined as of yet.”

Daniel and Hekate both look at Wenlianna as she mumbles, scribbling down new words to ask Daniel about later. “...deo gaymz... science fiction... ‘universes’ plural...” She blushes when she notices the other two watching her, and she squeaks, “I... I’m taking... notes...”

Everyone chuckles together. “No one is stopping you,” teases Daniel playfully.

Wenlianna clears her throat proudly, huffing, “Yes, well. I’ll continue then. Please pay me no mind. I mean it.”

“Oh, I’ll mind you, Wenlianna.” Daniel grins, and she blushes, glaring at him as fiercely as her rosy cheeks will allow.

“I-I’ll fire you! Er, I’ll... Hekate! Punish Daniel, please!”

Hekate cackles deviously. “Gladly, Wenlianna. Oh, Daniel...”

“Shh, Hekate. We’re still learning about Nemaisol. Sorry, Kaeralegeir. Don’t get distracted.”

Hekate huffs in shock at Daniel’s brazenness, but he ignores her, asking the sword, “Kaeralegeir, how can we help you?”

“Well, a lot of magical power will be required to break the contract I inflicted on myself. Not to mention the... hmmm... artifact? There is a magic thing I need. Best way I can describe it isn’t quite a magic device, but an artifact.”

“Any ideas where we can find this artifact? What it looks like or does?”

“Where... Hmm... I haven’t given much thought to where in a long time... Though, when we were flying to get your ‘cell phone’, was it? I recognized some landmarks, I think. Some of the mountains look pretty much the same. A lake or two.”

“Cell phone...” murmurs Wenlianna. “So, you recognized Mornistae?”

“Yes. In fact, it’s beneficial for my sheath to be destroyed or for me to be left out of the sheath for long periods of time. It burns through my magic when I have to regenerate or return. So, go ahead, Daniel. Use me for dumb things. Dull my blade, and I’ll heal. Melt my sheath, and I’ll regenerate it. Pry doors open or chop firewood. Heck, stones, even. Just try to minimize my magic exposure, and I’ll get what I want.”

“Don’t you regenerate mana like the rest of us?” asks Hekate.

“No. Not while I’m nullifying mana in my presence. The exception is my wielder, whose mana can easily replenish my own inadvertently. I wasn’t quite planning on becoming mortal when I turned into a sword, but now that I’ve had a few hundred years to think, it was the obvious choice. Since no one came looking for me, I figured it’s the best way to stay off of Order’s radar, specifically.”

“Ray-darr...” murmurs Wenlianna as she writes it down.

Daniel states warmly, “That one I might be able to help you with, though I’m only familiar with the idea.”

Wenlianna beams excitedly. “Excellent! What does it do?”

“Detects things with radio waves. We used it to detect incoming aircraft so they could be intercepted, or avoided as the case may have been.”

She nods eagerly, trying to picture it. Daniel closes out the secretive little meeting with, “Alright. We have a plan for now. First, let’s make sure our battlefronts are stable and that the Covenant is either no longer a threat, or figure out where they’re going. After that, we’ll do the meeting with Sundenelle.”

Hekate and Wenlianna giggle deviously. Everyone is looking forward to the game of messing with the Empress of the Grand Zenkon Empire.

***

“Grey Knight, Mechanic One, the Valkyries have been chosen. Mechanic One in control. Listen close for the next poem. Over and out.” Daniel’s voice gives Choul a brief message of warning, though he’s not entirely sure what the peculiar emperor means. Regardless, if Daniel is sending a message, something happened, and Choul needs to remain on high alert.

Without Rose or Blue being present, he’s the only one who can easily fly and inspect the battlefield, and the status of the Covenant forces is unknown. Likewise, the eastern Imperial forces are still poised to engage.

“Sir General?” asks one of the ogres near Choul as he looks out over the east from the eastern wall of Fort Twilight.

“It’s nothing. I just received a brief missive from his Grace, Emperor Daniel. Something happened to the Dragon Empresses and their mission.”

The ogres and dattakoriens around him flinch or gasp, shocked by this implication.

“Panic not, everyone. Daniel did not sound distressed, and he stated that it’s under control. We’ll focus on defensibility. How are we looking?”

The ogre that spoke to him reports, “We have been running the smithy in full shifts since we conquered the fort, General. But, if I may... Should we be making... them without his Grace’s knowledge?”

Choul smiles softly. “His Grace trusted me to defend this fortress once it was captured, and I can not substitute the Emperor. Ours will be but poor imitations.”

“Very well, General. The first units should be ready by this evening. Where should we stage them?”

Choul thinks for a moment. He could have them split up, or focus on one front or the other. The eastern front should provide the lesser challenge, meaning new weapons aren’t as necessary.

But, that doesn’t mean he should neglect the eastern facing wall either. After all, Daniel had no magic when he conquered the Citadel. To underestimate any enemy is the height of folly.

Likewise, with Vaergraes and the Uhl’tall allied with the Fievegal, and the Stalvaltan Grand Duchy out of play for the same reason, Choul should be single-handedly capable of holding off either side, with exception of the archoneldwyn, who the Fievegal has too little intel about. Though he can’t cause direct harm, his flames still burn as hot as ever, and he has many spells that can create obstacles impassable to most. He won’t be creating magic walls this time, but he should be able to interfere long enough for a defensive response to be formed.

It’s ironic, and certainly not lost on him, that Choul can order the soldiers under his command to do just about anything he wants, including causing harm, but he can’t cause harm himself.

Regardless, he is seeing merit to Daniel’s merciful nature, even if it does hamper his endeavors at times. If the archoneldwyn he questioned can be made into an ally, even unwillingly, then there is merit to mercy.

“Stage them on the eastern wall. If it should come to pass that we are battling on both fronts, I shall entrust the east to you and the new weapons, while I handle the west. My size and power exceed the known dragons, and I should be able to hold back the enemy if they arrive.”

“As you wish, Sir General!” The ogre nods to the dattakoriens, and they jog towards the forge, where weapons adapted from a simple understanding of the mysterious demon wands and staves are being produced. Technically, Chould doesn’t have permission to make them, but he knows the gravity of letting the technology leave Fievegal control, and it’s only a matter of time, even if Daniel is as careful as can be. Choul has a minimal understanding, and he was able to figure out how it works; especially because he recognizes the smell of alchemical flash powder.

Of course, Choul would be remiss if he didn’t have the new cannons tested, since Daniel mentioned something about the forging process that is important for the barrels.

Choul calls after the dattakoriens, “Let me know once the first cannons are staged. We’ll do a test volley to test range and how the weapons hold up.”

“As you wish, Sir General!”

Choul checks the construction projects that they added to Fort Twilight. He ordered the golems into a low-activity state to conserve mana, leaving the meager forces of the living members of the Fievegal army to carry out the main tasks. They have prepared cranes to lift the cannons into place, and the stone gates are in place, solidly ready to stand against a standard battering ram attempt. Of course, the gates are so heavy now, that only mages or dragons can move it single-handedly. Even the gate mechanisms present for the wooden gates the eastern forces used are too weak to move the heavy stone gates. Over time, the hinges will likely bend and the door will sink in such a way that it will be unable to open.

After a little while, Choul oversees the staging of the cannons on the east wall. Three cannons have been prepared. They are fairly simple, compared to Daniel’s rifle and pistol, since the cannons are more or less a steel tube with a fuse hole at the back end.

The firing teams for the cannons have been practicing on a dummy cannon made of wood, and they man the wall with the other watch teams in preparation for possible attack from the eastern forces.

Choul uses a spell to scan far out ahead of them. There are no living beings other than animals in the expected range, and he needs to verify that his cannons work.

Choul nods, and the dattakorien commander nods in reply. He shouts, “Cannon teams! Load!”

“Loading!” shout back all three cannon teams, quickly shoving the powder packs in with the ram rod, and then doing the same for the projectiles, which are as close to the rifle projectiles Choul has seen, but without the tight tolerances. They should still fly accurately, as far as Choul knows, but he doesn’t know the full reason how and why Daniel’s rifle works.

Regardless, twenty pounds of iron falling from the sky faster than even a giant could throw is sure to be devastating -and frightening- to enemies that have no way of defending against something they can’t see coming.

“Cannon loaded!” “Cannon loaded!” “Cannon loaded, Sir!” Three confirmations come back, and Choul orders, “Fire when ready.”

The dattakorien commander nods. “Yes General! Cannon teams, take aim! Fire!”

“FIring!” shouts all three teams. They ignite the fuses of the cannons. Choul watches, learning every second of this excercise, since this is his own first attempt at designing and firing weapons unfamiliar to him.

One of the fuses refuses to stay lit. The cotton thread burns, but it isn’t reliable as a fuse, and the cannon team of the third cannon struggling with the fuse keep trying to re-light it. Regardless, it fights them all the way.

The second cannon’s fuse burns fastest, and it startles its firing team when it suddenly explodes.

And, that’s not to say it fired correctly. The whole cannon explodes like a bomb, and the cannon team screams out in surprise and pain as shrapnel undoubtedly does damage to the soldiers firing the weapon. Choul is over the rampart from his position in the middle of the wall in an instant, sprinting to the explosion site to begin triage.

The first cannon fires properly a few seconds after the explosion, thundering as it launches a shell, and the blast startles Choul, who is already in an urgent mode in an attempt to rescue any of the wounded that he can from the second cannon exploding.

The first and third cannon teams rush to the aid of the second cannon team and Choul, dragging the wounded away from the burning shrapnel and embers of what remains of the second cannon.

However, the entire group is suddenly startled when thunder booms behind them; a cannon firing. They look in a startled panic to the third cannon, where the sound came from, to find a puff of fire and a trail of smoke leaving its barrel. Cannon three, in spite of its failing fuse, managed to ignite its powder even after its team abandoned the cannon to address the second cannon team’s injuries.

Choul is stunned by the colossal failures going on around him. He wouldn’t blame any of the cannon team members. They all went into this more blind than they realized, including Choul himself. He believed Daniel’s weapon was relatively simple, but there was more to the seemingly simple design than he realized.

After the second cannon team is stable enough to survive, Choul takes a seat on the ramparts near where the second cannon was firing from. He studies the weapon. It split along the side, throwing pieces of itself around that nearly killed the team members controlling the weapon.

What went wrong? Is there some forging process Daniel knows that I don’t? Were the walls not thick enough? Too much powder?

He looks at cannon number three, which fired on its own. It fired properly, but long after the cannon team thought that the fuse was shot and was no good. Instead, it burned slowly enough that they didn’t notice until everyone was focused on rescue efforts with the second cannon team.

Choul sighs. He looks to the west. He can’t actually see it, but he knows the direction of the Citadel, and it’s true ruler who is currently residing there. He is the one who brought forth the technology that Choul foolishly tried to emulate.

The grey dragon lays back on the rampart block, sighing to himself. He mutters, “I guess I should contact my Liege... I was hoping to impress him. But... I’m apparently in over my head.”

Choul has been all over the world of Zenkon, but he still can’t compete with an otherworlder mechanic versed at least a little in a lot of subjects from his strange world.

Choul sits up feeling humility wash over him once more. “Citadel One, Grey Knight,... I need Mechanic One’s help.”

***