Chapter 18

  Everyone's expression changes in an instant as they hear that name. Even the captain straightens his back as he realizes who he is dealing with now. The silence that followed that name could make a fly's sneeze audible. A cabin door opens on the ship. Two figures walk out, but they are too far away to make out. One of them is noticeably taller, around 2 meters give or take. On the side of the hull a portion pops off and flips over. It hits the stone ground and forms stairs for the figures to descend on.

  As the two people approach no one makes a sound. Everyone stands at attention. Two sets of footsteps fill the void; one blunt and light, the other higher pitched, elegant and with purpose. The shape of the envoys becomes more discernible.

  On the left walks a very tall woman. She has straight light greenish hair parted at the center. Her back hair is tied up with a decorated hair clip; a long strand is allowed to fall and dances as she walks. The closer to the tip the darker the color of her hair. The bangs at the top and the side frame her face like an inverted crown and make her appear regal, combined with her serious expression demanding respect and subservience. Her light-brown eyes are emphasized with soft eyeshadow and scan the sailors left and right. Everyone can feel her gaze like a serpent's bite.

  She is dressed in a mix of noble wear and military ornaments. Her white and green leather dress is decorated with frills. On her left chest she carries a plethora of badges, showing she has seen her fair share of military operations. On the topic of her chest, she is indeed well-endowed.

  No mistaking it, this is the respected and feared Imperial General Yilagh, Chief of the Military, Coordinator of Internal Affairs, Right-hand woman of the King and General of the Hesfor-Lucian War.

  The person to her left is already known to Minot and Iv, very much to their surprise and dismay.

  "What in the fuck??", Minot blurts out. "What is Callan doing here?" Velophine and Iv share his bewilderment to varying degrees of profanity.

  The archaeologist and the guy that sent them to the mission inside the storm walks relaxed side by side with the Number 3 person of the Empire. As if they were equals. His outfit is a lot cleaner and fitting for this situation: white leather with green stripes, dark shirt with a neatly folded collar. Still, he has his hands lazily in his jacket's pockets and is smoking a cigarette. The small grey line of smoke rises vertically and it appears like a barrier between Yilagh and Callan.

  What kinda pull does this guy have?, Minot thinks. First the harbor mission with Imperial Decree, now the General herself.

  "Oi, Callan, ol' mate", Minot greets him with a tease and sly grin. "Y'know that smokin' can kill ya?"

  "Saying stupid does, too, Minot", Callan replies without a shift in his demeanor.

  Yilagh squints at her company. "Conduct yourself properly, Senhor Siril", she hisses at him. He replies by rolling his eyes and slumping his shoulders.

  That's the first time Minot has heard Callan's first name. Yilagh and Callan seem to have some kind of familiarity and relationship. He doesn't really care to think too deeply about it. He is more amused by someone putting that man in his place.

  Yilagh approaches the captain. They meet eye to eye - not just in physical height- , something the people around them thought impossible. Callan's behavior before the trip felt like undeserved confidence. But with the Imperial General, the legendary captain stands before his equal.

  "Good day, esteemed Captain Loi Temperal of the Cloudbreaker", General Yilagh calmly greets him. Her voice is aged, but still full of silky elegance. "I apologize for the messy situation you and your crew have ended up in."

  "Ahoy, Imperial General", the captain replies, matching her demeanor. "I appreciate the apology, but it's nothin' ya're should be apologizin' about."

  "As the one who authorized the mission with Imperial Decree and my crest, whatever has transpired befalls my responsibility." She looks back at Callan, who shakes his head. She turns to Captain Temperal again. "I'd very much appreciate a retelling of the events from you. Some of the information you shared sounded very... unbelievable."

  "I wouldn' believe it either had I not been there."

  "Let us discuss this inside. And bring the relevant people with you."

  "Aye."

  Yilagh walks ahead, leaving Callan behind to finish his cigarette. He doesn't seem to be in a rush. The captain turns to face Minot, Iv and Velophine. They reply with confusion, but then understand his gesture and follow him.

  The group sits down inside a meeting room in one of the buildings. Yilagh takes her seat on the far side with the windows to her back. Even sitting down she towers above the others. The shadow cast on her front side gives her an aura of intimidation. She has both her hands on the table and leans back. The others sit around the table in front of her. Noticeably absent are both Callan and Hagen. The latter seems unable to talk about what has happened.

  The events inside the Storm are retold to her. From the Atlantean appearing to Minot fighting it off with the help of the mysterious artifact. Velophine feels uneasy having to elaborate on the connection between it, the Atlanteans and the Frontier, but it's best to not make enemies with someone as high-ranked as the Imperial General. Yilagh listens intently and deliberates on the information.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  Minot suddenly speaks up: "If I may add somethin', Miss." The people around him look at him with surprise. Yilagh stares expectantly at him. "There's another thing that I just realized might be important." Minot points down, not at the table or the ground, but lower. "Have ya heard that the Night Ocean is makin' waves?"

  "Waves? On the Night Ocean?"

  "Aye."

  Iv flies up as she remembers. "Oh yeah! We saw 'em when we went fishin' two days ago. I've never seen waves on the Ocean before. Maybe the fish guy and the waves are connected?" She looks over to Velophine, expecting that she agrees with her hypothesis. Instead she sees Velophine's face turning pale. "Velo?"

  Velophine snaps out of it. "Uh, what? Sorry, I spaced out there, hehe..."

  General Yilagh narrows her eyes. "Judging by your reaction, Senhora Velophine, sudden waves on the Night Ocean and the unexpected appearance of an Atlantean, as you called it, are indeed connected. Am I right with my assumption?"

  Hesitantly, Velophine nods. "I'm afraid it's worse than just a connection", she adds with slight shiver in her voice. "It means the Frontier is getting so weak we might see Atlanteans inside the habitable zone."

  "Come again?", Yilagh replies uncharacteristically informal. Probably because of the sudden prospect of an unprecedented threat. She clears her throat. "Excuse me. You mean to say a being as you have described could appear on our islands?"

  Velophine nods again. The general seems to juggle different thoughts in her mind, weighing which one would be the better course of action. The other members of the discussion are also deep in thought. Fighting off one Atlantean already took two fighters, one mage, a harpoon in the chest and basically an Act of God, and they can't even be sure Vasso has been slain or not. If he or others were to appear, then the habitable zone could face disasters and tragedies never before seen.

  After several moments of quiet thinking and whispered groans Imperial General Yilagh stands up. Her stature casts a long shadow on the white metal table. She presses on her forehead with one hand in frustration, the other is held behind her back. Even in this situation she keeps a noble appearance.

  "Alright", she begins, "I have come here for a special reason, and it involves you three." She points with three fingers at Minot, Iv and Velophine. They point at themselves, each of their faces expressing a 'Me?' in different magnitudes of perplexity. "Yes", Yilagh continues, "your ability to fight off such an inhuman threat, protect the sailors and bring the Cloudbreaker in its unfortunate state out of the storm has earned not just my attention but that of the Empire."

  Minot's mood gradually worsens. He has a feeling he knows what is coming, and he does not like it.

  "It is surely in our best interest to locate the artifacts, bring them inside the Frontier and keep the barrier against the Storm stable. I am certain you agree." She looks at Velophine. "I trust you know of the location of other artifacts?"

  Velophine sits momentarily frozen, but then nods.

  "Good." She turns her sight to Minot. "You have shown a remarkable ability to deal with an enemy no one of us has faced before. I predict there will be more encounters, especially inside the storm. Do you understand what I am getting at?"

  Minot sighs and replies: "I do. Conscription." His voice fails to mask his disapproval.

  "Yes and no. It is not a formal conscription, but an offer to work together with the greatest military in the habitable zone, serve your Empire and protect people from the threats we're facing. Of course, you'll receive a basic military training-" Yilagh lowers her voice, speaking more to herself than to Minot, "albeit expedited, given your martial prowess."

  "What was that?", he asks.

  "A place to reside in the Capital of Relva Hesfor, and other benefits soldiers and contracted workers receive." She ignores his quesion. Furthermore she adds: "Your mission would be to join our Stormknight unit, visit the islands with the artifacts inside the Storm, find them and take them back to the Capital. And of course, fight off any Atlantean that may appear. Ideally we learn more about them in the encounters. With the power the artifact has demonstrated we are definitely able to defend ourselves against the Atlantean threat." She curls her lips to an inviting smile, but given the situation it feels more like a silent 'I know you can't refuse this offer'. "What do you say?"

  Minot sits silently. All he ever wanted was to live a simple life. Catching fish, selling them for low money, seeing Lise, eat decent food, insulting Marlon, sleep in a cozy bed, bicker with Iv, and so on. He doesn't like the prospect of having to risk his neck for an Empire that barely did anything for him, but expects him to give his life for it. Especially one that is currently at war with another nation. Potentially having to fight there, too, would be even worse.

  He has no feelings towards the people or nation of Luzre, so why would he have to fight them. Just because someone above him orders him to? On top of the war, the Frontier is shrinking and now fish people from the Night Ocean are becoming a problem. His quiet and simple small island world is growing too fast for him. All these things are making his head hurt.

  Subconsciously his hand wanders to his necklace. Playing with the small stone calms his mind a bit. Feeling the carved grooves on the surface reminds him of something he really wants to do. The only thing that ever went beyond his simple desires. Maybe this is the chance to finally find his home island. Even if he might have to do things he doesn't want to. Ever since getting on the Cloudbreaker and witnessing the Storm finding his home has never felt so close, within reach. He might even be able to find out what happened to his parents.

  The atmosphere is pregnant with tension. Minot has been looking out the window for a considerable amount of time. During which Yilagh has not looked away from him. Iv nervously floats next to him. No matter what, she will stay by his side, she thinks. Even though she'd prefer the same simple life he does.

  At last, he returns the gaze and replies: "Can I ask for a condition?"

  Without spending a second thinking she replies: "Sure, if it is within reason."

  "I have nothin' to do with your problems with Luzre. Y'all can bite off each other's heads for all I care. So leave Iv, me and Velophine outta it."

  The room becomes dead silent immediately. The bystanders exchange nervous glances, switching between Minot, Yilagh, the table, the window and the distant sky. The aforementioned tension has quadrupled. No one knows what to say or do. They desperately want to ease the situation, but don't want any potential consequences to befall them.

  Unexpectedly, Yilagh chuckles. "You have quite the confidence the demand this from a General. I respect your honesty." Everyone around them exhales in relief. The weight of a hundred islands has fallen of their hearts. Yilagh continues: "I don't like making promises like that, but I can assure you your main mission will be the procurement of the artifacts and dealing with the Atlanteans. You, Senhora Iv and Senhora Velophine will work to your abilities to fulfill this mission."

  Minot groans, but ultimately accepts. The Cloudbreaker won't get him inside the Storm for a while, and working with the Empire will net him several benefits. One of which is the opportunity to explore the Storm and find his home island. As long as he can do that, he can join this mission, albeit begrudgingly.

  The General extends her hand, and he does the same. "I look forward to a fruitful partnership."

  "Likewise", Minot replies with minimal enthusiasm.