Chapter 17

  The sun has begun to set. Orange and yellow gradients color the sky in a quiet evening glow. After the long hours inside the oppressive darkness and violent winds of the storm the tranquility of a calm sky feels utterly alien.

  Some time has passed since the Cloudbreaker burst out of the cloud wall and crashed onto the floor. The workers have assessed the situation and are discussing the matter with the sailors. The nearby harbor Porto Branco and the Capital has been informed on the situation and a ship is being sent. Looks of befuddlement and surprise are exchanged when the sailors recount what has happened inside the storm. The workers find it all hard to believe, but seeing the giant ship shoot out of the Frontier like a harpoon could make them believe fairy tales.

  The ship lies partly slanted on the stone ground. It turned while falling and is resting on both sides of the island, making it impossible for other ships to pass. Streaks of cracked stone depict the crash landing. Debris and scrap metal is everywhere. Some workers still have ringing ears from the calamitous noise when the heavy vessel smashed into the stone.

  The Gate is closed off while salvage equipment is being brought to remove the ship. Not that many ships would pass the Gate anyway.

  On hastily set up benches Minot and Velophine relax after the high stress situations. Minot can hardly feel his limbs. The speedy escape out of the storm put his body and that of the other sailors under quite the pressures. Still, and thanks to Velophine's magic, they all got out with minimal bruising.

  "What a day, huh?", Minot asks while observing the workers securing and investigating the ship.

  Velophine chuckles nervously. "Yeah... it didn't quite go to plan..." She anxiously twirls a strand of hair around her finger.

  "How'd you do that?"

  "Hm?"

  "The thing with the artifact? It poppin' off my chest, summonin' the bird, we gettin' carried out of the Storm."

  "Well", Velophine replies softly, "I have been investigating and studying the artifact and the Deity's history almost all my life, you could say. I stumbled onto lots of useful information that I note down in my booklet."

  "I see." Minot lets her words hang in the air a bit. "'S a whole lot of valuable info in it, I bet." He looks at her with a serious expression. "A guy like Callan would prob kill for a page or two. When we see him again, give only stuff you wrote today." Velophine looks at him confused. "You did write down stuff, right?"

  "Uh, yes!" She takes her notebook out and flips through the pages. There are many graphite sketches with small descriptive text next to them. "I sketched the statues, patterns on the walls, writings I found..."

  "Good." Minot signals her to put the booklet away. "Trust me, we only want to deal with that ol' sack of shits a little as we need to."

  Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

  "What do you mean?"

  "Speaking from experience. He gives us missions for somewhat decent pay because we can hardly refuse them. Sometimes even dangerous stuff like dealin' with shady characters at the harbor and getting into fights. All to collect some papers they stole. He knows how to twist a situation into somethin' that he can use. But what're we gonna do? Without him Iv 'n I would be eatin' tree bark for breakfast and stone soup for dinner."

  Velophine looks at him, matching his serious look.

  "Now imagine what he'd do if he knew ya're useful to his research?"

  "Research?"

  "Ye, he's an archaeologist or sumthin'. But works with the Imperial General."

  Velophine contemplates about Callan's description. To her as a scholar a colleague in the field would be greatly appreciated. But she wouldn't want to have to share the wealth of information she has to a shady character. Thinking back, the way Callan upgraded her request to an official mission seemed very strange.

  "I'll keep it in mind", she replies.

  A sudden noise rips both of them out of their serious conversation. Iv comes rushing in with a bag of sandwiches the Gate workers have prepared for the sailors.

  The sun has started hiding behind the distant clouds. Blue shifts to orange, orange to red, and on the other side of the sky the first layers of twilight emerge. The Imperial ship will take around a quarter of a day to arrive, so it's best to rest overnight at the Gate. The next day the ship should arrive before midday.

  Sleeping bags are prepared and laid out in the break room of one of the buildings. One of them is where the workers sleep and on the ground floor there is a large room with simple furniture. It has been put outside the building to create space for the sleeping bags.

  After some waiting lines in front of the toilets, noisy chatter and putting a noticeable dent in the worker's rations everyone retires to their beds. It is a calm night, even if the spirits of the sailors still stir within them. Eventually they all find rest.

  In the distant skies a ship is approaching. It's the next day. After breakfast the sailors stand around the Gate, idling about while waiting.

  Several minutes later the ship finally arrives and docks. Not as colossal as the Cloudbreaker, but not a small nutshell like the Fairy Feather. No wonder they arrived reasonably quickly. The Imperial flag of Relva Hesfor is prominently presented atop this medium-sized vessel. Green stripes on white ground with gold ornaments. The sigil of the military is etched in the center in gold.

  "They brought the big fish, eh?", Minot wonders.

  "Of course!", Iv replies. "My lovely Cloudbreaker's a big deal! Of course they would send someone equally important!"

  "Your Cloudbreaker?"

  Iv ignores him.

  A man dressed like a soldier jumps off the ship and runs towards the sailors. He wears light armor, a sword strapped to his side and a cap that hides his eyes. His outfit matches the colors of the flag. A few meters away from Captain Loi Temperal he stops and in a loud voice proclaims: "Citizens of the Empire, her Glory Relva Hesfor and the islands nurtured by her gilded grass!"

  Minot presses on his nose bridge with his thumb and index finger. "Ugh, what a hassle", he sighs. His reaction is matched by the other sailors and workers. Only Velophine seems to be positively receptive. "Did they fuckin' send the princess and her royal puppy or what?"

  The man continues, ignoring the reactions. "The Empire has sent an envoy and salutes you, wishing you good health and prosperity." He raises his arm straight as an arrow to the sky. Upon his signal a loud horn blows from the Imperial ship.

  The captain sighs, turns around to one of the sailors and gives a quick order. The sailor runs to the ship, climbs inside with difficulty and after a few seconds the very loud bell of the Cloudbreaker rings. Some of the workers have to cover their ears. The salute has been returned.

  Captain Temperal's expression speaks volumes of how unnecessary protocol is in this situation. But Iv giggles satisfied. "Hehehe, the bell's louder."

  Undeterred the man stomps the ground and finishes his introduction: "Duty to the Empire and Glory to our King, his Majesty Dom Alfonso Hesfor! Welcome his envoy with respect and fealty! The Empire's Sword, Imperial General Yilagh Vascos!"