Part CXVIII: Storming the Castle
Date: Kapton 22nd, 114 A.U.
“New operatives from the Emperor. The Mothership is here.”
“The what?” the lieutenant asked, turning on a heel. “The Mothership is here?”
“Aye,” the commander replied. “Apparently, during their newest upgrade, they gave it the cloaking devices that the pesky goblins used to avoid radar.”
The lieutenant blanched. “So… that means—the Emperor-”
“He’s here,” the commander replied. “And he’s given us a new directive. He’s decided it’s high time that we stop skirting their capital city while Jaine and Freglak destroy each other.” The commander laid a finger on the map. “We’re going in.”
A ring of barbed wire encircled the Mother Tree in front of the dirt wall of defenses, poison-coated crossbows set up behind it. A ditch lay between the two, spiked stakes sticking up between it. Above, there were enough hidden bowmen in the trees to take out the planes, wielding their custom-made explosive-tipped arrows.
“One would think with their refusal to use guns, we’d have an easy time at them,” Monty grumbled as he espied out their position.
“You would hope,” Lord Freglak growled. He had finally left the security of his palace. The palace had been mostly destroyed by the Elder Dragon, and every extra goblin was needed for this final assault on Jaigran’s position.
“We can break in,” Reynyagn murmured.
“Aye,” Monty replied. “We’ll use the few grenades that we have to make a gap in their defenses. Zarien and you four goblin gunners—you’re going to get up into this tree and provide the cover that we’ll need.”
“I’ll use my Arglem, and Number 994 can use his lightning to stop their arrows,” Reynyagn replied. “The rest of us will then charge in and take out their defenses as soon as possible.”
“Our greatest threat will be from above, though,” Flek pointed out. “Although the bombs destroyed most all of their foliage, there are still far too many nooks and crannies in the Mothertree. We’re not going to be able to get them out as easily.”
“That’s what our few fighter planes are for,” Lord Freglak reminded him. “Once we begin our attack, I’ll alert them and they’ll provide an ample enough defense and destruction to let us through.”
“And then where exactly do we find Jaine?” Monty asked.
Lord Freglak pointed to a smaller tree next to the Mothertree. “There, in the Tree of the Offspring,” he replied. “That was the priests’ old headquarters, in the tree they claimed was the offspring of the Mothertree. That’s also where we believe Jaine set up his war headquarters.”
“No time to wait, then,” Reynyagn said. “They might not know yet that the Elder Dragon and the goblin assassins are dead. We need to act now, when they’re not expecting a counter-assault.”
“Let’s go, then,” Flek said. And he threw the grenade.
Explosions rattled the priests’ defenses as wire curled, snapping back, dirt defenses blown apart as the defenders braced themselves as the smoke rose, laying their hands on their weapons as they pointed their crossbows into their smoke, waiting for the attack.
The attack came. There was a clap of thunder, and lightning electrified two of the goblins on the crossbows, causing them to clutch their hearts in pain. Gun shots rang, and a few more were killed as a burning light rose from the smoke, preceding a shadowy body who snapped the streak of light around, killing the hapless goblins nearby.
Shots began to ring out from the snipers above even as the roar of the aircraft became apparent. The battle had begun.
Flek’s blood ran cold as two goblin warriors made for him. Although he could have easily defeated them before, without his powers he knew that he was much more vulnerable. But he still had something that they didn’t have. And that was presence.
Feeling the adrenaline of battle building up inside of him, Flek moved forward, raising his eyebrows as he twirled his arjla corsha blades. “So,” he belted out as shots rang out around them. “You would challenge the great goblin warrior!”
The two goblins paused as they looked at him, and then a look of shock played across the face of one of them. “Wait!” he suddenly cried. “You—you’re-”
“Flek,” he replied, still advancing toward them. “And I’ve returned to stop the likes of you from destroying our country.” And ignoring his gut reaction, Flek leapt forward, raising his blades in a battle cry.
One of the goblins instantly gave a cry of fear, springing out of the way as the other only half-heartedly raised his weapon in defense. The goblin blocked once against his attack, but then, freezing up, became too easy of a target as Flek lopped off his head, spinning around to see the other goblin fleeing in terror. Regardless of his lack of power, he still had his reputation. And Flek moved to stand beside Jroldin.
Number 994 shot down the goblin fleeing from Flek before moving for cover, looking up as he saw the battle raging above between the hidden snipers and Lord Freglak’s aircraft. It wasn’t clear yet who the winner was, especially as Number 994 had no idea how many snipers were hidden in the tree. Just then, Reynyagn came up to him.
“Most of the immediate defenses have been routed,” Reynyagn said, trying to catch his breath. “We can’t fight a pitched battle. We have to go find Jaine.”
“Right,” Number 994 agreed, pointing. “That tree there?”
“Aye,” Reynyagn said. “Let’s go.”
It began as a small object in the distance, slowly getting closer and closer as its size became apparent. The noise of the engines began to grow as its white shape flew over the trees. Monty shot down another goblin as he quickly moved closer to the tree, now nearly on top of it. No good going in the front door, which was sure to be guarded. Instead, he’d climb up to the 2nd floor windows. He had just clambered up on the ledge, when, looking back, he saw the object and suddenly realized what it was. The object that had haunted him in his dreams—the object which he had seen so many times at the Remembrance Ceremony.
The object which was now coming to wrack devastation upon the battle.
The Mothership.
Date: Kapton 22nd, 114 A.U.
“New operatives from the Emperor. The Mothership is here.”
“The what?” the lieutenant asked, turning on a heel. “The Mothership is here?”
“Aye,” the commander replied. “Apparently, during their newest upgrade, they gave it the cloaking devices that the pesky goblins used to avoid radar.”
The lieutenant blanched. “So… that means—the Emperor-”
“He’s here,” the commander replied. “And he’s given us a new directive. He’s decided it’s high time that we stop skirting their capital city while Jaine and Freglak destroy each other.” The commander laid a finger on the map. “We’re going in.”
A ring of barbed wire encircled the Mother Tree in front of the dirt wall of defenses, poison-coated crossbows set up behind it. A ditch lay between the two, spiked stakes sticking up between it. Above, there were enough hidden bowmen in the trees to take out the planes, wielding their custom-made explosive-tipped arrows.
“One would think with their refusal to use guns, we’d have an easy time at them,” Monty grumbled as he espied out their position.
“You would hope,” Lord Freglak growled. He had finally left the security of his palace. The palace had been mostly destroyed by the Elder Dragon, and every extra goblin was needed for this final assault on Jaigran’s position.
“We can break in,” Reynyagn murmured.
“Aye,” Monty replied. “We’ll use the few grenades that we have to make a gap in their defenses. Zarien and you four goblin gunners—you’re going to get up into this tree and provide the cover that we’ll need.”
“I’ll use my Arglem, and Number 994 can use his lightning to stop their arrows,” Reynyagn replied. “The rest of us will then charge in and take out their defenses as soon as possible.”
“Our greatest threat will be from above, though,” Flek pointed out. “Although the bombs destroyed most all of their foliage, there are still far too many nooks and crannies in the Mothertree. We’re not going to be able to get them out as easily.”
“That’s what our few fighter planes are for,” Lord Freglak reminded him. “Once we begin our attack, I’ll alert them and they’ll provide an ample enough defense and destruction to let us through.”
“And then where exactly do we find Jaine?” Monty asked.
Lord Freglak pointed to a smaller tree next to the Mothertree. “There, in the Tree of the Offspring,” he replied. “That was the priests’ old headquarters, in the tree they claimed was the offspring of the Mothertree. That’s also where we believe Jaine set up his war headquarters.”
“No time to wait, then,” Reynyagn said. “They might not know yet that the Elder Dragon and the goblin assassins are dead. We need to act now, when they’re not expecting a counter-assault.”
“Let’s go, then,” Flek said. And he threw the grenade.
Explosions rattled the priests’ defenses as wire curled, snapping back, dirt defenses blown apart as the defenders braced themselves as the smoke rose, laying their hands on their weapons as they pointed their crossbows into their smoke, waiting for the attack.
The attack came. There was a clap of thunder, and lightning electrified two of the goblins on the crossbows, causing them to clutch their hearts in pain. Gun shots rang, and a few more were killed as a burning light rose from the smoke, preceding a shadowy body who snapped the streak of light around, killing the hapless goblins nearby.
Shots began to ring out from the snipers above even as the roar of the aircraft became apparent. The battle had begun.
Flek’s blood ran cold as two goblin warriors made for him. Although he could have easily defeated them before, without his powers he knew that he was much more vulnerable. But he still had something that they didn’t have. And that was presence.
Feeling the adrenaline of battle building up inside of him, Flek moved forward, raising his eyebrows as he twirled his arjla corsha blades. “So,” he belted out as shots rang out around them. “You would challenge the great goblin warrior!”
The two goblins paused as they looked at him, and then a look of shock played across the face of one of them. “Wait!” he suddenly cried. “You—you’re-”
“Flek,” he replied, still advancing toward them. “And I’ve returned to stop the likes of you from destroying our country.” And ignoring his gut reaction, Flek leapt forward, raising his blades in a battle cry.
One of the goblins instantly gave a cry of fear, springing out of the way as the other only half-heartedly raised his weapon in defense. The goblin blocked once against his attack, but then, freezing up, became too easy of a target as Flek lopped off his head, spinning around to see the other goblin fleeing in terror. Regardless of his lack of power, he still had his reputation. And Flek moved to stand beside Jroldin.
Number 994 shot down the goblin fleeing from Flek before moving for cover, looking up as he saw the battle raging above between the hidden snipers and Lord Freglak’s aircraft. It wasn’t clear yet who the winner was, especially as Number 994 had no idea how many snipers were hidden in the tree. Just then, Reynyagn came up to him.
“Most of the immediate defenses have been routed,” Reynyagn said, trying to catch his breath. “We can’t fight a pitched battle. We have to go find Jaine.”
“Right,” Number 994 agreed, pointing. “That tree there?”
“Aye,” Reynyagn said. “Let’s go.”
It began as a small object in the distance, slowly getting closer and closer as its size became apparent. The noise of the engines began to grow as its white shape flew over the trees. Monty shot down another goblin as he quickly moved closer to the tree, now nearly on top of it. No good going in the front door, which was sure to be guarded. Instead, he’d climb up to the 2nd floor windows. He had just clambered up on the ledge, when, looking back, he saw the object and suddenly realized what it was. The object that had haunted him in his dreams—the object which he had seen so many times at the Remembrance Ceremony.
The object which was now coming to wrack devastation upon the battle.
The Mothership.
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