Chapter 324: A Sun over Blackmere

Like most Black Banner Provinces, Blackmere had moved its capital to the coast in peacetime.

The reason was simple. Sending troops out to sea cost less when they did not have to cross half the Province through Gates and transport arrays first. Black Banner Lords had always watched such expenses closely.

Today, the decision seemed especially pleasant. The sky was clear, sunlight glittered on the water, and hunting parties worked along the beaches and nearby shallows.

Then an alarm shrieked from the capital.

[Spatial Lock detected.]

[Phase fluctuations detected. Frequency match: Legendary Meridian cruiser. Probability: 99%.]

[Target approaching rapidly. Distance from Provincial Capital: 80 kilometers.]

[All coastal Lords, seek cover immediately.]

[This is not a drill. Repeat: this is not a drill.]

Faces turned pale along the shore.

Some Lords immediately thought of Western Beacon’s threatened Peace Strike. More simply stared at one another, unable to believe what the alarm suggested. The Homeworld’s last Peace Strike had been so long ago that it scarcely seemed real to them.

"Surely they wouldn’t!"

"Has Western Beacon gone mad?"

"Move the capital inland! Whether they mean it or not, move it now!"

Mirelle Hartwick, who handled Blackmere’s civil administration, could only shake her head.

"Lord Kestrel did not give me authority to relocate the capital before he left. And now we’re under a Spatial Lock."

Other Provinces had acted as soon as the Meridian’s movements became known. Vaust had already moved its capital away from the sea. A precaution cost less than discovering too late that the threat was real.

Blackmere had been unable to follow.

"Then send the fleet! Stop that ship!"

"We have nothing that can counter a Legendary warship’s Phase," Mirelle replied.

That silenced them.

For a moment, the alarm was the only sound anyone could hear. Then a man pushed forward, his expression full of scorn.

"What are you all panicking for?"

Arlen Dorr planted himself in plain view of the sea.

"I’ll stand right here. Let Western Beacon fire its Peace Shell. If they don’t, we’ll know exactly what their threats are worth!"

His confidence found a willing audience.

"Well said, Lord Dorr!"

"Finally, someone with courage."

"Unless Western Beacon has lost its mind, it won’t use a Peace Strike over this."

"They’ve sent one ship to frighten us. They want to watch us run."

"Then don’t give them the satisfaction!"

The argument spread quickly. Soon, most of the Lords nearby were repeating it. Surely this was a bluff. Surely Western Beacon understood what actually firing would mean.

Minutes later, the Phase signature stopped ten kilometers off the coast.

Arlen laughed.

"There. What did I tell you? I’d wager there isn’t even a Peacebringer aboard."

He folded his arms, pleased with himself.

"Let them sit there. Once they realize we’re not frightened, they’ll slink away."

The looks around him grew more admiring.

——

Within phased space, Bramrik tightened his grip on his cannon.

"Overload."

Power surged through his body. The Dwarf grew until he stood fifteen meters tall, his enormous weapon angled toward the sky.

He poured his entire Aether reserve into it.

Destructive power churned at the muzzle. A shell began to take shape, nearly a hundred meters long and ten meters thick. At first it looked like a mass of compressed light. Then its surface grew solid, taking on a faint metallic sheen.

Fine runes covered it from end to end.

Lethria hovered nearby, also within phased space. A trace of caution entered her sapphire eyes as she watched the shell form.

The power inside it seemed ready to destroy anything it touched.

"Go!"

Bramrik’s roar rang out from the deck.

The shell rose slowly at first. Even his powerful Spirit strained to guide something so immense. It climbed clear of the cannon, gathering speed as it went.

A few seconds later, it broke the sound barrier.

Then it accelerated again.

Its course led straight toward Blackmere’s seaside capital.

——

The Lords on the shore stared at the enormous shell rising above the water.

"How can it be that big?"

"A Peace Shell. It’s really a Peace Shell!"

"Those lunatics! Western Beacon has actually done it!"

"They’re firing on us again? Why don’t they fire on the Crown?"

The curses were loud. The scramble to escape was louder.

Arlen, who had sworn to stand his ground, was already climbing onto a Griffin. He slapped its back furiously, urging it into the air. Around him, Lords without flying troops seized the fastest mounts they could find and fled.

With the region sealed, there were no Gates to carry them to safety. They had to outrun the shell themselves.

Mirelle had not lost her head.

"All flying troops, take off!" she shouted. "Intercept it over the sea! If we can make it explode out there, the capital’s spatial barrier can hold!"

As she spoke, she committed Blackmere’s entire available Aether reserve to the barrier.

Her orders gave the other Lords something to do. Most of the Province’s strongest fighters were away in Sunhaven, gathering First-Age Coins. Even so, the capital could readily muster more than ten thousand flying troops.

Their Quality was lower. Their Loyalty was enough.

"For the Domain!"

Cries rose across the coast as winged troops climbed into the shell’s path. Rank after rank spread across the sky, forming walls of living bodies. Ranged troops on the ground launched every attack that could reach it.

If the shell struck those formations, they might truly force it to detonate early.

The strongest of the interceptors, however, were only Epic.

Space shifted before the leading rank.

Dozens of troops suddenly flew sideways, as though an invisible hand had plucked them out of the way. Another rank parted a moment later.

Lethria’s movements were light and precise. She did not even injure the troops she pushed aside.

The shell passed through the gaps.

By the time the displaced flyers recovered, it was traveling at more than ten times the speed of sound. They could no longer hope to catch it.

Two Mythic troops working together had delivered the Peace Shell to Blackmere’s heart.

"No!"

Mirelle’s cry joined the voices rising from the capital below.

The shell pierced the spatial barrier.

For one impossible second, everything seemed still.

Then the center of Blackmere’s capital erupted in a flash as bright as the sun.

The blast thundered across the coast. Above it, a vast mushroom cloud rose into the clear sky.