529 Bad Luck (1/2)
Even his Imperial Court who flew over from the United Nations' island ship was dumbstruck at the scene. Lord Dietrich who had been the most vocal about the trickery of the United Nationers was actually now at a loss of words as he stared at the destroyed landscape.
Imperial troops were moving around the devastated land, picking through the bodies and wreckage while Aslan and his Court stood up wind from the smell yet they could still catch a whiff of burnt meat, ashes and charred wood.
”Your Majesty! May you live for a thousand years!” A Knight in full plate armour went down on one knee before Aslan. ”Knight Colonel Sander of the Fourth Imperial Army reporting!”
”You may rise!” The old eunuch next to Aslan intoned after Aslan gestured for the Knight Colonel to do so.
”You have performed very well lately, Knight Colonel Sander! We are very pleased with your results!” Aslan said. ”We shall reward you greatly!”
”Many thanks, your Majesty!” Knight Colonel Sander quickly bowed. ”But much of the credit goes to the Great Sage's advice! If he was not by my side, sharing his wisdom, we would not have performed as well!”
Emperor Aslan nodded as he had seen both the reports of the defence of Port Sunder and also the ingenious paddle wheel designs powered by leg power at the beach. The Great Sage's idea had taken three days to be implemented fully to all the available ships and allowed the entire landing fleet to cross the channel within a couple turns of the sand glass instead of requiring half a day or more of sailing.
”Yes, We need to reward the Great Sage too!” Aslan quickly said as he also wanted to recruit the Sage to be the Court's Grand Advisor position. ”Where is his Greatness?”
Knight Colonel Sander frowned as he turned and looked around in confusion. ”He... He was just right next to me just now!”
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Leung placed a gloved him over his racing heart to calm himself as he peered from the corner of the tree he was currently hiding behind. When he first landed with the rest of the Imperial Army, which he was cajoled along by the beefy Knight Colonel despite his excuses and reasons for staying behind at Port Sunder.
He immediately knew that the UN must have somehow constructed a carrier of sorts and has bombers similar to those that hit Sin City and nearly burying him forever under a pile of rubble. Leung decided it was time to run and at all cost avoid getting the attention of the UN and now it would appear that the UN has somehow formed some kind of alliance with the Emperor!
This meant that by staying around, there was a very high chance he will get exposed and he really did not want to die.
”In the thirty six stratagems... Its time to run!” He mumbled to himself as he sneaked off into the forest. ”Why the fuck is my luck so bad?!”
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The New World, Old Kingdom of Foral, Outskirts of the Old Capital
A city slowly appeared before the eyes of Blue Thunder and his crew as he dropped out of the clouds. Colourful spires and conical towers dotted all over the city which was surrounded by a grey city wall and a moat, its green algae filled water glittering under the noon sun. Tiny banners and flags could be seen fluttering in the wind all over the city.
As Blue Thunder approached closer to the city, a trio of smaller dragons appeared and formed up around Blue Thunder. The smaller dragons had yellow brown scales and wings and a rider sat on a saddle just forward of the shoulder blades and was decked out in orange trappings.
”HOY!” The leading rider yelled using a spell to broadcast his voice across while he gestured with a crossbow. ”LAND AND BE IDENTIFIED!”
”Do it,” Stamford ordered Blue Thunder who tilt over and dived down towards the ground. The three Foral Draconic Corps followed closely behind and Blue Thunder came to a halt just before touching down on the ground by beating his wings furiously to reduce his speed.
As they landed, a troop of cavalry came riding over while the smaller Foral dragons continued to circle overhead, ready for any hostile actions by the unknown dragon and their crew. Stamford and the rest remained on Blue Thunder and waited for the Foral cavalry to pulled up next to Blue Thunder.
”Greetings!” Stamford greeted the lead cavalryman and he took out a scroll case which contained their Writ Of Passage and handed it over to the cavalryman. ”We come in peace!”
The cavalrymen eyed Stamford's short ears with suspicions and the leader took the Writ out and gave it a look over before his expression softened. ”And what is your purpose here?”
”We have an invitation to an auction,” Stamford took out a perfumed scroll tied with an exquisite silk ribbon.
”Oh!” The cavalryman's manner changed to be even more respectful as soon as he saw the invitation. ”My Lord, other than official businesses, dragons are not allowed to fly over the city, you have to land and enter at the East Gate if you wish to enter the city.”
”Okay,” Stamford nodded as the cavalry leader gave him more directions and lodgings recommendations. ”Thanks for the information!”
Stamford flicked a gold crown over to the pleasantly surprised cavalryman leader who grinned and saluted. ”Get a drink for you and your boys!”
”Thank you, Lord!” In the end, the cavalry troop walked them to the East Gate where under the escort of the cavalry troop, they skipped the queue of merchants, couriers and other bureaucratic requirements. The cavalry leader gave a last salute before he and his men returned to their duties after seeing Stamford and his crew off at the East Gate.
Unlike the rest of the city gates, the East Gate was massive as it was catered to the needs of dragons and other massive beasts of burden. The concourse was wide enough for three dragons of Blue Thunder's size to waddle through and was lined with warehouses and custom houses.
Teams of children carrying shovels, buckets and coarse bristle brushes came running up next to Blue Thunder and started to call out their services. ”We do scrubbing! Washing! Waste clearing! All for one large copper!”
”Fine fodder for your dragon, kind Sir?”