The Nebula's Civilization

Chapter 242: Stone Projectile from Thousands of Years Ago

The Sky Castle’s descent was more accurately observed from the outside than from the Sky Castle itself.

From the bridge of the World Watcher, Dordol could also see the situation.

"...Did they aim for this?"

Dordol quickly talked to Keiju of the Rasdasil coastal fortress.

-Keiju...?

Keiju, who had climbed on top of the fortress's artillery to visually survey the coastline, answered.

-Dordol? The coastal fortress's artillery is ready to fire. I can also see the Empire’s navy moving up north.

-That's not it.

-Then what?

Keiju and Dordol, who had faced each other on the same battlefield even before becoming apostles, had no need for formalities.

Dordol replied.

-We need to evacuate the coastal fortress and retreat right now.

-What do you mean?

Keiju countered.

-I don't know what's going to happen, but if we empty this fortress, we can't stop the enemies from landing. Not at all.

-That's true.

Dordol continued.

-But it may as well have happened already. Then we should minimize the damage.

-It may as well have happened already? The fortress is solid.

-No, it won’t be… Look to the eastern sky, Keiju.

Keiju looked up.

Then, retracting her doubtful attitude toward Dordol's words just moments ago, she immediately ordered a retreat for the entire fortress. It was an order to leave everything behind, even the fortress's supplies, carrying only minimal personal firearms.

Above the eastern sky of the Rasdasil coast, the Sky Castle was slowly descending.

***

Alma Alloy stood in front of the slowly dying power source of the Sky Castle. This power source, shaped like a donut, was located deep in the foundation of the Sky Castle. Emitting a faint light, it consisted of tens of thousands of parts, each different in shape. It was a sophisticated machine, but without the knowledge of mysticism, it was logically impossible to understand how this power source kept the Sky Castle floating. In fact, the Mystics of the Union Kingdom could only partially utilize the power source of the Sky Castle, and lacked the capability to apply the technologies used here elsewhere.

Around the fifth apostle of the Angry One, Alma Alloy, Mystics of the Union Kingdom in white uniforms were moving busily.

The Union Kingdom prohibited the use of magic unless it was specially permitted as they viewed it as the peculiar powers of the Devil. However, this did not mean that they neglected the exploration and research of magic and ancient relics.

The Mystics of the Union Kingdom were essentially Wizards that didn’t use magic. For a long time, the Mystics had come to understand ancient technology and the principles of magic to find a way to stop the Sky Castle from floating.

Alma said, "Are we truly falling?"

The chief mystic replied, "Yes, everything is going as expected. In a few minutes, the Sky Castle will settle above the Rasdasil coastal fortress."

It wasn't a free fall. The power of the Sky Castle hadn't been completely extinguished. Due to this, the fall was being maintained at a moderate speed, which was enough to bring the results the Union Kingdom expected.

The chief mystic said, "Let's move out now. The Sky Castle will not completely shatter, but..."

When the Angry One first commanded Alma to crash the Sky Castle, Alma had naively opposed the order. Of course, Alma now thought the Angry One's plan was beautiful. Everything fit together as if it had been prearranged.

Even if the Empire tried to stop it, the Sky Castle, with its mass alone, would slide across the sea to Rasdasil. Then, as if to show off, the Sky Castle would drop and destroy the Empire’s coastal fortress. With the coastal fortress destroyed, the Union Kingdom’s battleships could push back the Empire’s battleships, giving their transport fleets time to dock at the shore.

'The Empire has spent much time fortifying the coastal fortress, and beyond it toward the Rasdasil Ruins, there are only hastily prepared trench defenses.'

The Empire had enough time to evacuate the soldiers from the coastal fortress, but the Union Kingdom also had a plan in place for that. The Sky Castle's surface and underground passages contained areas cushioned with Doodooba rubber, sophisticatedly calculated to withstand the impact of the castle's fall.

Non-combatants would evacuate on escape airships before the Sky Castle crashed, while a massive force equivalent to two legions was already present inside the Sky Castle. Alma was confident that this force had not been fully accounted for by the Empire, nor by the Empire's Pantheon. They would descend from the Sky Castle and march directly toward the Rasdasil Ruins. The controlled descent of the Sky Castle was for this very reason.

'But the capital of the Union Kingdom...will crumble.'

Although some spaces had been prepared for a crash, most of the buildings and facilities making up the Sky Castle would bear the full impact of it. The Mystics estimated that, with the current level of technology, the probability of the Sky Castle rising again after such an impact was about twenty percent.

Even if they won this war, the Union Kingdom would have to accept significant damage from losing their capital.

'...If only we win this war.'

Alma said, "I’m going to get going. There isn't much time left until the crash, and there appears to be a large number of people remaining. I don’t believe this current area is equipped with buffering facilities.”

"We still do not fully understand the power source of the Sky Castle. According to our theories, ancient artifacts sometimes rebooted themselves before being completely destroyed, and there is a possibility that this Sky Castle may also regain its power just before the crash. We must leave a minimal crew behind."

The implication of these words was clear. Without buffering facilities, they would bear the full impact of the crash. Unless incredibly fortunate, many Mystics would die. However, Alma felt no sentimentality. If she had allowed herself such feelings, she wouldn’t have been in her current position.

Passing by the chief mystic, she made her way along the corridor to the prepared airship.

“I wish you luck.”

“Victory to the Angry One.”

***

Airships rose from the falling Sky Castle.

On one side were the transport ships of the Union Kingdom, hidden behind the fortress, on the other were the Empire's airships led by the Thunderstrider. While Ramin and her group were busy with the engines, the late-arriving troops were now departing.

Ramin, standing aboard the Thunderstrider, looked down.

"The wind is blowing.”

Indeed, as she said, a strong wind continuously blew at the merely rising airship's railing, flipping Ramin's hood and tousling her hair.

"I guess after all, such a large boulder is falling..."

Owen, who was standing beside her, shook his head.

"That's not it."

"Pardon?”

“It’s that Night Sky is watching.”

Gorgota, who was listening alongside Ramin, did not immediately grasp the meaning. But a noticeable change occurred. Winds began to violently whirl above the surface of the Sky Castle, sweeping up debris and forming visible whirlwinds. The whirlwind grew in the area it covered. It was clear to anyone that this was no ordinary wind.

"But how can it do anything against such a massive landmass…"

Owen clucked his tongue and said, "Have patience and wait. You'll see what Night Sky can do."

Ramin, who was about to retort, understood the meaning behind Owen's words.

The vast wind they initially saw was just one of many whirlwinds to come. Pillars of currents sprang high into the sky, fiercely spinning and eroding the surface of the Sky Castle.

It wasn't just the top of the Sky Castle. Whirlwinds carrying seawater began to rise from the Rasdasil coast, and waves pummeled the sandy shores. Like pillars supporting it, they gnawed away at the bottom of the Sky Castle, and the friction of the air alone caused the edges of the terrain that made up the castle to crumble and fall into the sea. Along with it, one of the massive propellers attached to the edge plummeted into the water, causing a great splash.

The whirlwinds, as if possessed by clear evil, scraped the surface of the Sky Castle and closed in on the belatedly departing airships, crumpling them like paper. Thunder and lightning began to strike, setting fire to everything above the surface of the castle. The wind breathed life to the flames, which burned with arrogance, scorching the land. Yet it seemed insufficient.

The Sky Castle was like a massive piece of land hurled by the Angry One. Having floated in the air for thousands of years, the castle now seemed to exist solely to be flung to the ground, as if it had been created for that purpose alone.

"Brace for impact!"

The shout of Ploy Tansen, the captain of the Thunderstrider, prompted those on the deck to grab the nearby railings.

The Sky Castle crashed into the Empire's coastal fortress.

To Ramin, the sight was so alien that it felt as if the Sky Castle was being absorbed into the earth without any friction, as if it would vanish into the land itself.

But contrary to Ramin's illusion, from the point of contact between the Sky Castle and the coastal fortress, soil and debris shot up. The rising dust temporarily obscured the Sky Castle.

A high priest ran up to Ploy and said something.

Ploy nodded and then shouted, "Night Sky commands, we set course for the Rasdasil Ruins!"

Ramin, aboard the Thunderstrider, watched the whirlwinds sway.

***

In a narrow and dark place, a corridor of cold iron so well sealed that not a single ray of light escaped, a member of the Empire’s navy walked down the way and opened a door. The Troll corporal, who had a good physique, immediately saluted after opening the door.

"Sir Toolbo, our fleet will soon arrive at the seas in front of Rasdasil!"

Toolbo, the eighth apostle of the Pantheon, looked up from the work he was focused on and turned around.

Removing his goggles, Toolbo asked the corporal, "Really? What happened to the coastal fortress?"

"...Unfortunately, the fortress was completely destroyed by the falling Sky Castle."

"Oh, that is unfortunate."

"But fortunately, most of the personnel inside the fortress were able to escape."

"...The gods must be greatly troubled."

"Which is why they may be looking forward to our remarkable efforts, is what I think."

At those words, Toolbo smiled. "Hm! You're right. It would be troubling if we did not play our part."

After saying so, Toolbo nodded and then spoke into the intercom connected directly to the ship's bridge.

"Captain!"

It wasn’t a common way of using the intercom, but nobody was going to question an apostle's method.

The captain soon replied, "Yes, Toolbo sir."

"Are we still far from striking the enemy?"

"We're almost upon them. In about ten minutes, we will be positioned right underneath the enemy fleet."

Toolbo nodded as if pleased with the response.

"Good. Then let's go up to the surface at that time. I have to show the enemies what I've prepared for them."

"Yes, understood."

Toolbo ended the communication satisfied.

The ship Toolbo was on was no ordinary battleship. It had been constructed in a secret shipyard located in the Empire's underwater caves, and few within the Empire even knew of its existence. Toolbo referred to this ship, capable of submerging and navigating unseen beneath the surface, as a submarine.