Chapter 21: ~The autumn of the Immortal Empress.~ (1/2)

***Great Sea, Ocean of God***

“Great Sky-General! Our scouting group has spotted the Phenex-fleet just a few miles ahead. They have a huge ship in the centre of their formation.” One of my officers informs me of the situation while pointing out a spot on the map.

We were in a state of cold-war with the Phenex Empire for the last decade. They tried to gain the upper hand in naval combat multiple times by now.

But every time our fleet utterly destroyed them. It's thanks to that weapons-trader that we didn't have to fear for our naval superiority within the recent years.

I would never admit that openly. The naval force of the Phenex-Empire is on par with the Nation of Mist. If it weren't for the new spells we would have to fight with them on equal terms.

And I don't rule out the possibility that we could lose such a fight.

“What's with the big ship in the centre of their formation? They usually don't rely on size....” I start mumbling to myself and the officer starts to interrogate someone from the scouting party with long range communication magic.

Then I turn to one of my other assistants. “Give orders to our fleet. We disperse and attack them with long range spells. Don't take any risk and stay well away from them.”

I turn back to the previous officer who immediately starts to give me his report. “There are no obvious abnormalities with the big ship. It has about the same size as our flag-ship... maybe a little bigger. It is showing the Imperial-banner with golden and black colours unlike the normal white and black phoenix.”

“That means there is someone very high ranking on that ship.” I close my eyes to think. We already faced very high ranking generals from the Empire. None of them had the importance to fly different colours.

So someone from the imperial family? But the Empress is a single ruler. To our knowledge she has no family and no heirs. Did she come out of her palace to lead the fleet herself?

But why should she take matters into her own hands after so many years? Is she really as strong as the rumours say?

Back then when she unified her continent it was said that she took out her biggest opponent with a single spell. Not only that but a sizeable part of the opposing army was wiped out too. The survivors were so terrified that they simply surrendered on the spot.

Well. From her lifetime alone I can tell that she has to be a monster. The lifetime of any being is determined by it's affinity to mana. If a totally untalented mainlander has a lifetime of about seventy years, someone with average magical power should life for about a hundred to a hundred and twenty years.

An exceptional mage from the main continent may even manage to scratch two to three hundred years.

Luckily we people from the Nation of Mist aren't really bound to that rule because everyone of our population has a strong affinity to mana even if they aren't good with magic.

But the Immortal Empress has already lived for more than six hundred years! We aren't sure if it was always the same Immortal Empress or if someone simply took over her position.

Though if it's really true, then she has to be a genuine monster. Someone with so much magical power could be a real danger.

I start to walk up and down on the bridge of my command-ship. Should I call for a temporary retreat? But how can we determine if she is really on that ship? Isn't a battle the only possibility to force her to take action?

My questions are answered by a bright light on the horizon. The officer who held the communication line with the scouting party drops to his knees and starts panting. Pearls of sweat appear on his forehead and his expression is one of pure pain.

Magical backlash. I go to one knee beside him and grab his shoulder. “What happened?”

“The scouting party had just started to use their long range spells when..... There was just a bright flash of light. And then everything was gone.....” The officer pulls a grimace.

“Sit down and rest for the time being. You have done well.” I stand up and take another look at the map in front of me.

I can't believe it. Eight ships. Gone in a split second!

“Give orders to the whole fleet. They have to attack them from as many directions at once as possible. Everyone has to focus on the big vessel in the centre of their formation. If we can take out the Immortal Empress they will loose their only means of attack! See to it that all ships are splitting up far enough. Don't give her a nice target like the scouting group!” I signal to one of my assistants.

Then I watch the battle unfolding with a grim expression. It's infuriating but as the commander of a whole fleet you don't have much to do after you decided on a strategy and announced the start of the operation.