669 - Anxiety Part 2/2 (Patreon)

"Even so, we will need to pass through the Iron Kingdoms," Magister Thorn sighed. "At the most, we can make use of the chaos between the Protectorate and the Iron Kingdom to get through?"

"But it still doesn't solve our resupply issues..." Trism said. "Unless we get a wing ship to drop supplies for us along our route?"

"It could work," James Bone, CO of the Marines contingent remaining behind, suddenly spoke from the corner of the room. "Just that we need to have those supplies dropped in unpopulated areas. Or my boys can move in to secure the area and we can wait for the supplies to be airdropped in."

"Alright, I guess we can settle with our supply problems with these ways," Trism said. "If we can resupply with the locals, we will do so, if not we will have to call in a wing ship to drop supplies for us."

-----

Loose Confederation

A large fragment of land was floating over the sea and chains were extended out from all sides that connected to smaller isles around the floating landmass. Dozens of colourful airships buzzed around the skies and upon closer inspection, the chains covered in a multitude of colourful banners and flags acted as a tether were actually massive bridges linking the floating island to the smaller islands.

Hundreds of wagons and countless people were making their way up the link bridges, where the Upper Executives of the Loose Confederation both reside and make nationwide decisions. The Floating Capital of the Confederation was the seat of power for the Loose Confederation and also the home of dozens of minor races.

Sited in the centre of the floating landmass was a white cathedral covered in a riot of bright coloured banners and flags. Under the sun, the cathedral looked like a child's drawing, as it was surrounded by a wide field of blooming flowers and a circular moat covered with water lily like aqua plants. Connected to the cathedral were four white arching bridges similarly covered with fluttering banners and flags.

Inside the top most level of the cathedral, a meeting involving the Upper Executives of the Confederation were going on. Each faction of the Confederation was dressed in their own colours, making the atrium forum looking like an art festival than a high level conference. Despite the festive display of colours, the faces of the gathered Executives were grim and dark as they listened to the speaker at the head of the forum addressing everyone.

"Both the Protectorate and the Tri State has broken the peace! Peace that we had for the past twenty years!" The speaker wearing a set of yellow court dress said. "Who knows if the Suugons will act?"

"There has been no peace at all!" Another Executive dressed in blue yelled. "We have been fending off attacks from those bastards since our great grand parents time!"

"Regardless!" The speaker in yellow continued on unfazed by interruption, "We should send tribute to the Suugons for peace!"

"Tribute?" The gathered Executives except for those in yellow were outraged by the suggestion. They started booing the speaker and some even threw pieces of fruit smuggled in. The speaker in yellow ducked from the missiles and quickly hurried away under the booing and laughter of the rest.

Another speaker came fore, this time wearing green robes. The new speaker was short, clearly a dwarvan and he needed a chair to stand so that he could look over the podium. "We should send help to the Cartel instead of sending... tribute to the damned Suugons!"

"If the Cartel falls... Those cursed law loving fanatics will surely come for us next!" The green robed dwarvan declared. "You all know how much they hate us!"

This time, mumbles of agreement broke out from the Executives in the forum as they discussed among themselves. The dwarvan speaker continued on, "My colleagues and I believe that the Suugons would be too focused with the Tri State and the Iron Kingdom to bother with us."

Calls of jeering came from those in yellow as they made their displeasure known. As the dwarvan's face darkened, the doors to the forum suddenly swung open and a beastman in the uniform of the Confederation came rushing in. The beastman came to a halt before the forum and gave a quick saluted before he read the message in his trembling hands, "T- The Dragon Lords are under attack by Protectorate forces! This news is three days old!"

The news shocked the Executives as they stared at each other dumbly at each other before all hell broke lose. People started yelling at each other in panic while others rushed to the exit to call their aides over to verify the news. The dwarvan speaker at the podium cursed as he banged the wooden surface of the podium, calling the forum to order.

"Calm down! CALM DOWN!" The dwarvan yelled over the noise but no one bothered about him. He let out a tired sigh as he stepped down from the chair and headed back to his faction who were also made anxious by the news.

"The Dragons has been our staunch ally for centuries..." The dwarvan mumbled to himself. "With them under siege... The damned Protectorate must be planning to wiped us all out!"

"Call our people to be ready for war!" The dwarvan said to the rest. "This war is something we might not have a choice to avoid in anyway! We must be prepared!"



***** Author's Rumblings *****
Not really having a good start to the new year...