Steel and Mana

Chapter 374 – Knights

In the past years, the mountain base of Avalon has not only expanded but has been joined by multiple different ones. Surveying the massive barrier of this end of the world using differently resonating magical waves has made it easy to find new, untapped resources of raw minerals and underground rivers. Which made it a bit more challenging to establish mines and drill out massive, hidden spaces. But they managed it.

What they never really found was CC. One of the running theories was that when the Gods lifted the earth, CC was also removed. According to their understanding, monsters are drawn to it, and maybe then they would constantly be attacking or eating away at the mountains. But that was just a theory. As for reality, Avalon now had four closed-off bunkers for Leon's projects, while two open ones were places where the population of Avalon could retreat in case of an emergency. If they were warned in time.

In one of the hidden ones, used as a hangar for two of the smaller airships, people were hurrying back and forth, making it alive with movement. Military engineers and mechanics moved with hurry, their overalls stained with grime, oil, and soot as they checked and rechecked the systems of the Knight’s Errant, its latches, and that all of the four mechs were properly connected to it. Even at being half the size of the Camelot, the ship still possessed enough firepower to be able to go toe-to-toe with one of Ishillia's past airships. Its hull was a lightly polished silver in color, with the Knight's universal emblem of a gear and a sword going through it, painted on its side in black. At the same time, workers hurriedly loaded final supplies, readying the ship for departure.

The four machines were distinct and easily recognizable, at least for those who were part of Avalon's military. The black-painted one, with a tower shield and a sword, was Knight Veron's Valiant, the leader of the squad of Knights selected for their newest mission.

Then, there was a much bulkier variant, painted greyish-blue. It was bulky and somewhat stout-looking, with a protruding, fin-like attachment at its back, hiding a shield spell that could generate a field around its body, further increasing its durability. It was the most heavily armored of the four, its thick arms ending in massive gauntlets, which were filled with rotating chains with sharp rows of teeth attached to them. Those weren't ordinary cutting apparatuses; no, they were made out of CC. Whatever it grabbed onto... was usually shredded into nothing. Its pilot, Tiburon, unashamed of himself, named it the Leviathan, and because the Sovereign never issued an order to change it... it stuck very quickly.

With the two more offensive variants, the Valiant and Leviathan, the other two accompanying them were quite the opposite. They were much slimmer and less armored.

One of them was painted violet and barely covered in any type of protective plating, looking exceptionally slim compared to the Leviathan standing parallel to it. One of its arms was akin to a long, slender sword, made out of not metal but one elongated monster bone with about fifty natural runes running along its length. On the other hand, it had a similar design to the Avalonian soldiers' crossbows; only its bolts were javelin-sized. As its pilot, Corinne named her mech the Shadow, and it was one of the fastest mechs in service. Its speed, in a straight line, was double that of any other variants. Because of its capabilities, Corinne usually was either tasked with chase-down missions when the beasts retreated in the winter, or she was one of the foremost scouts in the Pass.

Something they may need after arriving at Markoth.

Next to it, the final one was somewhere between the Valiant and the Shadow in size but still considered thin for a machine of its proportions. It was a mobile ordnance piece with a focus on the mobile part. It was fast—faster than the Rook but not as fast as the Shadow. Still, it was quick enough to change its firing location rapidly, which was a must because it had only one 'cannon' attached to its back. This machine was a single-target assassin with an experimental weapon, one that was using formations to launch physical objects at its target at supersonic speeds. One that was made precisely to penetrate any anti-magical shielding. However, it also had a final trick up in its sleeves.

The fact that it wasn't painted and left bare wasn't a mistake. Instead, it used formations to bend light, something that Queen Mikan, in cooperation with Lucca, developed only three years ago. When staying motionless, from a certain distance, it became practically invisible, at least to the human eyes. Its pilot, Knight Edrin, aptly named it the Thunder, thanks to the noise its lone weapon made when it was fired.

The three Knights were gathering before their mechs, standing in line, facing their commander for this mission.

Veron stood before them, his hands clasped behind his back in turn. He was the oldest among the four chosen knights, yet still not even thirty. The fact that Veron had been part of the battle against Ishillia alone commanded respect from the other three, who got their rank years later. At the moment, he was clad in his black and gold officer’s coat as he surveyed the preparations in silence before addressing the other Knights gathered before him.

“We leave within the hour," he said calmly, looking into their eyes. "Report.”

The first to step forward was Tiburon, the second-oldest, at least regarding when they got their mechs. He was like his machine: stout, broad-shouldered, and bearing the weight of his muscles. He had the look of a man who had spent decades training without ever growing lax, and it showed.

“Fuel lines and coolant systems have been double-checked, Sir,” Tiburon reported. “The Leviathan is hungry and combat-ready. My engineers say we’ll have no trouble keeping the gauntlets operational even during extended engagements.”

"If it overheats or breaks down, we won't have replacement units to quickly fix it, so don't go overboard." Veron nodded, shifting his gaze to the Knight standing next to Tiburon.

It was Corinne, the youngest woman to ever earn Knighthood in Avalon’s history, only behind Polo himself... By just three years. Once again, her looks were similar to those of her machine: slim, fit, and ready to spring. Her dark black hair was bound tightly, and she wore a Knight's coat over her uniform, a ceremonial sword belted at her side.

“The Shadow is primed,” Corinne said. “I ran through an additional weapons diagnostic to ensure the bone was in perfect condition. Its magical conductivity is at 100%, commander!”

"Very good." Veron studied her with a nod, recognizing the controlled excitement in her voice. Corinne had yet to fight an actual battle. She had fought beasts in the winters, yes, but those were usually when they were already retreating, and she was sent out to hunt them down and finish them off. Otherwise, she was typically tasked to scout them while advancing in the Pass towards their traps. It was the first time she was going to put into the proper frontlines. He would watch over her carefully.

Finally, the last Knight nodded at Veron, clearly trying to conceal his eagerness to go. Edrin, barely past his knighting ceremony two years ago, was the least experienced among them, but he had talent that he had already showcased. His mech had already ramped up quite the kill count in the last winter, sniping down a handful of medium-sized beasts in a somewhat dull season.

“The Thunder's main servos are in a perfect state, along with the camouflage formation,” he saluted. “The engineers are still running calibration tests on my main gun's holstering system, but they say it’ll be done and ready before departure.”

"Better be." Veron gave him a measured nod. “We can't fall behind schedule. General Oleg already issued the Knight's Errand to start the lift-off preparations. We better climb aboard, too.”

"Sir," The others swallowed hard, then straightened, saluting in unison. “Yes, sir.”

"I will head to the bridge and inform the captain of the ship. You go and get yourself comfortable in your quarters. We will have a few days until we arrive at Markoth; rest while you can."

When Veron finally left, Tiburon clapped a heavy hand on Corinne's shoulder, nearly knocking the slim woman off balance.

“Relax, girl! You are visibly shaking like an overexcited puppy!"

"Screw you, musclebrain." She snorted with a cocky smile.

"If your mech locks up mid-battle, just hide behind mine. My Leviathan can take the hits.” He continued, without flinching, slapping her back again.

"Or," Edrin chuckled, “Or you could just move faster. Break a new land-speed record?”

"True. I may need to save your ass when some beasts outmaneuver the thick-headed idiot and try to take a bite out of your shiny gun." Corinne grinned, glancing at Edrin.

"Hmph!" Edrin's face flushed. "I don’t need saving. I also prefer a methodical approach... By the time they would reach me, they would be dead.”

“Methodical?” Tiburon laughed, “That’s a fancy word for ‘slow.’”

"Slow?" Both Corinne and Edrin looked at him, "Your face is in the dictionary, next to the word: slow."

"Maybe." Tiburon shrugged, then began flexing his arms, almost ripping apart his uniform that barely fit him, "But I can bench-press both of you."

As the knights continued bantering while climbing up the Knight's Errand, the final loading procedures also began in the hangar. Crates of rations, ammunition, and emergency repair kits were being secured in its cargo bays. The single core of the Knight’s Errant hummed as its formations came to consciousness, soon becoming ready to take them out of the hangar and high into the skies.

Ten minutes later, aboard the ship, Corinne was leaning against a supply crate, watching as a pair of engineers scrambled to tighten the last bolts on Edrin's mech's knee joint down below them before clearing away from it.

“You sure you didn’t break it already?” she teased.

"You know they didn't." Edrin scowled, “It’s not broken. Just needs fine-tuning.”

“Uh-huh.” She flicked a loose bolt at him, which he barely caught. “Better hope nothing else shakes loose up there, not when we face monsters roaming the landscape.”

"Sure!" Edrin shrugged, but then again, he had a momentary heart attack before realizing the bolt she flicked at him was nothing that would be used in constructing a mech, causing him to curse under his breath. "When will you finally stop teasing me?"

"The moment," Tiburon joined in on it, "a new Knight is inducted into our ranks. Face it; you are the youngest; you get the short end of the stick. When another one gets their machine, don't worry. You will enjoy it just as much as we do!" He laughed, slapping his back with such force that it sounded like Edrin's own machine when using his weapon.

"You will break my back first..." he groaned, coughing once. "Well... if both of you are finished, then let us head up. Watching from the observation deck is the best place for a lift-off. "

To that... neither of them had anything to argue. In the meantime, Veron stood at the foot of Knight's Errand boarding ramp and watched the exchange with a faint, almost imperceptible smile. When he was the youngest one, he was constantly being teased by none other than Queen Yuri. It seemed some traditions were here to stay forever. But that was good... Avalon's tradition should be implemented everywhere; that was what he honestly believed.

"Attention!" A voice crackled over the ship’s intercom. “All personnel, prepare for takeoff. Secure all loose equipment.”

"It is time," Veron whispered, initiating the closure of the boarding ramp. It was time to leave and spend the winter in a different country...

...
....
......

Standing at the ship’s bridge, Captain Kain of the Knight's Errand—an older-looking officer with a reputation for keeping his ship in pristine order—oversaw the crew’s final checks. His gaze flicked toward General Oleg as the man stepped onto the bridge, prompting a salute from each of them.

“You and your Knights are ready, Sir?” Kain asked, his uniform prim and proper. “We’re heading straight into the unknown, and I expect turbulence, Sir. If the monsters broke through in the east...”

"Don't worry," Oleg answered while he folded his arms. “We’re ready. We are Avalonians.”

"Yes, Sir," Kain smiled. “We are.”

“Time to fly, Captain.”

"You heard the General!" Kain shouted as he turned back to his crew, barking orders. “Takeoff in five minutes! Secure the decks and prepare for ascent!”

When the airship shuddered and its formations activated, the four machines attached to it suddenly lost all their weight. Enveloped in its anti-gravity spell, it lifted them effortlessly as they flew out of the hidden belly of the massive mountain range. Nobody waved them goodbye, as the only people here were those who were part of the military. Instead, they saluted, watching the Knight's Errand climb higher and higher as it disappeared on the horizon... heading east.