Chapter 185 – Salevela Conflict 6

The fleet arrived near the island. The ships went into formation and completely surrounded the island. The forward fleet that sent after the island was sent out. The formation was disturbed as the sea battle commence. There were casualties as the experience of the sailors defending the island was proven right. They easily drove the fleet despite the difference.

The skyships were sent to destroy the ship. But the commander of the sea patrol of the island was able to deduce the trajectory of each shot. As if the man was possessed and he was able to conduct counter-attacks that were able to defeat one of the ships.

The naval force was led by a certain commander. He was a brilliant leader that it made the fleet captains, want to recruit him. But Sigrid of Alva, the commander of the assault made a declaration to defeat the enemy as soon as possible.

They followed Sigrid of Alva’s command and allowed all the ships to engage the enemy. All the skyships were deployed and within an hour the naval fleet was destroyed without any mercy. The enemy was too good. But Sigrid of Alva didn’t have time to play their games.

The enemy was destroyed. The clear blue water sea was tainted with blood. Men and wrecks floated lifelessly, sometimes banging the hull of the ship. Dolce watched the floating corpses tumble upon the wrecks. Fishes that lived under the sea ate their guts. The sea turned red. The ships stumbled upon the wrecks, easily passing by. There were survivors but the ships floated past them.

The men standing aboard pointed their rifles. “Open fire!” shouted the commander. The men open fired and the bullets finished them off. Dolce glanced at the dead with no emotion in her eyes. She crossed her arms and watched as the ships go back to formation.

There was mortar fire coming from the island. They would miss the ships and hit the water. The water splashed up like a geyser and Dolce would sometimes step away the water time to time to avoid getting wet. The ships that possessed mounted artillery started firing at the enemy.

The ships that carried the soldiers slowly moved forward. The soldiers that were onboard started to ready themselves. They boarded the barges and sat with their hands shaking. They held their rifles tightly and wore their helmets. They glance at the sky before closing their eyes on prayer.

“Looks like war’s starting,” said Henry.

“It is,” replied Dolce blandly.

She looked at the ships getting ready. Each and one of them were ready to somehow cross the mortar fire coming from the fortress. Will they reach the island? She thought. The mortars of the enemy were pounding the seawaters. The barges that were trying to cross the threshold were eliminated by the mortar fire.

The island was elevated. The main fortress of the island was located on this small mountain. The battlements of the island could be clearly seen by anyone. It was easy to spot the barges, so it was obvious that the enemy could easily target the ships.

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The assault fleet expected resistance from their mortars and cannon. But it was odd that they didn’t know that there was a group of mortars that allowed the island to defend itself from their assault. The skyships tried to assault up the air but the skyship was welcomed by artillery fire.

The whole island was protected by the mortars. The airspace of the island was protected by the long-range artillery that the island possesses. It was expected but at the same time, they were surprised that they were able to gather the new armaments.

In the war room, the generals and the war leader gathered. Dolce attended the meeting to listen to their new stratagem. Their new stratagem was to use the darkness of the sky. They would then start the airdrop in order to target the mortar defenses.

The plan was simple. Distract the island by letting the artillery ships to open fire. After that, they would then make use of the noise and thunderous boom to fly above the skies. The plan was simple. Dolce understood it clearly. It was a simple plan and there were no complicated details to it.

The meeting was adjourned. Sigrid of Alva stayed and stared at the war map. Dolce looked at her father before asking.

“Nervous?”

“A jest, coming from someone like you is surprising. Get out of this room, fool. You are distracting me.”

Dolce rolled her eyes. She stepped out of the door and walked towards the edges of the ship. She looked at the island was constantly firing at them. She could tell that the bricked tower of the island was being used to locate the islands. They should remove that tower with mortar fire, Dolce thought.

The barges that have soldiers inside stopped just outside the range of the mortar fire. The soldiers inside looked worried at the thought of the ship moving forward. The ships kept their distance while the barge ships were on the edges of death.

The smell of gunpowder and blood filled the air. The booms and the mechanical noises of the ships made the whole sea seemed so loud and noisy. The wind would sometimes dampen the noises. The waves hitting the hull of the ship were the only thing that seemed so natural.

There was a river of blood a few meters away from where Dolce was standing. The river was formed by the trail of blood. The shipwrecks of the defeated fleet were everywhere. The corpses of those who died bloated as their eyes stared pitifully at the smog-filled sky.

One of the corpses met eyes with Dolce. The corpse had its lower mouth missing. The corpse’s upper skull was blown apart. Dolce could see the brain of the corpse clearly from where she was standing. The rest of the dead stared at her as if asking.

Dolce wondered how things would go. This was her first time being seeing this dreadfulness. It was only a ‘small’ conflict. Dolce wondered if by the time the Empire arrives, would she have to witness a sea of corpses. Would she have to walk through lands filled with the dead?