Transcendence?

***Above the Ocean, Island Nation of Mist***

***Ascathon***

“Everything went smoothly so far.” I look down from the deck of my new flagship. My iron production finally starts to show proper results.

The Fist of Heaven is the first one of my ships which is made completely out of steel. It has a long hull with about a hundred and fifty metres in length. The ship's top deck is broader than the actual body of the ship. But that's needed. There are forty small planes on top of the deck and further fifty under deck. This makes the Fist of Heaven the first carrier.

The planes have a simple construction. They consist of not much more than a capsule for the pilot and a railgun. Behind the capsule is the engine with the next generation mana crystal cores. The engines are propelling the small vehicle while it is held in the air by levitation magic.

There is no skilled magician needed as a pilot, because the engine orientation can be changed by a purely mechanical machinery.

I had an unexpected breakthrough in my mana crystal research. The downside is that their size and strength is very limited for the time being. It's just enough to keep the planes in the air and to operate a small railgun.

But it's sufficient for my new battle strategy. The enemy ships will be swarmed by the new planes and taken under fire from all directions. Their shields will yield under the onslaught from all directions like back in the fjord.

My shipyards finished some hybrids made of steel and wood too. My fleet consists now of thirteen converted wooden ships, six hybrids and my flagship.

I also started construction sites all over Norfolk by sending trusted people who learned directly from me within the recent years.

But I took just my flagship and the six hybrids for this expedition. The others were left in Sarn to stand guard. I just want to abduct Fingulf, it's not like I want to lay waste to the Nation of Mist.

“I hope you don't forget that we just want to go in and out as fast as possible.” Celestial grumbles at my side. She didn't allow that I go alone this time. At least Sera stayed behind with the rest of the family.

“How do you even know where the sleeping beauty is located?” Celestial looks down at the collection of small islands under us. The heart of the Nation of Mist is an archipelago which was formed by volcanoes.

There are still new islands forming as we speak, because the volcanoes in the region are very active.

“Do you really believe that I wouldn't put some spying devices on an important friend?” I pull a small device out of my pocket. It has a screen and looks similar to a smartphone.

Upon activation it shows a small map with dots and coordinates beside each dot. Several of the dots are concentrated in Sarn, others are located all over the world. I made it a policy to bug everyone who has even the smallest bit of importance to me.

Celestial takes a look at the screen. “I see... let me guess, the dot right next to the centre is me?” Her expression is a little vicious.

I put my left arm around her shoulders and pull her closer. “It's just a small precaution dear! I would never do something improper with this information!”

She smiles and slides her right arm around my chest. “Where is it?”

I continue to study the islands under us. “Where is what?”

“~The bugs.~” She isn't willing to let the matter go.

“The wedding ring, the earrings for our anniversary, the bracelet with embedded recovery magic, the brooch with...” But she places a finger on my lips.

Then she sighs. “So basically everything I ever got from you.”

I nod and we continue to stare at the islands until I can't keep it in any more. Better to clear it up if there is a chance. She reacted well to everything else so far. So why not get it over with as long as she is in a good mood?

“And a small tracking emitter in your left ass cheek! Hrmpf!”

She elbowed right into the guts! Violent woman! She hit hard enough to send me to the ground.

“WHEN!”

I crawl closer and grab her feet. At least that should prevent her from kicking me. “While you slept! It's not big and I used healing magic right afterwards to cover it up! I got a potion for local anaesthetics from Sera!”

She grabs me at my collar and pulls me up into a standing position. Though I am not standing properly, because it still hurts.

“I am sorry, dear. It's just your strange way of taking care of others which amazed me. I hope you will talk about things like that with me in the future?”

“Yes dear!” I smile and hug her. That went very well! The old Celestial would have broken a few of my bones!

“Do you think we have been found out already?” Celestial is looking down the railing while tampering with my tracking device.

“No? And even if they found out, their ships are far too slow to follow us. We should have outmanoeuvred them. We chose to get our target and leave just for that purpose.” I take another look down.

Celestial points at a small island at the edge of the archipelago. “I think that's Fingulf's island. He mentioned during our wedding ceremony that his main household is at the edge of the archipelago. So it matches. And there are twenty two ships around that island.”

I pull a globe out of my pocket and check the island in question. “Indeed. How did you see that far?”

“My skill enhances my senses too.” Celestial smiles proudly.

“I see. Do you think that twenty two ships are a reasonable guard for someone on an isolated island?” I continue to search the island for other abnormalities.

“It's just a small one, so two ships should have been enough. I think they knew that we were coming.” Celestial shrugs her shoulders. “Having that many ships stationed there is a waste of resources. One might think that they totally forgot about Phenex. And that after fighting them for years.”

I nod. “So it's the mysterious power again. They know that we are coming. Haaah... I want to test my new weapons. But there is too much risk of destroying the island too. The ships are too close.”

Celestial gasps. “What did you build to be concerned about the island!”

I start to play with the globe between my fingers and look down at the deck. “A fusion nuke... a hundred megatons of blast yield. Do you think we could throw it at their capital afterwards? We still have unfinished business with them since the last attack.”

“No! You went overboard! What do you need a hundred megaton nuke for?” Celestial is still shocked.

I shrug my shoulders. “The last sea battle against their ships was really annoying. Their shields are just too strong. So I decided that I need a weapon to finish the fight faster.”

“What about the radioactive waste!?” Celestial simply can't give in.

“There is none. It's a one hundred percent green bomb. The fusion of the liquid hydrogen is achieved by a magic circuit. Mother nature would give me a medal for this.” I start to chuckle.

“Just don't use it. We will go in and do this the hard way.” Celestial turns and walks back into the ship.

I follow her to the weapons chamber. A group of fifty warriors and Den are already busy with equipping themselves with my new armours and weapons. Each armour has its own little mana crystal embedded in the chest piece.

They are even smaller than the one which I created accidentally. Mine has the size of a thumb, while the new ones are only as big as my fingernail. They still enhance my group of average normal fighters to the point of average normal magicians.

Celestial picks the two short swords, which I made for her, from the weapons tray. I start to get dressed too. My armour is ready and I am actually eager to try it.

“Are you sure that you don't want an armour Celestial? You could take one of the light versions?” I inquire once more, but I already know the answer.

“Only if you can make one which doesn't yield faster than my bare skin.” She attaches the short swords to her belt.

I purse my lips and fish an amulet with an mana crystal from my pocket. “Then take this at least. Having a mana boost is never bad.”

She smiles and I put it around her neck. Then she grabs my cheeks and pulls at both of them until I can imagine my face looking like a frog's. “I assume that this one is also bugged?”

“Oof … c... couursee!”

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