Fabula Nova Terra

Tamer Shipp, an ex-mercenary, goes crazy in his attempt to save the world from an evil madman and inadvertently ends up destroying the planet.

Part 1 Alpha

Chapter I

A ship glides across the air swiftly followed by a dragon. Crimson flames lick the ship from all sides covering it with fire and sending several knight into the air, and down into the rocky cliffs below. Those knights that remain huddle together and prepare for the next attack. Around them, the ship’s crew scrambles up and down the deck trying desperately to put out the fires that spread with everyone of the dragon’s attacks. Just as they finish putting out one fire, five more take its place. It is a vicious and never ending cycle, and yet the crew continues on, determined to keep the ship in air.

            Flames engulf the wood paneling that makes up the ship, leaving a trail of ash and smoke behind them. The heat of the fire can be felt even the middle of the ship, where the knights stand. One of the propellers keeping the ship in the air catches fire and comes crashing down onto the deck. Several crew men, and some knights, are caught beneath.

The others try to rescue their comrades, daring to rush through the flames, their steel armor turning orange from heat, searing the skin underneath. The mast holding the propeller is heavy. It takes several knights, and some crew men to pick it up. Those that escape from under it are halted by more fire, as the dragon hurls another fireball. It caches both the escapees, and the ones still holding up the mast. Even as they feel their flesh burning, the knights continue holding up the mast until their last breath. The captain calls for his men to line up, and the remaining knights do it, in spite of their fear.

            “Ready,” the captain calls out as the dragon comes into shooting range. “Aim,” he goes on, hesitating only to let the dragon come an inch or two closer. “Fire.” The knights all shoot in unison. Their bullets bounce off the dragon’s silver armor and into the ship, exploding as the dragon shoots another fireball.

            Captain Albert Steiner jumps out of the way of the flames, though not before his helmet is caught in the blast. Steiner quickly removes it. Even in his armored hands, the helmet still burns. There is a bright orange spot on it where he had been hit. Feeling his face, he knows it’s burned. Steiner looks around for his men.

“Get back in line,” he calls. The knights, though terrified, obey their captain. They point their long bladed riffles at the dragon and pull the trigger. Again, the bullets bounce off. The dragon flies over the ship, spitting a steady stream of flames. Somehow Steiner manages to avoid the attack, but his knights aren’t so lucky. Steiner watches in horror.

Men dance around the ship. Steiner can tell which ones are the crew men because flames shoot off of their backs. His knights try desperately to peel off their hot steel armor. Some manage it, just barely, while others aren’t so lucky. The dragon’s attacks are relentless and unforgiving. Steiner and the other knights can only watch in horror as their comrades are engulfed by flame.

Never in his thirty five years has Steiner experienced anything like this before. The crew is gone, burned, or thrown overboard, or both. The knights tremble in fear, looking to their captain. Without a place to land, and nowhere else to go, Steiner is left with only one alternative, to beat the dragon. His men know it and will follow him, even to certain death.

“Be ready to jump,” the captain says, standing. He sprints to the rail and fires, unloading much of his clip into the dragon. The bullets bounce off, and the dragon retaliates, coming closer with fire spitting from its mouth. Steiner jumps out of the way, barely. His men, upon Steiner’s command, hurl themselves overboard, grabbing hold of the dragon’s slick silvery armor. Some lose their grip on condensation and fall into the cliffs, while others manage to hang on, stabbing the dragon with their swords, pulling the triggers. The beast roars as black blood escapes flies into the air. The knights continue stabbing even after they’ve exhausted their ammo.

The dragon whips them with its tail, knocking many off; it turns its jaws upon them, ripping the knights apart; it tumbles in the air making the knights lose their grip, and fall, where the dragon burns them in air.

Steiner looks back at the dragon, watching as the last of his men are spent. He could risk an attack but knows his weapon can’t pierce its thick silvery armor, and even if it could, he doesn’t have enough ammo left to finish the job. Steiner is forced to retreat below deck. It makes him feel weak, retreating, but he can see no other alternative. Steiner races down the stair and kicks open the first door he comes to, coming to a halt. The floor is missing. Steiner reaches for the door, closing it just as another fireball comes hurling towards him. The blast pushes him into the door behind him. The floor in that room has burned away as well.

Steiner hangs on, swinging himself back into the hall and closes the door. There is no time to rest as the ship sputters in air. Steiner knows it won’t stay air born much longer. He makes for the next to doors, being careful not to open them too wide. The rooms are no different. He makes for the last two doors.

The left room is still intact and Steiner races inside. He is horrified and out of breath. His hands rub his balding head. Even on the silver of his gauntlets, sweat is visible. The ship shakes violently once more. Steiner holds on. As his mind tries to work out what to do next, a voice startles him.

“What is happening out there?” it asks. Steiner looks up, his eyes meeting the gray eyes of the princess.

“Princess Sarah,” the captain stammers. He had expected she would have escaped with the other passengers.

For a girl of only thirteen she is extremely beautiful even in the face of danger. Steiner looks her over, briefly, watching as she tucks her bangs behind her ear, never once flinching at the violence from outside the ship. Her flaming red hair reminds him of the fire above. She’s tied the bed sheets around her bulky blue dress allowing them to fall to the floor, so that she can grab hold of them, if she needs a parachute. Her skin is white, though unlike the captain, she is not afraid. Looking into her fearless gray eyes Steiner feels even weaker now, having retreated. But what could he do? This isn’t another air ship, or a fighter plane attacking them, this is a dragon.

There is something in the princess’s gaze that sends courage into Steiner. He knows at once that he must protect her, even if it means death. That was his oath to the king, and he intended to keep it. “What are you still doing here?” Steiner says jumping to his feet as the ship shakes again. The princess stumbles and he catches her.

“I want to help,” she says already heading towards the door. Steiner grabs her arm.

“I promised the king I’d get you to him safe and sound,” Steiner tells her,

“But . . .” the princess tries to say. Steiner over powers her, sitting her down on the bed and folding the bed sheets on her lap, makes for the door.

“Strap yourself in. This could get bumpy,” he tells her, pointing to the bunk bed which the princess now sits on. She sighs, wishing she could do more, but obeys the captain none the less.

Steiner had thought the princess escaped with the others before things got out of hand. Now that he knows she’s here, it changes everything. His oath is his bond. Nothing, not even a dragon, can stop him from keeping the princess safe. Even if that means crashing the ship into the cliff side, it’s better than letting her burn to death. He wouldn’t be able to live with himself if he had that on his conscience. If he crashes the ship, then it would throw the dragon off their trail. At least, that’s what he hopes.

 Having seen the princess, so fearless, gives Steiner the boost in confidence he needed. With a deep breath, he begins down the hall. His only thought is to keep the princess safe. Steiner’s pace quickens as he makes his way down, hoping to get to the helm, to land the ship, but before he can make it to the stair leading up to the deck, he is blinded by wood and fire. The sound of burning wood screams in his ears. The force pushes him back. The hallway is engulfed in fire. Steiner is forced to move backwards, to avoid the flames. As the fire spreads around him, Steiner has no choice but to enter the sixth and final room.

There, he takes several deep breaths. For a minute or two the only sound that can be heard comes from the radio, which sits atop the dresser. Steiner listens: “In other news, there is gridlock again today at the Capital, in North America, as Congress and President Remy Lebouf remain at odds. Despite the president’s attempts to negotiate with Congress, they are not willing to bend. President Remy’s approval rating is now the lowest of any president in history as he faces the possibility of impeachment. And you’re listening to the BBC.”

Steiner feels a sense of calm at the news anchor’s voices. Just listening almost makes him forget about what’s going on above. That is until the ship quakes violently, knocking the radio to the floor, shattering it, and leaving the captain in the dead of silence.

Steiner has never cared for flying; it’s always made him feel nauseous. The only good thing about fighting a dragon is that it keeps his mind off his nausea. Now that he’s in hiding, though, it comes back in full force. Steiner wraps his arms around his stomach. He would prefer being on the ground. Up here, in the sky, it’s too easy to fall to your doom, or in this case, burn. Steiner wishes for neither. He wants to make it home to his wife and son. The ship quakes again, making his nausea worse.

Steiner remembers the princess suddenly and feels even worse. He’d sworn to keep her safe, and now, they were both about to die. Steiner feels angry with himself for not keeping his promise to her, and even more so for not keeping his promise to the king. As the ship shakes more and more from the dragon’s attacks, that anger turns to weakness. Steiner hates it. He wants to be out there, fighting the beast, but with what? His weapon is useless. The ship lurches, and Steiner knows they’ve lost another mast. It won’t be long before it comes crashing down.

In a way, he hopes for it. A crash would mean ground, it could mean escape. The ship quakes again.

The resulting shake knocks someone off the bunk bed and onto the floor, which wakes the furry creature there. It screeches, cat like, leaps out from under the fallen boy, flies around the room, and finally lands on one of the bed posts. Steiner gawks at it. The creature is jet black accept for white spot on its belly. It looks like a cat, but for the silvery wings protruding from its back. The creature folds its wings and begins licking its sharp, knife like claws, revealing its shining teeth. Its eyes are blue and as large as tennis balls.

When finished cleaning, it looks the captain over. “What?” it asks which further stuns the captain. “You’ve never seen a Cait Sith before?” Steiner shakes his head.

In truth, the captain has seen it before, though for the life of him, he can’t remember from where, and when he tries to recall the memory, the ship shakes, so violently, that he feels as if the floor might give way beneath him, forcing his thoughts back to his nausea.

His attention draws, suddenly, to the boy on the floor, who groans, slowly getting to his feet. “I knew I should have walked back,” he says, and Steiner couldn’t agree more. The boy places a hand on his stomach groaning with the ship. It lurches downward, creaking loudly. The boy uses the force of the lurching ship to push him forward, back towards the bunks, where he pulls something out from behind the bed post.

Seeing the golden sword in the boy’s hands, Steiner’s memory comes rushing back to him. The boy is the adopted son of King Edward. He’s seen him many times before, in the streets of Camelot, or at his wife’s bakery, he’s even guarded the forest while the king and the boy were hunting within.

Before now he’d never had a good look at him, having only ever seen him in passing. Looking into his terra cotta eyes he sees something in the boy’s gaze. Though his eyes are brown, they are laced with a red glow. Steiner knows it well. The glow is the mark of the Templar.

The North American army began experimenting with their soldiers’ man years ago. No one knew where the glow came from, or what caused it, but they knew what it meant. Anyone with that red glow in their eyes was gifted with enhanced strength, agility, durability, and in rare cases, even control over the elements. The glow is like a never ending boost of adrenaline flowing through a person’s body. The Templar calls these people Live Active Soldiers or LaSeed for short.

Steiner throws himself at the boy’s feet, overjoyed. This boy may just save the lives of Steiner and the princess. “Please, you have to help,” he begs, throwing himself at the boy’s feet. He looks Steiner over as if he has no clue what’s going on. When he finally does speak, it’s not at all what the knight is expecting.

“You’re the baker’s husband right? She makes some amazing bread,” the boy says. Steiner feels a sudden rage at this. He grits his teeth as the boy turns, “You hear that Oken?” the boy asks, turning to the cat-like creature, who looks at Steiner, then back at the boy, and continues licking it’s paws. “Fine be that way,” the boy says aloud. “Scurvy dog,” he adds under his breath. The ship shakes, and the boy stumbles. He catches himself, using his golden sword as a cane. His eyes come across the bladed riffle on the floor, which Steiner had dropped upon entering. The boy picks it up, examining it. “I’ve always wanted one of these,” he goes on.

That’s all Steiner can take. “What’s wrong with you?” he bellows and the ship shakes with the sound of his voice. “We’re about to be burned alive, or worse, and you think this is funny,” Steiner screams.

The boy turns to face him and Steiner sees something there, in the boy’s eyes, he does not expect. He is neither afraid nor brave, but rather, in pain. Even as the boy offers Steiner the bladed riffle, he can see it. “It helps the pain go away,” he says.

Steiner isn’t entirely sure what the boy means by that. As the captain looks him over, he sees his own son in him, and as he would with his child, feels a paternal instinct to protect him, and as the floor groans and cracks and whistles beneath him, he gets his chance. “Go,” he says, pushing the boy out the door, barely making it out himself. The two of them fall into the hallway just as the floor explodes into flames and collapses.

The cat-like creature runs around on the hallway floor, screaming, trying to put out its tail. The boy snuffs it out with his fingers and the creature gives a sigh of relief.

As the ship groans, Steiner remembers the princess and hastily, opens up the door. She has tied herself to the bed just as the captain had told her to do. Steiner now wishes he hadn’t as he tries hastily, to undo the knot. The princess, still fearless in the face of danger, helps him to undo it. The floor cracks and groans with each passing second. Once she is free, Steiner lifts her in his arms and makes hastily for the door. Just before he can reach it, the floor gives way and he falls.

“Oken,” the boy calls, grabbing Steiner’s hand.

“I got her,” the Cait Sith says, diving down, grabbing the princess in his silvery claws.

“Get her out of here,” the boy calls out.

“You go it,” the creature says, flying off in the opposite direction of the dragon.

It’s too busy with Steiner and the boy to give chase. The body of the beast is difficult to make out with the clouds reflecting off of its steel armor. The only way the boy can see it is because of the fireballs that hurl relentlessly towards him. They pelt against Steiner’s armor, turning it a bright orange. The knight screams out, feeling his body burning within. Even as Steiner’s gauntlet heats up, and his hands begin to burn, the boy never once lets the knight go.

It’s now, in looking into the boy’s eyes, that Steiner sees true fear, though it’s not a fear of life, or a fear of death that he sees there, but a fear of loss; this boy, who Steiner barely knows, will stop at nothing to save his life. He is grateful. All at once, the fear inside Steiner vanishes, replaced by gratitude, even admiration. When he looks into the boy’s eyes again, he is happy, happy that he got to share his final moments with someone so dedicated to keeping him alive.

He remembers the boy’s final words to him. “Hey,” Steiner says, “I think I can see my house.” Before the boy can grasp the joke, the knight is falling. The boy reaches out, desperate to catch him, but it’s too late, he’s too far down. The boy can only watch as Captain Albert Steiner falls into the rocky cliff side, to his death.

The dragon roars. The boy, watching it, feels only rage. It consumes him until the feeling is all he knows. The boy can feel the adrenaline pumping through his veins, and the red, as it filters into his vision, giving his already reddish eyes, an even more scarlet glow. His body shakes violently as he picks up the gold sword, and the bladed riffle that had once belonged to Captain Albert Steiner, and makes a run for the deck. He doesn’t care that the fire burns him, or that the ship breaks apart under him, all he can see, all he can feel, is the need to avenge the captain’s death, and kill the dragon.

But, as he reaches the top deck, the airship breaks in half under his feet. The boy is forced to one side, watching as the other goes tumbling into the cliffs. His side of the ship, he knows, will be soon to follow. The rage in him, while still present, mellows out to reason.

He watches as the dragon zooms through the sky, pelting fireball after fireball. Never once does the boy feel fear of the beast. He watches, waiting patiently for his moment to strike.

Author's Note

Compared to the other chapters, this one is a bit small. I want to see if anyone has any suggestions as to what I could do to lengthen it, without compromising the flow. The chapters is meant mostly as an introduction to the three main characters e.g. the Princess, the "boy" and the president of North America. The captain, is there solely to introduce the main characters, so any background on him, other than what's already there, would be irrelevant.