Derrin watched the ship draw nearer. Each minute that passed brought the enemy closer and closer to the gates. There was just one ship… at least for the time being. However, even one ship was enough to end everyone on the island. If anyone here knew the true power of the vessel, it would be him.
It had taken Zara some time to get the sailors calmed down and back to their posts. If not for the soldiers, Derrin was fairly certain that events would have gone much worse. They were civilians in a war zone. They were going to have to learn fast or die.
The black smudge slowly transformed into the shape and outline of a ship. Each moment, it got clearer to their eyes. Zara could likely see the entire thing's shape by now, if not even count the number of robots on the deck.
Derrin could not do anything nearly as dramatic. He didn't need to, though. Utilizing the spyglass that Silas had, he was able to get a good look at the ship. What he saw made his blood run cold. It was a Gearborn ship like any other, but beyond that…it was the ship that his group had been hunting. The same ship that had led them into the trap.
Unlike the massive carrier that he and Red had been held prisoner on, this one was smaller and faster. It was more akin to the typical Valencian boarding vessel. He knew many of the details after hunting it for so long. There would be many smaller boats that the gearborn could use to board other ships.
While the cannon power would be far less than that of the typical ship, that didn't mean it wasn't strong. This ship was still more than capable of destroying the fort, even with its shields activated.
That was simply the power that gearborn vessels possessed. Each of them was a sailing fortress and a death machine at the same time.
It was another few hours before the ship finally drew close enough to be seen with the naked eye. By then, he could make out the robots moving around on board with the combined aid of the telescope and his sight enhancements. They were all looking for one thing in particular.
A herald.
Derrin had told Zara everything that had taken place on the massive ship. She knew about the herald as well as its power. If that creature were present, any resistance would be hopeless. Their only chance at survival would be to disappear into the jungle immediately.
He still remembered the way the herald had been able to simply tear his mind to shreds. It didn't matter how much he trained his mental resistances in the face of that creature. It wouldn't matter to anyone here.
Zara would likely be the only one who could fight it off, and even then, it would only be for a short period of time. To fight a walking calamity, one needed to be a walking calamity themself. Despite Zara's incredible strength and prowess, she had not reached that level.
Either luckily or unluckily, there had been no sign of the creature. Derrin wasn't sure which it was yet. If it was present, they had time to act. If it wasn't present, but still here, they were likely already screwed.
"What are your thoughts?" Zara asked as she continued to survey the arriving ship.
Its black flag glistened in the light and glinted back across the ocean. The ship before them did not belong in their seas. It was a dreadful grey creature that was made strictly for utility. Of any aesthetic presence, there was little to none. It was all utilitarian, made purely for function and not looks. That didn't mean the vessel didn't have a presence. Its presence was simply far more ominous than any ship should have been.
"The herald doesn't seem to be present. That seems like a good sign," Derrin replied.
"We could kill it if it were here," Silas grunted.
They all knew that was straight bullshit.
"It doesn't matter. We need to focus on what is present," Zara narrowed her eyes, "That ship's likely houses what…two to three hundred?"
"Closer to three hundred based on my experience."
Silas scoffed, but didn't comment further. Derrin had long since learned that the best strategy when handling the man was to simply not handle him at all. Zara was his superior, and he would listen to her. So, any problems simply went above Silas instead of going to him.
"300 gearborn, somewhere around 150 pirates left. Our odds aren't very good, are they?" She ran a hand through her hair.
"Everything depends on what the gearborn do. If they all disembark, there will be trouble. I still think we should consider withdrawing from the fort entirely."
"Of course you think that Montrelan. Always trying to…"
"Silas, enough. We have enough to deal with without you getting going on this subject."
The man reddened and quickly looked away.
"Regardless. It isn't a good situation to be in. We are forced to react to whatever it is that they do. That is the worst-case scenario for a fight like this," Derrin continued.
"Indeed. We can't risk drawing all of our enemies into the fight at once. If we could pick them off as we have been, that would be the best. However, I doubt they'll let that happen. At the same time, for all we know, they are here to take the island from the pirates and kick them off."
"That seems unlikely," Silas remarked.
Derrin nodded his ascent. More than likely, the Gearborn would view their possession of the fort as an insult. However, that didn't mean they would act directly.
The Gearborn viewed themselves as superior creatures. The elimination of one fort was above their pay grade. Instead, they would go to the other humans to deal with the problems.
Based on everything he had experienced, Derrin guessed that the pirates would soon begin besieging the fort. They would not want to be caught looking like failures to the robots. That would result in them being severely punished. Whatever the relation between the two factions was, Derrin doubted the pirates were the superiors.
"What are they doing?" Silas asked.
Derrin focused back on the ship. A small group of gearborn was boarding a smaller boat attached to the ship's side. He counted a dozen of the robots clambering aboard before the boat dropped into the water below. The boat was small, barely big enough for all the robots to fit.
"Do we try shooting them?" Derrin asked.
"No," Zara shook her head, "Even if we could destroy the boat, most of them would survive. That would just be poking the bear. We want the bear not to notice us for as long as possible. That is our only chance of success."
Rubbing the hilt of his blade, Derrin replied, "Well, I doubt we'll have to wait long for that."
The small boat drew closer and closer. The entire world seemed to hold its breath as the vessel of iron reached Rim. The wake left behind by the cruel ship seemed to darken the colors of the vibrant sea. It was as if the world itself had recognized the gearborn's arrival and cursed them for it.
What was to come would be far more than death and destruction. It was the beginning of a new age in Valencia. A new age and the passing of the old one. None of those present realized it, not even the wretched gearborn, despite their despicable plans, for their arrival brought along far more than just horror.
It brought doom.
The gearborn didn't land on the shores of Rim. Instead, they angled their boat directly for the grotto beneath the island. The same grotto that was currently occupied by the pirates. If Derrin had expected the two groups to fight, he would have been disappointed.
There was only silence as they watched the boat vanish beneath the island. The first arrival of the robots had come and gone in perfect harmony. Silas growled beside them, his knuckles white. The man had been campaigning for an attack the entire time.
It would have been foolish, like Zara said. They currently had no idea what the Gearborn would do about the fort. It was impossible to make the first move without knowing the consequences of that decision.
However, they also couldn't rightly sit around either. In this sort of war, they were at a disadvantage, and letting the enemy swing first could be their undoing. But neither could they swing first against such an overwhelming opponent.
"What are we to do?" Derrin muttered.
"Silas, get one of the men to watch that ship. We want eyes on it at all times. If they do anything at all, I want to be informed immediately."
"Of course," Silas saluted and marched off into the fort.
"This is not what I imagined my summer would turn into," Zara laughed, but there was little humor in it.
"No? Aren't you a soldier? This sort of thing should be what we expect."
She nodded, "True enough. But I haven't been put into true war before, and this is one of the worst positions I could find myself in."
Derrin eyed her, "Well, it isn't true war in the traditional sense."
"No. But that simply makes it worse. If we were heading into a proper battle, we would have allies and reinforcements. Most of all, we would have information. We have nothing, but we still can't let ourselves be beaten."
"This is the start of something," Derrin said after a moment, "Neither of us was around the last time the gearborn made such a blatant move. The tides are changing."
"That they are, that they are," Zara turned away from the ship, "It's just the question of whether we'll be able to ride the tide or sink with it."
"That's always the question," Derrin turned as well and watched Silas return with one of the soldiers. The two soldiers saluted Zara in unison. She nodded to the newcomer.
"Carmen, eyes on the ship. Anything at all, you let me or Silas know at once."
"As you command."
Zara nodded, and they left the man near the wall as they walked away.
"We are certainly in a bad spot, aren't we?" Zara sighed, "I do not want to sacrifice all these people to our cause, but they will be slowing us down."
Derrin wasn't sure what to say. The civilians would definitely inhibit their abilities to act. However, that didn't mean they could just let them all die. Well, they could. He wasn't in charge here after all, but he would not be responsible for such an act. It simply wasn't honorable.
"It would make sense to send them into hiding," he said after a moment, "the tunnels beneath the fort, perhaps, or maybe one of the plateaus across the island. Something, anything to get them out of the line of fire."
Zara turned away from the iron ship, "I did consider that, but we do need to worry about food and water. The fort has plenty of each, but if we lose it… There is simply no way we can supply everyone with proper rations."
"Our position is certainly precarious," Derrin continued, "I think it would be beneficial to begin preparing for our options beyond the fort."
Silas opened his mouth to speak, but Zara cut him off, "Yes. We can't let ourselves be taken unprepared. Not against the gearborn at least. I doubt they'll come for us immediately, but that doesn't matter. There are plenty of things they can do without sending robots after us."
"But to abandon the fort," Silas growled, "That would be surrendering our entire hold over the island."
"No, it would be a tactical decision if this location proves to be a liability. You've already lost control of the island, Silas. Can't you see that? The fort means nothing without also controlling what lies beneath all this earth. Without that, all of this…" Derrin gestured around him, "It's all a sham. The pirates know it, the Gearborn certainly know it. Holding on to the fort serves no good if we can't do anything with it."
"In any case," Zara shook her head, "We need to start making preparations. No more attacks or moves by us for the time being. We need to prepare for what's to come, we need to…"
She froze and stumbled slightly.
"Are you alright?" Silas asked, hesitantly.
"I uh…" her eyes widened suddenly, "It's starting!"
"What's starting?" Derrin asked.
"Damn it! That blasted man is making his move," as she spoke, Derrin noticed Zara begin to glow slightly.
She staggered to one knee and slammed her fist into the ground. "He activated his mark."
Her entire body pulsed with a strange light, and Derrin noticed that it seemed to be fading away. It was as if her very being was simply ceasing to exist.
"What's going on?" Silas clenched his fists.
"Be ready. The pirates are making their move faster than we could anticipate."
Before either of them could reply, Zara's entire being pulsed. As it did so, she vanished as if she had never been.
"What the…"
A new figure rose from the spot.
He smiled and, in a cheerful tone, said, "Finally… I get the chance to see the inside of this wonderful fortress, which you Valencians are so proud of. It's every bit as impressive as I imagined."