Chapter 134 – Arms and Cruise

The hallway was rather secured. The soldiers of the palace kept guard. Each and every one of them armed to the teeth with rifles with drum magazines. They looked at Abel with impassive eyes. Joshua followed behind Abel down a flight of stairs until they reach a place filled with armaments.

Abel opened the Iron Gate. He stepped inside and stretched his arms dramatically. “Here are the finest arms of the demesne. They are far better than the flint-locks and the recent repeating rifles that my homeland recreated. Though it should be expected that you don’t how to operate them-“

Before Abel could finish his introduction of the weapons that was inside the vault. Joshua scuttled to the nearest crate and opened it and took the rifle. Abel widened his eyes. He tried to prevent Joshua. But to his surprise, Joshua took the drum magazines near the crates and loaded the rifle as if he was familiar with it.

“You know how?” said Abel.

“I know. I can tell,” Joshua answered. The rifle he was holding looked like a Thompson M1A1. He has used one before.

“I see,” Abel nodded. “What about the other weapons here?”

Joshua scanned the vault. He could see familiar weapons inside the vault. There was a catalog of them. “I do.”

“Then I shall leave you it,” Abel said. “And please try not to empty the vault.”

“Can you fucking go already you asshole.”

“What was that?”

Joshua shook his head. “I didn’t say anything, was just mumbling about.”

“Is that so?” Abel said with his eyebrow raised. He left the vault and took a step outside. Joshua found it weird that he took a step. But he didn’t mind it as he looked at the rows of weapons. He took the webbing of pouches and put them on a long table. He took his coat off and wore a flak vest, he then put the webbing of pouches and took the bandoliers and wrapped it around his waist. He took some holsters and equipped them. He took a scoped rifle that looked like a Mosin Nagant and put it on the table. He spotted a Luger pistol and took it.

He skirted inside the crates. There were stick grenades and smoke canisters. He took them along with a bag he could use to pack some ammunition. Joshua recognized that packing so many ammo would encumber him. So he stashed enough ammunition inside that he could carry. Then he turned his sight to the briefcase and put the rest of the ammo inside. At this point, Joshua didn’t care about being shameless. He packed them inside and locked the case.

After that, he wore the bag. He holstered the luger-like pistol on his side. He sheathed his new combat blade on his thigh and slung his sniper rifle on his back. He took the machine gun rifle with the drum magazine and carried the things he procured outside of the room with him.

Abel was watching the hallway when Joshua came out. Looking at how heavily armed he was from head to toe. Abel felt admonishing him. Even he wasn’t allowed to take anything inside the vault because of his allegiance. Yet the person in front of him was armed to the teeth. He was covered in safety equipment and his entire body was clad in pouches. There were stick grenades slung across his chest. He carried two rifles and a case filled with supplies.

He truly wanted to say something but the look on Joshua’s face wasn’t really welcoming. Having no choice in the matter he escorted him out of the vault. While they went up the landing platform located at the top of the palace. The guards glanced at the heavily armed Joshua. They had wary stares and if it wasn’t for Abel’s presence. They would have probably asked Joshua to stop or worse take the weapons and drag him somewhere for questioning.

By the time the two arrived on the landing platform. The sky cruiser was ready and waiting. Joshua looked at the person standing near the craft. He was a white-haired person with a short beard of stubble. His eyes had bags. He was pale as a sheet.

He noticed Joshua and Abel walking. He started to his feet phlegmatically. He hailed them with one hand. “Are you the one that I need to take?”

“Yes,” Abel nodded. “You will be flying this person back to Edawick and will be under your care. I believe that the Princess had said it to you?”

“Yeah,” he nodded. He looked at Joshua. “I am Alexander Langley, just call me Alex or Langley, I don’t really care.”

“My name’s Joshua Stanco, nice to meet you, Alex,” he nodded.

“Same, Josh,” he said slowly. “Let’s go before the weather changes for the worst. Want me to take your baggage?”

“No need,” Joshua said. He followed Alex inside the sky cruiser. Abel watched them go before striding back inside the palace with a slow phase.

Inside the craft, Joshua put his stuff down. He looked at the pilot readying the craft and asked. “Langley...that’ a familiar name?”

“It is?” said Alex. “I don’t really know. That’s my name and that’s that. No point in trying to remember anything that I don’t remember. Life’s good and bland. But at least I got to fly a fucking cruiser and get paid to do it. Always wanted to be a pilot and it’s like a dream come true and shit.”

“Is that so?” Joshua said. “Then I leave it to you then. Do you know where I am going?”

“I was told to. I got a map on me here. Should be no problem flying there. I hope the weather doesn’t fuck us over suddenly. It’s rather tiresome flying blind. So I suggest that you strap on and hold on to something. And please try not to vomit on my cruiser.”

“Don’t worry I am kinda used to flying now.”

“Is that so? I’ll hold on to that.”

The conversation ended. Alex turned to his control panel and took hold of the stick. With utmost focus, he lifted the craft and slowly ascended up. The craft rotated an open space where there were no buildings. Without any obstacles barring the craft’s way, Alex gunned the controls and flew the vessel straight.