On the flat of the upper islands there were injured gathering near the base of the Ark that has been attached to the Shelled-Island. From the estimates of the scholars who had started their hikes around the island. There was enough dirt and mud to cultivate an entire farmland. For a settlement to be built on the Beast's back itself

The soldiers of the fleet have started purging the remnants of the surface. Terin, Mardon, and Sir Caldor joined the rest in assisting the soldiers in clearing the orifices of the Shelled-Island. They watched as the Scholars settle down with their pen and charcoal on a large piece of canvas.

Terin and the others thhought the tunnels would be strewn with meat and bones. To their surprise the roots have started extending on every tunnel and holes that they could find. The Soldiers led the way, dominating every corner, clearing each hole, not leaving anything unturned. Through the overgrown branches that extended like spider webs were ball of lights formed by spirits of the fleet. Deep inside the orifices, the louder the heartbeat of the Shelled Beast that they have boarded. They were simply evicting the last parasites, turning this beast into theirs.

Soldiers kept their wits about as they cleared the corridors. The stench was horrible enough to make them wrap a scarf around their mouths.

Upon reaching a large chamber of what seems to be an organ. The louder the heartbeat was. The close they were to the heart of the beast. One of the Officers carrying a pistol and saber on both hands walked up to his men.

“Now, we don’t touch these things. From what I heard from the Captain and the Grand Admiral, we must make sure that they are not destroyed or hurt,” he surveyed his men. His eyes on their eyes, giving them a sense of courage. Officer Claudel of the Milostiv’s 1st Regiment. The heart of his men. “But do not worry lads, don’t go too far, remember your training, and if you’re fucked up we’ll have you hauled back to the Doctor and the Surgeon of our ship in no time. Now be careful, and don’t bother the good doctor. Work in pairs, watch your brothers, and keep your rifles ready. Understand?”

“Aye, Sir!”

Officer Claudel marches back to position. His eyes on Sir Caldor who approached with muffled steps.

“Young Claudel, it seems that you have been good.”

“Didn’t notice you, Sir Caldor. Seems like time has been kind to you, Sir. You still look as strong as when you beat me down to the pavement,” he glances at Terin and Mardon. “Finally taking students?”

“Young Claudel, how is Senior Serran?”

“Grumpy,” he said frankly. “He wanted to spend the rest of his life on this voyage and spend his years to see what was beyond the homeland. My Ma didn’t allow it and now my Second Brother is the heir to the House in the case that I do not return home.”

“How is your swordplay?” Sir Caldor asked. His eyes on each side that they passed.

“Better, rarely used but I had time to use it when in combat these days, Sir. Saved me quite a bit when we fought in the beaches in the Atoll.”

“It saddens me that there are a lot of you in these voyage.”

“Can’t be helped, Sir. Someone has to go in this voyage and despite the uncertainty, it seems that we must reach this place.”

Sir Caldor glances at the soldiers. “The soldiers are well-trained.”

“The best there is, proven and tested before they were allowed to be here. This is an important voyage, and now most of our experienced soldiers have joined.”

“Young lads they are.”

“Aye, Sir. War has changed and ever since the Prime Minister won the Great War that united us. Each man here had faced waves of enemies, survived, and now we fight as one. This wouldn’t have happen if it wasn’t ‘us versus ‘them’, Sir.”

Things changed when you faced creatures that are not human. Terin understood that a grand fleet like this wouldn’t have worked if it was not for the promise of the ‘enemy’ that was beyond the homeland. Seeing the enemy in the atoll and the creatures that the fleet had fought reinforced the idea of what Aon stands for.

“Hmm, I can’t hear arrogance in your tone, Young Claudel,” Sir Caldor praised, his sword on a thrusting form.

“Hah, your teachings certainly took care of that arrogance, Sir. I am not so green to have not understood that we are facing unknown. I am more proud of what my brothers-in-arms can do to serve this fleet,” he glanced at Terin and Mardon. “I hope they do not hold us back, Sir. Pardon me for saying this, but are they fit to follow orders and do battle?”

“They are fit for battle, and they are tested.”

“Good, I don’t want to see them charging like fools or disregard our tactics. We’ve not fought so far with this idea of rushing forward like a damn fool. They step out of line soldier and mercenary or not, they will be locked up and serve their sentence.”

“Harsh, but fair.” Sir Caldor replied.

Officer Claudel’s face was stern. The hospitable face he showed vanished the moment it concerned the safety of the troops. Mardon didn’t liked what he heard from Officer Claudel. He was about to speak up his thoughts when Sir Caldor silenced him with a glance.

“I am not trying to offend, mind you. I do what I do in hopes that none of my men would have to die for stupid actions. As much as I like to favor your students, Sir. They are not the only one here who have precious lives.”

Officer Claudel said his piece. With that he returned his attention back to his men who worked the area. Mardon clicked his tongue in disapproval and stayed next to Terin.

“He’s right,” Sir Caldor said plainly. “But we must fight when we can fight. I agree that we must not be foolish while facing an unknown. Mardon. Keep your temper, keep close, but do what you must do when you can. Ideals must come with reason, and actions must be made with consequences in mind.”

“I am not an idiot,” said Mardon. “I know what I need to do. I just hope that I don’t have to pretend to like them.”

*****

It was around the middle area of the Shelled Beast that they encountered younglings. Small parasites that could not fight and was left alone with their guardians. Seeing the amount of the creatures in the chamber, the soldiers of the fleet decided to use their bayonets to kill silently until they were forced to fire openly. Though the element of surprise caught the guard of the parasites down. It took the soldiers a solid work to punch through the horde of parasites coming at them.

Terin was able to use his blade alongside Sir Caldor in a dance against the parasites to protect the soldiers in close range. Though the soldiers themselves did not lose easily with their bayonets acting as their spears in battle. They fought as a cohesive unit that fought as a single spear. Each spear stabbing one after another youngling. They held the lines until the rest of the units from the surface arrived to overwhelm the opposing forces.

Officer Claudel had assigned Terin and the others to mark every corridor and passage they passed through. Using these markers allowed them to have a general direction on where they were going. Through this they were able to find the source of the heartbeat and on the very chamber they found a unit that arrived first in the heart of the beast that was already wrapped with protective barks that seems to have come from the Ark.

“What are these barks?” Terin could only asked.

“Made from their land, the Arbor protectors of their Kingdom. I have seen them creates giants out of trees, and to think it could create a puppet out of these kind of beast. Even if the heart dies, the beast would be able to live long enough to become the very mold of this floating ship that this Ark would control. It seems that they do really know something. Our fleet cannot passed that graveyard of corpses, we would have to circle around the graveyard and end up losing the path that we have decided to charter.”

Sir Caldor became grim at a thought. Terin had an idea on what he was thinking, and yet he could not open his mouth. He would not speak of until Sir Caldor says these thoughts out loud to Lady Rosalve who has been keeping secrets.

With the heart-chamber of the beast guarded by the soldiers of the fleet. They started making a supply line on the sliding passages of the Shelled Beast. Attaching a pole with a rope that stretched for meters to another post that would allow them to haul supplies inside the chamber. They carried sacks filled with dirt and mud and formed a barrier around the entrances of the heart-chamber. Each entrances sporting a carronade brought from the Ark alongside crank-operated puckle guns mounted on the sand barrier. From the time they were done securing the chamber, it looked like an outpost that would be able to defend any attack from the direction. It also helped that the ground were covered in the same thick bark that protected the heart of the Shelled Beast. Though despite the heartbeat being muffled by the barks. It still was eerie to listen to the heart of a beast that have possibly lived for centuries.

Around three hours that graceful creatures appeared form one of the entrances. The soldiers of the fleet readied their rifles, pointing them to the entrances of the chamber without a sweat on their cheeks.

“Halt,” Officer Claudel said. “It’s the elven-kin. Stay your fire!”

One of the elven-kin arrived wrapped in an eight-foot suit of tree-armor made of trees that was strapped with a bow and arrow strapped on the back. Officer Claudel struts to the elf with a carefree stride.

“Fleet-kins,” said Officer Claudel with a smile. “It is an honor to meet such warriors on this heart pounding chamber. Would you take over from now on?”

“Our troops from the Ark will take care of the guarding. Wait for them to." The elven paused. "Have you contacted the others…hmm, I haven’t caught your name.”

“Claudel Serran, may I have the honor of knowing your Aonian name?”

“Shira, which is my name.”

“Warrior Shira, will you need our assistance?”

“No.”

One of the elven-kin said, placing an entire round in a small lumber they carry that was definitely their version of the rifle. Though from their point of view it was large and was meant for killing giants. Officer Claudel didn’t break a sweat as he stares down the Warrior on the eyes.

“Good, we have cleared most of the upper sectors, I believe that you Warriors shall be victorious!” Officer Claudel clapped his boots and saluted crisply. “For Aon!”

The Warrior stared for a second before saluting back. “For Aon, Fleet-brother.”

The Warrior marched with his fellow elven kin to the lower area of the Shelled Beast. Seeing them disappear on the shadows, Officer Claudel weaved a hearty sigh, and turned to the troops.

“You hear the fleet-brother!” he said to his troops. “We wait for the Ark’s Regiment and move and take the places. Unless we get an all clear from the Ark and the Grand Admiral then we will hold the line” he instructed with his fingers. “Get someone to call the Medics and if you can, call Doctor Gabrio to attend to them so the ones that needs surgery can go to Surgeon Zyra! Come on, we don’t have time! Move your asses!”

“We should go too, Young Terin,” Sir Caldor patted his shoulder. “With them around it should be fine to leave this alone.”

“I see,” Terin nodded

The three climbed the passages. Along the way the meet the soldiers from the Ark heading to the heart-chamber. Walking out of the entrance leading down to the inside of the beast’s body. They saw columns of soldier dragging the parasites to a wagon’s back. On the side they saw Soldiers popping green smoke in all the areas that had enemies.

The Capture of the Shelled Beast has been completed.

Terin felt his knees buckle. “It’s going to be a long road for me isn’t it, Sir Caldo?”

“Yes, it is indeed. You have been chosen to blind the eye of the world, and save us from the Omen, Terin. I fear that this is merely the beginning of your toil.”

The weight of the world felt heavy, Terin thought as he stares into the distance where the endless horizon is.