TRACK 1 –

“Are you sure Law? I mean…” Billy said, his voice trailing off at the end as he gestured in the distance.

I followed the line of his outstretched finger then squinted, grunted, and pulled out my set of newly created binoculars. Really, they were just a pair of the spyglasses I had fused together and shortened making them more functional and compact.

TRI-ELEMENT BINOCULARS

ITEM TYPE – Binoculars

DURABILITY – 25/25

CLASS – Rare

UPGRADES – Flame, Earth Strength, Water Resistance, Fire Resistance

WEIGHT – 1.0lbs

DIENSIONS – 1” x 1” by 4” x 6”

By combining the materials used in creating a spyglass and adjusting them, these binoculars use three different types of magic to help the user see over five times the distance that can be seen with the users naked eye.

I closed the window with a quickness as I already knew the information and focused on what Billy was pointing at. We were on my newest airship which was the largest and most advanced so far and the first in my plans for a dominate Air Force. It was twice as long and wide as my previous attempts. It was faster, stronger, more durable, the balloon especially, and could travel over three times the distance as the previous model before needing to refuel.

TRI-ELEMENT LONG RANGE ATTACK ZEPPELIN

VEHICLE TYPE – Forward Operating Assault Airship

NAME – The Invincible

DURABILITY – 1105/1105

CLASS – Unique

UPGRADES – Fire Resistant, Earth Strength, Earth Durability, Water Resistance

WEIGHT – 750lbs (1500lbs with gear, provisions, and crew)

WEAPONS – 4 Swivel Guns (Modified Mounted Long Rifles), 4 Short Rang Gatling Guns

DIMENSIONS – 45’ length, 12’ beam, 4’ gunnel, 8 max crew – Gondola

75ft by 50 ft – Balloon

This ship is built using Earth, Water, and Fire Magic giving it enhanced strength and lighter weight. It is powered by coal and uses magic as well to fuel the steam engine and propel and raise the craft. The vessel is less durable than normal wood and is subject to damage easily. The giant propeller and machine parts are infused with magical abilities and can operate without fuel by pouring one’s own magical energy into the engine.

I closed the window and pulled up the information on the new Gatling guns, I was particularly proud of those, that I had just created. Although, it was a pain in the butt getting and carrying enough ammo for them. I needed to create some bags of holding. My bad ass saddlebags that were a gift from Coyote were with Moon Flower and Winston. Note to self don’t forget to figure out how to make some bags of holding.

TRI-ELEMENT SHORT RANGE GATLING GUNS

WEAPON TYPE – Short Range Rapid Fire Gatling Gun

DURABILITY – 25/25

CLASS – Rare

UPGRADES – Flame, Earth Strength, Water Resistance, Fire Resistance

WEIGHT – 10.0lbs

DIENSIONS – 12” x 36” by 4” x 6”

By fusing together three elements, Earth, Wind, and Fire power is created. The Gatling gun uses them to power a firing mechanism that harnesses the centrifugal force of the spinning weapon. Once the gun’s barrel is spinning the kinetic energy adds its power to the elemental magic and helps fire the weapon. This uses the minimum amount of magical power and can fire the Gatling gun up to one hundred rounds a minute and a distance over a hundred yards.

I closed the last message with a grin glancing at it a bit longer then before and then shook my head. They were so bad ass! I refocused on the target site up ahead. My binoculars showed me the bustling and burgeoning fort settlement that was placed at the mouth of the mighty Mississippi. The different Native tribes of this time had all different names for the different rivers, lakes, mountains and such but I had decided on using the modern names for ease and continuity. I made it a point to teach the people the names as well. The past just got a bump to the twenty-first century.

There were dozens upon dozens of caravels and carracks, but those weren’t what caught my eye. These smaller ships all surrounded a fleet of fifteen different and massive Spanish style galleons. They dwarfed the caravels and carracks yet themselves looked small by the focus of my attention. A humongous ship was in their center. And by humongous, I mean the biggest god damn ship I had ever seen. I’m talking past or present. The thing was as big as an aircraft carrier. The theme from Star Wars sounded in my mind as I studied it and I grinned despite the situation. The thing was the super star destroyer of galleons if you will. I accessed the message that popped up in my periphery.

PORTUGUESE SUPER GALLEON WARSHIP

VEHICLE TYPE – Armada Flagship Super Galleon

NAME – Sao Joao Baptista (Botafogo)

DURABILITY – Unknown

CLASS – Ultra Unique

UPGRADES – Unknown

WEIGHT – 1000 tons

WEAPONS – 366 Bronze Cannons, Large Bronze Spur Ram

DIMENSIONS – 1000’ length, 250’ beam, 17 Masts – 6 sails each, 100,000 tons Displacement

CREW – Captain Infante Luis – Duke of Beja, First Mate Joao de Sousa Pereira – Botafogo/Spitfire, Total crew – 1600

This ship is considered the largest galleon ever built by many historians. First used in obtaining dominance of the Mediterranean Sea and then more famously in the conquest of Tunis in 1535. It is said that the massive ship used its superior size and huge bronze ram to break the chains at La Goletta that defended the port entrance of Tunis. After those were down the combination of bombardment from the ship and the landing of its attacking Christian forces allowed the conquering of the city. After that the ship was sent to the Atlantic and Caribbean, South America specifically, to pacify and conquer the area that is modern day Brazil

Wow… the ship was massive to say the least. It was almost like looking at a floating castle, considering it was the size of a modern-day battleship. The size though was the only thing they had in common. The Botafogo, which meant Spitfire in English and what I was going to start calling it, had fifteen decks with seventy-five guns per deck on both the broadside and portside, along with fifty bow cannon and sixty-six aft cannons. Those weren’t the only armaments though I could see hundreds of smaller swivel guns places all along the decks railing. The ship was a legit floating armory and probably carried as much firepower as the largest land bastions.

The thing was way bigger than history suggested. This had to be the result of the time travel shit fucking things up. What the fuck was going to be the plan for taking this thing down? I kept studying the massive warship, which didn’t really do it justice, and couldn’t believe my eyes. The thing was amazing and when I finally studied it long enough, I sighed and thought quietly to myself for a moment.

The next question was what the hell was it doing here in the New World and at what I’d always been told was originally a French settlement. I know the timeline is all jacked up but still this was becoming a real pain in my ass. Well, no plan survives contact with the enemy, and I imagined all the different pantheons of gods and goddesses were screwing with the time continuum anyway. I mean, that’s why I was here after all. So, it made sense in a way that the ship was here besides after the Sun God anything was possible. I figured I’d be seeing all sorts of famous and infamous historical figures and ships among other things.

I shook the musings from my mind and refocused on the area around the ships and the newly developing fort, settlement, and harbor. Along with the larger ships there were hundreds of small craft ranging in size from canoes to small fishing sloops and guard pinnaces. These traveled back and forth between the armada’s vessels and the fort proper.

The fort was a combination defensive structure with a large wooden palisade that stretched all the way around the entire fort, settlement, and across the river. The area we were at was what would become the city of New Orleans. Albeit, with some differences but we were in the general area. The mouth of the mighty Mississippi. The undertaking was massive, and it was quite the sight to behold.

Frankly, I was surprised that the people of this time would be able to build something so large and architecturally advanced. Then I saw the huge labor pool, which to my eye were the local Native Tribes pressed into slavery. Already, they had built up a huge and modern, for the times, fort with canted dirt berms and walls like the bastion forts I had already implemented. I shouldn’t have been surprised as these were Europeans, the guys had invented the things.

“What do you think?” Sage asked, coming up to my side.

I handed him the binoculars as I thought of a response. Our airship was miles away from the enemy base and I was sure they couldn’t see us, but I decided to not take any chances.

“Turn us around Dawn and head back to the flotilla.” I called, over my shoulder and then turned to Sage. “I think we need a strategy meeting, and everyone needs to be there.”

“Aye-aye, Captain.” Dawn replied, as the airship began a tight turn and headed back to our forward base by following the mighty Mississippi.

“It’s like a gods damned anthill down there. Well, more like a school of fish or some combination of two of the fuckers.” Billy grunted.

“Yeah, but that’s one dangerous anthill of asshats. We may have broken the monster’s power in our lands but remember, The Fallen got away and those humans down there have guns and cannons. They may not be as good as ours, but they can still kill.” I said solemnly, my mind immediately going back to my late father-in-law and our other losses.

I promised myself back then that I’d never be so flippant about my people’s lives, the consequences were life or death, literally. I shook the morbid thoughts from my mind and chose to remember the good memories about the man who gave me permission to marry his daughter and had made me a part of his tribe and family. Like the rest of The People I had learned to accept death and move on. I grieved but I didn’t let it stop me from living and I didn’t let it control my actions. Life was a part of death and death was a part of life. Besides, since I knew that the gods were real and stuff, I figured there had to be an afterlife you know?

I was quiet for the rest of the trip back and just listened to the rest of the crew talk about what we had seen with one ear while I considered the best course of action moving forward. My mind drifted back to a few nights earlier and the last time I saw my beloved fiancé, along with our supporting cast of gods and goddesses. That brought a smile to my face and I couldn’t hide it.

“Rawr?” Freak growled, looking at me with a quizzical turn of his massive grey and white kitty tiger head.

“What are you looking at you overgrown housecat?” I asked, playfully patting my massive familiar and best friend on his gigantic head. “Mind your own business.”

He huffed once when I stopped scratching him and promptly fell back to sleep. I chuckled at him and then thought about the memory once again and my beautiful but far away soon to be wife. Besides, I had to figure out a way to tell everyone that I was leaving them for a while and they’d pretty much be on their own. How the fuck was I going to do that?