Chapter 220: Invasion(2)

There was a deafening screech as Teves' disc of sand slammed into the remaining craft, the craft was sliced open, the two pieces falling to either side, the two Aemos within screaming in terror as they fell to the city below. 

Anteris and Teves flew under the two halves, setting them onto the ground alongside the mangled remains of the other two craft.

"How about you talk to us now?" Tam hovered over the pilots that were sitting amongst the wreckage, the red fluid leaking all over the street.

The Aemos pilots only looked around, wide eyed with fear. These were new pilots, inexperienced in battle, and in their minds, the supremacy of the Aemos was a given.

Never had they even imagined that they might be so violently taken out of the sky by glowing, flying beings.

"Come on! Tell us what you're here for!" Anteris loomed over them, stabbing hiss flame wrapped halberd toward them.

"What's that thing in the sky?" Vaya joined in on questioning them, pointing at the enormous ship looming in the sky with one of his golden wings.

That got a response from the pilots, and they nodded enthusiastically, before uttering one word.

"Aemos!" They all said together, pointing at the ship in the sky and at themselves also.

"I guess that's what they're called." Anteris grumbled, jabbing his halberd toward them, eliciting several nervous screams. 

"Don't scare them too much, Anteris, we don't want them passing out from fear." Tam's voice was filled with concern, he was usually someone who held all the cards, thanks to the fact that he almost always made sure to have as much information as possible about the enemy before the first swords were drawn.

But now he was thrust into the unknown, with a terrifying new enemy appearing from a different plane, right after he and his men had won one battle.

"I believe they meant to capture us, that device, what I felt was excruciating. Nobody would be able to resist that amount of pain. They must have some purpose in capturing us." Teves' voice was soft and hesitant, he was still feeling ashamed due to his overconfidence earlier.

Tam drew his sword and the remaining half of one of the devices, lifting it up, balanced on his sword. 

"They seem to use this strange fluid in their ships too." Tam commented, looking at the odd, thick, red fluid leaking from the severed cord.

"Looks like syrup." Anteris laughed a little, scraping some of the liquid off the ground and holding it up to his node and taking a deep sniff.

"Doesn't smell like anything at all, I would taste it, but I don't want to mess around with something that put young Teves out of commission." Anteris wiped off the fluid on one of the captured Aemos' white shirts. They seemed to be wearing some kind of uniform, with a pair of matching, close fitting white shirts and trousers, made of a tough, canvas like material.

"I don't think  we'll get anything out of them. If there are any answers, then they'll be up there." Vaya had been deep in thought all this time, and when he finally spoke his voice was solemn, he knew that whatever was in the enormous ship above, it wouldn't be easy to deal with.

"You're right Vaya, these fellows seem to be more cannon fodder than anything." Anteris said, baring his teeth at one of the pilots, who jumped in response. 

"Hold on." Tam interrupted, as Anteris and Vaya were about to launch themselves toward the massive ship in the sky above.

"I don't like this at all. We know nothing at all about this and whatever's up there, it's able to open such an enormous portal. And from what I know, they're not from any plane nearby, so they were able to traverse countless planes before coming to Eclat. We shouldn't be too rash." Tam's eyes were narrowed as he stared up into the sky, the enormous craft blocking out even the sun.

"These smaller craft will be attacking all over the Isle! We can't let whoever that is up there get away with capturing our people without consequence." Anteris protested, though he was still injured, he was itching for another battle.

"Alright. But at the first sign of any real  danger, I want you all to fall back." Tam looked around at the others, to think, mere months ago, none of these men would've considered him an ally, and now they were planning to face off against some interplanar threat.

-----

All across Eclat, not only on the Isle, similar scenes were occurring, the smaller Aemos craft were being completely dismantled by the people of Eclat.

In some places, Advanced Rank individuals took to the sky, taking the battle to the cart before they even got a chance to try capturing the people below.

In others, once the first people had been captured, the people around banded together, and fought the ships, for there was scarcely a town, which didn't have at least a few competent Warriors, Mages or Thieves. And all together, their spells were more than enough to bring the ships down. 

High up above, in the Aemos, a towering, armored figure stood in the bridge of the ship, frowning at the walls, which were covered in the same cube-screens that the rest of the Aemos' devices used. 

"These humanoids that populate this plane, it appears that the energy density is more than sufficient for them to easily dismantle those 4th Quadrant scum." Xurha growled, his heavy brow furrowed, his red eyes glowing with barely contained fury. 

"Your Supremacy, this is typical for any energy rich plane, this is a mere hiccup in our conquest of this plane." Xerev stood nearby, and he bowed deep as he spoke, a fawning smile on his face.

Out of nowhere, a massive fist, covered in a dull, black gauntlet, slammed into Xerev's face, sending him slamming into the wall of the bridge.

Xerev fell to the ground, in a crumpled heap, shaking with pain, yet stopping himself from crying out, he didn't want to anger Xurha any further.