by Jez Cajiao
“Just remember, they might be a bit reserved with you. You’re the lord to them, but most don’t know you yet; they just felt the bond become active, and the upper echelons recognized that you were their best chance for survival. While they’d never attack you, due to the Oath, it doesn’t mean they’re automatically going to love you either. You’re still going to have to earn their respect.”
“I know,” I agreed, recalling my first encounters with the Legionnaires I had grown close to in the Arena. “We struck gold with Augustus and his team, and yet we still lost a lot of them in the Skyking fight and escape. Now we need to make them understand that abandoning everything was worth it.”
“Don’t forget that you are their lord, though,” Oracle said quickly. “You’re not there to plead with them for support. Give them orders, but… I don’t know, be nice?” Her voice raised questioningly at the end as she lifted her hands in an uncertain gesture.
“Wow, that’s helpful, Oracle,” I laughed. “At least I’ve got you to keep me on the straight and narrow!”
“Yeah, well, I’ve never been in this situation either,” she quipped, smiling at me as her cheeks tinged with red.
“Well, we’ll face it together,” I said firmly, and she nodded in agreement, flitting over, and landing on my left shoulder as I picked up my naginata and headed for the door.
I pulled the door open, looking out into the corridor and trying to ignore how flimsy the whole thing felt. Grizz was standing a few feet away, grinning at me, while two unfamiliar Legionnaires stood on either side of the door, fully equipped.
“Morning, I guess,” I said, looking from one to the other. “I hope I didn’t get either of you with that spell?” They both straightened, clapping their fists to chest in salute.
“No, Lord!” they said in unison, and I winced, looking questioningly at Grizz, who shrugged.
“Right; what are your names?” I asked.
“Legionnaire Westin,” the one to the right said, closely followed by the one on my left barking out, “Legionnaire Holtic.”
I noted the ramrod-straight backs, the gleaming armor, and the slight sheen of sweat on their faces. Westin was dark skinned, with a beard that bristled out of his helmet as though looking for someone to fight on its own, while Holtic was paler, with almost Nordic white skin, no beard, but a chin I could have used as an anvil, if I were so inclined. Beyond that, they were practically identical, the same height and everything.
“Is this a joke?” I asked Grizz uncertainly, and he grinned at me.
“I’m afraid not, Jax. And sorry again, for… that.” He nodded toward the door, making me think he’d really just been oblivious to interrupting us. “It’s standard that nobility be guarded when under the protection of the Legion. In your case, they were assigned to guard you for this shift, and they don’t really know you yet, so they’re on their best behavior. That’s all.”
“Bollocks,” I muttered. “Right, then, let’s have this out now, as I’ve no doubt I’m going to be saying this a lot from now on. Yes, I’m the Lord of Dravith. Yes, I’m the Imperial Scion and heir to the Empire. No, I’m not a prick who needs sunshine blown up my arse.” I met both of the guards’ eyes directly, my tone firm. “I want you both to relax; as you’ve seen from this pillock here…” I said, gesturing to Grizz. “… I’m not one for formalities; hell, he just walked in on me and my partner naked and got a pillow to the face as a consequence. It was only when he was being a filthy bastard, and blatantly listening at the door, that he got a zap for it, and even that was a warning, not a powered one. Despite him deserving it twice over for that ugly mug.”
The pair stood frozen at attention for a few seconds, then exchanged a look and slowly seemed to relax, nodding in slow acceptance of my words.
“I take it you’ve been assigned as a bodyguard for me?” I pressed, and they nodded in sync. “Not just assigned to watch over the door, I mean, as it’s kinda a shitty door…”
“That’s right, my lord,” Westin said formally, and I started to shake my head before giving in. I was the Lord of Dravith, after all. I needed to start accepting that the role came with certain shitty downsides.
“Right, well, if you two are out here… I’m hoping that means that Bane and Tang had a night off?” I said aloud, peering down the corridor.
“I wish…” came a voice and I turned to find Tang leaning against a wall support, where I’d have sworn a second before, there had been nobody.
“You better not have been in there…” I growled, gesturing at the door to my cabin.
“It’s okay; I left when you and Oracle got… distracted…” he said, shuddering excessively.
“Well, fuck you too, mate. I told you before, stay outta the bedroom, or you’ll see sights you don’t want to!” I snapped, unsure if I was more amused or irritated.
“Yeah, well, you were brought on board unconscious and severely injured, so we thought it best to watch over you. Didn’t expect to see that. Certainly not right after downing a potion of ‘Legionnaire’s Might’.” Tang shook his head in amazement.
“Well, more fool you, then,” I said, shrugging nonchalantly. “Which way to the bridge?” Tang gestured over his shoulder with one thumb.
“This way, boss,” he confirmed, straightening up. “Seriously, though, it’s good to see you upright… and even better to see you clothed,” he finished with a wink.
“Bah! You’d love a moustache ride.” I retorted unthinkingly, earning a laugh from Grizz, and quickly stifled snorts from Westin and Holtic as we started off down the corridor.
I glanced about as we went, realizing that the unfinished and flimsy look that dominated my cabin was the same out here. The structural walls and main girders were clean and beautifully made, while the smaller walls that served to separate out rooms seemed hastily put into place, with nails sticking out in random places, boards only being held together by the bare minimum, and jagged, unsanded wood everywhere.
“Uh…” I gestured to a nearby doorway, which had a pair of planks nailed across the frame and nothing but open air beyond, the wind whistling frantically and tugging at our clothes as we passed by. “Is the entire ship like that?”
“Yeah, this is the Battleship, Jax…” Grizz pointed out, shrugging as we continued walking. “It’s huge, and damn, it’s amazing. Nothing this big should be in the air, you understand? But it’s nowhere near finished; a year or more, at least, I’d think. They hammered it together just enough to escape the city, and that’s it. The main hold is where the majority of people are bunking, and these sections are off limits. There, at least, it’s secure, and while there’s not much space, between all the passengers and gear, there’s at least a lot of things to hold onto when the winds get bad. It was decided that it was best to give you a little distance from the majority of the people, plus, you know… they’re not Legion, so we can’t trust them,” he finished darkly.
“Ah, crap. Grizz, seriously, they’ll be sworn to me soon; that means you’ll have to trust them, you know?” I asked and he nodded hesitantly.
“Until then, though… anyway, a bunch of us got together with the shipyard workers and put the walls and door on the cabin for you. It was mainly to keep you as safe from any possible assassins as we could, that’s all.”
“Well, thank you, Grizz, and anyone else that helped. I definitely prefer a room to sharing…” I winked at Grizz when I caught his grin. “Shit.” My amusement immediately dampened as I peered through another open door that led out onto a small walkway above the clouds. “I kinda hoped it was better than this,” I admitted.
“Seriously, it’s amazing this thing flies at all, Jax,” Grizz said, grinning.
“You’re really not helping; you know, that right?” I asked.
“I owe you one, you know, for back in the Arena.” He shot me a grin, and I snorted, remembering getting everyone to cheer him. It’d been a shitty joke, just something to wind him up, but that had obviously started a competition.
/>
We headed up a set of narrow stairs and turned right, passing deeper into the ship as we passed through larger, wider corridors. The walls were noticeably built with far more care, the feeling of imminent collapse vanishing as a sense of impressive solidity was conveyed instead.
Every ten meters or so was a recessed section in the roof, which I guessed were designed for holding magelights, and spaces had been marked out for banisters, presumably in case of rough weather or fighting. Instead of these fixtures, though, the spaces were occupied by piles of gear, thousands of planks of wood, ingots of metals, and the countless minor things that turned a ship into a home, never mind a platform of war. The items were piled as neatly as could be, strapped together, but here and there, the strapping had come loose. We clambered over materials that filled the corridors, while sailors and engineers swore and rushed about around us, carrying armfuls of parts, or metal or wood panels, obviously working to seal up as much of the ship as possible on the go.
Most had no idea who I was, but the few that did recognize me, or more likely, noted the escort and drew the correct conclusion, straightened up and saluted, frantically trying to avoid eye-contact.
“They’re afraid of us?” I asked Oracle quietly, not bothering to communicate through our mind-link.
“You’re a lord. They know what happens if they get a lord’s attention in the wrong way…” she replied sadly.
“Fuckers,” I growled under my breath, making a concentrated effort to smooth my features and smile at those we passed.
Tang led us along a winding route through the bowels of the ship before guiding us up a set of wide stairs choked with equipment. Nearly ten minutes after we’d left the cabin, we finally reached the ship’s bridge. A pair of Legionnaires on guard duty straightened, clapping fists to chest in salute as we approached.
Tang strode forward, opening the door without knocking, and ducked inside, then stepped to the side and straightened before formally announcing to the room at large:
“Lord Jax of Dravith, Scion of the Empire, Heir to the Imperial Throne!” For the first time in as long as I could remember, his voice was clear of the sardonic wit, the sarcasm, and general ‘I’ve seen it all before’ attitude. Instead, it was clear and proud, and as I stepped into the room, I saw the effect his words had on those gathered inside.
The room was filled with people who had clearly been managing the business of flying a ship that likely massed thousands of tons, maneuvering it safely through the air high above the sea. However, they’d dropped everything and were spinning to face the doorway, fists crashing to chests in salute. The ship started to list to one side, so the helmsman frantically spun and controlled the wheel again.
I noted the panic on his face as he tried to decide if letting the ship drift off course was worth ‘disrespecting a lord,’ and I couldn’t help but snort in amusement.
The bridge had been designed as a large semicircular room, flanked by stairs leading up to an exit at the back center of the room, with the arc flowing out of sight on the right and left. Clear glass filled in some of the windows covered the entire front wall, with boards hastily nailed in place over others.
I stopped, a handful of steps inside the door, clapped my hand to my chest in salute to them all, then called out in as clear a voice as I could.
“Relax, people; get back to whatever you were doing.”
With that, everyone seemed to breathe again, and the majority turned away, the helmsman sagging in relief.
The Legionnaires in the room strode forward to meet me as I started walking again, coming to a halt before me in the center of the bridge.
“Lord Jax.” An older Legionnaire, who stood in the center of the group, fell to one knee, and bowed his head, holding his sword out before him, pommel offered to me. “I am Romanus Dominai Perival, Legion Prefect of the Dravith Cohortes Praetoria. The Legion stands ready to obey.”
“Prefect Romanus,” I said in greeting, reaching down and grasping him by the wrist and pulling him to his feet. “There’s no need to kneel in my presence. I’m a man like any other.” I smiled at the startled Prefect. “Thank you for the gesture, but from now on, you stand with me. I’m proud to have the Legion join me, as it will make saving the empire far easier, but I tell you now, Amon never required an honest man to kneel twice to him, and neither will I.”
Romanus blinked in surprise and tightened his grip on my wrist, as we shook once and I released him. He quickly beckoned two more Legionnaires forward, introducing them as they took my offered hand in turn.
“Thank you, my lord. This is Tribune Alistor, second in command of the Legion of Dravith, and Restun, Centurion Primus. They are my right and left hands, respectively. Alistor deals with the men in a commander’s role, as well as providing me with counsel and overseeing legalities and negotiations that I haven’t the time for. And Restun… well, Restun is the Legion’s heart. The men follow me, but they’d die for him,” Romanus said, smiling at the men with pride.
The first man nodded to me, as though uncertain, stepping back as quickly as possible. Where the dark-haired Tribune was slender, wiry, and clearly fit, considering he moved with ease in full Legion armor, the Centurion Primus was tall and exuded a palpable aura of health and strength. When the second man stepped forward, he grasped my wrist and squeezed hard, pumping it up and down quickly while clearly judging me as he released my wrist and stepped back.
“It’s good to meet you all,” I said, smiling and turning to the fourth man, who’d needed no introduction. “I see you there, Augustus. Thank you, my friend.” I stepped forward and ignored the offered hand, instead giving him a bear hug and slapping him hard on the back.
He laughed and returned the gesture, reminding me that, while I had the physique of an Olympian now, he was a true titan. The massive number of physical points he’d clearly accrued over the years had changed him at a seemingly molecular level. I stood around the same height, but his muscles… he looked as though he’d gone past the mere standard of humanity, instead resembling a Greek marble statue of the god of War that had simply stepped down from a pedestal one day and strolled off.
“I have to ask, though…” I paused, looking from one to another. “If Restun is the Primus, what is your rank again, Augustus?” I asked him curiously.
“Ah, common confusion there, Jax,” Augustus replied, and I noticed the flinch from Alistor as Augustus used my first name instead of my title. “I am the Primus of the second maniple. The Legion is split into four active maniples, with a fifth that deals in support, combat engineers, blacksmiths, and general camp followers for example. Each maniple has a specific function and is led by a ‘Primus’. Then the Centurion Primus is responsible for leading us. When we last talked, you mentioned a similar role in your own background, a ‘First’ Staff Sergeant, as opposed to the Staff Sergeant?” he reminded me.
“Ah! Totally understand now. Restun, it’s a damn honor to meet you, Primus!” I said, grinning, before turning back to the Prefect. “It is an honor to meet you all, of course, but I hope you understand Prefect, Tribune? I was an enlisted soldier in my home… my realm. The equivalent of a new Legionnaire? So I hope that you can understand my awe at meeting a man like Restun!”
“Hah!” Romanus barked, grinning at me. “I know what you mean, Lord Jax. I rose through the ranks with the Primus watching over me. If he snapped an order now, I’d probably salute and drop into pushups without a pause…”
I shared a smile with him and Augustus, gaining a respectful nod and slight grin from Restun, while Alistor remained at the back, watching me quietly.
“So, my lord, while this is our first meeting, Primus Augustus has been filling us in on your adventures and your plans, as he understands them. This the captain of the ship, obviously awaiting your formal acceptance…” Romanus said, gesturing to a tall elven woman, who had remained patiently off to the left, watching our small group, and waiting for her invitation to join.
“Lord Jax,” she
said smoothly, stepping forward and offering her right hand with a smile. “I am Athena, captain of the Battleship. It is an honor to meet you.”
“The honor is mine, Athena,” I said formally, privately wondering about the way she was dressed. Her smart white shirt and black trousers provided a crisp background for a blindingly gaudy red sash. A dozen or more bangles on each wrist chimed as she moved, making it clear that tiny bells were hidden amongst them. As most of the people I had encountered in the UnderVerse were either slaves, Drow, or Legion, I had come to expect drab, functional attire. Oracle caught my surprise and noted privately through our bond that this was the official Airship captain’s uniform, in part to make them easy for the crew to identify at a glance.
“So, are you happy to confirm my position as captain?” she asked bluntly, and I blinked.
“How did you get the position?” I countered, and she shrugged nonchalantly.
“Elise came begging, said she needed a captain crazy enough to run a gauntlet, especially one that’d be able to put up with the ship only being bare bones, letting her team build it as we flew.”
“And you said yes?” I asked her, and she grinned wryly at me.
“Well, it helped that she was asking while she was smashing open the cage that they’d been holding me in…” she admitted, dipping her right hand into the neck of her high collared shirt, and lifting a thick black collar up into sight before dropping it back down with a shrug. “I’d have done it for that alone, but she told me that in your lands, slavery isn’t the done thing, so I figured, what the hell; not like I’ve got much to lose, after all.”
“Shit.” I shook my head and stepped close to her. “Do you mind?” I asked, gesturing to her neck.
“Uh… no?” She looked at me quizzically as she leaned back slightly. We paused, looking at each other for a long second, before Oracle, who’d been silently observing from her perch on my right shoulder, floated into the air between us.
“You’ll all get used to this; Jax isn’t very articulate,” she explained reassuringly. “Athena, he wants to look at your collar. Is this okay?” Athena looked from Oracle to me, and I gritted my teeth at my own forgetfulness.
