Chapter 164: Duel of Champions
Coop let himself drop through the transparent protective shield from directly above. The enemy flagship had taken a distant position beyond the end of the Ghost Reef island chain, threatening his settlement with its continued presence. They had every opportunity to retreat, call off their invasion, or otherwise give up in the days that their assault had been resisted, but the Sapphire Armada still lingered. The Armada had been bombarding the settlement for the better part of a week and they had been taking a beating that entire time. How many chances did they need? They’d had enough.
Coop braced himself as he shot through the air. Not so long ago, falling from such a height would have been terminal, but this time he was mostly worried about the stability of his landing zone. While he was aiming to create a ruckus, he didn’t want to shoot straight through the massive ship and end up swimming in the deep dark ocean.
Luckily, the ship was sturdy enough to withstand his landing. When Coop smashed into the alien decking, the surface flexed under the pressure like a spring floor designed for gymnastics. Coop somersaulted forward and returned to his feet without an issue. The tingling sensation from passing through the shield spread from his toes to his teeth and was stronger than he anticipated, but he attributed the resistance to the speed of his arrival. The smaller shields he had already experienced back on the pig’s island were presumably weaker than the one they used to protect their entire flagship.
Coop wiggled his fingers on each hand to bring back the feeling before gripping his armaments and seeking a target. His shield and spear were held ready, but none of the invaders were present to witness his arrival and receive him.
“So much for shock and awe.” He mumbled, almost feeling disappointed that his sudden appearance hadn’t sparked any amazed reactions. He was a bit spoiled by the Endless Empire. It was almost like the flagship had been abandoned. Coop thought that maybe it was even a bit too quiet. He didn’t let his guard down while he scanned the interior.
The elevated perimeter of the ship was a solid wall of the same material as the deck, making it seem like he was standing in the middle of a stadium that had been constructed out of a mold. The edges had been filled with flat layered platforms, almost like massive scaffolding that grew from the surface of the alien material.
Rather than a standard boat, the Sapphire Armada’s flagship was fitted as though it was intended to be a mobile city with a large public space in the central areas. In a way, it was something like a modern aircraft carrier, but it had traded in the flight deck for a sunken place-of-arms. The outer edges were clearly below sea-level and were lined with four storeys of the wall-less platform buildings, like someone had mostly completed construction of enough dormitories for an army but neglected to complete the exteriors, and they were staggered with shorter structures forming giant steps such that the roofs were open balconies for the upper level.
A series of cylindrical structures interrupted the open space in the center, forming something of a spine that was embedded into the deck of the ship. They could have been the smokestacks of a steamship, but rather than emitting clouds, each one was illuminated with a gentle blue glow at its tip. Additional points of light were spaced out around the perimeter of the ship, forming a blue constellation that appeared to power the ship’s shields.
Coop wasn’t sure if it was lucky that the parade grounds were empty, considering he was actively looking for a fight, but there was a severe lack of soldiers present for him to engage. He had to assume that the massive ship was intended to transport whatever was left of the Armada’s assault force after their assumed victory. Clearly, they didn’t intend to bring everyone home, regardless of the outcome in their siege of Ghost Reef. Destroying their own transport ships had made that much obvious, and the flagship itself wouldn’t be able to hold the bulk of the Armada’s soldiers.
Coop prepared himself for a mission that was more like quietly clearing out one of the platforms of the oil rig rather than the all-out skirmish he had originally anticipated. Utilizing Presence of Mind, he confirmed he was truly alone. Aside from a pocket that was completely absent of mana behind him, the atmosphere was normal. Fog of War wasn’t an option since the phantoms were continuing their guerilla campaign back on the island. It would take hours for the domain to naturally dissipate, so Coop had time before he needed to return and support his comrades.
The tallest layer of the ship, a stack of the open platforms at the rear of the ship, seemed like a suitable destination, so he shifted to get moving. However, as soon as he took a step on the deck, an alarm began to chirp a warning. If there was any crew left, they would know that he was there. Rather than a piercing alarm, the sound was more akin to a crosswalk signal, if a bit alien. Additionally, Coop was spotlighted in a glow that seemed to emanate from the ship’s towering facilities, like a dozen spotlights had triangulated on his position.
“Huh.” Coop grunted in surprise. “No room for subterfuge, I guess.” Coop noted to himself. He felt like he was standing in the center of a theater’s stage, preparing to recite a soliloquy as the rest of the ship remained in darkness.