Two Worlds Collide: Chapter 30 Part II

Awestruck. Bewildered. Shocked. These and more were the many emotions that came from the royals. Likewise, the many citizens of Crystal Tokyo, those within the palace itself and across the whole city, were amazed at the arrival of this giant ship. Never before had any of them seen something so enormous, mighty, and magnificent at the same time. It was truly something incredible to behold.

“I can’t believe,” the soft voice of the Princess Aurora spoke, dispelling the quiet silence, “what I’m seeing………is it even real?” Her whispered question was answered by the stern voice of Ahriman; he had heard her speak, even if it was only in hushed whisper. “Yes, princess, it is real. You see my personal starship before you, floating high above this city. That is the Thonis.”

“How it is……floating?” said Belle, the young princess fascinated by the manner of physics that kept the starship aloft. Again Ahriman obliged the princess, answering the question for her. “Through a combination of opposing force and aerodynamics. Those twin sciences are what keep my ship afloat in the sky. The engines of the ship, the ones at the rear, are burning with flame hotter than that of a volcano, generating the force needed to keep it in the air. There is also an unseen force- it is called lift- that keeps it aloft. In addition, my people have developed technologies that allow heavy objects to defy gravity, generating invisible fields of energy that repel the strong pull of this world which keeps all things grounded. Perhaps you would be interested in studying these types of sciences, princess, as I know you are a student of learning.”

“Yes……..” Belle breathed, still in rapt wonder at the remarkable sight of the starship. “I would certainly want to read about such wonders.” Ahriman inwardly smiled at Belle, pleased with her interest and keen capacity for learning. It showed an open mind and willingness to learn. Just as quickly, he brushed the thought aside, summoning his subordinate to him. “Sobek, we require transport.”

His second, Sobek, nodded in agreement. “I understand, my lord. The Ra-Horum is already inbound. She will take you up to the Thonis.” Ahriman nodded back, replying, “Very good. I will take the leadership of this kingdom and the rest of the royals with me. You and the Lady Selene have command of the city in my absence. Keep it safe.” Sobek answered that he would, calling several of the other leaders of his company to him whilst another roar, one much closer, sounded close by. A short time later, the royals were greeted with the sight of another flying vessel coming next to them, slowly descending down to the ground. Like the huge starship floating high above, this smaller vessel also had cylinders of flame- its engines- located at its rear, providing the thrust and force needed for the ship to fly. Like the Thonis, it too was painted in gleaming crimson, though it was sullied by battle, and it was also gilded in gold trim. Finally the smaller ship settled down, a cavernous door opening at its front. A disembodied voice emanated from the ship, startling the royals; it was the pilot situated in the cockpit speaking to them.

“My lord,” said the pilot, “we are ready to transport you and the royals over to the Thonis. I have already informed the hangar crew to prepare for our arrival.” Ahriman acknowledged the pilot’s report and gestured to the others. “Please,” he said, “follow me. It is time we left.”

He immediately made for the waiting Ra-Horum, but the other royals hesitated, for most of them had never stepped aboard a flying ship before, nor had any of them ever traveled to the stars aboard a vast starship. Everything that they seeing was completely new to them; fear and insecurity dominated their common sense. They remained rooted to where they were for a little time, and surprisingly, it was Anna and Elsa of Arendelle who strode forward to follow Ahriman. They gazed back at the others, and the rest of the group was amazed to see the lack of fear of their eyes.

“It’s all right.” Anna reassured them. “Elsa and I have been aboard that ship before, when we were in the city saving Serenity’s people alongside the giants. There’s nothing to be afraid of; we’ll just be experiencing something new.”

“My sister’s right.” Elsa cut in, supporting Anna’s comforting words. “And besides, we can’t deny what’s happening any longer, nor can we afford to be indecisive at this time. Lord Ahriman is right. We have to go up there and listen to what he has to say. Come on.” she finished her words with a hand gesture as she and her sister followed Ahriman to the waiting vessel. Their words finally convinced the others and they slowly, tentatively walked towards the Ra-Horum, soon entering its interior.

When they were all aboard, the pilot informed them of their departure and closed the Ra-Horum’s entry hatch before igniting the engines once more, lifting the ship and sending it on a direct course for the Thonis. For a long time the smaller ship flew up into the sky until finally reaching its destination.

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Inside the hold of the Ra-Horum, the atmosphere within was dominated by fear, unease, and a sense of unfamiliarity, though everyone present did their best to maintain their composure. No one wanted to lose their grip on their barely-sane minds and embarrass themselves in front of everyone with a tirade grown from fear of the unknown.

The fear within each prince, princess, and Senshi manifested itself in varied ways; most of the Senshi spoke quietly amongst themselves, discussing what they had seen. The royals spoke to their opposites, prince and princess talking to one another in hushed tones. Barely silent breaths could also be heard coming from the lips of many of the princesses, for their emotions were high and barely controlled. The same could be said for the princes, though they kept their emotions well-hidden. But there was no doubting the unease each of them felt at this new sensation of flying in the air. Everyone could feel it; slight shaking of the interior, the muted sounds of the wind blowing against the metal skin of the flying vessel, and the quiet roaring of the engines were all new to the royals, none of them having ever heard or felt such forces. It was completely strange.

Of course, a few were really bad at keeping their emotions in check, and Merida was one of them. The young princess of DunBroch was hyperventilating, her chest rising and descending rapidly as she breathed quickly to calm herself down. Even to the unobservant, it was clear that she was not doing such a good job; several times Merida came close to yelling out loud, and she even let out a few gasps or squeaks that could be heard by everyone.

“Merida.” she heard someone call to her; it was Cinderella, the young princess looking concerned for her friend. Her husband, Prince Charming, was sitting next to Cinderella, but was otherwise silent, inside his own head poring over his thoughts. Cinderella paid her husband no heed, giving Merida her full attention. “Are you all right?” she asked the redhead.

That question served as a catalyst for Merida’s pent-up fear; she immediately answered her fellow princess in a high voice, startling everyone else out of their own private discussions or thoughts and voicing her opinions. Her voice was currently in perhaps the thickest accent any of them had ever heard.

“Am I all right!?” she screeched. “O’ course I’m nae bloody all right! I am aboard a ship that I don’t recognize, that can do somethin’ I’ve always believed to be impossible, and on top o’ that, I’m going to another ship that can also fly where I’m goin’ to hear some insane story!!!This is completely crazy, Cinderella! Everything I’ve seen and heard is completely out o’ this world! It’s nae possible, yet here it is, right in front o’ my face!! Sorry if I feel really hyper and on edge, you can blame all the strange stuff we’ve seen so far! This even tops all the weird things I’ve seen in my travels! And this can’t get any stranger, can it? Can it!?”

Merida’s loud tirade really shocked Cinderella; she hadn’t expected her friend to react so loudly to her question. Then again, though, this was Merida; of all the princesses on Earth, Merida was without a doubt the loudest and most reckless of all of them. She was the odd one of the bunch, being highly independent, strong-willed, and adept in the arts of warfare. The latter was something none of the other princesses had ever practiced, leaving the fighting to their husbands. In addition, Merida was outspoken and loud to the point of incessant, always being the energetic one of the group. Nevertheless, she was a good friend to the others.

To the surprise of all, Merida’s raucous questions were answered, but not by the traditional response to a question. No, the reply was laughter- low, quiet, yet strong laughter. Everyone was even more surprised at who was laughing, for it wasn’t anyone among them. No, it was Ahriman himself who was laughing, his low chuckles echoing in the interior of the vessel. Perhaps no one was more surprised at his laughter than Merida herself. Then Ahriman spoke. “The answer to your question, princess of DunBroch, is yes. Things can indeed get stranger, and they will. Once this war is over, you and the others will be forever changed. Your lives will be forever changed, for you and your realms will be thrust into a completely new universe, one that will be totally unfamiliar and outlandish to even the most developed among you. You’ll enter a universe filled with so many different ideals, cultures, realms, and above all, so many, many humans. So many of our kind. It’s perfectly natural for you to react this way, Merida, for what I have to show you all will truly blow your minds and leave you reeling in awe. Much of what you will see out there is evil, yes, but there is much more out there that is truly good. I would take this time to prepare yourself, for we are here.”

“Here?” said King Triton, the mer-king currently in his human form and like the others, left wordless at Ahriman’s powerful response. Ahriman merely nodded. “Yes, my king. In case you haven’t noticed, we are no longer moving. And most likely you did not feel a sudden lurch and settling on solid ground due to your attentiveness to my answer. In any case, we have arrived.”

In answer to his question, the Ra-Horum’s entry door lowered down once more, and from beyond a cacophony of sounds greeted the royals. Sounds of machinery, industry….and people echoed from outside. Ahriman stood and took the lead. “Prepare.” he said. “You are about to glimpse the interior of my starship’s main hangar, and it is truly vast.”

So saying, he exited the Ra-Horum, the group following suit. What they saw beyond left them all in bewildered awe.

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Prince Eric was husband to Ariel, the mermaid-turned-human who was the princess of the merfolk and the youngest daughter of King Triton, the mer-king who stood beside Ariel and Eric as they prepared to exit the Ra-Horum. But Eric was not a pampered young man, nor was he pompous. He was kind, compassionate, and brave, and because his realm was next to the western sea, Eric was an accomplished mariner and helmsman who was often seen partaking in various duties aboard ships in his kingdom’s navy and merchant fleet. He understood the ways of the sea and the vagaries of maritime travel. This, however, was something new to him, a ship capable of flight and travel in the sky. Yet he felt a sense of similarity here, for just as sea-faring ships consisted of decks and compartments and had order, skill, and discipline amongst its crew, so too would a sky-faring vessel have more or less the same principles. In this, he was not to be disappointed, as he and the others finally beheld what lay beyond.

They were inside a vast deck that seemed to run through a great length of the ship; it was cavernous, vast, larger and wider than even the largest cathedrals of Earth. Yet like the exterior of the Thonis, this……hangar was also decked in Gothic architecture; Greek-like steel pillars supported the immense deck, inner areas were framed by Gothic arches made of steel and iron, and script etched into the metalwork could be seen everywhere. Yet the deck was full of great movement, for there were hundreds of people and machines moving around vehicles and flying ships that were at rest along the deck itself or in recessed chambers.

The royals looked all around as they beheld the frenetic activity that coursed through the deck; many people, part of the crew obviously, were at work tending to the many smaller war-machines that lay parked along the deck. They performed repairs, maintenance, and re-armament on many of the craft; others were busy carrying long, flexible tubes and placing them on several of the ships’ engines at their backs; from each a chugging sound could be heard as some sort of fuel was fed into the vessels. Hoists whined, cranes whirred overhead, hatches slammed shut, and on occasion the group would hear the bellowing cries of deck overseers as they controlled the chaos around them. The air stank of heat, oil, and fumes, a testament to the level of industry being done here.

A light gasp from Snow White caused the group to turn their heads, and they too were left wide-eyed with amazement; out at the far end of the deck was a great portal; beyond that, the grey skies and the dull spires of Crystal Tokyo could be seen, slightly tinged with blue due to a strange, shimmering field that glowed the same color covering the entire portal. Ahriman explained to the group that was the way through which they had entered the Thonis, and that the field was keeping the atmosphere inside the deck, allowing them to breathe in the otherwise cold air of the sky. He then led them towards the opposite side of the deck, guiding them through the heated activity of the great chamber.

Many were the strange things beheld by the royals; Serenity saw a pair of red-robed individuals ministering to a flying craft that looked identical to the Ra-Horum. Not knowing why, she greeted them but was suddenly shocked- along with some of the other royals who saw what she saw- when Serenity beheld their faces. The two barely looked human, for they had various mechanical arms and tools grafted onto their backs, which they used to tend to one of the aircraft’s engines. Sensing her attention, they turned and she saw their faces clearly, if they had any semblance of a face. One had his eyes replaced with red lenses and his mouth was fitted with some sort of machine that enabled him to speak. Small tubes and cables were plugged into his face and skull. His companion had half his face replaced with a metal grille, the same type of cables also connecting to the back of his head. Both spoke in a mechanical language that Serenity or the others couldn't understand. They even ignored their shocked gazes, returning to their task after only a moment’s pause.

While Serenity’s attention was fixated on those people, some of the other royals looked at different areas of the deck. Odette, the princess of Swan Lake, beheld a pair of flying craft just like the Ra-Horum being hoisted by large cranes overhead and slowly placed into a pair of platforms that were connected to some sort of ramp. Aladdin and Jasmine watched as several deckhands busied themselves with cleaning the sides of a ground machine. The machine was shaped like a large slab and painted in the red and gold of Ahriman’s armor. It seemed that the deckhands were polishing the machine’s metal so that it gleamed beautifully in the light. Aurora and Philip watched in part amazement and past disgust at the many sentient half-machines that worked alongside the crew; these half-machines themselves looked human, but only just; much of their pale bodies were replaced with steel and iron, and they seemed to show no emotion, simply focusing themselves on their tasks. This and more did the royals see as they walked the length of the deck, and finally the questions came.

“What is a hangar?...........I’ve never seen anything like this.......................Those machines that look human, what are they?........................I never knew this ship was so big………………..How vast is this ship?.........”

“Patience.” Ahriman replied, stilling the questions of the royals. “All your questions will be answered in time, but now is not that time. We have pressing business to attend to, and you must meet the commanders of the armies that will come to this world. They are like me, lords and warriors of great honor and prestige, and together, we will explain to you much about what you have seen and of who we are. Please continue to keep up.”

Appropriately subdued for the moment, the group of royals quietly followed Ahriman along the deck but were shortly startled by a loud series of sounds that echoed across the whole length of the hangar. From what they heard, the sound was mechanical in nature but was tinged with strength and emotion. In fact, it sounded like a fanfare. “Come to the side, now!” urged Ahriman, herding the group to the inner wall of the deck as a strong, repeating beat could be heard pounding along the deck floor. To the royals it sounded like the far-off beating of war-drums, but as the noise got closer, they realized the sounds were those of metal-shod feet pounding the deck in a military march. Finally they beheld the source of the noise, and the royals felt their hearts rise at such a sight.

A phalanx of three hundred giants was seen marching along the deck, giants clad in the same crimson armor as that worn by Ahriman and the other giants guarding Crystal Tokyo down below. Their armor was pristine and shining in the deck lights, gold lining their battle-plates and their weapons held in front of their chests or sheathed at their sides. Varied were their weapons, many of them shell-firing weapons of truly immense size, from blocky rifles to gigantic cannons. Blades they carried as well, from long glaives to curved sickle-swords forged from some sort of golden metal, and they were detailed in hieroglyphic script and studded with emeralds and sapphires. At the front of the phalanx marched three giants; two were carrying war standards in their right hands. The one on the left had what looked like a vexillum, a small flag carried at the front of an army. It fluttered with thin parchments and was topped with a golden eagle. The silver lining threaded upon the vexillum depicted a winged scarab and the number XIX in numeric form. But it was what the warrior on the right carried that amazed the royals; a great battle standard like that of the Banner of Macragge was fluttering in the dry air of the hangar, made of crimson weave and edged with white gold. The emblem of Ahriman’s army, the eight-pointed wavy star, was displayed prominently in the center, with various other symbols like eagles, gilded wings, and multi-rayed stars surrounding it. Verses and scripts were etched around the standard as well, along with two other numbers depicted in Roman numerals: I and III.

The third individual strode ahead of the phalanx, and to the royals, he appeared to be the leader of this gathered force. His red armor was more ornate than the others, gilded and trimmed in gold and silver. His helm was golden, wrought in a shape similar to that of Ahriman’s but also surmounted with a crest of white horsehairs. Crystals and sapphires adorned his armor, and battle honors could be seen along his war-plate. A billowing cloak of white lined with blue flowed behind him, further enhancing his noble look.  His weapons, a large pistol that glowed with blue fire and a silver curved scimitar, were sheathed and ready. He looked so confident and mighty to the royals, but of course, each of them could barely breathe at the sight of such a majestic force. None of them had ever seen anything like this, and the display of military power astounded them with its precision and martial skill.

An order was given out, and the phalanx of giants came to a halt with a crash of armored heels on the deck. They became still as statues, awaiting their next order as the leader strode towards Ahriman, for the phalanx had stopped next to the royals. Ignoring the amazed looks of the groups, the leader of the phalanx stopped in front of Ahriman and bowed in respect. His voice boomed out afterwards, hailing his lord. “My lord, an honor it is to see you, as well as the royal leaders of this world.”

Ahriman acknowledged him with a nod of the head. “An honor it is to see you, brother-captain. I see the captain’s mark is still fresh.” He indicated a symbol painted on the captain’s right shoulder plate; it was apparently the mark of a captain and it gleamed like new, making the royals realize that this giant was recently elevated to his new rank. The captain nodded again. “It is indeed, lord. I thank you for bestowing me with the rank and the privileges that come with it.” Then he reached for something in one of his belt pouches and brought it out; it was a thin piece of parchment sealed with wax. He held it out to Ahriman and asked, “Lord, will you hear my oath of moment?”

Oath of moment? None of the royals understood what it was, though some could understand its importance. Ahriman nodded back, replying, “Of course, brother-captain. Kneel.” he so ordered, and the captain knelt, gaze held upward as Ahriman unsheathed his golden blade in one smooth move. Holding it out to the captain, who placed his armored palm upon the flat edge, Ahriman recited what was written on the parchment and the royals listened to its words. “Do you, Ahrun Nuhadra, brother-captain of the Nineteenth Company of the First Fellowship, accept the task at hand? Do you swear to lead your battle-brothers into war with honor and strength and bring them forth to glory, no matter the cost? Do you swear to aid in the defense of Crystal Tokyo and protect it from all invaders, no matter what evil they may bring? Do you pledge to do honor to the XV Legion and to our primarch and Emperor, whom we hold dear?”

The captain, Ahrun Nuhadra, replied with a strong voice, “On my honor, on this matter, and by this weapon, I swear.” So swearing, he rose and locked arms with his lord, Ahriman completing the ritual with this simple gesture. When he spoke again, no one present could miss the stoic joy in his voice. “Your oath is taken, brother-captain. You and your company are given clearance to leave. Go and join our brothers in Crystal Tokyo and guard it well.” Captain Nuhadra nodded and thanked his lord, taking back his oath parchment and affixing it to his right shoulder. Turning to his company, he shouted his orders, and immediately the company dispersed into smaller units, heading for the waiting vessels at the ramps and boarding them. Meanwhile, Ahriman and his charges moved on.

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“Ahzek.” said Serenity to Ahriman, who answered her. She replied, “That was truly beautiful. I have to admit that ever since Chaos’s attack, I have felt fear and despair come into my soul. But what you said and did for that captain truly lifted my spirits, even if it was an oath dedicated to violence.”

“You felt the strength and bravery that flowed from the oath, didn’t you?” Ahriman asked her, and this time it was Belle who answered. “We all did. It was so invigorating and powerful, and I could definitely see the trust you had in the captain. This is his first mission as a captain, isn’t it?”

“Yes.” Ahriman replied. “Ahrun Nuhadra was a sergeant before our arrival to this world, but in my eyes he was already a commander of men some time ago. His promotion was long overdue. Once he led ten of my warriors into countless battles across dozens of worlds. Now I place the safety and leadership of two hundred of my brethren into his capable hands. Trust in him, for he will guard the city well along with the rest of my fellowship.”

“I do.” said Endymion, supporting his wife’s words with his own. “I think we all trust you and your men a lot more after witnessing that single act. It shows to us that you have honor and respect for others.” Surprised at his words, Ahriman stopped and turned. Endymion had always been somewhat suspicious of him, and many of the other royals were just as wary of him and his warriors. Only Serenity had fully trusted Ahriman, but now after carefully gazing into their hearts, he finally saw that he had their full trust. Nodding, Ahriman said, “My thanks to you. To all of you. I am glad to see that you finally trust my kind.”

Each of the royals responded in kind, when a high-pitched whine came from behind them. Turning, they all saw the assembled ships ready to fly. Their engines burned with fire, and steam could be seen rising up from the ramps they were on. One of the princesses- Odette- asked, “My lord, what kind of ramps are those? Are they going to help the ships fly?” Ahriman answered back, “Yes, princess. In a way they are, though the craft are capable of taking off on their own without assistance. This is just so that they can fly faster.”

“How so?” said Belle, the young princess just as piqued about the working of the ramps; she had inherited such intelligence and skill with technology from her father Maurice, who was an inventor, though Belle was more ingrained with the former and less of the latter. Ahriman explained further. “Your catapults, trebuchets and cannons work on the simple laws of force and motion, using wood, rope, and gunpowder to launch their deadly cargo across great distances. We harness the same forces as well, though we use steel, steam, and energy to achieve such power. The ramps use pneumatics, or controlled gaseous force, to propel the craft at great speeds so that they can take off quickly. It all involves the application of more advanced sciences to which many of you are not privy to.”

Though much of what he said eluded the royals, for Ahriman had tried to explain it as simple as he could, they understood the basic sense of it. As they watched, the whine of the ships’ engines rose to a high-pitched roar, and it was now accompanied by the constant hiss of steam that came from the ramps. Then suddenly something in the ramps moved rapidly, and it took two of the ships with it, propelling the craft at great velocities until they cleared the hangar and flew away freely into the cloudy sky. The process was repeated three more times until the hangar deck was clear.

“Come.” said Ahriman, approaching the exit that would lead them out of the hangar. “We must move on.” Still amazed at what they saw, the royals silently followed him, leaving the hangar for good.

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“Eric, who’s that?” Ariel whispered to her husband as the group left the hangar deck, and Eric followed her gaze until he saw the tall individual walking quickly and purposefully towards them. Unlike Ahriman, the newcomer was a normal human like them; tall, solidly built, and aged, the man nevertheless exuded an air of authority and commanding respect. He wore a uniform of turquoise blue lined with gold; it was adorned with several medals and a couple of parchments stiffened with wax. The same twin-headed eagle the royals had seen all over the ship was threaded on the left side of his chest. A small pistol and saber were sheathed at his sides. Eric could definitely see a maritime resemblance here.

“I think that’s the captain of this ship, Ariel.” he replied as the man finally stopped and bowed to Ahriman, speaking afterwards. “Lord Ahriman, welcome back.” His voice sounded familiar to the royals, and after a few moments of remembrance, the memory came back to them; it was the same disembodied voice they heard back in the Great Hall, the one that answered Ahriman’s call and acknowledged his order to bring the Thonis down.

“Thank you, shipmaster.” replied Ahriman who proceeded to introduce him to the group. His name was Ahmose Sokhis. He was the captain of the Thonis, its shipmaster whenever Ahriman was not present to take command. From his appearance, everyone could tell that Sokhis was a veteran commander, an able captain in all respects. “What is the ship’s status, Ahmose?” Ahriman asked the shipmaster, and he answered, “At full readiness, my lord. All weapons are primed and ready to fire, engines are hot, crew is at battle stance. Our navigator has also sensed ripples in the Aether, the impending arrival of other ships.”

“Enemy contacts?” said Ahriman, and Sokhis replied, “No, my lord. Contact was established by our astropaths some time ago. The new arrivals are Imperial, lord. Our fleet is nearing Terra.” Fleet? They were bringing an entire fleet to Earth, and there more starships out there? Those were the main questions running through the royals’ minds.

Meanwhile, Ahriman said, “Good. Very good. Did the astropaths say where the fleet will break warp?” Sokhis nodded once more, saying, “Yes, lord. The fleet will emerge halfway between Terra and Luna, near the fifth Lagrangian point.”

“Give the order, then, shipmaster.” said Ahriman, dispatching his servant with new orders. “Bring the Thonis out of Terra’s planetary orbit and take us to that point. One-quarter speed only, however; I am going to show our guests around several areas of the ship before we arrive. You have command, Sokhis.” Sokhis bowed once more, acknowledging his lord and leaving back the way he came.

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“Come.” Ahriman then said to the royals, heading for a resting platform that seemed to go up higher into the ship. “Let me show around my ship.”

Everyone quickly stepped onto the platform whilst Ahriman walked over to a panel with many blinking lights. Pressing one of them, gasps of surprise came from everyone’s mouths as the platform suddenly rose upwards, grinding gears on either side slowly lifting it and its passengers higher and higher. Soon the platform reached the very top, and Ahriman dismounted, gesturing for the others to follow.

“Beyond this door,” he said to them, indicating a steel door that led further into the ship; beyond, everyone could hear another chorus of noise like that of what they had heard down below in the hangar, “lies one of the Thonis’s gun decks.”

“Gun decks?” asked Eric, clearly interested. Ahriman nodded, continuing to speak. “Yes, my prince. I intend to show you the destructive power of my vessel, for the Thonis is armed with truly powerful weapons of varied design, from cannons that can fire shells the size of buildings to enormous weapons that can fire pure beams of destructive energy. I want you all to see what this ship is capable of, and to behold another part of the Imperium’s might. Stay together, though, and don’t wander off.” So saying, he opened the door and strode through. Everyone was greeted with another riveting spectacle like that of the hangar once they passed through the portal.

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“By Poseidon………” whispered King Triton as he and the other royals beheld the gun deck that Ahriman had spoken of. Just like the hangar, the gun deck was vast, a long steel tunnel that stretched a great length. It had smaller decks located along the inner wall, along with overhead gantries that ran across the chamber. The outer wall of the chamber was lined with enormous gun ports in the shape of Gothic arches, each one akin to that of a stained glass window in a church’s cathedral. Again the dichotomy of the ship’s interior was revealed to the astonished royals, for while the gun deck and the Thonis overall had the look and bearing of an ancient castle or cathedral, there was no denying its military purpose and design.

That was evident in the row of cannons that lined the entire gun deck, and were the reason for the royals’ astonished looks. Each cannon was massive, the size of huge buildings. Pipes and cables were attached to the cannons, feeding power to them and keeping them secure to the ship itself. Triton had never seen such huge cannons; the only cannons he had seen were in the seafaring ships of the humans. They were like specks when compared to these monstrosities. In addition, the cannons on the ships of his son-in-law’s kingdom required only three to four men to load, maintain, and reload each gun; but here, every single gigantic cannon that he saw was being manned by more than fifty men, each performing a specific task. Some were busy greasing the cannons’ cavernous barrels, others were operating levers that seemed to do some function. As the group moved further along, Triton saw one of the giant cannons’ backs suddenly open, revealing the entrance of its long barrel. A commotion on the other side caused him to shift his gaze; several crew were lowering an equally huge shell from what looked like an ammunition store suspended high above them. The shell, conical in shape and the size of a castle tower, was being hauled on thick chains by several more crewmen before being placed on a large rail that led directly into the cannon. With the hiss of steam and whir of machinery, the shell was quickly inserted into the cannon as the barrel began to close. Triton was now curious as well, for each cannon he had seen so far was loaded from the front with gunpowder and cannonball; these cannons seemed to be loaded in the opposite direction, from the rear instead of the front.

Finally Ahriman led the awestruck group of royals out of the gun deck. Though amazed at the size of the giant guns and at the hectic activity they had seen, they were all inwardly glad about leaving. The stink of sweating crewmen, the stench of oil and heated metal, and the loud noises assaulted them without cease. They were glad to be out of there.

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For a while longer Ahriman silently led the group along the corridors of the Thonis; compared to the immense hangar and gun decks that they had seen, the corridors were small and cramped in nature, though still roomy. They were also utilitarian in shape, exposed pipes and cables lining the steel walls of the ship. The same symbols of the eagle and skull were displayed all over, though. As they continued, none of the royals asked questions to Ahriman; each was in quiet discussion with their companions, talking about all the amazing things they had seen since coming aboard this ship.

A little further into the ship, Ahriman led them onto a wide hall that was truly vast in height. It resembled a gallery of sorts, with a high arched ceiling, gilded walls, and fine architecture leaving the hall in magnificent detail. Unlike the hangar and the gun deck they had walked through, this gallery was lovely to behold; much of the chamber was colored in rich red and gold, esoteric symbols seen all over the hall with the same markings of the eight-pointed wavy star, eagle, and skull they had seen through the rest of the ship. The starboard side, however, was open to the sky, immense windows revealing a new, startling sight to the royals.

Many of them had never before gazed at the land, at their home from high up in the sky. For most of the royals, this was the first time they had ever seen the Earth from so high up, and it truly humbled and amazed them to end. There, down below, partly visible beneath dark clouds, the city of Crystal Tokyo shined in all its magnificent glory. Though obscured by several raging fires and the ever-present smoke that marred the city, the shining beauty of Crystal Tokyo was not dimmed in any way. Its beautiful marble towers and crystal spires still gleamed in bright colors of white, amethyst, pink, silver, and a myriad other colors. It was truly mesmerizing to the royals, and certainly warmed up the fear-wracked hearts of the Senshi as they gazed upon their home.

Before, the royals hadn’t been aware that they were slowly rising up and up, going higher into the sky. Now, standing here at the gallery and seeing the Earth from up high for the first time, they were fully aware of the fact that this ship they were on was steadily rising, departing the Earth slowly.  As the Thonis rose ever higher, the royals were greeted with more beautiful sights of the Earth; the beautiful eastern sea stretched out before them, the light of the shining moon bathing the sea in pearlescent beauty. Beyond the gloomy clouds they could see the starry night sky, a vast mosaic of darkest blue sparkling with starlight. The sight truly mystified all of the royals, who had seen such beauty before but never from so high up. It was simply breathtaking.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” the stern voice of Ahriman brought everyone out of their wonderment. They all gazed at the giant; Ahriman stood next to them, looking down at the world. To the shock of some, they could see something in Ahriman’s eyes that they had never seen before: longing and a sense of homecoming, as if Ahriman had been away from home for a long, long time.

“You really weren’t lying.” Jasmine, the princess of Agrabah, breathed out, realizing that Ahriman had spoken the truth before. Ahriman turned to face her. “About what?” he asked. Jasmine replied, “That you were born on this world, that this is your home as much as it’s ours. You really are from this world, a……..Terran, yes?”

Ahriman sagely nodded in reply, pleased to see that the princess, and by extension the rest of the royals, finally realized his truth. “Yes, I am. Like you, princess, I was born in a kingdom of the desert, not unlike Agrabah today, but much more grand and magnificent. I did not tell you all of this, but I am also of royal birth.” That new piece of information startled the royals whilst Ahriman continued. “I was born to the ruling family of my kingdom and learned everything that was required of a prince to learn. Etiquette, royal duties, swordfighting, diplomacy, I learned it all, but it seems I was destined for greater things, for I was chosen to ascend to the ranks of the Astartes.”

“Astartes?” the voice of Giselle piped up, confused as to the meaning of the word. Ahriman explained the word. “That is what I am, princess, what my brothers and I are called by the common masses amongst other names. You called us giants, which is true, but the true name for my warrior kind is Adeptus Astartes, or simply Astartes if you wish. You will see that my kin have gone by many names.”

Astartes. So that’s what Ahriman was, many of the royals wondered. Meanwhile, Ahriman continued with his life story. “So was I chosen to become an Astartes, giving up my royal life for a life of constant war and duty to my kind. I have served my Emperor and humanity well for so many millennia, and I am content.” So saying, he then directed the royals further along the gallery, for they still had a ways to go before reaching their destination. Still gazing out at the beauty of the Earth before them, the royals silently followed their host.

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A short time later, the gallery windows disappeared, the starboard side replaced with steel, gilded walls. This part of the gallery seemed to be some sort of memorial, for all around them the royals saw statues of heroes in their greatest moments of victory, along with worn banners, pennants, and standards amongst other paraphernalia. The royals looked around, amazed at the honor and history seen here. The statues were awesome, crafted by the finest stonemasons and sculptors. Everyone focused their attention on them.

     One statue showed a great armored warrior holding a daemon's head by one of its horns, the head itself as large as the warrior's body. A golden halberd was held in his other arm, and the stoic expression of his face was perfectly etched onto the cool marble. Another was revealed, depicting a woman in form-fitting armor, great wings of stone lifting her aloft, a saint she was. Then another, this time showing a common soldier, his combat uniform ruffled and worn, his armor plates dented, a rifle slung at his side, his expression one of calm strength. It was followed by another in the form of an armored warrior just like Ahriman, as tall as he and clad in the same armor. This one, however, had the look of a savage, the armor adorned with wolf pelts and runic tailsmans. The mark of a snarling wolf was on his left shoulder, and he wielded a one-bladed axe and pistol in his hands. The statue was feral in its expression. These and more lined the great hallway.

The banners and flags that hung above were of a myriad colors, with countless forms of heraldry and insignia and all from different armies and institutions. All of them had seen better days, many being ragged and torn, though still magnificent they were in appearance. Though all displayed different marks and symbols, the royals were quick to notice that all bore identical symbols common to the ones they had seen earlier. A twin-headed eagle, golden "I" and a skull were the common marks woven into the pattern of each banner and flag. It showed to the royals that regardless of the many differences displayed by each standard, all showed deference and loyalty to the same government whose emblems it bore.

So did they go on silently, going through deck after deck, rising ever higher both on the Thonis and up into the sky, until finally arriving at the destination Ahriman had spoken of earlier. The bridge.

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Continued.............