Celestina Shoukan

Chapter 5 - After the Naval Battle

The Louria Kingdom, Wyvern Base

Four hundred wyverns are sortied to deal with the enemy's fleet. Three hours after their last known contact with the base, some are screaming while some report that their wyverns have been captured. Silence fills the Headquarters. Why no one tries to re-establish the connection again? Furthermore, why no dragon rider manages to return? Everyone becomes impatient while they are also feels nervous.

"So, where are they?"

No one can give the exact answer about it.

It is unthinkable, but... Did it really happen that they have been defeated?

As far as the Louria history goes, the wyverns is the strongest creature. But, they are also a rare and precious species as it takes a lot of effort to collect such numbers. The uproar of Louria by assembling seven hundred wyverns comes from building the forces for eight years and receiving help from the Papaldia Empire, with the condition they were used to conquer Rodenius Continent. Sending four hundred dragon rider to face the enemy forces, this elite squadron is supposed to be able to make a performance worth written in the history book before heading back to the base.

The fact is, nobody has ever returned, not even one. It really hurts to think about it, but there is a possibility that they are, indeed, have been defeated. In normal conditions, even facing the large fleet that much, it shouldn't be possible to defeat all of the four hundred dragon riders.

Is the enemy probably serving the legendary dragon Bahamut? No one even knows how to report this to the Louria King. They even do now know that Celestina possesses some dragons that were used as a mount by riders. Shiela is the only person known to use an ancient legendary dragon, Kagefumi Entranger.

"...inform the advance force that, with emergency discretion, half of the dragon riders from the advance army must return to the capital immediately."

--

Central Calendar, the year 1523, April 26th, Qua-Toyne Principality, Government Meeting

"This concludes the report of the great battle of Rodenius Sea and the current situation in Gim right now."

Two days after the naval battle, General Nou and Admiral Breweye were summoned to the council meeting as the witness and as references. All of those who are present also receive the report, and the atmosphere inside the meeting was filled with silence.

"So. What kind of report is this actually? Celestina only deploy eight ships, challenged the Louria Fleet that numbered five thousand, and sunk two thousand with addition of capturing another two thousand? Furthermore, they also deploy 150 wyverns to fight 400 wyverns and they manage to bring back 200 enemy wyverns without giving air support like that? Much to add, from eight ships itself, there are no casualties? In this report was written 'dead casualty: zero' and 'wounded casualty: ten.' Nobody dies!? And I need to add again that our troops literally did not do anything at all!?

I do not want to receive a fantasy-based report like this! I did not want to accuse our Navy and Army to come to this government meeting and saying this like that out of the blue. But, at least we have to know that this fact really has to be a fact!"

Everyone there thinks about the same thing, but different from those who already visited Celestina before.

"Isn't that time they already said that they will only deploy eight ships for this during the meeting with the Main Council on Celestina?"

They were supposed to be celebrating for the victory on Naval Battle. Besides, they manage to stop the Louria Fleet attack and prevent the national crisis, but this report just makes them fear because of the power of the Celestina Empire.