First Light of a New Age

Chapter 65: Magic Guns

Austronesia Empire, Imperial Maharlika, Metro Manila, Malacanang Palace, Conference Room

1st Year of God, Tuesday, 2nd Week, Month Of Abraham.

The entire assembly of government officials and military high command filled the palace's grand conference room with the whole atmosphere thick with tension and urgency.

Emperor Maximo sat in his customary seat with a stern expression as he listened to the flood of reports and discussions surrounding the previous night's events.

“Ladies and gentlemen, let’s bring this meeting to order,” he commanded as his voice cut through the din air.

A murmur of agreement swept through the room as the officials turned their anxious gazes toward the Emperor.

“I am not here to assign any blame for what happened,” Maximo continued in a measured but firm tone. “This is something none of us predicted nor expected. But we must learn from our failures.”

“Your Majesty,” an official interjected, “Do we have any idea as to why none of our surveillance had detected any signs of incoming enemy fleets?”

"For now, we suspect the reason is magic as usual," another official replied grimly. “But this time, the threat is even more pronounced. We all know where they came from, which is the lands of the Orc Horde.”

One of the officials rose to give his report. “The technicians inspected the enemy ships, and the findings were baffling. According to the report, these vessels were… nothing more than simple wooden ships, yet they withstood a barrage of 16-inch shells. When we examined their mechanics, it was just as perplexing. There’s no logical explanation for how they achieved such speeds, impossible for a mere sailing ship, and their helms weren't even connected to anything!” He paused before continuing, “We also tried detecting any signs of mana or magical runes on those ships, but so far, we've found nothing.”

“It could be one of those Orc magic,” another official suggested. “The elves have mentioned that Orc magic was rather strange in nature, as they were able to manipulate reality on a subconscious level through belief. They claim that painting ships red makes them faster, blue makes them more durable, and yellow enhances their cannons’ power. They even walk on water, simply because they believe it's solid ground.”

“That might explain why the nations in this Civilization Zone have struggled so much against them,” Emperor Maximo sighed. He turned to activate the display behind him, revealing an image of several creatures. “But during last night’s battle, we discovered that the Orcs aren’t our only concern.” He pointed to one of the figures. “This appears to be a creature the natives call a Troll. And here is a Goblin, which they, for some strange reason, used as ammunition for their cannons.”

“As for the Orcs,” the official continued, “The elves describe them as larger cousins of goblins but tougher and stronger. First-hand reports from those who fought them last night confirm that they’re incredibly difficult to kill.”

“They stand over two meters tall, with muscles that would make any bodybuilder kill for. They appeared to have a mix of both goblin and troll traits. The cunningness of the goblins and similar regeneration abilities of the trolls. Their skin is as tough as stone, capable of withstanding small arms fire.” He quoted the elves, adding, “To kill an Orc, one must sever its head. There have been numerous records of supposedly dead Orcs, with wounds that would have taken lives, rising again after a battle has ended.”

“Intelligence estimates that a force of roughly 34,000 Orcs is advancing toward us, accompanied by trolls, goblins, and siege weaponry. This number doesn’t even account for their baggage, supply ships, and any other auxiliary or irregular troops they’ve gathered along the way.”