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Fire Meadow
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Kanes
"Well, it's time we actually told you..."
Riel
"No need, the orb informed me. What's the situation?"
Kanes
"A war is about to break out, a very unfair one. Zein is going to attack northern lands, they want to seize the secrets of magic, and then with its use conquer the rest of the world, or even try and go back on Terra. The possibilities of disaster are endless."
Riel
"The enemies of Zein are my friends. Is there anything you plan?"
Ilya
"Yes, the best bet would be to warn my home, White Citadel. While we are capable of formidable resistance, we knew nothing. I was sent out to scout who's approaching the place, and got seized along with the group here. They are good people and I support their cause whole-heartedly. However, time is of the essence so I'll ask straight: are there any functional Titans docked in this settlement?"
Riel
"Only mine is ready to roll, others will need minor maintenance to be fully operational. I suppose you want to use them to cross the ocean? I warn you that only that one will be able to scale this distance without refueling."
Ilya
"It is enough."
Kanes
"I'd like to mention one more thing... before I left those scoundrels, there was a word about a location far to the north that isn't the Citadel. They called it a 'beacon' and planned on moving the Palace there. You see, the imperial palace is in fact a gigantic air fortress that wouldn't have any problems moving there. Can we know what is there of such importance that they might take the effort of moving the heart of the empire there?"
Ilya
"Why haven't you told us that earlier!? This is the crash site of the second Ark, whose inhabitants were the ancestors of northern land's people. If they got there... there would be no need to fight. With their sheer numbers, and artifacts of our technology to reverse-engineer... we would be doomed. They could even find... no, even you can't know. So cannot them."
Kanes
"...
I volunteer to take a Titan and go warn them."
Riel
"That's dangerous... but as I've heard, this isn't the first time you're going to try that. I'll get Judgment ready tomorrow then. Please, make sure to return it to me in one piece."
Zariene
"Miss Riel, what happened to the Orb, and what can be done? It was, while annoying, a valuable advisor. It wouldn't be all right to leave it like that after what we went through."
Pheriel
"I'm also interested. After all, the very purpose of me being here is my research of the fabled 'psyche orb', which probably is the trinket in question."
Kanes
"Are you sure it's the only reason?"
Pheriel chuckles.
Pheriel
"Oh, shut up."
Riel
"The Orb is made of a material called an omnicapacitor stone, omni for short. It is a rare version of a capstone which runs on raw energy, of no element nor manifest - except its faint blue glow. The means to recharge one besides channeling from one into another are unknown, and charged ones are very rare. Nano-sized shards are used to power computer systems' basic functions, and larger crystals are formed into cores of artificial beings such as me."
Technically I'm using up my heart out at double rate by keeping you here, but I don't want them to know. They'd feel bad asking me to keep you, but I want to help.
Asgeria
"Kanes... do you remember when I told you what capstones are? You said they're mining for such things... perhaps they found omni stones as well among the others?"
Kanes
"I don't know of any stones that my team did... wait. I think I may have seen that blue glow before."
Riel
"That means?"
Kanes
"The steering system of the flying fortress. We were told to include a blue crystal, at the power nodes. It essentially works to cut down the energy output of the capstones, as it works as a semi-conductor that doesn't heat up. We didn't find a way to channel energy out of it."
Riel
"So... they have a nicely sized, charged omnistone?"
Kanes
"Yes."
Riel
"And removing it would..."
Kanes
"Destroy the fortress from energy overload. The capstones would pop open, the engines would burn and the fortress fall."
Riel
"Is there any minor aircraft stationed in the fortress?"
Kanes
"There is... I know what you're thinking, but this is suicide."
Riel
"So is your plan, I know what I'm doing. Attention, everyone!"
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