The Fire and The Storm - The Nexus of Kellaran #2 novel Chapter 126

Part 19

“We should really start thinking about making preparations with the Triax as well.” Alilia volunteered. “We plan to go to war at their side, but we’re not training with them at all, except for some of the gods.”

“I’d almost forgotten about our plan to talk to the Triax about void warfare, we’ve been so busy.” Kragorram said as he scratched his beard. “But we’re almost ready for the meeting. Six and I spent some time on it three nights ago; we’ve reviewed the first team’s experience, we’ve grasped the mathematics, and the spells that convert from one numerical system to another are simple and reliable. We made some progress on translation from their language to ours, but it’s still very basic. We’ll probably need some divine help with that.

“But when we meet with them, we should discuss large-scale training with them. And it should be tonight or tomorrow morning, before the meeting of The Assembly, so that our leaders and the Triax leaders can co-ordinate.”

“Ah. One moment.” Quewanak nodded. He contemplated the surroundings for a few breaths, then nodded again. “Within an hour I’ll have a list of qualified military strategists, both mortal and divine, who are willing and available to help with conducting training exercises.

“The Triax will meet with you at five hours to midnight tonight, Standard Time, at The Royal Beach on Hilia.”

“Most Excellent.” Six smiled. “Thanks.”

“You are most welcome.” Quewanak nodded. “I’ll go now, to familiarize those who will conduct exercises with what Ria and I have done in that regard here.”

With that he was gone before any farewells could be said.

“We have almost four hours to finish preparing to meet with the Triax.” Kragorram pointed out. “Let’s get started.”

“We don’t have that much to do!” Six pointed out with a laugh. “I’m gonna finish my lunch first!”

“Fine, I’ll get started!” Kragorram laughed as he Retrieved his notes on the subject, and the rest chuckled as he set to reviewing them with exaggerated studiousness.

As it turned out, all of them wanted to attend the meeting with The Triax, even if only as observers.

By the time the meeting began, hundreds had asked to observe it in person, most of them military personnel and researchers from all over Kellaran. Six politely refused them all except Quewanak, Falgaroth, Visinniria, Amirgath, Somonik, Tithian, and Emperor Osbald of Thon, citing the need to avoid excess distraction. Those seven arrived a few minutes early, exchanged greetings, and took their places. The rest who had asked were allowed to join an Observing Link that Six and Kragorram set up.

Only Six and Kragorram and their close family would directly participate in interacting with The Triax; including Mark, Talia, Alilia, Fire, Val, Karz, and Povon. All of them were deeply Linked and waiting patiently at the appointed time.

A second later The Triax arrived, represented by First Mauve, another god of The Triax who was about three meters long and purple in color, and nineteen mortal Triax who swam about in a slightly-cloudy grayish liquid inside a huge transparent sphere almost thirty meters high, which floated over the water just off the beach. All of the Triax in it immediately swam over to the side of the sphere facing the beach and considered the Kellarani with their strangely-blinking three-eyed gazes. They seemed to be of every color in the rainbow, and ranged in size from one to eight meters in length.

“Greetings Prince Mark, to you and to your fine company.” First Mauve began. “This meeting shall have two purposes; to explain to you and to your people our methods of warfare in the void more effectively than has been done so far, and to begin the co-ordination of our forces for the coming conflict.

“Allow me to introduce First Purple, Triax Goddess of Flight, Fifth Eldest among us.”

That worthy being faced Mark and tipped forward a bit in mid-air from her position floating more than a meter above the sand. Mark took her motion for a bow, and bowed to her in return.

“Those in the Habitat Sphere are our finest mortal commanders, strategists, navigators, and weapons specialists.” First Mauve continued.

“Your gods and ours have finally perfected effective translation procedures to allow mortal Triax and Kellarani to communicate with one another directly; without needing an immortal to translate for them. It is a great triumph, and the previous meeting between your mortals and ours was a vital part of the process.

“However, that meeting was less than perfectly successful in its primary purpose; the exchange of understanding of mortal methods of warfare between your people and mine.

“Since both parties have subsequently enjoyed ample opportunity to consider the results of that previous meeting and to plan for more effective procedures of communication, we are confident that today’s gathering will be more productive.”

“I agree.” Mark nodded. “And it seems sensible that we must understand each other’s methods of warfare before we can effectively plan to co-ordinate our forces.

“We welcome you to Hilia, we are both glad and grateful to have you here.

“My son Six here will speak for us in the matter of methods of warfare, though any of us might choose to contribute if it seems appropriate.”

“Thank you Father.” Six nodded as he stepped forward and faced First Mauve.

“The first meeting held between our peoples to share methods of warfare exchanged more knowledge than understanding.” he stated with a smile. “This is because both sides were trying to explain what they do right now, though we both lacked the historical context needed to make that knowledge understandable.

“Therefore, we have prepared a presentation; a very basic history of our societies and races and their development, focusing on the history of methods of warfare on Kellaran. Its level of detail is such that a well-educated Kellarani could view it and understand it in about three hours. The truth is that the design and use of the first weapons on Kellaran has affected all that came after, so we’ve included everything from the use of claws and fire in the first dragon war, right up to the methods we used in the recent War of The Founding of The Just Alliance, and some of what we’ve developed to fight the demons since then. We’ve tried to show how each development led to the ones that followed. We’ve included the use of weaponry, tactics, and strategy.

“We ask that you prepare a similar presentation of your own history of warfare and society, starting with your earliest recorded conflicts.

“Once we’ve viewed each other’s presentations, we can outline our present plans for the upcoming war with the demons; then we’ll work on altering those plans to include each other’s forces.

“That is well thought.” First Mauve stated. “Begin the showing of your presentation. I will compose our presentation, and begin displaying it shortly.”

“Agreed.” Six nodded, and cast a large Revealing of a new design that included numerous subtle psionic effects.

It showed a gray dragon facing off against a brown, snarling and circling, then they darted together and set to with teeth and claws and fire in a sudden explosion of snarling violence.

As this happened, the sound of the battle was joined by a calm, human-seeming male voice; “Of the living intelligent races on Kellaran, the Draconians were the first of us some three hundred and fifty million years ago, and they have always fought each other for dominance, resources, and mates. Their wars were composed of many fights, one dragon against another in single combat. During great battles, thousands of these fights would take place simultaneously, usually on one great field of battle and in the air above it. Yet it was not true warfare, for no dragon was ever out-numbered in combat, no dragon ever had to fight against two or more other dragons at the same time. Fighters who had no immediately available enemy would wait until the nearest challenge was completed, then challenge the winner to another round of single combat if their enemy was victorious. After two hundred and forty million years, the first magic attack spells were developed and used in combat.

“Then, about fifty-five million years ago, The People of Morning emerged on Kellaran. The dragons had just endured one of their worst wars when they realized that the unicorns were sentient. Despite their depleted population and weakened state, they declared war on The People of Morning, and the first true warfare on Kellaran began…”