The boat fell back to the water with a bone-shuddering crash. Thankfully, the Abyssal Legion built their ships to withstand attacks from the powerful monsters who dwelt in the deep waters of the fourth. Commander Chyron estimated the vessel had been almost ten metres in the air before it fell.
Her legs shuddered and her knees creaked as they absorbed the force of her landing. Regardless, she remained upright and turned with a shout.
"Status report! Someone check for damage to the hull or leaks!"
Someone shouted out a quick reply and raced for the steps that descended below deck as Chyron leapt back to the railing at the prow of the ship. Water fell from the sky as the surface of the Lake began to calm, the air becoming clear once again.
The rock was gone, as was that dark void which had consumed it. The giant ant, so close to being consumed by its own spell, was a tiny speck at this range, and in free fall.
"Scorpions, take aim! Shoot that monster out of the sky!" she roared.
Hopefully someone in the fleet was able to get a clear shot. Hopefully the artillery she'd had fastened to the decks hadn't shattered in the chaos.
Footsteps pounded on the deck, approaching quickly, and the Commander didn't need to turn around to know who it was.
"The crew reports no leaks or major damage, though there is minor cracking on some of the interior plates on the second deck, port side," Morrelia reported, snapping out a salute.
"Tribune, what in the name of the Iron Fortress did I just witness?"
Her Tribune hesitated for a moment and Chyron turned to glare at her.
"What's the matter, Tribune, ant got your tongue? Explain!"
Morrelia's gaze hardened under the withering stare of her commanding officer, and Chyron could see elements of her mother and father poking through. Trying to command those two was like trying to command the Dungeon itself, simply impossible.
At least Titus had mellowed as he'd aged.
"I'm not sure that I can, Commander. I've never seen anything like that before. I don't think anyone has."
"You were brought into this command because you had prior knowledge of the ants and this monster in particular. Are you really telling me you never saw anything like this?"
Morrelia scowled and cursed Anthony in her head. That damned idiot had nearly gotten himself and everyone else in the area killed! The spell he'd cast was more of a threat to his family than what the golgari had done!
"I have seen a spell with some resemblance to this one, but so much smaller in scale, I can't even be sure it's the same thing. It's possible that this is simply the same magic, but scaled up; however, I have no clue how such a thing would be possible, or how a tier seven monster could produce such an absurd level of power."
"We've known for some time that this monster is able to manipulate a strange class of mana that even our best mages can't identify. Is this an application of that?"
Again, Morrelia cursed Anthony. She had no idea what went through his mind! Not even the other ants had any idea what was going on in that head of his! How his unique abilities worked was a mystery to everyone; he'd never explained himself, and didn't really have any reason to.
"It's possible. It seems to have similar traits, changing the direction things fall, turning up into down and down into up."
Long ago, she'd nearly been pulled into a sphere like that, and Anthony along with her, but the power of what she'd just seen was on a completely different level. Clearly, his ability to manipulate this strange mana had grown. During the sparring sessions amongst the Folk, he'd demonstrated the capacity to press soldiers down into the ground with an invisible, overbearing force, or even lift them into the air without touching them.
"Ready to fire, Commander!" came the call, echoed shortly after from several of the artillery crews.
"Fire at will!" she bellowed.
Morrelia stepped up to join the Commander at the railing, gazing at the ant plummeting in the distance with complicated emotions in her heart.
"They won't hurt him at this range," she murmured to herself.
Was she making an observation, or giving voice to her hopes? She genuinely couldn't tell.
"I'm inclined to agree. I have no idea what that shell is made of–"
Morrelia winced.
"Carapace, Commander."
"Fine… carapace. I have no idea what it's made of, but it seems to be extremely tough. While he's up there and unable to defend himself, though, I'd be derelict in my duty if I didn't try."
The Scorpion ballistae were powerful engines of war, capable of firing magic infused bolts for many kilometres, and their operators were experienced, highly trained shots. Even at this range, they were more likely to hit than not.
The ropes snapped forwards with a deep thrum, sending their deadly missiles blasting through the air like streaks of light.
Chyron watched with interest as the first shot arced toward the target. With her keen eyesight and observational Skills, she could see quite clearly the moment of first impact.
The ant didn't do anything, simply allowed the bolt to strike. The force of the impact spun the giant monster in the air, but when she looked again, the big bug didn't appear to take any damage. In fact… it seemed to be executing a luxurious stretch and clacking its mandibles mockingly.
"Mage teams can engage in artillery magic," Chyron snapped.
"Is that wise?" Morrelia asked cautiously. "There's a risk we will damage the brathian ships."
"The risk is acceptable. Pass along the order, Tribune."
In short order, a continuous volley of scorpion bolts and huge balls of fire and stone arced through the air towards the target.
The ant… continued to allow them to hit it, pretending to fall asleep, or waggling its rear body segment in the direction of the Legion fleet.
Chyron huffed with dissatisfaction. She didn't think it would work at this range, but was still disappointed to be proven right. To punch through that defence, they'd need significantly more force, or to get much closer.
As the ant neared the end of its fall, she ordered her teams to stop firing. There was no point irritating the brathians for no benefit.
"Let's get below decks," she said. "We'll need to take a full inventory and perform a full headcount. If one of my soldiers has a stubbed toe, I want to know about it."
Morrelia resisted the urge to groan out loud.
"Yes, Commander," she said.