The Stormbringer arrived at the Khulman capital city around midday. Lancelot and the others were already used to seeing how people had gathered on rooftops, crowded along the walls and stone roads, looking upward in both awe and fear. It was… routine. But, he had to give the Khulmans a bit of acknowledgment for their backbone because none actually began panicking or kneeling, fearing it was either a monster or the Gods’ punishment coming down on them.

Of course, the Stormbringer did not land directly within the city walls. That would have certainly sparked some panic and perhaps been highly insulting towards the Kahn, and Lancelot wanted to avoid that as best as possible. Luckily, the land around here was flat enough for even the Camelot to land wherever it pleased before a side ramp slowly extended outward from the airship, and Lancelot stepped out first. He wore an Avalonian uniform, followed by Avalonian and Khulmani soldiers, with Bakhi only a step behind him.

While Lancelot’s expression was that of composure, Bakhi's was quite the opposite sight to behold. He wasn’t used to this kind of travel at all, and after its wonder disappeared, he felt sick. Like… when riding a boat, not that he did that for long either… only once. But, ignoring the sensation, he shook his head as there was more important news to deliver than complaining about how they arrived back in his home country.

Before them, a formation of elite riders, banners raised high, sitting on quick horses, met their approach and surrounded them in a respectful but defensive semicircle. It was clear that their arrival was already… problematic. Still, Lancelot just stood there, facing the horses, while his hand didn’t even wander towards the hilt of his new sword.

They didn’t need to wait for long because a moment later, a rider broke off and galloped back into the city, carrying word to the Kahn while the rest took up an escorting formation around the group without saying anything.

…

….

…..

Inside the Hall of Ironsky, Tula-Kahn Rhanak was already waiting for them, sitting upon his throne, the Gauntlets within reach of him, his fingers tapping on his armrest in a quick rhythm. At the same time, his eyes were fixed on the two entering from the opposing door as Bakhi and Lancelot were led in together. Seeing the boy again, still standing with the same straight back and a new sword at his side, the Kahn watched him in silence for a long moment before standing up and walking before the two.

“You arrive with greater fanfare this time,” he said after a moment of silence, trying to peer into Lancelot’s gaze. “Without warning at that.”

“No insult was intended,” Lancelot answered firmly. I do ask for understanding, Tula-Kahn, but we encountered something that couldn’t wait, so we flew to bring word quickly to you.” With that, he tilted his head towards Bakhi, who immediately began speaking, his knee bending, going down before his Kahn.

“Golden One, there is danger rising in the east! Great danger!”

“Did you see this danger with your own eyes?” Rhanak asked, glancing at Bakhi, who answered in a snap.

“We did, and we bring truth and evidence, My Kahn!” With that, he finally looked up, meeting his ruler’s eyes, “My Kahn, the beasts… they have changed, and our fears have come true… They fly.”

With that, Lancelot pulled out their recording device and projected the image right before the Kahn, whose eyes narrowed to pinpricks as the hall fell quiet around them. Rhanak stared for a long while, examining the image before looking at Lancelot, who simply handed it over to him without any indication that he wanted it back.

“Now I understand your hurry,” Rhanak whispered, stepping back once, raising the image, and looking at it from close up. “A warning like this is a precious gift; I will not forget it, and I will not hold your actions against you.” He placed a hand on Lancelot’s shoulder. “You brought my scout back. And you came not with demands… but with warnings. I can now trust you for real.” Then he released his grip, turned away, and raised his voice. “Tonight, you dine at my side. It will be the first time Avalon and Khulman have shared a meal as friends! Then, tomorrow, we will hear your reports. And after that… we decide how to face the monsters together.”

...

....

......

The Stormbringer rose towards the sky with a slight shudder, something everyone was used to, but the Kahn and his honor guard quickly reached for the nearest furniture to stabilize themselves. It was one thing to hear about it and see it fly, but it was completely another experience standing on it, rising towards the sky. Something that Lancelot offered to them at dinner the previous night… and now, early next morning, the Kahn was already cashing in on the promise.

Rhanak stood near the front of the Stormbringer’s observation deck, flanked by six of his honor guards, most if not all of them veterans, wearing crimson lamellar with gilded, golden shoulder plates shaped like falcon wings. Throughout the tour of the airship, they said nothing. Still, their eyes never stopped scanning it, and their hands never strayed far from the hilts of their curved swords… to the annoyance of the Avalonian soldiers also following the group.

Lancelot and Rhanak, however, were ignoring them as the two walked and conversed like actual friends. It wasn’t hard to tell, at least for Lancelot, that the Kahn was indeed excited. He could understand why. Seeing your own empire from this height, understanding how much is under your control… it had to be a new perspective for the Kahn, which made his eyes indeed flash in a new, different light.

“This…” his voice was low, teetering on the edge of reverent when finally speaking again. “This is what it means to see as the gods must see.”

“It’s just height,” Lancelot replied, standing beside him, trying not to get too bogged down in possible religion. “But yes, it changes how you view the land, for sure. It makes a difference in how you think about borders.”

“Yes…” The Kahn let out a slow breath through his nose. “Your Avalon... turns the sky into the road, does it not?”

“Mhm, no, not exactly. This is not common; these ships are not for the public,” Lancelot admitted. “Most of what you see is less than twenty years old anyway. We built it… because we had the need for them to fight beasts. This ship is a warship, Tula-Kahn; it is made to kill.”

“I feel the power within its body.” Rhanak’s fingers flexed on the railing before him. “To deliver the Gods’ wrath onto the abominations that roam the hells behind the mountains...”

“In a way,” Lancelot said quietly. “Yes.”

The silence that followed wasn’t actually empty. The Stormbringer was still rising, and it slowly drifted through a layer of thin, high-floating clouds, reaching its usual traveling altitude. Around them, the Khulmani guards stiffened slightly as they passed into the haze, unused to sky travel, but none flinched more than once, reeling in their fears or misgivings. They were Rhanak’s chosen from an early age, and they were handpicked to represent the unbreakable pride of the steppe. They were death soldiers, willing to die for their Kahn. Finally, after just watching the clouds for some time, Rhanak broke the silence again.

“You want my awe, Young Lancelot.”

“My father does have a saying,” Lancelot chuckled under his breath, shaking his head. “But right now, that is not why we are here. We want your understanding of the situation.” The Kahn turned his head slightly, indicating that he should continue, “We showed you what we found in the east,” Lancelot continued, his voice becoming deathly serious and his gaze hardened like a warrior’s facing an enemy. “That is what’s coming… The monsters won’t stop at borders because they have no understanding of such human inventions. They don’t care about who was the first to ride into a valley, claiming it for themselves, or who built the bigger throne out of their enemies’ skulls, either. These bastards only want one thing: to consume. They have been festering in the eastern lands for more than a decade now. The fact that they got so used to our land that they began spreading out… flying to scout for more to consume… We can’t sit and wait.”

“Yes... We can’t.” Rhanak’s voice carried an edge now. “I heard the reports from Bakhi after dinner. Our continent must be cleansed.”

“Yes.”

“…” With a short sigh, Rhanak turned to face him fully. “You want us to ride to war with you. I know that’s the true reason you’ve come.”

“Naturally,” Lancelot didn’t deny it. “We want allies who understand the threat.”

Rhanak studied him for a long time, his eyes searching the young man’s face, perhaps for signs of arrogance or clues to spot deception. But there was none in his eyes, only steady resolve, one that told Rhanak that even if he refused, Avalon would still go along with whatever plans they had in store.

“You speak indeed like a fine prince,” the Kahn muttered. “So be it!” He yelled, almost roaring, his guards snapping to sudden attention. “Khulman will fight. We never backed down from one; we won’t start doing it now! I will ride with my people and fight shoulder to shoulder, right there with your Avalon, until no monsters remain on this land!”

“We won’t come alone.” Lancelot smiled happily, “Our Avalon leads something we call the Union.”

“And what is that?” The Kahn asked, growing curious.

“An alliance between all those kingdoms who live to your western borders.”

“All of them…?” He asked, his eyes growing wider as he heard him explain.

“Yes. It is an alliance, a union of all the empires and kingdoms. It is still new, but we decided to end more than two millennia of grudges and try to work on them, with my Father being one of the catalysts for it to happen.”

“Your Father sounds more and more grand the more I learn about him…”

“He would wave it away. What I am saying is the simple fact that when it is time to push the beasts out, our Avalon will not be the only one coming along.”

“Then,” Rhanak mumbled, squinting, “We may even succeed.”

“You doubted that?” Lancelot laughed, making the Kahn snort and flash a wild grin.

“I don’t fear death, Young Lancelot; I only fear a useless one! I have enough sons, so one of them can succeed me when the time comes.”

“Heh…”

“We should strengthen the bond between our Empires,” Rhanak said suddenly, slapping the back of Lancelot, making him groan, but he managed to stand on his legs without lurching forward, widening the Kahn’s smile.

“Sure…”

“Good, very good!” He laughed again, landing a second slap, “Got a wife already, Prince Lancelot?”

“Huh? N-no…?”

“Even better! Come, come! Make this ship land, and let me bring you into my home.”

“Huh?” Lancelot suddenly flinched, and he began feeling he was losing track of everything that was happening. Suddenly, their meeting turned from serious to… a different kind of serious—one that he didn’t understand… or just didn’t want to. “Your home? Aren’t we…”

“That’s different.” Rhanak interrupted him, “I mean, to my home. I will introduce you to my daughters! Get them to know, speak with them, dance with them, and dine with them! See which of my beautiful daughters you fancy, and I will gift her hand to be your wife! Ahahahaha, your Avalon and my Khulman will forge a strong alliance that runs in our blood! Both on the battlefield and both in the bedroom, ahahahaha!”