Building an empire which the sun never set-Chapter 45: Harbor Assault

Edward sat in the captain's quarters aboard the HMS Victory, reading the report that had just been delivered to him. The document detailed the complete annihilation of the Aragonese army at the hands of Arthur's forces. Once he had finished, Edward set the report aside and turned his attention to a sealed letter bearing Arthur's seal. He broke the seal and began reading.

Arthur's orders were clear—two ships from the fleet guarding the Maraz Strait were to be dispatched to the Fasian port city of Arakas. Their mission was to bombard both the military and commercial ships stationed in the harbor. The purpose of this operation was to remind the Fasian leadership of the devastation Pendralis could inflict upon them if they continued the war. With Aragon effectively eliminated as a military threat, the Fasian Kingdom was now isolated. Arthur sought to pressure them into lifting the blockade and negotiating peace.

After discussing the details with the fleet's senior officers, Edward gave the order. The warships HMS Vengeance and HMS Irresistible were to depart immediately for Arakas. That same day, the ships set sail, their mission clear—reduce the Fasian port to ruins.

By midday the following day, the warships reached their destination. Arakas, a wealthy trade city, bustled with activity. The recent years of piracy against Pendralis merchant ships had funneled vast amounts of stolen goods into the city, enriching its markets. The harbor was crowded with vessels—military warships, merchant ships, and cargo vessels, all engaged in the flow of commerce.

From their vantage point, the officers aboard HMS Vengeance and HMS Irresistible surveyed the harbor through their telescopes. The port was vast, teeming with movement as sailors loaded and unloaded goods. Some Fasian warships were preparing to set sail, their sails unfurling in the midday sun.

The two Pendralis warships advanced to within seven kilometers of the shore. The crews worked swiftly, adjusting their gun angles with mathematical precision. Using range-finding equipment and trajectory calculations, the gunnery officers determined the correct elevation and azimuth for maximum impact.

The gunnery officer aboard HMS Vengeance called out the final adjustments. "Range locked. Elevation set. Target acquired."

Captain gave the order. "Fire."

A deafening explosion shattered the afternoon calm as a 305mm shell roared through the air. It struck a Fasian warship that had just begun to leave port. The vessel convulsed violently under the impact, a geyser of fire and debris erupting into the sky. The explosion was so immense that it shook the very docks, its echoes heard even deep within the city.

All activity in the port came to a sudden halt. Dockworkers froze, their eyes widening in horror as they turned to witness the burning wreckage. The crew aboard the stricken ship screamed in agony as flames consumed the deck.

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Then, another shell found its mark. Another Fasian warship was obliterated, torn apart by the blast. The gunnery officer aboard HMS Irresistible confirmed the accuracy of their bombardment. "Effective fire," he called out.

With that, both Pendralis warships unleashed a full salvo.

The bombardment turned the harbor into a scene of utter chaos. Explosions erupted along the docks as shells rained down upon the anchored fleet. Panic gripped the city. Soldiers scrambled to respond, but it was too late. The destruction was relentless. Civilian sailors, merchants, and soldiers alike fled for their lives as the inferno spread. Warships moored at the docks were torn apart, their hulls splitting as fires consumed them. Those that remained afloat were engulfed in flames, sending plumes of black smoke into the sky.

Horrified by the devastation, King Ismail summoned his war council. He had received word earlier that day of Aragon's defeat but had dismissed the reports of Arthur's advanced weaponry as exaggerations. Now, he knew the truth. The stories were not lies—Arthur's firearms and artillery were unlike anything the world had seen before.

The Fasian leadership debated their next move. Some argued for immediate retaliation, but their military capabilities were stretched thin. A prolonged war would drain their resources and leave them vulnerable. Others suggested negotiations, believing that further losses would only weaken their position.

King Ismail made his decision. He would seek peace with Pendralis, recognizing that their forces could not stand against such firepower. However, he was not blind to the future. While he would negotiate now, he ordered his advisors to secretly begin gathering intelligence on Pendralis' weaponry. If war ever resumed, they needed to be prepared.

Meanwhile, Duke Pedro had arrived in Aragon's capital, standing before King Juan. He relayed the grim events of the battlefield, his voice filled with defeat. As Pedro spoke, the color drained from Juan's face. The Aragonese king had never imagined such overwhelming devastation. The reports of Pendralis' weaponry seemed impossible—the cannons and firearms Pedro described surpassed anything known to him.

Like the Fasian king, Juan realized that war was now unwinnable. He called for an emergency meeting with his advisors. Though some still wished to fight, the majority agreed that peace was the only path forward. However, Juan had no intention of allowing Pendralis to maintain its overwhelming advantage forever. He secretly instructed his spies to infiltrate Pendralis, learn the secrets of their weapons, and bring this knowledge back to Aragon. For now, peace was necessary, but the future remained uncertain.

One month passed. With the blockade lifted, the long-awaited supply lines reopened, bringing vital reinforcements and munitions to the Pendralis army.

Soon, representatives from both Aragon and the Fasians arrived at Arthur's camp to negotiate the terms of peace. The tide of war had shifted irrevocably, and now, Arthur held the advantage. Both Aragon and Fasi recognized that continuing the war would only lead to further devastation, and thus, they sought a diplomatic resolution. However, while peace was the immediate priority, both kingdoms knew they could not remain at a disadvantage forever. In secret, their rulers instructed their spies to gather intelligence on Pendralis' advanced weaponry. The war had ended for now, but the age of firearms had just begun.