"Alright, be careful. Get these cappacks into the pods as quickly as possible!" a hired hand orders, his arms directing the rest about. Their groans stuff the air as they move the filled capture-sacks into the pods. Hissing, then thudding. The steely-grey-rimmed tubes seal up.
Further noises escape the devices as they decontaminate themselves of any corrupting magic. Moving a couple of steps closer, I lean into my approach, hand out. Thick, blue-tinted glass hues my view. The shadow of the captured blank within moves under no circumstance, even as I play with my direction and perception.
Walking away, I run my right paw along the tube, flicking it off once I reach the end. My musket rattles behind me and I carry on walking towards the edge of the canyon. Glancing at the topside of my homeland, I grow impatient about our return. It's just over this gap, just get over there and go back to Suhurlodst and we can be on our way.
Looking down, it's only darkness and looking across, it's the near-endless mountain ranges of Jherikra.
I pull my musket around from my back and throw it up gently. Catching it by the stock, I let it fall forwards and catch the barrel in my open paw. Looking into the scope, I try to spot some towns or villages or, at the very least, signs of them. But, I really should be keeping an eye on the canyon...
Adjusting my view, I look out for our pickup as it is supposed to be coming up out of these dark depths. I just need to spot even the slightest tint of luminescent energy, which, given the utter blackness of the canyon... It should be easy. However, taking into account the two superpowers and their war. Our partners need to be creative.
If it didn't make my job as lookout harder, I'd be willing to commend them for it. But it does. I couldn't care less about their troubles, only how it affects mine. Thankfully for my patience, I spot a small, seemingly distant light down in the canyon.
"There we aaare." I comment as I lower my musket. Smiling at the growing speck of green, I start to step away from the steep canyon edge. What an odd place to find the return of stars to the world. Towards the core of it and not beyond the sky.
Mixed echoes of the airship reach me first as do the earliest tides. Placing a paw over my brow, I prepare to feel the blasting winds. The real roar of the engines hits me, and it grows. Howling winds only accent it all further.
Then, blowing up a cloud of dust, the machine flies overhead on a flowing trail of emerald. I can't even find the strength to complain about it. It's been so long since I have felt a pleasant breeze. These wastelands have nothing going for them, despite housing the God of Thunder's blessed mountain. How does the God of Storms not even have the slightest of gusts going across that damned place?
Whatever the reason is for the Thunderstricken Wastes to be like that, Jherikra is the opposite. The home of the Wind-Mountain will give me all the relaxing breezes I want. It fills me with eagerness and I rush back to Paps and the hired hands. That machine's going to carry us out of this wasteland of nought but still gravel and redstone at the end!
However, as I come closer, I spot what looks like an argument happening at one of the pods, "Why aren't you sealing it!?"
"It's picking up magic in this one. I can't get rid of it!" the man by the pod answers as he presents the assigned tablet.
"How does that even work? By Undwote's freezing grip... They all have the ankle bracelets on! That means no magic. They are blank!"
"It just seems to be an insect, if we just op-"
"We don't have the equipment to open them up again!" the lead one growls.
"Paps..." I mutter as I approach him. Tugging at his clothes, I end his preoccupation and knock my head toward the problem. He doesn't seem to be bothered by it, though, he just checks his tablet instead. Not even a twitch of the eyes.
"Problem indeed," he eventually tuts as he hands off the slate tablet to someone else. Staying where I am, I watch as he paces about the pod before he glances up at our crane. The hiss of metal comes at us from behind.
"Paps, they've laaanded!" I call out to him as the Academy's airship blows up grey and red dust in the distance. A blender for the joining of wasteland and canyon- Paps keeps his focus on the pod and he knocks his knuckles against it. I blink and shift my gaze after him.
"In middle. It'll hide," he tells the crew before he gestures out to the crane operators. The lengthy machine gets to work, placing the faulty pod into the thick of the acceptable ones. Entombing it under the others discreetly as if it is just a part of our normal procedures. Paps returns with a straight, calm expression.
"The Aaacaaadaaamites cauld maaaybe pick it up an their sensars." I remind him, but he shakes his head. A slight, confident smirk on his lips as he does so. I hold him to his wisdom and try to share the emotion.
"Make sure done," he tells me as he pats me on the shoulder before he heads out to meet the approaching inspectors. Sighing, I do as asked and I briefly watch over the crews as they work in contrast to Paps' unbreakable calm.
"Does someone need to look out for the boss?" one of the hired hands asks as I climb up onto the crane.
"Keep warking." I answer, looking through the scope of my musket so I can get a better view of the deal. Despite our honest transactions with the Academy, they still feel the need to do everything heavily armed. Thankfully, or not, these are not professional soldiers of any sort. But that's just the problem as well...
Our payday-saving facade would go along a lot better with those trained not to poke around. The Acadamites will be doing that themselves, sure, but the lack of discipline could rile up our nervous hired hands. A chaotic gunfight is never the kind you want. I snarl in anticipation of any trouble.
Whoever they have brought along, Thrurstradtur's State-Guard is out of the question. This umbrella does not cover Suhurlodst's private security, and its status as a school limits its ability to be excessively armed. Either these are guild pickups or estate-guards. Promises of quick and easy pay and bored young men who want to see the world beyond their homes.
But, depending on how they play their cards, a bit of adventure could hurt everyone here...
I go over every single one of them. Checking how they hold their gun and how they stand. Many are relaxed and looking about at the utter nothing, but a few are far too pushy for my liking. They're boys who have never been in a position of intimidation and they're looking for a cheap way into it. They seem to think they have Paps anxious or scared. The naivety is honestly quite hilarious.
But, I breathe a sigh of relief as Paps turns around. Lowering my gun, I shoulder it once again and hop down from the crane. The initial part of this part of the deal is going over without issue. Now, to see if Paps's plan work so I can either laugh about it later or fear for my patience.
Sticking to the corner of the representative's eye, I smirk as I look his clothes over. I understand that Thrurstradtur is a city built on and about a bafflingly large sundial. Still, the theme is almost excessive with everything this man is wearing. Copper, brass and dark browns like the polished oak on grandfather clocks. Patterns and motifs of a similar kind as well decorate him completely.
Apparently, there is such a thing as too much pride for one's home.
Slinking away to the edge of the loading platform, I watch them as they go over everything. The crew back away as some of Suhurlodst's security sniffs about and the inspector checks the tubes. His device beeps again and again as he goes through the tubes and he starts to get nosy with the interior ones. Looking about, he nods in support of our use of the space on the platform.
Paps' plan has worked, and the inspector leaves a happy man, guards in tow. Or, well, as happy as these uptight professionals can be. Now all we have to do is hook ourselves up to the airship and we can be on our way. Though, I am dreading a little at how packed this thing is going to be.
All these filled pods, our equipment and transportation, the crews to handle it all and the mamulers to pull it... It's going to be cramped. So, I make my way to a wagon quickly and claim it for me and Paps. They aren't the best and frankly; I am sick of sitting on one, but a seat's a seat at the moment. Cushionless or not.
If I could have my way, I'd like to be closer to the edge so I can dangle my legs over it. I could watch as the world just goes on by below me. But, Paps would never allow such a thing. Too dangerous in his eyes. Just like how having some privacy is considered too dangerous in his eyes...
"Safe." he tells me as he runs a paw down my spines. Suddenly, a loud click fills my ears and he backs away, smiling, a chain in his hands. When did he!?
"Ane af these daaays... Ane af these daaays..." I grumble as I tug at the proof of his overprotective nature. I glare at him as he leans into his seat to get some shut-eye. I want to mangle him... We are not even near the edge of the platform!
Stupid old hegge...
Though it doesn't seem like I could dangle my legs over the edge either, there are no cables picking us up. Some kind of magic-based scoop picks us up instead with none of the usual hassle. It walls us in on four sides and everyone starts to move closer, away from the power. All this oppressive magic and so few places to go...
Up and up we go.
"Hey, make some room." a hired hand tells another as he immediately gets sick of the arcane pressure.
"No, stay there, keep me safe," the other answers as he hunkers behind his meat shield.
"Roll down a mountain..." the complainer swears as we cross the Redstone Canyon. I whine with a grumble, the sight of an endless trench lost to me.