The rain pounded in Theo's ears, but it was drowned out by his racing heartbeat and pulsing Levia. To say nothing of his boots driving into Mare's rain-slick streets.
If it weren't for the night-vision goggles over his eyes – courtesy of Nevy – he probably wouldn't be able to see his own hand in front of his face. Even then, anything more than a dozen yards ahead smudged into a blur of rain.
The rain sluiced off his oilskin cloak, but it still splashed around his boots and its chill stabbed deep into his muscles. Not that he was going to stop for something like this.
Anyway, attacking at night in the middle of a storm was the entire point of the plan. It'd give them cover, helped along by the Blue Sky engaging the Infernal Legion skycraft.
At first Theo hadn't liked the sound of that idea, especially since they'd only just gotten the Blue Sky repaired. But they didn't have a better plan, and Amaro had declared he could outfly any enemy attack. "They've got size, but we've got maneuverability. Our goal isn't to defeat them, just distract them long enough for you guys to do your work."
Theo gulped down a deep breath. So much was riding on him – no, not just him, but the entire attacking party. Fia and Zenith ran ahead of him, while Meg, Lodo, Sam, Ryllis, Ryan, and Avia brought up the rear.
They were the crew's strongest fighters – except for Kress, anyway, who needed to stay aboard to man the cannon. With all of them combined, they might stand a chance of destroying the machine.
Up ahead, all Theo could see of Fia was their flapping poncho. They moved through Mare's winding streets with swift purpose, and they must be leading everyone in the right direction because the dark pressure of the Infernal Legion's Levia grew stronger the deeper they headed.
Suddenly Fia stopped, wings beating furiously. The others hurried to a halt behind them, just as Fia spun around with their finger at their lips. They'd sighted a guard.
Ryllis took that as her signal, slinking forward into the pounding rain. A few clangs of metal, a dull thud, then Ryllis popped back into view waving her hand. Fia nodded and started forward again.
So far they hadn't run into many guards, and the ones they did they could easily overpower. They'd done the same to the guards at the southern wall; Zenith and Avia had climbed to the top before everyone else, taken out the guards, then thrown down ropes for the others to climb up.
Theo's arms still ached from the climb, but he knew they hadn't gotten to the hard part yet. As he ran, his staff holster pressed against his side, and the Levia from the Star of Miriel leaked into his veins. Its warmth was faint, but it gave him the strength to go on.
And it wasn't just the Star. Another Levia pulsed through his body, far stronger and brighter. A stark white light, sharp with resolve.
When a sickening greenish glow appeared in the distance, Fia breathed in sharply. Then they picked up their pace, almost disappearing from Theo's view. Forcing all his strength into his legs, Theo ran faster too.
Soon, it would be time to fight.
~*~
As the Infernal Legion skycraft came into view, Darian's heart pounded harder. Against the pure blackness of the medusid, even the rainy night seemed muddy and faded. Darian felt that if she stared into that unbroken void for too long, it might swallow her alive.
Dammit, what was she thinking? She had to focus. Gritting her teeth, Darian gripped the Blue Sky's railing tighter and leaned out her head for a better view.
Not at the medusid, but the craft attached to it. Its size stole her breath away – a wall of solid metal almost as wide across as the entire island. More than a dozen cannons bristled along its sides.
Well, at least it wouldn't be flying anytime soon; just getting something that size off the ground might take several hours. Right now the craft was settled in the ocean in front of the island, tied down by both ropes and its medusid's tentacles.
And on the island itself....
No way Darian could miss that hideous machine and its vile glow. Such a thing didn't belong in Mare, an ancient place ruled by the rhythms of the natural world.
The sight of the townspeople pumping the levers made fury swell inside Darian. Some crazy part of her wanted to dive down there this instant and rescue them all – but she held it in check. All she'd accomplish with that was getting herself killed.
'Follow the plan. Once it succeeds, they'll be free.'
So she told herself, but the anger didn't abate an ounce. These were her people; they'd sworn her their loyalty, and she in turn had sworn to protect them. Instead...instead....
Clenching her teeth, Darian adjusted the strap of the rifle slung over her shoulder. She'd dug it up from the Blue Sky's armory, one of the few firearms they possessed. Their supply of ammo was almost as limited, so she'd have to make every shot count.
As the Blue Sky descended, Darian's gaze swept over the tubes connecting the machine to the skycraft. Inside them, sickening green Levia pumped like blood through arteries. If she could hit them, sever the connection, she'd strike a vital blow against the enemy.
Darian hoisted the rifle, but she knew she couldn't make the shot from here. Especially with this incessant wind rocking the Blue Sky.
But they were only heading closer. Meter by meter, Amaro eased the craft lower. Sweat stung the back of Darian's neck, icier than the rain.
Opposite her, Guntar lifted his own rifle. He was in his human form, an stout old man with a flowing white beard. While at first he'd insisted Darian stay belowdecks, he'd eventually given in to her. Like always.
Atop the cabin, Kress crouched behind the cannon. Connected to Blue's tentacles, it would siphon the medusid's – and Eulyn's – Levia as energy to power its shots. Because it drained the engines every time it fired, Kress would have to be judicious about using it.
Well, Darian had faith in her. In all her crew, including the ones making their way to the machine on the ground.
Shouts rang from the deck of the enemy skycraft. Darian's heart leaped into her throat when its forward cannons swiveled the Blue Sky's direction.
They'd been noticed. Exactly as planned.
Levia gathered in the maw of the cannons, deeper and blacker than the medusid itself. Good; looked like they needed time to charge.
Another Levia flared behind her, this one clear as a cloudless sky. Kress was charging up their own cannon.
Darian would've loved to order her to aim it at the machine, but the cannon possessed a lot more in the way of firepower than finesse. There was no guarantee it wouldn't also blow away the townspeople. The next best they could do was put a hole or two into the enemy skycraft itself.
Amaro swung them lower, making sure the enemy got an eyeful of their unmistakable blue medusid. The Infernal Legion would know exactly who had come to stop them.
The dark Levia deepened. With a crackling boom, the forward cannons blasted beams of jet-black energy directly at the Blue Sky.
As Darian clung to the railing, the deck lurched beneath her. Amaro spun them so quickly the Blue Sky almost turned over on its side, making Darian's stomach flip somersaults. For a heart-stopping moment, pure blackness flooded her vision. The icy power streaked so close it lashed at her face like a winter squall.
A boom trembled the Blue Sky, but she was already swiveling back upright. The beam had missed them.
Her heart still raced a mile a minute, but a ferocious grin spread across Darian's face. Their ride was about to get even rougher.