Theo had never seen anything like this before. As his eyes swept across the structure looming before the Blue Sky, his mind struggled to make sense of it.
'A skycraft,' was his first thought, but that couldn't be – there was no medusid in sight. The central structure did vaguely resemble a skycraft's gondola, though far bigger than any he'd ever encountered, even General Hellebore's craft. It was smooth and sleek without any hint of seams, curving like a ring around the strange contraption in the center of the craft.
If he squinted, Theo made out several gigantic rings revolving around each other like a gyroscope, but that was all he could see through the sphere of golden light engulfing them. Staring at it directly made his eyes water and his head start pounding. This was the source of that awful crushing Levia, its glow bathing not only the Blue Sky but shimmering in this craft's towering windows and sparkling the crystal feathers of the six wings arrayed around it.
That was the most insane part of the entire sight – the enormous mechanical wings framing the craft, their feathers cutting through the sky like glinting knives. Beautiful, but in a terrifying way.
He wanted to run away, to escape this overwhelming Levia. Or maybe step closer, accept its golden embrace. He didn't know. By now, he could almost taste it in his throat, sickly sweet like honey yet with a sharp metallic bite.
And he was far from the only one feeling it. A burst of white light sparked inside him, harsh and jagged, and against his will his gaze landed on Zenith standing at the bow of the Blue Sky. As the knight staggered backward, legs trembling, his Levia flared like a lightning storm.
Strangely, something about it reminded Theo of this mysterious craft. No, not the craft itself, but that sphere of golden light in the center. Wasn't it...wasn't it almost like a homunculus' core?
Then footsteps rang across the deck, scattering his thoughts. Darian was striding forward, the muscles in her body visibly straining, rapier gripped in her white-knuckled hand.
"Just what...what the hell is that?" she growled.
The strange craft's core glowed brighter, the rings spinning faster. As its Levia spiked, a few of the Blue Sky crew fell to their knees. But Theo remained upright, frozen in place.
That was when a new Levia bloomed in the air – this one soft and gentle, glowing a subtle pale blue. It engulfed the Blue Sky, settling over the crew like a protective blanket, and though it couldn't hold the golden light at bay, Theo found he could breathe a little easier.
The blue glow felt the strongest right above his head. Even without looking, Theo knew it had to be Eulyn.
Eulyn's protection emboldened Darian as well. She lifted her rapier, pointing it at the strange craft in a valiant display of defiance, and snapped, "All crew, stay alert. Kress, can you man the cannon? Start charging it up, but don't fire yet."
"Aye aye, Prince!" Kress called from her perch atop the cabin, though her voice came out raspy and shuddering.
"As for you." Darian raised her voice, facing the strange craft head-on. "Explain who you are, and what you want with us."
Theo couldn't believe her daring, standing up to this mysterious enemy all on her own – no, not her own. The other crew members were rising to their feet, readying their weapons. Meg summoned a strengthening spell, followed by Ryan and Sam. Their diagrams glinted beneath the onslaught of golden light like distant beacons.
Theo ought to join them. He reached for his own Levia, only to realize that meant he had to work together with Zenith.
To his shame, his Levia fizzled into useless sparks. 'Seriously, now of all times?' Dammit, the last thing he needed to worry about was their stupid little argument. Still, they hadn't gotten a chance to clear the air between them yet.
Well, that could wait. Gritting his teeth, Theo prepared to gather his power again.
But before he could, the golden light flared so bright dark spots danced in his vision. He staggered back, tears stinging his eyes. As he blinked them away, his heart skipped a beat: the windows at the very front of the craft were slowly sliding open.
Darian's sharp intake of breath echoed across the deck, somehow cutting through the frantic pounding of Theo's heart. As the gap between the windows widened, golden Levia spilled out between them. And deep within it, a silhouette was emerging....
When the gap spread enough to admit a person, the silhouette stepped forward. Six wings fanned out behind it, slicing black arcs across the light.
Gasps flurried across the Blue Sky. But above all, Theo felt Zenith's Levia surging inside his chest. Wild with shock – yet also tinged with a strange edge of...of recognition?
For a heartbeat, the figure remained in place, framed by the golden glow from the craft. Then with a tremendous flap of its wings, it launched itself forward.
"Shit!" Darian yelled, more panicked than Theo had ever seen. "Amaro, take us – "
But before she could finish, the winged figure landed atop the bow railing. Zenith, who was closest, reeled like he'd been punched in the chest.
Theo instinctively lurched toward him, but the air felt like it had become concrete. He could barely see through the harsh light engulfing the winged figure. Just when he thought he might go blind – or lose his mind – the light dimmed.
Blinking, Theo struggled to focus. The winged figure was no longer aglow, allowing him to make out its features. A tall, slender build. Wavy golden hair and loose robes swirling in the wind.
And those wings spread proudly behind his back. White as snow, yet with a faint golden sheen, as if light was glowing deep within their core. The same glow pulsed beneath the man's bronze skin, making him seem unreal, like an image from a half-remembered dream.
But he wasn't a dream. He was a seraphim.
Dread, awe, terror – Theo couldn't begin to name the emotion strangling his throat. He didn't know what to do, or even what to think.
The seraphim swept his gaze across the crew, taking them in with a beatific smile across his surprisingly delicate features. When his eyes landed on Theo, a shock jolted down Theo's spine. Those eyes were the palest of blue, like the edge of the sky, but contained within them what seemed like countless tiny, sparkling lights. Like jewels...no, stars.
A memory rose in some dim part of his mind, Cay telling him about how his own eyes had briefly appeared like a cosmos full of stars. 'Only seraphim have eyes like that.'
Then those eyes slid away from him, making Theo feel like he'd snapped out of a trance. But when the seraphim turned his gaze upon Zenith, the dread came rushing back in.
The seraphim's smile widened, his eyes sparkling brighter. With a gentle flutter of his wings and a rustle of cloth, he leaped from the railing and landed directly in front of Zenith.
Zenith lurched, but the seraphim had already reached for him. His slender fingers closed around Zenith's chin, tilting his head up. This close, Theo could see that he easily stood a half a head higher than the already-tall knight.
Zenith seemed stricken, not reacting as the seraphim surveyed his face. "How wonderful," the seraphim said in a murmur that nonetheless drifted across the deck. "You seem to be doing well. I'm glad."
Zenith remained silent, but his words seemed to spark something awake inside Darian. Trembling all over, she jabbed her rapier at the seraphim. "Who the hell are you? Answer me, and unhand my knight this instant!"
"Hm?" The seraphim turned toward her, though he didn't let go of Zenith. The way his fingers curved around Zenith's jaw made Theo's stomach clench. "Your knight, you say?"
"Yes," Darian snapped. "He is Sir Zenith of Miria, sworn to my service."
"Oh?" The smile never left the seraphim's face. He tilted his head, regarding Darian as if she were a museum specimen. "Ah, that's right. I'm afraid I've yet to introduce myself."
He finally released Zenith, giving Theo a burst of relief, but it didn't last long before the seraphim spun on his heel to face the entire crew.
"Greetings, everyone," he said, spreading his arms. "I am the seraphim Cyrias, paying you a visit from my personal workshop. And this homunculus knight is my long-lost creation."