Wind whistles at Zyro's ears as they plunge straight below. The ships ram facing the down towards the clouds in the distance, as it falls, powered by the sailed kayak weight and a mysterious force produced by the magical runes blowing wind at its back.
The ship items and the Grick crushed corpse, including the unconscious one Zyro dealt with have thrown off-board.
Except Zyro, whose legs lock onto the control hold that is attached on the floor ship beside the acceleration lever. And his neighbor whose four hand grabbed onto the kayak fin fighting the wind like a flag was left aboard.
Zyro's adrenaline still remains as he guides a plunging aircraft with frightening speed. But despite this, Zyro hearth was extremely calm. As if this speed is nothing compared to something he experienced before.
He stared upfront with calculative eyes, his hand still pulling the wheel top. Motioning the ship front to plunge, due to this, the ship direction was not a straight vertical. But a curved arc, and this is his plan.
With thousands of patrolling Gricks below the clouds, and a dozen airships above. And in their front was a colossal guarded roots, their safest and most logical option is backward, into the vast moonlit sky over the clouds. Away from the floating island and the enemies. However, if they're not fast enough, they'll be dead before they even make a distance. Even though he doubted those spear and arrows range, Earth's laws of projectile range might be different here.
Furthermore, even if distance were made, their lone ship is just an open target for the enemies to shoot at in the vast moonlit sky.
Zyro hand held the wheel tightly, as the ship went down in an ark direction. The clouds shrouded in shadows becoming closer and closer at them. A grin appears behind his mask, due to him having other plans. Zyro is still pulling the wheel top, causing its ram to head down. Its speed grows more dreadful by seconds due to increasing gravitational pull. As it near the clouds, it's front continue to tilt, causing it's to slowly went upsidedown. it's travel diagonally in a ark curve, plunging into the clouds as it's trajectory slowly fixed onto horizontal in a reverse position.
Zyro finally understood the man's feelings back then when his neighbor crawled like a cockroach in the island bottom, with only his limbs supporting his weight. The ship entered the clouds, Zyro has a sickening feeling of piloting a strange aircraft upside down in extreme coldness. He quickly leaned to the side and spun the wheel, causing the ship to abruptly turn back to its original position. Zyro catches the control, halting its spin, and pushes its front to its limit. Steading it direction before it goes through the clouds.
Finally, they entered the clouds. He sighed in relief as he let go of the controls. Dropping against the floor, facing up, his legs loosen its attachment to the wheel's hold. Satisfied, Zyro had used everything he could think of to increase the ship speed.
Plunging straight below in full power, and using the gravitational pull to build momentum to travel through the clouds. With the momentum he built up and the clouds shrouding, they won't be lacking speed or be an open target as they flee.
However, plans rarely work.
Facing up, He peered through the misty clouds above, feeling his adrenaline died down. Suddenly, a shallow yellow dot caught his eye. His eyes widened when he realized its position, it's where the main army is.
Another dot appeared, then another. The number increases, that zyro failed to keep track of its count.
Then, the dots seem to move, rather, it's dropping.
Zyro cursed.
Wits quiver in the face of overwhelming power. Sure, they created distance and cover and separated the enemies attention for a short period of time. But the airship is not invisible in the thousands of eyes watching everywhere. They're bound to be seen, and they are found.
Above, scattered flaming arrows were launched. Heading towards a certain spot - where the lost ship predicted position.
Zyro quickly got up, calculated where the projectiles will land. As expected, the projectiles were not directly headed at them, rather, it's scattered in their area. But even so, the quantity is just too overwhelming. He already figured the enemies ploy, if one of those flaming arrows hit their ship. The flame will reveal their position inside the clouds. Then, they'll be able to switch from scatter shots, to direct shots, marking their doom.
Zyro grabbed the wheel, spinning it left and right as he evaded the blazing projectiles. His heart palpitates heavily, knowing the game his playing. A game of life and death where one mistake will end it all.
He didn't even have to stare in the direction his heading, due to it being shrouded in misty clouds, even the sides. Fortunately, the projectile's flames revealed its position, hinting at Zyro where to dodge. He steered wildly, like a professional racer in a twisted road. Evading countless blazing arrows.
"Thud"
Amidst navigating through the rain of arrows, he suddenly felt the ship shook, as if something had hit it, then another. Zyro took a quick glance back, where his neighbor is kneeling on the floor, a section of the deck was opened. The four-armed knight head is buried inside, as if fixing the ship internal. However, what caught his attention the most is a certain projectile that happened to pass by. His eyes widened when he saw a long projectile cast in iron, its body covered by fiery flame. It's direction... Upward.
Confirming his thoughts, his neighbor's voice resounded behind.
"Spears, under!"
His heart freezes, of course the patrolling Gricks below will participate in the hunt with one shot spears. Luckily for them, two had hit the aircraft belly.
The four-armed knight completely dives inside the boat internal to rid of the burning spears.
Clouds are made of micro water particles, it'll reflect the flame light in its surroundings. So even if those flames are under the vessel, their ship looks like an orange ball inside the clouds. And that orange ball will just get brighter as the wooden boat burns.
The rain of scattered arrows came to a brief stop, before another wave came. This one is more composed and purposeful, aiming at a small area in the clouds.
As thought thousands of blazing stars had fallen, the countless aflame arrows descended like a tide of judgement.
The cluster of falling ambers reflected on Zyro, deep black eyes.
Not bothering to turn the wheel anymore. Because there's no avoiding it. Left? Right? Stopping and turning back? No, the enemy had predicted it all.
Just as all hope was lost, the aircraft back exploded forward with raging wind. Pushing the vessel with newfound power. Its wings zip through the wind like blades, shaking as it struggles to hold. Zyro concluded, that this might be his ally doings.
Just in time before it meets the rain of arrows, its advance crossed the range edge. Successfully evading the destructive rain.
Still, how can they keep up? The enemy fleet will continue attacking without rest. It won't be long till they fall.
"How long will this boost last?!" He shouted to be heard.
"Not long" the knight replied.
Zyro cursed internally, he then made a quick decision and motioned the vessel up, it flew upward, piercing the cloud as it came out. First the ram, followed by its body and end as it flew out of the sea of clouds. Bathing in the direct moon's radiance.
'like hell I'll die here' He motivated himself, after suffering in the damned root cage. He didn't even consider the option of surrendering and going back.
The ship rose above, like a graceful raven fleeing to its freedom. With an aflame belly and two black knights riding on its back. While a trail of blazing arrows and spears follow its tracks.
As he releases pressure from the wheel, locking its direction straight up. Zyro made the last gamble, playing the last of his wits. He could have just got out of the clouds to decrease the flame radiance, but it won't hinder the enemies firepower. And they'll be exposed either way, so he goes up. Where the Gricks wings can't reach, where the projectiles have to fight the force to gravity to hit them.
Dozens of enemy vessels have their front towards Zyro's small kayak, however, compared to speed, all of them are lacking. The kayak ascended with frightening speed, its body completely straight up like a ferocious arrow. Zyro and his neighbor went back to their previous position, but this time, upwards.
Hundreds of flaming arrows rain at them, but lack the former speed and power. As they ascend, passing the fleet height nearby and reaching the floating island above.
Zyro was in awe, without the shrouding darkness below. He could finally see the moon that illuminated all. And indeed, it was blue. Hanging highly in the middle of countless glittery stars was a circle of blue. It's size is comparable to the Earth's moon.
'I miss Earth' He thought as he took a look at the sky island.
His mouth agape at the sight. There, atop the floating island of the Gricks. A vast evergreen land beheld in front of him, it's like a haven land in the sky. However, this land had no houses in its wide expanse. But a single cyclopean circular castle made of white stone. Big and small windows littered its white outer walls. However, Zyro eyes were fixed on one thing.
There, in the majestic castle middle. Surrounded by mighty alabaster walls. A single tree was planted at the center. With deep brown bark and twisting branches, holding countless crimson leaves as a crown. What bewildered Zyro the most is the sheer size of that tree. It towered above the circular castle, as though the circular structure was just a plant pot.
'What an impressive birdhouse.'
Zyro though, making fun of the Gricks amidst chaos. Because in his mind, he already won. In their current height, the enemy's bows and spear are no use. Besides, he had long figured out the key to winning this war, its speed. They can't win through firepower which they have none, but they don't need to. Their goal is to escape, so they've been running away, but keep on lacking speed. But now, compared to the Gricks and their ship, zyro kayak had built momentum surpassing them in the aspect of swiftness, even the enemies kayak fell short. Furthermore, after reaching a certain height, zyro kayak will once again enjoy the aid of gravity when traveling diagonally, maintaining their velocity. By the time that momentum is gone, they'll be out of the enemy territory and have landed elsewhere.
By then, the enemy would have to pursue them in land.
Suddenly, I heard a wood groan at his back, monetarily tired of dreadful sounds resounding. He didn't turn to look, for he knew it would be something dreadful.
Quickly after that sound resounded, the four-armed knight, who's already outside the deck spoke.
"We're doomed"
After hearing that, Zyro turns around to confirm.
Indeed, they're doomed. A distance below, a Bat-like wing of red fabric was being carried by the wind. Leisurely flopping as it goes, heading towards the enemy ships. In the left side of their boat, where a wing should have been was a void... One of the airship wings finally broke.
Zyro felt his soul abandon his body.