Zyro had been disregarding something crucial in battle... Luck. What are the chances of them picking defective aircraft. Breaking in the most crucial moment, turning their situation from good to hopeless.
His mind went blank, he knew the importance of wings were. A bird can't fly with only one, same goes for planes, unless it's modeled to only have one. Replacement is also impossible at the speed they're going, not like they have any spare wing. Actually, there's many below, attach to the dozens of enemy ships chasing their tail.
Without even recovering from the mental shock, the ship abruptly jerked to the side, the right wing that's left attached catching the wind turning the once straight flight spun, loosing it's power to ascend as it go.
In just a second, their chance of survival plunge deep, deep down.
'Damned it!'
"Cut the other!" He shouted to his neighbor, his vision spinning, juggling his brain. Zyro was once again glad of the empty state of his stomach because he would have vomited right here and now.
Zyro's plan took a turn to the abyss, their speed advantage became their enemy. Fueling the ship spinning and rubbing him the ability to control and stability.
The man in the back quickly grab to the right side of the kayak with his two left arm, crunch of wood resounded as he grab with crushing force. He then shifted one on his hand towards the right wing attachment to the kayak body, pulled it out forcefully with unnatural brute strength. Aided by the wind force, the wing attachment crack before flying away swiftly to the sky.
The spinning slow down, but didn't stop. At that moment, the momentum Zyro has built was almost gone, slowing down as it ascend to the sky. Their distance from the enemy growing near, even though the enemy ship nearby was small ones. Their quantity was still frightening, however, seeing Zyro's ship loss both wings. They seem to slow their pace, as if waiting for their prey to fall in their maw. They knew that their pursuit will finally come to an end, because an airship at that height without wings is bound to fall.
Zyro's vision still in shambles, as he close his eyes. Calming his mind, drowned in thought, He already knew he loss.
In the short time of piloting the magical kayak, Zyro had gain basic understanding of its mechanics.
Just like old fashioned planes in earth, it use wind flow to change direction by tilting it's wings. While the tail is responsible for up and downs, and the body is unnaturally light as a feather. But why would there be a fin? That's when he realized, it's a sail, and sails are use by boats for turning. Meaning, the wings role is also mobility, the ship back is only responsible for a half of it.
Their aircraft mobility are halved, but Zyro could still enjoy what's left, while having the fin control. But without wings to glide their fall, they'll just plunge down.
Unfortunately, Zyro bad luck seems to enjoy it's time. In his hand, held a heavy wheel of wood. He could now feel it's weight for it's middle is no more intact.
'Duck! Why did this thing have to break now!'
Apparently, his aggressive maneuvering was too much for the poor wheel to handle.
The kayak flew up, slowly loosing it's spin and momentum to go further up. Coincidentally, as it loss all motion, it turn into a proper position. It's back facing the moon, allowing Zyro to lay on the floor as he stare at the beautiful moon above with a wooden wheel in his chest. His legs still wrapped around the control hold where the wheel should been.
After that brief moment, the ram press forward, pushed by a mysterious force at the back. Without a wing to stabilize the ship, the front spin like a torpedo. It's two passenger is like a clinging armored corpse.
Not caring anymore, Zyro let it flow without interfering. Not like he can even if he wanted to, the situation is beyond his control.
The wingless ship head diagonally, from a distant heights. The blazing spear flame devouring it's bottom, making a trail of smokes. It also left the chasing ships behind, who failed to keep up on the crushing vessel.
Entering the island edge, trees of green flash below them. Followed by medieval houses houses scattered in the vast grass plains. Fortunately, it's the middle of the night, so only the soldiers are awake.
As it goes further ahead, the ground comes closer and closer. Its ram pointed to the crashing vessel's last destination. A circular majestic alabaster castle with a titanic tree grew atop.
Finally reaching the castle walls, it passed over and missing a tower roof at hairs breath.
It then crush to the castle side, producing a crunchy wooden bang. Bits of wood flew everywhere as it made a trail of broken fragments, some still burning.
****
In one of the white castle many curtained windows. A black figure hang in one arm, it wore an advance designed armor, with red glass visor.
Zyro had jumped before the ship crash into a random nearby wall and grabbed on one of it's window. In the cost of alot of pain and one dislocated forearm. The man had jumped first, his location unknown.
In the end, he feared death. Rather, he can't die yet.
Zyro raised his left dislocated arm, gritting his teeth as he pull his body up. Entering through the curtain fabric, he stepped inside the room. Of course, he have waited outside to confirm that no one's inside before trespassing.
Inside the room was king size bed, adorned with luxurious golden silk that flowed from top. A few distance in front of the bed was a bronze table beside the wall. With a lit candle and a few books at the desk, beside it is a wooden bookshelf full of books, covering the entire wall. In his front was a dark wooden door.
Zyro sat down leaning on the wall below the window, straightened his left arm. And use his right hand to twist it, relocating the bone as he gritted his teeth to suppress his scream while cursing inwardly.
After the excruciating task, he look around, observing every detail in the capacious room that seemed to belong to a king. His calculative gaze darted everywhere, until fixing to the candle lone flame. It burned calmly in the dark room, moon radiance sip from the curtained windows.
Zyro then reach to his shoulder back, opening a hidden compartment and retrieve two glass capsule. The capsule was the size of index finger, with a opening placed on top rimmed in silver. A transparent glass in it's middle let him see what's left inside.
Zyro scan the content, inside was a rotten blue liquid filling half capacity. Bits of solidified liquid floated inside, hinting it had long expired.
He recalled what it supposed to be, an alcoholic drugs for short buffs. In earth, powered suits pilots mainly use this to increase their senses and numb pain. Giving them high and erasing fear in war in cost for their health. Zyro was a Stellar soldier belonging to the onyx unit, who specialize in mechanics and combat. Hence, his armor possesses a trivial amount of these drugs.
He got up, walk towards the table to get some of the candle melted wax. And head straight to the side of the door, not even bothering to lock it.
Zyro had confirmed that the world his in is in the middle era. Where king and queens rule the world instead of governments.
And judging from his surroundings, the luxurious room his in belong to a noble of high standing. Thus, no soldier would trespass inside without permission.
Which made the room relatively safe, if he carelessly go out the room. It'll be the same as him running in a unfamiliar maze with countless guards on search. Thus, Zyro choose the strategy of a thief that rob a bank but unfortunately failed to scape, and was now trap inside, while countless policemen waiting outside.
In summary, he need a hostage to gain information to navigate where the airships are. Furthermore, the noble will likely enter the room with a few guard that Zyro's confident in dealing with. Unless he or she brings an entire squad in the room.
Other than that, Zyro is a human being who need rest. He have not even gotten a wink of rest sense waking up. Being tortured by roots, rope climbing for hours and being chased by an aircraft fleet midair before narrowly evading thousands of raining arrows, before crashing deep in the enemy territory.
'Great, just great...'
He was drained mentally and physically.
Zyro sigh.
'I hope my hostage will take his time'
With that, he stood there like a decorative black armor, patiently awaiting the room owners arrival.
In darkness he wait.