[Day of Departure]
The cropped black jacket fit comfortably onto my shoulders, sleek in design compared to the tattered clothes I had been living in since Æsir. The white text and symbols stitched across the hem and front gave the jacket an almost futuristic vibe-something that made me feel different, stronger, sharper.
Jade really outdid herself with this one. The utility pocket on the sleeve and the black straps dangling off its sides made me look like I was ready for anything. What was weird, though, was how it felt like the outfit belonged to me in some way, waiting since forever for me to wear it. The long white shirt underneath lent some depth to the outfit, the tactical gloves snug on my hands gave me a firm grip. Snowy let out a soft hoot, perching nearby. I chuckled.
"Guess you like it too, huh?" I scratched the back of my neck, feeling a little more confident, as if this outfit was some sort of armor, not just against the elements but against everything I had yet to face.
At least for once, I didn't look like some drifter lost in the past. This. this was what the future felt like.
As I stepped out into the garden, my gaze immediately fell to Lynsithea. She was in the same outfit she had been wearing that time we went into that abandoned shopping mall, black-and-gray skirt set, but this time with intricate floral patterns interwoven together on it that somehow seemed both fragile and resilient at the same time.
Seemed it had been fixed, at least, since rips and dirt were gone, and she looked. brilliant. She caught my stare, and she smiled back softly.
"You fixed it," I said, taking another step closer.
She looked down at her dress and nodded. "I did. I couldn't bear to throw it away."
I smiled back, my eyes wandering past her. That was when I noticed Sasha standing nearby, looking like she had just stepped out of the coldest winter. She was in a white fur-lined coat, with icy blue highlights running down its seams. She had an ice lance casually held at her side, as if it were just any other accessory. The cold air seemed to radiate from her.
"Trying to freeze the garden, Sasha?" I joked, nodding at her lance.
She smirked, twirling the lance easily. "Just making sure everyone stays on their toes."
Then I saw Parveen, shirtless as ever, with an enormous claymore strapped to his back. The guy never seemed to feel the weather at all, his skin aglow under the sun.
"Uh, Parveen," I raised an eyebrow, "why ain't you wearing a shirt?"
He shrugged nonchalantly, a grin spreading on his face. "Why not? It's liberating. You should try it sometime, Zane."
I chuckled and shook my head. "I think I'm good, thanks. The last thing I need is frostbite from Sasha."
Parveen just laughed and flexed his muscles slightly. "Your loss."
Then my gaze turned to Alektos. He was dressed in an old-fashioned, pirate-era outfit of leather boots, a long coat, and a wide leather belt with a sword by his side. It looked utterly out of place and yet fitted his confident, almost regal, poise. He smoothed his coat and nodded at me.
"Captain of the high seas today, Alektos?" I teased, crossing my arms.
He grinned back. "Aye, mate. Figured I'd change things up a bit. Never know when you might need a proper pirate look."
"Well, you definitely pull it off," I admitted with a laugh.
Finally, Jade came into my vision, every inch ready for battle. Donning a black hoodie, she had several ammo mags strapped around her waist and a sniper rifle slung across her back. Her eyes moved unceasingly, alert.
I cocked an eyebrow. "Going to a dangerous place, Jade?"
She smirked. "You never know. Plus, someone has to be ready in case things go south. Thought I'd bring some extra firepower."
I nodded, glancing at the rifle. "Just don't blow up the garden."
"No promises," she replied, her voice full of playful menace.
We all shared a laugh, and for a moment, it felt good-like we were ready for whatever the world decided to throw at us next.
I was about to say something else when my eyes caught another figure in the garden, someone I least expected to see here at all. It was Leo. He looked completely different from the last time I saw him; he was wearing a long-sleeve polo shirt and some clean pants, a big difference from his usual rugged look. And then he was carrying a bag slung over his shoulder, which made me raise an eyebrow.
"Leo?" I said, blinking in surprise. "What are you doing here?"
He looked up, flashing me that same old grin. "What, can't I drop by unannounced anymore?"
I crossed my arms, still trying to process this. "You're… coming with us?" I asked, eyeing the bag.
He shrugged and casually readjusted the strap over his shoulder. "Figured you might need a little extra help. Plus, you're not the only one tired of sitting around doing nothing."
I exchanged a look with the others, who had gathered around, Jade an eyebrow arched but silent, Parveen nodding in approval, Sasha her usual unreadable cool, her icy lance still glowing faintly. Lynsithea smiled softly in Leo's direction, seeming to welcome his company.
"Well," I scratched the back of my head, "didn't think you'd wanna get wrapped up in this mess."
Leo chuckled, dropping the bag down by his feet. "What can I say? I miss the chaos. Besides, someone's gotta make sure you don't get yourself killed."
I laughed, shaking my head. "You've got a point there."
Alektos grinned, stepping forward. "Welcome aboard, Leo. Looks like this is shaping up to be quite the crew."
Leo nodded and turned back to me. "So. where are we off to this time, Zane?"
I took a deep breath and looked around at the weird group of misfits: our special powers, our quirks. It felt surreal, yet for the first time in a long time, it felt like we had a chance.
"Somewhere that could change everything," I said. "And I'm glad you're here for it."
And at that moment, I had thought the group couldn't be larger, when Azalea stepped into the garden; her long hair flowing behind her as she approached. She was coolly composed in the way she usually carried, and her eyes were soft as she spoke.
"I won't be coming with you," she explained coolly with subtlety. "I'll just stay behind and keep an eye on the kingdom."
Lynsithea turned to her; concern flashed onto her features. "Are you sure, Azalea? I don't want you to feel obligated to stay."
Azalea smiled softly and shook her head. "It's my duty, and besides, someone has to be here to make sure everything stays in order. You'll need a place to return to when this is all over.
Lynsithea nodded, though I could see the hesitation in her eyes. "Alright, if that's what you want. Just, don't overwork yourself."
Azalea stepped forward, placing a hand on Lynsithea's arm. "Please take care of yourself out there. You're important to this kingdom, and more importantly, to those of us who care about you." She glanced over at me, as if extending the same wish to all of us.
Before Lynsithea could respond, I saw a blur of motion, and from the palace ran Lily, her tiny form running across the garden. She flung herself into Lynsithea's arms and clutched her close.
"Please come back home safely," Lily sobbed, her voice shaking with emotion. "I don't want to lose you again."
Lynsithea knelt and wrapped her arms around her little sister, who took comfort in the gentle stroking of a hand through her hair. "Don't worry, Lily, I'll be back, I promise you."
Lily burrowed her face into Lynsithea's shoulder, holding on for another second or two before pulling back, her eyes welling up with unshed tears. "You better keep that promise."
Lynsithea smiled warmly and lifted Lily's chin. "I will, and when I come back, we'll have plenty of stories to share, okay?"
Lily nodded, sniffling a little. "Okay. just make sure you come back."
I stood there, silent, while the quiet exchange between the sisters took place-a poignant reminder of what lay at stake: not just the mission ahead but the people we were fighting for. I took a deep breath and cast a glance around the group, feeling poignantly the weight of what was to come, but also that strength in the bond we shared all around.
Jade positioned herself on the periphery of the group, her sniper rifle slung across her back, her gaze pointed, intent. She gave each of us a look, her face unyielding. "You guys ready?"
We all exchanged a look, and in our silence, there was a certain mutual understanding. Sasha twirled her ice lance once, Parveen clasped his huge claymore, Alektos smoothed out his pirate coat with an outdated design, and Leo retightened the strap over his bag. Lynsithea, next to me, gave a resolute nod. Snowy was on her shoulder, softly hooting with self-assurance.
I squeezed my gloves tighter. The weight of the moment pressed down, but I nodded. "Yeah," I said, my voice not more than a soft whisper, and all steady.
"We're ready."
Jade nodded, her eyes turned down toward the device on her wrist. "Alright, everybody. Raise your Quantum Link bracelets and aim toward where I'm aiming."
In one swift motion, we all lifted our wrists in unison, pointing them toward the same place Jade was focusing on. The bracelets suddenly started humming with energy as they lit up in sync with each other. I could feel a slight vibration run through mine, like it was responding to some other connection between us now.
Accompanied by a faint clinking noise, Jade touched something on her bracelet; the air in front of us rippled and the energy compacted. Then, within the snap of a finger, a huge portal began to materialize: a whirling vortex of energy large enough to take all of us through it.
I could feel the pulse of its power like a heartbeat, pulling us toward it. The edges glowed in shades of color, spiraling around in a motion both beautiful and a little unnerving. Nothing like I had ever seen before.
Jade turned to us one last time, her voice calm yet commanding. "This is it! Let's move."
I turned to Lynsithea, who smiled reassuringly, and then to the rest of the team. We were ready-more than ready.
With one last glance at the world behind, I stepped forward and led the way into the portal, the unknown ahead.
As we all stepped into the portal, suddenly there was bright light enveloping us; it was so bright that I had to squint against the glare. For some time, I couldn't see a thing-just white, endless light. My stomach lurched like the gravity had flipped upside down, and I felt weightless as if floating through space.
Then, in one second, the light began to fade once more, and the world around us shifted. I opened my blinkered eyes and blinked hard, trying to clear my vision of the new surroundings.
We were no longer in one place. We were floating through various worlds, slipping through layers of reality. Each was incredibly unlike any other.
One instant, I had visions of shining cities of crystal with spires reared toward the heavens, sparkling in the sun's rays; the next we floated above a thick, alien jungle whose trees were huge and their leaves luminescent with strange purples and blues. In the next, we passed through a world of fire, where volcanic eruptions cast lava in the air, lighting the dark, ash-filled sky.
I looked to the others, watched their faces, as we continued to float along, it seemed on some kind of set course.
"Is this… real?" Sasha whispered, her lance of ice puffing with a light glow as we flew over a floating island of the stuff. "It's nothing I've ever seen."
"Relax, Sasha, it's all normal," Jade called back. So calm, so sure, Jade bumbled forward of us with ease, in full control, while we were at the complete mercy of this strange space like it was a current.
"Normal?" Parveen grinned, crossing his arms over his bare chest as we floated through a sky filled with enormous, ancient-looking ruins. "If this is normal, then perhaps I've been living wrong this whole time."
Alektos floated beside him, the antique pirate coat billowing as if we were in the middle of a breeze. "I have to second that," he said with a chuckle. "Feels like flying between worlds, at least. Reminds me of tales I've heard from sailors back in my day."
Leo, quiet and reserved as ever, grasped his bag firmly. His eyes were as wide as we oversaw a world filled with towering, mechanical structures out of a dream. "I didn't expect. this," he said in a soft tone. "It's amazing!"
Lynsithea looked at the always-changing landscapes, her gaze fixed in wonder as her voice spoke volumes of it. "It is beautiful. in its own way. It's like each world has its story."
Snowy hooted, fluffing herself out comfortably on her shoulder as if impervious to the drifting.
Jade spun back to us, illuminated by the glow of the passing worlds. "Don't worry," she said with surety. "We're just in transit. It works that way. Just let the portal guide you; it is taking us to where we need to go."
I nodded, trying to relax into this strange, dizzying sensation of flying through these millions of dimensions. I could sense a gentle pull, some unseen force tugging us forward, which conducted us down a set path. In a way, it was soothing; in a way it was, anyway, considering the surreal vision that surrounded us.
We drifted through the portal some more until, up ahead, I saw it: another shimmering light. It pulsed and swirled with energy in a manner almost hypnotic. "There it is," I said, pointing it out to the others.
We surged for the portal without any hesitation, immediately once again being swallowed up by brilliance. Everything was bright once again in that instant flash, so intense I had to close my eyes.
And we are falling.
Wind roared in my ears, my stomach plummeting as I realized we were falling, plummeting through the sky. My eyes snapped open, and the world around us was a blur of clouds and sky, with ground far beneath us.
"What the hell?!" Parveen shouted, flailing as he tumbled through the air, trying to get control of his fall. "Are we supposed to be falling?!"
Alektos, wildly flapping his coat, was yelling too. "I didn't sign up to fall out of the sky! I'm not a bird!"
Leo was less poetic, looking absolutely terrified clutching his bag for dear life. "We're gonna die! We're all gonna die!"
I caught Lynsithea shrieking as she desperately tried to keep her balance mid-air with her hair whipping around her head and Snowy calmly circling above her like she did not mind what was happening below.
Meanwhile, Sasha was the complete opposite of everyone else, wildly laughing as she spread her arms out and dove through the sky like she was born for this. "This is awesome! We should do this more often!"
Predictably, Jade was as cool as a cucumber, as if this was just her average Tuesday. She didn't bat an eyelid as we continued to descend, her voice even as she yelled back, "Relax! This is exactly where we're supposed to be!"
"ARE YOU SURE?!" I yelled back, trying to remain calm, as we plunged through the clouds, the ground coming up slowly, but surely, to meet us.
"Positive," she said, her voice way too casual. "Just a bit longer."
Five minutes of abject terror and falling later, Jade spoke again. "Okay, now it's time to turn on the panic button!"
"What panic button?!" Parveen shouted, still falling.
I pushed the emergency button on my bracelet without one moment of hesitation, and in perfect synchrony, all the rest did likewise. Parachutes burst out of our wrists in an instant, jerking us backward as they caught the wind. It came as a shock, this sudden change in velocity, but at least we were no longer in a fall toward certain death.
The tugging gentler now, I looked around and saw it: a huge airship below us, reaching upwards like a boat sailing through the sky. Its surface shone, and intricate designs covered its sides.
"An airship?" Lynsithea gasped, her voice still shaking with the aftershock of the fall. "Are we landing on that?"
"Looks like it," Alektos said, pirate instincts resurfacing as he adjusted his parachute. "I could get used to this."
As we came close to the deck of the airship, we all landed consecutively on the deck, most of us buckling to the surface, utterly exhausted from the fall. I landed hard on the deck, panting from the adrenaline that had coursed through my body, my legs feeling like jelly.
Five minutes of falling. "Leo grumbled, lying on the ground, clutching at his bag. "Never again."
Parveen was kneeling, taking deep breaths. "Too old for this."
Lynsithea sat on the ground, still shaking. Snowy landed next to her, fluffing his feathers, and giving a grumpy hoot.
Meanwhile, Jade landed lightly, dusting herself off as if she'd just been out for a Sunday stroll. She looked around at the rest of us, her sniper rifle still slung casually over her back, and grinned. "You guys look like you just ran a marathon."
Sasha touched down last, her parachute billowing behind her. "That was awesome! Can we do this again?"
I shook my head, still trying to get my breath back. "No. Absolutely not."
Jade raised an eyebrow. "Welcome aboard, everyone. I told you, this is where we needed to be."
I sat up, staring at the strange airship beneath us, still trying to wrap my head around everything that just happened. "Next time, maybe warn us about the falling part."
Jade just smirked again. "Where's the fun in that?"
I stood up, dusting off my clothes and surveying the deck of the airship. The thing was enormous, with huge sails and sleek designs that looked far more high-tech than any airship I had ever seen.
"Jade," I called out to her as I glanced at her while she mightily stretched her arms. "Where is everybody? Should not there be a crew?"
Jade smiled faintly, shaking her head. "Nope, this ship is on automatic. It runs itself, no crew aboard. Relax, Zane. Everyone's earned a break."
I glanced around at the others, most of whom appeared to be merely attempting to get up on their feet. Leo leaned back against the railing and was as white as a ghost. Parveen was lying out on the deck, clearly spent.
Even Alektos, he was, seemed merely to be resting, leaning back against the mast. And Sasha, buoyed by the impact, bounced up and down the deck.
I saw Lynsithea sit down on a crate running along the side of the ship, her arms around her knees. Snowy sat beside her and sometimes ran his claws through his feathers. I went over and knelt beside her, feeling a little concerned.
"Are you okay?" I asked softly.
She looked up at me, blue eyes still a little wide from the earlier chaos.
"A little bit," she admitted her voice a little shaky. "I didn't expect to fall like that. and. I wasn't exactly prepared." She glanced down at her hands which were still shaking slightly.
I nodded, sitting down beside her. "Yeah, that was… intense. But you handled it pretty well, considering."
She lets out a small laugh, though it doesn't reach the level of her eyes. "Well, I screamed most of the way through."
Snowy nuzzles her cheek softly, making Lynsithea pet him gently. "At least Snowy wasn't scared."
I smiled at the picture. "That owl's got nerves of steel, apparently."
Lynsithea took a deep breath and leaned onto the crate. "I'm going to be all right. just need a minute to catch my breath here. Everything's just happening so fast."
I nodded, folding my arms over my knees. "I know. A lot's happened. but we're going to get through it."
She settled back a little and regarded me with that bit of relaxation in her face. "Thanks, Zane. It's nice knowing you're here."
I nodded reassuringly. "We're in this together, remember?"
We just sat there quietly, hearing only the wind and the muted hum of airship moving across the sky.
Suddenly Sasha leapt toward us beaming from ear to ear. "Lynsithea, are you okay now? You did great in there!"
Lynsithea smiled weakly. "Thanks, Sasha. You certainly enjoyed your fall far more than the rest of us."
Sasha laughs excitedly, eyes shining. "I loved every second! Can't believe you guys were freaking out. Just free fall through the sky; nothing to be worried about!"
Parveen, still lying flat on the deck, groaned. "Speak for yourself… I think I lost ten years of my life back there."
Jade approached as well, her face still serenely composed, crossing her arms over her chest. "That is enough prattling," she said.
"You'd better take all the rest you can get; we still have far to go, and this airship will land us there in double quick time."
As people finally began to settle into sleep, I glanced at Lynsithea once more. "Just let me know if you need anything"
She nodded finally, her eyes beginning to unclench. "I will. thanks, Zane," she murmured.
I stood up, leaning my elbows on the railing, taking in the sweep of the horizon. I wonder what we wait for from here.
---
Meanwhile in Calyx, Azalea stares at the large screen in Calyx, watching the team's progress in Aerathis. She frowns slightly and starts a video call with Jade.
"Are you all alright after that fall?" she asks, sounding worried.
Jade, who is still catching their breath from the incident, smiles to reassure her. "Yes, we're okay. They just not familiar with this kind of world yet."
Azalea lets out a small sigh of relief. "Good to hear. I've been checking through memory fragments, keeping an eye on everything for you all. If anything happens, let me know right away."
After the call, Azalea lets out a sigh of relief and leans back in her chair. She feels better knowing Jade and the team are alright after the fall. Next to her, Lily, who has been quietly watching the conversation, turns to her.
"Are they alright?" Lily asks, her eyes showing both curiosity and concern.
Azalea nods and gives her a little smile. "Yes, they're okay. They're just getting used to the area in Aerathis."
Lily smiles back, feeling reassured. "That's good. I'm sure they'll be fine."
Azalea softly and firmly turns to Lily. "You need to get back to your work, Lily," she says, giving her a look that shows she understands.
Lily makes a small pout but nods, knowing how important her studies are. "Okay, but you'll tell me if anything cool happens with the group, right?"
Azalea laughs softly, "Sure. Now go. You don't want to get behind."
With one last playful eye roll, Lily goes back to her studies.
---
Jade returns, appearing a bit more focused after fiddling with some controls. "I changed the course of the airship, and hopefully it'll start clearing up soon."
I nod, not really having much to say, anyway. Airships hadn't exactly been my specialty, but I trusted Jade to manage it. "All right, sounds good."
Leo had been sitting at the back messing around with something. He sits up: "Well if it doesn't clear, I've got a few tricks up my sleeve."
Let's hope we don't need your tricks, Alektos grumbles leaning on the airship's side, his arms crossed over his chest, but there is a glint in his eyes as if he cannot wait for what is to come.
She stands, nearly silent by the window, where the puffy mist is blinding everything outside. However, occasionally, I catch a glimmer of interest in her eyes while she seems to be intuiting what lives beyond the misty veil.
As we journey a little further, the fog slowly begins lifting itself with the peel of a curtain. The airship came on a slowdown as the thick clouds finally parted into themselves for that tiny moment, and everything went all silent.
Then we saw it.
A vast sky city floats in the air, towers reaching up to the clouds. It is a precise cocktail of technology and magic- an optical feast, on one side enormous copper gears whirring, and on the other shimmering sidelong runes. Steam bursts from different parts of the machinery, and the light of magic along the edge of the platforms flickers, casting a soft glow through the sky. The whole place has that surreal quality, half futuristic, half from an old fairy tale.
Everyone sits in silence, drinking it in.
Leo whistles low. "Well, I'll be damned. Didn't think we'd see something like this today."
Alektos snorts out a laugh. "And here I thought I'd seen everything."
Lynsithea leans forward, her face aglow with the soft wonder of it all. Even Sasha, who I'd thought had seen this all a thousand times, can't keep herself from smiling.
Jade stands at the front of us, arms crossed, and then grins at us. "So welcome to Aerathis," she says. "And that," she gestured widely across to the metropolis floating ahead of us, "is Steam Cloud City."
I feel excitement thrumming through all of us. Whatever we'll do next, it's definitely something none of us will ever forget.
Just as the airship docks, it is as if Steam Cloud City's port rushed in all at once; Docks are crowded with all sorts of airships in every shape imaginable, and hulls are creaking open as supplies, goods, and whatever else one needs to survive here is unloaded. Steam hisses out of engines, and I see people hauled crates, negotiating prices both human and not.
I step out of the airship, still trying to wrap my head around the fact that this place even exists. I take a look around and see that there are all sorts of humans here, working and living in it. Strange. I certainly didn't expect to see this many.
"Wait, People live here? I thought there wouldn't be that many."
Jade smiles. She enjoys seeing the look of surprise on my face. "Yeah, After the Quantum Exodus, there was an option. Doors opened to other worlds, and Aerathis was one of the really popular ones. People could decide to rebuild, to move to a world that appealed to them." She shrugs; I'd call this enormous in my head.
"Aerathis had that mix of science and magic that people were drawn to."
I nod, still trying to wrap my head around everything as we step into the city proper. The streets are lively; there are stalls, shops, and people from all walks of life. But it isn't just humans. There are beings here that look nothing like anything I have ever seen.
Lynsithea strolls alongside, just as curious. She pauses, staring at a griller of some lizard-like thing. It isn't the food which holds her attention, though-it's the creature grilling it. The griller is a bird of body, most of its form covered in feathers, large wings folded over its back. Its beak clicks with the turns on the skewers it flits over the flames.
"What are they?" mutters Lynsithea, her voice full of awe. She points at the bird-like creature, clearly fascinated.
Jade looks over and grins. "That's an Aurelian," she explains. "They're one of the native species here in Aerathis. They have their own society, their own culture. When humans came after the Exodus, the Aurelians welcomed them. There's been trade between the two ever since."
She's cocking her head to the side, looking at the Aurelian as it cooks, flipping the lizard meat with precision. "It's incredible, I didn't know there were so many other beings."
Leo approaches, grinning as he looks at the grilled lizard. "And they've got some pretty good food too, apparently. You ever had grilled lizard?" he asks me.
I nod, chuckling. "Can't say I have. You?"
"Once," Leo says, still looking at the skewers. "Tastes like chicken. Sort of."
Alektos laughs, his deep voice rumbling. "Everything tastes like chicken to you."
She moves along, gesturing for us to keep up. "Come on, you'll have time enough to try all the food later. We need to get somewhere. But keep your wits about you Steam Cloud's got all manner of folks here, and not all of them are as welcoming as the Aurelians were."
I look back at Lynsithea, who is still dazed by the city surrounding us. She catches my look and smiles softly, her eyes stretching wide in excitement. I can't blame her. This place is utterly nothing like any other I have ever seen. And somehow, I feel that we're just getting started.
As I continue walking down the busy street, my mind flashes back to Snowy, Lynsithea's owl. I glance over to see her perched on Lynsithea's shoulder, white feathers standing out against the busy backdrop of the city. There is something about these Aurelians which makes me wonder.
"Do you think.... Could Snowy ever turn into one of them? Like, into something more. like the Aurelians?"
Lynsithea follows the direction of my stare, her eyes softening as she settles on Snowy. She reaches up and gently strokes the feathers. "I've wondered the same thing," she says thoughtfully.
"There's something special about her, more than just a normal owl. Maybe… she's capable of more than we know."
Snowy tilts her head, listening to us as if she actually could hear; bright eyes glint with that look of intelligence that shines almost as if reading our minds. Weird, really, but at this point I wouldn't be that surprised.
Lynsithea smiles warmly. "If Snowy ever does change. I'll be there for her, just as she's always been there for me."
As we walk along the gregarious street, I can see Parveen slow down, taking something in up ahead. "Hey, Alektos," he says, pointing to a big, gaudy advertisement hung on a building. "Check that out."
Alektos is curious and moves closer, then blinks trying to get a better look at the sign. His brows rise and he starts grinning. "Airforce Racing Competition, huh? That looks like it could be fun."
I glanced over at the advertisement, flashy showing sleek airships going through the sky, airships racing each other in some high-speed competition. Just looking at the visual was enough to capture anyone's attention.
Sasha noticed that they were interested so sidled next to them. "What are you guys looking at?" she asked her by glancing back and forth between them.
Parveen is still grinning and pointed at the ad, "Airforce racing. Looks like there's a big competition coming up."
Sasha's eyes light up as she reads it. "Oh, now that I'm interested in," she says with a smile. "Fast ships, adrenaline. always wanted to see one of these in person."
Alektos folds his arms across his chest, nodding. "Could be worth checking out. Never seen airships move that fast outside of a battle."
Parveen grins, rubbing his hands together. "I bet they pay decent prize money to the winners. Maybe even a shot at sponsorships for those who are bold enough to show up."
Sasha tilts her head, intrigued. "Think we could enter? I have handled a ship or two in my day."
Alektos smirks. "I'm not sure you'd win, but I'd love to see you try."
She playfully nudges him. "Hey, I'm better than you give me credit for. But even if we don't enter, watching the races would be wild."
I keep silent, listening to their excitement but glancing over at Lynsithea, who seems amused by how quickly the others have gotten wrapped up in the idea of airship racing.
"Could be a good way to get to know this place better," I mutter to her.
Lynsithea chuckles softly. "Sounds like we may be staying here longer than planned if they get too interested."
I just smile, unable to help myself. "Yeah, but it could be fun. Maybe we'll even get a chance to see what this city's really made of."
Jade listens to their conversation, arms folded and an eyebrow drawn up in mild incredulity. "You can't even pilot airships," she says to Sasha.
Sasha never goes in for a retort and only rolls her eyes and waves off the issue. "Don't you worry about that, Jade," she says. "Parveen rides centipedes, and I ride a wyvern."
She nods at Parveen, who concurs enthusiastically. "How could it be any worse?"
Jade shakes her head, unconvinced. "I hate to break it to you, but there's a huge difference between riding a creature and piloting a ship."
Parveen grins, flopping against the side of the building. "Hey, if you can handle a centipede the size of a building through rocky terrain, how hard could an airship be?"
Sasha folds her arms and smirks at Jade. "Exactly. We have the skills. And it's all about confidence, isn't it?"
Jade raises an eyebrow, but there's a tiny smile curling on her lip. "Confidence gets you so far. Let's see if that takes you far in a race against seasoned pilots."
Alektos grunts, snickering. "I'd pay to see Parveen trying to steer an airship like it's one of those big bugs."
Parveen shrugs, unconcerned. "You'd be surprised, Alektos. I'm a quick learner."
Sasha grins. "What do you say, Jade? Think we've got a shot?"
Jade sighs, shaking her head one more time. "You're all going to get in trouble, but, maybe, Don't count on me coming down there to bail you out when things go south."
Sasha claps her hands together, elation all over her face. "That's all I needed to hear. It seems like we're racing into that race."
I looked around at the group, enjoying the unexpected change of plans. If nothing else, this was certainly turning out to be more exciting than I would have guessed.
Jade inhales dramatically, clearly torn, but then presumably decides. "Fine," she says, shaking her head somewhat as she smiles. "Just. don't make me regret this."
She looks at Leo sternly. "Leo, I have to take care of them."
Leo furrows his brows. "Are you sure about that?"
"Yeah, because I trust you. Just keep them out of trouble."
Leo exhales, his eyes darting between the happy throng and Jade. "Okay. If you can trust me, I'll ensure they do not burn down the city or crash an airship."
Parveen, Sasha, and Alektos's countenances light up at that. Parveen rubs his palms together in excitement. "This is going to be amazing."
Sasha grins hugely at Alektos, playfully punching him in the arm. "Told you we'd get a shot at the race!"
Alektos smirks and folds his arms. "Looks like we're in, then."
Jade shakes her head. Her voice hardens into place as she adds, "Just don't make any trouble, okay? We're here for the mission, so if you find something suspicious about IRIS or something, Contact me."
Sasha salutes playfully. "Got it, boss. We'll keep the damage to a minimum."
Satisfied, Jade turns to me and Lynsithea. "Zane, Lynsithea, and I are going to check on Zane's Nova Watch. I need to see if it's really connected to the Ether Link."
The minute the three of us hear that, Sasha gives us a thumbs up. "No worries! We'll handle the race stuff. You guys do your tech magic thing."
Jade nods. "Alright, we'll meet up later. And don't take any unnecessary risks." She looks at me and Lynsithea. "Let's split up."
And so we go our separate ways, with our routes now pointed in entirely different directions as our adventures send us down two decidedly different paths through this weird and fascinating city.