Chapter Three
Miles blinked, disoriented, and wondered why he hadn't plummeted to his doom. His eyes widened as he realized he was suspended in midair, held by a masked figure who clutched him tightly around the waist. The stranger's left hand gripped an anchor, pulling them both toward a ship hovering high above the ground, its shadow casting a strange, ominous light over the scene below.
With a sudden jolt, the masked boy dropped Miles onto the ship's deck. Miles winced. "Ow! What was that for?"
The boy lifted his mask slightly, revealing a mischievous smirk. "If you'd rather fall to that beast below, be my guest." Then he removed his mask entirely, revealing a boy with long, jet-brown hair and eyes that seemed to pierce right through him.
Miles scrambled to his feet. "Where... where am I?"
The boy spread his arms proudly. "Welcome aboard 'The Great Wyvern'!"
Miles glanced around, eyebrows raised. "Great? It's more of a... tiny airboat, don't you think?"
The boy glared. "This ship deserves respect, newcomer. If you're staying, you'd better give it."
"Right, sorry," Miles mumbled, offering a hand. "I'm Miles."
The boy hesitated, then accepted. "Crimson."
"Thanks for... you know, saving me," Miles said.
Crimson shrugged. "I could tell you weren't from around here. Figured I'd save you the trouble."
Miles's heart raced as he absorbed this strange world. "Where... where exactly are we?"
Crimson studied him for a moment, eyes narrowed. "We're in the Dark Forest of Amethyst."
Amethyst. The name struck him like a bolt. "Amethyst? This is where Laurel might be," he murmured, clutching a photograph from his pocket. He glanced at the faces in it, lingering on Laurel in particular. "Crimson," he whispered, "have you... have you seen her?"
Crimson took a sharp breath as he glanced at the photo. "She's at the Imperial Castle. But it won't be easy reaching her."
Miles felt a thrill of hope. "I have to see her. Can you take me there?"
Crimson's gaze hardened. "You'd better be ready for a fight."
They soared toward the towering castle, a fortress surrounded by patrols of flying ships that hovered ominously like vultures over prey. As they approached, Crimson tossed down an anchor for them to descend. "Keep up, kid," he murmured as they began the perilous climb down.
Inside the castle grounds, they moved in shadows, Crimson's movements swift and silent, like a prowling predator. "Why are we sneaking?" Miles whispered.
Crimson's eyes gleamed with determination. "Because your friend isn't just a guest. She's a prisoner in the dungeons. This is a rescue mission."
A chill ran down Miles's spine, but he steeled himself. "Thank you, Crimson."
Crimson grinned, tossing him a wink. "No problem, kid."
With that, he led Miles down a hidden passage. "Stay here," he ordered, slipping into the darkness. Miles handed the photograph to Crimson, listening as Crimson's footsteps faded, the silence stretching out like a taut wire ready to snap.
Time crawled by, the silence only broken by the sudden roar of distant shouts. Panic clawed at him. Then he heard it: "Run, kid, run!" Crimson's voice echoed through the tunnels as he sprinted back, a blinding light flashing behind him. Without warning, a massive fireball tore through the darkness, nearly searing Miles's face.
He bolted, heart hammering. "Holy shit!"
Crimson grabbed his arm, hauling him up. "Move!" They dashed toward the ship, their feet pounding the ground as explosions erupted around them, shaking the very earth.
But just as they reached 'The Great Wyvern,' Miles reached for the anchor to ascend to the ship. A massive blast tore through the air, exploding the ship and sending Miles sprawling, his vision blurring as he hit the ground hard. Through the haze, he heard the chilling command, "Stop! By order of the Imperial Guards!"
Crimson was surrounded, a fierce, defiant grin on his face. But before he could speak, a flash of blinding light hit him, and he fell, motionless.
As darkness claimed Miles, a single, terrified thought consumed him: This was just the beginning.