The airship glided smoothly through the skies, its engines humming a soothing melody that belied the tension brewing onboard. Kael sat with Lira and Erynn in the ship's modest galley, pouring over Erynn's latest findings about the Godshards. They'd come so far, yet each step forward seemed to reveal just how much further they had to go.
Erynn's voice broke through Kael's thoughts. "The next shard is likely hidden in the Ashen Spire. It's one of the oldest temples still intact, though it's been abandoned for centuries."
Lira snorted. "Abandoned temples are never just abandoned. What's the catch?"
Erynn hesitated. "Legends say it's guarded by creatures left behind by the gods. If we're lucky, those are just stories."
"And if we're not?" Kael asked, already guessing the answer.
Erynn sighed. "Then we'll need every bit of power we have."
Kael felt the shard in his pocket grow warm, as if responding to the challenge. He clenched his fists. The shard's whispers had been growing louder, more insistent. It was both a weapon and a curse, and he wasn't sure which side would win out in the end.
A knock at the door interrupted their planning. The trio turned to see Rhys, the airship's engineer, standing awkwardly in the doorway.
"Sorry to interrupt," Rhys said, rubbing the back of his neck. "But I thought you should know—we've got company."
Kael stood, heart pounding. "What kind of company?"
Rhys hesitated. "Empire ships. They're closing in fast."
The room erupted into motion. Lira grabbed her weapons, barking orders for the crew to prepare for battle. Erynn clutched her satchel of scrolls, her face pale but determined. Kael followed Lira to the deck, his hand resting on the shard.
The Empire's airships loomed on the horizon, their sleek frames cutting through the clouds like predators on the hunt. The crew of Lira's ship scrambled to ready the cannons, but it was clear they were outmatched.
"Why are they here?" Kael asked, his voice barely audible over the din.
"They must have tracked us," Lira said grimly. "Someone tipped them off."
Kael froze. Someone had betrayed them. His mind raced through the possibilities, but before he could voice his suspicions, the Empire's ships opened fire.
The first volley struck the ship's side, sending it lurching to the left. Kael barely managed to grab the railing to steady himself. Lira shouted for the crew to return fire, but it was clear they couldn't hold out for long.
As chaos erupted around him, Kael caught sight of Rhys slipping away from the main deck, a strange bundle in his hands. Suspicion flared in his chest, and he followed the engineer below deck.
In the dim light of the engine room, Kael found Rhys kneeling beside a glowing beacon. The device pulsed with energy, and Kael realized with horror that it was a tracker—a beacon calling the Empire straight to them.
"What are you doing?" Kael demanded, his voice sharp.
Rhys flinched but didn't stop. "I'm sorry, Kael. They gave me no choice."
Kael stepped closer, his anger boiling over. "You betrayed us!"
"They threatened my family!" Rhys shouted, standing to face him. "What would you have done? Let them kill the people you love?"
Kael hesitated, the shard's heat searing his palm. He could feel its power urging him to act, to punish. But a small voice in his mind held him back.
"We could've helped you," Kael said, his voice quieter now. "We're supposed to be a team."
Rhys looked away, guilt etched into his face. "I didn't want to do this. But it's too late now."
"No, it's not," Kael said. He raised the shard, its light flooding the room. "Turn it off."
Rhys hesitated, then nodded. He knelt and began dismantling the beacon. But before he could finish, a deafening crash echoed through the ship. The Empire had boarded.
The next few moments were a blur of chaos. Soldiers poured into the ship, their weapons gleaming in the dim light. Lira and Erynn fought valiantly on the upper deck, but they were outnumbered.
Kael turned to Rhys. "Stay here. If I don't come back, finish what you started."
Rhys nodded, his hands trembling.
Kael rushed back to the main deck, the shard's power surging through him. The sight that greeted him was grim. Lira was surrounded, her sword flashing as she held off three soldiers at once. Erynn was cornered, using her magic to create a barrier that was rapidly weakening.
Kael didn't hesitate. He unleashed the shard's power, a wave of energy erupting from his hand and sending the soldiers flying. The effort left him gasping, but it gave Lira and Erynn the opening they needed.
Together, they fought their way to the ship's controls. Lira took the helm, steering them into a dense cloudbank to lose the Empire's ships.
When they were finally safe, Kael returned to the engine room. Rhys was gone, the beacon smashed to pieces.
"He's gone," Kael said when he rejoined the others.
Lira frowned. "We'll deal with him later. For now, we need to focus on the next shard."
Kael nodded, but his heart was heavy. The betrayal had shaken him to his core, a painful reminder that trust was a fragile thing—and that their journey would only get harder from here.