An aurora of ethereal lights trails from the Raptor’s wings as it soars through the skies toward the massive StormWall, looming with swirling dark clouds letting off streaks of bright lightning. A thin membrane of translucent light shields the craft from direct strikes from the lightning while redirecting some of its power back into the defenses. The squadron of Wingling airships flew in a tight formation that did not allow for much wiggle room. The moonlight cracks begin closing up as the flock nears the twisting and swirling StormWall.

Letting out a shrill battle cry, the Raptor flaps its wings once with a magical boost. It shoots off towards the healing barrier of the StormWall. One of the larger fracture openings is their target. Following the bright light tunnel made by the airship, the Winglings glow simultaneously as they pick up speed in the Raptor’s wake. With a burst of a magical spell, the Raptor’s spirit beak slams into the magical fabric of the StormWall’s barrier, losing nearly all its speed as it froze midair.

The condensing magical aura surrounding the Raptor burst out in the technicolor shockwave, rippling through the already damaged portion of the barrier. The wave of brilliant lights let out a flash before going transparent. The storms inside rush out with a roar of winds followed by torrential rains. The moment the hole opens up, the Winglings come racing on by the unmoving Raptor. Light streaks weave around the airship as the squadron enters the StormWall.

After the last Wingling buzzes by, the magical light making a hole in the barrier shrinks at an alarming speed. With one last burst of dazzling lights, the Raptor forces its way through the spell just as the barrier seals itself. The thin shielding around the aircraft flashes as a multitude of lightning slams into the magical barrier. Thick balls of ice start to form, most of which are as big as the Wingling airships.

A substantial, chunky hail boulder collides with another flying in the opposite direction. The resulting explosion of icy shards catches two Winglings on their wings. One of the crafts starts to spin out of control in the high winds as its glowing Spirit Overlay fails. Flickering into the winds, the magical lights fade as a small explosion briefly lights up its last known location before the StormWall swallows the remains.

The surviving craft struggles to regain altitude as the mighty winds and freezing rains slow it down. As the Wingling is finally separated from the flock, a shadowy figure swimming through the storm clouds pounces at the airship. Without a warning, a dark black thing swallows the crippled ship. The comms open up with mad rants and shouting about some giant black snake flying around us.

Wingling leader tries to get the flock under control, yet the lurking monster takes a crunching bite of the Spirit Overlay’s head, causing the flock to scatter in fear. Its intelligent eyes gleam with delight before it fades into the raging storm clouds, hunting down its next target. The Raptor lets out a cry as it lashes out with glowing talons, slicing only a chunk of ice behind some clouds. A beastly roar echoes over the never-ending booming thunder, and the feed to the Seer Orb cuts out to a black screen.

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“What da hells was that!?” Jack screams while shaking Nicolas by his robes. “Get it back on! Turn it on!” He demands while shaking the poor wizard with a glowing cane.

“Why did it cut off, Nicolas? Did they fail?” Yue asks, quickly pulling Jack away by the man’s only good ear before she walks up to the Seer Orb to tap on it.

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“They are not dead, not yet at least.” Nicolas taps his cane as a tray floats into the room before the guild masters. “For those watching, these are what we mages call Life Lines.” He waves his hand to show off a tray holding burning candles. The candles had a soft glow inside the wax and were not melting from their flames. “These will stay lit until the spell's caster loses their life.” Nicolas snaps his fingers as the tray floats back to its spot.

“So why did the feed cut out?” Yue asks him while examining the orb some more.

“My best guess… The StormWall’s barrier finished healing, blocking the Raptor’s Seer Orb signal.” Nicolas says while scratching his bushy bread. “According to this, we are still receiving the recording signal, just not the live one…hmm.” His eyes squint at something on some magical screens as he tries to push a few buttons.

“So we have ta wait until after it's over?! Boo!” Jack boos at the wizard.

“Maybe we can still see something from, ah, here!” Nicolas taps his cane twice as the view shifts back to the observer airship above the carrier. The boat is back in the water, trying to retreat from the growing battlefield. The enchanted hull of the ship slides through the icy waves like a knife through hot butter.

“There! I see something glowing in the StormWall!” Yue jumps excitedly as her warrior-trained eyes pick up the slightest traces of glowing magical lights moving in the swirl of dark storm clouds. Nicolas inputs a few magical commands into the orb before it starts to zoom in on where her vision is focused. “This feels incredible…” Yue mumbles as she watches the lights dance all around beyond the wall.

“Wait, why’d that one go out… Oh, fuck me…” Jack’s eyes go wide as the reality hits him. He gently lowers himself to the floor while kneeling. “May the lost souls find their way home.” Jack closes his eyes while religiously bowing his head.

“I can’t-... I don’t… See them.” Yue strains her eyes while she is connected to the Seer Orb. She struggles to search the visible part of the StormWall for any signs of the airship’s magical lights. Closing her eyes, she disconnects from the orb. “Nick?..” She asks him in a small, soft voice.

“We can only wait now…” His hopeful tone slowly fades away. “We can only pray for them now.” He waves the tray holding the Life Line candles over. Only the ones in the center are left aflame. “Only the Raptor is still flying, I hope.” Nicolas squeezes his cane tightly in worry.

“Ya better make it, ya bastard!” Jack’s loud voice breaks the somber mood starting to set in. “I bet my house on ya ta make it back!” He quickly slaps his hand over his loudmouth. “We ain’t live still, right?” He looks nervously over at Nicolas, who gives him a strange look.

“Does Martha know?” Yue asks him with a big shit-eating grin on her face.

“She does now!” Nicolas lets out a hearty chuckle as Jack deflates onto the floor.

“Tim! Save me!” Jack shouts out with tears streaming down his face while grabbing the tray of candles from midair. “Don’t let me wife kill me!” His frantic shouts at the burning candles were interrupted by the door to the room flying open.

“Jacky!!!” A shrill banshee roar echoes throughout the room as a glowing, flaming, raging figure stands in the doorway.

“Honey!” Jack’s voice instantly raises in pitch as his body begins to sweat profusely. “It was just a joke, I swe-GEH!!” Magical energies made of hazy light surrounded his body before squeezing him tightly and lifting him into the air.

“We are going to talk. Now!” His wife yanks her outstretched glowing hand, pulling the floating Jack out of the room and slamming the door loudly behind them.