A woman with a gruff, commanding voice shoved her way through the packed hangar. Several people were knocked over by her belligerence.

“Where’s Gwil?” she barked upon emerging from the throng. It was Limmy. “Where is he? Why isn’t he with you, flower lady?”

“I’m here,” Gwil said from Leira’s shoulder. “Hey, Limmy!”

She stomped closer, leaning in and squinting. “What the hell? I don’t remember you being so small.”

“He was always like that,” Leira said quickly.

Limmy scratched her head and then cackled. “Guess all this madness threw my memory right out the wazoo.” She put her hands on her hips and beamed. “I did it! Just like you asked. Every single one of the sorry bastards is alive and well, excepting for a few non-fatal wounds. I kept my promise.”

Gwil bowed his head. “That’s amazing, Limmy. Thanks!”

Buzzard’s voice sounded through the hangar again, and Gwil realized it came from a small cone mounted to the ceiling.

“Greetings, passengers. We have cleared Podexian airspace and are headed due south to sanctuary.”

“South?” Leira exclaimed. “Nuh-uh. That is not gonna fly.”

Buzzard continued. “Welcome aboard my esteemed and illustrious vessel, Rosalind’s Memory, named for my late mother.” A sniffle crackled through the speaker. “It was designed by my brilliant mind and constructed by the hands of those who I told what to do.

“It is… perhaps not certifiably airworthy, heehee, but I can guarantee your safety. Just sit back and relax. We will arrive at our destination in approximately two hours. I will issue an alert when it’s time to land. At that point, you will want to secure yourselves, because we are carrying excessive weight. Also, our landing mechanisms are incomplete so the vessel will suffer, heehee, damage upon touchdown. But fear not, a genius always accounts for the unexpected! Please note, our lavatorial facilities are limited, so do not overfill your bladders or consume any laxatives.”

Some muttering broke out at the end of the announcement, but the escapees were too exhausted to do any worrying, and the townsfolk were too shellshocked to do anything besides stare and make themselves small.

Gwil jumped from Leira’s shoulder and clung to the speaker. “Hey Buzzard, can you hear me?”

“Of course, Gwilym. What would be the point of a one-way comm system? I can see you, too.”

“Ansoir’s hand got cut off—it’s kind of bleeding a lot. And Brock looks like he might explode. Can you help them?”

“Certainly. Bring Ansoir to the cockpit. As for Brock, let me see…” The speaker spun and a little scope extended to look at Brock. “Hmm, yes. The damage is not critical. I will come attend to him afterward, since Brock is too large to move through the hall.”

Gwil jumped back to Leira and said, “Does anyone else need any doctoring?” His tiny voice went unheard, so Leira repeated the message.

No one spoke up. Limmy sneered whilst scanning the escapees and glaring. “That’s what I thought,” she said, nodding. She started clapping and everyone else followed. Joy swelled throughout the hangar.

Gwil grinned. Everyone’s okay. Diom would’ve been happy. He could hear the old man saying his death was worthwhile. Gwil would’ve told him that was bullshit.

He bit at his lower lip. Leira was wrong. It was his fault. He could’ve easily thrown himself in front of those ropes if he’d realized… Isca will be so disappointed.

Dammit. Not again. It was the same as with Caris. Too slow, too stupid. Nothing like that should ever happen.

“Ask goggle-man if he has any booze!” one prisoner said to cheers.

“I do not have any booze,” Buzzard said. “Please remember what I said about your bladders. I’ll be damned if I let urine rain down from an airship that bears my mother’s name.”

“SHUT UP ALL OF YOU!” It was Cort who’d yelled, but he was still fast asleep.

“Is he gonna be okay?” Gwil asked.

Leira nodded. “I’ve seen it before. It will wear off soon, but he’s gonna be extremely annoying until it does.”

“Huh? You’ve seen that weird centipede shit before?” Gwil asked.

She nodded again, and from where Gwil stood on her shoulder, he glimpsed the tear that she blinked away.

“I’m sorry I didn’t listen to you back there, Leira.”

“It’s okay.” She shook her head. “There’s nothing I can do for his flesh wounds until my flower blooms. But it’s good that he took his shoes off.”

Cort’s feet were purple and bloody and moldy. It was gross.

Leira closed her eye and exhaled through pursed lips. “Anesidyra rarely kills. She loves to create loyal, willful servants. It’s a long and twisted process of love and torture. This poison, this drunken euphoria that Cort has is one of her methods.”

Gwil heard Skuld’s voice in his head: ‘That’s a terrible burden she carries. Makes me wanna cry. One day, everything will come crashing down on her. She’ll need your help. Don’t you dare abandon her.’

Gwil knew from the start that Leira was something unusual. And it was obvious that she’d had a hard time of things.

But he had come to realize that he knew nothing about the World. He was naïve, and he had underestimated the situation.

This journey would see them entering the belly of the beast. And then, it was like inside that beast’s belly was another beast that had been eaten but was actually even more ferocious than the beast that had eaten it. And then inside that beast…

Gwil shook his head. It didn’t matter. He just needed to be better. Much better. And ready for anything.

Gwil cracked his tiny knuckles. “I promise she will never get her hands on you again, Leira. Just let me know when you’re ready for us to go kill this queen.”

Her breath was a hiss. “I will.”

Ophelia stomped her stone foot on the metal floor. She held Ansoir in her arms and gestured for them to hurry the hell up.

Gwil jumped from head to unassuming head and landed next to Brock. “You’re okay? I’ll tell Buzzard to hurry up.”

The Talus nodded. Stondemaier lay next to him. Two piles of sentient rocks. They looked oddly content despite their sorry states.

“Oh, yeah. Hey, Burger,” Gwil said. “Why do you like rocks so much?”

Stondemaier writhed. “They say the World was gentle once.”

“Eh?” But Stondemaier had closed his eyes.

Gwil bounded after Leira and Ophelia as they marched through the hangar. The townsfolk looked appalled.

Landing back on Leira’s head, Gwil asked, “How did his hand get cut off?”

“The sheriff,” Leira said. “Sliced it clean off with a rope. It happened a dozen heartbeats before you took him down. Unlucky.”

Ansoir groaned.

“You were inside his nose, yeah?” Leira said.

“Mhm,” Gwil said. “Dammit. I would’ve been faster, but his boogers were so thick and sticky.”

They exited the hangar and reached a sparse metal hallway that ran the entire length of the airship. They passed a few offshoot cabins, but Ophelia led them straight to the fore of the vessel. She threw open a hatch-style door at the end and they entered the cockpit.

Gwil gaped at the view out the window. The airship soared through a mass of dark storm clouds, cutting through like the prow of a boat. From up here, the sky seemed no different than the sea.

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

He jumped off of Leira and landed on a complicated-looking control panel covered with instruments and gauges and dials and levers.

Buzzard swatted at Gwil as he tried to get a better look out the window. The airship’s lighting cast a pale globe of light, but outside its reach, nothing but swirling darkness.

“Adeline!” Leira yelped. “What are you doing here?”

Gwil turned. He hadn’t noticed that the three other people in the cockpit besides Buzzard.

Leira stared at the fancy-looking woman who was resting her hand on Buzzard’s shoulder. She was twice as tall as the doctor.

“You wretched girl,” Adeline said. “If Buzzy wasn’t vouching for you, I might throw you overboard.” She was smiling, though.

“Buzzy?” Gwil squeaked.

“Doctor Buzzard and I are long-time lovers,” Adeline said proudly. She looked down at Buzzard and fluttered her eyes.

Leira looked stunned. Her face said: I would not have put those two together even if they were the only two survivors of a second Apocalypse.

“Hi, Leira,” said a small voice from the corner.

“Oh my gosh! Bethany!” Leira ran over and gave the woman a big hug.

Gwil grinned. Bethany had a gentle face, the sort that endeared you to her immediately.

“I’m confused. What all happened here?” Leira said.

Buzzard lifted his goggles and put an arm around Adeline’s waist. He would’ve needed to stand on his chair to reach her shoulders.

“In the wake of the Kaia disaster, dearest Adeline proved her brilliance by gathering as many of the servants and townsfolk as she could.”

“The ones I deemed likeable, at least,” Adeline said, chortling. She bent down and kissed Buzzard on the forehead. His blue cheeks blushed with a touch of pink.

“I must say,” Adeline continued, “I am quite disappointed in Bethany for not having seen through your façade, Lady Leira. She should’ve been able to smell it on you.”

Leira grinned. “That’s not fair. I’m a spectacular actress.”

Gwil jumped back to Leira’s shoulder so he could join the conversation. “Were a lot of people left behind? What will the Leviathan do to them?”

“We can only guess at that,” Buzzard said. “And we shouldn’t if we value our sanity. Heehee. Not everyone can be saved, Gwilym. You’d be wise to learn that. The World is not so kind, and the Hells grow ever more gluttonous. I wonder though, do you know which Monarch that was?”

“Anesidyra,” Leira said.

Buzzard made a choking noise. “The Centipede Queen? That’s very unfortunate. You shouldn’t have told me that. Now I wish I’d built a bigger airship.”

The fourth and last person in the cockpit, Dwillard, finally spoke. “Ah! There you are, Gwil! I was looking all over the place while they were talking to you. I couldn’t figure out what was going on. You’re so miniscule. That’s badass.”

Gwil gave him a small thumbs up. “Thanks again for your help, man. None of this would’ve happened without you.”

Dwillard swooned and fell back into his chair.

Ansoir groaned.

Adeline bowed low. “Please forgive my terrible manners, Lady Ophelia. I forgot myself in all this havoc. I assure you, there’s no one better to treat Lord Ansoir’s injuries than my lover, Buzzy.”

“Actually, heehee, I’m not a surgeon, so there are many people better suited to this than me. There may even be a couple aboard this very airship. But I am always keen to improve my skills. I have narcotics for the pain, and I will rig something up to cauterize the stump, and that should be sufficient.”

Buzzard pointed Ophelia toward a chair, and she sat Ansoir down in it. Then, the doctor set to preparing his medical things.

“Ahhh!” Gwil yelled. “What if that big ship chases after us?”

“They can’t,” Leira said.

“Right you are, Megrim Daughter,” Buzzard said. “That kind of ship does not possess the capability of simple, linear travel. It can only warp. That is why it’s called a warpship.”

“Huh?” Gwil said.

“Buzzard,” Leira cut in. “Do you have any idea how Gwil might grow back to his normal size? I’ve never seen this before, a Hallow getting… stuck in their Invoke.”

“Hmmm, heehee. Neither have I. But I’m sure it’ll work itself out. It’s a design of his Nirva, after all.” Buzzard yanked some wires out of the control panel, then swore at the ensuing puff of flames.

“It is a rather unusual Invoke. Not as fantastical as some, but devilishly complicated if you consider the minutiae of the thing. Look at him, breathing, talking, heart beating, the body working in perfect harmony despite being under a thousandth of its normal size. The sheer number of alterations is astounding. Imagine the complexity of the nervous system.” He shrugged. “It’s no wonder there’s a learning curve.”

“Cool,” Gwil said. “It’s no big deal. I can get used to it.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Leira snapped. “It would be a huge deal if you were stuck like that. I don’t want to carry you around on my shoulder all the time.” She rubbed her chin. “But it is useful to be able to stuff you in my pocket whenever you misbehave.”

“Okay, Lord Ansoir,” Buzzard said. “Which do you want first: the narcotic or the cauterization?”

Ansoir groaned.

“Just kidding. Heehee.”

Buzzard stuck a syringe into the crook of Ansoir’s elbow and pushed the plunger. The doctor bobbed his head, counting down the time for the painkiller to take effect. Ansoir lost consciousness, and Ophelia cupped his cheek with her hand.

Then Buzzard unwrapped the field bandage. Gwil cringed at the strips of bloody flesh that came off with it, all stringy like melted cheese.

“This is why I never go anywhere without my forceps,” Buzzard said, clicking them together. He picked up a red-hot metal plate and held it to Ansoir’s arm.

It sizzled and the smell of burnt flesh filled the cockpit. Gwil buried his face in Leira’s hair. He’d found that smells were overwhelmingly powerful when he was small. Unfortunately, Leira’s hair didn’t smell very good either.

“Done,” Buzzard said. Ansoir hadn’t even twitched. “There will be some nasty scarring, but as I said, I’m not a surgeon.”

For the first time since Gwil had met her, Ophelia seemed to relax. Though her expression remained unchanged, the difference was palpable.

“Hey Buzzy, listen,” Leira said. “This is urgent. We can’t be staying on this airship. We need to go north. Is there any way we can jump ship?”

“Hmm, of course there is. North, you say? Hmm. Why north?”

Leira looked at Gwil, who shrugged.

“We’re looking for Ashkana,” she said.

“Mmm. Mmmm. Yes. Heehee. Ultima Thule! That makes perfect sense. The last piece of the puzzle, yet it only reveals an even bigger puzzle. Well, you can disembark using my jetpack, which also has a parachute, as every jetpack should.”

“Hey, you didn’t tell me about a parachute,” Dwillard said.

“Good thing,” Buzzard said. “The parachute only works once, Dwillard. Now, quit dilly-dallying and give her the jetpack. Why are you still wearing it anyway, you fool?”

Dwillard unstrapped the jetpack, and looking crestfallen, handed it to Leira.

“Don’t mope,” Buzzard snapped. “It’s unbecoming of a genius’s top assistant. Heehee. I have a second jetpack, of course.”

Dwillard pumped his fists.

Buzzard turned back to Leira and Gwil. “You’ll have a smoother landing than us, I suspect.” He cleared his throat. “But we have some business to settle. I did not rescue all these people solely out of the goodness of my heart. I was aware that saving them aligned with your motives, Gwilym. I am keen on having you as a debtor, and I declare that you owe me. Is that acceptable?”

“No, it isn’t,” Leira said. “Go fuck yourself.”

Dwillard and Bethany gasped. Adeline raised her hand as if to slap Leira, but Buzzard caught her wrist.

“Nah, that’s fair,” Gwil said.

“Gwil! He’s been trying to save his own skin this whole time,” Leira said.

“Marvelous,” Buzzard said, ignoring her. “I am gambling on you, Gwilym, and I expect a tremendous return. I wonder though, heehee, do you realize exactly how far to the south we are?”

“What’d you mean?” Leira snapped.

“Well, Mikara is one of the southernmost points in the western hemisphere. I’ll be flying the airship over a short stretch of the Pacificum Sea, and we’ll be landing on Arleen, which is home to Port Baktun—the final tip of habitable land in these parts. Only the impenetrable Nadir lays beyond.”

“WHAT?” Leira screamed. “Fucking hell, I didn’t realize I’d ended up so far south. I thought we were at least kind of close to the equator.”

“You could not have been more wrong,” Buzzard said.

“Oh wow,” Gwil said. “Don’t be like that, Leira. This is gonna be fun and we’ll get to see a lot of stuff.”

Leira tugged at two fistfuls of hair on her scalp.

“Now,” Buzzard said, “which of you will pilot the jetpack?”

“Me, obviously,” Leira said.

“Allow me to instruct you.”

***

Buzzard escorted Gwil and Leira back to the hangar.

“Excuse me, miss?” a woman said, stepping out from the gaggle of servants. She had a baby in her arm, and another in a pack on her back.

“Sophia!” Gwil said.

She looked around, confused, and then spotted him atop Leira’s shoulder. “Oh, my goodness! I’m so sorry that happened to you.”

“We owe you,” Gwil squeaked.

“Oh yeah,” Leira said. “Sorry I was such a bitch to you before. I was playing a character.”

“Owe me?” Sophia said, hand to her heart. “I have my freedom because of you. My children will grow up free because of you. Not if I had a million years could I express my gratitude. But never mind all that—I have something for you.”

An older lady who’d been standing behind Sophia dragged out two bulky objects.

“Our backpacks!” Leira said. “How?”

Sophia smiled. “I spotted them while we were evacuating—I recognized them. And I knew it had to be you two that had destroyed the mines. I could just feel it. I’m so glad I can do something for you, even if it's just a small help.”

“It’s a huge help,” Leira said.

“Thanks so much,” Gwil said. “But we were gonna free everyone anyway. So Leira still owes you.”

“Huh? What do you want me to…” She opened her backpack and began rifling through it. “Uh, do you like clothes? These are all ugly ‘cause they’re his but…”

“Hey Doc,” Gwil said. “What are you gonna do with all these people? Where are you taking them?”

“Don’t worry, Gwilym. I have a very wealthy associate who lives on an enormous compound, and he is always happy to take workers and refugees. I expect he will be a tad bit surprised, though. Heehee.”

Gwil shook his head. “That doesn’t work for me. It sounds shitty. And it sounds exactly the same as Podexia. And a lot of them might have homes to get back to.”

“Gwilym,” Buzzard said, lifting his goggles. “I swear on my mother’s soul that they will be treated well. They will not be slaves. I will do everything in my power to ensure their safety and comfort. Every one of them will be free to leave, and I will offer whatever aid I can to help them return home, if that is what they wish. However, they must be treated for their Kaia withdrawals first.

“Fortunately, my friend is ludicrously wealthy, and a uniquely benevolent person. A philanthropist of the highest order, and a far better man than myself. If I didn’t do right by these people, I’d be breaking our agreement. And I am serious about having you in my debt. I will call upon you.”

Gwil nodded. “Thanks. I take back what I said when we met. Your mom would be proud of you.”

Buzzard’s lips quivered as he hastily lowered his goggles.

“Fuck it,” Leira said. She plucked a petal from her eyeflower and held it out to Sophia. “I know it looks dead, but it’s not. Plant it in the ground wherever you settle, and anything you grow in the vicinity will flourish.”

Sophia stared at the wilted lotus petal in her palm as if it were a priceless jewel. She closed her eyes and brought it to her lips. “You’re like an angel.”

Leira smiled.

“Heehee. Lady Leira, might I have one of those as well?” Buzzard said. “I’m terribly curious about the Megrim roots.”

“Go fuck yourse-” Leira stopped herself. “Actually, sure. Why not?” She winced as she plucked another petal. “Maybe you’ll find something useful.”