They were falling and they were falling fast

As the airship continued its rapid descent, Clayton and Ed scrambled towards the cockpit. They knew they had to act fast to regain control of the spiraling vessel.

Clayton's hands gripped the control panel, his fingers fumbling to stabilize the ship. He muttered to himself, "Come on, come on, there must be something I can do..."

Ed, frantic, scanned the chaotic array of levers, buttons, and dials. He shouted over the roaring wind, "Clayton, try pulling that lever! Maybe it'll help!"

Clayton yanked the lever Ed indicated, but instead of stabilizing the airship, it sent them into a more erratic spin. His eyes widened in panic as he shouted, "No, that made it worse!"

The ship pitched and rolled, as if mocking their futile attempts to control it. Panic surged through them both as they realized they were spiraling out of control, heading dangerously close to the outskirts of Gear Gate.

Clayton's voice trembled with urgency as he observed, "Ed, I think we've crossed the city's protective bubble. We're outside its jurisdiction now!"

Ed clenched his jaw, a sinking feeling settling in his stomach. With each twist and pull of levers, they managed to level the ship momentarily, only to have it wobble and tilt again as they attempted to correct their course. Swarms of green layed below them, a forest filled with trees that scraped the sky

As they skimmed perilously close to treetops, Ed's knuckles whitened as he tightened his grip on the control panel. "Clayton, watch out for those trees!" he yelled.

Clayton steered the ship with desperate precision, narrowly avoiding a collision with the thick forest canopy. Their hearts pounded as they maintained the delicate balance between control and chaos.

The landscape below continued to change, now leading them over rolling hills and meadows. The wind whistled through the open cockpit, and the rapid descent made their ears pop. Ed shouted over the deafening noise, "We have to level it out, Clayton!"

Clayton nodded, his face drenched in sweat as he adjusted the controls. Gradually, they managed to regain some semblance of stability, flying perilously low over the rolling terrain.

But their ordeal was far from over. The landscape shifted once more, this time to a series of jagged cliffs and canyons. The airship bounced and shuddered as it skimmed the rocky surfaces, their stomachs lurching with each jolt.

"Keep it steady!" Ed shouted, his eyes darting between the controls and the treacherous terrain below. Clayton's hands moved with determined precision, doing his best to navigate the ship through the rocky labyrinth.

Finally, they emerged from the cliffs, soaring over an expansive desert. The heat was intense, the sun beating down on them, but they couldn't afford to rest. The ship's altitude fluctuated wildly as they fought to maintain control.

Alarms blared, and warning lights flashed on the control panel, but there was little they could do to avert disaster.

"We're losing altitude too fast!" Ed shouted, his knuckles white as he clung to the control panel.

"I can't keep her up!" Clayton responded, sweat pouring down his face as he fought against the inevitable.

Then, with a bone-rattling impact, the airship crashed into the unforgiving sands of the desert. Sand billowed around them, engulfing the cockpit in a swirling cloud of dust and debris. The crash came to a bone-jarring halt, leaving them both dazed and disoriented.

Ed woke up amidst the wreckage, his head pounding from the impact. His surroundings were a disorienting mess of broken machinery, torn metal, and scattered belongings. He struggled to regain his senses, blinking against the harsh desert sunlight that filtered through the shattered windows.

The acrid scent of burned metal and the taste of sand in his mouth filled his senses. His head throbbed mercilessly, and his vision swam as he struggled to focus.

Where... are we? Ed's disoriented thoughts echoed as he blinked against the glaring desert sun. He surveyed his surroundings only to find a tangle of twisted metal and scorched remnants of the airship.

As he looked around, his heart sank when he spotted Clayton trapped beneath a heavy beam of metal. "Clayton!" Ed called out, his voice filled with concern. "Are you alright?"

Clayton groaned in response, but it was clear he was pinned and unable to move. Ed's eyes darted around, assessing the situation. He knew he had to do something.

With every ounce of strength he could muster, Ed pushed against the beam, but it refused to budge. "I can't lift it," he admitted

Clayton's strained voice broke through Ed's frenzied efforts. "Ed, stop... trying. Look in my belt, there's a potion of healing. Give it to me."

Ed didn't waste a moment. He fumbled for the pouch on Clayton's belt, quickly finding the potion and uncorking it. Gently, he raised Clayton's head and carefully poured the contents into his parched mouth. Clayton swallowed with effort, and a bit of color returned to his face.

"Thanks," Clayton rasped, his breathing less labored. "Listen, Ed, you need to go... outside. Look for help. I'll be fine here."

The desert was a harsh and unforgiving landscape. Endless dunes of sand stretched in every direction, their contours shaped by the ceaseless winds. The sun hung high in the sky, casting a relentless, scorching heat down upon the parched earth.

Amidst the wreckage, Ed's memory tugged at him, reminding him that there was another passenger on the airship. He frantically dug through the debris until his fingers gripped something solid. With all his strength, he pulled the lifeless body of the rouge captain from the tangled metal.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

Laying the man on the unforgiving desert sand, Ed tried to rouse him, shaking him gently. "Hey, wake up!" he called out, his voice tinged with desperation. "Come on, don't be dead."

But the captain remained still, his eyes vacant and lifeless. Ed's heart sank as he realized the truth. He muttered to himself, "This can't be happening..."

He couldn't escape the irony that washed over him in that desolate expanse of sand. "I... I pleaded for his life," he whispered, his voice filled with a mixture of guilt and disbelief. "And now... he's gone."

Ed shook his head, murmuring to himself, "I never wanted this... I just wanted to know the truth of the city."

The lifeless eyes stared back at him, offering no answers.

Gazing at the horizon, Ed knew that he needed to find help for Clayton. With a heavy heart, he gently placed the rogue captain's body back amid the wreckage. "I hope you can rest now," he whispered, a mix of sorrow and resignation in his voice

Lying on the scorching desert sands, Ed's mind raced with desperate ideas for escaping their dire situation. He pondered building a makeshift signal fire, crafting a distress symbol in the sand, or even attempting to salvage some parts from the crashed airship. But the reality of their predicament weighed him down, like the relentless heat of the desert sun.

He collapsed on his back, staring up at the vast expanse of the sky, the harsh sun beating down on him.

“Vultures” he thought “Here to feast on our corpses”

His eyelids grew heavy, and despite the dire circumstances, sleep began to claim him. In this harsh desert, under the watchful eyes of circling vultures, Ed surrendered to fatigue, praying that when he awoke, he would find the help they so desperately needed.

~~~

Alexia sat at the table in the living room. Her eyes flickered to the clock on the wall. Ed and Clayton hasn’t returned yet despite the sky turning dark. Surely they haven’t been killed or perhaps Clayton had betrayed them. If Ed died because she allowed him to go on the mission, she would never forgive herself. Her mind wandered thinking about her first encounter with a bounty hunter. The memory was etched vividly in her thoughts - the twin blades dancing in the moon light, the shadows surrounding them, the crackling flames, and the roar of the blaze as it consumed the forest.

Gently, she extended her hand, palm up, and focused her energy. A small flame danced into existence above her palm, casting flickering shadows in the room. Her brow furrowed in concentration as she manipulated the fire, shaping it into intricate patterns and testing her control over its intensity.

As the flames obeyed her commands, her heart swelled with a mix of pride and responsibility. She knew that her abilities were a gift, a legacy from her mentor Merlin, but they also came with a duty to use them wisely and protect those she cared about.That’s what Merlin had always taught her.

Alexia whispered to herself, "Control, precision, and restraint. These are the keys to mastering my power." She chuckled to herself, she was starting to sound like Merlin.

As Alexia attempted to harness her fire magic, the flickering flame in her palm wavered and danced erratically. She tried to shape it into precise forms, but the flames seemed to have a mind of their own, resisting her control.

Frustration welled up within her as she struggled to command the fire. Her brow furrowed deeper, and beads of sweat formed on her forehead. She muttered incantations and made intricate gestures, but her efforts yielded only momentary flashes of success, followed by unpredictable surges of flame.

She was confused on what she was doing wrong. When the Winged Bear nearly killed Ed, she was able to conjure ropes of flames. Now she couldn’t even control it properly

With a heavy sigh, Alexia closed her eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath to calm herself. "I won't give up," she whispered to the uncooperative flames. "I'll keep practicing until I can control you, no matter how long it takes."

The sound of the door creaking open drew her attention. She turned to see Emily standing in the doorway, her expression a mix of curiosity and concern.

"What are you doing?" Emily asked, stepping further into the room.

Alexia quickly extinguished the flames in her hand and offered a warm smile. "I was just practicing my magic, Emily."

Emily's worry seemed to linger. "My dad usually doesn't stay out this late," she admitted, her voice tinged with anxiety.

Alexia got up from where she had been seated and walked over to Emily. She knelt down to be at eye level with the young girl. "I'm sure your father will be back soon. He's a skilled bounty hunter, and he knows how to take care of himself."

Emily nodded, but her concern remained. "I just don't like it when he's gone for so long."

Alexia placed a reassuring hand on Emily's shoulder. "I understand how you feel, Emily. But sometimes, grown-ups have to take on challenging tasks to protect the ones they care about. Your father is doing his best to provide for you."

Emily's eyes met Alexia's, seeking comfort. "Do you think they'll be okay?"

Alexia's gaze held a flicker of uncertainty, but she maintained her composure for Emily's sake. "I'm sure they will, Emily. We just have to trust in their abilities and wait for them to return."

With a small smile, Emily seemed to find solace in Alexia's words. She nodded and wiped away a stray tear. "Okay. I'll try to be patient."

Alexia gave Emily's shoulder a gentle squeeze. "That's the spirit. And in the meantime, we can keep each other company and hope for their safe return."

The hours passed until the sky was as dark as Coal. Gems were imbedded into the bubble surrounding the city as if they were stars. As the Curfew began to set in, the markets began to close and the people to their beds. As the hour passed, Emily and Alexia decided to occupy themselves with a game of Sovas. However, luck seemed to favor Emily, who won one round after another.

With a sigh, Alexia conceded, "You're quite skilled at Sovas, Emily. I'll have to practice more to stand a chance against you."

Emily grinned, victorious. "It's all in the strategy. You'll get better with time."

After cleaning up the game pieces, Emily mentioned something that caught Alexia's attention. "I need my nightly injection of Galarium," she explained,. "It powers the mechanical side of my body."

Alexia nodded. "Your father should have some in his lab, right? I'll go fetch it for you."

Descending into the basement where Clayton's lab was located, Alexia scanned the area but found nothing related to Galarium, except for a peculiar spherical object. She hesitated for a moment but decided to focus on the task at hand.

Returning to Emily, Alexia shook her head slightly. "I couldn't find any Galarium in the lab, Emily. But don't worry; I'll use my own coins to purchase some for you. Your health is a priority."

Emily's eyes glistened. "Thank you, Alexia. You're really nice. Curfew is about to begin in ten minutes so please hurry"

Alexia patted Emily's shoulder gently. "You're welcome, dear. Now, I'll head out to get that Galarium for you. You stay here and rest. I’ll be back before you know it, promise"

"These empty streets... they remind me of the palace's eerie hallways," she thought to herself. As Alexia walked through the dimly lit streets, the memory of the quiet hallways in her fathers palace flooded her mind. She recalled how they echoed with footsteps and whispered secrets, creating an atmosphere that always made her feel a bit isolated. How sheltered she was in that place, but now she was free.

It was a strange sensation, being out in the city at night, alone, with the pervasive stillness enveloping her. Every corner she turned, every distant sound that echoed through the darkness seemed to intensify her sense of foreboding. Her quick pace persisted as she kept a watchful eye on her surroundings.

As Alexia turned the corner, her steps came to an abrupt halt when her foot collided with something. She glanced down, and her eyes widened in horror. There, sprawled on the cobblestone street, lay a lifeless, mutilated corpse. The scene before her was a grotesque nightmare come to life – each arm bore a cut, their sightless sockets stared vacantly into nothingness, and their abdomen had been brutally torn open.

The stench of death hit her like a noxious wave, making her stomach churn in revulsion. It was a foul amalgamation of decay, blood, and something far more sinister. She could feel bile rise in her throat, and for a moment, she teetered on the precipice of sickness.

Disoriented and desperate to escape this macabre tableau, Alexia scanned her surroundings. Her eyes darted wildly, seeking out the perpetrator, but the culprit remained elusive in the shadows. Panic seized her, and she pressed forward, calling out in a quivering voice. "Who's there? Show yourself!"

In the distance, a figure emerged, but they didn't respond to her cries. They stood motionless, like a specter haunting the night. Alexia's heart pounded in her chest, and she took a hesitant step closer, determined to uncover the truth.

But then, the figure's head jerked suddenly in her direction, and they sprinted toward her with alarming speed. Panic surged through her veins as the dim light revealed a horde of identical assailants, all donning top hats and brown coats. They closed in, forming a menacing circle around her.

With courage burning like a flame in her heart, Alexia summoned two spheres of fire into her palms. The flames danced with an ethereal beauty, casting flickering shadows across her determined face.

“We're not here for the tea party, folks. If you want to dance then let us dance in death”