Chapter 26: Framework 4
Elania kept her wings hidden, staying close to Yolani as the airship descended towards the makeshift dock.
Choosing between advanced recon or springing the trap was hard. They finally decided having her close to the ships would be best. She could protect them with her abilities if needed, and if the attack struck at the ships while she was somewhere else…
They didn’t want a lance of light drilling through the hulls, for sure. They were too close to be confident that they weren't already in range of any attacks.
The Ironfist mercenaries stood on guard, their eyes scanning the surrounding forest for any signs of trouble. Hands tightened on weapons, and the only words exchanged were those required for managing the ship’s movement.
Without anyone on the ground to guide them in, the crew had to improvise.
They tossed weighted ropes over the side of the ship, looping them around the dock’s posts. Capstans creaked and groaned as they slowly lowered the ship, the men working in unison to maintain neutral buoyancy as the ropes strained to tug them down.
A breeze made the task more difficult, the ship swaying gently. But they guided it safely into place, the hull sliding smoothly into position. The Gold managed the same feat in the second bay half a minute later.
Elania looked around. Things seemed fine.
That was probably the cue.
A chorus of shouts erupted from the nearby tree line.
Crossbow bolts slammed into the ship's side, the sharp twang of bowstrings filling the air. The bolts pinged off the bronze plating and artificed wood, leaving small dents in their wake.
Harlock barked orders; the Ironfist reacted with lightning speed born from knowing something was amiss. Another dozen Contia sailors moved to follow the mercenaries' lead, positioning themselves behind the solid sections of the railing while waiting for the order to return fire with their own crossbows.
Elania glimpsed rough-looking figures darting between the trees, their outfits a mishmash of tattered leather and rusted metal.
“Bandits,” Elania hissed, her eyes narrowing as she turned to Yolani. “Or pirates. It doesn’t matter. We’re under attack.”
She stepped to the side of the ship, her wings unfurling behind her. A large machine pushed out of the trees, its gears grinding and pistons hissing. It fired, flinging a massive harpoon with a rope toward the ship’s hull.
She leaped out, slapping the harpoon out of the air with a wing, catching it mid-flight. The bandits froze, their eyes wide with shock at the sight of her.
“Demi-divine!” several of them shouted, breaking ranks and fleeing into the forest.
Elania landed amongst them.
One of the bandits, a scrawny man with a rusted dagger, stabbed at her. She sidestepped the blow, her hand lashing out to grab his wrist. With a twist, she ripped his arm from its socket before tearing him to shreds.
[You have slain Bandit - Human - Lvl 23]
[You have gained 7 Karma.]
[Absorb the lingering Power from Bandit - Human - Lvl 23?]
[You have gained a rank in Intimidation!]
The bandits close to her gave up the retreat and charged at her en masse.
The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
Elania grinned, her eyes flashing with a predatory light. She moved like a whirlwind, her wings and claws tearing through flesh and bone.
[You have slain Bandit - Human - Lvl 19]
[You have gained 2 Karma.]
[Absorb the lingering Power from Bandit - Human - Lvl 19?]
[You have gained a rank in Bribery!]
[You have slain Bandit - Human - Lvl 24]
[You have gained 5 Karma.]
[Absorb the lingering Power from Bandit - Human - Lvl 24?]
[You have gained a rank in Archery!]
In a few seconds, the bandits lay dead at her feet, their bodies mangled or evaporated, leaving her white and gold wings dripping with blood. She discarded the spam of messages—distractions in a fight.
From another direction, she spotted a larger machine: a catapult, its crew scrambling to load a flaming projectile.
Elania’s wings flared out behind her as she launched herself into the air, the wind whipping through her hair.
The catapult fired while she was still only halfway to it, filling the air with a dozen smaller stones coated in burning oil.
With a flick of a wing, she sent a barrage of razor-sharp feathers slicing through the air, each one tracking a different incoming projectile.
The rocky fireballs exploded mid-air, raining down a mist of flame and debris.
The airships bobbed and swayed in the sudden gust, their thick canvas balloons absorbing the impact without so much as a scorch mark. Elania smiled. It was nice to know that the ships were a bit more durable than she thought.
But there was no time to dwell on that.
She shot forward faster, closing the distance between herself and the catapult.
Landing heavily beside the machine, the ground cracked beneath her feet as she drew Eziel from her back.
The bandits scattered like frightened rabbits, their eyes wide with terror as they beheld her in all her glory. Eh, maybe she was letting the [Divine Power] go to her head.
Regardless, she didn’t hesitate, her blade flashing through the air in a golden arc.
The catapult split in two, its wooden frame splintering like kindling under the force of her blow.
As the machine collapsed in on itself, Elania couldn’t help but recall Arlois’ words: Only champions counted in armies.
And now, standing amidst the wreckage of the catapult, Elania understood why. There were beings like her that were too strong, too powerful for normal soldiers to contend with.
It was a lesson she had learned all too well in Neftasu, where the magisters, elders, paladins, and she had served as the primary pieces on the battlefield.
Here, in this moment, it was a lesson the bandits were learning the hard way.
Those who remained nearby threw down their weapons, raising their hands in surrender. Those further away turned and fled, their feet pounding against the earth as they sought to escape demi-divine wrath.
Elania turned her attention back to the airships, scanning the decks for any sign of trouble. But the Ironfist crossbowmen had done their job well, picking off the attackers before they could even reach the ships.
And on the other side, on the Gold, Yolani was flinging projectiles with deadly accuracy, her artifice skills put to good use in defense of their vessels.
Elania soared back to the airship. As she landed on the deck, the Ironfist mercenaries were already disembarking, their weapons ready as they rounded up the surrendered bandits.
Harlock approached her, his face grim. “Absorbing them might not be the best idea, Elania. We only get bounties on the ones we have proof of.”
Elania blinked. “Bounties?”
Harlock nodded. “As mercenaries, it’s one of the jobs that pays well. Each one we bring back is worth half a crit from the Towers.”
Elania’s eyes narrowed. “Then we should capture all of them. Why didn’t you tell me that first?”
She watched as Yolani climbed up a rope on the other ship. With a deft swing, she launched herself across the gap between the ships, landing gracefully on the deck of the other vessel.
Elania’s eyes widened in shock. Yolani was panting, her chest heaving with exertion. “The other ship is secure.”
“Are you a pirate?” Elania asked.
Yolani blinked, then paused for a moment before a smile tugged at her lips. “Only for your heart,” she quipped. They both laughed, the tension of the moment easing.
But Elania’s expression quickly turned serious. “I’m going to round up all of our ‘friends’ as gently as I can,” she said. “They’re going to take a pleasant trip back to visit Arlois.”
Yolani nodded, her gaze sweeping over to the large, untouched bundles of cut lumber near the dock. “The cargo looks intact. We should start loading it, just in case.”
That was going to be a lot of work without the woodcutter teams to assist. It would probably take all night, actually. The sun was already starting to set.
Maybe she could create some light?
It turned out the crew—or Yolani—was way ahead of her as the sides of the ships lit up with spotlights and bright artifice lighting.
Elania’s jaw dropped, but she shouldn’t have been surprised. She had seen the Contia wharfs at night, after all, and they were always brightly lit, even when watched from a distance at the estate.
Elania swallowed. She’d gotten distracted. In the distance, there was shouting—wounded or fleeing enemies. Her wings unfolded behind her, and she launched into the air.
She would find them, and she would wring out every single crit they were worth.
It was only fair since they had intended the same for the Heart and Gold.