“Help! Anyone? Somebody help us. My daughter, she’s stuck.”

“I need some help over here! I can’t get this bloody thing off me, I think my arm is broken.”

“Please somebody, help us!”

The crash site was a nightmarish scene of destruction and chaos. Buildings lay in shattered heaps, their prior sturdy structures were now broken under the weight of the Skyship wreckage. The vessel itself, once a marvel of engineering, now lay in pieces, its metallic wings and propellers mangled beyond recognition. Flames danced and flickered around the wreckage, consuming the vessel bit by bit, while thick plumes of black smoke choked the air above.

Inside the Skyship, the scene was even more gruesome. Bodies lay strewn across the aisles, their limbs twisted at unnatural angles, faces frozen in expressions of terror. Some had been crushed by debris, while others had been impaled by jagged shards of metal. Among the dead, however, there were still survivors - passengers and engineers, battered and bruised, but alive.

The captain whose arm was broken and bleeding from several cuts and scrapes was being helped by Kael, the engineer who was equally wounded but eager to help his fellow cohorts. They moved through the wreckage, checking on the survivors and leading them toward the other sections that weren’t so engulfed in fire. Their faces were pale with horror because they had never imagined that their routine voyage to and from the Mile High Depot would turn into such a disaster.

While they navigated the twisted wreckage, the captain and Kael were startled by the sudden appearance of a surviving bandit. “Ah! I’m going to cut you up real good. Your tripes are going be worn as decoration around mi bloody neck!” His eyes were wild as he swung his sword in a desperate, frenzied manner.

"Captain, what do we do?" Kael whispered, gripping his friend's safe arm tightly.

"He's insane! I don’t have much strength left in me to fight."

Before the bandit could cut out their bellies and have at their tripes, a sword pierced his chest from behind. Blood bubbled from his mouth then he collapsed to the floor, revealing Mentos standing behind him. He had survived the crash!

Pulling out Shark Skimmer from the dead bandit, Mentos inquired, "Are you okay?" The captain and Kael turned to see that Mentos had already gathered other surviving passengers and crew. "I've found all the survivors I could. Is this everyone?"

"Yes, we're the only ones who made it," Kael replied with a cracking voice as he thought of his deceased companions. Mentos solemnly, understanding the weight of their loss.

"We need to get out of here before this fire consumes us," Mentos urged. With him leading them, they made their way through the crumbling vessel and onto the roof of a nearby building, where the Skyship had come to rest.

"Over there! I see survivors!" A voice called out from an emergency response vehicle that had just landed nearby. Other vehicles, including Sword-Gliders carrying OSD operatives, arrived on the scene to assist with the rescue efforts. Together, they provided medical support for the injured, and those in critical condition were rushed to intensive care units.

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An emergency responder approached Mentos, who shrugged off his injuries despite clearly needing help. As they spoke, Mentos overheard an OSD operative ask Kael about the cause of the crash. "It was those bleeding Bastian Bandits from Mile High Depot," Kael revealed.

The OSD conducted a thorough investigation, during which Mentos made sure to keep his distance. He knew that he and Hao were partially to blame for the tragedy that incurred the Skyship and its passengers and didn't want to draw attention to himself.

***

Sometime later, Hao managed to sneak onto the scene with his hoodie drawn up to conceal his identity. He blended into the crowd of onlookers who were nearby while using his Vibe Sense to search for his friends among the injured. He scanned the area for a time before he finally located Mentos, relief flooding through him.

"There you are," Hao murmured as he approached his friend, who had just emerged from the medical tent.

“Vee, you’re alive?” They shared a heartfelt embrace, grateful to be reunited after the terrifying ordeal. "I can't believe we both made it out of that mess," Mentos's voice was still shaky from the events as he took in the destruction around them.

"But what about Yoad?" Hao inquired when he didn’t see any sign of the little troublemaker.

Mentos' expression shifted to one of sadness while he recalled how Yoad had been ripped from the vessel during its fall. He had no idea if the young lad had survived. "I don't know, Vee," Mentos admitted with a sorrowful expression. "He fell from such a height...I fear the worst."

Hao clenched his fists, although he didn’t know Yoad that well, his heart ache for their young acquaintance. "We need to find out if he's among the deceased they’ve rounded up so far. We owe it to him."

While they spoke, the area grew more crowded with OSD operatives and news reporters, all clamouring for information about the crash. Hao and Mentos realized they needed to leave before drawing unwanted attention to themselves. Hence, they slipped away from the scene with their thoughts consumed with worry for Yoad.

In the chaos and aftermath of the Skyship crash, the survivors were left to pick up the pieces of their lives. The OSD's investigation continued, seeking answers and justice for those who had lost everything. And though the future was uncertain, the bond between Hao and Mentos remained unbroken.

Later that evening, they arrived at Mentos' abode, situated atop a water tower near Katana Creek, still very much weary and injured. The Sword-Glider they were on gently landed on the rusty platform, its engines humming to a stop. Both of them hopped off and took a moment to appreciate the view of the city and the creek below.

"You look like shit, Vee," Mentos spoke with concern while eyeing the bruises and cuts on his friend's body. "You should have let those doctors patch you up back there. What are you going to do about those wounds?"

Hao gritted his teeth, trying to ignore the pain. "I can manage. I did scrape some medical supplies while I was searching for you." He pulled out a few items from his pocket: a roll of gauze, a small tube of antiseptic, and a needle with a thread.

Mentos examined the objects sceptically. "You're still going to need better care mate."

Hao put the items back into his pocket and responded, "I'll manage for now. We've got bigger problems to worry about."

“I agree.” Mentos then asked about the whereabouts of the beasts Hao had rescued.

"I stashed them at the old Conclave. We should wait until the heat dies down before we set out there. The sooner we can attend to those beasts the better." Hao looked up and saw several OSD operatives whizzing past on their Sword-Gliders, probably searching for the bandits who had caused the Skyship crash. Little did they know that the remnant of the gang was being carried away in Katana Creek.