Chapter 42 – Down they go

It didn’t need him to be a genius to know that there was someone missing from the three. Piloting the balloon silently, Joshua steered it away from the falling armada ship and made the vessel hover around the center of the city, near the stronghold.

“Can I take a look at that wound?” said Joshua, breaking the silence.

“Are you a doctor?” asked Archie, with a sorry look on his face.

“No, but I know how to handle first-aid. Her wound seemed like it’ll get infected. I have some anti-infection ointment here and a few gauzes to spare.”

“You are prepared,” said Leiko.

“Just paranoid, I believe,” Joshua made sure the ropes are tight and reached into his pockets. “I know that we would be getting shot and I just took it with me.”

“Okay Joshua,” said Archie, pointing his chin. Cassia got the message. “Here’s the wound, as you can see the bullet's still lodged there.”

Joshua grimaced as he looked at the wound. “I’m no doctor but we’ll need to have that remove.”

“I’ll do it,” said Archie. “I’ve removed a bullet wound before. Here, let me take the bullet.”

“Are you sure about this?” asked Cassia with fear in her tone. “I trust you, but.”

“Just don’t tense up,” said Archie, making use of his thumb and pinkie finger to remove the bullet. If a doctor could see this he would have scolded Archie. Cassia shouted in pain, she gritted her teeth and tried to force her tears back.

“That’s one way to take the bullet,” Joshua moved near Archie, taking a round-bottomed flask containing some sort of paste.

“What’s that?” asked Cassia.

“Anti-infection or at least what it should be. But it’s just a mixture of activated charcoal, ginger, garlic, and Chamomile. It should sting.”

“You are blunt,” Cassia frowned. Joshua then replied. “I don’t want to lie. So do you want me or Archie to do it? I’ve no gentle hands.”

“Archie will do.”

“Go ahead then,” Joshua passed the flask to Archie. He took the flask, scoped the ointment with his index and trigger finger, and applied it to Cassia’s wound. She shouted as tears came out of the corner of her eyes.

“This sting’s a lot!”

“It should be,” said Joshua calmly. “Or else it means it didn’t work.” Joshua thought about a certain phrase he would hear from doctors.

“Damn it,” she cried. “What does this even do?”

“Make sure you don’t get your arm amputated,” Joshua said blandly. It made Cassia, who asked what the ointment was for hang her jaw. “Oh.”

“It should be okay, Cassia,” said Archie. “It’s not that bad.” he scoped some salve from the flask and wiped it on his wounds. He squealed. “It really stings a lot.”

“Told you,” Cassia said. She looked at Leiko who was crossing her arms. “Do you want one?”

Leiko nodded. “It won’t hurt if I do.”

Joshua looked at the three. He sighed and turned his eyes at the armada ship. It crashed just outside of the city and it carved the plain, leaving burn marks behind. The shockwave then followed, making Joshua steer the balloon and making it over rightfully again.

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“That’s one giant fall,” he said slowly. “What’s his name?”

“Huh?” Archie said.

“That guy who pushed you two out. What’s his name?” asked Joshua.

“We don’t know,” Cassia answered. We were too focused on taking down that warship that we forgot to ask a comrade’s name.”

“That’s terrible,” commented Leiko.

Cassia smiled wearily. “You don’t have to tell me that. Still, I wish we could have known his name.”

“And now it’s too late,” Archie said while looking at a far distance. “Not to mention that we still have enemies before us.”

Joshua, Leiko, and Cassia looked at the Cagan fleet that flew passed through the burning ship. But even with that, they noticed the thundering sounds coming yards away from the City.

“What’s that?” asked Joshua, looking at the dots of people running around. “Oh God, don’t fucking tell me those are enemies too?”

Leiko squinted. “No, I don’t think so, that crest of arms and banner. That should be the Thorn Legion. Their Thorn Cross coiled with thorns says it all. And if anything, we should be glad since they are the best allies of the Freelands.”

“I can’t believe you can see their banners from here,” said Archie in disbelief. “I can’t see anything if I don’t use a spyglass.”

“That’s because your human and I am a Cattus,” Leiko said as if it was obvious.

“True,” Archie shrugged.

Joshua said. “So I shouldn’t be scared of these guys right? And what are those things?”

Cassia peered to see what’s up. “That’s a four-legged land dragon. Usually found on the borders of Midland and Cagan. Strong, feral, but can be tamable if one puts their mind to it.”

“But a battalion of them,” Joshua swallowed. “And they even have artillery cannons on their backs that are reaching the ships!”

“I heard they use pierce rounds now instead of the usual ball shells,” Cassia grunted as she leans her other arm on the wicker basket. “They said that they made their shells pointed so they can fly faster than an arrow, to pierce through instead of blasting through.”

“That’s neat,” Joshua said. “They are allies, right? They won’t suddenly stab the City right?”

“No they won’t,” said Leiko. “They are fanatical and zealous but never do they stab their allies unless those allies are heretics.”

“I wonder who called them?” asked Archie, his brows furrowed. “In fact how did they arrive here so fast?”

“I don’t know,” said Joshua. “But I am taking this Air Balloon somewhere and hide it. I don’t like the sound of these ‘fanatical and zealous’ Knights.”

“Making it you escape route eh?” said Leiko. “It’s not like I want to keep on riding this, and? What about the runes?”

“I’ll take them. I think I can make use of these burner runes and wind pushing runes.”

As he said that, Joshua steered the Air Balloon away and started finding a place to hide it. Archie and Cassia wanted to comment but their guts told them to let Joshua do what he wanted. It was a gut feeling, and this gut feeling has saved them.