Chapter Twenty-Nine:
"A Home in the Clouds"
The Aetheris was unlike anything Asha had ever stepped foot in. It already felt lived in somehow, like a well-worn tavern drifting through the sky, a place where stories were told over drinks and danger was discussed with laughter.
A network of wooden beams framed the ceiling, their dark grains rich with age. Hanging lanterns swayed with the subtle motion of the ship, casting warm golden light over plush seating, a bar stocked with bottles of unknown origin, and a long central table, its surface etched with maps and scattered playing cards. The place was massive, easily enough space to house a full crew.
Or, if they were lucky, make a home.
Asha ran a hand along the back of a leather chair, giving a low whistle. "Alright, I’ll admit it. This is kinda amazing."
"Kinda?" Amari leaned against the railing overlooking the lower deck, one arm draped over the metal frame. "You have no taste. This is legendary."
She rolled her eyes but didn’t argue. He wasn’t wrong.
They had found the bridge easily enough, a sprawling room filled with switches, levers, and displays that Amari instinctively understood the moment he stepped inside.
His hands hovered over the control panel, an impossible blend of arcane sigils and mechanical engineering, as if magic and technology had been forced into an uneasy truce. He didn't hesitate, flipping a few switches and adjusting the throttle like he’d been doing it his whole life. "Alright," he said smoothly, "let's see what this baby can do."
Asha flopped into the co-pilots chair, spinning once before planting her boots against the ground. "So. What’s next? Where too first?"
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As if answering, a soft chime echoed through the bridge.
Both of their HUDs flashed. Quest Notification Received.
A new message appeared in their journals.
PICK UP THE GIRL.
Asha straightened. "That’s… vague."
Amari frowned, already pulling up the world map. A green marker appeared on the eastern region of Eldoria, blinking steadily over a decayed land labeled Avalis.
Asha drummed her fingers against the chair’s arm. "Avalis. That sounds… welcoming."
"Yeah, real homey," Amari muttered, zooming in on the location. "Not too far, but if this is a trap, it’s a damn obvious one."
Asha tilted her head. "So what do we think? Mystery girl in a cursed region? Gameweaver suspiciously quiet? Feels like a great idea to go check it out."
Amari exhaled through his nose. "Like we have a choice."
A grin tugged at her lips. "Maybe this time I’ll be the one saving your life."
He didn’t even look up. "Not likely."
She laughed, shaking her head as she leaned back into the chair. "Alright then. Let’s go pick up a girl."
The carnage outside The Aetheris told a story of desperation. Twisted metal, shattered glass, and the remains of broken vehicles lay scattered across the dunes, partially buried in golden sand. Fires raged where engines had ruptured, plumes of black smoke twisting into the night sky.
Amid the chaos, Players still moved, some scavenging through the remains, others locked in brutal combat. The air rang with the echoes of gunfire, clashing steel, and the dying cries of those too slow to escape. The battle hadn't ended with the Aetheris' victory, it had only devolved into something uglier.
And then, a deep, resonant vibration pulsed through the air.
The sands trembled as the Aetheris roared to life, its massive frame shaking off the dust and blood of the battlefield below.
Arcane scripts along its hull flared to life, energy crackling in brilliant arcs as its massive propellers churned the air. Slowly, majestically, the ship ascended, its shadow stretching long over the battlefield as it climbed higher into the night.
The fighting below briefly stilled as Players lifted their heads to watch what they had lost, a relic of a forgotten age soaring above them. Some shouted in frustration, others in awe, but none could deny the truth.
The Aetheris was no longer theirs to claim.
High above the chaos, Asha and Amari stood on the bridge, watching from the viewing panel as the war-torn sands shrank beneath them.
"Hell of a sight," Asha murmured.
Amari’s grip tightened on the throttle. "Yeah. Let’s hope we don’t end up like them."