The forest seemed to stretch below us forever. A sea of green, like the ocean had been.

Lakshmi asked “Ok, so now that we’re here, where too?”

I blanked, briefly. If this were a plot, we’d just stumble into it, or there’d be an obvious city or something.

“Uhm…” I said.

Soriya came to my rescue. “Now that we’re here, Lily and I can do the same ritual we did at Jubilee to find the nearest artifact source.”

“Ah! Yeah, right!” I nodded hurriedly. “We’ll do that!”

Lakshmi lifted a single eyebrow, and then nodded. “Ok, I’ll just put the Sparrowhawk down then. I’m a bit surprised, Lily. You’re usually more together than this!”

I winced. Her observation stung, but I couldn’t deny it. I had just assumed that we’re ‘luck’ into the Sylvan city now that we were here!

“Ah, there’s a good clearing now.” Lakshmi said with satisfaction. “Hang on, I’m setting her down.”

The Sparrowhawk settled slowly into the clearing, dense jungle trunks rising up around us as we settled.

I had a brief moment of worry as the ship settled down. Was this where we were ‘supposed’ to be? Would we be ambushed by the Sylvani to put us on track?

However, nothing untoward occurred, and the Sparrowhawk settled, the engines slowly spinning down and the omnipresent sound of magitech machinery slowly going quiet around us.

Lakshmi put her arms in the air and gave a cheer. “Take that! First airship across the White Sea!” She sank down. “We’re going to need to find some kind of fuel though, our stocks are almost empty.”

I sat up, my eyes widening. “Wait, you don’t have enough fuel to get back?!” I said, alarmed.

Lakshmi looked at me like I was crazy.

“No, of course not! How would we even carry that much refined mana? I’d need…” she trailed off, her eyes narrowing. “Are you telling me that you don’t know where to find fuel!?”

I flushed. “It… I didn’t…” I looked down at the deck. “No. I mean, yes. That is, I don’t know where to get more fuel.”

We all stared at each other, slowly realizing the truth. We were stuck here until we could get fuel to return.

“How could you forget fuel?!” Lakshmi burst out angrily. “You know everything that happens, I just assumed you knew what you were doing!” She shouted at me.

I could feel myself wilting visibly. It was a very foolish thing… but they never worry about fuel! I wanted to protest. Unless… a thought slowly crept into my head. Unless it’s part of the plot. Unless finding or refining the fuel is…

My eyes suddenly widened and I whirled to Eshaan. “Eshaan! Could that cutter that was following us have followed us all the way here!?” I demanded quickly.

Eshaan frowned, and rubbed the back of his head. “I don’t see how? The imperial ships have never had the range before.”

Daniyel placed a hand on Eshaan’s shoulders. “That is not quite correct. The empire has had no need to project it’s might across the White Sea, but they could cross it if sufficient need arose.”

“I’ve never heard of that!” Eshaan protested. “Why haven’t they done so before!?”

Daniyel looked at me, then back to Eshaan. “Because to date, no Imperial ship, air or sea, has returned from the far shores.”

Eshaan’s eyes got wide. “The crystal towers!”

Soriya said grimly “That we just blew a hole in.”

I sat down hard, and put my head in my hands groaning loudly. I said “Well that explains how we’re getting fuel.”

Lakshmi shook her head in denial. “You can’t be serious!?” She protested. “You think the empire will send a ship just to follow us?! And then, what?! We’re going to shoot them down in some sort of aerial duel!?”

I looked up into her eyes. “Just like they won’t start a war? Just like they won’t fire on a ship in Monain airspace?”

“That’s… but it’s…” she twisted form side to side. “That’s completely different!” She finally burst out.

I sighed and heaved myself up. “Well I guess we’re going to find out. For now… Soriya and I have a ritual to cast.”

I unlocked the hatch, and the smell of thick musky jungle, green and living things and a thick humidity filled the air and wrapped itself around us like a smothering cloak.

I went to poke my head out, but Eshaan stopped me.

“Let me go first, I’ll make sure it’s safe.” He said and strode out without a word.

I frowned and chewed on my lower lip. I hope he’s not about to get ambushed! I fretted, wondering if he was about to be hit by a Sylvani arrow, or ordered to halt.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

He slowly looked around the tiny clear patch that the Sparrowhawk had made in the forest canopy and then nodded, sheathing his weapon. “All clear, come on out!”

I took a deep breath of the muggy green air, and then stepped down the stairway, followed by the rest of our party.

It was so incredibly, vibrantly, alive. I spun in a slow circle looking around me, then swatted at a stinging insect bite.

“Ow!” I exclaimed, and then scowled. “Great. Mosquitos. Some adventure.”

“Why don’t you just cast a {Barrier}?” Asked Eshaan in confusion.

I sighed. “Well normally I would, though I’d need to modify it first. But the problem is that I can’t maintain focus on that and focus on the ritual at the same time.” I explained.

“Oh.” He said.

“If you will give me a moment, I may have a solution.” Daniyel said gravely. He punched his fists together, his elemental gauntlets appearing, and then began to slowly do martial art’s katas. Slowly at first, and then faster and faster he moved, his body starting to blur and flicker with elemental fire. His motions were like an elegant dance, smooth and fluid and graceful. I’d never realized just how pretty they were before.

Without warning he exploded into action, leaping around the clearing, punching what seemed to be thin air, only for clouds of insects to explode into flame with each strike or kick. Shortly, the clearing smelled of burnt air, and the wet heat of the jungle was replaced with the dry heat of the desert.

Daniyel slowed the kata, and then came to rest, bowing to us, his fists together. The elemental shroud of fire vanished, and the sounds of the jungle slowly resumed.

I found myself clapping wildly, my cheeks hurting from my smile. “Danyiel that was amazing!” I said.

Soriya beamed, and then slipped her arm around his waist, going up on tiptoe to kiss his cheek. “Good work, sweetie.” I heard her whisper to him.

The faint blush visible on his cheeks was adorable. I smothered a giggle with my hand.

“Your praise is welcome, but unnecessary.” He said calmly. “I was happy to assist.”

Eshaan muttered “I have got to learn how to do that.” softly to himself.

I coughed. “Thank you, Daniyel! That will do wonders. Soriya? Let’s set up.”

Soriya and I got busy setting up the ritual. As before, beautiful filigree clockwork patterns of pure white and void black flickered around us, clockwork hands and compass points spinning around us as we chanted.

The knowledge of the nearest arcanum flickering into my mind, 250 miles west-southwest.

Visions flickered through my mind. Giant trees ringed with wooden platforms, enormous arching branches with figures walking across them, and a soft repeating voice that seemed frail and broken.

It sounded so soft and alone and… sad. Unlike any of the arcanum’s I’d spoken with. Even Forge hadn’t sounded so… lost, even at the verge of failure as I’d found him.

A brilliant spear of mingled light and dark energy flared into the sky in a pillar, and then slowly faded away into small drifting motes, the lightshow of the ritual ending like monochrome fireworks. I let out a long breath, and smiled hesitantly. “At least nothing exploded this time?” I said nervously.

Eshaan smiled at me, then rubbed my head. “Don’t worry, Lily!” He said cheerfully. “I’m sure something will be along to explode any moment now!”

I jerked upright, looking around wildly. Nothing happened. Nothing continued to happen for long enough that I let out the breath I’d been holding.

Camaxtli nodded as though he’d confirmed a suspicion. “Curious.” He said. “You received a vision of the arcanum? As at the Jubilee?”

I nodded hesitantly. “Yes?”

“Strange.” He suddenly looked up into the sky, his eyes whirling with color. “Oh.” He said softly. He looked down at us. “We should prepare for combat. There is a large air vessel approaching.” He turned and strode up the stairs into the open hatchway.

Lakshmi stood up, and looked upwards. “No way…” she said, with a sad protesting voice. “They can’t really…” She clutched at her head and shook it wildly. “I refuse to accept this!” She shouted, then ran into the ship, pounding down the corridor to the cockpit.

I sighed and then gave a wry smile to everyone else, before stepping up the steps and into the ship, closely followed by the rest of the group.

We hurriedly buckled ourselves into our seats, Soriya grinning as she pulled out Ægishjálmur. Eshaan and Daniyel both slid into the top and bottom gun turrets. In moments, the Sparrowhawk went from unassuming exploration craft to bristling gunboat.

Lakshmi spun up the engines, and we lifted off into the clear blue sky overhead. It wasn’t hard to spot the Imperial ship, it glittered in the sky, the unmistakable outline of that fast attack cutter that had pursued us through the Monain mountain ranges only three days earlier.

“Lakshmi!” I shouted up at the cockpit. “Does Soriya need to cast through the central spell core? Can she cast while I’m channeling a {Barrier}?”

Camaxtli calmly replied “It is an either or. Soriya’s spells will empower the main guns with spell effects. If she is casting, then you cannot use {Barrier}. If you wish to use both, you will need to time your attacks perfectly.”

Soriya threw her head back and cackled wildly. “By the seven spirits, I love it! I get to charge the main gun!? Yes!” She punched the air and spun in a circle, doing a little dance of happiness.

I smiled at her. “Ok, ok. Have you used the fusion of Ægishjálmur and Diabloli yet?”

“Not at full power!” She replied, grinning wickedly.

I gave her a skeptical look. “Soriya. One. We need the fuel on the other ship to get home. Two. I don’t think the Sparrowhawk can withstand a full power charge.”

The look on Soriya’s face was almost heartbreaking. “Look. I’m sure we’ll have to fight some sort of horrible eldritch monster and you’ll get to unleash your full power. It’s… pretty much inevitable, right?” I sighed. “But for now, maybe show off your skill?”

Soriya pouted fiercely. “You’re the only one who appreciates how much harder it is to do precision spell craft.”

Daniyel patted her shoulder and leaned over to whisper in her ear. I couldn’t hear what he said, but she perked up immediately and then smiled up at him.

“You say the sweetest things.” She said to him fondly. “Alright.” Her expression grew serious, and she gripped Ægishjálmur fiercely, looking back at me. “Fine. We’ll do it the boring way.” She pointed the staff at me. “But you better pay attention! This is quality spell work! You can’t get all the fun!”

I smiled at her. “By all means, great witch Soriya, show me the power and skill of the magical arts that lay within the blackest depths of the void, unreachable power that you drag forth from the blackest wells of power.”

Soirya frowned at me and shook Ægishjálmur at me. “Ok, now I know you spent too long with that Monain writer.”

“Oh hush, don’t deny a small part of you loves it.” I said.

Soriya shook her staff at me again mock threateningly, but let me have the last word.

We accelerated towards to gunboat, and the flickering light of the Heliograph started to blink at us. I could see Lakshmi’s lips moving as she translated the message.

She scowled, and then turned to me. “This is your fault.” She said. “They demand we power down our engines and surrender.” She closed her eyes and breathed in deeply.

“So…” I said after a moment “Well, are we going to do that?”

Lakshmi opened her eyes and her grin was slightly crazed. “Are you kidding me?! I’ve been wanting an excuse to give the Sparrowhawk a real field test since I made the last weld!” She leaned forward and shoved the throttle to its stops. The Sparrowhawk leapt forward pressing us all into our seats.

I gritted my teeth against the acceleration. “Right. Here we go again.” I ground out as my spine tried to merge with the seatback.