With the Sparrowhawk held steady over the jungle, Soriya and I drew the ritual circle once more. This time, drawn onto the deck of the wardroom of the Sparrowhawk. The complicated interwoven sigils and runes that wove light and dark magic together into a single finder and directional echo were a bit like a compass, if a compass could explode.
It took us just over two hours. I suppose this means we were getting better with practice, but really, does it count as practice when you’ve only done it twice before?
The ritual circle light up with the impossible dark-light and blazing white of Soriya and I’s magic. The runes in the circle spun in counterrotating patterns, like the tumblers in a magical combination lock, and then stopped. There was a familiar waiting thrum, and then a pulse that we felt through our bodies, as though a stone had dropped into the lake of the world, ripples spreading outwards.
Outside the ship, several kilometers away a brilliant pillar of white and black energy erupted from the forest canopy, and I fell to my knees as a voice echoed in my head.
There was a wash of power and a mystic explosion threw the Sparrowhawk like a frisbee, spinning us through the air hundreds of kilometers.
I was violently sick, the only blessing being that with the violent centrifugal forces, the resulting spew sprayed across the hull, rather than against the floor or my friends.
Well, at least that’s easier to clean up. I thought dizzily, as the spinning and violent pressure finally eased. Dazed, I did a quick {Study}.
{Name}: Lilyanna of Breezewood {Level}: 32
{Classes}: Spiritist 10/Orator 10/Arcanist 9/Gourmet 3
HP: 293/586 MP: 870 DEF: 137 M.DEF: 222
Current Status:
DEX: 147 INS: 218
MIG: 143 WIL: 218
I staggered against the wall and giggled inanely. Well, it’s not wrong about that… I slapped a hand over my mouth to stop another unfortunate excursion.
Spirits and Goddess in one, was that the Arcanum?! But it’s so… so angry! I thought.
Once we’d gotten our bearings back, and I’d made everyone drink a health potion or two-
“Yes, Eshaan! I know you said you feel fine, but you have to drink it!”
-we were able to clean up the mess the blast had made of the ship, and return to our search.
We circled fruitlessly over the general area where the magical explosion had occurred for hours, but we saw nothing except for the endless sea of green below us.
Finally, as the sun started to dip towards the horizon of green, Daniyel said “It pains me to suggest it, but it appears we must seek local assistance once more.” In this grave and calm voice.
“No!” Lakshmi protested. “Just a little longer!”
“In a very little while, it will be dark, and we will find nothing.” Camaxtli said gravely. “I know you are frustrated, but the success rate of speaking with the local inhabitants cannot be denied.” He paused, and then added thoughtfully “Not profitably or realistically, in any case.”
Lakshmi shot him a look that could have melted steel, and then threw up her hands in frustration. “Fine! We’ll dock and probably get mugged again.”
Camaxtli nodded agreeably. “That does seem to be the most likely outcome, judging from previous experience.” He said equitably.
“You object to this, but you’re fine with getting hurled through the air by magical explosions?” Daniyel asked, his amusement clear in his voice.
“That’s different.” Lakshmi said. “It was not fun, but it was a clear direction to travel in!”
Soriya giggled. “And what direction would that be? We spun around so many times, I’m not even sure I could point to myself let alone north!”
Lakshmi glared. “I had the gyrocompasses on! The manablast wouldn’t have affected them! It just… didn’t leave a hole in the jungle! Which makes no sense!” She exclaimed angrily.
I smothered a grin behind my hand and studied the map carefully, then pointed.
Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.
“Here.” I said, tapping my nail on the small dot by the coast. “Mabanu. They’re large enough to have an air dock. And it can’t hurt to have a nice large bed and some local food, right? That’s part of being an air pirate. Exotic locals and strange ports of call.”
Lakshmi grumbled, but turned the ship with a surprising speed towards the new heading.
Less than an hour later, the sun setting into the endless green ocean of trees, the Sparrowhawk settled down into a docking cradle in the frontier city of Mabanu.
The city was loud and bright. The sun shone fiercely down on the docks that extended over the perfectly blue bay, reflected back up from the gem sharp reflections of the waves. The buildings were brightly colored with exotic geometric designs.
The air was thick and muggy, so wet and hot that it felt like a blanket had been wrapped around my head. I was instantly drenched in sweat, and looked over to see Soriya irritatingly perfect. She gave me a little wink.
“Ice magic.” She said cheerfully. “It has all kinds of uses.”
I groaned. “And you can’t-“
“Actually no, I can’t. I mean, I can cast the spell, it’ll probably work for a while, but I can tell even my spellcraft isn’t up to this heat. I don’t have the mana to cast ‘air conditioner’ for everyone and still fight.”
I glared at her, then shook my head. “Right. First order of business, clothes more suitable to the heat!” I declared.
Eshaan laughed boisterously. “Of course! Lily goes right for the shopping!”
I glared at him, then sighed and nodded in defeat. It was true. New city… and the first place I wanted to visit was the market stalls.
The harbor master was a nut brown man with sea blue hair, and vivid green eyes. His clothes were a loosely draped toga and skirt, brightly colored with geometric patterns, much like the building designs.
Looking around, he wasn’t unusual in the slightest. A little part of me squeed with excitement to see the crowd of locals were ambiguously brown skinned with green and blue hair. All humans, not a demi-human among them.
Not as exciting as catgirls but… definitely ‘part of the adventure’ I couldn’t help but think.
The harbor master was polite, but there was a crowd around us, the reason was explained fairly quickly when the habor master asked
“Excuse me, are you… not affiliated with a government? This is… a private airship?!” He said, his eyes wide as he took down our information.
Oh, that’s right. Airships are rare on this continent. Or at least, privately owned ones are! And the Sparrowhawk’s looks are certainly unlike anything this continent has seen in a very long time! I rubbed at my lips thoughtfully. It’s not exactly a good thing to be so memorable… I stopped and then rolled my eyes mentally.
Like having undyeable pink hair? Or an air pirate captain who wears a brilliantly eye catching shade of red coat and hat? ‘Easily memorable’ is a boat that sailed a long time ago, Lily.
Lakshmi, however, perked up at the harbor master’s question. Her long coat and wide hat couldn’t have been easy on her-
Actually, that hat might be useful, such a broad brim keeps the sun off at least. I thought.
-but aside from that, she was in her element. Loud, flamboyant, and taking on the character of Lakshmi the Red, air pirate extraordinaire. The harbor master’s face was something to behold as Lakshmi announced her business as “Air pirate adventure!”
The harbor master blinked several times, and then noted down on his paperwork “I’ll just put down ‘business’ then, shall I?”
The disappointment on Lakshmi’s face made me reach over to pat her shoulder in sympathy.
“Do you not have adventurers coming to this city to explore the jungles?” She asked. A touch plaintively, I thought.
The harbor master shook his head dismissively, a scowl on his face. “There are such people, of course, but they are not common, and very often… forgive me, but they do not come back from the jungle. The jungle is not a playground.” He said sternly.
Soriya laughed abruptly, her voice shocking in the stifling hot air.
“And how many of those say that the goddess of the jungles ate them?”
The harbor master blinked again, his eyes widening in surprise, as he swept his gaze over us, clearly reassessing his assumptions.
“So you’ve done a little study then?” He gave a long suffering sigh. “The jungle, as I have said, is not a playground. If you insist on heading into the jungle, I will need to inform you that when you fail to return, in a month’s time, we will confiscate your airship-” he paused and eyed it with an obviously skeptical look. “-strange as it is, to pay for your docking fees.”
Soriya’s smile was like the cat that ate the canary. She clapped her hands together and hopped in place.
“Oh marvelous! This is wonderful!” She said, then turned to me. “So, clearly there’s a cult in town! If we hire a local jungle guide, they’ll lead us right to the temple, and then try to sacrifice us to your lost Arcanum!”
I pinched the bridge of my nose. “Soriya, could you be… a little less happy about the threat of death? Especially from some religious cult?”
“Oh pshw. Don’t be so scared, we took down that criminal shipnapper cult, and from his reaction, we’re clearly overleveled!”
I frowned even more deeply. “Soriya…” I trailed off then said “It’s still not a game world. Our success is not assured. Even in a jrpg, the game over screen comes up! We don’t have infinite lives or retries!”
Soriya quieted, then nodded. “Alright, yes. You’re right. But… but Lily, look at this place! It just screams religious cult and lost world jungle adventure!”
I swayed in place, not really wanting to give her the win, but unable to deny it. This did look like such a place, in great detail.
Eshaan stepped up and patted my arm. “Lily, regardless of if this cult is real or not… we need to go shopping. And a bed, you said? Dragon knows that I’d like a bath. This air is… incredible! And the desert is just a few hundred kilometers to the north! It’s incredible!”
Daniyel said “The Gharb plains occur before the open desert, there’s a considerable amount of space for the air to dry.” He said calmly.
Camaxtli said “The prevailing winds are from the northeast, the Sharanya Mountain Range blocks rainfall over the desert, meaning…” He trailed off as Lakshmi gave him a look. “Perhaps this is not the time for a lecture on meteorology. A quest for lodging seems to be in order.”
Lakshmi nodded firmly, and then swept off towards the city, with a beckoning wave. “Come on crew, adventure and skullduggery await! Our seers have foretold it!”
We followed behind, with Daniyel giving a quiet smile as we did.
“You’d think she’d be less excited about the possibility of us being stabbed by a weird jungle cult.” Eshaan said to me.
Daniyel gave him a grave look and said somberly “If you truly believe that, then you have not grasped the essence of Lakshmi.”
Eshaan frowned, and grew silent in thought as we entered the throbbing swirling mass of vibrant color and humanity.