In a world where continents float amid corrosive clouds and natural resources are scarce, technology is restricted to the Government. Kilometer-long monsters emerge from the ether, attacking coastal cities and devouring everything in their path.
In...
— It's our chance; let's maneuver and turn in the opposite direction. We'll collide head-on with the enemy. When we start the fight, Peregrino will take advantage and hit them from behind, a perfect maneuver. — The captain envisioned this alone, and without consulting his officers, he ordered the maneuver to be executed.
— Captain, we need to figure out why the pirates aren't fleeing first — Adon seemed concerned.
— Nonsense, you're getting scared with age!
— What's this music? — Nimbus noticed that music was playing; he just didn't know where it was coming from.
— I've been hearing it for a few minutes too — Lonios replied.
The captain maneuvered the Brand, and now they were heading towards the pirate ship, and the pirates towards the Brand. Soon, they would be within range of Brand's cannons; the pirates had probably slowed down because Peregrino was coming right behind them and was about to catch up.
— Master, everyone is ready — Valeros came up from below, accompanied by Boagrius. Nimbus looked down and saw all the men anxious, about to climb the stairs.
As they approached the pirates, the music became louder. In the distance, Nimbus looked through the telescope borrowed from Jim and saw a man on the pirate deck playing a flute. He had a huge tube tied to his back and apparently read the paper that came out of this tube while playing. Seeing this, he pointed and showed it to Lonios, signaling the strange fact.
— NO! Everyone, get ready — Lonios shouted. — I've heard a song like this before and seen a man with a scroll like that; he's a summoner.
— It can't be. I knew them well in the war — Adon replied. — They summoned beasts to the battlefield, but there are no giant beasts to be summoned here, except...
Before Sir Adon could finish his sentence, a colossal ether monster of almost a kilometer in diameter emerged from the ether below Peregrino and grabbed it. Immediately, the ship began to force its turbines upwards, trying to prevent the creature from pulling them down.
Everyone on the command bridge was speechless; the silence lasted a few seconds until Lonios broke it, saying almost inaudibly:
— I've seen summoners summon the most terrifying monsters to the battlefield, but I was always told that ether monsters were impossible to summon. It seems they were wrong, or this summoner is extraordinary.
— WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR, YOU IDIOTS? WE HAVE TO SAVE PEREGRINO — the captain shouted, desperate.
— That explains why they didn't flee — Sir Adon exclaimed, ignoring the captain's screams. — What are we going to do? It's impossible to defeat a ether monster of this size, even with two ships attacking it — Adon looked at Lonios hopefully for him to say something, and that's what happened.
— It's for ether monsters of this size that Sir Ahbran called me for this journey. We need to get close to Peregrino; if we get close enough, I can save them.
— You can? Sir Adon asked, surprised. It seemed that only he and Lonios were on the bridge; only they spoke, and the captain looked horrified at the two.
— What can a mere wandering knight do against an ether monster of this size? Don't be foolish — the captain incredulously looked at Adon and ordered again. — DO SOMETHING, YOU GOOD-FOR-NOTHING! — Now it seemed like the captain found the knight useful, and this made Nimbus show a small smile at the irony of the situation, despite the desperation.
— Put me close to it, and I'll do it — Lonios replied to Adon, looking deeply into his eyes and ignoring the captain.
— DON'T BE FOOLISH; I WON'T DO THAT JUST BECAUSE YOU WANT ME TO — the captain spoke.
Immediately, Sir Adon grabbed his Diamond Steel shield and violently hit the captain's face. With the force of the blow, the old man fell unconscious to the floor; everyone inside the room was looking at the chubby body lying there, and Adon spoke:
— From now on, I take command of the bridge. Any objections?
At that moment, everyone inside the command bridge stopped looking at the unconscious captain on the ship's floor and turned to their tasks. A sense of satisfaction was palpable in the air; probably, everyone there couldn't bear the captain's eccentricities and insults anymore.
— Very well, ignore the pirates and head towards Peregrino, and lock the captain in his quarters.
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