Sky Riders

Airhaven

As Anna flew the Jenny Haniver East, where Batmunkh Gompa and Airhaven lay, Artemis pondered M.E.D.U.S.A. What could it mean? Did it stand for something? And most importantly, what was it? For every question Artemis thought she came close to answering, a million other options appeared for her to think about.

She turned to the window to clear her head and look out at the afternoon sky. Outside, she saw the approaching form of the floating city. Airhaven was close, and with it came allies. Sathya, Captain Khora, and other friends.

The huge airbags that suspended Airhaven grew larger and larger, until Anna announced, "Going in for landing soon!"

Artemis moved to gather her claymore, her weapon of choice, and a gun, just in case. You could never know what would happen in the flying city, so just to be safe, Artemis tucked an extra dagger into her belt.

A few seconds later, she felt the airship jolt as the magnetic clamps on the docks connected with the Jenny, docking them safely in place.

Artemis whistled a loud, shrill noise, summoning Tom and Hester from outside on the stern. "Come on, lovebirds! We're going to meet some friends. And get food. Really good food"

Tom and Hester tried to hide their blush at the mention of the word 'lovebirds', and only succeeding in proving Artemis's point ever farther. Artemis thought they would be an adorable couple, and hoped to be invited to the wedding.

Smirking, Artemis walked down the ramp next to Anna, herding Tom and Hester down into the docks that led to Airhaven's perpetually busy marketplace. A scruffy looking boy ran up the the group and asked Anna, "Can I watch your ship, Miss?" Anna tossed him a coin, and a smile spread on the little boy's face. He saluted, and said, "I won't let anyone on, ma'm!"

Artemis smiled as the little boy took a seat at his guard post on the ramp leading to the Jenny. Walking through the marketplace of Airhaven was a new experience every time. Different smells, different sights, different market stalls. But one thing stayed the same: it was always busy, no matter the time of day. Tom and Hester's eyes widened as they took in all the sights. Hester had never seen so many people in one place, and Tom was unused to the chaos of it all.

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A few minutes later, Anna, Artemis, Tom, Hester, Captain Khora, Sathya, and a few other friends of theirs all sat at an overcrowded table in on of Airhaven's many dinners, the Gasbag and Gondola. 

Khora spoke up first, his deep voice being heard above all the other voices easily. "So, M.E.D.U.S.A. What is it? And why did Valentine want it?"

"We think," Artemis replied, "its some kind of Ancient superweapon used in the Sixty Second War. Valentine want it to probably destroy everyone 'for the sake of London'," putting her fingers in air quotes.

Sathya spoke loudly, her accent thick. "Well, If Valentine has a superweapon, we can't wait for him to use it! We must stop London before it can ever be activated!"

Anna countered, "But we don't know it's a superweapon! Besides, if we attack London, thousands of innocent people might get hurt!"

Tom and Hester just sat, watching everyone debate what they should do, until Tom finally spoke up. "I don't want my city to be destroyed because of the actions that one person did to bring all of you to attack London. I think we should wait for anything to seem suspicious at all. Then, if things start to get dangerous, we can attack. But leave as many innocent people out of it as possible. The only man we have a fight with is Valentine."

Artemis was about to congratulate Tom on his excellent speech, when a loud crash echoed through the Gasbag and Gondola. The entire table snapped their heads around to find the spice of the sound. 

The door had crashed inwards, and the person who did it was not a person at all. It looked human enough, for it walked on two legs and had two arms, but that was where the similarities ended. Huge green eyes glowed from its sockets, it's face made of metal, and long, wicked looking claws extended from its finger tips. 

The dinner was eerily silent, and everyone seemed to hold their breath while the thing spoke.

"Hester Shaw!"

It swung its claws in a wide arc, and the restaurant became chaos. Artemis's table drew swords, guns, and daggers from various places. Other tables screamed and evacuated. Hester only looked at it in recognition. 

"Shrike..." she said, scarcely audible to Artemis.

The dinner now empty except for Artemis, Anna, and the rest of the table, it was a showdown between a Stalker and ten aviators with guns. Artemis unsheathed her claymore from where it was strapped on her back, and Anna drew her twin katana blades, while others started to shoot at the Stalker. 

Giving each other a look, the girls swung their blades in tandem, striking here, stabbing here, blocking metal claws. They always worked better together in battle, protecting each other's backs and leaving anyone who stood in front of their blades dead.

But this was a different sort of battle, with a different kind of foe. This one would not die, no matter how many bullets attempted to penetrate its thick armor, no matter how many swings of a sword met its body.

Artemis brought her claymore up to shield a strike, but she was too slow and felt a sharp pain through her forearm. Yet she kept fighting, and barked out an order to Tom and Hester. "Get back to the ship! Now! Run!"

Artemis felt a jolt go through the entire city. The airbags! They were beginning to lose their living gas, forcing Airhaven to descend down to the ground.

"Anna, we have to go!" Artemis turned from the fight, looking for Tomand Hester in the fleeing crowd. She grabbed Anna and they ran hand in hand to where the Jenny was docked. Seeing Hester's russet hair gleam in the fire, Artemis pulled Anna along, sprinting to catch up. Anna stumbled over a fallen market stall, and Artemis pulled her back up. They were almost there, almost to safety.

Artemis snuck a glance behind her, and through the rising flames she saw the figure of the Stalker, effortlessly pursuing the girls. There! The red airship waited for liftoff, unaffected by the flames. Tom looked as if he was going to be sick, waiting near the corpse of the boy Anna had paid to watch the ship. His mangled body was barely recognizable, for most of the skin on his face had been stripped off, revealing the white bone underneath.

Anna caught up with Artemis, having been dragged halfway across the city, and saw the little boy's remains. Anna friend to look unfazed, but Artemis saw the emotion in her eyes. Artemis knew they could talk about that later, for now they had things to do. 

Ships took off in every direction, they sky becoming filled with the colorful envelopes of thousands of aviators fleeing the burning town. Through the smoke, Artemis could see the lumbering figure of the Stalker still in pursuit, yet not as fast as it had been, for Anna had severed one of its feet off in the fight.

Starting the Jenny, Artemis looked at Hester and asked, "What the hell was that thing? And why was it after you?"

Hester started to speak. "It-he- that was Shrike and- Miss Calida, you're bleeding!"

Artemis looked down at her arm, and indeed she was. Her forearm dripped red, and her hand was almost completely covered in dark red blood.

"Oh. I guess you're right," was all Artemis was able to say before promptly collapsing onto an overturned box.