I fell backwards into nothingness, plummeting earthwards. In that moment, the scales fell from my eyes, and I realized the depths of my feelings for Avani. A wrenching pain tore my heart asunder, knowing I would never have the chance to tell her of my discovery, nor to live out my days in her company. A cry of anguish escaped my lips... only to be cut short as I jolted to a stop. Looking up, I saw Avani, flung halfway over the edge of the deck, her hand gripping my arm. Her face contorted as she struggled to maintain her grip and her balance, scrambling to find purchase even while trying to pull me up. Slowly but steadily, she dragged me upwards until she was able to reach me with her other hand.
Gripping me with both of her hands, she strained back until at last I was able to reach my free hand to the edge of the gangplank. She gave a last mighty heave and fell backwards across the deck, with me sprawled across her, panting and breathless. With a stifled sob, she flung her arms around me, kissing me all over my face and neck as she gasped for air. "I... I thought I'd lost you, too," she sobbed into my neck in a strangled voice.
"Well," I said, still breathless with sheer relief and the intoxicating joy of living, "thanks to you, it looks like you'll have to put up with me for a while longer." She choked, laughing and crying as she hugged me tightly.
"Hey, you two—a little help over here?" Dylas shouted from across the deck.
We scrambled to our feet, and I retrieved my spear from the deck where it had fallen as Avani dove to pick up her swords, lying where she'd flung them in her haste to reach me. As she grabbed them, the dragon spun to knock her down with its tail. She jumped straight up in the air, did a back flip mid-air, and landed on the monsters back between its wings. As the dragon reared up, screeching and snapping its jaws while writhing to shake her from its back, she drove her swords into the tender spot between its wings and held on. As Dylas leapt to rain blows on one of the creature's flanks and I charged with my spear leveled at the other, Avani unsheathed her massive sword. With a loud shout, she raised the sword high above her head and brought the blade crashing down on the monster's neck, severing its head. With a final scream, it vanished, flinging Avani backwards as her dual blades clattered to the deck.
"You three are incredible!" Arthur called from the airship's helm. "You took on and defeated a small army!"
Dylas wiped the sweat from his brow and looked up at the prince with a savage grin. "Yeah, well, I have a feeling that this fight will seem like a piece of cake compared to what's coming. But whatever that bastard has in store for us... bring it on!"
"Then brace yourselves," Arthur called with a hearty laugh, "we're nearly there. I'm going to pick up speed!" With a jolt, the airship accelerated, speeding towards the fortress ahead. As we approached, I saw a single small platform connected by a short bridge to the main island. It looked as though it might have been used for cargo drops, but whatever its intended purpose, it had one outstanding feature: it was unguarded.
"Look, down below—there are no soldiers within sight of that platform. I'm going to drop you off there, so get ready!" Arthur shouted to us. We slung our packs over our shoulders and again secured our weapons, then crouched near the gangplank to wait for the signal. When he'd maneuvered as close to the platform as he dared, he called out to us, "Now's your chance! The Native Dragons protect you!"
Avani held her hand up in farewell, shouting, "Leave it to us, Arthur! Take care of the town while I'm away!" With that, she gave him an impudent wink, and we leaped off the deck.
************
We landed on the empty platform in unison, the impact causing the floating quay to shudder. Avani unsheathed her dual blades, saying, "Okay, you two. We've no idea what may lie ahead, so be ready for anything and everything." Dylas and I armed ourselves and followed as she cautiously proceeded across the connecting bridge.
There was no sign of life on the central island—nothing but crates piled carelessly on the cobblestones. There were no guards, no monsters, not even a bird or an insect—it was completely barren. Upon further exploration, we found what must be the bridge to Ethelberd's inner sanctum at the north end. The bridge was barred, however, by three massive stone barriers. Knowing his devious mind, we had no doubt that the keys to open each barrier were hidden somewhere on the three outer islands.
In the south of the central island, adjacent to the platform where we had dropped from the airship, was a bridge, and it was there that Avani first led us. The terrain on this island simulated someplace far more southerly, I thought—warm and humid with abundant plant life. The first monster we encountered was one that I had not seen for a very, very long time—indeed, only once in my life. A massive bird with brilliant violet plumage rose up before us. With an indignant screech, it blasted us with a powerful wind from its huge wings, forcing us away from it. Soaring up out of reach of our weapons, it shot lightning down upon us, forcing us to scatter from its path. Dylas took shelter behind a tree, while Avani and I crouched behind an adjacent vine-covered stump.
"What the hell is that?"Dylas hissed, watching its flight path to try to determine where it would next strike.
"It's a—" I started to reply, but Avani interrupted me.
"It's a thunderbird," she said with wonder in her voice.
I turned and looked at her in surprise. "That's right. They're not indigenous to this region, though. The only reason I know what they are is because I once saw one at a carnival when I was just a boy. The carnival's beastmaster said they were a tropical bird, found only in the southern regions of this continent and the tropical islands in the southern seas. So now I'm curious—how did you know what it was?"
She looked at me, baffled. "I... I don't know. It just came to me. I don't remember ever even seeing one before."
There was no time for further discussion, however, as the giant bird wheeled and swooped down at us. I stood up, holding my spear at the ready as it dove at me, shrieking its defiance as it readied its claws to rend or grasp whatever they could. When it was near enough that its scream was deafening to my ears and the metallic stench of its electrically charged feathers filled my nostrils, I hove my spear upwards. Its momentum impaled it upon my spearhead, nearly knocking me backwards even as it vanished from sight, leaving only scorch marks near the top of my spear and a faint crackling of electricity in the air.
We continued through the convoluted collection of platforms that comprised this island, fighting more thunderbirds as well as huge tortoises with black spiked shells, small green dragons, pepper ghosts, airborne automatons, and a few wildcats similar to the palm cats native to the Autumn Road but far stronger and more aggressive.
We stopped after clearing out several platforms, exhausted, hungry, and in need of healing. Dylas pulled some containers of food from his pack while Avani healed my injuries. Then she healed Dylas, and I healed her. Afterwards, we sat leaning against the trunks of a cluster of chinquapin trees, eating the food that Dylas had unpacked: a sort of a pilaf made of assorted grains and vegetables and topped with a thick vegetable stew, and dense curry-filled buns. While not my preferred sort of food, it was nutritious and portable. We chose not to take the time to build a fire, so we ate our meal unheated. As soon as we were done, we packed up and continued on our way.
************
Eventually we came to a platform near the southernmost edge of the island. Before us was an ornate gateway leading to another bridge, the only path remaining to us. We felt certain that if there was a key hidden away on this island, it would be found there—along with whatever guardian Ethelberd had selected to protect it.
Avani stood contemplating it, chewing a handful trail mix for a quick energy boost before continuing onwards. "What do you think he's got guarding the key?" Dylas asked, offering me the container and grabbing a handful of the nut and dried fruit mixture for himself before packing it away.
She shrugged. "Who knows? I'm sure he didn't pick anything especially cute or cuddly, though."
I snorted as I finished my handful of trail mix. Despite our break earlier, we were all tired from hours of combat under grueling conditions—fighting in the heat and humidity was altogether different from fighting in the more temperate climate to which we were all accustomed, and we felt drained by the experience.
"Well, no point in just standing around here. Let's do this!" Avani exclaimed, drawing her weapons and charging through the gate and over the bridge beyond. A smaller platform on the far side held only a small switch that activated a warp point, and another bridge led south. We crossed that bridge and found ourselves on the edge of a huge platform.
Waiting in the center of the platform was a massive unmanned tank, made of some extraordinarily smooth metal. Its turret spun around as we charged onto the platform, locking in on us. It fired a volley of small plasma projectiles towards us, and the battle commenced.
Avani leaped to one side, I dove to the other, and Dylas sprang up in the air, landing on top of the turret. The tank shuddered from the impact of his landing, and it began to spin as it attempted to dislodge him. I cast a flame wheel at it, but it barely even blackened the finish. Meanwhile, Avani swapped her dual swords for her fire-imbued longsword. She ducked down and rolled as the tank spun towards her, releasing a volley of large spheres of electrical energy as it rotated. I dove out of its path just as Dylas delivered a strong kick to the top of the turret.
Landing in a crouch, I cast an earth wheel at it as it fired another volley of small projectiles. The spikes of rock rose up all around it, damaging its treads and trapping it temporarily. Avani took advantage of its immobility and charged at it, her blade leveled towards the weak point—the turret ring, where the turret joined the hull. Dylas leaped down and out of her way, landing next to me.
Her flash strike attack was a powerful attack that blasted away all that lay in her path; she flew at the tank, and when she connected, she shattered the ring, rendering the turret inoperable. Dylas stood up as she leaped out of the way and, to my great surprise, cast a dark ball at it. The small sphere of concentrated dark magic slowly wend its way around the tank, devouring all that it touched. I looked over at him in amazement. "Hey, not bad! When did you learn to do that?"
He glanced over at me with a half smile. "I've had a lot of free time recently," he replied drily. I chuckled and rose to stand next to him. Raising my hands in front of me, I cast a water column wheel, then pulling out my spear, I leveled it and charged at the tank, darting between the powerful jets of water. I drove my spear into a slight fracture in side of the tank just as Avani came crashing down from above, smashing into the hull with all her might. Together, we breached the hull and dove out of the way while Dylas cast his signature electrical attack upon it.
Its armor compromised, the tank was now vulnerable to the magical attack. Electricity crackled all around it, entering the interior of the tank. As the three of us dove for cover, the tank began to spark and snap. A moment later, it exploded, and a shower of burning debris rained down all around us. When we rose from our cover, the tank was gone—only a few small parts lay unscathed on the ground.
Avani took a look around and saw another bridge to the south, and with a weary sigh of exhaustion, she headed for it. "Come on, guys—that damned key has to be around here somewhere!" Muttering things not at all ladylike under her breath, she strode across the bridge to the next platform.
The platform was empty, other than a few stacked crates—and a single color-coded lever in the far corner. Her eyes lit up as she exclaimed "Ahh, I think we've found it!" She walked over to it, drawing her sword as a precaution, and pulled the lever. A distant rumble was followed a moment later by a shuddering tremor that traveled through the platform, and we ran back to the warp point. That returned us to the first platform on this island, adjacent to the central island. We ran along across the island to the barricaded bridge, and sure enough—one of the barriers was gone.
One down, two to go.