The Outskirts: The Sky Raiders (Jace x OC)

Part 12

Skyport, as Durny called it, came into view just before the sun hit the horizon. The Brink was ragged and far from level. They had not paralleled the edge king before finding a shallow basin that looked like half a valley because it ended so abruptly. Skyport was nestled down at the bottom.
Constructed from stone and heavy timbers, the sprawling main building perched right on the edge of the Brink. Several balconies and porch's projected out over the drop. To me, the building looked like one medium sized earthquake would send it over the edge. There were several smaller buildings scattered around, including a stable and a modest barn. A tall wall enclosed the huge area behind the main building, which I assumed was the Cliffside Salvage Yard.
Between the distance, the bad lighting, and the height of the surrounding barrier, I couldn't tell what was inside it.
I loved it. Everything about it. Well, minus the slave part. Back at home, my parents always expected me to be perfect at everything, and here, things looked like they built it to the best of their abilities, and made it functional, but it was far from perfect, and I loved it.
A bell clanged as Durny led the mules down the steady slope to Skyport.
Men and teens hustled out to help unpack the mules. They wore weird clothing. One man wore a furry vest. Another had on a dark blue military jacket shining with medals.
"It's so different here," Cole said.
"I know, but honestly? I like it. Not the slave part." I added quickly when Cole gave me a weird look. "I mean there's floating castles, and Shapers. And the Brink is super cool."
"I guess," Cole said. "But we're slaves."
We stood off to the side awkwardly as Durny gave out orders to the men and teens.
Before long, Durny came over to us.
"This way." He said.
We followed Durny up the steps to a wooden porch. It had hammocks, wooden chairs, a chest made of solid iron, and a cage with a creature with two heads.
Durny shoved us through the doors into a busy common room. There was a lot of people, most of them males. The youngest around ten, the oldest, gray haired or bald. Some were talking, some playing cards, some eating. Slave marks abounded.
Durny led the way to a beefy man, with a graying beard and curly hair sat in an elaborate throne.
"It's about time!" He boomed. "No more sending my top shaper on elongated excursions. Did you see Carnag?"
"No, saw some refugees. Reports have said it's well into Sambria, near Riverton." Durny replied.
"I keep hearing the most outlandish stories. If it heads this way, we'll help it off the Brink. The trading went well?" The man asked.
"Very well," Durny said. "I even acquired some fresh blood."
"Are they vending slaves in Mariston these days?"
"We passed a caravan," said Durny.
"You only bought two?"
"I'd used up almost all my cash fund, but there interesting candidates. Fresh from Earth. The girl has shaping and enchanting potential, and she's got spirit. The boy has no shaping potential, but can hold his own." Durny said.
"I see," the man said. He shifted his attention to us. "How'd you end up here?"
"Slavers kidnapped our friends, we wanted to help." Cole said.
"You came through on your own?" Durny asked.
"Yeah, we wanted to help our friends, so we followed them through the way. You can guess about how well that went." I said.
"You got nabbed," the man chuckled. "Steep price to pay for helping your mates. Unfortunate. Well, if a bondmark is your fate, you landed at the right place."
"Ansel didn't mention you came here voluntarily." Durny said.
I folded my arms. "Thats because we didn't tell him."
"This one has some sass." The man said.
"Don't forget my warning." Durny said.
I gave him a fake salute, and he glared.
"Neither of them mind the edge." Durny said, looking back to Adam.
"I would hope not." The man said. "They have names?"
"This is Cole, and Kendal." Durny said, pointing to us.
"Well, Cole and Kendal, I'm Adam Jones. The greedy bone picker who runs this operation. I answer to 'Your Majesty', 'Your Excellentness', and 'Adam'."
I rolled my eyes as Adam turned to Durny. "Did you explain the way of things here?"
"The kids needed to know their new situation."
Durny replied.
"Ah, sensible-new slaves and whatnot." Adam turned his attention to us. "A slave won't find a deal like working for the Sky Raiders in most corners of the Outskirts. I was once a slave too.
Most of us were. You wont get typical treatment here. Not from us. You're lucky. You've only had the little most taste of slave life. Be glad you'll never know what your missing."
He waited for us to nod. We did.
"You're new, so you'll have to pay your dues, take some ribbing, perform some distasteful chores. But you won't always be the greeniest recruit at Skyport. The more seniority you gain, the better it gets. You can even earn freedom. The catch? You could die tomorrow."
I had felt pretty good until that last statement.
Now I understood why the life expectancies were two weeks.
"Really?" Cole said.
"Sky Raiders risk there lives on every mission," Adam said. "For the first season or two, you'll serve as scouts, risking your neck more than anyone. Being careful, smart, and quick will help you survive. Having spirit helps too." He said, winking at me. "Still, part of it is the luck of the draw. We lost a good young scout last week."
Durny looked pained. "Who?"
"Fiddler."
"Too bad. I liked him." Durny said.
"He was a lively boy of fourteen." Adam continued. "He'd almost earned his way out of scout service. Takes fifty missions. He was only four short. Fiddler came upon something no man could outrun. His death showed the crew that an unfightable predator occupied the castle. His sacrifices saved lives. It's noble work. We always need more scouts." Adam winked. "Now we have two."
I felt sick with dread. Heights were one thing.
Heights were easy. Monsterous predators were another.
"Do we have to?" Cole asked. I had a feeling he already knew the answer.
Adam barked a laugh. "What a question!
Nobody would volunteer to scout. Your a slave until you work it off. This is how you start.
There are no other choices. Last long enough, and someday you could become a partner, wealthy and comfortable. Until then you, do your part to embiggen the organization."
We nodded grimly.
"What are our chances?" I asked.
Adam looked at me skeptically. "You want it straight?"
I nodded, but Cole said. "I don't know."
Adam laughed. "You'll be fine! There's nothing
to worry about. One day it'll be you on this throne."
"No," I said, pushing in front of Cole. "Give it to us straight."
"More than half our scouts survive the first ten missions. Maybe one in twenty survive all fifty.
I'd say Kendal will last longer than you, Cole.
But the odds of coming home from your first mission are reasonable. Speaking of the first mission, I want you two to go together, just this once."
"We start tomorrow?" Cole asked.
Adam nodded. "Today was a slow day. Which often means that tomorrow will be busy. I'll want a report about your first outing."
"How do we prepare?" I asked.
"I like this girl already!" Adam said. "There's a proper attitude. Durny, have Mira show them about, get them equipment and new clothes." Durny ushered us away, and started asking people where Mira was.
Before long we found ourselves facing a girl about my height. She looked about my age. She wore boots, corduroy pants, a collared shirt, and suspenders with shamrocks on them. Her brown hair was cropped short, and she wasn't very clean but she was still very pretty.
"Find some new monster bait?" She asked
Durny.
"Go easy," Durny said. "They've had a rough week. Mira, this is Cole and Kendal. They'll be raiding together tomorrow. They need to learn the ropes. Try not to let them die."