The Fabled Compass

A Story Under A Sky Where Gold Falls. . . The Fabled Compass: Cloud Bound

Part one

Tick

The crew of the Fabled Compass had just reached a comfortable altitude to lock the controls and let the skysail coast. Koi steadied the steering and relieved herself of her position.

She sat back on one of the long seats in the pilot's quarters and took a puff of her inhaler while she was alone. Once again, she stared at it, thinking about what Wolf had told her.

A scarred woman Koi thought to herself in silence. Something about that description had bothered her. Something was familiar about it, but she had met so many people on her travels, what would be the odds it could be the same woman?

After preparing for ascent, both Wolf and Owl leaned over the ledge of the ship, watching the clouds below them create what looked like a fluffy ocean.

"That one looks like cotton." Owl pointed to one of the distant formations.

"The cloud looks like cotton?" Questioned Wolf. "They all look like cotton."

"Watching clouds is less fun in the air." Owl lamented.

"How's your secret project coming?"

"It's getting there. That's why I want to stop by Praspon. There are some things there I could use for it whenever we're back in Ninble."

"Is it a Clock?" Asked Wolf.

"I told you already, it's a secret."

"But would you tell me if I guessed correctly?"

"No."

The two shared a moment of silence together before Koi joined them in their overlook.

"Is it a weapon?" Asked Koi, inserting herself into the conversation.

"He won't say." Answered Wolf.

"You two need to mind your own business."

"It's stilts. He's making stilts." Koi snapped her fingers.

"That would make sense." Agreed the hunter.

"You two are irritating."

Another silence blessed them as they enjoyed the breeze together. A rare quiet in their dangerous lives that was soon broken by Owl.

"Did you kill Kab Caw?"

"Yeah." Koi confessed.

"So Garrick was right to accuse you?"

"Yeah."

"He deserved it. I heard of his reputation. If she were to kill anyone, better him than anyone else." Interjected Wolf.

Owl dipped his head and let out a small nod.

"I suppose so. I still wish it wasn't so easy for you."

Koi shrugged and took another hit of her inhaler, discharging away from the two. The puff followed the wind behind the ship and dispersed like the clouds they parted through as they sailed.

Before the next silence had grown too loud, the ocean of clouds in front of the three rippled and broke apart. Starting with a tall pillar rising from beneath, a large airship emerged from a couple of miles ahead of them. Five times the size of the Fabled Compass, this skysail looked able to house a number of crew members, all under an unknown banner none of them had seen before. It was a dark ship with purple accents all around them, the symbol on the side called it The Conqueror.