SkyEarth Book 2: The Ethaerium Keys

Chapter 6: Chains of Night

Chapter 6

Chains of Night

Five days have passed. It's time to leave Etherealm.

Oliver had really outdone himself this time. He managed to fix all the damages the Peryton II had sustained in the crash. Even the plane's tail looked new, like it hadn't been hit by lightning at all.

Shaun hadn't gotten a good look at the plane yet. Seeing it now fixed, he could see that Oliver did a great job restoring it. This Bayonet plane must've been the latest design, probably took flight late in the Dogfight Wars. The biplane retains its steampunk design and color scheme of bronze, brass, steel and beige, but there's a hint of Oliver's personal touch, especially in the propeller engines in the wings, the tail design, and the welded steel antlers right in front of the pilot seat's view. Of course the machine guns had been removed, there's no reason for him to use it.

With their food in short supply, there's no reason for them to stay here. Shaun hoped their hypothesis is correct.

Days ago, the group had discussed about what happened during their first entrance into Etherealm. Luna and Morpheus had discussed very informative insight about how this world works. They said that all mystic creatures arrive where they need to be between jumps, and back when they were falling out of the sky, Luna and Morpheus had opened the gate to Etherealm, and upon entrance they crashed into a shallow lake and survived. The opposite may very well be true: if one opens a gate back to SkyEarth, they may end up in the place where they need to be or somewhere near.

It's that or they fly around Tramontana aimlessly till they ran out of fuel.

"Okay then, you all comfy back there?" Shaun asked the group from his pilot seat.

"Yup." answered Oliver; a pair of mech goggles covered his eyes. "We're all buckled up and comfy."

Luna nodded quietly and Morpheus raised his trunk in affirmation. Shaun nodded at their readiness.

"Things will be bumpy at first, but expect some smooth flying soon." He starts the ignition, and the Peryton II rumbles to life. All three of its propellers start to spin. Smoke billowed from exhaust pipes. The plane began to move forward across the grassy plain, slow at first, but it gradually picked up speed. The plane jarred a few times from the bumps and holes, but after reaching a hundred yards the Peryton II took off and rising.

"Luna, Morpheus. You two ready to open the gate?" Shaun asked over the sound of propellers.

"We're ready." she answered him.

"Of course I'm ready! You think of me ill-prepared? I'm certainly am not!" Morpheus also answered. Shaun had gotten used to him speaking for the first two days, but now they're leaving Etherealm he won't be able to hear the baku talk human again. He'll certainly miss hearing that gentlemanly voice, hearing it from a baku was kind of cute.

"When you think it's time, let me know." said Shaun as he pulled the control stick in, lifting the plane up high in the color painted-film sky.

Now at sixty feet, Luna and Morpheus did their thing.

The air in the Peryton II's course began to ripple and glow. A small black dot hovered in the middle of the chaos, which instantaneously grew into a huge clear bubble of night that' bigger than the plane. There were no storm clouds, but Shaun could see forks of lightning flashing around the night bubble and hear the sound of crackling thunder. The suddenly, blue and gold light shined from the center of the bubble, and it grew in width until it's wider than the plane's wingspan. The portal opened like a mouth, colors of sky and sea blue, rocky greys and soft whites swirled inside of it. The portal back to SkyEarth has been opened.