Ruin (Series)

Chapter 20: Grand Theft Airship

My Prophetess. May your humble servant ask, what is the status of the fleet?

Their construction proceeds apace. Our builders estimate, the last of the airships will be completed in a month. The invasion will begin shortly after.

Good. I'm afraid, I have some bad news to report. Alia and the prime of earth are still missing. Vachir has gone into the Black Forest in pursuit. Hopefully he will soon find....

Lord Sceith could feel the Prophetess' rage building in his mind. Each word burned.

See that he finds them. If he returns empty handed, capture him and send him to me. If he does not, take them both prisoner and, capture him anyways. When the invasion begins, his usefulness as a liaison will pass. It will finally be time to add Vachir to the ranks of my obedient followers.

It will be done, Prophetess.

***

Vachir's spirits were low. He and his troops had bid farewell to the Ll'tal. Around him, his men were in high spirits. They joked and laughed as the journey continued deeper into the Black Forest. Despite his empathic senses, he was a dark cloud among rays of sunshine.

There was a storm coming. It wasn't of natural makings but, pure evil. Worst of all, he knew exactly where it would strike and how it would end. And I can't tell anyone, he thought to himself, depressed.

Taking a deep breath, Vachir tried to clear his mind. He knew what was coming but, he would do everything he could to save as many as possible. Prophecy be damned. Shifting his attention back to their search, he focused his mind.

They are in there...somewhere, he thought quietly to himself as the group continued their trek. Their search for the awakened had continued but, since Vachir's sharing of memories with Specialist Hartzell, and his secret conversation with Emat, the plan had changed.

Vachir had his own plans for Jim and Alia now but, he had to find them first...

***

"We all ready?" Alia's voice carried over the assembled crew. Various "Yes Ma'ams" and "Aye ayes" sounded from the group of seventy three. Among them, Henry stood, tall and in good spirits. Finally, he would get to travel on foot with the rest, unashamed.

"We're revolutionaries now after all," he had argued. "No need to hide. Let that woman try to take my mind again. See what happens." He'd gotten no argument from the captain afterwards.

Jim picked up his repurposed bailwing bag and strapped it tightly to his shoulders. Over the past two days, he and Henry had been hard at work, removing the air canisters and wings from the bags and replacing them with rations, black crystal dust, and water.

The journey to Freeport would take weeks and would require that everyone bring enough supplies to last them at least that long. In addition, the group had to carry enough black crystal dust to collectively trade for a furnace, boiler, and other supplies needed to get their airship back underway.

Their entire trip would take over a month there and back on foot. Amongst the crew, the idea of bringing both sloops was tossed around but, it was ruled out as being too difficult to move the vessels, small as they were, through the dense forest.

Without fanfare, their group of awakened survivors set out for the long journey to Freeport.

***

Time was up. At a brisk pace, Vachir and his men would be hard pressed to return to the rendezvous on time. Perhaps, Emat's 'prophecy' wasn't so clear after all, he thought quietly to himself.