“Fire,” I said.
“Aye aye,” Faso said.
For a moment, nothing happened. And I worried that we’d either pass the bird automaton or it would fire on us before we’d even had a chance.
“Faso?”
“Give it time.”
And just as we were almost upon the Roc automaton, a tremendous white beam of light erupted from Velos’ underbelly. It passed right through the Roc, searing through the metal. It lasted only a moment and then fizzled out. And we were about to collide with the thing.
“Dragonheats,” I said. And I pushed down hard on Velos’ steering fin. The dragon entered a sharp dive, and this time the immediate effect of the gravity made me almost want to throw up.
And then, I levelled Velos out, and everything was silent for a moment. I turned back to see a trail of smoke in my green augmented vision coming up off the Roc. Then, the great beast plummeted. It hit the water, sending up a huge wave out in all directions, rocking the Saye Explorer.
“Dragonheats, Faso Gordoni,” the voice came out from King Cini’s airship. “I didn’t know you had those tricks up your sleeve and you now will pay. This time, I’m not even going to give you the option of surrender. Oh, and before you think of going under Lady Wells, I’ll have to know that I’ve modified my entire fleet to also eject shrapnel flak into the water. And I don’t care about any of your passengers, including the boy. Now I’ve sacked my consort, my single objective is to take you down.”
You know this king liked the sound of his voice far too much. His father would have just killed us by now and had done with it. But sacked his consort, or in other words Alsie Fioreletta? Now that was news. Which meant that Alsie and King Cini probably weren’t allied when I bumped into her at the volcano. Which meant…
I didn’t have much time to think about it, because almost immediately after he cut himself off from the loudspeaker systems, the Roc automatons behind fired on us. Green smoke erupted from the three long launchers on their wings and out screamed three missiles. They were heading straight towards us and so I pulled Velos upwards in a loop the loop. But I grimaced as soon as I saw the missiles start to follow us.
“Homing missiles,” Faso said. “Be careful.”
“You what?” I asked. But my voice was cut off by the scream of the wind cutting against my face.
Faso shouted out something else, but I couldn’t hear a word of what he was saying.
“Auntie,” Taka said. “They’re secicao powered, I can use my scream.”
“No,” I said. “Don’t listen to Finesia. Velos can get through this one with sheer agility.”
And no doubt Faso was probably screaming out how crazy he thought I was. I was now upside down in the air and I looked at the ocean below us to see the missiles heading upwards straight at us. Taka was right – they had a green trail to them. Although, admittedly, with my augmented vision, everything was green.
If I could just get in front of them, then Velos could shoot them down with fire. That gave me an idea. Fire. If they sought heat, maybe we could redirect them.
I quickly sang a staccato-tipped song and Velos latched on and spewed out a column of flame. While the missiles had been heading towards our heads, they suddenly began to veer off in a new direction. Right into Velos’ flight path. Not good.
I turned Velos sharply to the right and entered him into a half barrel roll so we could get upright again. Meanwhile, the explosion rocked us in the air, and I felt the heat prickle against my arm. I pushed downwards to get Velos as far away as possible. Faso would have the worst of it, but then he had Ratter to administer first aid. I looked over my shoulder to check that Faso and Taka were okay. They looked a little shocked but not injured. Behind them, Velos’ flame had now mixed with the explosions to create a magnificent blossoming display of light.
And we’d got away from it.
Somehow, we’d survived.
Conveniently, our movements had sent us heading towards a second Roc automaton.
“Faso,” I said, “can you fire it up?”
“I need a minute.”
“We don’t have a minute.”
“Very well, I’ll put it into overdrive, but it might backfire…”
“Just do what you can,” and I turned to see Ratter already fiddling at the controls while Faso leant towards him and tapped commands onto the little automaton’s back in a strange rhythmic pattern that only the inventor understood.
“I hope this works,” Faso said. And the armour began to rock underneath me again.
“Taka, you okay back there?” I asked.
“I feel a bit sick… But this is so cool.”
For some reason, that made me smile.
I readied Velos and pointed him at the Roc automaton. It opened its beak and let out a huge roar. The sound entered my bones and sent a cold shiver down my spine. Part of me wanted to back away.
Yet, I wouldn’t let Velos’ aim waiver.
“Ready?” I asked.
“Ready,” Faso shouted back, and a blinding white light came again from Velos’ underbelly for a split second. Then came a huge crashing sound as the beam seared through the Roc automaton’s armour. The hideous mechanical beast opened its mouth again, but no sound emerged. Shortly after, it plopped into the ocean below, this time letting out a splash so high, it looked almost like an erupting volcano.
“Two down, one to go.”
And there came a laughing over the loudspeaker from King Cini’s airship. “This is quite a show you’re putting on for my men here, Lady Wells. Apparently, a lot of cash has changed hands amongst my men of bets placed against you winning this. But two Rocs down, bravo. I didn’t expect you to get this far, I must admit.”
I clenched my teeth. Once this was over, I’d head straight towards Cini’s airship and douse his head in flames, despite all the Hummingbirds and protection he’d have surrounding him.
As soon as the loudspeaker sounds crackled out, the remaining Roc launched another slew of missiles at us. This time, they came at us from the side with such speed and proximity that Velos’ flame wouldn’t be able to lead them out of the way. The Gatling cannon on the Roc also bucked into life, and Velos’ guns responded in kind by returning fire.
“Everyone augment,” I shouted. And I took a swig from my hipflask again. I sloshed my flask to test how much secicao was left in it. Almost nothing. Then, I pushed Velos down, just in time for the missiles to come screaming over our heads.
I kind of hoped they’d then continue into the distance, but instead, they corrected their course, did a one-eighty in the air, and sped back towards us. I reacted by singing a song to instruct Velos to let out another flame. But this time, the missiles didn’t change course.
“Dragonheats,” I said. “They’re learning.”
“Fascinating,” Faso said. “And now we’re dead.”
“Auntie, I’ll use the scream.” Taka said.
“No,” I said. If anything, I’d be the one to use it and risk going further over to Finesia’s side. But we had to try and evade these things first.
Then, I had another idea. “We’re going under,” I shouted. Even though King Cini had warned us about the shrapnel flak underneath, the boats were so far away that we shouldn’t encounter any here.
“Not again,” Faso said. And he jerked his head around to look at the approaching missiles. “Okay, you’re right. No choice.”
Finally, he was starting to understand these things. “Hold your breaths,” I shouted.
I pushed up hard on Velos’ steering fin and sent him diving. We hit the waves with such a speed that the splash of impact stung my face and arms. Down we sank, so far that we could see the little luminous fishes and other creatures. The weight of the water started to press against my ears, and I worried for a moment that Taka wouldn’t be able to take it.
But then, the boy was a dragonseer. It would be Faso who’d have problems if anything. I jerked my head to the right to see the missiles still fol
lowing us, swimming like minnows. Dragonheats, if this didn’t work.
I pulled back on Velos’ steering fin to take him back up again. Meanwhile, I sang a song in my mind, because there would be no way I could blubber the notes through the water. Velos speared upwards, keeping his wings folded back for momentum. Then, we broke the surface and I immediately switched to an audible song that instructed Velos to spew out his flames. He created a column there that lingered for a moment, heating the sea up. And I then steered Velos sharply away.
The missiles exploded before they even emerged from the sea. They sent up a huge wave that threatened to pull us back under again. But I kept Velos as steady as possible and soon we broke through gasping for breath.
I took a moment to recover, and I scanned around for the Roc so we could at least make our move. But this wasn’t a board game and we didn’t take it in turns. While we’d been busy underwater evading the missiles, the Roc had tracked our movements. Now it was behind us and close on our tail. So close, in fact, I could see the shimmering green of secicao washing over it.
The larger cannon on the Roc’s underside let off a barrage of bullets. I entered Velos into a barrel roll to evade. Meanwhile, the Roc got even closer with its beak. Dragonheats, it wanted to spear us out of the sky.
I pulled back on Velos’ steering fin again to enter Velos into a loop the loop. As I did, I kept track of the Roc’s position. Although it couldn’t do what we did aerobatically, it could match our speed. And if it slowed whenever we slowed, Velos wouldn’t be able to get behind it, and the Roc could impale Velos on the way down.
And it flew with utmost precision, never letting us fall behind. As we came down, it found its way underneath us and raised its beak at Velos, who sent an orange flame over it, but that only made the metal red hot. And then I tried to swerve Velos out of the way to avoid collision with its beak.
We almost made it…
But we were jerked to a halt. The harness dug into my shoulders as the momentum threw me forward. Velos let out an intense, low-pitched growl and I felt a terrible pain lancing in my tailbone. I screamed and writhed in my seat.
I could see nothing but the churning sea beneath me. We were hanging, and I looked up to see Velos suspended from the meat of his tail, the Roc’s beak speared through it. The dragon let out another roar and kicked and tossed to try and free himself. But as he struggled, the Roc opened its beak to hold him in place. Then, to add to the cruelty, the front parts of the Roc’s beak pivoted outwards on hinges to create two hooks. There was no way Velos could escape that without tearing his tail in two.
“Dragonheats, we’re dead,” Faso said.
I shook my head. He didn’t need to repeat it for the thousandth time.
“Well, well, well,” Cini’s voice crackled over the loudspeaker. As pompous as ever. Looks like I can take the boy back as a prize after all. Artua, how we’ll need to discipline you once you return to the palace. But first, Lady Wells and Faso Gordoni, we shall execute you right here.
The airship propellers hummed into action again and from the horizon came the faint green glow of Hummingbirds. Meanwhile, I looked up into the glowing red crystal eyes of the Roc automaton, staring down at me as if the machine wanted to be the one to perform the execution.
I had no option but to wait, short of unbuckling the harness and dropping into the water.
Meanwhile, Ratter had disappeared from Faso’ shoulder. Hopefully, it was up on the automaton somewhere trying to find a way to get us out of this. Velos had stopped roaring and instead kept letting out these long, rumbling moans that sent shivers down my spine as I watched the airships approach, their faint green outlines getting even brighter.
“This is your chance,” Finesia’s voice came. The temptation was so intense that I had stopped closing the door on her. “Send my minions forwards and become a leader yourself.”
Yes, the black dragons. Finesia’s minions. They were still hovering far in the distance, waiting for my order. I couldn’t hear their voices in the collective unconscious anymore, just strange sounds that could almost be described as static white noise – the kind you hear when trying to tune a radio.
The king’s airship was soon upon us. In the light that shone out of the gondola of the airship, I could see the bowsprit and the red flag on it with the four white sabres radiating out in a circle, arranged like propeller blades. The king’s redguards milled around on the deck of the gondola. King Cini III stood between them in his white fur overcoat and tall felt crown, his hands behind his straight back, watching out with discerning eyes.
Soon enough, he was within speaking distance, and four guards had flanked him. All four of them had their rifles pointed at my head, clearly, after deciding I was much more dangerous than the other two in the party.
“So, Dragonseer Wells,” King Cini said, putting an extra sarcastic undertone on the title, “how are you going to sing your way out of this one?” He lifted a pocket watch hanging from his hip. “You know, I’m a generous soul. So I’ll give you exactly one minute to make any last requests before I fire.”
“Auntie Pontopa,” Taka said in the collective unconscious, and I could hear the fear in his voice. “You can’t let him shoot you. Finesia tells me you can stop this. Please, you must listen to her.”
“We’re not going to bend to her will. No matter what happens Taka, you can’t let her in.”
“Fifty seconds,” the king looked at a pocket watch dangling from his waist. “Oh, please don’t tell me you have no tricks left up your sleeve… How disappointing.”
I could feel the blood rushing to my head. And meanwhile, power began to surge through my arms and legs. It would only take a moment to transform, and I wanted to so much. If only the king knew how easy this would be. I could turn to a dragonwoman and rip off his head.
“That’s it, my acolyte,” Finesia’s voice came in my head. “All this power could be yours. That’s what you’ve always wanted, isn’t it? To be the best. Better than Sukina. As great as one of the Gods Themselves.”
“No,” I replied to her. And I pushed her away.
“Thirty seconds,” King Cini said. “Don’t you have any last requests? I can even ship your remains to Fortress Gerhaun if you just tell me its location…” He let out a dry laugh.
I had no choice. My life. Velos’ life. Taka’s life. The whole of Fortress Gerhaun depended on it. I closed my eyes and willed the scales to grow out of me.
“No,” this time I heard Sukina’s voice in my head. “There’s always another way. Don’t take the easy way out, Pontopa. Remember the vision.”
Her words brought me back to the present. Destroying Alsie. Becoming the source of the Tree Immortal and the growth of secicao. No, this life would turn me into a destroyer of this world. If I had to make a sacrifice, so be it…
And I stopped the transformation before it even started.
“Ten seconds left,” King Cini said. “Actually, I’ve changed my mind. Guards shoot her.”
And I heard the rifles click into place.
“I’m sorry, Taka,” I said in the collective unconscious. “Whatever you do, be patient, and be strong.” And I closed my eyes and prepared to die.
For a moment, everything went silent and I got ready to enter the next world.
Then, instead of the boom of rifle fire, came the screams of a thousand dragonmen. It resonated over the collective unconscious, so strong that every man and woman present clutched their hands to their ears, including King Cini and me. Rifles dropped on the deck. The king reeled forwards and looked as if he wanted to throw up.
“You are a fool, Dragonseer Wells.” It was now Alsie Fioreletta who now spoke in the collective unconscious. “A complete disappointment to Finesia. I’ve known all along that you would never claim her power, and so I’ve decided to do so myself.”
I turned around to see a flock of dark dragons come into view in speckled green, many more now than had escorted me here. And I felt their presence, but t
hey were no longer calling out to me. Wiggea had left me. Colas had left me. And in their centre, I recognised the largest of them all. Alsie Fioreletta at their centre, her loyal minion Charth flying beside her.
“And you, King Cini. This is how the collective unconscious sounds, you know. You’ve never believed in it, which is why I’ve always thought you a complete waste of time. But now, out of the ashen soils of East Cadigan Island, your old servant Captain Colas created a source loud enough for any human to hear my voice. Yes, Faso Gordoni, the youngest male heir of Dragonseers, that includes you too.”
“Dragonheats,” Cini shouted to his men, still on the ground clutching his ears. “What is this? Shoot them all.”
But the men on deck were slow to respond if they could even hear him at all, and the dragons came in fast and strong.
“Auntie Pontopa, I’m scared,” Taka said in the collective unconscious.
“Hold on, Taka,” I said. “Just hold on.”
And soon enough, Alsie’s troop of dragonmen ripped Cini’s airships to shreds, the gondolas crashing into the ocean. The Hummingbirds that had surrounded us had already plummeted under the weight of the scream. And still, we just hung there, with no choice but to await our fates.
“Ratter did it,” Faso shouted out suddenly.
I craned my head upwards to see what he was talking about. The speckled green effect of the secicao oil was now beginning to fade in my vision. But still, above me, Ratter stood on the Roc’s beak, looking triumphant. Fortunately, the colossal scream hadn’t downed the massive flying automaton, like it had downed the Hummingbirds, perhaps due to the beast’s enormous scale.
Now, the two parts of the beak that had sloped outwards lay in line with the rest of the beak. Velos roared again in pain, but it seemed Ratter had loosened something on the beak and the dragon was now sliding off it.
Dragonseers and Airships Page 57