Gryff Boxset

by Sloss, Marcus

  We shook and he left me standing there, awash in thoughts of the future. I knew it was time to go say hello and mingle with the new recruits. My first order of business was to break the formation and let them get settled into Riza Stronghold.

  The infrastructure here could handle the influx for a bit, and if we got short on beds there were plenty of folks in Remi eager for work. I tried to meet them all, I really did but there were so many of them that stuck around to learn of home.

  What I heard from these elvath shocked me. I figured there would be stories of trials and tribulations. No, they were well cared for and privileged. I was glad to hear that, but was confused as to why they would fight a desperate battle to get away from a place that was so good to them. The answer was simple. The grass is always greener on the other side. The majority of them wanted to go to Prox to quit fighting and settle down. The truth of the infinite females had reached the ears of the male elvath here.

  While I certainly couldn’t fault a man for wanting a new home with the chance of love, I was disappointed. I was expecting something more or less along the lines of the master universe is evil and I was stripped from my homeland. Oh, well. I needed all the help I could get.

  Warg left without saying goodbye. I had to trust he would hold up his end of the deal. I rationalized he would, sending lackeys to spend silver on slaves seemed fitting to the brute. For the first time in months I felt hopeful. I really had that inner faith I would make it home.

  Eventually the greeting for the newcomers ended. Ovaria arrived with a bag of platinum from selling my looted orbs. She said the transactions were smooth and wished us luck going to planet Minip. Harmony joined Gemini, Groz, Nicole, and I so we could go get this new airship.

  CHAPTER 12

  “Whoa, it is flipping huge!” I exclaimed at the sight of the shipyard.

  Gemini snickered and held back her retort.

  Nicole went for it by saying, “That’s what she said.” My high five completed the playful exchange and only helped to increase our jovial mood. We returned to gawking at the massive shipyard from outside a security fence. Nicole muttered, “Wonder who we have to talk to.”

  We arrived on Minip after a half dozen jumps out of Remi. We could have flown in direct but getting landing permission would have taken longer. This confused me until Harmony said that there is a landing queue. That I could fathom, this planet held very little open space with its huge skyscrapers and infinite buildings.

  Even from here we could see a string of ships waiting to land to load and offload. The sheer magnitude of them in the skyline had to give a pause as to why there weren’t more landing ports. Apparently, the queue had something called a priority bump and we would get hit with it non-stop until we gave up. This led to me worrying about leaving with a purchase but taking off was supposed to be easy.

  Travelling the portal system and seeing a few other suns or night skylines as we jumped from planet to planet was okay by me. I was still enjoying not being chased or having to walk into an alleyway. Well, that and I was on a super high from the news Machew shared. There were only three dungeons and one planet ass kicking until I’d be heading home. Wishful thinking… led me to be a bit happier than normal.

  Minip was another world with a reddish tint to the sun that warmed the winds nicely. The day was clear, the sky filled ships in the background and small birds racing for the next park or building perch. We had walked through crowds that thinned as we neared the blimp shop. Now it was a few residents playing board games on wooden tables in a quiet section of town. Behind them sat a ten foot wall of steel bars and beyond the fencing was the shipbuilding.

  I wasn’t sure if we arrived at the right place to buy blimps but we certainly arrived at the right location. Between the metal we could see crews hard at work. Towers and framing platforms supported craftspeople as they diligently erect the next ships to be sold. The biggest ship that was only partially complete was a flying city, making my familiar appear tiny in comparison.

  Nicole knocked on the gate for a second time. A foreman noticed us and decided to help. He trudged over with a beard so long I was surprised he didn’t step on it. The foreman was a dwarf elvath hybrid, with his pointed ears, medium build, and big nose.

  “Walk around… that way,” he hollered when within ear range. Gesturing for us to go left.

  “Fuck that,” Gemini muttered before cupping her hands. She yelled out, “Machew sent us! Short cut please!”

  The foreman tossed his arms up in the air in frustration. He didn’t come for us though. He went back to the airship he was supervising and yelled something we couldn't hear. A male leopard type alien was summoned, given a key, and sent running to us. We didn’t have to wait long with his fast pace.

  “Welcome to Jammies Blimps,” the young male said with a friendly smile. “I’ll take you through the construction yard to the show area. Try to not deviate or get hurt.”

  “Thank you,” I said politely.

  The gate was unlocked and we followed behind the guide. There was little said and it seemed the young male was content to enjoy a nice stroll instead of working. I used the time to inspect the crafting around me.

  There was an immediate difference to what a familiar airship included versus these wooden behemoths coated in steel. These ships glistened with weaponry. Ballistae adorned every completed ship, and some had hundreds. The jutting balconies I had to crane my neck up to see bristled armored bolt points, causing me to smile in contemplation. I started thinking of the epic battles above the ground and quickly became lost.

  Would you want to ram, harpoon, and board your foe? That seemed logical to me, to get in close and melee your way to victory.

  I could just imagine a boarding party like in the pirate movies; your most fearsome warriors braving a gap thousands of feet up, only to have a rope cut. There would be the screams of the fallen. Those who make it across would face intense defenders with traps they would have to thwart. The battle would rage until the helm is secured probably.

  Or you could just keep a nice distance and bombard your foe with magic and real weapons. It would make sense to have fires with anti-water agents. Greek fire? Yeah, I think it was called Greek fire. Add that to the list to figure out.

  A prolonged siege with both sides smashing through shields seemed silly so high above the ground. There had to be bombers or something to help win the day. Oh, Machew did say this was a carrier. We had extra funds too. Maybe some quick airships to harass you foes. Yeah, those would be epic.

  A snap near my ear brought me from my thoughts. An elderly lizard man in a blue robe with white trim was patiently waiting for our attention. Aw man, I’d zoned out and missed most of the walk over here.

  “I’m Inga, your arrival was expected. It is not often Machew sends someone to us with such an open offer of purchase,” Inga said and I furled my brows.

  I saw we were in a completed only section of blimps. Tethers held massive war machines tied to anchored metal hooks while the vessels hovered as if eager to be released. There were ramps to walk up to each ship for sale and the rows up rows of available inventory left me stunned. I imagined a carrier would be a one size fits all type aircraft, except there were hundreds of carriers for sale. So many that they were all I could see. Other sales associates escorting shopping groups while I stood there taking it all in.

  Each airship had a plaque out front detailing information. I couldn’t read the print from here but it made sense to have a sign to tell me what I would tour and hopefully it had the prices. I hated visiting businesses that hid their pricing.

  “Inga, we are most appreciative to be here. We were told Machew would honor our deal and we could purchase a carrier blimp. What that entails, well, we were hoping you could verify what is allowed?” Nicole said politely.

  Inga waved us forward to start the tour. “He left the exact model open. Which means I can sell you my most expensive blimp. Inquisitors always pay their
bills. However, the priciest unit is actually for sieging cities. So let us start with what kind of ship do you need?”

  Harmony and Gemini had been debating this very question. I just assumed that a carrier was a carrier. Boy oh boy, was I wrong. Those two ladies were at the forefront of knowledge for carrier capabilities. They debated the nuances for hours with the result being -

  “Ideally, a fast attack carrier or swiftie hybrid,” Harmony said with a terse nod and flick of her tail.

  “Customer knows best. We have a few of each on the display. When we get open orders, most buyers like to get the most value out of our products. We have a returned bruiser that would fit that bill almost, the big vessel is a step above the swiftie in size, and the larger hull makes it a tad slower. A guild preordered the beast, then had to return the ship due to a breakup. It is what I would recommend if you were wanting something outside a siege or transport carrier,” Igna said with a shrug.

  Of course, both Harmony and Gemini tucked chins deep in thought about these developments. I was still gawking at the might and majestic nature of these behemoths. I muttered, “Why did we rule out bruisers earlier?”

  “They’re slower, harder to land, require bigger crews, and getting them to move around eats a lot more mana. Sure they have their benefits, and we could haul real siege weapons and a full army. Unlike your familiar, a real airship is going to take resources to keep going,” Harmony said with folded arms. She was frustrated at the situation, her face twisted in thought. “Gemini?”

  The celestial was having a side conversation with Groz. We paused while they talked it out.

  Inga cleared his throat. “A fast attack carrier is meant to dart forward over unsecure objectives or harass opponents out of position. The smaller fighters and bombers can swarm off the decks to deal a rapid defeat to your foe.

  “A swift carrier, not called a swiftie hybrid by the way, will be slower than a fast attack. It will have more exterior weapons ports for siege engine mounting. While a better all-around ship, it reduces speed for firepower,” Inga said to me while the others chatted. “Come, they seem indecisive. Visit the Gorilla and see for yourself.”

  Inga left with me close to his side. “How much did they give up by returning this ship?”

  “Everything, nothing. It’s very much up for debate and inconsequential. The Gorilla is a floating city in the sky. While that may sound grand, they are burdensome and super expensive to acquire.

  “There becomes a point where a moderate group simply cannot maintain something this expensive. It is more than just the mana costs. Again, a bruiser class ship is a small city. That means if a guild has a few bad runs it’s doomed. The buyers, well, they never got that far. Our ships require basic essentials. They saved up enough to buy the deposit on the ship and then took a break,” Inga said with a shrug.

  I think I was figuring it out. “They did this big long ordeal to get this glorious ship, then ran out of steam to fully purchase and equip it due to infighting. I take it the launch ships for the behemoth are not included?” I asked as we arrived at a tethered ship that was ten times the size of my familiar. Floating city indeed.

  The sound of running feet from behind me caught my attention. Gemini was red in the face with frustration. Groz was his usual grumpy self.

  “What is it?” I asked the arriving duo. “Best get it out before we go up this ramp.”

  “We’re nigh ready,” Groz grumbled. “The siege teams are behind on their construction. We’d take this ship home and have nothing to properly equip her with. Not that the others are a much better option. This will just sink more resources when I have new arrivals every day needing supplies.”

  “Him,” Inga said, pointing at Gorilla the airship. “The live sacrifice at the launching ceremony was done with the soul of a male war gorilla.”

  “Gross, but common,” Gemini said. She shifted to point at a ship half the width and a quarter the height of this one. “That is a fast attack carrier. Fragile, rapid, and lethal with Gryff at the helm. This will be much safer but Groz is correct, we simply aren’t ready for it.”

  “Even if we spend our platinum to outfit it?” I asked.

  Gemini shook her head. “We’d need most of that just to get her in the air with counter scout ships. If we adventure, sure. But…. big but here, if we flounder or get hit while we're trying to earn enough to properly -”

  I held up my hand. “How about we tour both ships. I will make a decision after,” I said sternly. “Both sound good to me and I’ve yet to research these three new dungeons we need to finish.”

  This seemed to tide over the others and we walked up the creaking gangplank. The massive loading ramps were folded up, instead just a few of these narrow walkways entered the ten foot square entrances that appeared tiny compared to the scale of the Gorilla. The initial shock of the blimp was starting to wear off. Sure it was huge, but the closer you got to the wooden frame coated in armor, the realer it felt.

  My neck craned from the effort to see up the curved side with staggered balconies. When I glanced down the hull it went so far it blurred with the horizon. It really was hard to scale to other objects. I was nudged forward by an amused Harmony. She pointed to the opening that had decorative trim with a welcome sign.

  When we crossed the threshold I furled my eyebrows. This was the opposite of what I expected. There was a flipping market here. I stepped back outside the blimp to get a better understanding of why this was here. Sure enough there were a dozen of these access points wrapping the hull. Inga noticed my confusion.

  “This is the visiting market,” Inga said, walking deeper as he talked. We passed small to medium size prebuilt vendor stations. At the end were two big general stores. Of course everything was empty. “For a small guild with their families and the support staff, this is the best way to let those you visit shop for what you have.

  “I see your bemused stare, the reality is this blimp will house a hundred thousand souls if you squeeze them in right. We design easy access to trade points right here instead of deep within the ship. This market can easily be converted into a military defense zone with a few dividers.”

  I frowned. “Take me over the military aspects please. We do not need a city. We need a weapon of war,” I said and it was his turn to use a grumpy face.

  The lizard man's scaled skin tightened and his tongue darted out. “Here is my opinion. If you plan on adventuring for a few nights away from your base, do so safely. Many armies have camped in familiars only to be assaulted from above during downtime. Here you don’t have that concern unless you land. And if you do, everyone is in one home with walls that do not suddenly disappear. You can do that in the other airships too. The big difference is the fast attack can run from others.”

  “Exactly my point,” Gemini grumbled.

  I gave her a finger point and a stern glare. She held her hands up and then covered her mouth.

  “My point was starting to drag on. If you're in the field and not at home, bring home with you. Unless you want to be exposed. Both ships will do that, this one offers more defenses and space,” Inga said, stepping off toward a stairwell.

  He wound the entire way up for what felt like an hour. I was used to running stairs and even my calves burned from the constant ascent. Each new twirl gave peeks of what the interior held with cutout views. I saw a lot of housing on the bottom floors. A few were training or as needed floors with tons of open space, and near the end were the crafting floors.

  I arrived on the top deck and I understood why my muscles complained. The Gorilla was at least a thousand feet high. The view of hundreds of smaller and wider airships weren’t what drew my eye. Everything was frozen in time except a growing ball of colorful feathers.

  A parrot loomed largely in my vision coming straight for me. The green and blue bird landed on my shoulder while I soaked in the view. I furled my brow and went to shoo it away.

  “When you go home, it will be thro
ugh an atmospheric portal journey. Convert stronghold Riza into this ship. Anyone not on the ship when the time is right, will not go home with you,” the parrot said squawking away. “No one should be on your ship that does not want to go to Prox. This is your final warning, and our final words. You’re going home Gryff, prepare properly.”

  The rest of the group walked up the ramp a moment later, stern looks on their faces from the voyage. I opened arms to proclaim, “Inga, this is perfect. I love it. Gemini, Groz, sorry... but this is it. I’ve been told this is how we get home.” My grinning words hit the tired group with shock.

  “Not sure I understand. If you pick this ship, this becomes home,” Inga said. The lizard didn’t show any hint of confusion. He was happy he was getting the bigger sale. “If you’ll follow me I’ll get the paperwork.”

  “In a moment,” I said, not faulting him for his enthusiasm at such a big sale.

  Nicole walked over to my side and nestled into me. I wrapped her in a tender embrace. We were definitely feeling the thrill of being able to head home. Harmony fidgeted nervously, figuring out what was going on.

  “Umm… Gryff?” Harmony asked without saying much. Her tail was in her hand, her strokes laying down her fur were trying to sooth herself.

  I scratched the back of my neck and said, “There has to be a warning or something. We’ll keep some gliders around and if the portal goes green instead of black you hop off.”

  “Arrwwwkkkkk, that werkz,” the parrot squawked from above us.

  There was a silence that lasted but mere seconds. “Huh, I never knew they could talk,” Inga said, putting scaly hands on his hips. “How about we walk and chat? My old legs cramp if I stand still after climbing this high. I can show you the length of the ship.”

  I gestured for him to lead the way. Nicole waited for him to get a dozen feet ahead before saying, “Was that him?”