The Blue Locust 2 was docked near the edge, its hull long and narrow with locust wings painted along the side. Steam hissed from its ports as columns of propellers lay dormant. Mechanical wings with enchanted canvas membranes lay slack in the breeze. Dock workers hurried to and fro, carrying crates into cargo bays.
Next to the gangplank waited an anxious blue-scaled dragonkin man, wearing what seemed to be a variant of a mariner captain's uniform. Next to him stood the pearl-grey neko that Jack had told the party about before, also wearing a uniform, albeit less extravagant.
Perona was the first to step up. "Captain Celran? My name is Perona. Jack and Cyren sent us."
The dragonkin turned his face to regard Perona, towering above her. His head was that of a dragon, tapering into a noble snout as great winding horns sprouted from his temples. He bore a powerful tail as well, and his entire body was covered in blue scales.
"You lot don't seem like you're good for escorts. Why did Cyren send you?" he grumbled.
Perona seemed irked by this comment, but in all fairness, Aralynn couldn't disagree with Celran either. Aside from Hadarai and maybe Amon or Grango, they didn't look like they could put up a fight at all.
Perona regained her composure and continued, smooth as silk. "Just because we don't look like it doesn't mean that we can't bring the abyss when we fight."
Celran stared her down for a solid minute, and Perona matched his gaze, unflinching. Celran eventually barked a laugh. "She's got some spunk. I like this one." He then turned to the rest of the party. "Get on board. We're just about to weigh anchor and undock." He did a military style pivot on his left foot and walked back on board.
"Sorry about that," Cozith apologized. The neko was another race that populated the world: they retained a human's face and head but sprouted a pair of cat ears on top. The back of their torso (including their arms and legs) was covered in fine hair, and they also sported a slender tail. Cozith's shoulder-length human hair as well as her fur were all a pearlish-grey colour. "The captain's always like that," she continued. "You get used to it." She turned around and headed on board as well.
- - -
All the final preparations had been made: the propellers were well oiled, the last pieces of cargo had been loaded and secured, and the Blue Locust 2 was ready to undock.
"Cozith, get those newbies on that anchor," bellowed Celran.
"Aye-aye, captain!" Cozith then beckoned at Hadarai and Amon. "You two look the strongest. Come." She led them towards a chain that seemed to endlessly hang below them onto the ground below.
"Anchor aweigh!"
Hadarai and Amon stared at Cozith dumbly. "That means raise the anchor," Cozith said supportively. "Pull."
Other members of the crew ran back and forth to their positions, either to behind the helm, to navigations in the cabin, or as running crew on the ship. Amon and Hadarai heaved and tossed the thick steel chain for a quick couple of seconds before they pulled up something that resembled an anchor with runes carved into it.
"That's the anchor," Cozith explained. She then proceeded to show the two how to stow it properly for flight, winding it between two nearby posts.
"Inform the rookies on their duties," ordered Celran. "No dilly-dallying, we need to beat rush hour on the air routes, before the cold wind comes."
"Aye-aye, captain! Come with me." Cozith led Hadarai and Amon back to their party, who were standing by the stairs to the helms deck. "We sincerely appreciate you all for escorting us, and if it were up to me, that would be more than enough… However, it's not up to me. The captain wants you to help out as deck hands if you're not actively engaged while keeping an eye out for threats. Sorry," Cozith said, her ears drooping sadly.
"No worries," Perona said. "We'll handle it somehow. Don't let yourself get so down about it- we were sent to help out, after all."
"Thank you for understanding." Cozith bowed. "For now, nothing's needed, so please just keep a vigilant eye out as we push away. After that, if you're called to do something, please help out."
"Of course," Hadarai responded.
With that, the Blue Locust 2 finally pushed away from the dock and started to rise in the warm air, sunlight casting shadows over ropes and cannons and boxes on deck. While Aralynn was used to flying on her own, the weightless feeling took a bit getting used to as the airship shifted around underneath her.
The rest of the party seemed fine except for Grango, who looked slightly pale. Even Derrick, who'd followed them, was fine.
"And you were teasing me for being wagonsick earlier," Perona joked.
"Not…in the mood…for this…" Grango hugged his stomach.
Perona laughed. "You'll get used to it soon."
As they had reached a certain distance away from the docks, there was a whirring sound, before an aggressive series of clunks as the propellers of the ship, arranged on either side of the ships' hull in columns, started up, spinning and chewing rapidly, pulling the ship through the air with newfound speed. The mechanical wings whirred to life as well on either side, making microadjustments as they directed the airship in its journey higher and higher into the blue sky. Soon, the structures of Calyr were smaller than dollhouses beneath them.
While flying on an airship was a new sensation to Aralynn, there was something she had to check. She opened her system window and accessed her inventory. In it were the gold pieces she had from Perona and a single item that was marked with a red icon. She tapped on it.
[Do you wish to withdraw this item? After withdrawal you will no longer be able to replace it into your inventory. Y/N]
Aralynn tapped on the item's (I) first, bringing up a preview. There was an image displayed alongside it. It looked something similar to the muskets that Aralynn had seen. However there were several significant differences- Its ergonomics seemed different, its shape was different, and there was what appeared to be a strange metal box extruding partly underneath the stock in front of the trigger. It was sleek and fashioned out of a strange wood-like material that was almost black. The metallic parts were a dark gray as well, as if they were choked by smoke.
Then, Aralynn turned her attention to the item's description.
[Objection, the Grand Equalizer]
[Item type: Weapon. This bolt-action rifle was fashioned and blessed by the Firearm God out of the core of a steelwood tree and the purest gunmetal. It is said that whoever possesses this rifle shall serve as the Firearm God's Nominee and divine Apostle of Judgement. This rifle can be used as a medium to channel the Firearm God's Blessing.]
Rifle? Aralynn thought. Weren't those only in development? And what does this all mean? Steelwood? Gunmetal? Nominee? Apostle of Judgment??? Medium for channeling a blessing? Even worse, Aralynn thought that something felt similar about it... as if it were something sent to her by someone in a dream.
Perona stopped the fusilade of questions sliding into Aralynn's head. "What's up, Aralynn? Have you chosen a mastery yet? I can recommend you one, if you'd like."
"Oh- no, I'm fine." I probably shouldn't show this to the rest of the party just yet- while it hurts to be distrustful, there's no telling what such a weapon could do.
"You sure?" Perona said, looking at Aralynn. "You were looking out into nowhere." Perona looked out into the sky as well. "Though I guess that the sky is so clear and blue today."
Perona's silvery hair, which she had tied back into a ponytail, whipped around in the wind and the air going past along with her cloak. Sunlight embraced her beautiful and regal features as Aralynn stared at her.
"Yeah," Aralynn said, looking out into the sky and the clouds lazily drifting by. "It truly is a clear blue sky."