Chương 112: CHAPTER 109 – Thieves’s Sky

"Really now?" Monica huffed, feeling her arms grow limp. A violent boom rose above the clouds, followed by a rapid, spherical shadow. A cannonball shattered against the Pietas's barrier, causing only dismay to the passengers rather than actual damage. The pirates, meanwhile, cheered at the sight of the splinters and smoke, satisfied with their work and already loading another into the cannon's mouth.

"Don't they understand that their wreck can't hit us?" Lautre muttered, annoyed, scratching an ear while tapping his foot to the rhythm of the volleys. After yet another cannonball exploded along the barrier, Maverick brought the Pietas higher, pirouetting the colossal iron ship among the clouds. Inside, everyone held on to the armrests or the internal frame, feeling their recent meals dancing in their guts, except poor Lance, who had been flung outside the ship and was now clinging to the open door.

The band of criminals kept pounding the ship while he was stuck beneath the explosions.

"Maverick… I think Lance is hanging from the ship." Maliard entered the cockpit, pointing his thumb toward the whistling opening.

"My bad..." Maverick didn't deign to look at him. Instead, he performed another manoeuvre. Both saw a cannonball fly past the ship's nose.

"Sorry, go get him. I can't allow the Pietas to take damage or the shield to lower before reaching Icarus." Maliard snorted, proceeding silently toward the opening. Lance was still there, his fingers now dug into the hull while the smoke and shards of the shots spread above him.

"Need a hand?" Maliard yelled, leaning out while holding his cap with his fingers, feeling the fabric bend under the violent wind gusts. Lance shook his head, watching the rival ship slowly lose altitude as the Pietas cut through the sky. He stared at him, smiling, giving a quick nod. Maliard, without even hearing him, immediately shook his head. The last thing he heard was the boy's faint laughter as he launched himself into the sky.

"IS YOUR BRAIN ROTTEN OR WHAT?!" Maliard shouted as a dark figure hurled itself at the pirates like a falcon. One gunner leaned out from the opening, seeing a silhouette approaching rapidly. Moments later, a boy crashed into the hull, smashing through the deck and stopping only against the pile of cannonballs. All the pirates stared at him, stunned, trembling as they drew their weapons.

"Not exactly a brilliant idea… But it worked!" He got up, brushing the dust from his shoulder as he advanced toward the band of outlaws. The deck was full of broken pieces, weapons, and crates of goods stolen from who knows where, some covered in strange barnacles and algae. One of the pirates lunged at him, screaming, sword raised above his head and body leaning forward. Lance looked at him, then grabbed his wrist and hurled him behind.

The sword glinted on its iron fittings as the man fell, slamming into the pile of ammunition. Everyone present took a step back as he advanced.

"Can I kindly ask you to leave us alone, return the goods, and not tell anyone what happened?" His tone was far too normal, with palms pressed together and a far too friendly smile. Suddenly, a bullet shattered against his uniform. In front of him, the man on the right held a smoking firearm. Lance stared at him with furrowed brows and a grimace, shaking his head.

"I guess not..." He snorted, appearing before the man, destroying the weapon by crushing it between his fingers. From the deck above, the entire crew stirred, feeling the vibrations and gunshots coming from beneath their feet. Some positioned themselves in front of the access stairs, holding bayonets and rifles in the dark, waiting for the thing to come up. Suddenly, the only sound was the relentless wind. All their footsteps stopped, almost holding their breath beneath their black masks.

The wooden planks exploded, hurling two men into the air amid general panic. From the opening emerged a hand, and immediately after, a young man in uniform with black hair and yellowish eyes jumped out.

"You can't hear anything up here!" He shouted, trying to keep his hair from rising even more. All the pirates stared at him, dumbfounded, before seeing twenty more of their own slip into unconsciousness. The boy moved like a shadow, simply intangible. Every attempt to attack him resulted in a body dozing on the ground. The captain, massive and wearing a golden mask, watched the scene in silence, skilfully manning the helm. Then he grabbed one of his men by the neck, forcing him to take the wheel.

He threw himself into the fray with force, landing a few steps from the boy, who was holding the scarf of one of his men.

"Are you the captain?!" Lance shouted, gently letting the pirate he was holding slide down. The man with the heavy golden mask laughed, though Lance couldn't tell, then drew a large serrated cutlass with a faint cerulean tone.

"You've got guts, boy. Are you some kind of supernatural seagull?" Lance shook his head, mumbling something before staring at him, stunned.

"What you say?! Gongaga?! No, I've never been there!" The man, his senses muffled by the mask and filter, saw him agitated, unable to understand what he was saying.

"You threatening me, boy?" He pointed the cutlass at him. Lance stared, shaken, raising his hands defensively.

"I don't care about Gongaga or where you're from! I just want you to leave us alone and return the goods you stole! I'm not interested in fighting." As Lance spoke, he dodged the cutlass's slash to the side. The iron embedded itself between the deck planks, almost mute under the thundering wind. Lance blocked it with his foot, while a strange pair of waves descended from the sky. A group of pirates, emerging from the hold, was hurled away.

The mast began to crack as a giant, armed with a club and a baton, made his way through them. The captain saw him from the opposite side, closed his eyes for an instant, and found him towering before him. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

"Noel! You jumped too?" Lance smiled, moving closer. His companion grabbed the captain by the collar and hurled him toward the helm.

"You were taking too long, so we decided to join you!" He pointed a finger at Hoku, who had drawn his sword. He made a quick gesture before cutting the mainmast in a single slash. Lance didn't understand any of it, simply nodding as the ship slowed more and more. The Pietas drew near, casting its cold shadow over the deck. Jeanne leaned out from the opening, weaving an iron ladder between her hands. She smiled with her hair in the wind, throwing down the rungs.

The material was strangely slimy, but none of the three paid attention as the airship pulled away.

"Maverick, take it down without casualties." Monica smiled while the soldier loaded a heavy white rifle with spherical bullets. He snorted, feeling the weapon click.

"Still a small success… Without a mast and auxiliary engines, the only option they have is to land." He positioned himself near Jeanne, who was still holding the ladder with Lance. The weapon vibrated for a few seconds, sparking slightly. A sweetish smell enveloped the shooter, and immediately after, a flash. The engines were pierced, leaving only a hole the size of a hat in the ship. The pirates immediately began to lose altitude, noticing how the wings started retracting.

The clouds wrapped it in their descent while the Pietas advanced. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief as Icarus appeared on the horizon.

"I wonder what they thought when they saw that floating archipelago." Hoku smiled, returning his blade to its sheath and stroking the hilt. Maliard stared at him, exasperated, letting out a sigh that resonated through the entire ship.

"They can't see it. Only someone with an awareness of Frequency can notice it. Otherwise, Icarus would have been an object of study for years." The answer landed so well that Hoku nodded before flopping back into his seat. Lance, meanwhile, was still holding the ladder, watching the pirates rapidly lose altitude.

"Hoku, be mindful of those relics." Edvard pointed at the silver case on Hoku's back, decorated with red and golden string. The man nodded, caressing it.

"I will put them to good use, don't worry. Frankly, I don't think I can use that yet..." Edvard smiled, resuming his reading.

"I hope they find a decent trade…" Lance sighed, drawing a faint laugh from Jeanne.

"That's what you're worried about now?" Lance nodded, scratching his temple.

"It's never too late to turn back on one's steps." The boy began pulling himself up now that the wind was calming and Icarus was coming ever closer. Suddenly, in the back of his skull, a vibration. A feeling of frost seized him, and he immediately grabbed the entrance and pulled himself up, dragging her inside with him. He could feel his heart race, and an inexplicable nausea took hold of him.

"Maverick, veer!" Lance had barely entered when the pilot moved on instinct. The Pietas tilted, letting a gigantic black gash pass through the sky. The cumulus split open, allowing that viscous darkness to pass. A blade of red and darkness that severed the atmosphere, almost corroding it and transforming it into a cascade of white lightning. The ship found itself in its path, devoured by flames on one side and rot on the other.

Under the horrified gaze of the entire crew, the remains plunged into the sea below, with not a single life left to scream. Lance squeezed the ship's iron between his fingers, crushing it as he ground his teeth.

"That was Malcolm's presence…" Maliard observed the gash left by the Frequency, shaking his head.

"And if he's here, the rest of Changeant and… That woman will be here too." Lance stood, immediately wrapping his hand with Lachesi. He sat down, holding his head.

"Lance, don't abuse that weapon." Monica sized him up, arms crossed, staring straight into his eyes once she stopped glaring at the black glove.

"Unfortunately, it's the only countermeasure if a second attack comes." Maverick emerged from the cabin, grim-faced, with Astrea already manifested on his shoulder. He stared at Lance, both motionless as they studied each other's faces.

"There won't be a second attack. Malcolm is perverse. He wouldn't let his idea of catharsis be consumed like that. The target was probably those pirates from the start." Lance nodded at the sniper's words, immediately withdrawing the relic and shaking his head.

"The problem is your mother?" Immediately, his gaze shifted to Maliard, who sat on the opposite side.

"Lucas told you, didn't he?" He smiled while nodding, his back resting and his leg propped on his knee.

"In any case, that woman isn't my mother. I've read my file, and I only know that whoever she is, she's just an impostor. Although… I don't think she's as marginal to Changeant as I thought at first." Maliard nodded, leaning toward Lance.

"I agree, but what will you do when we find her?" Lance remained silent for a few seconds before tilting his head back with a smile.

"I have no idea." His voice became somehow more silvery. Maliard's pupils dilated, remembering that voice heard at Machinamentum. He shook his head, clearing his throat.

"Good, then focus on the mission." Lance nodded, keeping his head low under the general worry. From the cabin came a hum, before an announcement echoed through the entire ship:"Arrival at the designated site of the Icarus Singularity - Massive geographic anomalies detected - Prepare for landing."