Back to the Fight

"Of course," Theo burst out. "That's not a question. But is this really – I mean, will Amaro really be okay?"

"I'm the medic, so it's my decision," Cay said, a familiar annoyance filling his voice. "Now come here."

"What?"

Before Theo could figure out what was going on, Cay rounded the bed and stepped into his personal space. Theo tried to back away, but Cay reached for him before he could. His hand pressed against Theo's swollen cheek, setting the bruised skin on fire again.

"Ow! What're you – " But Theo fell silent when silvery Levia swirled around Cay's hand. It brushed his skin, cool and gentle, and his own Levia sparked in response.

He didn't get to enjoy it for long before Cay's hand slipped away. Theo almost protested, but that was when he realized the pain had died to a faint prickle. The swelling had gone down too, allowing him to see through his left eye again.

"That should suffice," Cay said briskly. "It'll need a poultice to heal completely, but you'll forgive me if we skip that for now."

"Right." Theo's heart beat faster. Who knew what Ulrich's goons had gotten up to since he'd gone to the infirmary.

He trotted to the door, where Cay was already waiting. To his surprise, the sage held something in his hand, a short metal bar about the size of a cigar.

Wait a minute, it looked kind of familiar. Kind of like Nevy's staff….

Cay must have noticed Theo's staring, because he raised an eyebrow before flicking the staff forward. With a clicking noise, it extended in sections until it was almost as tall as Cay himself.

"I'm a sage," Cay said simply. "My specialty might be healing, but I know how to fight. Let's go."

With that, he darted into the corridor. Theo threw one last glance at the quietly sleeping Amaro before following him out.

They raced through the corridors, the only sound their footsteps ringing on the metal floor. It drowned out Theo's pounding heartbeat, but didn't stop his thoughts from racing.

"So do you have a plan?" he demanded as they neared the ladder reaching up to a deck hatch.

Cay threw a baleful glare over his shoulder. "We only have to defeat Ziegler."

Theo groaned. "Okay, but that's a goal, not a plan. We kinda need to figure out how to do it, you know."

Turning back around, Cay grabbed the ladder rungs. "You have Sir Zenith, don't you?"

"No, I don't!" Theo yelled, his temper snapping. "Zenith's hurt – he got hit near the power core. I don't know if...if he can…."

The words died in his throat, choked off by his mounting terror. Who knew what had happened to Zenith, whether he was still anywhere near fighting condition, whether Nevy would be able to protect him. For all Theo knew, Ulrich might have captured him already.

No. He couldn't give up now. But before he could think about it further, a rustling sound came from ahead. Theo blinked when he saw Cay already scaling the ladder.

"Hey!" he yelled. "Where are you going?"

Cay didn't stop climbing. "Going to fight. Unlike you."

"Okay, that's enough!" Theo lunged forward and grabbed a fistful of Cay's robes. Cay whipped around, looking affronted, but Theo didn't give a damn.

"What the hell is wrong with you? You're a jerk, yeah, but I never thought you were stupid. Are you really planning on, what, going out there and beating all the soldiers by yourself?"

"I – " Cay breathed in sharply. Then he lowered his head, bangs tumbling over his eyes. "I...promised Amaro. He told me...to protect the craft. I have to…."

Theo's heart wrenched. "Listen," he said, softening his voice, "it's not like I don't know how you feel. But I don't think Amaro will be very happy if you get yourself killed, will he?"

Cay slumped his shoulders, looking even more defeated. "Then what do you suggest we do?"

Good, he was willing to listen. Theo took a deep breath, tried to arrange his thoughts in order. "We need to get the Star of Miriel back from Ulrich. More than that, we need to take the shard he already has. The one on his scepter."

That was how they'd defeated Oliver, after all. Even if Ulrich possessed a larger shard and more firepower, he was still the same to the core: a selfish, entitled wizard.

"I see," Cay said slowly. "And how do you propose we do that?"

"The last I saw, his soldiers were taking Ulrich back to his craft. Which means we need to go there too. Take the fight to him."

With each word, Theo's heart pounded harder. He couldn't even begin to imagine how they might accomplish that without Zenith – but they didn't have any other choice.

And this time, he reminded himself, he had a whole crew at his back.

Cay seemed to have come to the same conclusion, for he nodded briskly before starting up the ladder again. "We haven't any time to waste."

"Hold on," Theo called after him. "Just one more thing."

"What is it?" Cay threw him another annoyed glare.

Theo swallowed hard, then met Cay's gaze. "Would you let me cast spells on you? I know you don't like depending on wizards, but if it'll give us a better chance…."

From the way Cay's face twisted, Theo fully expected him to say no. So it came as a surprise when the sage instead nodded, slow and deliberate. "Do what you need to."

"Thank you," Theo said, but Cay had already resumed climbing.

So Theo hurried after him. As soon as he reached the deck, he braced himself for an onslaught of chaos. Yet while he heard voices shouting and swords clashing, it sounded oddly far away.

And no wonder. Holes, scorch marks, and fallen bodies littered the deck, but the fighters were crowded around the ramp leading up to the Himmelsfestung. Theo glimpsed Kress slamming two soldiers to the deck, Guntar stomping on a soldier's head, even Avia swinging her bow like a club. In the chaos, colorful spells flashed like fireworks.

Looked like they'd all gotten the same idea as Theo. Good.

Theo started toward them, but something in the middle of the deck caught his attention. A knight in full armor, curled in a trembling heap.

"Zenith!" As fast as he could, Theo ran to his familiar.

"Where are you – " Cay, already halfway toward the fight, spun around. Sighing deeply, he trotted after Theo.

Not that Theo had any attention to spare on him. Instead, he fell to his knees in front of Zenith and grabbed his familiar's shoulders.

Gasping for breath, Zenith blinked at Theo. His hair was a mess, his skin ashen. And lightning was still crackling around the sword in his chest, so much it almost blinded Theo. Its power sparked against his skin, hot and stinging.

"Th...Theo…," Zenith wheezed out.

"Zenith." Theo could barely force his voice past the knot in his chest. "Are you okay?"

Stupid question; of course Zenith wasn't. But Zenith being Zenith, he jerked his head in a slow nod. His bleary eyes struggled to focus on Theo's face. "Theo...I'm sorry."

"What for?"

"Y...you're...injured." Zenith's fingers twitched, but he couldn't seem to lift his hand. And Theo wouldn't let him, anyway. He pressed down on the back of Zenith's hand.

"I'm fine. Cay helped me." True, the swelling had gone down, but the bruises must still be there, not to mention the dried blood crusting his nose and mouth. But it was easy enough to ignore. "You're the one who's hurt the most."

His armor creaking, Zenith struggled to rise. Alarm seared through Theo's veins and he pressed harder on Zenith's hand, though he knew he'd never be able to hold the knight down.

"It's okay, Zenith! Don't move!"

"I...I have to…." Zenith's gaze darted toward the fight. "Help them…."

Theo's heart twisted. "You aren't in any condition to fight."

"I have to...Nevy is...and the confining diagram…is gone now…." Gasping for breath, Zenith doubled over. More lightning crackled around his wound.

"No, stay here. Cay is with me," Theo babbled, struggling to hold his panic at bay. "I'll fight with him, take the Star back."

Zenith shuddered. Behind the hair spilling over his face, Theo could just barely make out his pained grimace. "I...must help…."

"No!" Before he could stop himself, Theo raised his voice. He knew how stubborn Zenith was, not to mention how seriously he took his duties as a knight, but right now he couldn't even stand. "Stay here. Stay safe. That's an order, okay?"

Zenith snapped his head up, eyes huge. Some dim part of Theo reflected he'd never seen Zenith so astonished before. Well, it made sense; he didn't often give his familiar orders.

But if it would keep Zenith from hurting himself….

Biting his lip, Zenith nodded. His shoulders were stiff, his reluctance more than obvious, but he didn't say another word in protest.

"Thank you." Forcing a smile, Theo patted Zenith's hand. "Come on, Cay."

"About time," Cay called, staff hoisted over his shoulders. "Let's – "

His voice cut off in a sharp gasp. At that moment, a horribly familiar Levia throbbed through Theo's bones. Its crushing pressure drove him to his knees, flooded his mouth with the taste of metal.

And it wasn't alone. Another Levia pulsed just beneath it, as if struggling to push it back. A Levia as dark and deep as the night sky.

The deck lurched beneath him. For a heart-stopping moment, Theo felt like he was tumbling through the Star of Miriel's vast Levia again. But now, a tide of steel-gray light rushed across the cosmos as if trying to wipe its stars from existence.

'No! Fight it back, you can't let it – ' but without the Star in his hands, Theo couldn't do anything.

The vision retreated, yet the gray light didn't go away. Instead, it blazed beneath him. As he blinked tears from his eyes, Theo made out intricate designs and runes spreading across the entire deck of the Blue Sky. No, not just the Blue Sky, but the Himmelsfestung too.

His stomach sank.