Departure

Freefalling at tremendous speed felt like being consumed inside an ocean storm. The wind currents blurred everything, tossing and turning us like fish, battering at us from all directions. Controlling my wings was impossible, every second that passed I could feel feathers being torn away, swirling elsewhere in the crazy winds. Left with no choice I dismissed my wings pulling them inside my back feeling our speed increase even further.

Against the cold merciless torrent, I began to feel numb, already losing sensations in my legs and hands. Thalia's grip gradually slackened, letting out a frightened whimper her presence against my back became lighter as she was lifted higher in the air.

(Damn!)

Instinctively I recall my wings, this time wrapping them around Thalia just as her hands slipped from around my neck, virtually creating a small parachute. Fresh blood rose from the damaged areas where my feathers had been stripped away some of it splashing down into my eyes coloring the surroundings red, perfectly impeding on any sightings of Jai's ship.

(HEY!)

Suddenly, a startling yell pierced my brain pushing the worries and panic to the far reaches of my mind, Jai's unhappy tone completely apparent as she dished out a telepathic lashing.

"STUPID DUMBASS! ARE YOU TRYING TO KISS THE SHIP FLOOR?! YOU'RE ABOUT TO CRASH INTO US, I THOUGHT YOU COULD FLY?!"

"It's a work in progre-"

BOOM!

The telepathic link was severed as I felt a brief shaking noise followed by a blast realizing we had crashed through Jai's aircraft.

Wiping the blood away, I looked back taking in the gaping hole we'd created in the middle of the ship. The craft started sputtering losing its place in the air falling directly for us as a small fire broke loose and sounds of frantic screaming came from the passengers.

(Great, just what we need)

The giant structure passed over our heads, the winds coming from four different directions coming together as one as it pushed the craft down faster than we were falling tearing through the clouds as it left us behind.

Pushing Thalia and me outside of the downdraft with its sacrifice, I regain some control of my body unfurling my wings to gently drop Thalia on my back before proceeding after everyone on board.

Emptying all thoughts, I concentrate on sensing the flow of my magic, trying to summon the powers I wielded before. Light sparks gather in my hands getting strong enough to transform into orbs before ultimately fading away once more.

(Still nothing!)

Holding my arms behind me I dive faster catching up with Jai and the others in seconds maneuvering around the falling pieces until I'm under the ship pushing my hands against the rear end attempting to slow their fall by balancing one of the sides.

The tendons in my arm protest in pain feeling a ripple journey from them down to my spine under the daunting task of resisting the large mass of steel.

"Master!"

(Leifa!)

The unmistakable call of my name makes me search around, her frantic waving catching the side of my eyes, her shouting coming from the frontmost part of the aircraft as she leans over the side indicating at the hole.

"Jai said you ran through the crystal core completely disabling the thrusters! You'll have to go inside and activate the contingency switches!"

Another wave hit the ship full force rocking it entirely as Leifa fell back from the force her message clear as day. Falling away from the rear I circle to the hole unsteadily landing on the right side of the rift as another shockwave hits making the structure creak and pieces break off falling into the blue sky below.

Hands flying to the nearest wall I scavenge around looking for anything that appeared to resemble a switch, instead my eyes landing on a sign near the stairs leading up to a hallway out of the room.

Sliding carefully along the path I stop, shortly jumping across to the left side, a third ripple tossing the ship as my feet land shaking Thalia off my back with a scream.

Quickly scooping her hands before she falls outside, I swing her onto the floor below the first step sliding my feet until I'm just below the sign reading out the contents.

"In Case of Emergency. The contingency switches are two small panels placed in the room. To activate the procedure simply hit your hands against them at the same time."

Gazing past the smoke seeping in from the deck I see one panel just above the demolished core crystal and a second hanging above the stairs just behind sis.

(Why are they on opposite sides!)

Flinging my arms in the air exasperated I run up standing beside the first panel proceeding to pull out the gun Jai gave me promptly aiming it at the one across the way.

Firing a round I cautiously watch the bullet travel to the other side patiently waiting a few seconds before slapping my hand against the panel next to me just as the bullet reaches the other.

A light sound echoes in the room before a hatch opens dispensing a weird liquid from the source. It slowly creeps around me and Thalia encasing the room and our entire bodies, hypothetically doing the same to the others as it pokes out through the hole emerging on the deck.

Peering outside the hole I find the ship encircled in a bubble, the protective shield struggling to slow our fast-paced fall into a leisurely float as the rocky brown view below became clearer the closer we got.

The bottom of our ride skidded roughly against the earth sending sparks flying before bouncing a little off the ground landing again with a harsh thud. We bounced two, three, four times, more pieces being undone. A loud sound reverberated around us mimicking a snapping noise as the deck came tumbling down atop Thalia and me.

Whirring her head around in confusion from the threatening noise I tackled her away from the falling chunks wrapping her in my arms as we flipped over, my back being sliced to hell by the jagged edges of the earth, both of us gradually coming to a halt as the last pieces of the ship fell apart, eaten by the dust blowing wildly across the land.

We had finally touched the unknown world under Myscia City.