Chapter 22: A Dance with the Crimson Hand

The air hummed with tension as the massive airship bore down upon the Storm Reaper, its engines roaring like a beast in pursuit of its prey. Lucien could see figures moving along its deck—soldiers in dark crimson uniforms, their rifles glinting under the dying sun. This wasn't a warning. This was an execution.

"Rosie, get to the guns!" Lucien barked, yanking the wheel hard to the right. "Marion, you and Selene take the boarding party if they make it over!"

"What about me?" Valeria called, already digging through her bag of highly questionable alchemical concoctions.

Lucien shot her a look. "Do what you do best—cause absolute chaos!"

Valeria cackled and began shaking vials together like a deranged bartender.

As the Storm Reaper banked sharply, the enemy airship responded in kind, its cannons shifting to follow. The first shot fired was a warning—a thunderous blast that rocked the air, sending a shockwave through the sky. The second shot wasn't as kind.

The Storm Reaper shuddered violently as a cannonball tore through its aft deck, sending shards of wood and metal spiraling into the air. Lucien gritted his teeth. "Damn it, this ship was already held together by prayer!"

Rosie, already strapped into one of the ship's rotating guns, opened fire. "Then maybe you should start praying harder!" she yelled, cackling as her bullets ripped through the enemy deck.

Marion drew her rapier with a smirk. "Well, darling, if we die, at least we'll do it in style."

Selene, ever composed, merely unsheathed her daggers. "Try not to die at all."

Lucien barely had time to laugh before a group of Crimson Hand operatives fired grappling hooks onto the Storm Reaper's deck, pulling themselves across the gap with frightening precision.

"Oh, wonderful," Lucien muttered as the first enemy landed, a burly man with a jagged scar running down his face. "Just what I needed—more uninvited guests."

The man swung a massive hammer at Lucien's head. He barely ducked in time, feeling the rush of air as it passed inches above him.

"Alright," Lucien huffed, rolling to his feet. "Let's dance."

Meanwhile, Below Deck

Evelyn tightened a wrench around the artifact's containment case, her hands moving swiftly as steam hissed around her. The artifact pulsed erratically, glowing an ominous shade of red.

"That's not good," she muttered.

Clockwork Victoria stood beside her, her artificial eyes scanning the artifact with eerie precision. "It is resonating. It reacts to the presence of its hunters."

Evelyn scowled. "Great. You mean to tell me it's calling them?"

Victoria nodded. "The Crimson Hand does not seek it merely for power. They worship it. They believe it is alive."

Evelyn swallowed hard. "And is it?"

The automaton hesitated. "I do not know."

Before Evelyn could respond, the ship lurched again, and the artifact pulsed brighter. Evelyn gritted her teeth. Whatever this thing is, it's about to get a whole lot worse.

Back on Deck

Lucien ducked another swing, using his momentum to slide between his opponent's legs and slam his boot into the man's back. He staggered but didn't fall.

Selene appeared behind him like a wraith, her dagger flashing in the dimming light. A clean, silent strike. The man dropped instantly.

"You're welcome," she murmured.

Lucien smirked. "I was just about to handle that."

"Sure you were."

Rosie was still raining fire down on the enemy ship, laughing wildly. "I could do this all day!"

"Try doing it faster!" Marion called, parrying an enemy's blade before spinning elegantly and kicking him over the railing.

Just as the tide seemed to turn in their favor, a new figure stepped onto the deck.

A tall man clad in a crimson officer's coat, his presence commanding immediate attention. His golden epaulets gleamed in the setting sun, and his dark eyes carried the weight of a thousand battles.

Lucien's stomach twisted. He knew that face.

"Captain Alistair Crowe," Lucien muttered. "I should've known they'd send their best hunter after me."

Crowe smirked. "Oh, Lucien. I was hoping you'd remember me. It's been far too long since I last shot you."

Rosie blinked. "Wait—you got shot by this guy?"

Lucien scowled. "It was one time!"

Crowe sighed theatrically, drawing his pistol. "And you survived. A terrible shame, really. Let's correct that mistake."

Lucien barely dodged the first shot.

"Marion!" he shouted.

Marion already had her pistol drawn, but Crowe was faster. He fired again, forcing her to duck behind cover.

Selene vanished into the shadows.

Rosie turned her gun on him, but before she could fire, Crowe's men swarmed her, forcing her into close combat.

Lucien cursed under his breath. "Alright, Captain Crowe, let's settle this the stupid way."

Crowe smirked, twirling his pistol. "I was hoping you'd say that."

With that, Lucien lunged.

Below Deck: The Breaking Point

Evelyn's hands flew over the controls, sweat beading on her forehead. The artifact was glowing brighter now, pulsing in sync with the chaos above.

Victoria's voice was calm, but urgent. "It is reacting. The battle is agitating it."

Evelyn cursed. "It's unstable. If it breaks containment—"

The artifact flared suddenly, and the entire ship groaned.

Then, a voice echoed through the room.

A whisper, ancient and cold.

You have awakened me.

Evelyn's blood ran cold. She turned to Victoria, whose artificial expression betrayed something close to fear.

"Did you hear that?"

Victoria nodded. "Yes. And I fear it is only the beginning."

Above deck, Lucien and Crowe locked blades, oblivious to the horror that was about to be unleashed.

The artifact had awoken.

And the real nightmare was just beginning.