Chapter 47 Flying objects may be closer than they appear

 
That morning I asked Bellia to marry me. Of course, being on the ship didn't make it easy.
I had decided to ask her that morning when she left her cabin. She had uncurled herself and dressed, trying hard to let me sleep. I had been awake, but I didn't want to spoil it for her. The Ship was still sailing the ocean waters, but I knew we were going to take off soon. It is why Bellia had to leave after all. I hated this part. When the ship took off from the water, all semblance of balance went out the window. Or Porthole. Whatever.
I was prepared this time however. Staying in bed, I had all our blankets bundled around me, and I was laying against the back of the ship, so I would be able to brace myself and everything would be fine. I was going to be Fine. To'Li however, had not remember to sit in the braced position, and just as the ship was leaving the water, one last wave hit it just as she jumped gleefully from her own nest of blankets.
I half dove, half fell off the bunk in an effort to keep her from getting hurt as the whole vessel went sideways. As my hands found purchase on her, I yanked her close to me, making sure to hold her in the direction I hoped was up. I found myself mostly upside down, head throbbing, with a wiggling clapping Dragonborn toddler in my sitting on top of me. Untangling the blankets and tails, I left the cabin to pretend that I had actually made it out of a takeoff unscathed, and go see about talking to Bellia.
It wasn't as easy as simply going up to her and asking. I had been trying to wait for the perfect time, where she wasn't busy, To'Li didn't need watched over, and no one was jumping overboard. I was also trying to compose some sweet nothings in my head to woo her over again. Instead I followed her around until she rounded on me and demanded to know what I wanted. After stammering about respecting her decision to keep up on her career, and studiously not making eye contact with her, I muttered something about me being her husband.
She paused her work, and gave that fun little grin I always liked. “Yes. I think it is a good idea.” She looked back down, trying to find her place in the ledger. “Can we do it later today after my inspection of the lift lines? Would you be so good and ask if the Captain would do it? Otherwise I suppose Melfina could, but that might be....” She paused, looking to me for the words, rolling her shoulders like she had a bug crawling on her back.
“Odd?” I supplied.
“Odd. Yes. The captain should be able to do something less.. moist.”
I agreed. Although I suppose a Joining union involving blood would have been very memorable, a simpler ceremony would be less intrusive. I knew she was asking herself about the timing. It's not like I was busy on the ship.
Captain Velma was more than happy to Join us together, as it would provide some levity to a ship who just lost a few people. We set some time aside before dinner, to yet again have an excuse to have a celebration. Yun and Geno also started to plot something when I told the rest of the group. They put their heads together as Marda started asking me all kinds of questions.
After answering a few of them, I had to beg off more questions so I could go tell Max and Leona, and get ready. I felt bad that I hadn't told them first, but I had simply seen the group first, and had been too excited to keep it to myself. Leona's ears perked up as she saw my ridiculous grin as I approached them. Max saw the change in our protégé and turned around to see what had caused her to be surprised.
“Bellia and I are to be Joined.” I had said it without any preamble, just threw it into air.
Max stood there like a stunned ox, which I wouldn't have said to his face, but Leona practically tackled me in joy. She was bouncing up and down and nearly lifted me off my feet a couple times, her strips darkening on her fur. Max finally caught up with his thoughts, and came and grabbed the both of us and lifted us bodily off the deck.
“Druss my boy I am so Proud of you!!” he roared. “When are you going to do it? Who all is going to be invited? Are we going to need to send out invitations to all our old friends? How did you ask? Oh, my dad isn't coming right?” That last question was asked with a bit of apprehension. “I mean he can if he wants, I won't keep him away from something he may find pleasant.”
To'Li had caught up in the excitement and had grabbed onto my leg, and was giggling at the buffeting that I was going through. Small prickles of pain was also shooting into my leg, and I realized my daughter was starting to produce some serious power in her squealing.
“Relax Max, we are having the ceremony this afternoon, so no extra invites, no all powerful guests, no awkward conversations with people we haven't seen in two decades.” He had set us both down and I bent over to lift To'Li.
“Macks!! 'Onna!” she was catching on quick. While she may not have understood what was happening, she knew the names, and if they were happy so was she. Most of the time.
“Are you telling me that you are going to wear the same dingy things you have been wearing the Whole time since we left?” Leona demands. I opened my mouth and closed it, not really sure how to respond. Max took To'Li from me, and decidedly studied the nearest deck beam above.
“Well I hadn't really seen a cause to Bring anything” I respond sheepishly. “I think I should be fine in one of my Army coats. There should be one without too much Blood...”
“Dad! Honestly. Can't plan for anything anymore.” Exasperated, Leona shakes her head at me. “I have something you can use, if you promise not to get anything on it.” She turns and digs out her extra pack. “ I assume you don't have anything either Uncle Max. Don't worry I have something of yours here too.” Emptying out the contents of her bag on to her bunk, she reveals to garments at the bottom. “You will find your best shirt, and I'll take some time to repair it, probably clean it too. Honestly.” Laying out two items she steps aside.
A royal blue frock coat lays on the bed, next to a Great kilt. They were the outfits Max and I had worn when we went before the Cherwood council to open the shop. I hadn't worn it in over twenty years. I had no reason to. People had liked us better when they had learned we were veterans of the Legion, so we had embraced that look. I had also worn the coat when I met Max's father to get his help in affording the shop. Important events in my life.
Trying on coat on, it didn't fit as well as it could have, but it wasn't far off. Double breasted could easily be turned into single with a lapel in short order. Overturned cuffs on the long sleeves and brass buttons down the length of the coat. The whole thing smelled of Mint, probably to keep the bugs away. Max's Kilt was a deep red with golden strips and when worn properly the stripes would be vertical on the lower half, horizontal on the torso, and was wholly more dignified than anything I could have worn. It was simply a regal image on him. We took the time to make any alterations we could with the simple sewing kits we had. None of us were tailors, but the Army had made sure that we knew how to sew to patch any holes that we may have, and Leona had to learn in case she ripped anything.
When the time for the ceremony came, I found myself standing near the back of the ship, all my friends watching, and a couple of the engineers from the ship up there as well. As Bellia and I stood with Captain Velma, To'Li and Leona spread the flowers on the guests. Or rather, Leona was spreading them, and To'Li would sometimes throw them at people, and sometimes eat the flowers. Geno and Yun had summoned those flowers into existence, and I briefly thought about what could go wrong with her eating normal flowers, let alone magicked ones. Something to worry about later. Once everyone had a hand full of flowers, Leona pulled To'Li to the side.
I was holding Bellia's hand the whole time, and I turned to face her, my eyes soaking her in so I could always remember this. She wore a billowing Jade split skirt, like a loose pair of trousers. While they would be useful for things like climbing the rigging and riding horses, she had obviously bought it for a nice occasion. A cream Blouse flowed around her in the wind, and a wide burgundy sash around her waist to keep everything tucked in. The wind licked at my Blue coat, and Leona had helped me with the buttons, creating large lapels turned out from the open coat. Black trousers and a clean shirt lay beneath. Yun had some how produced a practically new shirt when I had asked for help with mine.
I mouthed “I like your outfit. You look fantastic.”
She grinned. Mouthing back, “It has pockets!”
“We are here today to Join two in front of you and the Gods.” The Captain said. “If any of you here wish to challenge against the Joining of these two clans, let that battle commence.” It was an old rite, and I was surprised at first that they knew the words the the Clan Joining. Some clans had not approved of their offspring joining together. When none of the small group of people said anything they continued.
“With this Join, there will be pain, suffering, joy and hope. Peace and anger, wealth and poverty. Wondrous Inferno Panathalax: Are you prepared to accept these conditions and any other the Gods wish to set before you? Are you willing to fight for your partner's clan, and defend her from your own?”
I had never thought I would feel like this. “I am.” This was far more frightening than any battle I had been a part of. A weight settled in my stomach and it was all I could do from shivering from nervousness.
The Captain turned to address Bellia. “Alarm Bells Ring In The Air: Are you prepared to accept these conditions and any other the Gods wish to set before you? Are you willing to fight for your partner's clan, and defend her from your own?”
Her cool Blue eyes flinched ever so softly with the question. She didn't know anyone from her Clan anymore. Clans were no longer overly important, but someone's past can still be painful. I squeezed her hand. “I am.” she answered.
Captain Velma finished the Rite. “Then May the Gods above and the ancestors below Bless the Joining, and may those gathered here aid the Joined in times of need. My Friends! I present Druss and Bellia!”
Flowers were thrown into the air from the small gathering. I could hear crying behind me, and as I turned I looked to Leona, who was grinning ear to ear and pointing farther to my left. Max was crying into his great kilt, which would need to be cleaned again.
Presenting a small metallic ball, and setting it on the deck, Geno produced several small explosions in the air, and small colorful fires seemed to fall from the sky above us, startling a few people on deck. The images died well before they could touch anything, and the Captain seemed to be rather pleased with them after realizing they wouldn't harm the ship. To'Li forgot about all the tasty flowers on the ground in first fear, followed quickly by joy with the pretty colors. Bellia and I nuzzled for a moment, and moved to start preparing for the banquet afterwards. Looking back up at the display, words had appeared in the lights. “We are happy for you! Get it.”
I thanked the Captain for the ceremony and went to my friends. Max was still crying a bit, big happy tears rolling down his furry face. Leona, holding To'Li, had moved over to hug him, keeping the small Dragonborn between the two larger bodies. Marda was grinning and clapping with Melfina and Yun. Spike had been placed in the Holster on Melfina's shoulder, and someone had drawn a mustache on the small reptile. He looked somewhat more dapper which may have been the idea.
With the ceremony over, we clear some space on the deck to eat together. It isn't practical to set up tables on the ship, with the shape of the deck and the space needed. Most of the ship can't really sit and eat all at the same time anyway. But there are a couple of tables where food can be prepared or set out to dish up. Melfina was able to conjure smoked Brisket for the small feast, with a side of Frog soup. Being able to sit and talk with everyone, with Bellia at my side able to relax was the best thing I could have asked for.
While we had volunteered our services for the ship, we weren't needed overly much for regular duties so we were allowed to work on our own projects. Max and I decided a regular sparring session with Leona would be a good idea for everyone involved, as the unsure footing would help us improve. Or at least keep us in good shape. I could use the exercise anyway. That coat looks a lot better double breasted. I would also have to keep watch over To'Li, which I was honestly looking forward to. It would allow Leona to work on her own things, and give me more time with my younger daughter.
Geno started talking to me about a plan for some sort of early warning system for the ship, and when he tried to explain it I was quickly lost by all the terms he used. He wanted to set a trap for anyone that may attack us, and an alarm so nothing could sneak up on us, but all his ideas seemed to be running into problems. I had heard of some abilities that could easily be used on a stationary camp, but something that could travel with the ship. Either on land or in the Air would prove difficult.
Marda shared she wanted to look more into the identity of her new sword. With the knowledge of the origin of the name, she needed someone who would know more about the stars, and was pointed in the direction of the Navigator. As they put their heads together over some brisket, the conversation seemed to indicate it would take some time to get answers.
A couple days pass, and Marda excitedly fills us in on what she has discovered. :The champion inside the Blade she has was probably named Realt. After the guiding star. A Powerful warrior, stories tell of groups of lost travelers in great peril were found by this Paladin, and were guided out of the Darkness. The right hand of Veizen. The sword had forgotten their name, whish Marda thinks she now has. Passing around a small scrap of paper, she passes it around, where it has a single word. Astraea. Not sure what would happen should she reveal the name, she doesn't speak the name aloud.
The Dreams that night unfortunately did not compare to the joy of the day. I found myself in darkness, with a dim light ahead. As I approached, a lone figure came into the light, their back towards me. I found the light to be coming from a forge, one so very similar to my own set up, but changed somehow. The figure is a Dragon born woman, working alone, hammering something on the anvil. The fire of the forge fades, and so does the woman. She appears father away, another light in the distance. A lone fire in a well maintained camp, the same figure dressing a kill skinning and slicing meat from it. No one else was in the camp. The fire fades once again only to appear several feet away, this time the scene was my table, back in Cherwood, set for four people, but three of them are empty. Before anything else can happen, the dream fades, leaving me to my slumber.
It was a beautiful day sparring with Leona on the main deck. Max was nearby with a few of the crew members watching us go through our maneuvers. Max was criticizing our technique, the crew members were probably betting on who would get the strike. Both of our weapons were covered in several layers of leather, to make sure any hit would be non lethal. Leona was using her shield and spear, with her short sword set aside. The smaller sword would not have fit in the scabbard as it too was covered in leather in case she wished to use it. While the leather covers were little more than temporary sheaths, it served as a good cover. A full on hit could still hurt, but it shouldn't do too much damage, and Max and I knew how to heal small injuries anyway.
Leona had been besting me with her spear more often than not the last couple of days. She claimed it was because slavers and gang members didn't use spears and I was out of practice. I told her she simply knew all my moves and had over come them. We both knew it was because she was getting better.
Just finishing a break, we started to square up again when we heard a shout from up top. “Brace for incoming!! Front!”
I look up as something solid and large hits the front of the ship, then my heads tilts back further so I can see the lookout. Yun stands up there, gathering something in their hands, then launch it forward. A small ball of red light streaks forward, and I can barely hear it erupt into the now familiar fireball I have seen in the past. Needing to get Leona into safety, I only have time to look at here before we are both knocked off our feet.
A crash of Thunder rocks through my chest as a lightning blast hits the ship. My muscles instantly cramp up, and I cannot freely move anything, hands clenched around my axe, Teeth grinding together. Pain in every nerve, I lay on the deck of the ship looking at the suddenly darkened clouds above. Yun jumps from the lookout post up top, to appear next to me suddenly. I need to get up. That blast of lightning would have hurt others around me. Now that the pain recedes, I sit up.
Leona lays on her back, unmoving. Fur has been singed shorter in a few places, and she is smoking slightly. I try to scramble over to her just as Yun gets there. Laying a hand on her shoulder, her eyes flutter open as Yun brings here back from the brink. Staggering to my feet, I half drag, half carry my groggy daughter towards the back cabin where Bellia is watching To'Li. I turn my head to the side to find Max hauling the two sailors below. I'm not sure if they are alive are not. He is smoking a bit too, but clearly moving around.
As I get to the door, it swings open, revealing Bellia, who is trying to get out of the cabin and push a frightened To'Li back inside. Bellia awkwardly passes by me, and I haul Leona inside pumping a bit of my own energy into her to keep her alive. As I get her all the way inside the cabin, I close the door with a “Keep your sister safe.” I don't specify who I am talking to.
Turning, I see that the ships crew has jumped into quick action, those on the front of the ship are loading a great ballista mounted there. Bellia is Grabbing large Metal rods that were stationed around the ship and tossing them to Crew member who are mounting them into post holes in an organized pattern. There must be some reason for that.
I can see our assailants are three people who are either very far away, or much larger and closer. Judging from the very short warning of an attack, and the fact the missile seemed large enough to rock the ship slightly, it was probably a boulder thrown by a giant. As they were obviously hostile, and I wasn't going to be hitting it with my axe, I drew divine power into myself. Whatever boon Daja had granted me had been working well enough, and I know used this power to fire three divine bolts at h the closest giant.
Sadly, as I hadn't used that ability much in favor of closer more personal combat. I could have used my bow, but I wasn't really sure of the range right now. The ballista on the other hand didn't seem to worry about the range. I could see the small sword clad figure of Marda lining up the shot, and a large bolt flew true, striking on of the giants who was pulling another boulder from a large bag. The lead giant is clearly the one controlling the lightning, looking more druidic than the other two. In fact the last remaining one seemed to be staring out into nothing at all, mouth slightly agape. Must have been something Yun did, distracting one of them to get it out of the fight. Smart.
Another ballista bolt flies from the back of the ship, Whipping over those one the front. I can hear the solid Thunk as it hits one of the giants, but I cannot see which. As I try to move into a better position, Another lightning blast comes down, effecting most of those on the main deck. The Pain is lesser, but it brings me down to one knee. I looked fearfully over to Bellia, but she turns out to be doing better than me. She could clearly take the power better than I could and the metal rods seemdd to have shown their purpose. The energy of the lightning crackled through the rods, as it had clearly been partially absorbed by the ship. That would be why it wasn't so pain full as the first hit, but I was still seeing stars Another blast like that would be bad news.
Melfina seemed to know just that. As Yun was playing some strange ballad on the new Bone Banjo, Melfina granted us aid. Burns started bubbling and itching as our skin rapidly healed, mitigating the damage caused by the lightning. As uncomfortable as her healing was, the tingling burning pain running around inside my limbs.
The Giants were closer now, nearly up next to the ship as we had continued forward in the air. Marda fired another bolt from the readied ballista on the front of the ship. With all the absolute chaos going on, I can still hear Yun picking out a tune on the new banjo. Looking rather incredulously at the bard, five small lights fly from Yun towards the distant Giant who is now getting closer to us. The five lights meet with the giant, then turn into small flying creatures, the likes of which I have never seen. Drawing more power into myself, I pour it into a bolt of radiant energy, and hurl it at the larger of the three giants, trying to stop it from calling down more lightning on us. Melfina's scythe appears to attack, as we hit giants with everything we have, defending our ship.
Max appears next to me, a quiver on his hip. Pulling the bow from my back ,he moves forward, strings it, and plucks three arrows only to jam them into the ships railing in front of him. Nocking an arrow, he pulls the bow back. I can see his shoulder muscles tense as he draws his fathers bow. The silver string in his hand slips, and the arrow misses the target, sailing pointlessly into the empty air. Knocking and Drawing again, he aims faster and finds the target this time. Plucking the third arrow from the railing, he hits the storm giant again, before fading from sight. He didn't move from my view, but simply vanished where he stood.
I didn't have much time to wonder where he went, as one more Lightning blast comes crashing down over the ship. The protections now in place keep everyone from being outright killed, but I seem to be taking the brunt of the remainder, or at least that's how it feels. The Stink of seared flesh is all around, and I wonder how much is coming from me. The horrible burning is coming from my muscles again, and I frantically look around for Bellia. It is clear that she was hit, but again, she takes the hit and shrugs it off, helping those on deck who may not have been as lucky.
The storm giant comes closer now, near the back of the ship where Geno has taken position on the rear ballista. The war machine was pointed at the giant, and was clearly ready to fire, but I could see Geno waiting as the giant came closer, ready to smash the ship with it's own hands. At the last possible moment, he fires. ThauWAng!! The siege weapon releases the bolt with a Mighty Snap of the cord, the bolt almost hesitant to leave the ship, then it appears to shatter into hundreds of bolts, forming a huge barrage of ballista bolts, directly into the giant not twenty feet from it. With meaty impacts, wooden shafts pepper it's head, chest and arms as blood streams out of every new hole. The massive body now starts falling, whatever power it had to keep up with the ship now clearly gone.
Leaving only two giants now Yun heads to the front, to try and deal with that one. The small creatures still fluttering around the giant seem to be creating small spurts of super hot steam, burning the giant as it keeps getting closer, and Yun has had enough. With that deadly gesture with their finger and a thin green ray, a small hole is blown in the side of the giant, as if something went through it and simply removed the material. A second barrage of bolts flew from the back of the ship, carefully aimed to miss everyone on the ship. Sadly this barrage only hit half the giant, and even with the hole in it's side, and multiple blots in it's other side, this one had yet to do any damage to the ship. Smashing a boulder against the ship several times, it finally stopped moving as Yun's summoned creatures were able to melt half of it's face.
Looking over the side of the ship, Melfina calls on her Deity directly. “In the name of the Moon I Will Punish You.” Red mist emanated from her mouth, as if it was her voice itself, and the mist sped to the falling giant below. Nothing else happened, and I couldn't sit there and watch.
And then there was one. The last giant, several ballista bolts sticking out of it, a couple of arrows from Max, and some radiant burns later, was turning to flee. It too had hit the ship, and was happy enough to leave while it could. We were not going to let it if possible. A blast of icy cold from the spectere slowed it, which would make it easier to hit.
Max appears on the back of the ship, next to the ballista with a panicked look on his face. Since he has the bow, I move up to him, and take my bow back. Drawing four arrows, I actually hit all four times, just to show him up. Not that it killed the giant. Unleashing another Fireball. Yun also was not happy about the unprovoked attack.
Max takes the bow back from me, “Impressive shots Druss, but it is still alive. Maybe you should work on that.” Drawing another arrow, he takes a deep breath, and pulls back, waiting only a fraction of a second. The snap of the string is so minuscule compared to that of the ballista, but the arrow simply jumps towards the fleeing giant. Hitting the large humanoid the the back of the skull, the giant seems to stop in mid stride, the whole thing simply starts topple end over end down towards the ground.
As we start to breath a sigh of relief a bloody hand comes over the side where Melfina is, her eyes glowing red. The dead giant, complete with hole in the side and bolts through the body, crawls mindlessly up onto the ship. The body slumps to the deck, taking up most of it. With the battle done Melfina must have released the body on the ship, maybe we could find something on it.