Unbound

Perched atop the crow's nest, Evie was the first to see the gleaming, red-gold Wall of Haarwatch. As the call went out and the commanders shouted down the cheers until they 'got their blighted asses moving,' Evie watched the city grow nearer.

It wasn't home. Few places had earned the title since she lost her parents, back when Magda had dragged her ass over hill and dale in search of their next meal. But Evie had lived in Haarwatch longer than many other cities, she had friends there, and her other sister ran the place. It wasn't home, but it was close.

Some of the mages released pulses of Mana into the air ahead of the leading ship, little more than flares of colored light. They were answered in turn by figures down on the gargantuan wall, ants far below that threw their own sparkles. It was a code, and a familiar one at that—she could recognize Yan's handiwork there. He'd used similar codes with little flags back then. Evie smiled at the memory as their ship passed uninterrupted over the Wall...only noticing the shimmering shield of yellow-white energy as they sailed harmlessly through it.

Whoa. Was that always there? Evie hadn't ever flown in a Manaship before. Memories tickled at the back of her Mind, something about those bug monsters that had attacked the city once. Right. The Wretches were mostly blocked, but they broke the shielding. Got through. Evie leaned out of the gray-brown chitin basket, peering downward. Huh. They fixed the Rent. Cal must've upgraded the defenses. Wonder how much that cost.

The Wall had once been torn through by some giant, fuck-off Arcid—the Abigail or something—and it had stomped a path of devastation across the entire Quarter. Now that huge hole had been repaired so well that Evie couldn't spot the seams. Cal had even managed to sheath the whole thing in orichalcum, the same metal that made up the rest of the Wall. That was rare. What's more, as they flew over the city, Evie saw rubble-free streets and vanishingly few structures that weren't in the midst of a full repair. It's almost like the Archon never attacked.

The rest of the city looked the same, rebuilt and repaired. Improved, judging by the new construction and proper stone roads in the Dust Quarter. As the Manaship banked into a turn, Evie could just make out the bare rectangle where once their warehouse headquarters had been. She shook her head. That didn't matter much.

Cal had built a much better one.

The air shook as all five Manaships steered toward the airdocks at the top of Haarwatch Manor. It was almost as high as the Eyrie once was, yet contained none of the snooty gilded edges. Instead, the Manor resembled a massive mansion and fortress all in one, a place intended to represent safety and security for the city. At the top of the structure were three cylindrical towers, each one a third as wide as the Manor itself and equipped with a ringed platform around the topmost levels. The ships pressed onward, slowing as their chitinous bulks approached the designating landing spots among the platforms.

"Talons, present!" Darius Reed bellowed, just as mooring lines were tossed down to the docks.

Claw members hustled forward, assembling into orderly lines that the Hand had drilled into them. Each one wore Apprentice Tier armor and bore at least one newly gleaming weapon, not to mentioned long black cloaks emblazoned with Felix's "burning eye" crest. Most of them, anyway. A core group bore dark purple cloaks instead, a badge of honor for those that survived the conquering of Ahkestria. The pride that wafted off of them stung her ears something fierce, but even Evie had to admit; they looked sharp.

Damn Affinity is more trouble than its worth, she groused. Ugh. Reed's giving a speech.

The Hand—Commander Reed, as the soldiers called him—spoke about journeys and sacrifice and...other things, probably. Evie stopped listening after the first few words. The man liked to hear himself talk. Instead, Evie climbed up onto the lip of the crow's nest and balanced precariously on the edge, staring out over Haarwatch.

This has been the most boring week of my life. Vess and Felix go off to wage a private war on some sea monster, and I get to bunk with a clutch of mages that stay up too late. Reading of all things. Evie scowled. At least she had plenty of time to keep refining her core space, as well as grow more acclimated to her new Skills. Didn't quite hit full Adept Temper yet, though. I'd kill for a fight right now. A bit more practice and I can push my Spirit over the edge, I know it—

The morning sunlight caught on something to the east, once, then again. Evie squinted, flaring her Perception for all it was worth. In the distance, just beyond the edges of the Sunrise Quarter...the flash of metal. Below, the gangplank dropped, but Evie didn't notice—all she could hear was the hammering of her heart.

"They're fightin'," she whispered, before pitching her powerful voice downwards. "They're fightin' at the Sunrise Gate!"

Soldiers were filing down the gangplank, streaming quickly off all five Manaships, but Harn and a few of the others were still there. They swivelled to follow Evie's frantic jabs.

"Burn me, they are," Atar said.

"You!" Reed shouted at a man in Haarwatch blue that was walking quickly toward their ships. "What's happening at the Sunrise Gate?"

The officious looking man took several stuttering steps, his eyes wide before he collected himself. "I...am here to speak on that exactly: the Lady Haarwatch sent me to fetch all of you. If you would come with me."

Without waiting for their response, the man turned and reversed course toward the center of the air docks, where a large structure housed a sturdy guard house filled with blue-jacketed men and women. The whole thing was swarming with guards and the faint glimmer of inscriptions. Evie was impressed. The Manor was a damn sight more impressive than it had been when she left.

Harn grunted. "I'm goin', Reed. Keep the troops on standby; I have a feelin' we're gonna be goin' into the shit today."

"Better than standing here talking about it," the tall warrior agreed. Evie noticed his hand flex, like he wanted to grab that barn door he called a sword off his back. "I'll locate the rest of our soldiers as well."

"Doubtlessly at the Sunrise Gate," Zara said, practically floating in from the captain's cabin. She was resplendent in a gown of black and deep green, setting off her ocher skin brilliantly. "From what I can sense, they are fighting a pitched battle. Not yet desperate, but intense."

"All hands on deck then, I imagine," Alister said, his face a bit pale. "Shall we go see the Lady Haarwatch, then?"

"Indeed." Zara gestured to them all, along with twelve of those guards that always hung around Felix. Evie thought they called themselves the Shadows or something equally silly. "Captain Pxol and his crew will take care of the ships while we visit Calesca."

Evie groaned. She'd rather they head right to the fight. But I should greet Callie. I guess.

The little man in blue had waited for their party near the guardhouse. The moment the lot of them approached, he bowed and opened a wide set of doors, which led inward to a foul smelling chamber. It was empty, filled only with hay and the sharp stench of excrement, but Evie spotted the reason for their passage.

"Are those...giant birds?" she asked.

Large, winged creatures stooped at the edge of a sudden drop. Men and women in blue hustled about, many of them fitting large saddles and harnesses to the birds, eliciting long, lazy screeches that echoed painfully off the stone interior. The birds were feathered brilliantly in blue and green and yellow, and had wide, bulbous beaks that looked more useful scooping up kelp than stabbing at prey. Crests of feathers surmounted their heads like colorful fans, opening and closing with every cinch and pull of the attendants.

"What is this?" Zara demanded. "I though we were to meet with the Lady?"

"You are. The Lady Haarwatch is currently at the Sunrise Gate, directing the battle there."

Harn growled in annoyance. He singled out of the Shadows. "You. Go find Commander Reed and tell him to change plans. Meet us as fast as they can at the Sunrise Gate."

"Aye, sir!"

As the Shadow sped off, Harn turned his harsh glare onto the unctuous official. "You could've said where we were goin' earlier."

The official swallowed, and Evie noticed a sudden flop sweat on the man. "Um, ah, the Lady did not wish for her current location to be bandied about. We have had a number of assassination attempts. I—I apologize for the inconvenience it may have caused you."

Harn frowned so hard Evie was certain she could hear his face crack. "Assassins? How many? Who was responsible?"

"That is all information for the Lady Haarwatch to pass on," the man insisted. "Please. Claim a mount from these Eider and I shall take you to her."

An ocher hand laid atop Harn's shoulder, gentle but with clear command. "Questions can wait for now. Let us move quickly to the battlefront."

Harn grunted.

she handsigned to the man.

Evie smirked at the banked inferno within Harn's Spirit, a sound she didn't mind at all. The moment she heard the word 'assassinations' her core had gone into overdrive and her hands ached to draw her chain.

"Mount up," Zara commanded.

Bright orange eyes regarded Evie as her group approached, most of them placid except for one or two. Those she could hear a squealing from their Spirits, like a tea kettle left on. It stabbed at her Mind, aggressive and unpleasant compared to Harn's clean anger. "Enough of that," she said, grabbing the reins. The Eider bucked its head, but she flared her Born Trait, borrowing the weight of the stone at her feet. The bird squawked in surprise, and before it recovered Evie was already astride its back. "I'm in charge, see? In the saddle, holding the reins. You're listening to me now, yeah?"

The Eider bucked once more, but Evie held tight and grabbed clumsily at her at her Intent. That she meant no harm, that she was in charge. It was unfocused and weak, but Evie balled it up with her limited Willpower and shoved it at the bird. It squawked again—a low, upsetting noise—before falling silent and still.

You Have Gained A New Skill!

"Avet's teeth, what?" Evie cursed as a System notification blared into her senses.

Fauna Handling (Uncommon), Level 1!

You have proven your ability to wrangle and control fauna. Minor increase in simple control over fauna per level

"Evie? What's wrong?" Atar asked, fighting to stay upright on his own mount. His bird kept rustling its large wings. "You—are you alright?"

"Fine fine...just learned a Skill, is all," she said, still a little flabbergasted. "Never learned a Skill so easy before."

"The Chant and Harmonics affords a greater understanding of this world," Zara said, wheeling about her own Eider with apparent ease. "I am impressed, Evie. You have kept up your training."

Their guide cleared his throat, his voice or perhaps the echoes strong enough to cut through their conversations. "Esteemed guests, please follow me."

Without another word, he and his mount fell from the ledge, diving into the open air like a damn fish. Evie watched with wide eyes. She had gotten used to Manaships, but this was something else entirely.

"C'mon. Let's go kill somethin'," Harn shouted, before he too dropped into the sky.

"That is...is this safe?" Atar asked.

"Safe is overrated." Evie kicked her heels, somehow knowing that was the best way to move the Eider. It clambered awkwardly toward the ledge and tipped over. Despite everything, her guts churned with fear. "Blind gods and burning, bloody ass!"

She and her dumb bird fell like a rock.

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