healingbonds (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
healingbonds) wrote2020-09-05 10:34 pm
healingbonds) wrote2020-09-05 10:34 pm
Ballad of the Dreaming Pilot | Chapter 7
Chapter 6 << | index | >> Chapter 8
Cain: Looks like it’s ready to attack any moment now.
Chloe: All those weapons lined up along the ship.... Are they called cannons? It’s creepy how they won’t stop moving.
Murr: They’re taking aim. The ship is missing its captain, so it’ll shoot away however it feels like it.
Shylock: So we don’t know when it will bite? Looks like this ship needs some training. We need to put a collar on it.
Arthur: Are you all right, Sir Sage?
Akira: I’m fine. But that ship is massive.....
The ship has an overwhelming presence up close. Its white sails glisten in the breeze, and its heavy hull intimidates everything in its path.
It doesn’t look like it’s flying through the sky; its composure reminds me more of a whale swimming through the ocean. It’s terrifying, but also simply beautiful.
Riquet: How are we going to stop the ship?
Cain: We have seven wizards right here. Let’s see if we can stop it with all our magic combined.
Murr: That would be pointless.
That ship is using a staggering amount of mana stones; on top of that, it’s under the influence of the < Great Catastrophe >. We’ll need a considerable amount of magic to stop it.
Arthur: Then what should we do?
Shylock: Murr, this whole island is essentially your legacy. You must fulfill your role.
Murr: We can’t just fight the ship itself. So let’s aim for the heart of the ship instead.
The ship’s central motor converts mana stones into magical science energy. We just have to render it useless!
Akira: Um... Which means?
Rustica: We need to board the ship and remove the central motor, right?
Murr: Correct!
Riquet: Then let’s board the ship right awa.....!
In that moment, one of the many cannons jutting out of the ship begins its attack.
It locks its aim on Riquet and unleashes a blaze of fire.
Cain: << Gladius Procella >>!
(Bang)
Cain: Guh......!
Arthur: Riquet! Cain! Are you all right!?
Riquet: I’m fine. But Cain....! Cain, are you all right?
Cain: Yeah, it’s just a small burn. This is nothing.
......If you wish to protect something, then protect it yourself, huh.....
Riquet: Huh?
Cain: Nah, I’m just speaking to myself. I’m glad you’re not hurt.
Riquet: Cain.... I’m sorry. You got hurt protecting me.
Cain: It’s not your fault, Riquet. This is the job of a warrior, and the choice I made.
What I can do with my power might be limited, but I’m going to use everything I have to protect what’s important to me.
The shot was the ship’s wake-up call. The cannons that had just been eerily moving about now begin to spit fire, one after the other.
Rustica: << Amorest Viesse >>
Shylock: << Invibelle >>
Rustica: How troublesome. Can’t it put away its weapons and take a break?
Shylock: Its attack patterns are still quite simple; it’s just shooting one or two cannons at a time. But if it fires all its cannons at once, we won’t be able to defend ourselves.
Arthur: We need to protect the city — let’s evacuate the citizens right away....! Cain, Riquet, can I leave it to you?
Cain: Yes, sir. Please leave the island to me. Let’s go, Riquet.
Riquet: Yes!
(Woosh) (Boom)
Chloe: Hey, what’s that light....?
(Clang)
Amidst the irregular cannonfire, bizzare clusters of light float around the body of the ship.
Slowly, the light gathers towards the bottom of the ship — where an exceptionally huge cannon lies.
Murr: That’s the thing I never designed!
All: !
Chloe: Then is that the massive weapon he was talking about....!?
Arthur: It’s completely different from all the other cannons. We can’t let it go off!
Akira: We need to stop it.... Let’s remove the central motor!
Shylock: We will support you from here. Murr, you and Prince Arthur should head to the ship with Sir Sage.
Murr: Got it!
Shylock: Sir Sage, I understand it might be terrifying, but please bear with us for just a bit longer.
Akira: Thank you, Shylock. But I’ll do everything I can to help!
Shylock: Fufu. What a brave soul.
Chloe: .........
Rustica: Chloe, we need to support them too. Let’s stop these cannon shots.
Chloe: Rustica.... Yeah!
✦✧☾✧✦
(Woosh)
Arthur: Murr, where is the central motor?
Murr: Look to the middle of the deck! I designed this ship so it could be operated while watching the outside!
Ah, here it is.
A black, globular orb is enshrined in the middle of the deck. It must be releasing heat — there’s steam rising from it.
The needles on the countless meters attached to the orb are swinging out of control — telling us that this ship has gone wild.
Arthur: All right, let’s sto....?
I feel myself float into the air. Then, a massive tremor engulfs my whole body.
(Boom)
Akira: ......!
It feels like the sun has exploded. An overwhelming light engulfs the entire city. My vision goes blank: I can't even tell if my eyes are open or closed.
—The weapon unleashes a merciless light. And amidst our despair, we are forced to a realization.
That we didn’t make it in time. The island — this city — will burn to the ground. ...But then.
✦✧☾✧✦
Oz: << Vox Nox >>
✦✧☾✧✦
The light that had descended upon the city disappears in an instant. The view of the skyline from this ship looks the same — as if nothing strange had happened.
Arthur: ....I can’t believe it.... The island was unharmed.
Akira: Th-thank goodness.... But how?
Murr: There’s only one guy out there who could pull that off!
Arthur: Sir Oz.... Protected this island.
✦✧☾✧✦
Oz: (....My staff trembled for an instant.)
So humans have obtained this much power.....
Chapter 6 << | index | >> Chapter 8
Cain: Looks like it’s ready to attack any moment now.
Chloe: All those weapons lined up along the ship.... Are they called cannons? It’s creepy how they won’t stop moving.
Murr: They’re taking aim. The ship is missing its captain, so it’ll shoot away however it feels like it.
Shylock: So we don’t know when it will bite? Looks like this ship needs some training. We need to put a collar on it.
Arthur: Are you all right, Sir Sage?
Akira: I’m fine. But that ship is massive.....
The ship has an overwhelming presence up close. Its white sails glisten in the breeze, and its heavy hull intimidates everything in its path.
It doesn’t look like it’s flying through the sky; its composure reminds me more of a whale swimming through the ocean. It’s terrifying, but also simply beautiful.
Riquet: How are we going to stop the ship?
Cain: We have seven wizards right here. Let’s see if we can stop it with all our magic combined.
Murr: That would be pointless.
That ship is using a staggering amount of mana stones; on top of that, it’s under the influence of the < Great Catastrophe >. We’ll need a considerable amount of magic to stop it.
Arthur: Then what should we do?
Shylock: Murr, this whole island is essentially your legacy. You must fulfill your role.
Murr: We can’t just fight the ship itself. So let’s aim for the heart of the ship instead.
The ship’s central motor converts mana stones into magical science energy. We just have to render it useless!
Akira: Um... Which means?
Rustica: We need to board the ship and remove the central motor, right?
Murr: Correct!
Riquet: Then let’s board the ship right awa.....!
In that moment, one of the many cannons jutting out of the ship begins its attack.
It locks its aim on Riquet and unleashes a blaze of fire.
Cain: << Gladius Procella >>!
(Bang)
Cain: Guh......!
Arthur: Riquet! Cain! Are you all right!?
Riquet: I’m fine. But Cain....! Cain, are you all right?
Cain: Yeah, it’s just a small burn. This is nothing.
......If you wish to protect something, then protect it yourself, huh.....
Riquet: Huh?
Cain: Nah, I’m just speaking to myself. I’m glad you’re not hurt.
Riquet: Cain.... I’m sorry. You got hurt protecting me.
Cain: It’s not your fault, Riquet. This is the job of a warrior, and the choice I made.
What I can do with my power might be limited, but I’m going to use everything I have to protect what’s important to me.
The shot was the ship’s wake-up call. The cannons that had just been eerily moving about now begin to spit fire, one after the other.
Rustica: << Amorest Viesse >>
Shylock: << Invibelle >>
Rustica: How troublesome. Can’t it put away its weapons and take a break?
Shylock: Its attack patterns are still quite simple; it’s just shooting one or two cannons at a time. But if it fires all its cannons at once, we won’t be able to defend ourselves.
Arthur: We need to protect the city — let’s evacuate the citizens right away....! Cain, Riquet, can I leave it to you?
Cain: Yes, sir. Please leave the island to me. Let’s go, Riquet.
Riquet: Yes!
(Woosh) (Boom)
Chloe: Hey, what’s that light....?
(Clang)
Amidst the irregular cannonfire, bizzare clusters of light float around the body of the ship.
Slowly, the light gathers towards the bottom of the ship — where an exceptionally huge cannon lies.
Murr: That’s the thing I never designed!
All: !
Chloe: Then is that the massive weapon he was talking about....!?
Arthur: It’s completely different from all the other cannons. We can’t let it go off!
Akira: We need to stop it.... Let’s remove the central motor!
Shylock: We will support you from here. Murr, you and Prince Arthur should head to the ship with Sir Sage.
Murr: Got it!
Shylock: Sir Sage, I understand it might be terrifying, but please bear with us for just a bit longer.
Akira: Thank you, Shylock. But I’ll do everything I can to help!
Shylock: Fufu. What a brave soul.
Chloe: .........
Rustica: Chloe, we need to support them too. Let’s stop these cannon shots.
Chloe: Rustica.... Yeah!
✦✧☾✧✦
(Woosh)
Arthur: Murr, where is the central motor?
Murr: Look to the middle of the deck! I designed this ship so it could be operated while watching the outside!
Ah, here it is.
A black, globular orb is enshrined in the middle of the deck. It must be releasing heat — there’s steam rising from it.
The needles on the countless meters attached to the orb are swinging out of control — telling us that this ship has gone wild.
Arthur: All right, let’s sto....?
I feel myself float into the air. Then, a massive tremor engulfs my whole body.
(Boom)
Akira: ......!
It feels like the sun has exploded. An overwhelming light engulfs the entire city. My vision goes blank: I can't even tell if my eyes are open or closed.
—The weapon unleashes a merciless light. And amidst our despair, we are forced to a realization.
That we didn’t make it in time. The island — this city — will burn to the ground. ...But then.
✦✧☾✧✦
Oz: << Vox Nox >>
✦✧☾✧✦
The light that had descended upon the city disappears in an instant. The view of the skyline from this ship looks the same — as if nothing strange had happened.
Arthur: ....I can’t believe it.... The island was unharmed.
Akira: Th-thank goodness.... But how?
Murr: There’s only one guy out there who could pull that off!
Arthur: Sir Oz.... Protected this island.
✦✧☾✧✦
Oz: (....My staff trembled for an instant.)
So humans have obtained this much power.....
Chapter 6 << | index | >> Chapter 8