NaNoWriMo: Day 28
Barf, this took forever. I'm not totally satisfied with it, and I think I jumped heads a few too many times, but dang is it hard to write a television style battle from one person's perspective! This one really got away from me in length as well. I've been thinking I'd finish it over the last three days, only for the story to just keep adding to itself. XD But we're nearing the end, folks! Only two more to go!
Homeland Part Three: Crusade
“All our scouting missions report thousands of gremwings massing around Warnado,” Zarkan said, looking around the table. He was joined by Z’neth, Aaron, Dram, and Nocturna for their daily strategy mission.
“That is not all, however,” Dram added. “Word among the Dramen tribes says that Vidak and Kreigo are in talks with Dread Wing to join his assault force.” Zarkan saw Aaron sigh, and Z’neth’s face took on a grave look.
“Dread Wing appealing to the Dark Dramen warlords’ avarice isn’t unexpected,” said Nocturna. “He’s out for your blood this time, and he knows his best chance of winning is by gathering all his possible allies. I’m not sure what he has to offer them at this point, considering past failures, but Dread is making this his final stand. Even his father Asmodeus never gathered an army so large.”
Despite his initial mistrust of the blue-skinned mutant, Zarkan was glad that Nocturna had joined their sessions. Her knowledge of Dread Wing and Warnado’s inner workings had proven invaluable on more than one occasion.
“All that and Warnado able to fly again?” Zarkan asked. “What are the chances Airlandis can survive an assault of that magnitude?”
Aaron looked solemn. “Not very good, I’m afraid. Even with all available dragonators, we’ve had trouble beating back Dread Wing alone. Their combined forces and the guns of Warnado?” Aaron paused here and met each of their eyes. “Airlandis is unlikely to survive such an attack.”
“Not that we’re not planning,” Z’neth interjected. “With Mother and Cifex’s help, Orak has diverted all available resources into building ten new Warp Cannons.”
“Let’s hope they work better than the prototype,” Nocturna snickered, referencing the last time Warnado had gotten aboveclouds.
Z’neth moved on. “The tech team has also begun equipping the Strato-Glider fleet with Wind Jammers.”
Zarkan practically rolled his eyes. “Strato-Gliders against gremwings and dragon-mounted riders? There’s no way they’re maneuverable enough!”
“If you’ve got a better suggestion, I’m all ears,” Z’neth said tersely.
Zarkan looked around the table. “Don’t you see? Alayas is the answer - we need to evacuate the civilian population to the mountain. It wouldn’t be comfortable, but at least there are enough facilities there now to take everyone in.”
“Joshua and the Council would never agree to such a plan,” Aaron scoffed. “They would view it as abandoning our home and future.”
“But with the terraforming technology, our future isn’t here anymore,” Zarkan said. “It’s back down on Old Earth. Hasn’t Alayas always been a step toward that?” The room was quiet for a few moments as that thought struck the dragonators gathered there.
“Perhaps you are right,” Aaron finally said, breaking the silence. “I’ll present the idea at the Council meeting tomorrow morning, though I know it will be shot down. At the very least it can function as a reserve plan.”
“What about the biospheres, Father?” Z’neth asked. “Some of them contain the last known surviving members of their species.”
“They each have a small amber reactor for power and flight,” Aaron answered. “A team of dragons or the Aristotle could easily tow them to Alayas. We’d have to open the dome to get them out, though. Another item to add to my list for the Council tomorrow.”
“I’m afraid the old fools are beginning to develop a distaste for you, Aaron,” Nocturna said, her golden eyes trained on the Dragonator leader. “Seeing as how you continually bring them bad news they do not wish to confront or deal with. Would it not be more effective to declare martial law and simply direct what needs to be done? You waste precious time while your people’s survival hangs in the balance.”
Zarkan for once had to agree with Nocturna. Aaron placed a hand on the mutant’s shoulder. “Though we may not agree on the best course to take, their thoughts are still valuable. Solutions can come from unlikely places.”
“You can be sure Dread Wing does not share your love of discourse. Even now he is directing the steps to create his new empire,” Nocturna replied.
“Then if it is our tolerance and fairness that separates us from the Lord of Warnado, I will always choose to value the opinions of others,” Aaron said, a kindly smile on his face. Zarkan valued Nocturna as an ally and a dragonator under his command (and maybe even a friend?), but he was never sure he would understand how Aaron had taken the mutant woman under his wing.
“If that’s everything, we’ll meet again tomorrow after the Council meeting and make our plans then,” Z’neth said.
*****
“After you last failure, you will not question my terms, Vidak,” Dread Wing spat at the Dark Dramen warlord. He grabbed the dramen’s tunic front and pulled him in close for extra emphasis. “And should it reach my all-hearing ears that you utter any whisper of insubordination or treachery during the battle, there will be no corner of Old Earth that will shelter you from my wrath.” Dread shoved Vidak backwards, smirking as the warlord almost fell onto the stone floor of the throne room.
“Of course, Lord Dread Wing,” Vidak simpered, though Dread could still see the fury behind his eyes. “My troop will be ready by the appointed hour.” Dread Wing sneered as Vidak bowed his way out of the throne room.
That was the easy one to intimidate. Kreigo would be much harder to keep in line. Dread had appealed to Kreigo’s misguided sense of honor, knowing that brute force and threats would do little good in swaying the other Dark Dramen warlord to stay true to Warnado’s banner. But Dread knew that if Kreigo felt the battle would weaken his force to the point that he couldn’t keep the Highlands territory in check, the dark dramen wouldn’t hesitate to abandon.
Further impetus to win, and pluck the humans’ false wings forever. Dread Wing hated to admit it, but he knew this was his final chance at conquering the floating city of Airlandis. If Warnado crashed again, there would be no way to repair it this time. Gangryn had made sure he understood that.
Dread Wing spread his scarlet wings and flew to the pinnacle of Warnado. Stretched out before his eyes, the Lord could see his sizable holdings - dramen slaves, lava rivers flowing with amber crystals, flocks of gremwings. Yet for all he owned on Old Earth, Dread Wing was not satisfied.
He would never be satisfied until he owned the sky itself.
*****
Peak grinned as he and Nora shook hands with the leader of the F.I.S.T. Fighters. After they encounter with the small warriors, Peak and Nora had become something of unofficial ambassadors to the humans living in the subterranean caverns of Old Earth. Well, after Peak had gotten over the whole dangling over lava as a sacrifice to the amber gods bit, anyway. “Thank you again for your support,” Peak said. “Airlandis owes you a great debt for these amber crystals.”
The short, red-haired man smiled. “Not at all, Peak. We hope to help more than this when the battle comes.” He held up the communicator Peak had gifted them months ago. “Call us when the darkness closes in, and the F.I.S.T. Fighters will defend humanity as the Sacred Amber commands us.”
“You know you are always welcome in Airlandis, Chief,” Nora said.
The little man chuckled. “No, I once thought that only mutants could survive aboveground, and though you proved me wrong, I still think the ground is the best place for humans to be; we were never meant to go so high, I think.”
“At least promise to visit some time,” Peak chided. “Well, some time when we’re not facing destruction, anyway.”
“Your offer is greatly appreciated. Perhaps someday, my friends,” the Chief said with a wave as Nora and Peak exited the caverns and returned to Wing Storm and Goliath.
Peak breathed a sigh of relief once Stormy was loaded up with the ambers and had taken off. Despite the Chief’s feelings, Peak never felt as at home as when he was high above the clouds on dragon wings.
Opening a vox channel to Nora, he asked, “So, word is you’re finally getting that promotion to commander of Dragonator Three. Congratulation, babe,” Peak said.
Nora rolled her eyes at him on the screen. “Is this really the best time to talk about this, Peak?”
“Hey, I hardly get to see you anymore! When are we supposed to talk about it?” Peak answered in a huffy tone.
“Maybe when everyone’s lives aren’t counting on us bringing back these ambers safely?” Nora replied.
Peak couldn’t help from grinning. “So that means we are going to talk about it? Preferably over dinner somewhere other than the Replimat?”
Nora groaned. “Sometimes you’re impossible, Tiger. That dinner will never come if Orak kills us for being late with his precious crystals.”
“Well, you know how I live to make Orak happy,” Peak said, winking at Nora. Wing storm simply rumbled, expressing his displeasure with Peak’s bad jokes.
*****
“Come on, you rivetheads, get that opening sealed!” Orak roared as hot steam whished out of the crack in the thermal piping. It was bad enough that Peak and Nora had been late with that crystal delivery, but now his underlings had nicked the cooling system lines while setting up the final Warp Cannon. Grumbling, Orak pulled down his face shield and jumped into the fray, pushing a few of his technicians out of the way in order to seal up the leak. If he left it to them they’d still be working when the city came under attack.
When the leak had been sealed and tested to his satisfaction, the Master Technician moved on to checking that the cannon was receiving power from the central amber reactors. With the rate of building that they had undertaken in preparation for the upcoming battle and the Warp Cannons' massive power uptake, the dragonators had been making several extra runs to Old Earth almost daily, in addition to all the drills Z'neth had ordered. Orak almost wanted Dread Wing to just attack, for the simple reason that he wouldn't have all this extra work on his plate.
Orak hopped into the seat attached to the back of the cannon, and flipped the switches that would activate the main terminal. He was satisfied to see the targeting systems come to life (a handy gift from Cifex) and that everything registered as being in good working order. Orak targeted a cloud formation not far off from the city and fired, delighted when the energy blast cut through the clouds.
"Someone get me some targeting discs!" Orak yelled. Moments later, three of the hovering discs used by the dragonators for Wind Jammer target practice were buzzing around their computer-controlled, flight patterns. They were ideal for learning to target small, mobile objects like gremwings.
"Let's see what this baby can really do," Orak muttered. Programming the targeting computer, Orak was satisfied when the Warp Cannon shot off three perfectly timed blasts, incinerating the targeting discs.
Hopping out of his seat, Orak addressed his team. “Now remember, we’re working in teams three at each cannon. One gunner and two support staff monitoring the power and stability of the apparatus. The computers are programmed to not fire on any dragons or humanoid shapes, but you can manually override that if any of the cragfaces get too close. And don’t forget,” he added, “the cannons have some mobility on their platforms, so if you don’t have anything to shoot, try to find a better angle.”
“But sir,” one of the technicians asked, “if there are thirty of us manning the Warp Cannons, who’ll be monitoring the amber reactors?”
Orak shoved a thumb at his own chest. “Who else, genius? I’m going to be working the central amber reactor and making sure everything goes smoothly on that end. Cannons won’t do a lick of good without power after all.”
Orak turned around the leave before twisting his head around and giving his boys a wicked grin. “We’re gonna give ‘em hell, boys, and I expect to see you all alive at the victory party.”
*****
Dread Wing stood at the top of Warnado and surveyed the army gathered around him. He was flanked on either side by Vidak and Kreigo, with Fryte and Gangryn close at hand. Below them were thousands of gremwings and sizeable numbers of Dark Dramen and mutant warriors. “My children!” he yelled, his voice amplified by speakers. “Today is the day we claim final victory over the humans. Today is the day we rise from the ashes and take the floating city of Airlandis for our own. Today is the day we prove that Mutants and Dark Dramen are the future, and that the feeble humans are the past!”
The crowd below him roared with bloodlust. Dread Wing smiled, relishing the sensation as their feeling of hatred bolstered him, gave him strength.
“In one hour, Warnado will rise again like a blazing spear through the Warp Winds and pierce the soft underbelly of humanity. Their final hour is at hand!” The crowd roared again. “And remember, any who bring me the heads of our hated enemy the Dragon Flyz will receive rewards and riches worthy of a king, and take their place as my new lieutenant!” Dread paused for a moment as the cheers rang across the crowd before dying down. “And now, my children, to arms!”
*****
Zarkan was jolted from his respite by the klaxons sounding everywhere. Within moments, Joshua’s grave face appeared on every monitor. “This is a D3 Alert. Repeat, this is a D3 Alert. All dragonators report to your emergency launch positions. Warnado has broken through the Warp Winds. Repeat, Warnado has broken through the Warp Winds! Airlandeans, get to your Strato-Glider evac positions for possible city-wide evacuation.”
Zarkan pulled on his helmet before saying “Maximize!” to activate his exo-wings. Flying through the streets of Airlandis, Zarkan made a beeline for the Dragon Dock. Nora and Nocturna were already there suiting up. His dragon Thunder roared a greeting as he settled in the saddle.
“You look good in our colors, Lady Blue,” Zarkan said, giving Noctura a wink. “Just don’t forget who you’re fighting for out there.”
Nocturna rolled her golden eyes. “Dread Wing has as much reason to want me dead as you. I see no reason to defend him at this point.”
Zarkan nodded. “Where’s Amod?” he asked Nora.
“He was up in Skywatch checking out the data numbers,” she answered.
At that moment, Zarkan’s boyfriend came flying in carrying a data pad. “I’m here!” Amod said. “And things look worse out there than any of us could have imagined, he said, as the four of them huddled in a circle around his data pad. Amod pulled up a holo that showed the two rocket boosters pushing Warnado up through the clouds before the warship disgorged thousands of gremwings on a flight path straight for the city. Video from the camera drone continued to show mutants and Dark Dramen emerge after the gremwings. The camera briefly showed the screeching face of a gremwing before it went to static.
“I don’t think we can stand up to that kind of onslaught for very long,” Nora said, her voice quiet.
“But we’re going to do our best. I foresee a D4 alert being called soon,” Zarkan said, “and we’ll need to give the civilians a chance to escape to Alayas. Now, let’s mount up and burn some wing.”
Nora and Nocturna flew off to mount their dragons, but Amod stayed behind a moment. He pulled Zarkan into a fierce hug and kissed him hungrily. “Don’t do anything stupid out there, Zarkan,” Amod whispered. “Come back to me.”
Zarkan’s throat was tight as he simply nodded. “You too, lover,” he replied.
*****
Peak discharged his wind jammer again and again. A gremwing got too close and scratched his arm, drawing blood before Peak vaporized it. Wing Storm roared before his massive jaws bit down on a mutant that had been barreling toward them. With a toss of his head, the mighty purple dragon chucked the monstrosity aside into a cloud of gremwings.
Peak’s breaths came in rapid, shallow gasps. He was tiring, and the battle was going poorly at best. Z’neth was pinned down fighting Fryte, and Apex and Summit had been going round after round with Kreigo and Vidak. Dread Wing had yet to make an appearance.
The Lord of Warnado’s forces had almost immediately surrounded Airlandis, and now dragonators were trying to fight off incursions into their lines from multiple points. The rain of laser cannon fire from Warnado didn’t help matters any, either. At least the new Warp Cannon were inflicting damage right back, Peak noted with grim satisfaction.
Cifex’s voice came over the comm from Skywatch, where the android was hooked up to the computer system and monitoring the battle, directing troop movements with Aaron and the rest of the Skywatch team. “Dragonator Three, a large squadron of Dark Dramen are converging on your position. Hold back for a moment and give Warp Cannons seven and eight time to fire.”
Breaking his attention away for a moment, Peak could see Team Three to the left of them and saw the dragons scramble while the Warp Cannons unloaded into the oncoming Dark Dramen, sending smoking husks falling from the battlefield.
“Get your mind back in the game, little bro,” Summit said, flying by and shooting off a Dark Dramen that had snuck up behind Peak’s position. “Olin’s got everything under control with Dragonator Three, but we could use a little help here!”
Just then, Peak caught sight of a small, spindly dragon and rider flanked by four Dark Dramen warriors flying out of Warnado and charging toward Airlandis. Specifically the main amber reactors. “Orak!” Peak yelled into his vox box, “You’re going to be having some company! Looks like Gangryn is on his way to your position, and he’s bringing friends!”
“Hold him off as long as possible!” the Master Technician growled back across the channel. “I’m going to retract the generator into the city!”
Apex gave a cry of pain after Peak closed the connection with Orak. “Peak, take over for me!” she yelled, veering around on Blaze in the opposite direction and flying off. “I’m going after Gangryn - something brushed my mind, and it felt suspiciously like the Brain Slave. If Gangryn’s got a psychic weapon with him, the whole city might fall!”
“Right-o, sis!” Peak said, bringing Wing Storm about and firing a shot directly at Kreigo.
*****
“Faster, Blaze!” Apex yelled above the wind and the explosions raging all around them. In the complete and utter hell she had dived into, Apex almost lost sight of Gangryn, but a quick mental pulse found him quickly, mainly due to the psychic energy practically rolling off of him in waves. Apex had never seen anything so powerful before. Though she had worked with her father on developing her mental telepathy and telekinesis in the wake of the Brain Slave and Dark Dream events, Apex suddenly wished she had spent a little more time practicing.
Blaze deftly veered to the side, avoiding a plasma blast from Warnado that tore into the city’s dome. Dammit Joshua, sound a D4 Alert and get everyone out! Apex was borderline furious with the Council.
As Blaze flew overtop the city’s dome, Apex opened a vox channel to Cifex. “Cifex, I’ve broken off from Dragonator One for a moment. Gangryn is making a run on the central amber reactors. Orak’s trying to pull them up, but I’m not sure there’ll be enough time. The mutant’s also giving off incredible psychic waves. I think he might have a psy-weapon.”
“Acknowledged, Apex,” Cifex replied. “Do you require backup? I can be down there in two clicks.”
“Negative, Cifex. It’s more important that you stay in Skywatch and direct the battle. Only your neural net is powerful enough to run the scenarios,” Apex said, touched that he would have dropped everything to back her up. “But I’ll keep an open vox channel just in case.”
As she approached the amber reactor from the opposite side of the city, Apex could just make out a firefight going on on the other side between Orak, his techs, and the Dark Dramen warriors Gangryn had brought with him. Apex’s didn’t hesitate and yelled, “Maximize!” before jumping off of Blaze Wind and letting her Exo-Wings carry her into the fray. Moments after she entered the reactor chamber, it finished pulling back into the city.
“Orak, get down!” Apex yelled, setting her Wind Jammer to wide dispersal as the technicians ducked. She shot a blast across the Dark Dramen, knocking two of them to the ground.
“A most impressive display, female,” Gangryn said, stepping forward from behind a support column. The spindly inventor was decked out in an armored suit and helmet that covered his eyes. Tubes crisscrossed the entire apparatus, carrying a glowing red liquid. And strapped to the armor’s back was an amber crystal.
“Nice outfit, Gangryn. But I think you forgot eye holes,” Apex said, aiming a shot at the mutant. The moment she was about to fire, though, her arm was jerked violently by unseen forces, sending the blast wildly out of range.
"Apex, keep that Wind Jammer holstered," Orak hissed. Apex saw that her errant blast had nicked one of the cooling pipes, releasing a jet of superheated steam into the room. Apex grabbed Orak and they both scurried behind the main reactor. Apex took out the zoomerang that she and her brothers favored as a backup weapon.
"Really, I expected much better from you, Apex," she heard Gangryn say. "A zoomerang against my new Brain Slave? Do you think me a dog, to come at me with sticks?" Gangryn said, contempt dripping from every word. “I am far beyond your mortal power now, girl.”
The blood drained from Apex's face. If Gangryn had really reconstructed the Brain Slave - and made it mobile on top of everything - then she was possibly the city's last hope. Settling her mind, Apex spoke mentally to Orak. Get everyone out of here and sound a D4 Alert. We don't have much time. Gangryn could take the whole city down if what he says is true.
Orak looked startled to hear her voice in his head, but nodded grimly before directing his team silently out of the crystal reactor chamber. Apex held her zoomerang and concentrated, trying to mentally locate Gangryn’s precise position in the room. Her only chance was to knock out the amber crystal that powered the suit or cut its power somehow.
There! A brightly incandescent shape seemed to appear from inside the steam, and Apex threw the zoomerang with all her strength. It whistled as it revolved, only to get lost inside the steam. Moments later, Apex heard it hit the far wall and fall to the ground.
As she moved to retrieve it, Gangryn was suddenly behind her. Without the scrawny mutant making a motion, Apex felt a crushing weight fall upon her, pinning her to the ground. With a loud snap, the weight shifted to her leg, instantly shattering the bones. Apex screamed, her mind going black for an instant in the haze of pain.
“Who is the superior being now, my pet?” Gangryn said mentally with a chuckle, lightly stepping over Apex’s crumpled form. “I have won, and now your precious city falls to mutants. The last light of humankind will be extinguished.”
Through all the pain, Apex could feel vibrations in the city, and she knew that a silent D4 Alert had been sounded - the dome was opening to release the biospheres. She quickly erected mental shields around this information as Aaron had taught her. Apex had to keep Gangryn talking as long as possible, keep the reactors running, and give everyone a chance to escape.
“The city falls to Dread Wing, you mean,” she managed to choke out in a whisper, refusing to let Gangryn anywhere near her thoughts now. “You’re nothing more,” she gasped, “than a flunky.”
Gangryn’s head snapped back to her from where he had been inspecting the amber reactors. “Why do all the grunt work myself?” he asked. “Once Dread Wing captures Airlandis, it will be a simple matter of liquefying his small mind and taking his place. And then to building my own empire - one where the smart survive, and the hulking brutes die. It will be a glorious age, indeed!” He smiled a sickening smile, revealing his crooked and misshapen teeth. “As one of the mentally gifted, you could be…part of that empire, Apex. Every Emperor needs and Empress after all,” Gangryn said, his tongue running over his lips in a way that turned Apex’s stomach.
Apex spat on the ground. “I would rather die, beast.”
Gangryn simply shrugged. “Then you have sealed your own fate, female.” The mutant’s voice was cold and calculating.
Gangryn reached out his hand and placed it over Apex’s forehead. “Still, a mind like yours is a terrible thing to waste. Which is why my Brain Slave will take your power, adding its powers to my own. This has the unfortunate side effect of leaving you vegetative, but after today nobody will care about one more crippled dragonator.”
His touch brought searing fire to Apex’s mind. All Apex’s memories seemed to circle her in a great spiral: birth, meeting Blaze, flying with her brothers, her parents, Cifex. Apex dove into the memories, wrapping them around her like a river, a barrier against Gangryn’s entry.
She stood on a nondescript field facing Gangryn. “Are you such a fool to attack me in my own mind, mutant?” Apex said with a laugh. “My brain, my rules!” Apex threw her hands out, and the dirt of the field grew and formed itself into an army of dragons. They pounced on Gangryn, but before they could tear him apart, the mutant had grown as tall as a Wind Pit, towering over all the proceedings below.
“Hah! Even in your mind, I reign supreme!” he gloated, stomping the dirt dragons underfoot until they were nothing but dust.
Apex crafted spears of light that launched themselves at Gangryn, tearing through his armor and shrinking the mutant back to normal size. With another part of her mind, Apex reached out with her mental powers, grabbing the discarded zoomerang and pulling it back toward her. It arced through the reactor chamber before burying itself in the amber crystal.
The mental landscape cracked and broke apart like the amber crystal that powered Gangryn’s suit as the mutant lost control of his mental powers. Unfortunately, he was still partially connected to Apex, and the telekinetic backlash blew them apart. Apex hit the wall with a sickening crack, but even as her vision swam, she knew she was better off than Gangryn.
The mutant’s suit was short-circuiting, and as he lost control of his motor function Gangryn stumbled into the main amber generator. The suit ignited the reactor, and Gangryn was vaporized in the explosion. Apex barely had time to wrap a telekinetic bubble around her before being bombarded with debris.
Then, with a sickening lurch, the floor began to tilt.
*****
“The last of the Strato-Gliders are away!” Cifex told Aaron, looking on his monitor as the small fleet of ships made their way to Mount Alayas, the Aristotle among them towing the biospheres. Outside of the Skywatch tower, the battle raged on, but with the citizens having abandoned the city, more of the dragonators had been pulled away to cover their escape.
Aaron felt sick. They had lost. Airlandis was lost.
“Sir, I’ve lost contact with Apex,” Cifex added, a note of panic in the android’s voice. “Permission to find her, sir.”
“Granted,” Aaron said, waving his hand. Cifex needn’t be kept from Apex. The battle was forfeit.
Cifex never had a chance to leave, however, before Z’neth, Peak, and Nocturna appeared on the elevator. “Mother and Joshua are leading the escape, but we’ve got to evacuated everyone here,” Z’neth commanded, making a sweeping motion toward the door.
“We can’t leave yet - Apex is still unaccounted for!” Cifex cried. At that moment, the city shook violently, throwing several of the workers from their chairs. Several of the consoles exploded in showers of sparks, and all the lights dimmed to emergency levels.
Aaron pulled up his console. “We’re lost main power from the central reactor, and turbines three through six have shut down completely!” He could feel the city beginning to fall rapidly while it also lurched to one side as the remaining turbines pushed the city into a free spin.
“We’re approaching the Warp Winds!” Nocturna yelled from the station she had taken over. The city experienced a massive airquake as it slammed into the Warp Winds and flipped end over end.
“Structural integrity is down to twenty percent!” Peak said. “If we don’t gain some altitude, Airlandis is history!”
The city made a final flip, landing upside down. Instantly, the tall Skywatch tower was thrust deep into the howling winds. Aaron couldn’t hear a thing until a sickening crack reverberated through the room. By dragondom, the tower is being ripped from the city, he realized.
And with a final jolt, the Skywatch Tower broke free from Airlandis and plummeted into the Warp Winds, carrying them with it.
Homeland Part Three: Crusade
“All our scouting missions report thousands of gremwings massing around Warnado,” Zarkan said, looking around the table. He was joined by Z’neth, Aaron, Dram, and Nocturna for their daily strategy mission.
“That is not all, however,” Dram added. “Word among the Dramen tribes says that Vidak and Kreigo are in talks with Dread Wing to join his assault force.” Zarkan saw Aaron sigh, and Z’neth’s face took on a grave look.
“Dread Wing appealing to the Dark Dramen warlords’ avarice isn’t unexpected,” said Nocturna. “He’s out for your blood this time, and he knows his best chance of winning is by gathering all his possible allies. I’m not sure what he has to offer them at this point, considering past failures, but Dread is making this his final stand. Even his father Asmodeus never gathered an army so large.”
Despite his initial mistrust of the blue-skinned mutant, Zarkan was glad that Nocturna had joined their sessions. Her knowledge of Dread Wing and Warnado’s inner workings had proven invaluable on more than one occasion.
“All that and Warnado able to fly again?” Zarkan asked. “What are the chances Airlandis can survive an assault of that magnitude?”
Aaron looked solemn. “Not very good, I’m afraid. Even with all available dragonators, we’ve had trouble beating back Dread Wing alone. Their combined forces and the guns of Warnado?” Aaron paused here and met each of their eyes. “Airlandis is unlikely to survive such an attack.”
“Not that we’re not planning,” Z’neth interjected. “With Mother and Cifex’s help, Orak has diverted all available resources into building ten new Warp Cannons.”
“Let’s hope they work better than the prototype,” Nocturna snickered, referencing the last time Warnado had gotten aboveclouds.
Z’neth moved on. “The tech team has also begun equipping the Strato-Glider fleet with Wind Jammers.”
Zarkan practically rolled his eyes. “Strato-Gliders against gremwings and dragon-mounted riders? There’s no way they’re maneuverable enough!”
“If you’ve got a better suggestion, I’m all ears,” Z’neth said tersely.
Zarkan looked around the table. “Don’t you see? Alayas is the answer - we need to evacuate the civilian population to the mountain. It wouldn’t be comfortable, but at least there are enough facilities there now to take everyone in.”
“Joshua and the Council would never agree to such a plan,” Aaron scoffed. “They would view it as abandoning our home and future.”
“But with the terraforming technology, our future isn’t here anymore,” Zarkan said. “It’s back down on Old Earth. Hasn’t Alayas always been a step toward that?” The room was quiet for a few moments as that thought struck the dragonators gathered there.
“Perhaps you are right,” Aaron finally said, breaking the silence. “I’ll present the idea at the Council meeting tomorrow morning, though I know it will be shot down. At the very least it can function as a reserve plan.”
“What about the biospheres, Father?” Z’neth asked. “Some of them contain the last known surviving members of their species.”
“They each have a small amber reactor for power and flight,” Aaron answered. “A team of dragons or the Aristotle could easily tow them to Alayas. We’d have to open the dome to get them out, though. Another item to add to my list for the Council tomorrow.”
“I’m afraid the old fools are beginning to develop a distaste for you, Aaron,” Nocturna said, her golden eyes trained on the Dragonator leader. “Seeing as how you continually bring them bad news they do not wish to confront or deal with. Would it not be more effective to declare martial law and simply direct what needs to be done? You waste precious time while your people’s survival hangs in the balance.”
Zarkan for once had to agree with Nocturna. Aaron placed a hand on the mutant’s shoulder. “Though we may not agree on the best course to take, their thoughts are still valuable. Solutions can come from unlikely places.”
“You can be sure Dread Wing does not share your love of discourse. Even now he is directing the steps to create his new empire,” Nocturna replied.
“Then if it is our tolerance and fairness that separates us from the Lord of Warnado, I will always choose to value the opinions of others,” Aaron said, a kindly smile on his face. Zarkan valued Nocturna as an ally and a dragonator under his command (and maybe even a friend?), but he was never sure he would understand how Aaron had taken the mutant woman under his wing.
“If that’s everything, we’ll meet again tomorrow after the Council meeting and make our plans then,” Z’neth said.
*****
“After you last failure, you will not question my terms, Vidak,” Dread Wing spat at the Dark Dramen warlord. He grabbed the dramen’s tunic front and pulled him in close for extra emphasis. “And should it reach my all-hearing ears that you utter any whisper of insubordination or treachery during the battle, there will be no corner of Old Earth that will shelter you from my wrath.” Dread shoved Vidak backwards, smirking as the warlord almost fell onto the stone floor of the throne room.
“Of course, Lord Dread Wing,” Vidak simpered, though Dread could still see the fury behind his eyes. “My troop will be ready by the appointed hour.” Dread Wing sneered as Vidak bowed his way out of the throne room.
That was the easy one to intimidate. Kreigo would be much harder to keep in line. Dread had appealed to Kreigo’s misguided sense of honor, knowing that brute force and threats would do little good in swaying the other Dark Dramen warlord to stay true to Warnado’s banner. But Dread knew that if Kreigo felt the battle would weaken his force to the point that he couldn’t keep the Highlands territory in check, the dark dramen wouldn’t hesitate to abandon.
Further impetus to win, and pluck the humans’ false wings forever. Dread Wing hated to admit it, but he knew this was his final chance at conquering the floating city of Airlandis. If Warnado crashed again, there would be no way to repair it this time. Gangryn had made sure he understood that.
Dread Wing spread his scarlet wings and flew to the pinnacle of Warnado. Stretched out before his eyes, the Lord could see his sizable holdings - dramen slaves, lava rivers flowing with amber crystals, flocks of gremwings. Yet for all he owned on Old Earth, Dread Wing was not satisfied.
He would never be satisfied until he owned the sky itself.
*****
Peak grinned as he and Nora shook hands with the leader of the F.I.S.T. Fighters. After they encounter with the small warriors, Peak and Nora had become something of unofficial ambassadors to the humans living in the subterranean caverns of Old Earth. Well, after Peak had gotten over the whole dangling over lava as a sacrifice to the amber gods bit, anyway. “Thank you again for your support,” Peak said. “Airlandis owes you a great debt for these amber crystals.”
The short, red-haired man smiled. “Not at all, Peak. We hope to help more than this when the battle comes.” He held up the communicator Peak had gifted them months ago. “Call us when the darkness closes in, and the F.I.S.T. Fighters will defend humanity as the Sacred Amber commands us.”
“You know you are always welcome in Airlandis, Chief,” Nora said.
The little man chuckled. “No, I once thought that only mutants could survive aboveground, and though you proved me wrong, I still think the ground is the best place for humans to be; we were never meant to go so high, I think.”
“At least promise to visit some time,” Peak chided. “Well, some time when we’re not facing destruction, anyway.”
“Your offer is greatly appreciated. Perhaps someday, my friends,” the Chief said with a wave as Nora and Peak exited the caverns and returned to Wing Storm and Goliath.
Peak breathed a sigh of relief once Stormy was loaded up with the ambers and had taken off. Despite the Chief’s feelings, Peak never felt as at home as when he was high above the clouds on dragon wings.
Opening a vox channel to Nora, he asked, “So, word is you’re finally getting that promotion to commander of Dragonator Three. Congratulation, babe,” Peak said.
Nora rolled her eyes at him on the screen. “Is this really the best time to talk about this, Peak?”
“Hey, I hardly get to see you anymore! When are we supposed to talk about it?” Peak answered in a huffy tone.
“Maybe when everyone’s lives aren’t counting on us bringing back these ambers safely?” Nora replied.
Peak couldn’t help from grinning. “So that means we are going to talk about it? Preferably over dinner somewhere other than the Replimat?”
Nora groaned. “Sometimes you’re impossible, Tiger. That dinner will never come if Orak kills us for being late with his precious crystals.”
“Well, you know how I live to make Orak happy,” Peak said, winking at Nora. Wing storm simply rumbled, expressing his displeasure with Peak’s bad jokes.
*****
“Come on, you rivetheads, get that opening sealed!” Orak roared as hot steam whished out of the crack in the thermal piping. It was bad enough that Peak and Nora had been late with that crystal delivery, but now his underlings had nicked the cooling system lines while setting up the final Warp Cannon. Grumbling, Orak pulled down his face shield and jumped into the fray, pushing a few of his technicians out of the way in order to seal up the leak. If he left it to them they’d still be working when the city came under attack.
When the leak had been sealed and tested to his satisfaction, the Master Technician moved on to checking that the cannon was receiving power from the central amber reactors. With the rate of building that they had undertaken in preparation for the upcoming battle and the Warp Cannons' massive power uptake, the dragonators had been making several extra runs to Old Earth almost daily, in addition to all the drills Z'neth had ordered. Orak almost wanted Dread Wing to just attack, for the simple reason that he wouldn't have all this extra work on his plate.
Orak hopped into the seat attached to the back of the cannon, and flipped the switches that would activate the main terminal. He was satisfied to see the targeting systems come to life (a handy gift from Cifex) and that everything registered as being in good working order. Orak targeted a cloud formation not far off from the city and fired, delighted when the energy blast cut through the clouds.
"Someone get me some targeting discs!" Orak yelled. Moments later, three of the hovering discs used by the dragonators for Wind Jammer target practice were buzzing around their computer-controlled, flight patterns. They were ideal for learning to target small, mobile objects like gremwings.
"Let's see what this baby can really do," Orak muttered. Programming the targeting computer, Orak was satisfied when the Warp Cannon shot off three perfectly timed blasts, incinerating the targeting discs.
Hopping out of his seat, Orak addressed his team. “Now remember, we’re working in teams three at each cannon. One gunner and two support staff monitoring the power and stability of the apparatus. The computers are programmed to not fire on any dragons or humanoid shapes, but you can manually override that if any of the cragfaces get too close. And don’t forget,” he added, “the cannons have some mobility on their platforms, so if you don’t have anything to shoot, try to find a better angle.”
“But sir,” one of the technicians asked, “if there are thirty of us manning the Warp Cannons, who’ll be monitoring the amber reactors?”
Orak shoved a thumb at his own chest. “Who else, genius? I’m going to be working the central amber reactor and making sure everything goes smoothly on that end. Cannons won’t do a lick of good without power after all.”
Orak turned around the leave before twisting his head around and giving his boys a wicked grin. “We’re gonna give ‘em hell, boys, and I expect to see you all alive at the victory party.”
*****
Dread Wing stood at the top of Warnado and surveyed the army gathered around him. He was flanked on either side by Vidak and Kreigo, with Fryte and Gangryn close at hand. Below them were thousands of gremwings and sizeable numbers of Dark Dramen and mutant warriors. “My children!” he yelled, his voice amplified by speakers. “Today is the day we claim final victory over the humans. Today is the day we rise from the ashes and take the floating city of Airlandis for our own. Today is the day we prove that Mutants and Dark Dramen are the future, and that the feeble humans are the past!”
The crowd below him roared with bloodlust. Dread Wing smiled, relishing the sensation as their feeling of hatred bolstered him, gave him strength.
“In one hour, Warnado will rise again like a blazing spear through the Warp Winds and pierce the soft underbelly of humanity. Their final hour is at hand!” The crowd roared again. “And remember, any who bring me the heads of our hated enemy the Dragon Flyz will receive rewards and riches worthy of a king, and take their place as my new lieutenant!” Dread paused for a moment as the cheers rang across the crowd before dying down. “And now, my children, to arms!”
*****
Zarkan was jolted from his respite by the klaxons sounding everywhere. Within moments, Joshua’s grave face appeared on every monitor. “This is a D3 Alert. Repeat, this is a D3 Alert. All dragonators report to your emergency launch positions. Warnado has broken through the Warp Winds. Repeat, Warnado has broken through the Warp Winds! Airlandeans, get to your Strato-Glider evac positions for possible city-wide evacuation.”
Zarkan pulled on his helmet before saying “Maximize!” to activate his exo-wings. Flying through the streets of Airlandis, Zarkan made a beeline for the Dragon Dock. Nora and Nocturna were already there suiting up. His dragon Thunder roared a greeting as he settled in the saddle.
“You look good in our colors, Lady Blue,” Zarkan said, giving Noctura a wink. “Just don’t forget who you’re fighting for out there.”
Nocturna rolled her golden eyes. “Dread Wing has as much reason to want me dead as you. I see no reason to defend him at this point.”
Zarkan nodded. “Where’s Amod?” he asked Nora.
“He was up in Skywatch checking out the data numbers,” she answered.
At that moment, Zarkan’s boyfriend came flying in carrying a data pad. “I’m here!” Amod said. “And things look worse out there than any of us could have imagined, he said, as the four of them huddled in a circle around his data pad. Amod pulled up a holo that showed the two rocket boosters pushing Warnado up through the clouds before the warship disgorged thousands of gremwings on a flight path straight for the city. Video from the camera drone continued to show mutants and Dark Dramen emerge after the gremwings. The camera briefly showed the screeching face of a gremwing before it went to static.
“I don’t think we can stand up to that kind of onslaught for very long,” Nora said, her voice quiet.
“But we’re going to do our best. I foresee a D4 alert being called soon,” Zarkan said, “and we’ll need to give the civilians a chance to escape to Alayas. Now, let’s mount up and burn some wing.”
Nora and Nocturna flew off to mount their dragons, but Amod stayed behind a moment. He pulled Zarkan into a fierce hug and kissed him hungrily. “Don’t do anything stupid out there, Zarkan,” Amod whispered. “Come back to me.”
Zarkan’s throat was tight as he simply nodded. “You too, lover,” he replied.
*****
Peak discharged his wind jammer again and again. A gremwing got too close and scratched his arm, drawing blood before Peak vaporized it. Wing Storm roared before his massive jaws bit down on a mutant that had been barreling toward them. With a toss of his head, the mighty purple dragon chucked the monstrosity aside into a cloud of gremwings.
Peak’s breaths came in rapid, shallow gasps. He was tiring, and the battle was going poorly at best. Z’neth was pinned down fighting Fryte, and Apex and Summit had been going round after round with Kreigo and Vidak. Dread Wing had yet to make an appearance.
The Lord of Warnado’s forces had almost immediately surrounded Airlandis, and now dragonators were trying to fight off incursions into their lines from multiple points. The rain of laser cannon fire from Warnado didn’t help matters any, either. At least the new Warp Cannon were inflicting damage right back, Peak noted with grim satisfaction.
Cifex’s voice came over the comm from Skywatch, where the android was hooked up to the computer system and monitoring the battle, directing troop movements with Aaron and the rest of the Skywatch team. “Dragonator Three, a large squadron of Dark Dramen are converging on your position. Hold back for a moment and give Warp Cannons seven and eight time to fire.”
Breaking his attention away for a moment, Peak could see Team Three to the left of them and saw the dragons scramble while the Warp Cannons unloaded into the oncoming Dark Dramen, sending smoking husks falling from the battlefield.
“Get your mind back in the game, little bro,” Summit said, flying by and shooting off a Dark Dramen that had snuck up behind Peak’s position. “Olin’s got everything under control with Dragonator Three, but we could use a little help here!”
Just then, Peak caught sight of a small, spindly dragon and rider flanked by four Dark Dramen warriors flying out of Warnado and charging toward Airlandis. Specifically the main amber reactors. “Orak!” Peak yelled into his vox box, “You’re going to be having some company! Looks like Gangryn is on his way to your position, and he’s bringing friends!”
“Hold him off as long as possible!” the Master Technician growled back across the channel. “I’m going to retract the generator into the city!”
Apex gave a cry of pain after Peak closed the connection with Orak. “Peak, take over for me!” she yelled, veering around on Blaze in the opposite direction and flying off. “I’m going after Gangryn - something brushed my mind, and it felt suspiciously like the Brain Slave. If Gangryn’s got a psychic weapon with him, the whole city might fall!”
“Right-o, sis!” Peak said, bringing Wing Storm about and firing a shot directly at Kreigo.
*****
“Faster, Blaze!” Apex yelled above the wind and the explosions raging all around them. In the complete and utter hell she had dived into, Apex almost lost sight of Gangryn, but a quick mental pulse found him quickly, mainly due to the psychic energy practically rolling off of him in waves. Apex had never seen anything so powerful before. Though she had worked with her father on developing her mental telepathy and telekinesis in the wake of the Brain Slave and Dark Dream events, Apex suddenly wished she had spent a little more time practicing.
Blaze deftly veered to the side, avoiding a plasma blast from Warnado that tore into the city’s dome. Dammit Joshua, sound a D4 Alert and get everyone out! Apex was borderline furious with the Council.
As Blaze flew overtop the city’s dome, Apex opened a vox channel to Cifex. “Cifex, I’ve broken off from Dragonator One for a moment. Gangryn is making a run on the central amber reactors. Orak’s trying to pull them up, but I’m not sure there’ll be enough time. The mutant’s also giving off incredible psychic waves. I think he might have a psy-weapon.”
“Acknowledged, Apex,” Cifex replied. “Do you require backup? I can be down there in two clicks.”
“Negative, Cifex. It’s more important that you stay in Skywatch and direct the battle. Only your neural net is powerful enough to run the scenarios,” Apex said, touched that he would have dropped everything to back her up. “But I’ll keep an open vox channel just in case.”
As she approached the amber reactor from the opposite side of the city, Apex could just make out a firefight going on on the other side between Orak, his techs, and the Dark Dramen warriors Gangryn had brought with him. Apex’s didn’t hesitate and yelled, “Maximize!” before jumping off of Blaze Wind and letting her Exo-Wings carry her into the fray. Moments after she entered the reactor chamber, it finished pulling back into the city.
“Orak, get down!” Apex yelled, setting her Wind Jammer to wide dispersal as the technicians ducked. She shot a blast across the Dark Dramen, knocking two of them to the ground.
“A most impressive display, female,” Gangryn said, stepping forward from behind a support column. The spindly inventor was decked out in an armored suit and helmet that covered his eyes. Tubes crisscrossed the entire apparatus, carrying a glowing red liquid. And strapped to the armor’s back was an amber crystal.
“Nice outfit, Gangryn. But I think you forgot eye holes,” Apex said, aiming a shot at the mutant. The moment she was about to fire, though, her arm was jerked violently by unseen forces, sending the blast wildly out of range.
"Apex, keep that Wind Jammer holstered," Orak hissed. Apex saw that her errant blast had nicked one of the cooling pipes, releasing a jet of superheated steam into the room. Apex grabbed Orak and they both scurried behind the main reactor. Apex took out the zoomerang that she and her brothers favored as a backup weapon.
"Really, I expected much better from you, Apex," she heard Gangryn say. "A zoomerang against my new Brain Slave? Do you think me a dog, to come at me with sticks?" Gangryn said, contempt dripping from every word. “I am far beyond your mortal power now, girl.”
The blood drained from Apex's face. If Gangryn had really reconstructed the Brain Slave - and made it mobile on top of everything - then she was possibly the city's last hope. Settling her mind, Apex spoke mentally to Orak. Get everyone out of here and sound a D4 Alert. We don't have much time. Gangryn could take the whole city down if what he says is true.
Orak looked startled to hear her voice in his head, but nodded grimly before directing his team silently out of the crystal reactor chamber. Apex held her zoomerang and concentrated, trying to mentally locate Gangryn’s precise position in the room. Her only chance was to knock out the amber crystal that powered the suit or cut its power somehow.
There! A brightly incandescent shape seemed to appear from inside the steam, and Apex threw the zoomerang with all her strength. It whistled as it revolved, only to get lost inside the steam. Moments later, Apex heard it hit the far wall and fall to the ground.
As she moved to retrieve it, Gangryn was suddenly behind her. Without the scrawny mutant making a motion, Apex felt a crushing weight fall upon her, pinning her to the ground. With a loud snap, the weight shifted to her leg, instantly shattering the bones. Apex screamed, her mind going black for an instant in the haze of pain.
“Who is the superior being now, my pet?” Gangryn said mentally with a chuckle, lightly stepping over Apex’s crumpled form. “I have won, and now your precious city falls to mutants. The last light of humankind will be extinguished.”
Through all the pain, Apex could feel vibrations in the city, and she knew that a silent D4 Alert had been sounded - the dome was opening to release the biospheres. She quickly erected mental shields around this information as Aaron had taught her. Apex had to keep Gangryn talking as long as possible, keep the reactors running, and give everyone a chance to escape.
“The city falls to Dread Wing, you mean,” she managed to choke out in a whisper, refusing to let Gangryn anywhere near her thoughts now. “You’re nothing more,” she gasped, “than a flunky.”
Gangryn’s head snapped back to her from where he had been inspecting the amber reactors. “Why do all the grunt work myself?” he asked. “Once Dread Wing captures Airlandis, it will be a simple matter of liquefying his small mind and taking his place. And then to building my own empire - one where the smart survive, and the hulking brutes die. It will be a glorious age, indeed!” He smiled a sickening smile, revealing his crooked and misshapen teeth. “As one of the mentally gifted, you could be…part of that empire, Apex. Every Emperor needs and Empress after all,” Gangryn said, his tongue running over his lips in a way that turned Apex’s stomach.
Apex spat on the ground. “I would rather die, beast.”
Gangryn simply shrugged. “Then you have sealed your own fate, female.” The mutant’s voice was cold and calculating.
Gangryn reached out his hand and placed it over Apex’s forehead. “Still, a mind like yours is a terrible thing to waste. Which is why my Brain Slave will take your power, adding its powers to my own. This has the unfortunate side effect of leaving you vegetative, but after today nobody will care about one more crippled dragonator.”
His touch brought searing fire to Apex’s mind. All Apex’s memories seemed to circle her in a great spiral: birth, meeting Blaze, flying with her brothers, her parents, Cifex. Apex dove into the memories, wrapping them around her like a river, a barrier against Gangryn’s entry.
She stood on a nondescript field facing Gangryn. “Are you such a fool to attack me in my own mind, mutant?” Apex said with a laugh. “My brain, my rules!” Apex threw her hands out, and the dirt of the field grew and formed itself into an army of dragons. They pounced on Gangryn, but before they could tear him apart, the mutant had grown as tall as a Wind Pit, towering over all the proceedings below.
“Hah! Even in your mind, I reign supreme!” he gloated, stomping the dirt dragons underfoot until they were nothing but dust.
Apex crafted spears of light that launched themselves at Gangryn, tearing through his armor and shrinking the mutant back to normal size. With another part of her mind, Apex reached out with her mental powers, grabbing the discarded zoomerang and pulling it back toward her. It arced through the reactor chamber before burying itself in the amber crystal.
The mental landscape cracked and broke apart like the amber crystal that powered Gangryn’s suit as the mutant lost control of his mental powers. Unfortunately, he was still partially connected to Apex, and the telekinetic backlash blew them apart. Apex hit the wall with a sickening crack, but even as her vision swam, she knew she was better off than Gangryn.
The mutant’s suit was short-circuiting, and as he lost control of his motor function Gangryn stumbled into the main amber generator. The suit ignited the reactor, and Gangryn was vaporized in the explosion. Apex barely had time to wrap a telekinetic bubble around her before being bombarded with debris.
Then, with a sickening lurch, the floor began to tilt.
*****
“The last of the Strato-Gliders are away!” Cifex told Aaron, looking on his monitor as the small fleet of ships made their way to Mount Alayas, the Aristotle among them towing the biospheres. Outside of the Skywatch tower, the battle raged on, but with the citizens having abandoned the city, more of the dragonators had been pulled away to cover their escape.
Aaron felt sick. They had lost. Airlandis was lost.
“Sir, I’ve lost contact with Apex,” Cifex added, a note of panic in the android’s voice. “Permission to find her, sir.”
“Granted,” Aaron said, waving his hand. Cifex needn’t be kept from Apex. The battle was forfeit.
Cifex never had a chance to leave, however, before Z’neth, Peak, and Nocturna appeared on the elevator. “Mother and Joshua are leading the escape, but we’ve got to evacuated everyone here,” Z’neth commanded, making a sweeping motion toward the door.
“We can’t leave yet - Apex is still unaccounted for!” Cifex cried. At that moment, the city shook violently, throwing several of the workers from their chairs. Several of the consoles exploded in showers of sparks, and all the lights dimmed to emergency levels.
Aaron pulled up his console. “We’re lost main power from the central reactor, and turbines three through six have shut down completely!” He could feel the city beginning to fall rapidly while it also lurched to one side as the remaining turbines pushed the city into a free spin.
“We’re approaching the Warp Winds!” Nocturna yelled from the station she had taken over. The city experienced a massive airquake as it slammed into the Warp Winds and flipped end over end.
“Structural integrity is down to twenty percent!” Peak said. “If we don’t gain some altitude, Airlandis is history!”
The city made a final flip, landing upside down. Instantly, the tall Skywatch tower was thrust deep into the howling winds. Aaron couldn’t hear a thing until a sickening crack reverberated through the room. By dragondom, the tower is being ripped from the city, he realized.
And with a final jolt, the Skywatch Tower broke free from Airlandis and plummeted into the Warp Winds, carrying them with it.