Aegis Online

About three hours later, I exit the store, clutching my new swimsuit, stashing it in my inventory for an appropriate time and place. Now, I’d been planning on taking the Devil Hunter to Aerene, the floating continent where the Skyborne reside, and, with no other plans, I let Asteria know that we’ll be taking off, humming happily as I make my way back to my ship, grabbing a few supplies for the journey.

Luckily, most people have gotten over the whole ‘mysterious airship’ news, and I make my way home, settling my bill with the Vassim Skydock staff and prepare to cast-off. The continent of Aerene is both high up, AND a fair distance from Vassim, so it’ll take a week, even at full speed, to get there.

 

As soon as my girlfriend arrives, we leave, the shadow of my Devil Hunter shrinking as we rise, course set as I cuddle with her at the helm. The sky is clear, warm sunlight shining down and painting the pale deck a light gold, Lady Gloria Arabella Cosette Felicity Kingsley III patrolling as we voyage, her sharp ears and eyes open for any sign of sky pirates or anything weirdly-guaranteed in situations like this.

 

Luckily, the first two days pass uneventfully, with Tirran and Farne taking turns to keep the crystals charged, while I take the chance to relax with my girlfriend. Day three passes, along with the fourth, and I start to get a little bored. At least I can fly where I like, as long as I stay close enough to the ship. I can keep pace with it, thankfully, and I take the chance to admire the sheer size and beauty of my own vessel, a little disappointed that we haven’t had the opportunity to test the ship and its burgeoning crew in battle.

Ah well. There’ll be plenty of opportunities soon.

 

I spend part of the time streaming, filling in my audience about what I know about the floating land of Aerene, and what little I’ve gleaned about the demon-infested region known as Darkheart, as Mia, Ravi and Cassie keep things under control. They really are good at what they do. I made the right choice in listening to Dana and getting some help in controlling my chat.  Even so, the week-long trip is… kinda boring! I mean, it’s not like I WANT sky pirates or flying monsters to attack, but… at least it would relieve the monotony!

 

Finally, just past noon on the seventh day of our trip, we come into view of Aerene. The floating island is huge, surrounded by smaller sub-islands that, judging from the architecture, are residential. The smaller islands are connected to the ‘mainland’ by rope bridges, and a few people are crossing it, wings furled, often with children too young to fly in tow.

The main island is beautiful, for lack of a more fitting word. Resplendent, almost Grecian columns and white stone, the buildings built more for form than anything else, but something about them screams that they’re not as heavy as they would be down on the earth below. The heart of the central plaza is dominated by a gigantic spike of translucent crystal, jutting up straight from the rock. It glows steadily, and there are Skyborne EVERYWHERE.

 

 Shopping Skyborne, strolling Skyborne, Skyborne seated at taverns and cafes, and, more and more, staring Skyborne. I guess it’s not every day an airship arrives. Luckily, it seems like they receive enough visitors to warrant a skydock, though it’s quite a small one. No need for airships when everyone can fly.

Upon paying the dockmaster, a tall, handsome woman with flame-red wings and hair, I take my first step onto the isle that would probably be called my homeland. Dana comes with me, her eyes wide.

“I gotta say, the devs really went all-in on these textures. It feels… ethereal, even if it’s all solid and physical. There’s a sort of… radiance to everything, can you see it?”

I nod. “I don’t know why, but… I feel at home here. I take it you’d feel the same if we went to your racial home, the Sunlight Glade, yeah?”

She shrugs. “Yeah, I do feel more at home in the forests, I guess your choice of race actually has an effect on the environments you feel most comfortable in. I’d have to check the forums to be sure, though, it could just be psychosomatic.”

 

Our presence is attracting plenty of looks and hushed conversation. I guess that a Skyborne in armour as apparently-heavy as mine might cause some confusion, and Alvs- the plural is actually Alvae- must be a rare sight so high in the sky. It takes a while before we stop collecting so many stares, and we decide to look around, taking our chance to be the first people here to show off. No-one else has made it to Aerene yet, thanks to lack of transportation, and I can already imagine the money we’ll make ferrying people until more ships start doing the same!

 

My chat is already exploding with comments about how gorgeous the city is, or gushing about how cute Skyborne toddlers are. They ARE adorable, all chubby and small, but with tiny little wings straining to lift them off the ground. They’re like baby birds!

 

It takes a while, but I start to notice that, for all the stunning marblework, there are hardly any trees. They seem restricted to public parks, and I wonder where the Skyborne get their food. The space is limited, so they can’t grow huge quantities of wheat or grain, and raising livestock animals would pose its own set of problems. And, judging by how my ship was the only one berthed here, they can’t just be relying on trade with the ground-dwellers. Finally, I stop a young man to ask.

“Oh, where the food comes from? Well, the hunters bring in birds and small wyverns, so that’s where we get meat. The trees are all fruit trees, and we occasionally get deliveries from a merchant or two. As for most of our flour, we have a whole farm-island for those of us who’re plant-mages to grow. They make the most of the limited space by enhancing the quantity of what each crop gives, so we can maximize the area of the farms.”

I smile. “Thanks for answering my question, I really appreciate it.”

He grins back. “Ah, it’s no big deal. So, you’re an Argonaut, I’m guessing? You won’t find armour like that up here; it’s too heavy for us. I have no idea how you’re even capable of walking with that on!”

I smile and beat my wings a bit, lifting off and hovering a few feet of the ground effortlessly. “I had it custom-made. It’s a lot lighter than it looks, while still being very strong. In fact, the heaviest parts are my swordspear and greatshield!”

Dropping back onto the ground with a clank, I hold out my weapon. Upon taking hold of it, the young Skyborne man’s eyes almost pop out of his head. “HURK! Really…. Freaking…. HEAVY!” he struggles to return it to me, and I take it, swinging it onto my back with a single hand.

He grins, excitement radiating from him. “You’re cool, I’m gonna have a tale to tell my friends! Seeya!” he jogs off, taking wing and heading in an Easterly direction. I wave him off and return to sit on the grass next to Dana, switching my armour out for a light tunic and leggings, simple leather boots and shoving my swordspear into my pocket dimension.

Suddenly, I get an uneasy feeling. There’s muffled shouting from nearby. I take off, rising into the air to see where it’s coming from, then spot a group of Skyborne, about eight or nine of them, clustered around another on the ground, feet flying as they kick and stomp at their target.

“Bullies! Oh, not on my fucking watch.”

I dive, wings booming as I go out of my way to draw attention, showing no signs of slowing as I arrow straight towards the group. Their resolve breaks and they flee like a flock of pigeons as I land, crouched over their erstwhile victim. “And piss off, the lot of you!” I snap at their retreating backs.

I look down, smiling. “Are you okay, kid?”

Stepping back and standing upright, I help the girl up, her rough-cropped black hair tousled and in disarray, her tunic ripped at the sleeve and covered in grass stains and mud. She brushes herself down, holding her stomach and side gingerly. She looks about 16, maybe a year or two older or younger, with bruises and scrapes all over her hands and face. Some of the bruises look half-healed, as though fresh ones have been layered over old.

“…I’m okay…. I’m used to it, miss…”

I frown. “Well, that doesn’t sound good. Why were they bullying you?”

She wipes her split lip, dabbing the blood away. “Because I was born without wings…”

 

I stare. That…. That can happen? Ohhhh, fuck me flying…

I take her hand. “Come with me, let’s get you taken care of. Nice and slowly, that’s fine.”

I lead the wingless girl over to Dana. “Babe, could you use a healing spell? I found a few kids beating the stuffing out of her because they’re evil little shits!”

My girlfriend immediately holds her hands out, green light shining gently from her palms as she directs the energy at the young girl. She stiffens, and then sighs as I watch her wounds heal, the bruises fading and leaving her unblemished. Then, to my surprise, Dana pulls a hairbrush out and begins working on the tangles and knots, working gently to style the mystery girl’s hair into a tomboyish cut.

“There. How’s that?”

 

The girl stares at us. “Why… why are you being so nice?”

 

I shrug. “I just felt like it. You didn’t do anything to deserve that kind of treatment, and I don’t like bullies. So, what’s your name?”

She bites her lip. “Well, everyone calls me ‘Flightless’, but my name is Morrigan.”

Dana starts next to me, and I touch her shoulder. “Something wrong?”

She shakes her head, smiling. “It’s okay, nothing important. So, Morrigan, what’s with the awful nickname?”

I explain, “She’s a Skyborne who was born without wings, and that’s apparently enough to justify those brats whaling on her. I guess she’s been through that her whole life…”

Dana looks appalled. “I…. I see. Can we do anything to help?”

I shrug. “I don’t know. I have a couple of thoughts, but I don’t know what I can do without causing more problems…”

Dana hugs me briefly, and I lay my head on her shoulder for a moment, glad of her closeness. Morrigan stares at me, and I smile. “Yeah, Asteria and I are lovers. I’m Kettrin, by the way.”

 The wingless Skyborne girl looks at her feet. “O-oh, there are other girls who like girls? That’s… awesome!”

I can feel my heart aching for her. Wingless in a race where wings are everything, AND a lesbian? Oh dear.

Then, an idea strikes. “Sorry, but give me a second, okay?”

I stand and step away for a moment, pulling up my friends-list and hunting for a name. Ah! He’s online! Score!

I jab the name, and then hit the button to call Ulged.

“This is Ulged, what can Ah do f’r yeh, lassie?”

“I need a favour. I’ll pay double for all the materials and your time, but I’m going to need you, Trinity, and probably an engineer as well. This is a mercy mission!”

“… Ah see. Well, Ah’m down f’r whatever shenanigans yeh have in mind, lassie. Let me go grab Gimmel and Trinity. Are yeh gonna tell me what materials and tools Ah’ll need?”

I grin. “I need you, Trinity and Gimmel to work together and combine your efforts… to make a set of wings for a Skyborne who can’t fly!”