Chapter 18: Trouble in the High Skies

“And what class are you?” Lucian addressed the man still sitting against the glass railing, separating the deck from the foyer. “I’ve seen a lot of people, and can usually guess their classes based on the options we had at the start.”

He started pointing at different adventurers in the crowd. “That lady over there? Obviously a Barbarian—with the fur armor and that massive battle axe strapped to her back. That guy? Dancer. Skintight outfit gives it away. Over there’s a Mage—not a Wizard. Mages specialize in Defensive Magic, unless I’m mistaken.”

“Wow, nerd.” Raven smirked.

A second later, the same straw she had thrown at Lucian earlier smacked her square in the face. “Where the heck were you keeping this?” she sputtered.

Lucian ignored her question and turned his focus back to Ru. “But you… I can’t figure you out.” He narrowed his eyes. “I have no clue what class you are.”

Ru scratched the back of his neck. “I’m an… Emblem Mage. Yeah, let’s go with that.”

Lucian frowned. “‘Let’s go with that’? What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Don’t worry about it.” Ru waved him off.

Lucian crossed his arms. “Well, what do you do, then?”

Ru chuckled. “Don’t worry about it.” Under his headwrap, Lucian could tell he was grinning like an idiot. “You’ll see what I can do when the time comes.”

Lucian sighed. I suppose that’s true. Just hope he’s worth the trouble of having him stick around. If this doesn’t work out, it’ll be the last time I let my curiosity pick my party members.

Opening his [Menu], Lucian navigated to the [Party Status] tab under [Stats]. “You said your name was Ru, right?”

“Yup.”

“Ru… what? No surname, no middle name?” Lucian tapped on the [Add Party Member] option.

“Nope. Just Ru.”

Lucian rolled his eyes. Just then, Raven appeared behind him, leaning over his shoulder to peek at the list of available adventurers.

[Add Party Members]

> Nicholas Nordquist [Add]

> Casto Pastori [Add]

> Breokwan Uglow [Add]

> Anastasia Buccellato [Add]

> Melissa Ohlin [Add]

> Halcyon Aracopalla [Add]

> Ru [Add]

> Arche Apondi Alioth [Add]

> Igerna Boscowan [Add]

> Lisa Bria Mori Lontoc [Add]

“Well, I’ll be. It really is just Ru,” Raven whispered as Lucian tapped the [Add] button next to Ru’s name. “At least it’s easy to remember. Sounds a lot like Hugh, too. Bet you’re gonna end up calling him Carl, though.”

Lucian ignored her. Turning to Ru, he asked, “You should see a notification, right?”

Ru opened his [Menu], tapped a few times, and gave a lazy nod. “Yup.”

Lucian resisted the urge to groan. Geez Louise, this guy won’t give me anything! He opened his [Party Status] tab to check if Ru had accepted the invitation.

[Party Members]

[Lucian Nyx]

HP: 20/20

Mana: 17/17

[Raven Vespertine]

HP: 16/16

Mana: 27/27

[Ru]

HP: 25/25

Mana: 41/41

“That’s a lot of mana you’ve got there, mister.” Raven whistled as she checked the [Party Status] in her own [Menu].

Lucian glanced at it as well, eyebrows raising slightly. “Hope you know how to use it.”

Without a word, Ru stood up and stretched, raising his arms high above his head. Lucian immediately noticed that, standing at full height, Ru cleared him by a head and a half. It wasn’t uncommon for people to be taller than him, but something about Ru specifically towering over him irked him.

The guy was lanky, sure—but not in a fragile way. He wasn’t so thin that someone like Levy could snap him in half like a twig, but he was definitely leaner than Lucian. Definitely looks like someone who’d be called an Emblem Mage.

Ru looked down at him, which only made Lucian’s irritation worse. With a casual nod, Ru finally spoke. “I know how. You’ll see.”

This guy is unbelievable. Lucian wasn’t even sure if he could provoke or trick Ru into doing anything—at least, not yet. Deciding to let it go for now, he turned and started walking back into the crowd of adventurers, grabbing Raven along the way. “Well, whatever. Let’s get something to eat. It’s getting way too crowded here for some reason.”

Raven glanced around and nodded. “Yeah, it is. Too many adventurers. Usually, only locals book cruises like this.”

Lucian frowned. “Yeah? Why’s that?”

As he pushed through the crowd, people waved, clapped his back, patted his shoulders, or ruffled his hair as he passed. The same treatment was given to Raven, although unlike Lucian, she absolutely soaked up the attention.

Ru, however? Lucian noticed something odd—some of the older-looking passengers subtly stepped aside for him. Not out of fear. Not out of disgust. But out of respect. What’s up with that?

The clouds above had begun to swirl—subtle at first, then unsettling. Wind patterns shifted with no obvious cause. The airship groaned beneath them, but no one seemed to notice. Except Ru. He stared up, eyes narrowed, as if reading something the rest of them couldn’t see.

Raven barely seemed to notice as she high-fived a line of adventurers on her way through. “Adventurers usually take Warp Crystals to get around.” She grinned, twirling once as she moved past a few onlookers. “Locals can’t use them, so they’re the ones who take the long way around.”

Lucian pushed past a group of scantily clad men, their tattoos pulsing with magical energy, and finally stepped into clear space in the foyer. “Didn’t know that,” he admitted. “I was wondering why escort-type quests even existed when warping was a thing.”

“Fairly common knowledge,” Ru commented.

Lucian barely caught the words, but Raven’s ears perked up immediately. She spun around, walking backward as she grinned at Ru. “What? Sorry, couldn’t hear you over your whole… thing there. What’s with that, anyway? Got a horrible scar on your face?”

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“No.”

“Got an embarrassing tattoo you can’t get rid of?”

“Nope.”

“Were you attacked by a giant man-piranha, and you dodged at the last second, but it still bit off half your face?”

Ru shook his head, unfazed. Lucian sighed, turning toward him. “You know she’s just going to keep coming up with insane theories unless you give her a straight answer, right?”

Ru scratched his head, then leaned in close and whispered something into Raven’s ear. Then, without another word, he walked ahead, passing Lucian as Raven stood there, looking unusually… satisfied.

Lucian frowned. “What did he say?”

Raven smirked. “He said it’s a secret.”

Lucian twitched. Ugh, that guy! Thinks he’s so cool, does he? I’ll be the judge of that. He turned to follow after Ru—

—and immediately got knocked flat as someone crashed into him.

“Watch out,” Ru said, after the fact.

“Gee, thanks.” Lucian groaned, rubbing his head as he pushed himself off the floor. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t see you there.”

“It’s all fine, thank you.” The familiar voice made Lucian pause. He looked up—and saw nothing. Frowning, his gaze drifted downward.

First, he spotted the top of a wooden staff, a green gem slowly spinning at its tip. Then, a pointed Wizard’s hat, slightly folded at the end. And finally—

Aurora.

The same tiny magic caster he’d made a necklace for, still carrying that giant book at her side.

Lucian dusted himself off and extended a hand. “Hey, you’re here too.”

Aurora adjusted her glasses. “Yes, I’m here.” She set her staff against her body and reached out, shaking his hand. “Sorry, I bumping… bumped—sorry, I bumped into you.”

Before Lucian could respond, Raven swooped in, scooping Aurora up into a tight hug. “Ohhh, aren’t you just the cutest little thing?! Did you knock down that big scary man all by yourself? Yes, you did! You did, didn’t you?!”

Lucian straightened. “Hey, Raven, some people don’t like that.”

Raven froze, looking at him with soul-crushing sadness in her eyes. “They… don’t?” She glanced down at Aurora, still cradled in her arms.

The small woman peeked out, adjusting her glasses. “I’m… I’m fine with this.”

“You’re just the best, aren’t you?” Raven cooed, immediately going back to rubbing her face against Aurora’s hat.

Lucian sighed. “What are you doing here, anyway?”

Aurora, still trapped in Raven’s grasp, tried her best to answer. “That man outside, Sphyx. He hiring… hired—he hired me.”

Lucian raised an eyebrow. “Sphyx hired you?”

“Yes. His skills are… questionable, but he pays well.”

Is that right?

Aurora barely reacted as Raven continued showering her with affection. Then, as if remembering something, she spoke again. “If you guys are here, then the rumors must be true.”

Lucian frowned. “What rumors?”

Aurora finally wriggled free enough to face him. “That there’s a Master Beast attacked… attacking—Master Beast attacking airships.”

“Ugh, don’t remind me, please.” Raven groaned, nearly dropping Aurora in the process. She recovered quickly, tightening her hold and burying her face back into the tiny Wizard’s hat. “You’re too cute to be bringing me down.”

Lucian shook his head. “So, you’re telling me all these people are here to fight off a potential Master Beast?” He gestured to the crowd of adventurers gathered on deck. “I thought people revered the Master Beasts, or whatever.”

“That was before.” Ru’s voice came from behind them. “You two have proven that Master Beasts can and will die if someone ballsy enough fights them. The peace has been unsettled. Now, adventurers think they can get away with facing a Master Beast scot-free.”

Lucian turned to face him. “That’s the most you’ve spoken since we met.” He took a few steps closer, watching Ru’s unreadable expression. “Something hit a nerve? Maybe something about the Master Beasts? Do you like them? Love them? Secretly hitched to one?”

Raven snorted. “What’s up with you? You’re acting different from the usual weenie you are.”

“Shut up.”

Ru ignored the exchange, tilting his head slightly upward. “All I can say is, I’m a passive observer… until my hand is forced, or I am obligated to act.”

Lucian frowned. “What the hell are you even on about?”

Slowly, Ru turned his head toward him. “Just telling you that you lot are about to have a taste of what you’re after.”

Before Lucian could respond, a thunderous roar tore through the foyer, shaking the entire ship. A beat of silence—then, sheer panic. Screams. Shouts. The unmistakable sound of people fleeing.

The group turned toward the open-air terrace—just in time to see a crimson tide splatter against the glass, completely obscuring their view outside.

“Raven. Outside. Now.” Lucian’s command was sharp and immediate. Raven didn’t hesitate—she lowered Aurora to the ground and bolted after him toward the deck.

Chaos.

By the time they got a clear look outside, locals and outsiders alike were scrambling to get off the deck and into the airship’s interior. Some adventurers had stayed behind—weapons raised, hurling attacks into the sky.

A shadow loomed above them. The sun, once bright and unchallenged, was now blotted out by something massive.

“Let us through, people! Move it! Move it!” Raven yelled, helping corral the panicked passengers inside.

Lucian pushed past the last stragglers and joined the remaining adventurers on deck, watching as their ranged attacks soared upward toward the sky. His eyes locked onto the nearest archer, a bow longer than his entire body drawn tight. “What’s the situation?” Lucian demanded.

“It just came diving from the sky!” The archer’s voice was frantic, his grip tight on his bow. “It used its tail once, man—once! And that was enough to turn my party into that splotch of blood on the wall!”

Before Lucian could respond, a deep, earth-shaking rumble echoed from above. “Incoming!”

A sudden humming resonated through Lucian’s arm. The Master Shield. It pulsed with energy, an instinctual command surging through him—telling him to raise it. What the…? For a split second, Lucian hesitated. Then, the shield moved on its own, swinging overhead just as something came crashing down.

It wasn’t what Lucian had expected. Not a tail strike. Not a clawed assault. Boulders. Massive, jagged stones rained down from the sky, crashing into the ship with bone-shattering force. Lucian’s Master Shield absorbed the brunt of one impact, but the man beside him? Gone. And he wasn’t alone. Most of the adventurers who had been launching spells, spears, and arrows into the sky were now reduced to unrecognizable smears on the deck.

The barrage ended. A heavy, suffocating silence followed. And then—

The creature landed.

Lucian slowly lowered his shield, his grip tightening as he finally got a clear look at what they were up against.

It was like a mole. But not.

Where its nose should have been, a grotesque bloom of finger-like tendrils writhed, groping blindly across the deck. Instead of fur, its entire body was covered in hard, jagged spikes, gleaming like sharpened stone. And along its massive back, two rows of wings stretched down its length—each feathered like a bird’s, yet shimmering with an unnatural, metallic sheen.

It snorted, exhaling a gust of dirt-scented air before dragging its massive paws forward. Each paw was tipped with obsidian-black claws, their edges gleaming under the sunlight as they effortlessly cleared away the fallen boulders.

Then, with an earth-shaking slam, the beast dropped onto its stomach. Its massive maw stretched wide, revealing a cavernous throat lined not with rows of teeth but with serrated edges that looked more like a saw blade than flesh.

But what made Lucian’s stomach tighten was what walked out of it.

Two lines of people emerged from the creature’s mouth. Marching in perfect unison, they stepped forward in precise, mechanical movements. Each figure wore a flowing red robe, draping from head to ankle, their faces completely obscured by full-faced blue helmets with golden-trimmed visors. Thin streaks of blue ran from the helmet’s base, trailing down their shoulders and into their robes. Each one held a sword with a crimson blade, positioned at chest level as they continued their steady march onto the deck.

The way they moved—perfectly synchronized, as if bound by an invisible thread—set Lucian’s teeth on edge. Not one looked around. Not one faltered. It was as though they’d been printed from the same mold and programmed to kill.

Only when the last soldier stepped free did the creature’s maw close once more—as if it had never been open. Then, from behind the beast’s head, another figure emerged. Unlike the others, this man wore no helmet. His piercing gaze scanned the crowd of panicked passengers retreating into the ship. He paid them no mind. Instead, his eyes locked onto Lucian—who stood firm, shield in hand.

There was something familiar about him. Not the face—Lucian was sure he’d never seen it. But the aura, the way the world seemed to dim around him. Just like back when he faced the Dan-gow. Like a warning, echoing through his bones.

A slow smirk curled his lips. “Such insolence.” His voice was low, deliberate, venomous. “We warned you against encroaching upon forsaken territory. Yet, you insist on your ways.”

Lucian’s mind raced. Warned who? Me? What warning?!

Before he could speak, the man lifted his arms, and the cultists before him raised their red-bladed swords in perfect synchronization. “So be it.” His tone sharpened. “Prepare yourselves. All who stand and fight will face the wrath of the Cult of the Red Blade.”

The cultists stepped forward in unison, swords igniting with burning crimson light. Behind them, the beast snarled, wings rising like jagged blades of obsidian. Lucian gritted his teeth. “Looks like we’ve got our hands full.”