The wind whistled by as the ship sailed through the air. Its sails flying high as the gem that powered it hung securely in a metal structure designed to hold the powerful gem in place. The wooden frame of the ship powered through the gusts and thermals towards its destination of the city in the sky, Orbis. The peacefulness that came from sailing through the open air away from Victoria Island was marvelous for the only passenger on the ship, the silence of the cabin had been too unnerving for him so he had moved out onto the ship's deck. The ship ride had gone smoothly for him so far, with no interference from monsters or pirates. His visit to Victoria Island had been brought on when Carson had said that one of his friends in Henesys had a vital part for their experiment and he required it. As Almi had been the only Zenumist available at the time Carson passed the task onto him. He glanced at the sharp, black claw in his bag that Athena Pierce had said to keep safe. Granted she hadn't trusted him at all until he had shown her the letter from Carson. Almi was thankfully a student of Grendel, who trained magicians aiming to go higher. Almi was advanced in Holy magic and had used that to get onto Carson's good side to join the Zenumist alchemists. Magatia was farther away than he had hoped as the ship had been delayed because of monsters roaming the skies.
The wind suddenly shifted directions, causing Almi to jump as he whipped around, dread coursing through his veins. The ship to Orbis was being closely followed by a Crimson Balrog ship. The ship crashed rather loudly into Ellinia's finest ship. With a collective flurry of wings the Balrogs lifted out of their ship, carried by their massive wings onto the ship. Almi dove beneath the stairs as a Balrog landed where he'd been moments ago. A loud roar told him they knew he was there, Crimson Balrogs didn't care about how many were on the ship they attacked only if they got to kill the poor person they came across. Of course Almi always could attack them, only there were five and they could easily overpower him. He clutched the bag tightly, something usually drew the Balrogs to the ship, they didn't appear randomly. Large clusters of magic could draw them but since it was only him on the ship he crossed out that idea. He felt the bag and suddenly remembered exactly what it was Carson asked him to get from Athena. He was about to throw the bag but a snarling Balrog face interrupted his thoughts. He tried to scream but its clawed hand grasped his torso and pulled him out from the stairs. His hands were a flurry of motion as he struggled to latch onto something to keep him grounded to the stairs. He was thrown against the wall of the cabin as five hulking forms loomed over him. It suddenly came to him, the cabin! The cabin was the only safe place to hide from the winged brutes.
He did the only thing that flitted through his mind, he lunged for the cabin. Which didn't fall through nicely if the claws piercing his rib cage said anything. A loud roar saved him as two scaly hands pulled him away from the Balrogs. Carson had said before that a true fighter should remember his magic in times of peril, unfortunately Almi was never one to remember things until too late. Especially the fact that Bahamut would come to his aid if he summoned or the fact Bahamut could fly. Almi's world swirled different colors before settling on black and throwing him into darkness.