Chapter Ten Fire in the Sky

The sky was clear, the wind was fresh, and the mood aboard the Draedelus was cheerful and bright. Hundreds of feet below them were snowy-peaked mountains and green forests. All in all, Link thought, it was a good day for flying.

Or would have been, if he hadn't been hanging over the railing, scraping frost scraps from the side of the ship.

Not that he minded the work, at least not really; the frost scraps were just a grimy combination of frost and dirt that clung to the ship when it passed through clouds, and they scraped off pretty easily. Still, the Kokiri inside him still cringed at the thought of being forced to do work like this when there were so many more exciting things to do on an airship.

As if on cue, he heard Cracken's harsh voice call out to him. "Link! You done with those barnacles yet?"

"Just about, only a few more to go."

Cracken waved that aside and motioned for Link to haul himself up. "They can wait. Get yer butt up here and give me a hand with this sail, it's come loose."

Link complied and hauled himself back up to the deck. Cracken shoved an end of rope into his hands, and he held the line tight as the old man began working on the sail. "You know, Cracken," Link started, attempting at conversation. "I've noticed that even though this is Keemo's ship, you seem to know its workings better than he does."

"Yeah, well, I'm also a good deal older than him."

"That's not what I meant. Keemo and Jem and Dash and everyone all talk about you differently as well. There's a lot more respect there than the usual reserved for an experienced elder." Link shifted his grip as Cracken pulled up on the sail. "And as new as I am to the whole experience, I can tell that the Draedelust is hardly a new ship; it's seen its fair share of years. So what's the deal?"

Cracken grunted as they finished with the repairs. "Y'know, I remember a time when land-lubbing rookies kept their mouths shut and their brains off."

Link couldn't help but smile. "I'm a dying breed."

Seeing that the matter wasn't going to drop, Cracken took a seat on a barrel leaning against the main mast and lit his pipe. "Siddown kid," he prompted, and Link obeyed. "You gotta understand, a man and his ship—that's a relationship that you can't let go off. Spend enough time on a boat, and it becomes as natural a part of you as your own arm. It's not easy to get rid off. So, instead of just dropping it, you pass it along to someone else to hold on to."

Understanding dawned on Link's face. "This ship used to be yours, didn't it?"

The one-legged pirate took a couple puffs before answering. "Yep, back in the day. Called her the Silverback back then, don't ask me why. Inherited her from my captain, passed her on to Keemo, and someday, he'll pass 'er on as well."

"To who?"

Cracken shrugged. "Who knows? Maybe Jem, maybe Dash, maybe someone completely different." Taking a couple more puffs, he scratched his beard. "But he's got a few more things to do before that happens."

"Yeah, I've been wondering about that," Link pressed. "Everyone keeps avoiding the question, but what exactly is it that Keemo is trying to prove? No offense, but you guys hardly seem to be the 'notorious' pirates you hear about in stories."

Before Cracken could answer, another voice interjected. "Cracken, Keemo wants to see you." Jem came into view and placed a hand on Link's shoulder in greeting. "Something about the starboard cords."

Scowl back in place, Cracken got to his feet. "Always something with the damn cords…"

Jem smiled to herself and motioned Link to join her. "C'mon, I need to take a look at some of the sail bindings."

She led the way over to the aft sails and handed Link a length of rope. "So, how've things been going?" she asked.

"Not bad, all things considering. Keemo tells me that we're getting closer to this castle Jax and Val are being held at. The sooner I get there, the sooner I get them back, and the sooner I can get out of this crazy country and back to my own."

Jem laughed. "C'mon, it can't be that bad. How many other places in the world would you have been able to fly in a ship like this?"

Link chuckled as well. "Good point. And I have to say, for a bunch of pirates, you guys actually aren't that bad. Well, for the most part anyway."

"If you're referring to Dash, he's really great once you get to know him. He just gets a little…"

"Jealous? Arrogant? Suspicious?" Link smirked. "Anything else I missed?"

"Well, there's those, but there's also loyal, loving, fun," a devilish gleam came to Jem's eye. "Passionate…"

"I'll take your word for that," Link laughed. A stray rope began to slip from Jem's grasp, and Link reached up around her to grab it. "Here, let me help."

"Thanks," Jem replied. "So tell me about your wife. What's she like?"

Link considered for a second. "Well, she's actually a lot like you. Tough, strong, loving, compassionate, confusing to no end. I'm sure you two would get along perfectly."

Jem laughed. "I have no doubt. Maybe I'll get to meet her someday."

Before Link could respond, a hand grabbed him by the shoulder and spun him around, followed quickly by a blow to his jaw that sent him to the deck. He heard Jem yell "Dash!" and after that he had a pretty good idea about what just happened.

"Stay away from her, Hylian," Dash threatened, standing over top of Link. I won't tell you again."

By then, other members of the crew had gathered around, morbidly interested in the potential brawl. Jon pushed his way to the front and made his way to Link's side. "Don't be stupid Dash!" he warned. "This is Link! There's no way you're gonna win!"

Link cast the young boy a wry look as he got to his feet. "Thanks for the effort, Jon, but maybe you should leave this to me."

"What in the blue blazes is goin' on here?" Cracken demanded as he hobbled over, Keemo at his side. "Buncha wild animals on this boat!" The pirate captain simply folded his arms and watched, a small smile on his lips, as if he were eagerly anticipating the outcome.

"Stay out of this Cracken," Dash replied, fists clenched at his side. "This is between me and the pretty-boy here."

Link met the other man's gaze squarely. "Look Dash," he said. "You have a problem with me? Fine, you wouldn't be the first. Talk to me about it and we'll settle it like men, without the violence. But just so we're clear…" Link took a step closer, his gaze equally threatening. "The first shot is free…everything else, you're going to have to pay for."

For a moment Dash looked as if he were about to strike again, but a call from the crow's nest snapped the crowd of it. "WARBIRD! WARBIRD OFF THE PORT BOW!"

With those words, everyone's attention was drawn towards the sighting, everyone but Keemo and Cracken seemingly on the edge of panic. Link made his way over to the side and gazed out over the side. In the horizon, he finally spotted what had everyone so on edge.

Another airship.

"That's a Warbird, I'm guessing?" he asked Keemo.

Keemo's face was drawn in concentration, as if he were trying to anticipate exactly how this encounter would play out. "Yeah, that's a Warbird. An Imperial airship, crewed by soldiers of the Stygian military."

Link frowned. "What's an Imperial airship following us for?"

The captain looked at Link for a moment. "That is a very good question." Turning back to his crew, he barked out orders. "Everyone, back to your stations. Run up the white flag; act as though everything is perfectly natural. We have no outstanding warrants, so chances are this is just sheer coincidence. Now get to it!" Grabbing hold of Cracken, he whispered to the old man. "Take Mik, Pom, and Tam down below and ready the cannons, then get to the weapons locker and get the bows ready. Keep it quiet, and what for my signal." As Cracken left to carry out his orders, Keemo motioned for Link to follow him as he made his way back to the pilot's station. "Stick with me, Link. I want to see how this plays out. Jon, you come too."

Keemo slowed the ship down to a non-threatening speed, and the Warbird gradually made its way towards them, though Keemo was careful to keep the Draedelus at a slightly higher angle. By the time the ship came even with them, Link was able to see the black and red clad officers of the ship. He was also able to see that they too had decided it might be a good idea to have the cannons ready. One of the soldiers at the pilot box stepped closer into view, and Link assumed that it was the captain. "Airship Draedelus," he called out over the gap between them. "This is the Imperial airship Granite Fist. You are hereby ordered by her majesty Queen Miratha to land your craft and prepare to be boarded."

"Not bloody likely," Keemo muttered under his breath. Turning to Jon, he said, "Go set up the bows and quivers. Quickly now." As the cabin boy snuck away, keeping low and out of sight, Keemo turned towards the other captain. "Of course, captain. But, if I may be so bold, on what grounds do you wish to board us? We're simply merchants making a quick delivery over the mountains."

"You will land your craft and prepare to be boarded," the captain repeated. "This is not a request, and if you refuse to comply, we will take you by force."

"What's going on here?" Link whispered to Keemo. "Why do they want this ship?"

Keemo smirked. "Isn't it obvious? They don't want the ship…they want you."

Link shot him a quick look, not quite sure what to expect next. He didn't want to have to fight the Dreadnaughts, but if it came to a choice between that and getting away freely, he would be forced to do so. Instead, Keemo once again surprised him. "I am truly sorry, captain, but I'm afraid we've been having problems with our solox cords, and it will be impossible to land any time soon. However, you may board us now, if you wish."

As the rival captain considered this, Keemo turned to Link. "Once Jon finishes up, grab a bow and get ready. This is one fight that may not be so easy to get out of."

"Keemo," Link stopped him. "If this fight means your crew will die, tell me now, and I'll find some other way to escape."

"How, by diving off the ship?" Keemo gave his shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "Don't worry. This should prove to be most entertaining."

"Airship Draedelus!" the Imperial captain called out. "Prepare to be boarded." With that, the Granite Fist began to fly in closer, and several of the crewmen tossed grappling hooks over, connecting them to the pirate ship. Link looked about the ship and noticed that during the conversation, Jon had been sneaking around laying bows and quivers at the crewmen's feet, and was now making his way towards Link with another. "Steady…" Keemo told his crew, his hands gripping the steering wheel. "Steady…" The grappling lines pulled taught, and the other ship began lowering makeshift bridges between the ships.

"NOW!"

With that, the pirates ducked down and armed themselves, arrows meeting strings. The first volley was fired by the time the Imperials caught wind of what was going on and began arming themselves. Keemo, meanwhile, cranked the wheel hard to starboard, tugging the other ship off balance. The other captain fought back, turning his boat until the two craft were caught in an aerial tug-of-war.

Link let an arrow fly towards one of the enemy crewmen, even as he struggled to maintain his balance. Keemo was twisting and turning the ship in ways that Link hadn't thought possible, and the crew fought hard to stay standing. Even as he regained his balance, a thundering noise shot through the air, one Link could only assume as belonging to an enemy cannon. Thankfully, Keemo managed to pull the ship up and out of the way, so the shot passed within a hair's breadth of the boat. "CRACKEN!" Keemo bellowed, and a moment later the Draedelus answered with its own cannons. "Link, cut us loose!" Keemo ordered. "We need room for a clear shot!"

Loading his bow, Link took careful aim and shot the bolt through one of the cords joining the ships, and then quickly did so with the other two cords. The ships were now free, and the fighting was beginning in earnest, both sets of cannons blasting back and forth. Link and the others did their best to use their bows, but it finally came to the point where the best the could manage was to hold on as Keemo maneuvered the ship out of the way of enemy fire while at the same time attempting to get Cracken and the others a clear shot. One such maneuver, caused by a particularly close blast by the ships prow, caused one of the crewmen—Geoff, Link remembered—to loose his balance and topple over the railing.

Racing to the side, Link pulled his longshot from his belt, jabbed the spike into the decking and leapt over the side, loosing the chain as he fell. Reaching out, he managed to grab hold of Geoff's hand. "Don't worry, I got you!" he told the pirate as he released the trigger and pulled them back up to the ship.

They were no sooner back on the ship when it lurched again. Link regained his balance and spun around to see a cannonball coming directly at him. "Oh, this is going to hurt…"

Keemo watched as a blue aura surrounded Link just before the blast struck him, sending him back towards the opposite side of the ship. He looked stunned, but otherwise unhurt, and Keemo found himself breathing a sigh of relief. He had always dreamed of a daring battle in the skies between himself and the "renegade-Johnny-Law", but he had never actually anticipated it happening. So far, it had been even more entertaining than he had anticipated, but he was not so foolish as to completely ignore the danger of the situation. He would have to end the fight quick if his crew and his ship were going to get out of this alive.

Cranking the wheel hard to port, he spun the ship around so that its broadest point was parallel with that of the Granite Fist's. It provided a large target, but it also gave him an open shot. "CRACKEN, FIRE ALL GUNS!"

His old captain responded, and all three cannons fired on the enemy ship, blasting clear through its wooden planks and out the other side. The Imperial ship seemed to hang suspended in mid-air and then began its long fall towards the ground, fire and smoke pouring from its decking; one of the cannon blasts must have struck the Rodanian crystal.

"Well," Keemo said to himself as he triumphantly watched the ship begin to fall. "That wasn't so difficult."

He had barely finished the sentence when the Draedelus gave a sudden lurch, catching everyone off guard. As he struggled to keep his feet, Keemo saw another grappling hook gripping on to his boat; the Imperials must have launched it in one last-ditch effort to take them down with them. Keemo spun the wheel hard in the opposite direction, and a moment later the cord snapped, separating the ships once again. Breathing another sigh of relief, he started to check if his crew was ok.

"JEM!"

Dash's cry snapped Keemo's attention towards where his crewman stood gazing over the railing. A giant lump settled in his throat as he and the other crewmen leapt to Dash's side, peering over the edge into the sky beneath. Sure enough…

"She fell…" Dash raged. "She fell, and I couldn't save her! I couldn't…"

Out of the corner of his eye, Keemo saw a bright green flash, followed a moment later by a green cap being thrust into his hands. "Hold this please," a voice asked him.

A second later, he and the others watched in shock as Link dove headfirst over the side.

"What's he doing?" Dash screamed in shock. "He's insane!"

"Nope," Jon replied, and Keemo noticed that the young cabin boy was grinning from ear to ear.

"He's Link."

Far on the ground below, making his way along the mountain paths, the cloaked man who had been following Link from Hogart's Pass pushed his way patiently through the underbrush. No animals barred his path, and even some of the trees seemed to recoil; the entire forest seemed to shrink in fear from his presence.

Looking up in the air he noticed a large black mass—a ship, no doubt—fall from the sky. Following behind it was a small dark speck, most likely a piece of debris. And above that…

The man felt a tingling on his left hand. Looking down on it, then looking back up towards the sky, he smiled in anticipation. "Well," he said quietly to himself as he continued his trek, "This should prove to be most interesting."

Link pulled his arms tight against his body, attempting to cut down on the drag as he sliced through the air towards Jem. The pirate-woman was falling spread-eagled in an instinctual attempt to slow her fall, as futile as it may be. Thankfully, it made Link's task that much easier.

As he edged closer and closer, he began drawing on the Magical energy he would need to teleport them both back to the ship; there was a limited amount of distance he could teleport another person over, and he needed to reach her quickly in order for it work. Thankfully, it looked as if that would be the case.

Suddenly, a flaming piece of decking from the downed ship flew into his path, and Link had to flip in mid-air in order to avoid striking it. The momentary lapse in his momentum widened the distance between him and Jem even more, and again he pulled his arms in as he shot towards her.

As he came closer, he reached out ahead of him, until he was finally able to grab hold of her. "Don't worry!" he yelled as he pulled her close towards him, "I've got you!"

Her face took a shocked look, but nevertheless she seemingly retained her composure. "You've got me? Who's got you?"

"Don't worry, it's all taken care of!" Link assured her, as he cast Farore's Wind.

Nothing happened.

He tried again, yet still nothing happened. They were too far out of range, and the ground was rapidly catching up with them. "Oh boy…"

"WHAT?"

"Don't worry, everything's under control!" he assured her as a new plan began to form in his head. Dispelling the warp point on the ship, he instead created a new one even as they fell. "HOLD ON!" he told her. The fell for a few seconds more, and then he cast the spell. There was a quick feeling of déjà vu as they reappeared several dozen feet above their previous position, but the plan had worked; their momentum had slowed enough to ensure a painful, yet non-fatal landing, in the raging, white-capped rapids of the river below them.

They hit the water hard, and Link struggled to keep his grip on Jem's hand. Pulling them up to the surface, he cast about desperately for a place to land. Spotting a tree branch hanging over the river, he pulled out his longshot and took aim.

Suddenly, even the water seemed to desert them as he and Jem tumbled over the side of a waterfall. Arms flailing, they fell the distance to land in the relatively calm pool beneath them.

Momentarily stunned, Link regained his senses and cast about for Jem. Spotting her lying face down in the water, he swam towards her and grabbed hold as he began swimming towards the nearest shore. Hauling the prone woman up onto the bank, Link checked her vitals to make sure that everything was still going strong. Thankfully the were, and after breathing a quick 'thank-you' to the goddesses, Link himself collapsed into unconsciousness.