Chapter 12: Happy Flying
The morning air was crisp and revitalizing as the three women crew of the Thalia continued their voyage in the cloudy skies, taking their time to plot the newest course and defeat any monsters that dared to hinder them. The pilot, the youngest but no less courageous of the three, stood at the helm with deliberate poise; her eyes scanning the skies ahead as she made minor readjustments to avoid the cyclones that occupied the South Ocean region. Flying carelessly here could prove a costly, if not fatal, mistake. Many strong sailors had lost their lives to these currents.
"How are we doing, Theora? Is the projected run feasible?" A much taller girl in her late teens asked, moving to stand beside her companion. Her eyes were full of warmth as they looked down at the brunette operator. Theora was thoughtfully silent for a moment, visualizing the journey before them by memory with each of its twists and turns. It could be done, sure. Under her attentive hand she would ensure that the wrestling currents did not trap their ship, and as long as the cannons were relatively accurate in hitting their marks against the monsters…
"I can do it, yes." Theora nodded, not turning away from the window panes. The older girl lingered a little longer though, sensing the hesitation in her friend's voice.
"Is there something wrong?" Theora felt the comfort of the girl's hand on her shoulder, as her friend knew better than to demand her attention away from the skies. The first time that had happened (courtesy of Skye, the third and oldest member of this ragtag trio), they had crashed into a rather large floating rock and repairs to the bow had drained the collection of gold they had in their wallets. The two still occasionally brought up the incident, blaming each other for what had happened.
"Well no, but… Vanessa, why don't we ever go over the lands of ice?"
"Because there's nothing there, idiot." A gruff voice interrupted sharply. "There's absolutely nothing to gain by flying over an uninhabitable mass of ice."
"I wasn't asking you, Skye!" Theora's tone flared angrily; her stance at the helm further suggesting that her easy temperament was dissipating at the entry of the impertinent gunslinger. Vanessa sighed, a natural habit that had surfaced as these two constantly bickered. Though it may not always be intentional, both Skye and Theora had a tendency of disagreeing on even the most simple of propositions – brainstorming for last night's dinner, for example. The explosive argument over ravioli and soup might seem amusing to the casual bystander, but to an individual that had to deal with it on a daily basis… it was a grating experience that she loathed to have repeated. It was no wonder that she now subconsciously wore a grimace during the time that the sun set.
"Only pointing out the obvious, you pipsqueak. Honestly, I thought you'd have a brain by now… guess that's just wishful thinking on my part." Skye rolled her eyes, smiling as they settled on her best friend. "Besides, I'm sure that Vanessa agrees with me, right?"
"Vanessa…" Theora's voice pleaded for support. Vanessa frowned in disapproval. In every argument, they always tried to lead her to their side so that they could claim victory. In a group of three, there were no ties. The curly-haired girl sighed again.
"Theora, just for the record… You want to go over the lands of ice for sightseeing and ease of piloting, right? Not for exploration?"
"That's right. At least someone here is intelligent enough to understand my question." Theora smirked as she heard the growl of her blonde verbal combatant. She knew that she had won this particular rout as soon as Vanessa had started speaking.
"Well, I don't see anything wrong with that." Vanessa concluded. She glanced over to the sulking pirate, her eyes lit with amusement as the other glowered. "Do you?"
"Don't blame me if something happens." Skye grumbled. She waved a dismissive hand as if to clear the minor confrontation from the atmosphere. She also happened to slip in the bird as her hand became stationary again; a small movement that Vanessa caught in the corner of her eye. She gave Skye the look – a trademark appearance that somehow had the ability to make Skye feel guilty and sheepish any time it surfaced. "Fine, fine. I'll head down to the cannons; I've heard that some giant creatures fly over the lands of ice. Happy flying, Theora." The last comment was emphasized in a trenchant manner before she hastily made her exit. If she had lurked a moment longer, she knew she would have earned a lecture.
"Skye's so mean to me." Theora whined as soon as Skye was out of ear shot. "It was just a simple question and she blew it way out of proportion as she usually does… It wasn't even directed at her! She rudely cut in, and-"
"Theora, please! You're giving me a headache." Vanessa massaged her temples. She wasn't joking, as she felt her head begin to pound in a dull and painful rhythm. "I already know that you and Skye don't get along too well… I don't need either of you reminding me about it every day, either."
"B-but…" The young girl stumbled, desperately seeking an opportunity to be right and given Vanessa's approval at the same time. It was a futile effort. If anything, the talkback only dug a deeper hole in which Theora now stood in. She conceded her defeat with a slump. "Sorry Vanessa. It just… bothers me is all."
"Put yourself in my shoes sometime." Vanessa chuckled, walking to the center of the room to hover over the map. She cleared their previous course to plot the new one over the lands of ice – effectively skirting around a majority of the cyclones. The detour lengthened the journey to Ixa'taka, but it at least guaranteed them safe passage. "Anyway, Theora, you never did tell me what was wrong earlier." Theora slightly stiffened at this; a most puzzling reaction.
"Yes I did. I was just curious why we never flew over that continent." Theora answered. Vanessa, not satisfied with the response, decided to pry further.
"You're lying to me, Theora. You always tap the helm with your fingers when you are discomforted. What bothers you?" Damn, she was observant. There was no use hiding it any longer.
"Well, when we were on Sailor's Island, I heard some talk that there were some bandits hanging out in the South Ocean, ganging up on vessels traveling alone and…"
"So you were worried that we'd be attacked? Why didn't you just say so?"
"Because she's a wimp, she is!" Skye's voice rang playfully on the intercom. Theora's face filled with horror as she realized she hadn't turned the communications system off, leaving Skye entirely free to eavesdrop on the conversation in the bridge.
"I am not!" Theora stressed hotly, slamming a fist on a button nearby. The connection went dead. "Oh god, she's totally right but I didn't want her to know it… I was afraid we were going to get attacked."
"There's nothing wrong with being cautious. I'm sure we could have handled it, but I do appreciate your concern on the matter. Besides, I've always wondered just how cold it is over the lands of ice…" Vanessa admittedly cheekily, giving a soft giggle. Theora, relieved, straightened her posture to regain the readiness she had before. Vanessa always knew exactly what to say to calm her down. She sure made a great role model… Theora could only hope that she could someday achieve that sort of composure.
As her thoughts began to wander, Vanessa left the room to head down to the kitchen to prepare their food. Today's meal would consist of a simple dish; a classic lunch tradition of a sandwich and a drink. She'd call them both down shortly later to take a break together… whether the two other occupants of the ship wanted to or not.
"It's so…" Theora murmured softly at the sight before her. The ice was illuminated by the strong rays of the sun, creating a breathtaking and blinding image.
"Barren? Boring?" Skye quipped, grinning as Theora tried her best to ignore her. "Oh! Desolate, that's it!"
"I was going for beautiful, but it's great that you feel the need to finish my sentences for me." Theora wore an irritable expression. Skye laughed, playing around with her gun by twirling and throwing it in the air. Vanessa followed the length of the arctic shore on the horizon with her eyes in curiosity, having never actually seen the continent before beyond the charted regions on the map. It was portrayed as a gigantic mass of ice with small islands of debris that had broken off of the mainland floating around it. Most sailors chose to avoid this part of the world – there was nothing to gain by going there, after all. There was a rumour that part of the sky burst into a dazzling display of multiple colors over the lands of ice, but to Vanessa it sounded like complete gibberish. How was that even possible?
"I'm inclined to agree with both of you on this one..." She joined the conversation, stepping away from the map where she dutifully navigated their journey. "It feels quite… tranquil, but it seems to lack any interesting features to keep our interest." Vanessa had a sudden shiver run down her spine. "Besides, it's already getting cold… and we're not even over the mainland yet."
"Huh? I didn't really notice a difference, to be honest." Skye shot Vanessa a quizzical look. She hadn't known that her friend was sensitive to cold temperatures… oh well; they'd be out of there soon anyway. "I can turn up the heat for you if you'd like." A grateful nod was all Skye needed to go and do just that.
"Thanks." Vanessa smiled lightly at her friend before turning back to the windows, noticing that inclinations in the ice were starting to appear. "Oh… Those look shiny."
"See? We get to travel safely and have a great view of the glaciers!" Theora exclaimed, sticking her tongue out at Skye.
"Here, let me see about detaching that…" Skye leaned forward in an attempt to grab Theora's extended tongue. Theora recoiled immediately, fearful that the older pirate would follow up that threat. Theora moved too quickly; the Thalia jutted into a sudden nosedive towards the ice. "Watch where you're flying, stupid!"
"Get away from me, it's your fault!" Theora snapped back. Vanessa let out a loud groan before walking out of the bridge, leaving the two to fight. Her exit actually ceased the feud as they fell into silence. Skye watched her friend's departure with a slight frown. Vanessa usually told them outright to shut up, not flee from the room. Theora seemed to be pondering this as well.
"Theora, keep both hands on the helm, if you would." Skye took authority. "I'll go see what's up." The younger girl shot an annoyed glance over to the blonde.
"It's still your fault…" Theora whispered.
"What was that? I couldn't hear you over the silence." Skye knew exactly how to push her buttons, but Theora chose not to respond. Skye let out an amused chuckle before following after her friend. She reached the hull shortly later, having descended from the ladder that connected the levels of the ship together. She figured that Vanessa would have gone to her room, seeing that it was often her safe haven when she wanted to be alone. Skye was surprised when she didn't find her there, but rather further down along the hall, appearing to inspect their firepower.
"Hey… Is everything all right?" Skye announced her arrival, stopping her motion near the wall to watch her companion earnestly check their supply. "You left in quite a hurry."
"Yes, I'm fine… and no, it wasn't because of you and Theora, so rest easy." Vanessa replied, opening a console to examine its mechanics.
"Can't say I can, the way you're moving about. Do you need help with something?" Skye walked over and grabbed the free wrench on the floor.
"Ow!" Vanessa hissed, withdrawing her hand from the console and shaking it furiously in the air. She blew on her fingers; anything to ease the startling pain.
"What happened?" Skye was at her side immediately. She reached for Vanessa's hand and brought it closer to examine it. Her fingers had been singed slightly from whatever they had come in contact with. If Vanessa hadn't pulled her hand out when she did…
"Something in the console… When the Thalia heaved earlier, I realized that Theora hadn't pulled the wheel hard enough for that extravagant a reaction… It should have only swayed left or right, not straight down." Vanessa peered into the dark machine, biting her lip. "I really do wish that you hadn't thrown our last flashlight at Theora yesterday; I could have used it now."
"Sorry…" Skye pat her legs a few times; an act to hide her embarrassment. "Do you know why we're having this problem now, though? We both checked the infrastructure of the ship while we were docked in Sailor's Island, not to mention we regularly perform maintenance to all of our equipment."
"I don't…" Vanessa trailed off. She squinted to see in the dark console again. "W-What?" She bent a little closer, her eyes widening in disbelief. "Skye, the wires… they're all cut! Some of the propulsion systems have been damaged by an explosion of some kind, and…"
"Someone tampered with the Thalia?" Skye was worried about what that could imply. If they had damaged the console that controlled their artillery, then…
Vanessa seemed to be thinking the same thing, quickly scanning about the room with dread.
"I've got to let Theora know." She pushed herself off the ground, ignoring the hurt that emanated from her left hand. "If someone set explosives here, I wouldn't put it past them to have wired something up concerning the steering as well… and I have a horrible feeling that the information Theora overheard on Sailor's Island was planted."
"Ugh. See how much trouble that runt gets us into? Seriously, if she wasn't around-"
"Then we'd be in the same situation, but not over any land. At least here we can attempt an emergency landing, or if the worst happens, we won't fall into Deep Sky." Vanessa cut Skye off, her tone serious. "Let's save the Theora bashing for after we get out of this, please."
"Gee, what's got into you? You know I was kidding…" Skye muttered, though she stopped as Vanessa pulled her into a strong hug.
"I'm sorry, I'm just a little… stressed. I'll be right back." She started down the hall, pausing halfway to turn and give Skye a wave before continuing her task at hand. Vanessa swiftly climbed the ladder, feeling paranoid that any part of her surroundings could potentially explode at any moment. Thankfully she reached the bridge without any difficulty, where she found Theora whistling a tune that sounded vaguely familiar. Vanessa couldn't have put her finger on it, but that didn't matter right now. She quickly filled Theora in, to which the younger girl could only react with a squeak and a deepening look of concern and worry. Theora went to work immediately; pulling switches, swinging the helm in a great arch, and repositioning levers. The Thalia lurched.
"S-Something's wrong… It's not operating at it should be!" Theora panicked, flailing her arms uselessly around the helm. Vanessa made an attempt to calm her young friend down, but she stopped as a loud and shrill grinding sound could be heard. Vanessa didn't know where it was coming from, until-
"Look out!" Vanessa snatched Theora's arm and roughly pulled her away from the helm, heading for cover. Her timing couldn't have been better, as Theora's attempt to descend had triggered a bomb to go off just below where the pilot would normally be standing. Theora's eyes were wide as the floor burst apart where she was only a moment before, with the wheel splintering up the curves before momentum from the rupture below forced it off the console and into the air. It landed with a crash on the table in the center of the room, tearing the map in several places as the wheel dragged it across the table before falling to the floor. Theora held Vanessa's arm in a death grip, paralyzed by fear.
"V-Vanessa…" It was no more than a soft whisper. Vanessa could not provide the support that Theora needed, not yet. The Thalia began to shudder as other small explosions were being set off along the structure of the ship. It was when they were both flung to the ground by the sudden quakes that Vanessa saw something that she hadn't expected. It was so beautiful… a stark contrast to the horrendous situation they now found themselves in.
"The lights…. They're real!" She couldn't believe it. There they were in all their vibrant glory, cutting through the normally blue sky with various shades of reds, yellows, purples, and green. That gibberish of a rumour was true. If they could somehow get out of this and survive… it would give them some gold to line their pockets.
Seeing the other object outside of those windows though… It made her feel like their deaths were imminent. Another ship was firing at them – a ship she did not recognize, though she knew without a doubt that it was they that had conspired this plot against them. Whoever was on that ship, Theora had overheard at Sailor's Island. If they got out of this, she would have to ask her what they looked like.
Another explosion sent them flying backwards to hit the wall near the exit to the bridge. Theora gave a loud grunt – an indication that her back hadn't taken it so lightly. Vanessa did not make any sound; instead she quickly pushed herself off and raced towards the ladder, her thoughts telling her to do one thing – make sure that Skye was all right.
Vanessa slid down the ladder, nearly losing her grip as the Thalia lurched again and forced her against the ladder. She took a deep breath and quickly scaled the rest of the distance, ignoring that her arms and legs were starting to feel very cold – was their heating system also a trigger? Given the timing where everything started to go wrong, it very well could have been the first.
"Skye?" Vanessa called, turning to face the long hallway. The lights had gone out and she could barely see in the haze of smoke that had collected on this floor. Small beams of light filtered through cracks that had begun to appear from the strain that the ship wasn't handling too well. Multiple explosions and a ship firing cannons could only spell doom for the Thalia.
"I'm here." Skye replied, from the other end of the hall. She sounded tired and she was panting rather heavily. "Can't see a bloody thing though; my glasses got knocked off somewhere…"
"Hang on; I'll get over to you by sidling this wall. Try to find it; I'll help you out when I get there."
"All right." Skye felt her way along the floor, bumping her head into the said wall she was supposed to find. "Fucking thing – er, I mean I found it, I'll start making my way towards you as well." Neither said much more as they were trying not to breathe the smoke in that slowly seeped out of the cracks of the ship. It became a bit less hazy and Vanessa could see the outline of her friend fumbling in the distance.
"I see you!" In the midst of the horror, Vanessa felt relief that they would at least be going through this together.
"Vanessa! Skye!" Theora screeched the loudest they had ever heard her. It was saying a lot, as the intercom was broken upstairs and that meant she could only be yelling from the top of the ladder. "Get out of there, NOW!"
"What is the brat yelling about, that doesn't solve anythin-" Skye never got to finish her sentence, nor did Vanessa get the chance to respond. One of the engines of the Thalia had just taken a fatal blow from cannon fire… and had exploded right next to them. The entire hall was engulfed in flame; the sheer force of the explosion sending both pirates flying in opposite directions. The last thing that Skye saw was the blurry outline of her friend being forced up into the air as she was slammed down, sliding down on the floor as its angle became more vertical. That fact faintly registered in her mind as she heard her friend screaming her name and then –
Silence. She fainted.
"SKYE! SKYE!" Vanessa screamed; her voice cracking as raw emotion seized her. Tears streaked down her face as the sight of the gaping hole that used to be the other half of the ship came into view. Where there was her friend, there was now only the sight of the darkening sky and the aurora lights blazing. A small spec in the distance (the enemy ship) was retreating. They had done what they had come here to do. "You bastards! I swear I'll kill you for what you've done!"
Vanessa's fury was replaced by fear as the harsh winds tore at her, trying to drag her towards the large hole in the now shortened hallway. Her ears still rang from the engine's explosion next to them, and the haunting sound of the Thalia tearing in two. She could not hear Theora desperately calling down to her, begging her to move, but the young girl entered her mind and Vanessa remembered that she was not alone. As she slipped, she grabbed some of the pipelines that had been ripped asunder from the walls to stop her fall. If she hadn't, she would have careened straight out into the open sky, her life to end on the lands of ice just as Skye before her…
Vanessa reached the ladder by using the pipes as a railing; anything to hang onto so that the winds did not pull her away. She pulled herself up with a renewed sense of urgency, knowing quite well that they were only flying with half a ship and one engine right now. The strain it must be facing to hold them upright… They needed to get out of there, and fast.
Theora's face filled with relief when Vanessa reached the top of the ladder, though her eyes still spoke of the terror she currently felt beneath. She was saying something but Vanessa could not hear her; she saw the lips move but nothing came out. Was she so close to the detonated engine that she had gone deaf from the sheer magnitude of the sound? It was fully possible.
"I can't hear you!" Vanessa said awkwardly, loudly. "My ears… they're still ringing too much." Theora made an "Oh" movement with her lips before her eyes trailed back to the ladder, asking the question that Vanessa could not yet hear; did not want to hear. She didn't wish to acknowledge what had happened. It was too soon to dwell on it. "We have to get out of here. Only one engine is holding us up right now, and," Vanessa paused, looking out of the window panes of the bridge from the entrance, "It appears to be leading us on a direct collision course toward that glacier." Theora gasped, having not noticed it before. Her body trembled as fear seized her. Vanessa reached out and hugged the young girl before she made the effort to enter the bridge again, her grip on the floorboards slightly slipping as the Thalia began to tilt downward. Vanessa knew it was a race against time and so she furiously tackled every compartment in the walls and floor as fast as she could, looking for one specific item that she had found stored away months ago. She had seen it in this room once before, now where was it when she needed it the most?
Her ears began to regain their senses as she searched; the sounds of objects crashing onto the floor and the wind violently causing havoc being the main focus. Vanessa tuned them out. She had to concentrate; had to remember where that damn thing was or both she and Theora were going to die –
"Eureka!" The last wall compartment that had been partially obstructed by debris was flung open by the pirate, quickly removing its contents to rediscover the one sole parachute she had recalled seeing all that time ago. She was thankful for the memory and for whoever had stored it there, for otherwise she would likely just be easing Theora's woes as they prepared for the afterlife. She grabbed some rope that was coiled on the floor nearby and ran back over to the cowering preteen. Vanessa strapped the parachute onto her back, making sure that everything was in order and praying to the heavens that there was nothing at fault with it.
"There's only one parachute…?" It was a soft whisper. Theora's eyes were brimmed with tears, the pressure of the situation too much for her. "A-All right then… You are more important than I; you need to survive this so it's okay…"
"Theora, what are you mumbling about? Get over here." Vanessa grabbed the girl's hand and pulled her close, still holding the rope with the other. "You're going to have to help me with this; I can't do it by myself." Theora realized what Vanessa meant and hope and compassion flooded her senses. Of course Vanessa wouldn't leave her here to die; she was of a much more loyal and loving nature than that. Theora assisted the older teen in wrapping the rope around them, ensuring that it was tight enough that she felt she could barely breathe. It would be uncomfortable for them both, but if it could keep them together, then it had to be done. Theora could feel Vanessa's heart pumping in a steady rhythm as she was pressed against her stomach.
"You're going to need to hang onto me… very tightly, okay Theora?" The young girl did not reply, instead wrapping her arms around Vanessa as much as she could and clutching the fabric of Vanessa's outfit in a death grip.
"I-I'm scared…" Theora mumbled. The floor began to quiver beneath them; the ship groaning in agony as it surged towards its unavoidable fate. Vanessa wobbled over to the side door with difficulty, not used to having the additional weight that was Theora to walk around with.
"Just close your eyes… It will be all right; I'm here for you." Vanessa soothed, sounding much more confident than she felt. She took the position as Theora's guardian, making sure to comfort the girl in their desperate time of need. Vanessa knew that she would be panicking a lot more if her pig-tailed friend was not there. Theora obediently obeyed, burying her face into Vanessa's bosom. Under normal circumstances Vanessa would have quickly pushed her off, as that was an incredibly awkward place to seek comfort from, but as they were tied together and likely about to plunge to their deaths Vanessa said nothing. If Theora felt just a little more secure that way, Vanessa wasn't going to take that from her.
She stepped out onto the remainder of the deck, stealing a glance at what formerly used to be the front end of their ship. It was completely gone, with most of the floorboards stained a dark black from the small fires that had emerged from the explosions. Vanessa's thoughts wandered back to Skye as they were walking toward each other in the hallway –
No, she couldn't think of that, not now. Her eyes stung with tears from both the winds that tore at them and from the heart break she felt deep inside. Vanessa took a deep breath, walking over to the railing nearest the stern. Her hands clasped around it, her muscles shuddering in anticipation for what she was about to use them for. Vanessa's arms and legs were already starting to feel heavy from the harsh chill of the air; if she didn't jump soon, she wouldn't have the strength to pull them over.
Theora felt Vanessa's hesitance and whimpered, knowing full well what her friend was contemplating on doing. With only her arms, legs, and the rope that bound them together as her support, Theora's nerves were suffocating. The many what ifs of the scenario to come played out in her head - what if the parachute didn't open, what if they hadn't tied the rope tightly enough…
"Shhh…" Vanessa rubbed her hand on Theora's hair as a mother would a child. She could feel the younger girl's heart race far beyond what she knew was healthy; if Theora lingered on it much longer she might suffer from a heart attack. Vanessa began to softly hum the tune that she had heard Theora whistling to earlier. It was so nostalgic, calming to both of them. Theora let out a shuddered breath as Vanessa continued the tune, reaching for the railing with both hands again. The Thalia violently shook as another rupture engulfed the bridge. They had no more time. Willing her muscles not to fail her, she gave a great heave and launched them both into the clear sky.
Theora screamed as she felt the moment of weightlessness before the steep, hard fall. They were falling perilously fast, and though she kept her eyes closed she knew that the ground would be fast approaching.
"Vanessa, open the parachute! Do it now!" Theora cried, feeling sick as the two of them spun wildly out of control.
"Hang in there, Theora!" Vanessa yelled, hoping her voice would carry to the girl strapped against her. It was mostly drowned out by the howling winds enveloping them, but Theora caught it. "We have to wait just a moment longer, or else the parachute will pull us straight back up near the Thalia…" Theora understood the logic behind it, but understanding did not ease the fright that currently paralyzed her. Though the next three seconds of silence passed normally, to the two girls whose lives were on the precipice of disaster… it felt like an eternity.
With her waning strength, Vanessa tore at the ripcord, pulling it as hard as she could. The moment of truth was at hand, and – Yes! The parachute launched itself out of the packed bag, extending to its full length in nary a second. Its release instantly forced their spinning to a stop, as well as their descent entirely; it pulled them straight up just as she expected it to. She felt the sharp pain on her shoulders from the jarring change of momentum while her breath escaped her. So abysmally cold… besides the aching pains of her shoulders and Theora's desperate grip to hang on, Vanessa couldn't feel anything. She had gone entirely numb.
"S-See?" Vanessa's teeth chattered. She sorely wished that she could have had the time to grab a jacket, anything for her exposed arms, but her room had been torn in half. It would have been impossible to reach and an incredibly reckless venture regardless. "T-Told you that everything would b-be all right…" They slowly began to fall, the urgency of their movements dissipating as it was now up to fate for the parachute to carry them both to safety. Vanessa could not stop shivering; goose bumps riddling up her arms and legs.
"A-Are you all right?" Theora asked, her own voice shaking from the cold. She could feel Vanessa's breathing slow down. Panicked, she let go with one arm and placed it on Vanessa's cheek. It was cold, so cold… "Vanessa, stay with me, please…" Her breath was visible as she worked up the energy to speak to her friend. She had to keep Vanessa awake somehow, because if she didn't… Theora worried that she might never wake up. She did not want to be tied to a lifeless body; certainly not of her one true friend. Her eyes were nearly frozen shut because of her tears earlier.
"I'm with you… always…" Vanessa murmured. The darkness in her eyes was beckoning to her, telling her to let go… No, she had to stay with it, had to be there for Theora…
Not far away from them, the Thalia finally reached its final destination – straight into the glacier that Theora had earlier called beautiful. Its impact had an immediate chain reaction; the final engine gave out in an elaborate display of fireworks, triggering formerly 'dud' plants to reignite and go off with a deafening roar. Vanessa and Theora could not see the calamity that had occurred behind them. They did not need to see it to feel it. They were still too close; the rippling effects of the Thalia crashing caused extreme heat to lash out and buffet at them, raising their elevation level much higher. The straps that held Vanessa to the parachute nearly snapped from the exertion, digging into her sore skin a second time. The pain would have been unbearable… but the fallen Red Rogue had already blacked out. Her smaller companion was in the same shape, hanging limply on Vanessa's body by the ropes that bound them together.
Neither of them would see the hole that was starting to lengthen on the parachute as the seam slowly became undone. It would not matter. Their fate now rested in the power of the wind… and whether the wild element would grant them mercy.