I do not own Skies of Arcadia or any of the characters.
Captured
Locke narrowed his eyes, watching as the Valuan Armada's torpedoes and cannon fire rained down across Nasrad. The Nasultan, ruler of Nasr, had refused to listen to them and had taken no steps to protect Nasrad, and now he was paying for it. Ramirez led the raid, and so he had chosen to burn Nasrad to the ground. He could have captured it without firing a shot, but for as long as Locke had known him, he had always been bloodthirsty.
"The Royal Palace!" Vyse gasped.
"Looks like they're trying to make an example out of Nasr," Gilder said darkly. "Vyse, if we just stand around here, we're all dead. Head for the docks!"
They all turned, fleeing toward the docks, only to stop, staring at the burning heaps of wood that used to be their ships.
"Our ship!" Vyse yelped. "It's on fire!"
"Fina," Ramirez's smooth, horrifyingly calm voice spoke up. "So, you are here."
They all spun, Locke shouldering his rifle. Ramirez walked through a blazing fire calmly, as though totally unaware that he was standing amid flames, and equally untouched by them. His dark grey jacket and pants with red and gold highlights were unblemished by burns, blood, or ash, and his black poncho and red scarf fluttered slightly in the wind.
"I've been looking for you," Ramirez stated as he left the flames and stopped before them.
"Ramirez..." Fina breathed.
"Not another step closer, Ramirez," Locke snarled.
"You two know him!?" Aika yelped.
"Admiral Ramirez," Locke growled, Fina remaining silent as she stared at Ramirez in silence. "Valua's most bloodthirsty admiral and also its most gifted fighter."
"Did you lead this attack!?" Vyse demanded.
"Yes," Ramirez said casually. "From this day on, Nasr belongs to the Valuan Empire. And..." he drew his Silver Moonstone rapier. "I will be taking you back to Valua." He directed it at Locke. "Surrender, or you all die."
"Vyse!" Fina shrieked, catching Vyse's arm as he reached for his cutlasses. "Please do as he says!"
"Time's up," Ramirez warned. "Surrender, or die."
"Alright," Vyse growled. "We surrender."
"Good," Ramirez nodded. "Now I simply kill the traitor, and we'll-"
Locke's rifle buzzed incessantly, a storm of blasts flooding from it and swarming Ramirez. Fina shrieked in dismay, but Ramirez merely laughed, his sword arm becoming a blur as he charged. He slashed and blocked, flipped and spun, seeming to dance around the port. The blasts continued to rain down at him, many missing him entirely, but the vast majority of them he slashed aside or blocked outright with his blade. And all the while, he closed in. Locke kept up the constant flood of blasts, but he knew it was no use. They'd been here before. The blasts, even as carefully-aimed as they were, couldn't get past Ramirez's blade. And then, Ramirez was too close, and Locke dropped his rifle.
Ramire's blade flashed out, closing in on Locke's throat in less time than it took to blink. And yet, it was long enough. Locke's own blade deflected Ramirez's stab out to the side, then lashed out in response. Ramirez leaned aside, avoiding the slash, then stabbed at Locke again. However, Locke deflected the stab for the second time before they began to dance around each other. Their respective silver and yellow blades flashed around and around, sparking against one another over and over as they clashed, constantly shifting stances and positions. However, the others were far from able to allow Locke to fight alone, and within a matter of seconds, Vyse had charged into battle as well. And then, Ramirez spun around Vyse, stabbing him in the back before ripping his sword back out and shoving Vyse aside as he swept back in to face Locke.
Locke deflected the overhead slash, a stab, several more slashes, and then leaned aside from a stab. His own blade lashed out in a slash, several stabs, and another slash. His blade grazed Ramirez's scarf. Ramirez's blade grazed Locke's rib bones. Locke caught Ramirez's sword arm at the wrist, so Ramirez drilled his other fist into Locke's nose. Ramirez was toying with Locke. Lock knew he was, because even as the battle continued and as minor injuries continued to pile up over his body, still Ramirez didn't finish him. And the others, after seeing Vyse taken down so easily, stood motionless, watching the one-sided slaughter.
Locke grit his teeth, casting Quicka on himself, and stepped backward, out of range of Ramirez's blade, then lunged into a flurry of strikes. His blade grazed Ramirez's shoulder, his thigh, his cheek. He deflected a series of strikes from Ramirez, and countered, managing a small puncture in Ramirez's thigh, a graze on his shin, a scratch on his abdomen. Finally, Ramirez leapt backward, landing on his feet, and Locke stopped, breathing hard. He was riddled with injuries, and none of the ones he'd given Ramirez were even enough to cause electrical shocks. However, it was the first time he'd ever managed to connect against Ramirez, so he was proud of that. Which was good, because Ramirez was through toying with him. He dragged a hand down his face.
"Where there is light, there is darkness," Ramirez growled.
A silvery portal appeared beside Ramirez, and he walked into it calmly. Then, the portal closed and Locke blinked in surprise.
"Did he...leave?" Locke asked.
"Sword of the Dark Moon!"
Agony. Unbearable pain tore through Locke from his entire body. In the blink of an eye, six deep gashes had appeared over his body, spraying blood across the ground. Locke fell to his knees as Ramirez stood before him, another silvery portal fading beside himself. Locke raised his sword in a trembling hand, only to stare at the shattered blade. Ramirez scoffed.
"You disgust me," Ramirez stated. "Traitor."
Locke's body began to shine with green light, and Ramirez glared at Fina, but made no move to stop her spell.
"Fine," Ramirez said. "I'll take him alive as well. For you. Capture the Air Pirates. Take them back to the Grand Fortress."
As the light faded, a dozen of Ramirez's troops ran over to surround them. Two of them lifted Locke by the arms as others gathered all of their weapons. All but Locke's rapier, which Ramirez flicked over the edge of the dock.
"Ramirez, why are you doing this?" Fina asked.
Ramirez remained silent, and they were quickly led back to one of the Armada's airships.
Locke groaned as he stirred, pushing himself into a sitting position. As he did, someone chuckled darkly.
"So, the traitor has graced us with his presence after all," one of the guards said.
Locke recognized the inside of a small, rectangular cell made entirely of bars inside of a large, rounded room of grey cobblestone. There were two guards outside of his cell.
"Ramirez should have just killed him and been done with it," the second guard said. "Still, at least while he's here, he can suffer."
"Agreed," the first guard nodded. "Isn't that right, boys?"
"Hell yes," two more guards both grinned, walking forward with Yellow Moonstone batons. "Let's make him squeal."
"Bring it on," Locke grinned as the first guard unlocked his cell.
The two with the batons entered first, and Locke lunged, ramming into one of them and knocking them to the floor before catching the second guard's wrist. He yanked and twisted the arm, then stepped forward, driving the end of the baton into the guard's chest, making him shriek in pain. As he took the baton from the guard, he spun, slamming him into the guard he'd knocked down before, then turned, lunging out of the cell and knocked the other two guards' lance rifles aside before slamming the baton into the pair in a series of blows. Then, he wedged it under one of the guards' helmets, causing it to endlessly electrocute him as he took the lance rifle. He turned, shooting the other ranged guard in the head, then the two guards in the cell. Then, he ripped the baton out of the last guard's armor and replaced it with the lance rifle, allowing the guard to fall to the ground. However, as he did, the door groaned open. He turned toward it, readying himself to fight more guards, only for his heart to sink. He let the baton fall to the ground, raising his arms as Belleza stared at him from the doorway, his rifle leveled at his chest in her hands.
"Bell," Locke greeted her.
"I've always wondered what it would feel like to fire your rifle," Belleza mused. "So much power at the tip of my finger." She surveyed the guards scattered around the room. "I should have expected you to escape on your own." She nodded to herself. "Ramirez has taken Fina to the Imperial Palace. I am going to ask you a question, and your answer will determine the reasoning for my actions."
Locke nodded.
"Have you ever been in love?" Belleza questioned.
"Yes," Locke nodded.
Belleza hummed thoughtfully. "You'll be needing these." She set the rifle on a table beside her, then unstrapped Locke's spare, and identical to his last, rapier from her side and set it next to the rifle before setting a sack beside the weapons. "I took the liberty of grabbing your remaining uniforms and your spare rapier from your room. You don't look right wearing rags like that. You should get cleaned up for the girl you love. Your monocle is in the sack."
"You were already going to free me, weren't you?" Locke asked as he pulled on his monocle.
"As I said, my reasoning was subject to your answer," Belleza answered. "My actions were always going to be the same."
"Thank you, Bell," Locke smiled, securing the rapier to his belt.
"Just so you know, this changes nothing," Belleza warned. "When we meet next, we will be enemies again."
"No," Locke shook his head. "You will never be my enemy. But Belleza, Ramirez just did what you want to avoid happening, and he got praised for it. That's who you're serving."
Belleza sighed, saying nothing, and once Locke had attached his sword to his belt and slung his rifle, he pulled her into a hug. Belleza smiled, returning the hug for a few moments before stepping back.
"Time for you to go," Belleza said. "Vyse and Gilder are two levels down, and Aika is one level down. You should start with her. Vigoro is in the city somewhere."
Locke nodded, face growing serious. "Thank you. Give me a fifteen minute head start."
Belleza nodded, and Locke left the room quickly. However, just as he did, a pair of heavily armored guards ran into the room with lance rifles. Locke snorted, shouldering his rifle and shot both, only to stop as Aika's voice shrieked below them. Locke narrowed his eyes.
"Shit!" Locke swore, sprinting for the elevator the soldiers had just left.
The elevator doors slid closed and Locke mashed the button for Aika's cell. The elevator seemed to move at a crawl, but finally, it slowed to a stop and the doors opened. Locke sprinted for the door into the next room, drawing his rapier as he went, and as the door opened, he found that Vyse and Gilder had beaten them there.
"Hey, Aika, do you want us to come back later?" Vyse asked jokingly.
"Vyse!" Aika shrieked. "Get this creep off me!"
Aika was hanging from her cell's window by the bars, face scarlet and her entire body trembling with disgust. Below her, Vigoro was kneeling on the floor, hugging himself to one of Aika's legs.
"That's enough of your bullshit, Vigoro," Locke growled, walking into the cell, his Yellow Moonstone blade crackling ominously. "Let her go."
"Hey, beat it, kid," Vigoro growled, glaring at them all.
"Sorry to spoil your fun, but you heard the lady," Vyse said, cutlasses in hand.
"Who said we were having fun!?" Aika shrieked.
"Last chance to release her peacefully, Vigoro," Locke warned.
Vigoro released her leg and stood, his powerful muscles rippling under his tight, black and green shirt as he turned toward them. "I am Vigoro. No woman in Valua can resist me. I believe that the worth of a man can be measured by his popularity with women."
"Hm," Gilder mused. "I kind of like that. I should remember that for later."
"Where If Fina!?" Vyse demanded. "Bring her and the Moon Crystals here now!"
"Ramirez took her to the Imperial Palace," Locke informed Vyse and Aika. We'll have to make this quick."
His blade bit into Vigoro's left shoulder before anyone could react, only for Vigoro to duck, allowing the blade to carve a deeper cut into him in exchange for drilling a devastating uppercut into Locke's gut, lifting him off of the floor. However, when he tried to swing the other hand at Locke as a hook, it ended up as little more than a slap. Vigoro growled in annoyance, backing away.
"I forgot about that rapier's ability," Vigoro growled. "Shit."
"Your loss," Locke said, pushing himself back to his feet. "Die."
He struck again, but Vigoro ducked around the blade, punching Lock in the jaw and knocking him aside easily. Vyse leapt at Vigoro, slashing with his right cutlass, only for Vigoro to step backward, out of the way, then punch Vyse as well. Gilder's arm snapped up with his gun, only for Vigoro to bat his arm aside, then grab Gilder by the coat and turn, hurling him head-first into the wall. Aika slashed at him with her boomerang, scratching him across the chest, but he merely grinned, stepping around her and grabbing her ass for a moment, Aika shrieking in disgust, then leapt away from her as Locke fired at him, one of the shots grazing his forearm.
Aika cast Pyri, but Vigoro dodged to the side, out of the way of the explosion. However, as he did, Locke's blade plunged into his back. Vigoro shrieked in pain as electricity screamed over his body. After a moment, Locke withdrew his sword and Vigoro collapsed.
"Heh," Aika huffed. "Looks like you were all talk."
Vigoro growled in effort, forcing himself upright despite most of his body being completely numb. "Well...you got lucky." He extended his fist toward her. "And...and...I didn't have my cannon or...my...armor."
"On Pirate Isle where I was raised, we have a saying," Aika smirked as Locke took a ring of keys from Vigoro's belt. "A true man never makes excuses for his shortcomings. And going by that saying, you've got quite a ways to go."
Vigoro chuckled. "You've got an attitude. I like that."
"Vigoro is nothing but shortcomings," Locke said. "But it's fine. He's not going to go any further than right here."
He leveled his rifle at Vigoro's head, but Vyse slashed the barrel off to the side, sending the shot harmlessly into the floor instead.
"No executions," Vyse said. "We're not murderers."
"No," Locke agreed. "But he is both an enemy Admiral and a rapist. He deserves this."
"It doesn't matter," Vyse said. "We have to rescue Fina."
Locke sighed, nodding, and slung his rifle. "You're lucky, Vigoro."
"You'll be seeing me again," Vigoro promised. "You can count on it."
Then, he collapsed, finally losing consciousness. They headed back into the elevator room and took one of them up to one of the cannon rooms. As they rode the elevator, the others all gave Locke a confused look.
"Where are we going?" Vyse asked.
"One of the cannons," Locke said. "Vigoro had the keys for cannon rooms on him, so we have a unique opportunity to secure an exit through the Grand Fortress, but we have to act quickly."
The elevator stopped and Locke hurried to the door ahead of them, unlocking it and walking through. Inside, they walked up a set of stairs to the cannon, but calling it that was understating it. The entire upper level was a part of the cannon, and the opening to the barrel could nearly have fit the Little Jack inside of it. The projectile resting on the conveyor belt that would load it into the cannon was a massive, black, bullet-shaped object, rather than a cannonball.
"What the..." Vyse gaped. "This cannon is new...and it's huge!"
"This round has the power to take down even one of the Armada's flagships in a single direct hit," Locke informed them.
"It's big enough to wipe out an island!" Aika marveled.
"We can run through the barrel to the other side," Vyse said. "Hey, what happened to Gilder?"
"He's doing us a favor," Locke said. "Remember I talked about securing us an exit. Gilder's more equipped to handle it than I am."
"It's all taken care of," Gilder said, walking over to them. "We should get out of this dump. My men are about to attack."
"But...this leads out, right?" Aika asked. "What about Fina?"
"Don't worry," Locke said. "There are other ways to the Imperial Palace. For now, we need to escape the Grand Fortress."
Aika sighed, nodding, and they all hurried along the barrel, reaching the outer wall of the Grand Fortress and dropping onto a walkway, turning left and following it at a run. ZThe walkway was patrolled by guards, but Locke shot them any time they stepped into view, allowing none to raise an alarm. Eventually, they came to an elevator platform and began to ride it up to a higher section of the Grand Fortress. And as they did, the attack began. Several volleys of cannon fire began to slam into the fortress, a couple of the shots hitting uncomfortably close to their lift.
"My men are right on time," Gilder chuckled uncomfortably. "But we're running a little late."
The Grand Fortress began to return fire, and Vyse and Aika stood in awe of the firepower. As the cannon they'd used to pass through the Grand Fortress tried to fire, however, the round detonated in the barrel, destroying the gun.
"That cannon we ran through...it just exploded!" Aika yelped.
"The explosion took out that whole area," Vyse realized. "They won't be putting that fire out anytime soon."
"Well done, Gilder," Locke nodded. "That'll confuse the Valuans and also give us a way out once we have Fina."
Gilder chuckled. "I just...um...left them a little present. Are you three ready? Here's where the real fun begins."
"Let's go save Fina," Locke said.
They ran along the catwalk they'd reached to a door, opening it into a small hallway and following the hallway back into the Grand Fortress, only to stop as they reached a set of double doors, beyond which someone was speaking.
"Everyone, remain calm," Ramirez's cold, emotionless voice instructed. "The Grand Fortress isn't about to crumble under the firepower of a few ships." His voice turned cruel and threatening. "Anyone who deserts his post will have to deal with me personally."
"Yes, Admiral Ramirez!" multiple voices responded.
"I will go investigate the cause of the explosion. Two of you stay here and guard the girl. The rest of you, follow me."
"They're not at the Imperial Palace yet," Vyse breathed.
"No," Locke agreed. "Which means that if we go too soon, we have to fight Ramirez."
Vyse swallowed hard, nodding and holding a hand to the tear in his shirt where Ramirez's sword had so easily pierced him before. After several minutes, they heard an elevator whir to life and waited as it sank down below. Then, Locke shoved the doors open and stepped into the hallway beyond them. To the far right end, a pair of Ramirez's heavily-armored soldiers shouted in surprise, only for Locke to shoot them both, guiding his shots into their heads and killing them. As Locke passed them and entered the room with Vyse and Aika, Gilder stopped to check the soldiers.
"Hello, Fina," Locke smiled as she stared at him in shock. "We have to stop meeting this way."
"Locke!" Fina cried, sprinting along the massive table taking up most of the room to meet Locke, who scooped her into a hug as she threw her arms around him.
"We got here as soon as we found out where you were," Vyse said. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," Fina assured them. "But Locke...how are you alive? Ramirez said he..."
"I'm fine," Locke assured her. "You healed me, and then I busted out. And an old friend brought me my weapons and uniforms."
"An old friend?" Fina tilted her head to the side, then smiled. "Oh, her!" She smiled, her eyes watering slightly. "It's funny. That time you helped us on the train, I was surprised to see you. But this time..." She shook her head. "I knew that if you were alive, you would find me again."
"Of course I came for you, Fina," Locke smiled. "I-"
"Maybe we should save this chat for after we break out," Gilder advised. "I'd rather not let our good friend Ramirez come back to check on Fina and find all of us here."
Locke nodded. "Good point."
"How exactly are we going to get out of here?" Vyse asked.
"I found a harbor key on one of those guards," Gilder said. "Maybe there's a ship we can commandeer."
"Good thinking," Locke nodded, grinning. "There should be at least three of the Admirals' flagships docked. We could borrow one."
"That's a gutsy idea," Gilder grinned. "I like it."
"So, we'll take the elevator back down and look for a ship," Vyse nodded.
"Alright!" Aika grinned. "Let's go!"
They all quickly headed back out side and took the lift back down, but as they descended, the entire Grand Fortress began to tremble.
"What's going on?" Aika asked worriedly.
"Hey, look!" Vyse gasped.
They all turned, watching as the Grand Fortress began to turn, opening.
"The Fortress is rotating," Gilder realized. "Now's our chance. We should find a ship and get out of here."
The lift finally reached the bottom, and they all hurried to the door to the harbor, Gilder unlocking it and letting them all in. They ran along the walkway on the other side, avoiding several searchlights in the process, then quickly climbed up the stairs at the far end. Three machines were waiting for them at the top, each one blue with red highlights, saucer-shaped heads, and skis for feet, but as soon as they found them, Locke stabbed into one, frying its circuits with his electricity as Vyse carved into another with his cutlasses and Cupil crushed the other with his spiked disk form.
Within seconds, all three were ruined and non-functional, and Locke and the others were continuing on their way. And finally, they ducked into a doorway just in time to avoid a searchlight. Locke sighed in relief, walking down the corridor they'd reached and the others followed. At the far end, past a set of double doors, was a large chamber with a rectangular hole in the floor to their left where a lift should be. However, as they walked into the room, the floor began to vibrate as the lift began to rattle up to greet them. Locke swore, yanking his sword from its sheath. If it was Ramirez, they were dead.
The others all followed his lead, readying themselves for battle, and a moment later, their opponent arrived. Thankfully, it wasn't Ramirez. However, instead, it was a massive, metal machine with thick plating, tracks on its underside, and three large barrels extending from its front, two about two fingers in width but the third nearly as wide as Locke's head.
"Oh shit!" Locke swore, diving to the side and tackling Fina out from in front of the thing.
A moment later, the main barrel fired and the wall opposite the thing exploded apart.
"What is that thing!?" Aika shouted as they all scattered.
"Who cares!?" Vyse shouted back. "Let's trash it!"
"Easier said than done!" Locke warned, just as Vyse began to use his Cutlass Fury on the thing from behind.
Except his blades failed to breach the thing's plating, and when the final strike exploded, it merely hurled Vyse himself backward, having barely scorched its plating.
"Shit!" Vyse groaned, pushing himself up. "What the fuck!?"
"I tried to warn you!" Locke shouted over the roar of the two smaller barrels firing a constant stream of bullets. "It's a Dralkor Tank! It's designed to be indestructible against dismounted troops and used in ground wars!"
"What do we do!?" Gilder demanded as Aika cast Pyri on the tank, to no effect.
"I have a couple of ideas!" Locke said, focusing. "For now, just keep it distracted!"
The others all nodded, attacking it in turns, but despite their best efforts, the tank turned on Locke just as a yellow spell circle spread under him.
"Moons, give me strength," Locke chanted. "Electrum!"
He extended his arm and electric, Yellow Magic Energy swarmed from the air to the space just in front of his palm. Then, it erupted outward toward the tank in a dozen bolts of lightning. They slammed into the tank hard, heating the plating in several places until it glowed orange, and as it transferred through the tank's metal and into its drivers' armor, several voices inside the tank screamed in agony. However, a moment later, Fin tackled him aside just before the main gun fired, returning the favor from when he had saved her when it first arrived. Locke narrowed his eyes as Vyse sprinted to the glowing front of the tank and began to use Cutlass Fury again, only for his blades to only barely scratch the softened, heated sections of the metal. Vyse swore, diving out of the way as the tank rolled forward, and Locke narrowed his eyes, sheathing his sword. The tank turned, firing its two machine guns in nearly a full circle before beginning to fire its main gun rapidly. Locke narrowed his eyes. There was no way the entire Grand Fortress didn't hear it. He had to destroy it now.
Finally, it turned on him directly and his rifle snapped up, firing. A single, enormous shot flashed along the gravity trail he had formed for it, passing into the main gun's barrel. A moment later, the tank erupted into a massive explosion, sending all of them crashing into the ruined walls of the room. Locke groaned, pulling a chunk of the tank's plating out of his side just as Fina and Aika both cast Sacrum, fully healing everyone. Locke sighed, standing, and looked around. The room they were in was ruined, but despite the damage, the alarm directly above Locke's head began to shriek at him.
"Oh no!" Aika gasped. "The alarm!"
"This isn't good!" Gilder said. "In a few seconds, this place is going to be crawling with guards!"
"Quick!" a voice Locke could never mistake shouted, barely echoing over the alarm siren. "Get on the lift!"
"Someone is telling us to get on that thing!?" Aika yelped, staring at the heavily damaged lift. "I can't see who it is! Vyse, what should we do!?"
"If we just stand around here, we're gonna get caught anyway!" Vyse yelled over the alarm. "We should take the lift!"
Locke walked over to the lift and smacked it hard with the buttstock of his rifle. The resounding, reverberating hum of the impact was perfectly even, so he nodded in satisfaction and stepped onto the lift. It groaned, then even more so when the others joined him, but it held. A moment later, it began to rise, and Locke stepped back behind the others, to try and hide from the gaze awaiting them at the top of the lift. As the lift rose up to the highest point it was connected to, Prince Enrique stood waiting for them, wearing his silver armor and with his rapier strapped to his side.
"So, you're Vyse?" Enrique asked. "I am Enrique."
"Enrique!?" Gilder yelped. "You're...the Prince of Valua!"
"It's so nice to meet you!" Fina smiled. "Locke's told us a lot about you. He considers you his best friend. Right Locke?"
"Fina..." Locke sighed as Fina, not realizing he was trying to hide, stepped out of the way. Locke's expression filled with shame, and he stared at the floor.
"Did you think I didn't know you were there?" Enrique asked. "Why try to hide? Have I not been your friend for years?"
"You have been, Your Highness, but...I should never have appeared in your sight again," Locke said miserably. "I'm at best a deserter. At worst a traitor."
"You are neither of those," Enrique said. "You have never been a traitor. You left because you believed it the best way to accomplish what I wished for. You have always been loyal to me, and if you had told me you were leaving in person instead of in a note, I'd have told you such."
Locke shook his head. "If I'd tried to tell you in person, I'd never have had the heart to go."
Enrique nodded. "Well, it's a good thing you don't need to worry about that this time. Please, follow me."
"Alright, what's going on?" Aika asked. "Why is the Prince helping us?"
"I told you," Locke smiled, looking infinitely relieved as he followed Enrique. "His Highness opposes Valua's current actions. He believes we can stop Valua."
Fina followed close behind Locke, and Vyse and the others did the same after only a moment of hesitation. Enrique led them quickly through the harbor and to the bridge of a ship that was beautiful and new. Everything had gilded highlights, there was a plush, red carpet with an intricate gold border taking up the middle of the bridge with a map table atop it, and Locke could see a single, long desk with controls for every gun on the ship.
"It's beautiful," Locke smiled, admiring the ship. "You think your mother will mind us hijacking her new flagship?"
"Her new flagship?" Fina asked. "The Queen's?"
"Actually, this ship, the Delphinus, is my own personal flagship," Enrique smiled. It is heavily armored and can still match the top speed of our Cruisers. And it is equipped with a special set of weapons that Belleza recommended. I believe she knew what I had planned, because she had the Delphinus armed with six Torpedo Bays designed to fire two Heavy Torpedoes and four of Valua's standard torpedoes, two separate Magic Cannons, and two of our new Advanced Prototype cannons, which are capable of locking onto and tracking enemy ships on their own. Additionally, we have a total of six ten-inch subcannons with coil-reinforced barrels, allowing them to fire more accurately and faster."
"So, basically, this ship is designed to be unstoppable," Aika summarized.
"Bell knows her stuff," Locke smiled. "The Delphinus is perfect."
"It's a prototype," Enrique explained. "Soon, we will begin building a whole fleet of Delphinus Class Ships. Valua plans to use these ships to take over the world."
"With a whole fleet of ships like this, Valua would easily be able to take over the world," Gilder admitted. "Especially since Nasrad has fallen." But, Your Highness, there's still one thing I don't understand. Why would you help us escape, then take us to the bridge of your flagship? You've gone through a lot of trouble just to show off."
"He's not," Locke said. "We're borrowing this ship."
"That's right," Enrique nodded. "But not just the ship. I want you to take me with it."
"What!?" Vyse yelped.
"Are you sure, Your Highness?" Locke asked. "If you come with us..."
"I know," Enrique nodded. "But you were right in what you said in that letter. My mother has to be stopped. Valua has been taking over other countries by force, destroying their lands, and murdering the innocent. As a Prince of the Valuan Empire, all of the innocent blood spilled by the Armada is on my hands. I've done all I can to convince the Empress, and Galcian, that what Valua is doing is wrong, but I cannot convince them to change their ways. Everything I have tried has failed. I am powerless to stop them. So, I will do things your way, Locke. I will join you in facing Valua and stop my mother."
"Of course you can come with us," Vyse smiled. "But there is one problem. The Blue Rogues don't take hostages. If you want to sail with us, you must do so as a Blue Rogue."
"Thank you!" Enrique smiled. "I will do my part as a member of your crew!"
"Then we should do proper introductions," Vyse smiled, extending his hand. "I'm Vyse of the Blue Rogues."
"It is an honor to be a member of your crew, Vyse," Enrique shook his hand.
"I never would've thought that I'd be riding in the same ship as the Prince of Valua," Aika smiled, but the smile vanished instantly. "But the Crystals are still in the hands of the Valuans."
"Yes, you're right," Fina nodded.
"Well, technically, you are right," Enrique nodded. "I have the Crystals. I stole them before I came to the docs to find you. I was going to destroy them..." he pulled the Red and Green Moon Crystals out of a small sack tied to his sword belt, "but perhaps it would be best if I returned them to you. Please, take them."
"Wow!" Aika gasped. "Enrique, you've done so much for us already! Thank you!"
Locke reached out, accepting the two Crystals, then grunted as the usual tingling feeling spread up his arms and through his body, a shimmering, red and green glow emanating from him. "Shit. Forgot about that." he passed them to Fina, and the tingling feeling and the light slowly faded.
"What was that?" Enrique asked.
"Long story," Locke sighed. "Let's get out of here before Ramirez comes after us."
"Good thinking," Enrique nodded.
"Alright, start the engines!" Vyse instructed Aika. "Let's take the Delphinus and get out of here!"
"But...I don't know how to work this ship," Aika said.
"We'll show you," Locke said, he and Enrique leading her and Fina to the two stations that controlled the engines and guns both. "These dials control forward and backward acceleration. "It takes both to work them, and these control the guns." he gestured at the control boards. "And these keys," he gestured to a key in each control board, "start and stop the engines." He nodded to Enrique, and together, they turned the keys, the Delphinus' engines roaring to life before settling to a deep hum that vibrated the floor slightly.
"Awesome!" Aika grinned. "Everything's controlled from here! That's so useful!"
"Let's go!" Vyse called out. "Delphinus, full speed ahead!"
Aika and Fina gripped the handles for the throttles and shoved them to "full ahead", the Delphinus rapidly accelerating out of the harbor. Vyse yelped in surprise at its speed, and gripped the wheel tightly, grinning.
"This ship's awesome!" Vyse grinned.
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