"Anomaly detected on the starboard side!"
The alarm shout from the spirit master jolted the Pardera skyship into action. Within seconds, armored warriors surged onto the deck, forming disciplined defensive lines with their weapons drawn.
Vice Commander Feil stepped forward, her cloak whipping in the high-altitude winds. The commander's battle instincts sharpened as she scanned the turbulent skies.
A strange object emerged from the clouds—a large cube of polished metal and earth, swiftly closing the distance.
"Prepare for battle!" she barked.
But before her order was carried out, a voice echoed from within the cube. Familiar.
"Vice Commander Feil—wait! Do not attack. It's me."
The metal flying box shifted position, gliding smoothly beside the Pardera warship. With a mechanical hum, one of its panels slid open, revealing Emery standing at the edge. Behind him stood thirty-two weary survivors—men and women scarred by battle, yet still holding themselves with quiet resolve.
