Shockwaves crashed against the hull of the Azure Wing as Captain Esvit ordered the crew to advance. Ahead, several other skyships had emerged from their hiding places in the mountains and were now cutting across the plains, remaining close to the ground. But they couldn't escape the Risen dragon's attention. Its jaws stretched wide, and dark magic gathered in its maw. With a roar that shook the heavens, it shot a beam of pure black light at a small ship just over the city wall.
A brilliant green sphere sprang up around the skyship just in time. The beam struck it hard, triggering an explosion of fetid light that consumed the ship entirely. My heart skipped a beat as I watched, gripping my staff tightly. The ship burst through the cloud, its shields cracked but holding, and I let out a heavy breath. Thank the gods that had been Selena's ship. None of the other strike forces had powerful enough spells to withstand a technique like that, let alone the mana to sustain them.
