The Great Eagle slammed into Aetheria's central plaza with a force that shook the very foundations, leaving a trail of debris and crystal sparks in its wake. The dust had barely settled when the sounds of shells and screaming erupted from every side. The cries Miron had heard from above weren't just noise; it was a brutal war. The floating city was tearing itself apart in a fierce civil war between two factions: one clad in golden armor, the other in copper masks.
Pecos (crawling out from amidst the bird's ruffled feathers, his face smeared with ash):
"Tell me... where have we landed, friends? I see fire, I hear screaming, and I smell gunpowder... Ortinus, tell me this is a nightmare and we're about to wake up!"
Ortinus (leaping off the bird's back, sword in hand, his eyes scanning the perimeter with cold, leadership-like precision):
"Get up, Pecos! No time for wailing. The city is in a state of total war. Nerar! Darius! Are you alright?"
The response didn't come immediately; instead, a muffled groan followed. Nerar was lying on his side, pressing his hand against his right eye, which was bleeding profusely due to a crystal shard that struck him during the crash.
Romelius (rushing toward Nerar and quickly opening his medical bag):
"Nerar! Don't move your hand! Ortinus, he's been hit in the eye; the shard is deep. I need a safe place immediately—I can't clean this wound amidst this rain of shells!"
Ortinus (pointing toward a massive stone building that appeared to be a supply warehouse):
"There! That warehouse looks fortified. Darius, Miron, carry Nerar! Pecos, drag the injured bird with us; he can't fly, but he can walk!"
They burst into the warehouse and slammed the heavy wooden doors shut behind them. Inside, the air was thick with the scent of oil and old iron. They laid Nerar on a long wooden table as Romelius began preparing his surgical tools.
Romelius (whispering to Nerar as he poured a disinfectant liquid):
"This is going to hurt, my friend. Hold on; don't let the pain conquer you."
Nerar (screaming in agony, then gritting his teeth):
"Curse them... I didn't see the shell coming... my eye... will I lose it, Romelius?"
Darius (slamming his fist against the wall in a towering rage):
"I'll make them pay! These scum fighting above the clouds... I'll go out there and show the sniper who did this the meaning of real marksmanship!"
Old Nikos (grabbing his son's shoulder with unexpected strength):
"Calm down, Darius! Anger is a treacherous companion in moments like these. Look at Nerar; he needs your stability, not your recklessness. If you go out now, you'll find nothing but death, and you won't be of any use to your friend."
Darius (his eyes bloodshot):
"But Father, look at him! Nerar was always our guide, and now he's suffering because of a war we have no stake in!"
While everyone was occupied with Nerar, Miron stood at a crack in the door, watching the explosions outside with strange eyes, as if the echoes of war were stirring something in his troubled mind.
Miron (in a haunting whisper):
"I hear their cries... what are these two factions fighting for? I want to know the victor; I want to see the end of this tragedy!"
Ortinus (grabbing Miron by the collar and shaking him hard):
"Snap out of it, Miron! You aren't on an expedition. We are in a trap. Listen to me, all of you: we are not getting involved in this war. Our goal is to fix the bird's wing, treat Nerar, and get out of here as fast as possible."
Pecos (sitting in a corner, hugging his knees to his chest and trembling):
"Get out? How do we get out? The city is flying, the bird is bleeding, Nerar has lost his eye, and the people outside are beheading each other! Ortinus, we are doomed... I'll confess now: I stole an extra piece of cheese from Nerar's bag last month, and now I'm being punished for it!"
Darius (shouting at Pecos):
"Stop the nonsense about cheese! We are in a catastrophe and you're thinking about your stomach!"
Pecos (exploding in a nervous breakdown):
"And what do you want me to do? Be brave like you and die? I'm scared! I'm just a cook, not a hero in your legends!"
Ortinus (in a thundering voice that silenced everyone):
"Enough! Pecos, go help Romelius boil water—make yourself useful. Darius, watch the back entrance and don't fire a single arrow unless I command it. Miron, if you go near that door again, I'll tie you up. We are one team, and we will leave this place as one team."
Romelius began the delicate task of extracting the shard from Nerar's eye. The silence inside the warehouse was heavy, broken only by the explosions outside and Pecos's muffled sobbing.
Romelius: "Hold him down firmly! Now!"
Nerar let out a scream that tore at their hearts, while the blue bird tried to rise on its broken wing, as if sensing its master's agony.
Nikos: "Remember, Darius... revenge is like drinking poison and expecting your enemy to die. Focus on survival."
As Ortinus kept watch, he spotted a squad of those in copper masks through the window, heading toward the warehouse carrying torches and explosive charges.
Ortinus (in a sharp whisper):
"Darius... Miron... get ready. The guests are coming, and it seems they don't want to ask for permission to enter."