Chapter Forty-Three - The Silver Boot

Chapter Forty-Three - The Silver Boot

With all the warnings I had received about the docks I had kind of built a mental image of what the place would look like. There would be rough people on every corner and graffiti all over, and some people peddling drugs and stuff out of long trench coats.

Instead the docks were merely a very busy place. Hundreds of people moving about between wagons and carts. Formations of guards stomped across the middle of the road with plenty of space around them and the only groups I saw waiting on the corners of streets were grenoils and some humans with signs saying they were looking for work.

The place even smelled a bit better than the rest of the city, maybe because the road ended with a railing overlooking a huge cliff and that meant that there was a constant wind blowing past to take any smells away.

With Gabriel at the front, we had no trouble cutting through the crowd. People seemed to just get out of his way, and when he did deviate from his straight path it was always to avoid a wagon that would have blocked our path in a few steps.

So cool, I said as I looked to my right where a huge zeppelin-like ship was coming into dock. It was the size of a modern jet. One big balloon with some green banners on its side and a bunch of ship-like parts protruding out of the bottom. I could see people running around inside through small portholes.

There seemed to be two kinds of airships. Big blimp-y ones. Basically large balloons with some engines sticking out of them. And airships that looked like sea-going ships but with a whole lot of crystal bits jutting out of the hull and big engines that spewed blue-grey smoke out of big pipes.

Stop staring like a country bumpkin, Amaryllis said. Were getting close. If you fall behind Im not coming back to fetch you.

Oh, right! I said as I snapped back to attention. It didnt last very long, my eyes kept darting around to take everything in.

The docks were built on a few levels, with a wooden pier one level up that shook and thundered with the footsteps of the people moving about and another level below ours that stuck out of the cliff face and stretched out into long piers that ships were docking at.

Zats our ride, Gabriel called out as he pointed down one pier.

The ship docked there was one of the smaller airships around, maybe thirty meters long. It was one of those strange hybrid sorts with sails folded by its sides and a large engine sitting in its middle. Two huge propellers stuck out of the back, spinning idly in the breeze.

The crew crawling over the rigging and running across the deck all wore deep blue shirts and, wonder of wonders, were nearly all human--save for a few grenoil.

Hoh there! a man called as he stepped across the gangplank leading to the ship without so much as a glance at the fall below. Are you the group from the Exploration Guild? he asked.

Yeah, we are, Gabriel said. Youre Isaac?

That I am, the man said. He doffed his big tricorn hat and placed it over his chest as he gave our group an extravagant bow.

I couldnt resist, even if it was a little bit rude...

A proud Sky Captain, level ?.

Is that your ship? I asked, pointing to the vessel next to us that was gently bobbing in the air. Its gorgeous.

The captain, Isaac, rose up and stared at me. Um, he said.

The Silver Boot, a Mattergrove airskiff captained by Isaac Pinewood, well-maintained.

It is, yes, the captain said, his chest puffing out a little. Shes been with me for some years now. The sleekest skiff east of the Seven Peaks. Weve fought through storms and flew out of the grasp of air pirates on more than one occasion together, and shes never once failed me.

Amaryllis looked down again. What?

I think its because cleaning magic is close to holy? Or maybe it has some sort of purifying effect? Im not sure, but Im positive Ill find out if I read enough about magic. I looked up a big grin. Youre a mage, right? You must be super good at magic stuff?

The harpy crossed her arms (or were they wings?) over her chest. Of course Im good. I went to the greatest academies in the Nesting Kingdom. I certainly know more about magic than some peasant like you.

Neat, I said. Maybe Ill know something you dont, and we can trade lessons later. Id love to learn more about magic and how it all works. The skiff shuddered and I felt it starting to move underfoot. Were taking off! I said as I dropped my book to my side and rushed to the porthole.

The docks were slowly receding as we moved backwards out of the port, the propellers behind the ship whirling like mad to pull us away. Then we slowed to a stop and the entire ship shifted so that its front was pointing to the sky.

Whoa, I said as we shot forwards. I had to hold onto the walls to stop myself from falling. The city outside of the window flew past. Not at the kinds of speeds a plane back home could reach, but still plenty fast, and we were far closer to the city than any plane would dare fly over back home.

After a moment, the skiff stabilized and its flight became a little more even. Thats when someone knocked at our door.

Cmong kiddies, Gabriels gruff voice called out. Get to ze galley. Weve got missions to talk about and I want to get it over wiz before I drown my sorrows.

Is he the one that smelled like alcohol? Amaryllis asked.

I nodded, then because she couldnt see me, answered aloud. He is. Its really not a good example to set. Still, I trust that the guild wouldnt send someone too bad to accompany us.

Amaryllis landed on the ground next to me. I hope youre right, she said.

I tucked away my book which had slid across the floor, then followed Amaryllis out into the corridor and to the front (bow?) of the ship. The area was little more than a very basic kitchen with a desk and a few chairs, all firmly bolted to the floor. Gabriel was at the head of the table, two stacks of paper before him with a knife through each to prevent them from moving.

The twins had beaten us to the mess and were already sitting down.

Hello again, I said as I sat between Gabriel and Amaryllis.

Hrm, Gabriel said. He pulled a flask from his belt and took a swig. Alright tadpoles, let ze old man chat for a bit, and zen you can run off to do whatever.

He tapped one of the folders before him. I was mildly surprised to see paper being used for such frivolous stuff, I thought it was more valuable, but maybe there was some sort of paper-making magic out there? Or a paper dungeon with paper drops?

Zis is an easy one. Even you brats ought to be able to pull it off. Twins, zere has been a shift in ze magical ley lines. Can either of you sense mana well enough to track ze source down?

I can do zat, Florien said.

Good, zen do it, Gabriel said as he removed the knife holding one file in place and slid it to the twins. As for you two. Zere is an old fort, made when we zought zere would be war with ze Trentans. Its been decommissioned and left to rot. Check it out, map ze roads around it.

He pulled the second knife out of the table and handed me the file.

Now Im going to go get very drunk. Dont bozer me.