The heavy wooden door splintered under the force of axe blows, and warriors wearing copper masks stormed into the warehouse, led by a young man whose armor was scarred from battle. Arrows and swords were aimed at the companions' chests in a breath-holding moment, while Ortinus stood tall, his sword sheathed in a way that suggested confidence rather than a threat.
The Revolutionary Leader (in a rasping voice):
"Strangers? Where did you come from? Are you spies for the Vuanck family? Answer before I turn your body into a sieve of arrows!"
Ortinus (in a calm, steady voice that filled the room):
"Lower your weapon, Commander. We are not spies, nor are we interested in your crowns. We are travelers who fell here against our will because of your indiscriminate fire. Look at this man (pointing to Nerar); he is bleeding because of a war he did not choose. We are looking for an exit, not an office."
The Commander lowered his weapon slowly after seeing Nerar's condition and Ortinus's commanding presence, signaling his men to step back.
The Revolutionary Leader (sighing wearily):
"My apologies, stranger. In Aetheria, if you are not of the Vuanck bloodline, you are an enemy by default. My name is Kayan, and we are fighting to reclaim our humanity."
Miron (stepping forward with a curiosity tinged with caution):
"The Vuanck family? I've heard that name in ancient manuscripts. Why does the King hate you so? And why this brutal war?"
Kayan sat on a wooden crate and began to tell a story dripping with bitterness, while Romelius silently bandaged Nerar's eye.
Kayan:
"Centuries ago, Aetheria was an oasis for explorers and scientists. But the founding father of this family, Vuanck the First, discovered something in the depths of the city that should never have been touched: 'The Black Heart Stone.' It is a dark crystal that does not belong to this world. It grants its wielder the power to manipulate gravity and a prolonged life, but it feeds on the energy of the place."
Old Nikos: "The Black Heart? That explains why the city is still flying after all these years."
Kayan (bitterly):
"Yes, but the price is us. The Vuanck family believes that only their bloodline deserves to live in luxury, while we are treated as fuel for the city. They confiscated our rights and turned the lower levels into factories to produce energy for the Stone. They want eternal rule, and we just want to see the earth again."
Pecos (in a shaky voice):
"A black stone? Eternal rule? Guys, Ajax is down below and Vuanck is up here... is this world a factory for producing tyrants?"
Darius (peering through a crack):
"So you are trying to destroy this stone?"
Kayan: "We are trying to reach it, but the Royal Palace is protected by the power of the Stone itself. If Aetheria falls, Vuanck falls, but we might fall with it."
Suddenly, the ground shook with unprecedented violence. Everyone heard a sharp whistling sound followed by an explosion that rocked the warehouse's foundations. The walls began to crack, and stones tumbled from the ceiling.
Ortinus (shouting): "Get down! The warehouse is collapsing!"
The back wall of the warehouse exploded completely, hit by a heavy royal shell. Black smoke filled their lungs, and tongues of flame began to consume the wood and oil.
Kayan: "They've spotted our location! Follow me! There is a secret supply tunnel that leads to the back plaza!"
Darius and Miron carried the wounded Nerar with difficulty as everyone ran behind Kayan through the rubble and fire. Outside, the plaza where they had crashed had turned into a burning crater.
Ortinus stopped suddenly, his eyes widening in shock.
Ortinus: "The bird! Where is the blue bird?!"
The companions looked around in panic. The plaza was empty of the Great Eagle. Only a few blue feathers remained scattered over the stones, along with large drag marks indicating that a massive creature had been forcibly pulled from the site.
Pecos (screaming in despair):
"No... don't tell me they kidnapped our only means of transport! How are we going to get off this flying city now?!"
Nerar (in a weak voice, clearly in pain):
"They took him... they took our only ally..."
Ortinus (drawing his sword, his eyes burning with a desire to fight):
"If Vuanck has taken our bird, we will take him back from inside his palace. Kayan, lead us to the palace... it seems your war has become ours now."