//------------------------------// // Chapter thirty two, The Grand Dissolution: The Lost Vikings! // Story: Airship Mauled // by Darkonshadows //------------------------------// -Fizzle- Blade Bright left last night and I read her message. It was weird that she wanted to fulfill the prophecy by becoming a star in the sky to aid in Princess Luna’s escape. Was that even an achievable feat? At least I understood her wanting to go after members of GODLESS, felt like doing that myself personally, but I didn’t understand her wanting to become a star. I guess I wouldn’t be seeing her or Sekhet this morning at breakfast. When I got around to sitting down for said morning gathering, I took in all those who were still here. Mom was more depressed today, Snickers kind of looked like she was dying, Bracing was still moping around and Maries was as upset as the rest of us as they were friends with Blade as well. Even Fresh couldn’t bring out her usual morning cheer as the mare she had worked alongside left to go on what we all think is a wild goose chase. We ate breakfast in silence. The only one among us that was satisfied was Sugar, but then again she’s always happy after eating mom’s magical cooking. “We have decided to do what we could never have fathomed doing before!” Flamberge burst into the restaurant looking particularly excited. “It will be the most amazing thing we’ve ever accomplished, even without our brother around to guide us with his eagle eyes and great intellect!” “I am Fortitude the Fantastically Fragrant!” After clearing his throat, Fortitude continued. “I concur with my brother Flamberge, we will attempt to do something that is beyond even our understanding.” I looked to everyone else and they seemed disinterested, at least Snickers was actually eating the food that was placed before her. The turtle needed to keep her strength up, I had hope that she’d tough things out and pull through whatever was wrong with her. Snickers needed to get better, because I didn’t think I could personally. “Okay, I’ll bite. What is it that you two are going to do that is so amazing?” My tone was as bland and horrid as I felt, but I was somewhat interested. “We are going to get horribly lost!” Why did Flamberge sound so happy about it? This makes me want to put my hoof in the dragon’s face. Sure a dragon’s scales could protect them from all kinds of things, but blunt force trauma definitely wasn’t one of them. Pony hooves could hurt dragons if you hit them hard enough. “Any yak would agree with me that the plan needs work, but we aren’t going to sit still and pine away until the Valkyries come.” Even Fortitude seemed cheerful, so what am I missing here? “Plan could eventually succeed though.” I wouldn’t even try to hit Fortitude, he was practically impervious if he had his shield between him and any attack. If it hadn’t been for that magical triceratops, then I wouldn’t have thought that he could even actually bleed at all. I was at least going to mark this up to two more famous Airship Mauled citizens being gone soon. “Really, what’s so great about getting lost?” I just had to ask, hopefully I didn’t regret doing so. Flamberge’s current cheery mood was going to make me hurt him, so he better have a good explanation. “Well, if we get lost enough, then we’ll eventually be wherever we really want to go! Also while we’re traveling we can send people this way to help build Airship Mauled up and start up more businesses!” Okay the first thing was exceedingly stupid, even Flamberge had to hear how stupid it sounded when he said it. The second thing actually sounded like a surprisingly good idea. “I know what you are thinking, that this sounds really stupid! Look at it this way, we can’t let Airship Mauled go into decline like this as it would be stomping all over everything Mayor Kuril has been working so hard for with this town!” “We like it here, we want others to like it too and for there to be a better home for the others to come back to.” That was something I could respect Fortitude. “We do not want to come back to a lonely ghost town, not when said town has world’s greatest witch! One that makes great food.” A smile tugged at Kuril’s lips, but it just didn’t quite become one. “How do you two plan to get lost exactly?” My lack of excitement didn’t seem to deter them in the slightest, like nothing could deter Fortitude’s particular fragrance. Mom seemed to have some interest in our conversation now, but she went back to eating silently. “I am knowing ancient legend we might be able to use to find Jade.” Okay Fortitude, my interest just shot up a couple of notches. “If she is not among the living when we find her, then yak will carry her body back to hold a great feast and honorable burial for the departed. Hopefully spirit can pass on, given that it hasn’t already is troubling when she is welcome in Yakhalla and many other realms of the dead.” “Tell me more information about this legend.” My attention was piqued by quite a bit. “There is a powerful Viking artifact that can take up to five beings to anywhere that exists.” What was the drawback to that Fortitude, I may just come along with you two just for that feature alone. My more cynical side reared up as I thought of something. “Well then, what’s the catch?” Something like this always had one and I wasn’t willing to go if the catch was bad enough. “You would have mentioned this much sooner if there weren’t any.” “There are actually several of those!” Flamberge blurted out. I glared at him, causing him shy away from me. “First, one must act as needed at the location wherever you appear at, otherwise artifact will likely never take you anywhere else.” Act as needed? What did that mean Fortitude? “Like I could end up right next to Jade, but I would be tasked with killing her or something?” I wouldn’t like using any cursed artifacts that had an effect like that. “Nothing so bad, the artifact is not evil. It does require you to go on quests wherever you end up though, you’ll usually know what it is shortly after arrival. Sometimes quest is short, sometimes it is a really big important thing that must be done.” That was a little more understandable Fortitude. “At least artifact works very fast, can go anywhere from here to other side of planet in five seconds.” “Flamberge said there were multiple drawbacks, so I guess being forced into quests like a nonstop marathon of Ogres and Oubliettes games isn’t the only thing it does.” That could get annoying real fast, but it seems like something that would be within the wheelhouse of these two. “Yes, I did say that! Another drawback is one must have good heart, clear mind or at least above decent morals… or else artifact attempts to end you by taking you to places so dangerous you would not survive a single minute!” Thanks for putting the image of the Sieve Precarious in my head Flamberge, like I needed to remember that that had happened. “Basically you need to have a positive heroic outlook on life to even use it!” “It’s not the Sieve Precarious is it?” Asking just for clarification. If it was, then I knew they’d have to get some aqua lung powers from Kuril. She wasn’t likely in the mood to give them the ability of permanent water breathing right now, given she just lost one of her employees. “No, Viking artifact is very different. Biggest problem of artifact is getting to where you want to go.” Didn’t you just say it could get you anywhere that exists Fortitude? “So there’s a steering issue?” I tilted my head while questioning this and quirking an eye. “Not so much, the artifact steers itself just fine.” One of the few times Flamberge wasn’t loud, then again he hasn’t talked much over the last three months. The one positive thing to come from of all this. “It’s just that it doesn’t take you where you want to go, it only takes you where you need to be! Ties into the whole quest thing really.” “Is it random in what it chooses when it considers where you need to be?” It sounded to me like something Jade would have loved to use at least once or twice. “It depends on those who are using it. If you are needed, it will take you and any companions to where you all are needing to be the most.” Thank you Fortitude, I certainly wasn’t going to go with you two after all. “Did I stutter when I said it is not of evil? It tends to lead to good outcomes for others and sometimes even the users… like fabled Good Fortune Garnet. Only the luck from it requires one to do what is right, many yaks knows that is not always being easy!” I think this was the most I’ve ever talked to Fortitude or Flamberge. “Yeah, that doesn’t sound very ideal or even appealing to me, but if you can make it work...” I trailed off and looked to them. “Just… don’t get in over your heads. Generic would be sad if something happened to you two. If he and Jacky can make their relationship, then that means you’ll unfortunately be brothers to me as well.” “You need not worry about Fortitude.” He thumped his chest with a loud smack. “For I am a mighty yak!” “And I am a powerful dragon!” Flamberge followed up by doing the same action, which somehow incidentally set him on fire when his fist created some sparks from hitting his chest. “Take it outside Flamberge.” Mom said in a tired tone. “Fresh, be a dear and get the door for him before he lights up the entire restaurant. I’ve already lost enough as it is this week and I don’t want to lose my home on top of everything else.” Our friends and family left to do a number of things mom, even I too might soon leave. I would at least ask Maries to stay here with you, my mother. I had a lot of soul searching to do because I haven’t been feeling special at all lately and it was hard to not feel an icy cold empty pit in my chest where my heart should be. We both watched as the blazing inferno got up and walked out the door, being entirely careful as to not set anything on fire. Fresh closed the door behind Flamberge and went to sit down. “We will be trying hard to help those in need, until Jade or her body needs us more than anyone else!” At least Fortitude and Flamberge were optimistic about leaving to go on endless adventures to possibly several lifetimes. “With us spreading word of Airship Mauled. Those who are needing a home, might find it here. May our town eventually be filled with joy once more!” “I think I’ll actually miss you Fortitude, what I won’t miss is your smell though.” I would at least attempt to give them both a friendly hug before they set out. “Of course, for I am ‘Fortitude the Fantastically Fragrant’ after all!” The large guy then got up and made his way out the door. A guy whose smell could even permeate through tomato sauce, even skunks couldn’t match the strength of that kind of stench that corrupted soap the second it touched him. “Where’s the assassin?” Bracing finally noticed someone missing, she obviously hadn’t noticed mom’s even more depressed state today. “She left to go do something very important.” Mom stated flatly as she glanced at Bracing. “Important… her! I think you’d be much safer without her around.” That was the wrong thing to say, because mom instantly chucked a vial at her forehead. Mom looked quite angry with bracing when she did this. The shattering of glass and magic reacting to said vial busting rang loudly throughout the restaurant. Within a second… Bracing had croaked. A second later she croaked loudly again. I just stared at the brown frog that looked as horribly surprised as the rest of us that mom finally managed to finally turn something into a frog. “I now know what I was missing… I wish I didn’t.” Mom’s ears were wilting and a few tears dropped onto the table. “It’s kind of sad what it takes for a witch to turn someone into a frog. This is definitely one of the things that Jaded couldn’t have possibly already known about. I guess I’m a true witch now…” Already known about? Well I guess it was common knowledge that witches could turn other beings into frogs or at least that’s what happens in stories. “What does it take Kuril?” Why did you ask that Fresh Start?! Mom really doesn’t look to happy at the moment, especially when we both know she’s hurting. “Constant depression, sadness and plenty of ugly emotions I wished I didn’t currently have at this very moment. Good witches aren’t very common it seems and I’m very sorry I did that Ms. Knight, it’ll wear off eventually… hopefully. Excuse me everyone.” Quietly, mom stood up and walked towards the stairs. Catching up to her, Sugar chittered sadly and rubbed up against her robes gently. Mom crouched and rubbed Sugar’s head gently before continuing on up the stairs. Maries came over to me, they cuddled up against me and pulled me into a tight hug. I hadn’t even notice when I started crying or even became slightly afraid of mom. -Fresh Start- Being a maid, waitress and assistant to the mayor of Airship Mauled was getting harder. It wasn’t long before Fortitude and Flamberge left, it was before the sun came up the next day. Eventually we’d start getting customers from many strange places and walks of life. Even a few wild animals came in and paid for a meal, who was I to turn them away? They were paying customers all the same. So many strangers started coming here to Airship Mauled with news of Flamberge and Fortitude’s adventures. Some of the tales I heard seemed so tall, others sounded so simple, but one thing was common among them all. The two Viking were quite lost, directionless in knowing where to go in life now. Despite that, they were regaled as heroes who tirelessly traveled around the world searching for what they wanted to do the most… bring a kitten back home to her mother in any capacity. The one thing that was a common consensus among those who came to Airship Mauled was this, they weren’t ever going to find what they wanted to achieve the most. That they were always going to be what everyone else needed more. Every situation that they faced that needed their skills, we’d soon hear about it here by travelers that would come all the way from around the planet just to tell us how they were doing. There was a particularly handsome male Longma that had caught my fancy. I heard news of a cow and reindeer tearing up a city fighting one another and a highly vaunted Longma warrior, somehow Jacky became involved there too. It was hard to keep the adventures of 'The Lost Vikings' in chronological order.