The Dusk Guard Saga: Beyond the Borderlands

by Viking ZX

Chapter 9 - Does It Really Count as Theft?

“All right,” Blade said as she lowered her body down atop the cold, mossy ground. She didn’t look at it. Her eyes fixed on the distant shipyard. “We’re here.” She twisted one foreleg back, opening her saddlebags and unclipping the binoculars. “Now we wait.”

She brought the binoculars around and up in front of her eyes, peering through them at the distant shipyard and picking out the ballista emplacements along the roofline. She could see several groups of ponies hard at work on the weapons already, carting long, heavy bolts down the walkway that had been built across the roof towards the front of the structure.

“What do we have?” Hain asked by her side, his voice low.

“About the same number of pirates we had yesterday,” she said, panning the glasses over the walkway and picking out the more obvious tattooed ponies. “Looks like eight or nine of them … Wait … A new group just came up the back. Make that twelve. Intermixed with civilians moving the crossbow bolts.”

“What about unicorns?”

“I spot … two,” she said, adjusting the focus. “Both initiates, one at each weapon.”

“Are they working?”

“No,” she said, shaking her head. “They’re just watching.”

“I never fought a magic user before,” Alchemy said from somewhere behind her. He was probably still putting on the harness they’d rigged for him the night before, though if he was, at least he was keeping it fairly quiet. Not that there was much chance of them being heard this far out. Even so, it never hurt to take precautions. As long as he kept his movement below the curve of the hill, they’d probably be just fine.

“Don’t worry about the initiates,” she said, dropping the glasses and giving herself a full view of the scene once more. “They’re up by the ballistas. Your job is to clear the walkway and keep any reinforcements from making it to Hain and I. We’ll deal with the magic users.”

“Well, try not to get hit,” Alchemy said, a faint grunt punctuating his words alongside the slight hum of rope sliding across rope. “That potion I had you drink this morning might not react well to the influx of magic.”

She froze, catching her wings just before they flared outward. “You didn’t tell me that,” she said, turning and looking down the hill at the earth pony. The rope harness was twisted around his body, only halfway on. “Exactly what do you mean by ‘it might not react well?’”

“What?” Alchemy looked confused for a moment and then he shook his head. “No, no, no. That’s not what I meant. It’ll just ruin the data, that’s all.”

“Then you probably should have waited until after we freed the Arrow, grabbed our gear, and got out of here,” she said, turning her attention back towards the shipyard. She lifted the glasses once more. “Even with Frost’s ship, it’s going to be a three day trip to get to Teardrop.”

“But the potion takes a full day just to set,” Alchemy said, his voice rising a little. “The longer I wait, the less time I have to … to … crud.” There was a faint thump behind her, followed by the snapping of brittle undergrowth as someone began to roll down the hill.

“Hain, you want to—?”

“On it,” the older griffon said. The moss shifted as he slid away, moving down the hill toward wherever Alchemy had ended up. “What about those ballistas?”

Her view blurred again as she adjusted the binoculars, zooming in on the two heavy ballista emplacements. “They’re not any model I recognize,” she said as behind her she heard Hain help Alchemy up. “They look similar to a Model B Autoloader though.”

“What’s that mean?” Alchemy asked, his voice ending on a quick burst alongside the tightening zip of rope.

“It means that the bolts are loaded automatically once the cord’s latched itself to the catch,” Hain said. “It reduces the firing time. Also, it means Blade and I won’t have worry about reloading the darn things. What about bolt types?” The question was directed at her.

“It’s hard to tell from here,” she said, lowering the binoculars and shaking her head. “No, make that impossible to tell. We’ll stick with Plan A.”

She shifted her attention to the frigates, still anchored on the ice a little ways up the bay. Looks like half of them are just barely waking up, she thought as she watched the groggy-looking pirates stumble about. That’s good news for us. Grogginess meant a lack of discipline, maybe even boredom. The less responsive the frigates were, the better chance their plan would have of working.

There was a rustling sound beside her as both Hain and Alchemy both slid into position. “We’re ready,” Hain said. “Any sign of Frost or Barnabas?”

She swept her glasses over towards the town and lumber mill. “No,” she said, giving the place a slow, long-distance once over before adjusting the lenses and pulling her view in closer. “It doesn’t look like they’ve broken the tree line yet.”

“Any sign of the cultists?” Alchemy asked.

“Yeah,” she said as she spotted two more unicorns standing in the middle of the lumber yard. “Two initiates in the lumber yard, just watching everybody work.” She shifted the lenses. “And it looks like another initiate coming down the main road of the town, headed for the lumber yard. Probably going to switch off or—” A movement at the edge of the town caught her eye, and she shifted the glasses just in time to see a pale-blue figure land on the roof of the outermost building.

“There’s Frost,” she said, lowering the glasses and looking to her right. Hain had already acted, wrapping his talons around the rope loop attached to Alchemy’s harness. Her own loop was lying in front of her, and she wrapped her talons around it before lifting the glasses once more. “As soon as she moves, we go. Ready?” She focused the lenses as she watched Frost’s pale form move across the rooftops.

“Ready,” Hain said.

“To be honest? Kind of.” Alchemy said. “I’ve never actually been the one starting the fight, you know?”

Blade lowered the glasses for a moment and turned, her eyes locking with his. “Don’t worry about it,” she said with a grin. “If worst comes to worse, just remember two things.”

“What?” Alchemy asked.

“One: Every one of these guys we’re about to fight is a total tool,” she said, turning her attention back towards the town. “And two?” She grinned as she stowed her binoculars in her bags. “This is going to be fun.”

Frost narrowed her eyes as another gap appeared between the rooftops, and she increased her speed, pushing herself forward and over the gap in a single, bounding leap. The opposing roof let out a hollow thump as she landed on it, the cloth wraps around her hooves not nearly enough to muffle the impact of her landing.

It didn’t matter. By the time anyone inside the house came out to look, she would already be gone.

She moved across the town, wind picking at her coat as she headed for the lumberyard on the far side. The cold bit at her body, but she didn’t mind. She’d long since stopped caring about the coolness of the weather. It was just part of life on the Ocean. And besides, her magic kept things cold enough.

There. The lumberyard was only a few houses away now, separated from the town by a low, wooden wall that at her current height did little to prevent her from seeing what lay throughout most of the lot. What she couldn’t see was the stuff nestled right up near the edge she was closest to. Everything else, on the other hoof, was easily visible.

Perfect. She lit her horn, magic coursing through her as she lifted her bow from her back, bent the wood back, and set the string in place. She could already make out the two ponies standing in the middle of the lumber yard, and though she wasn’t close enough to make out the expressions on their faces, she already knew what they would be. The smug, condescending looks of murderers, looking down on everypony else nearby. Eyeing the workers to decide who they could push around, who they could hurt.

Who they could kill.

Today, that decision is mine, she thought, the corner of her mouth lifting up in a faint smile. She slowed her pace. She was only a few buildings away from the edge of the lumberyard now. She needed to be a bit more stealthy, or she’d blow her chance at an early strike.

She crouched, dropping her pale body low against the tiled rooftops, crawling forward with her bow floating right behind her in a soft, purple aura. She had to hand it to Blade. The griffon at least had the intelligence to see that her best position for the mission was doing exactly what she’d told her she was there for: killing cultists.

Still, Barnabas and I could have done this on our own, she thought as she slithered down into a low point between two rooftops, stretching her body across the small gap in-between the structures. The thought bounced in her head for a moment before being discarded, swept away like refuse onto the surface of the ice. No, this is better, she thought as she pulled herself up over the next peak. Almost there. Barnabas gets his money, and you both get to finally give everyone the little push they need to wipe out the cult for good.

The thought made her smile a little more. The end of the cult. Everything she’d ever wanted, to watch Lord Sagis kick and struggle as the life left his body, along with that of every member of his putrid Order. He didn’t even have to endure a painful, long death—she was a hunter, not a sadist. Watching him suffer wasn’t important. Making sure he was dead was. And as long as that happened ...

She was coming up on the last rooftop now. It would be the perfect place to make her stand. She glanced up at the massive backside of the docks, the gargantuan wooden structure towering over her and obscuring her view of the horizon. Somewhere behind her, Barnabas had probably reached the storerooms, raiding the town’s supply for the spare barrels of oil they’d need for the plan. Still, it couldn’t hurt to give him an extra few seconds to get into position. After all, the less time it took him to make his way from the town to the frame of the giant ship being built inside the shipyard, the better.

She gave him two ten-counts, more than enough time to have found what he needed, and then pushed herself up the last rooftop. She reached the peak, her eyes locking on the two initiates standing in the middle of the lumber yard, watching the work that was going on around them. Ponies, diamond dogs, and even a few minotaurs passed by the pair, giving them a wide berth as they lugged stacks of cut planks across the yard. Some of them were being stacked at the far end of the lot, but most of them were being taken right into the docks.

She rose, her magic whipping her bow to her side and pulling back the string even as she focused a second spell. An arrow of pure ice—simple, straightforward, and deadly—formed as she utilized her talent, notching itself in place as it coalesced from the air. It took only a moment to adjust her aim and then she let the arrow fly with a soft twang, sending it streaking across the lot.

The first initiate was dead before he’d even had time to realize what had happened. His head snapped back, the tail end of her arrow protruding from his eye, his body collapsing beneath him. The second let out a yell of surprise, his horn lighting as he turned in her direction and began searching for his unseen assailant. He had just enough time for his eyes to lock on her position before her second arrow caught him in the throat, sending him stumbling backwards. His cry tapered off in a red gurgle as two more arrows caught him in the throat.

She dove to her side, jumping down from her vantage point as a bolt of grey energy cut through the air where she’d stood moments ago, peeling back the roofing tiles and cracking the wood. Too predictable, she thought as she whipped her bow around, letting loose another arrow in the direction the attack had come from. The surprised initiate dove out of the way slightly too late, the arrow catching her in the hind leg and sending her tumbling to the ground. She let out a scream of pain even as she fired another grey beam in Frost’s direction.

Impressive for an initiate, Frost thought as she ducked behind the side of the building, bits of wood flying past her as the initiate’s bolt struck the structure. Most of them lose focus after a hit like that. Maybe they’re getting tougher. She formed another arrow, taking special care with the head to give it a little extra modification, and then notched it to her bow. At least they were still predictable enough that they were going on the attack immediately instead of throwing up barriers.

She ducked her head around the wall only to snatch it back as the initiate fired another blast, a hissing shriek echoing through the air as more of the building was eaten away. Ponies were yelling now, screaming in panic. Barnabas had probably made his move.

She pointed her bow around the corner and fired blindly. There was another shriek as the initiate fired her magic at it—followed by a loud pop as the arrowhead exploded, the enchanted ice breaking apart and sending dozens of razor-sharp shards in all directions. There was a startled yelp from around the corner, then a yell.

“She’s here! The betrayer is h—!” The mare’s yells cut off as Frost sent three rapid shots right into her chest, three red welts spreading across her robes as the arrows punctured her lungs. The mare fell back, her eyes going wide as Frost walked along the side of the building towards her, another arrow already notched in case there was still a little fight left.

But no, she was done. The mare’s grey magic winked out, her body shivering even as the arrow Frost had put in her leg slid free, its head having melted enough that it could no longer hold itself in place. The cold would do the rest of her work now, if her arrows didn’t. Unicorns experiencing shock often had trouble using their magic. But just in case … Frost gave the mare’s head a swift kick as she passed, her hoof connecting with the base of the mare’s horn and eliciting a faint cry of pain. So much for your magic.

“There!” she whipped her bow up, firing on instinct at the shout from further inside the town. Two pirates dove to the side, her quick shot passing above them and then bouncing off of a shimmering blue shield. Inside it were two more unicorns, one with a red band around the base of her horn. The chosen.

“Get her!” the chosen called, her voice echoing down the street over the nearby yells. The initiate, still safe beneath the chosen’s shield, stepped forward and fired, a series of fireballs streaking forth from his horn.

Amateurs, Frost thought, throwing herself to one side as the angry bolts of red-hot flame hissed by overhead. She stayed in motion, readying her next arrow on the move as more fireballs flew at her. Her only options were to dodge or find cover that the pair of cultists couldn’t quickly dismantle. Or go on the offensive.

She fired again, this time adjusting the spell inside her arrow. The senior of the cultists laughed as the projectile cracked harmlessly against the barrier, only for her mirth to cut off abruptly as ice billowed out across the shield from the point of impact, spreading across the surface. There was a frustrated yell from behind the icy wall, and then the barrier burst outward, scattering in all directions as the chosen dropped her shield and pushed the ice away.

Perfect, Frost thought as one of the chunks of ice passed within inches of hitting her. She unloaded three rapid shots, firing as quickly as she could sight and draw. Two of the arrows found their mark in the initiate’s side, sending him stumbling back, while the third took the chosen in the shoulder, twisting her grey robes as it continued onward. The mare fell back, a grimace of pain on her face.

Excellent. She made her way up the street, firing as she walked. Another arrow took the initiate in the chest, knocking him back. A second lodged itself in the chosen’s shoulder, the blue light around her horn winking out as the pain overwhelmed her concentration.

The two pirates rose from the ground, both letting loose wild yells as they rushed at her, makeshift axes held high. She put an arrow into each of their hearts without even breaking her stride, both ponies tumbling to a stop without even reaching her. From overhead came another cry, a shadow moving across the ground, and she twisted, another shot arcing into the sun and punching through the attacking pegasus’s wing. He spiraled out of control, slamming into a nearby roof with a loud bang.

Something flew at her as she turned back, and she jerked her body to one side, wincing as a knife left a long, bloody trail along her flank. She whipped her bow up, deflecting the second knife the chosen had thrown at her and then firing another arrow into the mare’s back. Ice billowed out from it, growing across the unicorn’s back and shoulders and eliciting a curse.

The chosen didn’t give up. As she approached her the mare threw herself forward, ignoring the weight of the ice on her back as she slashed at Frost’s face with another blade, her horn lighting once more.

She didn’t get the chance to strike again. Frost whipped her bow across the mare’s face, snapping her head to one side. The chosen collapsed on the ground, her breath coming in heavy, beleaguered gasps. Frost bent down and grabbed the mare’s horn with her hoof, yanking her head up.

“Were you part of the Purge?” she asked, staring into the chosen’s blue eyes. “Were you in Greyhost?” The mare spat at her, blood mixed with saliva hitting Frost’s cheek with a wet smack.

“It doesn’t matter,” the mare said. “You think you’re making a difference, betrayer, but it doesn’t matter. Soon none of this will. Our king will return, and then—” Her words cut out as Frost yanked an arrow across the mare’s throat.

“Interesting,” Frost said as she rose. Their king … Yells and shouts were still coming from all around her, but most of it seemed to be from the panicked citizenry, thought she could make out a few of the familiar shouts of “Burn!” coming from the Bloodhooves. Over the din she could just make out the distant cry of her brother, shouting for the workers to rally.

She turned and began to gallop down the street towards the shipyard, another arrow forming alongside her bow. The cultists were dead. Now came the second part of her job. It was time to get her ship back.

“Sun above!” Alchemy yelled as they arced through the air.

“What?” Blade asked, looking down at the dull-orange earth pony hanging suspended between her and Hain. “Afraid of heights?”

“No,” he said, shaking his head, the motion sending tremors up the loop she was clutching in her talons. “Frost just took out all of those cultists.”

“Of course she did,” Hain said. “She’s a very dangerous—and in my opinion, broken—individual. I don’t think she truly enjoys it, but she certainly has nothing against ending the life of anyone in the Order.”

“How come?” Alchemy called.

“Ask her,” Hain said. “Or better yet, ask her brother. He’s less likely to get angry at you over it.”

“But for now stop thinking about it!” Blade said as the shipyard rooftop drew close. “Keep your mind on the mission.” She could see ponies pointing in their direction, though most of them were shielding their eyes with their hooves, since she and Hain were flying with the rising sun at their backs. No one was moving to engage them yet, but soon enough the shock of their brazen maneuver would break. “Dropping in ten. Hain?”

She glanced over in Hain’s direction and saw the old griffon draw his knife. She flexed her own talons, pulling the tip of one claw up next to her own loop. The shipyard roof rushed up at them as they began their descent, just as they’d planned. “Five … four … three … two … one … drop!”

Her talon cut cleanly through the rope, Hain’s knife slicing through his own at the same time, and below them Alchemy dropped, his body twisting and falling the thirty feet down towards the roof as the carefully-made harness came apart.

They were overhead and then past his point of impact before he even hit, but she turned and took a quick look behind her as Alchemy slammed down against the roof, landing on all fours. It was clear that the pirates weren’t expecting anyone to be able to move, much less fight after such a drop, and their cries of surprise split the air as Alchemy dove forward, his hooves lashing out as he attacked.

Good job, kid, she thought as she gave herself a little altitude. Up ahead she could see the pirates around the emplacements reacting to their sudden appearance. Several pegasi were lifting into the air, spreading their wings and taking flight towards her and Hain despite the fact that behind them their own allies were readying what little ranged weaponry they had.

Well, she thought as she tucked her wings close and went into a sharp dive, talons out and wind screaming across her feathers. At least I won’t have to complain that this was too hard.

She changed targets at the last moment, snapping one wing out and adjusting her trajectory, streaking over the already braced and forwardmost pegasus to slam into his rearward compatriot. Her talons lashed out, the long claws cutting through feathers and slicing through skin with equal measure as they collided. The force of the mid-air impact was almost enough to knock the wind out of her. It did knock the wind out of her opponent, and she kicked him away, launching herself towards another surprised looking pirate even as her last target collided with the leader of the group she’d dodged around.

“You guys are really cut-rate,” she said as she brought her elbow down onto her target’s nose. “I mean, you’re not even trying.” She kicked out with her hind leg, catching the pirate right in a particularly vulgar tattoo stitched across his gut. “I mean, if this is the best you can do …” She kicked down, hard, the pegasus dropping from the air and hitting the shipyard roof headfirst with a heavy crack. “You guys might as well give up already!”

A crossbow bolt shot upwards at her, fired by a diamond dog standing near the ballista emplacement. She darted to one side and then tucked her wings tight against her sides, dropping like a stone as several more bolts flew her way. Her muscles burned as she snapped her wings wide once more, launching herself down the walkway like a runaway rocket. One of the ponies who’d fired at her locked eyes with her, his jaw dropping in surprise, and then she barreled over him, transferring her momentum into a crushing body blow that launched him backward and over the edge of the platform. His scream echoed faintly through the air as he fell off the front end of the shipyard.

“All right, boys,” Blade said, rising up on her rear legs and spreading her wings as she gestured with her talons towards the remaining pirates. “Who wants some?”

The diamond dog who had fired at her was the first to act, lifting her weapon and trying to squeeze off one last shot. Blade didn’t give her the time, snapping her wings back and launching herself forward. The crossbow misfired as Blade’s outstretched talons sliced through the string, the bolt ricocheting off of the roof as she slammed the dog’s hand down. Then it was all close quarters fighting, both her front talons lashing out and leaving short, concise trails down the diamond dog’s gem-studded vest.

The dog roared in rage, pushing forward with her own fists and then pulling a knife from somewhere around her belt. Blade stepped back as her eyes caught sight of an oncoming earth pony rushing at her side and swept her right wing around, cutting off the pony’s point of view and making him stumble towards the diamond dog. The dog let out a howl, shoved her ally aside … and Blade took advantage of the distraction to jump forward, both talons coming down full force on the dog’s shoulders, her talons cutting deep into the flesh as her wings and rear legs lashed out again and again. The dog stumbled back, lashing out with her knife even as Blade released her grip and jumped backwards. She felt the knife tear at her side, pain erupting near her midsection. She almost stumbled as she landed on her hind legs, but she couldn’t pause to take a look at her wound. Another pirate was already rushing at her, a nail-encrusted club held tightly in his jaws.

She lifted into the air, flipping backwards and kicking off the pony’s clumsy swing with her hind legs as he passed beneath her. Out of the corner of her eye she spotted Hain, engaged against his own opponents on the other emplacement platform, his knife flashing in the early morning sun as he took on several pirates at once.

She completed her flip, her hind legs resting on the back of the pony with the club, and kicked once more, sending him crashing into the rail. There’s still one more pony, she thought as she moved towards the diamond dog once more. Plus that initiate is around here some—

A burst of fire flared through the air towards her and she ducked, rolling her body and slamming into the wooden platform. The diamond dog let out a howl of agony, and she looked up just in time to see the knife clatter to the ground, forgotten as her opponent frantically batted against the flames that had engulfed her head.

So much for friendly fire concerns, Blade thought as she spotted the initiate stepping around the side of the ballista’s access walkway, his horn glowing a bright green. Great teamwork, guys. She shoved herself up as another burst of flame rocketed towards her, leaving a blackened scorch mark along the wood.

I can’t let her hit the ballista, she thought, ducking around a second blast. She rolled with the dive, taking advantage of the diamond dog’s distraction to swing her elbow into the dog’s scorched temple and dropping her in an unconscious heap. But I need to get close enough to take that initiate out!

The final pirate seemed wary to rush at her after seeing what had happened to his teammate, a fact which suited her just fine. She rolled again as another blast of flame rushed towards her, this one coming close enough to singe her feathers.

She’s getting better, she thought as she dodged again. If I don’t find a way to—aaaiaiiigggh! Her last thought broke free of her beak as the initiate found her mark, the flames sweeping across her body. She slammed into the wooden railing, steam and smoke rising from her body as the pain faded, her head clearing just in time to see a second rush of fire sweep over her, burning at her eyes and feathers. It was gone in and instant, and she let out a gasp as she sucked for air, looking down at her smoking feathers, many of which were charred and burnt. Her entire body felt tender, like she’d sat far too close to a fire for far too long.

This doesn’t make any sense, she thought as she looked down at herself. I felt that heat, I should be far more burnt than this!

There was a chuckle from the ballista, and she looked up at the initiate as he lit his horn once more. “You’re tough, for an inferior species,” he said, a grim smile on his face. “But you’re not a match for magic.” Again the flames swept over her, longer than either of the previous blasts, but something felt … different. They didn’t burn nearly as much as they had before. In fact, they felt  almost … soothing. She opened her eyes.

Her jaw dropped. The fire around her was pulling into her body, condensing into narrow points and sucking into her body like water down a drain. And with it, she felt … something, she wasn’t quite sure what it was. A heat, burning within her chest, a relentless energy that was pounding through her body, rushing burning inside of her like a raging storm. The wave of fire from the initiates horn vanished, the unicorn looking down at her with a stunned, almost horrified look.

“I … what … that’s not … you should be ...”

She could feel the fire raging inside of her now, searching for an outlet even as its energy poured through her. She looked up at the stammering initiate, grinning as she tensed her muscles for a leap, the flame echoing through each and every one of them.

“Yeah, you know what?” she asked, her voice freezing the stunned unicorn in his tracks. “I don’t get it either.”

She leapt, her body flying forward as she let out a deafening shriek. She could feel the energy burning through her, shooting free of her chest and making its way down her forelegs, and then her talons were wreathed in fire, flame rippling around them as she descended on the terrified initiate with glee. He let out one final, defiant burst of flame, flame that rolled over her like warm water, and then she was on top of him, her flaming talons lashing out and carving burning wounds into the initiate’s body. He screamed as his robes caught fire, stumbling backwards towards the edge of the platform, and then he was gone, dropping over the side.

For a moment she stood there, looking down at her flaming claws as she felt the energy fade, and then she turned her focus towards the last pirate, who was staring at her with a dumbfounded look of shock on his face. For a moment their eyes met, and then with a scream, he too turned and jumped off the edge of the shipyard.

The last of the burning energy within her vanished, her claws going out, and she let out a laugh of disbelief as she stared at the blackened, scorched marks she’d left in the wood. I have no idea what just happened. She thought as she looked down at her talons. But it was awesome.

A shooting pain in her side reminded her of her injury, and she glanced down to check at it. The diamond dog’s knife had sliced right through her coat, but the cloth had taken the majority of the damage, leaving a thin but painful cauterized line along her side. She wasn’t sure if the cauterization had come from the initiate’s attacks or her own … well, whatever it was.

She glanced over at Hain’s platform just in time to see Alchemy help him make short work of the remaining defender. She gave him a nod as he glanced in her direction, and then she jumped towards the ballista controls, wrapping her talons around the two wheels that rotated and aimed the massive device.

They spun easily, bringing the heavy ballista around as she lined up the targeting sights on the bay. The two pirate frigates were already in motion, sailing towards them as their crews hurried to ready their own weapons. She grinned as she began cranking the wheel that wound back the mighty arm, the creak of wood echoing around her as the ballista readied itself. Below, the frigates were picking up speed. They were counting on being able to get close before her team could do enough damage with the ballistas to stop them.

That was fair. So was she.

The ballista reached its maximum tension with a heavy thump, the reloading mechanism shoving one of the bolts into place as the cord, thicker than her foreleg, vibrated with barely contained energy. She glanced over at Hain and Alchemy’s emplacement. “You ready?”

“Ready!” he called. The wheels spun smoothly as she aligned her target, bringing the crosshairs to rest on the left of the two frigates.

“Fire!”

The crack of the cord shooting by overhead was matched only by the kick of the ballista as the bolt blasted free, tearing through the air like a divine thunderbolt. Down below, pirates screamed as the massive bolt slammed into their rigging, cutting through cloth and cable and sending sailcloth and lines crashing to the deck. The frigate shuddered, twisting above the ice, but then continued onward, coasting forward under its own momentum. Nearby, the second frigate was stuck in the same situation, its sails also damaged by a similar impact.

It wasn’t enough. She wound the ballista back, the gears turning smoothly as another bolt dropped into place. The emplacement shook again as she fired once more, the bolt ripping through rigging and rocking the frigate. There was no way they could turn now, not without sticking boards out along the side of the ship and dragging them along the ice. And now, if Barnabas had done his job …

A dull rumble rolled through the shipyard, the building shaking beneath her as something massive began to move. She jumped free of the ballista’s controls, standing right up against the railing and looking down at the rapidly oncoming frigates with a grin on her face. They were close enough now that there could be chance they could hear her.

“Hey ice suckers!” she called, cupping her talons around her beak as the rumble underfoot grew in intensity. Several of the pirates looked up, close enough now that she could just barely make out the looks of surprise, horror, and shock on their faces as they stared at the shipyard. “This one’s all yours!”

With a titanic crash that shook the entire shipyard, the flaming framework of the dreadnought the pirates had been constructing burst through the shipyard doors, its titanic momentum barely slowed by the flimsy barriers. Panic broke out among the pirate crews as their eyes locked on the massive, burning monstrosity gliding across the ice towards them, ponies and minotaurs running in every direction as the unstoppable, blazing hulk slid straight towards them. Blade couldn’t help but smile in satisfaction as the two frigates, no longer able to adjust their course, sailed directly into the oncoming inferno. The two ships were no match for the leviathan, their hulls splintering as the giant frame ground over them. The sound of screams and shattering wood filled the air, followed by a thunderous boom as one of the frigate’s powder supplies ignited, blasting the ship apart. The second detonated moments later, damaging the lift plates of the larger ship as it did and sending a large chunk of it crashing into the ice.

Down below, in the wake of the massive hulk’s passing, a narrow, dart-like vessel skimmed out over the ice, its sails at half-mast but already sending the lightweight vessel skipping forward at high speed. Blade jumped, spreading her wings as Hain did the same from the other platform, Alchemy riding atop his back as he too glided down towards Frost’s ship.

They landed on the back of the boat as it slid around the burning remains of the pirate force. The sails extended to full as soon as her feet touched the deck, folding outward from the mast like petals around a flower, and the Arrow jerked beneath her as it picked up speed.

A strange rushing sound met her ears, and she turned to see the dockworkers lined up at the edge of the shipyard … cheering.

“Now that feels good,” she said as Hain and Alchemy stepped up alongside her, looking back at the already shrinking shipyard. “We got to kick butt, take out a couple of baddies, blow up a couple of boats, and they’re cheering for us because of it. Not a bad day’s work.”

“Well, also, we freed them,” Hain said. “Plus now they’ll have some defensive weapons in case someone tries to take the place again. Their neutrality is over, but so’s their inability to defend themselves.”

“Yeah,” Blade said as the Arrow picked up speed, moving out of the bay. “All in all, I think that went pretty well. Now all we need to do is pick up what we left on the Manticore, and we can head for Teardrop.”

“Well,” Alchemy said, resting a hoof on her shoulder. “We’ll do that, but right now, before we get there, you need to get that side looked at. And I want you to guzzle another potion.”

“You’re kidding right?” she asked as Hain shook his head and stepped away, heading inside.

“No, I’m totally not,” Alchemy said as he watched Hain leave. Then he paused, waiting until the door to the interior of the ship had shut. “Hain might not have noticed what happened with the fire, Blade, but I did.”

“I don’t know how that happened,” she said, shaking her head.

“Neither do I,” Alchemy said, his expression stern. “But I’m not stopping until I do. The last thing I think you want is for something that good to turn out dangerous.”

For a moment she was tempted to argue, but then she shook her head. “You’re right,” she admitted. “Fine. I’ll take another potion.”

“Good,” Alchemy said, before pausing, a confused look on his face. “Though it’ll have to wait until we get our gear. The only potion I have on me is my own, and that won’t work. We can still look at your side though, so let’s get you—”

“Ship ahoy!”

“What?” Blade looked up at Barnabas as he stuck his head out of the door to the upper level. “Ship?”

“Yeah,” Barnabas said, pointing out at a distant dot on the Ocean. “Hain says it’s an old friend of yours.”

“He—hold on.” She pulled her binoculars free of their casing, ignoring the soot crusted along the top, and held them to her face. There was a familiar looking red figure standing on the prow of the oncoming frigate, one arm in a white plaster cast.

“Well, well, well,” she said as she lowered the binoculars. “Ennuis caught up to us at last.” She glanced upward. “He can’t catch us, can he?”

“Are you kidding?” Barnabas laughed. “They don’t have a chance.”

“Well hang on,” Blade said, grinning as an idea began to form in her mind. “Let’s not leave him eating slipstream just yet. I’ve got this idea …”

The frigate was almost on them as they finished transferring the last of the gear they’d left behind on the Manticore over to the Arrow. Blade slapped the side and pushed the vessels apart, watching as the Arrow began to glide away.

All right, Ennuis, she thought as she spread her wings and flew up to the Manticore’s bridge. If you want your ship back, you’ll have to catch it. The autopilot was already set, and they’d already pulled the ice-anchor. She slapped the sail release, gears clicking as the ship went to full sail in a matter of moments. Beneath her she could feel it picking up speed as the heavy winds pushed it forward.

“Time to go,” she said, throwing the back door open and spreading her wings. The frigate was almost in range, and she couldn’t help but tease it by getting a little close before darting off towards the Arrow, which was waiting just outside the frigate’s range.

She didn’t have long to wait. It only took Ennuis a matter of moments to realize where his ship was heading. The crunch as it grounded itself against the beach, its hull warping and cracking, was outdone only by the howl of horror that echoed across the groaning ocean ice.

“All right, Frost,” Blade said with a grin as she listened to the distant minotaur’s cursing screams. “Full speed. We’ve got some griffons to talk to.”

That goal still didn’t keep her or Alchemy from standing on the back deck until they could no longer hear Ennuis’s ranting curses. However, within minutes the Arrow left him behind, and Blade let out a relieved sigh as she walked inside and sank down on one of the ship’s couches.

It had been a good day.