They flew above the buildings of the Academy, far into the sky beneath the clouds.
"We can’t move faster than this for now. The formation in the Academy is restrictive even now. It’s locked on me. Any funny mistake and it will turn on us," Miret said.
He wasn’t at the ’pilot’ seat to drive. He went around the place collecting cups and bottles that he offered them before pouring them drinks.
"Once we move out of the Academy’s area, I’ll increase in speed," Miret said.
There was a projection in the middle of the room, cut into different sections where those inside could see those outside well enough.
It showed the ground below and the buildings.
"This is a really big Academy," Julius said after some time.
They all held the glass and the drink they had been offered without drinking.
Severin nodded in satisfaction when none in his team drank it. He didn’t trust Miret enough for that.
"You won’t know it’s this big when you look at it from ground level," Celia added. "And we have not even headed towards the Field Zone."
"That place... that Field Zone actually cuts across another region..."
They began to chat, speaking softly as they kept their eyes on the projection.
Severin added his own now and then, but he wasn’t really relaxed. Until they reached Isolde Dusk, he wouldn’t be able to relax fully, and that was mainly because of the fact that Darius Faulkner wasn’t used to losing and letting go of things once he got his hands on them.
’..that bastard did as if he already accepted his loss but I don’t trust him one bit...’
Just as he thought of that, a howl cut through the air, and even though they were in the flying ship and there was a noise-canceling rune, they still heard it like a piercing sword inside.
Their conversation was cut short, and they all turned to the projection where a dot was flying at the ship with incredible speed.
"What the fuck is that?" Severin muttered, his eyes flickering to the owner of the ship who appeared unbothered.
Everyone sat up and stared at the projection as the dot became bigger and clearer by the second. Before long, they finally saw that it was a person.
A woman dressed in tight leather with a half mask covering her face. Her hair was carefully tied together at the back. And as she sped towards them, she didn’t stop at all.
Miret smiled. "What do you think? With the Academy’s restrictions, I can’t fight her, but she can fight my ship and fell us from the sky."
"If I fight her, then the Academy formation will clamp down on us like a warhammer. It’s a win-win for them."
The room stirred, and everyone looked at the woman that had now become very visible. She slowed as she got to the ship, and then she raised her two hands.
Howling wind blades erupted out like bullets, each the size of a long sword as they filled the air.
Miret smiled. "That’s what they think. But they don’t know that I’m actually someone that doesn’t like following the rules. They’re too tedious."
"Hold tight, kids."
Just as the wind blades were about to hit the ship, a shield of hard blue light formed around the ship.
Bang!
The wind exploded against the ship with a clashing sound. The surface of the shield rippled, but nothing happened to it.
Severin watched the projection.
Immediately the woman had sent her first attack, she had begun to prepare another one. Above her right hand boiled a fog of black wind that twisted and turned.
And the sky around them began to turn the same angry black.
The ship suddenly emitted a flash of light, and a spear rod flew out in a blur. The woman easily dodged, and the spear whistled past.
The woman gave the ship a nasty grin, the look on her face as dark as the heavy winds that surrounded the ship. She shouted something, but they couldn’t hear because of all the shouting.
The flying ship responded in kind.
The front of the ship lit up in a reddish glow that brightened into a full glare in three seconds.
And then, without hesitation, the ship fired the attack.
Bang!
The red light slashed forward, sending a blast of shockwave spreading.
The woman’s face widened, and she quickly made a shield of solid air in front of herself. The attack slammed into the shield so hard there was a big crack, like a mirror breaking, but she still managed to hold on.
The next moment though, her head suddenly exploded as a bloodied spear passed through where her head was.
Miret snorted. "A simple tactic of distraction."
The woman’s body fell to the ground immediately, her blood scattering like rain.
The spear returned to the ship, and Miret told them, "Brace yourselves. I’m going all out."
The space shuddered around them, and a high whining sound rose into the air. Red and orange light appeared around the ship, and above and around them, chains began to drop.
The ship shuddered as the Academy’s formation added more pressure.
But Miret didn’t seem that concerned as the ship blazed to life and then shot forward with explosive speed before the first chain even touched the ship.
They flew with blinding speed.
What Miret said about his ship was true.
It was fast.
The projection turned into a blur as they sped through.
But still, the Academy’s formation locked down around them, turning each place they passed through into orange light of twisting chains.
It simply couldn’t keep up with their speed.
And then, before anything over the top happened, they had already shot away from the Academy’s territory.
Severin breathed a subtle sigh of relief.
For the moment, he had escaped the territory where one of his enemies had strong influence.
At least for now, he was free.
The mood in the room improved quickly, and everyone sighed.
Serena shook her head. "That was really dangerous."