Masters of the Sky

Chapter 2 Percy

Celia was supposed to get back to the Chief to report after her mission, but she decided to make a detour. She strolled through a murky dark tunnel along the old and rusted cart tracks, ignoring the stench of mould and stale water. Though much unpleasant, the place was brimming with life. People ran through the old mine tunnels, departing for or returning from scavenging or smuggling missions.

The mines used to be heavily exploited as the deep belly of the mountain was a rich source of red crystals. Once their various properties were discovered, those geodes revolutionised the industry, pushing the technology ahead in a decade. But such rapid advancement came with a cost. The environment started degrading, but it didn't stop people who always wanted more. More power, more new machines and more riches.

Luckily, the crystal deposits were not endless, and once the source diminished, the mines were abandoned and deemed no longer useful. And that's why this place made a perfect hideout for a criminal cartel.

Celia entered a vast cavern that currently served as an inn—empty kegs replaced tables, and one could make a chair from whatever piece of junk they could find as plenty of abandoned mining equipment was lying around. There was no bar here, but on one side of the cave stood crates with various bottles: wines, beers, rum, whiskey, whatever the scavengers managed to acquire this week.

When she passed under the light of a slowly swinging oil lamp, a couple of people raised their bottles and shouted greetings and invitations, but she only smiled and waved them off. Celia had no time for an idle party, though the rum bottle seemed pretty tempting compared to what she was about to start.

Celia touched a solid shape in the little sack at her belt. Once things were put in motion, there would be no turning back. Her plan was dangerous, heck, even reckless, but she could no longer stand the pitiful existence that her life had become. She left the populated caverns and turned her steps towards the more secluded area of the mines.

The merriment sounds behind her faded as the tunnel slowly crept upwards. When her breath became slightly faster, and the sweat pearled her brow, her ears detected a much more appreciated noise─low hum of the steam engines at work and the clank of tinkering. Celia smiled as she felt her mood picking up right away. It always happened when she came here because it was her happy place.

The tunnel slowly became less dark, and the first shy light beams illuminated the stony path. Once the pathway turned into a huge open cavern, Celia had to squint her eyes to let them adjust to the sudden brightness. She blinked fast a couple of times and focused on her favourite sight in the world. 

The airship sat atop the raised platform, allowing the engineers easy access to every part of the vessel. Celia sighed, contented. She was a wreck when her team salvaged her a few years ago. Everyone told her restoring such a huge ship that failed to fly and crashed in the past was a fool's errand. But Celia knew better. The moment her eyes set on that ship, she was in love. She was the one─the airship that would take Celia to the sky and change the world.

She rushed down the metal platform leading to the ship, admiring the vessel. It was a marvellous combination of wood and steel, the main ship's body looked like a classic sailing ship, but it was attached to not one but two colossal metal-reinforced balloons that were supposed to keep it in the air. The stern was enriched by two giant propellers connected to a steam engine hidden in the belly of the ship. Celia could also spot a few brand-new cannons that weren't there yesterday.

The part of the ship that caught the eye the most was a figurehead on the bow. The artist who sculpted it was generous in the chest and relatively frugal for a dress, making most sailors love her. But for Celia, the most crucial part of the sculpture was her beautiful face, showing determination and readiness to overcome anything thrown her way. Figure's right arm was raised as if she was signalling a massive cannon above her to fire upon her enemies.