Excalibur

82. A Sister's Responsibility

Teaser: The knights discuss plans with the royal family, but a startling announcement interrupts them.

"How did this airship even appear if there was no one driving it?" Yuqi asked, sitting in one of the chairs behind the copilot seat while Chinmae flew it. Her hands were bound, so she couldn't do anything.

Plus, Excalibur's shield was on both of them, as well as the entire ship so it couldn't be attacked. She wouldn't be able lay a finger on him anyway.

"It was on autopilot for my escape. This will work perfectly actually. You're probably the most capable one to be a captain."

Yuqi rolled her eyes in complete annoyance, but noticed Chinmae's hands shaking while he controlled the ship. Immediately, she knew.

Excalibur was exhausting him.

Having the shield on the entire ship would be too draining for anyone.

Not long after, Chinmae sighed, and the yellow particles in the air disappeared. The shield was off. Even so, her hands were still tightly bound with some thick wire, and no matter how much she tried, she couldn't get them free.

There went her hope of attacking him once the shield was off.

He turned around like he was trying to listen to something, and Yuqi cocked her head. "What is it?"

"Beeping." His eyes widened when he realized what it was.

Before Yuqi could even process what he said, the floor of the ship exploded, and she took the opportunity to jump out and get away. Once she saw how high up they were though, she regretted it immediately.

"No!" She yelled, trying to free her hands, anything. The tops of the trees were getting closer. A lot closer. They were coming faster. Faster.

Just as she braced for impact, she felt a body around hers and they swung down below the treeline to the ground. The fall was still fast though, and they both landed harshly.

"Are you okay?" Yeosang asked, groaning while sitting up.

"Yeah..." he helped her do the same. "Thank you."

"Don't worry about it. You saved my ass back there. Consider this my thanks. Also, you're my friend, and I don't want you to die." Yuqi just laughed softly and Yeosang looked up above the trees. "I can't see him. Let's get out of here before he can cause any more damage with Excalibur."

They were just leaving Excalibur in the enemy's hand? Yuqi also looked up to see the smoke from the ship while Yeosang pulled her onto his back and used his gear to get them away. What if Chinmae got knocked out from the ship crashing? They could have just taken Excalibur.

"We should go back to get it. The shield might be off of him."

"No. He put the shield back on after you jumped off. I saw it. He's still okay, and I'm not gonna go back and have you get abducted again. Or me. Or Ares. We're just gonna have to hope that it's okay and nothing else happens today."

She nodded and tightened her body around his waist. Excalibur was taken. That fact alone was terrifying. But that, on top of the fact that Bucheon would have the upper hand in a battle right now?

It took a while to get back, and it made Yuqi's eyes widen when she realized how far Yeosang went to reach her.

"Commanders," a guard in front of the safe room bowed. "We're glad you're okay." He turned around to unlock the door and they both walked in, immediately being bombarded with hugs from Heejin and Jaemin.

Without wasting a second though, Yeosang walked over to Heiran and got on one knee in front of her. "They have Excalibur," he spoke, staring down at the floor. "If they come back, there will be no weapon inside the castle."