Chapter 61: Sharing Beers
The driver gave a sharp whistle and lightly flicked the whip against the corrupted phoenix’s neck.
The massive, crimson-feathered beast responded with a shrill chirp that echoed through the sky. Its enormous wings spread wide—nearly blotting out the sun—and with a powerful flap, it launched itself into the air, lifting the carriage high above the ground.
It was the first time Zane had ever experienced true flight. Shelby, on the other hand, was no stranger to soaring through the skies. He had flown in helicopters, cargo planes, and even stealth gliders during missions back on Earth—but flying on the back of a living, corrupted magical beast? That was new.
Inside the carriage, they stood near the thick, reinforced glass windows and watched the world shrink beneath them.
Galbaza Town became a patchwork of rooftops and streets. The green of the countryside stretched like a painter’s canvas, veins of dusty roads coiling through the vast landscape, rivers glinting like silver threads in the morning sun.
"Wow," Zane whispered in awe. "So this is what it feels like to fly."
"You call this flying?" Shelby scoffed. "Laughable. Come on, I’ll show you what real flying feels like."
Zane blinked. "Huh?"
Without another word, Shelby walked to the metallic door at the rear of the carriage. For most, opening the tightly sealed mechanical door would have been impossible midair. But Shelby casually twisted the reinforced handle, disengaging multiple locks with a sequence of practiced movements.
Erlin raised her voice from her seat, warning, "Whatever you’re planning, stop. Now."
Neither of them listened.