Chapter 234: The Ruby’s Revenge
Irwin stood at the prow, steam roiling behind him and fanning out. It was already covering the back of the ship, and with every second, it spread out further and further.
Ahead of him, a wall of ships was closing in. Some were leaning against each other, looking more like flying wrecks than ships capable of crossing the Portal Gallery. Others stood a few dozen feet apart. They were aligned bow to stern, three or four enough to block the corridor in the width, depending on the ship's size. Eight uneven rows stacked together left only a few small openings, none large enough for a ship to pass through.
Although many of the sails were broken, enough remained workable to create a constant thin ripple of soulforce to expand from them.
A hundred feet before the makeshift flying wall stood a small fort of wood made from broken ships. Hundreds of tiny heat signatures were milling about while ripples of soulforce told Irwin they were actively using skills. A single, sturdy-looking tower was built in the center, reminding him of the town Doomblade had built. Four ships hung near it while a few more hovered a few feet above the ground.
"If a surge of Addled makes their way here, they are going to get wiped out," Rindiri shouted.
In the center of the blockade, one of the ships suddenly jerked forward, picking up a little speed and angling sideways. It made a sharp turn, and Irwin saw a familiar figure stand on the upper deck. Although he couldn't see it, he figured Greldo was laughing as he pointed the ship toward the wooden fort below. As soon as the ship was heading almost straight down, Greldo's figure vanished, and Irwin quickly found him on another ship.
Time to get going, he thought as he turned and ran up the ladder to the upper deck.
"Hide inside," he said as he took over the wheel. "Stay together with Zender and Earila. I don't think any Nyzir are going to make it inside, but you never know."
"I'll be fine," Rindiri said, running to the ladder. When she reached the end, she looked back at Irwin. "Be careful out here, Captain."
"I will," Irwin said.
Rindiri nodded, then dropped along the ladder and sprinted to the cabin, disappearing inside.
Alone on the deck, Irwin forced his soulcard to work overtime. A faint mist spread out ahead and around him while the thicker steam was trailing behind them like a massive plume. It cost a lot of energy to move it forward and around the ship, but he had plenty. Within ten seconds, the ship was surrounded by a thick steam that felt pleasantly warm against his skin. The mist further out was rapidly compressing together, turning into more steam, and the sounds that had been coming from the fort turned muted.