Meeting on the Airship

Cro and Ui entered the airship’s door and walked down the stairs. It was a large, modern-looking wooden boat for the most part, with a few windows here and there to provide light, and to Ui, a spectacular view of the sky worth pausing for.

She wasn’t walking without difficulty; she limped her way holding on to whatever wall or rail was around. Meeting Cro again had made her forget her pain for a moment, and she was trying to hide it, but her injuries were still there.

“What happened?” Cro asked.

“I…” Ui limped her way for a couple more steps, trying to pretend she was fine, but ultimately failing at it. “I had a tiny little argument, that’s all.” She beamed a smile at Cro whose face was unchanged.

He shook his head as he scooped Ui up with his arms and walked down a small flight of stairs, and into another door.

“Ah!” A familiar voice welcomed them inside the dimly lit room. “If it’s not my favorite—former—Royal Singer.”

Through the voice and the faint lights Ui could make out the speaker. “Miront…” she said, with no excitement in her voice. Cro placed her in the middle of the room, next to a pale-faced Yula, struggling with the flying conditions. “Are you alright?” Ui asked her.

“It’s fine I just…”

“Trust me, I hate flying too.” Ui tried to smile to reassure her, but Yula was a bit too affected by her first flight. Ui looked around what looked like the captain’s quarters. In the room there were a handful of former Royal Mages, and Cro took a spot next to them. Prishu was there too, and she smiled and waved at Ui when their eyes met. It was a familiar sight that filled her with comfort, despite the situation. “To what do I owe the pleasure, Miront,” said Ui dryly.

“We went through a lot to find you. You always have to keep moving, don’t you?” Miront smiled at Ui. “How about saving an imprisoned Duke, or former Duke?”

Ui looked away. “What do you think I can do?”

“Well. You could put the Royal Mage headquarters to sleep, then we can just walk in and grab him.” Miront seemed extremely casual about the whole situation. “Doesn’t that sound easy? Otherwise, it could be… messy.”

Ui understood her role and responsibility, even if she didn’t want more of them. She looked around. None of the Royal Mages present seemed surprised by Miront’s reveal of her powers, and all of their eyes were fixed on her. “It doesn’t seem like I have a choice.”

“I’m glad we understand each other. We really don’t have a choice. We’ll go as soon as you’re well enough for your songmagic.” Miront pointed at Ui. Her awkward stance likely revealed to him that she was not in a good state. Miront dropped his smile. “Every day that goes by… we risk him being shipped to the mainland, or hurt.”

Ui, who didn’t seem too excited about the prospect of helping Miront, felt a lot more compelled when she imagined Duke Bourin being harmed, especially if she could do something about it. But she knew the consequences and limitations of her powers, so she stood there, hesitating, as the weight of the eyes of the whole room looked at her for an answer. The expectations reminded her even more of her own injuries…

She saw Yula take a firm step forward among the intermittent lights. “I’ll do it.” The whole room shifted their attention towards Yula.

Ui couldn’t let her do that. “No you won’t!”

Yula ignored her. “Uisempuli’s songmagic is too unstable for a city with that many people. It would be irresponsible for her to attempt it, especially in this… state.” Yula looked at Ui, fully determined.

But Ui’s expression didn’t budge. “I should do it Yula, the more people that sleep the easier it will be—”

“And what if your song affects the wrong people?”

Ui was shaken for a few moments, remembering the effects her songs had already had on the people of the island, but then addressed Yula firmly. “This is my responsibility and my city, Yula, not yours.”

Yula was visibly and rapidly upset by Ui’s attitude. “Tell me Ui. Tell me when I’ve ever deserved responsibility in your eyes. Tell me!” Yula’s shouting drowned out every sound from the airship and from that barely lit room, and everyone remained silent for a few seconds. Ui looked around, and even Miront seemed surprised by Yula’s words. When Yula spoke again, she was calm and confident. “You’ve never done songmagic of this scale in the capital, right? You have no idea what could happen.”

Ui noticed the eyes of the room were all back on her. Yula was right. She did not know what could happen, and she had avoided songmagic inside Aure her whole life; there was no way of knowing what could happen in the crowded capital. Ui responded with a hesitant nod.

“Is this right, Ui?” Miront asked, intrigued.

“She’s right she’s…” Ui didn’t know if the words pained her, or if her injuries were too intense to ignore in that situation. But then she looked at Yula, standing confidently in that half-lit room. Seeing her defying a large group of Royal Mages she never met and showing no weakness towards Miront filled Ui with admiration, and her pain was lifted for a moment. “She’s studied songmagic her whole life. She knows more about it. I… trust her.”

“Uisempuli might be the most powerful, but for something like this, you can trust me.” Yula’s determination was felt by the whole room.

Miront looked at her and seemed deep in thought about the words of the two Udari in front of him. “And why would you want to help us Umans with our problems?”

“Because Uisempuli thinks I can trust you.” Yula’s determined face grew sadder. “And because I don’t want her to risk everything for others’ sake.”

The room grew silent as the honest feelings of the Udari pair reached everyone in the room, radiating emotion onto the faces of once silent bystanders.

A Uman on the side decided to intervene. “Uh…” It was Prishu. “If she knows more about songmagic than Ui, why is Ui the stronger songmage?” Ui couldn’t hide a small smile directed towards Prishu.

Miront brought his palm to his face for a few seconds before composing himself. “Ui, if you trust her, we can proceed.” He fixed his eyes on Ui, analyzing her response like he usually did.

“I do.”

Miront took a moment to process her reaction. “And you’re coming with us Ui, we can’t leave you here alone. The plan is already in motion. We leave as soon as you’re healed—”

“Tomorrow then.” Yula looked at Ui, who was distraught ever since the Duke was mentioned. It all felt so sudden and dangerous, but Yula was exuding confidence, which made Ui feel strangely happy. “She’ll be ready tomorrow.”

Miront called over a couple of the room’s spectators and discussed the plans quietly. “Very well. We’ll explain the plan to them tomorrow. Everyone is adjourned, get some rest. Prishu, take them to their quarters.”

Prishu saluted Miront as the whole room, deciding the future of the island, went to rest.