True Love's Seventh Kiss

Ch.16 First Quest Completed!

Something soft and squishy fell from the top of the cave as if the ship had knocked it loose. It bounced a few times on the ship and rolled to a stop near Marion's head. He glanced over to see a slimy gelatin-like black egg. He would examine it further in a second, first Marion pulled out his sword and saw that it was no longer red and breathed a sigh of relief.

Then the tension left and made way for a new sensation, exhilaration. Marion couldn't help himself as he began to laugh.

"Count, my lord, your grace, nothing against your son but have you ever had his sanity examined? Ow!" Sir Dennon quipped only to be swiftly smacked somehow by Sir Gilder.

"Alright, who is dead? Sound off." Marion asked at a hushed whisper that echoed in the cave.

There was a collective groan from everyone on the ship as they counted off and dragged themselves off the deck.

"Alright, Chance, damage report? Will she fly?" Marion asked.

"Oh she'll fly, no thanks to your efforts in crashing her." Chaunce grumbled.

Slow and steady they ascended out of the chasm and took to the sky as the rain poured down on them. Marion took this chance to scoop up the egg. It was about the size of a soft ball, and it was gelatin-like in its jiggliness to the point he had to resist the urge to squeeze it like a novelty plush. He managed to slide it into his pouch at his waist that was originally used for holding glass vials for gathering samples. For now, it would serve a new purpose and the egg slid inside and fit snuggly.

He would need to figure out what to do with it another time. Maybe Erabelle could help him raise it like raising a chicken who randomly hatched from store-bought eggs. Well... maybe, but once again that was an issue for future Marion. Present Marion was sore and had to manage how to fly home with the counter in the corner of his eye taunting him even though they got the spring water. Now they had to get it home and to mom.

"Can you really get us home in this weather?" Novak asked as he came up to the helm and brought Marion a raincoat from Kaliban's storage.

"I'm definitely not about to give up now if that is what you are asking." Marion grinned as he accepted the raincoat and slung it on. "Let's just take it slow until we are sure we are safe from the Dragon's gaze. How's Klayus?"

"He's banged up good, but he will live, we will all have one hell of a story to tell about tonight." Novak patted Marion's shoulder. "Now let's get home to your mother and finish this quest."

Marion reengaged the engine and everyone had a sigh of relief when it started up again and they were able to slowly float up out of the water. He managed to guide them out of the cavern with everyone's help watching the sides of the ship and it was much safer than the entry. Although any time he scraped against something he received verbal berating from Chaunce from below deck. The ship creaked as he navigated the dangerous areas and continued accelerating until they got up to full speed as he got further and further away from the danger noodle territory.

Thunder and lightning crashed around them but compared to the dragon a little weather didn't worry them half as much. The brave men steeled themselves and focused on getting home. Which was a miracle in and of itself because most of them were lost after spinning around in a blinding rainstorm. All except Marion who was being guided by the Heads-up Display map that Corsair provided long enough for them to get within sight of the city.

*

A low rumble cut through the roar of the rain as one airship broke the airspace above the city and went straight for the Count's mansion. The creaking of strained wood could be distinguished and even though it was the dead of night, even the most unobservant could see that the ship was barely intact in the dim glow of the lamp posts.