Part (1/5): Flight Before the Storm
The next day, after finalizing the plans for the City of Balance with Castor and Zekhtau, Akira gathered his team for a meeting. He wasted no time getting to the point.
"Is everyone ready to help Princess Keela?" he asked directly.
The unanimous, confident "Ready!" from his team made Akira smile. But their momentum came to an abrupt halt when Keela's voice cut through the room, quiet yet firm.
"No. Not yet."
A brief silence fell over the room. Confused glances were exchanged before everyone turned their attention to her. Keela lowered her gaze to her hands, clasped neatly in her lap, before looking up again with unwavering determination.
"Everyone here is capable. You all have the strength and the will. But traveling to Skyperion isn't a simple visit. It's not just a journey—it's a battle. And there's one crucial thing we're still missing…" She paused for effect before delivering her next words.
"We need to fly."
The room fell into stunned silence before murmurs of disbelief started rippling through the group.
"Fly?"
"Normal people don't have wings. How the hell are we supposed to fly?"
"Is that even possible?"
More voices joined in, some skeptical, some amused, but all uncertain. Everyone turned to look at each other, trying to gauge whether Keela was being serious.
Yue, ever the innocent one, asked bluntly, "So… how do we do it? Can we really fly?"
Keela took a deep breath, closing her eyes momentarily before speaking in a calm but resolute voice.
"Yes. We can—if we truly put our minds to it."
Another silence followed, but this time, it wasn't skepticism—it was consideration. Then, without realizing it, everyone's gaze drifted toward Draco.
Akira smirked. "If anyone here can fly… well, he's standing right there."
Draco blinked in confusion. "Huh? Me?" He pointed at himself. "I mean… yeah, I can, but what? You expect me to teach?"
Keela's lips curled into a small smile as she nodded. "Yes. You. And we're going to start with you."
A Lesson in Flight
Under the gentle morning sun, the team gathered at the open training field. Keela stood in the center with Draco beside her, ready to begin. But there was a slight problem…
Draco wasn't exactly in full control of his flight yet.
After several attempts, he could only stay airborne for a few minutes before losing balance and landing in less-than-graceful ways. Keela, watching from the sidelines, slowly lowered her face into her hands, sighing in mild despair.
Yue, however, remained optimistic. She skipped over to Draco and offered a bright, encouraging smile. "Don't worry, you'll get it soon!"
Keela glanced at Yue, her expression softening at the girl's unshakable faith, though she wasn't sure if it was realistic optimism or just blind hope. Meanwhile, Mirelle, arms crossed in amusement, leaned toward Akira.
"Well, Commander," she teased. "Looks like we're going to need one of your brilliant, out-of-the-box solutions again."
Akira sighed, rubbing his temples. He hated being called 'Commander'—especially when used sarcastically—but he couldn't deny that he had to come up with something.
"First things first," he said, walking over to Draco, who was now sitting cross-legged on the ground, looking irritated. "Let's fix your stance first. Flight control starts with body control." He reached down and pulled Draco to his feet.
By applying techniques from ice skating and rollerblading, Akira helped Draco adjust his posture and balance. After a few more attempts, it was clear that just improving his technique wouldn't be enough.
Realizing this, Akira activated his earpiece and contacted Zekhtau.
"I need your help developing flight gear for the team," he said. "Can you meet us at the training field?"
It didn't take long for Zekhtau to arrive, carrying several pieces of advanced equipment. As Akira explained the situation, Zekhtau raised an eyebrow before nodding.
"Interesting concept," he mused. "Alright. Let's get to work."
Part (2/5): Wings of Fire and Lightning
Akira laid out his request in detail. "We need specialized boots for Draco—something that can efficiently channel his fire energy through his feet and give him better aerial control."
Zekhtau listened intently, nodding. "Alright. Let's start designing."
The moment Zekhtau pulled up a 3D holographic blueprint, Akira jumped in with additional ideas, while Osiris and Mirelle assisted in refining and optimizing the design. The atmosphere in the meeting was charged with enthusiasm and determination.
"Try adding an automatic nozzle control system for the thrusters," Akira suggested. "That should help stabilize the direction of the fire energy."
Zekhtau nodded in approval and adjusted the blueprint in real time.
Meanwhile…
On the other side of the training ground, Keela, Yue, and Draco sat together, watching the intense discussion unfold. However, despite their efforts, they barely understood what was being said.
Yue leaned closer to Draco and whispered, "What do you think they're talking about?"
Draco shook his head slowly. "No clue. But if it helps me fly, it's worth the wait!"
Keela observed the design team with a small, thoughtful smile. Seeing this level of dedication reignited a feeling of hope within her.
Dreams of Flight
Once Draco's flight boots were finalized, the team took a much-needed breather. However, their conversation quickly shifted to how they envisioned their own methods of flying.
"If I could have wings, I'd want them to look like a pixie's!" Yue said, eyes shining with excitement.
Draco laughed. "I just want something that lets me launch straight at enemies. Like—boom! Direct impact!"
Akira shook his head in amusement before turning to Keela. "What about you? How do you normally fly?"
Keela smiled slightly before standing up. "It's not exactly flying… but it's easier to show you than explain."
She reached for her bow, her golden eyes locking onto a tree in the distance. With calm precision, she nocked an arrow, its tip glowing with crackling yellow energy.
Then—she fired.
The twang of the bowstring rang out as the arrow zipped through the air and embedded itself deep into the tree trunk. Electricity surged from the impact point, forming a visible tether of lightning.
A split second later—Keela vanished.
A sharp crack of electricity echoed across the field as she reappeared—standing exactly where the arrow had landed.
Before anyone could process what had happened, she swiftly nocked another arrow and shot it at the ground near her original position.
CRACK!
In an instant, Keela was back where she started, standing effortlessly before them.
The entire team stared, stunned.
"That… that looked like teleportation!" Mirelle exclaimed in awe.
Keela chuckled. "Not exactly. It's just lightning-based movement—my body follows the energy path I create with my arrows." She paused before adding, "But there's a major weakness. I can only use this if I have a target. If I fall off an airship, I'm completely helpless. The best I can do is slow my descent with wind magic."
Hearing that, Akira couldn't help but recall the moment they had found her unconscious on the airship.
Right… she had no way to escape.
But what had really caused her to pass out?
Oh.
It must have been Zekhtau's Heaven-Cleaving, Earth-Sundering Strike.
Yeah… probably best not to say that out loud. Especially with Zekhtau sitting right there.
Engineering the Impossible
After a brief moment of thought, Akira suddenly had an idea.
"What if we try this instead?" he said, pulling up a holographic blueprint of a glider system.
"I was thinking of a glider that would let you stay airborne even without a target for your arrows." He pointed at the design. "If you infuse wind magic into it, the airflow should generate lift. This would allow you to hover and maneuver freely, even in situations where there's no solid ground."
Keela studied the design, intrigued, while Zekhtau nodded in agreement. "Interesting concept. It'll take some time to develop, though."
"That's exactly what I was hoping for." Akira grinned, turning back to Keela. "If you're willing, we'll have Zekhtau make a prototype, and you can test it out."
Keela smiled. "If you believe in it, I'll trust you. Thank you."
Excitement rippled through the team.
Akira, however, knew this was only the beginning.
Soon, they would be ready for Skyperion.
Part (3/5): Aurora in Flight
Mirelle, seeing everyone finding their own way to fly, raised her hand excitedly. "Me too! I want in!" She beamed, but her eyes burned with determination.
Akira considered her carefully. Mirelle had multiple elements at her disposal—wind, fire, water, and ice—all of which could be used for flight. However, as the team's mage, she needed stability to cast spells in midair while also maintaining mobility in battle.
What method could allow her to stay airborne without compromising her ability to cast magic?
A few ideas flashed through his mind—balloons or drones.
Drones made the most sense, given Zekhtau's expertise in high-tech engineering.
Akira activated a 3D hologram and turned to Mirelle. "A drone system like this should suit you best."
The design displayed a compact aerial system with integrated magic amplification.
"This won't just be simple rotors. We'll use your ice and steam as part of the propulsion system." Akira explained. "It'll draw air from the top, convert it into steam, then ignite it with fire magic for an instant pressure boost—launching you into the sky. It's complex, but for a Master Mage like you, I know you can handle it."
Mirelle smirked. "Sounds like a challenge. I like it."
A Soaring Disaster
She raised her hands, weaving her magic to form ice-based components according to Akira's blueprint. Carefully, she infused mana into each part, ensuring precision.
At first, the process was challenging, but once she got the rhythm down—the drone shot up into the sky, taking her with it.
"Whoa!" Draco exclaimed, watching in awe.
However, that awe quickly turned into horror.
Mirelle, caught off guard by the sudden acceleration, lost control and was thrown off midair.
She was falling.
"MIRELLE!" Yue's scream cut through the air.
Draco was already preparing to launch himself up. Akira shouted orders to Osiris to calculate the impact point, while Keela charged her arrow, preparing a lightning-based teleport.
Zekhtau sprinted toward the falling mage, his reaction speed incredibly fast. Even Osiris seemed to be executing something, but—
It was all too slow.
A Reckless Hero
Akira clenched his jaw.
No time to think.
He drew his black blade and fired a concentrated Blacklight beam into the air.
Then, he plunged his sword into the beam itself.
Instead of passing through it like normal light, his sword clung to it—like solid matter.
The next moment, Akira was flung forward at breakneck speed, tumbling across the ground.
"AKIRA!" Yue shrieked in panic as he struggled to his feet, covered in bruises.
Ignoring the pain, he fired another Blacklight beam—angled this time—and leapt onto it again.
The second shot intersected perfectly with Mirelle's falling trajectory.
With precise timing, he caught her midair—princess carry style.
For a moment, Mirelle froze.
Her heartbeat pounded wildly in her chest.
A Master of Ice Magic, yet at this moment, she felt like she was melting.
Then—
"Oh, crap… How do we land?" Akira muttered between heavy breaths, looking down as if just realizing they were still in midair.
Mirelle, blushing furiously, blinked before bursting into laughter. "Idiot! You didn't think this through? You went full hero mode and didn't plan how to land?!"
Her voice was mock-scolding, but her eyes shone with unspoken gratitude.
Despite feeling utterly flustered, she couldn't deny that his arms felt… safe.
A Graceful Landing… Eventually
Once she regained her composure, Mirelle channeled wind magic to slow their descent, landing them gently on solid ground.
Yue rushed over, immediately casting healing magic on Akira's wounds.
Mirelle, standing nearby, watched him quietly, her hands clenching slightly.
Even though Akira laughed off the situation, the way he looked at her—warm and reassuring—made her heartbeat spike all over again.
She quickly turned her face away, trying (and failing) to suppress a small, embarrassed smile.
But in her heart…
The image of him diving recklessly through the sky to save her was burned into her memory.
And she doubted she would ever forget it.
Unspoken Tensions
Watching from a distance, Keela gripped her bow a little tighter.
She didn't know why—but something about seeing that moment bothered her.
She stayed silent, swallowing the strange emotions that surfaced.
A Second Attempt
After the dust settled, Mirelle adjusted her approach.
This time, instead of relying on just a jet system, she created a hexagonal ice platform—similar to a honeycomb structure.
Each hexagon was equipped with six smaller jet thrusters, which she manually enhanced using runes.
With her improved modifications, the flight was far more stable.
Akira, watching closely, grew intrigued.
"Those runes… how do they work?"
Mirelle, pleased by his curiosity, explained patiently. "On a basic level, they act like repeating commands. For advanced functions, you link multiple runes together, forming an intricate spell framework."
Akira's eyes lit up.
"That's… almost exactly like programming logic."
Before Mirelle could elaborate, Keela suddenly cut in.
"If you're interested in runes, my mother's been researching ancient runes in Skyperion's ruins." She smiled confidently. "I could take you there."
Akira turned to her, instantly intrigued. "Really? That would be amazing."
Keela beamed, standing tall with a regal air, but her bright eyes betrayed a flicker of pure excitement.
Mirelle, meanwhile, felt a small pang of irritation.
Just great.
Her spotlight was stolen in an instant.
She turned her focus back to her flight experiment, maintaining a neutral expression. But inside—
She was slightly annoyed.
The Aurora Mage
With her system finally stable, Mirelle took off again.
Her refined design worked perfectly, allowing her to hover smoothly in midair.
The combination of water vapor and combustion created a radiant light effect beneath her—like a miniature aurora.
"Whoa! That looks insane!" Draco shouted.
"Mirelle, you're amazing!" Yue cheered. "It looks like you're summoning the Northern Lights from Celes!"
The surrounding team members marveled at the breathtaking display.
Yet, despite the countless praises, Mirelle didn't feel truly satisfied… until—
"Incredible work, Mirelle."
Akira stepped forward, his voice genuine and warm.
"It's so stable… and the light effect? It's beautiful."
In that moment—nothing else mattered.
A radiant smile broke across her face before she could stop it.
Her heart, which had felt heavy moments ago, suddenly felt light again.
Keela's Subtle Interruption
Noticing this, Keela casually shifted the subject.
"Alright, that's enough. Let's move on to helping the others."
Her tone remained calm, but her eyes held a flicker of something else.
She wouldn't let someone else take all of Akira's attention, either.
Part (4/5): Wings of Gravity and Light
Draco raised his hand, his expression unusually serious, drawing the attention of the entire team. "What about combat? Am I seriously just supposed to crash into things?"
His question made everyone chuckle, but Draco didn't join in. His brows furrowed in deep thought—he was genuinely concerned.
Leaning against a tree, Akira glanced at the hologram display before smirking. "You'll be our team's bomber plane."
Draco blinked. "Huh?"
Before he could ask more, Akira picked up a rock from the ground and handed it to him. "Try this. Make it as light as possible, then fly up, and when you drop it, make it as heavy as you can."
Draco stared at the rock, then nodded. He infused fire mana into it, manipulating its density until it became light enough to float. Then, he ascended a few meters before abruptly increasing its weight and letting it drop.
BOOM!
The impact shook the ground, sending small tremors through the earth. Everyone stood frozen, eyes wide, as they recalled a similar destructive force from the war against Zekhtau—the same level of devastation that ended the Second Battle of Draft.
Zekhtau remained expressionless, but Draco gawked at the crater in shock before turning to Akira.
"This is… insane!" he exclaimed, excitement flooding his voice. He dove down and grabbed Akira's hand. "Thanks, man! Now I've got my own way to fight!"
Akira simply smiled, saying nothing more, but his eyes reflected pride in helping Draco find his own combat style.
The Fairy's Wish
"I want fairy wings!"
A soft, excited voice cut through the air, making everyone turn.
Yue stood with both hands raised enthusiastically, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.
The team exchanged amused smiles at her innocent request. But when Akira turned to look at her, he didn't laugh along.
His expression turned serious, his voice gentle yet unwavering. "Of course. I'll design them for you."
He envisioned the perfect wings for his little sister. At first, he imagined something elegant—like the mystical fairy wings from old legends.
But considering the technological constraints, he adjusted the design—opting for something practical yet beautiful.
Wings of Light
Instead of delicate, fragile wings, Akira created a sleek energy-based wing system.
The structure was made of pure white metal, extending from Yue's back like translucent panels. The wings would be powered by high-efficiency solar cells that could absorb her natural light magic, converting it into propulsion energy—allowing controlled flight similar to drones.
As he finalized the hologram, Yue twirled around excitedly, imagining the wings on her back.
"Big brother's designs are always the best! I just know it'll be super pretty!"
Akira looked at her—his little sister, so full of dreams and wonder. He chuckled softly.
"You'll be the most beautiful fairy in the sky, Yue. I promise."
She beamed, her excitement radiating like sunlight.
With a giggle, Yue spun in circles, her laughter filling the air. The warmth of her joy was so contagious that even the most stoic members of the team found themselves smiling.
Her happiness was like light itself—spreading and touching everyone around her.
Part (5/5): Wings of Innovation
Elina stood up, her usual composed demeanor replaced with a spark of excitement. She turned to Akira, as if about to ask for his thoughts on her own flight equipment. But before he could say a word, Zekhtau silently stepped forward and handed her a new board—one that looked like it belonged in a futuristic world.
The hoverboard gleamed with a sleek cyberpunk design, adorned with an intricate pattern of a dolphin surfing across digital waves.
Zekhtau spoke in his usual calm tone, yet there was a rare warmth beneath his words. "I've been meaning to give you this for a long time… but, well, things got hectic."
Elina accepted the board with quiet reverence, running her fingers over its polished surface. The craftsmanship was meticulous, every detail carefully designed.
And then—a memory surfaced.
She recalled a time before everything fell apart. Before she lost her family, before the war. Back when she was just a kid, fascinated by the underground hip-hop culture of N-Punk, dreaming of one day skating like the pros.
Zekhtau, back then, hadn't just been an engineer—he had been a family friend. Someone who always showed up to visit, someone who felt like a distant yet reliable uncle.
Before she realized it, the words slipped from her lips. "Thank you… Uncle."
Zekhtau froze.
His usually unreadable expression faltered—just for a moment. His gray eyes flickered with something deep, something unspoken.
Then, he let out a low chuckle, leaning back against the table. His voice held a rare, genuine joy. "Say that again, Elina."
Elina's face flushed red. She quickly turned away, clutching the hoverboard tightly against her chest. "I-it just slipped out, that's all…"
To escape the moment, she hopped onto the hoverboard and activated it. The sleek board hummed to life, rising into the air.
And then—she moved.
Swift. Fluid. Effortless.
Elina's movements were so precise, so natural, that it was hard to believe she had never flown before. She weaved through the air with practiced ease, performing subtle tricks and rapid turns that left everyone momentarily stunned.
For someone who was usually so composed, this was a side of her no one had ever seen before.
Draco was the first to break the silence, laughing in surprise. "Damn, Elina! Didn't know you had a cool side like this."
Osiris' Angelic Wings
As the awe settled, Yue's voice cut through the moment.
"What about Osiris?"
Everyone turned toward the silent AI, who had been observing the entire exchange with an air of quiet amusement.
Yue, ever curious, tilted her head. "Don't you want to upgrade yourself so you can fly, too?"
Osiris lifted her chin slightly, as if indulging a child showing off a new toy. "I already can. Zekhtau upgraded me a while ago."
The room fell into silence.
Then—a collective head turn toward Zekhtau.
Yue blinked in surprise. "Wait… really? Can you show us?"
Osiris smirked. "Of course."
Without hesitation, she activated her built-in flight system. A brief whir of energy filled the air before her metallic wings unfolded, gleaming in the light.
Then, she took off.
Her movements were impossibly smooth—almost too perfect. It was clear she had been practicing for a long time.
Yue gasped. Her golden eyes sparkled with admiration. "Osiris looks just like an angel! So beautiful…"
The entire team couldn't deny it—her white metallic wings gave her an ethereal, divine presence.
Zekhtau, standing to the side, watched silently—but his expression betrayed the quiet pride swelling within him. He didn't say anything, but the way he crossed his arms, the faintest of smirks on his lips… it was obvious.
This was his masterpiece.
Ensuring Safety Above All
However, amid the admiration, Akira furrowed his brows. Something was bothering him.
"In that case," he began, voice serious, "Zekhtau, could you design an emergency safety system for everyone?"
Zekhtau turned to him, intrigued.
"Like parachutes? Or something to keep us safe if things go wrong?"
Zekhtau nodded thoughtfully. "That's a good call. This is an adventure, sure… but safety comes first."
The team agreed unanimously.
They weren't just reckless fighters chasing after excitement. They looked out for each other.
And in that moment, standing together, finalizing the last details of their flight preparations, a quiet warmth settled between them.
It was a reminder—no matter how dangerous the road ahead, they weren't facing it alone.
As the late morning sun cast a warm glow over the training grounds, the team gathered once more, standing side by side.
Mirelle hovered steadily on her ice-propelled drone, her magic seamlessly integrated into its design.
Elina weaved effortlessly through the air on her hoverboard, her movements fluid and controlled.
Osiris stood tall, wings folded neatly behind her, exuding a quiet confidence.
And even Akira, who once came from a world without magic, had found his own way to soar.
But the others weren't far behind.
Draco had discovered the foundation of his aerial combat—his strength, combined with controlled flight, would turn him into a devastating force in battle.
Keela had proven her incredible speed, her teleportation-like movement forming the basis of what would become a truly unique style of flight.
And Yue, ever bright-eyed and determined, now had the perfect vision for her fairy-like wings—she only needed the means to bring them to life.
They weren't just preparing for a journey anymore. They had evolved, adapted, and found their own ways to conquer the skies.
And now, with the final pieces falling into place, they stood ready.
Ready to venture into Skyperion.
Ready to face whatever awaited them.
But before all that—lunch first.