Erin Hoffman - Sword of Fire and Sea

Arrows were hissing around them as the gryphons rose higher in the air. In the commotion among the knights-acrid smoke still rose from beneath them, with the scent of burning horsehair, and the panicked screams of the inflicted animal-they'd gained several lengths on their pursuers in altitude, but not clearance. The gryphons were strong, but the knights had the advantage in both encumbrance and number. Soon, Vidarian knew, their breath would begin to labor at this pace.

“You have to get me to their commander!” he shouted. “They won't fight without her!”

// We can't maneuver the craft so close to her , // Thalnarra argued, then released a shriek and a lance of searing fire as a knight passed beneath them, firing a bow up at her. She twisted, catlike, in the air, and snatched the arrow, breaking it in half between her talons before it could touch her, and the craft lurched sickeningly with her movement. // I can't move in this bloody thing! // she cursed.

// There is a way , // Altair said, // if you have the heart for it. //

“Tell us!” Vidarian shouted, untying a ballast bag from the craft's side and slinging it down at the pursuing knights.

// The craft can be maintained by two gryphons , // Altair said, and Vidarian's stomach plummeted as he realized what the gryphon was suggesting. // With the aid of the Breath of Siane, I can carry you to the knight-commander. //

// Madness! // Thalnarra barked.

// No , // Altair said with icy calm. // Madness was lighting that beast's hair on fire within range of their lances. //

// Only an air-brained - // Thalnarra began.

“I'll do it!” Vidarian shouted, pulling the whistle from his shirt and clenching it in his fist. “What do we do?”

By way of answer, Altair twisted in the air, and, to Vidarian's horror (and Ruby's, by her cry of shock), sliced through the primary harness strap that bound him to the craft. The craft tilted sideways for a split second, but then the riven strap slithered through a set of rings in the rigging below, caught, and swung the craft to the right. Arikaree gave a squawk of surprise as they slid into place before him-the craft itself now rested between him and Thalnarra. They slowed, but mostly out of surprise.

Thalnarra snarled something menacing and incomprehensible at Altair.

Altair ignored her and shouted to Vidarian. // Jump! //

“He's got to be kidding,” Ruby breathed.

“He's not,” Vidarian said, knowing it through his core. He took a deep breath, unhooked his safety harness, and vaulted over the side of the craft.

He fell, and instinctively spread his arms and legs. The craft disappeared over his head, and below him ranged the clouds, astonishingly lovely, and the advancing Sky Knights in their formations.

// Blow the whistle! // the gryphon shouted, breaking him out of his astonishment.

Vidarian blew into the crystal whistle, a long breath that echoed in his ears, in his blood, in his skin. A gale swept through him, and out of reflex he tried to shape the energy, but it flowed through him like wind itself, slipping through his fingers unmoved. Altair caught the energy, wrapping himself around it and dancing with it, teasing it into going where he wanted.

// Beautiful , // the gryphon whispered, and then, as an afterthought, it seemed, juggled Vidarian into the reach of the wind's grasp. They stopped falling, and Vidarian arced in a curve, “flying” as if of his own volition just above Altair's wings. He drifted downward, featherlike, until he was touching the gryphon's back, taking a hold on the thick feathers at the base of his neck. The sphere of energy that surrounded them, allowing Altair unnatural strength in the air, was the clearest and most exhilarating Vidarian had ever breathed.

Then he looked down. The ground was awfully far away.…

// Try not to think about it , // Altair advised. Vidarian nodded numbly.

“We need to distract them!” he shouted over the roar of the wind, and Altair sent a wave of agreement.

// This will be a little dodgy , // Altair warned, then dove before Vidarian had a chance to answer.

They plummeted through the knights, who had stopped advancing when they saw Vidarian leap from the craft, and Vidarian's heart flew into his throat. Altair, loose, had unnerved the knights, indicated by their raised lances-but Altair, diving, claws outstretched, utterly scattered them. Feathers, horseflesh, and plated armor slid past them, and as their sphere of Air passed through, knights fell to either side in its wake. One was unhorsed, and plummeted, screaming-his horse dove after him, and they disappeared together into the clouds.

Then they were below the formations, and the sky opened up beneath them. Far below, the ground was green and wreathed with rivers, bizarrely peaceful, wisps of white cloud streaking by Altair's wings. He backwinged, slowing, and gravity flattened Vidarian against the gryphon's back. Then Altair folded one wing entirely, rolling sideways in the air. Vidarian clung for his life, his grip tight around the thick feather-shafts, knowing the sphere of air would adhere him to Altair but hardly trusting it.

The gryphon's wings opened again as they came to the side of the amassed knights, which as a group had reoriented upon them as the greater danger-and Vidarian as their instructed target. Altair whistled, and the sphere of energy seized around them again, and lifted them. His wings rowed the air, and they shot up above the knights; Altair extended a claw as they passed, tearing open the flank of a black horse that screamed in response and fell away from the group, its wings faltering.

Now they were above the group, again, and as Vidarian looked down over Altair's strongly pumping right wing he saw that the gryphon had positioned them squarely over the commander. This was it. For a split second his mind reeled at the sight of something few westerners had ever seen: a Sky Knight commander and her royal mount, its black coat glittering with signature iridescence, its feathered wings, crest, and tail bright with fierce health. The creature's body dwarfed the commander, who was no small woman-it was easily a quarter again the size of the other horses.

// Remember that you must control the beast once you're upon it! // Altair shouted. The “hand” supporting Vidarian suddenly fell away, and Vidarian was plummeting toward the horse and rider.

The commander and the knights surrounding her were looking up as Vidarian fell toward them, their swords and lances raised. Vidarian bent himself to one side, turning in the air, getting his feet underneath him-and only just managed to swerve to one side of the commander's arcing sword. An arm of wind whistled by his head, and the commander shouted as her sword was struck from her grasp, her wrist snapping back painfully in an attempt to retain it. The weapon spun through the air, disappearing below them.

Vidarian fell heavily onto the rear of the horse, which shrieked and kicked in response to his weight. He threw his arms around the commander's waist, grappling with her for the reins. Her armored elbow came up in a defensive maneuver and nearly knocked him senseless, and then she was swiveling in the saddle to bring her other fist around in a punishing strike. He managed to dodge that one, but was quickly losing his balance.

Around them, the other knights were shouting, and she shouted something back at them, then dug her heels into the horse. It leapt forward in response, and she shouted another command, sending it into a dive. Her practiced legs clamped around the beast's barrel, but Vidarian felt himself lifted out of the saddle, and grabbed the nearest object to hand-the commander's helmet.