"Move out. Mission target: Sarona Undercity." Captain Ina strode toward the door, and we three followed closely. But she didn’t head outside—instead, she turned into a spiral staircase leading to who-knows-where.
"Um, Captain Ina, where are we going?" Anan couldn’t help asking as we climbed the stairs.
"Sarona Undercity." Captain Ina’s blunt reply cut Anan off. We weren’t heading for the exit at all. Were we taking transport? Of course—the Imperial Capital was hundreds of kilometers from the undercity.
"Captain Ina, how will we reach Sarona Undercity?"
"Fly." Speed was crucial; no stops at villages along the way.
"So what’ll we ride? Sunflame Horses? Or an airship?" I’d dreamed of aerial travel. Airships were common in developed nations—I’d ridden one. But the Breath of the Sun Church’s Sunflame Horses were reserved for high-status users. They pulled burning chariots across the sky at incredible speeds. Maybe I’d finally experience one.
"I mean, we fly ourselves." Captain Ina glanced back and spread her eerie wings.
Huh? Flying ourselves? The stairs ended—we’d climbed high. Stepping out, I froze. The artificial sun hung overhead, blinding and flame-wreathed, radiating no heat but pure terror. We stood atop one of eight white jade pillars—actually towering spires.
Mistflower and Anan shielded their eyes, flinching back into the pillar’s shadow. Only Captain Ina stood tall. Calmly, she walked to the edge, leaped off, spread her wings, and hovered midair, expressionless.
The mission had just begun. No real enemies yet—how could we retreat here? I grabbed Mistflower’s hand, pulled her up, and we flew. Anan followed.
We ascended vertically behind Captain Ina, stopping at dizzying height. Below, the Imperial Capital sprawled outward from the central Divine Church. The real sun set, painting the city crimson—a breathtaking sight.
"Stop gawking. Keep up." Captain Ina checked a compass and shot forward.
"Wait, Captain! Slow down—we can’t match your speed!" Her pace was twice ours. How was she so fast?
"You’re inexperienced. Practice more." Seriously, how many flights had she done?
"Flying is vital. Even if you can’t win a fight, you can escape." She slowed to match us. We sped toward the target.
Past the Imperial Capital’s outer gate, soldiers whistled and waved. Mistflower waved back, sparking cheers below. Anan snorted unhappily and surged ahead.
"What’s wrong? Did I mess up?" Mistflower looked crestfallen.
"Nothing. Maybe she’s just nervous." I knew those soldiers—testosterone-fueled and restless—would gossip crudely about the beautiful Angel behind her back. Mistflower’s wave had thrilled them. They were likely huddled, fantasizing. But I wouldn’t tell her.
My first long flight thrilled me. Backlit by the setting sun, I gazed down. Adventurers sang cheerfully on roads home, rich with loot. Others trudged, dejected, some carrying white-sheeted stretchers—victims of Monstrous Beasts. Villages near the capital bustled with merchant caravans resting overnight.
Farther out, settlements thinned. Darkness swallowed everything after sunset. Roars of Monstrous Beasts echoed from the wilderness, chilling my spine. With the ground invisible, I watched stars usually hidden by the artificial sun, or tasted the wind.
Boredom crept in. Unease grew in the dark. We chatted about academy anecdotes. Even haughty Anan joined in, fearing loneliness. Only Captain Ina flew silently ahead, her faint glow guiding us. Was she listening? Or long accustomed to solitude?
We passed small villages and a brightly lit city. Shouts from below calmed us—we weren’t in a wholly unknown world. From library research, a city lay between the capital and undercity. Seeing it meant we were close.
Three hours after departure, hazy moonlight revealed the Sarona Mountains—a dark spine dividing the Empire of Aifei and Habsburg Kingdom. Nearing them, a fortress-city nestled in the peaks glowed like a giant torch from the mountain pass.
The surface city was small—just for ordinary citizens and Aifei nobles. Beneath it lay the true Sarona Undercity, teeming with hidden dangers.
"What next? Three entrances: this mountain pass, the Habsburg side, or stairs from the surface city." We hovered as Anan asked.
"Hmm. We fly over the mountains." Captain Ina paused before ordering.
"Fly over?" Mistflower frowned, slow to catch on. I understood.
"They’ll watch this gate—expecting Church investigators. The surface city’s under Aifei control, also monitored. Habsburg’s side should be least guarded." I reasoned slowly.
"Right. Move out." Captain Ina nodded. An impassable range for mortals was a ten-minute flight for winged Angels.
At the Habsburg mountain gate, we landed unseen. The gate, carved from rock, bore a lifelike black-scaled serpent with bared fangs. Chainmail-clad Habsburg guards stood watch.
