The flames were already licking at the lower sails and the Rex Ventorum was swaying dangerously in the troubled air. ‘The turbulence is too strong!’ Nora shouted as she pulled on one of the ropes to pull up the still-intact main sail. ‘Eva, we have to get out of here!’ But Eva remained rooted to the helm, her fingers clenched in the wood. ‘Evaaa!’ Finn’s call also echoed through the air, but it didn’t seem to reach her. ‘Uphold tradition,’ she murmured. ‘What are you talking about?’ Finn had stepped behind her and grabbed her shoulders. ‘Come on, we’re losing the ship! Turn!’ But Eva knew there was no alternative. She raised her head and looked at her crew. Nora, whose masterpiece was now on fire. Finn, whom she had had to persuade to make the journey and who had now become a true friend. And then, as calmly as she could, she gave the order: ’You have to jump. Now.’
‘What?!’ They both stared at her in horror. “No time!” she shouted, trying to be heard above the raging storm. “We have to sacrifice the ship! Set foot in the air! Do you understand?” Nora’s eyes widened. “Rex…” she stammered, “but…” “No buts, there’s no other way!” Eva shouted, “and you have to get to safety!” ’But what about you?’ ‘The captain goes down with the ship,’ Finn said in a tone-less voice that could hardly be heard over the noise.
Tears welled up in her eyes as Nora embraced her friend. Finn gave Eva an awkward pat on the shoulder and she heard him murmur, ’It was a pleasure working for you.’ Then the two reluctantly slipped into the rescue parachutes, climbed over the railing and jumped into the void. Eva didn’t look after them, but held her hands even tighter around the wheel. ‘I hope this is worth it,’ she whispered, and activated the turbo of her ship.
Finn and Nora had just landed on a rocky plateau when a blinding light engulfed them and a clap of thunder made the volcanic landscape tremble. The Rex Ventorum burst into its component parts with a mighty explosion. Debris, burning pieces of wood, metal parts and canvas flew through the air around them. Nora sobbed and Finn put an arm around her.
Oh dear, I fear, my beloved reader, that was perhaps a bit too much all at once. I can almost see you fanning anxiously through the pages, asking me with a stern look: What’s going on here? Did I forget a chapter? And why so dramatic? Why this explosion? How is our young heroine Eva doing? Well, I admit it – I wanted to do it differently for a change. A little trick to get your attention and keep the suspense going. Of course, I could have told the story in more traditional fashion. But this way is more fun. But don’t worry, I won’t keep you in suspense for long. How did it come about that Eva and her crew had to sacrifice their glorious airship? Let me jump back to untangle the threads for you.
The friends stepped through the gate and, as so often on this journey, the space that lay beyond took their breath away. An enormous dome arched over them, criss-crossed by shimmering lines that shone like golden constellations and seemed to move slowly, as if they were following the eternal course of the heavenly bodies. The walls were adorned with sculptures and reliefs of pilots, daring manoeuvres through storm clouds, magnificent ships, and again and again there was the symbol that Eva knew so well – the pattern on her sock. In between, there were recessed niches where artefacts were stored: antique compasses, old navigation charts and leather flying helmets. In the middle of the room stood a large, translucent table, its surface moving like the clear water of a lake. With every step the friends took, the image seemed to react, showing islands, wind currents and star constellations. ‘This is… incredible,’ Nora whispered, carefully touching the shimmering surface.
But Eve’s attention was caught by something else. On one of the walls, she had noticed a large picture framed by a filigree brass frame. It showed three people: a man with kind eyes and a woman whose hair was blowing wildly in the wind. Both were dressed in leather flying gear and wore fur-trimmed pilot’s caps and goggles. The man was holding a tiny baby in his arms, and both of them looked strangely familiar to Eva. She looked at the picture more closely and suddenly it flashed through her mind. Both adults had woollen socks sticking out of their boots – socks that looked exactly like the pair she was wearing. ‘Are they… my parents?’ she whispered. ‘And… is that me?
Finn and Nora stepped closer. ‘You certainly look a lot like them,’ Nora said cautiously, while Eva reached out her hand, trembling. There was a small plaque under the picture: ‘Aurelia and Cassian Avelis – Stellar Flight Master and First Airship Mechanic – Order of Pilots, 8th cycle.’ ‘Aurelia and Cassian,’ whispered Eva, and the names felt both strange and familiar at the same time.
But before she could ask any more questions, the room was bathed in a soft, golden light. A figure rose up above the table – a projection formed out of light. It was an old man with long white hair that was tied back behind his head. Though his age had left its mark on him, he stood tall and proud, dressed in a pilot’s uniform adorned with countless medals and emblazoned with the familiar pattern. When he raised his voice, it sounded tinny and there was a slight scratchiness to the recording, but his words were clear. ‘If you are hearing this, then you have successfully followed the path I left for you. My name is Kael Ardentis, Grand Master of the Order of the Pilot Conclave Aeris Fidelium – and probably its last survivor. The Order was once a community of heroes who served the Cloud Islands. We saved, helped, protected. Cultivated the art of flying. But, as difficult as it is for me to say, our order is no more. What destroyed it was the ruthlessness of the sky and the hubris of man. When the Nightshaders‘ experiments with the weather currents spiralled out of control, the city descended into chaos and darkness. We, the pilots, did everything we could to save the survivors. But the price was high. Many of my brothers and sisters did not return. In the end, we also lost our best: two pilots who were not only my closest companions, but also carried a child with them – their daughter and at the same time our last hope for a new beginning for our fellowship. They were last seen in the storm zones, but none of them ever returned.’
Kael paused, as if the memory had overwhelmed him. Then he looked up, his eyes seemed to look into the distance through the projection. ‘Our greatest task, however, is to protect the Heart of Heaven. It is a power stronger than most can imagine. To ensure that only the heir of our order can find it and that it is not misused by the unworthy, I have left the map with its various challenges – because my life is coming to an end and soon there will be no one left to guard the Heart.
He paused, his words laden with meaning. ‘In the shadow of this island lies a smaller one. It is almost completely covered by lava, for it is the only one of the Cloud Islands with volcanoes – both active and inactive – on it. The heart is protected there by unique thermodynamics that require the utmost skill in flying. To find it, you must do just one thing: to set foot in the air, but to do so while honouring tradition.‘
The night was already deep and full of stars when the friends returned to the Rex Ventorum. The airship rocked gently in the twilight, like a sleeping dragon waiting for its next journey. Eva stopped for a moment, her gaze fixed on the familiar profile of her beloved ship, which now seemed like a part of herself. ‘Put your foot in the air,‘ Kael’s enigmatic voice echoed in her head. What could the old pilot have meant by that?
‘Eva?’ Finn’s voice pulled her out of her thoughts. He was already standing at the railing, casting a questioning glance in her direction. ‘Are you coming?’ She nodded and followed him over the narrow gangplank. Nora had already disappeared below deck, her voice echoing from somewhere, accompanied by the sound of clattering tools. ‘I’ll check the control system again, just to be on the safe side.’ Eva and Finn exchanged a look. ‘She’s always tinkering with something,’ Finn murmured, and Eva thought she detected a hint of admiration in his voice.
There was an unusual silence on deck, broken only by the gentle creaking of the ropes and the soft whistling of the wind. The events at the order’s headquarters had left their mark. Even Finn, usually the epitome of composure, appeared pensive as he leaned against the railing and stared into the darkness. ‘You don’t believe in the heart, do you?’ Eva asked abruptly, without looking at him. Finn hesitated, then shook his head, his grey eyes heavy with unspoken thoughts. ’We’ve risked too much already for my doubts to play a role now. But I can’t help but think about Kael’s words. ‘Setting foot in the air’… does that make sense to you? Because it’s impossible.‘ Eva didn’t answer immediately. “I don’t know how we’re going to do it either,” she finally said. ’But we’ve already done so much together. We’ll crack this last mystery too. And then we’ll see if we find the Heart or if we’ve just been believing in a fairy tale all this time.
Suddenly, they were interrupted by a loud crash coming from inside the ship. Eva’s heart skipped a beat. ‘Nora!’ she called, running to the hatch, closely followed by Finn. They stormed down the steps, only to find their friend in the midst of a chaos of scattered tools and smoking wires. ‘It’s all right!’ Nora called, coughing and waving her hand wildly to drive away the acrid smoke. “Just a small short circuit. I’ll have it fixed in no time.” She straightened up, soot marks on her forehead and a slight mischievous smile on her lips. ’But maybe you should have your life jackets ready. Just to be on the safe side.’ Eva forced a smile, but the shadow of Kael’s words weighed too heavily on her to come easily over her lips.
When they stepped back on deck, a stronger breeze blew, whipping in their faces and making the Rex’s ropes sing. The clouds in the sky began to thicken and Eva sensed tension in the wind – like the whisper of impending danger. It was a whisper that would soon grow into a roaring inferno as they plunged into the thermal storms over the volcanic island.