Alaska was bloody cold.

  The guards wordlessly handed them two thick woolen coats, but Isaac could still taste the frigid chill. London never got this cold. Kai slipped an arm around Isaac’s waist and took a deep breath. Isaac felt Kai's warmth seep into his limbs, warming him from the inside. He refused to think about the incident on the ship. Now that he was nearing Aetherwing, it was time to stop acting like a petulant, sick child and instead like a soldier worthy of standing beside someone like Kai.

  “Thank you.” Isaac whispered to Kai, who nodded, following the guards up the snowy trail with a determined expression. After trudging for what felt like four hours Isaac spotted a gleaming object in the sky.

  It was a blasted airship. And not just any type of airship, it wasn’t like the rusty black steam powered air balloons that covered London in a perpetual heady smog. This one gleamed with gilded gold and cobalt, its side emblazoned with the massive insignia of the Aetherwing Brigade. From the edges of its windows flew two large flags, boldly bearing the motto: Guardians of the Sky, Keepers of Peace in elegant calligraphy. Isaac stopped in his tracks, awestruck by the imposing machine floating before him. A flicker of fear gripped him.

  “How on earth are we supposed to get on there?” He wondered out loud. One of the guards procured a horn from their seemingly endless pockets and blew harshly. A long rope ladder descended from the gilded machine, swaying in the slight chill and wind.

  “We climb.” A guard responded briskly before nimbly hauling himself up and climbing into the airship with a practiced ease.

  Isaac watched them worriedly. This was his last chance to back out. He could still spot the ship glimmering on the horizon. Maybe he couldn’t do this. He remembered the words his Father said to him that horrible day he decided to keep some money for himself, after he had finished stomping on his head and kicking his ribs.

  “Isaac.” He had grabbed onto Isaac’s locks with a fierceness, drawing his trembling face to his father’s bottle green eyes. “It’s almost endearing seeing you keep money from me. What do you think you can do with a couple of coppers eh? Your mother left ya because you don’t have the guts. If you think surviving in the forest is hard try surviving in London on your own.” His father spat in his face. “You’re nothing but a sack of bones, elf eared garbage. I’m granting you a kindness by keeping you with me. You’re nothing without me.”

  Isaac tried to spit the words out, tried to let it slap back into his father’s face like corrosive acid, but they seeped into his skin, poisoned his mind and every thought.

  “Climb.” Isaac felt Kai’s word tickle his ear. Kai let go of the death grip he had wrapped around Isaac’s waist. He felt the cold permeate his body swiftly.

  “You heard me little elf.” Kai lifted an eyebrow, his searing amber eyes glittered in the harsh wind. “I’ll leave you here.” With a few quick strides Kai hoisted himself up the ladder. Isaac watched as he disappeared into the hulk of the ship.

  It was now or never.

  Isaac climbed.

  The airship was enormous. Purple and gold lanterns hung from the walls on all sides. In the middle stood a raised platform, the space surrounding it was packed with recruits. Isaac tried to count their numbers to no avail—close to sixty, perhaps. A swell of anxiety rose within him, he fought the urge to climb back down the ship and melt into the wind below.

  Kai held onto the flap of his woolen coat, seeking his comfort Isaac slightly leaned into him.

  “RECRUITS.” With a sudden burst, a plume of smoke billowed out from the raised platform, and a tall, lean woman with wide, sweeping wings surveyed the recruits with a quirk of her lip. Isaac gazed in awe at her iron-pressed uniform, a glorious blue emblazoned with the Aetherwing Brigade insignia on her chest.

  “How are you all?” she continued, her voice warm and smooth. “I’m sure it was a long and arduous journey, but you are here now as new recruits at Aetherwing!” The airship erupted into rapturous applause. “If you didn’t know, I’m General Elara Windrider, and I will be leading the 105th class of the Aetherwing Brigade. If I’m correct, there should be sixty of you here. You are all training recruits, which means that by the end of this year, many of you will not graduate to become part of the main recruits.” Her eyes narrowed slightly. “Around half of you will make it to next year, and most of the time, people choose to leave on their own.”

  “Hope that won’t be me,” Isaac quipped to Kai, whose face was focused intently on Windrider.

  The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

  “Alaska is our headquarters, but the Aetherwing is a global institution. You will all have the opportunity to travel around the world for various missions.” She clapped her hands, and emerging from her left was Rupert Lowe, the British soldier who had come to Isaac that day and changed his life. “You may recognise this man,” she said, giving him a fond look. “He recruited many of you, and he’ll be your second point of contact for any concerns. Rupert, I’m sure you can take it from here; I have many things I need to work on.”

  “Thank you, General.” Rupert swooped low and bowed to Windrider, who then vanished in a plume of heady smoke. Rupert batted it away with an innocent roll of his eyes. “LOOK ALIVE!” he shouted.

  The recruits jumped. “Just joking.” Rupert tucked his hands into his pockets and looked deeply at each of the recruits. Isaac felt himself shaking in his snow-trodden boots.

  “Alright, so you’ll all be divided into squads. Your success hinges on the success of your squad. Throughout this airship—” Rupert pointed lazily down the endless hallway—“you will have dorm rooms that you will share with your assigned troop. The interesting thing about the way the airship is designed is that your dorm room doubles as your living space; it can also detach and form your own squadron-assigned airship. Remarkable, isn’t it?” A murmur of assent swept through the ship. “Now, I won’t bore you all. I’ll come and see each squad as soon as possible to assign you your missions. Bear in mind that you are being assessed at all times. DEPART.”

  There was an awkward moment when all the recruits remained in the open hall, confused, before a few started marching decisively down the hallway.

  “I guess it’d be too much to hope for if we were placed in the same squad,” Isaac murmured to himself, almost assuming Kai didn’t hear.

  “Follow me,” Kai responded. “I have a feeling we were.” Isaac followed Kai down the winding hallways. The carpet was a plush velvet purple, and the walls were lined with paintings of fairies, wizards, and vampires adorned in the cobalt blue Aetherwing uniform, calm expressions etched on their lithe faces. They rounded another corner until they stopped at a red wooden door. A placard was affixed to the front; it read:

  ISAAC THORNE

  KAI AJEWOLE

  BAYU SANTOSO

  TOMOYA TAKEDA

  Isaac traced his name silently, scarcely believing he was here. “You were right.”

  Kai nodded. “I think we were placed together on that ship purposefully.”

  “What?” Isaac snorted. “You think the sea monster was on purpose too?”

  “Maybe,” Kai grinned. “Let’s go in.”

  In the heart of the room was a large, polished table made of dark mahogany, its surface scattered with an array of gadgets and gizmos—complex compasses, brass telescopes, and intricate map tools—all neatly arranged yet ready for action. A small, softly glowing crystal orb rested at the center, casting a warm, golden light that illuminated the room with a hint of mystique.

  To the left, a tall cupboard sat stocked with rations: dried fruits, packets of nuts, sealed cans, and an assortment of other preserved foods for long voyages. Everything was meticulously organized, with each shelf labeled and carefully arranged.

  To the right, were four rooms fitted with sturdy beds stacked snugly against the wall, draped in crisp, navy-blue blankets embroidered with the Aetherwing insignia. Isaac thought the beds were a far cry from the scratchy linens he usually shrouded himself in.

  In striking contrast to the beds, a lavish bathing chamber with a gilded bathtub was tucked into the corner, its brass fixtures gleaming under the warm light. The tub was lined with an array of premium soaps, oils, and lotions, each in elegantly labeled glass bottles.

  “Look over here!” Kai called over to Isaac, holding up a stack of neatly pressed uniforms.

  “Now we’re talking!” Isaac grinned, reaching for one of the uniforms.

  Just then, the door creaked open, and a tall figure stepped in. Isaac looked up to see a man with shoulder-length hair and a robe of deep blue that swept just above the floor. Rings adorned his fingers, catching the soft light as he moved, he carried himself with a calm, regal air. His gaze was sharp but gentle.

  “Hello.” The man nodded slightly, an understated gesture that was somehow commanding despite its modesty.

  Isaac straightened up. “Hi, nice to meet you! I’m Isaac—I'm an elf.” He pointed to his ears, a small, nervous smile playing on his face.

  Kai chimed in with an easy smile. “And I’m Kai. Dragonborn.”

  The man gave them both a once-over, then moved to the table, seating himself gracefully and spreading his legs as he leaned back. “Bayu. I’m a wizard.”

  Isaac swallowed, feeling a twinge of self-doubt as he looked between Kai and Bayu. A dragonborn and a wizard? Both had an aura of strength and power that he couldn’t help but envy. While most elves excelled in their connection with nature, Isaac’s skills weren’t exactly... impressive. He could barely manage the magic to cobble together his inventions, let alone conjure spells like Bayu.

  Bayu’s eyes flicked to the door. “I wonder where Tomoya is,” he mused, almost to himself.

  “Tomoya is preoccupied,” came a voice from the doorway. Rupert Lowe strode into the room, regarding the new recruits with a sheepish smile. “You’ll meet him soon enough, but there’s a lot to cover first. I’m sure you can all catch him up on what he’s missed.”

  Rupert clapped his hands together. “First off, your squad leader is Kai. Kai, you’ll have the important role of guiding all four of you. Your first mission will be delivered tomorrow, after you complete the Convergence Trial.” He paused, letting the name sink in. “It’s a regimen designed to build trust and sync you as a unit.”

  “So, freshen up, get into your uniforms, and head to the room at the end of the airship to begin the Convergence Trial. Any questions?”

  Isaac raised his hand, but Rupert only gave him a brief, knowing glance before continuing. “Good.” His gaze softened, as if sensing Isaac’s uncertainty (Isaac couldn’t imagine Kai feeling uncertain about anything). “Welcome to the Aetherwing Brigade. I know it’s overwhelming, but you’ll all adapt quickly.”