Kiht figured that she would do what the dragon was doing. She pulled a torch from the ground with the intention of setting the gate aflame. It would burn down eventually. Unfortunately, her plans were brought to an abrupt halt. The gate swung open, and a large force of Ixal charged through. A horde of watch wolves, despite their ferocity, refused to charge the dragon. They kept what they thought was a safe distance as they barked and snarled at the massive beast. However, the Ixal were much bolder out of desperation. They charged towards the dragon in a densely-packed crowd of armed, angry bird-men. Kiht was about to be crushed. The dragon turned its head, and let out an arcing stream of flames that torched the group of watch wolves. The beasts let out a yelps as they were engulfed in fire. In all directions, she was blocked; a burning wooden wall, a frenzied dragon, a horde of Ixal and a rock wall.
However, there was no going back. Kiht could not get through any of the obstacles in one piece. That was when the airship began to slowly lift off the ground. As much as she hated it, it was her only good option. She swiftly darted towards the airship then leaped to grab the steps that allowed passengers to ascend onto the deck. She was only able to reach the steps with her hands as the airship rose into the skies. She held on for dear life then slowly pulled herself up onto the deck.
Like before, the three Ixal operators did not notice her. They were too busy operating the ship; trying to get it to fly as quickly as possible. It seemed foolish to try and escape the dragons by flying, but they and the airship would have certainly been destroyed if it had been left on the ground.
Kiht wasn't sure if she was fortunate or unfortunate that none of the dragons followed that ship. The Ixal engaged them in battle, and they were not able to pursue. It was only a matter of time before the operators would notice their stowaway.
She swiftly surveyed the airship deck. It was small, and there was nowhere to hide. In the center was a large mass of machinery. To Kiht, it was just a noisy contraption, but it was her only cover. She slowly drew both of her mythril knives as one of the Ixal operators noticed her. He drew a dagger, but Kiht was more than ready. She lunged to the attack. In a quick flurry of slashes, she parried his attack, and cut open his arm then quickly swung one of her knives down to split open his thigh. The Ixal staggered back then tripped off of the airship deck. His body fell over the edge, and it would be the ground that would finish him off.
The other two Ixal operators were frantically pulling levers, and flipping switches on the large contraption. One of them every so often moved to a pegged wheel to turn it a few times; that likely steered the ship.
Just as the second operator noticed Kiht, she stepped in under him then thrust both of her knives into his neck. The Ixal thrashed backwards then drew his scimitar, but the damage was already done. His weapon flew from his hand and clanked onto the deck as he fell onto his back; gargling and thrashing in his final moments.
The final operator had noticed Kiht by then. He had drawn his shield and scimitar. He let out a howling squawk at her as he charged. She had little room to move, and already felt her body beginning to weaken, so she turned about, and began running. She was running in a circle around the center engine fixture as the Ixal gave chase. However, this was no game. He would abruptly turn around to try and intercept her circular path. She anticipated that, and also abruptly turned to try and run at his back. They continued to run and turn, intercept and flank. They were at a stalemate. The Ixal eventually roared in frustration then began sprinting faster around the center engine with large, beast-like strides.
Suddenly, he came to a stop. Kiht had disappeared. He held his weapons at the ready as he swiftly but carefully surveyed the entire deck. He slowly moved around the center engine fixture to see if she was hiding on the other side, but she was nowhere in sight. It was at that moment when his attention was drawn by the sound of something quietly rubbing against metal. He shot his gaze to the top of the fixture as Kiht lunged down upon him. The Ixal was quick to react, and raise his shield to block her. The force of her weight impacting his shield caused him to stagger back, but he quickly countered with a swift horizontal slash of his scimitar. His blade swooshed through the air; hitting nothing. Kiht had ducked low; anticipating his swing, and his shield held high had obstructed his vision. She sprang into him; stabbing her knives furiously and repetitively into his midsection. The Ixal thrashed forward with his shield arm, and bashed her on the shoulder. She staggered, and fell onto her side. The Ixal found his strength giving out as he suddenly fell into an unintentional crouch.
The Ixal's shield arm grasped at his stomach that had been stabbed full of several knife wounds. He let out a monstrous squawk of protest as he rose, raised his sword and prepared to strike at Kiht. However, his body was weakened, and he was slower. Kiht was on her feet by the time he had mustered himself up for the attack. She kicked forward, and the Ixal was still low enough to take the strike on the chest. He fell to his side; his attack interrupted. His body reflexively curled into a fetal position.
Kiht suddenly knelt near his head, and pressed one of her legs down on his blade to prevent him from raising it. The Ixal weakly looked up at her as she mercilessly thrust her knife into his neck, right below his head. He let out an abrupt gargle, but she twisted the knife, and ended it quickly.
She yanked the bloody blade from the Ixal's neck then rose to her feet, and took a few steps towards steering wheel. She felt a strong urge to collapse onto her knees. She had no idea how to operate the ship that she could feel continuing to ascend into the sky. The operators had just been killed, but she had little choice. She found herself suddenly needing to learn how to operate an Ixal airship. Slowly, she made her way to the wheel, but that was when something else caught her attention. Another airship was flying towards her's. She narrowed her eyes then spotted more Ixal on board.
However, there was no going back. Kiht could not get through any of the obstacles in one piece. That was when the airship began to slowly lift off the ground. As much as she hated it, it was her only good option. She swiftly darted towards the airship then leaped to grab the steps that allowed passengers to ascend onto the deck. She was only able to reach the steps with her hands as the airship rose into the skies. She held on for dear life then slowly pulled herself up onto the deck.
Like before, the three Ixal operators did not notice her. They were too busy operating the ship; trying to get it to fly as quickly as possible. It seemed foolish to try and escape the dragons by flying, but they and the airship would have certainly been destroyed if it had been left on the ground.
Kiht wasn't sure if she was fortunate or unfortunate that none of the dragons followed that ship. The Ixal engaged them in battle, and they were not able to pursue. It was only a matter of time before the operators would notice their stowaway.
She swiftly surveyed the airship deck. It was small, and there was nowhere to hide. In the center was a large mass of machinery. To Kiht, it was just a noisy contraption, but it was her only cover. She slowly drew both of her mythril knives as one of the Ixal operators noticed her. He drew a dagger, but Kiht was more than ready. She lunged to the attack. In a quick flurry of slashes, she parried his attack, and cut open his arm then quickly swung one of her knives down to split open his thigh. The Ixal staggered back then tripped off of the airship deck. His body fell over the edge, and it would be the ground that would finish him off.
The other two Ixal operators were frantically pulling levers, and flipping switches on the large contraption. One of them every so often moved to a pegged wheel to turn it a few times; that likely steered the ship.
Just as the second operator noticed Kiht, she stepped in under him then thrust both of her knives into his neck. The Ixal thrashed backwards then drew his scimitar, but the damage was already done. His weapon flew from his hand and clanked onto the deck as he fell onto his back; gargling and thrashing in his final moments.
The final operator had noticed Kiht by then. He had drawn his shield and scimitar. He let out a howling squawk at her as he charged. She had little room to move, and already felt her body beginning to weaken, so she turned about, and began running. She was running in a circle around the center engine fixture as the Ixal gave chase. However, this was no game. He would abruptly turn around to try and intercept her circular path. She anticipated that, and also abruptly turned to try and run at his back. They continued to run and turn, intercept and flank. They were at a stalemate. The Ixal eventually roared in frustration then began sprinting faster around the center engine with large, beast-like strides.
Suddenly, he came to a stop. Kiht had disappeared. He held his weapons at the ready as he swiftly but carefully surveyed the entire deck. He slowly moved around the center engine fixture to see if she was hiding on the other side, but she was nowhere in sight. It was at that moment when his attention was drawn by the sound of something quietly rubbing against metal. He shot his gaze to the top of the fixture as Kiht lunged down upon him. The Ixal was quick to react, and raise his shield to block her. The force of her weight impacting his shield caused him to stagger back, but he quickly countered with a swift horizontal slash of his scimitar. His blade swooshed through the air; hitting nothing. Kiht had ducked low; anticipating his swing, and his shield held high had obstructed his vision. She sprang into him; stabbing her knives furiously and repetitively into his midsection. The Ixal thrashed forward with his shield arm, and bashed her on the shoulder. She staggered, and fell onto her side. The Ixal found his strength giving out as he suddenly fell into an unintentional crouch.
The Ixal's shield arm grasped at his stomach that had been stabbed full of several knife wounds. He let out a monstrous squawk of protest as he rose, raised his sword and prepared to strike at Kiht. However, his body was weakened, and he was slower. Kiht was on her feet by the time he had mustered himself up for the attack. She kicked forward, and the Ixal was still low enough to take the strike on the chest. He fell to his side; his attack interrupted. His body reflexively curled into a fetal position.
Kiht suddenly knelt near his head, and pressed one of her legs down on his blade to prevent him from raising it. The Ixal weakly looked up at her as she mercilessly thrust her knife into his neck, right below his head. He let out an abrupt gargle, but she twisted the knife, and ended it quickly.
She yanked the bloody blade from the Ixal's neck then rose to her feet, and took a few steps towards steering wheel. She felt a strong urge to collapse onto her knees. She had no idea how to operate the ship that she could feel continuing to ascend into the sky. The operators had just been killed, but she had little choice. She found herself suddenly needing to learn how to operate an Ixal airship. Slowly, she made her way to the wheel, but that was when something else caught her attention. Another airship was flying towards her's. She narrowed her eyes then spotted more Ixal on board.
