Clouds scattered as hundreds of men and women soared through the skies. Two people, at the lead, were throwing verbal barbs at each other quietly, a stark contrast to the lined and grim faces of the soldiers following them in four separate arrow formations.

“Battalion Commander, simply increasing my rank without a corresponding pay raise is nothing short of bull,” Aziz said. The man glanced at his epaulette, which now glittered with two flowers, and returned to fuming.

“Colonel Aziz,” Marie shook her head. “There’s more to life than just money, right? Besides, you haven’t even claimed your pay at all. The finance department has been practically begging me to get you to take your due off their hands every time we return to the Republic. It’s been like that since the Republic’s founding.”

“They keep trying to give me tens of thousands of bronze coins,” Aziz replied. “How did they give you your salary? In gold coins, right? Of course you wouldn’t feel my pain.”

“You could try communicating with them, right?”

“What, you think I didn’t try?” The newly-promoted lieutenant colonel frowned. “They keep fobbing me off by saying that gold coins and notes are in short supply! And then, when other people walk in to receive their pay, they get fricking gold!”

“That doesn’t sound right. Why would they do that?” Marshal Marie asked, her head tilted.

“How would I know?” Aziz shook his head. “How about you come with me the next time we collect our pay, and see what they say to you. It’s aggravating to watch the others buy useful items with their salary, while I’m still stuck with the basic equipment.”

Marie glanced at his outfit, which was as barebones as that of newly-inducted fliers, and covered her mouth. “I thought you were just up for a good challenge. Rumours about how you’re a hardcore fighter keep spreading within Thunderbolt and Stardust, since you never use anything other than the standard Straight Shot to crush entire squads in mock combat.”

In spite of himself, Aziz grinned. “Stardust, eh? Their company commanders are rather loaded, but what’s the point of buying good artefacts if you’re deathly afraid of damaging them in real battle? When I charged at them, the first thing they thought of was to get out of the way.”

Curious, Marie asked, “Didn’t you guys later agree to use the stock stuff?”

“Beat them down rather handily,” Aziz replied with a sigh. “Stardust’s company commanders would have put up a better fight on a one-to-one. As it is, I think you’ll have to get them to train together consistently, or split them up entirely. They’re not combat-ready yet.”

“That’s a rather harsh assessment,” said Marie, “but if you deem them as not ready, that’s how it is. Fortunately, they’re handling duties on a company scale, and nothing beyond that. I’ve talked to Battalion Commander Felix, and he did indicate that Stardust was not ready for anything stronger than a company-sized exercise.”

“Colonel Felix…what was your first assessment of him?” Aziz asked.

“Level-headed,” she replied. “Reassuring, considering that fliers that are shot down have the lowest survival rate. The State Council clearly prefers cautious commanders for their aerial forces.”

“Which, considering the huge number of troops the great gods have, is probably a very wise choice of action,” Aziz added. “At least we’re in a truce for now.”

“No one has a truce with the giant grey dragon flying through the skies of Orb, though,” Marie replied. “Who’s going to come down next? The Human God, or the Sentinel of Space?”

“Well, according to the performances and books I’ve read, it seems that the strongest will come down last,” said Aziz. “What do you think, Battalion Commander?”

“I think you’re right, but your conjecture has been proven wrong,” said Marie. “Didn’t you hear the news? The Human God took control of the Last Star’s body, and has been going around the world ever since. He seems to be looking for someone. Or something.”

“I won’t put it past him to kill some people,” Aziz said darkly. “He killed so much beastfolk for the sake of it. And that Last Star…did you think he really gave up his body voluntarily? Would you do the same?”

“That’s a serious accusation to level against a great god,” Marie replied quietly.

“Doesn’t seem too out of character for someone who ordered the systematic killing of the beastfolk.” Aziz looked down upon the sea. “Friends. Comrades-in-arms. Students. All lost because of that…that god’s words.”

“I know how you feel,” said Marie. “We all do. Everyone feels the same. But saying such things out loud is incredibly dangerous. The great gods are active on Orb once more. Words like these would—”

She paused.

“I just received a broadcast from Feng-Lang,” said the marshal. “We’ve been directed to change our route.”

“What happened?”

“The Eastern forces are conducting an attack,” Marie replied. “Relay my orders. All troops, we are to fly at bearing one-eight-oh for fifteen minutes, and then at oh-six-oh after that. Follow my lead.”

Aziz relayed her orders faithfully, and in a coordinated movement, the entire Thunderbolt swerved in a controlled turn. The landmass of Mi-Zu was faintly visible to their left now, but they were never supposed to land there in the first place. The colonel looked back, and spotted a few wistful eyes looking at the solid brown and green of Mi-Zu, before shaking his head.

After flying for another fifteen minutes, the entire battalion adjusted their bearings somewhat. As they continued to soar through the skies, Aziz could faintly see an ongoing battle in mid-air. Swarms of blue — Conrah’s soldiers, judging from their colour — were clashing with their enemies. From afar, it looked like two insect swarms tussling with each other, which, after some reflection, didn’t seem to be all that wrong.

On the ground, troops in blue took shape on the sea between Feng-Lang’s western shores and Eo-Seu’s east, charging towards the former with no regard for their wellbeing, while others created fortifications out of pure water alone to hide behind. For all intents and purposes, the Lifespring’s ground troops looked like a disorderly mob that had been let loose — they served little purpose.

Tremors were emanating from somewhere even higher, and as the colonel watched the ongoing battles, he immediately understood how the East conducted their aerial warfare.

“That’s a rather unique take on it, doesn’t it?” asked Marie. “Sending their strongest combatants to occupy the highest points of the battlefield. But that isn’t really going to work for us, is it?”

“Yeah.” Aziz nodded.

Marie drew to a sudden stop, and Thunderbolt followed suit. Her eyes were slightly narrowed, and as the colonel moved to confirm the situation, she said, “I just received a broadcast, directed at the entire battlefield, to get out of a certain area.”

“Get out?” The colonel squinted, just in time to see the Eastern troops retreat rapidly, abandoning their current lines in an orderly fashion. The swarm of blue reacted similarly a few seconds later, backing away and attempting to spread out. Before the Lifespring’s forces could disperse, however, a ball of light bloomed into existence, somewhere in the middle of the azure swarm.

A brilliant flash of white blinded Aziz, forcing his eyes shut. When he finally gained enough courage to open them once more, the swarm of blue had shrunk. Whatever that attack was, it had wiped out a great deal of combatants — people who, by the fact that they occupied the lowest battlefield — were Squires, like the people of Thunderbolt.

Aziz clenched his fist involuntarily, forcing himself to watch as the battle began to wrap up.