Jason and Gabrielle hopped off the skimmer as it pulled to a stop. Gabrielle moved to Humphrey’s side, while Jason examined the wreckage of the pirate skimmer. He could see it had been split down the middle and driven into the ground with a single, ludicrous blow.

“What did this?” he asked.

“Special attack,” Humphrey said. “It’s called unstoppable force.”

“I can see why,” Jason said.

Another skimmer arrived, Ernest and Phoebe stepping off to join the others.

“Did you get anything out of them?” Ernest asked, nodding at the pirates.

“They’re all northerners,” Humphrey said. “Ustei Tribe nomads, from the hair and clothes. I have no idea what they’re doing this far south, and they aren’t talking.”

“Why would they attack a spirit coin convoy?” Phoebe asked. “If they knew enough to intercept it, then they had to know it would be covered in adventurers. That’s a crazy desperation move.”

The four prisoners knelt in the hot sand, glaring up at their captors.

“Do they look like beaten men to you?” Ernest asked.

“No,” Phoebe said.

“Could be just courage,” Ernest said, “but maybe take a look around, Humphrey.”

Humphrey nodded, vanishing as he teleported high into the air. Dragons wings appeared on his back, holding him aloft as he looked around. From this high, he could see the city and the green of the delta. In the other direction, some of the spirit coin farms. Closer, he saw something moving over the sand. At first glance, he thought it was an enormous monster with three heads, but he realised it was some kind of highly stylised vehicle. Too big for any monster lower than silver rank, there was a rigidity to its motion. It moved smoothly over the sand, like a humongous sand skimmer. He let himself drop, using his wings to slow down as he neared the ground.

“Anything?” Ernest asked.

“Sand barge,” Humphrey said. “Very big. We should get ready for another fight.”

82. Choices

82

Choices

“I like the enthusiasm,” Ernest said to Humphrey, “but we shouldn’t immediately rush to battle. What do you think, Phoebe?”

“Our options are run or fight,” Phoebe said. “Their skimmers may have been faster than ours, but there’s no way a sand barge would catch us.”

“What do you think, Humphrey?” Ernest asked.

“That barge was larger than any vehicle I’ve ever seen,” Humphrey said. “I’ve heard of the nomad tribe barges, and this was everything promised. I’d be willing to bet their whole tribe is onboard.”

“How would you approach fighting it then?” Ernest asked.