The Heavenly Host

As Gnorbert sat down and started moving the ropes around him, Gastropé realized the ropes were really harnesses to keep one locked onto the carpet. That was very strange; normally carpets had their own magical field that kept people stable on the carpet, and you did not need straps to hold on.

Trevin smiled and answered Jenn’s question. “These are combat carpets. We do not have the normal stabilization spells on them that consumer-grade carpets use. Obviously we do have some, but not to the point that they interfere with maneuverability. Combat carpets have to be very agile and so we have harnesses and handholds for people to hang on to.” Trevin chuckled. “You will also notice a number of pockets and tie loops in front of each position. These pockets are for material components, wands and other paraphernalia that the occupants might need during battle.”

“You mean wizards are strapped to this thing casting spells and blasting lightning bolts?” Gastropé asked in wonder.

“Exactly!” She shrugged. “Casting from a carpet isn’t that uncommon, but in those cases the carpet is being used more as a floating platform. In this case, we are diving in, striking and then pulling out fast.”

“And this is a common occurrence?” Maelen asked with concern in his voice as he tried to figure out the harness.

“In Astlan? Not since the days of the Anilords, with some of the other adjacent planes, on occasion. In particular, some jötunn tribes can be problematic.” She paused. “Here, let me help you with that.” She came over and helped Maelen adjust his harness; she then went around and ensured everyone was secure.

Trevin sat down in the rear seat and fastened her harness. “Very well, Gnorbert. Take us away!”

Gnorbert waved his right hand in acknowledgement and then made some gestures in front of himself. Suddenly the carpet was rising in the air, straight up, very fast.

“So, where are we headed? Where is the Nimbus?” Elrose asked Trevin. Gastropé and Jenn twisted in their seats to look back at Trevin.

She pointed up and grinned. “Straight up.”

They looked up into the grey predawn light. The sky over the Grove was generally clear, with the stars fading as the morning began to light the sky. There was only a single large cloud hovering directly over the lake. Thinking about it now, Gastropé realized the weather had been essentially identical yesterday. Clear skies except for the one cloud right over the lake. The Grove must have very odd weather patterns, what with the giant mountains; maybe the cloud did not have much of anywhere to go.

“Straight up?” Jenn asked. “So the Nimbus is up above the cloud?” That would be a very high-flying ship, Gastropé thought to himself.

Trevin simply grinned and flashed her eyebrows mischievously. “Not exactly,” was all she said.

As the light grew with the dawn, Gastropé suddenly realized that the aetós were not on any of the four carpets; they were flying on their own. He had never seen an Aetóên in flight before. Since flying straight up would be quite taxing, the aetós were circling the carpets at about a forty-foot radius, spiraling upward.

Jenn gasped as the first rays of Fierd came over the vast mountains, lighting up the multicolored wings and mohawks of the aetós. It was breathtaking to watch their mighty wings beat rhythmically, lifting them higher and higher in a spiral around the carpets. As they rose, the chill morning air of the higher altitude caused their breath to become visible. Gastropé was at a loss for words as he looked out over the sylvan beauty of the Grove, nestled inside its circle of oversized, rugged mountains, the light beginning to sparkle on its thousands of ponds and small lakes.

They were at a truly dizzying height, Gastropé realized looking down; higher than he could remember ever being on a carpet before. So high, in fact, wisps of the giant white cloud above the lake were starting to mix in with their chilled breaths. They were now rising through the very outer edges of the large cloud. He wondered when they’d be able to see the Nimbus above the cloud.

For a few moments, they were enveloped in the soft whiteness of the edge of the cloud, and then it began clearing as they rose out of the edge of the cloud, revealing the top of the cloud like a giant snow-covered hill.

Jenn, sitting beside Gastropé, begun looking around, presumably for the ship. Oddly, there did not appear to be a ship above the clouds. Where could it be? Gastropé wondered.

As they cleared the cloud top, the aetós shifted their motion and began flying toward the center of the cloud. Gnorbert made some different gestures and their carpet began following the aetós. They had floated over the cloud for perhaps a minute when Gastropé spotted what appeared to be a man in a long coat and large hat waving at them. He was standing in the middle of the cloud!

“Ahoy!” The man called.

“Ahoy, Nimbus!” Gnorbert yelled back.