Chapter 12 - Ascent into the Tempest
The subterranean chamber began to tremble violently. From far above, the rhythmic thud of industrial drills echoed through the vaulted ceiling. Valerius’s flagship had anchored directly over the sunken spire, using heavy iron boring-spikes to crack the cavern roof and pump in volatile naphtha gas to flush them out.
""They will collapse the entire reef!"" Maren cried, leaning on her staff. ""The roof cannot withstand another blast!"" Sylva spread her feathered wings to their full span. The divine magic of the ancestral temple had completely knit her broken bones and restored her pearl scales to an incandescent sheen. She knelt low, gesturing with her head for Rowan to climb onto the harness naturally formed by the scales of her neck. Rowan carefully strapped the three hatchlings into the secure pouches of his new armor and climbed aboard.
""Hold fast, Keeper!"" Maren shouted, raising her hands to channel the sea winds through the cavern vents. Sylva unleashed a battle cry that shattered the remaining drills. Gathering all the power in her massive haunches, she launched straight upward like a pearl bolt of lightning. They smashed through the weakened stone ceiling, bursting through the geyser of seawater and rocks straight into the howling heart of the hurricane above, right above the iron dreadnoughts of the fleet.
