Morning on the hovering island did not commence with the gentle whisper of the wind or the ethereal warbling of celestial birds. Instead, it began with a frantic, high-pitched racket that made the door hinges groan. The sound was as if a very angry woodpecker had been granted the strength of a man and was trying to excavate the front door with its beak.
"RISE AND SHI-I-I-I-I-INE!!!!!! A THOUSAND SHARKS DOWN MY GULLET! BARNACLES ON MY BILGE-PUMP!" The shrill roar erupting from outside caused Mina, Fel, and Emily to recoil into a terrified huddle on the third floor. They froze by the staircase, pale and disheveled, wondering if this miniature hurricane at the door was the final boss of their nightmares.
Eni, who had fallen asleep in her uniform and those relentless magical stockings, practically levitated off her daybed. The sudden, intense pressure of the artifacts against her thighs at the moment of her abrupt awakening triggered a sharp, visceral surge of provocative pain and damp alertness. She furiously smoothed her hair, feeling a murderous intent simmering within. Flinging open the study door and descending the stairs in a blur of violet, she yanked the front door open.
Standing there, puffing out his chest to look as imposing as his pint-sized stature allowed, was Captain Joe. Atop his head sat an oversized, moth-eaten tricorne with a mangy feather that twitched in perfect synchronization with his shouting. The Captain looked like a furious toy that had been plucked from the epicenter of a storm and forgotten in a dryer.
"Oh... it’s just you..." Eni managed to squeeze out, squinting down at the tiny man.
Joe didn't make her wait for an answer. He filled his small lungs to capacity, swelling like a miniature sail in a gale: "YOU TREACHEROUS, GOD-CURSED WRETCHES IN FEMALE FORM! I AM THE CAPTAIN OF THE GREAT COALITION’S SECOND FLEET! I AM HE WHO—"
Eni, refusing to endure the shrill tirade, slammed the door shut with a stony expression directly in his face. A tomb-like silence fell on the other side, replaced seconds later by a timid, almost uncertain, and very quiet knock. Eni reopened the door, leaning her shoulder against the frame and crossing her arms over her chest, causing the leather of her uniform to pull taut across her shoulders.
"What do you want?" she asked curtly, looming over the little captain.
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Captain Joe instantly traded his fury for a state of extreme embarrassment. He removed his oversized tricorne and awkwardly crushed it against his chest, mangling the unfortunate feather. "Erm... you see... here’s the thing. Yesterday, you evicted our investors," he faltered, looking up at her.
"'Our'?" Eni repeated, arching an eyebrow.
"The Coalition's!" Joe attempted to reclaim his authoritative voice, though he had to crane his neck back at a painful angle to maintain eye contact. "I am one of the Archons, if you haven't noticed by my... military bearing and massive presence..."
Eni interrupted him with a long, thoughtful silence, her eyes slowly scanning his diminutive figure from his boots to the tip of his mangled feather.
"God, you people are all so freakishly tall..." she mused, her voice dripping with dry, intentional sarcasm as she looked down at the tiny man. "Is it a requirement? Do they only recruit Archons based on their 'massive' height, or did you just eat an ungodly amount of porridge as a kid to get this big?"
"IT’S— WAIT! NO!!!!" Joe waved his hands frantically, his face turning a shade of purple that almost matched Eni’s uniform. He was vibrating with indignation, realizing he was being mocked. Eni couldn't help herself; she let out a short, dry laugh. The sight of the tiny captain flushing crimson under her scrutiny was far too comical to ignore.
Calming herself, Eni straightened her posture, the magical stockings cinching her thighs with a fresh wave of tension. "Specifically, Captain, what do you need? Get to the point."
"Since YOU committed an assault on the Coalition's investors, we were supposed to execute you. Personally, that’s exactly what I intended to do, I swear on it!" Joe brandished his tricorne militantly. "But! Our Leader has decided to show mercy and forgive this... incident. After all, those schemers weren't of much use to us anyway. But! Only if you pass the test. An exam! Consider it our investment in your future."
Eni narrowed her eyes. The friction of the silk against her skin stirred a dark stimulation within her, anchoring her focus. "And what is this test?"
"Kill the Cyclops. Obelisk Coordinates: 2.36.34.1."
"And how am I supposed to know which Obelisk that is?" Eni glanced skeptically at the pulsating monolith in her courtyard.
"Are you some sort of Neanderthal from a cave?" Joe grumbled, relishing the chance to finally be the 'big' person in the conversation. "It’s simple! The first digit is North, the second is South, the third is West, and the fourth is East. That’s the basics! You just input the numerical code into the Atlas, and it plots your route through the Obelisk network."
"Fine. I’m going," Eni nodded briefly. She turned her head toward Mina, Emily, and Fel, who were frozen in the doorway, staring wide-eyed at the tiny Captain. "I’ll be back soon. Mina, have a meal ready for my return. And don't you dare feed the children nothing but apples."
Eni stepped back into the house, approached the desk in her study, and unfurled the Living Atlas. The pages rustled, flipping themselves under the influence of her magic until they settled on the designated sector. Staring at the map, Eni felt a sharp prickle of déjà vu. It was that very same gargantuan Cyclops she had glimpsed midway through her journey. Back then, it had seemed like a world-ending calamity. But now...
Now, she was a Juggernaut clad in enchanted iron and silk. She was the Mistress of the Sky-Ark. Eni stepped outside, passing the grumbling Captain Joe, who was still trying to straighten the feather on his hat, and pressed her hand against the Obelisk.
The azure light of the monolith enveloped her figure, the molecules of her body transforming into pure energy for a heartbeat. A second later, the island was empty. Eni had vanished, heading toward the place where her old nightmare and the next rung of her ascension in this mad world awaited.
