The Arks: Over Heaven (by Ben)

Chapter 43: Skylord

Part 3/3

BZZZZZ!

As Loki’s finger tapped onto the artifact, it disintegrated into dust and traveled into Loki’s implant. Loki let out a gasp as he stared at his implant, which flashed orange. But the touch… Loki felt soft metal that was as smooth as butter, yet as rough as rock. It had some unexplainable touch to it.

It almost felt like technology back at home.

“Where’d it go?!” Loki panicked, looking at his sweating palms. Mr. Mo stepped forward, putting a shoulder on Loki’s shoulder. His eyes pierced Loki’s implant.

“Hm,” Mr. Mo said. He tapped Loki’s implant, “How about right here?”

Wings sprouted from Loki’s back, and he let out a gasp. They were made of the same metal that the artifact was made of. His wings glowed orange and had that same orange light lined across the border. The wings shuffled back and forth, then began to flap.

“Woah,” Loki gasped as he looked at each wing. The wings flapped, creating a draft of wind that blew their hair back. Loki grinned.

“Cool.”

Mr. Mo grinned and pointed at the hole in the ceiling.

“Easier escape right there. Fly us out will ‘ya?”

“With pleasure.”

Loki grabbed Mr. Mo around the waist, then propelled himself into the air, the wings on his back flapping wildly. They flew past the hole and back into the snowfall of the tundra, a strong wind making Loki fly forward a little bit.

Loki looked around, scouting the area with his green eyes until he saw the coastline again with the icebergs. He began to fly forward, and as they reached the coast they saw Monarch and Slackjaw waiting patiently near the cave entrance.

Loki slowly landed on the snow, land he let go of Mr. Mo. With the will of his mind, the wings flapped and folded back. Mr. Mo turned around with a grin and put his hand in the air. Loki took his hand and high-fived him.

Slap!

“Ha ha! That was awesome!” Mr. Mo laughed with a grin.

“I know right? I guess I can fly now!” Loki said with a soft chuckle. He looked at Monarch, whose eyes were pinned at his wings, “So are we heading home now?”

“Of course we are,” Mr. Mo said, “There’s no reason not to, kid. Let’s go.”

They mounted their Pteranodons and took off into the air, flying back home.

As their Pteranodons fly through the snow, Loki couldn’t help but ask,

“Why’d you save me back then Mr. Mo? You didn’t need to. You could’ve just left me and grabbed the artifact for yourself.”

Mr. Mo looked at Loki with a soft smile, a warm expression on his face.

“Because you’re a good kid, Loki. And I’m not gonna let you die. I promise you we’ll survive.”

“Are we going to survive? Together?” Loki asked with a grin.

“Of course. I’ll use all the knowledge I have,” Mr. Mo said. His expression changed to that of rage, but it shifted back immediately, “To keep us both safe. That’s a promise.”

Loki smiled, and held his pinky out.

“A promise.”

“That’s right. A promise.”

The two wrapped their pinkies around each other, and shook up and down. They let go, looking at the settlement ahead of them with wide eyes. Smoke was pouring from one of the buildings, and a fire seemed to have started. The residents were running around frantically, and Mr. Mo tugged on the reins of Slackjaw.

“Something’s happened,” Mr. Mo whispered, his eyes turning blue.

The two dived toward the settlement and landed near the complex. Loki noticed one of Brad’s friends sprawled out on the ground, seemingly dead, and another running away screaming so hard he looked fit to burst.

“Take your weapons out. Just in case,” Mr. Mo warned Loki. Loki unhooked his karambits and flipped them, hooking a thumb on each. Mr. Mo reached for his back and reached into a leather quiver of sorts. He pulled out a pike that was dyed red. Mr. Mo flipped the red pike and held it in both his hands.

“Let’s go.”