Gunmage-Chapter 286: Taking to the skies

The district where the Von Heim manor was located was an enormous one.

Nestled at the northern edge of Pyrellis, it sat atop a series of gentle hills, connected by a clever mesh of wide, well-constructed roads.

None of them were steep enough to hinder the passage of horse-drawn carriages, but they were high enough to elevate one’s view.

It was thanks to the very nature of this place that Lugh could catch a glimpse of the rest of the city sprawling below—an endless ocean of structures, lights, and life.

From where he stood, the bright glow of lamps scattered across the capital like stars against dark velvet.

They twinkled faintly in clusters, broken occasionally by broad roads and open plazas.

In the distance, far beyond the glow and bustle, the looming silhouette of the Jade Palace stood like an illusion.

Towering and ominous, its figure seemed to float somewhere between dream and reality.

Lugh stared in silence, a cool night wind brushing against his cheeks. His clothes fluttered faintly as he leaned against the railing, eyes reflecting the city lights below.

"Pretty, isn’t it?"

Mirelle spoke beside him, her voice soft and wistful.

He didn’t answer, but she continued anyway.

"I was just like you when Sela first showed me this place."

"Just like me?"

"Oh— I meant I reacted the same way you just... You know what, never mind."

A quiet, comfortable silence stretched between them.

Then Mirelle sneezed.

Sela turned toward her, catching sight of her younger sister rubbing her shoulders. A small frown tugged at her lips.

"Our clothes are too light,"

She said.

"We can’t stay here for long."

Lugh asked,

"Where’s the lake again? Uh... what did you call it?"

"Vespasia,"

Mirelle reminded him, a little sniffle escaping her nose.

"Right,"

He nodded.

"It’s to the east,"

Sela said.

"Which from here would be... to our left. But we probably won’t be able to see it at night."

"Hmm,"

Lugh murmured, eyes still fixed on the distant palace. The sheer scale of it made it seem unreal. His lips moved on their own.

"The Royal Guards..."

Sela’s voice cut in sharply, pulling him back to reality.

"Okay, let’s move."

Without warning, she climbed over the railings.

"What? What are you doing?"

Lugh asked, bewildered.

Mirelle followed right after, clambering over the railing with little hesitation.

She answered him casually,

"We’re going to jump."

Lugh stared blankly at them.

"Right. Of course. I’ll just... watch."

He took a slow step back.

Sela extended a hand, catching his arm before he could retreat any farther.

"Where do you think you’re going?"

"I can’t cushion my fall with wind magic without it turning into a local disaster,"

Lugh protested, voice flat.

"Don’t worry. We’re going to help you."

"You are?"

"We are?"

Both Lugh and Mirelle asked simultaneously.

Sela rolled her eyes.

"Of course. Now cross over."

Reluctantly, Lugh did as she instructed, climbing over the edge with hesitant movements.

But even as he gripped the railing tightly, he was not without misgivings.

Looking down, the drop was undeniably dangerous. They weren’t on a mountain or a tower, but the sheer perspective made it feel like they were. His stomach clenched.

"Alright,"

Sela said. ƒreewebɳovel.com

"On the count of three."

She raised her hand.

"One..."

"Two..."

"Three."

Without hesitation, both girls grabbed one of his arms each—and jumped.

Wind slammed into his face instantly. For a terrifying moment, Lugh instinctively reached within, almost casting a spell to slow their fall.

But just as panic threatened to overtake him, a sudden updraft surged from beneath.

Their descent was abruptly arrested, and they began to glide forward, the vertical distance shrinking as the horizontal widened.

Lugh felt his heart begin to pound, an unfamiliar rush flooding his chest. Something strange and bright sparked inside him.

His eyes lit up.

"Are we flying?!"

Mirelle burst into laughter, her voice ringing joyfully. Sela only giggled, but even that was rare from her.

"We’re not strong enough to fly yet,"

She clarified.

"But we can glide."

Her voice carried clearly despite the rush of air roaring past their ears. Sound magic—no doubt. Another layer of this strange and wonderful branch of magic they used so effortlessly.

Lugh was starting to fall in love with it.

He shouted again, his voice filled with excitement.

"This is amazing!"

"Glad you like it!"

Mirelle echoed with just as much energy.

Either she wasn’t proficient in sound magic, or she just wanted to yell anyway. Lugh suspected the latter.

Below them, the city continued to pass in a blur of lights and stone.

Sela pointed downwards with one hand.

"That’s the official Gilded Market. From the name alone, you can tell they’re trying to rob us blind."

Her voice dripped with disdain.

"The prices there are ridiculous. It’s a huge waste of resources if you ask me."

Lugh nodded once.

She kept pointing.

"Can you see that?"

His eyes followed the gesture, hair whipping wildly in the wind. At first, he thought he was looking at some kind of enormous, black serpent winding through the city’s heart.

He frowned.

"That right there is the water channel,"

Sela said.

"It has tons of branches—each one connects all the way back to the lake."

"Lugh, look!"

Mirelle shouted, pointing with a hand.

His eyes flicked toward her direction and landed on what looked like a massive crown etched into the edge of a district.

No, not a crown—on second thought, it was a building shaped like a crown.

"That’s the theatre!"

Mirelle explained.

"I go there all the time."

Their strange sightseeing adventure continued for several long minutes. It was surreal. Lugh had never experienced anything quite like it.

The sensation of gliding, the crisp wind, the endless lights—it was overwhelming in the best way.

But eventually, reality reared its head.

"I’m not doing too good on mana,"

Mirelle said, her voice edged with weariness.

Sela gave her a nod.

"Let’s land."

They began to dip in altitude, the gliding motion gradually becoming more grounded.

After a few seconds, their feet made contact with a large stone rooftop.

Lugh staggered on impact, barely catching his balance.

What struck him immediately was the silence. Despite how fast they’d been moving, their landing had made no sound at all. Not even their footsteps echoed.

He looked up. Both girls were panting slightly. It seemed they’d overexerted themselves.

He was the first to break the quiet.

"I have got to learn how to do that."

"You mean gliding?"

Sela asked, half-smiling.

"Yes. Oh, and the sound stuff."

She chuckled softly.

Mirelle gave a small grin.

"That would have to come later, we’re low on mana now. So we’ll be relying on you for protection."

"Protection?"

Lugh repeated, confused.

They didn’t answer.

Instead, Sela turned, waving him forward.

"Come on. The night is just getting started."

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