Beyond its tranquil beauty, Janloo was no paradise in the clouds. In a world like Ekon, birds needed claws.
Shiwa lacked the hospitality the other three islands had to offer. As soon as Angin and Liron landed at their shore, having used a balloon, guards escorted them, ensuring they saw as little as possible. From their flight towards the island, Shiwa appeared to have no great sights as the others. Several larger areas were assigned to train their troops, test formations, and practice combat on the ground and in the air. Each training field was accompanied by warehouses, hiding the greater weaponry from any fleeting eye.
Usually, the Janloons allowed no one on Shiwa. Their defenses were a secret to Ekon, as the Flying Islands had yet to defend themselves. But such knowledge would prove lethal in the wrong hands, so they ensured to keep them locked away. Angin had contacted Siu himself to be let through. The Defense Director had wanted to deny the Alchemist's wish, but despite his hostile attitude towards Angin, Siu did consider him a friend, allowing the two of them to visit the one Angin wanted to show Liron.
The guards escorted them along the shore of Shiwa, forcing a fast pace on them. They led them to a door set into the ground, a staircase descending into the innards of the island. But before they could take their first step, a shrill cheep filled the air.
"There they are," Angin laughed. He turned towards the guards. "Please, let us see them. They are no secret. For fuck's sake, we were on the way to them."
The guards exchanged a look. "Fine," one of them said. "But only for a few moments."
Angin nodded, dragging Liron towards the Shiwa's edge. "Ehr…," Liron said, his hair standing up as they stepped towards the island's end. "Do we have to be this clo…"
His words died in his throat as a shadow darted high from below, soaring into the sky above. At first, Liron thought a cloud-eater had attacked Janloo, but as he saw the blue scales glittering in the Silverlight, he knew he had witnessed a beast he had never seen before. Gliding alongside the clouds, the creature spread its wings. Similar to a cloud-eater, it had no feathers. The skin on its stomach was smooth and white. Its back was clad in an armor of scales, each one larger than Liron, but they didn't impede its flight. Its body had the shape of a triangle with three eyes at each side of its head.
Two thick feelers crowned it, attached above its mouth, an endless maw that could devour an entire house. At its stomach, its brood clung to it, holding onto their parent as it swam through air. Its wings, no, its fins were thin enough to let the Silverlight shine through them. Similar to Adenius' lion, they appeared more akin to a fabric fused into its body. But the scales above gave them enough structure to function as wings, and the ones at their edges were sharp enough to function as blades. A giant that had no right to be airborne. A fish that had forgotten how to navigate the water and thus fled into the sky.
"This Liron," Angin said, "is a manta ray. Janloo keeps and trains them. Don't let their beauty fool you. Those bastards are dangerous and deadly."
Liron had hundreds of questions on his mind, but the guards cared not, nudging them forward. Liron watched the manta ray as long as he could, his head turned high as he stumbled towards the door. Four more joined their brethren, cheeping as they swam around one another. Did they greet each other? Liron stole away one more glimpse before he entered the staircase, and the gates shut close behind him. Before he could ask a single thing, his guts lit up with curiosity, the guards forbade them to speak on the Company's battle creatures. Their visit was privilege enough.
They followed the guards in silence, the narrow staircase a descent into a tomb. But the pathway opened up soon enough, revealing a large cave system. Liron stopped dead in his tracks. The steps were built into the cave's walls. This bowl of a beast could have swallowed up an entire city and had space to spare. Similar to the Flying Islands themselves, the cave consisted of several stone platforms all connected through bridges. But none were artificial, all molded by Solia's hand. Hundreds of manta rays rested on them, lazily stirring as they woke up from their slumber. A choir of chirping echoed throughout the cave system, filling this somber place with life and wonder. Janloo allowed nature to live alongside them, but down here, it ruled supreme. The only man-made things were the bridge and the complex system of lamps, lighting up the place. Dozens of cave openings led outside, but the five manta rays outside were early risers, the rest of their kin refusing to wake in earnest.
Liron laughed. "What is this?"
Angin looked at the guards, and they gave him a nod. "This, Liron, is one of the many remnants of the Shira dynasty. You see, Shira was located on an island, rich with high cliffs. The manta rays made their home in such caves, digging into the cliffs by using their scales as shovels and pickaxes, making their home. When Janloo saved itself into the sky, they did so with these manta rays. Most of the species still live at the ruins of Shira, wild as any beast. But these here know no other life than one with the Janloons. And now come, we're close."
They followed the steps, Liron pressing himself against the wall, not daring to risk his luck in any way. After taking a few turns, they arrived at their destination, one of the platforms with a manta ray still deep in a slumber and a Janloon woman trying and failing to wake it.
"Still shit at your job, Rya," Angin called out, his face twisted in delight. "What else can you expect from a former jester?"
Rya turned around, not impressed by Angin's joke. "Ah, Angin. How I've missed you."
Rya was in her early forties, but she popped her back as if she were twice her age. Unlike the Janloons above, she wore simple working clothes, torn and dirty. Her neck tattoos showed the manta rays and the cave system. But the ones on her cheek and around her lips depicted dancers and strange costumes resembling a lion. The Empire loved these beasts, regarding them as one of their many symbols. The strongest were trained for Sannara, used by the best generals. The posters loved staging them as ferocious warriors, tearing through the Qilesh. But this version had none of their might. It appeared more silly as it was meant to entertain children.
Angin wobbled to her, his arms spread wide. "Oh, come on. I know you want a hug."
Rya's expression never shifted, carved from stone. Eisenrahm had plenty of folks like her. Hard men and women who had endured hardships, steeling into a harder version, making them no-nonsense. But as Liuh and Siu, Rya had a soft spot for the Alchemist in her heart, a faint smile on her lips as she hugged Angin.
"There you go, my boy," she said, patting his head. She examined, sighing. "Still the pretty boy. You look like a spoiled highborn."
"Well, they do have good taste," Angin said, grinning. "Rya, this is Liron Sturm. You might have heard of him."
Liron waved at her, avoiding eye contact. "Ehr… hello. Nice… to meet you."
Rya took her time responding, examining Liron the same way she had Angin. "I thought you would be bigger."
"Ehr… well, I'm just fourteen years old. I was older… in the vision."
Her eyes took away all his bravado and quick wit. Similar to Liuh, her look radiated with her experience and wisdom. Liron didn't know why, but she was the kind of person he would like to impress. Her opinion had weight to it.
Rya walked over, taking Liron's hand. She smiled, a warm and calm one. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Liron. My name is Rya Hyuen Janloo. Well, as the two of you are here, you can help me. Our sleeping beauty had problems with her stomach, and we need to get rid of the results."
Angin grimaced, stepping away. "Rya, I came to you so you could show Liron more of the manta rays. It's his first time on Janloo and…"
"Stop whining. He strikes me as the sturdy kind. You don't have a problem shoveling shit?"
Liron shook his head. "None at all."
Rya turned to Angin. "You've heard him. Pull up your sleeves and make yourself useful."