N'Revat had taken over Rab's small fleet of airships, and ahd rapidly customized them for their own use. One in particular, the Excelsior, was being held by the Black Tower. And today, it was going on its first sortie since the end of the war.

"Are we ready to leave?" the black master asked the airship's helmsman.

"Yes, sire. Any time you're ready."

Proceed.

The sound echoed in their minds. As one they replied, "Yes, my liege." Then, surprised by their unison, the black master walked out of the spacious pilot station, back to his own master on the bridge who sat upon a near-perfect replica of his seat in the Black Tower.

"Grand Master Bandon, why have we requisitioned this airship? In this state of emergency, we can ill afford the-"

"Silence. If you haven't noticed, we are hunting a dangerous fugitive. To make ourselves more credible, we need a symbol of authority, such as this Excelsior. When we return with the broken body of the assassin, we shall do so gloriously. Public opinion will support the return of magic academies, and that bastardization of our Art will be allowed to die its long slow death, eclipsed by our triumphant shadow. After all, where Science has failed, Magic will succeed."

Though he hardly agreed, the black wizard knew better than to voice his disapproval.

"I see, my liege. Your wisdom is absolute." He turned to leave, but was stopped by his master's ironic comment.

"When you dissent, do try to hide your thoughts better. I would hate to have to remove another one of the Council for treason."

The wizard blanched and fled the chamber. As he did, the entire vessel began rumbling as the new Magitek engines initialized their flight fields. Then the rumbling faded as the Excelsior took wing.

Its shadow passed over the stables as it left the city.

Carolina looked down, then nodded, going over to the chocobo she had already had ready for herself. She climbed up on top of it, riding over to Ripel. "Alright then, we'll head out." She turned towards the cloaked stranger. "I'm guessing you'll be leading us out?"

You could just tell him no and leave now. No one would ever think that you were helping the person who assassinated the king.

But I can't just leave. He helped me and Ark when he didn't have to. I can at least repay the favor before I go.

"Huh?" She looked up, noticing a large shadow crossing over the ground outside, a rumbling sound passing overhead. "An airship?"

"I don't have to lead us out," he said, replying to her first comment. "As said before I just want to get out. This place...it's going to be engulfed in chaos soon."

Mostly due to me..

No, I can't think like that. No regrets, no looking back. Only the future.

But...what is a future without a past? The choices now affect the future

You know just as well as I due that I that was my only reasonable choice and...oh...just shut up. Mental arguments always ended up in headaches.

"Huh? An airship?"

He blinked, looking outside. "Gee...I knew they had been taken them to be customized, yet they already have one finished and ready?"

"Okay, enough is enough, let's go. We're further behind than I expected." Exiting the stable he motioned the others to follow him.

"Come guys." She glanced back at Blyr and Ark, riding out into the open behind Ripel. Looking up, she saw the airship that had passed overhead. "Whoa..." She stared at the Excelsior in awe for a moment, then returned to her senses.

"Uhm... gotta think of the easiest way out of here..." Carolina glanced around, seeing more Magitek heading their way. "Follow me." She took off on the chocobo, heading down a side street.

"Fastest way out is a straight line." Cloak said, point down the street at the main exit to the city.

Dezil and his magitek squad had just gotten to the main street, since it was the fastest way to the palace, when he noticed a group of people on chocobos in the street. Seeing this as more than a little suspicious, Dezil said, "All of you, halt right there and identify yourselves."

Cloak stood there, counting the number of Magitek.

OOC: How many are in a squad? And Ecurt, do I stand a chance? (I don't really know how powerful these Magitek are against something that doesn't use magic...)

[OOC:] ForeverZero can handle this one: Do they have anti-magic fields? And would we (all our chars working as a team) [/OOC]

OOC: That's what he's about to find out, right? Not that it would be very asy... magitek seem to be suits of power-assisted exoskeletons with built in magic weaponry when their AM fields are turned off.

OOC: The way I imagine the magiteks, there are six of them (I said that a while back, so I'm not just making up a number), they all have anti-magic shields now, including the six Dezil and his troops are using (they were all fitted with it since it was so useful, I mentioned that too). They only have their arm swords, their lasers, and their missiles with the field on, and can't use their lasers and missiles in melee for obvious reasons. Normally Magitek demolishes troops in melee combat, but they can be defeated by other Magitek, explosives, extreme physical damage (And I don't think "Cloak's" super strength would be enough to destroy them. He might get one, but the others would gang up on him) or take out the pilot with a physical attack or weapon. The last resort is obviously running, since Magitek armor is huge and can't go everywhere.