“That city is swarming with creatures.” Gole remarks as the platform slowly approaches the flying glishen city, and Poole grips his hot pink lance tightly.

“They do not look friendly. Teemu was right. This is a very bad idea.”

“The mechanics of this city are astounding. A lesser design would have fallen from the sky years ago!” Thee says, oblivious to the growing anxiety of his companions as he steers the platform in an arc to land on the top deck of the city, until Teemu grips his arm like steel.

“Do not land.” She commands, forcing the craft to hover mid-air while a thronging crowd forms below.

Suddenly, a spear punctures the platform and skims Gutu’s neck. The craft veers sharply down towards the crowd, and Trouse frantically pulls the lever up. The platform rises, skimming over the crowd and plummets off the side of the city. The craft flies down the mountain the city is built over and Thee takes control of the steering once again.

He maneuvers the craft around the dead trees of the forest below until he jerks the lever up too quickly, sending the craft veering up away from the forest. It then crashes into the cracked, sandy desert beside the forest, sending the passengers flying in every direction.

“Going there was a brilliant idea. Nice going.” Gole spits sarcastically as she slowly picks herself up off the ground and limps towards the crash site.

“I warned you that city was bad.” Teemu argues and Trouse frowns,

“Yes. Apparently, it is worse now than it was when I lived here ten years ago.” He agrees and Gole snarls,

“Apparently so. I’m going to those ruins over there. They seem abandoned, and if they’re not, I could stand to claw some people at the moment.”

Gole limps away from the crash site towards a clump of blackened stone buildings a small distance away.

“Trouse, help me! Thee is stuck under the platform.” Poole calls as he tries to flip over the platform but is unable to on his own.

Trouse quickly hurries over and pushes up on the platform as well. They slowly manage to flip it over and Thee weakly crawls out. His blue satchel full of potions is now dripping and soaked. Thee pulls several shards of glass out of his arm and side.

“Are you hurt?” Thee asks Poole and Trouse, who shake their heads.

“No.” They say in unison.

“Where’s Gutu?” Teemu asks worriedly.

“I’m over here!” Gutu cries hoarsely from over a sand dune and Teemu and Trouse hurry over.

“My back leg is broken. I cannot walk.” Gutu says and Teemu bites her lip.

“Trouse and I will have to drag you with us. Gole went to take shelter in a burned-out village. We’ll drag you there.”

“Maybe I can use my front legs to walk. I am much too heavy for you to drag. I just need you to support my back leg.”

“You could get onto the platform’s lid and we’ll drag it with you on it.” Trouse suggests and Gutu frowns thoughtfully.

“Perhaps that will work. I am still very heavy, however.”

“Teemu, help me get the platform’s lid.” Trouse commands and Teemu nods mutely as they hurry back over the sand dune to the platform.

Poole is pulling more shards of broken glass from Thee’s arms and side whenever they return to the platform.

“Gole went to some ruins. You could possibly find shade to work over there.” Trouse says, pointing at the ruins, and Poole nods.

“It is unbearably hot out here. I’m sure Thee could use some shade too, he looks like he might pass out at any moment.”

“It’s not the heat that’s making me want to pass out.” Thee says softly and Poole helps him walk away from the platform, over towards the ruins.

Trouse and Teemu drag the platform’s lid up the sand dune and slide back down to Gutu on it, as the lid is in relatively good condition.

“Do not forget to get the graphite from the platform’s wreck. We need that to purify our water to drink. Otherwise we will die of thirst.” Gutu reminds the two once they return and Trouse runs back over the sand dune to the platform. He finds the graphite safe and sound inside its compartment and grabs it.

When he returns to Gutu and Teemu, he finds Gutu is already on the platform and he sets the graphite between Gutu’s front paws. Then he and Teemu drag the lid up the hill and slide down the other side. They drag the lid across the hot sand over towards the ruins until they finally arrive. They pull Gutu into one of the burnt stone houses and take the graphite from in between his front paws.

Then they leave the house and peer into each house until they find Poole and Thee. Thee extends a cut arm to them to take the graphite which Trouse gives to him.

“Gutu should not be left alone. I will go rejoin him.” Teemu says as she leaves the burnt house to go find Gutu.

“We should all get some rest. Well, besides you, Poole, since you don’t sleep. You can keep watch.” Trouse says and Gole snorts as she enters the room.

“Finally, you’ve said something smart for once.”

“Stop antagonizing Trouse, Gole. He hasn’t done anything to you.” Thee sighs wearily and Gole glares at him.

“Not yet, he hasn’t.”

Trouse sighs and walks over to the corner where he curls up to sleep. He closes his eyes and immediately drifts off into sleep.