The airship Serenissima ended it’s life of service in a confusion of brass flying, wood splinters, fire and shouting in at least four languages. Anso leapt to the deck and prayed as fervently as he could over the deafening roar as the masts and sails caught fire.

After what seemed an eternity of deafening noise from the wind rushing and unseen impacts, Anso’s stomach dropped out at the sudden sensation of falling rapidly. There was a tremendous shock that sent Lucrezia falling to the other side of what was left of the deck, out of Anso’s sight.

Then silence.

Anso stood up shakily, miraculously unharmed, save for a few scrapes and splinters. Several crewman lay unmoving in the wreckage. The only sound was a faint groaning from some of the crew and the crackling of a fire starting somewhere. An orange glow illuminated the far side of the twisted and broken deck. The remnants of a sail fluttered to the ground, torn to shreds in the landing.

He scrambled over the ruined rail and considered his next move.