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The sun was setting, when the massive city of Mesan came to sight. Captain Silver and enchantress Shin Mei were reading in the light of two oil lamps hung on the wall. Both Bolen and Fay had fallen asleep long ago, so the trip had been uneventful and quiet, except for Bolens snoring.
Someone knocked on the cabins door.
”Enter!” Silver yelled sharp and loud, making his lieutenants jump awake.
An airship stuert opened the door. ”We will begin our descent to Mesan in fifteen minutes. Please remove all luggage from the overhead compartment and hold on through the entire landing” The stuert didn't wait for a reply and just closed the door after this routine message.
Silver put his book away and the three officers stood up to take all their belongings down from the narrow shelves above their heads. Silver handed the enchantress her baggage before taking down his own. With the luggage in their feet all four moved to the ends of the benches, closer to the cabin walls. On the walls hung four leather straps and each passenger took hold of one.
"This is the worst part of every flight" Bolen said grimly.

Soon the heavy thumping of the airships engines became louder and louder towards a metallic roar. The entire ship was shaking and the passengers of the cabin were jumping and swaying around. Everyone held on to the leather straps with both hands as the city viewed from the small window became bigger and bigger. The benches vibrated violently and the door scrunched in its frame. A large, sudden thump made everyone jump in their seats and with a loud hiss of steam the airship stoped.
The passengers waited in their seats for the stuert to inform them of a clear landing and carriages to take all passengers to the travel hall of Mesan. Bolen was breathing heavy and whiped his brow with a small cloth. Even the chearful and snarky Fay must have been shaken by the descent, for she didn't say anything of this.

The carriage ride only took passengers to the travel hall, a place build specially for handling airship passengers, cargo and purchasing travel tickets, so after this short ride the escort group had to navigate their way through the crowded hall to obtain a second one. The blue uniforms of the millitary did some clearing among the crowd, but it was Shin Mei's long staff with its leaves and floral ornaments that really made them noticed. The order of Life received much respect in the big city, just like all schools of the elusive art of magic.
To avoid long and pain staking wait and haggle over horse carriages, captain Silver decided to make use of his possision as a professional soldier and use the carriages reserved for the military personel and officials. No matter how late or crowded it might get, a diplomatic emissary like Shin Mei would always be granted safe transportation. Finding the military coach station wasn't hard. Banners of the royal army marked both the checkout booth and reserved carriages. After a short wait and necessary vouchers, they were on their way towards the Temple of Life, the headquarters of Shin Mei's order.

High lamp-posts in rows lighted the dimming evening as the horsecarriage strode through the capital. No-one said a word during the trip, save for some short notions about passing buildings or plazas. Then the carriage stoped and an usher came to open the door. Silver climped out and helped the enchantress descent the small steps. He then told the usher to take her luggage down and hand them over to a paigeboy ready to assist. They stood infront of a massive white structure decorated with green and blue mosaics, white marble statues and decorative bushes and trees. Huge torches were burning on both sides of low, but long ascending landings. In the upcoming dusk the Temple of Life looked more like a church than an institution devoted to pacifism and healing magic.
"Thank you for accompanign me on this journey, captain Vasques" Shin Mei said and nodded her head.
"It is my honor and pleasure to be of service, milady" Silver said and bowed.
The enchantress simply smiled and turned to climb the steps of her home.
Silver climbed back into the carriage and told the driver to head towards the defence forces barracks.
"Is it time to call it a night, captain?" Fay asked.
"Almost. We still need to inform our return and report the escort as a success"
"Paperwork tonight?"
"Tomorrow, Fay. Not even my superiors want to tackle that at this hour"