Her heart was not getting caught up in her throat anymore, and she was finally starting to truly enjoy the experience of flying with Kalaf. Of feeling weightless, yet still of the earth. Of working with the wind, and not against, as their fiery cores would demand.

Of feeling deadly.

What can you tell me about these creatures, Kalaf?

The black drake's growl was a deep sound, more felt in her bones than heard, as the whiplashing wind was all she could hear now. The beasts had their own stories of love and hatred, and it would look like there was bad blood between some of them - the drake and the arcuila particularly, as she saw black smoke escaping his nostrils; yet Kalaf answered in his calm, patient demeanor. Down there, many, many yards away, the border between the Ashlands and the Dragon Cradle approached quickly.

They keep to themselves, and we keep to ourselves. We do not cross each other under normal circumstances, little one, as we'd rather avoid fighting. But if they want to fight I won't deny them.

His strong muscles shifted beneath her, his wings just sporadically adjusting to the winds as his many years of flying would have taught, not unlike an experienced sailor. While the Arcuila and the drakes wouldn't seek out for trouble, it was evident they would defend their own territory if needed. The world of the beasts was far more simple and straightforward than their mortal affairs down there - to the point, with teeth bared and growls. Sometimes she would wish it was that simple in their line of work... But a part of her also thought it didn't need to be as complicated as they made it out to be.

Not to her.

The winds - and her pen pals - have brought her news of what was happening in the region and while earthquakes were all over Charon, it worried her that the worse of it was centered around the Ashlands . The region held her interest for several reasons: First, Astrid's house was located at Dragon's Cradle, and while she was well aware of the little one's potential, it was natural for her to worry about it. Second, since the sightings have been right at the border of Dragon's Cradle with Ashlands, the security of the Ashlands was also at check... And it was due time to repay for her alliance's work.

Whispers of a charcoal-skinned tiefling helping around Moonglade would eventually reach the Witch's ears, and she wasn't usually one to repay kindness with apathy. The Ashlands were Kalaf's home, as much as Zarius'. That was not to say there wasn’t some genuine interest in the safety of the place. Or that she wanted to take a look at this Arcuila up and close; she heard his feathers could have some interesting properties...

I never liked this place...

You and me both...

The stactic made her hair stand up, and she could feel it caused an annoying, tickling and unnerving feeling through the beast's body. No wonder the beasts kept their distance, for as much as Kalaf's fangs and claws were enough for him to handle most threats, the lightning creature had the means of getting under the defenses of the drake of earth and fire. Kalaf didn’t like the sound of that mission.

The electric charges in the air made Kalaf's leathery wings uncomfortable, the whisps of lightning seemingly getting under his mirrored scales and sending a tingling feeling to his entire body. He hated that.

Let's land here. There's a settlement up ahead. I'm gonna go ask for information on these attacks...

While Kamille understood to some degree the satisfaction the drake had upon seeing people fleeing and afraid of him - and there was a part of her that admitted feeling the same - she needed these people on her side right now, and frightening them would do her no favor. After a quick flight circling the area, the drake landed behind a small mount, about half an hour of walk away from the settlement. Either his landings were getting softer or Kamille was learning to ride better, she wouldn’t know. A quick farewell later and the Witch put away her white mask, the one that had been protecting her face from the wind and dust, and lowered the hood of her feathery cloak. Mischief looked completely unhappy as he left the warm protection of her cloak, perching up on her shoulder with a sour croak.

On foot, she approached the small settlement nearby, trying to look as little of a threat as she could. It was a shoot in the dark, but she had heard of the attacks to the region and wondered if it was one of the groups recently attacked by the legendary beast, or just a traveling group. Either way, she hoped they could help her and maybe give her some directions.

The thought of her first incursion to the place suddenly hit her mind. At that time, her arrogance was beaten into humility in a matter of moments, her face thrown down into the dirt and ash.

She had the feeling Dragon's Cradle was not done with her yet. 

Dragon's Cradle was just a quick hop and a skip north from the Ash Lands. If your hops and skips can clear a mountain range that is. Actually getting there was easier said than done as there were few ports along the coast and no really passes through the mountains surrounding Mount Drakolt.

The journey on foot was a tough one that took much longer than originally anticipated thanks to the thick clouds of ash and smoke being spewed from the volcano. It was strange how active it was being as of late and there was unrest in Darkveil City about if it was going to blow or not.

There wasn't a lot that could be done about it though. Instead, it was best to focus on what could be done about other problems in the area. Zarius and his guide, Snow, were making their way northward to see just how far the ash was being blown. Their journey hat to come to stop in the small settlement just on the inner face of the mountain range ringing Dragon's Cradle, isolating it from the sea and the rest of Charon. 

Word of the breeding pair of Acuila terrorizing the travelers and locals alike was hard not to pick up on. It was all these people were talking about. They probably didn't have a lot to talk about besides the giant electrical birds. Weather? It's shitty. Food? It's bland. The scenery? Rocky. Weather again? Still shitty.

The birds were definitely a problem and a major one at that. But again, what could actually be done about them? The Fellblood wasn't sure. Neither him nor Snow could fly and only Snow had range to work with. It was completely possible that they would have to cut their losses and return to the Ash Lands with nothing to really show for their efforts. 

That was, until Zarius spotted a familiar and welcomed face stroll into town. 

"Good day, Lady Kamille." Zarius greets the witch and gives her a curious head tilt. "What brings you all the way out here?"

Dragon's Cradle was even further away from Moonglade than it was from the Ash Lands. The journey for Kamille to get here would have taken her across the open ocean. Did she come by ship? She doesn't appear to have much gear with her. Perhaps she had some spell for fast travel. She was an incredibly powerful mage after all. It would not shock him. 

"Lady Kamille! Hello!"

Snow, the catfolk, bounds over with a skip in their step. It was somewhat comical and only made more so by the static which was clearly having an effect on their thick pelt, making each hair stand on end and doubling how poofy they normally are. Snow was happy to get a break from the heat of the Ash Lands. While Dragon's Cradle wasn't their favorite place, that was Frost Gale, they did enjoy being out in the rugged mountains once more. They really weren't suited for city life and much preferred being out in the untamed wild. 

"Lady Kamille, uhm, this is a weird question but are the Black Quills with you?" If Eirynor heard that they met up with the witch while on patrol, the half-elf would certainly ask how Poe was fairing. 

Zarius rolls his eyes and shakes his head.

It looked like... Kamille was talking alone. At first it was subtle, but then it also became clear that there was something wrong with her gait, giving the impression she was perhaps limping slightly. It all became clear when she got closer, and a small difference could be noted: there was what appeared to be a book chained to her belt, and it moved on its own accord, pulling at her waist as if to try and stop her. Eventually, the spellbook just grew tired of her stubborness and simply unlatched from her waist; the pages of the book were given life, and shaped a tall, thin, hooded figure that was a bit more ominous than it was called for. Instead of eyes or any kind of humanoid feature, the place inside of the hood that should have a face had instead what looked like a swirling galaxy or nebula.

Kamille seemed to be arguing quietly with the beeing before spotting the fellblood, and the shift was immediate: if one second she was slightly annoyed and fussy, the next she flashed a broad, warm smile. Without a hint of hesitation, she approached Zarius and Snow, trying not to chuckle at the catfolk's unusual gait. That one she didn't know, but it didn't surprise her that Zarius would have a few men under him.

Not unlike her.

"Ha! I knew this day would be more exciting than I anticipated! Good day, Zarius! It's been sometime, right?"

The Witch quickly closed in the distance and, before Zarius could complain, brought him into a hug. At least that part of her didn’t seem to have changed. She did the same to his companion, and only then took a step back to properly talk to them.

"I'm here for the same reason everyone else is coming! I hear news of an attacking Arcuila? I'm hoping I can be of help in handling the situation. I may not have the proper abilities or tools for the job, but I'm certain we can make do."

Kamille sounded.... happy. Enthusiastic, at the very least. Certainly something about loving monsters could be remembered and applied at that very moment. If there was a way of solving that problem without having to destroy the creatures, she would very much appreciate it.

And if not..... Well, she wouldn’t shy away from it either.

The Witch turned to the catfolk with one of those..... mischievous, know-it-all smiles. All assumptions were already made, clearly.

"I'm sorry, but the Black Quills are busy with other tasks at the moment. I can relay a message for them if that's what you need."

Whether she realized it or not, her hand went to touch a black feather attached to her necklace - an addition from the last time they met, a long cord attached to what looked like a dream-catcher, with the black feather hanging from it. Not only that, but now there were also two masks hanging from her belt. And, of course....

"Today I brought Mischief, as always, Kalaf and Zhantal. I'm pretty sure you haven’t met this one before. Zhantal, this is Mr. Zarius and Mr........ I'm sorry, I guess we weren't introduced before? They are business partners. This is Zhantal, he's my................. Spellbook."

It was complicated, if the long pause wasn’t hint enough. Zhantal gave them both a curteous bow, offering a paper hand for a handshake. There was.... something unsettling about his presence, even if it was just the lack of a face and the image of a galaxy in its place.

"It is a pleasure, my Lords, to finally meet you. The Mistress tells me stories of your adventures and mishaps with fate."
 
"Which brings us to the question: what are you both doing here? I don’t want to assume, but..."

"It certainly has been some time." The fellblood agrees before he looks at the book golem up and down.

That was new. Though not particularly shocking. Kamille kept stranger company. At least this one is likely well read.

Before he can ask any questions though, the witch closes the distance between them and embraces him in a hug. He chuckles a bit despite the awkwardness. Kamille however, would notice a few things. The scent of brimstone saturates the fellblood's skin and there is a fair amount of heat radiating through his clothing. 

Snow is more receptive to the hug and their tail twitches with excitement of finally getting to meet the famed Witch of Moonglade after so long. 

"Considering I have seen you call flaming rocks down from the sky, I doubt there are few jobs you cannot do. Well, maybe not glassblowing," he teases.

Kamille's delicate touch seemed to only really apply to her alchemy and hugs. Her magic, on the other hand, was incredibly destructive. 

"Oh, apologies, my name is Snow." The catfolk bows to the half-elf witch. "I have heard a lot about you from Mistress Eameia."

Zarius eyes the witch up and down. She looked like she had been doing well for herself, and he notes the new items in her possession. He doesn't know if the necklace is magical or not, and he has even less of a clue to what the masks are for. He just assumes they are magical and are tools the witch can use to do something crazy. 

"I do not believe I have met Kalaf or Zhantal." The fellblood looks at the book golem and accepts the offer of a handshake, careful not to tear any of the pages. "We certainly have had some interesting encounters. Judging by the whole situation here, I think we can safely assume this will just be another interesting encounter."

It's not often that Zarius gets to work in the field with Kamille, but the last time they did it went fairly well. The witch was more than capable of holding her own in combat, and she was very good at dealing with people. Being a half-elf had it's benefits, the common folk weren't as wary of half-elves as they were of fellbloods. That was especially true the closer you got to the Ash Lands.

It is unfortunate, but there is little to be done about it. Zarius and his family certainly haven't helped to prove the prejudice is misplaced considering their involvement in criminal activities across Charon. Still, Zarius at least tries to be civil about it when he can. 

"Ah, it was not exactly the Arcuila situation that brought us here initially. We were seeing how far the ash had been carried. Mount Drakolt has been unusually active as of late and there's concerns of how far its influence will be felt." He looks at the mountains behind them. "Seeing it has managed to breach the mountains northward is certainly concerning."

There was something different about the fellblood, a tinge of sulfur and smoke that wasn't there before. Or, if she was going to be honest, was just stronger now. That lingering feeling of smoke and ash around him... There were some aspects about him that she didn't fully understand, despite of it all - but for the moment, she was fine with it. His actions spoke volumes on his character, and Kamille was one to know the value of actions on opposition to words and bravado. Zarius held his ground. She respected that.

The Witch gave him a jesting scoff at his remark.

"Glassblowing? It depends on the desired effect, mostly!"

Zarius didn't look... Much affected, if a quick glance was all she needed. But it wasn't. She hadn't had the opportunity to talk to many people about what happened at Arid Mesa... Not in depth. The fellblood didn't feel particularly pragmatic, so she hoped she would have his opinion on that regard without much trouble.

"So good to meet you, Snow! How is Eameia doing? Send my regards to her, I hope she's doing good. Still looking forward to see her in the Mage's guild, but I understand how business are. And the guild is quite demanding too at the moment..."

A few coffins being smuggled here and there. Nothing to worry about.

"I can introduce you both to Kalaf in a moment. I'm guessing he'll be of huge help for us all today... He's from the Ashlands, you know? Maybe you even know him from the distance. We'll see."

Kamille gave it a thought. If all Zarius wanted was to know how far the ash had traveled from Mount Drakolt, she could probably help. It looked like a dreadfully slow task to take on on foot...

...on dragonback, though.

"What if I told you I have a quicker way for you assess this situation...? Also, I could do with some help getting some information on the Arcuila. Do you know where this Arcuila was last seen? Where did it come from? And which direction it went? I don't know much of this place, so I could do with some directions... And then I could help you in whatever you need to do here. I came here to ask these people about the beast and get some directions and information..."

It wasn't out of the commonplace for Kamille to reach out to help, but it felt like she was a tad bit too excited about this Arcuila. Certainly she was overestimating herself this time? Sometimes it was hard not to overestimate oneself when one could shoot down lava golems from the sky, but still... She was up to something.

“Mistress Eameia is doing well, I will certainly relay your regards when we return.” The catfolk’s tail twitches back and forth.

Snow is a pretty social individual all things considered, but their preference for nature and current employment didn’t always mean the catfolk could be friendly with people on the regular. Snow always had to be a little careful of who they interacted with, never fully sure of if someone was just trying to use them to get closer to their boss. Luckily Zarius did have a growing network of people that the archer could feel at ease interacting with, and Kamille had a stellar reputation which makes the catfolk all the more excited to finally meet her in person.

Zarius shakes his head. The catfolk was not as good at hiding their feelings and it was pretty clear they were enjoying themselves. He looks at the witch and tilts his head curiously at the comments about the Mage’s Guild.

“Is there something happening with the Mage’s Guild?”

Admittedly, he hasn’t kept tabs on the going ons of the Mage’s Guild. He’s been too busy with Fighter’s Guild business and his own. Unfortunately, the Fighter’s Guild leader was still missing, and apparently there was some sort of trouble that some of their guild members caused at the Temple of the Sun in Sol City, but he hadn’t had any time to really look into the details of what happened or who was involved. He assumed that Shaa might have gone on a rampage or something. It wouldn’t be out of character for the minotaur.

As far as the Mage’s Guild was concerned, he imagines they would have been very much impacted by the unrest caused by the fallout of the Sol Stone situation. The mages all tapped into the arcane domains after all. Who knows what the gods being dead actually means in regards to society’s understanding of magic. Perhaps the gods were never really the progenitors of magic and more were manifestations of it. There were many unanswered questions still yet to be explored, and the Crown was keen on keeping it that way with their censorship.

Zarius chuckles a bit. “It is possible, but you know it is a little presumptuous to assume I know everyone from the Ash Lands.”

He did however, know a lot of people even if they did not know he knew them. So it wasn't a completely unfair assumption to make. 

“I am more than happy to assist you with this Arcuila situation if you assist me with assessing the ash cloud,” he offers. 

It seemed like a simple and fair trade. Kamille’s skills and access to magic would certainly come in handy and speed up their task exponentially. So long as they didn’t get blown up in the process.

“The pair last flew through this valley two days ago.” He gestures to some of the damaged buildings which are being repaired.

Scorch marks from lightning strikes are not uncommon to see in Dragon’s Cradle, but the amount of damage supports that this is not exactly just from the constant storms that roll across the lands.

“According to the locals, they nest on the nearby cliffs just a half day’s walk from here, but the smoke has driven them down into the valley and caused them distress.”

"I can assist with tracking them down." Snow jumps at the chance to offer their skills in service to the witch. "They likely wouldn't return to their nest given the smoke, but they also would not stray far if they had any eggs or young left behind."

Kamille felt she would've loved to keep talking to Snow, who seemed talkative and happy to interact with her. Maybe when they finally got to go to Zeinav like they had been speaking of, Snow could come along and they could enjoy a bit more of talking. Among her own associates, Allan was certainly the most talkative - they would probably get along. Or hate each other.

"There’s enough happening, let's put it at that."

And her bottom less well of patience didn’t feel that bottom less anymore.

"But it's mostly Sol City that's been giving me a headache, for-"

Kamille stopped, as a faint memory tried to ressurface. At this point, the battle at Arid Mesa was a blur, and she hardly remember how she got there and who was with her - but she had a feeling of finding some familiar faces around, including a certain dark skinned fellblood. Funny how her brain could hardly grasp the concept of what happened there, and yet!

And yet what she had seen in the mind of the cultist Scern got burned behind her eyes forever. As her mind shifted to the events and she remained silent, a clear shift in her demeanor was also noticed. Zhantal made a noise that could be perceived - vaguely - as someone clearing his throat.

"The gentlemen will pardon my Master. Sometimes, there's too many things in one's min-"

"Were you there, Zarius? Were you at Arid Mesa?"

Zhantal had no face to express emotions, but a certain nervousness was perceived in the paperman by his fidgeting. His Master was not the same after returning from the Arid Mesa, and pulling those memories back into the spotlight had a weird - almost feverish - effect on her. The spellbook brought up attention to himself once again, as politely as he could.

"Mistress, how about we take the gentlemen to meet Kalaf before he falls too deep asleep? The Mistress knows he gets a little grumpy when he is awoken, better to do it now than later."

"You're probably right, Zhantal. Let me take you back to where Kalaf is - he is away from the settlement because I didn’t want to scare the people."

True to their word, the gentle giant would be sleeping - or trying to - with his head covered in spikes hiding beneath a giant leathery wing. Kalaf was clearly a black drake from the Ashlands, the kind of beast that traveled the skies with no regard for the danger, as they usually were the most dangerous thing around. His scales were each like polished black mirrors, and despite the general gentleness of his demeanor, upon approaching them, he rose from his slumber and turned his reptilian head towards them: his eyes were scorching red, with a judging weight behind them like that of a stoic father.

He’s a bit disappointed that Kamille wouldn’t go into further details about her troubles. But he could respect her privacy. If she needed help, he knew she was not so proud that she wouldn't ask for it. It was refreshing really. For all her power in the arcane and her history with the Court, Kamille knew her limitations and had a healthy humility about her.

Though her pause and the resulting quiet makes him tilt his head curiously at the witch. Zhantal attempts to explain Kamille's uncharacteristic behavior when the witch suddenly speaks again. 

There are few things that can make the fellblood’s smile falter. Kamille’s question is one of those rare few things.

His expression hardens at the mention of Arid Mesa and what occurred there. Even in the vague terms, he knew exactly what she was referring to. How could he not?  Admittedly, he hadn’t really talked to many people about it. It seemed so…surreal, everything that happened. But it did happen, and they have to live with that experience for the rest of their existence on this plane.

“Yes,” he replies grimly. "It is a wonder any of us made it out of there alive."

He glances at Zhantal. The golem was clearly concerned about his master bringing up this topic. Before he can continue the conversation, he sees Snow shift uncomfortably.

“You…mean it wasn’t a nightmare?” Snow asks, their ears laid flat against their head.

Zarius looks at the catfolk. It must have been so much stranger for Snow and Eirynor, they hadn’t even followed Zarius to the Arid Mesa to begin with, yet somehow they had been ripped from home and brought into a fight against the god of time and space. He shakes his head and Snow shrinks back a little. They really should talk about it, but this wasn't the greatest place or situation to get into such a heavy discussion. Zhantal seemed to agree as he successfully diverts Kamille's attention.

They follow after Kamille as she leads them to meet their other ally. Which is a drake. A big one.

“Mischief has put on some weight,” Zarius jokes to the witch in an attempt to lighten the mood.

There's a glint of recognition in her eyes when she witnessed the fellblood's smile slide off, but she doesn’t press for it, as much as she wanted to talk about it with someone. Kamille's not sure Zarius is the person she should be talking about it either way... but in truth, who was?

For a split second she even considered trying to slip into Scern's cell and trying to strike up a conversation. But that was just... insane, right?

...Right?

Mischief was actually around too, landing softly on Kamille's shoulder as they arrived, angrily cawing at Zarius.

"Did you hear that, Mischief? He's calling you fat."

The jest served the purpose of lifting up the mood for a moment, even if Kamille noticed how Snow reacted to the news that what had happened at Arid Mesa was not just a dream. Were the Black Quills under the same impression, perhaps? Maybe she could talk with them, they had been used to all kinds of weird things happening around the Witch - she wouldn’t be surprised if they also thought it was all just a dream. If she was to guess, Poe was the one she would think to realise that what happened was not just a dream.

"Are these friends of yours, little one?"

For someone who didn’t have a way of understanding the beasts, it would seem like Kalaf was growling softly. The giant lizard stood up on top of all of his scaly might, approaching to take a look at the newcommers, his heavy footsteps shaking the ground beneath them. Kamille was used to having to look up to the beasts, but she watched how they would react to it - despite his slow, languid motion, the drake carried the weight of an old deadly beast, fire still burning in his eyes and smoke scaping his nostrils.

Kalaf seemed to take a sniff of Zarius.

"Did the fire mountain spit this one out? He smells like smoke... Is this why he's charred?"

"Please, be nice, Kalaf... This is Zarius, I think I talked about him before; and this is Snow, his associate. They're here to assess how far the smoke and ash has traveled from Mt. Drakolt. I think we could help them with that."

The drake squinted his eyes at the fellblood, a judgemental look of a giant beast of muscles and scales. There seemed to be a hint of hesitation, as his eyes lingered on Zarius a moment longer, before turning to sniff Snow, and then blowing a puff of smoke on their faces. Just.... rude.

"Let us bring their eyes closer to it, then."

Kamille nodded, turning to the fellblood and his associate.

"Kalaf agreed to help. I guess you'll want to see it for yourselves."

Without a hint of fear from neither the beast nor the rider, instead what they seemed to have going between them was a deep respect, meeting eye to eye despite the differences. It was easy to see their bond was more than meet the eye when the motion one started, finished with the other. Zarius had already seen how Kamille wasn’t particularly the most graceful creature when it came to her physical abilities - except, perhaps, when dancing. So it might've come as a surprise how her hand found the drake's shoulder as he lowered down, even without looking; how her feet didn’t stumble when quickly hoisting herself up his back, knowing every spike and thorn of the giant beast she could use as leverage.

"So... Do you want to come?"
The Witch offered her hand to pull them up, should they agree.

“Can you blame me? With all the snacks he must sneak I am surprised he is so trim. I envy his figure,” the fellblood teases. He chuckles at the bird and offers a gold coin as a bid for forgiveness.

Zarius looks up at the drake, it really was an imposing and impressive creature. He hadn’t really met many people who kept them as loyal companions, especially the black ones which tend to have a temperament only matched by Mount Drakolt itself. Still, if anyone could earn the respect of such a dignified creature, it would be the Witch of Moonglade.

Snow seems a bit on edge around the large predator, no doubt the fear of getting eaten or roasted was on the catfolk’s mind. Dragons were not usually good things to run into and their smaller counterparts were still capable of being fairly dangerous. And ravenous.

As Kalaf takes a whiff of Zarius and Kamille makes her comments, he can’t help but feel that Kalaf must have insulted him in some way with his incomprehensible rumblings.

“If I did not know better, I would say your new friend does not like me much,” he comments to Kamille, careful to keep a respectful distance from the drake as Kalaf lowers himself for the witch.

Snow gives the fellblood an uncertain look as Kamille extends the invitation for them to get up on Kalaf’s back with her. They were not one for flying, preferring to keep their feet firmly on solid ground.

"Maybe I should stay down here-" they start to back away but a firm pat on the back from their employer gives them little choice and they reluctantly climb up onto the drake’s back.

Zarius then follows suit and climbs up after the catfolk. Once he settles in behind Kamille on the spiny creature's back, he takes a look around from the vantage point. “Well, you certainly travel in style now. No more ships for the Witch of Moonglade?”

"Well... It certainly is much faster than ships, and I enjoy the company when he's not sleeping. Oh, uh... He said your horns are pretty."

"That's not what I said..."

"Everyone ready?"

Kamille made sure everyone was safely tucked into place and had a good, safe place to hold onto. There was... some semblance of a saddle, but it clearly was more of a protection from his scales and points to hold onto than a true saddle. As they were about to witness, it was all needed.

Kalaf opened his wings, up until then neatly folded to his side, and unsurprizingly they were ungodly big - they should be to take his size off of the ground. His whole frame was bulky and muscly and heavily spiked. But despite his stoic disposition, somewhat similar to Kamille's, it couldn't be denied he liked to have some fun sometimes. So instead of the smooth, slow ascend to the skies he usually did when it was just him and Kamille, the black drake jumped through the winds like a bullet - as much as he could, to be fair. Despite being fairly big for a drake, he wasn't used to having three adult people on his back, no matter they were of medium stature. They all combined still weighed much less than that giant minotaur...

"Hold on!"

The drake's muscles shifted and turned beneath them, his wings creating winds powerful enough to lift his great weight from the ground. It became evident the several added buckles and stripes of leather attached to the makeshift saddle were truly needed, as the force of the winds buffeted back their hairs and pushed them back with such strength that they could be dismounted if not properly holding onto anything.

Truly, the rising was one of her least favorite parts of flying, and she pressed herself against the scaly torso as to not be pushed off of his back. The couple of minutes that took Kalaf to get some good height felt like seconds once they were leveled up, and they could finally lean back for a while as the drake left the winds guide them.

Kamille finally let out her breath, seemingly stuck in her throat as the drake nearly bulled dashed into the skies. The "exciting" rise gave way to a gentle gliding, as they could truly finally enjoy the wind on their hair. Between the fiery drake and the pyromancer, the cold air of the altitude was not able to cut through them, and they could fully take in the view before them.

The ash cloud that had escaped Mt. Drakolt took most of the horizon on the side of the Ashlands, and was starting to pour into the Dragon's Cradle region. Their sight was advantageous from there, but still the clouds wouldn't allow for them to see too further ahead. The same happened to the other side, where Dragon's Cradle stormy weather wouldn't grant them too much of a view. Still, they could surely have a true grasp of how far the smoke and ash cloud from the volcano was extending itself. The sea was probably hidden behind that cloud too.

If the volcano doesn't stop spitting ash and smoke, it might start to cover Dragon's Cradle and Zeinav. Do you have any idea of what's causing it?[1]

Kamille wouldn't give herself the trouble of trying to scream on top of the whiplashing wind, instead just using the Message spell to directly speak to Zarius. Her white mask certainly come in handy now, protecting her eyes from the wind, dust and anything that could blind her.[2]

[1]Message
[2]Northern Snow Mask

“My horns are pretty? Perhaps he has been hanging out with Caedes,” the fellblood scoffs and shakes his head, not buying for one second that the drake said such a thing.

As the drake rises and surges forward, Zarius holds on tight to the back of the saddle with Snow holding onto him from behind.^[1]

Still, neither could really be prepared for how rough the take off was and the catfolk in particular digs their claws into Zarius’ sides to avoid being bucked off.

“Ow, ow, ow! Snow! Retract the claws please!”

“S-sorry!” But the catfolk does not let go out of fear of flying off and falling down to their death.

Zarius clenches his teeth and bears with it until they finally get up high enough to coast along the wind currents. He then pries the catfolk’s paws off him and rubs his sides.

Once he’s free from the catfolk’s grip, he carefully stands up on the drake’s back, his tail curls around one of the straps of the saddle to anchor him as he gets a clearer view over Kamille’s hair which had been whipping him in the face on the way up.

The ash clouds stretching out over the Ash Lands to the south are dark and menacing looking. The scent of smoke is carried on the wind which stings his eyes and the back of his throat. An all too familiar feeling.

He feels almost solemn by the sight. An uncomfortable heaviness sits in his chest as they coast across the sky and see just how far the ash is reaching. It wasn’t normal by any stretch of the imagination.

Shaking his head, he responds to Kamille’s mental message. There have been many researchers looking around up there, though they did not seem to find anything that would explain this from what I have gathered.

Snow keeps low to Kalaf’s back with their ears pressed firmly against their head. Their nose twitches as they catch the scent of something else on the wind. Ozone.

A crack of thunder rings out from the ash cloud and a massive electrically charged bird suddenly appears, static crackling across its wings. The creature screeches angrily as it spots the intruders in its territory and starts making its way towards them.

Zarius is surprised at just how large the creature is, having only seen them from a distance and from the safety of solid ground. Up here they were in its domain, and he was well out of his comfort zone.

I hope you have a plan!

He crouches down and holds on tightly to the straps. 

---

[1] Iron Grip

What makes you think I ever have a plan?!

Maybe not the best thing to hear in such situation, but regardless there was excitement in her voice. The creature was much larger than she expected, and faster than Kalaf too, but that she already expected - the drake had the fortitude, not the agility. It would be an interesting setting...

The drake was as much a creature of the skies as the bird, and didn’t hesitate to rush in its direction eagerly, accepting the blatant challenge in a heartbeat, flapping his wings faster. The arcuila screeched, a loud and high pitched sound that cut through their brains, reverberating through the clouds. Kalaf roared, a sound they felt to rattle their bones.

It all happened too quickly: the two giant beasts rushed towards each other in what could've possibly been a fatal collision, if the arcuila haven’t diverted his path in the last moment. Kalaf stretched its serpentine head, smoke already escaping his nostrils before letting out his fiery breath. Even at the distance, they could see the electricity coursing through the arcuila's feathers, charging up for an attack that intended to cut through the drake's cone of fire. None of the attacks landed, as the Witch quickly raised her hand and the world turned upside down: Kamille stretched out a hand to the side, aiming for Kalaf's wing as an unnatural current of wind [1] shot out. The unexpected current made his wing bend down, sharply changing the course he was on very much like the sail of a ship suddenly filled with wind. And they all rolled away in a sickening twist, earth and sky exchanging places in a quick succession until Kalaf finally stabilized his flight.

They still felt, as the arcuila flew past dangerously close to them, the electricity it held making all their hairs stand up.

Kalaf growled angrily.

Let me eat it!

If you black out, we're all dead! We can't risk it!

Then, she turned her attention once again to Snow and Zarius, hoping they were able to hold onto the drake's back as she did [2]. As she glanced over her shoulder, she spotted the arcuila making a turn to give chase to them.

Do you have any ideas?! Their nest must be near! They won't stop fighting until we're out of their territory! Perhaps we can lure it back to the ground? I can slow it down!

[1]Gust thrust 
[2]Secure saddle

THAT IS NOT REASSURING!

Zarius is significantly less enthusiastic about the situation. He has absolutely no control and is at the mercy of whatever Kamille and Kalaf do.

He isn't he only one either. Snow clings desperately to the back of the dragon, fully knowing a fall from this height would not be survivable even for someone with feline flexibility and instincts. Maybe bringing them up here was not the best idea. 

Actually, maybe being up here at all was not the best idea. Zarius' stomach turns as the drake goes into a death spiral to avoid a head on collision with the Arcuila. It takes all of his strength to hold on and keep Snow from flying off the drake's back until the sky returns to its proper and upright position above their heads.^[1]

"I'm going to be sick," Snow urps.

"Please do not."

Zarius watches Arcuila circle back around. As he considers the distance they are from the creature, from the ground, and from the clouds of smoke and ash, he feels that uncomfortable sensation of burning in the back of his throat once more. He huffs and meets Kamille's glance. 

"Let it chase us down closer to the ground, then if you can get me just ahead and above it, I might be able to take it to down. If I fail at least the fall will not be as bad."

He looks at Snow. "Do not let it get too close and make sure it keeps its attention on us."

"I'll try but this is not exactly the best conditions for making precise shots." Snow notches an arrows against the string of their longbow. 

The fellblood looks back at Kamille. "If we get it to the ground, what comes next?"

---

[1] Iron Grip

It was one of those situations Kamille was glad of her strong stomach, or else she would certainly be as upset as Snow. The spiralling had her head spinning, but at least she felt quicker to recover than she would have sometime ago, when her journey with Kalaf had started. And speaking of the drake...

I'M NOT HIS PREY! LET ME CHASE IT!

You'll get your chance to chase it! We need to be smart about this! Here's what you're gonna do...

Kalaf was certainly the least satisfied with their assumed plan, as a black drake was probably never been in the position of being chased. He roared in annoyance, smoke still escaping his nostrils even as he distanced himself from the Arcuila. Kamille nodded at Zarius, before her voice once again sounded in his head.

On the ground, we have the advantage. Hold on tight. There will be some turbulence.

Well, she assumed they would fare better on the ground, but that was also a guess. One step at the time. The two giant leathery wings to their sides suddenly closed up to the drake's body, as he started his abrupt descend, nearly as vertigo inducing as the spinning. Pointing his muzzle to the ground, the giant drake seemed to oblige to their plan, making his way closer to the ground, the wind cutting through around them. Kamille once again nearly laid on the drake's neck, reducing even more the resistance of the wind as they effectively became a giant bullet aiming for the ground.

The Arcuila semeed intent on them, following them closely, angrily screeching at them as they supposedly dove deeper into its territory. One of the first things she learned about the beasts is that if you act like prey, you'll be regarded as prey, which had the giant drake profoundly annoyed when she told him to fly away. Despite his instincts, the drake shot for the ground and when it became dangerously close, once again opened his wings wide, suddenly leveling his giant body in a sharp jerk.

During the fall, the lightning bird was not able to close in the distance, apparently, but as soon as they became parallel to the ground, its agility would come in its favor: the heavier drake might have the momentum, but when it came to speed, the Arcuila had the advantage, and would eventually get up to them.

She would fix that.

Zarius! Get ready to do whatever you need! On the count of three! One...! Two...!

Then the Witch once again cast a spell on the drake, giving Zarius a couple seconds more to fully grasp what was going on.

Now!

With her hands extending downwards towards the scaly beast, Kamille cast Quicken on Kalaf, making his speed increase. Such boost in speed was necessary for their next maneuver: the drake once again pointed his muzzle to the sky, rolling over his own body for a moment in a sickening loop that left them upside down, so that would be a second - a fraction of a second - when the two beasts would be back to back while flying. The sudden increase in Kalaf's agility - that was actually a manipulation of time itself - was necessary to pull it off while keeping the Arcuila on its track, without giving it enough time to change its route.

By the end of his loop, Kalaf would turn back to his normal upright position in the sky, but behind the arcuila. If everything went as planned, Zarius would have his brief window of time to pull his move.

But the fellblood needed to act fast!