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For the next two days they flew over forests, cliffs, a few mountains, and even some rocky areas. Despite the gravity of the situation of the child Iorlas had found, Kyrie became more easy-going the closer they came to her home. She also made sure to check on the child regularly, though by the end of the second day, when he still had not cried, whimpered, or made any sort of noise, shew as growing very worried about him.

At last, just as they began to fly over an area of red rock, Uruloki banked and began to glide towards the ground.

"Thank the Valar," muttered Earendil, whose face was a pasty white.

"We'll all stay together, though walking may be the best thing for him," Kyrie said before Earendil could reply. "We can't land in the city, so we'll have to walk a bit to get there anyways, and there is absolutely no point in me going ahead and leaving any of you behind."

She looked at Earendil. "That being said," she added, "if you can make it to the city - about a quarter hour's walk - we can give you something to make you feel better."

Earendil nodded slowly, dipping his head ever so slightly. "I'll try," he mumbled. "I'd like to get rid of this feeling as soon as I can."

He had managed to go the two days without throwing up, but he still didn't like the feeling.

"Besides," he added, "it's been two more days and that boy still hasn't gotten any better."

"No," Kyrie murmured, her brow furrowing anxiously as she glanced over her shoulder at the child, whom Iorlas was holding. "He hasn't ..."

Only a few moments later, they landed, and the landing was far smoother than the takeoff had been, for which Earendil was grateful.

Kyrie was the first to slide off the dragon's back, and she instructed everyone to untie themselves and then do the same.

"Careful when you hit the ground," she cautioned them. "There's a good chance your muscles might seize after two days of sitting." And then she held up her hands, ready to help everyone down from the dragon's back.

As most of the group focused on stretching and working out muscle cramps, Kyrie turned her attention back to Uruloki.

"I know you've just flown for two straight days," she told him, "but I have one final favour to ask of you."

The great red and gold dragon seemed to sigh at Kyrie. "You need me to pass a message on to Ahkshi," he said in his rumbling voice. He folded his wings against his back. "You sure know how to push a body."

Kyrie put one hand on his beaked upper palate and smiled faintly. "I know, and I'm sorry," she murmured. "Just tell him that we're on our way, and to meet us at the clinic."

The dragon snorted gently. "You're lucky I like you so much."

And before their eyes, he shrunk down to the size of the child Iorlas had found and started flying off again, towards the east.

"Surprises?" Kyrie repeated, blinking.

"Well, you explained about Uruloki bonding," Lancaeriel put in with a smile, "but nothing about his changing size."

"Ah." Kyrie smiled. "Sorry, I must have gotten distracted before I got that far. It's another trait unique to Volcano Dragons."

"What's the difference between a volcano dragon and a fire dragon?" Lancaeriel asked curiously. "I have seen fire dragons before, of course ..."

"Volcano dragons are a subspecies," Kyrie explained. "Fire dragons can breathe fire, create their own heat, and are impervious to flame, but only the volcano dragons can bond and change size."

Ahead of them, an enormous city sprawled almost as far as the eye could see. The first thing that struck Andarien about it was that it was red ... red everywhere. The buildings, the ground ... It was only upon closer examination that he realized that the buildings seemed to be carved straight out of the rock that the ground was made of. He wondered how that had happened.

Kyrie smiled. "Not quite into the stone," she murmured. "It was carved out of the stone, to be more specific. From my understanding, this entire city was once an area of stone - like a mountain, I suppose. The Fire Elves, who live here, made a pact with the Earth Elves of Wolsic, to the northeast. The Earth Elves used their magic to create this city for the Fire Elves, and the Fire Elves will defend Wolsic if they are ever attacked. Which," she added with a grin, "has never happened. People know not to mess with the Fire Elves."

It was late afternoon when they arrived in the city, and the streets were not very busy. Still, the group attracted stares from everyone they passed, and though no one called out a greeting, there was no hostility in their looks. Kyrie led them down a few streets until they reached a sizable building. Like all of the other buildings, it was carved straight from stone, but there was a relief image of a bird carved over the door.

Uruloki, still small, was resting on the roof over the door, watching for the group, and when they approached he took to the air and glided over to Kyrie, melting into the tattoo that wrapped around her torso.

"Come in," Kyrie told the group, opening the door and leading the way inside.

"This is Ahkshi's clinic," Kyrie explained, leading the way inside. "We live a few streets over." Then she called out, "Ahkshi!"

The inside of the building was much the same as the outside: simple rock, with the only light illuminating the room from large empty windows. The room had a few chairs for sitting in as well as one couch, and a long table with a small plant in the middle of it. In one corner was a small box filled with puzzles and toys to distract children who were waiting with or for their parents.

Only a few seconds had passed after Kyrie had called for her husband before he appeared in a doorway that led back to the rest of the clinic. He was about Earendil's height, and like the fire elves of Caras Galadhon he had pale skin and short hair the colour of a ripe tomato.

Kyrie didn't even give him a chance to greet her, but put one hand on Iorlas's back and ushered her forward. She began to explain the situation in another language, and Ahkshi frowned with concern and took the child from Iorlas before returning to the back area of the clinic.

"Wait here," Kyrie instructed the others; and then she followed her husband, taking Iorlas with her - and Daeron followed by default.

"I've had enough sitting for a while," Earendil replied softly, leaning against the wall but staying upright. "I'm going to stay standing for now."

Andarien decided to make the best of their wait and set his chest down on the floor next to the low table. He pushed the plant carefully to the side and opened his chest, rummaging around in it carefully before he pulled out his smaller toolkit and some gears.

Lancaeriel and Wren each took a seat on the couch, and Wren pulled out a deck of cards for them to play. "Anyone care to join us?" she asked, looking around at the others.