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"This is incredibly stupid and I can't believe you're dragging me away from work for this." Maslin grumbled for what had to be the dozenth time. He had zero interest in the rumored magical flower they were supposed to be acquiring. He had even less interest in traipsing through a swamp on Ayr to go get it. The peisio mage was not the adventurous sort and he would happily have let Lazuli go off alone were the distance required not to great.

Not that he did not love his bonded, it was simply that Maslin trusted Lazuli to know his own limits. The peisio drakein had proven more than capable of going off on his own and getting into and out of small scraps before. Lazuli was more than he appeared to most people .

In response lazuli just whistled as he trotted forward and reminded Maslin
Your cousin dared us, it would be wrong to back down. Lazuli had been eagar to take the challenge and prove himself and his bonded to the cocky younger boy. Meeru would regret being so brash with his words when they returned victorious.

Maslin just sighed and shook his head as he followed after Lazuli. Meeru was a younger cousin of his, who's family lived in the small mining town the caravan had been passing through. He hadn't thought too much of Maslin and Lazuli's medals or their heroism and had dared them to prove their bravery by finding this supposed flower.

Maslin had been willing to let the word's pass but Lazuli was still smarting over a similar experience not too long ago and had accepted before he could brush his cousin's words off. Now they were stuck trying to find the damned flower, and return with it or return with proof that they'd at least gone searching for it.

Maslin for his part would be content to fill a jar with swamp water and return home.

That's cheating Lazuli pointed out. I smell something familiar up ahead, on the other side of the cliff. the wind made it hard for lazuli to know exactly what the scent he had picked up was but his instinct told him it was oen he knew and was not afraid of.

Erionda beamed as she took in the site of the green Drakein. Perhaps now she would have the chance to perform a challenge on someone! She waited until the Drakein had landed before she tried to speak. Kioda beating her to that. Then as if Erionda had suddenly disappeared from view the Drakien was now interested in something else.

The hybrid shrugged. She was used to Kioda becoming easily distracted. The Drakein had even wandered off in the middle of a conversation once and hadn't returned. Her chance at challenging Kioda was missed. She herself still wanted to go through the test and prove to herself she wasn't fearful. Maybe she could even bring it back to Kilian. She wondered if he would even appreciate the dark flower.

Turning towards Uassae and Lanzecki, Erionda shrugged. Her eyes scanned the area ahead for whatever it was that would open this 'secret passage'

Kioda's wings flapped open excitedly. She couldn't quite remember the name of this Drakein but she remembered him mixed with water. Along with her sore muscles, rumbling a welcome greeting Kioda chirruped happily. It helped that he called out to her with her name, he was certainly one she had met before. Was it on Serenia.

The Ysali shook her head, it didn't matter. A friend was always a happy thing to see. "What brings you here!? Did you come to find a flower too?" Her teal eyes shone brightly, her eyes turned to the Dovaa that followed after them. Wait, he was a bonded!? Had she known this before? She sniffed at Lazuli, he didn't smell any different.

Ruffling her wings Kioda shivered as the ground under her feet started to shake. Her eyes grew bright at the prospect of the challenge beginning. Pumping her wings quickly as the ground opened up like a large mouth. Her eyes whirled as she regarded everything around her.

Trumpeting her excitement Kioda's wings tucked against her body. The earth pulling her down into the crack in the cliffs. Hitting the ground Kioda pranced forward whistling back for Lazuli to join her.

Lazuli had been startled by everything that had happened thus far and yet the mention of the flower had washed away any fears he had had. Clearly Kioda was also seeking to prove herself here. He bobbed his head in a nod as he caught up to the other drakein. " Yes, we were challenged." They would not fail either if lazuli had anything to say about it, even if he could feel his bonded growing more irritated by the moment.


Maslin was decidedly unhappy with the recent turn of events. While the feral drakein was not hostile, that did little to make up for the fact that a cliff had cracked open and no one else seemed bothered by this. Even if it was just an illusion it did not bode well for the sorts of things that could be ahead.

At least it appeared that the trio was not alone, there was the distinct sound of footsteps and some faint light, further in. With the drakein distracted by each other Maslin had no choice but to call out " who's there?" if they were friendly perhaps they could travel together for the safety that numbers brought. if they were foes then it was better to face them here where escape was easy to find instead of locked deep inside a cliff.

"Fantastic!" Kioda chirped playfully jumping around before turning to follow everyone into the cave. "At least now we wont be doing it alone and isn't there safety in numbers? I think I've heard a two legger say that once."

Prancing on ahead Kioda's eyes followed about the caverns. Wincing at the smell of decaying bodies around her. The wind didn't have any effect against her hearing. Even if it did sound like moaning. Maybe the moaning was dying blood thirsty birds. She would be more than satisfied with that. Every once in a while. Erionda attempted to shake her head free of the horrible stench catching in her nostrils. Even breathing through her mouth wasn't helping her at all. "It smells in here." She complained unable to see the white tree in the distance from the way her eyes watered at the smell.

Groups luck is over 100... whatcha gunna do bout that


Kioda snorted shaking her head back and forth at the smell. Her teal eyes on the blue Drakein. Snorting to flush her nose of the worsening smell she nodded to Lazuli. "The faster we get through this mess the better. I don't think my nose can handle this smell anymore. It's already burning."

Lifting her head from below her withers Kioda huffed. "Look it's the white tree it shouldn't be to much father beyond this point. Right? I can't remember the exact location we are supposed to go."

Maslin's mood was no better than Erionda's. Peisio he might be but that didn't mean he enjoyed slogging through a swamp and having water pour over the tops of his boots and soak his feet. Not knowing what danger might lay ahead it was unwise for Maslin to waste attention and magic trying to keep his feet dry. Keeping an eye on the damned floating balls of fire and the glimpses of animals nearby was his main concern.

Upon reaching the pale tree Maslin suddenly wished he'd prepared better for this. The damn mist was going to make going both forward and back difficult, especially if the other landmarks blended in with it unlike the tree. If they had brought rope or something to make markers with it'd be easier but of course not.

" I didn't even accept this damn challenge," Maslin muttered to no one in particular. He still loved Lazuli and would always be close to his bonded but sometimes he wished the drakein was a little more laidback and closer to his own personality.

All that could be done was to continue on through the mist as the damned blood moon shone it's red light upon the hazy swamp in Ayr.

The scales that made up Lazuli's crest rose and the drakein snarled as dark shadow beasts appeared in the air. He was unfamiliar with the creatures but he knew they were a threat.

We outnumber them greatly Maslin noted soothingly through the bond. For his part the mage flung out his right arm in which he held the scepter he had reluctantly been wielding for nearly the pas decade. From the weapon sprung a whip of blazingly bright light that swiftly coiled itself around one of the flying shadows.