[COMPLETE] R E V E R S E #NaNoWriMo2k17

Chapter 14

Unfortunately, his tussle with Sakura had pretty much killed his experience of the Plateau.

Gales started attacking him again as he neared the boarder between Fire and Wind. His new sword was strapped to his side - a 'diamondbite', created especially to hurt. The blade was deadly sharp - even the slightest touch will cut the skin. It was a lot more deadly than his usual weapon, although far less sophisticated. Not that he didn't like it.

The diamondbite - which he dubbed 'Backstabber' - wasn't actually as expensive as he thought. However, it still took a large chunk out of his money, which was concerning. He mentally cursed himself for not bringing more, although then again Stella opted to be the treasurer, not him.

Stella. A sharp stab of pain shot through his heart. Still no sign of her. He'd already asked around the Tavern, but no one had seen her. A few even showed hostility at his presence, and he barely avoided a few scrapes.

Despite all that, it was still interesting to learn about the blacksmith's way of life. Since the fire and lava provided enough natural light to work at both day and night, some dragons opted to be nocturnal, working through the darkness by lavalight. It was far quieter at nighttime than during the day, which allowed for better concentration. There was also a fishing industry as well, as despite the sooty waters apparently there were still fish and other life living in the ashes. Well, that explained a lot.

He glided down at the boarder and landed on the ground. Here, the volcanic rock and ash crumbled and gave way to light soil. A little further down, tiny amounts of grass shot through the weak dirt. The Flamecaller's power could still stretch out to here, although it battled with the might of the Windsinger's. Ajax sat down for a moment, drinking deeply from a canteen he'd picked up at the market. The water still tasted oddly like ash, but he'd already checked beforehand that the water was clean and safe.

He screwed the cap back on and looked over at the horizon. His view was almost instantly obscured by the rising plateaus. To his left, he could see a dim shade swirling. He was still too far away to hear it, but he could almost feel the winds lashing against his skin.

He packed up, taking one last look back at the Wastes. He paused for a moment, before reaching into his bag. He managed to find a good pile of rocks and gathered a few more, stacking it up as high as he dared. Finally, he slotted the dagger into the top. It wasn't much, but maybe it could point her in the right direction.

If she saw it.

He turned his back on the volcanoes and flew into Wind territory. Light breezes ruffled his fur, and he felt a sense of deja vu as he drifted slowly through the clouds. At one point, a stampede of Longnecks ran out of their caves to confront him, but he stayed high, well out of their reach and escaped safely.

Now that he wasn't fighting for his life or anticipating it, he could actually somewhat enjoy the landscape. The greenery was a welcome break from the constant white of the Icefields, where minimal plants grew, struggling to survive in the never ending cold. Lakes dotted the landscape, and rivers and streams cut through the mountains and plains, forming an intricate spider wed that lead to the sea. Since the winds were rather harsh here, trees were rather sparse, but there were a large amount of bamboo growing close to water sources, capable of surviving in even the most catastrophic weather conditions.

He took the time to take it all in. It was weirdly quiet up here, a sharp contrast against the hustle and shouts of the battle a month ago. He shuddered, stopping to hover midair. He closed his eyes, the screams and clangs of the battle rattling him to the core. He knew what he may never look at the world and not remember the horrifying sound of a blade cutting through flesh as the Raptorik ended Tas' life.