Warriors of the Dragon

Aethaliat

Sephira flew them into the night in the hope that they would get to Aethaliat before the naiads. She expected Dawn or Markus to stop her, but there was no opposition and nowhere safe to land on the way. As they neared the glow of the many fires of the city, they were surprised by several dragons they encountered in the air. With her keen sight, Sephira determined that they were both naiads with four-winged dragons they called Tetraviens, the same type of sharp-toothed often camouflage patterned dragon that Ariemme herself had. They didn't notice her pass above them, but their presence caused the others difficulty and instead of following Caius off to the west, they all scattered at the sight of the other dragons and the naiads thought they were being attacked. Dawn called to the others as Akeyli smartly followed Caius and they dropped to the ground just outside of the city.

"Will they attack us for trespassing?" Craven asked Dawn urgently as he crouched on Crow's neck with his sword drawn.

"I assume Ariemme would have sent word. Although, I'm not sure if she means for us to be in the city or if we should just camp outside of it." Dawn confessed, looking to Leuthil for his opinion.

"If she reserved a tavern for us, that would be nice." Isolde said to herself with a hopeful smile.

"We could send a few of us in to ask around." Rauka suggested as she got down off of Cerberus.

"That's a good idea. Maybe the three of us can go?" Dawn offered, looking at Rauka and Isolde.

"Uh, I'd feel better if I could go in Isolde's place!" Markus spoke up, leaping down from Turrock. "I'm sorry, I can't let anything happen to you. Your father would have my head." He explained sincerely.

"I guess we should go without our dragons so we don't gather too much attention." Dawn supposed.

"As if we won't get attention already, an elf, an orc, and a human." Rauka commented, as she followed Dawn and Markus around the rocky hill to the road into the city.

The remaining riders stayed on their dragons as they waited and they all crouched in the shadow of the hillside as naiad dragons occasionally passed overhead. The two they had encountered seemed to have entered the city and not turned back for them. Sephira wondered if they would honor the treaty Ariemme and her mother had made or if they would imprison or kill her and her brother on sight. She wondered for a moment if they could pose as light elves to pass through Aethaliat, but thought better of it at the thought of their hair styles, fangs, and the silver sheen to their eyes. Caius had flattened himself to the grass and Oryx had her head lowered so her antlers looked like branches.

Isolde felt the chill of the Northern sea breeze and hoped Sabine would be able to handle the weather conditions beyond the Nautic ocean. She noticed the wraiths had practically disappeared into the hillside. She only saw the sheen to their dragons' eyes reflecting the torchlight from the road as they sat as still as statues and silently. Craven looked on edge as he sat in his saddle with his sword still drawn and his head high as he kept an eye out for any threats. Crow followed his example as his bright red eyes peered out towards the city and his wings were spread wide like he was ready to take flight. Cerberus was pacing on the hill, anxious about the absence of his rider and Akeyli looked equally anxious as he sat still but his head bobbed slightly as if he was resisting the urge to join Cerberus in pacing. Leuthil laid back seemingly bored on Isis, who laid calmly on her haunches with her wings folded neatly on either side of her and her four hands were splayed out with her long fingers in the grass. Similarly, Turrock seemed unconcerned about their situation and had fallen asleep with his huge leathery wings flopping out to the side and his big heavy head on the grass. Isolde felt bad about the large wounds he had sustained on his head and neck and could see them even in the dim flickering light of the lanterns along the road and on the outer wall of the city.