Part 1: The Council of Three
While the mess hall erupted in noise and laughter, Elian signaled for his two most trusted advisors.
He led Valen and Caelum into the Captain's Quarters, sealing the heavy door behind them. The silence was sudden and heavy.
"Talk to me," Elian said, leaning against his desk. "Vor'takh invited us to the heart of their territory. Thoughts?"
Valen crossed his massive arms, his face grim. The Paladin was the shield of the team, and he thought like one.
"It's a trap, Elian. It has to be."
Valen paced the small room. "Think about it. We just killed Glacius. That monster was the strongest entity in this region besides their King. If we are strong enough to kill their nemesis, that makes us the new threat. They invite us in, surround us with hundreds of dragons, and eliminate the competition before we can recover."
Caelum floated near the bookshelf, his eyes glowing softly. "I disagree. My sensors indicate no deception in Vor'takh's pheromones or mana fluctuations. His gratitude appears genuine."
The High Elf turned to Valen. "Furthermore, the risk is outweighed by the potential. The Sky-Kin have a civilization. They have mastered aerial combat, dragon taming, and perhaps magic we do not understand. Gaining access to their technology and culture could advance the guild by months, if not years."
Elian closed his eyes, listening. He had brought them both for this exact reason. Valen was the Anchor—always prioritizing safety. Caelum was the Sail—always looking for progress.
"Valen is right to be paranoid," Elian said, opening his eyes. "Trusting an unknown species is a gamble with our lives."
Valen nodded, looking vindicated. "Then we decline. We stay here, fortify the Spire, and grind safely."
"But," Elian interrupted gently. "We cannot stay here forever."
He walked over to Valen, placing a hand on the giant's armored shoulder.
"Valen, safety is good. But growth never comes without risk. If I keep this guild locked in a safe room to prevent them from getting hurt, I am essentially clipping their wings before they ever learn to fly."
Elian's voice softened, filled with the memory of Valen's sacrifice in the previous timeline.
"I don't want you all to be stuck as you are. I want you to soar. And sometimes, that means walking into the dragon's den."
Valen looked at Elian. He saw the determination in his Captain's eyes—the desire not just to survive, but to conquer. The Paladin's shoulders relaxed. A proud smile broke through his grim expression.
"You have a way with words, Captain. Fine. We fly."
Elian turned to Caelum.
"However, we are not going in blind. Caelum, you are the most sensitive to mana among us.
When we enter The Aerie, you are to keep your sensors at maximum range. If you feel anything—a shift in the mana, a hidden spell, a killing intent—we abort. Immediately. We fight our way out. Understood?"
Caelum nodded sharply. "Understood. I will be the early warning system."
Part 2: The Gift
They exited the Captain's quarters.
The contrast was jarring. The mess hall was a chaotic, joyful mess.
Isara was showing a Sky-Kin warrior her daggers, and the alien was nodding in appreciation. Roger was laughing as he poured more tea for a Wind-Drake rider who was trying to drink it from a bowl. The twins were asleep against the side of a dragon in the cargo bay.
It was a beautiful, rare moment of unity between worlds.
Elian walked through the crowd and approached Vor'takh.
The Sky-Kin leader stood up, his head nearly brushing the ceiling beams.
"We have discussed your offer," Elian said, his voice cutting through the noise. The room went quiet.
Vor'takh leaned in. "And?"
"We accept," Elian smiled. "We would be honored to meet Sky-Father Zephyr."
A collective sigh of relief seemed to pass through the Sky-Kin squad.
"However," Elian raised a finger. "We have been fighting for ten days. We spent hours breaking a King, and then spent nine days fighting death itself in the freezing dark just to stay breathing. My crew is battered. We require three days to rest, repair our gear, and prepare our ship. We will come to The Aerie on the third sunrise."
Vor'takh nodded slowly. "Three suns. That is reasonable. The wind waits for the strong."
As the Sky-Kin moved to leave, heading toward the cargo bay doors, Elian called out.
"Wait. A guest should not leave empty-handed."
Elian reached into his inventory. He pulled out a heavy, glowing ingot.
It was Refined Frost-Steel, smelted from the ore of the Glacial Spire. To Elian, who now owned a mine full of it, it was a resource. But to the Sky-Kin, who lived in the clouds and had no access to deep-earth mining, it was a treasure beyond price.
"A gift," Elian said, tossing the heavy ingot to Vor'takh. "Metal from the heart of the mountain you feared."
Vor'takh caught it. He stared at the shimmering metal, feeling its weight and hardness. His yellow eyes widened. This much metal could forge ten spear tips that would never break.
"You... are generous, Elian," Vor'takh whispered, clutching the ingot to his chest. "We await your arrival."
Part 3: The Departure
The crew watched from the deck as the five Wind-Drakes launched into the air.
The Sky-Kin riders whooped, diving into the clouds, clutching their new treasure. They disappeared into the white mist, leaving only the sound of thunder behind them.
The smile faded from Elian's face. He turned to his crew.
They were all looking at him—Roger, Titan, Lyra, Kael, Luna, Isara, Jax, Seraphina.
"Listen up!" Elian announced.
"In three days, we fly to The Aerie. We are going to meet the Wind King."
Murmurs broke out. Some excited, some nervous.
"It could be an opportunity," Elian shouted over them. "An alliance with the rulers of the sky.
Access to their dragons. Access to their magic."
He paused, letting the gravity of the situation sink in.
"Or, it could be a trap. We might be walking into a slaughter."
Roger checked his rifle bolt. "So, business as usual, Captain?"
Elian grinned. "Exactly."
He pointed toward the horizon, back toward the Sapphire Crag.
"But we aren't going back to the Crag to sleep. We're moving."
He looked at Luna and Kael.
"We have three days. I want the Sapphire Crag base emptied. Every potion, every ingot, every piece of furniture. We are relocating everything here, to the Glacial Spire."
"This island is our territory now," Elian stomped his foot on the deck. "It's time we moved in properly. Pack it up, Eclipse. We have a lot of work to do."