The air was crisp and invigorating, carrying the faint smell of the sea. Vexx had not been seen for months, and whispers of his absence spread throughout Rayhaven.
Many have begun to speculate and fear that he ventured beyond Ardenfell to forge alliances with other formidable adversaries, gathering the strength and resources needed to return more powerful than before. The uncertainty of this whereabouts loomed heavy in the residents of Rayhaven, who recalled his past exploits and the chaos he could unleash.
Vailstrym had recovered weeks prior and was training with Azier by the sea stacks along the shoreline. They flew between the sea stacks, honing their skills to bank at steep angles and high speeds.
“Alright, Vailstrym. Do it again, but let's go as fast as you can,” said Azier as she adjusted her position.
Vailstrym made a wide turn and headed back towards the sea stacks, gaining speed.
However, she couldn't bank quickly enough to avoid some of the rocks at full speed, so in a split-second decision, she executed a rapid barrel roll.
Unfortunately, Azier couldn't hold on and was flung off in another direction against one of the rock faces. She tried to grab hold of something but couldn’t and slid down its slope. Azier called out for Vailstrym, and just before reaching the rock's overhang, she grabbed Azier.
They landed on one of the sea stacks with a flat top to rest. After briefly catching their breath, they tried again.
To no avail, Azier was thrown to the side again. This time, however, she skimmed by the rocks, narrowly missing them. She free-fell for a moment until she grabbed her tasset cape on her armor and hooked it to her boots and wrist with the embedded magnets. She spread her arms, and the canvas caught the wind, slowing her down just enough for Vailstrym to catch up. She gently and cautiously glided underneath Azier until she was on the saddle again.
“I’m not sure if that went better than last time or not. Guess I wasn’t thrown into a cliffside this time, so that’s a plus,” Azier remarked. “Ok, if it happens again, do that next time. Don’t fling me into the rocks, ok?” She snarkily commented to Vailstrym.
They spent the rest of the day attempting to master the intricate maneuver. The sun hung low in the sky, casting long shadows along the shoreline. With each failed attempt, Azier grew increasingly frustrated with the same consistent outcome. As the hours wore on, she couldn’t shake the feeling that their efforts were slipping further from success.
Exhausted and feeling defeated, they drifted back towards the city, Vailstrym’s moments sluggish and heavy. As they descended, the once graceful glide turned into a controlled dive, and they finally touched down with a resonant thud. The fatigue was evident in their posture, each breath a reminder of the challenges they had faced.
Azier stepped through the front door of her house; she was instantly enveloped by the warm, inviting aroma of a home-cooked meal wafting through the air.
With a soft sigh of relief after a long day, she made her way to the kitchen, her footsteps echoing on the hardwood floor. With a sense of weariness, she plopped down onto one of the chairs.
“Well, what timing you had there! I’ve made your favorite, cheese ravioli,” Zella exclaimed with a warm smile, setting a plate brimming with freshly made cheese ravioli in front of Azier. The aroma of garlic, herbs, and melted cheese mingled together, creating an irresistible invitation to dig in.
“Thanks, Mom,” she replied, a hint of gratitude lacing her voice.
“What’s the matter? Something wrong?” Zella inquired gently, gazing upon Azier’s scratched and scuffed armor.
“Just exhausted. Vailstrym and I were flying around the sea stacks, but I can’t stay on when she does a high-speed roll; I just get flung off in some direction.” Explained Azier with a mouth full of food. “A few times, I got thrown against the rocks. I’m going to be feeling that in the morning.”
“Oh, don’t be so hard on yourself,” Zella said, her voice soothing and encouraging. “You’ll get it down someday. Or, hey, maybe getting flung off to the side could come in handy at some point, in some weird obscure situation…” She trailed off, her eyes drifting as she tried to conjure an image of what that peculiar scenario might look like.
“Yeah, maybe. Thank god the tasset cape works kind of like a wingsuit, so when I wasn’t being hurled face-first into a cliffside, I could at least slow down my free fall enough that Vailstrym could catch up to me.”
“Exactly!” Zella exclaimed, her enthusiasm bubbling over like a pot of boiling water. “With that in mind, it could very well become an effective maneuver to use during certain situations.” As she spoke, she reached for a plate of steaming ravioli.
“I know I’ll be sore tomorrow, so I won’t do that again for a few days,” Azier groaned as she stretched, feeling the aching pain in her arms, shoulders, and back. “Well, one thing's for sure: I'm definitely going to sleep well tonight.”
She glanced over at Vailstrym, who was curled up in the corner, fast asleep. The bright moonlight streaming through the window glistened on her scales. The gentle, rhythmic sound of her deep snoring echoed softly through the room. Her chest rose and fell with each breath, creating an almost melodic symphony in the stillness of the room.
Azier approached her with quiet grace and gave her a tender kiss on the tip of her nose. She softly said, “Good night, Vailstrym,” letting the words linger in the stillness of the moment.
