The griffin dove towards the river, and spread its wings right as they could feel the cool watery breeze from the gushing currents rush against their face. They flew just above the river, the griffin's front claws dragging along its glittering mirror-like surface.
"I'm skilled enough at espionage, but destructive power is so uncouth. As such I haven't found the need to invest any graces in these... flawed activities," Gregory explained, right before the griffin did a sharp bank left. It dipped its claws deeper into the water and emerged with a large fish.
"Eat, Jinx," Vondell shouted, and it tossed the fish into the air before rushing up after it. It swallowed it with a single gulp, tearing towards the skies as it swallowed.
Gregory cleared his throat. "Like I was saying. This isn't just an onyx directive. In Leeds we call it a black flag. One miscalculation, and you bring war to your borders."
"That's why we need two people. One of us needs to be a master at intelligence gathering and espionage, and the other needs to know how to... make things go boom, and be really good at it," he finished.
Vondell thought over it for a moment. The directive was very stingy with its information, all it stated was that there were reports of strange behavior within the Tigerna's council. However, they didn't mention what genre of strange behavior, or the specific people involved. It was likely that this information was acquired through divination grace, meaning it came from someone with a little more influence than Helen.
~Though I doubt the king of Leeds would approve a quest this…war-volatile. Or at least not with his own seal,~ Vondell deduced, before turning his head so that Gregory was at the edge of his peripheral vision.
"The directive's main objective, what is it supposed to prove? Why would we need to watch the Tigerna over the night?" he asked. He had to admit, Gregory seemed to know a great deal about what was going on. In fact, he would even go as far as saying that he worked for whoever had sent the directive to Antras.
"That sounds awfully similar to what one partner would ask another," Gregory replied.
Just then, the air around them became heavier, and the chilling heat of ichor travelled with the winds, washing over their faces.
"That doesn't look good," Gregory whispered.
Vondell looked forward, towards a long dark line resting just above the horizon. A mass of black clouds was moving towards them in the far distance.
"Skyblight," he whispered.
It wasn't unheard of to encounter ichor manifested weather conditions while travelling to The Plains. After all, it was a land that served an old god, and the newer pantheon was not so kind on followers of the ancient way.
~How am I going to deal with this.~
Flying under it would be dangerous, however they didn't have time to wait it out. If they stopped right now, they'd be further behind schedule, and even with all the help Gregory was offering, Vondell liked to have ample time to prepare the playing field.
"It doesn't look like you plan on stopping," Gregory said. "Good. Because you're late," he added, wrapping his arms tightly around Vondell's torso.
Soon, the air was fraught with the smelt of blood and rot, and a sour taste nestled itself on Vondell's tongue. The griffin slowed down and stared at the approaching clouds of black with focused determination.
A streak of red struck out from deep within the mass, and a thundering rumble followed right after crackling through the skies. The griffin jerked slightly, before screeching up at the clouds.
"Calm, Jinx," Vondell shouted, petting the griffin's nape. He could feel its muscles tightening with every inch they moved closer to the clouds.
If they wanted to increase their chances of survival, they would have to fly high within the clouds, or risk being a sitting duck for the thing that lurked inside.
"Has this creature ever seen battle before?" Gregory asked, his grip tightening with every inch they moved. "Because it isn't acting like it's seen battle before," he added.
Vondell ignored him, instead reaching for a black vial in his inner pockets.
"Activos," he whispered, smashing the vial with his free hand. It erupted in flames, before giving way to pitch-black smoke that clung to his fingertips. The smoke waved wildly in the wind, however it remained steadily attached to the tips.
"If you have some sort of personal array, use it now," Vondell warned, before reaching into his inner pockets again. He attached three smokey-strings to cleansing elixirs, and the remaining two to daggers.
"Oh Persephone, mother dearest, your son asks for your love. Please clasp us in your tender embrace, protect us from blight and rot, so that we may remain beautiful flowers in your garden," Gregory chanted.
A white light burst from behind, slowly consuming all three of them. Vondell felt a soothing warmth tickle his skin, and both the rotting smell and sour taste disappeared.
"You're welcome, Gregory said.
~An seventh-sphere anti-blight barrier. He's quite specialised,~ Vondell thought to himself.
The griffin screeched, this time its feathers glittered with silver light, and its beak glowed bright white.
"Calm, Jinx," Vondell said, closing his eyes. He quickly searched his mind for his calmest memory, holding out the wrist with the blue gem embedded in it.
"Oh greater wills, hear your child. Soothe this crying soul," he whispered, and a blinding blue light pulsed out of the gem. His wrist felt like it was being slowly sloughed off with a blunt knife, however, the wave of blue light calmed his thundering heart. Despite the pain, he felt... warm, safe.
Jinx's muscles relaxed slightly, and the light from her beak dimmed.
"An heirloom?" Gregory asked from behind.
Just then, they tore into the massive black cloud.
It was like someone had snuffed out the sun. Apart from the light shimmering from the griffin's silver feathers, it was pitch-black darkness all around. Vondell's scars glowed bright red, releasing streams of smoke.
~It's watching us,~ he thought.
It was silent in here, even the griffin's beating wings seemed to have been muffled by some strange force.
Vondell tugged at the reigns, pulling the griffin to fly higher. The worst thing that could happen would be to meet the cause of the blight from too far at the bottom.
"This must've been the nastiest piece of whatever god it escaped from," Gregory whispered behind him.
Vondell continuously scanned the edges of where their light ended for any shift in the clouds; any sudden appearance of light; any indication that something was going on. Yet for some time there was nothing.
They flew even higher, and the air all around them began to chill, turning their breaths into clouds of white vapor.
Vondell's scars began burning hotter as they approached a slightly darker-colored cloud mass. "Get ready," he whispered.
A sudden flash of red light struck from within the mass, but instead of thunder following after, it was a low, melodic moan, that ended in a high pitch sigh.
"A beautiful song. But that means..." Gregory said.
"A leviathan," Vondell finished.