Kairos nodded, though his hands were already gripping her shoulders tightly, his knuckles white. "I trust you, Aella. I just... don't particularly enjoy heights."
Aella laughed softly, her voice full of warmth. "I promise, I'll go easy on you. But you might want to close your eyes when we take off—sometimes the first rush can be a bit intense."
Kairos clenched his jaw, bracing himself as Aella's wings unfurled to their full span. The sound of her feathers rustling was almost soothing, but then she bent her knees, and with a powerful thrust, they were airborne.
Whoosh!
The sudden lift-off sent a jolt through Kairos's body, and he instinctively wrapped his arms around Aella, holding on for dear life. The ground disappeared beneath them as they shot upwards, the wind whipping against his face. His heart pounded in his chest as they soared higher and higher, the ravine walls blurring past them.
Aella's laughter reached his ears, light and teasing. "You alright back there?"
Kairos squeezed his eyes shut, his voice strained. "Just... don't let go."
"I've got you," she reassured him, her tone gentle. "You can open your eyes now. We're almost there."
Kairos hesitated but eventually cracked one eye open. to which he was greeted by the view of the giant oak tree followed by the deep ravine that was just a bit away where had left Caelum and his cousins looking up he seen Aella who looked enchanting with the moon behind her like some sort of Valkyrie. They were already near the top, the treetop camp coming into view below them. Despite his death grip on Aella, he couldn't help but marvel at the sight—the camp nestled among the towering trees, the moonlight casting a soft glow over the scene.
Aella's flying was steady, and as they gently descended, Kairos began to relax, though his heart still raced. When they finally touched down on solid ground, he let out a long breath he hadn't realized he was holding.
Aella looked over her shoulder at him, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "See? Told you it would be a breeze."
Kairos chuckled nervously, his legs a bit wobbly as he stepped away from her. "Yeah, easy for you to say. I think I aged a few years during that flight."
Aella grinned, playfully nudging him with her wing. "You're braver than you give yourself credit for. But maybe next time, we'll work on getting you to enjoy the view."
Kairos smiled, the fear from the flight already fading as he looked at Aella. "Maybe. Thanks for getting me back here in one piece."
"Anytime," she said, her expression softening. "Now, let's get this arm to Caelum. He's going to be so grateful."
As they landed on a thick, sturdy branch near the treetop camp, Kairos and Aella quickly descended, using the natural contours of the tree to guide their path. The air around them felt charged, and as they got closer, the unmistakable sound of clashing weapons and the crackling of magic filled the air. Kairos's heart raced for an entirely different reason now—something was terribly wrong.
"Do you hear that?" Aella whispered, her voice tense as she strained to catch more details through the dense foliage.
Kairos nodded, his eyes narrowing as he focused on the distant sounds. "Sounds like a fight," he muttered, his senses sharpening. "And I can see the mana being drawn towards the camp. Something's happening. We need to move."
Without another word, they broke into a sprint, leaping from branch to branch, their urgency pushing them forward. As they approached the camp, the scene unfolded before them—a chaotic clash between his cousins and the Icarus family.
The sight sent a shock through Kairos. His cousins, Lysandra, Lyra, Orion, and Alaric, were fighting desperately, each of them locked in a fierce struggle. Lysandra and Lyra were pinned down, magical binds of shimmering light coiling around them, preventing them from advancing. They struggled against their restraints, their faces twisted in frustration and pain.
Nearby, Orion stood protectively over Caelum, who was still weakened and unable to join the fight. Orion had cast a barrier around them both, but it was visibly straining under the continuous assault from the Icarus family.
Aella's eyes widened in shock and anger as she took in the scene. "What are they doing? Why are they attacking your cousins?"
Kairos clenched his fists, the sight igniting a fury within him. "I don't know, but we need to stop this now."
The Icarus family members, Aella's kin, seemed relentless in their assault. Zephyr, Aella's brother, was at the forefront, his wings flaring out as he launched precise, wind-infused attacks at Alaric, who was barely managing to fend them off with his sword. Aella's younger cousin, Ameillia, was the one who had pinned down Lysandra and Lyra with her magical binds, her owl-like wings spread wide as she maintained control over the spell.
Kairos's blood boiled at the sight. "Zephyr! Boreas! Ameillia!" He shouted their names, his voice carrying through the chaos as he charged forward. "What do you think you're doing?!"
Zephyr turned at the sound of his name, his eyes narrowing as he recognized Kairos. "Kairos, stay out of this. This doesn't concern you."
"Doesn't concern me?!" Kairos shouted, his voice thick with anger. "These are my cousins! And you—" His gaze flicked to Boreas, who had been attacking Orion's barrier with icy wind blasts. "You dare attack my family again? Why?"
Boreas, whose arm was covered in thick, powerful feathers, paused for a moment, his icy stare locking onto Kairos. "This is a matter of honor, Kairos. We can not return with the shame you have caused us. You nearly killed Zephyr in your last encounter. We're here to finish what you started and to rid ourselves of the Aurelius family."
Kairos's heart skipped a beat, his mind racing. "Rid yourselves of my family? You're insane! I was defending myself against Zephyr's unprovoked attack. If he hadn't been trying to take me down, none of this would have happened!"