As Astar looked out of his room, he was greeted by the bustling energy of his friends, each one preparing for the journey in their own way. Some were meticulously organizing their supplies, while others were engaged in animated conversations about the adventure that awaited them.
Ahead lay the vast desert of Aidoth, with its canyons and mysteries waiting to be explored. At the heart of it all, the dragon's belly awaited, promising adventure, danger and the chance to uncover secrets long hidden beneath the red sands.
'Ready?' Haruki asked him.
'Of course!' Astar exclaimed.
Haruki nodded. He swept up his duffel bag and slung it over his left shoulder. The two boys silently walked out of the room and Haruki shut the door behind him as he exited. Haruki stood at the door for a second and nervously looked over his shoulder to check on Astar, ensuring he was still there.
'Astar?' He called.
Astar turned his head at the sound of his name. 'Yes?'
'Could you make sure you always stay by my side?' He asked.
Astar giggled. 'What is this, a confession?'
Haruki snorted and rolled his eyes. 'Don't credit yourself too much. I mean during the mission. I don't doubt your skills but I am aware your experience level is lacking extremely. I want to make sure you're safe the entire time.'
Astar nodded. 'I would appreciate that, the company will also probably help with my worries.' He laughed nervously.
Haruki put his arm over Astar's shoulder and dragged him out the door. They would be late if they stayed here and kept talking, everyone else had already begun to make their way to the castle's drawbridge, where the empress would see them off.
~
'Astar!!' Someone screamed as he and Haruki walked out of the castle doors.
Ashr and Ellie were running up to him and pulled him into a hug.
'What's wrong guys?' Astar asked as he hugged them back.
'We thought Haruki killed you!' Ashr sobbed.
'Excuse me?' Haruki bewildered.
'We hadn't seen you all day and Haruki looked scary this morning.' Ellie said through crocodile tears.
'You're messing with him... aren't you?' Astar probed.
Ashr and Ellie looked at each other and giggled. Haruki did not look impressed. Astar snorted and muffled his laughs as he saw Haruki glare at him. Ellie and Ashr each grabbed one of Astar's hands and together they dragged him down the drawbridge to the castle entrance with Haruki following close behind, eyeing both of them as they held Astar's hands.
Everyone finally settled as a group standing in front of the empress and her guards, Emperor Eric, Consort Zelein, and Prince Alton all stood with the guards. So did another tall, elven woman who had been training Aiden, a Cania Beastfolk kid around the same age as Astar. She was another one of Empress Marilyn's consorts, if Astar remembered correctly, her name was Thukris. Thukris walked up to Aiden and they shook hands, Aiden spoke softly to Thukris, most likely thanking her for her help. Thukris patted his head in between his red, fox ears with her warm brown hand. Another tall elf walked up behind Aiden and placed his hand on Aiden's shoulder. He looked extremely similar to Consort Thukris. His hair was the same shade of crimson, their eyes were both violent yellows and their skin tone was a matching chestnut shade. They smiled at each other and nodded.
'Haruki?' Astar whispered.
'Mmh?'
'Is Dasheil by chance related to Consort Thukris?' He asked in a hushed whisper.
'Mmm, they're second cousins, but they look like they could be twins, don't they?'
'They do. Are they close?'
'Yeah, Dasheil's mum and Thukris were super close, Thukris is basically a second mother or an older sister to Dasheil. She also trained him in the art of Mahen.' Haruki explained.
'Oh, so they both use Mahen?' Astar asked.
'Any more questions?' Haruki teased.
Astar slapped his hand over his mouth, he didn't realise how many questions he'd been asking. He laughed nervously and Haruki just smiled and placed his arm on Astar's shoulder.
'Are you using me as an armrest-'
'Hello, handsome.' Someone interrupted. Prince Alton.
'Oh, hello?' Astar said uncomfortably.
'You know, you can always change your mind and chose me, love.'
Haruki's breathing tensed and Astar nervously went to shut down the current topic, that was until Zelein slapped Alton on the shoulder.
'That's enough from you.' She said. 'Leave my disciple alone and go harass someone else.'
Alton huffed and walked away.
Zelein looked like she was about to go in for a hug with Astar, but hesitated and then offered out her hand to shake, remembering what Haruki had said the day before. Astar walked past her outreached hand and embraced her warmly. Zelein seemed surprised but gladly hugged him back. After a few seconds Zelein pulled away and held Astar by the shoulders.
'You remember everything we went over yesterday, right?'
Astar nodded.
'Good, I know I wasn't able to teach you much, but what I did teach you will be fundamental in your progress towards becoming a key sword master, alright?'
Astar nodded again.
'Alright. Thank you for letting me train you, it's been a pleasure.' Zelein said, bowing to him.
Astar bowed back. 'I should be thanking you.'
Zelein smiled at him, then turned around and walked over to the empress, joining her at her side.
~
Astar fell down heavily onto the soft bed sheets. He lay on his back, staring at the dark ceiling in the soft ambient light of the room. Haruki walked into the room.
'Finding my bed comfortable, I see.' He said with a bit of cheek.
After the Empress had said her goodbyes and thank yous, Team olympic had boarded their airship once more and was now on their way to Aidoth.
It had been three days since they left the castle. They still had around nine days left before they reached Aidoth, but that wasn't much at all. If they were to go from Ios, on the south-western side of Alathiea, all the way to Aidoth in the west on any other form of transport it would have taken them months.
Astar had been training hard the past two days on the airship, but he was resting today, as Haruki had advised him. Haruki had been helping Astar train, pushing him to his limits mentally and physically, but he had also been very careful, making sure Astar had enough to eat and drink along with enough rest. After all, they had a gruelling mission ahead, and their first stop would be difficult. Weeks on foot through the dragon's belly.
Threats of wild magia beasts and undead, along with carnivorous plants, dungeons, spawner portals and toxic mushroom forests. Not only would it be physically and mentally demanding, but their magic abilities would be put to the test often, as they had no chance of getting through the dragon's belly without an attack.
Astar sat up and clenched his fists, staring at his bare feet. He felt the bed shift beneath him as Haruki took a seat beside him. He pulled Astar into a hug, carefully rubbing his head as he rested in his chest.
'Worried?' Haruki asked.
'Mmm.' Came a muffled answer from Astar.
'I won't let anything happen to you or the rest of our team, okay? I promise.' Haruki told him. Astar rolled over and lay in Haruki's lap, looking up at him.
'That's a big promise to handle alone.' He told him.
'But it's the most important one I've ever made, and I've never broken a promise, I won't break this one.'
Astar nodded slowly. 'Then, my life is in your hands, may I look after yours?' Astar asked softly.
Haruki smiled and cupped his hand over Astar's cheek. 'Of course you can. My life is also in your hands, love.'
✩
The olympic slowly made its way down, landing on the red, barren soil below it. Dust was forced up into the air by the downdraft caused by the airship. Its engine shut off. The door depressurised and then opened as platforms began to jut out of the side of the ship, creating a stairway for the mages to walk down. Eldrin was the first to exit the airship, closely followed by Galvan, who led two charmadine via a bridle on their heads. Then followed Phyre and Elva, each leading a horse. Dock, Ashr, Seth and Kenji made their way down the staircase behind Elva.
Milli exited with Ellie behind her, they both lead a leowari behind them. A leowari was a mammal with the ability to walk over water. They were the size of a lion with a short mane that ran the length of their spine. They walked on two large, muscular hind legs with two short, limbs on the side of their chest. The short limbs were equipped with long, sharp claws, built for spearing fish. The two leowari that Milli and Ellie led were both a dark golden colour with a deep brown mane. Their short muscular tails swung behind them, allowing them to keep their balance. Milli reached her free hand into the air as she stepped onto solid ground, letting out a long yawn.
'Do we have to leave in the middle of the night?' She asked.
The sky was dark and clear. Thousands of stars flooded it, illuminating the sky around them. The moon was in its new moon phase and was currently invisible to the human eye.
'We need to start making ground as soon as we can.' Galvan.
'But I'm so tired.' Milli whined.
'Come on, hold my hand I'll drag you the whole way if you want.' Ellie said sarcastically.
'Really?' Milli asked. 'Naww, this is why I love you, Eli.'
'I was joking-'
Milli grabbed Eli's hand and ended up being the one doing the dragging as she pulled Ellie behind her.
'Alright, one mount per two people.' Galvan instructed. 'Where are Haruki and Astar?'
'They were putting the tack on the chimera.' Dasheil said as he appeared behind them with Aiden following close behind. A chimera was a two-headed beast, with the body of a lion, the head of a dragon and a the head of a goat for its second head. They had long, flowy lion manes and their tails ended with the head of a cobra.
Haruki appeared right after that as if he had been summoned by the mention of his name. He led two chimeras using leather two-headed bridles. He dropped the leads and the two chimeras leap off the top platform, landing before Galvan. Haruki stopped on the top platform as Astar slowly walked a large, majestic creature behind him. The creature was around two meters high up to its withers, its long, muscular legs were feathered at the base. The beast appeared to be a horse, except its curved back had two large, feathered wings at the shoulders, and its ears were covered in feathers. It was a pure, white colour on its whole body, with a light shimmer around the eyes and muzzle. It gracefully stepped off the final platform after Astar and followed him to the group. Suddenly, the olympic began to rumble and the platforms retreated back into the side of the ship. The door sealed shut and olympic began to fade into the background until the ginormous airship was unable to be seen.
'What just-' Astar stopped, dumbfounded.
'Northern dragon skin has the ability to mimic their surroundings. olympic is covered in a layer of it.' Eldrin told him.
'Are the dragons okay?'
'Of course. They shed their skin like a reptile. It maintains its camouflage abilities.' Dock answered.
'Alright, you'll be with your partners on a mount, we need to leave as soon as possible which means hook your bags on the saddlebags, mount and then let's go.' Eldrin said firmly.
'I want a chimera!' Elva exclaimed to Phyre. Phyre broke her stoic expression into a smile and placed her elegant arm around Elva's shoulder with a gentle grace. The two of them picked up the lead attached to one of the two chimeras, looping it around the chimera's two necks to create reins.
'Is there any type of mount you prefer?' Haruki asked Astar.
Astar fiddled with his fingers. 'I don't know, never ridden one.' He said.
'Does the charmadine look okay? They're my personal favourites.' Haruki told him.
Astar nodded. 'Whatever suits you suits me.' He said.
Haruki grabbed the charmadine from Eldrin, it was a deep, honey orange. The charmadine was a long, scaly reptile with withers the height of a bear's. They ranged from pale saffron to a burnt umber in colouration. Their most prominent feature was their four, thick legs that were built for long-distance migration.
Two tiny limbs grew from the front of their chest, equipped with long, curved talons. Despite the ferocious-looking talons, the Charmaine were herbivores. They used the blade-like talons for carving down and consuming thick shrubs in the heated, desert environment of Aidoth, their native home. Their heads were narrow and flat, with one beady eye on both sides of its head. they had large, flared nostrils and long thin tongues.
Their tails were twice the length of their body and rested flatly on the sand below their feet. The charmadine stretched its long neck out to taste the air near Astar's face, its long tongue slicing through the air.
Haruki mounted the charmadine and patted the space on the saddle in front of him.
'If you've never ridden any type of quadruped before then you should sit in front of me so I can make sure you don't fall.'
'Sure.' Astar grabbed the saddle and awkwardly tried to clamber into the saddle. Luckily the charmadine was a shorter type of mount and Astar was able to get his leg around the saddle easily and shifted into the saddle, getting comfortable. By that time everyone else had already mounted their equine. Haruki reached around Astar's waist and grabbed the reins.
'Here, hold these.' He said to Astar.
Astar grabbed the reins and Haruki held onto one side of the reins, guiding the charmadine while his other hand rested on Astar's waist, making sure he was stable. The group made their way down the steep entrance to the canyon, unprepared, but confident for whatever may lay ahead.