Fia's excitement never wore off for the duration of the trip, but she put in great effort to subdue her reaction for Viliant's sake. His shredded wings were still a sore spot for him. Unlike Fia who felt the temptation of the breeze, begging her to spread her wings to feel the wind rush by atop the sage's head, Viliant knotted his scaly limbs into a ball around the sage's claws. His stomach could be heard rumbling, likely digesting the hefty breakfast in which he had eaten.

The sage snapped his jaws as he yelled in offense at Viliant, his meaning present only in the audible language carried away with a whistle in Fia's eardrums.

What did he say? she tried to prod Viliant.

You're getting heavy on his neck!

"What?" she echoed back, unable to keep from writhing between Sage Rokirith's horns at the insult. I didn't eat that much. You're the one who gobbled all the food!

Only the sage cared naught for any petty arguments which might flit through the minds of the dragonets. Diwa, however, stayed linked telepathically and provided the explanation of a peacemaker. When Viliant's belly growled, Sage Rokirith was… worried if he was feeling airsick. I think the dragonets could use a break. Right, Rokirith? The echo of her thoughts in Fia's mind felt strangely empty, no longer listening to her soothing voice in tandem. Diwa could not waste her precious puffs of breath on idle chatter. The quaint dragoness labored to keep up with Sage Rokirith as he soared higher and higher along the mountainous terrain. "Roki!" suddenly called Diwa's shrill voice.

"Land if you must," Sage Rokirith replied, "but I can't in these trees."

It's not me! We need to take a break for the dragonets, Diwa insisted. Her droopy neck tipped downward, closely followed by her wings and tail. The green dragoness dove headfirst amidst the canopy. Some green leaves scattered to the air around the dark gap where she had gone. Within the next second, Diwa popped her head back up. Her body sprawled across some narrow branches which only together could manage to support her weight.

The dragon sage's smooth soaring was interrupted by a beat of his wings. He slowed and descended with the occasional flap to keep them aloft. Between those wingbeats, a loud burp came from Viliant who dangled in the sage's rear talons. "I said you better not throw up on my claws!" A violent shake went through Sage Rokirith's claws in angry emphasis. That did not seem to help Viliant none whose eyes closed and throat bobbed with a tight swallow.

All the while, Fia stayed carefully balanced on Sage Rokirith's head. She stared down at the tip of a tall tree growing ever closer. There, Sage Rokirith deposited Viliant with a sudden release of his claws.

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Diwa flicked out a wing, not to catch the falling black dragonet, but a net of vines animated from the trees. The plants moved fast as the animals that normally scurried across them.

Nice catch! Fia remarked, appreciating the new nature spell shown off by Diwa.

The emerald-like eyes of Diwa twinkled up at the compliment. "Jump down, Fia! I'll catch you. Before the sage can drop you!"

A giggle caught in Fia's throat. As much as she appreciated Diwa's attempt to make their break fun, Fia hesitated. This trip was not supposed to be a game.

Sage Rokirith stayed hovering above the trees with some heavy beats of his wings, moving them up and down as he asked her two questions. Do you want to stay a little wyrm, by the side of a dragoness who's not even your mother? Or do you want to fly with me?

Fia threaded her neck between two of Sage Rokirith's horns. Like this, she peeked over the scaly side of his neck to blink down at Viliant and Diwa. I never wanna leave Viliant's side, she thought, keeping her sentimentality from the sage. Yet, when she met his eyes, lids half-closed in a mix of sick and mad, Fia figured that he could use some time alone with Diwa to cure his air sickness.

Besides, Sage Rokirith had not left her much of a choice, what with the way that he had phrased her options. I'll stay with you, she murmured.

Good, the sage said and shot back into the sky. His glide evened out as they took a broad circle around Viliant and Diwa. This singular loop would offer them enough time to rest, so Sage Rokirith took Fia nigh out to the mountains' summit and back. His presence stayed in his mind, like an ominous cloud darker than Viliant's shadow. "Meet Mt. Ravia, the pinnacle of this wasteland, claimed as my territory. Do you know what lies beneath this rock?" the sage intoned.

Fia pondered the question hard. The sage did not seem like one to pose riddles for fun, so she answered seriously. More rock?

"No. Fire! Red fire burns beneath the earth's well of mana."

A tilt entered Fia's head, as if the strange idea weighed down her head more than her horns. Really? The earth has a flame inside it too?

"Yes. And just likes yours, it begs for its master to harness that power. Power enough to save your people."

A gasp alit Fia's lungs, louder than any of Sage Rokirith's wingbeats. "How? I know you said that warning them won't be enough. Then… show me how! I need to save them."

The tips of the sage's fangs glinted almost like a devious, human smile. "I will share my decade's worth of research with you. Just tell Diwa that you want to become my pupil when we get back to the trees."

Although Fia agreed, it did not sit well in her stomach. The pink dragonette switched roles with Viliant, now feeling air sickness once they resumed their flight.