Peacock stared at the building in front of him. He was certain the only reason he didn’t pick it out from the air was because it was built into the side of the mountain and faced away from the main entrances. Greco-Roman pillars of about seven feet in height supported a triangular overhang, not unlike the other buildings in Genua. That was about the only thing it had in common.

The structure sunk into the side of the mountain, merging with the surrounding greenery. Someone had barricaded the entrance with thick strips of silver metal, leaving a crooked three-foot by three-foot hole at the bottom which Peacock assumed was the door, one which he had no chance of squeezing through.

Maybe that’s the point, Peacock thought as he moved closer to the strange metal wall. If I can’t fit, no one from Zenith Flight could, either.

Peacock crouched down and craned his neck toward the hole. Inside, a light flickered across a small area, casting a yellowish glow onto a metal covered floor. He edged closer, straining to see the character called Haven. The sphere glowed tantalizingly outside of his limited viewpoint, cool metal touching his face as he leaned into the door.

The next thing Peacock knew, he was lying in a pile of bushes on his back with stars twinkling in his vision and electricity crackling along his scales.

GRIT ACTIVATED

GRIT ON COOLDOWN

What the hell?

Peacock rolled, coming up on his feet and spinning in place. What just happened?

His eyes came to rest on the metallic wall, alight in electric blue rippling across its surface. The sound of dull static reached his landing spot of about twenty feet away.

Anger, confusion, admiration and respect mixed in Peacock’s chest. Admiration won out, grasping on to hope. Haven had to be Alainn. The trapped wall screamed ingenuity and survival, all things she had in spades and all of which the Zenith Flight brutes had none of.

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Peacock was back on Haven’s doorstep and about to phase through before he remembered the metallic floor. Sure enough, the inside glowed as bright as the outside. His heart skipped a beat. That was too close. Maybe I can use Ubique Sight to get a bead on her, see if she’s close to the door. He toggled the skill on.

The world lit up in blue, blackness creeping in as the blue light became a blinding wave of pain. Peacock toggled Ubique Sight off. Whatever power coursed through the building blocked his prying.

The clatter of armor and shouts filtered down the main road.

Shit. It seemed the trapped wall triggered an alarm as well. He was out of time, and out of good ideas.

“Alainn!” he shouted into the small door. “It’s Peacock. Please come out!”

Silence from the house as guards drew closer. Peacock swore under his breath. Even if Haven was Alainn, he sounded and looked nothing like he used to. To her, he probably looked like a really dumb Zenith Flight member trying to draw her out.

Peacock laid his head on the porch, wiggling until he got the best view of the house’s insides he could. He had no chance of going inside to find Haven, but phasing, and teleporting rendered him invulnerable for a couple of seconds. If he could get Haven in his sights, he could grab them and port out before he died. Probably.

“Alainn, I have some orbs, but I need your help to figure them out!”

Two dozen guards in full legionary armor appeared to Peacock’s right, spears, swords, and staves at the ready. To their credit, the guards only hesitated for a second before charging.

“Alainn, please!” Peacock jerked sideways as the sky above him lit up.

Lightning crashed into the porch, the shockwave rattling the glowing walls. The blue light flickered. That gave Peacock an idea. He turned toward his attackers, Ubique Sight coming back up. Floating orbs and names settled onto the guards’ torsos. Peacock roared and clawed the air.

“Who are you idiots trying to hit? Your futile attempts to take me down will be the death of you!” Peacock yelled in Smallfolk as he turned his grimace into a snarl. He sounded like a cartoon villain, but it had the effect he wanted.

The mages in the back shouted, bringing the melee guards to a stop.

Peacock jumped back onto the porch, jaws snapping. The sky darkened, the melee guards leaped back, and lightning struck as Peacock rolled away—almost quick enough.

Two lightning strikes, three fireballs, and an ice spear collided into the house, the pillars, and Peacock’s backside.