Chapter 15

The Path to the Clouds

Decisions fall upon the ones who believe them to be in the right, for some it is a heavy toll to make. For Lupo, it was the latter. "You can not come" Lupo stands at the entrance of their bedroom as his wife seems to be just operating her own pack to the mountain. She looks up and narrows her eyes, "What?" Lupo walks over to her sitting at the edge of the bed "That morning when you got hurt, I was powerless to stop it, and even when I tried, I was knocked out before the fighting even started." He looks her in the eyes longingly "If I lost you I-" He pauses, and she stands with him sitting they are about eye to eye she looks into his eyes switching to each of them as if she is searching for something then she blinks and slightly shake her head in disbelief. "Your father put you up to this, didn't he." She scoffs and before Lupo could defend himself, she storms off out of the room and towards the outside. He opens his mouth to say her name, but the door slams, and you hear the sound of a gust of wind, and she is gone. Lupo sighs heavily but stands and looks at his wife's unfinished pack, he then looks to the window, hoping that if he could change the outcome of that day, he would have.

It has been almost three months since the appearance of the winged men from the mountain. The Acherons and Emilia Moonshine stand at the front gates of the north end wall of Nocturnia. Colorful banners are hanged all around as the Festival is slowly under construction for the 10th Centennial of the Realm. Lupo looks to his wife, who doesn't truly give him eye contact but adjust his gear and hood. She speaks softly but her voice is still annoyed. "I've given you some vials to help you regulate your air intake. You'll be just as good as an enhanced at that height but only temporarily." She at the end of her sentence looks to lupo and kisses him. "Just so you know I can take care myself. Remember that my love" She steps back a bit and Lupo hops onto his Walker he turns his head to look at her "I know". Bjorn raises his hand to signal the band. "Do not by any means draw your swords, bows, or crossbows hunters. This is a diplomatic mission and Lady Emilia is our diplomat, we are her escorts and guards. Whatever she requests we follow, you got that?" The group all speak, saying 'ere and aye, they all ride on individual walkers. Next to Bjorn is Lupo's Father, after hearing the band agree, he speaks. "We ride to as high as we can go. As soon as the unenhanced feel out of breath, we stop and go on foot. Ayah!" He slaps the reigns as his walker goes onto their hind legs and takes off. Emilia follows just behind him and behind her, Bjorn and Lupo. The Hunters, about eight to fifteen of them, follow suit as they ride north to the crags. Lupo looks back to see his wife, hoping that this mission will be well, and for a short return to her.

As it is just starting to be winter for the realm, the crags are more cloudy and ridden with snow. The band is now on foot after a day's ride. The unenhanced and Lupo drink their vials as they begin the long climb up the largest peak of the Northern Crags. Lady Emilia pauses the group to a slow pace as they are just about to touch the clouds of the mountain, she points towards them. The winged beings hover around them. First it's just one, but as they climb it doubles then triples. The number continues to grow, but only to about the group's number of 15 as they walk past these beings. They are all wearing full armor similar to the scouts and Bjorn and Lupo notice that three of them look similar to the ones that ambushed them, they are in the front, leading this massive pack of beings. Bjorn tells the hunters to steady themselves quietly and to keep your hands away from their weapons. Lupo's father eyes dart at each of the beings, both fascinated but also on guard. Emilia also does the same. As they make to some sort of break in the clouds, strangely the rock's angle begins to level out as if the tip is not one but a plateau. The entire group is shocked as the clouds thin out, and they see what's in front of them.

Hundreds If not thousands of winged woman, men, and even children are flying around. What looks like clouds are structures of white marbled like structures that are affixed to the mountain. The non armored beings wearing cloth and robes that seem to glow in the sunlight. The beings stare at the humans and the lone dragon woman speaking their strange language, whispering at one another. Emilia's ears perk up as she hears them speak as she stops to listen to them. Lupo's father turns his head and looks at the woman. "What is it? Do you know what they are speaking" She raises her hand to quiet the man as she listens "My word, this language is very complex, their tongue is very old." She looks around, "These buildings are ancient as well but kept in pristine condition. If I didn’t know any better they are dated as first century, at the most No later than 3rd. So is their language. I may be the only one besides a select few at the college that has any record of this language, but from what I know its definition means "of the sky", Celestial." The Acherons look around in awe, but only Lupo father looks to Emilia in shock. "This can't be. No, that’s impossible. The only beings on record who have spoken that language is the goddess herself and The First Ones, That would be over eight hundred years ago to nearly the dawn of time. Are you saying these, people, are The First Ones?" Emilia shakes her head not of denial but of curiosity, "I'm not for certain, but perhaps they may be descedent's of them. Speaking the tongue of the ancients will be rusty for me, but I will try." The leader of the Acherons continues to look around and mutters to himself in disbelief. Emilia looks to one of the armored soldiers, and she tries her best to speak his language" Ok let's see uh, Sen co im sa-" She tries to figure out the word "flee- fleets- fleetscliam?" Her celestial is very broken, and she pronounces some words wrong and unstructured. The soldier tilts his head looks to the other soldiers and speaks to them "Fleetscliam? so um si eeltlo oon pteethtack tom fleetscliam" He then turns to Emilia "Eeltlo oon slee pe soo cin pol ol scleescoup so." Emilia looks to the Acherons "I tried to ask for a leader, but I might have said it wrong." She clears her throat and tries again. Trying her best to say it slow and respectfully, "Cin thehwoon sen co sclen siamtlem? sho oo ut el sou pe ith soum to unm thenpel. Oo ou cet sool peath oo pet to thleack" The man looks her up and down then to the men behind her and hmphs he points his spear at the weapons and Lupo's Father steps back a bit. Emilia raises her hand behind her to calm him down. He speaks again. "Thleack? co pom thleack?! ee arael soo thleack. Co sen pe…" Lupo's Father looks to Emilia, his voice a bit stern but low "What did you say to him" She keeps her hand up to him "I asked what they call themselves and that We come in peace. But of course he doesn’t like that we brought weapons here if we presumed peace." He then looks at her "Never mind that… what are they called" Emilia blinks at him as if perplexed by the notion that this human doesn’t care about peace but only wants to know their race but continues. "They call themselves Arael" He processes this for a moment then nods, "Alright well tell them this. Why do they steal from the people below the food the fauna the metals, what are they using them for?" Emilia sighs but knowing this is what they are here for she tries her best to translate it. "Ee pet othsen flinm sen co cel al so sool sethciam? cin ol so scoconn?"

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The Arael man lowers his spear and looks around his people, then to the soldiers. "Ee tleeth ut sa sclon. Eth hwe iattheem tom pte, ee ol pe tlinn ca flotflinn al pamsiack ip enn" Emilia translates "He says they have been forced to be here and that they are… preparing to return?" Bjorn and Lupo look at each other in confusion. Lupo father steps up a bit and looks to Emilia, "Return? Return to what?" Emilia continues, "Cin ol co sceal ca?" The Arael man rises higher from the ground and spins a bit, waving his arms as if to express his people. "Tho tom caem cuth. Tho tom scoconn" He lifts his spear again, this time pointing to Emilia. "Eeltlo oon eam sle theeck un cath su sool" He says with a tone of seriousness and Emilia is taken aback but stands her ground. "He says they are preparing to return with purpose and that-" She pauses for a moment "We dragons will not oppress them anymore" She shakes her head. "I don’t understand" Lupo father steps next to Emilia as she thinks for a moment, "What do you mean? Oppress them? I thought the moonshines never heard of these, Arael before." He then places a hand on her shoulder, "Ask them if they are seeking peace. Your husband mentioned this might happen, we need to stand down and regroup if they are planning a war we have to rethink this strategy." Emilia asks them if they want to seek peace, and the Arael man laughs a bit and points to his armored Arael men and women around him. "Thleack uto hwel. Thleack ut op" Emilia eyes widen a bit and walks backwards a few steps as the Arael soldiers laugh with each other, the Man that they were conversing with puts his hand out and with a waving motion seems to indicate for them to leave. Emilia with a shakened voice translate what he said. "Peace for the world and Peace for all" She stares at the Acherons and starts walking, "We must inform the Emperor." The Acheron Leader turns his head to the Arael man giving him a stare of malice and curiosity then hurries to meet Emilia Pace "Inform him of what?" Emilia eyes are of both fear and anxiety. "For their arrival".