Isolde chuckled at Theodis's reaction to the small being. "I am happy you find it to be cool." She kept the illusion for a while not wanting to spoil the mans fun with the dragon. "My mother was the incredible one really. She had the power I have except better. She could bring things like this little guy to like." Her eyes sparkled as she talked about her mother. "She had her limits obviously, she wouldn't be able to create a being like Ithorris without an immense amount of energy but bringing this small one to life would be as easy as snapping your fingers." After letting Theodis have a bit more gun with the baby she picked the small being up and booped its small nose. "My creations never get to stay for long and they will never have a mind of their own unfortunately." She blew a small breath of air onto the baby and it faded into the night sky. She gave Theodis an almost sad smile but shook it off and kept her eyes locked forward.

Sebastian took everything, once he got past the initial shock of everything and nausea he had to admit, it was breath taking beautiful. "Yes the view is quite nice.." he looked down at Ellisar and smiled. He looked to where Ellisar pointed, at the constellation, he had never been able to see it before and had only read about it in books. He pointed to one he was familiar with though, "That one is about the only one you can see from Ecren," he pointed to a bright star with other littler and fainter ones around it in a form of a stake. "Its called 'Lignum Caelestis', it's quite ironic is it not? One of the only things that can kill us and it is the only thing we can see." He chuckled not seemingly really bothered by it and really just finding a sense of wicked humor in it. He was quick to change the subject though, "So is Eticus your favorite?"

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Theodis's face fell into a small pout as he watched the baby fade into nothingness. Despite knowing that the creature wasn't real, it still made him sad to see it go. He pouted quietly for a few moments before he spoke. "Well...your power is still one of the most amazing things I've ever seen." He said softly, giving her a genuine, earnest compliment. He thought about mentioning her mother more, but he got the sense by the way she was speaking in past tense that her mother could be deceased. He didn't want to upset her by prying, so he decided to steer the conversation away from it. "I can remember when Ithorris was as small as the one you conjured up. She used to be able to fit in my pocket, I'd carry her around in my coat, I was worried she would get cold. I refused to listen to the handlers who kept telling me frost dragons don't get cold." He chuckled softly, his face soft and happy as he reflected on fond memories. "She's not that old, you know, despite her size. She is only two decades, she has so many years ahead of her. She is supposed to grow much larger, they say when she is fully grown, her silhouette will block the sun as she flies." He chattered away enthusiastically, seemingly much more open with her now. Perhaps she had broken his walls down a bit, at least for now. "I was six years old when I hatched her, and we have been together ever since. The bond between a soldier and his dragon is like no other. She thinks of me as her father, and I think of her as my daughter of a different species." He said happily, patting the dragon's side affectionately.

He listened to Sebastian talk about the stake shaped constellation and chuckled softly at his mention of it being the only thing they could see. He listened to his question, and nodded his head in response. "Of course, he is a dragon after all." He giggled softly with a gentle smile. "There are all kinds of stories around him, everyone has a different one that they tell. In the villages, it is always the first one pointed out to the children." He mentioned with a soft smile, alluding to the fact that he grew up in a village. He was quiet for a moment before thinking about something, he glanced over his shoulder, looking at Sebastian in a sort of odd way, his eyes seemingly directed at his lips. He then turned to face forward again, suddenly steering the subject a different direction due to a nagging question he had to ask. "So...if vampires drink blood, where exactly do you get yours?" He questioned cautiously.

(Pretty sure they never told the others that they went hunting, sorry if im remembering wrong though XD )

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(I promise I will reply when I am able. I’m currently at a science museum with my little brother so my reply won’t be until later tonight most likely. I apologize in advance haha)

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(No problem :3 Have fun! I'll be patient haha )

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Isolde was glad he didn’t mention anything more about her mother though he could see the curiosity in his eyes. It was still fresh in her and her brothers minds and the memory of it all a bit too painful. As Theodis as he spoke Isolde listened, a soft smile playing on her lips despite the heaviness lingering in her chest. His enthusiasm was contagious, and she found herself captivated by the story of Ithorris, picturing the frost dragon as a tiny creature tucked away in his coat. The image was so endearing that it tugged at something deep within her. “You must have been such a sight,” she mused, the warmth in her voice clear, “a little boy with a dragon in his pocket.” Her gaze drifted to Ithorris, her icy scales reflecting the moonlight like shards of glass. She imagined once Ithorris would be as big as Theodis explained. It would be an incredible sight. “She’s incredible,” Isolde added, her tone genuine, “it’s no wonder she thinks of you as her father.” She thought to herself for a moment trying to think of a way to keep the conversation flowing. “Speaking of younger years, when and why did you start training to become a soldier?” The question had left her mouth before she could even think of stopping it, her curiosity being too great.

Sebastian chuckled softly at the mention of the constellation being shown to children, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "I suppose it's fitting," he said, glancing up at the stars, his eyes momentarily tracing the dragon-shaped pattern in the sky. He let the air around them fall silent before noticing Ellisar's gaze shift toward him, lingering just a bit too long on his lips. It was subtle, but Sebastian’s senses caught it immediately, sharpening his attention. His smile faltered slightly, more curious now than amused when Ellisar steered the conversation into more dangerous territory. He let out a quiet sigh, leaning back a little as his sharp eyes flicked to Ellisar, weighing his words. He could understand Ellisar’s curiosity, "It's not something most people ask," he replied smoothly, his tone calm but laced with a subtle edge. "But... I don't hunt humans/ elves/ fairies, if that's what you're worried about." He paused, watching Ellisar for a reaction before continuing. "There are ways to get what I need without leaving a trail of unnecessary bodies. I normally hunt animals and before the war there were donors of sorts but that practice has long been done away with." His eyes held Ellisar's for a moment longer, a faint smile returning to his lips, though it was more calculated now. "I'm not as dangerous as the stories make our kind out to be—at least, not to everyone.”

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"I'll have to tell Ithorris how much you adore her, she will love you for that." He said with a chuckle before he listened to her question, but didn't seem to mind it, thinking for a moment before he answered. "Well, I began training when I was five, then I was mostly just learning history and how to care for dragons. Once I proved I understood how, that's when I was given the responsibility of raising Ithorris. As for why...well, I was chosen for it." He explained softly, looking out over the night sky now. It was clear he was thinking of deeper thoughts, but didn't seem to want to delve deeper into them. "It's an honor to be a soldier, only select children are chosen for it. The reasons aren't really known well to me...though I do know that children who's parents were soldiers seem to get chosen more often." He stated, alluding to the possibility that maybe his parents were/are soldiers as well.

Ellisar listened calmly, he seemed a little tense when he heard the mention of him hunting animals, it seemed an odd thing to be upset over. He looked forward now as he listened to him finish speaking. He tried not to let himself be upset, he knew that Sebastian had no choice but to source the blood from somewhere, but the thought still rubbed him the wrong way a bit. "Well...I'm glad to hear I don't have to worry about my own neck." He mentioned, the vibe seemed to be a bit off at the moment. He tried his best to push his thoughts about the animals out of his mind, not wanting there to be any discord between them. He decided they needed yet another topic change, this one to instead attempt to recover the rapport they had going. "I'm not sure what Theodis has planned, but I think I would like to stop for a bit in a few hours to take a break. I'll need to find something to eat, and I wouldn't want you two to get saddle sore. Plus I'm sure Nyx would like a break from being carried." He said with a small chuckle, looking over at the wolf laying in the frost dragon's talons. "Though she is being remarkably well behaved."

(Sorry it's short, I am doing some work :3 )

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She chuckled, "Please do tell her, I would love to remain in her good graces." She listened quietly as he spoke of his training, his words stirring a stronger curiosity within her. The idea of starting such a life at five, learning to care for dragons as though it were second nature, seemed incredible. There was admiration in her eyes as she watched him, but also a quiet understanding of the weight such a responsibility might carry. When he mentioned being chosen, Isolde's gaze shifted briefly, catching the subtle hesitation in his tone. She could sense the deeper thoughts lingering beneath the surface, but respected the unspoken boundaries he had drawn. "Chosen," she echoed thoughtfully. "It sounds like a great honor..." She looked out to the stars and over to her brother who seemed a but stiff. She wondered to herself why but would ask him later when they landed. Speaking of which she turned to Theodis, "So how long do you plan to fly tonight?"

Sebastian noticed the slight tension in Ellisar’s voice and posture, and it didn’t escape him that the mention of blood sourcing had shifted the atmosphere between them. He suppressed a sigh, keeping his face neutral. After a bit a faint smile tugged at his lips at the mention of not having to worry about his neck. "Your neck’s perfectly safe," Sebastian replied with a quiet chuckle, trying to ease the tension a bit. "I’ve survived this long without causing a scene. I don’t plan to start now." His tone was light, attempting to restore some of the camaraderie they’d shared moments before. When Ellisar shifted the topic to taking a break, Sebastian nodded, grateful for the change. "That sounds like a good plan. I could use a stretch myself," he admitted, glancing over at where Nyx was in Ithorris's claws. The fact he hadn't heard anything from the wolf brought a genuine smile to his lips. "She’s always well-behaved when she’s being spoiled," he teased softly. "But you’re right, she’d enjoy the break too." His gaze returned to Ellisar, a bit warmer now. "And I’m sure you’ll find something to eat along the way." His voice was calm, but there was a reassuring undertone.

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Theodis seemed to almost puff out his chest a bit as she mentioned it being a great honor, seeming to take it as a compliment. He then heard her question and turned it over in his mind a couple times before he spoke. "I would say at least a couple more hours, then after that I'm not sure. We will need to make a stop to take a break, to let the dragons rest and to allow everyone to stretch their legs. Then, I'm not sure. We could either make camp or keep flying, though I'm not sure whether your brother could handle another take off so soon." He mentioned, not in a mean way just stating a fact. "So, we might set up camp...That goddess lady didnt really give us a timeline so..." He shrugged his shoulders softly with uncertainty.

He nodded his head with a soft giggle, seemingly over his discomfort from before...for now. "I might have to take her home with me after this is all said and done." He teased playfully with a laugh before speaking again. "I think I'll fly closer to Theodis for a moment and see what his plan is." He tugged the reins, drifting Sonnuri closer to Ithorris so that their wings almost touched, shouting to the other's over the wind. "When should we land?" He called out, Theodis responded simply by holding up two fingers, which Ellisar assumed meant two hours. Theodis had a scowl on his face, suddenly reverting back to his usual self the moment the others got near. Ellisar snorted and drifted Sonnuri back away from them. "What an ass..." He grumbled to himself, not intending for Sebastian to really hear it, but feeling very frustrated with Theodis's attitude.

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Isolde couldn’t help but smile at Theodis’s reaction, watching him puff up slightly as if her words had reinforced his pride. She found it almost endearing. His answer, however, left her thoughtful. She glanced out over the landscape as he spoke, weighing the situation in her mind. "A few more hours sounds manageable," she replied softly, feeling the strain in her muscles already from the long flight but not wanting to complain. She laughed at the mention of her brothers sorry state the first time they had taken off. "But I agree—camping might be the better option. We’re all going to need the rest, and I don’t want to push anyone too hard." She paused, glancing back at Theodis. "Besides, it wouldn’t hurt to be on solid ground for a bit. Even the strongest need a break now and then." Her voice softened with understanding, her gaze lingering on him for a moment before turning back to the horizon. "And as for the goddess… well, gods are never in a rush, are they?" she added lightly, though the uncertainty of it all gnawed at her in the quiet spaces of her thoughts.

Sebastian chuckled softly at Ellisar's playful comment, his gaze briefly shifting to Nyx. "I think she'd love that, but I’m not sure she’ll ever want to leave your side after this." He teased back, the easy banter helping to shake off the earlier tension. As Ellisar guided Sonnuri closer to Ithorris, Sebastian watched quietly, the cool wind whipping past them as they flew. He could see Theodis’s expression shift almost immediately, the warm, open demeanor disappearing as if a wall had snapped into place. He wasn’t surprised—the man had a way of retreating into himself the moment others were around. When Ellisar pulled back with a frustrated snort and muttered under his breath, Sebastian couldn’t help but smirk. "You’re not wrong," Sebastian said quietly, though there was no malice in his tone. He glanced toward Theodis, then back to Ellisar. "He puts on that front for everyone, doesn’t he? Like he’s afraid someone might see through it if he stays open for too long." He shrugged lightly. "But don’t let it get to you. Some people wear their armor in different ways."

After Isoldes brother and Ellisar had went back to their place she looked up at Theodis with curiosity. "May I ask why you seem to hate Ellisar so much? You both are from Cuthos correct?" She was seemingly unaware there were two 'levels' of Cuthos and whatever the feud was between them.

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Theodis heard her question and seemed tense about it, but after a moment of thought he was willing to explain. "We may both be from Cuthos, but we are from vastly different worlds." He grumbled with a frown. "I am from Upper Cuthos, which is the cities in the mountains. He is from Lower Cuthos, which is the villages at the base of the mountains and the surrounding areas." He explained, looking down at her now. "And the problem I have with them is that they are savages. They are a nuisance! They try to steal our supplies, they damage our property, hell! They even try to steal our dragons! They claim we are cruel to our dragons, that they're not creatures that should live in captivity. They claim to be on this heroic mission to free our dragons from us and they *hurt* people." He growled, seeming to put particular emphasis on the word hurt, getting a bit heated now at the thought. "They are backwood primitive barbarians that hop on the back of a wild dragon and think that they are justified in hurting my people in pursuit of 'saving the dragon'." He growled tensely, his knuckles white as he held onto the saddle grips. He of course wasn't angry at her in any way, he was just angry at his own words and thoughts. Although Ellisar didn't seem to have any intention or desire to do any of the things Theodis claimed, so it seemed that Theodis was grouping all Lower Cuthos citizens into one category.

Ellisar nodded his head softly as he listened to Sebastian's words. "Well, I knew from the moment I saw the crest on his cloak that he probably wouldn't like me. He is a soldier from Upper Cuthos, and Upper Cuthos really doesn't like anyone from Lower Cuthos, especially not dragon riders." He explained, not seeming to be upset by this, it truthfully didn't bother him much. He just didn't enjoy having attitude flung at him. "There are some radical groups in Lower Cuthos that try to raid the Upper Cities, and it all boils down to these groups being upset that Upper Cuthos breeds captive dragons. It is almost like a religion for these groups, that taming a dragon is sacred and only certain people can do it and so on." He explained, giving some insight into why Theodis seemed particularly spiteful towards Ellisar. "But yes, I agree, he does stay on high defense, though it seems your sister is the exception to that." He mentioned and smirked, giving him a playful nudge. "Who knows, he might be your brother -in- law some day~" He teased him playfully with a giggle.

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Isolde listened carefully, her eyes fixed on Theodis as he spoke. She could see the anger bubbling just beneath the surface, his tension manifesting in the way his hands gripped the saddle. It wasn’t hard to feel the bitterness behind his words, the years of conflict and division between the two worlds of Cuthos etched into his tone. She waited a moment, letting the air settle between them before speaking, her voice soft but steady. "I understand why you feel that way," she began, choosing her words carefully. "It sounds like there’s been a lot of pain on both sides." She glanced away, her gaze drifting out over the horizon as she collected her thoughts. "But not everyone in Lower Cuthos is like that, Theodis. You’ve seen that Ellisar isn’t… he doesn’t fit the image you’ve painted of them." Her eyes returned to him, gentle but firm. "People are more than where they come from." The way she said it made it seem she was talking about her own kind as well. She paused, sensing the weight of her words but pressing forward. "You both care for dragons, in your own ways. Maybe there’s more common ground than you think." Her gaze softened as she looked at him, hoping to ease some of the anger she could feel simmering just beneath the surface. "I guess what I'm trying to get at is just give him a chance."

Sebastian listened quietly, nodding as Ellisar explained the tension between Upper and Lower Cuthos. It made sense now, the disdain Theodis had shown from the start. "Yeah, I figured as much," Sebastian replied, his tone thoughtful. "The moment I seen the way he acted towards you, I knew there was history there. The kind that runs deep."
He smiled faintly, glancing at Ellisar. "It’s complicated, isn’t it? Those groups down in Lower Cuthos may have good intentions, but the way they go about it... it’s no wonder there’s bad blood." His gaze drifted to Theodis flying ahead of them. "Still, not everyone’s as radical as those groups, like you said. And I’m not sure Theodis sees that yet."
When Ellisar nudged him with that playful tease, Sebastian’s eyes widened in mock surprise, and a low chuckle escaped him. "Brother-in-law?" he echoed, shaking his head with a smirk. "I doubt Theodis would ever warm up to me that much." He glanced toward his sister, flying with the frost dragon. "But if anyone could make him open up it'd be my sister. She has that effect on people..." His smile lingered, but it was clear the thought of Theodis and his sister struck a deeper chord. "Though, we’ll see about the ‘in-law’ part." He added with a laugh, brushing off the thought but leaving a trace of sincerity in his voice.

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He listened to her in silence, but his jaw was tight. His eyes showed that there were thoughts churning in his mind like waves in a ruthless sea. There was more to his hatred than what he was telling her, the anger he felt surely wasn't just about having to deal with chasing off radicalists. He looked away from her, staring off into the ever endless sky, seeming to be avoiding looking at her and refusing to meet her gaze. The tension didn't leave his body, but he refused to respond to her. The connection they had shared mere minutes ago was severed for the moment, and it felt as if they were strangers. His walls were up, pushing even Isolde out as it was clear something was playing in his mind that troubled and angered him deeply. Like the flip of a switch, he was cold and quiet, and seemed like he didn't want to speak any further on the subject, maybe even at all.

He chuckled softly at the repetition of the in-law thought, and nodded as he heard what he mentioned about Isolde being able to crack Theodis open. He let his mind drift to the thought of romance, he had never been very romantic with anyone, he had lived alone for a long while now and in his youth, he had never been interested in anyone in his village. He then thought about their quest, how it was possible it would be dangerous, and he had the funny thought that it would be a shame to die without ever experiencing romance. He was quiet for some time, lost in his own little world of thought for the time being.

(I was thinking we could do a time skip here soon to when they take a break :3 )

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Isolde watched him carefully, sensing the shift in his demeanor as soon as she finished speaking. The way his jaw clenched, his eyes hardening as if something far deeper was stirring beneath the surface, told her more than his silence did. She felt the sting of that sudden distance between them, the connection that had felt so natural only moments ago now frayed, if not entirely broken. Still, she didn’t push him. She knew better. Quietly, she let out a slow breath, her eyes softening as she turned her gaze back to the sky. She stayed quiet the rest of the ride.

Sebastian’s chuckle faded as his thoughts took a quieter turn, the idea of romance lingering in his mind longer than he’d expected. It wasn’t something he often dwelled on—he’d spent most of his life alone, his focus elsewhere. The village he’d grown up in hadn’t offered much in the way of romantic prospects, and he’d never felt that pull toward anyone. But now, with everything ahead of them, the danger they were walking—or flying—into, it struck him in a different way.
He couldn’t help but think how strange it would be, to face whatever peril awaited them, without ever having known that kind of connection. Sebastian smiled faintly to himself, imagining what it might be like to feel that—real closeness with someone, a bond that went beyond the companionship of his sister and Nyx.

(yeah that sounds good to me :) )

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A couple hours passed, the conversations had died down and everyone was content to ride in silence during this time. Theodis made the decision that it was time to land, dipping down below the clouds and scanning for a suitable place to land. He spotted what appeared to be a grassy meadow and figured that looked like as good a place as any. He dove down, heading straight for the meadow but keeping mindful of Isolde, he attempted to make the decline slow. Still, landing didn't feel much better than taking off, but at least at the end of it they would be on solid ground. Ithorris flapped her wings and leaned back to slow down, kicking up dust as her feet touched the ground. She stood on her hind legs at first, gently putting down Nyx before planting all four feet. She stood still once she was planted firmly on the ground, allowing them time to climb out of her saddle. Theodis slid down first, then waited for Isolde to undo herself from the harness. Despite everything, he still held his hand up to her to help her down. He seemed to be calmed down now, he wasn't angry anymore, but he hadn't returned to his previous warmth either.

Ellisar followed Theodis's lead, dipping below the clouds and circling as he watched Ithorris land. Solaris had gotten tired and was taking a break, currently sitting in Sonnuri's hands. When Solaris realized they would be landing, he figured he should get out of the way, so he flew out of the dragon's hands and went to make his own landing. Ellisar guided Sonnuri down, landing gently in the meadow. Sonnuri had a surprising amount of grace for an old man, and the landing actually wasn't nearly as bad as the take off. Ellisar was very happy to be landed because his stomach was growling. His meal from before hadn't held him off for long. He slid down out of the saddle quickly and stretched with a groan, his muscles tight from sitting for a while.

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Isolde braced herself as Ithorris descended, her stomach tightening slightly at the feeling of the dragon’s careful, but still jarring, landing. The clouds gave way to a wide, grassy meadow, and she found herself quietly relieved to see solid ground once more. As Ithorris touched down, Nyx was gently set aside, and Isolde took a deep breath, steadying herself. His gesture, while simple, felt like an olive branch, and for a moment, she looked up at him, trying to read his expression. "Thank you," she said softly, her tone gentle, though she didn’t push for any more conversation. She wasn’t sure what to say—whether to let the silence continue or to try and bridge the gap between them. But for now, the silence seemed to offer its own kind of peace. They had landed, and that was enough.


Sebastian watched as Ellisar guided Sonnuri down with remarkable grace, feeling a wave of relief as the ground came closer. He wasn’t sure he would ever get used to the feeling of flight, but at least the landing had been smoother than the take off. As soon as they touched down, he exhaled and stretched his legs in the saddle, noticing how stiff his muscles had gotten during the flight. He chuckled softly when he saw Ellisar slide down quickly and stretch with an audible groan. "Looks like someone’s ready for a break," Sebastian called out, his voice light with amusement. He followed Ellisar’s lead, carefully climbing out of the saddle. Once his feet touched the ground, the familiar solidity of it made him feel instantly more grounded, more at ease. Normally vampires would go days without food and now wouldn't be any different. Suddenly he heard thundering footsteps towards him and looked up to see Nyx barreling at him, tongue lolled out and a wide smile on her muzzle. "Nyx don't do it!" It was too late, she tackled Sebastian and pinned him to the ground with her massive paws and licked his face. "Oh Nyx, stop it! Get off you big puppy!" Soon she let up and got off of him but he stayed there momentarily.

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