The flight back was exhilarating.
Mounted atop Kai, the Azure Sky Emperor Roc, Alaric felt an unmatched sense of freedom and power. The wind whipped past him, tearing at his cloak, but Kai's innate control over air currents created a surprisingly stable pocket around them.
'Magnificent creature,' Alaric thought, running a hand along Kai's sleek azure neck feathers. The Roc responded with a low, appreciative trill, the bond between them solidifying with every league they crossed.
Below them, the rest of his newly formed aerial squadron kept pace. Ignis, Rosalind's Crimson Wind Griffin, flew with fiery grace. Solara, Ceanna's Golden Sun Peryton, radiated gentle light. Nyx, Brita's Umbral Night Prowler, flowed like a shadow beside them, almost invisible against the passing landscape. And Atlas, the Titan Sky Hauler, soared steadily, carrying Captain Valerius and his men with surprising ease.
