Nothing had changed in their surroundings as they filed out onto the stone pathway. It was utterly silent, other than the noise of their steps and the occasional gust of wind. The breeze was as hot and dusty as the rest of the air, though, and brought no relief with it.
His feet hurt, his back ached, and his magic still felt tender and sore as he held the shroud over the three of them; but he tried to block it all out and concentrate on the feeling of the Arrow’s magic in the air. Was it growing any closer as they walked? Could he sense where it might be coming from if he really focused? Much as he tried to detect any minute changes in the feeling of the magic against his skin, there was no discernible difference that he could tell.
He sighed, frustrated, and Kade glanced back at him.
“You good?” he asked, concern tinging his voice, and Florian flushed with embarrassment.
“All good,” he stammered. “Sorry. Just tired. And I wish it were closer so we could be done already.”
Kade chuckled, his eyes crinkling with a sympathetic smile. “Yeah. Me too.”
They kept walking until they reached what must have once been the town square. The barren remnants of a long-dry fountain stood near the center, full of dull reddish-brown sand. More stone buildings were clustered nearby, but the area around the fountain was mostly empty. Florian imagined it had once been full of stalls and stands—the way vendors had lined the streets in the dragon kingdom.
The fountain was strangely shaped, as if it had once been sculpted to show a scene with three or four figures. But any defining features of the sculptures had worn away entirely, so now it just looked like three lumps situated around the circumference of the fountain with one larger lump in the center. Beyond the fountain, there was a low stone fence, some bare earth, then a sharp upward slope where the spindly mountain rose up.
The magic grew slightly thicker here, but Florian had a sinking feeling it would not grow any stronger until they started heading higher up, toward the top of the mountain or whatever was within it.
“I don’t feel anything,” he sighed when Kade paused and glanced back at him. Koji stopped and peered around curiously. “I think you’re right, Kade. It’s going to be on the mountain somewhere, if this even is a mountain.”
Kade looked between him and the mountain, and Florian peered up dubiously. From here at its base, he couldn’t really see the top of it, only its strangely thin heights reaching up into the Blighted sky like an enormous middle finger.
“Then let’s start heading up there,” Kade sighed, sounding much less dejected than Florian. “Still good to give us both a ride, Koji?”
“Yes,” Koji agreed quickly, though he looked at Florian with uncertainty as he answered, as if he expected him to protest. But Florian kept his mouth shut, knowing Kade would be utterly disappointed in him, so after a beat Koji took a few steps back and shifted.
Florian winced, stretching the shroud along with him. It was easier holding it over just one much larger form, of course, but everything still felt tender and overworked from the day before, so it wasn’t exactly pleasant, either.
As the green dragon solidified, Koji knelt so he was lower to the ground, then tossed his head toward his shoulders as if gesturing for them to get on.
“Let me tie you on first,” Kade said softly as they both approached. “Then me.”
“Okay,” Florian mumbled, blushing. It was equal parts embarrassing and endearing for Kade to take care of him with an audience now, even though it wasn’t exactly doting when Kade was mostly trying to ensure his safety.
Once he had settled into a comfortable position, Kade wrapped the rope around his waist, looping it around Koji’s body; then he climbed on just behind Florian and tied it to his own waist, so the three of them were lashed together tightly.
“Ready?” Kade asked him.
“Ready,” Florian agreed, then patted Koji’s scaled back. With a huff, Koji gave a small leap and rose into the air.
Florian had never ridden a horse, but he imagined it felt similar to riding a dragon, though probably much less...wiggly. But it was a lot of momentum and movement that he had to match with his own body, keeping his core strong and upright, while letting his hips shift with the serpentine movement. Kade’s arms wrapped around him, one squeezing him and the other reaching forward to grip the rope that was lashing them to Koji.
“Leaning forward helps, I think,” Kade said softly, his voice so close in Florian’s ear that it sent shivers up his spine.
“Okay,” he stammered, leaning forward and feeling Kade’s broad chest against his back. Kade’s arms were strong and secure around him, letting him breathe a little easier as they flew.
Koji made large, slow spirals up the length of the mountain, which looked more like a pillar than a mountain the higher they went. Once they had reached about a hundred feet up, Florian could get a better look at the platforms Kade had noticed when they first approached. There were indeed thick slabs of stone jutting out from the pillar at regular intervals: places where a flying creature could easily land. Each platform was affixed against an opening or a door against the pillar’s surface, but Florian couldn’t see anything clearly within.
“You were right,” he called, turning his head so Kade could hear him better. “There’s definitely something inside. I bet they would land on the platforms and head down through the mountain thing.”
He felt more than saw Kade nodding. The magic around them had become more noticeable and was steadily growing thicker in the air as they rose until it buzzed against Florian’s skin. They were definitely getting closer.
“Keep going,” he called to Koji. “We’re getting closer. I can feel it. I’m not sure where exactly it is yet, so just keep going.”
Koji nodded and continued to circle around the pillar at a careful, deliberate pace. Florian closed his eyes, focusing all his attention on the latent magic in the air. It was still growing stronger as they rose, and he was waiting for the moment it would peak and then dissipate, knowing that was then they would have just passed it. But the moment never came; the sensation only kept growing, bit by bit, without fading away. When Florian opened his eyes again, they were still heading upwards, though there were far fewer platforms this high now.
“I think it might be at the very top,” he groaned. “Of course. Nothing is ever easy, huh?”
Kade squeezed his waist. “We’ll be okay.”
