ADARA

It wasn't too hard to see where the area got its name when they arrived on the first day. Golden fields flowed with every little breeze. Knolls rose from the plains and twisted around each other to hide twisting cobbled roads. Massive stones sat atop each of the bigger hills. Past a stone archway with many bright runes, the train slowed to a stop outside a smaller open building, where flags fluttered with the wind and other Storm Wardens stood around, directing people one by one into the safety of temporary shelters. Adara followed Fenrer and Yuven off the train, twisting her head to the middle cars, where two guards flanked an individual in gray robes, where two amphitheres hugged around their neck and down their chest.

"That's... Hirishi-Keinta," Fenrer said in a careful voice. "They are the sovereign of Dyrin."

Adara observed while the sovereign's party tread forth deeper into the dirt paths, led by Storm Wardens. "Is this place large enough to hold this many people?" she asked as Yuven stepped forward to one Storm Warden who held out a large scroll.

"It's only ever been Haneka and Dyrin who participate in this. Neither Naveera nor Tebora have participated for Turns," Fenrer explained. "This is less a diplomatic mission and more of a festival of sorts. Where we can share in each other's cultures."

The Dyrin participants entered a group of stalls full of painted objects and weavers of beautiful silks and fabrics. Home away from home. Adara asked, "So... where are we staying?"

Yuven scoffed. "We are staying with the Storm Wardens, this used to be a large hall hundred turns ago... when the gorge was still a massive threat to the safety of the world," he said, then blinked at her before turning away. Adara folded her arms at the shifty behavior. "That'll be where we have the best sight of the plains and the designated areas." He pointed up one of the largest hills, where a building twirled around its steppes. Standards of the wyvern protecting the star rose atop the building's single tower. "Because someone needs to be responsible for security, and the only danger is Derelicts." He heaved his shoulders with a massive sigh. "And seeing as everyone else tends to be indifferent to the very real threat the Derelicts pose." Yuven tipped his head forward, and his feathers shivered. "Let us go. I doubt the king of Haneka will arrive today," he said, then added under his breath. "Ken'pesh d'lo nex'tikne...'

"What?"

Yuven ignored her and led her and Fenrer through the fields. Past the Dyrin stands, filling steadily with the Dyrenji who arrived on the train with them. Runestones dug into the ground, where magick whispered along her arms as people laughed and lived their life through the blood. Over another, smaller knoll, another roped area and empty of the same life. Black flags with a lightning carved dragon shivered in the wind with the temporary shelters.

Up the largest hill, Adara turned back to take in the view as wind caressed her face. Hand to block the afternoon sun, the plains glowed with light and merry colours from the Dyrin occupied area. Able to see the horizon, where it curved ever so slightly. In the distance, a massive mountain range which clawed its way to the sky. Ancient from its height, almost embracing the endless clouds on the other side. Adara pointed at it, causing Fenrer to turn his attention to her. "What's that?"

"The Aethejin mountain range... and that is Naveera's border," Fenrer answered.

"And not our problem. Naveera has long since made its stance clear on stuff like this. Let them huddle in their snowbanks and freeze to death," Yuven bit. "Come. I need to make sure the cardinal and ordinal anchors are set up properly."

On the second day, another train arrived from the same direction as them late into the evening, and to get away from Yuven's surly mood, she followed Fenrer to see the new arrivals. Gentle string music rose from the Dyrin side and fire sparklers danced around the lampposts as children played underneath the watchful eye of the other participants, guards, and Storm Wardens alike. Fenrer stopped her on the main road, off to the side and out of the way of the new group.

Adara peeked as a deep, thundering horn blew, but it was the only fanfare given to her to mark the arrival of an important guest. A couple children pointed at the road, but stayed out of the way. Adara stood beside Fenrer as two people came into view, and then a large party behind them in furs for the mild weather, though some risked it for some lighter fitting leathers and studded chain mail. The larger man let out a booming laugh at something a nearby woman said in the language of the sea with her own devious smile.

Is that the king of Haneka? Adara hesitated, then lowered her gaze to the smaller man beside the laughing one. Unlike his large companion, who wore his own animal fur around his shoulders, he kept his gaze trained on the road ahead. Hair as black as pitch, with two braids holding up the fangs of a dragon on the ends of each. Adara tipped her head as he took each step with purpose and confidence towards them. Power radiated from his silence compared to his party's boisterous energy. His black mail to go with his hair scaled downwards over his chest into the shaped maw of a dragon, where his clasps acted as the eyes of a great creature, though it never swallowed the light around him. A sword hung off his silver belt, where lightning painted itself down the sheathe.

He wore no crown, but she could imagine one atop his head. Dragons in flight, forged in the smoke of their flames.

King Brien boasted of his power. His authority. His absolution over the Teboran citizens and the magickae he murdered without a second thought.

No... Adara shrank when the smaller man stopped at the sight of her and Fenrer, causing the rest of his party to follow suit in sync. What Brien had wasn't real power.

"Heiise Kolis," Fenrer said with a slight bow, then smiled at the warrior king. "It is good to see you hale and whole, Reyn."

This is a king.

King Reyn turned to his party and spoke something in the language of the sea. It swept over the air, quiet as a summer breeze, but as powerful and assured as the storm to stir up the maelstrom. His party moved on ahead of him without another word, and Adara almost backed away from the presence as he headed for them, detached from those that he led.

"Fenrer Pyren," he said in clear Common, but with a thicker accent than Fenrer. "It is good to see you hale and whole as well."

Adara looked between them, and Fenrer gave a small huff. "Apologies," he said with another slight bow to her. "Adara, this is Heiise Reyn Kolis. Reyn, I am not sure if you've heard—"

"About the Anima?" Reyn asked.

Fenrer faltered, then nodded. Reyn turned to her, and she tried to fight against the leviathan's stormy jaws. His gray gaze considered her, and he tipped his head forward. "Pleasure. I know less and little of the Elder Conclave's politics though, so Hirishi's news didn't really strike me as it did others, evidently." He shrugged, and appeared to be more interested in Fenrer than her, which was a first. "I must see to my people and make sure my brother doesn't start anything." He smiled at Fenrer to brighten up his sullen, serious expression. He reached his hand out, which Fenrer responded and they clasped each other's forearms tight. Equals. Not sovereign and subject or subordinate. "I'm sure we'll have plenty of other opportunities to talk, Pyren."

Adara watched the king leave and then turned to Fenrer. "Well, that was enlightening."

"What do you mean?"

"He just wasn't what I was expecting... neither of them were, if I'm honest," Adara muttered as Reyn caught up with his party as they poured into the field with the dragon flags. "Do you two know each other?"

Fenrer chuckled. "That is a long story. But yes, we know each other."

Adara tried to search his expression for any of Yuven's distaste towards authority, but there was nothing of the sort within Fenrer as he turned his attention back to her. "That should be it for arrivals," he said with a smile. "I'm sure Yuven will be pleased."

"Pleased." Adara laughed at the idea of Yuven being pleased at anything. "So, how long will this Summit last?"

"For a fortnight or two," Fenrer said as they walked along the path with Reyn's party out of the way and back towards the hall on the knoll. "There'll be a tourney... but magick will be allowed." He gave her a light, mischievous smile.

Curiosity swallowed her unease. "Really? I always wondered what those would be like if people were allowed to use magick..." Adara mulled over the possibilities. "What do they win?"

Fenrer blinked at her. "Planning on entering yourself?"

Adara stopped, then waved her hands out in front of her. "Oh, no. Think I'd lose anyway against people who know their own capabilities. I'd probably just end up setting something on fire, from the way Yuven puts it." She rubbed the back of her neck while Fenrer continued on. "What about you?"

"No," Fenrer said. "I'm going to be busy guarding during those times. Yuven has tasked me with the clearly heavy responsibility of 'keeping monarchs in check' as he said," he explained with an almost comical, spot-on impression of Yuven. "I was never one for tourneys anyway."

Adara considered him. "What about in Tebora?"

Fenrer stopped underneath one of the ward arches along the road to the Warden hall. "That was a little different," he pointed out. "We needed a way close to King Brien and whatever information he might've had on the crystal. After what Garren told me..." He faltered off, then frowned at her. "I'm sorry if that's still a sore spot."

"You don't have to apologize. I should thank you for saving my life."

"It's my duty," he whispered with the same storming wind in Reyn's voice. They stood underneath the arch and stared at each other. Fenrer shuffled on his feet with a whispered word in Hanekan before nodding at her. "Yuven has his reasons for disliking monarchs... but Reyn is an old family friend — so it is for that reason me and you will be 'joint'-guarding them while they watch the fight."

"Is it what Garren says 'voluntold'?" Adara questioned. "I'm quite used to that."

"'Make sure she experiences the true scope of magick, maybe she'll learn something from you since she's so resistant to books,'" Fenrer mumbled in the same spot-on impression of Yuven. "Which is his way of saying 'have fun while I do all the work'."

Adara giggled. "You're way too good at that."

"Known him since we were young boys," Fenrer said with his own soft laugh. "Are you hungry? You didn't eat a lot on the train."

"Couldn't when my stomach felt like it was folding on itself." Adara stuck her tongue out. "I am."

Adara followed him up the hill. Storm Wardens went to and fro with purpose and determined expressions. Yuven waved away another Storm Warden as they approached.

"Well?" he asked, and she tried not to grin at Fenrer's previous impressions.

"King Reyn arrived with no difficulties," Fenrer said. Yuven scowled and turned away to indicate to another Storm Warden, pointing down the knoll and into the Hanekan fields. They nodded and bustled away. "How are the wards?"

"They're fine and charged," Yuven said. "If you say he arrived with no difficulties, then that is where your job now begins." He turned and folded his arms. "And if either of them try anything, you have my express order to correct their errors in judgement."

"I don't think that'll come to that," Fenrer joked.

"You never know," Yuven mumbled, then switched his glare to her. "What are you baring your teeth at?"

"I'm smiling, smartass."

Yuven showed his teeth in return, where the smaller fangs revealed the descendant of a wyvern. His pupils thinned, but he scoffed after a minute of silence. "Whatever you want to call it, we have a job to do."

"You're not the boss of me," Adara pointed out.

"I am the boss of you until we've figured out your situation," Yuven argued. "Which is to say, I'm the boss of you until we're back on Euros."

Fenrer stepped between them with a soft sigh. "Yuven."

Yuven threw up his arms. "No need to take the Neven tone with me, Fenrer. As long as this goes off without hiccups." He eyed her. "So, I suppose if you were to suddenly become interested in what the world actually has to offer, I will not stop you if you take your training seriously. Your magick is still dangerous, Adara."

"Because I'm an Anima, so I've been told," Adara said.

"No." Yuven glared down at her. "Because when people get the chance at power, they will take it and use it for their own ends. That is what makes your magick dangerous. It is not you. Or your magick of itself. It is people whose intentions you do not know. The sooner you learn that, the better." He sniffed, and his nostrils flared, and the image of a wyvern struck her as it towered over her, smoke leaving its nose. "I can only hope that you don't have to learn the lesson the hard way, when it is far too late, Adara Sazaka."