"You." The winged woman stared at him sharply, her fluorescent green eyes fixed on his face. Her wings twitched at her sides, flaring out slightly at the sight of him. She turned away from Silas, facing Nyal completely. "It's you."

Nyal gulped, glancing between the woman and Silas, the book still tucked under his arm. He couldn't help but feel intimidated by her appearance. She stood tall, black hair framing a pale, unblemished face, almost like porcelain. Her eyebrows were scrunched up, forming wrinkles above her small nose. Her thin lips were pursed, pinching in her round cheeks. Nyal couldn't help but think she was gorgeous, if a little scary, especially her eyes. The unnatural black sclera, and the bright, bright green of her iris...

He shuddered slightly at the feeling of those unhuman eyes pinned on him.

"Belthorne!" Silas snapped, dragging Nyal's attention to him, "What is going on? How do you two you know each other?"

"I... Erm..." he stuttered, blinking and shaking his head. He moved forward, gently placing Ringwild's book on the table. He fiddled with the bottom of his shirt, not completely sure what exactly was going on.

The winged woman crossed her arms over her chest, looking at Silas with disdain, "Why is it important, Silas?"

Silas slammed his hands on the table, glaring at the pair of them. "Because I want to know why one of my warlocks has been in contact with the bloody Gate Keeper and not said anything!"

Nyal froze, mouth open wide, staring at the winged woman, no, the Gate Keeper, Elora. "What?"

Silas and... the Gate Keeper ignored him, beginning to bicker between themselves. The Gate Keeper's wings flared out to either side of her, and Nyal had to dodge them quickly so that he wouldn't be knocked to the floor.

"I was going to tell you. Why do you think I was here?" the Gate Keeper was saying, her voice level.

"You should have told me earlier!" Silas yelled, face turning red from rage, "And how did you get that injury, huh? Was it Belthorne? What in Veridun happened?"

Meanwhile, Nyal was staring at them blankly, trying to wrap his mind around what was happening. He had discovered so much in a such a short space of time, it was like his mind had turned off and was no longer registering anything that he was told.

"Wait!" he exclaimed, breaking the Gate Keeper off mid sentence. He ran a hand down his face as the two turned to him with matching glares. "What is happening right now?" He pointed at the winged woman, "You're the bloody Gate Keeper? You're Elora?"

"What?" Silas asked, confusion taking over the anger on his face.

"How do you know that name?" the Gate Keeper demanded, taking a step towards Nyal. Only slightly terrified, Nyal pointed at The History of the Zlohiel, silently hoping that she would understand. With a frown, Elora picked up the book.

Her frown turned into a smile when she saw the title. "Ah, Corpius," she whispered fondly, lightly running her fingers along the cover. She opened the book and flipped through the pages, much like Nyal had not even an hour earlier. She had a tiny smile on her face the whole time, softening her features and making her seem less threatening.

Eventually she stopped, and looked back to Nyal, one eyebrow raised in question. "Where did you find this?" she asked, gesturing lightly to the book.

"In the library," Nyal replied, "It said your name is Elora."

Elora scoffed, "I haven't been called that in a very long time," she said, turning her gaze back towards the book.

A throat cleared, tearing Nyal's gaze from the Gate Keeper to Silas, who was standing with his arms crossed and his foot lightly tapping against the ground. When Nyal looked to him, he raised an eyebrow, his mouth turned up slightly.

"Care to explain?" he asked.

"Not particularly," Nyal replied monotonously.

"I'm in charge of you, Belthorne," Silas snarled, unfolding his arms to place his hands flat against the table, "You do as I tell you, understand? So, care to explain?"

With a grumble and a glare, Nyal opened his mouth to speak, only to be interrupted by Elora. "Sit down, Silas, and we'll tell you everything." She sighed loudly and sat in one of the chairs, pulling Ringwild's book in front of her. She continued to flick through the pages, grimacing occasionally at the images.

Nyal and Silas quickly followed, glaring at eat other as the chairs squeaked over the polished wood. Plopping down in the same seat he was in two days ago, he couldn't help but stare at Elora. She had an energy around her, one that screamed power, one that said she was not to be toyed with.

She didn't look up at the pair until they were both seated and looking to her. She glanced up at them, peaking at them through her long hair, before she sighed again and pulled away from the book.

Silas cleared his throat again impatiently, earning himself a glare from Elora. "Keep your mouth shut, Silas, and let us talk," she said, "You wanted to know, didn't you?" She looked to Nyal, "You start, I want to know how you found us in the first place." She said it in a way that said 'no arguing' and Nyal gulped, a sudden nervousness coming over him like a wave.

A glance told him that Silas was staring at him expectantly and he let out an exhausted sigh. "Right, well, I was sitting in the woods, like I normally do when I don't have anything to do," he started, hands moving about wildly, "And I knew it was getting late, and I would have to come and see you before I went home," he gestured to Silas, "So I left. I was walking towards Dreeva when I heard footsteps. I jumped up into a tree and hid because I wanted to see who was coming. It turned out to be a man, wearing Ammosi clothing, royal Ammosi clothing-"

"Wait," Silas interrupted, "He worked in the castle? With Wyndel? Did you recognise him?"

"I don't know," Nyal replied, "He might have, or he was wearing a disguise. I don't know who he was, but he was familiar. Now, can I go on?" With a curt nod from Silas, Nyal told the rest of the story, the fight with the dragon, the fact that he had breathed fire, and that Elora had saved him.

"That sounds about right," Elora said when he had finished.

"Hang on-" Silas started.

"No, my turn," Elora interrupted, waving a hand at Silas in dismissal. Nyal couldn't help but smirk at the shocked look on his face. It was nice to see Silas get his own attitude thrown back at him. "I also happen to know who the man was. He goes by Darren Arkwright, royal advisor to King Wyndel."

Nyal clicked his fingers, recognition finally flashing in his head, "That's why I knew him- Oh." That was not good. That meant that the dragon had been posing in a useful position for years, waiting for the Key to come to him.

"Exactly," Elora said with a nod, "I was watching the meeting between Leopold's son and Wyndel, and the movements of the Key, like I normally do. When it had been passed over, I went back to the entrance hall to wait for them, and to greet Wyndel formally. I came running when I heard the screams, but I didn't make it in time. He was already running off with the Key by the time I got there. I couldn't save any of them. They were already dead

"I chased him for two days before we finally made it to the woods outside of Dreeva. For the most part, I think he knew I was following him, but I was flying most of the time, so I can't be sure." She retold most of the same parts as Nyal, just from her own perspective while she was watching she was watching the fight. "My wing had been very badly injured, but I had to fly on it anyway, so I could catch up with him, but by the time I got in the air, I had lost him."

The room was silent for many long minutes as the trio pondered over the information they had been given. A loud bang drew Nyal's attention to Silas, who had slammed his hands on the table and was very quickly leaning into his space.

"That's how she got injured! Why didn't you heal her, Belthorne?" he shouted, spraying spit, "She's the bloody Gate Keeper! You should have healed her!" Silas leaned back, running his hands through his hair, "You're an idiot."

"Healed me?" Elora questioned. She turned sharply towards Nyal, who couldn't help but feel a little uneasy under their powerful gazes. "You're a Healer?" She was wide eyed, staring at him in wonder. All Nyal did was nod, sending another round of questions his way.

"So why didn't you heal her?"

"Well, no wonder you came out of that fight without a scratch."

"What the hell is wrong with you, Belthorne?"

"I haven't met a Healer in a very long time."

"Hang on a minute, you two!" Nyal cried, stopping the pair halfway through sentences. "I didn't heal her because she flew away before I could get the chance. Did I not just tell you that I was in a fight with someone who could breathe fire? I wasn't exactly thinking straight," he gestured towards Elora, "I could do it now, if you want?"

"That would be very helpful," Elora answered with a small smile, "It is an honour to meet you, Nyal Belthorne. Healers are always a pleasure to know."

"Erm, I wouldn't go that far," Nyal replied, embarrassed. He stood from his seat, gesturing for her to do the same, "You'll have to stand for this, it'll be easier."

Elora stood, facing her back to him and flaring out her wings, the injured dropping towards the floor. Nyal winced when he saw the inflamed and burned patch on her wing. The feathers had crumpled and fallen, the remaining ones looking fried and almost unusable. He had healed birds wings and human burns many times, but not a wing such as this. It was similar enough to a bird wing, so he assumed he would be able to do it.

"Look, I've never had to deal with this sort of injury before, but I will do my best," he explained.

"Erm, excuse me," Silas piped up from the table, "I still have questions that need answering!"

"They can wait," Elora replied, "This is a bit more important, Silas. Then we can answer your questions. As for you," she turned her head back to address Nyal, "I understand, do what you can. You do owe me after all, I did save your life."

Nyal gulped, knowing that she was right. It was the least he could do. He closed his eyes, gathering water from a flower vase on a nearby shelf and placed his hands against the warm flesh of Elora's wing. He ignored her sharp inhale and concentrated, picturing both healing the wing and the feel of the feather he had found, so that he could replicate it. He felt her wing twitch under him, probably a result of the cold feeling healing produced. He imagined the flesh knitting back together, the burn fading away to nothing, and the large black feathers falling back into their place.

It took a minute, maybe two, before Nyal stepped back and opened his eyes. With a grin he noted that the wing looked just like it should, almost identical to the uninjured one. "How does it feel?" he asked.

"As good as new," Elora replied, moving the wing around, "Thank you very much, Nyal."

"My questions?" Silas asked with a sigh.

"Have some patience Silas," Elora replied, sneering at the other man, "You're quite irritating, you know? In all honestly, Corpius would have been ashamed to have you as a leader of this place, with all your sniveling and crying for attention."

Nyal tried hard not to laugh at the offended look on Silas's face. He was grateful that the older warlock was finally being put in his place, by the Gate Keeper of all people as well. With a smirk, Elora sat back in her seat, Nyal following soon after.

"So, what did you want to know?" she asked.

"You said Darren Arkwright," Silas started, "It can't be him, I've met him, he doesn't seem like the kind of person who would do something like this."

"Well, it's him, I saw him take it, and I make sure I know all the King's and their advisors by name," Elora answered.

"Fine, but why?"

"Because he needs it."

"What for, Keeper?" Silas snarled, "And what kind of creature can breathe fire?"

"A dragon," Nyal answered, gauging the look on Silas's face. Shock, disbelief, irritation.

"And how do you know this?" he asked. Nyal pointed to The History of the Zlohiel, which Elora turned to face the old warlock, the book open on the page about dragons.

It was another few moments of silence as Silas read the pages, his gaze occasionally switching to the drawing of the monster.

"But- But this is an Ancient One," Silas said, "This can't be right."

"There is nothing else it can be," Elora replied.

"How is he here?"

"I don't know, not yet," Elora started, "I need to find him."

Silas sighed, biting down on his bottom lip, "Well, do you know where he's going?"

"Towards the Gate, where else?"

"Does he know where that is?"

"I shouldn't think so, but the Key will lead him, slowly," Elora explained, "He will make it there eventually."

Nyal couldn't help but feel very far away from the conversation. They spoke about things he had never even heard of, information he was probably never supposed to hear. Part of him considered leaving out of politeness.

"And where is the Gate?" Silas asked.

"I will not tell you, just in case," Elora replied.

"In case of what? It's not like I'm going to find this person and tell them!" Silas yelled, slamming his hands on the table once again.

"I do not trust you, it's that simple."

"Fine," Silas grumbled, "Are the Gods going to help us?"

"Not unless we really need it," Elora said, casting her eyes upward, "Yararanje is not pleased."

"So, what are you going to do?" Silas asked.

"I don't know yet," Elora replied, looking back down at the two men, "I need to find Darren first, and I also need to move the Gate somewhere else. Just in case."

Silas nodded, pinching the bridge of his nose, "Okay, yes, right. I'll let my men know who to look out for and I'll send a message to everyone I sent out to the other cities. It really would help if I knew where the Gate was, that way I can set more men up there, make it safer."

"That would just make it suspicious," Elora said, standing up and grabbing Ringwild's book, "This meeting is over, I have things to do and Key to find." Nyal stood up after her, a show of his respect, also a sign that he just wanted to get out of the room. He had said what he needed to. Now, it was time to either stop his work and let Elora continue, or to work on his own, as long as he could help people. Either way, he was getting out of there.

"One more thing," Elora started, her hand on the door knob and her hood flicked up to cover her face. "I'm taking Nyal with me."