A plane

[Jacobus Loki]

of ancient design circled the abandoned airfield twice, and then landed on the least cratered runway.

(to be continued)

[Andreas the Wise]

The plane touched down and slowed to a halt. The pilot prepared to get out ... to find a long white dragon in front of him. It was so long its body could have wrapped around the ancient plane from nose to tail and back again, but it merely sat there, staring the plane down. It was one of the Peacekeepers, one of the Dragons of the Five Flights, that guarded Illumination. It waited a moment, watching, but nothing seemed forthcoming from the plane, so it began to speak. It's voice chimed like ringing bells, but the words were unmistakably Shirithian, albeit with an archaic accent.
"Who are you, who cometh to Illumination? Come you as friend or foe?"
There was a gasp from the plane, and a clerk poked his head out of the window. "I thought you dragons all dated back to the reign of Count Ozarka? How are you still here?"
"Count Ozarka stepped down less than a year ago," the dragon chimed back. "Then we had a Harald as count in name, though he never visited the young Phoenix forest. In fact, since the leaving of Count Ozarka and Lady Cerune, we have had no visitors ... save one." The clerk was amazed. Had not Ozarka been count here when he had fled from Kildare and Halluci, more than four hundred years ago? Had not a Cerune been a ward, or the like, to the AngelGuardian of Yardistan, again, from a far distant time? Surely it could not be coincidence that these names would crop up, as if no time had passed since the last report from the County, filed back in the reign of Ozarka and dealing with a possible incursion from Balgurd? But the Dragon seemed to realise it was giving away unnecessary information, and had not yet ascertained the intentions of the plane.
"Be you friend or foe?" it asked again.

[Jacobus Loki]

There was a bustling noise inside of the plane, and an old man in a tattered fur cloak climbed down a rope ladder.

"Wonder of wonders, " he muttered under his breath.

"Guardian most wonderful, I am Jacobus, called Loki and called by Loki,of Kahunamea and of Grifos, among the Eldest of living beings, currently serving as Duke of Elwynn and as Count of Illumination.

"My memory goes to the Day befiore Days, but it has been ages among men since I have heard the like of Your Magnificence.

"I bear the Sword of Madness, and I am the Friend of Justice and of Righteous Chaos."

He raised his arms, smiled, and began to chant in a tongue that his attendants had never heard.....

[Andreas the Wise]

But the Peacekeeper recognised it as ancient Halluci (or, to its mind, modern and current Halluci).
"You speak the language of truth, which pierces all illusions," it chimed. "You must indeed be friend then, for none who ever learnt that language were an enemy of our people. You may pass, as much as it is within my power to grant such a thing. What you shall see in Illumination ... well, that is up to others."
The dragon cocked its head for a moment, as if listening to a distant voice. "But the other visitor did not get ..." it began, then cocked its head again. Then it smiled, and nodded.
"Jacobus, who is called Loki, and comes bearing madness ... if you assent, I shall be bonded to you as your partner dragon, to assist you in all matters of diplomacy, within and without of Illumination."

[Jacobus Loki]

"Great One, we must first seek the Will behind that of the People of Elwynn. I am considered to be thrice-a-foreigner by many. But should you so will, we shall sing together in the ancient speech, and give to the land a little hope."

[Leo Fenrir]

Dalon, Leo Dine's personal informant, slipped back into the shadows of the surrounding forest. How the dragon had been able to perceive his presence was beyond comprehension. He had made all the necessary preparations to be completely invisible. The mages the Baron had hired had woven barriers that should have deflected the dragons perception. Though he thought he saw the flaw. It was assumed that this faction of the Five Flights had gone extinct. They must have abilities that surpass the barriers to hide him.

In any case it was too late to worry about that now. He had a task to complete in Illumination and he wouldn't let any dragons slow him down. But now was the moment to bide time. Jacobus seemed to have passed whatever test the dragon had set him and was now walking beside the serpent. The Duke's presence would make this task much harder than intended. But his mission was absolute and The Phoenix Forest was his first stop.

[Andreas the Wise]

Jacobus walked further into the county, with the Peacekeeper by his side, marvelling at what he saw. "These trees look so young and vibrant, as if they were only planted a few years ago," he said.
The dragon gave him a funny look. "They were planted a few years ago," he said, and muttered something to himself which sounded like 'humans'. Jacobus looked out and saw Elfinshi, who he recognised from his Yardistani days, strolling happily among the forests.
"I take it they have only been here a few years also?" he asked.
"Indeed," said the Peacekeeper, "and I would be much obliged if you would not talk of their presence outside here - it would make the Earthbender's job so much easier." Then he caught himself, as if he had said too much.
"I thought the Earthbender's guarded the Envisioning Stone?" Jacobus asked.
"We do not speak of that," the Dragon replied firmly. "Now if you come along here ..."

---------------------------------------
Meanwhile, well behind him, another figure trod silently towards the Phoenix Forest, when he suddenly found a Goldscale ahead of him. The dragon was small, but legends had it it was a guard dragon and capable of a breath hot enough to melt steal. It was also unable to speak with humans. The dragon smiled at him, as if to say, "We can do this the easy way, or the very easy way ..."