Of Ashes and Wind

The Elven City of Eostrun

It was the break of dawn once they came across a peculiar grove of trees, Eiriell motioned for Lionheart to get low while Phoenix hopped off and helped carry Eiriell down on to the floor. Phoenix looked up and noticed that canopy was particularly dense here.

"This is it." Eiriell said softly while looking about the grove of trees, her hand touching a few of the thin trunks.

"Like Eostrun?" Phoenix looked around inquisitively, it didn't look anything like the great city Eiriell described it as.

Eiriell smiled at her friend, "It's a portal." And with that, the runes on the ground glowed a bright light which made Phoenix shield her eyes with one hand. With the other, she reached instinctively for Lionheart who quickly tucked the child beneath his neck.

A chorus of chatter and other sounds echoed throughout.

"Hey, Nix, look." Eiriell's voice was soft while her hand reached out to touch Phoenix's arm.

Phoenix went wide eyed at the Great Elven City of Eostrun, if she thought the trees within the Werenluna Wood was huge, she was sorely mistaken. There were trees the size of castles that spiraled and swirled upwards to the top which surrounded the entirety of the city. Twisted and gnarled branches reached out to touch each other at varying altitudes to form bridges and walk ways for the elves travelling about. Homes, cottages, and the like were carefully carved or built within the branches and great trunks. And the smell was just simply magical – Phoenix didn't know how to describe it. Each breath she took of the air was thick and thin at the same time, she could feel something fill her lungs, but she couldn't describe it.

The Great Elven City of Eostrun was cloaked in rich and cool tones with its sprawling forests with trees the size of castles and towers. At the center was the beating heart of the city and its town square. On the far end of the town square stood what Phoenix could on describe as a palace. Built from smooth pale stone that was wrapped in vines and branches, the highest towers still couldn't compete with the great trees that the palace was embedded within.

There was a screech above that sounded familiar.

Phoenix and Lionheart both looked above to see a flight of three gryphons and their riders come swooping down. At the center of where all the forest's branches seemed to converge was a clear opening in the canopy to the great sky above.

"Nix, you said we were friends, right?" Eiriell looked on anxiously as the gryphon riders came closer.

"Of course, Eiri." Phoenix leaned over and grabbed her hand, "Why do you ask?"

"No matter what?" Eiriell's voice strained once more, her soft fingers tips brushing against the callouses at Phoenix's palm.

"No matter what." Phoenix picked up on her unease once the gryphon riders halted in front of them while still airborne. The biggest of the flight looked down at Lionheart – Phoenix could see that Lionheart was still bigger than that gryphon even. There was a surge of pride at her chest.

Lionheart stood tall and with his chest puffed out more, the largest gryphon flying growled lightly – as if beckoning Lionheart to take flight.

But Lionheart remained stoic and his wings tucked away, he opted to stand closer to Phoenix and Eiriell, tucking the both of them protectively below his chest.

"What's wrong, Lionheart?" Phoenix murmured, her hand reached to the gryphon's plumage.

The child watched as the gryphon riders went wide-eyed.

"You're just a child... a human child." The rider on the biggest gryphon let out.

"The Princess is here!" The other hollered and pulled at the reins for his gryphon to touch land.