The Regalia pulled into the outpost, parking next to the gas pumps. After getting out and stretching, the group met Dave at the small outdoor restaurant. He stood by a table, waiting, with his dog lying at his feet. The man met them with a small smile.
"Well if it ain't Noctis and his companions." Dave looked to Lorelai. "Lora, you didn't tell me you'd be bringing these boys with you."
The girl shrugged, pulled out a chair, and made herself comfortable. "They decided to tag along." She then leaned on her elbows against the table as the others took their seats. "Now, tell me what happened."
Dave sighed, leaning forward in his seat and gazing at Lorelai across from him. "A hunter took on your request and headed up the mountain the other day, hasn't come back yet. Another couple of hunters scouted the area and couldn't find him, so we all assumed he had gone to the summit and gotten killed by that bird. Which means there should be three dog tags up there now."
Lorelai hung her head down a bit. "I see. Three tags to keep my locket company." Her eyes then locked onto the man. He could see the determination in them. "But now, that's going to change. We're taking the request and we'll bring back the tags and my necklace."
"If you feel you're up for it," Dave said. "But you should rest up and go tomorrow. It's getting late, and facing that beast in the dark would be suicide."
The group agreed and rented the caravan for the night. Ignis cooked up a warm meal and the five got themselves cleaned up before heading to bed. Being one bed short, Gladio decided to sleep on the the floor between the beds. Lorelai situated herself on one of the bottom bunks. Prompto climbed up to the one above her. Lorelai kept a small lamp lit next to her bed while watching Ignis and Noctis turn off the lights and get into their own beds.
"I hope you guys don't mind, but I'm used to having a little light while I sleep," Lorelai said apologetically, dimming the light a bit.
"Not at all," Ignis answered. "Whatever makes you comfortable."
She smiled slightly and laid her head down on her pillow. The five said their goodnights and went straight to bed. The following morning, the group ate breakfast, took the request, and began their ascent to Ravatogh's peak. They came across a few spiracorns toward the base of the mountain, but dispatched them without a problem.
"So, Lora, from what you said to Dave yesterday, the item you lost is a necklace?" Noctis questioned as the group carefully climbed a steep slope.
Lorelai nodded, her eyes scanning the ground around her to find the right footing. "A locket, to be exact. My mother gave it to me when I was little, it's the only thing I have left of her. That's why... I really want to find it."
It grew quiet and the five made it to the top of the slope. They crossed a rocky path that bridged over a gap and fought a few wyverns. They were then forced to climb a couple of small cliffs. Lorelai summoned her scythe and separated each end. Weilding a scythe in each hand, she used the blades like hooks to aid her in climbing.
"Ugh, Lora's lucky she has an easier way to climb," Prompto whined between his heavy breathing. He struggled to haul himself up the cliffside.
"Stop your bitching," Gladio told him. The muscular man made his way up with ease compared to the blond.
Lorelai was the first to the top with Gladiolus close behind her. Ignis and Noctis were the next ones to the top with Prompto straggling behind, whining the whole way.
"Ugh, my arms can't take anymore!" The blond whined. "They feel like they're gonna fall off!"
Gladio rolled his eyes. Once Prompto was in range, Gladio reached down and grabbed him by the arm, hauling him up onto the ledge with them. Prompto laid on the ground on his back, breathing heavily as if he'd just run a marathon. Lorelai crouched next to him.
"Come on, Prompto, you'll be fine." She smiled kindly down at him. "It should just be a short ways to the summit now. You can make it." Her words of encouragement gave him the energy he needed.
Prompto hopped to his feet, grinning. Lorelai stood up and began leading the way again. They came across a few killer wasps on the narrow path, but like the previous monsters, they took care of them with ease. The group finally made it to the short slope that led to the nest. Lorelai paused. She gulped and stared down at the slope, hesitant to enter the lair of that beast again.
"I-I don't know if I can do this," she quietly stated, fear lacing her voice. "I couldn't beat the zu before. No one's been able to yet. I don't want you guys to risk your lives for a simple little trinket. W-What if something bad happens?"
"Hey, don't sweat it," Noctis told her. "We can do this, all five of us. Besides, the zu may not even be here right now."
The raven-haired man passed the girl and slid down the slope with Gladio and Ignis quickly following. Lorelai gathered her courage and went after them with Prompto behind her. They landed right next to the nest made of straw and twigs. Three eggs laid snuggly in the center of it. Lorelai looked all around at the sky, not seeing the large bird anywhere. She sighed in relief. Noctis and Gladio already found a couple of dog tags around the nest.
"Good work, boys," she said. "Only one more tag and my locket left to find."
They looked all around the nest in search of either object. Lorelai caught a glimpse of something glinting in the sunlight. She jerked her head up, seeing something metallic on the ground below the nest. She began to approach the edge of the nest area when she felt a strong gust of wind hit her back. She froze, her eyes growing wide. Ignis and Gladio quickly shoved Noctis to the ground and shielded him from the incoming attack.
"Lora!" Prompto screamed her name in panic.
Before she could turn around, the blond tackled her. She landed on her stomach with Prompto on top of her. He shielded her as the zu swooped down, its sharp talons barely missing them. Once it passed over, they all rose to their feet. Prompto was quick to get off the girl, feeling a bit embarrassed by the way he landed on her. He took her arm and pulled her up.
"L-Lora, you okay?" he asked.
She nodded and flashed him a small smile. "Yeah, thanks to you." The group turned their attention to the zu that landed in the large area past the nest. "Looks like we have to face it after all."
Everyone summoned their weapons. Gladio was the first to head in with the others right behind him. They slid down the slope and onto the same ground as the zu. The monster spread its wings and let out a roar. The five charged toward the beast. Prompto began shooting up at the giant bird, but it didn't seem to affect it at all. Lorelai, Ignis, and Gladio attacked its feet while Noctis warped up to its chest, hacking away. Despite their efforts, the zu seemed nothing more than annoyed by them. It spread its massive wings and flapped them, creating powerful gusts of wind that blew everyone back.
Noctis fell onto his back on the ground while the others skidded to keep themselves from flying away. The zu then whipped its long tail around, catching Prompto and Noctis off guard. The two boys were sent flying into the hard rocks. Lorelai and Ignis were quick enough to duck under the creature's tail. Gladio ended up blocking it with his large blade and cutting right through it. The zu screeched in pain, half of its tail lying limp on the ground.
The beast began stomping around, furious by the mutilation of its tail. With Noctis and Prompto back in the fight, the group all had to rely on dodging the bird's talons. Her body tiring, Lorelai moved in to try and land a hit. She charged toward one of the monster's feet, ignoring the cries of protest from her comrades. She knew firsthand just how strong the zu was. She wanted to finish it off before it had a chance to deliver a blow that would crush them, like it had the first time she faced it.
Just as one of the beast's feet raised up, Lorelai slid under it, her scythe leaving a deep cut on the bottom of its foot. The zu roared and stumbled on its injured leg. Lorelai then rushed toward the back of its foot, but was caught by surprise when the zu twisted its head around toward her. The girl stopped in her tracks with a gasp and brought her scythe up to block the bird's incoming attack.
The monster's beak opened wide and clamped down, catching one end of the scythe vertically in its jaws. The weapon's sturdy blade kept the bird's beak from snapping down on the girl. The zu lifted its head, picking up Lorelai, who held tightly onto her weapon. The bird's dagger-like teeth were mere feet away from her. The beast shook its head a bit, trying to make the girl fall. But Lorelai held on, gripping her scythe as tight as she could.
The zu stopped after a few moments, and instead, spread its wings and lifted off the ground. The boys below shielded their eyes from dirt that was stirred up from the creature's strong wings. The zu circled the summit from the air. Lorelai glanced down and gulped, seeing the long distance between her and the earth below. The black-haired girl was trapped in the sky with the zu. She only hoped that it wouldn't let go of her anytime soon.