Editing Kanimaeli - Spirit of Air (section)

==Eastern Plain==

We rested again, this time undisturbed, and in the morning we started across the great plain. Something was still flying above us and as noon approached I suggested perhaps trying to communicate with it. I used Storm to send a message flying up above us: "Air friend, we seek the Lord of Air in the east. Can you bear a message or meet? We come from Sanctuary and seek balance." The message seemed to have been heard, as the creature disappeared from sight! We were left a little disappointed, but perhaps the Queen of Storms and the Lord of Air here were not aligned.

As dusk approached, a stiff breeze came from the east. Far from a welcome, though, I could sense that the Air was afraid and fleeing from something! I shouted a warning and stood ready, but nothing manifested. Perhaps we were still some way from what it feared. We rested again before continuing, and despite my wariness nothing disturbed us.

In the morning it was still, but we kept going anyway and increasingly saw creatures of the Air around us and to the east. I found this reassuring, although underfoot it was less welcoming. The ground became sparse, sandy, and bone-dry. Xlotl created less water than usual when he refilled our waterskins, so there was certainly an absence of elemental Water here. Pi tried to create some, and ended up summoning a glistening perfect crystal goblet of cool, clear water... which he drank without hesitation!

Xlotl decided to try a different approach, attempting to create a spring within the ground. The result was far from what he intended, though. The ground cracked, and an angry wind rushed out quickly. Born aloft, winged scorpion creatures emerged from the ground and laboured into the Air. Antinniera shouted at Xlotl, "What have you done?" and moved back. I called to everyone to keep heading east and moved past the cracks as quickly as I could. Antinniera responded but was attacked by a couple of scorpions, one of which stung her!

I ran to help, cutting one down with Storm, and on the far side Pi smashed one to goo with his hammer. More creatures seemed to be coming, though, and Xlotl didn't seem confident that they would ever stop! I cut another one down, and Antinniera sensibly moved farther east. Pi was engaged again, swinging through one creature easily but missing the second.

Xlotl's wings cast a shadow as he veered towards Antinniera, safely above the threat. I gripped Storm and unleashed its power, pushing the nearest scorpion away with a blast of Air. I didn't wait to see if it would recover, sprinting eastward to join the others. I need not have hastened, though, as Antinniera abruptly stopped and doubled over as waves of sickness wracked her body; the venom from a scorpion's sting was taking its toll.

Behind us, the clash of steel rang through the air as Pi refused to relent. Pi was surrounded by the relentless swarm, and we could hear the metallic pings of futile strikes as their stings and claws failed to penetrate his armor. With a roar, he swung his hammer in a devastating arc, obliterating two scorpions before reversing into a back swing to dispatch another.

"Antinniera needs help!" I shouted, my voice carrying over the chaos. I charged towards her, my heart pounding, glad to see that Xlotl was also closing in fast. There were more scorpions emerging, though, and Pi was still engulfed, his garish armour the only glinting beacon amidst the swarm. He swung again, and two more were struck down. He smashed one more to pieces and then finally decided that a withdrawal was the better option, dashing towards us with surprising speed.

Xlotl reached Antinniera, producing and unfurling a scroll from nowhere as he did so. His chant was strangely soothing, and whatever energy was released had an immediate impact. The convulsions eased, the vomiting stopped, and color returned to her face. As she steadied herself, Pi barrelled past us, a whirlwind of motion. I turned back for a moment, conjuring another gust with Storm to sweep away the few remaining threats before falling in step with the others. We kept moving, pushing ourselves for half an hour until the chittering of their wings faded behind us.

The terrain grew harsher now, the grass thinning and giving way to gritty dust. Ahead, the horizon shimmered with the onset of a desert. The heat bore down on us despite the early hour, the air heavy and still. We pressed on through the searing day and well into the night until exhaustion claimed us, forcing us to collapse in the sand around midnight. I entered into a meditative state, gently waving Calm as the others slept undisturbed.

The next day, as we trudged onward, a figure emerged from the shimmering heat ahead. Kneeling in the sand, it was a strange being with four arms, horns spiraling upward, a tail swaying behind, and a weapon glinting in one of its hands. From its lips came a rhythmic humming, a chant that hung in the air like a spell. We stopped, wary but curious. Antinniera approched alone, showing now fear (or sense, frankly). This being, who introduced himself as Shak dar Marmolk, said that he sought knowledge and spoke to Antinniera in a tone reminiscent of an elder addressing a child.

He seemed genuinely to concern himself with knowledge and did not seek to interfere with our choices. He did remind us that we had a compass that could guide us to the stones that we sought, if used properly. It seemed sensible to do so, if we could summon the will to use it! Shak dar Marmolk spoke of the Lord of Life to the east, and a path laden with peril. He bestowed gifts, though: a ring to Xlotl, a knife to Pi, and words of wisdom to me. He knew that I followed the way of Kahhohneyinn and suggested that I speak his name when needed, a suggestion I did not take lightly. He then asked us to leave him to his meditation, so we took our leave peacefully.

We knew that the compass needed Air, so I used Storm, coaxing its elemental power to come forth. My mistake was in underestimating its force, at least in this place... a gale burst forth, toppling Pi backwards and sand flying around him! The compass remained silent, perhaps unimpressed with our antics. We turned to Xlotl instead, and his somewhat steadier touch coaxed a response, unsurprisingly guiding him to the east. With our course aligned, we resumed our march, trying as much as we could to travel at night when it was cooler and resting during the oppressive day.

Days passed like this, with Xlotl able to summon just enough water to sustain us, until one evening four figures of Air could be seen spiraling above us. I sent a message aloft as before, but the response was not what I had hoped. Two figures disappeared at once, while two others descended rapidly. As they neared, their forms became clear: humanoids on winged creatures. Shouts to them went unanswered, and then Xlotl drew close enough to see them for what they were: dark elves, allies of Ilyanna, and aligned with the Queen of Storms!

The clash was immediate. One dark elf dove low, slashing Xlotl across the back, a crimson line marring his scales. His retaliation was fierce, though — a burst of freezing air engulfed them both. The birds fell, lifeless, their riders tumbling after. We searched the bodies and found some wafer-thin bread that served for food, enough for a couple each that Pi secreted somewhere. There were still two invisible foe somewhere, so we remained wary and kept a watch. The Air was not disturbed by them, though, and we moved on in case they had gone for reinforcements.

An hour passed, the light fading fast, and then we noticed movement again. In the distance two specks appeared on the sandy dunes; a humanoid figure and a winged companion hovering above them. Pi wasted no time, changing shape again and transforming into a desert-colored owl, he soared into the approaching night, his sharp sight piercing the encroaching darkness. I felt a surge of jealousy again at the ease with which he took flight while we had to wait, stuck on the ground.

He saw a stocky humanoid in loose fitting clothing walking with a flying creature just above his shoulder. This creature was vaguely humanoid and horned, with surprisingly short wings that were bat-like. They were similar in size, there was no sign that they were in distress, and they were walking steadily westwards towards us.

When Pi returned, he gestured that they approached and we should hide. I looked around the barren desert and suggested that there was little hope of simply hiding. Xlotl suggested talking instead. I hesitated, but suggested invoking Shak dar Marmolk's name to gauge their intentions. Xlotl agreed, so I stepped ahead of everyone and prepared to meet them, kneeling with Calm spread before me. Once they were close I greeted them in Shak dar Marmolk's name.

Their reaction was unexpected: the flying creature laughed out loud and then held out a hand for a coin from the other figure... a bet won, perhaps? He then returned the greeting, so I introduced myself. He replied: "Ah, the sacrifice"! Why did people keep saying that?! We spoke in the Air Elemental tongue, and the familiar back and forth made me relax somewhat despite this. He was Marhadd Azhodehya, and he was the guide of the other figure who was bound by a vow of silence until he proved his worth. He declared Araeli the true lord of this place, and the judge of our fate. We described our encounters with the servants of the Queen of Storms, and he recognised the ones that turned invisible as the "Strax".

Xlotl mentioned that he was seeking to be free of the ring that had been "gifted" by Artemis. Marhadd thought it strange that he would feel no shame for being aided, but agreed to free him from his burden, doing so with but a gesture! He said that Lord Aergarnion had been strangely quiet of late, and Xlotl confirmed that he had been cut off from this place. The last he had heard from our home was from Lord Jinpar - which is how he had heard of me. Apparently I had not been expected to return... well, I hoped to disappoint them!

Our paths diverged, but he said that the Kohnen should find us if we were worthy. We bid them good luck on their quest and set off again into the night. We kept going until dawn, and stopped while Xlotl and Pi created water to sustain us. This was something that Xlotl was better at, to be fair, which was unsurprising given his nature. The peace did not last long, though, as the sand around us erupted in chaos as swarms of beetles dug their way quickly to the surface. Many were small, snapping pests, but some were larger and there was one huge terror farther ahead that started slowly towards us.

Antinniera quickly took one of the exploding spheres from the temple fight, throwing it into the midst of the beetles and caught a few of them with the shards of metal. Xlotl flew up and forwards, seemingly to challenge the colossus. I ran towards Antinniera, screaming involuntarily as the swarm surrounded us. Pi flew overhead with lazy beats of his wings, and somehow called down a blessing upon us from the Unmaker.

Smaller beetles started to climb up the large one, covering its body with theirs in anticipation of Xlotl's attack, and attack he did. Ice rained down on the creature, shattering the bodies of most of the smaller beetles but doing little to slow the large one. Antinniera and I were quickly surrounded, suffering many bites - and some of those were unnaturally cold. Antinniera had a bad reaction, dropping unconscious and being instantly covered by the swarm of beetles. Pi dived down to aid her, changing into his human form and managed to revive her with a touch.

I cracked the shell of one with Storm but stepped away from my friends and slammed the Air down, causing a thunderclap as the Air blasted outwards carrying several beetles with it and a couple flying off with the wind as I had made them as light as Air. Antinniera stood, trying to shed the beetles, and send a scorching blast of flame into the massed foes - they were climbing on top of each other to reach us at this point.

Pi chanted another prayer to aid us as Xlotl climbed even higher to avoid the pincers of the largest foe, launching icicles at it, penetrating its carapace in several places. Antinniera was still being bitten, and was looking like she might fall at any moment, so I sent another blast of thunder out to clear the nearest foes and moved to help her, although I was still bitten by one remaining foe.

Pi swung his hammer, smashing one to pulp and cracking the shell of another as I reached Antinniera. I used my mind to heal her, but was drained of far more energy than I expected, reversing some terrible infliction that had beset her and leaving my head ringing. Thankfully it was then that Xlotl finally brought the giant beetle down, more icicles penetrating its weakened armour. It thudded heavily to the ground, its shattered carapace oozing ichor across the desert sands.

The remaining beetles fled at once, burrowing back into the earth, leaving us exhausted but victorious. I lay on the warm sand, closing my eyes and trying to refocus my mind, even as Xlotl called out that a rider was approaching. He also said something about collecting bits of the beetle for armour, but I was turning my attention inward and wasn't really listening by then.

Was this Artemis reaching out through these Earth creatures again? The coldness and draining of energy did seem like Death had touched us. The rider was closer now, moving slowly on a horned horse-like creature. Xlotl greeted him and asked if he might aid his friends. I sat up, returning my focus to what was happening as my mind recovered from the trauma it had suffered. It was good that I did, for I saw the rider move in the way of the Kahkohenyinn and leapt from the horse to glide forward and land softly on the sand without disturbing it. He had my full attention now!

He introduced himself as Maai'sor, and Xlotl noted that he used the Air in a way similar to me, saying that he was concerned for me. Maai'sor said that he had seen me and that I might be teachable. We had been tested and had shown our worth, so we were welcome in the home of the Konen.

Maai'sor guided us roughly northeast for about half an hour until we reached the camp of the Kohnen — a haven of tents amid the desert. Red-skinned figures, some with horns and some without welcomed us. For now, perhaps for the first time since leaving the temple, we felt safe.