Night had fallen. Ryella had been flying all day without rest, and it was certainly evident. The white dragon struggled to keep herself awake after the long, dull flight over the same ocean scenery. Her eyes kept wanting to close on their own and her wings were aching for a break soon. Not only was she tired, she was beginning to grow quite hungry as well. Fortunately for her, she was now gliding over the Rock of Ravatogh at the very edge of Lucis. She had made it.

She gave a slight sigh of relief at the sight of the bits of glowing magma within the volcano along with the strong scent of smoke in the air. She was happy to finally see something other than water. She could hardly wait to find a place to land and rest. With her fairly capable night vision, she scanned the volcanic mountain below, hoping to find a nice landing spot. But with her focus on the ground and her weariness overtaking her, she didn't notice the incoming threat.

The zu lived at the peak of Ravatogh. Having seen another large, airborne creature enter its territory, it went on the offensive. It closed in on Ryella, flying straight toward her. She suddenly sensed a presence closing in on her and jolted her head up, seeing the massive bird. Before she could react in any way, the zu closed the distance between them, and with its talons outstretched, caught the Guardian mid-flight.

Ryella squealed in surprise and pain, feeling one of the bird's talons pierce her left side in an attempt to keep her in its grip. The dragon struggled, clawing and biting at the zu's leg, hoping it would release her. But the avian monster only pulled her up toward its face. It bit into the arm of her right wing, its teeth sinking into her flesh. It retracted its talons and proceeded to carry her around like an insect in its beak. But that was a mistake on its part.

The white beast brought her claws up, latching onto the zu's face and clawing more viciously than before. Her claws raked over its eyes, leaving bloody marks. The bird screeched in pain, dropping the dragon. Ryella plummeted for a moment before she righted herself and took off, flying away from the gigantic avian creature.

The Guardian hissed in pain at the wounds. The puncture in her side stung and bled profusely while the injury to her wing hindered her flight capabilities and made her entire wing burn. Ryella glanced back, realizing the zu was giving chase. With her injuries slowing her, she feared it might catch her once more. She had to find a way to escape it, or at least hide from it.

She suddenly tucked her wings in and dove down toward the volcano. To her dismay, the zu dove after her. She was caught off guard by how quick it was for its size, but she knew her smaller, more agile stature would allow her to outmaneuver it. She just needed to get lower to the ground. As soon as she was near the peak, she pulled up and weaved over and around a few rocks. The bird copied her movements but at a considerably slower pace.

By the time the zu had followed her over the rocks jutting up around the peak, Ryella had already swooped down and ducked into an alcove hidden right out of sight. The zu looked around in confusion, perching on the rocky edge around its nesting area. Its vision wasn't quite built for the dark, and it couldn't see the white beast anywhere. It gave a quick roar and hopped back down to its nest, assuming the threat was gone.

Ryella hugged the back wall of the alcove. She panted, completely out of breath and in pain. Her side and wing were both searing as if they were on fire. The way she had strained them to escape the zu had bad consequences. Blood continued to seep from the injuries, painting the white fur around them red. Ryella was in quite a predicament. She was badly injured, tired, hungry, and had a giant monster bigger than any Guardian living in the area and ready to pounce on her the moment she left her hiding place.

It was a wonder she managed to hang onto the necklaces the entire time. She managed to weave them around her fingers during the attack so she wouldn't drop them. She gazed down at them with sorrow and fear, terrified of what might happen to her and wishing that Reynard or Clement were there with her. But she was on her own, and backed into a corner. All she could do was hold out until an opportunity arose.

~~~~~

The beautiful black car slowed and pulled in front of the gas pumps. The prince and his retinue were currently seeking out royal tombs. After they had read about Insomnia's fall in the papers, they had been tasked with gaining power from Noctis's ancestors, as per Cor's suggestion. They had gotten the first two with a little guidance from the marshal himself, but they would have to find the rest on their own. Fortunately, Cor had enlisted the aid of the hunters to lend a hand in the search for tombs.

The group had just received word from the hunters about an ancient weapon supposedly located at the peak of Ravatogh. It sounded like another royal arm. And so, there the four friends were, climbing out of the Regalia now parked at Verinas Mart. They stretched their limbs.

"Finally!" Prompto exclaimed, making a small groan as he stretched his arms above his head. "Seems like we were sitting in that car for days!"

"My ass is killing me," Gladio stated. "I'm looking forward to a nice hike up the mountain."

"That makes one of us," Noctis mumbled, not at all eager to climb all the way up Ravatogh.

"We'd best stay on guard though," Ignis instructed. "No telling what beasts may be prowling around the Rock of Ravatogh."

As if on cue, there was a loud, echoing screech. The boys shot their heads up, seeing a massive bird soaring over. The powerful wind from its wings nearly blew them off their feet as it swooped down over them.

"Wh-what is that?!" Prompto yelled over the gusts of wind.

"A live hurricane!" Noctis replied.

"That thing's like half-bird, half-storm, half-airship!" Prompto cried in shock and awe.

"You realize that's three halves," Gladio pointed out.

"Would explain its size," Ignis lightly joked.

Noctis watched it fly away, fascinated by the creature. "Awesome in every sense."

"I suggest we find out what's going on," Ignis said. "We should ask the local tipster."

There were only a few people visiting the area, and they had taken cover from the zu inside the shop, having seen it heading their way. The four boys wondered if it was causing trouble for the locals. They seated themselves at the small outdoor table nearby. The elderly man that was in charge of the small restaurant approached them.

"What can I get ya?" he politely asked.

"We'd like some information on the area," the bespectacled man responded.

"Starting with that giant bird that just flew over," the prince interrupted.

The tipster grinned. "That there was the zu, it's a giant beast that nests at Ravatogh's peak. It's normally very docile in nature and doesn't bother anyone who doesn't intrude on its nest. But a couple of days ago, it suddenly went out of control. The hunters believe something's riling it up, but no one's found a thing out of place."

"Definitely sounds like something's up," Gladio commented.

The old man looked from side to side before leaning closer and lowering his voice. "Listen fellas, just between you and me, I've occasionally heard a strange noise coming from the peak when the zu is away. I think it might have something to do with the bird's behavior."

"Wh-what kind of noise?" Prompto shakily asked.

"Well it sounds like the howl of some kind of beast. Not one I've ever heard though. I told the hunters about it, but they just think I'm losing my marbles. If you guys plan to hike up there, I suggest you be prepared for anything."

Noctis gave a firm nod. "Thanks, we'll be careful."

The group left the tipster and took the Regalia down to the base of the mountain. They parked and got out, ready to follow the small trail and begin their ascent. They started walking, immediately leaving flat ground and moving on to rocky, rough terrain. It would be quite a tiring hike, but with a tomb said to be at the top alongside the possibility of a mysterious animal, they couldn't pass up the opportunity.

"So, uh..." Prompto began in between his gasps for air, already exhausted from the climb. "Anyone else scared of possibly running into some scary monster?"

"Nah," the shield replied. "I'm sure we can take it. That is, if there's anything even here."

"You shouldn't dismiss the notion so easily," Ignis chimed in. "All evidence points to something being out of the ordinary. The zu's sudden change in behavior, the odd sound coming from the peak---there must be something causing this."

"Well I sure hope it's some kind of unknown animal or something," Noctis said with slight excitement. "If it can ruffle the feathers of that giant bird, then it's sure to be awesome."

The gunman gulped. "As long as it's not hostile, I'm good."

"Damn, how cool would it be to discover a new species?" Gladio inquired. "Imagine Sania's reaction if we showed her that."

"Unless its a giant frog, I don't think she'd be interested," the prince joked.

"Do remember that Professor Yeagre is a biologist who's made numerous discoveries," the advisor pointed out. "Despite her obsession with amphibians and lack of fashion sense, she's not someone to poke fun at."

Prompto struggled to keep himself from laughing out loud. "Yeah, Noct. You should show more respect."

Noctis only groaned at the blond. The four continued their climb. There were various small monsters inhabiting the mountain. Reapertails, spiracorns, killer wasps, wyverns, but none of those could cause a threat to the titanic avian living at the peak. Like those before them, they couldn't find anything that seemed off. Until they'd gotten close to the peak, that is. They all froze, an odd, ghostly howl resonating from higher up the path. It echoed across the mountain.

Prompto gulped, a chill going down his spine. "Th-there's definitely something up here, guys."

"Whatever it is, it sounds pretty big," Gladio said.

"Certainly not the call of a beast I'm familiar with," Ignis added.

"Looks like the tipster's not crazy after all," Noctis concluded. "There's some kind of animal up here. I say we look for it while we search for the tomb."

The group continued climbing, despite the whines and complaints from Prompto. The gunman, much like his friends, was both curious and fearful of what kind of creature they might stumble upon. There was no denying what an opportunity it was to possibly discover a never-before-seen animal, but if it truly was an unknown species, there was no telling what it could be capable of. Noctis and Prompto both had a soft spot for animals, so they hoped the beast would be gentle and non-aggressive.

Their thoughts were laid to rest when they came upon a haven at the peak. From there, they could look out over the spacious area right below. It almost looked like an arena of sorts. It was certainly the perfect place for the zu to live. There was a trail to their right that wound around to the area below. They readied themselves for whatever strange creature may be awaiting them, and pressed onward.