Kai leaned over the ship's railing, taking in his first glimpse of Antigua as their airship descended into the harbor. A wave of homesickness crashed into him, as the island's sprawling, sun-drenched streets reminded him of Lagos. The bright colors—rows of pastel shops with painted wooden signs, blooming bougainvillea spilling over stone walls, and the shimmering blue-green water that stretched to the horizon—carried an unmistakable warmth, a vibrancy he could almost taste. Crowds bustled along cobblestone paths, traders calling out to sell fresh papaya, spices, and glistening fish, their voices mingling with the rhythm of steel drums from a nearby square. Men wore cotton shirts and wide-brimmed hats, women were dressed in sweeping skirts and colorful headscarves, children darting between them, laughter ringing in the air. There was an openness to Antigua's sunlit streets, an embrace of color and life that pulled him in, but with it came a bittersweet ache—memories of Lagos and the quiet life he'd left behind, a reminder of all that felt familiar yet so far away.

Kai made a note to himself to write another letter to his brother Korede when he could find some time.

"It's beautiful." Bayu joined Kai on the railing, his eyes were smoked in dark circles. The travel to Antigua, which should have been no more than eighteen hours, ended up going for twenty seven. There was a number of storms that appeared, shots of bright lightening and rolling thunder that kept Kai awake and secretly afraid. He didn't think Bayu had fared any better.

Kai turned to him slightly. "Yeah it reminds me of home."

"Where are you from?" Bayu cocked his head slightly, his hair was wild and ruffled, Kai watched as he absentmindedly tucked a lock behind his ear.

"Lagos, I worked as a farmer." Kai stretched his hand out so it caught the sunlight and danced across his skin. "I'm used to working in this oppressive heat. It feels familiar." Kai had slowly begun to like Bayu. He was quiet mostly, staring outside of the airship windows with a brooding look on his face, but Kai was in awe at his endless intelligence. They had spent much of the journey bouncing off waves of ideas for dealing with the mission. Kai liked the way Bayu talked, long and lilting, and the way Bayu looked at people, as if he was really listening to you. Though Isaac said it in jest, Bayu really did remind him of a prince.

"I'm looking forward to you leading us." Bayu said it softly, his long fingers drumming on the railing.

"I've never done anything like this before so, feel free to tell me if I'm getting it wrong or -"

"You'll be perfect." Bayu turned to look directly at Kai, stepping closer to him. "I've never met a dragonborn before." His gaze wove around Kai's features.

"I'm worried..."

"How come?"

"I'm so unsure about this mission... the Brigade have barely told us what it is we're going to be doing? Are we supposed to report to someone specific, or are we improvising the whole thing?" Kai finished, his voice wavering just slightly.

Bayu tilted his head, considering the question. "I think they're expecting us to find our own way." He looked out over the bustling harbor, gaze settling somewhere in the distance. "The Brigade...they have their secrets, don't they? I wouldn't be surprised if they're keeping some things back. But that's what you're here for, Kai. To lead us regardless."

Kai felt the weight of Bayu's words settle over him. He'd always been up for a challenge, but there was something about this mission, this strange tension in the air, that made it feel like he was being led into something much larger than himself. And Bayu seemed to sense it too, that quiet foreboding that had been a shadow over them since they'd set out.

Kai let out a soft chuckle, trying to break the heavy mood. "Well, I suppose we'll figure it out as we go."

The sound of footsteps pulled their attention. Isaac appeared at their side, looking surprisingly relaxed despite the rough journey. He gave them both a wry grin. "Are we ready, gentlemen? Antigua awaits."

Kai straightened, clearing his throat. "You're right, let's meet with the elves first. Magic has been erupting in Falmouth so it's of utmost importance we check that place out first."

As they stepped off the airship and into Antigua's winding streets, Kai couldn't help but admire the way the colors of the town seemed even brighter up close. The buildings were painted in vibrant shades of coral, turquoise, and sunflower yellow, their surfaces sun-worn but inviting. Market stalls spilled into the narrow streets, tables laden with fruit, cloth, and jewelry glinting in the sun. The air was heavy with the scent of cinnamon, smoked meats, and tropical flowers. Every step felt like a reminder of home—just enough to comfort him, yet enough to make him miss what he'd left behind.

"Do you smell that?" Isaac asked, inhaling deeply. "It's like the whole island is alive."

Kai smiled, nodding in agreement. "Feels that way. I could get used to this."

They wove through the streets, moving further from the harbor and into a quieter part of town. Here, the lively colors gave way to the deep green of a jungle clearing, with tall trees and thick undergrowth. Soon, they spotted a figure waiting for them, his posture tense but commanding. Jabari, the Chief of the elves, stood there, his gaze sharp and calculating as he took in their approach.

Jabari was as Kai had heard—imposing, with lean muscle and skin the color of rich mahogany. His eyes, though, were what struck Kai most. They were hard, assessing, with a sharpness that suggested he missed nothing. His clothing was both elegant and functional, woven from natural fibers that seemed to blend seamlessly into the environment around him. Standing next to him was a lean elf, with dark skin and chestnut eyes. He had a slung of arrows draped across his shoulders.

"You're the Aetherwing Brigade team?" Jabari's voice carried an edge, as if he were sizing them up with each word.

Kai stepped forward, meeting his gaze with steady calm. "That's right. I'm Kai, and these are my teammates, Isaac and Bayu. We're here to help resolve the... issues you're facing with the witches."

Jabari nodded. He pointed to the elf next to him. "This is my son Maleko." Maleko said nothing, he eyed Kai and his teammates with a cruel curl of his lip. "The witches have been laying claim to our lands with no respect for boundaries, leaving their dark magic in places where it rots our soil and sickens our animals."

Jabari led them through the clearing, gesturing to patches of land that had turned black and cracked, as if scarred by fire. At each spot, the elves had tried to cover the damage with leaves, branches, anything to restore the soil.

Kai knelt, brushing his fingers over the charred earth. It crumbled away in his fingers. "What exactly have they been doing?" he asked, looking up at Jabari.

"Summoning," Jabari replied, teeth gritted. "Leaving dark spells to fester in our lands. We've found creatures emerging from these tainted spots. Monsters made from nothing but hatred and decay. We're doing our best to cover them, but..."

Kai looked over at Isaac, whose eyebrow arched in disbelief. "Throwing leaves over dark magic? That's... well, not the most effective solution."

Jabari's face darkened. "We're doing what we can. If you have better ideas, I'm all ears."

Kai opened his mouth to respond, but a tremor shook the ground beneath them. A faint, unnatural rumble echoed up from one of the blackened spots nearby. They all froze, eyes fixed on the ground as it began to crack open. From the ruptured soil, twisted shapes began to emerge—creatures with dark, gnarled bodies, their eyes glinting with malevolent energy.

Kai's instincts kicked in, his dragon scales flaring as he stepped forward, a ball of fire already forming in his hand. "Get ready!"

Bayu muttered an incantation under his breath, his hands glowing with blue energy. He sent a burst of lightning toward the creatures, striking one of them down. Another lurched toward Kai, its clawed limbs reaching for him. He let loose a burst of flame, scorching it back, but more creatures continued to crawl out of the blackened ground.

Kai took a deep breath, gathering his strength, then unleashed a roar that sent scorching dragon flames barreling through the air, incinerating the monsters in his path. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of Bayu, who was firing azure bursts of magic. The blasts enveloped the creatures and exploded, leaving trails of dark mist steaming in the sky. They worked in perfect tandem, an unmistakable rhythm: Kai's flames cutting forward in waves as Bayu flicked his hand, sending bursts of magic to finish the job.

It was Kai's mistake however that he didn't notice when one of the monsters lunged towards Isaac. He watched in horror as its sooty claws dove into Isaac and engulfed him. Kai felt a wave of fear seep through his body, it was similar to terror he felt that day they were on the ship to Alaska and the sea monster had taken hold of the elf and plunged him towards the sky in a sickening determination. Kai moved to go help him, but another blackened monster erupted in front of him. It was huge with sharp, dagger like teeth. Kai slung bursts of hot flame through his hands. He saw Maleko firing sleek arrows with a practised ease. His father wielded what looked like a rake and stabbed through the monsters with a grim look.

"Bayu!" Kai called, his heart was racing, the monsters kept barrelling out of the earth relentlessly.

Bayu's face was streaked with dirt and soot. He was breathing heavily, shooting out magic, his hands were curling in on themselves as if they were cramping. "I'm fine Kai!"

"It's Isaac, I can't get to him, I think the monster has its claws on him! Can you help?"

Kai turned worriedly to Isaac again and started running. Monsters jumped out of the ground, grasping at his legs and dragging him down. He watched with a horrified gaze as the monster on top of Isaac began to barrel into him. But just as it was about to happen, a sleek black wolf appeared, crashing into the creature with a snarl. The wolf's powerful jaws clamped onto the creature's throat, tearing it away from Isaac, who watched, stunned.

The wolf yelped as the creature fought back, managing to swipe a claw across its flank. The wound bled, but the wolf remained defiant, eyes sharp and feral. It tore into the monster again and then descended on a rampage, cutting through and tearing the monsters into pieces. Kai watched as Bayu spread a shaking hand on the dirt. He started to whisper an incantation "Tanah tenang, diamlah dirimu, monster pergi." A bright blue sheen spread onto the ground, and finally the monsters dissipated, sinking into the earth as if they weren't there at all.

Bayu collapsed onto the ground heaving. Kai rushed over to the sleek wolf, its black fur was matted with blood. Isaac lay curled into a ball shaking. Kai laid a careful hand on the wolf's fur bundling it into his lap.

Jabari and Maleko walked over, unharmed but with strokes of mud splattered across their clothes.

"This is what we've had to deal with the past month. It happens unprovoked most of the time. There have been civilians living in this land whose lives have been lost." Jabari shaked his head in sadness. "We've had to evacuate them, but we fear its spreading at an alarming pace through Falmouth."

"I've placed a protective spell over this patch of land-" Bayu spoke, Kai could almost feel his heart hammering through his chest. "But it won't last for long, I think we should leave this area as soon as possible, I'll place a dome over this land so the monsters won't penetrate the other parts for now."

Maleko pointed to the wolf. "And is he a monster?" He cocked his arrow, tilting it towards the wolf's snout. "Let me kill it."

"No." Kai, grasped onto the wolf's fur, he cringed slightly at the blood that smeared onto his hands. There was something almost intelligent in its gaze, a depth that didn't belong to an ordinary animal.

Isaac approached, eyes wide. "Where did that come from?" he asked, barely able to catch his breath. "And why did it... save me?"

Kai shook his head, carefully lifting the injured wolf into his arms. "I don't know. But I'm taking him back to the airship. Let's all go back and make sure we don't have any injuries. Bayu are you okay to set up the wards and then come and meet us later?"

Bayu nodded.

Isaac clapped him on the shoulder, giving a mock salute. "Aye, Captain."

Kai glanced down at the creature in his arms. The wolf's dark, penetrating eyes stared at Kai with an unsettling intelligence.

Holding the injured wolf close, Kai turned and began making his way back toward the ship, questions swirling in his mind. Something strange was happening in Antigua. He had a feeling that the lack of information about the mission was dangerously inadequate. They could have died back there. Kai's legs buckled under the weight of the large wolf, unperturbed, he kept marching forward.