The Dragonguard made their way to the docks, finding Vellir having repaired The Paragon. Vellir gathered his staff, said his farewells, and told the Dragonguard they may even give the Rectifiers a run for their money. The group boarded and got underway, alongside Queen Zola’s ship.
Sovier sat above deck, keeping an eye on Lucia. Lucia explained that it wouldn’t be easy getting into Atrae, that there would be defenses befitting their Three Tenets: Fangs, Blood, and Night. She had little information otherwise. She asked the Dragonguard what happened to Jack. When the Dragonguard revealed he had been destroyed alongside Nicoletta’s phylactery, she replied that this would make Nicoletta extremely volatile, if she’d received word. It was hard to say whether that would work for or against them.
After sailing for a short while, Sovier spoke of her desire to work alongside the sirens when the fighting was over. She hoped to work as a warden of sorts over Atrae, Queen Zola willing. She wanted to help steer them back to a proper course alongside her Lust Demon.
Sovier’s demon partially materialized next, telling the Dragonguard she had an offer for them. She revealed that with a bit of their blood, she could transport them to the Domain of Lust. There, their dragons would grow at an expedited rate. The group agreed and were transported, still aboard The Paragon, to a pink and purple seascape. Lumen began to organize the dragons into a formation to prepare to fly and swim as training. They wished for Celeste to ride atop them. Amalia also freed even more of Nerasang’s soul fragment with Accala, enabling Accala to transform entirely into a sleek, black-and-purple dragonling. The fleet of dragons flew and swam, some of them growing noticeably larger and stronger. While flying, Vespello noticed strange magic around Celeste, but she seemed to not know anything about it. Eventually, dark magic began to interrupt Lust’s spell, and the group returned to the real world.
Ahead, they saw black obelisks forming gates around the distant Atrae. Beyond the gates sat a haze of darkness. Lucia warned that there was a beast that was rumored to lurk beneath the waves. They would need to sail through the darkness. The group entered the black veil, finding that natural sources of light were not strong enough to pierce the darkness. A large creature moved below the ship. Wren advised them to use their Grace magic to shape into being enchanted Gracelight, through Vespello and Celeste. The Dragonguard defended against the creature below that would summon dark tendrils aboard the ship while the light-wielders forged their igniters. Once all lanterns on the ship were lit with Gracelight, the beast retreated. Inavix spoke at last, saying they could tell it was a descendant of Ager, a dragon. Nearby, Queen Zola used her white flame magic to repel the dragon while the Dragonguard fought it off. Afterward, Lucia wondered where Nicoletta could have recruited the aid of a dragon, or if Calathan and Nizima had more than just Ager in their employ.
After sailing a while longer, Mirina summoned the Dragonguard through her newer amulets she had gifted them. They found themselves in a dilapidated tower, pink aura and starlight whisking around outside the windows. Mirina stood with what appeared to be a masculine Lust Demon with a notebook. Mirina explained this was part of her new stronghold, but she would not reveal the true location. The tower they found themselves in was a gift to them and would serve them with various services and rooms, while she found herself much busier going forward. Their amulets would allow them to teleport here every so often. Mirina’s Architect, the Demon, would facilitate everything. The group provided the Architect some funds for the initial construction, then returned to the sea.
The waves grew choppy, Lucia stating this would be the defense of Fangs. Goblins with pale gray flesh and red splotches began to attack the ship. They rode astride enlarged, bloody piranhas. The Dragonguard fended off the seemingly endless horde while The Paragon sailed forward out of their hunting grounds. Once they were beyond the goblins’ grounds, they retreated.
At last, Atrae began to come into view. The gothic buildings still loomed against the lush forests beyond, but the docks were virtually destroyed. Soot and smoke from low-burning flames covered the piers. Lucia commented that they must have found masterful agents to pull off their operation here. The Knight-Captain warned the group to prepare themselves for Atrae and the defense of Blood…