Chromie struggled, growling in protest as she tried to pull back out, but Nozdormus' massive paw kept her head pinned to the ground.
He looked mildly annoyed, "Stay still," he ordered her and she relaxed slowly.
Alexis darted in and smacked her hard with that stunning spell she had and Chromie went to sleepy sleepy land.
"Thank you, Nozdormu," I told him respectfully, looking up at the much larger dragon.
He snorted and nodded, "Of course," he said, "There is a reason we don't go here," he continued and lifted his paw off Chromie to get comfortable again, "As young Chromie here just discovered."
Young. She was a Wyrm, making her at least a thousand years old.
"Question," I said, "...Where in the timeline exactly are you from?"
Nozdormu looked amused, "Whos? Yours, mine and objectively or subjectively? And which timeline?"
I suppressed a small whine and backed off, "...Forget I asked."
Fricking Bronzes, seriously.
I turned away to wait for Chromie to wake back up, moving over to Sheila, "Hey..." I said softly, "Sorry for-"
"Don't worry about it," Sheila answered and bumped her nose against mine, "We figured it out from Chromie. It's why we sent Alexis alone to track you and Ren down."
"Just a good thing I tried to get a stunning spell working somewhat with mana," Alexis commented as she dropped her bag onto the floor with a groan before sinking down next to it, laying back on the grass.
"I just wish you had used it on me," I grumbled and moved to settle down, leaning softly against Sheila as she laid down next to me, "At least my jaw would have been happier."
Ren laid down by my other side and I set my head down, Sheila resting her head across the back of my neck.
"Where's Wrathion anyway?" I then asked, opening an eye to look at Umbria.
"Hunting," she answered, "I ate yesterday."
"Nobody should go anywhere alone," I grumbled before I sighed, "Whatever, I spent the last week flying, I'm too tired."
That earned me a lick at the back of the head from somebody. Sheila or Ren I'm not sure, but it was relaxing.
Chromie started to slowly stir awake, her wings shifting before she blinked, slowly raising her head, looking around before she looked up at Nozdormu and then over at us, "Oh."
"Oh indeed," Ren commented, raising her head to look at her.
"...Which is why we don't go here," Chromie said, shooting an annoyed looking Nozdormu an apologetic look before turning to us again, "Do we really need to do this?"
"We do," I said, watching, my eyes half open, "Luckily, I have a plan."
"You do?" Alexis asked, propping herself up on her elbows, "Which is?"
"I go on alone, in mortal form, beneath every stealth enchantment and Illusion I can pull off."
Sheila rumbled in a growl next to me, "No you don't."
"Yes I do," I said and looked at her, "I have to go, nobody else does. Besides, it will be easier to sneak through if I'm on my own."
Wrathion swept down and landed, wings beating and sending leaves flying, "You can't go alone," he said as he looked at me.
"How much of that did you hear?" I asked.
"Enough," he said and moved over to settle down next to Umbria, "That I know you want to go back on your own. Somebody else has to go with you."
I shook my head, "It'll make it much harder to-"
"We all know how you are when you work at enchanting," Wrathion interrupted, "Especially something advanced. You lose track of the world around you. You need somebody with you to keep an eye out."
I glared at him.
What's worse, he was right.
"I should go," Chromie said, "I'm small and I can help make sure the timeline remains intact."
"Wouldn't matter in this case," I told her, "As we're not going to get spotted. And if we had to run, could you keep up with me."
Chromie snorted, "No, but I'm easy to carry. Even if we're not spotted, I'm still the right choice."
"She's right," Sheila said quietly, "I want to go, but Chromie is the best choice."
"Okay," I admitted before I looked at Chromie, "But I'm making you some sneaky sneaky gear. Wrathion, I'm going to need some material to work with."
"Of course. Just say what and how much, we'll find it."
