Red Sapphire

[focusedheart]

Her eyes narrow on the mage." Careful Mage. There are worse things than death."

[gravitron]

"Oh, I did nothing. I am simply making sure you know that his life is in my hands, to ensure that I survive and that you keep Alistair's end of the bargain."

[focusedheart]

She crosses her arms over her chest as she watched mage. "Keep him alive and we won't have any problems."

[gravitron]

A while later, he nodded. "I sense that the boy prince is ready. One of you mind picking him up first? Laying there on the ground, he looks so.... Undignified."
McIntyre lifted Matthew to his feet and then suddenly, Matthew gasped, back in his body. He shoved instinctively away from McIntyre, looked around him again and checked that nothing had changed while he was gone. He looked Sapphire directly in the eyes, but not with the careless, mischievous look he used to give her, which had held no respect, but instead with a much more respectful one. His expression told her that he felt better now, that he finally understood things.
Then, with a steady and determined tone, he spoke: "McIntyre, I need you to stay here, make sure things continue as they were. No changes in tactic until I get back. Sapphire, you're with me. I'm going to need a mage, too."
"I'm coming," agreed the High Mage without hesitation. "I have my eyes on you."
"What is this about?" Hunter asked, without any respect.
"I'm king now, but my father gave me a final request. And I'm making sure it gets done."
"What did he ask of us?" Hunter continued.
"'Us?' You're not coming. You will stay here and learn manners. When I get back, I expect proper respect. Me, Sapphire and the magician over there are going to find some Mystic Artifact and resurrect my father."
The High Mage smiled. "Alistair found one of the Mystic Artifacts? Even I have only ever managed to locate so many."

[focusedheart]

She watches with careful eyes but relaxed a little when Matthew returned to them. It was the look in his eyes though that caused her breath to catch in her chest. He really had spoken to his father.

His next words surprised her but part of her knew she shouldn't be all that surprised. The male always had a plan, she should have known that.

She nods to Matthew." Then let's get going." Her eyes glance to Hunter. The grudge on his shoulders was only going to get worse. She nods to him but there was nothing for her to say.

The idea of going on a mission with the mage didn't make her happy though but she wouldn't question Alistair ever.

[gravitron]

"Alright. Anything you still need to prepare, do it now. We leave from this exact spot in one hour." He headed over to Angelian and muttered to her, "My father warned me about the mages. We can't trust them. They've made a name for themselves stabbing people in the back at the best possible opportunity. The Inner Circle are some of the most powerful beings out there, especially the High Mage. And clever strategists, always know exactly what will be most beneficial to them. Would kill us all without batting an eye. And they're a bit harder to defeat than a simple dragon snack. But only they can use the Mystic Artifacts. Constant vigilance. Don't take your eyes off him for a second. My father knows that the mages have been looking for an opportunity to ruin what he built, and if they find it, it would be impossible for them to fail. That's part of the reason he wanted me to do this: To get the opportunity to take them out before they get their chance."

[focusedheart]

Her eyes flicker slightly as she nods a bit. "Don't need to tell me twice. Since my creation I've hated mages. Never found one I liked." She mutters.

[focusedheart]

Her eyes flicker slightly as she nods a bit. "Don't need to tell me twice. Since my creation I've hated mages. Never found one I liked." She mutters.

[gravitron]

"Vile creatures. Got their magic from Satan himself, if you believe the legends. Not that I do, but it fits them."
He went to prepare himself for the journey.

[focusedheart]

She nods her agreement then moves to get herself ready as well. Once to the room, she put a pack bag together. Only putting in it necessary things. Then she checked her wound. It was finally healing but it would be at least another hour before she could change to her dragon form.

Once she was packed and ready, she pulled the bag to her shoulders and headed back to the other room to meet with the others.

[gravitron]

Matthew seemed to have taken particular interest in the royal armory, as he returned dressed up in a full set of new light armor with a new dagger and sword. Otherwise, he was dressed up nicer, but he didn't even carry a bag with him, being used to not having much.
The High Mage, on the other hand, seemed to have possibly not moved the entire time. He quite possibly hadn't, being reliant only on his magic.

[focusedheart]

She nods to the mage and to Matthew. " so where do we begin in this search?" She asks.

[gravitron]

"Alistair says he found it, but didn't want to tell me out loud." He jerked his head slightly to the mage, to imply for Sapphire that it was because he had been listening in. "He left clues at his grave. So I guess we go start at the Royal Cemetery. Lead the way."
The cemetery was behind the House itself.

[focusedheart]

She nods a bit. "Alright then." She makes her way outside and leads the way to the cemetery. Once to the gate, she hesitated a little, but kept going ,taking them go the grave they needed to be at.

[gravitron]

Matthew read the inscription through and evidently decided it wasn't important. "You two, check the gravestone for any hidden clues. I'll check the inside." He grabbed a nearby shovel and began to work.
"I'd prefer to work with you," the High Mage approached him. "Unless, of course, youre keeping secrets from me."
"If you don't mind, I feel that you'd be more useful looking for secret panels or messages than digging up a grave."

[focusedheart]

Sapphire nods in agreement and began searching. She let her mind focus on how Alistair would think and do things. "he is right mage." She commented.

[gravitron]

The High Mage scoffed. "I am simply trying to make sure I'm not left out of any important discoveries. But I suppose the dragon could use my expertise and wisdom." Reluctantly, he went and helped Sapphire.

[focusedheart]

Sapphire rolled her eyes slightly but didn't say anything as she began to look around. Carefully, she allowed her own powers to search out, looking for anything that felt different then it should in this area. Her eyes darken slightly as she moves.

[gravitron]

The mage investigated. "The stone seems to be clear. Are you about done over there?"
"Yeah," answered Matthew, shoveling the dirt back into the grave. "I know where to go."
"And where might that be?"
"You'll see," Matthew told him.
"Just as I said," the mage shook his head. "I'm being left out. He doesn't trust me."
"What was your first clue?"

[focusedheart]

She pauses in her searching and looks to Matthew. She nods and moves to follow. "Trust has to be earned mage, not demanded." She says. Isn't that what Matthew had told her about respect?

[gravitron]

Matthew looked over at her happily. "Wise words, my friend."
"Humph. So I'm supposed to follow you blindly?"
"That's exactly right."

[focusedheart]

She looks to the mage. " If you don't want to follow blindly then open your eyes." She kept walking.

[gravitron]

"They are open, you insolent foo-"
"Hey!" shouted Matthew. "That's enough. Sapphire, you able to fly yet? That would be quite the help."

[focusedheart]

She arches a brow at the mage. She had never dealt with a mage that didn't understand metaphors before. This trip was going to get interesting.

She looks to Matthew and nods." Yes. Just a moment." Her eyes darken as she moves out of the cemetery and to a small clearing so she wouldn't damage anything. For a moment energy wrapped around her body but faded and she staggered slightly.

Then muttering quietly the energy surged and she managed to shift fully to her dragon form. Her eyes flicker slightly and she lowers her body so they could climb on.

[gravitron]

"You okay?" he asked, concerned. When she lowered herself, he got carefully on, whispering, "Great Basin Desert, Nevada,"

[focusedheart]

She gently nudges him reassuringly. "I am fine." She nods her head at the location. Once the mage was on as well, she rose back up and took to the sky, her wings were strong and she flew calmly above the clouds so as not to attract attention.

[gravitron]

"A mage riding a dragon. Just like a fairy tale," scoffed the mage.
"I will shove you off," threatened Matthew.
"And use the Artifact how? Besides, you know you can't kill me. In fact, I could get us there faster if you'd tell me where it is."
"Right. Because you wouldn't just go there and take it for yourself."

[focusedheart]

Sapphire snorted. The temptation to knock the mage off herself came to mind but she wouldn't, yet.

For a dragon it wouldn't take long to get to where they were going. Just a few hours. She flew steadily and calmly, keeping above the clouds most of the time.

After a few hours she lowers to the ground and lands gently in a clearing. She looks to the pair on her back. "We are here."

[gravitron]

They both got off.
"Nevada, huh?" noticed the mage.
"You got that from the desert?"
"No. I know things. I suppose you'll spare me any details?"
"Don't you know it. Come on, guys. It's this way. Not far now."

[focusedheart]

Her eyes flicker a bit and she snorts at the mage. Moving gently she shifted back to her human form, falling to one knee for a second before getting back up. She follows after the pair, looking carefully around them.