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"Last chance to leave." warned the elder, tossing Emylel a worried glance. His ashen beard beat against his chest in the wind, as if it were trying to get into his chest and hide.

She grinned and met the old man's wizened, narrowed eyes. "Leave and miss out on this?" She rose a slender hand to the wooden ship that lied beside them, its wooden underbelly biting into the ground. Small crystals of every color dangled on its side, and wagged eagerly in the wind. A sail made of faded dragon scales swam above her. "Never!"

He grinned and Emylel cringed at the shadows that replaced his missing teeth. "Alright then." He turned to the ship and cleared his throat loudly. "Down commands Slunarl!" he barked harshly. The glimmering shards that adorned the ship flashed and a crudely made ladder constructed of wood and rope sliver down its side. "That's a good sign." he noticed cheerfully as he clung to the ladder and climbed slowly up.

Emylel watched the old man's swaying bottom with a frown. "Your pants are too tight." she muttered faintly, averting her eyes. He only laughed. She sighed and followed him up, her gaze focused on her hands. Finally. It's finally time. She had been dreaming of this moment, and beneath her rough, leather gloves were blisters and sores that proved her commitment to the building of the ship. Six years had gone into the making of it, and countless gold. They just barely had enough funds to purchase the tattered dragon sail. Now we can see what lies above.

She climbed over the thin, blue railings of the ship and stood beside Slunarl, who was coughing into his beard. "Are you okay?"

"Not used to climbing." he confessed haggardly. "That's why I had you do most of the work!" He slapped his padded knees and howled. Emylel rolled her eyes. "Well, let's get started." sighed the elderly man, noticing the woman's mood. "Up commands Slunarl!" The ladder hissed as it shot upwards and gently lowered itself down onto the wooden floor. "Attention commands Slunarl!" The sail snapped. "Concentrate commands Slunarl!" The sides of the ship pulsed with more colors than Emylel knew existed. "Fly commands Slunarl!" The ship roared and shook. The sail cried out and the crystals whispered as they knocked against the wood. "Fly high commands Slunarl!" It listened and soared into the sky with such speed that the girl found herself on her back when it stopped.

"Wow." murmured Emylel, pushing herself back onto her feet. She rubbed her aching hip. "Quite the burst there."

"Quite!" hollered Slunarl with a giggle.