Off The Front Lines.

. . . 48 hours earlier.

The Federation soldier rode up to the Pathfinder Post's flight platform riding a tan lion. A flash of light, a puff of magical smoke and big cat disappeared, the smoke cleared, the Popori stood scanning the area as he checked his gear, a sure sign that he wasn't a tweener and knew to keep an eye out for outlaws here.

This area had a reputation as a frequent ambush site for gankers, a name veteran soldiers gave to outlaws along with a few more colorful adjectives thrown in. Not only could you lose your possessions, but also your life if you weren't careful.

Glancing at the Popo's gear he could tell he was a Mystic and he had seen his share of action in the Argon War. He wore full leather Oculus gear, armor, gloves and boots so he had seen action in Bastion also Nexus jewelry meant he killed more than a few Argons.

Popo is what the other races affectionately call Poporis. They are small animals transformed and brought to full knowledge consciousness by an Elin, or they are descendants of Popori created in the beginning by the Goddess Elinu. All Poporis have a diminutive stature; similar body shape but keep the majority of the facial characteristics and the tail they had prior to transformation. Most have a cheerful and upbeat dispositions, but take care Poporis are not afraid to stick their noses into your face—nor are they ashamed to stick them into your business. Lose a Poporis' respect and you may never get it back.

The beaver face Popo came up to the Flight Master and spoke while bowing, "Greetings to you Flight Master. I am Poppy the Wonder and require passage to Castanica."

The Flight Master also a Popo cheerfully replied, "You new around here?"

Smiling he continued "Don't get many folks out this way since the war ended?"

"That's a fine looking hat you have Poppy!" He said admiring Poppy's hat

Poppy eyeing Flight Masters Ziko's monstrous Pegasus hat and trying to restrain a chuckle replied "My first time through this flight pad. Our squad would pass by here sometimes on operations against the Argons."."

Ziko returned the bow and spoke, "I'm here to assist you in going anywhere you want."

He persisted "Please remember that while the Drakes are magical constructs, that doesn't mean they won't bite your face off if you try to tickle them in flight."

The grinning bear face said "No refunds, naturally!"

Poppy chuckled, handed him ten pieces of silver, returned his bow and replied, "Naturally of course!"

In his official Flight Master's voice added "It will take three flights. Hmm, let's see, from here to Kaiator, Kaiator to Velika and Velika to Castanica. Please walk to the center of the flight pad"

With a swagger the Federation Mystic walked over to the flight pad and stood in the center. Ziko waved and gave him a thumbs up which Poppy promptly returned. Then in a blink of an eye a black Drake materialized under him, reared its dragon head and started flapping its massive wings. Over the noise of the drakes' wings and rattling harness chains he heard Ziko holler "Don't drink any "Kumas!" Poppy grabbed the saddle handle tightly, pulled his knees in and waved back at the Flight Master and remembered the hangover from the last time he drank a Kuma.

The drake flapped its wings harder and faster, and they began to rise in the air, the drake lowered its spiked head, and they slowly moved south along the Whitefrost Forest path. Picking up speed they just cleared a full grown Feybak Tree, which resembles a giant Bradford Pear with no leaves and all the branches covered with ice. Poppy gazed down as they crossed the Whitefrost Forrest and saw the Faeri Saplings he planted to help the forest recover. Still accelerating and increasing altitude Poppy clutched to the Drake as they passed over the Spore Emitter Zone and saw the landscape nightmare created by the Argon Spore Emitters. The Spore Emitters looked like blued steel, gigantic 100 foot tall mushrooms. They spread a dust like substance that caused all the vegetation to die and have a sickening cyan hue.

At altitude streaking across the Argon Frontier, the spore zone behind them, the drake headed for the floating flight portal and into the center of its giant rings. Whoosh, the Drake's massive black wings angled back and stiffened. Poppy could glimpse flashing lights surrounding him and see a dazzling light at the end of the portal vortex. He could feel the hair on his body rise as vortex swallowed them and the static along his skin like silken fingertips! A smile came across his face as he let himself enjoy the sensation, engulfing his body. He could swear the Drake seemed to be smiling too.

Time seemed to stand still, crash, out of the vortex they flew into a blinding snow. The frigid damp air outside Kaiator made him shiver, but before the cold took over his senses, the Drake banked hard to the left then hard to the right diving into Kaiator's Flight Passage. Down through the square stone and steel passageway they glided. The cold was replaced by blast of hot dry air rising from the molten lava trenches that heated the mountainous stone and steel fortress city of Kaiator. Down they continued, the stone walls flying by, suddenly Poppy was thrown back as the Drake ballooned his wings out and stopped gliding. Slow forceful movement of its wings decreased the Drake' speed to a crawl. It slipped into the large Transportation Hall, swung left, hovered, reared back, crack, it dematerialized, and Poppy dropped to his feet in the middle of the hall.

Seeing the Flight Master, Poppy quickly walked over and introduced himself.

Bundu replied, "Do you need anything from me!" in a jolly voice.

"Yes, transportation to Castanica." Poppy answered.

Bundu chuckled "Oh, to be in your shoes?"

But before Poppy could reply, Bundu with a serious look on his bear face stated "In the unlikely event of a water landing, the dragon will dematerialize."

"Your saddle will not act as a floatation device."

"You will most likely die of exposure."

Then in a high squeaky voice he continued "Have a nice flight!"

Poppy bowed and thought to himself "I'm a beaver Popori for Velik's sake!"

"I plan on it Flight Master," he retorted.

Poppy and the Flight Master exchanged thumbs up. In a flash Poppy was on the back of a Drake, it hovered for a second in the middle of the Transportation Hall and crept forward over two ancient cannons, turned to the right and flew back up through the Flight Passage. In a couple seconds the hot, dry air disappeared, replaced by wet snow pelting his face. A hard left, then right, and they dashed towards the portal rings.

Poppy wondered "Is this the same drake I flew in on?" Before he could analysis that thought, into the vortex they streaked, he just started to relax, clap, they exploded out of the vortex, and a warm breeze washed over him. Through the clear blue sky in the distance he could see a mighty walled city, a sea of red slate roofed buildings and the gigantic clockworks gears.

Pondering while gazing "The Wheel of Velik! Gran told me a story about the Goddess Velik setting the gear in motion and how it marks the passage of time and provides magical power to the city. A gift to the city after the humans and nonhumans came together to stop the Nights of Black Arrows." Hmm, he thought out loud "I wonder what Gran is up to."

The Drake started a wide circle flight north to south around the outer wall of the city. Basking in the warmth of Balder's Eye and gazing at the city's five hundred foot clock works of gear wheels, Poppy thought — Now, this is the life! Gran is going to love this tale. Poppy could see Drakes and Pegasus flying along the same flight path in front and behind. They continued the circle until they were North West of the city, then made a hard right bank, lined up with the city's flight entrance and commenced the descent. In the distance Poppy could see the Drakes and Pegasus vanished one by one as they passed through the archway at the end of the flight path. Poppy's Drake lowered its head and began gliding downward, through the open air walled flight approach. They passed through a stoned archway, and the green rotunda of Velika's Travel Office appeared, the Drake raised its head up hovered in place reared back and disappeared from sight. Poppy dropped down and immediately moved from the center of the landing pad to the steps where the elf Flight Master was standing.

Unemotional the elf said "All Federation Soldiers must check in at the Travel Office before proceeding. Poppy thought to himself, "This is LOK'ed Up!"