Apologies for the long wait. Started a new job, and getting a play by post up and running on Discord, so haven't had alot of time for writing.

Lyra

Her new magic was amazing. Lyra was already pretty good at stealth, but her new Dream magic made her near impossible to find if she used it to cloak herself in a hiding place. Moving while the Camouflage spell was active would reveal her location, but Sirala had told her of a more advanced version called Chameleon, which would allow her to move slowly and remain hidden. If she could later gain an Air catalysation, Sirala had told her, she could learn to cast more powerful illusions, completely masking her presence if she grew powerful enough. She wasn't sure about the idea that gods were real. Not just God, but Gods. She hadn't heard of anyone even acknowledging the existence of more than one god, though her experience with travelling through different dimensions, she wasn't surprised that there were multiple gods. This universe seemed to have alot of them, however.

She had to decide what her next course of action would be. She could go with Deven and his group, and hope they could find Will eventually. Deven seemed like an honorable person. He probably would help her find Will, but she wanted to have a way to track him in-case something happened to Deven. To do that, she would need Fire Magic. She didn't think much of praying to this 'Crewes' for magic, which left the Wrath of Van. Bathing in a volcano to gain magic was a terrifying prospect, but it was her best option for obtaining what she needed before leaving. Assuming she received Fire Magic, of course, but a special ability or an enhancement of her physical strength would not be unwelcome. Deven had to go and check in with a friend in a nearby system, but he said he would return in a few days. Which left Lyra climbing the side of a volcano on her own. She had done some climbing in her voyage to the North, but the conditions here were very different. The hot, humid air of the jungles made Lyra short of breath sooner, and the heat of the volcano didn't help matters. As she got towards the shop, she was running out of easy handholds. The Fire Drakes circling above, luckily, hadn't spotted her or Pantalaimon yet.

She was about fifty feet from the top of the volcano, when the rock vibrated slightly. The rock she's holding cracks, and she begins to fall. Pantalaimon, sheltering in her hood, digs his claws in, in order to remain with her. Wind whistled in her ears, signaling her impending death. Just as she was about to hit the ground, she felt something shift below her, as something metal came underneath her, going at the same speed. Her direction changes, taking her away from the ground, and slowly decreasing speed. The armoured form that had caught her placed her on solid ground. She staggered for a moment, still in a little shock from her near death experience. The helmet of the armoured man retracted, and a man glared at her.
"What were you thinking, Rookie? Tryin' to climb without spellarmour or equipment. Not to mention trying to get to my catalyst. You got spunk, but you aren't quick. Well, say something, Rookie."

"I-" Lyra was still slightly in shock from her near death experience, but she planted her feet. She would not be talked down to.

"I needed Fire Magic. My friend is somewhere in this universe, and I need Fire Magic to find him, and figure out what happened. If I need to go through you to do it, sir, I will."

"Well, you have some sense. You got spirit, Rookie. I like you. But without proper training, you're gonna die, and you're gonna die bad."
Lyra looked down at the ground, far below.

"I still need what I came for. Are you going to let me past to the catalyst, or am I going to have to go through you."

She pulled out her Gyptian fighting stick. The man had a rather nasty looking rifle on his back, but she doubted he could use it too well in close quarters.

The man nodded in approval.

"You need training, Rookie. Fortunately, I'm going to provide you the training. If you work hard, and apply yourself well, I'll provide the magic you require. For the duration of this training, you will follow orders I give you. You will address me as 'Sir' or 'Sergeant', and if you do not like it, you can make your own way down the mountain. Am! I! Clear?!"

"Yes Sir," Lyra found herself saying, her posture straightening, almost despite herself.

"Good! Now drop, and give me twenty, Rookie."