"Someone you trust?"

"Yes. So, could you ask Taimi to get here right away?"

"You're joking with me," says Caithe, a wan smile on her face. "I take that as a good sign."

"You've been a lot of things, Caithe, but you've never been an enemy of this dragon."

"I'll lay down my life for... What should we call it?"

"...her. Her name is Aurene."

The dragon perks up at this and makes an adorable crooning sound.

"Aww. That's a pretty name," says Vetareh, un-flopping from tiny dragon snuggles for a bit. "You picked that rather quickly, did you already have the name in mind?"

"No... I didn't really pick it, I just... knew."

"Huh. Well it's still very pretty. Who's a very pretty dragon with a very pretty name!" Scritch scritch scritch!

~~~

Caithe nods. "Then no harm will come to Aurene while I still breathe."

"Thanks, Caithe. After the coming battle with this changed, more powerful Primordus, I hope any of us are still breathing."

"Changed and more powerful? Care to explain?"

"We were just in the Fire Islands; Primordus moved down there. Taimi, Vetareh, and I discovered that its minions have evolved," James explains. "They're showing signs of Zhaitan and Mordremoth influences. We also found a dwarf head, but... Long story."

"We might want to find something to absorb the loose power each time one is killed, so that we don't end up fighting one mega elder dragon at the end."

"Because they all absorb each other's magic," Caithe says, eyes widening.

James nods. "That will be... a task," he says, sighing.

"Yep. Exciting." Snuuuggle the adorable little dragon.

"James, can we be done with today. It was long and complicated and we've done quite a lot of things that violated common sense, can we get a new one? I like to try to space out my crazy."

That startles a laugh out of him. "Yes. Let's go home."

"I'll stay, then, and watch Aurene."

"Thank you." Scritch scritch scritch scritch.

"Now, this is a hard task, but I think you're up for it, little one," she says to Aurene, with mock seriousness. "You be very cute while we're gone. The cutest. Charm all of the glowy people, and Caithe, and any random passerbys that happen to show up. It will give you openings for later when you strike." She pecks a tiny kiss on the little dragon's head, then gets to standing. "Also be safe, but you know, for right now that's really more Caithe's problem!"

The dragon makes another adorable noise, and even though the exalted over there fiddling with the barrier enchantment doesn't have eyes there is very much a feeling of a fond eyeroll coming from that direction.

So cute!!

But yeah, she really wants to go crash for at least twelve hours, and then maybe hide under the covers for a whole day after. Home now, please?

Home! They can climb back up to the waypoint and return to Divinity's Reach.