It was an unlikely alliance - if one wanted to call it an alliance - between the black and gold warden dragon and the vibrant purple-hued sapiere. Asmodeus was not necessarily one to “team up” with others, and he would oftentimes just saunter away to do his own thing. However, not this time since it was direct orders from the very dragon he feared. 

So he found himself with Grigori, obeying the command of a stalker wyvern who could raise the dead. He didn’t want to find himself on that end of her wrath. They had a clear goal however: Reach the floating isles and help in any way they could. Asmo seemed to find that it was mostly Grigori leading the charge here, as he felt he could do some good after the reports of the conditions of the floating isles funneled in. They heard tales of the Aemon and corrupted gryphons, and even the corrupted Rayfin down below, but it seemed that task was better suited to someone else. 

They left via ship, a tactical choice as to not expend their energy flying across the seas. The ship itself was massive, able to handle shipping goods and many full sized dragons across the sea. It was an initiative from the radiant queen herself, but the ships had been in such high use for so long that it was simply just restocking the ships and sending them out. The trip itself did not take long. 

The ship reached its destination, and both Asmos and Grigori were quite struck in awe at the sight that they beheld. Many islands, floating atop of the water and within the sky. They seemed to just go higher and higher, unmoving as clouds passed through the lands. Winged creatures, dragons among them, but also strange creatures with the front half of birds and the back half of other animals. Some felines, others canines, and more. A bustling city lay beyond the port that the ship docked in, not quite as grand as the ones you would find back home. 

Grigori huffed, already frustrated by needing to go out this far across the sea, and now having to move around the others that scrambled out of his and Asmo’s way as they departed the ship and began exploring the port village. Asmo attempted to strike up conversation with Grigori, but the warden refused to answer him, more interested in where the two had to go. Asmo followed behind with a lingering pout on his face, unable to hide the emotion that he simply really didn’t want to be there. 

Grigori stopped finally outside a worn down shack, out on the edge of town. Out here it looked like the forest had reclaimed it, and Asmo would have been fooled if it weren’t for the fact the owner of the shack was outside tending to a gryphon’s wound. They were an elder, human, and as they turned to the sound of Grigori and Asmo approaching, Asmo was shocked to find they were blind. 

The human gave a curt nod to the two dragons, “I have been waiting for you to arrive.” Asmo got a swift thack in the side from Grigori when he went to open his mouth and the warden growled out, “I hope we did not disappoint, the seas were kind but the journey is still a long one to go. You asked for our help?”

The human nodded, “I did… There is a gryphon from our wings missing. She never returned after going out scouting.”

Asmodeus chimed in, grumbling and his tone a tad disrespectful, “Aren’t there others who can go on a child collecting hunt? Why us?” 

The human gave a thoughtful sigh, “We believe Aemon may be involved, and as far as we are told, Grigori and Raijin seem to be the strongest contenders for dealing with the Aemon. Can you help us find her?” 

Grigori nodded, “We will do our best.” The emphasis on the “we” had Asmo upset, why was he being dragged along he didn’t understand, but he had to just get through this bit and everything would be fine. “What is the name of the missing gryphon?” Grigori asked. 

“Her name is Cronus - she is very good at nature magic, she may have left a trail of snap dragons. Those are her favorites.” 

Grigori grunted and the two dragons departed, their journey beginning to find the missing gryphon and cleanse the land of the aemon blight, as best they could.