Having cleansed two rayfin already, Charybdis and Grigori got some much needed rest and healed their wounds. They suspected that the next two would be tougher, and they were for sure in for a fight this time. Being prepared meant they would limit their injury and perhaps could even get by without a fight if they planned things well. 

Reports spoke of these two rayfin, Gormliath and Glowstick, as being a bit chaotic and not being found in the ocean. Rather they were on land, of all places, and used their magic to get places and fly. Grigori had no issues with this, and neither did Charybdis, having learned how to harness her magic and be able to fly with it through necessity more than for fun. The two set out, seeking the rayfins and where they were located. They crossed the ocean, coming up along a beach with blackened sands. Not by natural causes, but rather by what looked like fire. Scorched and dried up, even the ocean tide could not change the color. 

It was here they found the prints of their prey, before they had taken off into the sky and moved further inland. The island they had found was not very large, so finding their foes would be a matter of time. They began their search, not straying far from each other so as to not have one of them caught off guard. Charybdis’ celestial feline trailing behind her, doing loops in the air and occasionally curling up on the Rayfin’s back to rest. A content little freeloader simply happy to be along for the ride. 

The party weaved their way through the underbrush, and Grigori at one point suggested he take off and search by air. Charybdis agreed, but with the caveat that he stay near, the rayfin were formidable and to be caught off guard, or alone with two of them. Grigori was not inclined to disagree after their run in earlier with the other two they managed to defeat. 

Every twig snap, brush rustling, and bird flying off was enough to send Charybdis on edge, darting her head back and forth through trees and massive brush. Her eyes watching for any sign of movement. This wasn’t a huge island, completely surrounded, but it could be likely that their targets had simply left. It would take no effort at all for them to slip back into the dark ocean waters, and vanish without a trace. 

The island itself was truly beautiful, flowers sprouting in what would almost be considered too small a land for something so beautiful to exist. Trees and bushes with lush fruit dotting the small coastal forest, but hardly creating a more normal forest for large creatures to exist. Only smaller creatures and birds could thrive here, perhaps a small village or settlement could have made this island a home.

Grigori made a loud roar, a deepening bellow from his chest, and it alerted Charybdis. She twisted around, he had not gone far, but he was a bit further to her right than she anticipated. She lurched forward, trees breaking in her wake as she pushed her form forward. A clearing came into view and she found Grigori, facing off against the two Rayfin they had been searching for. One looked injured already, blood seeping out of a wound from its side. Charybdis deduced that the rayfin, Glowstick if her memory served her right, had been ambushed by Grigori. Wouldn’t have been too difficult, as Glowstick seemed to live up to their name. Bright and lively. 

Grigori snarled as Charybdis approached, as if in warning to the Rayfin targets that they should not step forward. However Gormliath and Glowstick had felt against simply only Grigori, they no longer felt that way with Charybdis involved too. Snapping their jaws, black and purple ooze slipping through their teeth, they were more than willing to challenge the other two and think they could get out on top of the situation. After all, Grigori was practically dwarfed by them, they should be able to take him as if he were a fly. 

However, Grigori was strong, a powerful Warden, and he had a mind for battle. Charybdis started to inch her way around the clearing, eyes locked on Gormliath and her teeth bared, flecks of her elemental breath escaping her jaws. Grigori mirrored the movement, walking around the side and latching his eyes, and soon his teeth, onto Glowstick. 

The two rayfin braced, and when their attackers lunged they moved in unison. Swiping their tails to try to knock their opponents away. Charybdis however laughed, and her teeth made contact with the tail that belonged to Gormlaith. With a great tug she yanked the rayfin off it’s feet and dragged them away from the other rayfin. Glowtail met a rather punishing retaliation from Grigori who had managed to topple them, teeth and claws sinking into flesh and leaving the already injured Rayfin thrashing on the ground, all snarls and bared teeth. 

Having defeated two rayfin before, the duo felt confident they could take these two, fish out of water, down. It certainly didn’t take as much work as the prior too, as Rayfin were best when they were in the water. Charybdis was a minor exception, her battle powers upon land aided in her mastery of her magic, and even if others might find it abhorrent, her aberrant state. 

Even so, she wielded her magic with grace, and her cursed aberrant corruption with far greater care and elegance. Able to wield the dangerous magic against those who fell victim to it. As they brought down the two corrupted rayfin, she weaved her magic into their very bones and flesh. Like a song it was drawn out of their minds and body, forced into the light of day and burned out of existence. Grigori aided her, lending her his strength and magic. She could without a doubt be able to do a single corrupted soul on her own, but two was a bit trickier. 

With the next two Rayfin cleansed, they had two more to go. After that, they would take on the Gryphons and their floating islands.