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left one last time before leaving the deck, he saw Bryn release the howler. It immediately got away from him and slid into the abyss. Staring up from the doomed Portly Dragon , Bryn saluted.
    Kenward Trell's heart broke.
     
    * * *
     
    Onin of the Old Guard was a practical man, not prone to flights of fancy. Emotional acts were a good way to end up dead. Still, he couldn't help but wonder his friends' fates. He'd warned the fools to leave, and they ignored him. All the worry was their fault, and he cursed them for it.
    Soon he, too, was driven to reckless action. Flying Jehregard closer, Onin stepped out onto the wing, an especially daring move considering what he'd done to Jordic the last time. Tanaketh behaved and let Onin pull himself up. Events such as this emphasized how different Jehregard was. Full-sized verdant dragons possessed undeniable majesty, but Jehregard had proven far more versatile and self-sufficient than his lumbering brethren.
    It wasn't the length of the walk that made Onin think these beasts had grown too large, though it didn't help matters. The wind threatened to throw him into open air, and he had no desire to test Tanaketh's loyalty. Jehregard stayed nearby.
    Onin had long thought the verdants would be bred into extinction. For many lifetimes, dragons had been mated to produce ever larger offspring, but there was a practical limit. The current generation was dangerously close by his estimation. He would have continued his mental rant but was glad, instead, to enter Jordic's tierre.
    The younger man grinned at him. "Not as much fun as you'd think, is it?"
    Onin grunted in response.
    "You must want something," Jordic said, his eyes twinkling with mirth. "Surely you didn't come over here just to grunt at me."
    Again, Onin grunted.
    "Okay. Maybe you did."
    "We need to talk," Onin finally said.
    Jordic had the good sense to keep his mouth shut.

Chapter 4
    The world moves forward. If you resist change, you fall behind.
    --Brother Vaughn, Cathuran monk
     
    * * *
     
    Chaos reigned, ground and sky looking much alike. Disoriented, Kenward struggled to control the bumblebee. Even with the improvements made to the design, this aircraft's primary flaw was the ability to fly for only a short time. He wasn't even certain how long. It would become apparent soon enough.
    Jessub passed them on the howler, looking absolutely terrified. His speed remarkable, even ferals left him room to pass. Kenward and Bryn approached much more slowly, and the mystical portal through which Jessub had gone just as suddenly closed. Between them and freedom flew a wall of teeth and claws.
    In that moment, though, the Portly Dragon broke over the Noonspire. Sharp cracks reverberated and echoed. A small blast ignited the explosives-filled coconuts and started a chain reaction. The resulting blast sent sparks, steam, and chunks of metal into the air, overwhelming the bumblebee and the dragons above. Kenward was grateful for the straps holding him in. Farsy screamed.
    Struggling with the controls, Kenward righted the aircraft just as they burst from the smoke and ash. Blackened with soot, coughing and smoking, they escaped the Jaga's heart. Feral dragons would not be so easily evaded; three barred their path. The howler's call was all the warning they got before Jessub burst through the dragons, sending them in all directions. It wouldn't be enough, but Kenward appreciated the effort. Jessub Tillerman was an adventurer, indeed. Tales would be told and songs sung, provided someone survived.
    Breaking free, Kenward knew the victory would be short lived. The bumblebee lacked the howler's speed. The longer they flew, the less frequently the thumps came. Soon he might regret being strapped in. Without thrust to provide lift, it would fly like a rock.
    "We're going to have to bail out!" Kenward shouted to Farsy, who already loosened his straps. Kenward might have said more, but a shimmering orb racing toward them blinded him with its