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The wyverns started to tire about halfway through the final leg of our journey. I glanced at Aurora, and she gave a little nod. It was time to allow the wyverns a short break. I was the first one to descend as usual. It took me less then a minute to form a platform big enough for all of us.
Another minute to make it thick enough to hold the weight of all the wyverns. This platform needed to be melted. It might last long enough to be slammed into by the convoy of ships headed this way. I didn't care much for what happened to them though. If they couldn't steer around a massive slow moving chunk of ice then they kind of deserved to get their asses kicked.
I waited a little over two hours before encouraging them to follow once again. We'd finish this final stretch by mid morning. I kept my flight slow so that they would be able to keep pace with me without having to fight the wind. I graced Aurora's wingtip with my own. That brief moment of contact send something that felt like a shock down my wing, and into my body.
The humans would know we were coming long before we reached them. I'd be able to see them fairly soon. Seeing them, and reaching them were two completely different things though. They probably already had me on radar or something like that. I didn't understand how people tracked magical creatures anymore.
They kept most of it really hush hush. Refusing to give that information out to anyone that couldn't use it. I didn't understand why. If people knew how they tracked magical creatures then they might be able to replicate it, and move on from there. Using that information to their benefit.
Unless there was a reason they couldn't just hand that information out. The most likely reason being that they were using something that they themselves had declared illegal. I didn't worry about it too much. All those angry little humans were busy telling us how little we deserved to live when the truth was that we hadn't done anything to deserve their ire beyond being born in the first place. Maybe one of the mages had a contract with a spirit similar to the way I did with Gaia, and Vixen.
Spirits were experts when it came to tracking mana after all. They were made of it. It made sense for them to have the power to track it with a fair bit of accuracy. Gaia's mana control allowed her to use mana to a much greater effect then she should normally be capable of. I didn't think any creature of flesh would be able to accomplish such a high level of control.
Although it wouldn't hurt to get close to what they could do. Weaving your own mana into that of the natural world, and taking advantage of the strength around you with a simple act was something I wanted to learn to do without applying brute magical force like I usually did. Sure I could manipulate my own mana with the best of them, but I couldn't apply that mana in the same manner the spirits did. I couldn't persuade the natural mana to follow my orders without exerting dominance over it. Sure it didn't take much power to dominate the surrounding mana.
In fact it took so little power that I didn't notice any drain on my core at all, but the mana wasn't as willing to do what I asked so it was just me using pure force to make it do as I wanted. The more powerful spirits could create the same effect as dominance without actually applying any force. That was the best way I could describe it. I spread my senses, and waited for the humans to foolishly launch into an attack. They were just as likely to attack me as they were to welcome me so it was just smart for me to be prepared for both outcomes.
The wyverns collectively accelerated when they spotted land. I snorted, and sped up as well so that I could stay ahead of the flight. We were coming in rather slow for flying, but the whole point of this was to be seen. I spotted the army worth of humans down on the streets below. They were prepared for a battle as well.
I understood their caution, but I didn't want them getting too excited, and starting a fight they couldn't win. I slowed until I was practically hovering over the ground. Allowing the large group of wyverns to land first before I picked a spot between them, and the crowds. There were a lot of angry spiteful words being thrown at us as we stood in what appeared to be a very large park. They'd fenced off the whole area for our arrival.
They'd built a high stage for the high ranking military officials to stand on as they waited for us. I snorted as I directed the wyvern carrying Schnider to bring Schnider up to that stage. He snarled at the surrounding humans. Clearly not happy that he had to deal with so many voices without being allowed to strike back. I could see him thinking about snapping at the crowd when he came to a stop beneath the stage.
I dropped the full force of my aura on him, and watched his muzzle snap shut as he realized just how little I would tolerate any disobedience right here, and now. I didn't need to growl or anything like that. A simple invisible show of force was plenty to get him in line. Schnider would be the only one to know that anything had been done at all. The wyvern raised his wing, and set it on the edge of the stage so Schnider could get onto the stage without having to go around the back to the stairs.
I snorted to the wyvern as I called him back away from the stage. Aurora sat down slowly as I approached the stage. Looking into the eyes of the five humans before me.
"I'm glad you plan on taking these peace talks seriously," I smirked as I spoke.
