Hakon smiles as she looks up, the Hippogryph shifting under him as she gently feeds the reigns into the beast's beak before promptly swinging herself into the saddle ahead of him. Looking back over her shoulder, she pulls down her helm to protect herself from the wind before glancing back at the nursemaid who held the sleeping infants in her arms," I am… It's just- ah-" she pauses, taking off her helm and quickly sliding off Ansgar's back as she rushes to the old woman who's crinkled face splits with a teary smile. Hakon gathers both the children in her arms, careful not to pinch their tender flesh with the hard armor as she gazed down at them lovingly, her eyes narrowed with affectionately love as she presses her lips first to Jace's forehead then to Elenoir's. The little girl opens her little pink mouth in a loud yawn that causes Hakon to laugh somewhat tearily," Oh my babies-" she hums softly, hugging them gently against her heavily armored chest, gazing down at them lovingly. 

" They'll be alrigh' mum," The Nursemaid assures her gently, retrieving the children as Hakon nods gently and turns back, walking back to the waiting Ansgar and Aven before quickly urging the winged beast out into the cobblestone and promptly  having the creature spread its massive wings to leap into the air with a loud cawing neigh.

The sight of Hakon cradling their children never ceased to warm Aven's heart. Everything they'd done and suffered though, and everything they would suffer through in the future, would be for the sake of Jace and Elenoir, even their current agenda. He was sure than no child would want to lose their mother, and if they succeeded, that wouldn't be an issue, at least to old age. 

They took off in haste, Aven's stomach rising as they took off into the sky. The clouds fast approached them, and Aven hugged Hakon's waist tightly for dear life. Truthfully, Aven was not fond of flying, the prospect of being so far from a shadow to meld into terrifying him. Still, as long as he was with Hakon, he could bear it. He glanced down, a mistake. Maybe….

As they climbed passed the rising airships and into the clouds, eating up wind and earth like guttons of distance itself, she reached around and grasped Aven to her until they leveled out just above the lowest clouds. The land about them stretched out green and vibrant with life- ah- Hakon loved flying, she hoped one day one of her children would meet a creature to be so close with and to travel like this beside. She yawns softly as Ansgar's massive tawny wings straighten out- in the distance, the ocean sparkled akin to sapphire bathed in firelight from the rising sun.

The wind whistled in their ears as Hakon turns slightly and calls to him," What else does this ritual acquire?"

Aven's eyes glimmer as he watches the sea below. The height was horrifying, but the view was spectacular, and the feeling of wind around them made shivers go down his spine. In response to Hakon's question, Aven thinks for a moment, recalling a myriad of ritualistic magics and processes. "Silver dust, the fangs of a vampire, holy water, and a very specific spell matrix. I've got everythign but the holy water- don't ask about the vampire- but if I recall, you could consecrate some water as a paladin, correct?"

Hakon hesitated and nodded, she had learned to bless water in her time in Connlaoth to annoint the dead before burial. Perhaps here it was a bit more tangible of a process- nonetheless, she felt as if she could do it," Yes, I can do that-" she pauses, turning slightly to look at them as they slowly slided downward, calling over the wind,"- Love- what do you think…" she pauses, the wind snatching her voice away but- more causing her to hesitate as she speaks faintly," What do you think Ellie and Jace will do?"

Aven shook his head. "There's no way to tell for sure at this point. On one hand, Elenoir has been showing signs of magic with those spontaneous melodies of hers, and it's likely she'll develop something akin to a bard's magic, where she can heal and soothe others, as well as influence their emotions. Jace, on the other hand, seems to be the exact opposite of me, where magic is drawn to him. I've no idea what kind of powers he'll manifest: furthermore, I'm still unsure exactly what our children would be classified as. They are not dark matter, that much is certain, but at the same time, they are not fully human." He smiles, a carefree gesture. "I suppose we can thank the stars above that they aren't dark matter, though, so I won't complain."

Hakon smiles faintly and nods her head. They weren't Dark Matter- they would not have to go through the same hunger their father had- such a relief, in truth- they wouldn't have to suffer as he had and yet… What were they then? She tried to keep her mind off those thoughts as the Hippogryph glided down over the deep blue ocean, skimming a hundred meters above the dark waves and slowly losing more altitude. As they moves further into the ocean, large masses of bubbles could be seen followed by a great spout of white water. A pod of massive whales appear upon the surface briefly, their songs ever so slightly muffled by the roar of wind and waves.

" Where shall we land?"

Aven scanned the horizon, spotting his quarry: a small island far in the distance. "There: the oceanic charts I examined place that island nearest to a large and active underwater volcano. That volcano is our first target."

" Understood-" she responded automatically, briefly falling into the rather mechanical mindset of a soldier once more. Nonetheless, she tilts her head toward where he motioned before Ansgar dipped slightly in his glide- ripping toward the island with several powerful strokes of his massive wings. The ocean glittered with light beneath them as they made their way toward the bolcanic island. Magma silently gurgled form from the beaches, charring the white sand and slowly creating great scars through the heavy green forest- the Hipoogryph began to circle the island, searching for a place to land as Hakon looks back to Aven.

" Do you think we'll find Ether here?" She asks over the low gurgle of the magma spewing forth from the earth

Aven scanned the surface. "No, this is only our starting point. This volcano is actually connected to a larger one, which extends all the way to the deep sea. We can't go much past the ocean floor because of the water pressure, but we can get close enough to determine if my observations were correct." He points to a small rock outcropping near the shore. "We should start there, and head down into the ocean." He pats Ansgar. "This is about as far as Ansgar can take us."