Her face wouldn't show it, but she was terrified. She'd only flown once or twice before, and though it had been a very memorable experience, it had also been a long time ago. She flapped her wings hard twice, finding that they were strong despite their hollow bones. They carrier her higher into the air, letting her see far across the land and sky. Indeed it was a beautiful sight, but she noticed the dark horizon and small flashes of light that she was sure was lightning. She wouldn't be able to smell the storm on the air; the wind was carrying her toward the island. There was time before she reached it, but to be sure she didn't get caught up in something she wasn't ready to handle, she tilted her body upward and flew higher into the atmosphere, above the cloud bank. The sight damn near took her breath away. The earth below her was lit but morning light, casting a soft golden glow over the land and coloring the clouds a myriad of pinks and purples and oranges. "Good Goddess, you've created a masterpiece." she whispered to the wind.
By the time she reached where she was sure the island was, her back and wings were aching, a sure sign that she needed to use them more often. Reluctant as she would be, it might be necessary one day. Better to be safe than sorry. She looked down. The clouds below her were thick and dark, flashes here and there warning her of the dangers she was going to be plummeting into. Mentally bracing herself, she drew her wings in to her back, feeling their relief for the break, and let herself fall headfirst into the storm. As she rushed through the clouds, a cold film of water gathered on her already perspiration-covered body. It felt nice, though the electric charge she felt in the air didn't. She would have to be very careful. Lightning flashed nearby but she kept herself from panicking. The next one was closer, as was the one after that. Suddenly she wasn't so sure she was in the right spot. Throwing her wings open again, she twisted in the air and flew in the direction the lightning seemed to be heading, at the same time still making sure she was going down.
She broke from the cover of the clouds and found herself staring at ocean in front of her, as far as her sharp eyes could see. Surely the island couldn't be that far out. As she turned to look behind her, a bolt of lightning flashed some 50 yards to her left. Time to leave. She took a look behind her again and caught sight of the island; she'd flown too far. She twisted around again and went in the opposite direction, only to be met with gale-force winds pushing her the way she had come from. "Dear Goddess help me." she whispered again, her voice breaking. The waters below looked almost like rapids, waves crashing down everywhere. It would be suicide to try and swim to the island, just as it would be trying to fly there. There wasn't enough earth anywhere around her to try and create a shield from the lightning or wind, and she had no idea what her fire cou- That was it. Fire. Heat. The sun. It would burn away the clouds. But most of her concentration was on fighting the winds and keeping away from the lightning. Her wings burned with the effort it took to keep her going at a good pace toward the island. The mile or two it was away seemed so much further than it was.
She took a few deep breaths to calm her racing heart before attempting to find heat from the sun amidst the wind and cold of the clouds. Her magic jumped as lightning struck nearby, sending a wave of white-hot heat rolling through her. She grinned. She'd found her heat. Using her magic, she thrust that heat upward, at the same time drawing down what she could from the still-rising sun. It wasn't easy at all, and it was taking it's time to work. As the heat intensified though, the clouds seemed to thin a bit near the top. Perhaps it would do some good. Just then the wind came to a halt and she shot forward. The island drew closer and closer.
She landed on the sands of the island's beach, falling face first into the sand as her legs melted beneath her. She'd used up a hell of a lot more energy than she'd though trying to fight a storm and call on enough heat to dissipate a storm. Her breaths were shallow and ragged, sand clinging in clumps to her sweat-and-rain drenched skin and clothing. Her hands shook beside her, every inch of her body aching like she'd been stoned. The only thing she was aware of before blacking out was that no one was there. She was on the opposite side of the island.





