BIOLOGICAL SUPERCOMPUTER SYSTEM

As the two flew, Erik let out a weary sigh. He was thinking back to the fight they just had.

He couldn't believe that a flock of Zephyrwings would make so many problems and almost kill them.

<I think we should increase the number of clones. >

June clicked his beak in agreement, his large avian eyes blinking in a gesture of solemn understanding. <I agree Master. We are getting a point in power where human capacities simply cannot cope with Thaids. The only advantage humans have is thanks to their intelligence and group fighting tactics. We should take advantage of that. >

<Indeed. I was thinking of stopping to Caelora city for a while, just to have enough time to make more clones mature, > Erik said. He was tired, yet his face showed a firm determination.

<Yes, Master, > June said, puffing out his feathered chest. <We won't even slow down our travelling speed if we give them some of the Galewing blood we have stored.

<But to be honest, I have a question, Master. > June cocked his head in an inquisitive way, his pupils dilating with curiosity.

<Tell me. >

<You said you wanted to make more clones. However, based on what you did in the past, I bet you were thinking about 5-6 clones, right? >

<Yes, why? > Erik asked.

<Because I was thinking it would be better to make more eggs to prepare an army. Killing everything here should become pretty easy. > June's beak clacking excitedly at the prospect.

<I thought about that. > Erik shook his head ruefully, then he reached out to stroke June's neck feathers. <But I couldn't do it back in the city, since I had a lot of things to do, and your brothers were full already by managing the guild. >

Erik turned to look forward. <At the beginning, I didn't even have the space to let them be, nor did I know if they could turn into humans. If they found out I had some weird monsters working for me, it would have created problems. >

June let out a trilling chirp of understanding, his feathers rustling.

<As for why I didn't do it back in the White Desert, that was because I couldn't take care of all the hatchlings by myself while hunting. To find the time to feed 30-40 younglings multiple times a day would have taken me most of the day. >

June's pupils narrowed as he considered this, letting out a low rumble from his throat.

<I could have done it, Master. >

<Yes, but that would have meant you couldn't help me hunt, and my progress would at least be less than half of what I achieved in the past months. >

June bobbed his head up and down, comprehension dawning in his raptor's gaze. He nudged Erik's shoulder affectionately with his curved beak.

Erik turned to look forward and noticed a huge cluster of clouds approaching in their direction.

The sky was clear on their position, but was now threatened to be overshadowed by the swirling mass.

The clouds were dark and seemed to roll towards them with a menacing intent. The air was already growing chillier from their distance, and the first signs of distant thunder rumbled.

<There is going to be a storm over Caelora city soon. >

While glancing down, Erik saw the walls and skyscrapers of Caelora City drawing near, perched under the snow-capped Caelora Mountains.

The towering mountain city beckoned from behind its shimmering barrier, but Erik knew the surrounding skies would be well guarded by sentries.

<We're close now, June, > Erik said. But the howling winds made it difficult, so he had to shout.

<Let's avoid more fights. We have covered enough way. Let's land on the ground. We'll walk for the rest of the way. The last thing I want is for the city guards and mercenary groups to think you are a Thaid. >

June banked into a glide toward the dense pine forest below, but the winds buffeted his enormous frame, making a controlled descent difficult.

The swaying treetops loomed closer as June struggled to fold his wings and angle his body between the tightly packed trees.

Branches scraped against his feathers as he crashed through the needled canopy.

June let out a distressed caw as he became entangled in the pine boughs, his bulk too large for the limited space.

He flapped violently to slow his speed as Erik clung to his back plumage.

In the end, June's clawed feet punched through to the forest floor, sending pine needles flying as he landed amidst the trees.

The impact shuddered through his massive body. Erik dismounted, his boots sinking into the damp soil. It looked like around this part of the forest there had been a recent rainfall.

<Are you all right? > Erik asked, concerned about June's rough landing.

The clone's large bird-like body was pinned by thick branches and pine trunks. It was a funny sight, to be honest, one that made Erik's mood increase a little.

June's wings flexed and strained against the woody prison. His body was too large for the forest space.

<Yes, Master. I just had a rough landing. >

<I saw that…> Erik thought with a smirk.

June let out a weary sigh, then concentrated on morphing into human form, the only shape compact enough to maneuver below the dense trees.

His Feathers softened and blended into skin, much like snowflakes dissolving into a stream.

The magnificent wings melted away into the contours of human arms. His sharp, predatory claws receded, transforming into human nails, as innocuous as pebbles on a beach.

Before long, there stood June, now in human form, his appearance disheveled but his body unscathed save for some small wounds he got from the fight against the Zephyrwings.

His transformation was as complete as a caterpillar's metamorphosis into a butterfly, yet it left him looking ordinary, a stark contrast to the majestic creature he had been moments before.

<My apologies, Master. > June extricated himself from the last clinging branches.

<These woods are not suited to that size. > He attempted to brush the pine needles from his hair.

<You did well. Let's continue on foot from here, > Erik said. He then took some clothes from his backpack and gave them to his clone. It didn't take time for him to put them all on, and they started their march.

However, even in human shape, June struggled to push through the dense underbrush since he didn't stay in that form for a lot of time.

He was having trouble walking. He was wobbly and had to ask Erik for help just to stay on his two feet a lot of times.

The forest floor was a chaotic tapestry of pine needles, fallen branches, and muddy patches that made every step treacherous.

June winced as the sharp thorns of the vines left a stinging sensation on his skin, while low-hanging boughs whipped across his face, drenching him in the refreshing mist of dew.

<Apologies, Master. I'm slowing down our march, > June said, ducking under a branch heavy with pine cones.

<Navigating this terrain on two legs is... challenging. > His boots slid over wet rocks and sunk into marshy soil. He grimaced.

Overhead, semi skeletal oaks and elms creaked in the wind, their naked branches clattering together like bones.

Winter was reluctantly receding as a damp chill permeated the air. Erik's smile brightened as he navigated the muddy inclines, his footsteps slipping every now and then.

<Stay close to me. Until you get the hang of it. >

Together, they pushed onward through the forest, traversing small streams still swollen with snowmelt.

With each step on the rocks, their ankles were submerged in the frigid water, causing an immediate numbing sensation. In the distance, past the swaying pines, the walls and buildings of Caelora City inched closer.

The weak March sunlight seeped through the needled branches, casting a chilly glow.

As the winds howled down from the snow-capped peaks, Erik pulled his fur-lined cloak tighter around him, feeling a shiver run down his spine.

Instead, June appeared disheveled, with mud caking his clothes and pine needles scattered in his disheveled hair, but he remained silent.

Finally, after some time, the density of the trees decreased, creating an opening that showcased the breathtaking panoramic views of the majestic mountains.

In front of them, surrounded by walls and watchtowers, lay Caelora City. Prior to this occasion, Erik had never witnessed the renowned city from such a proximity.

Upon closer inspection, the defenses and barrier of the structure appeared even more formidable than he had anticipated.

Erik placed a hand on June's shoulder while pausing at the tree line. <We've made it, my friend. Stay alert, but try not to draw attention. With luck, we can slip in quietly. >

June nodded, steeling himself. Walking side by side, both the man and his clone emerged from the dense forest and headed towards the massive gates of the city.

After having successfully overcome the trials of both the sky and the forest, they were relieved to leave them behind. Ahead lay Caelora City, their journey's end - or perhaps just the beginning.