Through the Hive Matrix, Veylin knew they were now more than a thousand meters above the ground.
On an ordinary day, the temperature at this altitude would have felt merely cool to physically robust transcendents.
But tonight, the wind drove the rain into countless icy boning knives. Cold seeped through the gaps in his armor, stealing his body heat and leaving Veylin struggling to endure it.
Even so, they were still too low.
Below, the mountains resembled rows of swords thrust point-up into the earth. Faint lights flickered along the ridgelines-the magical glow of Blackrock County's scattered Mage Towers.
At this altitude, the sheer size of the Stuka Squadron made it a target. Once the detection arrays on the ground picked up their flight path, that information would certainly be shared with every member of the Imperial Faction.
After a brief exchange with Ola, Veylin issued a new order.
[Climb. Enter the clouds.]
Nefarian snorted, the hot breath from his nostrils condensing instantly in the cold wind. Sensing his master's will, the Pegasus with blackflame blood beat his wings hard against the air, shifting from a smooth glide into a steep climb.
Behind them, the flock of Great Skuas followed closely, plunging into the churning, roaring base of the cumulonimbus overhead.
The light vanished in an instant.
Rolling walls of gray-black cloud rose around them. The air was heavy with moisture, and visibility was poor. Suddenly, the formation lurched as a strange force seized their bodies-a powerful updraft.
The entire squadron was helplessly swept up and "launched" toward the sky.
Dense droplets hammered their armor.
As they climbed rapidly, the temperature plummeted.
They soon entered the heart of the cumulonimbus, where supercooled droplets and fine ice crystals filled the air. Poised on the brink of changing phase, these substances split,