Morphs Part 3: The Last Republic

Morphs Part 3: The Last Republic
Chapter 8: The Flight to Daggûl
Extract from Dakk's notebook:
I've hidden the truth from Rävenn for too long. I lie about this truth too easily- too easily for me to believe that I don't tell my companion so it doesn't frighten him. I lie about it so it doesn't scare me, too. The shifters being at Elarîal merely show how bad our situation is. He's after us. And I know he's not looking to take prisoners.

Creak. Creak. Rävenn looked around the wooden lift slowly, as if examining for faults. But the three of them all knew he was looking for a sign of the Shifters. Finally, their ascent slowed. As the wooden doors opened, so slowly it almost made Rävenn want to yell, they breathed in fresh air and realised just how much cleaner it was than that of the city, far below their feet. Slowly, cautiously, and flinching every time a shadow flickered suspiciously, they stepped out of the lift, too tired to notice that the two guards were not present- nor alive.
Beside him, Dakk whistled.
"*Skiiva.. how long do these stone plains go on for? I mean, a county! Completely stone! How?" Of course, Rävenn had been about to ask exactly the same thing. When they were being hunted by a dragon, they didn't really stop to think about where they were fleeing to. They just fled.
"Well..." Skivva had an almost wistful look in her dark, purple eyes. "You are aware of the Legend of Petra, aren't you?" Rävenn rolled his eyes. Of course he had heard the legend- the country itself was named after it!
Seeing Rävenn's expression, she laughed. "So, you know about how Siverion petrified this country?" They nodded. "Well, when a great hero, Petra himself, vanquished the Dark Lord. The entire land was freed from it's stone embrace- asides from this county, of course, which had taken to life beneath ground."She smiled, and Rävenn noticed that, after exiting Elarîal, Skiiva's mood had changed dramatically. It made him wonder- the only way someone could love leaving a place was either because the place itself was horrible (which it wasn't), because they had been imprisoned there (which couldn't be the answer, as she left the place quite easily) or because she had been waiting for someone to arrive. For a very, very, long time. It was then then the bombshell hit him. As soon as they had arrived in Elarîal, Skiiva had 'attacked' Dakk in a mental battle. She was checking if we were the people she had been waiting for! he realised. Even if this woman was on the good side (and Rävenn wasn't even sure which side that was yet), she had known they were coming.
But Rävenn didn't have time to think any further. The trio turned as a mighty crash sounded out behind them, disturbing a thrush cracking a shell against the stone ground. Rävenn unsheathed his swords. The shifters had were closing in.