The mountain air was cool and damp, brushing against Isabella's skin like soft mist. She crouched beside the phoenix man, eyeing him suspiciously like she was debating whether to move a sleeping lion or leave him to rot in peace.
"Alright," she muttered, rolling up her sleeves. "Let's just get this over with. What's the worst that could happen?"
Bubu's glowing form hovered silently beside her, an unhelpful blue presence in the corner of her vision. Glimora sat on Isabella's shoulder, nibbling her hair nervously — a small white puff of fur with big curious eyes that made everything feel a little less horrible.
Isabella stretched her arms, cracked her knuckles like a pro wrestler, and crouched lower, muttering under her breath. "Okay, one… two… three!"
She grabbed the man by his arm — or at least tried to, because his arm was so broad she couldn't even wrap her hands around it properly. With a grunt, she leaned back and pulled—
