The group emerged from the cave to the sunset in the distance. Forala wiped the blood of a red drake off her arm. The air finally fresh and clean on the cool night filled their noses. As they emerged the crickets were chirping and gentle breeze gently easing their extremely tense minds. Forala took in the surroundings with a smile. “We should move quickly the red drakes are still searching for me.” The group quickly proceeded into the forest.

“Shouldn’t Cawthorn be watching for drakes?” Emilie asked.

Cawthorn glared at her. “Drakes are scary.”

“Are you saying the great Cawthorn doesn’t rule the skies?” Victor asked.

Cawthorn turned to him insulted. “OF COURSE I RULE THE SKIES!” Cawthorn took off instantly disappearing above the trees.

“Is it safe for Cawthorn to be patrolling above us?” Serena asked.

Forala turned to her. “Drakes wouldn’t waste their time with such small prey. It’s not an effective use of energy.”

The four of them continued to travel through the forest but predictably a few moments later as they approached the road Cawthorn returned. “Red drakes my mage, up ahead on the road.”

Forala turned to Cawthorn. “How many?”

“9.” Cawthorn answered curtly.

“We avoid that patrol. We should wait for a few minutes. They will search elsewhere.” Forala explained. The group went to a nearby brush and knelt down. “Bird if you are able to watch them from a tree and let us know which way they go?” Cawthorn nodded afraid and took off up to a tree watching them. Sure enough a few moments later they took off. Cawthorn landed on Victor’s shoulder and pointed his wing at the direction they had come from.

Emilie panicked. “We have to move. Serena and Yriada are on the cart on the road. They’ll be killed.”

“You’re saying your friends are ahead of them?” Forala turned with a sigh.

“Yes! They’ll be killed they are both wounded.” Emilie tried to communicate without panic but couldn’t.

“How far are they?” Forala asked.

“The elemental ran for about 30 minutes before reaching the cave from the other cave so about 30 minutes of elemental running speed?” Serena shrugged. “Not sure the exact distance.”

“If any of you have speed boosts cast them on me now. I will attempt to hide them.” Forala nodded. Both Victor and Emilie immediately boosted her. She disappeared into the distance in the blink of an eye.

“Can one of you two carry me? I’m not very fast.” Emilie turned to them. Serena picked her up and started running. Victor followed far behind slowly falling further behind. Serena slowed down. “Don’t slow down!”

Her angry whisper was supposed to encourage Serena but elicited a sly smile. “Talk like that again and you can walk.”

She continued angrily whispering as darkness overtook the forest. “I don’t want Jenora to be dead!”

“We aren’t going to make it there before the drakes. It’s all on her.” Serena tilted her head. “So what will it be golden girl, walk or run?”

She answered sheepishly. “Run.”

Victor reassured her pointing. “She’s fast. Faster than anyone I’ve ever seen. I can still see those drakes above. I can’t even see her.”

Emilie shot back. “There are trees in the way!”

“Yet I can still see the drakes.” He looked at her as they darted from tree to tree. “Besides what are you going to do if you arrive early?”

“Heal the half drake!” She glared.

Victor slowed down. “Go Serena. I’m walking. Cawthorn, help them.” Serena took off much faster than before without hesitation. Cawthorn took off ahead. Victor stopped and panted doubling over. ‘It’s fine. I was about to start taking damage anyway. My skill should still be in effect. They’ll be fine.’

“Will they now?” Reality began to fade away as the stars stretched to the ground surrounding him. The moons descended to him as stars formed a mouth. Luzuzal began to step toward him. “What was it you desired today when you invoked Luzuzal’s Promise ?”

“Every one of us will survive today and make it out of here alive stronger than when we arrived” Victor’s eyes grew wide. “Here was mean to mean the wilderness!” Victor lied to Luzuzal but couldn’t lie to himself.

“The effects of Luzuzal’s Promise follow the most literal response to any request. You were in the dungeon area so it interpreted it as the entire dungeon as here, however if the barrier wasn’t up it may have only applied to the cave. Once fulfilled the ability ceases activation only once all terms are completed.” Luzuzal explained.

“But one of the terms was that everyone will survive!” Victor protested.

“Correct. Those present for the promise will survive today .” Luzuzal smiled.

Victor’s eyes widened. “You’re telling me that they’ll die at the end of the day or that Forala will die.”

“Merely explaining the parameters of your skill.” He starts walking to walk with Victor.

Swordie spoke up. “Be gone abomination. Cease your corruption of Sir Victor.”

“Sir Victor?” Victor pulled out Swordie while walking.

“You are an angelic knight. A title I am proud to bestow you. You’ve more than earned the title by now. You save without question, without thought, and without reward. You seek good and life for all those around you and evil only manipulates you through your absolute refusal to allow death and destruction to reign. You are everything an angelic knight should be. I will not stand by while my knight is tainted further by a truly horrific monster that would trick everyone in this world to rule over the ruined lives.” Swordie proclaimed.

Achievement: Gain 10 stat points. Gain [Lose] 5 luck. Angelic Knight – Receive the title Angelic Knight from an angel. 50% Resistance to mind control and manipulation. May wield Angelic Weaponry to full effect. This title improves with tier.

“A high honor, you can only bestow that title to one person at a time, if they lose it you can never bestow it again.” Luzuzal smiled. “I shall enjoy encouraging him lose that title.”      

“He shall not ever lose it. Sir Victor, resist his influence. Focus on the trees.” Swordie insisted.

Victor asked confused. “Shouldn’t I at least listen to what he-”

“FOCUS ON THE TREES!” Swordies’ voice echoed across the forest.

Victor complied. Luzuzal reduced to a tiny spec in the edge of his vision as the trees came back into view. “Wow that’s really impressive.”

“It won’t fully banish the abomination from beyond the veil but it will make it harder for him to manipulate you.” Swordie noted.

“How dull, you’ve banished the grandeur of my background. You act as though showing him my realm alone manipulates him.” Luzuzal mocked Swordie.

“Sir Victor is easily manipulated like a village drunk. I see no reason to give you the ability to be his bartender.” Swordie quipped.

“Very well I shall say my piece and go. I recommend placing your skill ups to my skills into Luzuzal’s Promise. You will one day strain the bounds of it if you behave as you behave today.” Luzuzal tilted his tiny head.

“Whatever you do Sir Victor do not do that. Tell him to be gone and not return. He’s spoken to you repeatedly in the span of a month. A Void Lord does not do that without having a strong self centered motive.” Swordie insisted.

Victor agreed with Swordie. “Luzuzal don’t speak to me unless it’s a matter of life or death. Swordie is my guide through this life, not you. I agreed to help you only for a stat boost and you didn’t seem to conflict with who I am. I clearly was wrong. Be gone.” Luzuzal frowned and turned away disappearing from Victors sight.

“Sir, I am so proud of you.” Swordie began to glow. “No matter the outcome you made the right choice. He was probably just trying to manipulate you into doing something.”

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

“What do you think his plan is?” Victor asked.

“He was probably broadly honest with you while omitting several key details that would make you hate him with the fury of Justice herself.” Swordie replied.

“Justice?” Victor asked.

“Justice is one of my fellow angels. She arrived in this world in 82 B.H.” Victor noted.

“What does B.H. Stand for? Is that 10000 years ago?” Victor continued on talking with Swordie.

“Longer. This world divides its eras between before heaven and after heaven.” Swordie explained.

“Oh was heaven destroyed or something?” Victor asked.

Swordie paused going quiet. “I am not permitted to speak of the events which occurred in year 0. The people of this world believe heaven was sealed off after repelling the devils attacking it.”

Victor laughed. “Well if you can’t tell me and are answering like that it’s definitely destroyed or at least seriously damaged. I guess devils could have conquered it.”

“Sir devils could never conquer heaven.” Swordie added.

“If that isn’t important right now I have to go back to Luzuzal, what do you want me to do about him?” Victor asked.

“If you don’t use your rank up points they will automatically allocate to Luzuzal’s Promise. He wants that. Allocate it to either of the other two skills and then stop doing things which increase your skill rank of those skills. Then don’t call him. Do not call out his name. Do not seek his help. If he arrives only speak the words ‘be gone’ and then focus on a physical object. It won’t work ever time. It won’t always force him away. It will give you a much better chance to not be manipulated. I have faith in you Sir Victor. Shine bright and overcome.” Swordie lit up enough to show him the way.

“Drakes are about.” Victor noted.

Swordie reduced his light. “My pride in you sir is welling up far more than I expected it would for a man best described as a lost puppy with a sense of morality to match.”

“I can’t tell if that is a compliment or an incredibly embarrassing insult.” Victor narrowed his eyes.

“An accurate comparison often elicits that response from one such as you.” Swordie noted.

The two of them continued for almost an hour before reaching a destroyed cart in the middle of the road and a splattering of blood on the road. ‘No. It’s still the same day. This can’t be.’ He walked past the head of a mule. “They ate the mule?” He felt like he suddenly disappeared when he blinked appearing beneath a tree not far away in the hands of Forala. “Uh wow. You are way faster than I thought.”

“You’re too slow. My human form is much faster than my drake form, I had to slow myself down immensely to make it possible for you to even scratch my cheek.” Forala noted.

“What was the point of that little training session then if there was never a chance for me to win?” Victor asked.

“Just to see if it would be interesting to live.” Forala smiled. “It is.”

Jenora, Serena, Emilie, Cawthorn, and Yriada stood around them beneath the trees no one dead. ‘Was Luzuzal trying to manipulate me into saving the mule? That’s so stupid.’ He missed the point as the moons only just now started to stretched high into the sky. Victor put his hand on her back. “Live, it’s not so bad.”

Yriada stepped forward bowing. “I am Yriada and who may you be?”

“Forala, you are a dryad it seems.” She added.

“That I am. I shall shelter us for the night.” Roots began to form a roof and then walls around them with vines wrapping them into a hut with a door made of bark. Emilie and Jenora tapped their symbols causing them to glow and illuminate the beautiful interior with beds of flowers for each of them. “Drakes will not be able to spot this at night.”

“A brilliant move. Our eyes wouldn’t be able to distinguish this from a tree top in the sky. We should be safe here tonight.” Forala smiled.

Jenora leaned back. “I can’t believe we made it. We survived.” She cried. “Emilie we’re still alive after that.” Emilie hugged her saying nothing and tearing up alongside her.

Serena leapt into Victors arms and gave him a kiss. “I can’t believe we all got out of there.”

Swordie added. “You deserve praise, all of you. You all overcame evil today and survived unlikely odds.”

Cawthorn crowed. “THE STARS OF VERDAN ARE VICTORIOUS!”

Emilie walked up to Victor looking him dead in the eyes. “I’m sorry. I was right but I’m sorry for how I acted it was childish, and we would like to remain in your party.”

Victor outstretched his hand. “Not exactly the glowing apology I’d hoped for but still good none the less. I’m sorry I didn’t believe you. You were right, and I’d be happy to have you in my group.” Emilie smiled and shook his hand.

“It’s really lucky I came across you. Most of the other ends of that river come out to dangerous creatures.” Forala noted.

“My luck is unusual.” Victor smiled.

“I have not met your other companions, introduce me.” Forala waited.

“Of course, this is Emilie she’s small and easily afraid of those different from her.” Victor said.

“Hey!” Emilie groaned.

“This is Jenora, she kept us alive.” Victor commended her.

“Let’s not understate how much you did on that front.” She smirked.

“This is Serena, and that is Cawthorn who you have already met. That is Yriada. We rescued her from the dungeon.” Victor nodded.

“A pleasure to meet you Forala.” Yriada bowed.

“Pleasure to meet you as well.” Forala repeated bow.

“You’ve got really good manners for someone who grew up among drakes.” Victor commented.

“My father left me many books including one on manners and royal court rules.” Forala explained

“Why would he have a book on royal court rules?” Victor asked.

“He was a prince in Hoxal but left the court behind for my mother.” She explained.

“Wait can all drakes take a human form?” Victor asked.

“Well no but mages can learn the polymorph skill, and she could speak common, so he transformed often to be with her.” She explained.

Serena put her hands up. “Whoa whoa whoa, you’ve ignored the lead honey. Her father was prince of Hoxal?”

“And my mother led my clutch.” Forala noted.

“So she’s a half-drake princess?” Victor asked. A pause as the entire room stood in shocked silence.

Cawthorn spoke up. “ROYALS ARE SCARY!”  

“I was, now no one is left.” Forala sighed.

“Is it safe to travel with a royal? Those drakes are still after her.” Emilie asked.

“They’ll look for a day or two more then pronounce me dead. As long as we travel through the forest and not on the road we will be safe.” She noted.

Yriada spoke up. “Tomorrow we will part ways. I will return to my grove east of here. The town you traveled from is to the west. If you ever need me feel free to come and find me.”

“I might take you up on that one day Yriada.” Victor nodded.

Forala spoke up. “Listen up. I am going to teach each of you to fight against overwhelming odds so you can survive against enemies much higher level than you starting tomorrow.”

Jenora countered. “My arm is broken. I need to recover.”

“She’s exempt. The rest of you are not.” Forala nodded.

Swordie cheerfully added. “I like her, she will be a worthy teacher showing you some lessons I am unable to physically impart to you.”

“This is going to be painful isn’t it?” Victor asked.

“You have a cleric with you don’t you?” Forala noted.

“Two.” Victor replied.

“Excruciatingly painful.” Forala noted.

Swordie glowed. “She is truly the counterpart I need to guide the young angelic knight.”

“May I hold your speaking book?” Forala asked.

Victor handed Swordie over. “Greetings Princess Forala Medot, how may I help you?”

“How much do you know?” Forala inquired.

“Significantly more than the bird.” Swordie answered.

“PREPOSTEROUS LIES! I KNOW ALL!” Cawthorn insisted.

“What are the weaknesses of a red dragon?” Forala asked.

“Red dragons have three weaknesses cold magic, a soft stomach, and the base of their wings however most red dragons use magic to compensate for their weakness to cold spells. They are foes with few weaknesses except to be more powerful than them.” Swordie replied.

“Very well, thank you.” She handed Swordie back. “A red dragon was in charge of the drakes. I wanted to know if it had any weaknesses beside cold magic.”

“A DRAGON!?” Emilie started to panic.

“He won’t emerge from his den. He was leading the drakes but returned to his den deep in the Xalper mountains. He sleeps all day and all night and they serve him. He’s why we couldn’t simply fight them. I will leave to a human settlement and blend in for some time before hopefully returning one day.” She explained. “Get some sleep. We can discuss further tomorrow.”