The continuous ringing of rifle fire reverberated through the young Zalroth's mind, fixating his gaze on the full moon and looking through the window of the military helicopter as the helicopter squadron flew in the air. The none pilot black-ops soldier tightly held his blood-covered hand with a large gash as he was rummaging through a medkit.

"What a hassle, with all this magic stuff, how has no one been able to figure out how to heal people using it?".

"That's rich coming from you, Coder," the pilot remarked. The soldiers continued to discuss how feasible healing magic would be and how it could possibly work.

Zulios peered over at Zalroth as he continued to silently gaze at the moon, and Zulios glanced over at Zalkutaro as he lay on Zulios' shoulder when he sighed.

"Fret not, my cotton candy-hearted friend; my counterweight is just catching up on all his missed moon watches," Zalkutaro whispered to Zulios as he crossed his paws and rested his head on his front legs.

"Wouldn't calling him your counterbalance be more accurate?". Zalkutaro twitched his ears and thought over Zulios' question.

"Those words mean the same thing... however counterbalance does indeed sound more accurate.". Zalroth continued to stare out of the helicopter's window and only broke his gaze from it when the red hair kid approached him, stumbling as the helicopter occasionally experienced turbulence.

"Thank you for saving my sister!". The boy bowed, doing so to such an extent a Japanese person would call it excessive, and repeatedly thanked Zalroth and Zulios. Zalroth lightly itched his cheek while refusing to make eye contact with the boy.

"Don't sweat it... just make sure... to do the same for others in the future," Zalroth mindlessly blurted out before looking back out of the window. The boy took in Zalroth's unintentional request, and his eyes lit up like a blazing inferno.

"Of cou-" the boy managed to say before Coder picked him up mid-sentence.

"Remain in your seat. The last thing we need is any more unnecessary injuries.". The boy was placed back in his seat, and the goblin girl snickered at the boy while cheekily calling him a fool as Coder walked back to the front of the helicopter. Zalroth mentally exhaled in relief before he focused his vision on something outside of the helicopter. Although it was extremely far away, Zalroth managed to make out the object was some sort of ball of light with a strange distortion effect emanating from it. The ball of light blipped out of existence, and Zalroth heard a faint reverbed ring in his ears.

"Unbound yourself from the helicopter to follow the desired fate before one succumbs to your opulence of life force"

"Weirdo," Zalroth remarked mentally before his eye widened when the ringing exploded into a disorganized mess of conflicting screech, and forcing Zalroth to fall out of his chair. Zalroth aggressively clasped his ears as the spirally dark ayton green mist seeped out of his body. Zalroth rived around on the floor, the muffled voices of the other kids swirled around him as Zalroth haphazardly rose to his feet and staggered across the helicopter, whilst the other kids watched.

"Z-Zalroth?" Zulios said. Zalroth banged his head against the helicopter's sliding door and grabbed its release latch.

"Sorry, but I... erm... need so air.". Zalroth flexed his noodle arm, as the dark green mist wrapped around his arm, and forced the sliding door open with a loud bang. Coder spun his head around and bolted out of his chair for Zalroth. Zalroth felt a numbness overcome his legs and he fell backwards out of the helicopter.

Coder reached out, leaning half of his body out of the helicopter in an attempt to grab Zalroth; however, Zalroth's spirally dark ayton green mist wafted over the soldier's blood-covered hand and halted the soldier's movements as a searing pain ravaged his hand. The soldier watched Zalroth plummet through the air and disappear into the forest below.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

"Shi... oot," Coder uttered, as he was pulled back into the helicopter by the red-haired boy, pulling on his arm. The kids looked at each other with conflicted and upset expressions while being on the verge of tears.

"Do not fret, he has fallen from higher heights before," Zalutaro stated, affirming that Zalroth would be absolutely fine. Coder wiped his forehead with his blood-covered hand, before pausing as he didn't register any stinging sensation coming from his hand. Coder lowered his hand and flinched upon seeing his hand missing the gash it previously wore.

Minutes ago, Chronia watched the helicopter squadron flying high overhead, back in the direction she previously saw them come from.

"Guess they did what they needed to do...". Chronia narrowed her eye and stared at one of the helicopters as its door opened, and Zalroth fell out of the helicopter. Chronia blinked a few times and looked at the vague area in the forest she saw Zaroth land. Chronia placed her hand on her chin and hummed loudly.

"I've seen and read enough anime and manga to know if I go over there I'm definitely going to get wrapped up in some crazy shenanigans.". Chronia stood up straight, before walking into her bedroom while not closing the balcony door. After a few seconds of metal clanging echoed from the room, rapid footsteps echoed from the bedroom before Chronia came sprinting onto the balcony while carrying a large metal serving dish. She lept over the balcony's bannister and held the serving dish over her head as the dish was coated in a veil of teal and lime Qi (energy). Chronia slowly glided down to the ground, cheekily grinning as she landed on the ground before she ran off into the forest.

Zalroth, wrapped up in a ball of his tail fur, smashed through multiple trees and crashed into the ground. Zalroth unfurled from his tails and rolled onto his back as a surge of his spirally dark ayton green mist leaked out of his body. He rapidly breathed in and out and tightly grasped the area over his heart. The spirally dark ayton green mist continued to gush out of Zalroth and seep into the ground.

"That was close...; I really should've paid attention to sis during her lectures... especially her Qi ones.". Zalroth closed his eyes, rubbing his forearm with his free arm. He reopened his and was greeted by Chronia looming her face mere inches away from his face. Chronia stared down at Zalroth as he struggled to focus his vision on Chronia.

"You look like a mess," Chronia said, poking Zalroth's forehead and placing the silver metal dish on the ground. Zalroth rolled his unfocused eyes and bounced up to his feet, causing the recently sprouted flowers around him to dance.

"That's rich coming from someone who looks like they just rolled out of bed straight into a bush.". Chronia ruffled her scruffy/messed up hair and shook some leaves and twigs out of her hair.

"Yeah... I won't deny that.". Chronia rapidly scratched the back of her head and laughed to herself as she heard Zalroth walking away.

"Hey! Where are you going?".

"I'm going to follow the... erm metal thing...".

"Helicoopter.".

"Yeah, that thing.". Zalroth continued to walk before stopping in his tracks and turning to see Chronia standing right behind him. The two stared at each other, Zalroth with a perplexed look and Chronia with a big smile before she tilted her head to the side.

"What?". Zalroth itched his ear and flapped his tails.

"Why are you following me?".

"Well, I can't let somebody who fell from the sky just go blindly walking through a forest at night, and I bet you won't be able to catch up with the helicoopters.". Zalroth sighed and lowered his arm to his side.

"That still doesn't mean you can just follow me.".

"Also, you're technically an intruder, so it would be dumb of me to let you out of my sight.". Zalroth's ears twitched, and he looked to the side.

"Fair... wait, how?". Chronia looked dumbfounded at Zalroth's question.

"Because this is my backyard, duh.".

"You don't say... then I'll get going before I-". Zalroth's vision greyed out, and he fell backwards onto his tails.

"Guess... I expelled more of my life force than I... thought," Zalroth mentally remarked as he drifted into unconsciousness whilst he heard Chronia's muffled voice calling out to him. Chronia frantically ran around Zalroth while spontaneously muttering about what she should do. Chronia swiftly crouched down next to Zalroth and tugged on the sleeve of the jumpsuit Zalroth was wearing.

"You're not dead, right?". Zalroth murmured in his sleep and groaned with an attitude. Chronia relievedly exhaled before jumping to her feet when some bushes nearby rustled. Chronia etched her head toward the rustling and awkwardly laughed upon spotting the originator of the rustling.

"Oh no....".