Fia trotted off with Viliant on Mount Ravia, but her stride soon evened out and matched his plodding one. What do you want to talk about, Viliant? she asked innocently enough, but based on a bittersweet mix of emotions in his mind, she already knew.

A heavy sigh fell past Viliant's fangs. Fia, this has nothing to do with you, he began in a scripted way. You've been a good friend—my best friend. I'm grateful for the way that you've come into my life and how we escaped from the coliseum together.

Fia's eyes drew as wide as her slitted pupils did constrict. Am I dying again? she wondered to herself. This level of sentimentality did not belong to Viliant.

But I think…. he continued.

You want to stay here with Diwa, Fia finished for him, sick of hearing the words of the dragoness infixed in his mind.

Rarely did Viliant's eyes possess the look of shock, but those green orbs wavered intensely. A silence permeated the air like ash adrift. I was not expecting you to take it this well, he admitted.

Fia nodded, knowing that her younger, more immature self would have wailed for him to stay. Even now, if she had no other options, she would have groveled at the tip of his turned tail.

Is she not going to miss me? A sliver of hurt slipped through his mental filter before he shielded that part of him off. Knowing that she had become privy to that, Viliant swished his tail in abashment.

Don't worry. We'll see each other again—as often Sage Rokirith comes to visit Diwa, she figured. This was a coincidental benefit of Fia and Viliant happening to arrive at separate but starkly similar decisions. Actually, she admitted, I was thinking the same thing. I want to stay here—

A roar peeled from Viliant's jaws. You don't get a choice! You can't abandon your clan just like that—

I'm not! she tried to compete with a softer roar. Fia hastily clarified their misunderstanding. There's another way I can help them—help them even more than just warning them. We can stop the humans right here!

Her declaration snapped Viliant back to his cynical attitude. How? How do you suppose you're gonna do that?

Sage Rokirith knows a way.

The wings and shoulders of Viliant slouched into a hostile stance. Is that what the sage told you?

She hesitated to confirm it but said, Y-Yes.

If Sage Rokirith had the power and inclination to eliminate the humans, don't you think he would've done it already?

Yes? Fia answered, uncertain as to the point he was making.

Exactly. There's nothing he can do to help your clan.

Sage Rokirith says there's a way. He needs my help—!

"Ha!" Viliant laughed curtly. I would've loved to hear him say that. What does a grown dragon need wyrms like us for?

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The pink dragonette narrowed her eyes, refusing to let Viliant discredit her talents this time. I'm strong. My fire element is fully awakened. Diwa says the only two dragons that she's ever known to fully awaken their elements are me and the sage!

I don't know what that means, and I don't care, Viliant growled. What has the sage accomplished with his 'enlightened' and 'awakened' element?

He hasn't done much because he's trying to do something which involves my fire, not his, Fia conjectured. Although Sage Rokirith had yet to unveil the full scope of his research, she could take a gander at his goal. There's fire—red, hot fire like mine—underground. My elders told stories about fire mountains. Though she wracked her mind, she could not remember the better term for it. Fia did not fully understand the concept anyway, so the language-agnostic telepathy would not do her any favors. Viliant glared at her, unimpressed, so Fia insisted, Our island has one!

Another large sigh huffed from Viliant's maw. His whole head hung from the weight of his disappointment, shaking back and forth. He prolonged saying something which he did not want to admit, but finally, he muttered, We've both been played for fools.

What do you mean?

Sage Rokirith never cared for helping us. We knew that well enough—or at least I did. But not even Diwa has our best interests at heart.

Fia crooked her horns in a curious tilt of the head. Diwa has helped us so much though! The green dragoness had gone to great lengths to foster their health and happiness, but Viliant no longer saw things that way.

Think about it. Where do her loyalties lie? A couple of dragonets dumped at the foot of her tree? Or the sage who she's probably known before we even hatched?

Bewildered blinks fell over Fia's eyes. No matter how she looked at it, she could not see past her best friend's paranoia. I don't know, Viliant. Like you said, what does Sage Rokirith want with two… wyrms like us? Fia cringed over the unsavory word.

I don't know! Not all dragons are good. The Novemis Clan allied with the humans. He could be trying to prevent you from warning your people. Before she could poke holes in that theory, Viliant spat out of frustration. "Gah!" It doesn't make any sense. I don't know, but we can't fall for their trap. We can't stay here!

Fia dipped her head, eyes pinched together out of indecision. I think I understand why they're doing this.

Yeah? Heavy skepticism ladened Viliant's mind; the young dragonette had come up with a proper explanation before he did.

Diwa and Sage Rokirith don't think we can save my clan. At least, they don't think I can do it. Her wings started to curl into herself, but when she glanced up from her hooded eyelids, she saw Viliant unfazed and incensed. Fia corrected her own posture and puffed out a wisp of smoke. Together, we can do more than they know.

That's the spirit, Viliant said without registering what he had said. On occasion, the dragonet's stubbornness lent him well to optimism.

We'll make it back, Fia reiterated. I'm sure of it! But what if it still isn't enough? The humans wiped out your clan ten years ago. They would've only gotten stronger since them. I'm scared…. What if my clan isn't any better?

If Sage Rokirith is right, Viliant said, —if the fire mountain really does hold the secret to stopping the humans—then your clan will know better how to use it. You're sure they have a fire mountain, correct?

Well, Fia faltered. Though still too young to understand the basis for all her people's customs, she insisted, I remember the summer festival. We dedicate a big hunt to the mountain in the center of the island. Because it's a fire mountain!

Viliant chuckled gently and shook his head, a rare outward display of his endearment toward her. Even as she tried to act more mature for the sake of her mission, she was still a child with limited knowledge about the world. Fia was the one part of his life that he did not want to leave in the past. Is your offer still good? You promised me a home in Carlinoa.

Yes! And you'd promise that you'd play with me when we get there. Fia and Viliant made their way back to Diwa and the sage, better equipped to resist the tempting offers from the adult dragons.