"Was that really it...?" I let out in confusion as me and Vadei left the building we had been told to go to. In theory, this is where our punishment was, but, they didn't do anything. They just sat us down and half-assed something. In fact, I even heard them ask why they were doing this!

"Student Vadei, hold on a moment." someone said before we got too far from the building. And, just like that, I was left on my own. I didn't go anywhere, because I would need her help to find the others. But, I was left wondering why they asked for her to come back inside.

Then, after a little bit of waiting, she came back out, "Move." Vadei demanded of me with a blank expression.

"Did... Did something happen?" I asked her as she stared at her palm in annoyance.

"YEAH!" she let out loudly, "They took away my ability to pilot the airship! They stole my knowledge!" she complained in frustration.

"How'd they steal your knowledge...?" I asked her, somewhat baffled by the claim.

"All the stuff I knew about the airship is no longer there now! It's gone! It's like it was never there!" she nearly screamed in my face before she moved away with a long groan.

"At least your hand isn't scarred anymore." I tell her with a shrug, only to get a quick slap against my chest.

"Yeah, but now I have a thing that is no longer there! I have this cool, personalised flight jacket, and no knowledge anymore of how to fly!" she exclaims before she drops down to moan.

I looked down at her before speaking, "You, what, piloted that airship for a few weeks? Surely you could not have made that into your identity...?"

"You wouldn't get it..." she grumbles before I rub a claw near her ear to get a reaction from her. However, instead of getting my claws slapped away, she just leaned on my wrapped-up leg.

"No, probably not. But, if it bothers you that much, why not get a job being an airship pilot? You could even buy your own one at some point." I advise her with a shrug. I was not really sure how to comfort her, if I was honest. It was just an airship, after all.

"Eh..." was all she had to say in response.

"I... I give up." I then sigh out in response to that. She was complaining about the loss of her airship ability thing, but she was not determined to return to that standard? I was happy to assume that she was just making a scene for the sake of it.

"Wait, help me up." she asked before I moved on with my life. And, with an action I would regret, I did what she asked.

"Are you in fact just bored!?" I demanded to know as she stayed in my grip, dangling from my arm. It was like I was not with Vadei for the moment, but, rather, Larishazza!

"I just spent several hours doing absolutely nothing while hearing someone drone on about something they themselves did not care about. Yes, yes I am bored!" she explained after dropping to the ground.

"Then find the others so we can not be bored then!" I demanded of the soon-to-be-tailless annoyance.

But, before she did so, she scoffed, "What, scared you won't be able to entertain me?" she taunts afterwards.

"I will throw you down the mountain." was all I had to say to that as she took the lead. Playing it up dramatically as she tried to find the others.

"I'm still not used to this. I want to go somewhere quieter." she complains as she spends several extended periods sniffing the air.

"Well, if you can't pilot an airship anymore, we aren't going to be going someplace quieter, are we?" I pointed out before we got back into our part of the academy.

"Oh, hello, Nin!" Einervaene cheerfully greeted as we bumped into her on the way in. In her hands was a package of some kind. But, I was not curious enough to try and snatch it or ask about it.

"Whiny-Einy." I greeted before smiling at the frown she gave me.

"So, what is it you two were called in for?"

"Some kind of telling off." I answer, shrugging just after.

"Wait, how come you didn't have to attend it!" Vadei demanded to know when she was reminded of how it was only us two who had to go.

"Well, in their words, I was a victim of the actions you two made on that day." she explains with a slight forward tilt in her posture.

"Victim!? You had plenty of time to get off that airship! Your magic is all about moving somewhere quickly!" Vadei exclaims in confused frustration.

"My magic is not about that at all. Besides, I wouldn't have been able to get off safely." she tells her with a bright, teasing smile.

"EUGH!" Vadei practically roars before she wanders off elsewhere.

"So I take it you've been having more fun than us?" I ask my friend after watching the other disappear.

"I wouldn't say that, I've just done stuff. But, now that you are here, I think I can enjoy myself." she tells me with a light blush as she makes sure I could see her smile.

"Ah, okay. So what have you been doing today? I've sat on my backside and drummed claws on a desk." I tell her before scoffing into a smile.

"Just following up on some of the talks we had about magic when we were helping Vadei out."

"So you came to a decision on what you wanted to do then?" I asked as I was pretty sure she came out of the talks undecided. Not that I could even remember what it was I suggested.

She then looks away with an annoyed expression, "No, not yet. So I just went to Mechanical House to the one who made my outfit to see if I could get anything to come of it."

"Doesn't the academy handle any quote-on-quote, uniforms?"

"Yes, but, I already went to him once, so I felt like it was best to go to him again." she explains with a held-out palm

"So the results are in the box?" I asked, contradicting my earlier thoughts about it.

"Yes and no. I have some notetablets in here and some sketches. There's also some material samples he gave me to try out."

"How are you going to test how your magic works on some sample pieces? You going to just let your lightning flow through it or something?"

"No, it's mostly for aesthetics."

"Why would you need material samples then?"

"So I can hold them against each other and pick a colour combination. Not that it matters, as he overruled my previous request when it came to colours." she explained before she rolled her eyes in frustration.

"What did you want, then?"

"Do you remember the outfit I originally was given by Rossie-chira?"

"Wow, haven't heard one of those honorifics in quite a while." I commented, diverting the topic completely off-course.

"Well, I don't know her actual name as I have only ever called her by that and I don't..." she mumbles embarrassedly with her usual blush.

"Don't worry, I'm not teasing. But, her name is Rose'lhia. I used to call her just Rose, like the flower." I explain. Somehow managing to prevent my mood from fouling during this discussion.

"Oh, alright, well, the outfit Rose'lhia gave me, do you remember it?"

"The white and red one that was somehow skimpy yet made for colder climates?" I asked with a smile. And I got a quick giggle from my friend for the effort.

"Yeah, that's the one. Originally, I intended for my new, or rather, this outfit to be like it in colour. With the exception of it having enchanted copper built into it as you can see. But, he didn't like the colour combination, so he made it completely black for the most part."

"In hindsight, he probably made the best choice, even if his reasons weren't related to them."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, in our time away from Suhurlodst, we've been what? Through so many places and problems that only the gods know. We've trekked wastelands, you've triumphed over a stone-melting beast! If you wore white in that, you'd have ruined your outfit long ago." I explained.

"But even this outfit has seen better days. The copper is scratched and dented, melted in some places even. And the fabric is worn out and stained in other places!"

"And if you were in white, all of it would stick out even more." I pointed out with a gesture. Watching her in silence as she silently nodded in understanding.

"So what do you think I should have for new colours?" She then asked me.

"I'm sort of used to the whole, black and copper-orange look if I am being honest." I tell her as I couldn't think of her in any other colour scheme. And this was despite having seen her in different ones prior to this discussion.

"So you think I should stick to these colours?" she asked with a light blush coming to her face.

"I don't really know, I'm not exactly a fashionista here." I joke, gesturing to my bandages and the top she made for me.

She smiles at first, but she then goes into a state of thought, "Maybe I should ask Baltanthan, then? He only ever really saw me in my old outfit." she says before she turns around and heads towards the largest dorm section.

"Why him? He probably won't care." I asked before pointing out that Baltanthan usually liked to be left alone. Or, at least, not pestered and annoyed.

"I just said why, besides, he's our friend, we should go see him given our time away from here." she explains.

"And how are you going to find him exactly? You aren't Vadei, besides, even she doesn't know his smell."

"I remember his dorm, we can just go there."

"Oh, lovely." I comment as I remember our last trip there.

"Don't be like that, he won't mind."

"Alright, and what if he's not at his dorm? What then? We can't exactly wander this place looking for him." I remind her as I swing my arms wide to gesture to the great space we were crossing. And this was just one of the dividing sections of the academy! We still had a few neutral areas and other open spaces to go through!

"I'll just go up and look, then." she tells me before she hands me her stuff and puts some distance between us. But, that distance could not have prepared me for what happened next as she just exploded all over the place.

"Are you alright!? You didn't piss off the Thunder God did you?" I asked her after dropping her stuff so I could rush on over. But, she was not in pain, she was just a little baffled.

"Oh, yeah, that's right." she comments quietly as her face went a deep red. And she quickly picked up her stuff and went on ahead without me.

"Again, are you alright?" I asked after I caught up with the inexplicitly embarrassed woman.

"Be quiet." was all she had for me.

"What?" I let out, baffled as to where this was coming from.

"Be quiet... I don't need you encouraging me to do stuff I shouldn't..." she mumbles quietly before she turns to me in shock.

"Uh, okay." I let out with the same bafflement as before.

"I'm sorry... It was my lapse in judgement..." she mumbles as she churns up some grass with her boots while her faces hides behind the box.

"Okay." I said before I gave her a reassuring pat on the arm that was laced in uncertainty.

"Again... Sorry..."

"Can you tell me what that was about?" I asked with a raised brow.

"It was how I learned to do this." she tells me before she briefly turned into a lightning-person.

"How did what just happen teach that!?" I asked her loudly as I just could not see it.

"This outfit was made so I could use magic but avoid that. But, it seems that if I still try to do my main spell, I can still cause the problem to happen."

"See a teacher about it?" I offered as a solution she probably thought of long ago.

"You know a teacher can't help me with this..." she rightfully complained with a few sparks flying off of her for emphasis. Not that she needed to, it was an easily gotten point. One only had to spend a single day here after all to get it. You were encouraged to learn on your own with only the basics being taught by the staff.

Which, I guess, made me question why such staff were even here if we had to learn on our own. Our experiences determine our magic and all that nebulous rubbish. But, I've been using magic for less than two years now while this place has existed for lifetimes. At least, the lifetimes of people from my homeland.

"Yet, you still talk it out with us." I then pointed out when I remembered what we had just talked about. We had offered advice to her, so maybe a teacher would in fact be helpful?

"Because the others are my friends and you're... Nevermind. I'm just comfortable talking it out. Hearing a few ideas and all that. I'm still going to be thinking about it when I am not talking to you, obviously. But, you know." she rambled out with an initial pause at the start.

"Honestly, if I am able to offer any advice. It would probably be best for you to just practise. Slowly ease into what you feel needs improving on. We have experiences we can reference, after all. For example, that fight with Salahma has taught me I need to have something to protect me. Or, at the very least, something that lets me do this." I began to say to her before I poked her with my magic. Smiling at the end as her previously frustrated expression made way for a short-lived smirk.

"Stop it." she then demanded alongside a shock that travelled along my magic.

"Huh, didn't know you could do that." I huffed out, slightly impressed by how she conducted it.

"Well, it's not too different from my frame here. It is a magic path, after all."

I then went wide-eyed and pointed a claw at her, "Then why not look into that? Use your magic reactively and shock your attackers?"

"Because I would be exposing myself to a chance of death that I do not want." she answered before her head thudded in the air. A certain kind of gaze was directed at me when her skull came to a halt.

"Fair enough, but still. It might be something to consider if you are going to use your lightning form in any kind of fighting." I tell her, thinking of how she initially used that form against Salahma.

"Hm, I guess. It does keep a lot of threats away from me. And, from what I have learned back at Vadei's village. It can do quite well against weaker foes by simple contact." she recalls which in turn makes me frown. I did not want to remember that hive if I was being honest...

"And you could do that a lot better if you, spread yourself out if that somehow makes sense." I tell her before getting confused by my own words. Was I advising her to explode like she did just now...?

"I think I get what you mean, but let's focus on finding Baltanthan now." she says just as we cross into the lands of the main student population. And, the reception was a mixed one. Some were eyeing Einervaene just fine while my face garnered only disgust. It bothered me still, but, it was getting easier to tolerate.

"We're going to be finding him for a while..." I comment as I look down the many roads this place had. Dorm building after dorm building as far as the eye could see. In fact, there were so many the academy gave this place a unique luxury... Having its own shops and other essentials right on-site...

"No, we won't because I made sure to remember which number his dorm is." Einervaene tells me with a smile before she runs ahead onto a path. I, however, kept on walking on the relatively quiet road. And while she was getting lost in the trees and porch gardens, I looked at the paving. Smooth, grey stones of varying shapes in an almost random pattern.

"So why do you remember this?" I asked her once she stopped at a dorm that I did not remember at all. Probably because it was just like all the others with a few exceptions. Not that these exceptions were particularly helpful, mind.

"How do you not? He's our friend, we should remember where he lives for the time being." she exclaims as if I had done something wrong before she puts her stuff down. A quick succession of knocks came right afterwards.

"Coming!" I heard someone say behind the door before a scream came out of it when it opened.

"Ah, that brings back memories." I joked before I frowned to express the hurt I was feeling. I was trying to make light of the bother it brought, but, sometimes, I just couldn't. No rhyme or reason to it, it just happened sometimes.

"Is Baltanthan in?" Einervaene asked. Clearly ignoring what had just happened before the door had been abandoned. And, yet, despite how easy it would be for us to walk in... She kept us outside waiting.

Stop being polite just this once woman...

"Oh, hello you two." the man in question said as he came by the door with a mug in hand.

"We've been gone for a couple of months and all you have to say is that!?" Einervaene let out in shock.

Baltanthan then went quiet before he took a sip from the mug, "Was I suppose to know you had been somewhere?" he asked with echoed words.

"Yes!" was all Einervaene had to say.

"Oh, okay. Nice to see that you're back, then." Baltanthan said with an uncaring tone before he walked away from the door.

But, because we had not been invited in, "Can we come in?" the annoyance before me asked.

"Did I not just let you...?" he questioned before he rolled his eyes. And, once Einervaene got inside, I followed suit. Closing the door behind me and I rolled my eyes as I heard the panic from upstairs.

"So, how you been?" I asked after dropping down into a chair while Einervaene sorted out her stuff.

"Not much to say, been doing my classes and working on my magic." he answers as his gaze turns towards several jars of various metal nicknacks. Some rusty, others not.

"Surely you're doing something else? You look exhausted." I commented when I got a better look at the shadows under his eyes. But, all he had for me was a shrug.

"I've been running on empty for a short while now, getting prepared for the Inter-House Talent Display takes a lot out of you." he tells me before he rubs his eyes. With his gaze briefly looking at Einervaene's growing mess before it went back to me.

"What was that again?" I asked as my mind had lost some details about this place. And, who could blame me? I have been on an adventure, after all.

"Combat tournament for those who apply from any house but Mechanical House." he clarifies.

"Oh, that could be fun." I say to Einervaene just as she finishes up making a mess of the table.

"So why did you two come on by?" our exhausted host asked as he picked up a piece of metal. Before he dropped it all of a sudden as his trembling grip wasn't the best.

Then, when Einervaene came back up with the dropped item, "I wanted to hear your thoughts regarding my outfit and how I could improve it."

"Improve it how, exactly? As you can probably see, mine is not much." he reminds us as he gestures to the simple, dull blue tunic he had on. He then threw his thumb behind him and gestured to what appeared to be leather armour. But, it was probably just a carrying frame or something. Like a tradesman might wear so he could carry his tools on his person.

"I'm not looking for a professional opinion, I just want a friend's opinion."

"Friends?" was what Baltanthan chose to focus on before he scoffed.

"Is there a problem with that?" Einervaene questioned as a cute glare started to form.

"I dunno, just thought I'd have to do a bit more than just clean pots with someone for a few weeks." he quickly chuckled out which also got a smirk from me.

"Hey, come on, we did some hunting."

"You did some hunting, I just tagged along." he reminded me before I smiled at the bloody memories. And the ones that caused us other issues... In hindsight, it was only amusing, even if it wasn't at the time.

"Anyway..." Einervaene loudly said before she pushed some items towards him, "What do you think looks best?"

"Just the colours?" he asked as he stared at the frame near Einervaene's boobs.

"Hey, eyes off my pair." I joked, hoping it would get something from Einervaene.

"Yeah, they're hi-" she began to say before she turned redfaced. And I started to howl with laughter as a pout was directed at me.

"Shut up." Baltanthan said to me before he picked one of the metal samples up. And, this time, he did not drop it and his grip did not tremble. So, I guess he wasn't trying to use his magic.

"W-Well?" Einervaene asked with a still red face as her gaze kept going back to me. All the while, her hands visibly twitched by her sides. Though, one of them quickly went near her face so she could hide it partially.

This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

Baltanthan's hands then came together and then parted, "Is there something wrong with your current attire?"

"No... I just wanted to improve it, so I thought I see if anyone wanted to see a new colour scheme..." Einervaene mumbled with barely understandable coherence.

"Right. So, just stick with it, then? You don't look ridiculous if a little... Slutty." Baltanthan said with no real restraint. Even if he did roll that word in his mouth before saying it. Not that it mattered, the fact I struggled to hold in my laugh got the blame put on me.

"Quiet!" Einervaene snapped as her blush came back in full force. But, it was hard to take her seriously as I just enjoyed seeing her embarrassed.

"But, yeah, I have no issues with it so make the choice on your own." he then said as he stared into his likely empty mug. And he put it down once he had decided it wasn't worth getting the last few drops out.

"Right..." Einervaene started with as she sat down, "So you have no problems with the way I look?" she then asked.

"No, but I also don't really care." he told her with a half-hearted shrug.

"I was hoping for something more than just..." Einervaene said with a sigh. However, how she was expecting something more baffled me. Baltanthan never really had much to say when we travelled with him. So he was never going to comment much on her attire.

"Look, I can't offer you the advice you want. You'll need to consult someone from Mechanical House regarding the features of your attire. However, you look fine. Beautiful even. So stop worrying about it." he said before he got up and went to fill up his mug again.

"Okay." Einervaene said with a small smile before she packed up her things. I then took this as the cue to get moving as we had done what she wanted. We got Baltanthan's non-existent feedback. Mission accomplished.

"So that battle thing, where can you find information about it." I asked Baltanthan as we started to leave.

"Anywhere really, it's one of Suhurlodst Academy of Arcane Learning and Understanding's biggest events. It's playing on the speakers and it has its own building in the middle bit of the academy grounds." he explains before he takes hold of the door as I stop in the frame.

"A building for the event or information?" I asked as knowing this place, it could of actually meant a giant arena. In fact, I am pretty sure I might of had my shell cracked over and over in it. And just thinking of that moment made my body heat up with anger. It was perhaps one of the most embarrassing moments I have had since I was introduced to the school...

"Information, obviously." Baltanthan clarifies with a roll of his eyes.

"Well, see you then."

"W-Wait... You're taking part?" he asked me before I reached the last step.

"I haven't decided. But, recent events have left me eager to do something." I tell him, and, I was not referring to my recent adventure. I was on about how bored I was in that limp-wristed punishment me and Vadei received.

"Nin!?" Einervaene called back when it became clear my lingering had put some distance between us.

"So, yeah, see you." I told Baltanthan before I waved at him.

But, I stopped when it became clear he was going to say something, "Now, if you do choose to take part. Just know I am going to make sure you know just how powerful my time here as made me... I want you to see the results of your choice." he dramatically threatened.

I cocked a brow and smirked, "I could punch you through that wall and blow up your dorm right here right now. So you better have learned something good." I joke before a walk away sniggering. At first, I moved slowly, hoping I'd hear something from him. But, he had nothing to say and all I heard was the door close.

"What were you talking about?" the still smiling woman asked me as she looked up to meet my gaze.

"Tournament of some kind. So I'll be heading to one of the buildings in the middle bit to try and get some information regarding it." I explain to her, initially trying to look out towards said section of the academy. But, due to how many dorm buildings there were here, I could not see them. I only saw more parts of this never-ending city of students.

"Why would such a thing interest you?" Einervaene asked me with a tone full of disgust.

"It might help me figure out my magic."

"You can do that without resorting to such barbarity." she scoffs as her gaze moves away from me.

"Don't you come from a land where a garden is a sign of wealth...?" I questioned with a raised brow after figuring out her thoughts.

"What does that have to do with anything?" she asked me with her offended stare bringing us to a halt.

"Well, if something so simple is hard to get, fights are surely a common thing, no? You'd have warfare baked into you." I reason as I remember some of the information I learned while I was human. How some city-states went to war over a few farms or the rights over one of the twin rivers.

"We have duels, but those are ordered, structured events soaked in a millenia-old culture!" she tells me as if those things really mattered.

"You are getting oddly worked up over this..." I let out quietly as I watched her expression. How it flared up alongside her tone and how her posture went rigid...

"I just don't like fighting, alright!?" she loudly clarified, drawing much attention from those near us. Yet, even then, I was confused and concerned. There was clearly more to this sudden sour mood.

So I made sure she was still willing to move and I took her somewhere quieter. Just so the onlookers would not trigger any kind of embarrassment. And, when I found us a quiet spot under a tree, I freed up her hands. I made her sit down and I did to.

"Is something wrong?" I asked her as I kept a claw on her stuff so she wouldn't try walking out of this. Not that it might do anything as this was just sample materials... But, hopefully, Einervaene was too thoughtful to just leave it with me.

"I... I don't like the idea of it, that's all..." she quietly answered while looking down at the tips of her boots.

"Any particular reason why?" I asked, hoping to get a little more to work with. As, if I could get a reason, I could discuss it with her. Not that I needed to as she did not decide if I could enter it. But, she was my friend, so I should at least try and help.

"You don't need to know..." she told me before she crossed her arms and sighed. And, I guess that was it. It was far too personal for her to be let out easily.

So, I sighed myself and drummed my claws on my legs, "Okay... Are we going to return this, then?" I asked, making it clear the topic was being changed.

.

.

.

"Ugh, humans." I growled quietly to myself whilst clutching my talisman as I walked back to our home. Or, dormitory as I have been told it is called... Nin had been insistent that I walk on my own to lessons after the first few days despite my justified protests. We had already spoken to the strange, always-noting human about the special conditions.

But, I still did not like it. I was so exposed to so many of these foul creatures and all I had was a talisman I barely understood. I had been practising with it, this place was apparently entirely built for this kind of thing. And, that at least made it enjoyable when it was a quiet affair.

There was so much technology here I was familiar with and some I was not. They had small, controlled pockets of reality casually available to such casual rabble... Foreign magic was integrated into some of this tech as well! So I could at least try and figure it out.

However, no one seemed to be able to figure out what my talisman did. And because of how special it was, it meant a lot more humans like those in the mountain were around... I hated it, it made me incomprehensibly uncomfortable. I couldn't even be near them without feeling a sense of terror build up inside me.

"Liada! Liada!" the blue-haired one called out as she danced up to me. Unfortunately, she was excluded from the rule most of this place had to follow. And, to my joy, I got to hear how much effort they put into enforcing that rule. Apparently, an entire 'club' had been shut down because they kept trying to avoid it.

"What do you want?" I asked her, borderline snapping the question out while I kept up my pace. I hoped she would take the hint and leave me be.

"I wanted to know what you have done today and tell you what I have done!" she sang out before while also bringing me to a halt. She had danced straight into where I was walking and it made me jump with fright.

"Don't do that!" I growled before I regained my prior posture. A hand also went to one of my breasts as well when it began to itch. It was nearing that time of day when Nin was meant to help me. Which, thankfully, he was willing to keep on doing as I refused the help of this place.

"So, so, so, so? What have you done?" she asks me with a bright, welcoming smile. Yet, even her attempts to make me warm up to her did nothing. After all, she was still a human... A vile, cruel people.

Which, unfortunately, Nin seems to be on the receiving end of here. They might have been forced to stay away from me, but I could still hear them. All sorts of horrible things were said about him with open tones. How he stood for it, I could not fathom.

I did not have the patience to handle humans, sure. But how could he tolerate such behaviour? He was mighty and strong, he should be putting them in place! Not walking around them like a scared child!

"Hello? Anyone home?" the annoyance asked me as she got up in my face, interrupting my thoughts.

"If I answer your questions will you leave me alone!?" I demanded to know before another human came near me.

"She will if I ask her to." this one said with a tone that scared the annoying one off.

"Thank you." I begrudgingly let out as I came to terms with the fact she and I were on the same path.

"Don't mind her, she's just being friendly." she tells me as if I could not figure it out myself. Many things were beautiful so they could kill, after all...

"Then she can be friendly to someone who doesn't hate being near her."

"Wow, someone hates her?" she lets out, surprised that I had such an opinion of her.

"I hate all of you humans." I growl as I try to put some space between me and her.

"You can't seriously be this prejudiced given how different everyone is?" she argues as if it mattered. It did not, the scientists that tortured me were also different. Some were confident, others spineless. Many of their soldiers were like that too. All different, but, the same when I killed them.

"Can you not see the evidence of what your kind has done to me?" I asked her as I showed off the swelling in my breasts. They were big, naturally, but, they had been bloated far beyond their actual size by the injuries.

"My kind? So, what, you were enslaved by someone in the Grand-Kingdom?" she asked me as her hand did a familiar movement.

"Grand-Kingdom...?" I asked as I had never heard that word used when Tobaballe was mentioned. I was familiar with what a kingdom was, our stories mentioned them. But the scientists never once said anything about it. It was always Tobaballe on its own!

"Exactly, see! You don't know the half of it." she calmly told me before her posture relaxed.

"I know enough!" I snorted in challenge.

"No, I am sorry, but you don't." she said before she sat me down. A gesture that scared me as being here had made me more able to understand magic. I did not have a good grasp of it, yet, but I could now start to grasp how powerful the others were. It helped me respect Nin and cautioned me around everyone else.

"And I suppose now you'll prove me wrong, hm?" I asked her, trying to keep up the aggression. As I was hoping it would make her go away. It worked on some as they just did not like rude people. But, I could hardly care about rudeness when it came to humans.

"Has my sister ever wronged you?" she asked me after she had flattened her skirt over her knees.

"No... But..."

"Has her friend, Einervaene, ever harmed you?"

"She's provoked me..."

"No, she's given you a taste of what you have given her." she corrected me with, somehow. She was not there during our travels, so how would she even know that!?

"What's your point!?" I asked the light-blue haired human.

"Stop trying to prove something that doesn't exist. You are not with the people who hurt you, Liadanann."

"You just don't get it..." I mumbled as I started to feel uncomfortable for a different reason.

"I'm a foreigner living temporarily in a land not my own, one that does not have a good view of my people. Trust me, if you are nice to people, you won't see what scars you from them."

And, when I heard that, I got up and walked away, "As if that compares at all..." I muttered as I went ahead on my own. And, yet, I found myself thinking about her words before I got back to the dormitory. So, with growing frustration, I moved into Nin's room.

What does she know? What does she know at all!? I was completely justified in how I acted here... They were followers of a god who tried to destroy mine for the crime of defending his own...

"How're you doing?" a hearty voice asked me as it became clear to me that I had left the door open. Yet, despite this mistake, he did not enter the room.

"Go away..." I told him as a snarl came to my face.

"You don't have to worry, I can't even fit through the door, Ishea." he laughed out as he showed off how fat he was. And, in a way, I was entranced by it. Only the most powerful of our insignificant people were fat. Even then, they could not compare to how big this human was...

It made me envious, for our people had to be the very peak of political power to afford such feasting. Yet, here there was a simple, joyous human who was well-fed because he wanted to be. He didn't have to go days without eating because he couldn't find a safe place to settle down. He didn't have to go weeks without eating because magic was doing something to their body...

"It is an impressive gut, is it not?" he asked me before his chuckling sent ripples throughout his covered up body.

"I told you to leave..." I then reminded him before I tried to occupy myself with something else.

"You're hungry, aren't you?" he asked me all of a sudden with a serious tone.

"I'm not." I answer as I hold my empty, but not rumbling stomach. We ate to get the magic inside of our food, that is what the teachers here told me. And, because I was never a magic-user before... All this magic in the air was feeding me just fine.

"You are. Your stomach is empty and your tongue is bland and barren." he said as he stepped away from the door, gesturing the whole time.

"I'm not coming with you." I said to him with an aggressive snarl.

"Even if you choose not to come now, you will come with me soon." he commented with a knowing smile before he walked off down the hall. And, with some cautious curiosity, I moved towards the door to see where he had gone. Then, when I saw him again, he was coming back with a small box in his hands.

I looked into his eyes before saying anything, "What do you want...?" I cautiously asked as he smiled wide.

"I listened well when you first came here. And I have acquired you the materials for a banquet!" he cheered before he flicked the hook on the ornate box around. And, when he revealed its contents, I felt my mouth water. Because within it was a jar of golden flakes... At least, I hoped so, I could only tell so much when it was inside of a jar...

"T-This is for m-me?" I asked nervously as my body screamed to eat the precious metal.

"I've been learning what I can, and I think I can cook you a meal that suits you." he informed me before he suddenly shut the box.

"What's the condition?" I asked him with a growl as such behaviour only meant one thing.

"Ishea, I want you to join me outside for a meal amongst friends!" he enthusiastically cheered with a pump of his fists.

"No." I firmly told him as the mere mention of others put some spine back into me. But, all that did was elicit a smirk from him before he blew a cloud of something into my face. It was finely powdered gold and I could taste its sweet purity... It was almost like I was putting on a show when I started to breathe it all in.

"Come, more awaits you amongst the revelry!" he reminded me before he started to go down the stairs. And with each banging step, the sound got slightly quieter. A consistent reminder of how close I was to missing out on a meal I would enjoy and savour.

"W-Wait!" I ordered him, growling with displeasure as I looked at his confident smile.

"Ishea, I am an impatient man, you'll need to move." he told me with a coy smirk before he disappeared.

"I said wait!" I said again as I chased after him until I got near him. And, when I did, I followed him like a lost child. Then, with hesitation, I knelt down on the blanket that was spread out by a small clay kiln dug into the dirt.

"Now, I will need you to wait while I get the rest of the delicacies I shall be preparing." he said with childlike glee before he practically bounced back into the dormitory. However, before he got back out, the two from earlier came around and sat.

"Ooooo, Liada is outside! She's outside on her own!" the annoying one cheered as she rocked back and forth on the ground.

"Quiet!" the ignorant one demanded before ice scared the other off.

"What do you want?" I asked the pair once they were done messing about.

"Ombbo said he was making us dinner!" the annoying one happily informed me before she fell down onto her back.

"Right... Amongst, friends..." I bitterly said as I was reminded of what the fat one had stated. This was meant to be a meal for others with my tastes primarily in mind...

"Ah, wonderful! I have found another one too!" the fat one declared loudly as he came outside holding another human hostage.

"Let go." this human with demanded as he was pushed over and over by eager palms. Then, upon gaining his freedom, he wasted it by coming down to the floor. He crossed his legs and leaned forwards on one of his knees.

"Now, let us start." the fat one said with a soft smile before his sudden drop made me nearly fly up. Not because I was scared, but because he hit the ground with that much force! Then, he revealed the gold once again and unveiled that the kiln was in fact in use. For a strong, meaty smell wafted into my nose through the steam that was unleashed by the moved kiln top.

"Smells good, Ombbo!" the annoying one complimented as she started to use her magic to manipulate the steam slightly. And the other woman did something similar, only she turned it against the annoying one. And it nearly got me to laugh as I enjoyed seeing the annoying one pestered in turn.

"So she can smile without the bug." the recently taken hostage one commented before some water was squirted at him.

"Don't be so rude!" the annoying one chastised him with as her fingertip was flicked dry.

"Do that again and I'll hunt you, Harlot." the soaked one threatened with a straight face before he leaned backwards.

"Not when you blind yourself on your own, silly." she said with a laugh before the man displayed a crack in his apathetic facade.

"Friends, let us not fight like this, it is nearly done." the fat one said as he intervened to stop the bickering. Then, I saw it happen, I saw him use the gold powder in whatever this food was. I saw the dark, reddish-brown liquid take on a sparkle-like quality. With fine lines of golden powder forming amidst the steamy broth.

"Is it done!?" I impatiently asked as the food started to smell better than before.

"Not until all are gathered." he told me before he closed his eyes and breathed slowly. His right hand slowly rotated as well with a subtle, ruby glow surrounding it. The ground cooled down shortly after, so it was obvious what he had done.

"But there's no one else here!" the annoying one cried before rustling was heard behind me.

"I guess eating counts as something to do." Vadei said as she came crawling towards us with her nose held high. And, when she sat near me, the swishing of her tail calmed me. Because it was a reminder of what she wasn't. Even if her face might have fooled my instincts.

"Where's Nin?" the annoying one asked her as she flipped herself over the sealed up food. A dull thud marked her landing once she was done risking our meal.

"I don't know, I left him earlier as I was bored." Vadei told her, which in turn left me distressed as that meant he was a while away. I felt like he was doing it intentionally... He thought he was helping me by making me get used to the humans. But, he wasn't, he really wasn't...

"Oh, that's no good, then. Can't you find him, soft-tailed beauty?" he asked with charming kindness as his large body began to move.

"I could, but I don't want to."

"Then this smell you feel will never be tasted." he told her which made her reverse her tone very quickly.

"Fine!" Vadei let out in despair before she got up. Hands were then offered to me, much to my surprise.

"I'm not going out there!" I said to the pair as I recoiled away from their extended palms.

"The commotion you cause will grab his attention, so come on." Vadei told me as she took my hand and used her greater strength to pull me up. Yet, she stopped moving and smiled up at me when she got me to my feet.

"What are you smiling about?" I asked her as a sneer started to form.

"Nothing at all." she answered with a dishonest smirk before we headed out into the greater school.

"Now, you'll have to pardon our harsh plan, but, making yourself known will help him come to the table." the fat one said as he made referential gestures to how everyone else was viewing me as a curiosity. It made me uncomfortable, and, for once, I sought safety amongst these two.

"I'm not going to embarrass myself..." I warn just in case he wanted to be inspired by the annoying one. She always seemed to have obsessively out-there ideas in my experience...

"You don't need to, you just need to work your popularity."

"What popularity!?" I demanded to know as the fervour I have been seeing was not popularity. It was the greed of knowledge-seekers.

"A new species is discovered! One found in a distant land beyond the edge of the continent! Ishea, you are a curiosity worth more than all the gold in that distant city of clocks!" he told me with rambunctious applause before he swung an arm towards the distant city.

"And I wish I wasn't..." I mumbled before a feeling of safety washed over me.

"Oh lo, lo, lo, what is this?" Nin asked as he opened his mouth wide to yawn. And, when I saw him, I rushed towards him and held him to encourage him to hold me. I wasn't even doing it to annoy the one next to him which was often the case. I just wanted to hold him and feel some familiarity in an otherwise uncomfortable day.

"Well, that easy." Vadei said before she turned around on her heels.

"You don't often come by with each other, what's going on?" my rival for Nin's affection asked as she stepped forward.

"I have prepared the lshea a meal amongst friends, but the two who were missing are now back!" the fat one cheered as he took Nin's hand and tried to snap it off.

"Bit early for food, but, if it helps Liada here." Nin said as he combed his claws through my hair. A gesture that was soothing and relaxing despite the place we were at.

"Nonsense! It is never too early for a meal with friends!" the fat one said before his pat on the back sent Nin stumbling forward into me. And, as such, I was soon looking up at him after having fallen onto the floor. A blush was growing on my face but also a cocky smile as I had also annoyed the copper-haired one.

"Cut it out, both of you." she grumbled while looking away.

"Oh, nearly grabbing your tit reminds me, Liada, I still need to help you with your injuries, don't I?" Nin then asked me to which I nodded and laughed as his words annoyed the other one even more.

"Haha! I love you lot!" the fat one guffawed as he casually brought us both back up to our feet. And I only got back up because Nin's arms suddenly wrapped around me when he was picked up. Then, when we were back on our feet, I sighed happily against Nin as he made me feel safe. After all, he was the one who got me out of that place...

A place he was somehow from... It made no sense, but, the words of my eternal Lord, Iderim-Ovi said it was true. I just didn't get how Nin was nothing alike them. And, the more I thought about that detail, the more I thought on the words of the ignorant one.

"Come on, Liada, focus." Nin said as he gently tapped my face. And when I regained awareness of the world around me. I looked slightly up at his face before nodding. The way back wasn't much out of the ordinary, I stayed close to him and that was fine.

Then, when we finally got back to the spot everyone had gathered at, I sat down again. This time, between my saviour and his friend, Vadei. It was a better situation than last time, but it was still one I wanted out of. Even if I was willing to tolerate it just for a taste of that gold-spiced broth...

"Wonderful, everyone is here." the fat one chuckled out before he revealed the kiln's contents once again. And, I smiled when I smelled the scent it gave off once again. It was something I had missed dearly, the humans from Tobaballe not knowing what I ate... Not that they intentionally fed me anyway.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Nin asked me the moment I started to violent gag at the memories I just remembered.

"N-Nothing..." I quietly muttered as an answer before I rested my emotionally tired body against him.

"She may have not said it, but, I know what bothers her." the fat one said as if he had any idea about what I was thinking. And, mere moments after he said that, he presented me with a bowl. A reddish liquid rested on the inside. One that contained many lumps of meat and some veg...

But, what drew my attention the most was the golden lines in the broth. And, on top, unlike what the rest had, I had a small pile of powdered gold. Mostly untouched by the rest of the contents of the bowl. The sight and smell of the precious metal was driving me borderline crazy.

Yet, I was hesitant to taste the food as everyone was watching me. Some of them were smiling or making silly faces. The one with shining skin was just not interested. And, the one who cooked this food looked at me with an expression of utter severity.

"Go on, nothing is wrong with it." Nin whispered softly into my ears before his jaws quietly chittered against my head. It was a relaxing sensation. And, as he helped me calm down, I felt a peculiar warmth coming from the bowl. It was inviting me in...

Then, I picked up my spoon, and I stuttered before I moved it near my mouth. And the spoon rested in my mouth for a few moments before I started to become upset. Somehow, this fat human, this gluttonous, greedy human and made me feel nostalgic. It was just like my Nan's special soup in a way...

"I think she likes it." Nin comments to the fat one whose serious expression made way for obnoxious joy.

"Wonderful! Eat everyone!" he asked of the others as I lost myself in the meal I had been given. I even avoided chewing on the spoon as I just wanted to feel the flavour drown my tongue. But, all good things must come to an end. And I was soon out of this delicious food.

"Uhm... C-Can..." I struggled to say as I was just expecting a denial from the start.

"Of course, lseha! Eat til your heart can cry no more!" he cheered as he took my bowl and skillfully refilled it without wasting a single drop. And, despite how large and flabby his arms were, he somehow snuck in another sprinkling of gold powder.

"Feels weird having metallic food..." the annoying one commented before I snapped my gaze towards her.

"You just don't know good food when you see it." I snapped at her before I retreated into Nin's embrace to eat. He, however, denied any food offered to him and just held on to me. To my annoyance, however, he was using this moment to feed magic into my injured body. He wasn't even doing it properly, we had a way of doing this!

"Stop it..." I moaned to him quietly, knowingly smiling at what this meant for me. But, he just smirked back and kept it up, much to my disappointment.

"Oh, randomly remembered it, but, any of you lot interested in this?" Nin said and asked before he produced a piece of stone. I could not read it yet, but, I was starting to learn this language. Yet, it came a bit late as now I was no longer helping with the airship.

"Not this again..." the rival muttered before she got up and left abruptly. Much to the confusion of everyone else.

"The Inter-House... Hm, a place to test your skills as a hunter?" the one with shining skin asked as he suddenly took an interest in what was around him.

"Isn't that the big fight thing where everyone goes kabow!" the annoying one said with a loud noise at the end with her also mock fighting.

"Oh, that, I've already signed up." the fat one commented, much to the surprise of those who were with me on the way here to this school.

"They... Let you in?" Nin asked in confusion as he looked the fat man up and down.

He then chuckled, "Indeed they did, I have trained long and hard to prepare myself for the day such an event would happen!"

"But I've never seen you anything other than eat...?" the ignorant one commented.

"Then you still have much to learn from me, Tiyanat." he told her with a smile, much to the other's embarrassment.

"Tiya, how have you learned things from him but never seen him train!?" the annoying one asked the one with the freshly red face. A tone that only got darker after the question was asked.

"You shut up!" she nearly shouted, but it only made her situation worse as her red face only got worse and worse.

"So what is it?" I decided to ask Nin as the stone tablet was passed about. Its details were discussed seriously and trivially in a matter of moments.

"It's a tournament, uh... In a way... A more professional version of what we did when we met..." Nin started to explain fine at first before he started speaking in whispers.

"I see..." I muttered before I remembered the words of one near me, "But, it's different, isn't it?" I asked.

"It is indeed, under the cheering crowds and amidst your equals and betters seeking glorious combat and the fruits of honour!" the fat one answered in Nin's placed with a raised fist.

"Someone's enthusiastic for a bit of violence." the annoying one said with a squeaky voice before her mouth got covered and frozen over. And, thankfully, that gesture sent her running off in search of warmth. To my amazement, as well, she did not think to use the food or heated kiln to do so...

"Do remember where he's from, Larishazza." the one who had sent her running away snapped before she shook her head as her gaze returned to us.

"So where are you from?" Vadei asked as she started to carefully inspect how different the fat one was from the other humans. And, admittedly, I wasn't blind enough to assume they all looked the same. I could see how they all had different tones of skin, hair and casual mannerisms.

The fat one's following laughter, however, meant another would answer, "He's from Errakur. The Land of Eternal War, deepest of all the great peoples. Rulers of Fire and core-bound." the one with shining skin answered with a form of reverence.

"Oh, Quinshuu, don't say it like that." the fat one laughed out before he scruffled the hair of his shorter friend. At least, I assumed they were friends, the fat one had specified what this little event was.

"Would I be allowed to participate?" I asked. But, it made everyone quiet when I asked that. Even the annoying one stopped what she was doing to look at me. Admittedly, this sudden change of tone bothered me. Was there an issue I was about to be made aware of?

"Uh, Liada... Uh..." Nin stuttered out as one of his claws tapped against the earth below.

"You are weak, rare one, you would achieve nothing but your death." the one with shining skin told me as his eyes began to glow. In fact, this behaviour seemed to spread to everyone but Nin. A silent lesson...

"I would not die... My Lord would not allow it..." I mumbled as a counter, clutching my precious, holy relic tightly. My Lord, the Lord of the Ddrai'och would not allow one of his dwindling people to die. He was free now, free to protect us like the days before the Thunder Extinction.

"Leshea, faith in the gods will not protect you from scorching fire or shredding winds." the fat one ignorantly tried to inform me with. But, he was wrong, my talisman, His talisman, it could keep me safe from Nin's power. And I have seen first hand just how powerful Nin is, there's no way my talisman would fail.

"Okay, hold on for a moment. Can I speak to you in private?" Nin said to me before he took me away from the others. Then, when we got back inside the dormitory, I decided to let out my conviction.

"I could do it, Nin. I could prove myself!" I told him as I clutched the talisman.

"Prove yourself? Prove yourself to who?" he asked me, completely confused by what I thought was an obvious meaning.

"You! The one who saved me from that... I will also prove it to myself! That we ddrai'och are not forever cursed to run from the world!" I clearly said to him with a raised head and straightened back.

"I know I can't stop you unless I can convince you, Liadanann. But, I need to make sure you understand this. I have never done this tournament before, just to be clear. But, regardless, you are weak. Your magic is barely there to the point Vadei is able to casually overpower you!" he spoke with a raised, firm tone.

But, as I looked at a tool on a table, I was reminded of something, "I maybe weak physically, but what did our ancestors do when they found an obstacle they could not overpower?"

"Run away!?"

"No, they built something that could make them win." I confidently reminded him as I clutched the talisman that could be utilised in so many ways.