"So that is Nin's home?" I idly asked no one in particular whilst leaning towards the glass. Longingly touching the glass as I worried for my friend and where he might be. And, while I looked at the distant city. I tried to think of what might be there that makes my friend so reckless.

I could understand if he had a family there that he cared deeply for, but I couldn't see that being the case. Nin was peculiar compared to most of the people I knew, he was very cynical with friends. Sure, I have met and known many cynical people, those who have lost hope or are shown mostly the bad. But Nin was slightly different, it was as if he was raised like that, to not value friendship...

How someone could do that, I could not figure out. Every year we had an entire month dedicated to celebrating our friendships! Every year we paid homage to the God of Friendship, Undwote, and we honoured our friends. So how could Nin have been raised to be so paranoid of close relationships?

It did not make much sense, but, then again, a close friend just running off didn't make much sense either. Neither did my circumstances either if you thought about it. But, I never did like thinking about that sort of stuff. Not outside of the moments I was doing it, anyway.

"Hey, it does look like a birdcage." Einervaene then said as she came close to me and commented on its shape.

"Nin has mentioned that?" I asked her upon turning to face her.

"Yeah, back near when I first met him. Not long after I found out about his... Condition. We talked about our homes. And, well, he told me to think of a birdcage to get an idea of its shape." she explained as she sat down on a chair. Meanwhile, I was on the top of the machines she was in front of. My legs crossed over into a squarish shape.

"Did he mention much else?"

"If he did... I can't remember. But, now is a good chance to remember it, no?" she initially sighed out before awkwardly laughing at the end. I smiled at her like I often did and went along with it.

"Make sure you learn a lot, then. Because I will be bringing Nin back quicker than you can turn into lightning and meet the clouds." I then told her as I turned back towards the glass.

"Yeah, maybe I can even find some of the things Nin has worked on. He has said he was a wall-engraver or something."

"Yes, he has said something along those lines. An artist in all but name." I said while nodding.

"But, what if you can't find Nin before me and Vadei are done with finding her sister and the others... Should I turn back and help you?"

"No, don't worry about me. I will find him. I will find my friend..." I tell her before looking down at my palms. Looking deep into all of the lines on my palms as I started to go quiet.

"He's not just your friend." she then told me sternly, something that saw my head turn to her again.

"A... You... You are right, Einervaene." I said while looking up and down her body. A sigh then left me once more.

"If you want to try and find him on your own, fine. But, he's not just your friend. Not just mine. He is a friend to all of us. Mine, yours, Vadei's. And, of course, everyone else who is not here right now. So, please, Larishazza, if you can't find him, let me help. Two people is always better than one." she explained to me after getting up and putting a hand on me. A hand I intently stared at as she said what she did.

"Your offer is appreciated..." I, for some reason, reluctantly let out before I put my hand on her wrist. Soon holding her hand in mine whilst she smiled at me. A smile I would return for the time being.

"Alright, you two, can you come over here, please?" Vadei then asked from the other side of the room.

"Okay, just give me a moment." I said to her with a smile as I slowly uncrossed my legs. Intentionally falling on to Einervaene as she walked off in order to get a laugh.

"Walk there on your own!" she laughed out as I lazily clung to her before falling to the floor. A floor I did not move from yet still giggled on.

"I can't!" I joked to her.

"Yes, yes you can." she then said as she gently kicked a bit of lightning into me. Something I reacted to exaggeratively in order to get more laughs to come from them. And, as I came to a stop, I leaned on Vadei's chair to see if what she was looking at concerned me. It did not, she was just looking at some numbers and other things, a little picture of her daddy in the corner.

"So, what do you want to talk about?" I asked once Einervaene had arrived in the space around the chair.

"The plan of entry." Vadei quickly answered as a large screen appeared. One filled with soldiers, scientists, workers and other things. Lots of machines with guns, lots of men with guns and lots of guns on their own.

"Your handiwork?" Einervaene asked as her eyes focused on the large craters along the path to the lonely wall.

"It is, and, by the looks of it, they've taken it very seriously."

"Is this going to be an issue? None of these weapons are magical, are they?" I then asked, just in case. I know this is meant to be magic-less land, but still, I didn't want to be reckless.

"Some might be, but, I have no idea how dangerous they are. It's not magic like you can do, it's just magical materials. Thunder-gold specifically." Vadei tried to explain before she got Einervaene's attention.

"They can refine thunder-gold?" she asked in disbelief.

"No. We trade her and it. They give us no magic." Heiya's daddy explained as he came in out of nowhere. A man whose presence and words quickly made me foul of mood.

"Oh..." Einervaene let out as she became disappointed...?

"Well, thank you for the explanation, now go!" Vadei then snapped at the man who walked away towards the front of the bridge. HIs little hands soon tapped away at one of the machines as he went on with his business.

"So the point is, some of their weapons might be able to hurt us?" I then questioned while frowning. I was hoping to just get in and out of the city and move on to the countryside. But if they had weapons that could injure me or Nin then this is a lot more complicated.

"I think the main concern is more along the lines of, they can hurt Nin if they wanted. As I said and showed, he flushed all his magic out in one big go. There's no certainty that he is strong enough to survive these weapons right now. Not until we can give him some magic." she explained as one of her nails lingered near her teeth.

"What about how common they are, do the people with these weapons stand out?"

"They do, actually!" Vadei said with some cheer as she began to mess with the screen before us.

"The ones with glowing hands?" Einervaene asked while she pointed at the picture we were now shown.

"Yes, those are the ones with magic capabilities as far as I know. 'Goldhands' is what Nin calls them." Vadei answered as another screen came up. One that showed off magic signatures by the looks of it. And, indeed, these goldhands did show up slightly on it. Just barely, however.

"Alright, we just slap them out the way." I then casually commented as we could all see how weak they clearly were. In comparison to us, anyhow.

"You say that, but, we'll all be working under the restraint of not using our magic."

"You've saved most of them, no? Surely magic is somewhat okay to use now?" I asked while staring at the troops in our way. Those who would try and stop me from finding my friend and bringing him back.

"Yes, but I still have some I still need to save, and, I don't think Nin will be particularly appreciative if we blow up his home!" Vadei explains loudly to which I nod in embarrassment. It was a very careless suggestion for me to make...

"So we just need to mostly ignore all the guards and soldiers and vehicles and pretty much everything?" Einervaene asked after she listed off most of the obstacles that could shoot at us.

"That is the case, it would seem. I know we can use magic to some extent, I did to save most of my family. But, you two are much stronger than me. There's no guarantee you'll be able to be as... Subtle, as I was." Vadei tried to explain before she slowed down at the end. She was clearly aware of the irony of her last few words.

"Then we drop down before the city and practise a bit?" I then offered to her.

"No, we need to do this quickly. In and out and then we can get moving once more..." Vadei nervously declared while looking at the small picture of her daddy. Something I couldn't take my eyes off as my slowness might lose me a friend... And, that was something I was unwilling to accept.

"Then we best get going, I want to go back to Suhurlodst with all my friends." I told the pair as I began to walk off towards the airship's railings. Waiting for them to follow me to the outside and join me in the breeze.

"At least let me lower the AIR-" Vadei began to explain before I grabbed her and leapt off the airship. Laughing wildly as she screamed maniacally in my arms. Arms flailing about as she screamed and screamed until she went quiet. A large arcane explosion then suddenly erupted around us with my magic keeping her safe from it.

"Slowpoke." I joked to Einervaene who had struck herself down to the ground as a lightning bolt.

"DON'T EVER DO THAT AGAIN!" Vadei then screamed into my face as she grabbed onto my clothes. A wide smile on my face as I watched her breathe in and out harshly and rapidly.

"She has a point, Larishazza." Einervaene commented quietly as we watched Vadei tremble and collapse into the ground. Only for her to start violently coughing when her breathing brought in some gravel and dust.

"Pffft, she's fine." I said with a grin before jumping over her as she recovered.

"I'll leave you behind again!" she threatened as she got the last of the coughs out.

"No, no you won't because you need me to look after the showers." I told her while poking my tongue out. I didn't mean it in a particularly serious way, but it was true. I was the one who was needed to look after the water.

"Shut up..." Vadei bitterly mumbled as she began to walk towards the city in the distance. We may have just jumped from the sky and crashed down magnificently. But, we were still quite a distance off.

"I suppose we should get going then?" Einervaene then asked as she went next to Vadei.

"Sure, I'll see you guys again when I find Nin! I promise you!" I tell the pair before I move to run towards the city.

"Try not to get caught up asking things of him, Lari, just bring him back!" one of them told me, but, I guess it didn't matter who. So, I stopped and turned to them. Smiling at them while they smiled at me before I then ran off again.

"You better be easy to find, Nin!" I stated to the open sky and approaching city. Picking up my pace until I was partially gliding across the barren land with the help of magic. A trail of explosions followed me all the way there until I slowed down. The words of the others are cleanly etched into my head for now.

I may have not been able to see it either at the moment. But, I could tell with some predictable foresight that they could see me. At the very least, they could see the destruction my magic caused this land. If it wasn't already such a barren place, I might have regretted my actions.

Then, when I got close enough to the city, even if I was still a grand distance off. I began to feel different explosions around me that were not magical. The people of Nin's city had started firing on me. Their explosions, however, were all being swallowed up by mine.

None of them would hit me directly either, they would all go around me. And, as I was using my magic right now, I got a unique perspective of it all. My power made my senses better and body stronger. As such, I saw brass cylinders of all kinds fly past me very slowly even if they were not actually slow.

The explosions they created worked in a similar manner. They expanded slowly and were consumed before they blossomed fully. And, as I got closer and closer, more and more munitions began to go near me. Thousands of small little ones and some even arced down from the sky. Most, however, would continue to be these large ones.

Yet, there was also a few odd ones coming straight at me. Devices that seemed to scream as they came down by the dozen. And as I finally reached the wall, I felt it crumble under my feet as my magic erupted over it. Like a drowning tide lashing out at the coast.

"Have any of you seen my friend?" I asked cheerfully as the run here was very fun. My answer was not words, though. It was all of these guns being directly shot at me. Each bullet, shell and so on harmlessly hitting me and doing whatever. It was a very interesting experience if I was, to be honest.

I don't think many can claim they stood before a firing army and survived its anger. They were even nice enough to halt their attack and let all this smoke clear up. And what I saw bothered me as I could see some men suddenly run away in terror. Some stayed, however, and they resumed their attacks with desperate fury.

Something I had to ignore while being mindful of how little magic I could use. So, I started running again, not as fast as before, though. I ran and ran until they became concerned for their own safety while others were suicidal. Their recklessness pointless as it was ineffective.

But I did not scoff at their attempts. I had no idea how to conceptualise the terror they must have been feeling. My life has always involved magic, its strength was something I knew. The people of Nin's home, though?

They knew nothing about this power and it showed. I did not even have to fight and many were already running away in fear. It even got to the point the ones in the vehicles began to back up while the goldhands took charge. People whose magic was so weak I could barely sense them...

And I was very good and sensing magic as it played a lot into my dancing hobby. But this was something else. They were moving about as if they were frozen and there was no aura. No external-magic flow that I could sense.

Even the blows I let the goldhands land did not nudge me from my spot. They wailed away at me with unrelenting determination and nothing came of it. I was not here, however, to fear for their safety around me. I was here for Nin, so I began to nudge them aside, at least, that is what I tried to do.

But they just flew away and broke apart whatever they hit. Some were even unlucky enough to just splatter across the mountain. And as that happened, I became a lot more worried about my magic control. So I tried to stay calm and just walk through it all.

At least, until I needed to climb over the wall a lot of the normal soldiers had rallied behind. And as I got over the wall and landed in the city. The panic and terror these people felt became so very clear to me. They were savagely going at each other in their attempts to run.

People were crushed under stampedes and children were left abandoned. Those who stayed broke down and begged for their lives as I walked by. And even though I had no reason to be scared, seeing all this made me terrified. I did not like any of this, I was not here to attack them yet the response was chaos.

So I tried to be quick about this, I tried to find my way out of the city and into the lands beyond it. The countryside to Nin's homeland, the fields he once ran in as a youngster. I needed to get to them and move on to find him. I both wanted and needed to escape this place.

To at least free the city of this unintentional fear I sent through them. And I somehow managed to find it through the crowds of terrified citizens. I found the other gate and its accompanying wall... But, it was all the way up at least a few dozen floors...

"Climb rocks? Climb stairs?" I began to loop out as I turned around and glanced around. Nervously moving on to a quieter spot that my presence had helped make. This nervousness would continue to stay with me as well until I was up and away. I could only hope, though, that my use of magic had not devastated the city.

Nin would never forgive me if he found out about it... He would never come back with us. He would not believe us if we tried to explain it to him. The only story he would hear is how we tried to destroy his home!

Yet, at the rate they were going, these soldiers might destroy it as well. It got to the point where I was actively having to seek all these projectiles. So many have been fired off by the uncalm with so much more going all over the place. Slamming straight into those great towers that defined this city.

I needed to both mitigate the destruction my presence was causing and direct it elsewhere. What was required of me was to reach this gate so I could get out of it. A gate they had left open as the terrified people of this city tried to run through it. Me being here, though, made it worse, I just bottlenecked it.

"Move, please move!" I begged of them before deciding to run to the wall's edge. And once I was there, I vaulted over as quickly as I could. Running like a madwoman into the farms surrounding this side of the city. Going on and on until I found a great river that seemed to take me far enough away from them.

And I then collapsed against the body of flowing water, not because I was tired... But because me just going through that city had made it a warzone. Just running and walking and climbing had devastated it so much... I just needed a moment to breathe, to get the screams out of my head so I could focus on why I was here.

As I calmed down, I moved into the water with my eyes shut. Fingers slid just across its surface while my mind focused on something. Nin. That was what I thought about.

My friend who has been living an unlucky life, yet, despite it all, he keeps his human heart. My friend who has gone through so much cruelty and apathy. The one I found crying in the basement of our dorm building with a broken knife. The one I tried to make strong again by being there for him as much as I could.

I then opened my eyes, with water going down them because I was crying, "Where are you Nin?" I asked. My magic gently pulsated about in a contradictorily destructive manner while my mind stayed focused. Even with my body being so deep in that which my magic takes inspiration from, I could not find him. I could not feel him at any point along this mighty river, past or now...

Yet, I did not lose hope and instead found myself thinking of my sister. Of the way the mountains behaved back in the land of the Jhermon. How the snow stayed in a certain spot and wrapped around some of the mountains. These mountains had none of that, there was no snow.

So perhaps I could make some? I may have not learned ice magic as my sister had, but I had been around her enough. I had watched Omb teach her how his fire magic worked enough. So maybe, if I just sprayed a fine mist, I could let my frozen magic blanket the mountains?

I could make snow and find Nin that way if he is still in the mountains? But would I still find him if he had taken shelter? Letting my magic spread itself like that was not as helpful as this river was. I could feel farm animals drink from it at the far end of it, just before it went to a lake.

"I can feel the water in a lake is pumped away somewhere... Hot..." I then said as I scrapped my last plan. This heat I was feeling, there was something magical about it. It was a weak signature, admittedly, be it my fault or theirs. But, I could perhaps follow it?

Nin doesn't use fire magic, yes, but, maybe they might know? Nin does stick out as he is quite tall, so maybe they have at least caught a glance? A sound at the very least? I know Nin can be a bit noisy on his own, he doesn't like the quiet...

I wasn't going to find him by lounging about in a river, though! So I started moving along it, swimming with the currents and using gentle bursts of magic to speed through it. Even if those gentle magic blasts sent water flying out the river, draining it very briefly. At this point, one might even be sceptical of why I thought of them as soft magic usage.

It clearly was not reacting softly with this land yet this was as low as I could reasonably make it. I know others can do better than me, but this was the best I could do. All I could do for now until we got out of this land. A land we had no place in because we were such a danger to it.

And, then, as I thought about that, I intentionally crashed into a rock, "I guess it makes sense as to why Nin flushed his magic out like he did." I comment with a sigh before going back along the water. Watching all the different kinds of river fish swim out of my way before they likely were killed by my magic. I wasn't even trying to be fast, I was just sensing my way down the river.

And soon, I was feeling rubble bang against me as I went along the river's path. Was I now damaging ships and boats? Or were these pieces of various bridges I had destroyed? I hoped it was neither, but it seemed unavoidable.

This land was so fragile compared to all the other places I have been. And me and my sister have gone to many newly established colonies! Ones where their magic is slowly being inserted over time. And, as such, you'd think you stepped onto an island of glass!

"Please be okay, Nin." I then said after I leapt out onto the river's sides. Digging into the land harshly before I came to a stop in the mud. My eyes lingered on the way I came before I looked away with a shiver. That rubble I had been encountering was fishing villages I so carelessly zoomed past...

I just wanted to get out of here with my friend...

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

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"Can't you leave those behind?" I asked Einervaene as she kept up with me. The pair of us moved about more cautiously after having seen Larishazza's approach. She was getting fired at by the people of this land so ferociously... Her own magic was as equally damaging as all those shells and bullets.

As such, we were moving far slower as to not set off our magic. We were even being constantly reminded to do so by the line of black we followed. A near-endless strip of burnt earth that had been eviscerated by magical power. It would make you forget it was even water magic that she had!

"No! These aren't just some random boots I can buy somewhere else! These are the ones I had custom-made to work with my magic!" Einervaene complained as her grip tightened on the boots. Her feet were barer than mine as we kicked up stones and dust. So why she took them off baffled me. Surely she preferred the awkwardness to the uncomfortable nature of just running on stones?

Then again, even though I still had sandals on that were perfectly fine. I could very much feel as the stones were shattered and crushed. We were making them into a finer powder than they already were! Just a show of how even our efforts could not hide what power we had...

"Then just get them made again!" I told her as my frustrations made my concentration slip. A slight bit of magic flared out as a result. Something that seemed to be more than enough to get the guns firing again.

"I THOUGHT YOU WANTED US TO AVOID THIS!?" Einervaene screamed back at me as she began to run in a jagged line. Yet, even though we were now being shot at, I could tell something was off. Far less was being shot at us... Had Larishazza...?

No, she couldn't have! There's no way she would intentionally ignore what we advised when it came to Nin! She knew very well what the stakes in this were! So, unless the guard broke before her dancing backside...

"My ba- EEEEPPP!" I began to apologize before I yelped in surprise. A large shell had just zipped past my ears and they were ringing. And it would continue to be like this for the pair of us. We were not in any real danger, but so much of this surprised us.

Unlike Larishazza, we were not being so blatant with our magic and that meant everything was faster. Our own senses were not so excessively beyond what this realm was capable of. A bullet still sped past like a bullet, an explosion still staggered us. And, most importantly, they still set off our survival instincts like usual.

Even though the occasional dull and quick, poke-like feeling reminded us of how harmless it was. These shots did nothing and barely stopped us! Then, we finally reached the outer wall of the city and we hid. Well, I hid, I have no idea where Einervaene had gone...!

Until I then figured out she had gone to the other side of the wall...

"VADEI!" she yelled out to me, her voice quickly being drowned out by all the gunfire. And I could only assume it was being split between us as I was being shot at too. The ground shuddered and broke and flew about me. Yet, I was safe, something I oddly enough did not like.

Now I think I understand why Nin was so reactive to when he first got his powers. Stuff like this would have made him a pile of burnt blood before! Now it just zooms on past as if nothing had happened whatsoever! A boom here and there and all that came out of it was messy hair and ash on my clothes.

"Dammit... Just... Dammit..." I muttered in annoyance as I began to get frustrated at the mess. Occasionally pushing my luck by sticking my hand out to catch bullets. And, then, I went flying into the distance violently as a shell had struck my hand. But, luckily, Einervaene had used her magic to help me recover.

"Vadei!?" she cried out as she looked me over until I pushed her away. Shoving her away before I then shook my head in confusion. Sneezing shortly after as all the harsh smells were becoming very bothersome. My nose was stinging as if it were burning!

"We need to get past all this without bringing it into the city..." I comment while looking at the towers we could see from down here. Which was probably about half of them if a little less. They were quite tall after all.

"H-How? Just look at what happened to the place I was just at!" Einervaene pointed out while she frantically gestured at the smouldering crater she left. Molten stone clearly marked it out as I could even see a cherry-hot scar in the ground. One that led directly towards me.

"Going by how my hand is completely fine," I began to say while flexing my palm, "we just break it once we get close to them?"

"W-What if we kill some of them?"

"They're shooting at us!" I deadpan to her.

"I know, I know..." she repeats over and over to the backdrop of exploding munitions, "It's just with Nin and this being his home...!"

"I'm sure he can understand quite fine if a few guards die, so long as we don't destroy the city itself!" I tell her while prodding at the mountain again. Maybe I should climb it and sneak past them? Leave Einervaene to handle the vehicles and guards and all that? It would certainly help me plan better...

Not being chased by all the guards as they would be focused on her, not me...

"Would it best to take on of their guns then? Magic is too damaging in this land!"

"Do whatever you want!" I tell her before I start climbing the mountain once more. Using my magic more openly as I left her behind.

"Where're you going!?" she called up to me as I went higher and higher with a quickening pace. Both because I wanted to save my sister and because I wanted to avoid falling again. As this mountain was falling apart each time I touched it!

"To save my sister!" I reminded her as my expression became far more serious. There was no room for humour now even if our approach might as well have been a slapstick comedy. I needed to find my sister and see if I can get any others out of this place! Then, we just needed to run as far as they could while avoiding the danger of the soldiers...

"O-Okay! I'll see what I can do here!" she told me before I then heard the guns pick up in intensity. Briefly looking down at the destruction down below before leaping from the mountain. Crashing violently through the walls of one of the towers and getting up. Screams quickly surrounded me as they all fled at the sight of me.

A cruel snort then came out, "Yeah, that's right." I said as I began to sniff the air. All this violence had practically everyone going down the floors. So, I think it made it easier to sniff out my sister. Or perhaps not as I still only smelt human odours and mechanical ones.

Perhaps I needed to get higher in this tower? From what I remembered, we were basically taken all the way to the top. Which this view out the window has shown to be quite a while off... Now, I could either climb again or run about the stairs and other parts...

I was leaning towards the safer route which did not have a risk of falling. Or, well, as high a risk of falling given the current situation with the excessive gunfire. Something that I could still hear even while in this alarm-filled building. And, if all these retreating and panicking humans meant anything...

"They might be taking her with that fat bastard when he runs himself!" I realised as a possibility before I ran as fast as I could. Snapping doors off their hinges and also likely breaking the bones of whoever I touched. Be they panicking people or surprised guards. It also helped put into perspective as to why such fear was all over this city.

We could just run into it and demolish it without even trying! The last time I was here I was trying so very hard to be careful and even then... Now, though, that same restraint just didn't exist for the moment. I was just letting out all the anger I had for this city.

And no amount of screaming or crying was stopping me from carrying it on. I was even enjoying it to an extent as these people had caused mine so much harm! They deserved every bit of it a hundredfold! For every one that died in their abusive watch, I would terrify a thousand more!

I would make sure we were scarred into the memory of these people! A reminder to their leaders to stay hidden behind their mountains forevermore! And even if Nin hated me for it, I would learn to cope. For the state my dad was in could never be forgiven!

"Come on... Where are you!?" I asked while moving about, sniffing the air harshly and keeping my ears on the move. She had to be somewhere in this city, somewhere at the very least! They couldn't have taken her out of it, could they...? If I was to discover she had met a lonely fate then...

"M-Master, where are we being taken to?" I faintly heard as I broke down another set of doors. Something that was quickly covered up when gunfire was unleashed upon me. The barking of orders barely being heard over it. Then, just like that, I was over there where the armed men were.

And they screamed bloody murder until only one was left alive while I panted at them. His fear settled in quickly even if he did not react to it very much. I did not move to kill him like I did the others, though. Instead, I opened his mouth after licking one of my fingerx, and I spat in it.

"The others like me, where are they!?" I demanded to know as he freaked out over what I had just done.

"W-What do you mean!? WHAT ARE YOU!?" he responded with before he shouted as he began to unload a small gun onto me. Each shot uselessly went off of me while I started to growl. It may have not hurt but it was still a loud bang near my ears...

"Answer the question." I told him simply before I positioned a claw next to him. Slowly pushing it into his neck and watching as his breathing sped up. Sweat streamed off of him as if he had just gone for a shower. He stank of blood, more, however.

"I... I saw more things like you at some point on the upper floors... I swear I don't know anymore! I don't have the right to go up to those floors!" he told me as he began to react more and more to the idea of dying.

"Useless!" I quickly snapped at him before tossing him aside and moving on. And I tried to ignore him as I walked away. But all those little pokes I felt on my skin made me angrier and angrier. Not enough to go back and intentionally kill him, but enough for me to set off some magic.

To decimate the hallway we were in and hopefully him. And, apparently, those who were on the higher floors as well. As I should have expected it really. Everything here was weak and so were the floors and ceilings.

But, at the very least, I had a pathway to the higher floors now. A path I exploited well until everything began to be made of gold. At which point, everything actually began to take effort to destroy. Not much, but it was an improvement over before.

Then, I was suddenly charged and forced against a wall. A gold glow appeared in the corner of my eye while I tried to resist. And, as I got the upper hand and pushed back against my attacker. He yelled and yelled to those behind him.

"Conquei...?" I let out in confusion as I saw what looked like the tail of an oxfuinei disappear through an automatic door. With a sudden scream coming from the man as I crushed his hands, I tossed him aside. Sniffing the air with renewed vigour before I charged. Smashing through what I could as I started to smell familiar scents.

I was then briefly stopped by a sudden hail of gunfire that caused me mild pain. Stinging like sensations were now going across me and skin was coming off. Enough to draw just a bit of blood but not enough to seriously harm. So I growled out what pain I did feel while looking at the crumpled bullets.

"Thunder-gold..." I muttered to the backdrop of suppressive fire. Panicking slightly when an explosive of some kind then rolled down near me. And, when it went off, I felt like I had just been punched and shoved into a hot shower. But I recovered quickly even if it did hurt a lot more than prior attacks.

The smell of my sister, however, was disappearing. Even if it turned out to not be my sister, I could not risk losing it. I had to find her and save her! She needed to see Dad one last time just in case...

"OUT OF MY WAY!" I screamed as I charged out towards the attacking goldhands. Being far more reckless with my magic so I could just slaughter them. And as I went into another room, I went past a grand mirror that let me see my new make-up. The famous blood and gore brand.

Then, I finally found them or at least someone else. And my presence made everyone panic as they knew what that meant. Their precious little goldhands were nothing before me! And so were they!

"WHERE IS MY SISTER!?" I roared before I tore down a gilded pillar, shattering it with so little effort. And when I got no answer, I began to throw the rubble towards the terrified crowds. The swarm of Tobaballian nobility...

"V-Vadei?" I then heard someone say and then I calmed down. It was her... It was Conquei! My sister was alright, she was alright!

"There you are!" I exclaimed before I moved to give her a firm hug. One that could potentially snap her spine if it was enthusiastic enough. But, as I went to get her, something stopped me, another goldhand had charged me. And we both flew out a nearby window with not a sound leaving me.

The gods and goddesses, however, were on my side, they supported my efforts! For this goldhand had just sent us crashing towards this giant clock instead! And soon, I was thrashing him about like a doll. And like a doll I did not want anymore, I threw him away, listening to his screams as I secured my footing.

"How am I meant to get back up now...?" I asked myself from the top of the clock while I stared down at what I could see of the front wall. The occasional flash of magic highlighted where Einervaene was likely at. And she was a messy fighter by the looks of it as now this city was choking. Black smoke and fires filled its streets.

Something that reminded me of how important it was to get the others out of here. If I took too long then they'd all burn alive in the inferno we caused. Or, perhaps, this was all as a result of their own guns... I hope it wasn't, I wanted the damage to originate from me!

Just like just now when I leapt towards a tower and blew apart that annoying clock. Sending what little remained plummeting down below while I crashed through another wall. Growling once more before I charged up several floors again. Going and going until I arrived back at that prior point...

"Conquei...? Where are you!? CONQUEI!?" I let out as I started panicking. Only to then hear something go off.

"Vadei... Help me..." my sister cried through a speaker as it was clear she was getting roughed up.

"You little bastards... Undwote will never find you!" I cursed them with before I carefully sniffed the air. Gently moving in the direction of the smell until I reached a prepared line of soldiers. Each of them just as quickly unleashed their munitions against me. And, like last time, I hid behind a wall.

Steadying my breathing before I went out and cut them down. Stabbing them and tearing them apart with my claws and teeth until I was practically bathing in it. And even through the smell of blood, I could smell her and some others. And I could see them once I tore off the door.

Then, I saw him again, the man who I injured before. The one whose injuries led to me meeting Nin. Who in turn led me back here on a journey we pushed through with our fury alone. And, now?

I was ready to kill him because once again he had his hands on my sister... Fear had consumed him and the others who were here. Be they guards, workers or just the well-dressed. Many in gold paid for by selling off others...

"It's okay, Conquei, they won't hurt you." I told her as I began to focus some magic into my senses. And as the world slowed down and certain actions became highlighted. I began to move forward. Cutting down some while moving others out the way.

And, like that, I had my sister in my arms again, her precious tears soaking my arms as everyone ran away. They had no chance of standing against us and they knew it now. Then, in just a few moments, it went from the sounds of battle to the sounds of cheering. I had done it, I had finally done it.

"Come on, you lot, let's get you home." I told them as I picked up my sister and let her ride on my back. Compared to the others down below, these lot were a lot healthier. Possibly because all this gold was magical... Or, maybe, they were just looked after better.

Their outfits seemed to suggest they were up here for more than just display. They just better hope they did not go too far with my sister at the very least. I might be able to ignore the plights of the others just barely. But my sister was the tipping point, hurt her and I would kill them!

"W-Was this all you?" one of those I had just saved asked as we began to speed down a tower.

"Somewhat." I answered as we went past several holes and cracks. Some of it was from my magic, possibly, but this was a different tower. So it might be but it also might not be. And as we got to the lower floors, it began to get far noisier.

"What's going on? Did you bring an army or something!?" my sister asked in fearful amazement as her grip tightened.

"No, I brought a storm-in-a-woman." I joked to her in an effort to soothe her while I kept an ear open. Einervaene was causing quite a scene but if she kept it at the entrance then we would not be able to get out.

"H-Hey! Where are you going?" Conquei demanded to know when I suddenly put her down. Zipping out into the burning streets littered with corpses and moving on to the battle. Quickly joining up with Einervaene who was slowly making her way through everything.

"Hurry up, Einervaene! I found them!" I told her as she gets finished gently tossing about a vehicle.

"Oh, hello, Vadei." she greets in a calm manner before delicately flipping a tank over. Cutting down a few soldiers in the meantime before I just let myself get shot at.

"As I said, hurry up!" I urged her as I also shoved her slightly.

"Hey! You said to be careful with the city!" she countered with as she moved into my face. Guns still firing around us as she did so. With her body barely reacting to the bullets she was peppered with.

"You're causing more harm by letting these guns keep firing!" I pointed out before then violently pointing at the inferno beside us.

"Oh... Give me a few more moments then!" she tells me as she begins to rush about and deal with whoever she could see. At least, until they all just gave up and ran away. It seems like we had also established ourselves as being immune to their attacks as no more bullets were fired.

"CONQUEI! OUT HERE, NOW!" I called out to my sister and the others as I briefly jogged over to them. Staying behind as they began to file out into the streets and out into the destroyed farmland. So destroyed was it you might not even be able to call it farmland anymore. Not that it mattered I guess, we were back in the endless wastes again soon.

"W-Who's this?" Conquei asked as she huddled up next to me, seeking my protection once again. A smile came to my face and it refused to leave as we walked.

"This here is my subordinate, she's new at this." I joked as I kept a tight grip on my sister.

"Subordinate!?" Einervaene repeated with an agitated pout as she clutched her boots tightly.

"Why are you helping us?" she was then asked by another.

"I'm helping my boss..." she sarcastically answered before glaring at me.

"She's helping a friend out." I clarified while I let my smile give her one too.

"Where are we going then...? This is just wasteland!" we were asked as we walked along Larishazza's destruction. And as we did so, I kept my eyes facing upwards so I could see if the airship was close enough... Maybe a certain duo would be willing to bring it down for us...?

"Gods damn you Larishazza...!" I then swore under my breath as I remember what that blue-haired ball of excitement did. Dragging me down into this wasteland before I had been given a moment to lower the damn airship... Now, if we did find it, it was beyond my reach!

And I was the only one who could pilot it decently!

"An airship!? The wind-people are helping you!?" someone exclaimed to Einervaene as she had clearly answered them while I was muttering. And, she looked at me awkwardly.

"No... We, uh, stole it." I told them which didn't bother them all that much.

"Oh, alright." one of them said before he began to speak to some others.

Then, I stopped all of a sudden and looked back at Tobaballe which was still close, "This is everyone, right?" I asked them while putting a lot of emphasis on that one word.

"If you have already saved those who were in the farms, then, yes?" Conquei answered slowly as she looked back as well. Uncertainty clearly in both of our minds as we did so.

"What about Larishazza as well? You got done with this a lot quicker than expected." Einervaene pointed out as she came closer to us. I then let go of my sister and faced the city. Sniffing the air a little as if to argue to myself how helpful I would be.

"Uh..." I began to let out as I looked at her, "Are you able to get us back to the airship? I can bring it down and get these lot on it before we then go and have a look."

Einervaene frowns at the distant clouds, "I can try." she admits with a shrug.

"Alright, let's put some distance between us and them, first." I say as I began to move away from my sister who was following me somewhat.

"Where are you going!?" one of the others asked in shock while I had my arms raised up at them.

"Don't worry, we aren't abandoning you, we are just getting the airship back down." I told them before I ran over to Einervaene who had already moved away. Nodding to her slowly while gently nudging her further and further away from the others. Then, just like that, we were not ourselves anymore and were soaring up like a struggling drowner.

"Are you alright?" Einervaene then asked me once we finally got on board once again. Much to the surprise of those locked within the airship.

"I... Hold on..." I began to say before I held my mouth over the railing. Breathing over it for a few minutes before fully recovering. Slowly walking away from the railing while holding my stomach until I got to my chair again. Yet, despite my slowness of body, I did not let it slow me down as now the airship went down too.

And in what was likely not that long a time, we were back on the ground near the others. We made sure they were all on and then I had the airship go back up without me. Because now I wanted to make sure my Mom knew about this. I wanted her to see both her daughters at once!

"Mom!? MOM!?" I called out loudly with the aid of the airship's speaker system. Initially dashing about the bridge until she came rushing in.

"Oh, you're back, Va, does that mean...?" she asked hopefully while I smiled brightly. Nodding so fast my head blurred until she stopped it.

"Come on!" I then told her as I began to drag her through the airship. Letting her nose grow wider and wider with every sniff until her tail became furious. And as we pushed our way through the other passengers, we heard her.

"Vadei!? Where are you!?" she called out amongst the noise of all the other families finding their loved ones. And when I could, I snatched her up by the arm and was drawn into a Mom-dominated hug.

"CONQUEI!" she practically screamed as she began to drown my sister in kisses. Choking both of us out with her arms while our tails met in the middle.

"Mom!" my sister cried out as she snuggled against Mom's tail. Only for her to then break it, her eyes going all over the place as she tried to smell for something. Then, Conquei ran off, but, we weren't confused as to why.

"We best go make sure he is alright too, don't want her crushing him, now, do we?" Mom joked through some tears before she gave me another hug.

"S-Stop it!" I happily complained as I returned the hug. Feeling as she steadily broke down into more hysterical crying as we walked.

"I-I'm s-sorry..." Mom said as she wiped her eyes with her tail on the way to the medical bay. And, once more, she leapt at her other daughter and hugged her while Dad looked at both. He smiled with what strength he could and he held out his palm. And roughly, it pointed at me.

"I... I am proud of you, Va..." he croaked out before going into a fit of violent coughs. Something that had me worried until he stopped to weakly smile.

"It was n-nothing..." I chuckled out as I rubbed my embarrassed head while trying to act as if I wasn't. Getting roped into another hug because of it and laughing away as the women kept on hugging. But, I left the hug once more to focus on Dad who was still in a serious state.

"L-Li... Little Va all strong now..." Dad barely got out through his equipped healing systems. Stroking him quiet while I held his hand. Watching as Mom and Conquei both kept going at it until they also calmed down.

"What now, Vadei?" Mom then asked as I stood up and started moving away. Much to my disappointment as I wanted to spend more time here.

"I need to find my friends. Don't worry, I'll be back!" I told them before I disappeared, "Love you!" I then added on before properly leaving.

"Love you too, Little Va!"

"Good luck!"

"..."

I heard them all say as I went back through the airship, meeting up with Einervaene once more, "Do we go back?" she asked me while I walked by.

"Of course, we get in differently this time, though. We both know how last time went." I tell her as I take ahold of her gloved hand. Smiling a little at the fact she now had her boots on again.

"How differently?"

"I'll ex-" I began to say before she interrupted me by just yoinking me overboard. And, like when Larishazza did it, I was screaming until I went off on one when we landed.

"Please, you were a lightning bolt for most of it." Einervaene told me with a smirk as I complained loudly about what she just did.

"That's not the point!" I told her while jabbing a claw at her.

"Looks pointy to me." she joked while staring at the tip of my claw. Something that made me snort in amusement despite my mild anger.

"Well, anyway, moving on. Tobaballe, we aren't going through it this time." I tell her while pointing at the distant smoke clouds.

"How do we get beyond the mountains then?"

"Take us up then just hit us into one, I can't care less." I tell her with a wave of my hand before I clutched my stomach. Frowning at the way it rumbled before I took Einervaene's hand again. Appearing once more in another location and this time actually letting my stomach out.

"Hope you plan on cleaning that up." she says as I spit out what bile remained in my mouth.

"The gods and goddesses can clean it up." I tell her dismissively with a wave of my hand before I began to sniff the open air. Frowning into the distance once I saw how many of Tobaballe's people had been scared into the countryside. It was a field of people, not crops or grass... Just a mass of people that kept growing.

"What are we going to do now? You can see the trail Larishazza has left even from here!" Einervaene points out as her finger guides my eyes. From the walls of this city and all the way to a river, there was destruction. Craters and small fires dotted the path she probably took.

"We climb down and avoid all those people is what we do. Then we just try and catch up to Larishazza, wherever she has gone..." I mumble whilst keeping my eyes on all that destruction. Even while trying to keep it under control, she had still done all this... We needed to get out of this land and maybe all this damage would convince Nin too...

And, possibly, it would do a better job than I when I was stuck with him. I do not think I got through to him at all during our final moments together. Before he leapt off and flushed out all his magic... Now, I could only hope he was close to Tobaballe as this land was truly vast...

It could potentially take us days or weeks to cover all this land even with our magic! I mean, it was probably tiny compared to the distance we had already travelled back in Jherikra... But still... This needed to be a quick affair and we were likely going to take a very long while.

Time neither of us had...

"Should we head to that river?" I was asked by my friend as I walked up a boulder jutting out from this mountain.

"Why?" I asked as I turned towards her.

"Can you make it out, the destruction?" she clarified while I faced the direction she was looking. Placing a palm over my brow while trying to catch sight of it. Nodding very slowly once I saw black clouds in the distance. Ones that weren't blowing in from the city behind us, that is.

"Do you think she might have gotten a lead as well? That goes on for quite a while." I rather pointlessly ask as Einervaene had no way of knowing if it was the case.

"Maybe she let it help her magic? She does use water magic." she offers as an answer which satisfied me enough for now. We can ask for further clarification when we catch up with her. But, given the path of ruin we can see, we might take a while. Avoiding more battles was a must for us right now, surely?

"We best get moving, either way, try and find a way to follow her while also catching up with her at a reasonable rate." I say as I hop down from my boulder in order to travel down the mountain again. And I paid an odd amount of attention to the fact the mountains had no snow on them. They were just stone from what I could see with the odd plant lower down.

"What about if we find Nin before her, do we try and talk to him or do we get Larishazza to him?"

"Unless we plan on restraining Nin if we find him, it is probably better to let Larishazza in on it if we can also find her."

"I'd rather just have him sit down so we can talk..." Einervaene commented sadly before she looked down at the ground.

"Nin isn't in a particularly good state right now... I don't think he will listen unless Larishazza is there."

"Unfortunately..." Einervaene says with notable annoyance.

"Now, come on nose, get us to either of them." I tried to joke in order to bring back the happiness I felt prior. To go from this and that to my current state was something. One moment I was ecstatic about my sister and crying with my Mom. Now, I was somewhat moody again as we looked for the other two.

And, while I hated the idea of it, I did wish a little that we just came up here with those two at first. Let Nin get it all off his chest before we departed for my homeland so I could be on my way. Instead, we were now wandering to a moving destination that could go anywhere at a moments notice. To say nothing of the anxiety I had built up due to Dad's state...

We needed a better supply of magic and all this time we wasted just spent more time endangering him. He might have lived so far, but I did not want to see him another day like this. It made me enraged that he was like that. It infuriated me that so much time was being lost over things outside of my control.

All I could really do at this point was pray and damn. Damn Nin for his stupidity and Dad for his protection of that baby. Yet, I would also pray that I found Nin quickly and got Dad the magic he needed to survive. For a few more years until he died of other causes at the very least!

I didn't want this to be for nothing...