"STOP IT!" I would yell at this beast as my fist sent him flying across melted streets. Our first few blows had already completely demolished this city and barely anything was still standing. Each blow we would then exchange did nothing but tear up the ground. I was trying to stop him but he was catching on!

"This isn't your home, is it?" It would ask as it took notice over how little I reacted to the city burning. How much apathy I displayed towards how this creature killed so many just by flying by the city. The city was on fire long before we started fighting like this. It only made it clear why I needed to stop it finding my home.

And, why would I even answer a question like that!? He was already so much faster than me so if I gave him any hints then I would be too late. My home would be a molten mess like this, its people would be ash and my magic would destroy even that. You could barely even tell a city once existed here!

"I'll kill you just like your precious Salahma..." I lied with a stern display of my teeth. Only to get a smug smile from him back as he showed his. Along with those claws he so happily swung about in the air.

"No you won't, weakling... I felt how you took my magic for your own needs. You were never going to beat me even in that cage!" he taunted just before he rocketed straight down at me. A blow that would see us dig into rapidly excavated earth before I went flying off. I still did not know how to fight at all and I had no sense of direction. So before I had even gotten my bearings, I was being assaulted by a fire spell.

Yet, despite my fears of fire magic that Salahma gave me. It was quickly becoming apparent that this wyvern didn't have her strength, it could not beat me. His blows were definitely there, but I barely felt them. Only a dull pain existed, one that would bruise later but largely be ignored.

With more confidence in me now as a result of this understanding. I would try jumping for him and narrowly missing him each time. His taunts only made me angrier until I finally grabbed him when he got too cocky. And I would drag him down from the sky and back down to the burning earth below.

The explosion this made, however, would interfere with my attempts to battle him further. Its shockwaves sent me flying and I was soon in his grip once more. Receiving a faceful of fire while I was still in his claws until I pried them off of me. Tearing off a scale or two in the process before I fell to the ground with a booming thud.

Growling into the sky as my magic destroyed the fields and forests around me. And as he charged again, I jumped onto him and held onto him until we crashed again. Decimating a small town in the blink of an eye. We would both roar at each other as he freed himself.

Harmlessly swinging at each other until one of us got the upper hand. Sometimes it was me, sometimes it was him. Either way, no real damage was done to either of us. We just destroyed what was around us more often than not.

I did also try going for his horns as it sort of worked on Salahma. But he would just laugh in my face as I tore them out slightly. Unfortunately, I would lose my grip on them when his curled up fist went up into my jaw. My many needle-like teeth tore into my tongue in the process as they were forced to bite down.

"AH!" I would let out as blood was also spat out. And while I clutched my mouth, the wyvern clutched its head.

"Come on, tell me where your home is, osibindah!" It demanded as an answer. Something that would only be answered when I grabbed his head after a sudden dash. And to return a favour, I curled up my free claw and punched his face. Listening to his pain before I tossed him aside.

"I need to vice him...?" I asked myself before our bodies collided again. I had actually hurt him while I held on to his body during the attack. But any attacks we got in that sent the other flying did nothing. Perhaps it was because our magic was destroying anything that might break our flight?

It was quickly becoming the case as even he was moving away from tosses and grappling. Instead, he was grabbing onto whatever he could in an effort to slash me open with burning bone. I would try to avoid what I could, but with both of us trying to hold the other steady... It was a difficult thing to do.

And he soon got sick of the fighting that went nowhere. So he just flew off and headed to the next city. Something that made my heart pound far more than those claws tearing away at me. I would try to chase him, but all this debris was slowing me down.

"MY SPELL!?" I would yell mid-sprint before I slung my arm back. Sending it out in a downwards arc while casting my newly evolved spell. Just barely missing the wyvern at first, but getting just a bit off of him. Something that shocked him enough to drop down closer to me.

When he did drop, I would leap up. I caught him and spun around in the air until I landed a solid blow on its chest. Something that made the air part around us and then the grassy fields below. A mighty boom would signal our return to the ground and I would keep at it.

Savagely lashing out at the reptile until it suddenly exploded with power. A display of magic that would blind me and leave me open to his own counter-attack. And I would be smacked about and lose a few carapace plates in the process. However, the burns he would leave seared most of my injuries shut.

But all this fighting quickly got them open again. I was also soon able to tear off a horn and use it like a dagger. One that would be briefly lodged into its leg before he grabbed my head with his foot. He would rocket us into the sky before he rapidly spun around and around.

"I HOPE SALAHMA'S SOUL KILLS YOU IN THE MISTS!" this wyvern told me as he let go of my head. Sending me crashing into the ground with no means to get back at him. And I would be left alone in a smouldering crater as he flew off. I could only hope it wasn't in the direction of Tobaballe as well...

And when I finally got out of the crater, I came face to face with another friend I had abandoned...

"Nin, what's going on!?" Vadei asked me as she and Einervaene rushed up to me. I would not answer them, though, instead, I just panicked and tried to figure out where the wyvern went.

"Everything is burning..." Einervaene rather stupidly pointed out. Something that set me off for some reason.

"A DAMN WYVERN IS ON A RAMPAGE!" I so obviously pointed out with an enraged roar before my magic blew up the area around us. And my rage would pass on to Vadei as it had sent her flying. Were it not for Einervaene as well, she would be quite the distance away.

"Do you mind!?" Vadei asked as she came up to me with a glare in her eyes. Einervaene, however, looked at me with worry and wide eyes.

"A wyvern!? Like the one-" she began to say before I interrupted her with lots of nodding.

"I think it might be the one that caused her to chase after Heiya and Paps." I then said as I remember a few things Salahma told me. Something about how those two stole one of her underlings... Now if only it wasn't one that burned the land into such a devastated form...

"Have you seen Larishazza?" I was then asked before I tried to run off towards the wyvern.

"Lari...? She's in the mountains where that cloud is." I would tell whoever asked as I started running again. Briefly looking at the remnants of that explosion from before until I focused entirely on the salamander.

.

.

.

"Should we go get her!? Nin isn't going to pay any heed to us while that thing is out there!" I asked Vadei after watching Nin charge off into the distance. Towards the growing wall of fire that had replaced the golden fields and green riversides.

"Can't you just help him!?" Vadei would ask back as I looked at the sky.

"No, I can't! The clouds are all gone and my spell needs clouds to work!" I tell her while noting how the closest clouds were just too far away. I could go up and strike back down quickly, sure... But, the distance was so great I'd lag behind such a fast target. To say nothing of how its magic hid it as it moved!

"Alright, fine, get us to the mountains over there, there are some clouds still along there." Vadei pointed out before I grabbed onto her body.

"Okay!" I answer just before we turned into a pale-blue lightning bolt. One that went across the sky in such an obnoxiously destructive fashion until we reached the cloud. I would then turn us around and bring us close to the sensation of a stronger magic aura.

"Larishazza!" Vadei would call out once we became ourselves once again. But we would both stop at the sight of the one our blue-haired friend travelled with. A large creature with red skin and bright green eyes with a completely torn up front that was a paler red... A bloody red...

"What's that!?" I would ask as all but Larishazza became defensive. The golden weapons on this creature meanwhile moved about as it prepared itself.

"Does anyone speak the language Liada speaks?" Larishazza then asked as she looked at us with confusion. Somehow maintaining a somewhat innocent attitude in spite of all the carnage she was surrounded by.

"Language?" Vadei would repeat as she approached the creature. Her hands cautiously raised before her as she got closer.

"What're you doing?" I asked before Vadei suddenly spat at the creature's mouth. Her fingers going against its ears just as quickly. Something that caused the creature to chase after her in anger.

"WHAT DID YOU DO THAT FOR!?" it asked us with a yell before it came to a stop. Confusion replaced its rage so very quickly.

"Uh, hi." I said to it with a wave. Something that would get it to wave back as it looked on awkwardly.

"Wh... What did you do...?" this Liada asked Vadei with slight disgust as she took on a prideful stance. She also smugly looked down at her claws while the rest of us were confused.

"Just using some of my magic to help you speak our tongue and understand it." she would say before she began to approach Larishazza.

"What about Nin?" I then asked which got everyone's attention. Even that of Liada's so does that mean she was a friend of his...?

"That thing appeared and he chased after it." Larishazza would say which got this Liada angry.

"We should help him!" she said as she smashed her weapons together before she was stopped.

"Not with those injuries you aren't!" Vadei told her as she stared intently at the large-chested creature. At least, until she looked away with a blush as Liada was naked. She was completely naked bar those weapons.

"But, Nin saved me from the humans, I owe it to him!" Liada told us as she looked down at her injuries. What kind of injuries were these anyway...? There were so many swollen holes in her chest and her...

"You don't have the magic, anyway, Liada." Larishazza would point out as she went up onto a rock to survey the land.

"Liadanann!" she corrected in annoyance before she backed off away from her. An aggravated mumble came from her while I joined Larishazza on her rock.

"I can get you to him, quickly." I tell my friend as I keep an eye on the clouds.

"Do it." was all she told me before I then took her hand into mine.

"I will!" I tell her just before we shot up into the sky. Soaring far beyond the tips of these mountains until we reached the clouds far above it all. So far had we gone that my magic had become less reactive until it was too dense for me to even move. And as we turned back to normal in the sky, I screamed while she laughed.

"THIS IS GREAT!" Larishazza somehow said to me clearly as we fell down to the ground again. Losing my hat in the process whilst I held on to her hands as the air tried to go against us. At first, it was like we were falling through a thick liquid, but it soon went and it exploded. And just before we hit the ground, I would turn us into a bolt again.

Flinging us across an old road at the edge of a raging forest fire. I staggered back up and tried to find Larishazza. But all I felt were traces of her magic as I saw water fall from the sky. Little raindrops that blew up upon contact with the dirt as she disappeared.

"Wait up!" I called out to her as I got back to my feet. Groaning at the loss of my hat before shaking it out of my head. All that mattered right now was helping Nin with his problem. A problem I had lots of experience in dealing with!

So I tried something a little different as all these fires were getting in my way. I would turn into a bolt and quickly turn back to normal. I would keep casting my signature spell and cancel it mid-flight until I got to them. Nin was trying so hard and Larishazza was helping him too.

But this wyvern was keeping its distance from both of them. Especially Larishazza who was much more capable. Her magic was being flung at it and was creating the occasional hole in its wings. And as her strength became more apparent, I would have to get involved.

For it was increasing the distance between itself and the ground before it carried on breathing fire. It was too far away for those two, despite how desperate Nin got with his jumps. This was my fight now and I shot straight towards the wyvern. Locking it in between my legs in a surprise grapple after striking it as a lightning bolt.

"Stop hurting my friend!" I demanded of the wyvern before I turned into my lightning form. Letting my legs conduct shock after shock through the wyvern until it was completely paralysed. It crashed into the ground shortly after and I would get off in the meantime. Landing into a freshly scorched patch of dirt before returning to normal.

"Gah... There are three of you now!?" the wyvern said as it got back up. Only to get a kick in the face by Larishazza and a fist from Nin. A combination of attacks that left it stunned at first before it caught the next two blows. Nin was going as hard as he could but Larishazza was holding back...

Was she still clinging to the idea of not being so destructive here? Now was not the time for that! We were out of Nin's home city, we didn't need to hold back! At least, that is what I was thinking until I was pushed back by a fireball.

One that had just burnt away everything despite it being so weak. I could now quite easily grasp while Larishazza was being so cautious, but still! This fight had been going on long enough already. So I would charge them all and grab on to them all.

Sending us quickly into the sky in the form of a lightning bolt and evicting us over the mountains. If we needed to be more destructive about this, then we can do it where no one can get hurt but us! Yet, as a result of my rushed attempt to move the fight, I had immobilised the other two with stomach issues. So now I was being attacked by the wyvern.

And I screamed and wailed under each blow it sent at me. I had no instincts for battle and it was hitting me with unrelenting aggression. Each blow would hit my head or body and I did nothing to stop it. I couldn't even focus on getting a spell out as I was just panicking.

"Please stop..." I would pointlessly beg after I finished rolling about from its most recent blow. But it would not, instead, it took in a deep breath and snarled at me.

"You smell of her too... You smell of Salahma's sweet and intoxicating breath. It's almost as if she is still here..." the wyvern spoke in a creepy tone before it grew angry once again. A booming roar would be let out in my face yet no smoke would wash out onto me. No cloud for me to grab onto so I could beat it like I did Salahma.

"GET OFF ME!" I would then scream as I turned into lightning. Quickly getting up and making an attempt to beat it down with lightning-covered fists until Nin came at it again. And he did so by slamming me aside in a bloodthirsty attempt to tear it apart. Yet, they would disappear again as the creature got free and flew off with Nin on its foot.

"Nin!?" Larishazza called out as she stumbled to her feet. My eyes, however, stayed focused on the mountain tops that had just disappeared. It was almost like they were melted candles, ones that just lost a chunk of wax to the lit candle wick.

"No, hold on, let your body recover first!" I would then beg of Larishazza as she clung onto me. Moving my body as if she was expecting me to suddenly turn into a surging bolt of lightning.

"Einervaene! Get us back to him!" she begged back as I freed myself of her grip.

"Hold on!" I repeated while panting and heaving as my heart pounded inside. I could hear them battle, even from here, but it's not like I could do anything right now. I can't just leave Larishazza out here!

"Fine, you go on ahead, then, I'll go around and meet up with you. Just make sure Nin is fine." she then tells me before she runs off while clutching her stomach. And I would watch her at first, watch her stumble and fall. But I would focus on what mattered and go back to the battle. Interrupting a swing of the wyvern's tail and grabbing it.

"OUT OF MY WAY!" Nin would roar at me for some reason before he tore me off the tail and tossed me aside. Something that left me terrified as I had thought he would appreciate the help. But he was getting increasingly reckless and desperate in his attempts to stop the wyvern. And soon, very soon, he would be running before just stopping.

We could see his home from here and the wyvern suddenly rocketed off towards it. Then, as if it was never there, it suddenly vanished in a ball of fire. Something that made Nin so very, very quiet as scorching winds washed over us. I would reach out to him but he made no reaction as the land around us burned.

"N-Nin...?" I would ask in a pointless attempt to see if he was okay. Stumbling back in fear when his magic just suddenly came out again. Tearing away at the ground and flinging me aside into the nearby mountain. And despite how far away I was now, I could see him just because that aura of his was so massive...

It was a mountain in and of itself and then it came, that roar. A roar I don't think I could ever forget because that wasn't him. That was something else and it terrified me because all it was, was rage. The desire for blood.

And I would helplessly watch as he suddenly appeared in the distant ruins with everything flying up behind him. Ahead of it all, a shockwave that showed no signs of weakening. And what little of the city that survived flew out into the air before breaking apart. Little pieces of stone would ping against me as I stood up while boulders shattered about me.

The wyvern would run some more and the pair would disappear once again into the distance. Before, then, all of a sudden, another explosion happened in the distant air. Did Nin hit the wyvern as it flew away, or, had it... No, they didn't hit the airship, did they...?

"Vadei..." I would mutter as I quickly turned around and went into the skies once again. Hopping over to where she was likely to be and crashing down next to them. Staring up at her with fear in my eyes while she looked confused.

"What happened...? Did you beat it?" Vadei asked as she looked down at me. This Liadanann would do the same but she seemed to be looking out for Nin.

"I... I don't know! But... Nin... We failed to stop it..." I began to say before I began to choke on my words. Tears soon began to appear around my eyes and I would start crying uncontrollably. But I had no clue as to why. Was I blaming myself for the loss of Nin's home...?

Was I enthralled with the idea that Nin would hate me because of this...?

"You mean?" Vadei muttered as she looked off in the direction of what seemed to be a road. I would nod, but I don't know if she properly got it.

"Where is Nin, then? I want to see him again." Liadanann then asked as she brought me back to my feet. Her firm grip on my arms was more than enough for me to focus on her instead of my thoughts.

"H-He's out in the wastes somewhere... He chased the wyvern out to those parts." I told them as I calmed down and stood on my own. Keeping my eyes on Vadei until she gestured for me to get us over there. And that is what I did, I took her hand and Liadanann's and I sent us flying over to the ruins of Tobaballe. Just in time to find Larishazza who was wandering in confusion.

"Where's the city?" she asked while looking about at all the destruction we had caused. And I would point to the molten gap between the mountains. Where only a few charred corpses were at the edge of it all.

"It was there." I tell her with a sniffle as Liadanann groans as she gets up again.

"Can someone help me get these off?" she then asked as she bashed the weapons against each other. Larishazza would move to help her and her water magic would pry it apart. With some of it being used as a means to heal her injuries until she interfered with it.

"No! I want Nin to handle this..." she mumbled while backing away with her free hands. Vadei, meanwhile, would pick some of the gold up before she offered it to me.

"What is this stuff anyway?" I asked as I felt my magic react to it oddly. As if it was rejecting it somehow.

"Thunder-gold, the humans used it in nearly everything." Liadanann answered.

"This isn't thunder-gold." I told her with a frown, somehow knowing this from just magic reaction alone.

"Yes it is, it has magic in it and it is gold, this is the work of the Great Thunderous Destroyer!" she said as she spat at the weapons before rubbing her hands and tail.

"Destroyer...?" I would repeat in confusion before our attention went to the city again.

"I think it is about time we went back to Suhurlodst now." Vadei then said as she began to walk off. An uncertain smile on her face as she passed by the signs of destruction.

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

"Why're you smiling?" Larishazza would ask her and Liadanann as both of them seemed to take joy in this sight.

"This was Nin's home!" I would add on, something that got both of them to take off their smiles. An angered expression, however, would take over Vadei's features.

"This was also the place where I was enslaved."

"These people tortured me..." Liadanann quietly added on as she touched her injuries slowly. Twitching in pain as she brought her claws away from the holes in her chest.

"Nin is your friend! Don't take joy in his loss! Especially not one such as this!" I told them, nearly enraged by this lack of empathy. This got them both to keep quiet, albeit, they initially snorted but they became quiet.

"What do we do?" Larishazza then asked me as we walked through the ash and rubble. A frown on each of our faces as we did so. I tried to keep my eyes off it all but this was a city after all... There was so much destruction we had to go past.

"We make sure he is okay..." I tell her while looking off into the distance. On the ground was a large display of magic that was quickly getting weaker.

"Alright, get us over there." Vadei said impatiently as she grabbed onto me. Larishazza would too, but Liadanann would be very slow to do so. And then, once I had regained my focus, I shot us over to where the magic was. We landed with a grand explosion of magic and saw firsthand what the area was like.

The wyvern had been torn apart and the landscape was completely destroyed. And, in the middle of it all, a very, very quiet Nin who was just staring at the ground. He said nothing and he did nothing. Not even reacting to when we came over to him.

"Ninno?" Larishazza would say as she put a hand on him. Something that seemed to stir a response from him. But all he did was grab my leg and just sort of wait.

"Airship? Do you want to go back to it...?" I asked him before I just assumed an answer on his behalf as he said nothing. Yet, when I tried to get us near the airship, its shields would flare up and send us away. And when we were able to safely get back to the ground...

"Why are the shields active!?" Vadei suddenly asked as the rest of us recovered from the fall it brought us into. She would repeat this question over and over with growing anger until she began to lash out.

"Vadei!" I would say as she began to claw at Nin. Each slash she took carved yellow lines into his magic deprived body. Something that would not stop until me and Larishazza gave him some of our magic. This would keep him safe from Vadei's rage and Liadanann was kind enough to grab her.

Her vastly greater size and strength easily kept Vadei struggling yet still for the most part, "WHY ARE THE SHIELDS ACTIVATED!?" she snapped out at Nin as the airship suddenly began to descend until it was close enough for us to jump on.

"Keep her still, I'll get him up there and come back." Larishazza said before she took Nin onto the airship with a single leap. Her magic caused Liadanann some stress as it sent many bits of gravel at her. I then tried to heal her up, but she reacted the same way as last time.

"No, Nin can handle that." she repeated to me while heaving her chest up and down in pain. She would keep twitching in pain and Vadei took advantage of that. She would put her hairs into the wounds and make the stinging force Liadanann off of her. And then, she went onto the airship, leaving me down here with Liadanann.

"Where is your home?" I then asked as I did not like the quiet right now. It also helped that I had never seen or heard of anything like her before. Yet, for some reason, I felt like I did know what she was.

"Deep underground, I... I am fine with coming with you lot, though..." she answered meekly with a lot of nervous behaviour until I calmed her down. Holding my hand out for her and smiling until she took it. Bringing us up one last time just before Larishazza was about to come down again.

"Can I have some help!?" Larishazza then asked me as she took me by the hand and dragged me to the bridge. A scared and angry mob on one end while an unreactive Nin was on the other. The slavers just by him at the various computers.

"Whaaat haaappend?" Heiya asked us as she nervously looked up at Nin. Her father was even moving over to her to protectively hold her while the mob of Vadei's people yelled and yelled.

"WHY'S THERE AN OSIBINDAH HERE!?"

"KILL THAT THING!"

"GET RID OF IT NOW!"

They would say as I moved over to him in a protective manner. Not wanting to have a repeat of how it went down at first when we got to Suhurlodst. I would try easing his worries by rubbing his head, but he still did not move. And really, all I was doing was easing my own nervousness.

But then, all of a sudden, Vadei came charging down into the bridge with her claws alight with magic. And she went at Nin in a crazed frenzy until I managed to stop her as she barked over and over. Tears in her eyes while all of her face twitched in rage. It wasn't difficult keeping her away from him, but what had caused this...?

"MURDERER!" she would then scream past me before she broke down crying. Her body fell down before Nin as she tried to pathetically claw at his closest foot. And all she could say was that one word over and over again. All before she then curled up and cried into her tail.

Nin would then sigh before he straightened himself out, he would then walk away. With the mob suddenly going quiet and parting before him as he went past them. And the few that did not shirk away were knocked aside with so little effort. It was almost like they were never there.

I and Larishazza were split between who we should focus on, Vadei or Nin. But, all of a sudden, Liadanann would get involved. Blocking us off completely from the mob before she turned to the two slavers. She would growl at them but otherwise did nothing until they left for the decking. I would watch her, at first, but then Vadei pulled up a screen and cried more.

"Is he...?" I would find myself asking as I recognised who was on the screen. If only because Vadei had spent so long watching it on our way here. It was her father, and all of the displays were saying the same thing. The number zero or nothing at all.

Vadei would then nod before she started crying once again, "What did Nin do?" Larishazza asked. But all we got was an indecipherable technical document.

"When the beast and Nin collided with the airship, it set off the shields and the sudden magic caused a reaction in that one in the bed?" Liadanann questioned with certainty as it became apparent she could somehow read this. Vadei would nod slowly whilst continuing to sob.

"It gave him a heart attack and as no one was able to help him due to the panic... He died..." she barely got out before she cried once again. And soon, blood was coming from her tail as both her claws and teeth went past the fur and towards its fleshy part.

"You... You can't blame Nin like this." I would say at first until she suddenly jerked up.

"HE COULD HAVE GONE ANYWHERE IN THAT FIGHT AND HE BROUGHT IT HERE!" she screamed in my face before she ran off. Leaving me with just Larishazza and Liadanann who were both quiet.

"I'll... Uh... Do you want to get some clothes, Liadanann?" I started to say, originally intending to go see Nin. But, now was not really the time, he might just need to be left alone. Especially considering how I might just shift the topic to what he did prior to the fight...

"I'm good." she would tell me as her eyes narrowed.

"No... We need to get you into something." I tell her as I start gesturing down the centre of the airship. Maintaining a frown at her until she reluctantly started to move forward.

"I'll see what I can do." Larishazza informed me before she began to follow the route Nin took.

"Well, if you'll follow me, I can take you to my workshop... Well, not really..." I awkwardly mutter to the large woman who was ducking occasionally as she walked. She wasn't taller than Nin, yet, she was larger thanks to her tail and horns.

"Whatever." she told me rather passive-aggressively. I wasn't sure either, I have done nothing to her since meeting her. So why was she so distrustful of me? Was it perhaps because I was human?

"I'm not from... Tobaballe, you know." I pointed out with a meek tone, hoping that would at least ease her somewhat.

"Makes no difference to me, human. Now stop talking." she says to me while looking down at me. Both literally and figuratively by the tone of it.

I would then do as she says, at least, until we reached my workshop, "Here we are." I would say with some forced cheer before I went to the desk I had been using. Tapping my hands awkwardly against my legs while she focused on Nin's clothes. Something that seemed to calm her down if I went by the way she smelt them.

"These are Nins?" she asked me as she picked up the mask and put it on her face. The echoes of a relieved sigh would then come just after she put it on partially.

"Yes, those are his clothes. Albeit, I am not sure why they are here." I let out in confusion. Some of my curiosity was satisfied as I had wondered why Nin was naked prior. And now that I acknowledged it in a calmer environment, I couldn't help but blush. He may have not had that bracelet on but it was still him naked...

"Would... Would he have any issue with me using these?" she asked as she tenderly picked up all the bandages. Uncertainty on her face as she tried to keep them from getting tangled.

"I don't see why he would, they're just bandages and a simple cloak." I begin to say before I stopped when I remembered why he wore such clothing. It was all to hide his form from everyone else... Something he might want to do given the current crowd. But, maybe he has grown used to it...?

I either assumed that and made his state worse by giving his stuff away without permission. Or, I go and ask him just to make sure. Yet, I doubted he would say anything to me if I was to ask. Especially not given what has just happened.

"I... I would like something to be made using this." Liadanann requested before I went to get some measuring tools. But when I went up to her to do the measuring. She became defensive and struck me with a harmless blow.

"I can't make you some clothes if you don't let me measure your body." I say to her, mildly agitated about being hit by her. And, if she was strong enough to hurt me, I might be a bit more than just agitated.

"Guess." she snorted out.

"I can't just guess your measurements, so either you calm down or do it yourself." I tell her as I stick out a hip while dangling the tools before her on my finger. Nearly tapping my foot impatiently until she dropped her guard.

"Be quick about it." she grumbles as I start to move around her. Making many mental notes of how much material she would need. How wide the main part would need to be. How tight it should be and how tough and so on.

I would look at where we kept our dancing outfits before saying anything else, "There isn't enough material for me to make much, so is this alright?" I ask. Showing a quickly drawn image of her body in a pair of suspended overalls. I can make the main body with Nin's cloak and use bandages for the actual suspender part of it.

"Will it have lots of pockets?" she asked, something that surprised me as I was expecting this to really just be a temporary thing. Why would it need lots of pockets?

"I... I can add some on, but I would have to cut the legs short." I say whilst looking down at the way her feet-claws were. How the largest one curved up and came back down. A natural sickle.

"I am fine with that." she says with a nod before she sits down. Shooting straight back up when she set off her injuries in her... Private area.

"Again, we can heal that up for you." I tell her as I look on with worry. Was this an extension of her lack of trust towards us? If so, it was pretty stupid...

"No, Nin can handle it." she tells me as she backs away with a glare on her face. Sighing and shaking my head before I got to work as quick as I could. It was a simple affair, making this outfit. No patterns, just recycling old material into something else.

But, still, I found myself wanting to add a little extra to it. So I started to take what bits of metal I could so I could then haphazardly apply them. The end result as I got closer to finishing it was a mess of different metallic colours. Something that would very much bother the more pattern inclined.

I then sighed once I was done, stretching it a little to test its strength before handing it over. I would sneer a little at how she snatched it from me. But I was glad it held up as she rushed to get it on. With the material not even tearing as she put her clawed feet through it.

Nin's magic must have strengthed the clothes over time. Or, maybe it was me as I have had to repair it a few times. The patchwork nature of the cloak gave that away. Or, well, the patchwork nature of Liadanann's new suspender overalls did.

"Hm, nothing for narrow tools..." she would then cryptically say as she tested the depth of her pockets. Using various items around the room to fill them out before she took them all out again. And, she would seethe in pain quite a bit as well. The clothes clearly irritated her breast injuries.

She was even spilling blood over her new outfit already. And the ones a bit further down gave the wrong impression... Something that made me feel a bit awkward. Awkward enough to just clap my hands and stand up.

"Uh, well, you hungry?" I then asked her to which she gave a stern shake. Looking away didn't seem to help my awkwardness either right now...

"Einervaene?" Larishazza then asked as she stepped into the room. Her eyes briefly looked at Liadanann before she went back to me.

"What's wrong, is Nin alright?"

She sighed and shook her head, "I don't know, he's never been like this before. Normally it all just comes out!" she tried to joke while putting on some fake anger. But her laughs were uncertain and she quickly went quiet.

"Where is he now then?" I asked, just in case I might think of an idea that might help him out.

"He is in the bunk area meant for men, but, he's kicked everyone else out. Locked himself inside."

"So we will need to get Vadei if we want to get to him without breaking the airship?"

Larishazza nods slowly, "Seems to be the case and with her reeling from recent news..."

"We might not be able to be there for either of them." I point out before shaking my head slightly. Vadei at least had her mother and younger sister. Nin, however... He needed someone to be there for him, even if he is not asking for it.

And we would just need to keep quiet on the questions we wanted to ask both of them. Sure, what they did to us was a grievous shattering of our bond. Of the trust we had in one another. But one has just lost his home and the other a loved one...

Now was just not the time for us to talk about it. And perhaps, we would never get the opportunity to do so. All that time walking has certainly calmed my mind and what has just happened is a distracting affair. So maybe I had to either find an opportunity or just forgive them, no questions asked.

"Well, I'm about to go check in on Vadei. See if she is being looked after and..." I admitted as I got up, moving out of the room and matching Larishazza's pace. Liadanann, however, did not follow us. I did, however, catch sight of her going the other way.

"So what happened in the mountains? What was that explosion?" I asked her as I recall what it was like seeing the mountains suddenly go off. What at the time I thought was something other than magic. But, when I got there, it became clear it was magic, not particularly strong magic. It was something, though, going by the scale of it all.

Then again, even Vadei was able to carve apart buildings in this land... That is how destructive magic was when it was taken out of a land filled with it. And it certainly gave context as to why people back home were cautious about where they were. The peculiar nature of our magic mountain meant its strongest bolts could be anywhere.

"I could not tell you, but, just after, that wyvern would appear."

"So it was the wyvern signalling its arrival?"

"No, the magic that went off at first was much too different. It felt like watered down wind magic, but that wyvern is well..." she said to me before trailing off.

"A user of fire magic." I would say to her, finishing her sentence off with what I felt was most appropriate.

"Yeah, I think it might have been a bomb made by these people."

"A magic bomb in a magicless land?"

"Well, think about it, Einervaene, they have magical weapons and magic users. Or, well, had these two things... They must have made a bomb using a high-concentration of this fake thunder-gold."

"I suppose that makes sense. Does that mean they likely set it off to kill Nin and our new friend here, or do you not know?" I ask, putting some aggravated emphasis when I spoke of Liadanann.

"Don't know, but, if I was to guess, then yes. I wasn't with Nin or Liada by any bomb at the time. So they must have just set it off as we were preparing to leave the mountain." she answered while looking away. A notable amount of sadness had taken over her features as she did so.

"As long as none of you were hurt badly, then."

"No, I was able to get a barrier up. It's how I ended up getting the feeling it was modified wind magic. The way it reacted with my magic reminded me of how the magic of most of the students back at Suhurlodst worked."

"Well, we're here now, anyway. So I guess we best steel ourselves." I then brought up once we reached the medical bay. And it was packed with several families as well. Most if not all of the people in here must have met the same fate. But how did a shield turning on kill these people?

I guess we would have to ask Vadei about it, or Liadanann if I hated myself. But, for now, I would just have to hate the fact we couldn't beat that wyvern earlier. All these people were dead now due to our incompetence. And an already strained friendship might as well have been cleanly broken now that this had happened...

"Vadei, are you and your family doing alright?" Larishazza then asked as she stepped closer to the bed her father was on. And, by his sides were his two daughters and his loving wife. Each of them clearly heartbroken by what has just happened. But, only Vadei reacted with any aggression.

"WHAT DO YOU THINK!?" she would yell before returning to her father. One who she desperately clung onto while keeping her ear on his chest. And each moment she failed to hear a heartbeat only made her more anguished. If it wasn't for the fact the body was so magic-deprived, I might have been able to...

Yet, I doubted that would work either way. I was not a healer by trade nor was I someone trained in first aid. Nin had handled most of that stuff the last time a major injury happened. And as I clutched my once-broken arm, I looked away.

Even though Vadei was grieving right before me, I couldn't help but worry for Mother. She was in a position that saw her nobility slowly eroded away and now she was on her own. I would never forgive myself if anything happened to her while I was out here. I wouldn't even know what to do if I came home and found out she had died in my absence.

It did not even matter how she might have died, it would leave me much like Nin I'd suspect. Broken and quiet with next to nothing being done but the efforts I took to be alone. And maybe I should not worry myself like this, but Vadei made it hard. To see a parent again so soon, only to lose them again so soon...

It was a firm reminder of how quickly the God of Death would walk on by with the Pack of Seven...

"If there's anything we can do, just let us know." I then spoke as I wanted to get out of my mind. The mind that was so worried for my own family.

"YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING!" Vadei shouted back.

"Vadei!" her mother would say to her sternly as she wiped her tears away, "Thank you, your offer is appreciated."

I nod, smiling just a bit at her attempt to put on a kind face, "Is there anything we can do right now? It seems like we have a lot of work on our hands..." I say as I surveyed the room. My heart tightened with every corpse I saw. With every miserable family I caught sight of, it made it hurt...

"I'll... I'll let you know..." Vadei's Mother said with a nod before she started crying once more. Her hands went straight to her face after she picked up her husband's ring hand.

"We'll leave you be for now, then." Larishazza said as she takes my arm and guides us out of the room.

"Now what?" I ask with a sigh.

"I guess we can try and keep ourselves occupied." she tells me with a slow shrug before she looks down at a nervous child.

"My mummy really liked what we made for her last time..." the little child told us as she looked up at Larishazza.

"Did she? Does she want to eat some more?" Larishazza asks with a sweet voice as she goes down to her knees. Keeping her eyes in line with that of the child as she occasionally looked at me.

"Yes... She has been worried since the big bang, I want to help her calm down." she explained as she began to jump up and down. I guess she was explaining how the airship was struck while we were gone. She wasn't smiling as she did it, so it must have been that.

"I know a few people who could use cheering up, should we make something for them too?"

"Okay... But mummy comes first." the child explains with innocent selfishness as she takes Larishazza's hand. And then, all of a sudden, she would take mine and begin swinging between us.

"Look at you go!" Larishazza would say to her while I just went along with it. But, the child's happiness was infectious and I would be smiling for a bit until she let go to run off. Her little ears were the first I saw of her when she popped up behind the counter with a bowl.

"Hurry up!" she moaned impatiently as we got closer. And Larishazza would just dive through the counter gap. I, though, sort of just walked around and went in the way she did.

"So what did you make last time?" I asked as I watched them run about and gather up various things. However, anything sharp would be taken up by Larishazza. And, she moved much more carefully when they were in her hands. Soon after as well, more children began to appear.

Some of them clogged up behind me while others looked over the counter. And, to my embarrassment, I did not start moving out their way until their little fingers started touching my exposed thighs. It tickled as well so I found myself giggling as they all began to cluster around Larishazza. She also laughed back at me as she began to set up little work posts.

"Do you want to help?" my friend asked me as she lingered by an oven.

"Briefly, I would like to go see you know who." I told her once I got next to her. Staying quiet just in case saying Nin's name out loud scared the children. After all, the people here weren't very open to the idea of an osibindah being on board...

"Sure, we can make a bigger portion and hand it to you so you can then give it to him!" she quickly tells me before she goes over to the children. And off she went, explaining to each of them what they would be doing while she got started on it. The child who first found us followed her around as she did so.

And when something was finally made, she couriered it around the kitchen. A little assistant to Larishazza as she instructed each grouping of kids. Then once they reached the end of the process, they went back to do it all again. Each time as well, Larishazza would let the children do it more on their own.

Except maybe one or two who were stubbornly independent from the start or consistently in need of help. Sometimes, I think they just wanted Larishazza to do it with them as their faces would just light up. It even made me a little nervous as I was just standing around. At least, until I spotted a child stabbing their dough with little metal pieces.

"What are you doing?" I asked them gently, smiling a bit as they reacted hastily. Their arms quickly covered up the dough before they opened up.

"I was trying to draw a picture..." he answered as I leaned by him. And when my chest was cushioned against the kitchen side, I began to touch the metal.

"What're you trying to draw?" I asked as I tapped the metal bit of my gloves on them. Letting little clangs fill our ears as he became lost for words.

"I... A bunch of dots!" he would then answer as he put another piece of metal inside.

"Hm, want to see something fun?" I then let out as all these bits of metal gave me an idea.

"Okay!" he said with a nod.

"Watch this then!" I tell him as I begin to let little bits of magic arc about the metal. Concentrating very carefully as I directed the magic about. Then, once I had an image in my mind, I made a moving picture in the metal.

"Hewwo, I'm your bwun!" I would childishly say while hiding my mouth.

"HELLO BUN!" the child would suddenly shout in joy as they waved at the moving face made of lightning. And as he was waving, I suddenly changed the image to a hand before returning to the face.

"Who am I fwor?" I would pretend to ask on behalf of the incomplete bun.

"My tummy!" he would admit while patting it.

"Is it cwomfwortable in thwere? I wike cwomfwortable twummies!"

"Yeah!" he cheerfully informed the bun.

I would then make an actual smile before I then made the face disappear, "You hear that? The bun is going to enjoy you eating it!" I say. Unaware that other kids had come over, curious as to what had happened. But the screams of another would grab all our attention.

"Someone help me! The dough is alive!" Larishazza would exaggeratively scream as her magic manipulated wet dough. Making it seem like it was indeed alive. And, attacking her of all things.

"Get this off!" I would then nearly squeal when she suddenly threw it at me. Its wet and sticky mouth chewed on my cheek until she took it back. And all the laughter that surrounded me made me very red.

"First lot are done!" a child would then say as a bell went off.

"Coming!" Larishazza chirped out as she smirked past me. Glaring at her in the meantime until she came back with a bun covered in a sweet white sauce. And, in the middle, a little red fruit.

"Looks yummy." I complimented before looking for an expecting child.

"Give it to Nin if you can." Larishazza whispered as her tone went quieter. I would nod to her before disappearing. Not even getting a 'goodbye' from the children as I practically snuck off elsewhere. And I was somewhat wishing I stayed in the kitchen...

The tone of the place shifted drastically as I headed closer to the bunks. Especially the men's one where the few who were near it were in a constant state of aggression. And the others who passed on by practically ran on by if they got near it. It made me feel awkward but I was willing to look past this as my friend was just on the other side and he needed my help.

"Nin!? I brought you something!" I told him after knocking on the door. But he would not answer and I was left frowning as I could not even hear him moving.

.

.

.

"Move." I would demand as I approached Einervaene. Nearly shoving her out of the way as I brought up a different means to open the door. Unlocking it through my exclusive privileges granted by my status as the airship captain. And I would lock it right behind me after slipping on in.

Glaring intently at Nin with fists soon forming as I walked in front of him. Snarling at his stationary form and showing off my claws. But this attempt to scare him went nowhere and he stayed still. No noise was sent my way or care given to me.

"You're pathetic..." I spat out at the incompetent bug whose failure cost me my dad's life. If he just took that wyvern seriously then none of this would have happened. My family would be all here and we could be on our way. And this little thing could have been left behind like it wanted to be.

"I know, weak too." he said back to me with a blank tone. All while those bug claws of his came together and squeezed.

"SHUT UP!" I scream in his face as I get right up in it.

"Why?" he asked with a shudder.

"Why do you think!? No one wants to hear a filthy bug!" I explain to him. Combing my brain for any insults I could throw at him.

"Then what do you want?"

"To see you actually succeed in what you once tried to do!" I tell him as I put my magic-enhanced claws straight to his neck. And his lack of a response only angered me more.

"Might as well, everyone is gone..." he muttered before he broke down crying. And as if he just flicked a switch, I suddenly changed. No longer angry, instead, I just came to a realisation I should have known beforehand.

"All of them...?" I weakly asked as I stumbled backwards.

"None of them made it out... Not neighbour or family..." he barely got out before he buried his face into his hands and fell to his side. And as I watched him break down more and more, my body also became limp. Then, I grabbed a chair so I could sit on it. Huddling my legs close before looking down at them.

"I lost my dad because you didn't kill it quick enough..." I sobbed out myself. As if I was trying to keep my own feelings relevant when it was far worse him.

"I lost everyone because I didn't kill it quick enough..." he then told me as he stopped crying loudly. He just sort of stayed on the bed and covered himself with a thin quilt. Staining it with ash, dirt and dust. Even his own blood...

"Right..." I mutter to him before sighing out what emotions I could. Wiping away some of the tears on my tail before then getting it up. Walking over to him to then offer it to him. But he would refuse it and just stay still under the quilt.

"I'm sorry about your dad..." he somehow managed to get out despite my prior words. Somehow, despite what I had done to him since this all happened, he had managed to offer me condolences...

"I..." I started to say before I just started shaking my head and crying once more. Running off towards the bridge in order to collapse into my chair. Then, two screens appeared before my eyes. One with an image of my family grieving, the other of Nin in that same bed.

I couldn't even be asked to sneer at the two hwardgon in front of me. I just felt... Jealous of them. She still had her dad while mine was gone.

A good man who was in that state because he saved a baby... And this evil creature was still alive along with his daughter!? How was this fair!? What gave him the right to live on!?

"HOW IS THIS FAIR!?" I would then scream at the roof before crying some more. My dad was now in Undwote's arms yet hers was not. Mine was a good man who gave his strength to help a weak newborn... He sold people for mere profit...

It made me angry and I did not even know what to do. What could I even do...? Killing them wouldn't make me happy. It wouldn't help Dad...

He was dead and they got to carry on living. They have done what they have done and they still get to see another day. And the last I ever properly saw of Dad was him thanking me... For getting our family back together.

I then turned on the speaker, "Mom, make some room... I'm coming back." I whimpered out before I started walking. Putting the airship on a low-altitude course back to Jherikra before leaving. Clutching my face once again as the tears came back in force.