“HOW COULD YOU LEAVE ME LIKE THAT IF YOU KNEW THE WHOLE TIME!?”

Lykha, the young fairy, yells as she pounds her comparatively tiny fists on the cracked visor of the unorthodox knight known as Murtoa of Lakia. He doesn’t move, allowing her to vent her frustration as her emotions boil out of her.

“A-AND THE DANGER! WHY DID YOU FIGHT!? IF YOU KNEW, WHY DIDN’T YOU MAKE HER…!? WHY DIDN’T YOU…!?” Her thoughts start to blend into a blurry mess, and what she’s actually yelling about dissolves in the swirl of emotions.

For a time, she truly feared she would never be free again. And, she felt betrayed and tricked -which she was-. She thought her wish would get wasted, or that something would happen without her there.

But most of all, a deep-seated terror had gripped her heart.

What if Mury doesn’t figure it out?

Instead, he knew the whole time, but did nothing about it. True, he was using Nieolsynnys to his advantage, knowing she wouldn’t let them or Lykha’s body die, and that her magic was limitless compared to Lykha’s.

Which finally dawns on her when her wings give out. She has no magical energy, and Nieolsynnys taxed her body rather heavily during the fight.

She loses her ability to fly and falls, caught in a moment of surprise by the human warrior. He cradles her in his hands rather easily, and she pants. She shouts, “THANK YOU FOR CATCHING ME! BUT, I’M STILL MAD!”

He chuckles as the others laugh as well. He states plainly, “I’m glad you’re okay.”

She crosses her arms, whining at a more normal volume, “You can’t butter me up now…”

Coco approaches, leaning over Mury’s hands. She scolds the young fairy, “Ye dumb dummy Bae. Gettin’ winked li’e a peekworm to a cracka.”

Lykha tries to turn her weakened body aggressively, but doesn’t have the energy. She retorts sassily, “Me!? I stop arguing with you for five seconds, and you think nothing of it!?”

Coco shrugs with a smirk, “Wha’ can I admit? Brainin’ ye fine’ly comin’ wise.”

Lykha manages to sit up on her elbows, pointing at Maerin. “And you! How did you not know?”

Maerin hiccups, still clearly keeping her mind softened. “Me!?... I got nothin’... I thought, but I gived up.” She takes another sip from her flask, musing, “‘Sides. Murmur jus’ said he loves you, an’ you worryin’ ‘bout that.”

Lykha blushes, whirling to look at Murtoa, but Coco shrieks, “He did no’! I ain’t defeated yet!”

Mury chuckles, but he replies, “They’re teasing you. I said I’m glad you’re okay.”

Gyrryth stands off to the side of Mury, remarking, “I am pleasantly surprised the spirits released you. Not for lack of trying, though it seems. I am sorry I have lacked in such vital teachings.”

“It’s okay…” murmurs the young fairy. “I wouldn’t have ever known…” She looks at Murtoa again, asking, “What is the spirit prison?”

Murtoa replies with his usual level of confidence; not that of complete lack of knowledge, but of someone who knows what she’s talking about. “I’m not sure. The spirits were bound a long time ago.”

The other three listen respectfully, but seem to be surprised. Gyrryth murmurs, “Prison? I have been told they bound themselves to protect the world from their power.”

Murtoa shakes his head. “Not what I’ve heard. They’re imprisoned to make their power more accessible. However it was done is limited; their power is available to many. I’ve… heard stories.”

The other four stare at him expectantly together. Maerin even sits up, paying close attention.

He scoffs, starting, “I only know parts, so don’t take it as fact. But, the stories say the spirits are the ones who created the colossi.”

The girls gasp, but Mury continues, “And, during the beginning, they are the ones that controlled the colossi population.”

Lykha asks, “Why create them?”

Murtoa shrugs. “I dunno. You might choose to ask them. We forge weapons against threats. The spirits represent nature, and may have forged threats against weapons -weapons meant for them-.”

Maerin murmurs, “Which ‘splains why you don’t seem to hate them.”

Murtoa nods. “I don’t think I hate anything. But, I have a purpose for which I am suited.”

Lykha looks at Gyrryth, asking, “What about the Holy Order? Would they know where the prison is?”

Gyrryth shakes his head, scratching his chin in thought. “No. The Church teaches that the spirits are like hermits from our realm, and that basic magic comes from the world itself. I wouldn’t know where such a thing would exist.”

The young fairy nods, understandably disappointed.

Coco murmurs optimistically, “Jus’ glad ye nevah have to be brainscrambled’n’ mix’o’thinks.”

Lykha fidgets. She says softly, “A-Actually, Nieolsynnys… requested…”

Murtoa replies, “We know. That is entirely up to you.”

The teen techromancer exclaims, “Wai’! You givin’ it a lick’o’think?”

Lykha nods at the teen. “They’re imprisoned, Coco… I… I’m scared, but… I feel sad for them.”

The teen growls to the human warrior, “She still got by ‘em slicks!”

Murtoa replies to Coco, “She’s not. She doesn’t know where the dragon is.”

The young fairy tenses, but calls his bluff. “Y-You! You’re teasing me! I know you killed it! R-Right? MURRRRYYYYY! Tell me you killed it! I’m serious! This isn’t funny!” She grabs and shakes his finger as she complains, while the others chuckle.

Coco teases, “Okay, I got ye.”

Mury nods, but Lykha doesn’t give up. “Hey! Don’t ignore me! Tell me where it is! Is it dead? Did it leave? Maerin! Maerin, come on. Y-You’re grown up! O-Or Gyrryth! Please! Tell me!”

The legendary monster-slayer looks at the horizon, replying gently, “The creature is dead. It wasn’t technically a dragon.”

“But it sorta was, wasn’t it!? I knew it!”

If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

He repeats, “Calm down. I promise you, it’s dead. We should be far enough away from the city now. Let’s camp here.”

Coco yawns, but retorts, “Sleepin’ durin’ sun-time. Tricksie must’a schemed this.”

Maerin muses from Coco’s gearbag, “Dunno why you’ fussin’. Daytime naps are the third most important sleep times.”

Gyrryth jokes warmly, “Well said from our resident expert.”

“I’s asleep when it matters. Wait… Awake. I’m’s-I’m awake when it sleeps.”

The group chuckles, and Gyrryth replies, “Indeed. Wasn’t disparaging. Just teasing, Mature One.”

Lykha sits on her knees as she hugs Mury’s fingers, asking nervously, “What if-...”

Murtoa states bluntly, “We won’t run into any more dragons today. Or technically not dragons.”

Coco adds confidently, “An’ if one shows up, ‘Bando will jus’ fry up it’s tail jus’ same!”

Gyrryth nods in agreement, “Indeed. And, that sounds quite delectable, said as so.”

The little fairy looks up at the human still patiently holding her. “Promise?”

Murtoa replies quietly, “I can promise to do my best.”

She nods, satisfied. The best of Murtoa of Lakia is far better than anyone else for the young fairy named Lykha. She relaxes on his hand, “Okay… Are we planning on camping outside?”

Murtoa chuckles. “You can if you want to. The cruiser will be more comfortable, I think.”

Lykha nods.

She’s relieved to be back in her own body, and relieved that she has a friend like Mury.

Once more, it is far from lost on the young fairy what she gained that day footsteps in the sand approached a glass jar in the desert.

**********************************

First watch, first driver, and first line of defense. Somehow, the legendary warrior seems to need little to no sleep, and he makes no complaints. He drives the sand cruiser rather slowly to keep the noise down, letting everyone else continue to sleep.

Mury is far from immortal or truly tireless, though. He manages to rest when he can, but, unbeknownst to the others, it is taxing him.

That will never stop his march forward, though. He is able to keep going as strongly as he has been thanks to how close he’s getting to his current goal.

The horizon has drastically changed since he started driving, and he’s giving time for it to be very clear before he alerts everyone. He’s seen it a couple times, though there are fewer colossi where they’re going.

When it’s clear enough that not even a mirage could pass for this realistic, Murtoa finally stops the cruiser. He climbs out and heads to the back, knocking gently to let everyone know he’s lowering the ramp.

Inside, everyone is up and about. Coco is making breakfast, while Gyrryth helps Maerin prepare some less-volatile mixtures, while having Lykha practice some of her spells. They all greet him, and he states, “Smells good. Probably shouldn’t cook while the cruiser is on the move.”

Coco grins, but retorts sassily, “Ye can’ne keep a machen waitin’ on mornin’ munchin’s, Love. ‘Sides, I knew ye drive like a flat-back preimcess in’ne cold blither.”

There’s a moment’s awkward silence, and Murtoa admits, “Alright. Even I didn’t understand that one.”

The others laugh, and Coco grins. “Ye daft, Love? A cake’s gab, tha’ one.”

Lykha teases, “Yeah, Mury. I understood her fine.”

Brushing it off with good humor, Mury replies, “Must be getting old then.” He walks up the ramp, asking, “Anything I can help with?”

Coco replies, “Nope, Love! Jus’ finishin’ the fixin’s. Need’a find us more them silveryourd monsties. Heeheehee!”

Maerin adds, “I concur.”

Murtoa replies as he takes a seat across from Coco, “Might not be able to promise that.”

Coco asks, “Why no’? Dice the las’ one, did we?”

“No. They won’t be very abundant where we’re almost at.”

She cocks her head at him, and he nods towards the ramp. Coco dumps the last egg she was working on onto a plate, walking quickly down the ramp with the frying pan. She looks outside briefly, as the others watch her, and Murtoa takes a piece of egg to put under his helmet and into his mouth.

A loud clanging comes from the ramp as the frying pan falls. The teen sinks to her knees, staring towards the forward direction. The others rush to her to check on her, but she murmurs distantly, “Wh-... Wha’ is tha’?”

Lykha gasps when she can see it, and Maerin murmurs, “I… I don’t believe it…”

Gyrryth, who knew their ultimate destination from a conversation with Murtoa much before now, hums in approval, remarking, “We made better time than I thought.”

Lykha zips from above Coco’s head to directly in front of Murtoa’s helmet. “We’re going to the great forest!?”

The human warrior nods.

“Wh-Why?”

“Bored with the monsters in the desert.”

She looks at him in shock and disbelief, but also stupefied by his weird answer.

He chuckles and adds more sincerely, “You’ve told me many times you want to go home.”

Lykha’s eyes water, and she whimpers, “You… You’re trying to take me home?”

He nods. “I know roughly where the fairy villages are, but they’re not easy for humans to get to, and I’ve had no reason to attempt to.” He shifts his armor’s collar, adding, “Fortunately, there’s only one close to the desert, so it’s a good place to-...” Murtoa halts when Lykha falls onto his arm, beginning to cry as she hugs his hand. She chokes out when she can, “Th-Thank you, Mury… Thank you… S-S-So much…” She bawls for a long time, ignoring him when he remarks, “We’re not there yet…”

Maerin murmurs softly, “It’s the gesture, Murmur. It’s very sweet of you.”

He asks the older fairy, “Do you remember-...”

She shakes her head, “Not an option.” She adds softly, “My wish is spent…”

Lykha chokes out, “That’s stupid! Y-Y-You c-c-can come vis-sit my home…” She sniffles, trying to gain some control, and Maerin smiles, neither committing nor confirming. Likely, all four of the others will be forbidden to even approach the village, let alone enter -assuming they could make the approach-.

Gyrryth states, “I’ve heard the fairies live very high up off of the ground. I am perfectly content watching over our belongings.” Coco fidgets nervously, squeaking, “I-... It’s high up?”

Lykha sniffles, adding, “You have to come. I-I want everyone to meet you guys.”

Murtoa replies calmly, “We can figure that out when we find the right place. We’ve still got a little way to go, and there are colossi unique to the forest. We won’t be short on work getting there.”

The group nods in agreement.

Lykha, still processing, sniffles again as she looks up at Mury’s visor, “I still can’t believe you’ve been planning this the whole time…” She smiles up at him, adding tenderly, “You’re the best, Mury.”

He scoffs, “It was no trouble.”

She murmurs, “It’s everything to me…”

Coco asks uncharacteristically delicately as she approaches, “Wh-... What is this place?”

Murtoa answers her warmly, “You’ve never seen the forest?”

“F-...Forest?”

Lykha smiles, adding brightly, “It’s a place full of trees. Trees as far as you can see.”

Maerin adds, “Trees so thick, you can’t see the sun.”

Gyrryth confirms, “Indeed. Imagine a cave, but formed of trees.”

“Y-... You’re funnin’ me. No twig spittas grow so close.”

Maerin retorts, “Explain what you just saw, then.”

Coco stares at her. “... ‘S a wall… Has’ta be. L-Like the bundle’o’brickboxes on the slimecrawlie.”

Murtoa jokes, “Gonna be a thick wall, then.”

The others laugh, and Coco smacks his helmet with the frying pan, scolding, “Oi! Whacha doin’ gompin’ withou’ us, eh?”

The warrior scoffs, retorting, “Apologies.”

The group shares breakfast as they prepare to make the crossing into a completely different terrain.

Two have seen much of the whole world. Two more have seen the forest and now the desert. And one will be experiencing something completely new.

Together, the five have achieved a lot, and from wandering the desert to conquering monsters, their road together may very well soon be coming to an end.

Before that, though, five monster slayers specializing in the colossal creatures plaguing the world -five friends-, are sharing a simple breakfast.

***************************************