Fleck and Glimmer sat on the sand, the ground flatter and rockier than in Xentron City, and stared out at the sunset. With their schedules, Fleck had been up all day, but Glimmer had only been awake for a little. Suzan was still inside. According to Glimmer, she was underground, washing her clothes in the underground water they had.

The two dragons were alone, watching the sun dip lower in silence.

Evin had a point. The sunset really was nicer here. (Though Iva deserved some credit. Watching it set over the pink ocean was a cacophony of colors.)

"So. How are you and Wren?" Glimmer asked.

"Well, we're staying with Rasha in Rial's place right now."

Wren hadn't wanted to live with Udo and Aqua while they were still figuring out what to think about her. And neither she nor Fleck really wanted to take up more space when Udo's new apprentice and dragon were there. They were a zenny and an aquatic dragon, legs even shorter than Aqua.

Wren thought the dragon had a very pretty blue-green color.

See that was the case for a half elf, but for a dragon, he just looked blue.

Anyway, they'd both been pleasant enough when Fleck and Wren had visited the house, but it just seemed like a lot of unnecessary trouble to have six people living there.

Especially since Rial's home and shop was just sitting there, and would be claimed by someone else, or looted, if they didn't move in. There was space for him, Wren, and Rasha. Especially since Wren and Fleck didn't spend that much time inside, and Rasha spent a lot of time in the shop reading the books or trying to identify the items. And seeing as the home used to be for an imp and a dragon, there were already some things in there that were suited to Fleck and Rasha. Like the meat chips for Rasha, or scale polish for Fleck.

But he should probably say more than that.

"Wren's taken to using a sand rover and exploring the desert."

She was doing that right now. She zoomed through the desert, hot wind hitting her face, where it wasn't covered by the helmet. Sometimes she scavenged items. She watched for possibly valuable metal. Lots of old weapons or warped ship pieces out in the sand from the dragon wars, or unsuccessful explorers. She kept an eye out for magical items, like Cooper had suggested as well. Sometimes she just watched the views, the rock formations and colorful sand. Sometimes it just felt good to go at high speeds, like she was racing her messy feelings, and for once winning.

But with the sun setting, she should turn around soon. Didn't need to smack into one of those rock formations at high speed.

At least they could confirm any desire for suicide was gone.

"Where'd she get a sand rover?"

"It belonged to that dragon trafficker."

Hathanier.

"Ah, well, fuck him," Glimmer said. "He deserves to get his stuff stolen."

Fleck let out a surprised "ha!" Then he shifted his weight, expression getting somber. "And, how's Glow?"

Glimmer sighed, a bit of smoke coming from her mouth. "You know she's gone back to the caves."

She'd moved back in there, maybe temporarily, maybe forever, to be closer to the friends she had before.

"She's found a group, you know?" Glimmer continued. "Of people who've lost their dragon or their rider. It's not very common, but it happens on occasion."

Hmm. Maybe he should find a way to let Tolith know. Fleck had been close to Asplenium, not his rider. But it was something he could do for his dead mentor.

"And that's helped?" Fleck asked.

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Glimmer shrugged. "She can hold a conversation again. It's not all rage and violence. Her temper's still short thought. Shorter than yours."

It seemed Glimmer was out of things to say. They were silent for a moment.

"Fleck, I'm sorry. I'm sorry Suzan and I didn't come."

Fleck frowned. "You told us why you didn't come, and we forgave you."

Glimmer lived in isolation compared to Aqua and Glow. It would've been harder for them to learn anything was going on. And it would've been harder for them to fit in a spaceship. Glimmer was the size of a van, and the shape of one. She couldn't coil up like Aqua.

"I know. I just feel things could've gone better if I was there."

Fleck scoffed. "Yes, I'm sure you would've been perfect and powerful and shown us all up as usual."

Glimmer could breath fire. She was big and powerful. Her shape shouldn't have been good for fast flight, but she raced, so she was even good at that. And maybe he shouldn't sound so bitter when they were talking about the difference between life and death, but it was hard not to.

"But you had good reason not to be there. And Rial was the only death out of anyone from Xentron. That's pretty good, actually." Even if he certainly hadn't wanted Rial dead.

Based on her expression, Fleck expected Glimmer to call him out on his priorities.

"Fleck, I am the oldest sibling. I have the most experience, and an example to set. I should darn well hope I'm more skilled than you at some things. Do you know how humiliating it would be if I wasn't?"

"Ah." He had not, in fact, known that.

"If you wanted to show me up, it seems you very much have these past few months," she went on, rocking her head for emphasis. "I'll have to step it up. Don't think that means you're off the hook though."

What?

"Since you got a rider, you've been ignoring dragon society. And we, are going to have to get you more involved."

She unfolded a wing, and proceeded to thwack him with it. Fleck groaned, Glimmer laughed.

~~~

"Alright everyone! Today we've got a new challenger. A visitor all the way from the planet of Avil itself, Nargin! And on the left, we've got our new and rising fighter, Wren! Perhaps she'll make stardom. What do you think?"

The imp announcer called them out as they entered the raised platform, while his dragon once again weaved through the crowd, taking bets. Nargin looked at Wren like this had to be a joke.

That was why the imp announcer liked her. She was misleading. Wren was tall, but not particularly muscular. Her face was round. Her eyes always with that deer in the headlights looks. And today, she'd dressed up a bit. She had a black and white striped dress, along with a black jacket and black boots. She'd paid for them with the winnings from a previous fight. She'd finally gotten fancier clothes, and it created a look people didn't take seriously. She had the red eyes, but people didn't actually pay that much attention to eye color, and imps also could have red eyes. And her necklace that hid her dark presence was still on, tucked under the dress.

"Let the round begin!" the imp announcer declared.

The dwarf pulled out a spiked club, and swung it at Wren. She ducked. When he tried to bring it down directly onto her head, she dropped into a roll. Clear of him for a moment, she took the brief time to connect to magic, and slammed him with emotional magic.

Nargin stumbled back, eyes wide. He glanced at his own club, maybe not in outright horror, but at least like he was second guessing himself.

As soon as he wasn't looking at her, Wren launched forward, palms on his shoulders, and shoved. He was surprised. He tried to regain his footing, but he couldn't, instead falling, rather than being pushed out of the ring. He did drop his club though.

For a second longer, they rolled in the dirt. Nargin hadn't gone over the line, and it was hard to push him over while he lay on the ground. But his heart wasn't in the fight. Even with Wren's lesser strength, he barely resisted as she shoved him out of bounds.

"Well we had a fast round this time folks, but Wren is going to the next round. We'll just take a moment to reset the field."

Wren walked off and sat beside the arena. There was some grumbling from people who thought Nargin was an obvious winner, while people who'd seen Wren fight before took in their winnings with a smile.

Wren didn't think there was that much they needed to do to the arena. It wasn't like the fight had shattered the earth or seriously injured either of them like some fights did. But she would take the short rest to recover from her use of magic.

She felt the sand on her legs, and the wind on her face. Just her. Fleck was out, Glimmer trying to find more hobbies for him.

She'd tried out fighting on one of her long and empty days, and was surprised it was a little fulfilling. It had felt good to slam the cultists with emotional magic. Now she got to do so again, and could make a bit of money off it. Sometimes. Sometimes it didn't go so well.

Then the imp was standing back up on the small stage he'd erected. "Alright everyone! Next round is starting! We've got Wren of course. In case you can't tell, she's our local magic user!"

There were some cheers and claps as Wren got up, brushed off her dress, and walked back to the arena.

"On the other side, fully human, we have Levo from the Oasis. I hear he can also do magic."

What type of magic seemed significant. But the announcer started the round without saying, and it was time to fight.

Levo pulled out a blade. It seemed too short to call a sword and too long to call a dagger, but maybe Wren was forgetting something. It sparked with a sort of purple electricity, and Wren didn't have a weapon.

He slashed forward. She jumped to the side. Lightning shot out of his blade. She ducked. She connected to her magic, and slammed him with guilt.

For a moment, he froze. Then his eyes widened, his body shook, and he raised the blade.

'Oh no.'