Watching Ah Dan work was a strange feeling for Fa Lian. On one hand, he was efficient in ways that she had never even conceptualised. He thought about problems as though he viewed the whole world from above. It could honestly be frustrating at times, as though he had more understanding of every situation than the others around him. Sometimes, he definitely did understand more than everyone else. This was definitely one of those times, though he was not prepared to negotiate with a hostage. That would have to be down to herself.

“Pierce heaven? Why? Why destroy Allusia for that?” Fa Lian let some of the dragon creep into her voice, felt the heat of her energy rise up and accentuate her eyes. They would look draconic now, red scales and yellow eyes. Ravage, to her credit, did not flinch or react as Fa Lian bared metaphorical teeth at her.

“Her enemies are grander than you could imagine, dragonling.” The red skinned majaal threw her head back and laughed. “Did Shade get the message, too? Or is he so far removed that he can no longer hear mother’s voice?”

Fa Lian didn’t have a solid answer for that, nor was she about to give anything away to an enemy. Dan may have explained his plan in broad terms but this was his show, she didn’t want to be the one to ruin things. Luckily, Ah Dan decided to finally pull himself together.

“Why?” He asked. His voice was strangled. She looked at him and saw a strange fear in Dan’s eyes. He stepped forward to Ravage, close enough that Fa Lian wanted to reach out and pull him back. She was sure he knew what he was doing, though. “What does that mean?”

Ravage barked her rough laugh once more before fixing a discerning look upon Dan. “Yes.” she almost purred as she looked at Dan, seeming to revel in his discomfort. She raised her chin and smiled a foul grin. “We spoke about you, healer. You stink of her touch. Why?”

Fa Lian was trying hard to follow the conversation but she felt as though she had missed something important. Ah Dan stank of who now? The boy himself didn’t seem to understand either. He started to look anxious and unsure. Fa Lian hated seeing those emotions writ on his face. “I’m not here to answer your questions, Ravage. I’m just here to tell you that you were first. Your family is next. Time to deal with the rats.”

She didn’t let it show on her face but Fa Lian was impressed. She had thought that he lacked steel in his spine. She hadn’t expected Dan to be able to say such things, it was a pleasant surprise to be wrong. Losing the soft edges had done wonders for him. What would a new soul badge look like on the boy now? It was hard for Fa Lian to see past the awkward boy she had met months ago now but Dan had changed greatly.

So had she, the dragon’s movement inside reminded her.

Then, without another word, Dan left. She followed behind quickly, chomping at the bit to ask him what he was doing. When they were down two flights of stairs, she finally felt able to speak. “What are we doing, Dan? We didn’t even let her go, not that I’m a massive proponent of the idea.”

“I don’t know!” Dan’s sharp, raised voice shattered her hopeful assumption that he had things under control. Fa Lian thought she was with someone in control but instead realised that she was looking at a boy that was in over his head. “I’m just doing what it says.”

“What what says?” This would definitely have been an appropriate time to stop and talk, so the fact that Dan was picking up his pace, even hopping on occasion, was starting to bring heat into Fa Lian’s throat. Her voice carried some of the dragon’s growl at this point, as they left the barracks.

“The path! There’s only one way I can fix this and I’m doing everything I can.” As Dan spoke, he never took his eyes from the floor. It was strange in a way that Fa Lian couldn’t put her finger on but she didn’t like seeing him like this. Normally, Dan saw everything at once. Now he was fixated on something only he could perceive.

Also-

“Why would you need to fix everything?” Fa Lian grabbed Dan’s shoulders and ignored the panicked look on his face as he craned to turn around. She held him in place firmly and he struggled against her like a mouse trying to move a mountain. “Who are you to think that it's all on you to save a city you didn’t know existed a few weeks ago? Why do you always rush towards danger?”

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It was not a quality she disliked but it was one that might get them both killed. They should just leave. Find a way back home and work from a position of actual safety. Instead, it seemed that Ah Dan was going to do everything in his power to wrap himself up more and more in the problems of others. She was so frustrated that her grip tightened even more. Dan looked her in the eyes, pain clear in his confused expression. She let him go by instinct, scared of her own strength just moments after enforcing it.

“Because,” Dan took a step back, still looking at her while he rubbed his left shoulder, “I think I can help. Because if I could help and I don’t, then isn’t that the same as making things worse?” Fa Lian didn’t have an answer for that, though she wanted to argue. Before she could think of a reply, though, Dan was continuing. “You’re right. I didn’t know Allusia existed. Before that, I didn’t know how to use my mana. Before any of those things, the first thing I remember is my nightmares. Somehow, it feels like I am connected to what is going on and if I don’t find out what that connection is? I don’t know how bad it could be.”

“You never told me you have nightmares.” Fa Lian didn’t know what to say, so even her reply was nearly silent. Why would he have told her? Despite all of their time around each other, it wasn’t as though Fa Lian and Ah Dan had become friends. Why did it bother her to know he was struggling? Why was she angry at him for not letting her help, when she was just telling him to not involve himself in the problems of others?

“I don’t tell anyone. They’ve been changing recently.” Dan continued speaking but turned back around, following the path from before perhaps but avoiding eye contact with Fa Lian at the same time. “First… I fell. I would fall from the sky and I would destroy Jaia when I landed. I can feel the impacts. The fire and the destruction. I used to not sleep, I still avoid it when I can but now I have Kumiho.”

The name rang a bell in Fa Lian’s mind, as though a gong were sitting in her subconscious. “Kumiho?” As she said the name, Fa Lian felt Ryong Aang twitch within her. “Is she the spirit who helped in the battle with Ryong Aang?” Dan looked at Fa Lian with a smile. It wasn’t a happy one, but there was a warmth in it all the same.

“Yes. I guess it is a little like your situation with Ryong Aang? I should probably be more worried about the fox spirit living inside of me but Shade’s brothers and sister have been occupying my mind. The priest, as well.” Fa Lian once again felt a step behind as Dan refused to elaborate further.

“What’s wrong with the priest?” This was a question that Fa Lian had asked herself in the past days, too. She had not captured the memory of their first meeting beyond remembering that someone had dealt with muggers. Was it him? Why did she not trust his helping hand? “He did help you, right?”

They were near the accommodation now and Dan’s frantic energy seemed to have calmed. At least, he was no longer hopping at random times to catch whatever path he was following. “He did but I followed him to his church- with my mana I mean - and…” Dan started to trail away until he saw the look on Fa Lian’s face. She hoped the look she was giving was intimidating, that had been what she wanted. “I felt something strange in the church. It felt like the monster from the vault.”

She could see why Dan had been worried to share that information. Ryong Aang reacted to Fa Lian’s emotion now. It was not the dragon causing her blood to boil. “What are you trying to say, Dan?” She was speaking through nearly gritted teeth. The monster that had destroyed her uncle was still alive? Did that mean her uncle, Po Shang, was alive, too?

“I’m saying that the dangers in Allusia are everywhere and that we still don’t know enough. Steel Fever might still be alive, probably brought here by Po Daiyu.” That would be a worrying combination. Her cousin had been in the city before she had awoken from her battle with Ryong Aang but hadn’t been seen since. If she was working with Oblax then his interest in Dan might make more sense. “One of those problems would be a lot but having to deal with whatever destruction Ravage was promising as well as the threat from the church and Po Daiyu? It’s nearly impossible.”

“Why is why you don’t do it alone.” Fa Lian was glad to have been told of the problems on Dan’s mind. She wasn’t glad that he had them but now that she knew, she could at least take some of the weight off. “I’ll deal with the church- don’t argue with me, we don’t have time. I’ll take Xiaomei and Hyun Soon and find out what I can. If his interest is you, it’s better that you help Shade and stay away.” Fa Lian was prepared to argue that point for a while and was surprised when she didn’t have to. Instead of an argument, all Dan asked was that they take Grier if they could.

“I won’t be there to help if things go wrong. I trust you but I’d feel better if you had someone there who could heal.” They had finally reached the accommodation, a few single room apartments built in a small block together. Dan apparently had one but he had not used it a single time. Though Fa Lian might have had to knock on different doors, Dan knew exactly where their allies were and led Fa Lian to them.

The small room was quiet as they entered, a bated breath waiting for permission to be released. As the pair walked in, everyone relaxed. Calliope was next to Shade, who looked much calmer now. Xiaomei was holding Yurie’s hand while Hyun Soon loomed nearby protectively. The dwarf was not here but that wouldn’t stop Fa Lian from heading to the church. She had had her suspicions about the strange man and now she wanted answers, too.

“Shade.” Dan had regained the metal in his voice. That was good. She watched as he moved closer. “We need to move. Up.” Dan placed his hands on Shade’s shoulders and there was an immediate, noticeable difference between the man before and after. Had Dan… healed his anxiety? Was that even possible?

“We do not know where to find my siblings, if they are even the biggest problem.” Shade may have looked more ready but his words were anything but.

“Actually, I have that covered. Fa Lian is going to take you two,” Dan pointed at Xiaomei and Hyun Soon, “to cover our backs. We can’t have danger behind us if we’re going to deal with Shade’s brothers.” Without question, Xiaomei and Hyun Soon looked at Fa Lian and nodded, ready to do whatever was needed.

“How do you know where my family are hiding?” Shade asked quietly as everyone prepared to leave. Fa Lian tried to get out the door before Dan answered but was unsuccessful. “You did WHAT?!”