Chapter Forty-Eight: Second Thoughts

As Yozora and Nuri soared through the molten skies of Ember’s Depths, the landscape stretched out beneath them, chaotic yet mesmerizing. Rivers of lava cut through the scorched earth like veins of fire, their dim, red light casting eerie shadows over jagged, blackened cliffs. Towering volcanic peaks loomed in the distance, crowned with plumes of smoke that promised eruption at any moment. Even from their altitude, heat rose from below in thick waves, making the air ripple like a living mirage.

Hovering mid-air, Yozora looked up at the sky—a turbulent mix of purples and reds swirling together in an eternal sunset. He raised his hand, feeling the warm, ash-laden breeze glide across his fingers, a surreal haze softening the brutal volcanic world below. Despite its unforgiving nature, the realm held an undeniable beauty. "You’ve got a beautiful home, Nuri," he said, his voice almost wistful. "This place... it’s wild, untamed, just as I feel inside. You should protect it, no matter what rules anyone tries to impose on you."

Nuri, flying beside him, let out a low, contemplative hum. "It wasn’t always like this. You feel it too, don’t you? The pulse of this place... it sings with a sort of melancholy. Like something precious was lost here long ago."

Yozora nodded, glancing down at the scarred land below. "Yeah, it’s as if this world died once, and everything that lives here had to evolve to survive it," he murmured, then looked back at Nuri. "What exactly happened here?"

Nuri fell silent, his wings beating softly through the ash-filled air. "That’s a story for another time," he replied, his voice carrying a sadness that seemed as old as Ember’s Depths itself. "It’s a memory I’m not ready to revisit... maybe one day. Just don’t forget about me when you leave."

Yozora’s brows furrowed, and he looked over at his companion with unexpected warmth. "Forget about you? That’s not gonna happen," he said, but his expression turned more somber. "Honestly though, Nuri, I’m not sure what to feel right now. Since I got my memories back, there’s this thrill I feel in combat... it’s almost like an addiction. I’m starting to wonder if I’m chasing something I don’t fully understand."

Nuri tilted his head, his eyes filled with concern. "Memories? You... forget things? Are you sick?"

Yozora chuckled softly, shaking his head. "It’s not quite like that. They call it being Zero’d. Imagine having your wings for as long as you can remember, and then one day, they’re ripped away. You’re forced to adapt, live as though you never had them. Then, just as suddenly, you get them back." He paused, his gaze distant. "It messes with you."

Understanding dawned on Nuri, and he looked at Yozora with newfound sympathy. "Losing something that’s part of who you are... that sounds unbearable."

Nuri could sense the depth of Yozora’s struggle. As the Burning Hawk, he could feel the silent anguish Yozora had carried, suffering masked behind a carefree smile. A single tear threatened to fall from Nuri’s eye as he thought, No wonder he craves chaos; he’s been carrying a burden no one should bear alone.

Yozora muttered, almost to himself, "Dammit."

Nuri turned, sensing the change in his tone. "What’s wrong, Yozora?"

"The Obsidian Dragon," Yozora began, his mind replaying their battle in vivid detail. "I killed it, but something felt... wrong. That dragon wasn’t just a monster. There was a vulnerability to it, something almost... childlike."

Nuri listened intently, his gaze unwavering.

"It attacked fiercely, sure, but it wasn’t calculated or controlled. Its moves were reckless, like it didn’t fully understand its own power. It was like a child still learning," Yozora said, rubbing the back of his neck in frustration. "And I should’ve realized it sooner. Its roars—they weren’t just cries of dominance. They were filled with fear. We didn’t give it a chance."

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Nuri’s eyes widened slightly. "So you think the dragon wasn’t truly a threat?"

Yozora shook his head, a weight settling over him. "No... I think it was young, maybe even confused. We just saw a monster and never questioned it. But what if it was protecting something or someone? And we silenced it without a second thought."

Nuri nodded thoughtfully. "Fear blinds people to the truth, Yozora. Perhaps we misjudged the situation."

Yozora’s gaze turned back toward the distant Vulcan village. "I think we need to go back and make sure the Vulcan are alright, see if there’s something we missed. I can’t shake this feeling... we might’ve made everything worse."

Nuri, surprised by Yozora’s change of heart, saw the weight of his guilt. "Alright," he replied, his tone soft. "Let’s go back. Maybe there’s still a way to make things right."

They turned, wings beating through the ash-filled sky as they made their way back to the village. As they descended upon the Vulcan settlement, a haunting silence greeted them. Yozora’s heart sank as he took in the devastation.

The once-thriving village was now a wasteland of ash and ruin. Smoke choked the air, rising in twisted plumes, obscuring the fiery sky. Fallen bodies of the Vulcan lay scattered amidst the debris of what had once been their home. Once-vibrant flames of life had given way to black obsidian fire—an unnatural blaze that clung to the ruins, refusing to die out.

Yozora clenched his fists, dropping to one knee as he took in the destruction. "This is... my fault," he whispered, barely able to contain the horror he felt.

The village, once filled with laughter, chants, and warmth, was now swallowed by eerie silence. Giant obsidian spikes jutted from the ground, impaling structures and the very earth itself, standing as grim reminders of the devastation wrought.

Nuri stared in disbelief, his gaze locking onto the distant temple. "The Elder, Calida... I have to see if they’re alright." With a powerful flap of his wings, he surged towards the temple.

Inside the elder’s chamber, shadows flickered eerily against the unnatural glow of the obsidian flames. But as Nuri stepped closer, a chilling voice reached his ears.

"Finally, I can rid myself of this village and ascend to Elysium," the voice sneered. "That foolish hawk—so easy to deceive with tall tales about corrupted dragons. They believed every word, collected precious gems, worked day and night for free... and all for me." The figure chuckled, a sinister grin twisting its lips.

Nuri’s heart skipped a beat. He felt a pang of betrayal so deep it left him momentarily paralyzed. No... this can’t be right. The Elder was a figure of wisdom, someone who guided us. But what he was hearing shattered that image completely.

Gathering his strength, Nuri stepped forward. "You ate with us, laughed with us, played with the children... how could you betray us like this?"

The figure turned, a mocking smile curling on its lips. Standing before Nuri was no elder Vulcan but a tall, lean creature with glistening green scales that reflected an iridescent purple tint. Its serpentine gaze met Nuri’s with a cold, predatory intelligence, its voice dripping with mockery. "Oh my, the little bird has finally caught on," it sneered.

Yozora entered the chamber, holding Calida’s lifeless body. His voice was cold, filled with barely restrained rage. "You did this. She worshiped you, obeyed your every word, and you repay her with this?"

The creature laughed, a sound as hollow as it was sinister. "Oh, the ‘hero’ arrives. How convenient. If you hadn’t shown up, I might never have been able to pull this off. While everyone focused on you, I slipped in and took the Obsidian Dragon’s eggs—the one you killed was only their elder brother. Isn’t that neat?"

Yozora’s hands trembled as he looked down at Calida, grief and anger churning within him. "I came here because Calida used her last breath to ask me to protect you. And this... this is what I find." He took a steadying breath, eyes blazing as he looked up. "I didn’t listen. But I’m listening now."

The creature clapped mockingly. "Oh, so the fool understands. It’s nice to see you’re finally catching on."

Yozora's voice was a whisper, each word laced with cold bloodlust. "Nuri, take Calida to your Lord. I crafted a crest over her heart, keeping it faintly beating. If your Lord has an Arch Healer, they can save her. Go. I’ll handle this thing. Also”he takes pause,” I crafted this gift for you. If I don’t make it back, open it."

Nuri, tears streaming down his face, nodded, taking Calida’s body and turning toward the castle. "I won’t open this gift you gave me, Yozora... not until I see you again. Make it back. For her."

With one last look, Nuri took off, flying as fast as he could, disappearing into the distance. As Yozora watched him go, a dark aura began to seep from him, an abyssal coldness filling the air. The flames around the village froze in an instant, the once-blazing landscape now eerily silent.

Turning back to the creature, Yozora’s voice was deathly calm. "I met someone once—an ugly brute named Orgag. Though I killed him, he showed me a few tricks...

The creature sneered, but Yozora’s gaze remained steady, his tone even colder. "You think you have the key, the answer? The only miscalculation here... is you."

A deadly stillness fell over the battlefield. Yozora’s voice was barely a whisper, yet it carried a lethal promise. "Ice Fumi: Frozen Tundra Perfected."