Erza and Nicholai no longer saw the large city behind them. They sat together on the carriage riding in whatever direction was the safest. The two panted heavily while the horses charged forward. Ezra still had a ballista stuck in his arm and Nicholai was rather short on mana. The dracion felt his friend's energy depleting so he felt to take over as the driver. He looked to the ballista shot sticking in his arm. The massive thing hadn’t pierced all the way through his large limb but it was causing him some bleeding. The swordsman chose to remove it with no hesitation.

He wrapped on hand around the arrow, closed his eyes and clenched his teeth. Then ripped it from his arm. He let out a muffled pained scream, then quickly threw the shot away. His hand covered the wound and he casted his healing spell over and over to ease the pain.

“Hey. Let me take the ropes.” Ezra said to Nicholai. “You’re tired. Get inside the carriage and get some rest. I’ll be fine.”

Nicholai didn’t argue he handed over the ropes and Ezra slowed the carriage down so he could enter the carriage and sit back. He took some deep breaths and laid down on the seat. While laying he noticed a group of chest underneath the seat adjacent to him. His curiosity took over and he opened the first one before his face. Inside he found wrapped bread and meat as well as other ingredients for sandwiches. The chest was naturally cool so the items inside did not waste.

The sorcerer returned out to Ezra with some food. He prepared a hefty sandwich for the dracion. And a more softer one for himself.

“Thanks man. Where did you get this?” Ezra asked.

“I found some ingredients in a chest. And I thought we might need something like this.” Nicholai handed the sandwich over to the dracion. The two started to eat together and tried to alleviate their exhaustion. “So what the hell happened?”

Ezra shortened his description in order to save Nicholai of a long winded explanation. The sorcerer was already more aboard to help him. Yet worried more about their friends still on the sea.

“What about Grimm and the rest?” Nicholai wondered aloud to Ezra.

“He’ll be fine. Even if they send all those ships at them he’ll get through. And I have no doubt he’ll find his way to us. We just need to catch up to this cart and get it before it reaches Dreamsky.” Ezra answered for Nicholai.

Nicholai returned inside the carriage to rummage through the rest of the chest, trying to find anything that could be of help to them. While the first had ingredients for food, the second was stockpiled with wine that he knew neither of them would want to drink. Nicholai hesitated on hot drinking because he remembered how Irene would make wine all the time and required his help. So he slid the chest back and left just one bottle out in case he felt himself wanting to dry.

The third chest included a majority of papers, some folded and others spanning the length of the whole chest. A special one stood out to him. It was colored unlike the rest which were purely white. He removed it from the chest to find it being a map of the entire kingdom.

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The sorcerer quickly left the carriage and brought the map to Ezra. He flashed it before his eyes and the two looked together at the map for their destination.

They first spotted Dreamlight to the south of the kingdom, also where the shore laid. Going above they saw that in order to get to Dreamsky, which was located in the north, they would have to pass over a large savannah biome that seemed to house a large canyon.

“This canyon is supposed to be massive.” Nicholai observed.

“Looks like we’ll have to find some way around it.” Ezra returned.

‘Wait. Look!” Nicholai pointed to a spot within the canyon on the map. “There's a village here. A large one. It’s called Shakes Town.”

“You think we should stop there. What if they past it?” Ezra pondered.

“I don’t know. But. Dreamsky is closer to Shakes Town. If only we got more info before we left. How long it takes for someone to transform. Where it all started.” Nicholai worried.

“Yeah. Our last source is dead. We just need to make it to Dreamsky. Let’s pass over this town and head straight there.” Ezra concluded as they started to charge faster. Knowing the ride would be rather long.

Juro sat down with himself in the kings study. Staring at all the weapons, armor, and shields hung across the room. His mind returned to the first time he entered the room. As a young and upcoming knight in training who showed his talent that surprised every instructor they had. The only person he had left to impress was King Gartham.

As soon as young Juro stepped into the room, the king welcomed him with open arms. He praised the boys efforts and strengths. Then prompt told him to prove such feats. The king then found his coat slipping off his body. Juro cut it faster than the king could see. He cheered the boy with a hearty laughter. Juro had been kept in the king's eye for as long as he lived. Gaining favors for both him and the late queen. Though their favors were not what he wanted.

The general threw the king's desk out of the window and down in front of the palace. Then found himself in a frenzy of breaking everything in the room. All the weapons, armor, shields, slicing papers, destroying the bookshelves and even putting holes in the ground.

“It’s time for all of this to come crashing down. Long live the king they say. His home must also be purged as well. So that no more comes from him.” Juro spoke to himself. He left the study and walked down to the bottom floor. Where they lay piles of explosives surrounding the room. All lined up perfectly to bring the palace down. In the center of the room sat in fear a family of 4. Father, mother, and 2 daughters. “Lord Rolesport. One family died here and now another shall. That makes two down two to go. I’ll be sure to leave your bronze badge over your grave if anyone buries you.”

Juro left the pleading family to cry as he and his knights started to leave the palace. Right before the exit, one knight lit the fuse on the explosives. The family started to cry louder and the doors were shut behind them. Juro and the knights were packed together in the remaining carriages as they drove away from the palace ready to leave the city.

Soon the palace erupted into a massive explosion, sending debris falling all over the city as it crushed more commoners and destroyed far more homes.

“Head for Nightwell. And did the commanders get my message?” Juro asked.

“They did sir. However only 2 of them wrote back.” The knight answered. Juro sighed knowing exactly who they spoke of.

“I don’t have time for him. Just get to Nightwell. I need some rest.” Juro ordered. As he rode away from the crumbling city of Dreamlight, as the commoners screamed for help as flames claimed the land.

Out on the sea. Every ship had been ordered to fire at the small vessel which held the dracion who now walked on their land. Yet they had never expected the vessel to carry someone of such impossible strength. For the water had been frozen over in an instant. And all of their cannon balls were deflected back to them, and their ships had been overtaken by floral monsters.

“Seems Ezra stirred up some trouble.” Grimm said holding a soldier in his grasp.

“Guess we better go help him.” Katreena replied.

“I’m sure he’ll be happy to know we’re fine.” Garnet entered as well. “And I’m sure he won’t be to please to hear that they put Anabelle’s life at risk.”