The yellow mana around the Fae spirit- Hir paused as he suddenly said, "Don't worry, I haven't forgotten about you. A successful completion of the Trial grants you three items from the Fae stone treasury. Tell me what you want, I will see if I have it"

"Yes, umm, is it possible to get some blood?" Ray asked, hoping that there was at least some here.

"Yes, yes, I remember. Here, have some of mine." Hir said as lines of light began to run down his arm towards his palm. A blood-red drop appeared in his palm that grew into a vial shaped collection of the substance.

"Now, what else do you want?" Hir asked as he handed Ray the blood after dropping it into a vial.

"What can you give?" Ray asked, returning to his habit of negotiating.

"Hmm, I can give the token of home, a Tier 31 artifact gifted to me by my prince, to go home. The token will take you home, even through the Human continent's spacial shields.” Hir said, looking at a ring on his left hand as he seemed to examine some invisible list,“ And here, this phoenix feather should help you in time of need. Just send mana into it and the person you target will feel the wrath of a royal phoenix." Hir said as the Fae stone began collapsing.

Ray took the items with shock on his face. Hir had…taken it literally and given him things he wanted to give? Well, they were very good items. The token in particular…a Tier 31 artifact.

Ray could barely put it through his head that he was holding an artifact that was more powerful than the Emperor, at least in Tier. The feather was pretty useful too, it would be useful-wait, he hadn't even decided to go rescue Ma! How did Hir know about it? Oh right, he could read his mind…

"Not to mention, it's very easy to tell that you'll be rescuing your mother. I do hope you are careful, though. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a few Humans to kill." Hir said as Ray found himself back in the tent.

But there was a marked difference before: the environment was overflowing in yellow mana. The tent was just one step away from catching fire. Ray stepped out as he sent a single message to Uncle glitter by wind, 'Come back, the Fae are coming, and they are angry.”

Ray could feel the embers of fire collecting in the wind, the space locking as Hir began acting. The Fae really didn’t waste time, did they?

Nora

Nora sighed as she kept watch outside of the tent. Ray had been absorbed into the round ball thingy and been gone for a few minutes already, meanwhile General Trevor was currently fighting General Rempeste in the sky just so they wouldn't be noticed. Nora hadn't thought she’d get to say something like that in her life.

General Trevor was on top of the rebellion's target pile, right along with Rempeste. The two of them had cost the rebellion and its allies a lot over the years.

But now they were allies with one of them. A bit too surreal. But as her mother said, life and relationships loved changing at the drop of a hat.

"So, how are things?" Torrin asked, shifting awkwardly as he tried to make conversation. Nora just wasn't interested.

"Well, we're standing in the middle of an army camp while two Generals fight in the sky. Not to mention our friend dying back in Afrieal. But other than that, sure, it's peachy.” Nora said, speaking as fast as she could.

The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

"So…you like him, huh?" Torrin asked, apparently not getting the hint.

"What do you mean?" Nora asked. Was this guy dumb? How did he think that was an appropriate topic to discuss with someone he barely knew?

"Ray. I saw your face when he told you he was Fae." Torrin said, smiling as he turned towards her. "How long has that been going on for?"

Nora huffed, a bit embarrassed by the topic. "No, it's, ugh, nothing like that. I was just a bit surprised that he would keep it from me. After all, I am one of his few friends."

"Oh, rubbish. How many times have you visited his house in the last few days? Come on, can you actually tell me that you're not interested?" Torrin said. How did this guy know that? Had he been spying on her? Or on Ray?

"I think we should just focus on keeping watch instead of gossiping." Nora said, turning towards the street, purposely avoiding eye contact with Torrin.

"Ok, sure. As you wish." Torrin said, grinning.” But you know I’m right.”

Nora did like Ray, or more accurately, she was interested in seeing if their friendship could be something more. But it was nebulous to begin with. Ray had interested her when they'd first met, but it was only recently that she realized that she might be interested in…more.

But that was probably just her imagination. Ray didn't seem interested, and besides, he was Fae. Fae weren't compatible with Humans. Why did this guy have to poke his nose in?

“What about you? Why were you crying when Anita was poisoned?” Nora asked. A little revenge was fair game.

Torrin blushed. A real life blush. Nora hadn’t seen someone blush quite like that before. Oh, he was gone, wasn’t he? The Void princess had taken his heart.

“Tell me, is she as smitten with you as you are with her?” Nora asked, a sly smile on her face.

“No, um, I don’t know. I haven’t talked to her much.” Torrin said.

“Haven’t even talked to her and already blushing? Oh, you’re done for. What are you going to do if she dies?” Nora asked, curious.

“I don’t think she is going to die. Have you met the guy inside?” he said.

An exchange of blows in the sky distracted her before she could reply, ready to defend Ray against an attack, or run, in case things went south. But she needn't have worried. General Trevor was losing, but he wasn't doing it quickly. The blow was General Rempeste melting through a wall of shields that appeared around her, forcing her in.

"Are you sure you want to continue, Trevor?" Rempeste said, her mocking voice carrying across the entire camp. "I can see you there, trying to hide your weakness. I can be merciful, you know. A simple strike, and you'd be dead. "

A wave of swords headed towards General Rempeste, melting in the air as the molten metal fell to the ground.

"Or I can melt you one organ at a time." the woman said as she approached the General. "The choice is yours."

Nora tensed as General Rempeste got within striking distance of General Trevor, this was bad.

Torrin tensed behind her, ready to make a run for it. Why wasn't Ray out? A mixture of arrows, spears, and swords suddenly emerged from behind General Rempeste, striking her as she tried to turn around. The weapons melted, but too many struck the General, wounding her.

General Trevor had already run away in that time.

"I commend you on underestimating me. Not many have done that and survived." he said, floating in the air as swords appeared before him.

General Rempeste scoffed at him, wiping her bleeding mouth as she made a throwing gesture towards the swords. The swords melted as some kind of force hit General Trevor, his shirt melting off his body as he retreated.

"Don't think I won't kill you just because you're a General." General Rempeste said, growling as she shot towards General Trevor. Nora crouched as they fought at speeds far too fast for her to keep track of.

"Do you think we should maybe wake Ray up?" Torrin asked. "I don't think we have long before General Trevor loses.

"I think that may be necessary." Nora said, looking at the sky for any sign of the two fighters. " How much longer do you think General Trevor can survive? I don't want to interrupt him if I don't need to."

"I don't think he'll be dying at all." Ray's voice suddenly said from behind her as he emerged from the tent. Wait, did he have an invisibility casted? Nora couldn't sense one from him.

"Ray cast invis-" Nora began but was cut off by Ray as he looked towards the sky.

"I don't think that will be necessary.'' Ray said. Nora felt a spacial lock set in as the violet glitter flew into the air.

"What's going on?" Nora asked, confused. Did the Empire know they were here? Or was Mom attacking? Why would someone space lock this place now?

"A Fae is coming, and he is furious." Ray said, looking at something she couldn't see.