--------///----Martiq's POV----\\\--------

~ Carrying people when i run's starting to get a little annoying, i can sorta get why some of the domesticated guys i've met complained about this... Maybe i shouldn't of called that one raptor a wuss now that i'm experiencing it for the first time. ~

After darting off towards the kingdom it'd been a few minutes since we left finna and i've run through another town or two despite Elaine nagging me not to do that. And i know i told Raijin to help with the slipstream but i haven't heard anything from him for a bit so i think he's passed out since Elaine's got a death grip on him and me with her ice to make sure he doesn't fall off, which feeling it is kind of distracting considering how cold it feels and i can't use my water on us or else i'd turn into the fastest block of ice the world's ever seen.

(Martiq) " Ummm Elaine? Is he knocked out? I haven't heard him say anything for a bit now and i don't think he's moved. "

Asking cause i had to know so i could tell Sile after i dropped them off, since she's got a competitive thing going on between her and him for some reason despite only spending some time with him.

~ I know people with an earth manifest tend to be competitive but i haven't seen that side of her start to show itself in a while. ~

After i was done thinking Elaine had managed to get a decent hold and said.

(Elaine) " Unfortunatly yes... But he luckily didn't piss himself so that's some good news."

Hearing that i shook my head and let out a sigh since i had thought he would be fine during this trip but thinking about it now i wonder how Phoenix is going to be when i have to bring him next.

~ Maybe i should make him pass out on purpose... But would he pass out in the first place? Well i'll find out in a bit i'm pretty sure the gian wall getting bigger in the horizon is their kingdom. ~

(Martiq) " Theres a big wall that's getting bigger so im assuming that's your kingdom? "

Looking up trying not to lose her grip Elaine saw and then immediatly said.

(Elaine) " Yea those are definetly the walls but... Is that smoke? "

(Martiq) " Now that you mention it i'm seeing some but without sacrificing some of the wind around my slipstream's stability i can't tell from where it's exactly coming from or how bad it is... As soon as i get you to the front or as close to the wall that i can i'll drop you off and head back to grab Phoenix and Virgil if he decides to join you. " 

(Elaine) " Please don't. Despite how much he enjoys his back and forths with Phoenix and how fit he keeps himself, he's in no condition to push and endanger himself with something like this. And he deserves to have some peace after all he's been through. And with him there i can trust someone to keep Reina safe. " 

Hearing that i was curious to say the least but i decided now wasn't the time. That and i reached the wall so i couldn't ask despite wanting to. As Elaine got off and dragged Raijin behind her, she manifested her water and used some ice to make it as cold as she could before she dumped it on his face making him wake up with a shriek i would expect from a small kid. Elaine had a laugh and said something about his comment from when i scared Phoenix but that was all i got as i started to run back to Finna and go Pick up Phoenix. 

While i was running back i couldn't help but think how this was the perfect situation for my kids.

~ It might be a horrible thought but this helps with what i planned. So far the only Humans they've met have been kind and nice to them but sooner or later they're going to encounter people that're going to want to kill them for some reason or another. If what's going on is as bad as their making it out to be then they'll learn about the dark sides to the humans and other bipeds that they'll have to experience sooner or later. ~

--------///----Elaine's POV----\\\--------

After Martiq dropped us off infront of the walls southern entrance Jin was still drying himself off from my rude awakening but it's just what he gets for passing out... But i can't really blame him considering Martiq wasn't kidding with how fast he could go. Taking the opprotunity to have some one on one with Jin i asked.

(Elaine) " What do you think about them? The family i mean. "

Looking to me Jin didn't look annoyed at me but actually considered the question before he gave a serious answer.

(Raijin) " Unbiased answer. Their dangerous currently they might be adolescent or even adult dragon dangerous especially Losine and Martiq and depending on what Elements the other two pups get then they'll without a doubt be adult dragon levels of dangerous. And depending on how Eclina grows up she might be some kind of threat on her own. " 

Jin took a second to shake his head and smiled before he said.

(Raijin) " Biased answer is i like them alot. Martiq's good to be around since he diffuses tense situations and he's good at it, hes got a good sense of humor but he knows when to be serious and he's an overprotective dad who reminds me of Arg. Losine's rational and she has a good head on her shoulders and her competitive attitude towards me is something i can get behind even if she has centuries over me in terms of experience.

And they don't seem to have any bad intentions they just want to teach the kids, which is important considering how innocent they were towards us. If they met people who wanted to hurt them and treated them the same way they treated us then their going to suffer. "

Listening to Jin i agree with him especially with what he said with how Eclina and her siblings treated us. They didn't seem hostile and she hardly reacted when the assasin killed the non combatents, if that assasin targeted her before Martiq could get to her which that in itself seems impossible considering how fast he got us here then she would've been in mortal danger.

(Elaine) " Your right, now until Phoenix gets here what'd you pick up with your air sense? It's obvious that there's something wrong going on inside but how bad is it? " 

(Raijin) " So far i'm sensing three fires 20' in and their all coming from building right next to each other but that's all i can get without being inside. But there's something wierd about this whole situation it's only been about an hour and some time but anyone with any form of magic should be able to put them out but there's no one... We need Phoenix here as soon as possible i think even more fires are starting. " 

After Raijin had said the last part Elaine had pinched the bridge of her nose and looked to the sky before she said.

(Elaine) What the fuck happened since we left? "  

--------///----Phoenix's POV----\\\-------- 

~ FUCK, FUCK, FUCK, FUCK, FUCK ~

- One minute earlier -

A few minutes after Martiq had left he came back on his own and told me to hop on. He looked to the geezer and when he shook his head Martiq nodded and started to run before i had a decent hold on his fur almost making me fall off as soon as i had gotten on. I know he did that on purpose with his dumb laugh coming up as soon as that happened ugh i'll have to find some way to get back at him... Maybe i could use his age but how am i supposed to make fun of a two hundred year old wolf that's running fast enough to make a sonic boom?.. Oh gods he wasn't at full speed yet.

- Back to the present -

~ FUCK, FUCK, FUCK, FUCK, FUCK ~

Currently regretting all of my life choices and everything that led up to me meeting Martiq i was stressed out of my mind to make sure i didn't let go and fly faster then Ms. Ignastra. After some more of that torture Martiq reached the southern wall, a ten meters tall stone brick wall that had a massive steel grate opening that was currently down and unguarded. Next to it was Jin and Eli and they were serious since Eli had her full armor manifested and Jin was ready for combat with his Earth armor with no weak spots. 

Eli's body was coated in ice with coat tails running down her back that resembled ribbons with the ends being spiked sword like ends. She had her hair coated and wrapped around her neck which she would use like a Scorpion when she fights. For her head she had a helmet that had a curved T like shape and the top was where her ponytail started, (If you read solo leveling just picture Igris' helmet) for her chest and arms she left no openings and had bladed ends where her elbows were and her fingers turned into claws. For her legs the back and front of her feet had spikes that she could use to pierce if she needed and she made sure to keep her legs encased with the small spikes.

She ended up with the name Lady of the blade because she turned her whole body into a weapon when she equipped this but she would only do this incase of an emergency since it would tire her out if she kept it on for too long.

For Jin he was coated in an armor of earth with brown and gold colors that had air constantly circulating with no openings aside for a small air hole that he could open and close from anywhere on his armor. But this time he had  new additions that he hadn't ever had before, He had a tail that was around a meter long and around a meter thick at the base that thinned out as it got to the end, His Helmet had no openings but his helmet had a serpentine look to it with what looked to be scales and a Wyrm like face which tells me where these changes came from.

His fingers ended in small sickle like plated claws and his feet had claws on the end. After this he might end up with a new name but if their both suited up then i'll have to follow their lead.         

(Phoenix) " Martiq you'r going to want to stand back it's about to get hot. "

(Martiq) " Whatever you say. "

Taking a few steps back Martiq gets a safe distance from me as i start manifesting my armor. Instantly my body's coated in flames and my armor starts to form, First my feet turn into talons and gain the scale like texture Ms. Ignastra's talons has, next the flames on my legs have condensed to the point they look like pure fire. My chest recieves the same pure fire treatment my legs have but my chest has symbols that resemble flowers and vines that spiral onto my arms and end onto my hands with the vines of fire that are more like whips.

For my helmet I took inspiration from Ms. Ignastra and made a Phoenix like helmet and last but not least fully functional wings sprouted on my back that i cover myself with by folding them over my chest. When i unfold them they have a wingspan of two and a half meters each wing. Making sure to keep the heat of my flames restrained to just inches outward i finish my preperations and gesture to Martiq im done.

Raising a brow Martiq starts looking us all over before he tosses some water onto me which evaporates in an instatnt before it even touches me.

(Martiq) " Cool. Guess i'll head back now and start getting Sile and my pups ready to run here so i'll see you guys in about eight hours at the most and six at the least. See ya. " 

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

And with that he was gone. Sighing at his antics i walked up to the other two and said.

(Phoenix) " How bad is it? "

Openeing a mouth on his armor Jin responded with.

(Raijin) " When we got here there were only three houses on fire but now despite it only being a few minutes we're reaching over a dozen and it's starting to spread. "

Jumping in after Jin finished talking Elaine looked to me saying.

(Elaine) " But now that your here we can head in together, start checking and clearing anything that needs to be and limit the damage and go meet up with Arg to find out what's going on. "

(Phoenix) " Alright let's get moving. "

Walking up to the wall Jin makes a platform up to the top of the wall and gets us a viewpoint over the kingdom. Looking out i don't see anyone in the usually busy districts but looking to where the fires are coming from i can tell it's the slums given the poor state of the building as the ones made of stone have cracks and are visibly falling out in some places. They're all one floor homes with some being made out of wood  and those are in even worse shape and with these fires the more vulnerable homes are going to burn if no one stopped them.

 (Phoenix) " I'll head over to the slums and take control of the fires what're you two going to do? "

(Elaine) " I'll be heading to the castle and try to find Arg and if i can't find him i'll find someone who can tell me what's going on and where everyone is. "

(Raijin) " I'll check the nobles district, if it's just the slums that's this way then we'll have atleast some idea where to start looking but if there's something like this happening there too then i'm not sure where i should look for clues after. "

(Phoenix) " Got it. We'll meet back up at the castle in 15 minutes and debrief there. "

Making a watch of flames and leaving it to continue ticking automatically and stop in fifteen minutes Eli and Jin do the same but with Water/Ice and Air respectfully and after they finish they say.

(Raijin & Elaine) " Got it. "

And with that we seperated and started taking care of what we all chose our roles to be. When i got to the slums it looked like everyone had left or been taken in a hurry as there was a bunch or food that was still somewhat warm, and there seemed to be some kind of march or stampede that damaged the ground since there were some indents of footprints. Shaking my head i started taking control of all the nearby fires and pulled them towards me and enveloped myself in them making them my own. 

~ What the hell's going on? these are natural fires but no one put them out? Just what happened in the time we were gone? ~

Taking to the sky i looked around the slums to try to find any hints about the situation but i couldn't find anyone despite the size of the slums. Looking around for the causes of the fire's i end up finding traces of oil which if this was a different situation i would be reminiscing about using it to help train my fire's control but this just leaves me with more questions on why oil was used instead of something else.

After some more time searching i flew to where the most burned and worse off house where i ended up finding a corpse in the living room... A kids corpse... the kid looks like a boy maybe five-seven but the bodies so burned it'll look like charcoal to anyone else. But there's something more about this that makes a knot form in my stomach... the kid looks to be bound in earth shackles so he couldn't escape the fire.

Breaking the shackles i removed the flames from my arms and hands to pick him up and brought the kids body outside and laid him down outside the house before i went back in to search the room to the side where i found another corpse of an older woman maybe in her thirties whose body was facing the door where she was directly looking to where the boy was... i'm assuming they were mother son but aside from that i don't know why they were killed this way. I can only guess they resisted whatever was happening and paid for it.

Doing the same for her that i did for the kid i laid her next to him and took a look at the scene but i couldn't find anything that i didn't already know but now i'm just ready to incinerate whoever's behind this. Feeling my watch dissipate i started making my way to the castle hoping the other two had better luck then i did.

Arriving at the castle i can see where Eli wants us to meet as theres a platform made of ice where i land and walk into the Queen's study where i see Eli without her full armor whose talking to Adrius and Aria who seem covered in wounds as their facing Arg whose on the bed seemingly unconcious but i see his fingers moving so he might wake up soon.

Following what Eli did i extinguished my armor and spoke up.

(Phoenix) " So what the hell happened? "  

On edge since they didn't see or hear me enter Aria and Adrius twitch and tense up before they notice it's me and relax as Aria starts to fill me in. 

(Aria) " Mara along with various noble houses used Sandman Root on essentially every house that opposed them and took our daughters hostage. This morning when we had to appear for a court summons where mara taunted Arg with Reina and pinning everything that he's either done or still doing on you and the royal family and we were forced to use that moment to pierce him with a Quoatol's quill. So far that's all we know as before we had time to move Arg here some assasins appeared to kill Arg but Adrius fought them off while i supported and healed him before they could come after me or Arg. " 

Looking to Adrius his wounds are way more numerous and his clothes are shredded but he looks like he's still fine amd ready to fight if he needs to. 

(Phoenix) " Remind me to buy you two the most expensive wine i can when this is all over. How long till Arg wakes up? "

(Aria) " Thank you and im assuming soon as he's already showing signs of waking up and he's capable of moving his body even if its just a small bit. "

Putting his hand on my shoulder Adrius says.

(Adrius) " I'll be sure to remind you and since your here now i'm assuming Raijin is going to make his entrance soon? " 

Before i got the chance to say yes Jin made his entrance with a platform he raised and connected to Eli's and made  a mouth on his armor saying.

(Raijin) " Someone call? "

Jin came in but from his voice and his posture he was trying to hide his anger but unexpectedly his tail was tense and looked like it was ready to impale someone. Raising their brows at Jin's new armor additions our attention turns to Arg as we hear a groan as he starts to open his eyes saying.

(Arg) " Shit... Feels like i've been hit by a Steel Rhino going full speed... That son of a bitch. " 

Waking up to the situation after comparing being knocked out by a Quoatol quill to being hit by something that can charge through buildings as if they were tissue was an amusing thought until he remembered what happened and started getting ready to punch holes into people before he saw where he was and the looks of guilt on Aria and Adrius' faces before he noticed the 3 of us.

With wide eyes and a shaky voice Arg asked.

(Arg) " How long have i been out for? "

(Adrius) " It's been over an hour. "

Looking shocked Arg looks to me Jin and Eli and says.

(Arg) " HUH? then how are you three here?! It should take a week at the least for you to have gotten back here... wait wheres Reina, Elaine where is she? " 

(Elaine) " She's ok. Right now she's at Finna with grandpa he'll keep her safe while we deal with this situation. And how we got here is a long and honestly unbelievable story that we can talk about after everythings back to normal. "

Taking a deep breath in and out Arg looks composed and turns to Aria and Adrius and says.

(Arg) " I forgive you two you know. I heard you two before i was forced to lose conciousness... And if our situation was reversed i'd feel the same way you both did and just know i forgive you. "

At that they both look shocked before Adrius tears up and Aria puts on a sad smile and keeps herself from tearing up. Letting them have their moment i wait a few seconds but Arg looks to us all and then says. 

(Arg) " We should make our way to our chambers first. Many years back when i worked a request for some dwarves they offered to custom make me any item i wanted, but at the time i refused and we decided i'd call in the favor later. After we had Reina me and Amari decided to have Communicator Amulets made that we agreed to always take with us if we ever went outside of the kingdom incase something happened to her.

Mine is in a trapped hidden compartment that until now none outside of me and Amari knew of and it's about time we let her know whats happening. " 

We all nodded at him and as a group we made sure to make our way to their room and make sure there wasn't anyone around who could follow us... But the castle was empty... Aside from us and some corpses that belong to some knights, a few maids and other staff that worked here... The whole time we were making our way to Arg's chambers i could feel the pressure coming from him increase only to compress itself again over and over and that was honestly terrifying it felt like a dragon was exuding it's pressure behind me.

As we got to Arg's chambers they looked like i remembered them. The walls were chiseled stone that seemed polished to perfection, there was a massive clear window to the right that showed the empty commoner district and a portion of the slums on one side and a portion of the nobles district on the other side. The floor was covered in a red and gold carpet with various dressers and other carpentry made items and a bed fit for the king and queen.

He walked up to the wall opposite of the window and took out multiple bricks until he reached in and grabbed one brick and broke it open revealing the amulet a silver esq chain connected to a pure black crystal in the center. As he pricked some blood onto it the amulet lit up and the black crystal changed color into a gold color as immediatly after Arg's blood caused the change Amari picked up and a projection of her was made on top of the crystal in her full gear.

The Queen was a woman standing at almost two meters in her fourties yet one would have to look twice after hearing that as she looked hardly a day over twenty, she had curves that would put most women to shame yet her toned muscles gave her a alure that mixed well with them. Her hair was a vivid red that flowed down to her hips as if it was lava, she had Golden eyes and a concerned look on her face.

She was currently fully kitted in her adventuring gear that consisted of a scyth in one hand that was as red as her hair and almost as tall as she was. She had a crimson form fitting jacket with sleeves that went up to her wrists and under she had a golden shirt. While the back of her jacket ended at her waist where her red pants started leaving no skin exposed aside from her neckline.

Looking around and seeing close friends all around the look on her face became borderllne hysteric before she said.

(Amari) " Arg what happened?! WHAT HAPPENED? "

(Arg) " She's safe Ari...But at the rate things are going the kingdom might not recover if we don't act fast. "

Hearing that Reina was safe Amari relaxed a bit until Arg said the second half and she tensed again and the grip on her Scyth intensified. 

(Amari) " Fill me in. "

(Arg) " We're doing so now. "

And with that Arg sets the amulet down on the nearest dresser infront of all of us and Aria filled Amari in on what they knew so far and after she was done Arg motions for me Jin and Eli to start. And i go first.

(Phoenix) " In the slums the fires weren't magic made but instead there was oil which doused a home that when i searched inside i found 2 corpses. A kid and someone i'm assuming was his mother but they were burned heavily... the kid was chained with earth magic so he couldn't escape and the mom was forced to look at him through the open door. "

Hearing that everyone tensed and i could see Arg start to radiate shadows. Then Jin started to share what he found.

(Raijin) " The Noble's district is disgusting. I was on the rooftops and made sure to make my armor match the ceiling colors to stay out of sight. But what i saw makes me want to tear the whole damn thing down. When i got there most of the nobles were at the auction house... they had set up an auction for female commoners, enslaved nobles, and some of the signiture domesticated beasts of the noble families which seemed in pain seemingly because they didn't submit... and outside of the auction house there were some nobles acting like they owned the kingdom... i don't know how i kept myself from tearing them apart but i did and now we're here... I'm happy the pups aren't here to see this but at the same time i couldn't agree with Martiq more that they have to see this side." 

While Jin was debriefing us Elaine, Aria and Amari were visibly tensing as he went on Adrius was clenching his fist hard enough to start bleeding but Arg kept a straight face through it all despite seething and spewing out a stream of shadows from his hair. One of the things anyone who knew Arg were aware that when he has a straight face that he's reached the point that he stops expressing his anger through his face or demeanor but he starts to boil. The quiet rage he has is what makes him one of the most dangerous of us since he makes sure to repay whataever or whoever made him reach that point hundred fold. Amari was the opposite to Arg as she was seething with the most disgusted look in her eyes.

However at the end when he mentioned Martiq, Aria and Adrius looked confused while Arg and Amari stopped seething shadows and flames and Arg raised a brow. I've told Arg about him before but he knew Jin and Elaine haven't met him since they've never gone to the forest before and Arg had obviously told Amari as they made it an absolute rule to keep no secrets between them. He motioned for me to answer but i said. 

(Phoenix) " He'll be here in a few hours we'll tell you all later after we fix this together. If they get here before we finish and we're not in the area just remember these things. He's the reason we got here and if you attack any of them you're going to die. The same goes for you Amari. "

Confused and a bit stunned they just sat there staring at us while Amari responded quickly and nodded saying.

(Amari) " I'll be there within the hour. If the problems still there then i'll bury them beneath dragon fire till they're nothing more then ash. "

And before she terminates the connection she does what we did earlier and manifests her full combat form which is beyond what any of us could do as she completly turns into a Dragon of Golden flames that has golden horns and scales with fully functional wings and a tail and took to the sky. When she was still an adventurer Amari had ended up meeting an ancient dragon that for whatever reason decided to teach her how to do that and because of this she ended up with the title of The Golden Calamity.

It took them a moment to nod that they understood aswell despite not knowing and then we started to plan on how we were going to get started saving the kingdom. After some time we all agreed on finding Mara or nobles known to have a connection to him at the very least so we could try to pry any information as possible. That responsibility was left to Eli, Aria, and Jin since they were the most capable of capturing or subduing people while Me, Arg and Adrius went to start a fight with whoever's at the auction house and get some answers that way.