«We're flying!»
Nene and Adanara lay soaked, hanging from the scaly toes of Moka's enormous paw. The dragon had emerged from the lake and was flapping its wings vigorously. They made a rhythmic sound, each beat accompanied by a jolt, and with each push, the ground moved away from them.
Nene held on with only one arm. Her right hand, seriously injured, caused her unspeakable pain. She had managed to ignore it for a while in the face of danger, but now that the dragon's immediate threat was averted, she felt like screaming her lungs out. She groaned, completely indifferent to the spectacle that loomed before her eyes, the forest appearing further and further away, as they flew towards the top of the great tree.
A hand caressed her back. She let out a moan and began to pant.
«We're almost there», Adanara said.
«It hurts…»
«Wait, I'll help you»
The witch put an arm around her waist, helping her to hold herself up. The pain, however, showed no signs of subsiding. She was afraid to look at her hand, so she left it dangling in the air.
«I have to remove the dagger», she complained.
«Erm... wouldn't it be better... to let Nila do it?»
«Please, I can't take it anymore!»
«I know, but... well, I don't know what to do! Hold on»
She gritted her teeth and closed her eyes. She tried to focus on anything other than the pain, but it was impossible. Adanara had left her hand in such a pitiful state. The worst thoughts crept into her. She wondered if she could have moved it again, or if it had to be amputated. How could she have fought the Evil One, as an Inquisitor missing a hand?
«We're almost there», the witch said. «I see the branches»
The gigantic body of the tree on which the Cloud Folk’s refuge stood was in front of them. Nene focused on her breathing. It was difficult to try to calm down, given what had just happened: the fight with the knights, Kora's unexpected ferocity, a second fight against a monster from legends... She began to count the wings’ flaps. After a few moments, they reached the foliage of the large tree. The dragon clung to a branch using its hind legs. It took momentum and jumped upwards, grabbing onto the next one. The impact made both its passengers shiver, the sound of the claws tearing the wood testified to Moka's strength, a strength they had barely escaped from. It took another leap and another. Nene was on the verge of throwing up, her insides in turmoil, when she heard a chorus of bleating, chaotic and full of terror.
Moka took one last leap and flapped his wings a few times. He landed on the gigantic platform that the Cloud Folk used as a pasture for their livestock. A large herd of sheep scattered in every direction. In the distance, they saw the shepherds running towards them. The dragon rested them gently on the ground. Nene almost fell to all fours. Luckily for her, Adanara helped her hold herself up, saving her from leaning on her injured hand. The witch held her by the shoulders and slowly helped her lie down on her back.
«You did it», she reassured her. «We are safe, now»
«Oh, I’m so fucking happy...», she replied sarcastically.
Adanara smiled at her. Behind her, Nene saw the bulk of the dragon, who however was no longer paying attention to them, but to the shepherds who were sprinting in their direction.
«Kora is hurt!» he roared. «Take her to the sanctuary!»
«Warden Moka!»
«Warden Moka is back!»
«A little help here too?», Adanara shouted.
A woman ran to Nene and watched her for a moment. Her disgusted expression didn't bode well for her hand, but she nevertheless offered to help. Together with Adanara, they managed to lift her without causing her too much pain, grabbed her by the shoulders and feet, and carried her towards the sanctuary.
----------------------------------------
Nene came back to her senses and saw a man of the Cloud Folk. He was speaking to her, but she felt dizzy which made it difficult for her to understand his words. She blinked repeatedly, trying to make out her surroundings. She was lying on a mat on the ground, inside the sanctuary at the top of the village. Not far away, a group of people were gathered in a corner looking extremely busy. The man waved a hand in front of her eyes to get her attention.
«Can you hear me?», he told her.
She nodded. She had no idea who that person was. He had the bizarre features typical of his people, but marked by deep wrinkles, an elderly man. Maybe he had treated her, maybe she was safe...
A stinging pain in her hand reminded her that her hopes were in vain. She felt the weight of the dagger still stuck in her flesh, but she didn't dare look.
«Drink this, it will make the pain go away»
The old man brought a wooden bowl to her lips. An acrid scent invaded her nostrils as she instinctively closed her mouth. She was still scared and unsure whether or not she could trust that stranger.
«Hurry up, girl, drink it»
«Mmm», she moaned.
She felt confused. She had no idea who that man was, nor what his peers were doing nearby. Fear and doubt were taking over her, not knowing if she was in danger or not. Why had Adanara left her? The old man sighed. An instant later he looked at something above her. He stood up and held the bowl out towards someone.
«She refuses the anaesthetic», he explained.
«I'll take care of it, thanks»
Nene almost burst into tears, recognizing Nila's voice. She turned her head. Her neck and back ached, but she finally managed to see her. The woman bent down next to her and caressed her forehead.
«I have to treat you immediately. I-it'll hurt, so you'll need this», Nila explained, handing her the bowl again.
She took a small sip. It was a thick, spicy mash that caused her throat and nose to burn. Nila lifted her head a little, to help her drink. With each sip, she felt lighter and drowsier. She no longer felt her fingers, then her feet, then almost her entire body.
«How do you feel?», Nila asked.
«It doesn't hurt anymore», she whispered.
«Already? Good. Ada, help me… Ada?»
Nila looked around for her sister, but she was missing. Instead, Oto appeared at her side, looking shocked, his eyes fixated on Nene's hand.
«What do you need?», the boy asked.
«Hold her still. Don't let her move at all costs, okay?»
Oto nodded. He grabbed her arm and lay on top of her, pinning her to the ground with his weight. Nene felt almost nothing, so she rested her head on the ground, relaxed.
Then Nila touched her, and she screamed.
Nene started struggling by instinct. Oto held her down. The pain shot up her arm as sudden and intense pangs. She began to cry. She tried to arch her back, as her limbs felt like missing, in vain.
«We're almost there»
One last painful twinge, and then it all ended. Nila, who had been holding her breath the entire time, started breathing again with a satisfied expression. She dropped the dagger to the ground, making a metallic sound, then picked up something from a pocket, something Nene couldn't see, but her movements reminded her of a tailor sewing.
«Can I let her go now?», Oto asked.
«Nene, do you still feel pain?»
She shook her head. Oto shifted, making it easier for her to breathe. The boy walked away for a moment, then returned with a damp cloth and began cleaning her face.
«Kora…», Nene managed to whisper.
«They're taking care of her, don't worry»
«Adanara?»
«I don't know where she’s now»
«Done», Nila announced. «Now w-we just need to keep the wound clean and wait for it to heal on its own»
«Will I lose my hand?», she asked in a faint voice.
«No, o-of course not»
Nila came closer and caressed her cheek. Her hand felt hot, which made her realise that her body was regaining its sensitivity, and dead cold. Soon the pain would have returned too.
«Luckily, the Cloud Folk have some fantastic medicines. Don't worry, you’ll be fine»
«We saved the Warden», she said.
«Was that beast the Warden?», Oto asked.
Nila looked scared at the mention of the dragon. They must have seen it climbing up the tree, or perhaps in the pastures.
«He is no longer damned»
«Is that why you got hurt? F-from him?»
Nila's voice hid a reproachful tone. Nene finally found the courage to look down: a horrible gash stretched across the back of her hand. The blood was dry and the deepest part was covered in a sticky substance, similar to what Kora had applied to Adanara's wounds in the past. Everything was held together with a suture thread. It didn't look good, but it was already less of a mess than she remembered.
«No. Adanara… she had to… I couldn't move. She had to»
«What matters is that you are alive», Oto intervened. «You also freed the Warden»
«Yes, you're right», Nila said, although pouting.
Nene got back control over her body. She was all sore and bruised, her hand was still screaming in pain, but it was bearable. She raised her healthy arm and grabbed Nila's hand.
«Help Kora»
«Don't worry about Kora», she replied. «Also, I don't know anything about h-how to treat someone like her. Her kind are more competent than me»
«What happened to her?», Oto inquired.
«She… lost her mind. We met some Lightbringers. She killed them, like... like a beast out of control...»
«It's okay», Nila reassured her. «You'll tell us about it later»
«Me too», she cried. «I... I killed a man...»
She sobbed. Her vow was broken. She was a heretic through and through. Nila and Oto exchanged a worried look.
«J-just think about getting better, now»
«Are you hungry?»
«Try and eat something»
«Okay», she replied.
«Oto, would you mind?»
The boy didn't have it repeated. He ran away and climbed the ladder that led upstairs. Nila smiled.
«Your brother is n-nice, you know that?»
«Yes, he is», Nene admitted.
«Eat something and rest. Y-you're all beat up, but for now, it's better to worry about your hand. We'll think about smaller bruises and scratches later»
«Adanara was also injured»
«I know... w-where did that idiot go? Her whole face was covered in burns»
«The sand… The resin became sand, and she sank into it»
«Sand? I-I thought... Usually, in fairy tales, d-dragons breathe fire, don’t they?»
«Thank God that’s not the case, apparently»
«Don't ever do it again. P-please. Don't put yourself in such a danger never again»
Nene reached out her hand to Nila, who grabbed it. She felt like she had just woken up from a terrible nightmare. She was still tormented by the knight's death, anxious about Adanara's disappearance and unsure whether to feel fear, anger or pity towards Kora, but the worst part of it was over. She was still alive.
«I was afraid... Of never seeing you again»
«Woe to you!», Nila scolded her, weeping. «D-don't you try to go missing. I’ll get angry if you do»
«I'm sorry»
With a thud, Oto jumped the last rungs of the ladder. He knelt over Nene holding a bowl.
«I thought liquid food is best»
«Yes, thank you. That mud from before made my throat sore»
«Be thankful that the C-Cloud Folk know how to prepare an anaesthetic»
Oto took a spoon from his jacket pocket and dipped it into the bowl. He took out some viscous, yellowish liquid. Nene grimaced.
«More mud?»
«I mixed some honey with water. Try it, it's good»
«Honey? W-where did you find it?»
«In your bag»
Nila frowned but Oto paid her no mind. Nene took a sip of that sticky, sweetish and unpleasant to the touch, but no less delicious thing. She laughed at Nila's sulky expression, whose secret had been discovered by none other than Oto, who didn't even seem to realise he had been pretty rude, rummaging through Nila’s luggage. For a moment she felt at home again, and safe.
«I don't want you to touch my stuff»
«Sorry…»
«Also, how did you k-know where to look?»
«When we were travelling in the woods, I saw you. Every time we stopped you took it out, ate some and then hid it again»
«Not “every time”!»
Nene craned her neck to look at the small group of Tuatha. They had finally calmed down, and most of them had moved away. The few remaining were sitting on their knees around Kora. She was covered in bandages made of a strange brown fabric, splinted with branches and did not look good at all. The mere fact that she was still alive, however, was a miracle in itself, or something of the sort. Having witnessed the physical prowess of the Warden, how she had taken a blow to the face with a mace as if it was a mere slap, and seeing how she had instead been easily crushed by Moka, Nene felt a shiver down her spine. Kora's survival was incredible, hers and Adanara's even more so.
«I want to sit up», she grumbled.
«No, no, you have to rest», Nila replied.
«Everything hurts...»
Nila sighed. She picked up a couple of pillows left on the floor nearby and helped her. Nene's back and neck were in shambles. She delicately felt all over her body and was pleased to see that, other than bruises and scratches, there didn't seem to be any serious damage.
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
«How do you feel?»
«Pretty okay... Everything hurts, but I don't think I have any other injuries»
«I-I'll check later, just to be sure»
«What about Adanara?», Oto asked.
«My sister d-decided to vanish and make me worry»
«Do you want me to look for her?»
«I… Yes, please»
The boy smiled and nodded. He got up and ran with his usual haste, out of the sanctuary. Nene continued to stare at Kora. She could make out her chest contracting: she was breathing. Her mind started to calm down. It ran through everything that had just happened.
Even so, what her body craved most was more food. She eyed the bowl but didn't dare ask Nila for help. Nila noticed it, smiled and started to feed her. Nene wanted to disappear, feeling extremely embarrassed.
«Thank you», she muttered.
«You're welcome»
«How is Kora?», she took a sip.
«I don't know, I-I'll take a look at her later, if they'll let me. I thought she was... d-dead when you arrived»
«Me too. The dragon… crushed her to the ground, with all of its might. How is it possible that she is still alive?»
«Perhaps the Cloud Folk are m-much more robust than us»
Nila stopped feeding her and stood still for a moment, staring into emptiness. Nene looked at her in an attempt to understand what she was thinking, but Nila herself enlightened her.
«A dragon… D-did we really meet a dragon?»
----------------------------------------
The night was harsh for Nene. Although Nila had verified that she had no other serious wounds and had cleaned the one on her hand several times, the pain and fears of the day tormented her until dawn. Oto returned saying that he had found Adanara, who however had chased him away, saying that she wanted to be alone for a while. Luckily, Oto then stayed to sleep next to her: the idea of being left alone in the same room with Kora wasn’t appealing at all. Nila, for her part, spent the night upstairs, furious at her sister's behaviour.
When the first lights in the morning came, Nene felt even more tired than before. She tried to move her arms and legs and noticed with pleasure that, although all her muscles ached, she felt better. She looked at the hideous wound on her hand and was surprised to see that it was almost completely healed. Most likely, it would have left her a noticeable scar, and she didn't dare move her fingers for fear of bleeding again, but all things considered, she had gotten away with minimal consequences. She looked to her left and saw Oto, his face resting on the floor, sleeping like a log. Nene was about to get up, but in doing so she inadvertently hit him.
«Huh? Oh…»
«Sorry», she whispered.
«Damn, I fell asleep. Are you okay?»
«Yes, thank you»
«Want some water? Wait, I'll give you mine»
Oto's awkward thoughtfulness made her feel warm. With no small effort, she managed to sit up on her own. The sanctuary was empty except for the two of them, Kora, still lying on the ground, and poor Goro who watched over her. The man looked heartbroken but still waved hello at them. Nene reciprocated. Oto placed his canteen in front of her face. Nene smiled and took it from his hand.
«Thanks, I can do it myself. I feel much better already»
«Are you sure?»
«Yup»
Goro stood up and walked towards them. He sat down opposite her, his imposing bulk contrasting sharply with his round head and good-natured expression.
«Thank you for bringing us our Wardens back»
«You're welcome. In exchange, would you tell me something more about her?»
«What do you mean?»
«When we left, when you tried to persuade Kora from going, she... well... Had she already lost control in the past? Does it have to do with ascension?»
The hunter sighed deeply and shook his head. He glanced at the Warden, then returned his attention to her.
«Kora has always been like this. You know, usually, when a Warden is close to ascension, the tribes choose someone from a group of volunteers to become their disciple. The selection is held by the elders and they are very strict. Sometimes, years pass before they find a valid candidate»
«In the end they chose Kora?»
«Not really. Kora set out alone and found Salisander, the spirit that has always protected our people. She returned with her gift. The elders were furious because she had bypassed them and acted on her own»
«Why did she do such a thing?», Oto asked.
«Because when Kora wants something, she gets it», he chuckled. «She was already in love with Moka then, she would never have missed the opportunity to have him as a teacher. At that point, Moka was forced to take her in. The elders, however, did not agree and decided that Kora would be Warden only until they found a candidate. But no one offered ever»
«How come?»
«No one would have dared to get between Kora and her beloved»
Nene shivered as she remembered the Warden’s beastly frenzy. She finally understood that the reason her people hadn't pushed too hard to stop her was not disinterest nor respect, but fear.
«And then Tera was born and instantly, without asking for anyone's consent, the elders appointed him Moka's successor. Two Wardens had never had a child, so the elders claimed it was a sign. When Tera comes back from his initiation, he will be our Warden»
«I should have known I was getting involved in a very personal matter», Nene observed.
«I'm sorry. Thanks again. Kora and I grew up together, and let me tell you, ever since Moka was imprisoned, she had never been the same. I hope... I hope we can get back to normal»
«You'll have to worry about the Lightbringers first»
«Warden Moka will protect us», he replied. «He asked for help from a spirit to do so»
«Relying on the Evil One is a bad idea»
«How are you, anyway?»
Nene looked at her hand. She moved her fingertips a little but didn't dare do more. She wanted to wait for Nila and hear her opinion before risking reopening the wound.
«Could be worse»
«Your actions will change my people's opinion of yours», Goro stated. «Since you arrived, well... Kora has never had a great reputation, but lately, the elders refused to even meet her or come to the shrine. Like them, almost everybody»
«In the Church, where I grew up, her transgressions would not have been forgiven»
She shuddered at the thought that the same principle was to be applied to her. She was a heretic, she had betrayed the Church. Her former family was gone.
«Today, however, one of the elders will come. I hope they will reevaluate their opinions on humans. Your whole kind is not to blame for what those invaders did to us»
«You should send messengers to Kumhar», Oto suggested. «They can come with us, to clarify things»
«Kumhar? The village you come from?»
«Yes. The mayor has forbidden hunters to enter the forest because... Well, because we met some of your hunters and we feared they were dangerous»
«Oh, I see… That would be a good idea. I will talk about it to the elders»
Goro went back to watch over Kora and Oto climbed upstairs. He returned with some biscuits and apples. Nene eagerly devoured some, which gave her hope for her condition. She had always been told that a strong appetite was a sign of good health. Attracted by the comings and goings, Nila also joined them. She looked sleepy and had heavy eyelids. The bags under her eyes suggested she had slept poorly, probably out of concern for her sister. Since Nene's wound was mostly healed, Nila encouraged her to try bending her fingers. Very slowly and with some pangs she succeeded in doing so. The back of her hand was extremely stiff and the stitches pulled at her skin. Nila applied the Cloud Folk's miraculous mud to her again, saying that within a couple of days at most she should have recovered completely. With some help, Nene managed to get to her feet. She knelt next to Goro, curious about Kora's condition. Finding herself face to face with the monster who had brutally massacred those knights caused her anxiety and contempt, seeing her still unconscious and battered made her feel sorry for her.
«Will she wake up?», she asked.
«Actually, this night she opened her eyes. She asked for some water and then went back to sleep»
«She’ll be fine, then», Nila explained. «Thank goodness»
The sound of the pulleys suggested that someone was using the elevator to get to the sanctuary. Oto ran to peek downstairs. He returned enthusiastically and announced:
«Adanara is back!»
When the elevator reached the top, a small group of people got off. Three men of the Cloud Folk accompanied what appeared to be one of the elders. He was a small, rickety man, hunchbacked and his face was a mask of wrinkles. He had a very long, curved nose, and was chewing constantly, revealing a toothless mouth. Unlike the other Tuatha, he was dressed head to toe in grey fur. Adanara was also with them, her expression grim, the abrasions on her face almost gone.
«Ada!»
Nila ran towards her smiling. When she was on top of her, her expression quickly turned furious.
«W-why did you disappear? How are you? Let me have a look at you»
«I'm fine. Some guys patched me up…»
«I was worried! Where did you go?»
«I had to do something. I'm sorry, can we talk about it later?»
The old man ignored the two sisters and approached Kora. His escort helped him sit down. He had white eyes, he was probably almost completely blind. He stretched out his hand towards Goro, who grabbed it to make himself known.
«How is she?»
«She will live. Warden Moka?»
«He eats a lot», the old man laughed. «And he's furious. The human told us what happened, so he asked me to come here and talk to Kora»
«I'd rather not wake her up», the hunter protested.
«My dear, believe me, this is not out of spite. Warden Moka must decide how to act, but first, we need a precise picture of the situation. The sooner the better»
Goro sighed. He brought his hands to Kora's shoulders and shook her gently. He called her name a few times, in vain. Finally, he dipped his hands in a bowl full of water and splashed her face. Slowly, the Warden opened her eyes.
Nene shivered, but only for a moment. The monster's fury had vanished, Kora's madness seemed to have never happened. What she had in front of her was a broken and battered woman, who even struggled to speak. Goro helped her take a sip of water. Kora kept staring at the old man, almost as if she had sensed she was in trouble. Judging by the story her friend had told, she was likely used to that.
«Warden Kora, I'm sorry to bother you just now, but unfortunately, Warden Moka cannot wait. Can you speak?»
«Yes», she whispered.
«Good. I'll ask you some questions, I expect honest answers. First: is it true that you and the human visitors freed Warden Moka from his prison?»
«From the prison and the one who whispers»
«I see. Did you attack the human visitors, and some invaders in the forest?»
Kora closed her eyes. Hers was an expression of pain. She nodded through tears.
«Now the important part. Adanara said that you freed Warden Moka, regardless of the consequences. It was the humans who cured him of his madness. Is she telling the truth?»
The Warden began to sob. Goro caressed her shoulder, but couldn't calm her down.
«I'm sorry. Nene, I'm sorry», she whined.
The old man waved a hand in front of her face, demanding her attention.
«Why did you do it?»
«I wanted Moka back. He's safe, is he?»
«He is, but not thanks to you. Both he and all Tuatha are saved thanks to the foreigners. They protected us from your reckless actions»
«I'm sorry…»
«All that is left to do, then…»
The old man called his escort back to him. They helped him to his feet. Goro also stood up and Nene imitated him, assuming it was appropriate.
«Kora, you are banished from this sanctuary. You will no longer be allowed to bear the title of Warden. You are no longer the disciple of Warden Moka. He ordered that you must travel to the spirit of the flame’s lair, give up on your gift and bring back Tera, his legitimate disciple»
Kora, motionless, unable to react, expressed herself through a series of grimaces of pain and pathetic sobs. She had destroyed her entire life with her own hands, she was being disowned by her people and by the very person she loved, the same person for whom she had acted so foolishly.
«Let her stay here until she's healed», Goro implored.
«Of course. I already told you, this is not out of spite. This is what our Warden has decided», the old man sighed. «Young man, take care of her»
With that said, the elder and his escort returned to the elevator. As they descended, Kora began to moan, then cry, then scream. Her screams were lost in the wind that blew steadily up there. Goro leaned over her and tried to calm her down.
Nene approached the sisters and Oto, who had been watching in silence. They all seemed to feel pity towards Kora.
«’twas the right thing, was it?», Adanara asked. «To tell them everything»
«Ada… I-it's not your fault»
«She forged her own fate», Nene agreed. «I feel sorry for her, but she knew what she was doing»
«I would have done the same for my sister’s sake…»
«Me too, b-but... I mean... I don't know»
«You saved her life», Goro intervened. «For this, I thank you»
«I'm sorry», Kora continued to chant. «I'm sorry. I'm sorry»
«What now?», Oto asked. «What are we gonna do? We came here for Adanara to study»
«I explained things to the dragon», the witch said. «He said that Kora shouldn't have taught me anything in the first place, according to their rules. Yet another one of your fucks up, uh, master?»
«I needed help», she justified herself. «Forgive me…»
«I'm not mad at you, I just... I admired you, you know? And now I’m so disappointed»
«Have we failed, then?», Nene asked. «All this for nothing?»
«Not at all. The C-Cloud Folk got their Warden back»
«Who will now wage war on the Lightbringers with the power of the Evil One»
«It's not o-our war, Nene»
«I know…»
She turned to Kora, who was staring at them, her face marked by tears. Nene’s feelings became clear. She felt boiling and spoke instinctively.
«I'm so pissed! You almost got us all killed!»
«I'm sorry», she repeated.
«Enough is enough», Goro thundered. «Kora needs to rest. You can blame her all you want when she's better. Please»
«Should we...go back?», Oto said.
«It’s too dangerous», Adanara answered. «We met some knights in the forest, they were looking for Nene»
«Let's go to the dragon», she proposed. «I want to know what he plans to do. He owes us»
«Maybe he can help us get home»
«L-let's get our things. We shouldn't stay here»
Having collected their bags and bid farewell to Goro, they used the elevator to leave the sanctuary. Oto insisted on carrying Nene's things, and she was forced to accept since she still felt weak. They walked along the catwalks of the village, which had a totally different atmosphere all of a sudden: people who crossed their path gave them smiles and waved, children chased them enthusiastically and watched them curiously. Adanara took advantage of their renewed reputation to ask for directions. They were sent along a walkway that led far from the sanctuary, to a staircase carved in the wood of a branch. At the top of the branch stood a huge platform, reachable via yet another steep staircase.
It took longer than expected given Nene's physical condition, but they finally reached the top. It was a large platform made of planks, which rested on the branch using props made out of whole trunks. It had no covering of any kind, the wind howled intensely. The floor was carved with mysterious symbols, and decorated with paintings representing the Tuatha raising their hands towards a fire, presumably an allegory of their patron, the spirit they called Salisander.
There was no one there except for the dragon, curled up in the centre of the structure. The sight of that creature made Oto and Nila in particular hesitate, who had only seen it from afar. Moka noticed them and raised his head. The wind blew so hard that it would have been impossible to speak, but the Warden closed his eyes for a moment, and the gales stopped. Was the wind responding to his will?
«You again?», he said to Adanara. «I have already told to you that you will not get any more teachings from me»
«I came to ask for your help», she replied.
Moka stood up. The wood ominously creaked under his weight. He craned his neck to see them from up close. His bulk obscured the morning sun. He glared at Nene.
«You. You are the one who possesses the gift of the spirit of order»
«Uh… I think so?», she stammered.
The dragon looked at the paw where he had been stabbed. The wound was gone, as were the ones Nene had inflicted on his belly.
«Thank you. I finally don't hear those voices anymore. I was a fool to address the nameless, the one who whispers»
«You're welcome. It’s my duty»
«I suppose I owe you a favour. So say, what do you want from me? Keep in mind that I won’t share our magic with you any further»
«What will you do now? Kora told us that you made a deal with the Evil One to fight against the invaders»
«Of course, and that's what I did. The whispers have disappeared, but the gift of the spirit still exists in me»
«You… have… the Lightbringers…»
«I just returned from the invaders' camp. I was waiting for someone to come and visit me so that I could break the news to everyone. My size doesn't allow me to go down to the village, see?»
Nene was left speechless. The power of the Evil One had been unleashed against innocent souls, partly because of her. The Lightbringers had done horrible things, there was no doubt about it, but she couldn't help but feel responsible for their demise.
«We want to go home», Adanara intervened. «But those knights are hunting us. Can you help us?»
«Don't you get it, girl? The “knights” are no more. You can go home safely»
«E-everyone?», Nila asked. «Did you... kill them all?»
«It wasn’t pleasant, believe me. I saw the lands to the east, I know what they were fleeing from... But they could have come to us as friends, asking for our hospitality. Instead, they attacked us. I protected my people, that's it»
«So... best regards?», Adanara said. «Should we go home as if nothing happened?»
«Didn't you say yourself that you wanted to go back?»
«Yeah, but…»
The dragon looked away from them and turned towards the steps from which they had come. Nene followed suit and heard a voice. Someone else was coming, and she couldn't believe her eyes when she recognised Goro, who was carrying Kora on his back. Moka took a step towards them.
«Warden Moka!», the hunter shouted. «Please, allow us to speak»
«Come forth», he sighed.
Kora patted his friend on the back. They argued for a few moments, but finally, he put her down. Kora tried to stand up. She kicked Goro away when he tried to help her. She failed miserably, falling onto all fours, so she just crawled, very slowly and unsteadily. The dragon got impatient, or perhaps was moved by pity, so he got closer to her. Kora dropped to her knees and looked up at her teacher, smiling. She held out her hands.
«Moka, you're safe!»
He ignored her. He looked at Goro, making him jolt.
«The invaders are defeated. Go and tell everyone»
«What?!», he marvelled. «Really?»
«Move!» he thundered.
Goro didn't have to be told again and ran away. Meanwhile, Kora's enthusiasm vanished. She stood still, trembling and waiting for the attention she so deeply desired.
«You acted deplorably», the Warden finally said. «I could have killed you»
«I know, but... I wanted nothing more than to have you back here, with us. With me»
«This does not justify your actions. Luckily, everything turned out for the best»
«It did! Now we can…»
Kora bowed her head and began to tremble. Nila ran to her to check on her condition, but she shooed her away. Her tremors were not caused by a fever but by anger. She raised her head again with a ferocious expression.
«Then why push me away?!», she shouted. «Why?!»
«You sought to become a Warden for the wrong reasons, and I foolishly went along with you. You lost your mind because of love, and I foolishly played along again. I’m not sending you away, I want you to be free. From the responsibilities of a Warden, and your blind devotion to me»
«What are you talking about? I don't understand…»
«I mean you are a fool, Kora. I'm pushing you away so you can live your life, see that there's more in the world besides the sanctuary, Tuatha, besides me»
«I don't want to! I want to be with you… please…please…»
Moka didn't answer. He turned his back to her, leaving her dismayed. Nila tried to help her again. Kora didn't even have the strength to fight back anymore, so she let her.
«As for you, I won’t forget my debt. You will forever be friends of Tuatha. Now, go. I want to rest»
The dragon returned to the centre of the platform and curled on the ground. Its scaly back was a clear sign that the discussion was over. Resigned, frustrated and confused, they headed towards the staircase. Nila, bending next to Kora, urged her to follow her, but she didn't move. From beneath her cloak, she pulled out her crown, or what was left of it. The headdress was almost unrecognisable, destroyed during the battle inside the cave. She left it on the ground before giving one last sad look at Moka. Finally, slowly, she stood on her feet, leaning on Nila as a crutch. Adanara snorted in annoyance and went over to lend a hand. Supported on both sides, Kora began her slow, pitiful descent. The proud Warden was gone, all that remained was a foolish woman who, blinded by her feelings, had destroyed her life with her own hands.