Chapter 2) Child of Dragons

I would never say things are peaceful in the desert, but things were never too bad. However, new demons appearing led Kas and I leaving the desert for the first time in ten years to actually determine how things are going with the war and gather information. The answer? No words, but 'desperately terrible' is close enough. Way worse than we could've ever imagined really. So bad that I can't help but wonder why none of the refugees ever said anything. Maybe they didn't know? Or maybe they didn't care and couldn't think past their own pain yet.

Regardless, Kas and I begin the return trip home, all too aware of the troubles now. This wasn't good at all.

It was a relief when we were finally back in the desert, though neither Kas nor I truly relaxed until we were a few days within the border. Only then we were certain that the scorching days and freezing nights were sufficient protection against the craziness of the outside world. Only then did we feel that it was safe to discuss what we had learned.

"Even if Ishmael agrees, though, will we really be that much help?" Kas murmured, letting Pallas simply wander down the path on his own. The sun was beginning to set, so we were really just looking for a good place to camp, and the horses and hawks were far better at that than us. In fact, Nike and Kratos were flying about looking for that for us. "There's so much anger. So much hatred."

"It'll be very hard to bite our tongues," I agreed, tugging the reins when Styx wanted to stop and nibble on some random patch of dried grass. While I let her wander, she did have a tendency of wanting to wander on her own instead of following, and it wouldn't be wise to be alone in the desert. Especially with demons running about. "We saw that first hand."

"We did." Kas grimaced. "Ishmael would scold us if he saw that."

"He would…" The very thought made me wilt. As we had gotten older, Ishmael had taught us to be careful with our anger. We were allowed to feel, of course, but we couldn't let that anger burn our souls and hearts away. And we knew, from long years of watching him lead, that if you were protecting more than a single person, you had to focus on the big picture. Often, that meant swallowing your anger and enduring discomfort to do what you knew was right. "It is almost the anniversary of when he took us in, isn't it?"

"It is." Kas smiled sadly. "It is."

We hadn't known it at the time, but the year we reached the desert… that had been the same year Ishmael's wife, Kezia, had been killed by outsiders… as part of a group of messengers sent to ask if the countries beyond our borders needed assistance. The last group sent, in fact, because they had been attacked. She had been one of the three fatalities, and many more had been horribly injured. So, not two months later, when the scouts had seen two shapes stumbling about in the distance, they had turned away, uncaring of outsiders like the ones who had stolen so, so much.

But Ishmael had been furious with them when he found out. 'Those are two lives!' he had shouted, or so we had been told. Then he had rushed out on his own with his hawk, Jupiter, to hunt for the 'two shapes'. That was when he found us, half-dead from sun exposure and dehydration. Even though he had just suffered a horrible loss himself, he had shoved it to the side because the 'right' thing to do was to save people, and he had raised us alongside Raphaela, because that was also the 'right' thing to do for two traumatized children. And he kept Zada open, over protests of the people, for refugees because it was the 'right' thing to do, even when he was at his lowest.

Ishmael, to me, was the ideal leader for that reason. And Kas and I had learned from him. We remembered what we could from our birth family, of course, but when it came to our morals… that was Ishmael. Because Ishmael was the one who helped us piece together our hearts and soothed us as the jagged edges slowly wore away into scars. And it was because of him that Kas and I could bite back most of our anger… and why it was such a conundrum to wonder what we had to do. After all, I wasn't sure I wanted to deal with that madness. I definitely knew that I didn't care if most of them burned. But when I thought about washing my hands of all of them, I remembered those tiny graves. I remembered that child dragged away from his mother. I remember the child hiding in fright in the alleyway.

I hated the world. I didn't care if it burned. But I didn't want children to suffer. And I didn't want the fires to spread and devour my new family. I couldn't lose them. I couldn't lose another family. I'd endure every sort of hell to prevent that from happening again. And it just wasn't right to stay back when children were dying. It wasn't. If Ishmael had done that, Kas and I would not have survived. And while there were often days Kas and I felt guilty over surviving, I would not trade the life I was blessed with for… almost anything. And it didn't feel right to not offer that same sort of chance to another child.

A red-tailed hawk's shriek was very unique, practically the sound you associate with a bird's shriek, and it easily pierces through even the thickest of mental fogs. At Nike and Kratos's twin shrieks, Kas and I were riding towards the sound even before the thoughts left my head. Just deep in thought to straight-out gallop in the blink of an eye. When the sand proved too difficult to safely continue to gallop, we both dismounted and continued on, knowing that Pallas and Styx would be fine. Before long, we came across a rock outcropping, with some demons attacking something. There honestly weren't that many, and most of the ones there were actually already injured. Sadly, it didn't take long to see just why that was.

"Damn, they went out fighting…" Kas murmured, kneeling beside the two corpses sprawled out on the ground. A man and a woman, both wearing surprisingly bulky cloaks. The woman's arm was ripped off, and the blood under her lower body hinted she'd had her guts ripped out too. The man… well, half of his head was gone. And half his throat. "What a way to go."

"No kidding," I agreed softly, looking around the area. When you stepped behind the rocks, you could see even more demons. I counted thirty bodies easily, but there was one that stunned me. "Oh, holy hell…" I jogged over to confirm, and I was quickly proven right. There were two of those one-eyed demons dead in the sands. They had killed both of them, and had done so long enough ago that some buzzards and other carrion had gotten brave enough to eat the remains. "Must've been overwhelmed."

"Even the best fighters need help." Kas sighed and stood up, looking around. "Well, we should bury them."

"We should." It was sad and, worse, sadly not the first time something like this had happened. There were some who ran to the desert for safety, only to die. "Let's see…" Nike, however, called to me, flying over something. I frowned and headed over, wondering what she was trying to tell me. Then I saw it. There was a third cloak, ripped but not bloody, and very small. There was… "Kas, I think there was a child."

"Oh, hell." Kas whistled and Kratos landed on his shoulder. "Help Nike and Eve find the little one. I'll set about burying the two. Hopefully, it hasn't been too long." And, hopefully, the child wasn't already dead.

Nike and Kratos flew through the air, and I picked a random direction to start hunting, based on where the 'top' of the cloak was pointing. Sadly, winds had already covered up any and all traces of tracks, so I really just had to hope and pray. Probably not the wisest of things, considering what the gods obviously thought of my brother and me, but hey, they might like other people more than they hated us. Maybe.

And, surprisingly, that's exactly what happened, because sure enough, hiding in a patch of asters, was a small, shivering, sniffling little girl. I probably would've walked right on past her if Nike and Kratos hadn't flown in a circle above the patch, because she was curled up on the ground and these were among some larger asters. But when I did, I carefully approached, making sure to keep low and non-threatening and she slowly pushed herself up, curling into herself. Red eyes and indigo hair… and she looked like she was four years old. Oliver's age when he…

"Hey there," I called, holding out my hand. She flinched back from it, but kept her eyes fixed on me. "Come on. It's safe now, and you're going to get bit by insects."

"It's safe…?" she repeated, voice thick and wobbling. She sniffed and more tears fell down her face. "My mama… my papa… they…"

"I know. But the demons are gone for now." I wanted to gather her up in a hug, but I knew I needed to wait. She was already scared. Moving too fast would scare her more. "Come here."

The little girl hesitated still, but she slowly crawled towards me, her need for comfort slowly drowning her fear. But as she moved from the flowers, I saw something that stunned me: wings. The girl had wings. And they were definitely hers and not some sort of costume. I felt the muscles in her back bunch and shift with each twitch when I hugged her. They weren't bird-wings either. They kind of reminded me of those wyverns.

My first reaction was fear. My second was to demand answer. But my third one was quick on their heels and had me hold the girl tightly and pick her up, shifting my feet to adjust to the extra weight. She was incredibly light, though the wings did make it a little hard to carry her. Still, I managed it, and pulled my cloak over her to protect her from the sun. Once I was sure I had her balanced and protected, I began walking back to the rocks, Nike and Kratos flying ahead to let Kas know. And I wondered just how I was going to bring up the wings.

It turned out, however, that I didn't have to. While he'd been preparing for burials, Kas had pulled the cloaks off the dead couple, probably intending on removing the 'bulky packs' to make burying them easier. However, the cloak had been hiding wings, not packs, wings the same color as the girl's. He had them leaning against the rocks, clearly waiting for me. When he saw me, he tilted his head in silent question, and I nodded, knowing that he was asking if the girl also had them.

"What's the plan?" he asked softly. He crossed his arms, looking at the dead couple. "What should we do?"

"I…" I began, not quite knowing what to do. But I looked down at the little girl and knew that even if she had wings, even if she might not be human… we couldn't leave her here. By all the gods, she just watched her parents be butchered. I remembered that fear and pain all too well. And she was still a life, a child. "We'll take her home. To Zada."

"Better get that cloak to cover the wings, then. I wonder if they get sunburnt." Kas pulled the couple's corpses over to the rock formation, leaning them against it. "What the hell are we getting into?"

"I don't know." But when I smiled apologetically, he shook his head. He couldn't leave her either, for the same reasons as me. He'd just been asking to see if I had found anything that would override those reasons. "You want help?"

"Nah, I've already been getting a place ready. Won't take me long to get them buried." He nodded to the little girl. "If she wants to say… actually, no, never mind." He looked at the injuries, particularly the male's. Now that she was sitting up, though, I could see that I was right and the woman had, in fact, been eviscerated. "Not sure she should see that."

"I was about to ask Nike to peck you." I purposely took a couple steps away, and Nike flew down to land on my shoulder. Kratos landed on the rocks, to stay near Kas. "I'm going to go a bit ahead, okay?"

"Sounds good. I'll be there soon."

"Okay." As I walked, I looked down at the little girl, who now looked up at me with bright, curious eyes. "My older brother, Kasimir, is going to bury your parents, little one. That way, their spirits won't linger."

"That's nice of you…" she mumbled. I wondered if she even understood what 'death' and 'burial' meant. "Your name?"

"Ah, I haven't told you that yet, have I?" I gave her my warmest smile. "My name is Evelyn. What's yours?"

"Myrrh…" She sniffed, but shyly smiled back. It was warm and sweet. "It's Myrrh."

When we arrived at Zada a few days later, we made sure to head in through one of the side entrances, to avoid overwhelming Myrrh with all the people. That didn't mean we came in unnoticed, though. As soon as we were within sight of the city, Nike and Kratos flew ahead and when we entered the city limits, Jupiter swooped over our heads to let us know that we were expected.

"Wow, pretty…!" Myrrh breathed, giggling as we rode into the stables. She'd been riding with me, so I helped her off before tending to Styx, getting the saddle off and things. "Thank you very much, Styx." Myrrh cheerfully petted Styx's nose and Styx gently butted her hand in turn, a strangely affectionate gesture for her. Styx didn't normally take to strangers. "Yes, it was fun. And Evelyn kept me nice and secure, just like you said."

"Are you talking to Styx?" I asked, amused as I gave Styx a quick brush. Kas was doing the same for Pallas in a different stall, even though we knew someone would be by in a few minutes to tend to them. It just felt right. "Is it a good conversation?"

"Yes, Styx is very nice." Myrrh grinned up at me. "She loves you lots, but wishes you would give her more fruit for her treats." She laughed when Styx huffed. "But you do, Styx."

"Well, I certainly don't mind, providing we have the extra?" This was more than a little bizarre. In fact, I'd call it more than a lot bizarre. "Things are going to be weird these next few weeks. Or months." Or maybe even years. "Maybe I…" Styx stamped her foot, huffing again. "Huh?"

"Styx says that you're thinking of leaving her here, and she's not going to allow that." Myrrh giggled again. "She loves you lots and lots."

"Ah." I looked at Styx and, after a moment, kissed her right between her eyes. "Okay, then. We'll suffer the stupid humidity together, if it comes to it." I finished brushing her and left briefly to bring her in some feed and water before walking out with Myrrh. "Myrrh, can you talk to all animals?"

"Some are simpler than others, but yes." Myrrh smiled shyly, clinging to my hand. "She's very smart, so I get more from her. I'd get much less from a squirrel. Or a chicken. I talked to a chicken once. It wasn't fun."

"What's this about chickens?" Kas asked as he joined us. He had horse hair all over his front, showing that Pallas had been his normal affectionate self while Kas brushed him. "Oh, never mind. Want me to take lead?"

"Yes, please," I replied, pointing to Myrrh. Myrrh blinked slowly, tilting her head in confusion. I, however, knew very well the risk that came with being the first one inside. "Love you."

"Love you too. Why else would I make such a sacrifice?" Kas sighed, but strode ahead without the slightest bit of hesitation. "Good to be home, though."

"It is." I gently tugged Myrrh so that she'd stay close to me, keeping my pace slow so that she'd keep up easily. She did, after all, have the stride of a child, and I normally walked very fast. "Welcome to Zada, Myrrh. We'll go to a window later so that you can see it in its full splendor."

I led Myrrh inside, stopping every once in a while so that she could look around without tripping over her own feet. And she was looking everywhere, gasping at everything from the stained glass windows to the flowers in the vases. She hid when people passed us, but squealed in delight when an animal did. Kas continued to go ahead, all the way to Ishmael's study. And promptly got tackled off his feet by Raphaela's enthusiastic hug. Because that's how Raphaela always greeted us when we were separated for more than a day.

"Welcome home!" she cheered, beaming at Kas. Kas patted her on the back and quickly escaped the hug. "Father's been practically bouncing from joy, so come in!" She seized his arm and dragged him inside. "In, in, in!"

"She loves him a lot," Myrrh noted, half-hiding behind me. Raphaela's greeting had startled her. "I can sense it. But he doesn't."

"That's not something you should talk openly about, Myrrh," I chided, even as I wondered how she knew that. I did, of course, but Raphaela wasn't so obvious with her feelings. And Myrrh was four. Then again, she clearly wasn't human and she could apparently talk to animals. Just another thing with her, and I either had to roll with it or completely reject her. And children didn't need to deal with rejection. "Come on. Time to meet Ishmael."

"Who's he?"

"The man who raised Kas and me, and the leader of Zada. Raphaela is his daughter." Gently, I led her inside, only to be greeted with a hug as well. However, this one was gentle, so I knew it was Ishmael. "We're home."

"I can see that," Ishmael replied, pulling away. He noticed Myrrh immediately and knelt down to be on eye-level with her. "And hello, little one. Welcome to Zada. I am Ishmael."

"Oh, I like you," Myrrh whispered, smiling shyly. She still hid behind me, though. "Your heart sings a warm and gentle song."

"Does it now? I'm gladdened to hear that." Ishmael stood again and waved us to step a little more inside so that he could shut the door. I looked around and saw Raphaela by Ishmael's desk, and Kas pointedly leaning against the wall very far away from her. "While I am eager to hear your report, I do think we should address our newest child first."

"More than you know, Ishmael," I murmured. I glanced at Kas, since he normally talked for serious things, but he smiled and shook his head. He was going to make me deal with it, for once. "Ah, here…" Gently, I pulled off Myrrh's cloak. Being little, she smiled and held her arms out to make it easier and happily unfurled her wings as soon as they were free from the confines of the cloth. "See?"

"She… has wings?" Raphaela said, voicing the obvious because it was such an odd thing to see. I was tempted to tease her again, since she had a habit of pointing out the obvious, but I'd let it go for now. "You brought a baby demon home?"

"Well, Kas and I are supposedly the children of demons, so it won't be the first time baby 'demons' were around." I couldn't help the dry response, and Raphaela winced. "That said, Myrrh says she's not a demon. And, given that she has more intelligence than a rock, I'd agree."

"Well, yes, but…"

"Raphaela, staring is rude," Ishmael chided, leaning against his desk. Though I had no doubts he was just as shocked, he made sure to not show it. Kas, meanwhile, covered his mouth to hide his smirk, as if he hadn't been just as stunned as Raphaela. I caught his eye, and shook my head, but also let him get away with it. "That said… Myrrh, this question is rude, but might I ask what you are, exactly?"

"I am a dragon!" Myrrh proclaimed proudly, with a bright grin. I had never heard the term before. "Mama and Papa and I were supposed to go to Caer Pelyn, but the monsters…" Her grin dropped and she hid behind me. "They caught me, dragged me away. Mama and Papa saved me, and we ran and ran, but…" Her voice broke and she started crying. I immediately knelt down to hug her. "But…"

"We buried her parents, so that they could reach the afterlife quickly," Kas murmured, finishing the story for her. Raphaela winced and Ishmael closed his eyes. Expected, but still… "Myrrh, if you can, do you know where Caer Pelyn is?"

"Somewhere in the mountains. I don't know…" She hiccupped and hid kept on crying. Raphael pulled a handkerchief from her pocket and passed it to me so that I could clean Myrrh's face. "I'm sorry…"

"No, don't be sorry." But with such a vague location, it would be difficult to actually get her there ourselves. Plus, based on what Kas and I saw, the mountains might be firmly in 'demon' territory. "You're being very good and very brave."

"Okay…" She sniffed and coughed, but her tears soon ran dry. I held the handkerchief to her nose so that she could blow it, and then used my sleeve to mop up the worst of her tears. Then I brushed her hair behind her ear, noting that it… well, it looked like a human's ear. I wasn't sure what I was expecting, maybe a point, but… "Um… c-can I stay here?"

"Of course you may," Ishmael reassured, smiling gently. Myrrh hesitantly smiled back, relieved. "I do ask that you keep your cloak on when outside, but you'll find that most people here do. They help protect us from the sun." Ishmael glanced at me. "She is a child…"

"I'll take care of her," I agreed, knowing what the statement meant. Whenever a child made it to us, without any sort of older family member, the child would be placed in the care of someone. It's what Ishmael did for Kas and me. I couldn't deny being pleased to offer that same protection to someone else. "She can stay in my room as well. We do need to get her clothes, though."

"Let me help with that," Raphaela offered. She crouched down and smiled at Myrrh. "We'll get you some pretty and comfortable clothes, okay?" Myrrh nodded shyly, half-hiding behind me again. "Father, will you need me here or…?"

"I'm sure Kasimir can report on his own," Ishmael refused, looking to Kas. Kas, of course, nodded. "Excellent, then."

Recognizing the subtle dismissal, I led Myrrh out of the room, Raphaela following closely. After Raphaela closed the door behind us, she gave me a warm hug before leading the way to one of the tailors in the city, taking paths that had less people for Myrrh's sake. However, though I was glad to take care of Myrrh, I did have to admit that I also wished I'd stayed and given a report with Kas. After all, from this day forward, everything was going to be different. But we'd find some way to make it through, I supposed. We always did.

A few days after we returned home, Ishmael asked that Kas and I come to his office. I left Myrrh with Raphaela, knowing what this was going to be about. Still, it was a bit disconcerting to walk in with Ishmael standing and looking out the window, absently twisting his wedding ring around his finger. He only did that when he had to make very important decisions, and the last time I'd seen that was three years ago, when he had to banish one of our people due to him committing the worst of crimes: rape. It had been the only time in the ten years I lived here that anyone had been banished, and seeing Ishmael in the same place, thinking seriously… it really emphasized how important this conversation was going to be. I knew Kas felt the same when he arrived, as Kas made sure to kiss my cheek and take my hand before clearing his throat, letting Ishmael know we were here.

"I have decided that we shall give all the assistance that we are able to," Ishmael told us softly, not looking at us. He still looked outside, through the stained glass window. It gave him a good view of the entire city, with colors of the glass as bright and vibrant as the people who lived within it. "I will announce it within a few hours."

"I can already imagine the protests," Kas murmured. He squeezed me hand and I leaned into his side. "I doubt we'd have a riot, of course, but…"

"I plan on emphasizing the danger." He turned to face us then, and walked so that he was on the other side of his desk, closer to us. "The danger to their children, the danger to us. It'll be a more emotional appeal than my announcements typically are, but cold logic will not sway broken hearts and scarred spirits. Emotions do, however. Emotions make the shards pulse and the scars ache." He crossed his arms, looking right at us. "I will also ask only for volunteers. Those who feel that they cannot fight simply will stay and protect us, as they always have. Which, of course, means that there may not be many…"

"If nothing else, they will have two more." Kas glanced at me, and I nodded. It felt only right. We were the ones who saw it firsthand. If even we didn't go, there was absolutely no chance anyone else would. "We can… mostly… bite our tongues."

"I will be counting on you both for that." He smiled sadly, yet proudly at us. "You two have always done your best to understand my way of leading. Of focusing on the bigger picture, even when anger makes you numb and sorrow sharpens your tongue. You're not perfect, of course, but perfection is in the realm of impossibility."

"Aren't you the one who taught us impossible things happen every day?" Kas grinned, and the air of the room lightened at the joke. "But, I know. We will… try… to behave."

"Precisely, and that is why I need you to go to them. Assuming any join you, there will be fights. It is unfair to expect otherwise."

"We will do all we can. I swear it."

"So formal." He shook his head, and Kas shrugged. It… would be a while before we heard that bit of chiding, once we left. "I am in the middle still of determining what supplies can be spared and the like. However, I believe that you and Evelyn should go ahead of everyone, to reassure them that we are going to help."

"Well, we did tell them we'd let them know as soon as possible," I whispered, feeling saddened by the thought. I expected and understood this decision. But I didn't like the idea of leaving. "And Kas can hold a semi-polite conversation in case they start bitching about what we can give."

"Precisely," Ishmael agreed, laughing a little. Kas and I just shared a suffering look. More politeness… Grado and Urien weren't too bad, but if one of us 'accidentally' dropkicked Valni… well… "As for Myrrh, though...

"We'll leave her here. It's much too dangerous for a child." Especially since she was basically four years old. "I assume Nike and Kratos will come with us."

"I highly doubt the gods themselves can keep those hawks from you." Ishmael laughed, mostly because it was true. Nike and Kratos attached themselves to us when they were barely fledged and they refused to let go. "I will see if any of the unattached hawks will accompany as well. They make very good messengers." Ishmael gestured for the two of us to come over to him, and as soon as we were close enough, he hugged us both. "I am very proud of you two, by the way."

"Huh?"

"I am proud of how strong you have become, and of how strong you will become. I am proud of you being able and willing to do this, for the sake of our people." He tightened his hug on us, and I relaxed, comforted by the warmth. Kas smiled, but since he was taller than Ishmael now, he was bent a little awkwardly. But he didn't protest. "I know how hard it is. Even when a wound scars, it still hurts. And trauma never goes away. The memory is there forever. Moving past such trials is hard, so hard that there are many who never do. So I am very proud of you both."

"...We learned that strength from you, Ishmael." We really had. "And don't worry. We're going to send you so many letters that you'll be drowning in them."

Ishmael held us for a while longer before gently letting us go and sending us on our way. Kas and I left, but as soon as we were out of sight of the room, we shared a look and a sigh. We weren't comfortable with this at all. But we knew we had to. For the sake of our family, we had to assist the people we hated. Otherwise, we were all going to die. And we couldn't bear that. Not when everyone had supported us and given us so, so much. So, we'd go. We'd fight.

And hey, maybe we'd show these people they were idiots for refusing the desert people's help before. Nothing like spite to help motivate you a little more.

So, Kas and I just briefly commiserated with each other before we split up to handle preparations, knowing we'd likely leave either later tonight or tomorrow. For instance, I did our laundry, to make sure we'd have enough clean clothes and gathered up every bit of perfume and incense we had, remembering how awful that camp had smelled. Then my plan had been to go see if anyone had learned anything about that strange lance I'd picked up from the new winged demon. However, my feet had other plans. Instead they led me to the quiet room tucked away near Ishmael's room, a room always filled with fresh flowers and gentle incense. After all, it was Kezia's memorial.

Because of the suddenness of the attack, and the sheer distance, Kezia and the others who had died had to be buried far from Zada, far from the crypts below the castle-fortress. As such, a memorial instead had been built in the homes of each. Kezia's was this small room, always filled with her favorite flowers and favorite scents, along with pictures of her. It wasn't a place Kas and I visited often, since we felt we didn't really have… well, it always felt a little awkward. Still, I was already here, so I walked to the portrait set up in the back, right next to a couple of incense holders. It was just of her, smiling brightly, and it really highlighted how much Raphaela had taken after her. Since the incense were dying down, though, I decided to replace them, burning a new set for her.

"Ah…" Though that did lead to the awkwardness of being there when Ishmael was. "I was just thinking the incense had likely burned out," he murmured, smiling softly. I smiled back, a touch awkwardly, and finished up with replacing them. "She would've adored you and Kasimir."

"I wish Kas and I could've met her," I replied. I really did. All the stories about her were so much fun, and the pictures of her were so bright. "Um…" However, I didn't know what else to say. I didn't want to just escape… well, I did, but that felt even more awkward and rude.

"You know, often times, I wonder if she guided you towards Zada, as a reminder to me." He joined me by the picture and incense and briefly touched the edge of the frame before smiling at me again. "That I had to keep moving forward, and that I could not let my own pain drown my morals." He ruffled my hair and gently kissed my forehead. "Please be careful, as careful as you can. You two are my sun and stars, just as Raphaela is my moon. I would be devastated if anything happened."

"As careful as we can, promise." I struggled to not cry, and knew I failed, so I just rested against my head against his shoulder. I didn't like leaving him. "I promise that we'll return. We'll be back before you know it."

"And I shall count the seconds until that day comes." He hugged me to let me cry. "You will always have a home here, and you will always be my daughter. Never doubt either."

"Of course."

As expected, Kas and I left the very next morning, this time with far more supplies than before. Since we'd been busy packing and preparing, we hadn't actually been there for Ishmael's announcement, but we certainly heard the response. Almost everyone protested, until Ishmael emphasized the many graves of children that Kas and I had seen, and the danger to us. Just as Ishmael predicted, many did (reluctantly) agree that it was probably the best course. Then came the trouble of volunteers. For some, the emotional appeal was enough. For others, not so much. Still, we did have quite a few agree to fight, though I knew many of them were just eager to make the outside world owe them. And others, like Raphaela, were only going because people they loved were going. I felt horrible about it, but supposedly, Ishmael already had many of Raphaela's things packed for her, since he knew her well enough to know she'd never stay behind. Which was quite true.

It was during that strange mess of preparations that Kas and I left, with Nike, Kratos, Bia, and Zelus flying with us. Bia and Zelus, after all, refused to stay behind. They instinctively knew that if they stayed, it would be a long time before they saw their siblings, or us, again. Because who knew when we'd see Zada again.

"We're making good time," Kas noted, letting Pallas simply explore along the path. I kept Styx firmly on it to lessen the chances of her galloping off. "I think we'll be at the border in a few days, providing a storm doesn't hit."

"Really surprised one hasn't," I replied, squinting up at the sky. There was barely a cloud in sight. Made it easy to see the four hawks flying about. "I hope that doesn't mean we're going to have a dry year." One could, of course, argue that all years were dry in a desert, but if the Vrep went down, then things would be rough. And it would be even rougher since there would be less people to help. Not to mention Zada giving up a lot of their surplus… "Ugh… I'm going to worrying about this for months."

"Now, now… have faith in our family. Just as they do in us."

"Faith in them isn't a problem." It was 'faith' in everything else. "The send-off was nice, though. Lots of hugs and the like."

"And really made us want to stay!" Kas laughed and I nodded, agreeing. It really had. I loved Zada. I loved home. I didn't like the idea of leaving it for an extended period, especially for a nauseating, complicated army camp in a place where the air was thicker than stew. "Poor Myrrh, though…"

"It surely hasn't been long enough for her to imprint or something." She had been crying when we left, and the sight had broken my heart. But Ishmael would take care of her, far better than us in an army camp. "She'll probably forget about us within a few days. You remember how…"

"Yeah… Oliver did get distracted easily." Kas fell silent for a while. "He'd be fourteen, if he lived."

"He would." Rachel would've been twenty-four. Lianne would've been twenty-six. Both probably would've been married or something by now. I knew Lianne had been interested in a couple of the boys in the village, at least. "Wonder if he would've kept the blanket."

"Probably. Might've been hidden or something, like Raphaela's stuffed bear, but…" He trailed off, eyes distant. Remembering how it had been that damn blanket that had…

"...Why…?" It was always the question. We knew why they had attacked us, of course. They had been scared, and had decided to killing others was preferable to that fear. But why had we survived? Why us and not Oliver? Why us and not Rachel? Why us and not Lianne? Why…?

"Wish I knew." Kas sighed and nudged Pallas to ride a little closer to me so that he could bump his shoulder against mine. "Wish I knew."

"Wish I could punch the god who decided that."

"That too."

We rode mostly in silence from that point, only speaking absently about obvious and inane things, like the plants nearby. Memories of our family weighed heavily on us, and here we were, helping people like those who killed them. We knew it was the right thing to do. We knew it was what was needed. But it still felt like a spike to the heart and (perhaps illogically) a betrayal to the deceased. Worse, it felt like (also probably illogically) a betrayal to our people, who still recovered and were badly scarred. Then there was the fear. Would our people be killed for the differences that drove us to the desert in the first place? Would we simply be used as fodder, as some way to 'protect' the rest of the army? Were we just leading our people to slaughter? All of the questions and emotions dug deep into our spirits, suffocating the words right out of us.

We continued being silent even when we decided to stop at an oasis and camp for the night. Setting up our things, quietly splitting up the camp chores, foraging for food to supplement what we brought… all the normal things, really, except the silence. After all, we typically chattered and bantered, teasing each other. But tonight was a serious, somewhat sorrowful night because tonight we really felt the burden we'd taken up. You'd think it would've happened earlier in the journey, but nope. It was today, after many nights of camping.

Since things had been so silent, though, it was immediately obvious when Nike started getting agitated, fluffing out her feathers and clacking her beak. When I glanced at her curiously, she took to the air, hunting for whatever was bothering her. I immediately grabbed my lance and followed, leaving Kas behind to finish up with camp prep. After all, if it was demons, Nike, Kratos, Bia, and Zelus all would be screeching alarms. Since it was only Nike, with Kratos almost dozing and Bia and Zelus more interesting in their dinner, it wasn't anything that needed two of us. Still, when I did find what had bothered Nike so… well, it wasn't what I expected in the least.

"Found you!" Myrrh laughed, beaming up at me. Her face and neck were sunburnt, and she was covered in scrapes from the sand. Not to mention that she had so much sand in her clothes that she couldn't fly. Or maybe it was the little pack weighing her down. "Yay!" She hugged me tightly, and I automatically hugged her back with one arm, despite being totally stunned. "You guys travel fast!"

"Well, we are on horses," I replied, stunned. Nike landed on my shoulder, feathers still fluffed up. "You… followed us?"

"Yep!" She grinned. "I did!"

"That is… so incredibly dangerous!" There were so many ways a child could die in the desert. Even if it was a child who could fly! "I… that…" I sighed, though, noticing that the sunburns she had were blistering. "Later. Come on. I'm sure you're hungry. What have you even been doing for food and water?"

"Nothing? I can go without food for a while." She sulked. "But I am hungry…"

"I bet." This was so not in the plans. "And you need a bath and medical treatment for those burns. I bet they hurt."

"They're itchy!"

"Don't scratch. I'll help." I kissed Nike's head and gently lifted my shoulder to silently tell her to return ahead of me. "Come on."

Kas was so shocked at seeing Myrrh that he nearly fell into the damn water. However, after that initial shock, he instantly went into 'caretaker mode', helping me get Myrrh all cleaned up and bandaged up. Then we made sure she got some food and water. While she ate, I looked through her pack and saw that it at least had clothes in it. That was good. Ish. Nothing about this situation was good.

"I am going to scold some people whenever we get around to returning to Zada," Kas growled, scowling. We were by the bedrolls and blankets, with Myrrh sitting in my lap. "How is it that there's an entire city of people, and a child sneaks out?" He held up a hand to stop Myrrh from answering. "Please don't actually tell me. I'm already mad."

"Why, though?" Myrrh asked, frowning curiously. She leaned back against me. "I wanted to be with you two. You're safe."

"We are going into a very unsafe place. Besides, you liked Ishmael."

"I like you more. And you're safe." She said the words firmly and I bit back a sigh. I'd been very wrong about her 'imprinting' on us. We saved her when her parents died, so she simply couldn't believe she was safe if we weren't near. It was absolutely stupid of me to not expect that, since it was similar to what Kas and I went through when we first arrived at Zada. "Am I bad?"

"No, but you did a very dangerous thing. You're all burned and tired, right?" Kas waited for Myrrh to nod. "Plus a lot of things couldn't attacked you, and not just demons. I'm glad you can conveniently go long periods without food and water, but you still do have a limit." Kas gave her a stern look. "You are very lucky that you found us."

"Oh, I already knew that." She smiled. "I knew that when we met!" Not quite what we meant. Then again, she was four. "But you're mad because I did something scary."

"That's… a close enough summary, I suppose." Kas sighed and looked up at me. "What are we…?"

"I…" I began, thinking. We couldn't really go back to drop her off. For one thing, it was quite a distance at this point, and we really did need to travel while the weather remained good. For another, there was no guarantee she wouldn't try to follow us again and if she snuck out one, then she'd likely sneak out again. And sending her back on her own was an even worse idea, for obvious reasons. "Myrrh, we're going to a very unsafe place. There's going to be lots of fighting, and demons."

"That's everywhere," Myrrh replied, looking up at me. Right then, her eyes seemed very old, older than even Ishmael's. "Even these lands get fighting and demons, right?"

"That is true…" I grimaced at looked at Kas. He threw up his hands and shook his head, silently telling me that he was staying out of this. I was the one who had to make this choice. Damn him. "Myrrh, it's going to be very dangerous. So, if you're going to stay with us, you have to be a very good girl and listen to us, okay? That means staying where we tell you to stay, among other things."

"Okay!" Myrrh grinned and then turned to curl up against my chest. "Sleepy…"

"Yes, I suppose it is time for bed…" I looked up at Kas again and shrugged helplessly. I didn't know what to do. I really didn't. "Let's get settled in." I was going to regret this. I knew that very well. And gods, could I keep her safe? Could we? Would she end up like Oliver? I… I knew we were stronger, but were we strong enough?

Gods, why did you do stuff like this to us?

Myrrh kept true to her word in being on her best behavior. She even helped with camp prep, at least to the extent that a four year old could. She smiled brightly at everything, and I had to admit, it was fun teaching her about the various plants and the like about the desert. Not enough to outweigh the terror and regret of letting her come with us, but it was still fun.

"Well, here we are," Kas murmured as we finally rode into the town where we had last seen the army. Just like before, it was quiet, like how a wounded animal refused to move. "You doing okay, Myrrh?"

"I'm fine," Myrrh giggled, bouncing a bit in her seat. I dismounted from Styx and then helped Myrrh down, adjusting her cloak. "This is so neat! This is only the second human settlement I've been too! Zada was the first!"

"You should keep comments like that quiet, Myrrh." Kas dismounted as well and petted Pallas's neck. "People are on edge, thanks to the war."

"Oh, right!" Myrrh nodded and then mimed 'locking' her lips, like one would lock a chest. And I had to admit that it was pretty cute. Kas cracked a smile, chuckling. "So, why are we here?"

"We are going to… uh…" Kas glanced around and shrugged. "Somehow contact people."

"We could just ride to the camp, assuming it's in the same place," I pointed out. I gathered up Styx's reins and pulled Myrrh a little closer to me. "Or send the hawks, but I don't think they know we even have them."

"That's true…" Kas murmured. Of course, a quick glance around showed that all four were nowhere in sight, so who knew what they were doing? Possible hunting. "Should we check in on that woman?"

"The… oh, the mother we helped out." I shook my head. "Assuming we can even remember her house, she mentioned staying with a friend."

"True, true." Kas shrugged and checked that his hood was up. I did the same, not wanting to deal with people's glares. Stares were fine. Glares were not. "I say we walk through town then, and see if we see someone. If we do, we'll ask. If not, we'll 'conveniently' make our way to their camp. Assuming we remember the way."

"Who needs to remember the path when you can follow the smell?" I laughed when Kas shuddered, and shook my head when Myrrh looked up at me confused. "Don't worry about it, Myrrh. Here, hold my hand while we walk. It'll be good to stretch out your legs after so much sitting, won't it?"

Carefully and slowly, we walked through the town, doing our best to not be disruptive. Of course, even just 'walking' was apparently disruptive since it was so quiet. No one was out playing or anything. No one was gossiping. No one even peeked out their windows to see the weird people walking through the street. It was honestly unnerving, especially since I was so used to Zada. If the others walked through this town, I was sure they would understand just how bad things were, and how bad things would become. But it was still unsettling and, thus, it was a relief when we saw all four of the hawks return and land on the saddles. For one thing, they brought noise. For another, they brought Urien with them.

"Oh, so they're yours," Urien murmured, blinking slowly at us. He had ink stains on his hands, like he'd been writing, and a sword in hand, like he expected danger. "One of them pecked me until I followed."

"That… must've been Zelus, then," I replied, smiling sheepishly. I glanced over at Zelus, on Kas's saddle, and Zelus just preened his feathers. "Sorry about that. They are trained messengers and the like, but they do their own thing. Particularly Bia and Zelus, since they like us through association. They're Nike and Kratos's siblings."

"I'm… my apologies, but I haven't slept in a couple of days, so I fear you will likely have to repeat those names and whatnot at a later date." He smiled slightly, and I did notice the bags under his eyes now. They were a bit hard to see, making me wonder if he had used makeup to cover it, but they were there. "Ah, but you brought hawks and you seem packed for a long trip…"

"We told you that we'd be back as soon as we could," Kas reminded, stepping up. He smiled warmly, giving his most charming smile. "Our people will give what help we can. Evelyn and I are the messengers, and offer our skills as fighters."

"Already, I feel safer and more confident about the battles to come," Urien said, his smile growing. Even with its brightness, though, there was a tiredness and sadness to it. "Truly, thank you…" He looked over us again, and then focused on Myrrh. "A little girl?"

"I'm sorry…" I sighed, tucking her a little behind me. "She was supposed to stay back home, but she followed us. She just lost her parents to demons, you see, and…"

"Well, it won't be the first time a small child has run about that camp." Urien smiled reassuringly, and I tentatively smiled back. "She'll be under your care, of course, but I'm sure that's expected. But that's something we can talk more on the way to camp." He gestured down the path. "Please, follow me."

Urien led us out of the town and through the woods with practiced ease. As we walked, I wondered why he didn't come with his horse this time, before deciding that Zelus likely had pecked him when he tried. Of course, it was good for us because we really did want to walk to ease our legs and to give our horses a break. Even more so when we actually arrived at the camp, and tried to not gag at the smell. Myrrh immediately sneezed, wrinkling her nose, but she stayed right by me as Urien showed us where we could leave our horses. Then, after we grabbed our things and urged our hawks to fly about and enjoy themselves, he led us through the chaotic mess of the camp to a rather nondescript tent that only differed from its neighbors by the small colored post right by the entrance. Urien held open the flap for us, but didn't follow us in. But that was because, apparently, this was Mikael's tent.

The inside was as simple as the exterior. A cot tucked in the back, a couple of chests, and a desk piled high with papers. With Mikael working on said papers, though he looked up almost as soon as we walked in, and set down whatever paper he'd been reading to give us his undivided attention. "I see you have returned," he murmured, nodding slightly. Kas and I set all of our things in the corner and moved so that we were standing right in front of the desk, with Myrrh tucked behind me. "Dare I hope for good news?"

"Well, if us giving what help we can is good news, then sure?" Kas replied, with a smile. His charming smile, because we were doing our best to behave. "We'll… ah… try to make sure everyone gets along, but I'll fully admit that there's probably going to be some arguments."

"So long as they don't stab each other, I can deal." Mikael smiled back, and I was surprised he could smile. I was also surprised by how kind that smile was. "I am glad to hear that you will give us assistance. Is it just you two?"

"For now. Got more coming. Here." Kas pulled a paper from his pocket and handed it over to Mikael. "That's from Ishmael, our leader. Polite letter and everything we're pretty sure we can spare."

"...Everything?" Mikael skimmed through the letter, frowning slightly. "Really?"

"Yeah?" Kas and I exchanged a confused look at his surprise. Weren't we supposed to tell him what we could give? "We do have to hold back stuff for our own, but we had a good pomegranate harvest, so some of that. There's jerky, dried fish…"

"We had quite a bit of garlic, so I think some of that is coming along as well," I added, trying to remember. Myrrh, behind me, giggled. "Pretty sure some beer barrels are coming. Gods know we always have a lot."

"Food wise is definitely just things that travel well, but it is still a variety," Kas murmured, also trying to remember. Mikael, for some reason, continued to look surprised. "Oh, we've got horses. We've a lot that don't have riders, but are antsy for some sort of exercise. So, they'll be coming along."

"The hawks. And, of course, whoever thinks they can fight alongside outsiders."

"And… wait, it's literally all right there. Why are we trying to remember?" Kas laughed sheepishly, but it soon died when he noticed Mikael was still stunned. "Uh… did we do something wrong?"

"I… simply wasn't expecting so much," Mikael replied slowly. He looked at the list, scanning through each line. "I thought we would get a few more fighters. Ten or so, if we were lucky. Not..."

"Well, providing that everyone doesn't change their mind, you'll get more than ten," Kas replied. Now he was frowning. Personally, I was surprised. I was so sure they'd bitch about 'how little' we could give. "When we left, it was closer to fifty or sixty? Variety of weapons as well. Most of us are physical fighters, mind, but we've some magic users and healers. Got a bunch of medicine and herbalists coming as well."

"Medicine as well?"

"Yes…?" Kas shuffled his feet and adjusted his hood. "Is it really that much of a surprise?"

"When you were last here, you two made it quite clear how reluctant you were to return to the world that hurt you and your family so." Mikael looked Kas right in the eye, despite the coloring. "So, I thought…"

"The way of the desert is that when you choose to help, you do everything you can. We take hospitality and help seriously, due to how harsh the desert can be."

"My apologies for the unintentional insult, then." He smiled slightly, and I was actually stunned to see him so amicable. "And I thank you, dearly, for it." His eyes fell on Myrrh. "A ward of yours?"

"A traumatized little girl who followed us after we left her in the safety of our home." Kas shrugged. "Sorry?"

"Not the first time the camp has been sanctuary to children. However, she is your full responsibility." Mikael pulled a blank piece of paper and began copying down the supplies Ishmael said we could give. "Again, thank you. Urien?"

"Right here, sir." Urien poked his head in, smiling. "I got their tents ready," he informed us, also explaining why he didn't follow us in. "Follow me again."

Shrugging, we did just that, since there wasn't really a smart reason to refuse. Once again, Urien navigated the chaos with ease, hinting there was actually a pattern to the madness, and showed us to two tents set up next to each other, both of fairly decent quality. Kas picked one at random and I stepped into the other one with Myrrh, beginning to unpack.

"If you need a bigger one, do let me know," Urien insisted, standing at the threshold. He smiled broadly at me. "You do have a little one."

"Myrrh shares my blankets, so I think the size is fine," I reassured. Myrrh had actually already curled up in the blankets, taking a nap. And, thankfully, keeping her cloak over her wings. That was not something I was explaining yet. If at all. "Thank you for the consideration, though."

"We do try to keep things as comfortable as we can. Morale is low enough as is." He shrugged, his smile dimming slightly. Just slightly, though. "Still, let me know if there are any problems, okay?"

"Well, I do have one question." I reached into my bag and pulled out a little vial of perfume because gods above, I needed it. "Is there a tactical reason why everything smells bad or can I have some incense and perfumes? I don't know how you all even think with it."

"I didn't think it was that bad?" Urien looked a bit confused now. "Better than the last camp, at least. This one has proper sanitation, for one thing."

"...Yeah, that's going to be a series of arguments right there." Gods, this was going to suck so much. "So? Incense?"

"Oh, yes, of course." He pointed to the vial I held. "What's in that one?"

"Blue lotus." It was a favorite of mine. "I'd probably burn some frankincense or something, though. Blue lotus is used more for perfume than incense." I took off the cap and let him smell it. "We have quite a few perfumes and incense in Zada. And we'll be bringing a lot because it's just… part of our daily lives."

"Then I think I'll look forward to the lovely scents." Urien smiled again, laughing. "I… wasn't sure how to set up for your hawks, though."

"We've got things for them, and the other waves are bringing supplies for them as well." I shrugged. "Kas has more information on what is in each wave, but there's going to be two or three groups. The first one honestly will probably be here in a couple of days." Or sooner. Raphaela was leading that one, and I knew she'd leave as soon as she could. "Still, I'd better set up."

"And I should see if Kasimir needs assistance." Urien took my hand and kissed it, to my shock. "Again, thank you."

He left then, and I stared after him, more than a little stunned. I was no stranger to affection, of course, even affection from strangers. Zada was very free with such things, after all. But to be shown so much gratitude and affection from an outsider, considering how my coloring would normally mark me for burning at the stake? And to… to kiss my hand like I was some princess in a story? That was a little… that was a little beyond me and my ability to process things. So, instead, I unpacked my things, burning some incense as soon as I could to hopefully drown out the smell.

Well, here we were. And here I was, taking care of a dragon child in the middle of a war I wasn't sure I wanted to fight. Life sure was hilarious sometimes.

Family

Evelyn

19 years old

Weapon: Lance

Is terrified over taking care of Myrrh, both because she is uncertain if she can protect a child and because she's afraid of using Myrrh as a 'replacement' for Oliver. However, at the same time, she can't leave Myrrh alone, so she hopes she can do as well as Ishmael

Favors the Blue Lotus when it comes to preferred perfumes, though it can be difficult to make. She finds great comfort in it because Ishmael had been wearing that perfume when he saved them.

Kasimir

21 years old

Weapon: Sword

Though not always immediately obvious, he looks to Ishmael as an 'ideal' person to be and strives to be like him. However, he fears that he is nowhere near as kind-hearted or wise, but continues working towards that goal anyway

Has no preference for perfumes, but he does prefer it when things smell nice. He half-wonders if he needs to carry a little sachet of fragrant herbs to protect himself from the horrible smells of the camp

Raphaela

21 years old

Weapon: Dark Magic

Had a very long talk with her father prior to leaving, to make sure he was truly okay with it. She also prayed before the memorial to her mother, asking for guidance and strength to make it through these times.

Would've preferred to have gone ahead with Kasimir and Evelyn, but reluctantly stayed behind to lead the first wave instead. She's not looking forward to fighting alongside outsiders, who have brought great trauma to those she calls family, but has decided she'll endure it. If only for her father, Kasimir, and Evelyn.

Ishmael

55 years old

Weapon: Dark Magic

Does his best to not show it, but he is absolutely terrified of all three of his children marching out to war. However, this is just another case of a leader being forced to look at the bigger picture. He knows very well that if this is to have any chance of working, Kasimir and Evelyn must be there, and trying to keep Raphaela in Zada would be akin to asking the sun to rise in the west. He prays that Kezia will watch over the three of them from beyond, and bring them back to him alive and well.

He actually caught sight of Myrrh escaping, and went after her. After a moment, however, he sent Jupiter, his hawk, to follow her instead and let her find Evelyn and Kasimir. While he heavily dislikes the idea of a small child anywhere near the battlefield, he has a feeling her presence will be needed for whatever reason. He can only pray that this will not be yet another regret on his spirit.

Myrrh

4(?) years old

A young dragon child with wings barely strong enough to bear her weight. She originally lived in the woods to the north, but they had to escape when the demons came. Clings tightly to both Evelyn and Kasimir because she's absolutely terrified, but they make her feel safe. Their hearts are warm, after all, and 'sing' with a beautiful melody.

Her very existence provides many questions, none of which she can really answer due to her young age. Still, she does her best to smile because she feels like the world isn't so scary when she smiles. Mostly. It is fun to learn, though, and she's determined to stay on her best behavior.

Army

Mikael, General

54 years old

Weapons: Sword, Axe

Hadn't actually expected any help from the desert people, especially in light of what he heard from Grado's report of their talk. To get not only fighters, but much needed supplies including food and medicine, is honestly beyond his wildest dreams.

Does worry about in-fighting, but as he told Kasimir and Evelyn, so long as it's dealt with non-violently, he will suffer through it. After all, he thinks it's pointless to stop arguments as such things simply lead to more arguments ultimately. Anger is healthy, if given the space to bleed.

Urien, Lieutenant-General

20 years old

Weapons: Sword, Lance

Despite what they said, he honestly didn't think Kasimir or Evelyn would return, especially not so soon. He feels bad for doubting them, but they didn't seem very enthused or receptive to the idea. That said, he's gladdened to be proven wrong

He's fascinated by their hawks, having never seen one before, especially one so trained and the like. He's attempted to approach them to pet or give treats, but they fly away from him, making him a little sad. (But also happy to even have such a lighthearted worry for once)

Author's Notes: So, have a little!Myrrh. I mentioned in Records of the Valiant that she personally knew the Heroes and all, so this is how she met them. Like in Memoirs of the Crusaders, I'm just listing info for important characters that show up in the chapter. For convenience sake.

'Blue lotus' (also called the blue Egyptian lotus, as well as the blue Egyptian water lily and sacred blue lily) is a component of the susinum perfume, which shows up very frequently in Records of the Valiant. The flower was considered incredibly significant in Ancient Egyptian Mythology, and regarded as a symbol of the sun. (Amusingly, iirc, it's illegal in three countries, possibly due to its sedating effects.) Garlic and beer were staples of diet in Ancient Egypt as well. The Mojave Aster grows in several desert terrains and can reach heights of around 60-80cm (or 24-31in).

Typically, full-blooded manaketes (and many half-blooded and even quarter-blooded) have 'pointed' ears in the Fire Emblem series, though there have been exceptions (Ninian and Nils, for instance, who can transform, as well as Sophia from the same game, who cannot). However, based on her Heroes and Cipher art, Myrrh actually has 'round' ears, like humans do.

Next Chapter - Unity