Teach Me How to See

Chapter Four: City of Green

Whoa, chapter four is so delayed... Anyway, I started making a Mercedes a few days ago and i'm in love with the mobility! I just can't raise 10mil b/c I HATE playing merchant in the fm. If I had to estimate how much money I could have made from merching, it ranges to at least 800mil (Well, from my BaM in Broa, not my Mercedes in Nova). The good news is, thanks to this I managed to finish this chapter before New Years! XD

Unfortunately, some of my classmates (Some I don't mind knowing) found out my fanfiction account... -nervous face- Shit, there goes that special one-shot I was gonna do. And by special, I mean... Well, either limes or lemons (Hopefully they don't know that term!)

Anyways, this chapter is soooo wordy! CRAP! -lesigh- It's for the sake of the story! Special thanks to Thanhnufia and WildOrion for reviewing! ...-sigh again- and thanks Alexia for reviewing it when you were sitting right next to me in Fidlers class...

Six-year-old Lanne stared out the window of her guardian's apartment with large curious eyes. Edelstein was bustling with life today and almost everyone was out and about. Brightly colored balloons flew through the air and cheers filled the town with life.

"Lanne! Ready to go out?" Belle's voice called her from the first floor and the redhead jumped up in excitement. From inside, she could see a familiar green hair and playful grin that belonged to the cheerful woman. She always loved hanging out with Belle. The strawberry blonde wasn't overly protective like Brighton, who wouldn't let her near Belle's cat or Checky's toys.

"Coming!" the girl replied and grabbed her small purse that Claudine gave her for her birthday yesterday. When she met up with Belle outside, the older woman took her hand and the two of them went to enjoy the festivities.

"Hey, that girl… Doesn't she look familiar?"

"I heard she was 'unwanted' and her parents abandoned her."

Little Lanne gripped Belle's hand tighter. The Wild Hunter sent murderous glares at the people around them to hush them up but the damage had been done. Lanne looked up at her with confused eyes. "Belle? What does 'unwanted' mean?"

"A-Ah, that…" Belle stuttered and tried to find the right words. "It doesn't mean anything right now, Lanne. If anyone ever calls you that they're lying, okay?

"Okay."

As they continued going down the street, the whispers began again and Lanne moved even closer to the Wild Hunter. Everyone's eyes were focused on her and they weren't pleasant either. Even the smiles in her direction were scary.

"She looks a lot like her mother, huh?"

"Tch, I wonder where those two went. I wouldn't be surprised if they were in a ditch somewhere. Serves them right."

"Belle?"

"Yeah, Lanne?"

"Mommy and daddy are just on a trip, right? They're coming back soon, right?"

Belle hesitated and considered telling the girl a little white lie—just until she was older. But when she took a look into the child's face she lost her resolve and pet her head affectionately.

"I don't know, Lanne… I really don't know…"

If there was any decision she regretted, it might be that she allowed Evan to be her escort. Was he helpful? Sure. Monsters around Henesys were easy targets and making fires were a breeze when Mir was cooperative. Encourage him with a well-cooked meal and he'd gladly dive into the lake for the fish himself. Even better was the fact that the mage didn't question her that much either, which made Lanne somewhat relieved. He might chatter, but she actually enjoyed hearing his misadventures when he first started out a few months ago. So why was she regretting?

"Laaaanne," Evan whined as Lanne's eye twitched. Now she remembered. They had been on the road for two days at most and more often than not Evan complained at the strangest of things. Sometimes it ranged from "I think I got a tick! Get it off!" to "Mir's picking on me!" It seriously made her doubt that he was the same age as her. Perhaps it was the lively and boyish look of his...

And the fact he whined like a baby could help, too

"What?" she asked but then held up a stern finger at him before he could answer. "I swear…if this is about you eating another poison mushroom I'll personally make sure you eat one." He hesitated for a moment but then grinned sheepishly. The mage pointed to his left arm that was red and swollen. Lanne took her water canteen out and poured water over the angry skin. Her eyes narrowed at his condition and she scolded him in a parental tone. "How did you ever manage to survive so long on your own?"

"Lots of trial and error," he said with a wince when he felt his skin get hot despite the cool liquid. "I'm just taking advantage of the fact that I have someone to complain to."

"Not for long if you keep this up," Lanne commented, half serious and she wondered if he could tell. She read the sudden concerned look in his blue green eyes and sighed deeply. "We should have this looked at. The plants here are a little different than the ones back in Edelstein, so I'm not too sure on how to make a poultice for this. How far is Ellinia from here?"

"I say half a day's journey left. But it's getting dark pretty fast in here since the trees block most of the light from the sun. The brighter it gets, the closer we are." Evan looked around for a decent stop and found a trunk filled with crystal clear water. "We should set up camp. Here should do. We're actually a little high up in the trees so be careful around ledges."

"Come to think of it, it is lighter than when we first entered the forest… I thought it would be in reverse." the redhead commented as they began to check over their supplies. Evan gathered their water canteens and refilled them while Mir was probably hunting for game or something. She saw a few familiar herbs and carefully took a few samples to test. The coloring was a very dark green but the veins along the leaves were extremely pale, almost white. Carefully, she tore off a small leaf and popped it in her mouth to chew. Bitter, but it wasn't poisonous. In fact… Her hands found a flat stone and she took out a river pebble she picked up along the way here. Lanne tore some of the larger leaves and dampened them before grinding them into a dark paste that smelled of mint and dirt.

Evan came over with firewood in his arms and watched her work with a curious eye. "What'cha doing now, Lanne?"

"Let me see your arm," she insisted. He hesitated but then took his red gloves off. Compared to an hour ago it was much worse and she could clearly see scratch lines from what she presumed were from his nails. "Y'know, when you get a rash you're not supposed to scratch it…" He laughed nervously at her scolding tone and then lowered his head.

"Sorry. Usually when I get these kinds of things it doesn't itch as much, honest! This is the first time I've scratched a rash this much!"

While he was talking, Lanne got to work on putting the quickly made medicine on his arm. He took a sharp intake of breath when it touched the sensitive skin but made no other sound after that.

"Leave it there for a few minutes and the swelling should go down. If I had a pot I could warm up some water but…"

Evan shook his head and then smiled thankfully at her. "I think I have something in my bag but it's alright. Thanks, Lanne. This is more than enough." The redhead then shrugged and arranged the wood for a fire. The mage watched her place the twigs in the center of the larger pieced, which she arranged in a teepee and a box around.

"Hmm…I didn't see a lot of rocks on the way here…" she mumbled to herself. Heck, she wanted a fire but she didn't want to burn the forest down.

"Rocks? What for?"

Lanne stared at him in mild shock. "Don't tell me you've made fires without putting rocks around it. If so, then I'm surprised you haven't burned a town to the ground."

He pouted childishly. "Oh c'mon. Not like that. You don't need rocks. Mir uses his dragon fire, so it's comprised of mana. It'll only burn what he wants to burn…usually…" The mage murmured the last part quietly when he remembered the start of their adventure. The dragon didn't exactly have a lot of control…

"I see… Interesting," she looked at the dragon in interest but backed away when he started to come closer to her. Mir then looked back at the firewood and sent a controlled stream of flame to ignite the kindling. Just in time, too. The light escaping from the treetops were decreasing every second now. Mir curled up on the other side of the fire to be on watch first. The other two of them rested their backs against the broad trunk of the tree next to their bonfire and allowed a companionable to settle.

"You're family is really nice."

Evan turned his head to her, surprised that she was the one to break the silence that she usually enjoyed. He pulled his headband out of his hair and shook it out. "Yeah. They're alright. Ma likes being very 'cleanly' while my dad wouldn't care if I wrestled with the pigs in the mud. Don't get me started on Utah!" A chuckle escaped him as the memories came back to him. Lanne noticed the fond grin on his face and couldn't help but let the corners of her lips curve upward as well.

"How come you don't visit them much? Your family?" she asked after he had his laugh. The dragon master looked at her with wide eyes and then tilted his head while smiling again.

"What do you mean? Sure I do!"

"A while ago…you told me that you wanted to stop dealing with your problems…" Lanne pulled her knees up to her chest and held her hands out towards the fire. "I know that look. You want to stick around even after you escort me to Ellinia."

Evan furrowed his brows and frowned. The redhead noticed now that he looked a little older in the firelight. The shadows and flickering light against his face actually illuminated much more about him than the bright sun. Lanne could see traces of a man that has seen too much and refuses to tell anyone.

So instead of letting him react to her statement, she added: "You know…if you come with me you might not be able to see them again for a while. This is much larger than just going to see Grendel the Wise."

"Then tell me." He replied. His blue green eyes bore into hers and she had to look away. She didn't even know why she suddenly felt uncomfortable with him staring at her so intently. Evan took it another way though and sputtered. "W-Well… You don't have to. It's just that you know about me but I don't know much about you."

Lanne was quiet for a long time, simply staring into the flames. The mage looked down awkwardly before standing up and moved towards Mir to greet the dragon.

"I've told you this before, but I've lived in Edelstein for as long as I can remember."

Evan turned back to her and saw that she tucked her legs to the side now. No longer was she in the defensive position that she was in earlier and the mage took this as a good sign of their (hopefully) budding friendship. He came back with a loaf of bread and offered her half, which she accepted gratefully.

"I don't know much about my parents. I was brought up by my godfather and his friends." She continued her story, pausing every now and then as if to carefully choose her words. "Living there was…bearable. I always thought that if I had them then it would be alright. When the Black Wings came, they didn't make things easy for us but it was tolerable for a time."

"So, they bug you too, huh?" he commented and she nodded. Since she was still staring into the fire, she didn't see his fist clench. The crackling fire also masked over Mir's almost inaudible growl.

"Some of the members don't bother you as long as you don't look at them the wrong way while others are sick to the core. Eventually, Edelstein became their headquarters. They mine for the crystals we have in the mines and use the townspeople as workers." Lanne bit her lip in irritation. "And because the citizens don't have anything to fight back with, they can't do anything about it."

"So, what brought you to Victoria Island? Were you looking for help?" Evan asked curiously. "I'm pretty sure Erev might have a few extra knights but probably not enough for a rescue mission."

The redhead shook her head and held her knees in a vice grip. "…Edelstein was attacked."

Evan's eyes grew wide as saucers and he looked her up and down in wonder. It was almost as if he was looking for wounds that his mother might have missed when he found her. Lanne gestured to him that she was alright and answered his unvoiced question. "It wasn't the Black Wings. In fact, they were almost annihilated. Within an hour everything was burned to the ground… Everything…"

"Lanne…"

"We should get some rest. I'll take second watch after Mir and I'll wake you up later." She said with finality in her tone. He nodded slowly as he watched her look into her back for a blanket and turned her back towards him. He hadn't learned much, but now he knew why she didn't talk about Edelstein much. Her home had been razed to the ground so easily. Given the circumstances, he was surprised that she hadn't broken down. In fact, she just seems upset at most. If Henesy's was gone or heaven forbid his family's farmland he wouldn't know what to do. That's why he never visited as often as he liked. He sent a glance to Mir before tucking in for the night as well.

Elsewhere...

"What do you mean, 'you can't find her'?" Noah bellowed and slammed his fist against the table. The small crystal figurines placed on a map of the world toppled. Some had even broken from the force of impact. "Don't you know how long our lord has been searching for this vessel?"

A lowly mage bowed her head meekly and cowered under the weight of his words. "I-I'm sorry, sir! The scouts detect that she has escaped through a transporter of some sort. It was destroyed in the battle so her coordinates are unknown."

The gold-eyed man growled and bit his thumb in frustration. "It was probably the work of that cursed Wild Hunter and her pet. Lord Glasya will not be pleased. No matter… We'll just have to send someone in." With a dismissive gesture he ordered the girl out, who gladly ran out of the room with relief in her voice. The dark haired man sat down in his throne and slouched wearily.

"I have not seen you this tired in a long time, old friend."

Noah's eyes darted lazily to the dark marble columns in the room as his fellow colleague came walking out of the shadows. "Surge. How graced am I to see you in my presence. Especially after your little blunder in Edelstein."

The platinum blonde ran a hand through his hair and leaned against a pillar with a bored expression. "How was I to know that she was the one? Besides, Lord Glasya won't last long in that body and you know it. I give it a year tops before she breaks."

"Ah, but you forget," Noah smirked as he eyed the vase of blood red roses near his seat. "Although a rose looks fragile, its thorns prove its resilience. Let's wait a little bit longer before deciding to clip her bud once and for all."

Ellinia Forest

"I hope I don't sound childish by saying this, but are we there yet?" Lanne asked and Evan caught a slight whiny tone in her voice. He turned his head back to her and laughed.

"Aw, I think I'm a bad influence on you, Lanne!" When she replied with a silencing glare, he coughed and pointed upward towards the hollow trunk of a tree. "A little farther. Just go through there." Lanne sent him a skeptical look as she looked into the blackness of the narrow tree. There was nowhere for it to come out. Noticing her confusion, he motioned for her to get inside and followed her in. The space was narrow and she felt claustrophobic in the dark with him. "Mir, see you up top!" The dragon nodded and flapped his great wings upwards. Lanne was about to ask what the heck he was doing when the mage suddenly pulled her close against his chest but stopped herself in her discomfort. "Hold on tight."

The redhead felt the world spin around her before everything vanished in a blur.

When Lanne reopened the eyes, she was met with what she assumed to be the magical town of Ellinia. The air sparked with life and mana. Houses were carefully built on the trees and wooden bridges formed the major pathways between buildings. The setting sun cast the green town with oranges and reds, signaling the end of day. Lanne's eyes brightened at the sight of such a town and Evan had to rub his eyes to make sure her excitement wasn't a trick of the mind. She looked younger—like a child seeing the world for the first time.

"Like it?"

"This is beyond everything I imagined…" she managed to choke out but pulled the mask of calm back on. "So, you know how to navigate? This place looks huge."

"This is nothing compared to Kerning, believe it or not. Well, at least to me. Here I don't have to worry about anyone attacking me—"Even before he could finish the sentence, the two of them saw winged creatures surrounding them. They all wielded either long spears or jeweled wands in their hands. The fairies of Ellinia glared at Lanne in particular. Lanne sent a 'you were saying?' glance to the mage and he shrugged sheepishly.

"Intruder! State your business!"

"Master Evan, are you alright? Miss Yvanne, check if he's bewitched!"

Evan waved the fairies that poked and prodded him away, sneezing from their dust in the process. Mir, who had just arrived, protectively flew towards his master. "Hey, hey, what's going on?"

The fairy Lanne deemed as Yvanne pointed at her with suspicious lilac eyes. "She radiates an ominous fate. We have already taken up precautions against the rise of the Black Mage. Surely you understand our means of defense to an unknown threat, Master Evan." She flipped her wavy ice blue hair and pointed her wand at the redhead. The dragon master clenched his fist but Lanne didn't have a moment to question why. The points of spears were all aimed at her neck and wands were glowing at the ready. "We'll take her to a controlled area where she can be watched."

"Wait, but she's—"

"Evan!" Lanne cut him off swiftly. Normally she would turn her head to regard him but took no chances in this situation. She rather liked her head on her body. "It's fine. They didn't say they were going to hurt me anyway. Focus on trying to get me an audience with Grendel."

"He is known as Master Grendel the Wise, human," Yvanne sneered. Lanne raised a brow. She had thought fairies were supposed to be kind and all happy. This one looks like someone woke up on the wrong side of the flowerbed. While Evan had to stay put, they escorted Lanne deeper into the town hidden in the trees. She had trouble recounting her steps because all the green made her head spin. They arrived at the trunk of a large tree where she was shoved in. The entrance was sealed with a barrier of magic and two guards stood in front.

"This is some good visitor's treatment you have here." Lanne commented dryly but, as expected, was ignored. She groaned and laid back on the bed of the sealed room, mildly surprised that it in fact actually was pretty good quality. With time alone to think, she opened her satchel and poured out the contents in her bed. The two books she picked up were still there, red bookmark in place. When she tried opening them they wouldn't budge. Lanne played around with the idea of a hidden lock but pushed the books aside for now. There were potions and pills in another pouch, but what caught her attention was a small leather-bound notebook. On top was a sealed envelope with twine tying the two objects together. "Brighton's handwriting…" Her fingers traced the smooth yet hurried ink strokes made by the street sweeper before breaking the red wax seal. The letter was written in code, but she quickly broke it. It was a code that Checky taught her a long time ago.

Dear Lanne,

It was my dearest wish that the day you receive this letter never came. Since it has fallen into your hands, then I can only hope that you are safe, sound, and on the way to Ellinia. At the time I am writing this, Grendel the Wise is the one overseeing the town hidden in the trees. If he is still there, then he will assist you in any way possible. And you'll need all the help you can get!

There isn't a lot of time for me to explain. All I can tell you is your predicament and what you can do. Years before you were born, man thought that they could control what never will be controlled—demon magic. They discovered pact magic—a binding contract between a human and a demon. Grendel can tell you more.

The war wasn't simply between Edelstein and Solomon's forces. He was only a pawn in a coup d'état ordered by a higher rank demon that fooled Solomon. Your parents figured out his scheme and tried getting rid of the source of the war. They weren't spies or anything else. And most of all, they loved you, Lanne. You weren't abandoned or tossed aside because you weren't wanted. It pains me that we had to keep you in the dark about them until now, but it was too risky. You weren't ready yet. At times, I still wonder why you were the one to shoulder all of this.

At this point of time, you must have noticed changes within you—a weird feeling in the pit of your stomach or maybe any strange markings that weren't there before. Don't panic. Just show Grendel and he'll explain as much as he can, seeing as I cannot disclose such information here.

Lanne, you carry a heavy burden. One that will test you and the bonds you'll create on the journey you'll take. It's ultimately up to you on how you treat others, but let me tell you this: don't be afraid to let others in again. The world isn't like Edelstein. I won't say that there's no way you can get hurt—but don't close your eyes to things you're too scared to see. I pray that I can meet you once more and that at that time I will see a grown woman that has learned of what the world has to offer.

With all my love,

Brighton Markham

"Idiot…" Lanne murmured softly as she brought the letter close to her chest. "First you say you don't have time to write and then you write a whole page that barely tells me anything. You didn't have to use code for this." Upon skimming the letter one more time, she stared at the marking on her left hand.

If she had to describe it, it was composed of simple curved lines formed in the shape of a 'M' and 'V'. Above those was a single diamond. The mark both revolted and fascinated her, a contradiction that she greatly found concerning. Despite all her inhibitions of its origins it looked beautiful. Enticing even.

'It is a mark of fate. You cannot escape it,' the voice that egged her back in Edelstein came back. She had forgotten its existence and for that reason, felt a pang of sadness in her chest. Realizing her feelings, Lanne shook such rebellious thoughts away. 'Even if you tell yourself you don't acknowledge my existence, your body tells me otherwise. It needs me. Why else would I remain if you really so desperately want me gone?'

She turned on her side and drew her knees in close in an effort to escape the noise. Those actions backfired when the voice boomed even louder in her head, like thunder coming closer. But instead of frightening her, it purred smoothly in her ear. 'No matter how many people you meet or how many places you go, nothing will change. Nothing but this one truth: I'm the only one that cares—the only one that will stay with you.'

Lanne's eyes grew heavy and the letter slipped between her fingertips and onto the floor. Had she been getting enough sleep? The bed felt very comfortable and warm beneath her. Maybe she should lie down for a bit. Her mind slowly shut down as her body complied with the voice's wishes. Perhaps it was right. Maybe she did need it.

'Yes, rest. I'll be here while you sleep.' The voice cooed and she could have sworn she felt a presence against her cheek. 'Sleep, my little Lanne.'

"That's enough of that." Lanne's eyes snapped opened and she saw a white robed figure at the door. The two guards outside were surprised at the figure that had materialized out of thin air. His white wizard hat barely fit into the room and his silver beard added to his image of wisdom. "You must be Miss Hunter, am I correct?"

"Master Grendel! You mustn't be here!" one guard cried out in concern but the man shook his head.

"When I had been told of a curious lot in Ellinia, I hadn't expected it to be the legendary Dragon master accompanied by Markham's goddaughter." At the name, Lanne nearly jumped out of bed. All the previous fatigue left her and she ran on adrenaline.

"You know Brighton, sir?"

Grendel nodded. "Ah, yes. A good amount of years back. But come now, child. This is hardly the place to speak of such matters. I will bring us to the magical library. Your friend is waiting there as well."

"LAAAAAAANNE!"

The redhead's brow twitched as she was greeted with the dragon master running towards her. If this was an anime, she bet she would see a sparkly background with flowers. The fairies giggling didn't help with the atmosphere either. At the last minute, she dodged his hug and focused her attention on the wise mage that hovered high above them now. She didn't see Mir shaking his head in disapproval but could imagine it happening.

"Evan Rockwell. Lanne Hunter. Ah, and Mir. You've grown quite big since last I've seen of you. What brings you to Ellinia at this time of conflicted peace?" the elder mage kindly asked. The dragon let out a growl of greeting before soaring up to the high ceiling and circled around—knowing that the conversation would not need him at all.

She looked to Evan for any means of help, but he simply gestured his hands towards her in support. The redhead took a deep breath. "Edelstein was attacked a few days ago. You may have heard of a mass movement of people that have headed towards Orbis at around the same time."

Grendle scratched his beard. "If my memory serves, Edelstein was under siege by the Black Wings, am I correct? I don't recall them being so hostile as to raid the town they made their base in."

Lanne nodded, remembering how easily even the Black Wings were defeated and so quickly. "No… It was another group entirely. They called themselves Ars Noctis." Even though she hadn't known the wizard for very long, she could see the signs of discomfort. It was like a poker game—his tell. The name definitely rang a bell and Lanne had to find answers. "Sir, I need to know who they are. They said they were looking for something—a vessel I think."

"…Can everyone but Master Evan and Miss Hunter leave the room?" The order was final and the fairies on guard reluctantly left the room. When he was sure that no unwanted presence was near, he descended to their level and hovered just above the floor. "Child, may I see your left hand?"

The redhead tensed up instinctively but offered her hand out. The mark she had studied only a few minutes ago was still there, black as night. As soon as he touched her skin it burned and she reflexively drew her hand back, cradling it to sooth the pain. His own hand smoked with a black aura and he stared at it thoughtfully. "As I suspected. I thought I felt a dark presence in the room. It seems like the Hunter's were right with their hypothesis."

At this, Lanne's eyes widened and she fought the urge not to grab the mage. "You know my parents? You know what happened to them?" Evan was surprised at the range of emotions in her usually calm and collected voice. There was confusion, anger, loneliness, and above all desperation.

"I do, but that is a story for another time and another teller. I am sorry," he lowered his head in apology while she lowered hers in shame for her disrespectful behavior. Grendel let this slid and surveyed her hand once more. This time, without touching. "You are certain that it was Ars Noctis that attacked Edelstein?"

"I'm sure," she answered confidently. She would never forget that day now, although it was too vivid and fresh in her head to recount aloud now. Grendel sighed gravely.

"Surely you've heard of Solomon's War—correct?"

Lanne thought back to Brightons letter and nodded hesitantly. "Only the basics… Like how Solomon wanted to rule over the maple world and enlisted demons to help."

Evan tilted his head in confusion. "What? I never heard of this story."

"That is because there are little to no records of it ever happening. The only information on the war lies within the memories of the survivors. All other scripts and tomes on the battle were lost or burned." Grendel answered the mage. "A tad bit strange, considering even my magic library has no information at all."

"Master Grendel," Lanne began and pulled out Brighton's letter. "Brighton said that you would be able to answer some questions. Like what exactly this mark is and what I have to do now."

He scratched his beard and allowed his eyes to droop reluctantly. "I shall child, but you will not like it. After I tell you, I will give you two options—none of which are easy."

"I accept."

"Then I will need time to prepare. You both can stay at the inn tonight and we can talk in the morning." The redhead saw the meaningful look in his eye and nodded reluctantly. Both her and Evan were escorted out and were given passes for their stay at the inn as honored guests—a privilege that felt strange to Lanne. The town was getting darker now and the warmth from the light was leaving the town.

Evan noticed Lanne slowing down her pace and laughed awkwardly. Mir tilted his head at his master's strange behavior. "H-Hey, we still have a little time before it gets too dark. Have you ever heard of a talking tree? No right? I'll show you tomorrow since it's a little dangerous at night." When she didn't react, he scratched his chin in nervous thought. "Oh, we're a little low on supplies. Wanna hit the general store? Maybe we can grab a bite to eat, too?" She suddenly came to a halt and Evan stopped a few steps in front of her. "Lanne?"

When she made eye contact she parted her lips but quickly shut them. There was a moment's hesitation before the redhead simply brushed past him in the direction of the inn. He heard the faint whisper of an apology past his ears and stared at her retreating form. Evan wanted to follow after her but he picked up a strange source of mana somewhere nearby.

"Master…" Mir warned telepathically and Evan nodded. He grabbed his dragon wand and scanned the trees with sharp eyes. Because it was getting dark and the wind was picking up, it was hard to see anything out of the ordinary within the trees. With a shrug he hurried to the inn, casting wards on the doors keeping unwanted intruders at bay. For now.

With the soft shift of the branch with his landing, a shady figure watched from the treetops with cool gray eyes. They momentarily flitted between the legendary dragon master and his pet to the head of bright red hair. His dagger resonated at her presence and a smirk touched his lips.

"Looks like I found my grand prize…" he looked down at his glowing dagger. "Well, Valefar? Up for a little recon?"

"You have that look again," a voice told him telepathically. From the reflection of the weapon he could see the outline of a male figure staring back. "I would not mess with that child. She's already marked."

"That's exactly what I want," the figure kept studying her with a sharp eye. He was already formulating ways to break her. Although he had to reluctantly note that she was doing quite a bit of that to herself. As the two of them left the magic library, he noticed her change in posture and gait. The girl was worrying without knowing what to worry about! The man sighed in disappointment but at least got a show from the dragon master looking straight at his position. He evened his breathing, trusting the shifting shadows and the rustling of leaves to hide his presence. When the mage left, the man hummed in satisfaction. "Good. Looks like I won't get too bored after all."

Sorry it took so long. I was stuck on this chapter. Originally this was where I was supposed to explain more and give Lanne some action but I moved it to next chapter. Already this is like, 6.4k words—way above my quota. Meh, oh well. The first draft only had 4.5k words and I didn't like it. Somehow, that made me add 1.9k words…Dang… There's probably some errors but I have no editor and this is a pretty long chapter. So SORRY FOR TYPOS AND ERRORS!

Btw, in case people get confused…

'Thoughts'

"Telepathy"

Flashback/SFX

These are all italicized, but I think I make it easy enough to tell.

Mir can choose who he wants to hear him speak English. Currently, he doesn't speak to Lanne telepathically b/c he still doesn't like her too much, XD.

After the next chapter, I'll have Lanne's character profile up and a pic in the description since it's finally got to a certain point for her. And another note. At the time i'm uploading this, it is now 1:13AM XD. WHO NEEDS SLEEP?

So, please review! It's my legal drug for staying awake to write these!