Chapter 7
In which there is a reunion in Giran, and Ryonai finds that wet armor is uncomfortable
A party of four elves, three Dark and one Light, entered Giran a week later. Supported between Narlafayn and Amari, Terebel squinted up to the decorated archway as they entered the city through the south entrance. Scrapped for money they'd traveled by Gatekeeper to Gludin, and then taken the boat from there to Giran Harbor. Terebel had slowly grown weaker as they journeyed, and could not walk on his own for very long.
"Perhaps you should just relax in Heine once we arrive. I hear the place is very therapeutic, even for Dark Elves." Amari suggested, straining under Terebel's weight. "You're in no shape to fight in any siege."
"I gave my word that I'd be there, so I'm going to be there. I just need a few days of uninterrupted sleep, that's all." Terebel stated stubbornly, purposely leaning more of his weight on Amari.
"What's been with you, anyway? Are you sure you didn't pick up some STD from wonder whore back in the home village?" Vuylay asked skeptically, raising an eyebrow. Terebel responded to her with a glare as Narlafayn paled with the thought. He vocalized a retort nasty enough as his expression, but it was lost as the noise increased the closer they ventured to Giran's marketplace square.
"Where was it we were supposed to meet Ryonai, anyway?" Amari asked, gazing around the crowded square. He ducked out from underneath Terebel's arm and stretched his stiff shoulders. "I'll go see if I can find him, wait here." He darted into the crowd and was lost from their view.
"Always quick to escape, he is." Vuylay grumbled, glaring at the wake of air swirling behind him. She tsked and began to curiously peruse the wares a Dwarf had set out near her feet.
"Honestly though, will you be ok?" Narlafayn asked gently. Terebel leaned his weight towards the ground, and Narlafayn knelt to help him sit. "You've been weak ever since that day, you aren't sick, are you?"
"I just feel really weak and tired, that's all. I think I overdid it." He responded with a chuckle. He pulled on her arm until she sat next to him, her back against his chest, and wrapped his arms around her. "While you were gone, I became quite the fighting machine. I guess I was so pent up that I didn't notice I was straining myself."
"Sorry." Narlafayn mumbled, looking down. She hated herself for neglecting him to the point that he was finding comfort in fighting, it ashamed her still to hear him speak of it.
"Don't be, it's said and done now." Terebel murmured, hugging her close to him and placing a light kiss on her ear. She shivered lightly in her armor at the brush of his lips, and rubbed her arms to stay off the goose bumps that threatened to appear. Terebel smirked, proud of himself for getting such a reaction out of her.
"But I should've…." Narlafayn began, then never finished as she realized she was going to blurt out something embarrassing to be spoken in public. Her face burned as she shifted away from him slightly, and he chuckled.
"We'll rectify that soon, I promise." He whispered, kissing her neck this time. Narlafayn froze to her spot this time, her eyes large and body coiled and tense.
"You're really evil, I'm discovering." She said, turning slightly to give him an annoyed look. He grinned wickedly at her in reply, and kissed her nose.
"Call it justified revenge." He said mischievously. "And I never did get a chance to tell you yet that I really appreciate this Dwarven Chain armor of yours. It gives me a great show when you fight." Narlafayn's mouth dropped open in disbelief as he wiggled his eyebrows at her, and she pulled away from him to look at him fully.
"You pervert!" she exclaimed, feeling self-conscious and tucking her skirt under her thighs. Elven skirts were horrible for those whom were self-conscious, as for some reason, the classic design was to show the girls panties as much as possible without being outright sultry like the Dark Elves. Narlafayn had forgotten this, after wearing a metal bikini for so long.
"Am I interrupting something?" a familiar youthful voice asked, gaining the pair's attention.
"Yes." Terebel said automatically before fully glancing up at the newcomer.
"Leon!" Narlafayn squealed, hopping to her feet and tackling the Paladin with a fierce hug. He squeezed her back with a grin, and they pulled apart to inspect one another. "Doom armor, nice!" she complimented.
"Dwarven Chain on you, didn't you want Full Plate?" Leon responded curiously. Narlafayn pulled away with a frown and stuck her tongue out at him. She knew her armor was not as well made as the other armors she could've chosen from, but she felt comfortable in it after staying so long in the Mithril and she didn't want to be completely confined within metal again. "Come, walk with me, we'll talk. I haven't seen you for over a year after all." He smiled. Narlafayn hesitated and glanced down at Terebel, who sighed and waved his hand.
"Go ahead, just don't come back here three years from now and expect me to still be sitting here." He grumbled. Guilt suddenly struck Narlafayn's stomach, but instead of sitting back down with him, she bent over and kissed his forehead.
"I'll just be gone for a few minutes, I promise." She chuckled. Terebel cast a swift glance in Leon's direction over her shoulder, and then pressed Narlafayn's face to his by putting a hand at the back of her neck. Her lips were crushed against his, and he kissed her in the most possessive way he could think of, just so Leon didn't get any keen ideas. Narlafayn nearly melted from it, and pulled away from him with great effort.
"You're terrible." She said breathlessly, trying to unsuccessfully muster up an annoyed glare.
"That's my name." He smirked, gazing at her through heavy lids. The air around them felt almost thick and tangible, and Narlafayn suddenly wanted to fall into Terebel's arms and take a rain check with Leon.
"Holy crap you guys, you're in public." Vuylay's voice came, ruining the mood between the pair. "Good gods, the hormones are so thick suddenly I can open my mouth and eat them."
"Well that visual just killed my blood flow." Terebel said loudly, leaning back against the base of the statue he'd taken a seat against. Narlafayn's face turned bright red and she stood up, her hair hiding her eyes from view.
"And that statement has just killed my appetite for the day. Shall I come back later?" Leon asked in irritation, shifting his weight to one foot and tapping it impatiently.
"No, I'm coming; I think I need to take a walk." Narlafayn responded quickly, walking ahead of them towards the west side of town. Leon gave Terebel a puzzled look before following after her, leaving the two Dark Elves alone.
"Why don't you just bang her already and get it over with?" Vuylay asked in irritation, taking a seat next to him.
"Such vulgar language for a lady." Terebel said snootily, turning his nose up at her.
"Oh please, spare me the high and mighty pretending." Vuylay said acidicly, rolling her eyes. "I'm serious, you guys had the perfect chance back in the Elven Village, and even again while Amari and I went out hunting during our trek here, yet you didn't. Why? Did you really pick up something from Kartia?"
"No, I did not." Terebel stated firmly, glaring at her. "I want the mood and timing to be perfect for us, not just some random relief of frustration. I've had enough of that; I want it to be meaningful for her." He gazed into the sky with a glassy-eyed expression, a wistful smile plastered on his face.
"Dear gods you're in love." Vuylay said, her eyes wide. The expression dropped from Terebel's face in an instant, stung by her words. He couldn't find the drive to deny her claim however, which puzzled him.
"As if you have room to talk, you've been on swords and glass since we got close to Giran. Heart pounding that much to see Ryonai again? Got an itch for him to scratch?" Terebel retorted instead. Vuylay shot to her feet quickly, and looked down at him, fuming. She opened her mouth, but then closed it again when no words would come.
"I'm going shopping." She grumbled, storming into the crowd. Terebel smirked as she left, feeling proud of himself for winning their verbal fight. He shifted himself against the statue base until comforatable, and shut his eyes to doze.
"So I take it you're here to join that siege in Innadril?" Leon asked after they'd caught up with each other on personal events. They walked around the outer wall of the city, toward the magic guild as they spoke.
Giran was built right at an inlet, the fresh water from the river flowing inland mixing with the salt water of the ocean and creating very green water. The city itself was huge, spanning several miles across and filled to the brim with traders from all over the world and every walk of life. It was a large, brown stonewalled city, built to protect it from invaders and warring clans, something which passed by its gates many times within a year.
Giran's Castle stood almost two weeks worth of travel to the east, positioned far enough away to keep the castle lord safe in case Antharas decided to go rampaging. Giran castle was almost constantly in a state of siege, clans from all over the map trying their best to gain the castle from its current lords. It was surprising Giran did so well with merchants despite all of the death floating around, but one always says, war is money.
"Yes, how'd you know?" Narlafayn responded with raised eyebrows. Leon grinned and paused at the railing looking out over the ocean mouth. Seagulls cried overhead and a salty smelling breeze blew in with the evening air.
"Our clan was signed up to help you a week ago." Leon said, taking a deep breath of the fresh air. Narlafayn nodded in interest before blinking rapidly.
"Was?" she asked, lifting an eyebrow at his choice of words.
"Yeah, unfortunately half of our clan just suddenly left for a larger alliance a few days ago. It was rather sudden, but I suppose they desired more war than the occasional help in a siege here and there." He said sadly, giving her a weak smile.
"I don't understand people who will go searching for death like that." Narlafayn said with a shiver, hugging herself. The breeze blowing in suddenly felt cold as she remembered the day in the Cruma Marshlands.
"Some of us were made to protect while others destroy, tis the balance of the world." He said, patting her on the shoulder. "Those of us whom are left will be heading out, although I don't think we'll be of much help at our current numbers, unfortunately." He sighed heavily as they began walking back towards the city entrance.
"Who's left?" she asked, bracing herself for the worst.
"Me, an Orc Doomcryer, our clan leader whom is a Dark Avenger, an Elven Elder, two Scavengers, a Blade Dancer, an Orc Destroyer, a Phantom Ranger and her wife, whom is a Prophet, but she's currently injured and ordered bed rest at our hall's dormitories. Inder's trying to get more people to join, but it's difficult to find trustworthy people so close to a siege." Leon ticked off on his fingers. Dread settled in Narlafayn's chest at his count, knowing that Ryonai's siege was a guaranteed failure at this point. Her face brightened as an idea burst to life in her head.
"Stay here, I'll be right back!" she exclaimed, dashing back into the city. She raced past the statue she left Terebel next to, barely glancing at him and Amari and Vuylay as they looked at her curiously.
"Oh, Narlafayn! Bad news, Ryonai supposedly left not long ago…" Amari began as she raced past him.
"That's horrible, sorry! I'll be back!" she called over her shoulder to his dumbfounded look. He looked between Terebel and Vuylay before shrugging, as confused as they were by her rush.
"I'll go find out what's up." Terebel said, pushing himself slowly to his feet.
Narlafayn veered to the east, to a side street where she had to leap over a Dwarven merchant to not run into them or their wares. She slid to a stop, at an archway leading into the warehouse district of the city, and dashed towards the large building at the center of the square. Upon entering the warehouse, she bowled over a dark elf just inside the doorway, but pushed herself to her feet without as much as an apology to them.
"How rude!" one of the warehouse frieghtmen exclaimed, glaring at her.
"I'm sorry, but I need to freight a letter to the Elven Village, as fast as you can!" Narlafayn said breathlessly, leaning her hands on the counter in front of the three Dwarven freightmen. They were protected behind a steel bar cage, in case a thief tried to take off with the wares they protected.
"Are y'daft you blottin elf? Too many blows to the head gotcher brains a-scrambled? This is a warehouse, not a bleedin' post office!" the head freightman exclaimed in disbelief. Narlafayn shook her head as a response as she pulled a piece of parchment and a charcoal stick from her travel pack and hastily scribbled a note.
"I know you Dwarves have some sort of network set up, don't give me that." She said, not looking up at them. "I need this to get to them today, not in a few days or longer, whenever the mail carrier decides to make their way over to the Elven Village." Pursing her lips for a moment, Narlafayn dug a recipe she'd picked up off of an undead skeleton after vanquishing it and tucked the letter into it. "Please put this into the warehouse of Cesa Telrúnya, and make sure Julia back home lets her know that an odd object has shown up. Please!" she held the parchment out with both hands, her elbows resting on the counter, and tried to muster up the most pitiful pleading expression she could.
The Dwarf behind the bars inspected her for a moment with squinted eyes before reaching out hesitantly to take the parchment. "How much is it worth yeh?" the Dwarf asked, pulling it from Narlafayn's hand. Narlafayn pursed her lips again and reached into her travel pack.
"She's with me, so put it on my tab." A smooth voice said. Narlafayn's eyes widened at the familiarity of it and spun around just as a hand grabbed her bicep.
"Deathswalker!" she gasped as the Dwarf behind the counter paled. Deathswalker smirked darkly at Narlafayn, unchanging in the years that she hadn't seen him. His hair was still long in the front and cropped short in back, red bandanna still secured around his forehead and same cocky smirk frozen on his face. The only thing that had changed was his attire, as he wore smoke grey and brown armor that was a similar skirted style as the Manticore, only this was adorned with brown bat wings and had large, winged gauntlets adorning his arms.
"Yes sir Mr. Deathswalker sir!" the Dwarf sputtered, rushing off to the back room to deliver Narlafayn's letter.
Keeping his gaze locked with hers Deathswalker slid backwards across the warehouse interior to a tight space between two standing armoires in the corner. He roughly pushed Narlafayn into the space and then pressed against her, filling the space with both of their bodies and keeping her trapped.
"Let go of me or I'll scream!" Narlafayn growled, struggling against him. She attempted to knee him in the groin only to have him deftly move his legs inside of hers, forcing her to half sit upon his thighs.
"Well, well, isn't this a sultry reunion?" he said in a husky voice. "Oh please, do scream, I'm looking for an excuse to use to kiss you." He said with a smirk. The air Narlafayn had been inhaling to scream left her lungs in a great whoosh, and she returned to struggling.
"I told you I'd kill you when I saw you again and I meant it!" she snapped, trying to hit him this time. He caught and pinned both arms against the wall roughly. She winced as the rough stone scraped her knuckles.
"And how I've looked forward to it." He grinned. She turned her head as he tried to kiss her, and he finally frowned. "You've found someone else, haven't you?" he asked, his brow knitting together.
"As if that's any of your business!" she hissed, glaring at him but not facing him for fear he'd try to kiss her again. Deathswalker stared at her without expression for a moment before lowering his head to her neck. He began to bite it gently and kiss what was exposed above the collar of her shirt as he transferred both of her hands to his one and ran a hand up her thigh. Narlafayn shivered despite her disgust, and tried to keep her head. She hated this man, but there were just some places that, if touched right, made her weak. "Deathswalker, I have no affection left for you, stop this now, this is rape." She said in an even voice, trying to squirm away from his touch.
"But your lack of love and the fact that you have someone else is what makes it sexier." He whispered into her ear huskily, his hand finding her buttocks and pressing her closer to his groin. He licked the edge of her ear as he continued, "When you give that final shuddering orgasm, biting your lip in fear that your loved one would hear your moans…" Narlafayn whimpered despite herself, out of fear and pleasure that this man was forcing out of her.
"I have good ears; I'd probably hear your pants drop way before then." Terebel's voice came. Narlafayn's eyes snapped open as Deathswalker glanced over his shoulder. Terebel grabbed Deathswalker by the back of the short brown jacket of the armor and pulled him away from Narlafayn, who fell to the ground awkwardly. With an angry growl he flung the other Dark Elf across the Warehouse, where he slammed into the counter. He was on him in a second, one arm pressed against Deathswalker's throat while the other held the point of one of his swords close to his face.
"Bravo Narla, I didn't think you'd be foolish enough to bed another Dark Elf after me." Deathswalker said in amusement, ignoring the sword and angry Terebel in front of him. Terebel growled and shoved his arm harder into Deathswalker's neck, causing the other Elf's head to slam into the bars. "Chill out man, why don't we share her if you're so uptight?"
"Share me?" Narlafayn choked, her eyes large with shock. "SHARE me? Like I'm some sort of toy?" She drew her sword and advanced upon the two. "Back off Terebel, I'll kill him myself."
"If you get anything in this warehouse bloody, you'll pay for it plus interest!" the Warehouse freightman tittered nervously.
"Share Narlafayn with you? My that's big of you, but I don't share my lovers with anyone." Terebel growled, ignoring both the Freightman and Narlafayn. "In fact, I'm rather possessive of them, as I only keep one at a time, so if you don't mind, kindly keep your hands off of her." Now it was Deathswalker's turn to stare in shock, not believing what he had just heard Terebel say.
"Don't share? What's wrong with you?" he swallowed, his own eyes large. Knowing crossed his face a moment later and his disbelief melted into the same cocky smirk. "Ah, I get it now. You're a mud cock, aren't you? An impure one?" Terebel let up on the pressure he applied to Deathswalker's neck for a moment, caught unaware by the insults he didn't expect to ever hear directed at him.
"His cock isn't muddy!" Narlafayn snapped, not fully understanding what Deathswalker was saying, but trying to jump to Terebel's rescue anyway.
"Narla, please." Terebel said in a low voice, his teeth clenched. Deathswalker laughed, loud and amused, raising one hand to rub his forehead despite the chokehold Terebel still had him in.
"So one of our women or men wasn't good enough for their own kind, huh? So what are you, part human?" he inspected Terebel's features for a moment. "No, your ears are still just as long as ours…" a grin broke out on his face next, "Oh, I get it, you're part Light Elf! A corn dick from the very beginning!" he laughed heartily with this, laughter which continued until Terebel let out a beast-like growl and slammed Deathswalker against the bars, his laughter cutting off in a choke. "Go ahead, kill me, I know you want to." He smirked, his face turning purple.
Terebel began to tremble as a rage he hadn't felt for a long time filled his body. He raised his sword, his face dark. There was a moment's pause, and Deathswalker's cocky smile faded as something different than anger began to emanate from Terebel's body, something frightening even to him, a murdering assassin. A hand caught Terebel's arm before he could drive his sword through Deathswalker's head, and pulled the two apart.
"Woah now, save the killing for the battlefield. Don't want to spoil your appetite, hmm?" Vlad said lightly despite flinging Terebel across the Warehouse with all of his strength. Deathswalker slowly pushed himself to his feet, one hand as his throat, staring at Terebel with fear. "And you, awful kind of you to pay for Narly's fee, but I'm sure everyone is with me when I say this…" He smoothly drew back an arm and clipped Deathswalker across the jaw, sending the Dark Elf into the counter again, his mouth gushing blood. He stood over him as he slid to the ground, cracking his knuckles. "I don't condone rape, not in any shape size or form." Vlad said, matter-of-fact, as Emixia crouched to the ground behind him, and helped Terebel to his feet. He turned around with a smile to Narlafayn and flung an arm over her shoulders.
"How long have you been here?" she asked, staring at him with ever-large eyes. Terebel seemed to be in a daze after his burst of anger, and Emixia helped him walk out of the Warehouse with one arm over her shoulders. Vlad stuck out his jaw and tapped his chin in thought.
"Since you came running in, about." He answered cheerfully. Narlafayn stopped walking, her mouth agape. "I've been wanting to talk to you about something; since we're going into battle, I figured I'd give you one of my empty bottles…just in case you get injured, y'know?"
"You were standing there all this time? You could've stopped him from…taking me in the corner?" she hesitated over her choice of words, her face red from embarrassment, ignoring his start to a request for a vial of her blood. Vlad looked at her in surprise, then shrugged and motioned for them to keep moving.
"I thought he was a friend of yours, you do have this habit of befriending Dark Elves." Vlad stated logically. "Besides, our gallant hero came in and saved the day, and I'm sure that appeals to you more than scruffy old me." They passed through the archway back into the side street lined with merchants. "It's said and done now, let's focus on the near future. Shall we make our way to Innadril now after our wayward leader? I hear he went on ahead of us, let's not dawdle here any longer!"
The aforementioned 'wayward leader' at that time found himself uncomfortable in wet armor, trudging through a very humid, gilded labyrinth. He and Shizuka had finally arrived at the Garden of Eva, but yet she still had not told him of the reason for their impromptu journey. Now it was less than a week until his siege, and he was stuck in this watery relic of the gods.
"Shizuka, although I'm enjoying the sight of you wet in white clothing, we really need to be getting back to Heine." Ryonai said wearily. He was completely worn out; his energy had been spent several times since they emerged inside of the Garden. Although now twenty-one, Ryonai was still plagued with youthful hormones, and he found it hard to resist Shizuka in wet, white robes. They'd taken several 'breaks' along the way, needless to say. Shizuka was still as perky and full of energy as always, but Ryonai wanted nothing more than to find a quiet place and sleep.
"We're almost there, don't give up yet! Fight on!" Shizuka said enthusiastically with a giggle. Ryonai sighed heavily, feeling more tired than ever.
"Are you stealing all of my energy somehow?" he asked wearily, placing a hand against the marble wall and leaning on it. Shizuka's smile faded quickly and she shook her head with eyes large.
"Why would I do that? I've got plenty of my own!" Shizuka exclaimed, grin returning.
"Let me borrow some of it, would ya?" he said weakly. Shizuka only giggled and took his hand, leading him through an archway and into the center of the Garden.
A Doll Master, a floating undead creature with a wooden skeletal head and a long cloak that it held up around it's face attacked them almost the instant their feet touched the shallow water. It drew backwards slightly and opened its arms to reveal a rotted corpse dangling from marionette strings attached somewhere to its wooden body. The corpse had its feet and hands removed and knives shoved into the stumps, which it waved at the pair. Ryonai raised his shield to deflect them while Shizuka cast a holy spell. The creature howled in pain as its body flaked away in the burst of light her spell summoned. Its robe fell into the water when the light faded, the Doll Master no more.
"This way!" Shizuka said, pulling Ryonai away from the floating robe and towards a raised archway a few feet away from them. Inside was a ramp leading down, and a waterfall 'door', much like the ones that would block the archways at random intervals in the labyrinth, began to flow after they passed the door, blocking them in.
"Here we are!" Shizuka said happily as they followed the ramp down into a large square room. Ryonai had heard of the basement in the Garden of Eva, but had never seen it himself before now, as the doorway leading to it was always blocked with water. He glanced at Shizuka and wondered how she knew the doorway would be open now. Ryonai looked around the room as Shizuka spread her arms, presenting it to him. It was cold and gray in the room, and blue water glistened as it ran down the walls to collect in a shallow trench running around the sides of the room. Ryonai expected to see something impressive by how excited she'd been to get there, but all he faced was an empty stone room devoid of everything except the sound of running water.
"Shizuka…you dragged me away from Heine so close to siege time…to show me a room?" Ryonai asked in irritation. Shizuka's smile faded and her eyes filled with tears.
"Not a room, I brought you to a dragon to help get the castle with." She said, her voice cracking with tears. Ryonai lowered his head which had suddenly begun to throb and put a hand to his temple.
"Shizuka…every other day I find you absolutely adorable but now…of all times…" he began, trying to control his temper. Of all times for her random bouts of childishness…why did it have to be now? "This is an empty room; surely you can't expect me to play pretend at a time like this…"
"But he's right there!" she insisted, pouting. Ryonai glanced up at her as she pointed behind him, and spun as he suddenly felt a presence there.
Looking at them with expressionless curiosity was an ocean blue haired man with pale sky blue skin and blue eyes slit like a snakes. His hair was bang-less and straight, and Ryonai had the wild thought that it looked just like the waterfall flowing over the doorway, keeping them in the basement. Ryonai sighed heavily again and put his hand back to his forehead.
"Shizuka that is a gay man, not a dragon." He said. Shizuka's sadness was suddenly gone and she snickered at his words, clamping a hand over her mouth as if embarrassed that she'd laughed.
"I beg your pardon?" the blue man said as he walked around the pair, towards the center of the room. "If I were in any less of the good humor I am now, I would've drowned you for that." His voice was smooth, and gave one the feeling of an undisturbed pool of water.
"I'm sorry we disturbed you, my girlfriend had this wild idea that you were a dragon." Ryonai apologized with a laugh, putting his arm around Shizuka. The blue man regarded him for a moment with raised eyebrows before glancing at Shizuka.
"Of course her ideas are wild, it would be shameful if they weren't." the blue man said with a curt smile.
"Oh you." Shizuka giggled, putting a hand to her chin and blushing. Ryonai blinked in confusion and looked between the two.
"Do you know him?" he asked, jealousy firing to life without prompt in his voice. Shizuka only giggled and stood on tip-toe to kiss his nose.
"Fine then, I sought to drive you from my home in a civilized manner, but I see that it's not working." The man said. Ryonai jumped back with a cry of fear as the man, in a blink of an eye, elongated and changed shape. Where a blue man once stood now crouched a blue dragon with webbed, clawed feet and a strange webbed fish tail instead of the classic dragon type one.
"See? I told you he was a dragon!" Shizuka said happily, not phased in the least bit by his sudden transformation. Ryonai on the other hand, had to struggle to not loose control of his bladder. Suddenly being confronted with one of the children of Shilen would send even the bravest of men into fits of hysteria. Ryonai figured Shizuka was too air-headed to realize this, thus her happiness at the whole situation.
"Um, sorry we disturbed you, we'll be going now." Ryonai said quickly, standing as fast as he could and grabbing Shizuka's arm to race towards the door.
"But we didn't do what we came here for!" Shizuka whined, planting her feet on the smooth stone floor to resist his pulling. She jerked out of his grip with surprising strength, and turned back to the dragon.
"Fafurion, Ryonai came here to ask you to help win Innadril castle. You won't have to do much, and with him as Lord, he'll make sure nobody bothers you again down here!" she said brightly, walking up to him without fear.
"Shizuka, get back here!" Ryonai hissed. "Wait, how do you know he's Fafurion?" he asked next, quirking an eyebrow.
"Who else would it be?" she answered with a smile. "Fafurion is a water dragon and this guy looks really watery!" Fafurion began to laugh suddenly, shaking the entire room and showering them with dust from the ceiling. Ryonai darted forward and snatched Shizuka's hand to back away from him.
"Help win a human siege? Girl, who do you think I am, Aulakiria?" Fafurion roared with laughter, swishing his tail back and forth with his mirth. All ditzy demeanor left Shizuka for the second time that month, and she took on an expression of dark seriousness. Fafurion's laughter diminished as she stared at him, and he shifted as if suddenly uncomfortable. "Get out of my sight human and elf, I wish to return to slumber." He finally said, turning away from them. The room rumbled with each step he took, and Ryonai had to pull Shizuka back lest the dragon's tail catch her and fling her across the room as he shifted.
"Let's get going Shizuka, I appreciate what you were trying to do, but this isn't natural." Ryonai said, swallowing hard. It touched him that Shizuka was willing to bargain with a creature of the ancient times for his benefit, but some dreams were just not meant for reality. The familiar attitude she had with the dragon confused him, but getting back to Heine was his first priority now, he'd question Shizuka about it later.
The serious expression left Shizuka's face as she looked at Ryonai, disappointment replacing it. Her lower lip trembled as tears welled up in her eyes and she latched onto Ryonai's arm in a hug.
"I'm sorry, I thought I was helping!" she sniffled, tears dripping out of her eyes and onto his armor. Ryonai gave her a sad smile and patted her on the head before dislodging his arm.
"It's ok, really. You're still the best girl I could ever have." He said with a smile, and pecked her lips quickly. "Lets go back, the others might be waiting for us in Heine by now." He squeezed her arm once before turning and ascending the ramp. Shizuka watched him walk with a happy smile before sighing and starting after him.
"So is he one of them?" Fafurion's voice suddenly came. Shizuka paused and looked over her shoulder at the dragon. He faced the corner and had his head to the floor as if he were speaking to someone previously unseen there. Shizuka's ditzy grin turned into a smirk and she turned her back on the dragon.
"No, he is a distraction." A grating whisper answered Fafurion as soon as Shizuka was no longer in the room. The dragon sighed heavily and shivered, his scales suddenly falling off of his body in a shower. They disappeared into the floor as if the stone were suddenly water, causing ripples as they passed below the stones surface. The blue man stood where the dragon once crouched, and turned to stare at the doorway without expression. He'd learned his lesson many years ago about the true strength of mortals when their very existence was threatened. He wanted nothing more than to return to slumber, but he knew that now, it would be a long time before he could.