Chapter Eleven

The Changing of Winds

Marching. Left, right, left, right, metal suits of armor clashing against stone streets. I awaited the swarming soldiers with mild disinterest. I rested my elbow on my leg and my cheek on my fist, and I was sitting on the bloodwater fountain.

The army was made up of suits the blue of the sea, and the one leading the battalion wore armor the blue of the sky. Sickly green light spilled from the eyeholes and open maws of the suits. The glow drifted up from the soldiers like ghosts leaking from their intestines.

I puffed a sigh, and the air lifted my bangs. "I don't remember calling a meeting. What do you want? You're taking up valuable atmosphere."

Two soldiers marched forth, kicking aside decaying corpses as they went. Their gauntleted hands clamped down on my sagging shoulders, and they dragged me to my feet. The intensity of their grip said I wouldn't have any luck trying to shake them. Neat.

The two armor-suited, glowy things guided me through the palace gates. Rows of soldiers flanked our approach. They were uncountable, spotting the gardens and palace halls like the creatures in the sea. We reached the throne room, where the beast version of Iona, Queen of Atlantis, lay still and bloody.

I was led behind the empty thrones. A warrior pressed his palm to the wall. Orichalcos circuits lit up and dissipated. A panel on the floor slid back to reveal a staircase. Though I could fight off the single soldier holding me hostage, I was too intrigued by the new developments to bother.

The stairs wound in a spiral down a tower I had no idea existed. Pale blue light shone from the bottom. At the base, a wide room spread out, one nearly as massive as the island of Atlantis itself. The only sound in the massive area was the warriors' footsteps, and the scent of antiseptic was prevalent beyond the metallic smell clinging to my clothes. The oddest of all was what I saw, and I had trouble processing exactly what was happening here.

Massive tubes were spaced out and spanned from floor to ceiling. Monsters were suspended in cyan-colored liquid. I spotted Dragunity Arma Mystletainn, Red-Eyes Black Dragon, Neo-Spacian Black Panther, and many others I recognized. They were silent and unmoving like the deceased. Tubes were injected into their mouths and separate appendages. The bright green embedded into the machinery said the Orichalcos was extracting something from the duel monsters.

The soldiers escorted me to the far end of the underbelly. A towering mess of wires spiraled from every contained monster towards a machine's heart. A series of screens were spread at the machine's base, and a solitary individual observed them with hands folded behind his back.

King Dartz Orichalcum appeared as normal: blue and tan robes of the Atlantian King, a crown of gold and sapphires, bronze skin, hair dyed the blue of the sea, and irises a dark gold like Ranue's. My father was oddly pleased to see me. "What do you think of my collection?"

"It's sick," I spat. "The monsters did nothing to deserve this!"

"Interesting for you to say. I have nearly one of every breed of monster, and they were all extracted from a situation where they were abusing humans for their own gain."

I growled, "More lies to fuel whatever agenda you're fronting. Why'd you bring me here? To make me angrier?"

"I doubt it's possible," he said. The King neared me and pulled the Seal of Orichalcos from my pocket. "I could see your actions from my screen, so I take it you've learned of the Orichalcos's most valuable trait. It can draw powers from souls. I've known it since the Orichalcos fell. What you see here is a setup to power my most beautiful machine. This is my life's work: Destruction Of Monsters Amassed! DOMA has the power to wipe duel monsters off of the planet so humans can rule as has been our purpose! There is one final piece to the puzzle, one last push to allow DOMA to begin its work. I require a single species – one I could not find anywhere else."

"Blue-Eyes Shining Dragon. I must thank you for revealing his location to me in the Orichalcum Grand Cup. I will extract him from you, and you'll die a painful death like every other evil monster of your kind."

My eyes widened. The tournament. The real monsters were created from these trapped souls. He was testing his machine! We're complete opposites. One ideal leads to DOMA, and the other to the Great Leviathan. Too bad…

Dartz grinned, and the soldiers' grip on me tightened. They were leading me to the last empty pod, which was directly in front of the DOMA machine. Dartz laughed and waved the Seal of Orichalcos. "The stone can't help you now. I hope you enjoyed your day of slaughter. Your reckoning is here. The army of Orichalcos warriors I created with the duel monsters' souls will give me free reign over all of Earth! Oh, and none of it would be possible without your Shining Dragon. Before you die, I must thank you, Rain."

His smile was the smugness of vengeance, of justice well wrought – and it rightfully belonged to me. I stated, "Orichalcos Deuteros."

A pair of rings appeared around my feet and shot outwards. The two soldiers were thrown away. Dartz and I were locked within the double rings. The card he stole from me fluttered to the floor. "W-what? I had the Seal!"

"You had one. I have three different Seals, and two are made just for you, Dartz Orichalcum. 'A third creature is allowed into the Seal. One monster, one bridge, and one human cross paths atop the star. Two souls may leave the Seal's bounds when one conquers another.'"

"What creature do you speak of?"

A hiss vibrated the glass casings containing the monsters. A black-scaled belly curled around the Seal's edge. The slithering snake surrounded Dartz's feet. The King tried to back away but tripped over the monster's body. His back slammed into the Seal's invisible wall.

"Orichalcos Tritos!" I called. I pulled the final of the Orichalcos trilogy from my back pocket along with Deuteros. "The last is more specific. 'A monster and human conjoin souls within the Seal. Two become one in the human's vessel. A clash of wills decides the body's commander.'"

The third ring appeared on the outside of the Seal of Orichalcos. Dartz stammered, "W-what have you done? What's happening here?"

"Orichalcos Deuteros allowed this lovely monster to join us. It is my honor to introduce you to my patron." The large snake coiled around me, and its forked tongue tasted the air beyond its saber-like fangs. I said, "Orichalcos Tritos will give you a fabulous prize! You, Dartz Orichalcum, have won the ability to become just like me! You and my patron are about to combine and share your body! Whichever of you has the strongest will has the option to control said body."

Utter horror befell his features. "You mean I- I'll be a-"

I flashed a grin. "A monster."

A bloodcurdling scream tore from the King of Atlantis as my patron leapt into his chest. The entirety of his body slithered inside of Dartz. His screaming didn't stop as his skin paled like the snake's underbelly and one of his irises stained Orichalcos green. The triple rings of the Seal of Orichalcos Tritos shrank onto Dartz's body. The familiar pillar of neon green light shot from the Seal.

My heart skipped a beat as Dartz's multicolor stare landed on me. He rose to his full height, placed a hand on my head, and said, "Excellent work, my child. I am proud of your efforts."

I dropped to a knee and lowered my head in a bow. "Thank you, my liege."

"One hundred and seventy eight souls in a single day is extremely impressive. I suppose it is one hundred and seventy nine since Dartz Orichalcum is now ours to use as we see fit. Rise, my child." I did and joined him near the DOMA.

"A horrifying creation," my patron said. "Humanity is capable of so much evil. However. The Orichalcos warriors, as Dartz called them, could be of use with the soul power collected. My immediate priority is freeing the captured monsters. I will put his own warriors to good use destroying these cages. In the meantime, do go about harvesting more humans."

I bowed and retrieved the Seal of Orichalcos before taking my leave. I followed my own bloody footprints towards the rising staircase. The Orichalcos warriors had not lost their glow, but they were unmoving. I wondered what my patron would decide on using them for.

The idea of having a constant, powerful ally at my back made me giddy. I climbed the stairs with a skip in my step. I strolled through the palace and gardens, which were still full of the empty suits of armor.

Dartz Orichalcum. How wonderful to bring him ruin and despair.

I returned to my spot at the bloodied fountain. A few people were crouching and crying over some of the dead meatbags. To be honest, I could hardly tell one from the other anymore. It was all starting to blend together – same for their screams and pleading when I stole their souls. Shouldn't they be happy to join those they care for? I shrugged my shoulders. I just don't get people.

The plaza was empty yet again when he stumbled into sight.

I may have been a tad off the mark earlier. There is one mug I could not mistake even if I tried, one that haunted my night visions and taunted my daydreams. The scarlet dye of his hair matched the blood written upon the walls by my stark strokes. He stopped. His wide, brown eyes absorbed the scene, me included. His hands fell out of the pockets of his dirty tunic. Tainted-soul beasts lifted their heads, no doubt sensing his fear.

"…Shit," he breathed. Dru Ilumari turned tail and ran. He vaulted over the beast chasing him and sprinted down the connected alley he'd arrived from. I held the hilt of my saber between my teeth and scaled a nearby building. I watched every one of his movements. Dru wound through alleys most Atlantians had learned better than to take, but I guess they didn't have the heart to pay the Flame advice. A flood of beasts hounded him. He ran through a wrought-iron gate and slammed the gate shut. Tainted-souls slammed against the bars, howled, and raked their claws at his too-far skin. Dru wiped the sweat from his brow and caught his breath.

I leapt from the roof and landed the brunt of my force in a blow from my hilt to his skull. He cried out and dropped to his knees. Dru tried to back up. The slice of a beast's claw at his back persuaded him otherwise. His face twitched. He charged at me with painfully obvious movements. I sidestepped and bashed his neck with the flat of my blade. He crumpled, attempted to push himself up, and collapsed again.

I grabbed Dru's collar and dragged him down the street. Tainted-souls filed in. They licked their chops, awaiting the inevitable kill. I growled, "Back off. He's mine."

We walked down an alley to a main street near the palace. I stopped at the exact spot he had first found me, when I'd dropped my basket. Back then, he'd said, "You won't make it far. If you come with me, I'll help you."

I slammed him against the wall of his former home. His eyes focused on me in a start – on the splats of blood staining my clothes and the army of beasts watching from the shadows. His composure broke into what I had never before seen: desperation.

"Please, please Rain, please don't hurt me! I'm sorry, I take it all back! If you let me go I'll never touch you again, swear to Dartz! I'll never hurt you, I'll never- agh!" I sliced open his inner thigh. "Make it stop!"

Why am I still surprised by what he will sink to? No. I am not a creature capable of mercy. You showed me as much. I said, "Choose a finger."

He held his hands up like a beggar in the streets. "Nononono-"

"…Fine. I'll choose for you." I pinned his arm against the wall, removed them one-by-one, and repeated the process on the other hand. "Now tell me: which leg do you favor?"

He growled, "You're no different than how you've always been. Monster, monster, mon-"

I grabbed his collar, thrust him against the pavement, and slashed down my blade like a falling guillotine. His shriek was painfully loud as his leg was severed. "The left it is. You can go now."

He could barely manage to crawl in his decrepit state. The tainted-souls watched him with greed in their eyes. Wherever he saw them, he increased his pace as was possible in the opposite direction. They were leading him, and I followed several meters behind at a slow pace.

Dru hefted himself onto utopia's edge, stared onto the ash-stained waves, and whimpered, "Where can I go?"

I walked in his blood trail. He turned his attention to my footsteps. I folded my hands behind my back and tossed a glance to the corpse of a black cat beside my feet. "An Orichalcum never leaves her debts unpaid."

The desperation collapsed on him again, and I knew he would try to beg, plead, and lie his way out. The thought made me sick, that somewhere in his mind he truly believed he deserved to survive – and he always would. Nothing I did could make him see who he was, what he was, or what he'd done.

But nothing could stop me from ending him.

I shoved him into the water before he could speak. I sat facing the center of Atlantis and listened to his failed attempts to climb; no fingers to scale with, after all. He cried for help. There was none. His splashing gradually came to a stop. The ordinary lullaby of the waves lapping against the island was restored.

A laugh escaped me. "At last."

This human I feared, who left me scarred, couldn't survive a death reserved for a kitten. He and all the wicked being like him would be gone forever, and none would have to suffer what I did.

And all thanks to a few petty sacrifices – which he wouldn't even be a part of! He would never exist again!

I laughed, and laughed, and I couldn't stop. Justice was so, so satisfying, and-

Wait.

Wait.

What is that?

I walked to the ashes of my shack. Resting in the center was a pie, and a folded piece of paper was on its perfect, brown crust. I knelt beside the pastry and picked up the note. The writing was the meticulous cursive belonging to my brother's hand.

"Hey, Rain. I noticed what happened to your home. I have a good guess of who did it. If you need somewhere to stay, or anything at all, you can always come to me. I sincerely apologize for what I did and said to you. I didn't mean any of it. There's something I discovered, and I would like to share it with you.

The Orichalcos is more than a resource. It's a living, growing being, and it feeds on emotions. For humans, it feeds on negativity and anger, so it influences us to have the same emotions when it comes into contact with us. The opposite is true of monsters, which is why you've been less aggressive whenever you wore the pendant I gave you or since you got your chip. The Orichalcos changes you to be happy and peaceful.

I know it doesn't excuse what I did. I want to do whatever I can to make it up to you, and this treat is my first offering! If you come by, we can have tea, duel, and chat just like old times! –Ranue"

A charred item caught the minimum sunlight filtered through the smoke-choked sky. The blue bracelet, my brother's gift to me, was intact though covered in soot. Half of the heart adorning it was unscathed, retaining its crystal blue color.

I brushed it off. Green was laced within the blue; Ranue had used the Orichalcos in everything. I slipped it onto my wrist. A rush of ease washed over my anger and hatred. I pulled off the chain around my neck and observed the pendant. The Orichalcos had broken after my emotions became too much to handle. I tried to remember why, exactly, I was so furious, but I couldn't. All I recalled was what I did because of it.

Several boxes sat beside the ruins of my house. I dug through one of them, produced another Orichalcos pendant, and tugged it over my head. The sense of peace Ranue had referenced settled over my mind. The cloud of rage I had experienced dissipated. My thoughts were sharp. I picked up Ranue's note, stuffed it into my pocket, and started towards the palace.

"Rain!"

The call came from the east. I was at my throne, the blood fountain. A young girl ran to me from the finer Atlantian homes. Vivian Havika shoved me with all the might she could muster. She smacked her fists against my midsection, shouting, "How could you! How could you! You were supposed to be my hero!"

Her attack halted. Her hands flattened against my stomach. Tears streamed down her face. "I believed in you. I thought you were the greatest duelist ever, and your monsters were amazing. You were my hero, but now you're just some villain!"

Vivian shoved me one final time. She averted her eyes as though she couldn't stomach my existence. I cocked my head, pulled a card from my deck, and held it out to her. She took back Soul of the Pure, which had saved me in my duel against Buster. I said, "I am indebted to you, so I will not harm you."

Her stare darted between the card and me. She broke out into sobs and held it close to her chest. I kept my expression blank and turned towards the gardens. Though I wanted more than anything to say I felt the same, a minor prick built in the heart I didn't know I had.

I stared at my feet as I walked through the gardens. Blood dripped from flowers like morning dew. Empty suits of armors belonging to the formerly fueled Orichalcos warriors littered the grounds. The white curtains in the palace's halls had fallen like ignored flags of ceasefire. The way to Ranue's lab was empty, and he was absent. I cocked my head, thinking to go to his chambers, but a commotion from the throne room distracted me.

I sprinted to the palace's heart. My patron was at the back of the hall, commanding two Orichalcos warriors. The first held a hunk of Orichalcos shaped like a large egg. The second supported an unconscious woman. The curly black hair spilling over her shoulders and the rouge painted on her lips were familiar. She was Céline, the love of Ranue's life. I scanned the room; my brother was restrained by a single soldier not far off. He was focused on her, and he shouted, "What are you doing to her?"

"She has not experienced enough exposure," the fake Dartz explained. "I must see if her soul is tainted or worthy. You will be a most valuable sacrifice after we take care of her, Crown Prince."

Ranue yanked at the iron grip of the Orichalcos warrior. "Don't hurt her!"

"He is a blind fool. Don't you agree, my child?" My patron's laugh and gesture towards me cast my brother's attention onto me. "He could not swallow the fact that you are my Soul Reaper, and your kill count is more than respectable."

Ranue's eyes widened. "It's not- of course it isn't true! You would never do something like that!"

"The truth is inaccessible through a closed mind," my patron said. "Show him, my child. I will save you the legwork."

The false Dartz snapped his fingers. The Orichalcos warrior stabbed his claw into Ranue's chest and raked it down. His blood spurted onto the tiles. Ranue collapsed, and his breaths were shallow.

I dove to his side without second thought. I held him up where he couldn't support himself, and my hand grasped his. I offered a strong grip to suggest he do the same; his was weak and weaker. My throat was raw. I stumbled over my words. "I-it's true. It's all t-true, everything I did. I d-don't think people should exist."

"I can see why you'd think that. I'm kind of the worst."

I tightened my hold on his palm. "No, you're not! You take that back!"

Ranue… laughed. He laughed. He laughed! "Yeah, there are some pretty bad people in this world. Then there are people like you, with that great big heart of yours. With you, Céline, Engu, ma… I can look forward to each and every day knowing I could share it with people like you. And, remember? That's what family is all about."

His touch left a spot of his own blood on the bracelet he had given me. His wound had darkened my clothes more than any I'd created. "That heart is nonexistent."

Was what I wanted to say. Instead I couldn't speak past a sob and a tear rolling down my cheek. Ranue whispered, "Don't cry, sis. I need something from you, okay? I need an Orichalcum promise."

I was unable to find the air for a response. I nodded and shut my eyes tight. What little strength he had went into squeezing my hand. I focused on his face. His golden eyes were too dark. "I know it looks rough, but that's when you're at your best: back against the wall in a duel or in life, you always manage to pull through. I'm not normally one to ask anything of you, but I know this is something you can do, Rain. I know you can, so I have a final request.

"Could you… could you save everyone, Rain? Especially… Céline. I really messed up, and I don't think… anyone should pay the price for it except for me."

He coughed. Blood dribbled down his chin. His hand tried to slip out of mine, and I caught it again. I said, "I swear it."

Ranue smiled wide. His teeth were stained red. His words were garbled as though speaking underwater, his lovely, singsong voice corroded, but I heard every one: "I really do care for you, sis. Never forget it."

"I- I do, too! You're the most important person in the world to me, and you c-can't-"


"Hey, Rain! Are you in there?" Ranue flicked my nose with all the annoyance a thirteen-year-old like him could muster. "You can't be daydreaming while you're fishing! This is important! You need to learn how to take care of yourself."

"Sorry," I mumbled. "It just doesn't make any sense. Look! There's one right there, a dumb fish who's swimming upstream instead of down, and it won't even look at my lure!"

Ranue set his hands on his hips and leaned over the water. The mainland river he'd taken me to was populated enough, but my luck was rotten as always. He said, "Give it some more thought. A fish swimming upstream must have a reason. It's stubborn enough to not let anything stop it, especially a silly-looking lure!"

I pouted. "Y'know they're fish, right?"

My deadpan statement didn't shoot him down. "Then you have the fish who go wherever the current takes them, the fish who go after whatever they see! Sure, they're at higher risk of being caught, but don't you think it's worth it to see more of the world?"

"…It's a murky river, bro."

Ranue smiled his bright white grin. The breeze picked up, carrying dead leaves and long locks of his brown hair. "Like the wind. It changes often and in seemingly random directions! There is always a purpose, though – we just aren't aware of it. I know you've been struggling, Rain, but sometimes you need to follow the wind."

I choked on my words. My fingers went to my most recent black eye. I blinked tears away. Ranue laughed, saying, "There's more to life than surviving, sis. See? This doesn't have to be some chore. It can be fun, too. We can't control the wind, Rain, but I'm sure as hell making a sail!"

I growled, "Easy for you to say."

"Yeah," he sighed. He sat next to me and pointed at the upstream-swimming fish. "Doesn't look like that guy's getting anywhere, though, and neither are we."

"What do you mean we? This happened to me! I'm the monster!"

"You don't get the whole 'family' idea. I'm by your side through thick and thin."

"Ma and da were supposed to be family!"

"True, but- they don't get it, either. You're important to me, Rain. You're my sister, and that means I put who you are over what the rest of Atlantis thinks, or what may be dangerous for me, or what I'd rather be doing right now. You need someone, right? I'm really happy just to be here with you!"

I buried my head in my hands and felt hot tears slip through my fingers. He could be enjoying his day off. He could have ignored me like everyone else and never risk being outcast himself. Instead he was hanging around grumpy old me. His hands fell on my shoulders. "Hey, are you okay? Are you-"


"-okay?" My palms were on his bloodied chest as I uttered the words. "Ranue. Say something. You said- you swore you'd make it up to me, right? How about that duel you promised or we can have your favorite tea today or say something, please, please you're scaring me. Ranue? Look, look here, open your eyes. I'll even- I'll t-tell my b-best joke, and you can laugh like you always do, and please please-"

My throat tightened to cut me off. Not even a sob could escape. The false Dartz watched the scene with a passive expression. "Pity. He would have been astounding fuel. Why would you let him pass you by, my child?"

My hands trembled against his chest. There was no rise and fall, no steady thrum, and no new warmth.

My patron sighed. "Ah, well. I suppose we cannot harvest them all. The good news is the woman here appears to be a useful soul, so she can be our next target-"

"Insluith. Yrrsil. Rykuix."

A flash of green exploded between the Orichalcos warriors. They shattered into pieces of armor. The false King's multicolored stare focused on my open, shaking hand. I had thrown my saber end-over-end towards them and invoked the energy burst. My blade settled beside Céline's unconscious form.

"What do you think you're doing, my child?"

I observed my arm, which had moved nearly of its own volition. The spot of my brother's blood left the heart on my bracelet a bright red.

What… am I doing?

"Don't try to say you meant what you told that human," my patron spat. "You and I are more similar than you and he are! We want the same thing. Removing the human race means erasing whatever pain he caused!"

Yes, that's true. I do want humanity gone. I want to see a world of free monsters.

But-

"Obeying some human will lead you to despair. I understand your less-than-perfect half may hold some lasting emotions, but I urge you cast them aside before they lead you astray. You cannot throw away everything you have built. Calm yourself, and reap the woman's soul as you have so many others before her."

I walked forward and palmed my saber. Céline did not move. She was sprawled out on her side. Light caught on the wedding band she wore on her left hand. Ranue's matching ring was silver and bloodstained.

Above Atlantis, the clouds abruptly shifted from moving south to north. The black smoke followed suit, and the roaring fires consuming the city, and the stench of rot, decay, and blood. The wind rushed through the garden, rustled the fallen curtains of the palace halls, and drifted into the throne room as a barely noticeable breeze. The air kissed my skin in a welcome refrain from the ever-rising heat.

I sheathed my saber and lifted Céline in my arms.

"Cease," my patron demanded. "Stop this instant, or we will be the greatest of enemies. Think of all you have accomplished, my child! Imagine your dream of justice gifted unto Earth!"

"As the truest member of the Orichalcum family," I said, "I never leave an oath unfulfilled. Humanity lives."

Blue fire blazed like burning ambition; it danced along my shoulders and leapt from my back like a pair of dragon's wings. Light took shape within the azure, and Blue-Eyes Shining Dragon appeared above me. My Master roared. I could feel his smile and his pride, and I was hit with the sense that my greatest ally had been within me all along.

My patron screamed like a refused toddler. "If you will not fight for me, you will die for me!"

Metal screeched behind me. A wall of Orichalcos warriors blocked the exit. They raised sharp scythes with card zones like the Chaos duel disks. I stood my ground as they marched forward: one step, two steps, three-

The squeal of tires sounded from the hall behind them. A vehicle turn-braked through their line, scattering their pieces of armor. My completed motorized bike came to a stop beside me. The frame had come out nice; it was a duller gold like bronze and layered like knight armor. He sputtered, "What- how-"

I toed a tire and shrugged. "Self-driving. These Orichalcos chips are useful for locating, you know. I appreciate the technology."

He yanked his sword from his sheath and charged me. Master batted him away with his tail. I eased Céline onto the back of the seat and slipped on in front of her such that she rode piggyback. I floored the pedal and sped outside the palace. Brilliant light followed my path, a mark of Shining Dragon's trail.

I stopped beside a cottage, kicked in the door, and stormed inside. The armed man within nearly cleaved my head off. Engu dropped his rapier. "Princess? It's you! And the real princess?"

I dumped Céline into the blacksmith's arms. I swung open a pair of dresser doors in the back left corner, peeled off my disgusting clothes, and put on a black bodysuit. Layers and layers of lobstering armor colored the same as the motorcycle settled on top of the suit. I pulled the helmet over my head, which had two protrusions on its sides forming a "V" shape. Engu said, "Er, what's the point of the armor now?"

I threw my white blade over my shoulder and strapped my saber to my side. I took Céline back from the confused man. "Unless you want your everlasting soul stolen from your corpse, I suggest you follow me to the mainland. An army is chasing us."

"An army?"

I slid onto my vehicle, Céline in tow, and revved towards the edge of the island. I hauled Céline and my bike up to the ledge and vaulted onto the mainland bridge. I rode through water, sand, and dirt until reaching my garden. I lowered Céline onto the ground. Master alighted from the sky and dropped the items in his claws: my boxes I'd saved from my burning house and my brother's cold body.

I'm sorry, young dragon.

I dropped to my knees and raked my fingernails through the dirt. It barely made a dent in the earth. I did it again.

Please, young dragon. Time is of the essence. We have until Dartz discovers a new way to harvest souls, and we must recruit powerful allies if we are to go to war with his army.

A small hole was in the ground. I kept on.

I know you care deeply, but this can wait until-

"Shut up!" I shouted. A couple of my nails had broken on rocks. My tears mixed with the drops of blood. I did not stop until a suitable grave was dug. I helped Ranue into it with shaking, dirty hands. I removed his ring, placed it in Céline's open palm, and pushed the dirt over him. I used the Blue Flame to create crystal flowers, which marked the rectangle where he rested.

My stained hands fell into my lap. I breathed in deep. Released. I said, "Whatever needs to be done, I will do it."