*turns on a flashlight* Sorry, power outages finally over.

Yeah…this is a "bonding chapter"…so not much action, but hey…

FINALLY, THE CHARACTERS BECOME FRIENDS AGAIN!

Other than that, not much. I'll try not to rush this chapter because…I LOVE DAEMON'S COURT :D

Alright, enough shouting. Here ya go.

*turns off flashlight*

Every caravanner was seated in the upstairs section of an inn in the Fields of Fum. No one would refuse the caravanners now that they were injured. It was quiet. No one had really spoken in days.

Sam sat beside Star and Creston, who were both in critical condition. He looked down at his old friend, and his favorite person in the caravan. Both had almost been lost. And why? Because the bonds of the caravanners' friendship had been shattered to pieces. Sam winced, looking down at his bandaged stomach. He wasn't too well either. He had been stabbed when his back was turned, a bad slash wound on his shoulder, and several cuts on his sword arm. Those lizardmen played dirty.

Garrett stood, stabbing his spear in a wooden stool every couple of seconds. He had a bad stab wound in his back, and a dislocated shoulder. Luckily for him, his injuries hadn't been too serious. But one thing had been injured very badly; his pride.

Mika sat silently, letting out a small noise of pain whenever she moved. Her stomach had been badly injured, and her head had suffered some heavy blows. Whenever a loud noise sounded from outside, she would wince.

Creston was awake, his rasping breaths the only sound that was really in the room. He felt stupid. He felt guilty. He knew he could've prevented all of this from happening. But no. He just had to go and prove himself right. But what did he prove? That his smart remarks could've gotten them all killed. Creston felt burns all along his body, and bruises from when he had been trampled. He had a stinging migraine, and his original burnt arm was hurting him worse now.

Ray sat on the windowsill, looking out on the shiny day around them. He hadn't been injured horribly. He had only received many minor cuts, a shock from a weak thunder spell, and a sprained ankle from all the running he did. Ray didn't care about his injuries that much. Compared to his ordeal in Selepation Cave, this physical pain was nothing. But mentally, he was hurting really bad. Mika, Garrett…all of them had almost been killed.

Nieta shivered slightly. She had been hit by Blizzara spell, and the aftereffects were still hurting her. She also had some facial wounds, and a gash in her leg. She stretched for a moment, but quickly stopped after a sharp pain hit her. She simply leaned against the wall where she had been, in the silence that had gripped the group since Daemon's Court.

Star was asleep. She only had a broken finger, and a twisted ankle. She also sprained her wrist, and had a bump on the back of her head. Her life wasn't in any danger, but she could barely move. She breathed quietly, almost silently, as the other caravanners watched her fearfully, scared that she might leave them.

Lianora seemed to be the least injured, as she sat quietly in a corner, stroking Mog's fur. She herself only had a few bruises and bumps. Her neck had been whacked badly, and she had some cuts along her leg. She let out a quiet breath.

"Alright everyone…," she said, her voice ringing out like a strong, clear bell. "We need to talk."

"What's there to talk about?" asked Garrett, for once not sounding aggressive. "We lost; it's over."

"What do you mean, it's over?" asked Lia, pressing onwards. Somehow, a small seed of hope had sprouted within her. She knew she could fix this.

"We lost," said Mika, scratching her back. "We lost, and now we're injured. Now it doesn't matter what happens; there's no way we can bounce back from something like this."

"She's right…," said Sam softly. "By the time we're completely healed, Tipa will be done for."

Lia sighed. She was starting to lose that hope she had moments earlier.

Then Nieta piped up. "Our injuries aren't that bad. We'll probably be fine in a week. Maybe less, because we're so tough."

Ray let out a soft chuckle. "Yeah…I mean…after what I went through, I'll be back out killing monsters in no time."

Creston sighed. "Even if our bodies heal, it doesn't really matter. We've said things that can't be taken back…this is the end of our friendship, isn't it?"

"No, it's not!" said Mika, her voice starting to regain that strong tone it once had.

Lia nodded slowly, her hands still running gently through Mog's fur. "We can fix this."

"What do you want us to do?" asked Garrett, starting to get angry because he didn't understand.

"Talk," said Lianora simply.

"Talking is what caused this in the first place," countered Creston darkly.

"If talking can cause a problem, then talking can fix it," declared Lia.

"Alright then…now...let's start with when it all began," said Lia. "Creston. You snapped at Lia, which started all this. Why?"

Creston sighed. "I'm sorry…I was stressed…my meeting with my father was interesting…to say the least…"

Lianora looked at him closely. "What happened?"

"I'm sorry Lia…that is something I will NOT talk about," said Creston sincerely, but firmly. Lia knew he wouldn't budge. She sighed. Hadn't there been enough secrets? Oh well.

"Garrett, you got angry next-," began the female Yuke, but Garrett interrupted her.

"I was defending Nieta…and well…from that point on…I guess me and Creston just got a little hotheaded…I hadn't been thinking about what I was saying and I'm…sorry for what I said," said Garrett awkwardly.

"Same here," said Creston.

"You're forgiven," said all five of the other caravanners. "We're sorry as well."

"Now then…the first argument is settled, because Star only flipped out when we were all insulting each other and such," said Ray calmly. "Now let's solve the second one."

"The second argument began when we placed the blame on Star," said Garrett quietly. "And well…it's not that…I mean…"

"It wasn't Star's fault. I'm guessing that Rex had twisted her memories to make her feel the guilt," said Lianora firmly. "Everyone who sided against Star, you need to apologize to her."

"I'm…sorry," said Garrett bitterly.

"I ask for forgiveness as well," said Creston, glancing at Star next to him.

"Same here," said Nieta. "It wasn't your fault."

A bright voice came from next to Creston. "It's okay guys, I forgave you a long time ago."

"Star!" said Sam, hugging her, then pulling away quickly after he felt her wince.

"So…we're all friends again!" said Star, her radiant smile lighting up the room. Everyone else smiled in return. The sun outside the window had risen to its full height, shining down on them all with a warm light.

"Okay…here's the plan…," said Creston, a few days later, sitting in front of the caravanners with a drawing. "When we go back to Daemon's Court in a few days…here's how we'll do it."

"First of all, we kill them all. No holds barred. Every lizardman in that fort is going down, understood?" Eight heads nodded (Mog had become enthusiastic about killing the lizardmen). "So we kill them. I've noticed there are catapults there. We can use those to our advantage. Mog stays in the center, so we can defend him from all sides. We cannot afford for someone to carry the chalice. They'd become too easy of a target."

"But here's the main issue," said Creston, thinking. "Those two keys…they weren't found with the door's guards. The boss and myrrh tree is DEFINITELY in there…so…any ideas?"

But everyone was silent. Where could the keys be?

"Great…if we can't get into that golden fortress, we're done for…," said Creston, heaving a great sigh.

Golden.

Something flashed in Mika's brain. She had remembered!

"I saw a golden lizardman," said Mika, standing up. Everyone stared at her in confusion.

"Gold?" asked Nieta. "Lizardmen are green. Unless it was armor."

"No, it was gold," confirmed Mika firmly. "It had a gash on its face. I don't think armor bleeds."

"So…?" asked Garrett, confused.

"Gold lizardman," explained Mika. "Golden dragon door. How many lizardmen did you see that were gold?"

Everyone was silent. Then Sam spoke.

"I think I saw one…," he said uncertainly. "It threw a spear at me."

"The golden ones throw spears," said Mika. "So that's two so far."

"Unless Sam saw the same one," argued Lia. Sam shook his head.

"The one I saw didn't have a gash," said Sam.

"You might have seen it before it received it," said Creston matter-of-factly.

"I saw one…near Garrett…right before Garrett went down," said Sam confidently, remembering.

"Mika fell before I did," said Garrett. "That means if Sam saw one without a gash, and Mika saw one with a gash, that means they saw two different lizardmen. But I still don't get what it means…"

"It means that there are at least two golden lizardmen, and they both hold the keys," said Ray.

"How do you know they have them?" asked Lia.

"No other lizardmen dropped keys, though," said Nieta, agreeing with Lia.

"But none of us killed a golden one," said Creston. "But two of them…two keys…two key holes…golden lizardmen…golden door…it all adds up…"

"And they throw spears," added Mika. "To try and kill you from far away…"

"So you don't get close and kill them and get their keys!" finished Star.

Creston thought, then nodded. "It's the most reasonable thing that we've thought of. You're probably right, Mika. Well thought."

Mika grinned. "Yukes aren't the only ones with brains."

"Alright, everyone," said Sam. "We leave in two days! Everyone get ready to kick some major lizardman butt!"

Everyone cheered loudly.

Creston sat alone late at night, carefully looking over the plan. He wanted to make sure everything was perfect.

"It's late," came a voice from behind him. He slowly turned to see Lianora enter the room.

"It doesn't matter," Creston replied. "Everything needs to be perfect."

Lianora sat down beside him. "What do you mean?"

"Well…not to try and sound like a pessimist…but if we mess this up…it's all over," said Creston darkly. "We can't afford to lose…or we lose more than just a chance for myrrh…we lose our families…and friends…"

Lianora nodded. "Well…you'd be a lucky one…you'd still have your father."

Her ploy had worked. Creston immediately flinched and clenched his feathery hands. "That is NOT luck," he growled, almost to himself.

"So I thought right. Something happened." Creston cursed himself mentally now that Lianora had guessed it. "Something went down between you and your father."

"Nothing went down. Things between are the same as always," said Creston, his voice a great deal more cold.

"Creston…your burnt arm-"

"It was an accident! You want the truth? I walked into a torch and didn't notice my arm was burning," defended the other Yuke.

"Why didn't you tell us?" asked Lia. "It's not a big deal-"

Creston snorted. "Garrett would never let me live it down."

Lia sighed and wanted to wail in frustration. Her voice became desperate. "Creston, hasn't there been enough secrets!?"

"It's my business, not a secret! Why do you care?" asked Creston angrily.

"Because I'm worried about you!" said Lia, raising her voice. Then she and Creston realized how loud they were being.

"Shhh," said Creston, urging Lia to be quiet. "We mustn't wake the others."

He sat back down. His companion made no move to leave.

"I'm sorry…," he began. "I…I just don't want anyone to get involved…with it…it isn't serious…it's just…"

"I…I understand as well," said Lia, bowing her head. "I…I didn't want to pester you. I just-"

"Wanted to make sure I was okay," finished Creston. "And I am. And I suppose I'll tell you the real reason of my burnt arm…but you must not tell the others."

She nodded. "I promise."

Creston showed his burns to Lia. "When I went to speak with my father…we both…we both said things that should not have been said. We quarreled, and then I hit him with a fire spell, and he did the same."

Lia gasped. "What...but...why?"

"That is the only thing I wish to keep private," assured Creston quietly. Then he was given a surprise; he found Lianora's arms around him.

"Lia! I-" he said, shocked.

"I'm sorry...," she said. "It must be hard…seeing us with all our parents."

"Ray has it worse than I do," said Creston, hesitantly returning the embrace. "You shouldn't worry about me so much. I'm not worth it."

After a long while, Lia finally went to bed. Creston still sat where he was, in front of the diagram, with a strange, new warmth in his body. Then silently, he went back to work as if nothing had ever happened.

Ta-da *applause*

Favorite Parts: Creston and Lia at the end, without a doubt

So…yeah…arguing is over! Now that they've reconnected their ties of friendship, nothing can ssstop them. (okay, I'm sorry about the hissing).

Uh…major Lia and Creston moments in this chapter…some occasional Star and Sam…

NOW THEN: On to my favorite announcement. I'm thinking about doing a Christmas fic for these guys. If you think that's a good idea, then here's the thing. They'd all be in couples, and I'd throw in bosses, villains, and reoccurring monsters.

There's a poll on my profile. Vote now!

Next Chapter: The Tipa caravan returns to Daemon's Court, stronger than ever. As they storm the fortress and steal the keys, their bond grows even stronger. But the lizardman aren't done for yet. When another ambush occurs, what will the caravanners do?