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Disclaimer: I only own myself and the stuff that I created; plot and my Dragoons included. The new species are also mine.

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Chapter XX: Joining Forces with the Enemy

I had traveled for at least two days, and after asking some people that were fishing in a nearby lake, I found out that I was about a day away from Azeel, the mermaid town.

'I wonder what it's like at Azeel?' I put my hands behind my head and looked up at the clouds. 'It seems like a place that I'd like. I mean, my element is water, so, I might get to have some fun for a bit...' "Especially if I can't find that guy..."

A couple hours later it was getting dark, so I decided to get some sleep. I had started up a small fire and sat down in front of it.

'I hafta figure out a plan.' I thought for a bit. 'Aha! If that guy wants me on his side SO much, why don't I just pretend to be on his side? Maybe that way I'll learn more about the enemy. Yeah. I think that'll work.' I leaned up against the tree behind me and yawned. "Right now I need some sleep." I closed my eyes.

"Hello there, Crystal," said the familiar voice of the cloaked guy.

'That was...fast... Too fast...' I was worried. Why? Because the guy that I had been looking for just shows up outta nowhere right when I needed to find him. "What do you want?" I tried to act like I wasn't worried.

"I thought we could talk for a bit."

"Well, maybe I don't wanna talk." I crossed my arms.

"Why can't we just talk, Crystal?" The guy walked around me and stopped behind me. "Why do you hide behind that man?"

"I don't hide behind him." I knew exactly who he was talking about.

"Yes you do." He whispered in my ear. "I have seen the way you act around him, and..." He looked down at my necklace. "you should be careful. There are much worse things out there than me..."

"Oh really?" I turned around and faced him. "Well, why don't you tell me who could possibly be worse than you?"

"If you help me out, I'll help you out."

"Ya mean, like...me and you working together?" My plan was going quite well.

"Yes."

Too well. 'Well...it is what I had planned...' "Fine. I help you, and you help me. Got it?"

"Got it." He leaned up against the tree. "I have a job for you then. Go to Azeel, find a merman named Lautus, and find out where Sicarius is. Understand?"

"Yep. So...who's this...Sicarius?"

"Don't ask, just do."

"FINE." I rolled my eyes. "I'll go find those guys." I turned, summoned my wings, but never got a chance to fly off.

"Here. You'll need this." He tossed me a small device. "Just press that button. It'll form a shield around you so you can breathe and talk underneath the water."

"Okay..." I stared at it before flying off.

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After flying over a few mountains, I landed at the spot where Azeel was supposed to be, but there was nothing there. Only sand and the ocean.

"Guess I'd better head to Azeel..." I pressed the button on that device and a green shield formed around me. It was made out of a special kinda magic so it probably worked a whole lot better than a normal shield that I could summon up. I walked out into the deeper part of the ocean, then went underneath the water.

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After I swam for a bit, I could see an underwater city that sorta looked like Atlantis. It could've been mistaken for Atlantis if it was on Earth.

'Azeel is a cool place...' I swam until I was inside the town, then began to look around. A merman swam up to me.

He had a blue 'tail', and his long gray hair put in a braid.

"Hello there. May I help you?"

"Um...yeah... I'm lookin' for a merman named Lautus." I glanced around the city once more before looking at him.

"Well, well, well. I am that merman. Why are you looking for me?" Lautus seemed like a nice merman.

"I need to find a man named Sicarius and I was told that you would know where I could find him."

"Oh, dear girl! You don't need to find that man! Why would you want to?" His friendly face was now filled with worry.

"Because I just need too..." 'Wait...does that sound right?' I sighed. "What I'm trying to say is that you need to stop being nosy and just tell me where that guy is."

"I'm sorry, but I couldn't put a nice girl like you in danger. Even if you are a Wingly."

"Ah c'mon!" I shook my head. "Fine. I'll hafta go to the extreme." I concentrated hard and Lautus started gasping for air. I was making the water around him squeeze his neck so he couldn't breathe. "Now. I'm gonna ask you one last time: where is Sicarius?"

"F-fine...j-just stop...p-please..."

I stopped.

"He can be found in Vidalio. If you go into the bar there and ask for Sicarius, I'm pretty sure the people there will tell you. But I suggest you try not to find him."

"Why?"

"Because that man is an assassin and-" Lautus never got to finish.

The shield around me flickered a bit. "Oh great. Guess I'd better head back up. Thanks for the info." I turned and swam back towards the surface.

"Wait!! I need to tell you something incredibly important!!"

I turned back to find out what Lautus had to tell me, but then the shield completely disappeared. I quickly swam up towards the surface. I gasped for air once I made it to the surface. I swam back to land.

"So? Where is he?" The cloaked guy was there waiting for me.

I stood up and rung the water out of my hair. "He's in Vidalio." I then rung the water out of my shirt and coat.

"Now go get him and bring him to a castle just south of Nissel." He transported away.

"Great. Now I hafta go get the assassin... Why does he hafta be so bossy??" I summoned my wings and flew off towards Vidalio.

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I had flew up high in the clouds so no one would see me during the day. During the night, I slept up in a tree. Hey, it was probably the safest place. I had arrived at Vidalio four days later. Even with me flying, it still took a long time to get there.

I quickly found the bar and walked in. I walked up to the bartender. "S'cuse me. I'm lookin' for Sicarius."

The bartender stared at me. "Why would a young girl like you be lookin' for a man like Sicarius?" He asked me.

I thought of a lie quickly. "I need him to kill someone for me."

"Ah. Okay. Hey, Sicarius! Ya got yourself a job!" The bartender shouted at a man that was sitting at a stool several feet away from me.

The man, known as Sicarius, was dressed in baggy black pants, black boots, and a sleeveless violet shirt. He had spiky brown hair and gray eyes. He looked to be about thirty.

"Oh really? Who wants to hire me?" Sicarius asked.

"This young lady here." The bartender pointed at me.

"Really?" Sicarius stood and walked over towards us. "How much are ya gonna pay?"

"I'd rather discuss this outside." I told him firmly.

"Fine with me."

We both walked outside.

"You ain't gonna pay me, are you?"

"How'd ya figure that out?" I rolled my eyes. "I need you to come with me because I was ordered to find you and bring you back to someone."

"Why did he order you to find me?" Sicarius asked.

"Because-Hey!! That's really none of your business!" I told him.

"I just wanted to know why he would send someone as pretty as you to find a guy like me." He walked closer to me.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa." I took a step back. "Stay away from me." 'I have a bad feeling about this man...'

"I may be an assassin, but every now and then I'll pick me up a young woman. The Wingly women are the best. Especially the young ones."

I did not like the look in his eyes. 'What have I gotten myself into?' "You touch me and I promise you I'll make your life a living hell." I told him harshly.

"I like the tough ones."

I gave him a cold look before I turned and started to walk off. I knew he'd follow me so I didn't bother stopping. 'I'm gonna have a little chat with that cloaked guy whenever we get there.'