Go figure, my computer repeatably broke, and weeks to get it properly fixed. Lost some of my story files, but luckily I backed up most though. Still had to retype some parts of the newer chapters of my other stories, though.
As the morning sun rose over the mountains, the inhabits of the trading outpost were already up and getting to work. Any resident vendor was up and peddling their wares by now, while many travelers who were staying in the outpost's lodging were beginning to awaken. The soldiers and guards who manned the outpost had been up before dawn, some already going out on patrol.
In his office, located in the main building, Silvus sat at his desk, going over the reports he had been giving about the shadow dragoness running around the outskirts of the region. From what he had gathered, this dragoness, Claire's mother as he guessed, was on the run. It was the only reason he could think of for her erratic movements. But the question was, was she being chased? And by who?
If he had to speculate, it was probably because of her daughter and her forbidden elements?
Silvia sighed in frustration. There was something more to all this, he could tell. But what the exact circumstances were, he did not know.
Resigning himself back to his tasks at hand, he went over his duties for the day.
Already, he has written out a report and sent his scout, Loupin, to Warfang to inform the soldiers there of the situation. He knew bringing a shadow dragon hatchling into Warfang would cause a bit of a controversy over there. Silvus believed informing them beforehand might allow the situation to be handled a bit… more properly.
To be precise, whatever relevant authorities would be informed, including the guardians. They would prepare and receive the hatchling later, likely that night or tomorrow.
For now, though, the captain had other rings to worry about. The earth dragon sat up and preceded to leave his office.
Within minutes, he had made his way over to the medical ward. Entering the building he was met with a beleaguered medic and a very hyper hatchling.
The white medic was alerted to the captain's presence and turned her gaze towards him. Dark circles were present under her eyes, and an exhausted expression was present on her face. On her tail, a hatchling was lifted slightly in the air, hanging onto it like a game.
She did not even have to say anything for Silvus to get the memo. Regardless, he still figured he would ask.
"Long night?" Silvus asked, half in jest.
Serana rolled her eyes playfully. " the little one is areal paw full." She sighed, gesturing towards the hatchling in her tail.
"She kept waking up through the night. I barely got a few hours of sleep, sir." Serana retorted.
"Perhaps I can get someone to take her off your paws." Silvus suggested.
The medic nodded calmly. Before she handed the child off to Silvus, she spoke more.
" She needs s proper caretaker and nursery, sir. This is no place for a child. I am only a medic. I know how to deliver eggs and tend to a child's health, but I am not much of a caretaker, sir." The medic added.
Silvus sighed. " I understand. Hopefully, Warfang will send someone to retrieve her soon. Or give us the go-ahead." He stated
Serana looked at him. "Remind me why we didn't just send her over from the start. It just wastes more time, doesn't it?"
Silvus looked at her as he picked up the hatchling with his maw after she let go of Serana's tail.
" The council and guardians would want to be prepared. The little one will cause quite a stir over there. Better we… test the waters, so to speak."
Serana sighed. "She's nearly a newborn. Do they think a hatchling, even with her elements, is going to burn down the city?" She scoffed.
Silvus sighed and shook his head. Leaving Serana to her tasks, he proceeded to take Claire elsewhere in the base. Exciting the building as the hatchling squirmed in his maw, he proceeded over towards the barracks area. In front, some of the younger recruits chatted idly, being off duty or awaiting assignments.
A red dragoness, with an orange underbelly, talked to a pure grey dragon. Both were in their late teens, having only signed in recently to work at the outpost recently. Guards and soldiers were not the only dragons living in the barracks. Some dragons here were simple helpers and aid workers who tended to the day-to-day operations of the outpost or its resident vendors. These two were such dragons.
Noticing the captain, the two young dragons perked up, reasoning their brows at the infant he carried.
Silvus sat down Claire in front of them.
"Greetings, sir." The teenage dragons addressed the captain.
"Hello, Blaze, Torrent. I have a task for you two." Silvus said, gesturing towards Claire, who was looking at the pair with big eyes.
"A hatchling? What is she doing in a place like this?"
Blaze asked, raising her brow.
" She… is lost. Look, our medic was watching her through last night but needs rest. I need you two to look after her for a while until we get someone to take her to Warfang." Silvus responded.
Blaze and Torrent grew flustered expressions on their faces.
"Babysitting? Sir, I don't think either of us is-" Torrent began before the captain cut him off.
"No one here is. But you too are off duty right now, no?"
Blaze nodded. "For the moment, but I am supposed to help some of the vendors with their wares later." She replied.
" I will relieve you of whatever duties you have, just please watch her for a bit. It's a strange situation we are dealing with right now. Until we get her to Warfang, we have to make do as best as we can." Silvus pressed.
The two younger dragons looked down at the hatchling and back to the captain. Both sighed.
"Yes sir." They said in unison.
Silvus nodded. "Thank you. If you need anything more, back to report to Serana later on." He said as he walked off. leaving the two younger dragons to attend to Claire.
(—)
Loupin sat outside the Warfang captain of the guard's office, waiting to be let in. After a few hours of flight, he had made it to war fang and showed the guards at the main gate is badge and letter. After stating it was a classified document, he was led to captain Tarron's office, within the dragon temple, where the guardians and council were located.
He grew tense as he awaited the captain, knowing how the stir he was about to cause amongst the city higher-ups. Silvus has informed Loupin of the child's unique element. He was instructed to only tell the proper authorities.
The door to the office opened, as another guard was let out and the captain's voice sounded.
"Please come in."
The blue dragon walked in, maintaining his composure. He approached the red guard captain, sitting on the pillow in front of the desk. The searing accommodations for dragons were very different from what bipeds used. Though it may seem weird to have pillows such as this too, it's what worked out for dragons.
"Greetings, Captain Tarron. I am Loupin, a scout from the Alvara Forest trading outpost. Captain Silvus sent me to deliver a report to you." The scout explained.
Tarron out his paw on the desk, tapping it. " More rumors?" He asked, bored.
Loupin shook his head. " No. We found something, actually. A hatchling, no more than four months old. But there is something about her…" Loupin trailed off.
Tarron nodded and read over the report. After a minute or so, he stopped, at a loss for words.
"So the rumors were true… She's a shadow and wind dragon. Hatchlings sharing two elements us rare, but combined with shadow…" He looked up at the scout.
" We've never seen something like this. There is no telling what her powers might be like." Tarron muttered.
Loupin nodded. Tarron stared at him.
" I can see why you didn't just bring her here blindly. The council will go nuts with this, as will the guardians. They will want to analyze her. No one's seen a shadow dragon in Warfang for a long time. Such magic has been forbidden since the war." Tarron stated
Loupin raised a brow. " Forgive me sir, but remind me why that's the case. I recall what Malefor and Cynder did but why is there such controversy about this magic? Surely there is something more to it."
Tarron sighed. " Have you not heard the stories of the dark elements?"
Loupin shook his head. " I don't recall them very well. What is it about this element that scares everyone so much?"
Tarron sighed again. " In brief, it was discovered by accident centuries ago by a dragon researchers, in a magic-rich cavern. No one is sure who made it, but dark energy crystals were found in this cave. During experiments on them, the element corrupted or shifted certain dragon's elements. They slowly lost their birth elements and had them replaced with shadow."
Tarron began.
" Now, it was later discovered by scholars that these crystals were produced through a previously undiscovered form of magic. They had been a forgotten cache by scholars from a lost age. Harvested through some dark entities, fear, shadow, and poison harnessed by dragons once the knowledge was rediscovered. The power demonstrated by the corrupted researchers was found to be quite potent, as they worked to understand their new powers. "
"Ok. But just because Malefor used it, why are these powers so forbidden? And what happened to all the dragons who had them?" The scout asked.
"Over the centuries, these dragons formed their own clans. Few could properly harness or were willing to lose their natural elements for these dark powers. Malefor was taught these, but he later discovered their more evil uses and capabilities. It was found those tainted with these powers could be corrupted and forcibly turned evil. To do so, took a very potent kind of magic and knowledge. Only Malefor ever understood how to use this power, though. Additionally, he could force these powers onto others." Tarron went on.
"How? Is it like mind control?"
Tarron shook his head. "Think of it like those who have any dark elements like I mentioned are 'tainted' in a certain capacity, just by having these powers. On their own, they will not fall. But that vulnerability lies within them. Malefor exploited this, turning some into his minions."
Loupin gasped. "Like what he did with Cynder?"
Tarron nodded.
"Those few who were corrupted were defeated, but the population of Warfang grew nervous. After Malefor began raising his army, many shadow dragons, as well as poison and fear ones, were ostracized and cast out, while others left civilization out of shame or fear. They were branded monsters, as the population feared they too would be corrupted by the dark master abs made his puppets. Most refused to have children, to let their dark power die off with them."
Tarron finished.
Loupin took a second to process this history lesson he had just been given.
"So, they are, by definition, vulnerable to be corrupted by anyone who has this forbidden knowledge the dark master did?" Loupin affirmed.
"Yes, that is exactly what I just finished telling you. Although, there were a few dragons of these elements who exploited their power for evil, taking advantage of Malefor's rise. They did little to help the reputation of these dragons. Combined with their low numbers compared to other elemental dragons, as well as their self-imposed reframe from having children, few dragons using these elements have been seen for a long time."
Loupin put his paw to his chin. "But clearly some were around, as this hatchling is evidence of." He said, solemnly.
Tarron nodded. "Yeah, some of course we're always going to have children. It's not like they all died off, but most were in hiding or lived far away from Warfang. Still, I feel for this poor girl. Loosing her parents at such a young age…"
He shook his head.
"Rest assured, she will be taken care of. I will report this to my superiors and dispatch someone to retrieve her."
Tarron affirmed. Loupin nodded.
With that, Loupin left the room, as Tarron muttered to himself.
" This will not sit well with the council…"
(—)
As expected, the Warfang council was up in arms about the topic.
Tarron had relayed the news to them personally, seeing as they would be the ones to give the verdict on what to do with the child. He had stood in the chambers with them, watching them argue.
"This is insane. The shadow element is unnatural, it corrupts those who use it. This child will be evil!" One dragon, a wind dragon named Cyrus shouted.
"It's an innocent hatchling! She did nothing wrong. It's nog her fault she was born like this!" The ice dragoness, Frost, shot back."
"She is a potential threat to our citizens. How do we know she won't turn out to be evil when she is older? Do you not recall what the dragons of shadow and other dark elements did with their power?" Cyrus shot back.
Nearby, another council member, an earth dragon named Terra, shook her head.
Finally, another dragoness, a respected fire dragoness named Burn, slammed the table they were seated on.
"Enough! Instead of squabbling like children, let us look at this objectively. She is little more than a newborn, lost and without her parents. She has a unique elemental mix, something we have almost never seen. We should be taking this opportunity to study her powers. We need not be cruel; we can give her a life here in Warfang, why must we argue over this?" She reasoned.
The other dragons in the room looked at her. Terra then spoke up.
"I believe you are right. We have no true evidence that the dark elements corrupted their users, at least on their own. We should study her so that we might better understand the nature of these elements and how her unique aura might affect her powers." Terra reasoned.
"Of course, I can't in good mind send a newborn out to die."
Frost nodded. " I second this."
All eyes were then on Cyrus.
"But, what if… what if she turns out to be dangerous? She could wield power beyond that of many other dragons, for all we know. This aura of hers, it's like nothing we have seen. Shouldn't we, dispose of her, and circumvent the threat?"
Frost glared. "Shouldn't we what? Kill a hatchling because of a supposed threat it might pose?"
Cyrus shook his head. "No, of course not. It's just…" he trailed off.
Burn looked at him. "Cyrus, think about it. What if that had been your son? Would you have him killed was he born like this?"
Cyrus looked guilty for a second, as remounted overtook his face. "No. You are right. Perhaps I looked at this too… coldly. Understand, I do not speak about this out of cruelty. I know that these elements were unnatural for our kind. They have dangerous potential on their own. Apparently combined with another element infused in her aura, this hatchling could be powerful. And frankly… it scares me to think of what could happen if she fell into the wrong hands." He explained.
Burn sighed. "That is why that will not happen."
She then looked around the room.
"So, are we all in agreement then? To bring the hatchling to Warfang; to study her aura, and train her? We could be looking at a new phenomenon in our kind's of magic."
All dragons present looked at one another, thought for a moment, and then nodded. All noises in agreement, with Cyrus showing a few seconds more hesitation than the others.
"Very well then. It's decided: we bring the hatchling to Warfang. From there, we will study her powers and determine who to raise her."
All nodded in agreement. With that, Tarron was given instructions to dispatch someone to retrieve the hatchling. Compiling, he left to return to his at the office city guard headquarters, and dispatch a scout. Meanwhile, he would have the scout who arrived with the news be ordered back to his outpost.
(-)
"Come on, Spyro." Cynder urged her mate as they walked through the halls of Warfang guard headquarters. She had been caught up thinking about the rumors since last night. The more she thought about it, the more eager she was to hear more.
She did not know what it was that drove her so fiercely to learn more. Maybe the fact someone else with powers such as her was out there? Maybe she could finally learn more from them.
All she wanted to do now was talk to the captain receiving the reports directly, and learn anything new that they could.
"Take it easy, Cynder. We don't know that they learned anything more since yesterday." He noted. It was a bit past midday by now. He doubted the situation had developed anymore. Regardless, he complied and led Cynder towards the guard captain. Whatever was making her so… eager about the situation, it was best to let her do what she felt she needed to.
Sure enough, the pair soon found themselves at Tarron's office.
The door was currently cracked open, and the pair could see the guard captain inside.
Tarron glanced up at the pair, and a smile formed on his face.
"Ah, Spyro, Cynder, what an opportune time. Come in." He greeted in a friendly tone.
Both dragons complied and entered the office, citing down in front of the desk.
"Greetings captain. After Spyro told me about these rumors of you had been hearing, I became… intrigued. I was hoping that you could tell me a bit more?" SHe inquired
Tarron nodded. "I can do more than that. We have a development in the situation."
Both Cynder and Spryo listened eagerly.
"A scout from an outpost a few hours flights from here reported they actually found the likely cause of the reports. He began. "A hatchling, with a unique aura, apparently a mix of shadow and wind, has been found and is being cared for at the outpost."
"A hatchling!?" Cynder parroted, surprise. She had not been expecting to hear that…
"Indeed. Her parents, unfortunately, were found dead in the area around the trading outpost. The situation was reported to us earlier this morning by a scout. The council has already met and decided to bring her here. In brief, they wish to study her unique magic and help her learn how to use it." He stated.
Both Spryo and Cynder nodded.
"What do they plan to do with, precisely? Surely they aren't just going to have her be a research subject." He stated.
Tarron shook his head. 'Of course not. They intend to find someone to raise her, but we will get to that once she's here. I was actually about to fish around for a scout ot retrieve her." He stated.
Suddenly, an idea popped into Cynder's head.
"Actually, if I could retrieve her if you wanted. I am not doing anything right now. " Cynder said, to the surprise of both her fellow dragons.
Spyro looked at her. He figured her should not be way too surprised to hear this from Cynder, given her apparent eagerness.
Tarron thought for a second. "Sure, if you want. It's fine by me."
Cynder smiled. Spyro figured he should accompany his mate on this trip, seeing as he was relieved from his other duties today.
"Let me come too. Two sets of wings are better than one." He reasoned.
Cynder smiled at him, and Tarron nodded.
"Very well then. I will inform my superiors. I don't think they will mind the two saviors taking a task like this." He stated. He then got up.
"Come along, now. I will get you what you need for the trip."
Within the hour, the pair were out and flying out of the city, and towards the region the outpost was located in. Tarron had explained further details of the hatchling, such as her age, where the trade outpost was located, who was in charge there, and how to arrive. He had talked out the logistics of the retrieval mission with the pair of saviors. They were to report back to the Warfang dragon temple with her sometime the next day. It was expected that the pair would likely be back in Warfang by sometime tonight if they stayed on schedule.
Both Spyro and Cynder had been given traveling pouches with water canteens and healing crystal, as well as a map, should they need it. Currently, the pair were following the landmarks of the landscape to locate the forested region the outpost was situated in.
"Thanks for coming along, Spyro. It's always good to have your company." Cynder said to their mate, as they flew.
Spyro looked at her, from in front. "Of course, Cynder. Always happy to help. But, if you don't mind, could you tell me what exactly got you so riled up about this? I mean, i understand your interest in seeing another dragon with powers as you had. But, when he mentioned the hatchling, you seemed to jump at the idea of being the one to retrieve her." He asked.
Cynder looked back at him. "I don't know, Spyro. I guess at first, I wanted to meet whoever was running around, maybe ask them a few things. About this element… and maybe help them, I suppose." She stated. "Maybe I was getting ahead of myself a bit, but when he mentioned an orphaned hatchling, something in me kind of, how should I say, triggered." SHe stated.
Spyro raised a brow. "Triggered?"
Cynder sighed." I don't know, it's like I felt a call or instinct, to want to protect and help her. Even though haven't even met the little one. The poor thing lost her parents so early. I… feel bad for her. I want to help her…" She said, a bit solemnly.
Spyro too felt sad to hear of the untimely deaths of a pair of dragons, especially ones that had a young child. He too wanted to help.
"I am sure whatever caretaker they would give her to could do the same, but…" Cynder sighed again.
'"It's ok, Cynder. I get it. I want to help her too. It would be wrong for us to do nothing." He reasoned.
Cynder nodded, but sighed again. "It's not just that. Honestly, it… it reminds me of myself. I don't know how many dragons in Warfang would be sympathetic towards a hatchling with powers like this." She went on. She opened her mouth to say something more, but abruptly stopped herself, and looked forward again.
Spyro shook his head. There was clearly more to this, but he felt it better not to press her too much. For now, he decided to keep them focused on receiving her.
"Let's just stay forced at the task at hand." He stated.
With that, both dragons resumed their flight path.
(-)
After a few hours, both dragons had finally come into view of a trading post, in the location they were told it would be at.
The post itself was composed of several different buildings, and had a large courtyard full of stalls and various creatures, though mostly dragons, attending to different tasks. Other than dragons, a few cheetahs and moles walked around, doing whatever job it was they were working.
The pair landed at the front gate, where a red dragoness in light armor greeted them.
"By the ancestors, the saviors themselves! To what do we owe the pleasure?" The dragoness asked.
Spyro stepped forward. "Greetings. We are here to see captain Silvus." He stated.
The fire dragon nodded. "Of course. His office is just over there." SHe said, pointing in the direction of the guard building across the courtyard. "
Both dragons thank her and preceded across the courtyard.
They were met with surprised gazes from the inhabitants of the outpost.
Sure enough, when they got to the guard building, a large earth dragon talking to another guard out front of it. When Spyro and Cynder came near, he stopped talking to the other guard and looked at the two in surprise.
"The two saviors themselves! I didn't think we warranted such a visit." He began.
"Greetings to you both. I am captain Silvus. I take it you are here about the hatchling." He stated.
Cynder nodded eagerly. She was used to the looks of surprise by now. "Yes. Where might she be?"
"Of course. She is in the medical building right now. I had a pair of dragons watch her earlier. They finally tired her out a bit. Our medic, Serana, should be with her now." He stated, pointing towards the medical ward.
Cynder nodded. "Alright. I will go talk to her if that's alright." She stated.
Spyro and Silvus nodded. He then looked at the captain. "If tis fine, I wish to ask Silvus a bit more about the situation." He stated.
"Of course," Silvus said. With that, he and Spyro left for the office, as Cydner eagerly padded over to the medical bay.
Once inside, Cynder looked around. Various herbs and other pieces of medical equipment were on shelves.
"Hello?" She called.
"Yes?" A soft voice called from another part of the building. A white dragoness walked out of the office, gasping in surprise.
"Ah, one of the saviors! Welcome. My name is Serana. Pleased to meet you." She said, recognizing Cynder. Cynder nodded respectfully.
"Greeting. Spyro and I are here about the hatchling. Warfang sent us to retrieve her." She stated.
The white dragoness nodded.
"Of course. Give me one second." She said as the white dragoness went back into her office, appearing momentarily again with a hatchling in her maw. She put her down in front of Cynder, giving a comforting nuzzle.
"Excuse me, I was just finishing a check-up on her." She explained.
Cynder nodded and stared intently at the hatchling.
She was so small; smaller even than Cydner had expected; in fact, she was small enough to fit into one of Cynder's paws. She had never really been near a hatchling this young before. She lowered herself, trying to appear less intimidating
At first the hatchling looked nervous at the sight of the black dragoness, with fear evident in her eyes. However, just a few moments later, her expression abruptly changed.
The baby dragon looked up at Cynder, with an inquisitive gaze. She tilted her tiny head, almost making Cynder gush at how cute she looked. Did she seem to almost… recognize Cynder? Or did she think she did?
The former terror of the sky looked down at the hatchling, lowering herself further to the floor.
"This is what's causing all the commotion over there? A newborn? All this just because of her element?"
She looked over Claire, focusing now on her scale colors.
Black, mostly. Just like Cynder's. No other dragon Cynder had met before had that color. Truly a sign of how few shadow dragons there were, as far as she knew.
Before she could do anything else, Claire's tiny voice ripped the adult dragoness from her ponderings.
"Mama!" She said excitably.
A smile formed on Claire's muzzle as she bounded over and nuzzled Cynder's leg, a low purring sound emitting from her.
Cynder felt her heart melt.
"Mama? Why does she think that I'm-"
Before she could finish her thought, something occurred to her. Hatchlings often identified their mother by their mother's aura, until they were old enough to understand more about their surroundings. Claire's mother was a shadow dragon, from what Cynder was told.. Claire most have identified the lingering shadow magic in Cynder's magic aura. That and possibly the dark color of Cynder's scales.
A feeling of warmth and sadness waged over Cynder. Finding a feeling of warmth in the child taking a liking to her. Sadness, in the knowledge that she was truly not aware of her mother's death; and mistake Cynder for her true mother. As if on instinct, Cynder felt the drive to comfort and protect the hatchling.
Holding back her tears, Cynder embraced the hatchling.
"It's ok, little one. You're safe. Everything will be ok." She said as she nuzzled the hatchling.
By this point, the medic came back out of her office, having finished her business. She looked at the sight in front of her and cooed.
"She seems to like you, Cynder." Serana said softly.
Cynder looked up at the medic. "I think she mistakes me for her mother." She said, a bit solemnly,
The white dragoness frowned a bit.
"I would not be surprised. Hatchlings, at an early age, identify their mother by their elemental aura. "The medic noted. Serana glanced down at Claire, watching how she nuzzled Cynder. A smile formed on her face.
Cynder, after nuzzling Claire again, glanced towards the medic.
"But I am not her true mother…" she muttered. A forlorn look formed on her face.
"But she trusts you, Cynder. She needs a figure she can look to for comfort. I have done the best I could, but I cannot be there for her the way she needs. Not with my responsibilities." Serana noted.
Cynder looked at her. "I will try, but I don't know that I can be, either. I have no experience with hatchlings." Cynder stated.
Serana sighed. "You will figure it out, I am sure. For now, though, I believe I have a few things for you." She stated.
Cynder gave a slight smile. "I promise, I will do my best."
Serana reached onto a shelf and pulled out a pouch, full of a few things. Cynder glanced at it closer, a noted it to be a carrier of sorts. Inside of it, there was a bottle and various ingredients for some kind of drink.
Cynder looked at it,
"We figured we would get a carrier for you. The bottle is to help feed her." Serana explained.
"Thank you" Cynder said.
"Come on, i will help you get set up."
With that, Seranaa began to explain how to make a hatchling formula. Letting Claire play with her claws, Cydner listened intently.
(-)
A bit later, the pair were out in the courtyard again, where they found Silvus and Spyro talking. They stopped talking when they noticed the pair of dragonesses approaching.
Around her neck was a pouch. Sticking out of it was a small hatchling, looking around with intrigue.
The two male dragons smiled.
"Looks like everything is in order then," Silvus stated.
"So it seems," Spyro muttered as he got closer. Cynder took Claire out of the pouch bridle,y and set her down, as Spyro lowered himself. Giving her an enoucouraging nudge, Claire looked up at Spyro, with an inquisitive look. She smiled at Cydnder's encouragement, as Spyro gave her a comforting lick.
"She adorable." He said, as Claire began to nuzzle his leg.
The other dragons present smiled.
After this, the medic spoke up. "I gave Cynder some supplies and formula for the little one. She should be fine for at least the trip back." Serana explained.
"Thank you," Spyro stated. He then glanced at Silvus. Silvus took the hint and spoke.
"I told Spyro more details about what we found." He said, his face briefly looking forlorn. "I believe that's all we can do for you two, for now. You'd best be off to Warfang." He stated.
Cynder and Spyro nodded. Cynder picked the hatchling back up and put her in the pouch again.
The medic and captain led them outside the outpost.
Before taking flight, they exchanged words with each other one more time.
"Thank you again, captain," Spyro said.
Silvus nodded.
Serana then stepped forth. "Good luck with Claire. She is quite the handful."
Cynder looked at the medic and smiled. "Of course. We will do our best." She assured her. With that, the pair said a final goodbye, and the medic and captain turned around.
With that, the pair of heroes began their ascent.
Within a few seconds, the pair were soaring through the sky again, making their way back towards Waring.
Holy mother of exposition dumps, did this go on for awhile. Sorry about that, but I wanted to get all the exposition out of the way, and get to the main point of the story.