Man, I have been productive and, well, we've gotten to some of the good stuff now! This chapter along with the next (which I've already written, just doing some last minute editing now) are much bigger than I'd initially planned. No matter how much I edit, they always stick between 5000-6000 words give or take. At one point, the next chapter was at 8000 so there was some major editing there to try and cut it down a bit, I ended up shifting a bunch of scenes from there into this one and then, of course, that meant a little more editing on this one to smooth out the flow a bit... yeah, I've been busy.

Well, this is what came out of it all so, let's get to it!

~{}~{}~{}~{}~{}~

It wasn't a very long time before I met Sinbad again. Of course, this time it was a little more deliberate.

I really relished the look of complete and utter astonishment coupled with a whole lot of confusion and 'I really wanna protest about something but I don't know what, this is a weird situation that I wasn't prepared for' on his face.

To be fair, feasting and drinking with the Imuchakk tribe leader was likely the last place he expected to meet me again.

"Sinbad!" I howled, the booze - Sake? Rum? Mead? Ah, who cares - in my hand sloshing about as I toasted in his direction. "You sure took your damn time!"

"Ah, my children," the tribe leader boomed, addressing the two Imuchakk at Sinbad's side. "You've returned!"

Meanwhile, I think Sinbad was trying to have a silent conversation with me but I was a little too tipsy and he was a little too sober for it to work.

In a flash, the tribe leader had his weird-looking spear thing at Sinbad's throat. "And who is this stranger you have brought here?"

My chortling echoing in the background probably weren't helping much with the situation, I admit, but this was really good stuff I was drinking. Besides, it was cool to see that the tribe leader, even halfway to being drunk off his rockets, was a worthy warrior.

"Outsiders are not welcome here."

Sinbad's gaze slid back to me, silently asking for help as his two friends began to defend him.

I smiled slyly, letting him know that he got himself in this mess and I would not be getting him out. Instead, leaving Sinbad to his predicament, I let my eyes trail over his companions.

The real reason I was here.

There was a reason the Rukh called that weirdo Magi, Yunan the Ageless. For Sinbad, it had probably been weeks since we'd last met. For me, it had been months.

I'd lost track of Sinbad the moment Yunan separated us. Obviously. Even if I'd managed to figure out where he'd been sent off to, like I said, it'd been weeks.

So I followed my visions. Of some random blue-haired guy with muscles. I checked with Yunan and, after describing the guy, he pointed me to the Imuchakk Tribe. And since he was the one who separated me from the path all that time ago, he so kindly offered to send me there immediately.

~{}~{}~{}~{}~{}~

"Oh my god, stop crying, I only threatened you like six times!"

"So scary~!"

~{}~{}~{}~{}~{}~

And voila! There he was, the mysterious blue-haired guy with muscles.

Yeah, I think I like abs, I decided, tilting my head and staring at them. So very much. It's a shame I can't see half his face with that hair...

I don't really remember who the Imuchakk girl with them is though... Probably a relative going by the similarities.

In my musings, it seemed I missed a little reel about responsibilities and warriors.

While the blue-boy with abs bowed his head, I reached out to place a hand on the leader's arm.

"Now, now," I purred, putting out as many calming vibes as I could manage. I was sure Sinbad could worm his way out of this but it was taking far too long for my liking. "Don't be too harsh. Sinbad is a friend and a fine warrior. Besides, don't you have a festival to prepare for?"

The tribe leader frowned deeper and glanced suspiciously at Sinbad. "You know Aatiq?"

"Aatiq?" Sinbad repeated. I smirked when he looked at me questioningly. One day he'd stop being confused by the mysterious wonder that was me and learn to accept it instead.

For now, I nodded. "He knows Aatiq."

~{}~{}~{}~{}~{}~

We were talking over dinner when the tribe leader brought up the mysterious building had appeared at the northern waterfall, a short while after the boy had left-

-Hinahoho, Giant of the Sea, Warrior of the Imuchakk Tribe-

I scowled and shooed the images away. Anyway, it had arrived just before I had and damn, I remembered talking my ass off trying to convince the Imuchakk that I had nothing to do with it (I might've fought a giant or two in my frustration).

I watched as purple-ponytail firmly warned them against entering the dungeon, even going so far as to unsheathe his sword. I hissed and covered my eyes at the sharp glow from Baal's symbol.

"Is that your emblem as a capturer?" The tribe leader asked, seemingly reevaluating.

"Indeed," Sinbad confirmed. "The djinn from that Dungeon lives in here."

I suppressed the urge to correct him. After all, that wording wasn't quite right and that wasn't quite how it worked. Still, I left it. No point having to explain all that to them.

Their puny, mortal brains would implode.

I smiled as the leader offered Sinbad a bowl. "Courage is valued amongst the Imuchakk. It garners the greatest honour. I hope you forgive my earlier rudeness."

Sinbad accepted happily and our gazes met across the room. I winked.

"Anyway, as the leader of these people, I'm sure you wouldn't do something as reckless as allow them to enter the dungeon," I remarked, greedily scooping more stew into my own bowl. "Sinbad's right, it's rather dangerous."

At this, I stopped and looked at Hinahoho. I hadn't missed the jealous display in his body language and humans could be such idiots sometimes. My expression stayed casual but my words carried a little more weight. "It's really not worth it in the end."

He seemed uncomfortable at the sudden attention so I eased up by beaming at him. I shot a cheeky glance at Sinbad. "Eh, Sinbad, you should work out more. You'd be more bearable if you had abs."

"I do have-" he squawked indignantly before cutting himself off with a cough. "Sh-Shut up, Aatiq."

We sneered childishly at each other until the tribe leader began to laugh heartily. "Both of our guests are such courageous warriors. I shall trust your words and tell my men to steer clear of this... dungeon."

Papirika takes it upon herself to lighten the mood a bit further by revealing Hinahoho's crush. He turned out to be a bit of a mood killer but hey, his biceps were four times the size of mine so I forgave him by the time the festivities started.

~{}~{}~{}~{}~{}~

"H-Hold on!" Sinbad panicked as the king laughed and began to fill his bowl with booze. "Isn't that too much?! Ai- uh, Aatiq, share with me!"

Purple-Ponytail looked to me to take some, only to find me chugging my entire bowl down at once. As I swirled the last few drops on my tongue and wiped the back of my arm across my jaw, I lowered my bowl to chuckle at his dumbfounded face. It seemed this bod could process and fight of toxins rather well, which was cool, but it also meant it took a lot of alcohol to get me drunk.

"Don't be such a wimp, ponytail!" I reached over and slapped his shoulder. He winced and resigned himself to his fate.

Lucky for him, before he could drink more than a few gulps, some kids dragged him away laughing. I snickered.

Once he was out of sight, I took the time to look around while I waited for a refill. The Maharagan was really a sight to behold. There was fire and dancing and music and drinking and I decided that I liked it here, I really did.

It seemed I was the kind of person to fit in at a rowdy event like this.

I tucked that little bit of knowledge away for safekeeping as the tribe leader captured my attention. His gaze was lingering on Sinbad's figure moving around the party at the mercy of the little Imuchakk brats.

"He said he lived in a small village in Parthevia. That's a journey away, across the sea," he noted.

"Yes." I wondered where he was going with this.

"And so, how did you two meet? A boy from across the sea and the traveller who had never seen the sea before?" They locked eyes and she stayed silent. Even she wondered what kind of expression must be on her face right now. Ah, he found out.

I'd gotten so excited at the sight of the ocean.

I don't think I'd ever seen it before coming here.

"We met in that dungeon of his," I answered truthfully. "To be honest, that was the only time we'd met. But here we are, meeting again so soon."

My smile widened and I tilted my head innocently. "Almost like fate, don't you think?"

He watched me carefully, thoughtfully, before facing straight ahead. He looked terribly formal, I noted.

"You're a mysterious girl, Aatiq," he spoke. "I do not think you are a threat to the Imuchakk. But you are unknown and that is dangerous in itself. Still, you have the make of a fighter inside and out and for that you have my respect."

Respect. But not trust. Never trust.

I turned away from him and my smile softened. "I guess I can't ask for more than that."

The moment was quiet and cut short soon enough.

"Help meeeee!" At the moment, Sinbad was dragged past by the same laughing kids from earlier. He seemed distressed.

I waved gleefully as he went by.

"Traitooooorrrrrrrr!" He howled, vanishing into the crowd.

"Who do I have to charm to get a refill around here?" I exclaimed, waving my bowl around. "It's a festival after all!"

This really was a rather reliable body.

I didn't get a refill though.

No, because Sinbad zoomed past soon enough and, with an evil expression, took hold of my wrist to drag me along for the ride.

"Mwahahaha!"

"Idiot!"

"Revenge!" He cackled.

I scowled and dug my heels in. We didn't even slow down.

"What do they feed these kids, sugar and nightmares?!" I yowled.

~{}~{}~{}~{}~{}~

We eventually ended up around the bonfire. I'd snatched a bottle of booze from somewhere along the way and I took a swig from it every now and then while I danced around the fire.

"Where'd you learn to drink like that?!" Sinbad called, half in awe and half in horror.

I linked arms with him and laughed as we spun.

"Now, now," I teased, "I can't give away all my secrets."

"Of course you can't, Aatiq," he responded. "You ever gonna tell me your real name?"

I leaned in close and smirked. "Dunno. Are you ever gonna deserve it?"

I tapped him on the nose with a finger and leapt back. A wall of cheering Imuchakk moved between us before he could get me back and I waved at him from the other side.

Hinahoho and Papirika were nowhere in sight.

~{}~{}~{}~{}~{}~

I didn't sleep that night.

There was a brat in the roof.

He didn't notice me, crouching in the corner of Sinbad's room. I'd snuck in just after him. I think he would have noticed me had he not been so insanely fixated on Ponytail.

I didn't blame him for not sensing me either. I was unnatural, after all.

Still, I pushed down my laughter as Sinbad fended him off in his sleep. It was funny when I first saw the vision, partway through drunkenly singing nonsensical sea tunes with four other Imuchakk men, and it was sure as hell still funny now.

Sinbad woke up quickly though, meeting the assassin's blade with his sheathed sword. Of course, it ended how I expected, the assassin brat crouching over Sinbad after Sinbad used his own blade-on-a-string to pull him back down from the rafters.

What were those things called anyway? I doubted they were actually called blade-on-a-string.

Either way, I darted forward. The brat sensed the movement and looked over his shoulder in surprise just as I gathered up the back of his shirt in one hand and lifted him clear off the ground.

Using the other hand, I caught the blade he immediately threw at me between my index finger and thumb, having already expected it.

"Aw, Sinbad," I crooned. "Is this toddler bothering you? Need some help?"

"I got this," Sinbad said, holding his sword out. Baal's symbol glows and my face dropped.

"Hold on, wait just a-"

~{}~{}~{}~{}~{}~

"I said I was sorry!" Sinbad whimpered, as I added more weight on my foot and pressed him flatter against the floorboards.

My white hair was frizzed and slightly charred at the ends, static keeping most of the loose strands suspended in the air. My fingers felt tingly still from lingering electricity. Nearby, the assassin brat was firmly tied up while Hinahoho and Papirika sympathetically observed Sinbad's punishment.

"You electrocuted me," I hissed. "Sorry. Isn't. Good. Enough."

"Uh, Aatiq," Hinahoho tentatively spoke up. "I, um, I think he gets it."

I scowled at him and the Imuchakk retreated immediately. "B-But you know, what would I know, I wasn't the one electrocuted, do as you see fit..."

Papirika sighed in the background as I stuck my nose up and let Sinbad go. Ponytail immediately scrambled to get behind his saviour as I crossed my arms and huffed.

"It hurt, ya know," I complained. I quickly zeroed in on the assassin brat. "Of course, he wouldn't have done so if this pathetic little pipsqueak hadn't broken in."

The brat glared defiantly at me as I moved closer.

"Spill," I ordered. "Who the hell are you? Are you one of those Parthevian pests? Solomon, those guys are so annoying..."

White hair. Freckles. Advisor to a King.

I blinked as more visions interrupted. Huh. He's actually important.

Does that mean I can't maim him a little?

"Uh, maybe ease up a little, Aatiq," Sinbad spoke up, heading over to stand next to her. "He's just a kid."

I sighed and acquiesced, taking a step back. If the brat really was important, than Sinbad should be the one to deal with it after all. Future king and all.

I proceeded to watch with disdain as he proceeded to treat the brat like any other kid, despite the fact that he was an assassin. Only Sinbad would treat someone who made an attempt on his life barely moments ago like this. Just because they're a kid.

Am I a kid?

I stopped at the thought, successfully distracted.

Well, I was physically still a kid. I looked younger than Sinbad, I knew that much but I couldn't really judge age well yet. I had no idea how old I was supposed to be. I was kind of a kid mentally, but also kind of not. I was childish, but could I be considered a child? With all my knowledge and complexity?

Yunan had asked this question, hadn't he? I still didn't have an answer.

What even am I?

I was distracted too long.

Sudden movement alerted me as the kid cut through his bindings and lunged for Sinbad, blade glinted, surprise flashing on Ponytail's face and I moved just as the smoke bomb went off-

When the smoke cleared, the brat was gone and Sinbad had dodged but it wouldn't have matter because I had engulfed both the small blade and the brat's fingers with my bare hand. I had felt it yanked through my grasp and split skin. Now, I stood in front of Sinbad with blood dripping from my fingertips, glaring at the cut rope on the floor.

It happened so fast.

"He's gone," I announced.

"Where did they come from?" That was Hinahoho.

A gasp. "Aatiq, you're bleeding!" Papirika. It seemed they hadn't attacked anyone else. It was just a simple rescue attempt, a successful one at that.

She sounded a bit panicked though. Ah yes, I mused, they couldn't see the wound, just the blood. They didn't know it was just a few little cuts on her palm and fingers.

Though there are a lot of nerve endings in the palm and it was stinging-

I ignored it and made sure I was smiling before I turned around. (I've never really felt the pain of a blade before, this is interesting)

"Don't worry, just a shallow cut," I reassured her. I curled my fingers in and cradled my other hand under it, trying to keep the blood from dripping on the floor. Well, more than it already had. There were a few drops already.

"Who were those guys?" Hinahoho questioned, looking mighty worried.

Sinbad looked at me. "They must be from the Parthevian army. They were probably sent to capture me."

"Likely," I acknowledged. "They certainly weren't after me, they had no way of knowing that I was here. I know I sure as hell didn't leave a trail."

Yunan-teleport. Very reliable.

"Wait," Papirika stopped them. The siblings looked a bit bewildered. "That means you're a wanted man. But why?"

"I betrayed my country amongst other things." He quickly reached out to push my hands down as I started conspicuously counting his crimes on my fingers.

"Aren't you scared?" Hinahoho frowned. "You can never return home and you'll be targeted by assassins all your life."

"If only he was smart enough to feel fear," I sighed, edging my way past them. "Well, I'm gonna go find a clean rag or two to clean this blood off. Seeya later, Ponytail."

I left Sinbad spouting something about destiny and obstacles. I'd done my part and those assassins weren't coming back anytime soon. Besides the sun was coming up and the time between my visions was getting shorter and shorter, like a ticking clock.

I had a feeling that the look on Hinahoho's face had something to do with it.

~{}~{}~{}~{}~{}~

My instincts were proving to be quite adept in this life. Soon enough, Papirika found her nearby the house. The Imuchakk girl has a piece of paper scrunched up in her hands and looked like she was about to cry.

I scowled.

"M-My brother... the dungeon," she gasped. "You have to help us. Aatiq, please."

I pushed off the ground with an irritated groan. "I'll go get him, I guess. Though, just in case, maybe you should go find Sinbad too. I have a really bad feeling about this."

Papirika nodded and ran off, by all means a girl on a mission while I stretched. My back and shoulders cracked in three different places and I breathed out. Then I set off at a decent pace, heading for the northern waterfall.

How troublesome.

I had a really bad feeling about this.

~{}~{}~{}~{}~{}~

"How in the holy hell do I get down there?" I muttered, crouching at the edge of the snowy cliff. The stupid dungeon was surrounded by waterfalls on a little island of its own. It had two bridges from the island to...

"Are those caves? Do I have to trudge my way through a freakin' cave just to get to the dungeon and then trudge my way through the freakin' dungeon to save this idiot's ass?" I complained, rocking back on my feet with a long, intolerant sigh.

"My, my, still as impatient and lazy as ever." A few excited White Rukh heralded his arrival.

"Still a creepy stalker as always," I retorted, leaning backwards and tilting my head up. Yunan smiled down at me. "Are you ever going to stop popping out of nowhere? It's super weird."

"How else do you travel?" He wondered innocently. I squinted at him suspiciously but he seemed to be genuinely unaware of any other transport. Weirdo.

Ooh. Transport.

"Can you save me some time and just, you know, zap me down there?" I asked cheerily, the too-wide smile probably giving my intentions away.

"Eh, that would be a very irresponsible use of ma-"

I growled.

"But anything for a friend," he backtracked quickly, lifting his staff. Under his breath, he murmured to himself, "How scary..."

"Hey, you're waiting for Sinbad to pop up, aren't you?" I realised suddenly.

"Hmm? Oh, yes, I might be keeping an eye on him for a bit," Yunan confirmed. There was an moment of hesitation in which he was obviously debating whether or not admit it. Still, I let it slide for now. (What an interesting concept, a Magi untrusting of a Rukh-)

"Can you tell him to hurry the fuck up?" I requested darkly. "I don't remember signing up to babysit a giant blue baby. It's his future associate, I don't see why the son of a-"

Yunan sweatdropped and waved his staff.

In a flash, the landscape changed around me and I landed on my butt with a small yelp. My surprise was quickly overtaken by my joy as I realised Yunan had nicely deposited me right outside of the dungeon entrance. Irritation shortly followed.

He cut me off, the jerk.

I dusted the snow off my clothes and glanced over my shoulder to find Yunan happily waving at from the cliffs.

Yeah no.

I turned on my heel and stalked into the dungeon. Weirdo.

~{}~{}~{}~{}~{}~

"Man, if only dungeons weren't so lethal and all," I remarked, admiring the shimmering, crystal-covered walls of the cave. "They'd make really nice tourist attractions."

Speaking of lethal, I turned a harsh glare on the little butterflies flittering around the place. They kind of reminded me of how the Rukh might've looked if we - they - weren't so glowy and shiny.

That bugged me.

I was reminded yet again of how unnatural my current existence was when the butterflies seemed to feel my enmity and instantly steered clear. Even the ones who had already landed on me quickly launched themselves in the air again.

Ah, they're much smarter than those dragons in the last dungeon.

I noted the abandoned butterfly corpses on the floor, fresh, indicating that I probably wasn't far behind the blue idiot. Though, he was nowhere to be seen and I didn't see any footsteps or tracks to follow.

White wings fluttered past, standing out amongst the purple, and I followed them to find a small cluster of White Rukh hovering over the river nearby.

I glared. "Oh no. No, no, no, no, no. Not even if his life depended on it."

The Rukh remained obstinate.

"Oh yeah, easy for you to say" I protested sharply. "It is freezing in here. I have actual skin with actual nerves now."

The Rukh fluttered about each other a bit before starting to drift downstream. The message was clear. If you want to catch up faster and help, this is the quickest way.

I hesitated. Oh, goddamn it...

~{}~{}~{}~{}~{}~

I latched onto the nearest rock in the middle of the river, and scrambled onto it the second I saw that familiar blue ponytail. Hissing like an angry wet cat, I got as high as I could and as far away from the splashing water and narrowed my eyes at him.

Hinahoho looked surprised to see me, but not as much as he looked terrified.

"You," I snarled. "You did this."

"A-A-Aatiq," he stammered. Oh, if only I had claws like a cat, I'd rip his-

"Get me the hell off this rock!" I howled and he leapt into action, muttering frantic apologies.

It was a long, arduous process involving Hinahoho getting back into the water. I then mounted his head, curling around his shoulders as he carried across to the shore. And if he said I used my position to my advantages and dunked his head underwater several times during, well, he's a liar then, isn't he?

"Aatiq, what are you-" he began to ask as soon as we were safely back on land but I slapped a hand over his mouth, my eyes burning into his.

"Don't," I said, folding my arms across my chest huffily. "Just keep going. I'm right behind you."

"I can do this on my-"

"Move." My eyes glowed.

"Yes ma'am," He spluttered, heading off immediately.

I grimaced as I wrung the cold water from my sodden white locks. My clothes clung to me uncomfortably and carried the chill to my bones. Hinahoho (Solomon, that name is far too long. Let's call him Blue) was lucky that this body wouldn't get sick so easily or I might've killed him and blamed it on the dungeon.

In fact, I surveyed his broad back thoughtfully. No one would know...

The White Rukh swept past me like the pests they were and I rolled my eyes.

"I know, I know," I grumbled, "I wasn't actually going to..."

"Wasn't going to what?"

"Did I say you could stop?"

"S-Sorry!"

Giving my hair one last good twist, I swept it back over my shoulder and made to follow Blue.

I'd take the dragons over this any day.

~{}~{}~{}~{}~{}~

"Oh, what a cute crab," I deadpanned as the ground beneath Blue's feet heaved upwards to give way to the monstrous, crystal-embedded creature. Blue let out a yell and I crept over to the side.

He leapt free of its claw and swiped his spear, severing multiple legs.

I grimaced. "How gross and quite rude to be honest."

"Rude?!" Blue exclaimed.

"Well, we are technically the intruders in this crab's lovely home. How would you feel if someone broke into your house and cut off your legs?" I explained, apparently to deaf ears since the crab had taken a swipe at Blue, digging a line into his back.

I watched blankly as he plunged into the waters below. When I looked up, the crab was staring at me. (Hesitating, watching, what is this unnatural being-)

"I should probably go get him," I informed it. I liked to think that was a welcoming glint in its eye but alas, I would not be so lucky. "Yeah, you're nasty."

A flick of the wrist sent a small dagger deep in its eye and it screeched, staggering back and making a run for it.

I looked back at the water where Blue had yet to emerge.

"I should really go get him."

I didn't move.

Blue burst from the water like a geyser, bringing yet another crab up with him. He seemed a bit stressed.

"Oh there you are," I commented blandly. "I was just about to go get you."

"You can start helping anytime!"

It's newly detached pincer landed barely a metre from me and I frowned. Now I definitely don't wanna help him. Besides, he was making that 'I'm taking a stand' face. I wouldn't want to get in his way.

It probably had nothing to do with how boring these crabs were. I wanted a real fight, not Wrestling-with-Seafood 101.

Thankfully, the boredom didn't last long as two familiar and two unfamiliar presences arrived behind me. I looked up as a blade whizzed past to bury itself in the second crab.

"Oh look, it's the scaredy cat Parthevian brat and the whiny little assassin brat," I announced, relishing the way the aforementioned two twitched.

My gaze slowly followed them as they passed Blue to retrieve the weird weapon, revealing the key to the door in the process. Silently, I stalked over to Blue, ready to spring into action if they so much as glared in his direction.

Blue exploded just before I reached him. "Just a minute! That key is mine!"

I facepalmed as whiny-little-assassin-brat recognised him. "You were with Sinbad last night."

Then the shortie focused in on me. "And you." Oh, he didn't seem too pleased with me.

Using that to my advantage, I tilted my head and let my eyes go wide. "You're that kid, right? The temperamental kid who Sinbad scolded?"

Whiny-little-assassin-brat tensed, eyes narrowing to slits.

"You'll have to forgive me if I forget your name," I smiled sweetly. "I've met so many brats recently, I can hardly remember them all."

"You little-" he snapped, moving to lunge at me, blade in hand. He was stopped by Drakon's voice.

"Enough. She's just trying to draw your attention away from her moronic companion. We'll head to the treasure vault. Sinbad is bound to end up there anyway," the green-haired Parthevian commanded, turning away from us.

"Aw, have you forgotten me already, little Drakon?" I cooed, watching him falter a little at the nickname. "After all, I haven't seen you since our good old friend Sinbad punched the living shit out of you and claimed that dungeon's power from right beneath your grubby little nose. I was rooting for him, ya know?"

Drakon's hand twitched towards his sword and the two unfamiliar faces exchanged wary looks with each other. I spotted something in his other hand.

"And is that a dungeon weapon I spy there? Oh my, he didn't just take that power, he left you to scramble for his sold-off leftovers. Or perhaps you were just a charity case."

You know, pissing Parthevian brats off is actually kind of fun. My grin widened cheekily as I slowly edged away from Blue. That's it, don't look at him, look at me-

I missed their next reaction though because I got distracted by Blue's eyes glowing red. We all got little warning before his attack, a swing of his spear knocking the two unfamiliar faces back. They recovered quickly But even I had to jump out of the way of that attack.

"Oi, ally here," I snapped irritably.

"I don't need protection," Blue replied, his body practically glowing with the excess power. Oh, had I annoyed him while trying to save his pathetic life? My bad.

"Fine, fine," I grouched, backing off with a roll of my eyes, "have at it. Get yourself killed for all I care."

I spat the last four words out like poison, just so he'd know how much he was annoying me right now. By the time I turned back to face our enemies, they'd mutated into something different, something wrong.

"Gross," I muttered, staring at the extended, contorted limbs and bulging muscles. "What the hell is this?"

The White Rukh that had been fluttering around me abruptly changed course, fleeing the newly-formed monsters. Bulging-Muscles hit first, plunging his fist into the ground with a roar.

I dug my heels in against the blast of air and earth, gritting my teeth. "Motherfu-"

Contorting-Limbs wrapped around Blue, restraining him. I jerked back as Assassin-Brat raced towards me, looking particularly vindictive as he shot multiple blades at me.

A white glow spread from my fingertips towards to my elbows and I knocked them all aside, leaping backwards to create a bit of distance so I could take a moment to think-

His eyes widened in surprise but he recovered quickly, closing the gap between us even quicker. I threw my arms up, glowing still, to block his blades, catching the tiny glint from his shoe just slightly too late.

What followed was what I'd call a fabulous display of sheer skill and flexibility as I threw myself backwards, bending almost painfully at the hip as I twisted towards my lower left in to watch the sharp knife scrape past my face.

Holy crap, way too close, way too close to my eye, the little shit-

A few strands of bright white hair floated slowly to the ground as I rolled away. There was a very shallow cut just at my hairline but I'd escaped having my eyes gouged out by the brat's shoe so I considered it a small victory.

"Bararaq Saiqa."

I blanched and we shot apart as blinding blue strikes of lightning crashed down around us. The assassins regrouped.

I scowled at how close I'd come to being electrocuted. Again.

"When we get out of here," I shouted, "I'm giving you some goddamn accuracy lesson, Ponytail!"

Sinbad shot me an amused smirk before sliding down the slope to join us. "Man, that was a close one, Hina. Though, I didn't expect to see you here, Aatiq."

"Eh? Papirika didn't tell you?" I blinked, heading over to my allies. "I came to save Blue from his own idiocy."

"Sinbad, why are you here?" Blue asked dumbly, wisely choosing to simply ignore my last comment. When Sinbad merely congratulated him on making it so far, Blue slowly facepalmed.

"You're such a moron," I breathed. "And late."

"Eh, I came as quick as I could," Sinbad complained. I still punched him in the shoulder when I reached his side. Lighter than I usually would but he had just kind of saved our skins.

The smug look on his face really tempted me to punch him again at full strength though. It just screamed 'you held back. You're warming up to me, aren't you'.

"It's been a while, Sinbad," Drakon spoke up, breaking the moment and saving Sinbad from his fate. Unfortunately, the general seemed to have moved on from my earlier jabs. How sad. I was kind of looking forward to fighting him.

"Huh?" Sinbad stared at them blankly before looking to Blue and I. "Who are they again? When it comes to a lady's face, I'll never forget but guys are a different story."

I pinched the bridge of my nose in disappointment.

"Swine," Drakon stated. I looked at him in exasperation.

"Is it too late to switch sides?" I inquired, edging away from the purple-haired pig.

Suddenly I stopped.

My head snapped to the left to zero in on the lady at Drakon's side. Her face was covered and her eyes closed but she held a staff in her hand and the black wings of Rukh shimmered around her, invisible to the others. The lady stiffened but didn't open her eyes.

"And who might you be?" I hummed, my lips curving mischievously. My eyes held my threat that if I didn't like her answer...

"Huh? Aatiq, is something wrong?" Sinbad questioned.

"Aatiq? I thought her name was Aisha," Drakon frowned, regarding me uncertainly.

"Aisha? Who's Aisha?" Blue wondered.

"Aatiq," Sinbad answered.

"What about Aatiq?" Blue seemed confused.

"Aatiq is Aisha," Sinbad simplified.

"But Aatiq is Aatiq."

"That's what I thought about Aisha," Drakon commented.

"You thought Aisha was Aatiq?"

"No, I thought Aisha was Ai- Enough with the incessant babbling," Drakon snapped.

"Look, Aatiq used to call herself Aisha but now she's Aatiq," Sinbad finished. "Right Aa-"

He paused at the empty space at his side. "She's gone."

Assassin-Brat shrugged and pointed to Drakon's side where the mystery woman had also vanished. "She tackled Falan and they both disappeared."

"... I'm sorry?"

~{}~{}~{}~{}~{}~

As hilarious as the whole name fiasco was, a butterfly had alighted on the mystery woman's staff, drawing my attention back to her. Seconds later, it drifted to the floor and shattered upon impact.

Black wings, dark magic, the death of worlds-

That was enough for me (I'd already been brimming with urge, I want to fight-) and I had launched myself forward to tackle the masked woman. Before a sound could be made, our surroundings shifted and we landed on the floor of an empty cavern.

None of the boys were in sight.

We had teleported before even Sinbad could sense the major killing intent I was emitting. That's how fast her magic had been.

The lady wedged her staff between us and used it to shove me away. In an instant, she was on her feet and I bared my teeth at her as I stood.

"You're not natural," the woman spoke, by all accounts calm if it weren't for the burning accusation behind her words.

"You're one to talk," I replied, my eyes tracing the path of the few Black Rukh surrounding her.

"I am Falan, the imperial advisor sorcerer. Who are you?"

"Hello, Falan the imperial advisor sorcerer. That's a long name, can I just call you Fal?" I sneered.

"Does creature like you even have a name?" Falan wondered.

"I have a couple that I'm debating," I grinned. "I'll let you know when I decide on one. You know, if I haven't killed you by then."

"How crude," Falan said.

"Eh, it's your people who attacked us first. How savage."

"Yes, the Sham Lash assassins," Falan murmured. Even her voice sent shivers up my spine. "They were rather poor in their performance. I'd best get back before they let them escape."

"Oi, don't skip out now," I smirked. "We were having such a nice conver-"

"Thalg Hajar."

I sucked in a breath and leapt back, feeding tons of power into the air.

There was a huge flash of light and a rush of cold air. When I finally opened my eyes, Falan was gone, leaving a giant sculpture of jagged ice in her place. The light faded, my defence receding with it now that the threat was gone.

Her damn magic, so fast-

I breathed out, staggering sideways to lean against the cave walls.

"Making me use so much of my power this early in the game," I muttered. "What a monster."

My eye twitched. "And what the hell was with leaving me stranded here?! The fuck?!"

It seemed she'd planned this extremely well, since one side of the tunnel was a dead end, just a wall of stone and crystal. The other side was completely blocked off, the spikes of ices reaching right up to the top, from one side of the tunnel to the other.

Nowhere to go.

I sighed and let my head thunk against the wall I was leaning against. "Damn."

I couldn't climb, the gap was too narrow at the top and far too pointy with all those ice spears. I suppose I could chip away at the walls (better the walls than that ice) but that would consume a lot of magoi and it was probably wiser to preserve as much as possible with Falan still running around.

Besides, I wasn't even at full power after blocking that shit. As a being whose existence relied on magic, I had to be careful with how much I used. Even I didn't know what would happen if I used up all my magoi.

"Damn it, Valefor," I grumbled. "Baal was so much more accomodating than this and that's saying something. He made a nice little path for me and everything."

'You want a nice little path?'

I stiffened.

'Well, why didn't you just say so?'

The sound of shifting stone echoed throughout my little cavern and I laughed. "Where have you been, you old geezer?"

'Waiting for you to be alone, of course. Do hurry up.'

I smiled and, once I was sure I wasn't too weak, I made my way to the neat little passageway that the djinn had so kindly opened for me. I stepped inside and the stone sealed shut behind me.

~{}~{}~{}~{}~{}~

Yep. Ta-da!

Look, I couldn't make it any better, ok, I really need a beta or something... Anyway, the next chapter is probably more action-packed and definitely my favourite to write so far so expect an update within the next few days. I have so much free time right now so I've turned into a writing fiend. Updates will probably slow down and take longer soon enough but for now, I'm aiming to pump out as many chapters as possible. My goal is to get through as much of the Adventures of Sinbad as possible before I have to start actually living my life again. Wish me luck...

Ok, until next time!

- Dragon