Dawn came, its golden reach washing the stars and darkness away like an ocean tide. The residents of the inn were busy as they got things in order for the coming journey. There was still a great deal to do: packing, planning, establishing travel arrangements, and—worst of all—goodbyes.
Alibert would not be joining them. Yugo's heart wrenched sideways each time he thought about it. He didn't know what he would do if he lost his father, the man who raised him, gave him unconditional love from the moment Grougaloragran brought them together, and kept on giving it even after Yugo discovered his "true" family. Just the thought was enough to make his eyes burn from wanting to cry.
Yugo looked up at the sound of something rough scraping against the doorframe; Adamaï was doing his best to fit through without bumping into it, and failing. "Hey bro," Yugo said, doing his best to give Adamaï a brave smile. "Got everything packed." He patted the haven bag that contained all the personal belongings they might need on the trip, which he had finished packing himself just moments ago.
"Good." Adamaï paused and dipped his head downward, slowly moving it from side to side as he stretched his neck muscles.
"Still achy?"
"And stiff," Adamaï replied, shaking his neck and shoulder muscles. "Still have to lay off the shapeshifting for a few days too unless I can get an Eniripsa to look at it." He looked down at his brother again. "You doing alright?"
Yugo slung the bag's strap over his shoulder and got to his feet. It was a silly question; he knew Adamaï could sense his distress over what was happening. "I'm worried about dad," he replied anyway. "Gotta let the others know, too. Tell them to stay away for a while."
"Right." Adamaï nodded. He could feel the worry rolling off his brother like morning mist but could think of no words of comfort for Yugo, not with the source for the worries being so real. "I'm gonna go check up on the others. Dr. Pirwit said we would have to leave soon to catch the noon train to Bonta."
"I'll be quick," Yugo said, turning to his desk and taking a few sheaves of paper from a drawer.
Adamaï checked the size of the room again and found that it was too small for him to turn around without knocking something over in the process. He slowly backed out into the hall and left Yugo to write his letters, then poked his head into Qilby's room to see how the old Eliatrope was getting on with the packing.
All books had been cleared from the room, and only a few stray pieces of paper were now left on the desk. Qilby himself stood by the bed and the open haven bag that rested on it, sorting through more of his notes before they were to be put away.
The dragon left Qilby to his work and continued down the hall and through their portion of the inn until he came to the kitchen. Alibert was busy preparing food and drink for the few remaining guests and packing food for their journey. The good humored expression that Adamaï had come to know and appreciate was nowhere to be found on Alibert's face today, instead replaced with a look of distant worry.
It felt awful to leave Alibert behind, but Adamaï admired him for his dedication to his duties as mayor of Emelka. Leaving the town during a time of looming crisis would be the worst possible thing to do, something that Alibert knew well enough to choose to remain. It was something Adamaï hoped his brother might aspire to as well. Even as the leader of a small town Alibert made a good role model for a young king in that respect.
"Ah, Adamaï," Alibert said as he looked up from his preparations and gave the dragon a warm smile. "Almost done packing this up. Also," he turned to Adamaï, his eyes on the dragon's shoulders. "They just found Phyllis a few minutes ago, she's in the common room. She's a bit shaken up from being locked in her own supply closet but she should be able to look after your back if you ask her."
"Oh, thank you," Adamaï said, still a bit overwhelmed by the concern Alibert never failed to show for him. That was another thing to be admired about Alibert; his accepting nature meant that even potentially terrifying creatures such as Adamaï and Grougaloragran were welcomed in as part of the family. "I'll do that."
Phyllis was seated at a round table near the center of the common room when Adamaï entered, her hands cupped around a steaming mug of tea. There was no sign of injury on the woman, but she had a disheveled look about her, made evident by the closed way she held herself and the messiness of her hair. She looked up with a start when Adamaï approached her table, having been lost in thought as she drank her tea.
"Sorry to bother you, Phyllis. I was wondering if you could help with my back, I hurt it last night," Adamaï said, shrugging his shoulders again in an attempt to relieve his tight muscles.
"Of course." Phyllis put the mug down and pushed her chair back. She drew her brush from a small loop on her belt and hurried over to Adamaï's side. "Here?" She placed a finger on his spine, right between his wings.
"Yeah," Adamaï replied, one eye on Phyllis as he spoke.
"Slow healing would be best for this," Phyllis mumbled, her mind already focused on her task. "Combined with some good rest for a few days, you should be good as new." She swept her brush along the scales of Adamaï's back, tracing a character there as she muttered in a language he couldn't understand.
The ache began to ease as the spell did its work. Adamaï shook himself when she stepped away, glad to have most of the discomfort gone. "Thanks, I really appreciate it," he gave Phyllis a careful smile, wary of accidentally frightening her by showing too many teeth.
"Just remember to take it easy for a few days," Phyllis returned a smile of her own as she stepped back. "It's well on the way to being healed but you're still at risk for—" she paused, having noticed someone entering from the kitchen.
"—Reinjury due to overexertion," Qilby finished as he walked over to them.
"Seriously?" Adamaï gave Qilby an annoyed glare, frustrated at the handicap he would still have to deal with.
Qilby crossed the length of floor between them and ran his fingers over the injury, half his attention on Adamaï's face as he noted the dragon's reaction to the pressure he was putting on it. "Shapeshifting in non-stressful situations should be fine for you as long as you're careful," he concluded as he lowered his arm. "But I still have to advise against using it in battle for now."
" That I can live with," Adamaï admitted, his annoyance easing somewhat. The flexibility that shapeshifting offered in combat would be missed but at least he wouldn't be stuck in an inconveniently large form for the time being. He turned and started to walk toward the kitchen and the back rooms, where he would be able to shift to his humanoid form with as little disturbance as possible.
Chibi and Grougal were in the kitchen when Adamaï entered, the young Eliatrope clinging to Alibert's pant leg while his dragon brother hovered nearby. "Please, Daddy," Chibi sobbed as he tugged on the thick fabric. "Come with us!"
"Now now, just let me finish this," Alibert's voice was gentle as he packed away the last bit of food for their journey. He closed the lid on the basket and knelt down so he could address Chibi at eye level. "Chibi," he took the boy's small hands in his own. "My life will be in danger regardless of where I am, in Bonta or here in Emelka. The best chance we have now is for a cure to be found."
"But why can't you come with us?" Chibi broke in again as a fresh wave of tears began to flow down his face.
"Because there are many other children here with mommies and daddies that I need to do my best to protect," Alibert replied gently.
Chibi's tears began to slow as he realized the importance of Alibert's duty, his thoughts going to the families of his playmates and the grief they would feel should they lose their loved ones. His lips trembled all the same as he came again to the possibility of losing Alibert.
"I know it's hard, especially for someone so young," Alibert cupped Chibi's hands between his own, temporarily hiding them from view. "But I need you to be as strong as you can right now. Just wait and see," He released Chibi's hands, and the young Eliatrope jumped into his arms a moment after.
Grougal took up a place beside Alibert, near enough to show his fondness but not so close that they touched.
Adamaï shifted, trying to relieve stiff muscles but not wanting to interrupt the moment. The dragon knew Alibert was scared himself, and yet he was still able to handle Chibi's fears so admirably well. He genuinely hoped that the Enutrof would make it through this ordeal alive.
Alibert spotted Adamaï and gave him a small nod, then returned his attention to soothing Chibi.
The dragon took this as confirmation that Alibert had everything under control and started on to the hallway beyond. It was then that he noticed Qilby standing beside him, just far back enough that he was hidden from Adamaï by the dragon's own wing. Qilby appeared to have his attention focused on something on the other side of the room, well away from where Alibert stood with Chibi and Grougal. Adamaï unfurled his wing enough to bump Qilby's shoulder, then nodded toward the hallway and started walking.
Qilby followed in silence, and Adamaï couldn't help but wonder what might be going through the old Eliatrope's head at this very moment. His attention was focused elsewhere, though whether on a memory or on present matters Adamaï could not guess.
"Hey Ad."
Adamaï looked to the front and found Yugo standing before him in the hall. "Hey bro," he replied. "Ready to go?"
Yugo nodded. "Yeah, I'm ready now. You?"
"Almost," Adamaï began to shift as he answered the question. Even after the healing he'd received he could feel the ache of his injury in sharp detail. He couldn't help but wince as he finished changing, causing Yugo to step forward in concern. "It's okay," Adamaï waved his brother off and rolled his shoulders to loosen them up. "Just a bit achy when I shift."
The worry on Yugo's face lessened slightly at the explanation, and he turned to Qilby instead. "You all ready to go, Qilby?" he asked.
Qilby gave him a nod and turned to show Yugo the bag slung over his shoulder. "Everything is ready."
"Right," Yugo's gaze drifted to the floor and lingered there for a moment before coming back up to Adamaï's face. "Guess it's time for us to head out."
Soon the group was gathered on the grass before the inn, the merchant who would take them to the station on his way to the next town ready and waiting with his wagon on the road just beyond. Chibi said his goodbyes to Alibert first, flinging himself into the Enutorf's arms and shedding a few more tears as he told his father to stay safe.
Yugo hung back, allowing Chibi to finish his goodbyes. Adamaï was about to nudge his brother with an elbow when Yugo started forward, his face tense with the tears he was trying to hold back. The Eliatrope threw himself into Alibert's arms, just as Chibi had done before him, and held him tight for a few long moments.
"I promise I'll be here when you get back," Alibert said quietly, patting Yugo on the shoulder.
"Okay." Yugo mumbled. Holding back tears was painful; Yugo knew how fragile that promise was with the state of things now, but he clung to it all the same. For now he would have to wait and hope that Qilby figured out a cure before Alibert was lost to the Red Plague like so many others.
The smooth curves and shining metal of the train station's architecture stood in stark contrast to the rugged nature that surrounded it. It felt new, modern, and everything about it sang the praises of the Sufokians who built it. Construction of the transcontinental railways had been among the first joint efforts put forward by the newly-emerged nation to help modernize the surface world, and every region with a functioning stop had benefited from it. Cheaper than a Zaap for the average person, and a journey that could be taken in comfort and in the knowledge that their valuables would be safe from petty bandits. This station—and its Bonta route—had only been completed within the last week.
Yugo still felt gloomy thanks to the worry that weighed on him. He'd already come close to losing his father on several occasions, and again he found himself dreading the possibility of losing him for good this time. The fact that he'd gotten such little sleep the night before was no help either.
Something bumped Yugo's hat, just hard enough to disrupt his train of thought. He took a half step back and looked up, surprised to find that it was Qilby—more specifically the bag slung over his shoulder—that had touched him.
The old Eliatrope's attention was focused on the gleaming piece of machinery that stood on its track at the end of the platform, the very engine that would be speeding them off to Bonta in short order. There was an almost-precarious tilt to the way Qilby stood now, balanced on the balls of his feet as his gaze flicked along the engine's pipes and wheels, trying to take in everything at once. He was clearly fascinated by it, and Yugo realized that it was possible he'd never witnessed an advanced piece of technology that he himself had not built, save for those belonging to the Mechasms. It was almost enough to get a chuckle out of him at the thought that someone as old as Qilby was impressed by something built by the people of the World of Twelve.
"A marvelous machine, yes?" Pirwit said as he drew level with the group. "Sufokia is such a generous kingdom. They built this as a gift of peace to the surface nations, and they even help fund and supply equipment to the Institute," he glanced at Qilby as he spoke, but the old Eliatrope's attention was still elsewhere. The doctor moved over to Qilby with his typical silent gait and came to stand at his right elbow. "You know, the engineer would likely be pleased to tell you about her charge if you asked." Pirwit nodded toward a human in blue overalls and a purple shirt who busily hurried about the train's engine, checking parts or making adjustments as she saw fit.
Qilby took a half step toward the engine before catching himself. He let out a long sigh, his face beginning to turn red as he glared at the ground. "I have to ask for permission," he grumbled to no one in particular.
Yugo looked at Qilby, then to the train and its engineer. "If someone goes with you as a guard you can," he said with a tired shrug. Lack of sleep was starting to catch up to him, but Qilby's protection still took first priority.
"I'll keep an eye on him," Adamaï offered, taking a step forward.
"What?" Yugo turned to look at his brother, surprised that Adamaï would offer to do something for Qilby of all people when they could just as easily tell him to sit tight and stay with the group. "Why?"
Adamaï shrugged. "Curiosity," his eyes were focused on the train engine as he spoke, but Yugo could sense that he had something else on his mind. He looked back to Yugo when the Eliatrope didn't reply. "I'm serious, bro. I'll keep an eye on Qilby while you get some rest."
"Let's find our seats first, though. You'll know where to find us once it's time to leave."
[Reached station. No sign of Prince's forces yet. Remaining alert.]
It was strange to see Qilby this excited. He was standing up straighter now, occasionally gesturing with his arm to add emphasis, and actually had a smile on his face as he spoke with the engineer. While nowhere close to how energetic some of their friends could get while discussing something they were passionate about, it was a marked difference from what Qilby was like even while masquerading as the Eliatrope King in Sadida.
Mari, the stocky brown haired Sufokian who maintained and ran the train, was more on the level of Yugo's friends in terms of excitement. She was absolutely ecstatic over someone with Qilby's intelligence asking about her charge and how it worked, gesturing enthusiastically as she answered questions and gave explanations of the technology behind the vehicle. It was powered by a fusion of Stasis and steam, both hallmarks of Sufokian technology and the first being one that Qilby was familiar with thanks to his dealings with the Mechasms.
"So how did you solve the stability issue?" Qilby asked, looking again at the engine and then back to Mari.
"We use a pretty robust shock absorption system and a lot of insulation to keep out Wakfu influence." Mari cupped her hands to illustrate the protection that shielded the Stasis core from the outside. "Barely any vibration actually gets to the core itself, and the steam system is built into the insulation." She paused and retrieved a brass pocket watch from the front pocket of her overalls and opened it to check the time. "I have to finish the final check before we head out, but if you'd like to come up to the engine once we get going I'd love to talk to you more."
"It depends on my escort," Qilby replied, looking back to Adamaï.
"I'll come with. Things have been interesting so far." It was true, though it wasn't just the train that interested him. Adamaï crossed his arms over his chest and straightened a little, and the ache between his shoulderblades grew slightly. He was still sore from the previous night, but at least back in fighting shape for the most part. Suspicion that Qilby might be working against them was fading away, but he was still far from liking the Eliatrope in any way, shape, or form. As Yugo had said, though, in the end it wouldn't pay to be cruel to him. "We can visit once we've had something to eat in the compartment."
A flash of blue caught Adamaï's notice as he and Qilby turned to the train, and he looked up just in time to spot Fennius boarding the second train car. The feca had made no mention of travelling to Bonta when they bid farewell to him early that morning, but the possibility of his deciding to tag along at the last minute didn't surprise Adamaï. Yugo tended to have that effect on people, so there was no doubt in the dragon's mind that they would be seeing Fennius again in short order.
The train lurched into motion shortly after Qilby and Adamaï took their seats in the compartment that the group had claimed. Chibi and Grougal rushed to the window, pressing their faces against the glass as they watched the platform move past. Yugo knelt on the cushioned seat behind them, sadness and exhaustion temporarily forgotten as he watched the movement of the landscape.
Adamaï left off watching Yugo and turned to face Qilby, who was seated across from him in the compartment. The old Eliatrope was lost in thought, staring at a spot at the foot of the opposite bench just between Yugo and Adamaï. His hand obscured all save for the very edges of a slight frown, half-curled index finger resting against his lips and his thumb braced against his cheek. There was a lot for Qilby to be troubled over at the moment but this was a frown that Adamaï hadn't seen before. It made him curious.
"Something wrong, Qilby?" Adamaï asked.
Qilby closed his eyes as his face began to turn red with embarrassment.
"Whoa." Adamaï raised bold blue eyebrows and sat back against the seat cushion. "What's with that reaction? Don't tell me you've suddenly fallen for the engineer."
Qilby lowered his hand to give Adamaï a look of annoyed disgust at the suggestion. "Dating singular-lifetime entities never works for me," he replied. "And besides that, she mentioned that she has a lovely wife waiting at home already."
"So what is it, then?"
"It's their technology," Qilby said after some hesitation. "I had no idea that such a civilization existed on this planet. They use Stasis for almost everything, and they've solved problems with using it that I was never able to address myself."
Adamaï burst out laughing at the reply. "And you almost destroyed them, too!"
"In my defense, no Sufokian delegates were present at the Council meeting." Qilby was starting to regain normal color now, though the blush was still noticeable on his ears and cheekbones. "Everyone there was just as backwards and disappointing as I'd come to expect." And I wasn't in any state to go back on my intent when I saw them at Crimson Claws, he added silently.
"The Sufokians didn't officially re-emerge until after they took the Crimson Claws," Yugo added, dropping down to the seat from his kneeling position. "They said they needed a piece of land so they would be officially recognized as a country."
"Yeah, as if owning the sea wasn't reason enough already," Adamaï added with a roll of his eyes, still smiling from the laugh he'd gotten earlier. He still couldn't believe people actually bought that explanation, given the fact that he knew the real reason for them being there. "So what breakthroughs did they achieve that the mighty scientist of the Eliatrope people could not? Stasis just not interesting enough for a mobile guy like you?"
A humorless half-smile came to Qilby's face. "More because the research of Stasis was seen as taboo among our people. My ability to experiment with it was limited in size because of the risk of discovery." He glanced at Chibi, who still stood at the window with Grougal, then returned his gaze to Yugo and Adamaï. "They discovered ways to stabilize it in moving vehicles, something I'd not been able to accomplish even after seeing the Mechasms in action. But in the case of this machine," Qilby patted the seat with his hand at the last word. "It would have been a curiosity and nothing more. I may not have conceptualized it at all had I been able to move forward with my research because it was something our people simply did not need."
"We're back!" Korden's voice came from the hallway, slightly muffled by the closed door. The compartment door then slid open to reveal the two doctors. "I know we brought food but the snack car on this train looks really fun, you guys should have a look once our tickets have been checked."
The conductor appeared at the door to their compartment soon enough to check and trace lines of ink across each of their tickets. Once satisfied that they were indeed customers of the railway the conductor gave them a nod and a warm smile, then continued on down the length of the train.
"Yugo." Chibi tugged on his older sibling's tunic. "Can we look at the snack car?"
"Hmm?" Yugo tore his attention away from his private musings and the landscape beyond and looked down at Chibi. "Yeah, we can look."
Adamaï slid off the seat as Yugo moved past and turned to Qilby. "You wanted to go up to the engine, right?"
Qilby got to his feet and followed Adamaï out into the hall, where the two parties split with promises to meet back at the compartment once they were done. Korden followed Chibi's party while Qilby and Adamaï went up to the engine, Pirwit having opted to stay behind to watch their belongings.
The walk to the engine was a short one with how close their compartment was to the front of the train. Mari was in the engine room when Qilby and Adamaï arrived, happy to see that her new friend had decided to come visit after all. She quickly swept Qilby up in a new conversation as Adamaï settled toward the rear of the room to watch.
Mari's engine was a feat of engineering and beauty, both inside and out. Smooth curves dominated, with pipes shaped to follow the flow of the room and control surfaces placed where they wouldn't interfere if the engineer had to work around them. The power source was in front of the engineer's room, as far as Adamaï understood, which meant that there was no available space for forward-facing windows—this role was taken by an array of mirrors that led to the front of the train and fed images of the track ahead back to Mari, one per side. The mirror views showed dense forest ahead, and a glance to the side revealed that they were now in the thick of it as well.
Steam billowed and swirled around the cars behind them as Adamaï looked back along the length of the train. He was no inventor as Qilby was, but it was easy to appreciate a marvel like this. This route was slower than the use of zaaps, if you were going through them nonstop, but at least they were moving at a steady pace and Adamaï would be able to conserve his energy for—
Something whipped through his field of vision, thin and cord-like. Adamaï half-turned as it wrapped around his neck and one arm and began drag him away. Bare feet rasped across the metal floor as the attacker slung him out and off, releasing him once he was clear of the train.
Adamaï's first instinct was to shift to his true form and dart after the engine and the assailant on the wing, but a sharp twinge between his shoulderblades told him that such course of action would be unwise. He would have to compromise with this flightless form, and fast; the train was drawing away even as the ground rushed up to meet him.
The attacker had already half-turned him when it flung him away, and it would only take a little midair maneuvering to land on his feet. Adamaï kicked out his right leg, twisted as he fell, and hit the ground with both feet, digging large troughs into the dark soil as he slid. He leaped for the train before he could come to a complete stop, kicking up a spray of dirt in his wake.
One hand found the rail of a car's back end, but his chest slammed into the metal wall beside it. The fingers of his free hand found a window as Adamaï silently scolded himself for misjudging the jump, and for letting an attacker get the jump on him. He had no idea what was going on in the engine room now, but there was no doubt that it wouldn't be good.
Adamaï paused a moment once he'd pulled himself onto the car's rear platform to decide on what route he wanted to use in order to reach the engine again. He would likely encounter other passengers and obstacles if he went through the cars; the fastest option would be over the roof.
The door to the car just behind Adamaï slammed open just as he laid his hands on the ladder to the roof. Yugo stood in the doorway, having sensed his brother's distress through the link the two shared.
"What happened?!" Yugo shouted over the rushing wind.
"Something threw me off the train!" Adamaï yelled back, his hands still on the rungs of the ladder. "I have to get back up there!"
Yugo hurried forward without another word, conjuring a portal to take them up to the roof. Adamaï left the ladder and stepped through with his brother.
[Subject under attack. Preparing to intervene.]
It was remarkable how quickly a good day could turn bad. Conversation with Mari had made it a good day despite the night that preceded it, and now he was being carried off by whatever this thingwas while Adamaï was nowhere in sight and possibly left behind by the train altogether.
Qilby left off his mental grumbling and looked up at the head of the creature that now had him tucked under one massive arm. It had leaped in to take Adamaï's place after hurling the dragon off the train with its tail, then snatched Qilby up before he or Mari could react. It towered over even Qilby in height, with massive shoulders and a frame that stooped forward. Heavy stone-like back plating led to a craggy head that tapered in a sharp, shark-like nose with large nostrils and sharp teeth below it. The visible eye showed a vertical slit pupil with a dark brown iris and clearly visible whites surrounding it, making it seem almost human at a glance. The creature surveyed its surroundings with a steady, calculating gaze, suggesting an intelligence at least on level with the humans who now inhabited this world.
A quick glance at its feet confirmed Qilby's sneaking suspicion; five toes with the innermost as the largest and the rest tapering in size as they neared the outer edge of the foot. That solved the mystery of what had been spying on him a few days ago.
The creature looked down in time to spot Qilby studying its feet and lowered its head toward him. "Cooperate and you will not be hurt," its voice was deep and grating, every word spoken with deliberate care as it worked lips and tongue that were not quite the right shape for such speech.
"Care to explain why you're kidnapping me today?" Qilby snapped as he glared up at the creature.
Any reply the creature might have made was interrupted by a flash of blue light as a Wakfu bolt exploded over the rocky plates of its back. The creature turned, Qilby still held steady under one arm, and found that both Yugo and Adamaï stood on the train car just behind theirs.
Yugo aligned two of his portals in preparation for another shot as Adamaï inhaled deeply, chest puffing out as he readied a fire blast.
The creature whirled, showing its back to the incoming barrage. Both Wakfu and fire blast dispersed over its back, though Qilby felt the fire's heat as it faded around them.
For a moment Qilby hoped he would have the chance to examine this creature once the fight was over; such resistance to both Wakfu and heat were traits he'd seen in creatures on other planets, but never here. That thought was pushed from his mind when the creature whirled toward the twins again just in time for Qilby to spot Yugo jumping through one of his zaaps.
An Eliatrope's zaaps were fast, but they made noise when they appeared. The energy-laden zwip of an opening zaap came from the side of the creature that was opposite of Qilby, indicating that the boy was opting for an attack from there rather than from the front or back.
Yugo burst through the zaap mere moments after its formation, Wakfu sword and shield in hand as he surged in.
The shield was held too high. Qilby noticed this a split-second before the creature lunged with its free arm, large clawed hand wrapping easily around Yugo's chest. It slammed him down on the roof of the train with enough force to make a sizeable dent with his body.
Sword and shield dissipated as Yugo lost focus, and he could only manage a ragged gasp as the creature advanced on him. One large foot came up, aimed and ready to cave the boy's chest in.
Qilby kicked at the creature, hoping to do some damage or at least knock it off balance, but the way it held him left little angle to get at its legs.
The creature wobbled slightly from Qilby's struggling, planted its tail on the roof for extra balance, and brought the foot down.
Adamaï caught the creature's foot halfway through the kick, crouching protectively over his brother as he glared up at it. He swept the hand holding the creature's foot to one side, catching the heavily-clawed hand as it came in to strike his face and drawing in a deep breath all the while. A column of fire enveloped the creature's head before it could pull away or lunge at Adamaï.
A deep chuckle filled the air between them as Adamaï pulled at the creature and found that it was still standing firm. It lowered its head, revealing that though darkened by soot it was still perfectly intact with both slit-pupil eyes staring down at him. The creature gave them a wicked grin, then braced its tail against the roof of the train and launched itself upward.
Adamaï released its foot, trying to get himself disentangled before he was thrown, and found that the creature had grabbed his arm during the confusion. He struck the creature's forearm with his free fist as it flipped forward and began its descent back to the roof.
The creature came down on its feet, the force of the landing leaving dents in the metal below them. Adamaï landed on his hip, having been unable to get the creature to release him during the jump. With Adamaï still off-balance it took only a simple throw to send the dragon flying off the train again.
A zaap appeared behind Adamaï before he could clear the train roof, and the creature turned to find him kneeling beside Yugo. Adamaï scowled at them, one hand pressed against the hip he came down on earlier.
" Really , Qilby?!" Adamaï yelled over the wind and the clatter of the train as he hauled himself upright. "I'm gone for two minutes, and you're caught already ?! You're supposed to be smarter than that!"
A loud keening screech rang out as the train suddenly slowed, throwing the combatants off-balance.
"I've got one arm and no powers!" Qilby yelled back once the screeching of metal on metal had stopped. "What exactly do you propose I do?!" He gave Adamaï one last glare before taking another look at his captor, wondering if there might be an angle of attack he'd overlooked earlier. The creature had been shaken a bit by the train's sudden deceleration, but its grip on Qilby remained firm. It was frustratingly devoid of any obvious weakness, especially in physical combat, and it was immune to Wakfu and fire to boot.
Something big flitted past, a movement caught briefly from the corner of Qilby's eye. Qilby whipped his head around to try to spot whatever it was, wondering if this monster had brought friends along, and found nothing out of the ordinary in view.
The creature staggered suddenly, as if dealt a heavy blow from behind. A piece of its back plating clattered onto the roof of the train in front of it, trailing blood.
"You are outmatched. I recommend that you flee while you have the chance." The voice came over the wind, circling the creature.
"This is my quarry," the creature growled, trying to pick out where the voice was coming from. "His capture benefits both of us."
"That is where you are wrong," the voice replied. They were still travelling through dense forest, the shade from the trees throwing dappled shadow on the roof of the train. A figure glided through them, invisible in the shade and a mere shadow itself in the light.
Fire blazed at the creature's back again, and this time it howled in pain.
"Oh, a bit drafty back there, yes?" the voice said, dripping with false concern. "I suggest you drop him and run. The rest of your plating won't last long at this rate."
The creature was breathing heavily now from pain, the smell of burning flesh streaming along with the wind. It cast about, trying to follow the shadow that circled them.
"Do you grow weary of that arm? I can fix that for you."
Rather than answer the creature whirled and made for the side of the train, intending to jump into the forest. It was caught mid-leap and hurled back onto the roof, the shoulder of the arm that held Qilby bleeding from a deep gash in the muscle. Another burst of fire struck it, followed by several Wakfu blasts.
"Oh dear, that looks painful, very painful indeed. Shall I amputate for you?"
This time the creature dropped Qilby before jumping for the side of the train. It leaped off and disappeared into the cover of trees, which were soon swept from view by the speed of their passage.
Qilby propped himself up on his arm and waited to see if the interloper had anything else to say, searching the light patches for any oddly-moving shadows. The creature claimed to be on the shadow's side, and yet it put a stop to the kidnapping. And the way it talked was familiar even if the voice itself wasn't. Just what was going—
A zaap opened beside Qilby, interrupting the thought. Yugo and Adamaï hopped through, the dragon scanning the area for more enemies while Yugo knelt to help Qilby.
"Are you alright?" the boy asked, offering a hand.
"A bit bruised," replied Qilby, his eyes still on their surroundings. Whatever had helped them seemed to be gone now. He accepted Yugo's hand and was pulled to his feet. "Have you encountered such a creature before?" he asked, looking down at Yugo.
"Never." Yugo shook his head.
"I haven't seen anything like it either," Adamaï added as he drew closer. "Just who did you tick off this time?"
Qilby was about to reply that he had done no such thing, and was stopped both by recollection and the collar. He'd made enemies because of his previous actions against the World of Twelve, and the way those cultists kept going after him... "I have no idea who else ," Qilby said with an annoyed sigh. He looked farther along the roof and spotted the bloody piece of back plating the creature had left behind. A sneaking suspicion nagged at him, the fact that he'd encountered such resistant properties in creatures on other planets while none had existed here. "Perhaps we can start by finding out a bit more about that creature."
[Attack successfully rebuffed. Subject safe.]
The creature staggered away from the train track, slumping against trees from time to time due to pain, the smell of its own burned flesh filling its nose as it escaped. As it discovered after some time, no one had followed. It slumped to the ground at last as the final faint bellow of the train's horn died away.
Slowly the creature's body faded. Bones shifted and cracked under the dimming outline, resuming their natural shape after the little jaunt in this larger form.
Fennius gasped as fabric brushed the large burn at the base of his neck and the gash in his shoulder. The clothes always went somewhere when he changed, trading places with the extra mass needed for the form— He cut the ragged little thought off and struggled out of his shirt, doing his best to avoid brushing the burn and gash again. It was difficult using just one arm.
It was a shadewing that attacked him, no doubt about it. He'd been telling the truth when he said that Qilby's capture would benefit the both of them, but apparently the princess—and by extension her forces—had other plans for the eliatrope.
Fennius dug in his pack, which had appeared, thankfully, on the leaves beside him rather than on his back where it would cause more pain. The hard metal casing of the communicator met his fingers after a few moments, and he pulled it out. He opened it and collected himself as best he could, the buttons glowing faint purple in the forest shade. The prince needed to know about this.
Qilby aided Pirwit and Korden in seeing to the twins' injuries once they got back to the compartment. Backs needed to be tweaked, and the two of them would need a good rest after going through such a fight. Qilby examined the plating piece as much as he could before the events of the day and lack of sleep the night before caught up with him. The compartment was spacious, and the fold-out beds surprisingly comfortable.
The train sped on through the evening and into the night. Morning came, and everyone awoke feeling stiff but more rested than they had the previous morning. Pirwit appeared not to have slept at all.
"Attention passengers, attention passengers." Qilby immediately recognized the voice to be Mari's, and suddenly felt guilty that he hadn't gone up to check on her after the fight. He'd been so intent on what the creature was and what it could want that he'd entirely forgotten about doing so. "We will be arriving in Bonta station within ten minutes, please be sure that you have all your belongings accounted for before you depart. Thank you for riding with us on the Turfliner and we hope you have a lovely day in Bonta!"
"You'd think there wasn't a plague going on from how she sounds," grumbled Yugo as he helped check for stray belongings.
"Everyone knows, it's not like she needs to mention it." Adamaï joined his brother, though the compartment had been made so there was little space for things to get lost on the floor. He kept himself from saying more, aware that Yugo was trying to relieve stress by complaining.
The train came to a stop at the Bonta station, and the group piled off. Adamaï kept an eye out for Fennius, puzzled that the Feca hadn't even come by to say hello during the ride. He was so sure it was Fennius he'd seen getting on the train, and there weren't any other Feca visible among the other passengers.
"Hey, wait up a moment!"
They stopped and Mari caught up with them, jogging straight up to Qilby with something silver and glinting in her hand. "Hey, I'm just so sorry about what happened yesterday," she said, her tone entirely genuine. "I couldn't leave the engine room while the train was moving for safety reasons, but I figured that thing would have an easier time getting off if we stopped."
"Oh," said Qilby, surprised and relieved that she wasn't angry with him for not visiting with her afterward. "It did seem reluctant to jump off while the train was moving."
"Anyway, I had such a great time talking with you yesterday, it's not often I meet people who can understand the stuff I work with every day, y'know? I wanted to give you something to remember me by." She held up her hand, revealing a set of goggles with light blue lenses. "Every engineer needs a good set of goggles."
"I do know what you mean, actually." Qilby accepted the goggles and stared down at them for a moment before giving Mari a small smile. "And thank you. For the goggles and for helping me yesterday."
"I gotta get back to work, but please feel free to ride with us again," Mari said, turning to head back to the engine. "See ya 'round!" She waved over her shoulder and jogged away.
"Qilby made a friend!" said Chibi, before silence had a chance to settle over them.
"Imagine that," Yugo added with a smile.
"Only 'cause he hasn't had the chance to scare her away yet," Grougal mumbled, just loudly enough for the rest of the group to hear.
"Grougal that's mean!" Chibi cried as he turned to his brother.
"Hmph!" The dragonet crossed his arms over his chest and glared at the other end of the station.
"Alright, it's time to go," Adamaï reminded them. "We're gonna stop by Joris's house before we go to the Institute."
"Uncle Jori!" the younger twins chorused in unison. It was all Chibi could do to keep himself from running around in circles from sheer excitement. Grougal wasn't much better, though stubborn dragon pride made him at least try to keep his visible excitement to a lesser level than his brother.
The group turned and set out for the station's exit. Qilby lagged behind, half his attention still on the goggles as he followed them.
Yugo hung back to walk with him. "Something wrong, Qilby?" he asked.
Qilby looked up, struggling briefly against the collar's influence when he tried to tell Yugo it was nothing. He sighed after a few moments, suddenly looking tired. "She'll be gone before I know it," said Qilby, barely loud enough for Yugo to hear. His fingers closed slowly around the goggles, but he didn't put them away. "It's just frustrating."
They left the station and reached the street, which should have been bustling with the activity of a morning begun hours ago. A hush usually reserved for the small hours of the night huddled over the streets, giving an eerie feel to a city that had once been overflowing with life. The few passengers that had traveled on the same train wandered away, eventually being lost from sight around a corner or down a side street.
Joris was waiting for them on the sidewalk, ready to escort them first to his home, where he and his adopted sons would be able to watch over Chibi and Grougal, and then on to the Institute, where Qilby would continue his search for a cure to the Red Plague.
Qilby straightened and tucked the goggles away in a pocket. There was much work to be done, and little time to feel sorry for himself. Dwelling on that would have to wait.
A/N: Thanks to discopolice for editing help and IC-ness checks!