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If it wasn't for her family, she wouldn't be doing this. She was a teleporting dragon, for crying out loud; she could handle herself.

She couldn't handle a town and a vulnerable family together. Unless she locked them up, she could not protect them well enough, not from the lingering distrust and not from the mobs that followed. Finding a new home was safer and easier, so much so it had almost become routine (a hated one).

Across the years, she had tried several different tactics. Tell people up front who she was, keep it a secret and spoil it with an accidental tail or wing, buy a large mansion and keep separate from the crowd, try to keep a poorly veiled secret as the friendly neighborhood witch ... the last one had gone fine, up until the dragon stunt from two weeks ago.

As of right now, everyone had always been suspicious about that mysterious lady with her minions. Yesterday, the first rock came flying through a window. The neighbors had seen "nothing" despite having been on their porches. While shopping, Filia had heard whispers of a criminal wanted by the dragons — perhaps the traveling monks were to be notified? No, others said, let's alert the governor instead.

If it had been an option she would have just teleported away with everyone, but her navigation wasn't much better than her transformation control. For her power to work safely she needed to be in an area with high magic vibrations that she could feel, if she wanted to know where she was and where to go. Otherwise, she was limited to things within her line of sight. This meant there was a journey to prepare for. Her shopping trip had been to stock up.

Now in the early morning, she sat hunched over the crystal ball she used to channel Vision spells between her and her company.

"We have everything under control, my lady," her director said. "The money has been transferred to Kundumin, where you are expected within two days. The weather forecast for the north is unfortunately a wild guess, but the seaside past the desert should allow for safe flying in the following week."

"That is good enough. If the weather changes beyond that, we'll know the way. But has there been no word yet from Sailoon?"

"Not if we apply the safety measures that you recommended us. Sailoon's barriers have intensified greatly in the past two weeks for some reason. We dared not experiment, we are no old dragons experienced with magic."

Filia nodded. "Thank you for at least attempting. Until we speak again, mister Argon, and know that I am much obliged for your work."

"Always a pleasure, my lady," he said with a salute. She saluted back. Neither of them were of the military, but he had been. A defector who had disagreed with the quiet machinations of government as executed the traveling monks, a clan of black dragons who traveled the lands under holy name. Filia already avoided them, so she hired the man on a whim and a loose leaf.

Next was one more call to make. Filia chanted the Vision spell again and pulled the crystal's energies looser. If Sailoon was difficult to contact even for her best factory, Zephyria would ... no, Zephyria worked fine, she noted with relief. With a few seconds delay, the image of an auburn haired woman appeared, leaned casually on her arms and her eyes hidden behind low bangs. A careless smirk was on her lips.

"Hey, Filia," Luna said. "You're early, did ya get a particularly noxious customer? Bet ya it can't beat the fellows I got over the floor the other day."

Despite her own mood, Filia smiled. Her favorite method to cope with small stress was to speak to Luna Inverse, who had oh so familiar experience with being a supernaturally powered entity that nonetheless had to put up with the customer always being right.

"I'm afraid I had far more difficult customers to deal with the other day."

"Did Clown bring packmates again?"

"No, there were dragons." With a few quick sentences, she got Luna up to date.

Luna's smirk dropped and tilted her head, so one red eye appeared from behind her bangs. "Damn. All the way down there? There's dragons making allegiances with nations up here, they came by Zephyria too. Those fellows I mentioned? Scaly asses trying to recruit me. Pfft! Kicked them out off course."

"Do you know anything of Sailoon?"

Luna shrugged. "Nope, but I bet little Amelia won't like what they're preaching. Filia, I don't think you should find another cute little town. Go somewhere safer."

"I'm planning to head north already, to Sailoon. Val is strong, but I want to avoid him needing to fight off any golden dragons at all costs."

"Hmm. If it ever becomes necessary, hop over to me, or at least Liliane if it doesn't work to my place. Sailoon should work for your navigation, they're the suckers I pick up most prayers from, whether I like it or not."

"I'll keep that in mind. Thank you, miss Luna."

"Don't mention it. Seriously. Especially not in prayer. Oh, and once you're gone, destroy this ball. It's probably how they were drawn to your city."

As much as she regretted it, she followed the advice before leaving the house. The shard were left behind. Luna knew better than anyone about holy magic's principles.

It wasn't raining anymore, but the roof drained slowly due to all the leafs cluttering the drain. A persistent drop nagged on the surface of the full rain barrel below it. Filia had always hated that sound, but it was one of those tiny nuisances that she just knew she was going to miss once it was gone.

Gingerly Filia closed the back door and turned the key. The door clicked shut and she bent key into a small loop, which she tossed in the barrel. It would take too long to sell the house. With a brisk pace, she left it behind her.

She told herself she walked swiftly to fight the cold of the morning, but every little sound was like the start of a mob, and the crackle of hearths reminded her of a burning house.

For all her worries, she reached the walls of the city without any trouble. The fields stretched peacefully across the hills, covered by pale mist. It was a day of rest, there were no early farmers. Filia let the fog swallow her before the forest did.

Huddled in a clearing was her family. She set down the items she had taken along — four packs the size of hay bundles — kissed the sleepy Val and Molly on the foreheads and disappeared behind a bush to transform.

Once a dragon, she nodded at Gravos and the vulpen. In a practiced effort, they tied all the luggage on her back using a makeshift harness. In the middle of the luggage circle, the group would sit, shielded from wind and lethal drops. Filia did have practice with catching falling people, but it was always best to play safe.

"Everyone set?"

"We are, gunmoll," Jillas said. Seven years and he still wasn't past that habit, Filia had long since given up.

She couldn't resist circling the city to savor the last sight she'd have of it. This had been their home for almost four years and had been everything Filia wanted out of life : a small cozy space, lots of family and friends and lots of chances to do something for the world.

At least those chances weren't entirely lost. Their company wasn't dissolved in the slightest, they'd just have to change address again. She swept away, turning nostalgia to steel.

Filia stayed low to the lands, avoiding to higher clouds and freezing air; she had a spell for warmth in place but it drained her magic so she avoided pressuring it. Once it was noon, the altitudes would be warmer and there would be more people outdoors, then she would ascend. For now she just flew north, but in a while directions would be needed. She would have to get them the mundane way.

Ahead of them was a journey that hopefully would just be dull. The dangers of it were not in the form of natural predators, or even temperature. Her real concern was Val.

Like her own, his human projection was imperfect. Val's legacy from his former life shone through in that he already knew how to transform at this absurdly young age, despite knowing no other spell, but he had all the concentration of a child. If he fell asleep, there was a serious risk that he'd suddenly sprout limb or worse, shift to full weight while staying small. So much force concentrated on a small spot was the equivalent of being pierced by a blade, so keeping him awake during flight was an imperative.

On the evening third day, it was one of those dusks that colored everything old gold, the wind was not harsh and perhaps the warmth spell worked a little too well, perhaps Filia was a little too content. Everyone else fell asleep, so he did as well.

Before Filia knew good and well, the rib directly below Val snapped. Her cry mingled with the sharp increase of wind as she fell down. She could not even flip around, he weighed so much he threw off her balance.

"Val, wake up!" Gravos and Jillas both screamed. The next moment, there was a loud whack, and then a poof accompanied by light. The weight fell off.

The next blink of her eyes, a thick feathered coat swooped below her. On reflex she stretched her hind legs, catching the impact without further broken bones. As the horizon aligned again with her direction, she looked around. Her remaining passengers were jostled, but nobody had fallen off. Relief flooded her and remained for a good ten seconds before she realized that Val was carrying her.

She barely covered his back. Her forearms clutched feathers bigger than her head, and the wing that smoothly moved aside of her cast a shadow enough to cover whenever it crossed the sun.

An adult Ancient Dragon, just like that, and not even a hint of a transformation spell. On top of that, some power was at work to dull the wind's effect, because the whistling was gone she clearly heard the confused sounds of the rest of her family.

"Gunmoll, you alright?" Jillas asked, his voice shaky but also elated.

With a groan, Filia pushed herself up a little. "Not quite. I'm going to have to heal myself."

"Hold on for a bit, mom, I'll see whether I can land," Val said with a heavy voice that she barely recognized. His head turned sideways, she saw a golden eye. It was so familiar it drove away any ill ease. This was still her child.

"Be careful to not land on a slope or a breakable ledge," Gravos said.

Val dipped lower and swooped across the tops until Gravos pointed out a stable enough peak. It would have to do. They were well in sight, but if any dragons came here, they were likely sent by a medium anyway. Hiding low would be useless and had a greater risk of running into humans.

With surprising ease Val landed on the top, where he stretched out his wing for his passengers to step off. The shield that kept the wind back remained in place. Filia waited for the others to get off and Gravos to unpack, Val stayed perfectly still the entire time.

It was all so convenient. Val had only been the size of a dog mere days ago, he couldn't possibly be this large without some concrete magic linking him to his past. Even more so than the fact he could perform transformation magic at a ridiculously young age, when only high ranked dragons could master this spell. Val had been a ranked adult when he'd turned into Valgarv, she knew.

What if his mind caught up to his body?

She'd have to ask her son what he knew about this sudden transformation, but she was afraid of the answer. Oblivious to these worries, it was Jillas who broke the silence. Eagerly he led Palu and Molly before Val's claws and pointed up. "See, Palu? That's why I always call him lord! He is the strongest dragon in the world!"

"He's pretty! But how can we play like this?" Molly asked in a quiet voice.

"I can shrink down again later," Val rumbled. "I think. I'm not sure what happened, I just knew I had to be larger and it did."

"That's cause you're a special dragon, right?" Palu asked.

Val nodded, turned his head to Filia. "Mom, do you have any idea how I did this?"

"I ... no, I don't. I know almost nothing about Ancient Dragons, I'm sorry. It's not usual for Golden Dragons, at least." Sometimes, she sorely wished she had told Val about has past as a world destroying chimera, because that would have made this conversation go much easier. It was just that the actually telling him part was so hard.

Gravos had finished plucking all luggage from her back and Filia was about to get off when a familiar sensation crawled up her spine.

"My my, what a show. Not afraid any hostile dragons might notice you?"

There was a collective groan from everyone, but Filia killed the urge to call him garbage. Seven years of practice backed her up. Garbage was for more dire situations so he couldn't act like she was chronically rude.

She felt shoes on her nape of her neck. He actually had the nerve to sit down on her! She would have slapped him off with her tail if so much movement wouldn't hurt. If he was here, he probably had followed them at distance for a while and had gotten closer to feed. She was going to deny him that too.

Gravos helped her set the bone back in place, after which Filia walked a short distance to cast Resurrection. The distance was so that the borrowed energy came from the environment rather than her family. She used her tail to channel the magic, as her arms were not versatile enough in dragon form.

The others set camp between Val's massive forearms, a small fire already started. Xelloss hovered around them, peeking over shoulders until Elena finally threw up her hands. "What do you want?"

"Oh, I was just curious where you all were going at this late hour."

"North," Filia said. She didn't bother speaking loudly, he could hear her well enough.

"Are you sure you're going the right way?"

"Actually, no. Noticed these clouds around us, Evil Cone Thingy? I'm just waiting till mom feels better, then we'll figure it out," Val said.

"Well, you've been going wrong before she fell."

"Maybe we're going somewhat northway, not directly north," Jillas said.

"Oh really now? And where exactly is this variant of northway now?"

"Why not tell us it's a secret, Xelloss? That would be so helpful," Filia said.

"I'm afraid that even with my skill and experience, keeping the position of the north a secret for a decent period is beyond my ability. Therefore, I care not for guarding it. You'll want to go that way," he said, pointing a little sideways of the direction she'd been heading.

Filia looked in the direction and then back at him.

"It won't be the first time you set me up to walk into the wrong town for your own amusement."

"With your insistence of alluding to this, I rather doubt you found it such an objectionable experience. Now, I'll admit it would be entertaining to repeat that, but I'll be on a mission in a few hours. It wouldn't benefit me in any way."

That much was true. Xelloss was fond of discord if he was around to consume the ensuing negative miasma, but didn't care for causing long lasting trouble purely for the sake of being wicked. Otherwise they'd never have gotten a cannon factory off the ground, let alone would they be stocking the country of white magic. It was one of Xelloss's peculiar things, he let enemies have things. The Gorun Nova, the demonsblood talismen, the Claire Bible (if only long enough to learn the Ragna Blade) and even her son, who he knew would grow up to be a powerful enemy to devils. This was one of the things she held onto to see him as a person now, even if his presence was a source of constant stress.

Off course, that didn't mean she could expect the full answer.

"So if there is no town, are there any castles, religious orders, cities or garrisons in training that way? After all, I don't know what a few hours means to you. Perhaps you'll stick around till morning for a feast."

He smiled a little wider. "You're getting better at being no easy fun. Yes, there is a city straight ahead. They've got cannons too, are you sure you're not curious about it?"

"No, not at all. We already know my cannons are best," Jillas said proudly, thumping a fist on his chest.

"Oh really? Your cannons still can't do anything to a Zannafar, ever."

"Oh, I'll bet you that my missiles can!"

Jillas could rival Filia when it came to defending his art, something he'd taken over from Filia herself. Normally Xelloss wasn't interested in arguing with Jillas, but today, well, it was another convenient little thing.

It didn't slip her notice that Xelloss was pointedly not commenting on Val's peculiar abilities. This did a greater service to her than anything he might say. Val knew how old Xelloss was, he'd assume Xelloss thought it was normal he could do this and was just being annoying by not sharing information. Val lost interest in questions and started grooming his wings.

There probably was some ulterior motive to Xelloss's covert help, off course. It also had not slipped her notice that Xelloss was around a lot more, and with a lot more attention to Val, ever since the battle of three years ago. Still, she was friends with both Inverse sisters and selfish motives were something she was bound to tolerate. Plus, Xelloss had this certain accusation that she loved to undermine.

When Xelloss had managed to thoroughly confuse Jillas about what they'd been talking (artistic integrity had gotten involved, she resolved to get back at him for that), he floated over to sit down on her back. He was about to start, but thrown off balance when she whispered a soft, "Thanks."

With a huff, he looked away. Perhaps he'd been preparing a lecture about selfish dragons, now preemptively undermined. Filia couldn't help but take some smug satisfaction in that even as he floated after her, doubtlessly preparing some comeback.

Now her healing was nearly done, she felt a lot better. Val stopped grooming and expectantly looked at her. Carefully, Filia crawled over his arm and the huddled people sitting there. There was a little space between the campfire, allowing her to sit in the crook between the ground and his neck if she leaned on his arm. It was almost a reveral of role, like she was the child again. She pushed back memories of a long gone family and settled against Val.

This was far cozier a scene than she had expected this journey to bring. Xelloss seemed to think so too, because she felt that small drop in power that indicated he was about to leave. Normally she would have welcomed his departure, but when he nearly flickered away this time she snatched her tail around him.

He could have dodged that easily, yet she had him. Needing an excuse to stay?

"Oh no you don't. If there are in fact dragons in the area, you can stay here and let your aura scare them away," she said. "You still owe me for all the things you put me through."

He cracked an eye open and raised a finger, "I must commend you for creative solution for dealing with your underdeveloped true form. It's nice you're finally embracing your nature as glorified lizard."

She twisted him upside down to whack him to the ground, but the satisfaction of ramming his head down was denied, he just turned into a cone right away. There was an obnoxious laughter, at which Filia shook her head to throw her hair out of her face.

Val knew what game she called for. It was Amelia's Happy Thoughts time. He gave her a big lick, which initiated a grooming session full of warm and fuzzy feelings. Grooming wasn't part of golden dragon habits, but for the heavily feathered Val it was a necessary instinct. Knowing that made it less mortifying, so she let Val do it. It was actually pretty pleasant.

Elena joined in by initiating a song of her homeland. Stir, fry, and add some good food. It wasn't a mystery anymore to Filia how Lina, Gourry and Amelia were happy so easily.

The cone whined and made pathetic attempts to get away, but didn't manage. Somehow.

Sometimes she thought Xelloss faked this weakness, because honestly ... it made no sense. He had no qualms about ice cream parlors despite the people enjoying their life there. In fact, Gourry consistently thought life was wonderful since he was with Lina and too oblivious to worry about anything. Xelloss shouldn't be able to stand him, yet was largely indifferent to the guy.

Xelloss didn't lie, but that only meant his words did not state untruths. He was just fine with acting in a way that gave the wrong ideas and she did not believe for an instant that he couldn't just withdraw to the astral plane.

When she woke up the next morning and he was still there, again perched on her back as if she were a chair, she was more certain than ever of this. Hours counted up to several days. Xelloss stayed with them all the way to the shore of the Desert of Destruction, claiming she had "invited" him by pinning him down.

This was perhaps safer, but also irritating. Filia was better at not losing her temper, but not so much at staying silent. It took less than half a day before Gravos considered playing "throw bombs at mountaintops" with Val and Palu because apparently the explosions were healthier noise than the constant arguing. Xelloss helpfully pointed out that that wouldn't stop supernatural creatures from being able to talk, since they could just raise their voice. And then he encouraged Val to fly down and start some avalanches by screaming in full transformed shape. Filia warned him to stay small, just in case anyone saw him, and he obeyed. Xelloss invented the "Boring Dragons" song.

It was a front row seat to the opera of stress, in more ways than one. Underneath the obnoxiousness, Filia could no longer deny that there were plans involving her son. Xelloss was keeping an eye on them, most likely under orders of Zelas. Any speculation she could draw from that was not very nice.

Val ended up taking the foxes for the occasional flight for fun, but also to increase his control. After the near fatal incident, he didn't want to risk hurting her again. He was very good at manifesting only his wings, allowing him to stay small while still having the benefits of flight and increased strength. That was a skill beyond Filia's level already, but she didn't tell him. Let him think it was natural, so he could be happy, and could become a new person without being dictated by the past.

It would be too cruel if he was reborn just to remember the past, but she wouldn't put it past a god. At first Filia had considered the rebirth a mercy, but what if it wasn't? The more Val showed unusual qualities, the more she sought an explanation that was least threatening. Perhaps it was purely a side effect of the creation magic that progressed out of fusion magic. Perhaps Volphied had just resonated with this and had acted on her natural pro existence instinct. Perhaps she'd find out sooner than she wanted.

To her right a blissfully oblivious Val tumbled in circles, Molly firmly held in his arms. The children laughed, unconcerned of falling down or falling to the past. Just for the heck of it, Xelloss became a swarm of tiny black cones and announced they were now playing dodge, much to Val's joy. Filia looked over her shoulder and saw that Jillas had just as little worry as Val did, though Elena watched with trepidation. Xelloss was probably getting his snack out of Elena's concern.

"They're safe, Val won't let her fall, nor will Xelloss," Filia said.

"I know, but I can't help but worry," she said. "Perhaps too much."

Filia silently agreed. Then again, she thought she was pretty justified in fretting. She had two creatures of mass destruction settled in her casual life, for crying out loud. Albeit, the way they goofed around that was a less dramatic thought than it ought to be.

At the point where the journey passed most closely to Wolfpack Island, Xelloss left without a word. The island was too far away to see, but she couldn't help but glance in the direction every now and then. It wasn't so unlikely that right now, the beast devils were doing something far less harmless than playing with children.

Once they reached the Alliance of Coastal States, they took a stop in a nearby city for reasons of stocking. Filia wasn't exactly hungry, but that didn't mean she couldn't enjoy a good meal. Or tea. During the journey she hadn't brought out her tea set from sub space at any given time because of Xelloss; he went through tea like mages went through food. The restaurant did object to consumption of brought-in food, but Filia just plopped out her tail and kindly explained she wasn't costing the restaurant any money because they sold no tea.

The restaurant really was a lovely little place, very acoustic and rustic. Fish nets on the walls were perhaps a little overdone, but who cared? The seafood was fresh and arrange in inventive ways, and even that bread basket was just adorable.

She was just about to take her first sip of much needed tea when the entire tea set broke to pieces.

Just like that. No clumsy waiters, accidental transformations, noxious devils or stray bombs were involved.

Filia spent about three seconds staring in horror, then she screamed.

"Please, boss, keep it down, people are staring," Gravos muttered.

"My handmade one of a kind tea set! Do you have any idea how long I had to save to get the money for it?"

"Oh yes, we know."

"We also remember the journey to get it."

"We have plenty of money now," Palu said.

"That's not the point! These aren't made anymore! It's ..."

... a curious way for shards to fall. She'd been a diviner for long enough to recognize patterns.

She prodded the pieces once before hovering her finger over the pattern. There was a circle around a strangle squiggly pile and three letters in dust of an ancient script. All were variants of movement oriented around the pile. More importantly, there was the trace of a divine energy. Not Vrabazard's, but it was definitely a god's message.

"Gunmoll, what's up?" Jillas asked.

Filia crossed her arms and sat back with a sigh.

"Seven years of silence," she whispered as she closed her eyes.

Living without being a priestess hadn't been too hard. She had Val and the others now, whatever spirituality she had gained from devotion wasn't truly far. Yet the closest she'd been to divinity in the past seven years were those moments she channeled the power of Siephied, the Eternal Queen and Luna Inverse. The former was impersonal, the latter two faithless and happy with it. Filia felt less aversion to subjecting to the gods, but nowadays it came with doubt. They had not remembered her, so she had believed for years.

And then just like that, the gods were back in her life like they'd never left. Not even a hello, and sorry for the absence.

Filia opened her eyes again. The heaped pieces in the circle's center appeared to be some sort of landscape, mountains perhaps, but she did not recognize them.

"Is everything alright?" a waitress asked. Oh, right, she'd been screaming.

"Can you please tell me what this resembles?"

"Those appear to be the Kataart mountains," the woman said after some thoughts.

Oh, crap. Filia did not like where this was heading.

Amelia had suggested she moved to Kataart at the end of the quest, Filia had decided against it. Amelia was likely biased since she owed Milgazia her life, and though she wouldn't ever believe Amelia meant poorly, Filia couldn't risk taking Val into a swarm of golden dragons no matter how good the track record of their leader was. Too complicated, too much lies would be needed.

And now there was a god who wanted her to go there.

"Don't go, miss Filia. You have said yourself that the gods do not care much to meddle with mortal business, or would you fear their revenge if you refuse?" Elena asked.

"That's exactly why I'm worried. Normally, they don't bother unless invoked. If they come out and give signs, then it's bound to be important. I don't want to, but still, the gods are benign if they do choose to act."

"You're not going to listen, right, mom? We were going to Sailoon! I was going to meet Amelia and Zelgadis!"

"We are going to Sailoon," Filia said. "Just ... we may also go the the Kataart mountains."

This broke her family into a chorus of objections, but to Filia it felt muffled as she felt the holy energy. A god's touch felt pleasant to a dragon in the same way a devil's presence sent chills up the spine. If ever so subtly, it was something that compelled her to give heed to the command.

So Filia found herself undecisive yet again. Out the restaurant back into the air, and on.

By the time they reached the borders of Sailoon, she still hadn't figure out what to do. She was so indecisive that she kept flying on a bit just to have more time to think, and like this they reached the end of the day, and another day, and again, until she reached the other border without having angled off towards the capital.

And from there on, she kept on flying a few more days, until she landed near Gyria, capital of the kingdom of Dils.

It may have had something to do with her tea leaf container exploding to form another sign. More strongly though, trusting the gods was something that came naturally to Filia beyond being a priestess. She was a golden dragon, after all.

The Dils kingdom had a sore history with demons infiltrating it. Lina and Gourry had been involved with Dynast Grauscherrer's plot of starting another Resurrection war, ultimately setting free the kingdom and later destroying the piece of Shabranigdu. During this time they had traveled with Milgazia and gotten to know him better, another point towards not being entirely fearful.

But first, she wanted to scoop out the situation; she had grown a healthy distrust of lacking thorough information about dragon clans. Perhaps hear first what the humans said. Besides, divine omens tended to be awfully vague, and there had been no route included in her rudely delivered message. If Valwin or Rangort were going to break her tea set to talk to her, they could have at least made it more useful.

The moment they stepped into the capital, Jillas tapped her on the arm.

"Hey gonmoll, smell that?"

"No, what?"

"Other dragons," Palu said.

"Are you sure?"

"As sure as I can be, boss. They're down that way," Jillas said.

"Lead us there," she said. "And keep your guns set."

They passed several crowded streets, lost their way the alleys, found the main streets and lost their way there. Filia and Gravos climbed a wall or two with foxes on her back, but they eventually found their way to a wide court of what might have been the castle grounds. Hey, it wasn't her fault these places weren't monsterproof in the slightest. And really, these guards were terribly absent.

After passing a hallway with pillars, they looked across a courtyard bristling with life and tanks. Specifically, they looked like those designed by Pokota — Amelia had sent them sketches once to ask whether Jillas could make anything similar — but with less obvious animal motifs. There had a sleeker look and dragon traits, but still looked out of place with the traditional stone look of the palace and its people.

From the magic of it, many of the people walking between them were in fact dragons, and others were elves. On the sidelines of the plaza humans cluttered, but they remained at a safe distance. Filia's company drew a lot of their attention, but she only needed to stick out her tail and they'd bow and scurry away.

From the looks of it, the dragons and elves were lending the humans magical help in some sort of war act, which surprised Filia.

She approached one of the elves, who was stacking ammo near one of the entrance gates.

"Excuse me, I only recently arrived. Why are there so many dragons and elves here?"

The elf gave her an odd look, then glanced at the group behind them. She heard one of the other elves speculate about about newly hired servants or foreigners who were too lazy to read their invite letters.

"You can tell there's dragons here?" Filia was glad there wasn't a follow up on why she was even standing here if she didn't know what was up.

"I can smell'em," Jillas said.

"Ah," the elf said as she raised her nose a little. "Well, there is no need to worry. These are all golden and black dragons, servants of Aqualord Ragradia. They have only the best intentions for humans. Surely someone in the palace has told you this, miss ..."

"Filia Ul Copt, and these are—"

"Is there anything else you want?"

"Are any elders here?"

Irritated, the elf pointed to a wall at the court's other end. "Lord Azonge, leader of the black dragons of the Kataart Mountains."

Atop a long stone stairway stood a blackhaired man in his thirties, dressed in off-white clothing, with a white cape trailing behind. Surrounding him were several blond and black haired men, all formed human but just a touch to too handsome and clean.

Filia had to do a double take, there was hardly a wrinkle in sight.

"That is the oldest black dragon?" she asked. "What happened to the Elders?"

"He is an elder," the elf said.

"But he looks so young!"

The elf frowned. "Old age is not a fear for the dragons under Ragradia's legacy, they have learned to remain young."

Now that was curious. The elders of her clan most definitely had looked old. The spirits of the Ancient Dragons had also looked old. Was Ragradia something of an eccentric amongst the dragons?

"Would you lead me to him? I'd like to—"

"No. If we let any curious human speak to him, he would never get a chance to work."

Filia lifted one of the orbs of her headdress, revealing a pointy ear. Honestly, she would have expected the hat to have given her away anyway, but apparently customs were different here.

"You're an elf?"

"No! I'm a golden dragon! I come from the south. Once I was a priestess of the clan of Fire Dragon King Vrabazard, before the Dark Star incident saw them killed." Perhaps a little leverage was in place.

"Ah! Off course I will introduce you."

The elf put down the crate he'd been holding and led her to the front of the mansion. As they approached and she heard the conversation, Filia's mood fell. They spoke of "the humans" rather than "our allies" or mentioning names. She stopped her family at the bottom of the stairway, walking up alone.

"Lord Azonge, this is Filia Ul Copt from the clan of the Fire Dragon King Vrabazard, a priestess of the Most Venerable One." Filia didn't like how she left out ex priestess, because this implied she still served religiously.

An untrained smile stretched on the dragon's human face.

"Ah. Very welcome, Filia Ul Copt. Have you come to aid in our efforts?"

"Actually, I don't know what your efforts are. I was on my way to the Kataart mountains to meet with lord Milgazia, with whom I share a friend. While passing by, I was curious of what's going on here."

"We are in the middle of organizing an alliance with the humans," he said proudly. "I presume you've heard of the issues the kingdom of Dils has had with devils?"

Filia nodded, and noted the elder spoke loudly, so it echoed across the courtyard. It was a show.

"We believe the best way to prevent devils from furthermore exploiting this kingdom in their efforts to revive pieces of Shabranigdu, we must be the ones to support the humans."

"That is very noble of you," Filia said with practice curtsy, even if her jaded self reminded her there might be arrogant reasons underlying.

"I will arrange an escort for you so you may meet my friend as soon as possible. The devils are stirring in the mountains, doubtlessly they have caught wind of our movement."

"But you can beat them back, right?" a small person said from below. Val and Molly had come running up the stairs. Val was weary, but Molly looked up full of admiration at the fancy clothes and imposing figures.

Azonge's expression grew more distant.

"Yours?" he asked Filia sternly. "Unusual traveling company."

"They're my family."

He snorted. He actually snorted! Filia couldn't kill a twitch of her mouth.

"No beastmen here. You will have to leave them behind," Azonge said. He shoved Molly away with his foot. The small fox stagged back to the edge of the stairway, lost her balance and tumbled down.

Val jumped after her at once, catching before she hit the first step. Curling to a ball, he rolled down the stairway. Gravos caught him there. Almost proudly, Val uncurled and held out Molly to Elena. She was alright, if on the verge of tears.

Filia breathed a sigh of relief, which faded into a glare as she reached below her skirt for Lord Mace. She didn't care who the dragon in front of her was, not anymore, as she thrust the spikes in his face.

"You apologize right now!"

"Put that away. Wanton violence is unbecoming of a dragon."

"Wanton? You shoved a little child down a stairway!"

"Beastmen are flexible."

Lord Mace impacted with his head and toppled him over. With a graceful arc, he careened into the wall behind him. Tiny whiny elves danced around his head as he fell out of a self-shaped hole.

Immediately, the two nearest dragons moved to help him stand up. No such concern was given to Val and Molly when they fell without comedy physics. Filia had a dark moment where she considered hitting him again, but in a way that drew blood.

"What is wrong with you?" he snarled at her.

"Oh, I'm just trying to demonstrate what it feels like to be pushed around," she said, dismissively waving her hand.

"You're an uncontrollable madwoman!"

"Perhaps once I was," she said as she walked down the stairs, not sparing him a second glance. This was less grace than it was years of experience with knowing when to walk away before she really exploded. "Never mind that escort."

It really shouldn't have surprised her. It was a universally understood thing amongst golden dragons that elven or humanoid form was the only acceptable shrink size. Her own people have been no different, except they exclusively favored elven form. Why not lupen or any other of the anthropomorphic creatures? It was racism that she'd never really thought about before the Dark Star incident.

She should have gone straight for Sailoon. While the country was no more inclusive of non-humans, she knew for a fact the royalty had an open mind. That brimming sense she had to follow the god's command wasn't strong enough to make her risk going into a devil and dragon infested mountain range.

On the other hand, the collapsing gate on their way out did a fine job by dropping blessed stones right on Filia's head. It left her in a heap on the ground, and her family and other pedestrians in a wide circle.

In sheer rage, Filia stood up and maced a piece of rubble on her tail.

The splinters fall into a most peculiar pattern, one far less arcane. A big fat arrow pointed to the Kataart Mountains, and a broken one to Sailoon. That one was surrounded by storm clouds.

"Fine!" Filia snapped at the earth.

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