Chapter 24: Dragon Soul, Human Heart
Evan walked through a white expanse, looking for something, but he didn't know what he was after until a familiar voice called him.
"Master! Master!" It sounded desperate and in pain.
"That's odd; I should know that voice, but…" He thought about it as the voice became more desperate.
"Wait, that's…" As he turned around, what he saw made his heart freeze: Mir, in her human form, was being devoured by a dragon-like creature, its jaws tearing into her flesh as she struggled to crawl away. As Evan ran and reached for her, he woke with a start, feeling dread wash over him when he found Mir missing.
"Mir? Where are you?" he called, throwing off the covers. He was about to look for her when she walked in with a basket of fruit in her hands.
"Oh! Master, you're finally up. Are you alright? You look pale." She asked sweetly, walking to the fire pit. She put in a few logs and cast a fire spell under a small plate of iron used for cooking. Evan was puzzled; Mir usually left the cooking to him, mostly because she didn't know how to cook human food too well. So why was she doing it now?
"If you give me just a minute, I'll have something prepared for you," she called sweetly, fighting her way through the intricacies of human cooking. It didn't take long before Mir presented Evan with a plate of… something. A plate of mush was the best way he could describe it.
"It looks… interesting, Mir. What is it?" He asked tentatively.
"Oh! It's Apple Cinnamon pancakes!" Evan's stomach jumped into his throat, and his heart sank, but he dug his spoon into the half-cooked goo. Surprisingly, it tasted good, commenting on it as he wolfed down the rest. He was about to get up and put the plate in the washtub when Mir stopped him and did it herself. She then returned and sat down next to Evan, leaning against him and putting her arms around his, reveling in the slight warmth he gave off.
"Mir, what's wrong? You're acting very different than you usually do." Mir opened her eyes as she hugged Evan's arm tighter.
"It won't be here for much longer. I have to make the best memories that I can while I still-" Mir clamped down Evan's arm, gritting her teeth and groaning in pain, looking up at him with a loving yet fearful look in her eyes.
"Mir, what's wrong?" When the wave passed, Mir tried to hold back her tears, but the look in her master's eyes broke her will. She threw herself at him, pushing him down on the cot and pressing her body to his, holding him tight.
"Master, I would have loved to spend all my days with you. But the time is coming that I-" searing pain cut her words short as she arched back, screaming out before falling beside him, panting while gripping Evan's arm. Her grip was so tight that Evan was worried she would simply pinch his arm in half as he gaped in pain. When her grip finally released, he pulled his arm from her hand.
"Mir! What's wrong? Tell me-" Evan cut his question short when he saw a glow on her back from beneath her clothes. Slowly, he pulled away the dress and saw the symbol covering her back, widening his eyes.
"Grendal. GRENDAL!" he called, propping up Mir in his arm while she panted for breath.
"Master I-"
"Mir, don't speak; we'll get you some help. Grendal! Where are you!?" Soon, Mir was lying under a warming lamp with an I.V. and a bio-monitor that Dr. Kim watched closely with Grendal, Ito, and Kumo. Every once in a while, the glow on her back would return, making her curl into a ball until a pump with a unique blend of herbs and painkillers relieved her turmoil. Evan waited outside impatiently, pacing beside the machines where Dr. Kim analyzed a sample of Mir's blood. The doctor wanted to know just as much as Evan what was causing these sudden surges of pain and the giant glowing symbol on her back.
"Based on everything I could pull from the Omega Sector mainframe, she's in perfect health. However, the tests I've been using are designed for humans, not dragons." Evan bit on his thumbnail and turned away, thinking through everything he'd learned in his young life as a mage.
"I believe I know what's wrong." A soothing voice said as Saia, the Nine Spirits Dragon, descended into town and lowered her head to look through the window, watching as Mir panted after a wave of pain racked her body. Helen walked up to them after she had sensed Saia flying overhead and followed her.
"What is wrong?" she asked as soon as she could see the troubled looks on everyone's faces.
"Lady Helen, it's good to see you again, at least outside my prison," Saia said, forcing a smile, then turning back to Mir as Evan cut in.
"It's Mir: fits of pain have been plaguing her all morning. Saia said she might know what's wrong, but she hasn't said what." Saia lowered her eyes and let out a mournful sigh.
"It's not that I don't know, young Evan; I'm not sure you want to know what is plaguing your beloved Mir," Saia commented softly. Evan walked up to Saia and pulled on her fur, turning her massive head to him with fire in his eyes.
"Tell me, Saia; what's wrong with her?" he demanded, his voice sounding as if it were about to break.
"Mir's life is coming to an end." The shock hit Evan hard, making him stumble.
"You're joking, right? She's just having growing pains or something, right?" Evan asked. But Saia's sad eyes and constant stare made the small hope Evan held onto disappear, collapsing to the ground.
"No, that can't be! She's still so young!" Evan said, fighting back his tears.
"I wish that were the case, Evan. But the symbol on her back is the sign of her life ending."
"That can't be! It's only been a few years since I found her! Her life can't be ending already!" Evan said in desperation as he tried to find the strength to stand. Saia offered her snout to help him to his feet.
"Vram algbo, Evan (Listen Well Evan). When you found Mir, she had lain dormant in her egg for hundreds of years. Afrien used the last of her life force to bring her into this world and set a spell that would ensure her survival until someone found her and re-established the pact Afrien made with Freud. When considering how old she is, you must include those years. She is, in fact, over 600 years old." Evan looked over to Mir as she cried out with another wave of pain.
"We dragons live for a very long time; some have even called us immortal. In truth, we only have a very long life span. I am almost 450 years old, but that will change someday. That symbol appears when we dragons are nearing the end of our natural lives. For some of us, it appears intermittently while we live for another 20 years, appearing more frequently as we near death. For others like Mir, it shows itself when we are very close to death, showing itself more and more frequently and causing ever-increasing pain until the end."
"But what about the pact we made? Shouldn't that keep her alive since our lives are intertwined?" Evan asked. Saia shook her head, the breeze playing with her fur.
"For that, you would need a ritual of far more power than what you and Mir have. You would be like the Empress and Shinsoo. Their lives are connected, and they may live for hundreds of years as it combines their Life Forces. Your pact with Mir is akin to an agreement that you will work together, attuning your mana to work in tandem."
"Then why doesn't Shinsoo have a human form?" Helen asked.
"I do; it is by choice that I do not use it," Shinsoo said as he and the Empress descended from the skies.
"All dragons can take on a human form once they have formed a pact of any kind with a human. But when we dragons are in said form, our powers are a tiny fraction of our true form. Only my strength remains in my human form, not my ability to sense others. Mir retains her ability to sense those around her in her human form, but her other powers are limited."
"Her strength seems to remain, though," Evan huffed, showing the dark bruise around his bicep, making Shinsoo chuckle.
"She may not command the same strength as in her draconic form, but she is still many times stronger than any person in her human form." Helen went to Evan with a healing spell as Ito and Kumo walked out of the small hut where Mir was lying.
"Is there a way to extend her life?" Evan asked with desperation flooding his eyes. Ito and Kumo turned to each other with questioning looks. Absents of speaking made Evan ask the question again with more force or desperation. Ito jumped back, nodding his head in a nervous motion with wide eyes.
"It's dangerous to get the items," Kumo said.
"I don't care! I'm not going to let Mir die!" Evan growled. Kumo nodded and thought for a minute.
"The only way you are going to save her is by using the binding ritual Shinsoo and Cygnus had to go through," Kumo said. Cygnus looked up to Evan and touched his shoulder.
"Evan, are you sure? It is a harrowing process for both you and her. Do you want to risk her life giving out before it's complete?" Evan gritted his teeth and smacked the Empress's hand away.
"Forgive me, Empress, but you would be just as desperate if you were in my position. Kumo, what do I need?" Kumo walked to his hut, the sounds of things shuffling and bottles clinking coming from it.
"You will need a Dragon Stone, A dragon's spirit essence, a basket of Dragon Fruit, and an Elixer of Life."
"I will provide you with the Essence Kumo," Saia offered, at which Evan bowed to her in thankfulness. Kumo grunted in approval and continued with his explanation.
"You must retrieve the Dragon Stone from the Cave of Life. Some glow red and yellow, which are hard to find. They are solidified Dragon's Life force. The Dragon Fruit can only be found in Masteria. Find someone named Alwyn, who cultivates them in his private garden. I will talk to Grendal and Chief Tatamo for an elixir." Kumo called as he searched through shelves for any other minor ingredients.
Evan nodded, running into the hut to grab his wand but set it back down as he looked over at Mir while she panted. It made him wonder if using his power would drain Mir of her mana. Right now, he wanted to do everything possible to extend her life, however slight it might be. He stroked her cheek, waking her as her golden eyes looked tired and already so lifeless.
"I'm sorry, Master, for causing you so much trouble. I should have told you as soon as it appeared."
"Don't worry about it: just rest. You'll be fine, I promise." Evan whispered. Mir nodded as Evan pulled the covers up to her shoulders and left the house, storming toward the docks.
"Evan! What will you do if you can't take your wand or use your powers?" Helen asked as she walked with him.
"I'll make due. I can't use my power because it might further drain Mir's mana and her life." Helen shook her head and fell in step with him as Oz appeared beside them in an explosion of flames.
"Then we're coming too. I don't think we'll have any problems. Not with Oz, the Blaze Wizard, Helen, the Guardian Mage of Ossyria, and Evan, the Dragon Mage. The others are busy with the 'Beyond the Clouds' cannons, and Olsen and Auzzy are going to Victoria for recon. Like it or not, you're stuck with us." Oz said happily. Evan nodded his thanks, untying a boat, guiding it away from the dock into the sky, and pointing it to the Minar Forest.
Thoughts of how to get to Masteria plagued him. The island nation was near Edelstein, and using this boat would take almost three days to reach it. Evan was sure they didn't have that kind of time, and the four-hour journey to the Cave of Life was already burning precious time.
"I think we should see the King Sage once we have the Dragon Stone and see if he knows anyone who may have Dragon Fruit in their possession," Helen suggested. Oz and Evan agreed with her as they climbed the skies and headed for Minar.
"Hang on just a bit longer, Mir; I'll be back as soon as I can," Evan thought, gripping the helm tighter.
Olsen tried hard to push the thoughts of his and Jenny's break-up into the back of his mind, but it was hard as the wind played with his hair while standing at the railing of the Ticket's ship. His only recourse was to concentrate on the mission: He, Auzzy, Eckhart, and Lady Syl were to go to Victoria and gather intelligence on the Sharenian Ruins. Reports of strange happenings in or around them began to surface, especially about Eleanor and that peculiar man, Dragon. Auzzy came up from below deck and quickly approached him.
"Tell me something, master. What do you think of Lady Syl? I've heard the stories about the bad blood between her and your father, Dark Lord Jin." Olsen set his elbows on the railing, looking back at the stairs leading to the hold just as Lady Syl came up to the deck.
"To tell the truth, I don't know what to think of her. My biological mother divorced my dad in the world where I was born before I had a chance to get to know her. Beyond that, the only other female presence in my life was Athena. If my father does marry Syl, it'll be a slow process since I've never known what a mother is truly like. Sorry, I know you probably just wanted a simple explanation." Olsen said as he cocked his head to the side. Auzzy shook his head.
"No, no, it's fine. It's understandable: at first, Lady Syl wanted to kill him, and now she can hardly stand to be away from him. You're lucky, though; the only parent I ever had was my Master Geris. From what I found out later, my parents were killed soon after I was born by a desperate beggar." Silence hung over them until Syl walked up to the helm and asked Joel the approximate travel time remaining.
"I reckon there's about, oh, three 'er four hours 'fore we see Victoria."
"Do you think there would be any negative repercussions if Olsen and I were to spar below deck?" she asked. Joel shrugged and shook his head.
"There's ain't much room down there. So long as you lot don't go punchin' a hole in this here hull 'er break a support beam, we should be alright." Syl bowed slightly and called to Olsen.
"I know that you and your friends displayed some very fearful abilities at our first meeting," Olsen smirked and chuckled.
"You trying to say you were impressed or something?" Olsen asked with a sly attitude, turning his eyes up to her as he leaned against the railing and crossed his legs.
"In a roundabout way, yes. But, I wish to see what your skills are like against mine, even if you have the Pink Quartz at your disposal."
"Lead the way, Syl," Olsen said confidently as they descended into the darkness below deck. Eckhart could feel the tension as they walked down and quickly reached for his mask, making himself scarce. After their eyes had adjusted to the dim light, Syl turned around with a dramatic throw of her arm and announced the rules of their sparring session.
"The first one who manages to get a blade to one of our necks is the winner," Syl announced. Olsen nodded as he drew his Betrayal dagger, lowering his stance with the blade aimed outward. Syl drew her dagger and katara, swinging them around her fingers before stopping them with a reverse stance. Olsen closed his eyes, a wind curling around his dagger arm while wings appeared on his heels, listening to the silence and going far beyond it to hear Syl's breathing and heartbeat. Syl had barely begun disappearing when Olsen vanished in a blur of mana. Syl did the same, listening and waiting for her moment to strike. If Olsen had done what Syl anticipated, she could listen for his breathing.
But the harder she listened, the more of a headache she got straining against the silence. She swung her dagger, deflecting a shuriken that flew in from behind her, ducking into a hiding spot. She underestimated his ability, but then again, he probably underestimated her.
Olsen sat as still as he could, trying his best to make his breath as quiet and shallow as he could stand, listening for any trace of Syl. He tried listening harder, but there wasn't even a tiny padding of her feet on the floor. He thought he sensed her on his right, hurling a volley of shuriken.
As he suspected, Syl began trying to deflect the stars, each sparking off her dagger and katara, giving him the over-noise he needed to surge from his hiding spot and gain a footing behind her. Just as he was about to put his dagger to her neck, her presence appeared behind him, making him drop his invisibility and dart away from her on a seal made of violet light. Just as he was about to right himself, something sounding like chain links shot out and began wrapping around him. As the chains tightened, they hauled him to Syl as she dropped her invisibility and held her dagger to his throat.
"Sorry, Olsen. You've lost this round." She smirked. But Olsen smiled in return as his image faded, revealing a log that melted away as a cloud of mana. Syl smirked as she shook her head.
"He is Jin's son," She thought, readying for another attack when Olsen appeared in the same stance as he had begun with. Syl readied another stance, waiting for her moment to attack. As if on cue, the two of them shot forward, each of their blades slamming together in a blurred dance. The winds they stirred blew the dust aside until they stopped with one blade held to each other's neck, breathing hard.
"My, you are a fast one. Given another second, I think I might have lost my head." Syl laughed, twirling the dagger around her finger before shoving it back into its holster.
"No, you would have had me. My counterattack was sloppy and would have injured you at best," Olsen replied, tapping the blade of his dagger against her shoulder before holstering it.
"Still, that was only using your mana. I can only imagine what you are like when using your crystal power." Syl complimented as she sheathed her katara.
"Though I will say that your strikes were less than accurate; is something on your mind?" Olsen huffed, cracking his neck and rolling his shoulders.
"Jenny and I broke off your relationship yesterday. It's been on my mind," he confessed. Syl put an understanding hand on his shoulder.
"Are you confident you are in the right mind for this mission?" Syl asked. Olsen shrugged off her hand and paced the hold.
"If I'm honest, I don't know. I only know I am needed. My pain can wait." Syl stopped his pacing and embraced him, holding his head to her shoulder.
"Don't push away your pain or run from it. It will fester in your soul if you let it remain there too long." she soothed, holding him away and patting his shoulder before walking up to the deck. For a moment, Olsen felt a wave of grief roll through him but managed to gather his thoughts and join her on the deck. After a few hours, Joel guided the ship down until it hovered above the dusty ground of Perion.
"Here, this is a 'pick me up' button. I'm goin' to dock the ship at the station. So when y'all'r ready to go, just press that there button and I'll be by to pick you lot up!" he called, tossing Eckhart a small machine with a large red button on it. Eckhart nodded back to him as Joel took off.
"I brought these radios with me. When you talk, keep it low and brief. We don't want anything going wrong," Auzzy said, handing out a receiver with a small choker-like band and an earbud.
"Good thinking," Syl said as they all donned them and began jumping, running, and flitting their way into Perion, where they would start their search.
Kyrin found herself aboard the Nautilus, walking down the corridor toward the helm room, where Muirhat was at the wheel, her sister Shulynch was on the radar and weapons, and the communications expert Baine was listening to the radio.
"Baine, Status!" Kyrin called, sitting in her captain's chair and typing in a command on the computer screen next to her chair in front of the helm.
"Nothing to report, Captain. All channels dead." Kyrin nodded in acknowledgment.
"Sis, what's your ear say?" Shulynch tapped her headphones and then slid one side off her head.
"So far, radar hasn't picked up anything. No torpedoes fired."
"Steady as she goes, Muirhat." Usually, the next thing she would have heard was his prompt Jamaican-accented 'aye mon.' But this time, he said nothing, and she turned back to see if he was paying attention.
"Muirhat?" But when she turned around, she found him slumped against the wheel, barely able to hold himself up. Quickly, Kyrin and Shulynch went to him.
"Muirhat, what's wrong?" Weakly, he looked up at Kyrin and then Shulynch before wheezing a plea.
"Help me." Kyrin woke with a start, sitting bolt upright in a cold sweat. Mark felt her move and sleepily sat up, rubbing her arm and kissing her shoulder.
"What's wrong, hun?" he asked as Kyrin looked back at him, steadying her breathing and then staring at the clock on her dresser. Kyrin and Mark had been taking the night shift on the northern wall lately, so they often slept until two or three in the afternoon.
"It was just a bad dream; I'm not sure I'm going to be able to get back to sleep, though." Mark nodded, kissing her on the cheek and then falling back asleep. Kyrin sat in her bed for a while, thinking about her strange dream before getting up and getting dressed. However, when she walked out of her quarters on the Nautilus, Shulynch was just passing by and ran into her.
"Shulynch, what's the matter?" Kyrin asked, catching her before she fell back.
"Just come with me." She said, taking Kyrin's hand and leading her into the Helm room. They burst through the door, but no one was there. The only sounds came from the computers in the dash and the occasional shift of the wooden boards that made up the floor as the Nautilus gently swayed.
"Was there someone in here?" Kyrin asked, unsure what Shulynch was trying to show her.
"I just had the weirdest dream about Muirhat," Shulynch panted. Kyrin's eyebrows shot up momentarily, curious about the coincidental dream.
"Really? Well, that's strange. I understand that the last anyone saw of him was when the Nautilus stalled as you escaped."
"Yes, I know, but this was different. It was as if…"
"…As if he were sending out a distress signal," Kyrin finished. Shulynch looked at Kyrin with questioning eyes.
"You had a dream about him, too?" Kyrin nodded, but she tried to make it seem as though it were just a freak occurrence.
"There is a chance that it could be him trying to send us a message, but dreams can be funny that way. Let's give it another day before talking to Grendal about it." Kyrin suggested. Shulynch nodded and returned to her room, where she had been looking through old photos. Kyrin sighed as she went through the corridors again, coming to the map room on the middle deck, remembering the first day she had met Muirhat.
"So tell me, Mr. uh…"
"It's Muirhat mum. It be a pleasha to meetcha." he said in an accent she had never heard.
"Right. Why should I let you be my Helmsman?"
"Bea-cause I can guide dis ship tru da deepest of watahs, and even hear tings dat no udda person can. I have no doubt in my mind dat I can take you places dat you have only been able to dream off."
"But your eyes are wrapped up. How can you even see?" Kyrin commented, tapping her head as if touching the bandages around his face.
"Dat is somting dat I wish to keep a secret." Kyrin smiled as she remembered the first day she let him take the helm, guiding them through the treacherous waters north of Edelstein as though it were his own backyard. Kyrin then wandered through the corridors of the Nautilus, remembering different instances with each of her crew members. Finally, she found herself on the engineering deck where the low hum of the main drive crystal spun just fast enough to keep the main power online. The low hum brought back another memory of her and Muirhat being at sea for over a year.
"You wanted to see me, Muirhat?"
"Yes. I see dat de Whalian Sharyl has been pestahing you quite a bit."
"Well, it's nothing that I can't handle. Besides, I like the water, but I'd rather be able to keep my legs," Kyrin said, patting her toned thigh.
"Is there something else that you wanted to ask?" Kyrin said, tilting her head and raising an eyebrow.
"Wat would you say to you and I making dis look as doh you were wit someone else, so dat persistent whale would leave you be?" Kyrin laughed at herself for that one. The ruse lasted a bit, but over time, Kyrin began to feel that Muirhat wasn't pretending any longer. She felt a little bad that if they were ever to find him and saw that she was married to another guy, it might cause bad blood to erupt between them.
Shulynch wandered through the corridors of the Nautilus after dismissing her gun training class, smiling as she thought about her teaching Jack the Gun Kata. It was exciting how quickly he picked it up, even though she had never taught it to anyone else. Her wanderings led her to the sleeping quarters where Muirhat slept before he went missing. She often wondered what was beneath the bandages over his eyes. She could never see what he was hiding, even when she tried to peek through his door when he took them off.
Through the years they had been at sea, even though she was a teenager, Shulynch harbored feelings for him but was too shy to admit them. During their desperate escape, when the Nautilus stalled, Shulynch grabbed her guns to help Muirhat stall the approaching army. But the Nautilus was already powering through the deep waters before she could follow him. She could still remember screaming at the crewman keeping her from opening the hatch, demanding that they surface and let her go. But by then, it was already too late. From then on, she swore to confess her feelings towards him if they ever found Muirhat again.
A few hours later, Evan, Oz, and Helen landed their boat near the Cave of Life, flinching as the thunder from over the Dragon Forest rolled up to them in waves. As they approached the cave's mouth, Evan peered in and saw a dark figure taking what appeared to be a Dragon Stone from the wall.
"Ah! I was beginning to worry that there were none left, but there was one." The figure said, handing the glowing orange stone to another shadowy figure while a third, more stout figure stood beside the second.
"Well, shall we return, Master Dragonoir?" a female voice asked. Helen and Evan froze: It was his brother. Evan could face him head-on, but only when Mir was with him, and Helen could only distract him and make him angry. The only other mage here with enough power was Oz. Helen looked past Evan to Dragonoir, her face contorting into furious determination as she marched out. Bright violet flames burst into existence around her, chasing the darkness away instantly.
"Oh my, it's the little mage from Herb Town," Dragonoir taunted. Maya stepped to his side, a dark flame igniting in her hand, holding the Dragon Stone in the other.
"That's the last Stone, is it not?" Helen asked as the flames she controlled dimmed to a low glow, the rocks smoldering where the fire had been a few moments before.
"Indeed it is. And with this, I will become far more powerful, furthering myself to overtake the Black Mage," he stated. Maya hurled the flame at Helen, who flung it into the wall with her cloak. Some of the hanging crystals fell from high above them.
"If you try and take it away from Master Dragonoir, you will have to answer to me," Maya said as she held up another flame, revealing Phoenix standing beside her.
"Dragonoir: You may want that stone, but I need it," Evan said, standing beside Helen. Dragonoir laughed as he took the stone from Maya and held it out to him.
"You need it, brother? Then give up your title as Dragon Master; I am the rightful heir to Freud's power."
"The pact between Mir and I doesn't work like that!"
"Then what use is this stone to you?"
"Because I need it to save a life," Evan shouted, feeling his blood boil, and his chest feel hollow. For a terrible moment, he thought of life without Mir. Dragonoir rocked his head back and laughed loudly, the cave making him sound louder.
"What's so funny, Dragonoir?" Oz demanded, a flame flaring at the end of her staff as she came forward.
"You need this stone to save the life of your precious dragon, Mir, don't you?" Dragonoir chuckled. "When Evan first found Mir, I would have given anything to be the Mage that he was! And now the tables are turned!" Draongoir's grip on the stone tightened, making his hand shake.
"You'd give anything to have this one stone to save his precious Mir, wouldn't you, Evan?!" Dragonoir teased, holding it out to him. Evan hung his head and fell to his hands and knees.
"Please, Dragonoir, I beg you! Let me have that stone."
"Evan, what are you doing?!" Helen hissed. Dragonoir's eyes smiled as he leaned down to whisper into Evan's ear.
"You would do anything?" he asked sinisterly. Evan looked up at him with pleading eyes.
"Then break your pact with Mir. Let me become the Dragon Mage I should rightfully be!" Phoenix growled in the background as he bared his fangs.
"I already told you it doesn't work like that!" Evan shouted. Dragonoir straightened, shaking his head mockingly, beckoning Maya and Pheonix to follow him as he stomped away. Helen gritted her teeth and drew a Poison Flame arrow. Violet flames curled around the sickly green poison pulled from her pouch as Oz slammed her staff into the ground. A pillar of rock erupted from the ground, bringing glowing magma veins.
"Give it to him now!" Helen demanded. Dragonoir smiled as he tossed the stone into the air. Helen released her arrow, missing Dragonoir and grazing Maya's shoulder. Dragonoir unleashed a blast of ice that Oz's exploding pillar turned to steam. In return, Helen cast an ice spell, shards of sharpened ice tearing through Dragonoir's cloak. Maya concentrated her mana and hurled it at them, exploding like Jack's Granade.
Dragonoir glared at Phoenix, who rushed forward, transforming into his dragon form. Dragonoir threw a concentrated orb of mana into Phoenix's mouth, mixing it with his own and firing a powerful beam. Helen pulled her cloak around her, but the impact pushed her back. She was about to unleash another attack when another powerful mana beam threw her against the wall. Oz growled, clapping her hands and spreading her arms as a giant book appeared before her, pages turning until they reached the desired page. She then began reading a spell from the pages before her while gripping her staff hard.
"Guiding stars above and warming flames below, I call upon you to grant me your strength…" Dragonoir jumped onto Phoenix, mana clones of the dragon charging Oz, blocked by an invisible wall around her.
"…Pass to me the knowledge that you hold. Sparks and embers empower me; let me send my enemies to Hell…" Oz turned up her blazing eyes, burning bright orange as if made of fire. Her hair began to glow, rippling like smoldering paper while embers fell like snow around her.
"… in the name of my contract, LIGHT MY WAY!" Oz's cloak exploded into flames as a flaming gear appeared before her. As it spun, the fire engulfing the gear licked at the ground, glassing the rock. The flames burst from it in an immense pillar, making the whole cave shudder.
When Oz's attack stopped, Helen struggled to her feet after being slammed against the wall, trying to stop her head from pounding. She stood in awe before seeing the Stone fall to the ground. Quickly, Helen teleported forward, tumbling across the ground after catching it. Oz and Evan ran to her, checking to see if she was alright as she held up the Dragon Stone.
"Now, let's get the Dragon Fruit. We haven't much time." Evan said as he helped Helen to her feet. The Guardian Mage saw no trace of their opponent anywhere as she limped out of the cave to the boat. In the back of her mind, Helen knew she would far surpass Oz in time, but she couldn't help but still be in awe of Oz and the power she commanded.
The three of them appeared outside the Hafring's town of Leafre in a ball of black power. Dragonoir shivered as he thought about the massive pillar of fire surging for him.
"I never would have known Oz to have that much power." He thought to himself until he heard something behind him. Looking back, he saw Maya slumped down in Phoenix's arms after he transformed back into a human.
"What's wrong with you, Maya?" he asked coldly.
"The poison in the arrow from Helen grazed me, and the poison is beginning to weave its way through my body. Do you have an antidote?" Maya asked. Dragonoir stared before turning back around.
"Leave her, Phoenix. If she's weak enough to be hit with poison, she is useless to me." He said, walking away. Phoenix growled low in his throat, his arms and hands shaking in rage, but he set Maya down. Before leaving, he reached into his cloak and pulled out a bottle of a green liquid, setting it next to Maya's hand. Carefully, he pulled out the cork before getting up and walking after Dragonoir. Until now, Phoenix had never questioned his master's actions, but now, he was contemplating whether keeping the contract with him was a good idea.
Olsen peered out from cover, waving Auzzy and Syl forward. Eckhart watched their rear flank from further back. Auzzy climbed up an abandoned crane from a long-since-vanished archeologist dig for a better vantage point, climbing back down to report his findings.
"There are skeletons everywhere, from what I could see. Some look like dogs, and others seem to be soldiers." Olsen nodded as he considered what they should do, tapping his cheek.
"They look like easy targets. We could blast a trail through them." Auzzy said enthusiastically. Olsen nodded but offered another point of view.
"Yes, that may be true if we were here to train. We're here to gather intel; Killing off those skeletons might alert anyone there. If this area resembles the game, the area in question houses a powerful demon known as Ergoth." Olsen said.
"Our best option is to use our invisibility and stay as quiet as possible," Eckhart interjected as he approached the group. Syl nodded her approval as they all disappeared, flitting from place to place around the skeletons and into what appeared to be a construction site around an old-looking castle. Eckhart pressed the button on the side of his neck, relaying what he saw.
"I can see some of the Masks. Nothing too out of the ordinary," Olsen tapped his neck twice in response, moving closer to the castle ruins.
"I'm about two hundred feet west of the site, near one of the spires. There are skeletons on horseback—commanders, I think—along with a few skeletons with metal helmets. Syl, what do you see?" There was silence as she moved around the site for a moment, jumping down to what appeared to be a bulletin board.
"Nothing too strange: Just a bulletin board that- whoa…" Syl whispered as her hand passed through the sign.
"Syl, what's wrong?" Auzzy asked.
"I think I've found the entrance to the barrier around the Mana Drill."
"Where is it? We'll come to you." Olsen said.
"I'm about the center of the site. To my right appears to be a gangplank." Within a few seconds, the others came to her position, cautiously walking through the sign, revealing an enormous castle with spires that reached so high into the air that clouds gathered around them. It wasn't long before Auzzy felt weak and dizzy, losing his invisibility. Olsen knelt next to him, becoming visible.
"Auz, you ok?"
"Yeah, I just feel really weak all of a sudden."
"It has to be the effect of the Mana Drill. Just being in its proximity is draining his mana." Syl guessed, looking around at the darkened desert: the dry trees that once stood tall had all turned to ash, which covered the ground in a thick grey blanket.
"I think we've managed to get enough intel. We need to get out of here before we start running out of mana," suggested Eckhart. Syl agreed and helped Auzzy to his feet, walking back toward the sign and out of the barrier. But when they crossed the threshold of the barrier, they all froze.
"Well, what do we have here?" Eleanor asked, running her slender fingers over the giant buckle holding Dragon's Dume on his back.
"I would say that they are some inquisitive cats who have gotten too close for their own good," he replied, reaching up and pulling the large sword from over his shoulder. The veins throughout the blade lit up, and a rising, high-pitched sound squealed in their ears.
"I do believe you are right, Dragon. What do you think we should do?" Eleanor asked, putting her hands on his shoulder and leaning against him. Olsen growled, drawing his Betrayal dagger and rushing Dragon as fast as he could. But Dragon blocked his attack with the back of his gauntlet.
"We should teach them what happens to overly curious cats." Eleanor nodded and turned back to them with a seductive but devious grin.
"That sounds like a good idea, Dragon." She slowly turned her palm to Olsen as black flames swirled into existence.
"What have we stumbled into?" Olsen asked himself as the flame began to engulf him.
Evan pushed the boat as fast as he could back to Herb Town. They had received a radio call saying that one of the Omega Sector soldiers retrieved the Dragon Fruit from Masteria. The skiff was much slower than the Omega Sector speed boats, and a bad feeling began to settle in Evan's stomach; he had to hurry. He looked again at the throttle control and banged it with his palm for the ninety-fifth time, almost urging the skiff to go faster.
"Helen, are you sure you can't Teleport us back to the Herb Town?" He asked with desperate agitation.
"Evan, listen. I know how desperate you feel, and I can't help you. Long-range teleportation needs time to-"
"I'm sorry, I know. I'm just getting this knot in my stomach, and it's beginning to make me worried," Evan replied as he hit the throttle again. He nervously looked forward, checked the radar, and then stared at the horizon, trying to distract himself by thinking about the good times he and Mir had when they first met.
It had been a whole week since he had brought the egg home, finding it in a pit nearby. It was accidentally discovered while trying to round up a small herd of pigs that had escaped his brother's farm. When she finally hatched, the little blue dragon tumbled out of her egg and onto the floor from her resting spot beside his bed. Evan soon came running up the stairs when he heard her hit the floor. For a bit, she cried, sounding similar to a kitten as she cried for someone, anyone, since her eyes were still sealed shut. Evan quickly scooped her up and took her into the kitchen, where he washed off the goop that clung to her scales and wrapped her in a warm towel fresh off the line.
It would be a few days before her shoulders were strong enough to pick up her wings from dragging on the floor. In the meantime, Mir could be seen following Evan everywhere around the house, almost like a cat, and even resting around his neck while making a purring sound. Evan's thoughts were interrupted as Oz tugged on his arm, pointing out they were just above Herb Town.
Quickly and heavily, Evan pushed on the yoke, nearly sending them into a complete nose dive as they swept into Herb Town and stopped with a rough landing. Evan didn't wait to tie the skiff down as he raced away with the Dragon Stone and nearly tackled Kumo, who was squeezing the juice of the last of the Dragon fruit into a bottle.
"Kumo! Here! I brought the Dragon Stone!" Kumo nodded his head and dropped the orange-sized stone into the bottle. The Halfringer then reached back and pulled a star-like light from a bag, dropping it into the same container, putting in the cork, and shaking it up.
"Now we must wait," Kumo said, his eyes looking grave but anxious. Evan's shoulders dropped as his heart stopped.
"What do you mean wait? Mir is dying, and you say we must wait?!" he demanded. Kumo stood from his stump chair and pointed a stubby finger at him.
"Yes, I said to wait. Chief Tatamo and Grendal are still working on the Elixer of Life we need to complete the potion for the ritual." Evan felt helpless: the one life he had fallen in love with was slowly slipping away before his very eyes, and there was nothing he could do about it to slow or stop it until the potion was complete. Quietly, he walked into their hut and pushed aside the curtain, making Dr. Kim look up from his computer screen.
"How is she doc?" Evan asked. Dr. Kim came closer to him and spoke in a low voice.
"It's not looking good, Evan: so far, all I've been able to do is keep her on a limited dosage of painkillers and put her on a mana drip line. The Mana has slowed her degradation, but I can do nothing to stop it. That symbol will appear on her back from time to time and send her through fits of pain more powerful than painkillers can suppress. If I were you, I would stay by her." Evan swallowed hard and nodded, feeling that knot in his stomach make its way to his throat as he walked over to the side of her bed and sat down.
Mir, the once great Onyx dragoness, seemed so small and frail because she was lying so still. She barely breathed as the warmth in her hands was no longer as potent, nor did her power feel like a roaring, steady pressure against his skin as it usually did. Evan reached out and took her hand, making Mir open her eyes and look at Evan.
"Master Evan, you've returned," she whispered, weakly squeezing his hand and looking into his face. Evan could hardly stand seeing Mir this way since he had always known her to be a strong woman, dragon, and friend. Gently, he brushed a few strands of her hair away from her face and then kissed her forehead, right on the contract mark.
"I promise, Mir, I won't let you die," Evan whispered, hovering just above her skin so that she could feel his warm breath. She smiled and closed her eyes again, returning to her restful state while Evan kissed her again, pulling up the covers to her shoulders before walking out the door, coming face to face with Saia, Shinsoo, and the empress.
"Empress, I have a question for you," Evan said bluntly. Cygnus turned her gaze to him and nodded.
"What is it that you wish to know?"
"I have always wondered why you didn't merely enter a contract with Shinsoo rather than bonding your life with his." Cygnus looked back at Shinsoo, who nodded as though signaling she was allowed to tell him.
"At that time, Ereve kept a constant supply of herbs and fruits to create a variety of potions. Shinsoo was in a contract with my father at the time. For many years, my parents had tried to bring a child into the world with no success so that an heir to the Ossyrian throne would be born. Just as their hope was about to run dry, I was conceived.
"When I was born, I was weak, on the verge of death. Many physicians attempted to heal me but to no avail, even using an Elixir of Life. My life was ending quickly, and my Parents didn't want me to die, nor did they want to have to wait another six years before another child might be born. With some research on Grendal's part, they found a way for me to continue my life: the Life Binding ceremony. Shinsoo and my father broke off their contract, which allowed his life force to be bound to me, and thus, I am alive today because of him."
"Do you ever feel the effect of not being close enough to him?" Evan asked. Cygnus shook her head in response.
"The downside to this ceremony is that whatever happens to me will happen to Shinsoo and vice versa. If he is injured, I feel his pain just the same. If I die, he dies."
"Essentially, it allows two people to live from the same Life Force by combining them," Grendal said as he walked up, carrying the finished Elixir. Evan followed him to where Kumo sat with the rest of the potion and mixed it in.
"So what you're saying is that if I have another 40 years to live, Mir will also live those same 40 years?" Evan asked. Grendal shook his head and set his staff down with a quiet wooden thud.
"No, Evan. I said it combines your Life Force, not your years of life. A dragon's life force is much stronger than a human's and remains so for far longer. A human's life Life Force slowly diminishes over the years until the day of your passing. Separate as you and Mir are, the only thing in sync is your 'frequency' of mana so that your spells are in time and potency. What we are doing is combining your Life Forces into something completely different. The longevity of Mir's Dragon Life Force, coupled with a human's stubbornness to live, ultimately leads to both of you having an extremely long lifespan. If Freud and Afrin had lived and performed this ritual, they would still be alive today with bodies as young as when they first began training under Minerva."
"I'm impressed, Grendal. I always knew that a human and dragon Life Binding ritual afforded extraordinary powers, but nothing of this kind. I may even consider finding someone to bind my Life Force to." Saia smiled. The upbeat talk cheered Evan somewhat, but he was still worried as he watched Grendal mix the last of the potion.
"It is time, Evan," Grendal said as he poured some of the potion into a glass and handed it to Evan.
"Don't drink this just yet," he instructed, walking into the hut and telling Dr. Kim how to begin. They laid out a second cot next to Mir while Dr. Kim put a needle into both Mir and Evan's arms, connected by a length of surgical tubing with valves on either end. Grendal reached under Mir, propping her up slightly.
"Mir, listen. Can you swallow a cup full of this potion?" he asked. Mir partially opened her eyes and nodded as Grendal touched the bottle to her lips and nodded to Evan. Evan began to drink the sweet-tasting potion as Mir sipped, then tipped the bottle up further, drinking ravenously.
"The potion should take a moment to kick in. Evan, you might feel a bit strange, but whatever you do, don't fight it. Kim, open them." Dr. Kim turned both valves and watched as the dark crimson liquid flowed from both their arms, meeting in the center of the tube. Nothing happened for a moment until Evan felt his heart begin to beat faster.
He looked down at the tube and noticed a golden glow engulfing his blood while a black glow engulfed Mir's, passing each other and running into each other's arms. As Evan's golden blood met Mir, her eyes flew open, and she arched her back, thrashing her tail and flapping her wings. She dug her nails into the cot and clenched her jaw so tight that her teeth creaked. Evan was about to ask what the matter was when something felt like it was driving a spear through his back, making his whole body lock up, arching his back, unable to breathe. Grendal raised his hands and began to recite a spell, making the pain surging through them intensify tenfold.
The tube connecting them began glowing brighter while the veins on each of their arms began to swell and ripple. Mir did her best to relax despite the horrendous pain, but it felt as though there was some kind of parasite inside her body, as though she were being violated. Evan screamed in his mind to rise above the pain, trying to make sure that he stayed in control. He feared that if he didn't, the pain would overtake him and kill him, even though it felt like a hundred spears pierced through his body.
Evan then found himself floating under a giant field with an endless sky below him, his body bare and exposed to the elements. He then heard something coming from behind and turned to look. It was all Evan could do to dodge Mir in her dragon form as she flew past him, only to have her wing hit him in the head and send him spinning head over heels. He tried correcting himself but soon felt Mir's claws scrape across his flesh repeatedly. She was quickly turning him into a bloody mess until, when Mir had reduced most of his skin to shreds, she grabbed him and bit down hard around his torso, her teeth driving through him. Evan arched his back so far he could hear his spine cracking, gasping for air, and then fell still and silent.
Mir found herself in Evan's house, but she was full-grown, and her body was bare. She didn't seem to mind until she heard footsteps behind her. Mir pulled her wings around her and put her arms around her chest. When she turned around to see who it was, she was puzzled and frightened to find that no one was there.
"Mir, my love, it's just me, Evan." A voice said from behind her as she felt a pair of hands slide around her waist and then down the side of her hips. His cool hands on her skin almost felt foreign and unwanted. The only kind of contact she ever really felt from Master Evan was when he slept beside her or when she leaned against him. But this was just too much, too fast. She tried to pull away, but Evan slowly but firmly pulled her back to himself, hugging her closer. Again, Mir tried to tear away, but Evan only pulled her back as he ran his hands up her stomach, massaging her arms for a moment and then sliding his hands down to her forearms.
He leaned over and began kissing the side of her neck. Mir responded by unconsciously tilting her head. Evan began to slide his hand up onto her chest, causing Mir to let out a ragged breath of bliss. She tried to resist as Evan's other hand ran down the side of her hip and slowly began moving inward.
Mir's eyes shot open as she began to breathe in quick, shallow breaths. Her eyes looked wild and unfocused. Dr. Kim began to look panicked as he scanned the different screens relaying Mir's vitals.
"Kim, what's happening?" Grendal demanded.
"She's going into cardiac arrest," Kim growled, grabbing a vial of a drug and pulling a small amount into a syringe, immediately injecting it into her neck. The serum only made the problem worse as Mir thrashed even more while her vitals began to look sporadic.
"Mir, stay with me! Don't-" but just as Kim was about to try something else, the heart monitor began to beep faster. After a moment, it stopped with a long tone, piercing through everyone's skulls like a knife. Dr. Kim reached for the defibrillator and charged it, sending a surge of electricity through her body, making it jump. But the heart monitor only beeped once from the surge.
Dr. Kim tried again with the same result. Over and over, he tried until he relented to CPR. Ten minutes passed, and still, there was no sign that Mir's heart was starting again. Another ten minutes passed as Evan woke from his death-like trance, watching as Dr. Kim rhythmically pressed on Mir's chest, feeling a slight pressure in his own with every press. But after another ten minutes, Dr. Kim finally stopped, hanging his head and closing his defeated eyes. Evan looked up to Kim, sitting up and ignoring his screaming muscles.
"Is she…" Dr. Kim turned around and sadly shook his head, placing a hand on his shoulder as a tear left Evan's eye.
"No; no, she can't be!" he said in a stutter as he stumbled over to her, shakily brushing her hair away from her face and cupping her jaw in his hand before balling up his fist and falling to his knees next to her cot. It felt as if his heart were being ripped apart as he howled in silent heaves of tears. Evan took a breath, wailing into the crook of her neck as he held Mir in his arms. His body felt heavy as he lay her back down, gently closing her mouth and shutting her eyes, her skin already feeling cool to the touch. He forced his fingers into her hand, gently gripping it. Helen and Oz came in just as Evan lay over her body, noticing the dark and depressed air that hung thick all around them.
Helen looked at Kim with questioning eyes as he shook his head. Oz's eyes welled up as she covered her mouth in surprised sorrow: they were too late. Evan leaned over Mir as a tear fell on her cheek, running down her face as if she were crying. Evan was about to walk away when his shirt was caught on her other hand, making him look back at her peaceful face.
If this would be the last time he would ever see Mir, he wanted to cement her memory in his mind. He reached his arm over her and supported his weight on her cot, brushing the back of his fingers against her cheek. Tenderly, he pressed his lips to hers, squinting his eyes shut to keep his tears from falling on her face again. Just as his lips were leaving hers, Mir inhaled. After a few moments, she blinked her eyes, staring into Evan's astonished and elated face.
"Did it work?" Mir asked quietly. Evan laughed a bit and then picked her up and pulled her close, holding her as tight as he could. He tried but failed to keep from crying again, but this time, they were tears of sheer ecstasy. Mir was taken aback for a moment but then sat up as she put her arms around Evan, putting a hand on his head, hushing his tears.
"Master, please, that's supposed to be my line." She whispered as she closed her eyes and rested her head in the crook between his neck and shoulder. She breathed in his scent deeply, glad to have so many more years ahead of her to look forward to.
Syl panted as she tried to hold up her Katara and dagger, but that blasted Dragon made everything hard. Even trying to land a hit on Eleanor was like asking the sky to turn green. Olsen and Auzzy were unconscious while Eckhart tended to a deep wound in his arm and another across his chest, soaking his clothes in blood. Dragon looked like he hadn't even broken a sweat; Syl thought he should at least be breathing harder. She halfheartedly ran at Dragon, only to be blocked, then hit with the pommel of the Dume in her gut, making her gasp for air.
"Well, that was more entertaining than I thought it would be. But you have all seen too much." Dragon held his sword back as a black power began to engulf the blade, and a small cloud of blue exploded at his feet.
"Dark Seraphim!" he growled just as Syl began to sit up. She looked up and sighed with a smile on her face.
"My life taken by the likes of him? I must have indeed fallen quite low," she scolded herself. Something jumped in front of her, and Dragon's sword stopped with a clang.
"Giving up so easily, Lady Syl?" asked a familiar voice. She looked up, seeing Matthew holding back Dragon's sword with the Shield form of his Gaia cape while at the same time reaching for his Justice Hammer. He batted the heavy sword away in one swing, using the momentum to hit the ground as ice shards sprung up. Dragon had to jump back to avoid the ice spears.
"Dragon, you will face me and me alone!" Matthew growled. Dragon smirked and turned back to Eleanor.
"Stay out of this. He's mine!" Dragon growled, turning back to Matthew.
"It's courageous of you to fight me alone," Dragon taunted, setting the tip of his Dume on the ground while the veins within the blade dissipated.
"Do you want me to repeat myself?" Matthew growled between gritted teeth. Dragon chuckled and shook his head, lowering his stance while Matthew did the same. The ground exploded as they lunged at each other. Dragon's sword slammed into the Gaia shield, sliding away as Matthew swung his flaming mace. Dragon back-stepped, bringing his sword down hard, and Matthew batted the Dume into the ground. The two warriors looked like blurs, making craters each time their weapons met. Looking at Dragon's shoulder, Matthew saw five orbs orbiting Dragon's shoulder and three circling his own wrist.
"The warriors overcharge! Jack said he could use the Warrior's Hypercharge-" Dragon backed away, swinging hard and interrupting Matthew's thoughts. As the warrior sidestepped the swing, Matthew saw Olsen waking up. But Dragon's assault left him little time to use Olsen for a Mana Overdrive.
"TAKE THIS!" Matthew shouted, absorbing the three orbs and swinging hard as a seal in the shape of an eye appeared on his forehead. Dragon tried to parry the swing, but the impact made his hands buzz. A bright flash of green light washed over him, leaving him stumbling and unable to focus.
"Is that all you got, warrior?" Dragon growled, squinting his eyes. Matthew dropped the mace and drew his Azure Banshee, stabbing it into the ground. A giant violet seal appeared behind him where the roar of a dragon errupted. Dragon hung onto his sword and leaned into the sound, using every last ounce of strength to resist its force. When it ceased, everyone's ears rang, and dust clogged the air as Dragon finally found his focus.
"I see," he said with an impressed breath. "In that case…" Dragon's form blurred, appearing in front of Matthew, the Dume whistling as it came down.
"…I'll end this quickly!" Matthew blocked the swing with a wall of mana, but Dragon's swing nearly cut through it. Metal screeched as Dragon hauled his sword back, swinging from the side only to be blocked by Matthew's Azure Banshee, the two blades ringing like clocktower bells.
"I'm impressed, little warrior." Dragon smiled, leaning into his sword, but Matthew held his ground.
"I've gotten stronger since the last we met." Matthew sneered as Dragon bared his teeth.
"I see that, but not strong enough." Dragon's Dume screamed as veins within the sword glowed with mana while light gathered at the hilt. In a flash, the light exploded, driving Dragon's sword and pushing Matthew away. Matthew tried to right himself as the Bashee began to ice over, only to be sent flying again by Dragon's swing. Pulling himself up after slamming into a rock, Matthew tried to block Dragon's next attack but was blinded by a flash of green light and hurled into a crumbling wall, kicking up a cloud of dust.
Dragon disappeared into the cloud as Matthew came streaking out a moment later while his Azure Banshee skated across the ground. Dragon appeared in Matthew's path, using the Tiger's Roar to stop Matthew, forcing the air from his body and dropping him to the ground. Dragon clamped a hand under his breastplate and held him off the ground, looking over Matthew's bloody and bruised face and his dented and cracked armor. Matthew forced his aching arms to reach for Dragon's wrist, trying to escape his grip. But the previous pummeling left him unable to find the strength. With an unimpressed snicker, Dragon set him down on his feet, brushed off his armor, and leaned to his ear.
"Always remember, warrior; you and your friends are being allowed to live." Ceremoniously, Dragon sheathed his Dume and walked to Eleanor, both disappearing in a plume of black smoke. Jack and the apprentices came running into the camp, watching as Matthew crumpled to the ground. Lillianne ran to Matthew in a flash, helping him to his feet.
"Thanks, Matt; I thought he had me there." Olsen wheezed. Matthew chuckled and wiped the blood from his lip.
"It was nothing. We were nearby and heard the fighting," Matthew said from his swollen lips and cheek. Eckhart reached into his cloak and pulled the 'get me' button from it, depressing it. Meanwhile, Lillianne reached for the Med Kit in her knapsack and began to bandage Matthew's wounds.
Dragon and Eleanor appeared inside the barrier when Eleanor noticed Dragon seemed to grunt in pain.
"Are you alright?" she asked, touching his shoulder. Dragon furrowed his brow and nodded, holding his arm.
"I'll be alright." Eleanor looked where he was holding and pulled away his hand, seeing a cut in his arm bleeding quite badly.
"Dragon, you're hurt!" she exclaimed, holding her hand over the wound, a dark green light glowing. After a few moments, the skin on his arm closed.
"The Warrior, Matthew, has gotten pretty quick. I thought I didn't give him much time to think, but this proves otherwise," Dragon mused. With most of the pain gone, they walked into the mana drill, where Ergoth sat beside the anchor human, deep within the dungeon. While Ergoth and Eleanor talked, the man inside raised his head and opened his eyes: black as onyx while radiating acid-green pupils stood out in the dark.
"Kyrin… help me…"