Aimless

by The Silent Insomniac

Joshua Renalia finds himself lost in the Dragon Realms with nothing but his sleeping clothes, his knowledge of Spyro lore, and a power beyond his understanding. Cut off from all he knows, the human discovers Spyro's world is alien, unforgiving, brutally shattering his naive expectations. How long can he live here before going insane? Is there a way back home? Why is he even here?

60. (Settling In) (60D) Upgrades

Author's note:

Whew, got another update out before the year ended! I'm not sure if I'll have time to whip one out by the end of the year, but I will most certainly try. Work gets really busy in the last couple months of the year, sadly.

For most of 2024, the waifu and I had been living in this god-awful apartment because of an ongoing home renovation. The place had zero insulation, a termite infestation, noisy-as-hell neighbors, and a landlord who—while kind to your face—doesn't really care so much about his tenants. BUT! It was cheap as hell and within a 5-minute walk from the house, so it was easy to at least keep tabs on the contractors.

We moved back in late September. I'm still unloading bit by bit, but whew, glad to be outta that hellhole.

To endure the stress of both work and household management, I've been writing pretty often nowadays, and it wasn't necessarily Aimless. Lately though, ever since we got back into Warfang, I've been writing more of my fanfic. I suppose I just enjoy the lighter slice-of-life stuff rather than the more plot-heavy stuff going on in Spyro's side of things.

So! This chapter has been a long time coming. I've been wanting to write this for such a long time, and I'm finally glad to be here. This chapter marks the END of the "Settling In" category and ties up some loose ends during the first 60 days of Joshua's life in the city.

I hope you enjoy it just as well.

Messages from my two beta readers below:

AzureDragonZX. Hello, AzureDragonZX here once again. It feels like this only took a few days to get out. One day, I think Somni sent over 6000 words for Stryker and me to look over…! However much it was, that's definitely a new record! Fortunately, we were available whenever he was writing, so it all went fairly smoothly. That's another one down!

Strykeruk. Hey ladies and gentlemen, Strykeruk here. You won't believe have quickly Silent churned out this chapter once he got started! Went from 0 to 100 in the space of a week haha. This one is another nice slice-of-life chapter which I love and I hope you will too

My response to them:

Azure — I know! I was on a roll! It felt like old times again, when I was cranking out chapters every three to five weeks. Glad you two were available!

Stryker — Yep, yep, the entire thing written in a week. Good Lord, it was so fast! Yeah, just goes to show how much I looooooove slice-of-life!

Timestamp key: "D" for days, "W" for weeks, "M" for months, "Y" for years, "EM" for early morning, "LM" for late morning, "EA" for early afternoon, "LA" for late afternoon, "EE" for early evening, "LN" for late night, and "AD" for all day. Note that the Dragon Realms follow the sexagesimal system for keeping time, just like Earth. (In other words, 60 seconds per minute and 60 minutes per hour.)

Snip category key: There are four categories of snips. "Settling In", "City Life", "Beyond the Wall", and "The Journey Home". All four represent parallel storylines that take place within Aimless, and other than "Settling In", each snip category has at least two subtypes. Those subtypes aren't listed due to potential spoilers.

Enjoy!

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Settling In (Final)

Chapter 60: Upgrades

"Home is where one starts from."

~ T.S. Eliot

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[60D/EM]

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Joshua's first official stint as a teaching assistant ended on a high note.

Ignoring their initial antagonism, Cyril's lounge turned out alright once he had gained their respect. They bombarded him with question after question on shaping exercises, with three of them desperate to have his fingers on their scales after how Calydon—the stocky apprentice who had an apparent obsession with mastering Ice—told everyone about the experience of having another person handling the mana circulating within their bodies.

Joshua had wanted to follow Cyril and Cynder when they both ventured outside the fancy lecture hall. But by the time the swarm of blue scales began to dwindle, the Ice Guardian reappeared at the entryway alone.

Cyril quickly dismissed the knights who'd been quietly watching Joshua interact with the graduands from the sidelines. The ones who had stood over Cynder hurried out, presumably to reunite with the dragoness waiting outside and escort her elsewhere.

The lounge was also dismissed while the knights vacated the chamber. The entire group gave Joshua a resounding farewell, with his latest acquaintances—Calydon, Frostelle, Ledimer, Aushad, and Bylrun—expressing their hope to cross paths with him in Temple grounds sometime.

He responded positively to their sentiments but tactfully kept to himself the strong possibility that he'd be with their supposed "lessers" if and when that happened. Joshua could only hope they would restrain their thoughts about Vara, Kilat, or Blink, but he quickly suppressed his optimism.

When Joshua was left alone with Seriphos, Flaraxas, and Cyril, he began looking forward to returning to his room. Kilat must be worried sick. He hadn't seen her since he was coerced out of the Residential Area and brought to Alona Hall.

Joshua hoped Kilat didn't cause too much trouble when the weak poison Cynder had inflicted on her wore off. None of his guards gave any details about his sister beyond Seriphos mentioning that she had gone to sleep.

Poor girl… It wasn't his fault, but he'd still have to make it up to her… Somehow.

To his surprise, Cyril personally accompanied him back to his room, matching his strides, lumbering slowly with a relaxed gait. His soul was so neutral it was unreadable, but it didn't seem as agitated as before and was sized comparably to those of his guards.

"You're coming with me? Don't you have a lot of work to do now?" Joshua asked as they emerged into the courtyards of the Noble Chambers. They would traverse various covered walkways until the path sloped downwards, where there would be stairs leading to the many passages into the mountain.

"That all can wait," grumbled the Ice Guardian. "I presume you have much to say."

"A lot, honestly."

Joshua suddenly glanced towards a room on the far side of the courtyard. The length was like that of a football field. Unsurprising, considering adult dragons occupied enough space to squeeze in over ten humans standing side by side. Across the yard was Cynder's signature. It bore a uniqueness similar to Spyro's or Kaos' stars, but didn't exert the same presence or "weight". Hers was shrunken, barely spinning, and as blue as ice.

"Cynder has been stripped of nearly all privileges until further notice. At present time, she is under room arrest, much like you." Cyril replied when he asked about her. He was unreadable. "No further explanation is necessary."

Later, when Joshua asked about Volteer, he learned that the Electric Guardian had recused himself from his ordinary duties as well as the Council's investigation into Cynder's test.

Joshua felt guilty. "What's the worst that can happen to them?"

However, Cyril didn't want to discuss it further. He changed the subject to his lounge, for they were the first apprentices he had taken under his wing since the Great War ended. "Several exemptions were made for them when we reinstated Temple apprenticeship four years ago," he explained. "I am concerned if they are ready for the flight of life."

He decided to tell the truth. They got off on the wrong foot at first—or had a bumpy takeoff, to use the dragons' vernacular. Joshua didn't hold it against them, since they only heard about him from rumors and hearsay. Their noble upbringing as part of the "Sustainer's Eleven" and the various goals they're balancing on their wings ensured they wouldn't bother with fact checks.

"Thankfully, everything turned out fine in the end. There's this saying in my culture: 'All's well that ends well. If I get to see them again, I think we'll get along—we'll fly well together. They seem good."

Just like any other class in high school.

Joshua kept that last part to himself as a sharp pain attacked his chest. His heart ached with nostalgia. All of a sudden, his thoughts turned to Alaric—his best friend—to Natasha—his girlfriend—and to his other friends in school. The thought that he'd never get to play Rainbow Six Siege again with Alaric and the other gamers put tears in his eyes. God, he'd been looking forward to Overwatch, too! Blizzard said it was gonna release next year! Now that he was stuck in the Spyro world, he'd never be able to experience "first person DotA" for himself…

"Is something the matter?" Cyril's questioning voice reminded Joshua he was in the middle of a conversation.

The warm tone and what felt like genuine concern in the Guardian's voice clearly proved that Joshua had won him over. Still, he couldn't show any form of weakness—they weren't that close.

"Just remembering stuff from back home," Joshua said. "Sorry for spacing out—for getting lost in the ozone, I mean." It was frightening how easily he shut out his grief.

From there, he continued his commentary, essentially distilling his opinion as a positive one. They were prejudiced and living in an echo chamber, but were mature enough to accept their mistakes when confronted with reality. Their families should be proud.

Cyril was preening when Joshua finished. His breast swelled with pride and joy. As they arrived at the passage leading inside the mountain, the old dragon said, "Joshua, if you would accept advice from a highflyer…"

How arrogant of Cyril to refer to himself in the third person. "I'm listening…"

"Warfang may never have the same comforts as your hoo-man city. Nonetheless, it is the best place to live in the Allied Territories. Far be it from me to suggest abandoning your journey home before it has even begun; I believe you can always consider the City of Dragons your second home.

"If you choose to do this, your friends are paramount to your growth. You can do better than Vara and Galleron. Whether you roost in Warfang or venture beyond the wall, you must have companions who will challenge you to rise above your station."

Joshua grimaced. It was not the first time he'd been criticized for his choice of friends, but hearing it from someone who wasn't even his parents offended him greatly. He reined in the urge to curse Cyril.

"Master Cyril, I appreciate your thoughts, but as far as I'm concerned, Vara and Blink are great. I choose my friends based on who they are, how much I like them, and whether we get along. I don't care about species, colors, or whatever benefits I can get."

The retort came out a bit angrier than intended, but his displeasure was conveyed, and even Cyril had to concede. "It was merely a suggestion. I am simply making sure you are flying rationally. You fly where you turn, after all, and the Ancestors bless no regrets."

Joshua accepted the concession and ended the subject by declaring his preference to give his neck to people who deserved his trust, even if they were riding on his coattails.

Cyril reacted in total disbelief, so he brought up Vara again as an example. Before meeting Joshua, she didn't have the connections, resources, and especially not the talent required to achieve her personal ambitions.

"At the rate you're going, you will become a highflyer in your own right. It is only a matter of years. That pauper will seek your help when the time comes."

"And I will give her that unconditionally, no matter what it is."

The response perplexed Cyril. It flustered him to the extent he mused whether other humans were like him. Joshua mentioned the Golden Rule in his next response, which piqued Cyril's interest. His talk with the Ice Guardian went into several topics about human society and moral philosophy.

Before he knew it, they were back on the third floor.

Joshua was monitoring Cyril's life signature during the entire walk. The unreadable neutrality he had from the start had adopted a spin, size, color, and temperament consistent with all the signs he learned to associate with amity.

Lord Almighty, that was amazing progress, considering his simmering hostility an hour ago!

With his destination less than a minute away, Joshua decided to cut the talk short and ask about his relocation.

Cyril's reply was not as good as his improved friendliness implied.

"Joshua, if it is not already clear to you, your relocation will have my full support moving forward. The issue is, we are currently balancing the ramifications of last night's storms on our wings. You've been to Over Steward Hoffbar's office, correct?"

Was that the stuffy office deep underground in the utilidors at the bottom of the mountain, full of scroll cases and occupied by a few moles? He couldn't recall ever meeting the bear in charge of the Office of the Keeper.

Cyril explained the situation. The sub-office handling administrative procedures was overloaded due to the latest turbulence blowing through the Temple. "The ones in charge, myself included, will have neither the time nor attention to devote to your relocation as a result."

That didn't sound like a short wait.

"How long am I gonna be stuck up here, Master Cyril?"

The two of them stopped at the entrance of the cul-de-sac. Cyril glanced down at him. For once, what looked like a disappointed frown appeared on his snout. "My apologies. I cannot give you a timeline. You will just have to wait in your room until further notice. Mark my words, I will not make you wait long."

Joshua had no other choice but to accept this. If securing a major upgrade to his life in Warfang took a long time, then so be it.

"Okay, I get it, I get it." He heaved a sigh. "Thank you, all the same."

The Ice Guardian left without so much as a goodbye.

Joshua shook his head in disbelief as he watched Cyril plod past the corner. He might have shed off his animosity, but he was still an elitist aristocrat at the core.

For all Joshua knew, that dragon had a piss-poor evaluation of him, and his choice to defend his friends likely didn't help his case. It was probably why he didn't simply give him the freedom to meander around the Third Floor as he pleased.

Whatever… He didn't need Cyril to like him, anyway! As it was, Joshua was more than content to simply have him on his side of the court.

Joshua paused in front of his room. He could sense Kilat inside. She was tranquil, in the middle of sleep. Hand on the sliding door, he hesitated. The little girl would wake up as soon as he pulled it open.

What would he tell her? Did she hate Cynder more after she was knocked out with poison?

Did she hate him, for not resisting the older dragoness enough? For not fighting back when Cynder had her restrained?

How would she react when she learned he'd ended Coulombrin's career and slew several others…?

His arm quivered, his breath unsteady. He… couldn't open the door. The thought of his first connection in this twisted video game world turning on him inflicted a different kind of fear on Joshua.

He recalled the way Kilat pleaded with him to stay. Her eyes had shimmered with so much emotion then. Betrayal, disappointment, anger, and indignation. The memory struck him hard.

F*ck! Why couldn't she understand that he had to do it? Was there something he could do to fix their relationship? How do you even apologize to a f*cking child for doing adult things? Goddammit, he wasn't even an adult himself—

"Joshua."

Streeg was the one who'd spoken. The dutiful rhynoc hadn't been pulled away from the cul-de-sac during the entire time Joshua had been gone. He guessed Cynder ensured there were still some familiar faces guarding his room.

"It will be fine. Kilat, loves you." It was hard to read the rhynoc's face, but the slight swell in his soul indicated sympathy.

Seriphos took his usual place on the opposite wall. "The rhynoc's correct," he said. "Valorem's Light, we didn't like what Cynder ordered us to do. Fully-grown adults—trained knights!—attacking a whelp. Flight plan as a whole, however, I believe her decision was vindicated by your success with Master Cyril."

"If you ask me, you are still responsible for the dead," said Flaraxas. Harsh words, reflecting the antagonistic stance he had towards him since Day 1. The knight drummed his talons on the floor uncomfortably, his animosity reduced now that he knew about Cynder and the effect that Fear had on Joshua. "That said, we… I shouldn't have put all the blame on your wings from the point of takeoff. Coulombrin hasn't woken up yet from that flight-ending blow you inflicted on him in your madness, but I don't think he'd say you were solely culpable for the end of his knightly career."

Joshua felt grateful to them.

They were right. He and Kilat only had each other, didn't they? She would accompany him to the very end. He had to trust her, to have faith. What kind of brother was he being, doubting her like this?

And so, with a deep breath and a quick prayer for mercy, Joshua made the sign of the cross and entered the room.

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The room was exactly as he'd left it last night in all its bare and unfurnished glory.

A dark scorch mark marred the wall. It was a remnant of the lightning bolt she had flung at Cynder. Joshua's scroll cases and knapsack were still scattered in the far corner beside the dim, crystalline lamp. The dresser containing his clothes was slightly crooked, with a noticeable crack running across it, showing where an Electric Orb had detonated after missing its intended target.

In the center of the room was a mattress large enough for an adult dragon. Kilat was curled up on it, all alone, resting peacefully amidst a fortress of pillows. She had tucked her snout deep into her flank and under her only wing, as though hiding from the outside world.

Joshua quickly slid the door shut behind him. Normally, he'd take the time to change out of his (oversized) clothes, but at the moment, he couldn't think of anything but being the big brother Kilat needed him to be.

He crossed the floor, flinging his sandals to the two other pairs scattered in the corner, and stepped onto the mattress. He navigated around the gargantuan pillows until he was finally in front of her.

Joshua knelt beside Kilat and placed his right palm on her warm, smooth scales. He stroked her hide, giving a light squeeze before tracing along her spine until his fingers brushed her curved, ram-like horns.

A soft purr escaped Kilat. Slowly, she unfurled, stretching like a cat awakening from a deep sleep. Joshua murmured her name a couple of times before her cobalt eyes fluttered open. She blinked, still groggy. His name left hers once, twice, before something akin to an electric shock jolted her whole body.

"Joshua!" She cried, instantly sitting up on her haunches. "You're back. YOU'RE BACK!"

The little girl tackled him before he could react and knocked him down. By the time he registered the fall, her claws were clutching him tight, snout nuzzling his face.

Kilat rubbed her cheek against his. She began vigorously licking his face. Her tongue left a trail of sticky, dense saliva down his skin. Her meaty breath stung. He did not find it as repulsive as Cynder's or Vara's. Even if he did, he wouldn't protest or pull away. Not this time.

"I missed—blegh—I missed you, too, Kilat."

Her tail circled his leg, twisting and tightening until she had a vice-like grip. Kilat stuck to him desperately. She whined and hummed, unrelentingly nuzzling him as if they'd been apart for days.

Joshua felt his anxiety enervating. She didn't hate him. She didn't hate him! He let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding and embraced his adoptive sister. Joshua hesitated for a moment, unsure whether he should return her affections with the same fervor and energy. He felt heavy… exhausted.

As Kilat squeezed him tighter, as she licked and nipped his skin, Joshua finally allowed himself to relax. He pulled her in and kissed her forehead, nuzzling her snout just as fiercely.

They stayed like that for a long while, with Kilat resting comfortably in his embrace. Joshua was just beginning to fall asleep when the child suddenly spoke. "Joshua…"

"Yeah?" He mumbled, his eyes still shut.

Kilat pushed herself up and stared down at him, cobalt gaze boring into his. "What happened? I can smell that bitch all over you."

Joshua flinched. He knew exactly who she meant. "Kilat, I know what Cynder did was—

"I don't care!" Kilat narrowed her eyes, gaze raking across his body. "Your clothes… they're different! What happened in Alona Hall? What did she do to you‽ Why did you only come back now?"

Her muzzle pressed against his skin, sniffing. The little girl began to tentatively lick his right arm, crawling all over him as her snout trailed down his body—his sides, then his thighs, then his legs…

Kilat suddenly sprung up, her center of gravity pressing painfully into his waist.

"Agh! Too, heavy!" Joshua grunted. He tried to push her off. "Oh my God! Kilat! Move over—

"I smell your blood all over your legs!" Kilat exclaimed, her voice alarmed. "I knew it! I knew that demon dragon would hurt you! Brother, why do you keep giving her your neck—

Though their mattress was firm, it had enough give for Joshua to roll around Kilat's haunches, grab her shoulder, and drag her back down beside him. She slumped sideways back on the futon, limbs sprawled awkwardly.

"Jesus-Mary-Joseph, Kilat!" Joshua groaned. "Stop jumping the shark"—he hastily corrected himself—"Stop beating the wind and give me a chance to explain! Cynder, she… she actually did something good this time."

Kilat did not fight off his grip. She continued to lay on her side, her underbelly exposed, a position she usually had when she wanted Joshua to rub her belly. This time, he hesitated. Her swirling star had compressed. There was a chance she'd snap at him if he tried.

"I don't believe you," she said. "She's controlling you somehow—

"She caused the Incident!" Joshua blurted, cutting her off before she could slander his childhood hero some more. "Cyn was the reason I went all 'Dragonbane' on everyone!"

"You're pulling my tail!"

"It's true! You can ask the guards outside."

Kilat was silent for about a minute. Her eyes stayed locked with his, reading him as best as she could. After living together for so long, Kilat now knew most of his tells. She knew how to read his body language just as he knew how to read her soul.

"Brother, I want to hear it from you," she finally answered, her voice softening. "Tell me. What happened after the bitch knocked me out?"

Hearing the b-word come out of her mouth as casually as it did from his own had Joshua wincing with regret. He shouldn't have cursed so much around a prepubescent brat like her, but what did he know? He wasn't that much older than her!

Regardless, Joshua quashed the thought and began telling Kilat what happened after she'd succumbed to Cynder's poison.

Joshua started from the moment they set out from the residential area.

"Cyn was hurrying the entire time. I'd never seen her so worried before."

The black dragoness' absurd demands at Alona Hall.

"She wanted me to sit down and let them tie me up! Like, what the F*CK, right‽"

Him finally realizing what her test entailed, then when all the guards did.

"Everyone else was scared shitless. They actually rebelled—tried to subdue Cynder, but, well, she isn't called the second Savior for nothing…"

Cynder unleashing her Siren Scream and what happened after.

"I really don't remember much after she hit me with Fear. It was like a dream, a nightmare… When I woke up, it was just us and… the bodies."

How Volteer put him in the utilidors after showing up and finding the devastation.

"He didn't want me back here; I suppose someone told him what Cyn did to us. Next thing I knew, Seriphos and Flaraxas were there, telling me I'm to go and meet Cyril…"

His first class as a teaching assistant.

"That was the first time I saw ten dragons slightly bigger than Spyro and Cynder losing their minds as soon as I went in there…"

The way it started, and the way it escalated.

"I was starting to think I misunderstood the old lizard! Things were going just fine until a certain asshole began pretending I interfered with them!"

The way they slandered him, even accusing him of hiding behind Cynder.

"With all the strides I've been making with my Element, it made sense to me to accept their challenge. I couldn't just do nothing!"

What the senior fellows did when Joshua performed better than expected.

Kilat was livid. Wasn't Cynder there? His guards too? Why didn't she do anything? Why did none of them act‽

"But Cyn had guards of her own! She was already in deep shit because of the test, and she dug an even deeper hole for herself when she interceded for me."

What Cyril did next.

In reaction, Kilat sparked with electricity, snarling. Joshua actually had to push her off of him and calm her down before continuing the tale.

"Calling upon the White Pillar gave me a splitting headache, but instructing it to sever a dragon's connection to their mana core almost knocked me out."

Kilat gawked when he revealed what he'd done. It was so shocking that she'd nearly forgotten her anger.

"Little did I know the old bastard had a plan to deal with me, but at least that signaled the end of the trial."

Her indignation diminished when Joshua finally returned full circle.

Master Cyril officially declaring his support…

The senior fellows becoming acquaintances…

A storm descending upon Cynder…

"And that's it, kid," Joshua said. "End of story. You're all caught up now."

Kilat stared at him. Her eyes dilated. Then, the child buried her snout in the crook of his neck.

Having vented everything he endured over the last 27 hours, Joshua suddenly broke into sobs. He hugged the little girl back and hid beneath the blanket.

Moments before falling asleep, Kilat mumbled in his ear. "Brother…"

"...Yeah?"

"What happens now?"

"We wait."

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The wait was far longer than Joshua expected.

He'd anticipated three days at most. He didn't expect that it would take an entire week!

Worse, Warfang had placed him back on maximum security—he couldn't go anywhere other than his room, AND he needed a security escort to so much as relieve himself in the lavatorium. He also couldn't go to Proudtail Hall or ask someone to bring either Vara or Blink to see him. He had absolutely no idea why they did this.

It was only because of his past deeds and his acquaintanceship with many of the knights on the third floor that they were much more lenient than what protocol dictated.

"You're not the type to sneak off," Copeland once told him, the armored leopard cheekily winking at him. "I think we know you well enough by now."

None of them, not even Flaraxas, brought up the time he hid himself from their senses and snuck off to Alona Hall.

Joshua was not one to abuse their leniency, however. While Kilat was away living the life of a Temple apprentice, albeit a highly privileged one, the human passed the time either sitting with his guards or jogging through the maze of corridors.

Pitying his situation, Kilat brought a large scroll she borrowed from Hookfang Library on the second day. According to her, it contained a brief overview of the Pantheon and the common myths of the Dragon Realms. That would have been a good way to pass the time and maybe find clues as to whether humanity existed in this world's mythology… if he could READ!

Kilat was understandably disheartened by Joshua's illiteracy. To his fortune, though, it kicked off a crash course on basic dragonscript (very, very, very, VERY basic), with the two Earth dragons, Seriphos and Emerine, both willing to provide instruction.

The sight of Joshua studying diligently eventually inspired someone else to introduce yet another activity. On the third day, Cornu, one of the atlawa knights, brought out a thick, fibrous cloth that unfurled into a symmetrical cross with square tiling as well as a pouch containing dyed coins and sixteen steelwood figurines—a dragon, a mole, a feline, and an atlawa, four of each.

"We call this 'Grace Down' back in Tall Plains. It's a very old game, Joshua, but it's still played to this day. We can have up to four players…"

In the evenings, Joshua spent quality time with his adopted sister. He always talked Kilat through her day before asking her to channel low-powered attacks. She was all too happy to do so, and she was fascinated by elemental conversion and sealing.

Unfortunately, these techniques were so advanced that Joshua could barely perform them.

Conversion required him to acclimate to the tactile feedback of both the element he was using—Kilat's electricity—and the element he was converting it into—Ice, as inspired by Vara. Joshua hoped he could at least convert electricity to ice and back using the weakest elemental moves in his sister's skill set, but with every attempt resulting in a pounding headache and a shard of ice that lasted no more than five seconds before disintegrating, he eventually had to give up.

It was a reminder of how far he had to go, to say nothing of what he must overcome just to inflict elemental sealing without feeling faint.

Joshua's patience, however, could only last so long. He was already getting sick of the monotony and the lack of diversity in his activities that he was practically dying of boredom by Day 5!

But, as the dragons would say, the Spring of Fortune eventually favored them.

BAM-BAM-BAM!

Loud banging snapped Joshua and Kilat awake on the seventh day.

Kilat jolted awake. "Jesus Christ!" she yelled, leaping to her paws and scratching her brother's face in the process.

"F*ck, Kilat!" Joshua cried out, instantly palming the red streak appearing on his cheek. His hand was slick with Kilat's saliva, the skin pruned from hours of teething. He shuddered from the slimy sensation, but the dread of receiving his morning tongue bath vanished the moment the sliding door was pulled open.

Copeland stuck his head inside the room. The leopard whipped his arm at them. "Get up! Get up! Make yourselves presentable. Now!"

Kilat whined, "Now‽ I need"—she yawned—"I need at least an hour to wash Joshua—

"You don't have an hour, girl! Just lick the crust off his eyes or something, and get him out of his sleepwear."

Joshua was so sleepy from last night's training that his eyes felt like they were ablaze with fire. "The f*ck is going on‽"

Flaraxas hollered from his spot in front of the door. "Merlveet just handed us a notice saying we've got a major highflyer coming right now!"

That woke him up out of his stupor. "What-what-whaaat‽ Is it about my transfer?"

"Mother of Knowledge, who knows‽" cried the dragon knight. "Could be about Lady Cynder for all I know. Just get ready!"

Joshua's curiosity about who Merlveet was and why he kept hearing their name was instantly shelved.

Urgently, he moved to the pile of folded clothes and pulled out his outerwear. The tunic and trousers all screamed medieval, as usual. Taking off his sleepwear with a disabled arm was one thing, but putting on a new set was always a struggle.

Typically, he had Kilat's help while doing this, but the little girl was busy sweeping her tongue over her scales. Joshua turned to ask for assistance, only to see the yellow dragon sitting up like a cat and digging deep into her cloaca.

And his face was next…‽ F*CK!

Suppressing the urge to visibly recoil, Joshua stayed quiet and fought to put on his clothes. The shorts and trousers came easily, but the shirt? Lord Heavenly Father, his goddamned left arm refused to cooperate!

Joshua tore the left sleeve with his teeth in desperation to get it on and he still wasn't finished! He growled in frustration and continued to work until—

Swoosh.

Thank God it finally slipped in!

And not a moment too soon. Two spheres of life had broken off from the thriving hive beneath him and entered the third floor about a minute ago, with one moving so fast he could barely keep track of it.

One of the knights slammed the door open, startling Kilat out of her self-cleaning. She stared up with wide eyes, tongue sticking out.

"Gooooooooood morning!"

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.

.

…Of all people, Joshua never thought he would see Sparx flying through that open doorway. He hadn't heard or seen the dragonfly since the Incident, which was a month and a half ago by now.

In fact, he had never seen another dragonfly in Warfang.

Sparx did not give him time to think further. "Rise and shine, Josh-O! Today's the day you've been waiting for!"

Kilat uncurled. Her sphere of life exploded with life and energy. She galloped and ran circles around Sparx and Joshua, jumping. "Today's the day? The big day?"

"That's right, kid! Baldie here's finally getting upgrades!"

Kilat laughed. "Yeeeey! We've been waiting for ages!"

Joshua frowned, his mind abuzz. "Who's with you? Kilat and I don't have much, but we'll need help carrying our stuff down."

"Just one of Terry's helpers," downplayed Sparx. "It's not like I can get Master Chatterbox or Miss Grouchy 'cause of EVERYTHING that's been happening all week! And if one dragon isn't enough…"

He swung in the air, eyes boring straight into one of the guards. It just happened to be the atlawa who introduced him to that board game a few days ago. "We'll just have this good fellow help out! You have way too many guards anyway, in this great hero's opinion."

A new voice entered Joshua's ears.

"To be objective, a mere observer is not exactly a hero."

A familiar voice at that.

Joshua turned to the door, his eyes welcoming an earth dragon he recognized. He recognized her spiritual presence—her star had accompanied Sparx's.

It was Talwinne, the Guardian Candidate he'd met in Pantheon Lobby.

"Talwinne, it's you!" Joshua stood attentively, opting to show as much respect as he could manage despite looking like a sleepless corpse. "Clear skies."

"Steady winds, Joshua." She smiled down at him. "You remembered my name."

He chuckled. "Uh, it's not like I could forget how we met."

Whether it was his stance or his voice, Kilat picked up on his gaucheness. The child leaped into his chest and glared at the older dragon. As a Guardian Candidate, her armor was better than was issued to the Talonpoint knights.

"Is that her?" Kilat hissed in his ear. "Was that the dragon who made that trap in the end?"

Joshua would have answered truthfully, but Talwinne responded before him. "Ah, you must be Volteer's prodigy. A pleasure to meet you at last."

Kilat remained silent, but her sphere of life was anything but. Joshua could tell she was reluctant to reciprocate Talwinne's cordial approach. The child had wrapped her tail around Joshua's waist, her forepaws squeezing his tunic so hard that her grip quaked.

"I admit," Talwinne said, "I was the one who dropped your brother into that spike pit last Meredy." Kilat bared her fangs, the scales on her snout crumpling up. The Guardian Candidate raised a forepaw. "Ground yourself, child. I only intervened at the last second, before Joshua's Element caused deaths."

"Brother wasn't even trying to—!"

Talwinne raised her voice. "That flight is flown! We see more when we look back, but what can we do about it now? It is impossible for us to ascertain Joshua's intentions in real-time. His attacks do not emit any magical fluctuations proportionate with its intended effects."

Kilat broke eye contact. Unable to retort, she glanced down at the floor. "...I know…"

Sparx flew in between them, head going back and forth between the two dragons.

"...Oookkaaay. Now that we got that out of the way, what say we move on? I'm sure Baldie and the brat will love the change in scenery!"

"Sure thing, hero," Talwinne said with a slight sneer.

"Hey! It wasn't easy being a 'mere observer'! I had to be agile, I had to push purple boy and his demon girlfriend, and so I also needed keen eyes—

Talwinne ignored Sparx's rambling and hollered at the guards outside. "All of you, come inside!"

Copeland, Flaraxas, the atlawa, and a gnorc walked inside, huddling up in front of the door. They formed a straight line, their bodies actually making the room look small. Truly, the bedrooms were made with a single adult dragon in mind.

"What is it, ma'am?" Flaraxas spoke.

Sparx coughed. "Ehem!"

"...and Sparx."

"It's Lord Sparx, mister!" the dragonfly insisted. "None of you have the right to call Spyro and Cynder 'Lord and Lady' if you can't do the same with me!" He buzzed around the group, his glare rarely leaving Talwinne's direction. "I was the group bard! Keeping spirits high, pointing things out, moving them along, and all that…"

"Of course, Lord Sparx," the dragon knight rejoined with gritted teeth. He was fidgeting, his sphere of life trembling from irritation.

"Much better," Sparx grinned. "Anyway, behold!" He thrust his finger at the few things Joshua and Kilat had to their name: a backpack, a saddlebag, extra clothing sitting in the corner, a few scrollcases, writing instruments…

"Baldie can't carry anything with that disability of his, and the girl can only lift so much. They need help moving downstairs."

The four guards glanced at each other. Not one of them wanted to take the initiative.

"Why you lazy—

Talwinne decided for all of them. Flaraxas was to go outside and put on his saddlebag. The other three were to gather and pack Joshua's and Kilat's possessions in it, after which they were dismissed.

All four knights gave Talwinne the equivalent of a salute—the bipeds bumping their breastplates and the lone dragon stomping both forepaws—before splitting up to perform their respective duties.

Joshua told Kilat to wear her saddlebag too, as he didn't think they could fit or carry everything.

"All right!"

Before she kicked off of him, she clutched the sides of the human's head and gave him one long, slobbery lick. Kilat shoved her tongue into his eyes and removed the gunk around them, just as Copeland told her to do.

"Oh my f*cking God!" Joshua exclaimed with a shudder. "You just licked your hole with that!"

Kilat stuck her tongue out in jest. "Obviously! That's what I do when I bathe myself, Brother."

"Ughhh…"

"Heh, whelps." Talwinne chuckled. She grinned at Joshua. "You have very high standards of cleanliness. If your behavior is typical of other individuals of your species, then your kind must be exceedingly prosperous."

"It is something I had to get used to," Joshua replied tactfully.

"The Unknown World must be marvelous." Talwinne stepped back and gesticulated at the door with a forepaw. "After you, Joshua. Let us walk."

"Savior Sparx first!" Sparx cried as he zipped out ahead of them. "It's really cramped in here!"

Joshua followed the dragonfly out. "So, Sparx," he asked, not wanting to leave the glowing insect out of the conversation, "Do you and Talwinne know where our new room is?"

"Absolutely!" Sparx said, nodding gleefully. "I got the details from the Guardians in the first place! I'd have picked you up myself, but my name doesn't make Warfang knights shake in their armor." He swung his thumb in Talwinne's direction as she emerged into the cul-de-sac. "That's why she's here. Terry suggested it."

Sparx floated to the start of the corridor. It was about a ten-minute walk to the third floor landing. "Hurry up, you two!"

Joshua sighed. Sparx was annoying, but he had to deal with it. It wasn't as if he encountered him all the time.

Talwinne strode faster until she was walking alongside the human, with Sparx leading them all from the front. Kilat lingered in the rear, keeping a close eye on the saddlebag Flaraxas was carrying. It was packed to the point of bursting. Joshua could hear the leather shaking with every step.

"Talwinne," he whispered to the Guardian Candidate. "What does Sparx even do around here?"

Sparx's antenna twitched at the question. His sphere of life, though relatively diminutive as a dwarf star was to a supergiant, twinkled knowingly. With nobody walking around the third floor, there was no way he couldn't hear the slightest murmurs.

To Joshua's astonishment, the dragonfly said nothing and neither interrupted nor preempted the dragoness' response…

"Sparx—

"Lord Sparx!"

…Although he did have his limits, apparently.

"Ugh… Lord Sparx received a life-changing award for his journey with our Saviors, albeit not as great or publicized as theirs." Talwinne chuckled. "The Guardians unanimously forced that upon the Council."

"Even Cyril?" Joshua thought he'd be the last dragon to approve Sparx's role throughout the TLoS trilogy.

Talwinne blinked slowly. "Yes. An observer would still have to risk their final flight to be a companion of the Purple Dragon, after all."

"Exactly!" hollered Sparx. "I could've flown home to Mommy and Daddy anytime, but there's just NO WAY I can leave that fat, purple lump all alone! People can call me whatever they want behind my wings, but they'll never, ever, EVER accuse me of being an unfilial brother!"

Sparx zipped around the two of them, circling the human and the dragon knight as fast as a seasoned Classic Spyro gamer would expect. His speed gave Joshua an impression of how exactly he'd survived all those fights and what he did during decisive moments.

Joshua suddenly recalled a digital art piece he'd seen once before. A cartoonish depiction of Sparx smashing his fist into someone's snout, drawn by GoldenGriffiness on DeviantArt. He forgot the exact circumstances behind the illustration, but it certainly didn't look as painful as he thought it would actually be.

"I guess you got Spyro out of some tough spots, huh?" Joshua reacted.

"Of course I did! A speedy blow to the face from a 'harmless insect', completely unexpected? You have no idea how often I pulled that off."

Sparx extended his fist, mimicking moves of the past like a wizened veteran. "So yeah, I totally deserved my reward! Spyro, too! Even Cynder! But those two are waaaaay too serious about this whole Savior thing. They need to enjoy life some more!"

Talwinne inclined her neck towards Joshua, as though whispering conspiratorially. "He never strays far from Skyspire—the name of our district. He's known for his lavish lifestyle."

"Eh, it's all on those two lovers' behalf!" Sparx dismissed. "I'm having all the fun they should be doing, too! They stopped Mally from destroying the world. They ended the Great War. Now everyone celebrates them, calls them Saviors, but do they actually take a break and really let themselves go‽ Nooooooooo! They're always working—snouts to the ailerons, as you reptiles say."

Joshua didn't bother replying to the dragonfly. He looked up at the Guardian Candidate strolling beside him, matching his pace, with a questioning gaze. "Does he…?"

"Does he have work?" Talwinne finished for him, smirking when Sparx flinched. "To an extent. He flies home to the swamplands northwest of Avalar just before the Long Winter. For the rest of the year, he occasionally runs errands for the Saviors. At least, when he isn't devouring pastries at Gemcutters, attending parties in Meredy Square, or"—the Earth dragoness shuddered—"loitering at the Skylands embassy with those wind-loving airheads."

The last one was verbalized with an antagonistic snarl. Unexpectedly, Sparx stayed quiet instead of hitting back with a snarky remark or babbling with pathetic excuses. It was clearly a sensitive subject involving geopolitics and foreign diplomacy. Joshua frowned, recalling that day Submaster Kaos barged into Proudtail Hall unannounced as well as the offer given to him.

The offer he'd rejected.

In the days and weeks that followed, Joshua didn't once think that the other human would give up on him so easily; there was no mistaking the covetousness in Kaos' scarlet eyes.

The Portal Master wanted Joshua for some arcane reason, if not for his potential to become a formidable warrior on par with Spyro. He had also set his sights on Spyro and Cynder, too, if he remembered correctly. Skylands had extended the same offer to them long before his arrival and they resoundingly rejected it.

If Sparx visited Skylands' embassy often, did that mean they were trying to get to him, Spyro, or Cynder through more diplomatic means? He still didn't understand why Kaos was even aligned with the Skylanders to begin with, considering game lore.

Joshua wanted to stop thinking about things way beyond his comprehension or ability, but thinking of Skylands brought him back to the day he arrived in Warfang for the first time. His mind rushed through the pandemonium caused by his identity and zeroed in on the moment a pure white dragon slammed her horns into his shoulder.

Disabling his left arm.

"Talwinne, when I met you in Pantheon Lobby last week, you said you used to be a field medic. Is that right?"

"You remember correctly." Talwinne was good at grasping others' thoughts, even if she didn't have access to a cheat like Joshua's mental constellation. "I assume you are asking about your left arm."

"Y-yes!" The blatant reference caught Joshua off-guard. He had thought he needed to be the first to bring it up. "I haven't been able to use it since I was brought inside Warfang. It isn't dead—I can still feel stuff with it and clench my fist—but I can't move it at all! I've been living with it dangling by my side the entire time, and being unable to do anything with it, it… it makes me feel…"

Useless.

Incapable.

Less than whole.

Joshua wanted to finish his complaint, but he didn't want to verbalize his feelings about it, especially to someone he'd only met a few days ago! His grief, however, was too strong for him to contain. It manifested in the one way he couldn't control.

Tears trickled down his eyes. Realizing how vulnerable he felt, Joshua stifled a sob and took deep breaths in an attempt to calm himself down.

Talwinne saw all this. Her outward appearance didn't change, but her star showed otherwise. He didn't expect much. Her concern was nowhere near the care that he received from friends and allies. It was closer to sympathy. Even then, the dragons of this world weren't inclined to act on that.

"Walk ahead of me for a bit," she said, her voice stern and professional.

Joshua did as he was told. The Guardian Candidate sniffed his left arm. She prodded it, inspecting closely. Sparx hummed some tunes as they walked, perhaps planning the rest of his day. Talwinne asked Joshua some more questions, sometimes poking his skin with a claw or lifting the disabled arm and letting it drop to his side.

She was finished by the time they arrived at the main hallways that cut across the third floor. These were wide passages, easily fitting several rows of adult dragons. Had this been on Earth, it could have fit six lanes of cars at least!

The stairs landing was finally in sight.

"I can see that your arm was healed by magical means. Everyone knows you can utilize the spirit crystals like us dragons."

"Did it heal wrongly?" It was something he had suspected for a while now.

"That should be the case," Talwinne confirmed. "You may not know this, but all life requires electricity to function. Even channeling magic requires it, as your brain has to communicate with your magical core."

Joshua was startled. He hadn't expected this medieval world to know about that. "The nervous system…"

Talwinne paused, her sphere of life contracting a bit. She, too, was surprised. "Sorry. I forget you come from a highly advanced civilization."

"Don't worry. It's not worth losing your scales over. Anyway, your diagnosis?"

"There are two possibilities. Either the nerves didn't grow back when the spirit gem was administered to you, perhaps due to Diminishing Absorption, OR, when your bones regenerated, they inadvertently pinched your nerves to where electricity can no longer flow through them, rendering your arm immobile."

"But when I channel my element, that aura still envelops my arm—

"Joshua, leylines are not constrained by physical biology."

Leylines? Wasn't that something that often showed up in fantasy animé? Didn't those have to do with the planet or the ground beneath them? The FATE franchise had a better term for something inside the body… Magic circuits, was it?

Talwinne went on, unaware of Joshua's musings, "Leylines are the paths taken by mana during channeling. They vary widely across dragons and the few spellcasters from the lesser species. Why that is so, and what impact they have on magical talent, is not understood. Just recently, I read a thesis Master Volteer wrote centuries ago, before his Guardianship. He proved a moderate correlation between leylines and the electrical nerve system, but determined they were not the same."

Interesting trivia, but that was it. Trivia. Joshua didn't need to bother so much about it, at least for now.

"What should I do? What can I do?"

It was difficult figuring out Talwinne's body language. Dragons gave long blinks to show affirmation; they scowled, scrunched their flews, or bared their fangs to show the opposite. She did none of these, but her response spoke for itself.

"At the moment? Nothing. You need to specify the problem first. You'll need a biped healer for the bone issue, and an electric dragon for the nerve issue."

Joshua was crestfallen. He didn't consider the possibility that healing his left arm wasn't that simple. This was a world of magic! What the f*cking hell‽

"Fasten your wings, Joshua!" Talwinne's stern voice dragged him away from his worries. "I wasn't finished yet."

Sparx cackled. "Baldie doesn't have wings!" He twirled around, reveling in arrogance.

"Egeria, I know that! It's just an expression." Talwinne snorted in annoyance. Her tail lashed out at Sparx, driving him back towards the landing.

"Before you beat the wind again," she continued, taking her first step down the stairs beside him, "there's a pending request at the Office of the Keeper for a healer to examine your arm. Processing has stalled, given all that's happened, but I can look into it for you."

"Thank you. I would be very grateful, like, you have no idea." Joshua placed an arm on his chest with a big smile on his face, expressing a gesture of thanks.

At last, they stood at the mezzanine. They paused to wait for Kilat and Flaraxas to catch up with them.

Joshua glanced up one last time at the third floor. He definitely wasn't going to miss that place.

Sparx hovered closer. "Hey, Baldie!"

"I have a name, Sparx."

"Whatever, Josh-O! I'll call you whatever I want."

Joshua shook his head. "Jesus Christ, no wonder Cyn finds you annoying."

"Part of the package, hoo-mie! You and that she-demon just have to deal with it. Anyway!" Sparx coughed and cleared his throat, the pitch in his voice fluctuating a little. He swept his arm towards the rest of the stairs.

"Ready for the next phase of city life?"

Before he could reply, Kilat pounced from the third floor landing and grabbed Joshua's shoulders. Out of surprise, he shouted and yelled, twirling around a couple times before regaining his balance.

"Kilat!" He growled irritably. The kid just glomped him! They could've fallen down!

The little girl didn't reply. Her tail swayed in excitement. "Brother's been ready for a long time!" She confidently spoke for him before affectionately running her slobbery tongue up his cheek. "Are you done with your talk? Ancestors, I was getting bored."

"Not yet," Joshua said. "I was just about to ask them about Cynder and Volteer." He scratched her head and rubbed the base of her horns. Feeling and hearing Kilat purr filled him with warmth, but it did nothing to help with his growing backache.

"Can you get off me now? You're heavy with your bag."

"Okay, okay." Kilat dropped down. None of her things fell out from her saddlebags. The flap was really secure.

Joshua thanked her. He directed his gaze to the thriving mass of scales and wings ahead and psyched himself—and his mind—for the reactions he would sense with his ego boundaries.

When he felt ready, he finally entered the second floor.

From that moment onward, Joshua Renalia truly became one of them.

.

.

.

.

.

.

The sight of the third floor's only residents, a Guardian Candidate, a Talonpoint knight, and a companion of the Saviors attracted much attention from the young dragons lounging close to the second floor landing. In terms of size and mass, they were similar to Kilat, Vara, or that electric dragon bully from before. The age distribution was apparently quite even.

They watched his descent from afar. Their gazes followed them, life pulses trembling for a few seconds before calming down as though it was nothing special. His fearsome reputation as Dragonbane had been long displaced by his recent accomplishments.

"I-is that Novitiate Joshua‽"

"Azeroth's wings, AT LAST! I thought they'd never let him loose."

"Hey, where do you think he's staying?"

"Why, so you can bother him about your mana control?"

"No! I'm way more interested in those… magic fingers… hehe!"

"Pfffffft! Keep dreaming! He'll still have guards. Not just anyone can approach him."

Joshua dreaded the idea of being swarmed by people seeking his human touch or his sixth sense. Vara was bad enough, but they were friends. A whole bunch of strangers he never met‽ Yeah, no way, not happening.

Joshua quickly tuned out the chatter. Desirous of conversation, he called out to Sparx, who was leading them.

He asked the dragonfly about Cynder and Volteer. Those two had been on his mind the entire week, and it was about time he got some answers.

Sparx's response was something he never expected.

"Oh, Josh-O, you and your poor furless ape-ness." He clicked his tongue chastisingly, as though it was his fault he couldn't keep up with the airstreams. "You missed the trial of the summer! We had Cynder and Volteer as defendants!"

…What?

The dragonfly guffawed. "You don't know? You seriously don't know‽"

Flaraxas, quickening his strides to keep up at a closer proximity, chimed in, "I don't, and I work here."

"What a tinhead you are. You must live under a rock!"

Sparx ignored the knight's snarl. He deftly eluded Flaraxas' attempt to swat him down and hovered beside Joshua's head, his wings buzzing in his ears.

"First things first!" Sparx gave Joshua a strikingly powerful slap on the back.

Joshua stumbled, almost falling. "Whoa!"

"Hey!" Kilat growled, baring her teeth. "Careful with Brother!"

The dragonfly ignored them both.

"Salutations to you, kid! The Council reviewed what happened last cycle and declared you completely exonerated."

Talwinne hissed at the dragonfly. "Lord Sparx. Your voice…! Lord Sparx!"

"They judged Cynder was absolutely responsible for the Incident, not you. She could've subdued you with a weak poison or something, but nope! She decided to hit you with Fear when she had no idea what was causing your element to go crazy!"

Talwinne gasped sharply. Joshua suddenly noticed that several apprentices had not only stopped walking or going about their business, but also trained their snouts on them with rapt attention.

"Uh, dude… you… you gotta lower your—

Sparx huffed. "Shush, monkey! Great HERO talking here! Now, here's the most shocking part. When Master Frowns-a-Lot and the Gromble battered Cynder through all those questions, they discovered Spyro put waaaaaaay too much trust in his 'legendary' instincts." He gesticulated wildly in accentuation. "That's why he was so aggressive to you back then! Spyro and Cynder caused the Incident. The trouble before that? It was that rude Guardian wannabe who wanted to replace Ignitus!"

As soon as Sparx said those words, one of the apprentices suddenly broke into a sprint, crying, "News! I have sky-shaking news!" Joshua followed the dragon's life signature and caught a glimpse of a blue tail disappearing behind a corner.

If Sparx had heard that, he acted as if it either didn't happen or had nothing to do with him. "Master Chatterbox, though, nothing we don't already know! There's nothing tying him to the Incident or Cynder's test. He was deemed negligent for the latter, but that old fart thinks fast! The second they latched onto his tail, he told everyone of a plan to go on a… 'voluntary recusal', he called it?"

Joshua briefly recalled another adult phrase he heard from his father a few times. "You mean a 'leave of absence'?"

"Yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah! Ehhhh, he'll be back before you know it! You're the eye of the storm, Hairless! I'd stay as far away from you as possible, but people who love trouble—

The earth shuddered around them. A thunderous snarl erupted from Talwinne as she slammed her tail into the rock floor. "Get back!" she yelled. Earth mana rolled across the ground, causing it to tremble and pulsate. A crowd of apprentices scurried backward to avoid toppling over each other. "Mind your distance. This is official Temple business!"

While the Earth dragon was distracted, one of them touched down beside Joshua, Kilat, and Sparx. Joshua couldn't remember his name anymore, but he recognized his features from the lounge Volteer put him in front of half a month ago.

"Today's the day, is it, Novitiate Joshua? You're moving down here with us?"

Kilat was the one to reply, "It is!"

The apprentice perked up. "Azeroth, that's great! Congratulations, Novitiate!"

He wasn't the only one who heard Kilat. Several others let out cries of cheer and jubilation. They began bombarding Joshua with salutations, many moving around the intimidating Guardian Candidate to greet him. A few actually attempted to touch him.

Flaraxas blew a cone of fire at them. Little power was put into it. Just enough to assert his presence. "Let the Novitiate fly low! Wait until we're done with the transfer; then you can bother him on your own time.

"And you, Sparx." He was breathing hellfire, to use the draconic expression. His eyes were all but piercing daggers into the insect.

"It's Lord Sparx—

"Go fly in a volcano!" The dragon knight cut him off.

"Eep!" Sparx flew behind Joshua, hiding behind his head.

The human sneered at his behavior. Some 'great hero' you are, huh?

"Lifebringer's cloaca, can you just SHUT UP about the trial‽" Flaraxas groused exasperatedly. "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't also intrigued, but there's a good reason why the Council hasn't disseminated anything yet."

Sparx floated towards the knight, his arms raised placatingly. "Alright, alright, I'll stay quiet. We're cool, we're cool. I'm just… uhhh, I'm just gonna keep leading you guys from the front."

Talwinne snorted. "Go ahead, 'great hero'."

With Sparx's ego taken down a notch, the group proceeded solemnly through the second floor. The apprentices also left them alone, opting to observe from afar rather than risk formal sanctions if not either adult's wrath.

The wide berth everyone was giving them became more noticeable once they made a few turns and the corridors narrowed further.

To pass the time, and to avoid feeling like he was a spectacle, Joshua focused on his mental constellation instead.

He extended his ego boundaries, passing the hundreds of stars permeating this floor and the one beneath it, plus all the others situated further outside on Temple grounds. He felt a dull ache in his head as his mind processed the information, casting it in a visual image only he could see. Deliberately, he chose not to dive into any of the stars or wrap his sense of self around them. Doing so could risk a migraine or a nosebleed.

Instead, he tried to distinguish the stars from each other. Each one emitted a unique presence, a series of fluctuations or a "weight" that only he could sense. Joshua knew very few dragons among the apprentices, so he searched for those he could vaguely remember. Vara… the stalker… the bully…

He couldn't find any of them in the myriad collection surrounding him from all sides. There were too many people to pick out from. How about a few others—

Oh! Joshua found Emerine and Springhorn. Their stars were unmistakably brighter and larger than everyone else's on this floor. Both dragon and rhynoc were idling further ahead. No doubt standing in front of the new room.

The halls felt uncannily familiar. Joshua swore he was very close to where he and Blink fought the three bullies.

Talwinne drew his attention with a sudden, low growl.

"We're almost there. Now's a good time to get the profile of the landscape of your new arrangements henceforth."

She reached into a satchel slung over her armor, unfurling a small scroll. She cleared her throat just as they turned into a narrower passage. Here, there were fewer dragons lounging between rooms.

"First," Talwinne said, "Your security detail will be reduced to two Talonpoint knights. This reflects your value to the Allied Territories and the threats you face from within and without.

"Second, you are free to roam around the Temple. Leaving Temple grounds, permission is given by the guards stationed at the gate at the foot of Skyspire, if not those patrolling the speedways. Generally, you'll be fine with the adjacent districts."

Adjacent districts‽ Did that mean he would actually be able to explore Warfang? Oh wow! That wasn't something he anticipated.

Talwinne chuckled. His surprise must have been evident. "I would recommend some places, but let's get through the announcement first. Ahem! Third, you have free use of all unused lecture areas for your elemental training. If you plan something that might get other people hurt, we highly encourage you to notify the Keeper so proper preparations can be made.

"Fourth, you are not allowed to leave Warfang itself. Not without permission from a supermajority of the Warfang Council, or two of the three Guardians." Talwinne crumpled the scroll into a ball and shoved it inside her satchel. "And that concludes my announcement. Any comments?"

Joshua shrugged. "Not really. I'm glad they're giving me much more freedom than before, but it's not surprising they still want me inside the city."

"By Azeroth, don't you realize the restriction is just a formality‽" Talwinne laughed. "There's no way we could stop you if you're eyes straight, ailerons flexed on leaving Warfang. You proved as much when you appeared in Alona Hall the first time."

Joshua couldn't tell her how much she was overestimating him. He wasn't that good with sensory concealment. There were too many minds to hide from.

Not knowing this, the Earth dragon encouraged him to stay in the city. "Nonetheless, I hope you aren't actually planning on leaving. It would be the stupidest thing you can do now that you're practically a Temple apprentice. You are understandably homesick, but it's highly dangerous outside the wall. If you leave Warfang without telling anyone, you'll simply deprive yourself of its support."

"I won't, Ma'am," Joshua said. "...Besides, I nearly died out there twice. First, of dysentery; then, a pack of Death Wolves."

After what he'd done these past couple of months, she was amused by the idea of him dying to those. It was utterly preposterous! To her credit, her amusement only manifested in her star.

Kilat butted in. "Miss Talwinne, since Brother can go around the other districts, can you tell us those places we can go to? I wanna know!" Her rump swayed with each step. The girl was eager to finally make the most of city life.

Sparx also did the same. "Oh boy, oh boy, you have no idea how good you have it living rent-free here in the Temple, Josh-O!" He palmed the back of the human's neck, his voice eager and filled with excitement. "I've done hundreds of things over the last four years! Stick your furless apeness with this dragonfly, and you'll fly higher than the rabble!"

Shockingly, Flaraxas was the first of the two knights to speak about the subject. Talwinne apparently didn't do much but study and train, ensuring she was selected when Terrador finally decided to pass down the position of Earth Guardian.

The conversation, though quick, revealed how much Joshua had underestimated recreational activities in this medieval world. There was so much to experience in the City of Dragons.

The four major districts around Talonpoint Keep and the Temple were explained to him.

Lodestar was the cultural center of the city, thriving with guilds specializing in the arts. Sparx recommended Breath of Meredy, the largest playhouse in Warfang. He was babbling about several "mysteries" he'd watched when Flaraxas suggested visiting Conillion Hollow, a qawa house frequently patronized by Terrador.

Sparx, again, had much to say when Joshua asked what a qawa was. The more he described the drink and its production process, the more Joshua related it to a ubiquitous beverage back on Earth. In fact, he stopped listening altogether when the dragonfly mentioned roasted beans. He couldn't believe it. There was coffee in Warfang‽

Sparx quickly steered the conversation towards another district, Echovale, where the most popular taverns were. He told of a tale of intense rivalry between Gemcutters and Ember's Taphouse, the two most prominent establishments there. Joshua had come across Ember's name before, but he couldn't quite picture the pink, starstruck dragoness known to every Spyro fan as a beer brewer.

Blowout district was where the most affluent lived. Roughneck Market was the major attraction, drawing in merchants from far and wide. Joshua took note of this place only because Vara mentioned living here.

The three were already talking about the Fracture Hills district—something Warfang was treating like a national park, to compare it to something Joshua could relate to—when he asked them to stop. The deluge of information was making him dizzy, and it didn't help that standing amidst countless stars gave him a terrible headache.

"I just want to lie down," Joshua complained as they passed a lavatoria, walking past a group of four apprentices talking to each other.

"Prodigious timing," remarked the Guardian Candidate. She raised her forepaw mid-stride, pointing a claw at the next corner. "We're already here."

"We ARE‽" Kilat yelled. She dashed ahead, claws clacking rhythmically on the floor.

She stopped at the corner. Her jaw dropped. The little girl turned to them, her only wing fluttering in agitation. "Oooooh, we are! We are! Our room's right in the middle of the hallway, Brother!"

Sitting on her haunches, Kilat faced the next corridor and waved her paws. "Ser Emerine! Sir Springhorn!"

Before Joshua could stop her, the child moved on out of sight. He shook his head. Aaaahhhh, kids…

When the rest of the group turned the corner, they found that the hallway had narrowed further. If the main arterial corridor could fit six lanes, this one could fit two or three. The width was double that of a passage terminating at a cul-de-sac, but this signaled how close this place was to a utilidors entrance.

Throughout the entire walkthrough, the aesthetics and dimensions of the halls, the sliding doorways, and the luminescent crystals overhead were all no different from upstairs. This floor was simply more populated—more 'lived in'.

Emerine and Springhorn stood before the third door from the corner. It was near the middle of the hallway, the next intersection being several wingspans further. Joshua was surprised to see very few dragons loitering in the passage. It was as if the presence of two Talonpoint knights and their stern demeanor had intimidated the rest into traipsing elsewhere.

Kilat was chatting gleefully with Emerine. Had Joshua chosen to listen in, he would've caught snippets of an attempt at gossip, with Seriphos' name and the phrase 'twining tails' mentioned in the conversation.

The rhynoc, Springhorn, waved the group over in greeting. "Good morning, Joshua," he said, voice lumbering deeply and slowly. "And Candidate Talwinne, Sir Flaraxas… clear skies."

As they returned the greeting, Emerine opened the wooden door, sliding it smoothly across the grooved track. Kilat rushed inside. He heard her fling the saddlebags somewhere and scream happily.

When he peeked inside, Joshua found the little girl rolling all over the mattress inside and rubbing her snout and flank everywhere. Clearly, she was determined to infuse her scent into it, and mark it as hers.

Flaraxas walked in, easily fitting through the open doorway. He slipped his saddlebags down on the floor next to Kilat's. "Alright, my shift's over. Until tomorrow." The knight gazed at all three of them one at a time, muttering their names before leaving.

Joshua bid farewell to the knight and scrutinized what would be his residence for however long he lived in Warfang. The furnishings were bare. If he had to be honest, it looked no different from the room they just left!

"Not so," piped Emerine. Damn it, he thought out loud again! "You've got shelves for storing your belongings, as well as a scroll cabinet, two bedside desks, a storage chest—all steelwood—not to mention a larger lamp. It's not a major improvement over my room when I was an apprentice here, but from the point of takeoff, it's decent."

Talwinne blinked affirmatively. "Ser Emerine speaks truthfully. Besides, you and Kilat will have plenty of time to personalize the room as much as you want. You can purchase all your decor and ornaments at the trade markets in Blowout or Valandis." She jolted. "Oh! Speaking of which…"

The Guardian Candidate reached once more into her satchel and drew out a cloth sack. It looked small in her forepaw, but was actually quite large for Joshua. She handed it to him, its contents jingling noisily. It was filled with coins and… one other thing.

"Your wages in arrears, as well as your passport," she explained before Joshua could open it up. "The Keeper of Coin said they couldn't release any of your pay until the matters surrounding your residency were resolved."

Joshua was dumbfounded. Wages‽ He had income here‽ And did she just say a passport‽ As in, the kind he used to see on Earth, with a data page, a photo, and—

"Joshua, you are such a dumb egg sometimes," Emerine chided, sneering. The knight had been listening to their conversation while the door remained open. "Master Volteer explained this to you when he offered you that manual scavenger job the previous cycle."

"He did‽" Joshua couldn't recall that conversation at all! The memory must have been squirreled away to La La Land together with mostly everything related to that disgusting mess!

Talwinne was dismissive. "No matter. Here are your earnings to date. You'll have a regular income again starting tomorrow—

"And it'll be much higher now that you're officially a teacher's pet!" Sparx exclaimed.

Talwinne shushed the dragonfly then continued, "The money is available for pickup every 20th and 40th days of Adrano's lunar cycle at the Office of the Keeper. You're also entitled to free food at Coalfire Refectory every mealtime. A slip of paper containing your work schedule for this week is included in the pouch. All future notices will be handed to you every Valorem morning."

Joshua was still in the middle of processing everything he'd received this morning. Mentally, he was paralyzed. It was similar to the feeling of finishing a tutorial level in Assassin's Creed, Fallout, or Elder Scrolls and realizing what "open world" truly meant.

True, he'd yearned for his freedom from the third floor and his claustrophobic security restrictions, but he didn't expect it to be given in spades. Give the modern teenager time to get his bearings first!

Talwinne snorted upon seeing his face. "Mother of Knowledge, you truly are a child! Ground yourself, hoo-man. The people of Warfang aren't so heartless as to expect professional excellence from an alien.

"Although arriving thirty minutes ahead of schedule will leave a good impression." Talwinne gave a short, respectful bow before walking out. "Goodbye, Joshua Renalia. Once again, congratulations. May the Ancestors be with you."

Joshua stood there in a stupor, his gaze vacant. Emerine also snorted at the sight and finally joined Springhorn in his guard duties, straightening her posture and presumably glaring at any apprentice who dared to stare into Joshua's room for too long.

This was it.

At long f*cking last, he was finally FREE!

But…

Why wasn't he filled with joy and excitement like his adopted sister? Even now, Kilat was still cooing happily as she rolled and squirmed all over their new mattress.

"You okay, Baldie? You don't look happy at all." Sparx asked. Joshua jumped, having entirely forgotten about the dragonfly.

"S-Sparx! You're still here‽"

Sparx groaned. "Look, kiddo, 'Miss Terror' asked me to watch over your transfer today. I can declare this a job well done right now and make it to Auric's Little Theater in time for today's lunch mystery, but you're acting a lot like Fat Boy used to before we went and met Ignitus."

Joshua shut the door and sat down on the mattress. Kilat instantly went for his lap and began playing with his left arm like it was her chew toy.

"But I am happy!" he said. "I just didn't expect to be given so much today." He glanced around the room while playing with Kilat's tongue with his fingers. "I've got a room to decorate, furniture to buy, a job, a fixed schedule, a whole city to explore… It feels surreal!

"On top of that, I'm enduring a throbbing headache from all the people I'm sensing, and I can't just stop using this mental constellation thing, and my heart still hurts from that shocking news you gave me!"

"About Cynder and Volteer?"

"Yes!" Joshua exclaimed. "Everything I have right now came at their downfall. Christ, I feel so guilty. You haven't even said what happened to Cynder…"

Sparx glanced back at the closed door. "I guess I can tell you now. Here's what happened to her…"

To summarize, Cynder had been formally and publicly stripped off nearly all her privileges aside from her monthly stipend, her security detail, and her diplomatic immunity. She was given a full red cycle to personally give restitution to the families of all who died during the two events. She would also start accompanying the city guard on patrol duty in the unstable districts to learn humility and improve her sense of judgment.

The Savior would be making a public statement tomorrow declaring exactly these at the Audience Chamber, and the Council would be convening at the end of every red cycle to determine her progress and which privileges would be restored.

Listening to this news, Kilat was not enthused about the sentence. She expressed her strong preference for Cynder to publicly receive a severe beating instead. "That f*cker deserves that a hundred times over after what Brother went through last week!"

"She's not the only one who feels that way," Sparx said, suggesting that some councilors had indeed pushed for a more violent punishment only to be silenced by Cyril and Terrador.

As though sensing he was overstaying his welcome, the dragonfly began inching towards the sliding door.

"I don't really know you, Joshua, but maybe you'll feel better if you live life working for what you want." Sparx scratched his antenna. "People sacrificed a lot to get you here. Don't waste their efforts!"

He grinned. "Buuuuuut don't be such a killjoy either! Have fun while you're at it! Eat food, get drunk, watch some plays, learn new skills, and… heh, you're not really a kid, so go and explore a few holes!"

Joshua was startled. Holes‽ Did he just…? No, Sparx didn't…

"I'm not a goddamn furry!"

Joshua would've fired the Unknown Element at him if anger didn't undermine his focus. Sparx was amused by his expression and twirled in the air. "I don't even know what that means, stupid hoo-man!"

He opened the door and flew out before Joshua could throw one of the pillows at him. "Call for me if you ever want help finding the GOOD woodworkers, Josh-O! I know a few. Now byeeeee~!"

"Suck my egg!" Joshua hollered back, surprising a young apprentice passing through the hall. They locked eyes shortly before the latter scampered away, bewildered if not intimidated by his new VIP neighbor.

Joshua shut the door, feeling his cheeks burn as he realized he was starting to talk like the dragons. He quickly got over it. It is what it is.

Tossing his sandals aside, he cannonballed onto the mattress himself. "Move over, Kilat~!"

The bed was no different from the one upstairs. Kilat had broken in much of it already, as it smelled of either her saliva or her lavender-ish scent.

Kilat squealed as Joshua landed beside her. "Eeeee! Finally!" She gave him a playbite, latching on his shoulder.

Joshua pinched her cheeks with his working hand in retaliation. In turn, Kilat slapped away his fingers and nuzzled his belly. And so… the adoptive siblings celebrated their new room by playing a fun game where one tried to top the other.

Kilat held back, cognizant of her brother's disability. Joshua, on the other hand, fought hard but eventually let her win. Kilat's innocent smile was simply so adorable that it disarmed and filled him with joy. Minutes later, the dragoness was laying on top of his belly, tail wagging as she had won yet another of their little games and basked in victory by…

Giving him his morning tongue bath, of course.

Joshua, for all his aversion and disgust for this daily practice, had long built up tolerance. He treated it like a slow moment when he'd lay in bed with his birth siblings on Earth and talk to them about their day, if not their latest passions.

"Ahhhh… We haven't played like that in a while."

Too bad Kilat ruined the moment with her first question.

She paused to look up at him after slowly running her tongue between his fingers. "Brother, what's a furry?"

Joshua flinched. He gaped at her, eyes wide from shock. Of all the nonsense she heard from Sparx, that stood out the most‽ What the f*ck!

He really didn't want to delve into this right now. Joshua had always pushed aside those thoughts in the back of his mind. Between earning his place, learning what his power was, watching over a child, and coming to terms with his situation, he hardly had the time and energy to even think about certain hormonal issues and… everything… those entailed.

Luckily, Joshua took so long to answer Kilat that she spoke again right before he managed something reasonable.

"Ah, never mind. It's not that important. I'll just ask you later."

Joshua sighed in relief. "Whew…"

Kilat bathed his arms in relative silence, the sound of her tongue squishing wetly across his skin rhythmically echoing in his ears. He began to relax, feeling drowsy…

Joshua jerked awake when he felt her teeth prickling the sole of his feet. Kilat gave his toes several slimy licks, which meant the part he hated most was coming next. She always saved his face for last.

"Almost done, Brother," she said. Her voice turned solemn. "Sooo… what are your plans now? 'cause it looks like you're all settled in, finally."

Joshua had actually been cogitating on this ever since he stepped foot on the second floor. As Sparx said, he could pursue his main objectives on top of living a good life on the side—food and drink, creative arts, crafting professions, and… yuck!… certain blasphemy.

This Spyro world was so much bigger than Joshua or any other fanfic writer could ever imagine. Warfang was so massive he wouldn't be surprised if it could hold a candle to Ancient Rome! Species and people from Classic were here. The Skylanders were here. There were even four other continents on this planet!

He could settle down here for good, couldn't he? He was set to earn good money as a teaching assistant. He had a power that could someday grow to rival Spyro's. He'd read enough Wikipedia articles and followed so much modern pop culture that he could possibly "import" certain things from Earth into this backward civilization. He was more privileged here than he had ever been back home!

Now that he properly thought about it—

Joshua suddenly broke into a coughing fit when Kilat shoved her tongue into his mouth and nose by accident.

"Oops!"

"Ptuh! F*ck, Kilat! I'm trying to think here!"

"Sorry, sorry!" she apologized with a giggle before turning his face towards her snout and focusing on his eyes.

Joshua shook his head with a disgruntled snarl and let her be. Where was he? Ah, right…

Now that he thought about it, he didn't really have to return home. In fact, if Alaric Burgos had been here—no, if any one of those "Human from Earth" fans ended up here and managed to get to his current position or better, they wouldn't look back anymore! They would just forget about Earth completely—their home, parents, siblings, classmates, and all the problems they left behind. The politics weren't shaping up to be good back then either, with the job market looking abysmal until the 2020s and dictator wannabes rising up everywhere in the world.

Would any of them even WANT to come back?

None of them would, wouldn't they? They would absolutely KILL to be in Joshua's position.

They'd love being the only human, too, surely. Those damn degenerates. All of them would rather consign themselves to hell.

Joshua eyed Kilat while she doted on him. She was digging through his hair now. Scratching pimples and blackheads off and licking up the debris that remained. I wish I had soap, shampoo, and a shower…

Simply watching the dragoness work on his bath made him nostalgic for Earth. His heart ached to return there. However difficult and f*cked up life was back home, Joshua still wanted to go back. He…

He just couldn't let go.

He really couldn't.

He had to make the journey home.

However long it took.

Determination filled Joshua. He tapped Kilat's wing stump, signaling her to pull back (she was pretty much done anyway). He sat up, the feeling of thick spit weighing on his skin starkly contrasting the flame blazing strongly in his heart.

"It hasn't changed at all."

Joshua pulled Kilat close and hugged her the same way he would have embraced his younger birth sister when she was five. The dragoness cuddled up, curling her tail around his right arm.

"I first need to investigate what brought me here to begin with. I might find clues in Hookfang Library or the Keeper's archives." For all they knew, there might be something written down on a tiny scroll that had been gathering dust for millennia.

Joshua continued verbalizing his thoughts, "I need to revisit the place I woke up in. It's a few days' walk from where we first met."

Kilat whimpered softly. She pressed her forepaws on his skin, perhaps recalling the group of dragons she'd been with.

Joshua brought his head low and nuzzled the little girl's crown. He kissed the warm, yellow scales and tightened his embrace. "I know, Kilat, I know. I remember what you went through. Talwinne was right—even if I make Warfang our 'home base', I can't just leave whenever."

He propped his elbow on her horns, staring into his open palm. "I need to be capable of defending myself. I think I've taken my first steps towards that." Joshua dove into his sixth sense for a moment. With his ego boundaries firmly encompassing Kilat's soul, he felt not only her relaxed state and the feeling of his soft skin on her scales, but also the core of power sitting at the center of her being.

Joshua reached out and, as practiced many times with other dragons, drew mana directly from her. Kilat instinctively sensed it, but where the stars of other dragons would compress, shrink, and resist his pull in reaction to his handling, hers lit up, twinkling no differently from the real stars in the night sky.

He felt electricity buzzing in his core—in Kilat's core. It surged straight through the pathways, the "leylines" of her body, and entered his. His body began trembling, minor convulsions shaking his waist, then his shoulders, then his arms, and then his right hand.

Yellow sparks came to life above his hand as if he were an electric dragon himself. Its intensity was nowhere near the level that would knock him out. Then, recalling the freezing cold of Vara's mana, of the life imbued into all those attacks launched by Cyril's lounge, he visualized the electricity transmogrifying into solid, transparent ice.

A headache bloomed, its pain dulled by practice.

Joshua now stared at a shard of ice floating above his hand. It remained solid for a few seconds. His sight blurred momentarily, a spike of something striking his focus and disorienting him. Before he lost control, before the converted element could dissipate harmlessly, he willed it to throw itself upon the wall and maintain its form until it collided.

The world yet bent to his determination.

To his will.

It did exactly that.

Kilat's star shivered. Her tail squeezed tightly. "Ooooooooooh. That's new!"

Joshua chuckled. "Yeah… Once I get my left arm fixed, I'll have to get some fight training. And to arrange that, I need to make more friends and improve my reputation."

"Soooo, you mean you'll become a highflyer first?" Kilat asked with anticipation.

"Correct."

"I believe in you, Brother. I know you can do it!" Kilat wriggled and turned within his grasp so she could give his face a slow, affectionate lick. "Hehe, maybe next summer you'll be good enough to fight my loungemates in the arena!"

"Maybe." Joshua scratched her head. "What about you? You don't have to watch over me so much anymore."

"Well, I… I still want to find my family," she said. "I went down to the Office of the Keeper the other week. There are a lot of dragons with the same names as my parents…"

"But you're a natural with Electricity, aren't you?" Joshua pointed out. "That didn't come from nowhere. Maybe your mom or dad were really talented."

"I already asked Volty, Joshua! He's always saying that I'm the best prodigy he'd seen in decades other than Spyro!"

Joshua examined her muzzle, staring into her eyes. The deep cobalt was strikingly similar to the ones he saw at Pantheon Lobby. "Didn't you say your mom was an Ice Dragon? Why don't you try asking Cyril?"

Kilat responded with a playful headbutt.

"Hey!"

"Silly brother. That old bastard is a mean lizard. He's mean to you. He's mean to everyone!"

Kilat broke into a litany of complaints, rehashing the past things Cyril had done and what he probably had done behind the scenes.

Joshua listened to the child rant and whine. For some reason, he was reminded of his birth sister and the way she'd grumble about someone in the playground or screech about something she watched on Youtube.

He felt warm.

He felt like his life in Warfang had just entered a state of normalcy.

Joshua had climbed up all the way here from rock bottom, and now he was ready to take flight.

---

Author's note:

Aaaaaand that's it! We are finally done with the Settling In category. We ended it on a really good note, too.

What comes next?

Well, for one thing, you can expect the timestamps to start shifting to "Weeks" or "Months" especially after Spyro returns to Warfang from his misadventure in December Cliffs. Joshua's life in Warfang is really varied, and covers a whole lot of stuff.

Like, we're gonna be exploring the city, baby! City Life will soon start living up to its category name. XP

I won't be ignoring the more practical aspects of Joshua's combat power though. The guy will be training for combat/survival on the side so he can get out of Warfang once he's gained some influence, but do you think the people watching him will let him accumulate in power in peace? Hell no. Stuff will be happening for sure. Hopefully Joshua will be able to start sparring with his friends before any of that goes down.

So here's to the next phase of Aimless! See y'all in the next update.

Now… replies to reviews!

Misab67. Thank you for the comment! Would've been nice to know what parts you liked though :D

Guest #1 (Guest). You're in luck, then! Joshua addressed this in this very chapter. Expect a scene or two of Joshua undergoing physical therapy sometime.

Wolfe Itzo'k. Lol to you too :P

Guest #2 (Guest). Well you still have another Warfang chapter coming for CH61! Unforunately, we'll have to revisit Spyro's side of the story again. The events there set the stage for the Main Story during the Long Winter.

Earthpatriot117. Thanks for the review! Glad you enjoyed the last chapter.

Well, here's another update! XD Hopefully I can crank out CH61 fast too. I've been on a roll ever since I resumed writing Warfang content.

Poor Cynder. She had her Savior privileges completely stripped. Not sure if there's a way for me to show the public statement she'll be making on Day 61. The Warfang chapters are still Joshua-centered.

Hope you'll enjoy the story regardless. See you in the next update!

ThatBombsMine. Thanks for the review, dude! Definitely gonna keep cooking. :D

Sir Mountcastle (Guest). Didn't have to wait another year for THIS one! Hopefully IRL will continue giving me more opportunities to write the fanfic!

Re: your suggestion. It's reasonable. I can explore that in Meaningless Crossovers. Also, Alaric would probably fare better than Joshua. Dude had begun preparing for adulting developed a thing for martial arts & survival stuff and it got to the point Joshua called him out on spending less time with him (only to get chewed for it in response)

BronzeHeart92. Oh yeah, got that second chapter before the end of the year! Here's to hoping I get a third one out by the 1st week of January! XD

Re: Paris Olympics. TBH, didn't get to see it much beyond news reports. I've been overseeing the house renovation for much of that, and the contractors are driving me crraaaaaazyy!

Re: Cyril. He's just being overly suspicious. He said so as much when he was hissing in Cynder's ear. At least Joshua's won him over now!

Re: suggestion. Pulling an Edward Elric and betting his very ability to pull off a miracle? I can't see it happening, not with the rules set up for it (i.e. the Three Ds). An attempt to rewrite reality, even for just one dragon, will not only fail but also cost Joshua his life, if not his mind.

Re: The Dog, The Girl, and the Walk-In Closet. Aww, it's a Final Fantasy 12 fanfic. I've actually never followed fanfics from Final Fantasy.

Yuvalyly. Hello and thank you for your review!

I can relate to you, actually. When I write Aimless, I tend to reread a large section of the fanfic to refresh my memory too. The outline I have in my Google Doc can only help so much. This is the problem with big massive projects like this one, especially when the world-building is so fleshed out too!

I suggest reading the most recent 3 - 5 chapters immediately preceding the update though. It's what I do whenever a story I'm following with more than 1,000,000 words in total length updates after like 6 months or longer. I also carve out a few hours of time to slowly read a chapter with like 15K words… that's when you'll feel the immersion! XD

As for your question… I still haven't found the answer yet. ;; It's not something I plan on putting much thought into until the story forces me to. Luckily, I plan stuff out pretty far ahead so I don't expect to "write myself into a corner" like what happens to many writers.

Re: concept art. They exist as reference, but that's all. The TLoS world in Aimless isn't envisioned to 100% replicate both actual canon or intended canon, so there will be deviations.

One example is the "modern technology" used by Apes in Volcanic Isle/Munitions Forge during ANB.

Another is the notion that 100% of all apekind are against all other species. You have plenty of IRL examples showing that this is never the case. Both sides in a conflict will have their own allies and trade partners, and there will always be people who are friends with someone on the other side of the aisle.

Ultimately, I will write the story I want to write. Of course, reader feedback is taken into account and considered.

See you in the next update!

Starfett13. Thanks for your review!

Reviews aren't required anyway. It's just that it's a pleasure to read detailed reviews (or critiques). So… English isn't your main language? Are you using a machine translator? Just curious.

Hope to see your comment in this update as well! Thank you so much for following Aimless until now.

GreatCornholioOfLakeTiticaca. I would have ended up writing a different story! It's not one I'd want to write though.

I'm sure you know by now that there are plenty more isekai/transmigration entries in the Spyro archive. Some feature OCs with similar mindset and/or capabilities as Solid Snake. Maybe there's at least one still being updated today. ;;

Thanks for the review!

Spyro-the-Purple-Dragon. Thanks for the review! Yep, and I'm still planning on cranking out some more Warfang chapters before bringing it back to Spyro. Gotta finish the December Cliffs storyline, y'know?

Anyway, yes, Joshua and Cynder have become very close after CH55. At this point, I believe she's more like his mother figure now, and it shows in their dialogue. She sees herself in him, thus the protectiveness.

As for his eventual romance, well, I think you can easily find out who I'll be pushing… we'll see further progression on that as long as I keep updating! (͡ ͜ʖ ͡) Not setting it in stone though. The outline can change, as written earlier in my A/N.

Also, thank you so much for following the story for this long! Hope to maintain your interest for as long as Aimless continues to run.

Coollatiospokemon4342. Thanks for the review! Glad you're still around.

The Unknown Element is being described heavily compared to past chapters because its mechanics have been fully explored in The Three Ds and It's Necessary. Its name was decided years ago, but it's nothing special compared to names given by other fanfics for their unique elements, so don't expect to be wowed. Anyway, in-story, Joshua has already christened its name and I'm just waiting for the right scene to whip it out.

As for your writing, people have a ton of resources now more than ever for learning how to write and getting better at it. You can work on that once you have the free time. As always, IRL must come first. Can't do what you want to do if you aren't free to do them, right?

Aydensauce06. Thanks for the review! I feel the same way, and I'm the writer! Adulting eats more and more of your time the older you get and the more responsibilities you assume. I'm actually happy that I still get time to write Aimless from time to time. Hopefully I'll have the next chapter out soon.

DiabloPProcento. Thank you for the review! And well, you are right on time for the NEXT chapter! I hope you like this one! I would like to think you've been waiting for this one for a while. XD

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[60D/LM]

[City of Warfang, Central Markazia – Warfang Temple]

---

One problem with Joshua's sixth sense is that it wasn't something he could turn on and off at will.

What made it worse was that it wasn't limited by line of sight. The mental constellation represented all life around him in a short radius. While Joshua could assess each star from afar, he could also tether himself to any number of them, establishing a one-way connection that let him feel what they felt through their senses.

Effectively enveloping his sense of self around another.

His ability to exploit this unique aspect of his Element was limited only by his human brain. Too many stars—or too many sensations—and he would drop, suffering convulsions from information overload. Too little, and he would never be able to properly utilize its physical manifestations.

Indeed, the first of the Three Ds began with Discernment.

Joshua had gradually increased his tolerance to the sheer volume of information such that the bustling hive of stars in the Temple no longer rendered him catatonic.

Like viewing something on Google Maps, the resolution increased only when raising his concentration, to the detriment of all else. The real world would be but an echo the instant he immersed his consciousness in this altered state.

As such, while Joshua was initially attentive to every word and vitriol spewing out of Kilat's snout, a commotion happening outside their new room drew him away from his sister.

Emerine's and Springhorn's spheres of life swirled faster and turned a bit yellow, with the former leaving her post and approaching a weaker, smaller star located roughly by the corner leading to the main passages. An apprentice whose signature was already compressed to begin with managed to shrink even further, becoming so dark that it was nearly imperceptible in his mental constellation.

Maintaining his tight hug on Kilat, Joshua let her babble and dawdle. Her voice softened while the ones outside became clearer, increasing in both volume and pitch.

Soon, Joshua caught the tail end of Emerine's question. "...behind the corner?"

The apprentice had been brought to the door and was now being held by the two knights. Their life signature pulsed yellow and orange, practically shaking. "...guild work in my room, but I heard that Joshua moved in a while ago."

Another dragoness. Strangely, the voice sounded… familiar to Joshua's ears.

"I remember you now," stated Emerine. "You're that barker from Stone Hill Artisans." She paused. "Still using his name casually, are you?"

The "barker" was fidgeting. He could tell from the way the billowing currents on her star rolled and fluctuated. "I, I didn't really mean—! Errrrrhn, please, let me fly low. Alona, I was just curious—

A loud, bestial grunt. It could only be Springhorn. "Your scent, lingering for many minutes."

"Eek! I, I-I can explain! I, I just wanted to, ummm, talk to Joshua. That's all."

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Kilat's babble had shifted away from Cyril. Now, she was preening over their more immediate plans for the near future. "...pay Lodestar a visit and try that qawa thing. Gintomyr help us, it won't be too expensive but I really—

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"Joshua has never mentioned having a live-in apprentice among his companions," Emerine declared. It was loud enough that he didn't have to strain his ears to catch it. Kilat's speech dwindled as she too caught drift of the interrogation outside.

"Ser knight, it, it would only be a quick conversation! You have my neck. I… don't want to trouble Josh—to trouble Novitiate Joshua too much." The apprentice made a short whine. "Hnnn… besides, I… I don't know if I should even follow through with it…"

"Your reluctance doesn't change the fact that you are very eager to meet with him. What are your intentions?"

Her color flashed red. "N-nothing!"

"Yet you imply you have some relationship with the Novitiate. Return to your room now, and I will reduce the punishment for your transgression."

"R-r-reduce‽ Ser knight! I, I-I didn't do anything—

"Wait," the rhynoc interrupted. "Her face, familiar. Hmm… like, Sir Merlveet?"

Emerine's and the apprentice's stars both shifted colors. Joshua could imagine the knight gaping in surprise and the younger dragon wilting from dread. As he studied the latter's soul, he realized why it seemed so familiar.

It was his stalker!

"Fire element, resembles 'Lightning's Shadow', that timid disposition… Azeroth, you're truly Merlveet's sister!"

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"Brother? Brooootheeeer…"

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Emerine snarled. "How disappointing! I never thought someone like you would gawk at the hoo-man as if he was an art exhibit!"

"This apprentice is in Vara's dossier," said Springhorn. "One of her friends."

"Vara!" Emerine growled again. It was clear she did not like the monoscale. "Mother of Knowledge, of course! That tail-biter is a terrible influence—

Joshua's attention was suddenly yanked away when Kilat bit his arm enough to cause pain. "I knew you weren't listening!"

Kilat was irritated with him. But he didn't have time to deal with the little girl now. His stalker had finally shown herself, and his two guards had it to where she couldn't run away.

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"...tell my brother! Merl will be breathing hellfire! I-I don't want to fly through the same crevice again."

"Ancestors, save your mewling for him. Every action has consequences. Following a protected person; falsely claiming you have a relationship with them. Those are serious."

"Uhhhhhhnn…"

"Spring of Fortune, you are lucky we are not doing anything more."

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.

He kissed the child on the tip of her snout and excused himself to stand up and walk to the door.

"Brother, just ask about it tomorrow! Let's just rest and enjoy ourselves until lunchtime."

Joshua ignored Kilat's urging. Curiosity had taken hold of him back when he roamed around the second floor with Blink. The stalker always followed, but ran away when approached. Her refusal to see him had led to that violent encounter with three bullies, yet the young boar said she helped them at a critical moment, only to vanish when his escorts that day had caught up.

That he never got to thank this person was unsettling. Joshua Renalia was not someone who forgot the good deeds others did for his sake.

Joshua pulled on the recessed handle with such force that it slid swiftly along the grooves and slammed into its end. All three jumped at the loud din echoing across the crystal-lit corridor.

His eyes widened from shock. The apprentice cowering before the two knights was someone he never expected to see again.

"You‽ You're my stalker…‽"

Sandwiched between an armored dragon and a well-equipped rhynoc was an adolescent apprentice who looked neither older nor larger than Vara. She was as tall as a Great Dane, her head level with his as she sat on her haunches. Her pure, burgundy-red scales were less vibrant underneath crystalline luminescence than the morning sun.

Lime-green eyes gazed back at him. She was hornless. Her long ears made her resemble Toothless more than any dragon he'd met in Warfang.

Joshua still vividly remembered the last time he had seen Red Lady…

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A frantic crowd ushered her past the threshold of the eastern gates.

The only person who'd spoken to him in line, staring back with sorrowful eyes, life signature withdrawn and phlegmatic.

Too terrified to stand up against the mob.

Too regretful that she didn't step up for him.

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.

.

The two of them would've stared at each other in awkward silence for another long minute or two had Springhorn stayed quiet.

"You know this dragon?"

Joshua's eyes flickered to the rhynoc and back. Red Lady looked anxious. Her star was no different. Her wings and ears were drooping, body language betraying her uncertainty and fear.

Joshua was no longer a powerless would-be immigrant. He had a bit of renown now, and the Council had also just wiped his record clean. He could enact revenge—put her through all sorts of trouble as payback for abandoning him.

For not stepping forward even once.

Indeed, Joshua's life in Warfang over the past month and a half could've been completely different if he just had one more dragon defending him.

Most teenagers back home were petty and boisterous, trapped in a self-delusion of invincibility. They wouldn't hesitate to throw Red Lady under the bus and give her hell.

In many respects, Joshua was no different from the average teen, but sordid and unmerciful he was not.

"I do."

Red Lady visibly recoiled. "Y-you remember me…?" She squeaked.

"I do."

Joshua had to admit, there was some satisfying schadenfreude watching her squirm uncomfortably. "It's hard to forget a dragon like you… especially when we met right before that shitshow at the gates."

Red Lady winced with every word he emphasized. She broke eye contact and lowered her gaze, curling in on herself. She had nothing to say.

Emerine's muzzle veered back and forth. "What‽ You actually met BEFORE that storm?"

"...I was in line behind him," the burgundy dragoness replied, weakly. "We were talking for a bit, before the queue split."

The knight grunted. "Hnnn, that explains your odd questions to Lady Cynder back then." Her comment piqued Joshua's interest, but that wasn't important right now.

"Valorem's Light," Emerine muttered, "Why didn't you take flight during the Incident?"

She winced. "I…"

"Why didn't you approach anyone in the days after? You're acquainted with Vara. Meeting with Joshua would be a simple matter for you."

Red Lady was stomping on the floor. Her tail kept swinging left and right. "I, errrr… uhhhh…"

Her sphere of life continued to shrink and slow down, becoming smaller and more lifeless as seconds passed.

"Ancestors, I… this was a mistake." The dragoness uncurled. She continuously glanced at the corner. "I'm sorry. P-please forget I even came here—

Red Lady's anxiety was becoming unbearable to watch. Joshua couldn't help but intervene. "Ahhh, screw this. How about we talk inside?"

"But… but—!"

"I won't make things difficult for you, I swear. I have your neck."

A long moment passed before Red Lady finally assented. The slow blink came after what felt like five minutes.

"...Okay…"

Joshua returned to the mattress. Kilat, who was passing the time by chewing one of the pillows, paused. "Are you back now? Can we keep playing?"

Joshua smiled at the little girl. "Not quite. Look who's here." He cocked his head towards the doorway. Kilat's jaw dropped the second she saw Red Lady padding into the room.

"O.M.F.G!" Kilat shrieked. The pillow quickly forgotten, she leaped up and pounced towards the newcomer.

Red Lady meekly raised her forepaw. "Hello, Kilat…"

"Eeeeeeeee! You remembered!" Kilat ran circles around her. She was panting, running round and round and round, forcing the older dragon to proceed carefully or else risk causing an accident. "How-are-you-and-what-have-you-been-doing‽ Why-are-we-only-seeing-you-now‽ You're-stalking-Brother-why-why-why-you-could-have-just-visited!"

The timid apprentice and Joshua looked at each other. A gauche smile appeared on their miens. If dragons sweated from their heads instead of their paws, she'd have a massive bead just above her eyes right now.

Joshua suppressed a laugh. Yeah, leave it to a tactless child to break the ice.

With Springhorn shutting the door behind her, Red Lady began answering Kilat's battery of questions. "Smooth and whole, just writing on some scrolls in my room these past few days. Uhmm, I didn't want to bother you and Joshua. And, errrrr, stalking? Uhhhhhhh, I wouldn't… I would rather call it something else—

The child yelled. "Hold your horses!"

"...huh?" Red Lady blinked; the words she wanted to say garbled as she forced herself to stop. "Horses?"

Kilat ignored her. "No, wait! I forgot the most, most, MOST important question of ALL!"

Joshua sat down on the mattress and watched his adopted sister fluster the red dragon.

"What's your name‽" demanded Kilat. "Brother and I can't keep calling you 'Red Lady' in our heads!"

Red Lady smiled wryly at the nickname. "Well—

"Tell-us-tell-us-tell-us!"

"Kilat," Joshua called out to her. The child's insistence was beginning to affect the former's life signature. "She's looking at you like she's staring at tornadoes."

"Whaaaaat‽ No way! I'm just—

"Come here, kid. Let her talk."

Not bothering to argue with her older brother, Kilat scampered to Joshua's outstretched arm like a playful dog. She let him pull her close into a hug while he stared expectantly at the older dragon standing awkwardly in his new room.

She sighed wistfully, perhaps reminiscing the first time they met. "Haaaaa… you two haven't changed at all." She smiled at them, her expression coming across as poignant. "My name is Serenya."

Joshua choked like he'd swallowed a fly. "…Y-You're Serenya‽"

The dragoness snickered, but it was too stiff to be genuine. "I'm not surprised anymore," she said with a sigh. "Vara told you about me?"

Joshua nodded. The alien gesture clearly bewildered her, but he didn't notice as he was chuckling exasperatedly. "Much more than that. Sooooo much more. Did you know? Vara wanted to drag me to your room after the Summer Exams two weeks ago."

Serenya froze. "She did?"

He shut his eyes in a slow blink. "She did."

Serenya clicked her tongue. "What else did she tell you?"

Joshua winced. Honestly, he dismissed a lot of that conversation and banished most of it from his mind. The only thing he could truly remember was his critique of Vara's presumptuous disposition and how it would eventually foster resentment in everyone she considered friends. Knowing "Princess", she probably had some choice descriptions for Serenya, but Joshua had long forgotten what they were.

"It was mostly stuff about your personality, I think," Joshua replied. "I don't remember the entire conversation anymore. Sorry."

Serenya's star scrunched into a solid ball of orange and red. The change reversed just as quickly, synchronized with the two breaths she had just taken, long and deep. "I knew it."

She sounded more tired than she was exasperated. It must have been a regular occurrence. Joshua repeated her name a few more times in his mind, reminiscing both their last meeting and what she'd just done. "You're amazing," he said. Had he been in her place, he would've been absolutely livid. "Serenya… your name suits you."

To his immense relief, her wagging tail was the only thing that moved in response to his comment, unlike how a certain other dragoness would have reacted to such praise. Serenya's name seemed inspired by the word 'serenity'. Praise the Lord, she lived up to it!

Serenya remained cautious. "Thank you. I'm… sorry if I never got to introduce myself before. The Incident happened too fast."

"I know. I was surrounded while you got pushed aside."

Awkward silence returned, and it had a chilling effect. Joshua waited for Serenya to respond, but her star was flickering between yellow and orange. It swirled quickly, trembling. In the real world, she was fidgeting. She kept her wings folded and her paws clenched.

Kilat glanced at them. "Uhh, why are you so quiet now‽ Did something happen?"

Joshua pinched and scratched her throat. "Shush, girl. Don't make her more nervous than she already is."

He patted the empty space beside them. "Serenya, relax. It's okay. If it helps, take a seat."

"A-all right," she said. Serenya crossed the short distance between them and plopped down on the mattress, resting her flank like it was her own bed.

Kilat seemed to bristle at the action but did nothing after what Joshua had said.

Joshua and Serenya were eye-to-eye again, with much less distance between them this time. He gazed at her intensely, several questions trying to fight their way out of his mouth.

"So…" He ultimately settled on the one Emerine asked. "Can you answer that question now? You know the one."

Serenya took her time to answer. Joshua observed her quietly without judgment. She gripped the bed sheet tight. Her claws tore into the cloth. Her tail wagged vigorously. She breathed quickly and lightly. Both wings and ears were folded, pressed upon her scales, and her eyes kept avoiding his.

Joshua looked closely at her scales and compared them to those of his friends. Where Vara's scales were dirty, riddled with tiny cracks, and had a slight musk, Serenya's were gleaming, free of dust and presumably smooth, smelling of what he thought were wildflowers and parchment. It was clear the apprentice bathed twice a day, just like his sister, or Cynder for that matter, since the Savior's scales were similarly well-groomed.

He wondered how Serenya could be friends with Vara. Impressions of their personal hygiene aside, even their personalities were polar opposites. The latter was reckless and abrasive, while the former was shy and conscious of others.

A little too self-conscious, in his opinion.

"I was scared," Serenya admitted. "I'm just a regular person. I'm no good at fighting. My elemental skills are nowhere as good as my loungemates. And I'm also a monoscale. You've seen by now what most dragons think of us."

Joshua did. Kilat had told him about the bullies she had to face in her lounge when Volteer first brought her to his lectures. However, her prodigious talent and reckless aggression in the arenas ensured they would swiftly back off as soon as one of them was injured.

Serenya did not enjoy the advantage known as talent.

"If I took flight and defended you, the gatekeepers would have tagged me as an accomplice. I would incriminate my older brother, a Talonpoint knight!" She looked into his eyes once, then lifted her sight to the ceiling. "If I had even a bit of Merl's skill—if I wasn't so monotone, I would have flown with you!"

She sniffled, her voice shaky. "Joshua, I never stopped thinking about you. The airstreams were full of nasty, disgusting windwhispers. Back then, I was the only one who had actually talked to you, but who would believe me? Even Vara didn't when I tried, and we've been friends since we enrolled in the Temple two years ago."

Joshua started massaging Kilat, who had already started falling asleep on his lap after her recent, manic questioning. The little girl made for a good distraction, as he didn't want to watch the other dragon break down and cry. She already had tears in her eyes and was on the verge of weeping. Thankfully, she took a deep breath and calmed down enough to continue despite her sniffling.

"Alona, I was so relieved the highflyers didn't kill you. I admire the way you overcame everything you were put through these past eight weeks. I would've been happy just to watch you from the ground and see you become a highflyer… Then Vara became your friend."

Joshua cut in, "You say that like it's a bad thing!"

"Uhm…" She fidgeted with her foreclaws.

"Serenya, she could've connected you to me again."

"...I know…"

A not-so-distant memory came to mind. Of that one night when Vara tried to sneak past the guards to find him again, and their meeting shortly after she was caught by Flaraxas. Serenya had probably heard all about this already, but he refreshed her memory and also revealed certain details that Vara more than likely had not discussed with her.

"Back then, she invited you to follow her, and you turned her down. She called you a 'smushed egg' for that."

Serenya let out a hollow laugh. "That's Vara, all right."

"I know our… mutual friend… can be really—uhh, how do I say this nicely…

"Overbearing?"

"Right. Exactly. Overbearing! But, if you had gone with her, we would've had this talk ages ago. Why didn't you?"

The dragoness sighed. "I was worried you'd be breathing hellfire. I abandoned you that day. I can't change that no matter how guilty I feel about it. I didn't want to show myself only to learn how much you resent me for that." She swallowed her saliva and finally decided to maintain eye contact. "I'd rather have Vara call me a smushed egg hundreds of times than face you."

"Serenya, you stalked me. Multiple f*cking times! Why do that if you didn't want to see me‽"

Serenya squirmed and played with her claws again. Several times her snout twitched, like she wanted to break away from his gaze. "T-that, that just, uhhhh, that's just me being a curious, dumb egg. There's a lot of information about you on the airstreams, both true and false, and I'm not smart enough to tell the difference. I can't get much news from Vara. She moans all the time about feeling your fingers on her scales but not much else."

Kilat began pawing at Joshua. She clasped his working arm as her content purrs filled the room. Serenya ogled his hand, her eyes focusing intensely on the fingers currently pressing her hindlegs. Her sphere of life contracted and all but ceased movement. She was deep in thought.

"Uhh…"

The older dragoness bowed her head so deeply that she exposed her neck. "I'm sorry, Joshua. I'm really sorry."

"Huh?"

Serenya rose to her feet. She wiped tears from her eyes and turned towards the door. "It's time I go back to my room. You've been acting nice so far, but I know you really wouldn't want to see this bothersome monoscale again. Kilat probably thinks I'm a smushed egg now, too."

"Wait—

"I'm fine just knowing you're okay," Serenya spoke over Joshua, apparently convinced by some internal thoughts of her own. "I'll be happy watching your flight from afar. I will… try not to stalk you anymore. May the Ancestors be with—

"I said, WAIT!" Joshua had gotten up as fast as he could without waking Kilat. He lunged at Serenya before she could fully step away from his reach. His hand clasped around her hindpaw. Flinching, she whipped her head around, her mournful expression visible and unhidden.

"Please stay," he said—he insisted. "I don't know what you're thinking, but I'm not mad. And I'd rather be friends."

"You… you mean it?"

The human tugged her hindpaw back towards the mattress. She was not showing the same reaction as Vara. Her star was volatile, filled with doubt and uncertainty. Joshua couldn't tell whether it was his actions or his grasp, but he was having some effect on her. "I wouldn't be holding you like this if I didn't," he said.

"I wasn't there when you needed me. I'm so weak I can't even help you, let alone my apprenticeship—

Her arguments didn't persuade him in the slightest. "I don't care." Joshua didn't know why, but he felt he couldn't let Serenya walk out of his life. It felt wrong to let it happen. "I want to be your friend too. If you don't feel the same way, okay—go ahead and walk out. But if you do…"

He patted the spot she had just vacated. It was still warm. Fire dragons radiated much more heat, evidently. "...let's keep talking. There's a place for you right here."

Joshua released her foot. Serenya sat on her haunches, snout going back and forth between him and the sliding door. He didn't do or say anything else. The choice was up to her now, and he was willing to accept her decision.

Thank God he didn't have to wait long.

Serenya gave another sigh and smiled at him. All the stress on her muzzle seemed to drip away. Her soul gradually returned to its previous size and rotation. Had Joshua pried into her senses by extending his ego boundaries into her signature, he would've felt a tightness in his chest loosening up.

She padded over slowly to him and returned to her place. The two were quiet for a while, the air intermittently disturbed by Kilat mumbling to herself in her sleep.

Then…

"Can you really go wherever you want now?"

"So they said you're a 'barker'?"

They asked each other, verbalizing the questions simultaneously.

Another moment of silence passed between them. However, this one felt more relaxed than oppressive. Joshua and Serenya chuckled to themselves and resumed the conversation.

Time passed swiftly as they talked animatedly about daily apprentice life. Neither of the two realized how long they've been chatting until Emerine pulled the door ajar and informed them it was lunchtime.

Minutes later, Joshua walked out of the room with Kilat riding on his shoulders and Serenya walking beside him. He had just learned there was a food bazaar in one of the Temple buildings, and wanted to experience the kinds of food being served to dragons with coins to spend.

There would come a day when he would have to leave the City of Dragons and never return, but until then, he intended to make the most of it.

Thus, for the first time ever, Joshua was looking forward to living in this Spyro world.

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Author's note (this is the last one, really!):

When I said this chapter was going to finish up loose ends, I meant it! I am so happy Serenya—aka "Red Lady"—has finally been introduced in Aimless proper. After what, nearly 50 chapters since her first appearance aaaaaaaaaall the way back in Chapter 11? That was so freaking long ago!

Expect to see her a LOT in the Warfang chapters. Her room is a quick walk from Joshua and Kilat's room and her personal interests actually align with Joshua's. Try to remember what she does when she's not working on her apprenticeship. I've been teasing her so much since Vara's introduction in CH27 and CH28 that I'll definitely gonna have to make up for all that lost time. :D

To be honest, Serenya's introduction was supposed to be a whole chapter in and of itself. Volteer, Sparx, and Cynder were supposed to be the ones picking up Joshua and Kilat from the third floor and executing the transfer. The human and his adopted sister would be busy admiring their rooms, with Volteer discussing the name to be given to Joshua's Element and Cynder talking training plans and some arrangement for his arm, only for Sparx to stumble upon Serenya hiding behind the door.

It was a very, uh, anime-ish approach, I would say.

Unfortunately, as things progressed, the entire outline changed.

The true cause of the Incident was discovered in a violent and horrific manner (compared to the benign, academic approach I wanted to take in the original outline), and, well, CONSEQUENCES, RIGHT? So while Sparx still shows up, he doesn't linger that long and a forgettable OC that I will probably have to reintroduce in her next appearance ended up officiating the transfer.

I also had to think properly about Serenya's discovery. It seems so contrived in the original plan, considering Joshua's sensory abilities and the high likelihood a guy like him will STILL need bodyguards no matter how well-accepted he is in the city.

It's amazing how things can just deviate from plans when you actually write 'em out.

ANYWAY! I have nothing else to write. Hope to see you in the next update, and I pray it'll come fast. Until next time, guys.