Glass or Diamond: Fairy's Wish

CLANG!

A startling metallic ring comes out of the trunk winder as the team approaches. The ramp is already lowering by the time they reach the rear access, and Coco appears to be displeased.

“OY! WHA’ DIRTY SLICK-WALKIN’ YE BE TRAITIN’ AN’ THINKIN’ UPSIDES A BINTLY FLUFFER!?” She whirls out of the vehicle, facing down the group with her largest wrench and most fiery glare.

Lykha exclaims, “I know, right!?” She darts to Coco’s shoulder, not spared of the skeptical glare the teen shoots her, while Maerin asks dryly, “Of all things, you understood that?”

Lykha nods as she crosses her arms and joins Coco in staring down the remaining four. “Oh, the words were nonsense, but I know what she said.”

Coco points her wrench directly at Two-leaf, confirming Lykha’s suspicions. “Aye! Righ’ there, Machen. Ye done goobed enough. Got’s enough rivals tricksin’ tocks and friskin’ me Love.” Lykha nods in agreement. Two-leaf shifts behind Murtoa’s cape, hiding from the other teen.

However, the unorthodox knight limps forward, undeterred by Coco’s fiery anger. She aims her wrench at him, growling fiercely, “And YOU, Love! Ye ‘sposed ta be mixin’ words and findin’ a people fixa! No’ some crier’clothed bogglesly!”

Murtoa pulls a pouch out of his gear bag, tossing it lightly at Coco’s chest and startling her with a metallic jingle. She manages to catch it, but at the expense of her aggressive posture. She inspects it, surprised at the contents; her cut of a surprisingly generous bounty the sheriff paid them. He then digs a fistfull of coins out of his gearbag, stating, “That’s your cut. And this;” he hands her some more coins. “... should make us square for now.” She allows her wrench to fall so she can cup her hands for the coins. She is at a loss for words for the moment. He then adds, “Two-leaf is our newest companion. Get along for my sake, please.”

Coco hesitantly stows her newest coins in the same pouch he gave her, and then tucks them into her own gear bag. She crosses her arms, grumbling, “Why’s that, ey? I don’ne see why I hafta coddle some ‘Bando-grifta.”

Murtoa replies bluntly, “She’s the princess of Lakia.”

The whole group stares at him in stunned silence for a long time. Even Two-Leaf stares up at him. Lykha darts up to Murtoa’s head-level, flitting her wings furiously to stay airborne with her magic expended. She hisses fiercely, “You JUST told Sir Osmund she’s NOT the princess!”

The human knight replies with only a slight shake of his head. “No. I told him he was mistaken. I didn’t kidnap her.”

Again, Lykha’s jaw drops. Gyrryth, inspects the young girl in question for a moment, and she waves her hands, saying frantically, “I don’t know what he’s talking about! My head’s full of secrets! You think I wouldn’t know that one!?”

Murtoa states, “We should continue this conversation inside. Perhaps on the move. Coco, are we ready to leave?”

The teenage techromancer stares at him, still baffled. She shakes her head clear, replying finally, “Y-Yeah… But…”

“She can have my bunk. I’ll sleep in the hold. I’ll explain more inside.” Murtoa limps past Coco, climbing wearily into the vehicle. The group shares a disbelieving glance, with Maerin joking dryly, “Anyone else think Mury’s secretly the king of Lakia?”

Two-leaf murmurs softly, “He’s telling the truth…”

The other four look at her, and she looks at each of them after some deep thinking. “He’s the only one who knows where two princesses were hidden. It’s the only true secret; the only thing only he knows.”

Lykha asks, “Are you saying your ‘knowing all of the secrets of the world’ is real?”

Two-leaf nods. “I-... I was… trying to learn who I was. A fairy let me use her wish, because she wanted to help me, and she was on her deathbed…”

Maerin cuts in, “I think Mury’s right. Let’s ensure unwanted ears don’t hear the rest of this.”

The group collectively agrees and enters the trunk winder, with Maerin asking Gyrryth as he walks, “Did you know any of this?”

Gryrryth shakes his head. “When I was in the Order, there was mention of the plights of Lakia, but given their special status in relation to the Holy Order, the information was unreliable at best.”

In the locker area just past the cargo bay of the trunk winder, the group finds Murtoa leaning next to his locker, and he says quietly, “Your real name is Princess Nichessue, twin first princess of Lakia.”

Lykha darts up to Murtoa’s helmet again, asking quickly, “And, how do you know that!? Why did you kidnap her from Lakia? Why did you…”

Murtoa holds his hand up to stop her, laying his hand out so she can land on his palm, which she does as she relaxes a little.

The human warrior adds as he looks at the others briefly, “I don’t care what anyone thinks of me. I did what was asked. I didn’t particularly want to, but the Queen -your mother-, asked me to.”

“Why?” asks Lykha instantly.

Murtoa limps forward towards the cockpit, replying, “Same reason I can’t remove my helmet.” The others follow, and he clarifies, “Lakia is where it all began. And, where the first twins of the Queltarine race were born in the last six thousand years.”

Gyrryth asks, seemingly particularly surprised by this revelation, “You mean the legends of the dragons?”

Murtoa nods. He plops himself into one of the passenger seats, and Lykha steps off of his hand to kneel on his lap as Maerin joins her. The others assume their respective seats, with the newly revealed princess taking the other rear seat across from Mury.

Had they not known better, the story Murtoa tells next would make him seem to be slipping into madness. The story he begins reciting is known by many as a children’s folk tale.

*********************

Once upon a time, glistening in the sky, there flew the greatest jewels ever created. One was made with gigantic diamonds, glistening in the sun like the finest snow.

The other was made of demon glass, seemingly absorbing the light and forming hardened lines of light in the sky, pure and mysterious as a shadow’s dream.

These jewels were not humble stones floating to the whims of the winds, but elegant castles from an age nearly forgotten.

It was an age of magic and wonder, dreams and destiny, and adventure attainable by all.

The greatest wonder of all, however, was the gift bestowed upon the rulers of the castle in the sky forged of diamond. A pair of twins, born under the new moon, were gifted to mother and father, king and queen, by the river of fate. For, bound by the rivers flowing across space and time, a third gift to the world was also born.

Bound together by destiny, the twins met their third sibling by fate when they turned twelve years old. This sibling was the most powerful being the world had ever seen. It had armored skin impenetrable to the strongest blades and bullets. It had wings that spanned the sky. And, it had a breath of the purest and hottest fire that could melt the strongest ore.

No two twins are exactly the same as their sibling, however. One brother dreamed of the sky and seeing the world, as the king and queen had done for years before. The other brother dreamed of the world itself. The adventurous brother liked change. He liked mystery and wonder.

The worldly brother liked order. He liked knowledge and tranquility. But, most significantly, he liked control.

One night, the worldly brother stole the magic gem from the glass castle, causing it to fall from the sky, and with it, he was able to control their bonded spirit sibling, the legendary being known as a dragon.

Enraged by his treachery, the adventurous brother vowed to make him return the gem, but his brother escaped, descending on the world as an invincible conqueror.

It is said, however, that in exchange for his life, the adventurous brother was able to protect the world through a strange turn of events, though only he and one other knew for sure what it was. In so doing, the remains of the fallen glass castle vanished from the world, in which the worldly brother learned too late rested the seed to his defeat.

And so, having conquered the world and returned to his castle, the worldly brother searches -gaining the adventure his brother always wanted, but he himself had loathed-, having yet to find the key. And, having lost one of the bonded brothers, the dragon fell into silence, never being seen again.

******************

“That’s… not that good of a story…” remarks Maerin after Murtoa finishes.

The human knight replies, “I’m not a storyteller.”

“No, I mean… It doesn’t have a happy ending.”

Gyrryth answers the fairy’s criticism. “It is a tale popular among northerners, because it’s meant to convey that betraying one’s kin spells doom to search eternally for something that can’t be found.”

Murtoa adds, “And, there’s no greater betrayal than murdering a twin. That folk tale is a twisting of what actually happened, but is mostly accurate. Accurate enough to say that for six thousand years, give or take, there was only one living dragon. No one knows why a dragon is born when twin Queltarines are born, as opposed to maigons, but like the maigon, they are bonded by blood and magic.”

Lykha swallows hard, hugging her arms. Murtoa looks at her, saying, “I am sorry. Dragons are real, and there are two alive today.”

She trembles lightly, but nods, acknowledging his statement. She chokes out, “H-How do you know all of this…? H-How do you know… Southerners like Coco and N-Neek… Nee-...?”

Two-leaf, now known as Nichessue, states, “Just call me Kessa. Or Two-leaf, still… But,... Sir Murtoa? Please answer her questions.”

He nods. “I’ll do my best. I’d heard the story as a child, same as Gyrryth, and I was told the things about the Southern Demons -the Queltarines- by the Queen of Lakia and her fairy confidante.”

Lykha’s eyes go wide as tears barely hold back from falling, “Pelox Desterri…? That’s how you knew…”

The warrior nods. “She was a very old fairy, and she and the Queen asked me to ensure it is cast on the fairy that made the events of the story take place; the one that granted the worldly brother’s wish if and when I meet her. Then, the Queen made another request.”

******************

It was a burn with no fire. That was what came to mind as blood poured from a fresh wound on Murtoa’s cheek while his ruined helmet rested on the ground nearby. He panted heavily, gripping his sword as if his life depended on it.

In all matter of fact, it did.

Sir Talmur of Lakia, a knight nearly 20 years Murtoa’s senior, scoffed as he swung his own sword in a skillful loop, taunting the teenage knight. Many of Murtoa’s seniors felt he had not earned his title, and that the story being spread was ludicrous beyond hyperbolic fiction. A mere boy who single-handedly defeated an army AND a colossus on the same day?

Murtoa coughed, wincing from his cracked ribs where Sir Ledok kicked him a few minutes prior.

The youngest knight trembled, tears of anger and frustration pouring down his cheeks.

Talmur lunged at Murtoa, and in spite of the junior’s best efforts, his sword parry was met with a brutal strike, casting the iron blade to the stone and forcing Murtoa to dive out of the way of a following swing.

The senior knights laughed. Talmur taunted, “You’re nimble, boy. But, nimble doesn’t protect our kingdom.”

Murtoa coughed, mindful of the senior knights around him still looking for an opening. He didn’t say anything. There was nothing to be said. No words would change the outcome.

T-Toa…

His fists clenched as the tears streamed more prolifically.

A burn with no fire was nothing. A mere trickle of blood was nothing. An empty taunt was nothing.

He didn’t know their lived experiences. He didn’t know what they did to earn their knighthoods. He didn’t even try to compare himself to them.

But, he did decide on one thing.

I AM going to kill the rest of the monsters if I have to.

In a burst of adrenaline, the youngest knight darted under Talmur’s arm as he swung once more, and he whirled in a crescent kick that connected with Talmur’s jaw. The senior knight stumbled with a cough, and Uyther growled. “You cheeky little,...” As he stepped forward to attack, Murtoa kept his momentum. If there was anything he knew about survival, he had until his adrenaline rush ended to win or escape. To do either, he had to fight. Brutally, and without mercy.

The young knight kicked a stick up into his hands from the ground, and he spun, avoiding Uyther’s sword. He speared the stick in through Uyther’s helmet, recoiling the senior knight as his eyes were nearly skewered.

Murtoa couldn’t stop, though. He had to keep moving, or he would die. He had to keep fighting, or he would die. His nerve endings began to burn, tingling endlessly as the adrenaline overcharged every fiber of his being.

He swung his weight around and pulled Uyther to the ground by his head, slamming the senior knight’s jaw into his shoulder. Uyther tumbled, and Murtoa scrambled for Uyther’s sword, scooping it up in a sloppy whirl. Though his movements seemed clumsy, his aim is still solid, and he claimed Talmur’s arm as the first senior knight tried to stab Murtoa. Talmur cried out in agony, clutching his wrist as rage filled the remaining knights.

Murtoa twirled the sword, keeping his momentum up. Metallic shrieks and rings filled his ears, but his mind was drowning in a twisted fog of foaming blood. It paled in comparison to the blood drenching his body as his sword never stopped moving.

A presence moved into the fray that should never have been, but it was the one presence capable of halting Murtoa in his tracks.

The Queen of Lakia, Queen Sobrierre, stood before him, unafraid of his blinded survival fury.

Murtoa’s sword clattered across the stone ground as he let it fall, and he dropped to a kneel, halted at the Queen’s feet as the other knights, with the exceptions of those addled by wounds and pain, also dropped to their knees before her.

“Y-Your Majesty! Murtoa-...!”

“Silence.” Her gaze was cold and stern. She need not raise her soft and seemingly-delicate voice, as the tone of command reached all ears present. She added coldly, “I witnessed everything.”

The knights all froze, and Murtoa coughed, spitting up blood. He murmured, “Forgive me… m-my Queen…”

“Sir Murtoa. Walk with me. The rest of you are dismissed. Tend to your comrades.” Though her voice is gentle in volume, her tone was indisputably commanding.The senior knights bowed their heads, “Yes! Your Majesty!”

Murtoa followed the Queen until they were long out of earshot of the others. She finally asked, “How are your injuries, Sir Knight?”

Murtoa replied softly, “I am fit for duty, your Majesty.”

She sighed in a rather less-dignified way. “That is not what I meant. But, I suppose you asked for none of this.”

His steps hitched, but he masked his surprise as quickly as possible. It didn’t go unnoticed, however. She smirked without ever looking at him. “Yes.” Her voice immediately shifted to a whisper. “I believe we are alike in that manner.”

He glanced at her, and her eyes shifted to meet his for a brief moment.

The room he led her to was the nursery, where the recently born princesses were sleeping in their cribs under the care of several nursemaids and the aged fairy known as Vyliewe. No sooner had they entered did the Queen send the nursemaids out, leaving the Queen, Murtoa, and Vyliewe alone with the princesses.

Queen Sobrierre stated calmly and plainly, but at just above a whisper as to not wake the twins. “A long time ago, a prince murdered his brother and used their bonded power over a dragon to conquer the world. It was an age when all that you see was part of the whole world; technology, magic, and prosperity. When a Queltarine like myself is born, a weregon is born bonded to the Queltarine. Few know how or why this is.”

Vyliewe answered, “It was likely a fairy’s wish that allowed it to be so, or the spirits themselves.”

Murtoa looked at the fairy, asking, “S-Spirits?”

Sobrierre cuts off that train of thought, “Forgive me, but time will be limited. You need to know that when twins are born, a much more powerful creature is born with them; a dragon. For six thousand years, there has been only one known dragon in existence, bonded to none other than the King of Lakia, my husband. That is, until a new pair of twins was born just a single moon ago.”

Murtoa instinctively looked at the princesses, sleeping peacefully in their crib. The shock was clearly apparent, and the Queen nodded in response. “Somewhere in the world, a new dragon has been born, and my husband will stop at nothing to ensure it falls under his command. The dragon will only present itself when summoned by both of its bonded siblings, so far as the legends tell.”

Vyliewe nodded, adding context. “Most myths and legends of the dragons have only survived within the fairy villages, and my elders felt signs in the universe, sending me to meet with the Queen.”

The Queen slowly took a kneel before Murtoa, stunning him. She pleaded softly, “Sir Murtoa. I have an impossible task to ask of you. One you will likely regret for the rest of your life, and yet, you are the only one I know I can trust. For, you are the only one I believe can kill a dragon.”

Murtoa’s face drained of all color, and Vyliewe quickly added, “Not now, child. You will need to learn how, as no one we know of and alive knows how.”

Sobrierre took his hands, preventing his escape. He knows, to his core, this very conversation -merely hearing it- is treachery. No words he could speak would save his life. In one hand, he would be accusing the Queen, and in the other, he would be an accomplice.

Regardless, this would be no mere treachery. The Queen was truly fearful of some future she had not yet revealed.

The Queen whispered as tears filled her eyes. “What I must ask you, aside from one-day slaying… a creature no living man or woman has slain, is something no mother ever dares consider asking.” She sniffled, whimpering, “You must take my daughters, the Princesses, away from here.”

Murtoa’s own grip on the Queen’s hand flexed a little as he processed the gravity of what she said in utter shock. The Queen choked up, trying to force out with as much composure as she could, “They must not become his tools… weapons to renew his fires of wickedness.”

Vyliewe added softly, “You will be condemned and hunted. You will be executed if caught. Your only saving grace is that you are Murtoa of Lakia, slayer of the Holgamoor and defeater of the southern armies.”

Murtoa stammered, but he could form no words. Neither of objection nor acceptance, nor could he form questions with which to clarify.

The Queen finally looked up into his eyes, adding tearfully, “Grant me this wish, Sir Murtoa. Grant your Queen this wish, and you may just be able to save the world.”

“I-...” He swallowed hard, asking softly, “What can a mere soldier like me do? I’m… I’m not a real knight. N-Nor a brave soldier, y-your majesty.”

She shook her head. “None of that matters. You are here. You are the one that defeated the Holgamoor, and you survived the battle of the valley.”

He pulled his hands free, stepping back as he dropped to a kneel. “Your majesty. I cannot take care of children. I am still a child myself. And… I swore on the deaths of my comrades…”

“Revenge on the monsters…” states Vyliewe coldly. He looks at her with renewed surprise. “I know what you saw that day. And, I know what you heard. It wasn’t a dream. It was real. And, I know you want to take that helpless fury out on the rest of the colossi plaguing our world. That is exactly what needs to happen. But first,...”

“You must take my daughters and hide them separately in the world. Leave them with families that can take care of them. Hide them from their father and the dark path he would force them upon.” The Queen lowered even lower than Murtoa, bowing her head on the floor. “Please, Sir Murtoa. I have no one else I believe in.”

*****************

Murtoa states as he looks at the palm of his hand. “That was probably the last time I felt crippling fear. I already knew the Queen was a good person. She made a request that suited all of our needs; one that I had no desire to refuse.”

He puts his head back, adding in a chillier tone. “And then, the fairy explained how it would work. Three wishes. Because of the prophecy the fairies seemed to have detected, her elders gave their wishes to her through a forbidden ritual that would allow her to bring them to the ‘chosen one’. Unfortunately, it was me.”

Lykha asks softly, gingerly petting his thumb, “What wishes?”

“‘I wish my face was forgotten by all who have ever seen it’, ‘I wish all scent of myself and the princesses was erased from existence.’, and ‘I wish the princesses could not be identified by any means, leaving only myself as the sole person with knowledge of their identity.’”

There’s a pause as the others process, and Coco remarks dryly, “If ‘twas me tricksin’ wishes, why no’ wish yeself unkillable, or ye’ preemcesses unfindable?”

Maerin asks as well, “That, or wish the evil king dead? Three wishes? Empires have been collapsed by one.”

Gyrryth replies, “If I was an evil dragon-wielding tyrant, I would ensure such defenses are in place. At least for preventing my own death.”

Lykha murmurs, “Which is why you learned of the Pelox Desterri; to undo any wishes protecting him when you kill him.” She looks at Murtoa, and he nods. “It requires a wish, which means when fairies go after fairies, it requires at least two fairies to undo the wish or wishes of another, such as Yanari. In Yanari’s case, we were able to force her to inflict it on herself. To remove the king’s protections, though, we would need to gather the fairies he’s made wishes from, or cast a specific wish on him. Excluding that, there are ways to deal with him, which is the route I am working on.”

Lykha asks softly, “Why didn’t you tell us any of this? Of your real mission?”

“You just want to go home. I genuinely believed Coco would get bored and move on long before I get that far. Gyrryth, I don’t expect would accompany me much past your village, if even that far, and Maerin, I would find a place to set her up safely before I began the final stretch. There was no need to burden any of you with this knowledge.”

Maerin, not burying the lead, counts off the pieces of info he’s revealed so far; “So, Kessa, here, is the princess of the Kingdom from which you yourself hail as a knight, the Queen had you ‘kidnap’ her daughters -falsely-, to hide them from an evil dragon lord and kinslayer, and you knew a LOT more about a… LOT of things more than you reveal. And, I swear to all of the spirits, I will slap you if you say ‘you never asked.’”

Murtoa is silent for a moment, and Gyrryth and Coco both scoff. The human warrior does reply, “Knowing the Queltarines’ race is a sign of two things; I’m either a southerner myself or a Queltarine. Also, knowing how to kill maigons and weregons makes me a threat to the Holy Order. I have reason to suspect they are the arm of the King.”

Gyrryth nods, not particularly surprised.

The knight continues, “Murtoa of Lakia can kill any creature in the world; that is the growing legend around my name. But, the more legendary my name, the harder it is to pin down where I am. Especially with so many imposters and no one that knows my face. Except one.”

“The king…” murmurs Lykha as she pieces together what she’s learning about her closest companion. “The king is the demon you spoke of?”

Murtoa nods. “He commands the diamond castle in the sky.”

Kessa presses in close, leaning on his thigh and shaking Maerin and Lykha a little. Both fairies complain, but she excitedly drowns them out with, “I KNEW IT! I KNEW THEY WERE REAL! I told everyone! But no one ever listens!”

Murtoa nods. “Though, no one has seen the glass castle in the sky for thousands of years.”

Gyrryth asks, “If your plan is to defeat the king and his dragon, do you intend to find this glass castle?”

Murtoa nods. “We’ll have to. It’s the only way to force our way into the diamond castle. Over these thousands of years, the king has made hundreds of wishes fortifying the castle and prolonging his life. To my knowledge, fairies have trouble visualizing immortality itself, so most wishmakers have to use numbers of years. And, most fairies don’t know extended number systems past a hundred or so. Making a new wish would reset the years, so it can’t be stacked.”

Maerin jokes, “You’re welcome, silly giant peoples, for us being too dumb to cast truly destructive and evil spells.”

Murtoa scoffs. “Thank you. I’ll settle for basic healing magic.”

Lykha flinches, and she shrinks a little.

Suddenly, Kessa perks up. “OOO! I know healing magic! Watch this!” This revelation, coupled by the proof of the young teen casting magic on Murtoa, causes both Lykha and Coco to simultaneously jump with a start and glare at her. Sure enough, Murtoa’s wounds heal, and he visibly relaxes.

Lykha jumps to her feet, shouting, “I WOULD HAVE DONE IT IF I DIDN’T HAVE TO HEAL SIR OSMUND AND SIR BALLEO!”

Coco also shouts, “AYE! AN’ I DON’ NEED NO TRICKS! CAN SHE FIX A TURNA AND SLAY MONSTIES!?”

Kessa smiles innocently, replying sheepishly, “Sh-Should I not help?”

Murtoa states mercilessly, “Ignore them. Thank you.”

Coco and Lykha both gasp as Maerin laughs and Gyrryth chuckles.

The knight continues answering the question about his plan, “Whatever routes we all traverse, mine will end with at least one of two specific deaths. And, I WILL be facing his dragon in battle.” He looks directly at Lykha, and she averts her gaze as she hugs herself. He adds more gently, “But, you’ll be home by then, so it won’t matter.”

“HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT!?” shouts the young fairy. “How can you think I can abandon you after you told me all of this!?”

“You’re not bound to this quest. No one is. I’m telling you the truth because you are all my friends and you asked. And, so you know why Kessa is the most dangerous person to be around now that she knows who she is.”

She looks down, admitting, “I… A wish was granted for me trying to learn who I was, since… I’ve been an orphan most of my life. But, the wish failed, and I know all of the secrets of the world except who I was.”

Murtoa nods. “I’m sorry. It was necessary for that exact reason. And, so no wish could reveal your location by any clever means. As far as magic was concerned, the princesses no longer exist.”

Maerin smirks and waves dismissively, “This is all fun. Deep conspiracy level stuff way deeper than any adventuring I ever did…” She turns serious, looking at Murtoa. “Next, you’ll tell us that Coco is the other princess.”

This causes a moment of surprise, and Coco rolls with it, putting her hands on her hips. “Aye! I be the other Preemcess. I’m sure. Only a preemcess is fitting for my ‘Usbando.”

Lykha retorts sharply, “You’re a princess if my left pinkie is a deadly weapon.” She flexes the indicated finger mockingly, nearly starting a fight between the two.

However, Murtoa answers, “I honestly don’t know. Neither where we met Coco nor her apparent hometown are where I left Kessa’s sister.”

“What’s her name?” asks Kessa eagerly.

“I can’t say. Speaking it aloud would undo the effects of that wish, and she would know who she is, potentially without anyone to protect her.”

Coco leans over him, adding, “Ye can tell me it’s me, Love. I won’t mind.” She poses as cutely as she knows how, smiling eagerly.

He scoffs. “I sincerely don’t know. But, seeing how things have come together so far, it may be safe to assume you are. Please understand, attempting to confirm it endangers her if it isn’t you.”

Coco instantly turns to Lykha, saying proudly, “Hear that, Bae? ‘Useless girl’ Coco is a Princess. I’ll ‘cept your sorries this time. Come on, ya flicker wing tricksie. Let us hear it.”

Lykha points at her sternly, saying, “Calling EITHER of you ‘Princess’ is out of the question with people hunting for you, you goob.”

Coco gasps, and Maerin laughs again. Murtoa nods, and Kessa nods in agreement. Coco crosses her arms sassily, pouting “Well, I’m still the bes’ techromanca in the world.”

Gyrryth lays his hands across each other, leaning forward as he ponders. He asks softly, “So, Sir Murtoa… What is the next step of this campaign?”

The unorthodox knight scoffs. “Wonder why both Coco and Kessa haven’t expressed anger for the situation.”

Both teens perk up, and Kessa states, “Because I know you’re telling the truth! Our mother saved our lives, and our father would use us to summon and enslave our dragon sibling. I wonder what he or she is like…”

Maerin asks dryly, “You don’t already know?”

Kessa glares at her, countering, “It’s not a secret, apparently. I only magically know secrets. I don’t know everything.”

Coco replies, “Did’ne know me fancy ma’ and da’. Knew me REAL ma’ an’ da’...” She trails off, and Murtoa gently puts a hand on her shoulder. She manages to smile, nodding gratefully as she wipes the building tears clear of her eyes.

Murtoa then looks at Gyrryth, answering more sincerely, “First, I intend to return Lykha home.” He points ahead of the trunk winder. “Information from a pair of young fairies puts the village just a little further this way.”

Lykha holds her hands together at her chest, conflicted. She truly wants to return home, and when she originally said that, she was so genuinely terrified of the world, she wanted nothing more than to curl up in her bed and never go outside the village again.

Now, she’s helped defeat more than a handful of colossal beasts few others dare even approach. She’s encountered a creature comparable to a dragon -the thing she fears most in the world- and lived to tell the tale. She -by her own power- defeated a vastly superior fairy sage prepared and willing to steal her wish from her.

Her journey took a scared young girl and turned her into something far different.

And, the crossroads she’s standing at now -or will be very soon- involves trying to reclaim two things of which can never be returned to anyone;

Ignorance and Innocence.

***************