The World of Nymoria - Time's Arrow

Mornden, Eleventh of Maya, 3E379Y

It’s been a while since I’ve written anything, but things around Nymerion have been so quiet this past week that I don’t know what to write. Tonight, I resume my job guarding the city. It is kind of nice regaining some semblance of normalcy again, but I still feel mentally distracted over the events of last month. I’m sure Fenrir will ask me dozens of questions about my absence since I haven’t seen him since the day we were found. It sure has been a long time, but I will probably just say something along the lines of ‘recuperating from an illness’. At least that will sate their curiosity for now. Technically, it is partly true, if you consider ‘overstressed’ an illness. Oh yeah, something I found puzzling when I returned was that I am exempt from the hunt this month. Ryn told me this personally, but didn’t give a reason except that ‘my mind needs to be focused on other things right now’. Don’t know what to say to that, but he promptly left the barracks without hearing my questions. Maya’s hunt was yesterday, and from what I heard, it was about as typical as you’d expect. Ithinyelle and Neverak won that dumb competition like they always do, so it seems like I didn’t miss much anyway. I wonder if Idylya was forced to go solo on this one, if she had to team up with someone else, or if she is in the same boat as me. I’d like to ask her, but ever since our encounter at the Arcanum a few days ago, she hasn’t been back. After learning about the text on the monolith, it makes me more fearful than ever about what I saw. Did I really see my own death? If one were to see their future and the path laid before them, couldn’t they betray their own destiny? And yet, what did those forest dwellers see all those years ago that would force them to write that warning? I take it, the paths they saw ended much sooner than my own.

Time. That is another thing that’s been on my mind since our meeting. The green qilin from the forest, what is her symbol meant to signify and how does it relate to time? Does it grant her a special power? Given my previous studies on magic when I was younger, I’ve never come across anything that can manipulate the fabric of time. The past is solidified, and the future is undetermined. No amount of magic can change these physical laws. I should read more on the subject, but the Arcanum has little text on the concept of time and its nature. I feel I will not receive any kind of satisfactory answer from it.

Suppose I should conclude this entry here as my shift begins in half an hour. It will be a late night, I can tell, but at least Xellis and Fenrir will help make the hours go by fast.

Zuriak puts away his journal, and grabs his dagger plus a red armband. All guards are required to wear an armband of a specified color with the symbol of their guild to help identify each other. He ties the band around his left arm and swiftly exits his room through the open window of his tree home. Outside, the sun is setting on a warm spring evening. Many dragons are still out, talking amongst each other and enjoying the calm night air. At night, the central plateau lights up with candles, torches and lanterns around every corner, creating a serene and warm atmosphere. Zuriak flies south and makes his way to the southern barracks, a tall stone structure five floors high situated on a tiny pillar. The pillar sharply descends down into the water below with two small waterfalls on each side of the structure. He flies into the open window on the fourth floor and without warning, immediately slams into a few of his fellow guards, knocking them all over like bowling pins.

“Gods, Zuriak, can you watch where you’re flying!?” One of them angrily blurts out on the floor. The other two simply give him annoyed looks as they release themselves from beneath him and return to their feet.

“Ah, sorry, Ithinyelle. I didn’t see you three by the window.” He laughs nervously trying to ease the situation. Two of them roll their eyes while Ithinyelle makes a gesture, pointing two claws at her eyes, then at Zuriak’s. All three of them then fly down the large square opening in the center of the room to the first floor.

“Gotta stop being clumsy.” He whispers under his breath.

“Was wondering if you were going to show or not.” Xellis floats down from the floor above with Fenrir in tow, peering at the other three just exiting.

“Looks like you already got reacquainted with Ithinyelle, Neverak, and Ying.”

“I honestly did not see them when I flew in, and I was in a hurry!”

“Yeah, sure, Z, I hear ya.” Xellis says with a bit of sarcasm giving him a wink. “Well anyway, it’s almost dusk. We should get going.”

“Hold up, Xellis. Now that Zuriak is here, I need to let both of you in on a message I received from the courier yesterday.” Zuriak and Xellis look confusedly at each other then at Fenrir. “We are to report to the Tower of Nymeria on the thirty-first of this month regarding an upcoming mission.”

“The Tower? Did they mention any specifics about the mission?” Zuriak asks.

“No details were given, other than to be there at sunrise, sharp.”

“Well, I think this is good news for us. The Council is finally recognizing us for our merits! I guarantee you we’ll move up to rank twelve or eleven by the end of this.” Xellis excitedly chimes in.

“Could happen. Though I am still perplexed as to why they chose us over higher ranking Novo trios...I don’t imagine it will be anything too crazy because of that.” Fenrir finishes.

The two nod and watch as Fenrir flies down through the center to the first floor. Xellis holds Zuriak back briefly.

“Do you think this is related to that thing Neverak told us about weeks ago?” He asks, nervously.

“I do. Not sure what they have planned for us though. Like Fenrir said, I doubt it will be anything out of our league.” Zuriak says, trying to dispel Xellis’s nerves.

“Right, you're right, that makes sense.” Xellis comments with slight relief. The two quickly fly down the center opening and rejoin Fenrir by a large cork board. On the board, a top-view map of Nymerion and the surrounding forests are diagrammed with great detail. Scattered over the board are pieces of parchment pinned with the names and hours for each trio working. Zuriak sees their three names written on the western outlying forest with hours from 19:00 to 03:00.

“Ugh, I hate the western forest, especially at night.” Xellis complains.

“Lighten up, Xellis, at least it’s not the Arboretum. I’d be bored to tears if I had to do that a second night in a row.” Fenrir cheerfully responds.

“I’m just worried for Zuriak.” Xellis leans closer to Fenrir and whispers. “He is a bit rusty and slow after all.”

“What was that?” Zuriak asks.

“Nothing!” Xellis innocently replies.

Zuriak rolls his eyes and looks over to the trio he previously bumped into across the room. Neverak and Ithinyelle appear to be holding back laughter and looking at them, while the Ying is currently rolling up a Nymerion map. He turns back to Xellis who is going through the supply shelves, gathering preserved food and other basic supplies.

“What do you think they are laughing at over there?” Zuriak asks.

“Who knows, probably some stupid joke. You know how dry their humor is, especially Ithinyelle’s. They sure did luck out on their location though.” He says incredulously as he looks closer at the map. “Since when has the Council deemed it necessary to have a rank one trio guard the residential district? That’s usually a rank fifty job for novices.” He sighs, resigned. “And of course we get the western forest even on your first day back. What were they thinking?” Zuriak looks back at them, noting their laughing has ceased. He remains skeptical as he watches them prepare for their own shifts.

“Well, come on, Z, let’s get this over with.” Xellis finishes packing the necessities and motions him and Fenrir towards the center of the room. “Hey Fenrir, did you get some torches?”

“Yeah, they should last the night unless of course it rains.” He answers and holds up three of them.

“Awesome.”

Both Zuriak and Fenrir follow Xellis as they all fly back up through the central opening and out the roof. Back outside, they continue flying northwest when a deep, resonating bell echoes throughout the city signaling the first hour of dusk. Xellis, Fenrir and Zuriak fly further west and over the forest about a kilometer in. The trio descends into a grassy clearing and finds their bearings in total darkness. Fenrir hands the three torches to Xellis who promptly takes them and sets them on grass in front of them. His whole body then glows orange as he sticks one of his claws into the dirt transmuting it into a small lava puddle. The whole area lights up despite the small radius of the puddle. He then holds all three torches over the pool and waits for them to catch fire.

“I hope you’re more alert tonight than you have been these past weeks. Every time I’ve worked in the western forest at night, I’ve had encounters.” Xellis mentions.

“What kind of encounters?” Zuriak asks.

“I don’t know, it’s hard to explain, but every once in a while, I’ll see a horse-like figure in the darkness that just stands there and does nothing. As soon as I get close, they run off into the woods, and I can never find them after that. Almost feels like I’m chasing after a ghost.” The three torches combust, and he hands one of them to Zuriak, and the other to Fenrir. Zuriak takes it and stares into the flame.

“How often do you see this ghost?”

“At least once per shift in this part of the forest. Whatever it is, it started appearing about a month ago. Come to think of it, I started seeing it a few days after you returned. Fenrir’s seen it too as well.” He continues.

“I don’t know what I saw, but I definitely heard something last time we patrolled these forests. It was far to the west, over the hills.” Fenrir adds as he points in the westerly direction.

“So, now you know why I don’t like the western forest at night. It’s creepy as shit.” Xellis finishes as he makes a hand sign and places one claw over the lava pool. The lava quickly hardens and darkness shrouds them both, leaving only their dimly lit torches to illuminate the area. “My advice is to just avoid that area altogether, and stick to the woods. It’s not worth chasing after the paranormal.”

Zuriak nods.

“As usual, if you guys run into some trouble, use your magic as a beacon and wait until help arrives. Anyway, let’s meet back here in a couple of hours for food. I’ll make a fire here to help direct you two back. Good luck!” Xellis flies off northward while Fenrir grabs Zuriak’s arm.

“I don’t know if Xellis saw what I did, but I’m pretty sure we saw the same thing, or the same creature rather, when I was in the hills during our last shift here. When I spotted them, they simply vanished into thin air as if they turned to dust.”

“Are you certain?”

“I’m sure of it. If you end up that far, do not douse your torch, alright?”

“And why is that?”

“I have a theory, well more of a hunch, that they are afraid of light and travel in darkness, based on what I’ve seen.”

“I...think I understand.” Zuriak reluctantly agrees. Fenrir nods and flies up into the air, heading south.

Zuriak stares into the flame from his torch for a moment before taking off, heading further west. In the air, he maintains a low altitude, flying just above the treeline and slow enough to avoid extinguishing the flame of his torch.

Looking down upon the dark forest, he doesn’t see any creatures or shadows. The moon starts cresting over the eastern horizon, shedding a minute amount of light over the treetops. Zuriak takes a moment to land in a more open part of the forest to inspect and listen for any movement.

“Strange, I don’t hear anything, not even the trees or leaves blowing in the wind.”

He holds his torch up to the trees to get a better look at them. A rustling in the bushes far away catches his attention. He holds the torch up to the trees, but sees nothing. More rustling appears behind him, closer than before. He quickly spins around investigating the source, but still finds nothing. Minutes of absolute silence permeate the forest as Zuriak prepares to fly away.

Suddenly, a couple bullets of energy slip past his head from behind. Zuriak immediately spins around towards the general direction they came from and gets in a battle stance while steadily holding the torch.

More bullets come his way from the left without warning. He quickly holds up his left claw and produces a small ice shield just large enough to block the attack. The force causes him to recoil a bit. Then, out of nowhere, more energy bullets are fired at him from the opposite side. Barely reacting in time, he drops the torch in the wet grass and produces the same shield from his right claw and narrowly avoids taking damage.

That...noise...I’ve heard that same high-pitched noise before. It reminds me of...

Thinking fast and evading more attacks, Zuriak ascends up into the air and flies further west. He looks down and behind him at the forest below scanning for any movement in the trees. Some branches creaking catches his eye as he flies a bit faster. As soon as he reaches the hills, he descends back onto the ground and gets back into a battle stance again. He takes out his dagger and charges it with lightning waiting for the creature to emerge.

Where are you…

His eyes keep looking left and right at the forest’s edge, but doesn’t see anything. A slight rush of wind causes him to look up briefly only to see a magical red sword coming down. He holds up his electrified dagger just in time, guarding himself from the attack. The one wielding the sword reveals themselves to be a dark-colored kirin. The kirin lands roughly on the ground in front of him and holds the sword in front of them with their magic.

“Who are you!? How did you get this far into Ithral!?” He demands, though the kirin doesn’t respond and instead lunges at him with the sword. Zuriak guards against the attack as the two proceed to spar, sword versus dagger. The kirin gains ground on him, pushing him back up the hill. Zuriak uses his free claw to ice the ground causing the kirin to lose their balance and slide down the hill. He then fires more ice shots at the kirin, but they dissipate the ice with their fire. Taking advantage of the opening, Zuriak thrusts forward with his dagger at the kirin, however it goes right through them.

“H-how is this possible!?” He questions, staring into the kirin’s expressionless, green eyes. The kirin doesn’t speak and instead raises their weapon about to slice Zuriak. He side-steps, narrowly evading the swing, but sustains a slight cut along his right arm. He holds it to cover up the bleeding and stares down at the unmoving kirin.

Shit, since when can qilins make themselves intangible? I’ve never faced anything like this.

The kirin moves towards him progressively gaining speed, and holding their sword out. Zuriak tries to think up a plan, but fails to do so in time, barely avoiding each of the kirin’s swings. As Zuriak blocks each attack, the kirin gains more ground on him, just like before. Eventually, the force of one attack causes him to collapse. The kirin uses this opportunity to do a vertical slice, but Zuriak blocks it just in time on his back with the dagger. The two struggle against each other’s forces, not breaking form. Zuriak then charges some electricity in his free claw and moves to grab the kirin’s sword while still holding his dagger in place. He grasps it, slicing part of his palm, and sends a surge of electricity through the sword causing sparks to arc off of it and into the grass. The kirin breaks their contact, and gets pushed back several steps after taking a large jolt. Some of the dry grass ignites from the electricity, producing several small fires around Zuriak. The kirin doesn’t move, only staring at Zuriak from afar.

They’re not attacking…? Wait, earlier in the forest when I had my torch, they kept to the shadows...and now they’re standing down when near fire. Looks like Fenrir was right.

Zuriak charges more electricity in his palm and fires a bolt into the dry grass next to the kirin, setting it ablaze. The kirin quickly moves away from it as he fires another bolt on the opposite side. Zuriak smiles and floats several meters up and uses both his claws to fire bolts of lightning into a circular pattern around the kirin. A ring of fire quickly erupts around the kirin giving them no chance to escape. The kirin moves to the center, closes their eyes and stabs their glowing sword into the ground in front of them. Zuriak lowers himself a bit, getting closer to them.

“Speak now! What is your purpose here?” The kirin then opens their eyes, but stares into their sword.

“You shouldn’t have lived…” He says in a low, hushed tone.

“Lived? So it was you who tried to kill me weeks ago!”

The kirin doesn’t say anything more, and lifts their sword back up out of the ground. He then walks to the edge of the fire ring and hovers the blade over the flames. The flames travel up through the sword and onto him, setting him ablaze. Zuriak watches in shock as the kirin disintegrates instantly. Zuriak lands in the center of the circle looking around him.

“Hey, Z! What happened here!?” Xellis calls from above. “I saw the smoke all the way from my area, and was worried you got into some trouble.” Xellis stays airborne just above Zuriak in the ring.

“It was...it was nothing.”

“Seriously? This sure as fuck doesn’t look like ‘nothing’.” Zuriak doesn’t respond and a few seconds of silence pass.

“You saw them, didn’t you? The apparition?”

“I think so.”

“And they actually fought you, who were they?”

“They didn’t speak, but it was a qilin.” Zuriak says, half-lying.

“I knew it! It had to be either them or a pony.”

A sudden gust of wind blows throughout the field extinguishing the fire that was beginning to spread out of control. A light grey dragon descends down upon both of them.

“Is there a reason you two knuckleheads decided to start an uncontrolled fire and let it spread?” Fenrir asks, irritated.

“I didn’t, but Zuriak did. He fought you-know-what.” Xellis says, adding emphasis on the last bit.

“You did? And you defeated them?” Fenrir questions, turning to Zuriak.

“It was a qilin and they got away...I’m sorry.”

“How did a qilin make it this far past border patrol? Unbelievable! We’ll need to make a note after our shift ends so the others are aware. I’m determined to notify the Council too, since this is a repeating occurrence. For now, let’s stay close to the city for the remaining time.” Fenrir says.

“Sounds good.” Xellis confirms. Zuriak looks back at the scorched grass where the kirin disappeared.

“Yeah, let’s go.”

~

“Any minute now.” Xellis says as he slouches a bit more against the wall, tossing a rubber ball across the room. It ricochets off the opposite wall, hitting the floor a couple times, then bounces back to him. He catches it and throws it at the wall again.

“You should show some respect, Xellis. It’s not everyday we get summoned to the Tower of Nymeria.” Fenrir scolds him, pacing around the room and shaking his head in disapproval. He looks out the window down six floors to the busy cobblestone path below circling around the tower.

“Hey, they told us to be here at seven, and we did. Now it’s almost nine, and we’re still waiting around. If anything, that’s disrespectful to us.” He retorts, still tossing the ball unwaveringly.

Fenrir sighs in frustration and catches the ball right before it returns to Xellis. He then throws it out the open window and lays against the wall opposite to where Zuriak and Xellis are laying. Zuriak is struggling to keep his eyes open.

“You owe me a new ball.” Xellis says in a bored tone. Before he could continue, the double doors leading out to the balcony open up, bringing in more sunlight and a gust of wind through. Idylya wanders in, confusedly looking around until she sees Xellis and Zuriak to her left, slumped against the wall and Fenrir to the right. Xellis gives Zuriak a light punch.

“Look alive, Z, your dragonfriend is here.” He whispers in his ear.

“Huh, who?” He groggily says a bit too loudly.

“Oh, hi. Wasn’t expecting to see you three here.” She comments brightly as she walks over to them.

“Likewise. We’re here on ‘secret’ intelligence guild business.” Xellis says trying to sound cool.

“Yeah, I bet.” She rolls her eyes, walks across the room and coils up against the wall opposite of the balcony. She then takes out a book from her bag and begins flipping through some pages.

“Zuriak, say something.” Xellis whispers in his ear.

“Say what-” Zuriak responds before getting cut off by three loud thumps on the balcony. The same set of doors opens up letting in another gust of wind.

“-and you know, she had the nerve to comment about how dull my scales are. I’m an earth elemental, of course my scales are frequently dirty.” The trio of Neverak, Ying, and Ithinyelle enter the room fervently. Ithinyelle pauses her story she was telling the other two and makes eye contact with Idylya.

“Oh, it’s you.” She comments venomously. “Never thought I’d see you here of all places given your...skill level.” She continues. Idylya gives her a glare.

“Hello to you too, Ithinyelle. You’re looking as dull as usual, I see.” Idylya retorts, returning to her book.

Ithinyelle moves forward with anger, but Neverak holds his arm out in front of her and shakes his head.

“Remember why we’re here.” Neverak reminds her. She nods and the three continue towards the center of the room. Before they sit down, another set of doors opens up at the opposite end of the balcony, leading further into the Tower. Two older looking dragons emerge, one with a bright face, the other more stern. Zuriak and Xellis quickly regroup with Fenrir and converge to the center of the room with the other trio. Idylya puts away her book and stands up next to Zuriak.

“Ah, good to see you’ve all made it on time.” Ryn excitedly says.

“On time? We’ve been here for two-” Xellis starts before Fenrir clamps his mouth shut looking nervously at the two wise ones before them.

“Heheh, what he means is, we’re honored to be here, no matter the time.”

“Right, well these three had an unexpected errand to run, so we had to delay the meeting a bit.” He motions to the trio that just arrived.

“Now, let’s get started.” Both him and the other dragon lead the seven of them into the meeting chamber. A series of semi-opaque windows line three of the walls with sunlight pouring in through the eastern side. In the center of the room lies a sole round, wooden table with about ten cushions lining the circumference. Above the table is an ornate chandelier made entirely out of deer antlers with candlelights on each side. On the table rests a large open map of the continent. Ryn and the other dragon take a seat at the north end, while the others circle around, staying within their groups. Idylya takes a seat separating the two trios.

“Thank you for accepting this mission. I will be overseeing this meeting, and Raymir here will be observing and recording the details for the archives.” The much older dragon gives a grunt, takes out a scroll and unravels the paper. He then removes the quill from a bottle of ink on the table near both him and Ryn.

“Mission 30A.379: The Siege of Kyrinia. Dated thirty-first of Maya, third era, year three-hundred and seventy-nine.” Raymir begins writing on the parchment, as a couple dragons in the room gasp.

“Thank you, Raymir. Now, upon hearing those words, I bet some of you are confused, let me explain. Nearly a couple months ago, one of our intelligence trios was stationed out in the southeastern region of Kyryo, spying on the qilins near the border. During that time, they claimed to have seen the Empress and her personal elite squad moving east, which of course set off some red flags as the Empress never leaves the Jade Palace. They reported her stopping at some off-shoot qilin camp a ways north of their position and stayed there for a few days. Although, nothing out of the ordinary was seen during her stay, further details reveal that an additional qilin was in their troupe when they left the camp.” Ryn places some kirin figurines on the map at their approximate locations.

“We believe that the camp the Empress visited was the same camp you two escaped from during the hunt that month.” He then points to Zuriak and Idylya both of whom briefly look at each other nervously.

“Our current theory is that the camp held a very powerful qilin known as a matriarchal qilin.” Ryn pulls out a large scroll from underneath the table, and unrolls it across the table so all could see. Depictions of kirin anatomy are illustrated across the scroll with diagrams indicating the unique traits that differentiate them from normal kirins. Further down the scroll, strange symbols are shown next to their ‘common tongue’ translation, and a short biographical entry is given on one. Zuriak’s eyes widen, recognizing the symbols and markings here from his encounter with Terra Nova. He looks up at Idylya who is giving him an uneasy look.

“All throughout history, the qilins have always had the upper claw in major battles, and it’s all because of the matriarchal qilin. In the year two seventy-two, The Battle of Kirin Grove, our forces were able to successfully invade Kyryo and push as far as Kirin Grove, but were instantly thwarted by a single one of them that seemingly appeared out of nowhere. He had the ability to call upon the forces of nature. We were devastated by severe lightning storms, tornadoes and torrential downpours. And all it took was one qilin.” Ryn places a claw on the qilin depicted in the scroll.

“What we learned is that every few generations or so, a qilin is born with a unique gift bestowed by their goddess, at least according to their legend. The magic they possess drastically differs from that of a normal qilin and they are able to perform unimaginable feats of magic. But now, we have a chance. We have information that none of our ancestors had, and now we can actually make a difference.”

“And how do you expect the seven of us to fight something that can summon tornadoes when half of us can’t even fight that well!?” Ithinyelle shouts.

“Hey!” Xellis comments.

“That’s why I brought you all here. All seven of you will play a crucial role in this mission.” Ryn places more battle figurines on the map.

“Unfortunately, we do not know what this qilin looks like or what they can do, and the only calling card for identifying them is the markings on their horn. You two, did you happen to see any peculiar looking qilin when you were imprisoned? I know it’s been a while, but it will save us a lot of time.” Zuriak and Idylya tense up.

“We were...caged up in the storage area separated from the rest of the camp. The only qilin we saw was the one giving us food.” Zuriak says nervously.

“Mmhm, I see…I suppose that was a longshot.” Ryn responds with a hint of suspicion. He then places three figurines depicting dragons on the map south of Kyrinia, the kirin capital.

“How do you know this qilin the guild reported leaving is a matriarchal qilin...or however it’s called?” Idylya asks abruptly.

“We don’t, but according to their legend a matriarchal qilin serves as a royal secret weapon, and they are usually trained away from the public eye. We can’t think of any other reason the Empress would randomly seek out this qilin especially given the dangers near the border.” Ryn returns to the map and moves a couple of the pieces.

“The plan is simple, we’re all going to arrive at this location at dusk tomorrow evening, and we’re going to split off into two groups. One group will go to Kyrinia’s western wall and stage a battle to draw out most of their military, while the other infiltrates the Jade Palace and finds that qilin. This is an assassination mission, so stealthiness is paramount.”

“So, what you’re saying is, killing this matriarchal qilin will end the war?” Fenrir speaks up.

“It would be the beginning of the end, so to speak. It will allow us to invade Kyryo unfettered, and we can start reclaiming what is rightfully ours, the divine instruments.”

“And this is the only solution?” Fenrir asks.

“Yes, the matriarchal qilin is the key to the qilins’ victories. This is the best chance we got.” Ryn looks around the room at the others, expecting more questions.

“Why tomorrow? That’s awfully short notice to prepare.” Idylya asks.

“We’ve recently learned of a qilin sneaking past border patrol on the western front and getting as far as the western forest. Thankfully, they were dispatched before they could reach Nymerion, but this has forced us to shorten our timetable.”

“Sounds like some incompetent guards, if you ask me.” Ithinyelle whispers under her breath.

“If none of you have any more questions, we’ll conclude this brief meeting, and I’ll see all of you at daybreak tomorrow morning. We’ll iron out the details tomorrow.” Ryn then whispers something into Raymir’s ear as he nods and continues writing.

“Well whatever, no big deal.” Ithinyelle says as she and her two teammates get up. “Let’s get some breakfast.”

“Sure, I’d love some!” Xellis interrupts.

“Oh, I wasn’t talking to you.” She harshly responds. Xellis just gives them a dispirited look, as all three leave abruptly. While Ryn is still talking to Raymir, Fenrir motions both Idylya and Zuriak out into the foyer. Xellis follows behind them.

“Is there something we should know, that you’re not telling us?” Fenrir asks.

“Uh, no, nothing at all. Why are you asking?” Zuriak responds, looking away.

“You seemed dismissive when Ryn was asking if you saw that qilin.”

“To tell you the truth, I don’t like being under the spotlight, that is all.”

“Mhm, well, I’m not convinced. You are jeopardizing the mission by withholding information, which could get us in trouble. Don’t forget that.” Fenrir walks out onto the balcony and flies off leaving the other three behind.

“What was that all about?” Xellis asks, trying to break the tension. “You’re not hiding anything, are you, Z?”

“No! It’s just Fenrir being overly cautious and paranoid as usual. I already told you everything!” Idylya glares at Zuriak upon hearing his slip-up.

“Yeah, that’s true. Well, if you need me, I’ll be in the hot springs, enjoying what time I have left before this death wish of a mission.” Xellis manages a nervous smile before flying off.

“You did WHAT!?” Idylya shouts once Xellis is out of range. “I said not to tell anybody!”

“He’s my best friend and he kept asking me. What was I supposed to do?” Idylya cups her face in her claws in response.

“You could’ve spun the truth like we’ve been doing.” Idylya quietly answers as she eases up a bit.

“I have to tell Fenrir too otherwise I don’t think he’ll trust me.”

“Well do what you must, but you should be careful what you say around friends. Sometimes they wind up stabbing you in the back.”

~

Near the central fountain, three dragons fly down from above, landing on the southern end. The early morning sun is barely peeking through the clouds. Due to the time, the central plaza is nearly vacant save for the three currently there, along with a couple passersby. Zuriak looks at his reflection in the fountain.

“Think we’ll be waiting two hours again, just like yesterday?” Xellis asks them with a hint of humor and sarcasm. Neither Zuriak nor Fenrir respond, ignoring him.

“I think we will.” Xellis answers his own question. In the distance, he sees Idylya groggily walking over to them from the west street. She eventually reaches them, but doesn’t say anything and instead rubs the sleep from her eyes.

“Ah, good morning!” He comments cheerfully. Idylya shoots him a glare, then looks out to the rest of the plaza.

“Looks like someone didn’t get enough sleep…” He murmurs to Zuriak next to him who simply sighs. Minutes of silence pass by as the sun slowly creeps through the eastern edge of Nymerion.

“I haven’t been very honest with either of you.” Zuriak begins, breaking the awkward silence. Both Xellis and Fenrir divert their attention to Zuriak while Idylya tries to scoot away from the conversation.

“We...weren’t captured by the qilins...they helped us. Both of us were severely injured near the border, when we were found by a group of qilin nomads. They saved my life, they saved both of our lives…if it wasn’t for them, I would be dead.” Xellis’s eyes widen, and Idylya facepalms.

“Are you fucking with me right now?” Fenrir asks.

“It’s true.” Idylya interrupts softly and faces the group. “The one responsible for Zuriak’s recovery was the matriarchal qilin. We weren’t their prisoners, we were their guests.” She adds. Fenrir just shakes his head while Xellis eagerly listens.

“You played right into their trap.” Fenrir says with concern.

“How could it have been a trap? We didn’t give them any valuable information, and they didn’t threaten or hurt us. We got out of there scott-free.” Zuriak says, defending his position. Fenrir keeps his face in one claw.

“I never told anyone this, but years before I started our group in the intelligence guild, a mission went wrong in northern Kyryo and I was captured and held as a prisoner for two years. On the surface, they look cute, innocent, and honest, but in reality, they always have an ulterior motive planned. You may not have said anything, but I’m sure they got something out of you if they just let you go willy-nilly.”

“What else were we supposed to do!? It’s not like we had any other choice!” Idylya retaliates.

“You shouldn’t have gone that far west to begin with. That’s exactly what Ryn said before the hunt!”

“Well, sometimes you need to take more risky approaches to succeed!”

“I fail to see how this was a success when you didn’t even catch anything.”

“THAT’S BECAUSE WE WERE INJURED!” Idylya’s voice continues rising. Xellis and Zuriak look around to see the early risers on the streets staring at them.

“Hey, let’s settle down now, what’s happened has happened. Not worth getting worked up over.” Xellis mediates.

“We’re walking right into a trap…” Fenrir mutters under his breath. Idylya calms down and stares off into the distance away from the others.

“Jeez, could you be any louder, I-yell-ia.” A voice from above taunts. Idylya shoots daggers at Ithinyelle, but doesn’t say anything as the second trio arrives.

“Look who finally showed up on time for once.” Xellis sarcastically comments.

Ying chuckles to herself at that comment, while Neverak and Ithinyelle ignore it, and move past him to the fountain next to Fenrir.

A strong gust of wind unexpectedly bursts through the fountain as a red blur slips past the group. Above them, Ryn floats on top of the fountain, appearing more energetic than ever.

“Glad to see you’re here on time because we have a long journey ahead of us.” He says, keeping his cheery demeanor.

“How can anyone be this enthusiastic at this hour?” Xellis whispers to Fenrir. The others all nod as they fly up to his level.

“We’re going to be taking a longer route to avoid qilin villages through the Peaks of Peril. We’ll also need to stay above the clouds, but I estimate we’ll arrive around dusk. From there, I’ll explain more about our strategy. Are you all clear?”

“Yes!” All seven of them say in unison. Ryn then turns his attention to the clouds above and begins flying northwest, gaining more altitude. The others follow, leaving Nymerion behind.

~

The eight dragons land on a hill, overlooking Kyrinia from the southern side. The sun is nearly set and the city is already well-lit, illuminating much of the area outside the city walls. A loud bell reverberates throughout the city, signifying the first hour of dusk.

“Alright, according to our latest intel, qilin guards rarely patrol the southern forest and do so only every couple of hours. I estimate we have around an hour to complete this mission.” Ryn says as he picks up a stick.

“So, here’s what we’ll do.” He starts drawing Kyrinia’s walls in the dirt and lines separating the three districts in the city.

“We believe the matriarchal kirin is residing somewhere within the ruling class district, right here.” He taps the section of his drawing closest to the mountain range with his stick.

“Neverak, you will need to use your projection ability to scope out their location before we can proceed. Search the palace, basements, tunnels and anything for a qilin with symbols on their horn. You’ll need to also look for potential entrances and exits that we could use to our advantage.” Neverak nods.

“When you locate the qilin, report back, and we’ll enact the next phase.” He then draws a line from their approximate position to the west side of the city.

“Here, Xellis, Fenrir and I will draw attention to the western side of the city. Xellis will start a forest fire, Fenrir will push the smoke over the city, and I’ll launch fireballs over the wall signaling an attack. The goal here is to get them to believe Kyrinia is being besieged by a large force. This will lead them to send most of their guards and warriors out to defend the city. The smoke from the forest fire should give both of us ample time to escape the scene undetected. Hopefully this will, in turn, give us an opening to invade discreetly. Of course, realistically, the ruling district guards are going to stay and defend the Empress, so we will need to get around them. Ying and Ithinyelle, you two will go with Zuriak to the compound and find the qilin.” Ryn draws another line from their location north to the mountainside, circling back around towards the Jade Palace situated higher up.

“Fly north, and stay within the trees. When you reach the rocky wall, Ithinyelle will create a tunnel into the mountain, allowing you three to reach the backside of the Jade Palace without being seen.”

“And if we get caught?” Ithinyelle responds.

“You fight your way out. We only have one shot at finding this qilin because once they know we’re hunting the matriarchal qilin, they will do everything they can to protect them. So once all three of you find them, you need to kill swiftly, then get out of there.”

“Umm, excuse me? What do you want me to do?” Idylya interrupts. “Shouldn’t I go with Zuriak and the others too?”

“Negative, you are our only healer. If something goes wrong, and you get fatally injured, we’ll be shit out of luck should the same happen to us. It’s a long way back to Nymerion, a trip none of us would survive while injured.”

“Yeah, you would only get in the way.” Ithinyelle bitingly comments. Idylya gives her a sharp glare and swats Ryn’s drawing, throwing some dirt in Ithinyelle’s face.

“What the…fuck, you bitch!” Ithinyelle falls to the ground and rubs her eyes, struggling to get the dirt out.

“Hey, cool it! We need to stay quiet.” Ryn interjects.

Ithinyelle’s vision returns, and she tackles Idylya, shoving her face in the ground.

“How do you like it, huh!?” Idylya flips around and rolls both of them over, placing Ithinyelle below her. She then puts both claws over Ithinyelle’s neck, choking her, while she does the same to Idylya.

“Enough!” Xellis and Fenrir pull them both apart, and they let go of each other’s necks while staring each other down.

“We can’t afford any screw-ups, so shut up, and do your job!” Ryn says in frustration.

“Whatever.” They both scoff and walk away from each other. Ryn rubs his forehead angrily, and looks at Neverak.

“Neverak, are you ready? We don’t have a lot of time.” Ryn asks.

“I’ve been ready.” Neverak, unmoved by the skirmish, coils up in the grass and holds his claws together forming a hand sign. He lets out a deep breath while a faint white aura encompasses his body. Ryn gives him a nod of approval, and Neverak closes his eyes.

“Alright, all of you, be on the lookout for any movement nearby. I’m sure all that commotion must’ve stirred up some attention.”

Everyone nods except Idylya who is simply staring down into the vibrant city below. Zuriak approaches her, concerned.

“What was that all about?”

“You wouldn’t understand.”

“I’ve been seeing how you two react around each other. Is something going on?”

“No, but what can I say, she’s annoying, snobby, and thinks she’s better than everyone else. How can I not get upset over that?” She huffs.

“Some dragons are just like that, you can’t butt heads with every single one that gives you a nasty look.”

“Ryn could’ve picked any other earth elemental in Nymerion and they would’ve been loads more tolerable than Ithinyelle.” Idylya makes a face after finishing her sentence.

“It’s just for the night at least, and you won’t even be around her that much. Come on, we should keep guard so Ryn doesn’t yell again.” Zuriak holds out a claw for Idylya. She faintly smiles and takes it, pulling herself back up. As the two regroup with the other six, Neverak’s aura dissipates and he opens his eyes. A surprised Ryn approaches him immediately.

“That was fast. What did you find?” He questions.

“It’s interesting, there’s a whole network of tunnels deep within the Peaks, almost like a labyrinth. There’s a secret entrance directly behind the palace and garden, but it doesn’t look guarded for some reason. I did see a green qilin wandering the tunnels near the exit, but I couldn’t get a good look at her horn because of the darkness outside of a few strange markings.” Zuriak’s ears perk up.

“It’s certainly something, and the qilin mostly matches the description of the one we’re looking for. Are you able to trace a route from here to the tunnel system? Maybe we can avoid getting near the palace.” Ryn says as he hands Neverak the stick he was using to draw.

“Yeah, give me a moment.” Neverak begins redrawing the city and mountains that Idylya previously erased with a little more detail.

“Did you hear that? Do you think it’s her, the one who saved your life?” Idylya whispers. Zuriak tenses up.

“I...don’t know...”

“All of you gather around, we’ve got a slight change in plans.” Ryn calls to the six dragons.

The six approach the newly drawn map, now with a path into the mountains leading into one of the farthest reaching tunnels.

“Neverak says that this cave extends out the furthest, closest to where we are. Zuriak, Ithinyelle, and Ying, you three are still going to tunnel into the Peaks, but you’ll exit into the cave system.” Neverak claims that he didn’t see any guards patrolling the caves, but be alert. It could be filled with traps.” The three nod.

“Xellis and Fenrir, we are still going through with the diversion, just in case. We don’t want their whole force attacking them if they get caught.”

“Yes, sir!”

“We’ll meet back here in half an hour, no later. Good luck to all of you!” Ryn finishes.

“Good luck, Z. Let’s chill after we get back, yeah?” Xellis holds out a fist to Zuriak.

“Yeah, definitely.” He returns the fist bump. Xellis smiles and takes off with Ryn and Fenrir to the city’s western outskirts.

Idylya approaches Zuriak, looking away and scratching her mane. “Good luck, Zuri. Please come back alive.”

“Don’t worry, it won’t take very long.” He gives her a warm smile. “Oh, right, here take this.” Zuriak unwraps his dagger and sheath from his arm and hands it to her.

“You’ll need something to defend yourself with, just in case.”

She takes it and holds it against her chest. The symbols and tendrils along the blade glow a bright orange.

“What will you use then?”

“My magic should be enough. You need it more than I do anyway since you don’t have your bow.”

“Ah, true...thank you.” She responds, tying the sheath to her arm. They both smile as Ithinyelle approaches Zuriak from behind.

“Ugh, come on, we’re wasting time.” Ithinyelle grunts as she grabs Zuriak’s tail and flies upward. Ying follows suit.

“I’ll wait for you.” Idylya mouths as the three leave earshot.

In the air, Zuriak regains control and loosens himself from Ithinyelle’s grip.

“Must you be so rough?”

“We’re on a mission, Zuriak. We can’t afford to waste five minutes waiting for you to say ‘goodbye’ to your dragonfriend.” She scolds him.

“She’s not my dragonfriend.”

“...riiiiiiiiiight...” Ithinyelle responds sarcastically as she lowers her altitude to just below the treeline. “Hey, Ying! Slow down a bit, we don’t want to make too much noise bumping into tree branches.”

The three of them get lower and fly slowly through the trees, avoiding most of the branches and eventually reaching a steep rocky incline. Ithinyelle lands vertically on the wall, embedding her front and hind claws into the stone. She then places an ear against its surface.

“We’ll need to get a bit higher up. Follow me.” She climbs about ten meters higher and again places her ear against the surface, giving the rock a small tap. Zuriak and Ying float up to her level.

“Here.” She pounds her right claw into the rocks, and they begin to separate creating a three by three meter opening extending further in. She climbs in and the other two land behind her. Ying holds up a claw and produces a flame which she then lights the tips of her horns with, illuminating their surroundings.

“Wait, you can do that?” Zuriak questions. Ithinyelle lets out a sigh.

“Zuriak, you should know that dragons are impervious to their own elements. That’s Elemental Magic one-oh-one.”

“Right, I’ve just never seen anyone...do something like that before.”

“Uh-huh.” Ithinyelle responds skeptically. Ying chuckles a bit as they resume their trek.

The trio walk deeper in the cave as Ithinyelle progressively moves away rocks and Ying’s horns light the way. The light from the entrance fades away as they make a sharp left and continue forth walking through the darkness.

“So, what do you have against Idylya, Ithiny?” Zuriak asks, breaking the silence.

“Don’t call me that, and why does it matter to you!?” She spits.

“Just curious, why all the hostility though?” He responds, holding up his claws in defense.

“I’m not hostile, I just don’t like being asked dumb questions!” She snaps.

“Okay sorry, jeez.” The trio continue walking in silence for a minute longer before Ithinyelle stops earth-bending. She looks down at the dirt silently.

“Believe it or not, we used to be friends years ago.” Ithinyelle replies, softening up a little.

“Hmm?”

Ithinyelle looks back at Zuriak and Ying. “We met one hot summer ten years ago in the lake below Nymerion. Every dragon was out that day swimming trying to cool off. I made the mistake of seeing how deep the lake was by swimming to the bottom. By the time I reached the bottom, I realized I didn’t have enough air to resurface, and I started drowning. Fortunately, Idylya happened to be swimming around that deep at the time and noticed me gasping for air. Being a water elemental, she formed an air bubble around me, and helped me to the surface. She saved my life, and we became friends thereafter.”

“Then how did you-”

“The older we got, the more I realized she was more interested in her books than her friends. We started hanging out less and less because she always had something going on, but I knew it was a lie. She would just sit in her room reading textbooks, scrolls and fiction. By the time she left for University, we drifted apart and stopped seeing each other.” Ithinyelle looks down at the ground, kicking away a rock.

“So you hate her for not hanging out with you all the time?”

“No, I hate her because she lied to me for years and never once apologized. Friends shouldn’t lie to each other, otherwise, what’s the point of being friends? It’s like she never valued our friendship.”

“Did you ever figure out why?”

Ithinyelle shook her head. “She never told me, and by the time we went our separate ways, I stopped caring. Since joining the warriors guild, I’ve made many new friends, like Neverak and Ying. I just don’t want to see her anymore.”

“I’m sorry I brought it up, but she’s not all bad.”

Ithinyelle snorts. “If only you knew.” Ithinyelle resumes bending the rock a bit farther before stopping again after several minutes.

“Wait, shouldn’t we have hit the caves by now?”

“Hmm, you might be right. Neverak’s map didn’t lead that far after the turn.” Zuriak answers.

Ying gives a couple taps on the rocks below her with her left claw. Zuriak and Ithinyelle both give her quizzical looks, then face each other.

“Perhaps, we should dig down?” Ithinyelle asks. Ying gives her a nod, and Ithinyelle places her ear against the soft floor.

“Yep, it’s definitely hollow below us. Be ready, who knows what we’ll come across first.” She says, giving the floor a tap.

Zuriak and Ying give her a nod as Ithinyelle collapses the floor beneath them with her foreclaws. They all fall several meters into a small junction in the cave system. All three of them land on a pile of rocks freshly fallen from above.

“Ow, that was a hard landing.” Zuriak says, trying to regain his senses.

“Get off me!” Ithinyelle shouts from under both Zuriak and Ying. She quickly pushes them off and brushes some of the rubble out of her mane. “You know, that’s the second time you’ve crushed me!”

Zuriak rolls his eyes as he and Ying stand up. Three pathways exit out from the small circular chamber in opposite directions. Two torches rest on the walls adjacent to each corridor, gently lighting up the room.

“So, what’s the plan?” Zuriak asks.

“Split up.” Ithinyelle interrupts. “Whoever finds this qilin will have to be the one to kill because there’s not enough time to explore every centimeter of this place as a group. We’ll meet back here in about fifteen minutes. That should give us enough time to bolt out of here and regroup with the others should we fail.” She adds, taking the lead.

“Are you sure we should split up? I feel like we should stick together as there’s more strength in numbers.”

“Again, given how much time we have and how large this cave system must be, it’s better if we split up and cover more ground, trust me. Besides, we’re all more than capable of handling one qilin on our own, isn’t that right?”

“Y-yes of course.” Zuriak responds, hesitantly.

The trio splits up and runs off into each corridor with no time to lose. Zuriak doesn’t get very far in until he sees a bright light at the end of the tunnel. Before he can reach the exit, his back claws brush over an unusual, stretched piece of fabric. He stops for a moment, and inspects both his claws and the dirt around them.

“Did I run into something?” He looks back the way he came, seeing nothing but darkness. Thinking nothing of it, he proceeds out the tunnel and into a massive cavity within the cave system. To the left and right are pathways around the crater in the center with many lanterns and torches marking the way, and in front of him a steep decline going down about twenty meters. Below him in the crater, he sees more light and some movement in the light’s glow. He flies down the shaft and lands with a large thud. Zuriak turns to face the creature startled by his presence.

“It’s you!?” Zuriak exclaims as his eyes widen, seeing a spooked Terra Nova. She says nothing, keeping her eyes fixated on the threatening figure before her. He starts approaching her while she backs away and briefly glances around the cave. Numerous square indents of varying sizes cover the walls and floors, all perfectly cut.

“Do you not remember me?” He asks confusedly. She remains silent, while he looks down and points to the scar on his chest. She takes a moment to process, but quickly remembers.

“Z-zuriak!? From the forest!? What are you doing here?”

“I should be asking the same thing. How did you end up back here?”

“You shouldn’t be here, you need to leave, now, or they’ll find you. There are tripwires set up all over the caves that will alert the guards of an intruder. You didn’t trip over any, did you?”

“...No...but...I came here to find the matriarchal qilin. I wasn’t expecting you though. I thought you never wanted to return to Kyrinia.”

Terra sighs and looks into his eyes, concerned.

“The matriarchal kirin...never thought you’d be so formal.” She breaks eye contact with him and looks away.

“When you and that other dragon left us a couple months ago, we were visited by the Empress’s militia. For years, they’ve been watching me ever since I left the capital. They wanted me to return to Kyrinia because now they deem it necessary to fulfill my destiny, claiming there is a looming threat to this country.” Terra starts walking around the room, continuing to look away from him.

“I refused, as I was happy doing what I’ve been doing for the last sixteen years, and I wanted no part in causing harm to any living creatures like my predecessors did.” Zuriak follows her movements.

“They did not like that answer and gave me a choice. Either face my destiny, or be branded as a traitor and be imprisoned. That would include both me and the rest of the Oasis.” She sits down in front of one of the reflective crystal pillars, looking at her own reflection.

“What they gave me was the illusion of choice knowing full well that I would abandon the Oasis and return to the capital to protect those kirins.” She turns back to Zuriak.

“And I did.” She then places a hoof on her horn and looks up. “This symbol, it means-”

“Time.”

Terra’s expression briefly changes to disbelief as her eyes widen, but she then drops the look and chuckles a bit.

“I shouldn’t even be surprised. It is your language after all.” She returns to the center of the room in front of Zuriak. “I am the eleventh matriarchal kirin, so I guess you found me.”

Zuriak doesn’t respond and instead closes his eyes. Terra raises an eyebrow in confusion.

“So, now that I told you my story, why not tell me why you’re looking for me? I imagine this isn’t some friendly get-together.”

Zuriak opens his eyes and looks down at the rocky ground, unsure what to say.

“I was sent here on a mission to…”

“To kill me, right?” Her expression changes to a frown. “I suppose it was only a matter of time before you Ithralians caught wind of my existence. How poetic it is that the life I saved is the one that will end my own.” She laughs sourly.

Zuriak remains silent and motionless, keeping his eyes to the ground. Terra takes note of his non-responsiveness.

“You have a choice, you know. I wasn’t sure about you telling this, but when the Empress’s militia arrived at our camp, we were warned about dragons near the border. One of her assassins claimed to have killed one and severely injured the other a day before her arrival. By my guess, they were likely referring to you and your friend. I wouldn’t put it past them that they knew about our intervention in saving your life.” She scoffs. “And they used that against me, knowing that if I refused to return to Kyrinia, me and the rest of the Oasis would be imprisoned for life for helping Ithralians.” She looks at Zuriak, abruptly changing her tone. “And despite all this, despite everything that has happened, I would do it again. And you know why? It’s because life is sacred...precious...valuable.” She says, stomping her hoof. “You, like every living, breathing creature on this planet, are worth something.” She finishes, looking away from him. “Shouldn’t that also apply to me?” She asks quietly after a moment of silence, eyes brimming with unshed tears.

Zuriak looks away from Terra, hands squeezed, feeling his claws painfully pointing into his palm, his thoughts racing. Finally, he steps closer to Terra, and starts to shudder slightly. “You're right, I do have a choice.” He says as she continues to look at the ground. “And I don't want to kill you.” He holds out a claw to Terra. Terra softly smiles and lifts her hoof when the sounds of bells reverberate throughout the several tunnels leading away from the room. Terra’s eyes widen.

“Oh no, did you hit a tripwire in one of the tunnels!?”

“I don’t know, maybe!?”

“You have to get out of here before they capture you!” Zuriak quickly refocuses and starts flying up, trying to remember which tunnel he entered from. Several kirins emerge rapidly from the corridors surrounding the two. Some of them are carrying chains and spikes. The kirins all look up at Zuriak with anger.

“Don’t you dare lay a claw on her!” One of them shouts. Three of them transform into their charred forms while several others throw chains around Zuriak’s neck and forearms, bringing him back to the ground. Zuriak struggles against the chains, looking up at Terra as two kirins approach her from both sides.

“Did he do anything to you?” The kirin asks. Terra simply shakes her head.

“Good thing we got here in time, otherwise this would’ve gotten messy. Kyrinia is being attacked at the western wall, but we can’t find out where the fire is coming from. Though now…” He looks at the immobile Zuriak. “...I have a hunch of what’s going on.”

“What should we do with him?” Another kirin steps forth. Terra starts to speak up but is interrupted by the one next to her.

“He’s going to be interrogated and sentenced to death, of course.”

“No...” Zuriak whispers as he wiggles an arm free and charges some lightning discreetly.

“No, that’s too archaic and merciless. Instead, he’s going to be our prisoner for life. We can use him later down the road as a bargaining chip.” Terra says, trying to go along with them while protecting him. She looks at him with concern and helplessness.

“What? I’m not going to be used by you qilins!” He takes hold of the chains and sends a surge of lightning to all the kirins holding him down. As soon as they release their grip, he loosens himself from the chains, and digs his claws into the fine dirt as jagged ice spikes erupt around him. Terra and the others spring back narrowly missing the spikes. The remaining kirins all transform and fling fire projectiles at him. Most of the shots hit the ice spikes, shattering them into thousands of tiny shards. Zuriak flies up, dodging the fire while keeping his eyes focused on Terra, who tries to avoid the chaos. In the midst of the onslaught, he summons an ice barrier around him while still hovering above the ground. The seven kirins all shoot continuous beams of fire at his ice barrier melting it away. Thinking fast, he discharges electricity from his arms and legs, breaking through the barrier and striking two of the kirins. He drops to the ground and swings his tail, knocking over the other three unexpectedly. He then looks around the room searching for Terra, but doesn’t see her. Down one of the few corridors, he sees a glimmer of light and decides to follow it while the other kirins are in a daze. Further down, Terra runs through one of the corridors, leaping over rocks and debris, using her horn to light the way. Zuriak follows after her with the other kirins in tow. Using her magic, she intentionally damages some of the rock walls in an attempt to slow him down. He starts jumping over the obstacles while shooting ice spikes from his mouth but misses his shots due to the fallen rocks. Terra rounds a corner at the end narrowly avoiding some of the spikes as they embed into the wall. As Zuriak turns around the corner, he stops and cups his claws together, charges, and fires a bolt of lightning at Terra far down the passage, resulting in an explosion that pushes her out into a massive chamber at the end of the tunnel. Zuriak runs to the chamber to find Terra surrounded by debris struggling to get up. Part of her fur has been singed and her hooves are bleeding. He slowly walks up to her.

“Please, don’t do this.”

“That little speech you had earlier, that was nothing but a trick! You were just stalling me, waiting for them to arrive! Fenrir was right, you’re all liars.”

“That’s not true, and I had to play along with them! You have to understand that what you’re about to do is perpetuating this bloody cycle of hatred! This won’t end the war, it will strengthen it!” Zuriak’s eyes soften a little as he stares deeply into her blue and purple eyes remembering the kirin he killed months ago. He lowers his charged claw and dissipates the energy. “Please.”

“...Maybe...you are-” Suddenly, a wooden spear is thrust through his back and out his chest. Blood starts streaming down from both sides as he grasps the spear. He turns around to see one kirin in a throwing stance while the others are holding chains with magic. His hind legs collapse to the ground while his arms struggle to hold himself up. Three of them approach him, and while he’s mostly immobile, throw the chains around his neck. He looks back at Terra who looks at him pitifully. Two of them hold the ends down, dragging the rest of his body to the ground, and one of them wraps an additional chain around his mouth, preventing him from breathing ice. The other four kirins use their magic to hold his sprawled arms and legs in place. He struggles against them but fails to move in his weakened state.

“He’s too dangerous to keep as a prisoner. You must send him away, Terra.” One of them says, keeping a firm magical grip on the chains.

“I don’t know if I can, I’ve never done it on a living creature before…” She says, trying to avoid the sight before her.

“You must try!” He orders harshly.

Terra stands up and walks over Zuriak, repulsed at kirins’ brutish methods. She gives him a sad look as her horn glows white. The symbol and runic markings vibrantly glow the same color. She places a hoof on his nose and tears start forming in her eyes.

“I’m sorry.” She then backs up several meters as the other kirins do the same while staying focused on him. Her horn glows brighter as a bluish-white, partially transparent cube materializes around him. The impaled spear and chains holding him down disintegrate and the kirins, using their magic to hold him down, release their grip. He struggles to get up, and places a claw on the surface of the cube, as it rises off the ground. Rings begin forming around each side of the cube as electricity arcs off the corners. Zuriak places his other claw against the forcefield and with both sends a surge of lightning in an attempt to free himself, but it backfires and flings him back towards the opposite side. He gets up and looks hopelessly at Terra while grasping his bleeding wound. Tears start forming in his eyes as he thinks back to his past and everything he’s been through in the last two months.

Terra’s eyes glow white as the rings spin faster around the cube causing the rocks in the room to vibrate. Without warning, a beam of light shoots from her horn and strikes the cube sending a shockwave throughout the chamber. Instantaneously, the cube vanishes leaving not a trace behind.

“Goodbye, Zuriak.”