"So this is it, huh?" Vadei asked me as we sat around the cast iron pot at the centre of their house. Although, I was kneeling in a more traditional manner as it was more comfortable for me in these clothes.
"Please don't word it like that..." I say with the full knowledge that this might really be it. This might actually be the last time I ever see my dear friend. One who I have grown to love dearly over the years.
"Then, promise me this. Again if we already talked it over. Come and see me, will you?" she said to me with a saddened expression. Even with those words, she knew that it was probably not meant to be.
"Of course." I tell her with a smile as I finished the tea they had made for me. It went well with the filling breakfast that had been made as well.
"I wish I could go with you... So, you will just have to take all the luck that I can give you." Vadei tells me as she puts down her stuff.
"And I graciously accept every bit of it." I tell her as I receive the hug she suddenly rushed around to give.
"You know, I once told my sister that she could not share you lot, for her own good as she needed her own friends. But now... I might need to go to her for that same request." Vadei explained as tears overtook her.
"Vadei... I promise... Do you hear me? I promise." I tell her as I keep whatever tears that I had out of this.
"Alright, Einervaene, are you all set?" Brewbrt asked me despite clearly seeing what I was up to. But, I suppose he only did it out of respect for Mother's situation. It may have been a long time since I left her and our homeland.
But that did not mean I had the right to waste time...
"Yes, one moment." I tell him as I enjoy this final hug as much as I could. I even made a point of accepting Vadei's dear gesture which was her offered up tail.
"Now, you go save her before I chain you in my garden..." Vadei tells me as she pulls away from our embrace.
I smile, "You don't have to remind me." I awkwardly chuckle.
Picking up my stuff once I was unfortunately free of our hug before I stepped out into the garden. However, out of respect for their home, I did not go up into the sky. I instead waved at my dear friend as we went out towards the woods.
Then, as we disappeared into the darkness provided by the trees. I couldn't help but finally let my tears out. I even started to find it hard to walk. So I stopped by one tree and held my hand against it.
"GO! DO YOU HEAR ME! GO!" Vadei screamed from beyond the trees before magic projectiles began to fly at us.
"Come on, let's go before this gets a little out of hand." Brewbrt told me with a careful tone before he began to hover.
"R-Right..." I said with a sniffle before I shot out of the forest and into the sky before crashing right down again not that far away.
"Einervaene, I understand this is difficult, but, come on. We have a lot of ground to cover." Brewbrt urged as I wiped my eyes clear.
"I know the urgency of this, but please... Just a little bit of time." I plead as I start to feel overwhelmed by an urge to rush back to her. To rush back to them all, really. I know and could plainly tell that I wasn't alone... But, it felt like it regardless.
My last friend had just left my life, possibly forever... I just didn't know how to take that. This was really it. I had no one I truly knew by my side anymore...
"Einervaene!" Brewbrt urged as he moved to pick me up.
"ONE MOMENT PLEASE!?" I screamed up at him as lightning shot out of me in all directions.
"Your mother, my friend! Might not have that one moment!" he countered with before I sighed in the prelude to my tears coming back.
"Please... Just wait... Everyone I have known is gone... Either something bad happened to them or it's too dangerous for them to come along..." I whimper as I try to hide my face.
He then sighs, "I am sorry for getting angry with you."
"N-No... It makes sense... How could it not..."
"If it's any consolation, you can just get some of that anger out by attacking the land about you."
"NO!" I suddenly shout as I recall the part that kind of behaviour played in Nin's rage.
"You need to figure something out, then."
"Everyone is gone, Brewbrt... I have to leave them behind willingly or our relationship just collapsed or... You never met her, but I had a friend called Larishazza. Cheerful as anyone could possibly be... But she was attacked and then Nin, who loved only her, became a rage-filled monster. And everyone else I have just had to leave behind because I can't bring them along he-"
"It's alright, Einervaene. Just let it out." Brewbrt interrupted as he pulled me against his armoured chest.
"I... I d-don't want to be alone, Brewbrt... I want my friends to be here with me... I want to see my mother safe... B-But... But I can't!" I whimpered as I squeezed him as tightly as I could.
"Your mother will be saved. You will see your friends again. I know this might be cliche to someone as educated as you. But, there is a light at the end. You just need to keep going." he tells me as his hand tries to reassure me with rubs and pats.
"Ok..." I tell him as wipe my eyes before I start to wander.
"Slightly to your right." he then says as he brings out that map of his again.
"R-Right..." I repeat and acknowledge.
"Would you prefer me to carry you if you aren't up for zapping across the skies?" he offers.
"Sure..." was all I had as an answer as I tried to figure out how to climb onto him. Only to be picked up into his arms before he shoots upwards. Surprisingly as well, his magic protected us from any winds that might blow against us.
It also felt odd, though, there was a strange familiarity but it was foreign as well. I have flown before, faster than most and all through the clouds as a lightning bolt. But, here I was flying without so much as transforming. I could actually reach out and touch things as well!
Like, I know that I could just transform back to my normal body and touch them. Yet, I could both fly and experience the sky right now! It helped distract my sorrows for a moment as well. But I also realised that I needed to be a little more active to distract my mind right now.
I needed to do something!
"Careful." Brewbrt cautioned as he tightened his grip on me. Yet, against that idea. I put my finger near him and smiled.
"Race you." I told him as a small but potent zap lashed out against him. And while this led to me screaming for a moment as I was suddenly thrown out into the sky. I quickly got the hang of it and returned to his side.
"YOU IDIOT!" he roared angrily before he started to smile.
"You win races by moving." I reminded him before turning back into lightning. And without Vadei by my side anymore, I could go even faster! Or maybe it just tired me out less. I was familiar with my speed yet not.
Walking a lot probably helps with that confusion.
"Try not to go too far ahead! I have the map!" his voice boomed out across the sky. Though, when it finally reached me, it had dampened quite a bit.
"Hurry up!" I said to him after briefly returning to his side. Yet, I started to slow down when I saw that he was heading down below the clouds. Then I realised what it was he was trying to do when that map lit up above him. It made me smile a bit too.
For all the distance he was trying to make, though, I was still faster. And I had to slow myself down drastically by performing a few tricks. When I saw a large dip in the earth, however, is when I decided to stop completely. And I did so by landing on a plateau.
"Redstone Canyon." I recalled as I stared down at the vast landmark. Even from up here as well, I could not see either end of it. Far beyond the horizon it went. And I had to admit, Brewbrt landing near me did not help me see.
"It's quite the sight, isn't it?" he asks me as his loud footsteps come to a halt.
"Standing before it is a lot different to just flying over it..." I remark as I could've sworn that the gap was bigger.
"We'll probably have some trouble flying over it as well." he then comments as his arm rises towards something.
"Hm, true. I need clouds to use my spell."
"Interesting to hear, but no, those." he corrects as he points towards nothing.
"What am I looking out for?" I ask after failing to see it.
"Sense the wind." he clarifies but it did not help. I was not attuned to the winds like him.
"Still need help..." I start to say before overwhelming pressure seemed to push down on me. Then, I felt it, a massive force of magic was coming from the skies ahead of us.
"Royal airships." he comments before he decides to slide down the mountain. I instead chose to shoot down ahead of him before I sighed at the lack of clouds before us. I felt trapped in a strange way.
"Now what?" I ask as I notice how severe his expression had become.
"We need to find a place that is safe for us to cross if what you are looking for is truly beyond this canyon."
"It is." I tell him with a reaffirming nod.
"Wonderful, we just have to travel in the winds."
"Literally?"
"No, it's just a saying. Now, while I am not too sure about the capabilities of those warships. I am very sure about the witches they have patrolling along with them."
"You can tell that there are people in all of that...?"
"Unfortunately, in a way, I would've preferred blissful ignorance."
"They're that strong?"
"Yes, and unfortunately, it may be the case that we have to go as far north as Thurn's Forge just to sneak past them."
"But then we are..."
"Yes, at the nest of the most famed warriors on the continent. Occupied as they might be... I am sure they're plentiful enough to notice and interrupt our crossing."
"What about the other way? Heading south towards the coastline?"
"Remember what I said before about the wind?"
"Dragons?"
"Indeed."
"I don't understand... We got across twice before without issue on our airship!"
"You said yourself that that was a couple of years ago. The war has not gone well for Waionr's chosen Theocracy. Rare as it was, news has been coming in that the Seven-Peaks Union has broken through the Seventh Line."
"What's that?" I ask, being unfamiliar with the concept. And the geography of this land in general. And I could tell my usual excuse of 'it's a lot to take in' wasn't going to cut it here.
"The supposedly impenetrable semi-circle with Thurn's Forge at its centre. Seven paths, seven fortress cities." he explains before I start to look around.
"We are on one of them?" I ask, somewhat scared we would now run into a Valkinvar patrol and be killed.
"No, look to your right."
"Mountains."
"With no gaps in them at all. You wouldn't be able to march an army here. This route just heads to the coastline. Which, you know to have dragons and the Jupirochi."
"They're just colonies, though. Not strong enough to fight off a grand army from an empire on its doorstep."
"The answer to that is more politics than anything. But, know that we are safe on this path so long as we suppress our aura."
"No... I recall seeing an army marching along this route before!" I suddenly recall as some memories of our journey to Tobaballe returned. On our way away from the continent, we definitely caught sight of an army!
"Theocracy troops, then, probably their border guards. Which just cements my point more. The war is not going well for them if they are willing to risk their backside to the dragons of the southern coastline."
"So what's the plan?" I ask as he was the one with the experience and knowledge.
"I want you to make it." he then decrees as he turns around to face me.
"W-What!? Stop playing around!" I nearly shout as confusion flushed through me almost as anger would.
"We're here for your sake. So that means we will soon be returning to your homeland. I need to make sure you are able to go on ahead even without me should the worse happen."
"N-No, don't speak like that!"
"Einervaene, this is the sort of life I have lived. Trust in what I am trying to do for you."
"Okay... What do I do!?" I ask him frantically as I honestly had no idea. So many things that I have done have been impulsive in how it played out. Me saving Nin from that wyvern years ago, my recent fight with him. Even meeting him.
There's just been so much that has happened and those were just some of the most memorable things I did alongside one person!
"First off, taking into account what you know so far. Explain the risks."
"Right... Risks. Well, uh, there's a war going on. Powerful magic users in all directions." I repeat as if I were a simpleton.
"Anything else?"
"We would be relying on your magic to get us across because I can't move without clouds..." I explain to him. Almost humiliated and ashamed by such a limitation.
"Yes, now how would you propose that I get across here?" he asked before I threw my hands up in the air in frustration.
"I don't know! I barely know you!" I remind him as he tapped a finger on his chin.
"Very well, follow me." he tells me to which I just squeeze my hands to keep my anger in check. He wanted me to do all of that and he was just going to do it anyway!? What was the point!?