The journey back was quiet.
No one spoke to each other as they made it out the last part of the blizzard.
The wind blew past as the giant helicopter flower they rode spun them out of the blizzard. The lizards they arrived on, waiting patiently in the snow, playing together, peacefully ignorant to anything around them.
There were only 3 lizards but there were 4 of them. Without talking it was decided that Elcan and Clara would take their own whilst Fishy and Ziu rode the slowest one together.
"It will take at least two weeks to get back," said Fishy as they started the bumpy journey.
"I'll sleep during the day. At night, I'll create a helicopter flower and fly us throughout the night. We can't stop moving, even for a second."
They all silently nodded to each other as they continued their journey, hugging onto the backs of the lizards that still tried to play with each other.
On the first night, Elcan summoned a flower that was as big as a football field. the perfect place for everyone to rest on. The lizards slept alongside each other whilst Ziu rested and passed out next to them. Fishy stayed awake, unable to sleep as he looked at the tranced Elcan who perfectly guided them home. His eyes closed as he gripped the stick in his hand. Fishy looked over to the edge of the flower where Clara was sitting dangling her legs off the side. Dipping her feet into the passing clouds, watching them split apart as if they were a river that she dragged through.
"Nothing can really be done." Fishy approached, sitting down next to her and her swollen eyes.
"I know… I just wish we could have protected them."
"We'll go back. When we are bigger and stronger. We'll take an army to Tanba. We'll free the East and fix things."
"If only I was stronger…"
Fishy didn't say anything else but instead rested his head on Clara's shoulder, looking at her creeped out smile in the corner of his eyes.
"Shouldn't this be the other way around?"
"Who knows." Said Fishy slowly creeping down the shoulder, hoping for a lap pillow, but ended up pulling himself away. "I'm just trying to cheer you up. I'm not very good at this kinda stuff but I know how important it is to stay happy."
"Thanks… but you don't need to. I'm going to keep fighting. Keep supporting Fintan village and making sure people don't end up like that. A world where we all live in peace. I'll even go to war with Tanba myself if I have to."
Fishy smirked as he left Clara for the night, going back to pass out on Ziu whilst Clara continued to think to herself.
"You seem to have a lot of trust." Elcan said to her whilst the others were asleep.
"We haven't known each other long but Fishy has done nothing but prove, time and time again, just how… brilliant he is… I can't describe it any other way, but to him, it's as if nothing is impossible and he'll use any method to do so."
"Did you hear how he won against Venenum?"
"I didn't" Clara's curiosity grew as she approached Elcan who was frozen in the centre of the flower with the wind blowing against his hair that was lit up by the stars in the sky.
"I didn't either… but I hope he's telling the truth and I didn't just lose my one chance at saving my sister."
# # #
Their long journey back continued. Every morning they'd swap to the lizards whilst Elcan slept, and at night they'd let Elcan fly them back whilst someone stayed up to talk to him. A simple system saved them several days of travel, bringing them back to Fintan village in only 1 week.
"Feels good to be back," Fishy said as the sun peaked, jumping off the side of the lizards that immediately ran to the Druid king who stayed in the village, awaiting Fishy's return.
"Is this your village?" Elcan asked as he was greeted by all the people who were unable to sleep at night. Tin and the triplets, Silmor and even Cai waited for their return, counting the days that went past.
"Elcan!" A voice called out from the crowd as it split like the sea, letting the distressed king charge down it, into his son's arms. "I thought we lost you… your mother was so worried and your sister…"
"Dad… don't worry… Sister will be fine now…"
"Thank you so much, Fishy! Nothing I give you can ever repay me from this debt."
The king started piling whatever he could find on him into Fishy's hands. Digging through his dirty pockets pulling out lumps of gold that were shoved back at him, as Fishy had no need for the money.
"No, please… I can't accept this."
"Excuse me.." Clara softly spoke from behind Fishy, "If you don't mind me asking, what exactly is the story regarding your daughter?"
"As I said, she got poisoned by Venenum. The only way to free her was to kill him."
The story that was told to them multiple times by Elcan had always had its flaws that Fishy wasn't going to let go. He examined the story each time but it was always the same, but the part that made no sense to Fishy, caused him to speak up.
"How did she get poisoned? Surely she'd have to come into contact with Venenum."
"We'll… that's…" The king began to speak but was shut down by Elcan who continued his story.
"He snuck in one night. We don't know why but we believe he did and poisoned her."
"I see… well, I suppose you should head back to check up on her."
"Indeed…" The king sat atop the lizards alongside his son with the giant druid, Elmaris, behind them.
"But if I may… I believe I may be able to help." Said Fishy as he jumped on the lizard alongside Emlaris. "Should the poison not have truly died out, I might be able to help."
"Of course." The king agreed as if he had little choice in the matter. Elcan didn't say anything but commanded the lizards to start shuffling their way back into the forest. The forest where the druids live and worship the butterfly celestial, Beauty.