"I'll admit. I've learned more about my family history than I've ever had. I probably learned more about them than I ever would have if I'd never come down here," Ryuma said.
"Do not curse your parents' child. I have a feeling they would have told you eventually given the circumstance," Madam Kokoro said.
"Well, only they know at this point. In my position, I can't contact any of them. My mom's still somewhere up in the Skylands, and my dad has gone missing long ago. Speaking of gone missing. I had a partner with me when I was captured. Where's Kosha?" Ryuma asked.
"HEY BUDDY! NICE TO SEE YOU AGAIN!" Kosha said.
Ryuma and Madame Kokoro had gone towards a hut where beautiful woman lavishly surrounded Kosha. Ryuma's eye twitched. This fucker was in heaven while he was in hell.
While the master was a drunkard, the student was a lech. What a pair.
"Your master signed a blood oath right. Where the fuck is he?" Ryuma threatened.
"Hey! That doesn't count if I wasn't aware you were in trouble, right?" Kosha said.
"SO YOU PURPOSEFULLY DIDN'T WANT TO KNOW!?"
"YOU KNOW THAT'S NOT WHAT I MEANT! IF I'M HAVING IT GOOD WHY NOT YOU!?"
Ryuma sighed. "Whatever. As long as you're all right. I got bigger things on my plate,"
"I mean. You were our only target. There was no real reason to lump him in with you if we can avoid it," Madame Kokoro said.
Ryuma merely huffed. It was better to drop it. "Aside from this idiot, I got more questions I'd like to know, though I'm skeptical that you'd be able to answer it,"
"Go on. I know a great many things. You'd be surprised,"
"On our way over here, we were being followed by a girl with scales," Ryuma said.
"A girl… with scales?" Madame Kokoro asked.
"Does that remind you of anything. Something you've heard about at all?" Ryuma asked.
"I'm afraid not. That doesn't sound like a human based problem. That seems something closer akin to you priest," Madame Kokoro said.
"It wasn't an apparition. It had to be a field beast. It had a physical body, but she possessed intelligence. To the point where she performed espionage and understood that she was compromised. I thought that maybe there are some species down here I've not heard about that ya'll might've,"
"A field beast that possesses intelligence to that degree… I'm sorry but it's nothing I've ever heard of before. Perhaps where I'm sending you next, you'll more likely get your answer,"
"Well I appreciate everything you've told me Madame Kokoro. Perhaps, the mysteries of who I am, and my purpose will come to fruition with that small piece of the puzzle," Ryuma said.
"Glad I could be of assistance. Please take some time to yourself. Sort things out. There's no rush," She said.
Ryuma separated from her and went by himself. Primarily, he wanted to gather some fresh air. He took a deep breath. "OK you stupid lizard. I know you're listening. Come on out and explain yourself,"
Aeragis apparated from thin air. "I take it your talk with the old woman has calmed you down some," He said.
"Who do you think you're fooling? You heard all that didn't you?" Ryuma said.
"Oh… guess you are learning. Yes. I hear what you hear. I see what you see. From now on, we're linked," Aeragis said.
"What is your ultimate plan with me? Surely you don't expect me to take down the Skylands do you?" Ryuma asked.
"On the contrary, that's exactly what I expected you to do," Aeragis said.
"And I have the power to do that?" Ryuma asked.
"You do not. At least, not as of now you don't. You're still a fledgling. Plus, there are some fundamentals that you are missing,"
Ryuma sighed. "Look. It's not as if I don't understand your sentiment. Given everything I've seen down here. The surface is treated as lower than dirt. However, your methods…"
"Are the only methods available," Aeragis cut him off.
"I know it may seem like that. But not everyone in the Skylands are such monsters that they'd take advantage of the surface. We can convince most of them that this is wrong if they just see what's going on down here," Ryuma said.
Aeragis floated in one spot and just stared at him.
"You're not saying anything," Ryuma said.
"That's because you still haven't seen enough. No… from your meager life span, you could never see enough. You'd spend your whole life trying to convince these people to give up their power for the good of mankind and it'll get you nowhere," Aeragis said.
"Well at least let me try,"
Aeragis stayed silent for a moment. "How old are you boy?" he asked.
"What?"
"I said how old are you boy?"
"I'm seventeen. Why should that matter?" Ryuma asked.
"I see. A boy of seventeen dare compares his life to the thousand that I've lived. Me pleading my case hasn't worked in the thousand years since we've risen the Skylands. Pray do tell me if you've developed the magical words to make the edicts see the error of their ways," Aeragis said.
"Maybe it's not the edicts we have to convince," Ryuma said.
"Boy, there's a reason this system lasted a thousand years unchanged. Edicts with more standing than you have tried to change it for the better, and still failed," Aeragis said.
"And you believe destroying the Skylands would bring about change?" Ryuma asked.
"At the very least, it will force change. Those who live above the clouds disconnect themselves to what goes on in the lower world. They can't empathize with these people because they don't see them fundamentally as people," Aeragis said.
"Even so. There's got to be a better way then blowing the Skylands to kingdom come," Ryuma said.
"But of course. We can take it down in one fell swoop. I don't have to tear each island apart piece by piece. That way was long and inefficient anyway. With you, we can take the Skylands out all at once," Aeragis said.
"That's still people's home," Ryuma said.
"Then tell them to find one on the surface. I will not tolerate the presence of those islands any longer. They are a symbol of oppression, and it disconnects its residence from those they sworn to protect," Aeragis said.
Ryuma folded his arms. This damn dragon was as stubborn as he was. No matter the conclusion it came to, the destruction of the Skylands is its main goal.
"You've yet to bring up that boy again," Aeragis said.
"Why bother? I'm stuck with you, aren't I? No matter what I do, nor what I say. What's done is already done," Ryuma said. He still clenched his fist in anger.
"I will not apologize for such transgressions,"
"That's ok. I'd rather you not. I don't think I could ever forgive you for it anyway," Ryuma closed his eyes and looked away. Nylo was like a second brother to him. "Since we're talking. What was your plan to take down the Skylands anyway,"
If nothing else, Ryuma had to know what this dragon was thinking of. Even if he's a shining spirit, there were a ton of priests far stronger than himself. What could he do?
"Well first, there's some preparation in order before we could even think of taking on the Skylands,"
"Preparations like…"
"For one… we need to find my other half,"
"Your… what?" Ryuma asked. He never even fathomed that Aeragis was only halve of a whole. How the hell was he supposed to accomplish that?
"I know what you're thinking boy. That's a long-term goal that is out of your reach as of now. Even if you were to find it, you taking it on will be suicide the way you are now. We shouldn't think on such things,"
{You were the one who brought it up though!}
"Anything else?" Ryuma asked.
"You must find the dragon realm and grab control of the dragon power," Aeragis said.
"Where is this dragon realm at?" Ryuma asked.
"I don't know,"
"The dragon doesn't know where the dragon realm is at? Yet you expect me to go searching for something you don't even know the location of,"
"That is correct,"
Ryuma sighed. Did this dragon even know what it was asking for? In this wide world, he must find a specific realm.
"Ok… Let's fast forward here. Assuming we do accomplish everything you want us to. How do you expect me to knock the Skylands out of the sky?" Ryuma asked.
Aeragis flew around him and got close to his face. "That part is the most straightforward. You must sever the chains binding it in the sky," Aeragis said.
"Chains? I didn't see any chains," Ryuma said.
"It's because that the chains binding it aren't literal chains boy. The chains are all held up via the other three shining spirits. In the ten years they incubate into their next incarnation, they are unable to hold up the chains. So long as one of them have a vessel, the islands will stay up,"
"Wait… so you're asking me to…"
"That is correct. You must kill the current three vessels of the shining spirits all within a ten-year period of your first target," Aeragis said.