Dust flew into the air and covered everything. Diomede had pulled the wagon to a halt. "Well, I have to say wonderful driving my good man." Francisco said while he patted Diomede on his back. Clayton stood up and looked around, from where they sat he was able to see Hastatad's welcome sign. "We aren't too far now, the town is just up the road." Clayton said. Kira fully pulled herself from the bear skin cloak and climbed down from the wagon. "I need a moment." She cried. Kira gasped for air and gulped it down, her face felt hot and flushed. Kira's heartbeat with the force of a hundred horses, she could feel her body reaching its limits. "Diomede I need your help." Kira wimpered. Diomede slowly walked over and stood over the Boarkar Princess. "What do you need me to do?" Diomede asked. Kira pulled him down closer to her and whispered into his ear. "I need you to break my arm." Diomede looked back at the rest of the group. "Why ask me?" Kira looked into his eyes deeply, "Because when you do it, you aren't going to feel bad after like they will." Diomede grabbed hold of Kira's arm, "Exhale all of your breath." Diomede whispered. Kira pushed all of her breath out of herself. At the end of her breath, Diomede snapped her arm back at her elbow. The sudden jolt of pain pierced through Kira, and she gulped down a large gasp. She felt her joint set ablaze with the pain. In an instant Kira's arm swelled, Diomede held her close to shield what he had done from the others. "Thank you." Kira was able to push out those words. Diomede pulled her arm out and forced it back into its proper position. Kira let out a cry of pain, tears ran down her face and sweat built on her head. She bit down on Diomede's arm. "Kira focus on healing." Diomede said. The Boarkar princess cleared her mind, the physical pain was more manageable than the emotions that were drowning her. In her mind, Kira felt a presence enter her mind. It was welcoming and warm, she knew in her heart it was the great mother. The pain began to subside and was replaced with a feeling of bliss. Kira let her head fall into Diomede's arms, he felt the sweat from her forehead along his arm. Diomede turned to the others and was met with concerned faces. "She fine now." Diomede in a half attempt to ease their minds. "I don't understand what happened?" Clayton asked. Diomede stood up and pulled Kira to her feet. He placed his back to the others and wiped the sweat and tears from Kira's face. "Hold it together we are almost there." Diomede whispered. Kira knocked the dust off herself and returned to the group. "Before we start down the road, please tell us what happened." Clayton asked with concern in his voice. Kira crossed her arms, "This ability I have if I don't prepare myself before fighting that leads to killing I become overwhelmed," Lily spoke up, "Back in Blue Stream you weren't affected by the things we fought?" Kira shook her head, "When the fighting back in Blue Stream happened the things you were fighting weren't alive in a natural way." Kira continued, " So when they died I couldn't feel their emotions like I could with the bandits." Lily spoke up, "So you feel the suffering of any life even your enemies?" Kira nodded her head, "No matter who it may be or how I feel about them, I will feel every emotion and pain their soul suffers." Silence hung in the air, Clayton felt ashamed for asking such a question of his traveling company. Kira felt Clayton's feelings, she reassured him with a tilt of her head. The four began climbing back onto the wagon, Diomede followed behind. Diomede gently snapped the reigns and the horses began walking. Francisco pulled his journal out from his bag and began writing down what had happened the last couple of days. He found himself stopping once he wrote about the Fungle Grove. "I feel I must come clean myself, my friends." Francisco said as he positioned himself to view everyone on the wagon. "I told you about my ability, but not the reason why I don't speak about it." Diomede maintained his attention on the road ahead of them, everyone else focused on Francisco. "The reason being some do not view those like myself who have the Blood of The Drugor running through their veins as trustworthy or safe to be around." Francisco continued, "The Drugor born in the time of the Primordials, led the war against the Gultonk." "In this war, the Drugor were able to make pacts or deals with the plains of elements to be able to have an advantage against their enemies the Gultonk." Francisco's words gained a hint of pride behind them. "Due to these packs being made during a time when the other realms weren't divided by the Great Sacrifice, some Drugor became embedded with the corresponding plain they made a pact with." "This is why the descendants have the same powers or ability to call on the aid of the other plains." Francisco lifted his hand and a small flame emerged from his palm. "As you can see I have the blood of one who made a pact with the fire plain." The flame died out and Francisco dropped his hand, "Now the reason for me to keep this a secret is due to one specific Drugor." Francisco looked to the sky for a moment to build the courage to speak. "Back in the days before the Age Of Heros, there was a Drugor King." Francisco's voice became low and hushed, "Not many know of his deeds or his name but know of the horrors he committed upon the world of Alborain." "Because of this, the Drugor have been hunted to near extinction in many parts of the world." The three's focus was honed in on Francisco. They hung on every word he spoke. "Now some like myself the descendants of past Drugors are viewed with fear and hatred, many think we will become the next great evil Drugor King." Kira felt the sadness pour from Francisco, "Even those of our people will kill any who may have the blood of the ancient Drugor." Francisco grew quiet, and his head sat low on his chest. Kire reached to comfort the bard but before she could a small rock flew past her. It landed on Francisco's head, he looked to see where it came from and found Lily glaring at him. "I don't care what this king did ten thousand years ago, you aren't him and you shouldn't be ashamed of who you are!" Lily shouted, "You are a good person and anyone who thinks otherwise can bite down on a Fluta Toad and go to the hells!" Francisco felt a smile build on his face. "She is right you know, you create wonderful music and my father always says those who create wonderful things can't be evil." Clayton shouted. Francisco's eyes began to overflow with tears, "I can't tell you how long it has been since I have heard words as sweet as yours, I thank you, my dear friends."Francisco wiped his face and clapped his hand hard and loudly, "So not far now is it friends?" Francisco asked. "No, not far now." Clayton replied with a smile on his face. Kira's heart felt full from the joy coming from most of the group. Francisco began singing a song about a man who married a fish. As the sound began to fade in the distance the sight of the group disappeared behind the heat of the dirt road that reached up to the sky caused by the scorching sun. A familiar red coat emerged from the grass, humming an old tune.
End Book One.