'ιт тσσк σиℓу α мσмєит σf мємσяу вєfσяє ѕнє ∂яσωиє∂ ιи тнє тι∂є σf вℓυє σи¢є мσяє.'
She's over him. Right?
...
Not everyone can be an S-rank.
E-ranked Dae jong-in is the failure of her family. The younger sister of the 'ultimate soldier', she serves...
It was tall- a little taller than her mother, even, and of a higher rank. A little intimidating, she conceded, but there was a spark in it's eyes that told her that it was kind. Kae-rin jostled her shoulder- "Is it a friend or a foe?" - A phrase she'd learnt from Dae yesterday and had promptly repeated it over and over again, pointing at ants, at trees, at roots. In a way, Li-ra understood. She was trying to keep that small piece of their friend alive, even though they'd never see her again. "A friend," She replied quietly, "Sshh."
The three- Chin-hae and Dae and the Naga- were talking.
"I want you to care for them, allow them to join you and your ranks, allow them to become friends with your people. And when the boss respawns and your gate opens again, I want you to protect them from whatever comes through that gate, yeah?"
"What do we get in return? Although you do wield a golden scale, we will not agree to something that does not benefit us."
Li-ra smiled and watched her mother as she surveyed the room. "Oh but it will benefit you. It'll rid you of the boss that has brought ruin upon your people. You fought it, didn't you? But you've lost every time. And you gain my knowledge and experience. Although you may be enormous, you have not been in power for long. Your successor died in a raid on your boss, didn't it? "
The Naga's eyes widened. He nodded. Tilted his head. "But what experience do you have with governing a culture?"
Dae cocked her head as well frowning. Chin-hae obviously hadn't seen fit to inform her until now.
"I was an advisor to the head of the dragons that lived in my gate until he disregarded one of my warnings and we fell prey to the orcs that also lived there."
Li-ra watched Dae blink and huffed a laugh. The way humans expressed their emotions was nigh on comical- she'd just started getting to Dae's expressions, even though she'd been with them for six-ish years now.
"Hhhuh?"
The two completely ignored Dae's confusion. The corners of the Naga's eyes crinkled in a smile. "Yes. Very well. I'm Oberon."
Dae seems a little taken aback at how easily he agrees. Chin-hae isn't fazed. "It is our way to stick together. According to a legend told by one of my elders, before the gates were created our kinds lived together in peace. Or what passed as peace, back then."
Oberon flicked his tail in agreement. "Us Naga have similar stories. This is where you leave us, Human. I will not allow you near my people even though you wield a scale. kill the boss and then leave. your business is done here."
Dae nodded quietly. Li-ra had expected her to protest. She cocked her horned head to the side, and caught crimson eyes.
"I'll be seeing you then." She wrapped her arms around each of them before leaving. It was a little anticlimactic to Li-ra. She'd never actually expected for Dae to leve them here; she thought her sister'd have changed her mind at the last second, swooped them back to her world and they would have stayed there with her and she would have forgotten about all those strange happenings and they'd all be together. They'd all have been okay.
But she leaves. And Li-ra watches her retreating form until she's lost in the shadows.
Somewhere, deep in the ocean inside her heart, she's screaming as she sinks, but in the shallows- in the sunlit parts of her mind, she finds she doesn't feel much at all.
She can't do anything. She'll live. She should miss Dae, but she finds she doesn't feel much at all.
