The ashes before Strife

Episode 14 : adjusting again ; 8 ; WIP

Thorn stared at the passing stores and houses trying to make mental notes on where all the restaurants and pubs in the city were as we headed up a slight incline going up a hill towards the large academy in the distance. "How much longer till we get to this house? I'm getting bored of just smelling the food and not eating it Cayde."

Finally arriving at the top of the hill I looked up at a sign that said Oak street. "Not long now, don't worry. We're in the right place, we just need to find a building with a sign saying maple 27." Thorn looked at me raising his none existent brow.

"Seriously? Maple? I know you have a thing for autumn Cayde but this is just too much." I waved away his criticism walking down the street observing the many houses as the sky began to darken and the people on the street decreased all heading home "starting to think we shouldn't have spent half the day touring the city."

"I thought you liked exploring Thorn? You liked that open barbecue we stopped at a lot as well."

"Being a tourist is fine and all but you shouldn't really be this carefree Cayde. We don't even know if there are furnishings inside this place yet." Not willing to admit he was right I stayed silent until I finally spotted the sign to the house just down the street hidden away in between a high rising wall and another house. "That looks like the right place."

The house had two floors with a dark orange tiled roof with a stone and wood-made exterior making it look rustic like my old hut in Entrana. "Well, this certainly looks familiar. Did you have someone renovate your old hut Cayde?" I ignored Thorn's remark walking over pulling the key I got for it two years ago out from my necklace.

I placed it into the lock opening it with a loud click then pushed it open making no sound as it swung inside revealing the shadowy unlit inside. I walked in locking the door behind lighting a white flame in my hand looking around with Thorn for a light source until I noticed several black orbs embedded in a hanging chandelier.

I pushed out some mana and they quickly started glowing bright yellow enveloping the whole house to reveal a pristine wooden interior with a staircase leading upstairs to a banister. There were already two dark green and red couches facing each other in the center of the room separated by a thick rectangular table with another table underneath it. "Looks like I was right not to worry about furniture then, Thorn."

Lupra and Ronik jumped out of my chest joining Thorn and me in exploring our new home. Lupra briefly sniffed the air then quickly ran under the staircase "Lupra everything okay?" The three of us followed her to see a ladder leading to the house's basement. I remember the letters they sent about the house having a basement but I was confused on why it was hidden under that staircase.

I climbed down first quickly followed by Thorn and Ronik to see Lupra looking around the bland, small grey stone room that looked to be roughly 20 meters wide. "What's got you in a hurry all of a sudden?"

Lupra turned to me with a happy expression. "Papa, can this be my room? It's big and can fit lots of toys!" I looked at her unsurprised while Thorn began trying to contest for it as I looked about checking its size.

"No! How is it fair that you get the cave? I'm a dragon! My kind lives in caves. If anything this should be my room." The black dragon began to circle Lupra and they both began growling at each other readying to fight for it.

"I don't mean to intrude but, as a Relican I really should be the one to have this space. Fenrir's normally nest in hollowed holes of dirt and dragons tend not to even need sleep. So, I believe it's best that I have the area because my kind naturally needs to be close to untampered life."

Ronik joined in the contest for the basement and the wolf and dragon stared at him starting to give off their threatening aura's which Ronik responded to by releasing his. "I'm not going anywhere!"

Thorn stretched out his claws readying to fight "How funny! I was just about to say the same thing fluffcicle"

Ronik grew in size slightly "we shall soon find out who gets it."

The three were locked in a stalemate staring at each other maliciously while I just made sure there were no secrets hidden in the walls tapping in random places. I then turned around to see the three beasts all staring up at me putting on endearing faces.

I stared back down at them worried for my sanity "What are you three up to?"

Thorn then spoke up trying to hypnotize me with his big cat eyes "would the merciful princess please beseech the basement to his most loyal friend?" Thorn fluttered his eyes as he spoke in a mocking yet persuading way.

I stared back in disdain from his attempt to manipulate me "what gave you that idea? I was thinking of taking this place for myself and letting you three live upstairs." The three of them had their expectations shattered as they stared with open mouths in disbelief.

I stared at them domineeringly making my judgment sound absolute but the looks on their faces made it hard to keep my composure until I finally wheezed out in laughter. The three looked at me confused wondering what must be going on in my head.

After laughing at them for a few seconds I wiped the tears away from my eyes as I spoke. "I was thinking of actually just having the three of you live down here together." They looked at each other waiting to fight for their corners "Ronik would likely collapse through the floor, Lupra's fur will get everywhere and Thorn's prone to destroying everything. It really is a no-brainer."

They stopped exuding their auras realizing that I had a point "but papa~. How are we going to separate the rooms?" Thorn and Ronik immediately readied to fight again making me jump slightly from the sudden pressure of mana.

I rest my chin on my hand and thought on Lupra's point. I looked up and realized I could just make borders for them with alchemy and ice magic. I nodded in agreement with myself then pivoted my foot to the side slightly and a small wall of matt-black ice ran to the center of the room separating Thorn and Ronik then jutting out into two different directions stopping when they reached the wall.

The three looked at the area's confused then back to me "what are you looking at me for? Go on. Pick a space." The three immediately jumped into their corners of the room. Ronik chose the center space with lupra on the left side of the room and Thorn on the right side. "Well thought master. The three of us would have likely destroyed the room in the process of trying to figure out who will get it."

I turned around climbing up the ladder back into the lounge and headed into the doorway opposite the clean wooden table walking into a fully furnished kitchen. It had a refrigerator and sink as well as a large oven I could shove Thorn into if I ever felt like having roasted lizard. The tabletop was clean and made of a black stone. "That'll do nicely."

I opened the drawers and cupboards to look for any cutlery or glassware but there was nothing other than an emptied wine bottle. "Some people just have no manners." I then walked over to the fridge opening it to see a blue stone at the bottom of it exuding a chilling breeze. Ignoring it though I looked at the shelves to see there was no food whatsoever. "Guess I'll need to go out and buy stuff before I unpack."

I walked out of the kitchen seeing the three beasts get comfy on the two couches. I pulled out a void ring from my pocket and tossed it next to Ronik on the table "I need to go out and buy food as well as other things. You three unpack and decorate the place."

Lupra jumped to the top of the couch as I walked past "papa which room will be yours?" I looked up at the banisters behind me looking at the three doors.

"The one closest to the stairs." Lupra nodded in understanding and I rubbed her on the head before opening the door. "Try not to tear this place down while I'm gone you three." They said bye in unison then I left through the door lifting my black hood up concealing my face.

As I got a few steps away I heard a loud crash of items falling all over the place alongside Lupra barking out for help. I sighed unsurprised by the sudden chaos after my departure and continued on my way down the quiet street

"Those three really are tiresome."