The Lost Life of Laraine

Chapter 27

"My head is killing me," Flontina groaned, rubbing her temples with both her hands, her staff cradled against her shoulder. I don't even know when she turned in for the night, but it was a miracle she stood beside me at the crack of dawn.

A few of us signed up to be part of the scouting teams that are going to dragon hotspots as well as villages who fell victim to the creature.

"Here I got you," I opened a large flask pulling some water out of it and bringing it to her forehead, watching it glow and dissipate into her head. "How does it feel now?"

Letting out a sigh of relief, she dropped her hands, "You, my dear, are god send."

Laughing at her antics, I had to quickly compose myself as one of the representatives went up to the podium to give us our debrief.

"Hello heroes," he addressed us and I couldn't help but feel a little uncomfortable at the title, "On behalf of Val'Soran and myself, I want to thank you all for coming to our aid. Our nation has been terrorized by this monster for too long and all our efforts to slay it have been for naught. Your tasks for today involve triangulating the dragon's lair or finding its currently location."

He went on about the deaths and destruction the dragon has caused, and I couldn't help but turn to where I felt a pair of eyes on me.

Sephla again.

Making eye contact with me she quickly averted her gaze back to the podium. It seemed it was just her from her team.

It's a little strange for water attributes likes us to do scouting missions especially in lands that comprise of mostly desert. Lands that are packed with vegetation and life are so much easier for us, as life equals water.

"Hey," Flontina suddenly began whispering in my ear, "I heard about what happened last night, with Harken's temp member."

Oh, she was blackout drunk last night, so I guess Parter and Kent filled her in on what happened. When I was younger and people made comments about my appearance, they would intervene in a heartbeat. But after a few talks and my growth in self-confidence, they have held their tongues.

Though I have caught many of my party members grit their teeth or clench their fists when someone offends me.

Gods, these people have my heart.

"Are you alright?" Flontina asked, genuinely concern. There have been a few moments on our travels, that Flontina has walked into our shared room to find me in a vulnerable state. It wasn't an easy journey, accepting what I looked like.

I know I won't be the prettiest bride in the world when that day - if that day - arrives, I'll still feel beautiful.

I hope.

"I'm perfectly fine," I beam, giving her my best smile, turning back to the front to catch the last bit of the representative's speech.

"Thank you, and may the Storm Bringer protect you."

With that, we dispersed into our sub-groups, comprised of many air and earth attributes.

Flontina and I were one of the few groups of 2, going to distant oasis. If the rest of our party was here, the trip would have taken 2 days, but since it was just Flontina and myself, we can make it in 2 hours.

"Ready?" Flontina asked as she boarded her staff, sitting on it and lifting herself in the air.

"Yes," I took a deep breath, feeling the little water in the area gather around me, "Tallow let's soar."

My fateful spirit companion manifested before me. Instead of his ethereal bluish glow, he was a bit brownish gold. A lovely bronze color in my opinion.

"A familiar?" I heard an onlooker gape and a few whispers surrounded us.

It was rare for people to have familiars, as they require someone with a strong spirit and even stronger connection to their element, but Tallow has always been by my side since I was a child. His explanation is that I was chosen. Part of my destiny of sorts.

Besides, when I was young, he was using his own powers to remain in the mortal plane, so now that I'm older he's leeching off of me. I think he's just getting lazier in his older age.

Getting atop is back, I looked back at the ambassy as Tallow galloped upwards into the air, catching a glimpse of Harken in one of the balconies.

He waved at me and I could barely make out his warm smile.

Waving back, I was suddenly jerked forward as Tallow began sprinting, his aura-fur rippling in the wind like ocean waves.

"Whoa!" I cried out, clutching his fur, feeling the coolness all over my hands. I could even feel the little rumble that rolled through him as he chuckled at me, "Stop being mean," I scolded Tallow like a toddler despite him being a thousands of years old spirit, "And why are you grey anyways, I thought you use the spirit realm water?" 

"It's hard to pull water from the realm when in the mortal parallel is completely desolate," he explained, "So parts of my physical form is made from the water here, hence why I'm a bit discolored." 

"Huh," I contemplated, making a mental note for myself, suddenly realizing an important part of his role here, "Wait, will I still be able to draw water from the spirit realm?" 

"Yes," he replied, "As long as your channel your power through me, you'll be able to use as much water as you want." 

Letting out a sigh of relief, I looked to Flontina who was staring at me with a warm smile. 

"What?" I giggled, feeling a bit shy. She was looking at me like a proud parent, and it was making me feel warm and fuzzy. Though the feeling could also be caused by the early morning sun that was already pretty warm. 

"Just thinking," she shrugged, crossing her legs, casually despite us flying several yards in the air and several miles per hour, "I'm going to miss this when I retire." 

"Miss what exactly?" 

"Well, you, this," she gestured between us, "This little girl time we have." 

"I'll still you at the guild and I can visit you and Parter up north." 

"It won't be the same," she sighed, "And you know Parter is a poor conversationalist, and his servants don't really like me much. They think I'm trying to be the new lady of the house but I'm just living there rent free until I find my own place." 

"You have enough to buy your own plot of land nearby," I suggested, knowing like many air-attributes, she has a free spirit and would rather explore the world than to just settle down somewhere. But as she grew older, her energy went away as well as her free spirit. She was ready to settle down, but just was too indesisive. 

"I could," she huffed, deep in thought, her gaze drifting forward, only for her relaxed expression to grow tense as she sat up, "Good God," she exclaimed breathlessly. 

I turned to look in the direction she was staring at, noting that Tallow grew tense at the sight. 

"Oh my god."