Etherno: Rise of the Dragongirl

Chapter 4: Bandits? In MY City? (It's More Likely Than You Think)

Onin looked around. It didn't seem like Saija was coming back. He spun in a circle—all the thugs had disappeared. He sighed.

"Well, looks like they all got away. Anyone injured?"

"No," Cerina said.

"Aww, man!" Tannin held the tattered remains of his shirt out in front of him. "This was my best shirt!"

Cerina smirked at him. "You wore your best shirt when you knew we were out here to be bait? You are an idiot."

"Onryu, are you hurt?" Onin asked.

"Mmm, hot and compassionate!" Onryu sighed. "Too bad I have to leave. Yes, I'm fine. See you around."

"No, wait!"

It was too late. Onryu had already taken to the air and was gone in a flash of light. Onin frowned at the space where she had been. One day, he'd get some answers from her. He sighed and sent a servitor out to search for Kasai. Something fishy was going on between those two girls.

Onin ignored Tannin and Cerina's arguing and strode off in the direction he'd last seen Kasai. For an S-class, she seemed to have a knack for getting knocked out of a fight. A second later the servitor came back and blinked at him before it popped.

Kasai sat behind the next tree, her hand to her forehead. Onin squatted in front of her.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Just a headache." Her eyes stayed focused on the ground. "Sorry. I wasn't much help tonight. Is everyone okay?"

Onin frowned, then stood an offered her a hand.

"No one's hurt, but the bad guys got away."

Kasai took his hand long enough to pull herself up, then released it.

"I'm sorry," she repeated, her voice soft enough that Onin had to strain to hear the words.

"Well, maybe if you'd worn something sensible," Onin heard Cerina say. She stood with her nose inches from Tannin's face. She stopped and turned to look when Onin and Kasai emerged from the woods. "Found the klutz, huh? You know, if you'd come back here and, you know, helped..."

Kasai burst into tears and ran off.

"Cerina!" Onin glared at her. "She's hurt! And you don't need to criticize everything! The two of you report to Professor Jekao, I'll get Kasai."

Onin ran down the street. He paused at the first intersection, and peered down both streets. He didn't see footprints, or any other signs that anyone had taken either route. He didn't hear crying or pounding feet. He sighed and sent out another small servitor. It was back in seconds. Onin turned down the right-hand street. Kasai sat with her back against a building and her legs drawn up against her chest with her arms wrapped around them. She sniffed and wiped her eyes.

"You don't have to come after me," she said.

Onin sat beside her, pulled a tissue from his pocket, and handed it to her. He opened his mouth and then shut it again. He should say something, but nothing came to mind. Besides, she seemed to take everything he said wrong anyway.

"I'm sorry," Kasai said after a few minutes. "You've been nice to me, I shouldn't snipe at you. Actually, I shouldn't be that way to anyone, but it's hard when everyone eventually turns against you, you know?"

"I do. I was the only giftling in the village where I grew up. Small town, only about a hundred people, so everyone knew everyone. My parents were farmers that lived a few miles out from the village, so that already made me an outsider. It got worse when my gift developed early."