What is this going to mean for Jae-ha then? Calista asked herself, grinding her teeth as she struggled to come up with an answer she could accept.
But that confirmed her earlier theory. Southern Kai was using the people of the Water Tribe as rats to use it to spread around that horrifying drug, with hopes that it'll infect all the citizens of Kouka and weaken them enough for them to swoop in and take control of the kingdom.
"Once you realize, many people in Shisen are already past the point of no return." The man declared sadly.
Yona's face had turned ashen at the weight of his words.
Calista couldn't stand it anymore. Her heart ached something terrible and wrenched in her chest painfully. She had to do something.
"Zeno—"
Without even looking her way, he spoke firmly. "No."
The quiet utter didn't catch any of the others attention but it was unyielding and Calista shrunk back, desperately wanting to put up a fight but knew that she shouldn't. It never was a good idea to go up against him when he got like this.
So she gave in, knowing that he would always try to help her and let her do things to save others, but would stop her when there was no point. She hated that this was one of those times.
She still wanted to try.
Yoon stared straight ahead. "It looks as though you haven't taken any nadai, aren't you going to run away?"
The merchant shook his head and gave them the first smile they've seen since he this interaction had started. "I've been doing business here since I was born. No matter how rough it gets here, it'll always be my hometown. I can't easily throw that away."
Calista could respect that. A wistful smile graced her lips as she recalled all the fun times she had in the Wind Tribe when she stuck around for longer periods of time after Mundok had talked to her.
She missed them all greatly.
Oh my, hometown? She smiled to herself. I've never thought of it like that before. I'll have to tell Gramps when I see him next.
Her silver eyes clouded and she frowned.
If she was still alive by then.
"Also, those Southern Kai bastards have expanded their dominance. The market here is in shambles though." The friendly merchant spat with such venom that she couldn't help but feel for him.
For someone to grow up in this town and have something like this plague their beloved hometown, she could empathize with him.
She believed him.
Kija was noticeably disheartened by all of this. He had heard so many stories from people who had been outside of his village and had been looking forward to seeing the lush land so much but it was no longer here.
"I can't believe the Water Tribe, known for its peacefulness and its beauty, is being chipped away by this kind of disease." He said, disbelief lacing his tone.
Zeno patted him on his back to comfort him.
Yona waved goodbye to the merchant, thanking him for his time and the helpful information. "Let's look into it a little further."
Calista rushed after him as he left in the opposite direction they were going to head in, ignoring the confused calls of Kija and Yoon. "Excuse me, sir."
He turned around curiously, motioning for her to ask whatever it was that she stopped him for when she paused.
Bowing at the waist, she politely asked, "May I know your name?"
He raised an eyebrow at her as she lifted her gaze. "Why?"
Calista shrugged. "I'd like to know the kind man who cared enough about his home to tell us what was going on."
He remained stiff but she swore there was a flicker of warmth in the depths of his eyes.
"Who's asking?"
She grinned behind her mask. "Name's Notch, sir."
His expression cleared instantaneously but not in a way that she had been expecting. He didn't look scared of her.
"Bold name to go by. I hope you understand the weight of it, youngster." He warned, wagging a finger at her.
Calista inclined her head and he nodded slightly in approval.
"You can call me Dao." He responded, eyes shining with unspoken wisdom, then jerked his chin in the direction of where her friends were waiting. "If you are who you claim to be, then take care of those close to you. There aren't many who can."
She bowed again, thanking him. "Yes, sir."
There was almost a jovial skip in her step as she made her way back to the rest of them, not answering Hak's questioning look as she struck up a conversation with Zeno to ease the dreary atmosphere.
Yona smiled as she watched her friend interact so openly while they were out in public. She had longed to see her carefree again and even though she was sure that this was for their sake rather than hers, she was still glad to see it.
She squeaked as she was taken by surprise. A hand clapped on her shoulder and spun her around forcefully.
In a flash, Calista drew her daggers, aiming the sharp tips at the stranger's neck but as soon as she saw who it was, she sheathed them with an curious arch of her eyebrow, an amused smile playing on the corner of her lips.
"Jae-ha!!" Yona cried out, surprised to see him.
Calista snorted as she saw the whole picture.
Yona's expression turned puzzled as she saw who was being dragged behind the green dragon, clinging to his waist, his legs sprawled behind him "... And Shin-ah."
"It was a rough game of tag." Jae-ha huffed, insisting Shin-ah stand up now that they've landed.
"Sorry, Yona..." Shin-ah apologized guiltily, ashamed he couldn't stop him from coming.
It was a battle to see if Jae-ha's dragon leg or his dynamic vision would win.
Every time Jae-ha tried to pass him, he had blocked him, his reaction time on par with the green dragon's but that grew old very quickly. He really was insistent on leaving and them not investigating the town.
But when he jumped out of the window, Shin-ah had taken off after him, forgetting that he didn't have a dragon leg like he did.
Jae-ha had glanced over his shoulder, he nearly crashed in midair again when he saw the blue dragon taking a tumble down the shingles and face-planting into the cobblestone. He landed quickly, running back to him and frantically asking if he was okay.
He was beside himself with worry when he didn't answer him or move, internally exasperated at how much of a handful they all were. They always did foolish things like this without thinking, thinking first with their heart and then with their head.
But Jae-ha froze in place when Shin-ah's head whipped up, golden eyes boring into his soul as he used his power on him. In a second, he had paralyzed him enough to grab ahold of his ankle and climb up to his waist, trying to weigh him down so that he wouldn't jump again.
It hadn't worked.
Jae-ha wailed about how that method of capturing him was so unfair, taking to the air again but being extra careful when he landed. Just because the blue dragon had attached himself to him didn't mean he was going to stop looking for the rest of them.
And that brought them to the present. He was lucky Shin-ah had pointed out where they were or else it could've been hours before he found them by the limitations of his own, normal eyes.
"Jae-ha, you shouldn't be moving around." Yona scolded lightly, worried about him but trying to hide it.
He never liked them worrying about him. She was tempted to giggle at how similar he was to her bodyguard and the fighter in that way.
"You as well, why aren't you staying put?!" He shouted at her, hands clenched into fists at his sides. "Stop sticking your nose into this town's business!! It's too dangerous!!"
Kija moved to interfere as the tension rose but Calista held him back, interest piqued. Something in his tone gave away his distress, his despair.
He's worried he won't be able to protect her...
She smiled sadly to herself, heart twisting painfully in her rib cage.
What a familiar feeling.