Bryce's expression shifted between shame and hurt, and L almost wanted to smack the look off his face.
"I came after you as soon as I could. We need to talk."
Bryce moved towards her, but L backed away. She tried not to feel anything when she noticed the pained look on his face, he didn't deserve her sympathy or her understanding. She turned toward the remaining Wyvern, who had taken flight to get away from Bryce and his sword.
"I don't want to talk to you. Go home."
L launched herself toward the flying beasts, her renewed anger spurring her on. One of the Wyvern swooped down at her, and she skidded to the ground, just missing the talons but managing to claw down the creatures abdomen with her good arm. The piercing scream followed her, ringing in her ears as she turned and dove out of the way of its tail. She watched it rear around to face her, blood spewing from its stomach.
"This won't end well for you," the Wyvern hissed.
L smirked and readied the abilities she'd planned earlier.
"L, please! We need to discuss what happened." Bryce called in between strikes at the Wyvern he was fighting.
L scoffed, "No, we don't. You made it perfectly clear where I stand! Just go home!"
L couldn't bear to look at him, she turned and ran at the Wyvern. It looked surprised by her choice but was still on the attack.
"I didn't mean what I said, I made a mistake. I'm sorry!"
Bryce slashed at the Wyvern in front of him, receiving a whack from its tail but managing to cut a chunk from its left side. The creature skipped several feet away, hissing and gnashing in Bryce's direction, but ceased its attack for now. Bryce took the opportunity and ran to join the fight.
"I don't care!" L shouted, avoiding the Wyvern's snapping maw and punching it in the face when it came back around. "Nothing you say will make up for what you did."
L felt her heart clench, but she forced herself to ignore it. Ducking when a Wyvern tail slashed through the air towards her. Bryce was suddenly there, and a severed Wyvern tail landed at her feet. He stood in front of L, sword in both hands, his eyes on the fight, but his head slightly tilted to L.
"I let my parents, Torias, their crap about taking the throne one day, I let it all get into my head. I'm not perfect, L, and I am sorry for how I spoke to you. I didn't mean a word of it."
He shot the sword out just as the maimed Wyvern flew at him. He must have anticipated it and reacted accordingly. Even without magic, he was impressive and downed the creature for good. Not that L would admit it right now; she couldn't even look at him in the same way.
Instead, she scowled at his back and dove around him. Pushing off from the ground with Ogre strength, she flew over the dead Wyvern, putting the last one between her and Bryce.
"Stop arguing, pitiful creatures. We see why he wants you all dead."
One of the Wyvern hissed in L's head, she had no idea what it was talking about, and she didn't get a chance to ask. The remaining Wyvern flew at her without warning, L felt the claws catch her arms before she could dodge them. She felt the sharp piercing of her flesh and screamed in anger. It was carrying her up in the air, and she didn't want to think about why. She kicked her legs back and forth, gaining momentum until she could kick it in the face.
"He'll be happy to have you now." The Wyvern suddenly sneered.
L couldn't tell what it meant, and she wasn't curious enough to care. Whoever it was talking about probably wasn't someone she'd want to meet.
The sound of whistling shot through the air all of a sudden, and the Wyvern shrieked so loudly L's ears hurt. She caught sight of something sticking out of one of their wings. The silver blade glinted, and L recognised Bryce's sword. He must have thrown it, but having no magic, she couldn't see how he would have managed. Whatever the cause, it worked, the Wyvern was losing altitude. It flapped its wings furiously, but it was pointless, they were going down.
L tried to wrestle herself out of its grip, she wouldn't crash to her death with this thing holding onto her. She swung her legs up and managed to hook one around her arm. She kicked out, finally managing to wrench one of her arms free- the blood may have made it easier. The Wyvern screeched at having lost its hold of her, but there wasn't much it could do with a busted wing. L sneered and clawed at the other leg with her free hand, leaving four deep gashes. The Wyvern let out a wail and must have decided the fight wasn't worth it, letting her go with a cry of anger.
L let herself be caught up by the wind, taking a steadying breath she transformed until her Dragon wings unfurled behind her. She sighed, calming the adrenaline pumping through her and made a beeline back to where Robbie was.
She landed next to him and glared at their surroundings; several dead Wyvern and a cautious looking Bryce. L leaned over to check on Robbie, who was still out cold.
"Is he alright?" Bryce asked tentatively.
"He'll be fine. Thanks for the help, you can go now."
L didn't look his way, focusing instead on trying to wake Robbie up.
"L, please. I'm truly sorry for how I treated you, I know I made you feel bad, and if I could go back-"
"Feel bad?" L scowled and turned on him, crossing the distance in one step.
Bryce actually looked somewhat unnerved, and L was almost satisfied.
"You didn't make me feel bad. You made me feel as if I was nothing to you. You made me feel like a stranger, an outsider. You made me feel the way people have all my life. I never, ever expected that from you, Bryce. I don't care what your reasons are, I don't care that you're sorry. We are done here. Go. Home."
L punctuated the last two words with a jab to his chest.
Bryce looked broken by what she'd said. His eyes never left hers, but his were brimming with tears. L thought he might argue his case, make some excuse or joke about it, but his next move shocked her. He fell to his knees in front of her, his head bowed, and L could see the tears starting to fall.
"L... I... I know now my apology will never be enough to undo what I did. I know you must hate me, and I don't blame you. If this were any other situation, I would do as you say, I'd do anything for you. But I won't leave you to do this without my help, not after everything we've been through. Not when it's going to be dangerous."
He inhaled a shaky breath, and L almost wanted to hug him, but she held fast. Bryce's eyes slowly raised to meet hers, the tears fell thick and fast, and the pain in his expression made it clear he knew just how badly he'd hurt her.
"You may not want me around, but I won't let you go without me. I'll protect you and be there for you, and when it's all over, I'll leave you alone if that's what you want. But please, let me do this, let me help you find your parents."
L took a deep breath and stared into his eyes for the longest time. He didn't say a word and just let the tears fall silently. Despite her mixed feelings, L really wanted to hug him and make him feel better. Maybe it had been a mistake. All the pressure from his parents, from his whole kingdom, it was bound to have an effect. But that didn't mean she could just forgive him. He hurt her in a way she never thought he would. Her trust in him was fractured, and she wasn't sure how to feel about him.
She wanted to tell him to go away for now; she didn't want to see him and be reminded of what happened. She needed time to figure out her feelings, but the situation didn't allow for that. She knew she might need his help, Robbie had already been knocked out once; what would she do if something similar happened on the other side? A third set of senses and abilities would be beneficial.
L rubbed her face and crossed her arms.
"Fine, we do this together as planned. But -" She held up a finger before he could say anything. "You and I, we are over. I can't be in a relationship with someone who can just disregard me so easily. I'll get along for the sake of finding my parents and our safety, but that's it."
L knew it was harsh, but it needed to be said before he got any ideas that she forgave him.
Bryce's expression was pained.
"I understand." Was all he said.
He didn't get up, and the tears flowed silently down his cheeks.
L turned away before she gave in to her weaker side and went to Robbie again. She started to slap his face a little harder; she was worried she might bruise him when he woke up with a start. He bounded to his feet, looking ready to fight, only to realise a little late that it was over. He scratched his head and winced.
"Are you alright?" L asked, watching him carefully for signs of concussion.
Robbie nodded, "I'm fine." He said casually.
Everything changed however, when his eyes landed on Bryce, his expression turned thunderous.
"What are you doing here?"
He glared at Bryce, and smoke started blowing from his nostrils. Bryce slowly got to his feet while L was holding Robbie back.
"I came to help, and to apologise. Though I realise now I don't deserve L's forgiveness. I still want to help rescue her parents and keep you both safe where I can."
Robbie looked ready to punch him, but L pushed him back gently.
"I said he could stay and help. That's all there is to it. Now, we need to get going before anyone or anything else shows up."
Robbie nodded, and his glare quickly faded. L would have made a joke about him being 'hot headed' but this wasn't really the time. She picked up her bag and found supplies to bandage her wounds. They weren't serious, so it would suffice for now. Once she was done, she headed for the nexus without another word. Whoever followed was up to them. She had to focus on the quest now and hope they hadn't wasted too much time fighting the Wyvern.
They reached the edge of the mountain moments later, and the nexus was shimmering brightly ahead. They each stepped out onto the large boulder, bringing them closer than L would have liked, all things considered. But she could feel the vibrations beneath them, this wasn't the time to hesitate or feel awkward. She pulled the two vials from her bag and turned to face the guys, carefully handing Robbie his potion.
"According to Emrik, if we want to arrive together in the same place, we have to enter together."
They knew what she meant and held their vials up.
"Last chance to turn back." L warned, not looking directly at either of them.
"Not a chance."
"No, we're doing this together."
L nodded and held up her own vial. "Okay, on the count of three."
L counted them down, and they drank in unison, finishing the whole vial as instructed. L was surprised by the sweet flavour, just a little glad that it wasn't banana. The effect was immediate, the drowsiness overtook them, and L would have been concerned about falling to her death, had she not noticed that her feet were falling asleep. Or were they just numb? She looked down and realised she couldn't actually see her feet anymore.
L's vision was blurred, but she was sure her feet had sunk into the boulder. Her mind was foggy, but she remembered Emrik's words in the back of her mind. She just had to let it all happen and let the sleepiness take her. Her eyes were barely closed for a second when she was slapped by a sharp gust of wind. L stared in shock at her new surroundings, no longer standing on the boulder that held the nexus.
This landscape was darker and harsher, a mountainous region, but with volcanic eruptions that L witnessed as soon as she opened her eyes. The air was hot and thick with ash, and there was a slight orange haze that lit up the cloudy sky. They were standing on the lip of one of these volcanoes, except this one appeared to be dormant. L stared around, so this was Paguea? Or at least a part of it, she knew it could change so quickly. And with that knowledge, the idea of being this close to a volcano didn't seem like a good idea.
"Let's get away from here." L suggested to the guys, who were eyeing the area like she had.
They picked their way down the side and scrambled to reach the bottom. The terrain was rocky, and there were no signs of life in any direction.
"Where do we go now?" Robbie asked of L.
His face almost appeared as if it were glowing, and L smiled to herself when she realised this place must feel amazing to him. A Dragon surrounded by volcanoes must be like a kid in a sweet shop. He wasn't feeling the overbearing heat or holding back a cough thanks to the densely saturated air.
L stared around them, "I'm not quite sure. I'm hoping my parents planned for this, just like they did with everything else. But if this place is as ever changing as we've heard, there's no telling whether that will still be an option."
L frowned at their surroundings, her parents wouldn't lead her somewhere dangerous like this with no way forward. Suddenly, something let out an almighty crashing sound nearby, and their heads spun to find the source. It wasn't immediately clear until Robbie began pointing.
"There, this volcano, it's glowing."
L followed where he pointed, seeing the glowing splashes of liquid fire peeking over the top. The volcano they'd just been standing on, the one they were currently at the base of, was about to erupt.
"Okay, let's get out of here and find somewhere stable to plan our next move."
"Should I transform?" Robbie asked eagerly, eyes darting to the volcano with an odd sort of twinkle.
L's brow furrowed as she stared up at the dark, ominous looking sky and back to their surroundings.
"I think it's probably best we keep a low profile. We don't know what creatures live here, and I don't want something to happen while you're up there alone."
Robbie seemed like he was going to say something else, but he gave an odd look towards Bryce and then looked away.
They moved as fast as they could now, running away from the volatile volcano and weaving around the base of the next one. A thunderous noise rippled towards them, and they glanced back to see the scorching lava bursting from the top of the volcano. It carved blazing paths down the sides, heading for where the three of them had just been standing. L was sure she could feel the heat even from where they were; it shouldn't have been that strong.
"We need to get further away. I don’t know what it is, but I have a bad feeling."
Even as she said it, she noticed how fast the lava was moving. It wasn't the natural pace; it almost seemed like it was chasing them somehow. They turned tail and ran as fast as they could through the numerous volcanoes. A second roar boomed from somewhere ahead, and they stopped in their tracks. Directly in front of them, another volcano was erupting, and it was about to block their only way through.
Three volcanoes also stood to each side of them, but no sooner had L thought to climb one than she heard three simultaneous rumbles.
"I think these volcanoes have it in for us." L called out over the sounds of eruptions.
The volcano in front of them had erupted, the lava was spewing in every direction, and smoke choked the air.
"L, I have an idea, but you're not gonna like it." Robbie shouted, his eyes sparkling with excitement.
L had a feeling she knew what he was going to say, but she gestured for him to continue anyway.
"If I transform, I know I can protect us from this lava. We'll be able to get through."
L shook her head at the expected idea.
"No, it's too risky, we don't know that this lava is the same as back home. It's already acting differently."
She looked to the lava coming from different directions. It glowed menacingly and rolled towards them, almost as if it was aiming for them.
"But we can't just sit here and do nothing. You don't want me to fly, and we can't walk as we are, so what do we do?"
L tried to think, she could try transitioning to Dwarf skin, but she had no idea if that would be enough, and she wouldn't be able to carry both Robbie and Bryce. She turned to the latter, who had been silent since they'd arrived.
"What do you think?"
Bryce looked surprised to be asked. L may not like him very much at this moment, but he was experienced and intelligent, and she needed that.
"I think Robbie might be our best option, whether that's flying or walking through that."
He pointed at the ever advancing lava to emphasise his words. His tone was soft, but to the point, he was also trying not to let emotions get in the way.
L sighed, turning to Robbie, "Fine, we'll try it your way. Both are dangerous, so which would you feel more comfortable with?"
There wasn't much time to discuss this.
"I know heat, I can tell how hot it is, and I'll be good, great even. I can walk through it, then we'll only have one known threat to worry about, instead of whatever might be up there."
He sounded eager and wasted no time in transforming. He huffed a happy little snort and flexed his wings, leaning down for them to climb on.
"This feels amazing! It's so cosy and warm."
He communicated to L while she climbed up onto his back.
L smiled as she got herself situated, "I'm glad you're enjoying it, just please be careful. If it starts to hurt, then we can just fly. I'll deal with the consequences."
"No need, we'll be okay."
He was so sure of his words that L didn't question him again. Once Bryce was seated, Robbie flexed his wings and suddenly raised them up and over L and Bryce, creating a canopy to shield them from above.
"For any wayward splashes." Robbie remarked, his tone playful.
L smiled and patted his neck, "Okay, let's do this carefully." She said it aloud to make sure Bryce knew they were about to head out.
She felt his legs tighten instinctively next to hers and tried not to feel anything towards his protective action. Robbie was too distracted by the heat to notice her emotions, for which she was grateful.
The lava was almost upon them now. The heat was stifling, but Robbie's wings were mostly blocking it out. He took a step forward, and then another, his hesitance seemed to be in relation to them being on his back. The rest of him seemed to want to dive right in like it was a swimming pool.
L felt the sweat dripping down her back and braced herself for what might come.
"This is gonna be so nice." Robbie stated.
And with that, he trudged into the boiling lava.