Upon arriving in Furni, the group instantly received word from Midnight. Apparently a wolf dealt damage to the Mayor's daughter and was blocking one of his targeted places that he was trying to access. So while he waited at Dennigrad, he left them a note to handle the situation so that he could finish his research. Lapis silently convinced one of the Mercs in town to deliver a message to the smaller boy, which nera noticed had contained the paper with the info he had made on the ship. Lapis noticed his gaze before nera nodded to him. They had to get Midnight that info somehow.
They decided to help Midnight out. Since the wolf was affecting other people, it was better for everyone. Onyx was able to deal with it quickly before cleaning up the field. (Moonstone admitted that she felt threatened) They decided to head for Dennigrad before Moonstone paused.
"You guys go ahead."
"Aw, are you afraid of Onyx or don't want to see Midnight?" Pearl had to defend Cedar from the incoming blow of the deadly sword.
"First of all, me being afraid of Onyx has nothing to do with me disappearing. Second of all, just because Midnight has the skills to kill me doesn't mean anything either. So shut your trap, you old storm." nera accidentally let a chuckle out at Cedar's face. She then stepped back, putting her sword away. "No... there's something I want to check nearby. Personal reasoning. I'll catch up in a bit. And if you somehow lost both of those two in the time I'm gone, I might return faster. Nothing guarantees that." nera snickered softly as she vanished.
"Pushy."
"Don't. You are on thin ice as well."
~
Midnight was at the library when they reached Dennigrad, so they were able to talk to him.
"You're missing someone."
"She went somewhere."
"Hm." They joined him at the table before he looked up at Lapis. "Thanks for the notes. It cleared up a lot of things." Pearl frowned.
"Pardon?" Lapis gave a weak smile as Midnight held up the paper from the ship.
"This has the details of the name of the city that Obsidian went to, proof of the identity of the Black Monster, and what I'm looking for to fix the Blue-Sea Dragoon." He slipped it over as he grabbed one of the books next to him and opened it up to a marked page. "Obsidian made it to Ulara, the Spring Breath Town. That's practically a Wings of Mastery HQ if they would use it properly." He then paused. "Oh wait... never mind." He then sighed. "With the picture, it does confirm that Moonstone is the Black Monster. However, getting her to admit to that is like saying Onyx can't kill us right now." The group shared a nervous look as Onyx frowned, prompting Midnight to add; "Which is on a level of impossible that we'd rather not be on." He then hummed. "As for the spirit, most of the things in the recipe were easy to find. But I need a distraction to finish it." Pearl paused.
"Distraction?" Midnight nodded.
"The Forest of Winglies. I need to get in there to track down the last piece to fix the spirit. I have a wanted poster in that place thanks to a good for nothing rumor." He sighed. "I only have two people on the inside that trust me. I can't take that risk." He then paused. "Going off other news, I have not gotten into contact with the other Wings of Mastery. So I don't know what's going on. Yet." nera gulped.
"Then it'll be best that we go to the castle, right?" Midnight nodded as he closed the books he had out.
"I'll go see if I can get what I need from the Forest of Winglies. But if I can't, I'll see you guys on the other side."
~
Moonstone was quiet as she looked around.
"To think... almost nothing has changed."
She stared at the center of the burned town of Neet, almost seeing the battle. Her and Dijon, clashing blades while someone else pulled as many people out as they could. She was so lost in thought that someone had to pull her out.
"Hello?" She turned sharply, seeing 4 people standing there. 2 guards and two guys. The dark haired male was gripping the redhead's arm as he swayed slightly, translucent eyes staring off into the air. He seemed to be looking at her, which gave her the assumption that he could see... something that let him know she was there. The redhead spoke again, letting her know that he had been the one to speak the first time. "Who are you?"
"Sil-" The dark haired boy seemed to hiss. Ah, clearly the sword on her belt gave him the idea of a murderer. She gave a warm smile before pulling her hand away from it, now realizing that she made a grab for it.
"A traveling warrior. My apologies for seeming a threat. I best be making my way back to my allies." As she started to leave, the redhead spoke.
"You were here, weren't you?" She stopped her retreat almost instantly. "At the fires?" She paused as the dark haired boy made a noise. Not wanting to surrender herself, she spoke again.
"I was traveling from afar when I saw the flames." She turned back to the center. "One of the people inside mistook me as the attacker and tried to take me out. Thankfully, I was able to get out of there, but so many lives had already been taken by the time I got here." She sighed as he spoke.
"There were survivors. 6 people escaped." She zoned out slightly. She knew that nera was a survivor. She couldn't kill Dijon even if she tried. Then there was Rosa, who had to have escaped if she was a knight of Bale. Did nera's other parent make it? It wouldn't surprise her if that was who was running around her and Dijon's fight. That was 4. Who else escaped- She then paused.
"You were there?" He nodded while his companion kept a watch on her. Oh, she wasn't going to kill them. Not when she was in the middle of the past.
"My father died in the flames. I only lost my sight." She thought back to the fire. She remembered two people nearly escaping. She must've let the younger one go since Dijon was looking for her to fight.
"Who was the last one? I know there was a family of four that got out and two of them even came back to look for others. But-" He hummed.
"I don't know. I couldn't see. I didn't know there were others until Dennigrad's guards counted 6 less people than the population. They knew I was one, but that's where I got the number." She hummed before an idea hit her. Tempesta was a survivor and was at Dennigrad. She then smiled.
"Here. Why don't I help you back to the City? One of my allies might be one of those survivors." Despite being translucent, his eyes seemed to light up.
"Really?" She hummed softly. While his companion looked unsure, she wasn't going to kill them. If she didn't kill the redhead back when she attacked the first time, she wasn't going to do it now. Especially not with 3 witnesses with him. He survived her, so she wasn't going to change that. He then nodded. "Very well. We best be getting back anyways-"
"But Sil-"
"Hush." The darker haired boy was instantly silenced, which gave her the idea that he knew what he was doing. And if she was right, then that's where Onyx got his ability of fear from.
~
Upon arrival, she noticed Pearl and Lapis locked eyes. Clearly, they were trying to see who was going to try and convince the guards to let them see the leader. Onyx was trying to butt in while nera was asleep on the ground nearby, trying to block them out. She had a grin before she brought them over.
"Look who it is. You're all still alive." They shot a look at her as she continued. "Sorry. I thought Onyx would've sacrificed someone already." The archer instantly responded.
"You weren't here."
"Oh, so you didn't want to choose someone from the argument? Shocking." nera, at that time, was waking up slowly, so she changed targets. "You're supposed to be making sure Onyx isn't plotting my death."
"What?" The two groups snickered at the tired response as he rubbed his face. "Huh?" Moonstone sighed.
"Darn. You'd think he drained himself or something." She then added a comment, hoping to indirectly point at the merc to say that he was a survivor. "Hey, I stopped by the town on the other side of the forest- what's the name-" nera probably blew a fuse responding.
"Are you fucking with me- South or East- never mind. Neet." Onyx looked in pain as he tried to push down his laughter. It did nothing as a snicker slipped. Pearl paused.
"Oh... Neet's that close to Dennigrad?" nera got to his feet instantly, making the group step away from him.
"Have you not been listening when I say me and my pain-in-the-ass sister relocated 4 times before we got to Bale and Seles respectively?"
"Your sister only said 3 times."
"This is why she's a pain-in-the-ass. It was four. Dennigrad was the next closest city beside Furni. We came here before Furni like any survivor would since this was bigger and safer."
"You calling Furni unsafe?"
"I was 5. I saw guards at the front and thought "safety". Wouldn't you do the same thing- actually, don't answer that." The redhead chuckled at Pearl's disgruntled response. Onyx then spoke.
"Wait... what were the three locations Rosa said?"
"Uh... I don't think Dennigrad was listed-" The pain in nera's eyes said it all as he sat back down.
"I'm going to drown her-"
"You don't need to help her with that. She can do it herself." nera made no move to respond before the redhead went over to him, having pulled away from his companion.
"Survivor of Neet, hm?" nera looked up at him, confused. He then paused before he stood up again, causing the redhead to straighten up.
"You were there...?" The group was silent as Onyx glanced at Moonstone, who had a smirk written across her face. The redhead nodded.
"Second Sacred Brother Silver. It's good to find another survivor from the flames." nera took too long, so Silver continued. "Why don't we go to the inn and sit down? We can talk more there."
~
Once at the inn, the group left the two survivors to talk while striking up a conversation with the other male, who was revealed to be the Fourth Sacred Brother Gold.
"I thought you were going to kill us."
"In my defense, I was alone in a destroyed town. I thought you were attacking me." Pearl chuckled as Gold glared.
"Moonstone, you are afraid of Midnight after he brutally beat 3 bandits to the ground. I think you're just touchy."
"I've been alive for a while. Trust me when I say that people attacking me have gotten creative over the years."
"Yeah? How many survivors?"
"... 4." Onyx whipped around to stare at her.
"The- how's the number that high?"
"Don't you dare. I do not know how the second survivor lived. I can tell you how the other 3 lived, but don't ask me about the second." Cedar chuckled lightly as Gold frowned.
"What?"
"Don't worry. If she tries to kill anyone, we can take her." Onyx snickered as Moonstone frowned.
"We?" The Dark Dragoon got to the other side of the room, getting a chuckle from the others as Onyx glanced at her. "Do not think that will save you. Know your opponent." Moonstone gulped as Cedar glanced over at the other conversation, which had shifted to nera bringing up Rosa and the pain he had to endure with her.
"Pearl, nera's talking shit about one of your knights."
"He's not talking shit about Saturn, so we're fine." Onyx looked at him as he slid the arrows he was working on into the quiver beside him. Pearl went quiet before Onyx went back to what he was doing. Gold paused before speaking directly to the archer.
"Ok... can I ask something?" Onyx nodded as the silent duo shook their heads. "Is there something helping you provoke the fear in this group?"
"Besides the fact that I'm a healer and I can leave them to die?" Cedar instantly joined the other two as they internally panicked. "I wouldn't know. I'm not entirely sure." Gold paused slightly as he fidgeted with his hands. The trio had since slipped out, evading Onyx as he pulled his bow out. "Don't think you three can escape me!" The other two chuckled before going back to their conversation as Onyx sighed. "Why are you asking?" Gold paused.
"The name Onyx sounds familiar. Queen Orthoclase mentioned it." Onyx seemed to slow his work on the arrows. "The Sacred Children are adopted children after the actual heirs to the Throne of Dennigrad were lost at sea. That's the story anyways."
Onyx met Lapis's eye, who responded with a knowing look. There was no way word of the Phantom Ship's success to get the twins out of the fight was going to get back home. Midnight did say that the journal had said that the Phantom ship was a ship from Dennigrad before the Black Monster attacked it. Onyx finished his batch of arrows, slid them into the Quiver before turning to him.
"Was that confirmed?" Gold shook his head.
"We never heard from the ship again. So the Queen made the assumption that the children were gone." He then looked up at him. "Why are you asking?" Onyx kept a steady breath, unsure of how to approach the topic. Lapis finally spoke. It was quiet, but it was still heard since the only other sound was from the other room.
"We found the ship." Gold glanced at the giant in shock as Onyx took his lead.
"It became a Phantom Ship after its loss to the Black Monster, but one of our companions found a journal on board." Gold glanced at him as he sighed. "Both children survived. Anyone else on the ship fell defending them. And I have to assume that I was the Prince Onyx on board." Gold took a moment before pausing.
"What about the other? Prince Obsidian?"
"Ulara." Gold glanced at Lapis's soft reply. Onyx continued his words.
"The journal was updated from an outside source, revealing that Onyx had made it to Seles and Obsidian made it to Ulara." He then paused. "I don't think anyone would've known if that journal wasn't found." Gold was quiet before managing to speak.
"I... don't believe it..." He then paused. "Who has the journal?" Onyx purred.
"The companion that's not with us right now. You haven't met him since he wasn't with us. I'll bring it up to him when I see him again." Gold nodded as the ground trembled, alerting the group.
~
The two Sacred Siblings led them to the Queen in the Crystal Palace, where she expressed her concern of the Divine Dragon's Awakening. While the First Sacred Brother, Frost, was wary of them, Midnight was the saving grace.
"That Dragon will be back." They turned as he joined them, slightly catching his breath. Someone was clearly rushing.
"Your point?"
"Having the Dragoons front and center against it will make it harder for the king to win. And with the help of a Dragon Block Staff, the fight shouldn't be hard." He then took a deep breath before continuing. "There are 5 Dragoons in this room that can fight back, so fighting back is an option."
"6." He snapped back at the unison the others gave.
"The Blue-Sea Dragoon is still in recovery. I got my ass handed to me trying to fix it. That number will update in a bit. And unless the Golden Dragoon has appeared, shut your traps." No one seemed to argue as Lapis shook his head, confirming he had no dragoon still. "Point proven. Moving on, I know the location of the staff, the fastest route to it and how to disable the defense system with it. How does that sound for a plan?"
"You done running into walls?"
"Moonstone, you are on thin ice. I will throw you. It will not be hard to replace you. I just have to find someone that acts like you." Moonstone looked panicked as he turned his attention back to the front. "If there's no other questions, we have a dragon to take down."
~
Onyx had to get replaced. The powers from within sapped him as he collapsed. While Gold got him to a nearby bed to rest, the White-Silver Dragoon chose a replacement.
"I think not!"
"Frost!"
He looked terrified as he pulled his hand away from it. Moonstone was quiet as he shook his head.
"I-i-i really don't-" He yelped as it got closer, causing him to back up. Gold chuckled at his adopted brother's panic.
"You're mouthy today."
"Why me!?" Moonstone shrugged.
"That's like asking why most Dragoons are picky about who they chose. By the way, I still don't know why I was chosen." Cedar raised an eyebrow.
"You're ancient and you still don't know?"
"You'll retire first, old man."
"Ok Grandma." A snicker escaped Midnight as Pearl intercepted the fight. Onyx's voice filled the air as he sat up, not daring to stand with how faint he looked.
"First Sacred Brother Frost-" The male glanced at him as he attempted to escape the Dragoon Spirit. "I'm sorry about this... but if you could take my place... it would help them in the fight." Frost shook his head before Onyx gulped. In that time, Lapis had snagged the journal from Midnight and brought it over. So while the others were in a mess of fights, Lapis was joining Onyx with the journal. Onyx thanked him before handing it to Gold. Frost had evaded grabbing the spirit before Gold gulped.
"Frost- Come here." He slipped over before Onyx spoke.
"White-Silver. Back to me for now." It seemed to pause, almost in confusion, before listening to the weakened male. Frost paused.
"Wait... this is-" Onyx laid down to rest before Queen Orthoclase's voice echoed, causing the others to panic. Lapis snickered at Onyx's response.
"Wait a minute, that's my job." Lapis shook his head before Gold finally spoke.
"Well... if it's true that you are the Prince, then you got that from her." A grin slipped onto Onyx's face as nera attempted to say that they were fine.
"Tempesta nera Mignandead Avanguardia!" The Merc went into a panic as Cedar lost it. "You continue that sentence and I will not be the only one getting replaced by their Dragoon." The other chuckled as nera opted for a better life choice, which was leaving the castle with his life. "That goes for the rest of you! Watch what you say and you'd better start digging."
"No need, Onyx!" Midnight had vanished as the other three ran after them. The Queen joined them off to the side as Onyx sat up once more to try and glare. He laid back down as the Queen and Sacred Siblings spoke to themselves off to the side. Finally Frost went back over.
"I-i can't take your place- you being as powerful as you are-" Onyx sat up before smiling.
"I know... and I'm sorry. But someone needs to protect them. Whether it's from danger or themselves." Frost hesitated before Gold joined them.
"Frost, your aura will be a great help to them. Take the chance." Frost paused before nodding.
"A-alright." Onyx gave a warm smile before placing the Dragoon in his hand, which glowed warmly. He then pulled a notebook out of his bag.
"Here. Everything that I used to tease them. That should get them to listen if you need things to fire at them." Frost nodded before Gold smiled.
"You'd better get moving. They're already moving." Frost frowned before Lapis held out a hand, almost offering to guide him. Frost gulped before grabbing a small archery set.
"Ok-"
~
"The look sheerly in Lapis's eyes says that Onyx played something."
"We haven't escaped him guys. Get ready."
Frost stayed quiet behind Lapis, holding his hand while looking terrified. Midnight sighed.
"Are we ready or not?"
"Should we learn what Onyx planned?"
"Moonstone-"