After the summit meeting concluded and peace was established between the Consortium and the Union, Airo and Veralla said their goodbyes to the H'raal and left for Ouroboros. They had come aboard the H'raal starfleet again via a lasership, so now they flew once more in cramped quarters on the way back.
Veralla was getting rapidly used to the sense of weightlessness that was microgravity, and even enjoyed it. Now when she had attained all the talents of a real dragon, she appreciated the sensation a bit less, being able to reproduce it anywhere, but it certainly was more fun this way, without having to constantly concentrate. Vacuum, on the other claw, she was not very fond of. It felt strange, hostile even, causing her whole body to tense and tighten as if preparing for battle. She also could not breathe in vacuum, and it felt like she was being cut off from an ephemeral yet vital energy source. While she was mildly surprised to learn dragons did not need to breathe to survive, she certainly liked the act of breathing and the flow she experienced through it.
As she and Airo traveled back to Ouroboros, Veralla thought about all the nice H'raal who had died in the horrible battle against the Revenant. She felt sad because they had died only because they had promised to help. It seemed unthinkable to her that people would die because they wanted to do a good deed. Yet was it not sometimes exactly because someone wanted to do good that they ended doing something bad? She remembered Ferrtau's words, whispered to her so long ago: Veralla, I will not harm you. Yet if Ferrtau did not want to harm her, why had he killed so many others? Why was his soul so dark and terrible? Why had he abandoned the Way? She dwelled on those and many other thoughts, quietly musing about the world around her. So quiet, in fact, that Airo, who normally liked silence, asked her if something was wrong.
"No, I am okay," she replied. "Can we visit Nightsong once we are back?"
"Of course," he replied. "Hopefully she will get better soon."
Veralla nodded eagerly. Her mind bloomed with light and hope. She looked at Airo happily. He was more close to her than ever and she could feel his presence in her mind almost continually now, a small, yet resolute flame which was becoming brighter and warmer. She felt as if she could talk to him with thoughts alone. She smiled, joyful to have succeeded in her desire to help Airo overcome his sadness and become once more the person he had been before the tragedy that had broken him.
They returned to Ouroboros, and then used the psi-gate to travel to Ilsorin. As the two of them walked toward the medical level, Veralla grew anxious again. She hoped ardently Nightsong was better, or would get better soon, because she wanted to say so much things to her, and wanted Kiana to be happy, and wanted the other dragons to be happy, who also were concerned about Nightsong's wellbeing. She felt Nightsong as a sister, as a fellow fledgling who had endured much hardship. Veralla, too, had had many difficult moments in her life, and had managed to overcome them all – and she believed Nightsong could also do so. That was why she hoped brightly, hoped passionately, hoped very much for Nightsong to get better and become a healthy dragon.
"You are glowing," Airo suddenly said. "What are you doing?"
"Oh, oh, nothing," she replied. She used a meditative exercise to clear her mind, and the soft magenta light around her disappeared. "I was... thinking too hard, I guess?"
"Hmm. Better learn to control your new talents before they get you into trouble," he said with a stern expression, but his tone was warm and relaxed. "Huh, this is a surprise."
Kiana greeted them outside Nightsong's room. She looked much better than before, and had put on her clothes again. Veralla was slightly disappointed, because she thought Kiana looked much more beautiful without clothes. She had never fully grasped the idea exactly why humans always wore clothing, even when they did not need protection.
"Heyyy, whippersnapper! Fearless Leader!" Kiana waved at them. Her voice sounded tired, yet she smiled and her lavender eyes were full of relief. "How did the epic space battle go? You don't seem too rattled for having gone toe-to-claw with a horde of Revenant dragons."
"For starters, it was not epic at all," Airo said matter-of-factly. "The Revenant were all soulless brutality and pummeled the H'raal until they were destroyed down to the last specter. Thankfully, the planetary orbit is now completely clear of Revenant."
"Yes, but unfortunately many people died!" Veralla added with intensity. "Te'ylna Ynrolshuoay told us three million of her clan had died, and that is very, very sad!"
"Deus," Kiana said, closing her eyes. "And I thought an armada of dreadnoughts would've kicked the asses of those lightshows." She sighed. "And what of the stellar civilizations? Did you have to fight them too, to get them to listen?"
"We avoided direct conflict," Airo replied. "They have issued a formal cease-fire between themselves, and from now on will openly support us. With their aid and the H'raal starfleet, this war will be finally turned around and concluded soon."
"Thank the Great Cosmos. Finally some good news," Kiana breathed deeply. She then smiled again. "I have some of my own too, by the way."
"Oh!" Veralla said, her headcrests rising in anticipation. "Pray tell us! Is it something about Nightsong?"
"Yes, as a matter of fact. She... has finally fallen asleep."
Veralla flinched from the sudden shock, but then realized Kiana was not using metaphors. "Oh! You mean she is sleeping normally?"
Kiana chuckled, albeit a bit forcefully. "Yes, she is. It happened just as you departed for deep space, and hasn't wakened since. Which is... what? Twenty hours? I freaked out at first and almost went mental with worry. Thankfully, Tehalix reminded me this was barely more than half a day, but I'd become so used to Nightsong mostly napping fitfully for a few minutes at a time I thought it was a halt-state or something."
"Can we see her?" Veralla asked.
"Yeah, sure. Come inside."
Kiana led them into the room, which was much more spacious than before. Tehalix and Lung were there, and for some reason Alomar was also present. The blue-and-white dragon was lying in the far corner, watching the healing pool where Nightsong was. Airo and Alomar traded silent stares, and then nodded almost imperceptibly to each other. Tehalix waved heartily, sitting on her knees next to the healing pool. Lung turned her horned head and opened her jaws to greet them, yet a muted fist-smack from her soulkin stifled her words.
Nightsong floated in the center of the pool, a buoyant pillow put under her small head to keep it above the healing waters. She looked peaceful and relaxed, her wings and tail splayed wide, like a draconic lily in a tiny pond. Veralla was so touched by the image she hrrr–ed.
"Oh! She is so beautiful!" she exclaimed, and then grabbed her snout in shock. Her words had echoed loudly in the quiet room.
Nightsong hrrr–ed softly and stirred. "Oh, whippersnapper," Kiana groaned in despair and went to her. She patted the tiny hatchling on the head. "Shhh, sleep now, my dear, sleep..."
"But I don't want to sleep," Nightsong said. "I'm hungry."
Kiana froze, astonishment and shock written on her face. Veralla also felt the change in Nightsong's voice, and her breath halted. Nightsong hrrr–ed again and stood on her legs. She yawned widely, and then shook her head and wings, opening her eyes.
They were red.
Her scales had lost their ghostly pall. They were still pure white, yet now they reflected the light like pristine mountain snow. She was not shivering anymore. Nightsong curiously looked her body over, then turned to Kiana. "I'm not cold anymore!" she announced happily.
Everyone in the room stilled. Then, an enormous wave of relief and happiness washed over Veralla, nearly overwhelming her senses, as the others rejoiced about Nightsong's recovery.
"You are well! You are finally well!" Lung rawr–ed with delight.
"Way to go, little one!" Tehalix cheered.
Alomar rumbled in what was both surprise and elation.
Kiana was in tears.
"Nightsong! Oh, Nightsong!" she cried, throwing her arms around the dragonet. "Great Cosmos, thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"
Veralla could not control her emotions anymore. She lunged at Airo, who was standing calmly with a warm smile on his face, and hugged him with all the joy and love that were swelling inside her at this beautiful moment.
And he hugged her in turn.