Felix hugged Zira's neck tightly. Not for safety, but for comfort– Her comfort…

They, along with Kyrith, had made their way back, taking it slow and steady. None wanted her to relapse and Felix kept a close eye on her mind. She was nervous, fearful that she'd suddenly snap once again. It was his job to keep her calm and to watch for any signs.

We're almost there, he softly mentioned. You're doing good.

The manor and clearing were in sight, only a few hundred yards away. Yet, at the pace they moved, it would take them several long, hard minutes to reach it.

We– I can go faster, Zira offered, though her emotions flared at the thought.

It hurt him to see her like this. You don't have to hide it, I know you're worried. We'll stay at this pace.

But–

Felix interrupted her. It's okay, Zira. No one is judging you. If you rush this…it might not end well. Take your time and breathe. Remember, I am safe and sound upon your back.

He felt her take a deep, deep breath, held it, and then steadily exhaled. Her nerves calmed into something easier to manage.

Good. Just keep breathing like that and follow Kyrith.

Upon hearing his name, the ember-colored dragon glanced back at them. Don't worry Zira! I will lead us straight to the Hatchery! I'll make sure you don't see anything–

Kyrith… Felix gave him a warning look. He was doing his best to keep Zira from thinking about anything unsavory.

Oh, right… Forget that last part! Just follow me…

Felix let out a tired sigh and leaned his head against Zira's neck, finding comfort in her cool, smooth scales. He needed her just as badly as she did him.

We're two needy souls, he thought grimly. Two needy souls whose worlds were shattered– Or nearly shattered.

It wasn't just Watcher's death that he was reeling from. It was Fea's as well. She was…gone. He felt the hole where she once occupied and it was now, in this quiet moment, when it started to register for him.

What have I done? She's… He shook the thought from his head. He needed to focus on Zira, to keep encouraging her.

In a bid for distraction, he entered her mind quietly and floated there. He said nothing, he did nothing. Only watching as she repeated some mantra to herself.

In… Out… In… Out… In–

His consciousness cracked a smile as he pulled himself closer to hers. Don't mind me, keep going.

She gave him a mental nod and continued. In… Out…

Felix stayed like that, enjoying her closeness until he felt a nudge from Kyrith. Hmm?

We're here!

Pulling away, he peered out from over Zira's shoulder. Indeed, they were at the edge of the clearing and the Hatchery was within sight. However, that wasn't the only thing he saw.

Scattered across the entire place were elves, dwarves, gnomes, and golems. Everyone and everything was out there assisting with the clean up. And there was a lot to clean up.

We're not getting this done tonight, he realized, looking up at the setting sun. Once again, it looks like we'll all be sleeping out in the open. Not that he minded of course. Him, the dragons, and Eri had already planned on sleeping together tonight…

Once they crossed the threshold of the forest, Felix whispered to Zira. You've done it. We're in the clearing.

She came to a quick stop and peered around, looking confused. Oh…

With some concern, he checked on her mental state but found that she was merely relieved. He gave her a pat on her shoulder. I knew you could do it.

Y-yeah… Right. She took one final deep breath and moved forward, each step gaining confidence. Before long, she was striding through the clearing.

Smiling, Felix sat up properly in his seat and continued to take in the scene. Yes there was a lot that was destroyed, but so far there were no other deaths other than–

No, focus on the positives, he said, reprimanding himself. Thankfully– Or rather, worryingly, he was soon to have a lot more to think about…

As they made it in between the Hatchery and the manor, people started to take notice. It wasn't long before whispers turned into murmurs turned into shouts and calls. The word 'Champion' was used quite a bit.

Waves of people, predominantly elves, began to descend upon them. They surrounded the three and most dropped to their knees either by kneeling or praying. The scene left them all in a state of pure confusion.

Uh, Eri? What's this all about? he asked, as the crowd began to chant his name and title. And yet, still more people were coming…

Remember when I said they were in awe? Well, this is what I meant. Congratulations, Felix, you really are our Champion.

Yay… He was not thrilled by this in the slightest but the moment he moved upon his perch, the crowd fell silent. Great, now they are expecting some kind of speech…

Wearily, he drew a smile and straightened himself as best he could. "Today," he started awkwardly, "was a…defining moment for us. Yes, a lot has been lost. Yes, this was a disaster. But! It will not stop us. It will not delay us. We have much to do, much to rebuild. But our plans have not changed! Tomorrow, Her Majesty will be crowned. Tomorrow! We will have our kingdom! Tomorrow! We will have a home!"

The crowd erupted in cheers and Felix saw an opening to escape…

Kyrith led their march towards the, yet again, destroyed camp. Already, people were working on setting up new tents. Where exactly they got them, he didn't know. The extra supplies they had were almost assuredly ruined along with everything else. But he had to give it to everyone, they were resilient.

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That thought made him feel proud. Proud to be here. Proud to be a part of this. Proud to stand among them all. If we can weather everything that's happened so far, I believe we might just have a chance when the Holy Triumphant arrives.

Of course, this latest attack had made it abundantly clear, there's more that needed to be done. They needed trained soldiers to keep watch and patrol. The training, so far, was not enough. It needed to be sped up and focused. A tall order, but one that had to be done.

That means no more part-time training. We need a dedicated force– Even a small one would suffice. Felix's thoughts turned towards Eri's guards. They were about the only ones who fit that description and even then, barely.

A royal army… He let out a soft hum. I remember all the training I received from…back then. I might be rusty, but I think I can manage putting together something like that.

It was with that determination in mind, that they came to a stop. Before them were Eri, Oralyn and her partner, and the rest of Eri's retinue. Chief Mari in particular had a fire burning in her eyes.

Maybe I can use that? She's dangerous but…I think that's what we need. He slid down Zira's side and onto the ground. All he took was a single step before his vision suddenly turned blue.

Startled, Felix jumped back and right into Zira's leg. He blinked, his mind raced to register what happened. In front of him was a woman. A woman who brimmed with excitement as she stared at him.

She was tall, nearly the same height as him, and had on a dark blue robe with a matching dress underneath. Her long, brown hair flowed behind her, cupped by her ears– Her round ears.

Yet Felix knew it instantly. She was no human, she simply couldn't be. What gave it away were her inhuman eyes. They were ruby-red and faintly glowed.

A dragon… His expression became serious. "Hello–"

"You're him! There's no doubt about it! You're Felix, the human everyone's been talking about!" she shouted out with glee. A moment later she was in his face again, closely inspecting him.

"Hmm… Fascinating!"

A warning growl sounded out from behind him. It was Zira as she was making it well known that she wasn't thrilled to have another of her kind so close to him.

For a second, Felix worried that this strange situation might've caused her to have another terror. But, upon a quick peek into her mind, he found that she was being her normal, over-protective self.

The ruby-eyed woman peered up. "And you must be his partner! I must say, you look a lot like your mother!"

Zira's eyes narrowed. "You know Ithea?"

The woman scoffed as she backed away. "Know her?! We've been friends for a millennia! Well, I consider her a friend… She might disagree though. And don't worry, I know how defensive you bonded pairs can get. You're not the first I've met, you know?"

Zira didn't look convinced, but Felix immediately became interested. "You've met others like us?"

"In the past– It was a long time ago…" Her expression fell to a sad smile. "But, yes, I have met others like you and your partner." She gestured over to Kyrith. "And him and Eri."

He nodded, remembering what Chief Herrin had told him. "What exactly happened to them? I've heard that they fled before the Holy Triumphant formed."

She shook her head. "It was centuries before that. But…" Trailing off, she glanced up to the tree canopy in the distance. "A tale for another time."

Her somber expression immediately changed back to her excited one. "I nearly forgot to introduce myself! I am Zephyria but, please, just call me Zeph." 'Zeph' extended out a hand, forgoing the traditional elven bow.

Felix raised a curious eyebrow but cautiously accepted it. "Felix," he said. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

She gave him a bright smile as they let go. "No! The pleasure's mine. Ever since I heard you showed up, I've been dying to meet you."

"Oh? What for?" he asked.

Zeph opened her mouth but stopped short of speaking. It looked as though she was debating something before she finally answered. "It's no secret to the other dragons, but I have a…certain interest in humans. Even now after everything they did. I can't help it, I find your kind to be fascinating. But, besides that, I have heard of your exploits. I know what you did to save us and our Queen."

Hearing about Fea made his heart sink. It was something he hoped to deal with later, but now it was starting to sound impossible…

"She's not entirely gone," Zeph said out of nowhere. "I can feel it– Her. A fraction of her soul is still there."

That caught him off-guard. "W-what? How… How do you know any of that?"

"What can I say? I love to people-watch, especially humans. You are easy to read, and I don't just mean your expressions. It isn't necessarily a bad thing either."

Felix looked at her, stunned. "Are you saying you can read my mind?"

She laughed and Zira growled once more, taking a single step to put herself between the two.

"Not at all! But…" frowning, she trailed off. "It's like I can feel a connection to you. Something reminiscent of Fea. Have Ithea and Yarnel not noticed that? Actually, you've met Lorenzen. Has he not?"

He slowly shook his head, wondering what that could mean. Please don't tell me it's connected to the whole Dragon Lord title– Another thought occurred to him then, however. Wait, did she say there's still a fraction of Fea's soul left?!

Hope filled him as Zeph continued speaking.

"I suppose they aren't nearly as observant… Well, that's the best way I can explain it, I feel something similar to what I felt with the Dragon Queen–"

He decided to interject. "What do you mean there's still a part of Fea's soul?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. Like I said, it's…strange. But I'm certain of it."

Maybe I can do something about that–

Another woman stepped up, clearing her throat. It was Eri and there was a mixture of nervousness and annoyance in her emotions that leaked through the bond. "Zeph. While I understand that you wished to meet with our Champion, I'd say you've accomplished that. I don't mean to be rude, but it has been a rather trying day for all of us. And, if you don't mind, I'd like to spend the rest of it with my soon-to-be husband."

Felix gave her a confused look, something felt off about her response…

Zeph's eyes widened. "Right! Your wedding is tomorrow!" Now, she gave a formal bow to Eri. "I apologize." She turned back to Felix. "We shall speak more later, after everything settles down. I can't wait!"

Before he could get a word in, the ruby-eyed woman vanished. He brought his attention back to Eri. "Everything okay?"

"Yes."

He wasn't convinced. "You sure?"

She grabbed his arm and pulled him close to her. "Am I not allowed to have some…" …alone time with you?

He perked up at that but a frown soon came to his face. As much as I want to, there is a lot that needs doing. I should really help and… He let out a disappointed sigh. I have a lot to think about.

Eri let go of him and he expected her to feel dejected. Instead, however, she felt relieved.

What is going on? he wondered to himself. Eri was definitely acting strange…

"You're right. I hate it, but you're right." She allowed a small smile to cross her lips. "But we will have our honeymoon to look forward to. I'd like to stop at that lake and maybe spend a bit more time there."

He matched her smile with a bigger one. "Yeah, I'd like that too."

"Oh! Oh! Does that mean we can have a bath?!" Kyrith asked excitedly. Even Zira peered down with a hopeful look.

"I'd like one as well… It has been a while, after all," she added.

Both Felix and Eri broke out into laughter.

"Of course!" he answered. "We have to make sure our little prince and princess are taken care of!"

Kyrith looked offended. "Hey! I'm not that little! I am quite big in fact."

Zira gave a toothy grin. "Nor are you a prince. If I remember correctly, we made you the court jester!"

The sound of laughter intensified, echoing off the manor…

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