Thomas screamed as he jerked his body up, breathing heavily and sweating profusely. He was momentarily disoriented by the dark room when he felt someone grabbing his wrist. He was prepared to defend himself, already priming his fire spell.

  "Thomas! Thomas, calm down!" exclaimed a familiar voice. "You're gonna burn my whole house down!"

  Thomas regained composure when he turned to face the person calming him down. Then, he noticed his hand glowing, and realized that he was getting ready to cast a spell that, while small, could damage the house of the man who let him stay for the past week. He immediately dispelled his spell, though it took him some time to slow his breathing.

  "It's just a nightmare," said Thomas, gulping. "Just a nightmare...."

  The man, Bartlett Evans, proceeded to take a nearby dry cloth to wipe his young friend's forehead. Thomas took the cloth, saying thanks afterwards.

  "I'll get you a drink," said Bartlett.

  "N-no," stammered Thomas. "I'll get it myself. Sorry for waking you up."

  I don't mind," said Bartlett. "Thought you better tell me what's wrong."

  Thomas poured himself a glass of water from a nearby jug, which he had enchanted earlier to give him a refreshing feeling while also purifying the water from any foreign materials and elements that he learned could make a person sick after drinking them. Even if Bartlett claimed that the well water was clean enough to drink after boiling, Thomas was not convinced, not after the knowledge he had in the Academy.

  As he drank the refreshing, magick-enchanted water, he felt himself calmer. Once he felt he was ready to talk about his nightmare, he drank the rest of the water in the glass and set it aside on a table.

  "I thought...I thought I moved on from that tragedy," said Thomas. "Must be the stress."

  "I can understand," said Bartlett. "It's been a stressful week for all of us. Not to mention...."

  Bartlett did not wish to continue his remark. The topic of recent revelations were still too sensitive for Thomas to deal with. All he could do for Thomas was to sympathize on his behalf. Then, there was the condition her sister is currently in, one that must have worried the young mage greatly.

  "It's always the same nightmare," said Thomas, folding his hands. "I tried to forget it. To forget the blood and the way my brother...no, it wasn't my brother. My brother would never...."

  "Brother?"

  "Robert. A good man, though understandably wary of magick." Thomas shook his head. "When the attack happened, it started when a Sybarian disguised in Robert's skin killed my father. It was a blur after that. Perhaps my mind did not wish to remember such a harrowing moment."

  Bartlett put his hand on the young man's shoulder in an attempt to calm him down. Thomas accepted it, knowing that he was not alone this time. While the recent revelations had made him wary of being tricked again, he felt he could trust Bartlett on account of his continued sympathy and understanding after he lost everything once again. In the process, he also learned about Bartlett's past, and along with it, came a feeling of mutual understanding.

  "How do you cope, Bartlett?" asked Thomas. "How do you cope...after Rogaria?"

  Bartlett's answer was an honest one.

  "I couldn't," said Bartlett. "Hence why I took dragon slaying jobs. Part of me blamed myself for failing to save those gnolls until it was too late. It cost me my relationship with Eliani, one that clearly still haunts both of us. She still refused to talk to me beyond anything related to her job."

  "I still wonder how you managed to find a Kal'Adre as a lover," said Thomas. "She is admittedly attractive, though."

  Bartlett chuckled. "She's too old for you, kid."

  "I'm not saying I fell in love with her," retorted Thomas. "Still, it must have been awkward to have met her this way."

  "Yeah. It does," replied Bartlett, all while he let out a sigh. "Only time will tell how things will turn out between us. In the meantime, I better find something to do around town. With Henrietta incapacitated, it feels wrong finding work outside of town, vulnerable as she is."

  The mention of Henrietta gave Thomas an idea on how to spend his waking hours free from the nightmare he had just dreamed about. The faint glow of sunrise from the east meant that it was already too late to go to sleep again. He was never a late riser, as waking up late would only make him feel like he wasted his early morning times staying in bed. Even when he had no classes, he would wake up early just to experience the Academy early in the morning, along with the town around the academy.

  And from that habit of waking up early, he proceeded to begin the habit of having an early morning walk. This presented a perfect opportunity for him to do so.

  “Hey, Bart?” said Thomas. “I’m going out for a walk, okay?”

  “I’ll come with you,” said Bartlett.

  “Oh, but you don’t have to.”

  “I insist. This isn’t the right time to walk alone, Tom.”

  Thomas had no choice but to agree. Despite wishing to clear his mind, he still had to face the fact that Aldimar was heavily guarded. Walking in the early morning alone without a good reason would be seen as suspicious.

  And so, the both got dressed for a morning walk. Despite the summer weather, the air was cold like a springtime morning, causing them both to wear cloaks to keep the warmth in. The streets were empty except for the presence of guards and constables. Only Bartlett's status as a trusted individual and a hero enabled him to walk without being questioned too much. Thomas was vouched by Bartlett, so he, too, was not being questioned too often.

  He considered walking beside the beach, but then remembered that the scenery was sullied by the shipwreck that also blackened the seawater. It was still being cleaned by the mages employed by the dragon rider division stationed nearby, along with assistance from nearby affected towns. The process was long and unfruitful, though it had only been a week. Thomas considered volunteering in helping them, just so he could distract his mind from recent events.

  But before that, he should pay a visit to his long-thought dead sister.

  "I'm...going to Henrietta," said Thomas. "Will it be okay?"

  "Of course, it will always be okay. She's your sister, Thomas. What other reason there is?"

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  Thomas smiled. As they walked, he started to talk again.

  "I was talking to myself when I say if it's okay," said Thomas. "I believe she's my sister. I want to believe she is Henrietta. But part of me doubt it. The idea of her surviving as a dragon is...is preposterous."

  "Why not? There has been stories of heroes being cursed into animals for their hubris. While I'm sure her situation has nothing to do with hubris, if there are stories, then it must've happened before."

  "Latranians have shamans who can turn into their true forms. But cursed into a dragon? I still have a hard time believing that. The energy used for that transformation is impossibly huge."

  "She's not as big as some dragons."

  "Dragons are magickal, fire-breathing creatures, Bartlett. Nobody can transform into one without sacrificing another dragon. I'm sure as a Manarithian, that's out of question for you."

  "It is. Then again, I'm inclined to trust her."

  "Why?"

  "I never know dragons who can set up traps and talk to you while no dragon can. Besides, what she claimed turns out to be the truth, as admitted by the people who were hunting her. She did try to undermine the fact that she was a former princess, and honestly, while I believe her as a human cursed into a dragon, it's still difficult for me to be convinced that she is a princess."

  "And it's up to me to confirm her claim, isn't it?"

  Bartlett nodded. "Glad it turned out well, huh?"

  "Except it's all for naught, isn't it?"

  Bartlett shook his head. "The fact that you two managed to talk, if only for a moment, is enough," he added, while glancing towards a nearby shed. "She's in there. It should give you some privacy."

  Thomas followed Bartlett's gaze towards a lone shed. It stood facing the now-blackened sea and was right in front of the pier, now full of mages busy purifying the area. It was not a sight both men wanted to see on their morning walk, so they turned their eyes away to focus on the shed.

  Bartlett still possessed the key to the nearby door, which he proceeded to unlock. Inside, there was a rumbling noise of a sleeping creature, which slightly intimidated Thomas. Only the presence of a familiar fox and the dragon who was his sister did he calmed down.

  "Shana," said Bartlett. "I don't know you're here."

  "I have always been here. What are you talking about?" replied the sionnach. "Just because the area's guarded, doesn't mean she's going to be safe. You should give more attention to her safety if you truly care about her."

  "Sorry," said Thomas. "I don't know how bad the situation is."

  "You should. The Sybarians are the least of your concern."

  "Maybe it's better if we just...take a walk outside and let him have his privacy," said Bartlett, eyeing Henrietta.

  Shana did not have to say anything else but to silently nod and walk past Thomas. Aware that the young man needed something optimistic to hear, she said, "The princess is stabilized for now. I made sure there are no traces of the poison left in her body. She'll regain consciousness once her body is healed."

  "Is there an estimate?"

  Shana shook her head. "It depends on her will."

  Thomas did not like that answer, but he had no choice but to agree. The fight was no longer theirs. It was Henrietta's. He wanted to help for the best of his ability, and right now he only has his words to go by.

  He glanced at Bartlett, who silently nodded, understanding the need for his privacy. He beckoned Shana to follow him outside, where they exited the room and closed the door behind them.

  The room was silent but for Henrietta's rumbling snore. Thomas had a mental image of seeing Henrietta doing such an ungraceful thing, and it amused and lifted his mood somewhat. He soon dispelled the image, aware that the fact remained that she was not going to wake up soon.

  "Hey sis," said Thomas, smiling. He wasn't sure why he smiled towards a sleeping dragon, nor was he sure whether she was listening. That greeting was the only the he had in mind before he stopped to ponder on what he should talk about to his comatose, draconic sister.

  After a while, he found the words he wanted to tell her. Beginning with his current situation.

  "I'm...alright, if you're wondering," said Thomas. "Hopefully you're listening in your dreams, if that is possible."

  He paused, gathering his words. Then he continued.

  "Shana told me you will be alright. I'm sure you have a strong will if you were able to survive in the wilderness as a dragon. But we...I...I don't know if my words are going to be enough. I don't know if the poison...or whether you'll still....dammit."

  Thomas started to shed some tears. “Henrietta, I feel lost. I’m scared and angry and tired with all the bullshit. It feels like fate is toying with me, returning you to me and snatching you away just as quickly. Two years of my new life came crashing down, and all I ever do is having nightmares! I still can't do anything! I still can't protect you, just like back then!"

  He stopped when he realized he raised his voice. In front of him, the sleeping visage of his draconic sister continued to sleep undisturbed.

  "I want to let go," he continued after lowering his voice. "I want to live the best of my life, far from all the losses. Far from all the deaths. But in the end, it caught up. Rory, he...once told me that all I'm doing is to prepare when it inevitably finds us. He also promised that I shouldn't have to bear the pain and loss all alone. He promised a lot of things to help me...but right now, I'm not sure why he did that. It should be easier to just get it over it, sparing me from pain."

  Thomas inadvertently became curious as to what was Rory's motivations. He wished he could just disassociate himself with him after he revealed who he really was to him. But those words he told him before he surrendered, it made him think. Perhaps he truly was looking out for him. Perhaps he hid himself to spare Thomas from anguish. Whatever the reasons were, he would not get the answers unless he could overcome his trauma to face a member of the race that brutally massacred his family.

  Knowing that he was on the verge of losing himself again, he tightened his fist, regaining his composure, giving himself a resolve that he needed to move forward, this time without being helped by others.

  "You have always been the warrior, Henrietta," said Thomas. "And I thank you for saving me back then. I know it's too late to say this to you, but I maintain my belief that you will wake up one day to hear me say it by yourself. Until then, let me be the warrior that protects you, Henri. Let me repay the sacrifice you made two years ago."

  He was thinking hard about the decision he was going to make. The morning walk gave him the inspiration he needed to look beyond all the lies, and to reflect on himself. He could not depend on anyone for much longer. He must learn to stand on his two feet and be a competent mage. He had to be strong, for the sake of Henrietta, and for his own survival.

  And the first step he could take was to walk to Bartlett and tell him what he had in mind. The older man and Shana listened as he spoke of his intentions. It amused Bartlett.

  “You want to learn proper combat spells," said Bartlett, repeating what Thomas said of his intentions. "It's a good idea, but why, may I ask?"

  "You saw how lacking I was during our short adventure," explained Thomas. "I know my role is as a support mage, but I need to be able to fight and learn what it means to be an adventurer."

  "Being an adventurer doesn't not necessarily include knowing how to cast destructive spells," said Shana. "Sometimes, your tongue is your weapon, and the results may be surprising."

  "Then will you be willing to teach me?" asked Thomas.

  "I don't think it's going to be a good idea," said Bartlett. Shana simply glared at him for not agreeing with her idea. "Let me contact someone I know. Perhaps he might be able to assist you. He's the person I trust that can teach you spells you might need."

  "Oh, sure," said Shana with a huff. "Ignore me. What's wrong with charming people, anyway? You might learn things that you can use to talk them out of fighting."

  "It doesn't feel right doing that, you know," said Thomas. "What if I dug out some embarrassing secrets?"

  "That's the point!" she groaned, slightly disappointed by Thomas's unwillingness to do such a thing. "You know what, fine. You're still far too innocent to learn anything, anyway. But...it's not like I'm not going to help if you decided to follow my idea. Who knows?"

  Shana smirked and simply walked away, leaving the two men behind. Bartlett sighed, knowing the fact that, being a faerie, it was always her nature to be a trickster and a manipulator. Part of him still had reservations towards her after what she did to him and Henrietta when she was still called the Witch of Carlesian Mountains. Besides, she still hadn't told him about what she knew about Vyrnian magick, the type of magick that created the collar that sealed Henrietta's fire earlier in their adventure.

  But that was a problem for another day. For now, he had a promise to fulfill to his new friend. He beckoned Thomas to go with him, but Thomas shook his head.

  "Shana is right," said Thomas. "I'll stay beside Henrietta to keep her safe. You go and do what you have to do, Bart."

  "Okay, then," said Bartlett. "There's a living space beside Henrietta's space. Use it as you desire."

  Bartlett gave him the key to the living space and excused himself. Thomas smiled and nodded to him before he turned towards the space to check it out, while Bartlett walked home to begin writing his letter.

  Hopefully, Rodvar could help and send it to Grant. He only hoped that his old friend did not refuse on account of living his peaceful life. They needed his help, now more than ever.