It's early morning, Lexy heard no barking and with a sigh, she looked at her half empty medicine bottle. “Hopefully mom will send a refill soon” She mumbled quietly. Lexy put a smile on her face and grabbed her bag of equipment before she headed out of her room and walked downstairs, Varikin following quietly behind.

The two head down the hall and into the dining room to see Thokath and the others were here. Lexy sits by Varic and Carin. Carin begins ranting about progress with her golden orb weaver research and other arachnids.

Lexy finished her breakfast quietly, “hey Thokath after you are done eating could we go for another round of chess?”

Thokath, brought out of his trail of thoughts looked up with a slightly nervous expression “o-oh sure” Lexy stopped there in thought and looked up at Thokath something seemed to vary off about him. He always has a proud calmness to him but today everything about him seems a bit off that Lexy cannot just shake off. Like the person, she was staring at is a dull copy of the original.

Lexy frowns but decides to make nothing of it. She gets up and goes to set up the chessboard. Lexy set up the coffee table with the board despite disputes from the maids after ten minutes. Thokath comes and sits down at the table still holding a nervous expression. Lexy puts on her best stone face she has learned from sense last time.

Thokath makes his first move. Lexy analyzes the move and it doesn’t hold the possibilities of routes like his other moves. The game ended quickly, something was clearly off with Thokath. The strangest part was that she won

Lexy gave a firm look, “Thokath are you alright it seems like you’re going easy on me?” Thokath shakes his head no “n-no I am just distracted today”

Lexy noted in her head how Thokath’s entire demeanor was different. The way he holds his head and his hands. It was all different, “Varikin it is time to go, well this was fun Thokath, but I’ve got to go now”

Thokath gave a soft smile, “yup see you later.”

Lexy and Varikin exited the mansion and head outside Lexy huffed,

“Something is up with Thokath today.”

Varikin raised a brow, “like how something was up with you yesterday? Eh, let it pass. I bet he will be back to normal tomorrow.”

Lexy nodded and the two entered the forest. She closed her eyes and thought of the rebellion’s door. But the second Lexy opened her eyes she was hit by the smell of smoke and chemicals. Followed by the roar of explosions and giant plumes of smoke trailing from the city of charter

Lexy’s eyes widened and the two rushed into the base. Their comrades were either already suited up or working on it. Lexy quickly gets suited up and then rushed up to Leo who was handing out weapons and equipment “what’s going on?”

Leo huffed, “no time you can either help or stay here and just hope for the best” Leo then handed her two gas masks. One larger than the other, “The big one is for Varikin.”

. Lexy nodded and took the mask not sure why she would need it or her friend. She then spots Alcore. She rushed up to him, “Alcore what can I do?”

Alcore looked at her with a straight face while he handed her a piece of equipment that looked like an earplug, “I need you along with the group heading out to get any survivors out of there before this turn to any more casualties go quickly also Leo has established a set of comlinks. It goes in your ear” He gestured to the group heading out.

Lexy nodded and grabbed one, put it on, and then helped Varikin with his gas mask. The duo rushed to join up with the group he pointed to who was leaving out the front door.

Lexy hopped onto Varikin’s back and the two followed the group heading out to the city under attack and now that they're closer she realizes what looked like a giant plume of smoke is really a flying warship. “Does anyone know what’s going on?” She said with wide eyes as she put on her goggles.

One of the members turned to her “oh hi last-minute assignment kid?”

Lexy nodded, “yea just got here.”

They nod “I don’t know either we just all got assigned as the cleanup crew.”

Lexy tilted her head “clean up?”

They shrugged, “yea we just save whoever is still alive. While someone covers us. But usually, they assign the wonder wolf pairs with the battle zones.”

With that, the group began to enter the city and everyone else put on masks. There were burning buildings up ahead but that’s not what she finds herself gazing at. She’s staring at the lifeless, open-eyed bodies of nearly all ages. Lexy’s read about war and the horrors it can inflict but this. This is nothing compared to ink on paper. This doesn’t bring her to tears, it brings her to anger.

Lexy snorted out a puff of air and clenched her fists to the point they're shaking, “how did they die?” She said in a strained voice while trying to keep her anger and magic at bay.

The group took a sudden halt before they could answer as Lightning crackled when Jennie came rocketing out of an explosion. She then charged back into battle, her spear crackled with lightning when she clashed with a large dragon. The dragon blooded snorted out smoke and took in a deep breath. They exhaled an inferno of deep-blue flames at her, and then sparks flew from their blades.

Jennie stared down her opponent and quickly touched her com unit when she slid back from another fire blast, “Alcore they sent some of their best we... We won't hold that long if. But we do have her”

The others in the group frowned, “common there won’t be any survivors here” The group did their best to get out of that fray seeing one of their strongest struggling, they found it troubling.

The group found a small group of survivors. Most of the group needed immediate medical attention. “Lexy stayed here and covered us and we were going to bring these guys to the docks in the river. Tell us if someone is coming.”

The whole group left as they put the survivors who couldn’t walk on Varikin’s back leaving her to her own devices. “Great” Lexy mumbled already having trouble with her temper today.

That’s when she heard talking and one she came to hate with a living berthing passion, “Yes, set them up in the town square while my specialists and the soldiers keep them busy.”

Lexy narrowed her eyes and began following her way to the source. She got to the point where she can hear it clearly now. She stopped at the corner and took a quick peek. The blood king was talking to one of his generals.

Right, when Lexy was about to touch her com unit she stepped on the end of a rake and it snapped up hitting her on the face with force. Lexy was not prepared for that and stepped back with a yelp into the open. Her eyes narrowed with the rage of a thunderstorm when she saw the king smirking at her. But before he could say anything.

Lexy quickly pulled her father’s blade from its sheath and with a yell, she slashed the air sending a slash of her dark purple magic at him.

The blood king’s smirk grew when he calmly deflected the magic with a small swipe of one of his fingers. The magic landed on a building and took out a section.

Lexy’s eyes widened, “wait what?” She was sure her magic had gotten stronger. But compared to the king it seemed like she was still at square one.

He just bursted into laughing. “Oh, did you really think I would fall for that so easily? That’s the same thing you did when we met. Little rebel you know I can tell you have great magic but what’s clear to me is that you just have not used it to its full potential.”

Something clicked in Lexy as she realized the potential for her veil hopping. Now it’s her turn to smirk, “you want to see more of my magic? Then here you go!” Lexy rushed at him and right when she was about five feet away. She thought about her world and went to punch the air and then used her magic yet again. Lexy appeared right in front of the king and went to punch him with all her might.

The king blocked it with his hand. Lexy knew her magic that was bottled up felt like a raging sea but compared to the blood king’s her magic felt like a drop of rain against a tidal wave.

The king tilted his head and his expression amused “oh I see.” the king grinned when he dropped her. Lexy glared at him, “sorry that’s all the magic I know your highness” venom practically dripped from her words. Lexy stood up griping her father’s blade fiercely

The king merely chuckled, “no I can tell; someone knows when another has similar magic. Which is why you’re so interesting”

Lexy’s glare hardened, “which is why you’re a psychopath” she spit out blood when she yet again sent another slash of magic only for it to be deflected and consume a building.

Lexy could feel the king’s grin from his voice, “Psychopath? Oh, no little one I just like to go about things differently. It’s not my fault others are delusional idiots and I’m the one who understands perfectly.”

Lexy brushed herself off and that’s when she heard some explosions from battles around the town. Lexy heard a beep come from her intercom. “hey”

It's Alcore “Lexy can you hear me? I know I told you to go with a scouting group, but I need you to send your special version of hell down on these guys. Lexy do you copy?”

Lexy glared at the king when she slowly pressed the com in her ear. While he looked at her confused, “hey guys sorry, but uh there's a nasty-looking nitwit in front of me and I need help making his highness face look worse.”

***

Jennie’s eyes widened when she heard this from the coms, “Very well then” she glanced at her opponent. The dragon blooded smirked, “ready to die rebel scum?”

Jennie glared and grabbed her spear, electricity surged from her veins and danced over the spear, “the only scum I see here is you and you’re king!”

Jennie threw her spear seemingly missing her target. The spear goes past the general and explodes a water reserve sending water all over the general. The general smirks “what was that I'll tell you what that was- “they're cut off.

Jennie put out her hand and smirked. Her markings glowed and summoned her lightning into thousands of spears floating above her ready for her command. The general’s eyes filled with shock and now it was Jenny's turn to smirk, “bang” The thousands of spears hit the general and surrounding water.

The general’s body shakes and then drops to the ground dead. Jennie walks past them “go burn in a hell trash bag, in need to regroup with the others.”

***

Lexy continued fighting the blood king. She sent flurries of her magic at the blood king who merely deflected the attacks. “I want to know what you are fighting for?”

Lexy glared, “Go burn you nitwit, I know you kill rebels why haven’t you killed me yet?”

The blood king chuckled, “oh I have my reasons besides I think it would be more enjoyable to watch them squirm as they try to save you and I just can’t wait till the day you’ll be like me. But it will already be too late.”

Lexy glared at him “like hell I am anything like you. You’re a monster that just sees people as pawns to a game. I care for the safety and the future of these people. They deserve a hell of a lot better than this. To be killed and you know what I don’t give a dam for your stupid game!”

Lexy smirked as she closed her eyes. She cared about getting away from this guy and began to think of home. Lexy teleported back into her regular large country town but wasted no time. Lexy ran halfway down the block and then teleported back to reality. Lexy looked back at the king only to see him smirk and laugh.

She shook her head and continued to run. Lexy needed to get back to her group, “why couldn’t I have just listened to them” She started with a sour tone.

“ya, that’s the problem with you little rebels you have resistance so dead set you sometimes.” The blood king hummed a tune as he quickly leaped in front of Lexy, “You know I wouldn’t stick around for too long, the place is going to blow” The king said with amusement when he stairs her down

Lexy’s eyes widened when she saw the king standing before her, “what! Why? the citizens have nothing against you, you’re a maniac!”

The king smiled, “oh I prefer creative also to answer your question, this town has been plagued with rebels and seems to be the source of nearly all this mutiny so I took all those loyal to the crown out of here and left those neutral or against to die from gas or die in the explosion. The rebels themselves. It was inevitable that they would flock here like moths in search of survivors only to die with them. Of course, a new town will be built afterward."

Lexy glared at The blood king fury of thousand suns burned in her. She let out a yell of rage, “I WON’T LET YOU!” Lexy put her hand out without knowing why, it felt like instinct. She made a circular motion in the air. This created a glowing floating purple portal-like object and then made a push motion.

The object of magic made a high-pitched charging noise for a split second and then it released a purple lazar larger than it right for the king’s head. The king moved out of the way but not fast enough. The lazar hit his left ear leaving only a singed half ear. The king brought his hand up to his ear or the stump of what’s left.

As if someone had drained Lexy's energy, she was unable to move. Looking down slowly she saw that her hands had been burned at the tips and some other places.

The king begins laughing maniacally as blood drips from his head, “well that’s one way of confirming things so I was right. Oh, look, it's your saving grace!” At the end of the road was Alcore but no one was with him. Lexy looked at him and was filled with shock.

Alcore began to walk toward Lexy and the blood king fire burned in his eyes when he unsheathed his sword, “surrender before I kill you and this all will be a lot easier!”

The king merely rolls his eyes, “oh yes the guy obsessed with killing me. Get in line you idiotic boy”

Alcore charged while he took out his sword and seemingly at first was slashing at air until it extended to hit the king. This creates a cloud of smoke and Lexy looked with horror when the blood king spread his tails out and stopped the blade with one. He chuckled and stepped out of the smoke, his eyes glowing red. His horns were now out.

Alcore charges forward and his sword clashes with the king’s tail blades. It sounded almost like the gnashing of teeth as the weapons clashed. The king then sent Alcore’s blade flying to the side. Alcore’s eyes widened while the king smirked and to Lexy’s horror he pulled out the blade infused with her magic.

The king chuckled darkly like a panther that just caught its prey. He smiled, “let’s see if you can walk away after this boy.” He quickly made a long cut along Alcore’s face starting at the forehead and then down to his chin. Leaving behind a thin tendril of Lexy’s magic.

Alcore screeched in pain and backed away as Lexy can hear the harsh hiss of burning flesh. He was used to pain but, this felt like hell. He goes to touch the wound only for it to burn his fingers. Alcore flung the magic onto the ground. One eye opened another closed. He couldn’t even audio a response.

well I have to head back home I will come back with extra supplies tomorrow, so I just need to go find Varikin” Alcore nodded

The two then hear a loud crash as they see a giant dragon leap and take a bite out of the now fleeing warship. Lexy looked with wide eyes, “what the hell!”

Alcore smirked, “That’s Lexy, seeing an opening, quickly pulls out her father’s blade and sends an attack at the king. The king dodged with ease but it forced him to let go of Alcore and the magic hit the base of a building. This caused it to collapse, “That was interesting. shame the blade ran out”

The blood king then looked to Lexy an eerie look in his eyes, “but I know where to get more welp it was fun seeing you again, but I’ve got things to do, people to see, folks exterminate ta-ta” and with that, the king was gone before she or Alcore could blink.

Lexy still couldn't move, she was screaming at herself to move! To do something but whatever she did took a lot out of her. “Alcore he’s not the problem the whole city is going to blow! Get the renegades to find the bomb and get rid of it before it’s too late I’ll be fine”

Alcore looked at Lexy and saw she was not bruised besides a bit ruffled and looking tired but ok and not dead. Alcore was filled with relief before he touched his com “Fendres were on a crunch they left a bomb strong enough to blow the city we need to find it now”. His voice was rough and tired.

His com gave a beep “roger that” Alcore turned his attention to Lexy and walked up to her “you ok can you move?”

Lexy chuckled, “yes I am fine, just tired, but I’ll be ok. I got separated from my group when I encountered the king, he is, to say the least, a bit on the strange side. But your face, what was that? Shouldn’t you have healed by now?” She said trying to sound like she doesn’t know anything.

Alcore gave a shaky sigh, “I don’t know but it hurts like hell.”

Lexy finally found the strength to move and dusted herself off, “where are all the refugees going to go, I don’t expect them all to join”.

Alcore’s com beeps it was Fendres, “hey Alcore we found it this thing is big, but we already have Leo on it. The timer is at twenty minutes so everything is going good now or as good as things can be right now Jennie, Kuma and Jackson are taking care of any remains of the soldiers. I have pilots organizing lines for those wanting to join, live in the black markets, or stay here.”

Alcore sighed in relief, “alright good job. What about that warship is that gone?”

His com beeps before Fendres replied, “you will find that Jackson will take care of that.”

Alcore nodded, “good” He glanced at Lexy. She let out a long breath and then turned to him “ So Alcore are you rely set on killing the whole royal family?”

Alcore’s expression darkened to one of revenge “they killed my dad, my little sister, and my stepmother, my birth mother died after I was born. They killed my family by burning them alive. SO, yes. I'm not resting till they're all gone.”

Lexy scratched her arm as worry swum through her gaze, “Then who will be king after they're gone, you?”

Alcore looked to Lexy and nodded,

“either that or someone better.”

Lexy looked away, “ok, what the heck is that!” she said with wide eyes when she watched a giant dragon tackle the airship. Fire bursts into the sky followed by an angry roar.

Alcore smirked, “that's Jackson's dragon form.”

Lexy’s jaw dropped, “ah I see. Well, I’m tired and I need to find Varikin. Oh, and Alcore thank you. Make sure and go see a medic for that wound it doesn’t look good”

Alcore noded “Yea, Yea and you’re welcome.” and walks away.

Lexy sighed and looked around the smell of blood and gunpowder filled her breath. Chemicals from explosions and dust from destroyed houses. She takes another sigh and begins looking for Varikin. Her stepped echo around the collapsed buildings, the piles of ash and she found this silence disturbing. Lexy entered the central square to see Fendres organizing lines of recruits and those wanting refuge. While Alcore is at the emergency medic bay.

Lexy shuddered when she saw the growing pile of dead citizens and some fellow soldiers. She felt a pat on her shoulder and turned to see Reba and Espa. Espa in her wolven form. She saw Reba say something and the blond turned to Espa confusion on her face.

Espa looks at Lexy, “I’ll tell you here and now. You’ll never unsee see the hell their willing to put people through”

Lexy could only nod when she let a tear fall off her face. “they gassed the civilians... That’s why they told the cleanup groups to stay on the edge of the city. Isn’t it?” hatred in her voice.

The wolf could only nod “yes, the gas disperses quickly though. But I hear what you’re saying. But if I may ask, where is Varikin?”

Lexy huffed, “We got separated in the conflict. I came here to look for him. If you see him can you tell him I’m looking for him?”

Reba and Espa both nod “Very well.”

Lexy smiled, “thanks.” Lexy walked up to Alcore who has an eye patch over his face. “hey you found Varikin?”

Lexy shook her head, “no I haven’t found him. But I have a question for you.”

Alcore looked at her “ok shoot.”

She huffed, “Do you have a burial ceremony for the dead?”

He nodded “we used to have a special burial site by the four seas. We had to stop because it was too open. The tradition was we burn the bodies and then bury the ashes. Now we save the vests and weapons. We're going to hang them on one of the walls in the base.”

Lexy nodded, “understood. See you later, Head Captain.” Alcore looked at Lexy with shock; she's never addressed him like that before. He could only watch when she walked away.

Lexy resumed wandering around the town and saw some rebels helping citizens put out the fires. While some were moving the dead bodies onto carts and being brought to the town square. She keeps looking until she sees Jackson covered in blood and leaning against Saylis who is in her human form. She rushed up to the two, “Captain are you going to be alright?

Jackson nodded, “yea, the blood isn’t mine if that’s what you’re worried about. Transforming just takes a lot out of me.”

Lexy nodded, “understood but have either of you seen Varikin?”

The two glanced at each other “no we haven’t sorry.”

Lexy sighed and began walking to the edge of the town when she heard it. The sound of children playing. She followed the sound to see a bunch of kids having fun riding and hopping off Varikin. Lexy smiled. “Varikin” she called. Varikin parked and walked over to her.

The children hesitantly fallow and one comes up to Lexy “s-sorry we played with him”

Lexy gave a shocked expression, “I don’t mind I just need to go and need him back”

The kids gave smiles and went to play. Varikin looked at Lexy’s roughed-up appearance, “did you get in a fight?”

Lexy chuckled, “ya I fought against the blood king himself, so I am just fine” her voice laced with sarcasm.

Varikin stopped his expression filled with astonishment. “so, you survived a battle against the blood king and the third encounter at that. Plus, you are not missing a limb or an eye, damn. Did he walk away without a scratch?”

Lexy scratched her arm, “no actually”

Varikin perked, “rely now, do tell”

Lexy shrugged, “ya I may have burned off half his ear”

Varikin laughed “ok how did you burn off his ear”

Lexy started walking “I apparently can make floating purple disks that shoot lasers”

Varikin shrugged, “whelp now you know you can do more magic and knives and arrow stuff”

Lexy nodded, “Let's head home. Tomorrow we need to bring more supplies.”

The wolf nodded. “yea but don’t you need to change out of your uniform?”

Lexy stopped, “oh yeah. Here.” Lexy began taking off her mech and unzipping her uniform.

Varikin’s eyes widened and he looked away. Lexy tilts her head “what I wear my clothes underneath. I’m not naked.” She hopped out of her uniform and folded it up.

Varikin looked back up and sighed, “oh I see.”

Lexy put her uniform into her bag, along with her mech. She sighed “alright let's head home.”