Hans never thought he would start trusting a demon (even if he was just a half-demon) after everything he had witnessed and done. He fought and killed many of them ever since he landed on Angla and took over the port town from them. Then, he started killing more demons and their hellhound supporters, thinking that they were nothing more than servants of the hellish army. But, after talking with Ifrit and learn that he had been through a lot and he did genuinely love Lilac, he wanted to rethink his standings with them. In fact, he knew it would be against his sister’s wishes that the two ended up as enemies. Still, after seeing how Ifrit could easily lose his temper, he still had his reservations.

Nevertheless, he was willing to take his chance with Ifrit. Maybe it only happened when someone was accusing him of something he did not do. He and Lilac, at least from what he could see, seemed okay.

With the Arbal situation already dealt with, and Stadelitz also recovering, he and Adeline stayed for a while as the town repair the damage of their town before they decided to fly around the region to assess the situation. Hans invited his sister to ride on Azureath, with the dragon not minding. Lilac, however, did mind.

“Consider it an honor to fly on the back of a dragon, little one,” said Azureath upon sensing Lilac’s hesitation.

“B-but…if I fall….”

“I won’t let you fall,” said Hans. “And I trust Azureath. I can make a comparison with trusting a horse, but she’ll—”

“Do not,” said Azureath with a growl.

“B-but she isn’t…I mean, we are flying over the clouds, aren’t we? That’s much better than—”

Azureath growled, silently warning Hans not to continue.

“J-just relax and let me lead you,” said Hans. “Azureath knows a first-timer when she sees one.”

“How can I? This is my bloody first—”

Lilac was surprised when Azureath opened her wings and beat it. First, Lilac gasped as the jolt of her first dragon flight surprised her. She quickly became concerned when the land slowly became smaller and smaller as they rose to the air. She tried not to scream, yet it only made her shiver from fear. Only Hans’s fur-covered hands calmed her.

“The first time I got a ride on Azureath, I was being carried inside her claws,” he said, reminiscing. “It’s certainly not a pleasant ride, especially when she dumped me in the frozen sea.”

“Good thing I am merciful,” said Azureath. “Otherwise, you’d break a couple of bones if I dropped you on the ice.”

Lilac let out an audible whine when she wondered what Hans did to anger Azureath, only for her brother to laugh it off.

“We didn’t exactly start the best of friends, and I almost died trying to convince her to help us,” said Hans casually. “But that’s all in the past, right, Azureath?”

“Maybe for you, little one. If it wasn’t for Adeline, I would not offer my backs to the three of you and be a reclusive dragon to this day. Her courage appealed to me.”

“I still appeal to your emotions.”

“And Ulster appeals to my common sense. Each of you have your own strength. The fact that you are outsiders convinced me, too.”

“You two…make quite a team,” said Lilac, shaking and stuttering due to the chilly wind blowing her fur. She then looked down and yelped, surprised by how fast the land moved under them. “Isn’t…isn’t she flying a bit too fast?!” she exclaimed.

“It’s just your mind tricking you. If she flies ‘too fast’, as you say, we need more straps than this,” said Hans, referring to the seat belt strap wrapped around their waists.

“But the ground! Oh my god, I don’t know how you can stand this!”

“Then I suggest you look forward. Try not to think about it and appreciate what’s beyond the horizon. Come on, Lilac. It’s quite a sight to behold from up here.”

Lilac was still paralyzed by fear. But she tried to overcome it and follow Hans’ suggestion. As she looked up, she saw most, if not all, of Adaline and Dusdolf, along with the mountain range beside Arbal. She could also see the tunnel of Morran, one that was attacked by their enemies. From what she could see from up there, Morran seemed to be deserted despite the earlier demonic invasion. She could tell the others to check the town and see if they could reoccupy it.

“Can we have a closer look at that town there?” said Lilac, pointing at Morran.

“That town with the tunnel seems to be under control,” said Azureath. “I suppose it’s safe enough.”

They checked the town from the sky to see the damage caused by the demonic occupation before deciding to land after determining that it was safe. For Lilac, Hans, and Azureath, what the demons left was depressing and intended to be demoralizing. Dead, burned bodies of those who failed to escape were impaled on stakes all over the town, serving as a message that the demons did not mess around.

“Your enemies made it clear that they are serious about this,” said the wolf apparition, who appeared beside Hans. “And to see Tyr’s children suffer like this…how unsightly.”

“I must lay them to rest,” said Hans as he started taking one, a Lycan, off the stake he was impaled to. Azureath wanted to help, but Hans shook his head.

“No,” said Hans. “This is something I must do. You go and open the tunnel.”

Azureath sighed and did what Hans ask, while Lilac assisted Hans with the bodies. It was fortunate for them that there weren’t that many bodies and could only assumed that they were the people who stayed behind to defend the town, only to be struck down without a moment’s notice.

“I have seen far worse,” said Hans with a growl. “But no matter how many, I still have nightmares from these.”

Lilac could only sympathize as she helped her brother pull down the bodies and put them on the floor. She gave them a more dignified rest compared to the torturous and slow death of being impaled on a stake. It was horrifying, though not uncommon. She may have not been in Tragoria for a while, but she had her own fair share of demons to face.

While Lilac and Hans dealt with the bodies, Azureath dug through the rubbles and debris that had been cleared beforehand. There had been an intense battle in which the attackers used the spacious tunnel to come through. For the dragon, the tunnel was rather spacious, if not claustrophobic. For an artificial cave, it was too small for her comfort. The little ones, as she called the smaller races, seemed to not consider anything could be as big as her, which made a lot of sense. There were machines that were only half her size at the biggest.

“They could’ve carved a bit more space,” remarked Azureath. “There is no guarantee their machine would stay the same.”

She walked and walked under the mountain, impressed by the feat of engineering that carved the tunnel. It was only a straight road from Morran to the other end, so she knew she wouldn’t be lost. It did not take long for her to hear voices from the other side of the tunnel.

“Wait...I can hear heavy steps,” said someone’s voice. “Everyone, get to position!”

Azureath’s appearance from within the dark tunnel could be misinterpreted as a big demon attempting to invade them, so, to make things easier, she used the Gift and said, “Lower your weapons, little ones! I come in peace! I may not look like it, but I am no demon.”

She learned a bit of diplomacy from Adeline, and from the wisdom she already knew about languages and voice. She just hoped it was enough to convince them.

It somehow did, either out of fear or out of genuine trust. When she emerged from the tunnel to the town of Stadelitz, everyone was stunned by her appearance.

“Do not fear,” she said. “I come on behalf of Main Continent and upon Hans Rezmirn’s request. My name is Azureath, daughter of the Eternal Frost. I am here to help.”

Everyone was too stunned to even reply; everyone except a lone Jackal. Azureath was quickly drawn by hi crooked paw. It grew in an abnormal way and prevented the Jackal to walk normally, hence the cane. She was impressed by the Jackal’s fearlessness, but also found the situation ironic, given that he was the last person she expected to greet her with courtesy.

“I can tell,” he said with a smile on his canine face. “I am Wepwawet of House Caropus. As you can see, we have just gone through a battle, so pardon the tension.”

“Wepwawet of House Caropus, huh?” said Azureath, amused by the appearance of the black-furred, jackal-like person. “You are a strong one. You showed no fear against a dragon, even with an obvious disability.”

“I’ll manage. What’s the situation on the other side?”

“The tunnel is safe, despite the darkness. I have made sure of it myself. Reclaim the home that the demons took from you, little ones. My friends have started cleaning up the mess.”

Everyone was still stunned, but one of them, a hellhound, quickly took command and went into the tunnel, followed by several armed humans and Lycans. Knowing that she had done her job, she walked back through the tunnel, intending to join Hans and Lilac. Before that, she took a glimpse of a goat-like humanoid in chains and immobilized, his mouth kept shut by a muzzle and hands tied behind his back while being forced to kneel. She briefly wondered if he was a lost satyr, but one look at his raging eyes and the red runes on the chains binding him suggested differently. She did not care to talk to a muzzled demon, so she returned to where she came.

Back in Morran, Lilac and Hans were just going to burn the bodies when their sharp ears heard people coming from the tunnel, along with Azureath following.

“Ah. Well, at least they can come and claim their dead,” said Hans, turning off the lighter he was planning to use to burn the bodies. “The least we can do is spare them the harrowing sight. Our job is done here.”

So, after Hans told one of the townspeople what to do, he climbed on Azureath with Lilac, and the dragon took off.

The sight that followed Morran did not make the three comfortable in the slightest. Rather, the opposite was true. The once lush and green land of Tragoria, full of farm and ranch, was now a dry, barren wasteland that looked as if there weren’t any water for decades. The rivers were black and polluted, and towns and cities deep within the region were turned into either ghost towns or ones that run a hellish industry, with the human and Lycan survivors as the slave force. The three of them wanted to liberate them just after witnessing what they saw, but it wouldn’t be possible, not with the flying monsters twice the size of Azureath flying around in alert. Azureath claimed that they were not a problem, but Hans would not want to risk it.

They continued their flight, telling each other about what happened to them and who they met during the time they were miles apart. Both had adventures that could bring envy for both, but Hans was very glad how much Lilac had developed in the three years they were separated. She adapted and she became reliable, the qualities that were already there, but tested by the dangers she faced. Hans was glad to know this. As for Lilac, she always knew Hans’s fate was not to stay in the village, but she was worried the risk was not worth it. She never thought Hans would become acquainted, then friends, with a dragon, and managed to bring help from the neighboring continent to help, even if it was not much.

“It takes more than just the two of us to make things right. Us and our allies and close friends,” said Hans. “Don’t you agree, Lilac?”

“It’s always the case,” said Lilac with a smile.

“And I believe in equal footing, too. I’ve met your friends and allies. This time, I’ll introduce you to my own friends.” Hans then pointed towards a town near the sea. “There. That’s Angla, where my journey started.”

“Quite romantic of you,” commented Lilac.

“Oh, you haven’t seen him in his worst,” remarked Azureath with a chuckle.

Azureath landed on the sea, citing the ‘unreliable geography’ as the reason she did not land on the devastated land. Considering that she had shown her that she was an ice dragon and the land seemed close to what one would see after burning down the forest, Lilac assumed that it was the reason. She wondered if she landed on the water and swam towards the port, only for her to land on a slab of ice that formed apparently out of nowhere.

It wasn’t out of nowhere as Lilac first thought. The Lycan quickly noticed that each of Azureath’s claws produced mists that lowered the temperature around it to the point it permitted the sea to froze. Azureath landed quite a distance from the port and simply walked towards it, all while the ice formed around her like a floating pathway. It started to draw a crowd, clearly those who had never seen her done this before.

“You show-off,” teased Hans.

“Oh, please. It’s not like we’ve never done this before,” said Azureath with a smug smile.

Lilac heard about the conversation and, feeling cheeky, said, “Are you two flirting?”

“Flirting?!” said Hans, surprised. “Oh, that’s absurd, Lilac. We’re just teasing each other.”

“And besides,” added Azureath. “He already chose someone he trusts even more. A lover. His teasing is simply done to amuse me.”

“Oh, really? Well, can’t wait to meet her, I suppose.”

“You might be surprised by how much he loves her, even though she’s clearly not what you’d expect for a wolf to love. It even surprises me that he hasn’t tried to eat—"

“Azureath!”

The azure dragon simply let out a growl that sounded a bit like a chuckle, which only made Hans annoyed. Lilac could only giggle on their exchange. It did sound like a flirt than a tease, but it could be because of Lilac being curious of the two. She quickly became curious with Hans’ lover, one that the dragon claimed he trusted even more than her.

This also made her remembered their discussion about romance. Both made themselves clear that they were into fellow Lycans, especially in their werewolf forms. Of course, the rather casual conversation happened long before his departure to Main and her first meeting with Ifrit. Lilac privately admitted that Ifrit did not look bad when she first saw him. She wasn’t too keen to ask about him back then, mostly because of the language barrier. Now that they both had the Gift, they might start understanding each other better.

Soon after, Azureath reached the port. Both Lilac and Hans got off on the dock while the azure dragon climbed to the nearby dock. She was soon greeted by some of the crews of a nearby ship, which Lilac noticed was powered by steam. The steel-bodied ship was a magnificent sight to behold. It was brightly lit, powered by electricity generated by its own power plant within the ship. The ship looked like a beacon of hope for the smog-filled Tragoria.

“So, this is the steamship Blackjack,” said Lilac. “It’s much bigger than I imagined.”

“She’s not a steamship anymore,” said Hans. “We haven’t decided on what to call her now after all the modifications from Main.”

“Then why the smokestacks?”

“We want to preserve her appearance,” he said. “The name might be a little inappropriate, but the Blackjack is a historical icon. If it wasn’t for her, the crew, and Azureath, our trip might be cut short before we even reached the Ocean Between. With all the modifications the captain gave her, travelling the Ocean is far less risky. The Blackjack wasn’t supposed to be the only ocean-faring ship. Given the success of our journey, we expected the start of a transport business. Her captain even commissioned another ship. Unfortunately, it didn’t happen.”

“The Incursion,” said Lilac, which elicited a nod from Hans.

“And ever since Tragoria’s fall, the ship has been used to ferry refugees to Main. Her port of call changed to Isola, the Raptor Island. But after we retook Angla, the ship’s been docked here ever since.”

“I see.”

“Oh, and also, I need to tell you something else. This town is far, far more diverse than you think. It’s not just humans, Lycans, and hounds. It’s more than that.”

Lilac did not need to be told about that, especially when someone approached them. This person was not as she expected, as he was not a mammalian-based race. Like Lilac, the person was reptilian in appearance, with height half of both Lilac and Hans along with having a slightly stocky build. Still, despite of looking reptilian, his appearance was closer to that of a dragon, especially with the pair of horns. The only thing that made him different was the pair of ears that looked out of place for a reptilian, though somehow it worked.

After exchanging words with Hans, revealing that he had hissy voice, another reptilian came, but this other one was closer to their height. Her voice was not as hissy, and closer to that of a human. This reptilian, however, looked like a mix between a bird and a reptile, with scales and feathers blending as if they were normal. She was wearing a rather revealing tribal outfit that showed most of her green scales. The outfit blended seamlessly with her feather, making her look less naked. She also had some sort of ‘hair’, which was just feather plumps.

“Quite…diverse, indeed,” commented Lilac. “How can you even tell which is which? For the reptiles, I mean.”

“The short one’s called a kobold. They claimed to be a distant relative to dragons, and it is true, to an extent. They are proficient in both magic and engineering due to their heritage, but they were leaning towards engineering. The tall one’s a Raptor. If you follow our exploits, they are natives of the closest body of land to Ternor, Isola. They’re officially called Saurians, but they’re fine being called Raptors, considering how they have avian features. Despite their claws, they’re friendly people.”

She understood what he meant when he saw the Saurian’s legs. They looked like a bird’s talons, but with one hook-shaped claw that was bigger than the rest, positioned in such a way it made the Saurian looked like she was pointing with that claw. She also noticed how razor-sharp they looked, and she gulped. She once saw an eagle grabbed its prey and rend its flesh with its talons and sharp beaks. Maybe calling them ‘Raptors’ was more appropriate. They looked like a mix between a bird and a lizard.

As she walked through the town, she started to see a lot of other Main races. All of them, in Lilac’s eyes, resembled common animals, but with humanoid body proportions like hellhounds and therianthropes. There were the goat people Hans called satyrs, which she noticed helped with restoring the foliage and flora decimated by the incursion, returning green into the town. There were also the cat people, all of which seemed to be hardened warriors except some, which were smaller and built for runners. Hans told Lilac, when she asked about the cats, that the smaller, spotty furred ones were cheetah people, and they were employed as hunters and messengers in the savanna of Central Region.

Lilac admired more and more of the various denizens of Main. She almost assumed that the Main continent was a home of everything beast race until she found some humans, or human-like people wearing a noticeably different style of clothing. She also noticed that, among these humans, there were androgynous-looking humans with long, pointy ears. She wanted to ask Hans about it all, but she decided not to and learn about them all herself.

Angla was also populated with Ternorians, too, specifically those who returned to claim their homes. They seemed to work well with the diverse people from Main, appreciating their efforts. Lilac wondered if it wasn’t as peaceful when they met the foreigners, to which Hans, after being asked about it, gave her a rather expected answer.

“It’s not,” said Hans. “Some people are just naturally rude. They almost made it impossible by trying to claim Pol Hain as their own. I mean, what’s the logic in that?”

“Pol Hain?”

“The first town we arrived in,” said Hans. “If you want, we can go there, and you can see why it’s so special.”

“Maybe when this is all over,” said Lilac.

As Angla was relatively small, the two finished their tour in front of a red brick building with the words ‘de Rochefort Trading Company’ written on a big plaque under the roof, along with a heraldry shield as its company logo. Like many buildings in that town, the trading company was abandoned and in shambles, at least at first glance. The presence of light on the second floor proved otherwise.

“This is our headquarters,” said Hans. “Courtesy of Adeline’s family.”

“Did she reunite with them?”

“Yeah. Turned out everyone in the family’s a pureblood Lycan. She would never find them unless she used the bloodline tracking spell. Every single member of the family, including the staffs, turned into their feral forms. Those who can’t were sheltered in their den. That’s what Adeline said.”

“Wow. That’s…a way to escape capture.”

“That family’s tough, unlike what I think about nobles. Adeline’s the toughest of them all. If it wasn’t for her, we might not even be able to go past Isola. She’s the reason why Azureath agreed to help. Of course, that is after she proposed that we risked our lives to reach her lair.”

“I suppose it worked out in the end, given the fact.”

“Oh, it does. It also made me scared of blizzards and mountain hiking. Still, all’s good in the end. Oh, and uh, let’s move aside.”

Lilac wondered what Hans was talking about until a light flashed near where they were standing a moment ago. In an instant, Adeline, Albert, Ifrit, and Rhynsa, accompanied by a small, white-scaled dragon, appeared out of nowhere. Except for Adeline and Zenithia, the rest of them looked disoriented and sick. It was as if they had just been travelling on a very uncomfortable boat in the middle of a storm. Ifrit, in particular, was severely affected, with him trying not to throw up

“What in the…?!” exclaimed Lilac in surprise.

“Is there a very good reason why a lot of you wants to go to Angla?” asked Hans. “You know Zen can’t teleport too many times a day, right?”

“They want to discuss what to do next,” said Adeline. “Albert’s a representative for the demon hunters and Rhynsa’s for the Avicelis Council.”

“How about Ifrit?”

“He insisted to come.”

“Wait, but…how did you do that?” asked Lilac, who was more surprised by their sudden appearance. “And isn’t Zenithia a dragon around Azureath’s size?”

“Zenithia’s a light dragon,” explained Adeline. “She has no definite size and form, so she can be as big as Azureath or as small as a cat. She has a limited control over space. That’s how she teleported us.”

“And how did Hans know where you’ll be?”

“He’s exposed to an altered reality,” said Zenithia. “Thus, he can sense a light dragon’s presence. Of course, I know where to appear, but it’s better than nothing, I suppose.”

“You met a dragon like her in Main?” asked Lilac.

“Only a handful are okay with us, though,” said Hans, rubbing his head. “As for the rest…I prefer not to get into trouble with them again.”

Lilac could tell that he meant it. She started to think that he really did face something worse than the hellish incursion.

“Well, now that we’re all here, I think it’s best if we start knowing each other and share notes,” said Adeline. “Come on, all of you. We’ll show you what we’ve been doing for the past two months.”

They all nodded and followed Adeline. Lilac lagged behind to check on Ifrit, who was still recovering from the sickness.

“You alright?” asked Lilac.

“I might need to sit down and have a cup of water,” said Ifrit. “Haven’t had such refreshing thing since I got back to life.”

Lilac wanted to talk about her current thoughts and to discuss their relationship going forward, but it could wait. Ifrit did not need any more shock that he already had.

After Lilac and Ifrit joined the two Lycans (alongside Albert and Rhyna), they entered the de Rochefort Trading Company building. The brick warehouse-like building was, as expected, mostly vacant and looked abandoned. There were many workers who were fixing the building, most of them weren’t even human or Lycan.

“I assume business was going well until the Incursion happened,” commented Albert. “Your branches in Dusdolf and Adaline doesn’t seem to be severely affected.”

“Unfortunately, they are not my responsibility,” said Adeline. “This is the branch I am responsible for, along with the investment on the Blackjack and the trading post in Pol Hain. Well, now since we are the ones that liberated Angla, we also coordinate our efforts from this town. We’re doing pretty well defending the coast towns and villages.”

“Have you checked how Kerrick and Cardogg are doing?” asked Rhynsa.

“The towns are doing okay, even before we were involved,” said Adeline. “I guess they already had a formidable defense even before the worst happened. Still, they lost a lot of people.”

“I see,” said Rhynsa. “Maybe I’ll go visit.”

They soon went past the storage bay and towards the second floor of the warehouse, where most of the activities were concentrated in. To their surprise, none of them were vague human, Lycan, or hellhound. This gathering looked very unusual from the eyes of the Ternorians who had never met any of these races before.

Then one of them, a bronze-scaled kobold, noticed the group and said, “Hey! You’re back!” while walking to them. Hans simply kneeled to talk to the half-size reptilian being.

“Told you we won’t be long,” said Hans with a smile. “So, Ritik. What do you think of Tragoria so far?”

“Not a lot of mana in the air,” said Ritik. “Even if there are mana, its nature is opposite to what I’m used to. I need to convert it to the right property to be able to use magic in this heavily polluted region.”

“Yeah, well, this continent doesn’t have a lot of mana to begin with.”

“Good thing we don’t need to worry about aetherium anymore, eh? It’s not like we need to worry about the pillars after what we did.”

“What did I tell you about jinxing it, Ritik?”

“It’s not a jinx if it’s a fact, right? At least that’s what Zenithia said.” He then turned to the newcomers. “Speaking of. You’ve made some new friends already.”

“Uh-huh.” Hans stood, then turned to face the newcomers and said, “I want you to meet Ritik. He’s one of the senior mages from Dracokin who’s currently finishing his research on the Mark of the Fallen and starting another project here in Ternor.”

“Mark of the Fallen?” asked Ifrit.

“I believe you have met Azureath,” said Ritik. “Simply said, the runes branded on her is an incomplete Mark of the Fallen. She managed to escape from a fate worse than death simply because she’s a daughter of the Eternal Frost. Unfortunately, not all dragons are as fortunate as she is.”

“We’ll talk about your research later, Ritik,” said Hans. “We haven’t even introduced them to the rest of the team yet.”

“Oh. Oh right. Carry on, then.”

Without delay, Hans called the others to attention. They quickly stopped whatever they were doing and turned to the Lycan.

“I want you to meet our allies from Ternor,” said Hans to his allies. “We are going to work together with them from now on. Albert Schafner is representing the Demon Hunters of Dusdolf. Rhynsa, the bat, is representing the Avicelis Council, an alliance between the surface world and the free Underworld. Lilac here, as you might’ve known, is my sister, and the hellhound is Ifrit Schelkz.”

Each of those introduced gave a nod or waved their hands once their names were called.

Hans then turned to his new Ternorian allies. “They’re the best friends I can rely on,” said Hans. “You have met Ritik, our resident mage. Here are the rest of the crew.”

He turned to a feathered Raptor who was wearing tribal clothing with a colorful assortment of scale color ranging from orange to green and blue. He had a plump of feather that Lilac mistook for a headdress.

“Keeshar, in his capacity as a shaman—”

“Don’t get ahead of ourselves, Hans,” interrupted the Raptor. “I’m a shaman in training.”

“Right. Keeshar here is coordinating the efforts of the Raptor volunteers from Isola while also informing the Raptors to help refugees from the Ternorian mainland.”

Keeshar made a nod and a grunt as Hans turned to the most conspicuous looking of the group: a golden-scaled draconic person who, like Lilac, had both mammalian and reptilian features, only his was more natural-looking. He had antlers for horns and long whiskers, along with a face that looked draconic, but also vaguely canine.

“Next is Richie Long, our resident dragonborn,” said Hans. “Engineering expert with a lot of otherworldly knowledge. He came from a different reality. It’s complicated.”

“Why does he look so…mammalian?” asked Ifrit, who noticed his features, before turning to Lilac.

“I’m an Eastern dragon,” said Richie. He then noticed Lilac. Astonished by her appearance, he said, “And wow! You got a night stalker in this world?”

“Excuse me?” said Lilac.

“Part snake, part dog, all dangerous? I’m surprised you happened to be a beast race. You’re even a rattlesnake by the look of that tail.”

“Unfortunately, Richie,” said Hans. “She’s unique. But I appreciate that you don’t see her as odd.”

“Why should I? I’m also odd, not to mention an outsider.”

“Anyway,” said Hans after clearing his throat. “Let’s move on. The gray furred Lycan with spectacles is Ulster Baldwin. He is an anthropologist who travelled with us to document new cultures. I never met someone who took a quick grasp on our enemies as he is. He understands the power conflict between the hellhounds and surmised that there is an active resistance against them. He’s representing Excourt.”

“Excourt?” said Albert. “The College of Excourt?”

“Yes,” said Ulster with a nod. “It’s…well, it’s gone now.”

“I’m sorry,” said Albert, sympathizing.

“I know,” said Ulster with a nod. “Which is why I can’t disappoint them.”

Hans and the others could only sympathize with his loss. Before long, however, he looked around, seemingly trying to find someone.

“Hey. Where’s Ellie?”

“Helping the other satyrs with the green project,” said Richie. “She shouldn’t be long.”

As if on cue, the noise of steps coming up the wooden stairs drew their attention. From the stairwell, came a peculiar beast race which the others had been accustomed with. However, both Rhynsa and Ifrit were quickly alarmed and went to their weapons.

“Whoa, whoa, wait!” said Richie while moving in front of the two. “What the hell are you two doing?!”

“I should’ve asked you that!” exclaimed Ifrit. “Why is there an Infernal here?!

“Infernal?! She’s a satyr, for god’s sake!” But then Richie was also the one who realized what they were talking about, and said, “No, you got it all wrong! She’s not a demon! Just look at her! Does she have red eyes to begin with?! Her fur’s not even completely black!”

Rhynsa and Ifrit looked at the satyr, who was as confused while Hans stood in front of her, intending to protect her. They soon notice that not only was her fur having patterns of brown and cream, but she also had blue caprine eyes. The situation turned awkward for the two after realizing that she had a lithe proportion and tiny compared to the musclebound Azgal.

Ifrit’s aggression also increased the temperature of the room, something that Hans pointed out. The half-Infernal quickly realized what he was doing and took a couple of deep breaths, before he stood down, followed by Rhynsa.

“Sorry, we….” Rhynsa tried to explain. “We didn’t know. Forgive us.”

“We barely survived an attack from the demon twice,” reasoned Ifrit. “I…well, I…”

“It’s fine, you two,” said the satyr with a smile. They both shuddered when she revealed that she also had sharp rows of teeth that did not blend well with her caprine head. If it wasn’t for her fur color and size, the two would be agitated. In fact, it was readily apparent that the two had fought a caprine-headed demon and were traumatized by it, so a satyr, also a caprine beast person with similar features, did not help.

“Look, uh, why don’t we, uh….”

“It’s okay, blondie,” said Rhynsa, taking a couple of deep breaths. “We just overreacted, that’s all. If you need proof as to why, I can show you who. But anyway…I assume you’re Ellie, right?”

“Elyse,” said the satyr. “Elle for short.”

“She’s a satyr princess representing the satyrs,” explained Hans. “She is a member of House Gathbergen, ruler of the Bracken Woods.”

“I don’t exactly like being called a princess, but I can’t say no to formalities,” said Elyse. “So, the four of you are our friends from this continent, eh? Good thing they chose the ones that look hardened. No one’s going to think you have what it takes if you bring in greenhorns. I mean, I’m sure you know what you’re doing, but not everyone does.”

“It is an unfortunate fact,” remarked Albert. “Though to be fair, you look a little young yourself, your majesty.”

“Elyse, please, and I’m 22,” said Elyse. “And besides, I won’t get myself a lover if I’m too young, right? It’s just not right. Anyway, what did I miss?”

“You haven’t missed anything, love,” said Hans, kissing her forehead. “We’re just getting friendly with each other. Also, I’m sure you’re more preoccupied with helping us restore our devastated region.”

Elyse then sighed. “Easier said that done. Fritz’s pupils are amazing with their connection to nature, but we got two problems. The first is the lack of mana. It’s hard to keep it efficient when you can’t even passively draw anything from the air. Even if we could, that lead us to the second problem. The demonic invasion caused whatever’s in the air poisonous to draw. It’s mana, but it’s something else. Its nature is sickening. I always said that there is beauty in nature, but the nature of thing affecting the region is appalling.”

“How appalling?”

“How about so appalling that we druids consider it an enemy? I never thought I’d say this, but right now, nature is an enemy that must be vanquished. Also…”

She then turned to Ifrit. “You happen to use that kind of magic,” she said. “You sure he’s not an enemy?”

“I can vouch for him,” said Hans. “I’m sorry, Elle, but you just have to endure it.”

Elyse looked at Ifrit, who could only look away apologetically. “Well,” said the satyr. “Given that he is uncomfortable because of how I look, I’d say the feeling’s mutual. It’s not like that will turn us into enemies. I hope.”

“No, he won’t. You can trust me, Elle.”

“I know I can.”

There was another kiss on the forehead, which quickly made Lilac, with a surprised conclusion, that Elyse was Hans’ lover. She was the one Azureath said Hans trusted more than the dragon.

“Hans…are you and Elyse…”

“Well, uh….” Hans rubbed the back of his head.

“I thought you said you’re into Lycans, not satyrs!”

Elyse looked at Lilac, wondering who she was. Hans whispered something to Elyse, and she nodded. Without delay, she walked to Lilac and grabbed her hand, taking her aside and out of earshot (except Rhynsa’s, who, being a Fuzandre, had very sharp hearing). Once she did, she said, “He did say that to me, but along the way, I think what he means is that he’s into feisty women, which happens to be me.”

“Feisty how?”

“I kicked him when we first met,” she said, reminiscing. “And oh boy, was that a strong kick. I think that moment’s the moment when he realized this.”

“But you do realize that you are a goat and he’s a wolf, right?”

“What? Interracial relationship’s a little to steamy for you?”

“Just so you know, human-Lycan relationship is also a thing here. But it’s half a decade of acceptance, while on the other hand, you and Hans are new.”

“Yeah, I know that. But to be fair, given how we got cat people, it’s not exactly that new in Main. Still, a lot of people are interested in the ‘forbidden love’ between a predator and prey beast people. I mean, why not. You’re supposed to eat each other, not making love.”

At this point, Lilac, already embarrassed by how straightforward Elyse was, said, “Okay, I get it. Now, can we return back to the others?”

“Yeah, sure. Anyway, I know you’re worried about him, but don’t. I will always be there for him, okay? I know you’ve been through a lot, and I know you are not supposed to look like a snake-wolf hybrid. But let me lessen one of your worries, okay?”

Lilac appreciated Elyse and started to like the satyr. It seemed that Hans really did choose the right person to love. The snake-wolf could only nod and smile as she returned back to the meeting room.

After the short introduction and a little update on the situation, Hans started the discussion about their strategy and possible allies to recruit to fight back against the hellish incursion. They talked about several port towns and settlements they already liberated, with people returning home accompanied by soldiers from both continents. They have also started internal trade routes that were heavily guarded. The reason why there were no news of this was because it was only recently established and had not been proven a viable concept. Yet, given that the explorers of Main only returned around two months before, it was already a commendable progress. Lilac believed that, with their help, they could make Tragoria livable to an extent, and even possibly start striking back at the demons and end the Incursion.

The meeting went a little longer than Lilac expected, so she excused herself after the important plans were laid out and they started discussing logistics and army deployment. Ifrit was interested in knowing more, given that he would be one of the frontline attackers with his newfound skills, along with the discussion of his training.

Elyse followed Lilac out, and so they both walked down the stairs and into the town. Like the rest of Tragoria, the town was covered in smog that made the sun red. It wasn’t a very pretty sight, nor was it good for health.

“So, Lilac. Can I call you that?” said Elyse.

“Sure. What do you have in mind?”

“I have been trying to make sure about you ever since we talked about Hans earlier,” said Elyse. “There was an accident, wasn’t it? Involving your boyfriend?”

Lilac was reluctant to talk about it until Elyse said, “This is between us, okay? You don’t need to be shy about it. Sex is not a taboo, and any accidents are certainly not something to be brushed off with.”

“I didn’t know he was a half-demon,” said Lilac. “The thing is, I only found out after he presumably died. I was also so distraught by his death that I became vulnerable. If it wasn’t for the efforts of my friends, I might not even exist anymore.”

“And thus, you look so vastly different from Hans that it’s hard to believe you’re his sister.”

Lilac nodded.

“What if I told you that you might have a chance to return to your original form, before you were heavily corrupted?”

“I understand that you want to help, Elyse, but the demon hunters have declared that this form is permanent. They tried, but it didn’t work.”

“It didn’t work because they don’t know you better than us,” said Elyse. “Did Hans ever told you about what he found when we went to help Bracken Woods?”

“What?”

“Lycans are not natives of Ternor,” said Elyse. “They’re natives of our forest.”

“You’re kidding.”

“Lycanthropy is a form of druidic magic, but tied to a celestial object, which is the moon. The reason why you can easily transform without the need of mana is because you’re using the nature’s energy to transmogrify, at least that’s what Fenrir told us about our history.”

“Wait. Fenrir? As in, the spirit inhabiting Hans?”

“That’s the one. While the nature of the magic has been lost for thousands of years, you can still trace your ancestry to our forest. Therefore, you can still return to being a Lycan. Unfortunately, we can’t do anything about the demonic corruption you had before you became a snake-wolf. That is not part of our knowledge.”

Lilac was elated by this knowledge. However, years of having her hopes dashed meant that she became wary of false promises and failed results. So, she tried not to get too excited about it.

“Thank you, Elyse,” said Lilac. “But I’ll think about it.”

“Why?”

“It’s not about you or your magic, Elyse. It’s just you said that there is a chance, not certainty. I learned that certainty is not always true, no matter how insistent you are. Also…all this happened because I didn’t want to live more than one life. I don’t want to involuntarily transform into a werewolf every full moon. Sometimes, I wonder if I can just be stuck in one form like those turned werewolves, but it felt like a wistful thinking until I met Ifrit. His unintended corruption gave me one form, and I plan to stick with that form.”

Elyse, understanding Lilac’s plight, said, “I see. If that isn’t what you want, then we also know how to keep you in one form of your choice. What do you say?”

“You can do that, too?”

“I should ask the experts about it, but yeah. We can. Lycanthropes were originally wood elves, after all.”

“But I can’t afford to do that yet. We still have things to do. I can’t just do that because of vanity’s sake.”

“The offer still stands, of course. I mean, don’t get me wrong. You look rather exotic as of now and I don’t blame you for not wanting to change just yet.” Elyse paused for a moment before she said, “Lilac.”

“Yes?”

“Thank you, for being the hope Hans needed during trying times,” said Elyse with a smile. “He keeps believing you, you know. He always believed that his sister is still out there fighting. He knew you’re tough. I can now see why.”

“Of course. I mean, what else should I do?” said Lilac with a smile. “In fact, I should thank him for showing up at the most opportune time.”

“That’s what siblings do, huh? Oh, and I think someone’s looking for you.”

Elyse glanced at the trading company, prompting Lilac to do the same. From the door, came out Ifrit, who was deep in thoughts. Lilac wasn’t sure if Ifrit was looking at her, though Elyse convinced her to believe that’s the case.

“Go on,” said the satyr. “I’ll leave you two to it. You can find me near the Blackjack if you need anything. See ya around!”

And so, Elyse walked away, leaving Lilac to go and meet Ifrit. The hellhound quickly turned his attention to her and greeted her. He did not understand why, but despite of her now snake-wolf appearance, he felt that it was the only thing that changed. Lilac herself did not change as much, at least personality wise.

As they greeted each other, Lilac offered the hellhound a walk, to which Ifrit agreed.

As they walked around town, they were astonished by how safe they were. There were so many beast races, many of which were not canine at the least, roaming about keeping up defenses and rebuilding the mostly devastated town. The peace and liveliness of the port town reminded Lilac of Sidve, long before the incursion started. It had been three years since she met with Ifrit, but it felt like decades since then. Things happened to her, Ifrit, and everyone directly involved in the incursion business. She sometimes hoped that things could return the way it was, but she knew it was impossible now.

Then, she also noticed Ifrit being chattier and fluent in Tragorian, almost as if he changed from the mostly silent hellhound who only spoke some phrases that she knew almost three years ago. Curious, she asked.

“When did you become so fluent in Tragorian?” she asked. “Barring the accent, you sound like a native speaker.”

“I don’t,” he said. “I’m talking with my own language. The blue dragon gave me something…a Gift, I think?”

“Ah. The Gift of Tongues. I see. Well, that’s a good thing for me. Now I can understand you better.”

“Not everyone thinks that way, apparently. For them, we’re talking with two different languages.”

“Made quite a sight, innit?”

Both chuckled from that remark.

They continued their walk, with the sun now starting to set. Both Lilac and Ifrit settled on a stone bench near the docks, where the Blackjack was docked. Azureath was talking to Elyse and by the looks of it, they were the best of friends. Given that she was Hans’ lover and Azureath claimed that Hans trusted her more than the dragon, it was not surprising that Lilac assumed them to be friends who watched each other’s backs.

Lilac turned to look at the black-colored ship and said, “So, this is the ship, huh? The one that started his adventure. Looks rather imposing.”

“But it also gives it a certain uniqueness,” said Ifrit. “Kinda like you and me.”

Lilac chuckled. “Guess your sense of humor’s disguised in your poor Tragorian. Or was it because you returned to life?”

“Just me acting like me. Honestly, it feels liberating to finally be able to accept who you are. It was hard for me to accept that I was an Infernal, and that my darker self was sealed off so that I would grow up to be a normal hellhound. Well…I didn’t think that’s the intention, but it worked out in the end.”

“Darker self?”

“It’s a long story. Still…what he said to me…I can’t simply deny it. In a way, he’s right. He’s me, after all.”

Lilac could sense Ifrit’s mood changed. She tried to lighten him up by grabbing his hand and saying, “What are you thinking about, hmm? Just tell me.”

“That my existence changed lives, and not for the better. No matter how much I try convincing myself of it, the fact that you became like this is still…”

“No, Ifrit, don’t,” said Lilac, shaking her head. “You can’t blame yourself for it. I won’t blame you.”

“Even after knowing that you can no longer be normal?”

“Elyse told me about it, too. The corruption you accidentally gave me could not be removed. But what does it matter? What really matters, Ifrit, is if you can forgive yourself.”

“How? I kept telling myself that I can forgive my heritage, my powers, and even my family, but there is one thing that I can’t forgive myself for, and that is what I did to you.”

“Again, I don’t care. Ifrit, you can’t beat yourself up because of one mistake. Accidents happen, yes, but that accident is not life-threatening. Do you see me dying because of you? Do I look sick to you?”

Ifrit paused for a moment, then after a while, said, “No.”

“Then let it go. Remember the people you met. Remember how they helped you make sense of this world you end up it. Remember me. Focus on that, and I’m sure you can move on. What do you say, hmm? If you can’t do it for yourself, then do it for me.”

“Lilac, I…”

“I know you’re distraught and sad from Sam’s death. I heard what happened in Stadelitz. Sam’s death is not your fault, Ifrit. He chose his own path. And yes, I am aware of the binding seal, but what of it? Death…well, it’s something that has become the new normal ever since Tragoria’s fall. Three years of witnessing so many atrocities…changed me. I met allies. I lost many, too. I came to care them. And then there were children who lost their parents, and children who….”

Lilac stopped, unable to continue. She realized that she would have to relive her traumatic experience. That horrifying moment caused her to stop, and then her eyes went wide. Ifrit could see her starting to break down when she started reminiscing of her harrowing experiences. Then, she started to cry. Ifrit had not seen her cry ever since they were separated three years ago. She was a strong woman, but something traumatized her.

Soon, she seek comfort on Ifrit, who sympathized with her. Realizing that he wasn’t the only one with problems, it soon became clear that it was his choice to help her, no matter what he thought.

This was the first time she was embraced by Ifrit post-incursion and Lilac felt something…different from it. He was warm, especially in the winter season and cold sea weather. He felt almost like a heater, yet not scalding hot. It somehow…made her worries and sadness went away.

“I’m sorry for being selfish,” said Ifrit as he kissed her head. “I didn’t think of the three years you’ve been through. Do you…do you want to talk about it?”

“I prefer not to,” said Lilac as she wiped her tears. “But I never thought of meeting you again, Ifrit. It’s weird after knowing what happened, but let’s be honest. It’s good to have you back, Ifrit.”

“It’s good to know you’re still alright, even after everything that happened to you. You really are a strong wolf, Lilac Rezmirn.”

Lilac chuckled. “What part of me is a wolf again?”

“A lot,” quipped Ifrit. “But with quite an upgrade.”

The light banter from Ifrit completely changed the somber mood as Lilac started to chuckle, followed by Ifrit. Soon after, she decided that they really needed a time to relax, and possibly to mourn, the passing of a friend.

She also wanted to catch up with Ifrit, now that they were finally reunited. With a renewed sense of joy, she said, “Well, shall we?”

“Yeah,” said Ifrit with a nod.

They then walked back to the town, holding hands.