The five figures, three elves and two humans, stood in a silent line, watching as the villagers cautiously emerged. Some returned from the tavern with Grog and his group, while others came from the docks, led by Meara's granddaughter Lena and Gretta.
Ruined buildings lined the cobblestone road, marked by magical blasts and the force of battle. The town, once known as a place where people could start over, now looked like little more than the aftermath of a battlefield.
An elderly man gazed numbly at the collapsed wall of his former home. Nearby, a woman knelt by a broken cart, gathering spilled grain with trembling hands. Farther down the road, a child cried.
Grog's broad frame stood among the wreckage. The look on his face still showed the weight of having sold Oreon out as his crew scattered through the ruins, taking in the destruction done to their town.
Sylvanie said nothing. She stared, her eyes moving slowly over the devastation. Beside her, Celestia stood with her hands folded, carrying the quiet weight of someone who had already seen one home reduced to rubble and was now watching it happen to someone else.
"Grandmother!" Lena called out as she jogged up to them.
"Is everyone accounted for?" Meara asked, her voice weary.
Lena nodded, though her eyes swept across the damage. "Everyone from the docks made it. Gretta kept them calm." She paused, swallowing. "But the town…"
Meara exhaled slowly and rested her hand on Lena's shoulder. "The town can be rebuilt, child," she said quietly. "People cannot." She then looked at Gretta as they approached. "Thank you for keeping everyone safe."
Gretta gave a small nod, her eyes red-rimmed with exhaustion. "I just did what needed to be done," she said, her voice rougher than usual. She glanced at the ruined town. "Looks like you did the same." Crossing her arms, she looked back at Meara. "I'm glad you stayed safe, too. For what it's worth, thank you for driving those zealots out."
Meara offered a tired smile. "Don't go putting all the heroics on me." She gave Gretta a small smile. "You know I'm too old for all that. Instead, go thank the ones who held the line." She tilted her head toward Oreon and the sisters.
Meanwhile, at that same moment, "You have Dragonborn blood in you!" Sylvanie yells, prompting Oreon to hastily silence her as he cupped his hand over her mouth.
"Can you not do that!" He hissed loudly enough for only the group to hear. "Geez, are you insane? Why would you scream that out like that!"
Sylvanie seized the moment and bit Oreon's hand, making him yelp. "Don't ever try to silence me like that again, human," she said as Oreon hopped in pain, clutching his bitten hand. "I've had enough of being muzzled by humans to last several lifetimes."
"Did you have to bite me, though?" Oreon cries out as Celestia stands between the two.
Her gaze shifted first to her sister. "Sylvanie, please," she murmured, the plea meant for both her sister and Oreon. She looked over the ruined town, then toward Meara. Her eyes softened before returning to Oreon and Sylvanie. "We may need to step away and talk about this somewhere else. Right now, the townspeople deserve some time to themselves."
Aura nodded and walked over to Oreon, who was still cradling his hand, and placed hers on his shoulder. "I agree. Come on, little dragon—let's walk and talk." She took his hands and stepped backward, gently pulling him along and making him stumble for a moment.
Oreon barely caught his footing as Aura tugged him forward, her grip firm but playful. "Aura, wait—I can walk on my own—"
"Of course you can," she said cheerfully, not slowing down. "But this is faster." Her emerald eyes gleamed with mischief as she led him away from the crowd. "Besides, I need a good look at you." When she finally stopped, she released his hands and circled him with near-skipping energy—lifting his arm, ruffling his hair, and pinching his cheeks. "I can't believe it." Her squeal was playful, almost girlish, despite herself. "My little dragon is growing up on me." Pride shone in her emerald eyes as she smirked, her hands settling on his shoulders.
Oreon's face flushed crimson as Aura continued her inspection. "Aura, seriously—" he stammered, trying to duck away from her hands. "I'm not a child anymore."
"Oh, I can see that," she replied with a knowing smile, finally stepping back to give him space. Her expression softened, the playfulness dimming into something more tender. "You've grown so much…your mother would have—" she stopped herself, her voice catching for just a moment before she recovered. "Well. She'd be beside herself seeing you now."
Behind them, Celestia and Sylvanie followed with Meara, Gretta, and Lena, now out of earshot of the townsfolk. "I take that back," Aura said, reconsidering her earlier comment. "Your mother would completely lose her mind." She leaned in, her excited face only inches from Oreon's. "She'd be running in circles, calling herself a terrible mother." Aura laughed. "All because your dragonborn side activated in you."
Oreon's face flushed crimson as Aura continued her examination, her fingers prodding at his cheeks and arms like she was inspecting to see if her child had any scratches. "Aura, please—" he started, but she cut him off with another delighted squeal.
"Look at these muscles!" She circled Oreon with exaggerated scrutiny, squeezing his arms from every angle while he sighed in defeat.
Sylvanie watched with her arms crossed and one brow raised. "Is she always like this?" she muttered to Celestia.
Celestia pressed her lips together, suppressing what might have been a smile. "I…wouldn't know," she admitted softly. "But it's…oddly endearing."
Meara stepped up beside the sisters. "That woman is like a second mother to him," she said, watching Aura circle Oreon with obvious joy. "Or maybe a doting older sister. Either way, she helped raise him. It's only natural for her to act like this." Her gaze fell slightly. "She hasn't seen him since she tore him from the purifiers' dungeons and brought him to me. Almost two decades ago."
Sylvanie's expression softened, her eyes lingering on the scene before her. "Two decades…" she murmured, her voice losing some of its edge. "That's a long time to be apart."
"For humans like us, it is," Meara added. "However, calling ourselves as such is probably overdoing it."
"Oreon!" Lena jumped forward, it almost looked like she was running to hug him, and then.
TWACK!
"Are you crazy?" Lena shouted after smacking him on the back of the head. "Fighting the Order? What the hell were you thinking?" She threw her arms wide.
Oreon stumbled forward, clutching the back of his head. "Ow--! Lena, what the—"
"Shush, don't you dare say another word!" Lena's voice cracked as she grabbed the front of his shirt, pulling him closer. Her eyes glistened, though her jaw was set tight with fury. "You could've died out there! Do you have any idea how scared I was when I heard the fighting from the docks?"
"Lena…" Oreon's voice softened, guilt flickering across his features.
Then she turned her head towards Meara, pointing at her accusingly. "And you grandmother, you used the power of the grove, didn't you?"
Meara's expression faltered—just for a moment—before settling into calm resignation. "I did what needed to be done, child."
"What needed to—" Before Lena could get her words out, Aura pulled her back gently.
"Easy now," She whispered. "Calm down. Let's not work ourselves up, Lena." She said, her hands gently cupping her shoulders. "Meara knew what she was doing; that's why she had you call me before things got out of hand."
Lena's shoulders trembled beneath Aura's hands, her breath coming in short, uneven bursts. "But she—" Her voice cracked. "She could've…"
"I know." Aura's voice dropped gently. "Believe me, I know." She squeezed Lena's shoulders softly. "But your grandmother is still standing. And so is Oreon. That's what matters right now."
Lena pressed her lips into a thin line, fighting back tears. She turned away and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "You're all idiots," she muttered, though there was no real venom in her voice.
"Well," Oreon began, a small smile appearing on his face. "I can think of worse things I've been called in my lifetime."
Lena shot him with a watery glare over her shoulder. "Don't push it."
Gretta watched silently from a few steps away; her arms crossed beneath her chest. Her eyes moved between Oreon, the sisters, and Aura. When Lena finally pulled herself together, Gretta cleared her throat.
"So…" She tilted her head toward Oreon. "Dragonborn blood, huh? That explains a few things." She thought about when Oreon punched Grog in the face, sending him flying the day before. "Guess we've been harboring more than just an orphan this whole time." She gave him a cheeky smile.
"Gretta, I—"
"Save it." She held up a hand, cutting him off. "I'm not upset. Just…surprised. I would have never guessed the boy who would come to my stall almost every day would be packing with that kind of strength, and you protected the people of this town. That's what matters to me. You know that."
Oreon exhaled slowly, the tension on his shoulders easing slightly. "Thanks, Gretta," he said quietly, "That…means a lot."
Gretta shrugged, though a faint warmth lingered in her expression. "Don't go getting sentimental on me now." She glanced toward the ruined town behind them, her jaw tightening. "We've got plenty of work ahead. Sentimentality can wait."
"We can help rebuild," Celestia spoke up. "Perhaps make the town better than it was before."
Before anyone could respond, Sylvanie snorted, twirling a strand of her violet hair between her fingers. "If by 'we' you mean everyone but you, sister. Your idea of manual labor is directing others where to place furniture."
Celestia blinked, her cheeks flushing slightly. "I—that's not entirely true…"
"Really?" Sylvanie tilted her head, a smirk curling at the corner of her lips. "Do you even remember the last time you lifted something heavier than a quill?"
Celestia opened her mouth to protest, then hesitated. Her brow furrowed delicately as she searched for an answer. "I…supervised the reconstruction of the eastern watchtower after the storm of—"
"Supervised." Sylvanie's smirk widened. "Exactly my point."
A soft chuckle escaped Gretta. "Well, supervision has its place," she offered diplomatically. "Someone's got to make sure the walls go up straight."
Sylvanie rolled her eyes and then glanced over at Oreon. "Well, maybe watching the human here throw some timber around might be entertaining enough, or should I call you dragon boy now, little dragon?" She teases as Oreon felt heat rise to his cheeks.
Aura's eyes sparkled as she quickly wrapped an arm around Oreon's shoulder possessively. "Careful now, shadow princess. Only I get to call him 'little dragon,' and trust me." Her voice dropped to a sultry whisper. "There's nothing 'little' about him anymore."
"Aura!" Oreon's face turned a deep shade of red, the heat radiating off his skin as he reacted to Aura's comment. "Aura! For the love of—what the hell is wrong with you?!" He exclaimed as he squirmed against her grip. "You're worse than when I was a child!"
"What?" She blinked innocently, though her grin betrayed her. "I'm talking about your height. You've grown so much since I last saw you." She patted his head with exaggerated affection. "What did you think I meant?"
Sylvanie's lip curled into an amused smirk as she assessed Oreon with renewed curiosity. "Is that so? Perhaps I misjudged our traveling companion sister." A wicked grin spread across her face, her gaze traveling up and down Oreon's form.
"Whoa, hey now, Sylvanie; remember I'm human. You hate humans, remember?" Oreon continues to struggle, but Aura's grip holds on tight to him.
"Half-human." She corrected with a purr. "And I'm willing to make exceptions."
Aura laughed; her arm still draped over Oreon. "Oh, I like this one," she says, nodding towards Sylvanie. "She reminds me of myself in my younger days."
"And you still don't look a day older," Oreon said, still trying—and failing—to pry himself loose. He let out a frustrated groan. "Seriously, why are elves so damn strong?" He twisted toward Celestia. "Celestia, come on—help me out here!"
A smirk touched Celestia's lips as she turned toward Oreon, her regal presence unmistakable with every step. In one swift, unexpected motion, she slipped her arm through his and placed herself between him and Aura, catching him off guard. "I believe Oreon is still tired from the battle," she said, glancing back at his startled expression. "But perhaps," she added after a pause, "he wouldn't mind escorting me while helping with the town's repairs."
Oreon's mouth hung open, frozen mid-protest. His gaze darted between Celestia's serene smile and the arm she'd claimed. "I—what—"
"Oh my." Aura released him with theatrical reluctance, one hand pressed to her chest. "The princess has made her move." Her eyes gleamed with delight. "Bold."
Sylvanie, however, narrowed her eyes, though with more amusement than anything. "Sister," she drawled, stepping closer. "Since when did you have time for such…fraternization?"
Celestia's expression remained calm, though a subtle pink dusted her cheeks. "It's merely practical," She replied smoothly. "Someone needs to keep him from collapsing mid-task." Her eyes flickered briefly to Oreon. "You did expend considerable energy during the battle."
"I—yeah, but—" Oreon stammered, his brain still catching up.
Meara watched the exchange with quiet amusement, a knowing glint in her tired eyes. "My, my," she murmured. "The boy's certainly popular today."
Lena huffed, crossing her arms. "Popular? He's being fought over like the last loaf of bread at a market." She shot Oreon a look. "How do you even get yourself into these situations?"
"I genuinely have no idea," he admitted weakly.
Gretta snorted. "Well, whatever this is—" She gestured vaguely at the three women surrounding Oreon." –Sort it out after we've got roofs over people's heads again."
"Agreed," Aura said, dropping her playfulness as she turned towards the destroyed town. "Not only that, but we have to think of something before the Order returns."