Trapped in Another World With No Magicc
Chapter 172: Rabbit Caught With No Escape

The Otherworlder Summon cries out one last desperate plea as her face finally sinks into the specialty spell belonging only to the elven sage known as Serrentuk. “Amala! Please help mee-...!”

As soon as she’s trapped within, the elf drops the spell, and an eerie quiet befalls the forest area. The ambient noise present feels tranquil, in spite of it being composed of the light crackling of the campfire, the sighs of the soldiers who survived unscathed, and the moans and coughs of the wounded.

Serrentuk drops to his knees, unable to keep standing. Nesparu, too, falls onto his backside as his strength leaves him, relief surrendering what little strength he had to just stay standing upright.

“Serrentuk, when your mana recovers, remove our soldiers from your Gate.”

The ancient stoic sorcerer dips his head obediently, continuing to rest almost lifelessly in his kneeling position. Nesparu only knows the basic information about Serrentuk’s gate passed down in his family for generations. It’s a place that only Serrentuk can access, and he can control the contents and opening of the mysterious pocket at will. The downside is, for all of his mana, simply opening the gate depletes the elven sage’s magic reserves almost immediately, and he can generally only sustain the opening for a few minutes. It’s very possible that Zuzia could have outlasted Serrentuk’s spell with her unprecedented strength and ability to resist being pulled into the gate.

“How… how was she so strong?” asks one of the human soldiers nearby. “I’ve never heard of anyone or anything being able to escape Serrentuk’s spell.”

“Right? Don’t the legends say he captured a dragon with it?”

“I heard it was a fire-eyed force demon.”

“A Hellwhip?” replies another. “That's just a myth.”

“Well?” asks the second one as the soldiers look to Serrentuk expecting an answer.

Either not realizing it or not caring, Serrentuk neither responds nor moves.

The soldier awkwardly clears his throat, and another asks, “Do you know which it is, Commander?”

Nesparu sighs. He honestly doesn’t, but he’s not about to admit that. He’s heard the rumors as well, but Serrentuk rarely speaks, even to the current head of the Contarro family. “The strengths of members of the Contarro household are not something to be discussed lightly. What’s our status?” He looks to one of the junior officers approaching.

“Commander, the critically wounded number eight, and there are two deceased. As for those trapped in the Gate, that number is an additional eleven, for a total of twenty one incapacitated.”

“Does… that include Sergeant Trephen?” asks one of the soldiers nearby hesitantly.

“Trephen?” asks Nesparu. “What happened to…?” He trails off as he remembers in the middle of answering. Trephen is the one who tackled Zuzia last, and she shoved him away.

It seems the lieutenant briefly forgot about him as well, as he grimaces. “T-Twenty two… casualties…” corrects the lieutenant quietly.

“Confirmed?” asks Nesparu, and everyone is silent. He orders quickly, “Find Trephen and confirm his status. What about the mercenaries?”

“They fled northward,” replies the Lieutenant. “Everyone was focused on capturing the otherworlder, so we have no one in pursuit.”

“Send riders immediately,” orders the Commander. “We’ll need the sellswords if we want any hope of controlling her when she’s extracted.”

“Right away, Commander!” The lieutenant quickly doles out orders, though Nesparu notices him limp briefly.

All this damage from one slovenly woman? I think his Imperial Majesty grossly underestimated a Divine Summon’s power.

Nesparu finally manages to summon enough strength to climb to his feet with the help of the combat medic, who came to check on him. “Are you alright, Commander?”

“Yes, I’m fine. Continue treating the wounded.”

“Of course, Sire.” The medic bows and continues, while the human commandant asks, “Lieutenant?”

“Yes, Commander?” asks the lieutenant, whirling quickly. “Do we know who or what this ‘Amala’ the otherworlder called out to is?”

“I’m afraid not, my Lord. I’ll find the scouts and see if anyone heard anything, but as far as the initial reports go, there were only the three mercenaries and the merchant, none of whom are known by the name ‘Amala’.”

“Hmm… Perhaps it is an object of worship from the otherworld. Tell the scouts to search for signs of any newcomers, just in case.”

“As you wish, my Lord. Please excuse me.” The lieutenant bows, now moving to spread the newest order.

Commander Nesparu pel Contarro studies the carnage around him. The aftermath of trying to capture just one person cost him a great deal, not least of which is one of his most reliable and senior sergeants. Additionally, he won’t be able to rely on Serrentuk for several days as the elven sage recovers his mana.

“Serrentuk, retreat into whatever shadows you lurk in until your mana is recovered. Report to me as soon as you are restored.”

The elven mage silently nods in confirmation once more, and he sinks into the ground, unsettling his master. It never gets any less unnatural for the young lord seeing the elf disappear into solid matter, as if melting into shadows like some sort of haunter of the darkness.

Nesparu wearily walks back to the Imperial encampment, where his company's porters and servants have been establishing their mobile base in order to rest and recover after the skirmish with the brunette otherworlder. His escorting soldiers catch up to him with ease, and they trudge back up the road. With Zuzia Spolskia now trapped in Serrentuk's Gate, she will remain in suspended animation until the elf releases her. They can regroup and report back to the Grand Prince at their leisure. 

Thanks to that, Zuzia’s last thoughts will be her first thoughts upon release, meaning the Imperial troops can plan out how to deal with her and make preparations to solidify her captivity. In contrast, she won’t be able to prepare any sort of counterattack, granting the Empire the complete advantage.

Or, so the Commander believes.

***

At the time when Zuzia is in the midst of battle, Amalaskae panics. Zuzia is putting up an impressive fight, no matter what the Imperial soldiers throw at her. She even managed to rescue her mercenary friends.

The Polish backpacker is holding her own, but the arrival of an elven sorcerer threatens to completely shut out all of Zuzia’s progress in efforts to buy enough time for Wulfsten, Halkadon, and Verbert to escape prior to her own retreat.

Amalaskae watches helplessly as Zuzia is dragged into the elven sage’s rather unique innate skill; a type of pocket dimension that he can access referred to by his allies as ‘Gate’. She’s managing to cling to freedom for a long time thanks to her magic resistance, but the Imperials are throwing everything they have at dragging her into the spell.

Amalaskae paces back and forth amidst the rubble of the Rock Fountain of the Divine Realm, the one place where even her destructive power is minimized. And, even still, she has inadvertently destroyed almost everything present thanks to her seemingly cursed power.

Three soldiers tackle Zuzia into the spell, trying to drag her in, and the goddess panics, causing a shockwave to crumble the shards of boulders created by the Primordial Goddesses and virtually unbreakable… with the exception of the sunset-haired world manager in question.

And, as the last moments are swallowing the brunette on Zenkon, she cries out, “Amala! Please help mee-...!”

The goddess reacts instantly, resolved to violate any law of the Divine Order to save her first and closest friend… as well as her first love.

Amalaskae immediately sets to transporting herself to Zenkon’s surface, ready to vaporize all of the Imperials and prevent Zuzia from being captured.

But, it doesn’t work.

“Wh-What!?”

She tries to transport herself again, but she is unable to leave the Divine Realm for some reason.

She tries to transport herself to the summoning quarter, and she easily moves to the ritual space, where one of her seniors is preparing to transport someone from one world to another, discussing it with another peer.

The sunset-haired goddess tries to transport herself to Zenkon again, yet nothing happens.

“Why won’t it work!?” shrieks the goddess, drawing the attention of her seniors. She starts to concentrate her power towards her goal of transporting, but a voice interrupts her, “That’s enough, Amalaskae.”

Dozens of gasps surround the young and clumsy goddess, and she spins to look when everyone suddenly kneels.

Standing as a mirror image of Amalaskae is someone easily recognizable no matter what form she takes, at least for members of the Divine realm.

Amalaskae feels every ounce of her strength leave her, and she drops to her knees, cracking the special tile floor of the summoning center’s entry way.

The doppelganger of Amalaskae, none other than Chaos herself, doesn’t even flinch under the sudden destructive power capable of damaging the Divine Realm.

No! Zuzia’s in danger! I-... I can’t be erased now! I… I have to save her…!

Tears start to form in Amalaskae’s eyes, and she whimpers out, “L-Lady Chaos…”

“Trying to go somewhere, Amalaskae?” asks the all-powerful creator and ruler of discord.

“P-P-Please, Lady Chaos! Z-Zuzia is in danger!”

“So?” asks the sovereign goddess mercilessly.

The subordinate goddess can only let the tears flow down her face, horrified at the thought of losing her first and only summon without being able to do anything.

“I… I can’t… abandon her…” whimpers the sunset-haired goddess.

Without any warning nor noticeable transformation, Chaos appears to be a tall humanoid with six wings, a blindfold, and a broad, three-ring golden halo with eyes all the way around the rings, which circles her face and intersects roughly at eye level, but floating separately from her head, like a strange, weightless gyroscope.

“Countless souls inhabit existence, and you would sacrifice your existence for one?” asks the Primordial Goddess coldly.

“Yes,” replies Amalaskae without hesitation. She knows two feelings that have defined her own existence; loneliness, which has been a part of her since her creation, and love, which has given her the resolve recently to be so decisive on this matter.

“I would gladly give all my power to protect Zenkon, as it is the world I am responsible for. I will happily give my existence for Zuzanna. I… I’m… in love with her.”

It feels like every single one of the multitude of eyes on the gyroscopic halo are staring into Amalaskae’s very being, even the ones that logically aren’t facing her, as paradoxical as that would seem were it not Chaos, who resides outside of the existence Amalaskae and the others know as one of its two creators.

Chaos says nothing for a long time, but Amalaskae isn’t afraid anymore. She wants to save Zuzia, and if she has to try to escape Chaos in order to do it…

I don’t know if my power is enough, since it was undoubtedly given to me by you, but I WILL fight you…

Suddenly, the lips on Chaos’s blindfolded face curl into a smile.

“You will fight me, will you?” asks the entropic goddess facetiously.

Amalaskae twitches, but she holds her ground. “I-If I must… But, I beg of you, please let me save her. I will accept my punishment afterwards, but…”

“No.”

“Please!”

Amalaskae springs to her feet, desperately trying to plead with Chaos. And, once more without any noticeable change until it’s already done, the Primordial Goddess appears in the form of Zuzia, but with the same blindfold on. The junior goddess flinches for a moment, though she knows it’s not the real Zuzia. Still, her chest suddenly thumps, even though the goddesses don’t have explicit internal organs the way humans do. Regardless, it feels like she has a heart, and it just tightened briefly.

Chaos reaches slowly towards Amalaskae, as if to caress her cheek like a lover, and confusion starts to grip the sunset-haired goddess’s mind and soul.

That is until her supreme creator pinches her cheek, and the sensation actually causes the young goddess to feel pain.

“O-O-Ow! Ow ow! My Lady Chaos! Please! Show mercy!”

“Why would I stop you directly if I care not for your precious little Zuzu, Amalaskae?” asks the sovereign goddess dryly.

Though Chaos refuses to release her, Amalaskae is struck by her words. Her mind swirls as she starts to connect the dots in her mind. Chaos and Order are the highest of existences, technically not even ‘existing’ in the sense that everything else does. They are said to see all and have power over everything, yet they seem to rarely exercise that power if at all.

Yet, there are times that everything is ‘according to plan’ in the sense that Chaos and Order seem to have seen it coming.

Chaos’s point is that she wouldn’t have stopped Amalaskae from directly intervening to help Zuzia precisely because she sees an even bigger picture and simultaneously does and does not care about any one individual, goddess, human, gatonine, grodrrn, or otherwise.

She stopped Amalaskae for a different reason. The one reason Amalaskae and the other gods and goddesses of the Divine Realm exist for in the first place.

“I would spark an anomaly…” murmurs Amalaskae distantly.

“Look at that,” replies Chaos with amusement in her tone. “You’re not a fool after all.”

“B-But…!”

“It’s already too late, Amalaskae.” Chaos finally releases the junior world manager, and she turns away from her clumsy subordinate. She is now in the form of an elemental, a relatively tiny pixie-like being with dragonfly-like wings, and sparkles flutter off of her as she hovers idly away from Amalaskae at a lax pace. “For the time being Zuzia is beyond your reach. Not without endangering yourself. As you’ll likely hear from Ryukana soon enough, you have a role more specific than simply managing the world of Zenkon. But, if you act rashly, you will not only fail your responsibility to the world of Zenkon as a whole, as well as your precious little lover, but you will make the coming anomaly that much worse.” When Chaos turns around to face Amalaskae again, she has a size-appropriate broadsword twirling with its tip perfectly balanced on her finger, spinning continuously like a top. The sword itself looks somewhat familiar to Amalaskae, but she’s not certain.

“There are already several fools on Zenkon whose paths will likely converge. If they do not figure out how to cooperate to stop the anomaly, then this…” The Primordial goddess gestures at the sword still spinning on her fingertip using her free hand. “... will become the catalyst to the end of Zenkon.”

“I… Then… Zuzia, D-Daniel, and… Rikuto…?”

“I don’t care what combination of mortals takes whatever actions. For now, you are more dangerous trying to help our dearest cutie Zuzu yourself. So, now that you’ve had a moment to calm down and think, I might let you go to Zenkon.”

“You will!?” asks Amalaskae excitedly, ready to teleport on top of Nesparu and inflict horrifying pain on him until he makes his elven sorcerer release Zuzia. However, she stops that train of thought, really deliberating on Chaos’s words. The Primordial Goddess is still trying to force a point on Amalaskae. One for which trying to rescue Zuzia directly misses.

If she’s ensnared in the same way, assuming it’s possible, then she becomes an even bigger catalyst than whatever the sword represents.

“Daniel…” murmurs the subordinate goddess. “Daniel and his allies can rescue her. O-Or even Rikuto! If I can get them to help her, then the risk is reduced! R-Right?”

Chaos takes the form of a young girl with black hair, amber gold eyes, big, triangular fox-ears, and a jewel-decorated crown custom fit to her. Amalaskae recognizes her in passing as Hekate, the feldrok Empress of the Fievegal, but with one key difference; she has fourteen bushy black tails behind her that almost make her look like the fox-version of a peacock, since the only distinctly noticeable feature giving them away as individual appendages rather than one large fan-like structure are the distinct points each one comes to, and the light swaying and bouncing that sets them apart. 

Chaos is telling Amalaskae something, but the junior goddess isn’t exactly sure what. She could be telling the world manager that Hekate is her enemy just as easily as she could be steering the desperate Divine lover to call upon the feldrok girl for help. And, the Primordial Goddess confirms this further by saying bluntly, “I don’t really care what you do or how you do it. At best, you should consider yourself lucky and be grateful that I stopped you from making a gigantic mistake and go make a smaller one instead. In the grand scheme of things, wiping you off of the face of a world like paste is no more troublesome than yawning for me. Keep that in mind.”

Amalaskae bows before her sovereign. “I am truly grateful, my Lady Chaos. I’ll consult with my allies. I see now that you have forced me to see it that I have time. Zuzia… She will survive for the time being. I need to be tactful, and operate within the rules…”

“What is this? An anime? I don’t need the useless exposition. Of course that’s the point. But, what are rules but simplified order? They lack… an element of chaos.” The Primordial goddess in Hekate’s modified form grins cheekily, indicating once more that, if she isn’t cognizant of the future, she has a pretty good idea of how it’s going to go anyways.

Amalaskae tries to think of what her boss in simple terms could possibly mean. She has already been warned that she would only have one chance at world management and a hero summoning, and she expects she’ll eventually be scolded for giving Zuzia too much power through the system that’s in place.

Although… if Chaos and Order can see everything… I…

Amalaskae twitches when she notices a specific change in the light of Chaos’s eyes. The Primordial goddess has proven capable of reading thoughts with no effort, but more importantly, her gaze is akin to a predator sizing up prey. She is studying Amalaskae for the exact path of her train of thought. It may not be for the purpose of erasing the clumsy sunset-haired goddess, but it could very well be a part of the greater whole with which the absolute creator and destroyer makes her decisions.

“You… haven’t scolded me yet… You… never scold anyone immediately…”

This series of statements causes the all powerful being to smirk.

“Do you know why humans will often let their children be burned by a hot stove?” asks the omniscient Goddess.

The answer is pretty obvious, but Chaos doesn’t try to force an answer out of Amalaskae this time. She answers her own question. “A wound that is survived is a lesson that is learned. The same principle applies to all of existence. If I thought you were going to die in the process, I might interfere. Otherwise, I’ll wait until afterwards to condescendingly tell you I told you so.”

Chaos takes the form of a woman with the lower half of a serpent and the upper half of someone who is mostly human, though with a few features that might grant someone pause for the uncanny valley. She is a naga, and one from a world a little different in function than Zenkon itself. Her hair is brown, with brown and dark green scales adorning her serpent-half. Additionally, though rather elegant in design, her outfit has all of the hallmarks of being a maid. Specifically, a head-maid for a noble’s estate.

“Mama Griselde will watch over you,” declares the all-powerful goddess playfully. “But remember, you are still perfectly capable of crossing the line of no return on your own. You are not a mortal child. I hope you won’t make that mistake.”

Amalaskae quickly replies, “Of course not! I-I understand… I think. T-To say it would be foolish, s-so I will say… I will do my best to think through my actions… C-Carefully… Since I’m dangerous enough on my own as it is… I just…” The dual-toned hair color of Amalaskae is not completely unique to her, but she notices it for once as her hair flutters lightly in the presence of the absolute Goddess of Disorder. “I-If I am responsible for failing Zuzia… P-... Please… Have mercy on her, my Lady.”

Chaos crosses her arms as she rises a little higher on her serpentine body, which is nearly twenty-five feet long in total from head to tail. “You should know by now that I have no plans for anything, my dear, sweet, clumsy Amalaskae. I am the embodiment of the unknown, the unexpected, and the unprecedented. To ask me to plan for the future is to ask a droplet of water to stop following the river. If you’d like, I could summon my sister here.” Chaos smiles ‘innocently’, but her actual presence says anything but.

“I appreciate the offer, my Lady, but I do not wish to trouble Lady Order with my trivial problems. I know what I must do now, and you have taught me a great deal in this short span. I can’t thank you enough.”

Amalaskae bows once more, and she then starts to excuse herself with the intention of heading to the Citadel on Zenkon.

Just as she’s about to depart, though, Chaos remarks quietly and almost unintelligibly to Amalaskae. “You pass…”

“Wh-What was that?” asks Amalaskae, disbelieving the words she heard from her idol and creator.

“If I actually wanted your attention, I would have spoken loudly enough that it would not be in question,” retorts the immature-seeming Primordial Sovereign bluntly. She’s acting like she’s being sassy, but she gives Amalaskae a small smile before disappearing.

It gives the rookie goddess an inspiring dash of hope, which makes her heart feel warm for a moment.

“Right!” Amalaskae puffs herself up as she recovers her focus. “Zuzu needs me! I have to speak to Ryukana and go from there.”

Amalaskae takes a breath and focuses on her new destination. She’s not sure what Chaos wants her to be cautious of, but the safest place for her is the new residence of the young goddess’s predecessor.

Unfortunately, that place is extremely big, so she has to observe for a moment to find Ryukana.

Hopefully, her senior will be willing to help.

***

Gold enters the Citadel’s family dining hall used by the Fievegal’s ‘Imperial Family’ when they’re all together. She has the dragon eggs she’s taking care of securely stored in her secret bunker. They are her own and those belonging to Ryuogriar, Reignleif, and Geirahoel, and the bunker is accessible only by Gold. Even the acolytes she chose are unable to leave if Gold doesn’t return. The only failsafe is that Daniel can probably pass through the barrier, as he did at Shialvolgarro’s Hoard to enter the private quarters of the various dragons. She used the same spell as the first layer, which would allow him to grant access to the Empresses, who would then be able to figure out how to get the rest of the way in.

For today, though, Gold will be escorting a couple of VIPs to the rendezvous location with the Fievegal’s sovereigns.

Present in the dining hall are a couple of the dragons that usually avoid Daniel altogether, as well as Thymeria, Shek, Skloe, the goblin princes and princesses, Ahok, and the two Gold is specifically looking for, Princess Erimaya and Queen Heralesse.

“Oh! Lady Gold,” remarks Thymeria brightly. “Is something wrong? You don’t usually come to the dining hall, do you?”

“I eat when I’m hungry and where I feel like eating,” retorts the blonde woman with a regal air. “Heralesse and Erimaya, are your preparations to depart completed?”

Heralesse perks up, and she thinks for a moment. “Oh! Uh… Well… I wonder… Would Eri and I have time for one more bath before we depart?”

“I suppose that’s fine, as long as you don’t tarry,” replies the dragon. “In fact, I’ll join you.”

“P-Pardon?” squeaks the teenage Queen of Mornistae.

“I’ll join you,” repeats the golden-haired beauty with her arms stretched upwards. “The flight will be rather short anyways, and we can’t be stinky before we meet our friends, right?”

“D-Don’t you…?” starts Heralesse before Erimaya reassures her. “We’d be happy to have a chance to talk to you! Right, Heralesse?”

“R-Right…” murmurs the Queen.

“Great! Then, I'll meet you at the common bath in a few minutes.”

“R-Right,” answers Heralesse a little bashfully.

True to their word, the two Mornistae royals join the golden dragon woman, who is already lounging in the large, communal-style bath. Daniel had it built in direct response to his numerous paramours demanding to share bath time with him, as well as the princesses and princes, who like to play in the water with him.

Gold stretches her legs out a bit, yawning as the two young women cautiously enter the constantly-heated water circulating through a filtration unit to maintain cleanliness until the water is cycled out in the middle of the night.

Even though all three of them are women, Heralesse cautiously hides her chest, glancing more than once at her ‘competition’; the Golden dragon whose human form is fit, but doesn’t lack in femininity in the least. Ryuogriar is more noticeably ‘well-endowed’ by human standards, but Gold is probably a close second.

Erimaya greets the golden-blonde once again, “Glad to see you again, Lady Gold!”

“Likewise, Erimaya. Come, get comfortable. We only have about an hour or so before we need to get dried off and dressed.”

The princess doesn’t hesitate, walking through the heated water to take a seat beside Gold. She hums in delight, relaxing immediately.

Heralesse is a little more hesitant, and it earns her a teasing from Gold. “What’s wrong, Heralesse? Afraid I make my breasts bigger by devouring those of cute young girls like you?”

“WHA-!?” yelps the embarrassed young woman. “I… No! It’s just… It’s not proper to show myself to a stranger so easily!”

“Huh… I guess the Mornistae bloodline is in trouble then.”

“I beg your pardon!?” snaps the young Queen, now getting more combative as she storms through the water to stand over the dragon. “How dare you!?”

“It’s the truth, isn’t it? I would hope you intend to have children with someone who was once a stranger. But, if that’s not the case…”

“WHO I HAVE CHILDREN WITH IS NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!” fumes the Queen angrily, and her younger sister tries to calm her down. “Heralesse, please! She’s just teasing you!”

“You dropped your guard,” adds Gold, unafraid of the teen’s threatening posture. This prompts Heralesse to cock her head in confusion, momentarily halted from her anger. She looks down, realizing she stopped covering herself, and she quickly darts down into the water beside Erimaya, keeping the younger sister between herself and Gold. She clears her throat, saying somewhat arrogantly, “I can acknowledge that I am not in Mornistae currently, and I must adapt to other cultures to be able to be a good Queen.”

She finally manages to relax a little, and Gold remarks, “Hekate said she’d be here, but… That little fool doesn’t know the meaning of a morning person, does she?”

Erimaya giggles. “I did knock on her door, but I think Doephluev agitated her a great deal. She fell asleep quite quickly.”

“It’s probably the little kittens she brought with her. She was running around trying to make sure they had a new home and all the amenities they could need. Little fox-eared devil probably tuckered herself out. Emotionally, since she’s still a physical powerhouse.”

Erimaya laughs warmly at Gold’s last humorous quip. Every bit of Hekate’s pitiful and tragic past shows itself pretty regularly in how she carries herself as a lady; as in, she lacks even the most basic of basics commoners would routinely practice. Her vocabulary can be limited at times, prompting her to make up her own words. And, she often doesn’t care about anyone or anything if Daniel is present or the topic of conversation.

On the flip side, Erimaya has seen a fraction of what Hekate can do with magic, including teleporting herself great distances with ease, fending off a small army single-handedly, and sparring with Gold by unleashing powerful elemental attacks.

“You speak rather rudely about your Empress,” remarks Heralesse coldly. “I’ve never understood that.”

“You’ve met my Empress. The fact that you’re lounging in a cozy bath instead of waiting for our trip in a cell should attest to that.”

The Queen pouts quietly, and she surrenders after a moment, laying back in the water and resting her head on the lip of the large pool. “Yeah, you’re right… I am going to miss this…”

“I’ll make sure you can come back,” replies Erimaya, similarly enjoying the hot water.

There’s a moment’s pause as the words sink in. Heralesse snaps her eyes open. “Wait, what?”

“I’ll make sure to make Daniel and Hekate let you come back.”

The elder sister stares at her younger sibling with a look of shock and horror. “What are you saying? You’re saying that like you’re staying here.”

“I thought that much was obvious,” retorts the Princess sassily.

“Noooo,” drawls Heralesse in counter. “What’s obvious is that you’re coming home with me. You can’t stay here.”

“I can, am, and will continue to do so. And, when I’m an Empress of the Fievegal, I might even let you still call me Eri.” The preteen blonde crosses her arms under her chest, puffing up proudly.

Heralesse finally sits up, snapping, “Eri! You are NOT staying here! What about Mother and Father!? What about Mornistae!?”

The younger sister scowls at the Queen. “Mother and Father may come visit, and if Rikuto continues to pursue golden feathers, he’s going to find the cliff.”

“He’s not pursuing golden feathers,” retorts Heralesse quickly before realizing the point isn’t far off. “Well…” She sighs. “We’re going to join everyone at Castle Northwall for a peace summit. As long as peace terms can be agreed upon, we hopefully won’t have to worry about it anymore.”

Gold finally remarks, “Mm… Let us hope.” She then adds as she swirls her finger in the water. “The golden feathers… Is that some sort of reference to canaries?”

Erimaya perks up, excitedly facing the dragon. “Not quite! It’s from a bedtime story our mother used to tell us.” Hearing these words softens Heralesse’s expression as well.

“A bedtime story?” asks the dragon.

“Mm-hmm! It’s something mothers do for their children so that they have good dreams!” replies Erimaya brightly. She scoots close to the dragon, whispering as if there’s anyone eavesdropping on them that Gold isn’t aware of. “And, get this, Lady Gold. Daniel says mothers AND fathers on Earth do it. Sometimes together.”

Gold is silent for a long time as she ponders on these words. She has no love nor hate for Daniel. If anything, she has grown to find him charming in his own way. At least, she likes how honest he is, often to a fault.

Just as Erimaya and Heralesse are getting ready to actually clean their bodies, the golden dragon blurts out, “Tell it to me.”

“What?” asks Heralesse, surprised by the declaration.

“Tell me this story about the golden feathers. I have many centuries of life behind me, but sadly, the egg you have seen will be my first child.” She places her hand on her well-defined chest. “I intend to be the greatest mother of all time, along with all of the other things I am the greatest at. I must add to my repertoire if I am to accomplish that goal.”

Erimaya giggles, and she sits up on her knees. “I’ll gladly tell you, but can we do it on the flight? We should actually bathe before we run out of time, even if the story isn’t that long.”

Gold nods. “I’ll hold you to that, then.”

The three retrieve soap and cleaning cloths to scrub themselves down in the water, savoring the heat as Erimaya and Heralesse avoid addressing the disagreement they had. They have time to sort it out, and it’ll be up to them to sort it out.

The peace summit will be over before they all know it, and hopefully it will represent a turning point.

Of course, the world is not a single line that twists and turns through a void…

***