Chapter 52 – Not our gems

"Okay, I'll go first," Tony says, picking up a marker and walking to the board. "Gust. Male. Lazy blue dragon, but immense in power. Don't get fooled by his gem… he can also breath fire, Rahambose perks," Tony says, while writing them in small points under Gust's section.

"So he is the weakest," Skyto says.

Tony reveals her last point under Gust, and Skyto goes silent. 'Can't die.'

"He's a Rahambose," Raigo sighs at us – mocking us, as if it were obvious. "Why do you think there's a Rahambose-killer?"

"But then… Crystal-cave is some… we can reach it. Why is Rahambose yet the… what is the logic behind him?" Tyle asks.

Raigo just shrugs.

"Okay, who's next?" Tony asks, holding out the marker.

Spythun goes ahead, but ponders for a while. Finally he writes down, 'Razor'. "Weird dude."

"Don't write that down," Hailo sighs, and goes forward too. "We… didn't fight him. He seemed to be interested in something else he said. Maybe the Crystal-cave?"

"No-no. Rainbow is a selfish guy. Besides, Hate wouldn't want to get involved soon on a sensitive issue. Or Time or Poseidon may get involved."

"Who?" Drego asks.

"Time is… Sam. The first one," Tony says.

"And Poseidon is a God. Somebody who made Crystal-cave. We only have that name of his. He is nothing like the Crystal-cave."

"Then why have we never heard about him?" Line asks.

"Exactly why," Tony and Raigo say.

Raigo looks at Tony.

"Well, easy guess," Tony shrugs.

"Then what is the deal with this Razor?" Skyto asks.

"Well," Raigo gets up and goes to the board while grabbing the marker from Hailo. "Genetician."

"A what?" Leo asks.

"Call it what you want, but he was a professor. A professional on dragons. Studying them. Altering them."

"Oh great," Hailo sighs.

"He left the two of you… and was interested in something? And nobody else was with you? I don't have an answer, but is… weird, yes."

"Like I said," Spythun proudly tells Hailo.

"He would've easily wanted to carve you and learn about you."

"Yeah, he warned us," Spythun says, and looks at Leo. "He said he wanted to find Leo. But also found something more interesting there."

"Just a madman. He won't be a problem for now. He might even be the weakest of them."

"Lovely."

Then after they settle, everyone looks at me.

"Why do you seem silent, Wyrom?" Skyto asks me.

I envision Skyto's death again, and feel myself gasp. Everybody wears a worried expression, making me stop.

"Trapzedrun," I write on the board. "Green. Huge sword. Mind games to a bit. Some holy or pride-filled hunter mindset," I glance towards Drego – and I see it in her eyes too. "You… you should leave him to me." I tell directly to Skyto.

"Are you sure?" Skyto asks.

I feel a little nauseous and play with the ring on my finger – in a small arc of a circle. "So they heal?"

"Real fast," Tony tells me.

"How fast?"

"Tore Gust's limb, grew it back."

"And that…" I look at Raigo. "Applies to everyone, all Rahambose?"

"Yeah. Can't even choke them and kill either. They heal pretty quick."

I nod. "Theoretically… say, how long would thorn wounds heal?"

"What are you getting at?"

"I made him bleed. His neck didn't heal," I say and show my ring. "With this."

"What is that?" Raigo asks.

"It is a miniature Rahambose-killer," Tyle says, and comes to me. "Lithin gave you this… he knew. He knew he had to be stopped."

"Tyle," Tony says.

"No mom. It makes sense now. I know it. I… I knew it."

"Are you suggesting that just like Parzival, Lithin did this too?"

"How like Parzival?" I ask.

"Well… Parzival… it is a theory," Tony sighs.

"Made sure to piss off Tarragon and Max. Write to Tarragon on that letter to Ivor," Raigo says.

"Those names mean something to us. Maybe add some respect," Tony suggests, while glaring at Raigo.

"And Parzival Blesthe didn't mean anything?" Raigo asks, and stares back at Tony.

"Okay… peace," Spythun says, coming in between. "So we basically have a Rahambose-killer with us, guys. We… we have a chance."

"And if this TYO is around, we can make her our ally," Skyto suggests.

"Next," Raigo says, and holds the marker near the board. "Rainbow. Like Drego, can copy abilities and structures."

"So we could use Drego's weakness on him," Tyle suggests.

"My weakness?" Drego asks.

"Getting the emotions and trauma of the people you become. Force that."

"But now he is a Crystal-cave," Raigo suggests.

"Then what do you suggest us do?" Tony asks.

"As strong as he may seem… we need to finish him off first. Or with time he'll realise more of his power."

"Hmm," Tony says, pondering. "So Crystal-cave is like… a being, right? Did Rainbow take over the body, or the title of Crystal-cave?"

"You suggest we find the actual one?"

"That is if it isn't killed," Leo says.

"Leo," Tony sighs.

"Trinity," Leo says, and goes to the board. "Purple. Energy and weapon creation. No witnessed dragon forms. Her… hand was there."

"You had cut her arm… but it should've grown back," Tyle suggests.

"No," I say. "When Drego became her… Trinity looked at her arm and screamed. She… she was summoned there. That's how she found our location. They detected that blast. She had her hand?"

"I wasn't concentrating," Leo says. "She was creating energy from… she has a prosthetic energy arm."

"Say what?" Spythun asks.

"So then… you actually cut it," I say.

"But Trinity is like their strongest so…" Raigo says, not knowing the answer. "That is impossible."

"Then… Wyrom and Leo are the ones who can hurt them," Skyto says. "At least that sounds good."

"Then there is hope," Raigo says.

"Hate," Line writes on the board. "Beast of a dragon. I have seen him… he is ruthless. Basically a red. Can fly even in the form, because his wings can extend. Lot of strength."

"Lithin," Tyle writes. "Green. One of the best. War tactics. Manipulation tactics."

"He's the leader of them," Skyto says. "And… mom is back. So it must be safe to assume that… she is being manipulated by him."

"She must be scared," Spythun says.

"So," Raigo says. "That is all we have."

"Minus some of our powers," Leo suggests.

"Drego and Tony are the only ones with the entirety of their powers," Raigo says. "But seeing as to how the rest of you lost yours… we can't take chances with either of them, even when Drego braced once."

"We go one-by-one. And take all of them down," Leo says. "We can't let what happened last night, happen again."

"We may…" I say. "Have basically lost our powers. Half of it or hopefully lesser. But we still have our wits. Our training. Ourselves."

I see Raigo and Skyto nod their heads.

"Not our gems," Skyto says. "We are more than that. We may be weaker now… but we still are strong."

"After I lost my gem…" Raigo says. "I have questioned how…"

Raigo gets up, and signs everyone to follow her. She just finds a latch on the ground outside, and lifts a trap door. Then lowers herself down the set of stairs.

We follow.

"With all due respect," I say, and Raigo looks at me.

"Oh… you don't like weapons. Shankan stuff," Raigo says, and looks at the room full of many weapons, some yet being built. It was a whole forge.

"We would gladly accept," Skyto says, looking around. "This looks beautiful," he sees a katana-like sword.

"No," I say, making him stop from touching it. "Clearly… a bigger one would suit you."

Skyto looks at the sword in front of him, and then at others… to find opinions on their blank faces – which had no idea of why I said that. "You really think so?" Skyto asks, looking back at me.

"Yes."

"I could… forge one. You could find the biggest one lying here, until then," Raigo says.

Leo silently goes towards said katana near Skyto, and stares at it. Skyto and Leo exchange a look, before Skyto nods to Leo – and that's when Leo holds the sword.

"You should teach me," Leo says.

"I'd be glad to."

"This is interesting," Drego says, holding a spear and axe.

"That doesn't feel like the right combination," Tony says, grabbing the spear from Drego – Drego gladly lets it go. "Better now."

"Hey…" Line says, holding a sword. "We were a sword couple."

Tony scoffs. "Yeah… sorry. I could've used the distance in the earlier battle."

Tyle comes and looks at his dad, who looks back. "Yeah, alright," Line says and hands the sword to Tyle. "Like father, like son."

Spythun sits down while putting a crate full of knives to the ground. "You got one in green?"

"I could… find some paint," Raigo says.

"Add some poison to it, and be careful. Thank you," Spythun smiles, unhinged. "The poison could at least make them a little sick."

"Primevel warriors coat their swords with gasoline. Since you can create sparks, it'd be helpful. You'd be something of a Primevel warriors yourself," Tony suggests.

"Ooh, sounds neat. Thanks T."

"You and your brother need to stop calling my wife by her name," Line says.

"Aw… you jealous of teenagers now?" Tony asks.

"They are young adults now. And you clearly look their age," Line shrugs.

Tony smirks and moves closer to say something into Line's ears.

"Guys… I'm right here," Tyle sighs.

I see in Spythun's expression that even he had heard whatever that was.