Chapter 14

When Kano and I reached the city, I saw striped canopies shading the storefronts. Colorful and welcoming displays in store windows; sapling trees spaced out along the sidewalk. We kept walking till we reached an inn in the city.

"I think you can take it from here right? Cause I need to get back to fishing." Kano exclaimed.

"Yes, thanks for your help," I replied and waved him goodbye. As I walked into the building, I saw Krios walking down the stairs.

"Kaida!" Krios called out, running down the stairs.

Kiros had seen me limp into the building and ran over to my side.

"You're pretty banged up," he chuckled.

"Falling out of a hurricane is funny, now mind helping me?" I huffed.

"Alright." He complied.

"Thanks," I replied.

He lifted me off my feet and carried me upstairs to a room. He set me down on a bed and pulled out first aid.

"Did you find your sister?" he asked.

"Not yet," I sighed.

"I found Ayla and we worked out a plan. Having known that we would have to bring the rest of our group here, I told the innkeeper we would pay at the end of the week and a little extra. In the meantime, she'll be searching for the rest of us, while I'll search for jobs we can do to cover the inn," He told me as he wrapped my head.

"Great idea, but how will we communicate if one of us gets lost again." I was tired.

"We'll have to figure that out later, but you're ready to go for now." He replied and patted my head.

"Thanks," I added.

"You should stay here just in case one of us comes back injured," He answered.

"Alright, where are you going through," I questioned.

"Job?" He replied.

"Right, good luck!" I responded. He nodded and left.

......

I had been walking for hours on end with the bounty hunters and Dalinda. It didn't help the fact that she was a hungry dragon and that she would eat anything that looked edible.

She started chewing on Gurto's shirt from the back; hanging on by a mere thread. Akiko and Ruki were holding in their laughter. For a dragon, she was pretty light; that might have been why he didn't notice until she was hanging on the sleeve.

"一ERN, TATSUYA!?" Someone called from a distance.

"Stay back," Ruki told me defensively.

"I can defend myself you know," I retorted.

"With a head injury? I think not," he insisted

"Tatsuya?" Ayla called as her head popped out from the side of the tree.

"Ayla? What are you doing here?" I lilted.

"Funny story, I lost myself trying to find you in the city but ended up in the woods." She explained.

"Well you can join us, we're headed to the city anyway," Gurto suggested.

"Thanks, and you found Dalinda. It saves me plenty of time." She sighed

"How did you find Kaida?" I asked

"No, now I realize we don't have a form of talking if we get separated." Ayla sheepishly giggled.

"That's something we have to discuss when regrouping," I said.

"You girls are done talking, we have to keep moving," Akiko asked.

"Yeah let's keep going," I responded.

"There is also a plan in place. Knowing we would bring the rest of our group here in a couple of days, Krios told the innkeeper we would pay by the end of the week and a little extra. In the meantime, I am trying to find the rest of us, while he is looking for jobs to pay for our expenses." Ayla explained.

"Good idea," I replied.

"Where are you headed to by the way," Gurto asked.

"Myruki Inn," Ayla said.

......

I followed the path that Yasmine's mother directed me; I reached the inn faster than I expected. I met up with the innkeeper, and he told me there was a room booked with my name. Room 306. I opened the door to see Kaida rummaging through her stuff.

"Ryoko! You're alright!" Kaida yelled, limping up to hug me.

"Yes, yes. What about the others?" I asked, patting her back.

"Ayla is looking for them," she answered.

'She's safe,'

"Why are you smiling?" Kaida asked.

"I am not smiling," I responded.

"Okay weirdo. Wait, you like Ayla!" she yelled.

"Shhh, not so loud and yes I like her," I replied.

"Wait really!" she giggled.

"Yeah. She's cool, brave, carefree, smart, what's not to love about her?" I sighed.

"Tell her you like her," Kaida teased.

"Maybe after the war, Kaida," I chuckled.

"Alright. We also have a plan. Knowing we would bring the rest of our group here in a couple of days, Krios told the innkeeper we would pay by the end of the week and a little extra. In the meantime, I am trying to find the rest of us, while he is looking for jobs to pay for our expenses."

"I still don't trust him," I grunted.

"Well, I think he's very reliable, seeing that he's the one that books us a room for a week," she argued.

"Is he going to tag along with us for a whole three months?" I remarked

"We never asked where he was headed," she sighed

"We better ask soon," I murmured.

......

I looked at a few posters on street lights, and walls around the city. The further I walked, the fewer posters I started to see; many were confirming war in the next weeks. More so, I found a poster on the ground showing the royal castle.

New place staff required! Come one, come all, get a chance to be closer to the ruler of the sky!

This job could make us a lot of money. It's just what we need. I picked up the flyer and ran off back to the city with Furoko.

'This was an amazing opportunity to get to know the ruler and their weaknesses. And also the money of course.'

I reached the inn a few minutes later and headed up the stairs.

"We got ourselves jobs!" I cheered as I opened the room door.

......

"WE'RE GOING TO WORK AT THE PALACE!" I yelled.

"How did you even," Kaida asked.

"You sure are full of surprises," Tatsuya sighed.

"Yeah he sure is, but now that we are back we need to find Wyvern and Scylla," Ryoko stated.

"Don't forget you need to look for the Air crystal," Talila spoke.

"Have heard from you for a while," I questioned.

"Sometimes the best answer is silence," Talila stated.

"For three weeks!? We could have died in that time." I huffed.

"..."

"Well, now that we are together we should clear up a few things," Tatsuya started.

"Krios, where were you going when you met us." Ryoko interrupted.

"My father's village," Krios stated.

"Alright, how much further is it?" I asked.

"It's near the Mazuki nation. A few miles from the West element temple," he responded.

"Good, How many weeks till war?" I requested.

"Around 5-7 weeks," Krios replied.

"Alright, we have time. Now Talila, which crystals are left." I asked.

"Air and Earth," Talila answered.

"Someone get the map," I ordered.

"The map is not here!" Ryoko hollered.

"What!" Kaida blurted.

"It's not here, Ryoko telling the truth," Tatsuya assured.

"Krios, I don't mean to point fingers. But you were the last person in the room after I left." I fumed.