Gained Nothing

To Zephyr and others, with dread creeping on her features, Janessa's steps stumbled.

Not believing the place where a good town was supposed to be there nothing but destroyed buildings remained.

"What the hell? Who could have done that?!"

Yelling, she got down to inspect the place further but seeing the sight made Zephyr infuriate. With disapproval etched on his features, he got down too.

"How- How is this possible?"

She attempted to forge sentences but failed, the panic was written all over her.

"I swear, it was a fine town… not some ruins. Who would do this…? Here too?" 

The fear that the same happened to others as well, no one deserved such a horrendous outcome after all. 

"Do you think it's Aldina? Trying to stop us from gaining help?" Marcus asked.

Checking out the state of the town which wasn't burned but ravaged in a way no one gained a chance to escape.

Fresh blood was dispersed, those who got the chance must have escaped, those who didn't were trapped into the claws of death.

"No, it's not Aldina,"

"Then?"

Taking a deep breath, Zephyr looked away, holding Azura close with a disappointing tone.

"It's Zirkos," 

Their eyes widened in appall while questioning what a creature as savage as him wanted from a mere town.

But the answer was clear- Zephyr's misery- Which also meant that he witnessed the night of raze- All this for his anguish.

"The destruction, the condition of the town. He did this to mock me because he did the same to the capital of Delphia," Zephyr growled while placing Azura down in a clean shelter.

 The sight reminded him of his country, hurting him immensely.

The unforgettable, nightmarish night where he lost his father, his country and in a similar way to that, he lost Yor too.

He was just losing. 

And it hurts. It agonized him.

"This…? Oh Lord, what a monstrous creature is he? Who is this Zirkos?" 

Janessa, who was unaware of his existence and reality, asked.

"He is the ruler of the Abyss, the nefarious dragon, Zirkos,"

Horror rushed in her vein swiftly, throat drying at the merest idea of watching a dragon who destroyed a town so easily.

"So you are saying, this Aldina lady is working with a dragon…"

"Yes," 

Noticing the dread plastered on Janessa's face, Zephyr looked at her.

Pissing her off with his mocking tone to shift his mind from perturbation.

"Are you afraid? Do you want to run away?" 

To his teased, she puffed, rolling her eyes with a stern proclamation.

"I am not a coward,"

"We will see," He hummed.

Going forward as the stress in his heart was growing rapidly, stealing his ability to perceive by each passing second.

'I have to find something quick, the poison is spreading, if it continues, Azura might not be…'

Almost gasping at his thoughts, he shook his head and sat beside her, holding her hand firmly to press it right against his heart.

"No, no, I won't let anything happen to you, My Lady. I will save you at all cost," 

Enunciating, he was beside her, helping her to eat something. 

"I am sorry, Zephyr…"

Keeping her gaze lowered from discouragement of losing, gave his hand a stern squeeze.

"I failed… I couldn't fight… or protect, I should have listened to you…"

"It's alright, you did great for your first fight," He exhaled, kissing the back of her palm for reassurance. 

Releasing a tear, she placed his hand over her heart, kissing it as well.

"Don't.. Hate me, please,"

"Don't be absurd. How can I hate you? Right now saving your life is my priority," 

Taking a deep breath, he kept holding her hand firmly. 

"Yor and Father has always taught me to place your partner first, do not be vexed. I will find a cure for you," 

Refusing to let them go so he could assure her that there was nothing to be worried about. Pulling his hand, she closed her eyes.

"...It's so hot, Zephyr,"

He nodded hastily, taking out his shirt from his bag, handing it over to her.

"Here, wear my shirt, it light unlike your dress," 

Making her sit, since they were away from others anyways, he slid down her dress and helped her to wear his shirt, leaving the first three buttons open. 

"Here, it is better now?"

"Yeah… but the buttons," 

She paused, looking down where her cleavage was slightly revealed to which he gave a small, reassuring smile.

"It's alright. Let the air pass through." 

Grabbing anything thin, he began to blow some air to her, attempting to reduce her heat.

"Zep-" 

Delvin was about to call but saw him endearingly staying with Azura, tugging her hair behind her ear while blowing air to her.

Looking so worried about her wellbeing that made him smile.

"Who is she? He was so cold and rude towards her when he came and now so close," Janessa asked, taken aback at their closeness.

Noticing how endearingly he was soothing her, doing everything possible for her.

Delvin smiled, "She is his fiancée."

"He is engaged at seventeen?!" She whisper-yelled.

"Are you seventeen?"

Arching an eyebrow, Delvin considered her around his age but she was so young.

"Eighteen."

"I see. Azura is also eighteen. I am twenty, he is nineteen," 

"You guys are so young and so strong too, I want to be like you too," She admired, smiling to remember how they fought while all she did was to run away.

"Zephyr doesn't choose people often. If he had offered you then he must have seen potential in you," Delvin told her as he had rarely seen Zephyr admiring anyone.

Her face shone, "Really?"

"Hmm. I am sure you will become so strong,"

"Anyways, we can't stay here. We have to get them treated else all of them will die," Delvin sighed sadly.

After they were done tending to their wounds and taking a moment to know what they should do, they got up again.

"Are you guys done?" Delvin called, motioning for them to get up.

"Yeah," 

They hummed as Zephyr picked Azura again. He didn't let her walk once, carrying her through the whole way.

"Let's go then. We have to find a town as soon as possible. The poison is spreading quickly." Zephyr said worriedly when she was sleeping in his arms. 

"Okay,"