Chapter 28, The Dragon and the Medium

As I'm fixing my things in the captains quarters, I can't help but sigh. This is the first and last time I'll ever sail the skies as Haruki. But, for some reason, I'm not afraid but worried about the people who I'll leave behind. No. They're not being left behind, they're just meeting the real me. But a part of me that isn't so brave is wishing that I could stop time here and now and stay wuth them forever.

As I pace around the room I recall Leo Minor's Medium and take it out of the storage space. Hmm... it's damaged alright. Cracks and breaks can be seen on the Medium. I see a large crack running down from the gem through the ring. This is bad. Very bad. If I trued to change it into a Key, it'd still be damaged. The question is, what damaged it? Sure, magical power that isn't compatible with it could do this but to this extent? There's no way.

As I try to figure it out, I realize my best course of action is to check the Library for books about Mediums.

After an hour of searching in the Library, I've found what I'm looking for. I return to the ship and reead the book cover to cover. Everything about the Familiars is written in it. It has a complete catalogue of the Mediums, Familiars and they're information. As I skim the pages, I find the Leo Minor's information.

The Lesser Lion Familiar, Praecipua is a lesser spirit with the power to alter things. Located between Leo and Ursa Minor in the night sky, Praecipua is Leo's younger brother in a sense. But there's nothing about fixng Mediums in this part so I read further and finally find it. It's written in code though.

'Sweat of the Sun and Tears of the Moon mixed with the Gem of the Stars grant it it's light once again. Adamant will be the source of its might. Essence of itself and Blood of the Sky shall heal the wounded animal.' Is all it says.

I can graps a bit of this though. Blood of the Sky must been blood of someone from the Aerial Isles. Sweat of the Sun and Tears of the Moon might mean gold and silver. But as for Gem of the Stars and Adamant I have no idea. Maybe Lita knows or if neccessary I'll ask Tohru-jii-chan myself.

A knock on the door causes me to snap back into reality. I open it to see Lucia, saying the others asked her to call me over for dinner. I smile and pat her head then head to the dining hall. Many tables fill the room and everyone has sat down only waiting for me. I smile and sit between Aria and Yue.

"Alright then, let's eat!" Rogue shouted which was met with applause from everyone. It seems that the spell for countering motion sickness is working well since he doesn't seem green.

As I'm eating I notice so many eyes seem to be staring too much. So, I clear my throat to ask.

"If you have any questions, come out and say it." I said and drank some water.

"It's nothing! It's just, it's been a while since we enjoyed this pure sunshine." Dia said and I'm a little dumbfounded.

"It means they're happy to see you again." A familiar voice said. I turn to see Leo smiling down on me.

"I wasn't gone that long." I said.

"Six months and you don't call that long?!" Storm snapped.

"I wasn't gone, I was always there by your side." I answered. "My soul anyways."

Just as Lita was about to say something I feel a surge of magical energy and instinctively get up.

"What is this?" Rue asked. She must've sensed it as well.

"It's not a natural body that's for certain." Sirius said.

I rush up to the deck and see what we sensed. A Skeleton Dragon?! Large, about the same size as the ship, a purple core can be seen at its heart. Red glowing eyes and the bones show marks of previous attempts at killing it.

"Oi! It's aiming at us!!" Neph shouted and I just smiled as the breathe of dark energy the dragon released was bounced back. "What's going on?"

"This is the Hero's Ship, Argonaut. Of course it can deflect something like this easily." I said as I took to the steering wheel or should I call it a pedestal. "But, since we can't have it roaming around, we'll get rid of it."

"How?" Clover asked.

"Magical Energy Cannons Asteria charged." Yuri reported.

"Fire!" I smiled and booms came from the cannons. I steered the ship and everyone tried to hand on but I just smiled.

"Eh? How come we aren't falling off?" Zero asked curiously.

"That's my ability." A voice said.

"Who?" Rogue asked.

"Carina, the Keel Familiar." I answered as I steered the ship. "Main Cannon, Tsuki no Tsuguri, Fire!"

The figure head opened its mouth and shot out rays of light. The rays exploded at the dragon and it gave me the chance to fire a concentrated assault of cannon balsts at the core which shattered it. The dragons eyes red glow started to disappear and the bones slowly began to fall but since we can't have them falling on people down below on the ground I collect them and store them away using spatial magic.

"Everyone, the threats been averted, let's go back and eat." I smiled as I repositioned us to the West.

Everyone didn't disagree and it was strange how silent they were. When we sat back down there was little conversation for some reason so I broke the silence.

"Lita, I have a question for you." I told her.

"What is it?" She asked happily.

"Do you know what the Sweat of the Sun, Tears of the Moon, Gem of the Stars and Adamant is?" I asked. "I'm sure you had a hand in making the Familiars after all."

"Yeah. I know what they are." She answered as desert was served. "Sweat of the Sun is Gold, Teras of the Moon is Silver and Gem of the Stars is Star Stones and Adamant is Adamantite, the material used in the creation of the Mediums and the Gates."

"I see. Thanks. Looks like I should be able to repair the Leo Minor Medium without any problems now." I told her.

"Oh? It was damaged?" She asked.

"Yeah. It was." I said as I showed it to her.

"Oh, it's so damaged. It'll take a bit of time if you repair this." She sighed.

"Yeah but I think it's better to mend it now than wait for it to be damaged further." I said.

"I agree with that." She smiled. There's a long pause. "What's your plan for the next few days?"

"I might repiar this tonight and spend the next couple days here." I told her and patted her head. "I don't plan to disappear yet so don't worry."

"Okay then." She smiled.

I turn to everyone and smiled. I'm sure they're worried about me but they really shouldn't be.

"It'll be fine. Don't worry." I reassured them.