As Isaac and Mary made their way through the town ruins, Isaac couldn't help but notice that some of the buildings were intact. He figured the air dragon would wipe the entire town off the map. Buildings included. Yet, he and Marry are walking through a ghost town of empty buildings.
Something was not right.
"Mary. What happened while I was unconscious? Were are all the towns people? Did... the Air Dragon assimilate them?" If Isaac and Azaviel can assimilate creatures, then it's not beyond reason to assume the Air Dragon can do the same.
Mary blinked at Isaac's wild assumption. "No. The Air Dragon didn't assimilate them. The survivors were able to evacuate to parts unknown."
Isaac was relieved to here that. But something didn't add up.
"How did they have time to escape? It seemed like the air dragon could erase the town in minutes with it's razor air breath."
Mary simply answered with, "It's a long story. Were did you get that black armor?"
"It's a long story." Isaac answered back.
It's obvious that nether of them felt like relaying information right now. So they choose to simply walk in silence for the rest of the way to the forest's edge.
---
A few hours ago... right after the Air Dragon's battle with Isaac...
---
When the king's men were attacking, the people of Pegasus Shoe Town would use whatever air razor or magic they could get their hands on to defend their home.
But now...
Everyone was petrified with fear. No one dared attack the Air Dragon as it ripped their home to shreds. Most of the town has already evaporated under the Dragon's relentless breath attacks.
However, one person was brave or stupid enough to defend their home, and that hero was Nat.
As the Air Dragon flew overhead, Nat fired fire ball after fire ball at the monster in the sky. The frustrating thing was that most of her shots missed, and when they did hit, they didn't seem to hurt the dragon all. In fact, the air dragon seemed to ignore all her blows.
Nat was pretty tired by the time she finally got the dragon's attention. A lucky shot was able to hit the dragon's head. Even though the fire didn't seriously harmed it, it got a good idea were the fire ball came from.
As the dragon touched down in front of Nat, she was surprised by how big the dragon was in person! But that didn't stop her. She kept firing fire ball after fire ball at the beast. But once again, the fire balls seems to go right through the dragon. The fire did sped up the air currents in the air dragon, but that amounted to nothing.
Nat didn't want to do this (mostly because she only mastered Nathan's fireball spells) but it looks like she has to rely on other spells. She hasn't practiced any of the other spells Nathan taught her but now is the time to give them a try. Nathan seemed to have a lot of confidence in her and she's willing to trust in that confidence.
So Nat started off by shooting a bunch of water balls at the dragon. The dragon made no move to dodge the attacks. The water vapor within the dragon seems to thicken after every water ball. The air dragon was starting to look more like a cloud dragon or a mist dragon.
Once Nat was satisfied with the water thickness, she began firing off ice balls. Once again, the dragon made no move to avoid the balls of ice energy as they hit their mark.
Nat let out a smirk as the Air Dragon froze into a frozen statue.
Nat cautiously walked up to the ice statue and tapped it. It's definitely a solid statue...
She can't believe it! She actually defeated the air dragon!
Nat was so thrilled, she started dancing. She's a hero! People will remember her name in the history books!
However, while Nat was celebrating, the dragon's icy form began to shimmer. It seems to be vibrating! Little by little, the ice dragon's icy prison liquidized into water.
Luckily, Nat wasn't naive enough to not notice the water sounds behind her back.
Slowly, Nat turned around. Standing before her was not a Air Dragon but instead as a water dragon. The Dragon has changed into a water dragon thanks to Nat's magic.
Frightened out of her mind, Nat fired off a barrage of fire balls. Hot steam covered the area as Nat used the last ounce of her strength.
Nat was breathing hard. She doesn't think she can fire another fireball again for awhile. At least she was able to evaporate the dragon for good...
As the steam cleared, Nat saw something she shouldn't be seeing. Staring straight into her eyes was the dreaded air dragon, looking almost exactly as it did from the start of it's battle. It's a air dragon again. Nat was petrified with fear as the dragon stared into her soul with no apparent emotion.
Sensing that Nat was done attacking, the Air Dragon proceeded with it's own attack.
Nat stared in horrid fascination as the dragon seemed to shimmer. The air around the air dragon vibrated as Nat could have sworn she was hearing some kind of chanting. Is the dragon talking? And why does it's voice sounds so similar?
She got her answer soon afterwards as the air dragon opened up it's mouth. Out of it came something Nat wouldn't expect to come from any air dragon.
The Air Dragon shot out a magical fireball straight at Nat's face! The air dragon knew how to cast magic!
Luckily, Nat's primal instinct for survival kicked in as she dodged the attack, but not before a part of her white robe got partially evaporated.
The dragon then prepared another spell. Judging by the chanting, it sounds like it's preparing a lightning spell. A spell like that can easily hit Nat no mater were she is so as long the dragon is aiming at her. From what Nathan taught her, a lightning spell can easily kill her if hit directly.
Nat wasted no time running away as fast as she can. But it was futile. No mater were she is, she knows the lightning spell is going to hit her. The lightning spell's range is legendary. It will strike everything in it's path and she knows it.
By the time the dragon's spell was nearly finished chanting, she stopped in her tracks and prepared for the unavoidable. She was out of options and running won't help. Nat stood a few yards in front of the air dragon as it nearly finish constructing it's spell. Nat couldn't help but shed a few tears of despair at this dire situation.
But before the dragon could finish it's spell, someone jumped in front of it and shouted, "STOP!"
Nat wiped away her tears as she saw Mary standing in front of the dragon. She was holding out her hands in a stopping motion. For some bizarre reason, the air dragon immediately stopped it's chanting.
"I command you to return to the castle!" Marry shouted.
Nat watched in absolute confusion as the dragon actually considered her childhood friend's request.
But the air dragon quickly shook it's head as if to tell Mary 'no'.
The air around the dragon began to vibrate again as the Dragon spoke.
"I am sorry mistress, but the King ordered me to to annihilate any settlements that defies him. Any of his commands override your own. I hope you understand." Once it finished its response, it then walked around Mary and towards Nat. It was going to kill her!
But before the dragon can make any move towards Nat, Marry quickly responded, "Wait!!!"
The air dragon turned it's inhuman head towards Marry. Mary projected a tone that demands respect. "You already destroyed most of the buildings here. The town is in ruins. I'm sure the King's men would report your mission as a success! I beg of you! Leave this town and let the survivors escape! The king doesn't need to know you let some people escape! Only you, I and my friend here would know of this slip up. If you leave, the king's men observing from outside of town would leave with you. No one would be the wiser. Please. For me. Just this once." Mary begged.
The Air Dragon seemed to falter. "Very well. I shall grant this favor just this once. But don't expect me to risk the King's wrath again. Be prepared to let me carry out the King's orders next time."
And with that, the air dragon flew off into the distance. The king's men surrounding the town interpreted the air dragon's retreat as a mission success and retreated towards the castle themselves.
By the time the air dragon disappeared from sight, Nat couldn't hold her questions in anymore, "Wait! Why did that dragon called you mistress? What does the king want with you? And why does that dragon sound like Nathan!? Oh man, you scared away the air dragon, that was sooooo awesome!!!" Nat was brimming with excitement.
Marry simply returned a kind smile. "I'm sorry. That's dangerous information."
Before Nat could respond, Mary grabbed hold of Nat's shoulders and looked at her in the eyes. Mary was serious. "Nat you must trust me. We must never speak of what happened here to anyone. Not even Isaac and his companion. Do you understand?"
Nat's was so shocked by Mary's change in tone that she had no room to speak. So she just nodded an affirmative instead.
"Good. I may or may not answer your questions when the time is right. For now, please don't ask any questions regarding what happened here. I will answer when I'm ready. Please trust me on this."
Nat nodded in understanding. She knew Marry for years now. Mary must be in deep trouble to be this secretive.
Mary nodded in satisfaction and let go of Nat's shoulders, "I recommend you get everyone in town evacuate. Once word gets through that the air dragon has left some ruins behind, I'm sure the king will order the Air Dragon to come back and destroy the remaining town ruins. As far as the King is concerned, this town has been erased from the map. Don't worry. The king's men should be far away from here by now. So as long as the Air Dragon reports back that the town has been destroyed, the king should have no reason to suspect that the towns people are still alive. I'm sure of that."
Mary and Nat took to time to look around at the ruins of Pegasus Shoe Town. Nat was devastated by sight of the town she was born and raised in currently in ruins.
It took a few slow moments, but Nat was able to get over her initial shock. She has too. If what Mary said was true, then she only has a few hours to get the town's people to evacuate before the Air Dragon returns to destroy the town.
"I bought us at least a few hours to evacuate the town. Be sure to make the most of it." And with that, Mary and Nat split up to evacuate the surviving towns people.
And they did just that. It was difficult, but word got around fast.
In a few hours, everyone who survived the king's attack packed up their belonging and evacuated the town. They all went to part's unknown, but Nat is pretty sure most of them went to Marry's village for refuse.
Marry was just finishing making sure no stragglers were left behind in town when she found Isaac's body.
...
By the time Mary and Isaac reached the forest, Nat was just finishing packing her backpack with papers, maps and other personal belongings from what remains of the town library, her magic club house, her own house and other places from the town ruins. Nat's bag was overstuffed.
"Nat?"
Nat turned around to see Isaac wearing black spiky armor and a glowing metal halo over his head.
"What's with the weird get up? And where's your rocky friend?" Nat asked.
"It's... a long story... " Isaac responded nonchalantly.
Nat was pissed. "How dare you act like this is a long story!? I have never ventured out of town till now. Heck, I never needed to go to this forest until now! If you didn't come to town when you did, then I would had the chance to chase away the king's men as usual! How DARE you act like this is nothing! My home is gone! DESTROYED! I was forced to watch friends and family die because of YOU!" Tears were streaming down Nat's eyes.
Isaac looked shocked at first but then his face showed understanding. Nat looks just like he did when he found out one of his loved ones was lost to the crypt for the first time. He felt so guilty and he was determined to finish his training so he can venture the crypt alone and find his loved ones. He knows now that doing things alone won't help him get results.
"I'm sorry that your town is in ruins. There is no words that can express the tragedy behind this situation. You're right. It's my fault for coming to this town in the first place. If I hadn't distracted you, then you might had a batter chance to defend the town and it might still be standing right now. If there is anyone to blame then blame me. I fought the dragon head on. However, I wasn't strong enough to defeat it. If it weren't for my reckless behavior, things would have been different." Nat couldn't deny the sincerity Isaac was displaying. "When this is all over, I promise I'll help you and you're fellow town's folk rebuild the town. Mark my words."
Despite her anger, Nat couldn't deny Isaac's words. She too has fought the air dragon and if Isaac couldn't defeat it, then maybe her town's destruction really was out of her control. But how could an air dragon like that be so powerful! Nat has researched air dragons before and they were never that strong! And why did it know Nathan's magic spells! Heck, why did it have his voice and personality! Nothing makes sense anymore.
If only she could ask Isaac if the dragon reminded him of Nathan. But she promised Mary not to bring up anything regarding what happened. That probably includes how human-like it acted and how similar it was to Nathan.
Mary gently grabbed Nat's shoulder. "Nat... please go to my village. It's not that far from here. You will be safe there for the time being. I'm sure the village Elder will take good care of you. Me and Isaac are gong on a dangerous quest to assassinate the King. You've been through enough already." She then proceeded to point in the general direction her village is. Mary is sure that Nat can find her way with the maps she stuffed into her backpack.
As Isaac and Mary walked away, Nat made a split second decision. "Wait!"
Isaac turned to the girl in question, "C-can I come with you? I may not have set foot outside of my town in my life but I know some obscure information that could be useful for you. Did you know that the Sky King and his Air Dragon occasionally goes hunting up in the mountains? Did you also know that there is a mail delivery town up in the mountains that dedicates themselves to training Pegasus for personal use to deliver letters?" Both Isaac and Mary shook their heads. Neither of them knew that. "I may not have very much experience with traveling but I have memorized the maps of the cloud kingdom. If there is a landmark near by, then I can recognize it. To be honest, I'm a little afraid of traveling on my own. But if making an effort to help, saves more people from the king then I'm willing to do what I can."
Isaac could only smile at the shy girl. She reminds him of a younger version of Nathan. They could be long lost siblings for all he knows. If Nat is willing to pull her own weight, then he has no reason to stop her from coming. Mary seemed a little reluctant and hesitant, but she made no objections.
"Very well. Do you have everything you need?" Nat patted her backpack. "Yes. I just packed up."
Isaac nodded in approval. "Alright. Let's go."
...
As Issac, Mary and Nat left the ruins of Pegasus Shoe Town, Mary Spoke up.
"Where do you want to go Isaac? Do you want to keep going to the mountains of should we go straight to the Sky King's Cloud Castle?"
Mary was giving Isaac a choice? Well, they could go to the castle but they would also be risking running out of time due to Isaac's speed and weight. If they go to the mountains, they might find a way to get to the castle much faster. But they could also be risking a chance that they won't find anything and wasting their time. A third option is to return to the town to look for supplies or equipment. But they will risk being attacked.
Going to the mountains seems to be the safest option. But not without it's own risks.