Farewell In Flames II

"What are you doing!? Can't you tell friend from foe?"

"Sorry, I thought you were a bad guy?"

"A bad guy? Do you mean those barbarians who are burning down that house over there?"

"Yes, I thought you were with them."

"No, of course I'm not with them. I'm here to rescue you."

Nina didn't understand what the two were saying to each other and could only try to decipher what they were saying based on their facial expressions.

"Anyway, why are you with a human," the man pointed at Nina.

"She saved me," the boy told him. He then explained to him how she protected him from a bunch of bad people trying to hurt him and brought him to her home where it was safe.

"So she treated you well? Is that what you're trying to say?"

"Yes."

"Whatever, follow me. I'm going to get you out of here." The man didn't look like he cared much about what happened between the two of them and only came here for the boy.

"But what about her?"

"What about her?"

"I want to help her."

The man looked at the boy like he had lost his mind or something. "Help her? Do you know who it is that did this to you? Do you know who enslaved us in the first place?"

"I do know, and it isn't her. She has nothing to do with any of that. She's different from them."

The elf gave the boy a stern look and grabbed him by his arm. "We're going." But the boy didn't want to leave without Nina.

"No, I'm leaving!"

"For the love of the forest, do you know that this place is under attack by a dragon right now!? A dragon. The humans managed to anger something like that and you still want to help one!?"

"It wasn't her who did it. It was the other humans. She's different.

The two struggled continuously for some time before a thunderous roar interrupted them and almost swept them off their feet. The man gave up and said, "Fine, have it your way." This was not the time to be bickering about something like this. "But I'm not going to be responsible for anything that happens."

"I'm okay with that."

The man turned to Nina and said to her, "You, come with us. We're taking you out of here."

"Wait, you can speak-"

"Yes, I can speak your language. It should not be that surprising," the man spoke in perfect Centrolio to Nina.

"I can't move." Nina pointed at her leg and explained to him that she might have a broken bone. "And also, I'm not leaving until I find my parents."

"Your parents? Is that burning house yours?"

"Yes, what happened to it? Why are there people setting fire to it?"

"They're all beastmen and dwarves. I think they wanted to raid the mansion for supplies but couldn't get in and so they decided to burn it down instead."

"What about the people inside?"

"They escaped a long time ago. I saw a big group of people leave through the back when the attack started. Though I can't say that all of them left. There might still be a couple of people inside."

"Then I need to go in there and check!"

"Do you have a death wish? You're not going to make it past that angry mob."

"I'm not going to come with you. I'll do this myself. Just take him and leave," Nina told the elf. This was her mess. There was no need for them to get caught up in it.

"Why don't you try telling that to him?" The elf knew that the boy wouldn't listen to him. He wouldn't budge if Nina wasn't with them. "Look, this place is about to be destroyed by that dragon. It's better if you just leave with us."

"I'm not leaving without my parents."

"Your parents already left!"

"No, they haven't! You just told me that you weren't sure if everyone made it out! That means that they might still"

The elf looked at Nina, not knowing what he should say to convince her to come with them. He turned to the boy and tried to explain to him what was happening and suggested leaving before they got involved. The boy shook his head.

The elf was stuck. He had no idea what he should do here. After thinking for a bit, he sighed and offered a deal to Nina. "How about this? I will check if your parents are still inside the mansion. If they're not, then you're leaving with us."

"I'm okay with that, but how will you get in? There's a lot of people in the way."

"How were you planning to get in?" the elf asked Nina back. She had a broken leg and didn't have a weapon on her. Furthermore, she was human. That mob attacking the mansion was targeting humans.

"I was going to enter through the back entrance."

"Back entrance? I have an easier way." The elf made a rotating gesture with his wrists and something green appeared in his hand. He then threw it into the air and it began to fly towards the burning mansion.

"What is that?" Nina asked him. It was her first time seeing this kind of magic.

"Magic."

"What kind?"

"Nature magic," the elf told her.

The three of them watched as the small green pixie flew into the burning mansion. "This place is huge. Do you know where they might be?"

"You can see inside?"

"I share the pixie's vision. I can see whatever it sees."

"Oh." That was pretty handy. This way they can search inside the mansion without having to go in there themselves. "Try the basement," Nina remembered that there was a secret emergency shelter and exit underneath the mansion for situations like this.

"You'll have to guide me."

"Go through the kitchen. There should be a trapdoor. Is it open?"

"Give me a second." The elf flew the pixie through the kitchen and looked around for what looked like a trapdoor. "Found it." It was in the corner of the room and it was open. "It's open. I take it that you want me to go down there?"

"Yes."

The elf sent the pixie down the hole like Nina and found that everything was pitch black. He made the pixie light up the tunnel and then continued forward and discovered that it was blocked by a mountain of rocks. "The tunnel is blocked. I can't go any further."

"Did you find them?"

"I didn't see anyone."

"Then that should be fine." Nina sighed in relief knowing that her family was safe. Since the trap door was open, it meant that they had gone down there. They had escaped safely and she didn't need to worry about them.

"Alright, I'm calling my pixie back. Now for your leg." The elf kneeled beside Nina and put her hand over her broken leg and healed it in seconds. Nina watched in amazement as the elf took care of her injury like it was nothing. Just as he finished healing her, the pixie flew out of the burning mansion and disappeared into his clothes. "Done. Get up. We need to move now."

---

Grammar errors, story errors, other errors, and advice, email flightless05@gmail.com

Thanks!