Fragmented Guide

"We're getting closer, I can feel it!" Iris told Wompa as the two of them walked down the dark and empty streets. Really, it wasn't her instincts but the crystal that was telling her where to go. The Windstone glowed brighter as they went in the direction they were going, indicating that they were on the right path.

She had no idea where they were going since the city was so dark but the crystal was guiding her and that was all that she needed. It wasn't until the pair made it to the more populated part of the city that they started to hear and see people.

Guards and soldiers were trying to round the civilians and have them all go back to the outposts where it was safer, but they weren't listening. It was pretty clear to everyone. If the dragon felt like it, it could easily destroy the base just as easily as it could their homes. There was really no point in seeking shelter at the outposts. Gathering there would just make it easier for the dragon to wipe them all out.

People gathered their belongings, their valuables, found their friends and families and began to evacuate Otane. No amount of words was going to convince them to stay. The streets were beyond crowded with the guards and soldiers doing their best to calm people down and it wasn't working.

"Eh, doesn't look like there's another way around," Iris said, looking in front of them. There were people everywhere, as in everywhere. Going through the crowd was going to be a hassle, but at least people won't take notice of them.

"Let's go." Iris took her younger sister's hand again and the two walked out of the shadows and into the lamp-lit streets. Getting lost was very possible here so Iris had to hold onto her sister's hand tightly. If they get separated, it was going to be hard for them to find each other again.

While walking through the streets, they bumped into groups of people and soldiers who were doing their best to persuade the people to stop their silly behavior and go back to the outposts.

"Please, put those down. You and your family will be safe. As long as we're around, we will protect you from the dragon."

"Like I'd believe you. Bring down that dragon first and then I'll listen."

"Sir, don't make this hard for us..."

It was a family of three, talking to a single guard. It was a father, a mother, and an infant. The mother was cradling the baby in her arms, rocking him or her. Iris couldn't tell whether it was a boy or girl since the baby has yet to grow any defining features that would hint at the gender.

The soldier looked around the same age as the father. It wouldn't be surprising if he had a kid of his own as well. He sighed, pressing his hand against his head and looking at the ground. He didn't know what to say to comfort the family. What should he say, especially when he wasn't sure if they would be safe himself?

It was the same scenario everywhere else on the streets. Soldiers were more or less trying to tell the other families to stop what they were doing and follow them back to the camps. Some were heated with the soldiers and civilians yelling at each other. Some soldiers were even trying to forcibly drag people back but they resisted and attacked the soldiers.

"Hey, you!"

"Huh?" Iris wasn't paying attention to what was in front of her since she was too focused on what was going on around her and bumped into a guard. "Oh! Sorry, We're- Um... Looking for our family," she lied. She turned around to Wompa and mouthed, "Play along with me," to her.

Wompa nodded and looked started acting, turning her head left and right, pretending to look for their family.

The soldier brought it but unfortunately for the two girls, he wasn't going to let them go so easily. "I see. If so, let me help. What do they look like?" he asked, offering to help find their imaginary family.

Curses... Iris bit her lip, trying to think of something. She should've come up with a better lie in the first place... Now what? "Uh, don't worry, we can find them by ourselves. Our home is not too far from here..." Please leave us alone, Iris begged for the soldier to leave them alone. If he still wanted to follow them then he will find out that it was all a lie. She had to lose him.

To Iris' dismay, it was exactly what the guard wanted to do. "Please allow me to escort you then," the guard ever so politely offered the two.

"...Um, Oh! I think I see them over there!" Iris quickly pulled Wompa away before the soldier could say anything else.

"Wait-"

Wait? No, that wasn't happening. Iris and Wompa fled, blending into the masses. They walked around for a bit until Iris felt that they lost the soldier.

"Phew..." Thankfully, it looked like they did lose the soldier. Why were they always so insistent on helping? Ah, whatever, they were fine now.

"Huh... It's rather cool here..." Iris noticed. It was nowhere as cold as it was in the elf's room, but normally, after running even for a few seconds, she would be sweating. It wasn't that she was out of shape. That was just how hot it was in the desert normally. Just sitting around, doing nothing in the shade while the sun was out would make anyone sweat. But this wasn't the case right now.

There were strong gusts of winds moving around. The breezes cooled the entire place down. Now then, back to following the crystal. Iris looked at it again and saw that it was resonating even more than before. It was practically vibrating at this point and Wompa could see the crystal physically reacting to the magic in the air despite not being able to feel any of it herself. They were close, very close, actually.

"He's close." Was he in the crowd somewhere? Probably not. Kies didn't strike him as the type of person who went around helping people for the sake of it, nor did he strike her as the type of person who likes being in a crowd. If anything, he should be somewhere more spacious, somewhere where there were no people. Somewhere like...

Up. Iris looked at the rooftops of the nearby buildings. It was empty, spacious, and far away from people. The only problem is how she was supposed to get up there. An idea popped into her mind and her face lit up. Wompa saw it and frowned. She wanted to leave but Iris was still holding onto her hand and she couldn't.

Iris felt her sister tugging at her hand and looked at her. "Hey, don't worry. It isn't going to be 'that' bad." It was a rather risky idea, but it might work. Shots not taken were opportunities missed.

Iris poured her magic into the Windstone. It took it in like a thirsty beast draining a reservoir of water. She didn't realize how fast her magic was being taken until she wobbled and almost fell over, nearly blacking out from it.

Wompa caught her sister. Worried, she grabbed the crystal and was about to take it off but Iris placed her hand on Wompa's and stopped her. "I'm fine," Iris told her, gently pulling her hand off the Windstone.

It was fine all the times before. Why was this happening when she used it now? Was it because she was tired that it was so draining this time around? It hasn't even been two hours since she woke up. But she felt fine. So why?

Iris examined the crystal. For starters, it was definitely acting differently than before. It wasn't letting her use wind magic even though she poured her magic into it. Was it not enough? As much as she wanted to try putting more magic into it to see if it would work then, she had none left. It took everything from her and gave her nothing in return.

Iris could glare at the necklace for all she liked. It wasn't going to give her an answer. If it wasn't going to help her, she just had to find another way up there.

Iris searched for a method to climb to the rooftop and spotted one that could potentially work in the corner of her eye. There was a partially destroyed building with one of its sides slanted upwards like a ramp. Was this a better idea than her first one? Absolutely not! But Iris didn't see any other way and so this was the "best" option as it was the only one available.

Iris turned to her sister and smiled. "Hey, remember when we used to climb the walls of the castle garden when we were little?"

"..."

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