Its been two days since the springs and we've lost then found Charles trail more than I could count. I was starting to lose patience. "Ash and I need to fly he can cover ten times more territory than us."

"How are you going to keep up with him?" Musho asked.

"She rides me," I could see the amusement in Ashs face and the anger that crossed Rones, not the best choice of words.

"Oh good I've been waiting to see a dragon shift," Marcus said rubbing his hands together.

"I'll leave Arisella with you," I handed her to Musho. "If you guys run into danger she'll be able to call for me," I said.

"You really think these fools can keep themselves alive?" Arisella asked though I knew she didnt care. She was the type to take pleasure in other peoples idiocy I didn't judge though because I was the same.

"Be safe," Rone said from beside me. The old me would have lashed out but instead I swallowed my cursing and smiled thankfully.

"Always you as well," I said looking over to Nixin. Did she really love him? I couldn't tell she has blocked me out so well I wondered how long she's trained to do so... If I weren't so new at being creator I'd be able to read her own thoughts, only I wasn't half as strong as I should be. I didnt even know half of the abilities that I posses. Which meant I was in no position for a war and neither was court, Dragons Mountain shouldn't have to fight for us though I know they would. Ash has many good people on his side and that only happens when you have a good leader, for once I had a lot to learn from someone.

I looked back at Ash who walked to a clearing, was it rude to watch him shift? Ive seen him shift one other time but I craved to watch him do it again. His body shifted into scales, claws ripping through his nails and then all at once he shifted entirely no longer in his body. He stood in front of us the force of his wings pushing us backward, "Holy shit," Marcus mumbled.

Even Rone was a bit in shock, a real dragon stood in front of us and he was every bit as dangerously beautiful as you'd think. "Are you going to hop on or keep gawking at me?" Ash spoke into my mind. He laid his wing on the grass for me to get on and I climbed grabbing onto his emerald scales. "You ready?" He asked once I adjusted at his neck, clinging on for my life.

"Yep," I mumbled looking back at the others, "Well be back by nightfall," I said.

"And if you aren't?"

"Then you take the king back to court imidiatly."

"I dont like this plan," Arisella warned grinding her hooves into the ground.

"Are you worried for me?" I smiled.

"Of course I am," she scolded.

"Keep Rone safe," I said at last before Ash took off into the sky, my dark hair whipping behind me from the strong gust of wind.

"He'll be fine," Ash spoke into my mind as he soared through clouds.

"How did you know I was thinking about Rone?"

"Who else would you be thinking about?" He had a point. "We're better off up here I'm almost sure well catch up with Charles now."

"Here's to hoping."

...........................................................................................................................

"Ash," my breath stuck in my throat as I looked bellow us at the speed of green trees and an open field.

"I see them," a few feet away there were actual trolls crowded over a dead body, I could smell it from here. "What do you want me to do?"

"Stay up here," I said, "I will handle the trolls."

"Trolls eat Fairies," Ash scolded me as I stood up on his neck getting ready to take off, a certain rush running through me.

"There's only four I'll be okay," I sighed. Before he could say anything else I launched myself off of Ash and let my wings drift me down to the ground, behind the feeding trolls. "I dont mean to crash your feast but I would just like to see the body before you devoir it whole."

The four trolls turned around to look at me, they were ugly huge beastly things with caved in ribs, long arms that dragged to the ground and rotting teeth. Their thick hairy legs were nearly the size of me and the worst part was that they looked hungry and I was the meal. "Look what we got here? Another little Fairy to munch on," the largest licked his busted lips.

"I'm afraid I'm not on the menu," I explained trying not to show any fear but there was a spark as they started closing in on me. "So are we going to do this the easy way or the hard way?" They only looked at each other a bit dumb founded, Trolls weren't intelligent by any means it seemed. They started walking closer, one grabbing a giant wooden spiked bat.

"Nadia," Ash warned from above I could feel his fear spike up.

I rolled out of the way just in time before a fifth troll that creeped behind me could smash my head open. I grabbed both of my swords and grinned, "I was kind of hoping you'd give a fight."

"Is that what this is about? If you needed a good fight we could have sparred," his voice was distracting I needed to block him out.

"I didnt want to hurt you," I said slicing at one of the slow trolls legs, he roared out in pain. The other four now all charged at once I had no choice but to fly up, I could easily just burst them all into flames. I could let the light inside of me thats been suppressed for too long but that would be too quick of a death for these monsters but I wasnt going to risk fighting all five of them. This is where I belonged in the woods fighting a fight, any fight that's all Ive been good at.

I did the first thing that came to mind, calling for the roots underneath us to branch forward. The ground underneath the trolls rumbled as roots began snaking up their legs, then their arms pinning four of them to the ground, leaving one. "Lets make this a far fight shall we?"

"What are you?" The troll backed away, were they going to surrender that easily?

"Why does that matter to you?"

"I have no wish to die today," he grunted looking at his distressed friends. "Have the little fae he tasted of poision anyways." I guess these creatures weren't as dumb as I thought.

"Oh.. okay then." I waved a hand at the roots that were wrapped around the trolls bodies making them wither back into the ground. They didnt even give me a chance to ask any questions before they disappeared into the forest blending in seamlessly. Ash landed behind me once he was certain they were gone he shifted back into his human looking form. I handed him his trousers, the only thing I managed to pick up on our abrupt separation from the group. "It's Charles."

"Are you sure?"

"He has his ring crest still on, same clothes he went to trial in." Charles wore the same symboled ring when we met him, the same ring he wore when we imprisioned him. I hadn't the slightest idea what the ring meant and we never would know, all our leads died with the coward. Charles face was unrecognizable but there was blood stained blond hair laying around his mutilated body. "We should bury him," I said. I didnt feel any pity for Charles but all dead deserved to rest, doesnt mean we'll actually grieve. "We have to lie Ash, until we can find out what we are up against. We have to say that Charles was just trying to put a bridge between everyone, if we dont you know as well as I people will start panicking."

"I know," he said but I knew he didn't like one bit of this. This was something Rone wasnt going to agree with as well, he would want his people to know what they are up against. And maybe once I thought that too but now that our world is so fragile as is, we couldnt afford any more distance or panic. For all we know Charles could be lying through his teeth and thats something I will have to find out. "We must do what we have to as leaders, doesnt mean we have to like it."

I laid my hand on a soft part of dirt in the field, underneath my hand the dirt wilted away giving a large enough hole to fit Charles remains. Once Ash put him in the dirt I moved back the dirt with a shift of my hand. Looking from the fresh grave and then to Ash I said, "Let's get back to the others."

"Next time dont pull a stunt like that," Ash warned walking away from me. I was so tired of being told what to do.

"Or what?" I folded my hands over my chest. "I had that perfectly under control."

"And if you hadn't? You risked both of our lives when we could have worked together, just when I was thinking you were nothing like Lorelie you are worse. You're reckless and that will get you killed."

I dug my hands in my hair, "I'm so over being compared to a ghost, I am not Lorelei nor do I care what kind of person she was."

"Then stop acting like her, even reborn your old habits merge. You get hurt and you spiral out of control. If you wanted a figh then just ask!" He took out his swords not a sign of play on his face but anger, "Let's see what's you've really got huh?"

"I don't think thats a good idea," I scuffed.

"We're not leaving till you release now draw your sword."

"I wont," I frowned no matter how pissed I was I didn't want to hurt Ash. I didnt want him to see the true monster I was, all the hate and anger that ate me up.

Ash striked at me without any warning, I had to drop to the ground and roll away to avoid his blade. "I don't think you heard me correctly Nadia," a small feline smile snaked acrossed his face. "If you are so headbent on letting go all that anger then lets do it here, right now. Lets talk about what you're really upset about, you hate the fact that you have to watch Rone with Nixin. I can see it every time you look at them, you would kill her if you could."

"Shut up!" I screamed as he began to taunt me.

"Why? Because you'd like to think of yourself as a good person?" he scuffed. "You can tell yourself that you're fine but the reality is everyone you ever loved has either died , will die, or left you. Your first mistake was loving a man more then yourself-" I wasnt going to listen to him anymore I went to fly away but he caught me by the ankle and slammed me to the ground.

"What the hell is your problem?" I growled getting up.

"Me?" He shrugged swinging his sword around like a manic, "I have no problems, its you and were going to solve them. Draw your sword Nadia, I wont ask again."

I picked up my sword from the ground and raised it eye level, "If I beat you I dont want to hear anymore of this," I hissed.

"Deal," did he really think he would win? Without further warning his blade meet mine with a loud ring, the strength behind his swing rattling up my arm. I pushed back with all my strength making him stagger backwards for only a second before he went to strike again, I whirled around as he cut into the air. We circled each other for a second before I went charging at him my sword aiming for his legs, he blocked the blow easily. Not taking a second to think I struck above him time after time he blocked my every move.

It was like fighting with myself, he knew my every move and I knew his. The harder I swung the more angrier I got, "You need to stop acting like you dont care about anything because if you go that route you will end up dead!" He roared, tumbling away from my blade. I lost any sense of training I've had blindly trying to win a fight I had no energy for.

"How would you know?" I asked breathlessly dropping my sword to the ground in frustration as rain erupted all around us, droplets sliding off of the bridge of my nose. "You dont let anyone in, you've closed yourself off from feeling and its done you good."

Ash closed the distance between us his eyes ablaze with fury, "I lost everything I loved and because of that I didnt live my life, I lost my sight and I've been trying to gain it back for years. Once you give up on yourself theres no turning back." With that he walked away. Ive never had someone be so direct with me, someone not afraid of me.

"Wait," I called out, he stopped his back still facing me. "I'm sorry," I said as my tears mixed with the drops of rain on my cheek. "I dont want to pretend like I dont care," that wasn't who I was. "I dont want to hide anymore."

"Then dont," he said turning to me his wet hair sticking to his forehead and his chest rapidly moving up and down. "Turn your pain into something more powerful, build yourself from scratch and be the creator you want to be with or without anyone by your side. You and Berella are the most powerful beings in our lands, you cant let these moments break who you are because these moments are just the beginning, for all of us."

"Thank you," I finally said, I meant it. Somehow Ash knew how to get through to me, I didnt feel angry anymore but ashamed for having Ash so shaken. I could feel his fear, I knew this wasnt just about me but about us. He doesn't want to lose me and it felt good to be reminded of that.

He smiled slightly but it was a sad one I could tell, "You dont have to thank me, I'll find us a cave till the rain stops let Arisella know we found Charles.

We walked away from the grave and back into the unknown.