Niko sat down on the bed, lighting the lantern on the night stand, staring at the letter from Neena he'd set on the desk earlier. His heart was racing, all the months of not knowing, the fear filled nights of losing her were over, she was going to be alright, they were going to be alright. He grabbed the letter and sniffed it, only smelling the parchment, usually Neena would usually put a touch of her perfume on her letters, he was hoping she had put a hint of the Cherished Rose he'd given her as a present, a bottle of elegant perfume he'd purchased for her while visiting Elenay's Cove. Feeling a bit disappointed her opened the letter and began to read.
Niko,
She addressed him rather formal, usually she would put a 'love' after his name, or a 'my dearest' before.
He started to read it again.
Niko,
It is with a heavy heart that I send this letter, but at the same time I know it is the right thing to do, not just for you, but for myself.
Niko could feel his heart begin to sink.
The Scalder attacks have changed me, not just physically, but also my thoughts of the world, our world. I've talked with the Queen who has been keeping a bed side vigil over me since this all began, and Niko she's right, especially now. Your sole concern should be the kingdom, not the wasted, and withered thing that I've become.
The lump in Niko's throat threatened to suffocate him, he read on.
I am not the same woman you knew before Niko, the Known has a put a path ahead of me that is known only to him, and it is one I must follow alone. I want you to forget about me Niko Adze, I want you to fulfill your duties to the Queen with the zest and heart that you gave to me. We are at war Niko, it is in war that loves are lost, in war loves are gained, but in war, no love ever remains the same.
Tears were now streaming down his pale cheeks, the heavy shackles of duty once more pulling his life apart. Her words continued.
I have been turned into something, something less than human Niko, so I've asked the Queen that we never see one another again. The pain now began to rack his body, he fought the agonizing sobs that threatened to crush his chest, his mind unraveling with each word read.
I love you Niko Adze, for this reason I am setting you free, and if you truly love me you'll let me go. Cherish what we had, but move forward, move on, let our lost love fuel you in this fight with the Scalders, for ultimately it was they who destroyed what we had. Good-bye Niko.
Signed -N-
Niko shook violently, his world spinning, his soul ripped and tattered like a weathered ship's sails, the hollow's cold, gnarled fingers wrapping around his heart, leaving him with a seething, comfortless pain. Niko shredded the letter in agony, screaming, he threw the pieces into the air, roaring he unleashed the Alabastar fire within. It exploded forth, searing and burning his tongue and cheeks, charring his teeth, and blistering his lips, the fires were to be spit by a Dracgon, not it's aching human host. Popper rushed into his friends room upon hearing the roar, the ripped and burning letter floated to the floor, a confetti of lost love, and hopes of something more.
"Niko!?" He shouted, his eyes taking in the horror of his friend's sizzling mouth.
'She's done with me Popper!'
Niko' pain filled thoughts brought Popper to his knees, the 'knot' that linked him to his friend carrying all the mournful pain and despair of Niko's broken heart. Popper staggered on his knees towards his friend, Niko's black eyes now shone a soullessness that sent a chill through his friends entire being. Popper could see the letter and its words through Niko's mind's eye and thoughts, as it's flickering flames died out and the ashes rained down upon the both of them. Zec couldn't believe the words he had seen, he couldn't believe his sister would do such a thing, knowing how much love the girl had for Niko. He wrapped up Niko in his arms, his friends pain and agony still assaulting his mind, his heart now becoming a lump in his throat. His own mind filling with panic and a sense of despair, for Neena to lay such a burden on Niko, meant her injuries had to have been of a permanent nature. Guilt tackled Popper, Neena had been maimed saving his life, her crewman had all died saving him.
Niko leaned his head into his friends chest, trying to control the anger seething within, Popper holding his friend tight rocking back and forth. He said nothing, for words were no comfort for Niko's tortured soul, Popper closed his eyes, as the two of them continued rocking back in forth. His own thoughts pulling him back into the fiery inferno of that day, he was dying, but moments before death was to claim him he seen his savior, his very own Alabastar angel. The vision of Neena and her rig barreling into the scalding werewolf and freeing him was forever seared in his mind. But, deep within that scalding inferno he'd seen things, nightmares that showed him that the draca and perhaps even Alabastar itself was no longer able to truly protect the world of man. A werewolf endowed with the power of flames rivaling that of the Dracgon's fire and winds powered by the forces of nature itself bending to the wolf's will. It was something threatening all of Nazra, but it was the sight of Neena and her smoldering Scalder rig that haunted his thoughts and dreams.
He pushed Niko's thoughts away, his own mind trying to escape that day, he pushed away from the 'knot' trying to protect his friend from the macabre theater of that day about to play in his head, but Niko's mind zeroed in on Popper's visions of Neena that day, sweeping both of them into the depths of the Scalder once again. Through Popper's eyes, Niko watched the events inside the Scalder unfold, Neena's rig bursting through the swirling sands and gusting winds. In a moment Neena surveyed the situation, the rig then lunging forward racing towards the wolf at the heart of the Scalder.
Neena, shone brightly in Alabastar's white hot hues, the bluish-white lightning lashing out from the sled as the, red-hot flames coming from the werewolves damned soul licked and whipped around the shield protecting the rig. Neena's eyes were bloodied and bright red as she ripped her goggles off, the blood streaking and spattering her face in the gale winds, her face a bloodied spectre of death, an Alabastar macabre of blistered and searing flesh, her once beautiful face engulfed in the black flames of the fiery soul consuming her. Despite this she never veered or fell, her hands resting on the pilots shoulders as he screamed gleefully to his death, half of his face suddenly blistered, sizzled and puckered as it cooked in the malevolent heat, sliding from his skull as wax seeping from a candle and running down the holder. The doyen like Neena never wavered or faltered, shouting maddeningly till the end. As the rig struck the werewolf the shields failed and the remaining crew looked like withered skeletons, moment before 'melting' into small ashen colored Alabastar globs aboard the rig, Neena and the pilot were the only ones that still resembled human forms, but each was consumed in the mixture of Alabastar and black flames. Popper couldn't catch his breath, his lungs heaving and groping for air, mercifully Niko slipped the 'knot' freeing both the knights of Popper's death riddled memories.
Niko and Popper were both on the floor now, Niko spitting flesh and blood as the draca worked to repair his destroyed tongue, teeth, lips and gums, Popper pulled in the hot desert fumes, gulping in air as if lapping water from a puddle, not believing what his friend had done to him, snatching memories from his mind.
'I had no clue Popper,' came Niko's thoughts once again, 'she should be dead Popper, you should be dead.'
Popper heaved and coughed, 'She's the only reason I'm still here Nik, she saved my life, at the cost of her own body, her crew!' Tears now filling Popper's eyes.
'It's okay Pop,' the thoughts empty sounding, comfortless, 'she knew what she was doing, she knew she was helping family, she'd do it all over again I'm sure.' Niko's heart went out to his friend, the images something he'd never forget, but poor Zec had to live with the fact that she'd given her all to save him. He patted his friends shoulder gently, 'We've just gotta make sure that her sacrifice means something, we've gotta make these curs pay for what they've done.' Niko's eyes hardened in resolve, 'we'll litter the Scorch with their shards and bleached bones, I swear it Popper, I'll kill every last one of them.'
'I'm sorry Niko, I shouldv'e shown you earlier, but with no word coming from the Lance on her condition I didn't want to add to your worries.'
Niko looked into the colorless eyes of his friend, the clear white eyes of House Bastion's Dracgon stared back at him, Popper's undead like gaze was disconcerting to many, void of emotions or tells to all but his closest friends. Niko, being like a brother could see the pain in those cold, colorless eyes, 'Fret not Zec, you did what you thought best, you went in there to save Abel.' He patted his friends shoulder once more before pulling himself up to sit on the bed.
Popper nodded warily, 'She loves you Niko, I know that to be the truth beyond most anything. If she says she doesn't want to see you again it's because she is ashamed of her appearance. She's a proud, stubborn girl, you know that better than most.'
'She should know I'd love her no matter what.'
'And I am sure some where deep down inside she knows this Nik, but you've now seen what happened to her, give her time, give her space, what is today, can be changed by a tomorrow.'
Niko barely nodded, hearing his friend, but not really.
Popper tried to pull his friend from his depression, 'Did she ask about to me?' He asked, assuming she had, no matter what the nature of the letter maybe, it was her custom to always say hi to him as well, whenever she knew that Niko and he were stationed together. Niko shook his head numbly, Popper feeling a tinge of pain at the slight, but understanding the dire shape that his sister was in, it was a miracle she could even write at all.
Niko was composing himself, the draca caressing his face, mouth, and tongue repairing the wounds in a whisp of Alabastar haze and magics, he'd wept upon reading the letter and now fought the urges once again as the sight of Neena burning in the Flames played through his thoughts, up close through Popper's tormented mind's eyes. He cringed unsure of whether or not he had seen her die, how could anyone have lived through such a thing though? Had she died and been reborn? Had the draca saved her, but if it had why just her? He focused once more, the pain from his scorched throat and mouth now beginning to assault him, cursing himself for venting his anger in such a stupid way.
'I need to fly Pop!'
Zec nodded weakly, still wanting of air, understanding Niko's desire to make haste, morphing into his Dracgon form could deaden most of the pain until his human form was healed, it did'nt take the pain totally away but it made it bearable...at least usually. Popper rubbed his neck, sending small jolts of pain throughout his body even after all the months that had passed since falling victim to the scalding werewolf, the pain chasing him in both his forms. The scalder flames pushing his draca's healing to it's limits. Niko jumped through the thin woven curtains leading to the balcony, leaving them to dance frantically around as he passed through, moments later the crackle of Dracgon changing lightning filled the air, the Scorched air burning even hotter in Popper's now calming lungs. He sat on his knees, collecting his frazzled thoughts, feeling violated by Niko's use of their brotherly Dracgon's 'knot', never before had his friend done such a thing. Even more maddeningly was Niko's total lack of guilt or shame for doing it, Popper's head began to ache, causing him to wonder if it was from witnessing what he thought was Neena's death once more, or Niko's invasive memory snatching?

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Indys thrust her hips forward, followed by a quick step forward, her straight armed attack catching Jinx hard beneath the chin, sending the slender, strong squire crashing on his back hard, in the sands. She'd have felt bad for having hit him so hard, but she could almost swear she had seen Jinx smiling gleefully moments before her forearm had caught him on the chin, as if he were enjoying her beating him? Jinxed let out a loud "Ooooomphf!" As he landed, rolling gracefully to his feet. Indys let him gain his feet before circling him once more.
"I'm beginning to think you're enjoying this Jinx!" She said playfully, lashing out with her fist, Jinx just evading it at the last possible moment, striking at her with a blow of his own, a left jab meant to catch her in the ribs lightly brushing against her darkening ivory skin as she side stepped it.
"Clearly you jest m'lady," said the young? Squire, "I can think of a hundred other things I'd rather be doing than getting my cheeks handed to me by my liege, not to mention countless grains of sands between them, I've the beginnings of a mean chaff." He said said before crouching and darting in towards her scantly clad hips in an attempted grapple, "I'm only here now because I lost a game of Kings and Clowns to Moz." He finished as she leapt over his head, before rolling away and rising to her feet in a shower of sweat, sand and fiery red hair.
Indys smirked, knowing Jinx had lost on purpose, now even rigging the bets to make Moz think he'd won, even though Jinx was now the one wrestling with her in her near nakedness in the hot desert sands.
"Once Moz finds out you've been cheating, you'll be on double duty for the next year." She said as she shot down to sweep his legs from beneath him with kick of her own.
Jinx nimbly avoided the move, the squire's moves and reflexes rivaled even that of the Dracgons.
"You offend me m'lady, that I'd resort to trickery for an advantage is...is..." he feigned a loss of words with a twinkle of glee in his dark brown eyes, crouching and lunging at her waist once again looking to grapple.
Indys side stepped, avoiding his charge, at the same time bringing her right knee up in hopes of catching him on the chin, Jinx pushed his head in towards her hips to avert taking the knee to the chin, his nose and face instead smashing violently into the knotted muscles of her inner, upper thigh, snapping his head about, sending him spinning through the hot desert air, to crash abruptly, face down in the sands.
Indys circled the shirtless, ebony-skinned southerner of House Throes, he'd baited her into thinking she'd knocked him out before only to jump up and try to put her in a neck hold, judging by the long slobber mark he'd left on her thigh, she guessed him to be faking this time, she'd swear she'd felt his tongue slithering down her thigh as her hard strike had connected, an apparent knock out blow. She smirked, with Jinx she was beginning to think him capable of anything, the squire constantly seemed to be getting yelled at by Niko, or Moz, sometimes both, Jinx was a definite spirit all to his own, finding constant jolly and pleasure in both the desert and its people. Often times putting him at odds with Niko, Moz, and his squire duties, but she never had issues with her squire, Jinx always had an explanation as to the times he was not in attendance, or had Moz doing his work along with his own. Jinx was a prankster, a survivor, to have the last name of Throes and still be chosen by the Queen to be squire to a Dracgon, was a truly extraordinary feat, to have done that and still remain genuine and grounded impressed Indys, the few months they'd been stationed together she'd gotten to like the Queen's appointee.
Indys didn't wait, she rolled head over heals to Jinx's left ankle, snatching it up and twisting it hard between her bicep and forearms, wrenching on it with her freehand, locking the ankle firmly in her arms and reefing on it. If Jinx, really was knocked out then he'd wake up with a sore ankle thinking he'd twisted it during his fall. Now if he's faking, she expected the painful ankle hold to make him to squeal like a pinched-chaffed-tittied-sow...she got the latter.
Jinxed tapped the sands emphatically, "Alngin's balls lady Indys, I yield!" He said in a screechy, whiney voice that tickled her ears, she twisted the ankle even harder, Jinx screeched and yelled at her again, with a large spreading smile she released her hold, flipping his leg to the sands and rising to her feet.
Jinx rolled over in pain grimacing as he grabbed his injured ankle, Indys's wide spreading smile pissing him off, "What the f..." he paused taking a breath, "What the hells was that for?" He glowered, using the southern term used when referring to the flames that torment a cruel departed soul.
"That's for you...just being you Jinx," her smile, circled with beads of Alabastar sweat, "you being you." She held out a hand to help him up, when he reached up to take it, she pulled it away, "For you being you." She then spun kicking grains of sand at him as she pranced away, "Come on, lets find some shade and water, let you get off that gimp ankle of yours."
He shot her a sour look before grinning, "As you wish my liege." She headed toward the keep, Jinx stared as she walked away, the sway of her hips were an addictive sight all it's own, those were the words Popper had used to describe Indys Anlace's desert walks in only a small loincloth and snake skinned breast band. The flaming red hair blazed wildly in the desert sun, her Alabastar skin making her a truly exotic creature in the Scorch, a one of a kind, Nazra's only. His smile widened, he'd bonded with his liege the short time they'd been together, he liked it, it made servitude a little bit easier to swallow when you got along good with the boss. He sighed, knowing Indys Anlace to be beyond his station, but perhaps one day fate, or maybe even the draca itself would return to House Throes, he scoffed, the draca had betrayed House Throes, he would have to admire Lady Anlace from a far, well as far as being her squire. He got up and stumbled gingerly after her.