Nina was a generally happy person, Quinn knew.
In the past twelve days that she had traveled with him from Nota, he had enjoyed her good mood, her jokes and her good-natured ribbing with a smile and the occasional retort of his own. It even made the long and tedious journey seem much shorter than it was. When Quinn actually thought about it, he saw that almost twenty days had passed, almost racing by. It felt pretty much like yesterday that he left his home on the Madoria plains heading for Vane.
They would reach Meribia later today. Another five days -- maybe six -- and they would reach Vane as well.
But even now as they were closing in on Meribia, Nina's mood grew more in the happiness scale, hard as it was to believe possible.
"We'll be there soon," Nina chirped in. "I can't believe it, but we're almost in Meribia. I love the big city."
She did a little loop and returned to Quinn, still flapping gleefully around him. Quinn was in great spirits as well. His trip was almost done.
"Have you ever been in Meribia before?" Nina asked, hovering in front of Quinn's face, flying backwards.
"Yes, but it has been such a long time ago I can hardly remember it. I was just five years old at the time. It was the last trip I ever did over the sea, as I started training right after that."
"Then, we gotta go by the castle of the mayor of Meribia. Oh, and let's not forget Ramus' shop, and..."
As Nina's ramblings went on in the background, Quinn considered his options. He was still well off financially; they could stay in one of the more well kept hotels in Meribia. It was just for a night anyway. And, seeing as they were a bit early, they could tour the town a bit before nightfall. The castle, as Nina mentioned, might be a good idea as it contained a dojo inside its walls. It had been a tradition of sorts that the mayor of the city would be a master of the arts of combat, in some way. The most famous being Mel DeAlkirk from the days of Dragonmaster Dyne, and later, Alex. Mel, who had earlier been a pirate, then a hero, had later stepped into the role as the mayor of Meribia. After that, his daughter had taken up the mantle, the first woman in the recorded history of Meribia to do so.
There had been a female dragonmaster -- well... two, actually. There had been mostly women as the premiers of Vane, and the priestesses still outnumbered the priests in the temples of Althena. But there had never been a female mayor in Meribia before. It took people quite some time to adjust to this. Mostly the older generation, who expected Kyle to enter the role as mayor. But he had no interest in doing so, and, much to the surprise of Jessica herself, he had actually asked her to do it.
And then, a thousand years later, the mantle of mayor was occupied by Blue Master Lunn, who later had been revealed to be a merciless trainer of children as assassins for the Blue Dragon Cult. He had relinquished that mantle when he was defeated by the true Blue Hero -- and Blue Karate Master -- Jean, who, ironically enough, had been one of the kids under Lunn's tutelage. But he had returned to the light when she had, at last, forgiven him of her past misuse. He had returned to his work teaching the pure art of the Blue Dragon Karate, and had much later resumed his career as the mayor of Meribia.
Nowadays, the position was held by a big beast-man named Kray.
Kray was a seven foot giant, wolfish in looks, but with dark brown -- almost black -- hair. His animalistic features were more prominent than the average person of the beast race, and he was, in all probability, old Mel's equal in battle skill and fierceness. But as gruff as he was, he had a great heart and was considered an excellent mayor by its residents. At least, that was what Quinn had heard.
Quinn had never met him before. But then, now would be as good as any day, he supposed.
And now, with the city in view, he made his decisions.
Quinn entered through the gates of the city, looking with astonishment at the vast area it covered.
It had grown ever so much in the latest years. Most people wondered if it would ever stop growing. But through the influx of new people who came to try their luck at trading or at the sea, it wasn't going to happen anytime soon. Most of the ships were anchored there, and it was the place to go if you wanted to travel over the sea to Horam, or perhaps south, to Marakesh in the Salyan desert or Yamora in the Minea sea.
Perhaps later. His first concern was finding a place to stay.
Finding a place to stay in this city was hardly difficult. Quinn and Nina both agreed on a quiet, little inn close to the docks. Quinn rather liked the sounds of the ocean, cliché as it was. It was something he missed living by the woods in the Madoria plains, listening to the sea, its waves splashing against the poles that made up part of the docks themselves.
Nina just liked the smell of fish, even though it was almost nonexistent.
And with the sleeping arrangements done, they were free to tour the city. However, priorities were priorities, and it was only after a meal that they both would go to the castle to have a look around. There had always been an 'open door' policy, a rule from the days of Mel, which had never been changed since.
The drawbridge was down, and the guards bid them welcome when they walked past on their way into the castle. Inside the castle they went, with Nina in the lead, as she had been there before, straight for the dojo.
As usual, it was pretty much packed with people in training. On the mats, people were locked in fierce sparring matches, while along the farther walls and the corners at the opposite side of the room, there hung great sand bags, bars and whatever else one had any need for when training in the art of combat. Through a door one floor down, but still viewable from the second floor, Quinn could see a lot of armaments. Knives, swords, clubs, staffs and some weapons Quinn actually didn't recognize. Perhaps he should go take a closer look.
"Nina!"
The voices, for it was clearly more than one person shouting, came from behind, and were sharp and loud. Running feet could clearly be heard, and Quinn turned around to face whoever was coming. It was two children, about fifteen years by the look of them. One of them looked mostly human. He was very large and muscular for his age, with a mane of red hair in an unruly fashion and an unusually edgy face. He had a goofy grin, though, and his stance and general appearance told Quinn that he was an easygoing guy with a humorous gleam in his eyes and an easy outlook on life.
The other person was definitely wolfish in her looks, but less so than the general wolf-type beast races. She had a long face, and a slender, sinewy build, telling Quinn that she probably practiced one or another form of fighting skills. Also her ears were pointy and somewhat long, with her black hair tucked behind them. Two brownish stripes, one on each side of her chin, pointed upwards at one eye each, eyes that shone with a silvery color. Right now, she was eyeing Quinn with a rather calculating look in her eyes, grinning broadly. And then, she started measuring him up and down, making Quinn feel rather uncomfortable.
"Heey! Who's the hunk?" she asked, indicating Quinn, making both him, Nina's and the third person's jaws drop synchronously to the floor.
"Shayla!" came the prompt reply from both Nina and the red haired boy. Quinn's mind had undergone a temporary lockdown, so he didn't say anything, but just continued to stare into empty space. Nina sighed and decided to spare Quinn the embarrassment.
"Quinn, come on," she said, tapping the side of his head with her paw. It worked, in the sense that he snapped back to reality, turning to Nina.
"What?"
"Jeez, Quinn. Haven't you ever gotten a compliment before?"
"Uh, actually... no. Not about my looks, at least." He turned back to the girl, noticing the barely suppressed grin she wore on her face. "Thank you... I think." He arched a look at them both. "Nice to meet you both. You must be Nina's friends, whom I heard but a little about. My name is Quinlan, although I'd prefer it if you called me Quinn." He stretched out a hand towards the boy, who gladly accepted the handshake.
"Wisdom over strength... You must be Yu-Shan's student. In any case, I welcome you to our home. I am Yasha..." he smiled an all-knowing grin, shaking his hand firmly. Then, he indicated the girl. "...and this is Shayla, as you must have picked up by now, unless your mind was on standby when we mentioned it. She is my sister."
"No, no, I got it." He turned to her, again offering his arm. "Nice to meet you."
She looked at him for a couple of seconds, before accepting the hand. All the time, that unnerving smile could be seen, as well as that calculating look in her eyes.
"Likewise, blue-eyes." Her smile grew, as her eyes narrowed. "Hope you will... enjoy your stay. I know I will."
Quinn did a double take, but said nothing. Nina looked a bit steamed, and Yasha just rolled his eyes.
"Please, make yourself at home," he said, indicating not only the training hall, but the rest of the castle as well. "Go anywhere you like."
A little while later, Quinn found himself on one of the higher towers of the castle, looking out towards the general direction of Vane. In the distance he could barely make out a massive tower of growth that once indicated Taben's peak. The rusty hulk of the Grindery was the base of the growth, now covered in dirt and grime and probably every plant known to exist in the east Katarina zone. Being a bit too unstable now for habitual use, it was apparently left by the orphans many hundreds of years ago.
And beyond the green spire were the marshes that he had to cross on the way. He did not look forward to that at all.
Nina had gone with the siblings to see their dad, as he was told. She hesitated a bit, but Quinn assured her that he wouldn't go far off, and Yasha told her that he could find him on a moment's notice if needed. That in mind, Nina finally agreed and left with the siblings, leaving Quinn to explore the castle at his leisure and on his own.
From his vantage point on the tower balcony, he felt the breeze from the ocean. Moving a little to the right, he turned his attention to the docks and the sea travelers making the ship ready for the trip to Marakesh and Gram. It was a shame there were no port cities near Vane. It would have made his trip a lot easier.
"I hope you are not too angry at me for teasing you like that."
Quinn almost jumped at the voice right behind him. He turned around and saw Shayla standing right in front of him, still smiling that grin she wore down at the training area, but with a lesser degree of deviousness in it.
"What? Oh, that... no, not at all." he replied. "I was just a bit... unused to it."
"Good." She went silent for a while, but she was actually not looking at him at all. She just looked down. On the balcony or the lands below, Quinn couldn't tell. "Nina told us that you rescued her life. Against three wyverns, no less."
"Well, I did, I suppose. It was mostly luck, though."
"From what I understand, she was the lucky one."
"I guess. I'd hate to think what would have happened if I for some reason didn't pass that area at that particular time."
"Well, I'm glad you did. We've been friends since we were kids." Shayla crossed her arms, "But enough about that. I've wondered... well, my brother seems to think that you were Yu-Shan's student. And going by the descriptions..." she added, looking up, "...he might be right about it. It would explain how you could take on three wyverns by yourself."
He sighed.
"Yes... yes, I was his student." He went silent. That made Shayla wonder if she made a blunder in mentioning it.
"What is it?"
"Nothing. You don't have to worry about it. It was just one of the harder periods of my life. It all worked out in the end, though." He turned towards her again, expression lightening, "You live here?"
"Yes," she said, looking surprised. "How did you know?"
"Your brother told me to 'make myself at home'. Remember?" he arched a grin. Shayla just slapped her forehead.
"Of course. That'll teach me to pay attention, eh?" She grinned. "Say, why don't you come meet my dad. Nina and my bro are already there. I'm sure he'd like to meet you."
"Lead the way."
Upon seeing Kray, it was easy to see where Shayla had gotten her wolfish looks from. Not to mention that he looked exactly like Quinn had heard. He also looked, if not angry, at least dead serious. Nina just looked sad and afraid.
Obviously, he had heard about the incident with the wyverns. Judging by Yasha's guilty look, he had been the blabbermouth that had set it all off. Not that it mattered, seeing as Nina wore a big reminder of the episode on the entire right side of her body. And the folded wings did nothing to hide it.
Upon entering the door, Kray's face turned immediately towards him. He rose up of his chair and walked towards Quinn, his face unchanging. And when he reached him, he stood there for a while, his expression still not changing at all.
And then, he stretched out his right hand as his features loosened slightly.
"I've been told what you did, boy, and I am impressed," he said, continuing as Quinn accepted the handshake. "We owe you our thanks."
"Well, I couldn't very well let her be killed." He made a small, nervous laugh, scratching the back of his neck. "Besides, she has been very good company on my trip this far."
"And humble as well. You do your grandfather credit, boy, as well as your teacher in the arts." He slapped Quinn on the shoulder. "How is the old biologist doing now, anyway? It's been far too long since I've seen him. Not since I went to Horam."
"He's fine. He's still working within his field of herbs and plants. We've done well over the last few years." Then, something occurred to him. "You know him?"
"Oh, yes, I do. But that's a story far too long to be told now. Several years long, in fact. When you return, say hello from an old friend."
"Sure."
Kray looked back at Nina, the frown returning. "You should both have a look around rest of the city. I suggest that you take advantage of the rest of the day, as your guide..." Kray said, as he turned back to Quinn, "...is facing a long time of being grounded." Nina winced at that, but said nothing. It was Quinn who spoke next.
"Thank you. I think I'll take your advice. Thank you for your hospitality. That goes for all of you," he said, looking at them all in turn, ending on Nina. "Shall we?"
"Okay," she said in a small voice. The lecture had, again, been very heavy. And as Kray looked twice as stern as anything Quinn could ever come up with. It probably weighed heavily on her shoulders.
Flying up to him, she took her spot on his shoulder. And Quinn headed for the door.
"Quinlan!"
The person in question stopped and turned around.
"Yes?"
"If you ever find yourself in Meribia again, come to me before going to an inn. I'd be honored to have you staying at my castle." The wry grin was the first smile he had seen the beast-man do until now.
"Thank you for your offer. I'll keep that in mind."
And then, they went outside.
There was a lot to see in the city.
First there was Ramus' shop, with all its 'attractions'. Nina questioned whether those words were mostly directed to the girls. She was a bit surprised to see that Quinn took it all in quite calmly, despite his reactions to Shayla's obvious flirting in the castle. When she inquired about it, he said that they were not much different from the girls that trained in the Bunny Karate Dojo. He added that that particular dojo was the only one that didn't have any issues about him training under Yu-Shan, and they had always treated him well when he was just a kid, more often than not coming to his defense when the children from the other schools were making his staying difficult, and offering him shelter in their dojo when it became too bad. As a result, he had gained a lot of respect for the Bunny Karate dojo, despite their choice of 'combat attire'. And he knew that these girls were probably not that different, combat skills -- or lack thereof -- aside.
It was mostly because of that, that he treated the scantily clad girls well. No leery stares and no cheesy lines, as he thanked them for the offer when they asked him whether he wanted any assistance, but declined, saying he was fine and he would ask if he wanted help. That, and the fact that he was generally silent, polite, kind and easy to talk to, quickly made him popular with the girls, prompting them to assist him even more. He took it all in stride.
And upon settling on some provisions and magic restorative items for the trip ahead, he bid his goodbye and left. He got a collective goodbye from almost all the girls working there, earning him envious or hostile glares from the other (male) customers.
As the tour-de-Meribia went along, Quinn treated himself to a new light chain-mail, looking like a simple sweater made of a mesh of metal rings fused together into what looked like an ordinary shirt, and offering light protection. He also got himself a pair of metal arm-guards, saying, when Nina voiced her curiosity, that they would fit his fighting style rather well. The rest of the tour was mostly spent browsing or just looking at the attractions of Meribia, including the park and the dock, the latter being where Nina got a taste of seafood. Apparently, the more superstitious of the seamen considered it good luck to offer some of the catch to a dragon, the old guardians of Althena. Nina didn't argue, but she still had the manners to thank the sailor for the fish.
Although she had left her life as a goddess, taking up a mortal's life as Luna, it would seem as though there still were people honoring her and praying to her. The fisherman said that he was honoring the goddess Althena and that it mattered little that she was dead. She was still the creator of their world, and he felt he owed her that.
"Her spirit is still with us," he concluded, solemnly "...and she still watches over us together with her Dragonmaster, Alex."
Quinn couldn't argue with that. He still thought about it when they started walking back to the inn and discussed it briefly with Nina. She said that Nall, her father, had, after all, known the goddess in her final incarnation. She had been a good friend, Nina said, and Nall still missed both her and Alex. At least, that's what her mother had told her. She almost wished that the old fisherman could meet her dad. He would have liked the old man.
Nina snapped out of her melancholy thoughts as the inn came into view, and nearly fell off Quinn's shoulder when she heard a very familiar voice.
"So, the prodigal daughter returns to Meribia."
Quinn turned to face the speaker, and Nina's face would have turned white if fur could have changed color.
"DAD!!"
Quinn started a bit at that. Nall? The white dragon? He was going to meet the white dragon? He looked towards the owner of the voice, nervousness evident in his expression.
Nall had evidently taken on his human form, his white hair with the brown stripe in the middle going over his head, and the white goatee. He looked furious, happy and relieved all in one.
"Your mom and I have looked for days. Do you have any idea how worried we've been? And that talk I've had with a certain priestess in Nota did not help matters. Although, I'm a bit relieved to see that you at least found someone to travel with to Meribia."
"But... but," Quinn watched as Nina babbled, obviously at a loss for words, "I... I just..."
Not saying another word, Nall went over and picked the dragon -- his daughter -- up and turned her around to look at her scarred side. Quinn just looked as he obviously struggled with his composure... or temper. Quinn couldn't tell.
And, a second later, Nall hugged her for all it was worth.
"Good lord, Nina. I've been so afraid that you'd travel off alone again. I was just about to ask Kray for help on this. Can you imagine how it felt to hear that you'd made it safely here? Can you?"
"I... I'm sorry, dad," she sniffled, "I didn't want you to worry. I just had to go somewhere before I went crazy. I'm sorry. I just wanted to go somewhere..."
Nall was about to continue, but as he looked over, he noticed Quinn standing not very far away, trying to look like he wasn't listening.
"Could you please excuse us for a second?" Nall said, looking right at Quinn, who just 'noticed' his stare. "I need to talk to my daughter in private for a little while."
"Uh... okay." he replied, indicating a bench farther away in the outskirts of the park. Nall nodded.
After walking over and sitting down, Quinn watched the conversation between the white dragon and the red one. Nall would mostly look exasperated, waving his arms in grand gestures as he talked to his daughter. Nina took it all with her head bowed in shame or turned away in anger. Apparently, they still disagreed on some matters. Even though he couldn't hear any of tehir words, that was easy enough to see. At one point of the conversation, Nall indicated Quinn, saying something. At that point, Nina took to her wings, flying around Nall and talking the whole time. After that, Nall became quiet, apparently deep in thought.
And then, he came over.
As Quinn rose from the bench, Nall turned to Nina. "I have to talk to him for a little while in private. Why don't you wait for us in..." he paused a couple of seconds, "...the inn? We'll be there right after we're done."
"All right," she muttered, flying to the door, and disappeared inside. Nall turned back to Quinn.
"I... am very grateful for what you've done. The dragon tribe owes you a lot. As her father, I am even more in debt to you."
"Uh... thanks. Forgive me for appearing a bit awed at this, but I've never met any of the dragons before." Quinn offered his hand for the n'th time today, and Nall accepted it. "Considering my nervousness, I should be happy that you're not in your dragon form."
Nall chuckled a bit about that. "Nina told me that you rescued her. She also told me that you allowed her to travel with you here."
"Yes, although I never considered her a burden. She has been really good company on the journey. I should thank you for allowing me to borrow her for a while, and I hope you will show a little lenience towards her. She has already been through a lot."
"I know. I should have guessed something like that would happen. She's got it from both me and her mother." He laughed guiltily. "After all, I was the last Dragonmaster's friend and travel companion, and her mother traveled with the greatest hero of Lunar. I only wish that I could put more faith in this world. The wyverns, although serious enough, are not my greatest fear for her." He went silent, looking towards the ground.
"I don't understand." Quinn looked quite perplexed.
"Has she told you about the blue dragon's egg? Or about the black dragon's death?" Nall almost whispered, and Quinn could barely hear it. But he did, and Nall got a confirming nod.
"What you're about to hear, I want you to promise me that you won't tell anyone. Not even my daughter. I don't want her to hear it. Not until she's ready for it. Now, promise me!"
"You have my word for it." Quinn was getting good and curious now.
"Well, I knew that something was seriously wrong when Aurora's egg was stolen, mostly because she was knocked out with a paralysis spell. Obviously, someone had plans for that egg. I just can't imagine what. The strange part is that we found the thief on the path towards Horam. We don't know if he was going to Horam, but we found the body of the thief, torn asunder by the wolves that inhabit the area."
"But how can someone that casts spells to paralyze dragons be killed by wolves? That doesn't make sense."
"That we do not know. One fact remains, though. We found the body, along with some dead wolves, the tracks of a minor scuffle and the broken shell pieces of the egg." He shivered, but continued. "We never found the body. Much as we would have disliked to find a little dragon corpse, we never found the body. That was the hardest day in my life, when I had to face Aurora with the bad news."
"And the black dragon?"
"He... well, he took it just as bad as Aurora. After all, it had been his child as well. Besides, the black dragon is a descendant of the black dragon Alex and his friends had fought when Ghaleon had taken over." Pain flashed across Nall's eyes, and it was more than the memories of his friends that caused them. But he continued, "He had, much like Aurora, closed himself inside his cave. It was only when Nina was born that he would drag himself out from time to time. His family has always been the deeply emotional part of the dragon tribe, and Nina was pretty much the sole source for his happiness at the time."
"And then..." Quinn prompted, after yet another moment of silence.
"And then, we found him, one day," Nall continued, "in his cave."
Judging by Nall's morose look, Quinn considered it a bad idea to inquire further into this, so he let it alone. He had gotten a lot more than he had asked for anyway.
"Might I know where you're heading?" Quinn was rather surprised by the sudden change of topic, but he saw no harm in telling him.
"I'm going to Vane."
"Well then, as thank you for rescuing my daughter, I'd like to fly you there. That should save you plenty of travel time. I have to find my mate after all, and Vane is basically in the line of flight, so to speak. Will you let me do that for you?"
"I... thank you. That will help me a lot. I accept your offer."
"Then, we will meet by the city gates tomorrow at sunrise."
And with that, Nall left, and Quinn headed for the inn to get a good night's sleep.
Nina started a bit when the door opened, but it was just Quinn entering.
"Where's my dad?" she asked, a bit puzzled that he was alone.
"I don't know. Perhaps he had something to do. He's probably going to drop by later."
"I see," she answered.
"Well, he's going to fly us to Vane tomorrow. That should save me from having to travel through those marshes."
"Really?"
"Yes, he's going to m...mm..." Suddenly, Quinn shuddered, exhaling quickly. He had a shocked look on his face.
"What is it? What's the matter." Quinn didn't reply immediately, he walked over to sit down at the bed. His face was twisted in a panicked expression.
"Nina," he wheezed. "Oh, goddess, not now," he continued, not talking to anyone in person. Then, he returned his attention towards Nina, a pleading look barely visible in the strained face, "Please gg-go down for a second. I don't want you to sehhh .. see this." He cramped up a little. At least, that was what it looked like as far as Nina was concerned.
"See what?" She didn't leave, not even when all the color left Quinn's face, making it as white as his hair.
"Nina pleASE. Nnnnghh." His eyes squished shut, and he held the bedpost in a tight grip, almost crushing it. "P -pp-gnnnhh." And as he sank to the floor, he wasn't able to say anything. All the sounds she heard were mostly repressed screams of pain and silent groans of agony. Nina felt like panicking. As Quinn slid down to the floor, adapting a fetal-like position, shaking in the effort to keep the pain in check, she fluttered around nervously, not knowing what to do.
This had to be his illness, she thought, the ease of her conclusion rather ironic, her presently panicked state of mind considered.
A scream filled the room when Quinn was unable to contain it. This did not calm Nina in the slightest. She considered doing as he said, but she was just too shocked. From the hallway, running feet could be heard. And then, the innkeeper came rushing in.
"What in Althena's name.." he said. Upon noticing Quinn lying on the floor, still shaking from the seizures, he ran over to check on him. "Go to Black Rose street now. Get one of the priestesses," he barked to Nina, who was about to do just that. But the words from Quinn halted her.
"Nnnh .. nnno. D..don't. T-they can't d-do anything ann-anyway," he wheezed again, still shaking. "I'm-m get-ting b-better. L-let m-me just r-rest a little wh-while." He groaned, but for some strange reason, he really did look better. This did, of course, confuse Nina to no end.
However, as he managed to stand up, he explained the situation to the innkeeper as best he could, considering that he was still shaking a bit as he was talking. In the end, the innkeeper agreed, but he promised that if Quinn showed any signs of worsening again, he would keep him there and call for a priest anyway. And, after making sure that Quinn was put to bed to go to sleep immediately, he left. Nina flew right over to him.
"What was that? For the love of Althena, Quinn. I've never been so afraid in my entire life. Not even when I was chased by hungry wyverns."
Quinn smiled at that, "It's okay," he said with a tired voice, "I've had those before. It was just a little worse this time. I'll be *yawn* jus' fine tomorrow." His eyes closing slowly, and he drifted off to sleep.
And in his dreams, he saw a woman with blue hair. She was dressed in a long, flowing blue dress. She smiled and stretched her arms out to him.