Kenshe stepped back from the images, realizing that they were talking about Cirrus. The former dragoon had staged his workings here as a weapon against the Asterians. He wouldn't be surprised if forcing them to Earth was all part of his plan too. If they performed as dangerous invaders, he would win the humans' trust by killing them. Then he would likely strike the humans with their defences down.
"Kas said it was a Curse allowing him do this," Ubi said as she sat up and rubbed her eyes.
"Curse? Please don't tell me you mean
that
Curse. I thought it was destroyed with Daath and Moon."
Ubi shook her head. "Cirrus and my mother have it now."
"And wait, you saw Kas again?" Kenshe asked.
"He sent us here from the Sanctus you collapsed in. He held off Cirrus and opened a Rift under us."
Kenshe's spirits perked up at the thought of his best friend being alive. "Alright, so how do we get rid of this Curse once and for all?"
"He said that Nafury is the only one who can break it and that he's here already," Ubi replied.
Kenshe's enthusiastic expression fell through the floor. "Just great. Leave the Fate of two worlds to the one who nearly destroyed them." He sat down on the sofa next to her.
"Can you find him? Sniff him out or something?"
"Finding him, even on this world, won't be a problem. But after watching that woman on the screen just now, everything screams a trap. And then there's this," Kenshe said, holding up his wrist. "You even know what this is?"
"No idea," Ubi replied. "It just happened and then worked in keeping you alive so far. The sunlight and Sentry won't bother you as much with that leash--eh, I mean, mark on you."
"No, you had it right the first time," Kenshe said. "It's a bloody leash. A leash that says you're my mate."
Ubi's face went completely red. "Well, then just take it off if it bothers you so much. I think I have a dustpan in the closet if you turn to ashes..."
The side of Kenshe's mouth involuntarily twitched. He was going about this the wrong way. Then it occurred to him that they were in her home on Earth, not some random place. "This is your place?"
"Yeah," Ubi said and got up and stretched. "Simera's apartment is just down the hall if you don't believe me."
Kenshe's curiosity was uncontainable.
"Key is hanging next to the door. I'm going to make me some coffee," Ubi said with a yawn. She headed then towards what looked like a Tech-inspired kitchen.
Kenshe let his senses tour the apartment first before he went for the key. He picked it off the hook and opened the door, and walked towards the last apartment at the end of the hall. The key worked, and he cautiously opened the door. He was walking into a dragon's den, even if that dragon was now dead. At first he thought that he had the wrong apartment, as the place had clearly benefitted from a feminine touch. The flowers had wilted in their vase on the dining table, but for the most part, the place was clean. He went into the living room and looked at several pictures in their frames on the shelf. The women in one looked a lot like Sybl. He wondered if Simera had taken refuge at Serena's old place while he was trapped here on Earth. He picked up the photo and pulled it out of the frame, looking for a name on the back.
"It says--"
"'Best friends forever.' I can read English," Kenshe said.
Ubi shrugged him off and came the rest of the way in, before sitting down on the sofa. She looked to be enjoying her cup of coffee.
Kenshe looked closer at the blond woman in the photo. It was a more human-looking Alexia. "Some best friend," he commented bitterly. "Alexia nearly killed Sybl." He put the photo into his pocket. Kenshe went over to the closet then. He started to unwrap the piece of Ubi's cloak that she had used to bandage his chest. Then he picked out the least dragon-smelling shirt, which was a formal grey one.
"Why would she pretend to be human at all?" Ubi pondered aloud. "Serena isn't the reincarnation of anyone. Sure, she went on to be Queen of Toria, but she's just human," Ubi said.
"She was more than that. She could see into the future from what I was told. A very useful talent if you ask me, especially as Awls stayed far from dragons back then. Alexia probably wanted to capitalize on it, as she remained a Sentry," Kenshe replied.
"Maybe," Ubi said and took another sip of her coffee.
"Did he take care of you?" Kenshe dared to ask as he went over to her, buttoning the last of his shirt before sitting down.
"If a prisoner can be seen as cared for. He owns this whole building. That's how I was able to get the guards to help me drag your unconscious butt up here."
"Was Simera in on all of what Cirrus is doing?"
"I think he tried to stop him, by human rules that is. When he failed, he came back here under Cirrus' control. I didn't know who or what had taken control of Simera at the time. All I remember is running for my life when he looked at me with different eyes and tried to grab me."
"That's when Xirel found you?"
Ubi nodded.
Kenshe let out a long sigh and leaned back on the sofa. He held out the piece of cloak he still held, covered in his blood and all. "I can never replace him." He set the fabric down on her lap. "At best I can make you forget him, if only for a while. That's all I can promise."
"I thought you were taking the Bond off?" Ubi asked.
"It's not something that can be removed unless both sides want it to be. It's not something that can be made, either, unless both sides share the same feelings."
"If that's true, then what did you get from being so mean to me?" Ubi asked as she picked up the piece of her cloak.
"Because you're Kas' daughter, in another life or whatever. I couldn't do anything when he died--his strength just gave out and I never forgave myself for that. Every time I look at you, I'm reminded of how I couldn't save him. Pushing you away was how I dealt with it. For what it's worth, I'm sorry."
"It's fine. I had a feeling my presence hit some kind of angry personal note with you." She traced the Threads of the Mei on her wrist, looking for anything else she may have missed of Kenshe.
"You almost had my own shift kill me when we first met."
"You had strung Xirel up like a piece of meat!" Ubi retorted.
"That was between me and him. And then there was your deception to get closer to all of us."
"I had every right to be cautious, if not superficial. I haven't had it easy, and I didn't want to try surviving on another world by myself," Ubi replied.
"Fine. Just make sure you apologize to Nafury when we see him then."
"Since when do you care about him?"
Kenshe leaned forward and rested his arms on his legs. "The only reason he's alive is because I ordered no one to touch him. He hasn't survived the last ten years by luck."
"That's not answering the question," Ubi said.
Kenshe interlocked his fingers as he thought over his next choice of words. "There is another history between us, from another life. That's all."
Ubi raised an eyebrow. "Who were you before this?"
"Svarog."
Ubi nearly spat out her coffee, and instead choked when she tried to keep it in. "No friggin way. Dragons aren't reborn as phelan. Bull shit."
"Well, that's what happened."
"Okay, well Damek existed during the Last War. Dragons... Not so much."
"We were alive and a prisoner like you were here," Kenshe said, looking around the room. "Nephena wouldn't let us out of the bowels of Toria. Likewise, Tenu wouldn't let her dragons out of the Eternal Waters. But we saw everything."
"Svarog... Wait, the first blacksmith dragon, right?"
"Yeah," Kenshe said and got to his feet. "And I think we should stop lounging around now and go find my helmet."
TWENTY-EIGHT
"Well well, lookey here. The last of the Four Generals to be found in the sewers of Hell, covered in shit."
Nafury opened his eyes and looked up at the man who looked like Kenshe. "Who are you?"
"Your favourite Nemesis, of course. The one who usually ends up bailing you out of the shit you fall into."
"Kenshe...? What are you doing here? And why are you eyes red?" Nafury asked, sitting up taller.
Kenshe took Nafury's hand and pulled him to his feet. Then he went over to the water that flowed through the smelly sewers to take in his reflection. Instead of grey, his eyes were indeed red. "Weird."
"What are you doing here?" Nafury asked, and looked then at Ubi as she charged at him with a hug.
"Saving you! I thought that griffin had killed you!" she replied and hugged him tighter.
Nafury hugged her back, whispering a prayer in thanks that she was safe. "You shouldn't be here--it's too dangerous."
"Yeah, well it can't be worse than Atrum City right now. The Sentry have overtaken it and nearly gutted us," Kenshe added.
"What?" Nafury said.
"Then we only have so much time to take out the Dragon Moon while they're busy there."
Kenshe started forward, in the direction he smelled a lot of griffins. "I think I have an idea of where the pigeons flew off too as well."
"Wait, how did you find me so fast?" Nafury asked as he followed after him with Ubi behind.
"Your helmet. It's how I've been able to keep tabs on you."
"Wait, what?" Nafury asked and took his helmet off. They climbed out of the sewers then and into a small, greener area of the city.
"I made that helmet. It was supposed to be a gift for you. I and several other dragoons wanted to join your side during the Last War. We wanted revenge against the chimeras who had imprisoned us."
"You were a dragoon once? I don't believe it," Nafury replied.
"I was the first one, Svarog," Kenshe corrected. "Because I made that helmet with my own hands, it was effortless for me to track the Threads to its gold."
"A gift? For me? I'm touched. Give me a second to puke," Nafury said as they walked along the sidewalk, trying to blend in as best they could.
"You were more admirable when you were Damek. Now you're just an idiot," Kenshe replied bluntly.
"Why the hell are you here again?" Nafury asked and then looked at Ubi who was giggling behind them.
"You both look like you just walked out of a dragon cosplay convention." Ubi was laughing harder now.
"What is that?" Nafury asked.
Kenshe used his Aliyr to see what she was comparing them to. "It's a get together of lots of people where they mock dragons for several days."
Nafury didn't know how they had both become so in sync with each other, until he saw the Aliyr on Kenshe's wrist. He stopped walking so fast, Ubi's nose smashed into his back with a squeak. "Just what is that?"
"Ah...crap. If it's of any consolation, I didn't--" Kenshe didn't get to finish his sentence as Nafury's fist went straight into his face. It hit him hard enough to floor him. Then the phelan shifter caught the boot that nearly stepped on him next. "Will you let me explain!?"
"I will not have some dog with my niece. Release the Bond you have to her at once!"
"Stop it already! You're going to get us killed if you draw anymore attention our way!" Kenshe yelled at him, as his eyes caught the glimmer of a Sentry on a rooftop.
"I'm not the one who has to worry the most about the Sentry, phelan. I should let them cut you to pieces!" Nafury shouted at him.
"I get that you're angry--but if you hurt me, she will feel it too!"
Nafury had forgotten how Bonds worked. He looked at Ubi who was rubbing her sore cheek--the same spot his fist had collided with Kenshe.
"Ow. Can you both stop it now?" she asked.
Nafury took back his boot. "Sorry, Ubi," he said and gently touched her cheek, using his aeri to heal the hit. Then he turned back around and grabbed Kenshe by his shirt and lifted him to his feet. "We'll take this up later." He pressed forward then to the dragon-shaped building that could be seen in the distance.
After a while they reached the Dragon Moon, and it was intimidating. It sat like a mother dragon with its wings covering its fledgling humans underneath. It was nearly all polished metal and glass, as its edges reflected the sunlight in all directions. Yet it was all arranged in such away that it almost appeared alive.
Kenshe and Nafury both looked back as their shifts kept their distance from the Dragon Moon. Humans walked about and through the spirits, oblivious to their invisible presence.
"Looks like we go on without them," Kenshe said as he started for the entrance.
"You can't just go through the front doors like that!" Ubi said and chased after them.
"That's exactly what we're going to do," Nafury said put his helmet back on. He unsheathed his blade as Kenshe did the same.
"They'll gun us down!" Ubi cried.
"Don't kill any, Kenshe. Our success depends on beating this thing before Hino decides to beat us."
"We won't have to worry about that." Kenshe looked to where the griffin shifter standing guard took notice of them. "We're just here to cull the pigeon population." Kenshe moved faster than lightning, as he charged the griffin shifter. He cut him down before the guard could reach the trigger on his gun. Nafury did the same to the second, only moment slower. The alarms went off as they entered through the front doors, and security guards began to fill into the front foyer. Then they opened fire on them.