Lia looked quietly at the girl. Most of her anger had vanished while she told that story, the tears in the girls eyes and her own feelings telling her that it was all true.

“This”, Yukiko held her right hand up so she could see the mark there, “keeps me prisoner in the body of the twelve year old girl, who foolishly touched the eye of flows.” Taking a deep breath she let her hand sink down again. “It made me unnatural. For all of them I could only be a construct, some sort of weapon. They all hated and feared me, while Bradley kept playing the mighty ruler, the one that had me under his control, the one that kept them safe.”

Lia gulped, the last of her anger vanishing as she could understand the feelings and frustrations of her companion more and more.

“Only after thirteen years I discovered my ability to go through walls. With that new hope I started planning my escape once again. I found out that I was somehow able to use some sort of magic that Bradley didn’t know about.” She shivered. “Then, as we stepped through the portal, I gathered all my courage, stole the tear and ran.” Another deep breath as she relived those moments. “The Soldiers shot at me, they wanted to kill me. I barely escaped into the woods right before Bradley got his soldiers back under control and I my own powers.”

“I didn’t know”, Lia didn’t know what else to say. What could she possibly reply after hearing that story? It all felt true. The girl behaved at several occasions older than she looked.

“As I saw your tear, I knew you had the same problem. I didn’t want you to go through the same destiny as I”, tears were running down her cheek now. “I never have wanted to do to you, what I had experienced. I wanted to protect you …”

Lia tried to get a lump out of her throat, tried to gulp it down.

“Forgive me. Please, forgive me”, Yukiko said with a quivering voice, tears dropping down on the stones below.

Lia hesitated. The rational part of her warned, that this story could have been made up, but her other part just wanted to hug tat girl. Yukiko kept on begging and crying, making her rational part loose. She gave in and hugged her. “I forgive you”, she whispered, but those words only served to make her cry even more. She stroke over the girls back, comforting her quietly.

Should she ever meet that Bradley-guy, she would have a talk with him. From dragon to man. But before that, she had something else to do.

◊

Yukiko put her arms around Lia, didn’t want to let her go, as all her emotions poured out of her. She remembered her gentle mother once again, the hugs, her warmth … if only she could go back to those times, to forget Bradley and all he had done to her.

She kept close to Lia, hoping that this moment would last forever now. She felt warm and safe within her arms.

Lia stopped hugging her much too soon. “Why have you never told me?”

“I couldn’t”, she answered truthfully. “All those memories …” Her hand grabbed the clothes in front of her heart, constricting there, wanting the pain to stop. “They hurt”, she whispered, leaning against Lia once again. Her warmth somehow helped against the agony she felt.

Lia put once again an arm around her shoulders, pulling her a bit closer. She sighed once more and they just sat there, enjoying each other’s presence until the pain in Yukikos breast finally faded and her tears stopped.

Lia got up some minutes later, holding her hand out to Yukiko. “Come, we have some things we need to discuss with Phobos.”

◊

Phobos put the small chest back under his throne. He had contacted his generals and mobilized his troops. He needed to be careful and he couldn’t allow himself to underestimate Dikon. He himself was exceptionally powerful and he had also an army.

Phobos had some powerful allies, too. He had to get those two girls to work with him. If they were loyal to him, he wouldn’t have to fear Dikon.

They had to deal with that other girl and he could get Penal to deal with Dikon. Then there was also Felix, who would support him. With these conditions they had a fighting chance. If there now was a dragon on his side …

“Phobos?”

“Yes?” He turned around to see that Lia and Yukiko had returned. He smiled and folded his arms before his breast. Just feign superiority. Now he just had to handle this right and he would have two allies for the battle to come.

“You wanted us to help you. Now we have a few conditions that we need to talk about.” Lia was the one talking, taking charge. Yukiko hid like a frightened child. What had happened between those two?

“What are those?”

“I want your word, that my father and my uncle will stay safe and that you will release him.”

“Very well”, he answered, a smile on his face. He had predicted this much.

“Then I need you to remove the seal on my arm.”

“It will take an hour, tops, and you will be freed”, he answered truthfully. A dragon priest on his side could very much turn the tides, especially if she was able to utilize her full potential.

“And the dragon tears won’t be used in this battle!” The authority in her voice was unexpected. She ordered him not to use them, but he couldn’t let go of it that easily. The enemy was using one and without an equally powerful artefact, he would lose the battle.

“I cannot accept that one”, he answered sternly. “You know that our enemy will be using his.”

“I have a proposal to make”, Yukiko had the courage to step forward again. “I will steal our enemy’s tear.”

Phobos looked at her. That was something that he hadn’t expected at all. He hadn’t even thought of that. “How do you want to do that?”

“I am a thief. I will find a way!” She stood as high as she could. Proud.

Phobos sighed. “You shouldn’t be proud of being a thief”, he answered. “And knowing him, you should have a plan or two beforehand.” He sat down on his throne. “Especially considering that the battle will commence as soon as we meet each other on the battle field and we don’t have any possibility to teleport to him. So how will you take his tear?”

Yukiko sighed, her shoulders slumping down. “I think that he would be distracted enough during the battle, to steal it unnoticed …”

“You won’t get near him unnoticed. We both can see you very good, if you try to become invisible.”

“Maybe we can create additional illusions that would trick him, if there would be an army that only he sees?”

Phobos intertwined his fingers and leaned forwards. “That might actually work. If he sees multiple of you he might be distracted, trying to find the real you, giving you the opportunity to steal the tear.” He started to smile. “And I know exactly the person, who would be up for the job.”

Yukiko seemed not that thrilled to work with another person, but it seemed the best plan at the moment. And they needed to free that girl as well.

“I accept your conditions.” He nodded once and looked into Lias eyes. “Now, my fair lady, we shall marry in three days.”

◊

Lia slumped her shoulders, she had completely forgotten that crazy plan of his. “What is, when I don’t want to?”

Her question had completely taken him off-guard. He let his hands sink, staring at her. “What do you mean?”

“I …” She took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart. “I love someone else.” Lia wasn’t even sure if it was really love or if she just used her feelings for him as an excuse.

“What …” Phobos seemed at a loss for words. “We shall talk about this again, after the battle is over.”

“A battle! Finally!” Someone passed Lia and his voice woke bad memories. A black leather coat, black hair …

“In a few hours. Dikon won’t hesitate in the slightest.”

“Good!”

“You are …” Lia gulped. He was the one who left her with that seal on her arm.

The black haired one turned, looked at her and Yukiko, his smile vanishing instantly. “You …”

“Penal!” Phobos voice cut into whatever he wanted to say. “These are our allies!”

“I see.” He still seemed as if he wanted to kill them where they stood.

“I need you to remove the seal from her arm again.”

His face drained of all color he turned around. “That girl is a menace! Our troops will be in danger!”

“She is a valuable asset to our troops.”

“The dragon had control of her, only that seal is keeping us safe!”

“Trust me, we will be safe even then.” Phobos stood up and came closer. “She won’t hurt you or any of us and she has the dragon under control.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“Because I know that she is more than she seems to be.”

Penal grumbled and turned. “Get naked!”

Lia made a few steps back. “You are crazy!” she pulled her clothing even closer to her body.

“I need to touch the seal to remove it!”

Lia looked to Yukiko, who shrugged. Then she pulled a part of her clothing of so he could get to the seal. “That should be enough!”

“Yes, it is enough.” Penal came closer, grinning. “This will hurt”, he said and drilled both middle and index finger into her skin. “Very much!”

As he let go and turned away, she started to feel the burning sensation once again, the pain caused by the seal. The heat permeated her whole body, as if she was burning alive, the flames taking her air, she couldn’t breathe. She sank on her knees, becoming weaker and weaker by the moment, her vision fading and then …

It ended. She didn’t feel any pain anymore. She took a few deep breaths and looked upon her shoulder. The edges of the seal were glowing orange-red, eating away at the black mark until her shoulder returned to the way it was before the seal had been placed on her.

“She recovered too fast for a human”, penal grumbled. You never thought of telling me that she is half dragon as well?” He glared at Phobos.

“It wasn’t necessary for your mission”, he smiled.

Penal curled a fist but didn’t say anything more. He looked over her and Yukiko. “She should rest the few hours before the battle begins or the dragon will overwhelm even her. The seal has stolen all her power.”

“I will see to it”, a young man in a white robe came in and helped her up.

“Thank you, Serin”, Phobos nodded and turned to Penal again. As they left she didn’t pay any attention to what they were saying anymore.

He lead her through the many corridors of the castle and into a room with a big, soft bed. As she sat down he nodded once and left her alone.